Navigating the Publishing Landscape: Traditional vs. Self-Publishing

Recently, a client of mine stopped in the middle of a writing coaching session to ask me which publishing path they should take. We had been talking about their manuscript — a gorgeous Science Fiction piece about generational trauma and found family — and suddenly their shoulders hunched up in a way I’ve come to get all too familiar with.

"But how do I actually get it out there?" they asked. "When should I start querying agents? Or just... do it myself?"

It's funny how often writers pour their souls into crafting these intricate worlds and compelling characters, only to hit a wall when it comes to the actual business of publishing. The creative part feels natural; the rest feels like trying to decipher an ancient language without a translation guide.

I get it. I've been there, teetering between options myself, watching the publishing landscape shift beneath my feet like tectonic plates in fast-forward.

So, let's talk about it. Not just the surface-level pros and cons you'll find on every writing blog, but the actual nitty-gritty reality of what each path entails. Because as it turns out, this decision impacts a lot more than just how your book gets made.

The Traditional Publishing Mountain

First things first: traditional publishing isn't dead. Despite what the doomsayers on TikTok might have you believe, the Big Five (now Big Four after Penguin Random House absorbed Simon & Schuster) are still acquiring books and still selling them. But the game has changed.

The traditional path looks something like this:

• Write book
• Query literary agents
• Secure agent
• Agent submits to publishers
• Publisher acquires book
• Editing, production, marketing
• Book hits shelves 1-2 years later

Sounds straightforward, right? Don't be fooled.

What they don't tell you is that the average debut novelist might query 50-100 agents before finding representation. Even after securing an agent, there's no guarantee your book will sell to a publisher. I have friends with amazing agents who've been on submission for years without a deal.

But when it works? The boons are substantial.

The Self-Publishing Revolution

On the flip side, we have self-publishing — or as I like to call it, creative entrepreneurship with a side of writing.

Because here's the thing that most aspiring authors don't realize: self-publishing isn't just about uploading a manuscript to Amazon and calling it a day. It's about becoming a one-person publishing house.

I'm not exaggerating when I say this path requires you to wear more hats than a millinery shop. You'll need to become an expert in:

• Developmental editing
• Copy editing
• Cover design (or hiring designers)
• Formatting
• Marketing
• Advertising
• Distribution logistics
• Accounting
• Social media management

It's a lot. I know because I've been building The Myth Dimension specifically to help ease some of this burden for indie authors. The current infrastructure for self-published writers is... well, it's getting better, but it's still not ideal.

I knew one author who self-published her urban fantasy series after getting "close but no cigar" responses from traditional publishers. They all said the same thing: "We love your writing, but we don't know how to market this." Rather than shelve the project she believed in, she decided to do it herself.

First year sales? A disappointing 200 copies.

But here's where it gets interesting. She didn't give up. She studied the market, redesigned her covers to match reader expectations, built a newsletter, and slowly grew her audience book by book. By her fifth release, she was selling 1,000 copies in the first week alone. Now, four years in, she's making six figures annually from her backlist.

The catch? She works harder than almost anyone I know. Her day starts at 5a.m. with writing, transitions to marketing by noon, and often includes responding to reader emails until late evening. It's not just a creative pursuit; it's a full-blown business that requires constant attention.

But she owns everything. Every word, every cover decision, every marketing strategy.

The question becomes: do you want to be a writer or do you want to be a publisher who writes?

The Middle Path: Hybrid Publishing

A cursory glance at publishing might make it seem like a binary choice, but there's a growing middle ground that deserves attention.

Hybrid publishing comes in many forms. You might:

• Traditionally publish some books while self-publishing others
• Work with a small press that offers more creative control than the Big Four but more support than pure self-publishing
• Partner with a service-based publisher where you pay for services but keep higher royalties

So What Should You Do?

That's the million-dollar question, isn't it? And I'll be honest, there's no one-size-fits-all answer. But I can offer some guideposts to help you find your way.

Consider traditional publishing if:

• External validation is important to your writing journey
• You dream of seeing your book in physical bookstores
• You want to focus primarily on writing, not business
• You're writing in a genre where print still dominates (literary fiction, for example)
• You don't have capital to invest upfront in professional editing and design

Consider self-publishing if:

• Creative control is your non-negotiable
• You're entrepreneurial by nature
• You're writing in a digital-first genre (romance, thrillers, sci-fi)
• You're prolific and can publish multiple books per year
• You're willing to invest time in learning the business side or money in hiring experts

The truth is, publishing isn't just about how your book reaches readers. It's about what kind of writing career you want to build.

Do you want immediate feedback and the ability to pivot quickly? Self-publishing might be your jam. Are you playing the long game and willing to wait for potentially bigger opportunities? Traditional publishing could be worth the patience it requires.

My own publishing journey has been complicated to say the least. I've got those 10 in-progress novels I mentioned before, each at various stages of completion. Some I envision submitting to traditional publishers, others I know I'll release independently because they're too weird, too niche, or too personal to survive the commercial filtering process.

And you know what? That's okay. Publishing isn't a monolith anymore, and your career doesn't have to be either.

The Reality Check No One Wants to Give You

Here's the somewhat sobering truth: most books don't sell well, regardless of publishing path. The average self-published title sells fewer than 100 copies in its lifetime. The average traditionally published book sells 2,000-3,000 copies, which publishers often consider disappointing.

Success stories dominate the narrative because they're exciting, but they're outliers. For every Brandon Sanderson breaking Kickstarter records or Colleen Hoover dominating BookTok, there are thousands of authors barely covering their editing costs.

This isn't meant to discourage you. Rather, it's to adjust expectations and emphasize that publishing is a marathon, not a sprint. Building a sustainable career usually means:

• Creating a body of work, not just one book
• Finding your specific readers rather than chasing "everyone"
• Measuring success by your own metrics, not industry standards
• Preparing for the long haul

The authors I've seen succeed long-term — regardless of publishing path — approach their careers with both passion and pragmatism. They love the work enough to persist through disappointment, but they're strategic enough to adapt when necessary.

The Questions You Should Be Asking

Instead of simply asking "traditional or self-publishing?", consider these deeper questions:

1. What does success look like for you specifically? Is it creative fulfillment, income, prestige, reaching a particular audience?
2. How much control do you need over your work to feel satisfied with the final product?
3. What's your tolerance for rejection and patience during lengthy processes?
4. Do you enjoy the business side of creative work, or does it drain your creative energy?
5. What resources (time, money, connections) do you already have that might give you an advantage in either path?

Your answers will likely point you toward the publishing model that aligns with your personal definition of success.

The Map Is Not the Territory

Whatever path you choose, remember that the publishing landscape you're navigating now won't be the same in five years. Traditional publishers are adapting to digital realities. Self-publishing platforms and services are becoming more sophisticated. The lines continue to blur.

The best strategy might not be picking a side in some imagined publishing war, but developing the adaptability to thrive wherever your career takes you.

This week will be getting back into regular writing sessions, properly organizing my manuscript folders, and shifting my entire perspective on what success looks like for the fifth or sixth time this year. Wish me luck!

And whatever publishing path you choose, I'll be cheering you on from the sidelines. Because getting your stories into the world matters, regardless of how they get there.