Things to be careful with when publishing a book

Did you know? Estimates are that in 2007 over 300,000 books were self-published; in 2008 that number jumped to over 400,000. As daunting as those figures may be, the startling statistic is that less than 1% were published according to Book Industry Standards. This is why retail bookstores are reluctant to order, let alone stock most self-published titles.

Self-Publisher Buys Rival As Sector Consolidates?

Author Solutions Inc., one of the largest self-publishers in the U.S., has acquired the assets of smaller Canadian rival Trafford Publishing, further consolidating the sector at a time when the traditional book industry is in turmoil. Author Solutions, which operates AuthorHouse and iUniverse and is owned by the San Mateo, Calif., private-equity firm Bertram Capital Management LLC, declined to disclose terms of the deal. In January, the Bloomington, Ind., publisher acquired competitor Xlibris, also for an undisclosed price.

Commentary – The business model here is simple: sign as many writers as possible, add as many services as possible, and control prices. Quality and selection are not even in the equation. This is by all respects the canned, cookie cutter approach to self-publishing and gives good writers and good books a bad reputation.

This information comes to you courtesy of my friend and publishing consultant extraordinaire Jerry Simmons. You can read more of his wisdom at www.writersreaders.com