Join a marketing/publishing group - Publishers Marketing Association is the best one
Join online groups to share experiences
Get to know self-publishers, and share often
Business Can Be…Fun!
THINGS TO DO:
Business Name and Logo
Appear professional
Identify your company’s personality
Check the following resources at the library for name duplication:
Small Press Record of Books in Print
Directory of US Publishers
Books in Print
Literary Marketplace
Get Business cards, Stationery
Apply for a business license with state and local gov't - sole proprietorships are most common, talk to a lawyer or SBA person, SBA, 800-827-5722, www.sba.gov
find your local SBA office
Think about a Budget: Dollars (where?) Rent a PO Box and get a list of postage rates
Three Important Questions
Know the answers to questions that guide your decisions (and success).
McNaughton & Gunn 313.883.3600
Data Reproductions datarepro@ibm.net
Patterson 616.925.2177
Banta Co. www.banta.com
Bang 800.391.6662
RR Donnelley 800.428.0832
Gilliland 800.332.8200
Delta Lithograph 800.323.3582
Consider
Request a blueline proof and matchprint for cover
Last chance proofing, extra cost
Over-runs, under-runs
Even signatures (multiples of 16 or 32)
Printing Estimate
Talk with your printing representative for help
Need to know:
Quantity to print
The more you print, the less each one costs
Typical is 2000 minimum
Six weeks from start to finish
Total page count
Include all front and back matter, everything
Type of paper (text and cover)
50, 60, or 70 lb. White offset is typical
Recycled paper is very expensive
Ask printer for thickness measurement
Plan the size of the spine
How many colors on cover, and coating
10-12 point C1S (coated one side)
Order extra covers for sales tools
Coating, such as lamination
Type of binding
Perfect bound (paper back)
Case bound (hard cover)
Spiral, saddle stitch, staple, comb, 3 ring binder
Size of book
Use conventional sizes
5.5 x 8.5 --- 6 x 9 --- 8.5 x 11
Save money
Keep stores happy
Pictures/Drawings/Photos
Color photos are expensive
B&W photos are more practical (half-tones)
120-133 dots per inch
Drawings, line drawings
Shipping needs
Packaging
Double wall cartons if shipping by carton
Shrink wrap option
Announcing Reviews review copies
Newspapers
Send news release and book return postcard first
45 days before
Target appropriate editor
Local newspapers are best bets
Magazines
Target magazines related to your book
School Arts
Instructor
Education Today
Creative Classroom
Free-Lance Reviewers
Rent a mailing list of free-lance reviewers
send a news release
book request postcard
45 days before
Experts in the Field
Send review copy to authorities or experts
Ask for endorsements
Newsletter reviews
Web reviews
Budget 10% of your books to give to people who can do you the most good
* Stamp review copies with “REVIEW COPY” or “Not For Resale”
Resources
The Children’s Writer’s and Illustrators Market
The Self-Publishing Manual, Dan Poynter, Para Publishing
The Simple Guide to Self-Publishing, Mark Ortman, Wise Owl Books
Literary Market Place (LMP) library, online
The Author-Publisher Handbook, Aztex Corporation
1001 Ways to Market Your Books, John Kremer
Book Publishing Resource Guide, John Kremer
Children’s Writer: Newsletter of Writing and Publishing Trends
95 Long Ridge Road, West Redding, CT 06896
Distribution
National Distributors
Mainly sell to bookstores (those chains!)
Independent Publishers Group (IPG), Consortium, Login, Publishers Group West
Exclusive
Use commissioned reps, have catalogs
Expect a 65% or more discount off retail price
Consignment: Pay for what they sell, not what is in warehouse
Book Wholesalers
Demand sales only
Often order through the national distributor
55% discount if direct from you
Ingram Book Company
Baker & Taylor Books
Do not have reps or sales catalogs:
Ambassador Book Service 800.431.8913
Blackwell Book Service 800.257.7341
Baker & Taylor www.baker-taylor.com
Coutts Library Serivce 800.772.4304
Eastern Book company 800.937.0331
Emery-Pratt Co. 800.248.3887
Ingram Book Company 800.937.8100
Koen Book Distributors www.koen.com
Midwest Library Service 314.739.3100
Yankee Book Pedler 800.258.3774
Library distributors
Specialize in selling to libraries only
Often sell until they feel market is saturated, then stop
Usually 55%, net 90 payment
Can order through the national distributor
Quality Books, 800.333.4241
Unique Books 800.533.5446
Some National Distributors
New Leaf Distribution www.newleaf.dist.com
Spring Arbor Distributors 800.395.4340
Publishers Group West 510.658.3453
WORDS Distribution Co. www.bponline.com
Consortium Book Sales & Distribution www.cbsd.com/books
IPG www.ipgbook.com
Login Publishers Consortium 800.626.4330
Seven Hills Book Distributors www.sevenhillsbooks.com
Raincoast Book Distribution (Canada) 604.323.7100
Partners Book Distributing 517.694.3205
Advanced Marketing Services www.admweb.com
Educational Book Distributors 800.761.5501
Alternative distribution
Book Clubs
Doubleday Direct, Children’s Book of the Month Club, Troll, Scholastic, Quality Paperback, Writer’s Digest
Catalogs
Lakeshore, Kaplan, ABC School, New England School Supply. Chaselle, Discount School Supply
Gift Stores
Special stores
toy, children’s stores, health, kitchen
Educational Supply Stores
Visit conferences, browse internet
Direct Sales - all YOU
Bypass middle man
Online Bookstores
Bookzone, Book Stacks Unlimited, Amazon
Unsold books
Donations
Remainder Dealers
Subsidiary Rights
Workshops, seminars
Creating a Demand
Fact: There are over 500 new releases each week, over 1 million books in print, and the average bookstore stocks only 25,000 titles. Think “beyond the bookstore”.
