PUBLISHING QUESTIONS

Some recent questions we have received:

Q. Should I self publish in another country or should I find a publisher in that country?
A. Unless you plan to find a printer in the foreign country and manage your own distribution and publicity there, it is best to have an agent find a publisher for you. Shipping books from your country would be ridiculously expensive.


Q. How do I get a bar code for my book?
A. Your printer should arrange that for you.


Q. Should I have my photo on the back cover?
A. Yes, but just a small photo unless you are already very famous.


Q. Should I have endorsements on the back cover?
A. Yes, but only a few. Save room to list the benefits of the book. The back cover is your silent salesman. You can add more endorsements in the front pages of the book.

Hope these are of some help.

Denise

BACK FROM HOLIDAYS

All good things must come to an end. I am just back from a trip to visit my brothers, nieces and nephews. It was so good to see all of them after a year, which is far too long but distance prevents frequent visits. C'est la vie. Sigh...

While away, I started reading a book that I thought would be compelling reading (which is of course why I chose the book) but the writing was sadly disappointing. Since reading is so personal the title will go unmentioned because other people might enjoy what was not great to me.

Interestingly, though, the writing in said book is good but I found that the story meandered in directions that seemed irrelevant and therefore uninteresting. My attention frequently wandered and I would catch myself having to go back a page to find out what my brain just skipped over. Consequently, I will not finish reading that book. It is going to charity, hopefully to find someone who will like it much more than I did.

My point in writing about this at all is to caution writers about writing for themselves and therefore losing the audience. The author is familiar with the story so to him or her everything is relevant and the author knows exactly where the story is going. The reader does not and does not want to slog through chapters and chapters before having a light bulb moment - "So that's why those characters or that plot line was in the book way back there!!"

Always write for the reader. Keep in mind that the reader has no idea where the story is going, which is the thrill of reading -following the story to the unknown and hopefully fascinating ending. Make the story so compelling that the reader absorbs every word and does not want to put the book down. Rambling writing is just boring.

Do people recommend boring books? Not likely, but they certainly do talk about books that thrilled and fascinated them. What sells books? Word of mouth. Think about it.

Denise

THE BUSINESS OF SELF PUBLISHING

It is so exciting to work with a client who has been willing to learn about the process of self publishing BEFORE he completes his manuscript and book cover. He is also on the right track in maintaining all of the rights to his book.

Now he is working on the marketing of the book before he goes to print. His plan is to joint venture with a charitable organization, creating a profit sharing situation. The author has fronted the money for the book's design and the joint venture will provide funds for the printing of the book. Now he has a win-win means of getting the book out to many potential buyers, creating instant sales and a return on investment.

This client is such a great example of the need to think about a book as a product that will be sold, as well as a product that will help many people with the information and support included in the book.

The whole self publishing concept is not rocket science. It is a system that can be learned - all that is needed is a willingness to search out a source of information, create a plan and follow that plan to success.

Denise

VOLUME BOOK SALES

I have been having some difficulty in communicating the different ways to do bulk sales to one of our clients. Maybe if I write it here, I can make it clear:

1. You can sell your book to a company and offer a discount for large orders. For instance, if someone wishes to purchase 5,000 copies of your book you might offer a 60% discount. For example:

Retail price $20.00
Discount 60%
Sale price $12.00
Profit $8.00

However, YOU must pay for the printing of the books and wait for payment, perhaps up to 180 days.

2. You can offer a licensing agreement. That means that you sign a contract with the buyer that allows the buyer to print a certain number of books, for a specified time period, in a certain territory for a finite time period and you retain ownership of the copyright. You are paid before the books are printed so you incur no costs. The profit will likely be less but there is no risk and you do not have to finance the printing, which can be a big risk if the purchase falls through.

I hope that clarifies the issue. I like the licensing agreement option and have personally used it several times.

Cheers,

Denise

WHEN TO SEARCH FOR PUBLISHING INFORMATION

People ask me all the time: when should I learn about self publishing? Should I write the book first?

Absolutely not! Don't write the book first and especially don't print the book first or you may completely miss your target market.

What authors need to understand first and foremost is that they are publishing a book which is a product that is meant to be sold for profit. Shocking idea to many authors!

What do you mean? My book is just a product to be sold? But I just want to be a published author, sell lots of books and be rich and famous. Not going to happen if no one buys the book.

When you are writing your book you must write with the reader (a.k.a. the buyer) in mind. If you are writing for yourself, keep it to yourself. Write your thoughts in a journal and enjoy reading the journal to yourself whenever the mood strikes you.

If you want other people to read (and buy) your book, you must keep the reader in mind. What interests the reader? Are you entertaining the reader or are you informing the reader or are you solving a problem for the reader? As the author you must keep those points in mind as you write so that your book has a purpose or a message or it is meant to entertain a specific audience.

These points will all be important as you look for buyers and as you do your publicity campaign. You will be talking to someone in particular, not just anyone. If you write for anyone, no one will buy your book.

Who needs a garage full of books? Not you!

Cheers,

Denise

BACK FROM HOLIDAYS

How the time has slipped by. It's over a month since I last posted anything and now it is time to put my creative hat on again.

So, during my vacation I read The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck, just because I had never read the book but had always wanted to. It was so well worth the time. Great writing is such a treat. You are taken on adventure in your mind that tranports you into another dimension. You find it difficult to put the book down because the experience of that other dimension is so engrossing.

So what, you ask? Well, if you are writing a book, or if you intend to write a book, I highly urge you to read some classics because you will see and experience the difference between OK writing and something special. Great writers don't write things like, "On a hot summer day when the sky was blue and the fluffy white clouds blew across the sky, the young girl awoke to hear birds singing." A great writer (which I am not) will set the scene in a way that compels you to enter into the story. The scene is set without you even realizing that it is happening.

I wish that I was a great writer, but I am just a publishing coach. You, however, should aspire to be great if you are writing or if you are planning to write.

Read great books, take writing courses, join writers' groups and create something wonderful that will compel people to enter into your other dimension.

I look forward to hearing about you and to reading your book.

Denise