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Once you’ve covered the basics of determining who your specific audience is, understanding exactly what they want to read, and knowing what other similar books already exist, it’s time to begin strategizing the business angles of your book. Beginning nonfiction authors frequently err in judgment when it comes to the practical, business, and fiscal components of creating your book.
FAILING TO UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TRADITIONAL PUBLISHING AND SELF-PUBLISHING
In traditional publishing, there are three primary parties involved: the author, the agent, and the publishing company. The author writes the material; the agent acts as the author’s representative and sells the material to a publisher; the publisher is the money behind the project and is responsible for placement of the book in brick and mortar stores as well as online distribution channels.
The publisher also sometimes handles certain marketing responsibilities for the book, including its listing in appropriate catalogues and other resources. The scope of the publisher’s marketing efforts will depend largely on the author’s credentials and renown. If they are already a well-known name with a big following, the publisher will be much more likely to take a risk than they would be for a first-time author with very little name or brand recognition.
In certain cases, the publisher will offer the author an “advance” – money paid to the writer before the book is even completed. This is a gamble, really, on the part of the publisher, because it assumes the book will sell enough copies to both cover the advance and be profitable to the publishing company.
Alternately, when you self-publish, you assume all the risk – financial and otherwise – yourself. The good news is that when you self-publish, you get to do it your way. You select the title. You determine what the cover looks like. And you keep a much greater percentage of the profits. The outlay on your part, however, can be substantial.
Hard costs can involve any or all of the following: ghostwriting, editing, cover design, interior design, proofreading, ISBN, copyright, proofs, printing, binding, shipping, distribution, Web design, e commerce capabilities, marketing, attorneys’ fees. To do it properly, the costs can be considerable. Anyone thinking about writing a book who plans to sell more than a couple dozen copies to family and friends must realize that a book is a business.
While there are no hard numbers available for self-published books, a quick perusal of the article archives at writing-world’s website confirms that between 5,000 and 10,000 books are printed each year by the major vanity presses (a publisher that publishes a book at the author’s complete expense), such as Xlibris, iUniverse, and the like.
FAILING TO UNDERSTAND THAT A BOOK IS A BUSINESS
As mentioned above, a well-written book that will actually appeal to people and sell more than a handful of copies must be treated as a business. This means incorporating all the steps involved in starting any new business. A budget, a business plan (generally speaking, a well-written book proposal will suffice), a Web site equipped with e-commerce, and a thorough marketing plan are a few of the main components involved in a successful “book business.” Our goal here is not to stamp all the enjoyment out of your writing project. Certainly you can and should have fun with your book. But if you have any intent to see it widely read and distributed, you must set out with a realistic attitude about exactly what is involved in taking your idea from conception to publication to dollars in your pocket.
Do not make the mistake of thinking this book will make you rich – the likelihood is that it won’t. That’s not to say you shouldn’t write it, or that your book will not be a financial success for you – but you must be prepared to lay out some serious cash first, particularly for a self-published title. Generally speaking, if you recoup your expenses within the first year, your book has been “successful.” With a great concept, proper marketing, and a real business plan to which you are willing to adhere, you can supersede this goal and actually make money from your book, but it will require a substantial time and energy commitment on your part.
NEGLECTING TO CREATE A REALISTIC TIMELINE
One major place where new authors get tripped up is understanding how long the writing/publishing process takes. First, there are the research components mentioned above. Next, there’s the actual writing process. Unless you are as disciplined as Gandhi, you have to plan for distractions. This likely means creating a dedicated writing space and/or carving out a specified writing time. If you’re not independently wealthy or haven’t already sold your book to a publisher for a healthy advance, chances are you will be writing this book around your existing job and amidst life’s many demands (job, spouse, kids, parents, social commitments, civic commitments, religious commitments, errands, pets, etc.). Oh my goodness . . . where are you possibly going to find the time to write a book?
This is why you absolutely must create a timeline and find a way to carve out dedicated writing time. Otherwise, your book will never take top priority for you. It will always remain just another great idea, a hobby, or something that hovers somewhere on your “someday” list.
How much time you can dedicate to your writing project will differ for each person. But even if you can afford only two hours a week for dedicated writing time, schedule that time. Write it on your calendar or enter it into your PDA. Make a sign for the door: “Do Not Disturb – Mommy’s Wearing Her Author Hat Until 2 p.m.” Get up an hour earlier. Stay up an hour later. Write during your lunch hour. Think about getting a digital recorder and “talking” your book; you can always have it transcribed later. Find a coach or an accountability partner . . . someone who checks in with you once a week to see how much progress you’ve made. Do whatever works for you – but you MUST create a timeline for your writing project and find a way to stick to it.
Once your book is written, though, you’re really only halfway there – unless your only dream was to write it, and you couldn’t give a flying Fig Newton if you ever sell a copy. Most authors do care about selling their work, though. Even if you are the Bob Ross of nonfiction writing, you still must factor in all the components that come AFTER the writing is complete. These include editing, cover design, layout and interior design, proofreading, and printing, to name a few of the basics.
While it’s pretty much guaranteed that your timeline will change, you must have one, if you want to have any idea how all the pieces will dovetail, once the production process gets underway.
Virtually anyone can write a book – it’s true. Seeing to the details, though, will make a huge difference in whether your book sinks or swims financially. Decide before you begin whether you will self-publish or seek a traditional publisher. Treat your book as a business, and create a realistic budget for it. And lastly, create a timeline for the entirety of your publishing project. While there is no way to EVER guarantee which book will succeed and which one will fail, these steps will help assure that your book has a fighting chance for success.

Technorati Tags: Book, first, Hurdles, nonfiction, Overcoming, Planning, writing

You’ve written a nonfiction book, and you’d like an editor to peruse it with an objective eye and polish it to a shine before you submit it to a publisher or self-publish. Following are questions you need to ask and answers you need to know about editors and the editing process.

First, the questions:

• What type of editing do most nonfiction writers want and need?
• What’s involved in content and copy editing?
• How does an editor determine a book’s objectives?
• How do you find the editor that’s the right fit for your book?
• What pricing should you expect from an editor?
• What result should you expect from an editor?

And now the answers.

What type of editing do most nonfiction writers want and need?

Most nonfiction writers approach an editor after the manuscript has been conceptualized and the first draft completed. At this point, they need a content editor and a copy editor. Luckily, the same person usually does both content and copy editing. But if your book idea is still in the “germination” stage and you’d like big-picture advice, a developmental editor, or “book doctor,” would be the better choice.

What’s involved in the mix of content and copy editing?

Content editing requires a macro view of the manuscript to answer these questions:

• Does the structure, theme, and style support the stated objectives for the book?
• If not, how could these be changed to better align with the book’s objectives?
• What are strengths and weaknesses of the writing? What is missing?
• What additions would make it better, stronger, more creative?

A content editor may do a manuscript review and return it to the writer to make changes because it’s not ready for copyediting. If the writing doesn’t meeting the writer’s objectives for the book or has structural problems, it’s best to know and adjust the manuscript up front, saving time and money.

A copy editor digs into the nitty gritty of making sentences clear and easy to understand. Like pulling weeds in a garden, the editor searches for every last typo, extraneous expression, and grammar gremlin until the language landscape is uncluttered by word weeds and other distractions. This editor may also add color and design in wording and expression to attract readers, while maintaining the author’s intention and voice.

How does an editor determine a book’s objectives?

A professional editor asks questions that reveal the heart of your plans, goals, and expectations, gathering information, such as:

• What is the book’s target audience, category, and working title?
• What successful books could be used as models for yours?
• Do you expect or intend for your book to be a best-seller? Business door opener? Product profit center for your business? Professional reputation builder? Job networking tool?

Answer these questions for yourself before you contact an editor. What do you want your book to do for others? What do you want it to do for you?

How do you find the editor that’s the right fit for your book?

Follow this four-step process:

1. Ask for referrals from those you know and trust in circles where authors hang out and check out authors’ websites and blogs.

2. Research names of editors acknowledged or credited in model books already published.

3. Do an Internet search for “nonfiction editor” and peruse editors’ websites, particularly their portfolios. Contact authors listed in the same genre as your book’s and ask about their experiences working with particular editors.

4. Request a sample edit from each of the editors you’re considering. Do you like the level and style of editing? Has the editor preserved your voice? Do the comments help? Does the writing “sing” more beautifully?

What pricing should you expect from an editor?

Surveys show the range for an experienced professional editor varies from $50 to $150 an hour. Less experienced editors may charge less but don’t tend to dig deep enough into the soul of the manuscript. Some work more quickly and thoroughly than others-but may do more than you want! Sample edits help you compare results and pricing side by side.

What result should you expect from an editor?

You want to be able to say, “This editing makes me look better than I ever thought I could! My ideas come across clearly and the style fits my personality.” That result gives you confidence to proudly promote your book and make your authorship dreams come true.

Technorati Tags: Book, Editor, hiring, info, NeedtoKnow, nonfiction

Every author wants to be a bestseller. Here are an expert’s five easy tips on selling your book faster and smarter.

TIP # 1
Online reviews are paramount in importance when it comes to drawing attention to your book. And the best part is, you’re in control of your own destiny!
If you haven’t yet submitted your own review on sites like Amazon and Barnes & Noble, what are you waiting for? This should be one of the first steps for every published author.

Encourage other family members and friends to review the book, too. They’re inclined to be more generous than perfect strangers, but don’t underestimate the effect of any honest review. Published reviews on sites like Amazon, Barnes &Noble, and the many other sites Outskirts Press books appear demonstrates interest in your book. And that’s a good thing! Post a review for your book today, and ask others to do likewise.

TIP #2
Enhance your online listing with Amazon.com by participating in their “Search Inside the Book Program.”

Sign up to join this revolutionary new way to merchandise your book on Amazon.com. When customers search for books on Amazon.com, actual words from inside your book — not just the author or title — are engaged to return the best possible matches. With this powerful new search feature, customers can discover books that may never have surfaced in previous search results!

With “Search Inside the Book,” customers can also browse sample pages and do additional searches inside a particular book to confirm that the title is just what they’re looking for. All of this helps authors like you sell more books.

Once you sign Amazon’s Publisher Participation Agreement and are accepted into the program, you will need to provide Amazon.com with a physical copy of each book you would like to include in the program.

TIP #3
Become an “expert” in your field and book sales will follow. It’s true that promoting a book requires a great amount of resolve, but it is also true that working smarter, rather than harder, can help reap those rewards.

By projecting yourself as an “expert” in the genre in which you write, you can open new doors for networking, doors that often remain shut without that expertise status.

How does one go about making himself or herself an expert? Easy! You already are one. The name on your published book proves it. Now just use that book as a calling card to line-up speaking engagements, freelance writing gigs, and other opportunities at a variety of venues.

Two good places to begin are AOL and the ABOUT.COM information network. Both have category-specific forums in which you can participate, and by mentioning that you are the “Author of such-and-such” within the scope of your communication, you begin to label yourself as an expert to fellow participants.
Being recognized as an expert in a technical or “non-fiction” category is admittedly easier than the largely subjective category of “fiction expert” but even if you have written a work of fiction, becoming a recognized expert is conceivable.

Whether you’ve penned poetry, horror, or romance, there is a forum in which to voice your opinion. The Internet is full of chat rooms, use groups, genre-sites, and more — all thirsty for content from published writers. You just have to know where to look. Start selling books tomorrow by being an expert today.

TIP #4
“Pay For Performance” internet advertising is making big waves lately. While most search engines feature such sponsored links, there are currently only a number of engines providing the back-end technology, and of those, only one serves the majority of search engines used by the public: Overture.

The way pay-for-performance (or p4p) works is simple. You bid on search terms (either words or phrases or a combination of both). Your webpage link then appears in search engine results relative to the price of the bid. If you’re the highest bidder, your webpage appears at the absolute TOP of many search engines. Remember the frustration of typing in a search for your webpage and never finding your link? No longer!

But that’s not even the best part. The best part is this — you only pay if someone actually clicks on your link. And since you’ve defined the search term, the people clicking on your link are already predisposed toward your subject. In essence, they’re already pre-sold.

Let’s look at an example. Say you’ve published a mystery novel about the death of a land baron in Louisiana. Not exactly a new plot, and yet millions of “whodunit” readers would be anxious to read it. Your solution? Open an Overture account and bid on search terms like “Louisiana Mystery Novel” and “Mystery Book Plantation” and similar terms. Counter-intuitively, the more vague the term, the better, since very specific searches deliver very motivated buyers to your page, and since you’re paying for each click, you want those people to buy!

That brings us to the down-side. You have to be very careful managing your bids, or it can be expensive. Do not bid on ridiculously vague and popular words like “book” because you will never recoup your money. Instead, focus your search terms as specifically as possible.

If you’ve been clamoring for more traffic to your free Outskirts Press webpage, Overture may be just your ticket. To sign-up, click below. They’ll even give you a $10 credit to begin.

Visit Overture at their website for more information.
Tip #5

Use ebooks to help promote and sell your paperback or hardback edition.

Think of e-books as a teaser. With a lower purchase price and more immediate gratification, many people are inclined to give an e-book a try when they might pass on a traditional paperback. Furthermore, if they like the e-book, 80% of people end up purchasing the “real” book, too!

There are three schools of thought concerning the way in which e-books should be sold.
1 – Some believe that e-books should have a very low purchase price, somewhere in the neighborhood of $3.00 for the entire book.
2 – Other believe that e-books should only contain excerpts, or sample chapters of the full book, and that they should be provided for free.
3 – Still others believe that e-books best serve their purpose when the entire e-book is given away. This encourages word of mouth about the author and the book, which in turn helps support additional book sales and really shows dividends when a subsequent book is published by the same author.

Whichever course you follow, there is little doubt that e-books are beneficial to your promotion efforts. If you don’t yet have an e-book, what are you waiting for?

Technorati Tags: Book, selling, tips

• ISBN13: 9780143038269
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.

Product Description
A treasure-trove of scene-writing wisdom from award-winning author and teacher Sandra Scofield To write a good scene, you have to know the following:
• Every scene has an EVENT
• Every scene has a FUNCTION in the narrative
• Every scene has a STRUCTURE: a beginning, middle, and end
• Every scene has a PULSE

The Scene Book is a fundamental guide to crafting more effective scenes in fiction. In clear, simple langu… More >>

The Scene Book: A Primer for the Fiction Writer

Technorati Tags: Book, fiction, Primer, Scene, writer

Technorati Tags: Book, favorite

• ISBN13: 9780307272096
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.

Product Description
Shortlisted

for the Man Booker Prize

A spellbinding novel, at once sweeping and intimate, from the Booker Prize–winning author of Possession, that spans the Victorian era through the World War I years, and centers around a famous children’s book author and the passions, betrayals, and secrets that tear apart the people she loves.

When Olive Wellwood’s oldest son discovers a runaway named Philip sketching in the b… More >>

The Children’s Book

Technorati Tags: Book, childrens

Social networking allows means of promotion that authors cannot afford to ignore. There are millions of social networking sites, which make author promotion not just easier but even more fun. If you’re a published author such as I am, you may have heard different opinions about this from your peers. Some praise social networking as the “dawn of a new age” for author promotion. Others believe that social networking is a waste of time and will only give you promotion to a certain degree. There are points to both opinions but I find the last completely untrue.

I’ve been using social networks for years and only recently began to really pump up my book promotion through them. Being an author in the business for almost twelve years, I can tell you that online promotion works and today, social networking is the best brand of online promotion an author can use. The reason that some authors say social networking hasn’t brought them much exposure is because they do not know how to use them. There is an art to writing but there is also an art to effective publicity and exposure.

These are simple tips that will help you find readers on any social network you join. I’ll use My Space as a primary example.

Tip 1: Treat My Space as a database of potential readers.

Do a search for readers who are interested in books that you write. Go to the search section of My Space and do an extensive hunt for readers who read books of your genre. For example, if you write mysteries, in the search bar, type in “I love to read mysteries”, or “mystery books”, or “my favorite mystery authors”. What will you get in return? Lists of profiles of people who read mysteries and even detailed info about their favorite authors. How does this help you? Simple, most times people who read your genre are always looking for new books. Maybe they know of your new mystery, maybe not, either way you’ve found your audience. Reach out to them by sending friend invites. Do not send personal messages advertising your books. Even if you want these people to buy your book, do not resort to spamming. Most times just sending a friend request and allowing them to check out your page is enough. So, you’ve gained a potential reader and if not, you’ve at least gotten exposure to someone who wasn’t aware of your book.

Tip 2: Join the groups and discussions and participate.

I know writers are busy people. Whenever someone asks me advice about promotion, I throw up social networking in a minute. I tell them how they can’t just add friends or pop into the site once a month and expect to gain exposure or book sales just by being a member of a network. Authors should take social networking seriously. It’s a must-have for publicity and you must put as much time into it as possible to see positive results. You’ve got to participate and this is what some authors do not understand. The key is to promote yourself as well as your book. Join the groups and accept group invites. Participate in the groups as much as you can but do not plug your book. Just being in the group and participating will bring you exposure and possible sales.
You’ll receive more friend invites and invitations to more groups. You’ll gain exposure to media contacts that maybe in these groups and that will lead to publicity for you. You don’t need to plug your book at every turn. Sometimes showing people that you’re a real person and not just an author will bring you more fans than you could ever hope for.

Tip 3: Use your book cover as your profile picture.

What’s easier than promoting your book by having your book cover to be your main picture? This way, wherever you go or post in that network, people will see your book. Seeing your book cover is way more interested to readers than seeing your face. You can have your personal picture on your profile page but use your book cover to identify yourself throughout the network. This will definitely attract readers to your page. They’ll check in simply to see about what you’ve written. Once again, you’ve gained a potential reader. And if not, the least you get is exposure.

There are many tips for making social networking work for you. You should use it as a serious form of promotion, nothing to take lightly. Some authors claim they don’t have time to keep track of their social network sites. Do you have time to sell books? If you are serious about gaining book sales in an era of technology, you need to make time for promoting yourself online. There isn’t an excuse as not having time. Authors should remember that effective publicity is for the long-term. You want your books to continue selling and to stay in print for years to come. The least we can do is to keep our readers focused on our products. We need to promote ourselves as much as our books. If we lose interest in our own work, how can we expect readers not to? Last but not least we need to be patient. Good things come to those who’ve put in the time. Better things come to those that wait.

Technorati Tags: Book, Networking, publicity, Social

• ISBN13: 9780769639673
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.

Product Description
The Large Print Word Search collection is the perfect series for building vocabulary skills while having fun at the same time. Filled with interesting and engaging word lists, each puzzle promises to stretch your mind. Plus, the large, bold type makes each puzzle easy to read and complete! Features: • Interesting word lists • A complete… More >>

Large Print Word Search Puzzle Book, Vol. 37

Technorati Tags: Book, Large, Print, Puzzle, Search, Vol., word

• ISBN13: 9780943151243
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.

Product Description
Squee’s Wonderful Big Giant Book of Unspeakable Horrors collects together the four issues of the Squee comic book series from SLG Publishing. It also contains reprints from the popular Jhonny the Homicidal Maniac series that didn’t appear in the JTHM: Director’s Cut book…. More >>

Squee’s Wonderful Big Giant Book of Unspeakable Horrors

Technorati Tags: Book, Giant, Horrors, Squee's, Unspeakable, Wonderful