Sue Collier | June 21, 2010
Even as nontraditional publishing continues to grow—Bowker reports a whopping increase of 181 percent in 2009 over the previous year—there is still a stigma attached to self-publishing. I’ve read the articles, I’ve seen the tweets. There is still a pervasive belief that self-publishing is somehow “settling”—and probably your only option because you were rejected by [...]
Sue Collier | June 15, 2010
Guest blogger: Scott Appleton
Note to readers: I connected with Scott on another blog and was impressed with his self-publishing success. I hope you enjoy his post–and I do think you will learn a thing or two from his determination and perseverence!
When I finished writing a fantasy manuscript, I had little to no knowledge of what [...]
Sue Collier | June 7, 2010
(Cross-posted at the Writer’s Digest website.)
What message do you find yourself repeating over and over to writers?
Sue: The difference between true self-publishing and the so-called “self-publishing companies”—and why that difference is so important for authors to understand.
Marilyn: Marketing. Marketing. Marketing. It’s mandatory in today’s publishing environment to be proactive and get behind your own work.
Would [...]
Sue Collier | May 3, 2010
There seems to be a fairly common misconception among some would-be self-publishers that if they want to take advantage of print-on-demand technology, they have no choice but to go with a subsidy outfit such as Lulu, iUniverse, or Author House. What they don’t realize is that POD refers to a digital printing process performed by a [...]
Sue Collier | April 27, 2010
One of the most appealing things about using a so-called self-publishing company for many authors is the lack of up-front investment. Companies such as Lulu cost very little, so eager authors jump right in—often without examining the fine print. Unfortunately, most authors quickly discover they are left with an unmarketable book that sells few copies.
The [...]
Sue Collier | February 24, 2010
Self-publishing offers the potential for nice profits. No longer do you have to be satisfied with the meager 5 to 15 percent royalty that commercial publishers dole out. For those who use creativity, persistence, and sound business sense, money is there to be made. In today’s electronic age, self-publishing options abound (Just make sure you [...]
Sue Collier | December 14, 2009
If you’re an author with a book ready for publication and you’ve looked into self-publishing, and it’s probably become pretty clear there is a lot more involved than just sending your manuscript to a printer and kicking back to wait for the money to start rolling in. In fact, the process is downright complicated—and somewhat [...]
Sue Collier | November 13, 2009
A commercial publisher looks upon any new book as an investment of its resources as this publisher wants to make a profit. Book publishers are interested in books that fit their specialty, fit a market niche, and will sell well enough to make money. Self-publishers need to approach their venture in the same way. So [...]