Why I Would Take The Traditional Route Toward Getting My Book Published

So, before I get started please, do not get on my case as if this is just a promotion of my side of the argument of self-publishing or traditional publishing. That is far from the case. I want to look at this as if I were a traditional fiction writer in this highly competitive market. I also want to say that I know my two poetry books were self-published, but the reason is, these were poetry books. Not exactly mainstream. Today, I want to look at this as if I were just an everyday fiction writer.

I have always thought of self-publishing the same way I think of those people who sell their homes on their own, or people who buy used cars from the random guy on the street. There are a lot of people who are highly successful at using this approach, but there is one variable I think we often forget. These people have the knowledge behind them. They know the business.

Think of selling your home on your own. Do you know all there is about escrow, transfer of ownership, financing and.... look, I won't even go any further because, you know what, I don't know this stuff. But yet, people still want to sell their homes on their own because they "don't want to pay someone for work they really are not doing."

You have heard these people. They complain that an agent takes 25% commission on the sale for simply putting a sign in your yard. They print out a flyer and "BAM" they are selling your house. While there might be people out there who do that, there are also a lot of people out there who do all they can to work for you and get you the best deal.

And for me, I am willing to pay for that luxury.

I do the same when I travel and take my Disney trips. I can clearly stay at some off site hotel and put it all together myself, but this is a vacation. I am willing to pay that extra for someone to take care of me.

Now, when it comes to publishing, I think the same way. If I want to get my book published, I want to go to someone who knows the ins and outs of the business. I want that person who can make connections. I want that person, who, when in a problem situation with my book, can step in and take care of it with the publisher so I can stick to the writing.

If you are someone who is buying into the argument of self-publishing is better because you get to keep all of the profits, that is not the right approach. If you don't know how to get that book out there and know all of the twists and turns of publishing, this might be a bad approach.

I don't know how many times I get submissions from people who have made just this same mistake. They tell me they took that approach and are now out a ton of cash with little to show for it.

Learn from their mistakes. Do take the approach that is right for you, but do not get lured into the "free money" approach. It may not be what you want.