How do you publish your book?

 

If you’ve had a brilliant idea for a book that will promote your expertise and impress potential clients, spent many hours slaving over a hot keyboard and finally put that final full stop on your manuscript, what’s next?

Publication.

But do you know what your options are?  These are the main four types of publishing, all with their pros and cons, depending on your circumstances and aims.

Mainstream publishers

The publishing houses that produce hundreds (or even thousands) of books every year, don’t publish everything they’re offered.

Some of the big publishers won’t even deal directly with the author, they only talk to agents.  Those that do expect you to jump through all their hoops – and may still say ‘No’, sometimes months later.

The pros: If you get your manuscript accepted, they will edit it, design your cover, have it proofread, assign an ISBN code, list it with the main book wholesalers, probably try to sell the foreign rights and advise the book reviewers that the book has been published.

The cons: They don’t do much other marketing, unless you’re an established author or a celebrity.  The letter that goes to reviewers is basic with a very short description of the book and an even shorter author bio.  They do expect the author to do the bulk of their own marketing.

The days of advances for unknown authors are almost over.  You’ll get a small percentage of net for sales (single figures!)

The lead time from submitting your finished manuscript to actual release can be as long as two years.  Your book will be scheduled into the publishing schedule well ahead of time.

Self-publishing

This is where you literally do everything yourself.  There are a number of self-publishing options, probably the most popular are IngramSpark and Lulu. 

There is also Amazon self-publishing, but read all the small print very carefully before you sign away your rights.  If you publish on Amazon, you may not be able to sell your book anywhere else and it almost certainly won’t be listed with the UK wholesalers, so you can forget book signings in Waterstones and other bookshops, because it won’t be on their systems.

The pros: You’re in control.  You only pay a per book price, so everything else on top of that is yours. 

Some self-publishing houses also do fulfilment, so they will post your book directly to the purchaser.

The cons: You will have to pay for editing, proofreading, cover design, page layout and design, ISBN, etc.  You will have to approach the main book wholesalers to get your book listed, so it can be sold through bookshops.

You will have to list your book on all the platforms, both as an ebook and a hard copy.  You will also have to carry out fulfilment for any book sold yourself in most cases.

Independent publishing

This category has a wide range of options.

Boutique publishers are similar to the mainstream publishers in that they don’t accept every manuscript, but do pay more.  Some of them have in-house editors, some don’t.  Some offer cover design, some don’t. Examples include ThinkPress and Matador.

Book services, such as AuthorHouse, BookBaby and iUniverse are just some of the options that will charge you a fee and then take care of the actual publication process.  They won’t edit or proofread your book, so there is no quality control as such.

Membership publishers where you pay a fee to get your book published and they usually offer cover design, page layout, ISBN, registration with wholesalers and ongoing support.  The best example of this kind of publisher I’ve come across so far is The Endless Bookcase, who also invite members to a monthly webinar and actively support their authors to help with marketing their books.

If you’d like to discuss publishing your book, drop me a note.

My website pet hates!

I’ve been writing copy for websites for more than 20 years and, during that time, the look and feel of websites have changed dramatically.  Who remembers the good old left hand menu and a narrow boxy-looking block of copy, with little tiny images?

Then bigger screens gave us more space to play with.  Search engine optimisation raised its ugly head and web creators demanded ‘keyword rich copy’ and 600 words per page.

The parallax effect became popular for a while with the text moving over a background image.

Then everything had to be mobile friendly and hamburger menus were invented.

However, most of my pet hates have weathered the changes time has wrought!

These are my top three – there are more, but you really don’t want to read an epic rant!

‘Welcome to our website’

This has never done anything for the website visitor, beyond – maybe – giving a warm fuzzy feeling!  It doesn’t tell them anything about what the website has to offer.  It doesn’t make them think ‘Yes, this is exactly what I was looking for’ – and it doesn’t improve your search engine ranking.

What you need are compelling, reader-focused headlines on every page to encourage your visitor to read on.

Things that move

The first time someone mentioned a scrolling marquee I had a mental image of a big white tent with text moving across it.  However, in web terms this refers to those strips with text moving along them like a teleprinter.  They use them on the TV on some news programmes.  They aren’t as popular as they were, but I still find them on some sites.  Some people use them for testimonials, but not all of them move at a pace that allows you to read what’s in them!

Something that keeps moving also distracts from the core message.  People struggle to stay focused on the ‘meaty message’, their eyes are diverted by the moving text.  

I once found a website that had a butterfly that flitted around the page from top left, finally settling bottom right.  It was the company’s logo and, while I love butterflies, it really irritated me when it fluttered around every page I opened.  

Things that move are a distraction.  Even if it’s the main home page picture that operates on a slide deck with three or four images along with different messages about your business offering.  I am not going to sit waiting for the next image to appear – and if the first headline doesn’t get my attention, I’m probably not going to hang around long enough to see if there’s a better one coming.

When I’m trying to read your message I don’t want some stop/start thing going on.

I once had a client who had some fabulous images of his holiday destinations on the home page on a slide deck.  His problem was that he got lots of traffic, but people kept contacting him with questions – that were answered in the copy on the home page.  The problem was that they were so distracted by the moving images that they found retaining focus on the text virtually impossible.

Eye candy

If you’re in the holiday business, you’ve probably got tons of fabulous images, but, if you’re in a business that doesn’t lend itself to visuals – like accounting or law – don’t fall into the trap of irrelevant images, just because they look nice.

Choose your images carefully – they should support the message, not just be pretty placeholders.

If you have a budget, get a professional photographer to take professional shots.  If not buy the licence to use a photograph from a stock site – but be careful you don’t choose one that everyone else also has on their site.

How to present with pizazz!

Whether you're pitching a new idea, presenting a project, or trying to win over a client, a strong pitch or presentation is key.  But it’s not just about what you say—it’s about how you say it. 

Here are some top tips for nailing your pitch or presentation, ensuring you captivate your audience from the first word to the last.

1. Start with a hook

Imagine you're reading a book and you come across a dull introduction—chances are, you’ll put it down. The same goes for presentations.  Your opening needs to grab attention right away.  This is your hook—the part that makes your audience sit up and take notice

To do this, ask an intriguing question, use a compelling statistic, or relate an anecdote that connects with your audience’s needs or pain points.  

2. Know your audience

Before you even begin crafting your pitch, you need to have a clear understanding your audience.  Are you addressing a room full of marketing professionals, potential investors, or a group of clients with little knowledge of your industry?  Tailor your message to suit their interests, challenges, and level of understanding.

Your message should reflect the language, tone, and concerns of your listeners.  The more relevant your content, the better the chance that they’ll be engaged and receptive to what you're offering.

3. Keep it concise and focused

When you’re in front of an audience, whether on a platform or in a webinar, you don’t have hours to get your point across.  You need to be clear, concise, and to the point. It’s easy to get caught up in the details.

Focus on your key message and cut out anything that doesn’t serve your main goal. Stick to the essentials: What’s the problem?  What’s your solution?  And why should your audience care?   If you can answer those questions quickly and effectively, you’re already ahead of the game.

4. Tell a story

People remember stories.  They stick in our minds because they engage our emotions and make abstract ideas feel real.  Think about how you can frame your message within a story.  This could be the journey of a client you’ve helped or the transformation your product or service brings about.

Don’t just say, “This is what we do.”  Instead, say, “Let me tell you about how we helped a business just like yours achieve success.”  Storytelling is an effective way to make your presentation relatable, memorable, and much more engaging.

5. Highlight benefits, not features

One of the most common mistakes in a pitch or presentation is focusing too heavily on the features of your product or service.  While the features are important, your audience wants to know what’s in it for them.  This is where the benefits come into play.

A feature tells them what something is; a benefit tells them why it matters. For instance, instead of saying, “Our software has a 24/7 customer support team,” focus on the benefit: “With our software, you’ll have peace of mind knowing that help is always just a call away, no matter the time of day.”  This approach makes your pitch feel more personal and customer-centric.

6. Use visuals to support, not distract

In a presentation, visuals can be a powerful tool. But they’re there to support your message, not to overshadow it.  Keep slides simple and uncluttered, using images, graphs, or videos that help to illustrate your points, not drown your audience in information.

Visual aids are for visuals, so keep text to a minimum.  Stick to short, punchy phrases or single words that reinforce the key takeaways.  This way, your audience can focus on what you’re saying instead of just reading the slides.

7. End with a strong call to action

Don’t leave your audience hanging.  You’ve made your case—now tell them exactly what you want them to do next. Whether it’s scheduling a follow-up meeting, signing up for a demo, or simply getting in touch, your call to action should be clear and specific.

Instead of a bland, “Let me know if you’re interested,” try something more engaging like, “Let’s get started today and take your business to the next level.” This gives people a sense of momentum and encourages them to act sooner rather than later.

8. Practice makes perfect

No matter how strong your copy or presentation materials are, delivering them smoothly is key.  Practise beforehand so you feel confident, stay on track, and can handle any curveballs that might come your way.

*****

Crafting a pitch or presentation that resonates is an art form.  Take these tips to heart and your presentation will make a splash and seal the deal!  Better still you’ll be asked to present again.