| You've sweated over your manuscript, you're | | | | may find a great fit with one of those publishers, |
| finished with your re-writes, and it's time to leave | | | | allowing you to concentrate on writing and selling |
| the dark of the writer's solitude for the bright | | | | your book, leaving everything else up to your |
| wide open world of readers just waiting for your | | | | publishing partner. |
| book. But how will you get your book into print? | | | | 3. Subsidized or "Vanity" Publishing |
| How will you publish? | | | | In this publishing model, you pay to have your |
| Not so long ago, "getting published" meant one | | | | book published. Although you might pay a fee to |
| thing and one thing only. You would somehow find | | | | a Cooperative Publisher, you and the publisher |
| a way to get a contract from a publishing | | | | become partners in the success of the book. With |
| house-probably located in New York City-and then | | | | subsidized publishing, you pay for a service only, |
| wait for them to create a book from your | | | | since the company you will deal with has no need |
| manuscript. | | | | to actually sell any books. Their profits are |
| This was never an easy task and, with the | | | | derived only from authors, and this is why they |
| consolidation in the book publishing industry, | | | | have traditionally been known as "vanity" |
| continues to become more difficult with each | | | | publishers. |
| passing year. | | | | You will contract with a company that may |
| But now there are more options than ever. | | | | appear to be a traditional publisher, or with one of |
| Before you take the first step down the road to | | | | the ever-sprouting "Self-Publishing" websites. |
| publication, perhaps you should look at the map, | | | | These companies follow two basic models; either |
| and see exactly where that road divides, and | | | | you will pay a fee for the design, typesetting and |
| where the path you've decided to follow will lead | | | | production of your book, or you will pay a high |
| you. To help you choose your path, here are the | | | | price for any copies of the book you purchase. |
| four basic (very simplified, to be sure) options you | | | | In addition, you will be offered numerous |
| have to get "published." | | | | "packages" of services including manuscript editing, |
| 1. Traditional Publishing | | | | marketing, premium interior or cover design, |
| Most books produced by traditional publishing | | | | press release mailings, listings in industry |
| houses are brought to them by literary agents, | | | | directories, illustration, and so on. Each extra |
| and many acquisition editors prefer to deal with | | | | service will accrue an additional fee, and these |
| agents on all acquisition matters. For the | | | | fees can quickly add up to thousands of dollars. |
| prospective author, then, the chief task becomes | | | | When your book is printed, you will receive |
| acquiring an agent who understands the book, has | | | | somewhere between 1 and 25 copies of the |
| had experience with the market for which the | | | | book, although the publisher may claim to print |
| book is intended, maintains contacts with the | | | | more that they are "holding" against future |
| relevant editors who publish for that market, who | | | | demand. |
| has integrity when dealing with authors, and who | | | | Most of the website-centered publishing services |
| will arrange a sale to a publisher that benefits the | | | | companies that offer these services also claim to |
| author. | | | | distribute your book with the aim of furnishing |
| Unfortunately, there are far fewer agents than | | | | copies to eventual buyers through "print on |
| there are publishing houses, or acquisitions editors. | | | | demand" technology. However, this distribution |
| This means that it can be an arduous task to find | | | | usually amounts to a listing in a database and |
| an agent to represent you and your book. By far | | | | nothing more (unless, of course, you purchase an |
| the best way to meet an agent who might be a | | | | additional "package"). |
| good fit for you is to be referred by one of their | | | | Since these companies derive all their profit from |
| successful authors. This is not as rare as you | | | | authors, there are no barriers to "acceptance." |
| might think, and if you have good contacts within | | | | The actual work of these companies is much |
| your field, it pays to pursue this avenue. | | | | easier to understand if you think of them more |
| Traditional publishers will offer a contract and | | | | as manufacturers than publishers, and yourself |
| perhaps an advance against the eventual royalties | | | | more as a customer than as an author. |
| your book will earn. Depending on how the | | | | Books produced through this option may be well |
| contract is worded-and many are different in | | | | written, or they may be trash. It makes no |
| these regards-you will receive somewhere | | | | difference to the "publisher" since they are |
| between 8% and 12% of either the retail price or | | | | actually just manufacturing products, not publishing |
| the wholesale price. | | | | per se. |
| You will have to give up the reproduction rights to | | | | Recommendation: If you would like to print up |
| the book, and you may be required to release | | | | copies of a cookbook for gifts or fund-raising, or |
| the electronic, first subsidiary, foreign translation, | | | | print a book solely for distribution within your |
| and other rights to the publisher. You may or | | | | company and you have the staff to do it well, |
| may not have any control over the development | | | | this can be a viable option. As with all |
| of the manuscript and the final look of the finished | | | | manufacturing, ignore the hype and compare on |
| book. The publisher will decide how to market the | | | | price. |
| book, and will rely on you, your contacts, and | | | | 4. Self-Publishing |
| your own marketing efforts as an intrinsic part of | | | | Simply put, this path to publication is when the |
| the marketing plan for your book. | | | | author decides to also become the publisher of his |
| They will attempt to distribute the book as widely | | | | book. |
| as feasible, and may be able to place your book-if | | | | As such, the author will form a publishing |
| appropriate-into thousands of bookstores around | | | | company of his own. He will obtain his own ISBN |
| the country, and create public relations | | | | range, so book databases will recognize his |
| opportunities with major media. The publisher will | | | | company as the publisher of the book. The author |
| decide when your book no longer warrants any | | | | now becomes responsible for all the functions |
| efforts to market it, and may put it out of print | | | | usually provided by the publisher. |
| within one to two years of initial publication, | | | | The author will need to provide-or contract |
| depending on the sales your book has achieved. | | | | for-editorial, interior and cover design, |
| Recommendation: If you believe your book can | | | | proofreading, illustration, indexing, proofing and |
| be a large-scale blockbuster, that Hollywood | | | | manufacturing, warehousing if books are produced |
| directors will line up to option your book, or you | | | | by offset printing, order fulfillment and shipping, |
| have already been on Oprah, this is the path for | | | | accounting, marketing, publicity and sales. The |
| you. | | | | author has gone from a lone worker in front of a |
| 2. Cooperative Publishing | | | | screen, to a replacement for a multi-function, |
| Although not as well known as other avenues to | | | | complex business designed to acquire, create, |
| getting into print, the cooperative publishing model | | | | produce, and sell a product. |
| has a lot to recommend it for the right book. | | | | To address this daunting challenge the |
| Although many publishers who produce books | | | | self-published author will need to educate herself |
| cooperatively don't advertise that fact, it is | | | | about all the areas mentioned above, and will need |
| advantageous for the right book and the right | | | | to become familiar with the practices of the |
| publisher. | | | | publishing industry and the bookselling trade. She |
| In this model, a publisher who is already issuing | | | | will need to learn where to place her advertising |
| books in your market, and who knows how to | | | | dollars, how best to launch a new book into the |
| sell to that market, may offer you a contract | | | | headwind of the nonstop news cycle, and every |
| different from the normal publishing contract. | | | | other function that bears on the publishing of her |
| They will be interested in books that complement | | | | book. |
| their existing line, and will have pretty high | | | | The self-publisher who is serious about making the |
| standards in both content and writing style for the | | | | transition to profitability will usually use free-lance |
| kinds of books they will consider. | | | | contractors to accomplish these myriad goals. She |
| You will be asked to pay a publication fee, to | | | | will hire a professional editor, a book designer, and |
| cover some of the publisher's upfront expenses | | | | a public relations or marketing professional. She will |
| and, when the books are printed, you will be | | | | contract for the proofing and printing of her book, |
| asked to pay the printer's invoice. In exchange for | | | | and will run her own book review campaign and |
| this investment-and these fees and printing costs | | | | author tour. She will recreate the infrastructure of |
| can typically run to $5,000 or more-the publisher | | | | a publishing company, but devote it all to one |
| will take over all the functions that a traditional | | | | book. |
| publisher provides. | | | | Recommendation: For niche non-fiction authors, |
| In addition, rather than receive a royalty, you | | | | authors with a strong existing "platform" from |
| become the equity partner with the publisher in | | | | which to sell books directly to buyers, and for |
| the profits generated by your book. So instead of | | | | those who are energized by the prospect of |
| 8% or 10% of the retail price, you will earn, for | | | | marketing themselves and their ideas 24/7, |
| example, 50% of the profit. This arrangement | | | | self-publishing can be a rewarding path. |
| removes the financial risk for the publisher, since | | | | So, Who Are You? |
| all costs are substantially covered by the author, | | | | I think it should be obvious by now that these |
| and it gives you the cachet and the editorial, | | | | paths diverge widely, although each will lead to |
| production, and marketing capacities of the | | | | "publication" of a kind. What's really critical here is |
| publishing house. | | | | your own self-examination. Why did you write |
| As an author you will still be responsible for helping | | | | your book? Who did you hope would read it? How |
| to market your book but, with your equity | | | | central to your life is this book likely to be? What |
| participation, this is much more like a business | | | | would you define as success with your book? |
| venture for you and can justify your spending | | | | It's only by answering these questions, either |
| more time and expense to sell your book. | | | | alone or in consultation with a book publishing |
| Recommendation: If you are a non-fiction author | | | | professional, that you can come to a rational |
| in a specific niche, and you can identify smaller | | | | decision about which path is right for you. |
| publishers who aggressively service your field, you | | | | |