The least you need to know about Self-Publishing from David Carnoy

The least you need to know about Self-Publishing from David Carnoy

I just came across an article titled Self-publishing a book: 25 things you need to know, by David Carnoy. It's truly the best, most succinct lists of need-to-know info on the subject I've ever come across.

Written from his personal experience publishing a novel, Carnoy cuts through the clutter, the BS, and the drama to give those considering self-publishing a real look at the pitfalls and plusses of heading into this enormous undertaking.

Here's the list, with my comments - but I HIGHLY advise that you go read his column for the nuts and bolts.

1. Self-publishing is easy. True enough.

2. Quality has improved. Also true. The self-publishing industry has come a long way since the horrible production jobs where you were lucky to make it to Chapter 2 before the pages started falling out of the book.

3. Some of the more successful self-published books are about self-publishing. There are a LOT of books on self-publishing out there. But think about it - what's in it for a traditional publisher to print a book about self-publishing? Some are definitely better than others.

4. Good self-published books are few and far between. While this is true about self-published books, I would also argue that it's true about ALL books.

5. The odds are against you. Only in that there are 200,000 new titles released every year, so the odds are against everybody.

6. Creating a "professional" book is really hard. Yes, yes, yes. But if you're going into this to brand yourself or your business, make the best book you can!

7. Have a clear goal for your book. File under "Duh!"

8. Even if it's great, there's a good chance your book won't sell. You MUST have a marketing plan if you want to sell books!

9. Niche books do best. True about almost any business.

10. Buy your own ISBN - and create your own publishing house. And do NOT make the name of your publishing house in any way reflect YOUR name.

11. Create a unique title. If you're using this book as a branding tool, make sure your keywords are in the MAIN title, not relegated to the subtitle, which frequently is left off in reviews and online cataloug

12. Turn-key solutions cost a lot of money. Think of yourself as the general contractor for your book.

13. Self-publishers don't care if your book is successful. I think he means the companies that offer self-publishing tools. Why would they care, as long as they get paid?

14. Buy as little as possible from your publishing company. True. Create Space's printing costs are highly competitive. They're like a car dealership, though. They make their money on the upsell of ancillary services.

15. If you're serious about your book, hire a book doctor and get it copy-edited. Eh-hehm ... it's good to be validated!

16. Negotiate everything. Practice ahead of time, if you need to, but get this one down!

17. Ask a lot of questions and don't be afraid to complain. Not so much on the complaining, but yes, make sure you get your needs met!
18. Self-publishing is a contact sport. And how!

19. Getting your book in bookstores sounds good, but that shouldn't be a real concern. For the most part, this is true.

20. Self-published books don't get reviewed. Unfortunately, still very true.

21. Design your book cover to look good small. EXCELLENT advice!

22. If you're selling online, make the most out of your Amazon page. So many authors neglect this very easy step.

23. Pricing is a serious challenge. Do your homework. A self-published book is considered successful if you recoup your costs in the first year after publishimg.

24. Electronic books offer the most potential for self-publishers. The wave of the future - and if you've already written it, why NOT make it available for the growing ereader crowd?

25. Self-publishing is a fluid business. The entire publishing industry seems to be changing daily. Either make a commitment to stay on top of it, or hire someone who can help you do that.

All that being said, it's time to get busy writing, building, and marketing your book! Don't let this list scare you. Let it inspire you and guide you so that your experience is as seamless as possible.

____________

I invite you to do 2 things next:

Visit Write | Market | Design to download your free eBook copy of The First-Time Author's Guide to Hiring the Right Editor for YOU!

Visit my Facebook page — and "Like" it if you like it!

At what point should you think about showing your work to an editor?

At what point should you think about showing your work to an editor?

Had a great question from a prospective client yesterday:

At what point would it be beneficial for you to see a sample of my writing?

My response:

That's a good question. Typically, when I'm interviewing a prospective client, I ask to see EITHER the first chapter OR the section of the book that is most representative of their writing. The reason being that we sometimes rewrite the first chapter a bit, so it tends to be somewhat cleaner than the meatier portions of the book. How's the writing going? Do you feel you have enough pages (5 to 10 should do it) to show me a representative sample?

The interesting thing is that there's no right or wrong order to things when it comes to writing a book. Some people feel like they need more than just editing; in that case, they might hire a book coach to help them through the writing process. Others are very disciplined, follow an outline well, and won't bring in an editor until their manuscript is finished. You'll have to determine the right process for you.

Regardless of where you are in the process when you bring in your editor, there are a few things to keep in mind when interviewing the person who will edit your book project: 

1. Any editor worth their weight will give you a courtesy sample edit. This happens for 2 reasons: (a) so they can see a sample of your work and (b) so that you can get an idea of how they would approach your text. 
2. Make sure you feel confident that your questions are being fully answered before you engage an editor. 
3. Find out ahead of time how the editor works and whether their style jives with yours (another reason for that all important sample edit). 
4. An editor’s PRIMARY role is to make your words sound like you, just better. 
5. Keep in mind that your editor is bringing their professional expertise to your text; however, their changes are ultimately only suggestions.
6. Avoid using price as your sole determinant when hiring an editor: as with most things, you get what you pay for. A good editor is going to be somewhat pricey, but worth every penny.

I can’t emphasize enough how important a professional editor will be to your finished work, especially for someone who’s not a practiced writer – but remember, even the pros have great editors!

Here’s to your successful writing!
____________

If you’d like more thorough information on this subject, do one of the following to get your free copy of The First-Time Author’s Guide to Hiring the Right Editor for YOU!

1. Visit our Facebook page — and "Like" our page for access to the free ebook.

2. Visit our Web site and enter your email address for access to the free ebook.

Marketing Mishaps: Using TOO MANY FONTS on a single mailer

Marketing Mishaps: Using TOO MANY FONTS on a single mailer

There's an old rule of thumb when it comes to designing an ad, mailer, or other marketing piece that involves copy: unless you are a very gifted graphic designer, limit yourself to TWO fonts. In case you doubt me, here it is from the Creative Marketing Guru blog: 

Why It's Ugly

Too many fonts. Use only 2 fonts per marketing piece, max. Change in a typeface signals a change in function or purpose - restrain yourself!

Care to see an example?

This mailer fails on a couple different levels, but the fonts are the most immediately noticeable, because it doesn't stop at 2 fonts, or 3 fonts, or even 4 fonts. It goes all the way to FIVE fonts on one smallish piece of paper. It's just too much.

For one thing, the message looks disjointed and disorganized. Additionally, the fonts don't really represent what they were apparently chosen to describe. For example, the BIG is much bolder than the BOLD. And that BOOMING looks more like boomeranging to me. Lastly, the main font - the one meant to convey details such as the date and call to action - is unnecessarily difficult to read.

Other Mishaps

Another problem with this mailer is the Web site. Go back to the image above and see if you can locate the Web site.

Don't feel bad if it took you awhile ... the Web address is utterly lost in the middle of that challenging font, with no space around it or other reference to it.

The final problem for this one little mailer is that the image appears inconsistent with the message. It references a "Hollywood Event," and yet the background picture more readily depicts a Hawaiian beach than a Hollywood event. Do a Google images search for Hollywood and the first five results are the famous Hollywood sign; the next three are stars on the Walk of Fame.

There is a reason graphic designers and advertising copywriters command big bucks: They know what they're doing! That is not to say you MUST hire an expensive pro for your ad campaign to succeed. However, IF you are going to venture into the design world, I highly recommend that you get some education first. The following are a few books that were recommended by Dexigner, an international design links directory.

Basic Brochures

Direct Mail Design

The Best Advertising and Design in the World

May the graphic design and copy writing force be with you!

Marketing Mishaps: Having a Poverty Mindset

Marketing Mishaps: Having a Poverty Mindset

This one is admittedly a bit off our regular topics, particularly for Marketing Mishaps. One might even call it somewhat "woo-woo." Whatever you call it, though, one fact remains clear: The best marketing in the world will NEVER help you succeed in your business if you come from a poverty mindset.

What exactly do we mean by a poverty mindset? A thought process that is based in lack, want, a perception of being 'less than', victimhood, or any other mindset that focuses on what you do not have. Whether you know it or not — and more importantly, whether you believe it or not — your thoughts are incredibly powerful, and they are constantly working to attract to you exactly what they're focused on.

Say your #1 client just pulled their account for a reason completely unrelated to you. Now you're looking at your quarterly projections, starting to feel stressed out and worried about how you'll make up that deficit. This is a completely normal reaction, right? Yes — it's normal, but it's not productive. In fact, it's 100 percent counterproductive to attracting a new client to replace the one you lost. 

So what are you supposed to do when a challenge comes at you unexpectedly? First of all, take a giant, deeeeeeep breath. Then another. And another still. Keep going until you feel the stress dissipating, at least a little. 

Next up, get into a space of gratitude. "Are you out of your mind?" you might be wondering right now. "I've just lost my biggest client and you want me to be thankful?!" Yeppers. Thankful. Hopefully you don't have to think too hard to come up with something for which you are grateful. Write it down. Then, think of another thing, and write that one down, too. Keep going until you have a list that covers the entire sheet of paper.

What's the point? Gratitude refocuses our thoughts, moving them away from what we do NOT have to instead concentrate on what we DO have. In this way, we move out of lack thinking and that poverty mindset into a consciousness where we can more easily embrace and attract the wealth we ultimately seek.

What if you're just starting out, and you only have a few clients? Be fabulously grateful for those few clients! What if you don't have any clients yet? Be grateful for the opportunities awaiting you to meet and connect with new clients. I promise you, as long as you're breathing, you can find something to be grateful for.

CHALLENGE FOR YOU

How can you turn around the following statements, which are focused on negativity and lack, instead building them into powerful, positive affirmations based in a wealth mindset?

• I don't know why I even bother networking; I never get any new clients from these events.
• Oh, great. Another [_____fill in the blank with your industry title_____]. How can I compete when there are so many of us in this business?
• Susie Smith doesn't even try and she gets business. It's just not fair.
• I'd have more freedom and flexibility to build my business if I had a wealthy husband to rely on, too.
• I'm so behind — I don't think I'll ever catch up.

Can you see how each of these scenarios is focused on lack or victim thinking? Part of transitioning to prosperity thinking is recognizing the sabotaging language for what it is, and then practicing at reframing those concepts into supportive, grateful, positive language. For example, we could change the first bullet point to say something like, "I look forward to networking because I get to meet so many interesting new people. If I keep showing up, I'm sure I'll make great connections."

Additionally, it may help to have a phrase at the ready to substitute when you catch yourself spouting negativisms. My personal challenge is a tendency to run just a bit late to get to meetings. Sometimes, I'll get behind the slowest driver on the road, just as I'm in the biggest hurry. The phrase I always fall back on is, "Everything is perfect, exactly the way it is." If I just remember to say that a few times, I calm down, no  matter how stressed out I might be.

The most important thing to remember is that you are the biggest factor in your success. Not the economy. Not your business partner. Not the strength of your networking groups. YOU. Develop a prosperity mindset, and watch your marketing campaign ignite!
____________

We invite you to do 2 things next:

1. Visit our Web site to download your free Website Design Worksheet.
2. Visit our Facebook page — and "Like" it if you like it.

Beware the Brain-Pickers!

Beware the Brain-Pickers!

I had an experience this morning that I'm sure is familiar to many consultants, coaches, doctors, attorneys ... pretty much anyone who is considered an expert in their business or industry. A friend texted me a few days ago, asking if we could meet soon. She didn't say what about ... but I had a feeling I knew before we got together. My subconscious must really have known, because I forgot to put the meeting on my calendar, and as a result was late to meet her.

We are in similar businesses, but she's very new to this line of work. As I sat down at the restaurant, she explained that she just wanted to "pick my brain" a bit about a couple of things. And then she proceeded to do just that  — not without my permission, I must add. I've been here before on perhaps two other occasions with the same friend, so this whole setup was not really a surprise to me.

One sentence in our conversation caught me quite off-guard, however. She was telling me about her challenges billing a new client, because the client has a limited cash flow right now and wants the work to proceed anyway: "I told her, 'Yes, but I have expenses. I have to do research, meet with people (gesturing to  me), and increase my knowledge so I can give you the best service.'" She did not even see the irony ... or notice my hackles going up.

I was unsure how to proceed. My inclination was just to decline the next offer for a "meeting." But as the check came and I found myself paying for my own breakfast, I knew that silence would not suffice. My friend thanked me for my time, which I used as an appropriate moment to tell her — perhaps a little harshly — that while she was welcome this time, if there was going to be a next time, it would have to be for a fee. A look of utter astonishment washed across her face. I then reminded her that she'd just told me she was charging her client for meeting with me, but seemed to be expecting me to share my expertise with her for free, simply because we're friends.

Those of you who've been there understand how awkward this can be.

The thing is, I bet we've all done it at one time or another, called on a friend for their expert advice. What we may not realize is when we begin to step over the line of "asking a favor" into the area where they normally and reasonably charge for the information we're after. For what it's worth, here are a few tips on this idea of "free advice."

FOR the ASKER

1. NEVER ask someone if you can "pick their brain" (or worse, tell them you'd like to).
2. Respect your friends'/colleagues'/associates' expertise and recognize when your favors are traipsing into areas of information for which they would normally charge a consulting fee.
3. At the VERY least, offer to buy them lunch/dinner for their time. More appropriately, ask if you can schedule an hour of their time (indicating that you will pay for this hour), and let them tell you that you don't need to pay them.

FOR the ASKEE

1. Decide in advance if you're willing to gift certain friends with your time/expert knowledge — and where/why you draw the line. Sure you're a nice person and you don't want to make enemies, but you also don't want to be a doormat.
2. It's your time, and they're your friends — you get to decide whom to help, to what degree, and how often.
3. You might let them know that while you're happy to have one brief conversation, you normally charge a rate of X for a consultation on this topic.
4. Have a standard answer prepared for those who want to "pick your brain."
5. Suggest they call your office during business hours to schedule an appointment.
6. If the "asker" has a product/service you can use, perhaps you might suggest a trade.
7. Even if it's a difficult conversation, be willing to set boundaries.

Here's the thing both "Askers" and "Askees" should remember. Askees have invested time (perhaps many years) and energy and money and brain power becoming the experts they are. They now charge for that expertise, as they should. Askees must learn to set sensible boundaries; Askers must learn to respect them. 
____________

We invite you to do 2 things next:

1. Visit our Web site to download your free Website Design Worksheet.
2. Visit our Facebook page — and "Like" it if you like it.

Marketing Mishaps: Failing to Reply to Queries from Your "Contact" Page

Marketing Mishaps: Failing to Reply to Queries from Your "Contact" Page

You have a blog or a Web site – duh. More than likely you also have a "Contact" page on your blog or Web site. Yeah! Here's a quiz, though:

#1. How easy is your "Contact" page to find?

Why would I ask such a silly question? Have you ever had to DIG and DIG and DIG – sometimes 3 or 4 levels down – to get to someone's contact page? I have, and not just once. Let me tell you, (a) I'm not the typical Web visitor, and (b) I kept digging because after the second level, I was just curious how far this site owner was really going to make me go before they revealed their precious contact info.

W|M|D SUPER-DUPER WEB MARKETING TIP

Make your site easy to use.

If your visitors have to click through to even a second level to find your contact info, you've probably lost them.

#2. Do you use a Contact Form or an eMail Link?

Is one really better than the other? Well, according to the Flyte Web Marketing blog, the Contact Form is preferred for a number of reasons:

• Better contact information capture
• Better conversion tracking
• Easier data entry to a contact database
• Reduced spam

While I cannot argue with this logic, the part of me that says "easier is always better" knows that some people are always going to prefer the e-mail link, so I'd always be inclined to include one somewhere on my site. Would you rather risk getting less data up front so that you can be sure to receive that message from a prospective client, or use a one-size-fits-all approach?

#3. Do you have a "catch all" address so that you can capture misspelled e-mail addresses?

Could this lead to more spam? Sure. But I have to go back to making things easy for the end user. Say they've got Clumsy Finger Syndrome and type LittleMissMuffet@gmail.com as LittleMiddMuffet@gmail.com. Do you still want to hear from them? If the answer's yes, how are you going to hear from them if you don't have your e-mail set to catch all spellings, even the goofy ones? Even the ones addressed to Info@?

#4. Who reads the messages sent via your  Contact Form or contact e-mail address? How skilled are they at prioritizing?

Why is this important? Let's say you've got a summer intern who's quite green. You figure the perfect job for them is doing something that, for the most part, requires rote, standardized answers. What happens, however, if the inquiry that comes in via that contact page is not an order, a question about how to order, or some other easy topic, the answer to which can be found on your FAQ page? What if it's an invitation for you to speak or write an article or guest lecture or be interviewed? What if it's a dissatisfied client who wants options for recourse? What if it's someone who wants to reprint one of your articles or blog posts? What if it's someone looking to create a joint venture with you? None of these is a throwaway question with a standardized answer. But does your intern (or whoever reads this e-mail) know whom to forward the mail to? Are they empowered to follow up? Do you have a system in place for handling ALL queries?

#5. How quickly do you respond to these e-mail queries? 

Perhaps the single biggest challenge for entrepreneurs and small businesses is follow-up - mostly because most entrepreneurs and/or small business owners have no systems in place for following up. Does this require discipline? Of course! But if you can keep a couple things in mind, perhaps you will be motivated to move this to the front burner of your marketing stove. 

• When was the last time you submitted an e-mail query and received a prompt response?
• How did you feel when your question was answered right away?
• How did you feel if your question was left to languish on the vine?
• How will YOUR end user feel if you don't answer their query in a timely manner?

ON THE FLIP SIDE


Here are a few tips to help ensure any e-mail YOU SEND gets read and receives a response:

1. Use a good SUBJECT line.
2. Be SUCCINCT.
3. Indicate WHAT you want from them (e.g., a refund, an answer, a further contact, etc.)

Let that contact form do what it's made for ... allow new people to contact and engage with you!

____________

We invite you to do 2 things next:

1. Visit our Web site to download your free Website Design Worksheet.
2. Visit our Facebook page — and "Like" it if you like it.

Are you READY to join SpongeBob at the Twitter party?

Are you READY to join SpongeBob at the Twitter party?

Who would have thought a goofy cartoon character named SpongeBob would take the lead in a new — but all too obvious — use of the machine that is Twitter? According to a Fast Company update:

This week kids' favorite SpongeBob SquarePants will be the center of a new story on a wholly new medium: Twitter. The Ice Race Cometh — A Twitter Tale is an original story, from the official SpongeBob writing team, and will consist of multiple tweets and images broadcast throughout each day from July 12th to July 15th. Fun? Sure. Novel? You bet. Silly? Quite a bit.

I absolutely LOVE this idea, and wonder about the fact that other authors have not picked up on it sooner.

Now, knowing what I do of human nature, I can hear the groans and protests already. "No way — I'm not going to GIVE AWAY my book for free..."Well, I'm going to fall back on my favorite Cher quote, from Moonstruck: "SNAP OUT OF IT!"

This Twitter series idea is phenomenal for a number of reasons:

• Twitter is approaching 300 million registered users, and has just surpassed 100 million apps designed specifically for it. So, as a social medium, it's no fad — it's here to stay.
• Get over your fear of "giving your work away." This is the way marketing is done today — if you don't want to play the game by the new rules, maybe it's time to find a J-O-B.
• Releasing this stories in a series of tweets is creating sustained interest in the @SpongeBob Twitter handle. People (who are captivated by this story) are going to follow, follow, follow!
• Following a Twitter feed is like watching TV — you can't watch all of it, ever. Yes, people can go back and read the whole story through the @SpongeBob feed, but they're going to have to wade through all the other intermittent tweets. If I really liked the story, I think I'd be inclined to purchase it, not sift through all the tweets to read it for FREE.

The goal is to attract attention to the story — and I have no doubt it's going to work!

As always, I encourage you — especially the authors in the crowd — to do some brainstorming and visualizing to determine how you can extrapolate from this SpongeBob experiment and use the idea to promote your own book, brand, or service.
____________

We invite you to do 2 things next:

1. Visit our Web site to download your free Website Design Worksheet.
2. Visit our Facebook page — and "Like" it if you like it.