Inside Independent Publishing (with IBPA)

By Christopher LockeSociety & Culture Business Arts Books

Inside Independent Publishing (with IBPA) episodes

May 23, 2019Distribution models, old ways and new, with guest Richard T. Wiliams
Topics include:
What is a distributor?
What is the current distribution landscape and how has it evolved?
The increasing importance of print on demand (POD)
The Amazon effect: changing the rules; more sales but less service to the publisher
Can a small publisher get into IPG? Does it need to? Is there demand? Is the book discoverable? Does it look right? Is it “shelfworthy”?
Books are evaluated on market, not on how good your pitch is. Passing the first evaluation hurdle: quality, cover, testimonials, promotion plans, having a platform and following
The biggest changes coming in the future: How people consume books, digital readership, bifurcation of the market (traditional vs new digestion models)
How retail booksellers are serving an older demographic while newer delivery models are serving a younger generation of readers: you need to take both into account.
The publishing “season”: on the way out or here to stay? Do drop-in titles ever make sense?
Check out the IPG website at https://ipgbook.com/
For measuring your book against industry standards, use the IBPA checklist: https://www.ibpa-online.org/general/custom.asp?page=standardschecklist
Participants
Richard T. Williams is the Vice President, Publisher Development, at IPG, where he reviews publisher submissions, pursues new publisher business, and manages a team of experts to help existing clients plan and develop their lists. He is a former sales rep at IPG and was the director of IPG’s Small Press United program from its inception in 2009. Also a former operations manager at an independent publisher, Richard is uniquely positioned to understand the needs of publishers in today’s industry and utilizes his knowledge and experience to help expand IPG’s suite of services to fit such needs.
Peter Goodman (host) is publisher of Stone Bridge Press in Berkeley, California. He began his publishing career in Tokyo, Japan, in 1976. A longtime member of IBPA, he has served on the IBPA board and as IBPA board chair.
26 min
May 09, 2019A powerful social media marketing strategy, with guest Andy Weiner
A book sales rep becomes an author and learns first-hand how to get bookstores and associations interested in his book -- and which social media platform was the most effective may surprise you.
Topics include:
How to get booksellers interested in your book
How far in advance to begin promotion
Smart use of social media, especially Instagram and LinkedIn
How to sell and not sound like a salesperson
Using social media to create sales opportunities
If you have a publisher, do you coordinate with them or work on your own?
Pitching to indie booksellers
Following up on LinkedIn using groups and DMs
PARTICIPANTS
Andy Weiner is a longtime publishing professional. He has worked for Penguin USA, Random House, Chronicle Books, rightscenter.com, and for Abrams Books. He is also the co-publisher of* Close Enough for the Angels* by Paul Madonna, and is the author of the children’s book Down By the River, a book that Jensen Fly Fishing says: “blends family cohesion (mom and grandpa both take time telling stories and helping teach Art to fly fish), subtle contexts of fly fishing, and a gentle message of conservation.”
Andy’s website for his book:
http://www.downbytheriverbook.com/
For more information on the book Getting There; A Book of Mentors by Gillian Zoe Segal, mentioned in the podcast, see https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781419715709.
Peter Goodman (host) is publisher of Stone Bridge Press in Berkeley, California. He began his publishing career in Tokyo, Japan, in 1976. A longtime member of IBPA, he has served on the IBPA board and as IBPA board chair.
21 min
April 25, 2019Publishing is great! Publishing sucks! The host weighs in.
Topics include:
5 great things about being an indie publisher today
5 horrible things about being an indie publisher today
and a few further thoughts and comments
PARTICIPANTS
Peter Goodman (host) is publisher of Stone Bridge Press in Berkeley, California. He began his publishing career in Tokyo, Japan, in 1976. A longtime member of IBPA, he has served on the IBPA board and as IBPA board chair.
15 min
April 04, 2019An expert reflects on independent publishing today, with guest Joel Friedlander
Has publishing changed much in the past decades? A lot, but in many ways not at all. Influential blogger and opinion leader Joel Friedlander tells us what’s still important for all publishers to know . . . and do.
Topics include:
First rule: authors still have to understand their market.
Hard copy printing, despite what we hear about ebooks, is still the most popular way of manufacturing, and most of that is offset.
Can author-publishers get into bookstores? (One thought: consignment is not the way to go except in one specific instance.)
So who gets mainstream distribution?
What ever happened to ebooks?
Humans have an endless need for stories, which is why we’ll always have books.
The future of publishing: interactivity, special editions, crowdfunding.
Bottom line: quality is still the most important thing a publisher can bring to a book.
Participants
Joel Friedlander is an award-winning book designer, blogger (since 2009!), and writer. He speaks regularly at industry events and is the author of A Self-Publisher’s Companion and The Book Blueprint. The blogger behind TheBookDesigner, Joel is a columnist for Publishers Weekly, and was named by Writer's Digest as one of the 10 people to follow in book publishing. He also operates several websites that provide design, marketing, and project planning resources for indie publishers and authors.
Joel Friedlander’s blog and websites
The Book Designer: http://www.thebookdesigner.com/
BookDesignTemplates.com: https://www.bookdesigntemplates.com/
AuthorToolkits.com: http://authortoolkits.com/
BookPlanner.com: http://bookplanner.com/
Books by Joel Friedlander
The Book Blueprint: https://www.amazon.com/Book-Blueprint-Expert-Creating-Industry-Standard-ebook/dp/B07D5NRYW3/
A Self-Publisher’s Companion: http://www.amazon.com/Self-Publishers-Companion-Joel-Friedlander/dp/0936385111/
IBPA Industry Standards Checklist: https://www.ibpa-online.org/general/custom.asp?page=standardschecklist
Peter Goodman (host) is publisher of Stone Bridge Press in Berkeley, California. He began his publishing career in Tokyo, Japan, in 1976. A longtime member of IBPA, he has served on the IBPA board and as IBPA board chair.
25 min
February 28, 2019Working with Amazon, part 2: Terms of Service and getting reviews, with guest Ian Lamont
Part 2 of a wide-ranging interview with Ian Lamont of i30 Media about selling, promoting, and advertising your books on Amazon, plus tips for getting reviews and understanding Amazon’s Terms of Service.
Highlights of part 2 include:
Amazon Terms of Service
Who matters more to Amazon, you the publisher or the customer? Three guesses!
the “buy box” controversy
how to avoid getting kicked off Amazon: understanding Terms of Service
getting reviews and managing giveaways
can anyone compete with Amazon?
Ian Lamont’s blog is at http://leanmedia.org/blog/.
Participants
Ian Lamont is an award-winning technology journalist, author, and publisher, and the founder of i30 Media Corp. and IN 30 MINUTES Guides (in30minutes.com). 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 production, and create media that audiences love. A graduate of Boston University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, he lives in the Boston area with his family. Follow him on Twitter at @ilamont and read his blog about the publishing industry at http://leanmedia.org/blog.
Peter Goodman (host) is publisher of Stone Bridge Press in Berkeley, California. He began his publishing career in Tokyo, Japan, in 1976. A longtime member of IBPA, he has served on the IBPA board and as IBPA board chair.
27 min
February 21, 2019Working with Amazon, part 1: Keywords, categories, and advertising, with guest Ian Lamont
Working with Amazon, part 1: Keywords, Categories, and Advertising, with guest Ian Lamont
Part 1 of a wide-ranging interview with Ian Lamont of i30 Media about selling, promoting, and advertising your books on Amazon, plus tips for getting reviews and understanding Amazon’s Terms of Service.
Highlights include:
CreateSpace and the not-so-smooth conversion to KDP
using and choosing keywords and categories for your book
placing ads on Amazon and understanding ACOS to know if you’re making a profit or not
art there alternative to Amazon?
Ian Lamont’s blog is at http://leanmedia.org/blog/.
Participants
Ian Lamont is an award-winning technology journalist, author, and publisher, and the founder of i30 Media Corp. and IN 30 MINUTES Guides (in30minutes.com). 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 production, and create media that audiences love. A graduate of Boston University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, he lives in the Boston area with his family. Follow him on Twitter at @ilamont and read his blog about the publishing industry at leanmedia.org/blog.
Peter Goodman (host) is publisher of Stone Bridge Press in Berkeley, California. He began his publishing career in Tokyo, Japan, in 1976. A longtime member of IBPA, he has served on the IBPA board and as IBPA board chair.
22 min
January 31, 2019The logistics of order-fulfillment, with guest Matt Kurtis
Matt Kurtis, VP of Sales & Marketing for Ware-Pak LLC, explains how book-fulfillment services (pick, pack, ship) can help publishers manage new logistical challenges, save money, and become more efficient.
Highlights include:
How is a fulfillment service different from a distributor, from a wholesaler?
What does the term “3PL” refer to?
What kind of publisher benefits the most from a fulfillment service?
At what stage of your company’s growth should you contact a fulfillment company?
What kinds of benefits does a fulfillment company offer?
How are publishers charged for services?
The very important difference between activity-based and percentage-based chargebacks
Transitioning from in-house to outsource fulfillment, and why it might make sense (key point: you transfer your fixed costs to variable costs)
How do you know if you should choose fulfillment vs full-service distribution (i.e., a distributor that offers sales and marketing support)
does digitalization threaten the future of physical shipments (not hardly)
Listeners to this podcast with shipping needs are encouraged to contact Ware-Pak for a quote to see if Ware-Pak's services make sense.
Ware-Pak, LLC: Warehousing, Distribution & Fulfillment Services for Publishers & Associations
Located in University Park, Illinois
https://www.ware-pak.com
Participants
Matthew Kurtis is Ware-Pak's Vice President of Sales and Marketing and oversees all new client relations, contract management, outreach, and move-in logistics for Ware-Pak clients. He has a B.S. in Business Administration with over 17 years experience in sales and project management, which has granted him the knowledge required to assist businesses to grow their revenue by analyzing each area of opportunity and developing an effective implementation plan. He realizes the value of grassroots relationship-building and aims to support businesses of all sizes in strategic decision-making. Matt is also a remarkable leader and provides guidance daily to the Ware-Pak team with his expertise in the areas of sales, marketing, and customer service. He can even be found working in the warehouse when there is need for additional labor! When he is not in the office or the warehouse, Matt enjoys traveling with his wife Emily and engaging in hands-on projects at home.
Peter Goodman (host) is publisher of Stone Bridge Press in Berkeley, California. He began his publishing career in Tokyo, Japan, in 1976. A longtime member of IBPA, he has served on the IBPA board and as IBPA board chair.
27 min
January 17, 2019Why the hybrid model makes sense for authors and publishers, with guest Brooke Warner
Why the hybrid model makes sense for authors and publishers, with guest Brooke Warner
Brooke Warner, publisher of She Writes Press and SparkPress, talks about independent publishing and how the hybrid model is helping authors thrive by creating opportunity and diversifying the marketplace.
Highlights include:
What is hybrid publishing?
What is the hybrid business model?
Who pays, and what does it cost?
What benefits does hybrid give the author? The publisher?
How hybrid democratizes the list: all books get attention, not just the “lead titles”
What points do authors need to pay attention to in hybrid contracts?
Why do hybrid publishers still meet resistance from some reviewers, contests, and associations?
What’s the future of indie publishing? (Hint: it’s bright!)
Challenges ahead: costs of paper, book pricing, Amazon dominance
IBPA’s role in promoting standards
Key point: we need to rethink the way we do things and update our idea of what a book is: the current model may not be sustainable
Here are two essential IBPA checklists related to this podcast:
“Hybrid Publisher Criteria”
https://cdn.ymaws.com/www.ibpa-online.org/resource/resmgr/docs/IBPA-Hybrid-Publisher-Criter.pdf
“Industry Standards Checklist for a Professionally Published Book”
https://cdn.ymaws.com/www.ibpa-online.org/resource/resmgr/docs/IBPA-checklist-FINAL.pdf
Participants
Brooke Warner is publisher of She Writes Press and SparkPress, president of Warner Coaching Inc., and author of the forthcoming Write On, Sisters! Voice, Courage, and Claiming Your Place at the Table, as well as five other books on publishing and memoir. Brooke is a TEDx speaker, weekly podcaster (“Write-minded” with co-host Grant Faulkner of NaNoWriMo), and the former Executive Editor of Seal Press. She’s the Board Chair of the Independent Book Publishers Association and writes a monthly column for Publishers Weekly.
Tweet: @SheWritesDotCom
Listen to Brooke’s TEDx talk "Green-Light Revolution: Your Creative Life on Your Terms"
https://youtu.be/5a0w4KgWyP8
Peter Goodman (host) is publisher of Stone Bridge Press in Berkeley, California. He began his publishing career in Tokyo, Japan, in 1976. A longtime member of IBPA, he has served on the IBPA board and as IBPA board chair.
32 min
January 03, 2019Extending your content via e-learning, with guest Deltina Hay
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 monetizing
sell it on your own or in a marketplace?
publicizing your elearning program through blogging and social media
what does it cost to make a 1-hour elearning program?
what should your charge for your elearning course (beware of cheap competition!)
how long did it take Deltina to produce a 10-minute video (you may not believe the answer!)
study the marketplace to figure out what your competitors are up to
is there still a need for books?
Elearning tools and websites mentioned in the podcast are:
Articulate Storyline: https://articulate.com/360/storyline
Adobe Captivate: https://www.adobe.com/products/captivate.html
Camtasia: https://www.techsmith.com/video-editor.html
Udemy Online Courses: https://www.udemy.com/
DeltinaU: https://deltinau.com/
==
Participants
Deltina Hay is the Director of Technology and Elearning Development at Elearning Delta. She is a programmer, web developer, software aficionado, writer, teacher, digital strategist, and instructional designer.
For nearly 30 years, Deltina has helped businesses of all sizes with their custom programming, database management, web development, search optimization, and social media marketing. Some of her past clients include Real Simple Magazine, Nestle Toll House, Victoria’s Secret, H-E-B, Kraft, Hachette Books, RaceWorldTV, and the University of Missouri.
Deltina is the author of three books on social media, the mobile web, and search optimization. Her first book, The Social Media Survival Guide, is used as a textbook in colleges and universities all over the world.
For the past five years, Deltina has applied her diverse skill set to the education industry. She developed and taught the graduate-level social media certificate program for Drury University, and has designed and developed social media, digital marketing, mobile marketing, and search optimization certification programs for several online colleges and training sites, including 360Training, Meditec, and WorldEducation.
Deltina’s elearning development company, DeltinaU, produces and publishes courses in digital and mobile marketing, search optimization, and web development. There are more than 20 courses to choose from and successful students are awarded a “Certificate in Digital Marketing”.
You can reach Deltina at Elearning Delta:
http://elearningdelta.com/
[email protected]
Peter Goodman (host) is publisher of Stone Bridge Press in Berkeley, California. He began his publishing career in Tokyo, Japan, in 1976. A longtime member of IBPA, he has served on the IBPA board and as IBPA board chair.
30 min
December 13, 2018Working with independent booksellers, with guests from Books Inc., Berkeley
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 developing an audience
booksellers look for diversity in subject matter, so indie books are especially welcome!
Ingram Spark: a reliable and dependable match for an indie publisher looking for a POD solution that offers distribution (hint: booksellers do NOT like to order from Amazon!)
authors need to learn the biz: bookselling costs money too; educate yourself about what’s expected and about professional standards of book publishing
is the quality of indie publishing improving over the years?
Books, Inc. can be reached at https://www.booksinc.net/
and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/books_inc/.
Ingram Spark is at https://www.ingramspark.com/.
The IBPA industry standards checklist is at https://www.ibpa-online.org/page/standardschecklist.
==
Participants
Schyler Baker is the manager of Books Inc in Berkeley. He holds a BA in English from California State University Sacramento. He started bookselling in 2005 and has hosted hundreds of author events over the years.
Sara Vander Zwaag is the restock buyer at Books Inc. Berkeley. She received her MFA in poetry from Saint Mary’s College of California. She loves animals, especially her black cat Timo; space; poetry; vegan treats; hiking; swimming; and, of course, reading!
Annie Keig is the Event Coordinator for Books Inc Berkeley in Northern California. She received her BA in Environmental Studies and Creative writing at Saint Mary’s College of California. A long time reader and aspiring writer, she strives to bring readers closer to the books and authors they love with her work at Books Inc.
Peter Goodman (host) is publisher of Stone Bridge Press in Berkeley, California. He began his publishing career in Tokyo, Japan, in 1976. A longtime member of IBPA, he has served on the IBPA board and as IBPA board chair.
28 min

About Inside Independent Publishing (with IBPA)

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"Inside Independent Publishing (with IBPA)" wants to make you a smarter publisher by giving you access to powerful ideas, strategies, and tools for success.