Performance Magazine By Milli Brown

The well-groomed, professional gentleman in the back of the room raised his hand and asked, “Is a literary agent someone who gets you jobs?” I was astounded. Even though this was the first time to teach my publishing class, I assumed that everyone knew that literary agents represent books to royalty houses in exchange for a percentage of the author's royalty. Even though I was teaching a beginner's Publishing 101 class, that was the first time that I actually realized how little most people understand about this elusive thing called book publishing.

I am often asked to speak on publishing panels and at publishing conferences, and if there is one thing that I have noticed, there is a lot of misinformation when it comes to publishing a book. With all of the choices available these days: Print-on-Demand, self-publishing, royalty publishing, e-publishing, subsidy publishing, etc., it is vital that you do your due diligence prior to selecting a publisher, an agent or one of the many venues by which to publish your book.

With the advent of desktop publishing in the '80s, a new phenomenon developed called self-publishing. Many people claimed that publishing was so easy that anyone with a computer could be their own publisher. Well, I have to tell you, publishing, like any profession, must be learned. Unfortunately, many people experiment on their first (and only) book. If you choose to self-publish, the following are tips from my class: “How to Publish and Keep All of the Profits.”

“I'm a business person not a writer—but everyone says I should write a book.” Never fear, ghostwriters are one of the best-kept secrets in the publishing world. (Do you really think Hillary Clinton wrote her memoir? Actually, it's rumored that she had three ghostwriters.) Rather than torturing your type-A personality by forcing yourself to sit at a computer and focus for hours on end, hire a writer. They are skilled at interviewing to glean the basics of your subject and then taking that information and working magic. Just be careful, finding the perfect ghostwriter is like trying to find your soul mate. It is not easily accomplished, but when it works, it is publishing heaven.

A bookstore is not always the best place to sell your book. Imagine that you sign a lease to locate your business in an office park adjacent to all of your top competitors. From a strategic standpoint, would that be smart? Unless you are a celebrity or you have a mega marketing budget to get your book noticed, you will probably want to explore other marketing avenues for your book. The good news is, there are many viable alternatives to consider. Just think of all the lucrative sales possibilities: seminars, conferences, specialty stores, libraries, trade shows, the Internet, speaking engagements—the opportunities are truly endless.

Anyone can call themselves an editor. Always ask for credentials before hiring an editor. And remember, someone who edited a romance novel or the church cookbook might not be the best person to critique a business book on motivating your sales force.

Cheaper isn't always better. A wise person once told me, “Always get three quotes. Never take the cheapest and throw out the most expensive.” Whether you are hiring a graphic designer or a printer, don't jump at the chance to save money. It might cost you plenty in lost revenue down the road, and it certainly will be embarrassing when the pages of your book fall out during a book signing.

You really can tell a book by its cover. Your book is a direct reflection of you, your company, or the service that you represent. If there is one area that you don't want to skimp on, it is the cover. In the non-literary world it is called packaging. You could have the greatest content in the world, but if you don't have an attractive, professionally created cover, it will diminish the importance of your message or worse yet, your credibility. Done right the cover will make the book appear more important, and you, more knowledgeable. Done wrong and, well, you get the picture.

Milli Brown is the president of Brown Books Publishing Group in Dallas , Texas . She has been called an “entrepreneurial publisher for entrepreneurial writers.” Her award-winning publishing house specializes in allowing authors to retain the rights to their work. For more information go to www.brownbooks.com or call 972.381.0009.

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