Now that you’ve written your novel, perhaps a lifetime dream, and now you’re looking to get it to book published.
What are you going to do from here?
You put the whole of your energy into writing, and I’m sure you also put in countless minutes editing or revising.
Any experienced expert will inform you that: All writing is the process of rewriting.
Writing alone, certainly, took several months, or even years. You did something very nobody else has ever done and that was to finish the book.
What now?
Perhaps you’ve conducted your research about the rules and regulations of publishing a book, but you’ve come across so many contradictory information that you’re confused.
What do you think is your next step?
I’ll share my top advice from more than 40 years of experience in publishing business. In this article you’ll discover:
- Steps to publishing your book
In essence it is possible to choose between two choices:
1-Traditional publishing
or
2–Self-publishing
Which one is right for you?
As someone who wrote and published more than 200 books in the 70s Let me guide you to make the right choice.
I’ll begin with definitions to ensure you’re aware of the terms you’re selecting.
Traditional Publishing
In this situation an author publishing firm offers you a contract that grants the rights for publication of your work. The publisher is the owner of the copyright, and you receive royalty through sales. In exchange, they’ll pay to cover everything, from proofreading to typing, proofreading binding as well as cover design and art marketing and warehousing, shipping billing and more. Traditional publishing houses take every one of the risks.
If a “publisher” demands to receive anyone from you, even a number of copies sold–they are certainly not a typical publisher.
They could refer to themselves as a co-op, or a Professional New York Publishers. They might even claim that they accept certain manuscripts while rejecting other ones however, the fact is that they’re certainly not traditional publishers.
Take note that even if have a publishing deal but it’s not completely hands-off. You’ll still need to be involved in promotional and marketing activities.
The Pros of Traditional Publishing
- No cost out of pocket If your submission is accepted.
- Greater exposure.
- Advance royalty payments. Many publishers provide an advance payment for royalties (which remain yours to retain, regardless of the sales) However, the amounts differ.
- A professional team is responsible for the editing, proofreading, and design of your publication.
- Another team handles promotion and marketing.
Cons of Traditional Publishing Cons of Traditional Publishing
- I’m not going to sugarcoat it -the chance to get an author deal isn’t common. The thousands of writers who want to be published send publishers and agents proposals each day.
- It’s a long process — ranging from nine months to as long as two years from signing the contract before releasing the book, and that’s not even counting the time it takes to locate an agent as well as for an agent to get an agreement.
- You could have input in the creative process but have little control over the outcome. Traditional publishers assume all financial risk and therefore reserve the right to make final decisions regarding everything from the interior design and cover to the book’s title, pricing and even promotion. While a lot of these aspects can be negotiated, the only option in the event of a deadlock is to cancel the book. They’d like to make sure you’re happy however, they are the ones who have the final say on every aspect.
- A lot of writers underestimate the income potential. Although you may read about multi-million-dollar bestsellers, they are just as rare than lottery wins. The majority of books fail to contribute to the royalty advance, and therefore don’t pay any more.
Self-publishing
No matter what service or supplier you choose to use to get the book published, this choice is often called self-publishing.
Why? because everything is dependent on you. You can bathe publisher and financier, the final decision-maker, and also the creator. Everything that is listed below under Traditional publishing is yours. You determine who is responsible for it, you decide whether or not to refuse the work of others, and you are the one to pay.
The phrase self-publishing is somewhat of a misnomer since what the cost is not printing, but rather publishing.
So, the question is why you should pay to have your name publishedif you can be paid in order to get printed?
The Pros of Self-Publishing
- Anyone is able to make it happen. The final product will look professional and your cost per book is far less expensive than it was. Print-on demand technology allows cost-effective printing, meaning you can purchase as little than two to three copies at once for the same price per book as you’d be paying for hundreds.
- The publishing timeframe is yours to decide. It is possible to publish nearly immediately on the internet.
- The editing process is yours to control.
- You are in control of the interior and cover design.
- You decide the price.
- Following expenses, your money is yours 100.
Cons and Cons of Self-Publishing
- Anyone could make it happen. The market is crowded with self-publishers, and literally thousands do it every day.
- The entire process falls on you from page numbers, to fulfilling orders. If you don’t do it, it doesn’t get done.
- Lower visibility and less exposure. Although local bookshops may display your book for sale but only a handful of other stores will regardless of what distribution companies say they will. They might show it to thousands of stores on an online calendar but they’re not selling the book to those. Experts say that only five percent out of books published books ever make it onto the shelves of bookstores.
- Self-publishing companies promise the world and usually deliver little. Do your homework. Ask for suggestions. Ask questions.
No matter which method you pick you prefer, there are some actions that all authors need to follow to be published.
Eight Steps for publish a book
- Finish your first draft
Obvious? Yes, but only an only a few get to achieve this level of achievement.
- Find an awesome title
Start with a draft name, however, don’t finish it until the initial draft is finished.
- Get feedback and edits
You must differentiate yourself from your competitors and ensure your work is the top it can get. Publishers and agents reject manuscripts that require too much work.
- Get a stunning cover
Your book’s cover is the most crucial marketing tool. Your publisher is aware of what will sell. If you self-publish, make sure to invest in a professional design.
- Write a strong book description
A great cover will make readers interested enough to buy your book. The book’s description is what seals the deal.
- Your manuscript should be formatted
A poor formatting style makes you appear like a novice So, do it right. Take a look at the suggestions in my article, How to Write an Effective Book.
- Plan a launch strategy
The launch strategy you choose to use helps increase excitement and sales of the most books you can after it’s out. Your publisher will assist in this regard however they can’t be able to do everything.
Create advance Reader Copies (ARCs) and send them out to those on your list of email addresses, colleagues and any influencers that you know to send review for Amazon and Apple Books during launch week.
- Promote your book
The work doesn’t end once the publication of your book It’s just beginning. Plan out a strategy that will aid you in promoting your book regularly.
Book publishing to the point where they can market their work to Professional New York Publishers has become my life’s work. Even if you decide to self-publish, your writing should meet that standard.
