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The Fine Print of Self-Publishing
by
Mark Levine (Goodreads Author)
The Fine Print has helped thousands of authors understand self-publishing companies; services, including contract terms, printing markups, and royalty calculations.
The Fine Print of Self-Publishing (Third Edition) was awarded the Gold Medal for best writing/publishing book in 2009 by the Independent Publisher Book Awards.
The Fine Print of Self-Publishing (Third Edition) was awarded the Gold Medal for best writing/publishing book in 2009 by the Independent Publisher Book Awards.
ebook, Fourth, 0 pages
Published
March 23rd 2011
by Bascom Hill Publishing Group
(first published 2006)
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Where I got the book: an author-friend bought it for me at a conference. She said she learned a great deal from the author (who is, of course, also a speaker on the conference circuit because that sells books like nothing else) about what she should expect from a publishing company.
And she's right, in a sense. Some of the points covered in this book could be enlightening to a writer who's hoping to sign with a small press, for example, because even though said press is not actually charging you,...more
And she's right, in a sense. Some of the points covered in this book could be enlightening to a writer who's hoping to sign with a small press, for example, because even though said press is not actually charging you,...more
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Mark Levin has a classic here with The Fine Print of Self Publishing: The Contracts & Services of 45 Self-Publishing Companies Analyzed Ranked & Exposed. I have to say that as a self published author I devoured this book, all 321 pages, in one single sitting. I found myself up at midnight, then 1:00 AM, then 2:35 in the morning going over the page after page of useful information. Man, I wish I would have had this book a few years ago!
First of all, Mark gives you reasons why to self publ...more
First of all, Mark gives you reasons why to self publ...more
You’ve spent endless hours writing your book. Now, it’s finally time to publish. These days, more and more people are turning to publish on demand and other forms of self-publishing. But buyer beware! Not all companies are created equally.
If you are looking to self-publish, The Fine Print of Self-Publishing is a must have resource. Finding the publisher that fits your needs and your budget can be extremely time consuming. The majority of us don’t even know which questions we should be asking or...more
If you are looking to self-publish, The Fine Print of Self-Publishing is a must have resource. Finding the publisher that fits your needs and your budget can be extremely time consuming. The majority of us don’t even know which questions we should be asking or...more
As self-publishing, or Print-on-Demand (POD) publishing is becoming more popular, an important question for authors concerns the contract they are about to sign. Are they getting a good deal from the publisher, or are they (figuratively) signing their life away?
The book explores a number of things that the author must consider before signing a contract. Are the publishing fees fairly priced? Does it have a good reputation in the writing community? Does it offer decent royalties without fuzzy mat...more
The book explores a number of things that the author must consider before signing a contract. Are the publishing fees fairly priced? Does it have a good reputation in the writing community? Does it offer decent royalties without fuzzy mat...more
I firmly believe it's a mistake to pay to have your book published by a vanity press and that it's tantamount to flushing your money down a toilet. But if you are intent on doing it anyway, then you must read THE FINE PRINT OF SELF-PUBLISHING by Mark Levine first. He analyzes the major vanity presses and their contracts, their pluses and minuses, and gives you a thorough understanding of how that business works.
He starts by talking about how he chose the vanity press route for his first book:
"...more
He starts by talking about how he chose the vanity press route for his first book:
"...more
I've had this book on my shelf for a long time and finally decided to have a look through it. I was surprised and impressed with what I found. Mark Levine is extremely knowledgeable about this topic and provides a compelling argument for self-publishing versus traditional publishing. I knew very little about self-publishing before reading this book but after reading this book I feel like an expert. He goes through all the clauses that a contract would contain, explaining every one. He also tells...more
I learned a great deal from this book considering I knew nothing at all about self-publishing. Invaluable information about contracts and the "legal-eeze" that baffles most of us. There's some no holds barred info which I appreciate for its honesty.
The 4th edition (coming some 3 years after the 3rd) is a bit of a disappointment only because it doesn't list more "outstanding" publishers. But then maybe there is a lesson in the list remaining the same as it was in 2008?
A good book for someone just...more
The 4th edition (coming some 3 years after the 3rd) is a bit of a disappointment only because it doesn't list more "outstanding" publishers. But then maybe there is a lesson in the list remaining the same as it was in 2008?
A good book for someone just...more
Jun 07, 2007
MillCityPress
added it
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
authors, writers, publishers
INTRODUCTION
For most authors, writing is a part of who we are—our thoughts and ideas constantly percolate as dialogue and plot twists in our minds. Kurt Vonnegut summed it up best when he said, “Most people do other things with their time. But writers, we'll sit around and think up neat stuff, not something just anyone could do.”
Writing a book is an amazing accomplishment. When I finished my first manuscript, I felt the way a runner feels after completing a marathon for the first time.
But if pub...more
For most authors, writing is a part of who we are—our thoughts and ideas constantly percolate as dialogue and plot twists in our minds. Kurt Vonnegut summed it up best when he said, “Most people do other things with their time. But writers, we'll sit around and think up neat stuff, not something just anyone could do.”
Writing a book is an amazing accomplishment. When I finished my first manuscript, I felt the way a runner feels after completing a marathon for the first time.
But if pub...more
Super-helpful if you are considering paying for a self-publishing package.
If you're intent on figuring it all out yourself and uploading ready-to-go files to Amazon/CreateSpace/wherever, it's not quite as relevant. However, it's still great to get an overview of points to consider and pitfalls to watch out for, including details like whether or not to accept a "free" ISBN number. Clearly, a tonne of work went into compiling this book. I'm glad I read it.
If you're intent on figuring it all out yourself and uploading ready-to-go files to Amazon/CreateSpace/wherever, it's not quite as relevant. However, it's still great to get an overview of points to consider and pitfalls to watch out for, including details like whether or not to accept a "free" ISBN number. Clearly, a tonne of work went into compiling this book. I'm glad I read it.
Now in its fourth edition, The Fine Print of Self-Publishing, continues to be lauded by self-publishing industry experts as a “must read” for any author consider self-publishing.
This book has helped thousands of writers choose ethical self-publishing companies and
avoid ones that are nothing more than dream-crushing snake oil salesmen.
Inside, the 4th Edition of The Fine Print of Self-Publishing, you’ll find:
* The 8 “must-have” qualities of a good self-publishing company.
* How much the top self-...more
This book has helped thousands of writers choose ethical self-publishing companies and
avoid ones that are nothing more than dream-crushing snake oil salesmen.
Inside, the 4th Edition of The Fine Print of Self-Publishing, you’ll find:
* The 8 “must-have” qualities of a good self-publishing company.
* How much the top self-...more
If you're considering paying a company to publish your book, don't do it until you read The Fine Print. Mark analyzes several dozen publishing companies from a legal point of view and will steer you clear of companies that will not treat you fairly. He pulls no punches.
This is a must read if you are publishing a paperback and need help.
This is a must read if you are publishing a paperback and need help.
Jun 17, 2013
Charles Kerns
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
self-publishing
You gotta read this before you pick a self publishing company. (ok call it a vanity press if you want)
The lawyer reads all those online agreements that you never read because you are a writer and not a lawyer and tells you which companies will not screw you. Good info if you are a poor writer, like most of us.
The lawyer reads all those online agreements that you never read because you are a writer and not a lawyer and tells you which companies will not screw you. Good info if you are a poor writer, like most of us.
If any writer out there is thinking about self-publishing, read this book first. I did a lot of research prior to this book and Levine still offered new information about the whole process. The Fine Print is eye-opening, enlightening and provides details that will make anyone's head spin, but totally worth it.
Very informative. Actually helped me determine what publisher I eventually went with for publishing my book. I would highly recommend it to anyone stating out in the world of self publishing
Jan 06, 2013
April
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
first-reads,
won-it,
non-fiction,
reviewed,
have-print,
2013,
review-copy,
amazon-review-posted
I received a copy of this book free through Goodreads First Reads.
I found the book very informative and easy to read. Great sections and information was well labeled.
I am not really I writer but I passed it on to my sister who is and she is thrilled with it. She said it is sure to help her navigate the waters of self publishing!
I found the book very informative and easy to read. Great sections and information was well labeled.
I am not really I writer but I passed it on to my sister who is and she is thrilled with it. She said it is sure to help her navigate the waters of self publishing!
An indespensible book on my resource shelf.
"Self-Publishing" companies should really be called publishing services companies. In most cases they offer lower quality services at higher prices than you can get on your own.
Great "buyer beware" book.
"Self-Publishing" companies should really be called publishing services companies. In most cases they offer lower quality services at higher prices than you can get on your own.
Great "buyer beware" book.
This was a great tool in learning how to interpret and navigate through contracts. Levine adds some wit and humor to help keep a boring subject interesting. A useful tool to help make smart and educated decisions on choosing a publisher
Import 11_28_09
*This book was won from a First Reads giveaway on goodreads.com*
Won this through LibraryThing, but haven't received it.
Jan 21, 2013
Jenny B
marked it as to-read-non-fiction
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
4-publishing-self-publishing
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Mark Levine is the president of Hillcrest Media Group, Inc. Hillcrest provides book publishing, marketing, printing and distribution services for authors and independent presses. Mark was one of the founders of Click Industries, Ltd. an online company that provides products and services for small business owners, writers, musicians, and other artists. The company was sold in 2009. The Fine Print o...more
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