I have recently been mulling over a few concepts in order to publish a book over this next year and recently met Jeff through Twitter and blog. For many reasons, I believe self-publishing is a great option for those wishing to further their reach and influence. I asked Jeff if he could help introduce the concept of publishing a book to the pastors and ministry leaders who haven’t even considered it to begin with. Here’s his guest post — I’m interested in your thoughts regarding pastors publishing books…please read this post and then leave a comment below!

With the start of the new year, agents and publishers alike are being deluged with record numbers of query letters and book proposal packages. But while publishing dreams are at an all-time high, the cold, hard truth is that not everyone will make the cut into the ranks of the commercially published. But that’s no reason to give up hope, keeping your message under wraps.

The self-publishing model is nothing new. From Martin Luther to Joyce Meyer, writers of all stripes have stepped up to take matters into their own hands in sharing their work with the world. And with the current array of technology to help both produce and promote their books, aspiring novelists, business owners, and yes, pastors too, are increasingly seizing upon a quick, efficient, and cost-effective way to reach their target markets.

pastors-publish-book

While there’s no question that taking the traditional route over the self-publishing route garners an added level of prestige — no matter how imagined — the lines between approaches are increasingly blurred. In fact, there’s really only one core question separating the two: who fronts the money?

Here’s how it works: with the traditional model, the publisher, e.g. Thomas Nelson, commissions a team to have a book written, edited, designed, printed — and to some extent — marketed. The publisher pays an advance to the author on estimated future book sales, and in return, the publisher reaps 85-90% of the profit. And when you think about it, why shouldn’t they – it’s their investment!

In the self-publishing model, however, authors come up with their own funding for book production, promotion, and distribution, and as a result, stand to make 100% of the profit – depending on the company and services being utilized.

Granted, we’ve all seen material on the racks that we consider “not ready for primetime.” But that’s certainly a matter of opinion. With respect to your own work, you’re now empowered to make that call for yourself. If you believe in your message, and you invest the proper energy and resources to do it right, the self-publishing path can be a tremendously rewarding experience. And it’s especially true with pastors.

Here’s an introductory Q and A that may help you understand the process:

Is self-publishing expensive?
Not really. Any legitimate self-publishing service provider will offer reasonable rates for their services and expertise. In fact, we offer a special discount to pastors to help defray the costs.

Can pastors use existing sermons as source material for their books?
Absolutely. Many pastors are excellent orators, and we highly recommend playing to those strengths. We offer a transcription service to capture the message from a recorded sermon, which we then use to repurpose the content into book form.

Where is the best place to sell my book?
Congregations are often a great source of initial book sales. The book can also be used as an entryway to guest speaking engagements at other churches. Many large churches even have in-house bookstores that will carry a pastor’s book.

Bottom line: If you’re a pastor interested in spreading your message in 2010, self-publishing a book should be among the top methods on your list of considerations.

Have you ever thought about publishing a book? Leave a comment and share what you are thinking of doing next!

Jeff Smith is a writer and publishing professional with Smith Publishing & Communications in Colorado Springs. He can be reached via his company website at www.smithps.com or via email at jeff@smithps.com.

Todd Rutherford and Ryan Sheehan of Yorkshire Publishing (www.yorkshirepublishing.com) also contributed to this article.

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