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3 Solid Reasons Why Small Books Sell Better than Big Books

3 solid reasons why small books sell better than big books ... one of which even James Patterson openly agrees with

3 solid reasons why small books sell better than big books … one of which even James Patterson openly agrees with

How long should a book be in order to be considered a legitimate book by readers? 30,000 words? 60,000 words? 90,000 words? Even more? How many chapters long should it be? 10, 15, or more? Which old wives’ tale has you filling your manuscript with extra (not necessarily useful) information just to meet someone else’s theoretical and unsubstantiated recipe for success? Here are 3 solid reasons why small books sell better than big books … one that even mainstream author James Patterson openly agrees with.

3 Solid Reasons Why Small Books Sell Better than Big Books

With non-fiction books of any kind, your number one priority is to understand your readers’ question/problem, and then answer/resolve it for them as clearly and simply as possible. Where fiction and poetry are concerned, you want to entertain readers and help them escape from reality for a while.

No matter what kind of book, the trick is to stop people running through their busy lives and pay attention to your message. In this day and age filled with distractions in every direction, brevity is your key to success.

Reason 1: You’ll Appeal to a New Audience of Non-Readers

Even mainstream thriller author, James Patterson, has jumped on this band wagon with his BookShots line. His reason for publishing small books is discussed in Alexandra Alter’s New York Times article titled “James Patterson Has a Big Plan for Small Books.” It’s all about appealing to a new audience of non-readers.

…Mr. Patterson is after an even bigger audience. He wants to sell books to people who have abandoned reading for television, video games, movies and social media.

So how do you sell books to somebody who doesn’t normally read?

Mr. Patterson’s plan: make them shorter, cheaper, more plot-driven and more widely available.

…He aims to release two to four books a month through Little, Brown, his publisher. All of the titles will be shorter than 150 pages, the length of a novella. (Alter, 2016)

I suspect Mr. Patterson knows another great reason for releasing multiple small books every month. One of the greatest keys to success for any author today is this: prolific publishing.

Reason 2: You’ll Improve Your Author Ranking Online

There is a form of book sales and marketing, known as “rapid release” publishing, that many of today’s independent authors are using to sell literally thousands of books every year. This system utilizes the power of SEO to organically increase your author ranking on ecommerce sites like Amazon in much the same way businesses increase their website ranking on search engines such as Google.

Some of these authors are earning six-figure incomes from their ebook sales alone. Many of them use this program to sell multiple fictional novels in a series, much like James Patterson is doing.

In my research, I’ve found that non-fiction authors are also great candidates for this form of book publishing. Why? Because of your diverse demographics (e.g., seniors, adults, teenagers, children, males, females, et cetera) and the varied subject matter you can cover within your respective industries.

Here are just a few examples:

  • Caterers can recommend different types of foods (e.g., canapés, fruit appetizers, vegetable appetizers, hors d’oeuvres, kebabs, deep fried appetizers, et cetera) for all types of events.
  • Health and fitness entrepreneurs can write endless non-fiction copy about different muscle groups, exercises, food groups, diets, et cetera.
  • Interior decorators can make countless recommendations about floor plans, lighting, artwork, framing, Regency, Georgian, et cetera.
  • Hairdressing professionals can cover long hair, short styles, curls, braids, updos, colours, et cetera.
  • Online and distance educators can repurpose weeks of lesson plans for do-it-yourselfers who prefer a more solitary learning environment. Turn your lesson plans into ebooks or audiobooks for sale online.
  • Automotive service technicians can advise readers on vehicle maintenance and repair for all kinds of different makes and models, various automotive parts and how they work, et cetera.

The list goes on and on. The possibilities are endless for business owners who wish to publish non-fiction books to expand your client bases.

Reason 3: You’ll Open Up More Cost-Effective Printing Options

Authors who wish to sell physical books through local retailers have to factor each retailer’s profit share into your manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP). Retailers and wholesalers buy publishers’ books at steep discounts in order to turn their own profits. They also expect your title to be marked as “returnable” (for a full refund) in case it doesn’t sell.

For professionals who sell books and merchandise at speaking events, printing costs are par for the course. Large print runs may save you on a cost-per-unit basis, but what you save in printing you end up paying in storage fees.

All things considered, it’s easier and more cost-effective to mass-produce smaller books, particularly when you stick with standard book sizes. For example, does your book have to be a perfect bound paperback? Or, have you considered a square-backed saddle stitch before? Sometimes, the latter option not only makes more sense; it can save you production time and money. The right printer will be able to recommend various options to you.

How About a Picture Book?

No time to write? Or simply don’t enjoy writing?

Children aren’t the only ones who can enjoy a picture book. Picture books containing “how-to” illustrations or graphics throughout (e.g., exercise routines, hair styling techniques, before and after automotive repair examples, et cetera) can be very helpful to adult learners.

It’s time to change your thinking on what constitutes a legitimate book, a useful book. The way the world reads is changing, and the way books are written and published is changing along with it.

You might consider syndicating this content on your own blog. If you do, make sure to attribute the original source so neither of us gets dinged on the SEO front. You can do that by including this line at the bottom of the article: This content first appeared on the PPG Publisher’s Blog and has been republished here with permission.
As a user of this website, you are authorized only to view, copy, print, and distribute the documents on this website so long as: one (1) the document is used for informational purposes only; and two (2) any copy of the document (or portion thereof) includes the following copyright notice: Copyright © 2019 Polished Publishing Group (PPG). All rights reserved.




The Importance of Diversification

The Importance of Diversification

The Importance of Diversification

Yesterday, I had a sobering telephone conversation with a prospect I called from my day job as an outside-sales-turned-inside-sales print consultant. That’s when I truly learned the importance of diversification.

He’s in the tourism industry. I recently started calling people in the tourism industry, offering them polycarbonate barriers and social distancing signage/supplies as they slowly reopen for business. This man was kind and gentle, but his view of the future was grim. He said, “Everyone is talking about how Alberta needs to diversify and stop focusing so much on oil and gas, which is true. But nobody in Banff realized the importance of diversification for us—becoming more than just a tourism town—until the day came when we had to lay off 85% of our workforce.”

One town. 85% of its workforce shut down due to this pandemic.

The Importance of Diversification

I’m one of the lucky ones. I remain the same workaholic I’ve been for the past several years—working seven days per week at full-time and part-time jobs while running my book publishing company. I’ve never been more grateful to have the continued privilege to work this hard.

Why do I have all these jobs? Well, as those closest to me are aware, I took around risk three years ago. I knowingly, purposefully went to the edge of the proverbial cliff. But before I could jump or fly or do anything of the sort, that cliff crumbled out from under me. I’ve been climbing back up ever since. My choice. I own it. Zero regrets about it. Learned a lot. Life goes on.

That fall forced me to find two jobs to supplement my book publishing business. Ever since then, I’ve worked weekends at London Drugs. And I work weekdays at Mountain View Printing. I’m fully diversified with these two “offline” jobs and my “online” book publishing work. So, I feel safer than most people feel right now. But that wasn’t always the case.

Forced Shut-Down

I remember the first day, back in March, when we were all told to stay home by our government. I felt shell-shocked. As a salesperson who is accustomed to driving all over the city, cold calling, and meeting in person with clients, I sat there with my phone in my hand, wondering how in the hell to make myself relevant. I can’t deliver anything. I can’t meet with anyone. And it’s socially unacceptable to try to sell anything right now. What am I supposed to do here? I felt scared.

I was unsure what to do, so I just started calling and emailing my clients to say, “Hey, I hope you’re okay. There’s another human being on the other side of this call who is going through this with you. I’m here if you want to talk.” The first day I did that, I received six replies saying, “THANK YOU. I NEEDED THAT.” That’s when I knew I was on the right track.

I’ve made anywhere from 35 to 50 phone calls and emails per day, every single day, since then. Thank God I have employers who immediately saw the value in that—and continue to see the value in me, my character, and my loyalty to both them and my customers. The owners of Mountain View Printing have had stresses of their own to deal with, but they’ve continued to show such patience with their staff. I have so much respect for them and appreciate that they’ve allowed me to blow off steam by sharing in the occasional social media comment/discussion in between calls. That’s how I manage stress; I exercise my brain by thinking out loud and debating with people.

We All Handle Stress Differently

My other job, at London Drugs, has taught me some interesting things about human nature. If you would have told me, three months ago, that I would one day be thanked and called a hero for showing up to work to ring through people’s toilet paper purchases, I would have laughed and called you nuts. But I get thanked and called a hero at least three times per weekend now. It’s downright bizarre.

What’s even more bizarre is all the different ways that people are handling this forced shut-down. I’ve seen people wearing full-on helmets with plastic facemasks standing two meters away from someone in flip flops and shorts. Some wear gloves. Others don’t. Some people are terrified. Others think the whole thing is ridiculous. Every single one of them thanks me for being there for them—which is laughable considering that, just three months ago, many of them were downright rude to retail people. They saw us as somehow below them. Now we’re all gods and goddesses to them. It’s so bizarre.

To those of you who have felt afraid for your health, I have compassion for you. I also ask that you have compassion for the people around you in these stores. Some of you have yelled at other people for not standing far enough away from you. You’ve criticized the clerks in front of you for not wearing masks, or not changing their gloves after every damn order, et cetera. STOP! Please understand that some of the people who are working there are just as afraid as you are, but they must be there. They don’t have a choice because that job is their only livelihood. You, on the other hand, have a choice. You don’t have to be there. So, if you’re that bothered by what you see around you, please leave.

London Drugs is a phenomenal employer and retailer that has been so patient with both staff and customers during this entire time. This company does its best to accommodate everyone while respecting the protocols the government has set forth for everyone.

Respecting Government Protocols

As for me, I have also done my best to respect these protocols … even though I have questioned most of them right from day one, and still do. I personally agree with Sweden’s handling of this coronavirus. Still, for the past three months, I’ve done nothing but go to work, come home, work from home, go to work, come home, work from home. I buy as many of my groceries from London Drugs as I can to avoid going into the large grocery stores too often. I wear gloves when I’m serving customers, and I spray hand sanitizer on those gloves quite often each hour. I don’t wear a mask. We couldn’t get them for such a long time that we learned how to manage at London Drugs without them. We have those polycarbonate barriers up between us and customers, anyway, so I hope that makes people feel safer.

What I’ve truly learned from this whole pandemic is the importance of diversification. Thank God I’m fully diversified in all that I do. I wear many hats—both online and offline—so I’ll always have work. I never realized just how lucky I am until I talked to that gentleman in Banff yesterday. He’s genuinely frightened for his family’s future.

You might consider syndicating this content on your own blog. If you do, make sure to attribute the original source so neither of us gets dinged on the SEO front. You can do that by including this line at the bottom of the article: This content first appeared on the PPG Publisher’s Blog and has been republished here with permission.
As a user of this website, you are authorized only to view, copy, print, and distribute the documents on this website so long as: one (1) the document is used for informational purposes only; and two (2) any copy of the document (or portion thereof) includes the following copyright notice: Copyright © 2020 Polished Publishing Group (PPG). All rights reserved.




How do I get paid online?

I love all the questions that are being emailed to me by new subscribers, lately. Thank you. One recent question that I want to answer this evening is, “How do I get paid online?” Well, it all depends on which ecommerce site you’re selling digital content through. They are all free of charge to set up. But some companies will send payments directly to your bank account while others will pay you through PayPal.

How do I get paid online by Amazon, Kobo, and Ingram?

How do I get paid online for personal book sales?

You can see, in the above picture, that my books sell through various Amazon sites: Canada, USA, Germany, India, Australia, et cetera. You can also see that Amazon collects payments from each country in that country’s currency. Three months later, it converts that currency into Canadian dollars before depositing it directly into my Canadian bank account. The all happens automatically each month. I don’t have to do anything. I just get paid whenever books sell.

In the free book I give you when you subscribe to this blog, I explain which website link you can visit to set up your Amazon account and start publishing books. When you set up that account, you will also be directed to provide your bank account information to Amazon. It’s quite easy and safe to do, and Amazon gives easy instructions to follow. Then, from that point forward, you’ll get paid for your books wherever they sell throughout the world. Best of all, Amazon will pay you in your country’s currency.

Kobo and Ingram Content Group pay me the exact same way as Amazon pays me. I provided bank account information to each of them when I set up my publishing accounts. And now? They automatically pay me royalties based on however many book sales I make in all the countries they sell in around the world.

How do I get paid online as an affiliate marketer?

Book royalties are only part of the income I earn online. In addition to selling ebooks through Amazon and Kobo, and paperback books through Ingram, I also sell online courses through Udemy. I sell my own personally-designed course titled Self-Publishing Success in Bookstores and Online!, and I earn affiliate income by selling other people’s courses through my website.

How do I get paid online for affiliate marketing?

Udemy, and many other affiliate marketing sites, offer you the option of being paid via PayPal rather than through your regular bank account. This makes account set-up a lot faster if you already have a PayPal account. If you don’t have a PayPal account yet, then you can set one up for free. It will take a few days to establish the account before you can start using it.

Click on this link to view our online course selections related to affiliate marketing: Earn Additional Passive Online Income as an Affiliate Marketer

I have a business PayPal account that is attached to my business bank account and credit card. When I get paid affiliate marketing commissions, I can keep that money in my PayPal account. Or, if I choose, I can transfer it to my regular bank account.

Much like Amazon, PayPal will figure out currency conversion for you. This makes it easy to buy and sell all around the world. How wonderful is that?

How do I get paid online for monetizing my blog?

You may have noticed that, at the bottom of every webpage and blog post on this website, there is an advertisement that looks something like this:

Google AdSense advertisements

Google AdSense advertisements

That’s a Google AdSense advertisement. In this mini ebook, I talk about how you can direct more traffic to your website using pay-per-click (PPC) advertising. Better yet, you can earn money on your website through other people’s PPC ads by setting up a Google Adsense account for yourself.

How does this work? Well, the above ad was paid by someone else and placed on my website by Google. Whenever someone visits my website and clicks on any of these ads, I earn a small portion of the money that advertiser paid to place it there; it is paid to me by Google like a form of commission off the sale.

Google Adsense is another easy way to monetize a website and get paid online. Google pays me directly to my bank account like Amazon does. There is no PayPal option here.

So Many Ways to Get Paid Online

You can set up so many different income streams for yourself online. Once they are set up and attached to either your bank account or your PayPal account, then all you must do is drive traffic to the website(s) where you sell books and whatever else. Promote these things online then watch them sell. That’s all you have to do. And the payments will take care of themselves for you just as they now do for me.

You might consider syndicating this content on your own blog. If you do, make sure to attribute the original source so neither of us gets dinged on the SEO front. You can do that by including this line at the bottom of the article: This content first appeared on the PPG Publisher’s Blog and has been republished here with permission.
As a user of this website, you are authorized only to view, copy, print, and distribute the documents on this website so long as: one (1) the document is used for informational purposes only; and two (2) any copy of the document (or portion thereof) includes the following copyright notice: Copyright © 2020 Polished Publishing Group (PPG). All rights reserved.




This book will be free on Kobo from May 1 to 5, 2020

In this free book, I touched briefly on the power of email marketing to help you sell more books. And I recommended picking up a copy of these three books for more details about how exactly email marketing works. I’ve since decided to combine the trilogy into one book titled The Author’s Holy Trinity of Wealth: ACTION * THOUGHT * FAITH. And this single book will be free on Kobo from May 1 to 5, 2020, so you can pick up your own copy at no cost.

The Author's Holy Trinity of Wealth

The Author’s Holy Trinity of Wealth

This book will be free on Kobo from May 1 to 5, 2020

Early last week, on April 19, I wrote a blog post containing some ideas to help you earn money now. I provided links to three freelance websites where you can create a profile to offer your services to other people around the world. I also told you I would pay you an additional $5 (CAD) for every ten copies of the above book you sell through Amazon on my behalf. Well, I’ve since decided that the best way for you to see the true value of this offer is to give you a copy of this book for free—to let you read it and decide for yourself if it’s worth selling.

This book will be free on Kobo from May 1 to 5, 2020

This book will be free on Kobo from May 1 to 5, 2020

I can tell you that I gain an average of 250 new blog subscribers each week by following the exact instructions I provide in this book. I believe in what I’m saying. Because I’ve seen it work for others. And I’ve experienced this success firsthand, too.

Make sure you pick up your copy and read it soon. Then write and post a review of it online or send me an email to let me know your thoughts and opinions. If you like it, make sure you become an Amazon affiliate marketer and start selling it to others. Help me spread the word.

You might consider syndicating this content on your own blog. If you do, make sure to attribute the original source so neither of us gets dinged on the SEO front. You can do that by including this line at the bottom of the article: This content first appeared on the PPG Publisher’s Blog and has been republished here with permission.
As a user of this website, you are authorized only to view, copy, print, and distribute the documents on this website so long as: one (1) the document is used for informational purposes only; and two (2) any copy of the document (or portion thereof) includes the following copyright notice: Copyright © 2020 Polished Publishing Group (PPG). All rights reserved.




How can I earn money NOW?

How can I earn money NOW?

How can I earn money NOW?

My subscribers have probably noticed a decrease in my blog posts over the last while. I’ve sat down to write so many times, and then I’ve stopped. I’ve felt as paralyzed and shocked by this pandemic situation, at times, as I’m sure you have. It seems to have stolen away my ambition to update this blog on a weekly basis as I should be doing.

Over the past two weeks, I’ve received a couple of emails from new subscribers that have deeply touched my heart. These people thanked me for the free information they received on how to earn money over time by writing books. But they each asked me, “How can I earn money NOW? I need money NOW.” Suddenly, I realized the serious situation we’re all in here.

Every night, I’ve asked myself, “How can I help them NOW?” I don’t have all the answers, but I have a few ideas that I hope you can use to your advantage.

How can I earn money NOW?

Since we’re all being asked to follow social distancing protocols right now, our best place to earn money is online. In the free book I emailed you, there are links to freelancing websites such as Upwork.com, Guru.com, and Fiverr.com. I mentioned that you can use these sites to find freelance editors, graphic designers, et cetera, to help you polish the books you’re writing.

Well, what if you become one of those freelancers yourself? You can set up an account on one or more of these websites and offer your services to people all over the world. Can you write for them? Maybe you’re an editor or graphic designer? Or are you willing to review other authors’ books for them? These are all services that you can offer on these websites to start earning money now.

I’ll Pay You to Help Me Sell My Book

I send all my new subscribers an email that specifically addresses how you can earn money as an affiliate marketer. Essentially, you can start by selling other people’s books while you build your own author business on the side. This is a great way to earn income until your own book royalties kick in.

Click on this link to view our online course selections related to affiliate marketing: Earn Additional Passive Online Income as an Affiliate Marketer

The issue with affiliate marketing is that it can take a while for payments to come through. It can be anywhere from one month to three months before the merchant you’re selling through sends a commission to your bank account.

So, here’s my offer to you: if you will help me to sell this book, then I’ll pay you a commission on top of the affiliate marketing fee you earn from selling it. As an affiliate marketer, you have no upfront costs whatsoever. All you need to do is set up your account then post the book on your social media for sale.

For every ten copies you sell, I’ll send you $5 (CAD) through PayPal. Before I pay you, I’ll need to see proof of these sales that I can verify by comparing them to my own Amazon sales reports. I won’t receive my own Amazon commissions for these sales for three months. But that’s okay. I’ll still pay you within two business days of verifying the sales you send me.

I hope this helps us both to come through this challenging time by earning some extra income on the side. Wherever you are, I wish you well. I pray our shared world will be an even better place in the near future than it ever was in the past.

P.S. Feel free to share this blog post with your friends. Help them to earn some money now, too.

You might consider syndicating this content on your own blog. If you do, make sure to attribute the original source so neither of us gets dinged on the SEO front. You can do that by including this line at the bottom of the article: This content first appeared on the PPG Publisher’s Blog and has been republished here with permission.
As a user of this website, you are authorized only to view, copy, print, and distribute the documents on this website so long as: one (1) the document is used for informational purposes only; and two (2) any copy of the document (or portion thereof) includes the following copyright notice: Copyright © 2020 Polished Publishing Group (PPG). All rights reserved.




Why does your non-fiction book need an index?

Why does your non-fiction book need an index? Non-fiction readers expect to find an index in the back of your book. They also expect your information to be completely accurate. You can hire fact checkers and indexers through PPG to help you accomplish this.

Why does your non-fiction book need an index?

Why does your non-fiction book need an index?

So, what exactly is an index? Why would anyone look for one at the back of your book if it already has a table of contents at the beginning? Tia Leschke (2010) explained it perfectly with this comment, “A good index is a roadmap to information. It leads readers to all the information on a particular subject, and it also leads readers to related information that might interest them.”

Why does your non-fiction book need an index?

A non-fiction book’s table of contents can direct readers to whole sections of a book where they might find a particular topic of interest. An alphabetized index takes it a step further. It allows readers to pinpoint the exact pages within the book where specific names or terms can be located. For example, an author might want to refer back to a specific detail in a book that discusses “print-on-demand (POD)” technology, but he or she may not recall exactly which page that detail is on. The quickest way to find it is by referring to the index at the back of the book where all the possible pages are indicated together in one place beside that term.

Indexes in Ebooks?

With ebooks, usually the index isn’t even shown as part of the “Look inside” feature on an online store. So, the lack thereof wouldn’t prevent someone from buying the ebook. That said, readers who read your ebook in the past may want to review it again in the future. Perhaps, there is a certain name, phrase, or event they want to reference again. But they can’t quite recall the word(s) they’re looking for. This is the perfect example of a time when they will refer to the index to trigger their memory. Case in point, indexes can be as helpful in ebooks as they are in paperbacks and hardcovers.

PPG’s Indexing Process

The indexing portion of PPG’s publishing process is completed after the author has approved the interior design of the book. From there, the approved .PDF is sent to the indexer to complete the index in MS Word format based on this final word placement. That MS Word.doc is then returned to the designer to pop into the back matter of the book. From here, the first physical proof of the book is printed. It’s then sent to a professional proofreader for yet another once over with yet another fresh set of eyes. Attention to detail is critical in the book publishing process, and we make sure every section of every book receives equal attention to detail by our qualified team.

Make no mistake, many non-fiction readers will scan through the index at the back of a book before making a buying decision on that book. If they’re unable to find the specific information they’re looking for, they won’t make the purchase. That’s how important an index is, so be sure you include one in your non-fiction book.

You might consider syndicating this content on your own blog. If you do, make sure to attribute the original source so neither of us gets dinged on the SEO front. You can do that by including this line at the bottom of the article: This content first appeared on the PPG Publisher’s Blog and has been republished here with permission.
As a user of this website, you are authorized only to view, copy, print, and distribute the documents on this website so long as: one (1) the document is used for informational purposes only; and two (2) any copy of the document (or portion thereof) includes the following copyright notice: Copyright © 2020 Polished Publishing Group (PPG). All rights reserved.

6 Important Questions to Ask a Book Publicist

6 Important Questions to Ask a Book Publicist

6 Important Questions to Ask a Book Publicist

Book publicity can be an incredibly valuable service to authors, and it has a price tag to match. So, it is important you understand that value ahead of time. Here are 6 important questions to ask a book publicist before hiring him or her.

  1. Will you read my book? That sounds like an odd question to ask an organization you’re hiring to help you promote yourself and your book, doesn’t it? But it’s an important question to ask. In my experience, many publicity firms won’t read your book unless you insist on it. Perhaps, they don’t need to. Ask them for clarification about this.
  2. What are your prices? Ask for a price list of all their program options, and ask what services are included in each program.
  3. What additional costs are involved in this process: do you want additional postage fees sent to you upfront and/or throughout the campaign for sending out review copies; how many physical review copies do you want mailed to you ahead of time; do you send these review copies out to low-ranking individual bloggers or to high-ranking relevant media outlets?
  4. How many of the interviewers you book for me will actually go through with the interview? Do any of them cancel at the last minute, after receiving the free review copy, and then post that book on Amazon for sale? (Believe it or not, this happens. And, yes, you’re right—it’s unacceptable.)
  5. Do you expect to include my personal phone number and email address on the press release you send out to the media? Will you share that press release publicly online via your website and/or any other websites? How do you protect each author’s privacy in this regard?
  6. Will your firm find relevant and recognized media outlets who are willing to accept any guest posts I’ve written that link back to my own blog?

Start with those six questions and see where they take you. You’ll learn a lot about the firm you’re dealing with through them. Make your decision from there.

You might consider syndicating this content on your own blog. If you do, make sure to attribute the original source so neither of us gets dinged on the SEO front. You can do that by including this line at the bottom of the article: This content first appeared on the PPG Publisher’s Blog and has been republished here with permission.
As a user of this website, you are authorized only to view, copy, print, and distribute the documents on this website so long as: one (1) the document is used for informational purposes only; and two (2) any copy of the document (or portion thereof) includes the following copyright notice: Copyright © 2020 Polished Publishing Group (PPG). All rights reserved.




Print-on-Demand (POD) Limitations [Endsheets Endpapers Endleaves]

Some clients come to PPG wanting us to help them design and publish hardcover books they can also sell online. This is possible. But there are limitations with print-on-demand (POD) books, particularly when it comes to endsheets endpapers endleaves. You can only produce this feature using a traditional offset printing press and manual binding process. In this post, I’ll touch on why this is the case.

Digital Book Printing Limitations [Endsheets Endpapers Endleaves]: taken from https://www.bookmobile.com/book-production/hardcover-book-printing-know-how-printed-endsheets-and-endpapers/

As you can see above, one side of each folded piece of paper is glued to the insides of the front and back covers. This is what creates endsheets. It is a careful manual binding process that must be completed by a person. As such, it can’t be done by a POD printer. Digital POD printers are designed to mechanically print and bind individual books quickly.

POD Limitations [Endsheets Endpapers Endleaves]

Here’s another POD limitation. As I discussed in a past post regarding book trim sizes, digital printers can only handle certain paper sizes and weights. Because of that, you’re limited to certain book trim sizes, binding types, and paper stocks/colours if you wish to sell POD books online (which most of us do nowadays). Digital printers simply cannot handle the thicker paper stock that is used to create printed endsheets as illustrated below.

A Possible Solution to Have it Both Ways

When it comes to your book binding options, it is possible to produce a POD case-wrapped hardcover. But you cannot print anything on the inside of POD book covers. Nor can you insert endsheets with a different (thicker) paper stock than the book’s interior pages.

If you wish to have a traditional case-wrapped hardcover book created with printed endsheets inside, you can have this. A traditional printer in your area can print it for you. You just won’t be able to sell it online. You’ll have to sell those books direct. That said, you can also hire one of our graphic designers to produce a second POD version of your book that can be sold online. It will be almost identical to the traditionally-printed book; but the interior paper will be thinner, and there will be no endsheet included. It’s up to you.

You might consider syndicating this content on your own blog. If you do, make sure to attribute the original source so neither of us gets dinged on the SEO front. You can do that by including this line at the bottom of the article: This content first appeared on the PPG Publisher’s Blog and has been republished here with permission.
As a user of this website, you are authorized only to view, copy, print, and distribute the documents on this website so long as: one (1) the document is used for informational purposes only; and two (2) any copy of the document (or portion thereof) includes the following copyright notice: Copyright © 2020 Polished Publishing Group (PPG). All rights reserved.




How Much Does It Cost to Publish a Book?

How Much Does It Cost to Publish a Book?

How Much Does It Cost to Publish a Book?

One of the first questions every author has is: how much does it cost to publish a book? Well, that depends. What type of book do you wish to publish (e.g., ebook, paperback, hardcover)? Where and how do you want it distributed (e.g., online and/or traditional distribution networks)?

For a full list of the questions you should be asking and answering for yourself, I recommend you click on this link and read through it. Once you’ve done that, you’ll know which of the two below options most applies to you and your particular book project.

How Much Does It Cost to Publish a Book Economically?

The fact is, traditional book publishing methods don’t work well for everyone. More and more, I come across people who want to publish a book for all kinds of different reasons—to promote a business, fulfill a lifelong dream, commemorate a special occasion, et cetera—and they want it done quickly (e.g., within four to six weeks), and with a minimal upfront investment.

These are the people who would rather utilize online algorithms to grow their readership than spend any amount of money on traditional forms of book promotion. These authors also want full control over their own creative processes and release dates, and they’re fine with selling their books online only.

For a long time, I resisted this idea. I held to my belief that it’s impossible to produce a quality book within such a short time period, and especially without the support of a full professional publishing team. But then, one evening, while I was researching bestselling strategies for authors, I came across a Forbes article that began to shift my thinking. I learned the strategies today’s top independent authors are using to self-publish and sell massive quantities of books online. With this step-by-step program designed specifically for do-it-yourselfers, your only cost will be copy editing. That’s it, that’s all.

How Much Does It Cost to Publish a Book Professionally?

For those of you who wish to produce a professional-quality book than can be sold both online and through the traditional book supply chain, you’ll require the support of a full book publishing team behind you. Here is a list of the various costs associated with hiring such a team. These prices may vary depending on whether you use a project manager or hire your own editors, designers, et cetera, to work with directly. But it will give you a pretty good idea of what to expect.

Average Price Breakdown Per Service
Individual Services (all in CAD) Timeline (Weeks) Average Prices
Copy editing per word 2 to 4 From $0.03
Proofreading per word 2 From $0.02
Stylistic editing per word varies From $0.04
Substantive (structural) editing per word varies From $0.06
Indexing services per word 3 From $0.02
Ghostwriting per hour varies From $50 to $75
Copywriting per hour varies From $25 to $75
New ebook cover design 1 From $250 to $500
New paperback/hardcover cover design 1 From $1,000 to $1,500
New paperback/hardcover interior design and layout 2 From $2,500 to $3,000
New paperback/hardcover cover design and interior layout combined 2.5 From $3,500 to $4,500
You might consider syndicating this content on your own blog. If you do, make sure to attribute the original source so neither of us gets dinged on the SEO front. You can do that by including this line at the bottom of the article: This content first appeared on the PPG Publisher’s Blog and has been republished here with permission.
As a user of this website, you are authorized only to view, copy, print, and distribute the documents on this website so long as: one (1) the document is used for informational purposes only; and two (2) any copy of the document (or portion thereof) includes the following copyright notice: Copyright © 2020 Polished Publishing Group (PPG). All rights reserved.




From Pen to Print: Advice from the Author of ALLERGY BOOKS FOR KIDS!

From Pen to Print: Advice from Michelle Nel

From Pen to Print: Advice from Michelle Nel

I recall as a child wandering the library stacks, the pile of books in my arms growing steadily, teetering ever precariously. Author has been a title I have yearned for since childhood. Albeit not for lack of trying, each attempt to write was quickly foregone as frustration would ensue. I wouldn’t call it writer’s block as much as an underlying lack of direction or purpose. A turn in life’s path brought forth my passion to write as well of what to write. Navigating life with my son’s multiple anaphylactic food allergies has inspired my journey of ‘author’ … an entrepreneurship penned from passion.

In search of a creative manner in which to share allergy awareness, my mind began to reel with an unremitting onslaught of rhyming words. Penning each phrase before forgotten, I would frequently jump from bed or stop mid-street to scribble on a scrap of paper or the palm of my hand.

Once my stories were written, I then faced the challenge of bringing them from pen to print. With most publishers only accepting submissions from pre-published authors a scenario is created similar to that of ‘chicken before the egg’.

Click here to buy My Immune System Needs Glasses

Click here to buy My Immune System Needs Glasses

With time and the test of patience, I was unwavering in my belief that all would unfold as it should. Dismayed, but yet determined, I posted an online plea with an allergy parent support group. In my search for an illustrator (or anyone with an artistic inkling), unbeknownst to me right there amidst my allergy moms was Jennifer Terry, artist and graphic designer from Colorado, USA.

For five years now, Jennifer and I have worked together, our partnership as seamless as our vision. Jen and I have never met nor video chatted and we have seldom texted (as I do not have US data on my phone). It has been with only intermittent emails that we have created this series solely by sharing a passion, one fueled by the purpose found in sharing allergy awareness.

What advice may I offer? You must believe in the purpose of what it is you write, be mindful to measure your success only against yourself, allow openness for constructive critique (thank you Kyle Dine), and finally, follow your heart! As the dedication in my fourth books reads “ For my friends, who have been ceaseless in their support, offered kind critiques, as well graciously gifted me their time, talent and technical abilities. To pursue one’s passion requires an intrinsic belief in its plausibility and purpose; to know others recognize your journey’s worth is validating as well abundantly humbling”.

There is much in life I am unsure of but I know this to be true, navigating life with my son’s allergies, autism, language and learning delays has allowed me the opportunity to grow into a better and more empathetic person. He has shown me the beauty in viewing life not just outside the box, but that there is no box. And the rewards, financial gain will come, what is priceless has been the friendships found and that the books are being embraced.

It would be an Ottawa allergy dad/businessman who after reading my first 2 books (then print-on-demand) offered to pay for a full print run of each. With both high-quality work and winning customer service I have returned now four times to the same family run printers, Sotek Graphics, in Orleans, Ottawa. Last month, in order to help me hand in my book 4 printing file the owner met me at a gas station on the side of highway, an hour from his business!

Click here to buy See You Later Allergygator

Click here to buy See You Later Allergygator

During a time of single mom struggle, my gas and hotel were paid for by the owner/editor of Allergic Living Magazine, Gwen Smith, so I might attend the Canadian Anaphylaxis Conference three years ago. Gwen went as far as to allow me a corner of the A.L. Magazine table from which to share and sell my books.

I met Peter Ausland, editor of Ottawa Parenting Times Magazine through attending the Parenting Times Children’s Expo. Peter allowed me such an act of kindness I am still in awe. And when technology has had me in tears, many a time others have stepped in to offer not just a tissue but tech support.

There is no right way nor a singular road, be true to yourself and never lose sight of the passion that brought you to begin your journey with ‘words’. Along with his allergic lessons, I have instilled in my son that allergies and autism are what one has, they do not define who one is nor will they determine what one does or may become. I do not believe in disabilities only in the beauty found in different abilities.

With a love of reading bound by my fondness of books themselves, I am equally excited and honoured to sit as a new board trustee for the Augusta Township Public Library. This historical gem welcomes with its stone structure, red door, and the warmth found by stacks of books placed upon wood shelves.

Nestled near the St. Lawrence River, the Old Algonquin School was built in 1833 and was Ontario’s longest active schoolhouse at 133 years. The Augusta Township library began its conception inside the schoolhouse in 1896. Incredibly, in sharing of heritage and house, should you wish to read or hold a reception the Augusta Township Library welcomes rentals of the schoolhouse.

Click here to buy There Are No B List Allergies

Click here to buy There Are No B List Allergies

What has been the biggest benefit? Having others share how much the books have been enjoyed, that they instill equal laughter as lessons learnt. But the greatest reward has been watching my son as he reads ‘his’ books, for this journey, an entrepreneurship penned by passion, is one we take together.

I smile to think that wandering the library stacks, a pair of little arms will embrace a pile of books, mine sitting on the top teetering precariously.

Michelle and Jennifer are honoured their books are housed in the resource library at CHEO (Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario). Michelle has participated in the CHEO open doors event sharing her experiences as a parent navigating allergies.

Michelle was nominated top five food allergy books by BAAAB – The (San Francisco) Bay Area Allergy Advisory Board.

Allergic Living Magazine has published a review for each book as well Michelle has several published articles in A.L. Magazine as well on the BAAAB webpage.

Michelle was interviewed on CBC radio ‘All In A Day’ by Giacomo Panico also she has participated in the Parenting Times Magazine/Ottawa Children’s Expo. 

CLICK HERE TO BUY NOW

Michelle is a member of the AOE, Ottawa Arts Council as well is a board member for the Augusta Township Public Library.

ALLERGY BOOKS FOR KIDS! Michelle and Jennifer have aspired to create books which not only engage children who have allergies, but that they might also be used as resources to aid with allergy education. Michelle and Jennifer are pleased to share the upcoming release of their final two books thus completing the Allergy Books For Kids series of six.

Michelle was born in 1972, Gravelbourg, Saskatchewan although her parents’ home was in the neighboring village of Hodgeville.  From this small prairie community Michelle’s family moved to Saskatoon, then again to Kitimat, a coastal city in Northern British Columbia. A final childhood move, taken by ship, brought Michelle to the home where she grew up in the Vancouver suburb of Burnaby.

In 2007 Michelle moved from Langley, B.C. to Canada’s capital, Ottawa, Ontario. Most recently Michelle now calls home to Augusta Township, a picturesque piece of rural Ontario.

WEBSITE: www.allergybooksforkids.ca

TWITTER: @allergybookmom

LINKEDIN: Michelle Nel

FACEBOOK: Allergy Books For Kids – Author Michelle Nel

© Michelle Nel 2017

All https://blog.polishedpublishinggroup.com guest posts from before 2017 were included in Diary of an Indie Blogger VOL 1 which can be downloaded from Amazon, Kobo, or E-Sentral free of charge. All other guest posts from the original PPG Publisher’s Blog have been moved here: https://polishedpublishinggroup.com/category/guest-bloggers/.
You might consider syndicating this content on your own blog. If you do, make sure to attribute the original source so neither of us gets dinged on the SEO front. You can do that by including this line at the bottom of the article: This content first appeared on the PPG Publisher’s Blog and has been republished here with permission.




3 Reasons Why You Should Write Your Life Story

write your life story

write your life story

For a long time now, you’ve been thinking you may one day write your life story. But the chatter inside your mind has you second guessing this choice. Maybe you’re waiting for someone else to give you the go-ahead—the permission—to move forward with this project. You may fear failure. Or, you may fear that your book could one day become a massive success. And maybe that level of success will shine a light on all the dark corners of your life for everyone to see, or maybe it will separate you from cherished family and friends. These fears can be daunting, whether they’re right or wrong, true or false.

3 Reasons Why You Should Write Your Life Story

So many questions may be running through your head. What will people think of me? Will they understand or will they judge me? Will this hurt or embarrass the ones I love? Should I do it?

There are a lot of articles out there on how to write your life story. But, today, I want to talk about 3 reasons why you should write this important story. I want to help you past the fear that is holding you back so you can stop procrastinating and move forward with it. After all, you’ve been thinking about doing this for a long time now. Haven’t you?

1. It’s the story you know best.

The best way to learn how to write a book is to start with a story that is most familiar to you—your own life story. There is no character research to be done. You won’t even have to create fictitious scenes out of thin air. Everything is already there at your disposal, inside your memory. All you have to do is sit down and write it.

Where do you start? Well, I recommend starting with any pivotal moment that stands out in your mind, that you’ve thought about many times. Write it down. Then write down the next moment. And then the next one. You can rearrange the timeline later, as you’ve written out more scenes from your life. The important thing is to start.

“Start writing, no matter what. The water does not flow until the faucet is turned on.”
~Louis L’Amour

Do this religiously every evening, one scene at a time. The next thing you know, you’ll have a full book written.

2. It can be therapeutic for you.

You may find, as I did, that writing out certain scenes from your life is a therapeutic way of purging negative emotions—especially when it comes to writing about traumatic experiences. As you explain the situation and your reactions to it, you may also gain new insight that helps you heal, forgive, and move forward anew.

When it comes to your life story, there are no hard and fast rules on how to structure it. Just write. Let whatever comes to mind flow out through your hands onto that computer keyboard without judgement. Write from your heart. Feel it all again as you write it. By doing so, others will feel it when they read it later on. It will be that much more impactful. Which brings me to…

3. You may just help someone.

Lisa Nichols is a bestselling author, transformational coach, and professional speaker. She’s also one of my top sources of inspiration whenever I need a boost. What I love most about Lisa is her willingness to share her life story with others—including all the times she’s fallen during her lifetime.

Lisa is unapologetic about her journey. She encourages others to stand on top of their stories rather than carrying them as heavy baggage. One of her favourite sayings is, “The truth is sexy!” And she’ll help you to realize that if her truth is okay to share openly, then so is yours. You have nothing to hide or fear or protect if you’re sharing your truth in a productive way with genuinely helpful intentions.

“There’s a calling on your life that you don’t get to shake, and its only yours. No one else has the same calling as you. … I need you to fall in front of me. Because I’m not watching you when you fall. I’m watching how you get back up again. … I need you more than you need you. When you cross my path, and I watch you keep working at it, and I watch you keep coming back, you put oxygen in my chest.” Lisa Nichols, Mindvalley keynote

That’s perhaps the greatest reason why you should write your life story. In doing so, you may just help someone else.

One Important Disclaimer

No publisher can answer all your questions for you—particularly any legal questions you may have about writing certain controversial scenes or “characters” into your personal story. It’s always best to consult a qualified trademark, copyright and entertainment attorney in your area with these types of questions. Only a lawyer can provide you with legitimate legal advice.

You might consider syndicating this content on your own blog. If you do, make sure to attribute the original source so neither of us gets dinged on the SEO front. You can do that by including this line at the bottom of the article: This content first appeared on the PPG Publisher’s Blog and has been republished here with permission.
As a user of this website, you are authorized only to view, copy, print, and distribute the documents on this website so long as: one (1) the document is used for informational purposes only; and two (2) any copy of the document (or portion thereof) includes the following copyright notice: Copyright © 2020 Polished Publishing Group (PPG). All rights reserved.