Self-Publishing&Print-on-Demand

Sell Your Book on Amazon

2007-09-09T08:02:00.000-07:00

Here is a recent review I received for my latest book:

Sell Your Book on Amazon: The Book Marketing COACH Reveals Top-Secret "How-to" Tips Guaranteed to Increase Sales for Print-on-Demand and Self-Publishing Writers

Brent Sampson’s “Sell Your Book on Amazon” is the book I have been waiting for so I can understand how Amazon ranks my books and how I can better promote my books on Amazon. As an author myself, my books have been listed on Amazon, but I had no idea I had any control over how popular they could become.

While I had already been doing a couple things Brent Sampson suggests, primarily writing book reviews, I learned there is a great deal more I can and should do. Brent Sampson takes us step-by-step through the jungle of Amazon. He explains to us about creating an Amazon-Connect account, which includes a profile to show up on your book-detail pages. He explains in detail all the aspects of the Book-Detail page for a book. And he provides instructions for all those features on Amazon such as writing book reviews, participating in listmania, creating tags, and “So You’d Like To” guides. Throughout the book, he gives excellent advice. Not being the most computer-savvy individual, I never would have figured out on my own the many features he discusses. I guarantee “How to Sell Your Book on Amazon” will sit by my computer for a long time and be frequently referred to as I learn to use Amazon to my advantage.

My greatest revelation from reading “Sell Your Book on Amazon” is that Amazon is not only a bookstore but a networking site for authors. I have already been promoting my book at other sites like Myspace, Facebook and Shelfari, but I now realize Amazon is a fantastic networking site to meet readers, and to group and associate my book with other similar and more popular books in my subject area. I am guessing it is far more effective and lucrative than those other sites as well.

I would say “Sell Your Book on Amazon” is 95% user-friendly. I actually sat at my computer and followed the steps on Amazon as I read the book, so although the book is only 164-pages long, it took me a good week to read through it, spending a few hours each night working on my author profile and creating tags and lists on Amazon. I did get a bit confused at times, but I think that’s because Amazon may have changed the placement of a few things on its website. I hope Mr. Sampson is diligent about keeping the book updated because I think it is already a bit out-of-date in one or two places because of Amazon’s website changes. The only addition I wish the book had was a chart listing all the different addresses for Amazon programs—Amazon-connect, a seller-account (part of Amazon-connect), an associates account, and the different email addresses to contact Amazon depending on the section you need help with. My head rather swam as I grew to realize you don’t just have one Amazon account, but probably several different ones depending on whether you’re selling or directing traffic from your website to Amazon, or simply purchasing from Amazon. I did greatly appreciate the several pages in the back of the book designated for notes. I now have several pages of notes for quick reference when I need to perform a task on Amazon.

Brent Sampson also recommends authors tell people to go to Amazon and write 5 star reviews for their books. He even asks the reader to write a five star review for “Sell Your Book on Amazon.” I am happy to comply with his request, and at the same time, follow his advice that I sign my review with a plug for my own book.

- Tyler R. Tichelaar, author of “Iron Pioneers” available on Amazon.

Sell Your Book on Amazon: The Book Marketing COACH Reveals Top-Secret "How-to" Tips Guaranteed to Increase Sales for Print-on-Demand and Self-Publishing Writers
Brent Sampson
Outskirts Press (2007)
ISBN 9781432701963
Reviewed by Tyler R. Tichelaar for Reader Views (9/07)

Competitive acquisition

2007-09-06T12:33:00.000-07:00

I might stand corrected from my earlier post today. It looks like it may be an acquisition of our competitor after all. Betram Holdings, which is a private equity firm in California, looks like they may have acquired one of our competitors (they already have a stake in the other big one). Interesting, interesting...

Publishing Competitors Joining Forces

2007-09-06T10:16:00.000-07:00

Our two largest competitors are joining forces under a new brand. From what I can tell so far, it doesn't look to be a merger so much as a strategic partnership. It's hard to tell how this will prove advantageous to authors. When the press releases start hitting the waves, we may learn more about what motivated this move, but right now it is my guess that Amazon's recent entry into the vertical may have helped. Interestingly enough, each publisher will still exist in its own right, and its own location, and continue to offer the same old stuff. So what, then, is newsworthy about this? That's the big question. If nothing else, it may simply be another, co-branded website that appears on search engines, and helps authors make the best choice for their publishing needs. At Outskirts Press we've always been a big proponent of educating authors about the industry and about their choices, so if that is the result of this new partnership, good for everyone. Fortunately, authors have always had a way to get on-going support and help with their publishing decision in advance of making any decisions by joining our free author's center at http://outskirtspress.com/authors.php -

The publishing industry, and POD in particular, is constantly changing and growing. I won't be surprised to see more moves like this in the near and no-so-near future.

Kirkus Reviews and Kirkus Discoveries

2007-08-27T14:24:00.000-07:00

I spoke with the founder of Kirkus Discoveries, the paid review service today. The topic was Publisher's Weekly, but naturally the conversation turned to paid reviews and the inherent difficulty that lies therein.

On one side, there is something to be said for the value to the author. Securing reviews is tricky since the number of books published so heavily outweighs the number of reviewers available to review them. One advantage a publishing service provider can offer is the ability to help an author overcome those odds.

On the other hand, the moment a review is "paid for" its creditability is called into question (the same can be said for paid-for-mention blogs and more on that at a future date).

Kirkus Discoveries seems intent to counter such prejudices by being particularly brutal in its reviews of on-demand books. Is that biting the very hand that feeds it, or is that simply its way of maintaining its impartial MO? According to the founder (not sure if he wants to be mentioned or not, which is why I'm referring to him like that), Kirkus has a reputation for being somewhat callous and cruel in its reviews anyway.

Our major competitor offers th "Kirkus Review" for $360, which is $10 more than anybody can get it for from the Kirkus website. Presumably the $10 additional fee above and beyond was is available directly from the Kirkus website is their service fee (ie, profit), but knowing what I know about the 50-word "reviews" coming out of Kirkus Discoveries (that's $7 a word, in case you're calculating), I wonder if that publisher is coming to the same conclusion their authors are coming to -- that paying $350 for a bad review kind of...sucks.

That's where the Outskirts Press Marketing COACH helps. Not only does it tell you what to do; it tells you what to avoid. But if you're the gambling type and feel like playing roulette, place $350 on black at http://www.kirkusreviews.com/kirkusreviews/discoveries/index.jsp

Revising Print-on-Demand books

2007-08-24T12:16:00.000-07:00

One of the advantages of publishing a book on-demand is being able to make moderate changes to it after publication without absorbing a whole new publishing fee, and without having to "eat" high quantities of books that you paid for in-advance with an off-set printer.

However, the publishing logistics involved in administrating post-publications is a daunting one. At Outskirts Press, we apply a lot of administration and technical resources to our post-publication revision process.

From my stand-point, I can see why many other on-demand publishers do not offer revisions at all. It's complicated from an information management and systems point of view. But, by not offering revisions, many publishers are removing one of the core advantages of POD. If you accidentally let a misspelling slip by (it happens to the best of us) or want to add a cover quote that you just received, there is nothing more liberating (and financially responsible) to being able to do so without taking a major hit to your wallet.

Few authors plan on making revisions to their book after publication while seeking out a publisher to begin with. But it is something to keep in mind as you look for the publishing service that is best for you. Will revising your book cost just as much as starting over from scratch? Make sure you have all the flexibility you need, in terms of post-publication revisions, setting your own pricing, and keeping all your rights. Your book deserves it.

Denver Business Journal recognizes Outskirst Press as 3rd fastest growing privately-held company in Colorado

2007-08-21T16:25:00.000-07:00

In the category of "better late than never" I figured I would share some exciting news from July. Every year the Denver Business Journal recognizes the fastest growing privately-held companies in Colorado, based upon reported revenue for a three year period of time. The companies that demonstrated the greatest overall percentage of revenue growth between 2004 - 2006 were honored at a breakfast banquet in downtown Denver. The fastest growing company was a software company (Rally, I think), out of Boulder. The second fastest growing company was also a software company.

Outskirts Press was the third fastest growing privately held-company, which is a testament to the value our authors find in our services.

Even though I live and breathe this industry every day and night, it takes a step out into the other business sectors to realize just how revolutionary (and still brand-new) the concept of print-on-demand publishing truly is. When I was speaking at the podium while accepting the award, and explained what it is we do, there were surprised and amazed looks on the faces in the crowd. "I can pull that old forgotten manuscript out of my bottom drawer, dust it off, and give it to you and actually be selling it from Amazon in about 12 weeks?" their jaw-dropping expressions seemed to ask.

Writers and authors who are already searching for a solution to their publishing woes are already well-informed about their publishing choices.

But 95% of our market remains untapped, because these are people who would never think of typing "self publishing" into Google.

Our task is tapping them...

WRITER’S DIGEST PARTNERS WITH OUTSKIRTS PRESS FOR 4th STRAIGHT YEAR

2007-08-20T15:13:00.000-07:00

Outskirts Press, Inc. has signed an agreement extending our publishing partnership with Writer's Digest. For the fourth year in a row, Outskirts Press will publish the Writer's Digest Writing Competition Collection, which is the anthology of winners from Writer’s Digest’s most established annual writing competition.

Writer’s Digest magazine sponsors one of the oldest, most prestigious annual writing competitions in the country. The compilations published by Outskirts Press showcase competition winners while the broader distribution available through Outskirts Press increases visibility of the Writer’s Digest brand in the publishing community.

Obviously, we are excited to continue our publishing partnership with Writer's Digest. We both cater to savvy, professional authors who recognize the importance of high-quality. It's a natural match.

Outskirts Press Award Winning Books

2007-08-17T11:34:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I introduced our affiliation with the EVVY Awards. Last March, Outskirts Press won the most awards by a publisher. Below are the winners.

FIRST PLACE

Building a Champion Character: A Practical Guidance Program
Primary Version
by Susan R. Rose, M. Ed.

Category: Workbooks

Judge’s comment: “Perfect for counselors and parents.”

Defending Liars
In Defense Of President Bush And The War On Terror In Iraq
by Howard L. Salter Category: Political/Social

Judge’s comment: “The author put a lot of time and research into this book.”

RV Rentals
A Vacationer's Guide
by Dave & Kay Corby

Category: Travel

Judge’s comment: “Packed with information.”

SECOND PLACE

Christmas Tree Advent Calendar
A Country Quilted and Appliquéd Project
by Ruthy Sturgill Category: How to

Judge’s comment: “Well organized.”

The Struggle Among Ideas
A Tourist Guide to the Natural World and the Human Predicament
by J. Ivey Davis Category: Political/Social

Judge’s comment: “Nicely woven history of philosophies.”

The War Chest
by Gary W. Buehner Category: Business/Finance

Judge’s comment: “Brilliant!”

THIRD PLACE

Blue Max
Missions & Memories
by N. G. Brown Category: Non-Fiction/Experiences

Judge’s comment: “Very realistic view of the Vietnam War.”

See Sally Kick Ass
A Woman's Guide to Personal Safety
by Fred Vogt Category: How to

Judge’s comment: “Very clear, very straight-forward.”

Simple Successes
From Obstacles to Solutions with Special Needs Children
by Rachelle Zola Category: Parenting

Judge’s comment: “Professional, through and through.”

Wake Up with Fleas
by Carla Kienast Category: Fiction

Judge’s comment: “Well paced and entertaining.”

MERIT AWARDS

Aidan’s Shoes
by Brent Sampson Category: Children’s

Judge’s comment: “The storyline is truly wonderful.”

Fly Me to the Moon
Bipolar Journey through Mania and Depression
by H. E. Logue, M.D. Category: Fiction

Judge’s comment: “Beautifully designed and immediately intriguing.”

Full-Bodied and Peppery
Chronicles of a Western Colorado Wine Wench
by Christine Feller Category: Fiction

Judge’s comment: “A delightful book.”

Into the Light
A Phantom of the Opera Story
by Debra P. Whitehead Category: Fiction

Judge’s comment: “Loved it!”

The Literary Six
by Vince A. Liaguno

Category: Fiction

Judge’s comment: “Maintains interest and suspense from page one. I had trouble putting it down.”

Book specifications for qualifying for EVVY Award Nominations

2007-08-16T08:07:00.000-07:00

In the category of "better late than never" this posting and the one tomorrow will share the Official Outskirts Press 2007 EVVY Winners. A previous post (about 4-5 postings ago, but 5 months ago) mentioned the official Outskirts Press EVVY Nominees. From that list of nominees, Outskirts Press received 15 EVVY Awards last March, the most ever from a participating publisher.

The EVVY Awards are sponsored by the Colorado Independent Publishers Association (CIPA) and are open to all Colorado publishers. Named after CIPA's founder, Evelyn, the EVVY Awards recognize excellence in independent and self-published books.

Just being nominated as an Outskirts Press Official EVVY Nominee is an honor. Less than 5% of the books Outskirts Press publishes each year are nominated and the books must pass a set of criteria, both technical and subjective. These are the same set of criteria we know the independent, 3rd-party judges use when judging all the EVVY submissions.

The technical specifications are good rules to follow for anybody working on publishing a book. It is surprising to discover the number of publishers who do not deliver the basic requirements of a book:

A barcode must appear on the back
The ISBN must appear on the back
The price should be clearly apparent
The copyright page should contain all the relevant data and be organized

A book without a barcode or an ISBN is not a book, as defined by the industry. The U.S. ISBN agency requires that any non-children's book be at least 48 pages in length to qualify legitimately for an ISBN. Non-children's books of less than 48 pages are not classified as books and should not be assigned ISBN numbers. Problems arise when book-mill publishing companies do not enforce these operating standards; the authors end up paying the price, not due to negligence so much as lack of education.

Tomorrow I will recognize our 2006 EVVY Award winners.

Navigating the Amazon Sales Ranking

2007-08-15T08:58:00.000-07:00

A companion piece to the audio file I posted yesterday is the separate article I published about Amazon's Sales Ranking. Here I try to explain how the ranking works and define what value you can derive from it:

First, the disclaimers: Since the algorithm Amazon uses to generate its sales ranking is proprietary, the details contained herein are extrapolated from research and field tests. The resulting consensus finds Amazon’s system to provide marginal sales data at best.

To whit, read Amazon’s own definition of its system, slightly paraphrased from their FAQ: “The Sales Ranking system exhibits how books are selling. The lower the number, the higher the sales. The calculation is based on sales and is updated each hour to reflect recent and historical sales of every item sold. We hope you find the Amazon.com Sales Rank interesting!” This last sentence seems to indicate Amazon’s own perspective on the importance with which the sales rankings should be viewed.

You’re not supposed to find the sales rankings informative or helpful. You’re supposed to find them interesting.

In actuality, the process is somewhat more convoluted than they let on. Only the top 10,000 books are updated every hour and the ranking does not depend upon the actual number of books sold, but rather, on a comparison against the sales figures of the other 9,999 books within that same hour. Simultaneously, a trending calculation is applied to arrive at a computerized sales trajectory. So, hypothetically, a book that held a ranking of 2,000 at 2pm and 3,000 at 3pm, might hold a 4,000 ranking at 4pm, even if it actually sold MORE books between 3-4 than it did between 2-3.

Books with rankings between 10,000 and 100,000 are recalculated slightly differently. Current projections, as well as historic sales information play a key role in these calculations. In fact, the predictive nature of the Amazon ranking system is what makes it possible for a newly-released book to outrank an older established title, even though the actual sales figures for the latter far exceed the former.

Books with rankings over 100,000 are applied with historic sales information and projections, although in the case of these books, history takes a back seat. Sales projections and trending take an active role here, which is why a book’s ranking can leap from 900,000 to 200,000 in the span of 24 hours or less. Does this mean the book has sold 700,000 copies in 24 hours? Absolutely not! What it does mean is that recent activity (i.e. purchases) for that book is trending higher than those 700,000 books it just surpassed. But, don’t get excited just yet; since the activity of those 700,000 other books range from slow to stagnant, one or two orders are sufficient to catapult a ranking.

If a book’s ranking breaks into the top 100,000, the sales history calculation starts to rear its head, which is why a “phenomenon” book has a hard time maintaining a high, legitimate ranking. A phenomenon is defined by a book that leaps from the high hundred-thousands into the lower thousands (or better) in the span of 24 hours or less, usually due to some concentrated marketing initiatives. Since Amazon’s sales history for that title doesn’t support the leap, the spike occurs and then quickly drops again.

HOW DOES ALL THIS TRANSLATE TO ACTUAL SALES FIGURES?

Since the data is recalculated every hour, it’s impossible to get cumulative sales figures, although those figures are applied to the algorithm during the calculation. No, to get a very rough idea of the actual number of books being sold, the sales ranking has to be dissected dynamically, with the same immediacy as the ranking being calculated. Chart the ranking of a top 10,000 book every hour for 24 hours and divide by 24 to arrive at its average daily ranking.

IPOD Listening - All About the Amazon Sales Ranking

2007-08-14T08:54:00.000-07:00

Right before my recent book SELL YOUR BOOK ON AMAZON was published, I was interviewed about the Amazon Sales Ranking for a podcast. The audio interview is available via the play buttons below. I figured I would include it here since we touched upon my book in the last posting as I try to play catch-up with all that has transpired in the world of print-on-demand book publishing since my updates last spring.

It was my intention through this interview (and by writing the book itself) to dispel many myths about Amazon, its sales ranking, and publishing on-demand in general, particularly as it applies to self-publishing writers. A common misconception that occurs in relation to the Amazon sales ranking is an author's belief that the ranking is a quantifiable indication of book sales. The ranking is more complex than that. Sure, there is no doubt that the latest Harry Potter book (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows) is selling millions of copies and therefore has a #1 ranking on Amazon (which it has held for months before its release). But what does a ranking of 454,000 mean? Or, furthermore, what does it mean when a book's ranking jumps from 3 million to 700,000 in one day? Does that mean hundreds of books suddenly sold? No. (But it MAY mean that 1 sold).

The interview started on the subject of the Amazon Sales Ranking, and then we found ourselves discussing many other aspects of Amazon as well. You can listen to it using the buttons below:

I hope you enjoy it and find it informative.

Sell Your Book on Amazon

2007-08-13T10:10:00.000-07:00

Outskirts Press has been very busy since I last updated this blog a few months ago (not counting the quick post I uploaded yesterday from our most recent e-newsletter). I will try to simultaneously bring you up to date and also stay current on new developments. Today I submitted my latest book SELL YOUR BOOK ON AMAZON to two different book award contests. Contests are a dime a dozen, so I'm trying one to see if we would be comfortable recommending our authors to it next year. It's the Best Books 2008 awards by USABookNews.com. Worth it? We'll see. The other I submitted to is the Benjamin Franklin Awards, sponsored by PMA. This is a well-known contest, although I still have my reservations about it, probably because their judges seem to have reservations about on-demand books (judging from the list of previous winners). But, ultimately, that tide will turn. It's just a matter of when.

Since we're discussing SELL YOUR BOOK ON AMAZON, it's also worth noting that in the previous months I submitted it to a number of other contests, too, including ForeWord Magazine's Book of the Years, and the one sponsored by Writer's Digest.

One last comment about SELL YOUR BOOK ON AMAZON. The month is was published, it reached #29 overall on the bestseller list on Amazon, and #2 in its category. It's nice when a book practices what it preaches.

Self-published authors share their experiences and frustrations

2007-08-12T21:48:00.000-07:00

Yes, taking that leap to become a published author
can be a little scary. And selecting the right publisher for
your book can be tricky. Sometimes the answers are just as confusing
as the questions. Get ready to hear from the authors themselves--
writers just like you who researched publishing companies and
made the best decision for their book.

Join us sharing in their hopes, fears, and dreams;
they may sound familiar to you...

“After
five years of trying to work with traditional publishers, vanity
presses, and literary agents, I found Outskirts Press, Inc.
That was less than a year ago. Today my book, The Unlikely Agent,
is listed on Ingram, Amazon.com, and Barnes and Noble. But how
was Outskirts Press to work with? They did everything they said
they would and sometimes even more. Their people are friendly,
helpful, and very understanding of a first time author. Ask
a question and it is answered promptly and completely. My experience
with Outskirts Press has been positive and I will definitely
use them again when The Unlikely Sleuth is finished.
Thank you.” - William Walker, author of The
Unlikely Agent

“After
three books and four years with a literary agent, I was unsuccessful
getting published. I decided to look into self-publishing and
spent a great deal of time researching prospective publishers.
I decided on Outskirts Press because of their professional reputation
in the industry. What a fabulous decision! It only took a few
short months to have my book in my hands and it was exactly
how I envisioned! Thanks Outskirts Press! Get ready for my other
two books that I'm planning on publishing soon!” - Thane
C. Crozier, author of Dreams
Come True

“I've
been shopping manuscripts around since I was thirteen years
old, and I've got a box of form rejection letters a mile high.
Nothing made me stop believing in myself, but Outskirts Press
was the first publishing company to give me a chance. Through
Outskirts, I've been able to do more than get published--I've
been successfully published. My book is available in hardback
and paperback; customers will find it at Borders and in other
bookstores. Through this process, I've been able to retain complete
creative control of my little vampire story--no one told me
what cover to use, what the price was going to be, or what to
change in the manuscript itself. My book is still mine. Because
of Outskirts, my book can now be yours, too--I've never been
this happy with any decision in my professional life.”
- Marcus Damanda, author of Teeth

“I
have been trying to find a good publisher for the past 15 years.
I was so discouraged by rejections and poor suggestions about
my illustrations that I packed my book away in the basement,
and there it sat until I found Outskirts. I have been delighted
with Outskirts' service. My Author Representative was very helpful,
as well as encouraging and friendly. Since I drew my own color
illustrations for my children's book, Outskirts Press provided
me step-by-step instructions on how to prepare them into a print
ready file. A lot of publishers are not willing to take the
time to show you the tricks of the trade. As a matter of fact
I am so encouraged that I am now working on my second children's
book.” - Sally H. Taylor, author of The
Magic in You!

“There
are no words to describe the joy I am feeling deep inside. For
approximately eleven years, I have searched for just the right
publisher who would make my dream of becoming an author come
true. You and your team have gone above and beyond my wildest
imagination of how my book would ultimately turn out. It is
beautiful! I would recommend Outskirts Press to anyone seeking
publication while still maintaining total control of their works.
My next book will definitely be published with Outskirts Press
and the wonderful people who make getting it done so comfortable
and easy. Thank you, thank you, thank you!” - Janice Harris,
author of The
Journey

ForeWord Book of the Year Awards

2007-03-20T12:21:00.000-07:00

Nearly 1,400 books were entered in 59 different
categories from 419 different publishers. Now the finalists
for ForeWord Magazine's Book of the Year Awards
have been announced!

Congratulations to The
Incredible Adventures of Enrique Diaz and The
Literary Six, both published by Outskirts Press.

This
is the remarkable tale of Enrique Diaz, a young fifteenth-century
Portuguese Catholic who sets off to realize his dream--to
find an elusive utopian paradise in the heart of Africa--accompanied
by his two sidekicks, a Portuguese Jew and a Moor. Traveling
by ship, cart, and caravan, the three explorers encounter
perils galore--pirates and storms at sea, slave traders
and murderous thieves on land. They explore the exotic
casbahs of Morocco...the mysterious ruins of ancient Egypt...the
hidden civilization of Abyssinia, keepers of the Ark of
the Covenant...the awe-inspiring holy city of Mecca...and
return again to Renaissance Europe. En route the young
travelers taste the richness of each other's religions--and
win the hearts of their true loves.

For
the faculty, students, and alumni of Bendleton University,
The Literary Six was the scourge of its collective existence
for four long years. Notorious across the campus for its
snobby witticisms and scathing critiques of the university,
its faculty, its students, and its founders, this elite
group of college literati fashioned itself in the likeness
of Dorothy Parker and the Algonquin Round Table - an irreverent
group of playwrights, theatre critics, and novelists who
regularly lunched at the historic Algonquin Hotel in the
1920s. Indeed, graduation day for the members of The Literary
Six brought a sigh of relief for many on the receiving end
of the group's caustic pen.

13th Annual EVVY Awards Receives 38 Nominees From Outskirts Press

2007-03-13T16:27:00.000-07:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

38 officially nominated books by print-on-demand publisher Outskirts Press demonstrate publishing quality for 2007 EVVY Awards, held by the Colorado Independent Publishers Association.

Outskirts Press Officially Nominates 38 Published Books for 13th Annual EVVY Awards

March 15, 2007. Denver, Colorado – Of the approximately 800 books published by Colorado publisher Outskirts Press in 2006, less than 5% are nominated to participate in the prestigious EVVY Awards, an annual independent book award contest sponsored by the Colorado Independent Publishers Association. An Outskirts Press official Nomination is high recognition of a book’s excellence in its own right and is the first step toward winning a coveted EVVY Award.

Last year, Outskirts Press took home 8 awards, more than any other publisher, including first place awards in the inspirational/self-help category for Enough Already! and in the autobiography/memoirs category for Adios, Havana.

“Like the college student who earns a diploma for finishing at the top of his class, Adios, Havana [was] catapulted from the slush pile to the pinnacle of memoirs by winning a prestigious EVVY award,” states Andrew J. Rodriguez, award-winning author of Adios, Havana. “This tribute is my best credential to access audiences otherwise impossible to reach by a self-published author.”

In its 13th year, the 2007 EVVY Awards are being held by the Colorado Independent Publishers Association to recognize excellence in self-published and independently published books. Entries are judged by a panel of independent judges who are experts and professionals in their respective category fields.

Categories include autobiography/memoirs, biography/history, business/finance, fiction, how-to, inspirational/self-help, juvenile, non-fiction experiences, poetry, political/social, spirituality/religion, and travel. Outskirts Press nominated at least two books for each of the categories mentioned above and in 2007 hopes to demonstrate once again that on-demand publishing can be synonymous with quality publishing.

“Outskirts Press was our most winning publisher at the 2006 CIPA EVVY Awards,” says Lydia Griffin, Chair, 2006 EVVY Awards and CIPA President, 2006-2007. “Each unique title was praised by the judges for being well-written, interesting to read, and with a competitive, quality design. We can’t wait to see what Outskirts submits next!”

The 2007 Outskirts Press official nominees were announced in a recent email newsletter at http://outskirtspress.com/newsletters/012007.htm and the winners will be recognized and awarded during the CIPA College and EVVY Awards Gala on Friday night, March 23rd, at the Red Lion Hotel in Denver, Colorado.

About Outskirts Press

Located in Parker, Colorado on the outskirts of Denver and online at www.outskirtspress.com, Outskirts Press, Inc. publishes high-quality paperback and hardback books for individual writers as well as businesses on an as-needed, on-demand basis. Through its turn-key, customized book publishing services, Outskirts Press offers unprecedented power to the author, including creative control and pricing authority.

New consulting, writing, speaking, publishing website

2007-03-08T20:53:00.001-08:00

My personal website at www.BrentSampson.com has now officially gone up. Well, it's not a personal website, per se, but more of a professional one, personally.

Writer’s Digest Partners with Outskirts Press for Writing Competition Publication

2007-03-05T07:06:00.000-08:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

High-quality on-demand publisher Outskirts Press will sponsor and publish the 76th Annual Writer’s Digest Writing Contest Collection for F&W Publications, Inc.

Writer’s Digest Partners with Outskirts Press for Writing Competition Publication

March 5, 2007. Denver, Colorado and Cincinnati, Ohio – F & W Publications, Inc. and Outskirts Press, Inc. jointly announced their continuing partnership focusing on Writer’s Digest’s most established writing competition. The 76th Annual Writing Competition Collection will be published by Outskirts Press and made available for retail and wholesale distribution in November of 2007. Outskirts Press previously published the 75th and 74th Annual editions.

“Outskirts Press is excited to continue our publishing partnership with Writer’s Digest,” states CEO Brent Sampson. “Not only is Writer’s Digest the premier writing magazine, but these publications showcase the quality that Outskirts Press is famous for. This partnership demonstrates on-demand publishing’s business-to-business applicability and simultaneously enables us to demonstrate the advantages to our target audience – writers.”
By publishing through Outskirts Press, F & W Publications can re-open additional revenue streams and promotional opportunities. The archived annual compilations require no warehouse space and no inventory management. Plus, writers published in the collection will never be out of print again.

About Writer’s Digest

Writer’s Digest, the world’s leading magazine for writers, is published by F+W Publications, Inc., one of the world’s largest publishers of books and magazines for enthusiasts. Headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, F+W employs approximately 1,000 associates worldwide and operates offices in Devon (England), Boston, Denver, New York City, Savannah, Herndon (Virginia) and Iola (Wisconsin). The Company’s publications target hobbyists and enthusiasts in categories such as writing, fine art, equestrian, genealogy, crafts, antiques, various collectibles, coins and the outdoors.

About Outskirts Press

Located in Parker, Colorado on the outskirts of Denver and online at www.outskirtspress.com, Outskirts Press, Inc. publishes high-quality paperback and hardback books for individual writers as well as businesses on an as-needed, on-demand basis. Through its turn-key, customized book publishing services, Outskirts Press offers unprecedented power to the author, including creative control and pricing authority.

PRINT ON DEMAND PUBLISHERS ANSWER GORE’S PLEA FOR CONSERVATION

2007-03-01T12:18:00.000-08:00

In the wake of the Academy Awards, print-on-demand publishers follow Al Gore’s lead to protect and conserve Earth’s natural resources by featuring no-waste, no-inventory printing with post-consumer, recycled paper options.

Small Press Month runs from March 1 through 31 and is an annual celebration of the innovative spirit of small, independent, and alternative publishers. Their spirit soars in the face of controversy and stigma exaggerated by conglomerate, traditional publishers in New York who do not like what small presses, independent publishers, and print-on-demand companies represent for the more traditional publishing business model. One thing print-on-demand publishers do represent is conservationism.

Unlike traditional publishers who print 50,000 copies of a book only to destroy 40%-60% of them on average, print-on-demand publishing companies use technological advances in digital printing and electronic distribution to produce one book at a time. Books are printed only after they are purchased, only after there is a need.
“The magnitude of waste within the traditional publishing business is astronomical,” says on-demand publisher Brent Sampson, president and CEO of Outskirts Press, Inc. “It is no longer an inconvenient truth but rather an out-and-out fact. Earth cannot continue to weather this storm. All industries must find ways to conserve and recycle. For the publishing industry, the best way to do that is to not print books that have not already been bought.”

While there are no hard and accurate numbers to determine the number of trees involved in an average Random House failure, it can be roughly estimated that 500 sheets of 8.5x11 paper requires about 5% of an average tree. With the common hardback page count in the 500-700 page range, 5% of a tree doesn’t last long within a 50,000 print-run. Books that are not quickly sold at full retail prices are remaindered and discounted up to 75% off before being returned to the corporate publishers, who subsequently destroy them. Returns on some traditionally published books reach 70%.

On the other hand, print-on-demand publishers like Outskirts Press employ conservation tactics wherever possible. Books are printed when they are demanded by the consumer. Additionally, the most common book sizes feature recycled paper.

“Our most popular sizes are 5x8, 5.5x8.5, and 6x9,” Brent Sampson states. “The paper used to print books in these common sizes are post-consumer, featuring 30% recycled materials. Not only do we avoid print-runs that may be unnecessarily high, we are cognizant of opportunities to conserve even within the normal course of business.”

It has been estimated that approximately 7 trees are conserved for every ton of 30% postconsumer paper used.

ABOUT OUTSKIRTS PRESS

Located in Parker, Colorado on the outskirts of Denver and online at www.outskirtspress.com, Outskirts Press, Inc. publishes high-quality paperback and hardback books for individual writers as well as businesses on an as-needed, on-demand basis. Through its turn-key, customized book publishing services, Outskirts Press offers unprecedented power to the author, including creative control and pricing authority.

6 Tips for Establishing Your Expertise

2007-02-08T09:13:00.000-08:00

Like the Internet itself, online marketing resources such as blogs, chat rooms, and user groups are vast and puzzling. On one hand they offer that elusive “promise land” of free and effective marketing. On the other, they embody a “time sink” of astronomical proportions. They have addictive qualities, but their effectiveness is measured only by your own self-control.

That said, let’s briefly describe each opportunity and explore their potential.

“Blog” is short for “web log” – an online diary of sorts that is relatively user-friendly, at least by Internet standards. Through free services such as Blogger.com, an author (or “blogger” as they have come to be known) can compose content and then, with the click of a button, become “published” online within a matter of seconds for the world to see.

Whether or not the world actually does see it, however, is a matter of distribution (just like a published book!). The topic of distributing blogs is outside the scope of this article, but may be one I tackle in an upcoming newsletter. Suffice it to say, it’s a little more technical, requiring techno-babble references to jargon-esque acronyms and geek-speak like .xml, atom, and RSS.

In the meantime, let’s discuss the other two Internet venues. Online chat rooms and user groups also provide a forum for the online promoter. While they share similarities with blogs they lack some of the distribution possibilities. Yahoo offers both chat rooms and use groups/bulletin boards organized by subject, and you can find similarly themed groups on Google.

I briefly discuss blogs, chat rooms, and user groups in my book Publishing Gems: Insider Information for the Self-Publishing Writer when I discuss ways in which to establish yourself as an expert.

Become an expert in your field and book sales will follow. It’s true that promoting a book requires a great amount of resolve, but it is also true that working smarter, rather than harder, can help reap those rewards. By projecting yourself as an expert in the genre in which you write, you can open new doors for networking, doors that often remain shut without that expertise status.

1 Write a book

You’ve done this already, right? If you haven’t, consider it. You may find yourself closer to a finished manuscript than you realize. Writing a publishable book from your knowledge or experience is often a matter of simply putting your expertise on paper.

2 Publish your book

A published book becomes a calling card to line-up speaking engagements, freelance writing gigs, and other opportunities. Don’t become a victim of “Catch-22 Paralysis” where you can’t promote because no one knows about you, but no one knows about you since you can’t promote. Instead, become a “Catch-all front runner” where you’re an expert because you have published a book, and your published book proves your expertise.

3 Promote your expertise

Two good places to begin are AOL and ABOUT.COM. Both have category-specific forums in which you can participate. By mentioning that you are the “author of such-and-such” within the scope of your communication, you begin to label yourself as an expert.

Web-logs, or “blogs” are also a cost effective, efficient way to promote your expertise. Blogs utilize .xml and RSS feeds to provide dynamic, up-to-the minute publication across a variety of searchable platforms. The integration between blogs and contextual search engines becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy toward recognition. If you write about something, people searching for the topic will invariably find you, and that makes you an expert!

4 Overcome the fiction hurdle

Being recognized as an expert in a technical or non-fiction category is admittedly easier than the largely subjective category of a fiction expert. Even so, if you have written a work of fiction, becoming a recognized expert is not only possible, but necessary. Just look at Clancy, Rowling, and Robbins.

5 Explore the possibilities

Whether you’ve penned a techno-thriller, children’s fantasy, or romance, there is a forum in which to voice your expertise. The Internet is full of chat rooms, writing groups, genre-sites, and more. They’re all thirsty for content from published writers. You just have to know where to look. Conducting a Google search is a good place to start.

6 Join, participate, schmooze

Seek out conferences, associations, and other experts to help you. Outskirts Press is a member of PMA, SPAN, CIPA, SPAWN, and the BBB, just to name a few. This leads to professional relationships with experts, mentors, and opportunities.

Outskirts Press and Writer's Digest Together Again

2007-01-17T15:04:00.000-08:00

WRITER’S DIGEST
MAGAZINE PARTNERS WITH

OUTSKIRTS PRESS FOR THE 2007

WRITING COMPETITION COLLECTION

Win $3,000 and a free trip to New York

January
14, 2007. Denver, Colorado and Cincinnati, Ohio
– F&W Publications, Inc. and Outskirts Press, Inc.
proudly announce the continuation of its yearly partnership
focusing on Writer’s Digest’s most established writing
competition. Specifically, the 76th Annual Writing Competition
Collection will be published by Outskirts Press and made available
for retail and wholesale distribution in November of 2007.

This marks the 3rd year in a row Writer's Digest
has selected Outskirts Press to be its exclusive publisher of
the Writer's Digest Annual Writing Contest Collection.

“Writer’s Digest magazine sponsors
one of the oldest, most prestigious annual writing competitions
in the country,” says Writer’s Digest publisher
Colleen Cannon. “Winning this competition can help launch
a writer’s career.”

Ms. Cannon believes the magazine’s partnership
with Outskirts Press will help Writer’s Digest and its
competition winners gain even more recognition. “Broader
distribution opportunities and aggressive marketing of the compilation
will increase visibility of the Writer’s Digest brand
in the publishing community.”

“Outskirts Press is excited to once again
be publishing the annual Writer's Digest collection,”
states Outskirts Press President & CEO Brent Sampson. “Not
only is Writer’s Digest the premier writing magazine,
but these yearly collections demonstrate the advantages of Outskirts
Press book publishing services to our target audience –
writers.”

The
Grand Prize winner receives $3,000 in cash, a trip to New York
to meet with editors/agents, and a free Diamond publishing package
from Outskirts Press.

Don't worry! There is no reason to wait until
the winners are announced to begin the publishing process with
Outskirts Press. The Grand-Prize winner will receive
a refund of the full publishing package price paid
and the book will be upgraded to a Diamond.

Start
the publishing process with Outskirts Press here

See
the official contest rules and entry form here

About
Writer’s Digest

Writer’s Digest, the world’s leading
magazine for writers, is published by F+W Publications, Inc.,
one of the world’s largest publishers of books and magazines
for enthusiasts. Headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, F+W employs
approximately 1,000 associates worldwide and operates offices
in Devon (England), Boston, Denver, New York City, Savannah,
Herndon (Virginia) and Iola (Wisconsin). The Company’s
publications target hobbyists and enthusiasts in categories
such as writing, fine art, equestrian, genealogy, crafts, antiques,
various collectibles, coins and the outdoors.

About Outskirts Press

Located in Parker, Colorado, and online at www.outskirtspress.com,
Outskirts Press publishes high quality paperback and hardback
books for individual writers as well as businesses. Through
its turn-key, custom book publishing services, Outskirts Press
offers unprecedented power to the author, including creative
control, pricing authority, and quantity influence.

Contact

Jeanine Sampson

Outskirts Press, Inc.

10940 S. Parker Rd. – 515

Parker, CO 80134

Tara Johnson

F & W Publications, Inc.

4700 East Galbraith Road

Cincinnati, OH 45236

New Year's Resolutions for Writers

2007-01-16T08:21:00.000-08:00

Did you know that year after year, the number 1 and number 2 most popular new year's resolutions are:

Lose weight
Publish a book

You might be on your own with #1, but there is a way to accomplish #2, and more successfully, quickly, and affordably than you can imagine.

On-demand publishing helps legions of writers accomplish the second most common New Year's Resolution: publishing a book! It is important to remember that "Getting Published" the right way depends upon more than just finishing your manuscript and sending it off to a publishing company.

There are a number of important factors to consider.

Publication Timeframe

Between traditional publishers and digital book mills, the timeframe for your book's publication may range between 24 months and 24 hours. Both extremes should be avoided. Traditional publishing houses often take up to 24 months to reject a book. Author stories are common about publishers who initially accepted their book for mainstream publication, only to reject it 18-24 months later because the "Marketing Department" didn't consider it feasible. If you have experienced a similar situation, you are a good candidate for on-demand publishing.

On the other hand, digital dot-com book mills on the Internet claim to publish books instantly. One even features a graphic of a "machine" publishing your book for you. How comforting! Machines can do anything in 24 hours, except love something. After the time you invested in your book, you should seek a publishing process that is a bit more... human.

The proper timeframe for book publication is somewhere in between those two extremes. Six weeks is not unreasonable. Nor is 6 months.

Up-Front Costs

Between traditional publishers and off-set vanity presses, the up-front costs for book publication range between $0 and tens-of-thousands of dollars. Just like the timeframe range, both extremes should be avoided. Publishing in the tens-of-thousands range is primarily paying for an off-set print run for books that will then need to be stored (incurring another fee for inventory management).

On the other hand, free publishing requires something even more valuable than a one-time finite fee, like your publishing rights (or something even worse). One dot-com book mill's CEO describes his company's business model in the following trite terms: "One man's trash is another man's treasure." The "trash" he refers to are the books they publish. Not surprisingly, this is the same company that has a "machine" publishing books for them. Yes, machines often generate trash. Proceed with caution.

The proper cost is somewhere in between.

Recurring Back-End Costs

Most authors are unaware of back-end costs at all (and publishers take advantage of that). Be different. Inform yourself by reading and understanding this next section.
Back-end costs include your author's copy price, your retail price/profit margin differential, and your royalties. Most authors focus solely on the one-time-only front-end cost, even though the back-end costs are recurring month after month for the life of the book.
Here is a side-by-side comparison of 4 leading on-demand publisher's back-end costs for a 5.5" x 8.5" hardback book (224 pages) with a dust jacket:

This is based upon an actual book published by an on-demand publisher, titled Pretty Blue, for which the author selected the trim size, the hardback edition upgrade, and set the retail price ($24.95), the distributor discount (20%), and the royalty (29%).

If you have already published your book with an on-demand publisher, closely examine what your back-end costs are costing you, and make the appropriate changes. Sometimes, changing publishers is more profitable in the long-run, even if it means absorbing another up-front publishing fee. Of course, only you can make that decision, but by knowing the differences between finite up-front costs, and on-going back-end costs, you are better equipped to make those decisions profitably. Don't just accomplish that New Year's Resolution in 2007. Accomplish it well.

Increase your author royalties through Outskirts Press

2006-01-10T09:50:00.000-08:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Best-selling Author Increases Royalties by 300%
Denver, Colorado, January 10, 2005 - Alan Ritz, the best-selling author in six different categories on Amazon.com switched his book to Outskirts Press last October and increased his royalties from 15% to 55% as a result. For a best-selling title on Amazon, that switch translates into big bucks for the author. His 4th quarter royalties alone will be over $9,000 higher because of his decision to move publishers.* And that is mostly just for sales in November and December.

“I am interested in a long-term partnership,” stated Mr. Ritz regarding the decision to move his book to Outskirts Press, “and I considered [the] services to be of higher quality and value.”

Mr. Ritz made his decision to leave his previous publisher, AuthorHouse, after just two months due to strategic differences and the low royalty. “Their royalties are not a secret. An author has to select between 5%, 10%, or 15% royalties for Amazon, which is still extremely low.” Even though he selected the highest royalty allowed, he was making just $3.74 on a retail price of $24.95.

“We are pleased to offer a better value to talented authors like Alan Ritz and other writers who recognize the value of a better profit margin after publication,” said Outskirts Press President Brent Sampson. “Thanks to EDI distribution and business alliances with our wholesale partners, we can secure online distribution with Barnes & Noble and Amazon for a fraction of their usual margin. That excess money can go into our authors’ pockets.”

In Mr. Ritz’s case, that margin differential translates to a profit of nearly $14 for every book sold through Outskirts Press’s extensive distribution network of wholesalers and online retailers. A royalty of 55% on the retail price is unheard of in the publishing industry, but Outskirts Press continues to pave the way toward book publishing of the future.To see if Outskirts Press EDI Distribution and Fulfillment Services can help put more money into your pocket with less work, try our Exclusive Pricing Matrix here.

*Results not typical

Earn 400% More Royalties with Outskirts Press

2005-12-28T15:04:00.000-08:00

An author recently brought his book to Outskirts Press from one of our competitors where he was earning around $3.50 with each book sold through Amazon.com. Now, with Outskirts Press, he is earning $13.76 for each book sold through Amazon. Same book, same retail price, nearly 400% more profit! So far he's been selling about 200 books a month on Amazon. Do that math in your head and see the advantages of Outskirts Press!

Visit this link to see calculate your own pricing when publishing with Outskirts Press: http://outskirtspress.com/pricing

2006 promises to be just as exciting as we launch our monthly Tele-seminar tour for our published authors and registered writers. More information about all the marketing initiatives we offer can be reviewed here: http://outskirtspress.com/marketing.php

WIN A BOOK PUBLISHING DEAL

2005-11-18T15:24:00.000-08:00

Win your chance at over $500 of gifts and services in December when you get a copy of "Self-Publishing Simplified" from Amazon.com for just $5.95.

Click the link below for the easy details:

Self-Publishing

Self-Publishing Simplified

2005-06-05T07:57:00.000-07:00

Self-publishing is what we do. It doesn't have to be difficult. That's why we've launched a new catch phrase called Self-Publishing Simplified to describe exactly what Outskirts Press is all about.

It's different for every writer. Some are waiting to secure a contract from an old-fashioned publisher. They could be waiting a long time. Others don't want to purchase 10 ISBNs from Bowkers just to self-publish one book. We provide single ISBNs.

Others don't know how to obtain and EAN barcode (or even what it is or why it's important). We do all that for them.

The Gem of Custom Publishing is who we are. Self-Publishing Simplified is what we do. Outskirts Press. What do you think?

Author Interview

2005-03-29T07:48:00.000-08:00

There's not enough time in a day. But these blogs are important -- if not now, perhaps someday. It's providing content for some of our e-gems and I've linked to one of my blogs from within the OP Author's Center as the starting point for the new networking page. This is where author's can add their own blogs or webpages. It's just launching and has some more work to do.

A gentleman from the Denver Business Journal contacted us on Friday about Publishing Gems. We'll be conducting a phone interview today to discuss it. I'm curious how to found out about Publishing Gems, as I haven't sent out the press release yet. I have one version of the release, but I'm waiting to ask him how he heard about it before possibly rewriting it. Two different slants -- maybe I'll distribute both.

OutskirtsPress.net is up and operational and submitted to the search engines. It duplicates some of the amazon.com promotion we're doing so we'll see if we get an effective "cross trump" going.

Online Promotion on Amazon.com

2005-03-15T08:07:00.000-08:00

I'm also busy enhancing my "profile" on Amazon.com to add some articles and listmanias to further promote Publishing Gems and some of our other titles. Yesterday I submitted 11 "So you'd like to..." articles about various self-publishing topics ranging from plotting fiction to choosing a publisher. This feature on Amazon offers another way to promote books on their site and I'm going to give it a thorough test to see if it translates to more sales of Publishing Gems, which is already being sold online on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Although the cover has not been uploaded for either yet. They're resolving that today back at the office so that both online listings are complete, hopefully before the CIPA awards (after all, a complete online listing is one of the elements I stress for important book promotion in my book. Might be a good idea to put my money where my mouth is).

Final edits are ongoing for Adventures in Publishing: An Interactive Guide to Book Publishing With Outskirts Press. I plan on completing them today. Then we just have to do the index and that interior is complete. THe front cover is done. We have to finalize the back and spine and it'll be ready to go to print. We're going to change the file pretty considerably for the e-book version, but hopefully I can pull that off this week and it up and freely available from http://outskirtspress.com/publishing before the college, which begins this Thursday. Jeanine is going to the Thursday afternoon Newbie classes, and then we'll both be there all day Fri and Sat. It's at the Red Lion Inn in Denver, Colorado. Come see us.

Insider Information for the Self Publishing Writer

2005-02-27T09:40:00.000-08:00

Finally! Publishing Gems: Insider Information for the Self-Publishing Writer is done and on press. It should be published within the week. We'll definitely meet the CIPA deadline. Now on to finalizing Adventures in Publishing, including decided how we're going to distribute it, to whom, and whether there will be a cost. We're having a short BOD lunch meeting today to iron that out.

Here's the cover of Publishing Gems. I'm very happy with it. Now, the work of promotion begins in earnest.

So much to do

2005-02-20T17:24:00.000-08:00

I have to determine what to do with these blogs vis-a-vis the website. We already know they'll eventually serve a SEO purpose, but they might be a nice addition to the author center, along with instructions for Authors to create their own blogs. Or, we might use the RSS feed, so the OutskirtsPress.net SEO site has more dynamic content. The SEO was determined to be a pretty high priority, and falls close to the top of my list after the books and fixing the cookies.

Speaking of the books, hereI'll try to get the back of Publishing Gems uploaded soon. I also have a better look of the Adventures in Publishing book -- the one we'll use for advertising. The back will be done this week. In fact, everything with both of them will be done this week because we have to get Publishing Gems into the distribution network with Ingram before the CIPA college on the 17th. I also need to look into the premiums -- shirts, mugs, etc -- with the OP logo. Lot's to do, which means updating the blog may come lower on the list.

Self Publishing Guide Book

2005-02-16T05:18:00.000-08:00

I mentioned the cover in my last post. Here's a low-res image of Adventures in Publishing: An Interactive Guide to Publishing Your Book. I have to use low-res so it doesn't take forever to load.

Adventures will have a retail price of $10.95 through normal distribution, although our BOD is still trying to determine what methods we will use to get this book into the hands of writers. There will probably be more about this book and distribution of it and the software (which I'll get to once it's published) at OutskirtsPress.net.

Maximize yourself on Amazon

2005-02-10T20:41:00.000-08:00

I've read several articles where some of the "tools" or "resources" available on Amazon.com help drive traffic to books, and secure people as experts. In the interest of experimenting with this phenomenon first-hand, I've established an Amazon.com "personality" with the screen name of outskirtspress. I'm creating some lists in "listmania" and writing some articles under the "So you'd like...." section. Like all things SEO related, this could take some time and it'll be 6 months or more before I know whether or not it was time well spent.

To create your own lists and articles on Amazon, which are then (reportedly) shared throughout the Amazon.com network, simply create a Friends and Family page -- or is that a cell phone plan? It's something like that. Nothing on Amazon is very challenging, so have fun.

Self Publishing on the CHEEEAP

2005-02-10T11:15:00.000-08:00

I always get a kick out of checking out some of our competitors. There are a couple of dot-com publishers (who I differentiate from the POD publishers since the dot-commers at least understand the necessity of a new pricing model, to some extent). They offer to publish your book for free (with a whopping 3-4 (I think) different formats, rather than the 15 offered by Outskirts Press. But here's the kicker. Your BASE PRICE (the amount you have to pay for each book) is at least $10. At least! Ouch. Who's going to buy that? Oh, right ... nobody, because in addition to gouging you on the price, they don't distribute your book anywhere.

Just for kicks and shingles, I signed up to see how their interface worked. Maybe it was a work in progress, but I was hopelessly confused -- and I'm a relatively savvy fellow in terms of web design AND publishing. Who would deal with them?

Yet, lots of books are being published in that sad, sad manner. I just don't understand.

On a happier note...

Judith Briles, the president of CIPA, will also be providing a cover blurb for PUBLISHING GEMS. I've asked her if she would consider writing the forward -- no word yet.

And just cuz I gotta --- OutskirtsPress.net.

Adventures in Publishing

2005-02-07T20:01:00.000-08:00

Adventures in Publishing, also referred to as our publishing guide, is nearly complete. I had to basically rewrite it when we changed the site. The cover concept is complete too -- it closely resembles our current Writer's Digest ads.

Promotion in Industry Pubs Paramount

2005-02-01T08:37:00.000-08:00

You can never get enough promotion and exposure for your book.

In collaboration with Publisher's Weekly and Publisher's Marketing Association, we're offering an opportunity for our published books to be mentioned/promoted within the pages (or on the cover) of Publisher's Weekly. The details are within our free email newsletter, which comes out every 10 days. Here's the story:

Your Book on the Cover of PUBLISHER'S
WEEKLY

Would you like to see your published book on
the cover of the March 7th, 2005 issue of Publisher's Weekly?

Outskirts Press has an exciting offer for you
in association with the Publisher's Marketing Association.

10-12 covers will be featured on the cover of
the premier publishing industry publication. Publisher's Weekly
will also feature 8-10 titles per page on subsequent pages throughout
the magazine.

Each title placement includes a picture of your
cover and ordering information about your book, including your
OP Webpage, ISBN, and price.

If you have published your book with Outskirts
Press and would like to participate, we need to receive your reservation
by no later than February 5, 2005.

Please note: We CANNOT guarantee placement on
the cover since only 10-12 titles will be featured on the cover.

All other titles will be placed in their specific
genre directly following the front cover. All books will be displayed
in 4-color. We will inform you by no later than February 25 if
your book is among those chosen for the cover.

Cost for this opportunity is $600 per title.
If you would like to request the front cover of Publisher's
Weekly, there will be an additional $500 fee involved, bringing
the total cost to $1100 if your cover is one selected for the
cover.

We will refund the $500 cover fee if your book
is not chosen for the cover. We will refund your payment in full
if your book is not chosen to be included in the the publication.

If you would like to participate, please notify
us at info@outskirtspress.com
and we will update your author's center for secure payment. Indicate
in the email whether you want the Front Cover option. We must
receive payment prior to February 5 if you wish to see your cover
in the pages (or on the cover) of Publisher's Weekly.

Here's the link to our newsletter in its entirety. You can subscribe for free from our website. February 1 Newsletter.

Other updates on the Writer's Digest publication, their contest sponsorship, my book, getting blurbs, press releases, and more... coming... later.... to .... much... to .... do.

Self Publishing and Copyright

2005-01-29T13:06:00.000-08:00

Authors who would be extremely agitated if someone stole their work seem to have no problem "borrowing" the work of others.

Most publishers receive manuscripts filled with copyright infringements, and they do not publish such material. Justification ranging from "Bibliography Use" to "Fair Use" claims don't hold water and if argued, should at least contain the flip side of the coin - the fact that copyright infringement is illegal and could ruin an author's reputation as well as bank account.

Why do colleges encourage this copyright infringement abated with their "bibliography" requirement, which then leads professionals to believe that they can copy as much of somebody's work as they want, provided they "reference" it within the form of foot notes or bibliographies. Perhaps for college papers that is true, but for professional works that are sold for profit, that is not allowed. This should be something professors and teachers inform their students.

I wonder if the POD guys have this problem -- or if they even care about it. Things that make you go hmmm...

Acquiring Cover Quotes

2005-01-28T02:08:00.000-08:00

As "Publishing Gems: Insider Information for the Self-Publishing Writer" nears official publication I've been working on solidifying the cover. This includes both the design/layout as well as the copy. The front layout is complete, although I want an industry endorsement on the front.

I want some on the back, too.

So I've contacted some other well-known industry professionals associated with self-publishing: Judith, the current president of CIPA; Dan, the man who literally wrote the book on self-publishing, and Jan, the executive director of PMA.

Judith and Dan are maybes. Jan is a no. It's not PMA's policy to endorse their member’s books. Two out of three isn't bad if they pan out -- plus I'm taking advantage of services Outskirts Press offers to all its offers by securing a guaranteed pre-publication book review.

Its imperative (borderline imperative) that how-to or reference books covering a particular field feature industry endorsements on the cover.

Dan Poynter was very gracious. He suggested I send him the pre-pub galley in PDF along with a draft of the testimonial that he would edit to his liking. Prompt, professional, perfect. I have a space reserved for his quote above the title of my book, so I hope it's good.

Need Help With Publishing?

2005-01-24T13:14:00.000-08:00

Now that the Publishing Gems book is complete (I've passed it to our production department for interior layout and galley cover design), I've been able to focus more on the true Outskirts Press publishing guide, entitled Adventured in Publishing, An Interactive Guide to Publishing Your Book. Don't have a date on that, yet. Publishing Gems will have an official publishing date in April to allow enough time for reviews to be posted and published, but a sneak peek of the published book will be available at the CIPA college in March. I haven't decided whether to charge or give it away yet. I visualize the cover, and will be able to post the .jpg of it here, soon.

Both the Publishing Gems book and the Adventures in Publishing Interactive Guide are designed to help the self-publishing writer choose the right path when publishing his or her book. Here's a sample from the former:

ELEVEN TIPS FOR ENHANCING YOUR DISTRIBUTION

1) The higher the retail margin, the greater the distribution

It should come as no surprise that the amount of distribution your book enjoys rests largely upon its retail margin. There is an acceptable range, but generally, the book retailer is looking for an industry standard of 37% or higher.

2) Distributors want to make money, too

While your book's margin is but a piece of your pie, it is the entire cake for distributors and retailers, who together must split the take. The greater the margin, the larger the cake, and the larger the piece for the distributor and retailer to share. Hence, the greater incentive they have to distribute your book, sell your book, market your book, etc.

3) The optimal trade discount is 50-55%

Most distributors expect to see between a 50-55% trade discount, which enables them to take a respectable piece and offer the book to the retailer at 40% off retail. For example, the Amazon Advantage program mandates a 55% margin because many self-published authors deal with the online retailer directly.

4) Lower your margins by publishing with an established online publisher

It’s not hard to see that once you factor in man-hours of facilitation, postage costs for shipping the books to Amazon, and a 55% margin, selling books through Amazon’s “Advantage” program is to their advantage, not yours. This mathematical fact alone is one reason many self-publishers are turning to alternate publishing companies.

5) Leverage a publishing company’s relationship with Ingram

Because of their relationships with Ingram and other distributors, print-on-demand and custom publishers can list an author’s book on Amazon.com for a mere 20%. Doing so means the author no longer has to worry about inventory, shipping, and invoicing issues. These advantages, not to mention the substantially lower margin, are reasons enough to investigate custom publishing options.

6) Understand the relationship between margin and price

For self-publishing writers, the proper retail margin depends upon each author's intentions, and can vary from author to author just as readily as from book to book. In most cases, the higher the retail margin, the higher the cover price, so authors interested in maintaining the lowest cover price possible will often opt for a lower retail margin. Self-publishing through a custom publishers provides the writer with this flexibility.

7) Set your margin according to your distribution goals

Conversely, those authors who long for the best distribution possible will elect a higher retail margin, even though their cover price will increase accordingly. Non-fiction or niche-markets are less affected by higher retail prices and benefit from the improved distribution resulting from offering the highest possible margin.

8) Know when to say when on discounting

For those custom publishing companies that allow the author to set their own trade discount (and there aren’t many – Outskirts Press is one), margins are capped at 55%. Even though the ultimate difference between retail margin and trade discount is the result of a proprietary negotiation between the distributor and retailer, 55% typically results in everybody being satisfied. Anything higher becomes superfluous.

9) Don’t underestimate a low retail price

Websites like www.froogle.com allow readers to price-shop before buying, so sometimes a lower retail price takes care of the distribution (or at least exposure) all by itself. A reasonable cover price is also one of the criteria most chain book buyers look for when deciding whether to stock a book on their shelves.

10) Don’t overestimate a high margin

While it’s true that most book retailers will most likely refuse to order, sell, or even stock a book unless it meets a minimum retail margin, a book’s margin is only one of the criteria they look for. (See Five Criteria for Getting Shelf Space, page ______).

11) Understand industry standards

As we learned with the movie, Spiderman, "with great power comes great responsibility." Self-publishing authors who have the power to set their own margins need to understand the standards expected in the industry. Industry standards for retail margins are difficult to define because, ultimately, it comes down to negotiation between all parties involved. Publishers have the power to negotiate with distributors, who have the power to negotiate with wholesalers, who have the power to negotiate with retailers, who have the ability to modify the retail price to anything they want.

The minimum "industry standard" retail margin is 37%, but it's safest simply to round to 40%. A 40% retail margin is the best compromise between optimal distribution and reasonable retail price. And as stated earlier, in order to ensure a 40% retail margin by the time the negotiation ends between the bookstore and the distributor, an initial trade margin of 50%-55% is recommended.

How a Blog Can Help You Promote Your Book

2005-01-19T11:08:00.000-08:00

Search engine optimization was one of the motivating factors for my taking the time and effort to start a blog for Outskirts Press.

It can work for promoting your published book, too. When you publish with Outskirts Press, you receive promotion tips just like this, and then some.

It seems to be working. I've been posted 1-3 posts a day since January 4th (it's now the 19th), and this blog comes up number 6 overall on a Yahoo search for Custom Book Publishing based solely upon content.

The beauty of XML and other "feed" blogs is they generate links dynamically and automatically, one of the difficulties in creating valid search engine optimization for algorithms like Google.
Another advantage is that, while "Custom Publishing" was taken as a domain name, it was available as a sub-domain name for my blog. So were "self-publishing" -- a highly sought after position for our industry. Now it's ours and we'll soon contribute to that blog to create contextual search engine placement.

I'm contemplating open a general blog for all Outskirts Press authors so they can all log in and post their promotions, or thoughts, or feedback. While there's no shortage of positives for doing this, the potential negatives are making me think it out more thoroughly. For one, from what I can tell of this Blooger.com service, once a person has access, they can re-edit previous posts to their hearts' content. Fine for me since I like being able to adjust my typos, but bad if Joe Schmo logs in and places his post and then alters Jasmine's. I could program our own blog for Outskirts Press, and this may be ultimately what we end up doing so I can have full control over the look and functionality, but that's waaaay--aaayyy down on the to-do list.

Brent
CEO
http://outskirtspress.com

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