Hi, it's Lois W. Stern here, your #NewBookReview Associate, with some helpful advice for those of you ready to publish a new manuscript, but not sure which option is best for you. The bottom line, of course, is to get more eyeballs focused on your book. Traditional publishing was once the only reputable way to go, and Vanity Press was a dirty word, but the times they are a changin’. We now have four ways to publish: traditional publisher, independent press, small press and hybrid, each with its own set of advantages and disadvantages. So which one's for you? There's no one correct answer, but my article below will help you sort out some of the pros and cons. Let’s look at each in turn.
Traditional Publisher
The traditional publishing company buys the rights to your manuscript. Usually an agent
represents the author, negotiates the deal with the publisher and in return gets a percentage of any monies earned from the sale of the author's book. Part of the arrangement includes author
royalties, based on a mutually agreed upon percentage of sales, and payment of an advance to the author.
Advantages:
You, the author, work with a professional staff to assist you with every aspect from production (i.e. graphic artist, editors, PR and marketing, distribution personnel and
You, the author, work with a professional staff to assist you with every aspect from production (i.e. graphic artist, editors, PR and marketing, distribution personnel andmore.) The publisher also assists with marketing by distributing advance review copies and assisting with the set up of author events and media coverage. Normallytraditional publishers also supply the author with PR and display materials such as posters, display kits, author stickers and bookmarks. All of the above can add up to less stress forthe author with more exposure for their book. And let’s not forget prestige. The halo effect of being traditionally published is huge.
Disadvantages:
Each day, agents and book publishers receive a staggering number of inquiries and manuscripts. Ultimately, less than 1% of authors seeking to be traditionally publishedare successful. Secondly, although royalties sound like the best of all worlds, they are
not without caveats. Yes, the author does earn a royalty on the sale of each book, but it doesn’t
go into the author’s pocket quite yet. The publisher normally deducts those royalties from the
advance the author has received, until the advance is paid back in full.
What you need to know:
The traditional publisher has the final say on every aspect of your book, from editorial content to cover design to the number of books in the first printing, andwhen to allow a book to go out of print. Since they are the experts, it can becomforting and cost effective to have these decisions taken off your hands . . . untilsuch time as you adamantly disagree with one of their decisions. The book publisher budgetsfunds to promote and market the book, which can be a good thing for the author, but since the amount can vary widely, this is a point that you should see written into your contract. Another point to consider, are you expected to hire a book publicist? What expectations does the publisher have of you to promote your book?Independent Press
The independent publisher is in the business of publishing books . . . period. Many have in-
house services to help you in the process at add-on costs, but you, the author, have total control.
You can select the independent publisher of your choice, have input on the cover design, or for
that matter, design it yourself. Is this control a positive or negative feature of independent
publishing? Based on your writing, artistic and marketing talents and experience, it could work
for or against you.
Advantages:
You, the author, have total control as to which independent press publishes yourbook. There is a great deal of self-satisfaction in bringing your baby into the world. Also, you will earn more per book sale, so if you have a ready audience for your book, this could spell more money in your pocket.
Disadvantages:
The final product, your book, can appear less that professional if not designed andedited properly. There are upfront expenses to publishing with an independent press that can become costly. We are talking not only of possible printing costs (although companies as Amazon and others are now handling those tasks without charge), but also the services of a book doctor or editor and graphic artist. Marketing and distribution aretotally in your hands, although some independent publishers offer some of these services at additional fees.
What you need to know:
A quality product is a good start, but don’t expect buyers to come knocking at your door. There is too much competition out there. Learn all you can about smart marketing in the days of the internet and be ready to invest consistent energy and funds to this effort.Small Press
The small press functions somewhat like the Traditional Publisher in that the author submits their
work for publication consideration. A team within the company decides on the suitability of your
manuscript, based both on the quality of your work, its genre and compatibility with their
publishing goals.
Advantages:
The small press publisher typically has fewer clients, which can result in more time devoted to you and your book. Although there are professionals on staff to make editing and cover design decisions, you as author, are more likely to be consulted and have input into these decisions. There are no upfront costs for the author and you garner more prestige in many circles by having your book published by a company that has vetted your work.Disadvantages:
The Small Press Publisher provides some marketing and promotion guidance, butthese services vary widely from one company to the next. Sales will be more limited than with a Traditional Publisher as the range of distribution is smaller. Unlike the Traditional Publisher, the author normally does not receives an advance for their work. Small publishers are limited in their publicity budget for individual books.
What you need to know:
Ask specific questions about the type and amount of promotional and marketing guidance and support you can expect. Be prepared to do most of the marketingyourself. Find out how well some of their other authors are selling by checking sales of their books on Amazon, Kindle, etc. Find out what price they would set for your book. (If the price is too high, you will know they are mainly interested in non-print sales ore-books, which provide far less in author royalties.) Visit their Facebook page and listen in on the conversation to see how active the prospective publisher is and what their clients are saying about them. And of course, beware of hidden fees.
Hybrid Publishing
Similar to traditional and small press publishers, the hybrid publisher normally has a team in
place to make a careful and critical examination of your work before accepting it for publication.
According to David Vinjamuri of Forbes Magazine in his article How Hybrid Publishers Innovate To Succeed, though models vary, three features distinguish some of the most successful hybrid publishers from traditional publishing and self-publishing.
1) While some hybrid publishers offer small advances (in the hundreds of dollars), they don’t
pay advances in the manner of a Big 5 publishers. 2) Many of the hybrids operate with few
salaried employees. Instead the employees bid for the projects they want to work with. 3)
Hybrids have agility on their side - the ability to mimic self-publishers in their speed to publish
and market your work.
Advantages:
Unlike self-publishers, hybrid publishers normally do not charge authors to publish. On the flip side, they can price their books more aggressively than the TraditionalPublisher to gain market share without losing money. In return, authors earn higher royalties (though less than with self-publishing), which are paid monthly and are reportedly more transparent than standard big 5 publishing contracts. The hybrid team members often are not salaried, but bid for the projects they want to work on and are paid if/when the book sells. This is an enormous incentive for them to succeed with the sale of a book, and if it is not working, to go back to the drawing board to analyze and fix the problems.
Disadvantages:
When employees are paid based on sales rather than salary, there could be rapidturnover in staff, leading to inconsistency in marketing and promotion of your work. Again, some of the disadvantages listed under Small Press Publishing above, apply here as well: Visit their Facebook page and listen in on the conversation to see how active the prospective publisher is and what their clients are saying about them. And of course, beware of hidden fees.
More Helpful Advice:
Preditors & Editors is an excellent source to properly vet any publisher for contract violations or
any other issues they might want to look out for. http://pred-ed.com/peba.ht
In Jane Friedman’s informative article titled Not All Hybrid Publishers Are Created Equal), (Publishers Weekly, May, 2015), she offers some excellent adviceon evaluating hybrids effectively. Here are some questions she suggests you ask:
Will there be a traditional print run—and who’s paying for it?
Will the book be pitched to retailers or distributors by a sales team?
How will my book be distributed?
What’s the editing process like?
What marketing and promotion support do my titles receive?
For further details, read her full article at:
http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/authors/pw-select/article/66658-not-all-hybrid-publishers-are-created-equal.html
Lois W. Stern, TheNewBookReview Associate and Facilitator, is the founder, editor and contributor to Tales2Inspire, an authors helping authors project to help aspiring writers on their paths to discovery. As such, she has now published twelve award winning Tales2Inspire® treasured gem collection anthologies of her contest winners' stories, republished in her double 2 for 1 Diamond Collection books. If you would like to participate in this No Fee contest, CLICK HERE for all details. Lois is a multi award winning author herself, whose work has been featured in the New York Times, Newsday, Long Island Press, Barnard Magazine, on Local Access TV and in live presentations in varied venues. As TheNewBookReview review coordinator, Lois serves as an outreach to help other authors brand themselves as authors of talent.
MORE ABOUT THE BLOGGER
Carolyn Howard-Johnson is the multi award-winning author of fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry. She is also a marketing consultant, editor, and author of the multi award-winning #HowToDoItFrugally Series (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BTXQL27T/ ) of books for writers including "The Frugal Book Promoter" (https://bit.ly/FrugalBookPromoIII), and "The Frugal Editor" both offered in their third editions by Modern History Press. Others in that series are "How to Get Great Book Reviews Frugally and Ethically," and two booklets, both in their second editions also from Modern History Press. The booklets, "Great Little Last Minute Editing Tips for Writers" (https://bit.ly/LastMinuteEditsII) and "Great First Impression Book Proposals" (https://bit.ly/BookProposalsII) are career boosters in mini doses and both make ideal thank you gifts for authors. The one on writing book proposals is also available as an Audio Book. "The Frugal Editor "(https://tinyurl.com/TheFrugalEditor), was recently released in its third edition. It is the winningest book in this series for writers.
Carolyn also has three frugal books for retailers including one she encourages authors to read because it helps them understand what is needed to convince retailers to host their workshops, presentations, and signings. It is "A Retailer’s Guide to Frugal In-Store Promotions: How To Increase Profits and Spit in the Eyes of Economic Downturns with Thrifty Events and Sales Techniques" (https://bit.ly/RetailersGuide). In addition to this blog, Carolyn helps writers extend the exposure of their favorite reviews at https://TheNewBookReview.blogspot.com. She also blogs all things editing--grammar, formatting and more--at "The Frugal, Smart, and Tuned-In Editor" (https://TheFrugalEditor.blogspot.com). Learn more and follow it to get news on her new releases directly from Amazon at https://bit.ly/CarolynsAmznProfile.
