Self-publishing, hybrid publisher, or traditional publisher?

When the manuscript is finished, you face a choice that affects everything that follows: who should publish the book? You can send it to a traditional publisher, pay a hybrid publisher, or publish it yourself. The three paths differ in cost, time, control, rights, and how much you earn per book sold.

In this guide, we go through how each path works, what it costs you, what you get, and what you give up. You'll also get a list of questions to ask before you sign anything, and help deciding which path suits you and your book.

The three paths in brief

  • Traditional publisher. The publisher selects the book, pays for publication, and takes the risk. You receive royalties.

  • Hybrid publisher. You pay the publisher to publish the book. What's included depends on which package you buy.

  • Self-publishing. You publish the book yourself, without a publisher, and keep the rights and a larger share of the revenue.

Traditional publisher

How it works

You submit your manuscript, often together with a short presentation of yourself and the book. The publisher reads it and decides whether to accept the manuscript. If you're accepted, you sign a publishing agreement. After that, an editor works with you and the text, the publisher produces the cover and interior layout, prints an edition, distributes the book to retailers, and markets it.

Advantages

  • You pay nothing. The publisher covers all costs and takes the financial risk.

  • You get an editor. An experienced editor can significantly improve a manuscript.

  • The publisher has channels. Salespeople, contacts with bookstores and media.

  • Status. Being accepted by a publisher is seen by many as a mark of quality.

Disadvantages

  • Most are rejected. Publishers receive far more manuscripts than they can publish.

  • It takes time. First waiting for a response, then often a year or more from accepted manuscript to bookstore.

  • You give up control. The publisher has the final say on title, cover, price, and publication date.

  • You grant away rights. The agreement determines which formats and languages the publisher controls, and for how long.

  • Less per book sold. The royalty is a smaller share of the revenue.

Hybrid publisher

How it works

A hybrid publisher, sometimes called a book publishing company, publishes books for payment. You buy a package that may include editing, proofreading, design, cover, printing of an edition, distribution, and sometimes marketing. Some hybrid publishers make a selection among manuscripts, others publish everything that's paid for.

Advantages

  • Personal help. You have a contact person and get support throughout the process.

  • You don't need to be accepted in the same way as with a traditional publisher.

  • Faster than traditional publishing. Often a few months.

  • Professional editing and design can be included.

Disadvantages

  • You bear the cost. The price can be high, especially if a printed edition is included.

  • You take the risk. If the book doesn't sell, you've still paid.

  • The terms vary greatly. Rights, royalties, annual fees, and what happens to unsold books differ between companies.

  • Marketing is often limited. Check what's actually included.

Self-publishing

How it works

Self-publishing is book publishing without a publisher. You are your own publisher and are responsible for the content and editorial work. You keep the full copyright.

You don't need to do the technical work yourself. A self-publishing service formats the manuscript, creates the e-book and print-ready interior, produces the cover, arranges the ISBN, and distributes the book to bookstores and streaming services. Printed books are printed on demand, so you avoid editions and inventory.

Advantages

  • You decide. Content, title, cover, price, and publication date are your decisions.

  • You keep the rights to all formats and languages.

  • It's quick. E-book and audiobook can be out the same day.

  • Low cost. You only pay for the parts you choose.

  • A larger share of the revenue.

  • No one can say no. The book gets published.

Disadvantages

  • No editor included. You are responsible for making sure the manuscript is edited and proofread.

  • Marketing is yours. You need to let people know the book exists.

  • You are the responsible publisher and accountable for the content.

  • The book isn't on the shelf. A book printed on demand can be ordered by any bookseller, but normally isn't on display in the store.

Point-by-point comparison

Cost to you

Traditional publisher: none. Hybrid publisher: you pay for a package. Self-publishing: you only pay for what you choose. At GoRead the e-book is free, a printed book in the bookstore costs SEK 999, and an AI-narrated audiobook SEK 249 plus SEK 300 per hour.

Time to published book

Traditional publisher: often a year or more after the manuscript has been accepted. Hybrid publisher: often a few months. Self-publishing: from the same day to a few business days, depending on format.

Who decides?

Traditional publisher: the publisher has the final say. Hybrid publisher: it depends on the agreement. Self-publishing: you.

Rights

Traditional publisher: you grant rights according to the agreement. Hybrid publisher: varies, read the agreement. Self-publishing: you keep everything.

Revenue

Traditional publisher: royalties, a smaller share. Hybrid publisher: varies. Self-publishing: a larger share. At GoRead you get 70% of the sales revenue from streaming services and online bookstores.

Editorial support

Traditional publisher: included. Hybrid publisher: often included, to the extent you pay for. Self-publishing: not included, but you can hire an editor yourself.

Marketing

Traditional publisher: the publisher does some, but the author is expected to contribute. Hybrid publisher: often limited. Self-publishing: you do it yourself.

Risk

Traditional publisher: the publisher takes the financial risk. Hybrid publisher: you take it. Self-publishing: you take it, but it's small when nothing is printed in advance.

Questions to ask before you sign

Whether it's a publisher, a hybrid publisher, or a self-publishing service, you should get clear answers to the following:

  • Which rights am I granting, for which formats and languages, and for how long?

  • What does it cost in total, and what exactly is included?

  • Do I have to buy an edition or a minimum number of books?

  • Are there recurring fees?

  • How large a share of the revenue do I get, calculated on what, and when is it paid out?

  • Which bookstores and streaming services is the book distributed to?

  • Who owns the finished files: interior, cover, e-book, and audiobook?

  • What's included in the marketing, specifically?

  • How do I terminate the agreement, and what happens to the book then?

If you don't get straight answers, that's a reason to be cautious.

Which path suits you?

Choose a traditional publisher if …

  • you want someone else to take care of everything

  • you want an editor and a publisher's name behind you

  • you have the patience to wait and can handle rejection

  • you're prepared to give up control and rights

Choose a hybrid publisher if …

  • you want personal help with editing and design

  • you have the budget for it

  • you've read the agreement and are satisfied with the terms

Choose self-publishing if …

  • you want the book out now, not in a year

  • you want to keep the rights and decide for yourself

  • you want to keep costs down

  • you're prepared to make sure the manuscript is polished yourself

  • you write in a genre that publishers release little of, or a book for a narrow audience

  • you've been rejected but believe in your book

Do I have to choose one path forever?

No. The paths can be combined and switched between.

  • From self-publishing to a publisher. If you own the rights, you can sign a publishing agreement later. At GoRead you can unpublish the book at any time and download your e-book and audiobook files.

  • Different paths for different books. Some authors publish certain titles with a publisher and others themselves.

  • Different paths for different formats. If your publishing agreement only covers the printed book, you may retain the right to publish the audiobook or translations yourself. Check the agreement.

  • From publisher to self-publishing. If the rights to an older book have reverted to you, you can republish it.

Self-publishing with GoRead

GoRead is a self-publishing service, not a publisher. You upload your manuscript as a Word file, and the service produces the e-book, print-ready interior, and cover. You can produce an AI-narrated audiobook. The e-book and audiobook are distributed to streaming services such as Storytel, BookBeat, and Nextory, the audiobook also to Audible, and the e-book and printed book to online bookstores.

  • You keep all rights. No copyright is transferred to GoRead, and you own the produced audio file.

  • You get 70% of the sales revenue.

  • No edition. The printed book is printed when someone orders it.

  • You see the price before you pay.

  • You can unpublish whenever you want.

We don't edit your manuscript and have no editors who assess the text. You get a free spell check and a content review as support. We reserve the right to decline books that may violate the law.

Read more about how it works in our guides on publishing a book with print on demand and producing an AI audiobook.

Frequently asked questions

What is self-publishing?

Book publishing without a publisher. The author is their own publisher, is responsible for content and editorial work, and holds full copyright to their work.

What is a hybrid publisher?

A company that publishes books for payment from the author. It falls between a traditional publisher and self-publishing, and the terms differ greatly between companies.

Is GoRead a publisher?

No. GoRead is a self-publishing service. You choose yourself who is listed as the publisher of the book and keep all rights.

What does it mean to be rejected?

That the publisher declines the manuscript. It's very common and doesn't always say anything about the quality. Publishers release a limited number of titles per year.

Is a self-published book worse than one published by a publisher?

Not inherently. What matters is how polished the manuscript is. The difference is that you are responsible for editing and proofreading yourself.

Can I send the book to a publisher after I've published it myself?

Yes, you own the rights. Keep in mind that a publisher may want you to unpublish your own edition first.

Are self-published books available in bookstores?

Yes. At GoRead the printed book is registered in Bokinfo, so it can be bought in online bookstores and ordered by physical bookstores. The e-book and audiobook are available in streaming services.

Do I need to start a company to publish myself?

At GoRead you can be registered as a private individual, sole trader, or company. For questions about your own tax situation, you need to contact the Swedish Tax Agency or an accountant.

Try it yourself

The easiest way to see if self-publishing suits you is to try it. Upload your manuscript to GoRead and see what your book looks like as an e-book and printed book. It costs nothing, and you then decide for yourself whether you want to publish. You'll find more answers in our frequently asked questions.