| If you've already read my previous article about | | | | cost hundreds of, or even a few thousand, dollars. |
| the truth of the publishing industry and how | | | | Prolific authors shy away from self-publishing |
| difficult it is to break in and become the next star | | | | because they know that to follow that path |
| novelist, then you may find this next commentary | | | | means their next novel won't be written for a |
| interesting. In the past ten years, new | | | | minimum of a year. Why? Because they will |
| opportunities have cropped up for would-be, | | | | spend that time preparing the book block, the |
| frustrated authors. Print-on-Demand and Ebooks | | | | book cover, and then promoting what they |
| hit the market, tempting unpublished novelists with | | | | produced. Promotions are costly. An author with a |
| promises of do-it-yourself fame. Some authors | | | | lot of money in the bank can simply hire a |
| have actually been able to gain some success | | | | publicist. But the average author will have to do all |
| through these avenues, but most authors who | | | | the promotional work themselves. Promotions can |
| travel the self-publishing path remain just as | | | | pay off when a publishing house suddenly notices |
| underpaid and anonymous as before. | | | | this self-published phenomenon, but it takes a |
| For the sake of this article, I will focus on the | | | | tremendous amount of work, a great book, and |
| Print-On-Demand opportunities. Ebooks may be | | | | some savvy footwork before a publishing house |
| okay for some things, but to date, Ebooks are | | | | even cares to notice. Without a doubt, successful |
| not turning enough revenue for me to consider | | | | self-published authors throw themselves into |
| them interesting. | | | | heavy promotional work. Think in terms of radio |
| The key to self-publishing is first and foremost | | | | shows, internet marketing, print marketing, |
| the quality of the product. It is vital to an author's | | | | speaking engagements. You will suddenly be lifted |
| success to have a completed, very well written, | | | | from the profession of writer and thrown into the |
| perfectly researched, and highly polished product | | | | profession of advertising executive. Most 'artists' |
| before self-publishing. Secondly, it is important that | | | | don't care to participate in this venture; they |
| the book publisher produce a product that looks | | | | prefer to go on to the next piece of artwork. But |
| aesthetically appealing. Some Print-On-Demand | | | | a frustrated author can have the ambition and the |
| books are very high quality, which is a good thing. | | | | drive to actually make it work. |
| But oftentimes, the author has to pay someone | | | | Bottom line: Do your homework, know exactly |
| to prepare a book cover and put together the | | | | what you want out of the deal, understand the |
| book block, the interior pages. This can be costly. | | | | amount of work and promotion it will take, and |
| If you are an author on a budget, you may not | | | | have the best product you can produce. |
| have any other choice but to provide cover art | | | | For more tips, keep your eyes peeled for future |
| and a strong PDF version of your pages. Some of | | | | blogs and articles by author C. D. Blizzard |
| the software used to produce either product can | | | | Copyright 2008 C. D. |