| Many first-time authors want to find a traditional | | | | to 25 copies of your book, you'll get 25% off the |
| publisher for their books. While books like Writer's | | | | retail price, 100 copies might earn you 50% off |
| Market and Literary Marketplace annually come | | | | the retail price etc. You then will determine the |
| out with new editions that list publishers, more | | | | individual print run of copies you want. These |
| and more authors are going to the Internet and | | | | publishers, because they use digital or |
| publisher websites to find a publisher. | | | | print-on-demand (POD) technology, also will print |
| A huge difference exists between self-publishing | | | | just one or two copies if a book distributor wants |
| companies and traditional publisher companies, and | | | | to buy a small number. The advantage here is |
| for a new author, that difference can be | | | | you can print as many copies as you want and |
| confusing. Here are a few things to look for to | | | | can afford. |
| determine the difference and to find a publisher | | | | A traditional publisher, by comparison, will pay for |
| who is right for you. | | | | the printing of the books, but it will determine |
| First off, a traditional publisher will never ask you | | | | how many copies to print. The print run will |
| to pay the publishing costs. Traditional publishers | | | | probably be larger than what you could afford. |
| will cover all of the publishing costs, which is one | | | | With a self-publisher, you might only have the |
| main advantage of being traditionally published; | | | | budget to print 100 or 500 copies to buy from |
| another is that the publisher hopefully will have | | | | the self-publisher, while a traditional publisher might |
| wider marketing capabilities than you as the | | | | print 3,000 copies. But when those 3,000 copies |
| individual author. | | | | are sold out, the traditional publisher may decide |
| Many self-publishing, subsidy, vanity, and P.O.D. | | | | not to reprint the book because it doesn't believe |
| websites (those terms are largely interchangeable | | | | a market exists for another 1,000 or so copies. |
| and yet there are differences in them which | | | | Whereas, if you pay the self-publishing company |
| would require an article in itself) will expect the | | | | to print your book, and you are good at |
| author to pay the publishing costs. Then authors | | | | marketing it yourself, you can keep ordering and |
| will purchase copies of their books from these | | | | selling as many copies as you want. If you do go |
| publishers. The publishers may also sell the books | | | | with a traditional publisher, in this case you will |
| themselves from their website and to distributors. | | | | want your contract to state precisely how many |
| These sales the publisher makes result in the | | | | copies will be printed, and you will want to |
| author receiving royalties. Books the authors buy | | | | negotiate terms for additional print runs (which the |
| themselves from the publishers do not. By | | | | traditional publisher will agree to if the book sells |
| comparison, while traditional publishers will also sell | | | | well), or the rights to buy back your rights to the |
| you copies of your books to resell, again, they will | | | | book to reprint it yourself if the traditional |
| not expect you to pay anything up front for | | | | publisher chooses not to reprint it. |
| publishing the book. | | | | In the end, your decision of which type of |
| In visiting publisher websites, a key way to tell the | | | | publisher to use should come down to money. |
| difference between traditional and self-publishing | | | | Don't let your dream of being published |
| publishers is each one's website layout. Many of | | | | emotionally interfere with your financial concerns. |
| the self-publishing companies will have a lot of | | | | Use the publisher that will be most economical for |
| information on their sites about how to get | | | | you, but also in the long run provide you the |
| published and the benefits of being published by | | | | greatest financial benefit. Having a traditional |
| them. I've often seen these sites' home pages | | | | publisher print your book for free, and then pay |
| have half-a-dozen or more pages regarding | | | | you royalties of $1 per copy for 3,000 copies |
| publishing, publishing packages, author login pages, | | | | may be great if that's the most copies the book |
| etc. but only one, often almost unnoticeable page | | | | is likely to sell; however, using a self-publishing |
| for their store where they actually sell their | | | | company and being able to resell the copies you |
| authors' books. If the website, as in this case, | | | | buy from the self-publisher at a $5 per copy |
| looks like it is more interested in convincing an | | | | profit, and being able to print endless copies, might |
| author to use the company to publish his or her | | | | be a greater, because more profitable, |
| book, rather than appealing to a reader to buy | | | | advantage-especially if you are good at marketing |
| books, then it's probably not a traditional publisher. | | | | your book. In this scenario you would only have |
| Another differentiator may be an advance for the | | | | to sell 600 copies to earn what you would have |
| book. Self-publishing companies will not pay the | | | | from the traditional publisher, and your book may |
| author an advance for the rights to publish his or | | | | never go out-of-print and far exceed the |
| her book-in fact, as stated above, these | | | | traditional publisher's print run in sales. |
| companies will ask the authors to pay them to | | | | Advantages and disadvantages exist between |
| publish it. If a publisher offers an advance, then | | | | using a traditional or a self-publishing company, and |
| you have found a traditional publisher. However, | | | | only you can decide which is right for you. Do |
| just because a publisher does not offer an | | | | your research, weigh the pros and cons, make |
| advance does not mean it is not a traditional | | | | sure you actually talk to someone at each |
| publisher-due to the current economy, many | | | | company and get all your questions answered |
| traditional publishers have quit offering or only | | | | satisfactorily before you make your final decision. |
| offer minimal advances. If you do begin to | | | | Do your homework, ask other authors what |
| negotiate with a traditional publisher, you can | | | | worked for them, and rationally make your |
| always ask for a larger percentage of sales for | | | | decision. And remember, even if you make a |
| your royalty in exchange for not taking an | | | | mistake, it's fixable. You will have gotten your |
| advance-you may not get it, but it doesn't hurt to | | | | book published, and you will be better educated |
| ask. | | | | about the process for your next book or the |
| Self-publishing companies will also sell authors their | | | | revised edition of the first one. Good luck! |
| books at a discount. For example, if you buy up | | | | |