Heather Hart - Author 101 - self-publishing books 101

Self-Publishing Books 101

Helping You Get Published and Noticed!

2012, 2014 Copyright Shelley Hitz and Heather Hart

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

No part of this eBook may be reproduced or transmitted in any form whatsoever, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any informational storage or retrieval system without express written, dated and signed permission from the author.

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Table of Contents

Appendix

Preface

If You Can Dream It, You Can Do It!

Self-publishing has never been easier! Now, with the recent advancements in technology, anyone can get published. It is not only simple, quick, and doable to get your ideas self-published, but will also save you money. It simply amazes me!

Honestly, if you can dream it, you can do it!

Hi, I'm Shelley Hitz, and not that long ago, I was in your shoes.

You see, in 2008, I was researching self-publishing options on the internet. I actually stumbled upon the idea when a friend of ours showed us his self-published bookboy was I impressed! His paperback book looked and felt great in my hands, very professional.

Then, I found out what he paid to self-publish itpractically nothing! Plus, he could order copies at his cost for just $2-3 per book. My jaw dropped!

"I could do this," I thought to myself. I had to find out more.

And I did. A lot more.

In fact, I have self-published over 30 books in the last several years, have been able to quit my job as a Physical Therapist to write full-time, and have partnered with Heather Hart to help other authors successfully publish and market their books.

Not only that, but we have learned how to publish books as:

* Paperback books* eBooks (on various platforms)* AudioBooks* And even translate them into other languages

And we would like to help you do the same.

We will take you step-by-step through the self-publishing process in this book.

How to Self-Publish a Book

There are many options for self-publishing. Believe me, I know. When I started researching self-publishing options, I had no idea what I was even looking for in a publisher. I had no idea what features to look for, or what questions to askI simply started my search.

Do You Know Where to Start in Your Self-Publishing Journey?

Whether you are just getting started or already have experience in self-publishing, we are here to be your virtual "coaches" helping you from the start to the finishwriting, formatting, book cover design, choosing a publisher, publishing in various formats, and finally marketing your book.

Does it sound overwhelming to learn how to publish a book? It doesn't have to be! Remember, a journey of one thousand steps begins with one. Whether you are a high powered executive publishing books for your company or a stay at home mom publishing books for your family, you can do this!

Eight Simple Steps to Get You Started Self-Publishing Books:

1) Choose a topic for your book, preferably one you are passionate about.2) Write your book in a word processor (e.g., Microsoft Word)3) Get your manuscript edited.4) Choose a self-publishing platform.5) Format your book into the file(s) and format(s) required by your chosen publishing platform or pay someone to do it for you.6) Design your book cover or pay someone to do it for you.7) Upload your files and approve the proof copies, if applicable with your self-publishing company.8) Start actively marketing your book sales page and selling copies online and/or at events.

If you have already written your book, you can literally have it published and start selling copies online within a week. It really is that amazing! However, you want to make sure you publish a professional book. Therefore, we recommend that you do not skimp on the editing, interior design, and book cover design.

As you are getting started, it is important to realize there is no guaranteed success for a published author. Writing, publishing, and marketing books is hard work. And now, there is a lot more competition; therefore, you need to make sure you produce quality work to help your book stand out.

Hopefully, from our experience and research, you will save a few hours along the waymaybe even hundreds of hours! Your time is precious, right?

So What Are You Waiting For?

Lets get started!

WAIT!

Before you dig in to the information in this book, how would you like to score a free book template and author training - FREE?

Do you need a print book template to format your book? Or do you need help coming up with a book marketing plan that works for you?

We want to give you our print book template (.doc) and book marketing plan training free of charge.

Why?

Simply because we enjoy helping other authors succeed.

Click here to get your copy!

Introduction:
About Self-Publishing

Self-Publishing Online

Do you want to learn more about self-publishing books? If so, there are various options available to you. And we want to help you find the best option possible.

I (Shelley) have to be honest. I am very thankful for self-publishing. I am also thankful for the continued advancements in how books are purchased and read. Years ago, you had to go into an independent bookstore to buy the books you wanted. Now, you can buy books online from Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com, Walmart.com, and the list goes on.

Not only that, but you can buy books electronically in various formats. I even have the Kindle app on my phone as well as a Kindle device that allows me to buy books and begin reading them in seconds. Talk about instant gratification! We can all see that times are changing in the world of publishingand rapidly.

As the way we buy and read books changes, so does publishing.

* No longer is it necessary to submit your book to a long list of publishers and endure rejection after rejection.* No longer is it necessary to invest thousands of dollars in self-published books that will sit in boxes in your garage for years.* No longer is it necessary to pay a publisher money to self-publish your book (this is commonly known as a "vanity press").

Gone are those days. Say hello to eBook platforms and print on demand options for publishing print books.

Print on demand (POD) technology has changed the way print books are published. Instead of printing hundreds or even thousands of books and storing them in a warehouse, print on demand companies print copies of your book one at a time as your book is ordered.

Publishing Options

Self-Publishing

Definition : Self-publish your book on your own. You are the publisher and manage every stage of the process.

Quality: Good

Authors Risk: Low

Time to Print: Few Weeks

Author's Cost : Low Moderate (pay for editing, formatting, book cover design, etc.)

Royalties: 10-70%

Potential for Income: Good

Control : Majority

Fulfills Print Book Orders: POD Publisher

Responsible for Marketing: Author

Independent Publishing

Definition : Self-publish your book through your own publishing company. You form your own independent publishing company, purchase your own ISBN, decide on what printer to use, and are responsible for every part of the publishing and marketing process. If you are interested in this option, we talk in-depth about how to form your own independent publishing company in .

Quality : Good to High

Authors Risk : Moderate to High

Time to Print: Weeks

Author's Cost : Moderate to High

Royalties: 10-70%

Potential for Income : Best (if successful)

Control : Total

Fulfills Book Orders : Author and/or POD Publisher

Responsible for Marketing: Author

Vanity Press

Definition : Publishes your book at your cost.

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