Book1Blog

Welcome to Book1Blog

Welcome to Book1Blog, a blog dedicated to providing information and a forum for those interested in book self-publishing and print-on-demand (POD) technology.

The content for posts that will be published in this blog is based on the knowledge and writings of several of the most respected and knowledgeable professionals in the book publishing industry: Dan Poynter, founder and President of ParaPublishing.com, Danny O. Snow, founder of Unlimited Publishing, LLC and Marilyn Ross and Sue Collier, co-authors of The Complete Guide to Self-Publishing. From time to time we will also feature guest authors who will share their expertise in specific areas of book writing, publishing and promotion.

We hope that, as new articles appear, you will send us your comments, feedback and ideas. Whether you are an aspiring author, a professional in the book publishing arena, or just someone who has an interest in self-publishing and the print-on-demand process, we encourage and would appreciate your input.

We also invite you to subscribe to our feed. That way, you will be alerted to new posts as they are published.

7 Ingenious Ways to Use Amazon.com to Your Advantage

Every day thousands of book buyers go to Amazon.com to select from the millions of titles they offer. If you are going to use Amazon, it makes sense to capitalize on every possible means to influence those who visit earth's biggest bookstore. These seven ideas won't cost you a cent in most cases, but may help level the playing field with your competition.

1. Read other books and write customer reviews. There are ways to insert information about your own book as you review worthy competing titles. For example, you can compare the two books, sign off as author of XYZ, and provide a link directly to your own book listing on Amazon.com.

2. Use Amazon's best-seller list for detective work. Search the best seller lists via general subjects as well as specific topics. You can obtain information about what else is available on you topic and how each one ranks.

3. Garner scads of customer reviews for your book. Having a dozen or more consumer reviews on your site is a good thing. And the best way to obtain consumer reviews is to ask for them. Having helpful reviews can impact the way people decide on what to buy and will give you increased exposure elsewhere on Amazon.com.

4. Get your book into the hands of Amazon's top reviewers. Troll Amazon's list of top reviewers. These are not Amazon employees, but avid readers who enjoy critiquing books. Select those who regularly post reviews of books in a genre similar to yours and ask them if they will review your book.

5. Participate in the "Search Inside the Book" program. This free program enables potential book buyers to see electronically what is on the pages. It also enhances the search optimization for your book for customers who are searching in the subject your book falls into. 

6. Participate in "discussion boards." Have an opinion to voice? A question to pose to readers? A book that needs promoting? Amazon.com has numerous discussion boards about books. The easiest way to locate them is to go to their communities section and find the right topic(s).

7. Sign up for "Author Central." This free author blog offers participants the opportunity to share with readers the most up-to-date information about themselves and their work. There is also a customer discussion feature that provides a forum for customers to communicate with the author right on the page.

With work and perseverance, you'll discover the above ideas can be great ways to create promotional buzz for your book - and, hopefully sales.

[This post was created, with permission, from excerpts taken from The Complete Guide to Self-Publishing, 5th edition, co-authored by Marilyn Ross and Sue Collier.]

Nine Steps In Successfully Writing a Non-fiction Book

While there are a number of choices when it comes to producing, distributing and promoting your non-fiction book, following a single system for writing it can prove to be extremely beneficial. Here is a way to save time by consolidating some of the writing steps.

Step #1: Research your topic. Proper research will help you determine if there is a market for what you are writing about, as well as identify where and how you can gather material for your book. Research sources are many and can include bookstores, the Internet, magazines, associations and book/writing events.

Step #2: Narrow your focus. As you learn more about your subject matter, you will discover that by making your book more specific, more potential buyers will identify with it.

Step #3: Draft back cover sales copy first. One of the greatest obstacles to book writing is lack of focus. Drafting your back cover before you write your book will help you focus on your readers and will guide you to what will be in your book.

Step #4: Select a working title. Drafting your back cover copy may likely produce several ideas for your book's title and subtitle. A "working title" will provide you with something to refer to as you write your book.

Step #5: Gather and use quotations. Including pertinant quotations (obtained during your research) in your book will add to its credibility.

Step #6: Add stories. Readers love stories. These accounts help them to remember the points you are trying to make. Stories can demonstrate that you are writing from experience and will add depth to your writing.

Step #7: Don't start writing with chapter one. Very few writers begin at the beginning. Write where your research and thoughts take you. You can fill in the blanks, including the introduction, later.

Step #8: Have your manuscript edited. No writer is so good that he or she should skip editing. While the information is yours, rely on a picky English pro to check the punctuation, grammar and style of your book. Then re-read your manuscript to make sure that the editor improved the copy without making material changes.

Step #9: Obtain feedback on your manuscript. One secret to good material is peer review. Smart non-fiction authors take each chapter of a nearly complete manuscript and send it off to at least four experts on that chapter's subject.

[This post was created , with permission, from excerpts taken from Dan Poynter's Self-Publishing Manual, Volume 2, written by Dan Poynter.]

You Don't Have to be a Writer to be an Author

Did you know that on any given week, up to half of the books on any non-fiction best seller list are written by someone other than the name on the book? The reason is simple. Being an expert, an eyewitness or a celebrity does not necessarily mean that one is also a skilled writer and communicator. Enter the ghostwriter.

Ghostwriters typically work for any of four kinds of clients. One is the expert who writes to preserve and share his or her knowledge. Another has an extraordinary first-person perspective and experience to relate. The third is a celebrity or aspiring celebrity who wants a book to memorialize or launch a career. The fourth has a fictional story to tell, but not the necessary storytelling skills.

For example, you don't think Lee Iaccoca wrote his best-selling books all by himself do you? Iaccoca is the author. The book contains his information. But he did and does not have the time to be a writer.

In addition, ghostwriters can fill in for any skill or knowledge authors may lack. In recognition for their expertise, ghostwriters are typically paid a cash fee plus a percentage of the author's royalties. In return, ghostwriters take a vow of perpetual silence.

If you are not a fully-skilled writer but have expert knowledge or an extraordinary experience to share, or seek to launch or enhance your image, you may want to consider hiring a ghostwriter. It could be a very smart move.

[This post was created, with permission, from excerpts taken from Successful Nonfiction, written by Dan Poynter.]

The Importance of Research in Book Writing

Writing a book is not easy, and the problem may have nothing to do with feeling uncreative, stressed or tired. The reason may be that you simply don't have enough information. Spending more time researching your topic may be just the answer - and this goes for fiction writers as well as nonfiction.

Good fiction and nonfiction are both based on knowledge. For fiction writers there are some excellent books available on a wide variety of subjects such as plot and character development - books describing lifestyles in various centuries for historical fiction, or forensic techniques for mystery writers.

Today it is often easy to do research without ever leaving home. Just head to the internet and check it out. You local library can be a great second source. But remember, nothing can replace what academics call orignial research: actually getting on the telephone and talking to a human being or going to see something you are actually writing about. You will discover that orginal research will enable you to add depth to your writing.

Research can be anything from a few minutes on the internet verifying a quotation, to a few hours or even days talking to sources or checking facts in libraries. And it can be very rewarding. If you discover that you are truly blocked and can't move forward with your writing, take some time to think about what you may be missing. You might find that a little bit of research is just what you need to get you started again.

[This post was created, with permission, from excerpts taken from Finish Your Book, co-authored by Karen Hodges Miller and Lorette Pruden.]

Rules for Using Copyrighted Material

When researching for your nonfiction book, you quite likely will turn up passages or comments from other published works that you would like to use. If so, what are the rules?

Fair use. Using material without the need to obtain permission is called "fair use." In the case of books, experts usually estimate you can use an aggregate of up to three hundred words freely as long as it included attribution.

If you quote just a paragraph from a book and mention the author and title, you don't need to obtain copyright permission. This does not include any article that is syndicated, under a byline, or individually copyrighted. Photographs, artwork, and cartoons will also require the permission of the copyright holder.

Paraphrasing. One way to circumvent copyright problems is to paraphrase what is said. Ideas are not copyrightable - only the specific words used to express them.

Public domain. Some things are not protected by copyright. They are considered to be in the public domain. Material goes into public domain if its original copyright was not renewed or if copyright protection has been exhausted.

Government publications are typically in the public domain, but this can be a gray area. If you plan to use extensive sections verbatim, it is wise to have a copyright search performed. When you are using just portions, no permission is needed, but it's a good idea to cite the specific source. Be aware that government publications often contain illustrations and other materials that are covered by individual copyrights. Read the fine print carefully.

The best rule is to use good common sense. Don't take from another writer something you would resent being used if you were the author. When in doubt, formally request permission to quote.

[This post was created, with permission, from excerpts taken from The Complete Guide to Self-Publishing, 5th edition, co-authored by Marilyn Ross and Sue Collier.]