This little Self-Publishing Guide has it all. Denise Hamilton of Ink Tree Marketing has put all her book marketing and publishing experience into this straightforward and comprehensive guide. The cost is quite reasonable for the amount of information that's packed in to the guide. You'll find it a very helpful addition to your resource list if you are considering self-publishing your book. The author sold 250,000 copies of her book without taking a single workshop or seminar, and with absolutely no training or experience. Learn More about this guide.
In Self-Publishing, Slow and Steady Wins: The Hare, the Tortoise, and Publishing
In Aesop's fable of The Hare and the Tortoise, these two animals agree to a race. Everyone knows that a hare is fast while a tortoise is slow. However, during the race, the hare decides to take a rest part way through and falls asleep. As a result the tortoise wins the race. Aesop's moral in this story is "slow and steady wins the race." Aesop could have written this fable for small publishers and those considering self-publishing. Small publishers and self-publishers should model their business plan after the tortoise in this tale; slow and steady.
How to Publish a Book as a Small or Self-Publisher
Large publishing houses publish multiple books each year. Then at the end of the year, they retire the books that did not meet their sales expectations and continue to keep the books that sold very well in circulation. The next year they repeat this process again. The books that sell well for the large publishing houses become their "backlist" titles. These are the books that continue to sell year after year. Many publishing houses make almost half of their profit off of their backlist titles. Their remaining profits come from their new "bestsellers."
When small publishers follow this type of publishing plan, they inevitably fail. Many small publishers attempt to compete with large publishing houses and end up giving up too soon on new books when they do not sell as well they hoped the first year. Large publishing houses have the financial ability to place substantial marketing dollars behind every title they produce and to continue to publish multiple titles each year. Most small publishers do not have the financial wherewithal to compete with the large publishers.
For most small publishers, time, not money, is on your side. Most of the titles small publishers produce can be sold year after year as long as the subject matter is still relevant. Research shows that it generally takes a minimum of seven to twelve exposures to a new product before consumers will purchase. As a small publisher, you can take advantage of the time you have to continually market your titles to build up this required exposure over time. You do not have to have it accomplished in a year as the big publishers strive for. Your titles may never reach bestseller status, but steady sales add up over time.
Aim for continual steady sales. Don't give up if your new books don't sell as well as you expect the first year. Continue to market, market, market. Believe that you published the book for a purpose and that purpose is still being fulfilled. Hang in there like the tortoise. Slow and steady will win you the race.
in what i said before; i mean, no one really tells you exactly what to do or how to actually self publish a book on here. they just give you tips about it and act like everyone in the whole world knows how to self publish a book! but we don't! so why doesnt anyone tell us how?!!!!!!!
what i'd like to know is,...
HOW EXACTLY DO YOU SELF PUBLISH A BOOK?! i mean, what exactly do you DO?!
OK. I give up. I'll put together a step-by-step guide to self-publishing. I'll tell you what to do, when to do it, and how to make it all happen. But it's going to cost you. It won't be free. Look for it in the coming months...
I successfully self published my first book by research alone.
First, go to the library! There are many books on self-publishing which will explain, step-by-step what to do. Then go to Para Publishing online and sign up for their newsletter.
If you look around their site, YOU WILL LEARN.
It's just a process. Write your manuscript, then start your research.
I have written a very short and inexpensive book titled, "A Book Inside, Writing, publishing, and selling your story." I'll have it out this summer (self-published I'm sure).
Don't sweat it!
This little Self-Publishing Guide has it all. Denise Hamilton of Ink Tree Marketing has put all her book marketing and publishing experience into this straightforward and comprehensive guide. The cost is quite reasonable for the amount of information that's packed in to the guide. You'll find it a very helpful addition to your resource list if you are considering self-publishing your book. The author sold 250,000 copies of her book without taking a single workshop or seminar, and with absolutely no training or experience.