Publishing paths
Jane Friedman’s chart on “The Key Book Publishing Paths” has been updated for 2025-2026. It highlights the many routes to publication, and prompted me to reflect on my experiences with traditional and self-publishing.
The Reality of Publishing Today
Publishing is a tough industry, and the average author’s income is declining. The ALCS survey of primary occupation authors (those who spend at least 50% of their time writing) found that earnings dropped to just £7,000 per year in 2022—well below minimum wage. This makes understanding all publishing options even more important.
I have experience with both traditional and self-publishing. My first book was picked up by an academic publisher, while I self-published my second due to its niche subject and my established presence in that field. This mix of approaches makes me a hybrid author (not to be confused with a hybrid publisher, which, as reported in the last summer’s issue, is often a scam.)
Lessons from Traditional Publishing
My first book was published by Routledge on December 30, 2020—right in the middle of a Level 4 lockdown. Not an ideal time for a launch! Unfortunately, I had no control over the timing. This was my biggest lesson from traditional publishing: as a new author, you have very little say in the process.
Navigating the Publishing Contract
Knowing my inexperience, I joined The Society of Authors for contract advice. Their team counselled that academic publishing contracts offer minimal control and low royalties. They advised me to focus on why I wanted my book published, rather than on any financial rewards. This was disheartening but realistic.
This book was a memoir, written during my recovery from a brain injury. I had searched for a book which might help me to understand the experience, but found none. So, I wrote my own. I wanted to help other patients, and their families, and to offer clinicians insight from the patient’s perspective.
Academic publishing seemed like a good fit due to its reputation and global reach. However, the contract allowed the author little control, and the royalty percentage was in single digits. Again, I was assured that this was standard for an unknown author negotiating an academic publishing contract.
One key piece of advice from The Society of Authors proved invaluable: they helped me remove a “first refusal” clause. Had I left it in, I would have been contractually obligated to submit all future books to Routledge first, limiting my options.
Beyond the Manuscript: The Author’s Responsibilities
Another lesson I learned was that submitting a manuscript was just the beginning. As the author, I was responsible for:
- Collecting copyright permissions
- Ensuring bibliography, references, and footnotes were correct
- Producing the index
- Formatting the above to the publisher’s specifications
While I could hire help for these, any costs spent on these were mine to bear.
Routledge provided a copy editor, and I checked the files over several days. However, during copyediting, the book’s formatting was altered. It took multiple rounds of edits to fix—a time-consuming process.
The Marketing Burden
On publication, my book was listed in catalogues, and I received a promotional flyer and an email signature. Everything else—PR, networking, pitching articles, applying for awards, and social media marketing—was up to me.
It is important that all authors, whether traditionally or self-published, realise they will have to do some marketing.
Why I Chose Self-Publishing for My Second Book
Born with a rare disease, I naturally gravitated toward writing a second memoir on that subject. After years of advocacy, I was well known in this community, and had been producing content for the national magazine in this area for nearly a decade. This made self-publishing a clear choice.
If my first book was a crash course in writing a non-fiction book, the second was a steep learning curve in publishing itself.
The Self-Publishing Learning Curve
I spent months researching:
- Book printing (bleeds, file formats, cover requirements)
- Distribution (catalogues, trade publications, library hubs)
- Analytics (metadata, publishing trends, royalties, and pricing models)
Meanwhile, I still hadn’t been paid for my first book. It took 15 months to receive my first royalty check from Routledge. In contrast, my self-published book earned the same amount in just 15 days, with the money in my account within weeks.
Comparing the Financial Realities
My traditional publishing royalties are paid annually, meaning if my book sells during the New Year’s self-help boom, I won’t know until 15 months later. In contrast, self-publishing provides real-time sales tracking. I can analyse trends, evaluate marketing strategies, and adjust my approach accordingly.
The Power of Data and Transparency
While the learning curve for self-publishing is steep, I’ve found the transparency invaluable. Having control over sales data, marketing, and royalties has been empowering. Each publishing path has its challenges and rewards. Whatever path you choose, make sure it aligns with your goals.
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