• To self-publish or not to self-publish?
Self-publishing is the publication of a book (or any other media, but we’ll concentrate on books in this volume) by the author without using a traditional publishing company. There are a lot of good reasons to self-publish.
• What is an “imprint” in self-publishing?
For those authors self-publishing a book for the first time, there’s a lot to learn – new terminology, new skills, new business models. One of the terms a new author likely is to run into, especially when uploading their book to Kindle Direct Publishing or another print on demand company is imprint.
• You’ve self-published? You’re a sole proprietor!
The moment you’ve self-published a book – presuming you’ve done nothing else to set up your business – you’re a sole proprietor. That’s right, you’ve started your own business, ipso facto!
• Do self-published writers need a business plan?
If self-publishing a book, do you need a business plan? The answer depends on your goals and objectives.
• Elements of creating a successful book business
Once you publish, you’ve essentially created a business. This business can be built up – it likely will expand to publishing additional titles, it probably will extend to including guest speaking and presentations, and it could even stretch to include merchandise, such as selling T-shirts and coffee mugs related to your books.
• Value of creating your own publishing company
When you decide to self-publish your book, you face two choices: Either you can allow the on-demand printing house to be your publisher or you can be your own publisher and essentially contract the on-demand company to be your printer and distributor.
• What to name your publishing company
Should you decide to create your own publishing company, you’ll need to come up with a name for it. You really can name the company almost anything you want. Still, there are some general guidelines you should consider following.
• Does a self-published author need to incorporate?
When self-publishing a book, you essentially are starting a business. So should you incorporate? Most authors will say the general answer is “no.”
• When to file Fictitious Business Name Statement
Should you set up a publishing company that will be the imprint of your book and run it as a self-proprietorship, you may have to file a Fictitious Business Name Statement. This also is known as a Doing Business As form.
• Do self-published writers need business mailbox?
When setting up your authoring business, you will need a physical address for it. Even though most of your work is done in a virtual digital world and that you may only write at a variety of coffee shops, you still need a single location where you can be reached for official purposes.
• Should you ever co-write your book?
Sometimes you come up with a great story idea with another person. Or your discussions and critiques of one another’s works are inspiring. So you decide to co-write a book. Is it a good idea?
• Co-authors can form “general partnership”
If you’re among those who’ve just co-authored a self-published book, you’re probably wondering exactly how to handle this as a business. The good news is that you can treat your joint venture with much the same ease as you could if an author who’s a self-proprietor.
• Should you buy publisher’s insurance?
If you’re establishing your own publishing company, you may want to consider purchasing insurance against copyright infringement, defamation, right of publicity, invasion of privacy, negligence, and more. This is loosely called a “publisher’s policy.”
• BONUS: Five Great Quotations about the Business of Writing
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My name is Rob Bignell. I’m an affordable, professional editor who runs Inventing Reality Editing Service, which meets the manuscript needs of writers both new and published. I also offer a variety of self-publishing services. During the past 15 years, I’ve helped more than 400 novelists and nonfiction authors obtain their publishing dreams at reasonable prices. I’m also the author of the Storytelling 101 writing guidebooks, four nonfiction hiking guidebook series, and the literary novel Windmill. Several of my short stories in the literary and science fiction genres also have been published.
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