Collaboration: Entering the world of publishing
Writing a book is a little like the old adage: If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?
You can write a book but, if no one reads it, what was the impact? Having written the book, how do you ensure it has the opportunity to resonate with others?
Traditionally, the process of book publishing has been that an author either pitches agents who then promote the book to publishers, or the author goes direct to a publisher. In the first scenario, I’m told it can take hundreds of pitches to land an agent, and then the agent in turn must make a compelling case to a publisher that your book is worth their investment.
Few publishers want to hear directly from an author, so agents fulfill an important role. But thousands of writers are inundating agent inboxes and online pitch sites daily, competing for a chance to have their manuscript assessed.
Self-publishing has emerged as a method of guaranteeing that a book makes it to market. But self-publishing lacks the validation of content that comes with assessment by an industry professional. Another descriptor for self-publishing is vanity publishing which implies that the book has been published to satisfy the author’s desire to see the work in print, regardless of quality.
A relatively new niche – hybrid publishing – has emerged over the last decade, and that’s the solution I was fortunate to arrive at for publishing Devious Web. Hybrid publishing combines the rigorous selection process associated with traditional publishing but involves less investment on the part of the publisher. The hybrid publisher provides the platform for publishing and sales/placement support, while the author shoulders up-front costs for printing and publicity. The reward for the author choosing this route is higher royalties on sales and greater collaboration during the publishing process as compared to traditional publishing.
My manuscript was selected by US hybrid publisher SparkPress, and you can read more about them under the Publisher tab on my website. SparkPress has blazed a trail for hybrid publishing and I’m excited to be working with them on the journey to my publication date.
Every author must make their own decision as to the best publishing option. In my case, I lacked the patience to pitch innumerable agents and wanted to ‘get on with’ the process. As well, having a PR background, I feel confident in being involved in the editing and promotion process. I did send my manuscript to a handful of agents early on, and I was lucky enough to hear back from a few who offered constructive input. So to any authors still trying the traditional route, there are great people out there and it’s a question of finding the right “fit”.
At the end of the day, I’ve worked diligently to ensure my manuscript is the best version possible so when you read it, hopefully it will resonate.
