You already have what it takes to self-publish your first book. And
like other successful writers and authors turned publishers you can
create or increase your passive income stream each month. Your
competitors wish you would never discover the truth about these myths.
You
may be asking "What if I don't have what it takes to self-publish?" You
do. You've already accomplished the hard part of writing your book. Now
it's time to publish it to the world. Believe it or not the world is
waiting for your unique tips and solutions to their problems in YOUR
FIELD. If you want to increase your present income or just get started
now, read these seven myth busters and apply them.
Myth 1: The best book for a newbie to write is a novel.
Truth:
Actually, non-fiction is your best route. Informative, how-to books
sell well on the Internet. Also, they are overall easier to place in
bookstores. The main reason for this; people who need information will
buy it from any source as long as it looks reputable. After all, what do
they stand to lose--a few dollars?
On the other hand, people
looking for entertainment or an emotional experience from a book want to
know what they're getting before they begin reading. An unknown author
of fiction is an emotional risk. What if you don't deliver? I'm not
saying there aren't any risk-takers among the reading public. There are;
they're just not as plentiful as new writers might wish.
"Distribution
has to do with the availability of books. POD books are distributed
through Ingram and Baker and Taylor when the publisher prints through
the Ingram print division (Lightning Source aka LSI). If the publisher
is actually a printer, he may not use LSI and in that case he will not
be able to offer distribution through Ingram. Most POD publishers do
offer this distribution, but there are some who charge extra for it."
"Does
it matter if you have Ingram distribution? I think it does. Without it,
making your book available is going to be ever more difficult. It won't
be listed on Amazon or with other booksellers unless you make those
arrangements yourself. Potential readers won't be able to go into a
bookstore and have the clerk find your book on their system. Without
distribution, your book is virtually invisible. Not many, if anyone will
be able to find it."
Myth 2: The only successful books are those published by big name writers or famous people.
Truth:
Again, there are self published books that sell notably well and then
were picked up by major publishers and made it even bigger. In general,
most books make a small income for the author. As long as the book is
good to begin with, the more it's promoted to its target audience, the
better it will sell.
Myth 3: There is no distribution offered for POD published books.
Truth:
Unlike traditional self-publishing, POD publishing often offers some
distribution. Some POD publishers charge extra for this, but in reality,
POD books are automatically set up to be distributed through Ingram and
Baker & Taylor through LSI (the Ingram print on demand division).
Myth 4: All I have to do is write the book. I don't have anything to do with marketing and sales.
Truth:
Consider this; there are over a million books in print. I must tell you
if you want yours to stand out and sell, you should be prepared to
work. Selling books is a business, and it takes hard work just like any
other business.
Myth 5: Traditional publishers wouldn't expect me to market my own book.
Truth:
Read what a Senior Editor at Harper Collins said: "I won't even look at
a book unless the author is prepared to do a book tour and book
signings... " There's no way around it; you must be prepared to be your
best salesman-market your book.
Myth 6: Bookstores never stock POD published books.
Truth:
Never say never; sometimes they will at a local level when dealing
directly with the author. They also stock POD published books if they're
returnable through Ingram. Otherwise, they probably won't, at least not
at the time of this writing. However, this may change very soon when
Ingram gets their new stocking/returnability policy up and running.
Myth 7: POD books can't be returned.
Truth:
Most POD books are not returnable. Even so, at the time of this writing
more and more POD publishers now offer returnability options in their
packaged services.
SUMMARY
You can publish a book faster and
easier than ever if you know how. People are daily looking for
practical information and knowledge that you have. Don't let your ideas,
knowledge and expertise fade away. Put it to work for you in your very
own book. Remember, take the tips above and bust any self-publishing
myths away that hold you back from your successful book.
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