Table of contents:
- Your Publishing Choices: Beyond the Traditional Path
- Hybrid
- Independent
- Author Services
- Do-It-Yourself
- Staying Out of Trouble
Many aspiring authors today believe their publishing options fall into two camps: traditional and self-publishing. That’s true, but there are many variations of the self-publishing business model.
As you likely know, traditional publishers require that you have literary agent representation and a comprehensive book proposal to even be considered. If a traditional publisher likes your concept and marketing plan, they may agree to publish your book, covering all of the production, printing, and distribution costs. You handle all of the marketing and promotion, and in exchange, you receive a portion of the profits, which are called royalties. On average, nonfiction books earn about $1/book in royalties.
Until, oh, about 25 years ago, this was your only path to publication. Vanity presses were around, but few writers opted to go that route.
Your Publishing Choices: Beyond the Traditional Path
Today, if you aren’t interested in pursuing a traditional book contract, you have several potential options by which you can self-publish.
By self-publishing, I don’t necessarily mean that you have to manage every step of the process, like a general contractor does when building a house, but that you control many more of the decisions than if you went traditional.
The main difference with self-publishing is that you pay upfront for all of the editorial and production work that the traditional publisher usually covers. You can also frequently produce your book faster than the 18-24-month window that many traditional houses quote.
Hybrid
If you self-publish, you can work with a hybrid publisher, which provides all the project management, editing, proofreading, cover design, interior design, printing, and distribution under one umbrella. You receive a lot of hand-holding and guidance with this approach, and for that, the hybrid press takes a percentage, usually in line with what agents charge — 15 percent.
Fees generally start around $20,000 and can exceed $100,000, depending on the level of marketing support you opt for.
Authority Publishing, Amplify Publishing Group, and Greenleaf Book Group are three hybrid presses I have worked with and recommend.
Independent
Or, you can opt to work with an independent publisher. This type of firm produces your book under their imprint, meaning their name goes on the spine of your book, though you can frequently ask to have yours there instead. You pay for the production expense, and they handle distribution on your behalf. You receive 100 percent of the proceeds.
Independent presses typically start around $15,000 and generally stay under $100,000, unless you’re envisioning a four-color, hard-cover coffee table book.
Jenkins Group is a terrific independent press that my clients have used.
Author Services
Another potential path is an author services company, which handles all of the editorial and production work and then sets you up as your own publisher.
Your book is uploaded to Amazon and to IngramSpark, from which you can order as many books as you want, as you need them. The books are produced by print-on-demand (POD), so you don’t have to stockpile cases in your garage. You pay upfront for production work and then pay IngramSpark separately for any printed books you need.
Author services providers typically start around $10,000 and can increase depending on the additional à la carte services you choose.
I met with 1106 Design today and was impressed with their operation. I wouldn’t hesitate to use them.
Do-It-Yourself
Finally, you can also opt to do all the work yourself. That means hiring an editor, proofreader, indexer, cover designer, interior designer, and formatter to prep your book. You pay them separately for their services, which you coordinate yourself.
You could probably cobble together a team to get this done for $7,500 on the low end, but I wouldn’t recommend it because of the time it will take to manage the process.
When it’s time to print, you can use an online platform like BookBaby or Lulu.
Staying Out of Trouble
The biggest risk of self-publishing is getting scammed, unfortunately.
There are now countless self-publishing service providers, and it can be difficult to discern which are legitimate and which will do a poor job or just take your money.
Generally, asking to speak with satisfied clients and to see samples of their work is one way to start to assess the quality level. An even better strategy is asking your colleagues which publisher they worked with, and then limiting yourself to those you know your peers approve of.
There is no one right way for you to publish. Your goal should be to find a publisher that fits your budget and provides the best quality finished product for that fee.
Ideally, your self-published book should look at least as good as traditionally published books in your category.