Tag: Self-Publishing

Elise Speaks, Marketing Your Self-Published Book

The Challenge of New Book Discovery May Not Affect Self-Publishing Authors

As a self-publishing author, one of the biggest challenges you may face is getting new people to learn about you and your book. After all, experience suggests that successfully publishing a book involves 20% of your efforts toward writing and 80% of your efforts toward marketing.

At any rate, on sites such as Paid Content (and even at BEA), book discoverability is a “hot topic” of sorts. In a recent article, they cited statistics from Codex Group to drive home the point that the decline of available brick-and-mortar booksellers has contributed to increased difficulty for authors to get new readers to discover their books. It seems that this mainly applies to traditionally-published authors. Why? Well, the decline of the brick-and-mortar booksellers seems to level the playing field, so to speak. With more readers turning to eBooks and online book shopping/browsing, this allows authors who have self-published to have a reach similar to that of authors who typically enjoy a strong bookstore presence.

How amazing is that? All authors have an equal opportunity for reader attention. Who would imagine such a possibility? Self-publishing authors can now use online book marketing methods — such as virtual book tours, social media, and videos to enhance their online visibility and increase reader interest in their books. Even something as simple as sprucing up their Amazon sales page can help.

At this point, I’m not understanding all of the fuss, unless you don’t want the playing field to be leveled…What are your thoughts?

Elise Connors ABOUT ELISE L. CONNORS:
Elise works as the Manager of Author Support of Outskirts Press.  She also contributes to the Outskirts Press blog at blog.outskirtspress.com. Elise and a group of talented book marketing experts assist not only published Outskirts Press authors, but also all authors and professionals who are interested in getting the best possible exposure for their book.
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.
Kelly Speaks, Publishing Trends

The Rise of POD Publishing

In 2010, traditional print publishing grew a mere 5%, up from 4% in 2009, but non-traditional publishing, such as print on demand (POD) and self-publishing, grew a whopping 169%, according to a Bowker report. The report estimates that non-traditional publishing will continue to grow in the future.

POD publishing first surpassed traditional publishing in 2008. Since then, POD publishers have been able to produce eight times the output of traditional publishers. This is great news for aspiring authors! It means that there are vast opportunities to write, publish, and sell quality books.

Most writers are overwhelmed with constant rejection from agents and editors or fear that their books will never be seen in print because of the difficult world of publishing. This doesn’t have to be the case. POD is a great option for many writers, and there are no agents or editors telling you your book isn’t good enough. If you believe in your book, you can see it in print.

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.
Wendy Speaks

Print Books Will Endure

Digital books are great! You can carry around a library in your purse and read anywhere. Plus, digital books are often cheaper to produce (and therefore, cheaper to buy) and are environmentally friendly. Still, paper books will endure. Here are three reasons why.

They Make Great Gifts

Print books make great gifts. I often give friends and relatives books for holidays and birthdays. There is nothing better than the gift of reading.

They are Easy to Share

People love sharing books with their friends and family. How many times have you read a great book and passed it along to someone else? The ability to share is one of the pleasures of reading. Sharing digital books is possible, but it’s not as easy.

There is Nothing Like a Print Book

Many readers love the feel and smell of print books. Reading is an opportunity to escape our chaotic lives and enter another world. There is just something about sitting outside or laying on the couch with a paper book and getting lost in a story. Reading a digital book just isn’t the same.

If you are considering publishing, your best option is have a print and digital copy of your book. This will make sure you please both types of customers. Which do you prefer: digital or print books?

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

Self-Published Authors Have Input

One of the  many benefits of self-publishing is the amount of control the author maintains during the publication process. Unlike traditional publishing, you can call all the shots. However, it is important to note that not every self-publishing company offers the same privileges and options. When choosing a company, find out how much author input is allowed and if there are any additional costs for customizations. For instance, most companies charge for custom covers or interior design, but you don’t have to buy custom options to have author input. Even standard templates give you the opportunity to change and adjust based on your needs and desires. This is privilege that most traditionally published authors don’t have, and it is one of the main reasons writers choose self-publishing.

I’d love to know, what customizations are you considering?

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.