Can Self-Publishing Lead to Traditional Publishing?

If you’re wondering how to publish a book, whether that’s how a company can publish it or how to publish a book yourself, you’ve come to the right place.

There are different ways to do it, two of the biggest being self-publishing (which, clearly we’re an advocate of) and traditional publishing. A lot of authors begin in the self-publishing realm and eventually move over to traditional publishing. The thing is: is this the best way for authors to publish? Is it worth giving up the freedom of self-publishing? Ultimately, it’s up to the author to decide how to publish a book, but, we think it’s worth to consider staying in the self-publishing realm.

How can self-publishing lead to traditional publishing?

Self-published authors can transition to traditional publishing in a variety of different ways. The most common way is for their self-published work to gain attention and sell a lot of copies. As their popularity grows and they gain fans, they make themselves more attractive to traditional publishers. Traditional publishers want one thing: to make money. If self-published authors can prove that they have this ability, and they have a dedicated fan base that will follow them, then it seems worth it to the publishing house.

Or, the author could simply make the transition without gaining much of a following at all. It all depends on if that author is actively working to break into that venue.

How is traditional publishing different?

Traditional publishing is all about making money, therefore, their selection process is extremely picky. Authors must first find an agent, which can take months, even years. The agent, should they like the manuscript, then attempts to sell it to a house. It all sounds easy enough, but the truth is, this can take years, if it even happens at all. A lot of authors turn to self-publishing after it looks like traditional publishing isn’t going to work out for them. Self-publishing is quicker, easier, and, profitable.

So, if an author is deciding how to publish a book, which way is better?

We’re a little biased. We’d say self-publishing, of course! There are a lot of things to consider when publishing a book. If you’re thinking traditional, you have to consider how you’re going to get an agent, which publishing house you’d like your book to end up in, and how long you’re willing to try at it. With self-publishing, you need to ask, how much does it cost to self-publish a book and which company is best?

It comes down to the writer. Whichever path you think is best will be best for you. However, we’re inclined toward self-publishing. It makes publishing a book simple and fast. However many books you’d like, however you’d like them to look, whatever you’d like them to be about: it’s entirely up to you. This is why self-publishing is so attractive to so many writers. Besides, self-publishing can lead to just as much success as traditional publishing, and the writer won’t be bogged down by the publishing house.

In the end, the decision is entirely up to the writer (with the caveat that, yes, even if the writer chooses to traditionally publish, a house may never choose them). Self-publishing can be a great way to get your foot in the door, but it can also be the best possible path for your novel and your future work. Sometimes, it’s not worth making the switch to traditional publishing; you may find that you flourish more when you self-publish. Once you figure out how to publish a book, put all your effort into it, and don’t compromise anything.