Is There A Right Approach to Publishing?

I think a lot of people believe that as agents, we believe that there is only one approach and that is, if you want to be successful, you have to go through traditional publishing routes. I am here to say today, that is not correct. To be SUCCESSFUL in publishing. That is to say, to treat this as a "CAREER" and not just as a side hustle that might bring in a little cash every now and then, it is important that every author looks at what they are doing in a true business sense. That means, looking at this with costs, profits, benefits, losses and so forth. That means looking at this not emotionally but rationally and methodically. 

Running a business of any type takes time, energy, money and commitment. This is not something that can be rushed. I want to start here first. The simple fact that there are far too many writers out there (please note I am saying writers not authors) who are expecting immediate gratification and success with their first novel. They expect every editor to come running and throwing money at their feet. They expect Oprah and Reese to beg for interviews. They expect the moon. They expect followers in the millions. And more importantly, they expect to do this without spending any money. 

What these writers fail to realize is that the professional authors (note the shift) took their time. They worked to where they are today. They did not see immediate success. 

Now, how you run a business depends on the type of business you own. If I own a lawn mowing business, my business model will be entirely different than something like a Home Depot or Costco. If I am entirely Direct to Consumer I will be different than a Brick and Mortar store. If I run a bakery, I will run my books differently than I would if I were a lawyer. it all depends. The same is true in publishing.

If I write poetry, my business model WILL BE different. The odds are, I will not be looking to a traditional publisher. If I am writing a book about my local community, I don't need a large press. If I am writing an epic novel, self-publishing might not be the route I need to take. If I lack knowledge in the publishing industry, I may need to have an agent, or I might need to take hybrid approach.

Are you seeing a pattern here? The point is, there is not necessarily a right or wrong answer. BUT, there are wrong answers. If you don't know where you are going, and you pick a business model that does not fit your needs, you are heading in the wrong direction, and you will fail!