TheAuthorsDesk.

Your print or ebook is nearly finished. You wonder if you should try to get an agent to represent you tothe publisher. Maybe you’ve already sent out your query letter to some agents. You dream how great it would be tobe taken under the publisher’s wings.

What’s wrong with this picture? Even if an agent has given you the go andasks for a book proposal that has specific marketing information in it (takes three-seven months to write), you still have toface reality. FACT: Like Oprah, publishers and agents choose only 1-2% of proposals submitted.

Let’s say for now, you arechosen. The point is, are you fortunate to be chosen?

Are you willing to wait on the traditional publishing process 12months more? Are you willing to accept around 2-5% of the profits? Do you realize that after a few months ofone initial book tour (of which you must pay all costs from your book sales), you are on your own? And,it you don’t put a lot of time into promotion, your book will fade away within 2 months from the brickand mortar book store shelves. All unsold and coffee-stained books left will be returned, and the cost is deducted from theauthor’s royalties. Unless you are a favored celebrity or famous author, publishers put little time or money into your book’s promotion.

Get theRight Help the Right Way

Who says you can’t publish the book yourself? It will certainly cost you less thanyou imagine, even under $1000. It will bring you all the profits. It will put you in charge to make suitableand favorable writing, publishing and promotion decisions.

With a little help from professionals! These entrepreneurial experts such as book coaches, bookdesigners, and eBook specialists can guide you through publishing success. These people may give teleclasses, small group coaching experiences, inexpensive waysto learn the ropes. These pros will shorten your learning curve too, so you get the right help right away towrite the right book right away.

When you think you still have to promote your books, even with a publisher, whynot keep most of the profits and do some of the work yourself? Learn from your coach’s experiences, “Do WhatYou Do Best-and Hire the Rest!” (That doesn’t mean you can’t barter for services). Check out the methods below and seewhich one suits you best, is more rewarding and far more profitable.

Why Self-Publishing?

In self-publishing, you are the boss. Youget to choose the cover, the style, the layout, the message, even the format (eBook or Print Book). Since youare the one enthused about it, you will be able to capitalize and can promote far better than many publishers.

In self-publishing,who do you think can sell your book the best? You, the passionate author in love with his or her book,or the rookie publisher’s employee in charge of publicizing your book?

On Print Books–Print on Demand Two Ways

1. Hire thePublisher/Printer yourself to just print your book from your word file. Companies like Deharts.com (ph: 408-982-9118) or Alexander.com will put itinto Portable Document Format (PDF) to sell on your web site or another site you choose to sell your books.A complete explanation of these opportunities are included in the “How to Write your eBook or Other Short Book–Fast!”

InPrint Quantity Needed (similar to POD) you keep all of your book’s rights. This method helps you make much more profitfrom your effort and you will get your book out to the buyers so much faster, making faster profits. The turnaroundis around 6-8 weeks, so it pays to plan ahead. A $15 book may cost $4 to print for a smallof around 100 run using “print on demand” (POD) or “print quantity demand,” (PQN). If you sell it at the backof the room or on your own web site you will make $11 each book. When you order 500 books, theprice drastically drops.

2. Hire Full-Service Print on Demand Publisher/Printers who each charge you an up front fee to setup. They too take your word files and put into Portable Document Format.

The Upside of this choice? Some willlist you with Ingraham, one of the largest book distributors in the U.S., linked to most bookstores. For a feefrom $400-$600, these companies will give you an ISBN number if you plan to sell your book on someone else’s website. They will list you in BooksinPrint.com, and some will format your book. These companies offer you their Web site tosell your book.

The downside? Check to see if you need these services. You don’t need an ISBN # if yousell from your own web site. You probably won’t sell your book in a brick and mortar book store.

Thinkabout your book and where your best market is. Opinions from Dan Poynter, John Kremer, and myself say, “Bookstores are alousy place to sell books.” Walk ins are not looking for an unknown author’s book.

Judy Cullins, 20-year book and Internet MarketingCoach, Author of 10 eBooks including “Write your eBook Fast,” and “How to Market your Business on the Internet,” she offersfree help through her 2 monthly ezines, The Book Coach Says…and Business Tip of the Month at http://www.bookcoaching.com/opt-in.shtml and over140 free articles. Email her at mailto:Judy@bookcoaching.com

Writing has traditionally been considered a solitary craft. You wrote you article or book in seclusion. You submitted it to aneditor or publisher and prayed it would be published.

(more…)

Are you an avid reader? Are you trying to instill a love of reading in your children?

(more…)

What you do after you have written your book is as much, if not more, important than the actual writing ofit. You can take a great book and poor marketing and have very poor results. Conversely, I believe youcan take a mediocre book, market it well, and make very good sales from it. The only limiting factor isyou. You probably think, "I’m a writer, not a salesperson." That’s true, but there are some very simple thingsyou can do to create a website that sells your book.

(more…)

You wrote a tips booklet. Maybe more than one. Oh wait, are you one of the people who is still thinkingabout doing one? Not to worry. Wait ’til you see how easy this gets.

(more…)

There’s just something so gratifying about owning your own books and creating an in-home library. Not only does book ownership provideyou with hours, and hours of escape and enrichment, a well-stocked library is a great heirloom for future generations.

(more…)

To know what to do at the right time in book writing, publishing, or Internet marketing, consult a coaching expert whohas lived it all for 20 years–Judy Cullins.

Q 1- Would you say there is a difference in marketingtactics for different genres? If so, what kind of promotion would you suggest for, say, authors of children’s books, mystery/romance, ornon-fiction? If there is no discernible difference, what do you see as the best method of book promotion?

A 1- Thebest promotion is a natural promotion–that authors will actually do. They can either write or speak. 20 years ago I wasa speaker, thinking I didn’t know how to write. When the demand came for my health and personal growth how tobooks, I stepped up and started writing. Dan Poynter inspired me with his idea we can all write non-fiction by reframingthe ideas around us in our own unique format. Since then, I have put out 10 print and eBooks on writing,self-publishing and marketing, especially online.

Do you like to speak? Then schedule at least 4 talks a month. When you speakfor organizations, you will get paid and may sell books too. Consider no charge talks such as with libraries, service orbusiness organizations.

But, if you are bashful or don’t like to speak to groups, then promote by writing. Write shortexcerpts from your fiction or mystery, or write short articles to post Online in spam-free opt-in ezines with thousands of ready-madesubscribers you don’t have to hunt for. If you don’t know how and want a first step, try out one ofthe over 125 free articles on my site www.bookcoaching.com. Take a teleclass to update your skills. If I canlearn the online promotion game, so can you. Three years ago, I knew nothing with low sales of around $200 amonth. After a web site face-lift, my sales went from $75 a month to over $4000 consistently.

Q 2- Asa book coach for 20 years, guest speaker, and leader at workshops and teleclasses, what do published authors most want toknow about promoting their books?

A 3-They want someone else to promote for them.

That’s not a reality unlessthey have a huge budget for a publicist. But, I can offer them hope because I recommend they hire apart time computer assistant who knows the Internet from their local high school. I pay my assistant $9.50 an hour. Shecomes after school from 3:20-4:50PM three or four days a week. Delegating this work is the reason my books sell sowell. When I didn’t put promotion time and a little money out, nothing happened.

Q 4- In an article entitled"Book Promotion Myths," you state that bookstores sell only 45% of all books, and you question the "big push" to geta wholesaler or distributor into the bookstores when they represent so many other authors and exact about a 55% fee. You cite libraries, the Internet, foreign markets, seminars, back of the room sales and specialty markets as some non-traditional markets. Butwith the loss of so many mom and pop shops that carry books, there are fewer venues to carry books. Doyou have any suggestions for getting books into large chains - such as Walmart or Petco ? or airport shops?

A 4- I think authors are on the right track to get their books into Walmart, Costco or Petco. If, theyare patient, persistent, and willing to wait for their sales. They must do this through a distributor though. One of myassociates gets her Bargains in San Diego book into Costco each year. She had to go through many hoops and whenshe does sell books there, she has to wait always over 90 days, but often up to a year to getpaid. That’s the way of the bookstores, wholesalers, and chains.

Q 5? You state that if an author doesn’t liketo travel or speak before groups, then writing articles to promote one’s book is the way to go. You mention thatthis method catapulted you to #1 on Google and 35 other search engines with the key word “Bookcoaching.” What doesthis mean? What are the criteria used and where is it stated that you are #?

A 5- The internetchanges every day, but even with changes, I’m still on top. You can check by inserting “book coaching" To prove myweb site address is listed on 3140 other sites, just put in the two words, "Judy Cullins.” The first yearI submitted articles I was on 900 sites. Two years later, I’m on 3140 plus.

Search engines sweep our websites looking for key words. The more appropriate key words you have in your articles up on your site, the headlinesfor your book’s sales letter, and the copy on your home page and others, the higher you rank. For help, contactan Internet marketing coach who has done it all.

On the top ten sites, your site will get a lot oftraffic. You must set your web site up to sell your book or service. That means creating a powerful sales letterfor each book. Check out my book “Create your Web Site with Marketing Pizzazz” and apply before you contact a Web designer.

Multiply contactsand sales when you submit articles to the opt-in ezines. If you have an ezine, you will boost subscribers 10-25 eachtime you submit an article. This is viral marketing at its best.

Getting your questions answered by a pro will saveyou weeks and months of wasted time going in the wrong direction. Use these answers to catapult your book andbusiness sales. Part two of this article is available at http://www.bookcoaching.com/freearticles/article-128.shtml.

Judy Cullins, 20-year book and Internet Marketing Coach,Author of 10 eBooks including “Write your eBook Fast,” and “How to Market your Business on the Internet,” she offers freehelp through her 2 monthly ezines, The Book Coach Says…and Business Tip of the Month at http://www.bookcoaching.com/opt-in.shtml and over140 free articles. Email her at mailto:Judy@bookcoaching.com