I've noticed that a lot of authors over the past couple of years have been putting their works on platforms like Litres or publishing through self-publishing. Is something wrong with traditional publishers? Or has it just become trendy?
I think it's not that traditional publishers suddenly got worse, but that real alternatives have appeared. Back then, it was practically impossible to distribute a book without a publisher, but now an author can upload their text to Litres or pick another platform themselves - and thousands of readers will see it without losing months searching for an agent and negotiating with editors. Plus authors get a bigger cut of the sales themselves, which matters more to a lot of people than the status of a traditional publisher. It's not a trend, just the result of the internet and digital technology breaking publishers' monopoly on access to readers.
Platforms like Litres take a commission, but the author immediately sees what's selling and how much they're making - it's direct contact with readers, which you don't get working with a publishing house. Publishers are useful for expensive printing and distribution to stores, but if you're writing for the internet or willing to sell an e-book version, that service becomes unnecessary.
Here's what actually works: many authors start with self-publishing on a platform, get feedback from readers, and if something takes off, then they approach a publisher with proven demand. It's easier for publishers to work with an author who already has an audience than to take a chance on someone unknown. So self-publishing isn't a replacement for a publisher - it's a path to one, if you need it.
Maybe authors are just tired of waiting? Publishing houses haven't gotten worse, but they work by their own logic: you need an agent, then a long manuscript review, then negotiations, then you're in the queue for release. All of this takes years. And in the meantime, the author can just upload their book to Litres in a couple of weeks and start earning right now. Plus you have full control: you pick the cover, release date, price, and formats yourself.
I know someone who told me a story about her friend who wrote romance. She spent two years trying to get into a publishing house, rejection after rejection. Then she gave up, self-published through one of the platforms - and suddenly her books started selling well. Now she releases several books a year on her own and makes more money than she ever dreamed of through traditional publishing. Turns out her audience was looking for her on the internet, not in bookstores.
The thing is, for a large part of authors, self-publishing isn't a consequence of a publishing crisis - it's just a more convenient option. You need a publishing house if you want to be in stores, on shelves, in literary award shortlists. But if your main audience is on social media and reads through apps - why wait for a publisher?
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