8 Tips for Finding Self-Publishing Help

Self-publishing has created entrepreneurs ready and available to help authors bring a book to market. Finding self-publishing help has never been easier, however with any advancement comes risks for the author.

Once an author decides to self-publish, they can either sign with a self-publishing company to handle the process for them or self-publish themselves. Companies like IngramSpark, Createspace and Book Baby are 3 of the larger Print on Demand publishers and make it easy for authors to self-publish.

Here are 8 Tips for Finding Self-Publishing Help

• Do your homework to find the right person or company to help you bring your book to market. Ask other authors, your social media network or look on the websites of credible industry companies or organizations to see if they refer professionals. Searching on Google will get results, but not necessarily the best ones.
• Create a budget for self-publishing and one for book marketing to make sure you have enough money for both. This should be done early in the process to allow for proper planning.
• Understand what is involved. The more knowledgeable you are about self-publishing, the less likely you will be taken advantage of. Unfortunately, as in every industry, there are bad apples. Companies like TrustPub and book industry organizations are focused on protecting the author and helping them find the right professionals for their project.
• Interview several professionals over the phone to find out about their process and what they will do for you. This will help you understand what is involved and give you an opportunity to evaluated who is giving you the time and attention you deserve. Find out exactly what they are prepared to do at every stage of the process. Then, get it all in writing to make sure there are no misunderstandings.

Note: Some self-publishing companies are structured like traditional publishers where they do all the work for you and pay you a small percentage of sales. Others charge you a fee and handle the design, metadata and set up for printing and basic distribution. Then there is everything in between. Find what is best for you.

• Get prices for all of the services proposed and any add-on services the self-publisher is offering. Separate each service offering in your mind and on paper, but ask if they have discounts for combining services. Make sure you understand the pricing, payment terms and the delivery of what you will be agreeing to.

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• Insist on strong communications during the project and find out how quickly they will respond to an inquiry. Include this in your agreement to avoid any frustration.
• Most respectable self-publishers will provide an agreement in writing that will detail the responsibilities for both parties. Feel free to negotiate the things you are not comfortable with.  Make sure you can get out of the agreement if necessary and that you are not transferring your copyright or other rights to the book. If they seem inflexible, don’t be afraid to walk away.

Note: Depending on the size and complexity of your book, an average self-publishing service should cost between $1000.00 and $3000.00. Prices should be listed on their website. Ask to pay 50% down and 50% at the end of the project.

• You should have several opportunities to proof your book and receive a physical copy after approving a digital one. Once you approve the physical book, your self-publisher should make the arrangements for your book to be ready for printing and distribution.

A respectable self-publisher should be extremely focused on your happiness and do everything they can to deliver something you will be proud of. As the author, you have a responsibility to make the process stress free for the self-publisher. You should have all of the components for your project labeled, organized and ready to deliver to the self-publisher. Your manuscript should be proofread, free from errors and in a word document. You should know what book size you want and have the cover ready to go. It’s ok to ask for help, but don’t rely on anyone to make decisions for you. Do your homework and enjoy the process.

Rick Lite of Stress Free Book Marketing, stands at the forefront of the ever-changing book industry. He is a seasoned book marketing professional with over 13 years of experience in the industry. Rick’s expertise comes from tirelessly working on new and innovative ways to market his own books and CDs with his company and parent company, Stress Free Kids. Embracing the core values of integrity, innovation, and growth, Rick works closely with authors to create custom, robust book marketing programs. His easy-going manner provides “stress-free” support and comfort to authors going through the book marketing process for the first time. Rick is quick to share his knowledge and “insider tips” for a successful marketing campaign that will lead to increased exposure, awareness and most importantly, sales.