Myths, Myths Everywhere - Writers Beware

 Writers are in the business of communication, right?  One of the ways we pay our bills (hopefully) funnels through our words.  Why then, do I run across so much misinformation about the business of writing?

The digital age stripped the familiar face off publishing years ago, yet many sites, authors and "experts" continue to sing the same song - if you want to be legitimate as an author, you must be published by a 'traditional' house.  Poppycock.  While there are unscrupulous publishers out there, the big houses lost their clout years ago.  Small presses are becoming more viable options since the traditional publishers virtually shut their doors to new authors.

Dumbfounded comes to mind when I read some of the "warnings" about publishers I found on the internet today.  This information is so outdated as to be a total disservice to anyone with the gumption to get their manuscript published.  The following are some of the publishing myths I stumbled across today (all too easily, I might add).

1. New or small press publisher claims that the established publishers and published writers are trying to block new writers from being published.  While established publishers and writers may not be actively trying to block new writers from publication, their 'traditional' system is in gridlock.  Breaking into a traditional house takes years.  The big houses, even if they accept a new writer's manuscript (which does happen on occasion), cannot produce a finished product for eighteen months to three years.  That's a helluva long time to wait for your book, especially if it took years to get their attention in the first place.  We won't go into the pittance they pay new authors either ...
2. The publisher gives no or very low advances for books it buys.  I about fell off my chair on this one.  Writers!  Authors! Listen up!  The day of the advance is gone unless you are well established.  Do not buy into this idea that if you finally do get accepted with a major publisher, financially you are set for life.  This is a lie - or I suppose I should say - it is no longer true that authors (especially new authors) are showered with tremendous advances.  Please note also, that if you did get an advance, you would see no more money until your book generated enough sales to pay back the publisher.  At the infinitesimal royalty rates traditional houses pay authors, your likelihood of making money off your book is insignificant unless you're a fortunate case like J. K. Rowlings.  Ms. Rowlings was a one in millions case.  If you want to make big money fast, you are better off playing the lottery.  Small presses cannot pay advances.  In fact, many, like myself, are co-op publishers.  A co-op publisher basically says to you as an author, "If you truly believe in your book, you have identified a niche market and have a plan to reach it, and you can produce a quality book and are willing to pay a professional editor to make sure it's clean, then put your money where your mouth is.  Share the cost of producing the book with the publisher.  Be willing to invest a couple thousand dollars to produce a professional book and be willing to get out and promote the book.  The small press is only compensated for the work done setting up the book.  That is why an author MUST produce a targeted niche market and a plan for reaching said market.  The publisher won't really make any profit unless the author sells books.  The cost for a publisher to set up a book for print is only in the hundreds of dollars.  The time spent on getting the book set up and the equipment and overhead costs require the publisher to charge the co-op fee.  This isn't underhanded or dirty.  If you worked a few weeks on a project like setting up a book, paid for all the equipment and personnel to do the work, you would want to be compensated for your time, knowledge and overhead as well.  Authors MUST educate themselves in this digital age.  You can have a book accepted and published today, without all the wranglings and agents and years of frustration, in months - BUT, a quality small press will NOT accept a manuscript without a targeted niche market, without a solid marketing plan, without a professionally edited manuscript and without quality writing.  As a small press owner, I cannot afford to waste my time on wannabes.  I must have writers dedicated to craft, dedicated to marketing and dedicated to producing a quality product.  Given all those factors, I can produce a quality book in less than a year - in many cases, less than six months.  Please, writers - wake up and research!  Understand also that your book will not, in most cases, make you tons of money.  Your book is just a door opener to offshoot products (I have T-shirts for sale with the cover of my new book on them) and paid speaking engagements and other income streams.  But I digress.  On to the next myth...
3. The publisher's books are rarely in any bookstores, particularly the large chain stores that carry books from just about all reputable commercial publishers.  This one sends my blood pressure to unhealthy levels.  THIS WAS ONCE TRUE BUT NOW IS THE BIGGEST FARCE CRAMMED DOWN WRITERS THROATS EVER!  Did you know that less than 15% of all books are sold in bookstores?  The last time I checked, the number was around 12%.  Now, please, tell me - If you were a thinking businessman or woman, would you place as major criteria whether to go with a publisher something that only gave you a shot at 12% of the market, and that is best case scenario?  I wouldn't.  I tell authors that have books if they spend more than 12% of their time and effort trying to get into major retailers, they are wasting their resources.  So where are the bulk of book sales.  I don't need to tell you.  If I do, you should consider a different field of endeavor.  The Internet.  Amazon.com.  BarnesandNoble.com.  Booksamillion.com.  As a small press, I put authors in all those online retailers.  But know this fellow writers - what do retailer ALWAYS have to have?  Their cut.  Amazon.com is a virtual thief, asking up to 55% of the cover price.  55%!  What a crock!  This is why you set up your own online store, learn to develop a web presence and sell them yourself.  Then YOU keep that money.  Please, listen to me.  Writers have been taken advantage of far too long financially.  You have options.  Good options.  Heck, compared to the past few centuries, writers have the greatest opportunity for publication AND income they've ever known.  These myths that we perpetuate ourselves are only serving to keep us under the thumb of those who want business flowing their way as usual.  You do not need to be in bookstores.  Tack this onto the list of why not - you are one of usually 150,000 books, and if you think they'll put you upfront at the door, you're a bigger dreamer than a writer has right to be.  Also, if your book doesn't sell, they get sent back and your account with the publisher gets charged.  Do you think the publisher eats that?  This is a business writers.  Understand the business.
4. The publisher's books have never been seen on a bestseller list published by a reputable source such as the New York Times, especially when said publisher claims to be large.  Good thing I don't have blood pressure problems (yet).  Bestseller lists? New York Times?  This is the mark of a successful book?  C'mon!  Research all the ways and means of getting a book on the bestseller lists.  Most of it is pure manipulation.  It's also about 'volume' printing, not necessarily quality, profit or anything else a writer should aspire to.  Am I saying I don't wish to be on a bestseller list?  Heck no, I'd love it.  But this is not the end all and be all of whether a book is successful.  I know an author who started their own publishing company, published a three book children's series (that is now four books) and sold over 40,000 copies over five years at gross profit of over twelve dollars a book.  Do the math.  Does nearly a half million dollars in gross sales appeal to you?  It does to me.  This author put a lot of time, effort and money into this series of books.  She is quick to point out that she didn't make anywhere near a half million dollars of net income.  Understood, but that's one heckuva cash flow, isn't it folks.  She didn't do this by sitting back after she wrote the books.  She understood she had to get out and make it happen.  It took years.  It took money.  I took effort.  I'll take a good book with a targeted niche market and a solid marketing plan over a supposed bestseller where you only make a pittance on the sale of each book in many cases.  

  This hub has run much too long.  I will continue it on my next hub.  I am pulling these myths from of all places, predators and editors, once an online beacon to save writers from unscrupulous publishers.  They need to pull down their site and put up a more accurate reflection of the book publishing industry.  Make no mistake either, authors.  Tactile books are dwindling in popularity at a rapid pace.  Only 51% of books published are now a physical book.  Look at that percentage and tell me where you need to get up to speed on publishing.  Not only do you need to be aware of digital publishing, you need to find the money.  This is difficult.  At this time, I'm still on the learning curve myself.  Know this - writers have been screwed out of their rightful share of income for centuries.  What makes anyone think that will change unless we educate ourselves and demand we get our rightful share.  After all, without us, they'd have NO CONTENT! 

Lastly, don't keep these myths going.  Educate yourself on as many of the true and profitable options available in the twenty-first century.  Don't repeat things you hear.  Take an honest look for yourself.  Writing is not a good money-making business for writers - so far.  Writing is a great money-making business for editors, printers, publishers, agents, movie studios, etc.  If we can collectively overcome these myths, we have an opportunity to finally receive appropriate compensation.