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The Holy Grail: How to Get Your Book Published
I’ve been a book editor for a very long time, and I’ve rarely met a writer (or even a wanna be writer, if I’m being truthful) who doesn’t dream of publishing a book. Thanks to technology, it’s become easier than ever to get a book into print and into the hands of a reader. But understanding how the publishing marketplace operates and adjusting your expectations accordingly is essential to figuring out where your book fits best in this vast and ever-changing landscape.
There are three primary ways to get a book published nowadays, and in this very tight space I’ll outline them for you.
The first is the most romanticized and the hardest to achieve, and that’s being published by a big commercial trade publishing house like Simon & Schuster, HarperCollins, Penguin Random House or another of the “Big 5” legacy publishing companies. The odds of being published by a big New York-based publishing house, for most of us, are slim to none. That’s because these publishers have, by design, many barriers to entry, not the least of which is needing a literary agent to get your work in front of an acquisitions editor. But finding an agent can be a long and frustrating process, and even with representation, there are no guarantees of landing a book deal.
Trade publishers also expect authors to have a well-established and robust social media presence. This is especially true for nonfiction writers, where the number of followers, subscribers, and “likes,” you get may be as important as the content of your book. So, if after months, even years, you manage to land an agent, and if that agent does sell your book, you will not see publication for another 12-24 months. Maybe even longer. And a lot can happen during this time, including your editor leaving the house (this happens distressingly often), or the house itself being sold, or your book otherwise getting lost in the corporate shuffle.
A better option for many writers is to partner with a hybrid publisher. These houses are often run by trade publishing pros who saw an opportunity to bring books to market in innovative ways. This style of publishing is called a “hybrid” model because it offers some of the benefits of self-publishing (being quicker to market than trade publishing is just one of them) but, as with a trade house, it allows authors to be positioned on a curated list, enjoy “bricks and mortar” distribution of your work (which is a fancy way of saying your book will be available in actual bookstores, as well as on line), and other more traditional perks. What sets the hybrid model apart is that the writer invests his own time and dollars in the publication process and becomes a kind of co-publisher. The fees for hybrid publishing can be quite high, but your book will be professionally edited, the jacket and interior will be designed by pros, and the marketing and sales will be handled by industry vets.
This is by far the best model (in my opinion) for authors and experts who have the funds to make the initial investment and have the social media and audience reach needed to sell the book. Especially if their work is timely. (Think of the wellness influencer who is reaching thousands of people daily and regularly speaks on big stages.) The initial investment is offset by more favorable royalty rates, the author retains the rights to their work, and, importantly, she has meaningful, creative input throughout the production process.
The third, and by far the easiest way to become a published author is to self-publish your work. This is the lowest cost, fastest way to get your book out there, but it’s often the most frustrating for authors. This is because the digital marketplace is awash with thousands upon thousands of self-published books, and unless you are marketing your work effectively, yours can be difficult to impossible to find. Still, self-publishing is a great option for those of us who are writing what we call “friends and family” books: a memoir meant for the grandchildren; a family genealogical history; a collection of family recipes. This is also a great option for a writer who has written for a super niche audience, such as a specific crafting audience or other special-interest group. If time is of the essence, and your goal is to see your book in print, this is absolutely the way to go. Self-publishing can be super affordable, authors retain all their rights, are under no obligation to earn back an advance or even keep their book in print. Most self-published book are digital only, but with many print-on-demand options now available, it’s possible to have a print-run of one. And for some authors, that’s just enough.
So before you decide which model of publishing is best for you, I recommend you get really clear about your expectations, be realistic about your budget, and know your timeframe. Then talk to authors you know about their own publishing experience. And, if you think you might benefit from professional input, reach out to a publishing pro (like me or one of my fine colleagues) for insight and support while you make the exciting move from being a writer to an author.