Inside Independent Publishing (with Ibpa)

Deltina Hay from Elearning Delta, and past Board Chair of IBPA, talks about the benefits and methods of extending your book’s content and repurposing it onto elearning platforms. This podcast is for anyone with instructional materials of any kind: crafts, marketing, cooking, sales—just about any field where you’ve got information to deliver in a structured learning format. Subjects discussed include: what kinds of books lend themselves to elearning? do publishers generally start with a book to adapt, or an idea they want to get across? elearning as a calling card to demonstrate your credentials as an expert what kinds of skills do you need for DIY; can “ordinary” folks master the tools? when should you hire a professional, and why should you? the cheap route: YouTube, Instagram hallmarks of a professional package: quality, certification, assessments, worksheets elearning beyond the book: you have to provide more than what’s already in print finding the best elearning system for your content marketing and mon

Professional booksellers talk about consignment, events, terms and other aspects of working with independent publishers. A store manager, restock buyer, and event coordinator at Books Inc., a leading independent bookseller in Berkeley, California, discuss ways they evaluate books from independent publishers and things publishers can do to make it easier to hold events at and get books into their store. This is a very meaty interview with lots of practical advice. Highlights of this podcast include: how books are evaluated when submitted the ins and outs of consignment: fees, support for nonlocal authors, term the importance of returnability and discounts offered what makes a successful event? (hint: authors need to help with attendance!) store outreach via Instagram, newsletter, Facebook: do authors need to help offset costs? (answer: not always, it depends) the book buyer is “curating a gallery of books” priming the pump: offering a marketing plan, reviews, publicity, showing you are putting effort into dev

Mike Mansel is a Certified Insurance Counselor, and here he shares his decades of experience working with publishers large and small on sorting out their insurance needs. Highlights of this podcast include: types of liability insurance the role of Intellectual Property attorneys in defending claims do insurance companies just settle or do they go to bat for their customers? why to avoid jury trials do all publishers need insurance? what does publishers liability insurance cost, and do costs depend on the kinds of books you publish? is having general business liability insurance enough? “claims made” vs “occurrence” based policies: know the difference! is it an advantage to be an LLC vs a C-corp vs a sole proprietorship? what is the leading source of claims against publishers? what’s a “hammer” clause and why is it important that you know? Here’s a link to the BookBaby Blog article by Scott McCormick, on using song lyrics in your book: http://blog.bookbaby.com/2018/11/lyrics-in-books-your-questions-answered/

Ebook production expert Laura Brady suggests ways you need to think about ebook design and creation to produce reliable and good-looking results This podcast is for anyone who is thinking of creating ebooks or hiring an ebook designer, or who has seen the ads for “ebooks made easy!” and is thinking, well, how hard could it be? Topics include: problems of ebook conversion (especially if you are using Word) there are lots of cheap ebook creators out there; are they safe? how do I plan my pbook design knowing that it will become an ebook (hint: consider avoiding drop caps!) what kinds of fonts work with ebooks? do I need to license them? what are the big issues that ebook creators are discussing these days: Kindle, design, and the future of the spec why spend a lot of time “designing” an ebook when users can just change your font and typography at the push of a button? will the ebook market continue to grow? if ebooks win do print books lose? and vice versa are better dedicated ebook readers on the way? Links

Andy Ross of the Andy Ross Agency discusses how agents evaluate manuscripts and how agents operate in today’s book publishing climate. Andy Ross has been active in the publishing world for 40 years, first as a bookseller and now as an agent. In this podcast conversation, he shares his thoughts on agenting and when and how an agent can work with a small independent publisher. Highlights include: Is there life after bookselling? What does an agent do? What are the real advantages of working with an agent, besides contract negotiation? Why agents need to be more than just dealmakers. How do you find a good agent, or how do you know if a particular agent is good for you? Why is it so hard to get published these days? Will agents work with small indie presses? Why the agent’s first obligation is always to the author. Is it true that agents can turn small indie books into big commercial hits? The age-old question: is Amazon good or bad for publishing and publishers? How does an agent decide if he/she likes a book

George Dick, president of Four-Colour Print Group, talks about all the reasons you might want to print your next book in Asia, especially if it’s in color or for kids Many publishers of full-color books—coffee-table books, art books, cookbooks, children’s books – choose to print in Asia because printing costs less there. But cost may not be the only consideration. Topics include the future of printing in Asia (hint: pretty good) the shrinking of the Asian cost advantage vs North American printers is it freight from China that’s getting more expensive? how about other factors, like new equipment, higher wages, and environmental regulations is Chinese printing less “green”? will Chinese printers accept material that is “objectionable” in terms of politics or sex? how about Korean printers? how much longer will it take to get your book from Asia than if your print in North America? printing in Asia is cheaper, but if you use a print broker do you lose some of that savings? what are the advantages of working wit

Tami Dever, co-owner and founder of TLC Book Design, discusses key elements of book design that signal professionalism, readability, excellence, and permanence What are the elements a book designer needs to consider when designing an interior? A cover? Tami Dever discusses how she works with clients and notes the factors that make a book look good against the competition. Topics include things to keep in mind when designing a book: audience, competition, tone, readability the importance of interior design in sealing the deal and drawing customers to the cash register favoring longevity over trendiness using Word to prepare text for a designer (hint: avoid overformatting!) key elements of cover design that must work together (and it’s not easy!): size of elements typography color images use of space and margins avoiding Photoshop gimmickry Typefaces mentioned in this podcast: Esprit Berkeley To reach TLC Book Design, go to http://www.tlcbookdesign.com/. Notes to the Q&A segment The articl

Cynthia Frank, publisher of Cypress House, shares some of the hard-won insights from more than 30 years as an independent publisher Listening to this wide-ranging interview you get a sense of what issues come up and what life is like as an independent publisher in a small town on the northern coast of California. Cynthia Frank has been publishing for as many years as there has been an IBPA and before that PMA, and has seen technology go from a phone and fax to high-speed internet and the digital revolution. Lots of things have changed, but much is still the same, like Cynthia’s belief that the publisher must emphasize editorial content and quality of expression more than anything else. And she’s also outspoken on subjects like, is it worth going to BEA? Can you publish successfully without Amazon? Why has there been a resurgence in indie bookstores (hint: Amazon’s success may ironically have had something to do with it!)? Do special sales pay off? Mentioned in the podcast are: Hudson News: http://www.hudsong

Lisa London, CPA, author, and publisher, discusses many of the specialized points of accounting that every publisher needs to know This podcast looks at many of the things publishers need to know when setting up and using accounting packages to manage revenue, expenses, and taxes. Among the subjects mentioned are: keep it simple! automate everything you can is Quickbooks a good package for publishers? are there others? how to manage royalties the importance of understanding the contracts you sign and their related costs aligning items to your accounting needs and to proper categories the need to be consistent the need to document using attachments in Quickbooks working with e-commerce sites that feed into your accounting package, and vice versa putting money aside to pay your taxes capitalization rules changes ahead thoughts on use tax: does it apply to your business? Some of the goods and services mentioned in the podcast include: Xero accounting package: https://www.xero.com/ Sage accounting package: htt

Daniel Lerner, inspirational speaker and teacher at NYU, discusses how publishers can invigorate their work with passion and find happiness by serving themselves in a way that serves others Following his enthusiastically received keynote at IBPA’s Publishing University 2018, Daniel agreed to this interview to further reflect on what makes people happy. So many accomplished people—doctors, lawyers, even publishers-- are stressed out, despite making lots of money and leading a “comfortable” life. What are they missing or not understanding? There’s no easy answer to human satisfaction. But there are some things we can all do that can alleviate our stress levels and connect us better to what we’re doing and to other people. We need to relax, for one thing. To not obsess so much over our jobs. To find additional outlets for our energies. And above all, we need to work in areas that both satisfy us and enable us to serve others, whether it’s making time for our family or our larger communities. Humans are not so di

Judy Baker of Book Marketing Mentor discusses how branding your book can help you grow your readership and establish yourself as an expert in your field This podcast looks at branding your book and the benefits it brings. Books, especially nonfiction, are where experts can showcase their expertise. The book becomes a starting place for building a business, and can lead to follow-up series, workshops, podcasts, and other related activities. By engaging your readers you build your community and become familiar to them, and this enhances your credibility as an author and makes your books even more desirable. Judy is also active in BAIPA, the Bay Area Independent Publishers Association, based in Marin County north of San Francisco. Judy talks about how BAIPA has grown and what is offered at its monthly meetings. BAIPA is also an IBPA affiliate: Judy notes the many benefits that affiliate publishing associations get from IBPA, such as discounts, speakers, and access to information and expertise. Find out more abou

Jonnie A Bryant, Executive Director of Sales/Marketing at book printer McNaughton & Gunn, talks paper, cost, and schedules, and offers her take on challenges facing the industry If you are wondering what’s happening in the world of book manufacturing, and how that might impact your ability to produce a book economically and on time, you’ll definitely want to listen to what Jonnie Bryant of McNaughton & Gunn has to say. Topics include changes in paper availability producing price rises and longer schedules allocation of paper from the mills to printers for the first time in years how the demand for diapers and teabags is making it harder for you to produce your book! how new trucking safety regulations mean you may not be able to get the paper when you need it why you may find it harder to procure alternative groundwood sheets in the future: is this the end of the cheap lightweight option? the development of color inkjet printing that marries high quality with low cost, making all sorts of new project

Board Member Elizabeth Turnbull discusses quality standards, hybrid publishing, diversity, and other target areas for IBPA's Advocacy Committee Subjects covered include: how to achieve a level playing field for indie books the IBPA publishing standards checklist the IBPA hybrid publishing checklist removing the stigma from indie publishing once and for all expanding diversity in publishing future advocacy projects for IBPA working with indie booksellers Participants Elizabeth Turnbull was born and raised in Haiti where she grew up surrounded by the people and landscapes of her latest book, Say to These Mountains. After graduating from Quisqueya Christian School, in Port-au-Prince, Elizabeth went on to study Spanish and Journalism at Wake Forest University and received her MA in Latin American and Caribbean Studies from Florida International University. Today, she is the Senior Editor for Light Messages Publishing where she is immensely grateful to immerse herself in new stories every day. Elizabeth is also

Editorial Director Jim Milliot talks about how leading trade magazine Publishers Weekly views book publishing today and the rise of the indie publisher. In a wide-ranging interview, Jim Milliot looks at how book publishing has changed in the last decade and how Publishers Weekly has adopted strategies to adjust, such as developing digital outlets for news and advertising in the face of declining print sales. As a result, today PW reaches a huge audience, surprisingly made up mostly of consumers looking for reviews and opinions to guide their buying choices. Jim also talks about different ways PW serves the publishing industry, not just the BIg 5 but smaller presses. He suggests different ways indies can get coverage, and he emphasizes that PW plays an important advocacy role when it comes to creating a level playing field for publishers of all sizes. At the end, Jim has a rather surprising take on the overall health of the American book publishing industry. To visit Publishers Weekly online, go to https://ww

Robby Price, in his last term as IBPA board chair, talks about the association, how it has changed, and how it is helping transform and strengthen indie publishing today. Robby explains how he got his start in publishing, evolving from a 1-page printout to a full traditional printer and then, more recently, a successful author services provider. He then reflects on how IBPA has changed during his time on the board and then as board chair. He points especially to the increasing strength exhibited by author publishers. It is no coincidence that as author publishers gain ground, hybrid publishers have emerged to lend them support with curation and expertise. Robby also discusses his own business, Gatekeeper Press, a service provider to author publishers and small indie presses. Gatekeeper press is at https://gatekeeperpress.com/. Participants Robby Price is chairperson of the IBPA board of directors and the president of Gatekeeper Press with 200,000 books sold as a self-published author. Gatekeeper Press works w

Robin Cutler, Director of IngramSpark, discusses ways that publishers can use print-on-demand technology to launch their business and achieve distribution quickly. Topics include: how IngramSpark can help the small publisher manufacture and sell using IngramSpark and CreateSpace printing internationally indies vs the Big 5 full-service options for advanced indies the state of the ebook market is print dead? short-run color printing what's in Ingram's future? To find out more about IngramSpark, go to http://www.ingramspark.com/ Participants As the Director of IngramSpark at Ingram Content Group, Robin Cutler is committed to helping independent publishers easily get their content into the hands of readers around the globe. To help make this happen, she leads the development of IngramSpark and continues to support and refine the platform to better serve independent publishers around the world. She is a leader in the independent publishing space, and when not developing new programs and services for IngramSpark

Angela Bole, CEO of the Independent Book Publishers Association, gives an overview of IBPA and how its mission can help publishers become more successful in an ever-changing publishing landscape. Topics covered include: what is IBPA? who is IBPA for? how is publishing changing in America, and is it changing too slowly? why the era of stigmatizing self-publishers – or, author-publishers – is OVER! new models for creative publishing promotional opportunities and benefits at IBPA For more on IBPA, go to http://www.ibpa-online.org. Also, your questions on how to submit books to magazines, and is it legal to use characters from movies in fan fiction? Participants Angela Bole is chief executive officer of the Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), the largest book publishing association in the U.S. serving independent publishers and self-published authors. Prior to joining IBPA, Angela served two years as deputy executive director of the Book Industry Study Group (BISG), an organization that fosters conv

Anne-Marie Concepción of Seneca Design & Training presents the case for using InDesign as a p-book and e-book creation tool. Topics covered include: can Microsoft Word be used for book publishing? (the short answer: please don’t.) the importance of styles in InDesign learning InDesign using InDesign to create e-books creating Kindle books and using the Kindle Previewer designing for print vs designing for ebooks finding a designer Also, your questions on paying royalties to foreign publishers, learning more about printing and production. Sites and resources mentioned in the podcast include: Seneca Design & Training: https://senecadesign.com/ Lynda.com (search for “eBook fundamentals”) iBooks Author from Apple: https://www.apple.com/ibooks-author/ Kindle Previewer from Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?ie=UTF8&docId=1000765261 Upwork (was Elance): https://www.upwork.com/ check out #eprdctn on Twitter InDesign Magazine issue on book design: https://indesignsecrets.com/issues/issue-10

Tom Doherty of Cardinal Publishers Group presents need-to-know pointers for independent publishers seeking distribution for their books. He covers: the different types of distributor typical working arrangements, including exclusivity, house accounts, chargebacks, and services what you need to provide to find a distributor (such as a solid marketing plan!) the importance of keeping the lines of communication open discoverability working with online retailers Also: your questions on Digital Review Copies and royalties. Participants Tom Doherty has been president of Cardinal Publishers Group since 2000 and publisher of Blue River Press since 2004. Prior to Cardinal Publishers Group Tom worked in publishing for nearly twenty years including eight years in book distribution with Time-Warner and The Hearst Corporation. During his time at Cardinal Publishers Group, a full-service distributor, Tom has launched more than a hundred new imprints. As publisher of Blue River Press he published notable New York Times be

Ian Lamont of i30 Media discusses strategies for using Amazon Marketing Services to make your book pop to the top in Amazon searches. Covered here are key concepts like bidding and budgeting, and a real-world assessment of what works and what doesn't when working with Amazon (or with Facebook and Google ads). Here’s the YouTube how-to video Ian mentions in the podcast: “How to Make Amazon Marketing Services Product Display Ads”: https://youtu.be/oQvAsSQ3tV4 Mentioned in the members’ question portion of the podcast are new classes in Copyediting and Developmental Editing at UCLA Extension. For information, go to https://www.uclaextension.edu/. Participants Ian Lamont is an award-winning technology journalist, author, and publisher, and the founder of i30 Media Corp. and IN 30 MINUTES Guides. He is also a director and treasurer of the Independent Book Publishers Association and serves on IBPA's Executive Committee. His books include Twitter In 30 Minutes and Lean Media: How to Focus Creativity, Streamline Produ