by Linda Foster Radke
The following is an excerpt from The Economical Guide to Self-Publishing: How to Produce and Market Your Book on a Budget by Linda Foster Radke. It is reprinted here by special arrangement.
A is for Advertising. Do very little paid advertising. Try to get publicity first. If you need to advertise, try co-op advertising. Share the expense with other publishers. Don't just advertise anywhere. Search out the publications that reach your target market: use them.
A is also for Associations. Join as many publishing associations as possible. In this venture you need all the publishing assistance possible. Also send review copies and press releases to Associations that reach your market. Consider joining some of these associations.
A is for Awards. Utilize Literary Market Place to read about organizations that offer awards for books. Awards add prestige, another opportunity for a press release, a sense of pride and accomplishment, and lend credibility.
B is for Book Printing. Get printing bids from various book manufacturers. Book manufacturers specialize in book printing. Use consistent specifications. Consider doing a short run on your first printing. Minimize your risks. Print 500 - 1500 copies of your first book.
C is for Catalogs. Get your book in as many catalogs as possible. Don't limit yourself only to catalogs that offer books. If you sell a gift type book, research the various gift catalogs. More and more catalogs are including books in their catalogs.
C is for Copyright. Always copyright your material. Get instructions and forms early from the Copyright Office, Library of Congress, Washington, DC 20559. General information telephone number (202) 707-3000 during regular business hours.
D is for Distributors. Get your book in the hands of as many distributors as you can. Buy lists; do research. Utilize Literary Market Place. Contact Ad-Lib Publications, Marie Kiefer, and Open Horizons for books and lists.
E is for Energy. You need an abundant amount of energy to give to marketing, producing, and promoting your book. Give yourself time away periodically. Brainstorm with other publishers. Energize together. Re search publishers of similar topics. See if they are will ing to have a brainstorming session. Provide refresh ments.
E is for Equipment. Equip your office with the basic necessities. Phone, computer, fax machine with a designated fax line, copier, and file cabinets. Economize even when buying your office equipment.
E is for Expectations. Set realistic publishing expectations. Know that most companies don't make it on only one product. But even the smallest of companies may have started with just one item. Be realistic when publishing. Know what you are up against. Set a bud get and live with it. Don't put a mortgage or a lien against your home. Publishing is risky business. If you can afford the risk of investing in your idea, in your dream, then go for it.
F is for Facts. Make sure all your statistics can be backed up with factual information. Do your homework or hire an editor to assist you with the fact finding information.
G is for Galley Proof. The next step before the printer, a galley is a well written, edited version of your book. It is not a manuscript that has yet to be edited. Send out galleys 90 days prior to the publishing/printing of your book. Research the list. Consult Dan Poynter's book The Self-Publishing Manual. Dan provides a lot of pertinent lists. Make sure you mail galleys only to those who request galleys. It is a waste of time and money to send galleys to the wrong places. Utilize your galleys when trying to get endorsements prior to the printing of your book. It looks good to have endorsements on the back cover. Ask professionals and those well known in your market to review your book.
H is for Help. Know whom to call and where to go to get help. Have your local reference librarian's number handy. If you utilize a consultant, have your questions ready. Be prepared. Save yourself valuable consulting time.
H is for Humor. Maintain a sense of humor throughout the whole process of publishing.
I is for Inventory. Keep an inventory of office supplies. Save money by researching suppliers of envelopes, Jiffy™ padded mailers, and boxes. (Ad-Lib Publications offers a great resource book to publishers. Ad-Lib Publications and Open Horizon also offers great newsletters for publishers.)
J is for Junk Mail. Learn from your junk mail. Learn from other publishers' fliers. There is always some thing to be learned from what someone else has produced.
K is for Know-How. When your book makes it is for Know-How. When your book makes it to the printer, you better know what to do next.
L is for List. Be selective of the lists you purchase. Purchase proven lists. It will cost you more per thousand, but it will also be a lot more valuable.
L is also for Labels. Have a label made with your book name on it. Or have your book cover made into a label. Great when packaging your books. Request a free label and rubber stamp catalog from Five Star Publications.
M is for Marketing Plan. Create your marketing plan from the very beginning. Know the direction you are going to take. With a limited budget, prioritize your list. If plans A & B prove to be successful, they help fund plan C. Use our marketing plan. Customize it to meet your individual needs.
N is for Niche Market. Go after a very special market. Consider this book an example of aiming for a niche market. Five Star Publications aims at specific niches.
O is for Offer. Offer something special when someone buys your book through the mail. Offer free shipping and handling for purchases of two or more books or items. Offer a 10% discount for three or more copies.
P is for Promotion. Promote your books five days a week, but only five days. You need to have a life, too. Full of ideas is John Kremer's book, 1001 Ways to Market Your Book.
Q is for Query. Query other publishers to see if they will publish your book first. You'll learn a lot and you may reinforce your determination to self-publish. Research publishers that specialize in books of your interest. Write a dynamic query letter. Hire an editor to assist you. The Arizona Authors' Association has a series of instruction sheets called Profries. These include samples of query letters and press releases with step-by- step directions for production and good explanations of the "whys" involved. These guidelines generally cost less than $5 a topic. To obtain, write to Arizona Authors' Association, 3509 E. Shea Blvd., Phoenix, AZ 85028- 3339.
R is for Rubber Stamps. Have several rubber stamps made. Five Star Publications will send you a free rubber stamp catalog upon request. You will need the following rubber stamps made:
R is for Reviews. Have your book reviewed in as many sources as possible. Consider the possibilities - newspapers, magazines, radio, syndicated columnists, associations, newsletters.
S is for Stamina. You need a lot of it to stay in publishing. Pure stamina is probably what has kept me in publishing for more than ten years now.
T is for Timing. Be alert to fast breaking news. If it's in your field, capitalize by getting a book out or reviving a book already in production, Look ahead; be ready.
U is for Utilization. Utilize the resources available, both human and print. Use your judgment as you make the necessary decisions of self-publishing.
U is for Uniform Code Council-contact them to apply for a UPC Bar Code at: Uniform Code Council, Inc. 8163 Old Yankee Road, Suite J Dayton, Ohio 45458 The bar code on the front cover of this book is the type used by grocery store scanners. The bar code on the back cover is the type used by bookstore scanners.
V is for Vulnerability, a state most self-publishers find themselves in all too easily.
W is for overwhelming. Publishing can often be this and more. Whenever you get to W, go back to S. It will come in handy.
X is for experience. Utilize the experience of professionals that have been there ahead of you. It will pay off in the long run.
Y is for You and Your book and how good it will feel once it is in your hands.
Z is for Zoo. That's what publishing most often feels like … a zoo.