SFA 114 – Self-Publishing, Traditional Publishing, or Hybrid – Which Is Right for You?

Happy New Year, everyone! This week, we’re discussing the pros and cons of self-publishing and traditional publishing and who might want to consider which, as well as when it makes sense to look at a hybrid model, if the possibility opens up. We also talk about how your choices might change over the course of your author career. Sometimes, authors start down one track, then switch to the other, or choose to take advantage of the best of both worlds.

For new listeners, we (your three hosts, Jo, Andrea, and Lindsay) are all predominantly self-published, but we’ve each been in the business for more than a decade and try to do a fair assessment based on what we’ve experienced and heard from others. As always, these are just our opinions, so please do your own research before making any decisions.

The topics we hit on in the show:

Our backgrounds.
What self-publishing involves.
Pros of self-publishing.
Cons of self-publishing.
What traditional publishing involves.
Pros of trad publishing.
Cons of trad publishing.
Who should consider self-publishing?
Who should consider trad publishing?
When does it make sense to switch or go hybrid?
If you choose self-publishing, do you need to have an exit strategy for down the road when you’re ready to retire or cut back?

Thanks for listening to the show, and best wishes for 2022!