Topics covered in this article: 6 criteria that define hybrid publishers | 3 ways to evaluate a hybrid publisher | 5 reasons why hybrid publishing may not be the best self-publishing route Self-publishing has been around since the dawn of the printing press. But it took the Internet—and Amazon—to create the range of publishing opportunities that gave birth to so many ways to publish. This article talks about one of the more innovative, yet misunderstood, methods of publishing to arise in … [Read more...]
How much does it cost to create a self-publishing imprint?
The short answer: $85. You can buy a single ISBN from IngramSpark and use it to print your book with any printer, and distribute your book to any country in the world. You own it, you control it; you never have to worry about your publisher going out of business. We recently completed a publishing project for Somerspoint Press, the self-publishing imprint name chosen by clients Jacki and Jan for their book about "a Medically Challenged Horse Who Found Fun, Friends and Fame." Actually, it … [Read more...]
KDP Print ISBN Options: How to Choose and Converting from CreateSpace-2018
TL;DR: KDP Print ISBN options are the same as they were with CreateSpace. If you choose the free ISBN option, be aware of its limitations. As always with ISBNs, the devil is in the details and usage depends on your goals. Details below. KDP Print ISBN options are the same as CreateSpace CreateSpace has offered 3 ISBN options since 2016 and those are: A free ISBN. The name of your publishing imprint is CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform. Purchase 1 ISBN for $99 in the name of … [Read more...]
Copyright, Fair Use, and the Publishing of The Lost Chapters by Leslie Schwartz
Three years ago, I attended a music copyright panel discussion with my son, a music technology major. In a discussion about what constitutes “fair use,” a copyright lawyer sang 5 notes. All 40 people there knew that song immediately—the Rolling Stones’ “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction.” Are 5 notes from a song with a few thousand notes fair use? No way, said the music attorney. Just before publishing my first book, Successful eBook Publishing, I had a nagging feeling I should get … [Read more...]
Case Study: Tips for Updating a First Book to Market Your Second
Anyone who has published one book knows how hard it is to build an audience. Everyone starts here. For those that persevere, a second book is a way to leverage all that hard work of audience building. It gives your fans something else to buy from you. At the same time, launching a second book always attracts new readers. Some may buy that new book. Some may decide to start with book 1. Either way, one of the best investments you can make is to ensure the two books cross-market each other. As … [Read more...]
Amazon KDP Print or CreateSpace for Paperbacks? 2018 Update
September 2018 Update: Also see my article about KDP Print ISBN Options: How to Choose and Converting from CreateSpace. Don't be fooled by the notices Amazon is mailing out regarding your CreateSpace books. The convenience of managing your Kindle eBook and paperback in a single account is undeniable. Using a single login, you can upload book files, access sales reports, create and manage AMS ads (Amazon Marketing Services) and manage book metadata using KDP Print. But is using KDP … [Read more...]
A Rapid Publishing Checklist for Authors in a Hurry to Release a Book
Rushing a book to market is not something we often recommend, but that doesn’t mean you can’t do it. Many AuthorImprints clients are eager for one reason or another to launch their book on Amazon as quickly as possible. Maybe they need a book for an event, or to meet a season or current event-driven timetable. Then there is the book-as-a-business card reason—it’s less about sales and more about promoting yourself, so sooner is better. If you find yourself in one of those camps, here are … [Read more...]
Why Authors Should Be Wary of Self-Publishing Packages, and What to Watch For
We have been taught as shoppers and consumers that packages and bundles save us money. There is a certain economic logic that says that the more you buy, the more you save. Value is equated with long lists of benefits, features, services—the longer the list, the greater the value. But not necessarily with modern self-publishing. Before Amazon, before eBooks, before POD, before online self-service book marketing, publishing was indeed a more complicated endeavor. Securing an ISBN, … [Read more...]
Book Publishing Files and Formats: How to Protect Your Writing Investment
In the past two years, I’ve had to deliver some expensive and painful news to self-publishers who did not have publishing files, or “standard” file formats: Tom could no longer use his original book designer and needed to make corrections to his book. He had an InDesign file, but not all the images and fonts. Consequently, the book would have to be redesigned. He gave up due to the expense. Mark’s publisher reverted his rights to two books, but wanted to charge him for the PDFs, the only … [Read more...]
Is Your Book Ready To Self-Publish?
There is no step in the self-publishing process more important than writing a book worthy of reading. It’s the “product”, of course, and all other steps in the publishing journey begin with your words. In traditional publishing the author has a team, or at least an editor, to shape the book into the masterpiece you hope it can become. But what happens when you self-publish? In this guest post, Leslie Lehr shares a 12-step checklist every author should follow. Leslie is an award-winning … [Read more...]
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- Next Page »
