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July
2008 Update:
Everything
in the self-publishing industry changed in April 2008 when Amazon.com announced
that, in order for self-published authors to sell POD and regularly-printed books on its site,
independent authors and publishers had to print their books using Amazon's BookSurge
service. The whole self-publishing industry is up in arms about this, and one
POD publisher issued a class action antitrust lawsuit against Amazon in July. I
don't have time to rework this article now, but
read "Amazon Throws Its Weight
Around" for complete background information on Amazon's
attempt to monopolize the entire POD industry, lend your support to this battle, and then reconsider your
self-publishing options accordingly. - Barbara
Your
Self-Publishing Options With
Today's eBook
and POD
(Print-on-Demand) Publishers
by
Barbara Brabec
The climate for self-publishing has never been better than
it is right now, and the number of companies on the Web who offer
services to authors who want to self-publish is absolutely amazing. But these
eBook and POD publishers are a different
breed from the trade book publishers discussed in my article, Selling
Your Book to a Trade Publisher, and you need to understand
that difference.
I published three of my books in 80s and 90s and sold several
thousand copies of each book by mail, making a tidy profit in the
process. (I actually produced one of those books with nothing more than
sheer determination and an IBM Selectric typewriter (how I loved those
interchangeable balls!), but my readers didn't care because the content
was solid and the books were attractively laid out and easy to read.) This was in the days when boards had to be pasted
up and sent to the printer for "shooting." Now, everything about the publishing industry has changed,
and today's publishers want books designed and
delivered electronically.
If you have tried to get the attention of
a trade publisher and been rejected, or if you simply prefer the idea of
self-publishing so you can be in complete control of your book from start to finish--and you're prepared to learn how to market and sell the book you
plan to print--then I urge you to give serious consideration to
self-publishing. Since countless books have
been written on this topic, this article is merely designed to give you an
encouraging overview of your self-publishing opportunities with links to
helpful books and sources on
the Web where you will find a wealth of detailed information about eBook and
print-on-demand (POD) book publishing.
Skills
Needed for Success
Although many writers have the computer software to do
the design and layout of their own books, not all of them have the skills
needed to do a professional job. For example, no writer, however capable, should publish a
book until it has been professionally edited. It is simply impossible for
any writer to see all of his or her own writing errors. (See my Editing
Checklist for the kind of errors writers commonly make.)
Each publisher or book printer has its own specifications and requirements for how
book pages must be designed and submitted for printing, but not all
authors follow them carefully enough or have the technical skills to do
what is required. As a
representative for Wheatmark,
Inc. pointed
out to me, there is always something significantly wrong with most
"camera-ready" books they receive from new authors. "There
are errors in spelling, grammar, and punctuation," she said.
"Or the author-turned-layout-artist has left floating
headers on blank pages. Or the margins are much too tight. Or the images
are too low-resolution for print. If we published one of these books 'as
is,' the book would look amateurish and no one would buy it."
Without question, most authors will need help with cover design, as well as
the interior design of the book itself (selection of typefaces, layout, graphic
illustrations in the text, and so on). Granted, many of the publishers on the
Web offer editing and cover design services, but their cover designs are
often based on standard templates (nothing very creative here), and the
editing may amount to nothing more than simple copy editing when, in fact,
a book manuscript may need content editing as well.
Resources
on the Web
In
addition to the technical book production guidelines available on each of the publisher's
Website,
you'll also find a wealth of free information on the Web from self-publishing gurus such as
Dan Poynter, one of the best known and most successful self-publishers in
the country. His ParaPublishing
website and free bimonthly Publishing Poynter's Newsletter ezine are
absolutely filled with a wealth of information that will prove invaluable
to writers and self-publishers. I might add that it was Dan Poynter's
Self-Publishing Manual that got
me started as a publisher back in the 70s, and I continue to rely on Dan's
professional guidance today as I move into the world of electronic
publishing.
Also be sure to visit John Kremer's Bookmarket
site, which features Kremer's books, reports, and consulting services
along with a wealth of information and resource lists in his "Book
Publishing Resource Filing Cabinet" department. He also offers a free
TIPS ezine.
If
eBook publishing is of interest to you, you might want to read
James Dillehay's guide
to eBook publishing success,
which is the book that first got me
excited about electronic publishing. (Buying this book as an eBook
instead of a print copy offers the advantage of being able to quickly link to more than a thousand
Web sites listed in it.)
You'll find more information on James' Website at 00EBOOKS.com.
Google
Searches.
You can spend days on Google, searching for information on the topics
of self-publishing. A search for such keywords as "ebook publishing"or "POD"
pubishing" will turn up thousands of pages. On many of these pages you'll find articles by authors who have enjoyed
success in both areas of self-publication. On some pages that discuss
POD publishing, you'll learn more about the different types of POD publishers and fee-based service providers
as well as the negative aspects of POD publishing (the "POD
stigma"). Although you will find some negative aspects about eBook
publishing as well, remember that both of these publishing methods have
proven viable and affordable for many self-publishers. The key is to educate yourself to all
available options, heed the advice of self-publishing experts on the Web
and in books you may read, and carefully compare all the costs, pros, and cons of each publisher
or publishing method that looks promising to you.
Researching
Individual Companies
Be sure to check out John Kremer's FREE
lists of e-book and POD publishers on the Web (under
"Printing and Promotion) to get an idea of the number
of companies who want your business. To determine which
publisher, or which type of publishing method, is right for you, you'll
have to do a lot of research. Once you find a few companies that you think look
right for you, do a spreadsheet that lists their basic "package" charge (if there is one) plus
what they are charging for all the "extras" (such as editing, cover design, etc.), whether they pay royalties
ore merely print and ship books and "split" the profits with the author-publisher.
For example, one company I've investigated for one of my author clients is
Lightning Source, which charges a $200 setup fee to get a book into its system. They
then charge
a certain amount for printing and mailing a POD book and handling the financial end of each
sale. After these costs are deducted from the wholesale price of the
book, whatever is left goes to the author (who also sets the retail
price). Because Lightning Source is
affiliated with Ingram Books (the major book wholesaler in the U.S.), once
you're in its system, any bookstore
in the country can order your book. Books published here are also placed on Amazon and other online
bookstores, giving an author good visibility from the get-go. Of course, sales of books are
dependent on the author's ability to get people into bookstores or on the Web to look for the
book and then, hopefully, buy it.
If you plan to buy copies for sale make sure you either work with
a company that will give you at least a 60 percent
discount off the retail price, or a company that offers POD copies of your
book at a price that leaves you room for profit. Another option is
simply to work with one online publisher to get your book into bookstores,
and then work with a regular book printer who can do
a short run of 500-1,000 books for you to sell by mail, from your Website, or in
workshops or other speaking engagements. Just make sure that the company you decide to work with
does not demand exclusive rights to publish and distribute your book.
Finally, make sure you understand all the fine print in any
publishing contract before you
sign it, and if you hire an attorney to check it, make sure that
attorney fully understands the book publishing industry and the many
special clauses an author needs for maximum profit.
If you're an author in the U.S., also note my
Author-Publisher
Contract telephone consulting service. I've been able to help a number of
authors get better clauses in their contracts, resulting in better protection of
their literary rights and/or higher royalties.
If you are just looking for a book printer, Google the phrase "book
printers" to turn up a list of companies who can print your book. Get
quotes from several of them.)
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A
Cautionary Note about Vanity Presses
(Also
Known as Subsidy Publishers)
Vanity publishers feed on people's egos and wallets, often charging
outrageous fees to get a book into print. Tom and Marilyn Ross explain
in their Complete
Guide to Self-Publishing (see left) how easy it is to be taken in by one of these publishers. "The advertising
copywriters hired by subsidy publishers are the best in the
business," they say, adding that they could "charm the lard
off a hog." Further, the Rosses point out that, in most cases, after
paying thousand of dollars to print your book, you won't even own it.
Instead, you'll get a "royalty" on any book that happens to be
sold, and if you want copies for yourself, you'll have to buy them. The
really bad news is that no one wants to buy books published by a vanity
press, so if book sales and profit is your motive for writing and
publishing, look for another way to get into print.
If you really want to get the scoop on Vanity/Subsidy
publishers, just Google the words "vanity press" to turn up 13
million Web pages on the topic.
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Related Article: Selling
Your Book to a Trade Publisher
[Back to T/C
for Writing/Publishing
Articles]
Copyright © 2000-2008
by Barbara Brabec
All Rights Reserved
Barbara Brabec's World
BarbaraBrabec.com
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Insider Information for the Self-Publishing Writer
