Essays Assistance » self-publishing

Simple Steps Lead To Successful Books

Essays — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 19:50:50 +0000

Like most first time authors, I figured that once the word was out that I’d written a book, the world would beat a path to my door wanting to buy it. I’ll admit I gave little thought to marketing until the day my first printing of Handbook To A Happier Life was delivered. In a panic, I called a published author I knew and asked, “What do I do now?” She suggested several books about book marketing, which I bought immediately. I was on my way.

Success in book selling is a three step process: 1. Write the book. 2. Print the book. 3. Sell the book. That last one can be bit tricky:-)

Space does not permit me to go into all the details of my process or to list the many people who helped, however, there are a couple of very important points I learned early on which made all the difference.

The most important thing I learned was to identify my reader. As much as I hated to admit it, not everyone would buy my book. My early feedback told me entrepreneurs, network marketers and salespeople were buying my book. I began to ask myself focused questions as to how I could best reach these people. I set goals. After all, if you don’t have a goal, how will you know when you’ve succeeded? I took specific actions daily. That’s important. Consistent action will make all the difference.

There were days when I was ready to give up but I kept taking action. I refused to give up. Another important point. Never, never, never give up! One day, a door opened. I had located a distributor who was selling to the market I wanted to reach. They reviewed “Handbook To A Happier Life” and it was put on a recommended reading list. It went into eight printings with almost 100,000 copies sold and was translated into several languages, and then sold to a big publisher. I knew all along that once people saw this book, they would want to read it.

I firmly believe most books will sell once you have taken the time to clearly define your market, set your goals and commit to taking daily action. And more action – keeping in mind that there are many places you can sell books besides bookstores. Go for it!

The Best Business Card You Ever Had

“Keep in mind Jim, this is a great business card.” That was my first lesson as a new author and it has served me well over the years. On a lark, I sent 20 copies of my new book to the presidents of several big direct sales companies. The result was a glowing testimonial from the president of one of the companies, along with an order for 250 books. Was it worth the cost of giving away the 20? You bet it was! I like to think of giving away books as planting seeds. You never know which ones will spout or when.

Many professional speakers and coaches willingly give away their $12 paperback book (with a cost of a $2-$4) and attract clients and bookings worth thousands of dollars from it. Others obtain high priced consulting contracts using the book as a door opener.

To receive a FREE “Successful Self-publishing” e-book, visit

.writepublishselllyourbook.com

Consider Self Publishing in Ebook Format

Essays — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 23:33:53 +0000

Today, more than every before authors are presented with publishing opportunities that have never existed before. This is not to understate the hard work that authors have to go through to get recognition, write great books, and make a full time living from their passion of expression. However, it is to say that today, due to advances in communications technology, authors can now get their books distributed much easier than they could a decade ago. One very popular way that authors are distributing their work is digitally through ebooks. Digital books are gaining so much popularity that even some of the most popular authors in the world have used it to distribute their books. Stephen King for example published “Riding the Bullet” exclusively in ebook format. When this ebook began distribution over Barns and Nobel and Amazon.com there was so much demand for the download that the servers of these two book giants slowed down almost to a halt. People that wanted to download the ebook were put in a large queue with the hundreds of thousands of other who downloaded the ebook as well.

It’s not only big name authors that are finding success in ebooks. We at Ebook Architect have been helping authors create, market and sell their ebooks online for years now with great success. Many of these people are first time authors and are often amazed with the success of their ebook sales. Below are some of their ebook writing tips.

Don’t underestimate the power of the Ebook

Ebooks are still looked upon as unpopular by many authors who have not yet taken the time to learn about the success within this industry. For example, while the traditional publishing industry growing at the sluggish rate of 5% a year the digital publishing industry is growing at rates between 30% -50%. This means that the opportunities within the publishing industry are growing at a fraction of the rate that opportunities within the digital publishing industry are growing.

To set up an ebook you don’t need to be a tech wizard

Setting up your ebook from the idea conceptualization stage to the selling stage can’t be completed overnight but it is definitely something that can be done by anyone regardless of your technological background. If you can use a word processor then you can create and sell an ebook online. While it is recommended you set up your own website, it is not necessary. There are outlets such as amazon.com, EBay and Lulu.com to name only a few sites that allow you to post your ebook on their servers.

Setting up an Ebook site is virtually costless and you keep 100% of the profits

With traditional publishers you’ll be lucky to see 10% of the profits from your book. With ebooks however, you keep 100% of the profits minus the fees required to set up the site which are minimal. Here is the fee breakdown for ebooks vs traditional books

Ebook vs Book cost

Ebook = Free to create an unlimited number of copies

Book = Approximately $1500 for 200 copies of a 200 page soft cover book

Rights and profit

Ebook = You keep 100% of the profits and rights to your ebooks

Book = You get 10-40% royalty (usually about $2-$5/ book)

With the above examples it is easy to see that for first time authors ebooks make a lot of sense. The risk associated with publishing an ebook is much lower than it is with distributing a soft or hard cover book. Likewise, as an ebook author you’ll keep virtually all of your own profits.

If nothing else, it is something worth consideration. Ebooks may not replace traditional paperback books, but they certainly are gaining popularity at a rate that should make all authors stop to think about how they could use ebooks to their advantage.

Book Shepherds: Who are they? What do they do? Should you hire one?

Essays — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:25:13 +0000

As anyone who’s courageously ventured into the arena of self-publishing knows&ndashor soon will&ndashthere’s much more involved in the process than simply sending your manuscript off to a printer, dropping off review copies at a handful of bookstores, and kicking back and waiting for the revenues to roll in.

To the uninitiated author journeying alone, the critical decisions that need to be made along the way can be overwhelming, frustrating, and even downright daunting.

Fortunately, a new breed of publication consultants has grown up right alongside the flourishing self-publishing population to serve as guidance counselors through each phase of the complicated process. Though self-publishing is largely considered a DIY endeavor&ndashhence the designation self-publishing&ndashthere may be many advantages to using a professional book shepherd (as book consultants have been dubbed by self-publishing guru Dan Poynter) that makes hiring one well worthy of consideration.

But, just what exactly is a book shepherd? In practice, many of the professional services book shepherds provide include either direct assistance with or advice on cover and interior book design, manuscript editing, printer brokering, forms filing, production, distribution, marketing, and publicity. Some shepherds work within fully staffed one-stop firms that will ferry your book through production and beyond; others work autonomously and will often refer you to experts in the areas they don’t handle.

The Benefits of Hiring a Book Shepherd

Collaborating with a good book shepherd can increase your chances for publishing success&ndashin more ways than you might think. “There’s a bit of a misconception about what a book shepherd does,” says Ellen Reid of Smarketing-Infinite Possibilities, “that it’s all about book production. That’s a component of what we do, but it’s not the entire reason to hire a book shepherd.”

Reid likens her consulting approach to playing the role of a creative director at an ad agency or the producer of a film, and she revels in the creative aspect of her job. First, she assembles a creative team of resources for each of her clients&ndasha copywriter, an editor, and a cover and interior designer&ndashthen she oversees every aspect of design, production, and distribution.

Book shepherds can save authors time and keep them from making the major mistakes that self-publishing rookies are apt to make. “Self-publishing is not a simple business,” says Simon Warwick-Smith, president of Warwick Associates and former senior VP of marketing for a large U.S. book distributor, “and people can either spend a few years learning about it, or they can go to someone who’s been there who can tell them what to do.”

Cynthia Frank, book consultant and president of Cypress House, who has 20 years’ experience in the business, shares Warwick-Smith’s philosophy and uses a similar approach. Frank asks her clients to describe their definition of publishing success so that she can help them reach that level&ndashwhether it’s achieving a good sales ranking on Amazon.com or using their first book as a stepping stone to a traditional publishing contract. Next she asks her authors to perform a self-assessment, honestly representing their weaknesses and strengths regarding aspects of the business, so she can formulate a comprehensive plan that will align their definition of success with the concrete steps to making it happen.

“If my client is not good at marketing, for example, and all of his capital is tied up in inventory,” says Frank, “then there’s no money left over for marketing, and he’s heading for trouble. I help my clients see where they’re coming up short in the planning stages.”

Book shepherds also help their clients get up to speed quickly on the ins and outs of self-publishing. “There’s so much jargon in our industry, and if somebody is just starting out, their eyes will be spinning in their head,” says Frank. “We explain the different registrations and distribution methods and help them decide whether their books should be sold in bookstores, specialty shops, or gift and stationery stores, for example.”

Planning ahead, experts agree, is of the utmost importance. Self-publishing is, in effect, a small business, and it deserves to be treated as such right from the start. Most shepherds strongly advise authors to prepare a formal business plan for a self-publishing venture before they even begin writing the manuscript. “Oftentimes we see people go into self-publishing with no more forethought than they would use to order a meal at a fancy restaurant,” says Frank.

Sometimes, too, a book shepherd has connections and proven strategies that can benefit the aspiring author. “I’ve developed relationships with national distributors,” says book shepherd Gail Kearns of To Press and Beyond, “and if the product is great and the price is right, I can usually get the books into the hands of distributors. We also have some creative ideas for marketing that don’t cost a lot of money.”

In essence, a good book shepherd can save an author time, money, headaches, and&ndashone hopes&ndashdisappointment.

How to Get the Most from a Book Shepherding Session

But don’t plan on using a book shepherd to hold your hand every step of the way&ndashunless of course, your pocketbook is bursting at the seams. With hourly rates ranging from approximately $50 to $150 and up, depending on the services you use, the fees can pile up quickly and eat up a good chunk of your budget.

It’s much more prudent to do a lot of homework up front, advises Barbara Denise Files, author of two self-published books including her latest, Ballet Secrets for Skaters: How to Hone Your Artistic Competitive Edge.

Files enjoyed a positive experience working with book shepherd Marilyn Ross, co-founder of Small Publishers Association of North America (SPAN), and she attributes much of the collaboration’s success to the fact that she did a lot of research before she even called Ross. “I didn’t just pick up the phone and say, ‘You know, I think I might want to write a book,’” Files says.

After formulating a business plan, Files did a background check on her prospective coach by monitoring her newsletters and submitting some questions to Ross via the internet. Satisfied that Ross really knew her stuff, Files gathered her materials&ndasha mission statement, some demographic information she’d compiled on her target audience, and ideas for how to serve them&ndashand developed some specific questions for Ross to answer during their consulting session: Should she write one book, or should she divide her information into a series? How could she best market her niche publication? How many copies should she have printed in the first run? And the all-important: What should the title be?

For Files, using a coach enabled her to make better-educated choices: “When you’re a self-publishing author, there are a lot of crucial decisions you have to make,” Files says. “A book shepherd acts like a sounding board and using one gives you access to professional feedback.”

In order to make your book shepherding experience cost-effective, Files recommends networking with other self-publishers on Internet forums, joining writers’ clubs, taking a class, and reading books on self-publishing so you can learn the rules of the road before hiring a consultant. “Make the call only after you have a specific plan and specific questions to ask,” says Files, “otherwise, you’re going to end up spending a lot of money and time asking basic questions without receiving much direction on your project.”

Working with a book shepherd is like most experiences in life, according to Files, who says, “The more you put into it ahead of time, the more you’ll get out of it.”

Shepherds’ Tips on Self-Publishing Success

1. “Self-publishing is an expensive business that has an all-or-nothing aspect to it. I don’t recommend trying to publish on a shoestring. If you can’t afford to do it right, just don’t do it.” (Simon Warwick-Smith)

2. “First I tell my authors that it’s critically important to plan ahead. There are 120,000 new books per year on the market, a market that is glutted with books, and one needs to know how to approach that. Don’t think about marketing, sales, and promotion after you’ve printed your book; get expert help on the cover, the content, and the page design.” (Simon Warwick-Smith)

3. “Hire a professional book cover designer. The cover is hugely important real estate&ndashit has to scan well into black and white, it has to have integrity at 1

Getting Published:Tips For Young Writers

Essays — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 21:00:25 +0000

The task of getting published is one of the daunting aspects of writing. This can be difficult, if you want to get published by a traditional publishing house. It’s not as difficult if you want to self-publish. In this article I will share with you the steps involved in getting your work published either traditionally or through self-publishing.

Mainstream publishers are often reluctant to accept work from young writers as anyone under 18 cannot sign a contract on their own and will require parental involvement. That is not to say you cannot submit to them but make sure your work is of high quality as you will be competing with adult writers. There are also several publishers that cater specifically to young writers, for a list of these, check out the book THE YOUNG WRITER’S GUIDE TO GETTING PUBLISHED. There are also several sites on the web that accept work from young writers such as stonesoup.com and Merlyn’s pen. Make sure you edit your work thoroughly and follow the submission guidelines for publishers carefully. Some publishers prefer that you send a query letter only at first describing your project. The query letter should be only one page long. If it is longer than that a busy editor will likely just throw it to one side. Think of the back cover summary you see on most books you buy, try to summarize what your book is about in a few words. This can be difficult but it must be done and done in a way that grabs an editor’s attention. Some publishers will allow you to submit a query letter and a few chapters of your work or your entire book. It is important that you use the correct font, you can’t go wrong with courier new 12 pt and a double spaced manuscript. The query letter can use the same font but there is no need to double space it.

Let’s now take a look at self publishing. Self publishing has become quite easy with the advent of self publishers like Lulu. At lulu.com you can publish your work for free. However lulu does take a small commission of anything you sell. Lulu also sells ISBN’s for around $100 U.S. dollars. An ISBN will make your book available for international sale. It will become available to places like Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble and hundreds of other distributors worldwide. When you self publish you set your own price and your age never becomes a factor as it will be with some traditional publishers. If you decide to self publish everything falls into your hands, from editing to formatting. Lulu provides several services for these publishing details, however the costs can add up for young writers. The good news is that with patience and determination you can do it yourself. Lulu provides templates for formatting your book. If you can find a teacher, friend or parent to help you with editing you are well on your way without breaking the bank. Lulu makes making your book cover as easy as possible although you are responsible for finding your own image if you do not wish to use their images.

Finally, there is nothing like seeing your work in print and the opportunities for young writers are greater than ever.

Self Publishing Your Own Book: When Should You Consider It?

Essays — Mon, 04 May 2009 02:36:48 +0000

Self publishing your own book is one of the publishing industry’s dirty little secrets. Mainstream publishers, editors, and authors easily dismiss self publishing and print on demand publishing as a rip-off for both the writer and reader. After all, if the writer was a real writer then they could find a real publisher, right? That has been the conventional wisdom for a long time but in today’s modern, technological society that conventional wisdom does not always hold true. So who should consider self publishing?

Real writers should consider self publishing. Published authors often find themselves placed in a prison of their own making. Once they have achieved even modest success in a specific niche it is often hard to break out of that niche and publish something different. However self publishing gives authors control over their own writing so they can change direction or genre if they choose. Published authors who have taken some time off from their writing often find it just as hard to return as it was to break in initially. They can often easily parlay their experience and audience into a successful self publishing career. Finally, writers who have an idea that does not fit neatly into one of the major publishing houses slots may find self publishing their only alternative. Just because it doesn’t fit into a neat slot doesn’t mean your book doesn’t have great potential — think about Diana Gabaldon and J.K. Rowling.

Control freaks should also consider self publishing. Once you sign your baby over to a major publisher then you lose control of your book. The publisher can slap a horrible or inappropriate cover on it, change its name, or even alter the main characters. Your name will go on the book but what is published may be drastically changed from your original creation–and not always for the better. Think it won’t happen to you, or that you won’t care as long as you get the royalty check, then think again. I can tell you that I still cringe whenever I have to claim a book I published in 1998. It’s not the book that makes me want to crawl under a rock–but the cover and title the publisher slapped on it.

Money grubbers should also consider self publishing. While the independently wealthy may consider their art reward enough the rest of us need to eat and pay the mortgage (not to mention buy paper and pens) so money does matter. And of course, we want all our hard work to be rewarded. In our capitalist society that reward should be monetary. While self publishing may require you to put up some of your own money and traditional publishing will instead offer you an upfront payment, the final balance sheet will tell you a much different story. The initial advance from a traditional publisher will be small (unless you are Stephen King) and may be the only money you receive for your book for a long time — and perhaps ever depending how your book sells. Any book royalties you receive will be for a small percentage and will be spread out over years to come as well as held ransom for book returns. The final indignity is that your book’s sales depend greatly on the promotional effort your publisher puts into it. The ugly truth is that the publisher does not much care about your baby and will rarely put any extra money, manpower, or thought into how to promote your book. Most midlist and lowlist authors conduct (and foot the bill for) their own promotion. At least when you self publish you know you will be on your own and you can factor that into your budget.

If you are a real writer, a control freak, or a money grubber (or perhaps some combination) then you should consider self publishing your own book.

5 Tips To Start Selling Your Self-Published Book

Essays — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 03:22:54 +0000

You’ve spent hours researching, writing and self-publishing your book. Now, you want to reap the benefits of selling it yourself, but where do you begin?

Here are five simple tips to help you get started.

1. Figure out your market.

“Bookstores are lousy places to sell books,” says self-publishing guru Dan Poynter in USA Weekend . “Find the places where your audience gathers and sell directly to them. If your book is about cats, go to pet stores.”

To start selling your book, take the time to research your target audience. Who will be interested in purchasing your book and sharing it with their friends?

Once you know your target market, look at the places they shop and spend their leisure time. What media venues do they watch, read and listen to on a regular basis?

Create a list of all potential organizations, business and groups. This will give you a good understanding of the online sites and brick-and-mortar locations where you need to focus your marketing efforts.

2. Spread the word.

When you are ready to start selling, don’t be shy. Talk about your book, carry a copy around with you and look for every opportunity to mention it. Also be ready to give copies away to influential people who will build buzz about your business.

If you are a good speaker, try to give presentations to groups catering to your target audience. You can partner with various organizations to promote your appearance and build word-of-mouth. This may include issuing a press release, giving books away during radio or television interviews or getting involved with charitable activities.

“Speaking to local, target audiences is a great way to start building buzz about your products and services,” says Melanie Rembrandt, small business PR expert and owner of Rembrandt Communications, .rembrandtwrites.com. “But in order to build credibility, you need to offer valuable information pertinent to your book’s subject without being sales-oriented. You can always have a book-signing after your presentation to sell your books and meet potential customers.”

Another trick is to leave a copy of your book at your local bookstore or library. If visitors pick up the book and read it, they will ask for a copy of it. Then, the person at the counter may contact you to purchase additional copies.

3. Venture outside your target market.

After you’ve pursued all venues focusing on your specific audience, start marketing your book to other groups outside your target market.

Look for secondary sources that may be interested in purchasing your book as a gift for a friend, co-worker or family member. Perhaps you can partner with a business, charitable organization or hobby-group related to your book-topic?

Think “outside of the box” and try to let as many people know about your book as possible. You can issue a press release, offer special discounts and create newsworthy events to draw attention to your book. And these activities don’t need to cost a lot of money. You just need to think of some ways to stress the unique benefits of your book and take the extra time and effort to plan, coordinate and follow-through with your ideas.

4. Take advantage of business relationships.

If you used an online publisher in developing your book, advertise on their site. If you used a local printer, ask if you can leave a couple copies at their front desk.

Visit all of your local establishments and leave some kind of information about your book. If you are a regular customer, most of these businesses will be happy to help you and the local economy.

And when preparing these “leave-behinds,” think about the benefits for the business and customers. Perhaps you can print up small calendars, checklists, quick tips, bookmarks and other items that advertise your book while offering something of value to potential readers.

You may even be able to partner with various businesses to offer special joint coupons and discounts. Use your imagination, but always keep the benefits for the customer in mind.

5. List your book online.

This may be obvious, but you really need to list your book online to reach the broadest possible market and increase “buzz.” Review your target audience and try to get information about your book posted on all of the pertinent sites they visit.

Also create a simple website. And don’t worry. Today, there are many services that offer cost-effective or free websites to self-published authors. You don’t need to be a technical genius or have a lot of money to take advantage of these services and create an online presence.

However, in your online copy, be sure to stress the unique benefits of your book and provide customer testimonials (for credibility). Also include some information about your background to help you stand apart from others in your genre.

Once your site is up and running, research free, press-release posting sites. Also look for online organizations that may be willing to post reciprocal links to your site to help build search-engine optimization.

These are just a few, simple tips. There are many ways to sell your self-published books. But you can start by focusing on your target audience, work the business relationships you already have and be creative. And soon, you’ll be well on your way to being a top-selling author!

For more tips and information, visit .jexbo.com.

Free For All

Essays — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 17:25:01 +0000

A debate is taking place on the worldwide web in connection with the use or overuse of content. Everyone seems to agree that the use of quality content is important, but how much is too much and what ways are best for the distribution of your content?

Please note that this issue is not related to write-for-hire or contract content writing.

Close to the Vest

Some writers in this camp indicate they feel there is an integrity issue at stake when a writer makes their work widely available and used on multiple sites.

In this line of thinking the author should only use the article on their own personal site without the ability of other sites to use the work.

Many authors feel that the use of the article in a singular location provides more weight to the article when viewed by online guests.

Free For All

In this camp the mantra is “Everyone can use it!” The motivations for allowing the use might be different for each author, but there are many that use this strategy.

For some writers, the allowance of article use is tied to their interest in making a certain point of view widely available. This may be tied to religious or political thought. For other writers, the use of free-to-use articles has more to do with a wealth of online marketing potential.

In either case, these articles do tend to be widely used.

Which is the right perspective?

I suppose the answer to that question lie in what it is you are most interested in accomplishing with your article. It could be that the tie to the article is so intimate that it would be a violation of conscience to allow it to be used elsewhere. However, it could be a message of such importance that it makes sense to make it available to a wider audience.

There are obvious benefits to making at least some of your work available at no cost through an online article submission service. In many cases the body of free articles represents a voice of authority for those interested in using the articles. It is also safe to say that there are numerous publishers with limited budgets for the purchase of material. These individuals rely heavily on free-to-reprint articles to meet their content goals. In turn, you have another publishing credit to add to your portfolio.

So, check your motivation and career objectives and see which direction best suits your specific writing objectives.

Self Publishing, A Miracle Of The 21st Century.

Essays — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 14:42:46 +0000

Are you a writer with lots of talent but no one will give you the time of day let alone a contract? Would you pay a professional publisher to make your book but can’t afford it? Do you need a better tool than your plain old word processor to make your work look more professional and desirable? Do you possess special knowledge that if packaged in a book could make you millions? Well fret not your answer is very available to you now in the form of self publishing software tools!

These tools are electronic publishers that produce professional grade quality at a fraction of the price that it costs a traditional publisher to produce a book. They produce the work in the form of a PDF file which can be sent with an email, saved onto any form of memory storage media, downloaded onto your website, etc. This is hundreds of times more convenient than traditional publishing efforts and again at a very small fraction of the price.

The software is easy to use, designed to be used by a person with a 2nd grade level computer IQ. So, not even close to rocket science. A person can become proficient at using the program and start writing in a matter of hours. Yes, you heard me right — you can have the necessary tools and be writing that book that you have been waiting a long time for in a matter of a few hours. Self publishing is a beautiful thing and I am just getting started.

When I said a fraction of the price of a typical publisher I only meant for one book. But think about it, you would have to continue to pay each time your next book came out which multiplies that fee over and over and over. But you only have to pay for the self publishing software once. It is very reasonably priced, and it is with you, at your beckoned call for life. Now that’s a deal.

The last benefit of self publishing that I am going to talk about (not even close to the last benefit there is) is the true freedom of speech that you retain when you buy this tool. What I am referring to really is the editing process which for those who have already been published know can be a brutal process. Basically anything that you right is at the mercy of the publishing editor when you go the traditional route. But if you publish your own work it stays as you want it which is the way it should be. That’s all for now, but if you want to know more just give me a ring, or fling me an email, or whichever you prefer.

Eleven Steps To Print Publication

Essays — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 18:07:07 +0000

Creating a printed book is a bit more complicated than creating a PDF eBook. More steps are involved, just by right of producing a tangible finished product that needs to be handled in the physical world (versus an electronic document that can be distributed by e-mail or online). The basic print publishing process for a print-on-demand publishing cycle for a book that will be sold online through the print-on-demand vendor’s website (and/or other online booksellers like Amazon) breaks down as follows:

1. Complete your manuscript

2. Develop your cover concept (and do a trial run of a cover)

3. Format your manuscript for printing (the final product is called a “galley”)

4. Complete your cover artwork (and proof it with trial runs of a cover)

5. Put your galley and artwork together

6. Create marketing collateral, press releases, etc.

7. Publish!

8. Receive hard copies of your book and send out review copies to press

9. Send out press releases and place advertising and line up interviews

10.Continue the marketing cycle to keep your book in the press

11. Track your sales and order more books for more publicity

I recommend printing out this list and using it as a project plan for your print publishing. And fill in the blanks in the process, where you know there are more steps involved in your own personal experience. Or follow the sample project plan immediately following this section. Having a checklist to follow can simplify what can be a complicated and sometimes confusing process.

Now, one thing you may notice, is that I have listed marketing after the actual publication of your book. I strongly recommend waiting till you have a finished, published book in hand, before you start sending out press releases and generating interest. I’ve had international press people contact me within 24 hours of sending out my press materials, but I had no hard copies in hand to send to them, so that pretty much derailed the opportunity I’d created for myself.

In the traditional publishing world, it’s customary to publicize a printed book at least three months in advance of publication. This gives the press time to review bound galleys and work your publicity into their own production schedules. Now, for traditional publishers who have full staffs and plenty of money and connections and the machinery for publishing, that’s fine. They can pretty much guarantee that a book will come out exactly the way they say it will, exactly when they way it will. But when you’re on your own, it’s a different story. Anything could happen along the way. You could experience delays with the printer. You could experience personal complications. You could find yourself stalled by artwork that didn’t come out the way you wanted… any number of things can go wrong, when you’re on your own.

So, it’s prudent to be a bit more conservative about marketing a book you’re working on. Even if you’re 100% absolutely positively unwaveringly convinced that your book will come out in three weeks, anything can happen in that time, that can hold you up or wreck your carefully laid plans. So, don’t make any promises you can’t keep to the press. It will only work against you.

All this might sound a little daunting, but if you’re reading this, you’re probably an independent type of person, so the inherent risks and dangers will trouble you a lot less than someone who’s never published before and is nervous entering uncharted waters. Certainly, going it alone as an independent print publisher can take a lot more preparation and organization, than operating solely in digital formats. But it’s also very satisfying, to have a book in hand that you can give to friends, families, reviewers, and others who say, “So, you’re a writer?”

And if you format your book well, your work can be indistinguishable from the work of other writers published by mainstream publishing houses. You can get your own ISBN, your own professional-looking cover, a great looking interior, and all the marketing collateral you could ask for… without spending a small fortune. All it takes is determination, the right information, some creative inventiveness, a keen eye for detail, and a willingness to keep going, no matter what.

With a little extra care, some advanced planning, and an eye for detail, you can turn your eBooks or white papers or other digital information products into printed books — and not drive yourself crazy in the process.

A Strategy For Coming Up With A Great Book Title

Essays — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 14:16:02 +0000

Go into a bookstore and browse through the titles in the bestseller section. Book publishing companies hire high-priced people to come up with a title or “headline,” because book publishing is a big business; therefore a lot of contemplation goes into making their titles as commercially-viable as possible. Many well-known and highly successful books started out with other titles. According to Dan Poynter, the father of self-publishing:

• Tomorrow is Another Day became Gone With The Wind.

• Blossom and the Flower became Peyton Place.

• The Rainbow Book became Free Stuff For Kids.

• The Squash Book became the Zucchini Book.

• John Thomas and Lady Jane became Lady Chatterly’s Lover.

• Trimalchio in West Egg became Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby.

• Something that Happened became Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men.

• Catch 18 became Catch 22

While you are at the store, notice how the other browsers pick up a book, scan the front and back cover, and then put it down again before going on to another book. The whole process takes about two seconds each. That’s all of the time you have to make an impression on a potential reader. In those two seconds, you must appeal literally to three of the five senses that human beings have, sight, speech, and hearing, and figuratively to the last two, touch and smell.

1) Sight: When someone first comes in contact with your book’s title, it is usually by seeing it on the front cover. So your title must be aesthetically appealing.

2) Speech: If a person stumbles over the words, it will add to the difficult in marketing your book. Even if you are writing only for family members and friends, and you are giving away your book for free, there is still an element of marketing.

3) Sound: Business philosopher Jim Rhone says in order to have effective communication, you must “Have something good to say, say it well and say it often.” Your title will be heard often, but will it be good and will it be said well?

4) Touch: Touch also means to “relate to” or “to have an influence on.” Figuratively, your title must allow itself to touch or be touched by being able to relate to your readers or have some type of influence on them.

5) Smell: Your title should figuratively give off an aroma. In other words it should project “a distinctive quality or atmosphere.” If the aroma the title gives off suggests that very little thought or concern was given to it, people will assume that the rest of the book is the same way.

On a recent Publisher’s Weekly Bestseller list, out of 20 books, one had a one-word title; five had two-word titles; four had three-word titles; five had four-word titles; three had five-word titles; one had a seven-word title and one had an eight-word title. The point is, most honchos at major publishing companies believe that the simpler/shorter the title, the better. None of the titles were complex.

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