Approaching Book Publishers: The Importance of Creating a System
Are you an author who has just completed writing a book? After your book has been written and edited, you may be ready to start approaching publishers. If you are like most authors, there is a good chance that you will send your book manuscript to a number of publishing companies. After all, the more publishers you approach, the better your chance of getting a book published are.
Although sending your book manuscript to a number of publishers is likely to increase your chances of getting your book published, it also increases the chances of confusion and error on your part. If you do not create a system for you to use and record your findings, you may end up making a number of costly and embarrassing mistakes. That is why it is important to know what publishers you have sent your book to, which publishers have responded, what their response was, and so forth.
As it was previously stated, not being organized, when trying to get a book published, can have a number of consequences. One of those consequences is that you could mistakenly send your documents to the same publisher twice. This has the potential to be very embarrassing and you may also, unintentionally, create a bad name for yourself. If a book publisher sends you a rejection letter, you do not want to resend them your book, especially if you didn’t make any changes.
Since it is important for you to create a book publishing system, you may be curious as to how you can go about doing so. The good news is that you do have a number of different options. For starters, it is important to first know what information you should include in your documents. You need to know what publishers you have submitted your manuscript to. You should also include the date that your information was sent out. Next, be sure to have a spot for responses from those publishers. Did you receive a rejection letter, a request for a meeting, or more information? Also, record the date of this information.
As for how your information can be arranged, you will find that it all depends on your preference. If you are computer savvy, you can use your computer. You can create a spreadsheet. Be sure to include the information outlined above, including the publisher’s name, the date the information was sent out, the response, as well as the date that the response was received. What is nice about using the computer is that you can easily add information right away. This allows you to keep a continued list going.
As nice as it is to use the computer, some individuals feel more comfortable keeping important information in print. The same approach can and should be taken though. Create a chart for you to use. Be sure to keep it in a well-known place so that you do not accidentally lose your important information. Also, be sure to remember to update every time that you decide to send your book to a new publisher or if you receive a response letter.
As you can see, creating a system for yourself that allows you to track publishers that you have sent or intend to send your book to is a lot easier than it originally sounds. As a reminder, there are a number of benefits to staying organized and up-to-date with your information.
Book Publishing Scams: What Are They and How to Avoid Them
Are you an author who would like to get a book published? If you are, and if you are currently an unpublished author, you may do just about anything to see your book in print. As good as it is to have goals and dreams, it is also important to have knowledge on your side. If you do not proceed with caution, you may find yourself falling victim to some common book publishing scams.
Unless you decide to self-publish a book, you should never have to pay a publisher to put your book in print. In fact, it should be the other way around. Yes, most publishers will take a percentage of the money that you make, but that percentage isn’t even always talked about. Most well-known publishers will either offer you a flat fee or an advance payment. If royalty payments are decided on, a specific percentage will be agreed upon.
Individuals or companies who claim that you must pay to have your book published are likely just trying to scam you. They are either after two things, your material or your money. Chances are, your book may never even be published, but if you sign a contract, the individual or company in question may then own the words that you wrote. For that reason, never, under any circumstances, should you pay a publisher to publish your book for you.
In addition to book publishing companies, it is also important to proceed with caution where literary agents and editors are concerned. Editors are recommended, as they are likely to find grammar mistakes that you may have missed. What you will want to do, however, is be cautious of who you do hire. Never pay someone to read a book that you haven’t heard of before. Since you may not know many editors or any for that matter, the proper amount of research should be done. Look for editor reviews online or ask other published writers for recommendations.
In terms of literary agents, the same amount of research should be done. Did you know that many publishing companies avoid working with certain literary agents? Those who do not properly screen their books or those that misrepresent their books, develop a bad name for themselves. The last thing that you want is your name and book attached to a literary agent with a bad reputation.
As for the scams that are associated with literary agents, it is important to be cautious with pay. A literary agent or agency that asks you to pay a fee upfront is a good sign of a scam. This fee is often called a reading fee. What you need to know though is that many literary agents take a percentage of the amount of money that you make when you sign a contract with a publisher. In a way, this can serve as a guarantee that you will be receiving quality, guaranteed results. Publishers who accept upfront fees may later choose to not accept you as a client or they may just take your money and run.
When looking to get a book published, the above-mentioned scams are just a few of the many that you will want to keep in mind. If an offer, a literary agent, or an editor sounds too good to be true, chances are it is.
eBooks: A Great Alternative to Print Publishing
Are you a writer who has tried and tried and tried again to get your book published? If you have and if you have only been met with rejection letter after rejection letter, your first impulse may be to give up. The decision to do so is yours to make, but if you do believe that you have a good book on your hands, you may want to consider transforming your book into an eBook instead.
A nice as it is to hear that you can take your book, transform it into an eBook, and sell it, you may be curious as to why you should do so, as well as how. The good news is that creating an eBook is a lot easier than many imagine. In fact, the hardest part of creating an eBook is writing one and you should already have this step accomplished.
As for the benefits of creating an eBook, it is first important to know what they are. eBooks are defined as electronic or digital books. The materials and stories covered in eBooks are just like printed books; however, the overall format is different.
As for who reads eBooks and how they are read, you will find that it all depends. There are a number of small handheld machines that are used to read eBooks. These components upload an eBook, often through a small connecting cable that is connected through the computer. As popular as this approach is, many eBook reading machines can be costly; therefore, many readers choose to simply just read eBooks from their computer or print them. The most avid readers of eBooks are those who are internet and computer savvy.
The main benefit of transforming your book into an eBook is that the process is easy. In fact, many first time authors are surprised just how easy it is to create an eBook. Although you do have a number of different formatting options, many choose the popular PDF format, as most computers already have free reader programs installed. This means that your buyers will be able to read your eBook right away.
Since all publishers require book manuscripts to be in printed, computer format. There is a good chance that your book is already saved on your computer. What you will want to do is use a program, like Adobe Create a PDF Online. Simply follow the directions and your book will automatically be transformed into a PDF file. As for creating an eBook, this is really the only step that you need to take.
As easy as it is to create an eBook, selling it can be more difficult. The good news, however, is that you do have a number of different options. One of those options to sell your eBook on a third-party website. These are websites where a large collection of eBooks are listed for sale and written by different authors. The only downside to this approach is the fact that most third-party websites take a small percentage of each sale or they charge a monthly fee.
In keeping with selling an eBook, you also have the option of creating your own website. What you will want to do is create a webpage that offers detailed information about your eBook, such as its title, the basis of your storyline, or what readers will learn if your eBook is a how-to book. This approach is the most cost-effective; however, it is important to remember that internet users will not just be able to find your website; you also need to market it as well.
As for accepting payment, many eBook authors use programs like PayPal. If you do choose to create your own website, you can also purchase your own shopping cart software. This should allow you to not only accept payments from PayPal members but major credit card holders as well.
As a recap, transforming your book into an eBook and selling it online is a nice alternative to print publishing and self-publishing. If you are unable to get your eBook published by a well-known publisher, it is an approach that you will want to examine.
3 Doubts About Getting Your Book Published You Should Clarify.
