The day a writer decides he or she wants to see their name on the cover of a book, they must answer the question of exactly HOW they will get their book published. The four most common avenues in which to get a book out in the world is through traditional, indie, hybrid, and vanity publishers.
But which one to choose for your “baby”?
It will depend largely on WHAT you have written and WHO you have written it for.
WHAT DID YOU WRITE?
A 100,000 high-fantasy novel is treated differently than a 500-word picture book. And a historical fiction chapter book is handled differently than a 200-page nonfiction book on the blue footed booby of the Easter Pacific Ocean. Just as the four main styles of book publishing are different, so are the ways to get your masterpiece published. To narrow down your choices best suited for your project, it might be best to consider your target audience.
COMMERCIAL AUDIENCES
If you write in genres like children’s fiction, adult fiction, non-fiction on topics of general interests, etc. then just about any of the four publishing arenas would work for you. Traditional publishing offers the least control over your work but with the right agent, might offer the best chances of notoriety. Indie or Hybrid publishing offers the best opportunity to have more control over some, if not all, of the publishing process but the financial investment increases with the level of control you’re looking for.
NICHE AUDIENCES
If you’re that writer of the next blue-footed booby masterpiece, or even the molecular breakdown of cheese puffs, or some other super niche topic, traditional publishers will probably not be the most viable publishing partner for you. Indie or Hybrid publishers would be more willing to add to their catalogs those titles that appeal to a smaller audience. Think of where you might see your book. Places ike museums, giftshops, indie bookstores, homeschool arena, etc. could be places where Inde or Hybrid publishers might make the best publishing partners for your project. It’s not that these types of publishers wouldn’t publish commercial appealing titles, it’s just that they are more open-minded to other possibilities.
WHAT ABOUT VANITY PRESS PUBLISHERS?
I’m not a champion of Vanity Press publishing because in most cases they are NOT interested in what’s best for the author. They are ONLY interested in getting the most money out of a writer through offering additional services like editing, marketing, illustrating, cover design, etc. until a writer has racked up a large investment without ever knowing if their book will sell any copies.
A great start to any research on potential vanity publishers is the Writers Beware blog at http://writerbeware.blog/. They are an industry leader in keeping writers up to date on shady publishing operations and industry scams. Here is an article from Neon Books on how to recognize a vanity publisher…http://www.neonbooks.org.uk/how-to-identify-a-vanity-publisher/#:~:text=The%20basic%20difference%20is%20this,publishing%20services%20to%20unwary%20authors.
SO WHAT TYPE OF PUBLISHER WILL STORY CATCHER PUBLISHING BE?
We are considered a Hybrid Publisher, where we are a publishing partner for writers who want to delve into the indie publishing world without having to juggle the responsibilities that come with completely self-publishing their books. Indie published books can cost upwards of $8,000 or more for fully illustrated picture books. OUR picture book and illustrated chapter books publishing packages will only be $1200 for everything including quality hand-drawn, digitally colorized illustrations, basic editing, cover design, formatting, proofreading, and completed production files for both ebook and print. Ebooks will funnel through Amazon and paperbacks will funnel through IngramSpark for better worldwide distribution. SCPublishing authors will also receive FREE support to set up their author platform, including website, blog, social media sites, author events, and anywhere else we might be able to help out.
And if you are an author/illustrator or a writer who doesn’t need our illustration department, then the publishing package is only $600 for most genres up to 50,000 words for everything including basic editing, cover design, formatting, proofreading, and completed production files for both ebook and print. Ebooks funneling, paperback funneling, and FREE support for author platform services are the same as for our illustration packages.
It has been my dream for the past five years to bring a top quality, but affordable publishing company to the indie community where ALL writers of great stories will finally be able to afford to see their name on the cover of a book!
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Hybrid published author, Donna L Martin, has been writing since she was eight years old. She is a 4th Degree Black Belt in TaeKwonDo by day and a ‘ninja’ writer of flash fiction, children’s picture books, chapter books, young adult novels and inspirational essays by night. Donna offers occasional BOOK NOOK REVIEWS of great children’s books and offers WRITERLY WISDOM to new and established writers. She is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators, Alliance of Independent Authors, and Children’s Book Insider. Donna loves dark chocolate, going to the beach and adding to her growing book collection.
Want to connect?
Email: [email protected]
Facebook: www.facebook.com/donasdays
Twitter: www.twitter.com/donasdays
LinkedIn: Donna L Martin/Story Catcher Publishing
Goodreads: Donna L Martin
Mail: Donna L Martin
c/o Story Catcher Publishing
P O Box 27788
Knoxville, Tn 37927
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