The Secrets of Self Publishing 2 (free excerpt) You can purchase the book in ebook and paperback at amazon.com

To purchase the complete book in ebook and paperback you can do so from amazon.com via the following link Right Here


Table of Contents Introduction   8 1. How to Form Your Company          12  2. Writing Your Story And Networking with Different Sources   14 3. Distribution   18 3A. Distribution: Work the system: Don’t Let the System Work You. 22 3B. How to Distribute Your Own Books   26 3C. When a Distribution Agreement Goes Wrong   28 4. Composing an E-Book and Digital Distribution   32 5. Marketing & Publicity   36 5A. Book Marketing: Where to Spend Your Money and Time   40 5B. Helpful Marketing Guides and Literary Resources for Self-Publishers   44 5C. Guerilla Marketing Beyond the Store for Independent Authors &Small Presses   46 6. Understanding Expense and Profit Margin   48 7. Negotiating a Publishing Contract   52 8. Record Keeping and Budgeting   56 9. The Pros and Cons of Book Signings March 28, 2007 Book Section Myspace Feature   58 9A. Protocol for Setting up Book Signings   60 9B. Selling Books in the Street Market   62 10. Business Credit   64 11. True or False   66 12.The Path to Success with Ebook and Print Publishing   68









    Therone throughout his literary career has distributed other authors titles to the street market, consulted and has remained a trailblazer and visionary. The Secrets of Self Publishing 2 is an example of Therone’s eagerness to learn and also educate.
The Secrets of Self Publishing has helped many authors establish their dreams of becoming self-: published. The Secrets of Self Publishing 2 does not disappoint and starts off where the first edition ended. There are new chapters, and a broader view of the industry is presented. There is even a chapter dedicated to the virtual world of e-book publishing. With the internet age quickly taking over the world, the internet is going to prove to be an important tool to those who want to maintain control of their work and the ability to make a larger profit by cutting spending in the areas of print runs and real world distribution.
The Secrets of Self Publishing 2 is published by Therone Shellman Book Consulting a company Therone Shellman formed to not only take over the publishing of his book titles and branding of his name. But the company also provides consulting services to aspiring authors and established authors as well.
Therone Shellman is available for author interviews and speaking engagements. The fees are very affordable.
















    Literature is covered under the First Amendment of the Constitution of The United States and therefore one has the liberty to sell their books almost anywhere within the territories of the U.S. whether this be in stores or on the streets. There are laws within every county, city, and state that one must adhere to in regard to business enterprises, peddling, and vending. So be mindful of where you are and the laws you need to follow.
Once you package a book and commit to the act of selling it, you’re functioning as a business enterprise and therefore, need to obtain a business license. Whether you form a small business and get a DBA as a sole proprietor, partnership, LLC, or S Corp the bottom line is most distributors will not consider doing business with you unless you have formed a legitimate business structure. They need to ensure within their business accounting records that authors and publishers’ book titles are not being published by their company.
You can go online and access the Small Business Administration (SBA) website to retrieve information and forms, as well as obtain a clear insight into the pros and cons of each business structure.
Visit: www.sba.gov
An accountant, business attorney, and business consultant are also capable of assisting you form your venture and coaching you as to the type of structure that will fit your overall goals.
























    When writing your story you should research and read books in the genre you write in. At the same time, remember to always be unique and write in your own voice. Thousands of books are written and published each year with a limited number of them standing out amongst others within their genre.
So many people wonder and ask the question, “How do you start to write a story?”
“How do you format it?”
For starters, it would be smart to take writing courses because writing and communicating are arts and there is always a better way to express yourself no matter how articulate and gifted you are.
Once your story is written you’ll need to have it edited. You can browse online by using search engines and input the words “book editors”. It may also be of benefit to visit the sites of online book clubs where other writers hang out to find out who they work with. The Literary Market Place (LMP) and Writers Market (WM) are two resource books that hold a wealth of information in them. In these works you will be able to find a listing of editors and their qualifications. The Writers & Poets and Writer magazines both have classified sections. In here you’ll be sure to find several editor service listings.
Every paperback and hard cover book needs a cover or jacket design. Therefore, you’re going to need to hire a graphics professional to do the layout. A book cover layout can range anywhere from a few hundred dollars to $1500. Browse through your local bookstore and take a look at the covers of books in your perspective genre to get a good idea of what makes a cover commercially appealing. Remember to always choose a book cover layout that goes along with the book title and overall idea of the story. Many graphics designers are adding their website and company names to the back of the cover. This is an easy way to find someone who is sure to give you the look you’re searching for.
Don’t forget you’ll need an ISBN (international standard book number) in order to have your book stocked in stores. Bowkers is the only firm licensed to create ISBN’s in the U.S. Once the ISBN is purchased you will need to have it converted into a barcode. This is the barcode you see on the back cover of books.
You can visit: http://www.bowkers.org
The companies below provide services to covert ISBN’s into barcodes.
Visit:www.simplybarcodes.net and
http://www.barcode-us.com/
Now that you’ve formed your company, written your story, had it edited, purchased an ISBN, and have a book cover the next step is to get the book printed. From there it must be copyrighted to ensure your rights to the story are protected.
Utilize the internet to download the listing of “101 Best Book Printers”.The Library of Congress website is where you will be able to download copyright forms. Here is where you’ll be able to obtain a Library of Congress Catalog Number (LCCN). This is a series of numbers which libraries utilize to catalog a book title and identify it the same way an ISBN identifies a title. The number in many ways resembles an ISBN, but only without the dashes.






















    Distribution is probably the most important aspect of publishing. Without distribution you have no way of getting your book(s) inside the hands of readers. It’s very simple. You can write as many books as you want but without distribution people outside of your everyday social network will not know who you are.
How you’re going to distribute your book(s) is something that should be researched in the very beginning. Again, the LMP and Writers Market will serve as invaluable resource tools. Most Independent Book Distributors who services the chain retail bookstore market also have the capabilities to distribute to “mom and pop” book stores. There are many different markets where you will find your audience.
The internet, book stores, libraries, streets, and neighborhood are only some of the places where you can sell your books.
I’ve included some of these distributors below:
BCH Fulfillment & Distribution, Diane Musto, President, 46 Purdy Street, Harrison, NY 10528; 914-835-0015; 800-431-1579; Fax: 914-835-0398. Email: bookch@aol.com. Web: http://www.bookch.comBookMasters Distribution Services, 30 Amberwood Parkway, Ashland OH 44805; 419-281-5100; 800-537-6727; Fax: 419-989-4047. Web: http://www.bookmastersdistribution.com.Consortium Book Sales, Julie Schaper, President (Sales, Marketing & Publisher Relations) The Keg House, 34 Thirteenth Avenue NE #101, Minneapolis MN 55413-1007; 612-746-2600; 800-283-3572; Fax: 612-746-2606. Email: info@cbsd.com. Web: http://www.cbsd.com.Greenleaf Book Group, Justin Branch, P O Box 91869, Austin TX 78709; 512-891-6100; 800-932-5420; Fax: 512-891-6150. Email: justin@greenleafbookgroup.com. Web: http://www.greenleafbookgroup.com Independent Publishers Group, Mark Suchomel, President, 814 N Franklin Avenue, Chicago IL 60610-3109; 312-337-0747, ext. 209; 800-888-4741; Fax: 312-337-1807. Email: suchomel@ipgbook.com. Web: http://www.ipgbook.com Ingram Publisher Services, One Ingram Boulevard, P O Box 3006, La Vergne TN 37086-1986; 615-213-5349; 800-937-8100; Fax: 615-213-5597. Email: Publisher@ingrampublisherservices.com. Web: http://www.ingrampublisherservices.comNational Book Network, Ginger Miller, 4501 Forbes Boulevard #200, Lanham MD 20706; 301-459-3366, ext. 5510; Fax: 301-429-5746. Email: gmiller@nbnbooks.com. Web: http://www.nbnbooks.com
Take the time to research the distributors above. Remember, there are a whole lot more independent distributors out there so get on the internet and do your research. I’ve started the search for you. The secrets of self-publishing are the same as the secrets to success. One must be willing to research all outlets, and find a method which fits your program. There is no one written rule. Mainstream distributors’ payment arrangements vary. Most companies usually pay the author or publisher for the sales six months after the title releases, and every six months thereafter. This is not always the case, so be sure to check with the distributor.
Guerilla Marketing is an area that all independent authors and publishing companies should come to know and it falls within the scope of marketing and distribution. This is basically obtaining book sales outside of the normal distribution channels. For instance, street or neighborhood book signings, book sales to street vendors or local bookstores and gift shops are good examples of guerilla marketing.
African American authors and independent publishers have access to a small number of distributors that cater to their works. I’ve compiled a list of some. I must add that these are not the only ones. New distributors are springing up here and there as more entrepreneurs see the need to provide these services.
Black Book Plus/ Seaburn Book Distributors: 33-18 Broadway; Astoria, N.Y. 11106(718)267-2679
African World Books: 2217 Pennsylvania Ave.; P.O. Box 16447; Baltimore, MD 21217(410) 383-2006
The African American Independent Distributors mentioned above in most cases commence payments on book sales ninety days after they stock a title, or the title releases.














    Without distribution and the means of getting your books to the public you will have very little success. Do an internet search by keying in “Top Independent Book Distributors”. Research the companies thoroughly to obtain a clear idea as to the types of books they distribute and the markets they deal with. For the author who has written their first title and who more than likely will have a hard time obtaining distribution for their work through one of the large distributors, it is recommended that you visit the Baker & Taylors website: http://www.btol.com
Through their publisher partnership program, independent authors and publishers are able to market their titles to the libraries and get their titles into the chain retail bookstores. In order for chain retail stores and most libraries to stock an independent title the books must be distributed by an acceptable distributor or wholesaler.
Unlike some independent bookstores, Barnes and Noble will not order books straight from the publisher. Barnes and Noble does have an Acquisitions Department, which reviews new titles by independent publishers, but even if they do place an order they will not, in most cases, order more than 40-100 books.  And they make a practice of ordering from the publishers’ distributor.
Applications can be downloaded from the website: http://www.barnesandnoble.com
As you grow look for ways to develop and nurture your own ability to control some of your distribution. Remember the system is designed for you to fail because; everyone from the wholesaler to the bookstore is in your pocket and eating away at your profit. Sell your books door to door, on the streets, and in the churches. Get them everywhere you can so you can see more of your money, but at the same time utilize the system. In between distributor payments, this will allow you to have a steady flow of cash.
Even if you have a distributor, you should not depend on them solely to sell your books. Regardless of how you start out you should always seek to maximize your sales and exposure by implementing a sales program where you also sell your book(s). Pack your books in your trunk and hit the local shopping centers and areas where there are a lot of people. This is a great way to build buzz about your work while you build capital.
Beware that as you grow from title to title you create a budget for projects because as with money, book sales also come in spurts. Meaning one month you may sell a ton of books and then the next month you may sell a small fraction of what you sold the previous month. You may find yourself paying for upcoming projects that will not release months down the line but you’re not currently selling that many books or receiving book sale payments. This is what happens to most publishers who expand too quickly. So be careful and crawl before you walk. It’s probably a good idea to sit down with an established publishing professional or a business consultant that is knowledgeable about business growth, financing etc.
Visit the Small Business Administration site: www.sba.gov
There is also a division called The Service Core of Retired Executives. These mentors provide free online and face-to-face mentoring and business counseling to those who are looking to start a business or those who are in business already.
The Service Corp of Retired Executives site: www.score.org
From personal experience, I will tell you that distribution is one of the most important aspects of publishing. Once it’s established if you lose it, or it’s disrupted your business will definitely be affected in a negative way.




















    One of the best ways a self-published author or small press can kick off the start of their own distribution program is to start with an individual author, or small press website. The website should detail information about the author(s), company, book covers, synopsis(s), and links either to PayPal or other merchant accounts where payments are transferred to your bank account.
You may also choose to establish an Advantage account with Amazon.com, stock books with them, and have the payment link on your website linked to Amazons item page. Therefore the customer buys off the Amazon site after being transferred from your site. Amazon makes payments directly to you by depositing payments electronically into your bank account.
An author or publisher should always exploit ways to sell a percentage of their own titles to customers, vendors, booksellers, and “mom and pop” stores. It’s as simple as direct sales, or giving books on consignment to booksellers (vendors). The objective of direct distribution is a quick return on investment so it’s imperative to watch your cash flow. It’s in your best interest to ensure that not too many of your books are in the hands of sellers if payments aren’t being received. The quicker you get return on your investment the quicker you can reinvest the profits. With all this said if you’re not a good seller you should then hire someone who is.Book vendors who set up on the streets and inside locations are invaluable contacts, for their inventory usually ranges from 50 to a few hundred different titles. The books are usually turned over quickly and therefore authors and publishers receive payments a lot quicker than dealing with normal distributors.
It’s the ideal desire of every independent author and publisher to distribute their own title(s) instead of having to deal with a distributor. There are instances where authors and publishers with ten or more titles can arrange a distribution relationship with Ingram Wholesalers directly. This may be a sure way for any author who is wary about dealing with distributors mismanaging their titles to get their books into the chain.

    The Pros of dealing with a mainstream distributor is that it’s not just you alone vying for team bookshelf space in bookstores for your books. You now also have a company with staffed sales who are also working for you. Within most cases, these sales reps who work for the distributor receive a commission from the book sales they make. This in essence means their earnings and livelihood depend on them doing their jobs. This is to conduct sales.
The downside of dealing with a mainstream distributor is that most terms are exclusive. This means they are the only distributor that can service the markets covered in the contract. This can be both a good and bad thing. If they are a strong company with talented and competent sales reps then you are in the best possible business situation in regards to publisher/distributor relations. However, if they are a company that mismanages funds, run by a poor management team, and the sales reps do not know how to represent the broad range of titles distributed by the company you are then soon to be in a lot of trouble. Even if the company isn’t run into the ground you are basically in the same situation as if it had.
Of course, there is always a provision that states either party has the right to dissolve the business relationship in writing within a certain amount of days. Notice is usually to be served 30-45 days before requested termination is to take place.Always have in mind that whatever copies of books the distributor has sold they can possibly withhold a percentage of pay from you in case of possible bookstore returns. Dissolving a distributor relationship can get very messy. So it’s very necessary to have your paperwork and accounting in order so you can evaluate the total scope of the situation.
For damage control, you should always ensure that any distributor agreement you sign also has information in regards to how you can go about resolving issues you have, such as a department or individual contact within the company where you can have an issue resolved. There should also be an ability to take the matter to arbitration if this individual cannot resolve the issue. For your own insurance never sign a distribution agreement which doesn’t possess the above provisions.
One of the best ways to know where you stand as far as business terms in regards to the distributor is to constantly stay in contact with the representative assigned to your company. If you witness them not being responsive to you and your needs, request to speak to someone on the next level. At this point, state your concerns, and request a new representative to represent your company’s titles.
The more you’re on top of your business the easier it will be for you to reap the benefits of good relationships.





























    Since the emergence of eBooks publishers have been scrambling to cash in on a market which has quickly become 10% of the retail book sales market. Online and chain retail bookstores have eBook conversions and in some cases their own eBook readers. Amazon has an eBook reader called the Kindle, Barnes and Noble has the Nook eBook reader.
If you would like to sell your book titles on Amazon.com, you can create an author/publisher Kindle account. You will have to upload a MS Word file document of the manuscript and the converter will compile and format the document for you. This is fairly easy. You will then have to fill in all the information like price, company name, author, etc. You will also be able to upload the book cover. With Barnes and Noble you will have to utilize the contact form to let them know you would like to have your title available in eBook form for the Nook. Sony eBook Reader and Apple iPad are other eBook readers that are quickly gaining popularity. Pretty soon there will be dozens of these devices competing for eBook revenue. According to Amazon.com, eBook sales rose 193 percent in 2010 from 2009. International Digital Publishing Forum collects quarterly US trade retail eBook sales in conjunction with the Association of American Publishers. Their statistics state the third quarter of 2010 eBook sales totaled $119.7 million.
If you would like to create your own eBooks to distribute from your author/publisher websites there are plenty of software programs on the market to assist you with this task. Below I will list a few:
EPaperFlip.com/Dynamic
www.3DIssue.com
www.ebookscompiler.com
Publishers state that paperback and hard cover books aren’t going anywhere anytime soon. Yet, they aren’t ignoring the fact that the book buying community is quickly going tech. One thing is for sure - eBook sales are bound to keep climbing as the year’s progress. As an independent author you should be cashing in on this great opportunity. For starters, self- publishers will save on book printing costs. After the initial costs of editing, purchasing an ISBN, book cover, and marketing the rest is all earnings. If you deal with Amazon.com via Kindle or barnesandnoble.com via the Nook, unlike dealing with physical books, you will not have lengthy distribution agreements. It’s a win/win for the author/publisher and online retailer and you get to sell the produce over and over without having to reinvest profits earned. You cannot get any better than this!

























    Marketing and Publicity are two very misunderstood terms by publishing newcomers and because of this, even books published with sound distribution programs fail unnecessarily.
There are two types of marketing. One is inbound and the other is outbound.
Inbound marketing is knowing your product and potential customers and how your product meets their needs.*The pricing of your product and packaging as well as whom your competitors are.*Branding the product so it has a personality that is different from your competitors’.
Outbound marketing is advertising and marketing, sales and publicity focused on your Organization. It also includes customer service.
Most of the time writers/ publishers focus solely on outbound marketing. As a result they strive to push their books onto people and organizations, which really aren’t interested. Effective inbound marketing often produces more effective outbound marketing and sales.
Publicity is about getting information to the media in order to capture a larger audience. The public, the radio and TV are examples of publicity outlets. Many times marketing gets confused with publicity. In fact, some book marketers call themselves publicists when all they do is set up book signings, write press releases and organize book club discussions. Publicity on the other hand primarily deals with the media. So before you start kicking out big bucks for a publicist, make sure the individual or company has the ability to get you mass exposure. Some marketing resources for authors and independent publishers:
Book Marketinghttp://www.bookmarket.com
BookSensewww.bookweb.org/booksense/pu...
Library Market Placewww.literarymarketplace.com/lmp/...

PMAwww.pma-online.org
SPANwww.SpanNet.org
Aside from distribution, marketing and publicity are the next important elements and aspects of publishing. Heavy online marketing helped propel my book signings to 20-50 book sales at the chain retail book stores, and street signings. Within two plus years, I garnished 16,000 book sales of the title. About 5,000 of them were through the bookstores. I admit MySpace at the start of my career was the best thing that ever happened to me.