What does it mean to be a publisher....

article written by Faith Ombewa
Linked-in:
https://ke.linkedin.com/in/faithombewa

According to thefreedictionary.com, a publisher is a person or business that produces and distributes something, such as a book or magazine, in printed or electronic form.

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I like the definition because it points out certain keywords that I would like to comment on. A publisher can be: a person - meaning one single person can undertake this role or a business run by an individual or a group of people as partners or shareholders depending on the terms and agreements under which the business was formed. This person or business produces (in simple definition the act of making or creating) and distributes (doling out, spreading and available to the consumers).

The summary makes the concept really simplified, easy and something that can be done overnight. More like "an author creating a manuscript which is printed to paperback or converted to an eBook and woot woot!!..out for sale and readers rush to buy".

Wait a minute!!! I totally understand the excitement that comes with publishing a book and getting it out there but it doesn't happen within a blink of an eye. The role of a publisher is packaged in a process known as publishing and heck yeah! It requires money but this totally depends on the path a writer chooses towards getting their book published.

The path and process of publishing is dependent on factors such as whether the author is self-publishing or is signed to a specific company for their publishing needs. In trying to define what it means to be a publisher, I will focus my argument on the business oriented kind of publisher and examine the role of a publisher as a process of publishing  under the categories listed below:

Acquisition - Which category of authors are we looking for? What is our genre of focus? Do we believe in the authors ideas? Which books do publish? How many books per month or a specific timeline? I bet there are way more questions that goes on in the mind of a publisher in this stage because the decisions made in here are critical to the general running of the business, its visions and missions. This stage is more like laying a foundation to a building.

Projection - Just like any other business, a  publisher has to plan, schedule, organize and create a time table of how things need to be done. This includes ensuring that there are set timelines under which a book will come out and the nitty-gritty it will take to ensure these deadlines are set and met. I am convinced that this is a very crucial yet very tricky stage because the writing is done by an author and he or she needs to complete a book so that its published. This reflects the importance of the acquisition stage. Such details have to be clearly defined and a specific kind of agreement on submission deadlines set.

Editing - This is a very important stage in the process of publishing a book as it helps ensure that a book is up to its full potential. Usually the author is done with their part, they send the book to the publisher and hold their breath to wait. In my opinion, a good publisher should also be an editor; I mean, how do you even publish a book you didn't write or suggest corrections to the author? The trickiest part of editing for the publisher is the courage and wisdom to face their authors and tell them "I love how you have built this story but I think you can do better on the ending", what??? Does that sound mean? I honestly don't know how it sounds and for that reason I really respect publishers because, whether it is mean or not, they have to do it even if it means breaking the heart of an author. In the end this is for the greater good of all. Yes, you don't want to release a crappy (for lack of a better word) piece of work to the market and yet you have a publisher. I know authors put a lot of work in their manuscripts, I think they are the most creative human beings in existence...but if you want to get somewhere or even be noticed in your writing journey, and decide to sign up with a publisher you believe in then let your publisher do their work. Be receptive of feedback; both positive and negative. I totally understand that criticism is something that human nature automatically resist change but if we want real success, we have to learn to accept criticism and make the most of it to for our own sake. Easier said than done but it is very possible - over time. I have learnt to accept feedback, especially negative ones, something I still find not easy sometimes.

Designing - This to me is MAJOR when releasing your book to the public. I know, you might have a wonderful piece of writing but if the cover is a major turn off to your intended readers then the painful truth is the book will likely not do well not unless you are comfortable selling just within your inner circles; family, friends and maybe colleagues. ''What does a book cover tell a reader?'' A topic for another day - today I am focusing on the role of a publisher. Designing is important in making a book stand out. Designing is an art on its own. Publishers hire a designer to produce your cover, as well they should.

Copy-editing - This is the stage where the publisher has approved the book and while the writer is excited about their book finally being published, unfortunately the process does not end here. A publisher will still need a copy-editor's inner eyes to ensure the grammar, spelling, punctuation, verb to subject agreement to create consistency in the writing.

Production - Finally, the book is ready to go out. The publisher has to figure out in what forms. E-books and print are a common form of production but with the collaboration of an author, some publishers would go the audio-books. Whichever route the production takes will also greatly depend on the availability of resources (finances) needed for the production.

Distribution and Selling - I put these two roles under the same banner as one immediately is expected to lead to the other. Here the publisher figures out how the books will move from their desk to either bookstores or online stores. Does this automatically leads to the book being sold? Well for some books, yes, but with lots of books being published today under the same category a all-encompassing "magic bullet" is out of question. For authors who have built a following, are deeply routed in the writing business, its a different story. But for a ''newbie'' or ''growing'' author, distribution does not automatically lead to selling, a publisher takes up another role and a final one for this write-up.

Marketing - This is the final stage in the process of book publishing and the most important one especially in the current trends. Everything has gone digital including the readers. Publishers work to ensure a book reaches to its target audience. Marketing comes in different forms. It would take more than just one post to cover that but with online business flooding the market, social media becomes important in the process of marketing. Newsletters, promotional campaigns, virtual blog tours, Facebook and Twitter marketing are among the many, many forms of marketing that a publisher takes to ensure the visibility of a book.

Publishing sounds a lot more easier but it is not just a title, it is a combination of several talents and careers in one. Self-publishing has become very common and there are several self-published authors that are doing well, I respect that. But publishing can consume so much time that an author would otherwise take writing a new novel or more in a series.

For authors who are totally comfortable doing all these alone then I hope this article helps point out a few things for your benefit. Better still, for a newbie author somewhere out there looking for where to start in making the decision whether to self-publish or sign up with a publisher. In the event that you decide to go with signing up with a publisher, maybe you can consider checking out Troll River Publications. I do not guarantee you will be taken in because Troll River only publishes authors they believe in but if you are accepted, I promise you will not have just landed on a publishing company, but a family of loving authors and the most nurturing publisher, editor, and many more roles that she can take at the same time - Stephanie McKibben.
And hey!!! when you get accepted - don't forget to buy me a cup of coffee for sending such a blessing your way. LOL! Am kidding...mmm...maybe not.

Faith Ombewa
Assistant, Troll River Publications