Table of Contents
Let’s Get Digital is a book about digital publishing, it includes good information about the online publishing industry, and outlines some way an aspiring novelist can market their content.
Royalties
How much do writers make in traditional publishing? Not much. Below is the distribution of revenues by most large publishers.
$25 Hardback
- Retailer: 50%
- Publisher: 37.5%
- Writer: 12.5%
$8 Paperback
- Retailer: 50%
- Publisher: 40%
- Writer: 10%
Trade-Published E-book.
- Retailer: 30%
- Publisher: 52.5%
- Writer: 17.5%
Whereas the situation changes with self-publishing.
Self-Published E-book.
- Retailer: 30%
- Writer: 70%
The problem is that an editor is available with traditional publishers, which is a disadvantage for self-publishers, but not fatal. It is possible to hire editors as a self-publisher.
A literary agent doesn’t understand: Amazon rankings, Google PageRank, Twitter, Facebook Pages, Goodreads, SEO, cover design, formatting, editing, CPC, CPM, regional targeting, AdWords, blogging, spam laws, Shelfari, blurb copywriting, tagging, proofing, pricing strategies, DRM, giveaways, digital piracy, EPUB, Kobo, link tracking, mailing lists, MOBI, effective back-matter, Smashwords, KDP, Pubit.
Kindle Direct Publishing
The rights-holder (i.e. the publisher or author) could set the price they chose and receive 35% commission with Amazon keeping the rest. After Amazon started their own digital publishing platforms in 2007, other companies such as Sony, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, and Apple began offering digital platforms 3 years later.
Print is doomed.
Step 1: Write Your Story
Get a second opinion.
Step 2: Design Your Cover
Resources:
http://davidgaughran.wordpress.com/covers/
Step 3: Edit Your Story
http://pimpmynovel.blogspot.com
Step 4: Format Your Story
E-Book Formatting
Guido Henkel: http://bit.ly/qjjBKR
Smashwords Style Guide: http://bit.ly/pqvphb
The Nitty Gritty
- A MOBI file for Amazon
- An EPUB file for Barnes & Noble
- Clean Microsoft Word document for Smashwords
Smashwords
Smashwords has a style guide available for free. It is also how you get on Kobo, Sony, Diesel.
Testing
Guido Henkel recommends in his guide to test your work on your browser as you make changes. You should also test them on Kindle or the free Kindle app.
Step 5: Uploading and Pricing
Use all online publishers, not just Amazon.
Amazon pays 35% royalty across the board, except for sales that qualify for the higher rate. If you price between $2.99 and $9.99, you will receive 70% royalties.
Blogging
If you link to a popular blog and they link back, it greatly increases your rankings.
Amazon
Build an Amazon author page.
Social Media
Word of Mouth is necessary. Twitter and Facebook are good tools for that.
If you’re an entrepreneur and you want a quick guide to know what to think about before launching you business, check out The Myth of Entrepreneurship.