DIY Publishing
So, you've got a book and you want to publish it but no one's been willing to make an offer; what do you do?
One method is to go with a Print-On-Demand or PoD publisher or Publishing Service. It works, and it's guaranteed to get your work out there, how far is another question, but they're at least going to be available online. But before you jump on the PoD bandwagon, take the time to find out if it will work for you.
Right from the start, you need to know two things: First, the very mention of PoD is often enough to start a flame war of massive proportions; and second, it doesn't normally count as a legitimate publishing credit. The reason's simple, publishers are the gatekeepers of the industry, and PoD is a way to get around the gatekeepers.
Before going further, I'd like to describe three basic approaches to PoD. The first is LuLu.com; which is basically the no-frills do-it-yourself approach. The great thing about LuLu is that you can get a book in your hands for minimal up-front cost. They're essentially selling access to their infrastructure so you can self-publish.
The second approach is the one used by Trafford Publishing. You pay them a setup fee and they take your manuscript and turn it into a book. They're a "publishing service" not a publisher. It's significantly more expensive than going LuLu, but they do provide services like design, cover art, and layout and often an initial print run.
The third option is used by companies like PublishAmerica. The good news is that this model has no up-front cost. They accept almost any manuscript and turn it into a book in short order. While they do pay royalties, their business model is based on selling books to the author. Unfortunately there have been a number of reports stating their prices are much higher than the industry average, and that their quality is lower than most PoD books.
One thing all three approaches have in common is a lack of distribution. If you choose to go this route you are going to have to accept the fact that most sales are going to be to people who have heard of you before looking for the book. It's not the way to huge sales, and most PoD facilities can't print enough books anyway. They were designed for small print runs; ones too small for an offset press. The distribution issue is just one of the reasons PoD doesn't work for all books and all genres.
So, what kinds of books does PoD work for? It's a great option for that local history book they sell in the town museum. Most commercial publishers can't justify the investment, but there's always going to be some market for it. It's also a good choice for a book on a rare medical condition that only a thousand people on Earth will have any interest in: but every one of those people will hunt the book down and buy it. It works best to serve a limited audience whose needs are not met by commercial publishers.
It's not a good choice for fiction unless it's aimed at a very specific audience. The goal for fiction is the mass market, and that's where you'll end up competing with commercial publishers, and losing. For most novelists it's not worth the effort, they should go for an agent and a commercial publisher.
There are a few recent developments in the industry, Harper Collins has a site called Authonomy, and there are internet-only publishers like Smashwords. They still run into the issue of bypassing the gate-keepers, and so far no one has been able to make the jump. One good option is a group like Critters.org where you can have your work peer-reviewed. Yes, it's a step along the traditional route, but for the present at least it's still the best option.
One method is to go with a Print-On-Demand or PoD publisher or Publishing Service. It works, and it's guaranteed to get your work out there, how far is another question, but they're at least going to be available online. But before you jump on the PoD bandwagon, take the time to find out if it will work for you.
Right from the start, you need to know two things: First, the very mention of PoD is often enough to start a flame war of massive proportions; and second, it doesn't normally count as a legitimate publishing credit. The reason's simple, publishers are the gatekeepers of the industry, and PoD is a way to get around the gatekeepers.
Before going further, I'd like to describe three basic approaches to PoD. The first is LuLu.com; which is basically the no-frills do-it-yourself approach. The great thing about LuLu is that you can get a book in your hands for minimal up-front cost. They're essentially selling access to their infrastructure so you can self-publish.
The second approach is the one used by Trafford Publishing. You pay them a setup fee and they take your manuscript and turn it into a book. They're a "publishing service" not a publisher. It's significantly more expensive than going LuLu, but they do provide services like design, cover art, and layout and often an initial print run.
The third option is used by companies like PublishAmerica. The good news is that this model has no up-front cost. They accept almost any manuscript and turn it into a book in short order. While they do pay royalties, their business model is based on selling books to the author. Unfortunately there have been a number of reports stating their prices are much higher than the industry average, and that their quality is lower than most PoD books.
One thing all three approaches have in common is a lack of distribution. If you choose to go this route you are going to have to accept the fact that most sales are going to be to people who have heard of you before looking for the book. It's not the way to huge sales, and most PoD facilities can't print enough books anyway. They were designed for small print runs; ones too small for an offset press. The distribution issue is just one of the reasons PoD doesn't work for all books and all genres.
So, what kinds of books does PoD work for? It's a great option for that local history book they sell in the town museum. Most commercial publishers can't justify the investment, but there's always going to be some market for it. It's also a good choice for a book on a rare medical condition that only a thousand people on Earth will have any interest in: but every one of those people will hunt the book down and buy it. It works best to serve a limited audience whose needs are not met by commercial publishers.
It's not a good choice for fiction unless it's aimed at a very specific audience. The goal for fiction is the mass market, and that's where you'll end up competing with commercial publishers, and losing. For most novelists it's not worth the effort, they should go for an agent and a commercial publisher.
There are a few recent developments in the industry, Harper Collins has a site called Authonomy, and there are internet-only publishers like Smashwords. They still run into the issue of bypassing the gate-keepers, and so far no one has been able to make the jump. One good option is a group like Critters.org where you can have your work peer-reviewed. Yes, it's a step along the traditional route, but for the present at least it's still the best option.
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