There’s a myth still floating around in publishing circles that you need an agent to publish your book or that having an agent is the best way to get a book deal. Not so.
While agents can play an integral part in securing a traditional book deal, publishing traditionally is only one way to publish a book. And, even in traditional publishing, there are ways around using an agent.
In this article, I’ll cover the various options to publish a book without an agent and help you decide which path is best for you.
You’ll learn:
There are several ways to publish a book without an agent. The obvious is self-publishing, but hybrid and even traditional can be done without an agent.
No, I am not bashing agents. They are often hardworking, have great connections, and can get your book in front of the right people; however, the publishing world is huge, and agents only make up a teeny-tiny part of it.
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What’s the purpose of an agent?
An agent is a middleman (middleperson). They are there to facilitate a promising publishing deal between you and a traditional publisher. In the same way, a real estate agent can help you find the perfect house in the right price range and neighborhood; a literary agent helps authors find the best traditional publisher for their needs.
Unfortunately, having an agent is no guarantee of a book deal, as they must shop your book around to see if there’s any interest. What a publisher wants today can depend on several factors, like timing, trends, market saturation, and whether they already have similar authors on their roster.
If a publishing deal is secured, agents guide the author through contract negotiations, editing, marketing, and other important areas to get the book ready for the publisher.
Agents are notoriously hard to come by, especially the good ones. They can get a ton of submissions with only room to accept a small number of new clients.
Even if you do get an agent, the turnaround to get a book deal and the length of time to get your book published with a traditional publishing house can be long and arduous.
What should you do instead of getting an agent?
If waiting around for a book deal that may or may not happen doesn’t sound like an adventure you’d like to take on, there’s a better option: self-publish your book.
Why self-publish?
No surprise here, after all, this is self-publishingschool.com; however, self-publishing doesn’t mean that you have to discard your dream to get traditionally published.
Publishers want to know that their investment in an author will pay off. If you are a new author, this can be hard to prove, no matter how good your book reads. It’s all about the audience, and audiences can be fickle. Publishers know this, so they only bet on a “sure thing.”
One of the best ways to demonstrate to publishers (and agents) that you are worth the risk is to publish the book yourself, build your audience, and prove market demand.
Ultimately, getting a traditional book deal is all about the bottom line, so if you want a publisher to notice you, build your sales numbers.
Eyeing a traditional book deal
If you are seeking a traditional book deal but are open to starting with self-publishing, here are the 5 steps to help you publish a book without an agent.
- Research the market and write down everything. This is good advice, not only if you’re seeking a traditional publishing deal. Knowing your market and having a good grasp of what they are asking for is just good business. But, when self-publishing is a means to an end, it’s a good idea to document the process, to demonstrate your capacity as an author to think strategically.
How do you do market research? A good place to start is searching for comparable titles. You can do this on sites like Amazon.com. Read the reviews and note the category and keywords used. Goodreads is also a great place to find books grouped together by category and reader interest.
Before your book launches, secure a URL and author website, and social media handles, so you can begin directing potential readers to your website, where they can sign up for your email list and download sample chapters of your book.
- Invest in the quality of your book’s interior and exterior. Just because you are self-publishing doesn’t mean you should skimp on the quality. First impressions still matter, and readers will remember how your book made them feel when they first interacted with it. Research covers for your genre, and try to get the best one you can afford for your budget. Hiring a professional cover designer who has a strong portfolio and track record in the industry can give you a good head start on the competition, but if your budget is smaller, and a template (free or otherwise) is all you can afford, that’s okay, too. Just make sure that it fits well into your genre and has customization options, so it doesn’t look like everyone else’s.
A couple of years ago, I was drawn to a novel because of its cover, and I’m glad I picked it up. It turned out to be a pretty good book, and I never would have guessed the cover was a template. However, a few months later, I ran across multiple novels in the same genre with the same cover. It was weird and confusing.
I’m glad I read the book when I did, or I probably would have bypassed it for something more original. If you are using a template, before you buy, check to see which portions of the cover are customizable, like adjustable dimensions (e.g., 5×8” or 6×9” or spine width), graphic elements, or special filters. Also, it’s not a deal breaker, but if you can also get the source files (e.g., PSD, AI [Adobe Illustrator]), you’ll have more editing flexibility.
The same goes for your book’s interior formatting. Book formatting ensures that the typeface and spacing enhance readability. While word processors like Microsoft Word and Google Docs are great for writing manuscripts, professional formatting software is more fine-tuned to the specific (and sometimes subtle) needs of a book. Here are some interior formatting options to consider. - Find the best printing solution for your needs. When just starting out or trying something new (e.g., writing in a different genre), gauging market interest is important. Before you spend a ton of money on offset printing, consider POD (print on demand). While offset printing is definitely cheaper in the long run, you don’t want to end up with a ton of inventory you can’t sell or find an error after all of the books have been printed.
Most offset printers require a minimum of 1,000 books (some as low as 500), but that’s still a lot, if you don’t have a ton of presales to take up the bulk of the inventory. A better option is print-on-demand, which allows your books to be printed as they are ordered. The unit cost of each book will be more expensive than off-print, but it can save you a lot of money in the long run.
Recommended reading: Self-Publishing This Year: A Complete Actionable Guide
- Market like a professional. Have you heard the saying “If you build it, they will come?” Well, that doesn’t work in self-publishing unless you’re already well known. For the regular author trying to get their foot in the door, you have to market like your writing career depends on it (And, it does!).
The book market is saturated, so getting your name out there takes strategy, dedication, and some outside-the-box thinking. This doesn’t necessarily mean spending tons of money on advertising because, truthfully, unless you know what you’re doing, paying for advertising can be a waste of time and money. Instead, focus on working from the ground up. Find where your ideal readers hang out and join them. Get to know them and offer helpful comments to show that you are a part of the community and that you’re just like them. Taking the time to build your community before you try to sell something to them can go a long way toward getting them to trust you.
If you lean more toward the introverted side, like me, then putting yourself out there can be tough, especially when the “What if they don’t like it?” questions start running through your brain.
Know this: self-doubt is normal, so you’re not alone. Your voice matters, and so does your story, so share it! - Treat self-publishing like a business. While you’re working toward that traditional publishing deal, get to know the business of publishing. Know your rights as an author. Learn about the different platforms and printing options. Research the market to find out what’s trending in your genre.
Becoming a savvy author will make you more appealing to the right publisher. When you understand how everything works, your numbers, and what you bring to the table as an author, you’ll have more leverage when you’re ready to sign with an agent or traditional publisher.
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Pitfalls to hurdle over
Here’s a list of some of the top pitfalls I’ve seen with new and experienced authors when self-publishing their book.
- No planning. Writing and publishing a book is a long game, so jumping into it half haphazardly can lead to oversights, mistakes, and regrets. Planning gives you the wiggle room to miss the mark sometimes, but still reach your publishing goals.
- Not treating self-publishing like a business. There are a LOT of books on the market, and the ones that sell and stay on bestseller lists look great inside and out, are marketed strategically, and have something compelling inside their pages to keep readers reading. Treat your book like a product, not a hobby, if you want readers to take you seriously.
- Not knowing the basics. Make sure your book has everything it needs before launching it, like:
- ISBN and barcode
- competitive pricing
- metadata
- properly formatted files for printing
- copyrights
- Shallow marketing. Book marketing should go deep to be effective. Take advantage of opportunities to connect with your readers through pre-launch campaigns. Build your email list and find out where you’re readers hang out and hang out with them (e.g., TikTok, Goodreads, Instagram, etc.)
- No budget set. While self-publishing has the potential to have a better payout than traditional publishing in the long run, there are upfront costs. Take the time to budget for editing, design, printing, and marketing. You don’t want to run out of money midway through the process and have to delay your launch.
- Knowing the numbers. Royalties, net earnings, and taxes are a part of the self-publishing journey. Start learning about proper reporting early so you won’t have any surprises in the future.
How you can publish without an agent
For many authors, getting signed with a traditional publisher is the dream, and it is a noble one. A strong publisher has the reputation and resources to get you in front of your ideal readers; however, getting an agent and a publishing deal can be a hit or miss. A good alternative is to consider self-publishing your book first.
Self-publishing gives you the control to publish when and how you want to. It also allows you to test the market on your terms to see if your book has what it takes to sell in a crowded market. Once you have the numbers to show publishers you’re worth the risk, then you can pitch your book and see what happens. Strong sales numbers can open the door before a single line of your book is read.
Just know that once you self-publish and get used to the creative control, you may ditch traditional publishing for your own author empire.
Learn more about self-publishing and how you can get started today.
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Choose your Fiction or Nonfiction book type below to get your free chapter by chapter outline!
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CONGRATULATIONS
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