Print vs. Digital: Advantages and Disadvantages

The Print

Printed books revolutionized the world nearly 600 years ago and since then, they have influenced every part of the world specifically in cultures, science, inventions, imaginative thoughts and every person’s intellect through these materials’ power to share ideas and information.

Tangibility
Choosing print copy of a book is opting for prolonged existence and tangibility. It has the ability to be seen forever in the shelves with your other books.

Readability
The fact that print books are professionally printed and bound in the standard 8.5”x5.5 easy-to-hold book format, for the devoted print book readers, these books are much easier to read compared with those electronic forms.

It’s for everyone
Even the non-computer literate readers and members of the family will find no worries when they want to read. They can always opt for print books.

Understandability
Printed books can help you understand more easily. Readers reading printed book can put mark and can take notes so that they can easily understand what the writer wants to say.

No batteries needed
What you only need is your print book and you can start enjoying whatever the book has to offer you. Print books don’t require you to charge the battery of your device so you can start gaining the information and benefits they offer.

No need for an e-reading device
Of course you need an electronic device for you to read an e-book. With print books, you don’t need it. If you find yourself stuck in a place and want to read but you can’t download a new title through your device, you can just drop by the nearest bookstore and buy the book that interests you.

Reading print books is to keep the traditional zone—the comforting smell of paper or the weight of a good book. However, if you are a fast reader and want to read more books, you might need more space in your shelf. And when you are travelling, you can’t bring the whole shelf with you. Print books are printed the standard way so when they are at your hand, there is nothing that you can adjust for your convenience, such as the fonts’ color and sizes.

It turns out that e-books have these certain advantages.
Some years earlier, Bob Brown has come up with the idea of the e-reader through his book, The Readers. But it was in 2010 that e-books boomed and continued to gain sales along with the increasing volume of e-book readers. Some authors who were rejected by publishers have started to offer their works online so that they can be heard and be seen by the reading public despite their failures with the traditional publishing.

Convenience
In a recent survey of 300 American readers, 80% of the respondents have claimed that they need to own an electronic reader for convenience. For instance, if you are a traveler and at the same time a book lover, e-books allow you to bring a whole library with you anywhere.

No limit on storage
If you own a lot of books, you tend to have limits on the number of books you want to store in your shelf. With e-books, you can read as many books as you because you can save a lot of storage space on your device. You can even have backup online if something happens to your books unexpectedly.

Cheaper
Because there are no printing fees associated with e-books, they seem to be often cheaper compared with the print books. In fact, you can find and read free e-books in the Internet.

Speed
The moment you decide to read an e-book, the fun begins and it is quicker than waiting for your ordered print book to arrive at your doorstep.

You can adjust the fonts
Your reading materials can have too small fonts for you to be able to enjoy your reading moment. With an e-book, you can instantly adjust the fonts’ size, or change their darkness so that they will be so clear on your end.

Print copies of books do not fade despite this challenging matter with electronic books. They remain to be playing a vital role in the way people experience books despite the continuous increase of online popularity. In a recent survey of the 300 American readers, around 60% of them have shown the same interests of buying both e-books and print books in the last 12 months up to the present.

Both forms of books have many advantages and choosing which a better option is depends only on you. You may find convenience using the technology or to continue experience the comfort of traditional reading zone. However you decide, it is a matter of your own convenience. What is important is to know that despite a lot of changes in the market, there is nothing that has changed the peoples’ interest to read.

Self-Publishing VS Traditional [Infographic]

Self-Publishing differs from Traditional Publishing in so many ways. Main distinctions are based on the advantages and disadvantages of its every angle such as the cost, publishing time, control, and the profit.

Self-Publishing VS Traditional

Which is preferred by the authors these days: Traditional Book Publishing or Self-Publishing? Let me discuss the comparison of the two in every specific aspect.

5 Fundamental distinction

Period of Accomplishment
It may take years for a manuscript to become a book in the traditional publishing. This is due to the process where author has to mail publishing companies with a proposal for their book publishing that may be approved or rejected.

Self-publishing is quite too different as the author here can plainly have his book done in more or less six months because he becomes the publisher for his books.

Control over the process
 With the traditional publishing, the author’s dream to have his book published can turn into frustration when a publishing house denies his request.

Self-publishing does the other way. An author has all the control of his book and the entire process of getting it a name in the reading market.

Costs
Being the self-publisher of your book means being an investor of your own business. So, you pay everything from printing the book or publishing it online, design, and advertising.
In contrary, you are paid by publishing houses when you opt for traditional way in publishing and only when your book will be approved for publication.

Control
With self-publishing, you have all the control for your book from the content, design, and the way you want it to be marketed and where you want it be distributed. Traditional publishing on the other hand, can end you up in despair especially when a publisher has all the reasons and excuses if they don’t want to publish your book.

Profit
Going through the traditional way of publishing, you will receive from 5% to 15% royalty for each book sold when your contract is with a huge publishing house. With self-publishing, you can receive 50% to 200% profit as a self-published author.

Book Publishing and Marketing Services: Which one is Your Pick?

Self-published authors are now turning a glimpse of different publishing and marketing services provided by different publishers around the world. For some, self-publishing doesn’t work on their ways because they lack to strike it toughly. Yet, self-publishing has proven to be strategically smart decision for most authors nowadays, especially with those who are eagerly responding to its every vital plunge.

Self-publishing companies on competition

The evolution of self-published authors gives havoc among publishers and book agents trying to find ways so as to respond to their every book publishing and marketing need. Publishing companies are on high competition of offering fast and inexpensive ways to get authors’ books off their computer screens into their readers’ hands.

Through effective publishing and marketing tools, huge publishing companies like Bookwhirl, Outskirts press, lulu.com, and Author Solutions (ASI) have always topped on self-published authors’ list of which they can choose which one to partner with in the process.

Similar book services differ in some angles

While all of these publishing companies have offered authors almost the same publishing and marketing services, the latter can still be comparable in some stances.

Prior to self-publishing a book, an author can have all the options of furnishing it from text editing to designs from all these companies offering such services. Professional copyediting and design services are offered by all publishers for a set price.

Copyediting services

Outskirts Press offers high-quality copyediting services for books by which price depends on manuscripts’ length. While the company requires a payment deposit that varies the length of the manuscript, the completion of the service usually takes four weeks in general. Under the Ala Carte Services of BookWhirl is the publisher’s copyediting service which sets specific price range for specific length of words starting at $0.0069 for 120,001 words, up to $0.0089 for 10,000-60,000 words.

Author Solutions (ASI) on the other hand, charges $0.022 per word on its copyediting service and requires a 5,000-word minimum to begin with two-three weeks timeframe. Like ASI, Lulu.com charges $0.023 per word and requires the same minimum number of words before the service can be started.

Usually, the game for the said service in all these companies revolves around “per length of word” approach. Now, let’s proceed how these companies differ in the real world of publishing.

Publishing services

Publishing packages make a distinction with their features from one publisher to another. Bookwhirl has two general classifications of its publishing packages: Black & White and the Full Color; by which each has sub categories. There is specific publishing package that suits every book theme such as Dreamer, Adventurer, Sensation, and more. Publishing package service for the company starts at $699. Meanwhile, Outskirts Press has “one-click” classifications for their publishing packages: One-click publishing for fiction, for coaches and speakers, and for children’s books. Whatever the price set for each publishing package; the publisher requires $35 for down payment before they can start using the service.

Book publishing services of Author Solutions Inc. have been varied through its partnership with other different publishers like Iuniverse, Trafford, and Xlibris. With Iuniverse for instance, book publishing packages’ rates start at $899 with the basic book publishing features including but are not limited to book stubs, copyright registration and digital formatting. The company’s Book Launch Premier Pro package, which costs $ 4,449, has the most comprehensive features like book signing kit, and promotional materials.

Concurrently, Lulu has set its publishing packages separately for e-books, and photo books. The publisher has classic/classic color, debut/inspired color, and blitz/artful color publishing packages by which price rates start at $999. Through the $3,999-artful publishing package, features included on top of the basics are five paperback copies and a free hardcover copy for free, author website, eligibility for Lulu social promotion, and more promotional materials.

Book marketing services

Outskirts Press has four main book marketing packages: Book Blast, Global Book Tour, Promotional Materials, and the Elite e-book Package. While the company assures 25% on five popular marketing services for book blast, it also offers one discounted book for four books set for global events. The publisher’s 2000 promotional items include bookmarks and postcards while for the elite package, books can be featured at Amazon kindle, B&N Nook, and Apple iPad ebook editions with 25% discount on the set $829 set amount for the service.

On the other hand, book marketing services of Bookwhirl includes Newswire service, Web Design, Email Advertisement Campaign, and Specialty Marketing. The Newswire Service features a 400-word press release article that will be sent to over 17,500 media outlets all over United States. Moreover, Web Design service is initiated in a way to be SEO friendly while authors can freely write any articles and stories to its blog page included on the design.

While publisher’s EAC program is considered to be a distinctive technique to reach a massive audience through electronic mail ads, Bookwhirl’s Specialty Marketing service includes the features like Book Exhibit Service, Radio Interview report, book trailer and more.

Like BookWhirl.com, ASI has similar features in its book marketing campaigns such as press releases, traditional publicists, and review services under its Publicity package. The publisher has also other marketing service packages such as Online, Multimedia, and Events. Social Media Setup and web design services are under their online package; whereas the publisher’s Multimedia package features its marketing kits, print advertising, and author videos and book trailers. ASI also caters book fairs and book signings though its Events package.

Lastly, Lulu publishing categorizes its book marketing services into main packages such as Publicity service, Book fairs, and Promotional services. The publisher’s Publicity Service package includes features such as newsmaker publicity campaign, online newsmaker publicity campaign, video newsmaker, and social publicist. Under the publisher’s Book Fairs package, books have the chance to be featured in book exhibits whether regional, national, or international events. In addition, its Promotional Services package let authors benefit the service’ features including the creation of an author’s website, business cards, and bookselling promotional materials.

Book and self mastery

No matter what service and which publisher has the various range of services, authors will always have the last say which company to choose and what service that best fits their books. Publishers and publishing companies might have the same range of services but they always differ in prices and online connections which always matter to authors in weighing and making their best preference. More importantly, authors weigh these services from different publishers based on their specific knowledge about themselves as authors and knowledge on what their books are all about.

A Beginner’s Guide to Publishing

Great writers in the world started being like any other aspiring writers. They had looked for help and used all available resources just to finish an article or a book. Not all people are gifted with writing skills and so if you have already started writing; that’s the good beginning of your writing journey. Soon, you will be praised like gods in literature.

To be great is to have your book keep going; continuously and timelessly giving interest to the readers. This is where publishing evolves. Here are some of publishing tips for you to mull on.

Eliminate your fears

Award-winning writers in the world have landed the literary grand’s peak because they choose to be there. They conquer their fears and they are proud of what they are doing. Some authors love to write but are less confident with their work; making them hesitant to let others know about what they’ve got.

Before moving further, it is necessary that your mind is set to aiming the summit of writing success fearlessly. You should not be hindered by any possible failures in the middle of the way from writing up to publishing your book. To get rid of fear is to free yourself from any worries whether your book can draw interests in the reading public or not; and whether your piece can lead you to success you have been dreaming of. What matters most is that you are on that stage and are willing to take more steps upwards.

Publish with the right tools

It is not enough that you have written a book. If your goal is to succeed; then never hesitate to take the risks, chances, and options towards making your goal possible. Do something about it because writing success can never be a destiny—it takes action.

Publish your book. Since self-publishing is the new trend today among the authors; you have all the power to make your book get heard in the market with all your effort.

Chances will be the fact that along the process of publishing your book comes a variety of options you can take advantage. Most publishers are offering effective publishing tools to give your book an edge in the market. Some of them, such as BookWhirl, are giving FREE publishing guides to authors to help them out along the way. Not all publishers are giving help for free; so if you find one, grab that opportunity without a second thought.

Keep Moving

You can start little actions by spreading good news about your book to your families and friends. Persuade them to spend some of their free time reading the book and ask for their comments or critiques after they will do so. Be willing to accept anything worse they can say because it will help you along the way—to keep you do more to perfect your work. Most publishers have all the access of professionals who can help furnish your book with proficient layout and design. BookWhirl, for instance, has a circle of book experts who cater free consultation regarding your book publishing and marketing plans. You simply need to set off your own ideas and get help when needed. After all, you know your book better than others do.

Be more resourceful

Don’t limit yourself to two or three ways that you can get yourself a name in publishing your book. Take risks if possible just to go out beyond the standards. Using the social media is also among the many effective means you can try these days. Say something on your wall about your book. Make sure you are creative in making your own advertisement on it so that it can easily draw the readers’ attention.

Also, it is more fascinating if you can give a social implication of what you have written. When the readers find a social significance of your book by which the story can easily let everyone relate with reality, that’s already a plus. You can expect that readers themselves will spread the book’s theme to others. Don’t quit on finding ways how to make your book known to others. If one doesn’t work, try looking for something else. Welcome every help from your friends or from other authors. Communicate with the other authors in any ways—that will surely help.

Pros and Cons in Publishing a Book

More authors nowadays are embracing the deal in self-publishing a book and leaving the traditional ways of getting their books heard behind. However, the account of book publishing doesn’t just stop there. Whether it is the traditional way or self-publishing, pros and cons are always along its course.

Traditional vs. Digital

These terms speak for themselves. It’s called traditional because it used to be the standard for authors to follow certain rules of publishers before their books get the right to be heard in the public. Digital however has always been associated with the evolution of online publishing of books using high technology.

Plus and flaws

Traditional book publishing follows standard process before your book gets published. First, you have to look for publishers that would cater your book’s genre. Next, you would correspond with them from time to time and would carefully follow their instructions so your book could at least equal with their standards that would lead it to be published. Should an author meet with the high standard of the conventional way, the chance of a novel to be available in bookstores is greater. The publisher also takes the responsibility of the editing and the arts of your book’s cover. Some have become successful in such ways; but it is also true that most authors are inclining themselves into the modern way of publishing their book called self-publishing.

In self-publishing, an author doesn’t need any publisher to get his word get known in the reading public because he is the publisher. With that, an author has the full control over the content and presentation, including the cover, editing, formatting, and book marketing. However, an author has the option to partner with a publisher to lessen such responsibility in the most funneled ways.

To get your book an audience without necessarily trying hard to fit into the standard round hole of the limited number of publishers in the world is the big pro of self-publishing. However, many writers have inclined themselves into it and get their work ripped apart by solid critiques because they are not ready yet to take the leap. Sometimes, authors need professional editors and graphic designers in order for their books to be ready in the publishing and marketing field.

How?

Provided you are a great author of a great book, committed, persuaded for a better change in your publishing career; but you lack time to make everything perfect towards your envisioned way of self-publishing and marketing your book. Still, it makes you stuck. Yet you cannot just sit there and be languorous with your ideas of getting your book be heard. The fact is that there are thousands of publishing companies that offer out of the ordinary publishing and marketing services you may need in that process.

For instance, BookWhirl has sphere of graphic design and formatting tools designed and fitted with every genre of a book. Just like many publishing companies, BookWhirl has professional copy editors who can help save your time expurgating your work into perfectness. In addition to that, you can take advantage of its exceptional and professional layout design and text formatting of your book, making it ready to be out in the market. With BookWhirl, your goal to be a successful author goes beyond book publishing and moves forward to a thriving book marketing.

Choose the right way

What seems to be an effective approach for your book publishing and marketing success may not be efficient for others. No matter which path you choose, publishing your book can either be rewarding and equally complex. Deciding what way has increasingly become more complicated along with publishing’s advantages and disadvantages. Some authors are lucky enough to undergo one way while others’ decisions are influenced with the plus and flaws in book publishing.

Yet what you can only give in the business is yourself. Keep on writing; and weigh well your options. There might be risks but at the end of the day, they can help you decide which publishing way to take so as to succeed.