Have you been wondering whether you should submit your booklet manuscript to a traditional publisher? Many authors feel publishing will be much easier if they can just find a publishing house to take care of the work for them. But, there are some things you should know which just might make you rethink sending your work to a traditional publisher.
Few Publishers Accept Booklet Manuscripts
The majority of publishing houses in the U.S. are looking for full length books. Authors who are trying to have a full length book published can attest to the fact that even with many different publishers to choose from, it is difficult to find a publisher willing to give you a contract. There are more writers than publishers, and with a vast amount of manuscripts to choose from publishers can afford to be picky.
The Economy Has Forced Publishers To Publish Less Material
Newspapers and magazines that have been in business for years have shut down, and many bookstores have closed their doors due to the lack of consumer spending. This is one of the major factors which has forced publishers to cut back on the amount of manuscripts they will accept for publication. The other major factor is the rise in costs of paper and ink.
In the past, publishers could afford to take a chance on a newcomer to the publishing arena. Now, they want someone who has a proven track record. Publishers can no longer afford to take chances, no matter how good your manuscript may be. They are looking for a guarantee that your work will sell.
With Publishers It's Never About The Author
When you have a contract with a publisher, it's always about them. It's never about you. The publisher has to look out for their business, their stock holders, their employees, their profits, and their assets. Authors are a dime a dozen as far as the publisher is concerned, unless your name happens to be J.K. Rowling or you're a famous celebrity or you have a proven track record. Publishers are not concerned about running out of manuscripts to publish. There is more than an ample supply of those.
You, on the other hand, must be concerned about your business, your profits and your assets. You want and need to make money - something you can't do when the publisher is taking the majority of profits from your work. As the sole publisher of your work, you keep all the profit from every sale you make. There is nobody else telling you that they will take the lion's share and give you the crumbs that are left over. You get to keep it all!
Also, should you choose to self publish, you will keep control of your work. Did you know that a publisher can change the title of your work, make final decisions on cover design, and even decide when or if they will make your work available to the public? As the author of the work you might have little to no say in these decisions because the publisher is the one in charge, not you. You're simply an outside contractor. It's almost as if they think they're doing you a favor by accepting your work and publishing it, so they don't need to be concerned about asking your opinion on all the little details. They've been in the business a long time so they know what they're doing, right? If they know what they're doing then why are they having such a difficult time selling books in the first place?
Self Publishing Booklets Is Easy And Inexpensive
As much as booklets are quick to write, they're also very inexpensive to produce when compared with a book. Self publishing a booklet is easy. To publish your work simply means making it available to the public. So many people think there is some hidden secret to publishing a book or booklet, that you have to be an insider in the industry to know what to do. That idea has certainly kept the publishers in business for a long time. But, new technology has allowed authors to publish their work themselves, and shed light on the truth that publishers didn't want us to know - that anyone who wants to can do this!
Given that self publishing is easy and inexpensive, you can keep control of your work and keep all the profits, why would you even consider going through a publishing house?
Copyright 2009 Kim Hillman
Six time author Kim Hillman publishes the Writing For Riches With Booklets blog. If you're ready to jump-start your writing career, make more money and enjoy the success you've been dreaming of, get your FREE tips now at http://www.kimhillman.wordpress.com
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