Are you thinking about self-publishing? Find out what you need to know and the questions you should be asking when working with Print on Demand (POD) publishers to avoid rip offs and scams.

Don’t miss this informative free tele-class when VIP Authors founder and publishing consultant Shelley Lieber reveals:

• How to pick a POD publisher
• Two questions POD publishers don’t want you to ask, and why you MUST know this information

This class can help you save hours of time and thousands of dollars. Here’s how to get on the call:

Free Class*: ”Don’t Get Ripped Off: How to Make Informed Decisions when Self-Publishing

When: Wednesday, May 6, 2008 at 2 pm ET (1pm CT, 12pm MT, 11am PT)

Call Info: Dial (641) 715-3300. Enter Access Code: 171279#

* The class is free to attend, but long distance charges may apply.

Yesterday’s teleclass “Books are NOT Dead! 5 Steps You Can Take to Publish Now” ROCKED! Here is just some of the feedback I’ve gotten already:

“As always, it’s a pleasure listening in on your talks about publishing and the writing business.” –Joey Naudic

“Really enjoyed the conference call. It was informative, well organized and filled with useful insights.”–Jenna Rosen

“I thought the call today was amazing! I’m was extremely inspired and motivated with all the information you shared. It is a strong confirmation that I’m doing the right things at the right time. I’m still in awe!!! I’m trying to calm down inside! This is an exciting time!” –Yolanda Berry

“I appreciated your time today and am seriously considering putting some audio (and maybe even video) on the blog because of what you mentioned. Thanks again!” –Alicia Sample

If you were unable to make yesterday’s tele-class about what you can do right now to publish in today’s market, here is the audio recording. 

5 Steps You Can Take Right Now to Publish

 You can also hear the replay by dialing (641) 715-3412, Access Code 171279#.

Do you need an agent? And what do they want, anyway?
From the feedback I receive from writers, contacting an agent or editor to submit your work is much harder than writing the book! Do you need these mysterious gatekeepers? And what should you send them? Here are some answers to the questions that keep popping up in my email and at the classes and seminars I teach.

Do I need an agent if I’m not planning to self-publish?
No, it’s not necessary to have an agent to get your work published, although it is true that most large publishing houses will only review manuscript submitted by agents. However, many small to mid-size publishers will review your work without an agent. Submitting to a publisher who accepts queries directly from writers can cut down on the length of time it will take to get your work published, since finding an agent can be a lengthly process. In general, however, you can expect much smaller (or no) advance against royalties when working with small to mid-size publishing houses.

What should I send to an agent (editor or publisher) when I am submitting my work?
The answer is to follow the submission guidelines. Every agency, publication and publishing house has specific submission policies. What you should send depends on whether you are seeking publication of an article or a book, and whether your book is fiction or nonfiction. Typically, you will be asked to submit a query letter to explain your work and provide some information about yourself and writing qualifications.

You may also be asked to provide clips, a synopsis or outline, a book proposal and/or sample chapters, depending on the nature of your work.

Do I send my whole manuscript to an agent, and do I need to include a cover letter?
Include a cover letter with every correspondence, even if it is by email. Don’t ever send a complete manuscript unless requested.

When submitting your work, format your manuscript properly. Use these guidelines to format your manuscript. (If submitting electronically, ignore the references to paper.)

Do:
–Use white bond paper (20 lb. stock minimum)
–Use Times Roman or Courier 12 pt. type only
–Type on one side of the paper only
–Double space (single space poetry)
–Use paragraph indents
–Use paper clips only to secure your manuscript
–At the top each page (except page 1), put the page number, your last name, book or article title

Don’t:
–Justify the right margin
–Add extra space between paragraphs
–Bind or staple your manuscript
–Put your manuscript in a folder
–Try to be cute or flashy with your presentation

Remember, agents and editors receive thousands of submissions and are looking for excuses to discard most of them. They will dump anything that doesn’t follow guidelines. Don’t let your hard work end up in the slush pile or circular file on looks alone.

I had a new writer contact me about an article she had written for a photo-editorial fashion spread. Here’s what she wanted to know:

“A photographer friend and I recently did a fashion shoot as a part of a fashion and environment awareness idea that we came up with. The images are beautiful and the story is relevant to the ‘going green’ movement showing how. Because it is not your typical fashion magazine spread that’s trying to sell a specific product, but is more of an informative approach, I am trying to figure out which publication it is best suited for. Possibly a magazine that’s in need of content? Should I expect to pay to have this first item published? and if so, how much should I expect to pay?”

Here’s my response:

Sounds like a great concept and very timely, too. You should not pay to have your work used; you should be paid. I’m guessing that the photographer has either given you the rights to the images or you will be submitting the work as a photo editorial. You both should be paid for your contributions. What you can get depends on the quality of the work and the publication’s budget. Small, regional magazines don’t have big budgets, but typically would be interested because they lack the staff to do it on their own. Many fashion spreads are shot and written by freelance contributors. What about the fashions featured? The designer or the store that supplied the clothes should be credited.

Paying to have your work published in a magazine or other print publication is advertising. Do not confuse it with self-publishing a book, where the author assumes the production costs but receives all the profits from book sales.

If you’re interested in making substantial and immediate headway into gaining exposure and what agents and publishers term a “platform,” then the Internet should be your weapon of choice.

Here are just two stories making headlines this week that illustrate the power of the Internet.

A recent commentary on Forbes.com by Sramana Mitra reported that Elle Newmark, 56, a former advertising professional who had gone through four different agents on four separate book projects, decided that she “didn’t have time for this anymore” and self-published her new book, a historical novel. Once the book came out, she “looked to the Internet to build a readership.” Newmark decided to throw a virtual book launch party and sent out 500,000 email invites to agents, editors and reviewers. (The article did not say how she did this without spamming, but that must be another story.) The result? Her book became an Amazon bestseller the day of the virtual book launch, and she secured a William Morris agent and a contract with Simon & Schuster within two weeks.

If you’re thinking that Newmark was an advertising exec who probably had a lot of insider friends and experience with Internet marketing, consider the story of Jeff Rivera, as told to Jim Kukral.com via a podcast on Kukral’s blog.

Rivera, with no writing or marketing experience, self-published his book and set his mind to building a readership via the Internet. He googled three words that described his target audience and discovered bulletin boards where his potential readers would talk to each other. He joined the discussion groups and with only an email signature, jpeg of his book cover and a link to his website, he was able to drive so much traffic to his site, he convinced an agent and publisher that he had a strong enough following (platform) to ensure a successful book.

A few years ago, I attended a Mystery Writers local chapter meeting and met MJ Rose, the first author to use the Internet to successfully market her self-published book and garner an agent and publisher. She used the same strategy, but she did it by chance. Shortly after she published her book, she adopted a puppy and was having difficulty housebreaking him. She joined an online group for new dog owners and used her name and book title in her email signature. One day, someone asked about it and the rest is history. Rose is considered the poster girl of Internet marketing. Check out her blog, too.

In her commentary for Forbes, Mitra observed, “The trend also tells me that in today’s world, aspiring authors stand a higher chance of success if they take more of their destiny in their own hands… Indeed, rules of engagement with agents and publishers are changing because of the power of print-on-demand and online marketing, and in that changing landscape, authors need to reinvent themselves as Internet entrepreneurs.”

But you read it here first.

Here are 6.5 Self-Publishing Myths that Need Busting:
(Read Myths 1-3 here. )

4. Self-published books look unprofessional and have many errors. This can easily be avoided by becoming knowledgeable about the publishing process, working with a professional editor and book designer on your own, or by working with a reputable POD provider who supplies these services. Many of today’s self-published books are indistinguishable from those published by the big publishing houses.
5. A self-published book will help you get a traditional publisher. Although many self-publishers have experienced this success, don’t self-publish for this reason alone. Many publishers won’t publish previously published material. And many agents advise writers not to even mention self-published works in their query letters unless thousands of copies have sold.
6. Self-published books don’t sell. Self-published books that are marketed properly sell as well as traditional books that are marketed properly. Do you know that most first-time authors published by a traditional company don’t make back their advances? Or that most titles by new authors don’t sell 5,000 copies, despite their New York publishing house labels? Having a traditional publisher is no guarantee of sales. And, if your book doesn’t sell enough copies to cover your advance, what do you think your chances of garnering another publishing contract will be?
6.5. You can’t make money self-publishing. In general, most authors, self-published or traditionally published, don’t support themselves on book sales alone. Unless your book is an Oprah Book Club selection (or picked for the Richard & Judy Book Club if you’re in the UK) or you have a long list of bestsellers like Steven King or JK Rowling, you will have to supplement your income from book sales. Many authors use their books as a stepping stone to consulting and speaking or sell rights to their work to be produced as movies or TV programs. Self-published authors have as much of a chance to these sources of income as traditionally published authors and many earn thousands of dollars each year from their self-published works.

Publishing is a business, and like any business, there’s no one right way to do it. When you keep an open mind to all possibilities, you will find the right answer for you.

“No army can stop an idea whose time has come.” –Victor Hugo

Despite naysayers and criticism from those entrenched in traditional publishing bureaucracy, self-publishing is here to stay as a viable publishing option. The technology is here, the desire is fueling the revolution and this industry is experiencing a wake-up call in a big way. Last year, 400,000 books were published (up from 300,000 in 2006). The industry saw approximately 195,000 new titles and between 8,000 and 11,000 new publishers, mostly self-publishers. Does this sound like a passing fancy to you?

My husband saw the same resistance in his photography business when digital technology started replacing film. Some photographers he knew dug in their heels and refused to learn about the new equipment. Most of them are out of business now, of course. I don’t understand why people are so resistant to change.

For those of us who write, the digital print-on-demand (POD) technology is like a birthday present. Don’t refuse the gift before you’ve had a chance to try it on for size. The beauty of POD printing is that you can economically print one book at a time, so now people who just want to publish a cookbook as a fundraiser for their organizations or a memoir for their families can do so and still have money left to donate to charity or leave to the grandkids.

On a larger scale, POD technology provides an opportunity for millions of people who feel they have an important message they want to share with the world to do it without waiting the two to four years it typically takes an author to move through idea to published book via traditional methods. This doesn’t mean self-publishers should run roughshod over all rules and practices that traditional publishing has forged in the process or–as the saying goes–throw the baby out with the bath water.

Success in any business requires an education. To help you learn more about your options, I’m going to be focusing on self-publishing and POD technology in upcoming weeks. I began last week with an article written to dispel some of the popular misconceptions about self-publishing. My next post will contain Part 2 of busting through the myths.

If you’re considering self-publishing, you are probably confused by the conflicting information that’s available to writers on the Internet, in newsletters, blogs, magazines and the general “word of mouth” that gets spread around at writers groups. There is no simple, right-or-wrong answer to the question, “Should I self-publish? ” However, the answer to your question lies in getting getting the facts straight before you make a decision.

Here are 6.5 Self-Publishing Myths that Need Busting:
1. You should self-publish if you keep getting rejections from agents and publishers. I have to say this the worst reason to self-publish and the best reason not to. This is advice is commonly seen on the websites of the less-scrupulous POD (print on demand) publishers who only want you to pay them to publish your work. The other place I see this reasoning is on the blogs of writers who act like 7th-graders with a substitute. (Yay, the teacher’s not here. Let’s do whatever we want!) Do not give up if you have received only a handful of rejections; every writer receives these. However, if you’ve been sending out the same manuscript to no avail for over a year, or have racked up over 100 rejections, it’s time to rethink the work. Bring it to a writer’s group or hire an editor to get some feedback. Take writing classes and attend conferences to find out how to improve your writing and package your work professionally in your submissions. After you have reviewed and improved the manuscript, then self-publish if you wish.

2. Self-publishing is vanity press. This is commonly espoused by smug literary snobs and people who haven’t paid attention to the technology boom of the past 10 years. In the past, “vanity press” was the term used to describe the subsidy publishers who would print anything anyone brought in. Despite the high price, the quality of the work and the book was typically poor, and unwitting authors would end up with a garage or storage room full of books that couldn’t be sold, not even to their mothers. With the advent of POD technology and more widely available publishing how-to information, however, self-publishing has become a more cost-effective and timely option for writers. The publishing industry is light-years behind other creative fields, such as film and music where indie performers are encouraged, praised and even revered. There are many reasons why an author might legitimately decide to self-publish that have everything to with talent and nothing to do with vanity.

3. You have to market yourself if you self-publish. Actually this is true. It’s the presumption that if you have a traditional publisher, you don’t have to market yourself that is the myth. People who give this as a reason not to self-publish have not read anything written by industry professionals or attended a writers’ conference in the last 20 years. Every agent, editor and publisher in the business advises writers to build a platform and be prepared to be actively involved in their own book promotion. The Hollywood-enhanced notion of the author spending long days writing, evenings drinking and editors cleaning up their work while publicists scrambled to arrange book tours died decades ago. Today’s successful authors treat their writing careers as a business that combines many talents and skills. And when did marketing become a four-letter word, anyway? Isn’t the point of writing to communicate with your audience? There’s no better way to do that than to talk about your book. So get into it, and spread your message!

Part 2 of this article busts through myths 4 through 6.5 and reveals the real information you need to know about self-publishing.

I regularly receive many questions about self-publishing, but the question posed to the publishing panel in my June 5 Wordy Woman Publishing Success newsletter article seemed to ignite a rash of responses.

I can’t say I’m surprised. I read three daily online publishing ezines, two weekly writer’s ezines, daily blogs and three monthly writers’ magazines and most of what is written about self-publishing is often wrong or, at best, misleading. No wonder writers are confused about what to do.

Your questions (and confusion) have prompted me to take action. In upcoming weeks, I will be focusing on self-publishing on this blog and in my newsletter. If you have specific questions you’d like to see addressed, please email me or leave a comment here. I will post a Q&A for everyone’s benefit.. .

Much of the information I see touted as “truth” is based on myth. Now I am a big fan of ancient mythology as far as literature, but I like my nonfiction based on reality. Before you move forward based on widely held opinions spouted on the Internet, think about the fate of the great ancient Greek and Roman civilizations, which were rooted in mythology.

If you prefer a happy ending for your hard work, stay tuned. Upcoming posts will be about exposing some of the most commonly held myths about self-publishing.