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5th July 2008
Charles
Jacobs
You struggled for months to hone your new book
to a level of perfection that would please even
the pickiest literary agent or publisher. But
when you proudly offered your masterpiece to
the market, you struck out. Some first time
authors have broken the barrier and found a
publisher, but you haven't been that fortunate,
and you don't know
why.
Selecting the Best Method to Publish
Your Book
The publishing world is complex and may seem
impenetrable to a start-up writer, but
determining the best method to publish your
book is not as daunting as it seems
Unfortunately, publishing just ain't what it
used to be. Not too long ago the industry was
composed of editors and publishers devoted to
the preservation of quality literature. People
who would take risks to introduce new talents
and new ideas. Sadly, those lofty principles
have fallen victim to the new standard - the
bottom line.
Proud publishers, respected throughout the
literary world, have lost their identity and
their commitment as they have been swallowed up
by huge publishing conglomerates. Today, major
publishing houses seldom take risks. They place
their money behind sure bets, books about or by
show biz celebrities, political figures or
other notables, often bypassing highly talented
new writers.
The Traditional Route
Traditional publishing is a three-way
partnership between author, literary agent and
publisher. The number of layers involved makes
this a slow and ponderous process that can take
as long as two years before you see your book
in print. In addition, many feel it is as
difficult to finding an agent as it is finding
a traditional publisher, perhaps harder.
The national book tours, elegant publication
parties and other promotional efforts that were
once the hallmark of traditional publishing are
now offered only to top level star-studded
authors. All the rest of us are expected to
finance our own promotional efforts out of
meager royalties (usually 5% on net sales),
adding strongly to the trend away from
traditional publishing.
Nonetheless, this is by far the most
prestigious method of publishing your book. It
makes challenges like obtaining reviews and
gaining access to bookstores and book club
rolls far easier. If you are willing to wait
patiently for your book to come off the press
and if prestige is important enough to you to
sacrifice control of your book during
production, then traditional publishing is the
road you should follow.
There Are Alternatives
A growing number of dedicated smaller
publishers have become alternatives to the
majors, and are maintaining impressive
standards. Just a year ago, the Book Industry
Study Group, the prestigious monitor of
industry trends, described these independent
small publishers as "sizable and growing with
surging numbers."
In addition, dramatic advances in printing
technology over the last decade have spawned a
brand new industry, Publishing on Demand (POD).
These advances have also made possible cost
effective printing for short press runs, and
that has opened the door to easy, relatively
inexpensive self-publishing. Beginning writers
are no longer at the mercy of costly vanity
presses that required them to accept large
press runs of books that then remained unsold
in moldy basements and garages.
This fledgling POD industry has finally
overcome the stigma that surrounded it in its
earliest days when the rest of the publishing
world demeaned it and reviewers refused to
consider books it produced. With their books
beginning to capture awards and reach best
seller levels, they have gained substantial
respect, and represent a very effective way for
a newcomer to publish what you write.
If you decide to go this route, study the fine
print of your POD contract before signing. Be
aware that POD houses promise you total control
over your book throughout the publishing
process. However, that is not completely true.
In the vast majority of cases, the ISBN
(International Standard Book Number) belongs to
the POD house, not the author, and the entity
that owns the ISBN controls all financial
aspects of the book. Decisions on key factors
like pricing and profit are made by the house,
not by you.
Making Life Easy
Nonetheless, POD offers real benefits to the
wannabe author who has never experienced the
complexities of publishing a book. The house
assumes all the responsibilities of production
and basic distribution. In addition to the ISBN
and bar codes, the house will obtain a
copyright and catalog your book with the
Library of Congress.
It will produce an attractive cover for the
book and format the interior text to equal the
quality of books produced by traditional
publishers. Once all of the nitty gritty of
pre-publication is completed, the house will
arrange for printing and list the book with a
major distributor.
However, don't rely on your POD publisher to
promote your book. That's your job. Stay away
from the alleged promotional programs offered
for an additional price by POD publishers. They
basically add up to nothing more than a release
that is essentially ineffective distributed to
the press.
Self-Publishing
More and more authors now choose to follow the
self-publishing route. The advances in
technology have made doing it yourself a great
deal easier and faster than following the
traditional route. Excellent books have been
published to guide you through the experience.
I strongly recommend Dan Poynter's classic
Self-Publishing Manual and Patricia Fry's The
Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your
Book.
While one can argue that the prestige of
publication by one of the majors is inducement
enough, a simple dollars and cents (perhaps
better yet dollars and sense) analysis
demonstrates how much more beneficial it is to
collect all the profit from self-publishing
than to receive a minuscule 5% royalty from a
traditional house with little or no help on
promotional expenses.
Today's fledgling authors have these four
options as they seek to publish their first
book: major or independent traditional house,
POD or self-publishing. Of course, there are
pros and cons when you analyze each of them, so
it is important that you understand the process
and whether it is suitable for your needs.
If prestige is what you seek and you are
willing to sacrifice speed in production and
minuscule returns, the traditional route is
yours to take. If speed is a factor because
your book is timely or if you are an unsure
beginner, POD may be the answer. If pride of
self accomplishment and/or higher profits
intrigue you, then perhaps your best choice is
self-publishing.
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