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| Congratulations! You've finished a novel. Now what? Do you want to have it published? If so, what kind of publisher is right for you? Today's For Authors newsletter will introduce you to three basic types of publishers and some pros of cons of each. Make an informed decision when it comes to who you publish with! |
| ASIN: B004PICKDS |
Product Type: Toys & Games
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Publishing Options: What is Right for You?
Happy November, everyone! It’s the craziest month of the year!
By now, those of you doing National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) should be in the middle of your crazy, nonsensical rough drafts. And those of you not doing NaNoWriMo are probably sitting there wondering who would ever subject themselves to such torture?
Well, today I thought instead of talking about NaNoWriMo, I’d talk about life after NaNoWriMo. And don’t worry, you non-NaNoists will benefit from this too! We all know that writing a novel is tough work. Those of us who have achieved that feat should be very proud of ourselves. If this applies to you, go ahead and give yourself a pat on the back, do a little dance, and throw a party. Ok, finished? Good. Because this is where the really hard part starts.
Most of us who write novels probably want to get them published. After all, why spend such a long time working on something that no one else will ever see? There are many methods of publishing your novel. Today, I will briefly discuss some of those options and their pros and cons.
1. Traditional Publishers: Traditional Publishers include the famous, large publishers in New York you have probably heard of, as well as small presses scattered throughout the world. Examples include HarperCollins, Houghton Mifflin, Dial Books, etc.
Pros: Help with marketing and promotion, prestige (if your book is particularly good and published by a well-known major publisher), royalties and sometimes advances.
 Cons: Harder to break into larger publishing houses. Some small presses may seek your input more than larger publishers.
2. Self-Publishing: Self-Publishers give you a means for publishing your book, usually for a fee. Examples include LuLu.com and PublishAmerica.
Pros: Your work gets published. You have all control over content, editing, cover design, timeframe for publication, etc.
Cons: Little to no support with promotion or marketing, you do not receive [edited] advances (and in some cases royalties may not be as high as from traditional publishers) and you may be out thousands of dollars.
3. Vanity Presses: Vanity Presses give you a means for publishing your book, usually for a fee that may even exceed that of Self-Publishers.
Pros: Your work gets published.
Cons: Little to no support with promotion or marketing, you do not receive royalties and may be out thousands of dollars. Usually no editing services (publisher simply prints the book as-is). If a publisher offers to publish your book in exchange for an exuberant amount of money without offering any support in return, it is probably a Vanity Press. In general, Vanity Presses have a worse reputation than Self Publishers. Examples include Dorrance Publishing and AuthorHouse.
It is always worth it to research a publisher before you submit to them. Any publisher you find in the Writer's Market is probably legit. Also, talk to authors who have been published by the company. When it doubt, check the website Predators and Editors for an extensive list of publishers and information on any complaints against them.
In the end, it is up to you how you publish your book. It's in your best interest to be informed about your options.
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The following items are some of the best articles on Writing.com concerning editing and publishing your work. I strongly suggest that you read them before going on a search for a publisher.
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| I'd like to hear about your experiences with publishers, particularly self publishers and vanity presses. Have a good experience? A particularly bad one? Drop me a line and let me know. Your experiences could be used as feedback in a future newsletter. |
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For Authors: November 18, 2009 Issue [#3378]
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