The Publishing Process (Pt. 1)
Today I've decided to address something that I've struggled to understand--something you might be struggling to understand as well. A giant problem hiding patiently as you get closer and closer to reaching your goals.
Back in the days before I ever seriously considered becoming a writer, I asked myself, "so where do books come from, anyways?" I was told that people write the books, and give them to big companies that turn all those words into paperbacks or hardcovers. I thought that was all I needed to know, but now that my first novel's publication is right around the corner, I found myself asking that question again.
Just how does the whole publishing thing work, anyways?
Well, in this little 3-part series, I'm going to share with you all the things I've learned.
Pt. 1: TRADITIONAL VS. SELF-PUBLISHING
The first thing you need to know is that there are two ways you can turn your manuscript into a printed book.
One, you can publish traditionally. Hand that baby over to what I called a "big company" for them to do all the work for you, from the editing to the cover design to the bookstore placement.
Two, you roll up your sleeves and handle things yourself. You can hire different people for the things you don't know how to do, and make sure that everything is done just right. You're in charge.
Of course, it's not quite as simple as that. There are pro's and con's to both options.
You'll have to consider things very carefully before making your choice.
I'll put it briefly to start off.
If you publish traditionally with publishing houses like Penguin Random House or HarperCollins, you can make sure your book is handled by professionals. They'll do a lot of the work for you, and they'll do it well. Your book has more chance of ending up in a bookstore, too. But the main problem is, simply paying them the thousands of dollars they may ask for won't be enough. They'll go over your novel, and something you'll have to write that's similar to a cover letter. If they accept you, or if they don't, it's all up to them. And most first-time writers will get rejected. Even if you have really good luck and get accepted right away, the company will be taking a large part of what you earn. But hey, if your novel makes it big that won't be a problem for you, right? If.
So what if you prefer not to take those chances? What if you choose to self-publish instead? Well, don't go thinking that it isn't without its risks. For one thing, doing it all yourself is a lot more work. Especially if you're like me and know next to nothing about technical stuff. There's all that formatting and file transferring that needs to be done, all that designing and copy-editing. A ton of work is put into each printed book, and you'll really start to understand that. The smart thing to do, then, would be to hire some freelancers to do all the hard stuff for you. But how much money does a young person have, really? Professionals will expect to be paid handsomely. And even with paid professionals working on the bits and pieces of your novel, you'll still be the manager of it all. Sure, you have the control, and that can be great, but if you're inexperienced then things might not turn out how you want them to. Mistakes can be made.
Here's a chart I got from forbes.com that goes into all the messy details:
( https://www.forbes.com/sites/juliapimsleur/2014/11/04/traditional-publishing-vs-self-publishing/#607e48e14cd9 )
Try not to look at this pessimistically, though. It's good to face all these problems head-on. Don't worry too much, because once you know all the options it's easy to set up a plan B--and a plan B is important to have.
I know I haven't answered the question of what's better.
That's because it's for you to decide. Lots of successful authors have started out traditionally, just like lots stick with self-publishing. It's about what will work for you and your novel.
I hope all of you have an amazing day!
Before I leave, I've got news. If you've been interested in my book and its progress, you can now find out more by visiting my Facebook profile! Drop by and say hello, It would really make my day!
It's Kawiria Creed. I'm pretty much the only human being on the net with a name like that, so I won't be hard to find.
Once I figure out how, I'll see if I can connect the site with my Facebook. And for those of you who'd rather not drop by, it's okay, because when my book is getting published I'll announce it on the blog.
See you next week, when I'll be posting Part 2--'Who to Hire'!
