| Do you have the dream of becoming a published | | | | Regardless of how a book is published, the author |
| author? Are you thinking of writing a book to | | | | will have to proactively market the book in order |
| promote you, your services or your company? | | | | to sell copies. |
| Prior to launching into a major project, do your | | | | Many people are under the impression or led to |
| homework. It can save you time, money and | | | | believe the publisher will do the marketing for |
| frustration. | | | | them. If a publisher provides such a service it is |
| Almost daily I receive an inquiry from someone | | | | usually minimal at best. Perhaps a press release or |
| who has spent a small fortune getting their book | | | | two, a listing on Amazon, a posting on a website, |
| published by a company that promises them the | | | | a simple website, etc. If a company does provide |
| moon when it comes to the success of their | | | | an effective marketing and promotions campaign, |
| book. Unfortunately, in 99% of the cases I hear | | | | there is usually a hefty fee that is attached to it. |
| about, the results don't at all meet the promises. | | | | Many vanity presses make a big deal out of |
| Often the author approaches me after much | | | | getting the author a listing on and offering a |
| heartache, disillusionment and wasted expense. | | | | website as part of the publishing deal. The fact is |
| My most recent inquiry came from a man who | | | | that just a listing on and having a website will do |
| had a 56 page document published as a book by | | | | little good. The author will still need to find a way |
| what appears to be a subsidiary publisher. The | | | | to drive traffic to those locations. |
| publishing company has a retail price of $19.95 on | | | | It's like anything you buy. No matter how good |
| the book. | | | | something is, if people don't know about it, they |
| Needless to say, the author has had a difficult | | | | can't buy it. No matter how good a book is, how |
| time selling the book to people who see it and | | | | great the title, how big the market, without a |
| those who buy it sight unseen are disappointed | | | | very proactive approach to marketing, books do |
| with the minimal number of pages. | | | | not sell. Marketing and promotion is an ongoing |
| Many people dream of becoming a published | | | | process and is absolutely essential to the success |
| author yet lack enough information to make the | | | | of a book. |
| best choice for their particular publishing needs. | | | | I am an advocate of self-publishing in the truest |
| Although there are numerous reputable publishing | | | | sense of the word. It means I oversee |
| companies, there are also just as many | | | | everything. This doesn't mean I do all the actual |
| companies that take advantage of an aspiring | | | | work myself; rather, I hire it out. |
| author's dream and lack of knowledge. The best | | | | Areas that you could hire out would be:o Cover |
| thing an aspiring author can do is to learn as much | | | | designo Copy editingo Book layouto Marketing |
| as possible about their publishing options before | | | | (some or all) |
| "signing on the dotted line." | | | | You can even hire out some or all of the writing. I |
| For the purpose of clarification, here are some | | | | personally do all my own writing, but the other |
| simple publishing definitions from Wikipedia, The | | | | areas such as design, layout, and editing I contract |
| Free Encyclopedia: | | | | to others. |
| Self-Publishing | | | | The world of book selling has become incredibly |
| Self-publishing is the publishing of books and other | | | | competitive. In my experience, the best way to |
| media by the author(s) of those work, rather | | | | sell a book is to have a very proactive online |
| than by established, third party publishers. | | | | approach as well as selling through speaking |
| Vanity Press | | | | engagements. |
| A vanity press or vanity publisher is a book | | | | I highly recommend obtaining books on publishing, |
| printer which, while claiming to be a publisher | | | | marketing books and self-publishing by these |
| charges writers a fee in return for publishing their | | | | great authors: Dan Poynter, John Kremer and |
| books or otherwise makes most of its money | | | | Tom and Marilyn Ross. |
| from the author rather than from the public. | | | | There is nothing more satisfying than seeing your |
| Print on Demand (POD) | | | | book published. But without the correct |
| Print on demand or publish on demand (POD) is a | | | | information your dream can quickly become a |
| printing technology in which a copy is not created | | | | nightmare. Before making any decisions do your |
| until after an order is received. | | | | research. You will be glad you did. |