Book Registration for Self-Publishers

Referencing, Writing/Editing 1 Comment »

After running around in circles for a couple of days trying to figure out where to apply for what and in what order, I think I’ve finally managed to get some of this figured out! Here are some step-by-step instructions I’ve compiled to help other self-publishers navigate the various registration requirements in the most efficient order. I haven’t quite gotten through all these steps yet (and there are probably more yet to be discovered!), but once I have printed copies of my book in hand I should be able to finish up the last of these.

1. Go to the ISBN Website and apply for a block of ISBNs.

2. Upon receiving your block of ISBNs, follow the instructions in the e-mail to print and assign your book title to one of the numbers.

3. Go to the Bookland Website and use the free bar code generator to generate a bar code for your book. Download and save both the .EPS and the .PDF files to your computer. (Incorporate this into the final book design.)

4. Go to the Bowker Link Website and enter the username and password contained in the e-mail with the ISBNs. Once you are logged in, click the “Add Title” button and enter the information for your book.

5. Go to the Library of Congress Website and apply to participate in the Library of Congress Preassigned Card Number (PCN) program.

6. Upon receiving the e-mail indicating that you have been accepted into the PCN program, go to the PCN area of the Library of Congress Website and login with the username and password provided in the e-mail. Complete the application process by filling in the forms.

7. Wait 2-3 business days and go back to Bowker Link and upload a cover image to the book information.

8. Upon being accepted into the PCN program, send a copy of the best edition of your book to the Library of Congress at the address listed in the acceptance e-mail.

9. Go to the U.S. Copyright Office Website and you can either fill out an electronic form or download and complete a print form to send in to the office along with two copies of your printed book. (Based on Morris Rosenthal’s experience with the on-line registration process, I may just fork over the extra $10 and go the paper route.)

If anybody knows of anything I’m leaving out so far, please let me know and I’ll update the list!

Making Your Self-Published Book Look Professional

Writing/Editing No Comments »

Now that I’m nearing the final stages of preparing Pajama School for publication I’m trying to make sure that every element of the book is as professional as possible. I just came across this page of Common Typographical Errors on the Aeonix Publishing Group website. The article identifies numerous typographical errors that make a book look unprofessional. Many of the items listed are small details, but they make a big difference in the overall look and feel of the book. Every self-publisher should carefully study this list and make every effort to avoid these errors in their own work so that the finished product looks professional.

Announcing…Pajama School!

Announcing, Marketing, Writing/Editing 1 Comment »

After many hours of writing, researching, praying, and collaborating with friends I am finally ready to announce the title of my upcoming book. Many of you have expressed your support and encouragement as I have tackled this endeavor and it is exciting to be at this point in the process! So, without further ado, may I introduce to you my book:

Pajama School – stories from the life of a homeschool graduate

Pajama School is currently in the final stages of editing. Once the edits have been implemented and the interior design completed, I will be doing a small print run and sending the book out for reviews and endorsements. If you or someone you know would be interested in receiving an Advance Review Copy for review and/or endorsement, please e-mail me for more information. Lord-willing, Pajama School will officially be released and available for purchase in March, 2009. In the meantime, you can find more information on the Pajama School website and stay up-to-date by checking back regularly for progress reports.

Thank you for your continued prayers and support!

BTW, you can also click here to become a fan on my Facebook page. 🙂

Purchase ISBN Block – Done!

Designing, Reading/Researching No Comments »

Thanks to the very prompt and gracious advice of Morris Rosenthal of the Self Publishing Blog, I finally felt some semblance of confidence to make the next step – purchase a block of ISBNs. I knew that Bowker was the place to go, but when I went to place my order, I had the option to also purchase an EAN Bar Code through them and an SAN, which they say many retailers and wholesalers require you to have. There were additional fees, of course, to add these items to the order and I had no idea whether I really needed them or not. Here’s what Mr. Rosenthal has to say:

Run, do not walk, from all additional Bowker offerings, beyond the basic ISBN block. Self publishers do not need SAN numbers, and I’m darned if I know who does:-)

Finally, I felt like I was getting somewhere! The only other thing I wanted to know before proceeding with my order was what other options I had for getting an EAN Bar Code. This was Mr. Rosenthal’s response to my query:

I’ve been using Milgram’s free barcode generator since 2002 (I really owe him a donation now that I see he’s finally put up a donation button:-)

The only trick is you want the EPS (Embedded Postscript File) but it comes without a preview, so when you stick it in your cover design, it will probably show up as a rectangular block without showing the barcode. But as soon as you generate the PDF, the barcode will appear.

It’s here: Bar Code Generator

Yes! That’s what I needed to know. So, thanks to Mr. Rosenthal’s timely assistance and an unexpected and generous contribution from a friend, I was able to place my order last night. As soon as the ISBN blocks arrive I will be able to move to the next step of generating a bar code and applying for a Library of Congress number. I’ll keep compiling a step-by-step list as I go to hopefully spare others from having to engage in the same extensive searching and subsequent head-banging as me to figure all this out. 🙂

Announcement Coming on October 7th!

Writing/Editing 1 Comment »

Almost four months after officially launching this journey, I am excited to announce that I am ready to reveal the title and cover of my book. Next Tuesday is the day. The moment I just know you’ve all been waiting for. 🙂 I’ll be announcing the title and subject matter, presenting the cover design and providing a link to the official website. Thanks for your patience and for those of you who have offered prayer support, helpful advice, and even financial contributions toward this project. I still have a long ways to go, but I trust that the Lord will continue to direct each step of the way. It’s exciting to at least be at this point!

[Not] Making Sense of All These Forms and Applications

Reading/Researching 2 Comments »

My brain hurts. I’ve just spent the last several hours pouring over website pages and downloadable files trying to figure out what forms I need to file, what bar codes I need, in what order to make applications for the numbers, etc. The evening started with a simple plan to purchase my block of ISBNs. Haha. It was anything but simple. Now I have to decide: do I want an EAN Bar Code? Is a UPC also necessary? Should I add an SAN to the order? It says it’s 50% off if I order it when I order my ISBN, but do I really need it? Numerous on-line searches yielded little in the way of helpful advice.

Since I was stuck, I moved on to the next task – figure out what exactly I need to do to register here in the state of Kansas. I know that if I set up the publishing company as a sole proprietorship (which is the most logical step at this point) that I don’t need to register the business with the state, but since I’ll be selling products, I’m pretty sure that I need to register something in order to pay sales tax on those orders. So, is that the Business Tax Application that I found and downloaded? If so, the application form indicates that I need an FEIN from the IRS. But the IRS information leads me to believe that perhaps an FEIN is not necessary after all. And just being on the IRS site reminded me that I’ll have more bookkeeping and tax filing to do with the formation of this new business, providing I can figure out when and what to file and whether I have to send in quarterly reports or payments, etc.

If I sound confused, it’s probably because I am. Tonight’s hours of work yielded far more questions than answers. But I’m determined to sort through all of this and put together a step-by-step guide for self-publishers covering all these things once I’ve got it all figured out. And if anyone knows of such a guide already in existence, please have a heart and tell me where I can find it…then perhaps I can still preserve a measure of my sanity. 🙂

Advice on Using Amazon

Marketing No Comments »

Authors on the Net is launching a series of posts to help authors/self-publishers better understand how to utilize the tools and resources available on Amazon.com. I am really looking forward to reading and learning everything I can from this series since I know that Amazon is one of the most-trafficked go-to sites for book sales.

The Publication Process and Agreements

Networking 4 Comments »

Morris Rosenthal has an excellent post on his Self Publishing blog about the Publication Process and Agreements. I have learned throughout this process the exact same things that Mr. Rosenthal addresses in his post. In particular, the importance of clearly outlining expectations and agreements, and how much of the self-publishing process is interdependent. I’ve outsourced a number of aspects of my book project, including:

1. Editing – several family members and friends have volunteered their time to edit and I currently have one freelance editor that I hired to go through my book. Primarily I was interested in getting an outside perspective from someone who doesn’t know me as well as my family and friends and will be able to determine if there are gaps, etc.

2. Cover Design – I tried to design my own cover, but it was pathetic. Book cover design is an art in itself and I am SO glad to have my professional graphic designer friend doing this part of the book for me!

3. Interior Design – You may remember me mentioning that I was planning to purchase the InDesign software and learn it to do my own interior design. Shortly thereafter, a friend of mine offered her services to me at a reduced rate to take over this aspect of the book for me. I am extremely grateful and relieved to not have this huge task hanging over my head!

4. Marketing – Another of my dear friends has been supporting and encouraging me in this project from the start and I recently hired her to help me with a lot of the huge responsibilities associated with marketing. Another incredible blessing!

5. Printing – Of course I knew off the bat that I couldn’t do my own printing, but it took a lot of research and connecting to determine what type of printer to use. It’s an amazing story how I developed the connection with the printer that I’m planning to use, but I’ll save that for another post!

Anyway…I definitely encourage self-publishers to read and learn from Mr. Rosenthal’s experience and expertise.

Making Your Website Customer-Friendly

Designing, Marketing No Comments »

The Business Opportunities Blog lists five basic points to consider when designing your website to be customer-friendly. Very helpful information for self-publishers who are designing their own websites. I’ve done quite a bit of web design over the years and can attest to the importance of these five points. I can’t tell you how often I have been turned away from purchasing something off a website because of poor design or navigation.

On that note, I’m hoping that my website will be ready to launch by the end of next week. Hooray!

A Biblical Approach to Marketing – Part Eight

Marketing 1 Comment »

A Biblical Approach to Marketing Series: Intro | Part One | Part Two | Part Three | Part Four | Part Five | Part Six | Part Seven | Part Eight

Verses:
Genesis 41:55-42:3And when all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread: and Pharaoh said unto all the Egyptians, Go unto Joseph; what he saith to you, do. And the famine was over all the face of the earth: and Joseph opened all the storehouses, and sold unto the Egyptians; and the famine waxed sore in the land of Egypt. And all countries came into Egypt to Joseph for to buy corn; because that the famine was so sore in all lands. Now when Jacob saw that there was corn in Egypt, Jacob said unto his sons, Why do ye look one upon another? And he said, Behold, I have heard that there is corn in Egypt: get you down thither, and buy for us from thence; that we may live, and not die. And Joseph’s ten brethren went down to buy corn in Egypt.

Insights for Meditation:
When the people expressed their need to Pharaoh, he directed them to Joseph. Pharaoh was not personally in the corn-selling business, but he carried a lot of influence among the people. Joseph had gained his confidence and was providing a valuable service on his behalf.

Joseph had a plan in place for meeting the needs of the people and could handle large volumes of business because of the advance preparation he did.

Even though the need was desperate, Joseph didn’t give away the food – he sold it and profited from the sales (see Proverbs 11:26).

Word quickly spread that Egypt had corn to sell and people from all countries traveled there to purchase it. Joseph’s “product” had cross-cultural appeal and people were willing to go to great lengths to purchase it.

Principles for Application:
Become the go-to person in my field. Develop contacts and working relationships with those in positions of leadership so that when someone expresses a particular need to them, they immediately direct them to me.

Devise an appropriate distribution plan so that all customers receive prompt, efficient service. Maintain sufficient inventory and shipping supplies so that all orders are filled quickly.

Refrain from giving away books to people just because they seem desperate or because I really want them to have it. It’s okay to make a profit.

Word-of-mouth advertising/publicity is very effective.

Don’t overlook the potential for my book to be of interest in other languages and countries.

Questions for Consideration:
How can I develop a broad-based network of people who will refer others to me as the go-to person in my field?

With what influential people in other fields (government, business, education, etc.) might I be able to develop a working relationship?

What further skills and understanding do I need to develop to be considered a go-to person in my field?

What essential elements need to be in place so that I can proves all orders promptly and efficiently?

What should my profit margin be? What special deals can I offer and still make a profit? Which people do deserve to receive a free book?

Does my book have cross-cultural appeal? Should I have it translated into other languages? Should I wait until I am approached by people of other languages to pursue this possibility?

Steps for Implementation:
□ Make a list of leaders in other fields whom I should contact about my book.
□ Establish an ordering and invoicing system. Make forms for on-line, mail, and phone ordering.
□ Establish a distribution plan. Make a list of specific supplies, costs and sources.
□ Determine a bulk pricing plan.
□ Write a return policy.

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