by Ann Heinrichs
Local Publisher Offers Advice for Aspiring Book Authors
by Ann Heinrichs
John Pearson, Midwest Publisher with Arcadia Publishing, offered advice and
shared experiences at IWPA's September 17 luncheon meeting at the Chicago Athletic
Association.
After teaching English and working in the dot-com business, Pearson has a unique
perspective on the publishing industry. "The Internet has shown there is
a market for anything," he said. And that's good news for small publishers.
It's easier than ever for them to market their books on the Internet.
In spite of his dot-com background, Pearson is optimistic about the future of
conventional books: "Overall sales of books continue to go up year after
year."
Pearson offered some guidance for aspiring book authors. "It's getting
harder and harder to be published by the big New York general-interest publishers,"
he pointed out. Those top twenty publishers account for about 90% of book sales
in the United States, and they're deluged with unsolicited book proposals.
If you're hoping to publish a book, Pearson advises, "do a lot of research
and pick the right publisher." That's where small, lesser-known, specialized
publishers such as Arcadia come in.
Arcadia is the leading local history publisher in the United States. With regional
offices in New England, the Midwest, the West, and the South. Arcadia is best
known for its popular Images of America series, which chronicles the
history of communities across the country.
Each title highlights the people and events of a town or region. A typical book
features more than 200 vintage black-and-white pictures. Illinois subjects include
South Holland, The Eastland Disaster, and Greek-American Pioneer Women
of Illinois. Arcadia's Chicago-based titles include A Chicago Firehouse,
Jewish Chicago and Japanese Americans in Chicago.
Pearson encourages prospective authors to submit a book proposal to Arcadia.
Many of Arcadia's authors have close ties to their communities and to local
historical societies. That's a plus, as the author must procure all photos and
the rights to print them. The text for each book might range from 12,000 to
20,000 words. Most of that text appears as captions or descriptors for photos,
while some text provides additional background narrative.
Arcadia markets its books heavily in local venues. For example, the sales team
arranges book signings in local bookstores. The books also appear in local museums,
neighborhood pharmacies, and gift shops. Major bookstore chains such as Barnes
& Noble and Books-a-Million carry selected titles, too, stocking those that
have regional appeal.
To learn more about Arcadia's publishing program, and to request book proposal
guidelines, visit www.arcadia publishing.com.