Self-Publishing in 2025: Myth vs Reality [Webinar Transcript]
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The following content comes from a free FriesenPress training session broadcast live on August 20, 2025 (edited for length and clarity). Register here to join us live on our next broadcast!
Introduction: A Brief History of Self-Publishing
Self-publishing has been around far longer than many people realize. As far back as 1843, Charles Dickens had a royalty dispute with his publisher, which led him to self-publish A Christmas Carol. While the process has evolved tremendously since then, the concept of self-publishing is not new — it’s been possible for almost two centuries.
Dickens’s self-published book required a print run of 6,000 copies. Fast forward to 1931, when the first edition of The Joy of Cooking was self-published by Irma Rombauer with a print run of 3,000 books. Between 1843 and 1931, print run quantities had already begun to decline, from 6,000 to 3,000.
A major turning point came in 1989 with the invention of the World Wide Web. This allowed authors to promote their work online and release digital copies. This development made self-publishing significantly more accessible. Without the Internet, large shifts in the industry would not have been possible.
In 1997, Lightning Source (LSI) was founded, introducing print-on-demand technology. This allowed books to be printed one at a time, eliminating the need for large print runs. Retailers could now list books and order them individually, a significant shift in publishing logistics.
Since then, self-publishing has continued to evolve. Notably, during the 2020 global pandemic, many authors used the extra time to write, accelerating changes in the industry. With the rise in self-publishing authors, it allows the industry to make bigger changes quicker, leading to the rapid developments we see today.
Common Myths About Self-Publishing
Myth 1: Self-Publishing Is for the Untalented
This is simply untrue. Traditional publishers operate as businesses, making strategic decisions about which books to publish each year. A manuscript rejected by a publisher is not necessarily lacking in quality — it may simply not fit their marketing plan.
Many talented authors choose to self-publish to retain creative control. For example, I had the pleasure to work with New York Times bestselling author Sue Johnson, who decided to self-publish her most recent book to maintain its integrity rather than adjust it to meet a traditional publisher’s requirements. The choice to self-publish is being made more and more every day because of the ability to maintain creative control and ownership of that content.
Today, self-published books are recognized by many awards, including the Canadian Book Club Awards and Whistler Independent Book Awards.
Myth 2: Self-Publishing Requires Huge Print Runs
It used to be a requirement — like how Charles Dickens needed 6,000 copies of his book to make it affordable for him to distribute. With the creation and founding of Lightning Source, authors can order anywhere from a single copy to thousands, thanks to print-on-demand technology.
If you self-publish, should you have books on hand? Absolutely! You should have books available for events or local sales, but massive print runs are no longer necessary.
Myth 3: Self-Publishing Will Never Make You Money
I attend lots of conferences for writers and speak with lots of writers and bookstore owners and people in the industry every day. Many authors fear that self-publishing won’t be profitable. While it may take time to find your audience, self-publishing allows for higher royalties and faster publication. Authors can set their own prices and keep the majority of earnings, often publishing multiple books in a shorter timeframe. Success stories, such as Sarah J. Maas’s A Court of Thorns and Roses, illustrate the potential for earning and building an audience over time. Published in 2016, it only became the success we know it as today by about 2021. While full-time writing is a dream for some authors, it does sometimes take time to get there and find your audience.
What’s really great with the self-publishing industry is that it allows you to earn a higher royalty than traditionally published paths do. You have the ability to choose your book’s price, which means you get to choose your book’s royalty, and you don’t split that royalty with anyone. You know what it is and you set it up.
Also, self-publishing is much faster than traditional publishing, so the ability to earn from multiple books quicker is there as well.
Myth 4: Self-Publishing Hurts Traditional Publishing Chances
This used to be true, but not anymore. Today, self-publishing is no longer stigmatized, and strong marketing of a self-published book can attract agents and traditional publishers for future projects. Self-publishing can actually increase visibility and opportunities for future traditional publishing deals.
I was recently at a conference in Calgary for a panel discussion on publishing. Someone asked a literary agent this very question: “If I self-publish my book, will I ever be able to get picked up traditionally?” And of course, she explained that self-publishing does not hinder agents from picking up your book or future books when you’re querying. The industry today is far different than it was years ago.
Myth 5: Self-Published Books Are Lower Quality
Quality depends on the professionals you work with. Self-publishing authors have access to editors and designers, just like traditional publishers. You even have more choice in selecting your collaborators. Print quality is comparable too; print-on-demand books are typically produced at the same printers used by traditional publishers, and bulk orders are also possible.
If you were a self-publishing author and you wanted to order 500 copies of your book, you also have access to bulk professional printers like Friesens, just the same as traditional publishing houses do. The quality is still going to be the same whether you are printing through a traditional avenue or self-publishing avenue.
Benefits and Limitations of Self-Publishing
Self-publishing offers numerous benefits:
Creative control: You make all decisions regarding content, design, and layout.
Ownership: You retain rights to your work and can adapt it for other opportunities, such as film or audio adaptations.
Choice of collaborators: You select your editors, designers, and other professionals.
Higher royalties: Self-publishing can offer royalties up to 45–97%, compared to traditional publishing rates of 2–10%.
However, there are limitations:
Upfront costs: Unlike traditional publishing, you cover the costs of editing, design, and distribution.
Time commitment: Self-publishing requires involvement in every step, from editing decisions to cover design approvals.
Choosing a Self-Publishing Partner
When selecting editors, designers, or distribution support, whether hiring individuals directly or working with a service provider who has pre-vetted professionals, it’s essential to do your homework. Check Google reviews and the Better Business Bureau, looking not only at ratings but also at the number and resolution of complaints over the past few years. Reach out to authors who’ve worked with those professionals to get real insight into their experiences, both positive and negative. Always read contracts and service agreements thoroughly, ask plenty of questions, and make sure you fully understand the terms before committing.
The goal is to align yourself with the right people and companies for your needs and your book, because an informed author is always a better-prepared author.
You can work with individual professionals or with a service provider like FriesenPress, who provide pre-vetted teams for editing, design, formatting, and distribution.
Q&A
What is marketing like for self-publishing authors? How does FriesenPress fit into that marketing portion?
That’s a great question — it’s one I get asked frequently, and had the pleasure of answering about a hundred times at a recent conference! What is a surprise to a lot of authors is that marketing for self-published authors looks very similar to marketing for traditionally published authors in that as the author, you’re responsible for your marketing and promotion. Traditional publishers will sometimes have PR companies that authors can go to and pay to plan book launches and do social media. At FriesenPress, what we do is we offer marketing and promotion support and coaching. We believe in empowering our authors to learn how to do this themselves, so they don’t have to pay for ongoing support consistently throughout the year. We will help you set up your website, your social media platform, then coach you how to use it and keep going with it.
Another service we provide that I really love — and it’s a little bit newer — is we will help you plan social media content. Plug-and-play sort of social media content. If you’re not sure where to start with social media, not only will we help you set up your platform and coach you on how to use it and how to maintain it and update it, but we can also create a 30-day calendar for you. So, it might be: on Tuesday, you’re going to want to post about this, so you’re going to need to go to a coffee shop and take a picture and use these hashtags that the chosen platform you’re using is going to love for its algorithm. We will help to teach you to do those things on your own.
What are some of the costs authors can expect? Whether with FriesenPress or DIY, what that might look like?
It’s hard to give a concrete answer without specifics about your book, but for a quality book you’re going to first be looking at editing; we recommend always doing a minimum of one round of editing. You’ll get a recommendation from an editor; it’s up to you whether you follow that or not, but editing definitely is going to be something you’re going to want to look at in FriesenPress publishing Paths.
We’re very transparent. All of our path pricing is on the website so you can take a look at what’s included in each Path option and the initial costing there. Some of our Paths include editing, some don’t. When you’re looking at the initial costs, we look at the word count of your book, how many images you have, how many rounds of editing you want, what type of promotional support you might need, and we also find out what kind of investment you’re looking at putting into your book as well. We try very hard to match your investment to your wants and needs when and wherever possible. Your initial costs are set up at that consultation stage.
When you’re looking at ongoing costs, the things you’re going to want to consider are print runs. Do you want to have books on hand? Which I recommend you do; you don’t have to have lots, but I always recommend having some on hand. How many books are you going to want to order?
Also, distribution fees, your initial distribution fees are included in every Path with us. It’s two years, then from there, you’re just looking at a yearly distribution fee for your print books and that fee we pay directly to Ingram to keep your book in distribution for your hardcover and paperback versions. eBooks do not have an ongoing distribution fee. Those platforms are free to keep going.
How long does it take to publish a book and have it in your hands?
I’ll talk specifically about FriesenPress timelines here, but if you were working directly with different service providers, they might have different timelines. If you’re working with an editor and then also a cover designer separately, you might be looking at different timelines.
It will depend on the services that you’re looking at — in particular, editing. Each round of editing we like to allow about two months not only to have the edit done, but then also to return it to you for your review. Self-publishing can be anywhere from four to six months and all the way to 12 to 18 months depending on how much editing you are getting, and how many revisions you might need to your initial layout when it comes back. I have personally helped publish a book in as little as three months, but I’ve also seen authors take as long as 18 months. The timeline will vary depending on the needs of your project.
However, once you’ve published, that doesn’t mean that your books are in your hand. Once you’re published, that’s when we can submit book orders and usually book orders take three to five weeks to ship depending on the time of year — closer to Christmas [takes] a little longer. When you’re potentially planning events and things like that for your book, you want to make sure that not only you’re published, but you have your books ordered and you can see they’re set to be delivered so you can start planning. You’ll want to plan an extra month to get those books printed and shipped to you.
How do you know when your manuscript is ready to submit?
As a writer, you’re perpetually stuck in “not good.” Once your draft is finished, go through it once or twice more, get it to the best possible place that you can and then have an editor review it. An editor can give you feedback on it and if you have reservations about specific parts of your manuscript, you can ask for feedback specifically on that. You can say “Oh, I’m finished, I’ve gone through it, but I’m not in love with this part. Do you have feedback? How can I make it better?”
I think that you should have it reviewed so that you’re not just perpetually stuck in the “not good enoughness.” It’s going to help you better your manuscript, but also authors feel like their books are never done. I see it all the time where “I just need to [give it a] pass one more time, I just need to do another pass, I just need to do another pass.” And there comes a point where you just need to have somebody read it. If your draft is done and you’ve gone through it a few times, but you’re at the point where you’re feeling stuck and you’re not sure what to do, that’s the perfect time to have an editor review it so you can plan out your next steps.
What is the difference between vanity press and a publisher like FriesenPress? How does it differ from other services such as Blurb or Amazon?
I think [“vanity” is] a really outdated term and with the evolution of self-publishing, not really an apt term to think of it as vanity publishing. When I think about vanity publishing, I think about self-publishing authors who aren’t going to put a dime into their book. They’re not going to pay anybody to edit, they’re not going to have a professionally designed cover. They’re going to go straight to a distribution platform, upload the files and away they go. To me and to many other professionals that I talk to, that is what vanity publishing is. FriesenPress is a service provider, so we provide high-quality, professional services for self-publishing authors.
If you go straight to Amazon, you are doing all of the pre-work yourself. You are vetting your editors, you are choosing your cover designer, you are getting your book formatted, and then you’re going to that platform, uploading it, and putting it into distribution. We provide those services. We’re going to support you with editing, if that’s something you would like to pursue. We’re going to design your book cover. We’re going to format your book for you. We are going to upload it to our distribution platforms and we are going to do all of that for you. It’s the difference between literally doing it all yourself versus having a partner who’s already going to have all of those professionals available and take you through the process. You also get somebody, a dedicated specialist, who’s going to take you through every step and make sure you check all the boxes before you move on to the next step, so you don’t get to the end of the road and realise something was missed.
Does FriesenPress offer illustration services?
We have a great team of illustrators who work in a variety of mediums, digital, watercolour, pencil, just about anything. We also offer different tiers, so whether you need illustrations for a children’s book or a gorgeous custom cover, we can match you with the right artist. A publishing specialist acts as your advocate throughout the process, coordinating with your editor and designer so you have one main point of contact who knows everything about your book.
The process begins with you sharing some information about the kind of illustrations you’re looking for, your preferred colour scheme, whether you want something whimsical or more juvenile, and the overall style you’d like. From there, we’ll pull portfolios that fit your needs, and you’ll choose your illustrator. Working with your publishing specialist, you’ll typically go through about four rounds. First, you’ll fill in scene descriptions, then the illustrator creates pencil sketches. You review them, approve what you love, and suggest any changes, like moving a character, adjusting details, or altering hairstyles. Those revisions go back to the illustrator, who then returns updated sketches for your review.
Once the pencil sketches are finalized, the illustrator adds colour. You’ll see the coloured illustrations and have the chance to suggest adjustments, whether it’s changing a shade of green to blue or refining other details. The illustrator makes those revisions and sends them back one last time for your approval. Usually, it goes from pencil sketches, to revised sketches, to colour, to final revisions. At that point, your illustrations are complete and ready for your book.
Where does FriesenPress distribute books and where in the world they are [available]?
Our authors’ books are available through the FriesenPress Bookstore online, but our main distribution partner is Ingram, which provides truly global distribution. Ingram has printers all over the world. So, for example, if your book is listed on Amazon UK and a reader there orders it, Ingram will route the order to the closest printer, print a copy, and ship it directly to the customer.
That means your book is available to over 50,000 retailers worldwide — any bookstore or retailer with an Ingram account can access your listing. Of course, not every retailer will automatically carry your title. A mystery bookstore isn’t going to stock a children’s book, for instance. But you always have the option to approach bookstores directly — like Chapters Indigo or Barnes & Noble — if you’d like to see your book on their shelves.
Ingram also offers a program called Global Connect. This extends distribution even further by partnering with printers in countries where Ingram doesn’t have a direct presence. That way, your book can still be printed and shipped locally to readers in those regions, opening up a wide network of possibilities.
Where are FriesenPress books printed?
FriesenPress books are printed both in Canada and internationally. Print-on-demand copies, the one-at-a-time orders placed through retailers, are typically produced by Ingram printers, which are located in the U.S. and around the world. We also work with Friesens in Canada, giving authors the option to print their books domestically and distribute through that channel as well.
Right now, Ingram and Friesens are our main printing partners, though we’re always exploring ways to expand and provide authors with even more printing options.
My manuscript is almost ready for review. What next?
The next step is to connect with your publishing consultant. Together, you’ll talk through your book, its word count, how many images it includes, whether it’s already been edited, and what kind of editing support you might need. Some authors come in knowing their manuscript is mechanically sound but feel their characters could use more development, while others know they’ll need contextual or structural editing.
Your consultant will listen, learn about your project, and help identify what kind of support will serve your book best. From there, they’ll put together a few options tailored to your needs. Essentially, the next step is to sit down with a consultant, have a conversation about your manuscript, and start mapping out the best path forward.
How does the ownership of cover art and illustrations work?
Cover art and illustrations are handled a little differently. For your book content, ownership is always yours. Once your files are created, FriesenPress maintains the production files and distribution rights for a minimum of 12 months after publication. Your words remain yours, but the production files (including your cover) belong to FriesenPress during that time. After 12 months, if you’d like to move your book elsewhere, you can purchase your production files. There’s a fee because our designers need to remove FriesenPress branding, logos, and ISBNs before handing them over. Once you’ve purchased those files, they’re yours to use with another distributor or platform.
Illustrations work a little differently. You retain copyright for the illustrations as they apply to your book and can use them freely for promotional purposes, such as bookmarks, trailers, or marketing materials. The illustrator, however, keeps the moral rights. That means if you’d like to use the artwork beyond the book — for example, to create merchandise like stuffed animals — you’d need to connect with the illustrator directly, which FriesenPress can help facilitate.
If you want to reuse the same illustrations in another edition of your book, such as a French translation, you don’t need to commission them again. Instead, you pay a [relicensing] fee (currently $40 per illustration), which ensures the illustrator is compensated for additional use. Unlike some publishing models, FriesenPress doesn’t split royalties between authors and illustrators, so the [relicensing] fee is how illustrators are fairly paid for future projects.
How does FriesenPress approach book pricing?
That’s a great question. We can’t know what your book’s printing costs will be until the layout is complete as page count and format (paperback, hardcover, etc.) both play a role. Once that’s finalized, the printer (either Ingram or FriesenPress) provides us with the production cost for your book.
From there, we set a minimum list price based on that cost and then provide a suggested retail price. You’ll receive a form showing not only your pricing options but also the royalty you’ll earn at each price point. For example, if it costs $10 to produce your book and you price it at $20, the form will show you exactly what royalty you’ll make per copy, so there are no surprises.
Your publishing specialist will also walk you through the options in more detail, making recommendations that fit your genre and book size. Everything is laid out transparently so you’ll always know both your costs and your royalties before your book goes to market.
Want more expert insights to help navigate your publishing journey?
Join our next free webinar! Presented by FriesenPress’s Leanne Janzen, we’ll outline practical ways to promote your book at every stage of the publishing journey, from the writing process to post publication.
