Self-publishing has made life easier for writers. Without the fear of rejection, many writers have found the courage to pen down their stories and put it out to the world because in this model the author retains ownership of their book and manages and controls the whole process.
Thanks to the rise in demand for self-publishing, today there are plenty of self-publishers in the market, each offering attractive packages and handing out the best deals. So, how do you pick the right team for yourself when there are so many to choose from? Here are a few traits you need to look out for before signing up with a self-publisher:
1. Is The Publishing House Approachable And Systematic?
As a first time author, you must understand the process of publishing. A good self-publisher must be approachable and easy to co-ordinate with. They should be systematic in terms of the timelines they set and adhere to it. The usual publishing time frame is 2 -3 weeks.
2. Do They Offer Sensible Services At Reasonable Rates?
Investing money in self-publishing is no joke. You need to pick from various packages that range from basic to professional. As is the case with professional services; the higher the package, the better the services. But a good self-publisher will not cheat you into buying a package you don’t require. A good self-publisher will help you pick a suitable package that addresses your needs and nothing more.
3. Do You Get To Have Full Ownership Of Rights & Royalties?
A good self-publisher allows you to be in control of the creative and selling process. They also make sure you get to keep 100% profits from the book’s sales, no matter what the package is.In fact, you should be suspicious of publishers that don’t have a royalty calculator.
4. Are They Professional ?
Everyone wants the best for their book. A good self-publisher should have professional editors, designers and a PR team ready at their disposal to give your book the royal treatment.They will also know which professional will be best suited to work on your book.
5. Is there A Non-exclusive Agreement?
A good self-publisher will have a non-exclusive agreement that works best for you. A non-exclusive agreement allows you to get your book published with more than one agency. Make sure your publisher has one which can lead to more opportunities for you. This agreement can also land you a contract with a traditional publishing company if their agent is impressed with your book.
6. Do They Provide A Good Print Service?
A good self -publisher agency must help you at every step of the way. Turning your manuscript from a digital format to a book, the cover design and the interior design of your book; everything needs to be taken care of.
7. What About Inventory Management?
During the distribution, a good self-publisher will maintain inventory of your book and see to it that it never runs out of stock during the lifetime of your book, i.e., until you terminate the agreement.
8. Is There A Variety In Distribution?
Your book must be distributed on 5-6 platforms including the self-publisher’s website. The physical book must also be sold at the premium bookstores.
Most self-publishers also provide e-Books from their mid package and up. The e-Book distribution must also be distributed on 5-6 different platforms from the ones the physical book is being sold.
9. How Long Do They Take?
Self-publishing usually takes ample time to give you the best result. The time of completion will depend on how long the editing, proofreading, design, layout, and print production will take. A good self-publisher will assign professionals to each task and make sure that they deliver a quality product in the end.
10. Do You Have Total Control?
Although a good self-publisher will have professionals to pitch ideas and guide you along the way, you get to decide if you want to take their suggestions into consideration or not. And they won’t enforce upon you.
Pick a self-publisher who puts your interests above their own. Pen2Publishing, a self-publishing house created by Equiretech, is equipped with a team of highly experienced designers, editors and subject matter experts who will guide you through every step of the publishing process. If you are still not convinced by why self-publishing is better .
