| Q: What about self-publishing, print-on-demand books and eBooks? |
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A: For some writers, self-publishing is a good way to go. But, you don't want to spend your life savings on a book that isn't ready to be published. For more information on self-publishing, read the SCBWI Publication, "The Self-Publishing Option: Creating Books to Suit Your Needs." It covers many of the ins and outs of self-publishing, and can help you determine if it's the right course for you. Some publishers offer to publish your book but want you to either pay some or all of the expenses or find a sponsor to pay for many of the costs. They might offer to publish your book "for free" but their basic package is usually not the best representation of your work so you wind up paying for "extras." These publishers are called subsidy or vanity publishers. If you are willing to pay to publish your own writing, then consider self-publishing and educate yourself on all the options. Print-On-Demand (POD) books and eBooks are fairly new to the market and for some authors and illustrators, can be a viable option IF they are non-subsidy publishers that pay a royalty. Information about them will be covered in the upcoming SCBWI Publication, "EBooks and PODs, the World of Electronic Publishing." As for posting your writing on an online message board in hopes an editor might wander by and discover you, this is not recommended. Though your work is protected by copyright, it is much easier to pirate a story that is displayed free on the Internet. Editors don't have time to search for stories, and these boards are known to attract unscrupulous vanity publishers and dishonest agencies. Whatever method of publishing you choose, remember, when you put your work out there for the world to see, it is your name that is on the line. |
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