Racheling
Offline
 |
Why Publish? What are traditional publishing, self publishing, and vanity presses?
If you're serious about your writing--by which I suppose I mean intend to try to make it into a career, even if it's only a secondary one--then you should eventually try to get your work published. For short stories, submit to magazines. For novels, submit to publishing houses. Why do these things? First, you get paid, which is one of your goals as a writer trying to write professionally. However, you won't be paid much--most first novels sell for about $4,000, which is chump change if you consider that it might take two years to write. In order to be professional, shorts must sell for a bout $0.05 a word. Even so, getting the professional sales is important in that it gets you recognition among your peers. As you get recognition and respect, you can sell more stories easier. You can begin bypassing slush piles, or might draw the attention of an agent or book editor. You publish your book. You reach more people than you could otherwise--hopefully some of them actually read your book. You make no money, but maybe you manage to sell, and then by your fourth book there are enough royalties coming in that you can live off your writing. That's a rosy scenario, but it's possible. Also just as possible is that you continue making no money at all, but continue to accrue respect in the field. This can then turn into things like teaching positions at universities; you don't live off your writing, but you have more time to write, and make a comfortable living teaching writing or literature 8 months out of 12. Traditional publishing You, the writer, gets paid. Your story/novel is published. A traditional/commercial publisher's audience is the general public, who they will market your work towards. This is the kind of publishing most writers want to be involved with. Vanity press You pay a company to print copies of your story/novel. Their audience is you, the writer, who they expect will either buy lots of copies or have friends buy them. They will not market your book for you. They generally publish anything sent to them, regardless of quality, and so this kind of publishing will not get you recognition or respect in your field. Some vanity presses are scams, and you should research the press on google before you hand over any money. Self publishing However, many companies charge a printing fee, explain honestly what their services include, and do not try to deceive the writer. If you do wish to go the self-publishing route, for whatever reason, look for a company like this. Related Links Perseverance, Publishing and the Urge to Write-- By James Van Pelt "Excuse Me, How Much Did It Cost You?"-- An anti-scam handout by A. C. Crispin Hunting for an Agent (with Sample Synopsis)-- by John E. Stith Hunting for a Literary Agent:Which to Keep and Which to Shoot-- by Chuck Rothman |
|
