Over the past 7 years we have built our platform on trust and integrity. This is why many of our authors return to publish multiple books with us in an industry where there is no shortage of publishers. This is also why many authors leave their current publisher to publish a second book with us, or come to us to republish a book after a bad experience with another publisher. Our hope is that authors can avoid bad experiences and publish with us so that their launch is a successful one. We offer candid insight on not only publishing your book, but also provide guidance to help authors navigate an industry that can at times, feel a bit scary or overwhelming. See http://newbookauthors.com/index.php/how-to-identify-publishing-scams/ Here are some questions below to help with some questions you may have about our company. You can read reviews about New Book Authors (click here) from many of the authors who have published a book with us.
Is New Book Authors Publishing a scam?
No. New Book Authors Publishing is not a scam. We are a legitimate book publisher celebrating 7 years in business with hundreds of satisfied authors. New Book Authors Publishing does not have complaints from clients or authors about its company or service.
Check out our list of how to avoid publishing scams: http://newbookauthors.com/index.php/how-to-identify-publishing-scams/
What type of publisher is New Book Authors Publishing?
The publishing industry has various publishing models for authors to consider. Some of those models include self-publishing platforms, traditional (trade) publishers, vanity publishers, hybrid publishers, and nontraditional publishers. There are people (i.e. bloggers, online commenters, message forums and even some industry insiders) who have a strong preference for traditional publishing models and in doing so, declare that any publishing model that doesn’t follow a traditional publishing model is a “scam” or a “vanity press” particularly, if the publishing company earns a profit through fees paid to publish the book.
However, all publishing models (including traditional publishers) earn a profit from publishing books, whether those profits are earned through royalties or through upfront fees. Publishing is a for-profit business model. Publishing is a not charity or nonprofit as some internet commenters suggest. It is a multi-billion dollar industry. That being said, the outcome of publishing is a beautiful book that reaches bookstores and customers. New Book Authors Publishing follows a nontraditional model. So what’s the difference?
Let’s explore the types of publishers…
There are many reasons why alternative publishing models exist.
The traditional (or trade) publishing model is when a literary agent submits a manuscript to a traditional publisher on an author’s behalf. If the manuscript is accepted by the traditional publisher, a contract is negotiated and sometimes an advance is paid. Traditional (trade) publishing companies do not accept manuscripts from the public, they typically only accept manuscripts through bonded literary agents or literary agents they have relationships with, though some traditional publishers may have smaller imprints that allow unsolicited submissions on a limited basis.
Getting your manuscript accepted by a trade publisher is somewhat rare and difficult to accomplish. It is also extremely difficult to find a reputable literary agent. Traditional publishers and literary agents receive thousands of submissions per month, making it difficult for writers to find or gain access to a traditional publisher. It usually takes months to receive a rejection letter, if the author receives a response at all. It can take years for an author to realize that they may not find a trade publisher so many throw in the towel and give up. Traditional publishers typically print books in-house. This means the books are mass printed and sent to bookstores.
Trade publishing is considered the holy grail of publishing a book since it doesn’t require an upfront fee. The publisher is paid from the author’s royalties. However, the downside of trade publishing and mass printing copies, are the unsold books. An estimated 320 million unsold books are pruned (destroyed) annually. If the book does not sell or “earn out” the author does not receive a royalty until the trade publisher can recoup its costs for publishing, printing thousands of copies, and distributing the book. The author does not receive a royalty if the book does not earn the investment back. Roughly 2% of books sold via traditional publishing models reach bestseller status. If the book is a flop or doesn’t earn the full investment back, the author will never see a royalty. Some traditional publishing models have asked authors to fund part of their own marketing.
Nontraditional publishers fall somewhere between traditional and hybrid publishing models. A nontraditional publisher provides all of the services that a traditional or trade publisher provides, but like hybrid publishers, requires a fee. The fee is usually fairly nominal compared to the thousands of dollars required by hybrid publishers. Nontraditional publishers are very similar to very old publishing models, but authors keep all of their royalties after standard deductions to cover the cost of producing the book and wholesale discount (production costs and wholesale discounts is industry-wide, regardless of the type of publisher). Books are usually printed using the print on demand model. Print on Demand is when the book is printed and shipped when the customer or bookstore buys a copy of the book. This prevents lost revenue caused by mass-printing books that may not sell. Books are printed on demand. Under the nontraditional model, the publisher doesn’t keep any of the author’s royalties…even if the book is a bestseller.
The hybrid publishing model is when an author pays upfront for the publication covering all of the costs associated with publishing their book. Hybrid publishers may vary between very good or bad, the latter earning some hybrid companies a well-deserved label of being called a scam. So authors must be cautious. If publishing a book costs as much as buying a used or new car, and requires a monthly payment (usually a year or more) before the book can be published…authors may want to reconsider. Hybrid publishers typically do a fine job of publishing the book but are often lacking in their marketing efforts. Some of them do not properly market books at all so authors may not recoup the costs associated with publishing and marketing their book. Hybrid publishers also take a cut of the author’s royalties even though the author covered all of the initial costs. Books are usually printed using the print on demand method, though some hybrid publishers may use in-house printers.
Self-Publishing is when an author does all of their own formatting, cover design, editing, and submit their own book to a printer or distributor. There are a number of platforms available for authors to use. The downside is that readers and book retailers can identify a self-published book and often will not consider them for inclusion on bookstore shelves. The reason they are not included can vary. For example, physical bookstores require the book to be returnable and self-publishing platforms often do not allow a returnable book status. The book industry is a returns-based industry. Self-published books often lack professional level formatting and layout despite many efforts from authors who read and learn from outdated articles on the internet.
A vanity press is a publishing company that prints books. They do not read, edit, or provide adequate marketing services. Some do not provide distribution and authors are responsible for selling the books directly to consumers. Vanity publishers require authors to pay large fees for even minor services typically included with publishing a book by other types of publishers. Books are usually printed using the print on demand method, though many vanity publishers use in-house printers.