How do I publish my book? Do I have to pay my publisher?

Question

okay, so I wrote a novel. I need to know if ever I'm going to publish it, do I have to pay the publisher? If yes then how much will it cost for publishing a book? Also, are there publishers where you can just do it for free? I just need to know some information on how to get my book out to the readers!

Answer 1

No, you should not have to pay to have your book published! A legitimate publisher pays YOU for the rights to publish your story.

There are two types of publishing: Tradition and Self-Publishing. You will first need to decide which of these methods you want to pursue. Each has advantages and disadvantages that need to be researched. For instance, traditional publishing can be a very long road, littered with MANY rejections. Self-publishing will guarantee you a printed copy of your book, however you will not see it in a brick-and-mortar bookstore.

http://www.lulu.com is, in my opinion, the best self-publisher around. You can set up your book on their website, for free, and they will print copies as they are purchased. They do not edit your book, so you will need to take care of that on your own. This will also NOT get your book in a traditional bookstore, although you can purchase a very affordable package that would allow sale of your book through online bookstores like Amazon. There are other printers that can do it cheaper, but you would have to buy hundreds (or even a couple thousand) copies of your book-- I personally don't have room to store those while I try and sell them!!!

"Writer's Market", along with "The Guide to Literary Agents" are my two suggestions for diving into the traditional publishing market. I suggest looking for an agent first because they are the best step through the publishing door. You will create a submission package that matches the agents preferences (some, for instance, just want a query letter and summary in your first contact with them while others want more). Once you find an agent that is willing to represent you, they will market your book to publishers. Remember, in traditional publishing you should not be paying for anything! They get paid when you get paid!

Also keep in mind that this can be a long process. You will probably not get a lot of positive responses right away, and the rejection can be disheartening. But keep it up and you will find a home for your story!

Last piece of advice: check out the website Preditors and Editors. They will help you avoid any scams which will make the road that much smoother:
http://www.anotherealm.com/prededitors/

Answer 2

You can try http://www.publishamerica.com They publish books for free. You don't have to pay any money to publish with them. They'll even do your press release for you as well.

Answer 3

it doesn't cost money to have a company publish it, but if they reject it and you want to publish it yourself, I think it costs money