You Ask We Answer: Self-Publishing vs. Indie Publishing vs. Traditional Publishing

I often get these questions from many aspiring writers: "Why did you decide to start your own publishing house instead of sending your book to a major publisher?" And, "Why did you decide to start LongTale Publishing, instead of using a POD Publisher?"

And the answers...???

Simple...

First I will say, I am not against big Publishing Houses, BUT I am an entrepreneur by heart just as much as I am a creative.  I wanted to have complete control of a book that was very dear to my heart.  I wanted to work with people that I know and trust...and I wanted to own MY WORK.  Also, I wanted to know the business backwards and forwards, so if one day I have the opportunity to work with a big publisher, I know exactly what goes into the process of publishing, printing, distributing, marketing, promoting, and establishing royalties, splits, agreements, copyrights, and trademarks, etc. You never want to appear to be naive, even in the wonderful world of the book industry and especially if someone is going to "take over" and represent your work.

Secondly, to answer the question, why didn't I use the self-publishing POD route? Well, for one of the same reasons as above.  I want to know exactly what is going on with MY WORK.  Many (not all) POD (Print on Demand) Self-Publishing Companies work with you online ... very convenient, but a little scary.  I actually did a lot of investigating and almost used Lulu before I knew any better.  MISTAKE.  Thankfully God intervened before I screwed my entire career over.  I had already paid Lulu $650 to start up the project.  (I am really embarrassed to even admit this in writing.)  But Lulu had no real communication in their customer service department.  No number to call, no email, just a chat feature.  I never got any confirmation that they were going to start working with me, yet they had my money.  I sent many (demanding and threatening messages on the chat) and then disputed the charge with my bank.  The day I got my money back in my account, they emailed me!!!!!!!!  NO THANK YOU!  No communication = No way of telling what they are doing with your manuscript.

I have even heard through other sources and authors that certain Self-Publishing Companies out there make you sign a contract so they own the copyright to your manuscript for 7 years ... yet they never do what they say they will do.  What I would like to know, is how in the world could you ever let a self-publishing company own your copyright?  I'm not going to name any names, but they are out there and they prey on naivety and the writer who just wants to be "published!"

All of this info is not to scare anyone away from Self-Publishing, but remind you how important it is to follow through with your research and know who you are dealing with before sending a manuscript that is full of you and your sweat, blood, and tears out into the oblivion. 

Now, what did I do, if I didn't do any of these publishing options?  I went to the state ... established a business ... got an EIN ... Tax ID ... established my logo, copyrights, library control number, ISBN, web presence, all before my manuscript was even complete.  I read Dan Poynter's Book of course!  I hired my printing company, LSI (owned by Ingram so I knew my books would be distributed to libraries and all major book stores) illustrator, graphic designer, copy editor, web-designer, and later a marketing team. THAT is the process of being completely independent and being the owner of a publishing house.

*** REMEMBER a Printing Company and a Publishing Company are not the same thing. And a Distributor is not the same as a Printer. ***

Now there are some things that you must get help on.  For example, I am not good at graphic design, but I know exactly how I want my cover to look.  It is a team effort ... many different talents coming together.  Sometimes when we think self-publishing, we think ... do it yourself.  But I am not a self-published author ... I own a small publishing house ... and I am an indie author.  There is a difference.  I understand that not everyone has a creative team at their finger tips, and all of these things can definitely be done by a Self-Publishing Service.  I have seen books that are beautifully produced that way, but many of these people did their research and found a self-publisher who used a reputable Printing Company and Distribution Service.  


Now to clarify a misconception, just because a self-publishing company uses "print on demand" doesn't mean the quality will be poor.  Technology has fixed many of the old problems we used to see with POD printers.  You will want to order a few different books from the company you are considering to check out the print quality.  You want to check for print consistency, binding, size options, color quality, etc.  Please remember that many self-publishing companies will always want your business and your money, so be sure to compare different price points and publisher's discounts when ordering your own inventory.   

The moral to this story is, investigate before you make a mistake.  Make sure you will be available in major book stores and online.  Some of these POD Publishing will tell you yes.  Go find out for yourself.  Try to order books from their website on Amazon or at Barnes and Noble.  If you can't, then the POD is lying to you through your computer screen.

I hope this helps all aspiring authors to not make mistakes before a manuscript goes to print.  I have heard many unfortunate horror stories.  It's ashame when some of those stories could have been something great!  If you have any questions, feel free to contact me.  Be sure to check back for my publishing and writing lectures in the spring.  For more info on Indie Publishing be sure to listen to the Indie Author Show live with Host Bobby Ozuna on Monday nights at 7pm CST.  

Melissa M. Williams
Owner/CEO LongTale Publishing
Co-Founder, READ3Zero Literacy Foundation

Literacy~Creativity~Learning