Hello everyone, as promised, here is part three of the “Publishing Series!” In this edition, we will look at how to make a book proposal, Amazon Direct Publishing, and Print on Demand.
To start off now that you have a great story and cover you want to send off to the world. The first step is to do your own research on the process. While the publishing series is quite extensive, I can only do so much for you. However, reach out to me about any step in this marathon of a process.
Book Proposals
To kick things off, we will first look at book proposals. Book proposals pitch editors your book's outcomes and how you plan to return their investment. Of course, this is for those that are publishing outside of themselves. Because I did not want to leave them out of the series, seeing I might publish via a publishing house.
Some get their book proposals created by others entirely. However, ensure your message comes across in all the ways you hoped and dreamed. It is best to do it yourself. A proposal is usually fifteen to even as long as fifty pages long. It must include:
A title page
Table of contents
Overview
Author Bio
Marketing strategies
Working titles
Outlines of each chapter
Characters
A timeline and the resources you might need to get the job done
Goals of a book proposal:
Give the reader an idea of your story via an outline
Pique the reader's interest, especially if it is a genre piece
Find target audience
Give a brief, yet comprehensive author bio
Show how you plan to market the book
Show potential best-seller titles
Find a gap in the market
Show 1-2 paragraph synopsis of each chapter
Show character development skills
Show timeline
Finally, it is essential you get a professional or ghostwriter to overlook your book proposal before you submit it. Or, at the very least, do multiple re-drafts and get eyes other than your own on the proposal.
Amazon Direct Publishing
This is without a doubt the wide trail with over 1.4 million people self-publishing each year! So if you want to stand out amongst the rest, I recommend the two other services. If, however, you are looking to test the waters and see if your novel has some legs, go with this! I won't blame you for supporting the evil empire that is Amazon, in my opinion, haha.
This service lets you list your e-book for free! This service also offers the option for readers to order a print version of your novel.
The benefits include your book getting to the market quickly. You can also increase your revenue and earn up to seventy percent of royalty sales. Not only that, YOU are in control of the entire process.
You choose your:
Categories
Write your own description
Content
Price
Unlike most services, your book will be ready to buy within a day alone. Global audiences can also access your novel. The service also gives you real-time reports on your sales. Finally, you can create your author bio on “Author Central.”
While I do not recommend this process unless you are limited in terms of money or time, Amazon’s service has steadily improved with features such as the one that allows your readers to get a print copy of your book.
However, if you want to stand out and make your mark as an author. I recommend these other two processes. While they are more time and money-consuming. Your book will be in fully capable hands. While I am not taking shots at Amazon, their service is great. With 1.4 million people submitting their work, how can you hope to be the diamond in the rough?
Print on Demand
Print-on-demand, or POD, not the band haha. Allows authors to submit their work to a printing service that will generate copies of your novel when one is ordered. Unfortunately, the cost per book is higher than publishing houses. This is a popular method among self-publishers. In fact, I know an author who went this route for her debut novel.
The two biggest POD services are:
Kindle direct publishing (discussed before this)
Ingram Spark (What the author I know used)
Both provide products at similar prices per book. It is best to research both services to find out which is best for you. Ingram Service was generous enough to offer a promo code you can find in the link below:
I recommend this process, as does the author I know who just printed many copies of her debut novel. This way you are taking the risk-free, popular approach, but nowhere near as popular as Kindle Direct/Amazon Direct
Publishing Facts:
To conclude this series, I will now share some publishing facts to add to your personal collection in researching the publishing process and ultimately choosing a service to do so.
Publishing Facts
KDP is very popular for people who are considering checking out an author they have never heard of
Kindle Direct or Amazon Direct offers the highest return on book sales
Your book is indistinguishable from big-name author’s books such as Dean Koots
Check out the links below if you plan to publish this way!
Publishing Facts Continued
A lot rides on your books first weeks on the market no matter what platform you choose
Paperback Royalties:
Authors can expect 5% revenue
Authors can expect 20-50% based on printing costs
E-Book Royalties:
Authors can expect 20-25% of net
Authors can expect 70% of their royalties using services such as KDP
Distinguished authors such as J. K. Rowling, a famous INFJ, such as myself. Tried e-books for the first time.
Fin
I hope you have enjoyed this series as much as I enjoyed creating it! Check out the links above or my sources below for more information for your own research. I hope all the information I shared helps you publish your first novel because we need more authors like YOU sharing their life experiences from living it up.
This concludes the “Publishing Series.” Please reach out to me if you have questions and share this blog with your friends who are self-publishing or publishing with POD or through a publishing house.
Till next time.
- Matt Gorrell
Sources
Staff , Amazon Kindle Direct. “Self Publishing | Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing.” Kindle Direct , 2021, https://kdp.amazon.com/en_US/.
Staff , How to Self Publish. “How to Self-Publish a Book in 2021: 7 Steps to Bestselling Success.” Reedsy, 2021, https://blog.reedsy.com/how-to-self-publish-a-book/#how_to_self_publish_a_book_in_7_steps
Staff , Publishers Weekly. “Number of Self-Published Titles Jumped 40% in 2018.” PublishersWeekly.com, 2021, https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/publisher-news/article/81473-number-of-self-published-titles-jumped-40-in-2018.html.
Staff , Reedsy. “How to Write a Book Proposal That Seals the Book Deal (with Template).” Reedsy, 2021, https://blog.reedsy.com/how-to-write-a-book-proposal/.