When deciding to put your book out into the world you are met with two options. These two paths, traditional vs self-publishing, both hold various pros and cons.
Which route suits your journey?
Traditional publishing means submitting your work to a publishing company. They handle editing, design, printing, and distribution of your book. The publisher will also take care of the marketing and promotion of your book. This can be a significant advantage for authors who do not have the time or resources to do it themselves. The publisher will usually take a cut of the sales from your book in return for these services; often this is quite substantial and acts as one of the main setbacks of traditional printing.
Alternatively, self-publishing involves taking on the responsibilities of editing, designing, printing, and distributing yourself. Bookvault handles the printing and distribution on behalf of authors. In addition to this, the marketing and promotion of your book belong to you. The work of marketing your book is the drawback of self-publishing. Many self-publishers see this as a benefit of this process as it grants greater influence over their book launch. Additionally, self-publishing can also offer more flexibility in content and creative control, as there is no publisher pressure.
One of the main advantages of traditional publishing is the prestige and credibility that comes with having a major publisher behind you. This can make it easier to get your work reviewed by major media outlets and increase your visibility in the literary world. In addition, traditional publishers have established distribution networks, which can make it easier for you to reach a wider audience. However as the self-publishing route has developed in the past five years, distribution options are plentiful. This is especially true when considering the direct selling route offered to self-authors (https://bookvault.app/why-sell-direct-as-an-indie-author/)
Self-publishing, on the other hand, offers a more direct route to getting your work out into the world. There is no waiting for a publisher to accept your work. You can get your book onto platforms such as Amazon or even your direct-selling site within days of completing the editing and design process. This can be beneficial for authors wanting to get their work out quickly, without waiting for a traditional publisher to take an interest. With self-publishing, you earn the extra revenue that is lost in royalties to publishers through the effort you put into marketing your book. As direct selling has grown, POD options are now of high quality and efficiency. It has become far more feasible to self-publish successfully.
Self-publish with Bookvault!
Consider these points when weighing up traditional vs self-publishing to determine what route best suits your journey as an author. At Bookvault we strive to offer the simplest and most effective route for authors choosing to self-publish, with our direct selling integrations, low prices from a single copy, and our links to major distributors. The self-publishing route has grown in popularity recently due to these developments helping authors automate the process.
