| With the multitude of Print on Demand Publishers | | | | to do is to check with the many publisher |
| popping up, giving authors more options than ever | | | | watchdog sites, such as Predators and Editors, to |
| before, why should an author chose to self-publish | | | | learn that many publishers are not ethical when it |
| an ebook? Simple, it's an easy way to control the | | | | comes to royalties. Crafty bookkeeping skills help |
| process and the proceeds. When working through | | | | them hold or even keep royalties due the author. |
| a publishing house whether it is electronic or | | | | Increasingly it is being revealed how some of POD |
| traditional, other people have control over both, | | | | publishers are taking advantage of the author |
| yet the author is still doing all the work. Electronic | | | | desperate need to be published by offering |
| publishing is also the least expensive way to | | | | services and sales they have no intention of |
| launch your work. Whether delivered on disk or | | | | providing. By self-publishing, the author doesn't |
| by email, PDF formatted books cost very little | | | | have to worry about the ethics of publishers; |
| and are easier to distribute than print books. In | | | | they know how many books are sold and to |
| addition, the new technology has increased | | | | whom. In Ms Thompson's ebook, she gives links |
| popularity of ebooks to the point Sony has joined | | | | to sites that will list your ebook for free; many of |
| Microsoft by launching its own line of ebooks and | | | | them do not require an ISBN number. These sites |
| portable readers. | | | | list by category and redirect the reader to the |
| A beginning author receives very little help from | | | | author's site for the actual sale. There are still |
| publishers. They are responsible for doing nearly all | | | | others, such as Fictionwise, which act as an ebook |
| the promotion and for placing advertising. | | | | store, but instead of selling physical books they |
| Traditional publishers are responsible for obtaining | | | | sell downloads. As with a brick and mortar |
| the ISBN number and listing them with | | | | bookstore, the electronic bookstore receives a |
| distributors, but very little else. Many PODS don't | | | | percentage of the sale. |
| even do as much. Whether it is through press | | | | An additional advantage of self-publishing is the |
| releases, interviews, or other direct contact with | | | | author has more direct contact with readership. |
| the public, the author is the one who brings | | | | Whether the payment is made through Paypal or |
| attention to her or his work. With the increasing | | | | another service, the author gains the readers |
| popularity of ezines and newsletters, it has | | | | contact information, which makes it possible to |
| become much easier to get press releases and | | | | keep them updated with your future work. By |
| articles out to the reading public. Free article sites | | | | creating an ezine or newsletter, this readership list |
| such as GoArticle offer their services for free to | | | | could be used to maximize the author's ability to |
| both the author and publisher. In addition, by doing | | | | create an interest in readers in your up-coming |
| a search on free article content or press releases, | | | | works, thereby creating a demand before the |
| authors can find other venues, which are either | | | | work has been released. The newsletters and |
| free or low cost. Dorothy Thompson's ebook, A | | | | ezines could also create a barter system between |
| Complete Guide to Promoting and Selling Your | | | | authors, who help each other promote their work, |
| Self-Published eBook not only lists sites, which | | | | giving all involved access to additional readers. |
| accept press releases, but also has active links to | | | | The increasing access to new technology has |
| the sites. | | | | increased the popularity of ebooks. The advent of |
| Promotion should not be limited to articles or | | | | smaller readers with larger view screens had |
| press releases. The more active the author keeps | | | | made them more popular. Both Sony and |
| her or his name on the net the more selling | | | | Microsoft both have electronic readers that are |
| opportunities will present themselves. By listing | | | | about the physical size and print type of a typical |
| your blog and website on a multitude of search | | | | paperback; the only thing missing is the ability to |
| engines, they are more likely to draw traffic to | | | | turn the page. The print graphics are clear and no |
| them and to your work. However, visiting others | | | | longer difficult to read for long periods of time. |
| sites or blogs, which are in the same genre, and | | | | Although the Sony products are limited to a |
| leaving messages are another way to attract | | | | specific program, Microsoft and many other |
| attention to your work. Podcasts are new internet | | | | readers are capable of reading many different |
| trend has opened up new possibilities for authors | | | | programs. Adobe Reader or one of the equivalent |
| to be not only guests, but also hosts of their own | | | | PDF generics is the mostly commonly used. PDF |
| shows. The podcasts are frequently free to the | | | | stands for portable device format. By using this |
| listener and are a simple way to target you | | | | format, you work will be accessible to most of |
| primary market. By making connections with | | | | the operating computers today. |
| others, who have common interests, you extend | | | | Once an author has developed a readership and a |
| you realm of influence by giving your name and | | | | successful publishing track record, she or he will |
| work credibility. Once you establish yourself as an | | | | have the option of continuing to work |
| authority in your field, it is easier to get you peers | | | | independently or to attempt the more traditional |
| to review your work and to get the media's | | | | publishing route. Once an author has establish her |
| attention. | | | | or himself, doors to ethical agents and publishers |
| When an author self-publishes, she or he has | | | | will be more available; whether the author |
| control of how much is charged for the book and | | | | chooses to walk through is an another story all |
| how the profits are distributed. All an author has | | | | together. |