You’ve finished your book. It’s been properly edited to get it in the best shape possible. Now what?
Today’s publishing industry offers a lot of great options for success. Indie authors are hitting best-seller’s charts. Small trade publishers are making huge waves. And of course, large traditional publishers have incredible connections and reach. Which path you choose will depend on your personal goals and timeline.
Are you having trouble securing an agent? Or perhaps you are eager to see your book in print sooner than a traditional publishing house can guarantee. Whatever situation you are in with your book right now, there is almost always a solution that can fit your budget, timeline, and need. To get started finding the right publishing option for you, ask yourself the following questions:
- What is your ideal for publication?
- Are you willing to invest any of your own money into the production of your book? If so, how much?
- How personally involved do you want to be in the production of your book? Do you already have cover design or book layout ideas?
- What kind of turnaround time are you hoping for before seeing your book in print? If your book addresses a timely issue, then perhaps you’d want to get it into print sooner than a work of fiction.
- How much self-marketing do you realistically think you can handle? Do you feel that you’d be pretty dependent on the publisher’s efforts and financial backing for your book’s publicity?
- What kind of royalties do you anticipate?
There are several options that fit almost any scenario. Keep reading if you want to find out what options might fit what you need:
Large Traditional Publishing House
This type of publishing requires no up-front money, usually pays the author an advance (this figure can range based on the house), handles all of the production costs, and pays an average royalty of about $.90 per print book (eBook royalties are usually around 20%). Almost always you’ll need an agent to secure this type of publishing deal. You may get an advance (a lump sum payment at the time you sign a contract), which is counted against your royalties. The author is required to invest in some self-publicity, but the publishing house will do ads and special orders with bookstores to enhance sales. Also, your book is eligible for any major awards that your publishing house chooses to submit your book for. However, for the most part you get no say; the publicity, awards, and production are completely out of your hands. Average expected time before you see your book in print: at least a year in production (this does not include the time it takes to secure an agent and then for your agent to get a contract with a publishing house). Your copyright belongs to the publisher for the contracted number of years (often the life of the book, or until the advance is paid for).
Pros:
No upfront costs
Author may get an advance
Publisher handles most of the marketing
Cons:
Author has no say in production
Royalties generally low per book
Minimum years-long turnaround
House owns the copyright
Small Trade Publishing House
This type of publishing requires no up-front money, rarely offers the author an advance, handles all of the production costs, and pays an average royalty of $.90 per print book (eBook royalties can be upwards of 40%). This is a smaller traditional house with fewer books released in a year, so the author exposure is not as vast as a large publishing house. However, the author can be more involved in the production of the book and typically the author can expect personal attention. Most small trade publishers accept unsolicited manuscripts. The author is required to invest a lot more in self-publicity, though the publishing house will also offer limited help with promotion. Your book may or may not be eligible for awards based on the size of the publishing house. Average expected time before you see your book in print: anywhere between six months and two years. Your copyright belongs to the publisher for the contracted number of years.
Pros:
No upfront costs
Author has some say in production
Shorter turnaround
No agent needed
Cons:
No advance
Publicity is mostly left up to the author
Royalties generally low per book
House owns the copyright
Indie Publishing
This type of publishing is when an author decides to be his/her own publisher. It’s basically the same as self-publishing, except that you’re going to own all of your files, artwork, and be responsible for all book production aspects (editing, cover design, layout, ISBNs purchase, barcode purchase, uploading book to retailers, etc.). This type of publishing requires up-front production costs and time, but the overall quality can be exceptional in most cases and reflects that of a traditional publisher (if you’ve hired quality designers/editors). Estimated costs to publish your own books can range to pay for the book production costs (editing, laying it out, cover design, and ISBNs/barcodes). You get all the royalties, minus the distributor costs (the percentages that the retailers charge for every purchase). For print books, most authors use print-on-demand printing where the author does not pay for books in advance, rather books are only printed as they are ordered. This means no overhead, and as long as the author sets up the book for distribution through such distributors as Ingram, consumers can order the book through bookstores internationally. The author is responsible for all self-publicity, though contests have been instituted to support independent publishing and offer monetary incentives. Average expected time before you see your book in print: roughly six months for a quality product, which would include the editing and production time, as well as the printer’s set-up time and marketing planning. You own the copyright and get all of the income. Today’s indie published authors consume a majority of the book market, so there’s never been a better time to indie publish.
Pros:
Author hires own production team that can make the book exactly what author wants (and sets book price)
Author earns all income generated from sales (minus book cost)
Author sets turnaround time
Author keeps copyright
Cons:
Upfront costs for editing and production
Publicity solely left up to author
Author handles all book setup and publishing
Self-Publishing
This type of publishing is when the author decides to go with a self-publisher (like AuthorHouse), so the book would be published under that self-publishing house. The cost is typically somewhere between $400 to $2,000 to pay for the book production. This usually does not include editing, so you will be responsible for getting the book edited prior to publication (be wary, as these publishers up-charge for editing—it’s best to outsource your own editor for much cheaper). However, the packages usually include book layout and cover design. The publisher gives the author some say in the production, but the publisher sets the book price and the design work typically has restrictions. The self-publisher royalties vary by self-publisher. The author is responsible for all self-publicity, though the self-publisher will get your book on all retailers and on the publisher’s website. As with indie publishing, there are contests specifically geared for self-published books. Average expected time before you see your book in print: as little as two to three months. You own the copyright. It’s a good option for authors who aren’t tech-savvy or who don’t want the burden of dealing with all production aspects.
Pros:
Author earns all income generated from sales (minus book cost)
Publisher handles all of the formatting, cover, layout, and publication
Very fast turnaround
Author keeps copyright
Cons:
Flat rate for production (usually more affordable than indie publishing)
Production typically has restrictions set by publisher
Publicity solely left up to author
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