Compose.
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101 Publishing For Authors. From Bookmasters.
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Welcome to Publishing 101. Think of this as your publishing toolbox. Bookmasters designed Publishing 101 to walk you through the stages of taking your book to market. Whether this is your first book or you are an experienced author, we believe the information provided will make the process easier. You don’t have to go it alone, though. As a full-service provider, Bookmasters can assist every step of the way.
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In Publishing 101, you’ll find: • Details about the processes of taking books to market • Information about book manufacturing (printing, binding, and eBook conversion) • Ways to reach your intended audience • Common terms to familiarize yourself with • Frequently Asked Questions • A breakdown of the responsibilities of both service provider and author Education is empowerment, and there are few things more empowering than writing, publishing, or being a part of the creation of a book! We hope that you find this information helpful. Please let us know if there’s anything else you would like to learn more about! Call 877.312.3513 or visit: bookmasters.com
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Book Cycle.
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Publishing Publishing 101
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*Book Cycle chart outlines the self-publishing
START*
Book Cycle
process. The timelines are only suggested guidelines. Bookmasters can help authors in any stage of the self-publishing process. Click on each step to learn more or call 1.800.537.6727 for a consultation.
Book Start
12 months pre-publication
Rough manuscript complete.
Compose.
Promo Plan Design
4-6 months pre-publication
Development of a marketing and publicity plan. Beginning of pre-publicity efforts via social media platforms. See page 28.
6-8 months pre-publication
Composition and layout of a book’s text. Art management and creation of book cover. See page 5.
Editorial
6-8 months pre-publication
Copyediting and proofreading of the manuscript. Project management plan. See page 4.
eBook
4-6 months pre-publication
File preparation, conversion, and formatting for global eDistribution. Creation of marketing widgets. See page 6.
Print Production I
6 months pre-publication
Production of advance reading copies for pre-sales and publicity efforts. See page 16.
Create.
Print Production II
3-4 months pre-publication
Digital and/or offset production of finished product ready for global distribution. See page 16.
Sales
6-9 months pre-publication
Presentations to wholesalers and retailers. See page 22.
Marketing/Social Media
2-6
Connect.
months pre-publication
Book advertising in Web and print, industry and/or consumer publications. See page 23.
Publicity
4-6 months pre-publication
Connecting the author and the book to audiences via targeted media outlets. Securing book reviews, endorsements, and possible radio and TV promotions. See page 30.
Distribution
0-12 months post-publication
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Fulfillment of orders.
Compose. com•pose (k m-’p z) o
o
- to form by putting together: fashion - to form the substance of: constitute - to produce (as columns or pages of type) by composition
When writing ends, your journey to getting your book to market begins. In this new chapter, you’ll need top notch support and resources to develop the composition of your book, including copyediting, proofreading, laying out interior pages, and developing a cover design. This section walks you through these steps, and offers resource ideas for completing these important tasks.
support and resources responsibilities compose terms
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Editorial Support You poured your heart out in your book. Now, you need to find an editorial team that will ensure that your message is clear, your text is free of typos, and your index guides readers to the section they want to browse. Copyediting
Even the best writers can benefit from professional copyediting services. Find an editorial partner – such as Bookmasters – who touts a strong attention to detail and dedication to accuracy. This helps ensure that you’ll have an errorfree finished product. Proofreading
Even one spelling or grammatical error can mar your professional work. Find a trusted professional – not your friend or mother – who has passed an intensive proofreading exam and will go through your book with precision and expertise. Permissions
If you included quoted material or other references within your book, you have to obtain permissions to publish them in your piece. You can do this yourself or you can have Bookmasters do this work for you so you can focus on other tasks. Indexing
For an index to be functional, it needs to be developed with the book’s audience in mind. Key topics, which may not be stated directly, can be hard to index correctly without professional experience. If you have an extensive index, find a professional indexer who can save you time and frustration in compiling a complete and user-friendly index. Translation
From Spanish to Swahili, we have translators who are subject matter experts who will keep the flavor of your text in that language.
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Design Design affects your entire book – inside and out. Cover design
The cover design acts as the gateway into your story, catching your reader’s eye and giving a small glimpse at what’s inside. There are many available options when it comes to cover designs. Create a design yourself
You can find a resource that provides template designs you can customize, or you can turn to a formally trained and experienced commercial designer who understands the book-selling industry and can create a custom cover for you. Remember, Bookmasters is here to help. Interior layout
Your interior layout is just as important as your exterior design. The overall design of your book lends to its readability. Paying attention to important elements like typography – the style, font, and appearance of your actual text within the book – and page layout help your audiences read your story without being distracted.
Enhance the overall design of your book with Bookmasters.
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eBooks The beauty of eReaders is instant gratification – download and go. If your files are not prepared correctly, these readers may not be able to access your content. If your book isn’t available on leading retail sites, potential readers can’t buy it. Bookmasters knows the ins and outs of the eBook industry and can help you create files that remain readable and marketable. eBook conversion
File creation is critical in today’s eReader world. Corrupt files = low readership. Your partner should be current on the latest file development processes and requirements of the various eReaders in the market today. They should be able to create ePUB and ePDF files, including proper tagging and online search capabilities. A good partner, like Bookmasters, will also suggest ways to make your book more marketable to the eBook community and have recommendations for animation and other leading-edge technology that’s helping some books soar in the marketplace.
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Author Checklist
Editorial Responsibilities
Submit your complete title information or metadata (information about your title that Bookmasters shares digitally with various sales outlets) through the New Title Form, www.stats.bookmasters.com/ntf/, at least six months before the publication date. Also provide your full author name, chapter titles, and any other relevant front and back matter, as well as a publisher name and retail price.
Purchase an International Standard Book Number (ISBN), or block of ISBNs, from the Bowker U.S. ISBN Agency at www.isbn.org. Or, purchase your ISBN through Bookmasters.
Supply your manuscript as a Word document.
Provide any advice to the copyeditor such as preferred spellings or treatment of dialects.
Review the copyedited manuscript in Word using the Track Changes feature, and answer any queries from the editor.
Check the proofread PDF using Adobe Reader, and answer any queries from the editor.
Secure permissions for all images to be included in your book as well as for any large portions of quoted text. Alternatively, Bookmasters can seek permissions for you. The author is responsible for paying any fees required by the rights holder in order to secure permission.
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Bookmasters will:
Editorial Responsibilities Strive to identify and correct editorial issues with the goal of improving the final content of the book.
Supply a file for the author’s review along with clear instructions for how to work with the editor’s comments, if a copyedit or proofread is completed.
Seek permissions for the author-identified material from the necessary rights holder, if requested.
Author Checklist
Design Responsibilities
Think about the interior and cover designs of other books in your genre. Know what look you are trying to achieve.
Provide the final manuscript as a single Word file if Bookmasters is not copyediting the book. Certain formatting guidelines need to be followed, such as: • Styles for headers need to be applied consistently throughout. • Please ensure that you do not use the RETURN (Enter) key to force line breaks, only use between paragraphs.
• Footnotes should be written using Word’s footnote tool.
Supply high-resolution artwork, if applicable, and make sure the manuscript supplied clearly indicates where the corresponding images will appear. However, images should not be supplied within the Word manuscript, but rather as separate files.
Produce all copy for the back cover, as well as inside dust jacket flaps (if printing a hardcover book with dust jacket), and author photo (high-resolution) if applicable.
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Bookmasters will:
Design Responsibilities Provide professionally designed samples that are suitable for the book’s genre and market.
Clearly communicate design decisions to the author for feedback and approval.
Lead through the composition process and ensure high-quality typeset pages.
Format the appropriate files for both printing and eBook production.
Author Checklist
eBook Responsibilities
Educate yourself about different eBook file types, reading platforms, and devices.
Provide a final, high-resolution PDF of your book on which to perform the eBook conversion. We require a complete, vector (searchable) PDF including the cover image. The print-ready PDF is preferred if the book is to be printed as well.
Populate
the New Title Form, www.stats.bookmasters.com/ntf/, with thorough metadata for your eBook. This is the info that will be shown to your readers on the eBook retail stores, so please be careful and be clear.
Think about how you can best use your eBook as a part of your publishing strategy, be it print and eBook or eBook only. Look at what your competition is doing and learn from it.
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Bookmasters will:
eBook Responsibilities Educate you, the author, about different eBook file types, reading platforms, and devices.
Create high-quality eBook files that are well formatted and follow all of the latest technical specifications.
Alert our customers to new opportunities for their eBook, whether to aid discoverability or introduce a new retail outlet.
Provide our retail partners with the best and most thorough representation of your eBook through sound technical files and efficiently delivered metadata.
Report back sales from your eBooks in a timely and efficient manner.
Compose Terms Author
The creator of the original material contained in the book. Back Matter
Material found at the end of a book: appendixes, endnotes, glossary, bibliography, and index. Composition Department
The department responsible for the layout of a project’s cover and pages; also known as typesetting or interior design. At Bookmasters this is called Content Services. Composition
The typesetting or layout of a book; refers to the physical arrangement and flow of text throughout the content of the book. Copyedit
An edit done prior to composition of a book in which the editor checks for consistency in style and tone; errors in grammar, spelling, and punctuation; and overall readability. Cover Artist
Designer responsible for creation and management of all covers. Design template
The group of design elements that will be applied to the text during the composition process. The design template is created in our design software and organizes all fonts, leading (spacing), and flow. eBook
Digital files of a book, which can be read and distributed via desktop computer, laptop, tablets, reading devices (or “eReaders”), and mobile phones. Editor
A copyeditor or proofreader, involved in the editorial stages of a project (if selected). Front Matter
Material found at the front of a book: title page, copyright page, dedication, table of contents, preface, acknowledgments, and introduction. Leading
The space between lines of text on a typeset page. Manuscript
The original version of an author’s work. Orphan
A word or part of a word (five letters or less) that appears by itself at the end of a paragraph. An orphan can also be the first line of a paragraph that is separated from the rest of the paragraph by appearing at the foot of the page.
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Compose Terms Page Proofs
PDF of the typeset pages, reproduced for a customer’s approval. Project Director
The main contact responsible for the management of a project through all stages. Project
A book (print and/or eBook) that is being guided through the pre-production process by Bookmasters. Proofread
A review performed after the pages of a book have been laid out, during which the proofreader makes sure that there are no inconsistencies between the original manuscript and the typeset pages, as well as checking for typesetting and design issues and lingering grammatical errors. Recto and Verso
Respectively, the front and back sides of a sheet of paper in a book (Recto on the right and an odd number, verso on the left and an even number). Widow
The last line of a paragraph that appears alone at the top of a page.
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For more information on Bookmasters’ editorial, design, and eBook conversion services, click on the information icon and fill out the short form.
Create. - cre•ate (kre-’at) - to make or bring into existence something new - to produce or bring about by a course of action or behavior
As an author, your goal is to have your book in hand – in print and on eReaders. Which brings you to your next step: the overall creation process. In this stage, you’ll determine the logistics for the physical production of your book. This includes getting all of your final book files in order, selecting the right printing and binding options, and deciding the quantity you want to produce. This section provides an overview of your options and walks you through the process of producing your book to ultimately place it in your audience’s hands.
printing responsibilities create terms
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Printing Advancements in printing technology have made it easier and more affordable than ever for authors to get books printed – even in small quantities. Your first step in this process is to find a reliable and trusted printing resource. What to look for when searching for a printing resource:
– Broad printing options, tailored to your genre and budget. – Quality that is known throughout the publishing industry. – Flexibility with bindery, papers, and colors that other printers may limit. – The ability to print one to thousands of copies of your book. Once you’ve selected your printer, your next step is to set the stage for your print production. Consider your book’s genre and your sales expectations. This will help you and your printer identify the print services you need to make your book look great and remain economical. There are many printing options from which to choose. There’s “traditional” printing in which hardbound and soft-cover books are run on giant presses. This type is best suited for larger print runs and special circumstances. Most books are now printed on digital presses that maintain the same quality as large presses, but at a much lower price. Many of today’s authors want to print small batches of books rather than store thousands in a garage or warehouse. Digital printing is the answer.
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Author Checklist
Print Responsibilities
Submit your signed quote and payment to your sales representative.
Upload
your files per our instructions. If you are planning to provide us with print-ready files, keep in mind the following:
Page layout: Format your document to a page size that is the same as the final trim size of your book. We recommend that you set a 1/2 inch minimum margin for the top, bottom, left, and right sides of your book. Note: pages need to be set up in single pages not spreads.
Fonts: Font issues are notorious for causing production problems and in turn, schedule delays; however, by properly producing a (PDF) Portable Document Format with embedded fonts, this will avoid potential font issues.
Graphics: All graphics used should be submitted in a PostScript format (TIFF, EPS file). TIFF (Tagged Image File Format) and EPS (Encapsulated PostScript) are the two most suitable formats for high-resolution imaging. The recommended DPI (Dots Per Inch) for offset is 300.
Color: There are two basic processes in using color. CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow, and key (black) and PMS (Pantone Matching System).
Compatibility: Once your files are complete, you should create PDF files from the application files. This will save you time and money. Create a press-quality PDF, which is a self-contained, cross-platform document. It is a file that will look the same on the screen and in print, regardless of what kind of computer or printer you are using.
File Submission: Bookmasters would prefer that all new jobs be submitted as PDF files. Through our workflow process, Bookmasters identifies file issues that could potentially add both time and cost to your project.
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Bookmasters will:
Print Responsibilities Bookmasters will print and bind your book per your specifications, for all popular trim sizes and bind styles.
After we receive the signed quote and payment for your project, Bookmasters will provide file upload instructions.
Perform
a flight check of files and prepare a proof. Some digital jobs do not require a proof. If the file does not pass the flight check, Bookmasters will contact you and provide you with a detailed file error report. If you would prefer that Bookmasters fix the errors, you will be quoted a price for that work.
Once the proof is generated Bookmasters will notify you via email and viewing instructions will be sent to you.
When
we receive your proof approval, Bookmasters confirms the schedule and we will notify you of the assigned completion date of the project.
Ship
to the final destination once the book is printed and bound.
Great support and service from Sue and Holly. The print quality of my book is outstanding. Douglas Sutton, Operations Excellence Services
Create Terms Binding
The method used to hold the pages together: typically staples, sewing, or glue. Then, the pages are enclosed in a cover of cloth or paper. Boards
The covers of a hardbound book. Casebound
A hardbound book. Cloth
Bookbinding material made from cotton, linen, or synthetic fibers. Comb Binding
A binding similar to spiral binding, but made of plastic rather than metal wire. Deckle Edge
Rough edge of page left uncut before trimming; may be left as-is for a decorative element. Dust Jacket/Wrapper
Paper protective covering over a hardbound book, often with illustrations. Embossing
A process that creates raised decorations on the surface of a cover. End Paper
Typically a blank, folded four-page sheet, half of which is glued to the inside of a casebound book. Signature
Name given to a printed press sheet after it has been folded. Spine
The back portion of a book’s binding; the part visible from a bookshelf. Spot Varnish
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An extra layer of UV (Ultra Violet) coating to a specific spot on an otherwise matte cover that gives a glossy finish. It enhances a cover design or a marketing piece.
For more information on Bookmasters’ printing services, click on the information icon and fill out the short form. Publishing
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Connect. con•nect (k -’nekt) - to become joined - to establish a rapport - to establish a communications connection
When your book is ready to hit the marketplace, it’s time to start promoting it to reach potential readers and buyers. However, you may be asking yourself: How do I even begin promoting my book?
e
How do I build relationships with buyers? What if I want to handle taking and fulfilling my own book orders? Where can I store or warehouse my books?
In this section, we’ll answer all of these questions and more, going through your many different fulfillment options, providing specifics on book marketing and promotions, and offering distribution steps you’ll need to take to help you get your book into your buyers’ hands and on their shelves.
distribution, marketing & fulfillment responsibilities connect terms
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Distribution When it comes to taking your book to market, you can handle distribution on your own or partner with a distribution company - like Bookmasters - that maintains relationships with wholesalers, book buyers, and booksellers worldwide. If you want to distribute your book yourself, make sure you follow these important guidelines: • Obtain an ISBN number, the unique 13-digit identifier for all new titles published. This number must be clearly visible in written and scannable barcode format on the back cover. Go to www.bowker.com for more information. • Decide in which format or formats you will publish your book (i.e., paperback, hardcover, eBook). You will need to format your print files accordingly. • Consider working with a professional editor to ensure that your book is of the highest quality it can be. This is particularly important for gaining bookstore distribution. Professional editors are available for proofreading, style editing, plot consistency, etc. • Carefully research your price point by looking at other comparable titles, either online or in a bookstore. • Prepare a marketing plan. There are close to 300,000 new titles launched in the U.S. each year. In order to stand out, your title must be promoted to its target audience. • Research industry norms on timing. The national bookstore chains require a minimum of six months notice of new titles prior to publication date in order to consider the book for in-store placement. • If you are hoping to get your book distributed by the major bookstore chains, you will need to partner with a distributor that can handle this for you. • You will need to prepare a thorough metadata package. Metadata are pieces of bibliographic information that describe your book. The more thorough the metadata, the better chance you have of getting your book discovered in online searches. The basic metadata include the title, author, ISBN#, page count, trim size, etc. You will also want to include a brief description of the book (synopsis), author bio, cover image, well-researched BISAC codes (www.bisg.org), as well as any positive reviews of your book.
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Distribution • Develop a sales strategy based on an analysis of your target audience. Are you targeting bookstores, libraries, schools, Christian bookstores, universities, or mass retailers? If so, you need to research how your target channel(s) purchase and take the steps to contact the buyer(s). • Create a sell sheet, an industry standard piece of collateral used to present your book to each buyer. Traditionally, sell sheets include: cover image, book title, sub-title, book description, author biography, book categories, number of pages, ISBN, all formats available, pricing per format, publication information, and marketing information. Other valuable information includes: book awards and positive reviews, if any; and contact information for orders and fulfillment. • Develop a print and logistics strategy. You will need to decide how many copies to print, based on your estimate of sales, and how to get those books to stores and delivered to your customers.
Bookmasters adjusts their services to the customer needs. They continue to fulfill orders for traditional paper copies, but they are now our e-Book distributor as well. Thomas Bacher, The University of Akron
Distribution companies can help get your book in front of library and education wholesalers, chain retailers, independent bookstores, and specialty markets. For example, at Bookmasters, our team creates a variety of print catalogs (general trade, Christian, Spanish, University Press) of new titles that we promote to the appropriate buyers at the chains, independents, wholesalers and specialty markets. Our online bookstore, AtlasBookstore.com, also gives authors a vehicle for promoting their books directly to the consumer, which provides an enhanced margin opportunity. Finally, our global distribution network makes your title available globally. Finding a partner who has these connections will provide wider opportunities to distribute your book on a larger scale.
eBook Distribution If you want to create an eBook version of your book, you can work with companies who will help you convert it to the proper formats and distribute it to the e-marketplace. Relationships are key when it comes to distributing your eBook. Bookmasters has strong connections with popular online retailers, such as Amazon®, Apple®, Barnes & Noble®, Kobo® , and many more. You also can use discoverability tools to generate previews of your book that are disseminated to bookseller websites, search engines, social networks, and your website so that potential readers may discover it and buy it immediately.
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Marketing
Marketing and publicizing your book can be a fun, yet daunting, challenge for authors. Between booking speaking events and book signings, creating print and web advertisements, making social media updates, and developing your own website, there are a lot of communication and promotional channels to navigate as the date of your book release draws near. You can create and execute your own communications, or you can partner with Bookmasters, who can help with those efforts, putting together plans and executing strategies for you. Use the Author checklists on pages 29 to 32 to get started on your marketing and publicity efforts. We even include some of the services that Bookmasters can provide to help you with these tactics.
Bookmasters was fantastic in analyzing my needs and proposing various strategies based upon the goals for my book (The 72 Hour Rule). Bookmasters was very targeted in educating me on the services they provide, when it came to how my book was advertised and listed on Amazon. Margot E. Brown, Brown & Brown Enterprises
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Fulfillment
When buyers begin showing interest in your book, or if you’re selling your book directly to readers, it’s important to have a streamlined ordering and fulfillment system in place that gets the right quantities and the right orders delivered and fulfilled on time. You can do this yourself by ‌ Creating accurate & complete orders
To create accurate orders, make sure the order quantity, product price, sales tax, and shipping information are correct. Before processing orders, ensure address fields are complete and legible. Issuing invoices and refunds
Create a formal invoice for each order and ensure all information is included regarding quantity, price, and sales tax. If you are offering discounts, make sure this information is included in your invoice. Packaging orders correctly
To comply with all packaging, shipping, and inventory requirements, make sure your books have a proper Bookland EAN barcodes, required by all wholesalers and retailers. Furthermore, for the quantity of books you are shipping, make sure you know the packaging requirements for your end destination, including carton and pallet requirements. Shipping the orders in a timely manner
Research the shipping vendors (Post Office, UPS, FedEx) and determine the most cost-effective option. Be sure that your package arrives safely and on time.
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Fulfillment Or let Bookmasters handle it for you... Bookmasters also offers warehousing, ordering, and fulfillment services to make the entire process hassle-free for you. We will process your orders, ship and track deliveries, and provide reports so you can track your sales and see how your marketing efforts pay off. At Bookmasters, we provide real-time, online account management that helps you manage your sales, inventories, and other important items to help you efficiently and conveniently manage your business. We also provide warehousing services and a 24/7 order center to process orders. You can find out more about our fulfillment services via our website www.bookmasters.com.
At Bookmasters, we also provide warehousing services and a 24/7 order center to process orders.
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Author Checklist
Distribution
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Getting your book(s) into the hands of booksellers, retailers, and wholesalers.
Read and sign the distribution contract and all related documents you receive from your Bookmasters sales representative.
Create an appealing and informative book sell sheet per requirements listed on page 23. Bookmasters can provide industry standard guidelines or create a sell sheet for you for a fee.
Ensure your books have proper industry standard barcodes or discuss this service option with your Bookmasters Account Executive.
Create consumer demand by building an interest in the book(s) through promotions, book signings, speaking events, etc. Bookmasters offers marketing and publicity plans and would be happy to talk to you about this process.
Alert sales and marketing teams on any author marketing, publicity, or promotional activities as far in advance as possible by filling out the Marketing Update Form, www.bookmasters.com/services/marketingupdate.htm.
Monitor your sales by title and customer, your inventory, and much more 24/7 through the password-protected Bookmasters Online Account Management Portal.
Give written notice to your Customer Service Representative for out-of-print products (Bookmasters must continue to accept returns for nine months).
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Bookmasters will:
Distribution Getting your book(s) in the hands of booksellers, retailers, and wholesalers.
Notify book trade about your title(s) through electronic title dissemination, or metadata. Metadata is information about your title that is shared digitally with various sales outlets, generally consisting of title, subtitle, short description, author bio, etc.
Include your title(s) in our seasonal catalogs, which are distributed to the book trade in the spring and fall (the traditional book buying seasons).
Answer questions posed by buyers about your book(s), such as more in-depth information about your topic, your marketing/publicity activities, or about you, the author, including any previous work.
Offer warehousing and logistical services for your book(s).
Supply direct-to-consumer sales support for your books warehoused at Bookmasters and credit card processing for books sold on atlasbooks.com.
Provide accounts-receivable management, if that is part of your contract with us. These functions include invoicing bookstores and wholesalers on your behalf, collecting payments, and reporting on outstanding balances.
Distribute your book(s) to the book trade (retailers, wholesalers, etc.).
Facilitate sales and any product returns.
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Marketing Marketing activities include any paid advertisements, promotional tools, and website development.
Author Checklist
Bookmasters offers a variety of marketing and promotional packages. If you choose to have Bookmasters handle your marketing, by selecting one of our packages, our marketing experts would be happy to consult with you regarding your needs and what we have to offer. If you will be handling your own marketing and promotional efforts, please notify the sales and marketing teams about your activities as far in advance as possible through the Marketing Update Form, www.bookmasters.com/services/marketingupdate. htm. This enables Bookmasters to notify book buyers who want more information on your book.
You will want to ... Create a plan for promotional efforts at least four to six months before your publication date. Make sure to allot funds exclusively for marketing and advertising. A professional-looking website is important for promoting you as an author and your title(s). From your website, link your book(s) to multiple distribution sources such as Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, and Bookmasters’ AtlasBooks online bookstore. We highly recommend linking to the sites of local independent bookstores in your community. Social media is a great launching pad during any phase of the publishing process. Utilize the visual branding of Facebook, Twitter, and a blog to create a cohesive and professional online presence for launching your book into the ever-growing and viral social world. A marketing widget is a book promotional tool used to preview, share, and even buy books. Invest in a high-quality widget with enhanced and interactive features that will allow you to promote your print and/or eBook. Embed your viral marketing widget in all social media platforms or even within email campaigns to increase the visibility and sales potential of your book.
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Bookmasters will:
Marketing Present a wide-range of promotional packages.
Consult with you about your best option.
Coordinate all elements of the purchased package.
Provide a detailed report on completion of marketing promotional efforts.
I’ve heard publishing a book can be very stressful. I did not have the experience. It has been nothing but pure joy. Thank you for everything. Valarie Budayr, Audrey Press
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Publicity Publicity includes public relations, social media, and speaking engagements. Start book publicity several months before your publication date. If possible, hire a professional publicist to manage your publicity. Bookmasters has in-house publicity consultants who can advise you on the items on the Author Checklist if you select one of our promotional packages. Contact your Bookmasters account representative for more information on our wide array of publicity packages to help you with all your publicity needs.
You will want to ...
Boost your marketing and publicity efforts by taking advantage of social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter. Make sure you provide links to these sites from your website. Present yourself as a knowledgeable expert in your field by marketing yourself to the media and niche markets. This can be done by booking speaking dates in the community, at local and national conferences, and on broadcast and social media. Remember to bring copies of your book for visibility and signing. Develop press materials including: • A press release that’s professionally written and proofread by at least three people. • A pitch letter that’s a condensed version of the press release and highlights the release’s most important points. It should be more personal and explain exactly what you’re requesting and why you think your book is a good fit for the particular media outlet you’re pitching. • A list of suggested interview questions for radio or television producers.
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Publicity Publicity includes public relations, social media, and speaking engagements.
Tips
• Know your target audience. Who is most likely to benefit from reading your book? What niche audiences or demographics are most likely to be interested in your content? Once you have determined your target audience, find out where and how you can best reach them, whether it’s through advertising, blogging, or public relations strategies. Then, ensure you include those vehicles in your plan. • Do your homework before pitching media outlets so you are familiar with them and their audience. • Develop a contact list of media professionals and influential people in your market. Begin with local contacts and gradually expand to regional, state, and national (if applicable). Include smaller niche markets that may have a larger interest in your book’s message. • Get your book reviewed by as many sources as possible. For a new or unknown author, it can be difficult to get reviews through traditional formats. Look to social media to assist you in this aspect. Popular bloggers are great resources for reviews and feedback, and are often more open to reviewing books by unknown authors. Look for blogs that would appeal to your target audience. • Arrange a local book signing. Once you have it scheduled, start networking online, contact organizations you’re involved with, as well as your friends and family, and encourage them to come. • Join as many social networking sites as you can and share useful, intriguing, and credible information. • Develop a 60-second elevator speech: a brief synopsis of you and your book that you will be able to share with anyone at any time. • Start networking. Join local groups, book clubs, or libraries and offer to speak about your book.
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Connect Terms Account Executive
The person at Bookmasters who is the liaison between the publisher and the composition, marketing, printing, and distribution departments. ARCs/Galley Copies
Advance reader copies (ARCs) or galley copies are promotional copies of the book released to industry insiders prior to the official publication date. It is customary for these copies to be sent before the final edit, so errors are acceptable at this point. The idea is to build interest with industry reviewers and promotional outlets. Buyers
The people who decide which books to stock for a wholesaler, a store, or chain of stores. At large stores and wholesalers, buyers are organized by category. Compliance
Fulfilling all the requirements of the sales outlets that sell our books (see: trading partners); this includes everything from properly processing purchase orders to meeting the palletizing, labeling, and shipping requirements of each account. Bookmasters handles most compliance tasks, but can also advise you on any of those that you handle yourself. Independent Publisher
An independent publisher, or self-publisher, is someone who buys his or her own ISBN from Bowker the exclusive U.S. ISBN agency. Independent publishers typically hire someone to handle publisher functions such as design, layout, editing, distribution, promotion, accounting, etc. Bookmasters can partner with independent publishers to handle any or all of these needs. Marketing
Promotion of an author and/or book through paid placement. Metadata
Data or information about your title that is shared digitally with various sales outlets. It generally consists of title, subtitle, short description, author bio, trim size, page count, BISAC code(s), binding, price, and language. This is becoming increasingly important for book sales in the digital age. Platform
Facebook, Twitter, and other web-based social networking tools are helpful in reaching your audience. Promotion
The overall plan to reach readers with information about an author or book, which can include marketing, and publicity such as social networking, book signings, events, and more. Publication Date
The official date a book is available to the general public, trade, and Library of Congress Publicity
Media coverage of an author and/or book, where, in contrast to marketing and advertising, there is no payment for the airtime or editorial space. This type of coverage is not guaranteed; it is at the discretion of the media. However, it generally carries more weight with consumers than paid advertising. Most publicity is generated through press releases, the development and distribution of which is a paid service. Release Date
The date a book is available to the general public. 32 Publishing101 // bookmasters.com // 877.312.3513
Connect Terms Reviews
More than a summary, a critical review of a book is a person’s opinion in which they point out strengths and weaknesses. Good reviews from reputable reviewers can increase sales. Bookmasters can connect you with reviewers as part of our publicity package of services. Bear in mind that reviews can be negative. Bookmasters does not control the outcome. Selling Season
Book retailers have two selling seasons: spring and fall. Most publishers and distributors, such as Bookmasters, produce printed sales catalogs that their sales representatives present to potential retail and wholesale buyers to coordinate with these seasons. Sell Sheet
An attractive sales piece used for buyer presentations, sell sheets usually include key title information, a brief synopsis of the book, a cover image, and important promotional activity information. Bookmasters can create sell sheets. Social Networking
The use of websites and blogs to communicate with potential readers. Target Audience
Most books appeal to a specific segment of readers, which is known as your target audience. For an effective marketing strategy, keep your target audience in mind. Title
A written work that is published or about to be published. Trade
Refers to the publishing industry in general. “Trade books” is a term for books that are written for the general public and sold in bookstores. Trading Partners/Wholesaler/Retailer
These are all sales outlets for your book. The trading partners are the major wholesalers and retailers such as Amazon.com, Books-A-Million, Barnes & Noble, Baker & Taylor, Ingram, Indigo, etc. Wholesalers purchase books from distributors and large publishers and then resell them to retailers, schools and libraries. Widget
A viral marketing tool used in email blasts and within social media platforms for previewing, sharing and buying of print and eBooks. Marketing widgets enhance discoverability, sustain interest, and promote book sales.
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