My Book Is Published, Now What?
© 2008 by Janice Phelps Williams All rights reserved.
Return to www.JanicePhelps.com for Book Design, Illustration and Editing
The majority of the work I provide for clients takes place well before their book is printed—before it is in physical form, sitting in a box, the box in a closet or garage or warehouse or bookstore. Before the first reader holds said book in their hands. Before the first review is posted on Amazon, the first contest entered, the author sending another precious free copy out into the world with hope. The most important work happens before these things happen. Big publishers know this. That is one reason why self-publishers have, more in the past than today, met with skepticism from bookstores: if the foundation has not been properly laid, nothing a bookstore can do will make up for it.
What is the most important work? Mainly, the writer[1] writes the book, a professional[2] edits and designs the book, and a competent printer produces it. I say this is the most important work because nothing else done after a book is printed can correct mistakes occurring before the book is printed—mistakes in editing, design, or in laying the groundwork for marketing the book.
Why am I emphasizing this? Because every week at least one earnest self-publisher approaches me to get their book placed with a distributor; find them an agent to market their book to big publishers; help them get onto national TV or radio; or get their book national recognition, and their book is already printed. Now, their book may be great, may have been professionally produced, but I’ve learned from experience that the chances of that are slim, and, therefore, I am not able to help them reach their goal, nor direct them to a reputable publicist.[3]
Since 1998, I have been a part of bringing nearly two hundred books to life. I’ve self-published three books and in 2007, DreamTime Publishing published my book Open Your Heart with Pets: Mastering Life through Love of Animals. I started blogging about the subject of pets, to help promote my book, and, not long afterward, began receiving requests from publicists to provide endorsement of books about pets. Unfortunately, a portion of these books read and look amateurish. It is disheartening.
Some of them have great stories to tell and have already spent considerable money to get to where they are and to hire a publicist. But their books have a disadvantage right from the starting gate. The covers do not look professionally designed; the book was not edited by a book editor; I can tell. Anyone in publishing can tell. The author, unfortunately, because he or she is a business-person, doctor, lawyer, record producer, restaurateur, or sound system designer, cannot tell. I’ve noticed that many people, who are really good at one thing, or even two things, believe that with the right software they can do anything. Not so. Or, should I say, just because you can do something, doesn’t mean you should. Doesn’t mean it will look as it should, and that you will be able to tell.
There is an art to editing and design. As in all creative arts, one develops a sensibility as you spend more time around it. I realize that some authors choose for whatever reason (budget, my schedule being full, a poor match of subject matter) to work with other editors and designers. At times I even refer them to others. But if you work with anyone to develop your book, make sure they have at least three years of experience in the book business and have worked on at least 10 books. If it were me, I’d want someone with five years of experience and at least 25 books in their list. As in hiring any professional, you want one who is not learning the ropes on your dollar, or (as was the case in 1997 when I started out working for a book distributor) is under the direction of a more experienced advisor.
My husband, Mark, and I have a kitchen equipped with the best pans, tools, etc. But Mark, as someone who spent years in the food business, gets much different results when he uses these tools. The same is true of my ability with scissors compared to that of my hairstylist. And, let’s not even talk about the difference between my mother, an accounting whiz, and myself, numerically challenged, when it comes to creating a balance sheet. I don’t do my own taxes, cut my own hair, fill cavities in my teeth, or give myself a mammogram. If you want your book to compete on a national level, hire a book editor and leave the design of your book to someone who designs books for a living.[4]
Authors who have worked with me through the design and editing phases often want the same things as those who contact me after their books are printed (i.e. placement with a distributor; an agent; national media exposure), but the process of creating my client’s book has refined his or her vision and helped lay the groundwork for success. Still, though, clients wonder how they can get their wonderful book into the hands of more readers.
I am a small publisher[5], and author, and a “book shepherd.[6]” Seeing through the years the success of long-time clients, many of whom have produced multiple books with me, has been very educational. I see what works and what doesn’t; how each project has its unique aspects to contend with on the road to success.
With this in mind, I offer the following
tips for marketing a book…
The
Marketing and advertising. That’s it, right there. No big secret, no complicated system.
Marketing
Getting your book and your name out there again, and
again, and again.
Advertising
Paying to get your book in front of your market.
Marketing and advertising take time and money.
Marketing includes things you do to get your name out as an author and your title out as a book worth buying; things which often do not cost money. Marketing is all about networking, and networking takes time. It also takes the right attitude: a balance of confidence and humility. You must have confidence to weather the negative aspects of trying to market a product that no one knows about, that has lots of competition, that likely has a short shelf life (as far as a bookseller or sales rep’s interest in it), and that can be upstaged by another book or author at any moment. Confidence in your book and in yourself are invaluable, but must be tempered with humility. Authors who have written the best books and used the services of other professionals and who go on to be happy with the publishing process tend to have a similar ratio of confidence and humility. (I haven’t done a scientific survey; this is simply what I have found in working with approximately 150 authors over 10 years.) Let’s look at two definitions of humility: “the quality or condition of being humble; modest opinion or estimate of one’s own importance, rank, etc.” Random House.[7] Wordnet[8] notes it is a “lack of false pride.”
“Have I got
a book for you!”
Publishers and those who work with them soon find that nearly everyone either thinks they can write a book or has a relative who has written a book. They boldly ask to have their book read and considered for publication. This can be wearisome. A tone of disbelief might be in their voice when you go on about how your book is going to be the next Harry Potter. How you will be on Oprah. The endorsements from a celebrity you are certain you can obtain. Accept their disbelief. Forgive them for not sitting on the edge of their chair eager to read your words. Respect their time (keep communication succinct and organized) and learn how to communicate in a way that will draw them in to learn more, and get your book the audience it deserves.
Tips:
Never fax a manuscript. Never mail or email a manuscript or a portion of it without first sending a well-written one-page query letter and waiting for the answer. Always include an SASE for a response. Always include your email for a response, if the editor prefers to interact that way. Most important, do your research and don’t send anything to a publisher or editor, sales rep, distributor, or wholesaler that is not a good fit for their business.
Realize that if editors had a quarter for every email that reads a bit like this—
I have written a book on [fill in this blank with any
of the following: weight loss/coping with cancer/finding love/being a better
person/raising children/handling money] and am sure readers are eager to hear
what I have to say. My manuscript is nearly done and after my signature I have
pasted the first three chapters, which I hope you will take the time to read.
If there is anything else you need from me to make a decision about publishing
my book, email me back. There isn’t anything out there like this!
—they would be wealthy and quit working for a publisher to stay home and read or write books of their own, or do something with quicker results, like gardening.
Bookstores
Aren’t Perfect, Neither Are You
Realize that bookstores (and libraries) have tens of thousands of books on their shelves. They also have procedures in place for determining what books to order, how long to keep them in the store, where to place them in the store, and how their ordering and billing systems work. You, as a small publisher, self-publisher, or author, need them more than they need you. Yes, it’s true! So, don’t criticize their system. They have experts who do nothing but evaluate and analyze their system. Figure out a way to fit into their system or determine that you will forego (without negativity because you might change your mind later) doing business with them. In other words, if you don’t like the way a chain bookstore or large book wholesaler conducts its business, don’t waste your energy complaining about and trying to change the system. Either adjust to it or find another way to sell your books. In today’s environment, with all the choices and technology in front of writers and readers, it can be done.
Self-publishers often run into trouble because they look at everything involved in the business of publishing from the vantage point of having one product, one book. How many furniture stores, clothing manufacturers, shoe makers, TV manufacturers, and automakers have one product? None. Why is this? Because the more products you have the more your risk is spread and the more your chance for success is increased.
Think of a horse race. If you own five horses in a race of ten, and the other five are divided among two other owners, you, all horses being equal, have a much better chance of winning than your competition. One of your horses will likely place or win. When bookstores and book wholesalers and distributors set up their procedures, discounts, and prices, they are figuring that you, the publisher, have more than one title[9]. They will communicate with you as if you do. You would do well not to change their opinion, because businesses will be more interested in a publisher who has put a lot of capital and effort behind their list. (Why should they help market a book that doesn’t have anything behind it, or whose self-publishing author stands little to lose if it doesn’t sell?)
Having more than one title also allows publishers to make the most of marketing and advertising. This is why, when you approach another book-related business, you want to stress how your book is better than the competition but also how it is similar to what they are already involved in. Their customers come looking for a certain type of book; if yours fits into that genre, voila! A sale!
Let’s Review
ü Make sure your book is professionally edited and designed.
ü Keep all communication with those in the business of publishing professional succinct, and organized.
ü Respect established companies and their way of doing business. Realize you can choose, or not, to enter into agreements with them.
ü Understand that it is a disadvantage to be a publisher of one title.[10] You have to understand this to properly evaluate how your book is doing financially, and how other businesses, larger businesses, relate to you. It is also helpful to understand this when you are looking at your marketing plan. You will do best to maximize sales directly to consumers, and this takes a specific approach.
Know Your
Market
When you think in detail of the four points already discussed, you can see how important it is to know your market, as a writer and as a publisher (if you are writer being published by a publisher, then you will still need to understand the publisher’s market and your market too). Which of the following is your primary market? Which is your secondary market?
A new self-publisher will want to determine one to three markets, and then explore them as fully as possible. As you grow your publishing business, you can evaluate which are the most productive, receptive, and lucrative, and then juggle your efforts to maximize use of your time and money.
1. My primary market is _____________________________ .
2. My secondary market is ___________________________ .
3. If I chose a third market it would be _________________ .
I will re-evaluate these choices ____ months after my book is published.
E Is for
Effort
Determine how much time per month you are willing to commit to spending on marketing your book. Decide how much money per month you are willing to commit to marketing your book.
Keep this formula
in mind: Time + Money = Effort
Here’s another
one: Your Effort Must Be > [greater than] Anyone
Else’s Effort
And finally: Effort + Interest + Ease of Purchase = Sales
Only you can determine how much time and money you have to invest. If you do not have enough time to market your book, then you will need to hire someone to give it the time it needs. A book does not become a bestseller without the author spending a lot of time—many, many hours over many, many months, consistently—marketing his or her book. I am often surprised to find that authors are surprised by this. It doesn’t matter if you are self-published or published by Random House. Just like there is no substitute for a parent, there is no substitute for an author taking responsibility for a good portion of their book’s success. Knowing where to put your time and money is a bit trickier, but acknowledging the effort needed is crucial.
Market
Interest
As to market interest, obviously you think there is interest in your book, or you wouldn’t have published it (though I should know by now not to assume anything!). Sometimes we just don’t know the level of interest until the book is out there. There is a level of mystery and serendipity to all this. With a publisher carrying a list of 100 or 500 titles, there is minimal risk. You, with your one title, can hardly stand the suspense, the waiting, the iffy-ness of it all. Become comfortable with it. Embrace confidence and humility. Be ready to give of yourself, to love what you do, to learn. Go the distance, prepare for a marathon, not a sprint.
When you first thought of writing your book, you likely said something like:
“There are no other books out there like mine!”
“Competition? There is no competition!”
First of all, it is unlikely there are no other books out there like yours. If there are not, that might be a warning sign. If no publisher has been willing to put their cherished profits into creating and marketing a book on a subject such as yours, then are you sure you want to take a chance on it?
All books have competition. You need to know your competition. It is crucial. Hopefully, you’ve been reading your competition; and the best quality of writing in the genre, at that.
Ease of Purchase
and Other Things Too
You must make it easy for people who are interested in your book to get it.[11] If it is on Amazon most of the people who want it will be able to get it, if they know the title, or your name. (If they don’t know the title or your name, then you need to market the title and your name.) Here are some tips for making it easy for folks to find your book:
If you would like your title to
be considered for placement in Barnes & Noble stores, please submit a copy
of the book (no manuscripts, please), along with marketing and promotion plans,
trade reviews, and a note describing what makes the book unique, to:
The Small Press Department
Barnes & Noble, Inc.
Make Friends
with Your Competitors
Get some good endorsements. Here’s one way to start:
Make a list of the top ten competing titles. Note the author and publishing year.
_________________________________ _________________________
_________________________________ _________________________
_________________________________ _________________________
_________________________________ _________________________
_________________________________ _________________________
_________________________________ _________________________
_________________________________ _________________________
_________________________________ _________________________
_________________________________ _________________________
_________________________________ _________________________
Now do the following:
o Read five of the books on this list.
o Contact the authors of these books. Send them a letter (by mail) telling them why you liked their book. Tell them in one short paragraph about your book. Ask them if you could send them a copy of your book in the hope they might write one or two sentences about it. Or, if you are really brave, enclose a copy with the letter. Do not expect the copy back. Do not follow up by phone, letter or email. If you hear back, you hear back. If you do not, you are only out a few bucks. If you do hear back and if you get an endorsement, you’ll be very fortunate and will thank your lucky stars, and mail a handwritten thank you note post haste.
o Enter these 10 authors’ names in the search field of www.google.com.[13] What comes up? Do they have their own websites and/or blogs? Here are a few of my personal favorites: Elizabeth Berg, Lisa See, John Grogan, Jodi Picoult, Abagail Thomas, Brooke Castillo (a client of mine), Kim Dalzell (another client). Evaluate these blogs from a business and marketing standpoint. Do they succeed in leading the visitor to purchase the author’s book? Do they motivate you to bookmark the site and return frequently? Do they reflect well on the author and help build his or her brand?
You will also want to send letters to others who might be open to endorsing your book. This depends on the subject you write about. You know the experts in your field; you may have even mentioned them in your book or their books in your bibliography.
Just Be
There
Do you have a website or blog? If not, what is your excuse—no, no, don’t tell me because I won’t take no for an answer. If you are a self-publisher, a writer, a business person, you must have an internet presence. Here’s what you need to do:
“How is a blog different from a website?”
A blog is easier,[14] it costs less (it’s free!), it is interactive (people can post comments to it, if you allow that), and you won’t go crazy setting it up. Search engines will search it and people will find it and then be directed to your book.
“Can I still have a website now or later?”
Of course. When you are ready for that bigger step, it will be there; you’ll have your URL (website address) because you purchased it already.
“What am I going to write about?”
You’re a writer, think of something. Something related to your subject. Here are some ideas:
When you set up your blog, you will want to make sure the following things are on it:
ü Your full name (Yes, your real name, out there for everyone to see.)
ü Your book title
ü Your book’s ISBN
ü A description of your book (for instance, the back cover text)
ü Your book cover
ü A link to your book on Amazon
ü Your first post, welcoming visitors to your site
After your blog is set up, you will want to market your blog along with your book. Post to it at least twice a week. Read other top blogs to see what they do right and how you can do better.
Sign up for Google Alerts in the subject matter you write about. Visit blog articles about your subject matter and post a positive or insightful comment on the topic. Sign off with your name, followed by author and your book’s title. (These comments will come up in search engines.)
Sell Your
Book on Amazon
Yes, I know they keep a lot of the profit, but it is a standard amount in the book industry. If you have your book with a national distributor, you will get less. You have to have your book on Amazon if you want to be successful. In fact, Amazon is a friend to small publishers, really. And you don’t even have to have books printed now. Amazon purchased Booksurge, a print on demand (POD) company. Go to Booksurge and sign up for an account by following the links for “publishers” (if you are starting a publishing company, have your own block of ISBNs, and plan to publish several titles) or “authors” (if you are self-publishing one book and do not want to get an ISBN block). I am most familiar with their procedures for publishers, so will continue on from that frame of reference…
You can have your designer (me, perhaps?) put the files for your title(s) with Booksurge. Amazon will then order books from Booksurge. Booksurge will then credit your account for the sale (you can see this all happening online at any time). Each month, Booksurge will make a direct deposit into your business checking account for your commission on any books that have sold from their facility. Their system is easy to access and their sales reports are a joy you will appreciate if you’ve ever tried to decipher reports from a book distributor.
“But,” you say, “I’ve looked into it and I get so little on the sale of each book.”
Pshaw! You do not have to pay for printing the book, shipping the book, invoicing the customer, processing a return… Booksurge can fulfill orders for Baker & Taylor, bookstores, libraries (at a discount) and also offers a toll free number you can give out to people who hear you talk on the radio or who are hesitant to buy a book online at Amazon. Don’t see a problem where there is none. Use Booksurge and Amazon and keep the printing money to help with marketing and advertising costs. Have copies printed and sent to you for marketing. When your book is selling well, you can always print copies (500 plus) with a traditional printer, yet keep Booksurge fulfilling those Amazon orders.[15]
Blog +
Amazon
Amazon has a great program called “Amazon Connect.” Sign up for it. It’s free. You will also be able to link your blog to your Amazon Connect account. Here’s how Amazon describes the service:
Authors communicate directly with your readers. Post
messages to your book detail pages and increase sales by engaging in
interesting dialogue with your readers. AmazonConnect gives artist blogs prime
placement on the site by:
·
Showcasing the
three most recent posts by an artist on each of their product pages, directly
below the Product Details
·
Surfacing an
artist's posts on their customers' Amazon Daily
·
Posting every
message an artist writes to their AmazonConnect blog
·
Featuring a link
to the artist's profile page in a comprehensive AmazonConnect Directory
To see an example of how your blog will be also showing up on your book’s Amazon page, visit my book’s page and scroll down to the bottom to see links to my blogs.
Let’s Review
Okay, in your toolbox for success you’ve got the following:
ü A good-looking, good-reading book
ü An idea of how much time and money you have to spend on marketing your book
ü An understanding of what makes a good author website or blog
ü The hope an author who writes in your genre will send you a blurb for your book
ü A website address reserved
ü A blog started
ü Your book files with Booksurge for POD to Amazon (or, if not, an Amazon Advantage account)
ü A page on Amazon
ü An Amazon Connect account
ü A BookCrossing account
You will need a few more things.
More Tools
in Your Marketing Toolbox
You are a brand and your book is a product. Oh, sure, we like to think it is all about writing at an old wooden desk, our dog warming our feet and the sound of someone else’s children playing quietly in the next yard while coffee brews and a pot of vegetable soup cooks all day in the crockpot (or is that just me?). But, once that book is in print, it is a product and you, if you are going to be well-known, are a brand.
Your Bio
I want you to write your bio, right here, right now. Actually, I want you to write THREE.
The short one:
It must be more
than “John Smith is an author living in
A lifelong interest in art and books led Janice
Williams to become a book designer and illustrator. She received her BFA from
Here’s an even better bio from Abigail Thomas’s website:
Abigail Thomas, the daughter of renowned science writer
Lewis Thomas (The Lives of a Cell, etc.), is the mother of four
children and the grandmother of twelve. Her academic education stopped
when, pregnant with her oldest daughter, she was asked to leave Bryn Mawr
during her first year. She’s lived most of her life on
Now, you try it:
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
The even shorter, catalog version:
You will need to have an even shorter bio that communicates your brand, the essence of who you are as a writer. What makes you so special?
Here are some examples
of what I mean from the author websites I mentioned earlier:
LISA
SEE: Lisa See, author of the critically-acclaimed international bestseller, Snow Flower and the Secret Fan (2005),
has always been intrigued by stories that have been lost, forgotten, or
deliberately covered up, whether in the past or happening right now in the
world today.
ELIZABETH BERG: Before I became a writer, I was a
registered nurse for ten years, and that was my “school” for writing—taking
care of patients taught me a lot about human nature, about hope and fear and
love and loss and regret and triumph and especially about relationships—all
things that I tend to focus on in my work.
JODI PICOULT: “Picoult is a skilled wordsmith, and she beautifully
creates situations that not only provoke the mind but touch the flawed souls in
all of us.” —
Keep it short, one or two sentences. I’ll go first:
Janice Phelps Williams explores the human-animal bond
in her book, Open Your Heart with Pets (DreamTime
Publishing, 2007) and in her blog by the same title at the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Gently leading
readers to open the door to their hearts just a bit more, she celebrates,
through words and art, a world where animals bring love,
humor, and acceptance.
Now, your turn:
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
And still more about you!
You will also need a longer bio that can be placed on your website and in your marketing packet. Visit John Grogan’s site (he’s the author of Marley and Me) for an example of a long bio.
Now, take the time to write a one-page bio. Over the next few days, reread it and self-edit. Ask others you trust to read it too. Be sure it communicates your brand and supports and points people toward your book.
Your Book’s Bio
Now, we need to do the same thing with your book. You’ll need a 100-word description and a longer description. The longer description can be the same text that is found on your back book cover. The 100-word description is trickier. You must slave over this 100-word snippet until it is perfect. There’s an art to it. Take your time. You will use it many, many times as you market your book.
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
In your media packet, you will want to have your bio, your book’s bio (synopsis), and a great photograph of yourself[16]. Be sure your media packet is available in print and in electronic (PDF) form.
Here are more tips:
ü Go to VistaPrint. You can get 250 business cards for free. Get a business card with your name, the title of your book, the ISBN number of your book, and your phone number and email address on it. Hand these out everywhere you go! Then order more.
ü Join the Independent Book Publishers Association. (formerly Publishers Marketing Association). Sign up for their marketing programs. If your publisher is a member, see if they will co-op some marketing programs with you.
ü Read these books:
o
Wham! Bam! Publishing: The Strategic Marketing Plan
for Authors and Publishers
o
1001 Ways to Market Your Book
ü Send out press releases. Visit PRNewswire for more information. Or, send your press release to your local newspapers.
ü Consider hiring a book marketing professional.
ü Join BookTour and list book signing information and availability.
ü Visit John Kremer’s site and make use of the information there. Sign up for John’s newsletter, which will come to your email address and include a lot of great tips.
ü Visit Dan Poynter’s site and read his tips.
ü Visit PRPR.net for tips or for a quote in publicity services.[17] Here are other book publicists (I am not endorsing these folks, just listing them. If you choose to hire them, let me know how it works out.) Omni, Annie Jennings, Stacy Miller, Publishers Newswire, Substance Books, Garis PR, PJ Nunn. My advice in hiring a publicist is the same as in hiring an editor/designer. Hire someone who makes their living doing publicity.
ü Consider purchasing an ad at Radio TV Interview Report. It will help you get on the radio, at least.
ü Purchase magazines that feature your book’s subject matter. Contact the editor with a query letter asking if they would like you to write an article on a particular subject, or if they would be interested in featuring an excerpt from your book. Enclose a copy of your book. Be sure to include your email address in the letter too.
ü Contact ForeWord Magazine and pay for your book to be featured in book fairs they participate in.
ü Invest in a Clarion Review from ForeWord Magazine.
ü Send a copy of your book to Midwest Book Review. Click here to see their policy on reviews.
ü
Participate in regional book fairs. Here is a list
of book fairs and other literary events throughout the
ü Donate 4 copies of your book to your local library.
ü Visit this website and create a database of libraries in your region. Send them a flyer, postcard, or stack of bookmarks about your book, along with an offer to appear in person and talk with patrons.
ü Download iTunes onto your computer. Listen to interviews with other authors and those in the publishing industry. Here are my favorite podcasts (you can search for these by title in iTunes—They are FREE):
Podcasts on Books and Authors
Book
Lust with Nancy Pearl
B&N
Meet the Writers Audio Interviews
NPR:
Book Tour Podcast
iTunes:
Meet the Author
World
Book Club (BBC)
The
KCRW’s
Bookworm
Book
Review (NYT)
KQED:
The Writers’ Block Podcast
Slate’s
Audio Book Club
Podcasts on Writing
Writers
on Writing: Barbara DeMarco-Barrett
AmericanWriters.com-Creative
Writing Podcast
The
Writing Show
I
Should Be Writing
The
Secrets Podcast for Writers
Merriam-Webster’s
Word of the Day
Writing a book and creating a book are processes. Marketing your book is a process as well. It takes time and each step builds upon the previous steps. Or, perhaps it is more like a spider web, with your book at the center and each contact, each positive interaction, building out from the center to create a web of interconnectedness. This network allows the opportunity for seemingly “lucky” connections to be made, connections that can make all the difference to you as a writer and to your book as it seeks out the hands of interested readers.
All the best to you in this wonderful journey,
August, 2008
[1] Writer: a person who loves books, has a good story or message and knows
how to communicate it, and takes their time and understands the need to re-work
and do at least one self-edit
[2] Professional: someone who earns their living with this type of work (i.e. editing or designing books)
[3] In publishing, like any profession, contacts are
everything. The publishing world is relatively small; quality independent
publishers are also a small group. It’s vital that any referral one makes to
another professional be only for a book that is top-quality. If the book is not
one that I would have published myself,
put my own money and reputation behind, then I am not going to call someone
else up and ask them to promote, endorse, sell, or read it.
[4] There are cases where authors have no choice but to self-publish and have limited funds (or simply want the book for family, friends, or local endeavors). In such cases, I recommend they at least hire me, or another reputable editor, to polish their manuscript, and then I direct them to a plan that will fit their budget.
[5] In 1999, I started Lucky Press, LLC, a traditional publisher with a list, today, of 20 titles.
[6] This term is often used by Dan Poynter, an expert on self-publishing. Book shepherds guide a book from manuscript to marketplace, either personally or by coordinating the services of subcontractors.
[7] Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1). Random House, Inc. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/humility (accessed: August 07, 2008).
[8]
Dictionary.com.
WordNet® 3.0.
[9] Books are the physical units of a title. Publishers have lists of titles. Lists consist of “front list, mid list, and back list.”
[10] …or the writer of one title. If you are self-publishing or if you are seeking a publisher, it is to your advantage to be working on book two, or three, or four. It makes you more marketable and confirms that you are approaching this as a profession, not a hobby, not a test, not to check it off your life list. Those are okay reasons to write and self-publish a book, but if you want someone else to invest their money into it, they need to know you’re committed.
[11] This does not mean your book has to be in bookstores. If you are a new author, a new publisher, or a self-publisher there are dozens of reasons why your book may not be found in a bookstore. Repeat the Serenity Prayer. Promise yourself one day it will be available in bookstores. Now, go, change the things you can.
[12] While you’re at BookCrossing, check out their limited edition book plates. The 21st edition features my design.
[13] If you do not have Internet access in
your home, go to the library. You cannot seriously market your book, unless you
become comfortable with the Internet, with searching for information and
people, with committing some time to learning all that the Internet has to
offer you as a writer. Invest $800 in a computer, printer, and Word software.
Get connected, because your competitors and readers are.
[14] If you do not want to set up your blog, contact me and I will set it up for you and instruct you in how to post to it.
[15] If you do not want to put your book files with Booksurge, and already have books printed, then sign up for Amazon’s Advantage account. They will order directly from you and pay you when the books sell to their customers.
[16] If you have a pretty good photograph of yourself, but are not sure if it is great, contact me. I may be able, in Photoshop, to turn your pretty-good photo into a great photo, and can format it for use in various media.
[17] Note: I am not endorsing their services, just pointing you to a business I found listed on Dan Poynter’s site.