{"id":661,"date":"2016-08-29T11:21:42","date_gmt":"2016-08-29T11:21:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/refiction.com\/?p=661"},"modified":"2022-05-30T15:41:24","modified_gmt":"2022-05-30T15:41:24","slug":"is-trade-publishing-right-for-you","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/refiction.com\/articles\/is-trade-publishing-right-for-you","title":{"rendered":"Is Trade Publishing Right For You?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Your manuscript is polished to perfection, and you\u2019re ready for your work to reach the hands of eager readers worldwide. But how do you span that gap between a written novel and a published book?<\/p>\n

One method is trade publishing, which we\u2019ll explore in this article.<\/p>\n

What is Trade Publishing?<\/h2>\n

Trade publishing or traditional publishing means going through a company for the production and distribution of your book. In real trade publishing, money moves in only one direction: from the company towards you, the writer, and never the other way around. (If a company charges you money for the production of your book, it\u2019s either a scam or a vanity publisher.)<\/p>\n

In trade publishing, you sign a contract with the publisher in which you sell the rights to produce and market your writing, whether in print form or in digital form. In return, you receive royalties\u2014a certain percentage of all sales generated by your novel.<\/p>\n

The Stages of Trade Publishing<\/h2>\n

Going through an established company for the production of your book is a cumbersome process with many steps.<\/p>\n

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  1. Selecting an agent.<\/strong>\u00a0Literary agents know three things: what editors like, how to pitch to them, and how to negotiate a good contract for you. Instead of pitching directly to an editor, you have the option of obtaining an agent and letting him or her do the legwork.
    \nAlmost all of the big firms (such as Random House, Penguin, etc.) consider only agented writers. However, smaller companies (e.g. Page Street Publishing, DAW Books) may allow you to submit directly to their editor.<\/li>\n
  2. Submitting your work.<\/strong>\u00a0Pitching your work to either agents or editors is usually a stressful process, but it cannot be skipped. Most agents\/editors have similar requirements from a submission packet. It usually has to include a query letter introducing you and your work, a synopsis, and sample pages from the manuscript itself.
    \nBased on these materials, the agent\/editor will either decline your submission or else ask to see more of your work, which may eventually lead to signing a contract with that agent\/editor.<\/li>\n
  3. Signing a Contract.<\/strong>\u00a0If you\u2019re working with an agent, a contract will detail how much he or she gets paid in case your novel sells. As with publishing houses, you should never pay an agent for representing your novel. They will get their cut of your royalties if and only if your novel sells. The agent will then help you negotiate a good contract with a publishing company.
    \nIf you\u2019re working directly with an editor, the contract will involve your advance payment (if any) and royalty rates, subsidiary rights, and so on. It\u2019s important to understand these many terms and their intricacies. A percent more here or there might translate into hundreds if not thousands of dollars later on.<\/li>\n
  4. Editing and proofing.\u00a0<\/strong>Serious publishing houses will edit and proof your manuscript. You will likely be an active player in this stage: editors may request changes from you, and you will have to approve line edits and proofreading notes.<\/li>\n
  5. Cover art.<\/strong>\u00a0The publisher will bring one of their artists to design a cover (also called a jacket). How much influence you have over the final product depends on the contract you\u2019ve signed. Some authors have no control, while others are given limited input.<\/li>\n
  6. Publishing and distribution.\u00a0<\/strong>Finally! Once the novel is laid out and ready, the publishing house will begin to distribute it. This may mean a print run which will be delivered to bricks-and-mortar stores (usually by medium to big publishers), a print-on-demand catalog which is made available to many online stores, such as Amazon and Barnes & Noble (usually by smaller publishers), or a digital product which can be distributed over the Internet (by publishers of all sizes).<\/li>\n
  7. Royalties.<\/strong>\u00a0Now begins the fun. Royalty payments are made to you, the author, based on how many copies your novel has sold during a given period of time. You will either receive all royalties or share them with your agent, depending on your arrangement.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Challenges of Trade Publishing<\/h2>\n

    Traditional publishing is a cumbersome process, which means there are a\u00a0lot<\/em>\u00a0of obstacles.<\/p>\n