http://friam.383.s1.nabble.com/Book-publishing-advice-needed-tp7597536p7597565.html
Thanks. Yes, self-publishing is an option. I am looking for an official publisher mainly for one reason, namely that other scientists and researchers can cite it, since I still cling to the illusion that someone would actually do it. Normally self-published texts are not considered as reliable or trustworthy sources. I didn't expect that finding a decent publisher would be so difficult.
-J.
-------- Original message --------
Date: 7/4/20 20:10 (GMT+01:00)
To: The Friday Morning Applied Complexity Coffee Group <
[hidden email]>
Subject: Re: [FRIAM] Book publishing advice needed
Jochen:
The deal being offered strikes me as a bad deal.
Background: I have been practicing and teaching about "Be Your Own Publisher" for nearly 15 years. There are, in my opinion, some major problems with all publishers today. It starts with control of the copyright. I think YOU should want to maintain control of the copyright to your work. It will depend on the contract, but many or most publishers will try to lock down the copyright in their favor for all -- ALL -- forms of your work in perpetuity and throughout the universe. Sometimes quite literally.
Second, you should assume -- especially with a small publisher and you, not being as well known as Stephen King or Daniel Steele -- the publisher will do little if anything to promote your book beyond a mention in its catalog and, maybe, some promotional links on Amazon. Given that, a 5 percent royalty should be seen as a con.
Third, given your computing experience, you should find it easy to format and produce the book yourself. I have used
Lulu.com for years. It is especially good if you want to have both hardback, paperback and PDF editions. Again the advantages: you keep the copyright, you can set (and change) the prices and to a degree the royalties. Also, Lulu and Amazon handle all the backend financial arrangements and administration and pay directly and quickly. I also use a very good, high quality digital printer in Albuquerque for paperback editions. It is
Lithexcel. It handles all the printing (one copy to any number) quickly, along with all the fulfillment and accounting. The folks there will also, for only $25, set up your book in the Amazon inventory search engine. Finally, there is <a href="https://www.bookbaby.com/free-publishing-guides?utm_campaign=GOOSL31&utm_source=SITELINK&utm_medium=cpc&mkwid=sNzCXe5z8_dc|pcrid|238281756657|pmt|e|pkw|amazon%20book%20publishing|slid|cWU1oXIv|targetids|kwd-362938383597|groupid|48812614458|&pgrid=48812614458&ptaid=kwd-362938383597&gclid=Cj0KCQjw0YD4BRD2ARIsAHwmKVnFci42apQ6vWUruvHuYX-FOum9VCF7bx83c_tSMHGoby8yylL_RTMaAjOEEALw_wcB">Amazon's self-publishing arm. While Amazon might take a bigger slice, the control over all aspects is in your hands.
Here's the problem/challenge with all of these. YOU have to do the marketing/publicity/promotion. But so what? If you today sign with any publisher of any size you will have to do the same thing.
Tom
============================================
- .... . -..-. . -. -.. -..-. .. ... -..-. .... . .-. .