Self-Publishing Fiction: From Manuscript to Bookstore and Beyond [Paperback]

Gavin Sinclair (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 2005

Self-Publishing Fiction - From Manuscript to Bookstore and Beyond gives you all the tools you need to produce and sell your own novel. Unlike other guides to self-publishing, it is written with the fiction writer in mind. This book is a hands-on manual which will lead you in detail through the processes of designing, printing, distributing and promoting your book. You will learn how to get your books into bookstores and how to move them off the shelves. Along the way, you will also learn how to exploit non-traditional (i.e. non-bookstore) sales. And you'll learn how to get the best value for every dollar you spend on producing and marketing your book. You'll find extensive lists of printers, reviewers, bookstores, booksellers' associations and more, complete with physical and email addresses, phone and fax numbers, contact names and, where appropriate, recommendations based on experience. You'll learn how to copyright your book, obtain ISBNs and Library of Congress numbers, get the best prices from printers and work with them to achieve the results you want, how to approach reviewers, how to give your book the best chance of obtaining effective distribution to bookstores, whom to approach at Barnes & Noble, Borders, etc. to arrange book signings and other events, how to design a website and accept orders over the internet …. in short a complete guide of how to go from manuscript to bookstore and beyond. There has never been a better time to self-publish your novel. Almost all the pre-print work can be done on a personal computer, as can the management of the project. With the aid of this book you can identify the best printing companies for a new publisher who would welcome some patient handling, but is not a complete idiot anxious to be overcharged for unnecessary services. Internet bookstores like Amazon.com make it easier to stick your toe in the waters of the bookselling world. There are obstacles in the area of marketing for a new, single title publisher, but these can be overcome with patience and knowledge. Best of all, you are in control. You are not dependent on the good graces of a publisher. You can succeed or fail on your own terms.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Packed cover-to-cover with hands-on information offering straight talk to difficult problems, from how to approach Barnes & Noble and other big bookstore chains to how to get picked up by a distributor, Self-Publishing Fiction is an enthusiastically recommended must-have for anyone determined to present a story to the reading public without breaking the bank --Midwest Book Review

An incredibly practical manual including valuable samples of press releases, author interviews, and online press kits to make your self-published novel a success --Fern Reiss, Author of The Publishing Game

A terrific handbook for anyone who wants to self publish - the smart way! --M.J. Rose, co-author of How to Publish and Promote Online, and Buzz Your Book.

About the Author

Gavin Sinclair, a.k.a. Augustus Gump, is the author of The Management Secrets of T. John Dick and the president of Mainland Press. He lives in Conover, North Carolina.

Product Details

• Paperback: 214 pages
• Publisher: The Mainland Press (April 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0970874642
• ISBN-13: 978-0970874641
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,823,378 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good things come in small packages..., April 21, 2005

By 

Byron C. Justice "Lone Tree" (Houston, TX) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Self-Publishing Fiction: From Manuscript to Bookstore and Beyond (Paperback)

Being myself a budding independent publisher (and author), I buy and read every book on the subject I can find. Most of the books on my publishing shelf are geared for the non-fiction self-publisher, and all of those provide similar information. This one is different. The material is up-to-date and presented in a compact, refreshingly straightforward way. The examples of the media kit components and galley covers answered questions new publishers often ask, answers not found in previous books. Another plus is Sinclair doesn't assume you have decades of experience with esoteric layout software. He even includes a section on cover layout and design. I found new publishing associations and review information that is not in similar books, even those less than two years old. The only thing which keeps this from being a 5-star book is numerous small typos, which distract somewhat; but I bought the book for information, not editing practice, and it was money well spent.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A gem!, August 5, 2005

By 

Barbara Goodheart "Author of The Wild Place" (Chicago area, USA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Self-Publishing Fiction: From Manuscript to Bookstore and Beyond (Paperback)

This book is a gem for anyone thinking about self-publishing fiction with either a print-on-demand publisher or a traditional printer. I personally disagree with the author's negative opinions about POD publishing (my experiences with ASJA Press/iUniverse have been extremely good). But Sinclair's Chapters 12 and 13 (on promoting your book), especially his examples of promotional materials, are well worth the price of the book-even for someone who chooses the POD route.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Loved it! Packed with useful stuff!, April 23, 2005

By 

Elizabeth Anne (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Self-Publishing Fiction: From Manuscript to Bookstore and Beyond (Paperback)

This book is great for anyone thinking about publishing a novel. The information is easy to understand and very complete. I had read other self-publishing books and got a lot of good information, but this book was the best. What I found most useful was the detail the author goes into on how to design a professional book yourself. For those on a fairly tight budget, who still want a book they can be proud of, this is invaluable. The advice on promotion was very useful too, especially how to arrange book signings and use them to achieve media coverage. Here again, the level of detail was useful, as the author tells you whom to approach at Barnes & Noble, Borders etc. The information on how to select a printer and get a good price was also really helpful.

I read this book just in time. It saved me from falling into a lot of self-publishing traps. Read it before you sign up with a POD publisher. It will probably change your mind and you'll end up with a better chance of getting reviews and getting into bookstores. It takes a bit more work, but it's worth it if you're serious about self-publishing.