Is There a Secret to Self Publishing Success? How Can Book Printers Help?
[Posted on May 2nd, 2013 by Beth Bowes-Carter]
Every person who has the love of writing in their soul has one major goal in common with all other writers: to have a number one best seller. Getting from the first chapter to publishing is a different story, though. Writing a novel, a biography, or a non-fiction book takes dedication and the willingness to struggle financially. What good is any of it if the book never goes to press? The good news is that self-publishing makes the task easier than ever to complete with help from book printers.
What is the Secret to Self-Publishing?
The secret to self-publishing is that there is no secret. Self-publishing is one of the easiest methods for turning the dream into a published reality. There is only one question to ask prior to submitting a self-published book. Is this book representative of the author’s best work, and the best it could be? If the answer is no, make the necessary changes prior to submitting it to book printers. The experience that readers feel when perusing the book will determine if they will recommend it to others. It will also determine if they will ever purchase a book from the author again.
After the final draft is written, it is imperative to self-edit and then find an editor to check for errors that may have been overlooked. Beginning writers tend to believe that their writing capabilities are that of the greatest author that ever lived. Even a seasoned writer soon learns that even the greatest of authors have flaws in their writing ability. Get opinions from friends, family, and sample audiences prior to printing. This practice saves the author a great deal of heartache.
When the book is finished, it is time to find the right self-publishing company. This is the most difficult part of the journey. There are many venues available, each one offering advantages and disadvantages to the author. Check the requirements for each self-publishing company to find the one that closest match the goal. A book printer is able to help launch the book in electronic form and print form so it is available for a wider audience.
How can the Right Book Printers Help?
Book printing has been taken to an entirely new level in this electronic age. Book printers can help authors a great deal when the time comes to complete the circle. All book printers are not alike. Find a service that will help make the book as professional as possible. First, the book printer should be one that offers editing services. This type of book printing service provides a venue that allows authors to work from one site rather than jumping all over the place to find it.
The book printing service will create book covers, assist with formatting, and promote the book directly from the same site. After all is said and done, the book can be printed for authors who would like to sell in the traditional form as well as the electronic form. Keep in mind that many hardcore readers still prefer a hard copy. The most impressive part about using a book printer is that books can be printed on demand so writers do not have to spend hundreds of dollars on books that could just lie around unsold.
Writers must have a thick skin in order to become successful at what they are doing. Great writers like Mark Twain and Steven Spielberg dealt with criticism and rejection prior to acceptance of their famous works. It is no different for anyone else seeking the most satisfying end of to the writing experience, to see the book in published form.
What to Look for in Your Book Printers
[Posted on May 2nd, 2013 by Beth Bowes-Carter]
There has been a revolution in the publishing business, which has been a boon for authors everywhere. In the past an author’s future was at the mercy of the publisher; today an author holds the keys to success. It is important to note that prior to the computer revolution and the Internet, publishing a book was not only prohibitively expensive, but the success of a book was in the hands of numerous people who were behind the scenes. These included writers, designers, publicists, and countless others. Now experienced and dependable book printers can play an important role in getting an author’s work in the hands of readers.
Today self-publishing has put the writer very much in the driver’s seat. Along with quality book printers, a writer can make their book a success. There are qualities to look for in a book printer as you prepare to self-publish your book.
Experience
The first thing you should check on is the book printer’s experience. If the printer doesn’t have much experience with producing high-quality books, move on. Ask for references or a list of recent jobs.
In-House Production
Make sure that your book printer does as much of the job as possible without outsourcing. It is rare, especially in smaller communities, that a printer has the equipment and experience to do an entire job on site. Instead, some portions or the entire job might be sent elsewhere, which will end up costing you much more. Another way to determine if a printer will handle your book in house is to ask for an equipment list. This will help you determine if the printer has the capability to handle your order.
Reputation
Especially in the age of the Internet, it is easy to determine the reputation of a business. If a printer has a reputation for trouble with customers, heed the warning. If you find a printer who has a record of success with customers, stick with that printer. Success breeds success.
Follow a Leader
Ask fellow authors for recommendations. If you know anyone who has published a book, or even a book-like project, and you liked the looks of their finished product, ask who did the printing. Pay that printer a visit. The chances are good that if a book printer gives one author good service and produces a good, high-quality product, the same service will be given to you.
Star Power
Book printers are in business to make money by printing a good product. With the dramatic rise in the number of people self-publishing, there are a lot of people like you in the market for a book printer. Give your business to a printer who is willing to take the time with you to answer your questions and generally take time to offer advice and walk you through the process. It will save everyone a considerable amount of time, and will ultimately save you money.
All of these tips together will give you a good profile of a book printer you will want to work with. If you find a book printer who has all of these characteristics, this is a business worth its weight in gold.
Will Book Printing Help Me?
[Posted on April 25th, 2013 by Beth Bowes-Carter]
In today’s increasingly modernized digital world, books are still highly valued as a means to enjoy an entertaining story or learn something valuable. Despite the many gadgets that allow you to download an app and do myriad other tasks, there is undeniable feeling of pleasure one gets from holding a paper book. For a majority of readers, book printing and physical products will always feel more tangible than newer reading devices. Open one of your favorite books and you will feel an instant connection with the author. The writing flows in a way that makes you want to keep reading.
Most people that daydream about writing their own book never take that first step and actually do it. If you are currently seeking ways in which to share your words with interested readers, the easiest and fastest way to make your dream come true is through self-publishing Book Printing.
Benefits of Being a Self-Published Author
The world of book publishing is quickly shifting from one dominated almost exclusively by gatekeepers at publishing houses to individuals that choose to skip all of the rejection slips and publish on their own. Self-publishing is for people that feel deep down in their heart that they have written a good book that really needs to be read. They also share an inherent belief that life is too short to sit around waiting months to find out if their book will be published.
By publishing your own book you leave out the middleman and reap all of the rewards that come from controlling your own author destiny. With good planning you can literally be holding your very own book in your hands within a matter of weeks.
Even if you have been traditionally published in the past, you will find that you can get book printing done much faster by doing it yourself. You also get to keep a majority of the profits from sales.
Dedicate Yourself to Completing Your Book
One of the main challenges an author faces when writing a book is keeping on schedule. Good intentions will not finish your book, but good planning and dedicated effort will take you to the finish line. Make a writing schedule and do your best to stick to it. Establish a realistic goal and meet that goal each day.
Design a Great Cover
People really do judge a book by its cover. Take time to think about what you want the book cover to look like. Browse other book cover examples for inspiration. A talented graphic artist can design a cover that catches the eye of readers. If you don’t know where to look for a cover art designer, ask your book printer for suggestions.
Select a Reliable Book Printer
The most important step to producing a quality book, besides content, is selecting the right book printer. This cannot be overstated. Self-publishers that use low-quality printing sources have suffered when their books fall apart in readers’ hands.
Choose an experienced book printer that uses only the best printing equipment and highest-grade paper. A professional book printing service is going to be more than happy to answer all of your questions before taking your order. Communication between the author and printer is important.
The printing rates should be reasonable and their customer service top-notch. Be sure to go over your draft and cover art carefully before submitting to the printer for best results.
What Are the Benefits of Independent Book Printing?
[Posted on April 19th, 2013 by Beth Bowes-Carter]
There is a growing movement today away from the idea that the only way to have a book published is through a traditional publisher. The process of creating a book proposal, submitting it to many publishers, and then waiting for a response is tedious. Only a small percentage of people are able to have their book accepted, and published traditionally through a large publishing house book printing enterprise.
This left only one avenue for those still wanting to get published. Do it yourself. In the past, this meant spending thousands with a vanity publisher. Authors were vulnerable to getting ripped off. Fortunately, the self-publishing scene is author-friendly today and there are benefits to independent book publishing. America’s Press is the best place to start your book printing process.
Instantly Enhance Your Reputation
One way to give your professional reputation a real boost is to publish a book that establishes you as an expert in your field. Publishing a book elevates you in the eyes of the public as someone that truly knows the subject matter. People admire authors and will seek answers from you more readily if you have a book. Once you have your book published you can set up speaking engagements and go on tour sharing advice and expertise. This is also a great way to promote and sell your book to eager buyers.
Enjoy Complete Control of Your Book
A downside to having a traditional publisher is that they have ultimate control over editing choices such as cover art and how your book is presented to the public. Authors are simply expected to write while leaving everything else to the publisher. Contracts firmly set out that publishers, not authors, have ultimate decision-making power.
By self-publishing your own book you don’t have to deal with publishers that have a different vision for your book than you do. You get to make all of the decisions. You can design and promote the book exactly the way you wish.
Affordable Printing Costs
Publishing a book used to cost a pretty penny. Thousands of dollars would be spent even before printing costs. Today, book publishing services are much more budget-friendly for the self-published author. It is possible to find talented independent editing and design professionals that charge reasonable rates. There are also book printers that have inexpensive rates for processing and printing physical copies of your book.
Get Your Book Out Faster
Traditional publishers can take up to a year to publish a book. The author has no control over the speed at which the book will be available to the public. For the independent book author this is not a concern. As soon as your manuscript is finished, edited, and polished, it can be submitted to your friendly book printer.
A reliable book printer that has expertise in working with self-publishers will be able to give you a copy proof quickly. Once you are happy with the proof your book goes to print. There is no lengthy waiting period. This is a quick, hassle-free way of publishing.
Keep a Majority of Book Profits
Probably one of the best perks that come with self-publishing are the profits you get to keep after each sale. Traditional publishers often leave authors with as little as 10%. By printing your own book you can reap over 70% profit.
Overall, independent book printing helps authors achieve their book dreams easily and quickly. Contact America’s Press today to get started.
Bringing the Right Proof to Your Book Printer
[Posted on Apr 4th, 2013 by Beth Bowes-Carter]
Writing a book is a major undertaking. If you are like many authors you’ve already dedicated months to this process. Now you have finally finished that last chapter. You have found a professional book printer that is also affordable. Understandably, you’re excited to submit your work to the book printers so they can start turning it into a physical piece that you can actually hold in your hands.
However, before you turn that manuscript in to the printer there are a few things that you need to do. Keep in mind that book printers are not generally responsible for making sure that your manuscript is polished and ready for production. They are only in charge of the mechanics of book printing. They will take what you give them, set it up in their machines, and print as many copies as you desire. So you want to take additional steps to ensure your independently published book comes out great.
Proofread Your Book
You must take the time to proofread your entire book. This doesn’t mean skimming over it to see if there are any glaring errors. Proofreading a book is the most important step to making sure that you catch and correct as many errors as possible. A lot of new self-published authors skip this step and have bad reviews as a result.
Readers hate finding errors in a book; it takes them out of the story and can ruin their enjoyment of what they are reading. Not only will readers be disappointed, but too many errors make your book come across as unprofessional. You will not develop a devoted fan base with an amateur product. Therefore, go over every single line of your book. Asking someone else go over your draft, too, is always a smart move. A second pair eyes to review the text can reveal mistakes you didn’t catch.
Have Your Book Edited
Don’t blame your book printer if people complain that your book is unfocused or doesn’t make sense. Hire an experienced editor to go over your book and help with some of the issues it may have with story flow or organization.
Design Your Book
Your raw manuscript is a simple word document that must be transformed into a nicely formatted book template. Again, the book printer is not responsible for designing the look of your book – you are. Book design involves deciding on type and size of font and formatting the paragraphs and spacing of pages. Additional pages such as dedications, introduction, copyright, resources, graphics, etc. must all be designed to look professional, and this is your responsibility, not the book printer.
There are book writing software programs that make this task easy. Or, you can hire a professional book designer.
You also must make a decision about the cover art. The cover is the first thing that potential readers will notice about your book. It must look appealing and professional in order to compete with all the other books on the market. You can learn to use design software that helps you to create your own covers, or hire an experienced book cover artist. Cover art must conform to the book printer’s exact size and quality specifications.
Obtain an ISBN Number
In order to sell your book you will need an official ISBN. This 13-digit number allows for tracking of sales. Include this number on your cover and content pages so it can be included in the printing process. Although reports are surfacing that the ISBN will soon be a thing of the past it hasn’t happened yet, so don’t neglect this important step.
