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Services for Independent Authors

There are few satisfactions in life greater than that of creative expression. Whether it is in the form of a painting, a poem, a book, a sculpture, or any craft, we receive great joy from seeing the fruits of our efforts. For authors, that creative effort culminates in holding the first copy of the first edition of their first published work.

Arriving at the point of a published book can be accomplished through two primary methods: working with a publisher or publishing independently. Each form of publishing has both advantages and disadvantages as shown in this table.

The Nature of Publishing

Publishing is a highly competitive commercial venture. As a business, publishers are primarily focused on bottom line profitability. First time authors are often shocked to discover, when presenting a manuscript to a publisher, that the first questions typically asked are who is the target market, how large is this market, who are the competitors, what is a competitive price for the book, how well known are you in this market, how is your work different from others, why would anyone buy your work instead of the competition? To the author these questions seem almost irrelevant. The author wants to tell a story, convey a message, express concepts, or educate.

The publisher wants a commercial success – typically defined by selling more than 10,000 copies in a year. Large publishing firms have a high overhead cost of people, facilities, equipment, etc. In order to be profitable, they must maintain average to high sales across their catalog of books. Independent authors contracting to publish their own work do not have the same high overhead structure. By selling far fewer books, the author can still make a good income.

Because of the demands of the publishing business, publishers are highly selective. Many only work with established authors with a strong track record and following in their genre. Many publishers also only work with authors who have an agent, while a few will not work with authors who have agents because agents tend to negotiate more favorable author contracts. Agents are also highly selective and are motivated by the same factors as the publisher when choosing to represent authors. They work on a commission basis and are interested in acquiring authors who are well known and have a strong publishing track record. First time authors will find it difficult to acquire good agent representation. An exception is for nationally recognized figures and especially those in a controversial area. Before laws restricted profiting from a crime, even well-known criminals could obtain lucrative publishing contracts for ghost-written works describing their criminal activity.

Interactive Media’s Approach - The Book Development Process

Interactive Media Publishing provides a full range of publishing services to independent authors. These services can be contracted individually, or as a package. Our objective is to provide the total range of services needed by the author at highly competitive rates. We provide the services of editing and formatting the book, producing a professional cover, and binding the book in a professional manner so that the end product is the same as that produced by a publisher. We go beyond publishing and also provide marketing and promotional services along with interactive media development and book sales services. The author is presented a menu of choices and may decide at any time to use I-Media’s services or work with someone else in a particular area.

Our first consultation with an author is free. During this session we review the type of work being created, the market for the work, the range of services desired, and schedules for completion. We then provide a gross estimate of costs and a schedule of services to be provided. At I-Media, the book development process is broken into stages – design, development, publication, promotion, and sales.

1: Design

Cover Design

The first issue in cover design is development of a title for the book. Title development begins with the marketing questions asked by most publishers. What is the nature of the work? Who is the audience? How large is the audience? But more importantly, it is a process of sharing the author’s vision. Our goal is to understand why the book is needed, and how the audience will benefit from the work. Title development then becomes the process of working through the definition of the work. Through a brainstorming session, several “working” titles are developed that match the message, the need, and the audience. This is part of the design phase. These titles can then be presented to focus groups or to the typical audience members to solicit responses.

People do judge a book by its cover. If you have ever looked at a book that has a less than attractive cover, you understand how your first impression helps shape your response to the work. The graphics, the fonts used in the title, the message conveyed and the description of the content are all critical factors in the successful design of a cover and plays a major role in the sales of the book. As the creative process and the definition of the book evolve, we assign professional graphic artists to develop graphic themes which match the nature of the book.

Defining the Work

Books have a physical definition as well as the definition of content. This includes the size of the book, type of binding, number of pages, type of paper, color or black and white, the type and size of fonts, the illustrations and graphics included, and the format and layout of the book. Each of these decisions are part of the process that I-Media Publishing goes through with the author during the design phase. These are an important part of defining how the audience will use the book and how well the book will sell.

We produce a wide variety of book formats to include soft cover, hard cover, spiral bound, wire bound, and custom packages. Paper choice is almost limitless and is often driven by the economics of the book and environmental and marketing decisions. Every detail is important. Format and font selection can make a book easier to read and understand. Larger fonts are more appropriate for mature and very young audiences.

2: Development

Editorial Review

Books begin with a concept; an idea that grows out of the author’s experience. Editing is an essential element of all writing. Interactive Media Publishing provides a full range of editing services to assist the author in each stage of the writing process. Initially, if the work is still in process or being developed, we work interactively with the author to tune the message to the audience. We can work through chapter definitions, create outlines, brainstorm, and provide technology tools to assist with organization. Brainstorming tools are a highly effective way of structuring content that allows for the content to be re-arranged and reworked easily. For some topics, diagrams such as mind maps and flow charts can become a part of the finished work – helping the audience to see the structure or connection of information. The reading level of the target audience also becomes a critical factor in both writing and the editorial review of the book.

Content editing is the process whereby the author and editorial staff work to hone and mold the message of the book. Editors and authors work together to clarify and sharpen the message and build cohesive content. The process of content editing assures the writing is clear, concise, and flows well. It is of great advantage to the author to work interactively with editors.

Copy editing is the process of correcting errors in punctuation, grammar, consistency, spelling, etc. and assuring that all quoted materials are properly referenced. I-Media also follows the guidelines established by industry standards such as Chicago Manual of Style, APA, or MLA style standards.

Graphics and Illustration Support

Graphics are a strong method of conveying information. The interactive and graphics staff of I-Media work closely with the author to develop drawings, photos, diagrams, tables, and illustrations that support and convey the message. Whether it is a simple diagram for the chapter title pages, or hundreds of illustrations, we work with the author to create the items necessary for the book. When the author has drawings, photos, or other established graphics, we provide the technology assistance necessary to convert them into a publishable format.

Interactive Media to Accompany Books

One of the unique advantages to working with I-Media Publishing is that we also offer other media services – including audio, video, animations, and interactive elements. We can provide an audio CD to accompany the book, provide audio or video clips for the web site, record phone interviews or talk show interviews, and produce a wide variety of educational or marketing materials. These services work well for authors who also provide seminars or educational lectures, or where an audio CD is of benefit to the audience. We can work with the author to create packages that include the book with a wide variety of other forms of media. With our strong backgrounds in adult education, we can also assist with creating educational materials, syllabus, schedules, and online tests for certification purposes.

3. Publication

I-Media provides on-demand publishing services. This means that the author does not need to order 1,000 or 2,000 copies at a time. We can provide books in quantities as low as 50 at a time. We offer competitive publishing prices and do most of the work in-house. Once the book is fully developed, we provide several draft copies for review and modification by the author. After the drafts have been finalized, we prepare the book for publication. Our entire process is digital – so the final book being produced looks as good as the draft. Because it is digital, it can be rapidly changed and this also means that we can customize a run of books for a particular audience when desired. We provide a wide variety of packaging and printing options and can customize the package to fit the needs of your audience.

We will obtain an ISBN number for your book and register it at Books in Print. The ISBN can be either as an imprint of I-Media or we can help you set up your own publishing company. We review the options with you and let you decide which method works best.

4: Promotion

Marketing Plan

No book sells itself. I-Media’s professional sales and marketing staff can assist in providing a plan for how the book will be promoted. This includes an audience definition, methods of sales and promotion, approaches, and marketing messages.

Book Promotion

The graphic designs and cover also play a major role in the promotion of the book. Web sites, flyers, brochures, catalogs, and promotional pieces may be created by I-Media’s professional graphic artists to assist the author in book promotion. I-Media’s marketing staff can also provide advice and assistance in writing letters and describing the book for promotional purposes.

Most authors use direct sales methods and the Internet to promote and sell their books. Direct sales methods include attending conferences or trade shows, book signings, direct mail to a selected member list, and advertising in magazines for their target audience. Internet promotion includes pay-per-click advertising on search engines, listings in sites where the target market frequently visits, and optionally listing the book at sites such as Amazon and ebay.

5. Sales

Direct Sales

As mentioned above, I-Media can provide materials to assist with direct sales efforts. We can also provide the service of obtaining mailing lists, and sending out 3x5 cards or letters or brochures to the mailing list. We have also assisted authors in creating booths for trade shows and conventions. We can even assist in role-playing to help the author determine the responses that will work best to increase sales. With the involvement of our marketing and design staff, we can assure that a uniform message is presented in all sales and promotional activities.

Book Sales via E-Commerce

I-Media offers a unique service of setting up Internet sales for authors for direct sales. Our technical staff can handle all the details of establishing a web site, posting and updating the site, setting up for e-commerce, and handling the acceptance of credit cards. We offer several options for handling order processing and shipping and allow the author to choose their desired level of involvement in the process. The author receives an email for each order received, and can opt to have I-Media ship the orders or handle it on their own. If I-Media handles the orders, we have a low fee for the service. We make it easy for the author by providing a check and a report of sales on a periodic basis (monthly or quarterly depending on sales volumes).

Most importantly, you will find that everyone at I-Media Publishing enjoys the process of creating a new book or product package. We operate with integrity and honesty throughout the process and keep you informed of your options. Independent publishing is not for everyone, but if you decide to go this route, we would love to be of service to you. Please feel free to contact us or fill out our contact form.