Most people believe in the wrong model of
publishing.
Publishing has changed dramatically in the last 30 years, and noticably
in the last five. What was true in 1970 is no longer true now, and if
you are going to be successful with your writing, you need to know the
myths of modern-day publishing. Almost everyone who thinks of writing a
book is thinking from a 1970 model of publishing--when being published
by a major publisher assured promotion and an even shot at success.
But things have changed. What was true 30 years ago is dead and buried
now.
MYTHS:
Myth number 1: Publishers
are looking for good books to publish.
This is still a little bit true, but it is certainly NOT as true as it
once was. As publishers get bought by big companies and are
increasingly consolidated, the bottom line--how much money they can
make on a book, and how easily they can make it--becomes the ONLY
criteria for whether or not a publisher buys your book. Your book may
be great, but if a publisher can't easily sell it and make money, they
will pass on your manuscript.
Myth number 2. Get a big
publisher, and they will promote you.
Once again, this was once true. It is still a little
bit true: for three months after your book is released, a publisher
normally provides a promoter who works on promoting the new release.
When I've been published by major publishing house (Prentice Hall), my
promoter set up radio appearances, and managed my book tours.
However, even that promotion was somewhat anemic. And worse, after that
three months go by, you are functionally dead to most publishers.
They've moved on to the next great thing, the next easy score, and are
usually unwilling to lift a finger to promote you, even if some easy
action--like sending ten copies of your book to a major TV show, who is
interested in having you on--could sell thousands of copies of the
book. They won't return your calls.
It's like the aftermath of a bad one-night stand. You no longer exist.
Even worse, publishers are famous for dropping the ball on books
entirely. I wrote one book because the publisher came up with the idea
and asked me to write it--only to have them drop it, not promote it at
all, and put it out of print within months of its release.
Myth number 3. Sell a lot
of books through a major publisher, and you will make a lot of money.
Get
ready for these two word: Deep
Discount. Deep discounting is only one of the many ways that
publisher screw authors out of money. It doesn't matter much if you
sell thousands of copies of your book, if you only make seven cents per
copy, as one author I know did on his book. The contorted clauses of
your contract may make it next to impossible--or actually
impossible--to figure out how much money you will make when a copy of
your book sells.
Myth number 4. Get on
Oprah!
Get on national television, and your
problems are solved! You are certain to sell a lot of products then.
This was true when there were three networks. Now there are hundreds,
each with a VERY TINY slice of the viewership pie.
Oh, and getting on Oprah is not easy.
Did you know that the Oprah show only has 525 segements a year? Well, according to a producer at the show, they are pitched ten thousand ideas each WEEK for the show. So while being on Oprah is a great idea, you have to compete with the other 519,999 ideas they are getting pitched each year for those 525 segments.
Myth number 5. Go on a
book tour, and you're sure to make a lot of
money.
Myth
number 6. Self-publishing is a black mark of amateurism,
and
self-publishing is the same as admitting that your book was not good
enough for a "real" publisher.
Myth
number 7. You'll always make more money through a "real" publisher than
if you publish it yourself.