Discover Your Best Path to Book Publishing

Make the Right Choice on How to Publish Your Book

Obstacle:

“I’m overwhelmed with all the different paths to publishing my book, and I’m not sure which one to choose.”

Why This Matters

If you're an entrepreneur or leader with a book idea, there are a few things you should understand about the publishing process before you begin writing.

Getting your book into the hands of your readers involves several detailed steps and the coordination of multiple professionals. With some thoughtful planning and a clear understanding of the impact you want your book to make, you’ll be ready to choose the publishing path that best aligns with your goals.

Let’s explore the three main options available to you — and the key considerations that will help you make the right choice.

1. Do-It-Yourself (DIY) or Self-Publishing

In this option, you take full responsibility for the publishing process — from hiring and managing your own editors, designers, and launch team, to overseeing every timeline and detail.

Key advantages:

• Full creative control
• 100% ownership of your copyright
• All royalties from your book sales go to you

Important consideration:
Many authors underestimate the time investment required to manage this process. Beyond the out-of-pocket expenses, your time is also a cost. Ask yourself:

“How much is my time worth per hour?”

Doing all the legwork can become a full-time job until your book is published — or delay your release if you can’t commit the hours. Budget both your money and your time carefully before choosing this route.

2. Hybrid Publishing

This fee-for-service model gives you creative control without requiring you to handle all the logistics.

At Modern Wisdom Press, this is the approach we specialize in. As an independent hybrid publisher and book-coaching partner, our expert publishing team guides you through a proven process to clarify your goals, write your book, and bring it to market — while managing the entire publishing process from start to finish.

Benefits of hybrid publishing:

• You save significant time and stress
• Your book publication is managed by a team of vetted editors, designers, and publishing experts
• You maintain creative control and ownership of your content*

Hybrid publishing costs typically range from $15K to six figures, depending on services provided. Be sure to clarify what’s included, especially regarding:

• Editorial and writing support to ensure your book supports your goals
• Rights and royalty percentages
• Quality of publication and distribution reach

For entrepreneurs, full ownership of your content is key — allowing you to repurpose your material into courses, workshops, retreats, or keynotes that can bring a return on your investment for years to come.

At Modern Wisdom Press, our books reach the marketplace within just a few months of first-draft completion, helping you quickly expand your impact and serve your audience.

*Pro Tip: Choose a publisher that is genuinely invested in the quality of your message and your success as an author. Do not confuse this option with “vanity publishing,” which is often low quality and predatory, making unrealistic promises while allowing the publisher to retain rights to the book, take a cut of profits, or make it difficult for the author to regain control of their work.

3. Traditional Publishing

With this route, a publishing house controls the entire process — from editing and design to printing and distribution.

Advantages:

• Access to the publisher’s professional team and distribution network
• Possible advance on estimated royalties from sales
• Some marketing and media support

However:
Traditional publishing can be competitive and time-consuming. As a first-time author, you’ll need:

• A sizable audience or platform to guarantee book sales
• A strong book proposal
• A literary agent (who takes a percentage)

Traditional publishers may retain up to 90% of royalties and own the creative rights to your content. While many provide publicity infrastructure, they increasingly rely on authors to lead their own marketing efforts.

This route can take up to two years before your book reaches readers. For first-time authors, securing a deal can be challenging; however, those with prior success in hybrid or self-publishing may have an advantage.

Choosing Your Best Path

Ultimately, the right publishing path depends on your:

• Vision for how your book will serve your business and readers
• Goals as an author and leader
• Budget and available time

When you’re clear on these, the right decision for publishing your book becomes much easier.

About Modern Wisdom Press

At Modern Wisdom Press, we help soulful leaders birth transformational nonfiction books that elevate consciousness and expand their impact.

If you’re ready to publish a high-quality book that serves your greater purpose, learn more here.