| When I went to publish my book, Planting Design | | | | Self-Publishing Success Step #3: Recognize the Type |
| Illustrated, I received lots of interest from traditional | | | | of Book You Are Publishing |
| publishers. But they wanted to make a lot of changes | | | | You should be realistic about the type of book you |
| including adding a co-author. These were changes | | | | are writing, and the type of publishing you are doing. |
| that would have made me dislike my own book! | | | | If you are self-publishing your book (regardless of |
| So, I turned to self-publishing. At the time, making a | | | | whether you are doing it yourself or through the |
| lot of money was not at the top of my priorities. I | | | | publishing services of a POD company like I did), don't |
| simply wanted to publish my own book, my own | | | | try to force your book to be something that it's not. |
| way. | | | | Your book is not a mass-market paperback like |
| Now that I have self-published my first books, things | | | | those you find in a grocery store. Nor is it the latest |
| have changed. | | | | hardback, discounted 80%, like those you find at |
| Yes, I still want to have full control and yes I want | | | | Costco. As a self-publishing author, both of those |
| keep all of my rights to the book. But now the | | | | scenarios are too risky, and to be frank, you |
| royalty checks have become a top priority, especially | | | | probably don't possess the means to take on that |
| with the economic climate that we're in. That's why, | | | | kind of risk. |
| when I self published my second book, LEED | | | | So why try? |
| (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) AP | | | | Self-publishing authors publish trade paperback and |
| Exam Guide with Outskirts Press (a print on demand | | | | hardback books that can be available regionally |
| publisher), I took a different approach. | | | | (perhaps), locally (probably), and online (definitely). |
| My book had the benefit of being published at the | | | | Self-Publishing Success Step 4: Price Your Book |
| right time, at the right price. I earned over $30,000 in | | | | Appropriately |
| royalties ($31,207.68, to be precise) in one month. I | | | | No, this does not mean you should simply make your |
| earned even more the next month. Within six | | | | book as affordable as possible. It means you should |
| months I had earned over $110,000! | | | | complete market research to determine the prices of |
| Here Are The 5 Steps I Took When I Self-Published | | | | similar books in your category. Look on for similar |
| My Second Book... | | | | books (you'll need to be aware of these books |
| Self-Publishing Success Step #1: Write a Valuable | | | | anyway, when it comes to marketing yours). |
| Book | | | | Examine their page count and price point. |
| This step is easily overlooked, but it is Number One | | | | Now, make an honest assessment of your book in |
| on this list for a reason. Your book must provide | | | | relation to the other books in your category. Does |
| some sort of value or benefit for the reader. In my | | | | your content justify a higher price? Does your page |
| case, my books are non-fiction and leaders in their | | | | count suggest a lower price? Your method of |
| niche. LEED is currently revolutionizing the | | | | publishing should be considered but should not play a |
| construction industry. In fact, I earn the lion's share | | | | definitive role in the price of your book. The |
| of my royalties from my LEED AP Exam Guide, | | | | marketplace should. |
| which provides a mock exam, study guides, and | | | | It doesn't matter where you publish your book if no |
| sample questions for the LEED AP Exam. It is | | | | one is buying it. |
| invaluable for those wanting to obtain the title of | | | | Self-Publishing Success Step 5: Publish Your Book |
| "LEED AP (Accredited Professional). | | | | Wisely |
| I don't think I'm saying anything revolutionary when I | | | | When I chose my POD publisher for my second |
| say that publishing non-fiction is an easier proposition | | | | book, I was not considering how much my royalties |
| on the self-publishing front than fiction. But even | | | | were going to be. That only became important to |
| fiction books are valuable if they provide the type of | | | | me after the book was published. But they say |
| "escape" your reader is seeking. Whether you write | | | | hindsight is 20-20, so I'm going to share with you one |
| non-fiction, fiction, poetry, or something else entirely, | | | | of the main reasons my royalties are so high. The |
| the book must deliver on its promise. You might do | | | | publisher I chose, Outskirts Press, pays me 100% of |
| everything else on this list, and you might even find | | | | the profits of the book and lets me set my own |
| some short-lived success, but ultimately, the success | | | | pricing. iUniverse pays 20% of the profit. Xlibris pays |
| of your book comes down to how valuable your | | | | 10% of the retail price. But by paying 100% of the |
| book is to its readers. | | | | profit, Outskirts Press allowed me to set the retail |
| Self-Publishing Success Step #2: Identify Your Target | | | | price to whatever I wanted, and now I earn the |
| Audience | | | | entire benefit of increasing my price. |
| Who is your reader? If your answer is "everybody" | | | | Here's another way to look at it: If I had published |
| you need to reevaluate your goals and recalibrate | | | | my same exact book with iUniverse at the same |
| your expectations. In fact, the smaller your audience, | | | | exact retail price, instead of earning $31,207.68, I |
| the more success you will find. Look at my books: | | | | would have earned approximately $5,300. If I had |
| Planting Design Illustrated and LEED AP Exam. That | | | | published my same book with Xlibris, I would have |
| small, target audience is precisely the reason my | | | | earned approximately $4,600. Yes, without knowing |
| books are well-known in the proper circles. | | | | any better, I would have still considered myself a |
| Do I care that someone who reads Harry Potter has | | | | successful self- published author, but probably not |
| never heard of me? No. Is it incredibly important to | | | | enough to write this article. |
| me that students and professionals in the field of | | | | As you can see, self-publishing is working for me. I've |
| green building design and construction have heard of | | | | made over $111,000 in six months. My royalties are |
| me? Yes. | | | | increasing every month and I'm working on my third |
| Who do you think it is easier to find and market | | | | book, which I will also publish with Outskirts Press. If |
| to—a person who reads Harry Potter, or a | | | | hindsight is indeed 20-20, I can only imagine what my |
| student/professional in the field of green building | | | | royalties will be for book #3! |
| design and construction? Exactly! Remember, the | | | | If you follow the steps above, you too can be on |
| smaller your pond, the bigger your fish. | | | | your way to earning $30,000 a month self-publishing! |