Questions About Publishing a Book

How do you get a book published with a large publishing company?
The publishing process with large publishing companies is quite difficult and frustrating for many authors. For starters, large publishers do not accept unsolicited manuscripts, but instead get them through literary agents. In most cases, an author has to wait several months before being informed of the decision made by the publisher. Publishers may base their decision on the commercial value of a work and not necessarily on its literary value.

What is a literary agent?
A literary agent is a professional that represents you at a publishing company. This person is the middle man between you and the publisher. This person will decide if your book has enough potential in the market so that a publisher will invest in publishing it. The literary agent will work on marketing the book and gets a share of the profits.

Why do literary agents not represent new writers?
Literary agents usually represent recognized writers because this guarantees a profit for them. They do not want to risk wasting their time with writers whose works may not do well in the market. They look for a "sure thing". Large publishers will not risk publishing the works of unknown authors because they are not sure if they will get a return on their investment. That is why it is very rare for a large publishing company to publish unknown authors.

What other publishing options are out there?
Self-publishing is another option for a writer. Self-publishing means that an author edits, proofreads, and designs the work, and pays for it to be printed. A safer option would be comprehensive publishing services, similar to coedition, but in which the author finances the entire publishing process.

What are the risks of self-publishing?
Self-published books may have typographical errors; they may be poorly edited and proofread resulting in grammatical, wording or other inconsistencies. Self-published books also do not have an ISBN, no copyright, and no publisher that stands behind the work. Printers do not always recommend the appropriate paper or binding that is standard for the genre or characteristics of your particular work when it is self-published.

What is an ISBN and why should my book have one?
An ISBN (International Standard Book Number) is required for published works. Having an ISBN is necessary in order to sell your work. Without one, you will not be able to sell your published work in bookstores, nor will you be able to register your work with the Library of Congress. CBH Books takes care of this and other legal processes, which are included in the cost of publication.

What is an Internet "middleman"?
An Internet "middleman" is a go-between for the author and the printer. You should be wary of an arrangement of this type because these people are frequently unreliable and do not take responsibility for the quality of the final product. Many do not have an established office, nor are they experienced in the publishing industry. An Internet "middleman" tends to only be concerned about making a profit and does not care how that end is achieved. CBH Books takes pride in its catalogue of published works, and therefore takes much care in offering a final product of excellent quality. CBH Books is a respected company with twelve years of experience in the U.S. publishing industry.

What publication options does CBH Books offer?
CBH Books offers four different ways for you to publish your work.

• The first is through the traditional publishing process in which CBH Books may be interested in your work and cover all costs associated with its publication.
  
• The second is a Coedition in which CBH Books invests together with you in the publication of your work.
  
• The third is Comprehensive Publishing Services in which you cover all costs of publication and receive all copies of your book.
  
• The fourth option is the CBH Books Award, in which the author of the winning entry receives the publication of a second work by CBH Books at no cost.

Questions About Coedition

What is a coedition?
A coedition is an agreement between CBH Books and the writer. The publisher is responsible for the edition, proofreading, design, illustration, production, promotion, and administrative services associated with the publication of your work. You only provide part of the printing costs.

How does an author participate in a coedition?
In a coedition, the author is included in the entire publication process. The editors working on your project will give you any suggestions that they feel would compliment your work. They will also consult you before making any decisions during the publication process. A coedition is a dynamic and interactive process between you and our publishing professionals, which results in a publication you can be proud of.

Why is a coedition the best option for an author?
A coedition has many advantages over other methods of publication.

• Most importantly, you are the one that decides whether or not to publish your book. There is no need to depend on critics or literary representatives, which makes coedition a safer way to go.
  
• You cover only part of the investment, which is easily returned with the sale of your books.
  
• The process is much quicker. In as little as four to six months, you will have a published book in your hands.
  
• Your work belongs to you at all times since you retain all rights to your work. You decide on sales, promotion, reprinting, entry into contests, and more.
  
• The profits from sales are all yours. Since the book is 100% yours, you earn 100% of the profit and not a mere 5 or 10% in royalties that many large publishers offer to authors.

What is the difference between coedition and self-publishing?
There is a huge difference! In self-publishing, the author carries out the edition, proofreading, and design of his or her work and only pays the cost of printing. In a coedition, our team covers EVERYTHING, which includes edition, proofreading, interior page and cover design, and the creation of an original illustration for the cover. Once the process is finished, the author receives a minimum of 600 copies.

How long will I have to wait for my book to be published?
The coedtion time frame will vary depending on the genre of the work, the length, the inclusion of illustrations and other factors. The time frame can fluctuate from 4 to 10 months from the time you submit your work for evaluation until you receive the printed copies of your work. Any way you look at it, a coedition is always faster than the traditional publishing process, which can take up to 2 years if the work is accepted by a literary agent.

Can I publish in any language?
The editors at CBH Books are specialists in various languages, including English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Italian, German, and many more.

Can I include illustrations in my book?
Of course! CBH Books has a designer for every type of work. In addition, for authors who already have illustrations prepared, we will add them into the design element.

How should I submit my work to CBH Books?
You should send 1 copy of your manuscript via certified mail. Your work should be in 12-point Palatino or Times font, double spaced, on 8.5 x 11 inch, A4 or letter small paper, printed on one side, and appropriately stapled or bound. Also include a disk with a file in Microsoft Word (for Mac or PC), Rich Text Format or in QuarkXPress. If you prefer, you may send us a copy via e-mail. For more information, visit Contact Us.

How do I know that my work meets the requirements for coedition?
You may send your work to us and our reading committee will determine if it meets the requirements for coedition. The group of literature specialists that make up our committee will send you a notice either accepting or declining publication. There is no cost for the committee's review of your work.

How long does my book have to be in order to be accepted for publication?
There is no specific page limit for the books published by CBH Books. The genre and theme of works evaluated is completely open. Depending on genre, works may range from 8 pages (children's literature) to 800 pages (novels) long. To us, the most important thing is that the book be of literary quality.

If I do not have the economic resources, how can I afford a coedition?
CBH Books understands how difficult it can be for new authors to afford a coedition, no matter how inexpensive it may be. In the past, many authors have been able to finance their coedition with the help of family members or friends. Some educational institutions have also offered economic support. Sponsorship is a resource that authors should not overlook. In many cases, these institutions recognize the investment they make in standing behind the dream of writers in the community.

Does CBH Books offer an installment plan?
Yes, CBH Books offers a payment plan to authors. You can set up a plan of up to 3 installments. The first installment should be made upon signing and returning your contract. The second is made when the book is ready to go to the printer. The third installment is made when you receive a copy of your printed book.

How do I get a return on my investment in a coedition?
The investment you make in the publication of your book is quickly returned upon the sale of a small number of copies. The rest of the sales are pure profit. In order to maximize your profit, you should promote your book at reading groups, book signings, on the Internet, or any other way you deem appropriate.

What does an author have to gain by publishing through a coedition?
The publication of a book means a lot to an author. Without mentioning the possibilities of economic gain and personal satisfaction, an author becomes known in the market upon publishing a work, and is able to share his or her ideas with readers. Moreover, a coedition adds value to your literary résumé around the world, which commands the respect of other publishing companies.

What options do I have if my book is turned down?
Depending on the decision made by the CBH Books reading committee, it could turn out that your book only needs to be polished slightly, in the case of poetry, for example. Perhaps some parts of your novel or collection of short stories may need some more work. Or perhaps you may need to take into account the recommendations of the reading committee. However, it is not the end of the world if your book is turned down at first. We will do everything we can to help you achieve your publishing goals.

Questions About Comprehensive Publishing Services

What do comprehensive publishing services consist of?
Comprehensive publishing services are similiar to a coedition, but under this service the author finances the entire publishing process. CBH Books provides editing, proofreading, and design services. Under this service the author receives 100% of the copies of his or her book for promotion and sale.

Have other authors chosen to finance publication on their own?
Many famous authors have chosen to finance their first books in order to get a foot in the door. Some of them are Rudyard Kipling, George Bernard Shaw, Ramón Gómez de la Serna, Edgar Allan Poe, Ernest Hemingway, Alexander Pope, Stephen Crane, Lord Byron, Walt Whitman, Ezra Pound, T.S. Eliot, Alfred Lord Tennyson, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Percy Bysshe Shelley, and many others.

Why Choose CBH Books?

What should I consider when choosing a publisher?
When deciding on a publisher, you should consider the caliber and professionalism of the publisher's editorial team, the quality of the publications released by the publisher, the number of publications, the years of experience in the publishing industry, the type of publications accepted, and other factors.

What are the advantages of publishing with CBH Books?
The advantages offered by CBH Books over other publishers are many. Some of them are:

• You forge your literary career in the eyes of other publishers, since some traditional publishers like to see that you have already been published.
• You enter the publishing market, since CBH Books places some copies of your book in bookstores in the United States, Spain, and Latin America.
  
• You will form part of our catalogue, which we distribute over the Internet directly to editors, writers, translators, journalists, and literary critics that make up our group of associates.
  
• You will be able to enter literary contests that require entries to be previously published. You can be confident that your entry is impeccably edited.
  
• You will automatically qualify for the 2005 CBH Books Award, given to the best published work during the year.

Who has published with CBH Books?
In its 12 years in the publishing industry, many authors have published their works with CBH Books. Some of them are: Yanitzia Canetti, César Sánchez Beras, José Vilahomat, Mauricio Bernal Restrepo, Richard A. Barker, Sylvia Mejías, Gastón Álvaro Santana, Lázaro Reina, Emilio Bejel, Alejandro Volnié, Manuel Meinhardt, Héctor Linares, Víctor O. Rivera Mercado, Myrtha Trujillo, Stalin Gamarra Durán, Dante Reyes, Manuel Alfaro Sifontes, David Panamá, Melvin Cintrón, José Porras, and Pablo Tapia Escobar.

What do CBH Books' publications look like?
You can see our recent publications at www.cbhbooks.com where you can check out the quality and appealing looks of our titles.

What possibilities do I have of getting the word out about my book in the U.S.?
CBH Books is an established publishing company located north of Boston, Massachusetts, which has working relations with well-known publishers, educational institutions, bookstores, and press outlets across the United States. This gives you a great resource for getting word of your book out to readers in the United States.