So You Have Written a Book…

As a published and self-published author, I am often asked which one of these two ways to print a book is better. There are advantages and disadvantages to each, but I can tell you one thing: no matter what you choose, you will have to fight for your book, especially if it is your first one.

Every new author needs to realize something, and they will realize it sooner or later: nobody in the publishing world is waiting for them with the open arms. In fact, nobody cares. That's just the cruel reality of life, and if you are prepared to face it and fight it, you are better off than many.

I was a newbie once. I thought that book publishing was about Literature, and if I write a good book, publishers will recognize it as such and want to print it. I was wrong. Book publishing is not about Literature, it is about Money. Christian publishing, I am sorry to say, is no different. It is a business, not charity. No one will print your book just because it is good. On the other hand, if you have Name and Audience (like a TV preacher, for example), many will be happy to publish your book even if it is not particularly well written. Why? Because it is going to sell.

When a new author is trying to get into the market, it is often referred to as "breaking the publishing barrier," because, indeed, a barrier exists, and a large one. A new author whom nobody knows is a risky investment. Many big publishers openly state on their websites that they "do not accept unsolicited manuscripts" - which can be translated as, "Newbies, don't bother us with your books, we don't even want to look at them." And those who do deign to look at your work will ask for your marketing plan, which they will study even more closely than the quality of your work. Not only you must prove that you can write well, you must also convince them that your work is worth publishing - money wise.

Now that I have painted this black picture, let me say something to cheer you up. There are people who care about your work. They are called Readers. If you have written a good book, there are readers who are going to love it. That's what makes this battle worth fighting, and that's why we write, to begin with.