Getting into Print Publishing Options Deidre Randall M

Getting into Print Publishing Options Deidre Randall M. Ed. , is the CEO of Peter E. Randall Publisher LLC and Blueline Publicity. They have provided personalized publishing and marketing services for authors and groups since 1970. Deidre co-creates effective marketing plans for each title, through author partnership, and she coordinates a trade distribution program for her titles. She utilizes low cost, or no-cost, promotion and sales strategies whenever possible. Her authors retain their rights. Since 1999 Deidre has published over 250 authors, publishing and promoting history, photography, biography, children’s titles, and memoirs. Also a songwriter and poet, Deidre is the founder and a host of Writers in the Round, a weekly radio program on Portsmouth Community Radio, and she is a member of the board of directors for the Portsmouth Poet Laureate Program.

National Novel Writing Month Hamilton-Wenham Public Library December 3, 2014

Getting into Print You’ve written a book! Now you are planning to launch it publicly, but there are so many ways to publish. The options are confusing and you really just wanted to write! 3/17/2018 © 2013 Peter E. Randall Publisher

Current Publishing Tracks Subsidy Publishing • Self Publishing • POD/internet publishing • Vanity Press • Trade Publishing • These are the tracks available in current use today for mass production. 3/17/2018 © 2013 Peter E. Randall Publisher

Essential Tasks of Publishing • • Editing Proofreading Design & layout Indexing Image selection & preparation Printing & binding Registration; ISBN & LOC These tasks must be managed simultaneously in order to arrive at a quality book, no matter what publishing track you choose. 3/17/2018 © 2013 Peter E. Randall Publisher

Essential Tasks of Publishing Editing & Proofreading Editors and proofreaders are professionals who are specifically trained to groom text for the publishing process. They edit books using the Chicago Manual of Style as their standard. Copyediting is something every manuscript benefits from and it is not a step to skip to save on cost. Editing can be done with a printed copy and a red pencil or the document itself can be edited online. While copyeditors work on the manuscript itself, proofreaders review the page proof, for another quality control check to catch errors before printing. It’s best to have different people (fresh eyes) for each of these steps. 3/17/2018 © 2013 Peter E. Randall Publisher

Essential Tasks of Publishing Design & layout Design of the cover and of the interior of your book are best handled by an experienced book designer. While there are many creative designers out there, most have not had the opportunity to create book files. It can be helpful to have cover artwork ideas, or even the actual cover art, for your publisher to use as they design your book’s cover. The interior should match the cover design. 3/17/2018 © 2013 Peter E. Randall Publisher

Essential Tasks of Publishing Indexing An index is an essential ingredient in a non -fiction book. It makes a reference or history book far more valuable and is well worth the time and cost. Some authors find it helpful to create a list of terms they want indexed. If the terms are specialized in some way for a certain industry, then a glossary may also be desired. 3/17/2018 © 2013 Peter E. Randall Publisher

Essential Tasks of Publishing Image selection & preparation “A picture is worth a thousand words…” It’s clear that images can be a great addition to many books. When selecting the right ones to use, think about what is most unique and what will draw reader interest in the book. For children’s titles, use tough critics to assess the quality of the artwork you are considering. If taking images off the internet, remember it’s important to have good quality scans— 300 dpi, actual size—for best printing. 3/17/2018 © 2013 Peter E. Randall Publisher

Essential Tasks of Publishing Printing & binding There are thousands of printers in the United States, plus many more overseas, that would love to print your book. Choosing the right printer for each book is a very important step in the management process of publishing. Some printers are perfect for short run paperback novels, but would be prohibitively expensive for a full color children’s book. Using a good book designer helps to make the printing process proceed smoothly, as the book files for cover and interior will be set up correctly. 3/17/2018 © 2013 Peter E. Randall Publisher

Essential Tasks of Publishing Project Management The project manager needs to coordinate all steps of the publishing process so that a quality book is ready for the marketplace at the time it is needed. The registration of your title’s ISBN (international standard book number) and securing CIP (cataloging-in-publication) data, or a Library of Congress control number for each title are each important steps of project management. Distribution coordination is also a management task. 3/17/2018 © 2013 Peter E. Randall Publisher

Elements of a Marketing Foundation Interior design — Usable Cover design — Attractive Endorsements — Credibility Retail price — Affordability Title — Recognition Availability — Distribution These are the crucial points to consider when creating a marketing plan. 3/17/2018 © 2013 Peter E. Randall Publisher

Elements of a Marketing Foundation The Book Design: Is it set up with your target audience in mind? Does it flow easily? How about readability? Does it create a visual experience for the reader that will translate to a positive impression of you and your content? 3/17/2018 © 2013 Peter E. Randall Publisher

Elements of a Marketing Foundation The Cover Design: Does it grab the eye? From 30 feet away? Does the spine stand out when placed on a shelf? Does it feel good when touched? What does it say about your subject at the first glance? Photos can be a less expensive, very effective option for some covers. 3/17/2018 © 2013 Peter E. Randall Publisher My Wonderful Life A Memoir By Hot Author

Elements of a Marketing Foundation Endorsements: Do you have positive, detailed comments from media, other authors, or readers? An endorsement is meant to establish your image credibility for the reader and build trust with them. 3/17/2018 © 2013 Peter E. Randall Publisher

Elements of a Marketing Foundation Retail Price: What are the prices of competing books in your subject area? Have you thought of your target audience? How will they use this book? Entertainment, research? Try not to be stubborn in this area—be informed! The right price means everything when it comes to making actual book sales. 3/17/2018 © 2013 Peter E. Randall Publisher

Elements of a Marketing Foundation Title: Will it hit your target group of readers? What does it tell us about your book subject or characters? Is it catchy without being confusing? Do you have a long explanation about your choice of title? Not always a good sign. It should be easily understood by readers so they can recognize your subject and BUY THE BOOK, which is the point after all. 3/17/2018 © 2013 Peter E. Randall Publisher

Elements of a Marketing Foundation Availability: Where can we find your book? Do you have professional distribution? Is it necessary for your particular book? Do you have web access for the title, where buyers can use a credit card? Is there a web page somewhere with information about the book? A local bookstore, or shop that will carry it? 3/17/2018 © 2013 Peter E. Randall Publisher

What type of marketing works best for your type of book? Paid advertising in the NY Times? A key-city book tour? Seeding the market with free readers’ copies? Four-color flyers showing the cover art and a Michelle Obama endorsement? 3/17/2018 © 2013 Peter E. Randall Publisher

Marketing Tasks • • Create media kits Launch media web sites Create book trailers Interview preparation Conduct media research Pitching & follow-up Viral sales-Direct to Reader Social Media Networks 3/17/2018 Sales Tasks vs. • • Direct Mail Distribution Professional Sales Public Events Private Events Consignment Sales Special Group Sales E-commerce sites © 2013 Peter E. Randall Publisher

Publishing Track = Marketing Task Self Publishing = What works well: Viral marketing techniques to get news of the book directly to the ears of actual, live readers. Local media launch with clear press materials. Direct mail to a current, targeted list. Private or public events with personal contacts, or special organizations related to the subject of the book. E-commerce sites which will offer an order link, from special groups with an interest in your subject. 3/17/2018 © 2013 Peter E. Randall Publisher

Publishing Track = Marketing Task Subsidy Publishing = What works well: Media launch to a well-researched list of press contacts, with attractive press materials, & professional pitching. Direct mail to a current, targeted list. Private or public events with personal contacts, or special organizations related to the subject of the book. Professional sales support from national distributor who supplies to the trade retailers and wholesalers. E-commerce sites with major retailers such as Amazon, or web blogs on the subject matter of non-fiction titles. 3/17/2018 © 2013 Peter E. Randall Publisher

Publishing Track = Marketing Task POD or Internet Publishing = What works well: International distribution means the book is available over the World Wide Web. You must send buyers to their site. Media attention in genre specific sources is helpful, if you can get it. Focusing on web sources may be best. Private events are very important to celebrate the achievement, and begin the grassroots process of reaching readers. Sometimes bookstores won’t carry these titles, so don’t bank on their support as a large piece of your sales platform. 3/17/2018 © 2013 Peter E. Randall Publisher

Publishing Track = Marketing Task Trade Publishing = What works well: International distribution is a clear advantage that trade publishers have over the lone, maverick author. Professional sales representatives know their stores and buyers and they have mad skills, which move books. Media attention is crucial to success, whether it be newspapers, magazines, web, radio, or TV. Paid advertising is a clear advantage, and often not a viable option for the smaller publisher, who can not compete $$. Free ARCs (advanced reader copies) to buyers & reviewers. Advance reviews from book industry sources. 3/17/2018 © 2013 Peter E. Randall Publisher