I have worked closely with many authors and noticed one thing very apparently. Almost 90% (or even more) of them are published by some self-publishing company rather than the traditional ones (big names and even emerging ones). Many of them make one thing very clear, even the traditional publishers ask for money in lieu of giving their brand names to the authors. The big-time traditional publishers ask for money that is higher than what self-publishers take, guarantee to sell at least 3-4,000 copies and many other promises that the authors will be delivering… just in exchange for the brand name that a publisher offers. Is it worth it? Is traditional publishing still a charm among authors? Is traditional publishing still open to talent and not money?
Don’t ask me. Ask yourself. I have seen many titles published by big companies like Penguin and Harper that don’t have the merit to be published… Also, I have seen many titles published by unknown self-publishing companies that have qualities that you just cannot ignore. There is, undoubtedly, a talent gap that has been created by the ignorance and callous attitude that big publishing companies have developed for the talented but new authors. There are companies that shamelessly tell you – if you have been published by any big publishing house before, you are a politician or a famous celebrity, you are someone who commands a big influence over the internet, they will publish you… however, nowhere they ask whether you have that talent or not… is it even ethical?
On the other hand, self-publishing companies have opened a new horizon for many talented but new, qualified but novice, artistic but not so tech-savvy writers. Yes, they might charge money and even unfair money but they do give them some space to take their fight out in the open. However, all such authors who want to get published at any cost should think about a digital-only publication before they get their paperback versions out. The digital-only publication is quick, convenient, cost-effective, not more than 8-10,000 RS in India. It will give them a taste of their literature and also give a signal to the readers whether they want another instalment of the same novel, another novel by the author or the same novel in a paperback format… in short, minimal risk and maximum gains – you can get about 60% royalty on Amazon Kindle for your digital publications. In paperback publications, if you are a novice or a first-time ignorant author, you might not get any returns or royalty. If you are a traditionally published author (by fortune), you will get about 10-15% of royalty on sales. And therefore, the digital-only deal is profitable, convenient, quick and the best… at the time!
Yes, if you can get a good, honest, transparent and expert publisher for your digital edition for Kindle, you can make things happen very comfortably. Always ask for direct access to your Amazon author’s dashboard. Always ask your personal bank account to be linked with your author account so that you receive the royalty without any issues. Always ask for the power to control your book’s price so that the publisher cannot decide it for you. With time, you will learn more. If you want all these facilities with a quality publication experience, you can pick Ashvamegh Publications, one of the best self-publishing companies in India. We wish you a joy ride in your publishing venture!
By Amit for Literature News