Finding publishing information online has never been easier due to free industry resources on the Internet. Some websites charge a fee for accessing sought-after publishing guides online, such as the names and contact information of key people. Others are good sources for finding industry statistics, publishing trends, jobs in publishing and links to other resources.
Where to Find Targeted and Free Publishing Resources Online
Searching Google for terms like book publishing or getting published will return not thousands but millions of sites; getting lost or missing valuable information is unavoidable. Below are three links to targeted, indispensable and free publishing resources that aspiring writers, publishing students or anyone wanting to find a job in publishing should know.
- Insider news. Publishing Trends provides a monthly newsletter featuring news and opinions about changes in publishing. Though the newsletter is subscription based, the website offers many free publishing tidbits such as an event calendar, statistics, news about key publishing professionals, links, an archive and yes, publishing trends.
- THE industry magazine. PublishersWeekly.com is the online version of the weekly publishing magazine. The website is a must for anyone interested in publishing professionally and includes bestseller lists, reviews, book and retail news and job listings.
- UK trade association. The Publishers Association’s website includes a useful section about publishing with information about getting published, careers in publishing, book categories, copyright and more. PA’s members represent 80% of the UK’s publishing industry (by turnover).
What to Look for When Researching Publishing Online
Armed with a clear objective, searching the internet for publishing information will return usable and extensive resources.
- Look for websites that are affiliated with a publishing organization or owned by publishing corporations. They will provide reliable industry information and further leads.
- Keep a record of sites visited, even when they seem just partly relevant or interesting at first. Bookmark them right away or keep the information in a Word file. Among thousands of results, it will otherwise be difficult to remember the ones that might prove useful later.
- Skip websites that only promote one product – a book promising ways to make a fortune through writing, self-publishing or the like. These are pure sales tools and provide no further information.
Gone are the days when researching the publishing industry meant visiting the next business library to scan one dusty volume of an industry tome after the next. Though this might occasionally be necessary for specific information, knowing and bookmarking key websites can save valuable time.
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