Twice at our booth during the Los Angeles Times Book Festival, I heard authors say, “Self-publishing is the way to go—you do NOT want to give away all of your profits to a traditional publisher.” One turned to me and said, “Just like you said, don’t sell out to a publisher.”
I had to correct her because I did not make that statement. I think I know which publishing expert did, however.
Anyway, these blanket statements drive me crazy. One of the authors with this mindset was visiting our booth while I was trying to enlighten another visitor about his publishing options. She piped up with her opinion—loudly advising this visitor to self-publish and retain all of the profit for himself.
Sure this is valid advice for some authors, but certainly not all. It is a good option for some projects, but definitely not all. The reason why I do what I do is to help hopeful authors realize that there are options and to guide them in choosing the one that is right for them.
In publishing, there is no across-the-board right and wrong choice. The only thing that I advise every hopeful author is:
Study the Publishing Industry
Write a Book Proposal
Those of you who have been following this blog for a while, who have listened to me speak, who have attended my online courses, who have read my books and countless articles, know my position. After over 35 years within the realm of publishing and 16 years as a leader in Small Publishers, Artists and Writers Network (SPAWN), I teach and preach education for authors who want to enter into the fiercely competitive publishing field.
Know your options and the possible consequences of your choices. And understand your responsibilities as a published author. Do the work necessary to discover if your project is a viable product and how (if at all) it will fit into the market.
Folks, publishing is not about getting your dream book out to the masses. It’s not about your fantasy to be widely read. Sure, passion plays a role in the process. Without it, you wouldn’t have the motivation to do the writing. But if you want to be published, that passion must have some connection to the reality of publishing. That reality includes the fact that publishing is a business.
Which publishing option is the right one for you and for your project? This depends on your goals and your expectations. Tomorrow, I will go over those options and outline some of the pros and cons of each.
For more information about all aspects of publishing visit:
http://www.matilijapress.com
To learn about Patricia Fry’s services visit:
http://www.patriciafry.com