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HOST WRTR WYates: We'll get started in just a couple of minutes or less... THopeB: ....getting out notes.... BasicWriter: Sorry I have to go but I will log the chat to laugh later HOST WRTR WYates: It'll be a good one... Wrtermom: nice to meet you Basic, see you again. HumngbrdDB: is there a topic today? Wrtermom: so, we can just chat for a few minutes or what? HOST WRTR WYates: Everybody ready? HOST WRTR Foxy: Topic is Self-Publishing & POD HumngbrdDB: cool! Wrtermom: ready here Geniewriter: my dream HOST WRTR WYates: Welcome to the Christian Writer's Workshop! HOST WRTR WYates: Our guest tonight is THopeB, Tracey, who will tell us about Print on demand and self-publishing through iUniverse.com. Tracey is the Host of the Writers Club on AOL and has helped us a lot in the past. We will be under protocol tonight... Type a ? to ask a question... Type a ! to make a comment (does not requires a response)... Please type / or ga when you are done... I will call on you in turn. We'll open with a short prayer from Peg, HostWRTR Foxy... HOST WRTR Foxy: Father, thank you for bringing us together this evening. Bless Tracey as she shares with us, and bless our writing to Your glory. Amen." HOST WRTR WYates: AMEN! Wrtermom: amen DiagoCat: Amen. HumngbrdDB: Amen! JOHNMUNN6: Amen Geniewriter: amen HOST WRTR WYates: Tracey, thanks so much for being our guest tonight! THopeB: You're very welcome, Bill; it's my pleasure. :) I'll do my best to answer...e HOST WRTR WYates: Would you like to make some comments before we open it up to questions? THopeB: everyone's questions. (sorry Bill) If I can't answer your question, I'll save it, get the answer for you and e-mail you. I think my main comment is that print-on-demand kind of reminds me where AOL was about 6-7 years ago. I'd talk to people about being 'online' and they'd say "huh?". :) So, no talk about 'brave new world' and all that, but print-on-demand is a new technology that makes marketing your writing and publishing in general just a little bit different. A bit of a twist on the traditional. GA HOST WRTR WYates: Well, we are all ears... or rather, eyes... :) THopeB: heehee......I'll do my best. HOST WRTR WYates: ? HOST WRTR WYates: WTYates... THopeB: (----wanting to see bill call on himself.) :) HOST WRTR WYates: What exactly is POD? Can you define it for us?/ HOST WRTR Foxy: [he does it well] HOST WRTR WYates: (I set an example... :) ) THopeB: Yes, POD stands for print-on-demand. This means that the book is printed as it is ordered. In other words, when Sally Reader sits at her computer or goes into a bookstore and wants to read Wrtermom's latest book on New England doorknobs the book is printed when ordered. No inventory 'problems'. (just an example, Mom!) So this is a different animal from an eBook which is online only. The POD book is, in most cases a perfect-bound trade paperback. And this is delivered to the reader. One at a time, as sales are made. GA Wrtermom: 8-) HOST WRTR Foxy: ? HOST WRTR WYates: HOST WRTR Foxy... HOST WRTR Foxy: How long does it take from order to delivery? ga THopeB: From order to delivery, I believe the book is shipped in 48-72 hours. Once the book is 'in the system' or 'live' the actual printing of the book is not a problem. GA HOST WRTR Foxy: ? HOST WRTR WYates: HOST WRTR Foxy... HOST WRTR Foxy: How does the author get the process started? HOST WRTR Foxy: ga THopeB: It's pretty simple.....you have the choice of submitting your manuscript online or printing out the forms and snail-mailing them in. You're then assigned a publication assistant, who holds your hand and helps you through the process. You do get to proof your manuscript further in the process. There are a certain number of corrections (I forgot the exact number) that are included in the fee (usually $99 for the Writers Club Press program) GA HOST WRTR WYates: ? THopeB: (so make your manuscript as clean and perfect as possible!) HarisonDar: ? HOST WRTR WYates: WTYates... HOST WRTR WYates: What about covers?/ THopeB: From what I understand, the author should at least have an idea of what they want the cover to look like. I don't know if you work with a cover artist specifically but I do know that they at least want an idea of what you want your cover to look like. And I assume, they'd be more than happy if you had artwork to contribute. The cover also includes the back cover and the author is responsible for writing the best blurbs and book descriptions for that. It's to the author's advantage to do this, of course! GA HOST WRTR WYates: HarisonDar... HarisonDar: So if the book sells 10,000 copies I don't pay any more than 99 dollars? Does it include a copyright? THopeB: Right, sell as many copies as you possibly can as in the traditional way of publishing, both publisher and author win. Sell, sell, sell.... HarisonDar: ? HarisonDar: But it's not included? THopeB: From what I understand, both iU and the author have the 'right' to register the copyright so your publication assistant would be able to help with that. DiagoCat: ? HOST WRTR WYates: HarisonDar... THopeB: No, writing to the Copyright Office to register your copyright is not included. GA HOST WRTR Foxy: ? HarisonDar: Then why have a book with no copyright? Real publishers included it. THopeB: From what I understand, everything written is under copyright protection. Whether or not you *register* that copyright is another story. And there is a direct link and information to the Copyright Office both in the Writers Club and on the iUniverse.com website. GA HOST WRTR WYates: (It's the author's responsibility to get he copyright in this case, I think, if you want it in your name.) HarisonDar: and you don't pay them a thing. HOST WRTR WYates: (But usually it's in the publisher's name) HOST WRTR WYates: DiagoCat... DiagoCat: I understand that you are paid a royalty on each copy that sells. The author doesn't get it all after the original $99. ga THopeB: (Thanks for a bit of clarification, Bill) Diago, I believe that on print copies, the royalty rate is 20%.....let me see if I can check quickly. I believe that's it, and if I'm incorrect, I'll e-mail Bill. GA JOHNMUNN6: ! HOST WRTR WYates: HOST WRTR Foxy... HOST WRTR Foxy: What about the ISBN number? ga DiagoCat: )Thank you. I know that I read your information on the webpage once, but I forgot the amount also.) THopeB: The ISBN number is included in the fee. GA Wrtermom: ? HOST WRTR WYates: JOHNMUNN6... JOHNMUNN6: They do provide you with an ISBN number at no cost./ HOST WRTR WYates: Wrtermom... Wrtermom: do you recommend the basic writers package on IUniverse or the advanced writer's ? THopeB: Mom, I confess I'm most familiar with the 'basic'.... DiagoCat: ? Wrtermom: ok. ga THopeB: package (the Writers Club Press) and recommend it highly. Let me tell you some of the best situations not only for Writers Club Press but for print-on-demand in general. It's great for out-of-print books. Traditional publishers can't stock everything and there is always some demand for backlist/OP books, maybe more demand than publishers have time to pay attention to It's also a good way to go for books that have a very specific market. I used the silly example before of New England Doorknobs, but a book targeted to a very specific audience is good for POD. Also, poetry is one of the best categories especially since traditional publishers usually publish. And it's a genre that people are greatly interested in, so POD is a way to get poetry books 'out there'. GA HOST WRTR Foxy: (there's your chance, bill... your own anthology!) HOST WRTR WYates: hmmm.... :) HarisonDar: ? HOST WRTR WYates: DiagoCat... THopeB: Oh, one more thing! DiagoCat: Do we have any members present tonight who actually have books on the site, and how are they doing? ga THopeB: There's no reason that if you think your book will sell thousands of copies, NOT to go with POD no reason at all. GA HOST WRTR Foxy: Diago, yes, we do, and she will be with us on Tuesday. THopeB: Diago, I've talked to a few authors who've gone with iU, and like with traditional publishers the authors who tend to sell are the ones who market. GA Wrtermom: ! HOST WRTR WYates: HarisonDar... HarisonDar: Isn't there monthly fee to keep your book on the iU site. DiagoCat: (thank you. i'll look forward to tuesday..) THopeB: No, not that I know of, Harison. I just reviewed the FAQ and the glossary today for this chat, and in the time that I've talked to.... HarisonDar: Hmmm. Not what I read THopeB: iU authors over the past year, that hasn't come up. Nope, I've just never heard of that in the past two years actually. If you tell me where you read it, I'd be interested. GA HOST WRTR WYates: Wrtermom... Wrtermom: My friend published with IUniverse and she has done ok. HOST WRTR WYates: ? HOST WRTR WYates: WTYates... JOHNMUNN6: ! CAT HOST WRTR WYates: How many copies do you get for the initial $99? Does the author get a discount on his/her own books?/ HOST WRTR Foxy: (good question!) THopeB: Bill, there's a special deal going on through Dec. 15th. I'm sorry but I can't remember the details. It's at the "Rejections/Royalties" link on most of the Writers Club screens. I know that the current promotion does give free copies as well as a copy of a book on marketing. But that's a special promotion. As far as I know when there aren't special promotions, the fee does not include free author copies but does include author discounts. GA HOST WRTR WYates: JOHNMUNN6... JOHNMUNN6: Cat, I have a novel on iu now. I don't know how it is doing yet. It's too new../ HOST WRTR WYates: ? HOST WRTR WYates: WTYates... HOST WRTR WYates: Does iU provide any services such as editing or marketing? DiagoCat: (tell us the title, john. maybe some of us will be interested in the subject matter and be able to log in a purchase for you.) THopeB: No, they currently do not provide editing services or marketing services. But there is an excellent 'author toolkit' that has information about marketing: press releases sell sheets, book signings, etc. And your book is available through Ingram, the largest book wholesaler in the country as long as your book is available through Ingram any bookstore, anyone can order it. GA HOST WRTR WYates: That's good... HOST WRTR WYates: ? HOST WRTR WYates: WTYates... HOST WRTR WYates: Do you know how many books have been pubbed by iU? Any wild success stories?/ JOHNMUNN6: (cat, the title is retread squadron. It is a story about an air national guard squadron activated during korean war/) THopeB: Bill, I know that they've sold 3/4 million copies but don't know how many individual titles. There have been some wild success stories! DiagoCat: (sounds interesting john. is it true?) THopeB: Gosh, Kelly'll know much more about those when she's the guest, but I know of one title that was one the LA bestseller list one stock market book that made a big splash this past spring. One author that we just had in a special chat (Lenor Chappell), who through plain old hustling and networking, landed a speaking gig on memoir writing at the George Lucas ranch. GA THopeB: Wait! JOHNMUNN6: (it is fiction, but based on real action./) THopeB: There is a section on the iU site...the Author Toolkit section, I believe, that is devoted to author success stories. GA HOST WRTR WYates: ? HOST WRTR WYates: WTYates... HOST WRTR WYates: I presume you can get to all this just by going to .iuniverse.com?/ THopeB: Yes, it's all there. But I think we have it in easier format here in the WC at keyword 'wcpress' It's all on one page there: FAQ's, copy of contract glossary, etc. One thing I want to say about the importance of having your book available through Ingram when a bookstore or individual can order through Ingram, you've got it made. When I worked in a bookstore as long as Ingram had it, we could order it for a customer, even if we didn't regularly stock it and this can come in handy if you're doing a book signing and need to order a quantity of books. GA Wrtermom: ? HarisonDar: ! HOST WRTR WYates: Wrtermom... Wrtermom: what happens to the bill for a quantity of books? THopeB: Mom, can you re-word? Wrtermom: does the author pay for a case of books or does the bookstore pay for a case of books? THopeB: I wouldn't order a case of books for a booksigning! I think what I had in mind was that the author would come into the book signing with a small quantity and then the customers could order individually from the store, if that quantity sold out. GA HOST WRTR WYates: HarisonDar... HarisonDar: I find it strange that shipping and handling come out of the authors 20% THopeB: Mom, let me save that question and get you a better answer. Wrtermom: ok, thanks THopeB: Harison, shipping and handling wasn't one of the things I refreshed my memory with today. I'll have to research that and e-mail you and Bill. GA HarisonDar: I just read it in the contract. Wrtermom: ? HOST WRTR WYates: Wrtermom... DiagoCat: ? Wrtermom: what shipping and handling? to the customer or to the author? HarisonDar: To anyone Wrtermom: that doesn't seem fair. JOHNMUNN6: ! HarisonDar: Author gets 20% minus shipping and handling HOST WRTR WYates: DiagoCat... DiagoCat: Do you determine the asking price of your book, or is it set by the publishers? If you set your own price, you could make sure it would cover shipping. THopeB: On all sales of printed copies of the WORK, the PUBLISHER will pay the AUTHOR a royalty equal to twenty percent (20%) of the payments the PUBLISHER actually receives from sales of printed copies of the WORK, less any shipping and handling charges, sales and use taxes, and returns. There, now I don't have to research that. :) Diago, I think you would work with your PSA to set...a HarisonDar: so why take it out of the authors money Wrtermom: I think that means we don't get 20% of the shipping, handling, tax, etc. THopeB: a price that made sense for your book. HOST WRTR WYates: JOHNMUNN6... JOHNMUNN6: You're getting into an area now that is a disadvantage for POD publishing. Whoever orders books pays shipping charges./ HOST WRTR WYates: (I think that language means that you get 20% of what the publisher get minus his expenses) THopeB: John, good point. And with traditional publishers the bookstore has already paid the shipping and handling on the book that you buy. Although....S/H comes in with online bookstores. GA JOHNMUNN6: ! DiagoCat: ! HOST WRTR WYates: JOHNMUNN6... HOST WRTR Foxy: ! HOST WRTR WYates: HOST WRTR Foxy... HOST WRTR Foxy: Order a book from Amazon or Barnes & Noble... who pays S&H? You do! JOHNMUNN6: Another problem is that if someone orders a book thru B & N say, they will have to pay the retail price plus shipping./ HarisonDar: You do but the Author doesn't! HOST WRTR WYates: DiagoCat... DiagoCat: That is still a much higher royalty rate than most publishers pay. John's book has a beautiful cover. (I peeked.) Did you do it John, or hire it done? THopeB: Harison, if the author wants to order copies of their book for book signings, review copies, etc.... then yes, they would have to pay S/H. There is a discount on authors' copies. GA JOHNMUNN6: (cat, the artists at iu did it from my suggestion at no cost!/) Wrtermom: ? THopeB: Diago, one thing I've noticed as I've looked through the iU bookstore (and believe me over the past year, I've looked at hundreds of covers) is that the covers, for the most part, are done really well. GA HOST WRTR WYates: May I offer a word of advice? Regardless of whether you go with POD, self-publishing, or regular, READ THE CONTRACT and understand what you're getting into. HOST WRTR WYates: Wrtermom... LAST QUESTION THopeB: (Bill, I agree!) HarisonDar: AMEN! Wrtermom: Tracey, have you published with IU? THopeB: Mom, no, I haven't. I'm one of those "oh, I'm researching.... Wrtermom: I see. THopeB: folks". I'll probably be researching till I'm 95. :/ GA HOST WRTR WYates: Thanks, Tracey! This was a great, informative, session! THopeB: Mom, haven't written anything to publish yet. :) GA DiagoCat: (join the club) THopeB: Bill, thanks! I hope I was able to shed a bit of light. HOST WRTR WYates: If anyone would like the CWW newsletter, let me know... Wrtermom: ah, ok, that was my next question. THopeB: And please check out keyword 'wcpress' for.... juuuuust about all the info in one place. JOHNMUNN6: Thanks, Tracey! HOST WRTR WYates: Peg, would you close for us? HOST WRTR Foxy: Our guest next week is Margaret Johnson who has published with iU. Be there. DiagoCat: Very informative. Thanks THopeB. THopeB: (Thanks Diago and everyone! It's been a real pleasure) HOST WRTR Foxy: Father, thank you for this evening's workshop, guests and for Tracey. Be with us as we go our separate ways. In Jesus' name, Amen." HOST WRTR WYates: AMEN! Wrtermom: amen, DiagoCat: Amen. Clay4by: Amen JOHNMUNN6: Amen! MJohn33000: Amen HOST WRTR WYates: Thanks, all, for a great time! Wrtermom: thanks Bill and Tracey HumngbrdDB: Amen THopeB: If I can help in any way, please drop me a line..... HOST WRTR Foxy: Thanks, Tracey!! Great job. THopeB: and thanks again to you all and Peg and Bill! Night all! |
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