Tag: Choosing a Publisher

Choosing a Publisher, Jodee Speaks, Uncategorized

Compare CreateSpace and Outskirts Press Self Publishing Packages

Deciding which self-publishing company to go with can be a real challenge.  To assist you with this process, I’m beginning a series of posts where I do the legwork for you!  I’ll prepare a side-by-side comparison of two similar publishing packages from two self-publishing companies.  I’ll strive to keep it as simple as possible to help cut through the vast amount of information out there by giving you an easy to read chart and a brief summary of my impressions on the comparison.

I’ll start this series with a comparison of two of the most robust self-publishing packages available: The “One Click for Coaches & Speakers” from Outskirts Press  (which you can enjoy even if you’re NOT a coach or speaker, by the way) and the “Total Design Freedom” from CreateSpace.  The information shared here is current as of the date I completed the comparison (18 November 2012).

Outskirts Press One-Click Publishing For Coaches & Speakers CreateSpace Total Design Freedom Marketing Pro
$4497 $4634
Production Options Expedited Service ✓
Copyright registration ✓
Custom Cover ✓ ✓
Enhanced Interior Formatting ✓ ✓
Cover Scribing / Promotional Text ✓ ✓
Library of Congress Control Number ✓ ✓
Your ISBN/ Imprint or ours ✓ ✓
Interior Elements Up to 20 images Up to 10 images (add’l @ $15 each)
Copyediting Up to 75,000 Words Up to 60,000 Words
Additional Formats Amazon Kindle Edition ✓
Secure EBook Edition ✓
Espresso Book Machine Edition ✓
 Marketing Services Publication Press Release ✓ ✓
Custom Topic Press Release ✓
PR Publicist Campaign ✓
Electronic Clipping Service ✓
Author Webpage ✓

After comparing these two self-publishing services side by side, the winner looks to be Outskirts Press. For $137 less, you receive expedited service, official copyright registration with the US Copyright Office, the Amazon Kindle edition of your book, the Espresso Book Machine edition, electronic clipping service, a PR campaign, and five hours of personal marketing assistance with a professional book marketing expert, among other benefits.   

See all the benefits and features of the One-Click Package for Speakers & Coaches by clicking here.

I’d love to know, which option would you choose and why?

ABOUT JODEE THAYER: With over 20 years of experience in   sales and management, Jodee Thayer works as the Manager of Author Services   for Outskirts Press. The Author Services Department   is composed of knowledgeable customer service reps and publishing consultants;   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, Jodee Thayer can put you on the right path.
Choosing a Publisher, Kelly Speaks

Top 5 Customer Service Characteristics of High Quality Self-Publishing Companies

As an author, when you choose POD publishing, you get to make all of the decisions during the publishing process. While this is perfect for authors who like to have all of the control over their finished product, it also means that you may have some questions along the way and need some guidance.  A high quality self-publishing company will offer excellent customer service, and that is what every author should expect.

Here are five characteristics to look for when evaluating a company’s customer service:

  1. Professionalism — How do the company and employees present themselves. Do they communicate professionally (in person or on the phone and via email)?
  2. Cheerfulness — Have you ever been to a store where it was clear the person helping you wanted to be anywhere BUT there helping you?  When a person doesn’t enjoy what they do, it’s obvious (and sad).  Attitudes are contagious and good customer service agents know how to spread cheer.
  3. Knowledge — Do they know the product information?  Can they provide you with the information you need?  If they can’t answer your question right away, can they find out and get back to you or point you in the right direction?
  4. Active Listening — It is important that the customer service agent listens to your individual needs.  Active listening involves asking the appropriate questions in order to fully understand your requests or concerns. Do you feel like you are being heard?
  5. Responsiveness — Do they reply to your emails and/or return your calls quickly? It’s not reasonable to expect everyone to have the answer to every question, but if they aren’t able to answer your question right away, are they able to look into it and get back to you in a reasonable amount of time?  Do they provide you with frequent updates on the status of your project?

These are the characteristics every author should look for when choosing a self-publishing company.

Best of luck with your self-publishing endeavors, and may all of your customer service experiences exceed your expectations! 🙂

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.
Book Design, Book Marketing, Cheri Speaks, Choosing a Publisher, Uncategorized

Choosing a Self Publisher

Self publishing is a big decision. Before jumping in, you need to research your options and pick a self publisher that meshes with your needs and goals. Here are three things you should look for when choosing a self-publishing company.

Design Options

Review the company’s interior and cover options. Most companies have standards for each genre. These standards are typically based on what is most viable in the marketplace.

Internal Processes

Each company has a process for handling the publication process, and requesting exceptions to this process can result in extra fees.

Prices and Options

Each company offers a variety of services during production and marketing. Find out what each company offers and the prices.

I’d love to know, what factors helped you choose a self-publishing company?

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.
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.
Choosing a Publisher, Self-Publishing

Self-Publishing: The New Black

Last Friday I happened to run into a new friend at a coffee shop down the street from my home. She also works in the publishing industry as a consultant, but more on the traditional model side. We enjoy running in to each other and talking shop.

This last run-in she mentioned a new author for which she’s providing ghostwriting and consulting services. Amy was evidently reserved in progressing with the project and I pressed for a bit more information. As it turned out, this particular author Amy was working with has a timely book topic on the table with a pressing eagerness to see it published; and with business savvy, the author wanted to see an attractive return on investment.

“Okay, what concerns do you have?” I asked. Amy first responded that shopping for an agent to pick up the book would push the timeline way back, and then between the agent’s and then the publisher’s cut, what could she reasonably expect to provide as an incentive to her author.

I couldn’t help but smirk. With self-publishing, authors retain exclusive control and full royalties, while having their books published in full-service style – start to finish – in around 12 weeks. Amy’s look was one of almost disbelief. When I mentioned all of these things along with the advantage of unlimited on-demand, international distribution offered by the best full-service self-publishing options she was noticeably, informed.

If you are an author, or publishing professional, revisit this question: What are your publishing goals? For many authors, the most important goals are:
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1) Keeping 100% of your rights and creative control to your book
2) Keeping 100% of your author royalties
3) Setting your own retail price, profit, and author discount
4) Publishing a high-quality book that is available worldwide

I hope that helps. Keep writing…

– Karl Schroeder