Peace be unto you,

Hear me out.

Can you get a traditional publisher to pick up your book? 

Definitely. But what are the chances?” 

Traditional  publishing used to be the only way many years back. However, independent and self publishing are ways you can get published without waiting for years to get your work to your readers.

Yes, you get an upfront advance when a traditional publisher likes your book but you 

have to release the right to publish to them in turn for royalties. 

Getting traditionally published can be a challenging and competitive process. 

Here are some common hurdles aspiring authors often face:

📌Querying and Submission Process: Traditional publishing typically requires authors to submit query letters or book proposals to literary agents or publishing houses. Crafting a compelling query letter and finding the right agents or publishers can be time-consuming and requires persistence.

📌Rejections: Rejection is a common experience in the publishing industry. Many would-be authors face numerous rejections before finding a literary agent or publisher interested in their work. Rejections can be disheartening and demotivating, but it's important to persevere and keep refining your manuscript. Just like when the famous author of the Harry Potter series was rejected more than ten times before she found a publisher. 

📌Market Saturation: The publishing industry is highly competitive, and publishers receive a large number of submissions. If the publisher you pick finds your book idea or genre less marketable or already saturated, it may be challenging for the publisher to be willing to take a risk on your work.

📌Subjective Decision-Making: Decisions are subjective because what one agent or publisher rejects, another might accept. Personal tastes, market trends, and the current needs of the publishing house you're submitting to play a significant role in decision-making. In such a situation, even a well-written and marketable book may face rejection due to these subjective factors.

📌Limited Control: When you sign a traditional publishing deal, you have less control over certain aspects of your book, such as cover design, editing choices, and marketing strategies. Your publisher has their own vision and objectives, which may not align with yours.

📌Time-consuming Process: The traditional publishing process can be lengthy, taking months or even years from submission to publication. This timeline includes finding an agent, revising the manuscript, going through the editing process, and finally, the release of the book. This can be discouraging to you as a writer if you want to get your book into your readers' hands as soon as possible. 

📌Royalties and Advances: Traditional publishing involves signing a contract that states the royalty rates and advances. Royalties are a percentage of book sales, while advances are upfront payment against future royalties given after the contract signing. It's important to understand the terms and communicate with your agent to negotiate a fair deal, as the financial outcomes can vary widely.

Despite these hurdles, traditional publishing can offer benefits such as professional editing, wider distribution, established marketing networks, and a sense of validation. 

However, it's essential to consider alternative publishing options like self-publishing or hybrid publishing, which provide authors with greater control and flexibility. 

For self publishing, you retain all 100% of the money you make from your book sales. 

You can publish your book independently and faster without having an agent or using the traditional publisher that requires a longer time-consuming process. 

You don't need to be a guru with a huge following to become a published author like the traditional publishers require to publish you. There's also no need of going through many rejections since you're writing what your audience wants and needs.

Would you rather self publish or traditional publish?

To your awesomeness,

Raheemah

Your Book / Accountability Coach

PS: Join the June 2023 new intakes of our amazing group accountability mastermind, Get Things Done here. This is for you if you've got a project that you need me to kick your bum to achieve on a deadline!😃