Tag: Self-Publishing

Kelly Speaks, Self-Publishing Week in Review

Self-Publishing Week in Review: 12/24/13

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 Tuesday to find out the hottest news.

Obama’s Brother Is Self-Publishing an Autobiography to Set the Record Straight

Obama’s half brother Mark Obama Ndesandjo is self-publishing an autobiography detailing the abuse his mother suffered at the hands of their father. The book, Cultures: My Odyssey of Self-Discovery, will discuss Mark’s relationship with his brother as well as address supposed inaccuracies in the president’s own memoir.

My Long Road To Self-Publishing

John Biggs shares his publishing journey, which includes both traditional and self-publishing. He also discusses why crowdfunding is a viable alternative to traditional models.

Writing Memoirs: Telling The Ugly Truth in a Beautiful Way

This is a great article for memoir writers, even if they don’t plan to self-publish. The author talks about the process and  challenge of writing a readable, uplifting non-fiction book that deals with difficult facts. This is an inspiring article for memoir writers.

If you have other big news to share, please comment below.

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.
Jodee Speaks, Uncategorized

It’s Not Too Late to Give (or Get) the Gift of Self-Publishing

Merry Christmas, everyone! With just a few days left until Christmas, you may be rushing to get last minute gifts or to give last minute ideas to people who still need to shop for you. Well, it’s not too late to give or get the gift of self-publishing.

Many self-publishing companies offer gift certificates that can be used towards a variety of publishing and marketing services. For instance, Outskirts Press offers instant gift certificates in the amount of $99. Here is how their process works.

  1. Click the “Add to Cart” button on the page and complete the transaction on a secure server.
  2. Outskirts Press will email the purchaser to find out who the special author is and whether  to include any special messaging on the gift notification.
  3. If the writer isn’t yet registered with Outskirts Press, they will create a free account and apply the $99 credit to the new account.
  4. If the author is already registered and/or published with Outskirts Press, they will apply the $99 credit to the existing Publishing Center account.
  5. Once the credit has been applied to the writer’s account, Outskirts Press will notify the writer via email of the special gift using any messaging provided.

The turnaround time is typically 2-business days, and there is no searching for a parking spot at a busy mall, waiting in a long line, or paying expensive shipping charges. Whether you want to make Christmas shopping a little easier for your friends and family or you are looking for the perfect gift for the writer on your shopping list, the gift of self-publishing is a great option.

I’d love to know, what are you asking for this year?

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.
Jodee Speaks, Uncategorized

Niche Market Books are Perfect for Self-Publishing!

While not all self-published books are successful, the self-publishing market seems to favor niche market books. This is great news for niche authors, since traditional publishers usually prefer books that appeal to a large, general audience. Here are four reasons why niche market books are perfect for self-publishing.

1. Easy Marketing

With niche market books, it’s easy to define your audience and therefore streamline your promotion and marketing efforts. You don’t need a large, traditional publisher to help you reach your audience.

2. Higher Royalties

Because you don’t need the help of a traditional publisher to reach your target audience, you don’t need to share your income and rights with them. Self-publishing authors keep the rights to their content and determine their own royalties.

3. Ideal for Speakers

Self-publishing is great for speakers who do most of their selling in-person at speaking engagements. Having a book helps build their credibility and income, and they can sell print copies directly to attendees during the event. Some self-publishing companies, such as Outskirts Press, even offer special publishing packages for coaches and speakers.

4. Quick Turnaround

If your publishing a book that relates to current issues or a special event, self-publishing offers a quicker turnaround time than traditional publishing. Often, current topics are outdated by the time a traditionally published book makes it into print.

These are just a few of the reasons self-publishing is a perfect option for niche market books. I would love to know, what influenced your publishing decisions for your niche market book?

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.
Kelly Speaks, Self-Publishing Week in Review

Self-Publishing Week in Review: 12/17/13

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 Tuesday to find out the hottest news.

5 Lessons From a Proud Self-Published Author

One of the best ways to improve your chance of success as a self-published author is learning from the mistakes and triumphs of other self-published authors. In this article, self-published author Jessica Smock shares five lessons that will help you improve your book. Every writer should read her advice.

10 Tips For Self-Publishing A Multi-Contributor Anthology

If you are planning to self-publish a multi-contributor anthology, this is a must read. The author shares 10 tips that will help the project go smoothly and make working with writers easier.

Self-published Seattle Author Tops Amazon Book Category List for Memoirs During Prime Holiday Shopping Season

Being on top of one of Amazon’s book lists is always a huge accomplishment, but to do it during the prime holiday shopping season is even more astounding. This article shares the success story of self-published memoir author  Molly McCord, who reached #2 on Amazon’s Memoirs: Adventurers and Explorers category.

If you have other big news to share, please comment below.

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.
Kelly Speaks, Self-Publishing Week in Review

Self-Publishing Week in Review: 12/10/13

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 Tuesday to find out the hottest news.

Companies book profits from self-publishing

This USATODAY report talks about a social worker who self-published her books, sold hundreds of thousands of copies, and made millions. It also discusses the success of other self-published authors and self-publishing statistics.

Guess Which Amazon Top 100 List Self-Published Women Dominate?

At a recent trade conference, Amazon.com divulged that roughly 25 percent of its U.S. Kindle Top 100 list for 2012 was composed of self-published and “indie” authors. According to stats from this year’s current list, those numbers don’t seem to be budging. This is good news for self-published authors and independent publishing houses across the United States, but the big winner in this news seems to be women authors. This article is a must read for self-publishing authors.

The Self-Publishing Debate: A Social Scientist Separates Fact from Fiction (Part 1 of 3)

The author of this article begins by saying, “If you had asked me a year ago, I would have told you that self-publishing was the road to nowhere.” She goes on to share her research on self-publishing and how her perception of self-publishing has changed. This is a fascinating read for self-published authors.

If you have other big news to share, please comment below.

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.