One suggestion is to come up with a name then tack on the words press, publishing company, books, or publishers on the name to help eliminate any doubts about what you do.

But be wary of choosing a name that is too specific. Although a company called Wildlife Publications would be fine for your first book on wildflowers of the Northwest, what happens when your second title, How to Be a Good Stepparent, is ready to be published? Likewise, geographic names can be limiting. Don’t you agree that Tampa Bay Books sounds much less substantial than Windsong Books International? Your choice can also influence how easy it is to sell your company downstream and how receptive vendors are in letting you establish credit. Looking big has definite advantages.

If you want to spark your thinking about press names, try leafing through Writer’s Market, Novel & Short Story Writer’s Market, Literary Market Place (LMP), and Small Press Record of Books in Print directory. So many names of existing small presses, conventional or unusual, are listed in these sources that one or another is likely to help you come up with a name that will be all your own.

I recommend you do not include any part of your own name in the company title. Why? Because you want to come across as an official publishing entity, not necessarily as a writer who publishes his or her own work. If you include your personal handle, that is a dead giveaway. John Martin publishing a book as Martin Press leaves little to the imagination. As do John Martin and Associates and John Martin Enterprises. It’s also poor form to make the title of the book and the name of the publishing company identical. This shouts, “I’m a tiny, one-book publisher.” Even if you are, there is usually no advantage to advertising this.

When you arrive at a name, always check in Literary Marketplace, Small Press Record of Books In Print, and the publishers’ section of Books In Print to avoid duplicating an existing publisher’s name. (Duplication could cause numerous errors and missed sales.) Because so many new small presses have started over the last decade, it’s tough to find an unused name. I sometimes advise clients to think about combining their children’s names or considering a foreign word as a press name.

To use your new name legally, you’ll probably need to file a fictitious name statement. In most locales this is done by paying a small fee and advertising on four consecutive weeks your intention to do business as (dba) XYZ Publishing Company. You’ll receive instructions when you apply for your dba. (By the way, you can save money by looking for a little weekly neighborhood paper instead of inserting your notice in the major daily newspaper.)

When you embark on your self-publishing journey, keep in mind that publishing is a business. Everything from your professional-looking book cover right down to your publishing company name should reflect that.

(Portions of this post have been excerpted from The Complete Guide to Self-Publishing, 5^th Edition, by Marilyn Ross and Sue Collier [Writer’s Digest Books, 2010]).

Shannon says: Research your choices.  There are lots of self-publishing companies out there these days.  CreateSpace, Lulu,  iUniverse, BookLocker, Xlibris, and Authorhouse are just a few.  Some are totally free, and some aren’t.  For those that aren’t, check out their contracts or packages that they offer.  Know what you are getting for your dollar up front….

I’ll add: Keep in mind that going through many of these companies is not true self-publishing. AuthorHouse and Xlibris, for instance, are both owned by vanity/subsidy giant Author Solutions. If you intend to sell books and make a profit from your venture, it is recommended you not go this route. (I recently blogged about the different publishing options.)

Shannon says: Know your budget.  If you use a POD company that charges for a package, which package can you afford?  You should also plan on purchasing review copies.  How much money are you willing to invest on other marketing?  Don’t forget postage and shipping supplies!  Are you paying for editing services or for book cover design?…

I’ll add: Make sure you have a budget! In my opinion, you need to have your manuscript edited and you need to have a professional cover design, at a minimum. Yes, there are “free” services out there, but the adage “you get what you pay for” is certainly true. In terms of marketing and promotions, there are plenty of things you can do for very little or no cost, but if this is not your forte, you’ll want to set aside money for promotions. You can write the best book in the world, but if no one knows about it, no one will buy it.

Shannon says: Be prepared to invest in review copies!… 

I’ll add: Absolutely. I have seen more than one author’s attempts at promotion fail because they do not want to send out free review copies. We had one author, in fact, ask us to set up a virtual author book tour for her, but she neglected to fulfill review copy requests. The tour was a failure. My co-author of The Complete Guide to Self-Publishing, 5^th Edition, Marilyn Ross sent out some 500 review copies for her book Jump Start Your Book Sales; it was a valuable promotions tool and she attributes that as the number one reason the book enjoyed excellent sales.

Shannon says: Invest in a decent book cover…. Most POD companies have some sort of automated book cover design program with stock images.  Don’t use their stock images!  If you do, just know there will be other books out there that have the same cover as yours…. Research your options or hire a graphic designer for assistance.

I’ll add: I wholeheartedly agree with this. The templated covers put out by these so-called self-publishing companies scream self-published. Not only will there be other covers out there with your exact same image, but these amateurish-looking designs do nothing to generate interest in your book. I would also venture to say that a professional graphic designer with book cover design experience is essential.

Shannon says: Edit!  Most POD companies offer some sort of editing service, but it can be quite pricey.  If you can’t afford to hire an editor, at least have a smart friend or two read over the manuscript and look for mistakes and misspelled words.  Don’t think that your own eyes will catch everything, no matter how many times you read your own book. I’m guilty of doing that myself, and readers were quick to point out my mistakes. Sure, traditional books even have mistakes in them and some are always going to slip through, but if your book is full of mistakes and errors it can be a big turn off to the reader, and to reviewers!

I’ll add: The POD companies offer sub-par editing that is not worth the (usually expensive) price they charge. And don’t count on friends (unless they are professional editors) and don’t think you can self-edit. (I have been an editor for more than two decades—and I still needed an editor to read through The Complete Guide to Self-Publishing. The editor found plenty me and my co-author had missed.) Find yourself an editing professional whose style meshes well with yours. Ask for a sample edit of a chapter or so to determine whether the editor can edit your work without changing your voice. Where to look? Ask around writer’s groups (on Facebook or LinkedIn), tweet about your needs on Twitter, or look into groups such as the Rocky Mountain Publishing Professionals Guild, which provide listings of editors (and, incidentally, the other pros you may need in your self-publishing venture).

Shannon says: Format your book properly and follow the rules!  I have never, never, NEVER seen a traditionally published book that lacked right margin justification and I’m tired of self-published authors telling me that they did it that way because it’s easier to read.  No, you didn’t follow the rules because you didn’t do your homework, or you don’t know how….

I’ll add: I generally recommend that authors do not attempt their own interior designs. Unless they are well versed in a design program such as Adobe InDesign, they are probably not qualified and the results may not be pretty—or professional. However, if they want to do their own page layout, they should read websites such as The Book Designer so they can learn the elements of what makes good design.

Shannon says: Understand that physical bookstores are not your friends….  And never, NEVER call a bookstore and try to promote yourself over the phone!  They don’t have time to talk to you. Almost all bookstores expect a discount so that they can sell a book and make a profit.  With almost all self-published books, companies charge all customers list price so there is no discount for bookstores.  Or there’s no distribution of your book through wholesale channels for chain bookstores to be able to get your book anyway.  And if there is, the book is usually sold non-returnable so a chain bookstore will require pre-payment….

I’ll add: It is often an author’s ultimate goal to have their book on the bookstore shelves. But Shannon is right; this is really not the most lucrative way to sell books. Although you can get into the trade distribution system by printing with Lightning Source (owned by Ingram, one of the largest wholesalers in the country), you will be expected to offer a deep discount and a returnable product. However, I think it is worth it to have your book available at the bookstores, so this is another reason why I believe going the “POD self-publishing” company route is not a good idea. As Shannon says, companies charge customers list price so there can be no discount. Self-publish the proper way, and you can offer a discount and still make a profit.

As usual, it all comes down to educating yourself about the process and doing the most professional job you can. Your book’s success and your own reputation are on the line.

A lot of authors get stuck on their book projects. Some writers start strong, but flail over time as they encounter a few of the realities of book publishing. Others have trouble getting started at all. So their dream of writing a book stays just that: a dream.

When you’re stuck, sometimes it helps to ask questions. Whether you call it playing “devil’s advocate” or give it a more highbrow term like the “Socratic Method,” simply asking questions can be a great way to get a book project back on track. Here are 5 questions to get you started.

1. Why are you writing the book?

People write books for many different reasons. Do you want the book to further your career? To help you attract new clients? Do you want the book to be some type of lasting legacy? Do you want a book so you have something to sell at conferences? Are you writing a book to create a passive income stream? Is the book for artistic gratification or a story you feel compelled to share?

It’s a lot of work to write and publish a book, so you should make sure you really want to do it. A lot. Be brutally honest with yourself. If it’s not the right time to write and publish the book now, that’s okay.

2. How do you plan to get it published and why?

Every author has three primary ways to publish: by going through a traditional publishing company, by self-publishing, or by opting for a subsidy (vanity) press. With traditional publishing, you submit book proposals through an agent, get an advance, and then a royalty. When you self-publish, you buy ISBNs, set yourself up as an independent press, hire freelance help, and publish the book yourself. With a vanity press, you pay a provider to produce the book, but you are not the publisher.

Each option has pros and cons. You should understand the benefits and pitfalls of each one before you sign on the dotted line. Some traditionally published authors have moved to self-publishing and self-published authors have had their books picked up by big publishers. Only rarely is signing with a vanity press a good idea. However, if you’re writing a memoir that only your family will buy, it’s a reasonable option. Think about your goals and reasons for writing the book before deciding.

3. Who is going to read the book?

This question is probably the most important question of all. And yet, countless authors never ask it. If you are struggling to write, it may be because you simply haven’t figured out who is actually going to read your book.

Here’s a hint. The answer is never: everyone. I’m sorry to say that everyone is not going to read your book. The more specifically and narrowly you can define your reader, the better.

I encourage writers to visualize one specific reader. Decide whether your target reader is male or female. (Yes, men and women both might read your book; just pick one so you can visualize an individual person.) What are his or her likes and dislikes? Does he already know something about your topic? What does he look like? What frustrates him? What gives him joy? What is the story of his life? Where does he live? Where does he work?

The more you can narrow down your target reader, the more you can “walk a mile” in their shoes. Your book will be better and easier to write.

4. What other books exist and why is yours different?

Too many authors fail to do even the most basic level of market research before they embark on a book project, which is silly because it’s so easy to do online. Go to Amazon.com and do a search on your book’s topic. Open up a document and type in all the titles. See if you can tell from the description what the author’s slant or “take” on a topic is. Once you’re done, look for “holes” in the coverage. Can you target your book to a specific niche? Offer a different viewpoint?

Differentiation is the key to a book that sells. After you’ve published the book, you’ll need to market it, so having a keen understanding of what makes your book special is vital.

5. What do you still need to learn?

Book publishing is a big topic. One thing that separates successful publishers from the not-so-successful is their willingness to learn about the book industry. I always say that you wouldn’t open a restaurant without learning a little about the food business; why do people think publishing is different? Get some books about book publishing like The Complete Guide to Self-Publishing and start educating yourself.

Here’s another thing you can do right now to further your education. The third annual Self-Publishers Online Conference (SPOC) is May 10-12, 2011. You can learn the ins and outs of the publishing business from 16 expert speakers — including Sue Collier — right from the comfort of your own computer, wherever you happen to be located.

All you need is an Internet connection. With our unique online conference software, you can attend seminars live or via recording, learn about useful publishing resources in the Exhibit Hall, and interact with speakers and other attendees through the live discussion areas. Visit Self-Publishers Online Conference for more info.

Take advantage of Early Bird pricing now and get an additional 10% off by using the special SueCollier11 coupon when you register.

Susan Daffron, aka The Book Consultant, owns a book and software publishing company. She spends most of her time writing, laying out books in InDesign, or taking her dogs out for romps in the forest. She also teaches people how to write and publish profitable client-attracting books and puts on the Self-Publishers Online Conference every May.

Before the Internet, there were essentially two ways to garner attention for your product or service:  advertisements and the media. But in recent years, a new arena has opened up vast opportunity for authors—particularly those who are self-published.  Terms like “Twitter,” “friending,” “hashtags,” “Facebook,” and “tweeting” have become part of our everyday vocabulary. Publish interesting content in the social media marketing format, and you can potentially have thousands—millions—of people read it and take action. Take yourself on a “virtual author book tour” and you can put yourself in front of an endless number of potential book buyers. Put an interesting video on YouTube and it has the possibility to “go viral” and reach the masses.

Sure, the Internet has been around for a while, but unlike the old days when you simply had to put up a website and wait for people to find you, you now need to maximize your site’s value through interactivity, sharing, and building relationships. Although some people are intimidated by the newness of viral marketing or turned off because they believe it is a time waster, they needn’t be. Leveraging social media marketing to build your platform and to make yourself stand out from the crowd is not that difficult. And it does not have to take hours each day.

Unlike traditional media, which more or less is a one-way form of communication, social media promotes discussion, feedback, voting, and other sharing of information. It also enables participants to stay connected with other people and resources. It is often described as the online practice wherein people use technology to talk, participate, network, and bookmark. Social media sites blogs, microblogs, podcasts, videocasts, forums, wikis—all are included under this umbrella.

New social media channels are cropping up on a seemingly daily basis, but don’t think you have to do anything and everything in terms of social media. Pick two or three things that seem most applicable for you (my number one favorite is Twitter, followed by LinkedIn and Facebook), and work at them consistently.

If you’re still not convinced, consider these statistics I quoted in my book, The Complete Guide to Self-Publishing, 5^th Edition: Nearly half of all adult Internet users have created content online. And some studies show that 67 percent of businesses say their best source of advice for products and services are their consumers (who communicate with them via social media). Can you afford not to ride this technological wave of the future?

To learn more, be sure to sign up for the Self-Publishers Online Conference (May 10–12, 2011).  You can learn the ins and outs of the publishing business—including social media marketing—from 16 experts right from the comfort of your own computer. With the SPOC’s special online conference software, you can attend seminars live or via recording, learn about useful publishing resources in the Exhibit Hall, and interact with speakers and other attendees through the live discussion areas. Visit http://www.SelfPublishersOnlineConference.com for more info. Take advantage of Early Bird pricing now and get an additional 10% off by using the special discount code SueCollier11 when you register.

Now use file folders to represent chapters, placing appropriate data in each folder. This way, you start to flesh out the book’s skeleton. Review what you have gathered to see where you’re rich with material—and what areas are thin and need further research, or perhaps reshuffling and combining of chapters.

Of course, this method won’t work for everyone. Some people like to group their material into notebooks with section dividers. Still others—like me—prefer to do it electronically. I keep separate folders on my computer for articles, quotes, anecdotes, and so on, organizing them by category or subject. A major advantage to doing it this way is that they are already keyboarded when it comes to the actual writing.

I have been asked more than once how long a chapter should be. How about long enough to reach from beginning to end? Seriously, there is no way to say ten pages or twenty pages. Organize the material carefully and make logical breaks. Some topics will naturally be more meaty than others. Of course, if you end up with one chapter out of all proportion in length to the rest, see if there isn’t a natural break where you could divide it. Or combine meager information with another chapter. Once you’ve grouped material this way, refine it further into a working table of contents (the “outline” from your college days). Group like topics together, and consider a part one, part two, part three structure.

Next week, I will address the actual writing process.

AMERICAN SOCIETY OF JOURNALISTS AND AUTHORS ANNOUNCES WINNERS OF 2011 WRITING AWARDS

New York, NY — The American Society of Journalists and Authors (ASJA) today announced the recipients of its annual writing awards, honoring the outstanding nonfiction work produced on a freelance basis during the past year.

“Compelling writing always grips us. No writer can peruse a story or book on this list without thinking ‘I wish I’d written that,’” says Salley Shannon, ASJA president. “It’s a pleasure to recognize and honor the best in nonfiction writing, as we have for more than 60 years.”

The awards will be presented on April 29 during the 40th Annual ASJA Writers Conference, which will be held in New York City, April 29 – May 1, 2011.

ASJA is the only professional association focused on independent nonfiction writers, an often isolated segment of the media world. Members share expertise, ideas, opportunities, and inside information critical to success in a constantly changing environment. Through services such as a member-to-member rights and fees database, contracts and grievance guidance, and diverse educational programs, ASJA membership gives writers the confidence and connections to prosper.

1. Get Educated. Immediately. Book publishing is a complex and tricky business. Work on building your own library of how-to and advice books and periodicals that explain the industry. Buy a copy of The Complete Guide to Self-Publishing, 5th Edition, the “bible” of self publishing. Pull them off the shelves often enough that they don’t ever gather dust.

2. Get Advice. Make it a goal to obtain a minimum of seven to ten objective, in-depth critiques of your manuscript from competent experts. If the same suggestions for improvement are made by several people, take their advice and make the changes.

3. Get Focused. Define with precision the editorial niche your book fits into, and how the readership within it will be reached. Exhaust these opportunities.

4. Get Busy. Develop a marketing plan addressing packaging, promotion, direct mail, publicity, warehousing and distribution.

5. Get Humble. Concurrently circulate the publishing proposal to established publishers in the field not only as an alternative to self-publishing, but for free feedback.

6. Get Serious. Ask yourself what special credentials you have that would convince people to buy a book from you. Position yourself as an expert in the subject your book covers.

7. Get Out of the Clouds. There are sales experts in your field be it gardening, travel, politics or education. Ask them to help you develop realistic sales projections and sales forecasts for your book.

8. Get a Red Pen. Develop a profit/loss statement for your book based on projected costs and sales forecasts.

9. Get Real. From all your cost projections, figure out your total investment. Be prepared to lose that amount of money.

10.  Get Deductible. Investigate and understand the personal or corporate tax implications, particularly how production costs can be amortized and how unsold book inventory can be written off.

John B. McHugh is a publishing management consultant and industry commentator. He has held management positions at Houghton Mifflin, Richard D. Irwin, and Wadsworth, Inc. At the American Society for Quality, McHugh served as Publisher and Director of Programs. McHugh’s articles have appeared in Association Publishing, Association Trends, The Book Marketing Update, the COSMEP Newsletter, Independent Publishing, the PMA Newsletter and Small Press. McHugh also conducts on-site training workshops for publishers.

1. Do you want to be in control?

People who self-publish like to control their own destiny. They want to decide what the title is, how the cover will look, what the interior design is like, how the content will be edited, what ways the book will be promoted and sold. They want to be in charge of the whole enchilada.

2. Are you willing to educate yourself?

You’ll likely spend thousands of dollars on this venture. Surprisingly, many people will investigate all aspects of a summer vacation . . . yet jump into self-publishing without a clue. That’s bad news. You need to be willing to read books like The Complete Guide to Self-Publishing, to attend writing and publishing meetings in your area, to seek out and attend relevant national conferences. This kind of preparation helps you avoid costly mistakes and gives you insider knowledge on what works best.

3. Do you have persistence? Tenacity?

Are you willing to follow through doggedly? Writing is just the beginning. Book marketing should begin the minute you get an idea for a book — and never end! You must be willing to pursue hot leads and persevere five, six, even seven times. (Of course, every author must be willing to do this if he or she hopes to sell books.) Self-publishing allows you to get off to a fast start (just a few months versus a year and a half [or longer] with traditional publishers), but you must have staying power.

4. Do you have the time?

If you think writing was a chore, double or quadruple that if you truly want to be successful. Book production details take hours and hours, and marketing is never ending. We’ve had clients who got up at 5:00 a.m. to work on their projects before they went to their daytime jobs. Others block out three hours in the evening to pursue their publishing project.

5. Can you afford it?

While you can put something together via print on demand (POD) for just a few hundred dollars, if you are planning to make serious money and change lives with your book — be prepared to invest more. The returns can be enormous. Some successful self-publishers make as much as 80% of the retail price of their book when they return for second, third, and fourth print runs.

6. Are you willing to discipline yourself to be a “business person”?

Writing books often attracts creative souls. Successful self-publishing requires a business mind-set. They are not mutually exclusive. You can learn to hire and supervise suppliers, do bookkeeping, fill orders ,and  organize and execute marketing campaigns. While many of these things have creative aspects to them, they are much more right-brain than left-brain. When you self-publish, you are going into business.

7. What’s your passion level?

You’ve got to have a huge commitment to your book. No one cares about it as much as you do. You’ve got to love it, and nurture it, and raise it to outstanding adulthood. Is what you have to offer important enough for you to get — and stay — supremely pumped up? There are few professions that allow us to touch lives . . . to make people happier, healthier, or wealthier . . . to actually enrich the world with our words.

As an author you are an expert on your subject. People will be anxious to hear your opinions of your work. Giving lectures and readings is one way to promote a book. It’s gratifying for the ego, lets you meet interesting folks, and—when done selectively—sells books.

Writers can find speaking engagements at church groups, the Y, PTAs, civic groups, libraries, women’s clubs, professional organizations, adult educational institutions, or senior centers. You might also consider giving in-store demonstrations if your subject matter lends itself to a commercial tie-in. Constantly have your antenna out for possibilities to plant yourself in the midst of potential customers. The more specialized, the better. Sometimes these contacts take a long time to develop, but when they ripen, look out!

To maximize your exposure, here are a few dos and don’ts. If sales are your goal, it’s a waste of time to talk about a specific subject (organic gardening) with a small general audience (the XYZ auxiliary). The few who would be passionately interested in your topic aren’t worth the effort.

Marilyn spent much of her career as a highly sought after speaker. She recommends that you be selective and accept only those engagements for highly specialized audiences or large groups where there is more likelihood that a reasonable number of sales will be generated.

Be sure to go armed with sales materials whenever you speak. Fliers with self-contained order blanks work well, as do business cards with your book cover on it (and your web address, of course). If you are donating your time, don’t hesitate to pass out literature, or at the very least have it available at tables. Some authors even manage to get fliers tucked into the next membership mailing. Make sure you have books with you. Display several of them.

Some authors give a small discount—perhaps 10 percent—to induce immediate sales. In any event, be sure to weave into your presentation that personally autographed books will be available afterward. It’s also wise to show the book a couple of times as you speak.

After the talk, ask the introducer to announce something like, “The speaker will be in the back of the room to autograph books.” This reminder is a good sales stimulator. People who have enjoyed your talk will want to take something of you home, and your book satisfies that desire. Appropriately enough, this is known as “back of the room sales.” Many authors have sold thousands of books this way; some professional speakers make more from their back of the room sales than they do from their lecture fees!

If you feel more comfortable in a classroom setting, you’re in luck. There are adult learning centers all over the United States and Canada seeking experts (you!) on an expansive range of topics. Find out who schedules classes at your local community colleges or universities and what they pay. There are many privately owned extended studies and adult education facilities, as well. These folks are especially open to your selling books at your classes.

A wonderful training ground for the novice is Toastmasters International. It has more than six thousand clubs around the country where you can get over your jitters. I joined this group years ago and found it is an extremely positive environment in which to hone your speaking skills.

If you’re serious about joining the ranks of those paid to speak, join the National Speakers Association (NSA) as soon as you’re eligible. It has three dynamite meetings a year where you can learn more in a couple of days than you’d ever imagine. The dues are high—and so are the rewards for the dedicated. Incidentally, if you are not yet eligible to join, NSA offers a “nurturing environment for emerging speakers who want to learn how to get started in the speaking profession.

Writing books and public speaking — as polar opposite as the two might seem to be — really do go hand in hand.

(Portions of this post have been excerpted from The Complete Guide to Self-Publishing, 5th edition, by Marilyn Ross and Sue Collier.)

(Cross-posted at the Writer’s Digest website.)