| |
| |
|
Go Back | About | Contact | Web Design News | |
|
|
|
Book Publishing for Entrepreneurs
There was a time when it was relatively easy to get a book published. You took a great idea to an agent, the agent sold the idea to a publisher, and soon you could call yourself an author. Unfortunately the market has shifted. Unless you are a celebrity or come to the table with an eager audience of book buyers, most publishers won't even blink your way no matter how great your idea. Because of this shift in the industry, more and more writers are turning to self-publishing. Some big success stories have emerged from the trenches of previously unknown authors who took control of their publishing destinies. "What Color is Your Parachute?" by Richard Nelson Bolles, "The Celestine Prophecy"¨ by James Redfield, and "The One Minute Manager" by Ken Blanchard and Spenser Johnson, all started out as independents. Even the infamous Amy Fisher turned to print-on-demand for her recent memoir, reportedly so that she could retain control over the content and promotion while retaining a bigger percentage of the profits. Self Publishing Options If you are considering publishing a book yourself, you have two primary options: self-publishing and print on demand (POD). Basic self-publishing involves establishing your own publishing company, contracting a cover designer, laying out the interior of the book and purchasing an International Standard Book Number (ISBN). Once all the setup is complete, you can then have the book printed by a book binding company--usually in very large quantities (3000+) at a cost per book ranging from $1.00-$5.00. Once the book is published, you need to get the book listed with the online book sellers and with the large distributors if you want your title to have a chance of making it into the big bookstores. POD companies charge a set-up fee ranging from $350-$1000 and most will layout the book, assign an ISBN number, print books on an as-needed basis (no major quantity purchases are required), and get them into the inventories of the major distributors and online booksellers. Depending on your goals, POD or traditional self-publishing can allow you to transform your manuscript into a hardcover or trade paperback in a matter of weeks. It can take a year or more for a big-name publisher to transform a manuscript into a book, and author royalties are surprisingly low. Publishing yourself gives you control over the time to market and can also lead to hefty profits. Here are some additional considerations: Self-Publishing Pros -You keep control over all rights. -Individual book cost is low, resulting in a higher profit margin. -Once you set up your publishing company, it's a bit easier to print subsequent books. Self-Publishing Cons -You have to do all the work: establish a publishing company, purchase an ISBN, get the cover created, layout the text, get listed with distributors, etc. -Startup costs can be high since you typically have to purchase a large quantity of books. -Revisions can be expensive if you haven't yet sold the bulk of your initial inventory. Print-On-Demand Pros -Startup costs are lower since you only pay a set up fee and for the copies you need. -Updating the book is simpler since you won't have hundreds of overstock copies in your store room. -Most POD companies will get your title listed with distributors and book sellers. Print-On-Demand Cons -Profit margin is lower since the POD companies take a percentage of sales. -Some contracts can be restrictive with rights and terms (contracts should be carefully reviewed). -Reputation: The big bookstores don't yet regard POD books as having much credibility. Lessons Learned from the Publishing Industry You may still want to investigate selling your idea to a big publisher, and you should. The process of pitching a book idea to agents and editors can teach you a lot about the publishing industry. The first question you will be asked is; "What is your platform?" Agents and publishers want authors with a ready-made audience of book buyers and if you don't have a national presence with speaking engagements or other notoriety, your chances of being published the traditional way are slim. But don't let the pitching process kill your dreams. The lesson to be learned from the publishing pros is that you need to have a way to market and sell your book. Before you even consider publishing yourself, develop a marketing plan. Determine who will buy your book and how you will reach your audience. If you know how to market your ideas, and use the resources at your disposal (how-to books and publishing websites), you can create your own self publishing success story. For more information on self-publishing, visit Dan Poynter's website: http://www.ParaPublishing.com. Poynter is the author of "The Self-Publishing Manual" and his newsletter is loaded with resources and advice. For a good comparison of the leading POD companies, check out: http://www.PublishonDemand.net. For ideas on marketing your book, check out the book by Marilyn Ross and Tom Ross: "Jump Start Your Book Sales." Find a host of publishing resources at http://www.BusinessInfoGuide.com/publishing.htm. Stephanie Chandler is the author of "The Business Startup Checklist and Planning Guide: Seize Your Entrepreneurial Dreams!" and the founder of http://www.BusinessInfoGuide.com, a directory of free resources for entrepreneurs. Sign up for the BusinessInfoGuide newsletter to receive hot resources and tips every month.
MORE RESOURCES:
SEO - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
7 Secrets to Explode your eBook Sales! Part 3 Secret #3: Creating an avalanche of sales with Freeware/Shareware sites:Copyright 2004 Bluedolphin Crow - All Rights Reserved.Aho!Freeware/shareware sites provide a unique opportunityto market your eBooks. The REAL Info Products Secret and How to Get Out of the Cycle Most "info-products" revolve around Internet marketing, and get rich quick schemes. Everyone is looking for that instant "secret" that will guarantee them overnight success without spending the start up capital of a real brick and mortar business. The Bible of Marketing Ebooks The ebook from Michael Cheney really is the bible when it comes to make a successful website.I highly recommend this ebook. Top Ten eBook Mistakes and How to Correct Them Did you know that you already have an eBook inside you?And, like your coach, you can earn thousands of dollars each month?Even if you are a non-techie like me, you can write your ebook at the same time you write your print book. Or, solve your readers' problems using other articles and reports already in your files. Use eBooks To Expand or Explode Your Business As we discussed in an earlier article the advantages of an eBook in conjunction with your web site are many.You can use the eBook you produce to build your credibility in your area of expertise. How to Build and Sell your eBook at the Same Time Why write an eBook? You want ongoing, lifelong multiple streams of income. You want to raise your credibility and trust ratings with clients or customers. How To Create Your Own Info Product In the last article we talked about why informational products are the best type of products to sell online. An informational product can be a digital book (known as an e-book), a digital report or a white paper, a piece of software, audio or video files, a web site, an ezine (electronic magazine), or a newsletter. Electronic Books And Magazines Can Be Among Your Cost Effective Servicing Tools Electronic servicing is, as they say, a "growth industry". With many new electronic products and equipments reaching the market, there is a large demand for electronic repair technicians. Internet Marketing - How to Write Your Own E-book I tell you now the first e-book I ever wrote sat in my directory for a few months. I was scared out of my wits to actually put it out there incase the reaction was "bad". Top Ten Tips To Get Started Writing Your Book - Part 2 You are far more likely to successfully write and publish your book if you follow these tips before you [start writing] write a single chapter. Part one of this article is available at www. Using Internet Marketing E-books Helps With Business Issues Using an Internet marketing e-book when starting a new home-based business will give you helpful hints and clues to start your business on a firm foundation. E-books, short for electronic books, are books on either one subject or a collection of different articles that can be downloaded from any website on the Internet. 7 Secrets to Explode your eBook Sales! Part 6 Secret #6: Creating momentum and identity throughBook Sellers!Aho99% of them were wrong when I asked this simple question.Who are the best eBook Sellers online today?The answer I received from most of my ezine list was Amazon. Are Ebooks Overpriced? Who ever thought that one day books would not be written. People no longer have to go to stores and buy books anymore, they can read them online by authors who instead of paying the extra money to get published, simply put their book in a virtual form. Buying e-Books on eBay eBay is the world's online marketplace, that enables a diverse and passionate community of individuals and small businesses to trade on a local, national and international basis. Founded in September 1995, eBay provides a platform for the sale of goods and services to more than 135 million registered members from all around the world. Benefits of Ebooks for Your Business No matter what type of home-based business you operate, chances are ebooks are already or should be part of it. Most of us are familiar with the term and probably have seen at least one ebook, but you may not have realized how beneficial they could be for your business. 7 Simple Ways To Boost Your E-Book Sales You can often dramatically increase your E-Book salesby making a few minor adjustments to your sales page.Here are 7 ways to increase your E-Book sales:(1) Make sure your 'Order' link appears at least 3times on your sales page. Selling Books and E-Books Online For many authors the thought of getting professionally published is little more than a dream. That was until the advent of the internet started threatening the very existence of publishers. Top Ten Tips To Get Started Writing Your Book - Part 1 You are far more likely to successfully write and publish your book if you follow these tips before you [start writing] write a single chapter. 1. How One eBook Author Writes eBooks How does this eBook writing process actually work for an individual? It is truly a unique experience for all of us. I will share with you some personal thoughts about my process. Sell 100,000 eBooks By Letting It Be Read For Free? Did you know that if just one person goes into a library and asks for your eBook and if it is listed in the librarians' catalogs, then the library will buy a copy of your eBook in order to lend out.And did you know that it only takes just one library purchase for your eBook to be given a Machine Readable Catalog record (MARC), which then makes your eBook even more noticeable and accessible to all other libraries.
|
ChicagoAnimation's Acquisitions: Market Polls - 1pennyStock.com
Sponsors: Paving | VTL's | Religious Statues
