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A testament to the ingenuity of scholarly presses, One Book/Five Ways is a fascinating experiment in comparative publishing. This book records the history of a single manuscript, entitled No Time for Houseplants, submitted to five different university presses—Chicago, MIT, North Carolina, Texas, and Toronto—and then actually published by the University of Oklahoma Press. Each of the five model publishers agreed to treat the book as a real project accepted for publication and to compile a log of procedures they followed. These logs include correspondence, budgets, forms, layouts, and specifications, providing an insider's look at the path a manuscript takes through the various departments of each press, from editorial to marketing.

With a new Foreword discussing changes in publishing since 1978 and an Afterword commenting on the actual publication of No Time for Houseplants, One Book/Five Ways is a unique educational tool for anyone interested in the publishing process.

• All authors desire to get their books into the hands of as many readers as possible. Though it is a publisher’s role to aid and assist authors in marketing and publicity for every book, the role of any publisher necessarily takes a back seat to your all-important efforts. Nobody else can do this essential work as effectively as you can.

• This handbook will prepare you to take the lead in executing your own publicity plan. It is designed to guide you, step-by-step, through the process of making a success of your book. It’s jam-packed with the essential tools, ideas, and resources you’ll need to achieve that goal, from an independent publisher who has provided a launching pad for authors like Ilya Kaminsky, Aimee Nezhukumatathil, Jennifer Michael Hecht, Maggie Smith, Matthew Zapruder, and 250 others.

• Thoroughly and joyfully embrace the notion of self-promotion, knowing that it’s the book—your book—you’re breathing life into. You wouldn’t have written and published your book if you didn’t believe in it, and in yourself, as a writer with important artistic talent to share. Your publisher believes in you. Your family and friends believe in you. Your current readers believe in you. And future readers will believe in you.

Jeffrey Levine, Publisher, Tupelo Press

You’ll learn the essentials for book marketing as an indie author in a digital age:
• Develop your author image and brand across social channels
• Create an engaging social media presence
• Grow your audience and meaningfully connect with them
• Build an attractive, searchable website—no coding skills needed
• Launch a publicity campaign that gets you reviews
• Ensure your book is on bookstore and library shelves
• Practice mindful literary citizenship
• Learn from Tupelo authors (who were in your shoes not too long ago!)