When I Want Your Opinion, I’ll Give It To You

Ah, human nature.

I just came across this post by Irene Watson, owner of Reader Views, a long-time and well-regarded source for book reviews in the publishing industry. In it, Irene describes how she was taken aback by an author’s accusation that her staff was not professional for offering an objective opinion about the book:

http://www.bloggingauthors.com/blogging_authors/2011/3/13/authors-tell-the-truth-and-you-will-gain-brownie-points.html

Don’t feel bad, Irene. Welcome to the club. The same thing happened to us last month.

We were hired to design a book cover. It was to be the first in a series, so naturally we  wanted to make sure this first book was as strong as it could be to establish interest in future titles.

As always, we began the job by asking the author for his thoughts. After all, we want to design in the right direction from the start, and nobody can know  a book better than the author, right? Well, in this case, not so much.

The author’s first mistake was a misleading title. It had nothing to do with the content of the book, and it contained a word that any reasonable person would associate with the offerings of  a very large company. Perhaps not a trademark in the legal sense, but certainly an association that could pose a problem. When  I brought this up, his response was, “It will be good publicity for my book if a big company goes after a little author like me.” Hmm.

The author’s second mistake was to choose a cover graphic that had nothing whatever to do with the subject. And I mean nothing. We’ve seen a lot of strange choices in cover graphics over the years, but this was beyond the pale.

Shortly after our conversation, I received an email from the author’s business partner. “Tell us what you really think,” he wrote. “We’re new at this, and we want to be sure we’re heading in the right direction.”

Silly me, I believed him.

I wrote back that we had discussed his title and cover graphic and we didn’t get the connection between the two. We were promptly fired, with the accusation “Well, if you don’t get it, we’ll need to work with someone who does.” Hmm.

I won’t tell you the name of the book, because the author is an attorney, and I’ve got better things to do with my time than defend against a lawsuit. But really, was this response even remotely sensible? Why did he ask for an honest opinion, if he didn’t really want one? And further, why did he hire us if he planned to tell us what to do?

When I was growing up, my parents were in awe of experts: doctors, lawyers, priests. They never would have questioned, let alone argued with, the advice of someone far more educated than themselves.

Today, the pendulum has swung too far in the other direction. Self-esteem has become so inflated that many people won’t believe the advice of others who really do know more.  Like authors who write their own titles, choose their own cover graphics, design their own book covers, and insist that laying out a book in Word is sufficient. A curious blindness sets in, and the amateur results are judged to be “as good as” professional work.

I’m not saying we should go back to the days when experts were all-powerful people who regularly intimidated their clients. But can we take just a few steps back in time, and recognize that we all have different areas of expertise? I think Irene would agree, and I hope you do, too.

As to the author of the above book, you can bet I’ll be watching Amazon to see what happened.

1106 Design works with authors, publishers, business pros, coaches, consultants, speakers . . . anyone who wants a beautiful book, meticulously prepared to industry standards. Top-quality cover design, beautifully designed and typeset interiors, manuscript editing, indexing, title consulting, and expert advice. All available from one convenient source. All offered with our most important service, hand-holding. We’ll take better care of you and your book than any “self-publishing company.” How may we help you? Post your comment here or email us at office@1106design.com

35 Classic Mistakes Publishers Make That Limit Their Sales and Success

Guest post by Alan Korwin, owner of Bloomfield Press

1. Not recognizing you’re going into business, you’re not just writing
2. Being undercapitalized (examine the basic costs, $5-10K)
3. Not knowing the last 10% is 90% of the job; you don’t finish, you declare an ending
4. Failure to write a one liner, one graf and one-page description prior to completion
5. Failure to market early and get advanced orders
6. Forgetting you don’t have to write ’em to sell ’em—and not offering a line of books
7. Using small artsy cover text instead of a large and easily readable title
8. Using a local printer instead of a book manufacturer (insufficient margin, do math)
9. Using POD instead of making inventory, limiting (eliminating?) profitability
10. Not identifying your audience carefully in advance
11. Going after general audiences instead of target-rich ones
12. Designing the cover by yourself instead of working with a pro
13. Working in isolation (as in, without your industry’s groups)
14. Picking the wrong cover price (too much or too little)
15. Keeping acknowledgments short instead of recognizing all supporters
16. Forgetting to overrun the covers for promo use
17. Putting out literature, instead of handing out literature
18. Failure to give away books like mad
19. Failure to get Kremer’s book, 1,001 Ways to Market Your Books
20. Failure to have books and promo with you at all times
21. Failure to put your book out where people can see it everywhere you go
22. Failure to inform any interviewer of your one-liner bio and website
23. Failure to write and issue “White Papers” to establish your expertise
24. Referring to your book without using its title
25. Waving your book or failing to hold it next to your face during video interviews
26. Running out of business cards
27. Not having a ready-to-go bag for appearances
28. Not having extra books, promo and biz cards in your trunk always
29. Having no name badge made from your book cover, spare in car
30. Having to fumble to get to a business card
31. Stumbling on your elevator speech, or not even having one
32. After initial-release announcements, make all PR s/b subject not book oriented
33. Remember to get spine width from printer, and use all the real estate for your title
34. Stack book cartons at home in tight piles, wrap in cloth like gifts, use as furniture
35. Get TextExpander and conserve your time and fingers

This list is generally framed as mistakes publishers frequently make. It can easily be reversed and framed positively, as things you should do to help ensure your success. Trying rewriting it mentally, it’s a beneficial exercise.

Alan Korwin
BLOOMFIELD PRESS
“We publish the gun laws—word-for-word, and in plain English.”
4848 E. Cactus #505-440 • Scottsdale, AZ 85254
1-800-707-4020 Orders • 602-996-4020
info@gunlaws.com
GunLaws.com

Arizona Book Publishing Association Offers Full-Day Conference

“Manuscript to Marketing: Publishing in the 21st Century”

Do you have a book inside you? Are you wondering where to start and how to get published? Come find answers at the Arizona Book Publishing Association introduction-to-publishing conference on Saturday April 16, 2011, from 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. at the Fiesta Resort in Tempe.

Called Manuscript to Marketing: Publishing in the 21st Century, the day-long program offers step-by-step advice from experts in editing, cover design, book layout, production and promotion. Join other aspiring authors and prospective publishers who are looking for tools to guide them in the constantly-changing world of books, e-books, apps, and online reading communities.

Eight information-packed sessions will provide an overview of the complete publishing process, drawing on the expertise of the 100+ members of the Arizona Book Publishing Association. Topics will include:

• What Is Your Book/Who is Your Audience?
  Does your idea need tweaking? How do you get organized?

• Writing and Editing Your Manuscript
  Do’s and Don’ts of getting your manuscript ready for publication

• Cover and Interior Design
  Where to splurge, where to save

• Brainstorm with Experts (lunch program)
  E-mail your questions in advance for the lunchtime session

• E-Book Basics
  Digesting a big topic by taking small bites

• Printing and Distribution
  Moving your books to readers

• Website Essentials
  What you need first, what your future goals should be

• Marketing to the Media and Your Audience
  Getting the buzz going and keeping it humming

Plenty of time will be available for meeting vendors of publishing services. Bring your idea, draft or manuscript for expert reviews. Space is limited to 60 attendees, so sign up now.

The conference will be held at the Fiesta Resort, 2100 South Priest Drive, Tempe, with sign-in starting at 8:15 on Saturday morning. Cost is $75.00 for members of the ABPA and $95.00 for non-members, until April 4. After that, registration is $90.00 and $110.00 respectively. To register, pay online at www.azbookpub.com or call 480-777-9250.

Register

Members Register Here

Nonmembers Register Here

About APBA

Founded in Phoenix in 1992, the Arizona Book Publishing Association’s mission is to advance and promote successful book publishing in Arizona through education, community involvement, cooperative effort, peer recognition, industry advocacy, and the support of first amendment rights.

1106 Design works with authors, publishers, business pros, coaches, consultants, speakers . . . anyone who wants a beautiful book, meticulously prepared to industry standards. Top-quality cover design, beautifully designed and typeset interiors, manuscript editing, indexing, title consulting, and expert advice. All available from one convenient source. All offered with our most important service, hand-holding. Attractive pricing choices to fit almost any budget. Prompt, personalized service. Satisfaction guaranteed. We’ll take better care of you and your book than any “self-publishing company.” How may we help you? Post your comment here or email us at office@1106design.com

The Parable of the Pumpernickel Baker

Once upon a time, there lived a talented baker named George. Long before dawn each morning, while most people slept, George arrived at his employer’s successful bakery. The boss was demanding and grumpy, always telling George what to bake and when to bake it. “The customer is always right,” the boss said.

George would just shake his head and get back to the work he loved, crafting the tastiest varieties of bread, rolls, cakes, cookies, pies, and pot pies that the neighbors had come to expect. Each afternoon, when he left for the day, he said to himself, Someday, I’ll open my own bakery, and I’ll bake whatever I want. He saved his money and waited patiently for that day to arrive.

At long last,  the perfect building for George’s bakery became available. It was located on a busy street, near a bus stop, a school, a factory, and many homes. This is wonderful, thought George. I’ll have customers all day long, and maybe during the factory’s night shift, too.

For weeks before the grand opening, everyone in the area eagerly anticipated the breads, rolls, cakes, cookies, pies, and pot pies they’d be able to buy. The factory workers and tired commuters looked forward to a savory, ready-to-eat dinner; the schoolchildren waited for a sweet after-school snack; everyone looked forward to their favorite varieties of breads and rolls.

George was more nervous than he expected, so he played it safe. On grand opening day, customers streamed into George’s bakery, but curiously, the only item for sale was pumpernickel bread. Dozens and dozens of loaves of pumpernickel bread. Nothing else. Oh, well, they thought, it’s only the first day. Maybe tomorrow there will be more breads, rolls, cakes, cookies, pies, and pot pies. Some customers bought a loaf  of pumpernickel bread, because they had waited so long for George’s bakery to open, but most customers decided to return the next day.

The next day, and the next, and the next, they gave George another chance, but again they found only pumpernickel bread. Each day, one or two people bought a loaf. Finally, an exasperated customer asked George, “This is a bakery! When will you offer white bread, rolls, cakes, cookies, pies, and pot pies?”

“It’s expensive to bake those things,” he replied.  “I want to make sure my bakery is a success first.”

“Oh,” said the disappointed customer.

Gradually, the flood of new customers slowed to a trickle. After a few visits, the factory workers went back to brown-bagging it and the schoolchildren realized they would find no cookies at George’s bakery. Everyone else reluctantly accepted that George would only offer pumpernickel bread, no matter what they wanted.

Finally, the day came when not one customer showed up. George was puzzled. Isn’t my pumpernickel bread any good, he wondered? So he walked out front and stopped a gentleman on the street. “Why don’t you come in to my bakery,” he asked?

“Because I don’t like pumpernickel bread,” the man replied simply. “I buy quite a lot of white bread, cakes, and pies.”

“Oh,” said George. “But I can’t afford to bake those things. At least not until I make some money from my pumpernickel bread.”

“Very well,” said the gentleman.

We know how this parable ends, don’t we? Poor George’s bakery failed. He went back to work for his grumpy, demanding boss who understood that it was necessary to give customers what they want.

New publishers who decide to test the market with only an eBook are making exactly the same mistake that George made. They rightly offer their eBook on Amazon and other online retailers where millions of customers can see it 24/7, but then fail to offer the book in other formats that customers want to buy.

It’s undeniably attractive to publish only an eBook. The costs are minimal and it’s scary for any new publisher to invest in cover design and typesetting when they don’t know if their book will be a success. But guess what? Plenty of people still prefer a printed book, no matter how much eBook devotees bend and twist the statistics. No business owner can lock out a significant portion of their potential market and hope to succeed.

Today, publishers are not just book providers, they are content providers. Consumers want to receive information in different ways at different times. Some people buy printed books to read at home, a welcome change from looking at a computer screen at the office all day. Others buy Ebooks to read at the airport. Others listen to audio books while driving. Some consumers buy the same book in multiple formats. It’s risky to provide content in only one form. Publishers may sell some books in that format, but it’s impossible to count the number of sales that were missed.

My advice? Offer that eBook, but also print POD at Lightning Source. Yes, there’s the one-time charge for cover and interior design, but at least  you will be offering your book to everyone who may want it. If and when the day arrives that you are selling only eBooks, you can always stop printing.

As Dan Poynter, The Book Futurist, says: “Some writers plan to publish digitally only—to save money. This is a mistake. If you publish an eBook, you are perceived as a writer. If you publish a pBook (paper), you are regarded as an author. Paper books are retained; PDFs disappear in a click. Self-publishers should offer editions to fit any lifestyle: Paper, eBook, LARGE PRINT for the visually impaired, audio book, etc. Give the buying customer what he or she wants.”

Just like George’s very smart boss.

1106 Design works with authors, publishers, business pros, coaches, consultants, speakers . . . anyone who wants a beautiful book, meticulously prepared to industry standards. Top-quality cover design, beautifully designed and typeset interiors, manuscript editing, indexing, title consulting, and expert advice. All available from one convenient source. All offered with our most important service, hand-holding. Prompt, personalized service. Satisfaction guaranteed. We’ll take better care of you and your book than any “self-publishing company.” How may we help you? Post your comment here or email us at office@1106design.com

8 Simple (but False) Steps to Self-Publishing Success

I recently came across the web site of yet another “POD Publisher” that listed eight steps to successful self-publishing. Here’s some of the text (including the original typos and grammatical errors).

Does it sound overwhelming to learn how to publish a book?) It doesnt have to be! Remember, a journey of one thousand steps begins with one. Book publishing and marketing them online is a wonderful job and moreover, it has consistent revenue potential, if done in the right way.

Whether you are a high powered executive self publishing books for a corporate organization or a stay at home mom self publishing books for family, xxx.com has resources to help you. There are many options for self publishing.

8 Simple Steps to Self Publishing Books with No Upfront Costs:

1. Choose a topic of the book, preferably one that audience would like to read about

2. Write book in a word processor (i.e. Microsoft Word) and format it as per the book size

3. Covert the Book into readable PDF format

4. Design your book cover

5. Choose a self publishing company

6. Upload files and approve the proof copies, if applicable with self publishing company

7. Market book and start selling copies online and/or at events.

8. Last of all, Format book into an ebook, Kindle book, and audio book to sell online.

To get started self publishing books today, download the free templates available at xxx.com for both your interior book template as well as your book cover: http://www.xxx.com

Sounds so simple, doesn’t it? Problem is, this list is almost entirely wrong. With minor variations, this advice can be found at most of the so-called self-publishing companies, who have co-opted true self-publishing and turned many an author’s dream into a nightmare. With advice like this, is it any wonder that the average book published by a subsidy publisher sells 50 copies?

As you might imagine, the process described above bears no resemblance at all to the procedure followed by professional (and successful) publishers. The truth is, you don’t need a self-publishing company at all. The real steps to publishing success (after, and sometimes even before, the book is written) look more like this:

1. Research the current market for your book. Who is your target audience? Will your book fill an unmet need for this audience, or will it be one of hundreds or thousands of similar titles? If your book is not particularly unique, how will you convince your prospective buyer that they should spend money on your book?

2. Compare printing methods and estimate costs. How will you sell your book? Online? At the back of the room? Do you know you will sell a certain number of books in the coming year? The answers to these questions will help you determine the printing method (print-on-demand or offset) that delivers the lowest financial risk per unit cost.

3. Interview editors and designers to determine the most qualified candidates for this particular book. Do-it-yourself editing and design are not going to cut it. Subsidy publishers know you are desperate for an “easy” way to publish, and they’re willing to lie to you to provide it. If your goal is a professional book, review editor and artist portfolios to evaluate skills and styles. Set a budget for these services only after you have narrowed the field to a few qualified candidates. Never set a budget first and then hunt for someone who is willing to work for that amount of money. If you do,  you’ll surely find someone, but probably not the best person for the job.

4. Investigate typical online and physical distribution expenses (discounts and returns) and determine how these expenses will impact your bottom line. Also investigate options for bulk sales to special markets, which are typically non-returnable (we recommend Brian Jud).

5. Research traditional and non-traditional marketing options and estimate costs. Social media is free, and is perhaps beginning to replace other forms of marketing, especially print ads. If you enjoy blogging and tweeting, this type of marketing costs only your time. Book marketing firms charge more, of course, and they usually have contacts unavailable to individuals, but nobody can guarantee results. Beware of anyone who guarantees media interviews or promises that your book will become a best-seller.

6. Write a preliminary budget that includes all of the above expenses, as well as overhead, and determine how many books must be sold, at what price, to break even. Make sure this price point is comparable to titles that directly compete with your own. You don’t want to be the cheapest, or the most expensive, book in your category. Aim for a price point somewhere in the middle. For pricing help, see Dan Poynter‘s book, The Self Publishing Manual.

7. Set a production schedule in consultation with your editor and designer that allows enough time for the various tasks to be completed before your desired release date. Allow time for unexpected delays and multiple reviews. If you finish early, you can celebrate. Working at 3:00 a.m. to meet a deadline is not only stressful, it’s a sure-fire way to miss errors.

8. Begin work with your chosen editor and book cover designer. The front cover can be designed while the editor is working, and the cover image can be used to begin pre-marketing your title.

9. Begin work with your interior designer and line up the proofreader who will read the formatted pages. Yes,  you must have a proofreader, even if your manuscript was carefully edited. You won’t believe the errors that magically show up after the text is formatted.

10. Choose a printer. For print-on-demand, we recommend LightningSource.com, the largest POD printer in the country, which is owned by Ingram. LSI is NOT a “POD Publisher” but many POD Publishers actually print books there and mark up the price to you. With offset (ink-on-paper) book printing, paper prices change all the time, so once the page count of the book is known, request a firm quote and lock in the price by signing a contract.

11. Monitor sales and returns (if applicable). Your sales figures will tell you if you should continue moving forward in the same direction, or change course. Changing course isn’t difficult if you have prepared a quality book in the first place; you may just have to tweak your marketing methods. If, on the other hand, you followed the advice of the POD Publisher above, and your homemade book now has a long list of negative reviews on Amazon and in the blogosphere, then changing course may be all but impossible.

This list is not exhaustive. Some steps may not be necessary in your situation, and other steps not shown may be essential. Regardless, if all of the above suggestions sound like a lot more work than the simple list offered by the POD Publishers, that’s because crafting a quality book IS a lot of work.

If your book is your hobby, then by all means use a POD Publisher; they do offer the cheapest way to produce a small quantity of books for friends and family. But if your publishing goals are more substantial, or the purpose of your book is to promote yourself or your business, then it’s important to “go pro” right from the start. The good news is that many experts (including us) are ready, willing, and able to help you produce a terrific book. Isn’t that what you set out to do in the first place?

1106 Design works with authors, publishers, business pros, coaches, consultants, speakers . . . anyone who wants a beautiful book, meticulously prepared to industry standards. Top-quality cover design, beautifully designed and typeset interiors, manuscript editing, indexing, title consulting, and expert advice. All offered with our most important service, hand-holding. Attractive pricing, prompt, personalized service, satisfaction guaranteed. We’ll take better care of you and your book than any “self-publishing company.” How may we help you? Post your comment here or email us at office@1106design.com

Children’s Book Author Asks: What Am I Leaving Out?

I’ve been corresponding this week with a children’s book author on the SPAN website: http://www.spannet.org (SPAN is an excellent resource for self-publishers.) The discussion started as a comment on my blog post there, “A Book Cover Is Everything” (http://www.spannet.org/profiles/blogs/a-book-cover-is-everything) and it touched on several topics that every self-publisher must address. The conversation has become a prime example of where many self-publishers go horribly wrong. I don’t believe that any author sets out to fail when self-publishing a book, but it happens far too often because the author is working with incorrect or incomplete information, or because the author resists correct information when it is offered.

For the record, even though I haven’t seen the manuscript yet, I think this book could have “legs” in a variety of markets. I truly hope this author heeds reliable advice, whether from me or someone else, because he’s clearly heading in the wrong direction, and my heart already aches for him. Here’s our conversation:

Author: My problem I have is my title — I find it catchy, but it doesn’t convey well what the purpose of my non-fiction book is all about.  A dilemma!

Me: Catchy isn’t enough. A title must be specific…a promise to the reader, telling them what your book is about. It’s tough (maybe impossible) for an author to take a step back into the mind of someone who has never seen or heard of the book before. Why not post your title here and test it with me?

Author: Here’s the title: Jack’s Fish Bones. Of course, you can’t figure out from the title that it’s actually a book that teaches children how to read, and write in Chinese.  On my mock-up I follow that with ‘A fun step-by-step guide for writing and reading Chinese.’  But that will have to move to the back cover. See the dilemma?

Me: I think your subtitle must be on the front, in this case. Without it,  your book sounds like any other children’s story. Remember, not everyone will read the description online or turn the book over to find out otherwise.  You told me in your message that the book teaches children, but your title and subtitle don’t say that. I  recommend working with a professional title consultant for this book, so that every word on your front cover speaks directly to the folks most likely to buy your book, and tells them what it is about.

Author: I think you’re right. I might re-title it ‘Jack and Ivy and the Mysterious Chinese Code’ or something of that nature. But I like short and catchy titles.

Me: Just my opinion, but that may be too long, and it sounds more like a novel.

Author: I will just have to let the name issue percolate in my brain for a while. I still have to connect with someone to do the illustrations — maybe in the process of doing that part of the book something will leap out at me.

Me: Yes, there are so many decisions to be made to launch any book. I wrote a blog post about children’s book illustrations that may be helpful: http://1106design.com/finding-an-illustrator-for-your-childrens-book/ Have a nice weekend! (In this post, I recommended a good site to find qualified children’s book illustrators, and explained why why a book designer should be hired BEFORE an illustrator is retained. I wrote this post because authors often bring terrible illustrations to designers, to the detriment of the final product. )

Author: Thanks for the tip — I had already checked Society of Children’s Book Illustrators, but got tired of searching through the gazillions of illustrators, ha!  (Will find time to look again). Since I’m a newbie, my book production idea is simple. I have made Word files which contain clip art. I convert these into PDFs, and voila! that’s my book! So my next step is, I find an illustrator with the right style, who creates and converts their original art work into ‘clip art’ which I can pull into my Word files. For me identifying exactly how many pieces and what to draw is no problem – it’s already by and large in the draft.  I negotiate on a price per piece, delivery dates, payment terms, etc.  Easy! Of course, this all may sound very naive to anyone with some real experience like yourself in the book publishing business.  Any comments?  What am I leaving out? Thanks, Michele.

So ended our conversation (at least as of this moment).

What is he leaving out? I’m not sure where to begin, but let’s start with this:

It’s amazing to me how many self-publishers judge their own work in isolation and not against the competition in the real world.  Even a casual trip to a bookstore will reveal that the  children’s book section is filled with top-quality books. If this author took his mockup to said bookstore, and objectively compared his efforts with any book on the shelf, I’m certain he would immediately see the difference.

It might be helpful to describe how a “real” publisher achieves this difference. First, they’ll research the market to determine if there is a demand for the book and how strong that demand might be. Part of this research involves a look at competitive titles and how well they are selling. If, and only if there is a demand, will a publisher move to the next step: determine the costs to professionally write, edit, illustrate, design, and market the book. Once these expenses are tallied, the question becomes, “can this book be sold at a price point that will attract consumers?” If not, the project ends right there. If so, the wheels are set in motion, and when the final product finally hits the store shelves, it is a masterpiece. More importantly, it is what buyers have come to expect when they shop for children’s books.

This process is far different than that taken by most self-publishers, as my conversation so far with this author reveals. Stay tuned.

What do you want to know? What topics should we explore together? How can we help you along your publishing journey? Everyone here at 1106 Design wants to help. Post your comment here or email us at office@1106design.com

Ink, Toner, or E? What’s Best for Your Book?

Book printing has its own jargon which can be intimidating if you’ve never worked with it before. And the complications are increasing every day, with the current buzz about e-books dominating the news.

As technologies evolve and options increase, it’s getting more difficult to figure out exactly which printing (or rather, dissemination) method is best for your book. Having an expert on your side before you take this important step can make a world of difference.

There are presently three ways to get your book into the hands of consumers: Offset printing (ink on paper); digital printing and print-on-demand (ink or toner on paper); and e-books (nothing on paper). The best choice depends on how you sell books, who your target audience is, and how they (not  you) prefer to read.

(1) Offset Printing (ink on paper): this method offers the lowest unit price possible when manufacturing books. To achieve the savings though, it’s necessary to print 1,000 to 3,000 books and arrange for storage until they are sold. Once the only method of book printing, today this choice makes the most sense for anyone who knows they will sell a large quantity of books in about a year. (If your time frame is longer than that, the cost of storage and the time value of money begins to erode the savings.) For example, authors who sell books at the back of the room during presentations, authors who have signed up with a distributor, or authors who have a substantial number of pre-publication orders waiting will benefit most from offset printing. The quality of ink on paper printing (assuming you have chosen a competent printer) is excellent. There are virtually no limitations on the type of design that can be accurately reproduced using this method.

(2) Digital Printing and Print-on-Demand: Here’s where the terminology gets a little muddy. Digital printing can mean ink-on-paper printing in small quantities, or it can mean toner-on-paper printing in small or one-at-a-time quantities. Printers don’t often explain the difference, so it’s important to ask which method is represented on any quote you receive. Either way, these methods cost more per unit than offset printing, but the publisher can order books in smaller quantities or even one at a time as they are sold. If cash-conservation is your primary concern, these methods are worth considering. The ground is always shifting on price, but generally speaking, 500-700 digital books cost the same as 1,000 offset books, so once a steady stream of sales is established, another look at offset printing is warranted. The quality of toner-based digital books is almost indistinguishable from ink-on-paper books…if your book is the typical black and white interior with a color cover. Full color photo books are best printed with ink on paper. If you plan to print with toner, be sure your designer knows this up front. Solid black text will reproduce well, but large areas of  light-gray (such as sidebar boxes) may not print evenly and should be avoided if possible.

(3) E-books: You thought you were confused before? Well, join the club. The field of e-books is changing so rapidly that it’s difficult for everyone to keep up. With about a dozen file formats and just as many devices on the market (some that will be extinct in as little as 18 months), what should an author do? Don’t listen to the buzz…listen to your readers. At present, e-books are about 2.5% of all book sales, and this figure is expected to rise to 5% by 2014. A surprising statistic, given all the attention devoted to e-books. For this reason, it doesn’t make much sense to release a book ONLY in e-book format, no matter how much the perceived savings may be. No business that hopes to survive can lock out 95% of its potential market. One way to make your book available in all the e-book formats is to post  your title on Smashwords.com. They will convert your book to all of the common e-book formats for free and take a small commission on every book sold. Apple just signed an agreement with Smashwords to offer their books on the iPad, which is just icing on the cake. After all, it’s not very useful to have an e-book file without a sales outlet. Unfortunately, Smashwords doesn’t protect e-books. Their point of view is that DRM (digital rights management) reduces sales. This may be true, but if you’re concerned about piracy, then it may be better to work with e-book conversion services who can make sure your book is only readable to those who actually buy it.

Our advice: For most new self-publishers, the way forward is to keep abreast of new technology while remembering that old habits die hard. Most people still like to curl up on the sofa with a book, even if they do sometimes read on electronic devices when they are on the go. Releasing your book in print and e-formats will satisfy everyone. When your e-book begins to outsell  your print book,  you can always stop printing.

What do you want to know? What topics should we explore together? How can we help you along your publishing journey? Everyone here at 1106 Design wants to help. Post your comment here or email us at office@1106design.com

Michele DeFilippo, owner, 1106 Design

Get The Most From Your Book Design Dollar

The mantra “Plan Now or Pay Later” is true in just about every area of life, but especially so in book design. Professional design and typesetting help your book stand out and sell better. Book designers and typesetters want you to get the most for your money and need your help to deliver a top-notch product on time and at a reasonable price.
The most important thing you can do once your manuscript is complete is STOP. Do not pass Go, do not collect $200. Pat yourself on the back for a job well done, but please don’t send your book in for typesetting until you, your editor, and all your friends and relatives have read the manuscript as many times as necessary to make it perfect.

Why? Because laying out a book is not at all like revising a manuscript. Once page layout begins, seemingly minor changes can quickly add up to big bucks. Adding a sentence to your manuscript in a word processor takes a few seconds and costs nothing. Adding that same sentence after your book is layed out may cause all the text after it to reflow and lead to time-consuming layout adjustments.

Another way to control book design costs is to ask your designer to create a sample chapter, and work together until you’re satisfied with the type style, type size and layout. Changing this sample is far less expensive than changing hundreds of pages later.

And here’s another important money-saving tip: understand the difference between editing, proofreading, changes and corrections, and do them at the appropriate time.

Editing is the perfecting of the words that make up the manuscript. It is the responsibility of the author and should be completed before typesetting begins.

Proofreading is the comparison of your typeset pages to the manuscript, and is the responsibility of the typesetter, if you so choose. Most typesetters will correct typos or call your attention to text that sounds odd, but they are not experts in your field and should not change your content or punctuation. Imagine the havoc that would ensue if they did!

Changes and corrections sound alike, but they’re not. A change, or author’s alteration, (AA) is exactly that. A misspelled name is considered a chargeable AA, because only the author can reasonably be expected to know the information.

A correction, or typesetter error, (TE) should always be fixed free of charge. Accidental deletion of text that was in the original manuscript, or type set in the wrong font is a non-chargeable TE. Marking your proofs with these abbreviations will give everyone a sense of how the job is going and avoid hard feelings at billing time.

If, despite your best efforts, you must make changes to your page proofs, you can still save money by doing it efficiently.

First, make all your changes in one pass. It takes many hours to change an entire book multiple times. Consolidate your changes into one or two rounds and you won’t have to deal with “sticker shock” later.

Second, add several weeks to your prepress schedule for changes. It’s stressful for everyone and unfair to your typesetter to hold to the original deadline when days or weeks of work have been added to the project. If you finish early, you can celebrate.

One final tip: If you make changes, expect to pay for them. Your typesetter’s written estimate should specify how many rounds of revisions are included, and quote an hourly rate for changes beyond that. If you don’t see these items, be sure to ask. If you do see them, talk it over. Everyone wants the job to go smoothly.

Most of all, remember that your typesetter is a human being who cares about your book as much as you do. If you ask for 60 changes at midnight, it’s not helpful to point out that the typesetter must be blind for missing one.

A little planning can produce your book on time and on budget, with publisher and designer alike looking forward to the next one.

What do you want to know? What topics should we explore together? How can we help you along your publishing journey? Everyone here at 1106 Design wants to help. Post your comment here or email us at office@1106design.com

Michele DeFilippo, owner, 1106 Design

Enhance Book Sales with a Clear Corporate Image

A professionally-designed book cover is absolutely essential when it comes to marketing your book. If your book looks good and stands out from the crowd, it has a better chance to sell.

The same principle applies when prospective customers view your marketing materials. It’s imperative to cut through the clutter, establish credibility, and help busy prospects notice your sales message. (The next time you’re going through that pile of junk mail, pay attention to what you keep and what you toss, and why.)

It doesn’t matter if you publish one book or a hundred, customers want to do business with a company that appears to be stable. Since they can’t meet you personally, the only way to communicate that message is through your marketing materials.

Every contact you make with a potential customer, whether it is a postcard, flyer, brochure, letter or website, says something about your company. If your materials are carefully designed, you are telling your prospective customer that your company is reliable and that they can be confident when they spend money with you.

The first step to a professional corporate identity is to design a logo that reflects the vision and purpose of your company. The best logos are simple and should be designed to look contemporary for a minimum of 10 years. Ideally, your designer will present a number of original ideas (not canned graphics that have been used over and over again) and refine these ideas from your feedback until you are delighted with the results.

A logo isn’t just a design for one purpose today, but also for many purposes in the future, so there are some considerations to discuss with your logo designer as work proceeds. A logo should be designed to look good in black and white first, because that’s how it will often be seen (on faxes and invoices, for example). Color enhances, but is never a substitute for, strong design.  If your logo doesn’t work in black and white, it simply doesn’t work. A strong logo design can be printed in black and white or one color, saving you money on printing down the road.

Logos should also be designed so that they can be altered as needed for use on both light and dark backgrounds (on future book covers, for example). Once the basic logo design is established, publishers often request two or more versions of a logo — a vertical logo for book spines, and a horizontal one for brochures and correspondence.

Step two in the establishment of a professional corporate identity is to write down design standards so that all of your marketing materials will have a consistent look. These standards define the size and position of your logo, as well as type faces and colors to be used consistently, so that your marketing materials have  a “family” look that convey an image of stability for your company. Your designer can write a graphic standards manual that explains how your logo is (and is not) to be used. With this document for reference, every marketing piece you produce now or in the future will be consistent, regardless of whether it is produced in-house or with the help of an outside designer.

A professional corporate identity consistently applied needn’t be expensive. While it’s convenient to call a quick printer every time you think of a new marketing piece, planning ahead can save you significant money on printing. Designers work with larger commercial printers on a regular basis and can suggest ways to stretch your printing budget that will still allow you to update materials on your desktop whenever the need arises.

For example, if you know you’ll be sending out mailers every two months for the next year, you may realize savings by printing “shells” in color and then updating the message in-house on your laser printer.

Another way to save money on printing is to produce bookmarks and postcards at the same time that your book cover prints. Not all book printers will do this, but even if they don’t, you can get the most for your printing dollar locally by “ganging up” your printing jobs instead of ordering each project individually.

Someone once said “the most expensive brochure is the one that doesn’t work.” Reserving a portion of your production budget for professional marketing materials will pay for itself many times over.

What do you want to know? What topics should we explore together? How can we help you along your publishing journey? Everyone here at 1106 Design wants to help. Post your comment here or email us at office@1106design.com

Michele DeFilippo, owner, 1106 Design

How Authors Can Help Book Designers

There’s quite a bit of misinformation floating around about book designers and the book design process. Some folks think designers are creative psychics who somehow just know what to do, without any help from the client. Nothing is further from the truth. There are thousands of ways to design a book cover. A competent book cover designer will start by gathering information that will help him/her design your cover in an appropriate way. Here’s how you, the author or publisher, can help before design begins: Read more

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