Millions of people write as a method of artistic expression. Whether focused on poetry or prose, non-fiction or grandiose tales of myth and wonder, people are writing everywhere. While many of these pet projects are written solely for the gratification of the writer, and perhaps a few close loved ones, a portion of hobbyist writers wish to take their craft to the next level, seeking to share their stories and poems with a broader audience than friends and family. These brave souls seek to distribute their work through some level of publication.

There are a number of approaches to getting published. As Dennis O’Neil said in his book The DC Comics Guide to Writing Comics “there is seldom one absolute, inarguable, unimpeachably right way to do anything.” This is especially true for the writer, who turns simple thought into calcified reality in every step of the creative process. There are several levels of publication a budding writer can seek, and each level has dozens of potential approaches and paths to lead to the singular goal of holding a finished work in your hands. Of all the writers I know, no two people have taken the same steps to achieve the actualization of their vision. There are, however, several general approaches available to the nascent author.

Xerox DIY
Smaller fanzines, or people just looking to give their work to friends and family often use the absolute this method.  The rawest form of self-publishing, Xerox DIY essentially amounts to printing out your written works, making copies on a copy machine, stapling the pages together, and distributing the copies yourself. This is a relatively inexpensive method of getting your work set in a printed form, and can be quite satisfying. Many fanzines have started out utilizing this technique and gained impressive circulation. This is ideal if you are seeking a small local audience for a free publication. This technique is often enhanced by visiting local businesses that cater to your target audience (such as coffee houses for poetry, active venues for a punk scene ‘zine) and simply asking if you can leave copies for people to take. If you are really lucky, and produce your material regularly, you may be able to parlay some of these businesses into advertising in your publication, which will help offset the cost of printing.

Print-On-Demand
Print-on-demand refers to a printing house that processes books for creators on an order-by-order basis. Several websites offer print-on-demand services, which allow you to upload computer files containing your work. These files, formatted to specifications dictated by the print-on-demand service, are then made available for single unit purchase. There is a base cost to each product, often determined by page count and other optional features. The author can typically purchase copies of the book at this flat fee, while setting a higher price for consumers to purchase the book online, or reselling the book themselves directly. Several websites offer this service including www.lulu.com, www.ka-blam.com, and www.cafepress.com. Authors are highly advised to do some research and read all of the fine print before selecting a print-on-demand service.

E-books
Perhaps one of the most innovative uses of the internet in publishing, companies are emerging that specialize in web publishing and distributing e-books. The author generates a .pdf formatted file of his work, either through the use of Adobe Acrobat, third party software, or a simple “print as .pdf” command in a word processor, then uploads the file to an e-book distribution website. Most of these sites charge a fee to consumers for download, which is divided between the author and the company running the website. Examples of this model of e-book distribution include www.drivethrurpg.com and www.ebookmall.com.  Several print-on-demand services also include e-book distribution as an option. A relatively new site has emerged on the net, offering free .pdf downloads to customers while paying authors per download. This marketing marvel is made possible through partner advertisers. Users register at www.wowio.com and fill out marketing information which is then used to personalize ads that are placed into customer .pdf’s when they are downloaded.

Vanity Press
Vanity presses form something of a bridge between print-on-demand and traditional publishing. As is the case with print-on-demand services, the author must pay an upfront fee to use a vanity press. Rather than paying a fee per unit, authors using a vanity press pay a flat fee for the publishing, packaging, distribution, and promotional services of the vanity press, essentially taking some of the load of self-publishing off of the author’s shoulders, and occasionally granting the author access to sales venues which are impossible to reach is self-publishing, such as chain bookstores. The vanity press then divides all profits made from actual sales with the author. Several websites offer this service including www.vantagepress.com and www.arborbooks.com. As with print-on-demand services, authors are highly advised to do some research and read all of the fine print before selecting a Vanity press.

The most financially rewarding, though arguably most difficult method of publishing is to attempt to land a deal with an established traditional publisher. This is an involved and lengthy process, full of roadblocks and obstacles. By nearly all accounts the first step in seeking a bona fide publisher would be to complete a manuscript and begin seeking a literary agent. Any agent worth his salt will represent you based on a percentage of what you get paid. If someone is asking for an upfront fee, chances are they are not reputable. After all, the agent’s job is to get you paid. Why should they get paid before they do their job?

The most important thing to remember about writing, whether as a hobbyist of a New York Times bestselling author is to write. Write until you can’t write anymore, then write some more. Like any craft, writing can only be perfected through practice. Every bit of information contained in this article is utterly useless to you until you do that one simple thing: write something.

So go get to it!