Should you self-publish, go with a pay-to-publish company or sign with a traditional royalty publisher? Would you be better off to produce a print book or an ebook? Will you hire a print-on-demand printer or find someone who still does offset printing? Shall you have your book printed in the US or overseas? Is your book worth producing at all?<\/p>\n
There are a lot of considerations when you decide that you\u2019d like to publish the manuscript you\u2019ve been working on all these months (or years). How do you decide which roads to take\u2014which choices to make? <\/p>\n
Authors often come to me in a confused state\u2014having just completed the writing on their masterpiece in the calm and comfort of their homes. When they start to look into the task of publishing, it\u2019s like opening their front door and finding major chaos raging outside their peaceful world. Everything has changed. It\u2019s all confusing. They don\u2019t know which direction to go or who to follow.<\/p>\n
Authors often ask me, \u201cWhich is the best publishing option?\u201d I tell them that it depends on the author and it depends on the project. If you are in such a quandary, maybe this will help. <\/p>\n
1: If you are writing your memoirs or the story reflecting your uncle\u2019s military experiences or your ancestors\u2019 migration to Texas, for example, it would probably be of interest to a small circle of people\u2014family and close friends. In this case, you might hire a credible pay-to-publish company to produce twenty-five or fifty copies to handout. Depending on the size of the book, you might have it copied and saddle-stitched or spiral bound at a local business center. (Read Mark Levine\u2019s book, The Fine Print of Self-Publishing<\/em> before choosing a pay-to-publish company.)<\/p>\n If you believe you have a real gem of a story in the caliber of the rare memoir that has hit the big-time, show your book around and see if you can excite a publisher about it. If publication and widespread distribution is your goal, then turn your manuscript over to a good book editor before you approach a publisher. Listen to what he or she says about the quality of your writing and, if need be, let them help you to improve it.<\/p>\n 2: If you\u2019ve done your homework and you know you have a good book that will fill a niche or that is in a popular genre, well-written and could attract a large audience, hire a good book editor and start studying the publishing industry to learn the best way to approach it with your amazing manuscript. Spend some in this study before launching out with your book. <\/p>\n 3: If you are a strong marketer, you are familiar with your audience and have ideas for promoting your book, you might want to establish your own publishing company and manage the project on your own. If you would like the assistance of a professional in the business, then consider signing with an appropriate publisher. Remember, however, that it is still up to you to promote your book even if you land a major publisher.<\/p>\n Not every publishing option is for every author. And I\u2019ve known authors who have made some bad decisions with regard to their book projects. What are some of the most common mistakes?<\/p>\n \u2022\tAn author will go with the first pay-to-publish company who expresses an interest in his book without considering his options\u2014or even discovering what his options are.<\/p>\n \u2022\tAuthors start seeking publication before their book has been professionally edited.<\/p>\n \u2022\tAuthors do not understand enough about the publishing industry to make good choices. <\/p>\n \u2022\tAn author will write the wrong book for the wrong audience.<\/p>\n \u2022\tAuthors often have unrealistic expectations\u2014again, due to the fact that they don\u2019t take time to learn something about the publishing industry. They treat publishing as if it is an extension of their writing and not the serious business that it is.<\/p>\n Most of these authors fail. Don\u2019t be one of them. There are numerous books and sites with information to help you learn more about the publishing industry and how to navigate it with your amazing project. Here are three sites with tons of resources and opportunities for new authors:<\/p>\n http:\/\/www.spawn.org<\/a> Should you self-publish, go with a pay-to-publish company or sign with a traditional royalty publisher? Would you be better off to produce a print book or an ebook? Will you hire a print-on-demand printer or find someone who still does offset printing? Shall you have your book printed in the US or overseas? Is your […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[3],"tags":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t
\n http:\/\/www.matilijapress.com<\/a>
\n http:\/\/www.patriciafry.com<\/a> <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"