Short Cut Your Book's Success with Self-Publishing by Judy Cullins
Do you wonder about how and where
to publish your book? Maybe you think that it would be great to be
taken under a publisher's wings--for them to promote your book. it
wouldn't be so much work and wouldn't take any money up front.
Sad to say, this assumption is not true. Reality: Agent, publishers,
and big talk shows like Oprah will choose only 1-2% of proposals
submitted. And the author's work that goes into queries and proposals
is immense and time consuming.
You can Short Cut Your Book's Success with Self-Publishing.
First, get a model for writing a great chapter--one that your reader
cannot put down. Then, learn from the long-time book pros more about
self-publishing.
Know that the costs are far less than you think. Self publishing over
13 books on these topics cost me no more than $500 for print models and
nothing for the eBooks that are printable and downloadable. Your
audience is used to buying Online and will visit your web site to buy
and gladly print your book around 120 pages or less. You putting your
ebook in a PDF (portable document format) is one way to publish it. You
are the publisher and your web site is your store. You will get all the
profits.Self-publishing will put you in charge to make suitable and
favorable writing, publishing and promotion decisions.
If you don't want to do it all, get a little help from professionals!
Entrepreneurial experts such as book coaches, book designers, and eBook
specialists can guide you through to publishing success. These people
may give teleseminars, small group coaching experiences, or offer their
book as an inexpensive way for you to learn the ropes. These pros will
shorten your learning curve too, so you get the right help right away
to write the right book right away. In turn, you can sell your book
faster, and increase your cash flow to participate more in the
promotion.
When you think you still have to promote your books, even with a
publisher, why not keep most of the profits and do some of the work
yourself? Learn from your coach's experiences, "Do What You Do Best-and
Hire the Rest!" (That doesn't mean you can't barter for services).
Check out the methods below and see which one suits you best, is more
rewarding, and far more profitable.
On Print Books--Print on Demand Two Ways
1. Hire the Publisher/Printer yourself to just print your book from
your word file. Companies like Deharts.com will put your files into
Portable Document Format (PDF) to sell on your web site or another site
you choose to sell your books. A complete explanation of these
opportunities are included in the "How to Write your eBook or Other
Short Book--Fast!"
For Deharts and a few other publishers (we call it Print on
Demand--POD) you keep all of your book's rights and once your pay from
$4-$7 per book, depending on the length, you get the books delivered to
you and you get to keep all of the profits. They will print small runs
of your book such as 100-500 copies.
Note from you bookcoach. Don't print more books than you can sell in
three months. This helps your cash flow and will keep your promotion
going.Without marketing and promotion you book will die on the vine.
The advantages? The author is in charge of the book, takes delivery,
and will provide a web site where he or she will sell the book. Then,
you keep 100% of the profits. The process takes about 6-8 weeks,
although it can be faster. Another benefit is that you can start
selling your book in 6 weeks rather than 12-18 months with traditional
publishing. You get immediate sales to increase your cash flow.
If f you sell your book on your web site, you will make at least 93% of
the profits after you pay your credit card merchant such as Pay Pal or
Click Bank.
2. Hire Full-Service Print on Demand Publisher/Printers who each charge
you an up front fee to set up. They too take your word files and put
into Portable Document Format. They may even format your book and
provide a cover for you.
For a fee from $500-$800, these companies will give you an ISBN number
if you plan to sell your book on someone else's web site or in a brick
and mortar bookstore. They will list you in BooksinPrint.com. These
companies offer you their Web site to sell your book. But again, the
author must learn about Internet marketing (article marketing) from a
good coach or book to get targeted potential buyers to the book web
site.
The downside? Check to see if you need these services. You don't need
an ISBN # if you sell from your own web site. You probably won't sell
your book in a brick and mortar book store. It's a lot of work and you
can't compete with big publishers. Think about your book and where your
best market is. Opinions from Dan Poynter, John Kremer, and myself say,
"Bookstores are a lousy place to sell books." Walk ins are not looking
for an unknown author's book. Other choices is the world wide web,
because books are the # one seller there. Small business people want to
buy all kinds of books and they will do it on the Web.
The biggest down of this full-service Print on Demand to me is no
control over my book. Here, you must buy back each book from the
printer/publisher at a wholesale price--almost half of what you will
sell it for. So, your profits are limited.
Buyer Beware: Before you buy any marketing packages from POD
businesses, know that they won't promote your book at all. Consult a
book and book marketing coach and learn how you can put together a
simple plan and action steps that are mostly free.
With article marketing you can become known world-wide. You write the
articles and submit to article directories. Your audience goes to them
to get free information and if they like your short pieces, thousands
will visit your book selling site each day, and with the right sales
message, many will buy.
Self Publishing with eBooks
If you write an eBook, here are some of the benefits:
You...Make all the money, can make ongoing, passive profits for life,
spend much less time writing and promoting, retain total control, share
your unique, important message with 1000's daily, build your email
client base and credibility, reach your target audience easily and
distribute yourself, spend less money and have more cash flow, finish
your book within 30 days, make ongoing, passive profits for life, can
update your book when it needs it, gain trust, credibility, friends,
and adventure, and become the savvy expert in your field.
More benefits: you don't have printing or inventory costs, can use Word
in 8 1/2 by 11 format and PDF, don't have to travel, don't have to tell
or sell, and you don't have to package and mail books. Instead, you can
distribute and sell online from email or a Web site.
Educate yourself on self-publishing. Read books on the subject, take a
seminar or teleseminar, and consult with an book coach, who will save
you thousands of dollars in mistakes. Armed with good information, your
book will grow into a great seller.
About the Author
Internet Marketing Coach Judy Cullins helps non-techies get big web traffic, expand your business clients, and sell your products.Check out her AdvancedArticleMarketing 3-Book Special with free ebook "Top 20 Ranked Websites to Submit to." http://www.advancedarticlemarketing.com/, JudyCullins@cox.net.