Q&A With The Book Designer, Joel Friedlander

Recently, I sat down with Joel Friedlander to ask him a few questions about the book creation process. Joel has a wealth of experience working with books and bringing them to market. He is the proprietor of Marin Bookworks, a company that edits, designs and produces books for publishers and authors who decide to self-publish. You can read his popular blog, The Book Designer to learn all about the book creation and marketing process.



Joel has a new book out, A Self-Publisher's Companion, that explains the world of self-publishing to authors thinking about getting into print or e-books. It's a book I highly endorse. You can read my review of his book on my blog.



I'm excited to bring this Q&A with Joel to you today.



1. Joel, thank you for sitting with us today and sharing your knowledge. If most authors are like I was when I wrote my first book, they really don't know what to expect when they try to get their book in print. From the standpoint of moving a book from the completed manuscript to a final copy you can hold in your hands, what do you think are the biggest surprises/challenges authors face in the self-publishing process?



Tony, that's a big question, and the space between the finished manuscript and printed books is where I've spent the majority of my career. The biggest surprise most new publishers face is the sheer number of decisions they need to make to get their book done, and the amount of expertise needed to answer those questions. Their challenge typically comes in becoming the project manager of a complex process requiring experts or training in a number of areas in order to get to the finish line.



2. Do you see any consistent mistakes that most authors make when self-publishing their book?



The biggest error I see, and not just from self-published authors, is underestimating what it will take to market and sell their books. No matter where you are in your book development--even if you are just thinking about what you want to write--start marketing today.



3. Joel, you've witnessed the ushering in of the "Golden Age" of self-publishing, as you call it in your new book, A Self-Publisher's Companion. What makes this the Golden Age of self-publishing?



These things:

-ease of acquiring the tools to publish

-eliminating the need for capital in order to publish

-opening of bookselling to self-publishers through online retailers

-development of technology that makes publishing fast, easy and almost free





4. What, if any, are the differences between how novelists approach self-publishing and how non-fiction authors approach self-publishing?



Two differences I've seen are that novelists seem to be concentrating on building a fan base and planning series of books to sell to those fans, while nonfiction writers seem to be concentrating more on attracting readers looking for solutions within their niche.



5. In the last 2 to 5 years, what would you say is the greatest technological advancement for authors who want to self-publish?



The Amazon Kindle.



6. It wasn't too long ago that the term "self-published" carried a negative stigma. Do you see this changing, and if so, in what way?



This self-defeating argument has been going on for a very long time, and it's a relief that it's starting to lose steam. The stigma against self-publishing is still very much alive, but the universe in which it is accepted as fact is gradually shrinking. The past few months have seen the beginning of an exodus of published authors from the confines of the publishing houses into the wilds of independent publishing. If many of these authors are successful, many more will follow.



7. From a strictly business standpoint, what are the most important factors in creating a successful book?



Tony, it's long been my opinion that only the author gets to decide what constitutes a "successful" book. Having said that, there are only two factors I know of that contribute reliably to making a successful book. First, the book has to have a reason to exist. Does it solve a problem or answer a question for readers, or is it solely an expression of the author's opinions and desires? Second, has the author brought the book to the attention of enough people to make it a success? A good book that addresses reader's needs and which is marketed widely enough to those readers will, in my opinion, always be a success.



8. For the author who needs help with creating their book after it's written, what are the important questions they should ask a professional before hiring them?



-What is your experience with books like mine?

(You want someone with relevant experience.)

-What is your vision of my book in terms of production and marketing?

(It's crucial that you are both working toward the same aim.)

-How much will this cost and how long will it take?

(Know in advance the budget and schedule.)

-Will I own the files you produce for me at the end of the process?

(Make sure a contract spells out ownership.)



9. Assuming a writer has a blog, a Twitter account and a Facebook account, what are your recommendations as to where they should begin their book marketing efforts?



Inside the writer's own mind. The biggest problem I see with writers marketing their books is lack of a plan and the tendency to simply react to stuff happening around them and calling it marketing. Understanding who you are marketing to, why they might be interested in your book, and how to reach them is more important than where the marketing is taking place.



Once you've got that straight, make your blog the hub of your marketing efforts. It's got many advantages and it should be the place you send traffic to from Facebook, Twitter or other social media sites.



10. I mentioned your book, A Self Publisher's Companion, which I highly endorse. Can you tell us why you wrote the book and what you hope it accomplishes?



I'm glad you asked! I wrote the book to help give authors who are thinking about getting into independent publishing an idea of what they might encounter. I tried to include information that would help them decide whether they were suited to self-publishing, the kind of tasks they will encounter, how book production and marketing are done and what they require, and to give a general idea of what's going on in independent publishing today.



The publishing industry is going through rapid, disruptive and systemic change now in response to new technologies. The opportunities for individual authors are greater than they have ever been in the history of printed books. I find that incredibly exciting, and I wanted to put a book in the hands of authors that would convey some of that excitement and opportunity while giving them a realistic look "behind the curtain."



Although I'm a strong advocate of self-publishing, working with authors for many years has taught me that it's not right for everyone. I hope that A Self-Publisher's Companion will encourage writers to make a self-assessment, and to take advantage of this incredible opportunity.



Joel, I want to thank you for your time and for giving us a peek into the book creation process through the eyes of an experienced professional who has been doing this for decades. It really is a Golden Age of Publishing we're living in today!





Related Posts

Brainstorming Non-bookstore Sales By Joel Friedlander

Q&A With Smashword's Mark Coker On The E-book Industry

Best Selling Kindle Author Karen McQuestion Gives E-Book Advice To Authors

Review: A Self-Publisher's Companion by Joel Friedlander











 -------- Tony Eldridge is the author of The Samson Effect , an action/adventure novel that Clive Cussler calls a "first rate thriller brimming with intrigue and adventure." He is also the author of the Twitter marketing book, Conducting Effective Twitter Contests .