Should I traditionally publish or self-publish?
After 3 books of each, I'm sharing all the nitty gritty of publishing, pros, advances and sales
This week is the third anniversary of Pray Confidently and Consistently. It’s my legacy book, written after years and years of conversations about why we struggle with prayer. Just the other day, I gave a copy to a friend at church, and here’s what she texted: “Your book is amazing. I already can’t put it down and I am only in the introduction!!”
It’s easy to feel like after you’ve sat with a book for years that the content is old news but I love knowing it’s still getting people excited about prayer!
But to celebrate this week, I didn’t just want to rehash the book, although I do hope you’ll check it out if you haven’t read it yet. Instead, I wanted to answer one of my most asked questions about books: Which is better, traditional or self-publishing?
I’ve published 3 books traditionally:
Grumpy Mom Takes a Holiday (2019)
Fresh Start for Moms (2019)
Pray Confidently and Consistently (2021)
and I’ve published 3 through self-publishing:
The Finishing School (2015)
Springboard Prayers (2020)
Led, Not Driven (2023)
I also have many many author friends that I regularly talk with about the publishing experience. I don’t work in the industry so this isn’t gospel but I do hope it’s helpful as it is super thorough.
I want to illuminate exactly how the sausage (or books) is made in both industries by sharing my highs and disappointments, the pros and cons of each, and specifics with advances, earnings, and book sales. By the end of it, I hope you’ll feel ready to decide which you want to pursue.
This is a lot of content, so I’m organizing it in a few ways. First, I'll discuss a bunch of areas to consider: market/niche, reach, motivation, etc. Financials for each book. Then, I’ll share why I chose trad or self for each of my books. And I’ll end by answering the questions you wanted answered.