This weekend, while composing an article for a publishing newsletter, I referred to the fee-based self-publishing process as \u201cpay-to-publish.\u201d What do you think? Does this describe it?<\/p>\n
I may have told you that a \u201ccolleague\u201d lambasted me and others who use the term \u201cself-publishing\u201d when referring to AuthorHouse, Infinity, Dog Ear Press, etc. They used to be known as POD Publishers. That didn\u2019t stick because POD stands for print on demand and these companies weren\u2019t the only ones using this technology. <\/p>\n
Pretty soon, you heard the \u201cPOD\u201d author crowd saying that they had \u201cself-published\u201d with such and such POD publisher. And these companies were using this term to lure authors. Perhaps this was designed to make the author feel as though he\/she had more control over their projects. At any rate, this has been a sore spot with self-published authors (those who established their own publishing companies to produce their books) ever since. Me included. <\/p>\n
Sure, I began referring to these companies as \u201cself-publishing\u201d companies\u2014in order to be understood. But I always use quotation marks indicating that this is the common term; not my choice of terms.<\/p>\n
After receiving the accusatory note from the gentleman, I promptly responded. I said that I couldn\u2019t agree more with him that \u201cself-publishing\u201d does not aptly describe what they do\u2014how they work. And I challenged him to help me come up with a suitable term to describe them. I never heard from him again. <\/p>\n
Either he wasn\u2019t up to the challenge or he had a block on his email so my response did not reach him. <\/p>\n
Yesterday, however, the phrase \u201cpay-to-publish\u201d came to me. What do you think? Could we call them pay-to-publish companies? How does this description\/title strike you?<\/p>\n
If you have never established your own publishing company, you probably don\u2019t care if these companies are known as \u201cself-publishing\u201d companies. Maybe you like the idea that, when you \u201cpublish\u201d with one of these companies, you are known as a self-published author. But what did you do to rate the title other than write a book and plunk down some money? You don\u2019t even own the ISBN. You don\u2019t actually have a company. And, for some of you, there are obstacles to promoting your book.<\/p>\n
I\u2019ve spoken with authors who can\u2019t afford to have booths at book festival, contract with distributors or negotiate with independent booksellers because they have to pay so much to purchase their own books from their pay-to-publish companies. <\/p>\n
Some of these companies are still using the term, \u201cco-publisher.\u201d This seems succinct. The author strikes an agreement with a publisher whereby the author puts up the money and the publisher produces the book. I worked with a co-publisher once in the 1990s. I had researched and written a book for a local private school and we worked with a co-publishing company to produce it. The purpose was not to go public with this book and try to sell millions of copies. The director of the school wanted the book primarily as a thank you to donors and an enticement for parents of potential new students. <\/p>\n
I have also worked with individuals to produce their memoirs to be distributed to family members and a few friends, only.<\/p>\n
And this is what I believe the primary function of co-publishers and pay-to-publish companies should be\u2014to produce promotional books for organizations and companies, to publish short-runs of business books quickly and to help individuals realize their dreams of publishing a few copies of their life stories.<\/p>\n
In my opinion, there are just too many potential obstacles for authors who want wide-spread recognition for their books when they go with a pay-to-publish outfit. Of course, each of these companies offers a different contract and varied levels of customer service. But I tell the hopeful authors I meet, that they will have more freedom to promote their books if they establish their own publishing company.<\/p>\n
Many of those authors say, \u201cBut I just don\u2019t have the energy or good health to start my own publishing company.\u201d I can understand that. A lot of writers pen their memoirs or write a novel long after retirement. Then, I feel, it is my job to convince these authors that they really can\u2019t set their sights on high sales because the only way they\u2019re going to attract readers, whether they self-publish or go with a pay-to-publish company, is to participate heavily in promoting their books.<\/p>\n
I spoke with an elderly author a few weeks ago who has spent tons of money on magazine advertising for her \u201cpay-to-publish\u201d book. She has sent out press releases, she says, in the millions. And still sales are pitiful. Why? She doesn\u2019t have a name that will attract readers\u2014she\u2019s unknown. I suggested that she make some personal appearances, write articles\/stories for appropriate magazines and newsletters, have a web presence. People are more apt to buy a book when they know the author and have, perhaps, heard her tell her story. Then her emailing and mailing campaign might result in more sales.<\/p>\n
It all boils down to the fact that most authors are still uninformed about the publishing industry, their options, the possible consequences of their choices and their responsibilities as a published author. Unfortunately, when they finish writing a book, they quickly and easily find one or more companies eager to publish for money and they don\u2019t look beyond the representative\u2019s promises. They imagine readers clamoring to buy their books. They visualize dollar signs. But they don\u2019t have a clue as to how to go from point A (getting their book in print) and point B (attracting readers). <\/p>\n
Please, if you are a first-time or struggling author or you know someone who is, purchase my book today. I wrote it expressly for YOU! You\u2019ll see what I mean as soon as you start reading it. I\u2019ve been writing for publication for over 35 years. I have produced 29 books through a variety of companies, including my own Matilija Press. I have met hundreds of authors who have failed and I know what mistakes they have made. These authors inspired this book.<\/p>\n