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COLLIN KELLEY's poetry book, "Better to Travel," is currently a nominee for
Georgia Author of Year Award.
LAWRENCE BLOCK, author of iUniverse book, "Random Walk," is an award-winning crime fiction writer, whose published works include 50 novels.
RON CUTLER is an award-winning filmmaker and author of nine novels, including iUniverse's "The Firstborn."
JOYCE MANARD'S iUniverse book, "To Die For," was originally published in 1991 and made into an acclaimed film, starring Nicole Kidman.
Some iUniverse authors, who have had their books picked up by commercial publishers, include:
LAURIE NOTARO, author of "The Idiot Girl's Action Adventure Club" (2000), which was picked up within a year by Random House and hit Top Ten on New York Times Best-Seller List.
MIKE HAWLEY's first book, "The Double Bluff" (2001), was picked up by Penguin-Putnam as a mass market paperback under Onix imprint. Hawley was given a contract for two more books.
BILL PURCELL's book, "The Dark One," was picked up by Wizards of Coast, after they had turned it down originally. Purcell was signed to a four-book deal, with a terrific advance.
POD publishing is here to stay. iUniverse, for instance, currently has 11,367 authors and 15,515 book titles. It publishes 400 new titles a month. It received Editors' Choice Award from PC Magazine, with a five out of five-star rating.
There are other POD publishers, so you need to check them out and evaluate their various services carefully.
There are pros and cons to any of three publishing models: 1) commercial publishing; 2) independent, self-publishing; and 3) POD partnership publishing. Some I have already mentioned. Following are others:
With POD partnership publishing, authors are totally responsible for publicizing, promoting and marketing their books. That's a lot of work, if you do it yourself. It takes know-how, time and money. Or you must hire a book publicist to do this for you. That costs money.
Yet you're not much better off with commercial publishers, who will only do a certain amount of publicity, promotion and marketing for your book. If you're not one of their superstars, your book will just get some basic publicity, promotion and marketing. You need to supplement what they do, or your book will fall through cracks - and disappear quickly.
That's what almost happened to ANITA DIAMANT, author of "The Red Tent," published by St. Martin's Press. When Picador USA decided to bring it out as a trade paperback, St. Martin's announced it would remainder hardbacks.
Diamant pleaded with them not to do so but use them for promotion. She suggested that they be sent out to clergy. Diamant got lists and publisher paid postage, provided books, and mailed them to female rabbis in Reform Judaism, followed by a mailing to male and female rabbis of Reconstructionist Judaism.
Diamant also had publisher send around 200 copies to Christian women ministers in New England. That made difference. The book went on to sell 1 ½ million copies in US. and was published in 18 countries.
The other serious problem is media bias against POD partnership publishing. Some trade and consumer publications actually have a policy against POD published books - they will not review them.
There are now 150,000 new titles and editions published every year.
Yet commercial publishing does not guarantee that your book will get reviewed. The Library Journal, a major trade publication, receives 40,000 new books published every year. It reviews 6000 of these, representing only four percent of 150,000 new books published every year!
Consumer publications review even fewer books. The Los Angeles Times, a major metropolitan newspaper, only reviews 1500 books a year, representing one percent of 150,000 new books published every year!
What, then, are chances of getting published commercially? HarperCollins Publishers, one of major publishing companies in US, reportedly receives 10,000 submissions a year. Of these, only 75 books, less than one percent submitted, get published. Even then, chances of success are slim. While figures vary, they indicate that only 1 out of 7 or 1 out of 10 books published commercially make a profit. These are among reasons why other publishing models came into being.
Once authors were at mercy of agents and commercial publishers. No more. That changed when independent self- publishing movement came into being. Today, thanks to digital technology, POD partnership publishing provides a legitimate, additional choice.
Authors can now get published. Then, through effort and resourcefulness, they can find ways to connect with their readers.
In final analysis, there are only two kinds of books and writers: bad books and good books, bad writers and good writers.
WORD COUNT Headline/byline: 8 Words (body): 1678 Resource box: 74 TOTAL 1760
Rolf Gompertz is the author of "Abraham, The Dreamer - An Erotic and Sacred Love Story," "A Jewish Novel about Jesus," a spiritual self-development book, "Sparks of Spirit -How to Find Love and Meaning in Your Life 24 Hours a Day," and a contemporary comedy-drama (screenplay), "The Messiah of Midtown Park." Available at www.iUniverse.com or www.amazon.com . Mailto: rolfgompertz@yahoo.com .
