How to Publish a Book: Key Differences Between Publishing and Self Publishing

For many authors just starting out, it can be a confusing and overwhelming decision whether to self publish a book or to seek out a traditional publishing house. It is important to know that the decision you make can have a huge impact on the success, or the failure, of your book. There are many factors to consider, and the right decision is going to be different for every author and for every book.

Here are just a few key factors and publishing tips excerpted from Idea to Book to Success to help you make the decision of exactly how to publish a book:

Time:

When seeking a traditional publishing house to publish your book, you will soon discover that the book will be published according to the publisher's timeline. Publishing houses have a set production mandate and books are scheduled for publication far in advance. Often, books are signed on for publication one to three years before they are actually published.

When you self publish, the only timeline restricting the publication of your book is your own. You can take years to publish a book if you so choose. Or, if you work incredibly hard, you can have your book out on the market within months. You can take as much or as little time as you want or need to publish your book.

Control:

If you sign your book on with a publishing house, you must understand that it is now the publisher's book. As a new author you will likely be conceding to the wishes of the publisher when it comes to book title, design and cover. Also be aware that the responsibility of promoting and marketing the book will fall on your shoulders as well once the publisher has finished an initial, brief promotional push.

When you self publish a book, YOU are the publisher. This means you are solely responsible for coordinating the entire production of the book. You must find an editor, a designer, a distributor, a publicist, etc. When you self publish, you are forming your own publishing house and you are now in the business of publishing. You maintain all control and you publish the book the way you want to publish it.

Profit:

A publishing house signs books under the agreement of payment by advance and royalties. You will be paid a small sum of money up front as an advance on sales, and subsequently you will receive royalties once sales grow over and above your advance. Royalties are usually very small for new authors and are often as low as 5% of selling price.

Profit is definitely the biggest argument in favor of self publishing. If you self publish, the profits from your book sales are 100% yours. If you are willing to work hard to market and promote your book, you will reap the benefits of the sales. If you research carefully, plan properly and execute the right marketing strategy, there is no limit to the profit you can earn from your book sales.

As with any other business, you must properly research and plan to fully understand how to publish a book in order to be successful. If you publish the right way, the potential for success and profit is infinite.

© Copyright 2004 Ink Tree Ltd.

Ink Tree Ltd. helps authors publish, market and sell books. We have all the tools you need to succeed in book publishing. Let us help you make your book a success. http://www.inktreemarketing.com

---

Graphology - Unleash Inner Personality & Talent of Child

|| Graphology & Graphotherapy ||Everybody wants to know more about... Read More

Mind Mapping Your Journal Entries

Clustering, also called Mind Mapping, is a great way to... Read More

Top Seven Ways to Select a Book Topic That Sells

Authors need to write their book according to their target... Read More

The Best Freelance Job Boards for Writers

How many times have you checked out a job board... Read More

The Self-indulgent Writier

A writer can never be self indulgent whether writing fiction,... Read More

Taking the Free Out of Freelance Writing

When you run an online agency for freelance writers, editors... Read More

Whats in a Name? Giving Birth to your Characters

So you've got your plot outlined, a title lined up... Read More

Review In 29 Steps Plus One

I just finished to read a book. A story for... Read More

Is Horror Dead?

I've noticed a big shift away from traditional horror recently,... Read More

Understanding The First Rule Of Writing ? Before You Start The Great American Book

Chaos and confusion come when established rules and procedures are... Read More

Baby Boomers and Booklets ? Share and Share Alike

As one of those fabulous Baby Boomers, you now own... Read More

Business Writing Tip: Question & Answer Format

Traditionally, business writing uses the "one thing after another" format,... Read More

Is Your Title Compelling?

Short Story Writing Tips:Your title is your selling tool. It's... Read More

Learning to Question Your Elephant Child: Who, What, Where, When and Why

Having problems writing? I don't know why. San Francisco Chronicle... Read More

Five Tips to Find More Time for Your Writing Life

When I asked new ezine subscribers, "What is your Number... Read More

Top Ten Tips (Part 2)

Golden Rules For New Writers - Things you need to... Read More

The Prologue - When to Use One, How to Write One

What is a prologue? When should you use one? Should... Read More

Why I Write Horror

These are some of the snapshots I carry with me:... Read More

Are Writing Exercises Effective?

It was reported that the great American author Sinclair Lewis... Read More

Self-examination vs Self-indulgence

Self-examination is brutally honest. Self-indulgence is brutally maudlin.Writing requires the... Read More

Does Your Fight Scene Pack a Punch?

Long ago, movie directors mastered the technique of creating a... Read More

How Can You Find Freelance Work As A Writer?

For those looking at the jobs listings for writers, they... Read More

Be A Savvy Writer: Go Where The Business Is

If you're a writer, you're in business. It doesn't matter... Read More

Pairs/Groups Of Words Often Confused - Part 5 of 6

PASSED, PASTPassed is the past tense of pass. Past means... Read More

Writing Made Them Rich #2: Charles Dickens

Charles Dickens was born in Portsea, England, in1812. His father... Read More

You Cant Always Believe What You See On Your Computer Screen

You may not remember this, but in the early days... Read More

8 Ways to Improve Your Writing Immediately

Is it possible to improve your writing instantly? The answer,... Read More

Weaving Your Personal Statement Together

1. SECRETS TO SUCCESS2. MAKING A POWERFUL FIRST IMPRESSION3. AVOID... Read More

Top 5 Rules of English Grammar

Communication is effective when we follow certain rules. These rules... Read More

Writing New Ideas

Someone once commented that there were no new ideas to... Read More

How Three Publishing Myths Kill the Author

Agents and publishing houses have their best interests at heart,... Read More

How To Write Cover Letters That Work

Sometimes there is confusion about the exact meaning of the... Read More

Ten Tips to Help You Finish Writing Your Novel

1. Set aside a time to write and keep it... Read More