Best sellers no longer appear on the shelves as often as they used to. Or, at least the self-published ones don’t. Many authors now go to publishing companies to publish their works instead of doing it themselves. It’s already hard to spot a good book nowadays, much less a self-published title. But why is this happening? Why are authors gearing more and more towards publishing companies than publishing books themselves? Is the stigma of self-publishing disappearing?
Self-publishing defined: Self-publishing, by definition, is publishing your work without the aid of a third-party publishing company. It can be done entirely by the author or through the help of someone who knows how to do a certain part of the publishing process. It’s also not limited to physical books.
If your book is self-published, it is said to be privately printed. Self-publishing gives the author control over all aspects of the publishing process, namely from the design of the book cover, how the inside of the book is going to look and how much it will cost, all the way to how the book will be distributed and marketed. Outsourcing of certain tasks, like book cover design or marketing, is still considered self-publishing since the author remains in control of who and how that part of the publishing process will be handled.
Why authors are moving away from self-publishing: With how self-publishing is defined, it means authors have to dish out a huge sum of money just to get their book printed. Not a good thing if you’re looking to make a fortune from your work. A lot of authors are also inexperienced in terms of book design and format, meaning they have no choice but to go to publishing companies that would be interested in their book if they want their work published.
Marketing also plays a big role in the stigma of self-publishing slowly disappearing. Most authors can’t afford having an advertising agency market their book, even if they reach a point where they actually have a book that can be marketed. Oftentimes, authors are scraping the bottom of the barrel after they have their initial copies, so going on a big marketing campaign is no longer an option. Let’s not forget that even if they can go on a big marketing campaign, there is still distribution that can, and will, cause another dent in the author’s budget.
Publishing companies can help the author do away with all the hassle of being self-published because they’ll do everything for the author: book design and format, printing, marketing, and even distribution. They also give the author a cut in the sales of the book. Publishing houses offer all this without the author ever having to think about the process himself.
To an aspiring best-seller author, this is a very appealing option. No longer will he have to think along the lines of a businessman. The author can simply focus on writing and other aspects of his life and let the publishing house do its thing. With publishing companies also wanting to find the next big name, it’s no wonder the stigma of self-publishing is disappearing.
