Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
27 Years of Unequaled Wisdom to Allow You to Profit from Your Writing!, 28 Jul 2006
Most would-be authors in the U.S. dream of signing a four book deal with Random House for over $10 million . . . and then skyrocketing to the top of the best seller list. That does happen, but not very often.
The average new author who attracts a commercial publisher will probably be offered an advance of $7,500 and won't earn that amount back in actual royalties. In the process, the author will be disappointed to find that the publisher does little more than print the book, put it in a catalogue and take orders from those who demand the book. If there's to be publicity, the author must provide it. In exchange, the author will earn less than 10% of the cover price of the book from each sale.
After having been down that route, it's not surprising that authors begin to realize that selling 5,000 copies that one self-publishes can earn a profit of 5-10 times as much with relatively little more effort . . . and not much of a capital outlay.
So, if you don't get that Random House deal, you probably can still earn a lot more money for yourself by becoming your own publisher. There are lots of ways to do this from e-books as digital downloads to traditional hard cover volumes. You can have a printer make a few thousand of the latter . . . or a print on demand printer will make one at a time as you receive orders.
Naturally, you can pay someone several thousand dollars to help you through the process.
But it's a better bet to buy Dan Poynter's Self-Publishing Manual. Dan's forgotten more about how to self-publish a book that most "experts" will ever learn.
This book covers the following important topics:
1. How to decide if you want to self-publish and how
2. Writing your book (from picking a subject to gaining advances)
3. Starting your own publishing company (if that's appropriate for you)
4. Book production (from designing to typesetting to layout to final book)
5. Launching your book (getting on the radar screen)
6. Pricing
7. Book promotion (advertising, publicity, reviews, press kits and interviews)
8. Attracting book buyers (distribution, libraries, schools, promotions, fund-raisers, subsidiary rights)
9. Fulfillment (from your warehouse to the book buyer)
10. Dealing with the changes in your life that follow being published.
The sections are very detailed, reference lots of other great sources (including Dan's own wonderful Web site), suppliers and answers to the most common questions every new author has.
As much as I like this book, I must point out its one glaring weakness. Dan has been a celebrity in the book authoring field for so long that he somewhat overstates how easy it is to attract positive publicity. But if you keep at it, someday you'll find it as easy as Dan does.
By the way, if you ever have a chance to attend a conference where Dan speaks, be sure to attend. He's even more helpful in person.
If you think you might want to self-publish, this is the book for you.
Good luck!
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13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Midwest Book Review, 9 Nov 2005
I had heard rumors over the internet that this book was the “bible” of self-publishing. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that these rumors were, indeed, the truth. Clearly structured and written in simple, reader-friendly language that anybody can understand, this book is not only an amalgam of information, but a pleasure to read as well. Poynter discuses topics such as your publishing options, writing your book, starting your own publishing company, producing your book, announcing your book, promotion, advertisement, fulfilment, etc. In fact, everything you need to know to get your own press rolling. The author moves from subject to subject chronologically, making the process easy as if you had a coach beside you at each step of the way. Poynter uses tables, sample forms, graphics, drawings and pictures to illustrate his explanations. Since this is a revised edition, the contact information and links are up to date. Most helpful are the appendixes, offering a “book’s calendar,” as well as many resources and recommended reading. Another thing about this book which make it a pleasure to read is the clever quotations used throughout. Be prepared with pencil and highlighter, as this is a book you’ll want to dissect piece by piece. Practical, straight-forward and insightful, The Self-Publishing Manual should be in the reference shelf of anybody who is thinking about self-publishing a book, start a press, or simply understand how the publishing business works. It is also an invaluable resource for those who want to learn about effective book promotion. This is one of those rare jewels which is worth its every penny. Highly recommended.
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Belt & Braces - All you need to know, 16 Aug 2005
Have you ever dreamed of writing your own book but did not know where to start? Have you ever written a manuscript, sent it off to dozens of publishers without receiving a response?If you have then this book by Dan Poynter will give you the best advice that you could ever dream of. This isnt a book wrapped up in publishing industry speak, it is a plain talking guide on how to plan, write, publish and sell your masterpiece. Poynter does not tell you what to do but suggests what you can do to become an author. With over thirty years as a self publisher, and with hundreds of titles available it makes sense to learn from an expert. I for one will use the advice and maybe someone will write a similar review on my own masterpiece one day, right here on amazon.co.uk.
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