Many
people love reading books but few of us know the hardships that authors face in
the long journey that starts with their putting down their thoughts
electronically/on paper.
This
book offers an author’s perspective on the publishing industry and what factors
go into making each decision in the publishing cycle. Authors make considerable
sacrifices to give us the end product. The book provides an honest look at the
hard and gritty reality of the publishing industry.
Click on the link below to buy the book:
But
would-be authors need not fret – the latest book from Guy Kawasaki and Shawn
Welch gives us a comprehensive tour into the publishing cycle. Guy and Shawn have coined a new term: Artisanal Publishing. Here is a
sampling of the topics covered:
- Writing
tools to create content
- Tips
to proofread the finished product
- Raising
money to finance the whole process
- How
to convert our script in the Word document to the format of eBook
resellers
- Reaching
the customers through online book resellers or direct sales or
author-services companies
- How
to sell directly to readers
- International
translation of books and audiobook versions
- How
to take steps to precautions against frauds and rip-offs
- The need to check up with relevant authorities about taxes and legal requirements.
No
book on self-publishing or eBooks can be complete without a detailed look at Amazon.com,
the online retailing giant. I do not have the statistics on hand but Amazon’s Kindle
is probably the most popular and the bestselling eBook reader. There is much
more to Amazon and a separate chapter appropriately titled “How to Navigate the
Amazon” is focused on the wide services and features provided by Amazon.
As
a bibliophile, I enjoyed the chapter on the history of publishing. It was very
informative and gave a good insight into the technological changes that have
happened over the passage of time.
 |
| Guy Kawasaki |
The
book is extremely well-researched and has numerous links (or “Hat-tip” to quote
Guy) to source materials. This lends a high degree of credibility to the book (and
the authors).
I
also liked the chapter on how to price one’s book. Specifically, I liked the
pricing philosophies suggested by the authors. I also learnt a couple of new
things – using serial commas, and the meaning and importance of ISBNs.
The
techniques advocated by Guy and Shawn are applicable not only to book writing but also to
blogging. Each blog post can be compared to a book chapter. I was humbled to know that I have been practicing a few of these methods. One example: I follow the second school of thought, when it comes to revising mistakes. I would leave it to the readers to learn more from the book itself!
 |
| Shawn Welch |
In
a nutshell: The book contains a wealth of practical information. In addition to
the numerous tips and techniques from Guy, the book lists a number of online
resources that can be utilized right away. The best part is that many of these
resources are free of charge.
I would recommend the book to aspiring authors,
bloggers and bibliophiles.
