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A
recent survey showed that more than eighty percent of Americans
want to write a book.
This
extraordinary statistic is somewhat puzzling considering
that the National Endowment for the Arts estimates that
only fifty-seven percent of Americans have read even 1 book
in the last twelve months!
What
is it that makes people -- even non-readers -- want to put
pen to paper?
Perhaps
it's the desire for fame and fortune, the need to earn the
respect of others, or maybe it's just the wish to leave
some mark on the future, a permanent record of a life lived.
Whatever
the reason, for those who actually complete a manuscript,
the odds of seeing it published by a reputable firm are
slim.
For
the estimated 2 million manuscripts currently completed,
there are only 64,000 publishers of record, and only a fraction
of those are actively seeking new manuscripts.
So
what are the millions of hopeful authors to do?
Well,
the first step would be to ensure their manuscripts are
the best they can be. This can be done by re-writing, editing,
proofreading by an outside firm or even by a well-read and
literate friend.
Even
then, most of those two million books stand no chance of
being accepted by a traditional publisher. Those authors
that do make the cut are not necessarily the best writers,
but rather are those who can sell themselves and their stories
most convincingly.
Some
authors, after rejections from the trade, will find themselves
victims of vanity publishers, who take advantage of the
hopes and aspirations of writers to extract an exorbitant
fee to 'publish' their book.
Luckier
will be the writers who publish through firms like iUniverse
and Lulu, for although their books will likely never see
wide distribution, at least their losses will be minimal.
And
finally there are the select few who decide to become publishers
themselves, even if it is only to self-publish their own
book.
These
publishers will find great obstacles, and a great deal of
work in this route, but the challenge and reward of having
one's success or failure entirely in one's own hands is
a powerful feeling.
Whether
they choose to publish electronically, or use short run
printing service like Lightning Print, or even to go full
boar with a print run of 1,000 or more, their success depends
on how well they sell themselves and their story to others.
And
so, if you are about to embark on a new manuscript, educate
yourself thoroughly about the industry, its scams, and potential
pitfalls. And more importantly, learn to market yourself
well, for this, more than any other skill, is the determining
factor in your success or failure.
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