Recently I asked readers of this blog, “What’s your #1 question about publishing or getting published?” Below are some the questions I received with my responses. I’ve tried to order these in terms of the chronological process of deciding how to publish, picking a publisher, submitting, and so on.
I hope you enjoy reading through this Q & A as much as I enjoyed providing it!
“Do I self-publish or go with a publisher?”
It depends on your goals.
Do you want your book to be in the market in two months? Self-publish. Want complete control over the title and cover? Again, self-publish.
If you want to reach as many people as possible, pursue a traditional publisher. Would you like a chance at the bestsellers lists? Again, pursue traditional publishing.
Also, traditional publishers provide services to their authors, such as editing, design, marketing, and distribution, that have real value. If you don’t need or want these services, self-publish. If you do, pursue traditional publishing.
Here’s another option to consider, and I give this advice to writers all the time. Try going after a book deal with a traditional publisher. If you succeed, in 99 percent of cases you’ll end up with a better book that is promoted and sold better than it would be otherwise. But if it doesn’t work out, self-publish, and use your self-published book to build your credibility and platform. Then pursue a traditional publisher for your next book.
“How do I pick a publisher?”
Go to your local bookstore and visit the section where you envision your book being shelved. Identify several books in your space—books that are similar in one way or another to yours. Make a list of the publishers.
While you’re at it, flip to the copyright pages and acknowledgments in these books, and make a second list of prospective literary agents. Now you have a list of agents and publishers to pitch your book to.
“What distinguishes one publisher from another? What is their primary role?”
Features that distinguish one publisher from another include their mission; the genres they publish; the formats of the books they publish; the editorial, marketing, and sales relationships they bring to the table; and the different ways publishers demonstrate their creativity. This is not an exhaustive list by any means, but these are the big differences that come to mind.
The primary role of publishers can be traced etymologically to the word “publish” itself, which means “to make public.” The main role of publishers is “to make public” the content they steward. They do this by distributing publications to various outlets and using marketing maneuvers to get the word out and inspire demand.
“What is the key thing that grabs a publisher’s attention, that causes an acquisitions editor to look at a proposal?”
Publishing professionals are looking for strong concepts powered by effective platforms and compelling writing.
Strong Concept. Effective Platform. Compelling Writing. These are the three ingredients of publishing success. (Incidentally, this is true whether you self-publish or work with a publisher.)
If your book proposal can demonstrate that your project has all three, you have an excellent chance not only of getting a publisher’s attention but of landing a book deal.
(A little while back I wrote post on five other ways to get a publisher’s attention. Click here to check it out.)
How can an unknown get published by a major publisher?
If I were to pull up the current New York Times Bestsellers list and ask whether you had purchased any of the titles listed there, chances are you’d say no. I know because I regularly do this exercise in webinars and online workshops, and the outcome is always the same. Why is that? Because each book has a specific tribe.
The way to become a New York Times bestselling author is not to write a book for everybody but to write a book for a dedicated tribe of people who want your content. Yes, in the case of the New York Times list, your tribe needs to be big and spread out enough for the requisite sales to be reported. But I’m convinced adding value to a community is the only way to get there.
Similarly, the way to get published by a major publisher is to cultivate a tribe. How do you get one? By serving people you envision as the readers for your book—people who have a need you are passionate about meeting for them.
“What social media numbers are publishers looking for?”
When I worked for a publisher, I cared less about social media numbers than I did about whether a writer had an engaged audience. You could have 100,000 followers on Twitter, but if they don’t engage with you, you might as well have none.
Also, generally speaking, email subscribers are more valuable to you and your publisher than social media followers. You could have 100,000 fans on Facebook, but unless you advertise, Facebook will show your posts to a very limited number of those fans. Not everyone on your list will open your email or click the link you include, but the percentage who do goes way up.
“If a pretty big publisher comes to you but you do not yet have an agent, should you wait until your book proposal is finished to get an agent or try to get one right away?”
Different agents have different submission guidelines. Some require a book proposal, others only a query. Often an agent will want to review your book proposal before deciding to represent you. In any case it’s a good idea to let prospective agents know about publishers that have approached you.
“If I self-publish with enough success for a publisher to notice and offer me a book contract, will I be able to negotiate a higher % of sales?”
Generally speaking, the better your sales track record (regardless of whether your book was self-published or traditionally published), the better deal you’ll be able to negotiate. Agents can also help here when they have a history with a publisher and know the range of offers they regularly make.
“I met with a publisher. Said publisher gave me her business card. Was super excited about my proposal and was ready to sign a deal. Said she would present to her team and get back to me in about a month. Still waiting. Reached out via phone and email. Seem to be stuck! What do I do?”
This is unfortunate. Even if the editor is not able to move forward with your book, she owes you a response. If you’ve confirmed she still works with this publisher and have given her plenty of time to reply to your multiple inquiries, it’s time to move on. In fact, the whole situation begs the question, Do you really want to work with an editor who’s this unresponsive?
“What is my part going to be once I have a book contract?”
The writer’s part, contractually, is to write and turn in a manuscript by the due date and to work with the publisher through the editing process until the manuscript is accepted for publication. The other important part, though not usually contractual, is helping the publisher promote the book.
“My first book is in its tenth printing. My second book (with the same publisher) just went out of print, because of poor sales. How do I address that in a proposal?”
I’ll address this question, but first let me point to the lesson this situation calls up. It’s often easier for a writer or agent to sell a first book than to sell a subsequent book after a prior book performed poorly. My former boss, Jack Kuhatschek, used to say, “The doors to publishing are always swinging open or closed.” When your first book releases, do all you can to keep the doors swinging open.
Back to the question. My advice is to tell two stories in your proposal. The first should be about your sales history, including your best understanding about why the second book did not perform as well as you would have liked. When you do this, it’s important to avoid placing blame. Own your part.
Then tell a second story, namely, how you will make sure your third book will not fall victim to the same fate as the second. This story should include what you’ve done between the second book and now to build your platform and expand your audience.
Question: Do you have a publishing-related question? You can leave a comment by clicking here.