The truth about book distribution for self-publishers

Sue Collier | March 3, 2012

I just got off the phone with a potential client. We discussed the proposal I had sent him about the production process for his book, as well as possibilities for promotion and marketing. He is an elderly man and this is first foray into the world of publishing. Our conversation was going quite well—until we [...]

More things you should know about self-publishing

Sue Collier | June 6, 2011

I recently read a great list from LLReader by Shannon Yarborough, “My Own 10 Things You Should Know About Self-Publishing.” Shannon brings up a lot of good points, and I have some things to add to some of what she says that go a bit beyond just leaving comments at the blog site, so I [...]

How authors are misled into thinking they’ve self-published when they haven’t

Sue Collier | May 27, 2011

It happened again. I spoke earlier this week with an author who had recently “self-published” a nonfiction book, and she was particularly interested in reaching the library market. She directed me to her author website—which listed the book’s publisher as “AuthorHouse.” That re-routed our conversation immediately because I had to break the bad news to [...]

Is this the end of publishing as we know it?

Sue Collier | August 24, 2010

The buzz around the blogosphere is all about Seth Godin and his claim that he is finished with traditional publishing. (If you don’t know who Seth Godin is, well, get out from under that rock! Then read his bio here; basically he is a hugely influential marketer with a popular blog. He’s traditionally published lots [...]

Book review

Sue Collier | May 21, 2010

Title: The Wealthy Author: The Fast Profit Method for Writing, Publishing & Selling Your Non-Fiction Book  Authors: Joe Gregory and Debbie Jenkins  Publishing Academy, 2009 Back cover synopsis: Renegade publishers, Debbie Jenkins and Joe Gregory, share their hard-won experience to show you exactly how to make a fast and impressive income as a non-fiction author [...]

Short run book printing and when POD makes the most sense

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 [...]

Book distribution and discounts: The problems with using a “self-publishing company”

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. [...]