Self-publishing: Changing Model, Getting Respect

Publisher's Weekly: Self-publishing: Changing Model, Getting Respect 

Self-publishing was once the uninvited guest at the publishing table. But as technology advances and authors develop marketing savvy, first-time and even some experienced authors are turning more often to what many in the industry are calling custom publishing. In religion publishing, this has particular appeal for religious leaders who already have an audience.

Technically, "self-published" applies to any book the author pays to have published. But the lines are beginning to blur as companies such as the WinePress Group, Credo House, Brown Books Publishing Group (and its new Christian division), Creation House, and WestBow Press produce quality books that flow through traditional distribution channels and are edited, designed, and printed by professionals. Add to that the newest print-on-demand publishers such as CreateSpace and Gut Chuck Press, e-books and their carriers, and companies that combine print-on-demand technology and online marketing savvy such as Pot-Boilers.

"We're turning the traditional publishing model on its head," says Tim Beals, owner and president of Credo House Publishing in Grand Rapids, Mich., which started in 2005. "Traditional publishers are stuck with one model, but we can do it all based on the author's abilities and our abilities."

Custom publishers put themselves somewhere between established self-publishing giants such as Xulon and PublishAmerica and traditional royalty-paying publishers. The WinePress Group started almost 20 years ago, one of the first in custom publishing. It publishes about 350 books a year, from four-color children's books to novelty books, memoir to theological titles;10% to 15% are novels.

"We've made it possible for people who have really good books to succeed," says Carla Williams, editorial director for the company. "WinePress has worked hard to bring up the quality of self-publishing. We customize what the author needs, including cover design, coaching, all levels of editing, marketing, and publicity." …