Smart Self-Publishing: An Author's Guide to Producing a Marketable Book

Don't even think about until you read this book..."Smart Self-Publishing" (Tabby House) is the winner of the National Association of Independent Publishers Special Publishing Award, and with good reason. Linda and Jim Salisbury have created a phenomenal reference for any writer who opts to produce and publish their own book, but all writers heading into the realm of publishing would benefit by the reading of this book.The chapters include topics such as ?Ways to Get Published,? ?Working with Professionals,? and ?Creating a Professional Product.? These three chapters alone make the book worthwhile.There is a wealth of information on the process and options open to the self-publisher; the hardcore information supplied within these pages, based on first-hand experience, is well researched and clearly written by professionals within the publishing industry.There is specific instruction offered on how to make your book have an appearance that will fit into the mainstream and not look like a self-published book, a serious downfall of most self-published books and one that prevents wholesalers, distributors, and even individual local bookstores from stocking these titles.There is solid advice on how to package your books professionally and the differences between doing this yourself or hiring someone to perform the various steps for you, including the pitfalls of self-designing the book and cover, and professional editing (or lack thereof) of the manuscript before it goes to press.In ?Do Your Marketing Homework,? some of the best information is the emphasis placed on marketing and book promotion, something so many writers ignore even if they have a publisher for their manuscript. Marketing is the key to the success of any product, yet, so many, and writers in particular, often neglect this important link. Writing is the easy part, getting the book published is the next easy part (even when done by a publisher), selling your book in today?s market is the hardest part of all, and selling requires marketing.?Riding the Distribution Roller Coaster? aptly describes the distribution experience of all publishers. Once a manuscript is written, and even before it is published in book format, the next link in the chain of publishing needs to be worked into the program. Distribution is the second most important link, following a marketing plan; yet, distribution is often what many self-publishers think they can do without. Because distributors demand such a high discount, small presses and publishers do not like to sign with them and this is a major mistake. Today, most bookstores, and even libraries, prefer to place their orders through one or two major distributors. The Salisbury?s make this clear in their book.?Business Details? includes practical advice on the importance of record keeping, taxes, shipping and storage of books. There is also a chapter covering the pros and cons of the newest technologies in publishing, which should prove useful to anyone consid

Now in an completely updated third edition, Smart Self-Publishing: An Author's Guide To Producing A Marketable Book by independent press publishers Linda and Jim Salisbury (Tabby House) is an informed and informative "how-to" instructional manual for succeeding in the competitive world of book publishing. Individual chapters address different venues of self-publishing, how to be professional in both literary product and the human element in publishing, handling the challenges of book promotion and distribution, keeping track of money matters, and much more. Smart Self-Publishing is an excellent primer for anyone with a serious interest in taking the self-publishing plunge.

There are dozens of books written on self-publishing and this is one of the better ones. The author covers the basics in reasonably good detail. The writing style is light and easy-to-read. The book is also full of examples of books that were self-published and what these authors did to ensure their book's success.The authors advocates the use of "Book Packagers," and in many respects the book assumes that you will be working with a Packager. Passages like "be sure to ask your Book Packager about this. . . " are found throughout the book. A Book Packager is someone that is hired to actually produce the book. They act somewhat like a building contractor. You make basic decisions regarding the book, and the copyright is in your name, but the Packager does all (or most) of the work. Packagers are a good alternative for someone that has neither the time nor inclination to take the "do it yourself" route. A good Packager can also ensure that book is produced in a professional manner. The major disadvantage is that it will add to your costs. Given the razor thin profit margins on books these days, you need to determine if you can really afford this option.I haven't found one book on self-publishing that covers everything well. If you really want to learn how to produce and sell your own book I'd recommend purchasing a couple of titles. Other books to consider those by Poynter, Cardoza, Ross & Ross, or Brownstone.

If you are self-publishing only to share your work with family and friends, about the only real mistake you can make is to pay too much for design/printing. This can be avoided by old-fashioned comparison-shopping. But if your goal is to make an impression on the commercial market, there are many mistakes you could make which would guarantee failure. To avoid these mistakes, you must learn as much as possible about book design, production, marketing, etc. You must become your own expert.Talking with someone who has self-published successfully would be invaluable. Seek out such a person if you can. Read anything you can get your hands on about self-publishing. Almost every book will contain something of value. At the minimum, buy at least two books, and make one "Smart Self-Publishing." It reads easily, doesn't get bogged down in tedious detail, and covers all the major pitfalls that can doom your project. There is also a handy resource guide at the end of the book.Aside from nuts-and-bolts, the book does an excellent job of describing the BUSINESS of self-publishing. Because you must never forget that after your creative juices have been boiled off in giving birth to your little masterpiece, you are then left with a bunch of cardboard boxes filled with a product you must now get people to pay money for. The book does not whitewash the reality of this task. Yet, it also shares the excitement and the possibilities inherent in giving it your best, and it offers many examples of success.If you are a first-time self-publisher, my advice is to learn as much as you can, and employ the services of a reputable book-packager, like the Salisburys (I did). In fact, I even used their book to make sure they were doing everything right (they were).

I was referred to the Salibury's book by a client who used this book and and the author's services. "Smart Self-Publishing" is easy to read, honest, informative and has many tips on converting your manuscript to a book. It does not sugar-coat the eventual need for the author to "actively market" the final product. You may or may not get a return on your investment, they note. It supports the idea that "book packagers" are the way to go, and perhaps so...their tasks are best left to the pros. The Appendix is excellent and connects you with all the people/ services you might need for your project. I would welcome more "cost information" on how to achieve one's goal of publishing a book i.e. the rough budget needed to perform each phase of the production. Perhaps that will be in the next edition. It does give you reason to call them and ask about costs. Perhaps it was planned that way... if so, nice marketing strategy! A strength of this book is the forthright honesty and the author's sales and marketing tips. Very helpful! Amazingly in this day and age, the authors are also accessible by phone and by email...They are very pleasant to talk to..It makes you want to use their consultant services. They are "modest" in hyping their services, but the book exudes their confidence and experience. I read their book in two days...and sent them a portion of my manuscript, as well..Excellent information and reading for the first time novelist like myself... Jack Polidoro, Ph.D., Brookline, NH