Wrapping Up the Debate — 3 Pros and Cons of Self-Publishing
An insiders thoughts on the self-publishing process
Write a book, secure a publishing contract, and watch the dough roll in.
It seems simple, but you’re competing with thousands of other books. You can put in all the hard work, but still need a healthy dose of luck to land a publishing contract. You need the right manuscript in the hands of the right person at the right time. There are countless stories of bestsellers that were initially rejected until they landed on the right desk.
Is self-publishing a viable alternative to playing the numbers game with traditional publishers?
I didn’t know the answer to that question, but once I decided to self-publish Pepsi the Problem Puppy, it was too late to second guess myself.
Here’s what I learned.
Creative Vision Wizardry vs. The Many Hats of Responsibility
I had the heady power to do EVERYTHING my way.
Illustrations can make or break a chapter book, and I wanted the best. As a school librarian, I’ve seen a lot of illustration styles, and I knew what I wanted. The ability to draw a dog well was number one. Second was an illustrator willing to style the fictional Pepsi on her real-life counterpart. My last criteria was simple; I wanted a local illustrator who was also involved in children’s books. Aśka ticked all my boxes. With traditional publishing, those decisions are made by the publisher. I’d have no say or control over how my book looked.
But ensuring that Pepsi the Problem Puppy looked the way I wanted it to meant I had to wear all the publishing hats. Apart from the obvious three, editing, marketing, and design, I also had to look at the legal issues. Could I use Pepsi in my title? According to a lawyer I spoke to, the answer was yes. “Pepsi” clearly referred to a problem puppy, not a popular soda. If my title had been What’s the Problem With Pepsi? it might have been murky.
Get the Most Bang for Your Buck vs. Distribution Woes
Upfront, it costs more than a pretty penny to self-publish a book.
With a royalty rate of 10%, I would have received 65c per sale, assuming Pepsi the Problem Puppy sold for the same RRP. But once the money started rolling in, as a publisher, I received more return for my investment.
My print run of 1,000 copies cost AUD$1.51 per book. Pepsi the Problem Puppy retails for $12.99, but my profit margin depends on how each book is sold. (EG Bookstores and newsagents generally take a 40% discount from the RRP. When I sell a book to the end customer myself, I pocket all the profits.) I made my costs back after selling 400 copies.
I chose to use a mix of a print run and print-on-demand. Online bookstores can access print-on-demand, meaning Pepsi the Problem Puppy remains in print long after my print run is sold. Print-on-demand also provides a passive revenue stream. When online sales reach a specific dollar value, the funds trickle into my bank account.
Getting your self-published book into bookstores is hard work. You don’t have the backup of a distribution network. You need to cold call bookstores — many of which will turn you down simply because a book is self-published. Ordering self-published books directly with the author causes a bookstore more work. It’s not a streamlined process like ordering from a distribution center.
“Rights” also fall under the area of distribution. Publishers have contacts to try to sell all sorts of rights — including film rights and overseas rights. Not every book traditionally published onsells rights, but it’s a nice perk if you can get it. No one is knocking on my door for the rights to Pepsi the Problem Puppy. But perhaps that’s because there is only room for one famous Australian blue heeler.
Unlock the Magic of Hourglass Tumbling vs. The Mastering Marketing Time Drain
Self-publishing moves at a lightning pace.
Once I decided to self-publish Pepsi the Problem Puppy, I had a copy in my hands within six months. As a self-publishing virgin, there was a lot to learn, and I wanted to ensure I got it right. I self-imposed a deadline for the book to go live on the real Pepsi’s birthday. It gave me time to check and triple-check everything.
Traditional publishing is a slow-moving beast. I signed a traditional publishing contract in July 2022 for a middle-grade novel. Hopefully, Salty will be published sometime this year. Publishing house turnover can be upwards of eighteen months. And if the publisher has a specific illustrator in mind, that timeline can blow out.
But there may be a reason for the slow speed of traditional publishing.
Part of the delay is the execution of the marketing plan, which allows for excitement to build among readers. Without marketing and distribution departments in your corner, a self-publisher needs to create all the buzz. You can use a generic marketing plan, including cover reveals and interviews. But you need to build all those contacts yourself. Marketing is a constant time drain. With that in mind, traditional publishing houses also require authors to market themselves, so this can be a con for both options.
Uncovering the Last Piece of the Puzzle
Pepsi the Problem Puppy was a one-off deal, I told myself I was only going to self-publish once.
I wanted my next book, Salty, to be traditionally published. It took five years of writing and editing until I signed a contract. I chose to self-publish Pepsi the Problem Puppy for various reasons, but it wasn’t something I was keen to repeat — until I did.
Last year I self-published a book of writing prompts. Initially, it was just going to be a digital printable, but I decided it wouldn’t take much effort to convert it to a paperback. The hidden bonus? With two books available, I now reach my print-on-demand payout limit more often.
The moral of the story? If you want to be a successful author, it doesn’t matter which route you take, traditional or self-publishing. There are pros and cons to both options. You can make either option work for you if you’re willing to put in the time. Just make sure you follow up that first book with another book and build on your successes.
Thinking of self-publishing? Check out my handy guide.
Sandi Parsons lives and breathes stories as a reader, writer, and storyteller. She lives with her favorite husband and two problem puppies.
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