Going Electronic - What are Self-Publishing and Professional Publishers?

​Did you know that every time you print something off your computer, you are electronically publishing your writing? Of course, that’s not exactly what we are talking about, but it’s a fun thought. More seriously, there are times when self-publishing can be challenging but more cost effective in the long run and other times where printers can make the job more effective for the money you dish out. So how do you choose which method is the best? Let’s break down the two ways of getting published:

• How to reach a Self-Published Status – Each of these steps is important for getting published no matter what. But, there are companies out there that can help with the steps individually if you have problems in any of these areas.
  • Get Your Book Edited: This step is our fancy, offering editing and proofreading services before your book goes to press. But whether you let professionals handle your editing or you’d prefer to tackle it on your own, you’ll want to make sure your novel is in the most pristine shape before continuing with the publishing process.
  • Finish All Illustrations: Not everyone has illustrations in their books, but pictures can take up a chunk of time. Whether you create them yourself or have someone else create them, make sure you have all of them finished and looking the way you want.
  • Decide Your Designs: The great thing about books is their unique identities. Different fonts, layouts, colors and page designs – like swirls or checkers on every chapter page – gives more freedom for the pages to have some excitement or unique quality. The field is yours to command.
  • Getting Your Book Printed: Although you may can even do the printing yourself, I would highly recommend you let a more practiced hand do the actual printing. Many places, like BookBaby, CreatSpace or TheBookPatch can help you with printing for reasonable prices. But don’t be blind-sighted by the cost for publishing thousands of copies – it’s going to be a lot.
  • Sell, Sell, Sell: Once you have graced the spine and smelled the pages of your new book, it’s time to sell it. This can often take the longest time, but it’s the way to make sure people hear about your book. Approach libraries, talk to book stores and advertise online. Getting the word out is the primary goal here.
• Steps in Reaching Publisher-Printed Status – In the printing industry, you still have some freedom, but not as much as with self-publishing. But, the road to being printed is less bumpy and more likely to be received by stores. In this instance, stores are a lot like we are about brand name items at grocery stores. People are more comfortable buying a product they know will work. In the same way, book stores are more at ease when a publishing house approaches them than an individual about chancing a book to sell in their store.
  • Make Sure All Editing is Done: Whether you use D&R WordSmiths, another editing service or ask friends and family to help, make sure your work is in its best shape before sending out to publishers or agents. If you want to learn more about our prices on editing or proofreading, visit our Services and Pricing page.
  • Contact a Literary Agent: I expound more on literary agents in my blog topic, How To Get A Literary Agent, but getting one isn’t a “have-to” thing. You can increase your chances of a quicker turnaround between your manuscript and a publisher putting it on the shelves, but like everything, it comes with a cost. Your advertising starts here with the literary agent rather than directly with book stores.
  • The Professionals Do the Rest: Of course, you should keep up with their progress and communicate with them, but their job is to get your information out there. So, they take the hardest part of the process out of your hands so you don’t have to deal with it. That’s what makes the investment possibly worth it. 

As you can see, the choice of what steps to take next are yours. Your circumstances and goals will help you decide which publishing method is the best option for your book. 

Works Cited: 

Underdown, Harold. “Home Page  |  More Useful Articles  |  Search for More Information | Self-Publishing Articles | Publishing Articles Purple Crayon Bookstores.” Self-Publish or Not: Advice from a Traditional Publisher, Underdown.org, 2006.

Davies, Tammy. “Why Fiction Authors Benefit from Indie Publishing.” Digital Book World, 22 Mar. 2016.

Palmer, Alex. “How to Get Self-Published Books into Stores and Libraries.”PublishersWeekly.com, 23 Oct. 2015.

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