The world of publishing always seems complicated, and the current landscape really is tough to keep track of, but Reedsy can help you understand it better.

Both authors and future publishing professionals can benefit from the platform’s resources. Here’s what Reedsy can teach you about the business of books.

Learn About Types of Publishing

The first thing to understand about publishing is how books are produced today. There are three models:

• Traditional publishing: a publishing house takes care of a book’s production, paying the author an advance plus royalties from book profits, once original costs have been recovered.
• Self-publishing: the author organizes and pays for every aspect of the publishing process, but gets to keep all profits.
• Hybrid publishing: the author pays a hybrid publisher to edit, design, market, and print the book.

Reedsy offers guides on these paths to publication and how to navigate them successfully. Such resources can make a difference, whether you’re publishing a professional ebook or a romance novel.

Make sure to learn the differences between traditional and self-publishing from Reedsy, as well as the pros and cons of both experiences. The decision you make will affect your pocket and the kind of book you publish.

Now, hybrid publishers always sound appealing, but it’s important to understand how they operate before you get excited. Reedsy’s guide on what hybrid publishing is can fill you in on the expectations and reality of dealing with such companies.

You’ll also be able to distinguish legitimate services from vanity presses that lure independent authors who lack the confidence to go it alone.

Dive into Reedsy’s guide to vanity presses and see what these dodgy publishers are about and how to avoid them.

Learn How Publishing Works

Maybe you like books, but don’t necessarily want to write one yourself. Perhaps publishing would be a good career choice for you.

To learn how books get made and how you can participate in the process, your first stop should be Reedsy’s guide to working in publishing, where you’ll find advice on how to start your career in books and progress through the industry’s ranks.

It’s a valuable resource, considering how many departments exist in a traditional publishing house, including marketing, sales, legal, and digital.

Each team also consists of several roles. In editorial, for example, they range from acquisition, commissioning, and production to managing editor. As a designer, your career could be in production, art direction, or senior design.

And since publishing tends to be rather opaque for the uninitiated, Reedsy can help you become familiar with publishing terminology, an important advantage when applying for jobs in the industry.

So, read up on what’s on offer. For instance, Reedsy explains what an imprint is and highlights some examples you should keep in mind.

You also need to understand how books are categorized as products in the book market, so don’t overlook guides like Reedsy’s definition of upmarket fiction.

Every reading and writing trend, from genres to apps for book lovers, can teach you a lot about the publishing industry, especially if you wish to join it.

Get to Know Every Part of the Publishing Process

Whether you want to break into publishing as a professional or publish your book, Reedsy’s resources will help you find the right path. Take notes and develop your understanding of the whole system.

A wise next step is exploring its individual elements, like how literary agents, copyright, and printing presses work. The more you learn, the better you’ll be able to tackle what lies ahead.