I am finally writing a book, but wonder which would be better, an ebook or paper back? My sister knows a publisher and could possibly help get it published if it is any good! Which should I try, or should I try both?
I would personally go with the ebook form first. You won't get turned down because you will be your own publisher. I am also certain that it is very cheap, if not completely free. I would check out Amazon's publishing services. A lot of authors have success and bring in substantial extra income using that route. Good luck!
I'd hate to burst your bubble but getting a book accepted by a traditional publisher these days regardless of the connections you have is a lot harder. If you're famous and your name alone would get your fans swarming into the book stores to get the book then the best option would be to head the ebook way. If it's good then you'll still make money anyway.
I personally would go for the paperback publishing, but that's my own personal opinion. I don't like reading via ebooks, so my preferred method of reading is what I'd like my audience to read it from. I think either way you do it has its pros and cons, so it's good to check out some online articles regarding the comparisons and contrasts.
I wouldn't say it is any harder to publish through a traditional publisher than before; and actually, from what I have heard recently many traditional publishers are looking at up and coming authors as more and more important (and lucrative). I work in the book production industry, and can pass along that writers are being treated better than ever before. That said, how you decide to take your book to the public should be influenced on what your goals are: 1. Are you looking to get recognized, get famous and get rich? Well, this takes a lot of work, and a lot of personal marketing, even if you get traditionally published, so be ready for it, but, if you do decide this is your motive, then I would publish an e-book first. That way you can give it away and not lose any money on the deal. That freebie will help to build audience. 2. If you like the idea of publishing but aren't sure its for you...Make an ebook also. This allows you to test the waters. 3. If you want a local following, or you want to start out with your friends and family...Create an ebook and make a companion print book... Notice a trend...basically, start with an e-book, and go from there. Also, don't be worried that a traditional publisher won't accept you if you published an ebook already...they are actually interested in your track record now, and no longer feel that a self-published author is a bad investment. So, go and publish.
I have been told that if you can get an agent or a publisher (or both), then that is definitely the way to go. They can do so much more for you than you can do on your own. They are going to be able to promote you and they have the experience to know exactly who your target audience is based on the material. So if you have that option, go wiith that. However, if you have difficulty going down that road, then self publishing an eBook is definitely a great alternative. But just know that if you do and you want it to be successful, you are going to have to do a lot of self promoting, which can be tedious.
AugustGreig, a good agent will absolutely help you out with the process of writing, but those agents (the good ones) are very picky with the talent that they take on. As for promotion by an agent, please make note that these services come at a cost (you might be able to negotiate a percentage, but you may also need to pay for the costs of ads. Most publishers will likely not advertise a new author heavily though, so, even if you sign with them, expect that they will ask you to travel around doing signings etc...without an expense account. The main thrust a publisher will give is listing in their catalogue and availability to the distribution channel. The big positive is they don't charge you for any books.
Cost wise I would go for the ebook. Self publishing has been the way a lot of authors have gone to get started with their first book. What type of book are you writing? My son-in-law wrote a book of prose and self published paperback style, ebooks were not that popular when he wrote his book. I think he said it was a couple of thousand dollars at that time to publish the book. It may be higher or lower now. Good Luck.
Pat, the positive is that you can now go to a site, and publish a book and an ebook for pretty much nothing at all by self-publishing. If you take a look at Lulu.com, Blurb.com or Createspace.com you will find that they do not require a purchase to list for sale (even in the physical format). This is a much better way to handle it than any other. If you are talking about services, take a look at Bibliocrunch.com for services like editorial and design (it's the Angie's List of publishing).
I wouldn't really worry about the format your book would be printed in until you actually have a publisher who wants to pick you up. I'd say the content of your book should probably take precedence! As far as I know, there's no real difference in the creation of ebooks, paperbacks, etc, so I'd just focus solely on what's in the book at your current stage of writing.
You should definitely try both, since both are viable options for book publishing. I've found it a little harder to gain recognition by publishing ebooks, since there's so much quality reading material available for free otherwise and a lot of people won't like paying for eBooks, so if you can publish a paperback that'd be good for you.
I suggest going with an e-book. It's a lot cheaper than publishing in paper form. Also, unlike paper book, there are many online sites that offer partnership with new writers to publish e-books on their websites for free. Since you're new to writing books, it's more assuring to publish an e-book first. Once things start to pick up for you, then it's up to you what you want to do with your work. Since you mentioned that your sister knows a publisher, might as well try that route first. There's nothing to lose even if the publisher isn't interested. Who knows, you might get lucky.
I am writing a book as well and have published a small e-book as a collection of blog articles. I did this so I could get author pages on Goodreads, Amazon and Smashwords, to help build up my author profile when I submit to publishers. It depends on the genre of the book as many publishing houses have set times for submissions or what they are looking for. My friend is a publisher for a different genre and has been helping me, but formatting and learning about different submission criteria is another job all together. Writing the synopsis was actually one of the hardest things to do, as that is what can sell the book.
Ebooks really make the most sense for starting out. That way you can develop an audience without potentially losing a lot of money on paperbacks that may not sell. You seem to be getting a bit ahead of yourself though, focus on your writing and your content, then you can discuss format with a publisher if they like your material.
