In a brave new world where online book publishing is slowly
taking over traditional methods, it is important for an author to do thorough
research before selecting a third wave company they will use to distribute
their product. Different publishing
companies can offer different packages, but in the end there are certain
aspects a writer needs to look for in every company when deciding which route
to go. These advantages will be much
different than that of a traditional publisher, so one has to do their research. Instead of analyzing the different businesses
on an individual level, let’s take a look at the perks and/or benefits that
every penman should ensure is included in their overall deal.
The publishing package as a whole is obviously what we are
analyzing here, but it’s important not to overlook some important key
points. In a traditional book publishing
company, the top 10% will get 90% of the attention. These are the bestsellers and/or have already
been extremely saturated in the marketplace and built their own brand and
following. They receive virtually all of
the marketing, promotion, copyedit, and overall general assistance from the
publishers. That being said, a third
wave publishing company does things a little differently.
With a print-on-demand company, an author will usually have
two different strategies. Some third
wave companies will offer an exclusive publishing deal. This means that whatever company the author
signs with will have the sole right to sell and distribute the book. This may not be such a good thing. Say the POD company decides to offer an
author an exclusive deal. Said author
agrees to the package offered, and the book explodes on the market. Considering up to 25% of an author’s income can
come from selling internationally, he/she decides they want to start selling the
book overseas in Europe. They go to your
publisher to come up with a plan, only to discover that their international
reach stops at Canada. However, since they
signed an exclusive deal, they’re stuck.
With that in mind, it’s vital as an author to make sure to ask as many
questions as possible so there are no limitations made by the chosen company’s
abilities to distribute. On the flip
side, many third wave businesses, especially start-ups, will offer a
non-exclusive deal. This gives the
writer freedom to sign with multiple distributors at their own discretion. This scenario is best, as it gives more
flexibility to grow along with the book.
In the end, manufacturing and distribution can be the most lackluster
topic to discuss but the most important, so be careful and ask a ton of
questions when choosing which POD to go with.
This topic really encompasses a little bit of each topic
that’s up for discussion. The better the
distribution, perks, design, marketing/promotional strategies, and general
support there is, the more customers a book will ultimately reach. With that in mind, there are a couple
specific distribution channels that will best reach the most customers. The primary outlet will most definitely be
e-books for any author looking to utilize third-wave publishing. Check to make sure the POD isn’t just selling
on Amazon or iBooks, but either utilizes multiple online outlets or allows you
the flexibility to sign with multiple distributors. Some online publishing companies will have
connections to traditional book stores as well, so that is important to note
and ask about. Furthermore, it is
important to know what, if any, wholesale distribution channels they are
connected with. Baker & Taylor and
Ingram are the two major wholesalers, so make sure they are included in your
publishing deal.
Obviously not everyone will be interested in paying
additional money on top of their basic fees for additional perks. However, some authors will be less
experienced than others and paying for the additional services could make or
break the book. Perks like press
releases, website design, copyediting, marketing/promotional resources, and
even copyright registration may all be additional services that an online book
publisher could offer for additional fees.
Keep these in mind as the search for the best publisher continues.
Let’s face it; most authors aren’t artists. They do their creative work through pen and
paper. So what happens when it’s time to
design the layout and cover of the book?
That’s where some online publishers can help. Many have their own creative department that
works with the authors to work up a design that best fits the needs of both
parties. These are almost always paid
services that are additional to the basic publishing deal, but often times they
are worth their weight in gold. The
layout of the book can affect the novel’s literary flow, and the cover can be
what makes one book stick out over another of the same niche.
This is often the most surprising aspect of online book
publishers. In comparison to traditional
methods, you see a lot of difference between the second and third wave
publishing. One thing they have in
common, however, is the lack of marketing and promotional work that the
publishers handle themselves. In the DIY
world that we live in, it’s almost always up to the author to market and
promote the book. That being said,
social media will be the best tool an author can use in order to get their book
out on the streets and in the general public’s mind. Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Blogger, a
website specifically set up to promote the book; all of these strategies are
low to no cost and can have a tremendous impact on the book’s overall success.
All and all, every one of these topics that has been covered
today all really falls under general support.
We all have to face the fact that, as new writers, most if not all of
the legwork in order to get the book off the ground will have to be done by the
authors themselves. Maybe that isn’t
such a bad thing, though. As we are
constantly preached as we grow up, hard work pays off and people appreciate things
more when they are the owner. In the
third wave world of publishing, this is most definitely the case. The question is, do you have the drive to
succeed in the fast-paced, cutthroat world of book publishing?
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