Back to Basics - Self Publishing Terms You Should Know

Back to Basics: Self-Publishing Terms You Should Know

In this video, Keith Wheeler discusses self-publishing terms that are important to know. He covers the differences between self-publishing, traditional publishing, hybrid publishing, vanity publishing, and aggregate publishing.

Self-Publishing

• Self-publishing is when an author publishes their book themselves and is in charge of all aspects of the process.

• The author is responsible for creating the book, finding a platform to upload it to (such as KDP), getting it edited, designing the cover and illustrations.

• The benefit of self-publishing is that the author gets more profits.

Traditional Publishing

• Traditional publishing is when a publisher approaches an author with interest in their book and handles all aspects of the process such as editing, cover design and marketing.

• The royalties earned by authors through traditional publishing are less than those earned through self-publishing.

Hybrid Publishing

• Hybrid publishing combines elements of both self-publishing and traditional publishing.

• An author may have some books traditionally published while they self-publish others.

Vanity Publishing

• Vanity publishers make authors think they are traditional publishers but then charge them money to publish their book.

• A true traditional publisher will not charge an exorbitant amount to publish a book.

Aggregate Publishing

• Aggregate publishers distribute and sell books on behalf of authors across multiple online retailers such as Kobo or Apple iBooks.

• They collect a percentage of royalties in exchange for distributing books across multiple platforms.

• This saves authors time from having to upload their books individually on each platform.

Print on Demand (POD)

• POD is a printing technology that allows books to be printed one at a time as they are ordered.

• This eliminates the need for authors to print large quantities of books upfront and store them.

Printing Methods and Low Content/No Content Publishing

This section discusses the two main printing methods, digital and offset printing. It also defines low content/no content publishing.

Printing Methods

• Offset printing uses a large printing plate to transfer inked images onto a rubber blanket which then prints onto the page of a book. It is more expensive than digital printing but produces higher quality prints with truer color representation.

• Digital printing is similar to an inkjet printer and is cheaper for authors, allowing them to pass on savings to customers.

Low Content/No Content Publishing

• Low content books have very little writing inside, such as coloring books or sketch paper.

• Low content books have some writing in them, such as journals or puzzle books.

BSR, ISBN, ASIN, and Royalties

This section defines BSR (Amazon Bestseller Rank), ISBN (International Standard Book Number), ASIN (Amazon Standard Identification Number), and royalties.

BSR

• BSR stands for Amazon Bestseller Rank and indicates how well a book is selling on Amazon at any given time. The closer the rank is to #1, the more sales it has.

ISBN and ASIN

• ISBN stands for International Standard Book Number and identifies a book worldwide.

• ASIN stands for Amazon Standard Identification Number and identifies a product specifically on Amazon's platform.

Royalties

• Royalties are the money an author makes from their book sales after accounting for production costs and platform fees.

Keywords and Editors

In this section, the speaker discusses the importance of using relevant keywords when publishing a book. They also explain the different types of editors and their roles in the editing process.

Importance of Keywords

• Using generic keywords like "children's book" is not effective.

• Find specific keywords that are relevant to your book and what people are searching for.

Types of Editors

• Developmental Editor: Looks at big picture things like plot, tone, voice, characters, and fluidity of story.

• Line Editor: Goes line by line to ensure flow and readability.

• Copy Editor: Reviews for syntax, punctuation, grammar, spelling, consistency within the story.

• Proofreader: Last stage of editing for typos and grammatical errors. Also responsible for design aspects like formatting and layout.

Q4 and KDP Select

This section covers two important terms related to publishing on Amazon - Q4 and KDP Select.

Q4

• Stands for quarter four which refers to the last three months of the year.

• Consumers tend to purchase more during this time due to holidays.

KDP Select

• An exclusive program where authors make their books available in Kindle Unlimited libraries.

• Readers pay a monthly fee to check out books from this library.

• Authors get paid per page count if readers use Kindle Unlimited instead of getting paid per book sold.

• Books signed up through KDP Select cannot be available anywhere else on the internet during a 90-day window.

Back to Basics Series

In this section, the speaker invites viewers to suggest topics for future videos in the Back to Basics series.

Suggesting Topics

• Viewers can suggest topics for future videos in the Back to Basics series by leaving a comment.

• The speaker encourages viewers to leave comments if they have heard of a term that was not covered in the video.

Check Out Other Videos

In this section, the speaker suggests other videos for viewers to watch after finishing the current video.

Watching Other Videos

• Viewers can continue learning by watching other videos in the Back to Basics series.

• If viewers want a change of pace, YouTube recommends another video for them to watch.

Conclusion

In this section, the speaker concludes the video and reminds viewers to write right.

Final Thoughts

• The speaker thanks viewers for watching and encourages them to check out other videos.

• The speaker reminds viewers to write right.