5. What’s my competition? Is your story one no one else has told? Here's how to know: Write a 100-word de- scription of the action and focus of your book. Leave out all “advertising” adjectives such as “exciting” or “suspense- ful.” Then take key words from that description and search online for books with the same subject matter. Do the same at major online booksellers like Barnes & Noble. If nobody else has done your book, you might be onto something! •
6. How will I market my book in order to make a profit? Again, consider your budget. You can pay a PR firm (either connected with your publisher or separate) to get the word out. In most cases, you will be talking about thousands of dollars, not hundreds. If your budget doesn’t allow for that, start with your first readers. Make a list of email address- es of everyone you know personally. Free online newsletter creators such as MailChimp have templates and other aids to help you deliver an at- tractive announcement via email. On- line website creators can help you set up a free site where people can read more about your book (for example, excerpts, endorsements, ordering information.) The more professional your communication with people, the more likely it is they’ll see your book as legitimate.•
7. What types of publish- ing options are open to self-publishing authors? The type of services Ward purchased are typical of what is called sub- sidy publishing. In most types of subsidy publishing, the author is required to finance the production of a print run of a certain number of copies, and/or purchase outright a minimum number of books. This is in contrast to what is
called “print on demand," in which copies of books are printed only when they are ordered. However, some print-on-demand publishers also require up-front investment in the book, depending on what ser- vices you need in order to produce the book. There are many hybrids of these two main types.•
8. Can I get an apples-to-apples comparison of two repu- table self-publishing options? Xlibris exemplifies one type of self- publishing. An Xlibris author purchases a “publishing package” ranging in price from $449 to $14,999 — depending on the features, number of complimentary copies for the author, and a variety of services such as ed- iting (ranging from 1 cent to 12 cents a word, depending on book length) and custom cover (if the author doesn’t want the firm’s templates). Four different optional marketing packages can be added to publishing pack- ages, ranging from $79 to $149,595. There is no minimum number of books an author must order, but higher volumes of books cost less per copy. The author profits when reselling his or her own books, as well as when Xlibris pays royalties to him or her. Another popular self-publishing option is Amazon’s CreateSpace. If an author has camera-ready PDF files of the text of his or her book and is willing to work with CreateSpace’s free online templates for creating a cover, the author’s only required investment is the purchase of a single printed “proof” copy, usually about $5 to $10, plus postage. However, if an author needs help with non-template cover design, interior design, editing, or marketing, CreateSpace offers technical feedback for free and services for a fee. Additional copies are printed only when purchased and are available to the author at a substantial discount (usually about 70 percent of the cover price). For example, an author’s paperback book whose cover price is $9.99 would cost the author less than $3 (not in- cluding shipping charges.) One big selling point: All CreateSpace books are listed on
Amazon.com, and CreateSpace will provide an author with a free, customizable "eStore" (online selling venue). If a customer buys an author’s book from Amazon, Amazon pays the author royalties directly (usually about 25 percent) and takes care of the shipping costs. Both Xli- bris and Amazon's CreateSpace offer an author the options of different sizes and formats of print books and the ability to have the book convert- ed into e-book format as well. •
9. How can I make sure I’m not scammed by a publisher? Unfortunately, many unethical and downright fraudulent firms make extravagant promises to writers who want to self-publish, with the aim of extracting hefty sums from their dreams. Before signing anything or sending any money, investigate your publisher. One way to do this is to choose a random book they’ve published and contact the author to see if he or she was satisfied. Online, go to Writer Beware,
www.sfwa.org/ for-authors/writer-beware, which has short articles on pitfalls for writers and “thumbs down” lists of publishers. With a little bit of careful investigation, your story can be your legacy.
MO
— Latayne C. Scott is a freelance writer based in New Mexico. Her last feature article for Military Officer was “6 Keys to Fraud Prevention,” December 2011.
JANUARY 2012 MILITARY OFFICER 63
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