SF Complex Santa Fe, New Mexico July 28, 2009 “ Be Your Own Publisher” Self-publishing in the Digital Age Tom Johnson t o m @ j t j o h n s o n . c o m Institute for Analytic Journalism Indie Publishing West Santa Fe, New Mexico

What we’re aiming for today Changes in publishing biz Pros and cons of digital self-publishing (DSP) or Publish-on-Demand What you need to know to self-publish What “manufacturer” needs from you Planning your project Computing programs & file types Working with specialized contractors Major online Print-on-Demand (P-o-D) houses Melissa Leith Ash: “The Gypsy In Spanish Red”

Changes in publishing biz

Pros and cons of digital self-publishing (DSP) or Publish-on-Demand

What you need to know to self-publish

What “manufacturer” needs from you

Planning your project

Computing programs & file types

Working with specialized contractors

Major online Print-on-Demand (P-o-D) houses

Melissa Leith Ash: “The Gypsy In Spanish Red”

State of publishing in America Are there more or fewer publishers in the U.S. today?

Are there more or fewer publishers in the U.S. today?

State of publishing #1 Are there more or fewer publishers in the U.S. today? 130,477 active publishers in 2008 Number of “active publishers” up 27% Total number of publishers continues to increase Virtually all of increase is in <$50m/year “small publisher category. Source: BookExpo America -- Book Industry TRENDS 2009 http://www. slideshare .net/ bisg / bookexpo - america -book-industry-trends-2009

Are there more or fewer publishers in the U.S. today?

130,477 active publishers in 2008

Number of “active publishers” up 27%

Total number of publishers continues to increase

Virtually all of increase is in <$50m/year “small publisher category.

Industry Sector Growth? “ Sectors” are a big factor in publishing. Which is growing? Which declined in 2008?

“ Sectors” are a big factor in publishing. Which is growing? Which declined in 2008?

Industry Sector Growth? “ Sectors” are a big factor in publishing. Which is growing? Which declined in 2008? Source: BookExpo America -- Book Industry TRENDS 2009 http://www. slideshare .net/ bisg / bookexpo - america -book-industry-trends-2009

“ Sectors” are a big factor in publishing. Which is growing? Which declined in 2008?

Overall Trends in Publishing What are the trends in the overall publishing industry? Up? Down? Little change?

What are the trends in the overall publishing industry?

Up?

Down?

Little change?

Adult tradebooks? Source: BookExpo America -- Book Industry TRENDS 2009 http://www. slideshare .net/ bisg / bookexpo - america -book-industry-trends-2009

The Status Quo? Amazon announced the second iteration of its Kindle electronic reading device in February The next day, HarperCollins announced it would close its Collins division to substantially reduce head count and limit the number of books it acquires to publish . http://tbm.thebigmoney.com/articles/saga/2009/03/04/kindle-revolution

Amazon announced the second iteration of its Kindle electronic reading device in February

The next day, HarperCollins announced it would close its Collins division to substantially reduce head count and limit the number of books it acquires to publish . http://tbm.thebigmoney.com/articles/saga/2009/03/04/kindle-revolution

The Status Quo? Backlist is slowing because traffic at the bookstore chains is slowing When a book is hot, most sales don't take place in bookstores . They're at Costco, newsstands, grocery stores and other non-book book outlets. For bookstores, most books are shelf-occupying rent-takers For publishers (i.e. manufactures ), books represent upfront investment that may or may not be recovered

Backlist is slowing because traffic at the bookstore chains is slowing

When a book is hot, most sales don't take place in bookstores . They're at Costco, newsstands, grocery stores and other non-book book outlets.

For bookstores, most books are shelf-occupying rent-takers

For publishers (i.e. manufactures ), books represent upfront investment that may or may not be recovered

Major changes in publishing biz Ten publishers accounted for more than 80% of annual book publishing revenue. Top 10 book printers were responsible for more than half of all book manufacturing revenue. In 2003, 34% of adult hardcover books were returned to publishers compared with 28% in 1993.

Ten publishers accounted for more than 80% of annual book publishing revenue.

Top 10 book printers were responsible for more than half of all book manufacturing revenue.

In 2003, 34% of adult hardcover books were returned to publishers compared with 28% in 1993.

Major changes in publishing biz Traditional costs going up Staff cutbacks  less editing, design, marketing/promotion/sales staff Readers being more eclectic in terms of medium, i.e. E-books, book in Iphone, mixing multiple forms – sometimes I-o-P, sometimes digital of same book

Traditional costs going up

Staff cutbacks  less editing, design, marketing/promotion/sales staff

Readers being more eclectic in terms of medium, i.e. E-books, book in Iphone, mixing multiple forms – sometimes I-o-P, sometimes digital of same book

Major changes in publishing biz <57% of the U.S. population now reads even one book per year; 4% decline in a decade. Percentage of adult Americans who regularly read literature — novels, short stories, plays and poetry — fell from almost 57% in 1982 to 46.7%; a loss of 20 million potential readers

<57% of the U.S. population now reads even one book per year; 4% decline in a decade.

Percentage of adult Americans who regularly read literature — novels, short stories, plays and poetry — fell from almost 57% in 1982 to 46.7%; a loss of 20 million potential readers

Your Role in Changing Info Environment? A cultural and economic power shift from centralized institutions to individual Ergo, great decision-making and process control for the individual With greater authority comes greater responsibility for determining YOUR author/publisher fate.

A cultural and economic power shift from centralized institutions to individual

Ergo, great decision-making and process control for the individual

With greater authority comes greater responsibility for determining YOUR author/publisher fate.

Pros of digital self-publishing Low initial $$$ investment (but takes time to write and format and, possibly, learn the system) You have TOTAL control over creation, editing and design YOU control print run and PRICE! YOU set the royalty YOU can make corrections at any time Get listed on Amazon.com, Border.com, Barnes & Noble.com and in European databases A successful P-o-D book can get picked up by traditional publisher. (If so, what’s your negotiating position?)

Low initial $$$ investment (but takes time to write and format and, possibly, learn the system)

You have TOTAL control over creation, editing and design

YOU control print run and PRICE!

YOU set the royalty

YOU can make corrections at any time

Get listed on Amazon.com, Border.com, Barnes & Noble.com and in European databases

A successful P-o-D book can get picked up by traditional publisher. (If so, what’s your negotiating position?)

Cons of digital self-publishing Editors and copy editors are always necessary You will have to hire them, although P-o-D house can usually help you find someone Designers are always helpful; perhaps necessary depending on your experience YOU will be responsible for all PR, marketing and promotion. Again, P-o-D publisher can suggest contractors

Editors and copy editors are always necessary

You will have to hire them, although P-o-D house can usually help you find someone

Designers are always helpful; perhaps necessary depending on your experience

YOU will be responsible for all PR, marketing and promotion. Again, P-o-D publisher can suggest contractors

Navigating the publishing world Your Book Project Planning Content Creation Promotion/ Marketing Manufacture Design/ Format Pricing Distribution Accounting

Navigating the publishing world Your Book Accounting Distribution Promotion/ Marketing Manufacture Pricing Design/ Format Content Creation Project Planning

Needed to P-o-D You provide Computer and software Word processing app PDF “printer” Content Design Cover, MSS ISBN number Formatted MSS saved as PDF Evaluate your skills; develop process plan Book mfgr provides Online access with step-by-step process Printing Binding Database submission Fulfillment Accounting

You provide

Computer and software

Word processing app

PDF “printer”

Content

Design

Cover, MSS

ISBN number

Formatted MSS saved as PDF

Evaluate your skills; develop process plan

Book mfgr provides

Online access with step-by-step process

Printing

Binding

Database submission

Fulfillment

Accounting

Desktop Publishing Tools Learning Curve/Complexity/Quality Price ~$0 ~$50 ~$200 ∞ Word Processing programs MS Publisher PagePlus Open Source Scribus Adobe InDesign Latest version retail: $200 Older version discount: $45-75

MS Publisher

PagePlus

Open Source

Scribus

Adobe InDesign

Lulu.com web site

Lulu.com Author chooses basic layout from templates downloaded from Lulu.com Author “flows” text from wp file into page layout Author chooses binding style Author chooses cover art Author sets price for I-o-P and online version

Author chooses basic layout from templates downloaded from Lulu.com

Author “flows” text from wp file into page layout

Author chooses binding style

Author chooses cover art

Author sets price for I-o-P and online version

Lulu.com Book purchased via Lulu.com or Amazon.com Lulu.com does fulfillment (printing and mailing) Lulu.com posts your financials online What does it cost you? $0

Book purchased via Lulu.com or Amazon.com

Lulu.com does fulfillment (printing and mailing)

Lulu.com posts your financials online

What does it cost you?

$0

Lulu by the numbers A Step by Step Guide to the Lulu Publishing Process - http://www.lulu.com/en/help/wizard_tutorial

A Step by Step Guide to the Lulu Publishing Process - http://www.lulu.com/en/help/wizard_tutorial

Lulu #1 – Step-by-Step

Lulu #2 – Overview of steps

Lulu #3 – Project Options

Lulu.com Trim Sizes

Lulu Binding Types

Lulu #4 – Price Setting A

Lulu #4 – Price Setting B

Lulu #5 – Lulu Review page

Lulu Points of Advantage and Caution Double check with designer on size and placing of ISBN & barcode Always order a “trial” or “proof” version(s) of your book to check color, font, paper and inking, etc. Double check graphics DPI settings Color should NOT be RGB; instead CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black)

Double check with designer on size and placing of ISBN & barcode

Always order a “trial” or “proof” version(s) of your book to check color, font, paper and inking, etc.

Double check graphics

DPI settings

Color should NOT be RGB; instead CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black)

Some online book publishers booksandtales.com/pod/index.php www.foxacre.com/bookpage/bodaddress.htm www.selfpublishingsearch.com www.parapublishing.com www.bookmarket.com www.createspace.com/ (Amazon) www.iuniverse.com www.instantpublisher.com www.trafford.com

booksandtales.com/pod/index.php

www.foxacre.com/bookpage/bodaddress.htm

www.selfpublishingsearch.com

www.parapublishing.com

www.bookmarket.com

www.createspace.com/ (Amazon)

www.iuniverse.com

www.instantpublisher.com

www.trafford.com

P-o-D/Self-publishing resources The Self-Publishing Manual By Dan Poynter Read on Google.com/books Print on demand Book Publishing by Morris Rosenthal - 184 pages The complete guide to self-publishing By Tom Ross

The Self-Publishing Manual By Dan Poynter Read on Google.com/books

Print on demand Book Publishing by Morris Rosenthal - 184 pages

The complete guide to self-publishing By Tom Ross

Next steps Day-long seminar in Santa Fe Tom Johnson & Anita Quintana Saturday, Aug. 22, 2009 – 9:15 a.m.-5 p.m. St. John’s United Methodist Church Cordova @ Old Pecos Trail Materials & lunch - $150 Register: indiepubwest .com Tom Johnson – Planning and Editing [email_address] or 505.473.9646 Anita Quintana – Planning, Design, Pre-press quintana @ swcp .com or 505.988.1902

Day-long seminar in Santa Fe

Tom Johnson & Anita Quintana

Saturday, Aug. 22, 2009 – 9:15 a.m.-5 p.m.

St. John’s United Methodist Church Cordova @ Old Pecos Trail

Materials & lunch - $150

Register: indiepubwest .com

Tom Johnson – Planning and Editing [email_address] or 505.473.9646

Anita Quintana – Planning, Design, Pre-press quintana @ swcp .com or 505.988.1902

Gracias “ Be Your Own Publisher” Tom Johnson Institute for Analytic Journalism Indie Publishing West Santa Fe, New Mexico