Self-Publishing Surge: Authors Take Control, But at a Cost
Vilnius, lithuania – A growing number of authors in lithuania are bypassing traditional publishing houses adn opting to self-publish their work, driven by a desire for greater control and financial return. This shift is particularly noticeable among professionals leveraging books to build their brand and reach new audiences, according to industry experts.
The rise in self-publishing represents a fundamental change in the author-publisher dynamic. While traditional publishing offers established distribution networks and editorial support, it often comes at the expense of notable royalty reductions. Self-publishing empowers authors to retain full copyright and reap the entirety of their book’s profits, but requires them to assume all associated costs – a trade-off increasingly appealing to entrepreneurs, coaches, and specialists.
Giedrė Pūrienė,manager of publishing services company “Let’s Booky,” explains the motivations behind this trend. “Some people view publishing as a personal ambition – simply wanting to see their work in print – while others see a book as a valuable tool for their professional activities,” she told 15min.
Pūrienė notes a recent increase in authors self-publishing for professional gain, aiming to solidify their image and expand their reach. “Self-publishing allows you to invest in the publishing process and later receive a full financial return. Unlike traditional publishing,all copyrights remain in the hands of the author,” she stated.
The financial implications are stark. In traditional publishing,authors typically receive only 5-10 percent of sales revenue. However, self-published authors are responsible for all expenses, including layout, printing, and distribution. “In the traditional model, the author doesn’t pay anything to publish, but in self-publishing, they invest their own funds – and they also earn everything themselves,” Pūrienė clarified.
This increased responsibility demands a careful cost-benefit analysis for aspiring authors,weighing the potential for higher profits against the upfront investment and workload required for successful self-publication.
