Jodee Speaks – Page 26 – Self Publishing Advisor

It’s a Jungle Out There

There are many full-service self-publishing companies ready to assist you with publishing your book, and I don’t envy the author who has to navigate the vast array of publishing packages and optional services. As you are comparison shopping, one area you want to be certain you are comparing apples-to-apples and not apples-to-oranges is your per book author cost and your per book royalties. To make sure you understand what the different companies are offering, make sure your per book pricing and royalties comparisons use these same parameters:

Same Trim Size
Same Estimated Page Count
Same Distribution (i.e. Amazon only, all major online retailers, offline retailers etc.)
Same Quantity of Author Copies

These basic guidelines will help choose the company that is best for 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

Famous Self-Published Author: Henry M. Robert

Henry M. Robert is the author of the famous book, Robert’s Rules of Order. (The full length title of the original version was Pocket Manual of Rules of Order for Deliberative Assemblies.) To this day, the book remains the most widely used text by parliamentary authority in the United States!

A self-published author was able to write and publish a book that continues to strongly influence our government. That is powerful, and you can do the same thing. If you have ideas you need to share, speak up and self-publish your book!

Jodee Speaks

You Can’t Sell Your Car in the Garage

If you have a car for sale and you park it in your garage, there is a very small chance you will ever sell that car. Your family, friends, and maybe a handful of neighbors might know the car is for sale, but that’s it.

If you are really serious about selling it, then you need to advertise. You might place ads on Craigslist, in the classifieds, or on bulletin boards. You will probably even put a for sale sign on the car and drive it around or park it on a corner with lots of traffic so people can see the sign.

The same is true with self-published books.

You can get your book published and distributed through Amazon and Barnes and Noble online, but no one will know to look for it there unless you tell them about it. As you are planning and saving for your book publishing project, don’t forget about the ongoing need to market and promote your book. It could be the next best-seller, but not if no one knows about it!

Jodee Speaks

Save $200 When Self-Publishing With Outskirts Press This 4th of July

If you have been considering self publishing, now is the perfect time! In honor of the July Fourth holiday, authors ordering their publishing package from Outskirts Press before July 5th can receive a twenty percent discount on each of two top-of-the-line publishing packages: the Diamond and Pearl package.

The promotion code is JULY42012, and the deadline is July 5, 2012. Happy 4th of July!

Jodee Speaks

Should You Create Your Own Cover?

Many self-published authors debate whether they should submit a print-ready cover they have created or whether they should hire a professional graphic designer to create the cover for them. Like any self-publishing decision you will make, there are pros and cons to each method. Here is an overview of the two options.

Creating Your Own Cover

If you have the skills to create your own cover, you can save money by doing the work yourself.
Creating a professional cover requires both skill and talent. Most writers do not have the ability to create a great cover.
You need to know how to format the cover correctly.
If your cover doesn’t look great, your book may not sell well, even if it well written.

Hiring a Graphic Designer

When you hire a professional, you can expect a great cover every time. Afterall, that is what you paying the graphic designer for.
You have a lot of options. If you design the cover yourself, your skills and talent may limit your options, but when you hire a professional, you can tell the designer exactly what you want.
This option does cost money, but it is often well worth it.
Many self-publishing companies offer a custom cover option. This saves you the time and stress of finding a great designer.

Remember, your book cover has a huge impact on your ability to sell your book! Unfortunately, people don’t listen to the cliché “don’t judge a book by its cover,” so be sure to choose an option that will make your book look professional.

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