Another way of asking this question is, how often should I self publish and how often should I publish in the tradtional manner? First you need to understand a profound distinction between the two methods.
When you self publish or indie publish, you are creating an asset that will deliver a certain amount of money for you, year in and year out. This asset is pure passive income. However, the asset will require a specific amount of money to be initially invested for editing, art, onversions, etc. But once the investment is paid for with monthly royalty payments, you will earn pure profit day after day, week after week, month after month, year after year. In theory, that is.
When you traditionally publish, you are relinquishing your copyrights to another entity in exchage for an upfront advance and/or a sizeable royalty percentage. What this means is, in exchange for upfront cash, you give up the rights to your property and hand them off to another owner who more than likely, will never return them to you (I've had some luck getting my rights back, and made tens of thousands in the process, and no luck with other books. The last email I sent to one of my publishers along with a CC to my agent, went entirely ignored. Or what do the call it these PC days? Iwas ghosted).
While I believe that indie publishing is a far better alternative in the long run (Just ask Paul McCartney), traditional publishing has better short term benefits. That is, you not only get money for you book, they incur the responsibility and expense of the publishing process. While you will be expected to do a lot of your own promotion, you are more or less along for thr ride. Traditional publishing also results in trade and glossy magazine reviews, plus multi media attention, like I'm enjoying now with The Girl Who Wasn't There which will be published traditionally in Fall, 2020.
Traditional publishing also offers another benefit. Validation. Most authors crave that validation. I do too which is why I traditionally publish around one book per year. In 2020, I will publish 2 books, which is unusual.
Will I eventually stick to one method of publishing?
I don't belive in just one method of publishing. I'm not a traditional or indie absolutist. I go for the hybrid model of doing both, But if you belive in one system go for it and stick to it.. Oh and how many books should you publish in 2019 and beyond?
As many as you can write.
(Writing this stuff on the run so I apologize for any typos. Currently in Odessa about to board the night train to
