Pondering Publishing Processes!

I’m still deciding if I want to self-publish or go for traditional. My novel is one line edit away from finished (as best I can finish it anyway) and there are things I need in place if I choose self-publishing, and it doesn’t hurt to read up on all the ins and outs of the process. 

There are pros and cons to both self and traditional publishing, but my biggest issue is paying upfront for self-publishing. I find it hard enough to save for a €500 PC let alone thousands for editors, cover designers and ebook designers, just to mention a few self-publishing costs. I just don’t earn enough, hence the reason I need another career. 

But if I could, I would seriously consider self-publishing. I have the time to put into marketing and self-promotion. I have the drive and technological knowledge to use things like social media and design and writing software to my advantage. I even studied media and graphic design, albeit a lifetime ago, so working directly with designers would not be daunting for me. I lack the skills to create the kind of cover I want myself, but I know what I want and what it would invoke in the average person skimming book covers and spines in a bookshop. 

After years of critiquing and having my worked critiqued, I feel confident about working directly with an editor. They know the market better than I do, but I also know what I want my story to achieve. Too many changes would take away from that and it I might have to consider what risk that poses to potential sales. There are sacrifices I’m willing to make, and some I’d rather not not. But if I go with traditional publishing, I won’t have that choice.

So it all comes down to choices, and how long I’m willing to wait to save up so I can keep those choices. Traditional publishing takes a long time, so maybe it’ll take just as long for me either way. 

Title image by Pixel2013 at pixabay.com

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