If there’s one thing authors need to know more about before they can hope to succeed in the print industry, it’s the book publishing process. Some authors may underestimate its claims, while others may be too intimidated by some concepts that they are afraid to even try. Be neither of them and be aware of the most common myths surrounding the book publishing process.
1. Once you’ve finished writing your book, it’s up to the publisher to market it.
You, as the author, write your book. Publishers reproduce and distribute your book. Now, who is responsible for marketing your book? Still you.
As an author, your job doesn’t end with putting the last punctuation mark on your manuscript and handing it off to publishers for printing. Many authors have gone after big names in the publishing world thinking it would be enough to get the book to the top of the bestseller lists, but ended up disappointed. The reality is that getting your book published by a major publisher does not guarantee massive sales. Neither will your book once it hits the shelves. Ultimately, the success of your book is still in your hands, and you need to be serious about marketing if you want your book to be a big hit with readers. So learn the most effective book marketing strategies, create a plan that outlines your marketing plan, and put that plan into action. Of all the people involved in the book publishing process, you are the key person. You know exactly why you wrote your book and how it will fill a need in your target market, so you are the primary person who can best promote your book.
2. Once you have completed your manuscript, it will be years before your book is finally published.
How many times have you heard the story of a now famous author who was rejected by numerous publishers for years before landing a big break and finally getting a book in print with happily ever after? In fact, traditional publishing can make finding a publisher a very long and difficult task, considering the rejection and challenges you have to go through trying to convince publishers that your book is worth the investment. But today traditional publishing is not the only option. Authors now have the option to self-publish or publish a book with a print-on-demand (POD) publisher. In desktop publishing, the amount of time it will take to publish a book will depend on how quickly the author can learn the process and obtain the necessary financial resources. When publishing with a POD publisher, your book can usually be published in 30, 60, or 90 days after you finish your manuscript. With more options for today’s author, there’s no reason you should be stuck for years trying to get a publisher to print your book.
3. The publisher knows what is best and therefore controls all aspects of the book.
In book publishing processes, authors have traditionally let publishers decide about the look, editing, and other aspects of the book because of the idea that publishers know more about those aspects than they do. But while publishers may be more experienced in this, you as the author still have a deeper understanding of what your book is about. The trends known to publishers can only serve as a guide, so check that the publishing contract gives you the desired amount of control when it comes to the design and editing of your book.