Pioneer Nation 2015: Self-Publishing for the Uninitiated Workshop Leader: Beth L. Buelow, The Introvert Entrepreneur www.theintrovertentrepreneur.com/pn2015 (oregontrail) Reasons to Publish a Book: What s Your Intention? q Credibility (internal and external) q Visibility q Back-of-room sales q Prospective and current client gift q Client tool (outlines your model) q Basis for an online or workshop curriculum q Ultimate business card q Paid/more prominent speaking engagements q Passive revenue stream q Path to increased fees/rates q Tool for trainings/licensing of your methodology/business model q Hook to reach out to others (peers, mentors, your niche s celebrities ) q Desire to meaningfully contribute to your profession/industry q Expand your circle of influence and reach Which Strategy Best Supports Your Intention(s)? Self-publish if:* You want a product to sell with maximum profit You want a handout for your training session You have a clearly defined niche market You have a very powerful brand that will draw in readers You want to capitalize on a time-sensitive event or window Commercially publish if:* You want maximum credibility with buyers (especially corporate) You want to improve your credibility as an authority You want maximum distribution channels You want to maximize your chances for foreign translation (* From pg 130 of Million Dollar Speaking by Alan Weiss, 201 Highly recommend this book, despite its narcissistic tone) Also consider the money/time/resources you re willing to invest (see BASIC COMPARISON OF BOOK PUBLISHING OPTIONS)
Outline the book Write a 2-3 paragraph overview of the book Begin with placeholder chapter titles Add chapter subheads Add main points for each subhead, then intro sentence Create a timeline for each chapter but don t feel you have to go in order Gather and organize your content by chapter headings Blog posts Articles Emails to clients/colleagues Interview answers Social Media Presentations/Speeches Podcasts Decide on your team (all, some or none) Developmental editor Line editor Interior/layout designer ebook designer Cover designer (99Designs, Upwork) Social Media or VA for promotional support (Time Etc, UpWork) Coach, accountability and/or writing partner Promotional Copy Writer (incl. back cover, online listings) Champions/Advocates Write a book proposal or concept paper (optional but encouraged) Concept Paper: About the Book Market Competition About the Author Full Book Proposal: Project Summary Author Bio & Experience Competition & Differentiation Marketing & Promotional Strategies Chapter Summaries 1-2 Complete Sample Chapters
Choose your POD/publishing service CreateSpace Lulu Lightning Source BookBaby Kindle Smashwords Promotional Tools for Authors Personal Champions Amazon.com Goodreads.com Newsletter Pre-order incentives/campaign Facebook posts/pages LinkedIn articles Blogging (self and guest) Podcasting (self and guest) Twitter Pinterest, Instagram Business Cards Book trailer/video promo Speaking engagements/workshops Industry-specific organizations and events Make It Happen! Write, write, write (as long as you have a complete outline, it s helpful to work with an editor as you go, rather than waiting until the draft is completely done.) Secure the appropriate URL(s) Title, ISBN, Square reader or other payment device, bar code (if needed) Format according to POD specs Commission cover art Write back cover copy Solicit forward author and/or promotional blurbs through ARC (Advance Review Copies) Launch pre-sales Have a book signing event (if publishing physical book) Send out a press release Add the book to your site, blog, business cards, social media, EVERYWHERE, etc
SELF-PUBLISHING PLANNING WORKSHEET What I need to research that will help me move forward: What I ve already completed/what I already know: Three promotional ideas I could implement: Three actions I m committed to taking in the next month: Three months from now: Six months from now: One year from now:
Self-Publishing Bonus Tips Be clear on your intention for writing and publishing a book. How will it change or benefit your business? Your clients and customers? How will it benefit YOU? There is no substitute for a network of champions who will support you and be there when it s time to promote your book. Put relationship building with influencers at the top of your priority list. Cross-promote and be champions for one another. Everything you do online is either building or diminishing your platform. All your posts don t have to be (shouldn t be!) about the book, but stay on message and reinforce your brand. If your budget is limited and you can only invest in a few professional services, make the cover design a top priority. We really do judge a book by its cover! A close-runner up to cover design is editing. Even if you re a fantastic writer, writing for a book is different than blogging or writing articles. A top-notch editor will improve your manuscript, as well as provide feedback that will improve your writing. Consider working with an editor as you go, rather than waiting until the complete first draft is done. This provides a few things: ongoing accountability, feedback, and the creation of a slightly better SFD than usual. Work with a book or publication coach if you need accountability and someone to help you navigate through the process. They can help keep you on track and get through mental roadblocks. Only buy as many physical books as you can sell in a few months. You don t want to spend $100s on a stack of books that will sit in your garage. Having a book makes it easier to say yes to pro bono speaking engagements, as long as you re able to sell your books in the back of the room. That said, assume the minimum number of sales and decide if it s still worth it. If you sell books at an event, ask a friend or colleague to handle the money transactions for you. Otherwise, you re trying to both talk to people and sell books, and if someone can t get their book and get out, they re just likely to move on without buying. Regardless of if you re doing an ebook only or an ebook/physical copy, do your proofing on a hard copy of the manuscript. You ll see things you won t see looking at the computer screen, especially when it s formatted and close to finished. Let go of the idea that the book will be perfect. No matter how many times you proof it, a mistake or two will slip through. The beauty of self-publishing is that you can fix things on the fly! Minor punctuation/grammar/word changes are fine, but don t change the content too much or you ll have to assign a new ISBN to the book. Consider making an audio book version. This expands your audience tremendously (It s a $47 billion industry and growing. If you re comfortable with a microphone, consider narrating your book yourself, or hire an experienced professional. Publish through ACX (an Amazon company). Tips courtesy of Beth L. Buelow, ACC, TheIntrovertEntrepreneur.com