Quote:
Originally posted by CatStarESP4
Congratulations, AlphaSigOU, on your getting published!
Do you have any advice for this aspiring mystery writer?
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Basically, never let rejection get you down.
I had my book published by the print-on-demand (POD) publishing house iUniverse (
www.iuniverse.com). Basically POD means just that, the book is prepared to order; there's no stock of books you have to buy or keep in storage.
Granted, traditional publishers scoff at POD houses as being nothing more than a modern-day vanity or 'subsidy' press, but when whatever you've written is focused to such a narrow audience (as my book is) most traditional publishers aren't interested, especially with first-time authors.
For $200, iUniverse will publish your book in trade paperback format; it's another $200 to have it done in hardcover (though I did take advantage of a promotion last month that got the hardcover done for free). Within a week or so you get proofs back of your book and an opportunity to make any changes. You're entitled to 50 changes at no charge, so it would behoove you to have most of your major revisions and editing done before submitting. They will also design cover art as well or you can submit a design of your own. You'll then receive a revised proof with corrections; if all is well, then the book is scheduled for publishing. People can begin ordering the book as soon as it appears in the iUniverse store. You get one free book with the submission; if you choose the Premier program, you get five books.
As far as marketing your book is concerned, you're generally on your own. iUniverse supplies you with a basic book marketing kit with your submission, but nickel-and-dimes you with additional fees for manuals on how to market and distribute your book. If you want a third-party editor to review the book and make suggestions, they charge $200; however, based on sales and editorial scoring, your book could become an 'Editors Choice' book, and they usually take care of those books that might have a fighting chance in the mainstream.
I highly recommend that you have a literary agent shop your manuscript around first and see if it is something they're interested in before going to iUniverse. My literary agent is Christina Arneson (also a fellow classmate of mine from high school); she's part of the Intellectual Property Management Group (
http://users.erols.com/veritas/ipm.htm). She has a very funny book out: How to Aggravate A Man Every Time... and have him beg for more! Likewise their website has some tips for aspiring authors
That's basically it in a nutshell. I was quite surprised how quick the turnaround was from submission to print. Any questions, please feel free to PM me.