Well, it’s not quite that simple. But the publishing
industry is heaving huge sighs of change and they’re echoing out to the public
ear. Many people are beginning to think that now’s the time to produce and
publish that book they’ve always wanted to write and now they’ll actually make
money at it!Perhaps.
This blog post is for all those who know something of my
editorial background* and have been asking me for advice about writing &
publishing.
Joseph** asked me to write it, and practically dictated the
contents for me. J
He had this clever list of resources for you, with explanations for who needed
what. I sooo wish I had recorded him explaining it to me over lunch! I can’t
get him to a keyboard once he’s done with his paid workday, so I’m going to do
my best to be as brilliant as he was.
Truly, the publishing business is
currently a messy new work in progress, and I’m no expert, but here’s my
seasoned advice and opinion, in three parts. Note I said "opinion." This is my disclaimer. I do not promise you riches or success if you take my advice (or if you don't). These opinions are based on my experience and observation; yours may differ. So do not bet your publishing life on my words, but take them in, do your research, and make your own choices. Today, Tips 1 through 3.
1. If you’ve written a draft and
you need an editorial partner, no matter where you live, I recommend contacting
the San Diego Professional Editor’s Network (SD/PEN)
I am a proud former member. This organization has
survived many changes in the industry and keeps its members informed and
up-to-date in their editing skills. Their website contains a directory of
member-editors, complete with contact information. San Diego
And trust me, you DO need an editor, a professional editor, no matter who you are or what you’ve
written. SD/PEN’s website explains the different levels of editorial work required
throughout the book production cycle, from early “developmental editing,” when
you’re just deciding how to put the book into a marketable form, to the final
proofreading before it goes off to print or ebook distribution.
And yes, ebooks also need editing and quality design and
expert technical conversion. Or you’ll fall into that messy heap of slap-dash,
gonna-get-rich efforts to jump on the ebook bandwagon now cluttering the
Internet. Ugh. Your book deserves better!
2. Still thinking you might find an
agent and then you’ll be picked up by a publisher, who will then edit your work
and give you a nice advance and a respectable share of the profits? Sigh. Once
upon a time this fairy tale may have been true, but it has not been so for a
long number of years.
Okay, I’ll admit at least a part of this tale happened to my
sister and one of my clients. But my sister somehow tapped into a mysterious
part of the universe that landed her an agent who EDITED for her—who then left
the business shortly after this un-agently, unheard-of behavior. And sister and
fortunate client, who was granted an astounding advance by similarly mysterious
forces in the universe, both ran into trouble with publishers and agents
further down the road.
But now, publishers and agents are feeling the collapse of
their former palaces of print. Advances are drying up. Profits are plummeting,
except in the ebook realm. What agents and publishers will become and what they
will do in the future, everyone is trying to figure out and no one knows for
sure. Best wishes to you if you go this route! It will be strange and
difficult, I’m sure. Please read a lot of publishing news as you embark on this
journey, okay?
Here are some good resources, but the Internet is full of
blogs and news on the subject:
In fact, if you’re reading this blog, then you’re a person who needs to read these resources regularly, and join LinkedIn and sign up for groups related to publishing. I do hope you’ve already established your Facebook presence?
3. I’ve recently been encouraged by a thread on LinkedIn to define the difference between someone for whom traditional publishing is the right choice, and the determined soul who prefers to self-publish. It all depends on what you want from your publishing experience: Ego strokes? Or money?
If you want the validation of being “chosen” by a publishing house, then go for it. That is a perfectly valid quest. It might be the whole reason you’ve undertaken this project, to boost something about your self-esteem and confidence that cannot be otherwise boosted. No one can fault that objective! We all love that.
For such an author, the traditional publishing house might represent something hallowed, or authoritarian (a teacher? a parent? an important arbiter of taste or status? something unfinished from a past lifetime?), and the quest to gain its approval is vitally important. We all, at some time or another, seek out such things, such proof, such reinforcement.
I do not denigrate anyone who chooses this as their goal; far from it! I just want you to recognize that’s your goal, and learn as much as you can about what you will and will not receive from this experience. Know what you’re going after. Hence, I’ve posted links to resources that will help to educate you about the traditional publishing industry, and the alternatives now available in the 21st century. Plus, some of you may wind up in the hands of a traditional publisher, even if you begin as a do-it-yourselfer. So it's wise to learn as much as you can about the old ways.
If, however, you want to make some money from your book, and have more control over how that is done and a larger share of your book’s profits, then you'll probably choose self-publishing. Only a rare few authors are going to earn extraordinary advances from traditional publishers (and there’s always time for that in the future), and it’s even more rare to earn back your advance and begin collecting royalties, after your publisher deducts all “expenses” and other things that only your accountant would understand. And those royalties will be small—from 10 to 12% for paper books.
Some publishers are beginning to offer 25% royalties on electronic books. As a comparison, Amazon currently offers self-publishing authors a 70% royalty option on Kindle editions.
But won’t a publisher provide more marketing, an in-house sales force, book tours, and promotions? you ask.
Ahh, dear friends, that is a dream that has evaporated. Only if your name begins with “Stephen King” or “James Patterson.” You’ll be relying on yourself to do your own marketing and promotions, whether self-published or traditionally published, except you’ll find it a lot easier to do when you have full control over details, such as having books available on the day of your special event. Please, do your research and prove me wrong if you can. Post your experiences in the comments section! Please.
You can do this too.
COMING IN PARTS 2 & 3:
Where & How to Self-Publish, Create Ebooks, and Market Your Work
* My credentials: Two published novels, former book editor, and author of a
zillion articles for major newspapers & magazines, plus short stories, with two nonfiction books in the pipeline
and more fiction on the way. Oh, and co-owner of Cosmic Visionary Music & Books, powered by my psychic transceiving abilities. Seriously.
** My husband: publishing, transceiving, and dance partner; CFO of CVMB; former book editor; gourmet
chef; and occasional co-author.
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