Category: Self-Publishing

Self-Publishing, Uncategorized

Bookstores Are In Trouble and What this Means to Your Self-Publishing Marketing Plan

Borders is headed toward Chapter 11 Bankruptcy THIS MONTH.

Barnes&Noble has laid off several employees — including someone very important to self-publishing authors — the Small Press Director, Marcella Smith.

Whether this comes as a shock to you or it’s old news, traditional bookstores are in a bit of trouble right now. With the rising popularity of online book buying and affordability of e-readers, buyers are “turning their backs” on the big players in the bookstore game. As a self-publishing author, this is important for you to know as you will want to know whether to include brick and mortar bookstores in your marketing plan.

I’ve talked to several authors who were initially under the impression that once their book publishes, it is automatically available in traditional bookstores. That is not at all the case. If I’m speaking with an author who wants to explore the possibility of getting their book onto the shelves of their local bookstore, I typically advise that that the following “guidelines” must be met in order to have a chance of success with that goal:

  • You must set your pricing with an offline-friendly trade discount. This is usually between 50-55%.
  • Your book must be fully-returnable. The “insurance” plan for this can cost you $500+ per year.
  • You must have an on-target marketing plan with an already proven sales system.

The reality of it is, many self-publishing authors books never make it onto the shelves of a traditional bookstore. Trying to reach this goal can cost  you a great deal of money (less royalty and yearly cost) and time (you may have to re-submit your book multiple times to be considered).

What can you do if you aren’t able to meet the receiving bookstore’s rigid requirements? Well, the good news is – not all is lost. You can still be very successful at online sales. Plus, with both Borders and Barnes&Noble falling upon hard times, there are much better ways to use your marketing skills and/or dollars — including planning things like a Virtual Book Tour or Global Book Tour (to name a few).

Self-Publishing, Uncategorized

Quick Question – What is Self-Publishing?

That’s a powerfully loaded question…

The simplest way to define it is: self-publishing is the act of getting your own book to print, distributing it, and then marketing it. That said — there are some authors who prefer to create their own books from the ground up. While this can be done – is it always the most feasible option available? Not usually.

Authors can also decide to hire the services of a self-publishing company, which some incorrectly label as “vanity presses”. A vanity press is an outfit that offers little to no support for the author and actually allows them very little involvement in the process of making their book. Naturally, authors should be very careful when dealing with such companies because they may not end with what they are looking for in the end.

However, a full-service self-publishing company will keep you involved in the process and offer support before, during, and after you publish your book. The biggest reason why an author would choose to go this route is if they need assistance creating their book. All authors are not cover designers, book blockers, and marketers. So, they enlist the expertise of a team who knows the book publishing industry inside and out. It’s honestly no different than paying a plumber to fix your toilet. Sure, you can research, study, and practice fixing it yourself. But, do you really want to commit all of the time required to do it?

DISCUSSION: Have you worked with a company to publish your book or did you do it all yourself?

 

Book Marketing, Self-Publishing

Books a Million: Marketing in the Digital Age

It was nearly a year after Google was founded that they saw even their first mention in the New York Times, as a mere parenthetical. In fact, most major online companies—Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, even Amazon—began in relative obscurity.

In today’s instant gratification, online world that dynamic seems almost backward, especially when as publishers and authors we often conceptualize a big-launch book publication as a measure of success. The big launch is what we’re used to. Think Harry Potter.

It can be helpful to plan major marketing events around your book launch. But, in today’s marketplace and through the long-tail effect, it’s time to take a different approach. There are virtually millions of books published every year, a massive increase in volume from just a decade ago, thanks in large part to POD and full-service self-publishing. Book marketing has changed as well. Think long-haul. With a bit of work and support, you may be surprised what success you find not one day or even one year after publication.

Self-Publishing

Self-publishing Costs: POD vs Offset Printing

Publishing has traditionally operated on a model of offset book printing where the publishing house pre-prints a set number of books based on what they feel they can successfully sell. Authors would receive an advance (yes – get paid upfront) based on that projection, and receive a royalty percentage on sales, typically 10%, only if books sold beyond that initial number.

Self-publishing authors have the option to print offset as well, and receive royalty figures well beyond that 10% mark.

As you consider your self-publishing options, you may be wondering whether the right choice for your book is offset printing or the newer POD model.

Here are 5 details to consider…

5 – With offset printing you will pay in advance for a large number of books, regardless of whether you sell any.

4 – Your books begin, and often end, in your basement or garage not in reader’s hands.

3 – Even after you pay to print your book, you still have to find a way to distribute it, and then you have to track sales, invoice customers, and ship product.

2 – Your book will go out of print unless you pony up more dough for another print run.

1 – An off-set order requires “overages” of 5%-10% of the quoted print-run. That means if you order 2000 books, you may actually get (and be required to pay for) 2200.

If you are considering self-publishing through a printer, the price quotes you received may have scared you. No wonder. Newsweek Magazine recently noted that it generally takes an investment of $5,000 – $25,000 to self-publish a book through an offset printer.

Time to think POD?

 

Book Reviews, Self-Publishing, Self-Publishing Book Review of the Week

Self-publishing Book Review of the Week: “Deadly Portfolio”

Deadly Portfolio: A Killing In Hedge Funds

John J. Hohn (2010) ISBN 9781432758752

Investing has always proven to be risky, but there are safer, less volatile bets than others. Hopefully trust in a financial advisor adds security to choices made, but how well do you really know him??? Who can you trust?

In the affluent lakeside community of Heron Lake, NC, the Fourth of July is a time for golfing, sailing, barbecuing and social climbing. Every year at this time financial advisors Matthew Wirth and Morrie Clay host a summer bash, entertaining wealthy friends and clients with the idea of cementing business deals and establishing social position. For Matthew Wirth this year marks hopes for a comfortable retirement, having worked hard to establish old-age security. Morrie Clay, quite a bit younger and more ambitious is eager to take over the client list and firmly establish his own name in financial and social circles. A bit over eager, he crosses ethical lines when he invests a client’s money in a hedge fund to make a quick profit. Without client consent he finds himself in career ending position when the fund tanks.

Rene McAllister, wife of multi-millionaire Alan “Mac” McAllister, is the client at the center of this misappropriation of funds. The morning after the party her dead body washes on shore. This begins to look more like a murder than a suicide to Detective James Raker. When young neighbor Jamie Sherman, a suspected drug dealer is also found dead, there is perhaps reason to believe the deaths are related. Adding to the mix is Mac’s discovery of mishandling of his wife’s funds. Morrie’s career is threatened as is his family’s comfortable lifestyle. Matthew’s reputation and retirement are also in jeopardy. In the midst of the investigation, law enforcement agencies seem to clash in cross purpose as Detective Raker doggedly follows his gut in pursuit of the killer.

“Deadly Portfolio” is a well written, intriguing mystery guaranteed to entertain. It provides study of the impact of acquisition of wealth of those who compromise their values only to discover that greed causes corruption and downfall.

Self-published Book Review of the Week by Enid Grabiner for RebeccasReads.com