So you finally finished that book that you've been working on. Now what?
Most new authors don't know where to start when it comes to publishing a book, so I created this article as a guide.
The first step after the manuscript is written is to make sure it's polished. Make sure you have a clear, concise storyline. Also make sure that your manuscript is edited to the best of your ability. You want to make your manuscript as professional as possible before you present it to a publisher, whether it is a traditional publisher or subsidy publisher.
Now you have some options; you can either submit your manuscript to a traditional publisher, do it yourself and become your own publisher, or you can find someone to publish your work for you.
Know the difference between traditional publishing, self-publishing and subsidy publishing.
Through traditional publishing you do not have to pay anything to have your manuscript put into print. The publishing house handles all of the expenses associated with the design, production and printing of your book. Moreover, in many instances, the publishing house will primarily be responsible for promoting your work. However, in this day and age, a growing number of traditional publishers require their published authors to devote their own time (and sometimes a bit of their own money) to the actual promotion of a book.
If you choose to publish using the services of a subsidy publisher, you would be completely responsible for the costs associated with publishing your manuscript. This includes everything from editing, to design, to printing and promotion. A subsidy publisher distributes books under its own imprint, the books are owned by the publisher and remain in the publisher's possession; but the author retains all rights to the book. The publisher pays the author royalties.
A self-publisher is an author who pays for the cost of designing, printing, and distributing his or her book. The author invents and registers a publishing "imprint." Self-published books are the property of the author and remain in the author's possession; all sales proceeds belong to the author.
Pink Kiss Publishing uses Print-On-Demand (POD) technology to provide book publishing services to aspiring authors and writers. We make it easier for writers to bypass the traditional publishing houses and get their own work published. Our books are available worldwide with bookstore distribution through Ingram, Baker & Taylor. We provide all aspects of the design, production and printing of your book. We have a team of talented graphic artists, illustrators, typesetters and editors on staff ready to assist in making your book a success. Our primary purpose is to assist writers in achieving their dreams of becoming published authors.
I'm frequently asked by new authors what should they do first. My answer is always the same, "Do Your Homework!"
When you contact subsidy publishing companies for a consultation have a list of questions that you would like to ask. At Pink Kiss Publishing there are no dumb questions. Don't assume anything! If you don't know, ask!
If you take one lesson from this article, take this: "Your lack of knowledge can cost you money!"
So I reiterate, MAKE SURE YOU DO YOUR RESEARCH before you publish with "any" company. Make sure you know all the costs associated with publishing your book. Talk to others who have gone with the company, see what their experience was like with the company. Check to see if they have any complaints against them. You can usually find more information on online forums such as complaintsboard.com, or my3cents.com. The Better Business Bureau is also a good place to check for complaints too.
The primary complaint that I usually hear from authors who have had a bad experience with a subsidy publisher is, "I didn't know and the publisher didn't tell me that!" So before you purchase a publishing package from anyone I would encourage you to do your homework and question anything that you do not understand.
I'm also finding that many new authors using subsidy publishers expect to get services cheap, or in many cases, FREE! I am a publisher and I can't publish my books for free, so don't expect any company that offers publishing services to put time and effort into publishing your book at no cost. It simply isn't going to happen. However, if you desire to build a business out of publishing books Pink Kiss Publishing offers a program that can help you get started. Please visit our Start Your Own Publishing Business page for more information.
A lot of hard work goes into publishing a book, not to mention that it is also a very expensive endeavor. Before you seek publication you should determine if you will be able to make a return on your investment. If you are going to invest a substantial amount of money publishing your book but know you may only sell a few copies you might want to rethink your decision.
At Pink Kiss Publishing we want you to be informed and happy with your decision to publish your book through us. We will do what we say we’re going to do and strive to make your publishing experience a pleasant one. We offer several affordable publishing packages which makes it possible for authors to publish a high quality product on any budget.
More Frequently Asked Questions!
1) How do I calculate my royalties?
Depending on the publishing package chosen, you will either receive 50% or 75% of the net if sold through Pink Kiss Publishing Bookstore, but you will receive 100% of all royalties earned through bookstore sales. (sold through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, etc.)
Here's how you calculate your royalties.
(Example for bookstore sales)
Retail price - bookstore discount - cost of book printing = net (you keep 100%)
(Example for Pink Kiss Publishing online sales)
Retail price - cost of book printing = net
( you earn 50% or 75% of net depending on the publishing package chosen.)
You set the retail price and bookstore discount, the book printing price is based on the number of pages in the printed book.
2) How do I set the retail price for my book?
When the physical characteristics of your book (such as page count, covers, binding, size, etc.) are finalized, Pink Kiss Publishing will calculate a single-copy printing cost (we’ll give you an Estimate far before this point however).
This price is a function of trim size, binding, cover stock, colors, etc – all the “physical” traits of your book.You then need to decide the Retail Price.
The retail price should be based on your appraisal of the target audience – this includes the value your product provides to the reader, as well as what price point OTHER competitive products are selling. The retail price should be at least 2.5 times the single-copy printing cost to allow for a reasonable margin (to cover our costs and your payments) after trade discounts are factored in. The Retail Price also helps establish the Net Sales Payment amount – the amount you, the author, make from each sale.
3) How do I determine the print cost of my book?
There are several factors that determine the print cost of your book (such as page count, covers, binding, size, etc.) When these physical characteristics are finalized Pink Kiss Publishing will calculate a single-copy printing cost. However, you will receive an estimate far before this point.
4) How will my books be sold?
There are typically TWO ways books get sold:
1. Through "distribution' - which is places like Amazon, Barnes & Noble, other retailers and wholesale outlets like Ingram and Baker & Taylor distributors.
2. Direct to consumer - books can also be sold direct to the consumer via one of our marketing tools such as our Pink Kiss Publishing Bookstore.
*Example for direct to consumer sale:
Book retails for $15.00, book printing cost is $5.00, the net is $10.00. If you purchased the Basic package your royalty on this sale is $5.00, with the Standard or Professional package your royalty on this sale is $7.50.
Sales through distribution (wholesale) is a little bit different.
You may choose (and most authors do) to allow "volume pricing" and "wholesale pricing" on your book. This allows Retailers and Distributors to buy your book at a discount so that they may then in turn sell it to others - these outlets are known as the "middle men". The downside is that you get less for each book - the upside (which most often far outweighs the down) is that you get tremendous exposure which in turn can result in you selling more books. The sales process is very very simple. The typical discount for wholesalers, retailers, and distributors is at or above 50% but we can work with you to set a discount that is appropriate for both your market and your book. We typically recommend discount rates from 40% to 55%.
*Here's the scenario:
The XYZ Bookstore calls and wants your book, its retail price (which you set) is $15.00
They want 500 copies.
You are offering a 50% discount (which you have also set)…
So $15.00 minus 50% is $7.50 (I know, wow… what a deal)
They pay $7.50 for each book, the printing cost is still $5.00 for each book, so your net sales profit is $2.50 per book… sounds disheartening until you realize that in one fell swoop you just sold 500 books at a net sale of $1,250.00! Not to mention the fact that your book is now 500 times more likely to grab someone's attention than it was yesterday. As with everything in life there are upsides and downsides...but remember you keep 100% of all royalties through distribution sales. (sold through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, etc)
5) What are trade discounts and why should I offer it?
This is the standard discount off the cover price at which the publisher sells books to resellers. Standard is anywhere between 20% to 55%. We suggest offering a wholesale discount of 55%. The higher discount makes the product more appealing to resellers, especially if you desire to get your book on the shelves of brick-and-mortar bookstores.
6) How do I order my own supply of books?
Pink Kiss Publishing handles your order fulfillment. We also give you (the author) a discount on quantity orders.
7) What is a proof?
A proof is a printout of your book's pages and cover design. The purpose of a proof is to check for errors before the job is printed.
We will provide a proof copy of your book and cover image for your approval.
8) What is an ISBN?
The International Standard Book Number (ISBN) is a 13-digit number that uniquely identifies books and book-like products published internationally.
The purpose of the ISBN is to establish and identify one title or one unique edition of a title from one specific publisher. An ISBN allows for more efficient marketing and cataloging of products by booksellers, libraries, universities, wholesalers, and distributors.
9) Do I retain rights to my book?
Yes, as the author of the work, you retain all rights to your manuscript.
10) How can I become a publisher and publish my own books?
There are many steps that must be taken in order to become a publisher; creating a business name, registering your business with your state and IRS, creating an imprint, establishing a relationship with anyone that will assist in the design process of your book (editors, illustrators, typesetters and graphic artists) and finding a printer just to name a few, however, Pink Kiss Publishing offers a program that can help you get started. Please visit our Start Your Own Publishing Business page for more information.
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