All authors dream of having their manuscript published as a book. But the process of book publishing can be an overwhelming experience if not done right. This guide will help you understand what it takes to publish a book, what book publishers want, and how to find a suitable publisher.  

What Book Publishers Look For

Publishing houses often look at market trends to know whether a manuscript is worth publishing. They consider the demand, genre, target audience, and return on investments before deciding on supporting authors. Here’s what they want from a manuscript: 

• Originality: Regardless of the type of content (fictional or non-fictional/scientific), book publishers look for new, value-add ideas. When it comes to scientific content, your manuscript should provide a novel solution to the problem you have identified and clearly explain the impact of your findings. If the content is fictional, maintain originality through your storytelling even though the genre may be common (e.g., fantasy, crime, science fiction). 

• Quality of Writing and Research: Writing a book requires in-depth research into your chosen topic. And publishers are keen on manuscripts that show the effort put behind the research.
  For instance, make sure that the methodologies or experimental techniques employed are suited for the research question at hand. Explain your findings in a clear, well-structured manner and thoroughly discuss their implications. This will let the publisher know that your research is of high quality and is worth publishing. 

• Adherence to guidelines: This is especially crucial when submitting scientific content for publication. Different publishing houses follow their in-house formatting style and may have specific requirements for publication. Be aware of these guidelines and ensure that they are satisfied before submitting the first draft of the manuscript. 

With this knowledge, you can develop your idea, research your topic, and plan the writing of your draft. But before submitting your book proposal, you need to understand the types of publishing. 

Types of Publishing Houses

What is Traditional Publishing?

In the literary industry, traditional publishing refers to the conventional method of publishing books. As an author, you will send a book proposal to a publishing house either directly or through an agent. If the publishing house decides to publish it, you will receive an advance payment to confirm that your book is accepted for publishing. Once the book starts selling, you will begin receiving royalties as per your contract. At times, the publishing house may buy the rights to your book.  

Examples: Penguin Random House, HarperCollins Publishers, Macmillan Publishers are some well-established publishing companies. 

What is Self-Publishing?

If you do not want to follow the traditional route, you may choose to self-publish your book. This approach is often preferred by authors writing on niche topics or first-time authors who may find it challenging to have a publisher accept their book. In self-publishing, you have complete creative control, and you may use professional editing and designing services to get your book ready. 

Examples: Amazon KDP and IngramSpark are well-known self-publishing platforms for distributing E-books and print-on-demand books.  

Both these approaches have benefits and drawbacks. But if you were to choose the traditional route, it is crucial to know how to find a publisher for your book. 

Tips to Choose the Right Book Publisher

1. Know your audience.

First, you need to know who you are writing the book for. In the case of scholarly publishing, your audience is likely 

• other researchers and academics,  
• students, 
• stakeholders associated with your field, and 
• general public 

Depending on your audience and the type of content prepared, you can determine which publishing house is most likely to accept your book proposal.

2. Prepare a list of potential publishers. 

This will bring you to identifying the correct publisher for your book.

For instance, publishers like Bloomsbury and Penguin Random House are known for publishing fictional writing. So approaching them for getting your scholarly work published may not be the best idea. Instead, look at publishers such as Wiley, Cambridge University Press, Oxford University Press, MIT Press, and Taylor & Francis. 

 3. Evaluate publisher reputation.

Once you have shortlisted publishing houses, evaluate their reputation by thoroughly examining their website for all relevant information.  

• Is there a rigorous review process in place? 
• Are the publisher’s books reviewed in reputed book stores and outlets? 
• What is their distribution network like?
• How long is their typical editorial process?

Finding answers to these questions will help you find a suitable publisher for your book. Discuss with your peer group or other known authors who have published under these publishing houses. Take sufficient feedback before sending out your book proposal.

 4. Identify proactive editors/team of editors. 

When your book proposal is ready, you will most likely reach out to multiple publishing houses to share your manuscript with their editorial teams. Here, pay close attention how editors respond. 

Recognize enthusiastic editors who seem genuinely interested in your book. Their interest implies that they are excited about your content and are likely to be supportive throughout the publication journey. 

 5. Analyze the contract terms. 

When you do receive a contract, take time to read the terms carefully. This includes details about your advance pay, intellectual property retainment, and copyright ownership among other things. In fact, have an expert such as a legal representative or a literary agent analyze the terms of the deal just to be sure that you have received a fair contract. 

Final Thoughts

Publishing your thesis, dissertation, or any manuscript as a book can be an exciting process when approached the right way. You have put in the effort to prepare a manuscript that is worth sharing with the world, be confident in your work and let it shine!  

Choose to publish your book your way! Check out Editage’s Book Publishing Services and get published today.