The Good, The Bad, The Ugly, The Silly, The Hilarious and The Downright Bizarre
FYI: This Is A Loooong Read!!! This is a dramatisation with answers provided by an honest publisher (Publisher Y), and a not-so-honest publisher (Publisher X). Of course, in some quarters both publishers would be labelled as dishonest. Everyone is entitled to their opinions.
Author: I got your contact details from a self-publishers’ group on Facebook. I have a book that I would like to publish. What services do you offer and what are your costs?
Publisher: We offer editing and proofreading, manuscript development where needed, cover design, layout and typesetting, ISBN application and we also print on demand. Our costs are varied depending on the package you are interested in. We have the following packages…
and the costs are as follows….
Author: I think you are a scammer. Why didn’t you ask me about the book itself? You just went for the money. What if my book isn’t worth the paper it is printed on? Are you going to publish it anyway simply because I am paying?
Publisher: I answered what you asked. Let’s recap: You asked about the services that we offer and the costs. That is what I responded on – the questions you asked. Manuscript development means should there be a need to help you develop certain chapters, or overhaul them completely, we can help you with that. Please note, this does not mean we will rewrite the book for you. If it is truly badly written, then we will tell you to go back to the drawing board. We can only rescue what can be rescued. Having said that, if you are not confident in your own work, then you most probably are not ready to publish.
Author: I have every confidence in my work. It is you I am not so sure about.
Publisher: Yet here you are, talking to me. I would suggest that you keep searching then. Never, ever work with a publisher you are not certain about.
Author: I think your costs are exorbitant. I actually got a better offer from Publisher X. They said they will also help me to sell internationally.
Publisher: Yet here you are, talking to me. If you feel Publisher X is best suited for your work, then by all means, get started with them. Do not put one publisher in a position to badmouth another. Do compare rates, ask for sample edits and speak to authors who have worked with them in the past. Your decision to publish shouldn’t solely be based on the cost and promises that seem unrealistic, but also on workmanship, skill, experience, track record and what you envisage for your book in general.
Every author has aspirations of breaking into the international market, but if a self-publisher promises you that kind of success off the bat, I would be suspicious. Most South African authors who have gotten a taste of the international market, have first obtained success at home, with books initially published for the domestic market. Amazon and Draft2Digital, amongst others, have made it easier for authors to reach the world, but just because the book is online does not mean it will now become a bestseller. There are millions of books on Amazon alone. What are you doing to make yours stand out? Curb your enthusiasm and be realistic, otherwise you are setting yourself up for failure and heartbreak post publishing.
Author: I don’t need an editor, I edit my own work.
Publisher Y: Actually, it’s supposed to be ‘I don’t need an editor; I edit my own work’. A semi-colon, not a comma, is appropriate in this sentence because the two lines are closely related to each other. Or you can simply use a full stop. Shorter sentences have more impact. Even the best writers in the world have editors. Let another pair of eyes go through your work, and you will be surprised by what they find that you might have missed. Better yet, get a Beta Reader. They don’t charge you to look at your work. But whatever you do, get your work edited.
Publisher X: That’s not a problem. We will then simply lower the cost, and charge you for only the services we will provide minus editing.
*NB – An honest publisher will not allow a book that hasn’t been professionally done carry their stamp of approval. One that does is a red flag. If it carries their name – and even when it doesn’t – they should do due diligence. How many times have you been asked, “So who did you publish with?” The question is asked for one of two reasons – the book is badly written, or it is done just right. Your publisher should put as much an effort into your work as you do. He or she shouldn’t just copy and paste and then print.
Author: I don’t think you should be charging people to publish. Self-publishers cannot be trusted. Traditional publishing is the way to go.
Publisher: You said you got my details from a self-publishers’ group. What are you doing in a self-publishers’ group when all you are interested in is traditional publishing?
Author: The way you speak to me is rude and unprofessional. I think I am right about you, you are all about the money. You are a scammer.
Publisher: Your last sentence shows you still need to learn where to use a comma and where to use a semi-colon. Regardless, I think I have been professional and accommodating with you, much more than I should have. I have answered your questions as candidly and as professionally as I could despite the sheer provocation you keep dishing out. Honestly, I should have ended this conversation a long time ago. If there is one thing I will not do though, is to allow you to determine what is professional and what is not. By merely asking me about a service you know you don’t require and are not even remotely interested in, is a waste of my time. You were unprofessional from the word go. You are therefore not in a position to determine what is professional and what is not.
Please visit the Publishers Association of South Africa for a list of reputable traditional publishers. Study each one, especially their submission guidelines, and pick those that you feel are more likely to publish your work. Some rarely accept unsolicited manuscripts, while others have submission windows. Good luck.
Author: Let’s say I publish with you. Do you think my book will sell?
Publisher X: Yes, I think you have a gem here. This book will fly off the shelves. It will sell like hotcakes. This is what the country and the world has been waiting for. There is a big market for authors like you. You are certainly the next Steven King.
Publisher Y: I don’t know. Do you think your book will sell? Do you already have a well-defined market or target audience for your work? How big a following and fanbase have you grown and how many people out there are aware that you are about to publish a book? Have you marketed it or yourself as a brand? Are you an authority in your chosen subject matter? If you are, and there are people out there patiently waiting for you to drop this book, then most definitely, your book will sell, because you have done the groundwork.
Author: When, then, would you say a new author is ready to publish?
Publisher X: When your book is done, and you have put together enough money to publish. Just come to us and we will make your dream come true.
Publisher Y: You are ready to publish when you have satisfied yourself that you have done all that is humanly possible to market yourself and your book to your target audience. The best way to check if you have done enough groundwork, is to call for pre-orders. Anyone who wants to buy your book, will not hesitate to pre-order it. This cannot be overemphasised – LIKES ON FACEBOOK CAN NEVER TRANSLATE TO SALES. Do not order or print in bulk based on the people who liked your posts on Facebook and promised to buy as soon as the book is out. People on social media have a very short memory. Over a hundred people can like your post, but less than ten might actually follow up with a purchase. You might end up with hundreds of unsold books gathering dust in your garage.
Author: Can you get my book into bookstores?
Publisher X: Yes, of course. All our books go to bookstore X and Bookstore Y and Bookstore Z. Yours too will be on their shelves.
Publisher Y: We do everything in our power to get your book into bookstores, but we also need your help to do it. For starters, no bookstore will keep a book on their shelves if it is not generating traffic through their doors. If it gathers dust on the shelves, it will be removed to make space for books that actually sell. Bookstores are also a business and need to make a profit. It is therefore your responsibility to market your book to death, so that it brings traffic through the bookstores’ doors. As you may know, major bookstores are reluctant to work with little known self-published authors and prefer to work with distributors. This is another avenue you can consider. Exceptions, however, can be made for authors who show diligence in marketing themselves and whose books are in demand.
Either way, ensuring that the book remains on the shelves is your responsibility, not the self-publisher’s. You are, after all, an independently published author. Even if this is in the contract, do not expect a self-publisher to help you post publication because they rarely do.
Author: Can you get my book to be read at schools?
Publisher X: Of course. Many of our authors have had their books accepted by the Department of Education.
Publisher Y: Annually, various provinces in the country open submission windows for authors and publishers to submit their books for evaluation. It is however not all the provinces who do this and not every book is accepted. While your book may be accepted, there is a chance that the department might not order more than 100 copies. These are the stories authors don’t tell for fear of being laughing stocks. There are authors who have received orders for as little as two copies, while some who were approved have been told they would be considered the following year. The government just doesn’t have the money, so don’t get your hopes too high.
Author: What if you help me to publish and then get your money from the sales of the book?
Publisher X: Yes, we can certainly do that. I will simply hold on to the artwork and you will print through me. Basically, I will be selling you your work so that you can resell. I will also own the copyright of your work for at least three years. After all, no one knows your audience more than you, so you will do the selling until your debt is paid.
Publisher Y: Yes, we can certainly do that, if you can show me your marketing plan that will convince me that this arrangement will give me a return on my investment. You see, this arrangement works best with celebrities like Somizi and Khanyi Mbau, because they already have an established following and a fanbase. As an independently published author, I would not advise you to opt for this arrangement, because you will not fully own your work until your debt is fully paid. The publisher gets to decide when this debt is paid. You could enslave yourself until your book sales reach the ceiling, or until you can’t sell anymore. Some publishers can tie you up with contracts that require you to purchase a certain number of books from them monthly, even when you do not have readers who have ordered the books. And in the event that some bigshot producer is interested in adapting your book for the big screen or television, it is the self-publisher they would be negotiating with as they still own the rights to your work.
Author: Why should I choose to work with you instead of Publisher X?
Publisher: If you want to work with a publisher who will tell you what you want to hear, then by all means, pick Publisher X. I have no doubt Publisher X will do a splendid job with your book. The only problem I envisage, is when the other grand promises they have made do not materialise. You might find yourself dishing out dirty linen on them on these Facebook streets. I would suggest that you pick a publisher that resonates with you and ask them to be blatantly honest on what they can do and what they can’t. No unrealistic, over-the-top promises such as international bestseller.
Publishing a book is easy. Selling the same book is the hardest part. Often, this is where the author and publisher find themselves at loggerheads – because the author had expectations that the publisher has fed with promises and they became a famished, fire-breathing monster. Like a jilted lover, the author becomes bitter and demands that the promises be honoured or that he/she be refunded. Meanwhile, the publisher has moved on to another author and has no intention of refunding you. The end result might land you in court, defending a defamation lawsuit.
PUBLISH'D AFRIKA 