Traditional Publishing
Institutional Access with Creative Trade-offs
How it works: Authors submit their manuscripts through literary agents, hoping
for a publishing house to acquire the rights. If successful, the publisher covers
production, editing, distribution, and marketing—often in exchange for a significant portion
of creative control and royalties.
Pros:
- Industry credibility and prestige
- Potential for bookstore distribution
- Upfront advance payments (in select cases)
Cons:
- Extremely competitive; most submissions are rejected
- Long timelines (12–24 months to publish)
- Limited control over cover, edits, and marketing
- Authors earn lower royalties and typically surrender rights
Best for: Authors with highly commercial work and time to navigate a selective, often opaque
submission process.
Self-Publishing
Total Control, Total Responsibility
How it works: Authors take on the role of publisher—handling editing, cover
design, production, and distribution (usually through Amazon KDP, IngramSpark, etc.).
Pros:
- Full creative and business control
- Higher royalty rates
- Speed to market
Cons:
- All costs and decisions fall on the author
- Difficult to break into bookstores or media without a publicist
- No editorial or strategic guidance unless outsourced
Best for: Entrepreneurial authors comfortable managing their own publishing and marketing
ecosystem.
Hybrid Publishing
Collaboration with Investment
How it works: Authors pay to publish through a hybrid press, which offers professional editorial, design, and distribution services. These presses typically vet submissions and share responsibilities for production and promotion.
Pros:
- Professional quality output
- Distribution support
- Shared creative development
Cons:
- High costs
- Rights and royalties may still be split
- Quality varies—research is essential
Best for: Authors willing to invest for quality but who want to avoid gatekeeping.
Assisted Publishing (Our Model)
Professional Support, Author Ownership
How it works: Assisted publishing allows authors to maintain full rights and control while working with an experienced publishing partner. At Black Stone Publishers, we guide you through the publishing process—from developmental editing to final production—ensuring that your book is both market-ready and authentically yours.
Pros:
- You retain 100% of your rights and royalties
- Access to a team of professional editors, designers, and marketers
- Flexible, personalized publishing support
- Faster time to market with professional quality control
- Transparent costs with no hidden backend splits
Cons:
- Requires some author engagement and investment
- Marketing and distribution effort still largely author-driven (with available support)
Best for: Authors who want to publish professionally without losing ownership, and who value strategic guidance over one-size-fits-all packages.
Why We Believe in Assisted Publishing
At Black Stone, we believe the best publishing model is the one that keeps authors in control—while surrounding them with experts who care about quality, clarity, and creative vision.
Whether you’re publishing your first book or your fifth, our role is not to dictate—it’s to elevate.
Which Model Is Right for You?
There is no universally “best” publishing path. The right choice depends on:
- Your goals for the book (legacy, revenue, reach)
- Your timeline and budget
- How much control you want to maintain
- Your experience and comfort navigating publishing tasks
That said, more and more authors are choosing assisted publishing because it offers the freedom of self-publishing with the polish of a traditional house—without compromising on control or ownership.
Still Deciding?
If you're weighing your options, reach out to our team for a candid conversation about your manuscript and goals.
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