Keset Notes 12
Hi {{first_name}} ,
How have you been? And what have you been working on in the past two weeks?
Last time, we mapped the three main routes to publishing: traditional, self-publishing, and hybrid. This time we’re answering the question that usually follows: which one is right for your book?
Choosing the route that best fits your book
As I mentioned in the last episode, there is no “best” way to publish, only the way that fits what you want your book to achieve.
Here are three questions we walk authors through.
Take some time to read and answer these questions for your next book.
1. What is this book for?
Be clear about why you are writing this book. Is it for building authority in your work, telling a story your family will keep, reaching readers in bookshops, or opening doors to speaking and teaching?
A book that should be in your hands by a certain date or be used as a family keepsake points somewhere different from a book that needs a publisher’s name on the spine.
2. How much control do you want to keep?
If you want control over the title, cover, timeline, and the rights to your work, these decisions are yours in self-publishing.
In traditional publishing, many of these are shared, and the publisher often has the final word.
With hybrid and assisted publishing, it depends entirely on the agreement, so read it closely before you sign.
3. How much of the work do you want to manage?
Self-publishing makes you the project lead, even when you bring in editors, designers, and formatters. Traditional publishing takes much of the production off your plate, but adds the work of pitching, submitting, and waiting. Hybrid sits somewhere in between, and varies company to company.
Now that you’ve answered these. Put your three answers side by side. Usually one route starts to stand out. If two are still neck and neck, that’s a sign to talk it through, not to pick at random.
If you’d rather work through these questions with us than alone, we’re hosting a 90-minute online publishing workshop on Friday, November 6, 2026. 6.30 pm GMT. Details below.
Join us live: Publish Your Book With Confidence
Reading about publishing routes is one thing. Making the decision for your own book is another.
So, we’re running Publish Your Book With Confidence: Understand your options and choose your route. A 90-minute live online workshop where we’ll walk through traditional, self, and hybrid publishing honestly, then work through the three Publishing Choice questions together for your book.
You’ll leave with a clear, reasoned decision about how you’ll publish, and a Publishing Path Plan for your next book.
Friday 6 November, live on Google Meet
6:30–8:00 pm UK (GMT) · 7:30 pm Lagos (WAT) · 1:30 pm New York (EST) · 10:30 am Los Angeles (PST) · 5:30 am Sydney (AEDT, Saturday 7 Nov)
Can’t make it live? Every registered attendee gets the replay.
$50, or $25 for the first 30 people to register.
Included: the live workshop, your Publishing Path Plan, our “Before You Sign” checklist, a one-page guide to each publishing route, the replay, and priority access to places in our upcoming “Publish Your Book in 6 Months” cohort.
Next episode: From Manuscript to Published Book
Okay, so you've chosen a direction. What actually happens next?
In the next episode, we are going to walk through the journey from manuscript to published book — including some of the things first-time authors often don't realise are part of the process.
And then we'll bring it all together in our Publishing Roadmap Workshop.
Your turn
Which of the three questions is hardest to answer about your book right now? Hit reply and tell us your answer. We’d love to hear where you are.
Until next time,
Keep writing,
Esther
P.S. Know another author trying to figure out how to publish? Forward this email to them.