For many new writers, asking "how to publish my book" elicits a daunting and overwhelming answer. The book industry can be confusing for first-time authors and many authors choose a path without knowing what their other options could have been.

With all of the possible methods of publishing, authors must first determine which method best suits their needs, their timeline and their budget. There are advantages and disadvantages to both traditional publishing and self publishing. When authors do opt to self publish though, the next step is to choose a self publishing company that can help them reach their goals.

To begin, the differences between traditional publishing and self publishing lie in the creative control an author has over a project and the royalties they receive from sales. To traditionally publish a book, authors must first secure an agent, who will pitch their manuscript to appropriate publishers. This process can take years and authors can suffer a hefty load of rejection while waiting for a publisher to show interest in their book.

For many authors, traditional publishing is not a possibility. If a first-time author is one of the lucky people to get picked up by a traditional publisher, they typically sell the rights to their book to the publisher who then has complete control over the content, the cover, the promotional plan and even whether the book ever goes to market. They also get a smaller portion of the royalties than they would if they had self published.

The major advantage, though, is that someone else finances the production and distribution of the book, thus taking on the majority of the risk.

For those authors asking themselves "how to publish my book—but not give up my rights to it," or "how to publish my book—but see a good percentage of sales," self publishing offers them a way to control their project. By circumventing a traditional publisher, authors retain the control, rights and royalties to their book. In the past, self publishing companies did not offer high-quality products or effective distribution. A poorly designed cover or mediocre edit can disguise a powerful message and a potentially successful book. But BookPros is changing the face of self publishing.

BookPros' self publishing imprints were the first to partner directly with distributors like MidPoint Trade Books, National Book Network and Ingram Book Group to provide nationwide in-store distribution. This advantage makes self publishing through BookPros similar to the traditional publisher experience. Our cover designers are professional graphic designers who also do work for some of the major publishing houses, and our editing process rivals that of traditional houses.

When considering "how to publish my book," authors need to educate themselves on the industry and consider their goals.

For more information on what BookPros can do for your book, please browse our publishing services page, visit our online chat to speak with a project consultant or give us a call at (512) 478-2028.