Publishing options

This section focuses on the digital and print publication of your book, providing a few essential hints to help you identify suitable publishers, predict and avoid delays, reduce cost and minimise the time it will take you to publish your manuscript.

As with any book proposal, when choosing a publisher for your open access book you should consider whether they publish high-quality work in your subject area, but also explore important issues including licensing, fees, and discoverability.

There are multiple types of publishers which differ in their approaches and operating models but offer broadly similar services. This article details the types of publishers, the services you should expect, and some of the charges you might encounter.

The Directory of Open Access Books (DOAB) is the largest resource to find open access book publishers, with around 400 publishers listed. Other ways to find open access book publishers include the OAPEN list of compliant publishers, the list of OASPA members, and various platforms that host open access books. Self-publishing may also be an option for you.

There are advantages and disadvantages to self-publishing an academic book. Advantages include speed and autonomy. Disadvantages include the labour involved and the lack of peer review, quality assurance, dissemination and marketing support provided by a reputable press. This article explores these issues and the tools and platforms that can enable you to self-publish.