Author Archives: Deborah H. Bateman

How to Publish Your Informational Book, Part 3 – Self Publishing

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In previous installments of this series, I described the four basic methods of publishing your information book – Traditional Publishing, Self-Publishing, Print-on-Demand, and eBook – and wrote at length about the pros and cons of Traditional Publishing. In this article we’ll look in depth at the next method: Self-Publishing.

Self-Publishing is a topic that is near and dear to my heart, because that is the method I chose more than eight years ago when I published my first fiction book. It required a steep learning curve, but became profitable quickly, and in fact, I have since self-published five more books, all of which sold well and continue to sell well.

Here’s what you need to know:

Self-Publishing essentially means that you take on the role of publisher as well as author. And with this new role comes a long list of new tasks, and a whole new set of people that you need to interact with. You are responsible for supervising the book printing, the cover, the layout and artwork, the paperwork for procuring an ISBN number (the number that’s required to create the bar code, so that your book can be sold in retail stores and online), shipping, storage, distribution, and more.

It can be a pretty daunting list.

So why in the world would someone want to take on all that responsibility? Because the list of positives is even longer. Here are a few of the main benefits to Self-Publishing:

1. Guaranteed Publication – 99% of all manuscripts submitted to editors and publishers are rejected. Unless your subject has instant mass appeal, your chances for publishing your informational book are even higher. Instead of trying to please some faceless editor or publisher, why not let the buying public determine if you have a winner or not?

2. Speed – If you want to get a book out quickly, or if you are dealing with time sensitive material, then self-publishing is the way to go. Unlike traditional publishing processes which can take a year or more to complete, a self-published book can go from completed manuscript to physical book in as little as 30 days.

3. Control – Self-Publishing gives you the ability to create your perfect vision exactly as you see it. Cover art, subject matter, tone and feel… it’s all up to you, and no one can overrule your decision. When you work with a traditional publisher, it is a constant negotiation, and the author rarely wins.

4. Money – Samuel Johnson once said, “No man but a blockhead ever wrote, but for money.” If the purpose of your book is to bring in cash, than self-publishing may be your best option. The reason is simple: since you are your own publisher, you get to keep all the money. For example, if I print a book for $2.23, and sell it for $10, the difference – $7.77 – is mine to keep. Contrast that with traditional publishing, where royalties can often measured in pennies.

When I released my first self-published children’s adventure, I generated more profit in the first few months than other authors I know generated in years. And I did it not because I sold more books, but rather because I made far more profit on each book that I did sell.

Self-Publishing is not for everyone. It takes an entrepreneurial mindset and a love of learning new things beyond just authoring a book. Yet, in many cases, it can be the fastest, more profitable way to get your book to market.

Understanding all of your publishing options certainly brings you one step closer to a successful book. But nothing happens until you can interest people in buying it. So what should you do next? What can you do to entice people to try your book? These are exactly the questions I’ve spent the last 10 years researching, and you can find out the answers by visiting me at http://www.FictionSecrets.com. Download a 30-page report and receive a 5-day eCourse covering this subject.

Kevin Franz is a successful fiction author and online marketer. For more than twenty years he has made his living putting words to paper, and he has helped thousands create their first written works. He is currently showing internet marketers how to incorporate the techniques of great fiction into their online sales efforts. You can find the details on his blog – http://www.kevinfranz.wordpress.com.

Author: Kevin Franz
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Two Roads Diverged – Understanding Traditional and Self-Publishing Differences

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The publishing world has experienced change over the past several decades as all industries have, but the next 10 years will be a cocoon altering it into a different species altogether. Many major print publishing houses have either merged, or acquired smaller houses, and the net result is that there are fewer traditional channels for getting your book published. However, this only means that the nature of the challenge of getting a book published has changed. It does not mean that the challenge has become insurmountable.

The traditional publishing path of the past has been described similarly by many sources. Write a book, send query letter and/or book proposal to agents, get picked up by an agent, get sold by agent to a small-to-medium-size publisher, pray that your book takes off and garners attention from a big publisher who pays you a six-figure advance in return for the rights to your book.

Nathan Bransford, a literary agent with Curtis Brown, discusses going from small presses to big publishers. I agree with many of his points on the difficulties of being recognized by a big publisher. His advice is very similar to my premise, if your book is really good, well edited, designed, printed, distributed, and promoted, it will succeed.

Today, the traditional publishing path is in upheaval and turmoil. The economic downturn has caused many small publishers to shut their doors or, at best, significantly decrease their new release budgets. The emergence of the Kindle, Nook, and other Ebook readers has stirred things up. Publishers of all sizes are more carefully scrutinizing new authors, primarily seeking to invest in less-risky authors with established platforms. Gone are the days of a publisher investing marketing dollars to help an author develop their platform.

The new traditional publishing path is emerging as more of a partnership between author and publisher with the responsibility for marketing and publicity resting on the shoulders of authors. If you bring a viable manuscript to the table with a sound marketing plan and/or platform, the publisher will invest in editing, design, printing, and distribution, the rest is up to you.

The exciting game-changer for the unknown author is the advent of affordable self-publishing options. Self-Publishing should not be confused with the deplorable practice of Vanity Publishing where an author is charged seriously inflated prices for editing, design, printing, and/or marketing services while giving up 80% or more of profit and/or rights to their material. True self-publishing is where the author handles editing, design, printing, distribution, and marketing for their book or hires professionals to assist with the process while experiencing control, speed to market, ownership of rights, and max profitability.

The self-publishing path has existed since the dawn of time. Dan Poynter lists 155 best-selling books that started out being self-published. In the past, the editing, design, and printing of a book could easily run $15,000 or more because of minimum print runs of 5000 being required. With the advent of print-on-demand merged with distribution channels, the cost of the entry toll on the path of self-publishing has diminished significantly. And publishing a Kindle version of your book doesn’t require an investment of money whatsoever.

I’m not preaching against the traditional publishing model. I cut my teeth in traditional publishing. My family was in the traditional publishing business for nearly 25 years. I started at the bottom in the warehouse of a traditional publisher picking and packing orders. I eventually worked my way up to running a subsidiary of this same publisher. Throughout my career, I kept seeing countless numbers of authors turned down because we simply didn’t have the budget to add them to our production schedule. When I was asked to take over the helm at Yorkshire Publishing, I studied the self-publishing industry in great detail. I became passionate about being a part of an author-empowering movement to publish and promote quality books that otherwise may have been unrecognized without modern advances in the self-publishing industry.

The old-school mindset that says to avoid the stigma of self-publishing is quickly becoming a whisper in the wind. More unknown authors are starting out self-published for the first time in history. I believe self-publishing is the democratization of the publishing industry. Any unknown author now has a chance.

In my seminars and workshops, I tell authors to treat their book like a business. If you want a real chance, you must treat your book like a big publisher would. When naysayers point to the statistics that say self-published books average less than 200 units sold, I can rebut with a missing link in the formula and Poytner’s list. Remember, if your book is really good, well edited, designed, printed, distributed, and promoted, it will succeed, regardless of the road taken in the yellow wood of publishing.

Todd Rutherford is the Vice-President of Yorkshire Publishing, a firm that provides services to self-publishing authors. If you need a writing coach, ghostwriter, editor, designer, printer, distributor, publicist, or marketer for your book, contact Yorkshire Publishing for a free consultation – 918-394-2665.

Author: Todd Rutherford
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Get Self-Published Today

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Getting your book published is easier than you think. I will explain the methods and why you should consider self publishing & marketing.

Traditional Method:
1. Copywrite your book (forms, fee of $35 and up)
2. Send your manuscript to publishers and agents (copies and mailing costs)
3. Hope somebody reads it and calls you back
4. Negotiate your contract and sign your deal

Traditional Method draw backs are:
1. You may never get a call back
2. Agent percentage
3. Negotiating a contract (attorney fees)
4. You may be asked to make rewrites by your agent or publisher
5. Publishers promote high profile authors not 1st timers
6. Your book will be in direct competition with the high profile authors
7. If your book doesn’t sell, agents and publishers might consider your work unsalable and will hinder you in ever getting another book contract.

2nd Method: Hire a company in the business of helping authors get published. Packages range from $1500 to $13,000. They can take of everything acting as your agent to get your book to publishers.You will have to make sure that your book gets reviewed, a good cover, and effective targeted marketing to your particular genre in order to succeed.

Self Publishing and Marketing EBooks Electronic EBook methods such as the article you are reading are already selling. Books online and the electronic devices for reading them are selling now.This is the future.

Self Publishing and Marketing Benefits:
1. Complete control of your product
2. Published instantly (your book offered to the whole world instantly!)
3. No Agent or Attorney fees
4. Reach a much larger audience to make money sooner
5. Attract offers for a book deal (Publishers pay attention to online sales) Get Self-Published Today and start making money with less effort and cost than the traditional no-guarantee way.

Click on the link below for a FREE Writers Newsletter plus a FREE 32 page Ebook entitled “Product Launch Inferno”.

My name is Mike Mirage. I have over 22 years in the computer consulting business and I found a way to help people get self published today! For more about writing and selling ebooks with an easy course with real help and guidance please follow my link here: http://squidoo.com/getselfpublished.

Author: Mike Mirage
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Authors – 7 Tips Why Self-Publishing Is Great

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The publishing industry is shifting… and it’s shifting in your favor. If you’re tired of rejections from publishers, it’s time you looked into self-publishing your book. These tips will help you see some very nice benefits that aren’t available through a traditional publisher.

1. More Products Created From Your Book – Because you retain the rights to your book, you can turn your book into an eBook, an e-course, give away a chapter to entice people to give you their email address, or take your book and expand it into a workbook.

2. Need to Increase Your Income Quickly? – The average royalty on a book through a traditional publisher is about $1.00. The average royalty on a self-published book can be between $6 – $12, depending upon the quantity printed. Turnaround time for a traditional publisher is 8-18 months, while you can have your self-published book in 4-6 weeks.

3. You Have An Instant eBook! – Because you retain the rights to your book, you can also put it on your website as an eBook. It’s already formatted for publishing. Just turn it into a PDF file, upload, and bingo – you’ve got your ebook ready to sell, even before you have the paperback in your hands.

4. Your Book Is Your Business Card – Your book is the beginning of your journey, not the end. You can place throughout your book instructions to go to your website for further products and services.

5. International Sales Available Immediately – All successful authors have a website to help sell their book and other products. This gives you instant access to people worldwide who will buy your book and interact with you instantly through email.

6. You Do All The Marketing Anyway! Traditional publishers do little marketing for their authors, unless they are well-known authors. It’s up to you to do all your marketing anyway. So why not reap all the financial benefits too!

7. You Retain Critical Information On Your Customers – The traditional publisher might be able to get your book into bookstores, but they cannot provide you with the contact information of the buyers. But, if you self-publish, you retain this critical information. You can continue to market new products to them over and over. Ka-Ching!

And if you need to learn how to get your book ready for self-publishing and how to market it to your customers, you can learn more at http://www.FreelanceWriterKathy.com
Kathy Williamson is an author/speaker who helps authors and ministries reach their dreams by providing writing and consulting services to help her clients influence lives through the power of words.

Author: Kathy W.
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Cheap And Easy Book Marketing – A Self Publishers Quick Guide

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It’s one thing to write a book, but an entirely different thing to write one that’s saleable, viable, and marketable. Assuming you’re a self publisher or book publisher and you’ve already published your book, you need to immediately implement a strong, no-holds barred, book marketing and promotion strategy to sell your books fast. Your book selling, book marketing, and book promotion planning should begin before the manuscript is completed.

Using press releases can be a very effective marketing tool if used properly. Make sure your press release spells out the ‘who, what, where, when, and why.’ Press releases can generate thousands of dollars in sales when picked up by national trade or print media.

Make sure you have at least one good press release, written in AP style, which you can send out for the lifetime of your book. Mail a press release to all the trade journals in your field over and over again; you can use the same release. Learning to write and use powerful optimized press releases can often drive tons of traffic to your website while providing multiple back links that can lead to increased page rank and numerous top ten search engine rankings for your targeted keywords.

Mail a press release to at least 1000 print and broadcast contacts just prior to publishing your title and again and again after you publish; you can never send too many. Using press releases for marketing or promoting your book or book’s website has become increasingly popular as publishers discover the powerful benefits of using press releases.

Market your book to your number one market first, and then go after the secondary markets. I’ve seen publishers lose a lot of money paying for expensive display ads, so beware if you do this; I don’t advise it in the beginning — get your feet wet first so you know what you’re doing. Make five telephone calls a day that relate to marketing your book.

If your book solves a problem, focus on this in your marketing. Every day it’s important to focus on a variety of marketing approaches. If your book fits a specialty market, find a store that fits the genre and offer to leave books on consignment; many publishers have sold thousands of books this way.

Print and online publications provide longevity to your marketing campaign in terms of having something tangible for people to reference ongoing. Offer to trade writing a monthly column in a trade publication in your books’ genre, in trade for display ads on the same page. Place free ads periodically for your book’s website on Craigslist in different categories to drive even more traffic to your website.

I’ve not found that book signings sell many books for publishers and are often a waste of time; better to spend it elsewhere. Get as many testimonials about your book, as possible, from experts in the field relating to your title, not customers; use on your fliers and back of books. Remember to make sure your book is listed in Books-in-Print; don’t assume it’s already listed.

Arrange to speak at local, regional and national events that relate to your book topic; bring books along and have an associate sell them at the back of the room. Contact any companies, corporations or organizations that might use your book for promotions; offer significant discounts for volume orders or for thousands of copies offer a specified amount above book production costs.

Local radio shows and television appearances are good but are often forgotten within hours of the broadcast; make sure to make or get a copy of any television broadcast for future promotions. Make sure to promote and market your book each and every day, both online and offline.

The success of any book marketing effort depends on a good book and just plain hard work; its been done many times before and you can do it too. With well chosen book marketing and book promotion, online and offline, you will reap the profits you deserve for your efforts by way of the Internet and in your mailbox. Don’t delay another day if you’ve fallen by the wayside; make sure to focus on promoting, selling and marketing your book each and every day.

For more information on book marketing tips and selling more books go to http://www.TwinPeaksPress.com founded in 1982, specializing in help for authors, self publishers, ebook and book publishers with tips, advice and resources, including information on media, library and other mailing lists, and press releases – online, wire service and offline distribution

Author: Helen Hecker
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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