Getting a book published is not as complicated as you may think, but it is complicated.
Self-publishing on Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) and traditional publishing are two different paths for authors to take when it comes to getting their work out into the world.
Personally, I’m biased toward self-publishing. I’ve created a method where you can make thousands of dollars in passive income. It’s all in my mentorship – but I’ll get back to that later – we’ve got to let you compare and contrast first.
As I was saying, both self and traditional publishing have their own set of pros and cons, and the decision of which route to take ultimately depends on the individual author's goals and resources.
Pros of self-publishing on KDP:
Control: Self-publishing on KDP gives authors complete control over their work. They can choose the cover, format, and release date for their book, and make any changes they see fit without needing approval from anyone else.
Speed: The process of self-publishing on KDP is relatively quick and easy. Once you’ve written and edited you book, they can upload it to KDP and make it available for purchase within a matter of days.
Royalties: Self-publishing on KDP allows you to earn higher royalties than they would with traditional publishing. KDP pays authors a percentage of the retail price for each book sold, which can be as high as 70% for books priced between $2.99 and $9.99.
Global Reach: KDP has a global reach, which means you can reach readers all over the world.
Cons of self-publishing on KDP:
Marketing: Self-publishing on KDP means you are responsible for marketing. Without the backing of a traditional publisher, it can be difficult for self-published authors to get their books in front of a large audience.
Quality Control: While KDP does have some guidelines for formatting and content, there is no real quality control process in place. This means that self-published books can vary greatly in terms of quality and professionalism.
Lack of Credibility: Self-publishing on KDP can come with a lack of credibility, as many people still view self-published books as being of lower quality than those traditionally published.
Pros of traditional publishing:
Credibility: Traditional publishing comes with a certain level of credibility. A book that has been traditionally published is viewed as being of higher quality than one that has been self-published.
Editing and Design: Traditional publishers provide editing, proofreading, and design services, which can help to ensure that the final product is of the highest quality.
Marketing and Distribution: Traditional publishers have the resources and connections to market and distribute books to a wider audience.
Advance Payment: Traditional publishers usually pay advance payment to the author for the book before it is published.
Cons of traditional publishing:
Loss of Control: Traditional publishing means giving up a certain amount of control over the final product. Publishers may make changes to the book that the author is not happy with, or delay the release date.
Time: The traditional publishing process can be slow, with it taking months or even years for a book to be released.
Royalties: Traditional publishers pay lower royalties to authors than self-publishing on KDP.
To break it down, self-publishing on KDP and traditional publishing are two very different routes for authors to take when it comes to getting their work out into the world. Both have their own set of pros and cons, and the decision of which route to take ultimately depends on the individual author's goals and resources.
If you’re interested in joining a community of self-publishing authors who are making passive income from Amazon KDP, come join the Royalty Hero community.
You can learn all the steps to create passive income without needing writing experience.