people often asked how they can get published, and many assume that there is only one way – getting a publisher to accept your manuscript. Due to advancing technology and evolving trends in the publishing, bookselling and reading worlds, there are now many options. John Kremer, whose weekly (free) ezine on book marketing is always worth a read, has produced a list of eight ways to get your book into print:
"You have eight options in publishing a book:
1. Self-publishing. Getting your own printer, publishing your book, and marketing it. That's how I've published six editions of 1001 Ways to Market Your Books.
2. Set up your own publishing company. For example, my company: Open Horizons.
3. Print-on-demand printer. You self-publish but you use a POD printer to produce copies 1 to 100 copies at a time. For example, Lightning Source or AdiBooks.
4. Print-on-demand publisher. You pay a POD publisher to publish your book. For example, iUniverse, Lulu, Xlibris, Infinity Publishing, etc. For example, Infinity publishes John Kremer's Self-Publishing Hall of Fame (also available as an ebook download from BookMarket.com).
5. Sell rights to a small publisher and let them publish and promote your book. For example, New World Library, Santa Monica Press, etc. I sold the rights to High-Impact Marketing on a Low-Impact Budget to Prima Publishing (now part of Random House).
6. Sell rights to a large publisher and let them publish and promote your book. For example, Simon & Schuster, Random House, etc. I sold rights to The Complete Direct Marketing Sourcebook to John Wiley.
7. Self-publish your book only as an e-book. For example, my new ebook on distribution: Book Marketing 105: Choosing a Book Distribution System — This vital mini-guide includes criteria for deciding how you will distribute your books. Also includes complete information on 30 book distributors, 4 library distributors, 89 book publishers who also distribute for other publishers, 3 sales representatives to the chains, 27 bookstore wholesalers, 34 library wholesalers, and 23 Spanish-language wholesalers. Plus a sample book distribution contract. Ebook download, $30.00.
8. Blog your book. Rather than publishing your book on paper, you could simply blog it using a free or paid online blogging service. I'll be doing several books like this in the coming months."
John adds that he could write a book about each option. Each has pros and cons, and apart from major strokes of luck each option needs some (actually, quite a lot of) knowledge to get the best result for you. The option you choose will depend on your objectives, your personality and the book(s) you want to publish. As John points out, he has used different options at different times.
You will hear stories of being stung - or completely screwed - by hard nosed or (at worse) amoral operators, be they mainstream or niche. You will also hear stories of happy experiences and successes ranging from the modest to the headline-grabbing.
Some of it is luck, most of it is about hard work, research, and contacts. There is masses of information – much of it honest and helpful – on the net and on bookshelves; there are lots of people in the publishing, writing and selling worlds who are generous with advice and concrete help.
The aggravating facts are that no-one but you can make the decision; that whichever route you go for, it will mean lots of work; and that before you talk to anyone in the publishing world it's essential to have done your initial research. t the very least, this means snooping around bookshops, online or 3D, to see what's already out there, and to see what the fashions are in book design, hot topics and so on.
You can sign up for a free sub to John Kremer's book marketing ezine at http://www.bookmarket.com
