Publish It Yourself: How to Start and Operate Your Own Publishing Business

Publish It Yourself: How to Start and Operate Your Own Publishing BusinessConvert manuscripts into extra income by starting your own publishing company and going head-to-head with major publishers. Learn the advantages of self-publishing over traditional publishing, and you'll discover why many famous authors made the decision to publish their own works.

Many associations, schools, churches, and other non-profit organizations are publishing books to develop new sources of revenue and to enhance their repuations in the community. Corporations and professionals are publishing proprietary works to maintain existing business, acquire new clients, or add to their prestige. And many individuals are publishing their own books or other undiscovered works to supplement their income.

In this highly interactive course, you'll learn how to format your works in a way that will save you hundreds of dollars. You'll find out everything you need to know to profit from your own publishing company, including how to plan and design a cover, select paper, choose a printer, price your publications, establish distribution channels, acquire barcodes, and register your works. You'll discover unique, proven, and cost-effective ways to market your books and fulfill orders. And you'll avoid common pitfalls that can slow the growth of your new publishing enterprise.

To enroll in this course, click the Enroll Now button below:

Requirements:

Internet access, e-mail, and the Microsoft Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox Web browser.

Syllabus:

All courses run for six weeks, with a two-week grace period at the end. Two lessons are released each week for the six-week duration of the course. You do not have to be present when the lesson is released, but you must complete each lesson within two weeks of its release.

A new section of each course starts on the second or third Wednesday of each month. If enrolling in a series of two or more courses, please be sure to space the start date for each course at least two months apart.

Week One
Wednesday - Lesson 01
Many famous authors have self-published their works: Mark Twain, Henry David Thoreau, and e.e. cummings, to name just a few. In this lesson, you'll learn about the different publishing options available-from large publishing houses to self-publishing-and the advantages and disadvantages of each, including financial considerations. You'll also get familiar with the many publishing terms you'll need to know throughout the course and in your publishing ventures.
Friday - Lesson 02
Whether you've written a book or not, this lesson will reveal places where you can find items to publish for profit. From reprints to novels, poetry to local history, you'll learn to look in unusual places for publishing ideas. Well talk about how to evaluate these ideas to see which are right for you.
Week Two
Wednesday - Lesson 03
Knowing which software to use can save you countless hours and dollars as you explore the publishing business. In this lesson, you'll learn which software most printers use, how to select the proper fonts, and how to calculate the spine width of your book. We'll also talk about why cover design is so important to your book sales and how to design the cover for optimum profit.
Friday - Lesson 04
In order to be a successful self-publisher, you'll have to set up a publishing company. There are several business structures you can use, and in this lesson, we'll look at the pros and cons of each. You'll learn how to develop your business image and where to look for professional assistance if you need it.
Week Three
Wednesday - Lesson 05
In Lesson 5 you'll learn how to price your book. Do you need hardcover or soft-cover? How should you select your paper? What about photographs and illustrations? The answers to these questions will directly affect your pricing and profitability, so in this lesson, we'll answer them all.
Friday - Lesson 06
Should you copyright your work? If so, how? In Lesson 6, we'll discuss many ways to register your work. You'll learn about copyrights, the Library of Congress, and ISBN registrations. You'll learn why it's crucial to register your work in order to protect it and profit from it.
Week Four
Wednesday - Lesson 07
Someone once said that you should never pay for advertising until you've explored all the avenues of free publicity you can find. In Lesson 7 we'll explore the many venues for free or very cheap publicity available to you in your publishing ventures.
Friday - Lesson 08
A marketing plan is a must if you want to maximize your book sales. Lesson 8 takes you through the development of a time-tested marketing plan, complete with easy step-by-step instructions for building the one that's right for you.
Week Five
Wednesday - Lesson 09
After you've exhausted your ideas for free publicity, it pays to advertise! You'll learn how to determine which advertising medium is right for you. Whether it be display ads or direct mail, we'll discuss them all in this lesson.
Friday - Lesson 10
Once the orders begin to come in, how will you fulfill them? In Lesson 10 we'll take a look at the many options available for distributing your book. You'll learn the difference between a distributor and a wholesaler, how to keep accurate customer records, and how to ship your book as economically as possible.
Week Six
Wednesday - Lesson 11
There's more than one way to make money in the publishing industry. In Lesson 11, we'll look at several ways to develop alternate income streams besides selling your book. You can make money from your customer lists, classes, and seminars. You'll find out how in this lesson.
Friday - Lesson 12
What is the future of the publishing industry? Is it in e-publishing, or maybe Print-On-Demand? In our final lesson, we'll look at trends in the publishing industry and how you can prepare yourself to capitalize on them.

To enroll in this course, click the Enroll Now button below:

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