The majority of traditionally published books are found via agents before being presented to a publisher. There are many benefits to being traditionally published other than simply feeling more credible as an author including, but not limited to, no costs, distribution help, marketing, and more free time to write.

However, getting from start to finish of traditional publishing can take years, especially if you haven’t already landed yourself an agent (which most publishers require).

So, the real question becomes: can you get the benefits of traditional publishing without an agent?

The answer: yes.

Here are some of the benefits of traditional publishing even without a literary agent:

Publishing With No Cost

This is arguably one of the biggest reasons why people want to publish traditionally. The publisher shoulders the cost of producing the book which saves the author from potentially thousands of dollars.

Most traditional publishers require you to have a literary agent to approach them but select publishers like Third Wheel Publishing are looking to revolutionize the industry by encouraging authors approach them directly without an agent. Too many books are overlooked with the current process.

No Literary Agent Fees

Literary agents get a commission, usually from your book’s sales. This is in addition to the cut that the publisher takes.

For many, the benefits of traditional publishing outweigh the associated fees. Literary agents are the ones who read a writer’s work and shop it around to find a publisher willing to turn it into a book to be sold in stores or online. They definitely deserve a commission for the work that they do, especially when they’re convincing publishers to take a shot on new writers.

But what if you had a publisher willing to read those books themselves?

If the publisher and writer connected, they could produce great books that better represented the author’s vision. Plus, you could avoid the additional literary agent fees.

Proofreading and Editing

You still get the benefit of having additional proofreading and editing which is great, especially for those who haven’t been able to invest in an editor on their own. You’ll have a team working to make sure your book is the best it can be.

Most authors go through their work several times on their own before they begin querying their book but it can help to have other eyes reviewing it. It’s often easier to find errors in work that isn’t your own.

Instead of paying someone to edit your work for you, your publisher will provide you with this service for free since it is on them to produce the best book they can.

Design

Not having to pay for cover design is a huge win. The even bigger bonus is that when you work directly with a publisher, you often have more say in the final cover.

Many authors leave their cover in the hands of the publisher. They believe the publisher will know what will do best based on the current market. 

Sometimes this can deviate from the author’s vision.

Having a publisher who is willing to work with you on creating a cover that will attract readers while also maintaining your vision is important.

Formatting

Working out the interior layout of the book is a tedious process that can impact readability. While the cover is what often draws people in, the interior still needs to be readable.

Let’s not forget that physical books and eBooks often have differences in formatting.

Having people who know how to format is a definite plus because it will save you time and money. It’s no fun ordering proof copies only to realize that something needs to be reformatted.

When the publisher shoulders this, the costs for formatting and any revisions land on them which leaves you more time to write or just relax for a bit after all the time you spent writing.

Marketing

Many authors will look to traditional marketing for this alone. Help with marketing is an invaluable resource, especially when it comes to paid advertising.

The great thing about having a publisher is that they will push the paid advertisements while also having you work with their marketing team to work with you on a marketing plan that includes you.

The cost of marketing falls to them but you also get your own marketing team whose goal it will be to help you shine when talking about your book.

A Partnership

A team that actually listens to your vision and works with you to help bring your book to life and get it into the hands of readers is one of the great things about traditional publishing. You are no longer a one-person team trying to do everything from writing, editing, formatting, designing, marketing, and distribution.

You have people to do the backend work for you and you aren’t even paying for it.

Your publisher might even be able to set you up with additional partnerships with brands that can help you grow your audience such as StudioLink or Vograce.

There are many more benefits to traditional publishing but these are some of the biggest. And now there’s a publisher who welcomes authors without needing to have a literary agent.

If you’ve completed your book or are nearly finished, you can submit it to Third Wheel Publishing for review. We’re looking forward to producing some great books by amazing authors!