E-Publishing and Self-Publishing: Two Different Concepts
Lately, I’ve noticed the terms e-publishing and self-publishing used interchangeably, however, the two are not synonymous. Self-publishing is a do-it-yourself method, whether it be in electronic format, paper format, or both. E-publishing, on the other hand, is exactly as it sounds: publishing in an electronic format, which may or may not be self-publishing.
Instead, the distinction should focus on traditional vs. self-publishing, both which have their pluses and minuses.*
Traditional Publishing
A traditional publisher buys the rights to an author’s work and pays royalties based on sales. The author must go through an official query process, sometimes through an agent, and as such, faces rejection. Although one thinks mostly of hardcover and paperback products with a traditional publisher, some publishers put out e-book formats only. They remain “traditional” publishers, however, because they assume the publishing process for the author, including cover-art design, editing, and formatting, and they pass on a percentage of sales to the author. The author does not pay any fees to a traditional publisher.
Self-Publishing
In self-publishing, the author completes the entire process independently, and thus has more control. Sometimes he or she may pay a company to do the work, but regardless, the author foots the bill, which may be minimal or sizeable depending on the publishing venue chosen. Furthermore, the process outpaces the snail journey of traditionally published books, as my daily wait attests (though I have received contact from my editor–yeah!).
Hey! Where Are the Laughs?
Oops. Sorry. Today’s post contains no humor. But the interchanging use of these terms nabbed my attention and gave me a chance to pontificate–something I never do.
Though my husband might say otherwise. And my kids. And my dog if I had one. And…
To find e-publishers who function in a traditional fashion, sffNet has a great listing. In fact, I believe I discovered my publisher there. Many offer a Print-on-Demand (POD) version as well.
Other Resources:
A Simple Guide to Publishing Types
Traditional Publishing Versus Self-Publishing
Electronic Publishing: Subsidy vs. Nonsubsidy
Book Publishers – Different Types of Book Publishers
Bonnie Mercure’s Guide to E-Publishers
*Note: I am being simplistic with these divisions, sticking to the barest descriptions, not differentiating between small presses, giant publishing houses, or strictly electronic publishers, all of which can fall into the “traditional” publisher category. Subsidy publishing also exists, where an author pays a fee for “extras.” See the resources above for more information. And feel free to clarify or expound on my thoughts. After all, for every opinion, dozens more exist.
Well, this is embarrassing. I can’t think of a concluding question to ask. Um…let’s see…watched any good movies lately? Read any good books? Hello? Are you still there? Probably not…
All images from Microsoft Clip Art
100 Responses to “E-Publishing and Self-Publishing: Two Different Concepts”
Thanks for telling me about this post. I have been confused by the two terms. I know in my writing class they were pretty nose in the air about e-publishing, but you can’t deny its success. I’m not into self-publishing, but I think I might have a better shot e-publishing with a smaller press. I do know about query letters and whatnot from the class. I have written several books, in various stages (some need polish, some need finishing, some . . . who knows?). The hardest thing is deciding what to work on most, and of course, finding the time to do that. I’m amazed that you have a medical career, kids, and still got this book out. That’s very impressive.
I’ve been writing since I could pick up a pencil. It’s not a choice. I have to do it. I love it. But yeah, I’m insecure about it. Only recently have I started letting more people read my fiction. I’m more confident about non-fiction stuff, like the humor on my blog. Even the blog, though, was a big step for me.
By the way, I am loving your book. After 50 shades it’s like, OMG, a female with a brain? And she’s not falling over in orgasms over the hot doctor she’s working with? How can this be? It’s very exciting, and I found myself turning (well it’s an ebook but you know) pages. I love medical dramas – it’s my analytical side I guess. Of course they can creep you out too, because unlike Freddy, it’s possible! I will be sure to write a review on my blog and on Amazon and B&N or wherever when I am finished.
Oh, and I’m bookmarking this post for later reference. I would love any advice you can give! Thanks!
First of all, so glad you’re enjoying my book! I appreciate you reading it and letting me know your thoughts. As you mentioned, it’s easy to be insecure when others are reading your work. And yeah, no weird sex in my book, nor will that be a focus in any future books I write.
I don’t know if the stigma is against e-books per se but rather independently (self-published) books. People don’t seem to thumb their noses at a James Patterson e-book, yet they do to an independently published book, even if the indie book is actually better. I think this is why independently published authors need to continue to make sure their work is high quality–help improve the image it has. There is some great indie work out there.
I’ve never had the struggle of knowing which project to work on–I only have one going on at a time! Good for you for having so many options. I wish you luck on your writing journey.
Oh, and I’m currently not practicing medicine. I haven’t been in clinic for six months. My intent was to find non-clinical work in the field, but then I got sidetracked by my novel’s publication so took a year off to pursue it. I could never do all this marketing and blogging and such if I still worked at my job. That’s why it took so long to get my book out there (I have another post entitled “My Road to Publication is Paved with Yawns” that chronicles this).
Thanks again for your interest. I’m learning as I go along, but if someone can learn from my experience–as I have learned from those before me–that’s wonderful!
[...] any new followers seduced by my earlier teases of blogger propriety, I apologize for today’s post. But if you enjoy adolescent humor, I encourage you to stick [...]
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I had a friend who recently went down the subsidized publishing route, which seems to be a cross beetween traditional publishing and self funding. For his money he got the art design, professional editing and some promotion and gets a cut of the sales. But you are right, traditional publishing does not negate the need for self promotion.
Fixed my reader issues, hopefully you will now be regularly filling my inbox
.
For me, it’s a relief to have a publisher that takes care of all those issues. I’m not so sure I’d want to have a go at it myself. Well, except for self-promotion. I’m still stuck with that.
Glad your reader issues are fixed. Mine still doesn’t want to update.
LOVE this! I was just chatting with a colleague of mine about this as he self published and soon found publishers banging on his door but he demanded higher profits as they tend to receive most of it compared to self-publishing profits. Thank you sooo much!
“publishers banging on his door”—Oh, how I bet many self-published authors would love that! Yes, there’s a trade-off to both routes, I suppose.
Thanks for visiting!
I did self publish and, while it is quite fast and easy to do, the thing lost is the promotion. When you self-publish, you self-promote. I have found the journey both interesting and arduous, but one I am richer for taking.
Tim
Even with a traditional publisher one has to self-promote, though the larger the publisher, hopefully the more help one gets. My publisher is small, so I think I’ll mostly be on my own, but they do seek reviews and such on my behalf.
Congratulations on your self-publishing venture! I hope it’s going well for you. Thanks for the comment.
For me the terms are interchangeable because we can all be e-publishers now – a path that only a few years ago required an agent and traditional publisher. Self-publishing has lost its vanity tag and is shaking the publishing world. If I do publish my play, I will tell everyone I’ve e-published it – not self-published.
By the way – hope this isn’t the second time you’ve received this message – my computer crashed! Must read a book instead.
You are right–the publishing world has definitely changed, and as such, the words to describe it have blended a bit.
A computer crash? Yikes. Keep that bad juju away from me. It’s amazing how reliant we are on the things.
Thanks for the comment.
awesome! yay for you!
when is the book going to be published? I WANT TA READ! yes I said ta! cause I feel all gangsta!
See what I did there?
Wow, you are rough and tumbly today!
The novel comes out in September. In fact, I just received the edit recommendations from my editor about five minutes ago. I haven’t yet dared look at them.
Thanks for your encouragement!
awesome! I hope all is well! So happy for you!:D
Thanks!
YAY for the contract!!! Thanks for the info.–I have some decisions to make about my own path. However, if no editor picks me up, then the decision will be made for me, I guess. I keep falling asleep in movies, so I’m a terrible person to ask:)
Yes, I signed that contract several months ago, so it’s nice to finally hear from my editor. Makes it so much more real. And scary…
I can’t remember the last movie I fell asleep in, though there are quite a few I yawned through.
Thanks for the info. I have officially saved this post to my bookmarks, for future reference. Thanks again.
I’m so glad you found it helpful. Thanks for stopping by!
Cogratulations on hearing back from your editor. I think hearing about what they might want to cut would be gut renching at least for me. I appreciated the information. I must admit I was a little thrown off with the serious tone to your voice, but I shiffted gears rather rapidly.
I felt bad about talking about sharing a tooth brush. I hope I didn’t step on your toes. I read so much that I worry about reapeating somthing. It must have been fresh in my head as to the nastyness of sharing a toothbrush. I’m sorry about that. I have so much floating around in my head.
I’m reading two books right now I’m not sure which one will capture my full attention and will soon get my full attention. Movies I’m due to see a good one we have been so busy not much time to watch but soon I hope.
You are so sweet. Believe me, talking about sharing a toothbrush is anybody’s fair game.
And yes, I have exited one kind of anxiety only to enter another, this one even more nail-biting than the last. All I keep thinking is chop, chop, chop, chop. Well, good or bad news, I’m sure I’ll get a blog post out of it.
Thanks for stopping by, Starla!
I think you raised an important point about the distinction. And every once in a while, it’s cool to be serious Carrie.
I saw Brave this weekend and loved it! It’s a story that focuses on familial love rather than romantic love. And had a female protagonist who didn’t end up married off as the happily ever after. 
I really want to see “Brave,” but my youngest won’t go with me. He says it’s because it’s for “kids,” but I know it’s because the lead is a girl (though he says that’s not why), because he’ll go to plenty of other “kid” movies. But I’m worried if I go alone, I’ll look a little weird.
I went with my mom. It was a great mom-daughter flick. Can you drag a niece of a friend with a daughter? That way you won’t feel weird. But if you do a matinee alone–it’s less weird. You can always check your phone and pretend your waiting on someone who didn’t show.
Ahh, so that’s the technique when not wanting to be thought of as a solitary movie attender. I guess I can always rent it when it comes out. Of course, that might be even sadder.
Yeehaw, let’s toast! Carrie, you are a fount of wonderful and useful information (as well as clever, talented, a truly nice person and cute as a button in the hat
).
I’m so glad that Gina wrote the term “vanity press” before me. There is that lingering stigma with self publishing, but as you pointed out quality and success speak volumes. It is hard to argue against a market that supports self published works and opinions do change…as does terminology.
We saw Moonrise Kingdom and I’m still thinking about it. The trailers hooked me, but didn’t prepare me for the story. If you liked The Royal Tanenbaums, then you’ll probably love this one too. Quirky and a bit Napoleon Dynamite-ish. The casting was crazy wonderful. =)
I’ve heard of that movie. It got really good reviews. Might be a nice change of pace from the Spidermans and The Avengers out there (though I like those, too).
And yes, the line between self-publishing and traditional publishing gets blurrier everyday. I don’t think people can assume everything self-published means lesser quality, especially when some of the big wigs are doing it themselves. There will always be purists and naysayers, but I say “to each his/her own.” Do what suits you best. And I’ve read some very entertaining self-published novels.
Now, as for that first paragraph of your comment jammed full of complimentary adjectives about me? Have I mentioned how much I like you?
I hope Jacob does mind the competition
Ha ha! Good memory!
Yay! The contract! Whoop, whoop
So good to see it’s finally through.
I started to read and thought I’d misread the blogger, checked top of page, nope, definitely Carrie. An interesting and informative blog ma’am – respect.
Every now and then I like to impart some knowledge. If one looks hard enough at my posts, he or she wiwll eventually find it.
Yes, contact from my editor feels good. Now I just have to wait and see how many changes he recommends. Yikes!
Oh-ma-gosh, Carrie did a serious post. (And very well-put, too.)
Here’s one more fact, it’s not really self-published unless you purchased the ISBN. Whoever bought that number is the officially the “publisher”, regardless of who paid whom or how much work you did on getting it out there.
So glad to hear the editor made contact.
Very good point. Thanks for mentioning that. The one thing about having a publisher is that you’re a bit in the dark on all of the issues like ISBN number purchases and so on. This might be both good and bad.
Bookmarking this one for when my day comes.
And I know it will.
Fingers crossed!
I hope you make a big fanfare when your book is published. I think submitting one’s book to a real publisher is quite a lot of trouble – you have to be quite organised and determined and not too much of a procrastinator. Which is not me right now but I hope one day will be (procrastinates).
For me, the submitting was the easy part. It’s the waiting that’s harder. And I suspect the hardest of all will be when my editor tells me what I need to hack.
Most excellent Carrie, thanks.
Thank you. I’m glad you liked it. And I’m always amused when I’m commenting on someone’s blog, while they’re over here commenting on mine, as the two of us just did.
Yes, we were, at the same time. Bright minds and all
I appreciate you outlining this. The information comes in handy. Now I’m reading M.R. James’ Collected Ghost Stories — they’re rather erudite. A friend gave the book to me. I thought I might write a coming-of-age novel as a ghost story so it was right on time. But frankly I’m intimidated.
“A coming-of-age novel as a ghost story”–I like it! Sounds intriguing.
This is helpful information, because I do think the two terms are often confused. To be honest, I’m not sure I appreciated the distinction.
And, for no other reason than to add to the topic, I also mention that audiobooks are an additional avenue for authors. This one, published yesterday, has the sexiest narrator I’ve ever heard: http://www.audible.com/pd/ref=sr_1_1?asin=B008I3BVXG&qid=1341856677&sr=1-1
And the sexiest title, no doubt…
Sadly, no–just the voice.
Penelope Trunk (just google her name) has a relevant post on her blog today. Basically sums up how she received an advance from a big publisher, found they knew NOTHING about marketing in the current environment, and switched to a smaller publisher. Seems these days that bigger isn’t always better. (Get y
our mind out of the gutter!)
Check it out. Quite interesting.
Very interesting read. Thanks for telling me about it. It just goes to show that even with the big publishing houses, an author has to do much of his or her own marketing. I’d never heard of Hyperink. I’ll need to explore more to see whether they are a traditional, royalty-paying publisher or more of a subsidy service for self-publishers.
Thank you so much for sharing this information! My husband (who recently self-published a book) is always volleying these terms around and I tend to tune him out. Oops.
Don’t worry. I think we all tune our spouses out from time to time.
Glad you found it useful. Thanks for stopping by!
I just congratulated you over on Jennifer Eaton’s post, but I’ll do it again here.
It must be a great feeling to hear from that editor.
Nice explanation of the differences between the publishing options. There certainly is distinction between e-pub and self-pub that gets glossed over.
Good movies. Oh, boy. There are so few. MIB III was a fun summer flick—not as good as I, but way better than II.
Good luck with the upcoming edits!
Thanks, JM. I replied to your comment on Jennifer’s blog but was saying how it’s nice to be able to discuss the journey with other writers, because they understand the various feelings that go along with the process.
We liked “MIB III,” too. I’m all for a fun action movie that we can go to as a family. That being said, while my youngest was at a sleepover, we took my 15 year old to “Lincoln Vampire Hunter.” I don’t allow him too many R-rated movies, but after reviewing that one online (thank goodness for those parenting media sites that review movies), I figured it would be okay. It was a decent enough film, but I give that author huge credit for coming up with such a creative concept. Like it or not, one can’t say that turning Abe Lincoln into a vampire hunter isn’t creative.
That it is! I wonder if they got the idea from things like Pride and Prejudice and Zombies? Those mashups have just taken off… Why can’t I come up with something that will go viral like that?!
That’s true–I forgot about that one. Whenever I think of something really weird for a possible book concept, I assume no one would buy it (in the figurative sense, but probably also in the literal…). And then comes another book or movie with a far out idea!
Good point, as I think a lot of people get confused, and everyone thinks they’re a writer and should be published (sigh). I’m not talking about you, of course!
Good books? You read my weekly updates. Good movies? I want to do a 101 in 1001 update to make a list of the good (Invictus – superb) and bad (Bridemaids – boring zzz).
I keep wondering when you’re going to tell us what you’ve done during your Ohio vacation…
My Ohio vacation? I guess I missed that one. Unless dragging a teenager out of bed every morning is a vacation. Or, perhaps you’re talking about my few days in Columbus last month? If so, the Michael Jackson Cirque Du Soleil post is all you get. Sorry.
I liked “Invictus,” too, but I also liked “Bridesmaids.” I’m easy that way. Make me laugh and give me popcorn, and I’m happy.
You ARE easy to please! Well, you can read my snarling review when I write it and tell me what you think… And you’re right, your Cirque du Soleil was your vacation report, I missed that part but I did read the post!
I think my movie humor may be a bit off. I thought “Wanderlust” was one of the funniest movies I’ve seen. One scene with Paul Rudd talking dirty to himself in the mirror had me in tears. My husband, on the other hand, thought it was merely “cute.”
Nice summary of the differences there! Will surely come in handy once I’m looking to publish my instant blockbuster: “The Only Book You Must Read (Unless I Write More Books, Then You’ll Have To Read Those Too, I Suppose)” – it’s a working title, but I think I’ve condensed the message as much as I could at this point….
That title is like a Fiona Apple album title. I like it! And I guarantee, any book you publish, I will read. Well, unless it’s about satanic worship or something. And even then, I’d probably read it. You know, just to see your take on things…
Whoa, thanks – I have a guaranteed reader! I’m sure I can somehow build a business case based on that. By my calculations I’d have to offer the book at a reasonable price of 13,074 dollars to breakeven – and from then it’s all pure profit!
Hmmm, can I change my mind on that reading thing?
Hehehee too late, you’ve made a commitment, but I may be willing to go for a 5% pre-order discount!
Phew!
Carrie, thanks so much for this!! I think e-publishers, the way in which you described, certainly adds to a writer’s credibility. I love when writers share things to help other writers and your post certainly did. Thanks so much.
Oh, good, I’m glad it helped. I worried it was a bit: “Uh, yeah, tell us something we don’t know.” Sometimes it feels like what we’re posting on, everyone else must surely know! Nothing like paranoia.
Thanks for this, Carrie. I actually didn’t know there was a real difference. Not that I’m ready to e- or self-publish anytime soon, but it’s all good to know.
Glad it was useful.
I haven’t given much thought to which route I want to go yet, as I want to focus for now on the work itself.
It is pretty cool that there is the option to self publish, but even cooler that you can publish electronically at a low cost. The problem on that route is many people are doing it and quality varies, so it is hard to know where to start as a reader wanting to buy a book. But on the other hand, if you are after particular kinds of books, there is so much choice.
—
Oh you’re going to have to prod your sons with a broom handle until they say more “offal”, prior to next monday of course!
There is never any prodding required.
I think the quality issue you raise can be a concern, but hopefully, the small e-publishers are discerning with their choices. As for the self-published e-books, there is no screening process, so I suppose it is a bit of a risk.
You could do the prodding for your amusement
I would think anyone doing the publishing for you (small or large) would have a level of quality control, so that should give you some confidence.
And I’ll soon find out from my editor how much of that “quality” he wants “controlled”…
Well I shall add my congratulations on getting this far, and hope everything goes well.
Thanks.
Interesting post. I like to distinguish it further…and may be the only one…who breaks self-publishing into two categories: Vanity press and Indie publishing. Vanity being when you pay to have your book published and Indie when you do all the work yourself. But that’s just me. I like to do that because of the negative feelings so many people have about self-publishing. It’s kind of like when you put cheese on broccoli to get your kids to eat it!
I think that’s a good distinction, because despite the reputation self-publishing may have once had, no one can deny the successes that have recently surfaced. And when previously big-boy NY published authors are now going out on their own, you know times have changed.
Great point, Gina.
I Love Cheese on Broccoli! :+) It just dawned on me that my Mom did that to get us kids to eat broccoli. :+) Funny I never thought of that untill just now.
I didn’t dare start the cheese-on-veggies thing with my kids. I worried they’d never eat them normally if I did. And so far, so good. At least they’ll eat broccoli, anyway.
Very useful info! I confess to being way too impatient with the traditional way. And also I figured since my characters were all real people and not witches, or vampires, or werewolves, or drudges, or “faeries” (what is a faery anyway?) no agent would be interested. So I chose self-publishing. Of course now I have to figure the marketing part out since I’m a one-woman show.
Well, even with traditional publishing, one must do the marketing, which is probably every writer’s worst fear.
Glad the info was useful. Thanks for stopping by.
You crack me up…even when you don’t try. Informative post…and no, I haven’t watched any good movies. Are there any? Good books. There’s a ton of them. I just finished Shattered Silence by Melissa Moore (but haven’t posted about it on Goodreads; I need to keep it secret from my book group so I can surprise them with it; I hate when they read it before I even get a chance to introduce it). It’s written by a serial killer’s daughter, and was the most intriguing read I’ve read in forever.
That book does sound intriguing. Thankfully, not many daughters have that story to share!
I’m enjoying your book right now. I’m not too far into it, but I’ll leave reviews when I’ve finished. The tension is mounting, and I feel something coming ahead.
Oooo! I hope you like it. I’m always so nervous when I know someone’s reading my book. Does every author feel this way? It’s like you have my baby…and I don’t want you to think it’s Ugly (like on Seinfeld).
I think every author feels that way.
And yes, it’s a great read!
Thanks. Now I can breathe.
Oh, yes, definitely breathe.
I love Suvi’s character. It’s nice to see a strong female protagonist who is proactive and can fend for herself. I’m really impressed with how well-put together your novel is, not only in a creative structural sense, but in a technical there’s-not-a-typo-to-be-found sense. Really great editing on your part!
Thanks. I’m a proofreader for a living, so I’m a little ticky on grammar and spelling. I have to have beta readers read though my stories because I tend to do confusing scenes every now and then and I need others to point those out to me because in my mind, it totally makes sense. I love Suvi too. When I met that artist going door to door, Suvi just formed in my head.
I didn’t realize you were a proofreader. Now it all makes sense.
Great information, wonderful links. One of these days I am going to need this information I think; not quite yet but soon maybe. I love that you have provided the information of what the differences are. Thanks
Glad to hear it was useful. It’s simplistic, I know, but sometimes simple is good.
Thanks for the comment.
It would be dreamy to have a publisher call me up and say “hey, we know you’re the next big thing so please let us publish your work” and when I said dreamy I meant delusional. However, I’m extremely impatient and I have procrastinated so long now to finally accept my role as ‘writer’ as it were that I’m self-publishing via the e-publishing method. And I’m thankful the option exists today. I have hope my stories will be discovered by a niche of readers who enjoy stimulating fiction with a quirky intense style. We’ll see. Thanks for sharing the above info – it can all get very confusing!
If you’re going to self-publish in e-book form but would be interested in having a publisher instead, you might want to query some of those e-publishers. The list is growing, some with pretty sound reputations. Of course, there are plenty of advantages to doing it on your own as well. Either way, I wish you the best of luck!
Thanks! I may just do that
Carrie, I think it’s great that you spelled the two processes out for those who are uninitiated to the publishing process. How long did the querying process take for you? How’d you find your agent?
Congrats on hearing from your editor! Very exciting stuff.
Hopefully, someday I can complain along with you… I only have myself to blame that this darn novel isn’t yet ready to query.
I finished my novel more than 8 years ago and queried off and on during that time–more off than on as I was busy with work and family, and my book sat neglected. Over the years, I’ve rewritten it a few times and decided to give it one last chance before I made a big change in my professional life. When it got accepted by a small publisher, I decided to put my professional change on hold and give myself at least a year for this “writing thing.” And now that I have, I can’t imagine giving it up, even if I never get published again.
I don’t have an agent. I submitted to the small publisher directly.
Thanks for the informative post and the links. I’ve noticed more and more small press ‘traditional’ publishers are dealing with e-books only. I can only imagine for a small, start up press, this is the only way they can make money as printing books can be quite expensive.
I’m still shooting for the big 6.
Yes, one of the big boys would be nice. But hopefully, being published by a smaller publisher will help an author’s credibility with the big wigs for future manuscripts. For me it came down to: do I really want to keep waiting for a bigger house, which likely won’t happen, or go with a smaller publisher and at least get my foot in the door? It will be interesting to see how things go.
As always, thanks for dropping by. And thanks for the Twitter mention.
Yes, I went with a small publisher for a short story that will release in December. any reputable credits on that resume always helps.
No doubt. And congrats!