The readers who only read digitally on their mobiles, tablets or reading devices can be reached by publishing it as an e-book.
E-books has significant advantages. Especially self-publishers benefit from this opportunity, as they can reach their readers in the same bookstores and online bookstores as the publishers can. You do not have to publish your book through a large publisher to reach your target audience. Many writers today can realize their dream of writing and publishing using e-book self-publishing
ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES
There are many benefits of e-books. One is that the readers can always bring with them several books at the same time without dragging on heavy books.
Another advantage is that the reader chooses when, where and how to read your e-book. You can read it on a tablet, a reading device or a mobile. This is the perfect solution for the reader who is traveling or commuting a lot. You can also easily borrow an e-book from the library, as long as the reader has an internet connection.
Most e-books have several formats like Mobi, PDF, ePub, which allows you to change the text and screen size depending on the device you read. The reader can adapt the book to make it easier to read. In an e-book you also have access to search functions and interactive links. For example, you can link your readers to your web page, your YouTube channel or your Facebook page.
The long life of the e-book is a great advantage because it does not depend on a certain printed edition in the same way as the printed book is. It is also flexible because it is easy to renew it if new formats are released and you can easily change the content if needed.
E-books are usually cheaper to buy than the printed version. For those readers who want to save money or are not prepared to pay the printed version’s price, the e-book can be a cheaper alternative.
E-books are also more environmentally friendly as you do not need to consume any paper, ink, color cartridges or use large printing machines.
One disadvantage of e-books is that you don’t have this old fashion way of reading a book. Some still prefer to hold the book in hand, even smell the paper. Other than that we see no disadvantage, may be you run out of batter of device you use to read the book.
DISTRIBUTION
You can publish your e-book with Elib, Amazon, iBooks, Google Play, Skoobe, Readfy, Apple, Overdrive and Kobo, among others. You can also offer your e-book at a promotional price for a certain period, release your e-book for lending and receive pre-orders before you release the book. Promotional price and marketing timeframe set by the author himself.
With e-book lending, you take the opportunity to expand your readership, as lending e-books makes it easier for the reader to find new books and new authors. The reader does not have to buy the book directly but can first borrow it and then maybe decide to buy it.
You can make it possible to pre-order your e-book. Your e-book will then be visible even before it is published. The big advantage: As soon as you have caught the attention of your future readers, they can pre-order your e-book and they do not have to remember the exact publication date – a sound basis for an advertising campaign!
E-books especially appeal to those readers who like to shop online and use mobiles and tablets. This target group is also often active in social media. They write and read online, create book blogs, review websites, Instagram, Twitter and other channels. They are happy to share their positive experiences of the book with their followers, which will increase your sales figures. They often prefer that the book and the lower price can be downloaded quickly.
ARE ALL E-BOOKS COPYRIGHTED (DRM)?
You can use soft copy protection (watermark), which means that each file contains visible and invisible information about origin. The reader has no restrictions, but if illegal copies appear, they can be traced back.
In addition, you will find hard-copy e-books (Adobe DRM) that are encrypted to your Adobe ID and can only be read with software such as Adobe Digital Editions. Some titles have no copy protection. The authors and publishers decide for themselves what kind of copy protection the title should have. The rights that you acquire when you purchase the eBook are always bound by your personal use.
YOUR BOOK CAN REACH A LARGER AUDIENCE!
As a writer, you should not miss out on this large crowd of readers who prefer to read books on mobile, iPad, Kindle or any other reading device. So you do not have to choose whether to publish your book as an e-book or a printed book. Publish both versions at once! A title achieves higher sales figures when available as both a printed book and an e-book, as it gives a more professional impression to your readers.
With just a few steps, you can boost number of readers! Well-thought-out metadata makes your book easier to find and can thus give you better sales figures. What does metadata mean, and how can it be improved?
Metadata means data about data. It is essential to specify the correct properties, which are then passed on to the reader by distributors, retailers, and librarians. Metadata in the book industry is data that informs about, among other things like book title, subtitle, author, book description, cover, format, price, ISBN, keywords and directory information.
This is the basic information needed about the book to list or catalog it with, for example, Amazon and other online bookstores. You need to provide a complete picture of the book’s content. The more elaborate and complete it is, the better the sales success you will have.
We will explain in detail what metadata means and give you some tips on how to improve it so that more readers buy your book!
METADATA
It is essential to understand how the reader thinks. What criteria the reader look for, how can you choose your metadata and how to appeal to the reader?
To avoid problems with the various online bookstores and physical bookstores, the metadata must follow specific rules and guidelines:
1. Books have ONE title
Think carefully about your book title. Try to make it appealing and unique! We recommend that you search for the title in various online bookstores, to ensure that it is not already taken. Your title should reflect the book’s content and genre. If a book is titled “The Fairy of the Wonderful Rabbit” you quickly understand that it is a children’s book. The title along with other metadata and the cover form the book’s business card. Therefore, it is important that the title addresses your target reader audience.
2. Books can also have ONE subtitle
It can make a difference if you also have a good subtitle. It can clarify contents, supplement the title, or explain the book’s genre. The title may be “An Unexpected Meeting” and the subtitle “A True Love Novel”. In this case, the title of the book does not explain much about the genre of the book, but the subtitle does. This way, the reader can easily find the type of genre or book they are looking for. Also, try searching the subtitle of your book and see which books are visible at the online booksellers. What place in the list of books does the subtitle have? You could also inspire a little on the books that are best-sellers or high up on your search lists.
3. Books always have at least one, author or publisher
You can have one or more authors or publishers, or both. This information should never be omitted. It is important to put a first and last name. If you do not, your book may not be found anywhere, as it has an impact on online bookstore algorithms.
Online bookstore algorithms consist of instructions on what to do, with what and in what order by using metadata information. Many readers only search for the author or publisher’s name. You can, of course, also publish your book under a pen name instead of your name.
4. Is your book included in a series?
If your book is part of a series, you should include the series name. Remember that the books should be numbered and that each book should have its own title. The series name can be part of the book’s title. The book’s cover design should have a similar theme so that the books are recognized in the same series. When specifying the book’s category, all the books in the same series should have same category.
5. The book’s description
As an author, you want the reader to get stuck reading your book. If the cover has convinced the buyer, then it is the book’s description or book description that should lead to the purchase. Therefore, it is incredibly important to have a good and attractive description that makes the book interesting without revealing too much.
Each book needs a description that informs the reader about the story. The text must be flawless, match your title, and awaken the desire to read the book. The book’s description may also contain some of the keywords that you have chosen for your metadata.
6. Author presentation
The first thing many of us do when we hold a book in our hands is to turn it over and read the back cover. We read about what the book is about, and we are also curious about who the author is.
If we are looking for a book in an online bookstore, we want to read about the author there as well. Therefore, even a professional author presentation is an important part of your metadata.
7. Item group & theme
A product group consists of one subject category (e.g. “art: general” which belongs to the subject area “specialist book”) and up to three additional categories that provide additional information (e.g. “Art deco” as style). In some cases, specific combinations of subject categories and supplementary categories need to be selected (e.g., an age group for children’s and youth books).
Use the option to select multiple product groups if your book fits into more than one product group. In such cases, however, the following applies: The product group must be as clearly defined as possible but at the same time as general as is necessary. In many cases, it may be worthwhile to select only one product group to optimize visibility. The clearer the book’s product group is defined, the easier it is for readers to find your book.
8. Keywords
A change of perspective can do wonders. Get into the shoes of a reader who wants to buy a new book. In which online book stores and in which category would you search for the book? What keywords would you enter, and how many books do you see? Do you think many other readers are searching for the same keyword?
We recommend you do your keyword research. Choose some online bookstores such as Amazon, etc. (Remember to use your browser’s incognito mode when doing a keyword search and logging out of your accounts! Otherwise, your previous keywords will often automatically appear and results shall be personalized, you don’t want that).
Now enter keywords in the search field as if you were looking for a book like yours. What keywords does the e-commerce store suggest? Is your first thought correct? In that case, many others are probably looking for a book similar to yours using this keyword. Then this keyword generates high visibility for your title.
Next, pay attention to how many books you see in this search. Is it several thousand? Then the book will probably fall far down the list. Are there just a few dozen? Perfect! Then this keyword is often used, but your book will still be visible. Exactly this keyword should also be included in your metadata! The purpose of the keywords is to help readers find your book while searching.
The impact of the cover on potential readers is enormous. If the book’s cover convinces the reader both aesthetically and thematically, it arouses interest in wanting to read on the back of the book, either in the bookstore or with the help of a click in the online bookstore.
The cover should represent the book’s content, showcase the book’s genre, and quickly capture the buyer’s attention. A book cover may very well be made by yourself, as long as it looks professional it is ok. If you want to be on the safe side, hire a graphic designer to design your own and personal cover.
The interior design of your book is important as much as the design of the book’s exterior. The front/back/side cover, the inserts, sentence structure, trims, margins, fonts, spacing needs your attention. We go over what is important for your books interior design to give the reader a good reading experience.
When the reader notices a book in the bookstore and opens it to explore the content, a first impression on the book’s layout is vital in buying decision. A well-designed interior structure/content puts authors one step ahead as an integral part of marketing.
The self-publisher can either design their book themselves or have a graphic designer do it. Regardless of who do takes care of design, it is important for you as an author to know basics about boos interior design.
As a writer, you probably have an rough idea on how you want your finished book to look like – if you decide to hand over this job to a graphic designer, you must convey your expectations to get there.
WHAT DOES A PROFESSIONAL PHRASE MEAN?
A professional phrase creates a uniform and high-quality look for the book. It gives the reader a readable text as well as a good reading experience. The uniform appearance of the insert and the high-quality phrase is based on a comfortable and easy to read font, suitable font size, and correct spacing.
The purpose of the sentence is to create both a consistent and high-quality look on the book. It gives the reader an idea of the quality of the book and facilitates the purchase decision. A good sentence means that the reader does not have to think about the sentence; the good readability means that you focus on the content rather than the sentence.
Furthermore, a professional phrase contains appropriate font and heading style, correct text size, and proper line spacing and margins. The same goes for image placement; it is good to keep the distance to the text uniform throughout the book. The chapter breakdown and the text surface positioning also belong to the sentence: a uniform paragraph breakdown and style make the story flow clearly.
HOW IS THE SENTENCE PLANNED?
The starting point for the design is the text, the book’s title, and target group, i.e., who the book is intended for.
There are no set rules that every author should follow when writing. There are many options to choose from, and using your own ideas and own creativity is ok. Using your own design style can even be an advantage as long as you have a design style. However, most sentence types have typical features and elements that facilitate the reading experience, and that should be taken into account in advance.
You can start planning the sentence by thinking about what the cover of the book communicates to the reader, and you can think about how the content should look. For example, a reader who reads a novel expects a specific text size and style, no uppercase letters and images – while a reader who becomes interested in a specialist book will likely be convinced by the factual information in the book as well as a professional look. The style of the sentence is thus strongly influenced by the genre and the target group, i.e., who the content of the book is aimed at.
A practical tip is to review other books from the same genre when you set your sentences. Visit a bookstore for this or look through your own bookshelf. Review, research, compare with other books and think about what elements you can use in your book’s setting. Also, consider which book you think is clear and easy to read and then use the same style for your book.
SENTENCE TYPE AND FONT
The genre of the book determines the style and the final look. When planning the sentence, inspiration, and ideas based on the manuscript are needed – in connection with this, it can be useful to compare with other books in the same subject or genre. When deciding on the type of sentence to use, there are usually many alternatives – however, the genre of the book is crucial.
BODY TEXT
The most common fonts used for fiction are serifs – this is because of their readability. The heels (the hyphens that end the letter stack that is a letter or character) seem to direct the eye from letter to letter and word to word.
Fiction books are usually read for a long time, and therefore, both font and layout should be as clear and easy to read as possible. Novels often use fonts such as Minion, Garamond, or Athelas. When it comes to the size of the font, small (10-11 points), too narrow line spacing should be avoided.
In poetry books, the pages are divided according to the position of the poems. It is recommended to choose the same font for the entire sentence, but depending on the style of poetry, the sentence may also be artistic or playful.
Reading non-fiction books differs from reading fiction books in that the reader often searches for specific passages in the text based on the information they are looking for. Important information in the text can be characterized by, e.g., bold or italic style.
Therefore, antiquate fonts are common in professional literature as well. Unlike fiction books, both antiquate fonts such as Myriad Pro, or Proxima Nova and serif fonts can be used. The size of the font is usually 8 to 11 points. The style of the sentence should fit the contents of the book, and the style is therefore factual.
Books for children and older people often use a larger font size and especially for books aimed at young children, the content consists mainly of images. The font is playful, such as Swinging Petidoni.
Margins and other empty spaces around the text also part of the book’s style. For example, in poetry books, space gives room for the reader’s interpretation, while empty spaces in professional books have a different meaning.
The inner and outer margins should be wide enough, especially in novels, so that the reader can hold the book “normally” without covering the text with their fingers. If you use narrow margins, the text gives a messy impression and makes it look crowded. When you decide on the margin width, you can compare with other books that you read comfortably.
HEADINGS AND CHAPTERS
The heading structure consistently divides the content of the text into sections and creates an organized feeling. The heading hierarchies reproduce the content and make the text interesting and easy to see through.
In a few books, the text goes from cover to cover without any sort of division. Both fiction and non-fiction books contain chapters whose task is to divide the text into clear sections and help the reader understand the content.
In fiction books, for example, a new chapter can be started when the narrator, place, or time is changed, or the author begins a new chapter to create tension in the story. A new chapter is always started on a new page, and the text can be started directly as a body text.
Another alternative is to start the text in the new chapter with a so-called capitalization, where the first letter, first sentence, or first words of the new chapter have a larger font size or even capital letters.
Non-fiction books usually contain both headings and sub-headings that make the text organized and make it easier for the reader to find the desired information. If the book includes subtitles, you should avoid using too many different fonts – this often means that the whole text gives a messy impression.
In fiction books, the headings may contain decorative elements such as symbols or other ornamental features. The headings must be uniform and precise: they should be placed at the beginning of each paragraph, with or without numbering. Headings do not have to be named but can also consist of a number, or the heading can be omitted entirely.
In fiction books, the purpose of the paragraph division is primarily to divide the text into consecutive sections to ensure readability. Headings in non-fiction books, on the other hand, help the reader find the right information. It is therefore recommended to add headings, especially in non-fiction books.
AN IMAGE IS WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS
Images create interest, support the text, and give the text an added value and/or information.
The images give the text of the book more life, and they serve as a visual complement. If it is not a picture book, the images are intended to support the message in the text or emphasize the importance of a particular text.
In non-fiction books or manuals, images are often used to illustrate and clarify the text’s content and give different examples in the form of photographs and figures. In children’s books, images are an essential part of the story that reflects the children’s book content. The pictures are usually drawn or painted in children’s books. In historical works such as biographies or history books, images enrich the content of the text and allow the reader to gain insight of the past.
If the images intended for the book are of poor quality, it is better to omit them altogether. Blurry images give the book an unprofessional impression, and, as previously mentioned, the purpose of the pictures is to support the story – poor quality pictures affect the opposite. Old black and white images may not look clear even with the best software. As a professional writer, you want to show that you are an expert in the field, and good quality pictures emphasize this.
The placement of the images is also prominent in connection with the setting. In children’s books, the images are usually large and clear, and they often cover a whole page. In professional books, large images are rarely used; instead, images are used as smaller sizes that support the text. Alternatively, you can insert a kind of picture gallery in the middle of the book in non-fiction books. Regardless of where you place the images, there should always be a clear caption for them.
TITLE PAGES AND TABLE OF CONTENTS
The book’s initial pages, i.e., the title pages, should always follow the same pattern in professionally created books. You can choose any book in your bookshelf, and you will notice that the body text never starts on the first page of the book. The title pages are unnumbered and contain the author’s name and the title, as well as an imprint page with impressum providing copyright, ISBN, and print and publishing information. The page numbering starts from the page where the body text starts.
If the book is to have a table of contents, it is usually created immediately after the print site page. The table of contents lists all the book’s main chapters, sometimes also sub-chapters – these help the reader navigate the book.
For this reason, a table of contents is important, especially in professional books. In novels, a table of contents is unnecessary, but it obviously helps the reader find the right chapter, right at the beginning of the book. The actual body text starts on the first odd page – to the right – after the table of contents.
HOW IS THE SENTENCE MADE?
The writing of the manuscript can be done with a professional phrase software or – if you are looking for a free version – in a regular word-processing program (e.g., word). Grammarly is highly recommended here, even its free version helps a lot.
The design software used by most graphic designers is Adobe InDesign – a program suitable for placing images and text professionally. Before each sentence, the text and font settings that you will use throughout the sentence are defined – this gives the book’s layout a consistent look. It is possible to make certain presets in word as well, but the most significant work must still be done manually in word processing software.
CHECKLIST FOR BOOK INTERIOR DESIGN
Choose a suitable font, the right text size, and the correct word and line spacing for your book theme. Find inspiration by browsing other books of the same genre
Choose the font and text size for the headers and set the subheadings’ size to be slightly smaller than the main headers
Set the margins on both sides of the body text (Note that the text should be marginally adjusted, like having straight right and left edges)
Add title pages to your book: author name, book title, impression, and any dedication
Check the quality of your pictures and adjust if necessary. Plan where in the text the images should be placed and ensure that the images get a consistent layout
Finally, update the table of contents and verify that the page numbering is correct
Self-publishing is one of the most important areas booming in recent years in the book industry. It gives the author the freedom to decide freely about content, design, price, and to publish his work efficiently and quickly to reach the readers.
It has been conducted a comprehensive European self-publishing survey in collaboration with the University of Applied Management in Erding, Germany. The aim was to understand how you, as a writer, develop your marketing strategies, what differences you see in different literary genres, how you reach out to your readership, and the extent to which you build your network with bloggers and other writers.
More than 3,200 authors from eight different countries participated: Sweden, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Finland, Denmark, France, and Spain. Previous surveys were conducted in 2013, 2014, and 2016.
The study found that the authors’ most significant writing motives are to entertain the readers, convey personal experiences, and strengthen personal development. The most popular genres among the self-publishers turned out to be professional books, novels, and short stories. Children’s books, science fiction, and fantasy are genres that are growing in popularity. Publishers do not attach much importance to getting high income from their work.
PUBLISHING FORMAT
The self-publishers usually publish their books as a printed book and an e-book, to reach more readers and increase awareness. Compared to the survey conducted in 2016, more authors are now publishing their books in both formats.
Results from 2016 survey were as follows:
52% printed book and e-book
45% printed book
only 3% only e-book
When compared with the other European countries, you can see that the German-speaking authors are the ones who place the highest importance on publishing their titles both as a printed book and an e-book. In Spain, every tenth author publishes his book only as an e-book.
COMMUNITY
Before their first book publishing, many self-publishers had built their own community within a specific theme. Authors invest more time and money on marketing when there is already an active community.
The French authors are the most active in Europe in building a community, but only 39% responded that this affects their book publishing success. On the other hand, in Finland, 87% benefit from their community to raise awareness and increase sales.
Building a community of your own is usually done through Facebook, your website, and blog. Other platforms used are Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Tumblr, and Fanfiction, of which LinkedIn and Twitter are used most frequently. In France, Spain, and Sweden, Instagram is popular. The writing platform Wattpad is mostly used by Spanish writers.
NETWORKING
How actively does a writer interact with other writers? Beginners in self-publishing engage more actively with other authors as they have a greater need to exchange knowledge and experiences, tips, and ideas.
Writers who are networking are the ones who are active in building a community, would like to entertain others with their books and invest in personal development. They target a younger readers group, invest more time in social media, and spend more time and money on marketing, often collaborating with bloggers, and are usually female and younger writers.
Authors responded that the most important topics they discuss are: writing (75%), self-publishing (67%), marketing (58%), and participation in trade shows & events (37%).
SELF PUBLISHED TITLES GET MORE PROFESSIONAL
A professional and well-designed book is essential for the its success. A professionally designed cover, adapted to the book’s genre, arouses the interest of potential readers and conveys a positive impression. It is one of the book’s self-marketing tools.
A large number of self-publishers are aware of this, and the survey shows that 36% of the participants use expert services, in 2016 it was only 29%. The most common services for which they employ professional help are cover design (79%), proofreading (65%), and language review (52%).
MARKETING
Another critical factor for the book’s success is its marketing. Here, 33% of the participants replied that they created their website and send out review copies. 30% think it is important to attend trade shows and events, while 26% of the authors have their blog.
Investing in network advertising on different platforms is 24% important. The social media most commonly used by the self-publishers is Facebook and Instagram. 60% of participants replied that they invest less than one hour a week while 21% invest up to 3 hours a week promoting the book on different channels. Authors who spend more time marketing the book receive a higher income from book sales. So obviously marketing pays off!
Try to establish yourself and your book as a brand to get readers attention and win new ones. Also, try to understand how your readers perceive personal your brand as an author and your titles. Investing on a unified brand as a writer – both online and offline – creates recognition among readers. It is essential to have a uniform image across the boards; all the design, imagery, color, and style of your website, blog, social media channels, and marketing of the book.
Writers who spend more time on marketing make more money on book sales. So invest you time at least if you are on budget on marketing if you want to boost your books visibility.
To create your author name as your brand and increase your book sales, you must work actively with a marketing plan. You must reach out to your readers and create a community online, but how do you do it?
When you have written a book, you are very overwhelmed by it. A project that has taken a long time to push through is finally done! But now it is time for phase 2 – marketing the book. It is reaching the right target group with their life’s work.
There is a wealth of ways to market your book, so which method is right for you and your writing? Sometimes it can even be that the alternatives are so many that you do not know where to start. So let’s review the most effective ways to promote your book and what you should focus on right from beginning.
The following seven elements are essential to each author’s marketing plan – these are the necessary steps on which you base all your marketing. They are also steps that you can get started with before your book is published and completed.
IDENTIFY YOUR IDEAL READER
This is almost the most important thing of all – finding your ideal reader/target audience! Everything comes back to your readers! Once you know who you are trying to reach, you need to find out how to reach them and where they are online. To find your ideal target group, you need to think about who you think would like to read your book.
If it is a children’s book, you are directed to find parents of a certain age, grandparents, preschool teachers, preschools, etc. After all, it makes no sense to target those who, for example, are interested in medical information in that situation right? If young people are targeted, then a newsletter will not work on this target group, you will have to focus on the social media platforms that the target group is on.
SET REALISTIC GOALS
Whether you want to sell as many books for a certain amount of time or be in a best seller list – make sure you set a goal. If you do not have a clear destination in mind, you can never map your path to get there. It’s ok if your goals changes along the way. You have to start somewhere. We all need to have a goal to pursue to push ourselves forward with our plans.
If you don’t know your goals yet, I think you should basically start somewhere, such as I will sell 10 books in 3 months. Then also answer: How should I get there? What do I need to do to reach that goal? We all have to start somewhere! Sound basic but has to be done.
SET UP A MARKETING BUDGET
Of course, there are costs associated with marketing. Time is also a cost. Think about how much time you can devote each week to promote your book. Even think about how much money you can spend each month on advertising on Facebook / Instagram etc.
Don’t forget to take into account cost of creating your website and the help you would need. Plus, budget your domain name (what your website should be called) hosting and the platform on which you will build your website.
CREATING YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA – HOW DO YOU CHOOSE THE RIGHT PLATFORM?
The short answer is choosing platforms where your readers are. But, you think, how do I know where they are? Well, do some research. For example, you will find many statistics on internet that come out every year. They tell you which target group is where and give you other functional and useful information about all the platforms.
Facebook
Unfortunately, to succeed on Facebook, you have to pay for traffic, preferably in the beginning, until you get a bunch of followers.
You can get started and create a page, post every day, and share the fun with your followers, to create engagement. If your commitment is not enough (that you don’t make as many posts), you won’t get any organic reach. So, publish posts that your followers see as exciting and want to engage. Make posts where you, as a follower, would love to comment; then, you are good to go.
Facebook is the best tool available for targeting ads to precisely the right audience you have. When you advertise on Facebook, you can also link it with Instagram so that you simultaneously advertise on that platform.
Instagram
The other platform you can use is Instagram. You can share pictures that you associate with you as an author, your book, and your plans in the future. If you love sharing visuals and share everyday life to create engagement, this is the perfect platform for you! However, you can’t get links on Instagram posts. The only place you can add a link is in the profile of your account.
What’s great is that you can add up to 30 hashtags relevant to your post, which will spread the word about your post under these hashtags.
Pinterest
This is a platform to use for website links and to sell products, as it acts as a search engine. This means that you create a pin, optimize it for search results, and get traffic to your website or book page every day. But like all social platforms, Pinterest also requires you to be an active user on the platform. Which means you have to be online every day.
You can schedule your pins with a scheduler such as Buffer. Then you can plan your posts and make sure they are published even if you have no time to engage with platform every day.
YouTube
Video is seen as the best way to connect with people online, as it creates a more personal touch. People see you and get to know your personality through video. If you can create good value around your book and yourself, which are worth watching, I would encourage you to check out this platform.
Other platforms: Snapchat, LinkedIn, TikTok, etc.
There are so many more social media platforms out there, and more is popping up. But you don’t have to be active on all of them. Start with one at a time and then gradually develop your presence over time.
If you have written a book aimed at companies, LinkedIn may be the best platform for you. If you are targeting a younger market, you can get a Snapchat account. If you are writing picture books for schools and parents, it may be better to focus on Facebook. Do what’s best for you and your book.
Content tips for social media:
Why you have chosen self-publishing.
The post tells everyone that you have signed the book agreement
Where are you in the process?
Post the cover of the book and who you worked with (maybe it is a well-known artist, graphic artist, or photographer), get ideas
Funny GIFs, memes, or quotes that is relevant to your book or your personality
Events around the book
Posts about where to find the book how to get in touch with you
Short videos about your book and you
Remember that you want to be where your readers are!
BUILD A WEBSITE
Everything you do online should lead to your website. This is why you should build a website that is optimal for your target audience. You can start working on the website even before the book is published, to to use it to post where you want to market your book, blog, tell where to buy your book and get the word about who you are and what your book is about.
We strongly recommend that you have a fully functioning, published website at least six months before your book comes out!
If you do not have a book coming out yet and, it is at least a good idea to buy your domain name to be sure no one is buying it before you. (Most author sites choose a URL / domain that is the author’s name, but for some of you, that option may not be available.)
Add A Blog to Your Website
Ideally, as a complement, to your website is a blog. Your readers can find out more about you and your books and get a feel for what kind of book you are writing and encourage excitement before the book release.
It also gives you content to share on social media so you can get traffic to your website.
Start sending out newsletters
Collect email addresses from your website and social media so that you can send out newsletters. It’s perfect for promoting your book, where to buy it, what it is about, telling you who you are, etc.
By clearly knowing your target audience, you reach your readers more efficiently and save your resources in terms of time and money.
Success and book sales usually do not come by themselves but require activity and planning. The most important thing, though, is getting the right person to find, read, and love your book. Then have them talk about your book with others to spread interest.
It may sound cumbersome and tedious to talk about your target group when talking about something as beautiful as an excellent book, but if you want to do it right then, it is imperative.
Not sure which target group is right for you?
WE HAVE COMPILED 3 IMPORTANT QUESTIONS TO HELP YOU ALONG THE WAY.
What does a target audience mean, and why is it so important?
Your target audience is a defined group of people that you want to reach through your marketing. The target group may have one or more common demographic characteristics, the same psychographic characteristics, similar lifestyle or life situation, etc.
Some factors that matter are: gender, age, family type, income, occupation, personality, reader’s perception of equal values , etc. Analyze who can Be interested in the content and topic of your book.
What interests do they have? What do they do when they are not reading?
It becomes more effective if you target the right target group and require fewer resources in terms of both time and money. You reach more potential readers with less effort.
Based on your target audience, you choose channels, communication, and style in your ad campaign.
Now that you know who your target audience is, what channels should you use for your communication?
Where does your target group hang out? Are they active in social media such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, blogs, web pages, or maybe more in printed journals, events, events, organizations, courses, libraries, clubs, and associations?
Do they use to buy books online or rather directly in the bookstore? Do they perhaps have direct contact with various associations and institutions? It is crucial to analyze how to reach them.
If you have published a book on special diets and vegan food, your potential readers may be interested in animal rights, healthy lifestyles, yoga, the environment, and nature conservation. Remember, though: If you use too many different channels, you will reach many, but you may also miss your potential readers.
How should you communicate with your potential readers to arouse their interest?
You should find out where they get their information so that you know how to plan your communications, ads, and possible campaigns. How do you think your target group appealed, and who do they trust? Do you want to be a funny and naughty children’s book writer or a serious and professional book writer?
Customize your communication, your way of writing, and expressing to arouse interest and build conviction and confidence. If you target young people, they may find it more fun and exciting if you connect the communication with them by using “their” language, choice of words, tone of voice, or a “younger” communication style with more modern terms.
Selling personal brand is essential, but it is vital not just to focus on oneself. The risk is that the reader may find it uninteresting, “advertising,” and without credibility. Try to be as clear, simple, and concrete in your content as possible. It makes it easy for the recipient to access the information.
Planning your communication also allows you to decide which image you want to give to your target audience. It is vital to building your author’s name as a brand.
Content marketing is about creating and reaching out with as relevant and valuable content as possible. Content that benefits a specific group of people. If you succeed in this, it will simultaneously strengthen your brand and build a relationship with the readers. Well spent work in other words!
Especially in connection with self-publishing, it has become increasingly popular to involve readers in creating the book. Whether it’s about the content or the book’s title: When you work with your readers, you get the best possible way to publish a book that appeals to your target audience.
In a survey on self-publishing – which was carried out at the beginning of 2016 – as many as 36% of participants indicated that they involve their readers in the publishing process. Most (83%) created some of the content together with their readers, a quarter got help with the cover design and for a quarter of the authors the book title was decided by the readers.
DEVELOPMENT OF CONTENT
The author writes the manuscript, but it can be helpful and essential to hear what the genre’s readers think and prefer when it comes to details or changes. For example, you can ask them about the names of characters, places where events are played out, and options to choose from when it comes to how a chapter should end. Possibilities are endless.
For you as a self-publisher, the advantage is that you get a special relationship with your readers, have direct contact with them, get to know what they expect and discuss and receive direct feedback on your book. Building such a relationship can take time, but it is certainly worth it: When you have certain level of relationship, you have probably also got a loyal readership that wait for your next book and can give you positive reviews.
Start by thinking about where you can reach the readers you want to involve. For example, you can use social platforms, online portals and groups related to your genre/niche, contact book bloggers who write about your genre and find Facebook groups that your target group are members.
THE CHOICE OF COVER DESIGN
We cannot emphasize this often enough: The cover is the first thing the reader sees of your book and is therefore extremely important for the purchase decision. A cover must be well-planned, link to the content, stand out of the crowd and have a little extra for the reader to get stuck for it. Think about what you want to say with the cover: The book’s theme, genre, any feeling or maybe something else?
The cover is a wonderful tool to work with when you want to engage your readers. It shows how many would even click on it in the online bookstore. The material may be as good as it can be, but if the package around is unattractive, no one will ever give it a try.
One way to get readers’ opinions on the cover is to choose a short excerpt from your manuscript or the book description as a basis for open cover design suggestions. It can either apply to the entire cover or smaller parts of it at a time: the image, the style, the colors, fonts, the placement, etc. Once the color and image have been determined, the creation can continue with the first completed steps as a base.
Another way – which is a little easier for readers and gives them a starting point – is to produce a few different variations for voting. It may not mean that you are bound to the cover that gets the most votes, but it can help you in the choice and maybe you also get useful feedback.
THE BOOK’S TITLE
Book title is as important as cover design, description and part of overall package. When the book has a title, it becomes “for real” – a real, understandable piece of work you’ve created! Here, however, also lies the difficulty. It simply has to feel right and be a name that you will enjoy forever. But a little help can never hurt and the choice of the title can be a good chance to involve readers in the process.
Easiest way is to share title options together including some excerpts with your readers on social media and collect enough feedback to make an informed decision.
When I wrote the text, I mainly had autobiographies in mind, but pictures can be used for many kinds of books.
In children’s books, pictures are often a supporting element, especially in textbooks. In some children’s books, photos are used, but illustrations are often used. Gift books or coffee table books are the equivalent of the adult world to the textbooks to the extent that the photos and the book’s design can be as important as the text (sometimes more important).
In many non-fiction books, illustrations are important for explaining, conveying and supporting the book’s content. This applies to everything from tables to drawings of flowers in a flora. In travel literature, especially travel guides, inspiring pictures and show what is there to see on the site.
Most fiction books are published without pictures, but some bestsellers are published in illustrated special editions. In memoirs, images can give both the reader’s authenticity and recognition.
In some books, images are as important as the text and the illustrator or photographer’s name is on the front of the book, the same size as the author. In other books, they are an optional supplement.
The advantages of including images in, for example, an autobiography are that it increases the book’s value to the reader, which means that you can charge a higher price if you want to sell it. Pictures also fill in if you are unable to write so much text but still want the book’s proper size.
The disadvantage of pictures is that it is more expensive and more complicated to publish the book. Most people who are familiar with their word processing program can write and design a textbook to keep the printable quality. The same does not apply to books with pictures in.
It has never been such a good time as now to write a book that you have long dreamed of. This has always been true, but it has an extra vibration of the spring of 2020 when this is written. Whether you are retired in isolation, quarantined or fully healthy but laid off, it is perfect for taking the opportunity and using the extra time to write. You also make a social contribution by reducing the spread of infection when sitting at home with your computer or pen. There is plenty of genres to go with, but many writers start their careers by writing about something self-experienced. Write your life and publish your memoirs.
1-START WRITING NOW!
Are you one of those who are thinking about writing a book about your life but hesitate? Stop immediately postponing the idea to tomorrow. Take care and write while you can. It is only you who can do it. Everyone has a story to tell. Write to preserve your experiences for the afterlife, as therapy or for fun. Write for the drawer box, for your grandchildren or for a wider audience. Get started and write today!
2-INSPIRED BY OTHERS
The first step to holding your book in your hands is to decide to write it. The second is to think about what kind of book to write. Should it be a fiction book loosely based on a few episodes from your life or an overview of your entire life? You do not need to decide in advance, but this may be something you have in mind while collecting material. In this chapter of the book, it’s time for you to read and analyze books that others have written.
3-COLLECT MATERIALS
It’s time for the phase that is often the most fun part of a book project: to do research! At this stage you do not have to make any tough decisions and do not limit yourself but can have fun.
If you are so lucky to have written diaries during your life, it is time to pick them up now. Invent your own memory, browse old calendars and look up old letters. Listen to others who were “at that time” and gather everything you think is interesting. Save selection for later. Also, don’t worry if it gets a little thin in some subjects. You will both come up with new ideas and iron out during the work.
In this chapter we have some common tips and exercises like using pictures from places where you lived and drawing a family tree. We will provide you with tools to travel back in time through questions that you can answer yourself or by interviewing other people.
4-ALLOW TIME TO WRITE
Whether you dream of starting writing or are a seasoned writer, it is always challenging to finish your book. The challenge can be divided into several parts. The first is about time. Writing an entire book is time-consuming and you need to spend the time required. Then it is essential to spend time on the right things and not get stuck. Some perfectionists pill for eternity with small details and, therefore, never get ready. The second extreme is that the first draft is sufficient to publish, although the text is so full of typos that it is barely legible, is also not successful. It is also common to experience writers block, know that it is common for writers to get stuck sometimes.
5-PLANNNIG YOUR JOURNEY
You have decided to write a book and you have collected a lot of material on your subject. You have analyzed other books. You have a plan for how and when to write. Maybe you’ve even started writing? Or are you wondering how to start? In this phase, a synopsis can be helpful. A synopsis is a summary of the major features of your book. It is suggested that you also include other aspects and make a project plan before you start writing. Failing to plan is a plan for failure.
6-DEVELOP YOUR STORY
Have you written a synopsis or first draft now? Good work! Now we will continue to work. We will spice up your story with emotion, add local color and make sure you bring the reader to your world.
The reader should be able to follow through with your eyes when the events happened. The reader should see the same obstacles as you did and feel the same feelings as you did then. This means that if you write an anecdote from your school years, you will not have the same experience or language as you have after fifty. You were not born omniscient. Every event you select should be a scene in the book.
Just as in a fiction book, you need to describe details and activate the readers’ emotions. It is this that determines how readable your book becomes. The more common your selected events are, the higher your demands on how you describe them. If you have been cannibal or lived on the moon, the reader may forgive a stylish language and non-existent narrative, to tell you about such unusual events.
This does not mean that only people who have lived a particularly dramatic life can write their memoirs. All lives are worth documenting, then the size of the audience varies depending on the content and presentation.
7-EDIT YOUR TEXT
We have now come to edit the text itself. It is a common novice mistake to worry about the language too soon. Many writers spend a lot of time hunting for the perfect first sentence when they have to solve puzzles with life events. Others focus on finding synonyms or proofreading even before the story has fallen into its place. It is almost always better to leave those details at last.
There are a few exceptions. It may make sense to determine verb forms and perspectives early. It is a big job to change from a first perspective to a third-person perspective in an entire book if you get it for yourself (probably a bad idea since autobiographies are usually written in first person form). Same thing with verb forms.
8-TAKE HELP
Does the whole project start to feel overwhelming? Calm, just calm. There is a long line of people who can help you along the way. You can get help from loved ones or various experts. There are author coaches, writing courses and study circles where you can get help if you get stuck. There are lecturers, editors and proofreaders who can help you improve the text. You don’t need to write a word yourself, but you can hire a ghostwriter who writes the entire book based on interviews. You can also hire a research assistant, cover designer, book publisher and project manager – to name a few of the experts available.
Since it is their livelihood to support writers, it costs a good deal to hire them. The price varies and can reflect what quality you get. The most significant factor, however, is how long it takes. A study circle can cost a few hundred dollars to hire a ghostwriter for a few monthly salaries. If you want to hire the right person, it is good to know a little more about what the different people are doing.
9-PUBLISH YOUR BOOK
If you have gone through the great work of writing down your story, you should also make sure you keep your story in hand. You should at least print a copy for yourself. Maybe you even want others to read it? The fastest way to make sure you get your book in hand is to publish it yourself simply. This way you make all the decisions.
10-ENJOY AND HAVE FUN!
We have one crucial tip left and that is to enjoy. In order not to bump along the road, it is vital to take the time to have fun. Your book project is an excellent reason for a long line of pleasures. Get in touch with relatives, travel around and learn more about yourself. Call old friends you haven’t talked to for years and days. Visit places that were important to you in your upbringing and see what it looks like today. Review old diaries, photos and letters. Browse theater programs, movie tickets, children’s books or other things that matter to you. See if the favorite movie you grew up with. Take plenty of time and use the time to remember and reflect.
Furthermore, writing a book does not have to be a one-man project. You can do a great deal of research together with others. Why not make it a family vacation to visit places you remember from before? Or start a circle with others living in the same area? Make sure you have fun together when you pinch your books. Enjoy and have fun!
Thanks to modern digital printing technology, the placement options for pixels are unlimited. A comprehensive background, images and headings placed out to the border, large images placed beyond the center of the book, and lists along the edge of the page are possible with digital printing.
SUITABLE TYPES OF PAPER
You can choose from the following paper types: white 80 and 90 g, cream-colored 80 and 90 g (80 g is only possible for publishers), matt 120 g paper and 200 g high gloss paper. If your book contains color pages, we recommend that you choose white paper. This ensures that the color of the images does not differ due to the color of the paper. The 120 g and 200 g paper grades are of high quality and are especially suitable for picture books. Note that minor deviations in the colors cannot be avoided with digital printing.
GENERAL RULES FOR GRAPHIC ELEMENTS
RESOLUTION: For an ideal print result, the resolution of the images should be at least 300 dpi.
GRAY SURFACES: If the pages contain gray areas, you should choose a grayscale that contains at least 10% black color (not lighter). If the pages contain pie-charts or similar images, it is recommended that the gradation of the grayscale is at least 10%, so that the different sectors are clearly separated from each other.
PADDING: If the images are placed to the edge of the page, a five millimeter border should be created on each edge and side. A page with the size 12 x 19 cm will then have the size 13 x 20 cm. The trimmed edge will be cut off during production, but it has a purpose: Even if the book’s contents were moved slightly during binding, no white, unprinted border is left at the edge of the page. This cutting edge can be produced without major problems with professional layout programs, but if text editing software such as Word is used, the size of the pages must be determined and installed already in advance. The crop marks should not be visible in the document.
COLOR SEPARATION: When using a professional layout program, such as InDesign, color separation should not be used.
TRANSPARENCY: Use no transparency but only one level. If you upload files with transparency, all levels will be compiled automatically. This is a complicated process and can change your files. Therefore, you must create a file with one level. You ensure that the files look exactly as you want and thus avoid unwanted print results.
COLOR MANAGEMENT: Digital images are produced using either a scanner or a digital camera and the color setting is always RGB. Let the images remain in RGB format, do not change to CMYK format. However, if your images are already in CMYK format, do not change them to RGB.
COLOR PROFILE INFORMATION: RGB: When uploading files in RGB format without a specific color profile, the default setting is sRGB, as it is used for most image files.
CMYK: The default setting for CMYK files is ISOcoated_V2 (Fogra39) and we print the books with this color profile depending on the settings of the respective printing machine. With the help of DeviceLink conversion, we ensure that the digital print result is as close to an offset print result as possible.
TIP: First, process the images in a graphics program (such as Adobe Photoshop) and determine the final format, size, dpi degree and color format. Transfer the images to the layout program only after you have processed them.
SPECIAL COLORS: It is possible to simulate special colors in combination with process colors (CMYK). However, since many special colors are outside the CMYK workspace, it is recommended that this option be used only to a limited extent.
SIMULATION OF SPECIAL COLORS: To simulate special colors, you can use color palettes, where all existing Pantone or HKS colors are defined based on CMYK colors.
PANTONE AND HKS COLORS: If you upload PDF files with “genuine” Pantone or HKS colors (not simulated), these colors are printed as similar to the original colors as possible, in CMYK using color maps installed in our printing machines.
