Getting a book published, anyone know about this?

[justinm]

Hi,

I want to get a book published. I know about the agent and really do not to get one because they take about 15% to 20% of the profit. Ridiculous for doing nothing. Anyway, anyone know how getting a publishing company works in terms of paying them? Do they do monthly payments? Do they require payment after the book hits the shelves? Do they incorporate the payments into the first 1000 copies (for example) and then the cost per book goes down after that?

Thanks for any heads up info.

Justin

 

[kranky]

Originally posted by: murray6475
Hi,

I want to get a book published. I know about the agent and really do not to get one because they take about 15% to 20% of the profit. Ridiculous for doing nothing. Anyway, anyone know how getting a publishing company works in terms of paying them? Do they do monthly payments? Do they require payment after the book hits the shelves? Do they incorporate the payments into the first 1000 copies (for example) and then the cost per book goes down after that?

Thanks for any heads up info.

Justin

If you don't want an agent, then self-publish using lulu.com. You pay for the printing, you do the publicity, you get all the profits.

Because without an agent, your chances of getting a publishing house to buy your manuscript are about nil.

 

[harobikes333]

kranky hit it dead on

 

[Aluvus]

Originally posted by: murray6475
Anyway, anyone know how getting a publishing company works in terms of paying them? Do they do monthly payments? Do they require payment after the book hits the shelves? Do they incorporate the payments into the first 1000 copies (for example) and then the cost per book goes down after that?

If you are talking about traditional publishing, then you should not be paying them anything. "Money flows toward the author", as they say. If you want to do traditional publishing, the job of an agent is to find a publisher that actually accepts your work for publication, which is no minor feat, and to negotiate on your behalf. They are not a necessary part of the process, but like a real estate agent, they deal with some of the BS so that you don't have to.

Self-publishing (generally through a Print on Demand [POD] company) is a different animal; generally there is a set-up cost (not always), and if you want them to do any promotion of the book for you there will be some kind of fee for that (exact structure depends on the company and the kind of promotion they do), and then they will take a cut out of each book that is sold. Often that cut is some fixed amount, plus a per-page amount, plus (if they do retail sales for you) a percentage of whatever is left over when you subtract those costs from the retail price. POD services generally don't give you a "real" ISBN number, which you would have to purchase on your own.

Here's a previous thread on self-publishing. Lulu is a well-known POD service. CreateSpace is owned by Amazon and gives you free listing on Amazon. There are lots of others. The costs and limitations of each can vary quite a bit.

 

[ModerateRepZero]

I want to get a book published. I know about the agent and really do not to get one because they take about 15% to 20% of the profit. Ridiculous for doing nothing.

Then YOU try talking to publishing companies and try to promote your book. Publishing is a competitive business. Less people read for pleasure nowadays, and there's thousands/millions of titles around. Have YOU done the research and can make the case that your book 1) is going to get people's interest by being exciting/distinct 2) fulfills some sort of interest/need for readers 3) isn't a CLONE of an existing bestseller/series. I don't know much about publishing agents but I would assume that their job is to drum up interest with publishers. They will know what interests a publisher, how to tailor proposals to publishers' preferences, and have a fairly good idea of book proposals which would either be good ideas or silly ideas not worth the paper that they were printed on. Agents act as advocates, counselors and more.

Seems to me that it's like realors and real estate. Any good realtor will have industry knowledge and experience in what aspects of a house are a good selling point, what tends to be a dealbreaker, what the local housing market and comparable houses will sell for, etc. Sure you can try selling on your own, but trying to save money without having a good knowledge/experience of the industry is penny-wise, pound foolish. I would think twice about selling a home in today's slow housing market.

 

[nerp]

Get an agent or self publish. That's it.

 

[nanette1985]

First you write the book. Then you find people who will pay to buy it. Good luck.

 

[Adam8281]

At any rate, I think it would be wise of you to submit the entire text to ATOT for critique before moving to publish.

 

[Lorax]

Originally posted by: Adam8281
At any rate, I think it would be wise of you to submit the entire text to ATOT for critique before moving to publish.

better nate than lever.

 

[sonambulo]

Originally posted by: kranky
Because without an agent, your chances of getting a publishing house to buy your manuscript are about nil.

Aye. This is true of virtually any creative endeavor. Trying to sell paintings without a good dealer or 'gallerist' is career suicide.

 

[ModerateRepZero]

I'm sure there's any number of endeavors for which getting an "agent" tends to be beneficial: real estate in selling houses, tv/video entertainment for scriptwriters, publishing industry for writers, etc.

 

[AreaCode7O7]

Fiction or non fiction? Strong market for non fiction and you may possibly have some success, but very unlikely without an agent. They don't "do nothing"; they screen thousands of manuscripts a year and only present potentially marketable ones to publishing houses. Publishing houses don't want to screen all those, and they generally only read what was submitted.

If you want a contract with a publishing house, self-publish and do a TON of promotion on your own; write magazine articles, appear at book signings, sell copies, make a name for yourself. If their work is essentially done for them, they may give you more than a passing glance.

<----- was briefly in the publishing industry before getting disgusted with all the egos and attitudes

 

[justinm]

Thanks for all of the responses. I've already written the book and done all the necessary editing. It has been a three year project for me. It is a non-fiction book btw.

 

[AreaCode7O7]

Originally posted by: murray6475
Thanks for all of the responses. I've already written the book and done all the necessary editing. It has been a three year project for me. It is a non-fiction book btw.

Have you done all your own editing? You would likely benefit from an outside pair of eyes. Non-fiction is good, much easier to sell than fiction.