Hybrid Publishing for Author-Entrepreneurs

Traditionally, authors had one path to publication if they wanted a book deal: traditional publishing. Self-publishing crept in, at the start for those who were unable to get a traditional book deal. Self-publishing was most certainly “plan B.” As time went on, self-publishing became a legitimate publishing model, and it is, frankly, “plan A” for business owners especially, due to the control over the process that self-publishing affords.

The hybrid publishing model incorporates elements of traditional publishing and self-publishing. (Did the word hybrid give it away?) Like self-publishing, the model is author-subsidized, whereas in traditional publishing the author receives money in the form of an advance before the book is published. The tradeoff is that the hybrid model includes traditional book publishing services. Those services include editing, design (book cover interior), marketing, rights management, and distribution.

PublishingAllieDanae WalkerJune 2, 2021Path to Publication, Publication Plan, The Business of PublishingComment

5 Tips for Promoting Your Book during a Pandemic

No industry has remained unchanged from the coronavirus pandemic. Book publishing is no exception. Certainly in-person events will be slow to return, but the news hasn’t been all bad. Consider this: Fewer travel expenses means budget redirected to swap or advertising. Less travel translates into more time at home with our families. And have you heard of the “business mullet” (professional top/sweater coupled with yoga pants)? This is not to make light of what we’ve all been through, but rather to simply point out that book marketing and promotion are certainly still possible.

Book MarketingAllieDanae WalkerApril 20, 2021Publication PlanComment

When Is Your Book Ready for Publication?

One of the benefits to business owners of self-publishing is the control over the process, including the time line. One of the decisions traditional book publishing houses make for their titles is pub date — AKA launch date. Oftentimes business owners writing a book don’t have a particular time they want or need to launch. The pub date gets pushed further and further because “the book isn’t ready.” (There are exceptions, of course. An entrepreneur writing a book on organization and planning might target an October launch, for example, because that’s when their audience is looking for resources.) Without the external pressure of a deadline, it’s easy to let the book writing and publishing process drag on.

Only you, as the author, can declare a book ready. As a book coach, though, I can offer some signs to help you decide whether your book truly isn’t ready or whether you have more work to do (which may or may not include some mindset work). These lists are not exhaustive, of course, but they should give you some idea of where you are.

PublishingAllieDanae WalkerMarch 3, 2021Publication Plan, Self-Publishing, The Business of PublishingComment

Pub Team Assemble!

Perhaps you’re familiar with the Avengers franchise rallying cry “Avengers assemble!” (Surely I’m not the only one who’s spent countless hours (and dollars) in movie theaters with teen nephews and nieces over the years?) The phrase often comes to mind with author-entrepreneurs who try to “go it alone” when writing and publishing their books. Writing can be a solitary act, but for business owners especially, getting a team in place is a smart way to go about publishing a book. As you build your book team, look for people who are experts at what they do. To keep the Avengers analogy going for a bit longer: If you wanted to find the strongest Avenger, you’d look to Hulk. If you wanted the fastest, Quicksilver. Similarly, look for the people who can complete the task(s) you need. Here are just a few service providers you should consider…

PublishingAllieDanae WalkerFebruary 3, 2021Publication Plan, The Business of Publishing, Editing, Book Design, Self-PublishingComment

Does a Publishing Imprint Make Sense for You?

One of the main reasons business owners choose self-publishing as their publishing model is because they enjoy the control the process offers. When self-publishing, an author-entrepreneur is both author and publisher. Sometimes, it’s as simple as that. A business owner writes and publishes a book, uses their name as the publisher, and calls it a day. Other times, though, business owners might want to consider starting a publishing company (or imprint, as we call it in the book publishing industry). When would this make sense? Often it’s when a business owner plans to write more than just one book (or even is open to the possibility, since ISBNs are cheaper to buy in bulk).

PublishingAllieDanae WalkerJanuary 21, 2021Self-Publishing, Publication PlanComment

Plan Now to Write a Book in 2021

As business owners think about their “big rocks” for a year or a quarter, writing a book often comes up. This makes sense, as writing a book isn’t a small goal that can be completed as quickly as, say, planning a webinar or crafting a quarterly content plan. If writing a book to serve your business this year is on your radar, here are your first steps

WritingAllieDanae WalkerJanuary 6, 2021Book Writing, Writing Process, Publication PlanComment

Dos and Don'ts to Ensure Your Book Looks Professional

Self-publishing is on the rise. Final 2018 statistics haven’t yet been released, but according to Bowker, self-publishing grew 28% in 2017 (up from 20% in 2016) and 1,009,188 new titles were released. You might be thinking, That’s a lot of books! I’m thinking that, too — but I’m also thinking about how important it is for self-publishing authors (as most of my author-entrepreneur clients are) to produce a book that’s as professional as possible. With that many books being published, you want your book to stand out in a good way. Self-publishing used to have a bad rap in the industry, and the main reason was because the barrier to entry was so low that some truly bad books (in content and form) were released. And by “some,” I mean “a lot.”

PublishingJodi BrandonJune 20, 2019The Business of Publishing, Self-Publishing, Publication Plan, book DesignComment

Your Book Time Line

Some of the hesitation I hear regarding a plan for book writing comes with the unknown. As a business owner, you've planned a launch or two (or 10), but you've never spent months writing and then publishing a book. Whom do you need to hire? What steps come first? Here’s what you need to know to plan your book writing and publishing for best results.

To allow plenty of time for schedule mishaps, breaks, and, you know, life and business, author-entrepreneurs should allow six to nine months for this process. (More wiggle room in the schedule never hurt anyone, did it?) Sure, you could do it quicker than that, but putting together a high-quality book takes time.

Ready to dig in?

Organizing Your Book Publishing Plan with Trello

As it is with any large project entrepreneurs take on (course creation, for example), organization is critical to book writing and publishing. And make no mistake: This post advocates using Trello to organize your book publishing plan, but what’s most important is that you have some method to organize your project, whether it’s Google Drive, Asana, Evernote, or whatever works for you. No need to reinvent the wheel here: Use what you (and your team) are already comfortable with in your business.

The ability to share a Trello board with your book team (your VA, your editor, your designer, your publicist, a co-author — anyone you want to have access to the details about your book project) is one of greatest reason to use it.

PublishingJodi BrandonMarch 5, 2019Publication Plan, book writing Comment

The Power of a Published Book

PublishingJodi BrandonJanuary 24, 2019Publication Plan, Author Platform, The Business of PublishingComment

Plan Now to Write a Book in 2019

How much time do you really need to write a book? If you enjoy writing and write regularly in your business already, you can likely write a 50,000-word book in two or three months (assuming your schedule is fairly open for those months). If you don’t particularly enjoy writing, it might take longer to reach the point where you’re consistently producing larger word counts. The key to book writing is to have a plan before you start writing.

WritingJodi BrandonJanuary 10, 2019book writing, Writing Process, Publication PlanComment

The 3 Phases of Your Book Launch

If you have followed me for a while, you know that I regularly talk about the long game of book marketing. It’s a marathon, not a sprint. I have seen so many authors treat it like a sprint and burn out — quickly. The investment of time, energy, and money can be overwhelming, and it is ongoing, so pacing yourself is critical. Book marketing experts talk about multiple phases of marketing, and most agree that there are three (called by different names, of course): pre-launch, launch, and post-launch.

3 Tips to Get Your Book into Bookstores

One of the common misconceptions about self-publishing is that you can’t get a self-published book into bookstores. False!

It is absolutely possible to get a self-published book into a bookstore. That said, there are a few things you need to do as an entrepreneur to make sure your book is available to sell in bookstores.

Audio Books: Yes or No?

Audiobooks have been on the rise for the last few years. As a book lover, you probably know that. What does this mean for you as an author-entrepreneur? Does this mean you need to find a production studio, hire a professional narrator, and shell out a few thousand bucks to produce an audiobook in addition to your print version? Nope. But you shouldn’t immediately write off the idea of an audiobook, either.

PublishingJodi BrandonApril 24, 2018Author Platform, Publication Plan Comments

Book Trailers: Optional?

Technically speaking, a book trailer IS optional. But given the explosive growth of video in today’s marketing world, you’d be silly NOT to take advantage of it when marketing your book. According to ComScore, readers are 64 percent more likely to buy your book if they see a trailer that promotes your book effectively. 64 PERCENT. That’s just about two out of three people. Creating a book trailer and including it on your book’s sales page as well as in your marketing efforts in general, then, is a no-brainer.

Here are a few pointers to keep the process manageable.

Book MarketingJodi BrandonApril 17, 2018Publication Plan, Author PlatformComment

3 Tips for Successful Book Marketing

With so many possibilities — unlimited possibilities, really — it can be hard to know where to focus your book marketing efforts. That includes both time and money. Whether you DIY your book marketing or hire a book marketing/publicity firm, these three tips work for just about every author-entrepreneur

Why You Need A Book Positioning Study

With thousands of books published every day (yes, you read that correctly), you need to give your book the best chance to succeed. One of the smartest ways to do just that is to conduct a book positioning study. (You might also see this called a competitive analysis or a book marketing study.) Of course book success relies on writing a great book that has a great cover. But there’s SO MUCH more you can do.

Book MarketingJodi BrandonFebruary 27, 2018Author Platform, Publication Plan, The Business of Publishing, Self-PublishingComment

Book Ambassadors: Who, What, Why

What: Book Ambassadors Defined

Book ambassadors are essentially launch cheerleaders for your book. - @jodibrandon

Book Ambassadors vs. Book Reviewers

At the time of your launch, these are not the same people. I repeat: These are not the same people. Book ambassadors can BECOME reviewers after they’ve read your book. But at the time of your launch, ambassadors have likely not seen/read an advance copy. They are merely cheering you on and helping you build buzz around your book launch.

PublishingJodi BrandonNovember 7, 2017Publication Plan, Self-Publishing, Author Platform Comments

To Pre-Sell or Not to Pre-Sell Your Book

Pre-sales are a hot-button topic in the book publishing world. You likely haven’t thought much about pre-sales, so let me break down a few of the most common pros and cons so you can decide what’s best for your book.

First, though, let’s define a pre-sale so we’re all on the same page. (See what I did there?) A pre-sale is, essentially, making your book available for purchase by setting up an advanced listing on a selling platform (e.g., Amazon or your website). When readers “buy,” they are simply reserving a copy, which will be shipped (if a print book) or released (if an ebook) on launch day, and at that time their payment will be processed.

Book MarketingJodi BrandonNovember 3, 2017Publication Plan, Author Platform, Self-Publishing, The Business of PublishingComment

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