Category: Uncategorized

Book Design, Uncategorized, Wendy Speaks

Illustrations Affect the Success of Your Children’s Book

So – you have written a charming children’s story. Your children and all of your friends’ children love the storyline and the characters. You dream of becoming a published author. Perhaps you have ideas for a series that involve many stories with the same characters. Bringing those figures to life with an investment in high quality illustrations will contribute to the success of your book.

 I regularly tell authors: if you do not purchase one of our professional illustration sets, please hire an independent graphic illustrator to create your images. Make sure that you get a release from the artist giving you permission to use the illustrations and always get in writing that they will not be receiving any portion of the royalties from your book.

If you want your book to be taken seriously, you need to spend a little money to make it look professional.

 

ABOUT WENDY STETINA: Wendy Stetina is a sales and marketing professional with over 30 years experience in the printing and publishing industry. Wendy works as the Director of Author Services for Outskirts Press. The Author Services Department is composed of knowledgeable customer service reps and publishing consultants; and 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, Wendy Stetina can put you on the right path.

 

Uncategorized

Weekly Self-Published Book Review: Big Business and Body Bags

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 by Midwest Book Review:

Big Business and Body Bags 

Lincoln R. Peters

Publisher: Outskirts Press

ISBN: 9781432770297

With no future, the allure of a life in crime is too much to resist. “Big Business and Body Bags: A Journey Into the Deadly Drug Business” delves into what brings people into the criminal underworld and the business of drugs. A riveting thriller that has strong basis in reality, it brings a tragic tale of a life destroyed by it all. “Big Business and Body Bags” is a riveting read that should prove quite hard to put down by general fiction readers.

Uncategorized, Wendy Speaks

Top 5 Reasons to Self Publish in February

The chaos of the holidays is finally over, and 2012 is just getting started. Like most writers, you probably have “publish a book” on your list of things to do in 2012. Well, February is a great time to make that dream come true. Here are five reasons why.

Promotions

Like most businesses, self-publishing companies offer excellent deals after the holidays. Sometimes, these promotions are even better than the holiday deals. For instance, Outskirts Press is currently offering a $300.00 Mad Money credit that can be applied to any production or marketing option.

Valentine’s Day

Obviously, you could give the gift of self-publishing to someone you love, but what about you? This year, give yourself a Valentine’s Day gift and finally see your book in print.

Time is on Your Side

If you cross publishing off your New Year’s Resolution list in February, you are left with the rest of the year to market your book, begin other projects or just enjoy the satisfaction of publishing a book.

Winter is Still Here

When the nice weather arrives, it can be hard to sit inside working on your book. Take advantage of the winter weather. Spend those hours inside working on your book, and you can accomplish your dream of publishing before all the BBQs and beach trips.

2012 is a Political Year

Having your book published before the general election will make it easier to market. This is especially true for books about hot topics and politics because people will be reading about these topics before the election.

ABOUT WENDY STETINA: Wendy Stetina is a sales and marketing professional with over 30 years experience in the printing and publishing industry. Wendy works as the Director of Author Services for Outskirts Press. The Author Services Department is composed of knowledgeable customer service reps and publishing consultants; and 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, Wendy Stetina can put you on the right path.
Cheri Speaks, Choosing a Publisher, Uncategorized

Self-Publishing For Mature Writers

If you are a mature writer who is considering self-publishing, there are a few things you need to consider. First of all, find out what type of assistance  self-publishing companies offer. Determine if they provide phone assistance, email assistance, or both. Also note that most self-publishing companies facilitate their production process online and need written documentation of author requests.

If you are not computer savvy, there are people out there who can help you. For instance, you may be able to pay your publisher to assist you with this additional need. Another option is having a family member or friend who uses computers regularly assist you. A third option is asking a local college student who is looking to gain computer assistance experience to help.

Finally. remember to always read the contract before you sign and thoroughly research a self-publishing company. This will prevent surprises during the publishing process and help you decide which self-publishing company is best for you.

Cheri Breeding ABOUT CHERI BREEDING: Since 2005 Cheri Breeding has been working as the Director of Production for Outskirts Press. In that time, she has been an instrumental component of every aspect of the Production Department, performing the roles of an Author Representative, Book Designer, Customer Service Representative, Title Production Supervisor, Production Manager and, Director of Production. She brings all that experience and knowledge, along with an unparalleled customer-service focus, to help self-publishing authors reach high-quality book publication more efficiently, professionally, and affordably.
Uncategorized, Wendy Speaks

How Much Does It Cost to Self-Publish?

Many authors ask, “How much does it cost to self-publish?” The question should be “What should an author invest in their project based on their marketing goals?” Most authors self-publish in hopes of selling their book. While your book needs to be appealing and have good content, a solid marketing plan is essential to selling to your book.

I always recommend professional copyediting and a custom cover to all authors who are serious about sales. Authors are given approximately eight seconds for potential buyers to decide if they like the cover enough to consider purchasing the book. Therefore, the cover needs to be unique and eye-catching. In addition, nothing will “kill” a sale faster than a manuscript that is riddled with typographical errors or bad grammar. This is especially important for non-fiction books that are positioning the author as a credible expert.

Self-publishing should be looked at from a business perspective. I cannot imagine any business, new or old, not budgeting for advertising. When prospective authors ask me how much money they need to include in their self-publishing budget, I typically respond that $2500.00 is the average amount. In this estimate, I have allotted $1500.00 to the actual production of the book.  The additional $1000.00 should be used for marketing services. The cost for professional copyediting is not included in this amount, but I do recommend investing in professional copyediting.

 Although many people spend more or less than this amount, I believe this is a good estimate for self-publishing authors. However, it comes down to each individual’s goals for their book and their individual reason for publishing.

 

 

ABOUT WENDY STETINA: Wendy Stetina is a sales and marketing professional with over 30 years experience in the printing and publishing industry. Wendy works as the Director of Author Services for Outskirts Press. The Author Services Department is composed of knowledgeable customer service reps and publishing consultants; and 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, Wendy Stetina can put you on the right path.