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George Maciver
Malcolm
zadaconnaway
Shelagh
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Shelagh
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Shelagh


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PostSubject: Self-publishing   Self-publishing EmptySun Feb 03, 2008 2:03 am

If you are about to self-publish or you would like to know more about self-publishing, check out this first:

http://www.fonerbooks.com/paper.htm

Quote :

There are dozens of titles about how to publish a book which are replete with stories of rejected authors who strike it rich, but that type of success is incredibly rare and doesn't serve as a model you can follow. The average book published in the U.S. sells less than 2,000 copies in it's lifetime, and since bestsellers and heavily promoted trade published books pull up that average, you had better believe that the average self published book sells closer to 200 copies. Success in any type of publishing is dependent upon salesmanship, so if you aren't willing to invest at least as much time in selling your book as you invested in writing it, there's little reason to go into the publishing business.

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zadaconnaway
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zadaconnaway


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Age : 76
Location : Washington, USA

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PostSubject: Re: Self-publishing   Self-publishing EmptySun Feb 03, 2008 10:42 pm

Interesting topic. There are so many options today, that it requires much consideration on all counts. I would suppose that it would depend greatly on the genre, why it was written and the target audience as to which route were the best one to take.

Lots of research!!study
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Shelagh
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Shelagh


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PostSubject: Re: Self-publishing   Self-publishing EmptyWed Feb 06, 2008 4:23 am

Yes Zada, lots of research! You cannot know too much about the business of publishing books. There is always something new to learn! study Very Happy
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Malcolm
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PostSubject: Re: Self-publishing   Self-publishing EmptyFri Feb 08, 2008 6:51 pm

That's a decent article, Shelagh, for those who've studied their options and want to self publish by setting up their own company.

I still have strong doubts that this is viable for fiction.

Malcolm
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George Maciver
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PostSubject: Re: Self-publishing   Self-publishing EmptySat Feb 09, 2008 12:41 am

I've thought about this much this last few days. So, even if I got a brilliant publishing deal from a good publishing house, I could probably only expect to make £10,000 from sales of a novel, at best, unless it was a runaway bestseller. In reality I'd probably get less and have to live with the constant dread of getting binned at any time.

Maths time. Going the PoD route I could make much more on each copy if I had my own stock and managed to sell them, say £5 per copy as opposed to less than £1 per copy.

So if I had a stock of 2000 copies of my own novel and sold them all, I'd make £10,000 and not have to worry about being binned by some heartless publisher who cares more about lining their pockets than about me and my readers.

Hmmm, I'm going to have to open a shop online and have my own stock of books. More research to do . . .
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Pam
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PostSubject: Re: Self-publishing   Self-publishing EmptySat Feb 09, 2008 7:01 am

Hi George,
I agree with you, especially in the sense that most publishers actually want/expect you to market to your own network and beyond before and after they publish the book. Since it is so tough to get books in the brick and mortar store in either case, and a bit of a disappointment to walk into a bookstore and see the mound of books that are 30% off, I am really fine with reaping more of the rewards of my efforts than letting a publisher have them and I only get a 10% royalty. Smile
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Malcolm
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PostSubject: Re: Self-publishing   Self-publishing EmptyWed Apr 09, 2008 1:12 pm

My question, George, is how in the heck somebody sells 2,000 copies of their own novel. According to the statistics in the States, most POD novels sell less than 100 and it's rare for any of them to ever sell a thousand or more.

Fact of life, almost no book stores will take a POD book and, since chains don't like to hassle with special arrangements, it's almost impossible to get books placed in a store on consignment. Partly, that's because no newspapers will review POD books.

So, if you're going to sell 2,000, are you going to hit the road selling them out of your car or what?

Curiously,

Malcolm
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Pam
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PostSubject: Re: Self-publishing   Self-publishing EmptyWed Apr 09, 2008 2:19 pm

Hey Malcolm, I think that if you have 2000 you probably also have a pretty decent sized mailing list already. When I published mine, I ordere 225 copies, and I think there are still about 50 in my basement.
On the other hand, when I work in the non-fiction and business side of things, I can sell my business related stuff at conferences. Much easier in some ways, as long as I don't try to take boxes of them across the border...
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Malcolm
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PostSubject: Re: Self-publishing   Self-publishing EmptyThu Apr 10, 2008 8:06 am

Only 50 left in the basement, Pam? Well that's not so bad.

Malcolm
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Shelagh
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PostSubject: Re: Self-publishing   Self-publishing EmptyThu Apr 10, 2008 8:18 am

Hi Malcolm,

Thanks for leaving the comment on my blog. You asked "if an unknown author has trouble selling an iUniverse or Lulu novel, how does publishing his own book make him less unknown? That is, if I start CAMPBELL PUBLISHING COMPANY, now I have a company AND a book nobody's ever heard of and I'm not sure how I'm better off even though I'm calling more of the shots."

I think the bottom line is costs. How much does it cost to see your book in print? With PublishAmerica it costs nothing and, consequently, sales are low. However, if you are sensible, the biggest drain on your expenses will be your time. Promotional materials will barely bring in enough sales to cover the costs, so should be kept to a minimum. That's the catch 22. How do you sell a substantial amount of books without spending money? The answer is: you can't. Only traditional publishers can aford to spend large amounts of money on marketing and promotion.

Non-fiction books can be successfully self-published, especially if the book offers information that can't be found elsewhere. Fiction writers are in competition with authors published by the top publishing houses and simply cannot compete. Anyone writing a non-fiction book will look for gaps in the market to fill. Fiction writers are just adding to what's already out there.

So, the answer to setting up CPC is, don't do it if you want to make money. If the money doesn't matter and you are willing to give your time to doing something you enjoy doing, then go for it. All you have to lose is your time.

~Shelagh
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lin
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lin


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PostSubject: Re: Self-publishing   Self-publishing EmptyThu Apr 10, 2008 9:06 am

There are PLENTY of people who've sold 2000 copies of a novel themselves.

I sold that many copies of a book of POETRY in a year. Before there was an internet.

Writers aren't all that often salespeople. (And when they are they mostly write books on how to sell :-) But these are great times for somebody to get out there and move their own novel.

If it's either something people will want to read, or SEEMS like it is.

All this quite apart from the many other reasons a person would want to publish their story and be tickled pink to break even.


THAT, by the way, is the REAL magic word in this whole POD/amazon/website/socialnetwork/videotrailer reality: the cost of making the nut has been reduced so dramatically.
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Pam
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PostSubject: Re: Self-publishing   Self-publishing EmptyThu Apr 10, 2008 12:21 pm

Having 50 books in my basement makes me loony, truth be told, although I did sell one at lunch today (I generally have a copy in my oversized shoulder bag Shocked However, not to be done in by this hearwrenching business, I am now seeking endorsements and doing a lot more marketing. You are right Lin, in that when I finished the book, I was not a salesperson nor a marketer. Now I have learned plenty about both areas and so it is coming along. Of course, so is Christmas -- ha ha!
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lin
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PostSubject: Re: Self-publishing   Self-publishing EmptyThu Apr 10, 2008 4:33 pm

I'm thinking of setting up a program where girl scouts sell my books door to door.
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Pam
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PostSubject: Re: Self-publishing   Self-publishing EmptyThu Apr 10, 2008 9:04 pm

I never thought of girl scouts. You could have them sell your books as an add on when someone buys a box of cookies. Brilliant Lin! Let's here the rest of those ideas...I must sell some books!
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lin
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PostSubject: Re: Self-publishing   Self-publishing EmptyFri Apr 11, 2008 7:50 am

Two words: cereal boxes
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zadaconnaway
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PostSubject: Re: Self-publishing   Self-publishing EmptyFri Apr 11, 2008 12:29 pm

You guys are too funny. Why not do up flyers like wanted posters to post in the Post Office? (Wanted Readers or some other caption like that!)
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Shelagh
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PostSubject: Re: Self-publishing   Self-publishing EmptyFri Apr 11, 2008 1:00 pm

I love it! Self-publishing 343621
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Abe F. March
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PostSubject: Re: Self-publishing   Self-publishing EmptyFri Apr 11, 2008 11:17 pm

Zada,
do you mean like, "Dead or Alive?" Could that apply to the sales?
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lin
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lin


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PostSubject: Re: Self-publishing   Self-publishing EmptySat Apr 12, 2008 11:01 am

I always preferred the slogan, "Buy Or Die"
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Pam
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PostSubject: Re: Self-publishing   Self-publishing EmptySat Apr 12, 2008 3:34 pm

I think you guys might be on to something...but on the self publishing side of things I am percolating about some very specific ideas...that I might share later but must finish percolating first...
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zadaconnaway
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PostSubject: Re: Self-publishing   Self-publishing EmptySun Apr 13, 2008 12:16 am

Abe F. March wrote:
Zada,
do you mean like, "Dead or Alive?" Could that apply to the sales?

No, Abe, dead readers wouldn't do us much good. lol! Don't they do wanted posters that are 'wanted alive'? I don't think too many people pay attention to them anymore, but with a picture of a book cover, it might at least make folks curious!
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Abe F. March
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PostSubject: Re: Self-publishing   Self-publishing EmptySun Apr 13, 2008 12:27 am

Zada,
what about this?

DEAD OR ALIVE

"If you thought reading was dead, it will come alive with this book."
(Show book cover)
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Shelagh
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PostSubject: Re: Self-publishing   Self-publishing EmptySun Apr 13, 2008 12:58 am

Well Abe, good to see that you are alive, well and kicking!

Congratulations on becoming a four star member! Self-publishing 46482 Self-publishing 46482 Self-publishing 46482 Self-publishing 46482


Last edited by Shelagh on Wed Mar 18, 2009 2:12 am; edited 1 time in total
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zadaconnaway
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PostSubject: Re: Self-publishing   Self-publishing EmptySun Apr 13, 2008 9:14 am

Abe, I like it!! Kind of catchy, too. Surely it would get attention.
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Abe F. March
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PostSubject: Re: Self-publishing   Self-publishing EmptySun Apr 13, 2008 9:46 am

Shelagh,
four stars. I guess now I'm a general. Just don't ask me why we're still in Iraq.

Seriously, thanks for the honor.
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