THE WRITE STUFF BLOG

ABOUT SELF-PUBLISHING

If you have written a book, or if you are writing a book, or if you want to write a book but you need some kind of help, you have come to the right page. We are skilled in manuscript preparation, and we offer services that can help you to self-publish your book quickly and efficiently.

You have three options if you want to get your book out into the world:

• You can try to find a commercial trade publisher.
• You can use a vanity press.
• You can self-publish.

Each of these options has some attractions, and each of them has some drawbacks. But if you keep reading, I think you will agree with me that self-publishing is your best bet. Self-publishing will afford you the greatest control along with the best opportunity for selling your book and actually making some money on it. That is why self-publishing is the fastest-growing area of book publishing, and also the most interesting.

This is not to say that self-publishing is easy. Far from it. The truth is that although anybody can self-publish, few do it well or successfully. There are pitfalls at every turn, and mistakes will prove costly. You would do well to have a guide.

These services are our specialties. Some writers—those with the time and the know—how—may be able to do all of it themselves. But most of you will benefit from some help, and I believe that Word Association's expertise in these areas is unmatched by any other company.

Let me explain why I think we are unique.

First, although the big publishing houses do offer a full array of services, your chances of getting your manuscript in the front door are slim to none. The simple fact is that most major book publishers receive so many unsolicited manuscripts that they will only consider writers who have well-known agents. And if you try to get an agent you immediately discover one of the many Catch-22's of the publishing industry: most agents only want to work with writers who have already published.

So there is no disgrace in having your manuscript rejected by a trade publisher. Some of the best and most interesting writing in the world today is coming from the small and independent publishers-just as in the motion-picture industry where the small studios are producing some of the most daring and innovative movies.

Let me add that even if you somehow manage to get your book accepted by a trade publisher, chances are that your initial excitement will gradually turn to disenchantment. Read the article "Why Big Publishers Mean Small Publicity" by clicking here. It's an eye-opener, for most writers, about the harsh realities of the publishing business. For example, it is usually assumed that the trade publisher pays for everything, while the self-publisher must foot the bill himself. Increasingly, however, writers are finding out that this isn't the case. Many publishers now expect writers to invest in the marketing of their book, and others will consider a manuscript only if it has already been well edited. And when it comes to royalties, unknown writers can expect to get only about three to six percent.

VANITY PUBLISHERS: Many writers, unable to get their book accepted by a commercial publisher, turn to a vanity press. Most vanity presses will publish any book, it doesn't matter what the subject is or how poorly it may be written. They will charge you a lot of money to produce it, then they'll own it, they'll give you a limited number of copies, and they'll pay you a small royalty. Worse, your book will be tainted. Most book reviewers and booksellers have a low regard for the vanity presses-primarily because these companies have a history of churning out bad books, books that had little or no editing, and because many of these firms also overpraise the writing and overpromise the marketing effort. No doubt there are some vanity presses that are reputable, but you will want to think long and hard before heading in this direction.

At Word Association, we offer writers a way to publish their book with all of the advantages of self-publishing and none of the negatives of a vanity press. And at Word Association, if we accept your manuscript, you will find yourself in good company. We are fussy about what we publish. If your manuscript isn't carefully written we aren't interested. If it has potential but needs work, we will ask either that you improve it, or allow our editors to make the necessary improvements for you. Our guiding principle is to make your book as good as it can be. We want to be as proud of your book as you are.

• Editing and proofreading
• Manuscript consultation, co-writing, ghostwriting
• Manuscript preparation (typesetting or page formatting)
• Cover and interior design
• Credentials (ISBN, Library of Congress Number, copyright)
• Printing and binding
• Promotion and marketing
• Distribution and fulfillment
• Ebook

You have the option of picking only those services you want or need. And once you have paid for these services, you own your book outright. Instead of the three percent of royalties offered by the trade publishers, you keep 100 percent of the net sales of your book.

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