Touchwood Press is part of the new age in book publishing. Technologies ranging from desktop publishing to print-on-demand to digitization to social media to AI have transformed book publishing from a big business enterprise to a learnable skill for writers, solo entrepreneurs, and small businesses. Publishing is now a way for writers everywhere to turn their ideas into intellectual property assets that produce revenue and new careers.
1. Traditional Publishing
The Industrial Revolution spawned a transformation in publishing as in many other industries. Before industrialization, book publishing was the province of enterprising printers, like Ben Franklin, who had something to say and needed ways to keep his printing presses busy. By the mid-20th Century, book publishing was ruled by a dozen or so large corporations plus hundreds of “small presses” (such as university presses), squeezing out profits from a long list of titles, hoping that a few would generate the margins needed to pay the bills. Independent publishing was very costly and out of the question for most writers.
Today, traditional publishing is concentrated in the hands of five multi-national media giants. Within these empires still reside longstanding brands (Simon & Schuster, Rand McNally, etc.) and dedicated editors, designers, and publishers who love books and book authors and are ready to apply their skills to the most promising books among the thousands submitted for consideration every year. The difficulty in getting the attention of a major publisher is well known. Most successful authors have their own tales of rejection and discouragement before someone finally gave them a chance.
But now, an independent author’s best chance of working with a traditional publisher may be to publish their books independently, show impressive sales numbers, and wait for a big publisher to call. It can and does happen with greater frequency. Some major publishers have even set up their own publishing services for indie authors. In effect, they are creating the “farm system” (like in pro sports) to scout, cultivate, and “discover” tomorrow’s best sellers.
Independent authors have two main options for getting their writing into print.
2. Vanity Presses
The so-called “vanity press” offers you the means to become a published author for a price. These companies often started life as printers, but just like Ben Franklin who was a printer first and publisher of Poor Richard’s Almanack second, they need something to keep their presses working. These publishing services mostly leave the critical marketing job entirely or primarily to the author. They are printers with benefits. If you have the cash, usually several thousand dollars, and the garage space to hold your inventory, you too can publish with a vanity press.
But there is a better way.
3. Publish It Yourself
The tools, help, and economics that independent writers, AKA “indie authors,” need to self-publish are now readily available. Print-on-demand technology — that started with the photocopy machine — makes it feasible for indie authors to print as many or as few books as they need to sell direct to online customers, provision a book signing event, sell through book distributors, or sell from a kiosk at the local Farmer’s Market. Authors become publishers. Readers have more choices. Everyone benefits.
At Touchwood Press, we provide coaching, pre-production services, and even end-to-end project management to help indie authors support their own publishing businesses. We publish books and offer courses in our Publish It Yourself! Series.
Publishing is a Team Sport
Making a book, like making a movie or a play, is a team sport, involving many steps and the specialized knowledge of various crafts and arts. Traditional publishers apply large teams of experts to completing all the steps needed to publish and market a book. A motivated writer can do everything that needs doing on their own. But the bad news is that this takes a considerable amount of work and is a major distraction from writing.
At Touchwood Press, we access technology, business experience, and third-part resources to help first-time authors self-publish and find the right markets for their books. Traditional publishers are on the lookout for successful self-published authors to add to their lists. The self-publishing marketplace is the farm system for mainstream publishers. Touchwood specializes in helping writers become authors and take those first steps to wider acceptance.
Touchwood Press can create the process and products that will fairly represent your creative effort and put it before the reader market. This may involve the production of ebook, paperback, hardcover, or audio versions of your book. Developing an author blog, advertising campaigns, promotions, and events. Setting up the administrative systems to support your new publishing business. Touchwood can do all this or any portion that suits your situation. We can create a set of commercial terms aligned to your budget and aspirations.
We help authors publish books.
