Self-Publishing

Carla King
 Why Self-Publish?
Traditional publishing
• Advance + ~12% royalty + backlisting
• Failing-shrinking business model
• Only top few % of authors get publisher support
Self- Indie- Micro-publishing
• Up-front costs + high royalty + longevity
• Growing business model (technology-driven)
• Author retains revision, formatting, design, channel
control
http://selfpubbootcamp.com/
 Why Am I Publishing?
Set expectations. Will my book...
• Make money?
• Contribute to career?
• Provide credibility?
• Personal satisfaction?
• See: Mission statement and goals
worksheet in self-pub workbook
http://selfpubbootcamp.com/
 Platform = Marketing
• About platform
• Consistent branding
• Start: NOW
• Website, blog, social media
• Contribute to community
• Marketing and publicity
• ASK: Where are my readers?
http://selfpubbootcamp.com/
 Publishing Possibilities
E-books
• for download in text formats
• for reading in browsers
• for distribution to browser/devices via Smashwords, Scribd, subsidy press
• for sale in e-tailer stores for reading in devices via “bookshelves”

POD (Print On Demand) books

• via subsidy press, short run

Offset print books (traditional, requires inventory, quality full color books)

Transmedia books (Web-designer skills)

Book apps (C++ programmer skills, browser-based tools in development)

Audio books (Audio programmer, recording studio, voice talent)

Ask again: Where are my readers?

http://selfpubbootcamp.com/
 E-Book First: Channels
1: Scribd for feedback / platform development
Easy, fast, builds platform, creates working drafts, review copies, reader feedback, community,
buzz

2: Smashwords to e-tailers and devices like iPad, Sony,

Nook, Android, iPhone... everybody but Amazon (for now)
3: Amazon Kindle via CreateSpace or DTP

http://selfpubbootcamp.com/
 Platform Alphabet Soup
PDF, HTML5, EPUB, ANDROID,
DTP, TXT, DOC, RTF, PDB, AZW,
MOBI, OH MY!
Don’t worry about the hype (channels
make it easy)
The importance of reflowable content
The case against reflow: design-heavy
books - PDF, EPUB

http://selfpubbootcamp.com/
 Editing is #1

• Writing groups or peer groups

• Conceptual editing
• Copyediting / line editing
• Proofreading
• Finding editors and proofreaders
http://selfpubbootcamp.com/
 Design is also #1
• Book cover - digital and print
• Interior - digital and print (static vs reflowable)
• Tools - DIY w/MS Word or hire-out pro with
InDesign and Quark, Photoshop, Illustrator skills
• Hiring designers
• For more info: selfpubbootcamp.com resources
http://selfpubbootcamp.com/
Digital Rights Management
Why DRM is not a good idea
DRM, Digital Content, and the Consumer Experience:
Lessons Learned from the Music Industry

The problem of pirating

Copyright infringement
When DRM might be okay

http://selfpubbootcamp.com/
Bowker:Control Your ISBN
1.Buy block of 10 ISBN numbers
The Pitfalls of Using Self-Publishing Book Packages

2.Insert metadata for SEO

A Self-Publisher's Guide to Metadata for Books

3.Price your book

4.Buy your bar code
5.Notify when out-of-print or
2nd edition available

http://selfpubbootcamp.com/
 Printing
• Requires formatting, editing, design, and PDF.
• Print proofs for proofreading and for reviews -
i.e., advance reading copies (ARCs)
• Print on-demand (POD) as ordered
• Printing short runs (~100 or more)
• Traditional offset printing (~1000 or more)
http://selfpubbootcamp.com/
Too much work! Why not...
• Vanity Presses
• Subsidy Presses
• Author Services Companies
• Book Packagers
• The Pitfalls of Using Self-Publishing Book Package
s
on PBS MediaShift
http://selfpubbootcamp.com/
 Transmedia Books
• Enhanced e-books
• Book apps - apps based on books
• Included QR Codes in print books
for mobile tagging
• A Self-Publisher's Primer to Enhanced
E-Books and Book Apps

http://selfpubbootcamp.com/
 Sales Channels
• Scribd (social, browsers, mobile)
• Smashwords (browsers, devices, wide distro)

• Amazon (CreateSpace, DTP, Kindle)

• Bookstores - http://to.pbs.org/bTwFbw
• Direct - website, personal appearances
http://selfpubbootcamp.com/
 Pricing
Print - price similarly to competing books
E-books - price at $9.99 or less
One price across channels...

• Price consistently across sales channels

• IMPORTANT SAFETY TIP

Do not cross the streams
Bowker

• Buy bar code - design-in to back cover of print book

http://selfpubbootcamp.com/
 Royalties
• Amazon Kindle channel = 30%

• Smashwords channel = 20% + aggregation

• Apple, Sony, B&N, others - 30%

• so w/aggregation you get 50%

• Scribd channel = 20%

• Subsidy presses = vary and often have setup costs

http://selfpubbootcamp.com/
The Future Is Curation

• Targeted / vertical markets - genre, industry

• Vetted: Bloggers, reviewers
• Vetted: Social, community, rating systems
• Catalogs - books, supplies, gear
• Micropublishing
http://selfpubbootcamp.com/
 To do list
1. Brand: author photo, DISTRIBUTION CHANNELS
logos, colors, design 1: Writing groups, Scribd, blogs, social media
2. Platform, marketing, for sharing, getting feedback, building
platform
publicity: Social sharing,
website, blog, social 2: Amazon (DTP or CreateSpace) for edited
media... and designed e-book
3. Edit, design 3: Smashwords or other aggregator for sales
4. Bowker for ISBN and digital distribution to readers via browsers,
e-readers, mobile devices
5. Distribute/aggregate 4: Direct from your website, live events,
with Scribd, Smashwords,
Amazon catalogs, other curators via digital distribution
and print
6. Print POD or short-run
for self-distribution http://selfpubbootcamp.com/
 Reading & Resources
Self-Publishing Boot Camp educational
program: workbook, recommended resources
for hiring web designers, editors, book designers,
publicists, etc. selfpubbootcamp.com
Find the table of contents here.

Small Publishers Association of North America spannet.org

Understanding and keeping up to date on publishing:

• PBS BookShift articles http://www.pbs.org/mediashift/carla-king/

• A publishers view of the digital transformation http://bit.ly/bKzqZi

• Publishers Weekly http://www.publishersweekly.com

• Booktrade http://www.booktrade.info/

http://selfpubbootcamp.com/