With so many choices available, it can be difficult for a writer to choose the publisher that is right for their individual needs. The first thing to consider is the genre in which the book falls. Many publishers, traditional and otherwise—have only certain genres in which they have an interest. This is based on their customer base and what they find works the best for them. In fact, some online publishers only publish books in one or two genres, so you have to know where your novel falls before you can approach any publisher.

Once you determine into which genre your novel fits, you need to find a publisher for that genre. Another thing you have to consider is your experience—if you are a first time novelist, you will also have to look for a publisher that works with first time novelists. On the other hand, you can choose a self-publishing company and pay for all of the printing, distributing, editing and other publishing costs yourself. With the increased difficulty of being awarded a contract by a traditional publisher, many authors are turning to self-publishing. The cost factors vary, but it certainly provides another avenue for having your novel published.

Before you choose a publisher, you also want to make decide if you want to choose print or eBook publishing or a combination of both. If you are using an online publisher, many new novelists choose the eBook route first to see how well their book sells and the interest that it draws. It is less expensive to use eBook publishing since there are no printing costs involved. Sometimes a writer will start with an eBook and if sales are high, a traditional publisher will then show an interest. It doesn’t always happen that way by any means but for many that is the start.

When you’re ready to select a publisher you have to consider the options that are open to you. If you have already tried to sell your novel to a traditional publisher and failed, you may be in the market for self-publishing. Before you do consider the reasons the traditional publisher turned down your manuscript. If it’s because of quality or the writing style, you may want to seek a book editor before you submit your novel to any other publishers. Make sure it is as perfect as you can make it before you even attempt to self-publish it. Many self-publishing companies do offer editing services as part of their packages, but if you have extensive editing, you may want to hire a book editor.

Choosing the right publisher is the most important part of having your novel published. You have to make sure the one you choose is dedicated to making certain that only quality products have their name on them whether it’s eBook or printed format. The quality of the finished product falls on the author rather than the publisher, so you want to make sure it’s perfect before the readers see it.