For the past few weeks, news of self-publishing success stories have permeated the Internet. In between talk about Amanda Hocking's brilliant foray into self-publishing (check out her honest blog post What I Can Say Right Now) and Barry Eisler's no-thank-you to $500,000 in order to self-publish (I came across his story via Jane Friedman at There Are No Rules. You can read her summary and find the full interview at Bestselling Author Turns Down $500K Deal to Self-Publish), the cry that "traditional publishing is dead," or "traditional publishing is broken" runs rampant.
Traditional publishing is not dead. It's not broken either.
When something is broken, it does not function. A broken glass cannot hold water. A dead clock will not tell the correct time. If traditional publishing were broken or dead, books would not be published each month. They wouldn't arrive in book stores, grocery stores, or supercenters. Books simply wouldn't be available.
Let's face it, the publishing industry took a massive hit with the economic downturn, similar to the auto industry and housing industry. The housing market still hasn't turned around, and prices for staples such as gas and food continue to rise. Most of us have less money to spend.
Some of the success of self-published authors can be traced to the prices of their books. They typically offer bargain prices--99 cents to $4.99. Readers don't mind spending a few bucks on a new author, much like homebuyers don't mind buying foreclosures. The benefits outweigh the risk.
Can traditional publishers work on their e-book models? Yes, but that's not the point of this post.
Publishing houses aren't witches to burn at the stake, nor are they empty, greedy middle-men. Traditional publishers provide valuable services to authors like top-notch editors, talented artists, detail-oriented copyeditors, and experienced marketers. They offer authors a percentage of profits, and, if an author sells tons of books, the author makes more money.
I don't have a problem with self-publishing. Authors who have honed their craft, are savvy about marketing themselves online, and who are willing to devote a large portion of their day to promoting their books may find self-publishing rewarding and profitable.
Writers unwilling to self-assess their work or who see success stories and have glitter in their eyes about getting rich quickly will be disappointed. Just because we have a product, doesn't mean we'll be able to successfully sell it.
What do you think--do traditional publishing houses provide value to their clients? Can anyone simply plop an e-book on a website and expect it to sell without spending enormous amounts of time marketing it?
On a side-note, Amanda Hocking recently signed a four-book deal with St. Martin's Press for an estimated $2 million. Read about it at L.A. Times, "Amanda Hocking, Self-Publishing Star, Finds 4-Book Deal." Congratulations, Amanda!
And traditional publishing is dead? Hmm...
Have a terrific Monday!
Showing posts with label self-publishing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label self-publishing. Show all posts
Monday, March 28, 2011
Friday, September 11, 2009
Researching Publishers
Publishers.
One word. Three syllables. Simple, right?
Sigh.
The word "publishers" encompasses an entire book's worth of material. Have you physically picked up a Writer's Market lately? The book's got to weigh five pounds! Don't worry, I'm not asking you to read it, although it's a fabulous resource.
Do you know the publisher best suited for you?
Before you can answer, you need to know the genre book you write. Take a field trip to a major book store and browse the aisles. Take notes on the publishers who release books similar to yours. Still aren't sure which genre you write? Start studying. There are blogs, articles in magazines such as The Writer, and books devoted to help you determine this.
Now that you know what genre your book fits into, you can start researching publishers. Consider the following questions.
-Is your dream to be published through a large, established publisher?
-Are you willing to break in with a smaller, newer publisher?
-Do you want a traditional relationship where the publisher pays you an advance followed by royalties?
-Do you want to see your book in print, or are you comfortable with it in e-form?
-Do you want to self-publish?
To understand the differences between self-publishers and traditional publishers, read the linked article from Writer's Digest, "What Can Your Publisher Do For You?"
When I say I want to get published, I mean I want my books to be published in print form by a traditional publisher, and I want to get paid an advance and royalties for them. There are many reputable companies, large and small, who publish books in print or e-form. These publishers take on responsibilities such as editing, cover art, copyrights, printing the book, distributing the book, and marketing the book. They pay the author an advance and royalties. The author does not pay the publisher.
Then there are reputable companies who provide self-publishing services. In this instance, the author may be responsible for cover art, copyrights, distributing and marketing the book, depending on the publisher. The author pays these fees or pays for X amount of books up front and only gets paid when someone purchases the book.
Traditional publishers make money from book sales, and they have a vested interest in getting your books in bookstores. It can be difficult to get your book in bookstores if you use a self-publishing service, and the author will need to employ intense marketing strategies.
Please, be leery of legal publishers who prey on those wanting to get published by seeming to be a traditional publisher but who actually offer a form of self-publishing. I have no problem with self-publishing companies who are up front about their practices. If an author chooses to go that route, that's her decision. However, some of these companies mislead the author into believing the book will be treated the same as a traditional publisher would treat it, when in reality, the author must pay to have the book published.
When you have narrowed down what you want out of a publisher, compile a list of possible companies. Go to each publisher's website and print out their writer's guidelines. Before you submit to them, verify their submission policy.
Why are you doing all of this? Because a publisher who specializes in non-fiction will not publish your contemporary romance novel. Also, some publisher's do not accept unsolicited material. You must have an agent to submit to them.
It never hurts to check out Preditors and Editors. It's a site devoted to helping writers discern between legitimate publishers and scammers.
We have a responsibility to research the publishers we query. When we have the information in front of us, we can make informed decisions.
Have a wonderful weekend!
One word. Three syllables. Simple, right?
Sigh.
The word "publishers" encompasses an entire book's worth of material. Have you physically picked up a Writer's Market lately? The book's got to weigh five pounds! Don't worry, I'm not asking you to read it, although it's a fabulous resource.
Do you know the publisher best suited for you?
Before you can answer, you need to know the genre book you write. Take a field trip to a major book store and browse the aisles. Take notes on the publishers who release books similar to yours. Still aren't sure which genre you write? Start studying. There are blogs, articles in magazines such as The Writer, and books devoted to help you determine this.
Now that you know what genre your book fits into, you can start researching publishers. Consider the following questions.
-Is your dream to be published through a large, established publisher?
-Are you willing to break in with a smaller, newer publisher?
-Do you want a traditional relationship where the publisher pays you an advance followed by royalties?
-Do you want to see your book in print, or are you comfortable with it in e-form?
-Do you want to self-publish?
To understand the differences between self-publishers and traditional publishers, read the linked article from Writer's Digest, "What Can Your Publisher Do For You?"
When I say I want to get published, I mean I want my books to be published in print form by a traditional publisher, and I want to get paid an advance and royalties for them. There are many reputable companies, large and small, who publish books in print or e-form. These publishers take on responsibilities such as editing, cover art, copyrights, printing the book, distributing the book, and marketing the book. They pay the author an advance and royalties. The author does not pay the publisher.
Then there are reputable companies who provide self-publishing services. In this instance, the author may be responsible for cover art, copyrights, distributing and marketing the book, depending on the publisher. The author pays these fees or pays for X amount of books up front and only gets paid when someone purchases the book.
Traditional publishers make money from book sales, and they have a vested interest in getting your books in bookstores. It can be difficult to get your book in bookstores if you use a self-publishing service, and the author will need to employ intense marketing strategies.
Please, be leery of legal publishers who prey on those wanting to get published by seeming to be a traditional publisher but who actually offer a form of self-publishing. I have no problem with self-publishing companies who are up front about their practices. If an author chooses to go that route, that's her decision. However, some of these companies mislead the author into believing the book will be treated the same as a traditional publisher would treat it, when in reality, the author must pay to have the book published.
When you have narrowed down what you want out of a publisher, compile a list of possible companies. Go to each publisher's website and print out their writer's guidelines. Before you submit to them, verify their submission policy.
Why are you doing all of this? Because a publisher who specializes in non-fiction will not publish your contemporary romance novel. Also, some publisher's do not accept unsolicited material. You must have an agent to submit to them.
It never hurts to check out Preditors and Editors. It's a site devoted to helping writers discern between legitimate publishers and scammers.
We have a responsibility to research the publishers we query. When we have the information in front of us, we can make informed decisions.
Have a wonderful weekend!
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