listed in alphabetical order by author's last name
Unlocking
the Secrets of Publishing by Sylvia Hemmerly
This book will show you the basics of publishing, with an emphasis on
producing the final product. Whether you are self-publishing or need
to communicate intelligently with your publisher, this book will be of
great use. Its strengths are in explaining the editorial, production
and design process. It is less strong in explaining marketing. It contains
a glossary which is very good, and directories which will help you continue
to educate yourself.
Visit the publisher's
web-site.
To view it on Amazon, click
here.
Publishing Basics: A Guide for the Small Press and Independent Self-Publisher by Robert Bowie Johnson, Jr. with Ron Pramschufer
The strongest element of this book is the samples of different printing technologies and papers included. That alone is worth the price, even if you already know all of the rest. If you have done any amount of research on publishing, you probably DO know the rest. On the other hand, if you are just beginning to consider publishing, and you don't know the difference between POD printing and POD publishing, or what belongs on the copyright page, and how to get an EAN Bookland bar code, this may be a very useful addition to your library.
Covered in this book are:
--an introduction to the different avenues to becoming a published author,
--what goes where in a book,
--which tools (not) to use to layout a book,
--the basics of print buying and trim sizes,
--the essential paperwork involved in registering your book with the ISBN agency and Library of Congress,
--a little design and production vocabulary, and
--a few marketing resources and ideas.
If you purchase this book, I recommend that you also get at least one other book on publishing before launching. This is an extremely competitive business, and there isn't much room to make mistakes and still avoid losing your shirt. Knowledge is your wallet's best defense.
The publisher sends this book out for free (as of our last visit), from their own site. Because of this, I strongly recommend that you click on the link before, and get it. You won't regret the time spent.
Visit the publishers' web-site.
The
Publishing Game: Publish a Book in 30 Days by Fern Reiss
In
my role as a moderator of the Yahoo's
Self-Publishing group, I am
constantly trying to assist fledgling publishers to get their operations
off the ground in an expeditious and organized fashion. Fern Reiss'
books have become an invaluable tool in that effort. I can recommend
them quickly and whole-heartedly. They cover so many topics so efficiently
that the follow-up questions are exceedingly easy to cover.
The books in this series (companion volumes include Find An Agent in 30 Days, and Bestseller in 30 Days) are quickly becoming standard references because so many people agree with me. Each organizes the necessary tasks into 30 approachable bundles, with clear, concise instructions and explanations. There are no important details missed, and nothing extraneous to distract you. Ms. Reiss is not only knowledgeable, but also an inspirational writer and speaker, and is a strong supporter of the small publishing community in both its Internet and real-world manifestations.
This book is a must-have for the reference library of the beginning publisher.
Visit
the publishers' web-site.
To view it on Amazon, click here.
What You Need to Know to Be a Pro by Terena Scott
This slender, approachable volume will help many authors and others who are eager to launch a publishing career. Written by someone who is close enough to her own neophyte experience that she can remember the questions she had, this book brings together the basics in a quick, and easily digested format.
The most common problem I see in my consulting practice is the publisher who either is utterly unaware of many of the complexities of our industry or who is so overly aware of them that they're frozen in fear. Both will benefit no end from a book like this.
Ms. Scott has also brought in more experienced folks to point the way forward in each subject area. Each gives a quick paragrah or three of advice, chosen from a deep well.
In all, this book will help many micro presses survive long enough to take the next step, and what more can you ask?
Visit the publishers' web-site.
To view it on Amazon, click here.
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