The novel is done, finished! You’ve typed the last page, read it through once or twice to edit your work (hopefully more than that and hopefully with the benefit of another set of eyes).

Emboldened by the fact that it’s done (more or less), it’s onto the next task: publishing your book. The big-name publishing houses don’t seem to be lining up on your doorstep; news hasn’t leaked to the press that the next great classic has been written. We, as writers, tend to think (perhaps it’s just wishful thinking) that once we’ve finished writing a novel, it will be snatched up, published and instantly appear on the New York Times’ Best Seller’s List. How, indeed, do you get the book on that list? First, you have to publish the book. And, you must be patient. One step at a time.

Of course, you have to send out your manuscript to potential publishers. You have a big decision to make. You must do your research and choose the publisher best suited to your book. Also, you need to make a choice between traditional publishing and self-publishing. Once again, that requires a little bit of research on your part and a lot of networking with other authors.

Are you ready for this big decision? Do you understand the difference between the different types of publishing? There was a time when all you had to do was find a traditional publishing house that marketed books similar to yours and you were as good as set. Now, there are the BIG NAME traditional publishing houses, the small independent publishing houses (some of which are traditional in the sense that they pay royalties), the vanity press publishing houses that take your money (and lots of it) and print your book (leaving you to do the rest, including the marketing), and the POD publishers (publish on demand) who prepare the layout and print whatever number of copies you order for a cost (you do all the marketing and the selling). There are also publishing houses that do a little bit of all of the above: the hybrid publishing houses.

Are you confused yet? Well, you should be. You probably thought that the hard part was writing a novel. The hard part is yet to come and it can be downright scary at times. Hang in there and try to enjoy the ride. Good or bad, you’ll learn a lot along the way.

There are a lot of avenues available for publishing books. The traditional publisher may be the preferred route. The traditional publisher will edit, print, distribute advertise, promote and pay you royalties. They might even present you with an advance on royalties. All you have to do is sign a ten to twenty-page contract and show up for any and all pre-arranged book launches, signings and readings.

Sound too good to be true? It might be just that. The advance on royalties usually has ‘strings attached’, something in the fine print of the contract that advises the author that if the publisher doesn’t meet the prescribed goal of number of sales, then the publisher reserves the right to demand a refund on the royalties within a specified period of time. The best option, if you receive an advance, is don’t spend it; invest it and let it grow while you await the publisher’s final verdict.

The problem is until you’re well known, or unless you know someone who knows someone (you know the drill), then your submitted manuscript is more likely to end up on the slush pile, unread, and waiting for some wanna-be-editor-in-waiting to send you a form rejection letter. Sad, but true. You have to be someone to become someone.

Remember, though, that despite the slush piles and rejection letters, and the brutal selfless wanna-be-editor-in-waiting, you are SOMEONE! There is another way to publish your work. If you take the time and invest the money for a proper editing job, a catchy cover image and a tireless, relentless publicity consultant, a self-published or POD or even a vanity book can be quite successful, make money and open the same doors in the traditional publishing houses.

Here are some tips to help you make the best choice for both you and your book:

Traditional Publisher:

Pros:

Contract – protects the author and the publisher.

Royalties on book sales – sometimes and advance on royalties.

Publisher provides editing.

Publisher provides marketing/distribution/ promotional/sets up book signings/launches.

Publisher controls all of the sales.

Publisher is allowed to enter books for consideration for book awards.

Cons:

Publisher may demand the return of advance on royalties if books don’t sell.

Author may lose control of the publisher’s editing recommendations.

Author may not have any say in book layout, cover, promotional material, etc.

Author is locked into a contract until the end-date.

Author may have to buy out the contract to have rights reverted to the author.

Traditional publishers take their time in producing and launching the book.

Small/Independent (Indie) Publisher:

Pros:

Contract – protects the author and the publisher.

Royalties on book sales.

Publisher provides editing.

Publisher provides some of the marketing/ distribution/promotional/sets up book signings/launches.

Publisher controls some of the sales.

Publisher has fewer authors and often provides more one-on-one attention to each author.

Publisher is usually allowed to enter books for consideration for some book awards.

Cons:

No advance on royalties.

Author may lose control of the publisher’s editing recommendations.

Author may not have any say in book layout, cover, promotional material, etc.

Author is locked into a contract until the end-date.

Author may have to buy out the contract to have rights reverted to the author.

Small Independent publishers take their time in producing your book and launching it.

POD (Publish on Demand) Publisher:

Pros:

Contract – protects the author and the publisher, at a cost to the author.

Publisher provides editing, usually at an additional cost to the author.

Publisher sometimes provides marketing/ distribution/promotional/sets up book signings/launches, usually at an additional cost to the author.

Publisher sells a specified number of copies to the author at an agreed-upon price for the author to resell.

Cons:

No royalties. Large up-front fee.

Author may not have any say in book layout, cover, promotional material, etc.

Author is locked into a contract until the end-date.

Author may have to buy out the contract to have rights reverted to the author.

Readers, reviewers, the entire general public usually don’t take vanity-published books seriously.

Authors of vanity-published books are usually not allowed to enter their books to be considered for book awards.

It takes time and patience for the author to prepare and edit the manuscript so that it’s as perfect (as error-free as possible) as a traditionally published book.

Self Publishing (as in Kindle Direct or other means):

Pros:

Author has full control of editing, layout, book cover design.

Author has full control of marketing/distribution/ promotional/sets up book signings/launches.

Author may purchase any number of books at any time at cost. 

Cons:

No contract. No royalties.

Large up-front fee.

Readers, reviewers, the entire general public usually don’t take self-published books seriously.

Authors of self-published books are usually not allowed to enter their books to be considered for book awards.

It takes time and patience for the author to prepare and edit the manuscript so that it’s as perfect (as error-free as possible) as a traditionally published book.

 Hybrid Publisher:

Pros:

Contract – protects the author and the publisher, at a cost to the author.

In theory, hybrid merges the concepts of Traditional and Self-Publishing/Vanity, but in reality, there is a fee for everything, presumably less than one would pay with a Vanity Press.

The publisher provides editing, usually at an additional cost to the author.

Publisher sometimes provides marketing/ distribution/promotional/sets up book signings/launches, usually at an additional cost to the author.

Publisher may control some of the sales. Author usually purchases a set number of books at cost for the author to resell.

 Cons:

No royalties. Large up-front fee.

Author may not have any say in book layout, cover, promotional material, etc.

Author is locked into a contract until the end-date.

Author may have to buy out the contract to have rights reverted to the author.

Readers, reviewers, the entire general public usually don’t take vanity-published books seriously.

Authors of hybrid-published books are usually not allowed to enter their books to be considered for book awards.

It takes time and patience for the author to prepare and edit the manuscript so that it’s as perfect (as error-free as possible) as a traditionally published book.

 Vanity Press:

Pros:

Contract – protects the author and the publisher, at a cost to the author.

Publisher provides editing, usually at an additional cost to the author.

Publisher sometimes provides marketing/ distribution/promotional/sets up book signings/launches, usually at an additional cost to the author.

Publisher may control some of the sales. Author usually purchases a set number of books at cost for the author to resell.

Cons:

No royalties. Large up-front fee. Remember: Vanity Press requires the author to pay for everything!

Author may not have any say in book layout, cover, promotional material, etc.

Author is locked into a contract until the end-date.

Author may have to buy out the contract to have rights reverted to the author.

Readers, reviewers, the entire general public usually don’t take vanity-published books seriously.

Authors of vanity-published books are usually not allowed to enter their books to be considered for book awards.

It takes time and patience for the author to prepare and edit the manuscript so that it’s as perfect (as error-free as possible) as a traditionally published book.

As you can see, there are defining pros and cons for whichever method of publishing you choose. The bottom line is: don’t despair, don’t give up, believe in yourself, believe in your work and keep trying. And, when seeking a publishing contract, don’t restrict yourself to your own country. There are publishers around the world seeking books like yours. In the meantime, keep on writing.