Self-Publishing Success Program Outline
Lesson 1 – The Basics
- Book editing
- Interior design
- Typesetting
- Cover design
- Book indexing
- CIP vs. PCIP Data
Lesson 2 – Business Decisions
- Selecting a name and structure for your independent publishing company
- Buying domain names to support your book and company
- Creating a business plan
- Setting up your LSI account
- Getting to know the IRS and how it deals with small companies
Lesson 3 – Marketing & Numbers
- Creating a marketing plan for your book
- Defining your target audience
- ISBN
- EAN
- SAN
- Bar codes
Lesson 4 – Your Marketing Plan
- BISAC codes
- Developing your book cover text
- Library of Congress and your LCCN
- Getting your EIN from the IRS
Lesson 5 – Early Reviewers
- Pre-publication book reviewers
- Quality Books, Inc.
- Book Clubs
- Preparing and ordering your Advance Reading Copies
- How to get blurbs from people that matter
- Using magazine articles to help “buzz” your book
Lesson 6 – Blurbs
- Who do you know? Who do they know?
- Getting blurbs
- Building your distribution lists
Lesson 7 – Blogging for Your Book
- Starting your blog
- Spreading the word
- Creating your elevator speech
Lesson 8 – Another List & Publishing Realities
- Compiling a list of books you like...and what to do with it
- Understanding book industry discounts, pricing, and return policies
Lesson 9 – Website
- Defining your website’s focus and content
- Website design decisions
- Sample chapters from your book
Lesson 10 – Publishing Associations and Marketing Tools
- Publishing associations
- Sell sheet for your book
- Business cards
- Email signature
Lesson 11 – Amazon Associates / Baker & Taylor
- Amazon Associates – what it is and how to use it
- Getting your book into Baker & Taylor’s database
- Bowker’s Books-in-Print
Lesson 12 – Media Kit & Discussion Groups
- Creating your media kit(s)
- Joining publishing-related email discussion groups
Lesson 13 – Magazine Articles
- Writing for magazines to help promote your book
Lesson 14 – Phones, Credit, Supplies and Shipping
- Telephone services to make your small company seem bigger
- Credit card processing – merchant account vs PayPal
- Shipping supplies and services
- Buying office supplies at a discount
Lesson 15 – Story Behind Your Book
- What is the story behind your book?
- Creating your sample book review
Lesson 16 – Media and News Planning
- Preparing for interviews (radio, TV, newspaper)
- News release brainstorming
Lesson 17 – Book Signing
- What it is
- Why you should do it
- What to do before, during, and after
Lesson 18 – News Release Distribution and Tracking
- Creating and distributing your news releases
- Google Alerts – your online clipping service
- Following up on reviewers and blurb requests
Lesson 19 – Final Files and More Reviews
- Uploading your final book files to LSI
- Post-publication book reviewers
- Getting the word out
- Library of Congress – copyright registration
Lesson 20 – Amazon Programs
- Amazon’s Top 100 Reviewers and how to contact them
- Helping buyers find your book on Amazon
- Using your blog to feed your book’s Amazon page