be the media self-publishing presentation

8/7/2019 Be The Media Self-Publishing Presentation

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Self-PublishingCarla King


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http://selfpubbootcamp.com/

Why Self-Publish? Traditional publishing Advance + ~12% royalty + backlisting

Failing-shrinking business model Only top few % of authors get publishersupport Self- Indie- Micro-publishing

Up-front costs + high royalty + longevity Growing business model (technology-driven)

Author retains revision, formatting,design, channel control


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Why Am I

Publishing? Set expectations. Will my book... Make money? Contribute to career? Provide credibility?

Personal satisfaction? See: Mission statement and goalsworksheet in self-pub workbook


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About platform

Consistent branding

Start: NOW

Website, blog, social media

Contribute

to community Marketing and publicity

ASK: Where are my readers?

Platform = Marketing


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Publishing

Possibilities E-books

for download in text formats for reading in browsers for distribution to browser/devices via Smashwords, Scribd,

subsidy press

for sale in e-tailer stores for reading in devices via bookshelves

POD (Print On Demand) books via subsidy press, short run

Offset print books (traditional, requires inventory, quality full colorbooks)

Transmedia books (Web-designer skills) Book apps (C++ programmer skills, browser-based tools in

development)

Audio books (Audio programmer, recording studio, voice talent)

Ask again: Where are my readers?


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E-Book First:

Channels 1: Scribd for feedback / platform development Easy, fast, builds platform, creates working drafts, review copies, reader feedback,

community, buzz

2: Smashwords to e-tailers and devices likeiPad, Sony,

Nook, Android, iPhone... everybody but

Amazon (for now)

3: Amazon Kindle via CreateSpace or DTP


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Platform Alphabet

Soup PDF, HTML5, EPUB,ANDROID, DTP, TXT,DOC, RTF, PDB, AZW,

MOBI, OH MY! Dont worry about the hype(channels make it easy)

The importance ofreflowable content The case against reflow:

design-heavy books - PDF,EPUB


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Editing is #1 Writing groups or peer groups

Conceptual editing Copyediting / line editing

Proofreading Finding editors and proofreaders


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Design is also #1 Book cover - digital and print Interior - digital and print (static vs

reflowable)

Tools - DIY w/MS Word or hire-out pro withInDesign and Quark, Photoshop, Illustratorskills

Hiring designers For more info: selfpubbootcamp.com

resources


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Digital Rights

Management Why DRM is not a good idea DRM, Digital Content, and the Consumer Experience:

Lessons Learned from the Music Industry

The problem of pirating Copyright infringement

When DRM might be okay


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Bowker:Control Your ISBN1.Buy block of 10 ISBN

numbersThe Pitfalls of Using Self-Publishing Book Packages

2.Insert metadata for SEOA Self-Publisher's Guide to Metadata for Books

3.Price your book

4.Buy your bar code

5.Notify when out-of-print or2nd edition available


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Printing Requires formatting, editing, design, andPDF.

Print proofs for proofreading and forreviews - i.e., advance reading copies(ARCs)

Print on-demand (POD) as ordered Printing short runs (~100 or more) Traditional offset printing (~1000 or more)


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Too much work! Why not... Vanity Presses

Subsidy Presses Author Services Companies Book Packagers The Pitfalls of Using Self-Publishing Book

Packages on PBS MediaShift


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Transmedia Books Enhanced e-books Book apps - apps based on

books

Included QR Codes in print booksfor mobile tagging

A Self-Publisher's Primer to

Enhanced

E-Books and Book Apps


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Sales Channels Scribd (social, browsers, mobile)

Smashwords (browsers, devices, wide distro)

Amazon (CreateSpace, DTP, Kindle) Bookstores - http://to.pbs.org/bTwFbw

Direct - website, personal appearances


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Royalties Amazon Kindle channel = 30% Smashwords channel = 20% +

aggregation

Apple, Sony, B&N, others - 30% so w/aggregation you get 50%

Scribd channel = 20% Subsidy presses = vary and often have

setup costs


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The Future Is

Curation Targeted / vertical markets - genre,

industry

Vetted: Bloggers, reviewers Vetted: Social, community, rating

systems

Catalogs - books, supplies, gear Micropublishing


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To do list1. Brand: author photo,

logos, colors, design

2. Platform, marketing,

publicity: Social

sharing, website, blog,social media...

3. Edit, design

4. Bowkerfor ISBN

5. Distribute/aggregate

with Scribd,Smashwords, Amazon

6. Print POD or short-run

for self-distribution

DISTRIBUTIONCHANNELS

1: Writing groups, Scribd, blogs, socialmedia for sharing, getting feedback,building platform

2:Amazon (DTP or CreateSpace) foredited and designed e-book

3: Smashwords or other aggregator forsales and digital distribution to readers viabrowsers, e-readers, mobile devices

4: Direct from your website, live events,catalogs, other curators via digitaldistribution and print


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Reading &

Resources Self-Publishing Boot Camp educationalprogram: workbook, recommended resourcesfor hiring web designers, editors, book designers,publicists, etc. selfpubbootcamp.comFind the table of contents here.

Small Publishers Association ofNorth America spannet.org

Understanding and keeping up to date on publishing:

PBS BookShift articles http://www.pbs.org/mediashift/carla-king/

A publishers view of the digital transformation http://bit.ly/bKzqZi Publishers Weekly http://www.publishersweekly.com

Booktrade http://www.booktrade.info/

be the media self-publishing presentation

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