Wendy Speaks – Page 9 – Self Publishing Advisor

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.

Wendy Speaks

How To Submit Print Ready Files

Although most authors allow the self-publishing company to create the cover art and to format the manuscript to industry standards, it is not uncommon for some authors to hire a graphic designer to create the digital artwork for their cover. In these cases, the work needs to adhere to the self-publishing company’s exact specifications. For instance, Outskirts Press explains these specifications in the Print Ready File Creation Guidelines. Be sure to ask your self-publishing company for information on their specific requirements.

During the pre-production phase of publishing, authors will submit a mock-up of their cover. This confirms that the authors and their graphic specialist understand that the cover includes the front cover, the spine and the back cover. Once authors are in production and they approve the interior file for printing, the self-publishing company will send the author the exact cover template for the designer to marry with his/her design. The publishing company will wait until the interior file is perfect before sending this template to authors because the company needs to know the exact page count to determine the exact width of the spine. The template also comes with the authors unique ISBN number, bar code and chosen retail price. Additionally, the publishing company will supply a copy of their logo to be placed on the back cover.

Print Ready Interiors are not as common and are typically submitted by authors who have very complicated interiors with many images and/or charts and graphs. Again, an outside graphic artist is typically involved as most authors do not have the programs or expertise to create these files to meet stringent industry standards. POD (print on demand) is an extremely specific process and has non-flexible technical requirements. For specific requirements and submission details, contact your self-publishing company.

Wendy Speaks

Famous Self-Published Author: Walt Whitman

Have you ever read Walt Whitman’s Leaves of Grass? This poetry collection were self-published in Brooklyn in 1855. The first edition contained only 12 poems, but the final edition contained almost 400.

The first edition found offensive due to its homosexual undertones. However, not all responses were negative. Some critics considered Whitman’s work a classic. Today, Whitman’s book is still read by college students and literature lovers. His book has held up to the review of classic rather than the one of offensive.

Whitman’s self-publishing journey was not a walk in the park. He struggled to sell his book, and he was subject to censorship and criticism. However, he did not give up. He continued to revise and stand behind his book, and in the end, his title became an American classic.

Wendy Speaks

Top Five New Year’s Resolutions for Writers

As you say good-bye to 2011 and welcome in 2012, you may be creating a list of New Year’s Resolutions. The beginning of the year is a great time to make small improvements and take steps towards achieving your dreams. Here are the top five New Year’s resolutions for writers.

1) Write Every Day

I’m sure you’ve heard this advice before, but do you actually follow it? Writers write. Some days, it is only a few sentences. Some days, it is a few pages. But real writers don’t just talk about writing. They actually do it. If you want to get closer to achieving your dreams and improve your writing make an effort to write something every day.

2) Start a Blog

You may be reluctant to start a blog, but social media is a great way to market yourself and your books. A blog gives you a chance to gain a readership before you even publish your book. You can share samples for your work, get feedback from readers or just write about being a writer. In addition to marketing, this is a great way to connect with other writers.

3) Join a Writers’ Group

Writing groups are a great place to get inspiration and feedback. Creative minds often feed off of each other, so reading other people’s work can improve your own. You will also get unbiased advice on what works and what doesn’t in your writing. You can find a group in your area or join one online.

4) Read Tons of Books

The best writers are often avid readers. Read books in your genre as well as books from other genres. Also, look for books and articles about writing, editing and publishing.

5) Publish Your Book

Every writer dreams of publication. Make this the year you do it. Whether you choose to follow the tradition publishing route or pick a self-publishing company, 2012 can be the year you make your dreams come true.

Happy new year!

Editing Your Self-Published Book, Wendy Speaks

Copyediting 101

You’ve spent weeks, months and maybe even years working on your book. You’ve read and revised the manuscript several times. Now it is ready for publication, right? Wrong. No matter how good of a writer you are or how many times you’ve proofread and revised your book, you need to consider professional copyediting if you want your book to be taken seriously. Here are three reasons why.

1) Copyediting is More than Proofreading

Most books are expected to adhere to the Chicago Manual of Style guidelines. (There are other styles for certain books such as medical or scientific books.) The Chicago Manual of Style has specific guidelines on everything from numbers to hyphens to spellings. The most important style issue is consistency. For instance, if you use the word “e-mail” in chapter one, you can’t later spell it as “email” in chapter six. While proofreaders can find obvious errors such as spelling mistakes or typos, they don’t find the larger errors a copyeditor looks for.

2) It is Almost Impossible to Edit Your Own Work

Sure, you can read your work several times and find mistakes, but most authors cannot thoroughly edit their own work. This is because you are so familiar with your manuscript that you look over mistakes a new set of eyes would find. Also, you may not have the skills needed to perform a copyedit. Copyeditors are considered professionals for a reason.

3) A Flawed Book Won’t be Taken Seriously

Yes, even books published by top publishing houses and well-known authors occasionally have errors. It is impossible for every writer and every editor to always catch every error, but professional books are almost 100% error free. If your book is riddled with errors, no one will take your book seriously. You will be subject to the harsh criticism that sometimes surrounds self-published authors. Prove to your readers and your critics that you value your book and you are a professional by hiring a professional copyeditor to review your book before publication.

If you are interested in hiring a professional copyeditor, find out what services are available through your self publishing company. You can also find professional copyeditors online or ask writer friends to recommend a copyeditor they have used.

I’d love to know, do you plan on hiring a copyeditor?

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