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UNIT IV
Public Relation
Book Publications in India

THE PRESS AND REGISTRATION OF BOOKS ACT, 1867, THE DELIVERY OF

BOOKS 'AND NEWSPAPERS' (PUBLIC LIBRARIES) ACT, 1954

Publication:- “It is a process of getting written manuscript from the author, making necessary
arrangement to transfer it into the printed form and selling and distributing the same to the
people who are ready to purchase for appropriate consideration.”
Another way to define publication is, “Organizing the written material, printing the same and
making it available to the right people by strategy of proper distribution”
Publishing is the process of preparing, manufacturing and distributing books, magazines,
newspapers or other printed materials. This article describes book publishing.7

Publishing companies range from corporations that fill bookstores with best-sellers to boutique
firms that put out a few prestigious volumes a year. The role of publishers is simple: to get
writers' books and other materials into the hands of readers. There is, however, a huge range in
the services and methods that publishing companies use to get the job done.
The role of traditional publishing companies is to choose books with promise, put them into
finished form and market them to the public.
Publishing History: The Beginning
For most of history, publishing wasn't a thing. First, humans had to develop writing. Even after
that, there were centuries in which literacy was limited to priests and scribes. Without a body of
people to read books, commercial publishing companies can't exist.
Even after literacy grew more common, most books were created by hand one at a time. They
were more like objects of art than the mass-produced books of the modern world. In the 15th
century, however, Johannes Gutenberg invented a printing method using movable type, ink and
paper, and everything changed.
The Gutenberg press made printing books in larger numbers easier than ever before and without
the errors that hand copying often generated. It was also easier to print official documents or
political pamphlets criticizing the authorities. Alarmed at printing's potential for stirring up
trouble, governments and religious authority spent several centuries trying to restrict the freedom
of the press.
Modern Publishing History
By the 19th century, publishing companies had largely won the fight to publish what they wanted
within limits. The functions of the publisher were changing too. Instead of handling everything
from printing to sales in house, publishers began outsourcing. Printing companies made the
books, and stores handled the selling to consumers.
Publishing technology changed steadily over the centuries, but the 20th century development of
the computer and the internet changed it even more:
It's possible for a writer to form his own publishing house, package his own books and market
them online either as e-books or in hard copy.
The rise of Amazon has hammered brick-and-mortar bookstores. That changes the way people
shop for books and the prices they'll accept. For instance, anyone shopping on Amazon for a
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book will see a list of used copies, usually at lower prices.

E-books make it possible to read without carrying a book around with you. All you need is your
phone.
Audiobooks allow people to "read" while taking a car trip.
It's much easier to copy a manuscript that exists digitally than when they existed only in hard
copy. Pirate and bootleg copies are a serious issue, eating into the earnings for authors and
publishers.
A publisher today must have the vision to ensure that the brands they manage continue to be innovative
and that titles under their leadership have a clear perspective. This is crucial in order to create relevant
content that will consistently be trustworthy and engaging for the brands’ communities.
The ultimate goal is to create personal, adaptable and measurable content platforms as well as activation
solutions – ensuring that advertisers will turn to your titles for content solutions because of the rich
relationships you have built with your audiences.
You must have a deep understanding of all aspects of the business. You must be a strategist and
become renowned for coming up with unique solutions that benefit all stakeholders.
In essence, publishers have to help their brands become a meeting place for audiences and
advertisers. They must assist their commercial teams to create cross-platform advertising
offerings – while remaining true to the brand DNA because this will best serve both audiences
and advertisers.
Publishers also need to find ways to drive digital commercial ventures and find various models
that will work, incorporating the best of what digital media has to offer (interactivity; video; rich,
deep visual content). The avenues open for commercial opportunities has grown so much and the
appetite for engaging content – whether it’s advertising or editorial – has grown tremendously in
the past few years. The fact that so many traditional publishers are launching studios to generate
advertising partner content is a sign that there is a growing demand for this kind of content.
We are constantly seeing new ways of driving commercial ventures digitally and publishers need
to be agile enough to take advantage of the opportunities as they arise. This environment is
definitely for those who can react fast, be flexible and who can juggle several balls – and
sometimes opposite demands – at once.
How has the job changed?
I can still remember a landscape in which the print magazine was the centre of the universe and
everything revolved around that aspect of the business. But this has of course changed in recent
years – our brands have since taken centre stage as the most important aspect of the business,
with print being just one element of it.
Today our landscape is dictated round our brand audience and platforms revolve round them,
whether it’s on social media, in print or on websites. This changing landscape has led to many
new opportunities. In order to thrive publishers need to understand every aspect of operating in
this new world and try to reframe a model that is beneficial to their brands.
Monetising communities is the way forward, whether through advertising or subscription.
Publishers need to know the unique characteristics, strengths and weaknesses of their brands in
order to find a best-fit monetising strategy for that particular brands – a one-size-fits-all approach
does not work any more.
There has certainly been an increase in the demand for publishers provide a one-stop shop for
multi-platform strategy, media planning and often creative skills, because they know their brands
so intimately. Publishers have to lead the way with ingenuity, innovation, creative flair and
business insight, creating true 360º campaigns.
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What are some of the skills publishers must have nowadays, and how has that changed in the last
five years?
A publisher today has to have tenacity, integrity, vision, the rare gift of understanding both sides
of the coin – sales and brand. This hybrid skill set is what will give you the ability to come up
with content solutions that not only satisfies clients, but also editorial, marketing and sales
teams.
You also have to take more risks now in order to find innovative solutions. In the past there was
a bit more of a conservative approach to advertising solutions and finding ways to bring together
audiences and advertisers and there was definitely much more focus on protecting print.
These days we embrace the myriad of opportunities digital now affords us – both to tell better
stories for our audiences but also to present solutions for advertisers.
This is why my mantra is: Be bold, be awesome, be everywhere.
 CHRIS KERWIN, PUBLISHING DIRECTOR, BBC WORLDWIDE, UK
 Chris Kerwin is Publishing Director at BBC Worldwide with responsibility for BBC
Good Food and the Top Gear Publishing business. He’s been at the BBC for four years
and prior to that has worked for Future Publishing and Channel Five.
 What is the purpose of the role of the publisher in 2016?
I see the role of Publisher (at least on BBC Good Food) as that of the
CEO of a brand. We’re no longer ‘just’ a magazine, but a digital
business across multiple platforms (website, apps, Facebook, Twitter,
Instagram, Snapchat, Pinterest, Google+, YouTube), a books business, a
one-shots business (Easy Cook and Home Cooking Series) and a Live
Events business. We’ve got to be in all of the above (and more… we’re
exploring product branding, holidays, restaurant offers, a wine club) to
survive.
I also oversee the Top Gear publishing business though, where the role is
different since it’s about building an ancillary business off the back of a
TV brand. Same applies as above though.

 How has the job changed?
 Circulation, subs and sales are still vital, but no longer all we have to know about. We
have to explore every avenue and every alley to find revenue and chase down profit. The
good news is that our audience comes with us if we get it right. We’ve built a brand with
Good Food that whilst it sells > 200k magazines a month, gets > 20m unique users a
month online.
 Ad sales is increasingly important in this mix and has become our dominant revenue
stream, taking into account magazines and digital sales. Having an intelligent, content-led
ad sales team is essential.
 What are some of the skills publishers must have nowadays, and how has that
changed in the last five years?
 Digital skills (product management, understanding of technology and development) are
key. As is a lust for innovation. You’ve got to want to try new things. An understanding
of ad sales is essential, and these days that includes content partnerships at one end and
programmatic sales at the other, as well as standard page and display sales.
 SIMON JARY,PUBLISHING DIRECTOR, IDG, UK
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 What is the purpose of the publisher's role in 2016?

The consumer-based Publisher's role is to marshal all parts of the
business to a strategy of astute monetisation of traffic growth, based
around multiple revenue sources. We have to recognise the value of
traditional journalistic standards applied to a far-sighted long-term
commercial strategy. Crucially the Publisher must not micromanage,
giving good, talented people the room they need to succeed.

 How has the job changed?

 Coming originally from Editorial has been an advantage for me as more than ever
publishing is centred on content and the reader , and less so on traditional sales. This
includes the commercial side, which is intrinsically married to the audience. We see a
direct link between audience growth and increasing revenues, with programmatic and
third-party revenues growing alongside traffic. Third-party (affiliate, network, native and
contextual), programmatic and retargeting are more important to the consumer side of the
business than direct sales. Revenue is at the heart of my role as Publisher, but that means
working with the Editorial Director as much as the Sales Director, and with a varied
range of network and affiliate partners as much as clients and agencies.
 What are some of the skills publishers must have nowadays, and how has that
changed in the last five years?
 Publishers should be absolutely on top of content, working hand in hand with Editorial to
drive audience growth. That means working with data analytics, and forever optimising
the technical as well as the human parts of the business. Revenue now springs from your
audience rather than your brand. Readers today are much less loyal, arriving from Search
and Social and caring little for where their needs are answered as long as they are quickly
and efficiently. Embracing reader disloyalty while growing traffic brings you a more
valuable audience – at least from the consumer-publishing point of view.
 Editorial has to understand and embrace this rather than relying on returning visitors, and
continuing to regard themselves as the holy curators of the news and the current. We now
update more than we create, but in that process we constantly refine and enhance our
content – for one end: to answer our audience's needs. To sum up the strategy: do only
what you do best, and do it better than the rest.
 MARK ELLIS, PRESIDENT AND COO, TIME INC. SALES AND MARKETING,
USA
 What is the purpose of the role of the publisher in 2016?
Agencies and advertisers are buying differently. They’re increasingly
targeting audiences across many brands rather than focusing on one
specific brand. They are also asking for insights and data to inform
media decisions, and they are looking for integrated, turn-key solutions
at scale. To adapt to these changes, Time Inc. has been evolving to a
category sales approach. We are doing this to better serve our
advertising partners and become a one-stop solutions provider. As part
of this new structure, we created four new category teams: Food &
Beverage (including alcohol), Beauty, Retail (including big box retail
and quick-service restaurants) and Financial Services in addition to the
three category teams we launched in April—Automotive,
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Pharmaceutical and Technology & Telecommunications. We also

appointed leaders for each category, as well as brand and digital heads to
lead sales in our new organisation. None of these roles uses the term
Publisher, which we feel is outdated.

 How has the job changed?
 Our new category, brand and digital leads are the senior-most customer
facing people at Time Inc. Driving revenue is the key role. In that regard, the role
hasn't changed much, as the primary role of the publisher has always been to
drive revenue. Some functions, like circulation and event management, have been centrali
sed in other parts of the organisation. The new category, brand and digital
sales structure will deliver more effective results for
our customers, more opportunities for our talent to
stretch and hone their skills in a rapidly changing
marketplace, and ultimately more revenue for Time Inc.
 What are some of the skills publishers must have nowadays, and how has that
changed in the last five years?
 Publishers or any sellers today must know everything
about their customers’ businesses. They must be able
to mine data and lead with insights. They must be creative packagers and must be digital
first.Customers don’t have the bandwidth to see multiple different sales leads from the sa
me company, so there is a need to integrate capabilities and offer scale. We
are doing this with our new structure. To drive our
digital transformation we created a complimentary
digital organisation to focus on video, social, data, programmatic and ad products.

Guest Blog: The Role of Retailers, Distributors and Wholesalers in the Book Trade
Authors and publishers can sell books directly to consumers or they can reach consumers
through a series of middlemen known as resellers. There are three basic types of resellers in the
book trade:
1. Retailers sell books to consumers. Typical book retailers include online bookstores like
Amazon.com, retail (physical) bookstores, chain stores, and specialty stores. Some retailers do
advertising, usually for bestsellers and books from big-name authors, but the author and
publisher bear most of the responsibility for generating demand from consumers.
2. Distributors market books on behalf of the publishers they represent. They typically have sales
reps, or at least a catalog, and actively solicit orders from libraries, bookstores and other retailers.
Some distributors specialize in a particular market (like libraries) or a particular type of book.
Distributors may warehouse and ship books on behalf of the publisher.
Distributors are often used by small to mid-sized publishers who do not want to maintain an in-
house sales staff. Some of the larger book distributors include Independent Publishers Group,
Midpoint Trade Books, and National Book Network. See this page for more information about
book distributors.
3. Wholesalers (also called jobbers) usually do no marketing—they simply receive and process
orders from libraries and retailers. The publisher or distributor is responsible for generating
demand. However, some wholesalers offer collection development services to libraries, and
some offer advertising opportunities to publishers.
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Most wholesalers don’t stock a book unless it is in high demand; for lower volume titles they
order from the publisher or distributor as necessary to fulfill orders. Library wholesalers often
offer discounts to libraries and some provide other library services such as cataloging.
Baker & Taylor (B&T) is by far the largest library wholesaler, probably accounting for close to
half of all book sales to libraries. They also fulfill orders for the Borders.com bookstore and
supply retail bookstores.
Ingram Book Company dominates the wholesale business to bookstores (including
Amazon.com), but is also a major supplier to libraries. Ingram does not work directly with
publishers that have fewer than 10 titles in print, but books are automatically listed in their
database if they are available though Ingram’s book printing division, Lightning Source. Ingram
also has a distributor division called Ingram Publisher Services.
If you want to sell to retail bookstores or libraries, it’s best to have your book available through
Ingram or Baker & Taylor. Many bookstores and libraries will not order directly from small and
independent publishers. If you are publishing through a print-on-demand publishing company,
read your contract to make sure you have distribution through a major wholesaler at standard
discounts. Bookstores will also require that the books be returnable.
A trade discount is the discount from list price at which resellers purchase books from
publishers. Books are typically sold directly to bookstores at 40% discount, to wholesalers at
55% discount and to distributors at 65% to 70% discount, but the discounts can vary.
For example, if a book is represented by a distributor who is getting a 65% discount, the
distributor keeps 10% for their sales efforts, the wholesaler gets 15% and the retailer gets 40%,
leaving 35% for the publisher. Out of the publisher’s cut comes editorial and design costs, author
royalties, printing and shipping fees, promotion, overhead and profit.
It is possible to sell to wholesalers at lower discounts under certain conditions. For more details
on selling through wholesalers, including contact information for the 17 largest U.S. wholesalers,
see The Savvy Book Marketer’s Guide to Selling Your Book to Librarie
Distribution
Understanding Book Distribution
Four methods of book distribution every author needs to understand
How Print-on-Demand Distribution Works
Print-on-demand is a relatively new, though now widely used, printing technology, which is
sometimes referred to as ‘digital printing.’ Print-on-demand books are printed directly from
electronic files such as PDFs or InDesign files rather than mechanical plates. Digital or print-on-
demand presses are capable of printing single copies of a book “on demand,” meaning when
purchased by a customer. What most of the larger self-publishing companies mean by print-on-
demand publishing is the combination of digital printing with digital online distribution. Digital
distribution means that an image of your book’s cover along with catalog copy is uploaded to
sites like Amazon, Barnes & Noble (bn.com), and IndieBound, where the book is made available
for sale. When a customer purchases your book on one of these sites, the book is printed and
shipped to the customer. Because the customer pays for the book before it is actually produced,
the cost of printing the book is deducted from the sales receipt, with the balance of the money
going to the author/publisher. This kind of print-on-demand publishing is an economic
breakthrough because it allows sales receipts to finance printing in exact quantities thus
eliminating the necessity of a large investment in inventory in advance of publication. Major
trading partners of Epigraph's on-demand distribution include Ingram, the largest book
wholesaler in the US with over 25,000 US based (38,000 internationally) bookseller accounts
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including libraries and bookstores, Baker and Taylor, Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble.com,
IndieBound.com, Powells.com, Booksamillion.com, BetterWorldBooks.com, and
BookDepository.com.

How Wholesale Distribution Works

Wholesale distribution refers to the use of established book wholesalers, such as Ingram and
Baker & Taylor, to provide fulfillment of book orders from bookstores and libraries. Having
your title(s) available through a wholesaler removes the need to set up a new vendor account for
these very busy venues. For chains, such as Barnes & Noble (bricks and mortar), distribution
through a major wholesaler is a precondition for stocking titles. The requisite terms for book
wholesalers are 50% to 55% discount plus the ability to make returns. It is important to
understand that wholesalers are primarily passive suppliers who are dependent on publishers and
authors to drive sales. Therefore, wholesale distribution setup is generally a preliminary to
bookstore marketing. Wholesale distribution setup is available through Epigraph's Custom
Publishing with warehousing available. Print minimum is 50 copies.

How Trade Distribution Works

Trade distribution refers to the use of a traditional distribution process with an established
distributor. Distributors are a notch up on the supply chain from wholesalers, with whom they
are often confused. Whereas distributors sell to wholesalers, the reverse is never the case.
Another difference is that distribution contracts are always exclusive, whereas wholesale
agreements are not. Distributors perform the dual function of sales and order fulfillment,
including warehousing. Unlike wholesalers who are primarily passive suppliers, the main job of
the distributor is to sell new titles to bookstores and libraries before they are published. As sales
organizations they adhere to traditional publishing timelines with sales presentations (and
catalogs) happening 3 to 6 months prior to publication. Having advance sales before printing is
the factor that allows publishers to know how many copies to print. Because of the higher costs
associated with trade distribution, it it is generally thought necessary to print a minimum of
1,500–3,000 copies with offset or web printers in order to reduce per-unit printing costs
sufficiently.
How Consignment and Self-Distribution Work
Self-published authors are recommended to sell copies of their book on a consignment basis to
their local and special interest bookstores. The terms of consignment differ from store to store,
but in general consignment means that the store will stock copies for a designated period of time.
Sales minus store discount are paid to the author once the stock is sold, or at the end of the
designated period. Any unsold stock is returned to the author. If a book is selling well, the
process is renewed.The minimum standard bookstore discount is 40% (from retail price) and is
acceptable to most bookstores stocking on consignment. In the case of books with a higher retail
price, a lower discount may also be acceptable. The main advantage of offering books on
consignment is that the arrangement is well established in the book trade.
A book distributor is a company that sells books to bookstores and other retailers. One of the
goals of an author or publisher is to have his books sold in a bookstore. Having a book on the
shelves of a bookstore can help put that book in the hands of readers. A book distributor often
contracts with publishers or individual writers to distribute their books. Many distributors have a
list of stores they sell to and a certain genre that they vend as well.
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Basically, a book distributor distributes books to bookstores, retailers, and online stores. The
distributor is in the business of taking on publishers, and sometimes individual authors, as clients
and convincing a bookstore or other retailer to sell their various titles. As such, the distributor
may be selective of which titles it takes on. In addition, the distributor usually has a relationship
with the stores they sell to and may visit them on occasion. Once the store places the order, the
distributor packs up the books and ships them to the appropriate location.
Many times the book distributor will also have a catalog. The catalog generally lists all the titles
the distributor is representing. New catalogs may be produced once a year with recent titles listed
in the front. Bookstores and other retailers can use this catalog to help them determine which
titles they are interested in carrying. Then, once they decide on which books to carry, they can
place their orders. Ad
It is important not to mistake a book wholesaler for a book distributor. A wholesaler basically
makes the book available for sale to bookstores and retailers. There is virtually no selling to the
store involved. The book distributor typically makes the books available, but also actively sells
to a store or retailer. They may also collect money made from book sales and send it off to the
appropriate individual.
One job a book distributor does not usually perform is marketing the book. Drumming up
interest for the book is usually the work of the publisher or author. The distributor simply
ensures the book is in retail stores for the customer to purchase. Working together, the publisher
and distributor can make sure the book in question has the best chance to be a success.
Book distributors generally need strong customer service skills to foster relationships with
publishers and book retailers. Normally, a high school diploma or an equivalent is the minimum
required education, though candidates with business-related degrees might find an edge when
applying for jobs. Some distributors are self-employed, while others work for distribution
companies. Distribution companies generally have entry-level positions where an aspiring
distributor can gain valuable experience and then work his way into a supervisory role or decide
to start his own company.

Types of Publishing
Some people think of publishing in relation to book or e-book publishing, but there are other
examples of publishers. The other big category is periodical publishing, or putting out magazines
and newspapers at regular intervals. Like book publishing, this is an incredibly diverse category
including periodicals of science, literature, current news and celebrity gossip.
There are different types of publishing in the world of books too: traditional, subsidy or vanity
press, self-publishers and author services that help authors bring books to market. The difference
between them is blurrier in the digital age than it used to be. The functions of the publisher vary
between the categories.
About Traditional Publishers
Traditional publishers are what many readers expect publishing companies to be like. Some
"trad" publishers produce a wide variety of books in different categories, while others specialize
in specific genres, nonfiction topics or reprints of older, out-of-copyright novels. Authors or
agents submit manuscripts to the publisher, and the publisher signs a deal for the books that look
promising.
The functions of the publisher or its subcontractors include the editing, design, layout, marketing
and distribution of the author's book. The publisher receives the revenue for the books, and the
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author receives a royalty on each sale. Writers may receive an advance against the royalties, but
that's not as common as it used to be.
Small-Press Publishers
Small-press publishers are traditional publishers working on a smaller scale. Stephen King's
books get print runs in the thousands, whereas a small press may print a few hundred or may
print on demand in response to someone ordering a copy. Some small presses are e-book only.
The functions of the publisher are much the same, but some publishers offer fewer services. For
example, they may require that the author come up with a marketing plan as part of the book
submission.
The good thing about small presses is that they have much less overhead than a major publishing
company. They can make a profit on books with much fewer sales than big trad publishers
require. Small presses often have better contract terms, and they're more creative about
marketing and promoting books.
Subsidy and Vanity Publishing
With traditional publishing companies, money flows to the author, meaning the writer pays
nothing for the functions of the publisher. With subsidy or vanity presses, the author's money
flows to the publisher. These companies will often accept any manuscript because they make
money off the author, not from sales.
In return for authors' fees, these publishing companies may do nothing beyond format the e-book
and put it up for sale. Other subsidy presses offer design, editing and marketing for an added
price and provide hard copies of the book. As subsidy/vanity presses don't depend on book sales
for their income, they do little to market and distribute books.
Subsidy press fees can run into five figures. Authors rarely recoup their costs, and vanity press
contracts are often exclusive: Once you place a book with them, you can't take it elsewhere.
Some publishers are outright scam artists who take the money and give authors nothing.
About Self-Publishing
Even before the dawn of the computer age, some writers were passionate enough about their
books to pay for their own printing and to handle their own marketing. A few even had success
with it. In the 21st century, it's much easier to self-publish, though the sheer rush of authors
releasing their own books makes turning a profit tougher.
Along with the ease of distribution and the cheap costs of putting out e-books, authors benefit
from publishing services. While some of these are little better than vanity presses, others handle
the formatting for digital books in return for a cut of the profits on each sale. Marketing, printing
hard copies and finding cover art often remain the author's responsibility.
Self-publishing sales range from smash hits such as "Fifty Shades of Grey" to obscure books that
sell a dozen copies. However, the upfront costs are usually low, so there's less of a financial risk.
Where trad publishers may pull a book from the market if it doesn't sell, authors can keep their
own books available. Some catch on and sell well years later.
Choosing Between Types of Publishers
Subsidy/vanity presses are usually a bad deal for authors, but it might work for people who want
to publish a book but aren't worried about selling it. For example, if someone wants to publish
her autobiography or a family history to share with relatives, then vanity-press publishing might
suit her. It's still expensive, though, especially if you want more than a few copies.
For authors looking to build a writing career, trad publishing or self-publishing is a better choice.
Some authors start by submitting their book to major publishers, then try small presses and then
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self-publish if they can't find anyone else. Others prefer the flexibility and greater control that
self-publishing brings or believe they can market their books better than a trad firm.
Role of a publisher in publishing a book

1. They must understand the vision of the author and the author’s work. They appreciate
it and have respect for it. In fact, this is the first thing I look for in my publishers. If
they have reservations publishing my work, I don’t use them. Publishers who doubt
your work will do irreparable harm to your book even if they do end up publishing it.
And yes, there are publishers in India who will publish your book without reading it
and take it just like another business venture. Remember that your publisher is your
partner in this venture. They should only do it if they are convinced.
2. They should have a list of successful authors whom they have previously
published. Insist on checking their website.
3. They should have a good distribution network. With traditional publishers, an author’s
main focus is to get the book out as much as possible. You will be surprised to know
how many publishers with absolutely no distribution chains are operational in India.
Give them a miss. One of the first questions to ask is: What are the stores you will
make my book available in?
4. Royalties are important but not the only important thing. Most authors base their
decision solely on royalties which is incorrect. Anyway, ask them what royalties they
would offer. There are highly varying figures in the Indian publishing industry. And
note, good royalty does not always mean a good deal. See what rights they are offering
you and how and where they are going to sell your book.
5. Check the other services they provide. They should design your cover page and
provide you with editing services. They may charge extra for the editing, but cover
page is usually free.
6. Check if they have a good online presence. A lot of books, even paperbacks, are being
sold online nowadays. See if their books are listed on important selling portals. On
places like Amazon, you can even check their seller’s rating.
7. Ask what kind of marketing support they will provide you. Most publishers will bring
you proposals for physical events. They will also help you with the launch (they might
share funds or ask you to manage it on your own).
8. See if they have contacts with bloggers/reviewers/journalists. Media presence is
extremely important and managing the media isn’t something most authors can do by
themselves. Publishing houses should help authors with some media presence.
9. Most importantly, see how much ‘in with the times’ your publisher is. Some publishers
are still stuck in the mold of a decade ago when books were only sold in stores. See if
they are net-savvy and amenable to using the new features on selling portals. An
example is eBook publishing, and preferably putting up your book on the KDP Select
program. Many publishers worth their salt also have mobile apps now. These new
ways of reading are helping authors across the world get much higher royalties.

Role of a book distributor in publishing industry

Book distributors consolidate services for that publishers may continue with their core business.
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Distributors often have a wide list of specialist publishers. These are the distributors with which
authors want to list.
We're talking about physical books sold in bookstores, a shrinking concern. Libraries, however,
often buy direct from publishers or use distributors for academic titles.
The waters of distribution are increasingly muddy, for example, where Amazon buys its books.
At least some of these are direct-marketed and self-published.
Due to the Internet, many physical book buyers are looking for the very best price. I myself buy
at least 100 books a year, mostly used, often for 1¢ and $3.99 shipping.
Self publishers (the trade calls them vanity presses), and print-on-demand often sell direct,
passing the most profit to the author but selling few books.
There are roughly 2 million books published every year in the US, around 5,000 per day. The
vast majority of these are self-published and average 250 copies distributed (that's not
necessarily sold).
I've been in the book business my whole life, 27 books in total, 19 in print, seven more at
publishers. I make books because no one else has said it yet, or said it my way. Believe me, keep
your day job!
What are the standard rates for publishing a book?
There are basically four ways to publish a book. I am keeping it simple here, the reality is a bit
more complex.
I am ignoring rare and highly unusual book publishing practices here, which are even more
disadvantageous for the author. I am also ignoring VAT here, as VAT is handled differently
around the world (it is included in the published sales price or not).
Through a traditional publishing house:
1. You get 5% to 10% of the sales price. So, a book that sells for 10 US$ will get you 50
Cents to 1 Dollar. (The reason the author gets a low percentage are the cost of point 3
below. These expenses can only slightly be tweaked; that is the reason why all
publishing houses calculate their book prices roughly the same way.)
2. Anyone who offers you a vastly better deal and still claim they are a traditional
publishing house, are scamming you. You may not even realize that until a few years
down the road.
3. Once the publisher has agreed to publish your book, all publishing services are free for
you: editing, corrections, layout, typesetting, cover work, printing, distribution,
shipping, marketing, PR. You never pay a cent for their work. They carry the financial
risk in the case the book turns out to flop. Anyone charging you for any of the work
above is not a traditional publisher, and you better get someone knowledgeable to
identify how they are scamming you; it may not be obvious.
4. The publishing house will receive about 50% of the sales price, the rest goes to the
distributor and the bookstore. (Amazon works both as distributor and bookstore, by the
way, and gets also around 50 %.)
5. The biggest drawback for you: The publisher needs to decide first that they want to
publish your book, because they think they can make a profit from it. A profitable
publication usually starts with 2000 to 4000 sold copies. Unless you deal with a mini
press publisher, then they might start getting profitable with 500 sold copies, which
will not appear in bookstores.
Through a selfpublishing house (best known is Amazon):
 These can be ebooks or printed books, or both.
 12

 For ebooks, let us use Amazon Kindle as the example: You get 35% to 70% of the
sales price for ebooks, depending on the sales price.
 For printed books, let us use Amazon CreateSpace as the example: You can decide
how much you want to charge for your book, but in most sane calculations you will
make between 10% and 20% of the sales price.
 This sounds fantastic, compared to your earnings with a traditional publisher. But
remember that you have to pay for all services yourself, or do them yourself: editing,
corrections, layout, typesetting, cover work, printing (or format conversion for
ebooks), distribution, shipping, marketing, PR. Do everything yourself, and you will
end up with a book that gets ridiculed by anyone looking at it, pay for everything and
you end up with cost of a few thousand US$.
 The biggest drawback for you: You invest money or time, or both, into publishing
your book, and do not know if you will ever recover that. Most do not. And your book
will never see a bookstore from the inside, as the distribution of publishers relies on
bookstores, while the distribution of selfpublishers relies on direct orders.
Through a vanity press:
 Note that vanity presses never call themselves that - scammers will never advertise
themselves als such. Research with Google and in writer forums to find out more about
them.
 You recognize a vanity publisher by …
a. Their claims to their service: They do everything for you! Editing, corrections, layout,
typesetting, cover work, printing, distribution, shipping, marketing, PR.
b. Their price: It will cost you an arm and a leg. Brilliant vanity presses will relieve you
of 10–20,000 US$, less greedy ones will still cost you a few thousand US$.
c. Their demeanor towards you: Your manuscript will always be original, brilliantly
written, and your book “will likely be a bestseller”. They want you to buy their service
bundle, after all.
d. And your shock after the fact:
 The editing was sloppy to non-existent.
 The correction was done by running it through Microsoft Word, so many typos remain,
and grammar corrections are not done at all.
 Layout and typesetting was also done with Word, instead of a professional typesetting
program. The text looks off.
 You could have gotten a nicer cover for 100 US$ from a stock cover site.
 If you are lucky, the book pages or the binding do not feel off, as they chose the
cheapest printer, who may just decide to print your book on scrap paper. After all the
contract only contained some fuzzy phrases about professional work.
 They have not distributed it to any bookshops, and no bookshop will ever order it, so
they have no shipping or distribution cost. Bookshops know the names of vanity
presses and do not order from them.
 Marketing and PR consist of listing your book on their own “Fools that fell for our
scam” web pages, a.k.a. “Our Autors”.
 All of this results in zero sold books. If you want to sell your books, you have to do it
yourself, and you will need to buy them from the vanity press for an outrageous price.
 The biggest drawback for you: You spent an inordinate amount of money for
minimal service. And you have essentially published your book as a selfpublisher.
 13

Thus your book will never appear in any bookstore, unless the vanity press
pays one less reputable bookstore to carry it.
Through publishing services:
1. You get the same deal as for vanity presses for less money.
2. And exactly the same drawbacks, also for less money.
What do publishing companies look for in a book
1. The book must be able to appeal to a quantifiable market of sufficient size to justify
publication. The author or agent must establish this in their pitch to the publisher.

2. It must be capable of winning the sales challenge against the competition. The author or agent
must present the competitive analysis to demonstrate this.

3. The author should have the sales numbers for previous books to prove that success for this
book is within reach. New authors should have significant success with small publishers or self
publishing before trying a "name" publisher.

4. In-house readers must agree on the book's quality and potential.

5. An acquiring editor must really believe in the book in order to put it across internally.

6. The author should have a track record of helping books succeed, through interviews, tours,
reviews, etc.

That's the best possible positioning. It goes without saying that the book must be well-written
and appropriately-written for the market
What is the first step to publishing a book?
f your book is really ready, and you are not interested in self publishing, here's what you do:
There is a difference between an agent, who tries to find a publishing house to take on your
book, and an editor at a publishing house who also might offer a book contract. Let's start with
the publishing houses.
In the publishing world there are five major publishing houses: Penguin Random House
(Penguin, Dutton, Putnam, Random House, Alfred A. Knopf, Doubleday, Crown, etc.) , Simon
& Schuster (Poseidon, Pocket, Threshold, etc.), HarperCollins (Harlequin, etc.), Macmillan (St.
Martin's Press, Tor, etc.), and Hachette (Little, Brown & Company, etc.)
Very few of the Big 5 publishers and their subsidiaries accept unsolicited transcripts. You must
query them first, which involves you knowing how to write a killer one-page letter asking them
if they are interested in reading more of your novel. If they are, they will request 3 chapters and a
synopsis of your book, which requires you to know how to write a synopsis. Then you wait. I
waited for 18 months once (and I had an agent) for Harlequin to send me a rejection letter.
There are many, many smaller publishing houses. Yes, they don't have the power and reach that
the Big 5 does, but you have to start somewhere. My suggestion is to scout around the Internet
and find an agent that represents the type of book you have written. Query him/her and see if you
can get a contract with an agency. Then let the agent do the job of shopping your book around to
publishers. They have the contacts and the knowhow. Yes, you pay them a fee from your sales.
But you wouldn't have had any sales without them. And they don't market to the 'little
 14

publishers'; not enough money in that for either of you. Also make sure your book is ready. Have
it read by other writers and take their comments seriously.
One good site to try is querytracker. com. That is a free website that lists agents and publishers
and tells you which ones take which genres and what their requirements are and how to submit to
them. Not every agent in the world is listed here but there's around 1400 of them on this site. Do
your homework and find publishers on that site that take on new writers that don't have an agent.
Query them. If you don't know what a query letter is Google it...there are many sites that show
you how to write that letter. Smaller publishing houses may be more willing to take a chance on
a new writer than one from the Big 5.
To get the attention of an agent or editor you MUST write a book they want to represent. With
that said, only query the ones that represent the genre your book is in. The query letter is the
industry standard. Learn to write a killer query that hooks the agent and makes him/her want to
read your work. I always (even though it says not to) include the first 5 pages of my ms
(manuscript) along with the query. If they are interested, they will read them. If they read the
first few pages and I can hook them, I'll get a request for a partial, which is 3 chapters. So there's
your in... a killer query and a grab-em-by-the-throat first five pages. Just make sure the rest of
the ms is as good as the first 5 pages... lol.
The other way to get the eye of an agent is to attend local writing conferences where agents are
setting appointments. Most times, unless your book is just awful, they will ask for you to send
the first 3 chapters as a courtesy because you attended the conference. There's your in. Make sure
your chapters are sharp and fresh. The conference has a fee, but if you can fit it in your budget it
is well worth it in just the lectures and knowledge you are going to gain.
1. Give it a read and write down whatever comes on your mind.
2. Prepare a one to two pages synopsis. Be very careful to not to emphasize on one thing.
It must be a short summary including only the prominent parts of the story described in
a concise manner.
3. Take feedback from your trusted sources on your synopsis.
4. Search online for publishers interested in publishing related to the genre you are
writing.
5. Send them a proposal.
6. Wait for a reply
7. It is very difficult to get your proposal accepted. If any publisher shows interest in it,
arrange for a meeting.
8. Before heading over your writing, take in written form him. I would suggest you take
advice of an attorney because the language of such contacts is very elusive.
9. After that if the publisher likes your writing, he will guide you on how to move
forward depending on your genre.

he book is written. It is edited. You are without an agent and cannot get one despite best efforts.
You have decided to self publish.
Assuming all the above, then what remains is the actual process of publishing it. Here is, as
requested, your FIRST STEP. There are two ways in which to publish, ebook and print. In both
cases, you are going to need ISBN numbers. One ISBN is insufficient. Each version, ebook and
print, requires its own ISBN. Buying ISBN’s is relatively cheap at as low as approximately $20 a
piece. If you are Canadian, you can get them for free. You will also need bar codes for print
 15

versions. Should you elect to use Amazon’s Create Space to provide print copies, then they
provide the bar codes for free.
An ISBN is an International Standard Book Number. ISBNs were 10 digits in length up to the
end of December 2006, but since 1 January 2007 they now always consist of 13 digits. ISBNs
are calculated using a specific mathematical formula and include a check digit to validate the
number.
Each ISBN consists of 5 elements with each section being separated by spaces or hyphens. Three
of the five elements may be of varying length:
 Prefix element – currently this can only be either 978 or 979. It is always 3 digits in length
 Registration group element – this identifies the particular country, geographical region, or
language area participating in the ISBN system. This element may be between 1 and 5 digits in
length
 Registrant element - this identifies the particular publisher or imprint. This may be up to 7
digits in length
 Publication element – this identifies the particular edition and format of a specific title. This
may be up to 6 digits in length
 Check digit – this is always the final single digit that mathematically validates the rest of the
number. It is calculated using a Modulus 10 system with alternate weights of 1 and 3.
What is an ISBN used for?
An ISBN is essentially a product identifier used by publishers, booksellers, libraries, internet
retailers and other supply chain participants for ordering, listing, sales records and stock control
purposes. The ISBN identifies the registrant as well as the specific title, edition and format.
An International Standard Serial Number (ISSN) is an eight-digit serial number used
to uniquely identify a serial publication, such as a magazine.[1] The ISSN is especially helpful in
distinguishing between serials with the same title. ISSN are used in ordering, cataloging,
interlibrary loans, and other practices in connection with serial literature
ISBN Vs ISSN
ISBNs can be assigned not only to what the lay person thinks of as a book, but also to
audiobooks, ebooks, maps, software, looseleaf services, and so on.
On the other hand, what looks like a book to the lay person may in fact be an issue from a
recurring publication such as a journal or a series of monographs and will carry an ISSN.
he ISBN is assigned for a single or separate book, and ISSN is assigned for a series of books.
When ISBN identifies the specific volume or issue, the ISSN only identifies the series of the
volume or issue.

How PR Professionals can Harness the Power of Documentary Storytelling

Documentary is the art of capturing real events to provide a visual report on a particular
subject. It’s also an umbrella term; it can cover a multitude of different video types, from a
corporate explainer film, to a case study, to an event video. This article will discuss the vast
benefits a documentary can have in regards to a business or company’s public relations.
The most common type of documentary used with businesses is the corporate documentary. A
corporate documentary is typically commissioned by the organization that it features. Its main
objective is to ‘advertise without advertising’. While portraying the ‘reality’ of the organization,
is intended to show the purpose, values, and people within the business.
PR benefits of a corporate documentary can be far-reaching. The process can also be a positive
experience for the organization it features.
 16

Style
There’s a certain style of filmmaking that has become synonymous with documentary – this is to
capture an interview and use cutaway / b-roll shots to indicate what the person is talking about.
A corporate documentary is a little different; as its focus is an organisation or business, it can
feature a number of things. This can include the products and services an organisation may offer,
the community in which the company engages, or the people within the business.
The exciting thing about brand documentaries is the many different forms they can take. There’s
huge potential to tell great stories whether they are in the form of branded content about a subject
that is unrelated to your brand, or in a piece of integrated communication about your brand, your
founder or a CSR strategy.
Human Element
A founder film or corporate documentary, like a documentary featuring an individual, can be
very personal. If you choose to focus on the founder or CEO of a company, hearing their journey
can be very inspiring and add a human element to your video. Showing an audience this reality
can humanise your business and help consumers connect with your products or services.

Other PR Benefits
Done well, a business-focussed documentary can help build employee camaraderie and
confidence, increase credibility towards your customers, and allows for self-reflection and the
opportunity to improve your inner workings.
Corporate documentary reflects on the ethics of the company it features and thus can help
with company identity: there is great benefit to knowing the values of the company you work
for. Viewers will also be more likely to engage with the business because they can identify with
common ideals.

Positive PR
By sitting down with filmmakers to discuss your marketing goals, together you can determine
how they can be aligned for high quality, non-fiction storytelling. This can open the door to
content creation that can find new audiences, change perspectives, raise awareness, start a
movement, and ultimately change lives.
The potential for positive PR – winning awards, film festival entries – should not be
underestimated. The uplift in positive brand sentiment from a great short documentary film can
be a powerful marketing tool.
Brands have to be brave enough to commission filmmakers with the remit of telling a good story.
If they write a traditional brief they run the risk of inserting brand messages and diluting the
story. Bland corporate messages and familiar testimonial videos lay down that path.
Especially in the B2B space where brands have traditionally relied on explainer videos, they now
need to devote budget to making content that will reward the audience for watching. Content that
will educate them, engage them, grab them and expand their worldview.

Conclusion
The benefits of documentary to public relations can be far-reaching. A brand or corporate
documentary can help to build employee camaraderie and confidence, increase credibility
towards your consumer-base, and allows for self-reflection and the opportunity to improve inner
workings. These types of videos, when they gain traction, can massively impact public opinion
 17

for your company. People are more likely to engage with a brand that has a story they relate to –
a story that can be told through a documentary.

Film censorship – guidelines

The Cinematograph Act, 1952 and Rules

The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) is a film statutory censorship and
classification body under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of
India.
Before we directly jump to the rules & regulations let us first discuss the process.
· The Indian film production houses or the producers and directors are requested to submit
the film 68 days prior to the release date.
· During this process, no one from the production team can call any officer of the CBFC
regarding the certification updates. However, production team can check all the details by log-in
into their account.
· CBFC may take up to 68 days for issuing a certificate for any submitted film. This is why
the CBFS asked the film production houses to submit their film before 68 days so that censor
board gets enough time to review it and issue a certificate.
· If the Chairperson, on his own will or on the request of the applicant, may refer the film to
Revising Committee under Rule 24.
Rules that CBFC considers before taking decision
· Anti-social activities shouldn’t be justified.
· Scenes which justify drinking, consumption of tobacco or smoking are prohibited.
· Sexual violence against women like an attempt to rape, rape or any form of molestation, or
scenes of a similar nature are avoided, and if any, such incident is germane to the theme, they
shall be reduced to the minimum, and no details are shown.
· Visuals/ words which may provoke communal, obscurantist, anti-scientific and anti-
national attitudes are not presented.
· National symbols and emblems should be shown as per the provisions of the Emblems and
Names (Prevention of Improper Use) Act, 1950 (12 of 1950)
· The display of obscene and indecent film posters is considered a violation that comes under
the section 292 of the Indian Penal code
Film certification
Various aspects of film certifications are set down as per the Rule 41 of the Cinematograph Act,
1952.
According to The Cinematograph Act, 1952 (Act 37 of 1952) the films are issued majorly four
kinds of certificate they are:-
U – Unrestricted public exhibition
A- Restricted to adult audiences
UA- Unrestricted public exhibition subject to parental guidance for children below the age of
twelve.
S – Restricted to specialised audiences such as doctors or scientists.
The CBFC hold the rights to decide which kind of certificate the movie will get based on the
various aspect of the movie which CBFC reviewed
 18

Guidelines
In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (2) of section 5B of the Cinematograph Act,
1952 ( 37 of 1952) and in supersession of the notification of the Government of India in the
Ministry of Information and Broadcasting No. S.O. 9E) , dated 7th January, 1978, except as
respects things done or omitted to be done before such supersession, the Central Government
hereby directs that in sanctioning films of public exhibition , the Board of Film Certification
shall be guided by the following principles.
1. Objectives of Film Certification
a. the medium of film remains responsible and sensitive to the values and standards
of society;
b. artistic expression and creative freedom are not unduly curbed;
c. certification is responsible to social changes;
d. the medium of film provides clean and healthy entertainment; and
e. as far as possible, the film is of aesthetic value and cinematically of a good
standard.

2. In pursuance of the above objectives, the CBFC shall ensure that

i. anti social activities such as violence are not glorified or justified
ii. the modus operandi of criminals, other visuals or words likely to incite the
commission of any offence are not depicted;
iii. scenes -
a. showing involvement of children in violence as victims or perpetrators or
as forced witnesses to violence, or showing children as being subjected to
any form of child abuse.
b. showing abuse or ridicule of physically and mentally handicapped
persons; and
c. showing cruelty to, or abuse of animals, are not presented needlessly
iv. pointless or avoidable scenes of violence, cruelty and horror, scenes of violence
primarily intended to provide entertainment and such scenes as may have the
effect of de-sensitising or de-humanising people are not shown;
v. scenes which have the effect of justifying or glorifying drinking are not shown;
vi. scenes tending to encourage, justify or glamorise drug addiction are not shown;
a. scenes tending to encourage, justify or glamorise consumption of tobacco
or smoking are not shown;
vii. human sensibilities are not offended by vulgarity, obscenity or depravity;
viii. such dual meaning words as obviously cater to baser instincts are not allowed;
ix. scenes degrading or denigrating women in any manner are not presented;
x. scenes involving sexual violence against women like attempt to rape, rape or any
form of molestation or scenes of a similar nature are avoided, and if any such
incidence is germane to the theme, they shall be reduced to the minimum and no
details are shown
xi. scenes showing sexual perversions shall be avoided and if such matters are
germane to the theme they shall be reduced to the minimum and no details are
shown
xii. visuals or words contemptuous of racial, religious or other groups are not
presented
 19

xiii. visuals or words which promote communal, obscurantist, anti-scientific and anti-
national attitude are not presented
xiv. the sovereignty and integrity of India is not called in question;
xv. the security of the State is not jeopardized or endangered
xvi. friendly relations with foreign States are not strained;
xvii. public order is not endangered
xviii. visuals or words involving defamation of an individual or a body of individuals,
or contempt of court are not presented.
EXPLANATION: Scenes that tend to create scorn, disgrace or disregard of rules
or undermine the dignity of court will come under the term ''Contempt of Court'' :
and
xix. national symbols and emblems are not shown except in accordance with the
provisions of the Emblems and Names (Prevention of Improper Use) Act, 1950
(12 of 1950)

3. The Board of Film Certification shall also ensure that the film
. Is judged in its entirety from the point of view of its overall impact; and
i. Is examined in the light of the period depicted in the films and the contemporary
standards of the country and the people to which the film relates provided that the
film does not deprave the morality of the audience.

4. Films that meet the above – mentioned criteria but are considered unsuitable for
exhibition to non-adults shall be certified for exhibition to adult audiences only.
5.
0. While certifying films for unrestricted public exhibition, the Board shall ensure
that the film is suitable for family viewing, that is to say, the film shall be such
that all the members of the family including children can view it together.
1. If the Board, having regard to the nature, content and theme of the film is of the
opinion that it is necessary to caution the parents / guardian to consider as to
whether any child below the age of twelve years maybe allowed to see such a
film, the film shall be certified for unrestricted public exhibition with an
endorsement to that effect.
2. If the Board having regard to the nature, content and theme of the film, is of the
opinion that the exhibition of the film should be restricted to members of any
profession or any class of persons, the film shall be certified for public exhibition
restricted to the specialized audiences to be specified by the Board in this behalf.

6. The Board shall scrutinize the titles of the films carefully and ensure that they are not
provocative, vulgar, offensive or violative of any of the above-mentioned guidelines.