We all grew up reading books published by companies that have been around for decades, some even more than a century. You know their names, their authors and many of their titles. For years, to be published meant to be elevated to the literary heights by the giants of the industry. The times, they are a-changing!
Most authors still dream of being published by one of the major publishing companies but there are other options to be considered. Today, there are four forms of publishing: traditional (major publishing houses), self-publishing (the author pays in advance for every service used), university presses (they publish more than text books but their genres are limited and they are struggling to compete in the changing marketplace) and independent publishing. Independent (“indie”) publishers are smaller presses that are separate from the publishing conglomerates but perform most of the same functions. (The terms indie publishing and self-publishing are sometimes interchanged but they are very different.) All forms of publishing are found at book stores, online and in libraries (although self-published books still struggle for acceptance in some of these arenas).
At this year’s Book Expo America, I was impressed not only by the number of independent publishers represented, but in their variety (many specialize in certain genres), quality production capabilities, marketing reach and author support. While it is true that indie publishers work with smaller production and promotional budgets, they tend to be more collaborative with their clients through the publishing and marketing process, which can be very attractive for an author. In a smaller pond, every fish gets more attention.
Major publishing houses won’t accept any manuscript that is not submitted through an established literary agent. This creates an extra hurdle for authors: getting their manuscript accepted by an agent before it will be considered by major publishers. Independent publishers consider manuscripts submitted directly by authors, although (due to their smaller staffs) the wait time for a response may test your patience.
Indie publishers employ the same distribution channels used by the major houses. Because of emerging and evolving companies serving the book industry, targeting specialized markets (military, schools, etc.) can be achieved with smart planning, regardless of the size or type of publisher.
If you are an author exploring your publishing options, your choices should be guided by: how much control you want to retain over the artistic aspects of your book; the format of your book (major publishers offer the most options); how much collaboration you want to have in the production and marketing of your book; how much time and effort you are willing to put into getting an agent.
For authors, indie publishers offer plentiful opportunities to get their books into the hands of readers. For readers, indie publishers provide wider access to great books, especially from emerging or less mainstream authors. And that’s a very, very good thing!