Tag: Writing

Choosing a Publisher, Networking, Self-Publishing

Self-publishing’s Strongest According to Inc. Magazine

Inc500Cover2Inc. Magazine released its annual top 500 fastest growing US businesses yesterday. Outskirts Press, Inc ranked #268 on the list, and exclusive among full-service self publishing outfits. With on-demand publications up 132% over the previous year, Outskirts Press finds itself the fastest growing provider in the fastest growing segment of the book publishing industry. Congratulations Outskirts Press.

Author Solutions – the only other self-publishing related provider recognized, came in at 3266 among the top 5000 companies.

Congratulations self-publishing.

– Karl Schroeder

Book Promotion, Choosing a Publisher, Networking, Self-Publishing

Self-Publishing: Give me six hours…

Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe. – Abraham Lincoln

Let’s look at breaking down your self-publishing book project into the short, mid, and long range in terms of the process in goals. The actual time involved for each phase varies with each author and each project. Nevertheless, you’ve worked hard on writing, revising, and preparing your book for publication. Congratulations. The first step or phase is done or nearing complete, and it’s time to publish.

Many authors confuse this second step – actual publishing – with step 3. Let’s slow down and take a closer look. Phase 1 is the writing, or artistic phase. Step 2, the publishing or business step. Time to begin sharpening the axe. Upfront prices are important, but take the time to avoid the ever present instant gratification of free and quick publishing and research beyond. What kind of pricing control will you have? Professional production options? Will your book be situated to retail competitively on the market? What kind of marketing services and options are available after publication? These are critical questions to ask as you research full-service self-publishing options, customize your mid-range work, and begin to look at getting your published book into reader’s hands. Now your prepared to chop the tree.

Karl Schroeder
https://selfpublishingadvice.wordpress.com

Choosing a Publisher, Self-Publishing

Tips on Annotation for the Self-Publishing Author

Last week we discussed the book marketing value of professional cover scribing. Annotation provides an avenue to use that externally to enhance that marketing online.

ANNOTATION is used by Ingram during the distribution process. When the book is listed on Amazon or Barnes & Noble’s website, it’s the annotation that fills the PRODUCT DESCRIPTION/OVERVIEW section.   The ANNOTATION is also restricted in length, although very often can be substantially longer than the Back Cover Copy.  Ideally, the ANNOTATION should be as long and as detailed as possible, perhaps requiring multiple headings to separate elements of the ANNOTATION.  The total character count, including spaces, should be as close to 4000 as possible without exceeding it.   It’s okay to include the author biography again in the ANNOTATION, provided a separate heading (Like “About the Author”) separates the content. Both Amazon and Barnes & Noble have the capability of understanding basic HTML formatting tags, so judicious use of several tags can help an ANNOTATION really stand out.  Two specific tags that should be used are the <b>BOLD</b> tags and the <em>italics</em> tags, both of which can help draw a reader’s attention to specific words and phrases within the ANNOTATION. Bullet point and numbered lists are good here, too.

Whew. Have fun. Keep writing.

– Karl Schroeder

Book Promotion, Choosing a Publisher, Self-Publishing

Ask the Book Doctor: About Book Covers and Free Feedback

Ask the Book Doctor: About Book Covers and Free Feedback

Q: My book is being edited and will be soon be ready to be printed. Being short on cash, how can I put a nice cover on it as cheaply as possible? I don’t expect it to be on a bestseller list, but I do want it to be more advanced than my first attempt.

A: You are wise to be concerned about the cover. The cover often is the only thing that sells a book. If the cover looks bad, few people will buy the book, no matter how well written the contents may be. As in editing, the cover is not a place where you want to scrimp.

If you don’t want the cover to look cheap, don’t be cheap. That is, pay someone, even if it is only a design student, to design a book cover properly and well. Don’t create your own artwork for it unless you’re an accomplished artist. Don’t use the artwork of one of your children unless the book is a children’s book.

Getting the front, back, and spine looking professional takes much more work and knowledge than most non-designers can imagine, plus the file must be compatible with the printer’s equipment. Unless you have a design program, know how to use it, and have studied design, I don’t recommend designing a book cover yourself. If you want the cover to look professional, hire a professional to do it.

Barring hiring a pro, you can use one of the self-publishing companies that offers cover design as part of a printing package. You can check the Internet for such companies and see if they offer any covers that appeal to you at a price that is satisfactory, or you can surf the Web for cover designers and pick one with the best price. Through the miracle of the Internet your designer can be anywhere in the world and send the files to you electronically. Be sure to check out some of the lower priced book design companies in India, too.

Yours in writing,
Bobbie Christmas, author Write In Style, the triple-award-winning textbook on creative writing
Zebra Communications
230 Deerchase Drive, Suite B
Woodstock, GA 30188
770-924-0528
http://www.zebraeditor.com
Bobbie@zebraeditor.com
Choosing a Publisher, Networking, Self-Publishing

Self-Publishing and Online Marketing

Leading traditional book publisher, HarperCollins, recently initiated an online social networking and self-publishing operation that is designed to flesh out new titles to pull into their traditional publishing program. This provides concrete evidence that self-publishing is the real deal, despite what detractors may purport.

Among the many advantages of self-publishing, as in part demonstrated by HarperCollins, is the ease of online social networking and media access, which provides outstanding viral marketing potential for authors. Outskirts Press is offering a free 30 second book teaser video for authors initiating the process this month. What a cool and effective marketing tool.

Traditional publishing is looking to the pool of self-published titles to bring to the market. The good news is that the market is already there for self-publishing authors. Make sure your publisher offers a variety and adapting base of marketing support and options following publication. The potential is huge.

Have fun and keep writing…

– Karl Schroder