Publishing Your Book?What Way is Best For You? - Part 1

Your print or ebook is nearly finished. You wonder if you should try to get an agent to represent you to the publisher. Maybe you've already sent out your query letter to some agents. You dream how great it would be to be taken under the publisher's wings.

What's wrong with this picture? Even if an agent has given you the go and asks for a book proposal that has specific marketing information in it (takes three-seven months to write), you still have to face reality. FACT: Like Oprah, publishers and agents choose only 1-2% of proposals submitted.

Let's say for now, you are chosen. The point is, are you fortunate to be chosen?

Are you willing to wait on the traditional publishing process 12 months more? Are you willing to accept around 2-5% of the profits? Do you realize that after a few months of one initial book tour (of which you must pay all costs from your book sales), you are on your own? And, it you don't put a lot of time into promotion, your book will fade away within 2 months from the brick and mortar book store shelves. All unsold and coffee-stained books left will be returned, and the cost is deducted from the author's royalties. Unless you are a favored celebrity or famous author, publishers put little time or money into your book's promotion.

Get the Right Help the Right Way

Who says you can't publish the book yourself? It will certainly cost you less than you imagine, even under $1000. It will bring you all the profits. It will put you in charge to make suitable and favorable writing, publishing and promotion decisions.

With a little help from professionals! These entrepreneurial experts such as book coaches, book designers, and eBook specialists can guide you through publishing success. These people may give teleclasses, small group coaching experiences, inexpensive ways to learn the ropes. These pros will shorten your learning curve too, so you get the right help right away to write the right book right away.

When you think you still have to promote your books, even with a publisher, why not keep most of the profits and do some of the work yourself? Learn from your coach's experiences, "Do What You Do Best-and Hire the Rest!" (That doesn't mean you can't barter for services). Check out the methods below and see which one suits you best, is more rewarding and far more profitable.

Why Self-Publishing?

In self-publishing, you are the boss. You get to choose the cover, the style, the layout, the message, even the format (eBook or Print Book). Since you are the one enthused about it, you will be able to capitalize and can promote far better than many publishers.

In self-publishing, who do you think can sell your book the best? You, the passionate author in love with his or her book, or the rookie publisher's employee in charge of publicizing your book?

On Print Books--Print on Demand Two Ways

1. Hire the Publisher/Printer yourself to just print your book from your word file. Companies like Deharts.com (ph: 408-982-9118) or Alexander.com will put it into Portable Document Format (PDF) to sell on your web site or another site you choose to sell your books. A complete explanation of these opportunities are included in the "How to Write your eBook or Other Short Book--Fast!"

In Print Quantity Needed (similar to POD) you keep all of your book's rights. This method helps you make much more profit from your effort and you will get your book out to the buyers so much faster, making faster profits. The turnaround is around 6-8 weeks, so it pays to plan ahead. A $15 book may cost $4 to print for a small of around 100 run using "print on demand" (POD) or "print quantity demand," (PQN). If you sell it at the back of the room or on your own web site you will make $11 each book. When you order 500 books, the price drastically drops.

2. Hire Full-Service Print on Demand Publisher/Printers who each charge you an up front fee to set up. They too take your word files and put into Portable Document Format.

The Upside of this choice? Some will list you with Ingraham, one of the largest book distributors in the U.S., linked to most bookstores. For a fee from $400-$600, these companies will give you an ISBN number if you plan to sell your book on someone else's web site. They will list you in BooksinPrint.com, and some will format your book. These companies offer you their Web site to sell your book.

The downside? Check to see if you need these services. You don't need an ISBN # if you sell from your own web site. You probably won't sell your book in a brick and mortar book store.

Think about your book and where your best market is. Opinions from Dan Poynter, John Kremer, and myself say, "Bookstores are a lousy place to sell books." Walk ins are not looking for an unknown author's book.

Judy Cullins, 20-year book and Internet Marketing Coach, Author of 10 eBooks including "Write your eBook Fast," and "How to Market your Business on the Internet," she offers free help through her 2 monthly ezines, The Book Coach Says...and Business Tip of the Month at http://www.bookcoaching.com/opt-in.shtml and over 140 free articles. Email her at mailto:Judy@bookcoaching.com

In The News:


pen paper and inkwell


cat break through


Top Ten Ways To Prepare for Your Online Book Marketing Success

Still marketing your book through press releases, networking groups, and... Read More

Top Ten Getting Started Tips to Market Your Book and Business

Want to sell a lot more books? Want clients calling... Read More

Is There a Book Hiding Inside You?

Have you always wanted to write?Are there ideas churning in... Read More

Discover 3 Easy Ways to Promote Your Articles

Are you using these methods to promote your articles?If not,... Read More

Publishing Your Book?What Way is Best For You? - Part 1

Your print or ebook is nearly finished. You wonder if... Read More

Top Ten Ways of Why and How to Write your Books Sales Letter - Part 2

Authors/publishers are great at getting their books written. But after... Read More

Promote Your Books on Talk Shows and Make More Money

Successful authors are convinced that radio interviews are the very... Read More

Book Signings Are Pure Gold

So you've written a book, had it published by a... Read More

Sell Your Book At Book Fairs, Festivals & Trade Shows

Play a bigger game with your book sales by expanding... Read More

Get Rich Writing Fiction

Some of us write simply because we can't not write.... Read More

Distribute Your Self-Published Book Online 8 Ways - Part 2

If you are discouraged because traditional methods of book or... Read More

Online Book Marketing: How to Sell Your Book Even If You Are Not a Salesperson

What you do after you have written your book is... Read More

Comments From A Book Reviewer

For the past several years I have been reviewing books... Read More

How to Self Publish and Promote Your Own Book

If you are reading this article then you have already... Read More

What?s Wrong with the Internet? It Must be Broken!

After months of scouring the internet, I could not put... Read More

Extend Your Books Life With a Sales Letter

Authors, publishers and business owners are great at getting their... Read More

Plain Speaking ? 4 Secrets For Getting Your Book Purchased

What can be more infuriating to a potential purchaser of... Read More

Authors Should Be Optimistic

A client wrote me recently and asked what I thought... Read More

Top 10 Ways to Know your Book Concept will Sell--Before you Invest Time and Money

Make your book stand out from the crowd! Test your... Read More

Five Book Back Cover Mistakes and How to Solve Them

Did you know that your back cover information is, after... Read More

Book Marketing 101 - Setting up Author Events and Book Signings -- Get the Most from Book Publicity

We all have at one time or another had the... Read More

Quiz: Will Online Book Marketing Help Sales?

Most authors sigh a sigh of relief when they finish... Read More

Increase Book Sales: At Book Fairs, Festivals and Trade Shows

Play a bigger game with your book sales by expanding... Read More

Publicity Through Philanthropy For Writers

I am twenty three years old, have sold over four... Read More

How to Create an Amazing Author Website

Without a website, an author is unknown. Without a website,... Read More

How to Grab the No.2 Spot on Amazon for Advance Book Sales

When my first book was published way back ten years... Read More

FAQs about Book Signings

Since I self-published my first book, "101 Ways to Improve... Read More

Book Signing: Fun and Profit for Writers and Readers

Have you ever walked into a bookstore when an author... Read More

Do You Long To See Your Books Published And Selling From The Major Chains?

To have your work accepted for hard copy publication is... Read More

How To Market A Suspense Novel In An Online Multimedia Format

If you haven't heard of the author C.F. Jackson or... Read More

How to Send Press Releases to Newspapers About Your New Book

There are over ten thousand daily, weekly and monthly newspapers... Read More

Ten Ways to Make Your Book Outsell Another

Wouldn't you rather write a book that sells well than... Read More

Publicity for Buzz Marketing for Authors

Congratulations, you've written a book and even gotten it published!... Read More