The Modern Publishing Landscape [Webinar Transcript]
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The following content comes from a free FriesenPress training session broadcast live on October 16, 2025 (edited for length and clarity). Register here to join us live on our next broadcast!
Welcome to The Modern Publishing Landscape. My name is Emily Perkins, and I’ve been with FriesenPress for about 10 years. I previously worked as a typesetter and proofreader in financial printing, and later moved into graphic design. Those roles taught me the importance of accuracy and precision, especially in industries like finance, where there’s absolutely no room for error.
Over the years, I’ve learned a lot about the publishing world, and today I want to share some of that knowledge with you to help you find the right publishing route for your book.
Traditional Publishing
In traditional publishing, a publisher’s main goal is profitability. Their decision to sign a book largely depends on whether they believe it will generate a return on investment.
To even be considered, your manuscript needs to be well-prepared and complete. You’ll also need a literary agent to represent you, especially when approaching large publishing houses. Most big publishers don’t accept unsolicited manuscripts, and anything submitted without an agent often ends up in what’s called the “slush pile” where it likely won’t be read at all.
You’ll need both a book proposal and a query letter to attract an agent. A literary agent is like a talent scout for publishers. They look for strong manuscripts and promising authors. Your proposal should include your intent, author bio, marketing plan, and details about your manuscript.
Social media presence is also increasingly important. Publishers and agents want to see that you’re visible and marketable. They’re assessing not just your writing, but also your potential to help sell the book.
Traditional publishing is achievable, but it’s difficult. Preparation is key, so have a polished manuscript, a clear plan for marketing, and a professional presentation.
Benefits and limitations:
The biggest benefit of traditional publishing is that you don’t pay for the publishing process, the publisher makes that investment. Your agent typically earns a percentage of your deal once it’s signed. If you’re looking for an agent and they ask you for money upfront for seeking a deal with a publisher, they’re not a legitimate literary agent. A literary agent normally is the one that negotiates the publication deal. What they’re doing is selling off the rights to your writing to that publisher.
That said, you’ll give up creative control and ownership. The publisher usually owns the rights to your work and will make most decisions about editing, design, and marketing. The process is also slow — on average, authors report it takes around three years from signing a deal to seeing their book in print. It takes about four to six months for them to simply decide if they’re interested in your book and negotiate the details.
Do-It-Yourself (DIY) Self-Publishing
As the name suggests, DIY self-publishing means doing it all yourself. You’ll need to learn every part of the publishing process or hire freelancers to help. That means finding a professional editor, book designer, and possibly an illustrator, if you’re creating a children’s book. You’ll also need to develop and execute your own marketing plan to ensure your success.
When hiring freelancers, vet them carefully. Make sure their experience aligns with what you need — especially when it comes to book-specific skills. As a former graphic designer myself, I can say that book design is very different from general graphic design. Professional book designers understand things like print saturation, trim sizes, and layout details that affect how a book looks and reads in print.
If you take the DIY route, map out every stage of your plan — editing, design, marketing — and set clear timelines and contracts with anyone you hire. You’ll need to manage all aspects of production yourself. This approach can work well for authors who have strong project management skills, time to learn, and the ability to coordinate professionals. But it can also be very demanding.
Benefits and limitations:
The clear benefit is full creative control and ownership. You decide how your book is edited, designed, and presented. The downside is that you do have to do it all yourself, which can be very time consuming and taxing. I’ve talked to many authors over the years, some have had really big success and others have had pitfalls through working with illustrators that they thought were going to achieve what they wanted and then struggled with being able to publish it because it had issues within the design they had done. Do your research before trying to execute your plan. It’s extremely important.
Publishing Services Company
Under the self-publishing umbrella, there’s also the option of working with a publishing services company — like FriesenPress. This approach is similar to DIY self-publishing but offers far more support.
Think of it as a collaborative partnership: you retain creative control and ownership of your book, but the company does the heavy lifting — handling editing, design, and distribution professionally.
There are many publishing services companies out there, and they all work differently, so it’s important to find one that fits your needs and vision. At FriesenPress, for instance, we guide authors through the entire process — from the early stages of manuscript evaluation to post-publication marketing.
No matter the route you choose, it’s essential to have a marketing plan. Traditional publishers and agents require it, and self-published authors need it to reach readers.
When planning your book, consider your goals, your budget, and your target market. A publishing consultant can help you map out the services you’ll need and plan your next steps, even while you’re still writing.
Benefits and limitations:
With a publishing services company, you keep creative control and ownership. You don’t have to source or vet professionals; your team is already made up of experienced editors, designers, and illustrators. At FriesenPress, for example, every manuscript is professionally read and evaluated before publication to ensure it’s ready for the next stage.
The trade-off is cost, you’ll need to invest in publishing services. But that investment buys quality, expertise, and a smoother process. Many authors find this hybrid approach the best balance of control and support.
Preparing Your Manuscript for Publication
Preparing your book for publication involves more than just finishing your manuscript. Start by developing a book proposal. This helps clarify who you’re writing for and what you want to achieve. Once you’ve written a complete draft, take a break, revisit it, and self-edit.
After that, share it with readers for feedback — friends, family, colleagues, or professional beta readers. Beta readers, in particular, can provide more objective and detailed responses, but make sure to have them sign a confidentiality agreement before sharing your work.
Ask your readers targeted questions:
Was it engaging?
Did the story flow naturally?
Did you want to keep reading?
Their answers can help you identify what’s working and what isn’t.
Professional manuscript evaluation is another key step. It gives you unbiased feedback from an experienced editor who can identify your manuscript’s strengths, weaknesses, and readiness for editing or publication. At FriesenPress, we start every project with this step — it’s invaluable in guiding the rest of the process.
Remember, even with self-publishing, quality matters. Your book’s writing, design, and even the back cover copy all influence readers’ decisions to buy. That short paragraph on the back of your book — or in your online listing — is one of your most powerful marketing tools.
No matter which publishing path you choose, it’s important to have a clear vision and a realistic plan. Treat your book like a small business: plan your writing, publication, and marketing steps carefully.
At FriesenPress, we know how personal this process is. We take pride in supporting authors through every stage and helping them bring their vision to life. Whether you’re still writing or ready to publish, reach out — we’re happy to help you navigate your next steps.
Q & A
What’s the best way to screen publishing services? If someone is looking to partner with a company like FriesenPress, what should they look for or ask during that shopping process?
That’s a great question. You really want to find out who you’re working with. Ask about their approach, the types of editing they offer, and where their production work is done.
It’s about much more than cost. Some companies advertise very low prices, but it’s essential to understand what those costs actually cover. Research the company’s history, check their Better Business Bureau and Google reviews. If you can’t find any information or reviews, that’s a red flag.
It’s not just about whether the reviews are good or bad, it’s about whether the company is even visible. Who are they? How do they support their authors? Do they care about you and your book? Publishing is deeply personal, so the relationship needs to be the right fit.
How are literary agents compensated and how does that fit into a publishing deal?
Agents typically take a percentage of the deal they negotiate, not payment upfront. If an agent asks for money in advance — hourly, salaried, or otherwise — that’s a red flag.
Usually, a traditional publisher offers an advance in exchange for rights to the book. The author earns royalties once that advance is recouped, and the agent then takes their agreed-upon percentage from the author’s earnings.
Every deal is different, but authors’ royalties are often below 10%. I’ve even seen co-authors splitting around 8%. The agent’s cut depends on the specific deal and publisher, but again, legitimate agents earn their money through commission, not upfront fees.
Does FriesenPress provide ISBNs, or do authors need to acquire their own? And how does distribution work?
ISBNs are used to track book sales and are required for distribution. If you self-publish independently, you’ll need to obtain and manage your own ISBNs and distribution.
At FriesenPress, we provide ISBNs as part of every publishing plan because we manage worldwide print-on-demand distribution. Each plan includes three ISBNs: one for the paperback, one for the hardcover, and one for the eBook.
Print-on-demand allows for global reach without the need to print and store boxes of books. It’s a cost-effective, scalable option for authors at all stages, even those producing smaller or legacy projects. Authors can also order small batches of books for events or personal use, which is difficult to do affordably through traditional printers.
How hard is it to find the right illustrator, especially if you’re going the DIY route?
Finding the right illustrator is essential. At FriesenPress, we work with illustrators who have diverse styles and specialties, so matching an author’s vision to the right artist is key.
We start with a detailed vision call and questionnaire to fully understand the author’s concept. Based on that, we share portfolios of illustrators whose styles align with what the author envisions. Once an illustrator is chosen, we begin with a pencil sketch stage.
This stage is crucial because revisions are far easier at the sketch level than after a piece is fully coloured. Authors should also think about very specific details—character appearance, clothing, expressions, props, everything.
If you’re working with your own illustrator, follow a similar process: get everything sketched first to ensure your vision translates clearly before moving into final art.
What formats can FriesenPress print and can you do custom editions?
We produce softcover, hardcover, and eBook formats. Print-on-demand has some limitations — it prints either in black & white or in colour throughout the entire interior; you can’t mix paper types or switch between colour and black-and-white pages within the same book.
Black-and-white books are printed on 50 lb. uncoated cream or white paper. Colour books are printed on 70 lb. uncoated white paper, with standard or premium colour options. Premium colour is ideal for children’s books, art books, or photography books requiring richer tones.
Authors can also pursue specialty print runs through FriesenPress’s parent company, Friesens Corporation, located in Manitoba. Those options require larger quantities but offer even greater flexibility.
What’s a reasonable cost for a beta reader?
That really depends on the length of the book and the beta reader’s level of expertise. The more time required, the higher the cost, similar to how editors charge by word count or hours worked.
If your manuscript is technical or academic, you may need specialized beta readers who command higher rates. But if you just need general feedback, a trusted friend who reads in your genre can often provide valuable insights for little or no cost.
If I self-published, will traditional publishers see that as a bad thing?
They used to, but not anymore. That stigma has changed dramatically over the past decade.
Thanks to the high production quality that can now be achieved through professional self-publishing, traditional publishers are more open to picking up well-made books. We’ve had several FriesenPress authors transition to traditional deals after publishing with us.
In fact, we’re increasingly seeing the reverse: traditionally published authors coming to FriesenPress for more control over their projects.
If you’re exploring both routes, watch out for hybrid publishers. Their contracts can limit your ownership or flexibility. At FriesenPress, our agreement is non-exclusive, allowing authors to pursue other opportunities freely.
Quality is key. If your self-published book looks and reads professionally, traditional publishers will take it seriously.
How does FriesenPress compare to other Canadian publishing services? What’s your edge?
We’re different in several important ways. First, we’re not just Canadian-owned, we’re employee-owned. Everyone you work with at FriesenPress is personally invested in your success.
Many other companies outsource work overseas, which can create disconnects in communication and quality. All of our production is handled in Canada.
Another key difference is our editorial evaluation. We provide honest, professional feedback from experienced editors rather than using evaluations as sales tools.
I’ve worked in publishing for nearly 30 years, and I can honestly say I wouldn’t work anywhere else. FriesenPress combines integrity, professionalism, and genuine care for our authors. Plus, through Friesens Corporation, we offer print options beyond print-on-demand, which most competitors can’t match.
What about distribution — specifically, does your print-on-demand option have global reach?
We distribute through the largest book wholesaler in the world, which connects to roughly 50,000 retailers and major bookstores globally, including Amazon. Authors can log into their FriesenPress account anytime to view their monthly sales data.
Royalties are paid quarterly once an author accrues $25 or more. Canadian authors receive direct deposits, while authors outside Canada receive cheques in U.S. funds.
Transparency is key; you should always know how and when your publisher reports sales and pays royalties.
Is it easier or harder to publish a series, especially for children’s books?
It depends on your publishing goals.
If you’re approaching a traditional publisher, it’s best to plan your series before you start illustrating. Traditional publishers usually want control over the illustrator and visual direction, as they may wish to develop the characters into a larger brand.
When planning a series, create an overarching title or theme that connects all the books. Make sure your first book establishes strong characters and a cohesive world.
Release timing is also important; books in a series should follow each other closely in distribution to maintain momentum. And above all, quality matters. If your first book isn’t well written, designed, and illustrated, readers won’t return for the next ones.
Want more expert insights to help navigate your publishing journey?
Join our next free webinar! Presented by FriesenPress’s Leanne Janzen, we’ll explore the entrepreneurial benefits of publishing and how to optimize your book to achieve them. (Not a business owner? No problem — we’re also sharing publishing best practices that all authors should know!)
