Have You Always Wanted to Write a Book?

According to a survey conducted in 2002, 81% of Americans want to write a book. In my personal experience with meeting people at expos and other events, around 50% of them either want to write a book or know someone who does. 

Writing a book is one of the top "Bucket List" items, as well. The book could be a novel, memoir, or poetry - the type of book isn't as important as the act of becoming a published author.

And then we have #NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) that happens every November, where people are challenged to write a 50,000-word novel in 30 days. 

Writing a book would seem to be a big deal. So why do so few people actually become published authors?

The answer is that becoming a published author can be very expensive, difficult, and frustrating; however, it doesn't have to be. Becoming a published author can be a very pleasant, exciting, and fulfilling experience that won't cost you 5 figures and result in a basement full of books.

There are 4 main ways where you can become a published author:

• Traditional publishing
• Vanity Publishing
• Self-publishing
• Partnership publishing

Let's take a look at each.

Traditional publishing is what used to be your only option. You would find an agent and shop your manuscript around to publishers. While it is difficult and can take a while, some people want to be picked up by a publishing house and earn the royalties from it. There is an approval process, and many manuscripts are rejected. These mainstream publishers pay the author small(ish) royalties (in comparison to other options) and assume the risks for publishing their book.

Vanity publishing is a publishing house that will publish any book that pays their fees, but the devil is in the details. Some of these publishers charge incredibly high fees or retain the rights to the author's work. Vanity publishers aren't necessarily bad, but you really need to read the fine print. For example, one horror story I have heard is that the author paid $4000 for her publisher to market her book (in addition to the $10,000 she had already paid for publishing). The marketing campaign she paid $4000 for consisted of one email to their mailing list. That's it.

Self-publishing means just that - you are on your own. There are platforms where you can publish your book (Amazon, Lulu, etc.) for free. You are responsible for writing, editing, cover design, formatting, and setup. It's all you. It can be very rewarding, but it can also be stressful. (Even if you choose to self-publish, you should invest in professional editing and cover design, at a minimum.)

Partnership publishing is what Bradham Publishing is all about. We offer everything you need in order to publish your book on Amazon or Lulu, so you have the benefits of self-publishing (like having control over your book and receiving all of the royalties) along with the advantages of having a professional partner by your side. 

Bradham Publishing offers the services you usually think of when it comes to your manuscript (editing, cover design, etc.), but we also offer Accountability Coaching (to keep you on track so you finish your book), technical assistance and Marketing/PR packages. 

If you have always wanted to become a published author, please contact us and let's talk about your book!