Author: Jodee Thayer

ABOUT JODEE THAYER: With over 20 years of experience in sales and management, Jodee Thayer works as the Manager of Author Services for Outskirts Press. The Author Services Department is composed of knowledgeable customer service reps and publishing consultants; together, they all focus on educating authors on the self-publishing process in order to help them publish the book of their dreams. Whether you are a professional looking to take your career to the next level with platform-driven non-fiction or a novelist seeking fame, fortune, and/or personal fulfillment, Jodee Thayer can put you on the right path.
Jodee Speaks, Self-Publishing

Top 5 Reasons to Self-Publish in December

With the chaos of the holiday season, you may be wondering if now is the right time to self-publish your book. Here are five reasons why December is a great month to start the self-publishing process.

1. You can save money.

Many self-publishing companies are getting in the holiday spirit by offering great deals on publishing packages and marketing options. This can save you money and provide you with services that will enhance the success of your book.

2. You can give yourself the perfect gift.

Publishing a book is one of the best gifts you can give yourself. The sense of accomplishment and pride is better than any store bought gift. Celebrate the holiday season by giving yourself the memorable gift of self-publishing.

3. You’ll have plenty of time to market.

By starting the self-publishing process in December, you will have your printed book early in 2014. This gives you the rest of the year to market your book and means plenty of time to accomplish your yearly marketing and sales goals.

4. You can get a jump start on  your to-do list.

If you are reading this, “publishing a book” is probably on your 2015 to-do list. Start the year off right by crossing it off the list before the ball drops on New Year’s Eve.

5. You can be a part of a great trend.

The publishing industry continues to change, and self-publishing is increasingly popular and more respected. You can be a part of this movement by self-publishing.

I’d love to know, do you plan to self-publish in December? If so, why?

ABOUT JODEE THAYER: With over 20 years of experience in sales and management, Jodee Thayer works as the Manager of Author Services for Outskirts Press. The Author Services Department is composed of knowledgeable customer service reps and publishing consultants; together, they all focus on educating authors on the self-publishing process in order to help them publish the book of their dreams. Whether you are a professional looking to take your career to the next level with platform-driven non-fiction or a novelist seeking fame, fortune, and/or personal fulfillment, Jodee Thayer can put you on the right path.
Jodee Speaks, Uncategorized

Self-Publishing, A Reason to Be Thankful

As you enjoy your Thanksgiving dinner this week, I hope you take the time to reflect on all the things you have to be thankful for. As a writer, there are many reasons to be thankful for self-publishing. Here are the top five reasons I am thankful for self-publishing.

1. Freedom of Expression

Self-publishing gives writers the freedom to creatively express themselves. They don’t have to wait for an editor to decide their story is worthy or be told to change their vision to fit a commercial market.

2. Creative Control

Self-publishing authors maintain complete control throughout the publishing process. They decide how the book will look, read, and be sold.

3. Financial Opportunity

Self-publishing offers writers the opportunity to earn an income from their work. Unlike traditional publishing, self-publishing authors aren’t stuck with low royalties. They earn more from each book they sell.

4. A Changing Market

Self-publishing continues to grow in popularity, and previously successful traditional authors are even choosing to go the self-publishing route with their new books. With this comes more respect for self-published authors.

5. Quick Turnaround

Traditional publishing is a long process filled with rejection. Self-publishing authors don’t have to suffer through countless rejection letters, and their books are often printed quicker those printed by traditional publishers.

I’d love to know, why are you thankful for self-publishing?

ABOUT JODEE THAYER: With over 20 years of experience in sales and management, Jodee Thayer works as the Manager of Author Services for Outskirts Press. The Author Services Department is composed of knowledgeable customer service reps and publishing consultants; together, they all focus on educating authors on the self-publishing process in order to help them publish the book of their dreams. Whether you are a professional looking to take your career to the next level with platform-driven non-fiction or a novelist seeking fame, fortune, and/or personal fulfillment, Jodee Thayer can put you on the right path.
Jodee Speaks, Uncategorized

What Election Day and Self-Publishing Have in Common

Tomorrow is election day. I hope everyone takes the opportunity to exercise their right to vote and think about all the freedoms our country allows us. One of those great freedoms is the freedom of expression, and self-publishing gives authors more access to that freedom as well as more freedom during the publishing process. Here’s how:

1. Freedom of Content

With traditional publishing, editors are looking for content that appeals to the mainstream, commercial market. If your book does not fit this need, regardless of the quality of your writing or idea, it’s likely your manuscript will be rejected. That’s the business side of publishing, but self-publishing helps writers overcome this barrier. It allows authors to share their stories, opinions, knowledge, advice, and more, even if it is different from what’s popular at the moment.

2. Creative Freedom

When working with traditional publishers, authors usually lose a great deal of creative freedom once an editor accepts their manuscript. They are often asked to edit their manuscripts to match the editor’s vision. They have no say in cover art or illustrations. Decisions are based on what editors believe will sell rather than what the author’s vision is. With self-publishing, authors make the decisions during every step of the process.

3. Financial Freedom

Many self-publishing companies allow authors to set their prices and give authors 100% of their royalties. This is not the case with traditional publishers.

In honor of election day, start your self-publishing project and enjoy all the freedoms available to you.

ABOUT JODEE THAYER: With over 20 years of experience in sales and management, Jodee Thayer works as the Manager of Author Services for Outskirts Press. The Author Services Department is composed of knowledgeable customer service reps and publishing consultants; together, they all focus on educating authors on the self-publishing process in order to help them publish the book of their dreams. Whether you are a professional looking to take your career to the next level with platform-driven non-fiction or a novelist seeking fame, fortune, and/or personal fulfillment, Jodee Thayer can put you on the right path.
Jodee Speaks

Self-Publishing, A Trick or Treat

I’ll end the month this week with the pros and cons of self-publishing, so you can decide if self-publishing is a trick or a treat. Be sure to check out the previous posts about spooky self-publishing statistics, why authors are scared to self-publish, and how to scare away readers.

Pros

  • Freedom of expression — You have complete control over the content of your book. You don’t have to edit your manuscript to meet the opinions of a traditional publisher.
  • You control how your book looks – Everything from the cover to the interior formatting is in your hands. With traditional publishers, authors usually have no say in these decisions.
  • You set your own price — It can be as low or high as you would like, depending on your target audience and goals. Again, this decision is usually not given to the author when working with traditional publishers.
  • You receive 100% of your royalties — There’s no middleman stealing your profits.

Cons

  • No one critiques your manuscript — How can you be sure your story is “worth reading”? You can hire professional editors to review your book, test your manuscript on a group of readers, or ask trusted friends, family, and colleagues for feedback.
  • You don’t have to edit your manuscript — A messy manuscript turns into a poorly-written book that very few people (if any) will want to read. You can choose to hire an editor to prevent this from happening.
  • You control your book’s design — This is great if you’re a designer but not so great if you have limited graphic skills. Again, you may want to hire a professional to help you.

While self-publishing isn’t for everyone, it is a great option for many writers. Only you can decide what is best for you. Talk to other writers. Learn about the industry. Research publishers. Educate yourself, and then trust your decision.

ABOUT JODEE THAYER: With over 20 years of experience in sales and management, Jodee Thayer works as the Manager of Author Services for Outskirts Press. The Author Services Department is composed of knowledgeable customer service reps and publishing consultants; together, they all focus on educating authors on the self-publishing process in order to help them publish the book of their dreams. Whether you are a professional looking to take your career to the next level with platform-driven non-fiction or a novelist seeking fame, fortune, and/or personal fulfillment, Jodee Thayer can put you on the right path.
Jodee Speaks

Why Authors Are Scared to Self-Publish

Happy October, everyone! In honor of this month, I’ll be sharing Halloween-themed posts each week. Be sure to check out last week’s post about spooky self-publishing statistics. This week, I’ll talk about the haunting thoughts that keep some authors from self-publishing and share why you shouldn’t be scared of this publishing option.

1) The fear of not being taken seriously.

There was a time when self-publishing authors weren’t taken seriously. People referred to self-publishing as vanity publishing, but today, self-publishing is changing the publishing industry. Self-published authors have the opportunity to gain the same credibility and success as traditionally published authors. Many of them earn spots on prestigious lists such as NY Times Bestsellers lists, earn a lucrative income, and win various rewards and other recognitions. If you are willing to make your book professional, you can be taken seriously as a self-published author.

2) The fear of failure.

Some people associate self-publishing with low book sales and income. This is not accurate. It is important to remember that everyone has a different definition of success. Many self-publishing authors don’t publish with the goal of fame and fortune. They might create a book to share with family, or they may simply want to see their story in print and never worry about actually selling it. For these authors, yes, sales and revenue may be low, but there are also countless other self-published authors who strive to be profitable and who successfully do so. The key to self-publishing success is defining your goals and creating a marketing and promotion plan that will help you achieve those goals.

3) The fear of the process.

Self-publishing can seem a little overwhelming. You will be responsible for making a variety of decisions, including cover design, editing, promotion, and pricing. While control is what brings many people to self-publishing, it can feel a little overwhelming to some. Don’t let the process scare you. A good self-publishing company will have a wonderful team to guide you through the process and help you make the best decisions for your project. While you are in control, you are not alone.

I’d love to know, why are you scared of self-publishing?

ABOUT JODEE THAYER: With over 20 years of experience in sales and management, Jodee Thayer works as the Manager of Author Services for Outskirts Press. The Author Services Department is composed of knowledgeable customer service reps and publishing consultants; together, they all focus on educating authors on the self-publishing process in order to help them publish the book of their dreams. Whether you are a professional looking to take your career to the next level with platform-driven non-fiction or a novelist seeking fame, fortune, and/or personal fulfillment, Jodee Thayer can put you on the right path.