The growing popularity of digital technology has disrupted the traditional printing environment. Before, if you had wanted to have a book published, you would have needed to prepare a sample manuscript or proposal and mail it to several publishers. You would then have to wait for rejection or approval letters from them, with months or even years passing without such confirmation. Nonetheless, in those days, the rules of engagement were very clear in the sense that the authors were to submit their material, while publishers were to either accept or reject, with most cases being rejected.

Today, with the rapid advancement of digital technology, things are not a clear-cut. Owing to the digital revolution and the trend of print-on-demand technology, and the apparently limitless room for books on various online bookstores like Amazon.com, getting your book printed has become ever easier.

Hold on a minute. We should distinguish between getting a book produced and getting a book published. Here, the concept of publishing implies having your material announced to the world. It entails sales and promotion, as well as getting the book reviewed. As an author, you need to look at the various publishing options, including the various merits and demerits before deciding upon the appropriate option. To aid your choice, here is a categorization of publishing alternatives.

Traditional Publishing

For an author who prioritizes massive public relations and extensive book distribution for better sales, then a traditional publisher may be just what you need. The only problem is that traditional publishers will only give you massive PR if they foresee that your material will be wildly popular or if you are already a wildly popular writer. You should also go for a traditional publisher if you prefer someone else to cover the cost of developing your book, including illustration, editing, indexing, permission, layout and design, and printing. The only problem is in finding a traditional publisher interested in publishing your book (in most cases you will need a personal contact or agent).

In the event that you have succeeded in getting a traditional publisher to help with your book, you will be needed to sign a contract, giving the publisher all rights in the media. The implication here is that your work will be quite tied up and you may need to get permission from the publisher if you wanted to reuse a chapter in another writing. For materials on specialized topics (such as professional, technical, or scientific) a traditional publisher may ask that you commit to purchasing some minimum number of copies to take care of their costs.

To summarize, in traditional publishing you get the benefit that the publisher will bear the financial freight of publication. The author may get paid an advance against the sale of the books. The publisher also covers all costs related to editing, printing, design, and marketing. As an author, you typically get a royalty of 10 percent of the list price on every copy of the book sold.

A Subsidy Publisher

Since getting a traditional publisher can be quite a challenge, a possible alternative, particularly for those who just want to create a few copies of their books, is subsidized or vanity publishing. In this form of publishing, you enter into a contract with the publisher, in which the publisher makes money by having you pay for the development of the book, and you get a limited number of copies. Typically, the publisher does not make loads of money by selling large quantities of your book. In fact, the publisher may even have a website where your book is sold, but you do not benefit considerably from such sale.

Self-Publishing

Traditional publishing is at one end of the publishing spectrum, where you cede total control of the publishing process. On the other end of the spectrum is self-publishing, something that has been increasingly enabled by the rise of digital technology. In most cases, writers opt for self-publishing if they feel that their content may not interest a traditional publisher or when they just want a few copies published without getting involved with a subsidy publisher.

So how does self-publishing work? In this form of publishing, the writer acquires the ISBN (International Standard Book Number) of the book themselves. You can then choose to do the development work yourself or hire a professional to do the various parts on your behalf. Care must be exercised when choosing a reliable custom writing agency to assist with the design, layout, and editing of your book. Choose a top agency, which has a demonstrated record of editing, illustrating, and designing books. The key is that, in self-publishing, you retain control of how your book is developed and printed, and by whom. You also control the distribution and the limited rights you give to other people in a way that is beneficial to you.

In appropriate situations, and aided by digital technology, self-publishing can be an excellent option. Although you bear the freight financially, you get to control the publishing process and choose who to help with developing the material. Most importantly, you retain a high percentage of the sales revenue.

Cooperative Publishing

At the midway between traditional publishing and self-publishing is cooperative publishing. This publishing alternative is ideal for those who would like to submit their manuscript and their input to the entire publishing process, and have the ability to pay for the process. Your book will be sold through book trade and through your own sales giving you the chance to make more money from sales.

Federation publishing cooperatives offer an ideal operating model for writers. The platform can offer a scalable publishing model that aligns with the philosophy of learned societies while offering a financial framework able to provide sustaining your career as an author. Alternatives for the structuring of publishing cooperatives vary between a unitary structure to various networks that are discrete, yet interrelated.

Given that the concept of publishing cooperatives is relatively new, we cannot advance a unitary system that has been demonstrated to be superior to the other. Nonetheless, the experiences of cooperatives in other market sectors allow us to suggest the appropriate cooperative publishing structures. In general, it is imperative that for publishing cooperatives to be successful, the members must perceive it as committed to their interests. In other words, cooperatives with homogenous memberships are more ideal compared to those with heterogeneous membership. The mutual interest in homogenous cooperatives allows the publishing cooperatives to foster strong economic associations with members, serving the collective interests of those members.

So, why should you choose cooperative publishing over the other alternatives? There are various functions offered by cooperatives, which will address your needs as an author. Such functions include shared services like strategic management and planning, bargaining, adding value to your content, negotiating, and purchasing, selling, marketing and distributing on your behalf, as well as administration and grant seeking.

The shared services offered by cooperative publishing allow it to offer such services at lower costs compared to the traditional and self-publishing options, and can also offer resources that you may not be able to afford individually. Through cooperative publishing, you get additional services like capital budgeting support, online submission, strategic planning, peer review systems, copyediting as well as other editorial support services, digital distribution platforms, accounting, legal, and other professional services.

The cooperative will achieve savings on your behalf through reduced administrative costs, assured business levels from vendors, and discounts on voluminous purchases. In addition, through working with a cooperative, you get to address the issues and complications associated with the supply chain.

Another benefit of cooperative publishing is the greater market power it offers. The cooperative can effectively compete against larger publishers for a share of bookstore and library space. However, while cooperatives are able to offer a considerable range of benefits and services, you should be able to choose the cooperative that is right for you.

As has been demonstrated, different publishing alternatives have different merits and demerits. As such, your choice of a preferred publishing option will be influenced by various factors, including your access to cash, the amount of control you want, and your reputation as an author. Examine each option carefully before making your choice.

Bio: Raymond Bennet is a freelance content writer from Carol City, Florida. He graduated from the University of Miami and started his activity in creative writing. Currently working at RoyalEssay for those who need a resourceful education or career assistance.