Selecting the ideal publisher for your book is one of the next steps if you’ve opted against self-publishing for the time being and want to spread the word about your book to as many people as possible.
As there are hundreds (if not thousands) of publishers with their own set of guidelines and business models, some of which are one-man operations and others which are a part of large international media conglomerates, many new authors find this portion of the process to be daunting.
The good news is that there are several ways to locate the best publisher to send your book to, but which is the best? Here are my top three personal picks.
Locate an agent
You want a process that is quick, easy, and produces the best results. This will need employing a literary agency for the majority of authors.
Working with an agent gives you access to his or her connections with editors, which can help your submissions get read first and possibly lead to an offer.
Working with a literary agency has another important benefit in that they will take care of submitting your book or proposal, following up, and negotiating a deal if one is made.
You’ll pay for these benefits with a percentage of any sales your book generates—typically 15%—but the best gatekeepers in the business make back their costs and then some.
The main drawback is that it may take as long as or longer to find an agency to represent you than it does to find a publisher. Furthermore, you will probably be looking at small niche publishers if your work is best suited to a limited number of specialist readers.
They are unlikely to give you a big enough advance to pay an agent’s time. As a result, you may send publishers your own book for free (other than postage and time).
If so, read on for suggestions on how to select the ideal publisher for your book on your own.
Go online and look
The internet is one of the most practical resources for performing research. Do a standard internet search using the publisher’s name if you already know of one or two in your genre.
You can use this to access their website, where you can learn crucial details like the kinds of books they are searching for, if they will accept unsolicited or unagented submissions, and how to submit them your manuscript. Consistently follow the submission requirements.
Another choice is to use a standard internet search engine and use a general search term like “science fiction publishers” or whatever applies to your industry.
You’ll most likely land on author directories or the websites of writing communities for a certain genre.
These websites are a great way to save time, but you should be cautious about the information they offer because it may not always be up to date. The publishers’ websites should still be visited to get the most recent information.
Think about Print Resources
You can also find assistance in your quest for information on publishers from a variety of printed publications. One of these resources is the Writer’s Market book series by Writer’s Digest.
They are updated annually, and a number of them are devoted to different book types and genres (for instance, adult vs. children’s books). These publications offer details on publishers that will take manuscripts from both agents and independent authors.
There is additional information on standards and requirements for publishers. Usually, your local library will have copies of books like these, but some also have online subscriptions.
Factors to Take into Account as a Publisher
If you decide to explore finding a traditional book publisher, you can evaluate the experts you speak with to determine if they are a good fit to help you get your book published. Here are some warning signs to watch out for:
Titles within your sector
Do some study on the content that smaller publishing companies provide if your book fills a very specific niche that is beyond the typical categories that traditional publishing houses sell.
A typical publishing selection process may be used by smaller publishing houses, but they might get less applications than bigger names.
A list of publishers who could be interested in your work can be created using the information from your investigation.
Zealous editor
If you have a choice between editors, consider the editor who seems to be most passionate about your work or the publishing house where many staff members are reaching out to you and expressing their enthusiasm for the project.
The more employees of the publisher who enjoy your book, the more likely it is that they will appreciate your vision and wish to collaborate with you once more.
Contractual terms
A desirable editor may offer advantageous contract conditions, such as a sizeable pay advance. Another excellent term is protecting the intellectual property associated with your publication.
The more complex facets of your agreement with an editor or publishing company can be explained to you by your literary agency or lawyer, if you have either.
Print-on-demand
This option allows you to charge certain vendors to print and bind your text each time a customer requests a copy. This can be a great option if you don’t want to save a copy of your book anywhere else.
E-book
Self-publishing an ebook is possible without any physical creation. In the same way that print-on-demand works, you pay a business to create and send a digital copy of your manuscript to any customer who places an order.
Vulgar printing This option allows you to pay to have a stock of your book printed ahead of time, before making any sales, and then attempt to self-distribute it to bookstores.
This can be a useful strategy for publicizing your work and increasing the possibility that a formal publisher will eventually choose to publish it.
