Write What You Know
Everyone has a story….
I tried to Google who was credited for that quote and 180,000,000 results came up. I clicked on a few, and it seems everyone takes credit for the saying, even a 17 year old in Nebraska. The saying is as old as time and it’s true. Everyone has at least one good story tell. The question is: How, or will they tell it?
About 15 years ago, I had the idea that maybe I’d try to become a published author. I’d written several plays and had some story ideas that I was interested in pursuing. It was also the beginning of the dot com phase of the internet and I obsessed with it. I did a lot of research and found if I had thousands of dollars to spend and a warehouse for storage, I could self-publish my own book. Vanity presses were the only real possibility. That didn’t mean I could necessarily market or sell my book but I could definitely get it printed. I’m happy to say that times have changed and there are many options, some even free, for future new authors.
Today, so many new possibilities have flooded the literary world. Social media, especially blogging, is giving writers an outlet to be heard. Ebooks are all the rage and coffee shops are full of patrons sipping lattes and staring intently at their portable reading devices. Now, newer, more cost effective methods of publishing are available to everyone. It might be time to write that ‘great American novel’.
Print On Demand (POD) self-publishing is a far better scenario for the would-be writer than the vanity press options of 10 to 15 years ago. There are many companies to choose from and they can range from completely do-it-yourself-- to editing, cover design and marketing for hire. They can range from free to thousands of dollars depending on the needs or services you choose to format and market your book. Some companies have required services and others have a completely open framework with optional choices for assistance.
The basic premise is simple, you upload your finished book and format it with the assistance of your chosen POD company, choose the size, cover (you can submit your own design- recommended), etc. and it is all stored by the company in a digital format and only printed on request. That’s the over simplified version, but you get the idea-- and no more boxes of unsold books! Most companies also have the option of selling copies in print form as well as ebook format.
How do you actually sell your book? That’s another wonderful advantage of Print On Demand services. Most companies also offer marketing and distribution channel options. Some come with a cost, some with a lower royalty, but the bottom line is you need to be prepared to market your book yourself. Don’t forget, if you want to sell your book through distribution, an ISBN identifier is a must. Again, many companies offer a free ISBN but depending on where you want to market it, you may need to file for your own unique publishing ISBN.
There are many stories of authors that have found modest, even phenomenal success marketing their books through social media channels, websites, fan pages and even Twitter. The important thing is to establish a presence and a brand and make connections. Blogs are a wonderful way to build followers and market your book, especially if you somewhat of an expert on a subject, or have a unique story to tell.
Can you actually make any money selling your book? That depends on you. The amount of time you are willing to spend marketing, speaking to niche interest groups and getting the word out there, will have a huge impact on your success. Keep in mind that the average POD pays a royalty of 40%, which is a vast increase over traditionally published books that only net the author an average 15% of the sale.
In 2006, the average of all POD or self-published books sold was 75. In 2010, the number was up to nearly 200 copies. As a comparison, the average number of all traditionally published books in the US, as of last year, had dropped to 200. In sales, the balance between traditional publication and self-publishing seems to be leveling. What the big publishers have that self-publishers don’t are their established distribution and marketing channels.
Currently, my two favorite POD companies are CreateSpace, which is tied directly to Amazon, and Lulu Publishing. They offer a wide variety of options and easy to use platforms for publishing (and marketing) your book. Lightning Source and Dog Ear Publishing are two other highly recommended companies. If this is something you decide to pursue, you should always use caution and research the company and any costs involved. Take your time and make a wise and educated decision. There are literally thousands of publishing companies out there to choose from; and beware of companies that require large investments or book purchases. Check out the company’s reputation thoroughly before entrusting them with your book. Try to retain all publishing rights whenever possible.
Since theatre and particularly educational theatre are such a specific niche market in publishing terms, POD seems like a smart avenue for my endeavors. I would rather focus my energies marketing my own book, than sending out endless query letters to agents and publishers that have mild to little interest in such a niche market. I’ll keep you posted on my progress as I continue to explore this exciting opportunity.
What's your story?
What's your story?
Sources
Book Spine photo. Retrieved May 22, 2011 from http://www.denisemarcilagency.com/images/author1.jpg
CreateSpace website. https://www.createspace.com/
Dictionary photo. Retrieved May 21, 2011 from http://topbusinesswriter.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/professional_business_writer.jpg
Dog Ear Publishing website. http://dogearpublishing.net/
Lightning Source website. http://www.lightningsource.com/
Lulu Publishing website. http://www.lulu.com/
Pen and Paper photo. Retrieved May 21, 2011 from
Self Publishing Resources website. http://selfpublishingresources.com/
Excellent blog, Jeff. People tell me all the time that I should write a book, but the process has always seemed intimidating to me. Your blog makes it seem less formidable and encourages me a bit.
ReplyDeleteJessica-- Here's the link to sign up for the 'write a novel in 30 days' challenge that was officially in November, but I believe you can do it any time.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.nanowrimo.org/user/register