Alternatives to Major Publishers

By: Vivian Gilbert Zabel
Submitted: 2007-01-17 16:43:02
Print this article | Tell a friend | For publisher | Social Bookmarking
Rating:
 

Many authors dream, as well as work very hard, to get a book published. The problem is there are many more hopeful writers than available slots in the few major publishing firms. The number of major firms has shrunk over the years as one merges with another. Finally major publishers prefer going with authors whose names already trigger the attention of the public. What then should a writer do who wants to be published and have a book to market? Various alternatives exist to trying to go through a major publishing company: small-press companies; DIY, do it yourself; or independent publishers. The first step in marketing a book is for it to be published.

According to various sources on the Internet, only six to eight major large publishing corporations now exist, if their subsidiaries are not counted separately. However, Publishers Weekly estimates that more than 7,000 new publishers form each year, giving writers options for seeing their books in print.

Small-press companies don’t have the funding to pay large, or sometimes any, advances, but according to Judith Rosen in September 2006 The Writer, they can deliver big books. A small-press can be an alternative to the frustrations of a major company or can be a stepping stone to a large corporate house.

Independent presses don’t accept everything from fiction to non-fiction, from science fiction to science, from mystery to romance. They usually specialize in rather narrow areas. But one publisher or more covers every genre and area of publishing. One place to find small presses is through the membership of The Small Press Center for Independent Publishing. Another is page 52 of The Writer, September 2006.

Robert S. Nahas, in his book How to Get a Book Published states that a decade ago, self-publishing (or DIY) was viewed as a joke, and many people considered self-published authors were not really published authors. He goes on to write, “... but today there is a much different climate ... As more and more self-published authors have begun to reap impressive, and sometimes staggering, sales over the past seven or eight years, the world has begun to take notice of the amazing successes.” Note that he is not speaking of “Vanity Publishing,” but of works that have been professionally prepared with thorough editing and formatting.

Another type of publishing is electronic publishing, whether as DIY or through an electronic publishing company. Although books on line didn’t become the replacement for hard copy books as predicted in the past, they are starting to become more popular as time passes.

As with any business venture, a writer needs to research any company he or she considers working with. All should be careful of scams, but anyone willing to write and prepare a well-written manuscript has more opportunities than ever to take the first step toward marketing a book by being able to have it published.

Sources:
1. Robert S. Nahas, How to Get a Book Published, pages 33 - 54.
2. Robin Nobles, Publishing companies on the Internet, www.robinsnest.com
3. Judith Rosen, “Small-press success,” The Writer, September 2006
4. “Publishing,” Wikipedia wikipedia.org
5. “Publisher,” Wikipedia wikipedia.org

Vivian Gilbert Zabel taught English and composition for twenty-five years, honing her skills as she studied and taught. An author on http://www.Writing.Com/, a site for Writers, with portfolio http://www.Writing.Com/authors/vzabel, her books, {i}Hidden Lies and Other Stories{/i} and {i}Walking the Earth: Life’s Perspectives in Poetry{/i}, can be found through Barnes and Noble or Amazon.com.

Article source: Expert Articles

Most Recent Articles in Book Marketing category

  • How to get rich by writing fiction - By: Sudhir Sharma
    Some of us write simply because we cannot not write. Ideas grab us, move us, and demand to be written. We strive to make it as real as we possibly can, to improve at our craft every day, hopefully to make it into the realm of literature as well as entertainment.
  • Book Marketing 101 - By: Jasmeet Kahlon
    For beginning authors, book promotion is the key to success. Whether an author self-publishes or is published by a major house, most often that author needs to market her book herself if she wants there to be any chance at all of it being successful.
  • The REAL TRUTH on How to Write an eBook - By: Diya Sood
    The hardest part of writing is the first sentence. When you look at the whole project, it seems like an impossible task. That's why you have to break it down into manageable tasks. Think of climbing a mountain.
  • Book Marketing - How Rich Authors Make Money - By: Bob Burnham
    Ever wonder how some authors seem to steal the limelight and the profits while others collect dust on bookstore shelves? Some of those really well off authors are not even that good. You read their books and think "I could write better than this."
  • How To Write A Book, 4 Simple Strategies - By: Bob Burnham
    Writing a book doesn't have to be complicated. The image of the frustrated writer sitting at their typewriter with piles of balled up paper at their feet is a myth. In fact, when you use a few simple strategies, writing a book can be accomplished quickly and professionally - no writer's block and no piles of balled up paper.
  • How To Get A Reporter's Attention For Your Book - By: Jitender Sharma
    Reporters are busy people. On any given day they are fielding dozens of phone calls, making calls of their own, reading stacks of newspapers and magazines and rushing to meet deadlines. So how do you break through all the noise to get a reporter or an editor on the phone to listen to your pitch?
  • Kick Off Your Brochure Marketing With These Simple Steps - By: Janice Jenkins
    Brochures are very effective tools to have when you want to grow your business. However, most brochure marketing campaigns need to be redesigned and restructured because they don’t get the results you expect from them. In order for your promotional efforts to be effective, designing brochures should be in order. Here’s how you can kick off your brochure marketing campaign with these steps.
  • Book Publicity: The New York Myth - By: Melissa Sandford
    While there are some exceptional book and literary publicists working straight out of The Big Apple, it should be noted that having a publicist located in New York does not automatically guarantee an author that their writing will reach readers.
  • Interviewing Tips for First Time Authors - By: Melissa Sandford
    As you prepare for your first or next interview, always remember the hardest part is over. You have already written 300+ pages, found an agent, a publicist and survived the excruciating editing process. Interviewing well is essential, however, it is also one of the easiest and most enjoyable aspects of publishing a book.
  • A Secret to Make your Book a Best Seller - By: Barry Sheppard
    There is a secret to writing your bestselling book. I would like to tell you about it, so that you can use it as I have.