Being a published author is the dream of millions of people, still, the first step is very difficult. Whether it is a gripping mystery you are writing, a romance novel, or an insightful non-fiction book, to find the right home of your manuscript, you need to have a good understanding of the industry. Literary world is immense and you must learn how to manoeuvre the system or not to succeed.
The ever-changing and evolving nature of the industry is in our digital world, where traditional print media is mixed with innovative digital versions, audiobooks. An awareness of the various avenues open to you-a knowledge of the heavy weights that cut the market-will give you the confidence to abide by the market conventions and present your work professionally. This guide will take you through the leading publishing houses, the trends in the industry and the best practices of making your work heard.
General knowledge of the Big Five
Five large traditional publishing houses are mostly controlling the market, commonly known as the “Big Five.” The most trade books are printed by these giant companies, which have already a considerable market share.
Penguin Random House: The largest of the big houses is the one that is a product of the merger of two old companies. It has hundreds of different imprints, with a diverse range of genres including literary fiction, children books and reference materials.
HarperCollins: Established in 1817, it is a publishing giant which is owned and operated by News Corporation. Each year it publishes thousands of new titles under a wide range of literary and non-fiction genres.
Simon and Schuster: It has a wide and highly successful catalog, releasing over 2,000 titles each year and publishing the works of legendary authors, like Stephen King and Ernest Hemingway.
Hachette Book Group: Hachette is the home of 24 imprints, with a publishing focus on both adult and young adult fiction, and high-profile non-fiction and science fiction.
Macmillan Publishers: Macmillan is a company that operates under eight different divisions. Macmillan Publishers are known to publish literary giants, poetry, and the best crime fiction.
The fact that it happens to be one of the Big Five can give authors a large distribution and promotion basis, as well as prestige. But securing a contract with such large book publishers USA is very competitive and in most cases a literary agent must represent to secure the contract.
Independent and Niche Presses
Although the big conglomerates dominate the most media coverage, independent presses are critical in making unique voices heard by the population. Independent publishers may also be the best match of your work, should your manuscript be highly specialized, or if you would prefer a more hands-on editorial relationship.
Unsolicited manuscripts are often accepted by an independent press straight off the author, or in other words, you do not necessarily need a literary agent in order to get your foot in the door. The following are some of the more prominent independent choices:
Beacon Press: An independent press pursuing a mission, human rights, social justice, and progressive social change.
Hay House: The first brand in the self-help, spirituality, and wellness genres.
Kensington publishing corp: This is a publishing company based in New York which is owned by a family. It is involved in the publication of hundreds of commercial title annually.
Choosing an independent publisher can offer a personalized experience, especially for niche topics. Legions of great writers begin to be published by small presses and then get promoted to larger, mainstream publishing houses.
Traditional vs. Self-Publishing
After doing some research on the book publishers USA you will soon come across the two main avenues of publishing which are namely, traditional publishing and self-publishing. The two options have their own pros and cons, based on what you hope to accomplish as a writer.
Traditional publishing refers to a company giving you an advance then cover all expenses associated with editing, design, printing, and distribution. You will get, in exchange, a percentage of royalty. The greatest benefit is prestige and professional distribution, but the review and editing procedure can be very lengthy.
Self-publishing enables you to have complete creative control and ownership of your work. Authors can easily publish print-on-demand books and e-books using platforms like the Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing and the IngramSpark. Although you will have to do your own marketing and the initial cost of production on a book-by-book basis, you will receive a significantly higher royalty per book sold.
Current Industry Trends
The publishing business is steadily growing, which is explained by the growing interest in the different genres and the fast growth of the digital formats. The industry statistics show that the U.S. is still one of the most profitable and large markets in the world, with its revenues still growing.
One of the key trends is the skyrocketing popularity of audiobooks. Audios have grown at a very fast rate in the recent years reaching billions of revenue as readers multitask increasingly less with storytelling and education.
Moreover, the romance and mystery genres are the most profitable branches of the fiction market. Non-fiction, particularly of personal development, biography, as well as self-help, also continues to do outstandingly well. Knowing such trends may make you place your manuscript in the right context when submitting your manuscript to book publishers USA.
Next Steps and Conclusion
To penetrate the publishing industry, one needs to be patient, strong and knowledgeable of the market. Regardless of the decisions you have chosen to pursue an agent to submit your work to the so-called Big Five or have decided to use independent and self-publishing options, the most important thing to remember is to ensure that you have been researching your target market.
Spend time to read latest issues of the companies you intend to pitch to, have your manuscript pro edited, and make sure that you follow guidelines of submission closely. All big authors began life with that first step–and with the proper preparation your book would be the next big success story.
