Every writer dreams of receiving an acceptance letter from any of the book publishers they directed their book script to. Choosing a reputable publisher to put a book into production is a time consuming effort that will reward writers tremendously for their patience in the end.

Book publishers take time to respond. Every day they receive more literary works from writers around the world. When submitting a manuscript to book publishers, be prepared to wait for a response. To help decrease the wait time and increase the odds of receiving the much sought after acceptance letter, writers should first investigate book publishers that specialize in the same genre of writing. These publishers can be uncovered by reading several books of the same genre and contacting those publishers or networking with other authors. Many literary publications and journals also offer priceless direction to which book publishers are seeking specific works, and agents that seek authors of certain types.

True book publishers will take care of most every aspect of publishing for the writer. These groups will review the manuscript to determine if they are willing to accept the publishing responsibilities. This includes paying for the printing, illustrations, cover graphics, distribution and marketing which all add up to a significant tab for writers to absorb up front. By taking such a vested interest in a writer’s work of art, it can be certain that the book publishers will be taking every measure to promote and distribute as many copies of your book as possible.

It can be difficult to strike a deal with book publishers, but for those who are patient and determined this provides the greatest amount of expert assistance to writers in publishing their book. Book publishers take a vested interest in distributing an author’s book to the masses by covering their up front expenses to book publishing, which adds value and peace of mind to writers.

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Technology has made many things possible or much easier than ever before. This is especially true with book publishing. Many self publishing houses have become popular in online communities to make the dream of publishing a book a reality for nearly anyone. With this possibility of publishing a book available, understanding how to publish a book becomes an important factor to consider.

Most promising writers using self publishing techniques have very little experience if any when it comes to publishing a book. There are many steps in the process of how to publish a book. The majority of these steps start even before the publishing process begins.

Before the first word can be penned, writers must consider the audience they are writing for. Having a well defined target audience will guide the entire writing process. This will also be a key factor in determining if there will be illustrations and what type.

Determine what general topic your book will cover. Many plots have been overly recycled and are not interesting to readers any longer. Others are timeless topics if they are approached creatively. Take time to search existing books of similar topics to analyze their popularity, key positives to the marketing and points that can be improved.

Once the basics of the book are well planned in great detail, the author is ready to go to work on the writing process. During and following the writing process, writers will really experience how to publish a book. Searching a self publishing house that affordably provides comprehensive services can make the process of self publishing convenient. Comparing the various costs to publishing does not even scratch the surface to the publishing considerations. Writers will need to carefully analyze the print type, paper quality, book size, quantity of copies, and additional services such as illustrations. Knowing how to publish a book before beginning the writing process will be the knowledge writers need to promote a successful publishing venture.

Popularity: 14% [?]

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Self publishing has become a popular and simple process for aspiring writers to embrace. This avenue of publishing books allows writers of all levels to be rewarded with a published book created through their own efforts. One of the largest categories of book sales and self publishing is children’s books.

Children’s book authors cover many groups including parents, teachers, and writers. Such a wide variety of potential writers leads to a tremendous quantity of new works. While many publishing houses work with authors to direct their books to the shelves of book stores everywhere, still more writers opt to go the route of self publishing.

Self publishing children’s books allow writers to have their work printed and bound in some quantity for distribution. Leading up to the book publishing process, writers will complete the steps of composing their book, as well as compare various self publishing providers and different book formats.

Designing a professional, high quality book is the primary goal of self publishing. Choosing between a hardcover or a paperback, between full color or black and white, between a larger book or smaller book, between 16 pages and 32 will influence the outcome of the author’s product. Many self publishing houses offer services to writers that make this process much easier to manage. Professional full color illustrations add an invaluable touch to a children’s book that is almost a requirement. Some self publishing houses even offer distribution help to writers to get their book into the hands of more readers.

Self publishing offers children’s book writers the ability to publish their books under their full control. While publishers will absorb the costs of publishing a book, striking a deal with a publisher can be quite difficult. Writers will also forego a significant level of control when working through a publisher. Self publishing allows a wider spectrum of writers to publish their books as well as extending a greater level of control.

Popularity: 10% [?]

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My grandmother is an incredible cook, specializing in real down-home favorites that she learned at her own mother’s knee. She raised her kids in the kitchen, teaching them how to bake bread, prepare fried chicken, cook short ribs, and bake a cake and cookies from scratch. Everything she makes is luscious, but there is nothing to compare to her homemade pickles, jam, and jelly. The only problem with all of this is that she’s never written down any of her recipes. Everything is in her head — if I call her to ask how to make something the instructions usually start with “get a bowl, not too big” and then go on to include “a little of this, a handful of that, take some butter, and a smidge of something else.” So even if you sort of know how to make Grandma’s food, you don’t really, because her handful isn’t just like your handful, and her smidge isn’t just like your smidge. Grandma turned 90 this year and it made me so sad to think that we’d lose all of her recipes one day when she passes, so I decided to surprise her, and my entire family, by self publishing a book of her recipes, including photos of the food. I had no idea how to publish a book, but after a quick search of book publishers I found one that would handle everything or me. They could even spiral bind my book like a real cookbook! And so I began my stealth project. I would go to her house and visit, and I would watch while she cooked, asking her to toss her “handfuls,” “little bits” and “smidges” into measuring cups and spoons. Then I would photograph the food before we ate it. Eventually I had compiled an excellent selection of favorites, including soups, muffins, breads, roasts, pie, cookies, and those pickles! I sent my manuscript off to the book publishers and in no time I had multiple copies of gorgeous cookbooks “written” by my grandma. It’s killing me, but I’m keeping it a secret and handing them out to my entire family as Christmas gifts!

Popularity: 10% [?]

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Self publishing a book can be a little overwhelming. While many print-on-demand book publishers offer a variety of editorial, marketing, and distribution services, ultimately the decisions all fall to you. One of the most important steps in self publishing a book is the final edit. This is a review for grammar, spelling, punctuation, and conformity of style.

The first option is to do this final review yourself. Your word processing software will have a spelling and grammar check function, so be sure to use them (this may sound incredibly elementary, but you’d be surprised how many people neglect to use these easily accessible tools). Remember, just because the computer makes a suggestion doesn’t mean you have to take its advice — your writing style can override the “rules.”

But you do need to know the rules. Many people are fascinated by grammar and style, and if you’re one of them, there are excellent books and style guides, both classic and contemporary, to guide you through this part of your book publishing journey. You’ll also want a copy of Merriam-Webster’s dictionary on hand.

You’ll want to ask a few people you trust to read your book with a very critical eye, looking especially for typographical errors, misspellings, odd grammar, and hard to understand passages. Ask them to be ruthless, and to keep a special watch out for the kinds of simple errors we all make — missing words; using the wrong form of a word, such as “their” for “there” or “they’re” and the trio of trickiness that is “to,” “two,” and “too;” and awkward sentences.

Of course, you can always hire a professional proofreader to handle this task for you, and it is an investment worth making. Some print-on-demand book publishers offer a proofreading service, either as part of a package or as an add-on service, but you are in no way compelled to use them (and may get a better rate by selecting your own proofreader).

Popularity: 11% [?]

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You’ve written a book. You know it’s wonderful. You’ve spent a chunk of your life writing it, editing it, and proofreading it. You did research about book publishing, decided that self publishing was the right choice for you, and learned about how to publish a book. You went through the book publishing process, and you’ve got boxes full of your precious work sitting in your garage or living room. Now what?

Now it’s time to promote your book! Here are some ideas for marketing, promoting, and publicizing your self published book.

Create a Promotional Website

Creating a simple website gives your book presence on the Internet and lends an air of legitimacy to your project. You can include a blurb about the book, an author bio, a press kit, and a way for visitors to order a copy of your book. You can also use your website as a way of sharing news about your book, such as readings you are doing or reviews.

Blog About It

Your promotional website can include a blog, or you can create a separate blog and crosslink between your promotional site and blog. Your blog is a fantastic way to share the experience of self publishing, link to sites or articles that are relevant to your book and its topic, post photos, and otherwise share your enthusiasm for your project.

Write a Press Release (and Send it Out!)

Writing a press release is an art in and of itself, but generally the release should be factual and informative. Stick to the “five Ws and one H” — who, what, where, when, why and how. It’s not a sales pitch or an ad, it’s a tool for delivering information. There are excellent guides to writing press releases online and in print, and you’ll want to consult The Associated Press Stylebook to ensure that you are writing in AP style. Once you’ve got your press release in shape, send it to broadcast and print contacts. This is not a time to be shy. There are thousands of media outlets; your goal is to contact every one of them. Pay particular attention to local outlets as well, as everyone loves a “local guy or gal makes good” story. In addition to traditional media, consider local press and neighborhood blogs for coverage of your book.

Popularity: 19% [?]

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In Part 1 we discussed binding formats, book cover creation, and pricing associated with self publishing your book. Here are a few more things to consider when choosing POD book publishers.

Many self-published books are personal projects such as family remembrances or heirloom recipe collections. Others are limited-run office projects, such as annual reports or worker handbooks. But many authors choose self publishing for commercial sale. If this is your intention, the first and most important decision you need to make is how you want to market and sell your book.

If you choose to do everything yourself, then straightforward POD book publishers —one that will simply print and mail your book copies to you—is the best choice.

If you want more extensive support, then you’ll choose a POD publisher that offers a greater menu of options. These can include editorial support, marketing and publicity tools, legal and administrative services such as ISBN assignment, and a distribution network. If you do decide to go with a full-service POD publisher, be sure to compare the initial cost of creating your book, the cost of editorial and marketing services, royalty payments, how your book will be priced, and what kind of author support is provided. You’ll also want to be sure that you have a non-exclusive agreement with the POD book publisher, so that you are free at any time to sign with one of the traditional book publishers or sell the film or TV rights to your book.

Popularity: 14% [?]

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Like many writers, when you imagine publishing a book you probably think about getting a literary agent, signing with a major publishing house, going on a book tour, and seeing your book in bookstores all over the world. Many writers follow this path with success, but for others, self publishing can be a better option. It’s fast, cost-effective, and lets you maintain control over the book publishing process. And if you decide to sell your book, it pays more handsomely than standard royalty contracts. If you do choose to self publish, you’ll have a wide choice of print-on-demand (or POD) book publishers. Here are a few things to compare when choosing a POD book publisher.

Binding Format
Hardcover, paperback, or e-book? Case binding, spiral coil binding, or saddle-stitched? Your choice of binding will be determined by the type of book you’re publishing and your budget, so be sure the POD publisher you choose offers your preferred binding style.

How is the cover of your book created?
You may have a clear picture of what the cover of your book should look like and a graphic designer already hired to do the work. But if you’re a little uncertain about how the cover should appear, or don’t want the time and expense of finding, hiring, and working with a graphic designer, then a cover creation service is a good option. Many POD book publishers offer this service, ranging from basic cover designs to fully customized covers created by experienced graphic designers. You’ll want to compare cost and design options when making your final decision amongst POD book publishers.

What will it cost?
Your printing costs will vary depending on your needs and plans for your book. A limited run of books for personal use can be created relatively cheaply, but if you plan to sell your book you should factor in costs associated with a larger print run, marketing and distribution. Many POD book publishers offer a variety of editorial, marketing and distribution services. Once you’ve determined the package of services you’ll need, compare costs across at least three different POD book publishers.

Popularity: 13% [?]

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I worked in an insurance office for many years, and while it was a good job, what I always wanted to do was be a furniture maker. I had a workshop out in back of our house, and I was always puttering back there. I started small, carving little figures. Eventually I worked my way up to birdhouses, and when my first daughter came I made a cradle. With more children came more projects — dollhouses, chairs, and rocking horses. It never seemed more than a hobby, although every now and then I’d talk about quitting my job to craft furniture and other pieces for a living.

Eventually, my wife asked me to make her a new dining set. I labored over that set! A pine farmhouse table with turned legs, four ladder back chairs, and a matching bench. She was thrilled, but it turned out, though, that the gift was for me. My wife got together with my kids and photographed all of my pieces—the things I’d made for the kids, the dining set, and other things I’d made, researched book publishers, and created a magnificent full-color catalog of my work!

I had no idea my wife knew how to publish a book, but apparently she found a company online that made the whole process extremely easy. From there, she and the kids set to getting my catalogue out to prospective buyers, and before I knew it, I started getting orders. I couldn’t believe it. The money was excellent, as was the sense of accomplishment.

The big breakthrough came when one client commissioned me to make an entire bedroom set—bed, dressers, nightstands, and built-in bookshelves. I decided the time had come to make the leap, and I quit my job and started crafting pieces fulltime. Now I have a staff of two who help me with my larger projects, an expanded workshop, and we use self publishing to create a new catalog every six months or so. I’m living my dream.

Popularity: 14% [?]

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If you’re self publishing a book, you have several important decisions to make. Choosing imagery is an important part of the book publishing process, and it can be truly fun.

The first thing to consider is the overall purpose of your book. If you’re self publishing a cookbook or other how-to manual, images are integral to illustrate step-by-step instructions and show off the finished product. You can use photographs that you take yourself, images licensed from a stock photo house, or hand-drawn illustrations. Whatever you choose to do, be sure that the images you choose are attractive, sharply in focus, and helpful to the reader.

If you’re creating an heirloom or scrapbook, you’ll want to include photos that truly represent your family. It’s wonderful to include photos of everyone looking beautiful, but there can be tremendous value in photos that reflect all of life—the good, the bad, and the ugly! Also think about including shots of favorite places, pets, scans of children’s artwork and report cards, anything that captures the spirit of your family and specific moments in time.

The cover is your book’s “face,” so you’ll want to take particular care with choosing a photograph to illustrate it. Some book publishers offer tools for creating a cover for your book, which can be a tremendous convenience and simplify the process.

When researching book publishers, be sure you understand what kind of images they can handle and what the charge is for printing photos. Some book publishers will print black-and-white photos on the inside of your book and full-color photos on the cover for free. Others may charge per image. You’ll also want to find out how they handle scans of documents, and if it’s possible to intersperse photos or illustrations within text (as you’d want to with an instruction manual or family scrapbook) or if the images need to be collected together in specific sections of the book.

Popularity: 25% [?]

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