Tuesday, February 27, 2007

Self-Publishing Companies

Self-Publishing

A word "Self-Publishing" can sometimes be very intimidating compared to the standard publishing practices. One that has to consider about self-publishing a book is the marketing side after the book is self-published. These are the following self-publishing companies that you may consider and most of them also offers marketing services.

Self-Publishing Companies

Try to check the following self-publishing companies. In no order of preference:

Xlibris - www.xlibris.com
iUniverse - www.iuniverse.com
AuthorHouse - www.authorhouse.com
BookSurge Publishing - www.booksurgepublishing.com
Lulu - www.lulu.com
Aventine Press - www.aventinepress.com
Publish America - www.publishamerica.com

Monday, February 26, 2007

Self-Publishing — Yeah or Nay?

There are some reviewers, literary critics, and traditional publishers who believe that self-publishing, in all its varieties, is for the unprofessional and untalented author. Self-published authors have not faced any critical review of their work, and the companies that do self-publishing are motivated by money rather than the quality of the work! There is definitely some truth to this, but it applies equally to some of the traditional publishing houses. These houses have, over the last 10 years or so, maintained an unhealthy fixation on “Best Sellers” and on the “bottom line” — none of them have said they are not interested in making money. Many in the publishing industry are concerned about this trend and about the trend that the bigger houses have become too removed from the general writing population.

Clearly there are differences between self-publishers and the major publishing houses. The major houses have editors who edit the books. The major houses pay for the production costs, start to finish, for their authors. The major houses have good distribution systems and will heavily advertise books they feel will break through and become “Best Sellers.”

It is naive to think that authors taken on by the major houses are not paying for their books to be published. These authors do pay to get their work published — and pay and pay and pay. They receive royalties (as low as 10%) on actual book sales. The author also loses a great amount of control re copyright, editorial, graphic, and marketing decisions. The accounting practices of some major houses have left some authors waiting for months to be paid or to have recalculations and holdbacks on their advances. It is not until you become an important and saleable author that you can negotiate to make the traditional publishing house deals more equitable.

Authors: Alex Landels & A.G. Landels.
Source: SelfPublishing.com

Thursday, February 22, 2007

How to Self Publish

Throughout the history of the written word, self publishing has always been an option for aspiring authors, but with the advent of the Internet, the ease, affordability, and popularity of self-publishing has exploded. With so many options, it can be difficult to know how to self-publish. This webpage offers critical advice and resources on how to self publish.

Complete your manuscript. In your quest to self-publish, you must do your own editing or hire a professional editor--the choice is yours. Just make sure your manuscript is as good as it can possibly get.

Choose a self-publishing company. Many self-publishing companies are ready and waiting for you. Choose the publisher that best suits your needs and budget.

Get the book printed. Send your manuscript to the self-publishing company--usually, this is through email. Every company has their own requirements and procedures. Work with them to choose interior layout and cover design--they often offer design templates you can use.

Market and sell your book, using any creative means necessary.

Excellent and comprehensive guides on self-publishing can be found in your local bookstore, library, or Internet stores. Here are some of the best ones:

The Self-Publishing Manual: How to Write, Print, and Sell Your Own Book. A complete self publishing guide for writing, printing, publishing, promoting, marketing and distributing books.

The Complete Guide to Self-Publishing: Everything You Need to Know to Write, Publish, Promote, and Sell Your Own Book. This self-publishing guidebook offers advice on writing, publishing, marketing, and selling books on your own, focusing on the publishing scene, preparations, product quality, public relations, traditional marketing strategies, alternative venues, and all business aspects of self-publishing.

Smart Self-Publishing: An Author's Guide to Producing a Marketable Book. An easy to read, practical and honest self publishing tutorial touching on all aspects of self-publishing.

Article Source: Publishing Smart

Why Self-Publish Your Book

Ceci Miller says:

“… The power of belief in our words is what makes promises good and turns dreams into reality. Authors who self-publish their books believe deeply that others will benefit from reading what they have to say. They have unshakable conviction. Such authors often tell me, “I had to write this book. I just have to get it out there!” Deep belief is the selfless power that drives all true service and makes a difference in the world. Authors with a strong sense of purpose know that they can make their books succeed. They don’t want to wait around for a publishing house to “accept” their work. Aware that time is precious, such authors create their own publishing opportunities. They get behind their own message. They launch a campaign fueled with belief in the creative power of intention.”

Read the whole article from Vision Business Pros

What is Self-Publishing?

by Moira Allen
With the proliferation of inexpensive "pay-for-publication" options, this has become a confusing question. Many writers believe that "self-publication" refers to any mechanism by which the writer bears the cost of publication -- including subsidy electronic and print-on-demand publications. Many vendors encourage this belief, as "self-publishing" tends to sound more respectable than "subsidy publishing."

As a traditionalist, however, I intend to stick to long-accepted distinctions between self-publishing vs. subsidy publishing. The self-published author is responsible for a much greater range of tasks (and expenses) than a subsidy-published author -- and it is these additional tasks and challenges that will be addressed in this section (though subsidy-published authors will find much of value here as well).

To offer a quick and easy definition, therefore:


"Subsidy publishing" is a form of publication in which the author pays ANOTHER PUBLISHER to produce a book.
"Self-publishing" is a form of publication in which the author BECOMES the publisher of the book.

This distinction is important. When you subsidy-publish your book, "author" and "publisher" are two distinct entities. If, for example, you publish through Xlibris, Xlibris will be listed as the publisher of your book. When you self-publish, author and publisher are the SAME entity. Your name, or the name you've chosen for your "publishing house," will be listed as the publisher of the book.

Moira Allen, editor of Writing-World.com, has published more than 350 articles and columns and seven books, including How to Write for Magazines, Starting Your Career as a Freelance Writer, The Writer's Guide to Queries, Pitches and Proposals, and Writing.com: Creative Internet Strategies to Advance Your Writing Career.

Read the full article at Writing-World.com