Despite what every writing community, workshop, or author friend tells you, there are more than three publishing paths. It isn’t simply a matter of choosing between traditional, self-pub, and hybrid.
 

We’re told that being prolific, making a living from our work, and constantly striving for greatness is the done thing. The one and only authorial dream. It isn’t.
 

In an age where profit fuels most creative endeavors, it’s paramount that we hold firm to our ideals, not just as authors but as individuals. I’m one of those authors who hates seeing marketing posts from other writers. I abhor paid advertisements, the push for newsletter swaps (chances are, if you have tons of ads in your newsletter, it goes straight in the trash), and the incessant claw for my attention. For this very reason, my debut novel fell into the void and occasionally resurfaces with a single sale. I had values I wasn’t willing to toss aside and have the sales to back up my “poor marketing decisions”. But don’t worry, I’m not salty.
 

Since self publishing in 2022 (after seven months of querying), writing a retelling in 2023 that’s been buried ever since, and working on an epic fantasy series for three years, I’ve stumbled into my authorial truth.
 

If you’ve found that your values and creative aspirations don’t fully align with the publishing paths the writing community pays the most attention to, there’s another option. The “Choose Your Own Adventure” Publishing Path.
 

The path I’ve chosen is driven by my desire to share stories, no matter the format or monetary compensation. While traditional publishing would help me reach more readers and join an imprint populated with great authors, I will only query agents I’m genuinely excited about. For my debut, I wasn’t discerning, sending out letters to anyone who said they took my genre. Next time, I’ll be doing extensive research, digging into their client list, and only sending a letter if I’d love to work with them. The same goes for small presses.
 

If, after ticking off every agent and publisher, I find it worthwhile to publish on my own, taking marketing and administrative work into account, I’ll do so.
 

My publishing path is all about creating and sharing great stories. I’m happy to offer what I write for free, forever, if it means readers connect with my vast worlds and fall in love with my characters. I simply want my stories to exist in the world—whether that’s through story sharing websites, emailed serials, free ebooks, or any other platform I’ve yet to stumble across.
 

My “Choose Your Own Adventure” path gives space to traditional and self publishing but never loses sight of the point: creating for the art of storytelling and eliminating profit from my decision making.
 

Perhaps you’ve found yourself lost on this writing journey and aren’t sure which path is right for you. Maybe you’ve weighed the pros and cons but still aren’t loving the options. If so, I recommend finding your authorial truth.
 

Determine why you write, what you hope to gain from the endeavor, and where you’d most like to see yourself. Are you seeking to write short stories as well as novel-length fiction? How do you factor that into your publishing path? Think of publishing like a menu; you can mix and match to create your ideal plate. You might even throw in something à la carte.
 

Remember: You’re allowed to be different, and no two author success stories are alike. Don’t be afraid to wander off the beaten path.

Amber Herbert is a (mostly) speculative fiction writer living in Colorado Springs, CO with her husband and their two gremlins. Lipstick Covered Magnet was her first novel. With a BA in English literature and a decade of experience as an editor, she’s a sucker for poignant, evocative prose and phenomenal character arcs. Her favorite genres are high fantasy with complex worlds and magic systems, heady sci-fi, and atmospheric or psychological horror. When she’s not writing or critiquing literature, TV, and film, she enjoys baking, finding new midwest emo/pop punk bands, playing tabletop games, learning a new song on the drums, and snapping photos. You can find her at https://amberherbert.com.