Blame it on the back-to-school fever that has permeated our culture at the moment, but when I was considering how best to portray my views on the three major options writers have for publishing, it occurred to me that higher education is the perfect model. For anyone reading who may not know, I live in the U.S., so keep in mind my comparison may not make any sense at all to those of you in other countries. These are, of course, merely my own opinions.

I consider the actual learning to write stage part of the grade school/high school period. Study of craft, pacing, learning how to revise and edit, even just completing a story fit into that for me. Then comes the time to make a choice of whether to continue your education or strike out on your own in the world. As I see it, these are the main choices.

Ivy League Schools

Most people equate “publishing” with being published by one of the big, New York based publishing houses. These houses are where the bestsellers most often come from, and there’s a certain amount of prestige and fanfare associated with having their imprint on a book. Sometimes an author starts out here, other times they work their way up, but it’s generally considered to be the “best” option, and one that will open doors for people down the road.

Pros of working with an “Ivy League” publisher include:

- Wide distribution of your work

- Professional editing

- Professional cover art

- Professional marketing  

Cons include:

- Less to no marketing money for midlist authors (anyone not on the bestseller list)

- Limited input in cover art

- Insanely long wait to even find out whether they want to read the whole manuscript.

- Long period of time between acceptance and publication.

State Universities/Colleges & Trade Schools

I view small presses as a more “friendly” way to publish, especially when first starting out. They can afford to be more personal, and often offer just as good quality when it comes to editing and cover art. Many people dip their toe in the publishing waters with either small presses or E-Publishers (who specialize in ebooks), and then move on from there.

Pros of working with a small press or epublisher include:

- Potential for more personalized service

- Wide distribution, especially for small presses

- Marketing by the publisher (author doesn’t have to do it all)

- Cover design provided

- Professional editing provided.

- Depending on the publisher, potential for less lead time to publication.

Cons include:

- Still not much marketing money available.

- Smaller contracts

- Limited input on cover art, potential for similar covers on unrelated work.

- Some small presses only do ebooks, or limited print runs.

- Lack of prestige that the ivy league publishers provide.

No Higher Ed.

Much like people who choose not to participate in some form of higher education, self-publishers choose to jump in and start building their business right after graduation, effectively forming their own publishing company. And much like people who choose not to further their schooling, self-publishers are often looked down on because of that choice – though the stigma is slowly lifting. Just as college isn’t right for some people, neither is traditional publishing.

Pros of self-publishing include:

- Full control of all aspects of the work, from writing/editing to covers and formatting.

- Higher royalties

- Faster publication times

- Deadlines are all self-imposed.

Cons include:

- Responsibility for all aspects of publication, writing/editing to covers and formatting.

- Marketing is all on the author

- No advance, expenses are all out of pocket.

- Stigma of not going through traditional channels

Personally, I think all writers have the potential to benefit from a traditional publishing contract. The benefit isn’t necessarily monetary (especially in this publishing climate), but rather through the experience of being professionally edited, working with someone else on the cover and marketing, and generally just going through the process.

On the other hand, self-publishing is very seductive, especially after you’ve been through the process once. It’s a heady feeling releasing something that is entirely your own, and being completely responsible for everything about it. A lot of authors don’t want all the work involved with self-publishing…you are, in effect, running your own company by doing everything yourself, and it can be a lot of work depending on how you do it.

For those authors who prefer a more intimate atmosphere and relationship with their publisher, small presses and epubs might be just the thing. Perhaps engaging in a variety of publishing methods will build a more stable income for writers.

My point is, there’s no “one-size fits all” in publishing. Unfortunately, “Ivy Leaguers” often look down on everyone else. Those published with small press/epubs and self-publishers often have feelings of “reverse snobbery” towards those “elitist NY authors”. I’ve been guilty of this myself. The fact is, a writer is a writer, no matter how and where they publish. Anyone who makes their writing available to the public in some form is published.  There are some very big businessmen and women out there who never went to college, and I doubt anyone would dare say they aren’t “worthy” of their positions just because they took another route. No matter how you choose to publish, I’d urge you to remember that the method and route aren’t nearly as important as the work itself, and judge other writers according to their work, rather than their publishing method.

Do you have anything to add in the pros and cons section for each type of publishing? Have you been guilty either of snubbing those not publishing through NY or reverse snobbery towards those with NY aspirations?

Next week, I’ll begin a month-long series on my adventures in self-publishing, as that’s what I’ve been focusing on recently.