Starting here, starting now: the basics of getting your book into print.This special summarizes tips and self-publishers. BIBR BIBR Bay Islands Beach Resort (Roatan, Honduras) BIBR Backward Indicator Bit Received has coveres the self-publishing phenomenon since the magazine launched nearly six years ago. We've run a Self-Publishing column by Victoria Christopher Murray in each issue, and we've highlighted practical advice in other features. To find earlier articles, see the BIBR index on our Web site: www.bibookreview.com, for specific topics and dates. You can purchase back issues of BIBR from the Web site or use the printed forms included in our back-issue advertisments (see page 57) in every issue. The Entrepreneurs New voices speak about the challenges and joys of doing it on their own. ARTIST DEMANDED QUALITY Poetry Art and Truth: A Picture and A Story, Gerome Meminger Sr. ABG ABG abbr. arterial blood gas ABG 1. Arterial blood gas 2. Axiobuccogingival–dentistry Publishing, January 2003 $24.99, ISBN ISBN abbr. International Standard Book Number ISBN International Standard Book Number ISBN n abbr (= International Standard Book Number) → ISBN m 0-972-57900-1 Meminger is retired from the military and lives in Hampton, Virginia Hampton is an independent city in Virginia, and therefore not part of any Virginia county. One of the Seven Cities of Hampton Roads, it is on the southeast end of the Virginia Peninsula, bordering on Hampton Roads and Chesapeake Bay. As of the 2000 U.S. . He frequently visited museums, and fine arts became his passion. Meminger taught himself to paint. His other creative side is poetry. Both art forms were merged into one book. "My publishing company, Art By Jerome Publishing Co. [ABG], was brought about because I am an artist who markets my own artwork. I'm an author, a poet, a writer, a manager and an agent. "I decided to self-publish, not so much to have full control of my project but to prohibit changes. I have the say-so with each book how it is promoted, when it is promoted, if it is promoted. "The biggest surprise [in self-publishing] was the cost. My book is a hardback, full color, glossy pages and larger format [seven and a half by ten and a half inches]. I didn't realize the material I chose was for a high-end book. Because I'm the artist and illustrator for my book, I couldn't afford for it not to have the top quality to show my artistic ability. "The greatest joys in publishing are having a person read some of my work and watching that person's eyes water with joy, because I struck a nerve. Or to have someone ask my opinion about something they would like to one day work on because they feel I am on the right track." NOVELIST DEVOTED 25 YEARS TO PROJECT Spirit Ran Free: At the Awakening Dawn of America by Forest Hairston ForGen Books, Spring 2004 $27.95, ISBN 1-574-79036-6 Hairston, 68, a songwriter, screenwriter and poet from West Virginia West Virginia, E central state of the United States. It is bordered by Pennsylvania and Maryland (N), Virginia (E and S), and Kentucky and, across the Ohio R., Ohio (W). Facts and Figures Area, 24,181 sq mi (62,629 sq km). Pop. , says going to his wife's family reunion Often an annual event, a family reunion takes place on a specified day each year for the purpose of keeping an extended family closer together. Some reunions may be held less often. in Mississippi blew his mind. "They were schoolteachers and lawyers from all over the country," he says. "I was first in my family to go to college. [In West Virginia] we were split up and did not know much about our heritage. My father-in-law could trace his heritage all the way back to Africa." Hairston's in-laws inspired his historical novel about the antebellum and post-Civil War South. He started writing the novel 25 years ago. ForGen is the combination of his first name, Forest, and his wife's, Genevieve. He says once he decided to self-publish his biggest challenge was finding the right printer. (See page 30 for more information about finding printers and other key publishing vendors.) "Spirit Ran Free was a long project, and publishing companies would not take it. We sent it to several companies. No one would take it, and I put it down. People who knew me and read the manuscript kept asking 'when is the book coming out?' I picked it back up in 1997. I self-published because I couldn't get a publisher. "The first printing was in paperback. People criticized us for not putting it in hardcover because of the content, A woman told me 'I've worn it out; I want to hand it down to my kids.' My wife told me, 'Forest, we've got to get a hard cover on this book.' Hardcovers are normally done in cloth. We found a printer who could do leather binding because I wanted file books to be exquisite. When we got the hard covers, everyone went crazy. "Of all the things I've done in my life, nothing is more exhilarating than doing the book yourself. My wife, Genevieve, and I did everything together. She was my greatest fan. She knows how women fed and gave me feedback. Genevieve designed the cover. My wife used to model--that's her posing on the cover in Los Angeles's Griffith Park Griffith Park is a large public park at the eastern end of the Santa Monica Mountains. It is situated in the Los Feliz neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. The park covers 4,210 acres (17 km²) of land, making it one of the largest urban parks in North America. , recreating a scene in the historical novel She's a cosmopolitan cos·mo·pol·i·tan adj. Growing or occurring in many parts of the world; widely distributed. n. A cosmopolitan organism. lady and her imagination got into it." URBAN PIONEER ATTACHES WARNING LABELS TO HIS WORK Platinum Dolls by Relentless Aaron Relentless Content, February 2000 $15., ISBN 0-967-05424-9 The Last Kingpin by Relentless Aaron Relentless Content, February 2004 $20, ISBN 0-967-05423-0 For the self-proclaimed "Father of Urban fiction," Aaron's appeal apparently is in his notoriety NOTORIETY, evidence. That which is generally known. 2. This notoriety is of fact or of law. In general, the notoriety of a fact is not sufficient to found a judgment or to rely on its truth; 1 Ohio Rep. and mystery. Before the nom de plume nom de plume n. pl. noms de plume See pen name. [French : nom, name + de, of + plume, pen. , what was Aaron's full birth name? Neither he nor a handful of Web sites celebrating his sex, violence and drug-soaked dramas are saying. His novels come with warning labels, "For Mature Audiences Only. Discretion is Advised." The publicity machine blares that the Mount Vernon Mount Vernon, estate, United States Mount Vernon, NE Va., overlooking the Potomac River near Alexandria, S of Washington, D.C.; home of George Washington from 1747 until his death in 1799. , New York-based author is back on the streets after six years in prison-- time spent constructively, promoters assure us. Relentlessly, Aaron has a half dozen books to his credit and vows to crank out crank 1 n. 1. A device for transmitting rotary motion, consisting of a handle or arm attached at right angles to a shaft. 2. A clever turn of speech; a verbal conceit: quips and cranks. 30 novels in three years, inspired by the stories he heard in prison and before that, his New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of street experiences. Relentless Aaron doesn't self-publish all by himself. The copyright pages of his books note an editor, two sales and marketing consultants, and a publicist pub·li·cist n. One who publicizes, especially a press or publicity agent. publicist Noun a person, such as a press agent or journalist, who publicizes something publicist . "The meaning of "Relentless Content" is in accordance with my first name (Relentless), in that I am a relentless spirit, going after what I want, following my vision, and taking others along for the ride. "I self-published because I wanted to retain the majority of my profits. The greatest joy in publishing is the absolute freedom of doing what I want, when I want and how I want. Who wants constraints? "I do everything nowadays. I have talent, experience and energy enough to work bookcovers, formatting, editing, marketing, publicity and distribution. I didn't mention proof-reading! (I'm still human!)" NEWSPAPER EDITOR NOW WANTS TO PUBLISH OTHERS I Saw Your Profile by Rhonda Swan SASS See SAS. Publishing, lnc., July 2004 $13.95, ISBN 0-974-26450-4 Rhonda Swan is a newspaper editor in Delaware and a mother of three. Before her novel I Saw Your Profile, she self-published Speaking My Mind ... in Poetic Verse in 2003. The name of her company is SASS. The first three letters are the first initials of her children, Seneca, Stephon and Amira. The last S is for the family name, Swan. "I self-published because I wanted control and I wanted to reap the greatest financial gain. The work is hard, very hard, but the rewards are worth it. When you go with a major publisher, they own the rights and determine how much you get paid up-front, your advance, and then you make a small amount over that, royalties. When you self-publish, you make all the decisions and one hundred percent of the profits. Of course, you also incur all the expenses, which is the downside Downside The dollar amount by which the market or a stock has the potential to fall. Notes: You might hear someone say that the downside on stock XYZ is $10. What that means is that the stock could fall by this amount if things got bad. . The amount of work involved after the book is finished didn't surprise me, necessarily, because I had done extensive research. But it is a challenge. You are not only the author and the publisher, but the publicist, the secretary, the person who must set up distribution, and send out boxes of books. Unless, of course, you can hire a staff to do these things "These Things" is an EP by She Wants Revenge, released in 2005 by Perfect Kiss, a subsidiary of Geffen Records. Music Video The music video stars Shirley Manson, lead singer of the band Garbage. Track Listing 1. "These Things [Radio Edit]" - 3:17 2. for you. "I hired a professional, freelance book editor who used to work for a major New York publishing house to edit my novel, and she was well worth the expense. I also contracted with a professional graphic artist to design my cover. I asked family and friends to read the novel as I was writing, and they gave me many helpful suggestions along the way. My publicist is a volunteer, but I will be hiring one soon. "Even if you go with a major publisher, there is only so much they are going to do to promote your book. So if you want it to move off the shelves, you must become very good at selling yourself and your product, something that I've had to learn to do. "Seeing my novel on bookstore shelves and watching people take it to the register and buy it is an awesome feeling. It's one thing to sell to family and friends who buy out of obligation, but to have strangers buy it is totally different. I also hope to publish other authors very soon." WRITER LEARNED FROM CRITICS Fire and Brimstone fire and brimstone n. 1. The punishment of hell. 2. Homiletic rhetoric describing or warning of the punishment of hell. Noun 1. by Laurinda D. Brown Creative Enterprises, Inc., March 2001 $14.95, ISBN 0-971-00190-1 Republished this year by Strebor Books Laurinda D. Brown is a full-time grant and policy writer who lives with her two daughters in Hampton Roads Hampton Roads, roadstead, 4 mi (6.4 km) long and 40 ft (12.2 m) deep, SE Va., through which the waters of the James, Nansemond, and Elizabeth rivers pass into Chesapeake Bay. , Virginia. She is a Memphis, Tennessee For the ancient Egyptian capital, see . Memphis is a city in the southwest corner of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. Memphis rises above the Mississippi River on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff just below the mouth of the Wolf River. , native and graduate of Howard University's English Department Noun 1. English department - the academic department responsible for teaching English and American literature department of English academic department - a division of a school that is responsible for a given subject . Brown turned her back on corporate America to complete a four-year labor of love that she entitled en·ti·tle tr.v. en·ti·tled, en·ti·tling, en·ti·tles 1. To give a name or title to. 2. To furnish with a right or claim to something: UnderCover. The publishing rights to Brown's books Fire and Brimstone (March 2004) and UnderCover (October 2004) have since been acquired by Strebor Books. "I self-published because [ had grown tired of the rejection letters A rejection letter is a form of communication, print or otherwise, indicating the refusal of assent (viz: rejection) of a recommended course. There are numerous types and subtypes of rejection letters. from agents and publishing houses. I knew there was a market for the type of fiction I was writing. "A surprise to me in publishing was the number of people that actually took the time to notice my errors. People are very critical of a writer wire hasn't taken the time to do a spell check or to proofread. I was slightly offended of·fend v. of·fend·ed, of·fend·ing, of·fends v.tr. 1. To cause displeasure, anger, resentment, or wounded feelings in. 2. at first, but I got over it quickly and took the constructive criticism to the next level. "The biggest challenge for me is never having enough money to promote myself adequately. There are so many creative things I'd like to do with my signings, but the money just isn't there. Running right along with that is the number of bookstores that have a total disregard for paying self-published writers. Being able to be a resource for people who are interested in writing books has been the greatest joy. "My best friend, Charlotte, is my right hand woman. She is the one who picked up the self-publishing book and read it after I put it down. I got tired of reading it, because I felt that I'd never finish and that it seemed to be just another obstacle for me in getting my book out. Her patience and her dedication to seeing those books in print have truly paid off. She did the proofing and editing. Charlotte also contacted typesetters, found reasonable printers, and even orchestrated or·ches·trate tr.v. or·ches·trat·ed, or·ches·trat·ing, or·ches·trates 1. To compose or arrange (music) for performance by an orchestra. 2. the cover designs. I found that you don't need five or six people running things to take a book from start to finish. She's found talents she didn't know she had, and I have found that my specialty is simply writing." BOOKS ON CREATING BOOKS The African American African American Multiculture A person having origins in any of the black racial groups of Africa. See Race. Writer's Handbook: How to Get in Print and Stay in Print by Robert Fleming Robert Fleming is the name of:
This is "a how-to primer with a hint of soul," writes Fleming, and his claim is credible. There are solid how-to instructions like other books, and his includes sections on the legacy of African American literature African American literature is the body of literature produced in the United States by writers of African descent. The genre traces its origins to the works of such late 18th century writers as Phillis Wheatley and Olaudah Equiano, reached early high points with slave narratives and author profiles of legendary authors. There is a section on self-publishing. The African-American Writer's Guide to Successful Self-Publishing: Marketing, Distribution, Publicity, the Internet ... Crafting and Selling Your Book by Takesha Powell, Amber Books, June 2004, $14.95, ISBN 0-972-75197-1 Powell, a former Jive/Intimacy magazine editor and self-published author, wrote,"If writing is your passion, I've detailed everything you need to know about the process of starting, finishing and selling your book." Powell offers a 10-step plan for successful writing and publishing. This book also lists African American bookstores, book publishers, distributors/wholesalers, black newspapers and editorial resources. How to Publish, Promote and Sell Your Own Book: The Insider's Guide to Everything You Need to Know About Self-Publishing, From Pasteup to Publicity by Robert Laurence Holt, St. Martin's St. Martin's or St. Martins may refer to:
Holt's book lives up to its billing as "the insider's guide to everything you need to know." The Self-Publishing Manual: How to Write, Print and Self Your Own Book (14th edition) by Dan Poynter Pard Publishing, August 2003 $19.95, ISBN 1-568-60088-7 The standard and popular book about self-publishing. Poynter is a tireless self-promoter, and he does workshops around the country. 1001 Ways to Market Your Books by John Kremer Open Horizons, May 2000 $27.95, ISBN 0-912-41148-1 This is an encyclopedia-like reference with numerous tips on how to get access to whole salers, bookstores, book reviewers and other important markets, such as libraries and schools. We Didn't Come Here ... to Play: How to Win the Publishing Game by Avalon Betts-Gaston, Naleighna Kai kai Noun NZ informal food [Maori] kai noun N.Z. (informal) food, grub (slang) provisions, fare, board, commons, eats (slang Dr. Trevy A. McDonald and J.L. Woodson Biblio Distribution, March 2003 $14.95, ISBN 0-970-26999-4 Four Chicago-area black authors take turns explaining the rules for the road in publishing. Betts-Gaston tells how to avoid costly mistakes, Woodson explains writing made easy, McDonald speaks on marketing, public relations public relations, activities and policies used to create public interest in a person, idea, product, institution, or business establishment. By its nature, public relations is devoted to serving particular interests by presenting them to the public in the most and collections, and Kai takes readers inside the mind of a traditional publishing house. --W.D. Just the FAQs In October 1992, August Press was established in order to write my book Black Journalists: The NABJ NABJ National Association of Black Journalists Story. Since then, I have published five other authors and I wrote my second book last year. Other authors often ask me for information on haw they can self-publish. Frequently Asked Questions About Self-Publishing How much will it cost to print the book? Get a handful of estimates from different printers, and then choose one that meets your needs and price tag. Printing fewer books drive up the cost per book; printing more books is cheaper, but are you sure you're going to move the books or have adequate storage space if you need more time? As an example, my printer in Michigan will charge about $6,000 to print 3,000 copies of a 200-page soft-cover book. Other printers have quoted $8,000 to $10,000 on the same volume. Will I need an editor? Why of course. Everyone needs an editor-even accomplished, gifted writers. There are people who are reluctant to work with editors because they are people "who are going change what I write." Editors are not there to change your ideas, they are essential to help you write clean, clear text. At least one editor should edit the manuscript and make sure the content is grammatically correct and words and chapters are well organized. After that, the same editor or another editor should proofread the manuscript and correct typos, grammatical errors and misspelled words. A suggestion: When a manuscript is about to go to press, invite a handful of colleagues to proofread your manuscript. Additional, fresh eyes will catch mistakes. Do I need a lawyer to copyright my book? No. Complete the application yourself and pay the nominal fee. Don't copyright your work until you're ready to publish. (See "Self-Publishing, Step-by-Step," page 31, for information about the copyright application.) Who designs the cover?. Hire a professional artist to design your cover. Choose your artist carefully. Remember, the front and back cover invites readers to come inside and read, so make sure the cover presentation meets-or exceeds-your expectations. How do I get my book into Barnes & Noble, Borders and Wal-Mart? Distribution, distribution, distribution. You must find avenues that will move your books. Ingrain in·grain tr.v. in·grained, in·grain·ing, in·grains 1. To fix deeply or indelibly, as in the mind: is the nation's largest wholesaler, Baker & Taylor is second. There are many smaller wholesalers that work with small and self-publishers. Wholesalers require 50, 55 or even 60 percent of the retail price. That's a hefty chunk, but remember that bookstores prefer to order from wholesalers because the stores can return unsold books for refunds. If you sell directly to bookstores, their cut is 40 percent. How do I promote my book? Be prepared to spend money on advertising, whether it is trade magazines or consumer publications like this one. Your advertising dollars are an investment. You have to keep your book in front of as many eyes Many Eyes is an IBM project and website whose stated goal is to democratize information and to enable social data analysis ("social" in the sense of Web 2.0), by making it easy for laypeople to create, edit, share and discuss each other's visualizations. as possible, or it will get lost in the tens of thousands of new titles released every year. Postcard announcements of your book are also useful. Consider this too: Contracting a publicist. Marketing and promoting your book should be constant. Should I have a Web site? Yes. With an online presence, customers, bookstores, libraries and others can find you, or you can direct traffic to the site. The Internet offers opportunities to fulfill orders online. Get your books listed on Amazon.com. The company's rule is once your book is in print, and you are able to fulfill customer orders, you can fist. There are also other online book services where you can list your book. For more information about August Press, log on to: www.augustpress.net. Self-Publishing, Step-by-Step Here is my checklist of the essentials to become a credible self-publisher prepared for success: * Register your company name with the local government, city or county. This is a "fictitious name Noun 1. fictitious name - (law) a name under which a corporation conducts business that is not the legal name of the corporation as shown in its articles of incorporation DBA, Doing Business As, assumed name " or "doing business as" name. "August Press," for example, is a fictitious name. * Open a separate Dank account for your publishing company. Do not comingle household money with business money. * Obtain a Federal ID number from the Internal Revenue Service. Use your Social Security Number for your personal and family matters; use your federal ID number for your publishing business. * Depending on what state you live in, find out from an accountant whether it is in your interest to incorporate your business. * Get a post office box. Correspondence and bills can go to the box. Retain the street address for receiving and sending UPS and FedEx packages. * Write to the Library of Congress to get a Catalog catalog, descriptive list, on cards or in a book, of the contents of a library. Assurbanipal's library at Nineveh was cataloged on shelves of slate. The first known subject catalog was compiled by Callimachus at the Alexandrian Library in the 3d cent. B.C. Card Number, when you are ready to produce the manuscript into a book. This data goes on the copyright page of your book, NOTE: Because of 9/11 and the anthrax anthrax (ăn`thrăks), acute infectious disease of animals that can be secondarily transmitted to humans. It is caused by a bacterium (Bacillus anthracis scare, the Library of Congress requires applicants to complete their requests online. Another FYI "For your information." See digispeak. FYI - For Your Information , the online application reads PCs only, not Mac computers, * Write to Bowker Publishing (www.bowker.com) to purchase a set of International Standard Book Numbers (ISBN), a unique 10-digit number that identifies one title or edition of a title. No credible publisher can operate without them. Booksellers. librarians and wholesalers use ISBNs to find books, anywhere in America or the world. At the same time, order a bar code symbol to place on the back cover of your book so retailers and wholesalers can scan the price or keep track of inventory. * Copyright your work by sending a complete copy of the manuscript to the Library of Congress. You can fill out an application online (form TX, cost $30). It takes at least four months to receive the copyright certificate, so give yourself time. --W.D. A FEW GOOD SOURCES You don't have to do it all by yourself. Here are some associations and companies that help author-publishers and offer online assistance. Black Americans in Publishing, P.O. Box 6275, New York, NY 10150, www.baip.org A nonprofit A corporation or an association that conducts business for the benefit of the general public without shareholders and without a profit motive. Nonprofits are also called not-for-profit corporations. Nonprofit corporations are created according to state law. , volunteer organization, it provides networking, mentorship and educational activities for black professionals and aspirants in the publishing industry. iUniverse 2021 Pine lake Pine Lake may refer to: Places Canada
PMA PMA (papillary-marginal-attached), n a system of epidemiologic scoring of periodontal disease devised by Schour and Massler in which the symbols denote the areas involved in gingival inflammation. PMA Progressive muscular atrophy , Publishers Marketing Association, 627 Aviation Way, Manhattan Beach Manhattan Beach, city (1990 pop. 32,063), Los Angeles co., S Calif., on Santa Monica Bay; inc. 1912. It is a residential and beach community with an oil refinery and nearby factories that produce transportation and electrical equipment, computers, and pottery. , CA 90266, www.pma online.org A trade association of nearly 4,000 independent publishers, it provides cooperative marketing programs, education and advocacy for its members. Other Noteworthy Self-Pub Titles A Handbook for Teachers of African American Children by Baruti K. Kafele Baruti Publishing, 2004, $15., ISBN 0-962-93694-4 An award-winning educator offers strategies and suggestions that his fellow teachers can use toward helping their students reach their full potential. Investing Success; How to Conquer 30 Costly Mistakes and Multiply Your Wealth! by Lynnette Khelfani Advantage World Press, 2004, $24.95 ISBN 1-932-45050-5 A former Wall Street Journal reporter for CNBC CNBC Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition (artificial intelligence) CNBC Consumer News and Business Channel CNBC Congress of National Black Churches, Inc. offers strategies to meet financial goals and tips on how to avoid buying blunders. The Man Who Invented Rock 'n Roll: A Novel by Warren B. Burdine Bird in Flight Publications, 2004, $14.95 ISBN 0-972-67770-4 Burdine, a professor of literature and drama at Pratt Institute Pratt Institute, at Brooklyn, N.Y.; coeducational; chartered and opened 1887. Founded by Charles Pratt as a school for practical training, it now offers general and professional studies, including programs in fine arts, art education, art history, library and , "gives the black originators of rock 'n' roll rock 'n' roll: see rock music. their due." |
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