What To Look For With a Self Publisher
Posted: Monday, April 27, 2009
by Mike Fak
http://mikefak.com
So you have decided to go with a self-publisher. Of course, you have already checked them out thoroughly on the web right?
The questions now are what is a fair cost and what in a self-publishing package is really worth the money.
A cover to a book is singularly important. It is what will catch the eye of a browser, whether you are selling them at a flea market, church get together or a local book store you have made a deal with. I don't think a quality graphic artist will take on the job for less than $150 or more if you really want to get elaborate with design. I see some charge as much as a $1000 and I think that is way too much unless it sings to you when you walk by it.
There are usually charges for setting up the book for print on demand but since you can buy a PDF program for $29.95 I wouldn't get too excited about spending much more than that. Maybe you have trouble with the nuances of set-up such as a table of contents so that does have value if someone else does it properly for you.
The ISBN number always adds a bit to the package prices but type in "how to get an ISBN" number and you will see that isn't rocket science. A bar code is also one of those special services bragged about by companies but for the great majority of self publishers they don't do much good.
Only in the event you will have your book placed in major retailers is either of these essential anyway. My second book had neither of these and it outsold my last book, which had all the bells and whistles, by almost a thousand copies: so much for an ISBN and bar code being essential to a self publishing author.
Some publishers make a stink out of getting the book registered with the Library of Congress. That will sell you zero books so don't get enamored with that little bit of ego massaging.
The big seller is getting your book on Amazon.com and we have already covered that so don't get overly enthused that will sell you many books.You will need an ISBN and bar code for them however.
You also need to know upfront exactly what price your book will hit the market at. Several self-publishing companies aren't happy just taking a chunk of your dough upfront and also want to make a killing on however many copies they sell. Having paperbacks on the market for $24.95 or even $29.95 will put you at a distinct disadvantage over the major houses who charge far less for well known authors.
Perhaps the most important thing to look for is who owns your book? Now, while it is being printed and sold out there to the public, the self-publishing company needs to have that right to do so. But you should never give up the right to take it back in the event you find yourself not getting any results from the company. Several companies don't ask for the rights at all. A few say they want them until you quit their company and then you get them back. Several take the rights to your book away from you forever or for several years and that is ridiculous. Only if someone pays you a goodly sum should you do that. Why should you spend all that time and effort to write a book and then give cash to someone else to now own your labor of love? That doesn't make any sense. But I see it all the time and people keep asking me what they can do and I have no answer save get an attorney involved.
In all of this, if you chose a self-publisher, you can't expect a business to help get your book properly set up and ready to sell for nothing. The cost for their expertise however should be several hundred dollars and not several thousand. There are POD companies out there that base their profit on getting a portion of each book sold and these are the people you want to deal with. Such a system makes them partners of interest in helping you succeed as much as possible.
There will be one last episode in this series on Thursday. We will talk on what to do and how to do it when you are ready to publish your book.
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Top-level comments on this article: (3 total)Once again, thanks much, Mike. Still learning the business side of becoming a published author, and frankly, it's not it's cracked up to be, unless one works hard to stand out from the bunch. I appreciate you for shedding so much light. ~mogama~You are welcome. I'm afraid many self-publishing companies only present a pie in the sky side for a new author.There are many things to consider besides just the dream.Mike
Thank you, Mike.Any time, all the time, Ken.Mike
Very good advise, thanks. I am currently looking at a website publisher called CafePress. Have you heard of them? It sounds like they just take a portion of what they sell.Hello David. I'm sorry but I know little about them except they seem to sell many different things.My final column tomorrow on this topic might be of help as I offer a few threads you can explore.ThanksMike
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