understand the key book publishing paths by jane friedman • janefriedman.com • @janefriedman

TRADITIONAL PARTNERSHIP FULLY ASSISTED DIY + DISTRIBUTOR DIY DIRECT

key characteristics key characteristics key characteristics key characteristics key characteristics • Author receives advance and • Author partners with agent, • Author pays an upfront fee for • Author does all/most work on • Author does all the work on royalties, usually based on publisher, or author collec- a package of services; service her own, hires outside assis- her own, hires outside assis- life-of-copyright contract tive, sharing the risk and the provider does only what is tance as needed, and provides tance as needed, and provides • Process often takes 1–2 years revenue paid for the distributor with final files retailers with finished, ready- • Agent often required; highly • Author does not pay a fee to • All work is accepted; the only • The distribution service may to-go files or books selective process publish, but advance unlikely criteria is that author can pay charge an upfront fee and/ • The retailer takes a cut of your • There is a selection process; • Author receives better or take a cut of sales, and is sales, which may vary based value for author the partner does not accept all royalties than a traditional responsible for paying you on the price you set interested authors • Publisher shoulders financial contract, but makes less than • Nonexclusive; the author is • Nonexclusive; the author • Partner provides industry and creative risk DIY options not bound to the distributor deals with each retailer savvy and marketing expertise • Physical bookstore distribu- or giving up rights on at-will basis tion often a given value for author • Best chance of mainstream value for author • All you have to do is write value for author value for author media coverage and reviews • Lower risk than DIY self- a check and let the service • For e-book publishing, • Maximizes earnings; by deal- • Years of expertise in book publishing; better royalties provider do all the work removes admin headache ing direct, authors get highest editing, design, and produc- than traditional publishing of managing accounts at possible percentage of sales tion working for you • Gain benefit of a partner with warnings + exceptions multiple online retailers • Authors can usually make experience and knowledge of • Marketing and publicity dept. • You get only what you pay for; • For print or POD distribution, changes and updates on the insight, advice, assistance the book publishing industry a service partner is mandato- fly, as often as needed • Opportunity to focus more on you may end up with a book without commercial viability ry; however, your book will • Author retains maximum creative work, less on admin- not likely be stocked in stores, control over product, pricing, warnings + exceptions istrative, business end • Your book may be available • New digital-only imprints for order through bookstores, merely available for order marketing, etc may offer no advance, charge but it is rarely ever physically • Some services provide free or for services, yet demand same warnings + exceptions distributed/stocked paid e-book file conversion, warnings + exceptions rights as other contracts • Not all partners are created • The service company will try marketing tools, and other • Demands the most skill and • Part of the advance may be equal; some may offer little to sell you additional services services on an a la carte basis effort from the author to get paid up to one year after the more than digital distribution that may provide little value the best quality book book’s publication date and administration • Books published through warnings + exceptions • Amazon demands exclusivity • Successful indie/DIY authors • Changing landscape means these services are often seen • Some distributors are also if you enroll in KDP Select can negotiate better deals and contracts may vary widely as lower quality than every book retailers, such as • Some agents will offer to sometimes keep their e-book from partner to partner; con- other type of self-publishing , Lulu, and Blurb assist you with DIY e-book rights sider hiring an agent to review • The self-pub success stories publishing, and take 15% of the contract before signing you hear about do not come examples your sales (see special cases) • Make sure your partner is examples from full-assist services • Smashwords (e-books) • It is difficult to indie publish doing something meaningful • The Big Six publishers (media • BookBaby (e-books) enhanced e-books outside of to earn their share of revenue conglomerate owned) examples • eBookPartnership.com Apple without a distirbution • Do not confuse this for or service partner • Small, independent presses, agent-assisted self-pub • Author Solutions, which • CreateSpace (owned by such as Graywolf, Tin House, (see below for special cases) includes: Archway, , Amazon, POD service) and Algonquin AuthorHouse, iUniverse, • Lulu (e-books and POD; examples • Mid-size publishers, such as examples Abbott Press, Westbow, avoid fully assisted service) • Amazon KDP Sourcebooks and F+W Media DellArte Press, Balboa Press •  (POD) • Nook Press (Barnes & Noble) • Rogue Reader • University presses, which • Infinity Publishing • Blurb (full-color books) • Kobo Writing Life • Diversion Books often take lifetime rights and • Outskirts Publishing • BookCountry (e-books) • Apple iBookstore • Cool Gus Publishing even copyright • Vook (enhanced e-books) • Scribd

less control 444444444444444444444444444444more control less upfront risk for author 4444444444444444 more upfront risk for author lower author royalties / revenue 44444444444444 higher author royalties / revenue

SPECIAL + HARD-TO-CLASSIFY CASES • Digital-only publishers: They may operate on traditional, partnership, or assisted • Agent-assisted DIY e-book publishing. When the agent takes care of all administrative models. Proceed with caution and be careful when agreeing to exclusivity. There should and business duties related to DIY e-publishing (yellow column above)—giving you an be a specific term to the contract (e.g., three years). How or when does the agreement “assisted” experience—then takes 15% of your sales, in addition to charging various edi- terminate? Be very protective of your rights if you’re shouldering most of the risk and torial, production, and design fees. effort. Examples of high-quality and innovative digital-only publishers: Byliner, Atavist, • Agent-assisted DIY e-book publishing exclusive to Amazon. Amazon’s White Glove Plympton, Kindle Singles, and countless e-book imprints from magazines, newspapers, program is only available to indie authors working through an agent. The agent receives websites, and book publishers. 15% and your work receives preferential marketing and promotion from Amazon. How- • Crowdfunding: When authors use a site such as Kickstarter, Pubslush, or Unbound to ever, your book may not be sold at any other retailer. fund their project. • Agent-assisted e-book publishing & distribution. The agent signs you with an e-book • “Hybrid” authors: There is much confusion over this term. When I use the term distributor that works specifically with agents and publishers. The two biggest firms are “hybrid,” I’m referring to an author who both traditionally publishes and independently Argo Navis and INscribe Digital. Be aware this puts two middlemen into the equation: (DIY) publishes. CJ Lyons is an example of such an author. A hybrid author may or may the distributor who gets a cut, and your agent who typically gets 15%. not work with an agent.

POPULAR TOOLS & SERVICES FOR PRODUCING E-BOOK FILES WHERE TO FIND FREELANCE ASSISTANCE + OTHER SERVICES • Scrivener: word-processing software • BiblioCrunch: find professional editorial help • Calibre: free e-book conversion tool • Editorial Freelancers Association: the-efa.org • Sigil: free EPUB formatting/creation tool • Agent Rachelle Gardner keeps a list of recommended editors at her website • PressBooks: free e-book formatting tool, Wordpress-based (look under “Resources for Writers”) • Apple Pages: can export EPUB files • WriterCube: marketing support • Apple iBooks Author: for building enhanced e-books • For a link round-up on the basics of e-book publishing: • Book Creator: iPad app for creating illustrated e-books (for iOS devices) http://janefriedman.com/2013/04/21/how-to-publish-an-ebook/ •  • AerBook Maker: good for multimedia-driven work For a primer on how to get traditionally published: http://janefriedman.com/2012/01/28/start-here-how-to-get-your-book-published/