What’s the difference between indie and traditional publishing? (And which is right for you)
Indie publishing (also called self-publishing) is when the author controls every aspect of their book. They do the writing and make decisions about editing, cover design, distribution, and marketing. This also means they keep a majority of the royalties and can choose how much to charge for their work.
Traditional publishing is when an author signs with a publishing house that handles production and distribution in exchange for some of the royalties. Writers are sometimes given an upfront advance, which is paid back to the publisher through royalties until the amount of the advance is recouped. The core difference comes down to control vs. infrastructure.
Indie publishing can also refer to independent publishers who are smaller operations than the large publishing houses. Authors often don’t need to be represented by an agent to work with these publishers, and they can specialize in niches.
For this article, when we refer to indie publishing, we’re talking about self-published authors.
Every writer has dreams of publishing their work someday, but the next question is, how do they do it when there are thousands of books pitched to agents and publishing houses every year? Both indie publishing and traditional publishing are critical parts of the same ecosystem, delivering books into the hands of readers.
But which one is right for you? The good news is that no matter which you choose, the decision isn’t a stressful one. Plenty of writers have traversed the waters of both oceans and figured out which works best for them. You can do the same. Let’s explore the differences…
What Is Traditional Publishing?
A traditional publisher is a publishing house that acquires the rights to a manuscript, funds the production of a book, and distributes the book in exchange for part of the royalties. Typically, it works like this:
Writer finishes a manuscript, then queries literary agents. Once they’ve signed with an agent, the agents submit the manuscript to publishers. A publisher then makes an offer to the writer (via the agent), a contract is signed, and 12-24 months later, their book is published.
The largest publishers in the world are often referred to as “The Big Five,” and you’re likely familiar with all of them. They are Penguin Random House, HarperCollins, Macmillan, Hachette Book Group, and Simon & Schuster. They represent the vast majority of publishing in English-language books in all forms (print, ebook, audiobook).
Large publishers like these cover production costs and handle execution of editing, cover design, printing, distribution, as well as some of the marketing. How much of the marketing falls to them can depend on budget as well as an author’s current social presence. To allow them to do this, the author often has to give up a portion of the royalties, creative control over cover design, and rights (depending on the specific contract).
What Is Indie Publishing?
Indie publishing is when an author publishes their work on their own, or sometimes with hired help for tasks like editing and cover design. Authors retain all of the rights as well as the majority of the revenue from their books.
The typical path for a self-published author looks like this:
Write → Edit Design → Format → Upload to platforms → Publish → Market
There's a lot of nuance to each of those steps, which means you'll have to make some tough decisions. Here's what that might look like:
Writing your book
How do you want to lay out your story?
What format do you want your story told in? (e.g., first person vs. third person, will you number and name your chapters, etc.)
How long do you want your book to be?
Editing your book
Will you edit your book yourself or hire someone?
Do you need a developmental editor, general editor, line editor, or all of them?
What is your budget for editing?
Designing your book
Have you researched the typical size and cover art for your genre?
Are you designing the book yourself or hiring a designer?
Do you want different covers for different marketplaces?
Formatting your book
Does your text look the same in print and in ebook format?
Is your front material (like copyright pages, table of contents, etc.) formatted to industry standards?
Is the format acceptable for the platforms where you'll be publishing?
Uploading your book
Where do you want to sell your book?
Have you reviewed all of the guidelines? (e.g., your book can't be part of Kindle Unlimited if it’s available on other marketplaces)
Is it in the appropriate format?
Publishing your book
How much lead time will you give yourself to ensure everything looks good?
Are you publishing during a time of year when people are reading more, like before summer and winter breaks?
Will you have extra books on hand to sell through your own website?
Marketing your book
Where will you plan to market your book?
Are you buying any ads?
Do you have a launch day marketing plan?
This is a lot to think about and can feel overwhelming, but if you break it up into segments, it's manageable.
[13-Step self-publishing framework]
One of the huge benefits of self-publishing is how much control the author has. Everything from the price to the cover to the format is up to the creator. It can be a lot of pressure, but it also offers a lot of freedom, especially for genre-bending books that might not fit neatly into a specific category or into an agent’s roster.
However, this also means the author is responsible for all of the costs and quality control. If there's an issue, it's entirely on the author to fix it.
The Real Difference: Control vs. Infrastructure
It's important to understand that indie publishing is more work for the author, plain and simple. But there's also the potential for higher reward, depending on what success looks like to you.
Instead of asking “Which is better?” authors should ask, “What does success look like to me?”
If you want to be published so that your book can be seen across litmags and in book stores, then it's probably best to try traditional publishing, where there's a more robust team of experienced professionals with wide networks. And it's totally okay if your goal is seeing your book in these arenas instead of prioritizing making a living off your books. It's your goal, and that's all that matters.
If you want to be published to have a better chance at making long-term revenue and having control over the rights to your book, then indie publishing might be a better option for you, since there is a faster speed to market and, as mentioned, a much larger profit margin once you publish.
How Royalties Actually Work in Each Path
Independent publishing has higher royalties than traditional publishing because the author gets to choose how much they can charge, and fewer people need a piece of the pie.
In traditional publishing, rates can range from 8-15% for print books and up to 25% for ebooks. These royalties are also split with an agent, and if there was a monetary advance, then that must be recouped before the author sees any income. Some authors may think an advance is free money, a stipend to fund a writer’s life while they complete their book, but that’s not the case. While it doesn’t have to be paid back if book sales underperform, it still needs to be recouped before earnings kick in for the author.
In independent publishing, depending on the platform, authors can earn 35%-70% in royalties. They choose the book price, the territories it’s distributed in, and on which platforms to distribute the book. Because of this, indie authors typically earn more per book than traditional authors.
At the end of the day, if authors want to see ongoing revenue right away, then indie publishing may be the way to go. If they’d rather get a lump sum and smaller increments over time, then it might be worth exploring traditional publishing.
[Find detailed payout scenarios here]
Timeline: How Long Does Each Path Take?
The quick speed to market makes independent publishing an attractive choice for many authors, especially if they’re writing about a current event and want to take advantage of the topic’s popularity. Here are the basics:
Traditional publishing can take months to years to publish a book because of its robust system of checks and balances, as well as the lead time for a marketing campaign. The process involves making an offer to the author, editing the book, producing it, and then release. In many cases, it takes 2+ years to bring a book to life.
Independent publishing does all of those steps on its own, often outsourcing the work to editors and designers, and they can even hire a PR agent to help get the word out. A high-quality release can be achieved in 1-3 months.
| Factor | Indie Publishing | Traditional Publishing |
|---|---|---|
| Creative control | Full | Limited |
| Time to publish | Weeks to months | 1–3 years |
| Upfront cost | Author-funded | Publisher-funded |
| Royalties | 35–70% | 8–15% |
| Advance | None | Possible (not guaranteed) |
| Distribution | Online + select retail | Wider bookstore access |
| Rights | Author retains all | Publisher holds for contract term |
| Marketing support | Author-led | Shared (varies widely) |
| Prestige / perception | Growing rapidly | Still carries legacy credibility |
Distribution and Bookstores: The Biggest Myth About Indie Publishing
It’s a common myth that indie authors can’t get into bookstores. In fact, there are thousands of success stories of authors going to both local and big box stores to get placement for their book. This is one of the main reasons people choose traditional publishing instead of independent publishing, but with a solid sellsheet and some basic background knowledge, it’s very possible to get self-published books into bookstores.
Additionally, platforms like Ingram Spark offer print-on-demand (POD) services so people can buy self-published books from big stores like Target, Walmart, and Barnes and Noble.
Traditional publishing is still the main way to get books into bookstores, but over time, the landscape has changed and become more receptive to indie authors.
Which Path Is Right for You?
Use these questions to help you decide if traditional publishing or self-publishing is for you:
Choose indie publishing if you:
Want full creative and financial control
Have a niche, series, or have an established platform
Want to publish quickly
Are comfortable running a small business
Choose traditional publishing if you:
Want a team to handle production and some distribution
Are open to a longer timeline for potentially wider reach
Write in a genre where bookstore placement matters
Want the validation or credibility of a traditional deal
Consider a hybrid if you:
Already have an indie catalog and want to test traditional waters
Have a traditionally published backlist you want to re-release independently
Common Myths About Both Paths (Debunked)
Self-publishing myths are everywhere and often make writers feel like that path isn’t viable for them, so let’s address them.
"Self-published books are low quality"
False; in most cases, they are indiscernible from traditionally published books.
"Traditional publishing means your book will sell"
Traditional publishing will put marketing dollars behind a book, but it’s still largely up to the author how much visibility their book receives.
"You need an agent to be taken seriously"
This is only explicitly true for the Big Five publishing houses.
"Indie authors can't make real money"
As articulated, indie authors have the opportunity to make 2x or more than traditionally published authors.
"A traditional deal is always better"
This depends on the contract and on the goals of the author.
Both traditional and independent publishing are reputable, important paths to bring books to life. It isn’t true that one is better than the other, but rather it depends on what the author’s goals are. Consider aspects like timeframe, budget, what success looks like, etc. Just like every book, every author is different, and they want different things. Both avenues of publishing offer opportunities to fulfill those needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is indie publishing the same as self-publishing?
They often mean the same thing. Sometimes indie publishing refers to smaller, independent publishers who work with authors, and self-publishing refers to authors who take on the responsibilities of publishing themselves. To be very clear, someone could say they are a self-published indie author.
Do indie authors make more money than traditionally published authors?
Yes, the profit percentage is much higher for indie authors. The catch is that traditional publishing houses often have marketing departments to help sell books. But the majority of traditionally published authors never out-earn their advance and do not receive royalties.
Can a self-published book become a bestseller?
Yes. Books like Matt Dinniman's Dungeon Crawler Carl, E.L. James's Fifty Shades of Grey, Andy Weir's The Martian, and Robert Kiyosaki's Rich Dad Poor Dad were all self-published before becoming bestsellers.
Do I need a literary agent if I want to self-publish?
No. Literary agents help authors get traditionally published. If you are self-publishing, you are not looking for a publisher, so an agent is not necessary.
What is the biggest disadvantage of self-publishing?
The biggest disadvantage of self-publishing is that all of the responsibility falls on you to put out a flawless book that also hits all the hallmarks of its genre — cover design, formatting, editing, and more.
Make a list of what you want to get out of publishing and decide which is best for you. If you want to join our Indie Authors community, you can do so here:
