Today’s Key Book Publishing Paths: What’s New, What’s Old, and What’s Right for You?

Over the last decade, the publishing industry has undergone tremendous
evolution due to the growth of online retail and digital books, as well
as the power of any author to publish and distribute their work at the
click of a button. But which path is right for you and your book—and how
do you sift through the increasing number of hybrid publishers and
services that make a lot of promises, but cost you a lot upfront?

Jane discusses everything you need to know about how book publishing
operates today, in plain English, to help you understand the pros and
cons of every major publishing path available. She’ll cover New York
traditional publishing and what projects are well-suited to being
represented by literary agents; the capabilities of mid-size publishers
and independent publishers; how to evaluate small presses,
micro-presses, and digital-only presses; what “hybrid” publishing is (or
thinks it is) and how to evaluate such companies; and all forms of
self-publishing and e-publishing practiced today.

This session will help you:

Determine if your project is commercial enough to be appealing to a
New York publisher—and what rights you’ll have to give up
Understand the traditional publishing process, how it’s different
from self-publishing, and how long you can expect any process to take
Evaluate small publishers and the quality of work they produce. The
world of independent publishers—including university presses, small
presses, and regional presses—is vast and can sometimes be more
challenging to understand than New York publishing, as they all
operate a bit differently. You’ll learn how to assess the strength
and position of any book publisher.
Know what type of contract, advance and royalty you can expect with
all types of publishers and services
Identify the qualities of a “hybrid” publisher and determine if a
hybrid is offering you something meaningful that you can’t
accomplish on your own
Have clear expectations when it comes to the marketing and promotion
of your work for every type of publishing path
Learn how print and digital books get bought and sold in today’s
retail ecosystem across all forms of publishing
Assess if you are well-suited to self-publishing your work, either
as a complete independent (by setting up your own publishing
company) or with the help of a service
You’ll learn not just the foundational principles of book publishing
today, but you’ll also gain expert insight into the changing industry
landscape, and how you can navigate your own path toward success. By the
end of the session, you’ll be able to identify which publishing option
is the best to achieve your goals.