Category: Jodee Speaks

Jodee Speaks

The Importance of Book Award Programs

Whether you self-publish or use a traditional publisher, there is a lot of competition in the publishing industry. Thanks to e-readers and online book retailers, readers easily have access to thousands of books. Plus, readers also encounter hundreds of books every time they visit a bookstore or other retailer that sells books.

There are several ways to make your self-published book stand out. One of the best ways to do so is entering (and winning) book award programs. These programs increase an author’s credibility and exposure in several ways:

1) Adding an award to your resume/biography instantly increases your credibility.

2) The programs often help market your book by featuring it in publications, on their website, in a press release, and more.

3) The award badge can be added to your book cover. Be honest, how many times have you picked up a book because you saw an award badge on the cover? It instantly tells the reader the book is worth buying.

If you plan on entering book award programs, it is important that you purchase plenty of author copies to send with your submissions.

I’d love to know, what is your book award strategy?

ABOUT JODEE THAYER: With over 25 years of experience in sales and management, Jodee Thayer works as the Director of Author Services for Outskirts Press. The Author Services Department is composed of knowledgeable customer service reps, publishing consultants and marketing professionals; together, they all focus on educating authors on the self-publishing process in order to help them publish the book of their dreams and on assisting authors with marketing and promoting their book once published. 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

How to Format Your Self-Published Book

One of the questions I am most frequently asked by self-publishing authors is how to format the manuscript for submission. Every self-publishing company may have its own requirements, but here is an overview of what is most common:

PAGE SIZE: A typical manuscript page will be the standard 8.5 x 11. If you want an idea of how long your book will be, you can set your page size to the trim size you plan to select. Changing to the trim size you plan to select will also help you see how your text shifts and moves.

MARGINS: It’s fine to use the default margins in Word. However, if you want to get closer to standard margins for many self-publishing companies, set the top and bottom margins to .95” and the left and right to .75”.

SPACING: Most authors prefer to use double-spacing when creating their manuscript because is allows for easier editing and proofreading. It is fine to submit it with double-spacing to most self-publishing companies. However, if you want to get an idea of the length of your book and how the text will look, change the manuscript to single-space.

PARAGRAPH INDENTS: It’s best to not use spaces or tabs, but rather to set your paragraph setting to the first line hanging .25”.

HARD RETURNS: Only use hard returns at the end of a paragraph, NOT the end of each line like a typewriter.

SPELL CHECK: Run the grammar check and spell check and have a third party proofread your manuscript. It is important to note that grammar and spell check don’t always catch every error and the suggestions aren’t always correct. It is best to have another person as well as yourself proofread the text.

ABOUT JODEE THAYER: With over 25 years of experience in sales and management, Jodee Thayer works as the Director of Author Services for Outskirts Press. The Author Services Department is composed of knowledgeable customer service reps, publishing consultants and marketing professionals; together, they all focus on educating authors on the self-publishing process in order to help them publish the book of their dreams and on assisting authors with marketing and promoting their book once published. 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

Selecting a Book Size for Your Self-Published Book

Self-publishing provides many advantages for authors. One of the greatest is complete control over not only the material but also most aspects of your book’s production. Even in full-service self-publishing, where you find a publishing consultant or representative who helps you every step along the way, you may arrive at certain decision you may not have anticipated.

Choosing book sizing and format is often one of those unexpected choices, especially with all of the options available with advancements in on-demand print technology.

Most books fall within a few major categories. Here are some suggestions on book sizing based on your genre:

  • Novella, Short stories, Romance: 5.5 x 8.5 inches
  • Trade paperbacks, Non-fiction, How-to: 6 x 9 inches
  • Children’s, Photography, Manual, Textbook: 8.5 x 11 or 8.5 x 8.5

It is also important to note that larger font and/or word count books often print and market better at a 6 x 9 size or larger. Shorter manuscripts print better at a smaller book size, resulting in a larger, more marketable page count.

Take a trip to your local bookstore and see what sizes books similar to yours are publishing at. It’s generally recommended to stick with what works. Or, be very, very different. Remember, your publishing professional will be available to run ideas by.

ABOUT JODEE THAYER: With over 25 years of experience in sales and management, Jodee Thayer works as the Director of Author Services for Outskirts Press. The Author Services Department is composed of knowledgeable customer service reps, publishing consultants and marketing professionals; together, they all focus on educating authors on the self-publishing process in order to help them publish the book of their dreams and on assisting authors with marketing and promoting their book once published. 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

Take Your Time Self-Publishing

Many authors I know are anxious to self-publish their book. In fact, many of them choose self-publishing because they can see their book in print much quicker than if they used a traditional publisher. While speed is one of the many perks of self-publishing, I ALWAYS encourage my authors to take their time. If you want to publish a quality, professional book, do not rush! Instead, remember these five tips.

1) Be realistic about deadlines.

It is never a good idea to rush your writing in order to meet a deadline. You will not produce your best work if you are focused on finishing by a certain date instead of striving to write a good book, no matter how long it takes. While it is a great idea to set realistic writing and publishing goals, too tight a deadline can be damaging to the quality of your book.

2) Proofread, and consider professional editing.

No matter how great your story or ideas are, if your book is tainted with numerous grammar, spelling, and style errors, readers aren’t going to take your book seriously. To be considered a professional writer, you need to publish quality work. This means you need to take the time to proofread your book several times, and it is always a good idea to hire a professional editor. It is difficult to catch all the errors in your own work, so it is best to have another set of eyes review your manuscript.

3) Research before publishing.

Choosing a self-publishing company is a big decision. Each company offers different packages, features, prices, and support, and you need to decide which company will best complement your needs and goals as a writer. Don’t just randomly choose a self-publishing company. Spend time researching your options, and pick the one that is best for you.

4) Don’t get too far ahead.

While thinking about marketing and promotion before your book is published is a good idea, don’t get too far ahead of yourself. I don’t recommend scheduling marketing events before you have a book to take with you to the event. Go ahead and create a marketing plan, but wait until your book is ready before doing too much promotion.

5) Just enjoy it.

Self-publishing a book is an exciting adventure. Rather than rush through the process, take the time to enjoy it.

Rushing the self-publishing process will result in a less than perfect book. Take the time to make sure every aspect of your book is exactly what you want. Leave time to allow professional editors and designers to do a quality job, and take the time to enjoy the journey of becoming a self-published author.

 

ABOUT JODEE THAYER: With over 25 years of experience in sales and management, Jodee Thayer works as the Director of Author Services for Outskirts Press. The Author Services Department is composed of knowledgeable customer service reps, publishing consultants and marketing professionals; together, they all focus on educating authors on the self-publishing process in order to help them publish the book of their dreams and on assisting authors with marketing and promoting their book once published. 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.
Choosing a Publisher, Jodee Speaks, Uncategorized

Top Four Reasons to Self-Publish: Part 4 – Rights

Last month, I did a series on the most popular questions self-publishing authors ask. The posts were such a hit, I’ve decided to do another series this month. Each week in August, I will discuss one of the top four reasons why you should self-publish your book.

This week, I’ll discuss book rights. (In case you missed the last three reasons, be sure to go back and view those posts: Control, Money, and Trade and Distribution.)

As a self-publishing author, you maintain all rights to your book. This gives authors the freedom to sell or keep the rights as they see fit. However, it is important to note that self-published books will be considered “previously published” if the author later chooses to sell the book to a traditional publisher.

Owning book rights such as translation rights and film rights can have a significant impact on an author’s profitability.

Authors who use traditional publishing firms often give up most of the book rights but are usually entitled to a small percentage of the profit if the firm sells the rights to someone else. Self-publishing authors have the opportunity to choose if and how to sell their book rights to ensure they are getting the best deal possible.

I’d love to know, how has owning the rights to your book influenced your publishing decisions?

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.