From indie to trad: A control freak learns to let go

It’s a common discussion point within the publishing industry: whether to self-publish or whether to seek out a traditional book deal. I can now say I’ve done both (well, almost…my first trad book comes out in two months). While there are certainly differences between the two experiences, one of the biggest adjustment for me has been letting go of creative control and sitting back with a hands-off approach. Here’s what I mean…

As an indie author, everything is on my plate—from editing to formatting to cover design and 100% of the marketing. It’s a one-woman-show situation. Even if indie authors hire professionals to help them along the way, they still have full say into what their book will look like, when it will come out, and so much more.

I love designing my own covers. It allows me to bring to life the exact vision in my head—colors, layout, fonts, you name it. I give my books titles that speak to me, that I feel represent the book and genre. Because of all this, my books are very much like babies to me—my wholly personal creations.

Fast-forward to earlier this year when I signed a two-book deal with Bookouture, I knew this creative license was going to change. Traditional publishers have the right to package and market their books how they see fit. And while many seek author input, that doesn’t necessarily translate into author approval. Meaning, publishers have the final say. They want their authors to like the cover and title… but not enough to let authors dictate everything.

Confession: This was hard for me.

Here’s the deal…publishers know what they’re doing. They employ industry experts who are highly skilled in design and marketing. They know what sells.

So when Bookouture sent me the first peek at my cover for The Baby Left Behind, I had a general expectation based on their catalog. My cover matched their style perfectly.

But did I love it?

That’s complicated. At first, I didn’t. It was okay, it was fine. It was very commercial. But as someone who’s created her own covers from scratch based on vivid images in my head, it wasn’t what I would have done if I’d decided to indie publish the book. I would have gone more literary, more vague. I would have given it a different title (I still love what I’d originally titled it when I pitched to Bookouture!).

I wanted to grumble. Okay, maybe I did grumble. But I also didn’t want to come off whiny. And definitely not unappreciative. This was a book deal that I signed.

It took me a few days of coming back to the cover image for it to start to grow on me. Little by little, the image in my head faded and the new cover settled in. The colors popped. The tagline gave me chills. And pretty soon, I was comfortable saying, “You know what, I do like it. They were right.”

Perhaps it’s still not what I would have designed, nor what I would have called it. But that’s part of traditional publishing, and my job is to sit back and let the experts do what they do. One of the things that impressed me most about Bookouture was the extensive data analysis they do for their titles in terms of sales. They’re constantly studying the market and readers to create book packages that sell.

And isn’t that the goal?

As I sit here just a few days after revealing the cover of The Baby Left Behind to the world, I’m reminding myself that part of the publishing process (in this case) is to let go of control. It’s both a blessing and a curse. On one hand, it’s been amazing to write the manuscript and let others do the rest. On the other—the Type A in me—it’s a challenge.

Maybe it comes down to expectations. Adjusting expectations. Being flexible. Those are things I’m learning. I love the book I wrote and fully believe in the direction of my publisher.

I can’t wait for people to read it this fall.

What my publishing future holds is unclear. Will the advantages of traditional publishing outweigh the benefits of self-publishing? Will I continue down this road for more books? At the end of the day, I have to wait it out to see. For now, I can confidently say I love both, and perhaps that’s where I’ll end up: some indie titles and others with a publisher. One thing is for certain, there have never been more opportunities for authors than now…. and that’s incredible for everyone.