Once the writing is complete and editing in progress, that would be the time to have a preliminary discussion about the next step. Once the revising and rewriting is complete and the manuscript is ready to go, then is the time to launch into the next phase. However that next phase is dependent on the personal goals for the writer and whether or not the manuscript is strong enough to meet those goals.  

Final marketing, publishing and distribution decisions are highly dependent on the strength of the writing, genre and current market conditions. It might mean writing the query letter and shopping to agents or making independent publishing decisions. However none of that should happen before the manuscript is complete, done, over and finished. I’m all for getting an early start but not too early, the writing comes first.

For example, if a bookseller receives an order for 1000 copies from the publisher or distributor and is only able to sell 600 copies to consumers, the 400 remaining copies are called “returns.” In this case the author’s sell-through would be 60 percent. If 300 copies were returned the sell-through would be 70 percent. Sell-through, also referred to as percent of sale, is the key to a successful career as a writer. The higher the sell-through, the more likely any writer will have a bright future as an author. 

For published authors it should never be about the total copies out in the market rather the placement of those copies and their potential to sell is the key. Higher sell through or percent of sale is preferred over the number of net copies sold. The higher for both the better, be smart about the business and you have a better chance of continuing as a publisher author.

Certainly you can walk to the grocery or drug store, which will take longer and you may encounter bad weather. Walking long distances can also create other problems but eventually you may get to where you want to go. Certainly the lack of transportation is a problem if you hope of moving beyond your local neighborhood and venturing out to another city or state. The time and effort required to get to your final destination may be beyond your capability. You have a perfectly good car in the garage but have limited access to the services you need for your family.

Distribution or access to the market for published content is key to having any opportunity at selling significant quantities of your work. Publishers that utilize the print-on-demand model may provide you with a car, but it will be restricted to back roads. The major booksellers will never allow your POD book in their stores. This is limited access to the market and a major problem that most self-published authors face in today’s marketplace. The same scenario holds true for eBooks. A simple PDF file is great for downloading to another computer but in the real market for eBooks, again, you are limiting yourself to the back roads. 

If your published work is not allowed direct access to booksellers via direct sales to book buyers working for those booksellers, your chances of becoming a successful author is handicapped. Distribution comes in two forms: access and availability. Here is a description of each. 

(1)Access to the market is described as a sales group or distribution company selling your title to book buyers of established and recognized booksellers for the purpose of ordering quantities for their stores or catalogs. These titles are often stocked for quick and easy fulfillment and placement onto store shelves and online catalogs.  

(2)Availability means your book title is being entered into a database with the millions of other book titles making it available for sale should a consumer walk into a bookseller and special order. This is the type of distribution used by the print-on-demand companies which in essence is not distribution or access to the market. 

The same process is at work for digital content in the form of eBooks and Audiobooks via MP3 files. The biggest difference is that print book distributors are heavily influenced, subsidized and dependent on the major print book publishers. In the digital field that is not the case, at least not yet, digital distributors have no dependence on the biggest publishers. This makes distribution of digital content much more accessible for the independent author. 

Regardless of whether you decide to publish in print or eBook format, without access to booksellers you cannot sell significant quantities of your work. Whether the seller is a brick and mortar store or an online retailer, library or school, if you do not have the ability to expand your readership through access to those that actively market and sell product then your audience may forever remain small. 

My recommendation for authors is they consider all formats for their published work: trade print, eBook and Audiobook. At this time the market for the eBook has tremendous opportunities for the independent author over either of the remaining two formats. 

The market for publishing is changing rapidly and in order for authors to maximize their opportunities and in turn their potential, they must stay informed. The difficulty with the print market has been obvious for many years yet we all tend to think of print when discussing publishing. The business of printing books and shipping to booksellers is anachronistic and outdated way of thinking. As the market for print continues to decline the barriers to entry continue to grow. Not the case with eBooks. 

The digital marketplace is new, vibrant and growing rapidly. With over 760,000 new print titles being published each year compared to 50,000 eBook titles the competition is less and access to the market is open and available. The window of opportunity for any new market is small and the time for eBook publishing is today.

Have your manuscript converted from its original Word document into the style formats of the leading eReading devices by a professional eBook formatter. There is no need to worry about margins or page numbers, an eBook will be formatted to fit a particular style compatible with a multitude of market leading electronic reading devices. 

The reading devices that are on the market today require that eBooks available for download must be compatible with the formatting style adopted by that particular eReading device such as the Sony Reader or iPad from Apple. Currently there are over nine various formatting styles that fit a wide assortment of eReading devices. Unfortunately the industry at this point has not agreed upon a universal formatting style compatible for all eBook readers. 

Do-It-Yourself formatting is possible, however, if you are not familiar with the various styles for eReaders then it is not recommended you attempt the conversion on your own. If your eBook is not properly formatted to fit the particular style of eReader then the consumer will not be able to download to their device and the potential sale would be voided. This is an obvious problem for the author and eventually will result in your eBook being eliminated from the online catalogs of all retailers. The cost of converting a word document to the top formatting styles is inexpensive compared to the time and frustration of trying it on your own. 

Professional formatters who have experience with these styles make the process simple and inexpensive. The cost of converting a manuscript into an eBook is dependent on the length and various components of a manuscript. The price more than compensates for the potential problems you may encounter if you attempt to convert on your own and lose sales. 

In addition to the professional formatting of your Word document the other consideration is that your cover be easily read and identified by category on a computer screen. If your title is not easily recognizable by the category from which you write and easily understood by title and sub-title you stand a very good chance of missing a sale. Considering working with a professional who can guide you on how to properly price, package and maximize the marketability of your title. 

In some cases the original print cover may need only a slight variation in font, color or style. In other cases an entirely new design may be necessary. Since eBook covers are not as demanding from a consumer standpoint as a printed cover, prices are much less expensive. The visual component of your eBook cover as viewed on a computer screen is critical to your success. 

Once your original manuscript in a Word document has been converted to the top eBook style formats and cover is evaluated online, you will have a marketable eBook ready for distribution. Demand for the top professional formatters is high and most word documents can be converted within 30 days, in some cases that may run into 60 days. It all depends on the demand at the time the submission is made. The total cost of converting a simple Word document containing your manuscript into a marketable eBook with a complete new cover design will be a fraction of the cost of a similar print comparison.  

The eBook market is growing rapidly, the time for the independent author to take advantage of the opportunities is now. An eBook provides unpublished writers and published authors with a new market for selling content. An eBook is a new format for publication with a completely different audience. These are but two of the advantages that independent authors have when creating an eBook.

When the big New York publishers develop marketing plans for their titles they start with expectations from the editors and evaluate what is possible considering budget and sales potential. Once the framework is outlined they go about cooking to the recipe and combining the necessary components to make the book as successful as possible. Each book is different, there may be similarities but overall the marketing plans contain individual pieces that fit the particular title. 

For authors with limited budgets and time to promote their writing, there are fifteen key pieces for marketing your writing: 

1)   Take advantage of web sites that offer free author profiles, most notably www.NothingBinding.com. Any site that provides a free platform giving you an opportunity to post your photo, author bio and other aspects that an audience may find interesting is worth taking part. 

2)   Some sites also allow for free excerpts of your manuscript or book as well as free articles of interest that has a direct tie-in to your writing. Provide sample chapters and always post the most dramatic scene, leaving the reader wanting more. 

3)   Book reviews are one of the best ways of sharing what others think about your writing. Reviews are not meant to express what Aunt Millie or your neighbor thought but rather what professional book reviewers think. 

4)   Readers like bookmarks and they are one of the best and yet most inexpensive way of putting your book title in front of a potential reader. They are also more likely to hang onto an attractive bookmark as opposed to a business card. Writing pens are okay but not as important as a bookmark. 

5)   Never underestimate the power of video or audio. Big publishers send authors on book tours so readers can see and hear their favorite authors speak. Create a program around your writing and be informative and creative. Then record on video and post to web sites and You Tube. The web site www.NothingBinding.com allows authors to post video and audio for free. 

6)   Another terrific way to promote using multi-media is with book trailers, professionally produced they are in essence an advertisement for your book. Prices vary but you can get a quality job for a lot less than you imagine. 

7)   Social networking is the buzz, everyone is doing it and yet some of us still don’t understand the relevance. The fact remains, you have to do it. If you aren’t on one of the major social networking sites you miss out on meeting fellow writers who just might help you promote your book on their own web site or social network. Reciprocal promotion works if you can build a network via social media. 

8)   Blogging is another one of those activities that if you are not participating you are missing out. It seems that everyone is blogging and you need to find a way to post relevant content to your blog. If you are writing an Irish love story perhaps you blog about Ireland and the majestic land it is or how visitors to the Irish countryside can enjoy certain attractions. The point is to share your writing and become someone who loves writing about a subject that relates to their work. 

9)   Subscribe to Google Alerts. Back to the Irish love story, you would want Google to send you daily alerts which will list information about Ireland. Then you can link to the article and respond to what the author had to say. By offering your unique perspective to an article that appears on a prominent web site you have a chance of getting your name and book title in front of readers that may never have heard of you. 

10) Be willing to give your book away as a promotional item. You can accomplish this in a small group setting or even radio interview. A free book is a great way to promote your writing and if you publish on your own and not with one of the print-on-demand companies your printing costs are minimal. 

11) Change your email signature on all emails so your title and web address are prominently listed. If you are emailing on a regular basis, even to family and friends, it doesn’t hurt they know the title and where to purchase. Be careful, do not say where all books are sold, be specific and if your title is only listed on Amazon then say that. 

12) Issue press releases through your social networks and the press release services that are available. These services have access to hundreds of contacts that you have no way of communicating with so utilize what they offer. If you do not feel confident in writing your own press release then there are a multitude of services that can do that for you. 

13) Keep your status as an author updated on all writer forums or chat rooms that you visit and contribute to. Don’t aggressively try and sell your writing or you will get criticized and shunned. Be subtle, provide answers to questions based on your experience and throw out a notice about your blog, profile on www.NothingBinding.com or the occasional press release. Be helpful rather than self-centered and it will go a long way. 

14) Become an expert. If your book is the Irish love story then become an expert on Ireland and write about it, share what you know and become the local expert on Ireland. Whatever your category, find a way to share what you know with others and you will make fans of readers who may just buy your book. 

And finally… 

15) Price your digital content aggressively which means under what the major publishers price their own eBooks and you will go a very long way to selling volume that makes sense. You cannot compete head-to-head so don’t try. Be smart and price accordingly. 

Those are your top fifteen key pieces of marketing digital content. If those weren’t helpful enough, I’m going to offer you two more: 

1)   Associate yourself with a digital publishing company that can distribute your content globally and has great reputation for quality content. It’s important the company markets their brand, which is key in independent digital publishing. 

2)   If all else fails, admit your weakness and consult a professional marketer who can work within your budget and create a plan that fits your title. 

Marketing isn’t difficult, it’s getting the right pieces in place that can make an impact and hopefully get you noticed and your content purchased. Marketing takes time and consistency, even more so than money. Once you get the momentum going you have to keep it moving forward, otherwise you start from scratch at the beginning of the line once again. Best of luck and remember, answers to many marketing and publishing questions can be found free at this web site.

It seems the more that is written about the opportunities with digital publishing the more the competition for conversion from a vast array of people calling themselves publishers’ pops up in our inbox. The real decision for any writer is: who do you trust with your writing? Understand that your publisher is the one who defines you as a writer. Your publisher is someone you need to feel confident in their ability to maximize the potential for your writing. 

Printing is not publishing, creating a Kindle edition and throwing it up on Amazon is not publishing. This is a business of creating content that offers the reader something special. Good publishing involves skills gained from years of experience in the business of making quality content better, more marketable and potentially bestselling. Publishers have experience with all types of genres, authors, marketing plans and distribution.  They understand the nuances of the market for readers and books. 

Today I’m fortunate to work with a group of editors, designers and marketers with unmatched experience and qualifications in New York publishing. The decision for writers is who do you place your trust in to make your writing the best it can be? Who do you want to be associated with as a publisher? Would you prefer working with a company who sends blind emails? Or do you think experience in publishing is a major factor? How successful do you want to be?  

It boils down to choice and certainly who you decide to team up with regarding your writing is very important. If you feel you made a mistake with your print edition then correct that for the eBook and consider someone with experience. Publishing is perception and the logo on your published content sets the stage for much of what will follow.  Publishing is about writing and selling quality content to share with the world.

Having served my entire adult life in publishing it still amazes me to this day how many companies operate under such outright deception and distortion of facts. The sad fact in the “independent or self-publishing” business is that too many people make a living off promoting, marketing and selling products and services that simply do not work or have value in the real world of book publishing, marketing, distributing and selling of books. Writers MUST protect themselves and their writing. 

Here are some key points to keep in mind when trying to determine whether a product or service has real value: (1)  Never commit to a long term agreement with anyone! (2)  Never pay for a product or service without knowing who is behind the product and service, what their background in publishing is and knowing whether they offer testimonials from satisfied customers that you can contact and objectively verify. (3)  Web sites or email blasts that sell and promote without offering a legitimate telephone number that someone can call and ask questions should be avoided. (4)  Companies that take days to respond to emails sent through their web sites are also to be avoided. (5)  If it sounds too good to be true or offers promises and guarantees, consider them companies to be avoided. 

There are never any guarantees in publishing, even for the biggest of the bestselling New York Times authors, there are no guarantees. Anyone making claims that sound too good, too easy, or too quick to possibly be true, run the other way, save your money and send me an email. I’ll be happy to offer you honest advice and feedback on whether or not the offer is legitimate.

Digital publication in eBook format opens up new opportunities for independent authors and in virtually every case, the potential for widespread distribution is one thousand times greater than for a print title. For those independent authors the cost of creating an eBook is a fraction of the cost of a print edition. 

At this point in time the market is wide open and available for authors of all genres, however that may not be the case in six months, or even three. Once the big publishers realize the desire for eBook content is being filled by the small publishers and independent authors, their attitude and position will change. The best part of offering a digital version of your book is that eBook sales do not deter from print sales, they will only add to existing sales and support your dual marketing efforts for print and eBook.

Yet this hesitation will not last long because it is well known and understood in publishing that different formats (hardcover, trade paper, mass market paper, audio and eBook) do not take away sales from other formats because the market is different and separate and readers who prefer a specific format seldom stray. 

The primary reason for the reluctance on the part of the New York publishers to fully embrace the eBook is because digital is new and confusing to them and they are always slow to embrace change. At this time there is a massive desire for digital content in the form of eBooks and yet the biggest companies are not supplying what the market demands. Strange but this is exactly why print publishing has been in decline for years. 

This is exactly why the time for the independent author to get into the digital market is now, today! The longer you wait the less likely you are to find a fan base and grow your audience. This market is not going away and it will only get bigger and better especially as the price for eReaders decline, the demand for product will grow. Do not hesitate!

Price Waterhouse Coopers a consultancy reckons that eBooks will represent about 6% of consumer books sales in North America by 2013, up from 1.5% in 2009. Carolyn Reidy, the boss of Simon & Schuster, a major New York publisher, thinks they could account for 25% of the industry’s sales in America within three to five years. She may well be right if the prices of dedicated eReaders such as the iPad and Kindle keep falling and more consumers start reading on Smart Phones. The number of Apps for books on the iPhone recently surpassed that for games, previously the largest category.

Could it be any simplier? The time to publish your eBook is today!