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

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

My Book Is on Amazon. Now What?

You’ve likely heard me say that your work as an author-entrepreneur is far from over when you finish writing your book. In fact, that’s just the beginning. You might also mistakenly think that you can sit back and relax once your book is uploaded to and available for purchase on Amazon. If only that were true! Here are five ways to maximize book marketing as soon as your book is available.

Book MarketingJodi BrandonJuly 4, 2019Author Platform, The Business of Publishing, Self-PublishingComment

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?

The Power of a Published Book

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

What’s an Author Platform?

The term author platform gained traction in the book publishing world alongside the rise of self-publishing. Essentially, it refers to your ability as an author to sell books based on your audience — who you can reach and convert into paying customers. Traditional book publishers were looking for authors with a large platform to help with marketing efforts. Nonfiction writers with a built-in author platform had a greater chance of getting a book deal, especially with larger book publishers. An author platform offers influence, which gives authors a leg up when it comes to book marketing efforts.

Book MarketingJodi BrandonOctober 23, 2018The Business of Publishing, Author Platform, Self-PublishingComment

The Author-Entrepreneur's Guide to Holiday Book Sales

Beginning on Black Friday and continuing through the beginning of the new year, the holiday season marks the busiest shopping season of the year. This is great news for author-entrepreneurs, whether your book is new or not. Why? Books make a great holiday gift!

Actually waiting until Black Friday to start thinking about holiday book sales is too late, though. You need to be ready well in advance, so start thinking about your plan now.

Book MarketingJodi BrandonOctober 16, 2018Author Platform, The Business of PublishingComment

Launching Your Book: Launch Emails

PublishingJodi BrandonOctober 9, 2018Author Platform, The Business of Publishing, Self-PublishingComment

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 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

Hosting a Book Launch Party

A book launch party isn’t JUST a party. Sure, it’s a celebration of your hard work. But it’s more than that: A successful book launch party should be a celebration AND a promotion tool.

Book MarketingJodi BrandonNovember 21, 2017Self-Publishing, The Business of PublishingComment

Email Marketing for Book Authors

As entrepreneurs and business owners, we know the importance of our email list. We don’t “own” our social media followers. This can take on a whole new level of importance when it comes to book publishing. Why? The almighty Amazon. Amazon doesn’t share customer information with authors, so unless someone who purchases your book is on your list, you may never have an interaction with them, That is NOT ideal, obviously. (I don’t mean to pick on Amazon, because obviously this is true of Barnes & Noble and other booksellers, of course, but let’s face it: Most book sales these days are coming from Amazon.)

Book MarketingJodi BrandonNovember 14, 2017Author Platform, The Business of Publishing Comment

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

Book Marketing 101: You Thought Writing Was the Hard Part?

A book, like everything else we create or produce in our businesses, needs to be marketed. A book is the ultimate evergreen product: Once it’s released, it’s ALWAYS available. And thus, it needs a strong marketing campaign that focuses on the launch, the short term, and the long term.

Book MarketingJodi BrandonOctober 31, 2017Path to Publication, Self-Publishing, Author Platform, The Business of PublishingComment

Book Your Book Editor Early

Exactly when an editor fits into your publishing plan depends on a few factors, first and foremost what type of editor you want to hire. Remember there are three kinds of book editors: developmental editors, copy editors, and proofreaders. (Need a recap of what each of these editors do? Check out this post.) This blog doesn’t address proofreading, as that is generally a quicker process and it’s not as critical to book that service quite as far ahead as the other two.

WritingJodi BrandonSeptember 26, 2017Editing, Publishing Plan, Self-Editing, The Business of Publishing, book writingComment

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