What Does It Take to Be a Publisher?

Publishers come in all sizes, from huge New York houses to one-man bands who form their own companies to “publish” one or two books. In between are what is called independent or “indy” publishers who cater to certain specialized niches. Assuming the big ones are well versed in their craft and the indy publishers are expanding their education through the Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), I am going to focus on small, less experienced publishers.

Just saying you are a publisher is not enough to make you one. Most authors who decide to self-publish often have no idea what is involved in the process or what the requirements of the job are. To clear up any misunderstanding on this issue, the board of directors of IBPA drafted a checklist for publishers, posted it on its Website, and summarized it in an article in the IBPA newsletter. Added to that list are several important tasks suggested by author and self-publishing expert, Dan Poynter. Some are the responsibility of any publisher; others are implemented in concert with the author.

Technical Aspects

• Have manuscript edited and copy edited by two different editors before it goes into design.
• When the book is complete, send it out for review to peer reviewers. Take their critiques to heart and make changes.
• Have page proofs proofread by a different editor.
• Send out review copies of galleys to appropriate publications and reviewers. Mark them as Reader’s Copies. (Don’t send a printed book.)
• Secure an International Standard Book Number (ISBN) and an EAN bar code from R.R. Bowker.
• Apply to the U.S. Copyright Office for a copyright.
• Develop a business plan with a budget,
• Create a contract that spells out what the author does and what the publisher does.
• Deal with appropriate, industry-related vendors.

Printing & Distribution

• Get competitive quotes from printers (Be sure they are all bidding on the same specs), and choose the one that best meets your author’s needs, including, but not limited to, price.
• Research all options on digital printers, POD companies, and offset printers (for more than 1,000 book).
• Decide how you want to handle storage and distribution. You can do both if you have room and time, but choosing a professional distributor and fulfillment house may be a better alternative. (LightningSource, which deals only with publishers, is owned by Ingram, which is the largest distributor in the country. Most POD companies print and send books when they are ordered. Larger print orders usually require a distributor and fulfillment services.)
• Go over the printed books with a fine-tooth comb for appearance, quality, pages, printing—in short, everything. Don’t settle for less than perfect. The author assumes final responsibility by signing the printer’s release form.

Promotion

• Write a marketing plan. In its simplest form, a marketing plan starts with an overall goal for what you want to accomplish, strategies for how you plan to do it, and specific tactics or actions you will take, with target dates and estimated costs.
• Create a promotional piece, bookmark, or brochure.
• Put together two mailing lists—one for regular mail and one for e-mail. You should already have one, but this is the time to hone and add to it.
• Develop a Website before the book is published to build an author platform and interest in the book.
• Create a blog to build interest for the book’s topic and keep readers informed of the author’s progress.
• Request testimonials to include in the book, on the cover, and in promotional materials.
• Do a promotional mailing to snail-mail and e-mail lists to announce publication of the book.
• Set up a “media room” on your Website so that media people can find the information they need in a form they can use.
• Encourage author to write articles on the book’s subject; submit to print publications and on-line article sites. There are countless such sites, but the undisputed leader of the pack is ezinearticles.com.
• Explain to author that book promotion as an ongoing, full-time job. The more promotion, the more successful the book will be.
• Work with author to develop fresh ways to repackage the content; develop “spin-off” products (CD, DVD, reports, mini-books, Podcasts, eBooks, Website content).

There are many books and Websites on publishing and self-publishing. This list covers the basics. As a publisher, you should work closely with your authors to produce a quality book and let the world know it exists.

The Changing World of Publishing

The publishing world is constantly changing; and as it does, the choices available to new authors change right along with it. Once upon a time, an aspiring nonfiction author had two alternatives: an established, conventional publisher, often in New York; or "vanity press."

Traditional publishing has always been a tough nut to crack for unknown writers, though sometimes a first manuscript miraculously attracts the attention of an editor and becomes a published book. Vanity press, which "publishes" (prints) anything authors are willing to pay for, quickly developed a reputation for poor-quality books. Unfortunately, the reputation attached itself to self-publishing, which is quite different.

Traditional publishers are having their own problems. There are fewer than there used to be, and the ones that have survived are struggling to make a profit, small as it may be. So, they tend to stick with tried-and-true authors. Not only are publishing houses competing with each other, they are also up against the ever-expanding world of ePublishing. According to Amazon, eBooks are now outselling print books. That doesn't even take into account all of the eBooks that are given away. No one is making any money on those.

They say everyone has a book inside. I believe that because many would-be authors take my classes, hoping to defy the odds. One of the first questions I ask my students is how do you plan to publish your book? Most don't know, or if they have a preference, they have no idea what is involved

Two important points

1. It is possible to have your book published by a traditional publisher; but you must understand the process and be prepared to invest time, effort, and some money.
2. Self-publishing is not the same as "vanity press." You can produce an excellent book yourself, but you must be aware of the wide array of available methods and make informed decisions about which one is best for you. Again, this requires time, effort, and money.

Conclusion


If you want to produce a quality book, there are prescribed steps to follow. The steps may take a few months or more than a year; they may cost you a modest amount or a large sum. As an author, this is not something you want to leave to chance or other people's whims. My advice: Educate yourself.

The books have arrived!

I am looking at a carton of books on my office floor—eight-five copies of Words To Live By—the culmination of six months of effort and the beginning of at least another six months of intense promotion. This slim little volume (only 124 pages) has consumed my thoughts and much of my time since last November when the idea first struck me. Just in case you are a new reader of "The Writing Life," I will explain my motivation for going through every stage of planning, writing, publishing, and promoting this book on my blog. Besides feeling that it was time to write a memoir of my career, I wanted to demonstrate that the six-step process I teach really does work.

So far, I have learned more about the stages of writing a book than I ever imagined possible, despite having written many other books in the past. Here are only a few of the most recent lessons:

1. Once I started, I became obsessed with writing. The book became of kind of "presence" that demanded every bit of the time and attention I would give it.
2. From the first page, it became obvious I needed an editor; there was no way this book would have been anything by a rambling recollection without the steadying influence of my sister, Judy.
3. Actually, I had four editors: Judy for content and style; Bobette for grammar and punctuation; Lois for final, microscopic copy editing; and Terry for one last look.
   
4. There were dozens of decisions to be made along the way. The most important was choosing a professional book designer, Peggy Nehmen, which was a smart and absolutely essential investment. (Having gone through this process I know I will never again attempt to "design" a book on my own.)
   
5. The road to self-publishing can feel like a confusing maze if you don't have a guidebook. I recommend Dan Poynter's The Self Publishing Manual, Peter Bowerman's The Well-Fed Publisher, and Mark Levine's The Fine Print of Self Publishing.
   
6. Choosing a printer, publisher, or author services company requires research. This is often a case of not knowing what you need to know until after the fact. I had chosen CreateSpace before I heard Mark Levine speak and bought his book. Other than a few glitches, so far I'm happy with the results.
   
7. Deciphering the instructions, links, and costs on a publisher's Web site almost drove me crazy. I registered for LightningSource but couldn't get through their layers of requirements. I finally gave up.
8. Self-publishing does not literally mean alone. It takes a team of "professional partners" to accomplish all of the phases of writing and publishing a book. I could never have done this without my fabulous team, which also included talented writers who were willing to read the manuscript and write testimonials.
   
9. What can I say about a printer's proof except read it several times, have it copy edited again, mark it up, make changes, upload a new file, and get another proof until it meets your standards. (Unfortunately, it will never be perfect, no matter how many times you read it .) I went through three or four proofs before I finally hit the button that said "Proof approved. Submit for publishing."

Of all of my books, I have to say this one has been the most personal and the most fun. It is also the most attractive, inside and out. I wrote it in less time than the the allotted six months. In fact at the end of six months, I held a published book in my hand. It is a small book—exactly the size I would advise a first-time author to write. I am excited about Words To Live By and very grateful to all of you who followed my progress since last November. Thank you providing the support every author needs to get through this process.

The Who, What, When, & Why of Book Proposals

When I teach classes in how to write a nonfiction book I always stress the importance of developing a book proposal first. I usually get the same reaction: “Is that really necessary?” The answer is an unequivocal, “Yes.” And here are all the reasons why.

What is it?
A book proposal is the most important and most difficult step in the book-writing process. It is your road map on what can be a long and complicated journey. A book proposal is a work in progress. It grows and changes until the moment you send it off to an agent or publisher or you decide it is as good as you can make it.

Why is it important?
If you are interested in conventional publishing or are looking for an agent to represent you, you must have a book proposal. It may range in length from a tight cover letter to a 25-page document, but it will contain the same information and is a nonnegotiable step in the process. A proposal answers the most important question: Do you really have a book, or should you just write an article and let it go at that? A proposal organizes your thoughts, helps you think through every aspect of your book, and provides the foundation for everything else you will write.

When should you write it?
Since this is a planning document, the proposal should be written, at least in part, before you write a word of the book. But there are authors who insist on constructing it after the book is finished, when they realize they are going to need the information it will contain. So, whether you write it first or last, eventually, you will have to write some version of a proposal.

Who should you send it to?
If you are planning to self-publish, you won’t send to anyone, though you will keep it and refer to it many, many times. If you want your book published by a conventional publisher of any size, you will send the proposal to a literary agent, an acquisition editor, or directly to the potential publisher. To find an agent or publisher who is interested in your subject matter or genre requires research. Sending it out to “the world” is a waste of time, energy, and postage.

What should it contain?
The form of your proposal may vary; sections may be in a different order; but no matter what its length or organization, an effective book proposal must answer these questions:

1. Why are you writing this book? What do you hope to achieve?
2. What is your book about (in one or two sentences)?
3. What are your qualifications for writing this book? What is your specific knowledge, experience, or expertise in relation to your subject?
4. Why is this an appropriate and timely topic? What’s the big picture, the context? The political or social environment? In other words, why this book, now?
5. Who are your target readers? What do you know about them? What do they read, do, watch on TV? Where do they surf on the Web?
6. How will your audience benefit? What problem will your book solve or questions will it answer? What will readers learn?
7. How will you reach them? Where are they likely to buy this book?
8. How big is the market? How many potential readers are there? How many books can you sell? How do you know?
9. What else is out there on this subject? How is this book unique/special/important?
10. How will you help to promote your book? Publishers need to know; you need a plan. What connections in the world will help you get the word out?

Those are the reasons you should think through and write a book proposal, no matter how you are planning to publish and promote your book. Everything you write will be used in the book. Nothing will be wasted. Nothing is more worth the effort.

4 Ways to “Self-Publish” Your Nonfiction Book

Time magazine had an article in its most recent edition about self-publishing, and I think every one of my clients has read it. While the article dealt mostly with fiction, there is no question that self-publishing is also a viable option for nonfiction authors. So, in response to all the questions arriving in my e-mail, here are some things you should know about self-publishing.

You do everything a publisher does, and you pay for all of it. On the other hand, if there is a profit after expenses, you keep it. you are in control, creatively and financially. The book is yours; you make all the decisions. Depending on the approach you take, you can make a lot of mistakes and spend a lot of unnecessary money if you don’t know what you’re doing. Finally, no matter how you plan to publish, to attract buyers, your book must have a catchy title, eye-catching cover, solid content, and excellent writing. Here are four approaches:

Self-publishing: the "right" way
There are many steps involved in this approach. As a self-publisher, you are responsible for printing, warehousing, marketing, and distributing your books. For help, check out Independent Publishers Association (PMA) or its local chapter in your city. The guru of self-publishing is Dan Poynter, whose book, The Self-Publishing Manual: How to Write, Print and Sell Your Book, has become the bible for self-publishers. He describes this process in great detail.

Technical steps

• Begin by forming your own publishing company. Create a fictitious name to lend it some credibility.
  
• Download or send for copyright forms; file them with U.S. Copyright Office .
  
• Check into the need for local business licenses; apply for them if necessary.
  
• Secure an ISBN (International Standard Book Number) and an EAN bar code from R.R. Bowker.
  
• Get competitive prices from printers.
  
• Decide how you want to handle storage and distribution.
  

Creative steps

• Start with a great title and subtitle. You might want to hire an expert to guide you. One of the best is Sam Horn.
  
• Have your book cover designed by a graphic designer who specializes in books.
  
• Have your manuscript edited and copy edited (two different processes).
  
• Send bound galleys to peer reviewers.
  
• Request testimonials for various promotional uses.
  

Marketing steps

• Write a marketing plan. It is never too early, and you can always add to it as you go along.
  
• Create a promotional piece or brochure. Have your book designer do it.
  
• Put together a mailing list.
  
• Do a promotional mailing.
  
• Develop a website for your book.
  
• Create a blog about your subject matter.
  
• Write articles, and submit them to print publications ans online article sites, such as EzineArticles.com, Amazines.com, or ArticleSnatch.com.
  

Print on demand (POD/Subsidy Publishers/Author Services)
POD is a digital technology that prints anywhere from one to 1,000 books at a time. The rest of the time, your book is stored as a digital file on a large server. This eliminates the need for large press runs and storage space. The appeal of POD companies — such as BookSurge (owned by Amazon), AuthorHouse, iUniverse (owned by Barnes & Noble), InfinityPublishing, LuLu, Xlibrus, and PublishAmerica — is that they offer a variety of packages to authors. The set-up fees and cost per book or per page vary from publisher to publisher, so it’s a good idea to shop around. Obviously, the quality of the books produced this way runs the gamut. It is up to you to ensure that your book meets the same high standards demanded by conventional publishers.

Here are few other things to keep in mind:

• POD companies charge an up-front fee, which can be as high as $1,500.
  
• Most POD companies have strict guidelines for format, size, and pricing.
  
• There is an additional charge for editing and marketing; and, in some cases, purchase of the marketing package is mandatory.
  
• If the company designs the covers, it owns the cover design.
  
• Wholesalers and retailers may not buy POD books because they are non-returnable, higher in price, and often lower in quality.
  
• The ISBN number is often in the company’s name, not the author’s, making the company the publisher of record.
  
• After an initial number of complimentary books, you must purchase copies of your own books at about 40 percent of retail.
  

Start with a printer
This is something you would do as a self-publisher, of course, but it’s a less complicated process. Some printers provide the ISBNs and bar codes at a slight additional cost. One is NoWaste Publishing in Fenton, Missouri, which printed the last two editions of How to Write a Nonfiction Book: From Concept to Completion in 6 Months. You can do as much or as little of the self-publishing process as you like with this option. I uploaded my book to amazon.com, featured it on my website, made it the centerpiece of my blog, wrote articles based on its content, and printed only what I could afford and store.

Use LightningSource
LightningSource is a digital printer that prints books for publishers, as opposed to individual authors. You would have to create a publishing company to take advantage of their services. Ironically, the big POD houses farm out their printing to LightningSource, so they may be printing your book whether you realize it or not. LightningSource:

• is owned by Ingram, the largest book wholesaler in the US
  
• will automatically get your book into Borders, Barnes & Noble, and Amazon
  
• charges a single, upfront set up fee of $500, and then you only pay for what you print
  
• sells internationally
  
• prints in black and white and color, hardback or softback
  
• will print anywhere from one book to 10,000