Shaking up the paradigm of Traditional Publishing

Have you heard the story of Andy Weir? Andy Weir is the author of the bestselling novel, The Martian.

As a computer science student, he started writing science fiction in his twenties. He who loved everything about science had a devoted following of people who loved science. His bestseller began as a series of blog posts on his website. The story revolves around a guy stuck on Mars. With extensive research into conditions on Mars, orbital mechanics, and space flight, Weir’s astonishing level of detail captured the attention of sci-fi fans.  On repeated requests from his followers, Weir decided to compile all the blogs, self-published them and sold them on Amazon. From then on, it was stuff that dreams are made of. The Martian ended up on top of the New York Times bestseller list and even got adapted into a Matt Damon movie directed by Ridley Scott.

Acquiring the right kind of readership

Back in the day if you wrote a book, your best chance to get it published was through an agent. You could always send it to the publisher directly, but at the risk of losing it amongst numerous other manuscripts vying for their attention. But if you were going through an agent, the chances of ending up with a contract were brighter because publishers trust agents to vet the proposals. This entire process spans several months and the rates of rejection are staggeringly high. Again, once published, the author doesn’t really get to know if his story reached the intended audience.

It is interesting to note that many new-age authors are finding this connection while choosing not to go through the grueling processes of traditional publishing. All you need is a significant presence on social media like Facebook or Instagram or even YouTube. Your followers on these media are your perfect audience allowing you to engage in precise target marketing. Giving away your book to your followers will ensure that your work is received by the intended audience as opposed to languishing on the shelves of a retailer. Remember, had it not been for Andy Weir’s followers, The Martian wouldn’t have seen the light of the day. Your followers may also goad you to do something extraordinary!

Why we recommend Self-publishing

• Book Printing Companies
  If you have a story ready to be told but have no idea how to present it, you can avail a book printing company’s services. They will offer specialized services like designing your book cover, binding services, help you choose the right type of paper or the ideal book size, all at very reasonable costs. Opting for a book printing company will ensure top-notch end product with uniform quality. But they will not help you in order management, sales, or customer service. It is the author’s responsibility to ensure that the book reaches the end-user.
•  Book Distribution Companies
  These manage the backend operations of your business. Order fulfillment is done by the book distribution company on your behalf as they come in from your website. They stock your inventory in their warehouses and maintain a thorough account by giving inventory alerts as and when required.  They can assemble specific sales kits(kitting), integrate well with eCommerce sites, manage your sales and sales returns and most importantly ship your product directly to the end customer. They typically do not provide printing services. Opting for this method also means that huge amounts are sunk in accumulated inventory.                      
• Print on Demand Companies
  Print-on-demand (or POD) is an order fulfillment method where items are printed as soon as an order is made. Entirely need-based, it allows you to maintain absolutely no inventory. In most cases, there’s no minimum quantity stipulated for the order. PODs are integrated with eCommerce platforms and once an order is placed, it is diverted to the nearest fulfillment center, where the books are printed and then shipped. They do not process your sales or sales returns or provide customer support. It’s your job to handle these tasks. POD companies are great if you want to avoid huge upfront expenditures or piles of excess inventory.

Try our Way

What if we told you that the benefits of all these options have been rolled into one? Acutrack provides the entire gamut of services you are looking for a book fulfillment company. We are ideal for authors who already have a following and a sales forecast in place. In book printing, we provide the widest range of trim sizes, binding options, and digital/offset technology to suit your requirements.  Our expert team will guide you through graphic design and provide superlative packaging to make sure that your labor of love looks perfect.  We will manage your inventory and ensure you never run out of stock, while you promote your book. Acutrack seamlessly integrates with all eCommerce platforms and provides an online dashboard for you to track your business in real-time. Your work can be shipped worldwide at an amazing turnaround time. At Acutrack, we support your endeavor by giving you complete control over your earnings and helping you build a valuable relationship with your readers.

 Reach out to us to understand more about how we can help you self-publish, talk to one of our experts!