Paths to Publishing

You’ve written a book. You had an idea, you brought it to life, and you got it done. But where do you go from here? If you think you want to pursue publication, the first step is to educate yourself about the many paths that can get you there.

Self Publishing

Years ago, self publishing meant going to a print shop. In today’s digital world, self-publishing is much more efficient, and the most popular go-to resources are KDP and Ingram Spark.

KDP

stands for Kindle Direct Publishing, and as the name suggests, it’s owned by Amazon. The process is user-friendly, and your Kindle version and paperback are automatically attached to Amazon. Just know that if you had envisioned a hard cover, you won’t get one from KDP.

IngramSpark

is owned by mega-book-distributor Ingram, so they focus on retailers. That means friends and family members won’t be able to hop on the Ingram site and purchase your book. However, IngramSpark places your book on Amazon as well as other platforms, and if you want a hardcover, you can get one.

There are many reasons why you might choose self-publishing. Maybe you’ve written a memoir or family treasure that is intended for a very defined audience. Maybe you don’t want to slog through the process of submissions to agents or publishers, and you just want to make it happen. Or maybe you want to maintain control over your work.

Whatever the reason, if you decide that self-publishing is for you, and you want to know more about KDP and IngramSpark, check out this blog post from the FWA archives.

Hybrid Publishing

As the name suggests, hybrid publishing is something in between self-publishing and traditional publishing. The author retains control and gets a large portion (up to 100%) of net sales. However, the author also pays a large fee up front to secure the services of the publisher.

If you have money to spare, and you really want to get your book published, hybrid publishing might be for you. However, it’s probably not a good choice for building a career, and sales will be dependent upon the effort put in by the author. Be sure to read reviews and gather information about the publisher before you pursue the hybrid model.

Small Press

Small presses are very accessible for novice authors. They accept unsolicited manuscripts, so you don’t have to have an agent. They don’t pay advances, but they usually work with authors to publicize books, place them on sales platforms, and get them into independent bookstores. Even so, distribution is generally very limited.

Authors do not pay fees to a small press, and small presses generally have a higher royalty rate than big publishing houses because they have smaller operations and lower overhead. Usually, authors will have more control over the publication process as well.

Small presses are great options for novice authors who are interested in learning about the publishing industry while building a backlist. However, before signing any contracts, do your research, check out other works published by the small press, and read reviews.

Traditional Publishers

Traditional publishers pay advances and royalties. Because they are larger companies, they have strategies in place for marketing and distributing your book to a wide audience. Why wouldn’t everyone choose traditional publishing?

Well, it’s not easy. Some large publishing houses accept unsolicited manuscripts, but they receive a lot of them, so they are extremely selective and want to choose books that promise sales. Most large publishing houses require you to work through an agent. That’s especially true of the Big Five.

While the Big Five publishing houses – Penguin Random House, HarperCollins, Hachette, Simon and Schuster, and MacMillan – are longshots for novice authors, you just never know. The right agent, favorable winds, and a stroke of luck might align and make it happen. (And stay tuned, becaus if Penguin Random House and Simon and Schuster merge, the Big Five will become the Big Four, which seems like it would shrink the odds.)

Well, there you have it. There are many paths to publication, and each has its merits and its challenges. Ultimately, you will have to choose the path that is right for you. Arm yourself with knowledge, proceed with confidence, and most importantly, enjoy the journey!