I'm going to start out by saying, I'm not an expert. I'm simply a writer who has learned a lot of lessons along the way, made many mistakes and then formed a lot of conclusions. Here's some of my story and what I learned.
First, if you're anything like me, you wrote a book (insert short story, poetry, novella) because you love writing. But perhaps also, you hope people will read it, love it, and maybe even it will launch your writing career.
I've talked to every type of publishing house you can imagine, and here are some of my learnings.
Vanity Presses
People like to give them a bad name, but I found there are some out there that are reputable, and charge a very modest amount to publish your book. And for some, it's worth it to pay someone to edit, do the page design, cover design, and get it out there on websites where the book can be purchased. Not everyone wants to find their own editor, then an artist, etc. Just do your homework, and if your goal is to make a profit, do the math. For example, on a book that costs $16.00, as an author, you'll get slightly less than $4.00 per sale. Decide what a reasonable amount to pay is. Most vanity presses won't do publicity either, but I have found that with any book, you have to market yourself. I know people who say that no one should have to pay money upfront when publishing a book. I wish that were true, but the margin of books accepted for traditional publishing is narrow.
Hybrid Publishing
This is the option I've been most attracted to. The author pays some money, the publisher pays some money, but there is marketing and publicity done by the publisher. All good, right? Well, with everything, not all are created equal. I won't mention names, but I sat down with a hybrid publisher and was so excited for the opportunity. I was told they loved my manuscript, and well, perhaps they did. But they wanted $25,000 out of pocket from me. Can you imagine? I'd have to sell a lot of books to break even. I politely declined.
Self-Publishing
This option works for a lot of people. You write your novel, then find an editor, and someone to design the book, and then you get it out on websites such as Amazon. You have complete control over the look and feel of it. Many like this option, but for me, it was too much coordination when all I wanted to do was to write.
Traditional Publishing
Many require agents, but some allow for un-agented submissions. Authors don't pay anything upfront, and authors will most likely get more publicity and marketing. (But not always) The time to publication can take longer, and the author loses some control. But I think traditional publishing is still the most desirable.
All the different publishing paths aside, what I've realized, is that writing is a very small portion of having a book. There are presses that will release anything, regardless of the quality. So, join writing groups, have a professional do a literary critique, have people read your drafts, and give you honest feedback. And once you feel like you've done all of that, try to market the hell out of our book, and hopefully, you'll find success.
My dream as a writer, I don't know, how about the New York Times bestseller's list? But at the end of the day, I write because I love it, and if that means I will always remain an independent author, that is A-OK. There is no wrong way to publish, and just because a book is traditionally published and another isn't, doesn't mean it's better than the other.
Keep writing writers! And let's all continue to support authors!
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