Publishing a book

Community Forums/General Help/Publishing a book

Retimer

(Posted 2009) [#1]

Has anyone here published any books?

Someone in my family is trying to find a good way to go about it..

For starters, it's going to cost about $700 for someone to proof read his book, and another $700 to get a hardcopy version of it - just to present it to a publisher.

Is there better alternatives, or other procedures he should follow through? Publisher references?

Thanks

Ked	(Posted 2009) [#2]

For starters, it's going to cost about $700 for someone to proof read his book, and another $700 to get a hardcopy version of it - just to present it to a publisher.

If you mean "hardcopy" as in a hardback book, then I'm pretty sure the publisher just gets the manuscript. The hardback part comes from the publisher.

Nate the Great

(Posted 2009) [#3]

hmmm this fits perfectly with your sig :)

and I thought you gave the publisher a virtual copy and they printed it hardbacked and sold it in stores

Gabriel

(Posted 2009) [#4]

Ked is right. Publishers expect to receive a manuscript, not a proofread hardback. Some might accept electronic submissions these days, but most probably don't still.

Incidentally, whether he should be approaching a publisher at all depends on whether he has written a non-fiction or fiction book. Non-Fiction should be offered directly to a publisher in most instances. Fiction is very, very hard to sell to a publisher these days, and almost all successful manuscripts will come via an agent. Not that getting an agent is any easier, just that it's the way it's done.

Agents will also expect to read a manuscript, not a proofread hardcopy. Don't waste money on that.

You can probably find lots of good references on how a manuscript should be presented but off the top of my head, they should be double-linespaced, every page numbered and only printed on one side. A4 and good quality paper (100GSM)

LineOf7s

(Posted 2009) [#5]

Perhaps not what you're interested in, but have you considered http://www.lulu.com ?

Zethrax

(Posted 2009) [#6]

There's some useful info on this subject at:-
http://www.spacejock.com.au/Articles.html

xlsior

(Posted 2009) [#7]

For starters, it's going to cost about $700 for someone to proof read his book, and another $700 to get a hardcopy version of it - just to present it to a publisher.

That sounds really fishy to me...

I have a feeling that there's someone making a quick $1,400 bucks rather than actually getting others' books published.

GfK	(Posted 2009) [#8]

Another vote for lulu.com.

gosse

(Posted 2009) [#9]

lulu.com

Cartman

(Posted 2009) [#10]

I've had a book published. You just present them with a detailed outline and they will decide if they want to green light it. Sometimes you can get an advance of around $5000. Earnings usually range about 10% of net. So if the book retails for $40, and the publisher gets half(very standard), then you get 10% of that. About $2 per book sold. Not very much.

They will provide the editors and handle everything else.

My friend (who published more books than I did) said not to do it. Wasn't profitable at all. I enjoyed the experience, but wouldn't do it again. I estimated I could have made more at McDonalds.

Zethrax

(Posted 2009) [#11]

Another option to consider, is publishing via the Amazon Kindle.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/seller-account/mm-summary-page.html/ref=gw_m_b_spwus?ie=UTF8&ld=AZFooterSelfPublish&topic=200260520
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amazon_Kindle

Might be a good way to test the waters with your book, prior to publishing via hardcopy. Just make sure you publish AFTER thouroughly proofreading the book.

Ginger Tea

(Posted 2009) [#12]

skimmed the thread but i concur with what ive read so far, a publisher hires proofreaders and editors and runs the printing logistics
you just post em a copy, copy mind not long hand original notes, we dont want a repeat of the blackadder dictionarry.
if they like it they give you a deal (what rights you loose and retain vary read before signing)

if i ever finish my book, which has been gathering dust in a leaver arch file and random .txt files on numerous drives, id self publish online, just save as pdf slap it up and see if anyones downloaded it, i personally wouldnt go the lulu printed route as i dont think anyone would willingly pay for it as it was just something i did when i had free time to idle away boredom

edit:
but the fees bit reminds me of the poetry scam books
you enter a 'competition' and they like your work and want to put it into a book. the thing is you have to pay them to have it submitted and you will recieve a copy of the final book with all the other entrants submissions.
and iir the only copies ever made are the ones paid for by the winners and any extras they may be foolish enough to order, if they ever get printed in the first place