| Your anxiety occurs before you and your book | | | | process to find the right book publishing company |
| printing... and continues to pop up throughout the | | | | for your needs. With my experience, I've found |
| your book's journey to being published. Rest | | | | an author will become less and less guarded as |
| assured, this is normal! | | | | some of the mystery to publishing is taken away. |
| I recently packaged a book project with a | | | | Do your research, speak to a lot of print |
| woman who had worked previously with another | | | | professionals and don't rush into anything before |
| book publishing company. This book publishing | | | | you feel comfortable. Following these points will |
| company was charging her $2,000 to produce | | | | help you find the right book publishing company |
| something that had no professional book editing, | | | | who you can trust with your book project's |
| and was essentially printed at Kinko's. This deal | | | | success. |
| was secured after many conversations in which | | | | Yet even after learning about publishing and |
| he could logically explain the costs to her, although | | | | securing a great team, you will still probably worry |
| she intuitively didn't feel comfortable with her | | | | throughout the journey. There are a myriad of |
| decision. She admitted she didn't know a lot about | | | | choices to make when it comes to publishing |
| the publishing industry, and chalked up her nervous | | | | services, from caption-writing to cover design, |
| feelings to first-time book publishing jitters. After | | | | and essentially these decisions come down to the |
| signing his contract, she increasingly felt pressured | | | | author who is publishing. You may become |
| and unsure about their agreement, and the | | | | windswept by unexpected waves of anxiety |
| mediocre work he provided her did nothing to | | | | surrounding the task of publishing books. |
| ease these fears. This poor experience had left | | | | This is a mid-project identity crisis. Such a crisis |
| her distrustful of book publishing companies and | | | | will occur after the author is already well into the |
| the industry in general. When we started talking, it | | | | book publishing services, and especially after he or |
| took many conversations for her to slowly let her | | | | she has seen the first proof of their work. Seeing |
| guard down and give her dream of publishing a | | | | your hard work materialize and approach the end |
| book another shot. | | | | of its journey can put anyone's confidence into |
| Publishing horror stories such as this do exist, and | | | | question. You may begin to speculate about the |
| this industry can be ripe for exploitation. First-time | | | | title of the book, or if the content is really all that |
| authors are especially at risk to worrying about | | | | good. Suddenly you're not so sure about the |
| getting the right deal. It is common for those new | | | | photographs your freelancer had taken. The |
| to the industry to become guarded when | | | | layout seems a little quirky, too. And does this |
| communicating with book publishing companies. | | | | sans serif font seem a little too untraditional for |
| Even as authors get their feet wet in the | | | | print? And yet the biggest question steadily looms |
| publishing industry, the process may still seem | | | | above all of this, Will the book sell? |
| mystifying. In fact, worries while publishing and | | | | Take comfort in knowing that this is normal. |
| doubting your own book's potential for success | | | | Worry is an integral part in the journey towards |
| are completely normal. | | | | publishing. Mid-project jitters can be a good thing-it |
| So, why do we worry? | | | | shows that you're fully engaged and on your toes. |
| The short answer: We are afraid of what we | | | | Remember that the publishing a book is not for |
| don't understand. The publishing industry is | | | | the timid, but requires hard work, confidence and |
| muddled with confusion and shady book publishing | | | | flexibility. |
| companies who will profit off an author's | | | | In the midst of a mid-project identity crisis, a |
| inexperience. | | | | book project manager can help ease your fears. |
| Common fears that plague new authors include: | | | | Especially for first-time authors, an experienced |
| - Printing books no one will buy. | | | | voice and book publishing company can be a relief |
| - Spending money on publishing services they | | | | in the decision making process. It's difficult to |
| don't understand. | | | | make the best business decisions when you're |
| - Getting taken advantage of by fraudulent book | | | | emotional, and fear can pull a person into a million |
| publishing companies in the industry. | | | | directions. A book packager will help realistically |
| These fears are very understandable, and | | | | indentify your goals and business plan. With this |
| oftentimes rooted in the author's psyche by | | | | help, you can worry less and confidently believe |
| previous bad experiences. The best thing you can | | | | that yes, this book will sell. |
| do is educate yourself about the publishing | | | | |