Category: Uncategorized

elizabeth speaks, Holidays, in your corner, Uncategorized

In Your Corner : Giving Thanks for Self-Publishing

Why am I thankful for self-publishing?  Let me count the ways!

self-publishing bounty

  • I’m thankful because I don’t have to wait for an agent to read and accept my next book.  We just need to write a book in order for that book to exist out there in the world and be read by others!
  • I’m thankful because I get to keep my rights and royalties.  In a competitive market, this gives us both a leg up over authors who are published through traditional forms and processes, and a leg up on an industry that constantly seeks to inflate the profit margin for the publisher or film house–at the expense of ideas and the author at the heart of it all.
  • I’m thankful because I will maintain control over every aspect of my book that I want to, and I have a whole host of options to turn to (including my own employer, Outskirts Press) if there are aspects I don’t want to control.
  • I’m thankful for more flexibility.  We get to work from home, on our own timeline, meeting our own personal goals and performing according to our own expectations–and not racing to constantly measure up to someone else’s designs, or match our schedules with someone else’s calendar.
  • I’m thankful that we don’t live in fear of progress, but rather surf the cutting edge of the digital and silicon revolutions.  We are innovators, ambitious dreamers who make change happen and get stuff done.  Right now we self-publishers are masters of the ebook, including the e-audiobook.  What’s next?  We’ll figure it out.  And we’ll embrace it, I guarantee you, before anyone else in the publishing world.
  • I’m thankful that as a part of my job I get to help others sidestep the “information gatekeepers” who have historically limited access to publication for reasons to do with bias, influence over the industry, and profit.  When has a small group of people determining the parameters of another, larger group of peoples’ lives ever turned out well?  Vive la révolution!  The more voices we hear, the more lives we witness, the more we know of the world and the way other minds work, the better we can live as individuals and a collective whole.  I really believe that.
  • I’m thankful that this has been a big year for breakthroughs in terms of mainstream recognition and presence.  Ridley Scott’s adaptation of self-publishing superstar Andy Weir’s The Martian is still rocking the box office.  A film adaptation of Lisa Genova’s Still Alice received its wide release this year, too, and walked away with an Oscar, a BAFTA, a Golden Globe, and a Screen Actors Guild Award (among others).  And that’s just two of many self-published works that have been adapted for the big screen (and television) this year–a great litmus test and indicator of mainstream success.  Countless other self-published books have seen more moderate success, too, and the indie industry is as a whole seeing diversification and stabilization.
  • And lastly, it wouldn’t be Thanksgiving if I didn’t mention one of my greatest joys: the indie, hybrid, and self-publishing authors that I work with day and day out throughout the year at Outskirts Press. As a company, we are so very thankful for the authors that have made us a leading self-publisher in an energetic and ever-expanding market.  We never tire of learning how we have helped authors realize their dreams, how we have helped author after author to put their ideas and words into beautifully bound books to be enjoyed by others.  You inspire us to better ourselves every day.  You inspire me to believe in the power of the written word, and in the power of helping others sound their voices throughout the world.

 

I hope that you have a splendid Thanksgiving Day today.  As it is at all other times of year, it’s important to remember one simple fact this holiday season: You’re not alone. ♣︎

ElizabethABOUT ELIZABETH JAVOR: With over 18 years of experience in sales and management, Elizabeth Javor works as the Manager of Author Services for Outskirts Press. The Author Services Department is composed of knowledgeable publishing consultants, pre-production specialists, customer service reps and book marketing specialists; together, they all focus on educating authors on the self-publishing process 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, Elizabeth Javor can put you on the right path.
Advocacy in Self-Publishing, digital census, futurebook, Kelly Speaks, Uncategorized

Demystifying the Digital Census : Self Love Levels Drop

Two weeks ago, I launched this series by laying the groundwork for understanding what the FutureBook (and its parent organization, The Bookseller) is all about and, as a result, what the annual Digital Census seeks to measure and comment upon.  (In summary: it tracks emerging and outgoing matters of interest for authors and publishers and other trade experts invested in digital publishing, whether through traditional or indie, hybrid, and self-publishing platforms.)  I also took a quick peek at the FutureBook‘s first confirmed trend of 2015: the fact that mobile has overtaken both tablets and dedicated e-readers as the primary means for reading ebooks.  And last week, I applied a microscope to the FutureBook’s second confirmed trend of 2015: the fact that digital sales are still growing, but that growth is slowing.  

self-love

This week, I’m going to examine the FutureBook’s third confirmed trend for the year.  Straight from the horse’s mouth, so to speak: “Self-love levels recede as many indie authors report lower satisfaction levels.” The FutureBook publication, which you can read here, says:

futurebook

Screen Shot 2015-11-24 at 11.44.01 PM

You can imagine how deeply sad I feel when I see a well-respected and industry-enriching publication commenting on authors tanking in the self-love department.  As it turns out, the data indexed by the Digital Census isn’t necessarily asking authors to psychoanalyze their performance and self-satisfaction, so “self-love” may be a bit strong of a term––but then again, maybe not.  Many authors do equate self-satisfaction (and their identity, really) with their performance in respect to sales figures.  And that’s a deeply problematic way to measure self-worth, as everyone is well aware … but sometimes we can’t help but believe it to be an accurate yardstick, especially when we’re spoon-fed a certain narrative by the mainstream media: the narrative in which success means J.K. Rowling, means Veronica Roth, means Tom Clancy and P.D. James and Agatha Christie, means George R.R. Martin, means blockbuster film adaptations and interviews with Ellen or Oprah or Jimmy Kimmel.

Maybe other self-publishing authors and bloggers might be content to state that this is wrong and it shouldn’t be the case, but I can’t just let it lie.  Where does the narrative of success originate?  And how can we alter the conversation to reflect a more holistic, life-affirming reality––the selfsame reality that indie, hybrid, and self-publishing authors of great quality and phenomenal worth experience on a day-to-day basis?

I think a lot of it comes down to the whole do as I say, not as I do syndrome that applies to many other grand social narratives in our modern world.  For example, we affirm again and again to our children that whatever path life takes them on, they have value––as plumbers as well as princesses, as garbage collectors and astronauts––but we flood their lives with films, television shows, and books that highlight the “exceptional” nature of the same “grand narratives” that the world will later try and tell them are impossible to actually attain, in adulthood.  (When was the last time we turned to a college student and said, “You can totally be a princess!” … and actually mean it?)

It’s the same with publishing, including self-publishing: we tell warn aspiring authors again and again that success doesn’t look like any one thing, and it certainly isn’t equatable with sales figures.  But at the same time, the narratives of “successful” authors that we learn about and spread through news articles and social media are almost always about authors who rake in the big bucks and attention from the Big Five publishing houses (after a successful “grassroots campaign,” of course), and about rags-to-riches stories like Andy Weir’s and Christopher Paolini’s.  And I’m here to say: it’s too little, and too late.  It’s simply not good enough to affirm our indie authors as individual successes with trite sayings and cold comfort.  By the time we need comforting, it’s too late.  We have to break the stereotypes and unravel the threadbare story before authors publish.

Otherwise, we’re always going to be playing catch-up and damage control.  I will always, always be on hand to affirm that you’re a success simply because you did the hard thing and you (self-) published your book, but I think we can do more to set you up for a healthy sense of your own value and worth and general excellence, and do it earlier and better.  Let’s start by teaching the next wave of future authors that numbers do not an identity make!

 

Thank you for reading!  If you have any questions, comments, suggestions, or contributions, please use the comment field below or drop us a line at selfpublishingadvice@gmail.com.  And remember to check back each Wednesday for your weekly dose of marketing musings from one indie, hybrid, and self-published author to another. ♠

Kelly Speaks, Uncategorized

From the Archives: “Avoid the 3 ‘Tell-Tale’ Signs of Self-Published Books”

Welcome back to our new Tuesday segment, where we’ll be revisiting some of our most popular posts from the last few years.  What’s stayed the same?  And what’s changed?  We’ll be updating you on the facts, and taking a new (and hopefully refreshing) angle on a few timeless classics of Self Publishing Advisor.

∗∗∗∗∗

[ Originally posted: May 2nd, 2011 ]

You’ve self-published a book, and it’s amazing that you’ve dedicated so much time and energy into writing and creating you own masterpiece. While there’s nothing wrong with self publishing, and it’s actually a great opportunity for many authors, you don’t necessarily want your book to “look self published”. That could mean inability of your audience to take your book seriously, receiving horrible reviews, suffering from poor sales performance, or worse.

Here are a few of the 3 “deadly sins” not to commit when publishing your book:

  • Use of cover templates – Templates are often rather dull, at best. Invest your money into really making your cover stand out.
  • Unedited manuscript – Run on sentences, sentence fragments, etc. are all things that can leave a bad taste in the mouth of a reader. We always recommend that you hire a professional editor for your manuscript. No, your sister-in-law doesn’t count as a professional editor. You need more than a fresh set of eyes when it comes to choosing an editor. You need someone who is professionally trained in editing.
  • Non-traditional interior
    • Double-Spaced – A book should NEVER be double spaced. Just because something works great for reports and other forms of communication doesn’t mean it will work the same for a printed book.
    • Strange and/or difficult to read typestyles – You like typing in Script MT Bold. It looks beautiful on screen, but will not look as good in a printed book.
    • Missing headers/footers – Have you ever read a book (other than a children’s book) without a header or footer? Why leave them out on your book?
    • Non-standard page numbering – Make sure your page numbers are in the same position on each opposite page. Also make sure font is consistent across all numbering.
When you hire a self-publishing company, all of these things can be taken care of under one umbrella. However, if you are “going it alone”, it’s important to remember the tips above to make sure you avoid showcasing an unprofessional appearance.
-WENDY STETINA

 

Four and a half years after Wendy’s original post, not much has changed when it comes to the aspects of self-publishing which set the final products at a disadvantage compared to their traditionally published kin.

And look, we’ve all seen a lousy book cover or two in our time.  And with online compendiums like the Huffington Post––what with their readerships of thousands upon thousands––going out of their way to pick on a select few, I see no reason to get in on the finger-wagging here.  But suffice it to say, many self-published book covers don’t look quite as polished and beautiful as those put out by the Big Five publishing houses.  There are all sorts of reasons for this: self-publishing authors are shorter (much shorter) on funds than the average industry juggernaut, or perhaps simply prefer to allocate their funds elsewhere, or perhaps have a poor eye for what appeals to a mass market audience.  Templates are rather dull, but they exist for a reason.  Or a series of unfortunate reasons.

We don’t need to blame our fellow indie authors for the trend’s existence to recognize that we can, collectively, do better.  How?  Well, we’ve written about the virtues of a well-crafted book cover before and elsewhere at length, but suffice it to say that there are quite a few options which will result in a lovelier cover than the one you or I can churn out in a basic word processing program.  More importantly, the time and money and energy you spend on an attractive cover reaps dividends that more than compensate for the expense.

When it comes to leaving a manuscript unedited, however, I must admit that I struggle to see a reason that justifies this decision.  Not because I don’t recognize the limitations of a tight budget or the profound importance of exercising total creative control over one’s own work––I understand that  completely––but because an unedited manuscript poses so many opportunities to lose and alienate our readers, no matter how excellent the content and construct of our work.  An attractive book cover will draw readers in, while a polished and professionally-edited manuscript will keep them invested.  It’s as simple as that.  (And for more of our rationale on this one, check out Jodee’s thoughts here, Rob Mangelson’s thoughts here, and Elizabeth’s thoughts here.)  As self-publishing authors, we can’t afford to lose our readers.

Sometimes, we miss things.  The more people who have eyes on a given work, the less likely it is that any single mistake will be overlooked, which is one reason why paying a professional to edit or at least evaluate your work is such an important idea.  But there’s another reason: Professional copyeditors know the rules.  I don’t just mean the official rules of publication and grammar, but the unspoken rules too.  They know which details are going to distract a reader, consciously or subconsciously, from your book.  They know how to create consistency in the midst of chaos.  All of those little details that Wendy mentioned in her original post?  They are exactly the kind of thing that can hurt your sales, even though they may seem small or insignificant.  Copyeditors are your partners and co-laborers in bringing your book to the world, and it’s in their best interest as well as yours to catch every single little misstep before it becomes a profit-buster.

copyediting

Whether it’s presenting your book with an exterior as beautiful as its interior, or editing your book’s content, self-publishing today offers all sorts of options to the aspiring author that wouldn’t have been possible just four years ago.  That is good news indeed! ♠

KellyABOUT KELLY SCHUKNECHT: Kelly Schuknecht is the Executive 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, kellyschuknecht.com.
Kelly Speaks, news from the self publishing world, self publishing news, Self-Publishing, Self-Publishing Week in Review, Uncategorized

News From the Self-Publishing World: 11/23/15

This week in the world of self-publishing:

We pretty much love i09, the millennial go-to forum for all news fandom-related.  And when an article begins with the line, “At an anti-library closure protest, local magician and comics legend Alan Moore had some surprising words” you can bet we sit up and pay attention––particularly when those “surprising words” end up rallying support to the self-publishing cause.  The article by Kaila Hale-Stern, which posted to i09 on November 19th, records Moore as saying “Publishing today is a complete mess. I know brilliant authors who can’t get their books published [….] Publish yourself. Don’t rely upon other people.”  Says Hale-Stern, “It’s rare and refreshing for an established writer to promote the potential boons of self-publishing and be honest about their perception of what lies behind the industry curtain.”  Moore’s words aren’t exactly  hot off the press (the protest actually took place back in 2011), but Hale-Stern’s decision to resurrect them––and to a high-traffic website like i09––says a lot about what millennials are hungering for.  HINT: It’s not more bureaucratic red tape and rejection by traditional publishers.  For more of Hale-Stern’s article, visit her article here.

In another article published on the 19th, GalleyCat contributor Dianna Dilworth updates readers on the latest development for self-publishing authors looking to break into the audiobook market––and, fittingly enough, this week that involves the launch of a new self-publishing tool by the audiobook industry supergiant, Audiobooks.com.  (When you own the domain name, you must be close to the top of your pyramid.)  The platform is being called Author’s Republic, and according to Dilworth it will allow self-publishing authors to “submit titles to Audiobooks.com, Audible, iTunes, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Scribd, Downpour, and tunein, as well as library providers such as Findaway and Overdrive.”  The benefits seem (from a cursory glance at least) to be notable: “Most of these platforms will pay authors an average of 35 percent royalty on what their titles are sold for. iTunes and Amazon will pay a 25 percent royalty.”  Only time will tell if this new service measures up to existing competitors, of course.  For more information, follow the link.

Self-publishing made it into the Huffington Post this last week!  In an article for HuffPost Books on November 20th, contributor Brooke Warner writes that “Most writers have traditional publishing aspirations” in that “They want an agent to fall in love with their project and champion their work; they’re looking for the external validation of being accepted by a publishing house; their fantasies about getting published involve a red carpet experience that’s increasingly elusive in this industry.”  But so few aspiring authors receive that validation, despite having genuinely rich material to submit.  The solution?  According to Warner, you can fine-tune your approach to agents and publishers alike, but the one option which will always be open to you is that of the indie, hybrid, and self-publishing market.  Says Warner, “Independent publishing is a blossoming middle ground for authors, and in many cases you can replicate the experience you always dreamed of having–though you pay for it instead of being paid for it.”  Obviously we’re a little biased here at SPA, but we fully advocate for more creative control!  To catch more of Warner’s article, check out the original post.

When it comes to self-publishing, or publishing in general, “art books” don’t get a lot of love or attention.  But they should!  I mean, what’s more eye-catching and giftable than a beautiful oversized book full of illustrations and photographs?  And with the digital revolution has come a parallel evolution in the creation and editorial tools now available to artists and photographers––so really, seeing someone pay attention to them is both refreshing and necessary.  In this November 20th piece for Publisher’s Weekly,  Ryan Joe writes that “despite the amount of work that goes into such an endeavor, numerous creators—some big names in their respective fields, others up-and-comers—are taking matters into their own hands when it comes to getting their art books published.”  He goes on to document the ways and means in which several of these creators have trailblazed the way for other artists to follow, and in so doing Joe creates a summary guide for authors looking to flex a different self-publishing muscle.  Well worth a second look, we’d expect!

As a self-publishing author, you may find it helpful to stay up-to-date on the trends and news related to the self-publishing industry.This will help you make informed decisions before, during and after the self-publishing process, which will lead to a greater self-publishing experience. To help you stay current on self-publishing topics, simply visit our blog every Monday to find out the hottest news. If you have other big news to share, please comment below.

KellyABOUT KELLY SCHUKNECHT: Kelly Schuknecht is the Executive 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, kellyschuknecht.com.

Book Reviews, Self-Publishing Book Review of the Week, Uncategorized, weekly self published book review

Weekly Self-Published Book Review: “The Lucky Seven Show”

Book reviews are a great way for self-publishing authors to gain exposure. After all, how can someone buy your book if he or she doesn’t know it exists? Paired with other elements of your book promotion strategy, requesting reviews is a great way to get people talking about what you’ve written.

When we read good reviews, we definitely like to share them. It gives the author a few (permanent) moments of fame and allows us to let the community know about a great book. Here’s this week’s book review, courtesy of the Midwest Book Review:

the lucky seven show

The Lucky Seven Show

by Mary Jo Wisneski Johnston (author)
& Richa Kinra (illustrator)

Publisher: Outskirts Press

ISBN: 9781478747093

Synopsis:

Muscatino Rattuti the Great––or Musky for short––is delighted to have discovered the huge barn with seven sides. It’s perfect for storing the Rat Pack’s treasures from their nightly forays, and the entertainment possibilities of the barn are endless: It’s loaded with various and sundry items that the wood rats, flying machines, forest people, musical instruments, photographs, the world geography contingent, and ancient farm tools are inspired to engage in. Musky isn’t the only creature vying for use of the barn. Everyone wants to play there! In The Lucky Seven Show––a delightfully illustrated new book––Musky the wood rat and the weathervane horse use their wits to bring about a resolution to the problem, as all seven groups showcasing their talents in the barn at once would cause utter chaos. A positive outcome grows out of generous planning, collaboration, and compromise among the groups––and the final resolution brings happiness to all!

Critique:

The Lucky Seven Show is a creative fantasy in which Muscatino Rattuti the Great, otherwise known as Musky the wood rat, collaborates with seven other groups or entities to organize multi-faceted use of the hepbarn, a seven sided magical barn storage structure in which all groups wish to perform. In this amazing, kaleidoscopic mini epic, Musky, a wizard wood rat with wings, is assisted by a talking weathervane pony and a human observer to begin a planning conference inviting all seven groups to think of ways to share performance space in the hepbarn. This is a phenomenal idea, resulting in an amazing Lucky Seven Show featuring flying machines, forest wood sprites, funky musical instruments, animated trip photographs, world geography remnants, and ancient farm tools, and the wood rat pack. Each contingent was allowed one side of the seven sided barn and one time for featured performance, and all planned performances were announced by a publicity menagerie/signboard effect. In this ditzy, glitzy, theatrical troupe, shape and order, with collaboration and cooperation, evolve into a stunning solution which eclipses anything imagined by Musky or the other groups. Funny, whirling, colorful pencil/crayon-like illustrations express the components of The Lucky Seven Show with precision and style, providing an enriched fantasy experience for the lucky readers (age 8 and up). The Lucky Seven Show ends leaving readers wanting to hear more. Perhaps a sequel will add further delight.

[ reviewed in the Children’s Bookwatch ]

Here’s what some other reviewers are saying:

This book is about cooperation, organization and being willing to take turns when only one group of several can be active at any time. The interior of a barn has seven sides and there are seven distinct groups of actors that want to carry out their performances designed to express what appears on their wall. When one group is active there is no room for any other group to operate, so scheduling is necessary.
The caretaker of the barn is Muscatino Rattuti the Great (Dr. Wiz), a flying rat with wispy, filmy wings. It is his job to keep everything organized and he is drawn with nose spectacles and wearing a wizard’s robe and hat. Eventually, there is a meeting where the groups within the barn are able to create a schedule that all can agree on.
Although it is constructed in the classic children’s book form of images on one side and text on the other, this book will challenge young readers due to the presence of more difficult words. Some of those words are Hantavirus, sojourns, appendages, interminable, edifice, myriad and cacophony. The images have the appearance of having been done in colored pencil, the colors are soft and there are sketch lines.
This is a book that presents an important lesson, the lesson of timesharing a scarce resource. The smooth process of life is based on rules of politely taking your turn, whether you are in a grocery store, driving a vehicle or in a business meeting where company policy is being discussed and developed. Children need to learn that this is the most efficient way for groups to function and this book teaches that important lesson.

– Amazon Hall of Fame Reviewer Charles Ashbacher

Illustrated by Richa Kinra, this children’s book by Mary Jo Wisneski Johnston is sure to delight many readers. It the pictures are engaging and colourful. They are hand drawn and the expressions on the characters’ faces are amusing. I do not like computer generated images and I would like to applaud the author and publisher of this book for these organic and enriching illustrations.

This fun book tells the tale of a strange seven-sided barn and the magical events that happen within its walls. Each side or wall has different characters who compete with each other for space and attention. However, a compromise is reached and the reader learns a valuable lesson about working together, cooperation and appreciation of those that are different from ourselves.

– Amazon Reviewer Susan Day

Thanks for reading!  Keep up with the latest in the world of indie and self-published books by watching this space every Saturday!

Self Publishing Advisor

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