TRADITIONAL PUBLISHING - Arabella Sheen

 

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

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