So you have written a book or are thinking about writing a book, and you want to have it printed. Do you know where to start?
There are approximately 500,000 printers and book publishers in the United States and no two are alike! So what are your options? Any alternatives?
You can: Option 1: Do it yourself also known as self-publishing or vanity press. Please note the following concerning self-publishing.
Option 1: The US National Endowment for the Arts, in its instructions to applicants defines vanity press “as one that does any of the following: requires individual writers to pay for part or all of the publication costs; asks writers to buy or sell copies of the publication; publishes the work of anyone who subscribes to the publication or joins the organization through membership fees; publishes the work of anyone who buys an advertisement in the publication; publishes work without competitive selection; or publishes work without professional editing.”
A vanity press will generally agree to print and bind any author’s work if the author is willing to pay for the service; these fees typically form its profits. However, online on-demand printers also fit this definition as they publish without competitive selection.
Or Option 2: Work with a commercial publishing house. Please note the following concerning commercial publishing houses.
Option 2 In contrast, commercial publishers, whether major companies or small presses, derive their profit from sales of the book. Publishers must therefore be cautious and deliberate in choosing to publish works that will sell, particularly as they must recoup their investment in the book (such as an advance payment and royalties to the author, editorial guidance, promotion, marketing, or advertising). To better help sell their books, commercial publishers may also be selective in order to cultivate a reputation for high-quality work, or to specialize in a particular genre.
Because vanity presses are not selective, publication by a vanity press is typically not seen as conferring the same recognition or prestige as commercial publication. Vanity presses do offer more independence for the author than does the mainstream publishing industry; however, their fees can be higher than the fees normally charged for similar printing services, and sometimes restrictive contracts are required.
While a commercial publisher’s intended market is the general public, a vanity publisher’s intended market is the author.
What you really need is an ally who knows how to guide you through this selection process and can offer alternatives so that you end up with a quality end product and the exposure in the right or intended market.
[ Publication examples: Designed and produced the International Journal of Coaching in Organizations (IJCO) since it’s inception. Designed and produced Executive Coaching An Appreciative Approach co-authored by William Bergquist, Ken Merritt and Steven Phillips, 10 Themes and Variations For Postmodern Leaders and Their Coaches co-authored by Bill Bergquist and Agnes Mura and Who Is Wounding the Healers co-authored by William Bergquist, Suzan Guest and Terrance Rooney ].
In our next article we will discuss where to begin this often confusing journey and some alternatives as well.
This article was written by Donald R. Tramel, owner and vice president of Centura Design & Print Solutions, Inc. Please visit www.centura.biz or contact him by phone at 916.452.5395
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