While some authors are enjoying riding their publishing wave, others may be struggling with the basics of the whitewash and getting started.

Serious authors, like surfers, understand their terrain and work with the elements.  From understanding our own natural writing style to learning from others and working with a team to produce the best version of a book we can.

Now more than ever, any writer with a good idea for a book can ride the wave well.  The major keys are knowledge of the platforms in the marketplace, choosing the best option to publish your books and getting your book under the nose of a targeted audience.

Amazon is the biggest bookstore on the planet, serving a whopping 225 million customers.  On Cyber Monday alone, Amazon sells on average 300 items a second.  Amazon has 96 warehouses in the world (Australia is joining them), and these fulfilment centres are the size of 20 football fields.

In its humble beginnings, Amazon was a bookstore. Now it is the ‘everything store.’  Jeff Bezos, the founder, and CEO of Amazon is a revolutionist and not afraid to disrupt the old ways.  He believes that “the common question that gets asked in business is, ‘why?’ That’s a good question, but an equally valid question is, ‘why not?’.

Let’s look at a tiny snapshot of why authors are signing up with the #12 company on the Fortune 500 list.

1. KINDLE Amazon’s digital game changer

The Kindle store is one giant networking machine with a massive list of books in the millions. Amazon puts those titles (written by anyone) in front of readers as recommendations.  These suggestions on what to read next are based on among other things, the customer’s reading habits.  For Amazon, it’s not about the competition it’s their obsession with keeping customers coming back to the Kindle store, ready to show them their favourite books to read.

2. KINDLE DIRECT PUBLISHING (KDP) The platform without a publisher

A staggering sum of authors that were turned down from agents, written off by publishers or found their manuscripts stuck in the slush pile switched to self-publishing, and their book sales skyrocketed through the digital roof on Amazon’s KDP.

It’s open to anyone and with KDP Select authors can opt in for 70% of the profits back in their pockets.  There is just one big string attached.  Authors who enrol in the Select Program must commit their digital books exclusively to Amazon during the exclusive period.  Some Authors go wide and upload their books to a range of distributors including KDP, while others choose KDP Select and either hire professionals or do the hard yards themselves in understanding this platform and getting their books in front of readers.

3. KDP SELECT A Program with Benefits

Signing up to KDP Select is not a guarantee that authors will make sales, it’s a program, which includes:

• Automatically available to Amazon Kindle readers who are subscribed to Kindle Unlimited
• Earn royalties under the Kindle Edition Normalized Pages (KENP) Read program
• Available in the Kindle Owners Lending Library (KOLL) program
• Participate in Kindle Countdown Deals
• Offered for free for five days in each 90 day enrolment period

Check out Amazon US  for more benefits.  Australians can make their KDP published books available for readers in the Australia Kindle Store.

4. ALL IN EXCLUSIVELY OR GOING WIDE?

The publishing industry is in rapid change.  Forums are a great way to gain information on keeping up to speed with changes and an opportunity to gain knowledge about why authors are choosing to go exclusively with KDP Select or distribute on multiple book sale platforms.  Here are a few suggestions from seasoned authors:

• If you’re new to the self-publishing world, KDP Select may boost your discovery and keep the starting out process simple.
• If you experimented with KDP Select and it’s working now, don’t always assume it will keep working
• Well known authors may choose going wide to increase readership
• Going wide allows the freedom of controlling where you want to distribute your book

On a recent forum discussion, an author reached out asking for help with distributing their books.  The author had novels and a children’s book.

Forum Answer:  “On Amazon, there are 70% and 35% royalties. To get 70%, your eBook must be priced between $2.99 and $9.99. For a short story, you would probably have to price at 99c, and for that, you would just get 35%.  If you go with 70% and it’s a picture book, consider the download fees compared to 35% where there are no download fees.”

The author decided to keep their novels in KDP Select and go wide with the children’s book.

To sum up the decision, there is no right or wrong answer although factors like genre, the number of books, author’s goals, where your audience is and where you are in your career can point authors in the right direction.

Revolutionists like Jeff Bozos don’t get stuck on the ‘why’.  They push beyond reason and tap into something that’s never been seen or done before.  It’s like their brain is uniquely wired to dream up something unique that’s purposeful.  Like Amazon’s octocopters.  Those mini-drones will soon be dropping our purchases right to the front door within minutes or hours of our sale.  But wouldn’t that require warehouses in mass locations all over the world?  Yes, it would, and it’s why Amazon is looking to the sky.

References:
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/amazons-jeff-bezos-looks-to-the-future/
https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/jeff_bezos_449987
http://fortune.com/fortune500/amazon-com/
https://www.forbes.com/sites/laurengensler/2017/05/24/the-worlds-largest-retailers-2017-walmart-cvs-amazon/#243e64c620b5
http://fortune.com/2016/12/29/amazon-floating-warehouses/
https://pixabay.com/en/beach-ocean-outdoors-sea-seascape-1836366/

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I chose Ingram Sparks (IS) and CreateSpace (CS) to distribute ‘Starfish Singers‘. Both distributors have cover template generators if you wish to use them. I hired three graphic artists to help with formatting the cover templates before I found an experienced graphic designer who knew how to format the covers according to the distributor’s specifications. She had worked with these templates before and knew what she was doing.

When hiring a graphic designer, ask if they have experience with using these types of templates. It’s a specialized field.

The expectation is that the distributor cover template will format your book perfectly, with the help of a hired graphic designer. The reality is if the specifications are even slightly off when you order your book to check the quality will reflect the flaws. The process will need to be done again, with another proof ordered until you have produced the perfect book ready for printing.

This Createspace template was generated when I put in the details of my book:
• Interior type
• Trim size
• Page count
• Paper colour
• Click build the template

Further information about Ingram Sparks and Createspace templates:
1. https://www.ingramspark.com/blog/file-requirements-for-print-books
2. https://www.createspace.com/Help/Book/Artwork.do

Other distributors work with Print on demand (POD) and eBooks. I chose Ingram Sparks for POD as they have a printing facility in Australia. If you chose CreateSpace, the books are printed in the United States.

In self-publishing, it is essential to hire the right people and do your homework when choosing the best distributor. My graphic designer also operated in publishing fundamentals. I hired her to check my title set up in the Ingram Sparks and Createspace accounts. I have worked with many people over the last three years with producing my book, besides my editors, Gillian was another rock star.

The post Book Covers And Using Distributor Templates: Expectations vs. Reality appeared first on Christine Camp.

ISBN’s other important facts:

• If you are the publisher and paying to get your book printed, including other digital formats, you will need to apply and buy ISBN’s.
• If you plan to sell your book in digital formats such as ePub and MOBI, it is best practice in the industry to apply a separate ISBN for each format.
• If you plan to sell your book in bookstores, to libraries, or through online retailers like Amazon.com, you will need an ISBN.

The ISBN gives your book a universal ID, which is used by publishers, booksellers, libraries, internet retailers and supply chains to find and refer to your book.

Do I need a barcode with my ISBN?
Barcodes are used to label and scan books. It reads your ISBN.

• If you want your books in bricks and mortar stores, you need a barcode.
• Barcodes are situated on the back of your book’s cover and typically in the bottom right-hand corner.
• You can purchase barcodes from Bowker in the US, Thorpe-Bowker in AUS, or Nielsen for the UK.
• Barcodes hold other information like the price of the book.
• If you are distributing through Ingram Sparks or Createspace (or both), you can buy ISNB’s direct from them. Read the requirements if you do. There are conditions on how and where you can sell your book.
• Do work with a professional graphic artist when working on the cover for your book. Ask if they have worked with barcodes and ISNB’s?

I purchased 10 ISBN’s plus 1 barcode through Thorpe and Bowker. I used individual ISBN’s for each of my formats including my paperback, ePub, and MOBI digital formats.

I hope that some of this information is useful when deciding on which direction to pursue in the publishing industry. If you are uncertain, research and seek out professionals that can assist with the publishing of your book.

This information is general in nature and should not be used as a substitute for professional publishing advice.

Resources:
https://www.myidentifiers.com.au/barcode/main
https://www.nla.gov.au/the-australian-isbn-agency
http://www.ingramspark.com/blog/isbn-facts-for-self-publishers
https://www.createspace.com/Products/Book/ISBNs.jsp

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Indie (Independent) Best Selling authors don’t need the muscle of a traditional publisher if they have found their niche and have an entrepreneurial edge.

If you just want to write, then write and submit your manuscript to a literary agent. It’s their job to seal the book deal with a traditional publisher.

If you have the budget, you may want to choose to co-publish and let a professional team do all the work.

Let’s take a closer look at the differences in the publishing world:

Traditional Publishing Companies:

• The author wants a book deal. They submit (if permitted) their completed manuscript to a publishing house or seek an agent to do this on their behalf.
• If accepted, the house owns the rights to the book. The house usually pays the author an advance on future royalties.
• The process can be a slow and royalties rates low.
• Little to no creative control.
• The author pays no money to the publisher, the house pays for everything.  If a publishing company asks for money, it’s NOT a traditional publishing company.
• Always have someone check out the contract. Look for clauses where the publishing company wants rights and negotiate.

Indie (Independent Authors)/ Self-Publishing:

• The author is the creator and has complete control over everything (Do It Yourself).
• Hires professionals to work with them through the process.
• The author can learn all aspects of the publishing industry.
• Faster turn around time to publish books.
• Choose formats (paperback,ebook, audio).
• The author pays for everything.
• Retain all the rights and receive higher royalties.
• It’s hard work, and yet empowering.

Middle Man:

• Often called Hybrid or co-publishing. The author pays to get published.
• Pays for the expertise of the publishing business.
• Authors make more than traditional publishing but less self-publishing.
• Some have a submission process – co-publishers choose the authors they wish to work with.
• It’s like a partnership where authors can maintain creative control.
• Traditional companies are moving into this publishing space. Always do your due diligence and check out if they have a solid track record when working with authors.
• Some offer good deals, others will take your money and run.
• Shop around and compare prices and contractual agreements.

If you are writing or have written a book or just have an idea that’s motivating you to write, it’s the start that counts. J.K Rowlings had an idea and just started writing.  I doubt she did very little due diligence. It was the thrilling adventure of writing the untold story of an orphaned boy that motivated her to write. Her book was rejected 12 times by publishers. I wonder how those publishers feel now.

Write your untold story. It’s an empowering decision and choose your path wisely.

Resources:
http://www.thecreativepenn.com/self-publishing-vs-traditional/
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B3BkwFa5qpaIWW1DeFdkMzdxbE0/view
http://selfpublishingadvice.org/alli-blog/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._K._Rowling

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