Self-published e-book vs. publishing company

[The Cloud]

My mother is writing a Sci-fi novel, and was considering self-publishing it as an e-book. What are the pro's/con's of this versus going through a traditional book publisher? She has no previously published works, and can't afford to do worse than break even in profits.

[Brutha]

A publishing company will bring the book into bookstores and do a bit to promote the book.
You also usually get an editor from the publishing company and somebody that does the cover design.

If you self publish via something like lulu.com the book gets listed on Amazon but probably won't get shown in any bookstore.
You you selp publish you have to do all the marketing yourself.

[smartile]

David Riklan at Selfgrowth.com is a great resource for people who want to publish ebooks. His teleseminar shares his story how he got started with ebooks and how he made over $108,000 selling E-Books...in 24 hours!

He gives alot of detail in his teleseminar, it's free and I highly recommend it. Here's the link: Free E-Book Teleseminar

[Chris Cade]

Given the situation you've described, she should definitely go with an ebook.

These days, digital publishing provides an opportunity to sell to highly targeted niche audiences. I sell my "How to Write Short Stories for Spiritual Growth" as a digital program.

Think about it - how many people do you know actually want to learn to write short stories just so they can experience personal growth insights?

NOT MANY.

Does it sell?

Yes. Because I focus on highly targeted niche markets... people already interested in spirituality and short stories. All I have to do is present the information in a way that resonates with them, and if they feel drawn to the program then they buy it.

I actually don't even "sell" it. I give away a free mini e-course and introduce people to the material that way... stuff straight from the course.

In the case of your Mom's sci-fi book, she could give away half of the first chapter, then have people opt-in to a list to get the next few chapters with an upsell to the full ebook for something like $10-$15

Also keep in mind that with traditional print publishing, even with a large publisher, your Mom won't receive more than about $1 per book. With digital publishing, she can keep 100% of the profits.

Unless, of course, she signs up through an affiliate network like Clickbank - then she can keep around 90% of the profits for her own sales... and about 40-50% of the profits from affiliate sales (which is awesome!)

Long story short: Unless she wants to launch a best-seller, or she wants to publish a book for credibility purposes (i.e. a speaker, future books, etc), then digital publishing is probably the best way to go in her case.

That all said, I am writing my first print-publishing book... and I do intend for it to be a best-seller... in addition to my existing digital products.

[Brutha]

In the case of your Mom's sci-fi book, she could give away half of the first chapter, then have people opt-in to a list to get the next few chapters with an upsell to the full ebook for something like $10-$15

The question is whether his mom is has the computer literacy required to do internet marketing.

Nonfiction where you can clearly sell your audience of a specific promise like the ability to write short stories for spiritual growth also differs from fiction.

[Chris Cade]

Originally Posted by Brutha

The question is whether his mom is has the computer literacy required to do internet marketing.

That is of course an entirely different question altogether. But it's no different than asking if she has the publishing literacy required to get an agent, publisher, build a platform, etc.

It sounds like both are going to require new skill sets unless she outsources (but with finances being limited, that's unlikely).

So given the above scenarios, it's probably quicker time to market and less effort to gain the required skills to promote it online as an ebook.

Originally Posted by Brutha

Nonfiction where you can clearly sell your audience of a specific promise like the ability to write short stories for spiritual growth also differs from fiction.

This is a really interesting topic that I've discussed at-length with a fellow spiritual/metaphysical fiction author who also has extensive internet marketing / product launch experience.

The end result is that the fundamentals are almost exactly the same, even if the execution is different.

With non-fiction, like you say it's easy to sell the traditional "how to" format:

Define Problem -> Make Promise -> Offer Solution -> Give Guarantee

With fiction, the format is fundamentally the same, but it's just reframed.

Define Problem: Reader has an emotional need that they want fulfilled by quality fiction of a specific genre.

Promise: You can meet that need. Leverage testimonials to strengthen value of the promise.

Offer Solution: How your book will meet that need.

Give Guarantee: It's digital - why not offer 100% money-back?

That of course is using a traditional 'sales page' approach.

Generally speaking a typical internet marketing strategy is to use a squeeze page to define the problem and make the promises, and after optin the solution and guarantees are provided.

With fiction, I think using a soft-sell approach would be more effective. Instead of offering the Problem/Promise as a literal approach, instead the optin page could just be the tantalizing introduction to the story. Bring in plot, characters, etc.

By way of pure example, this already addresses the problem, creates a problem, and offers a solution.

Then just have an opt-in form to get the "rest of the book." In reality, this "rest of the book" is just Part 1, of perhaps a 2 or 3 part series.

At the end of Part 1 is a link to purchase the sequel (part 2). The page isn't a hard-sell page... in fact it would probably be as minimal as possible. I'd probably just use a page that has some brief text and the order form.

That's just one approach.... and the one I'd probably use for fiction.

Besides, most good sales pages these days are story-based anyway... the only difference is who the characters are and what the plot revolves around (is it 'deadbeat bankrupt dad discovers million dollar secret' or 'spellunker discovers gold and conspiracy theory - risks live to uncover the truth and save humanity!')

[karlstaib]

What a great idea to help people with personal growth through story writing. I know it's helped me.

I love this community and how they see a situation from so many different perspectives. I was considering both options of self publishing and traditional. I think I'm going to create an ebook and sell it as a program. I've seen so many people do it and it works. It saves on time and money. Problem is all the editing is not easy. I've already gone through my book 10 times and I still catch mistakes. I'm thinking about hiring a professional editor to catch the rest of the mistakes as well as give me feedback. It might cost a little bit, taking away some profits, but I think it will be worth it.

[The Cloud]

Thanks everyone for your advice so far .

[Chris Cade]

Originally Posted by karlstaib

What a great idea to help people with personal growth through story writing. I know it's helped me.

I love this community and how they see a situation from so many different perspectives. I was considering both options of self publishing and traditional. I think I'm going to create an ebook and sell it as a program. I've seen so many people do it and it works. It saves on time and money. Problem is all the editing is not easy. I've already gone through my book 10 times and I still catch mistakes. I'm thinking about hiring a professional editor to catch the rest of the mistakes as well as give me feedback. It might cost a little bit, taking away some profits, but I think it will be worth it.

One small piece of advice - make sure you decide if you're going to sell a full-length book in digital format, or a "program."

The full-length book can probably go for $10-$15, whereas a program you can push to $27-$67 depending on the content. I've sold my "How to Write Short Stories for Spiritual Growth" at different prices and configurations/offers from $27 up to $97. Currently, it sits at $47 and that really feels right to me.

If you do a "program" make sure it's not just an ebook. If you can, include some audios or videos. At the very least, include a workbook - which is perhaps the easiest value-add to a program that ever existed. I made my two program workbooks in less than an hour each. If you decide to go this route, let me know and I'll teach you the easy technique.

[The Cloud]

If you start with a price of $10 for your book, would you lower that price at some point to account for the "soft-cover" version? It seems to me that one major advantage of e-books, for the consumer, is that they should be cheaper because they have no costs for production and transport.

[Chris Cade]

Originally Posted by The Cloud

If you start with a price of $10 for your book, would you lower that price at some point to account for the "soft-cover" version? It seems to me that one major advantage of e-books, for the consumer, is that they should be cheaper because they have no costs for production and transport.

Depends on your perspective. Although that is sound in principle, then by that perspective you should give away the ebooks for free and only charge for the printed version.

The challenge with offering the ebook for a lower price is that it changes the perceived value of the information. Suddenly, people see they can get the information in the book either for $15 printed or $9 ebook... that tells them (subconsciously) that the information is not even worth $15.

So a lot of people who do both digital and ebook try to keep both at the same price to avoid cheapening the value of their offering.

One thing many people do is charge the same amount for both, but offer a bundled version for a discounted price (i.e. $15 + $15 == $22 bundle)

I would personally avoid charging less for a digital version. My opinion actually is instead charge a higher price for the digital version and include add-ons like audios or videos.

Selling online is not about real value, but perceived value. Some people may disagree with this, but it only takes a quick look at our world to see how out of whack our values are.

Perceived value: Teachers aren't very important. If they were perceived to be as important, as say, athletes, then they would get paid more.

Actual value: Teachers are the lifeblood of our current education system.

Now let's move onto the internet...

Perceived value: $450 for the cost of my program. "Discounted" down to $47 - perceived value ranges anywhere from $20 to $500 depending on the person.

Actual value: Immeasurable. How do you quantify the actual improvement in peoples' lives? How do you quantify people reconnecting with estranged friends or family... or quantify a person who finds their writing voice and ends up writing multiple best-sellers?

So when all is said and done... the truth of selling is that if you are offering something of genuine quality, you will almost *never* actually be able to sell it for what it's worth.

Instead to sell it, you increase the perceived value until the person realizes they have no choice but to try it out.

Currently 1 in 20 people who see the sales letter page purchase my program. That's considered very good... and I believe it's because I have effectively understood real and perceived value.

As an interesting side-note, Paulo Coelho offers all of his books digitally for free and advocates pirating of his books. Since he began doing that, his print sales have increased into the millions in previously unsellable regions like Russia.

[The Cloud]

Originally Posted by Chris Cade

Depends on your perspective. Although that is sound in principle, then by that perspective you should give away the ebooks for free and only charge for the printed version.

The challenge with offering the ebook for a lower price is that it changes the perceived value of the information. Suddenly, people see they can get the information in the book either for $15 printed or $9 ebook... that tells them (subconsciously) that the information is not even worth $15.

So a lot of people who do both digital and ebook try to keep both at the same price to avoid cheapening the value of their offering.

One thing many people do is charge the same amount for both, but offer a bundled version for a discounted price (i.e. $15 + $15 == $22 bundle)

I would personally avoid charging less for a digital version. My opinion actually is instead charge a higher price for the digital version and include add-ons like audios or videos.

Selling online is not about real value, but perceived value. Some people may disagree with this, but it only takes a quick look at our world to see how out of whack our values are.

Perceived value: Teachers aren't very important. If they were perceived to be as important, as say, athletes, then they would get paid more.

Actual value: Teachers are the lifeblood of our current education system.

Now let's move onto the internet...

Perceived value: $450 for the cost of my program. "Discounted" down to $47 - perceived value ranges anywhere from $20 to $500 depending on the person.

Actual value: Immeasurable. How do you quantify the actual improvement in peoples' lives? How do you quantify people reconnecting with estranged friends or family... or quantify a person who finds their writing voice and ends up writing multiple best-sellers?

So when all is said and done... the truth of selling is that if you are offering something of genuine quality, you will almost *never* actually be able to sell it for what it's worth.

Instead to sell it, you increase the perceived value until the person realizes they have no choice but to try it out.

Currently 1 in 20 people who see the sales letter page purchase my program. That's considered very good... and I believe it's because I have effectively understood real and perceived value.

As an interesting side-note, Paulo Coelho offers all of his books digitally for free and advocates pirating of his books. Since he began doing that, his print sales have increased into the millions in previously unsellable regions like Russia.

That's interesting. Thanks for the advice, I'd never have figured that out myself.

Do you think that, because my mother is writing a leisure book rather than a practical one, people will be turned off by the lack of a paper version? It seems to me that many people would be repelled by the idea of reading a 300 page novel on their computer screen, or printing as many pages themselves. Of course there is electronic paper now, but it's not very pervasive yet. Wouldn't a paper book offer a feeling of credibility and leisurely comfort that a pdf just can't match at this point in time?

[funnyav]

Originally Posted by The Cloud

Wouldn't a paper book offer a feeling of credibility and leisurely comfort that a pdf just can't match at this point in time?

Yes. I hate eBooks in the sense that I'm on the bus and I remember something and want to read it but can't cause it's at home. I'd have to go through the trouble of printing it first, stapling it (etc.) to take it with me.

I would personally like it if the site said the author can print it and bind it for you (manually) because it feels a lot more personal than if it were mass produced in a factory, and I would be willing to pay more for that.


When I start writing I think I'll offer something like that.

Also, Chris, great post! It is always important to consider what a price change will make people think about the product's value for them. If it's too expensive, they won't bother, and if it's too cheap, they will (consciously or not) see it as less valuable. Less valuable to them.



A workbook is always great help. A good workbook, at least. A good workbook could (should) make sure you understand the book, ask you more mentally provoking questions, and should be fun.


Then again, the book itself should be fun too. The way you say things is probably more important than the things you say. It needs to make the things memorable and positive.

[JimOfferman]

Originally Posted by The Cloud

My mother is writing a Sci-fi novel, and was considering self-publishing it as an e-book. What are the pro's/con's of this versus going through a traditional book publisher? She has no previously published works, and can't afford to do worse than break even in profits.

She should consider Self Publishing - Lulu.com

[Chris Cade]

Originally Posted by The Cloud

Do you think that, because my mother is writing a leisure book rather than a practical one, people will be turned off by the lack of a paper version? It seems to me that many people would be repelled by the idea of reading a 300 page novel on their computer screen, or printing as many pages themselves. Of course there is electronic paper now, but it's not very pervasive yet. Wouldn't a paper book offer a feeling of credibility and leisurely comfort that a pdf just can't match at this point in time?

Depends on the person. A lot of people won't read a novel anywhere but in printed version. There's also a lot more credibility to being a published author as you mentioned. However, there can easily be credibility for digital products - all it takes is a few key testimonials.

That said, it is ironic that I pretty much will not and do not read novels online. I will read through 'how to' type stuff (although I still prefer that in printed format as well), yet I advocate and sell digital products.

I don't see it as hypocrisy, but rather, alignment. It's the right medium for the program I'm offering at this point. It's also why I am writing a printed book - again for the right medium for the people I'm trying to reach.

There are many considerations, and all of them will require additional skills and/or money. No getting around that fact.

One nice thing about digital is it's very easy to test market viability. With some good keyword research, an Adwords PPC campaign can tell you much more quickly if an idea has potential.

As the last poster mentioned, self publishing with Lulu is a possibility. However, keep in mind that generally speaking the cost per self-published book is often quite high (especially for smaller print runs) and it still doesn't really give the author any more credibility than publishing it in digital format.

An advantage to something like Lulu is you can create multiple formats (print, digital, etc), and offer them on a website for people to buy. so if the printed version really is that important to them, they'd have the choice. Still, all the marketing would be done online to attract interested people.

Most people think that all they do is write the book, and that's the hardest part. In reality, writing a book is the easiest part... and everything that comes after to market and sell it is the hard stuff.