Book Publishing - A Chaotic Mess

Or maybe it does. Publishing is melting down into the PC wars of the 1980's and 90's. Remember when IBM was actually relevant in people's minds when it came to computers? Now its Dell, Toshiba, Acer and a plethora of other personal computer manufacturers.

Traditional presses learned little to nothing from IBM. They're struggling under the attack of small presses who lassoed digital technology and use it position themselves better than the big dogs.

As a publisher, I talk to writers every single day. What writers THINK the industry looks like and what it ACTUALLY is can be universes apart. For instance, writers on the whole have snubbed vanity presses for decades. This scorn, no doubt bolstered by agents and big house publishers, carries over into today's market.

But wait. Am I actually seeing big name people using vanity presses? Of course I am! The ability of small pressed to deliver books and deliver the quick and relatively cheap appeals even to established authors.

Beware - the watchword of authors everywhere - of the POD or vanity press. While this is a good warning to heed, it should not drive the potential author away. I just spoke with an author that published through a vanity press and heard her horror stories. Ok, I only had time for a couple of them, but they were significant.

One instance she sited is this particular company she published with would not ship books at a bulk rate. That meant every time she ordered books, she paid $3.99 PER BOOK! I thought I'd heard everything. Ok, I know I haven't, but for a national company that touts over 40,000 authors, one would think they would be more author-friendly.

No, they are greed-friendly just like the big houses. Authors have been historically ignorant of anything business related and have been taken advantage of for as long as I can look back. Writers ask for this to happen to them. I'm sorry, but it's true. With an industry in flux like publishing is right now, these stories are a dime a thousand.

I get peeved because a small press like mine, ClearView Press Inc., suffers under the prejudice perpetuated by these multimillion dollar charlatans. I constantly have to explain to writers that the POD model offers price incentives that should not be passed on, not the least of which is not needing to maintain a large inventory which costs money.

I also have to explain why co-op publishing requires a financial investment from the author. I founded CVP on the premise that an author should be willing to put his or her money where their mouth is. They should invest in their book. I also wanted a delivery system that would allow the author to recoup their money if they sold 300 books.

The problem comes in at the mention of the author fronting some money. Vanity press prejudice leaps up like the shields on Star Trek's Enterprise. "I'm not paying to have my book published!", is another rallying cry. Getting an author to listen to a package that delivers 350 books which will more than cover their investment PLUS they will be plugged into Ingram's distribution system which includes such notable online retailers as Barnes & Noble, BooksAMillion and Amazon is a struggle.

That's why I interview authors one-on-one. A book will not make you rich unless you are EXTREMELY fortunate. You'd be better off investing in a Lotto ticket. What a book WILL do is open doors and offer ancillary products or speaking engagements where you can actually make some money.

All the publishing companies preying on writers these days is sickening. But again, writers ask for it. What kills me is a writer will extensively research for their books, but they don't educate themselves on what is going on in publishing. ebook sales rose 176% last year according to Publisher's Weekly, accounting for 4% of total sales, a figure virtually guaranteed to skyrocket in the coming months and years.

Ask your average author about ebooks, how they're setup, delivered, what they cost, etc., and you get a blank stare or a stammering of partial truths. The digital age has brought on a Renaissance for writers. There has not been a time in history like today. Any author, good or bad, can get published. Learning the industry will determine whether that experience is sweet or tastes like the toxic spill in the Gulf.

Publishing is in a chaotic metamorphosis. Writers MUST educate themselves or continue to be taken to the cleaners by unscrupulous publishing houses that only want to cart off truckloads of cash. All publishers desire to turn a bottom line that keeps them in business. There is a certain amount of profit needed if the company wishes to grow as well. But preying on the ignorance of the writer sucks.

I personally have met or know through other legitimate small press owners nearly a dozen writers who spent 5 digits, yes $20,000, $30,000, even $52,000 - to get their book published. Insane! They had no chance to recoup their money. They lost from square one.

Nothing is going to settle anytime soon in publishing. Technology and a younger generation who read in formats we older folk once found abhorrent are going to continue to change the face of the industry. Small presses and writers alike must do their best to stay on top of things and protect themselves against greedy, mercenary corporations. It really doesn't have to be this hard, but given the nature of people chasing money, publishing will continue to be a struggle - not so much to get published anymore - but who to trust.