Selling Your Books Online
Posted: Wednesday, October 28, 2009
by Jim Green
WRITING FOR PROFIT
The internet has emerged as a significant (albeit virtual) channel of distribution for the sale of books. All the major players are represented.
In tandem with dominant retailers such as Amazon, BOL, Barnes & Noble, every mainstream publisher has its own multi-function website.
All this is good news for writers because not only does the Internet provide a powerful marketing tool for the publishing industry as a whole, it also presents authors with a unique opportunity to participate in the sale of their own produce.
USING ONLINE AS AN ALTERNATIVE
There are a number of online publishing concerns that will accept your manuscript, transcribe it electronically, promote and sell it online as a download. In return for signing up (usually for free) you receive commission ranging from 20% to 50% per copy sold. Sounds good on the face of it, but as with all remote control operations, there are potential pitfalls.
Moreover, do not look for massive volume because sales on these online ventures are invariably low.
To locate a range of sources Google online book publishers' as your key phrase and you will be presented with hundreds (if not thousands) of alternatives to explore.
USING ONLINE AS BOTH ALTERNATIVE AND ADJUNCT
You can have it both ways if you wish (alternative and adjunct) by combining print-on-demand with online selling. There are numerous major online companies providing a comprehensive service that combines hard copy publishing with online promotion. You pay for the service though and for an investment of several hundred dollars, here is what you get.
Complete origination
Full color front cover design
Proofs for approval prior to publication
Print-on-demand facility for sales
ISBN identification
Title listing with major book chains
Online promotion
Sales handling
Author's commission on sales
Small quantity of copies for personal use
This smacks as vanity publishing to some people but it is not. You pay for the service but you have a contract, a bona fide publisher's name on the cover, ISBN identification, online promotion, and a completely professional marketing package.
On the downside:
1. Although your title is listed with leading booksellers, your book won't appear on their shelves.
2. Aggregated sales volume is invariably lower that that emanating from traditional publishing houses.
JIM GREEN is a bestselling author with 37 published titles in the realms of both fiction and non-fiction.
http://creativewritingmasterclasses.com
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