Does POD Still Have a Place in Self-Publishing?

In just a few short years the publishing industry has changed dramatically. So has self-publishing. The eBook is radically changed both industries. Technology, history has shown, simply has no feelings when it comes to people and the inevitable march forward shows no mercy it would seem.

I am fairly certain when Gutenberg began printing books with his press, particularly the Bible,  some people decried the certain loss of the beautiful books painstakingly produced by skilled and artistic scribes. Technology won that battle fairly quickly as evidenced by the quick spread through Europe of the printing press.

With Kindle sales in the millions this past Christmas and the Nook generating some much needed revenue for the struggling BandN, eBooks have been a boon to the industry, the reading public and the self-publishing author. So much so, some self-publishing authors are beginning to question if print versions of books, even using print-on-demand, still has a place in self-publishing.

For many self-published authors, print-on-demand was what allowed us to publish our books and at least have a chance of recouping the money invested, and if nothing else the joy of holding a copy of the finished book in hand.

But has POD print publishing become a form of vanity publishing? Joanna Penn takes an interesting look at the role POD and print books have in the life of self-published authors in a guest blog on Joel Friedlander's blog The Book Designer.

Ms. Penn argues print books are now vanity publications, but in a good sort of way. While I understand the point she is making, which primarily are for authors of fiction, I am not so sure POD paper books no longer have a role in the business of self-publishing for non-fiction authors.

The term "vanity publishing" used to refer to an author's work that was so poor the only way it would be published is if the author paid to have the book printed. These books were indeed often horrible and did little to help the reputation of any author who self-published. When legitimate author services companies began to crop up, most of whom used POD to print their clients books, these companies were often labeled as vanity publishers.

With the advent of Amazon allowing self-published authors to have access to customers, the POD business model, made popular by Aaron Shepard and Morris Rosenthal, helped many self-published authors be able to not only market and sell their books successfully, but to make money in the process.

Times change and so does business. The advent of the eReader has made a huge impact in the self-publishing industry. In my case, my Kindle sales outnumber my POD sales by a ratio of 200 to 1 as of last month! On the surface it would seem Ms. Penn is correct in her thinking the day of POD and print editions are over for self-published authors.

It is true I have not purchased a single print edition of a fiction book since receiving my Kindle. The same is not true for non-fiction books. While I do purchase non-fiction to read on my Kindle, I still purchase print books for research (I still want to be able to write in the book the old fashioned way and dog ear pages to find easily) or when I know the content will be image and graphic intensive.

In the case of my own non-fiction books, I will continue to publish my large, meaning 8.5 x 11 and 200+ page books in a POD print edition as well as a Kindle and Nook edition (even though my Nook sales have been laughable) precisely because my books are both image and graphic intensive. I also know my reader population and many of my potential readers will be slow to adapt to the new eReader technology. If I want to sell books to that segment of my potential market, I must continue to offer a print edition.

I should mention that while my Kindle sales went through the roof last month, I also had the best month ever in selling print editions. While the percentage of total sales was low, it was still lucrative and worth the time, effort and cost to have those titles available in POD print editions.

Will I change my approach to how I produce my new books in the future? Yes. I plan to offer a series of short, informative books, designed to introduce a topic and then promote my full length book at the end of the short version. These books will be text only and sell for .99 cents as Kindle shorts. These books will be targeted at potential readers who are just entering the market and are already technology oriented, not the older, more experienced potential readers.

Does POD still have a place in a self-publishing author's business plan? I think the real answer is "it depends." The author must know his or her potential readers and the quality of book the technology can support and still have the reading experience be enjoyable or informative in an easy to understand and use fashion. If I were in the fiction writing business, I would always release a Kindle version first and depending on sales and target audience follow up with a print version.

The real issue is not whether or not POD still has a place in the self-publisher's business model. It is being market savvy enough to know what the author's readers want and need from their reading experience and matching the book production to meet those wants and needs.

What's Going on With Amazon and Lightning Source? I'll Be Moving My Book to CreateSpace

I really don't like being treated like I am irrelevant, even if I am. I don't like being told what to do. Does anyone? For the most part, I like Amazon. As an Amazon customer I have no complaints. Amazon deserves its reputation as a customer centric business. 

As a CreateSpace customer I have no complaints. There have been problems at times, but CreateSpace has always resolved the problem to my satisfaction. Today, in a day and age where talking to a human on the phone to resolve a customer problem is rare, I talked to not one, but three, CreateSpace employees! Questions answered and issue resolved in less than 7 minutes!

Right now I am not very happy with Amazon as a tiny self-publisher. My best selling book, Game Strategy and Tactics for Basketball, is my lone book with Lightning Source. June is a terrible month for books sales for me, yet this title sold briskly. In fact, Amazon sold out its entire stock of the book.

At the time, I watched with interest as the number of books listed as remaining in stock dwindled, and in the month of June no less! Then it happened. The dreaded notice of ships in 2 to 3 weeks appeared. Amazon did not order copies to replace those it had just sold.

To make matters worse, August is when coaches go back to school and sales for this title begin to pick up with a peak for the year in the months of October, when practice starts, November and December. Now is not the time for this book to not be available.

Thank goodness for the Kindle version as it is selling well, but I still sell about 4 POD copies to each Kindle copy. At least I did until Amazon seemingly pulled the plug on Lightning Source.

It would seem I am not the only author experiencing this change with books printed and distributed through Lightning Source. Amazon has quietly been allowing its stock of books from LSI to sell out and then list as shipping in two or three weeks. Amazon is not talking about this current business tactic and there are quite a few self-published authors who use LSI and rely on Amazon for the bulk of their sales. LSI, when asked, is not more forthcoming with details either.

After following the ongoing discussion at the POD Publishers group on Yahoo, I have decided to utilize what Aaron Shepard refers to on his blog post on this important subject as Plan B. I am moving my book to CreateSpace for Amazon sales and leaving the title at LSI for Barnes and Nobles sales. I won't make as much per copy, but I will be selling copies.

Barnes and Noble does not generate very many sales for any of my titles and I doubt, after spending 2.5 years of "Aiming at Amazon" I can drive my sales to B and N in time to take advantage of the annual peak buying season for this title. I think my time and efforts are better spent writing more books and doing other things.

I have worked to hard to let this book die before it is ready. As of this morning it held the number four spot in the search rankings for books on the topic of coaching basketball. With no sales in the last three weeks, it won't be long before the title begins to decline in its sales ranking.

One consolation is I will be able to obtain copies directly from CreateSpace at a lower cost per copy than LSI. I sell copies when I speak at coaching clinics so this is an advantage of sorts. At least that is what I am telling myself.

More than the slightly lower profit per copy, I don't like being forced to go to "Plan B." I don't like being not informed by Amazon what is going on and I like even less like my tiny publishing firm are unimportant (though in the grand scheme of things it is and I know it). This is my business. I have worked hard and invested many hours and money that could have been spent elsewhere.

I am certain I am not the only self-published author who has watched in horror the events of the past four to six weeks as Amazon has put this plan into effect. Our efforts matter to us and Amazon could at least communicate in some form what is happening and if this is a permanent change or not.

In the mean time, I don't feel like I have a choice. This book is too valuable to me to let it die because of a change in Amazon stocking policy. So, I will do what must be done and make the change.

Amazon, love it and hate it. What's a self-publisher to do? Even if CreateSpace is owned by Amazon, at least I like them and you can talk to someone at CreateSpace.

Selecting a Print-on-Demand Company: Comparing CreateSpace and Lightning Source for Print-on-Demand Self-Publishing now available as a Kindle Book!

Selecting a Print-on-Demand Company: Comparing CreateSpace and Lightning Source for Print-on-Demand Self-Publishing is now available as a .99 Kindle book! For authors considering self-publishing using print-on-demand the two main suppliers of this service are Lightning Source and CreateSpace.

Both companies have their strong points and selecting a company to choose can be confusing for many individuals. Selecting a Print-on-Demand Company: Comparing CreateSpace and Lightning Source for Print-on-Demand Self-Publishing offers authors side-by-side comparisons, guiding questions to make a informed choice and expert commentary based on the experience of self-publishing authorities Joel Friedlander and Christy Pinheiro.

Books for the Author Considering Self-Publishing Part I

Self-publishing is more than just writing a manuscript and getting the book into print. It is an entire business and a growing industry. Technology plays a huge role in today's self-publishing industry, allowing a single author to build a successful small business.

Self-publishing is also a jack-of-all trades industry. Not only does the author have to write a good book for the book to succeed, the book has to be designed, both the interior and the cover, a method of printing selected, a business model devised, accounting procedures set-up, a marketing and distribution plan created and put in place, book reviews obtained and entire host of other skills learned, mastered or at least aware of.

I have read dozens of books, some really good, some really bad and some in between. For my next few posts I am going to post the books I strongly suggest authors considering self-publishing obtain and read as part of their self-taught learning curve.

The first suggested books are essentially mandatory reading if you are going to self-publish. Aiming at Amazon, Perfect Pages and POD for Profit are all written and self-published by Aaron Shepard, one of the foremost authorities on today's self-publishing industry. Aiming at Amazon focuses on selling books through Amazon.com and provides an entire business and marketing model for self-published authors using this approach.

Perfect Pages describes how to use Microsoft Word to design and create the interior file of a book for use with a print-on-demand printing and distribution service.

POD for Profit focuses on using Lightning Source as a print-on-demand printer and distributor. The book also discusses all the ins and outs of this business model and using LSI effectively and dealing with the quirks of this POD printer and distributor. Even if CreateSpace is to be used as the POD printing service, this book is mandatory reading.

Morris Rosenthal's Print-on-Demand Book Publishing: A New Approach to Printing and Marketing Books for Publishers and Self-publishing Authors is the best overview of the print-on-demand business model. This book is essential reading in order to understand the business side of self-publishing using print-on-demand.

For those authors who are considering using CreateSpace for POD service and distribution I suggest two books. My own Self-publishing With CreateSpace: A Resource Guide for Authors Considering Self-Publishing and Christie Pinheiro's Step-by-Step Guide to Self-Publishing for Profit!:Start Your Own Home-Based Publishing Company and Publish Your Non-Fiction Book with CreateSpace and Amazon.

The Self-publishing Revolution: POD Paperbooks and eBooks - How Big Is The Change?

I write non-fiction books for a niche specialty market. Initially, all of my books were available as trade paperbacks only and were printed utilizing print-on-demand technology. Three of those titles are now available as Kindle books with two more titles in the process of being converted. Five years ago, for me to have published my books would have required a contract with a traditional publisher or an expensive outlay of capital on my part to have a off-set press run of books printed if I chose to self-publish.

Technology has changed everything and Amazon and Barnes and Noble have given me access to customers I could not have obtained any other way. eBooks are further changing the publishing industry and self-publishing does not bear the stigma it once did. In fact, I expect in the future to see larger and larger numbers of authors self-publishing, either via Amazon's Kindle or another format or with POD services such as Amazon's CreateSpace.

Amanda Hocking and J.A. Konrad have made names for themselves as self-publishers who are experiencing success writing genre fiction and selling their work themselves via outlets such as Amazon's Kindle. A quick read of Konrad's blog for authors will let you see just how big an advocate Konrad has become of self-publishing. Mr. Konrad is making a living as a self-published author and not looking back and encourages others to consider self-publishing as well.

How big of an impact has self-publishing and eBooks made on the publishing industry? It is hard to tell. In fact, the big players in the industry do not know the answer to that question themselves. One thing is for certain, self-publishing using either print-on-demand technology or eBooks is here to stay. The publishing houses who make peace with this fact and adapt will survive. Those publishing houses who do not, will go the way of the dinosaur.

What does this mean for the average self-published author? Who knows. We all dream of our book becoming a bestseller, or at least making a reasonable sum of money, but for most of us, the truth is we will be lucky if we sell a few hundred copies of our book. The public, and not the large publishing houses, are the "gate keepers" of quality in books, a fact the large publishing houses seem to not understand.

Some things in the industry will not change. If the book is not a good one, it won't sell. The author must have a sound marketing plan and execute the plan with vigor and aggression. Technology is making this easier than ever before for self-published authors, but the fact remains, there is no substitute for a good book, a good marketing and promotional plan and hard work. As authors we live in interesting times.

CreateSpace Kindle Conversion Round Three Update!

With the release of my latest title, Goal Setting for Sport: A Concise Guide for Coaches and Athletes, I have once again secured the services of CreateSpace, the POD printer for Goal Setting for Sport, to prepare the Kindle files so I can offer a Kindle version of the book. Since I plan to convert some of my back titles to Kindle books, I decided to go ahead and spring for Better Basketball Practices to be converted as well.

Some things have changed since my last Kindle conversion using CreateSpace as the service provider. The price of the basic conversion service is still $69. However, I found out including diagrams can drive up the cost quite a bit. Goal Setting for Sport is all text but alas, Better Basketball Practices is filled with diagrams, to the tune of a total price tag of $175. Still, this is not a bad price for the amount of work involved and below the average price of many companies performing quality conversion work.

The turnaround time has increased by two weeks. When I had The Game of Basketball converted to a Kindle edition it took 5-7 business days. Now the turn around time is 3-4 business weeks. This indicates to me the level of business in converting books to Kindle format has increased significantly. CreateSpace still only converts titles already available in its POD catalog.

The increased turnaround time might seem unduly in this day and age of instant gratification but is not unreasonable nor is it much different from other services. What has changed, and I think for the better, is the level of communication between CreateSpace and the author. When I first started using CreateSpace, I essentially dealt with their computers and was never able to talk to a human. Since CreateSpace requires the author to upload POD print ready interior and cover files, this set-up is fine if you can navigate the computer set-up CreateSpace uses.

When you purchase services you get much better service. CreateSpace calls you! Imagine that, a company calling you to ask you how they can serve you! If they cannot reach you by phone on the first attempt, CreateSpace then contacts you through your Member Dashboard's Message Center. If that still does not work, they e-mail you. I learned this because our phone temporarily went out of service due to our dogs chewing the phone line into. When talking with CreateSpace personnel on the phone, they were polite, paid attention, seemed to know what they were talking about, made suggestions on how to use the CreateSpace system to obtain exactly what I wanted and actually followed up on what we talked about on the phone and e-mailed to let me know they had followed up. Wow! What a concept - customer service!

None of this happened with my first conversion. I was contacted only through my Member Dashboard Message Center. I like talking to a living person much better.

I currently have two books undergoing the conversion process. One will be finished two weeks before the other. I hope the quality of the conversion is as good as the first two I had performed by CreateSpace.

CreateSpace to Hold Webinar on Creative Sales Ideas for Authors

On February 17, 2011, at 6:00 PM ET/ 3:00 PM PT, CreateSpace will be hosting a webinar promoting create sales ideas. The following information was included in the release from CreateSpace about the webinar.

If you use the same promotional techniques, in the same way that everybody else does, you will not stand out and your sales will suffer. But if you can find new ways to reach people with a meaningful and creative message you will get positive attention, media buzz and more revenue. Discover how to break through the media clutter and reach more people with a persuasive message. This is not a webinar about new ways to write a press release, but new ways to build and hold a leadership position in your target markets through innovative, professional and effective promotion. 

To register for the webinar go to:  https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/407142488

Create Space Expands Opportunities For Its Expanded Distribution Channel

For authors interested in using CreateSpace's Expanded Distribution Channel, CreateSpace has expanded the options for books that qualify for this service.  The short excerpt below is announcement from CreateSpace.

We have some great news to share about the eligibility requirements for enrollment in the Expanded Distribution Channel (EDC). We've introduced additional trim sizes and a lower page count to expand the Bookstores & Online Retailers outlet in the EDC to even more book types. Here's what's new:

• Full-Color books are now eligible with a 6" x 9" and a 6.14" x 9.21" trim size
• Black-and-white books with cream paper are now eligible with a 5" x 8" trim size
• Black-and-white books are now eligible with a minimum of 24 pages

If you have a book with either of these trim sizes or page count, you can now log in to your Member Account and enable the Bookstores & Online Retailers outlet within the Expanded Distribution Channel. Learn more about the Expanded Distribution Channel, and explore the details of our Book Sizes options.

Kindle versus iPad - Who will win the ebook reader wars?

Morris Rosenthal posted correspondence between himself and Aaron Shepherd today on his self-publishing blog. The gist of the conversation was the two discussing which ebook reader device, Amazon's Kindle or Apple's iPad, will win the ebook reader wars. Since these two gentlemen are two of the best experts on the POD industry in particular and self-publishing in general, anything they have to say about the matter is worth taking note of. The following is the comment I posted on Morris' blog:

This will be an interesting situation to see which device wins, much like VHS versus Beta when VCRs first became available. The best format does not always win.

Part of the equation, I believe, is the competitive nature of the two biggest competitors in the market, Apple and Amazon. Both are highly competitive. Which is willing to do the most to win the war of the e-reader? Somewhere in this mix, Barnes & Noble is fighting for its survival and the Nook needs to be factored in.

Bezos has shown a willingness, as I read it, to lose money to gain a dominant market share and then earn a profit. Are the other e-book competitors willing to do the same?

I also have to wonder about the issue of “core business.” Amazon, at its core, is a book seller. Has the addition of other merchandise watered down its core business? The Kindle and the Kindle bookstore are extensions of what should be Amazon’s core business – selling books via the internet.

How much of Apple’s business is selling books? Information is certainly a major component of Apple’s business, but at its heart, is Apple in the business of selling books/information or is the core of its business selling technology? If Apple places too many of its eggs in the “book basket,” will it allow another competitor to creep up on it in the hardware/technology side of the business?

I shall watch with great interest as the outcome will impact my bottom line as a self-publishing author.

The ebook reader wars are something self-publishing authors must pay attention to. Ebooks are here to stay and while I am not about to give up on the POD arm of my tiny self-publishing empire, I am working slowly, and as funds permit, to convert the titles I deem worthy of converting to ebooks.  Winding up on the wrong side of the ebook reader war could spell disaster for an author in terms of lost sales.

My personal take on the situation is to lean slightly towards the Amazon Kindle. Amazon's core business is selling books. In addition, Amazon is vested in the POD industry as the owner of CreateSpace. Amazon understands the book market in ways Apple will struggle to learn. The learning curve for Apple to master the book industry may be the edge Amazon needs. Neither company can afford to blink in the contest though. Authors and self-publishers live in an interesting time.

CreateSpace Waives Pro-Plan Renewal Fee for 2011

For those of you who are current users of CreateSpace for your POD printer and distributor, this is probably old news. For those authors looking for a POD service, this might be news. CreateSpace has announced it is waiving the annual Pro Plan renewal fees for the year 2011.

The annual $5 Pro Plan renewal fees have been waived through 2011. What does this mean for you? All CreateSpace members who currently have book titles enrolled in Pro Plan will continue to benefit from increased royalties per sale and lower costs with respect to those book titles for member orders through December of 2011. You don't have to do anything to have the renewal fees waived - your books will automatically be renewed.

Five dollars seems like it is not a big deal and it is always nice to not pay fees. For authors who have a fair number of titles (I have 16 currently) a $5 fee per title can add up. Authors who publish the work of other authors as well can have a large back list and at $5 per title, the cost can run into hundreds of dollars.

CreateSpace charges, at the time of upload for publishing, $39 for authors who desire to use the ProPlan to publish their books. The advantages of paying the $39 are numerous, the most advantageous being the significantly lower cost per copy printing charge.

CreateSpace Kindle Conversion Round Two Update!

My second Kindle book is now available and I used CreateSpace's Kindle conversion service for a second time. The book I had converted was my second book on self-publishing, 301 Frequently Asked Questions About Self-Publishing. I have sold one Kindle copy, to myself, just to see how quickly the results would be reported. To my astonishment, the report of the sale was almost instantaneous.

CreateSpace did a nice job and this time there have been no problems with the Mac, PC or Kindle versions. For $69 it is hard to beat the service if you do not need any changes to be made in the manuscript or require special links or graphics to be converted.

It did take several weeks longer this time for the conversion to be completed. I am certain this had nothing to do with the content of the book but rather the demand for CreateSpace's conversion service has created a bit of a backlog, making the time spent waiting for your title to come up to the top of the list to be converted longer than when the service was introduced.

Of course, anything I do has to have a glitch and this one bother's me. The title of the book as listed on the Kindle product page is 201 Frequently Asked Questions About Self-Publishing. A quick check on the Kindle Direct Publishing page where product information is entered shows the title is spelled, or rather listed, correctly. How this glitch took place is beyond me and must be on Amazon's end of things.

Pricing for POD and Kindle versions of the same title

The price of a book is an important consideration, particularly for self-publishing authors. I publish non-fiction books about coaching basketball and two about self-publishing. I know a lot about coaching basketball and have learned a great deal about self-publishing. I like to share information I have learned with others and the advent of POD and eBook technology allows me to not only share information but to earn money in the process.

My expertise is not in writing fiction and it certainly is not in the complicated world of business (at least it is complicated to me). I teach history but have successfully avoided drawing the assignment of teaching economics in my years in the profession. I have a basic understanding of the concept of supply and demand and the impact of this equation on pricing. I do not completely understand the vagaries of the consuming public and the role pricing plays in the purchase decision.

The can be no doubt the lower price of eBooks plays a role in the popularity of eBook sales. But how important is the role of the price? How important is the role in the price of a print copy of a paper book? What impact does lowering the price have on sales? What impact does raising the price have on sales? Does the difference in price between a POD version of a title and a Kindle version make a difference in the decision of which copy to purchase? 

One argument for lower pricing is the lower price will drive sales and the lost income from the lower profit margin will be more than made up for through a large increase in total sales. Others might argue, at least for non-fiction books, that too low a price indicates the value of the information contained is limited. A high price indicates the value of the information in the book is significant.

My question is when is a price too high and when is a price too low? I happen to think the information in all my books has value, but then I am the author. The real question is how much do the customers who purchase my books think the information is worth? 

There in lies the key to the question of pricing, or at least what I think is the answer. How much is the information in my non-fiction books worth in terms of money to my potential customers? If I raise the price too high, it will have a negative impact on sales. If I price the book too low it will have an impact on the profitability of the book in question and, I believe, eventually have a negative impact on the total number of copies sold.

Amazon helps some with the pricing guidelines for its Kindle books. Whether you like it or not, Amazon's "suggestion" Kindle books should be priced between $2.99 and $9.99 seems to have set the standard and it is hard to argue with the 70% share of the retail price Amazon pays its Kindle authors. With easy and nearly immediate access to Kindle book sales information for a specific title, an author can experiment with pricing and over time determine the impact, positive or negative, a specific price has on any given title. The same is true of a POD paper book. CreateSpace provides hourly updates of sales for authors on the Member Dashboard.

The question I am struggling with now is what should the price difference between two editions of a title be? Will a price that works for a POD version with no Kindle version be impacted negatively if there is too big a difference between the POD price and the Kindle price?

My goal is to optimize sales for all of my books regardless of the version in question. Consider me greedy, but I want to sell as many Kindle books as I can and the same is true of my POD print books. I still have one more child to put through college. Pricing plays a role in the equation of generating sales and it has a role to play in how much profit my self-publishing business earns.

I will be sure to share what I learn in the coming months as Kindle versions of my current POD books come on line for sale and as I publish new titles with both in both eBook and POD versions.

Buyer Beware in the World of Self-publishing

Every once in awhile I fit the category of "there's a sucker born every minute." It is not often, but I do get fooled from time to time. When I made the decision to venture into the field of self-publishing, I had my don't get fooled hat on and still managed to make a couple of decisions that were not too smart.

Based on life experience I managed to avoid several costly errors. I have learned the hard way two valuable lessons; do your homework first as well as you can and there is no substitute for hard work. My Dad also taught me if it sounds to good to be true it is.

Applying these lessons to self-publishing leads me to make the following suggestions to fledgling self-publishers or experienced authors who are moving into the realm of self-publishing (please note, these are only suggestions, you can do what you think is best):

1) Do not pay for book marketing services unless you are certain the vendor you are considering using can actually deliver on what is promised for the fee charged.

2) If you do pay for book marketing services, do a cost analysis first. Will the cost of the program generate enough book sales to cover the cost and turn a reasonable profit?

3) Do not pay for book reviews. Much has been written on how to obtain free reviews. Do you homework and do the work to obtain the reviews. All too often these review for pay services do not deliver on what they promise.

4) Do not jump quickly to use an author services company. There are reputable ones out there. Many are a waste of money. Again, do your homework before you use this approach. I strongly suggest self-publishing entirely on your own.

Before you make this decision I recommend purchasing and reading three books. POD for Profit by Aaron Shepard, Print-on-Demand Book Publishing by Morris Rosenthal and my own Self-Publishing With Amazon's CreateSpace.  

Mr. Shepard's book deals with using Lightning Source Inc, as a POD printer and distributor. Mr. Rosenthal's book details the business model of using POD to self-publish and then marketing books on Amazon. My book deals with both developing a business model using POD as well as how to use the features and services of CreateSpace to self-publish books.

5) Do consider hiring an editor to edit your book as well as an experienced book designer to create your cover design and interior. Again, do your homework and check references. Reputable professionals are happy to produce references.

The number one key to a successful book is quite simply a good book. Your first step in succeeding as a self-published author is to write a good book.

Marketing and promoting your book is going to largely be up to you, regardless of the method of publishing you choose. 

Finally, be aware self-publishing is a business. You will need to have a business plan that includes a budget, a marketing and promotion plan, a means to distribute books, collect funds from sales, keep records for taxes and pay for all the other expenses self-publishing can generate.

Self-Publishing Business Models - A Basic Overview

Self-publishing is a business. Many authors fail to recognize this fact when making the decision to self-publish their book. A solid business plan is essential for the books success, even if the author is not overly interested in financial success but desires the greatest number of possible readers to obtain the book and its contents. Part of the process of developing a successful business plan for a self-published book is to understand the common business models in the publishing world.

The information below has been excerpted from 301 Frequently Asked Questions About Self-Publishing.

117. Can you provide some examples of different business models for a self-published author?

Traditional publishing as a business is centered around distributing books through brick and mortar stores. The advent of the internet and the growth of Amazon into the largest book retailer in the world has changed the book industry forever.

For the self-publishing author several business models now exist. The advent of POD printing and distribution has created the POD business model. Another business model that relies heavily on the POD model is to steer sales toAmazon. Niche marketing to non-traditional points of sale is also a viable business model.

118. What is the traditional self-publishing business model?

The traditional model of self-publishing relied on the technology of the times, requiring large press runs of books using an off-set printing press and the warehousing of the books until they could be sold. This approach required a fair amount of capital to be invested by the author in order to self-publish.

119. What is the “Print-on-Demand” business model?

Unlike the traditional method of publishing using off-set printing and then warehousing the printed press run of books, the POD business model allows the author to sell and print books only when a copy has been ordered or purchased. Multiple or single copies of a book can be printed on demand. The cost per copy can be higher than using off-set printing, but there is no warehousing cost, no inventory, no capital outlay and no inventory to pay taxes on. Books are only printed when ordered and if LSI or CreateSpace is used as the POD printer, distribution is also handled for the self-publisher by either of these two companies.

120. What is the primary advantage of the POD business model?

This business model allows for self-publishers to enter the business with a very low capital investment and to lower operating costs to an absolute minimum.

CreateSpace Continues To Add New Services - Interior Design Templates Now Available - More Competition For Author Services Companies!

Amazon and CreateSpace appear to be serious about making inroads in the self-publishing industry as CreateSpace continues to offer an ever expanding array of new services for authors who desire to self-publish.  The latest addition to the services offered by CreateSpace are interior design templates.

For authors who are just entering the field of self-publishing, funds are often limited, making it difficult for an author to afford professional interior design and layout for their book. CreateSpace templates make it possible for self-publishing authors to improve their interior design, creating a more professional appearing book.

This new feature could be a major boon to the industry as one of the complaints often voiced about self-published books is the poor design of the cover and interior. The greater the number of self-published books that have quality design, the better for all self-publishing authors.

The new feature will introduce competition in the market for other author services companies who often charge significant sums of money to layout the interior of a book. This move would seem to indicate CreateSpace wants to challenge the competition in the author services industry.

Below is the information from CreateSpace announcing the new service.

Creating Content

New Interior Book Templates

Need some help preparing your book's interior as a PDF to meet our submission guidelines? We recently introduced new interior book templates in Microsoft Word to help make the interior file creation process easier for you. Templates are available in a variety of standard trim sizes. Here's a quick overview of how you can use these templates to create your book's interior: 1.     Select the template that fits your manuscript's needs and trim size 2.     Copy and paste your content into the template 3.     Proof each page 4.     Convert your document into PDF format - get specific instructions here

CreateSpace and Kindle Conversion Update - Part II

Several weeks ago I received my converted file from CreateSpace for upload to Amazon's DTP to sell this particular book in a Kindle conversion, for which I paid the grand sum of $69. All went well and the Kindle version has sold some copies, though I have yet to recoup my $69 though I am sure I will in a fairly short time frame.

I have both horrible news and good news to report. Just to test things out and see how the reporting of sales works, I purchased the first copy of my book in Kindle format, downloaded it onto my Mac laptop, opened up my Kindle reader software, selected my book and began "flipping" the pages. Everything looked great! Then to my horror, the Kindle app simply shut down and I received one of those annoying error messages asking me to send an e-mail to Apple.

Knowing the poison pen is often poised in the hands of Kindle book readers and not wanting the book destroyed before it could even get started as a Kindle book, I fired off an e-mail to CreateSpace informing them of my horror, dismay and concern.

The good news is CreateSpace promptly CALLED me by phone and the individual "assigned" to resolve the problem gave me her name (can you imagine that!) so I could stay in contact with her. She informed me CreateSpace was horrified as well! The next day she informed me they could not crash a Kindle reader with my book and I told them what page it crashed on and that it crashed on the Mac app. A short time later another call - she had crashed the Mac app! Turns out the problem is with the software for the Mac. Now really concerned.

This morning I received an e-mail informing me I would be sent a reformatted file to replace the other file on the DTP. My Kindle programmer had found the glitch in the software and while she could not fix the app, she had figured out how to make my book read just fine on every Kindle app.

Am I happy this happened? No! Am I pleased with the response to my problem? An unqualified yes! CreateSpace resolved my issue to my satisfaction and showed initiative in doing so. My Kindle programmer kept me up to speed on what was going on and resolved the problem in a reasonable period of time. 

Will I use the CreateSpace Kindle conversion service again? Probably, particularly the  more I read how you prepare a file for upload to the DTP. I just keep getting more and more confused the more I read and have almost come to the conclusion $69 is cheap compared to the time it would take me to learn how to do it correctly myself.

CreateSpace Now Offers ISBN Service Options

Up until recently an author who wished to use CreateSpace for self-publishing had one of two options for obtaining an ISBN. A CreateSpace assigned ISBN could be had for free. The string attached was CreateSpace would be both the Imprint and the Distributor if this option was selected. 

The second option was for the author to provide an ISBN purchased from Bowker. This option allowed the author to name the imprint and select the distributor.

CreateSpace now has two additional options. The author may purchase a custom ISBN for $10 and name the imprint but must use CreateSpace as the distributor.

The author may also purchase a "custom universal ISBN" for $99. This option allows the author to both name the imprint and the distributor.

Depending on the ISBN option selected there may be limits to the options available for the Expanded Distribution Service.

The following is from the CreateSpace website:

CreateSpace-Assigned ISBN

• CreateSpace is your book's imprint of record. If you select Amazon.com as a distribution channel, then this will be included on your book's Amazon.com detail page.
• You can sell your book through Amazon.com, an eStore, and all Expanded Distribution Channel sales outlets.
• You cannot use the ISBN with another publisher.
• Your book's ISBN information will be registered with BooksInPrint.com®

Custom ISBN* - $10

• You choose your book's imprint of record. If you select Amazon.com as a distribution channel, then this will be included on your book's Amazon.com detail page.
• You can sell your book through Amazon.com, an eStore, and some† Expanded Distribution Channel sales outlets.
• You cannot use the ISBN with another publisher.
• Your book's ISBN information will be registered with BooksInPrint.com®

Custom Universal ISBN* - $99

• You can use this ISBN with any publisher.
• You choose your book's imprint of record. If you select Amazon.com as a distribution channel, then this will be included on your book's Amazon.com detail page.
• You can sell your book through Amazon.com, an eStore, and some† Expanded Distribution Channel sales outlets.
• Your book's ISBN information will be registered with BooksInPrint.com®

Provide Your Own ISBN

• You can purchase your own ISBN from Bowker or through your local ISBN agency.
• If you are reprinting your book, the title, author name, and binding type must remain the same. A new edition requires a new ISBN.
• Your book's imprint must match what's on file with your ISBN.
• You can sell your book through Amazon.com, an eStore, and some† Expanded Distribution Channel sales outlets.

CreateSpace, Kindle Conversion and Amazon - Part II

I promised an update on my experience with using CreateSpace for converting one of my titles to a Kindle e-book. For $69 I believe I received a fair and adequate service for my money. When opened the file looks identical to the paper book.  I cannot say the same for my own first effort in converting the book to a Kindle ready conversion file. The cover art turned out well as well. So far so good.

I uploaded the files to the Digital Text Platform at Amazon and everything went well at that stage of the process.  I received a notice from Amazon that the book would not be available for purchase for another 24 hours. I have my fingers crossed and hope the final product looks like it should.

I have decided to introduce the book for the price of $2.99 to drive some early sales of the book. I will probably leave it at that price for the month of December and then raise it during January.

CreateSpace versus Ligthening Source Revisited

Currently I have three book projects underway. One is a simple experiment in converting an existing book into a Kindle book using the new CreateSpace conversion service. The next two projects won't be finished until the spring of 2011 at the earliest. Just as I am experimenting with the CreateSpace Kindle conversion, one of the two as yet completed titles will be published with Lightning Source.

The title I published using Dog Ear Publishing, Game Strategy and Tactics for Basketball,  is printed using LSI's POD and sold on Amazon. Dog Ear's staff did a wonderful job in the design of the book and editing and LSI does a great job printing the book. However, the up front cost for me to continue to rapidly introduce books was prohibitive in developing a back list. This was one of the reasons I invested the time to learn how to do much of the work myself, hired an editor and used CreateSpace to publish the bulk of my titles.

CreateSpace has continued to improve the ease with which authors can self-publish using CreateSpace's services. I am still working my way through getting my account opened with LSI.

The advantages of using CreateSpace now, are largely the same as when I started using CreateSpace and I believe a few additional advantages have been created since that time. They include:

• ease of use
• automatic listing on Amazon
• low cost to publish a book (Free or $39 for the Pro Plan - Pay the $39 for the Pro Plan - it is worth it).
• low cost per copy to print
• hourly sales updates on the author's member dashboard
• monthly payment - payment is 30 days after the previous month's sales. In other words, at the end of October you are paid for September's sales.
• author services are now available for those who wish to take advantage of these services.
• expanded distribution to other retailers

The disadvantages:

• required 40% discount for all Amazon sales
• an even higher discount for sales through the Expanded Distribution network

The advantages of using LSI:

• authors are allowed to use the short discount business model (this is a really big advantage in terms of profitability!)
• automatic listing with Ingram

The disadvantages of using LSI:

• not as easy to start using to self-publish
• higher cost per copy
• quarterly instead of monthly payment

For many, the main issue is one of profitability. An author can make more money per sale on Amazon using LSI than CreateSpace. CreateSpace is easier to use, offers lower cost per copy, but has the disadvantage of a higher required discount.

For authors new to self-publishing and who desire to learn more about the industry, you may want to consider my newest book, 301 Frequently Asked Questions About Self-Publishing, available from Amazon. If you are interested in learning more about using CreateSpace, you might check out my book Self-Publishing With Amazon's CreateSpace, also available from Amazon.

Amazon's CreateSpace to offer Kindle conversion for $69!

I have been searching for a service to convert some of my books to Kindle format. After seeing if I could do it myself, the results were terrible, I began my search. Since most of my books are published with CreateSpace, I am delighted to learn of this new service being offered by CreateSpace! The price for the service is $69 per book unless the book has complex diagrams, etc, in the body. Note, in order to obtain the $69 price, the book to be converted must already be in the POD system with CreateSpace.

I will keep all of the readers here posted as I work through the process of having at least one of my books converted to Kindle by CreateSpace. I will be sure to comment on the quality of the work and if I am pleased with the final product.

It  makes good business sense for CreateSpace to offer this service to its authors since it is owned by Amazon. This move should help Amazon quickly increase the size of its Kindle library and could potentially increase its share of the ebook market.

From CreateSpace:

Kindle-Ready File Conversion

Broaden your readership by making your book available through the Amazon Kindle. eBooks are widely popular, especially since the launch of the Kindle. Our Kindle-Ready File Conversion service converts your trade paperback book into an eBook for the Amazon Kindle.

Price: $69.00*

* Books with complex formatting may require additional fees (e.g. mathematical formulas, tables, and heavy graphics). In rare cases we may be unable to convert your book. 

  

Bring Your Book to the Digital Age

• Reach a whole new audience of readers
• Gain access to a new revenue stream
• Ensure your book retains its professional appearance

CreateSpace will convert your trade paperback book* into an eBook format that maintains the formatting and design elements used in your trade paperback book. You will also receive a JPEG thumbnail of your book’s cover.

Both files are ready for you to upload to Amazon’s Digital Text Platform (DTP) for distribution in the Kindle store. DTP also accepts html, Word .doc, .pdf, ePub, plain text, and MobiPocket files for free.

* You must have a print-ready book in our system.