Many writers and authors weigh the decision of self-publishing vs. traditional publishing. The main difference between them is your degree of control over your written work and the publishing process.

When self-publishing, authors pay for editing, designing, distribution, and marketing, but they retain the rights to their books and keep most of the royalties. Authors relinquish their book rights for traditional publishing and keep a small portion of the sales. They also require you to have an agent, be famous, or have a large fanbase.

Self-publishing is when an author is not only the writer but the seller, printer, editor, designer, marketer, and project manager or employs professionals to do all or some of those tasks. It is an excellent option for well-organized people with the time to manage the whole publishing process. Self-publishing allows authors to control all creative decisions, publishing costs, and most royalties.

Hybrid publishing is similar to self-publishing, but with the resources a publisher can provide, so you get the best of both worlds. Reputable hybrid publishers will review your manuscript with no guarantee that they will accept it for publication. If accepted, a hybrid publisher will, for a fee, handle the management and take your book from a rough manuscript to a finished product available in major retail outlets and online. This option provides the benefits of traditional publishing (a high-quality finished product and worldwide distribution) and self-publishing (complete creative control and ownership plus most of the royalties).

When you self-publish your book, you publish your book on your terms and make your own decisions.

A self-published author retains creative control over the following:

• Level of editing
• Book type and format
• Cover and interior design
• Book promotion

All of that, plus a faster publication timeline and higher royalty payments!

Anyone with an entrepreneurial spirit that has written a book! We have published books by new authors and established authors across all genres, including children’s books, true crime, autobiographies, and poetry.

1. Write your book.
2. Choose your book’s title.
3. Hire an editor to review your book.
4. Finalize your manuscript.
5. Hire a designer for your book cover and illustrations.
6. Determine where to distribute your book and in what format(s).
7. Format your book to meet the platform(s) requirements.
8. Purchase an ISBN for different book formats.
9. Publish your book on the platform(s). If printing books, find a printer and distributor.
10. Launch your book promotion and marketing.

Or you could let us handle the business of publishing while you focus on the art of writing.

1. Look at the quality of their work.
2. Check out their reviews.
3. Find out if you keep ownership of your work.

Quality
You’ve poured your heart into your book, and you should choose the publisher to execute your vision. Look at the books they’ve published and see if they align with your concept, whether that’s the cover, illustrations, or audiobook. Also, check out some of their published works to ensure their formatting, editing, and printing is of high quality.

Reputation
If the publisher has passed the quality test, check their reputation online. Of course, there are Google reviews but also look at the company’s Better Business Bureau record. Also, see if any authors in your network have worked with the company and ask about their experience.

Ownership
Now you’re at the last piece of the puzzle—who owns your work? Some publishers will lock you into a multi-year contract, during which time you don’t retain your rights unless you buy them back. Not to toot our own horn, but at Page Publishing, you keep full ownership of your work. We think this is best for independent authors so you can have more flexibility in its future formats, like screenplays or audiobooks.