WEEK TWO – YOUR PUBLISHING PATHWAY
TRADITIONAL PUBLISHING
The words have been written and the story
told. Congratulations on completing your novel! That’s a huge achievement. Now
that the manuscript is done, here are some key steps an author should consider
doing next:
1. Revision
and Editing
2 Decide on
a Publishing Path
3. Build
Your Author Platform
4.
Marketing and Promotion
5. Legal
and Business Considerations
6. Plan
Your Next Steps
Over the next couple of weeks, I’ll be posting several blogs that cover these steps in more detail, and I hope they'll be useful to you.
Happy writing…
Arabella Xx
Choosing traditional publishing is a significant decision, and it comes with many potential benefits—but also some trade-offs. Here’s a breakdown of the key things to consider when deciding on traditional publishing:
1. Understand What Traditional Publishing
Entails
In traditional publishing, your book is
acquired by a publishing house (big or small), and they handle the editing,
design, production, distribution, and some marketing.
You typically don’t pay to
publish—some publishers pay you an advance against expected royalties.
You often need a literary agent to
access major publishers.
The publisher owns certain rights (usually
print, ebook, and audio) for a defined period.
2. Pros of Traditional Publishing
Legitimacy & prestige: Association with established houses (e.g.,
Penguin Random House, HarperCollins) lends credibility.
Editorial support: Access to experienced editors, cover
designers, and production teams.
Distribution: Better chance of bookstore placement, library inclusion, and
international sales.
Advance payments: You might receive an advance against
royalties.
Awards & reviews: More access to literary awards and reviews
in major publications.
3. Cons and Trade-Offs
Time-consuming: Can take 1–2+ years from contract to
publication.
High barrier to entry: Most major publishers won’t look at
unagented submissions.
Less creative control: You may have little say over cover design,
title, and marketing decisions.
Lower royalty rates: Typically 5–15% on print and 25% on ebooks,
compared to 70% in self-publishing.
Marketing is still on you: Publishers expect authors to promote their
own books heavily, especially debuts.
4. Literary Agents: Gatekeepers and Advocates
Essential for big publishers: Most of the Big Five require agented
submissions.
What agents do:
Pitch your manuscript to editors.
Negotiate contracts and protect your rights.
Guide your career long-term.
Considerations when choosing an agent:
Do they have a track record of sales?
Do they represent your genre?
Are they editorial (hands-on) or deal-focused?
What’s their communication style?
5. The Submission Process
Query letter: A one-page pitch + author bio.
Synopsis: 1–2 page summary of the plot, including the ending.
Partial/full manuscript: Depending on agent/publisher requirements.
Rejections are normal: Expect to send out many queries and receive
some rejections.
6. Type of Publishers
Big Five (and their imprints): Large advances, top-tier distribution, high
competition.
Mid-size & independent presses: More accessible, often open to unagented
subs.
University & small literary presses: Great for literary fiction, poetry, and
niche nonfiction.
Each comes with different levels of support,
advances, and prestige.
7. Rights and Contracts
Understand what you’re signing:
Territory rights: Are they buying world English rights or just
North American?
Subsidiary rights: Film, translation, audiobook—are they
retaining or splitting?
Reversion clauses: How/when you get rights back if the book
goes out of print.
If you get an offer, consider hiring a publishing
lawyer or an agent to review the contract—even if unagented.
Ask Yourself:
Am I willing to be patient and deal with
rejection?
Do I want someone else to handle production
and design?
Am I okay with less control for wider
distribution and support?
Do I have a genre that fits traditional
publishers (e.g., literary, upmarket, romance, YA, thrillers)?
Am I comfortable querying and waiting months for responses?
Happy Publishing...
Arabella Xx
Be sure to watch out for seasonal updates and the latest news about my books as they fall into your email inbox. Sign up for my newsletter HERE
No comments:
Post a Comment