Common questions about self-publishing
Why Self Publish?
There are many reasons people choose to self-publish but the main ones are:
Many people choose to self-publish a book because they are unable to get a traditional publisher to take their book on. Often, this is because a book is tightly focused toward a specific niche market or the writer does not have a “name” that guarantees sales. Traditional publishers are not risk takers and are usually not willing to take on unknown authors.
Others choose self-publishing because it provides them more control of the finished product. Traditional publishers may require revisions, editing changes or even large cuts to a manuscript that the writer prefers not to make. With traditional publishers, writers also have little or no control over a book’s design or cover and this may not be acceptable to many authors.
Traditional publishers may also take as long as two years (or longer) to bring a book to the market after it has been accepted, while a self-publisher could get that same book to the marketplace in a few weeks.
You retain all rights to your manuscript.
If you are able to create a demand for your book you can make more money than you would make with a traditional publishing contract. Instead of a paltry 5 to 15% royalty, you will make 75% royalty on sales. While you will not make a huge profit self-publishing, if you put the work in you can make a healthy enough profit.
You may be able to exploit markets that a larger commercial publisher would overlook or ignore, because of your special expertise in a particular area or simply because of your commitment to your book.
Your book may have a greater chance of success simply because you’re more committed to the process of promoting it than a publisher who has hundreds of other titles.
Not everyone publishes to make a profit. Maybe you just want to leave a legacy with your family or share what you have learned with others and through self-publishing you can preserve your own heritage, or that of your community or club or whatever, in an inexpensive, quality format.
Are there ways to be sure I make money on my book?
You are never guaranteed to make money from your book but it is quite easy to cover your costs. If you sell the initial 100 copies you get with the publishing package for €15 you are only €100 out of pocket.
A good way of ensuring you manage to sell these books is to have a book launch and invite all of your friends and family along and get them to buy the book.
Do I need a Literary Agent to Self Publish a book?
Many traditional publishers will suggest or even insist that an author hire a literary agent before publishing a book. These literary agents can be expensive and can’t guarantee that they will find a publisher. Agents will simply submit your manuscript to multiple publishers in the hope that one will buy your manuscript and publish your book. They often work on a retainer or a fee-based arrangement with no guarantees of success for your project.
Original Writing does not insist that you have an agent and in fact we prefer dealing directly with the author as they know what exactly it is they want and as a result there the process is speeded up.
Do I retain the rights to my work?
As the author of the work, copyright automatically rests with you. Our contract also explicitly states that we make no claim on future publication rights of your work and that they remain with you, the author.
Do you provide a critiquing service?
We carefully review all submissions for publication but unfortunately cannot provide a detailed critiquing service of partially or fully completed work at this time. Final editorial decisions are at the discretion of the author and we will act in accordance with their wishes.
Does Original Writing provide an editing and proofreading service?
We do not provide editing or proofreading services but we can put authors in touch with experienced editors and proofreaders.
How do I get my work copyrighted?
The law grants you copyright protection automatically upon the creation of your work. Your work need not be completed to be protected! You own the copyright on your work as you create it.
How do I submit a manuscript for publishing?
Manuscripts should be submitted in Microsoft Word and all images should be high resolution Jpeg’s.
How long does it normally take between submission of a manuscript and the author receiving their 100 copies of their book?
Each book is different and the basic working assumption is that author will provide us with electronic manuscript. In general the time lines are as follows:
(Receipt of manuscript is Week 0)
- End of Week 2 – First draft of final layout and cover design
- End of Week 3 – Second draft of final layout and cover design
- End of Week 5- Final Proof for sign-off
- End of Week 9 – Shipment of order
Note: The above assumes the manuscript has been edited and proofread to the author’s satisfaction and that minimal changes are required thereafter.
How many books should I print?
With the Original Writing Publishing Package the author get 100 copies to begin with. It is possible to order more copies but there really is no point in doing this unless you are extremely confident that you are going to be able to sell them. Get prices on 100, 500, 1,000 or other appropriate amounts and think it through.
The larger the quantity, the lower the unit cost. But what good is the lowest unit cost if most of the books unsold? When you are analyzing your unit cost, keep in mind that you will have to offer large distributors up to 60% discount off the retail price for them to sell your book.
What about bar codes?
The ISBN for your book is easily translated into a worldwide compatible bar code format called a Bookland EAN (European Article Number) and this service is included in the publishing package offered by Original Writing. Every bookstore chain and most smaller bookshops use bar code scanning at the checkout register and as a result it is important to have a bar code on your book.
What does Original Writing’s publishing package offer?
- Full colour Joint cover design
- Full range of book formats
- Up to 5 electronic proofs for review
- One final Proof (unbound) prior to final decision to print.
- Publish: 100 paperback copies delivered to author specified address
- Additional copies (Minimum order of 25 units)
- Sales: Listings on Original Writing Online bookstore
- Listing on other suitable online bookstores
- Fulfillment of all online orders
- Promotional material sent out to bookshops and libraries throughout the country
- Admin: Assignment of ISBN number including author’s copyright notice
- EAN bar coding for retail sales (if required)
- Deposit of copies in the National Libraries
What is an ISBN (International Standard Book Number)?
The International Standard Book Number (ISBN) is a thirteen-digit number (it use to be ten-digits) that uniquely identifies books and book like products published internationally. The purpose of the ISBN is to establish and identify one title or edition of a title from one specific publisher and is unique to that edition, allowing for more efficient marketing of products by booksellers, libraries, universities, wholesalers, and distributors.
What is four-color process printing?
The term four-color refers to the three process colours of yellow, cyan (blue), and magenta (red) plus black. From these four colours you can make almost all the colours in the spectrum. Anytime you see a “full-colour” photograph printed in a book or magazine, its four-color process. Anytime a cover looks like it has more than two colours, it’s probably a four-color cover and Original Writing’s publishing package includes a four-colour cover.
What is the cost for the publishing package?
We offer two different publishing packages, the Paperback Package and Hardback Package. The Paperback packages costs €1,595 and the Hardback package costs €1,895.
These prices are subject to the book not being over 224 pages and the interior being black and white. If the book goes over 224 pages then an additional charge of 1 cent per page per copy is charged. Additional charges for colour in the interior depend on how many pages are going to be in colour.
What other services does Original Writing provide?
We offer several other services such as:
- DVD duplication and distribution (production of master copy is responsibility of author)
- DVD insert in Book.
- Website design
- Online advertising plan and implementation using Google Adwords and Adsense
- Preparation of Marketing launch and Distribution Plan
What size are the books and what type of binding is used?
All of the books published by Original Writing are Perfect Bound. Books come in two standard sizes, 129mm x 198mm and 138mm x 216mm.
What types of books are best suited for self-publishing?
Books with a small easily identifiable market are the best for self-publishing. Authors that are familiar with their target audience and are experts in their field are usually the most successful self-publishers.
Traditional publishers are not willing to take on books that are not going to be of interest to a mass market and that means that self-publishing may be the only avenue open to the author.
Poetry and general fiction can also work very well for self-publishing.
Children’s books are usually not the greatest candidates for self-publishing. This is mainly down to the fact that most children’s books are illustrated in colour and/or produced in special sizes and on gloss paper which are extremely expensive to print in small quantities.
This doesn’t mean that you can’t succeed in self-publishing with a children’s book. It simply means that to be successful, you must have an exceptional product AND the willingness to make a major investment in promoting that product.
When my initial 100 book sells out, how much will I have to pay for additional copies?
The cost of printing your book is determined by the final page count, the size of the book and the number of copies that you wish to order. It is generally not possible to give an exact per copy price until the book is fully laid out.
When will I choose the selling price for my book?
Once we know the base cost of printing a copy of your book, which is determined by your final page count, book size and format, a RRP is decided on. Another factor that is usually taken into account when coming up with the RRP is the discounts taken by retailers and distributors. These discounts can be as high as 60% and should be taken into account if you intend trying to sell your book to a mass market.
Who is responsible for editorial content?
The author is responsible for the final content of the book and, while we are happy to advise on individual titles, the final decision regarding editorial matters rests with the author. We reserve the right to refust to publish work that is obscene, defamatory or offensive.
