Booknolia

As I mentioned in my last blog, the first step to becoming an author is to write the book. However, it’s a common myth that your labor ends there. Writing the book is an important first step (if you write non-fiction you only need to write a couple of chapters and a book proposal). However, the second important step is getting published. There are two ways to get published:

The traditional route

This involves finding an agent, or, if it’s a small publisher, contacting the publisher directly. Big publishers (e.g., Random House) won’t talk to you unless you have an agent. Small publishers will consider drawing up a contract directly with the author. The advantage of this route is that you get immediate distribution and credibility. The disadvantage is that most first time authors don’t get any marketing support from their publisher and you get a poor economic deal. To go this route, pick up a book like The Writer’s Market.

Self-publishing

There are three ways of doing this:

The first (and the easiest, with the least capital outlay) is to use a Print On Demand (POD) publisher. There are several to consider, including Lulu, Blurb, iUniverse, Lightning Source, and AuthorHouse. The advantage is the low capital costs and the turnkey solution. The disadvantage is that there is limited upside potential and many bookstores won’t stock the book because you won’t be able to offer it at a sufficient discount.

The second way is to create your own publishing company and outsource whatever you want (e.g., cover design, internal layout, editing). You’ll need to spend at least $10,000 to get the book printed in quantities that are meaningful (at least 3,000 copies). The advantage is that your per book price is low and so if you sell out all your copies, you’ll make a lot of money. The disadvantage is that you have to be good at business and capable of spending up to $20,000. Buy The Self-Publishing Manual if you’re interested in this route.

The third way is to publish an eBook. The market for eBooks is doubling every year. The advent of Amazon’s Kindle device (along with the Sony eBook Reader) is making eBooks more popular than ever! The advantage is that it won’t cost you much to make your book available digitally. The disadvantage is that you will be limiting the exposure of the book since most people still prefer a traditional physical book.

Which is the best way to get published? Join Booknolia and ask our authors! Authors at Booknolia come from all backgrounds. Some of gone with the traditional publishers, others the self-published route.

Congratulations on writing your book! Now go get it published! In the next entry, I’ll share step three to becoming an author.