These ten tips of advantages and disadvantages are from The Author’s Toolkit by Mary Embree.
1. Finding a book publisher
a. Advantages
i. Not only will it cost you nothing, you may get an advance. The publisher will pay for printing, editing, promotion, distribution, etc. The perception is that it is more professional than self-publishing book, although that perception is changing as the quality of self-published books improves.
b. Disadvantages
i. The author loses control. Royalties are much lower per book than the author’s potential profit margin on a book the publisher to get the book out.
2. Co-publishing with an established publisher
a. Advantages
i. The publisher will know how to edit, promote and distribute the book. The costs of producing the book will be shared. The author will have the benefit of the publisher’s professional advice.
b. Disadvantage
i. The author has less control than if he did it all himself. The author must share profits with the other publisher. There could be disagreements that are difficult to work out.
3. Self-publishing a book the traditional way
a. Advantage
i. The author has control of everything but the printing of the book. All profits belong to the author alone. If the author has a niche market, he could make a greater profit than any other way.
b. Disadvantages
i. It can cost between $3,000 and $10,000 or more for printing alone. Unless the author can do it all himself, he must find qualified people to edit, create the cover and interior design and typeset the book. The author must do all the promotion, distribution and sales. Unless he has a ready market for it, he may never recover his initial costs to produce the book.
4. Self-publishing using print-on-demand
a. Advantages
i. Small numbers of the book can be printed coasting $3 to $10 per book depending on the size, number of pages, and type of cover. The author could have 50 to 100 small paperbacks printed for a total cost of a few hundred dollars. She would not have storage problems for a few books. Additional books can be printed as needed. Time is another advantage. The book can be printed in a few days.
b. Disadvantage
i. The cost per unit is usually higher than ordering from a regular printer.
5. Self-publish a spiral-bound book
a. Advantage
i. Photocopies can be made and books bound the same day by most photocopying companies. Or the author can purchase a binding machine and bind them herself as she needs them.
b. Disadvantages:
i. It can end up costing more than print-on-demand and does not look as professional. Spiral-bound books have no spine on which to put the title of the book and because of that, many book stores and libraries will not carry it.
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