Jim Holmes

Great Opportunities, but Challenges, Too*

“I have prepared a manuscript. I believe it has value, and that it should be in print, but all the publishers I have approached seem to think otherwise. What can be done to get it into print?”

It is not uncommon to hear words such as these. The good news is that it has never been as easy to publish a book as it is today! However, with the opportunity of doing so, there are also challenges that have to be met. It may be relatively easy to rush a book into print, but just as easily, the outcome can be quite unsatisfactory. Often, a well-meaning family member or friend takes care of the editing, and the friend of a friend looks after the cover concept, but the quality standards are just not high enough for professional publication and distribution.

Another scenario involves taking shortcuts with the book’s internal design. Maybe it looks OK on the screen of your computer, but in real life, what you end up with is a disaster in print.

Then there is the matter of the bar-code, Bowker registration, and establishing a realistic retail price. Without these matters being carefully considered and planned, your home-made efforts may just be an accident waiting to happen.

What about warehousing and distribution? Who takes care of that? How does your book get placed on Amazon and into the hands of key vendors such as Ingram? Is there any possibility that your book will make it when it gets out there in the real world?

Are you likely to end up with cartons of unsaleable books in your garage?

Well, here’s a solution you should think about!

Introducing Perpetually in Print©

Because of considerations such as these, we have developed a model we call “Perpetually in Print” or PiP for short. PiP is a unique way that explores, considers and harnesses efficiencies, minimizing all costs, maximizing quality elements, and ensuring a realistic set of production costs to get your book into print.

The PiP model allows you the best of everything. In short, this is how it works:

You present a manuscript or writing idea to us;

We guide you through the developmental aspects of it, ensuring that the outcome is a publication-worthy piece;

We prepare your piece for publication on a perpetually in print basis.

What Do You Get in the PiP© Model?

Typesetting to the highest professional standards

The option of eBooks, too

Cover concept and design from an artist well qualified in the industry

ISBN purchase and registration

Production, including a thorough copyediting and proofreading process of all internal pages and the cover

Placement of your book in a warehouse and distribution supply portal located in Tennessee. At this point, your book is a virtual entity, so the distributor is able to print any number of copies (one is the minimum order; each copy is always at the same cost) and ship them out to the customer in the USA on the same day the order is received. An ONIX feed ensures that your book’s data is always right up to date, and that it reflects as being currently in print

The distributor offers international distribution capability and also takes care of all sales and receipts; warehouse storage charges are minimal owing to the virtual nature of your book until such time as there are specific orders for it

A preferential discount is offered to you as the author; you may order as many or as few books as you wish, whenever you wish. Trade terms are made available to all prospective customers

Support of your own promotional initiatives via a social media and the related construct of strategic activities through other portals associated with Great Writing, including personalized website design and hosting

And here’s the best part of all: You avoid the heavy costs of conventional printing and yet your book never has to go out of print!

What Does It Cost to Be a PiP© Author?

Prices are assessed on considerations such as the scale and scope of the project, the need for editorial intervention, and such related considerations. Contact us to discuss your project, and we will come up with the best possible deal!

*This post is extracted from one of my editorial services websites, Great Writing, and introduces a new concept I am working on.

Are you an existing or first-time author? Is this something that might interest you? Then, why not go ahead and contact me, share your idea, and let’s see if this is a model that could work for you.