In recent years, the publishing industry has thrived more than ever for aspiring authors to be published on many different platforms and break away from traditional publishing. Hybrid, small press, and independent publishing are among the [new] ways to be published. Going through this route does not always mean it will be any easier or less time consuming as three authors found out: DeMisty D. Bellinger, Cheryl J. Fish, and Celia Jeffries. They joined us for a discussion about their publishing journey through a non-traditional publisher that was led by the moderator, Mara Anastas.
Each panelist was able to give their individual story about how they got published through either an independent press, hybrid, or university press. Questions from the audience included: Who does the editing and marketing? How does the publicity get shared? Is it all on your own? What are costs associated from start to finish? These were address throughout the discussion and the panelists took the time to break down each kind of publishing based on her own experience.
Types of Publishing
Hybrid Publishing allows independent authors to cover some of the cost of publishing books that otherwise might have been passed over by traditional publishers.
This type of publishing does have some red flags: misinterpretation of the expectations between client and company, the company asking for a manuscript evaluation, printing is ready once you send the manuscript, and no prices given up front.
Vanity Publishing is a printing house that specializes in publishing books for which the authors pay all or most of the costs.
This type of publishing is a service and wants distribution, but no return on the books. This would also cover the concept of not all small publishers have a return rate.
Smaller Press Publishing: Runs on a smaller scale than a large publisher.
Here, your advance is in direct correlation to the amount of marketing and at the same time, your marketing is as good as the writer. Small presses are open to your suggestions.
Takeaways from the evening
—Perseverance and believing in what you have written.
—Never give up on goal of publishing your book.
—Visibility: Be on a social media platform that you are most comfortable. Connect with people through the themes of the book.
—Hire an editor, publicist, marketer, anyone that you feel would enrich your book within your means.
—Selling yourself is not easy, but every author has to market themselves and their book. They don’t sell on their own.
Here are the author’s books:
—DeMisty D. Bellinger wrote New to Liberty and was published by Unnamed Press
—Cheryl J. Fish wrote Off the Yoga Mat and was published by Livingston Press University of Western Alabama
—Celia Jeffries wrote Blue Desert and was published by Rootstock Publishing
