Thursday, August 12, 2010

Getting Published... Too Good To Be True?

Finally, a dream come true. Your book, your baby was picked up by a publisher. That's great! Or is it? I have heard one too many horror stories and I just feel sick. Author's with a great following. No scratch that, not great... Amazing! Authors in high demand. So much so that it's hard to keep up with their demanding schedule. These author's that are selling books faster than they can be printed getting no royalty checks from their publisher. I could be wrong, but I think that's crazy! These publishers give the industry a BAD name. When I think about the poor authors out there that are pounding the pavement, shaking hands and kissing babies and not making a dime on their wonderful work. Well all I can say is WOW!

You know you don't have to be picked up by a publisher in order to sell books. You can still have your book listed on bn.com, borders.com, amazon.com, and books a million just to name a few without having a "publisher". There are distributors and publicists and cover designers and editors that work with authors that publish on their own.

You are not alone. Book publishing and promoting doesn't have to be stressful or expensive. It can be fun and you can actually make money. You just have to be willing to step out of your comfort zone and take the plunge. Mark Twain did...

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm disgusted with this posting! You're trying to scare people into self publishing for your own benefit. You're worse than those so called publishers that you are accusing of being shady. If authors and writers would do their own research they will find great sites like 'Predators and Editors' where people discuss the good and the bad in the publishing world. Don't go propagating fear for your own financial gain.

Anonymous said...

Now that is scary, writing and making zero profit? Publishers getting fat off the sweat of our brow, the turn of our brain and the aches of our fingers. "Fight the power". LOL.

Denise said...

Daniel, That is what I have been saying all along. I want authors to do their own research before they sign on the dotted line. Then they are able to make educated decisions. I'm not sure where you are in the book business but I have seen way too many people get taken advantage of. If I were so interested in my own gain then I wouldn't post the tips that I do for free. My goal is not to get rich but to inform. If I can help authors publish and promote their work without it costing them an arm and a leg then I will. So Daniel, I believe you are being a bit harsh but you have a right to your opinion. Although maybe you should know me before you pass that kind of judgment. I posted this because my VERY dear friend just told me that they've spent tons of money without making a single dime. This is an author that would walk into a bookstore for a signing and the store had already sold out of the book. I feel my friend was wronged.
In closing, Daniel I appreciate your response. Have a wonderful day!

Denise said...

Hi EA,
Yes, making money with zero profit... Not a good thing. Being an author is an uphill battle and done because of the love of the written word. Profit is really a bonus but not out of the question.

SL Dwyer said...

Wow - a lot of heat on this discussion. I gone both ways in publishing - self and traditional. With self-pub I am finding there is a lot of expense for marketing and the same with traditional. I would like to find a happy medium. The traditional publisher was a little iffy. I waited over a year doing some research and meeting someone who was currently published with them. After talking with he, I found my unease with the company unwarranted and signed up. So far it is going okay but I need some advice on marketing both books.

Denise said...

Hi SL,
Yes quite a bit of heat with this topic. Many people are uninformed.I have been on every side of this business. Bookstore manager, manager of a publishing company where I implemented all of the marketing techniques and handled day to day publishing, and marketing where I dealt with NYT Bestselling Authors daily. Many publishers will publish your book without up front costs which is great for the author because where they make the money is when the author orders books for resale. What I have found is the books are priced a bit on the high side and the publisher will then charge the author 1/2 per book. Now, that has been my experience with the authors I have talked to and the clients I have. There are benefits and downfalls to both types of publishing. With self publishing the author does have the burden of up front costs but if done properly the author maintains full control and has the ability to make money. Traditional publishers typically want the rights to the book and it varies on what the author makes. When I talk about a traditional publisher I mean a traditional publisher not a vanity press.
The bottom line is marketing and publishing doesn't have to be expensive or overwhelming. I am always happy to talk with authors about marketing options. I do feel that with the tools available book sales and marketing are more fun than ever. If you want to contact me so we can talk about some marketing ideas, let me know and I can provide you my email address. thanks for responding to my blog.
denise

Margaret Duarte said...

Hi Denise. Your post is informative and interesting, as are the comments. I'm just entering the world of publishing, having spent 10 years writing four novels and taking classes and revising, revising, revising. I'll be back. Your blog promises some interesting perspectives on the world I'm about to enter.

Denise said...

Hi Margaret,

Thanks for following my blog. Good luck with your book publishing. This business can be fun and exciting if you are informed. Just be sure to look at the big picture. All that glitters isn't gold. If you have a question, feel free to contact me and ask. I will try to help you if I can.
Denise