Category: Jodee Speaks

Choosing a Publisher, Jodee Speaks, Uncategorized

Compare CreateSpace and Outskirts Press Self Publishing Packages

Deciding which self-publishing company to go with can be a real challenge.  To assist you with this process, I’m beginning a series of posts where I do the legwork for you!  I’ll prepare a side-by-side comparison of two similar publishing packages from two self-publishing companies.  I’ll strive to keep it as simple as possible to help cut through the vast amount of information out there by giving you an easy to read chart and a brief summary of my impressions on the comparison.

I’ll start this series with a comparison of two of the most robust self-publishing packages available: The “One Click for Coaches & Speakers” from Outskirts Press  (which you can enjoy even if you’re NOT a coach or speaker, by the way) and the “Total Design Freedom” from CreateSpace.  The information shared here is current as of the date I completed the comparison (18 November 2012).

Outskirts Press One-Click Publishing For Coaches & Speakers CreateSpace Total Design Freedom Marketing Pro
$4497 $4634
Production Options Expedited Service ✓
Copyright registration ✓
Custom Cover ✓ ✓
Enhanced Interior Formatting ✓ ✓
Cover Scribing / Promotional Text ✓ ✓
Library of Congress Control Number ✓ ✓
Your ISBN/ Imprint or ours ✓ ✓
Interior Elements Up to 20 images Up to 10 images (add’l @ $15 each)
Copyediting Up to 75,000 Words Up to 60,000 Words
Additional Formats Amazon Kindle Edition ✓
Secure EBook Edition ✓
Espresso Book Machine Edition ✓
 Marketing Services Publication Press Release ✓ ✓
Custom Topic Press Release ✓
PR Publicist Campaign ✓
Electronic Clipping Service ✓
Author Webpage ✓

After comparing these two self-publishing services side by side, the winner looks to be Outskirts Press. For $137 less, you receive expedited service, official copyright registration with the US Copyright Office, the Amazon Kindle edition of your book, the Espresso Book Machine edition, electronic clipping service, a PR campaign, and five hours of personal marketing assistance with a professional book marketing expert, among other benefits.   

See all the benefits and features of the One-Click Package for Speakers & Coaches by clicking here.

I’d love to know, which option would you choose and 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

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving to all of my readers. I hope you have a wonderful holiday with your family. This is one of my favorite times of year because it gives me a chance to reflect on all the things I am grateful for and to appreciate all of the blessings in my life. On a common day, most of us rush through our schedule without much thought for all the wonderful things in our lives, but we each have so much to be thankful. Even if you are struggling to get through a difficult situation, there are many blessings in your life.

This week, I challenge you to take time to reflect on things you are grateful for and to write down your thoughts. You may choose to write poems for the special people in your life or write an essay. You could even write personal letters to people you want to share your thoughts with. This exercise is not only a great way to express your gratitude, but it can be a wonderful foundation for a self-published book. Many people enjoy self-publishing books with the goal of sharing it with their family and friends rather than to make a profit off of a commercial audience. These types of books are often filled with personal stories about the author’s life and the people in it, so it is a great way to express your emotions and share how grateful you are.

I’d love to know, what are you thankful for this Thanksgiving? How could you turn that into a self-published book?

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

Celebrate Veteran’s Day by Self Publishing A Book

I’d like to begin this week’s post by thanking the men and women who have served our country. Without your courage, dedication, and sacrifice, our country would not have the pleasures and privileges many of us take for granted. I sincerely thank each of you for your service, and you will be in my thoughts and prayers as I celebrate Veteran’s Day this week.

Many people don’t take the time to remember the importance of this holiday. For most people, it is simply a day off of work or school. For other people, they don’t even consider it holiday.

If you want to show your service men and women how much you appreciate their service, consider self publishing a book in their honor. There are many ways you can use your goal of self publishing to honor veterans or to share your own story of being a veteran. Here are just a few ideas.

  • Write a memoir – You may choose to do this for the sole purpose of using writing to heal or with the goal of sharing your story with the world.
  • Write a suspense novel rooted in a veteran’s story – You could use your own life as inspiration, or interview other veterans.
  • Write a book celebrating veterans – Share positive and inspiring stories about veterans. This is a great idea if you have many family members or friends who are veterans.
  • Write a book to help veterans with life after the military – If you choose this topic, make sure you offer quality advice and seek professional input if necessary.
  • Donate your proceeds to veterans – There are various organizations that strive to help veterans with issues such as adapting to life after war. If you’d like to help these causes, you could donate a portion or all of your book’s proceeds to the cause.

I’d love to know, how are you honoring veterans this Veteran’s Day?

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

5 Reasons for Self Publishing in November

As the end of 2012 approaches, you may be wondering if now is the right time to begin the self-publishing process. Well, here are five reasons why November is a great time to for self-publishing authors to finally make their dreams come true.

1) An early Christmas gift for yourself – When we write and publish, we often think about the reader, but at the end of the day, publishing is also about the writer. It is a major achievement to write and publish a book. Give yourself the priceless gift of seeing your book in print this year.

2) An early 2013 release – If you start the self-publishing process now, your book will probably be complete in early 2013. The beginning of a new year is a great time to begin marketing a book.

3) The calm after the storm – For most people, November and December means rushing around to decorate, shop and entertain, but January and February are typically slow months. If you start the self-publishing process now, you can take advantage of the after-the-holidays calm and use the slow months to perfect your book.

4) Get an early start on your 2013 resolution list – Self publishing a book is a common task on the New Year’s resolution list. By self publishing in November, you can get a jump-start on your to-do list, and enjoy the satisfaction of completing a resolution in the beginning of the year.

5) End of year promotions – Many self-publishing companies are getting in the holiday spirit by offering great deals on publishing packages and marketing options. Ask your self-publishing company about their current promotions.

I’d love to know, why do you want to self publish in November?

 

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

Spooky Self Publishing Statistics

Happy Halloween everyone! In honor of this spooky holiday, I want to share some self-publishing and industry statistics that may shock you. Don’t be afraid; just keep reading.

  • According to an Aptara survey, the trade publishing market segment (which includes fiction and non-fiction for children, young adults, and adults) has considerably increased its e-book output. The e-book production rate went from 50% to 76% during the last two years.
  • Amazon still generates the highest number of sales for trade publishers, according to Aptara.
  • According to BookStats 2012, Religion and Children’s/Young Adults showed strong growth while Children’s/YA ranked as the fastest-growing category in publishing in 2011.
  • Brick-and-mortar retail remains the #1 sales distribution channel for publishers in 2011, as it did in 2010, according to BookStats 2012.
  • According to Bowker, traditional print book output grew six percent in 2011, from 328,259 titles in 2010 to a projected 347,178 in 2011, driven almost exclusively by a strong self-publishing market.
  • According to a self-publishing resource on top earners, two-thirds of top self-publishing earners are women.
  • The average top earner spends 69% more time writing than the average author not categorized as a top earner.
  • Self-publishing authors who paid professionals for services like story-editing, copyediting and proofreading earned an average of 13% more than those who didn’t.
  • Hiring a professional cover designer earned top earners an average of 18% more.
  • Top earners had almost four times as many reviews for their most recent book than authors outside of the group.

Being knowledgable of book industry and self-publishing trends and statistics can help you make important decisions as a self-publishing author. For instance, these statistics show the value of hiring professionals such as copyeditors, receiving book reviews, offering your book in multiple formats and taking advantage of Amazon’s author services. The best way to become a successful self-publishing author is to learn from the success of those who have already succeeded.

I’d love to know, do these statistics impact your plans as a self-publishing author?

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.