Writing and Publishing News

Most unaware authors want an easy publishing option—a quick and painless way to produce the book of their dreams. And that’s where the pay-to-publish companies come in. Most of them have packages you can choose from, friendly representatives to work with you and/or easy-to-navigate do-it-yourself websites. Once he signs a contract with one of these companies, there’s little for an author to do but wait to hold his finished book in his eager hands.

When that day comes, and after the celebrations cease, he will, perhaps, build a website focusing on the theme of his book. He will email or visit friends and colleagues to tell them about his book, but he is confident that the “publisher” will spread the word through the promotional plan he signed up for. All he has to do now is wait for folks to start responding to the press releases and collect “royalties” from the books sold through online and regular bookstores. From his point of view and based on what the “publisher” told him, he is half way toward a comfortable retirement. And he goes to work on his next book.

Gosh, that sounds like heaven to a writer, doesn’t it? Of course, this author has paid thousands of dollars to the “publishing company,” but, on paper, he can see that money being recouped relatively quickly. His only concern now is which of those books that are dancing around in his imagination will he write next.

And that is the reason why over 76 percent of books today sell fewer than 100 copies.

This author’s book isn’t going to be sold through any brick and mortar bookstores, even though he may have paid as much as $800 for a return policy. The press release campaign will generate very little interest in his book. In fact, he may have to go back to work in order to continue paying his bills.

Such a shame—but it is, indeed, a story that is being told practically every day. How does an author bypass this trap? Here are my strong recommendations:

1. Study the publishing industry before getting involved. (Talk to other authors—lots of them, subscribe to publishing newsletters, attend conferences, join author discussion groups and networking organizations, and read books by professionals in the industry.) Learn ALL of your options, the possible consequences of your choices and become familiar with your responsibilities as a published author.

You may still decide to go with XYZ pay-to-publish company, but you will be doing so armed with knowledge and prepared to do your part to help your book succeed. Never, ever leave book promotion up to a company like this. Always take responsibility and action on behalf of your book.

2. Write a book proposal. This will teach you a lot about what you need in order to succeed as a published author and it will tell you whether you have a valid book project or not.
Start by reading my book, The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book to help you better understand the world of publishing and book marketing. I am so sure of the value of this book to your publishing project that I am willing to send the ebook version to those of you who absolutely cannot afford to buy a print copy. Contact me here: PLFry620@yahoo.com.

It seems that the memo should have gone out to everyone who is writing a book and who has ever thought of writing a book—“The first step to a successful publishing experience is studying the publishing industry.”

I’ve been vocalizing it and writing about it ever since the huge increase in publishing options. My colleagues also shout it from the rooftops. “Study the publishing industry BEFORE getting involved in book publishing.”

But still there are hopeful authors with what they feel are genuinely wonderful books diving into this fiercely competitive business without so much as a clue about their options, the possible consequences of their choices and their responsibilities as published authors. They know what they observe and what they read/hear from the media—they know that there are thousands of books in bookstores, that people read books while waiting for their flights, that authors are getting paid big bucks for their books. They view the publishing industry as an outsider—as a casual observer. And this is a rather distorted and narrow view of the industry.

When they decide to delve further and check the Internet for publishing opportunities, the first links that pop up belong to some of the biggest pay-to-publish companies—Xlibris, Authorhouse, PublishAmerica… The sites seem informative. The responses seem friendly and caring. AND they love your book. (Unbeknownst to you, they even loved the error-riddled, poorly written, poorly organized mystery by the woman with a 3rd grade education and the not-so-charming tell-all by the man with no writing skill and a grudge.)

When a company earns its money producing books and not on sales, they are generally going to publish anything. And some of them will tell you anything to get you to sign with them.

Over the years, I’ve heard enough negative stories about dealings with some of these companies to fill this daily blog for the next 10 years—only the stories are basically all the same. Hopeful author meets would-be publisher. They “marry” and produce a book. While the author is in heaven for a short time, soon things go all to hell. The baby book is much harder to raise than the author thought—especially with the restrictions placed upon it by and the stigmas evident around the parent company. The baby book never had a chance in this environment. And the cause for the failure of the book is generally always the same–the author did NOT do his/her homework.

Again—if you plan to write a book or if you are close to launching one, start the process NOT by signing a contract with what appears to be a wonderful company who will make it super easy for you. Publishing and book promotion are just about as easy as birthing and raising a child. If you find an easy path to successful publishing, run the other way.

So what should you do? Study the publishing industry! Learn what all of your options are. If you ultimately decide to go with a pay-to-publish service, make sure that you understand their contract fully. Hire a publishing or literary attorney to explain it to you. If there is anything that bothers you question it until you are sure about it—get it in writing! What might bother you? The enormous fee to make your book returnable so bookstores will carry it…HOGWASH! Or the fact that this company is the only one who can get your book into online bookstores, such as Amazon…Nonsense!

See, I told you that you have a lot to learn by studying the publishing industry. Start today—order my book, The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book. http://www.matilijapress.com/rightway.html