Should I consider self-publishing over traditional publishing?

Considering whether to pursue self-publishing or traditional publishing for your book? Amidst the shifting paradigms of publishing, self-publishing shines as an increasingly popular avenue, harnessing modern tech and user-friendly platforms to empower authors with control and exposure. Here are some benefits that independent authors can experience:

1. Control: With self-publishing, you have complete control over every aspect of your book, from the content to the cover design, pricing, and distribution. You make all the decisions, which can be empowering for authors who want to maintain creative control.
2. Speed: Traditional publishing can be a lengthy process, often taking a year or more from manuscript submission to book release. Self-publishing allows you to get your book to market much faster. You set your own timeline and can publish your book as soon as it’s ready.
3. Higher Royalties: In traditional publishing, authors typically receive a royalty rate of around 10-15% of the book’s cover price. With self-publishing, you can earn much higher royalties, often up to 70% of the retail price when selling through platforms like Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing.
4. Global Reach: Self-publishing platforms like Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing and IngramSpark allow you to reach readers worldwide. Your book is available for purchase online 24/7, and readers from around the globe can discover and buy it.
5. Flexibility: Self-publishing offers flexibility in terms of content and format. You can publish ebooks, paperbacks, audiobooks, or even multimedia books without being constrained by traditional publishing norms.
6. No Rejection Letters: Traditional publishing involves submitting your manuscript to agents or publishers and facing the possibility of rejection. With self-publishing, there’s no need to seek approval from gatekeepers. You can publish your book regardless of whether it fits into traditional publishing categories.

However, it’s important to recognize that self-publishing also comes with its own challenges. That’s why at Scribando, our goal is to provide industry knowledge and marketing insights, typically exclusive to publishers, accessible to all independent authors, helping them turn their books into award-winning bestsellers!