Traditional publishing is the process of submitting a manuscript to a publishing house, often through an agent, and having the book contractually accepted for publication. The publishing house will then edit, design, print, distribute, and promote the book.
Non-traditional publishing, on the other hand, refers to publishing outside of the established publishing industry. This can include self-publishing, hybrid publishing, and independent publishing. In self-publishing, the author takes full responsibility for editing, design, printing, distribution, and promotion of the book. Hybrid publishing combines aspects of traditional and self-publishing. Independent publishing refers to publishing that doesn't fall under a traditional publisher but may still have the support of a team, like an editorial or design team.
Traditional publishing can offer the author the help of specialized editors and access to a wider distribution network, but it requires having a literary agent and can often take longer to publish. Non-traditional publishing can offer more creative control and faster publication times, but requires the author to take on more responsibilities and often has a smaller distribution network.
There are pros and cons to both traditional and non-traditional publishing, and it ultimately depends on the individual author's goals and preferences.
