So you've decided to self-publish the book you have worked so hard to write. Congratulations!
You
are joining the ranks of some of the most well-known authors, including
Deepak Chopra, James Joyce, Gertrude Stein and Anais Nin. In fact, you
probably have several self-published titles in your own library. What
Color is Your Parachute by Richard Nelson Bolles and Irma Rombauer's The
Joy of Cooking are two examples.
When you self-publish, there are
two viable possibilities. One is to do all the work yourself. This is
possible, but the learning curve can be steep. The other possibility is
to work with a book packaging company that will provide you with a
number of services that will facilitate the task of getting your book
out into the world. The learning curve here is minimal.
If you've
decided to work with a book-packager, there are certain things you
should expect from the publishing process. A book-packager should allow
you to retain full control of the text, the design and the
illustrations, and keep 100% of the cover price for every sale. Think of
the book-packager as a hired freelancer. You order a service, contract a
fee, and when your book is produced, their job, and your obligation,
are finished. Although lines are sometimes blurred these days with
book-packagers taking on the role of agent as well, a reputable service
will have clear outlines for each of their services available.
Sometimes,
clients ask if book packaging is something a printer can provide. The
answer is no. Printers work on the very technical and specific portion
of your book's production--turning electronic files into a printed book.
They do not specialize in design, or the finer points of book marketing
(often dealt with in the book design stage), which should dictate
certain choices make about the look of your book. Ultimately, the
book-packager's job is to be the expert in the middle who makes sure you
have considered all the options and decided on each element before the
project goes to press. Your choices need to be translated into the
language the printer needs to produce the book you dream of.
