How to Publish a Novel: Easy Step-By-Step Guide

• Dec 08, 2025
• 6 min read

• Tags: Novel, Novel Writing, Self-Publishing, Traditional Publishing

Do you have an idea for an amazing novel, or do you have a fantastic manuscript ready? Is your lack of information about how to go about getting published holding you back from sending your novel into the world?

Well, you’re in the right place! Our comprehensive guide will explain the step-by-step process of getting your novel published and the different publishing paths available to you.

Choose your path: traditional vs self‑publishing

When it comes to publishing a novel, there are two paths that are typically available: traditional publishing and self-publishing. In recent times, a third path, hybrid publishing, has also become popular in the market. Here is a breakdown of the core features of all three so you can decide which is best suited to your needs:

1. Traditional publishing 

In traditional publishing, the author does not pay the publisher. Once the manuscript has been accepted by the publisher, they go through the publishing process at their own cost. When the book hits the shelves, the author receives a certain percentage of its price (usually 8–10%) as royalties at regular intervals.

2. Self-publishing

When it comes to self-publishing, the publisher charges a certain amount from the author to cover the cost of the publishing process. The percentage of royalties is negotiable between the author and publisher.

3. Hybrid publishing

As the name suggests, hybrid publishing is a mix of certain aspects of both self and traditional publishing. Typically followed by smaller publishing houses to ensure they break even, hybrid publishing is where the publishers finance the process, but the author has to ensure a minimum number of copies get sold within a certain time period, and if not, they ‘buy back’ the unsold copies at a discount. This helps to ensure the publishers recover the basic cost invested in the publishing process.

How to publish a novel traditionally

When it comes to traditional publishing, there are certain steps that must be followed: 

1. Once you have completed your manuscript, you must either submit your work to a literary agent who will pitch it to prospective publishers or pitch it to publishers directly.

2. After signing the paperwork, the novel is handed over to the editorial team, who carefully scour it for mistakes, correct the grammar, and return it to the author for inspection.

3. Once the author greenlights the edits, the novel is handed over to the typesetter, who arranges the text on the pages in an aesthetic manner depending on the page size, leaving enough margin for binding.

4. Around this time, a book cover is designed using inputs from the author. Both the cover design and typeset are usually shown to the author for approval.

5. Finally, the book is bound, and a sample copy is produced. Once the publishing team confirms that the sample copy meets their standards, the book goes into mass print.

6. The book is then released online (sometimes with a preorder period) and in bookstores.

7. Depending on the number of copies sold, the author gets paid royalties at regular intervals.

How to self‑publish a novel

The steps of the self-publishing process are rather similar to the traditional publishing process, but there is no need for an agent, as self-publishing houses typically accept almost every manuscript submission, unlike traditional publishers, who are more choosy. Additionally, the publishing cost is borne by the author, unlike in traditional publishing, where it is financed by the publisher. 

Another path open to authors who prefer self-publishing is Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) service, which offers all the perks of self-publishing with Amazon’s global distribution service. All you need to do is log into the KDP website using your Amazon login credentials, follow the steps to upload your manuscript and cover, and voila! You are a published author.

How much does it cost to self‑publish a novel?

The cost can vary depending on various factors such as the length of the novel, the type of cover and binding, and whether or not it will contain illustrations and colour pages. On average, self-publishing a novel costs between $1000 and $6000.

How long does it take to publish a novel?

The duration of the publishing process depends largely on which path to publication you choose. While traditional publishers take roughly a year due to existing publishing timelines and other major projects in the pipeline, self-publishing is much quicker and can be achieved within one to three months.

How to publish a web novel? 

Some authors prefer to publish webnovels. These are essentially e-books available only on the internet, without physical copies being sold in stores. The publishing process here is very simple and cost-effective: create an account on a popular web novel platform (eg, Wattpad), upload your blurb and chapters, and upload your cover art.

Pressing the ‘publish’ option will make these chapters go live instantly, either all at once or one at a time, based on how you choose to upload them. They are then available to millions of readers around the world, and you can view the hits each chapter receives in real time. Some web novel platforms also allow readers to leave comments, which function as an immediate feedback mechanism for the writer.

Monetizing a web novel depends on which publishing platform you choose. Some platforms have a provision to display ads between chapters, which could earn you (and the platform at large) ad revenue. Some platforms like Wattpad make the novels of their most popular writers accessible on a paid basis, which enables these writers to earn revenue per reader.

Now that you know all about the various ways to get published, it’s time to choose the publishing path best suited for you. Whether traditional publishing, self-publishing, hybrid publishing, or purely web-based publishing, we wish you the best with your future as an author!

Do you enjoy writing? PaperTrue offers expert, hassle-free book self-publishing services that allow you to get your work edited and published by professionals. Check them out!

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Tanvi

With a foundation in Life Sciences, Tanvi enjoys curating technical writing tips tailored for ESL students. When she's not translating complex concepts into bite-sized nuggets, she can be found playing with dogs or painting landscapes.