Tag: ebook

Choosing a Publisher

A closer look at ebook publishing

We recently discussed the addition of Borders “Get Published” addition to the mix of ebook publishing options available for self-publishing options.

The Borders—Get Published Powered by BookBrewer program offers two basic levels of service: an $89.99 basic package that gives the user an ISBN and makes the e-book available to all major e-book retailers, along with a $199.99 advance package. This package provides the author full e-Pub file access. Authors can set their own prices within the guidelines set by individual retailers, with royalty percentages paid out also according to those parameters, which are relatively similar.

Keeping in line with its hard-line stance on high distribution and retail cuts for self-publishing authors looking to place their physical books even in their virtual stores, one may wonder how Borders plans to compete with platforms like the free PubIt! program currently available through Barnes & Noble.

It turns out that a key factor in the upfront pricing comes in the blog-to-chapter feed publishing tool – targeting bloggers. According to Publishers Weekly, a spokesperson from Borders noted, “There are no royalties associated with this [advanced] package. You can sell via eBook retailers on your own or on your site if you are a blogger. So if you’re a more serious publisher and think you will sell thousands of copies, paying a higher fee up front in exchange for making thousands more will make sense to you.”

It’s true that using a blog to create and to promote your book is a strong marketing tactic, but a blogger is in essence already a publishing. Hold the horses – how are we going to sell thousands of copies of redundant content???

At this price point, take a small step forwawrd and publish comprehensively through a full-service self-publishing option. You’ll get access to publish through these digital platforms, plus full-design, distribution, and marketing assistance to sell bound and digital books both online and off.



Share this Post

Book Promotion

Using an Ebook Edition to Promote Your Self-published Book

Ebooks are bigger than ever, with recent news of Borders jumping into the mix this month. Aside from actually selling your ebook, did you know that an ebook edition of your self-published book can actually work into the promotion of your hard copy book.

Its no secret that the distribution of an ebook is quicker and more affordable. With your electronic ebook file, you can literally sell the same “thing” over and over again. By giving people a choice between your ebook and your paperback, you offer them two different price points. You can even publish portions of your ebook as a ‘teaser’ to promote your hardcopy book, selling one to literally sell the other.

If you don’t have an ebook edition, there is no better time than now to get one. If you have an ebook edition of your book, perhaps you are already using it to promote your hard copy version on places like Amazon’s Kindle Store, iPad, or any number of other new distribution options.



Share this Post

Self-Publishing, Viral Marketing

The Future of Publishing

In her end of the year address, Simon & Schuster CEO, Carolyn Reidy had this to say of the book market, “The US bookselling market has been truly lackluster, and year-on-year sales at most of our major customers have declined significantly … the lower sales volume attributed to the soft marketplace was impossible for us to overcome.”

But is the marketplace soft? Have book sales truly declined? Or, as Seth Godin would suggest, has the marketplace, instead of going soft, changed radically?

Self-published author, Keith Knapp, has nearly dominated the Kindle store sales rankings for months. As Knapp points out, it’s not easy to get readers to pick up titles from authors they’ve never heard of. But here is an example of an author adapting to the changing market to find success, in spite of disliking the practice of marketing itself.

As Seth identifies, “Competition and the market are like water. They go where they want.”

I encourage you to take two minutes and enjoy this video, The Future of Publishing.



Share this Post

Cheers.

Book Promotion

Promoting Your Self-Published Book with a Kindle Edition

Amazon recently introduced the Kindle 2. 

If you are a self-published author and you have not heard of Kindle, click here for more information.

Why should you offer a Kindle edition of your book?

An ebook edition of your self-published book can help with the promotion of your hard copy format.  Keep in mind that distribution of an ebook is quicker and more affordable.  By giving people a choice between your ebook and your paperback, you offer them two different price points.

If you have an ebook edition of your book, perhaps you are already using it to promote your hard copy format on sites like Amazon’s Kindle Store.  If so, don’t worry, the Kindle 2 is compatible with all of the Kindle books already in the Kindle store, so you do not need to submit another format.

If you don’t have an ebook edition, you should consider getting one and submitting it to Amazon’s Kindle store.  Now is a great time to do that since Amazon is currently promoting the new Kindle 2.  Here’s where you can submit your ebook format for Amazon’s Kindle store: dtp.amazon.com. 

Good luck and have fun!
Kelly Schuknecht
selfpublishingadvice.wordpress.com

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:
>
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