| There is a lot of questioning by upcoming authors | | | | there is not much demand for your book, why |
| about whether to get an agent and look for a | | | | would a traditional publisher want it? |
| traditional publisher or to self publish... | | | | Being in bookstores doesn't mean you're selling |
| The publishing industry has changed so much, but | | | | books either. Yes, it's an ego trip and a thrill to |
| people's thinking has not. We now have the | | | | walk into a bookstore and see your book on the |
| technology for short runs of books, so that | | | | shelf, but those books could be returned if they |
| anyone can publish their material. This availability | | | | don't sell. (In fact, they often only return the |
| has opened up the publishing world to anyone who | | | | covers and throw the rest of the book in the |
| can get their thoughts down on paper. | | | | trash! Painful to think about, I know, but it saves |
| This has done several things. First of all, it has | | | | on shipping charges.) |
| opened up the world to very small publishing | | | | I understand that it feels easier, to just go for |
| companies, including ones that publish only one or | | | | the old system, but the old system won't |
| two books from a single author. (This happens | | | | necessarily get you what you really want. |
| when an author chooses to self-publish and | | | | Consider this: Traditional publishing companies, |
| creates their own publishing company in order to | | | | especially the established ones, usually only accept |
| do that.) It has also allowed printing companies to | | | | submissions through an agent. Period. Unless your |
| expand their services to include new authors who | | | | favorite uncle works there, you need an agent. |
| publish as few as 20 copies of a single book and | | | | Otherwise your submission gets returned or goes |
| thereby, reach a "long tail" of independent, | | | | in the trash. |
| pay-as-you-go authors. | | | | Agents get paid when they sell your book to a |
| At the same time, it has caused "traditional" | | | | publisher. So they want what the publishers want, |
| publishers concern because they are no longer the | | | | which is usually a well-known person, or someone |
| only suppliers of books to the public. Their sales | | | | with 10,000 Twitter followers and 5,000 Facebook |
| and revenues are diminished and there is much | | | | friends. Are you getting the picture? |
| belt-tightening. The result is that they are much | | | | Let's say you have written a book on a very |
| more guarded as to whose book they will take | | | | timely and popular subject and you've found an |
| on. Traditional publishers are footing the bill for | | | | agent who has found an interested publisher. |
| production and some of the marketing, so they | | | | You're scheduled for a fall release and along |
| must be sure that they can sell at least 10,000 | | | | comes some famous person to the same |
| copies of a single title in order to make some | | | | publisher who has written about the same |
| money. | | | | subject. Whose book is going to get published in |
| Gone are the days of big advances for unknown | | | | the fall? Right. Probably NOT yours. |
| authors and for the most part, any advances are | | | | So now, you're left hanging. Maybe they'll publish it |
| much smaller than they once were. Remember, | | | | the following year-if it still fits with what is popular |
| advances are just that, an amount of money that | | | | at the time. |
| has been advanced, based on anticipated sales. In | | | | In the end, you want a great product and you |
| some cases, if the sales aren't made, the author | | | | want it to sell. You want people to read it and |
| has to pay back the money. | | | | you want to make some money. So... you need |
| In addition, few publishers are paying for authors | | | | to educate yourself on the absolute best way to |
| to do book tours. The authors are paying for | | | | do those things. |
| their own accommodations, food, gas, etc. (That's | | | | The whole traditional publishing game is a |
| what the advance is for.) The publicists help get | | | | crapshoot for the new author. On the other hand |
| articles written and merely set up the speaking | | | | if you self-publish, you call the shots on when the |
| opportunities. | | | | book comes out. Sure, you have to do a lot |
| So, after all that, your royalties are pennies on | | | | more yourself on the production side or find |
| the dollar per book or maybe a couple of dollars if | | | | someone to do it for you. And you have to figure |
| you've got a slightly higher priced book. | | | | out the marketing side of the business so you |
| Since "traditional" publishers pay you less money | | | | can get your book out into the world. But you will |
| and don't do that much marketing of your book | | | | also make the majority of the money. |
| anymore, they love authors who do their own | | | | I know it sounds overwhelming. But, there are a |
| promotion. You do the work, they make the | | | | handful of boutique publishers that will walk with |
| money. Now, don't get me wrong, they are taking | | | | you through the process of "self-publishing" and |
| all the risk, so they should make the big bucks. | | | | although they are pay-as-you-go, they are not |
| But they are not putting out the marketing dollars | | | | do-it-alone. |
| like they once did. | | | | For some ideas on identifying criteria, I |
| Some people self-publish in hopes of being | | | | recommend Mark Levine's book "The Fine Print of |
| "picked-up" by a traditional publisher. And the | | | | Self-Publishing." There are many more publishing |
| reason you would want to do that is...? | | | | companies than those mentioned in his book. And |
| I ask that because if there is a healthy demand | | | | while his criteria for what is best may not be |
| for your book and you are reaping the financial | | | | yours, you can get some great clarity on what is |
| rewards from it, why would you want less | | | | out there and how the self-publishing industry |
| money to be with a "traditional" publisher? And if | | | | works. |