Publishing Choices For Writers - Self-Publishing Vanity Presses (Part One)

Another type of publishing under the self-publishing umbrella is what is euphemistically called Vanity publishing or a Vanity press. A vanity publisher is one which will publish any book as long as an author is willing to pay for it. Because it is almost impossible for someone to get into a traditional publishing house as an unknown, vanity presses are very attractive to new authors.

The name vanity publishing stems from the fact that certain publishers, for a fee, will publish any work by appealing to an author's vanity. These authors would be willing to pay a fee to see their name in print, no matter what the quality of the manuscript. As such, vanity presses gained a reputation of being more interested in the money they got from the authors than in the quality of work since the author takes on not only all the costs but also all the risks of the success of their book. Basically then, vanity presses have nothing to lose by publishing any type of work.

This stigma attached to vanity publishers has only recently begun to be re-evaluated as the publishing industry's choices have expanded and new vanity presses have changed the vanity press business model. However, depending upon who you talk to and their outlook on vanity publishing, an author will need to look closely as to whether or not they want to choose to publish with a vanity publisher.

There are several keys to recognizing whether or not a company is a vanity publisher. The vanity publishing business model is based upon obtaining profits from being paid by the author rather than from any sales of a book. Since they will have already received their income from making the book, a true vanity publisher does not have to be concerned with the quality of the work they publish because they do not care whether or not the book ever sells.

A second key to look for when trying to determine whether an author wants to work with a vanity publisher are the services that are provided to help the author with their book. A true vanity publisher will offer no services to an author and will take a work and publish it "as is", no matter how many spelling or grammatical errors the work contains. If an author just wants to see their book in print, then this will not be an issue. However, if an author wants to have a book they are proud of displaying, then having the option to take advantage of editorial and design services is a necessity in any publisher they choose.

More recently, hybrid vanity publishing houses have emerged which are changing the way the public is looking at vanity publishing. Author House, IUniverse, Lulu, UPublish, Xlibris are all examples of hybrid vanity presses. Like vanity presses, they will publish any work for a fee, no matter the quality of the work with no editorial quality assurance review. However, these houses have added editorial and design services that an author can pay for, thus making them not true vanity houses, but rather vanity hybrids. If an author takes advantage of the editorial, cover design and layout services, these presses can produce excellent work.

Why would any author want to publish with a vanity house if it has such a bad reputation? In part two of this series about vanity publishing, I will discuss several reasons why a vanity press may be an appropriate option for an author.

Candace C. Davenport is a retired attorney and published author whose love of writing led to co-founding a small independent publishing company, Our Little Books. Our Little Books ( http://www.ourlittlebooks.com ) is dedicated to publishing inspirational, educational and fun little books for pocket or purse. Candace encourages all people to find their inner muse and become published authors with their own little book, either for pleasure or for their business. Sign up for a free report on how Becoming a Published Author Will Improve Your Credibility and Make You an Expert in Your Field at http://www.ourlittlebooks.com/free-report/. Enjoy!

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Is This the Break That Self-Publishing Needs to Gain Respectability?

As discussed in other articles, the term self-publishing historically has had a stigma surrounding this method of publishing. When used as a pejorative, a self-published author meant anyone whose work was not good enough to get published by a traditional publishing house. More recently, self publishing has tried to gain respectability as being an alternative way of publishing, rather than a loser's way of publishing. On March 3rd, 2010, Lulu announced that author John Edgar Wideman would be publishing his latest work through them. Although Lulu does not consider themselves as a self or vanity publisher, (rather a "marketplace guided by a vision of empowerment and accessibility", lulu.com), in all sense and purposes, they are there to help authors self-publish their books, and therefore are part of the expanded definition of self-publishing.

While Lulu's announcement may not sound like a big event, it is notable because John Edgar Wideman is not your typical self-publisher. Mr. Wideman is the first individual to win the Pen/Faulkner Award for Fiction twice. He also won the Rea Award for the Short Story and the James Fenimore Cooper Prize for Best Historical Fiction. He received a National Book Critics Circle nomination and was a finalist for the National Book Award, as well as being a recipient of a MacArthur genius grant. Powerhouse traditional publishers Houghton Mifflin, Henry Holt, Avon and Harcourt published his over 20 previous works. Definitely, as a very well respected, well known and popular author, Mr. Wideman does not paint the picture of someone who would self-publish his works.

Yet this time, Mr. Wideman turned down the advance offered from a traditional publisher and decided to self-publish his work with Lulu. Why would a top author decide to give up their large advance and do that? Is this some indication that self-publishing is taking a major turn for the better in terms of being recognized as being a respected way to publish? Why would someone like Mr. Wideman make such a choice?

Mr. Wideman provided his reasoning in a Lulu press release and his reasoning should wake up traditional publishing to the fact that the publishing industry is truly evolving. In fact, the publishing industry is not just evolving, but in Mr. Wideman's words, mutating.

"Lulu seems to represent a very live possibility as the publishing industry mutates. I like the idea of being in charge. I have more control over what happens to my book. And I have more control over whom I reach. I have a very personal distaste for the blockbuster syndrome. The blockbuster syndrome is a feature of our social landscape that has gotten out of hand. Unless you become a blockbuster, your book disappears quickly. It becomes not only publish or perish, but sell or perish."

There will always be traditional publishers. However, given Mr. Wideman's reasoning, they need to be aware that as the industry mutates, more and more alternatives will be available for good and even great authors to get their works published. These authors will be taking advantage of the alternatives available in order to keep more control over their own works. Mr. Wideman has now put traditional publishers on notice. It will be interesting to see how traditional publishing houses respond.

Candace C. Davenport is a retired attorney and published author whose love of writing led to co-founding a small independent publishing company, Our Little Books. Our Little Books ( http://www.ourlittlebooks.com ) is dedicated to publishing inspirational, educational and fun little books for pocket or purse. Candace encourages all people to find their inner muse and become published authors with their own little book, either for pleasure or for their business. Sign up for a free report on how Becoming a Published Author Will Improve Your Credibility and Make You an Expert in Your Field at http://www.ourlittlebooks.com/free-report/. Enjoy!

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Traditional Publishing Versus Self-Publishing

Make the Right Decision When It Comes to Your Manuscript

Today, authors have many options. In this article, our manuscript proofreaders focus on the two most prevalent-traditional publishing and self-publishing-as well as the respective pros and cons.

Two major types of publishing

1. Traditional publishing

In traditional publishing, the author completes his or her manuscript, writes a query letter or a proposal, and submits these documents to a publishing house. An editor reads it, considers whether it is right for the house, and decides either to reject it (leaving the author free to offer it to another publisher) or to publish it. If the publishing house decides to publish the book, the house buys the rights from the writer and pays him or her an advance on future royalties. The house puts up the money to design and package the book, prints as many copies of the book as it thinks will sell, markets the book, and finally distributes the finished book to the public.

2. Self-publishing

The process is a bit different for self-publishing. An author who decides to self-publish basically becomes the publisher. The author must proofread the final text and provide the funds required to publish the book, as well as the camera-ready artwork. The author is responsible for marketing and distributing the book, filling orders, and running advertising campaigns. In the past, the author had to decide on the number of copies to print, sometimes resulting in stacks of unsold books gathering dust in the garage! Fortunately, the Print on Demand (POD) technology now used by some self-publishing companies means that authors can have fewer copies printed-only as many as they need, in fact.

Fundamental differences



Time: With traditional publishing, a manuscript can take years to become a book. First, an author may have to pitch the manuscript to several publishing houses before it is picked up. Considering that the bigger houses can take up to six months to work through the "slush pile" (the multitude of queries on editors' desks) to get to your manuscript and that you will likely have to try several publishing houses before you get one to show interest...well, you do the math! That's a lot of waiting. Then, if a house does decide to take your book, the actual process of producing the book takes at least another year. Admittedly, this process applies mainly to fiction. Nonfiction books that are topical and relevant to current world events might be pushed through more quickly.

With self-publishing, depending on the company, an author can literally have a finished book-hardcover or paperback or both-in his or her hands within six months. Of course, authors have to pay for this service, which raises the issue of money.


Money: With self-publishing, you often pay thousands of dollars, depending on the company you choose. In contrast, with traditional publishing, you are paid an advance, ranging from small sums to seven-digit figures. In traditional publishing, the publishing house, with its huge resources, experience, knowledge, and contacts, vigorously promotes your book. When you self-publish, you pay for everything-design, editing, printing, advertising, distribution-to get your book into stores and ultimately into people's hands. You're all by yourself; self-publishing works best for people who are good at self-marketing. The major payoff for all of your payout, though, is control.


Control: Often an author's joy at selling a manuscript turns into despair when an over-zealous editor at a publishing house rips that manuscript into unrecognizable shreds. Publishers might refuse to publish a book because it is too controversial, doesn't fit the house's list, or simply because it won't sell. With self-publishing, the author has much greater control over the contents, design, and appearance, as well as where the book is marketed and distributed.

Having looked at the pros and cons of traditional publishing versus self-publishing, ask yourself some tough questions about what is best for you, your intentions, and your manuscript. Are you willing to play the waiting game in order to earn a large advance from a traditional publisher? Or are control of your manuscript and quick turnaround most important?

The good news is that the available tools-POD, Internet, and online booksellers-are leveling the playing field between traditionally published and self-published books. Authors now have more options.

Remember, a document that's free of spelling and grammatical errors is far more likely to catch the attention of a publishing house editor. Submit your draft to one of our manuscript proofreading services today to ensure that your document is error free.

Chandra K. Clarke is the President and Founder of Scribendi.com, a global leader in the online editing and proofreading industry. Chandra holds a BA in English and an MSc in space exploration studies. Her lifelong devotion to the written word started when she joined The Chatham Daily News as a regional stringer. She then worked as a reporter/photographer for a large chain of weeklies before becoming the managing editor of an independent paper, a post she held for two years before striking out on her own. She writes a syndicated weekly humor column, and has authored two books, as well as dozens of short stories, and newspaper and magazine articles. She is an enthusiastic supporter of space exploration and scientific research.

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Publishing Choices For Writers - Self-Publishing - Part Two

In Part One of the Self-Publishing review, I discussed the background of self-publishing and brought up many retained prejudices which authors must consider prior to self-publishing. In True self-publishing, where an author does everything and actually forms their own publishing company, one of the largest negatives is that an author invests all their own capital to publish their work.

However, and this is the huge benefit of being their own self-publisher, in return for their investment, the author owns all the rights to their book and has all the freedom they want when dealing with content, editing and cover. They have the final say in what their book looks and sounds like. They have control over all the production and how their book gets out into the world. True freedom!

Also, having full control of their work means the author has full control over all the profits from the sale of the book. There is no share of cost to an agent or publisher because the author is the publisher. The author can choose what to sell the book for and how much in discounts they are willing to give. Generally, the goal of the self-publisher is to make money on their books and they will make money on every book that they sell.

The author also has control over the timing of their book. With traditional publishers, it sometimes can take up to two to three years to get a book out. Depending on how persistent an author is, it can take just a couple months to see their book if they are self-publishing. This timing aspect can be very beneficial to the author if, for example, they want to use their book in their business immediately such as in back of the room sales.

Unfortunately, for marketing purposes, it is very difficult to get self-published books into regular brick and mortar stores as those stores buy through wholesalers who rarely carry self-published books. Also, and although this is slowly changing, it is difficult to get a self-published book reviewed by well known reviewers. Despite that, a true self-publisher is willing to put the time, effort and money into their book. In return they get to keep control over their creativity and style. They do not have to conform to the standards of others. For some authors, that is well worth their time and money and marketing limitations. It is a choice they make, not because they could not get published elsewhere, but because they want to keep control of their own success.

For some people, self-publishing is the only viable option. Despite the negative bias against self-publishing, authors who choose to take the responsibility and risk of publishing their own book under their own publishing company, can realize their dream the way they want it to be. As the publishing world evolves, there may come a day, that self-publishers will be looked at for their quality of work and not dismissed just because they self-published.

Although there are semantic arguments over names, there are several other types of self-publishing included under the self-publishing umbrella where an author does not have to do everything completely on their own. In other articles in this series, I will discuss these different types of self-publishing, such as the various forms of vanity publishing, POD (print on demand) and e-books.

Candace C. Davenport is a retired attorney and published author whose love of writing led to co-founding a small independent publishing company, Our Little Books. Our Little Books (http://www.ourlittlebooks.com) is dedicated to publishing inspirational, educational and fun little books for pocket or purse. Candace encourages all people to find their inner muse and become published authors with their own little book, either for pleasure or for their business. Sign up for a free report on how Becoming a Published Author Will Improve Your Credibility and Make You an Expert in Your Field at http://www.ourlittlebooks.com/free-report. Enjoy!

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Publishing Choices For Writers - Self-Publishing Vanity Presses (Part Two)

In Part One of Vanity Presses, I discussed the nature of vanity publishing and the negative atmosphere surrounding this type of publishing. The truth is that because a vanity press is not selective in the work that it publishes, books published under a true vanity press are not seen as prestigious or as credible as those published elsewhere. This is unfortunate because this automatically lumps both good and bad books together by reputation only.

Why would an author choose to go with a vanity publisher? It could be that an author has a book for a very small business niche, or a collection of poetry, a memoir, a genealogy or family cookbook that they want published. They are more interested in making a name for themselves within their niche or giving away their book to friends and family than in profiting from the sale of their book. If they hire their own editors, cover designers and layout artists to create a great product, then publishing with a vanity publisher may be the most cost effective way of pulling everything together.

An author may want or need their book quickly. A traditional publishing house can take up to three years to get out a physical copy of a book. An author has little to no control over when the book will be out in print. Vanity publishing can get books out much quicker, in weeks rather than years, since there is no review process.

Other authors may see their first work published by a vanity press as a way to get into a traditional publishing house for a second work. Generally, traditional publishers rarely will even review an author who has not been previously published. If an author can publish a good product through a vanity press, do enough self promoting such that there are a reasonable number of sales, then those successful results may provide the foot-in-the-door needed to obtain a traditional publisher's attention for a second book.

Finally, some authors just do not want to give away control of their book. They know what they want and they do not want anyone to change how they present their book. They have their cover in mind, they have their content done. By publishing with a vanity house, control is kept by the author and they can publish whatever they want. However, an author has to balance keeping control against the stigma of going with a vanity publisher. But to some authors, control is more important than what people think.

A vanity press can be a legitimate publishing option. The assumption that a work published by a vanity press is one that could not be published elsewhere nor be a commercial success is no longer automatically correct, despite the fact that traditional publishers may want everyone to continue to believe that.

Authors need to be aware of the historically bad reputation that is attached to a vanity press when making their decision to go with such a publishing house. But by taking advantage of the extra services offered, an author may get a great book through a vanity publisher with the advantages of self-publishing and the look of traditional publishing.

Candace C. Davenport is a retired attorney and published author whose love of writing led to co-founding a small independent publishing company, Our Little Books. Our Little Books (http://www.ourlittlebooks.com) is dedicated to publishing inspirational, educational and fun little books for pocket or purse. Candace encourages all people to find their inner muse and become published authors with their own little book, either for pleasure or for their business. Sign up for a free report on how Becoming a Published Author Will Improve Your Credibility and Make You an Expert in Your Field at http://www.ourlittlebooks.com/free-report/. Enjoy!

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When Self-Publishing Makes the Most Sense For an Author

It hit me forcefully just how much publishing has changed as I reflected on my recent interactions with a major publisher over a client's potential book.

As I mentioned in one of my Publishing Coach Weekly teleseminars, there are three paths of publishing one can take.

Path # 1.. You publish just because your life dream is to have a published book. The book is really all you care about.

You can go either the self-publishing route (faster, possible to get published if you have the money), or you can take the longer, more uncertain route of trying to get a publisher to publish you. If you do go the traditional publishing route, you will need time, tenacity, and the willingness to create an author platform.

Path #2. The second path is to publish a book as an adjunct, an asset to an existing business. (My Special Report, "14 Ways a Book Will Boost Your Business," outlines just how a book can be used in this way.)

Usually self-publishing is the best route for such an author. You don't want to wait forever for someone to decide to publish you, you want control -- especially control over how the book interacts with the rest of your business.

Path #3. The third is to build a whole brand and career out of information products, with a book as just one "spoke" in the whole wheel of your message. This usually comes after a book is published, but can come before--as you'll see.

My client in question had really already built a brand. He had a line of products, but no book. We knew a book was that necessary "spoke" because it gives the most credibility. (Virtually every person interviewed in the major media has a print book. It's your ticket to media exposure.)

The publisher, one of the major players in the traditional publishing arena, was interested in the book. We talked for several weeks.

However, the publisher wanted us, essentially, to put all the information that was in the larger home study course--which included DVDs, adios, and a Manual to fully explain the program--into the book.

I put it succinctly to the publisher: "You mean you want my client to put the material they currently get hundreds of dollars for, into a book from which they will glean $1.50 per book?" (It actually would have been half that.)

All the publisher could say was, "Well, self-publishing might be the best route." They wouldn't budge on the content they wanted, we wouldn't budge on the economics.

Something very telling was also said: "If the brand were not already established, we would be more interested." That is, if the publisher could have helped establish the brand, they would have been able to benefit more from the brand themselves. (As in, they would have retained the rights to audio, video etc., giving the author the pittance that has traditionally been offered.)

The traditional publisher also mentioned that they could not get the trade interested in the book if it was "too commercial," i.e., mentioned that there are other products.

We decided to publish with one of the new "hybrid" publishers that offers publishing services and great distribution. The authors will own all the rights, we have total control over content and title, and yet will still get professional design, copy editing/proofreading services, and exceptional distribution (one of the distinctives of the particular company we chose).

Retaining Control Listen, if you, like my client, have a "large message," then it's perfectly legitimate for a book to be an "introduction" to your content. As I said in one of my articles, your book should be the beginning of a person's relationship with you.

In fact, that's one of the things that can help you distinguish which publishing path is right for you. If you have one message that can be summed up in a book, then go for it! Get your book out there.

If your message is complex with many pieces, Path #2 or #3 will be your best bet. If you have the platform and the time, you can try to capture a traditional publisher's attention. If they capture your vision, they might help you create your brand.

Note that if you go this way, though, you have to be very careful not to lose control of what can bring you the most income -- "back end products" that are higher ticket and more profitable.

Those who have let publishers build big brands have often regretted not going the self-publishing route. (I don't feel right naming names without permission, but I could tell you some of the best-known authors have gone through legal means to try to wrest control of their brands.)

The bottom line? Hiring out publishing services with a reputable company that offers good distribution is more and more what I recommend. You will have the most control over timing, content, and your future profits.

So start saving your money. Consider it an investment in your own business, which is what exactly what it is.

For an "publishing insiders'" interview and the self-publishing company I recommend most, visit http://www.askaboutpublishing.com (you can even ask your own question). For more about the Special Report, the teleseminar replay mentioned above and other resources, including the

Author Success Plan, visit http://www.yourbookpublishingcoach.com
-- from Diane Eble, "Your Book Publishing Coach"

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How to Be a Self-Publishing Millionaire

Self-publishing simply means writing, publishing and marketing your own work, maybe a novel or autobiography, poetry or family history, a newsletter or 'How To' book, or any of numerous other writing forms.

Self-publishing allows you to write what you want and market it any way you choose. The right titles and topics could earn you a fortune.

REASONS FOR SELF PUBLISHING

- To see your name in print.

- As a keepsake or heirloom. Family histories are useful examples, as are autobiographies, diaries and poetry.

- To enhance one's image and standing. Doctors, dentists, lawyers and other professionals frequently self-publish to enhance their professional image and standing with colleagues.

- As a form of advertising. Some self-published products are little more than advertising vehicles for other of the writers' goods and services. Mail order newsletters are a notable example.

- For money.

This blueprint is written with the latter objective in mind.

WHY DIY?

Why bother with self-publishing? Why not instead offer your book for someone else to publish and market?

Generally speaking, traditional publishers are only interested in high volume sales, to wide markets and for items with a long-shelf life. Getting a mainstream publisher to handle your work can be a very long and painful process. There's no saying you will be successful and even big names face their share of rejection. Frederick Forsyth's 'The Day of the Jackal' apparently had 19 rejections and one of Jeffrey Archer's most popular works got 18, showing publishers don't always get it right.

VANITY PUBLISHING V SELF-PUBLISHING

The two are frequently confused, although few similarities actually exist. Vanity publishing generally means having someone else print, publish and market your book for you. Costs can be high and benefits not always proportionate. For products intended as gifts for family and friends, vanity publishing can be a worthwhile option; no always so for commercial products.

That said, however, there are numerous firms - not vanity or subsidy publishers - who can print and publish for you, leaving you to concentrate on marketing and distribution. Such firms can be found advertising in most writers' newsletters.

FAMOUS SELF-PUBLISHERS

America boasts a wealth of super-successful self-publishers, including heads of multi-million dollar publishing companies. Names like Joe Karbo, Dr. Jeffrey Lant and Melvin Powers spring readily to mind.

WHAT CAN BE SELF-PUBLISHED?

Virtually anything can be self-published profitably to a greater or lesser extent. Novels, poetry, short stories, local and family histories, newsletters, autobiographies and 'How To' books are all worthy examples.

MOST PROFITABLE AREAS OF SELF-PUBLISHING

The most successful products are those that fulfil universal needs or desires, especially where they contain information not available elsewhere. Examples include:

- Directories (e.g. Designer Clothes Discount Guides, Factory Shop Guides).

- Newsletters (e.g. Business Opportunities Digest).

- 'How to' books (e.g. '£100,000 in My First Year Just by Working Weekends', 'Last Chance Guide to Financial Success').

' Self-Help Books (e.g. 'How to Flatten Your Tush', 'How to Talk to Your Cat').

The above are examples of topics and do not indicate self-published titles.

WHAT INVESTMENT IS NEEDED?

This depends on a number of things including the length of the finished product, whether it is to be typeset and who is responsible for typesetting, what printing and binding methods are used, size of the initial print run and what marketing and distribution methods are involved.

Generally speaking, most first-time self-publishers opt for a low print run with the majority of capital reserved for aggressive marketing. Profits are subsequently ploughed back into longer print runs.

BENEFITS OF BEING YOUR OWN PUBLISHER

* Cuts out the middle man and generates higher profits for you.

* No working to someone else's deadlines.

* Total control over your work, from conceiving the idea to researching and writing, to printing and publishing, advertising and distributing.

* Very cost-effective if handled properly.

* Allows virtually anyone to compete with big names writers and publishers.

* Self-publishing is a business like any other, offering freedom, the chance to work your own chosen hours, work where you like, etc.

* Massive potential market for some titles.

DRAWBACKS TO BEING YOUR OWN PUBLISHER

Some outside help might be necessary for various aspects of your project and costs can be high. This might involve help with writing and editing, proofreading, desktop publishing, printing, marketing. Do as much as you can yourself, as long as quality is good.

WHAT YOU CAN EARN

Ask most people about profits in publishing and they'll turn to the bestseller lists, mainly compiled for sales through book shops. A more accurate guide would include other methods of marketing and distribution, primarily mail order. In 'How to Publish a Book and Sell a Million Copies', Ted Nicholas explains that another of his books 'How to Form Your Own Corporation Without a Lawyer for Under $75' has been among the top 10 nonfiction bestsellers in the United States for over 20 years, but has never appeared on a bestseller list. The main reason he sells it himself, by mail order.

PRACTICAL TIPS

- Be realistic about your initial print run. Don't be too ambitious and be saddled with lots of unsalable stock. But don't underestimate popularity either. Extra print runs frequently mean higher costs than a larger initial print run.

- Have readers finance your printing costs by obtaining orders before you print your book, even before you research and write it. Legally, you are not allowed to offer anything for sale unless adequate supplies are available. So be careful how you word your advertisement or direct mail copy. A 'pre-publication' offer is usually acceptable. Offering your book this way has other benefits, including allowing you to test the market for your book and to test the optimum price where the product is offered at different prices and response rates and profits compared. If results aren't satisfactory, you can issue refunds.

- Some writers simply do not have a head for business. If this sounds like you, have someone else concentrate on publishing and marketing your products while you devote time to writing.

- Be careful about pricing. What you charge will affect your advertising strategy and vice versa.

- Consider various printing and publishing options. Desktop publishing produces a quality look and can be introduced to most computers. For binding your products, consider the many options from saddle-stitching (basically stapling), to comb binding and heat binding (both need special equipment).

MARKETING

The most common marketing methods employed by self-publishers are direct marketing (mail order) and direct mail.

Direct marketing means advertising your product in appropriate publications, using classified or display advertisements or a combination of both.

Direct mail means offering your products by post, usually to prospects identified from mailing lists. These are available from various sources including competitors, other mail order and direct mail specialists and mailing list brokers.

Numerous books are available to explain the basics of marketing by mail order and direct mail. Other ways to market your products.

- Press Release. A simple letter providing information about you, your book and what benefits it has for readers can generate hundreds of sales through appropriate sources. One Canadian publisher reports tens of thousands of sales for two books promoted by press release through international newspapers and magazines. Copies should also be sent to television and radio stations local and national.

- Through bookshops. This can mean negotiating wholesale terms through major outlets or offering copies on a 'sale or return' basis through independent retailers. Increase profits by holding autograph parties in larger bookshops.

- Write a course about self-publishing or organise classes, seminars and lectures. Offer your book to students and participants.

- Write articles and readers' letters about your book or its subject. Alternatively, write about something else in return for a mention for your book.

- Where appropriate, market your book through schools, colleges, book clubs, local history groups, or other appropriate organisations.

SUMMARY

As a feature of the mail order industry, self-publishing offers great potential for anyone who can dream up products with wide appeal for an unlimited market. The trick is to spot a gap in the market or identify a need or desire which your manuscript can fill. One way to do this is to study other markets, including the U.S., looking for publishing products available there but not yet in Britain. Make sure, however, that a market actually exists for a similar product in the British market, preferably by testing a pre-publication offer by direct marketing or direct mail.

Avril Harper is a business writer and eBay PowerSeller who has produced several guides to making money from eBay, including MAKE MONEY TEARING UP OLD BOOKS AND MAGAZINES AND SELLING THEM ON EBAY which you can read about at:http://www.magstoriches.com 103 POWERSELLER TIPS can be downloaded with other freely distributable reports and eBooks at http://www.avrilharper.com

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A-Z of Self-Publishing

A is for Advertising. Do very little paid advertising. Try to get publicity first. If you need to advertise, use co-op advertising to share the expense with other publishers, and only advertise in publications that will reach your target market.

A is for Amazon. Once you've published your book, consider establishing an account with Amazon.com. They offer a number of options. Remember when setting the retail price of your book that most distributors will require at least a 55% discount!

A is also for Associations. Join as many publishing associations as possible, since you're going to need all the help you can get in order to succeed. Send review copies and press releases to associations that cater to your market.

A is for Awards. Use Literary Market Place to find out about awards your book might qualify for. Awards add prestige, create opportunities for press releases, give a sense of pride and accomplishment, and lend credibility to you as an author. You can also type the keywords book awards into your browser. This may lead to new places to submit your work.

B is for Best. Do it right the first time and then be proud of what you've done.

B is for Book Printing. Get bids from various printers, using consistent specifications.

Consider a short run printing (500-1,500 copies) for your first book to minimize your risk and expense. Search the Internet for book printers and make sure to have your book's specs handy so you're always comparing apples to apples. Ask for samples and at least two references, and then check with their local Better Business Bureau.

If you choose the print-on-demand (POD) route, Lightning Source offers a great opportunity to print short runs and then to have access to their distribution channels. You'll find lots of other choices on the World Wide Web, too, but use the same caution you'd use when choosing a local printer.

C is for Catalogs. Get your book in as many catalogs as possible, but don't limit yourself only to book catalogs. If your book would make a great gift, look into gift catalogs, as well.

Check out the Directory of Mail Order Catalogs. It's expensive, so you might want to share the cost with another publisher, or you can see if it's available through your local library. Regardless of which route you choose, think beyond just book catalogs. If you're publishing a children's book, look into catalogs that feature products for children, and even if they don't offer books, you could still pitch yours as the first.

C is for Consultant. Establish a relationship with a publishing consultant. It may sound like an expensive step, but compare it to the cost of making mistakes that could have been avoided. Each mistake you make will cost money, and if you eliminate enough mistakes, a publishing consultant will actually save money in the long run.

C is for Copyright. Always copyright your material. Get instructions and forms from the Copyright Office, Library of Congress, Washington, DC 20559, visit their website at http://www.loc.gov, or call 202-707-3000 during business hours.

D is for Distributors. Do some Internet and Yellow Pages research to get your book into the hands of as many distributors as you can.

D is for Do it Right. Let me reinforce the need for doing everything right. Your first goal should always be to create the best product you can. It needs to be something you can be proud to put your heart and soul into-and doing everything right is the first step toward achieving that goal.

E is for Energy. You need an abundant amount of energy to produce, market, and promote your book, including brainstorming with publishers of similar books.

E is for Equipment. Your office will need a phone, a computer, a fax machine with a designated fax line, a copier, a printer, and other equipment. Economize whenever you can, but make sure each piece of equipment will fit your own situation.

E is for Expectations. Set realistic expectations, knowing that most companies don't make it by selling only one product. On the other hand, every company had to start somewhere. Set a budget-and stay within that budget. Don't put a second mortgage on your home, but if you can afford the risk of investing in your dream-and you're willing to work hard to achieve it-go for it.

F is for Facts. Make sure all your statistics can be backed up. Do your homework or hire an editor to help you verify all your facts.

G is for Galley Proof. The last step before the printer, a galley is a well-written, edited version of your book-not a manuscript that still has to be edited. Send out galleys ninety days prior to the publishing or printing of your book. Make sure you only mail galleys to people who request them. Use galleys to seek endorsements from well-known professionals for your book prior to printing, since it lends credibility to have celebrity endorsements on the back cover.

H is for Help. Keep your local reference librarian's number handy, get familiar with the incredible amount of free help that's available on the Internet, and if you hire a consultant, have your questions ready before you call.

H is for Humor. You're going to need lots of it as you work your way through the self-publishing maze. Maintaining a sense of humor can save your sanity in the long run.

I is for Inventory. Keep an inventory of office supplies, and shop around before you put in an order. Your Internet browser is always at your fingertips. Type in your current needs, followed by the keywords best price.

J is for Junk Mail. You can learn a lot by studying junk mail. Look at other publishers' fliers, see what's effective and what isn't, and learn from their mistakes.

K is for Knowledge. Every step along the way, you need to know what the next step will be if you are to succeed as a self-publisher. The more you know, the better your chances of success, and when you don't know-consult an expert.

L is for List. Be selective about the lists you buy. Proven lists may cost more, but they're worth it.

L is also for Labels. Have a label made with your book's name on it or have the cover made into a label. They're great to use when packaging books. You can obtain a free label and rubber stamp catalog from Five Star Publications.

M is for Marketing Plan. Begin creating your marketing plan from the start. Since your budget will be limited, prioritize your list carefully.

N is for Niche Market. To have the best chance at success, target your book to a specialized market. This book is an example of aiming at niche market. In fact, most of the books Five Star publishes are created for niche markets.

O is for Offer. Offer something extra when someone buys your book by mail. Whether it's free shipping and handling or a 10% discount for buying several books, you'll sell more copies. Find examples of some of the special deals we offer to our customers by visiting http://www.FiveStarPublications.com and clicking on Special Offers.

P is for Patience. Remember that Rome wasn't built in a day. It takes time to do things right, whether it's developing relationships, obtaining reviews and endorsements, getting distribution, or finding buyers. Don't beat yourself up if you don't sell out the first printing two months after publication. When you feel your patience running low, reread

R in this list-and make sure you're maintaining Realistic Expectations.

P is for Promotion. Promote your books no more than six days a week, but strive for five days, since you also need to have a life outside of publishing. Don't work night and day-family time is important, too.

Q is for Query. See if other publishers might be interested in publishing your book before you decide to publish it yourself. You'll learn a lot and it may reinforce your determination to self-publish. The Arizona Authors Association has brochures on creating dynamic query letters, as well as lots of other helpful information. Write to Arizona Authors' Association, 6145 W. Echo Lane, Glendale, AZ 85302 or visit http://www.azauthors.com.

R is for Rubber Stamps. Have several rubber stamps made, including:

Review Copy

Advance Review Copy

Uncorrected Proof

Not for Sale

As You Requested

For Deposit Only

4th Class Book Rate

Galley Proof

Request a free rubber stamp catalog from Five Star Publications.

R is for Realistic Expectations. The first thing to do when beginning the process of becoming a self-publisher is to keep your expectations realistic. If you expect too much you may be disappointed, which can lead to discouragement. Being realistic allows you to lay claim to the many minor victories you're going to experience along the way, and it's always easier to maintain a positive frame of mind when you've had victories, no matter how small.

R is for Reviews. Have your book reviewed by as many sources as possible-including newspapers, magazines, radio and television programs, and association newsletters.

S is for Stamina. You'll need a lot of stamina if you're going to succeed as a self-publisher. It's what has kept me in publishing for more than twenty years.

T is for Timing. Be alert to fast-breaking news in your field and capitalize on it by either getting out a new book quickly or reviving one that's already in print.

U is for Utilization. Don't be afraid to use all the resources available to you, but always temper your decisions with good judgment.

U is for UPC. You can obtain a UPC bar code at: GS1 US (Formerly Uniform Code Council) 7887 Washington Village Drive, Suite 300, Dayton, OH 45459 or by typing UPC Code into your browser and doing some Internet research. The bar code on the front cover of this book is the type used by grocery store scanners. The bar code on the back cover is the type used by bookstore scanners.

V is for Vulnerability. It's a state you may find yourself in often as you work toward success, but being vulnerable doesn't mean being defeated. Keep your eyes on your goal and constantly work toward it-even when you're feeling vulnerable-and you'll succeed.

W is for overwhelming. Self-publishing can be close to overwhelming at times, but whenever you feel yourself being overwhelmed, go back to S in this list and call upon your Stamina to keep moving in the direction of your dream.

X is for eXperience. Whenever possible, call upon the experience of professionals who have been there ahead of you. You don't need to constantly keep reinventing the wheel. Use the experience of others to help you overcome challenges. The price you pay will save time, money, and frustration in the long run.

Y is for You and Your Book. You're embarking on what can be one of the most rewarding experiences of your life-both emotionally and financially-but it's the pride of knowing you've produced an outstanding book that will be your greatest reward.

Z is for Zoo. It may sound strange at first, but once you've gotten into the self-publishing world with both feet on the ground, you'll understand that it often feels like a zoo-welcome to my world!

Taken from "The Economical Guide to Self-Publishing: How to Produce and Market Your Book on a Budget" by Linda F. Radke - (Okay to reprint or post on a website, but please credit the source.)

Since 1985, veteran publisher Linda F. Radke, owner of Five Star Publications, has been ahead of her game--self-publishing before it was commonplace, partnership publishing before the rest of the world even knew what it was and producing award-winning traditional and nontraditionally published fiction and nonfiction manuscripts for adults and children.

Radke's odyssey to becoming one of the nation's leading consultants in the areas of book production, marketing, publicity and distribution, began simply enough with the desire to print a few books to complement the household employment agency she owned. For Radke, who on more than one occasion has been teased about having "printer's ink in her veins," the experience of publishing the books was exhilarating, prompting her to change careers and launch Five Star Publications without looking back.

Eventually, Radke added services and acted as a publishing consultant for other self-publishers, ventured into traditional publishing and pioneered partnership publishing to allow her to publish more authors and make them a more integral part of the creative process of publishing.

Among her many accolades, Radke is author of The Economical Guide to Self-Publishing (a Writer's Digest Book Club selection that is now into its second edition) and Promote Like a Pro: Small Budget, Big Show (a Doubleday Executive Program Book Club selection). She is a founding member of the Arizona Book Publishing Association and was named Book Marketer of the Year by Book Publicists of Southern California.

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Self-Publishing - Vanity Or Necessity?

Over the last decade, I have watched Christian publishers shift their focus away from being "message minded" to being "dollar minded." Rather than Christian publishers setting the trends, they have chosen to follow those of the secular book publishing market (also known as the ABA or the American Booksellers Association). Since I've been involved in the publishing industry, I've watched the general market focus more on publishing "celebrities" than authors with something important to say. Christian publishers as a whole have followed along with this mentality. Painful but true. Why is that? Because many Christian publishers have been bought out by secular conglomerates. The bottom line is no longer ministry but profits. A recent Writers Digest article sadly portrayed the state of Christian publishing as well as secular.

Brian DeFiori, former editor in chief of Hyperion Books, said, "Every publisher focuses on one or two books. We have room for the 10 million-copy novel everyone's heard about, but everything else flies under the radar."

Writers Digest, January 2006

"The State of the Industry"

Because of the current state of the market, more and more writers are investigating their options for alternative ways of getting into print, out of necessity. Here are six simple reasons why self-publishing is fast becoming the obvious choice for many Christians who have a message to share but are not "big name" enough to attract a traditional publisher.

1) Guaranteed publication.

The truth is you may not have any other option for getting your book into print.

2) More profit.

On my first experience with self-publishing, almost twenty years ago, the ministry I worked with self-published 10,000 copies of a 144-page book. The profit to the ministry for the sale of those 10,000 copies was approximately $40,000. When Multnomah picked up the rights, over an eight year period, they sold another 40,000 copies. How much did the ministry make in royalties and personal sales from those 40,000 copies? Only $21,000. You do the math, and it's easy to see that if you have a market for your book and it sells well, it is much more profitable to self-publish.

3) Create a track record for your book.

In sixteen years, we have had many authors who have proven the market for their book. They've self-published their book, sold out their initial printing of 5,000 or 10,000 copies, and been picked up by a traditional publisher.

4) Retain control.

Many authors choose self-publishing because their message is hard hitting, controversial, or cutting edge, and they do not want to risk that a traditional publisher might "water down" the message. When you sell your manuscript to a traditional publisher, you no longer retain editorial rights or control. When you self-publish, you stay in the driver's seat. I can't tell you how many authors I know who were disappointed with the editorial changes that were made in their manuscript when they went the traditional route.

5) Turnaround time.

With a royalty publisher, the typical time it takes from signing the contract to publication is eighteen to twenty-four months or more. With self-publishing you can have a quality book in print in as little as three to six months. This can certainly be important if your message is timely or current events might help boost sales for your book. Carol Vandesteeg wrote a book called When Duty Calls for family members of active duty military who are being deployed. The book was in print by August 15, 2001, just six months from the time she turned the manuscript in, and just three weeks before 9/11. Because of the timeliness of her message, she sold over 25,000 copies and ended up getting picked up by Cook Communications. If she had tried to get a traditional publisher, she would have missed that window of opportunity.

6) Establish or expand your speaking ministry.

As I participate on Editor's panels at Christian writers' conferences across the country, I constantly hear editors say that unless you have a platform, a following, a successful speaking ministry, then chances are slim that they would be interested in taking a risk on an unknown author. However, in order to establish a platform or speaking ministry with any measure of credibility, you must be a published author.

New alternatives like print on demand enable you to get into print, without a large financial risk, and thereby establish or expand your platform and prove the market for your message.

The important thing to keep in mind is that excellence is the key to a successful self-publishing project. The last thing you want to do is look self-published, so working with a professional in the self-publishing process is of utmost importance. Sally Stuart made the following comment which punctuates my point:

Although the stigma attached to self-published books is blurring, it is still true that in order for such a book to get equal attention, it must also maintain the highest quality of workmanship."Sally Stuart's Market Update,"

The Christian Communicator, Nov/Dec 2001

There are many pitfalls in the road of self-publishing. That's why I always advise working with a professional custom publisher, one that is recommended by Sally Stuart in the Christian Writers Market Guide.

So, is self publishing really vanity publishing? Not any more!

"The general, prevailing theory used to be that if you self-published, it was because you couldn't find a publisher-it was vanity publishing," says Rick Wolff, an executive editor at Warner Books. "That's changed dramatically."

Writers Digest, January 2006 - "The State of the Industry"

Athena Dean, founder of WinePress Publishing and three-time self-published author, has coached hundreds of authors through the daunting task of book production and promotion. Over the last 17 years she has helped bring the degree of credibility for self-published works up to the high level of acceptance in the industry it enjoys today. Athena functions as Acquisitions Manager for WinePress Publishing Group http://www.winepressgroup.com and is currently the President of the Northwest Christian Writers' Association http://www.nwchristianwriters.org Check out her You Can Do It - Promote and Market Your Self Published Book Blog at http://athenadean.authorweblog.com

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Self-Publishing

What is self-publishing? This is a concept we all want to know. Self-publishing is paying to have your book published. What is so wrong with that? We have traditional publishers, and we have publishers like iUniverse.com, Lulu.com, Outskirtspress.com, and Booksurge.com. There are many more, but these are some of the popular ones.

As I browse their websites, and their bookstores, I see that I am not the only one interested in self-publishing. There are tons of authors who have given this path some serious thought, and actually utilized their knowledge to make their dreams come true.

Authors have no choice in the matter because we just can't depend on the traditional process to make our dreams a reality. I sent my book proposal out so many times I think my eyes are going blind or something. The traditional publishers send informal rejection letters, and some of them do not even bother to send anything. You figure if you do not hear from them in six months, they discarded your partial manuscript in the slush pile which went automatically to the garbage pile. How insensitive is this?

If I am being rejected, I want to know the reason why, and a nice letter with my name and address on it, addressed exclusively to me, explaining the fact that you read my manuscript and what you did not like about it. This kind of rejection will give me the courage to send out my manuscript to another publisher with some revisions that I received from a rejected publisher.

Authors work hard to make their books marketable by writing what is being published, and revising our hearts out. In my case I have an editor, which I pay handsomely to make sure that my book is up to market value. My editor is a published author herself, so she's knowledgeable on what I need to make my novel publishable. She's worth the money and the information she has educated me with.

There are publishers who will not give you the time of day if you self-published your work. I think this is a myth and a rage within itself. Authors believe in their books, and it's their job to make sure that readers read them, and a self-publisher will enable this. They are equipped in publishing your book, and enabling you to promote it, and not worry about the publishing side of it.

I worked with Lulu.com and this is a very inexpensive way to get your book published, and it takes less than an hour. The service is recommended because it enables anyone to publish a book, but my advice is making sure that your work is edited. Lulu.com provides the publishing tools, but it's up to you to do the marketing, and that's with traditional publishers too. Authors are going to market their books by word of mouth, business cards, bookmarks, and postcards. This is a way for readers to know that we have a book published, and we want you to read it.

There are authors who are so dissatisfied with iUniverse.com and some of the other self-publishers that they are coming up with their own publishing houses. This is good also, but it's going to cost a lot of money, and remember money is the key here.

Why should we pay money to publish a book? We should find a traditional publisher and let them pay us because our product is worth it and then some. We pay to get our work read. It does not matter how we manage the task, but the essence of the book. My debut novel "I Confess" is a collection of twenty-two, confession short stories, published by a traditional publisher. The process took a very long time, and patience was a virtue I did not have. I am highly proud of my debut novel, but there are still people who do not know my book exists. It's my goal to sell one million copies. This book is superior, and should be read.

I have spent money to go to college, buy clothes, food, books, take trips, buy houses and other material things in life, and so why not pay to self-published my book? I do not have to wait long for the entire process, which is a highly-acclaim attribute in self-publishing. There are many well-known authors today who have taken this path, and this passageway has led to success in ways unbelievable for many authors.

I am a romance author, and I have many stories to tell, and many books to write. I am going to get my book out there so readers can enjoy the stories I tell. Short of illegally doing it, I will continue to pursue the self-publishing path, and encourage others to follow in my footsteps. New writers are making their presence known and there are no ends to the many books that will be promoted soon for this year and many years to come.

Rejection is available at Lulu.com and Torn Between Two Lovers will be coming soon by Outskirtspress.com. I have more books in the works, and will publish them with iUniverse.com and more with Lulu.com and Outskirtspress.com. I have a voice and stories to tell, and they will be told. My books can also be purchased at my website at http://www.carolannjohnson.net so take a ride with me and romance.

And remember that when we want something done, a kingdom of wild horses won't stand in our way to make our dreams and goals come true. Self-publishing is a phenomenon I recommend, and it is here to stay for many generations and years to come. This author is ecstatic!

Copyright © by Carol Ann Culbert Johnson

Carol Ann Culbert Johnson is a published author of "I Confess, Rejection, Articles for the Soul, and Torn Between Two Lovers." She lives in Oak Lawn, IL, and busy at work on many more books. Ms. Johnson works full-time at a clinic, and she attends Ellis College for her BA in English/Professional Writing. She has just finished her Associate Degree in Paralegal Science.

Please visit Ms. Johnson's website at http://www.carolannjohnson.net and sign the guestbook.

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Making Sense of Self-Publishing Terms

Most authors dream of being published by a traditional publisher-one who pays to print the author's book and then pays the author royalties. However, after months or years of mailing out manuscripts to publishers and literary agents, and piles of rejection letters later-if even lucky enough to get a response-many authors ultimately turn to self-publishing.

When self-publishing is first considered, the author finds that homework is required to understand the self-publishing industry. Various blogs and Internet forums about self-publishing will offer advice or commentary about staying away from POD publishers or subsidy publishers, or about the stigmas or pitfalls of self-publishing. These terms are used widely and interchangeably and can be confusing to new authors. Here are a few basic definitions to help authors understand just what these terms mean and a breakdown of what is really required to self-publish a book.

Traditional Publishing: As stated above, a traditional publisher will handle all the publishing and printing costs of the book. Authors will receive royalties for their book's sales. Throughout the twentieth century, traditional publishing was viewed as the ideal situation for authors because traditional publishers have been viewed as the gatekeepers or judges of whether a book is worthy of publication. Also, traditional publishers would market the books and authors had no risk involved in the publishing costs.

Changes in the marketplace, however, have made it more difficult for traditional publishers to compete, and by extension, it is more difficult for authors to be selected for publication. While traditional publishing still provides a certain sense of legitimacy, self-publishing is a more viable option for most authors, and in many cases, it can also be more lucrative.

Self-Publishing: Self-publishing means, in a general way, that the author publishes the book himself, and he absorbs the cost of publishing the book. The advantage is that the author receives all the profit, but the disadvantage is that self-publishing has a stigma, largely because many authors have self-published poor quality books that could not compete with traditionally published books for a number of reasons from cheap paper and low quality printing to multiple typos.

Self-publishing itself has its degrees of what many consider legitimate self-publishing. A true self-published book, in many people's opinions, is a book where the author oversaw the entire production from layout to printing and where the author owns the ISBN number, printing the book under his or his own publishing company's name. While "vanity," "subsidy," and "POD" are terms often used in relation to self-publishing, they are more like half-sisters of self-publishing because another publisher besides the author is involved even though the author fronts the costs.

It should be noted, that traditional publishing has only been the dominant form of publishing in the twentieth century, and it is becoming increasingly less dominant in the twenty-first century. In the nineteenth century, most traditional publishers were smaller, some simply being linked to bookstores. Many authors, such as Mark Twain, Walt Whitman, and Ralph Waldo Emerson self-published their books.

Vanity Press: A vanity press is a publisher whom the author pays to publish his book. In the late twentieth century, horror stories were often told about authors who lost their life-savings by paying a vanity press $50,000 or some other outlandish amount to publish a book, only to have the book sell only a few copies. Deciding to self-publish by paying a vanity press was a serious risk because of the cost of publishing and a primary reason why most authors sought traditional publishers. Furthermore, the name suggests that the author was vain-believing his work was deserving of publication-even when the traditional publishers rejected his book. The term is rarely used any longer, largely because other terms have come into usage that better reflect the changes in publishing technology, which have resulted in self-publishing costs decreasing significantly.

Subsidy Press: A vanity press and subsidy press may be interchangeable terms. The difference is that the term subsidy is more commonly used now because it has less stigma. The author still pays the press to publish his book, but in the twenty-first century, the cost of publishing a book has dropped significantly due to digital or POD printing.

POD (Print-On-Demand): The self-publishing world frequently refers to POD publishers or companies, and it uses the term to mean "self-publishing companies" but POD actually means "print-on-demand." Due to new printing technology-digital printing-it is faster and more cost-effective to print a book. Until recently, books were laid out with moveable type and the process was laborious, time-consuming, and expensive, and consequently, only large print runs were made because it would have been ridiculous to spend the hours or days required to prepare the moveable type to print only one book. Modern computers in the digital age, however, now allow for "print-on-demand" which basically means if someone wants one book, it can be printed almost instantaneously. The result is that printing is faster and cheaper. Many of the smaller traditional publishers use POD.

POD Publishers or Companies: Most references to POD Publishers, besides meaning that these companies use Print-On-Demand or digital printing technology, mean that these are larger self-publishing companies that an author can pay to handle all aspects of book production. These companies are relatively cost-effective. Packages to publish a book can run under $1,000, which includes all aspects of design and layout and usually a small number of printed copies such as 10-50. The author then purchases copies of his books from the POD company, and the more copies he orders, the less he pays. The difference is that these POD companies still mark up the cost of printing the books to make a profit. They make their money selling books to authors, not in selling the author's books to the public. They still often function somewhat like traditional publishers, however, because they will sell copies directly to bookstores or book distributors, such as Amazon and Barnes & Noble, or Ingram's; these book sales result in royalty checks to the author. POD companies will also provide their own ISBN numbers and publish the book under their name rather than the author's own publishing company's name. Such companies, as stated above, are like half-sisters to both traditional publishing and self-publishing because they mix a little of both worlds.

Co-Publishing Companies: Because of the high costs of publishing, some smaller traditional publishers offer co-publishing. As usual, the traditional publisher will handle all the publishing and printing costs of the book and authors will receive royalties for their book's sales. However, the author is asked to purchase, for e.g., 500 copies of the book.

True Self-Publishing: Finally, for those splitting hairs about true self-publishing, the author who truly self-publishes will individually contract with (hopefully) an editor, someone to do layout, interior and cover design, and a separate printer. In this case, the author publishes the book with his own publishing company name he has created for himself, and he separately pays each individual entity-printer, cover design person, interior designer, editor. The author also purchases his own ISBN number and therefore has the book registered as being published by his own company. While this form of self-publishing is a bit more work, and it will probably cost an author more money upfront than using a POD company, the author will be able to print a larger number of books for less per unit (individual book), and the author will also be able to have more control over the ultimate look of the book rather than relying on a POD company, which may use more of a basic template approach to how the book looks.

Which to Choose?

Ultimately, each author must choose which type of self-publishing is best for him or her. To go the easy route, a POD Company might be good to get your feet wet, and then as you become more knowledgeable, you can experiment with true self-publishing by overseeing all aspects of the publication. A POD Company may be ideal for a small print run such as 100 copies for a book you don't plan to sell or don't think will sell well, such as publishing Grandpa's memoirs or a family genealogy that only a small group of people will want, or a book for a specific company or organization. For a novel or non-fiction book with a wider audience, a true self-publishing process might be a better choice. Authors simply must weigh the advantages of both types of self-publishing to determine which is best for his or her special book.

Irene Watson is the Managing Editor of Reader Views, where avid readers can find reviews of recently published books as well as read interviews with authors. Her team also provides author publicity and a variety of other services specific to writing and publishing books.

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Traditional Publishing, Self-publishing, and Subsidy Publishing: What's the Difference?

If you're a new and yet-to-be-published writers, chances are you've been tempted by magazine ads promising "Get Published Now!" or "We'll help you self-publish!" Maybe you've submitted material to traditional publishers and received rejection letters, and in frustration you've thought, "Maybe I should just self-publish."

But where do you begin? A quick search on the web reveals a bewildering array of self-publishing options. How many are legitimate? How many are rip-offs? And how can you tell?

Let's look at what publishing, self-publishing, and subsidy publishing actually mean.

Traditional Publishing

It its broadest sense, the verb "to publish" means "to make public." By this definition, "publishing" can be anything from a printed book between two covers to a notice pinned up on a supermarket bulletin board. Blogs, web pages, newsletters, and self-printed pamphlets are all forms of publishing.

When we speak of "traditional" publishing, we refer to companies that buy the rights to make selected works public. A traditional publisher, whether small or large, will select the best work out of many submissions, draw up a contract with the author, take out a copyright in the author's name, and pay the author for various rights, including first publication rights. The publisher makes the entire monetary investment, as well as taking all the monetary risk, and recoups that investment from book sales. The author may be paid an "advance," which is an "advance against royalties." Once the advance is earned back, the author receives any additional royalties from further book sales.

In order to succeed in the competitive world of book sales, the publisher must be highly selective about the books it choses to publish. No one can predict actual book sales, and the industry is sometimes taken by surprise by a book that suddenly soars to the top of the best-seller list (or that plunges far below expectations). Nevertheless, a publishing company cannot afford to take risks on books that it believes are unlikely to sell.

This is why so few of the manuscripts that are submitted to a traditional publisher are accepted. Each publisher receives thousands of manuscripts per year. A large number of these are unpublishable in some way: poorly written, inappropriate for that publisher, even illegible. A small number are publishable, and only some of these can be accepted, since the publisher has only so many slots in the year's publishing schedule. In order to be accepted, the manuscript must have good sales appeal, must fill a need for the publisher, must be well-written, and should be presented professionally.

Self-publishing

Authors who self-publish bypass traditional publishers by creating their own small publishing company. The author makes all the monetary investments and takes all the monetary risks, but keeps all the profits.

In order to self-publish a book, an author must find a good printing service that produces high-quality books. In these days of Publish On Demand (POD), finding a good, affordable service that produces a quality product is becoming increasingly difficult, as more service use POD equipment that may or may not produce quality books. Before investing in a POD service, it's always wise to obtain a sample copy.

The self-published author files for copyright, obtains a Library of Congress number, and pays for an ISBN number and bar code. While the latter is not absolutely necessary if one plans to sell locally, it is necessary if the author wishes to sell books through online bookstores and through book distributors.

Copyright is obtained through the U.S. Copyright Office. You do not need to obtain a copyright if submitting to traditional publishers.

ISBN numbers are purchased through the U.S. ISBN office, and bar codes are obtained through Bowker's. ISBN numbers are purchased in multiples, under the expectation that a publisher, large or small, will be publishing more than one book. They are not cheap; however, owning your own ISBN number rather than letting a subsidy publisher supply one for you is advantageous when trying to sell books through distributors. Distributors and bookstores are often leery of buying books from subsidy publishers, especially the notorious "vanity" publishers, and these publishers are easily identified in a database by their ISBN numbers.

The self-published author must be willing to do all the marketing. Getting the book listed on Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble Online is rarely enough. Only a small percentage of books sold in the U.S. are sold through online bookstores, and only a tiny fraction of these are self-published books. Most books are sold through bricks-and-mortar bookstores, which buy their books through distributors. Getting one's books listed with a distributor can be expensive; however, some book printing services can help with this. Authors can also increase their sales by hand-selling their books through book signings, author tables at local fairs and events, their own website, and by word of mouth through their network of friends and acquaintances. Self-publishers must understand the market, do their marketing research, and know something about advertising and salesmanship.

Subsidy Publishing

Authors who balk at the high monetary investment involved in self-publishing may turn to subsidy publishing which is sometimes (but not always) less expensive. The author still makes a monetary investment and bears all the risks, but instead of keeping the profits, the author receives royalties from the company. The company prints the book, often on a POD basis, may file for copyright in the author's name (sometimes for a fee), and may supply the ISBN number (also for a fee). The ISBN number belongs to the subsidy publisher, not to the author. The book also bears the imprint of the subsidy publisher, not the author's own publishing company. This is the distinction between self-publishing and subsidy publishing: a self-published book is published by the author's own publishing company and bears an ISBN number belonging to the author, while a book published by a subsidy press bears the name of the subsidy press, and the ISBN number belongs to that company.

Subsidy publishers often advertise in the backs of writers' magazines, often with glowing terms of what they will do for the author. The services they offer vary from company to company. Some will provide editing and layout services. Some are selective about the books they accept. Most, however, accept any and all manuscripts that come their way. Some do so with the belief that they are helping the author. But are they really?

Some books are simply unsellable. They may be poorly written. They may have spelling and grammatical errors. In the case of fiction, perhaps the plot is weak, or the characters wooden. In the case of nonfiction, perhaps there are inaccuracies, or the topic is of little interest to the general public. In both types of books, it may be that the writing is simply too dull to hold a reader's interest.

"But," some will ask, "isn't all that up to the author to decide?"

No. That is up to the reader to decide. Writers do write from their own hearts, but just because someone has written something does not oblige anyone else to buy and read it. The author who wishes to be published writes for an audience, and must consider that audience before deciding whether or not to publish a particular piece of work.

This is why it is so important to understand the market. And a company that promises to "publish" anything with little regard to its quality is not giving the author all the information necessary for success. This is why subsidy presses are sometimes called "vanity" presses: the worst ones will publish anything, offer glowing praise, take an author's money, and offer almost nothing in the way of marketing. A vanity press exists to offer ego-stroking in exchange for money.

Some, the lowest of all, offer nothing in exchange for money. The owner of one of the worst of these, Press-Tige Publishing Company, was indicted in federal court recently for bilking hundreds of people out of their money and giving nothing in return.

Subsidy publishers also tend to put a high cover price on their books, which makes the books more difficult to sell. With marketing possibilities already reduced by bookstores' reluctance to deal with subsidy and vanity publishers, a high cover price can put a further sharp crimp in sales.

Subsidy publishers may be a reasonable option for people who don't expect high sales, who have a readily-accessible market available, or who have family and friends ready and willing to buy the book as soon as it is available. For people who want more control over their work, who are ready and willing to do the marketing, who are prepared to take the financial risk, and who want brisk sales, including sales to bricks-and-mortar bookstores, self-publishing may be a better option.

In Summary

In short, the three main types of publishing and their pros and cons are:

Traditional publishing: In which the publisher takes all financial risks, pays the author a royalty, and does most of the marketing. Pros: Higher potential for sales, especially with a big company, higher prestige, and professional marketing. Cons: Difficult to break into, reluctance to accept a book that won't sell thousands of copies, sometimes a reluctance to take chances.

Self-publishing: In which the author takes all financial risks, publishes under his or her own imprint, does all of the marketing, and keeps all of the profits. Pros: More control over the book itself, able to publish books that traditional publishers may view as risky, potential for good profits if the book sells well. Cons: Author risks losing money if the book does not sell, author must be adept at marketing and standard business practices, lower prestige.

Subsidized ("vanity") publishing: In which the author takes most or all of the financial risks, publishes under the publisher's imprint, does most of the marketing, and is paid a royalty on the books that are sold. Pros: May be less expensive than self-publishing, often very easy to do. Cons: Author risks losing money if the book does not sell, author must still do most of the marketing, lowest prestige of all.

Resources:

Authors who want to self-publish can information on the Books Just Books site. Books Just Books is a book-printing service that offers editing and distribution services as well.

Karen E. Bledsoe is a children's book author, and has written many books for the school and library market. For more information on writing for children, see her website at http://www.gkbledsoe.com

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