Month: June 2023

Today’s blog is a little bit different. This entire blog is based on a very common but very important question that self-published authors ask.

 

The question is, “Are you a published author if you self-publish? The answer to this is quite simple and this blog can be over right now.

 

The answer to this is definitely yes.

 

It does not matter how you publish. If you have a published book then you are a legitimate author. This is not just something that is qualifiable technically but it is true in reality. In order to become an author, you need to have a published book and that is it.

 

And if you qualify for that condition then you are a published author which means if you self-published your book then you are definitely an author.

 

But this would make the blog too boring. Instead, we are going to tell you everything you need to know about traditional publishing and self-publishing. Let us start with the definitions.

 

WHAT IS SELF-PUBLISHING?

 

Self-publishing is when authors have complete control over the publishing process. It is when they do the book publishing independently without any traditional publishing houses.

 

This is different from traditional publishing as in traditional publishing the author has to submit their work and wait for it to be selected. That is not the case when it comes to self-publishing.

 

This means that authors can have complete control over what they write. The author in self-publishing is not just the author but also the publisher as well because they are investing in their self-published books.

 

The writing industry is slowly but surely moving towards self-publishing because of certain technical advantages.

 

There are more resource materials online at this point in history. These materials help new authors in understanding the entire book publishing process.

 

There are excellent formatting software and book cover designing software out there which will mean that they do not need the assistance of any traditional publishing house for all the technical stuff.

 

They can promote their author identity and do all the book marketing by themselves. Self-publishing has certainly given more power to the author in general and many people are more confident about their writing career because of self-publishing.

 

There is no concept of author royalties for the most part in self-publishing because the author is the publisher. Of course, the author can utilise a self-publishing company and they would still hold the largest percentage of author royalties.

 

 

WHAT IS TRADITIONAL PUBLISHING?

 

Traditional publishing is just the opposite of self-publishing. When we refer to the publishing industry, we usually refer to traditional publishing.

 

Among self-publishing vs. traditional publishing, traditional publishing is definitely the older cousin. It follows a structured model of publishing.

 

This is when authors submit their manuscripts and just wait for the traditional publishing company to review them. Once they do it, they invite the writer over for the rest of the formalities.

 

This may include things like making changes to the manuscript. It can also be going through another round of editing.

 

In the meanwhile, a contract is created and signed after royalties are discussed and agreed upon.  The traditional publishing house does everything and the writer or the author has to simply submit their manuscript and agree on things.

 

That traditional publishing house does everything from the editing to the book cover design to the printing as well as the publishing of the book.

 

They exclusively do the marketing as well as the distribution and selling of the book.

 

The royalty structure is different when it comes to self-publishing and traditional publishing. In traditional publishing, since the publishing house does all the investment, they get to keep the bigger share of the profits.

 

Let us now compare self-publishing with traditional publishing so that you have a better idea about publishing in general.

 

SELF-PUBLISHING VS. TRADITIONAL PUBLISHING

 

· CONTROL

 

When it comes to control it is definitely self-publishing all the way. This is because self-publishing allows authors to have more control and even complete control over the publishing process.

 

They get to decide everything and they get to have all the creative control needed. There is no oversight over creative decisions. There is no request to change things in the manuscript.

 

When it comes to traditional publishing, the author does not have a lot of control. This is quite debatable because the more influential you are as an author the more power you have.

 

For example, if you are a best-selling author then you have more authority and control over the manuscript when it comes to traditional publishing.

 

If you are someone new and your manuscript has just been selected, then you cannot expect a lot of freedom and control over what you write.

 

That is why if you are alright with control given over to professionals then you can go with traditional publishing.

 

But if you are the kind of author who likes to have control over every aspect of publishing then you need to go for self-publishing.

 

· INVESTMENT

 

When we are talking about investment, the author does not need to invest anything when it comes to tensional publishing, apart from their hard work and time.

 

In traditional publishing the author simply has to write and submit the manuscript and the publishing house will take care of everything. They will take care of all the printing costs.

 

The publisher will also take care of all the professionals that are required in book publishing such as the cover art designer and the formatting expert etc.

 

They will take care of all the costs associated with marketing and much more.

 

Simply put, in traditional publishing the author does not have to spend anything from their pocket. Of course, there are hybrid models out there that allow the author to also become an investor but that is rare.

 

When we are talking about investment in self-publishing, the author is also the publisher. The author has to spend their own money when it comes to all the costs associated with publishing the book.

 

They have to bear all the costs associated with the publishing process thereby making them the biggest or the only investor in the book. They also get to keep most of the profits if not all the profits.

 

When it comes to self-publishing, the author can choose to publish the book with the help of traditional publishers or they can approach self-publishing platforms as well.

 

· CREDIBILITY AND RECOGNITION

 

Credibility and recognition are a very nuanced topic when it comes to self-publishing vs traditional publishing.

 

This is because if we had to write about this topic, let’s say 20 years ago, then we would have written something different.

 

Back when the internet was not a thing, it would have been very difficult to become a popular author without a popular publisher behind your name. That does not mean there haven’t been popular self-published authors before the internet, but they are rare.

 

Before the internet era, could not enter distribution circles and it would have been nearly impossible to become popular as an author. There is a fixed structure in the publishing industry where someone new can find it very difficult to enter.

 

But nowadays if you invest a lot of money, then there are self-publishing platforms that will do all the work for you. These platforms like Amazon already have established distribution channels.

 

That is why you can achieve credibility and recognition from both kinds of publishing techniques nowadays.

 

If you are going with traditional publishing then you know you already have the support as well as the distribution channels of an established publisher.

 

If you are going with self-publishing then you know that you can spend money on different platforms in order to promote your book and they will do the rest for you.

 

Now that we know a little bit about traditional publishing and self-publishing, let us answer a few common questions.

 

FAQ ABOUT SELF-PUBLISHING AND TRADITIONAL PUBLISHING

 

1. Is a self-published author considered a published author?

 

A self-published author is definitely an author. It is just that a self-published author has decided to publish their book independently rather than going with a traditional publisher.

 

A self-published author can work directly for their book and can control every aspect of the book and even publish it online themselves.

 

Online publishing has made it much easier because they can just create an eBook and that way do not even have to think about printing the book.

 

2. Are you an author if you publish an article?

 

Yes, you are an author if you have published an article. You are the author of the article. If you contribute your writing to a book or an article and if you have your name on that book as a contributor then you are an author.

 

There are no such specifications out there that will specify that only writers of a certain kind of book can call them some authors.

 

If you are a writer and you have your name as the writer of a book then you are a published author.

 

3. Do any famous authors self-publish?

 

There are certainly a lot of self-published authors that are quite famous. We have names like Margaret Atwood and Robert Kiyosaki who have always self-published their books.

 

We have Andy Weir, the author of The Martian, this is a novel whose adaptation went on to become one of the biggest Hollywood movies in the world.

 

We can’t miss names like Mark Twain and Beatrix Potter. Then there are names like Stephen King as well.

 

We can go on and on but the point is there are quite a few big names.

 

4. What is the disadvantage of self-publishing?

 

There are certainly a few disadvantages associated with self-publishing, one of the disadvantages is that the author also has to be good at marketing because that is very much necessary.

 

There is the issue of quality control since no professional publishing houses are moderating the content. Anyone can write anything and get it published.

 

There is the issue of investment because you need to spend money in order to get your book published and not all authors have that kind of money.

 

There is also the fact that the author has to do a lot of work rather than just concentrating on the writing part of the book.

 

We hope this blog has been helpful for you to understand everything you need to know about self-published authors. Along with that, we also hope that you now understand the difference between self-publishing and traditional publishing.

 

And if you are someone who wants to self-publish or traditionally published their manuscript then we are here for you.

 

We are Orange Publishers and we are the fastest-growing and most popular publishing company in India. We have the finest distribution channels along with the best structure for publishing any level of volume and any kind of book.

 

We do everything in-house at Orange Publishers, which means everything from the book cover design to the printing and publishing happens within the gates of Orange Publishers.

 

We welcome you to check out our services and we would love to get in touch with you and transform your manuscript into a bestseller.

To engage the readers and give them a hypnotic reading experience, interactive eBooks are best possible solution. With the combination of multimedia elements, interactivity, and engaging features, interactive eBooks elevate the readers to a whole new level.

For creating an eBook development, the first and most important step is choosing the Right eBook Platform or Tool that shall interactivity and multimedia elements. iBooks Author (for Apple devices), Adobe InDesign, and Kotobee Author are names of few popular eBook platforms.  These tools provide a range of features and functionalities to create interactive eBooks. Identifying the target audience and knowledge on their age bracket, interests, technical expertise, preferences, and expectations is of utmost importance in eBook publishing as it in deciding on eBook design. Accordingly, the content is planned to determine how reader’s experience can be enhanced through interactivity. At the same time, multimedia elements like audio, video, images, and animations can be incorporated to increase eBook engagement with better reading experience keeping in mind they are of good quality and shall open in most of the devices. Interactive eBooks with features that shall glue the reader are most successful. Features like hyperlinks (clickable links to external websites, references, or related resources), Interactive Images (images that that readers can interact with by zooming, rotating, or revealing additional information when clicked), embedded videos or animations that demonstrate concepts or provide additional context are common features for interactive storytelling in eBooks. , Quizzes and Assessments, Interactive Infographics, Pop-up Windows and Tooltips, Navigation and Table of Contents also contributes to enhanced digital reading.  Once the interactive eBook is created, testing it thoroughly on various devices and platforms is extremely important for any interactive eBook creator to ensure that all interactive elements work as intended. Feedback from beta readers or users is important and based on their inputs, necessary improvements or adjustments is to be done to interactive eBooks or multimedia books more alluring.

Finally it is  time to decide on the publishing format for the  interactive eBook. There are many options viz., EPUB3, PDF- or a dedicated app for specific platforms. One should ensure that the file size is optimized for fast downloading and smooth performance across different devices. One may consider distributing the interactive eBook through popular eBook stores or platforms. It is also important to keep the file size manageable, as large files may affect loading times and accessibility. Also, be mindful of copyright laws when using multimedia elements or external resources in your interactive eBook.

Creating interactive eBooks can be a rewarding process that captivates readers and brings content to life- the journey of crafting a unique reading experience combining the best of multimedia and interactivity is fun as well.

 

A common mistake is to mix up between “book serials” and “book series” despite the fact there is marked difference between book serials and series– they are being two different formats of storytelling in literature. A book serial is a story or novel that is released in instalments or episodes over a period and there, every instalment normally ends with a cliff-hanger or unresolved plot points- thus alluring the readers to continue with next instalment. The classic example of a book serial or serialized book is Charles Dickens’ “The Pickwick Papers” or “Great Expectations” were published in monthly instalments and is a classic example of book serial. In present times, book serials are released online or in e-book format and with each instalment that are released at regular intervals and can take various forms, including novels, novellas, short stories, or even non-fiction works and being released in daily, weekly, or monthly instalments, depending on the publication schedule. Whereas a book series is a set of books that are interconnected by characters, settings, or an overarching story arc. In a book series, each book can be read as a standalone story, but there is often a progression or development of characters and plotlines across multiple books. The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling is a well-known example of a book series, where each book builds upon the events and characters introduced in the previous ones. If we try to do a difference between Book Serials vs. Book Series, other differences are observed as well. Book serials are released in instalments and are originally published in magazines, newspapers, or online platforms. They were popular 150 years back and are making a headway again and here, the instalments are normally shorter in length than a full novel. Regarding book series, they are a collection of books sharing common themes, characters, or settings and it is the overarching narrative that ties them together where each book can be read independently but often has an overarching story and these books are normally released over a longer period. In case of book series, each book normally has a complete narrative arc while they contribute to the broader story.

 

Series and serial fictions are forms of storytelling that involve the presentation of narratives in multiple instalments or episodes and have their own merits and appeal to different audiences. They both provide opportunities for in-depth storytelling and character development over an extended period. While series and serial fictions share some similarities, there are also distinct differences between the two. A series normally refer to a set of related stories or episodes featuring the same characters, settings, or themes where each instalment of a series is relatively self-contained, with its own plot and story arc. However, at times there are an overarching narrative that develops and progresses throughout the entire series-book series like “Harry Potter” by J.K. Rowling or television series like “Game of Thrones” are typical examples. Serial fiction refers to stories that are presented in a sequential manner with each instalment building upon the previous ones- often released periodically, such as weekly or monthly, and readers or viewers follow the story from the beginning to fully understand and appreciate it. Charles Dickens’ novels like “The Pickwick Papers” or radio dramas like “The War of the Worlds” by Orson Welles are classic examples of serial fiction.

 

Continuity in books is the consistency of the story, characters, and events within a series or across multiple books by the same author ensuring that that there are no contradictions, discrepancies, or errors disrupting the narrative flow or confuse readers. Maintaining continuity has always been crucial for the creation of a cohesive reading experience and for keeping readers engaged. Continuity helps in following the progression of the story and get involved in the characters and their development. A well-executed continuity helps the readers in overcoming their disbelief and immerse themselves in the fictional world without being jolted out of the narrative by inconsistencies. For maintaining the continuity, the plot must progress logically from one book to another, with events and their consequences in line with what has been previously established. Major plot points, unresolved conflicts, and character arcs are carried forward and resolved in a consistent and satisfying manner and characters should remain true to their established traits, personalities, and motivations throughout the series. Their growth and development must be gradual and believable, reflecting the experiences and events they encounter. The author must keep in mind the maintenance of consistency in the backstory, history, and worldbuilding elements of the book or series where the rules, laws, and dynamics of the fictional world should remain the same unless there is a valid reason for change, which should be properly explained. The physical and environmental details of the story must remain consistent, and it must be kept in mind that if a specific location or setting is described in one book, it must be accurately depicted in subsequent books.

 

When instead of publishing a complete book at once, the style of releasing a fictional story or novel in instalments over a period is adopted, it is referred as the serialized publication of fiction- a method that has a long history and has been used by many authors throughout the years. Serializing fiction is advantageous for both authors and readers- as it can provide the author a steady source of income as their payment comes for each instalment allowing them to adjust the story based on reader feedback or evolving ideas. Serialized fiction provides the readers a regular dose of entertainment that allow them in following a story over time and engage in discussions with others who are reading the same work. Multiple books in a series are a collection of interconnected books narrating a continuous story or exploring a common theme thereby allowing the authors in developing complex narratives, characters, and worlds that captivate readers over multiple instalments. These series are extremely popular in various genres like fantasy, science fiction, mystery, romance, and more.

To attract readers and generate their interest in the book, it is of extreme importance to know how to write a book description that attract readers- because at the end of the day, it is the book description that does the initial job of connecting the reader and the book. It serves as a powerful marketing tool capturing the attention of readers and thereby enticing them to further explore the writer’s works.

The most important tips to write book description that sells is understanding the target audience- the writer must know the ideal readers and accordingly should tailor your book description to appeal to their interests, desires, and emotions. He must consider what genre his book falls into and the specific expectations of readers in that genre. Hence, his endeavour should be to begin his book description with an attention-grabbing hook that shall captivate readers from the very beginning and to identify which is that attention grabbing hook that shall mesmerize his readers from very beginning- whether he shall write compelling statement, or an intriguing question, a compelling statement, or a thought-provoking scenario that piques their curiosity. The writer may Introduce his main characters and while doing that, may provide a glimpse into their lives, personalities, and goals. It is the job of the writer to ensure readers care about these characters and their journeys by emphasizing their relatability or uniqueness. He may a communicate the main conflict or challenge that drives the story by highlighting the stakes and the potential consequences if the conflict is not resolved and create a sense of urgency that compels readers to find out what happens next. Another important writing tips for the writers regarding writing a book description.

“The Silent Observer” is a book written with an intriguing and engaging book descriptions. It talks about a small, secluded town where a series of mysterious disappearances grips the community. As the local detective races against time to unravel the truth, a reclusive artist becomes an unexpected key to solving the enigma. Delve into this gripping psychological thriller that explores the blurred lines between perception and reality, and the power of secrets that can shatter lives. The book “Echoes of the Past” is another example where in a forgotten mansion on the outskirts of a desolate village, a young historian discovers a hidden diary that reveals a dark and haunting secret. As she uncovers the truth, she becomes entangled in a web of deceit and supernatural occurrences that transcend time. Prepare to embark on an atmospheric journey where the past and present intertwine, and the echoes of history reverberate through the ages. The book “The Art of Deception” starts with the cutthroat world of high-stakes art forgery, where a talented painter finds himself caught between his passion for creating masterpieces and a dangerous criminal underworld. With his life on the line, he must navigate a treacherous game of lies, betrayal, and unexpected alliances. The writer immerse himself in this gripping tale of art, intrigue, and the blurred boundaries between truth and fiction. These techniques should be applied purposefully and thoughtfully, depending on the genre, audience, and goals of his writing, and practicing and experimentation with different techniques helps the writer in developing his unique writing style. Writing techniques refer to the various strategies and methods used by writers to effectively convey their ideas and engage readers. These techniques can enhance the clarity, coherence, and impact of the written piece. A writer, instead of simply stating facts or emotions, at times use descriptive language and sensory details to create vivid images and evoke emotions in the reader’s mind. Utilizing vivid and descriptive language to engage the reader’s senses and create mental images makes the writing more engaging and memorable. Using of metaphors and similes help in creating connections and make complex ideas more understandable by comparing them to something more familiar or relatable. Using dialogue can bring characters to life and make the writing more dynamic and help in revealing personalities, advancing the plot, and conveying information. The writer often prefer hinting at future events or outcomes can create suspense and keep readers engaged. This technique of foreshadowing can be subtle or explicit, depending on the desired effect. The writers at times employ symbols that can add depth and layers of meaning to a story or essay where objects, actions, or concepts can represent abstract ideas, themes, or emotions. Controlling the speed and rhythm of the writing can help in hooking readers. Varying sentence length, using shorter sentences for action-packed scenes, and longer ones for more contemplative moments, can create a sense of tension or relaxation.

Compelling storytelling is the art of engaging an audience through a well-crafted narrative that captivates their attention and evokes an emotional response. Creation of relatable and well-developed characters that the audience can connect with. Give them distinct personalities, motivations, and flaws, which will make them more interesting and believable. Introduction of conflicts and challenges that the characters must overcome is another way of enhancing the reader appeal.  The writer at times stirs emotions in the audience by exploring universal themes and dilemmas by addressing topics such as love, loss, friendship, betrayal, or the pursuit of dreams and making. Make the audience empathize with the characters and their experiences.

Book marketing is the process of promoting and advertising a book to reach its target audience and generate sales. Effective book marketing strategies can help create awareness, build anticipation, and drive interest in a book among readers. The first step for a successful book promotion is understanding who the book is aimed at and tailor the marketing efforts accordingly- and for that, the writer may consider demographics, interests, and reading habits of your target readers. In is world today’s digital age, having an online presence is crucial for book marketing- hence consider creating an author’s website or website or blog, establishing social media profiles, and engaging with the target audience through content creation, updates, and interactions. Creation of compelling book covers and descriptions, Leveraging book launch events, offering promotions and discounts, seeking media coverage are certain other ways to do effective marketing for books.