The Upside of Traditional Publishing

And the Downside: At the Publishing Pro, LLC, we are not down on traditional publishing. We especially like "niche publishers" (publishers, usually small, with a well defined market) and much prefer them to the glamorous New York trade houses. You get someone to pick up all, or at least some, of the publishing expenses, someone who can reach a specific market (in the case of niche publishers), and the benefit of their editing, design, and marketing expertise. However, you need to be aware of the downside of traditional publishing. First, it takes a long time to find someone interested. Months, maybe years. Second, you lose control of your project--its shape, its design, its schedule, its shelf-life. While publishing is something of a partnership between publisher and author, it is an uneven one. The publisher is the senior partner; you are the junior partner. This isn't bad; if it weren't this way, publishers would be weak and there would be no point in working with them. However, it does limit your control. The Publishing Pro.