What is The Difference Between Self-Publishing a Book, and Traditional Publishing?

Traditional Publishing vs. Self-Publishing a Book: Which is Best for You?

If you want to dramatically increase your status, credibility and reputation in your industry – the you should definitely have ‘publish a book’ on your to-do list!

BUT… do you self-publish a book, or should you aim to get a traditional publishing deal??

Each route has its pros and cons, and the best choice depends on your goals, timeline, and how much control you want over your work.

Note that I have a short workshop and a full 30 day challenge on how to write and self-publish your own print book and Kindle book on Amazon – and get your book to number 1 best-seller…. however, here are some of the main differences between self-publishing and traditional publishing:

.

Traditional Publishing:

When you go down the traditional publishing route, you’re handing over your work to a publisher who will take care of the editing, marketing, and distribution. Sounds great, right? Well, there are a few things to consider:

• Lengthy Lead Time: It can take up to two years from the time you sign a contract to the time your book hits the shelves.
• Loss of Control: The publisher controls your work—how it’s edited, branded, and marketed. You’ll have less say in how your book looks and is presented to the world.
• Huge Reach: The upside? Traditional publishers have massive relationships with big bookstores, airport shops, and can get your book onto giant billboards. The potential for impact and income is significantly higher.

Self-Publishing:

If control and speed are more important to you, self-publishing might be the way to go:

• 100% Control: You’re in charge of everything—what’s in the book, what’s on the cover, how it’s priced, and who you sell it to. It’s all yours.
• Faster Process: You can write and publish a book much faster, with complete control over every aspect of the process.
• Flexibility: Self-publishing allows you to experiment with different types of books—informational, educational, journals, even children’s books! The possibilities are endless.

.

👉 Your Reflection today:

How much difference would it make to your personal brand if you published a book on your topic?

Are you aiming for control and speed, or are you happy to hand over your IP for enormous reach?

Remember:

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer. It depends on what you value most—control and speed, or reach and impact. Both paths can lead to success.

Happy book writing!

Sarah x

Do you want to publish a book?

Join the Legends Lab, where I walk you through every single step of writing and publishing a print book or Kindle book on Amazon to massively leverage your industry authority and expert reputation: www.sarahcordiner.com/legends 🌟

#bookPublishing #kindlepublishing #authors #experts #coach #BusinessStrategy #SarahCordiner #Edupreneur #BookMarketing