Do Traditional Publishers Market Your Book for You? Here’s the Truth
What publishers provide, what they don’t, and why authors still need their own marketing strategy
Many writers dream of landing a Big 5 book deal and imagine that the publisher will handle everything, including marketing, social media, and publicity, as they did in the past.
Sigh. Darlings, let’s talk. It’s 2025. Things are much different now.
The truth? Traditional publishers excel in certain areas, but they don’t do everything for you.
These are my experiences and observations since starting my business in 2011; your experience may differ (and please respond below in comments if they do!).
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#️⃣ Let’s Talk Numbers
Getting an Agent
Most Big 5 houses (Penguin Random House, HarperCollins, Hachette, Macmillan, Simon & Schuster) require writers to have an agent. Agents are the gatekeepers.
Volume of submissions: A reputable agent might receive 500–1,000 queries a month. Out of those, they may request full manuscripts from maybe 5–10 writers. From there, they might sign 1–2 new clients in an entire year.
Odds: Roughly 1–2% of querying writers land an agent. That doesn’t mean you’re doomed; it means the competition is fierce, and having a polished manuscript, strong query letter, and knowledge of what the agent actually reps is critical.
Getting Signed by the Big 5
Once you have an agent, the chances of securing a Big 5 deal increase significantly, but the competition remains intense.
Agented submissions: Even with an agent, editors pass far more often than they buy. Deals depend on genre trends, marketability, and sheer timing (e.g., if they already bought something similar last season).
Odds: Industry insiders often say maybe 1 in 4 (25%) agented projects sell to a Big 5 house. Jericho Writers says that’s closer to 10%. The rest might go to smaller presses, or the author may eventually self-publish.
Big 5 Royalties and Advances
With the Big 5, royalty rates typically fall in these ranges: hardcovers earn around 15% of the list price, trade paperbacks usually pay about 7.5%, and mass‑market paperbacks around 5%.
Ebooks and audiobooks commonly deliver 25% of net receipts (meaning 25% of what the publisher actually gets after retailer cuts). Hardcovers sometimes offer graduated rates (e.g., 10% on the first 5,000 copies, rising to 12.5% and then 15%).
Keep in mind that most authors receive an advance against royalties (often in the $5,000–$50,000 range for debuts), and royalties don’t start until that advance is “earned out.”
Earned out means your book has sold enough copies for the publisher to recover the advance they paid you. Until that happens, you don’t receive additional royalty checks — the advance is essentially your upfront payment against future earnings. Once sales surpass the advance, any new royalties start getting paid directly to you.
👉 Example: If your advance is $20,000 and your royalties add up to $15,000 in the first year, you won’t see more money yet. Once royalties hit $20,000, you’ve “earned out,” and from then on you get paid as sales continue.
Agents generally take 15% of your earnings.
📕 What Publishers Actually Do
If you’re signed by Penguin Random House, HarperCollins, Simon & Schuster, Hachette, or Macmillan (aka, The Big 5), you’ll get access to things that are tough to pull off alone:
Increased distribution: Your book can be found in Barnes & Noble, libraries, independent bookstores, and even airports. That’s huge.
Publicity support: You may have a publicist pitching your book to prominent outlets such as Publishers Weekly, Kirkus, or NPR. In my experience as a businessperson in the industry, you usually need to hire a PR firm for placements in larger outlets (e.g., The New York Times, Washington Post, HuffPost, and others).
Marketing materials: Press kits, graphics, or even a trailer. These are usually excellent and can be used again and again.
In-house promotion: Seasonal catalogs for booksellers, librarians, and newsletters, or a feature on the publisher’s social media platforms, such as Instagram, Facebook, or TikTok.
These tactics help build credibility and put your book in front of key decision-makers, including librarians, booksellers, and media professionals. I’m also seeing hybrid publishers (like SheWritesPress) offer distribution through Simon and Schuster.
🚫 What Publishers Don’t Do
Here’s where the fantasy crashes into reality:
They don’t run your socials. You’ll create, manage, and grow your own Instagram, X, TikTok, Facebook, etc., and/or Substack or newsletter accounts. Wherever you are, it’s on you.
This is the time for you to create authentic connections with readers. 24/7 promo? So 80s.
Not sure how to proceed? Read through my posts! Tons of practical info - all free.
They don’t join groups (e.g., Facebook), which are crucial to promoting your book and building connections.
They don’t stick around forever. Most publisher push happens 4–6 weeks around launch; a few weeks before, a few weeks after. Beyond that, you’re typically on your own, with exceptions, of course, though I do find that smaller publishing houses are usually far more actively supportive of their authors after the launch.
They don’t spend a lot of money on ads. Unless you’re a lead title, you won’t see a huge ad spend. And if you do, it’s likely only on Amazon. Maybe Facebook.
🧐 Think of it like this: your publisher hands you a megaphone. But they expect you to already have an audience listening, so they can make money and prove the risk they took with your book.
✅ What Falls on You
Modern publishing expects authors to bring their own platform and keep it alive:
Your brand: a website, newsletter, and at least one social channel where you consistently appear. I recommend two social media channels: one that is more text-based (such as Facebook or here on Substack), and one that is more visual (think Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube).
What are your colors, fonts, and overall look? Ensure consistency across your entire platform.Visibility: Podcasts, guest blogs, panels, and collabs with other writers. Colleen Hoover (also known as CoHo) is the gold standard here — her TikTok community drove sales long before publishers doubled down (worth noting, she already had quite the following prior to becoming a ‘viral sensation’ on BookTok).
Regardless of your feelings about her or her books, she’s definitely made an impression.
Ads and promotions: Amazon Ads, BookBub, or Meta campaigns are often handled by the author (or someone they hire). Resources like BookBub Ads Guide and Amazon Advertising for Books are great starting points.
I tend to run ads for my clients on Facebook because most of them are over age 60, and that’s where their target audience is most active.*
*TIP: Change your Insta account to a Professional account for Business (not Creator), here’s how.
Why? You will see advanced analytics, and once you connect your Instagram Biz account to your Facebook Author Page, one ad will appear on both platforms. And you don’t have to spend a lot; I rarely spend more than $ 3 a day for clients. Often less.
🔵 Why Facebook Still Matters (Sorry)
Even if it feels old-school, Facebook remains one of the best spaces to connect with readers. Active genre-specific groups and book clubs give you direct access to people already looking for books like yours.
Facebook is also where many avid book buyers, especially women over 40, spend time daily, making it an ideal place for launch parties, reader groups, and targeted ads.
🧰 Helpful Resources
If you want to dig deeper, here are a few solid places to start:
BookBub Partners Blog – Case studies and promo strategies.
Jane Friedman – Clear industry advice without the fluff.
NetGalley – Get advance reviews and buzz before your book launches. Did you read my post on NetGalley? ⬇️
Goodreads Author Program – Build a verified author presence where readers already hang out. You can also run giveaways at any point (as long as the book is on preorder or out already).
📝 TLDR;
🌞 The Bottom Line
Traditional publishers provide distribution, credibility, and short-term publicity, but typically not comprehensive full-service marketing.
Authors are expected to manage their own platforms, grow their audiences, and continue promoting their work long after launch.
If you build your visibility early, your publisher can amplify your reach instead of trying to create it from scratch.
A book deal doesn’t mean you can skip the marketing grind. Think of your publisher as a partner who opens doors, while you keep readers walking through them.
Want individualized help? Give me a jingle: badredheadmedia@gmail.com.
Hope these tips help! Happy writing…
Thanks for the insights. Always curious to see behind the scenes of the industry I am trying to breach with my novel / trilogy.
I have only been querying for a few months, but I am beginning to wonder if I should continue in this vein or to investigate self publishing - if nothing else as a backup if this doesn't pan out.
One thing I would add is book tours. They organize them for celebrities but if you're a regular person they won't organize a book tour for you.