Writing and Publishing News

While there are more people making better decisions with regard to their book projects, STILL hopeful authors are taking unknown, treacherous roads in hopes of finding publishing success. They begin their journey without a map, blindly rushing here and there in hopes of locating the entrance through which they can follow their dreams. They either stop at the first place that offers them what they think they want or they choose the wrong fork in the road.

They say to themselves, “I could spend time learning more about the publishing industry or I can pick door number one—that nice publisher that will do all of the work for me and hand me a published book in a few weeks.” Door number one is oh, so tempting. Authors reason, “I’ve put in some hard months writing this wonderful book, why should I take any more time chasing after a publisher when this company wants to publish it NOW? And all they want is a few thousand dollars. I can afford that!”

Fast forward a year or so and you’ll find that author finally doing the work he should have done initially. He has a published book, all right, but things are not popping in his world like he thought they would. He has sold few books. The company has sold none. He gets so little profit from each book that he isn’t motivated to put much effort into promoting them. Besides, he truly hasn’t found an audience that embraces his book. It doesn’t seem to be of interest to those he thought would buy it. Friends have pointed out a few errors in his book and he’s disappointed that the editor he paid extra through the publishing company didn’t catch them. He’s also upset that the publisher won’t let him out of his publishing contract so he can start over and maybe take the other fork in the road.

Since publishing his book, he has had time to do a little research. He has joined a couple of publishing organizations and he’s begun to read some articles about publishing. He now realizes that he didn’t enter into publishing with the right stuff. In fact, he is kicking himself because he approached publishing like such an amateur—not realizing it was big business and that there were so many sharks just swarming to get his money.

He desperately wants to start over—to make some better decisions—and he is beginning to gather the information and facts he wishes he had collected before he went with the first company that expressed an interest in his project.

Now, however, he is stuck in a contract he can’t get out of—that is, without turning over another chunk of money.

If only… How many of you are seeking a publisher for your amazing book? Please, do not make the same mistakes this author and hundreds and hundreds like him have made. Here’s the wisdom for the day:

Study the publishing industry so you know what your options are, the possible consequences of your choices and your responsibilities as a published author.

And write a book proposal so you will know that you are writing the right book for the right audience.

I’m going to add, hire a good book editor for your project.

For more about how to navigate the treacherous publishing waters, read my book, The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book. http://www.matilijapress.com/rightway.html

Copies of my ebook, 50 Reasons Why You Should Write That Book, are flying off of the Matilija Press shelves—actually, through the Internet waves. Order yours FREE at http://www.patriciafry.com

This entry was posted on Monday, January 17th, 2011 at 5:19 am and is filed under Publishing. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.