30 Mar Media Session: ‘Bakom kulisserna vid bokpublicering: från idé till färdig bok’ (Behind the scenes of book publishing: from idea to finished book)
How do you actually publish a book? Journalists, communicators, and others who work with words are familiar with writing, and many eventually ask themselves this question.
On March 25th, Västra Frilans (the Journalism Union’s section for freelancers in Västra Götaland), together with the Gothenburg Media Hub (GMH), hosted an event at Gothenburg’s Litteraturhuset titled “Bakom kulisserna vid bokpublicering: från idé till färdig bok”. The guest speaker was journalist and author Eva-Lotta Hultén, who has published seven non-fiction books on topics such as human nature, society, extremism and the relationship between people and nature.
“I am a journalist who writes books in her niche,” she said on stage in conversation with Västra Frilans’ chairwoman and GMH member Tåve Jernmark. One of her main pieces of advice was to pitch topics you have already worked on extensively, as clear expertise makes it easier to convince a publisher.
Hultén has worked with a different publishing house for each of her books, which has given her the freedom to explore a lot of the topics she is interested in. At the same time, it has meant more work, as each project has to be pitched from scratch. She described the pitching process as straightforward: the initial contact should be brief, while more detailed material can be prepared if requested later.
Overall, she presented publishing as less intimidating than it may seem. The process involves pitching ideas, facing rejection and continuing nonetheless – something many freelance journalists are familiar with. For her, endurance has been the most important quality. Discussing ideas with friends has also helped her shape her projects.
For highly specialized topics, Hultén recommends smaller publishing houses, which are often more engaged in specific subjects than larger ones. However, authors should be prepared to take on much of the marketing themselves through workshops, presentations and readings.
Earning money from books alone is uncommon. Hultén instead builds on her material by turning it into essays, columns and other journalistic work. She also highlighted scholarships and speaking engagements as additional sources of income. Self-publishing can be an option for those who already have their own audience. While larger publishers offer more resources and prestige, their importance may be less decisive than many assume.
The audience responded positively to the discussion and continued talking after the event. Tåve Jernmark, who has many years of experience in publishing, added insights into the number of people involved in producing a book, the costs behind it and how distribution works. The event offered a clear overview of what happens behind the scenes before a book reaches the bookstore.
The next event will focus on podcasting and will take place on the 23rd of April at Litteraturhuset, Heurlins plats 1, from 18:00 to 19:00. Visitors are welcome to arrive half an hour early to meet colleagues.
