Explore Your Publishing Options

 

By Terry Whalin @terrywhalin

The book publishing community is in constant motion and change. While they may not feel like it on the surface, authors have a great deal of control and options in this process. The roots of it are understanding your choices then making good ones. I admit is is not easy and there are lots of options. In this article, I want to help you explore your options and talk about some of the pitfalls. If you take one of the pitfalls you can waste a lot of money and time.  

Look at Your Assumptions

Many authors don’t explore their options because they have signed with a literary agent and expect this agent to connect them with a publisher. Agents do great work but they don’t sell 100% of their submissions. Is this agent giving you what you expect? If not, then talk with the agent and if that process isn’t satisfactory, then think about making a change. I’ve contracted books with authors who have spent a length time chasing an agent or working with an agent without results. During that period, their book could have been published and gotten out into the market--but they made some different choices and didn’t explore their publishing options.

Other authors have heard the advice, “Never pay to get published.” There is some degree of wisdom in that statement but it is not 100% correct in my view and this opinion can prevent you from exploring other possibilities.

Many Possibilities for Publishing

For many years I published books through traditional publishers. These companies produced attractive books and got them into bookstores. If you write a book proposal or have a literary agent or pitch the right person at a writer’s conference, you can still be published through a traditional house. This option is not without some cautions. You give up your “right” to title your book, when the book will release and many other publishing details. I speak with authors who are frustrated because their books are only on Amazon and not in the other online bookstores like Barnes & Noble or even Target. 

No publisher is perfect but if you hear these sorts of concerns from authors, they give you pause to work with these companies. Speak with people who publish with these companies and listen to their experiences before you jump in the wrong direction.

Self-publish is another option. Using this option is limiting in my view because you are responsible for every aspect of the creation, marketing and distribution of your book. If you do not choose wisely, you can spend a lot of money with little possible return. 

The independent or hybrid publisher is another possibility. For 12 years I’ve worked for Morgan James Publishing. If you google the name, you can easily find a few complaints. Here’s the truth, every publisher has people who complain about them. What I know from working on the inside of Morgan James Publishing is that our system is strong. Our books are sold around the world with an excellent appearance. In the last 21 years, Morgan James Publishing has produced over 5,000 titles or about 180 to 200 books a year. The reputation of the company for excellence is solid and has integrity. 

There is no cost (other than time) to the exploration process. I have authors who get a Morgan James book contract and decline it. Timing is a key part of the process and maybe it was not the right time for this author and this book. I’ve had a several authors return to me after months or even several years asking if Morgan James would now publish their book. I check with my colleagues and I discover the answer is yes. We revise our contract with a new date and anything else that has changed such as the author’s address. Then the author signs their contract and their book gets into production and scheduled for release in the bookstores. 

There are many different possibilities for publishing your book. My encouragement is to not place limitations on what you can or can’t do. Instead explore the options, make a selection and move ahead. There are many different paths but your consistency and perserverance make a huge difference in the process. If I can help you, don’t hesitate to reach out to me. What am I missing in this exploration process? Let me know in the comments below. 

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