Kelly Speaks – Page 102 – Self Publishing Advisor

How Far is Too Far? — Extreme Book Marketing Efforts by Joan Rivers

Did you ever think about chaining yourself to a Costco shopping cart to promote your book? No? Well, if you had, I’m sorry to tell you Joan Rivers beat you to it.

According to Rivers, Costco refuses to stock her book, “I Hate Everyone … Starting with Me,” which has made the New York Times bestseller list. The store reportedly banned the book because it has “naughty” words on the back cover. Fighting back, Rivers chained herself to a shopping cart in the store and shouted through a bullhorn, protesting the ban and (simultaneously) promoting her book. Police were called to the scene, but no citations were issued.

Many believe the protest was a staged publicity stunt to help promote the book. Rivers had her own film crew present as she protested, and she willingly talked to the media after the event. Whether the intention was to protest or promote, the story is creating a lot of buzz about the author and her new book. Some might say the old cliché “there is no such thing as bad publicity” is true.

Rivers shows the extremes to which some authors are willing to go in order to market their books, but she also teaches self-publishing authors an important lesson: not every retailer will be willing to stock your book, even if you think they should. Retailers do have guidelines they follow when it comes to which books they stock in their stores. If a celebrity such as Joan Rivers can’t get her book (which, I remind you, is a New York Times bestseller) onto the shelves at Costco, self-publishing authors will most likely experience similar hurdles.

If one of your book marketing goals is to get your book onto the shelves of a major retailer, think about the marketing efforts you are currently making and learn from your experiences (and rejections, if you have had any). I don’t encourage you to chain yourself to a shopping cart in a bookstore parking lot, but if a bookstore tells you no, consider what other avenues you might take in order to accomplish your goal.

I’d love to know, what do you think of the Joan Rivers protest?

ABOUT KELLY SCHUKNECHT: Kelly Schuknecht is the Vice President of Outskirts Press. In addition to her contributions to the Outskirts Press blog at blog.outskirtspress.com, Kelly and a group of talented marketing experts offer book marketing services, support, and products to not only published Outskirts Press authors, but to all authors and professionals who are interested in marketing their books and/or careers. Learn more about Kelly on her blog at http://kellyschuknecht.com.

Kelly Speaks

The Importance of Copyrights and Trademarks for Self-Publishing Authors

Mashable.com recently featured a funny story about a trademark dispute between Jack Daniel’s and a author. The article headline is what captured my interest – “Jack Daniel’s Sends the Most Polite Cease-and-Desist Letter Ever” – but the situation itself is a very important lesson for all self-publishing authors, so I wanted to share it with you.

Because the cover of the book was so similar to the classic Jack Daniel’s whiskey label, Jack Daniel’s Properties (which owns the Jack Daniel’s trademarks) contacted the author and kindly asked him to create a new book cover. They even offered to help with the costs involved. You can view the cover in question and read a portion of the letter here.

While the Jack Daniel’s company was very kind to this author, this is not always the case with trademark and copyright issues. In fact, a trademark or copyright lawsuit can mean big trouble, and big bucks, for authors who don’t follow the rules.

When publishing your book, it is essential that you consider trademarks and copyrights for both the content and images inside your book as well as those on the cover. You MUST get permission to use work if it is not your own. If you don’t, you could find yourself in court, and no author wants to spend his hard-earned royalties that way!

Do you have questions about copyright or trademark issues?

Kelly Speaks

Two Ways a Ghostwriter Can Help You Become a Self-Published Author

A ghostwriter is someone who can help you write your book, and no one has to know you used a ghostwriter. In almost all cases, the ghostwriter does not receive any credit for writing the book. Instead, your name appears on the cover. If you choose to hire a ghostwriter, there are two ways to approach the project. Here is a summary of each.

1. From Start to Finish

The ghostwriter can help you write the book from start to finish. Most likely, the ghostwriter will ask you questions about your vision for the book and may require you to create an outline. The ghostwriter will then use this information to create a first draft of your book. Most ghostwriters allow you to make at least one round of changes to the manuscript. If you choose this process, you don’t have to do any of the writing yourself. You simply share your ideas with the ghostwriter, and the writer will turn your vision into a book.

2. Help Finishing

Another option is to hire a ghostwriter to help you finish your book. This is perfect for people who have already began the writing process but are too busy to finish the job. One of the perks of this option is the writer has some material to work with, so he or she can get a sense of your writing style. Similar to the first option, the writer will ask you questions about your vision and may require an outline.

I’d love to know, what questions do you have about the ghost writing process? Please comment below.

Kelly Speaks

Two Paths to Becoming a Children’s Book Author

Do you dream of publishing a children’s book? Well, your dream can come true easier than you may have thought. Here are two ways you can become a children’s book author whether or not you have the ability to create your own illustrations:

1. Do-It-Yourself

If you are extremely talented, you may choose to write and illustrate your own children’s book. This DIY option allows you to fully engage your creativity and bring the story in your head to life. However, do not attempt this route if you do not have the skill or talent to illustrate your own book. With children’s books, the pictures are just as important as (if not more important than) the words you’ve written. You do not want your story corrupted by amateur illustrations.

2. Get Some Help

If you have a great story for children, but are not able to do your own illustrations, you can simply write your story and hire an illustrator. While there is a cost to this option, you are guaranteed quality illustrations which you would not otherwise be able to produce on your own. You may choose to hire an illustrator you find online or through a friend. Be sure to consider whether this will be a one-time cost to you or if you will need to share a portion of the royalties with your illustrator. If you prefer royalty-free illustrations, check with your self-publishing company for their illustration options.

Kelly Speaks

What is an ISBN?

ISBN stands for International Standard Book Number. Every book that is sold has a unique number known as an ISBN to help book purchasers identify it. It is like a social security number for your book.

Books published as of January 1, 2007 have ISBNs that are 13 digits long. Prior to 2007, ISBNs were 10 digits long. While it is not necessary for all books to display an ISBN, most book stores only carry ISBN-bearing merchandise, so it is very important that your book has a printed ISBN.

While there is a method to how the ISBN is determined, it may not be necessary for every self-publishing author to understand this process. What is important to know is how to get an ISBN for your book. The exact steps vary depending on your publisher of choice, but sometimes the ISBN is simply included in your self publishing package. Check with your publishing company before you start publishing to make sure your book will have its own ISBN and that they will handle the details of this for you. After all, that is a benefit of using a full-service self-publishing company!

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