Cold Tree Press Self-Publishing for the Discerning Author

We've been slowly interviewing a number of small publishers, in particular publishers who offer what's called "print on demand" publishing services. These publishers range from those who will print anything for anyone to publishers charging $5,000 and up to publish a book. The options for self-publishers who want to publish a book are many, and sometimes it can be extremely difficult to discern the differences.

One criteria I've often used to decide between one vendor and another, for publishing or even buying a car, is the quality of service and support. For small publishers, this can mean the difference between getting a book of very high quality and something you'd be ashamed to show your best friends.

Peter Honsberger, the president of Cold Tree Press is one of those guys you just want to invite out for a beer after a hard days work. He'll readily admit that Cold Tree Press isn't the cheapest deal out there, but the personal attention he pays to his authors for the price he charges goes beyond anything I've seen thus far.

When deciding to self-publish a book, you're making a huge investment in yourself. Unlike working with a traditional publisher who may provide you with an advance and asks for no up-front fees, small publishers like Cold Tree Press make their money through a combination of book sales and fees for services.

Because of this, it's the quality of service you receive from such a publisher that matters most.

Peter started out as a designer and has spent enough time in publishing to understand what it's like for the author, especially the first-time author. He says, "I got a sense of what writers go through - two to three years of research and writing to complete a book. So, what I want most is to make this an enjoyable experience for the writer - and for me."

Cold Tree Press won't accept every manuscript. They'll read the manuscript, and if they don't that it's ready for prime time, they'll send a note with suggestions as to what improvements can be made. Says Peter: "If we did take everything that came in, we'd be raising people's expectations beyond what's justified. In the end, they'd only be disappointed."

What this means is that if you submit your manuscript to Cold Tree Press, and they don't think it's good enough to sell, they'll tell you. It's a harsh reality, but wouldn't you rather find out now instead of investing thousands of dollars in a book that goes nowhere?

What I especially like about Cold Tree Press is their willingness to work with people, even those they reject. If you're rejected and make the suggested changes, they'll work with you to ensure that the total job is done well.

[Editor's note: In our upcoming Guide to Self-Publishing, we'll provide detailed comparisons of 40 small publishers, including Cold Tree Press - stay tuned - Email us with your questions or suggestions]

Peter adds, "In publishing, you have to give them the best possible chance. Doing books that are professionally edited, and in good shape, give the author a fighting chance. That's what we want to do." In light of the fact that the five major publishing houses have become what Peter calls a "single conglomerate", there aren't as many opportunities for the first-time author. Editors come and go so quickly at these large publishers that unless you've got connections, it's an uphill battle to get published.

Peter sees the future of publishing as a hybrid of the self-publishing and traditional publishing industries. The big publishing houses will have self-publishing arms, and self-publishing companies will have traditional arms that can take a book to market, provide marketing services and expertise, and give the author more than a line item on a web page or a listing at Amazon.

Peter and his company, Cold Tree Press remind us of the good old days when publishers took the time to care about the books they sell and the authors who write those books. Peter claims to read at least five or six chapters of 90% of the books his company publishes. Whether or not he'll be able to maintain that rate is questionable, but you can't deny that his heart is in the right place. See, for example, if you can even get the name of someone who works at Lulu.

"Inexpensive" is a relative term when it comes to books. You might be able to publish a book for free, but if it looks like crap and doesn't sell, then you've wasted perhaps thousands of dollars of your time.

That's why I like Cold Tree Press. They do a complete line-by-line edit, including content editing, and will work until the book looks as close to perfect as possible inside and out. Few publishers are as diligent as Cold Tree Press. You will have to pay more money up front than with many publishers, but you get what you pay for.

Peter added that they'll soon have several book marketing packages available, including a low-end package and a high-end package that includes some hands-on marketing from book marketing specialists. I can't wait to see what they come up with.

Cold Tree Press might be a good choice for you if you're serious about having the highest quality book possible, but without the high-end expense of vanity presses, which can charge $2500 or more. However, if you just want your book published, and don't care about editing, cover design, or interior layout, then there are many other options available.

You can learn more about Cold Tree Press at their web site: http://www.coldtreepress.com. I'll bet that if you send them a message, there's a good chance you'll hear directly from the man (Peter).

Final note: Cold Tree Press is in their fifth year of doing business, and have been steadily doubling in size every year. They must be doing something right.