Understanding the Different Types of Publishing: A Tutorial Based on Personal Experience

When I started searching for a publisher for my first novel in 2006, things were very different back then. The best I could do was send an unsolicited manuscript to a traditional publisher. In South Africa at that time, those were few and far between. I've had experience with each type of publishing and am now in the position where I can offer a completely new type of publishing that many authors are looking for. And as an author, I would know.

This article I am writing today takes a look at the various forms of publishing for any new writers out there looking for a publisher, as well as the advantage and disadvantages of each. To many veterans out there, you will already know these.

Please note, this is not based on any official resource, but my own understanding based on experience. You may find other definitions on the web that conflicts with my statements. or my opinion may vary from yours.

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TRADITIONAL PUBLISHER

Image Source: Pixabay

This is the type of publisher most writers are hungry for, although in my opinion the times are changing. With a traditional publisher, they don't usually accept unsolicited material and your work needs to fit in with the target audience that is bringing in the cash. The bigwig authors known all around the world and which are the bestsellers, you know, the books you find at almost every bookstore, are signed up by traditional publishers.

The reason writers usually want to be signed on by a traditional publishing house is because they already have they marketing and distribution channels set up. By the time you book launches, it is in every bookstore around the world and people are buying it like mad.

There's a reason for that though. It's not just to make you famous. Traditional publishers are known for paying their writers upfront for books that will be written. That means that the publishers have to make that investment back when the books get sold. Author royalties are small or non-existent until they have made a return on their investment. The publisher deals with all the extra work though, you just have to write.

When it comes to copyright, you may lose the rights to your story. Many traditional publishers make the book theirs, which means that you cannot sell it or publish it through anyone else. This just ensures that the money comes the publisher's way. Also you have no control over when and how much you will get paid. It's all in the publisher's hands.

STORY TIME

In 2006 I approached a local traditional publisher here in Cape Town South Africa that was accepting unsolicited manuscripts. Back then, we had to print the entire manuscript and hand it in. I handed in my original copy of Windfarer, which was called "Shadowolf Volume 1: The Windfarer" back then.

When they were done, I was called in for an interview. I was informed that I had a remarkable story that reminded them of Lord or the Rings. Unfortunately, they did not believe there was a market for fantasy at that time. Basically, it would not make THEM money. I was told my best bet was to try American and Europian publishers.

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VANITY PUBLISHERS

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Many Vanity Publishers sell themselves on the internet as Self Publishers, so please beware. A Vanity Publisher provides a service whereby they will publish your book for you, at your own cost. They will charge a one-time fee, and then go through the motions of having your book published. More often than not, this is as far as it goes and you will have to pay more for marketing and distribution.

Vanity Publishers are more concerned with getting that cash upfront than worrying about royalties thereafter. They may offer authors royalties of up to 80%, but this is because they have already made their investment from you and will now hunt for the next writer to pay them. Expect to wait long periods of time before you receive any updates, as you have already paid them and now they can take as long as they want. Also, expect to do most of the marketing and selling yourself, with no idea if the publisher is making any sales at all and just coining in your royalties.

Many writers take this route of publishing because Traditional Publishing has failed, and they just want their book out there. It depends on the Vanity Publisher as to who keeps the rights to the story, but don't expect to have any control on how well the book sells or the publishing process.

STORY TIME

After my failed attempt at Traditional Publishing, I went on the internet to search for opportunities overseas in 2006. Many publishing companies were advertising themselves self-publishing companies. It was the new growing trend. I sent in a draft copy of Windfarer and it was instantly accepted as a remarkable epic fantasy novel.

I paid upfront for Windfarer to be published in 2007 and then DragonRider in 2008. It was wondeful seeing my book published and being released on Amazon. Pretty soon though, I started becoming concerned when by 2009 I was informed that there were still no sales. The publisher stopped providing feedback and then I suddenly could not longer get hold of them. Even though I finished the final of the Celenic Earth Chronicles books, Sadgi, in 2009, I decided not to publish it and I was put off writing altogether.

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SELF PUBLISHING

Image Source: Pixabay

Real Self Publishing is to me exactly what the wording says: Publishing your books yourself. Many of the publishing platforms that are available are already well known: Smashwords, Amazon, Lulu, etc. This is where the writer can take the work of publishing into their own hands. You can decide what cover you want, what you want to write and for which genre, and decide on the selling price. You have loads more control, and you can also measure how much is being sold. This also means more work for you, since you now have to place the roles of writer, publisher and marketing.

To many writers, this is very daunting. All they want is for their stories to reach the world. Now they actually have to become involved with the whole publishing process, which means less time for writing those novels. Now time management becomes critical, and for those who have families and day jobs, this can be incredibly daunting.

STORY TIME

In 2015 I felt it was once again time to get back into my novels, since depression had kicked in that I had lost that one critical part of my life that made me me. So I approached a Vanity Publisher in South Africa that also claimed to be a self publisher and paid them upfront to publish the entire Celenic Earth Chronicles.

When I realised I again had no control and did not know what was being sold or marketed, I did thorough research on publishing. Through a slip-up by the new publisher, I realised how to get ISBNs and the books distributed. I then created my own publishing label, Celenic Earth Publications, I republished my entire trilogy in 2016 in paperback and ebook formats.

I now had control of my own books and royalties. I could see what was being sold and my life as a marketer and distributor open my world completely. This was what I had been missing out on for years. I started a blog and created many social media platforms. My new life was only beginning.

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CELENIC EARTH PUBLICATIONS - A New Publishing Model

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It didn't take long before I registered Celenic Earth Publications as an official publishing company in 2017. Silent Hill: Betrayal was my next official release as my debut horror novel. Through successful research and new approach, SH:B sold more on day 1 than the Celenic Earth Chronicles ever did since 2006.

This success and phenomenon did not go unnoticed. I had met so many writers in many networks, many of whom had never been published before. I granted them opportunities to be published for the first time in a series of short story anthologies we called Celenic Earth Anthologies. Not long after that, we embark on our Guinness World Record Anthology, CEA Greatest Anthology Written, where we smashed the record of 50 writers in 1 volume of short stories by reaching 108 writers! This has become and still is our best selling volume as yet.

This has led to brand new writers approaching us to be published. And what is the secret? It is a new approach for publishing that no other publisher would dare take. CEP doesn't take any payment upfront for publishing, like Vanity Publishers. CEP also does distribution in paperback and ebook formats throughout the world, by using the self-publishing platforms and performing all the hard work on the writer's behalf so that they can focus on their writing. And if CEP successfully markets and sells novels, the only payment will be in the form of a small percentage in royalties.

The reasoning behind this is that publishing of itself costs nothing except time. CEP is willing to have that time remunerated based on sales. I do not feel it is fare to take payment unless it is earned. Having a book published is great, but success can only be achieved if the books are actually sold and read. Which is what both writer and publisher should strive for.

I am proud of where CEP is today and the bright future ahead. CEP has branched out into several divisions under the parent company to focus on publishing not only books, but games, music, films, comics and magazines. We have only just started this new endeavour, but the core focus is the networking between the various divisions. Book writers will have opportunities to have their books adapted into film by our screenwriters, or into game by our game writers and developers. We will be opening so many doors for our writers, that I'm hoping in the near future CEP will be the only publisher worth considering. As I am writing this, a New Zealand writer has just ditched his Vanity Publisher who promised for years to published his work after receiving payment, and has now handed his portfolio of 13 novels to me.

More on that soon.... in the meantime, check out the CEP website to see the submissions we are accepting for our short story anthologies.

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CONCLUSION

Getting your work published can be a harrowing experience. It can be enough to stop a writer in his tracks, especially here in South African where mainstream publishers are focusing on politics, education and South African history. I am glad to say that I have uplifted many South African writers who had given up on publishing their work. I look forward to the rest of the year ahead and seeing just how far CEP can grow. For me, as a writer, it is all about the writer and getting their work out as far and wide as possible.

I hope you enjoyed my article on publishing and that is has helped any new writers understand it works.

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Header Image: Pixabay

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Kind regards

Shaun M Jooste

Joint-Owner: AIR Entertainment (https://airentertainment.biz)
Director: Celenic Earth Publications (https://celenicearthpublications.wordpress.com)
Author, Screenwriter, Gamewriter, Journalist (https://celenicearth.wordpress.com)