To Find a Publisher vs. Self Publishing

It took me two years to learn to write a good proposal. First the writer needs to insure that the title of his or her book tells what it is about in a… "Can't wait to see what this is about". Next, the writer must do an appealing synopsis, as well as why they think they can sell it. Get ready to scream; all this has to fit into a single page letter. Now, the poor writers must entice the publisher to read their proposal by composing an appealing tag line. A tag line is like going fishing, and the author has to choose the right lure. For instance, when I wrote "Maya Sangh and the Valley of the White Ones", I used the following: They knew the secrets of the universe, but not how to raise a human child."

Certainly, a proposal sounds difficult but one has to look at it like a game. You, the writer, are going fishing and you want to catch a publisher on your hook.

A proposal consists of: A cover letter, tag line, brief synopsis, author bio, why the writer believes their book is different than other similar books on the market, an outline, and what the writer plans to do to sell his or her book. Don't make a mistake and send your manuscript to a publisher in a regular old brown envelope. Be creative. Make your own labels and insure that they will match the cover design of your book. Next, choose a colored envelope that matches, what you hope might be the cover color of the book. But, don't stop there; design some colored linen stationary, which include the book design in the upper left corner and select a corresponding font color. There are two major reasons for this; one, the writer wants to insure, that his or her proposal stands out from all the brown manila envelopes on the publisher's desk. Two, the writer wants to show the publisher; he or she really cares about their book.

Once, when I was credit manager for a small retail firm, the head of the company came in to teach the sales girls how to sell, a hard to sell, jewelry item. He said, "Present it like you are presenting the crown jewels - like this." The Manager took the jewel box and offered it as though he were presenting the, not very beautiful, piece of jewelry to the Queen of England. "Here", he said, as he opened the box, "Isn't this lovely?" Sales tripled. I never forgot that simple lesson. As a writer, your manuscript is worthy of such a presentation because you have worked hard on it.

The final question for a writer is whether to self-publish, use Print on Demand, or approach a large or small publisher. Until a writer is pretty well known, it is almost impossible to get the attention of a major publisher. This leaves self-publishing, Print on Demand, or a small publisher. My preference is "Print on Demand", for the writer buys only what books they can sell, and they do not have to stock four or five thousand copies in their closet. More importantly, the author still maintains the copyright, which is lost with a small publisher. Also, a Print on Demand publisher will guarantee a certain amount of help with promotion. I chose this route, because it gave me a great deal of control over my books. This included approval of layout and cover design. After all, whether a writer is leaning toward self-publishing, or a large publisher firm, they have already made a proposal commitment on what they are going to do to help promote their book anyway. Considering the advantages of cyber space, there is no end of sales possibilities. An innovative writer can soon turn their book into a best seller. Once the writer can show a large sales volume, a major publisher is usually happy to buy the rights…for a very nice sum. Look at "The Philistine Prophecy".

Nevertheless, I would caution a writer to research any small, or on Print on Demand, publisher. Make certain they are reputable. See what books they are publishing, how long they have been in business, and get a copy of their contract. Also, I would suggest that the writer get a copy of some book the company has published to make certain that the quality lives up to his or her expectations. The one time charge for Print on Demand publishing is usually worthwhile, considering those 5,000 books you may have to sell which is going to up closet space until you do. Through "Print on Demand" your cash outlay will be much less and you will still get a suitable royalty. It is a competitive market and you can get a good deal - but don't go too cheap because you may lose quality.

Always remember; to sell your book is opening the doorway to a major publisher.

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