The BookMark is our free monthly newsletter featuring news and information of use to publishers, authors, retailers, and others involved in the publishing industry. On the fifteenth of every month, The BookMark will deliver useful tips, helpful news, and upcoming events directly to your electronic in-box. If you would like to receive a free copy of the The BookMark in your monthly e-mail, please visit http://www.bookmasters.com/subscribe.htm and complete the subscription form.
IN THIS ISSUE:
Publishing Industry News
Marketing and Distribution
Trade Show News
A Year in Review
by Ray Sevin, President
Many challenges and successes surfaced in 2008. Most of the challenges came as a result of the general economic conditions, mostly in the form of an increased cost of raw materials due to fuel surcharges and currency exchanges. Even through this, BookMasters has been able to maintain competitive prices while providing the best service and quality throughout our unmatched combination of services. Through it all we will have increased our sales nearly 20 percent.
We continue to add equipment and services to match the demand of the worldwide publishing community. Included is an expansion of equipment, both in increased capacity for full-color digital printing as well as perfect and case binding quality that surpasses any other digital book manufacturer. The addition of a Timsons web offset press to our list of high quality 4- and 5-color sheet fed presses provides us with the capacity to meet the demand of our customers.
The most exciting news is the reorganization of all of our services into three major divisions: BookMasters Manufacturing Services, BookMasters Digital Services, and BookMasters Distribution Services. This strategic management structure will help us to better service the growing needs in every segment of publishing, from inception to consumer.
Manufacturing Services includes web and sheet fed offset and digital printing from one to four color as well as every conceivable binding style. We have made extensive investments in quality assurance and expanded styles of binding including the only U.S. book manufacturer to offer the classic “European Round” on its case bound books.
Digital Services is rapidly expanding its existing offerings in XML, Meta-tagging, and digital content management to include unlimited use and electronic distribution of digital files. These not only include the traditional project management or composition and design, but also searchable content, Kindle-type conversion, and more “print-on-demand” solutions that dovetail with digital manufacturing and e-distribution.
BookMasters Distribution Services and AtlasBooks offer world class domestic and global sales, marketing, and distribution services to small- and mid-sized publishers. All distribution accounts receive the same attention to detail; access to our toll-free, 24/7/365 call center; electronic order submission; ASN and EDI capabilities with online account management and the best real-time sales and financial reporting available. This division of the privately held and financially strong BookMasters Inc. sets the standard for publisher services in the market today.
BookMasters is committed to the best quality for the dollar throughout our complete vertical suite of services.
Book Marketing, Not an Afterthought
by Kim Wertman -
Marketing Coordinator, AtlasBooks Distribution
Too often we see publishers going through the process of publishing a book as if it were a sprint instead of a marathon. Exerting all your energy (and funds) during the production stages of the book will leave you with a fabulous book that absolutely no one knows about. You should always include marketing dollars in your budget, as well as setting up book signings and events to coincide with your release so you aren’t scrambling later. Too many times I have publishers come to me wanting to market their book. But when I ask them what their marketing budget is, they tell me they spent all their money printing their book. Try to look at the big picture, and don’t get too caught up in the anxiety of finishing the book and getting it printed.
Publicity is the most effective way to get your book noticed. Have a professional write a press release and send it out to all the media contacts you can possibly find, focusing your efforts on your book’s niche market. BookMasters does offer media lists and press kits, though media contacts can also be found by scouring the Internet if you have more time on your hands than cash in your pocket. Do not, however, bargain shop when it comes to a press release. This needs to be written by a professional; anything less will be disregarded immediately.
Another easy way to publicize your book is to BLOG, BLOG, BLOG!!! Viral marketing is inexpensive (even free in many cases) and it is an easy way to reach your target market. Do a Google search for blogs relating to the topic of your book and begin blogging.
The second most important thing you can do to market your book is to submit it for reviews. Keep in mind that every major review publication (Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, Booklist, etc…) all require a 3-month lead time and prefer galley copies. BookMasters is happy to print and mail these out for you, but we cannot submit titles that are already published. Booksellers love to see reviews from prominent sources, making this a vital pre-publication step.
Recently I visited Publisher’s Weekly and, as I was leaving, someone pointed out two large carts overflowing with books. There must have been 400-500 books there. I was told that those were the books that had come in that week, and it was only Monday. More startling, I was told that the majority would be disregarded due to being past their publication date, only sending one copy when two are required, or because they did not include a cover letter. When it comes to reviews, if you don’t get things done right, you might as well not do them at all.
Lastly, it is always helpful to participate in co-op advertising in order to give your title that additional boost of exposure. Ideally, this should be done within the first 6 months of the release of your book, but it can also serve as a means of reviving your best-selling backlist titles.
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Four Ways to Immediately Improve the Quality of Your Writing
by Steven E
Writing is not really an art. It is a craft, and crafts can be learned. Here are four techniques you can use to immediately improve the quality of any writing you do, from business letters to Web site articles:
1. After you run your spell checking software, go back and reread your writing. Very few people are good spellers, which is why spell checking software became popular years ago. Unfortunately, reliance on the software leads to silly errors. For example, the words "form" and "from" are both good, legitimate words. But if you wrote a business letter that said, "We will be taking $200 form your checking account to cover the payment," would your spell check software catch the error? Yet a simple typo changed "from your checking account" to the silly "form your checking account". Spell checkers are a convenience, but they are neither authoritative nor infallible. Always read through your writing at least once after you spell check -- and keep a dictionary handy.
2. Use that famous "KISS" principle for your punctuation. You know the rule, don't you? "Keep It Simple, Stupid" is the rule regarding punctuation. If you don't know how or when to use a semicolon, then avoid semicolons; you'll only display ignorance if you get it wrong. In keeping with that KISS principle, limit your use of commas. Far too many people use far too many commas. Just because a sentence is long does not mean it needs a comma. Well-placed commas make reading easier and are appropriate. Commas thrown in simply to break up the words are incorrect and distracting. Another important rule of punctuation is to avoid using exclamation marks almost always. If your choice of words, sentence structure, and overall prose don't convey the sense of excitement you are seeking, an exclamation mark won't do it. If your writing conveys your sense of excitement, an exclamation point is, well, pointless.
3. Make sure your writing is grammatically correct. You don't have to be an English teacher to get the grammar correct. You simply need to learn the basics -- verbs and subjects agree in number, for example. That is, "he was" is correct; "they were" is correct. To say "they was" is incorrect. If you aren't sure about using grammar, especially if English isn't your "first" language, go to some good reference sites for fundamental English grammar and usage. (If you are writing in another language, the same advice holds true for that language.) Invest in a good, basic grammar book or style manual. Check with any bookstore, online or offline, and you can find one.
4. When you finish some writing, put it aside for a couple of hours or days (if possible), then reread it before you let go of it. Of course, if you're writing or dictating a business letter or other "time sensitive" document, this may not be possible. If you set your article or story aside for even a day, then reread it, you may be surprised at glaring errors or significant changes you will want to make. And you thought before that it was finished. Many writers and teachers have commented that all true writing is done in the rewriting. Take that advice to heart and you will significantly improve your writing.
These four steps - rechecking your spelling, taking care with punctuation, watching for fundamental grammar errors, and rewriting - will improve your writing. They are proven tools used by every word craftsman.
Around the world Steven E is known as a highly successful publisher, entrepreneur, speaker, coach, mentor, and best-selling author. The Team Publishers program that he helped to develop is the publisher of the Wake Up Live the Life You Love best-selling book series with over 12 million stories in print. Steven E is also featured in the movie Pass it On.
Upcoming Events
Publishing Business Conference and Expo
New York Marriott Marquis, Times Square
New York, NY
March 23-25, 2009
www.PublishingBusiness.com
Bologna Children’s Book Fair
Bologna Exhibition Centre
Bologna, Italy
March 23-26, 2009
www.bookfair.bolognafiere.it
Colorado Independent Publishers Association College 2009
Red Lion Hotel
Denver, CO
March 26-28, 2009
www.CIPAbooks.com
London Book Fair-
Earl’s Court
London, England
April 20-22, 2009
www.londonbookfair.co.uk
Society for Scholarly Publishing Annual Meeting
Baltimore Marriott Waterfront
Baltimore, MD
May 27-29, 2009
www.sspnet.org
Book Expo America 2009
Jacob K. Javits Center
New York, NY
May 28-May 31, 2009
www.bookexpoamerica.com
American Library Association Show
McCormick Place
Chicago, IL
July 9-15, 2009
www.ala.org
This calendar was up-to-date and accurate as of December 15, 2008. Information was culled from a number of sources. BookMasters cannot be held liable for the accuracy of the information within. Please visit the listed Web sites for more information.
