selfpublishingadvisor

Self-published book review of the week: Body Parts

Body Parts
Janet Cameron Hoult
978143275598 – $10.95

I always love when someone takes a subject that can make us a little downcast and turns it around, giving it a kick of humor. To my delight that is what I found in this book of poetry by, Janet Cameron Hoult. She has taken many subjects that we deal with as we age, put them in verse and allowed us to giggle and even in certain ones feel a sense of tenderness. Well done.

My favorites were: Hair Today – Gone Tomorrow, Leaky Pipes (I giggled all day over that one), Tired of Being Tired, and Body Works. I have often referred to people as cars as they age. We go in to get one part fixed and another one messes up. She touched this subject very well. Actually she hit just about every subject we are experiencing and did it with class.

There is no way to end the aging we all must face, unless we die young, and none of us want to take that alternate route. This book lets you know there are others facing the same things you are, it’s not a personal attack, although at times it feels as if it is. Our author tells it like it is in a light manner yet she breaths into each poem a bit of heart and soul. Very nicely done. Enjoy!

Shirley Johnson
Senior Reviewer

Vogel’s Bookshelf

Book Marketing, Choosing a Publisher, Self-Publishing

Stocking Self-published Books

Understanding how distribution works in the current POD publishing model makes a strong case for focusing book sales and marketing exclusively from literally tens of thousands of online exclusive venues from the micro-niche outlets to the whopper marketplace that is Amazon.

Even though this model is over a decade old, the concept has been slow to absorb among authors and retailers alike. Visiting a brick-and-mortar store is an experience after-all, and there is value in reaching real readers in real spaces.

Whether or not to stock a book in a brick-and-mortar store is a decision for each author to make upon careful consideration to the content, market, and return-on-investment, etc., because there are distinct qualifications most books must meet in order for a store buyer to decide whether or not to physically stock a book in their store. Remember, Amazon can stock virtually every book available in the ‘cloud’ or virtual space. Brick-and-mortar stores have very real limitations in terms of space and their own ROI to consider.

So if your goal is to stock your self-published ‘on-demand’ book in physical retail locations, consider these 3 qualifications when preparing your book for publication:

Retail Returns – this is like insurance for the retailer, allowing them to return any unsold books after a set period of time. A handful of full-service on-demand publishers offer this option. It will come at a cost to the author.
Distribution Discount – while online retailers will often stock a book as low as 25%, offline stores will require a steeper discount – 50-55%. Their cost and investment is higher. The downside means lower royalties and/or higher retail prices for the book.
Buzz – sure, books printed and sold on-demand require ‘buzz’ too, but that buzz comes before the book is sold, and sells the book. A brick-and-mortar store is taking a bigger risk, buying books that have yet to actually sell to a reader, so they’ll be looking for a book they feel has a potential to move. Don’t hesitate blowing your own horn. Or, look for a publisher that will help do it for you through options like copywriting, custom design work, personal marketing assistance, and press campaigns.

Self-Publishing

Goings-on in self-publishing

“The business race is on to have the relationship with the reader.”

This is the comment made by best-selling author, Seth Godin, in response to his recent decision to bypass his publisher and bring his upcoming book to readers directly through self-publishing.

“It’s going to make a lot of other big authors sit up and take notice,” said Mark Coker, chief executive of Smashwords Inc., an e-book publishing and distribution platform based in Los Gatos, Calif. “There are a lot of authors with fan followings.”

Coker went on to say that “midlist” authors who receive minimal marketing support from their publishers may be tempted to follow Mr. Godin’s lead.

This news comes not long after another considerable force in the publishing world, Stephen Covey, brought news of his decision to self-publish his forthcoming book in order to take advantage of significantly shorter publishing timelines. Think Kairos.

The reality is all authors are midlist, at least at one point or another. That an increasing number of self-publishing authors are turning the other side of the coin and getting picked-up by traditional publishers suggests viability of self-publishing across multiple channels. As Godin’s statement implies, an author’s ability or at the very least, willingness, to build relationships with readers is a key point. But then we’ve known that for some time now.

Book Marketing, Self-Publishing

Copywriting Services in Self-publishing

More important than copyright registration for many self-publishing authors is professional copywriting assistance. That’s right, a writing service for writers. This is a step to be completed during the pre-production or production phases of your book in preparation for publication and marketing efforts.

The back cover copy and author biography is second only to a dynamic cover when it comes to motivating a reader to buy. Many talented fiction, non-fiction, children’s book authors are wonderfully just that—talented fiction, non-fiction, etc. writers. Writing sales copy is a different skill all together. It is the art of using words to create hype about a product and convince consumers to spend money. The fact is, most authors of any genre are capable of generating decent sales copy, but don’t like the idea of having to justify or brag about their hard work. Sales copy is an important element in getting books in reader’s hands. The good news is with this service, others can do that work for them.

Look for this optional service when researching and partnering with your self-publishing choice. The content should not be entirely out of your control though. Make sure you can submit your book summary and author biography draft to your publisher who will employ its professional staffers to rework it into shiny, packaged sales copy. Do also make sure you have the option to review and approve the final copy (your content control should not be limited to just your manuscript).

You can then continue to use the powerful copy on your webpage, on your book’s back cover, in media, and virtually anywhere you find a productive venue as your book promotion efforts unfold.

Self-Publishing

Self-publishing Guest Post: Ask the Book Doctor

The book doctor shares usage advice for the self-publishing author. Always have your work professionally edited, but why not save your editor some work…

Q: Once in a while the word “sits” comes up in our [southern city] writers group, and another member (in her seventies) and I (at eighty-three years) always wonder what is right. When she and I were growing up, the word “sets” was used for an object, not “sits,” as it seems to be used these days. An example is this: A potted plant sits on the windowsill. In my day and age, it would have been this: A potted plant sets on the window sill. Could you please straighten us out once and for all?

A: I’ve found that southerners more than others confuse the two words “sit” and “set.” I hope the following sets the record straight:

Set means the following:
1. place something: “Please set the flowers on the table.”
2. cause somebody to be something: “After a hearing, the judge set the prisoner free.”
3. cause something to begin doing something: “His smile set my heart at ease.”
4. apply fire: “The camper set fire to his refuse.”
5. concentrate mind: “He set his mind to finding an answer.”
6. arrange something for use: “Hunters set traps in the woods.”

The definitions go on, but to sum up, “set” usually shows action that is done to something (a direct object).

Sit means the following:
1. rest with weight on buttocks: “The children always sit in the same places.”
2. be placed: “The trash still sat where we left it.”

Again, the word has other definitions as well, but unlike “set,” “sit” does not, indeed cannot, take a direct object. We cannot sit something down; we must set something down.

In the example of “A potted plant sits on the windowsill,” the verb “sits” is correct. If you wanted to show the action being done TO something, the correct verb would be “set,” as in this example: “I set the potted plant on the windowsill.”

By the way, using “set” for “sit” in a character’s dialogue would be a great way to show that the character is from the South.

What’s your question about writing or publishing? Bobbie Christmas, book doctor, author of Write In Style (Union Square Publishing), and owner of Zebra Communications, will answer your questions, too. Send them to Bobbie@zebraeditor.com. Read more “Ask the Book Doctor” questions and answers at http://www.zebraeditor.com.

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