The differences at a glance
| Orbita Media | Traditional publisher | Self-publishing | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost to you | $0we cover all costs | $0but very selective | several thousand dollarsediting, design, ads |
| Royalties per copy | from copy 1every edition, above industry average | lowerusually tiered | higherbut all costs on you |
| Manuscript | not requiredpersonal writing support | requiredor a proposal for nonfiction | you write and finish it |
| Editing, cover, typesetting | included | included | hire and pay yourself |
| In bookstores | ✓online and offline | ✓ | rarelymostly print-on-demand |
| Marketing | ✓permanently paid campaigns | usually focused on the launch | pay yourself |
| Creative control | final say is yourstitle, content, cover | often limited | complete |
| Your time | a few hoursasynchronous via WhatsApp | high | very higheverything on your own |
Royalties compared
According to the Authors Guild's model trade book contract, adult hardcover royalties typically run around 10–12% of the list price, with higher rates after certain sales thresholds. Many publishers pay 7.5% of the retail price on trade paperbacks, and 25% of the publisher's net receipts has become the standard rate for e-books. Many authors also receive an advance that is offset against later royalties.
In self-publishing the percentages are higher: Amazon KDP pays 70% of the list price on e-books priced between $2.99 and $12.99 (minus a delivery cost) and 35% outside that band. On paperbacks it pays 60% at $9.99 or more and 50% below, minus printing costs. The catch: every dollar of editing, design and advertising comes out of those royalties first. The full math is in How much do authors make per book?
Distribution: why bookstores still matter
Bookstores order from wholesalers, and they order books they can return and get quickly. Traditional publishers print in runs and supply the wholesalers, so their books can be ordered anywhere. Self-published books usually rely on print-on-demand, which bookstores rarely stock. If your goal is a bestseller list or a table in a bookstore, distribution matters as much as the royalty rate.
Control and rights
When you self-publish, you decide everything and keep all rights. In a traditional deal you grant the publisher the rights to publish, and the publisher often has the last word on title and cover. At Orbita Media you keep the final say on title, content and cover; it's your name on the book.
Hybrid publishing: the middle route
Hybrid publishers combine publishing services with author payments: you pay part of the costs and receive a higher royalty in return. The Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) has published criteria for reputable hybrid publishers since 2018, expanded to eleven points in 2022. Check any hybrid offer against that list before signing. Companies that charge you without meeting those standards are vanity presses.
Which route is right for you?
- Self-publishing suits you if you have a finished, professionally edited book, a budget for design and ads, and time to run the project yourself.
- A traditional publisher suits you if you have a finished manuscript or a strong proposal, can wait, and want bookstore distribution without upfront costs.
- Orbita Media suits you if you bring a community, a story or expertise but not the time to write and manage a book: no cost, writing support, bookstore distribution and marketing that keeps running.
Already have a finished book and want to publish it yourself, but with a publisher's ISBN and orderable in bookstores? Then ShelfPublisher, the author platform of Orbita Media GmbH, is worth a look.