Self-Publishing – Necessity Rather Than Choice?

By Janet Shaw (EzineArticles)

Only good writing is published. The rest is self-published.

How fair is this assessment?

Is every book you’ve plucked off the shelf tightly written, well structured with gripping beginnings and endings? How many times have you slammed a book shut in disgust after slogging through the first ten pages of absolute rubbish? And do some books get the nod just because of an author’s name?

The belief that self-published books are below standard is a myth. Many top authors and writers have resorted to this option, either at the beginning or during their careers. Take Matthew Riley, for instance, whose first book was self-published.

Today, publishers are more wary of taking on new books because of the possibility of declining sales. But writers passionate about their craft don’t want to put down their pens. Self-publishing, therefore, just might become more popular.

Let’s look at the benefits of self-publishing.

1. Full Control
The choice is yours. It’s your book and you have control over what goes in it. Everything from text content to cover art, illustrations, paper type and font size rests with you, the author. No-one is going to chop your favourite scenes or insist on a cover that makes you cringe.

But don’t become complacent, think you know it all. Even the best writers seek out another pair of eyes to go over their work. You want to produce a high quality piece of writing. Advice from a professional editor/manuscript assessor should be sought.

2. Increased Income
If you go down the traditional publishing route, you can expect an average return of ten percent from each book sale. For a thirty-dollar book, then, you pocket the princely sum of three dollars. Not so if you self-publish. The only loss incurred is the printing cost. So for that thirty-dollar book, which might have cost ten dollars to print, you skip away with a twenty-dollar profit.

3. Pride of Ownership
Clasping a newly printed book in your hand, created solely by you from start to finish, is a spine-tingling experience. When people comment on what they love about your book, the kudos is all yours. Why? Because you’ve done all the hard slog.

4. Freedom to Sell
Did you know that under some contracts with publishers, authors are not entitled to sell their books privately? Why is this important? When presenting at author talks, you aren’t at liberty to sell copies of your books. All you can do is direct people to bookshops, fingers crossed that the stock hasn’t run out.

But the bigger danger is that the prospective buyer might lose interest, or even forget your name and book title. With your own self-published books, you can sell signed copies at all your author appearances.

A personal website is another way of selling your books. If you’re not game to host your own site, you can display your book on websites devoted to selling self-published books. These are growing in number.

Overall, self-publishing offers more fulfillment and financial reward. It’s true that one of the downsides is the dreaded ‘M’ word. Marketing.

I don’t know many authors who enjoy this aspect of book publication. But even with a publisher behind you, there’s no escape from self-marketing. It’s an ongoing process kicked off by the publisher. You, the author, must carry it on.

In the days to come, the choice of whether to embark on the self-publishing trail might not exist. What it comes down to is just how much you want to see your book in print.

Janet Shaw is a ghost writer, manuscript assessor, and published author. She writes for children, young adults and adults in both fiction and non-fiction.

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Local authors self-publish for a variety of reasons

By Lee B. Roberts (The Journal Times.com)

Marvin Lindberg writes first in longhand in spiral notebooks, and then on his laptop computer. (Photo by Mark Hertzberg, mhertzberg@journaltimes.com)

Everyone’s got a book inside them, or so it has been said. And, with the increased access to self-publishing that the Internet has provided in recent years, more and more people are bringing those books to the surface.

Marvin Lindberg, for example, took up writing in 2003 after selling his assisted living business, Loving Care Homes, which he had run in Racine County for many years. He has since written several fiction books which he had published through print-on-demand companies online.

Two of Lindberg’s books, “Final Justice” (Trafford Publishing) and “Saving Vegas” (Xlibris), are thriller/adventure stories based on themes from current events. His most recent effort, “Four Square,” (Xlibris) is aimed at the tween market with its story of two 12-year-olds dealing with divorce, with a little adventure thrown in.

No matter what the subject matter, producing books is something Lindberg says gives him a great sense of accomplishment.

“I really enjoy the writing process – especially creating characters and giving them personality.”

Figuring out the self-publishing process seemed difficult at first, he said, but once he went through it, it seemed like “a piece of cake.”

Virginia Burlingame decided to give self-publishing a try for her first attempt at a novel, “A Window Bed,” which follows a mother/daughter relationship as it evolves in the last year of the mother’s life. A local gerontologist, Burlingame had gone through traditional publishing companies with her previous professional books, but decided self-publishing was the best route for her first fiction venture.

Armed with advice she’d gotten through both a self-publishing class and from fellow authors in a couple writing groups she belongs to, she chose to publish her novel through lulu.com, a print-on-demand publishing house.

“It was one of the best deals I found,” she said.

The process, which Burlingame is still going through, can be a complicated one involving everything from formatting to marketing, she said. But, there is help available along the way.

“I hired someone to do the formatting for me,” she said.

“The biggest problem with self-publishing is that you have to market the book yourself,” Lindberg said. “I haven’t had huge sales, but that hasn’t stopped me from writing.”

Doing, not being

It is true that sales and marketing are important aspects of self publishing – ones that often give writers pause when considering self publishing – says Peter Bowerman, author of “The Well-Fed Self-Publisher” and “The Well-Fed Writer.” But, in today’s oversaturated book publishing market, even authors who go through traditional publishing companies are required to do most of their own marketing, said Bowerman.

Such skills can be learned by anyone, he said, and despite popular thinking, an outgoing personality is not required to be successful in sales and marketing books.

“It is more a matter of things you have to do, than some way you have to be,” said Bowerman, who devotes an entire chapter to sales and marketing (“Learning to love S&M”) in “The Well-Fed Self-Publisher.”

“I want to help people get over what is really an irrational fear of the whole sales and marketing process.”

The whole point of Bowerman’s book is to show writers how they can make a living through self-published writing. And while his expertise is aimed at non-fiction writers like himself, some of his advice can apply to publishing fiction, he said.

His blueprint for self-publishing goes way beyond the print-on-demand option, with a goal of producing a book that the average consumer would not be able to tell apart from a volume published by one of the big publishing houses. His self-publishing methods, he says, not only allow authors to have more control over their finished work than they would through traditional methods, but to keep a larger percent of any profits. For more about Bowerman and his self-publishing success story, go to: http://www.wellfedsp.com

Just us

Not everyone, though, goes the self-publishing route to make money. Donna Peterson is in the process of self-publishing a cookbook of recipes from her late Aunt Dorothy, who she described as “an excellent cook.” Her purpose in doing so is to preserve and share the beloved recipes, as well as humorous anecdotes about growing up in wartime America, with her friends and family.

Peterson’s self-publishing journey is a more low-tech version, as she is having her book produced by a local printing company, Schabel’s in Caledonia, rather than online. Even so, Peterson said she has enlisted a lot of help along the way, having friends and family assist with editing, formatting and general advice.

“I’ve been reaching out in every direction,” she said. “I’ve also had a lot of input from Barb Trentadue at Schabel’s. She’s a wonderful resource. We have a good working relationship.”

Putting the 10 chapters of recipes (the originals of which were all handwritten), her 12 short stories and assorted photos together into a finished product wasn’t easy, Peterson said. But all the effort seemed worthwhile when she recently saw the mock-up of her cookbook.

“It surpassed my expectations,” she said. “I really feel good about it.”

Peterson’s advice for anyone looking to publish a similar piece of their family history: “Don’t be afraid to ask for help. “It’s out there, all you have to do is ask.”

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Unforgettable Naval Adventures With A Sea Dog

A once-in-a-lifetime, unique, and unforgettable naval adventure is sure to amuse readers as innovative author Roger Cooke presents The Cruise of Lazy Daze, an invigorating book inspired by his ardent love for sailing.

The Cruise of Lazy Daze follows the exploits of a middle-aged old sea dog who finds the sailing schooner he has dreamed about and converts it from a cargo vessel to a beautiful passenger cruiser. He takes a number of guests on short cruises around the Gulf of Mexico, until he is approached for a circumnavigating cruise around the Gulf and the Caribbean. He, his first mate, and three couples encounter a variety of adventures, including an encounter with Colombian pirates. They barely escape, only to be chased by a hurricane up to the Yucatan peninsula, where they are forced to ground Lazy Daze in a river estuary.

There they encounter two groups who turn out to be opposing forces, plus an ancient pirate treasure. The latter they load onto their boat with the help of one group whom they have befriended. When they salvaged and repaired Lazy Daze, they attempted to leave the area. They were attacked by the other group, and after a battle for their lives, they barely make it away. From there they headed directly to the United States and to a hospital to treat the injuries they got from the battle. Will they have more pleasant adventures?

Jubilant, strong, and adventurous, The Cruise of Lazy Daze is a wonderful trip to remember. For more information, log on to Xlibris.com.

About the Author

Roger Cooke was born and raised in Galveston, an island off the Gulf coast of Texas. His youth was spent mainly in and around the water, swimming, fishing, playing with, and working on boats. His ardent love, besides girls, was his fascination with sailing. He became a very competitive racing sailor. Mr. Cooke’s freshman year at the University of Texas was interrupted by World War II, when he was trained as an aircraft pilot. After his training, he spent a year in Europe flying Troop Carrier. This experience led him into flying a variety of planes in his manufacturing career following his graduation from the University of Texas.

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Wall Street: Hall of Fame or Shame?

Having been connected to the investment business as a professional for quite a while, author Robert F. Wiest has virtually seen every scam and swindle of the stock market. A gripping expose awaits readers as Wiest tells all about The Dirtiest, Filthiest, Rottenest, Crookedest Business in the World: That Cesspool Called WALL STREET, released through Xlibris.

Many who are unaware may consider Wall Street as the pristine chapel of virtue, or the fountain of impeccable integrity. However, for Wiest, it is unquestionably The Dirtiest, Filthiest, Rottenest, Crookedest Business in the World. Based on the author’s experiences, this tell-all account reveals not only the numerous examples of fraud within the stock market, but also the questionable characters of the commodity brokers and regulators who are supposed to enforce the rules.

In this book, readers will uncover the inside stories of how and why a Wall Street brokerage house pleaded guilty to rigging the U.S. Treasury markets and paid a $290 million fine, but no one was prosecuted; a billionaire founder of a giant electronics firm stole $400 million from his firm in 2008, but was never prosecuted; and many others.

Eye opening, The Dirtiest, Filthiest, Rottenest, Crookedest Business in the World: That Cesspool Called WALL STREET helps readers know about how things go within the stock market to help them avoid being victimized. For more information on this book, log on to Xlibris.com.

About the Author

Robert F. Wiest entered the investment business as a professional in 1957. He has served as President of a top-performing mutual fund, founder of California’s first Commodity Pool, Resident Manager of an office of a NYSE firm, mutual fund wholesaler, stock broker, commodity broker, and publisher of a commodity newsletter with one thousand one hundred subscribers. Having worked in every segment of the investment industry, he has seen virtually every scam used in the business. In this book he has described dozens of those scams. By reading this book, one may save a thousand times the cost of the book.

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Uncover Life Through The Book of Sayings

Sometimes we are in the fullness of joy and happiness. At times, we are also showered with disgusting realities that would lead us to do unconstructive things. What is life really all about? How is life being expressed? And what are its battles? Author Jacob Butkiewicz has intertwined numerous lines that would help us see realities of life through The Book of Sayings.

Everyday, we long for something new, something good and something that would bring us to utter contentment. We are looking for things that sometimes we do not know. We are seeking for life’s hidden realities, but at times we are unable to see them. What we need is wisdom that will guide us to find what we are looking for. The Book of Sayings will serve as the light that would lift our hearts and minds to be positive about life. Packed with a torrential dose of wisdom, this book will help us find that path to the kind of happiness we long to look for; as we experience the feeling of contentment through the prosperity of our existence. This book is packed with colorful images and deeply woven axioms that radiate important lessons in life. These allegories and metaphors express the occurrences, of love, God, life and various feelings to help us understand the true concept of human existence.

The Book of Sayings will feed us the aphorisms of many themes where morals are injected to help us with our journey through this world. For more information, log on to Xlibris.com.

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McHenry freshman writes, publishes novel

By Crystal Lindell – clindell@nwherald.com (Northwest Herald)

Sara Telesz, 14, said she sees herself as an author when she grows up.

Sara Telesz, 14, a McHenry high school freshman, is working on the sequel to her first published book, "Date Disaster." (Nick Dentamaro – ndentamaro@nwherald.com)

Some might argue that the McHenry East High School freshman already is an author, considering the fact that she’s written a novel that’s for sale on Amazon.com and Barnes­andnoble.com.

But Telesz insists that doesn’t qualify her for the prestigious title.

“I only wrote one book,” she said humbly.

The nearly 150-page tale “Date Disaster” covers the lives of six teenagers and the enemies that change their lives, she said. Telesz wrote the book while in seventh and eighth grades.

“I knew school would be really adventurous for me, and then I just started writing about these six teenagers,” she said.

When she finished, she shopped it around to publishers with help from her mom and then published with Xlibris Corp., a self-publishing company.

The paperback book now sells for $19.99. Telesz gets to keep $5 from each copy sold. She’s also working to make the book available at local libraries. Telesz said her passions were reading and writing.

“When I come home from school, I do my homework and then right after, I just get on my laptop and write as much as I can,” she said.

It’s that kind of self-discipline that led her to complete a yet-unpublished second novel over the summer. It’s historical fiction about a Polish family in World War II and how their lives change in a concentration camp.

Telesz was inspired to write the story after going to Europe and touring Auschwitz.

“Right after, I just got on my laptop and started writing down the details,” she said.

The teen hasn’t stopped with the two books, though. Telesz is working on a sequel to her debut work, adding that she plans to learn from her experiences.

“I think it might be a bit better,” she said.

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A Captivating Songwriter’s Manual Now Released

Up-and-coming songwriters and music lovers are in for a captivating read as Xlibris announces today the release of The ‘Monster’ Songwriter’s Manual, the second in the brilliant series that has been penned by adroit musician, songwriter, vocalist, and author Winston Gay.

A poignant and in-depth look at the art of songwriting, The ‘Monster’ Songwriter’s Manual will hold readers captive as Gay explores each facet of the world of songwriting. In this book, his serious humor makes the subject of songwriting palatable so that songwriters can compare, learn, and fine-tune their own songwriting ability. He thoroughly discusses fundamental topics such as overcoming writer’s block, building a song, gifts, abilities, and talents, plus lifestyle and longevity. He also tackles performing live or in a studio, the reason to rhyme, the importance of subject matter, and the essence of melody.

Multi-talented and creative people who desire some form of instruction in this craft will find The ‘Monster’ Songwriter’s Manual a very effective tool in answering their needs as they thrive in the web of self-expression in a world that seems to have more questions than answers. For more information on this book, log on to Xlibris.com.

About the Author

Winston Gay is truly in a class all by himself-a guitarist, singer, and songwriter. When he performs, audiences from as far as Sydney, Australia to Montreal, Canada stop, listen, and applaud. Known as a ‘musician’s musician’, Gay began as a guitarist for many hometown vocal groups until his uncanny skills on his instrument attracted the ear of professional recording artists from Philadelphia International Records Company, under the guidance of Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff. He has traveled worldwide as support musician for artists such as The Stylistics, Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes, The Tymes, Bunny Siegler, Dexter Wansel, Jean Carn, Eddie Holman, Maceo Parker, McFadden & Whitehead, the Delphonics, the Intruders, and countless others.

Today, Gay has evolved into a virtual ‘one-man-band’, using his amazing guitar synthesizer that emulates over one thousand different instruments and sounds. He continues to teach voice and guitar at the Gibson Music School in Philadelphia, and performs workshops at various venues across the nation.

He is currently writing original screenplays and hopes to produce cinematic works.

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Xlibris Launches Podcast Marketing Service for Self Published Authors

Podcasts have become a major tool used by musicians in promoting their music online, movie critics for airing their film reviews, technology enthusiasts for sharing instructional videos on the latest tech gadgets and, more recently, as a way for authors to talk about their books.

Xlibris, the leader in the independent publishing industry, introduces their Podcast Marketing Packages. Specifically created for Xlibris published authors, this marketing tool enables them to promote their books while sharing their vision as a writer and the purpose of their work.

With the Xlibris Podcast Marketing Packages, a recorded interview with the author will be spliced into five episodes. These interviews will be saved as MP3 files, which can easily be share with friends, family and the rest of their network.

These podcasts will also be published one episode at a time on a weekly basis on the Xlibris Podcast website at www.xlibrispodcasts.com and distributed to leading podcast sites like iTunes, Zune, Podcast Alley, Odeo and Podcast.com.

Authors can choose from three optimized Xlibris Podcast Marketing Packages that suit their particular book marketing and promotional needs. For more information visit Xlibris.com or email marketing.consultants@xlibris.com.

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Learn How to be a Successful Moneymaker!

Real estate is one of the most profitable businesses in the United States. It is an investment with financial assumptions concerning income, risks, and rewards. However, most published books only provide information on where to look for properties, but not much about the property’s value or the steps in successfully negotiating and buying it. Providing realistic information from the buyer’s point of view, lawyer and author Thomas R. Stilp shares his real estate expertise in Making Money Going into the Deal: The Art & Science of Real Estate.

An insightful material, Thomas Stilp’s Making Money Going into the Deal: The Art & Science of Real Estate is a skillful organization of effective techniques and strategies of making real estate a profitable venture. He outlines the important points and information one must know before purchasing a property: the property’s worth, negotiation and closing the deal, profit-making clauses for the buyer, and ideas about running a property.

To be able to illustrate a clear picture to readers, Stilp provides an actual study that autopsies the purchase of a forty-three unit building using as little as $13,500. He demonstrates and applies all the techniques into this actual scenario and reproduces the documents and letters used to buy the property.

As Stilp knows that a wise person learns from his experiences, he strongly asserts that the wisest one learns from the experiences of others. So delve into the real estate world, and who knows, you might make it big in this venture! Think big and make it happen. Grab a copy now! For more information on Making Money Going into the Deal: The Art & Science of Real Estate, log on to Xlibris.com.

About the Author

Author Thomas R. Stilp earned a Bachelor of Arts (BA), Master of Management / Master of Business Administration (MM / MBA ) from Northwestern University, Juris Doctor (JD) from Loyola University School of Law, and a Master of Laws (LLM) from The John Marshall Law School. Mr. Stilp is a highly experienced trial attorney, having conducted over 150 trials involving business issues. A member of various trade, manufacturing, and real estate organizations, Mr. Stilp has been on the board of directors of several private business and non-profit organizations. Currently, Mr. Stilp is Co-Chairman and General Counsel for Messer Stilp Holdings, with business interests in manufacturing, service and the real estate industries, owning over one million square feet of property, and office buildings in Chicago’s “Loop” business district. He has written several articles on real estate and business litigation used by bar organizations and law schools throughout the country. His practice concentrates in business litigation, credit & collections risk and real estate, counting over $100 million in recent transactions.

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Being a True Christian: Following the Words and Works of Jesus

Author Connie Elmore may not be an expert in theology and may have made her own deal of mistakes in her life. But this doesn’t stop her from sharing this commentary on the spoken words of Jesus in the book of Matthew of the Holy Bible. She writes this to invigorate and inspire others to think and form their own comments; to encourage and motivate others to read the Holy Bible; and to push and lead others to take the journey of following Jesus. Her new book Follow is written to engage all Christians to be authentic followers of the Messiah.

Many people declare that they are Christians; and many Christians profess their faith in Jesus. But do they really follow Jesus? In this book, the author presents the verses in the book of Matthew. Accompanying these verses are Elmore’s discerning comments, perceptive questions, and pensive thoughts. The important thing she wants to stress is one’s acknowledgement and reaction to the spoken words of Jesus. She invites Christians to open their hearts, minds, and souls so they can fully follow the Messiah.

Elmore speaks of the invaluable and untapped treasure one finds in reading, understanding, and living the words of the Holy Bible. She avows, “This is an investment of a lifetime! The profits of the investment are what we are all looking for. The profits go on and on and on throughout eternity. The investment, also, will make the difference of your eternal fate, with or without Jesus. Think on these things. Jesus is love for us! Find it! It truly is your choice. Seek in the spoken words of Jesus: words of truth. It all fits prophecies years and years before Jesus was born became truth. Not making that investment will cost you EVERYTHING.”

Follow is the author’s way of sharing to the world that the very essence of being a Christian is living as true Christians by following the words and works of Jesus. This commentary is an insightful and thoughtful read for all who are interested to lead good and honest Christian lives. For more information on this book, log on to Xlibris.com.

About the Author

Connie Elmore was born in Shawnee, OK, to Pat (L.D.) and Dorothy Baker; she’s the oldest of four children. She lives in Seminole, OK. She and her husband Joe have four daughters, two sons, three sons-in-law, one daughter-in-law, and eleven grandchildren at this time. Her hobby is teaching her Kindergarten students. During a bout with cancer, she was forced to quit teaching for three years. During that time, she read the Holy Bible and listened to BOTT Radio station. It was then that she found “It.” It, being the excitement of waking up everyday to see what God has in mind for her. She insists that each person on the planet has the same opportunity if he or she desires to be a person after God’s own heart, willing to take action in following Jesus.

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