This document provides an overview of indie publishing and self-publishing options for authors. It notes that nearly half of all books published annually in the US are self-published. Indie publishing means taking responsibility for all aspects of publishing from writing to editing to marketing. Authors can pay companies to handle services or do it themselves. Paid services can be expensive but provide a full-service option. Creating and publishing through Amazon's Kindle Direct Publishing or CreateSpace offers affordable indie publishing options that give authors more control over pricing and distribution. Success requires dedication to both writing and self-promotion. The document promotes one author's independently published book of Christmas poems as an example.

1. Indie Publishing
for the Beginner

2. What is indie publishing?
Almost one million books are published annually
in the U.S. At least half are indie published.
Indie publishing means you take full
responsibility for every aspect of your book.
Writing
Editing
Set up and formatting
Cover design
Marketing
EVERYTHING ELSE!

3. Pay for Services
You can pay to get these services done for you, but
be prepared to shell out big bucks. Is it worth it? It
depends on your skill level, especially when it comes
to editing. There is nothing worse than having your
book on the shelf and find out it is error ridden. I
know. A good editor is critical.
Some of the services you pay for:
• Cover design
• Editing
• Interior design
• Marketing
• Promotion
• Printing
• Distribution
• ISBN number
• Author website
• Sales Tracking

4. Pay for services
Sources:
Many companies like Xlibris, AuthorHouse, and
Lulu provide the full gamut of services. The more
you pay, the more services you get. If you want to
sell your book consider whether it is worth a big
investment. Cost at the highest end is around
$15,000 (no kidding). You would need to sell lots
of books to recover your cost, or charge $15,000
for the first book .
Why go with a self-publishing company?
One Stop Shop
Publisher takes care of everything except the
writing based on the amount of money you are
able/willing to invest.

5. Example of Packages

6. Reasons to Indie Publish
Memoir or family history
Family Cookbook
You have a novel in you
You are an expert in something and you want to
share that knowledge and get paid for it
Use your book to draw attention to your
website or blog
Can be digital (Kindle, iPad, etc.)
Can be trade paperback and digital

7. Reasons to think twice
Can be expensive
Publisher charges for every single
thing they do for you, and then for
every book you buy for resale.
Their primary interest is selling you
services

8. 25 Days of Christmas, An Advent Journey, rejoices inthe birth of Christ. Words and phrases that evoke thistime of expectant waiting for the Child of Wonderinspired each poem. The accompanying scripture re-flects on the promises of old, when prophets spoke ofa Son, a King, a birthplace, a promise. These briefverses will bring joy to readers who want to take amoment out of busy holiday preparations to remem-ber who we claim as our Redeemer King, and why we celebrate His
birth. Add your reflections and prayers, perhaps your own poems, in
the white space entitled “Your Thoughts.”
25 Days of Christmas, An Advent Journey, contains poems in the
acrostic style. The first letter of each sentence is based on the title.
The poems were shared on the author’s blog, One Roof Publishing
(www.oneroofpublish.com). Merry Christmas, Christ is born!
25DaysofChristmas
AN ADVENT JOURNEY
SHARON VANDER MEER
Createspace
Option
• Affordable
• Amazon Kindle exclusive
• Book available quickly
• Access to services readily
available
• You have absolute control of
final product
• Price for resale is more in
line with market
• Interior design more flexible
• Updating file is easy

9. Dashboard
• Easy to navigate
• Options clearly defined
• Help available
• You decide book pricing
• Guides to help you
market and sell you book.

10. Latest Publication
25 Days of Christmas, An Advent Journey
Book of poetry in the acrostic style. The first line
of each poem begins with a letter of the title
word.
A place to record your thoughts.
Prophetic scripture about Jesus’ birth.
Indie published.

11. How I did It
Wrote the poems on my blog, and then formatted
them into a MS Word document
Downloaded interior templates from
createspace.com
Pasted MS Word documents into createspace
template
Saved as PDF and uploaded to createspace
Designed cover and created PDF
Uploaded to createspace
Proof, revise, repeat.

12. Indie Publishing requires…
Dedication
Flexibility
Ability to separate the creative side from the
business side
Marketing savvy
Shameless drive to self-promote 

13. Success Stories: Indie Authors
Influenced by Harper Lee’s “To Kill A
Mockingbird,” John Grisham, a Southern lawyer,
wrote his first novel, “A Time To Kill” in 1989. After
28 rejections, he published 5,000 copies through
a small private publisher, Wynwood Press. He
was eventually published by Doubleday and after
his successes with “The Firm,” “The Pelican
Brief” and “The Client,” Doubleday acquired the
rights and reissued “A Time To Kill.”

14. Success Stories:
Indie Authors

15. Don’t do it because you want
to be famous or rich
Do it because you love to write
Do it because you have something you want to
share
Do it because it is in your DNA to tell a story
Traditional publishers, like self publishing
companies, are in it to make money. The
difference is they don’t believe in your work. You
do.

16. In Summary
Indie publishing is an option
Be ready to work at writing and everything else
related to getting your book in the marketplace
You can pay for everything
You can DIY your project
You an combine the two
You can have a print-on-demand book, an e-
book or both

17. In Closing
Buy 25 Days of
Christmas, An Advent
Journey
Follow One Roof Publishing

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Publishing
Other indie Published Vander Meer Books

19. Thank
you!