Best Way to Publish Now
By DianeIndependent publishing is rapidly becoming my preferred way to publish. But you have to know what to look for.
“Independent publishing” can mean a lot of things. It includes what most people think of as using a self-publishing company. It can also include various small presses.
As the lines in publishing models blur, new publishing models are being developed. The most exciting model is what I call “hybrid publishing” that companies like Intermedia use. With this new model,
authors pay upfront for publishing services. The good “hybrid publishers” have the same important infrastructure in place that traditional publishers do: designers, editors, and distribution to the retail outlets.
In my opinion, it is becoming more and more advantageous to the author to publish this way, versus a traditional publisher. (Remember, for 30 years I was in that traditional publishing world, as an author and editor.)
In fact, I recently advised one of my clients to NOT pursue publishing with a major commercial publisher but instead to go with Intermedia Publishing Group.
The biggest issues were control, ownership, timing, royalties, and distribution.
Intermedia won on all these counts. In fact, I just went over the publishing agreement with a fine-toothed comb, and am extremely happy with its author-friendly terms.
Control: Author has total control over the title and cover. The publisher came up with an outstanding cover design. We surveyed the list (you may have participated) and came up with a winner of a title and subtitle.
Also very important: This is a non-exclusive contract. Meaning if a big publisher came to you and offered you $100,000 to publish you, you could say yes.
Another control issue has to do with what you can put into your book. Traditional publishers often frown on your putting in information to get people to your website, say to “register” the book so you can begin a relationship with a reader. You can put whatever you want into your book when you publish this way.
Ownership: The author owns everything, including the cover (with Intermedia, it’s a work for hire, and the author owns the images etc.). I had to PAY the publisher AND get an agreement to use the cover for my Abundant Gifts book from the first edition, and never could get anything on the cover for the second. This can be huge–to own the cover rights.
With Intermedia (and other good self-publishing companies), you own everything.
Timing: The turnaround for the cover and everything else so far has been outstanding. We were, frankly, amazed at how quickly the designer came up with a great cover. (You’re amazing, Kimberly!)
Royalties: The publisher does not take royalties, but does split for distribution. (More on that below) This is only fair, and the fact that they even have the distribution channels they do is a huge plus and not true of many self-publishing companies.
Author gets 100% of the royalties, and only splits with the publisher if the latter is helping with distribution. If the author sells from his/her own site and fulfills the order, author gets 100% of the profit.
Another big difference: You get paid every month with Intermedia, as opposed to once or twice a year with traditional publishers.
Distribution: Here’s where it gets juicy. Most self-publishing companies, especially if they’re Print on Demand, can only promise they will make available your title to retailers. They do not have the distribution channels already in place that most traditional publishers do. (Intermedia does both POD and offset printing, by the way.)
Intermedia is unique in that it already has true inroads into Wal-Mart, Target and other big box retailers, as well as amazon, Barnes & Noble and other online retailers, and even airport book buyers.
They also have some 16,000 online bookstores tied into their distribution channels, a mailing list of 35 million, and they include your book at the dozens of events they put on yearly. They are printing a catalog that goes to a mailing list of 70,000.
They will also warehouse (free for a certain period of time) and fulfill orders. There are various splits with the author for the distribution services, but all are very fair and in line with typical distributors practices.
All in all, in working with them and going over the contract, I’m very happy with what I see. This “hybrid publisher” offers the best of both worlds, in my opinion.
The only downside? You pay upfront for these services. You need capital for this.
But that is as it should be. Like it or not, becoming an author means opening a business. You are creating and owning an asset (intellectual property), and there are business considerations and great potential rewards, as with any business. You have to learn how to market and sell your asset and protect your rights. (For more about how to become a successful author, get my Author Success Plan 5-part minicourse. For help with no-hype, heart-based marketing, check out the Bridging Heart and Marketing virtual conference.)
I think this model is the wave of the future, and the best way currently to publish. Intermedia offers the best of all publishing worlds. My only concern is that, with the great services they offer, they may grow too big too fast.
(To eavesdrop on an in-depth dialogue about publisihng between another publishing veteran, Terry Whalin, and myself, go to www.askaboutpublishing.com–you can ask a question about publishing and listen to the replay.)
1 Comments
October 8th, 2009 at 3:53 pm
Intermedia has some great titles and tons of excitement. They are making huge strides!
They also carry a new 6 inch eBook Reader that has a 6 inch screen, Adobe Digital Editions, is loaded with formats and even plays great Sudoku!! Clearly, Intermedia is doing everything right!