Trad Publishing vs Self-Publishing
There are two ways to release a book. One involves a gate. The other involves deciding the gate was optional.
BY: THE MUSE LIBRARY
Images/Photos Sourced From: Pinterest + The Muse LibraryEvery writer eventually arrives at the same question: How should I publish?
You wrote the manuscript, and now you’re deciding how it becomes an actual book. There are two primary routes:
Traditional publishing — the literary equivalent of getting signed to a record label and self-publishing — bypassing the system.
Below is a clear look at what each route involves: how the money works, what the costs are, and what writers tend to trade in exchange for the ride.
TRADITIONAL PUBLISHING
DEFINED:
A publishing house acquires your manuscript and takes responsibility for producing and distributing your book.
THE PROCESS:
Most authors begin by researching and querying literary agents who represent their genre. Once you have a literary agent, your agent submits the manuscript to editors at publishing houses.
If it lands, the publisher may make an offer to acquire the book.
That offer usually includes an advance against royalties.
ADVANCE TO BOARDWALK..
An advance is a payment the publisher gives the author before the book earns money. It’s not a bonus. It’s an early portion of future royalties.
For example:
A publisher might offer anywhere from $10,000 - $50k as a debut author’s advance.
That money rarely arrives all at once. It’s typically divided into instalments.
A common schedule looks like this:
A portion when the contract is signed
A portion when the manuscript is delivered and accepted
A portion when the book is published
Some contracts split the advance even further across additional milestones.
The key detail: the book must earn back the advance before the author receives additional royalties.
This is called earning out, which is a polite way of saying the book has to sell enough copies before the next cheque appears.
TRAD ROYALTIES
If the book sells enough copies to cover the advance, the author begins receiving royalty payments on future sales.
Royalty rates in traditional publishing often look something like this:
Authors receive around 10–15% of the list price for hardcover
Authors receive around 6–8% for paperback
Authors receive around 25% of the publisher’s net for eBooks
The percentages vary by contract, but the structure holds: the publisher handles production, printing, distribution, and marketing. The author receives a share.
Royalty payments typically arrive twice a year.
WHO’S IN CONTROL?
Traditional publishing involves collaboration. Sometimes that collaboration includes compromise.
Editors may request revisions to the manuscript.
Scenes change. Chapters disappear. New ones appear.
This isn’t unusual. Publishers are investing in the book and, unsurprisingly, want it to sell—so they adjust for pacing, market positioning, and editorial direction.
Cover design is another area where authors often have limited control.
Many contracts state that the publisher has final approval over the cover, title adjustments, and packaging decisions.
Authors are usually consulted but they are not always the final decision-makers.
There are also rights considerations.
Publishing contracts may grant the publisher rights to:
Print editions
eBook editions
Audiobooks
Foreign translations
Film or adaptation rights
Some of these rights remain with the publisher unless negotiated otherwise. Contracts define the terms, so having legal counsel can help you negotiate your books future film and adaptation rights.
SELF-PUBLISHING
DEFINED: Self-publishing removes the intermediary.
No acquisition. The author produces the book and puts it out themselves.
The most common self-publishing platforms include:
Kindle Direct Publishing (Amazon)
Apple Books
Kobo
Draft2Digital
IngramSpark for print distribution
The author becomes the publisher. This means the author is responsible for:
Editing
Formatting
Cover design
Uploading files
Metadata and pricing
Marketing and distribution strategy
The book still ends up in stores. It just skipped the formalities.
CURRENCY
Traditional publishing typically costs the author nothing upfront because the publisher absorbs production costs: editing, design, printing, and distribution.
Self-publishing shifts those costs to the author.
Common expenses can include:
Professional editing
Cover design
Interior formatting
Marketing assets or advertising
ISBNs - depending on your country or the platform you choose, these can be free
Author website
These costs vary widely depending on the level of production the author chooses.
Some authors invest heavily. Others keep things minimal and scale over time.
Free options exist — Canva, Adobe Express, and Kindle Cover Creator for book cover design; Grammarly, Google Docs, or ChatGPT for editing; and platforms like TikTok, Instagram, or Pinterest for marketing and audience-building - socials can be used in place of a website in the beginning as well.
ROYALTIES
Where traditional publishing offers advances, self-publishing offers higher royalty percentages.
For example, on Amazon KDP:
eBooks priced between $2.99-$9.99 can earn up to 70% royalties
Print royalties are calculated after printing costs
Payments are issued monthly, with a initial delay depending on the platform
This means self-published books can start generating income sooner, but there is no advance. Revenue starts once copies move.
TIMELINE
Traditional publishing is usually slower.
After a book deal is signed, it can take 12–24 months for the book to reach shelves.
This is due to production schedules, seasonal lists, marketing cycles, and printing timelines all of which play a role in when your book is released.
Self-publishing moves faster.
Once a manuscript is edited, formatted, and uploaded, a book can be available for sale within days.
THE TRADE
Traditional publishing provides infrastructure: editorial teams, distribution networks, established marketing channels, and bookstore relationships.
Self-publishing provides autonomy. Authors retain full control — over the manuscript, the cover, the release schedule, the pricing, and the rights, including film — as well as higher royalties, creative control over marketing to their audience, and the ability to move on their own timeline.
You wrote the manuscript. The next step depends on how much of the process you want to keep.
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