Fill in's, Financials, & Failings

While in the process of doing my most recent update to the POD Database, I discovered I now have ninety Fee-Based Print-on-Demand (POD) Publishing Services listed. Ninety. Wow. (Just a few more to the triple digits-whoo-hoo lol).

But more than the number of companies, I suppose what got me thinking was when I did a few offhand guesstimations with the reasoning that if each company had at one point attained a mere minimum number of one hundred authors each, it would mean that roughly almost ten thousand books were published this way over the last five years--ballpark a thousand or so...

And when I deliberated further (on a whim), averaging the cost of publishing each book at about $500 a pop (which is on the low end, I know), it came out to right around four and a half million dollars spent over that same period. Four million plus--BAM!!

Now four million is but a drop in the bucket (when in perspective to an industry as a whole) but regardless four million is not a number to ignore either in the least.

But anyway, onto my last point which is (unofficially) at least one-third of these businesses for one reason or another have gone out of business since I started keeping track. That's roughly a thirty percent failure rate (not including the mergers and moratoriums) which to me proves that not everyone can survive.

Yes, it's easy to start up a company like this and yes there is a customer base BUT the longer the business itself remains static and/or ignores the desires/needs of it's customers, the higher the risk of it becoming outmoded in an industry traditionally known for its 'revolutionary spirit.'

Just something to think about...

FWIW

dehanna

Q. & A. How to Research a Publisher

Q. "What can I do to find out more about a publishing company, service, or agent?"

I get asked this question quite often and usually by those authors who are fairly new to this whole "publishing thing" so to save a bit of time, I thought I would post these handy tips:

1. First, visit their website and print out any detail pages, sample contracts, or FAQs sections and read them offline--you'll see more this way. Once you've read everything you can from their site, compile a list then contact the staff to further clarify any questions you may have about them or their policies.

2. Another idea is to contact a few of their present authors and ask them how their publishing experience went and if they are happy. Keep in mind that happiness can vary from author to author depending on their personal goals and expectations, but most authors will offer at least a general opinion of their publishing experience which can help you in making your decision.

3. Next, type the company name into your favorite search engine and see what comes up. To define your search further, put quote marks around the phrase (like "ABC PubCO") then add words like "beware," "warning," or "complaint" to your search.

4. Make sure to visit Preditors & Editors, SWFA.com, EPIC.com. Online writer organizations sites often offer valuable information in regards to publishing in general and paying a visit to Preditors&Editors--which offers a lengthy index of agents, publishers, services, and more--is well worth every author's time and effort. (TIP: You can find links to these sites and more on my Links & Leads page!)

5. And don't forget to visit online forums such as: AbsoluteWrite.com, WritersWeekly.com, and Piers Anthony's publishing info page to see what others are reporting, discussing, and or complaining about when it comes to the publishing world--doing so just may open your eyes to a whole new spectrum of options. (TIP: Use the link above to find links to these sites & more!)

So there you have it. Five ways to get going in your research so you can find the best company for you!

Enjoy!