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By Crossroad Publisher
Technology allows you to publish your books. However, doing so successfully takes time, knowledge, and determination. But don’t lose hope! In today’s blog, we talk about how to get published in 2024.
We’ll talk about:
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We can describe publishing in 2024 in the same words as Dicken’s described 19th-century London. It is the best of times; it is the worst of times!
On the one hand, book sales (especially ebooks and audiobooks) are on the rise. On the other hand, they are facing competition from podcasts and other forms of infotainment.
One of the most significant trends in publishing is the consolidation of giant publishing houses.
20 years ago, we had the “big six,” namely Simon & Schuster, Penguin, HarperCollins, Random House, Hachette, and Macmillan. In 2013, following the merger of Penguin and Random House (Penguin Random House - PRH), they became the “Big Five.” These companies accounted for 80% of all book sales in 2021. In the same year, PRH acquired Simon & Schuster. And then there were four.
What did this mean for traditional publishing? Among other things, it meant that it became difficult for new authors to get a book deal. These giant publishing companies no longer accept unsolicited manuscripts. This means even new writers have to rely on literary agents. On average, publishing houses receive more than 5000 manuscripts every year, but only 1% or 2% get a book deal.
Most of the rejection has to do with the poor quality of the manuscripts (e.g. grammar mistakes and unoriginal ideas). However, the traditional publishing framework is far from perfect. For instance, 14 literary agents rejected the ultra-famous novel “Twilight” by Stephanie Meyer!
Even when you find an agent you share the passion for your genre, be prepared to share 15% of your earnings (higher if you get translations or foreign sales). If you don’t want to share this chunk of your earnings, you can choose an alternate route to publishing.
So, how to get published?
When was the last time you visited one of these?
Nowadays writers can also go for self-publishing. This publishing trend has been on the rise since 2010.
In 2018 more than 1.5 million International Standard Book Number (ISBN)s were issued. So, self-publishing is a good option for new writers. It can lead to traditional publishing opportunities if your book does well.
The benefit of self-publishing is that it gets your foot in the door. You don’t have to find an agent to represent you or face rejection from publishing houses. Moreover, you have complete control over your product, both the creative and the financial aspects. Of course, you have to foot the bill for the project, but then you don’t have to share the profits with anyone. Even traditional publishing requires writers to bear some costs. This is especially true for marketing and promotion.
For these reasons (and more), self-publishing attracts many writers. But it is the easier option? This question has been a subject of debate among authors, especially on Redditt. To answer this question, let’s take a quick overview of self-publishing.
The basic premise of self-publishing is simple. You write your manuscript in a Word processor (Word or Google Docs) and format it according to publishing guidelines (e.g., ePub or Mobi).
A lot depends on where you want to publish your book. For instance, Barnes & Noble lets you self-publish your book without paying anything. However, your book will be limited to Barnes & Noble customers.
On the other hand, you can publish on Apple iBooks. This will help you reach a broader audience through multiple platforms. On the flipside, iBooks is not the most popular avenue for book readers. Moreover, it offers only electronic publishing, not print.
The most popular avenue for self-publishing is Amazon KDP with more than 300 million customers! It allows you to in digital, paperback, or hardcover formats.
The medium has changed, but people are still reading!
Self-publishing, however, is much more about the choice of platform and format. As mentioned above, you have to handle all your editing or hire a professional to do so. Moreover, you also have to take care of cover design, typesetting, synopsis development, etc. You also need to do the paperwork to get your ISBN. And then you are responsible for marketing and publicity.
There is no barrier to entry into self-publishing. But, the process can overwhelm first-time writers. To sum up, publishing has become now become easier and more difficult.
What can aspiring writers do in this scenario?
Publishing services help you navigate the complexities described above. Many writers seek book publishing services after finishing their work. Others hire professionals to help with their manuscripts.
Publishing services help you with editing your manuscript and making it ready to publish. Let’s say you’re writing a children’s storybook. A publishing service will review your manuscript. It will check for quality, readability, and audience engagement. They will know what "sells" in a specific genre. They can also help you tweak your book for maximum sales.
Finally, they will also ensure that your book has the perfect format across platforms and devices. Once the technicalities are done and the book is published, many services can help boost your visibility and reach. This includes social media marketing, video ads, press releases, blurbs, etc.
In short, a publishing service is a one-stop-shop for authors not just to get their book released, but also to make it successful.
That’s where we come in.
Wondering how to get published? Let Crossroad Publisher take it from there! We will guide you through each step of the publishing journey, including editing, formatting, design, and licensing.
But that’s not all. We also offer marketing services to maximize your readership. Contact us today to learn more about getting your writing published.
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