Self-Publishing vs Traditional Publishers
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An article by Fred Gratzon about the pros and cons of self-publishing:
I am frequently asked about the advantages and disadvantages of self-publishing. Even though I am far from being an expert, that doesn’t stop me from shooting off my mouth.
After writing the first draft of my book, I called a friend in
New York City who was a high-profile literary agent. I energetically explained my book and then asked for her opinion. I knew my book wasn’t her cup of tea; I was just getting some direction. She launched into a description of the
New York publishing scene that curled my toenails.
She said that since I was a first-time-unknown author, my chances of landing with a major
New York publishing house without an agent were anorexic at best. I was told most big time publishers wouldn’t even sneer at me without an agent. Unfortunately, finding an agent who I liked and who liked me could take forever. She pointed out that the best agents were as picky as publishers. But she conceded that if I did find an agent and he approached publishers, then it could still take two or three months just to get a rejection.But let’s say the stars aligned perfectly and a publisher was interested. She averred that a first-time-unknown author gets bupkis in terms of royalties/advances and for that pittance he would have to sign over all rights and, get this, wait up to two years before seeing his book in print. All decisions regarding the content, paper quality, jacket cover, and price would be the publisher’s. I was told that I definitely would not be allowed to have it illustrated but if by some miracle I was able to convince the publisher, I would not be able to choose the artist.
She said all that was good news compared to what follows.
Read the whole article at Fred Gratzon’s blog
