What to Look for in a Publisher
In today’s publishing environment, there are more ways than ever for a writer to get published. These different options have advantages and disadvantages. There are the highly coveted big publishing houses. The big houses have the advantage of having larger support staffs and better distribution channels. On the downside, you may wind up being a small fish in a large pond, and therefore get no attention.
These days, there are many medium and small presses as well as micro-presses. The advantage to these presses as opposed to self-publishing is professional editing of your novel as well as having a more professional presentation. However the aspiring writer must beware. I’ve heard more than my share of horror stories of small presses who give the writer no support at all and act in an unprofessional manner.
Self-publishing has never been easier especially in light of the digital revolution the publishing industry is going through. Self-publishing gives the writer complete control of their book, and also the ability to keep the bulk of profit from sales. However, I would highly discourage a newbie writer from going this route. For one thing there is a flood of self-published books from no name writers, and the chances of success are slim. Don’t get me wrong, there are writers out there who are having great success self-publishing eBooks. J.A. Konrath, Scott Nicholson and Joseph Nassise come to mind. But these writers usually have a history of books that have been published by traditional publishers and have already developed a following. Most self-published novels are unprofessional, unedited garbage that don’t deserve to be published. This reflects poorly to writers in general, and these books should never see the light of day.
So, what should a writer look for in a publisher? One thing is professional editing. This will immediately set your novel above the unprofessional self-published novels that are being released. Another is a great looking design and presentation of both print and digital books. A good publisher will partner with the writer in terms of promotion and publicity, areas that many writers struggle with. Having contacts for reviews and interviews and the like can prove valuable to the emerging writer. A publisher should be professional in every manner, meeting deadlines and running their press like a business. Finally a good publisher will have established strong distribution channels. There are many choices available to writers, so choose wisely.
These days, there are many medium and small presses as well as micro-presses. The advantage to these presses as opposed to self-publishing is professional editing of your novel as well as having a more professional presentation. However the aspiring writer must beware. I’ve heard more than my share of horror stories of small presses who give the writer no support at all and act in an unprofessional manner.
Self-publishing has never been easier especially in light of the digital revolution the publishing industry is going through. Self-publishing gives the writer complete control of their book, and also the ability to keep the bulk of profit from sales. However, I would highly discourage a newbie writer from going this route. For one thing there is a flood of self-published books from no name writers, and the chances of success are slim. Don’t get me wrong, there are writers out there who are having great success self-publishing eBooks. J.A. Konrath, Scott Nicholson and Joseph Nassise come to mind. But these writers usually have a history of books that have been published by traditional publishers and have already developed a following. Most self-published novels are unprofessional, unedited garbage that don’t deserve to be published. This reflects poorly to writers in general, and these books should never see the light of day.
So, what should a writer look for in a publisher? One thing is professional editing. This will immediately set your novel above the unprofessional self-published novels that are being released. Another is a great looking design and presentation of both print and digital books. A good publisher will partner with the writer in terms of promotion and publicity, areas that many writers struggle with. Having contacts for reviews and interviews and the like can prove valuable to the emerging writer. A publisher should be professional in every manner, meeting deadlines and running their press like a business. Finally a good publisher will have established strong distribution channels. There are many choices available to writers, so choose wisely.
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