Trade pub or self pub?

I chose to go with self-publishing rather than run the gauntlet of the trade published world. Personal choice. Never submitted to an agent, never plan to do so. Sales are growing steadily and have surpassed the 2000 unit mark after only 6 months, with 3 books now having been published. One of these has been free for 2 months, and I've had 16,000 downloads, which I expect will lead to 1600 sales of the other two books.

It's a personal choice.

I'm playing the cautious hybrid route. I have a literary agent for my longer works, and just sent her a 91K fantasy novel I've clearly slated for Big Five interest (and we may have that, judging by editor reactions to a shorter version of the story seen last year). I have one erotic romance novel out with a digital e-rom publisher, and plans to give them at least two more mms in that series.

But I also have cover art ready to go for the big fantasy novel, if the agent can't get any traction with the long version. I'm planning on self-publishing revised versions of some older novellas and standalone novels. I also write fan fiction for free, on a respected site with a gajillion members.

What I've seen so far is an encouraging confluence: the fan fiction readers seek out my original fiction, and many of the e-rom readers want to see my mainstream stuff. I'm hoping that a Big Five or mid-level independent sale of the fantasy novel will bring in more readers...so that when I finally do go self-pub, I'll have more of a base.

But you never can tell.

I'm going with the no-pub route, off what I've got back from agent querying. Which is pretty much silence.

caw

Trade pub w/agent. I just don't want to mess with the publishing side myself, and I want a professional on my side when it comes to finding a publisher and negotiating a contract.

Angry Guy said:

Just to be clear up front, I'm not asking what anyone thinks I should do. I understand that's a decision I'll have to make when I'm at that point.

I'm more interested in what people who've been in the industry for a while would do, if you had just finished a novel that you felt really good about. Would you self-pub? Try to get an agent? Go straight to a publisher?

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I'm glad you mentioned going straight to a publisher, as this is all I've tried myself so far, and some people seem to forgot that option exists.

Maryn said:

What I would do is seek trade publishing, which would probably mean seeking an agent first. The odds of a trade published book selling in the thousands are far higher than those of a self-published book, where good sales are the exception.

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I don't know that they are the exception among people who really know what they are doing, but certainly those people have done a lot of research and work very very hard.

I've got two books with a small indie publisher. I'm happy with that.

I've got books I'm self publishing under a pen name. I'm happy with that.

I'm shopping a novel to agents, hoping to get a more mainstream deal and go trade pub. So far, I'm happy with that, but the end verdict remains to be seen.

So, I guess... all of the above.

I also plan to self publish.

Angry Guy said:

Just to be clear up front, I'm not asking what anyone thinks I should do. I understand that's a decision I'll have to make when I'm at that point.

I'm more interested in what people who've been in the industry for a while would do, if you had just finished a novel that you felt really good about. Would you self-pub? Try to get an agent? Go straight to a publisher?

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I attempted to get agents with my first three novels and all ended up at small publishing houses without agents. I finally landed an agent with my fourth novel by having a contract offer in my hand. I did self-publish a book of short stories that didn't sell squat, but then I'm not the best at self-marketing.

My agent is a proponent of the "hybrid" model, which means part traditional publishing, part self publishing. But my agency, Trident Media Group, helps their authors with self publishing their books, so we have sort of a leg up over most self-published authors. I'd probably never try doing it again on my own.

I have a fairly detailed business plan, but it basically boils down to.
1. Get an agent.
2. Get a trade pub deal.
3. Trade pub the books that fit that market, self-pub the books that don't quite fit.
4. Live a happy hybrid author life, write a ton of books.

The self-pub side of things I have planned out in great detail, because that's the bit I'll have the most control over. But for now, I'm still on Step 1.

Trade publishing for sure. Generally straight to the publisher, but maybe one day I'll write something I want to find an agent for.

I've nothing against self publishing. I've dabbled in it myself and a couple of my current favourite authors are self-publishers or hybrid. But I think to do it properly is a lot of work, which means time. Currently I'd rather spend that time writing and let other people take care of the rest of the business.

I went trade pub straight to the publisher. If/when they contract for a sequel I'll use "offer in hand" to try and get an agent at that point.

Both, as suitable for the manuscript.

I've loved my trade publishing experience. Working with such skilled and enthusiastic book-lovers has been fantastic. I so hope I can write something else they want.