The Confusing World of Book Publsihing?

Answer 1

The world of book publishing can be a confusing maze of promise and dissapointment for both the aspring writer and the most seasoned of published authors. And, Google searches don't make it any easier. Just enter the phrase "book publishing houses" and you will instantly be bombarded with fantastic promises of a quick and painless path to getting published. The first thing to be aware of is that all book publshing houses are not the same. There are three basic types of publishers to consider:

• Tradtional Publishers - These include everything from micro-publishers to the huge multi-imprint publishers such as Random House, Simon and Schuster, and Penguin Books. What sets these companies apart is their production and distribution capablitlies. Most traditional publishers have a rigorous system set up to sift through the tens of thousands of manuscripts they receive each week. Acquisition editors are usually the final word on whether a prospective book is considered for publication. More ofen than not, unpublished writers are required to be represented by a literary agent.
• Self-Publishers - Many authors decide to forgo giving up royalties and the time involved in being accepted by a publisher by contracting with companies that specialize in working directly with authors and in producing smaller runs of books. To confuse matters even more, several of the large traditional publishing houses also now own self-publishing companies. While this is a much quicker route to publication, writers need to be aware they will need a fairly substantial budget before pursuing self-publication.
• Vanity Publishers - Somewhere between self and traditional publishers are the vanity publication houses. This is a viable alternative for authors looking to bypass the large traditional houses, keep more of the book sell revenue to themselves, and see a quality product on the shelves. Vanity houses often offer a full range of editing servcies and take care of some of the marketing end of publication.

With the advent of new technolgies such as Print on Demand (POD) and electronic mediums like Amazon's Kindle and the Nook from Barnes and Nobles the world of publishing is changing at a dizzying pace. Book publishing houses are scrambling to make up for decreasing revenues as buyers realize the many options they now have for purchasing the books they want. Writers who want to succeed must becomes students of the industry.