The Publishing Game: Publish a Book in 30 Days

by Fern Reiss

Softcover book This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1893290859
• ISBN13: 9781893290853
• Release Date: January 2003
• Publisher: Peanut Butter and Jelly Press
• Length: 251 Pages
• Weight: 0.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.7" x 8.7"

Customer Reviews

Well presented "How-To" book

You know, I am very cautious of publishers reviewing publishers or people in the same industry complementing each other. That is why I wanted to submit this review as I am just an average Jane/Joe. Regardless of whether you are thinking of WRITING a manuscript (you do not have it yet) or you have a manuscript - this book is a MUST for you. The book shows "naked truth" of publishing process, details that one would hardly consider. I love discouraging books. This book will test your commitment to the idea of writing and self-publishing. Do you think of pregnancy difficulties, about changing diapers and not sleeping nights, about giving up your career before you get married? That's the precise comparison. Or, perhaps you think of roses, clean sheets and coffee in bed every morning? Here is the truth, right in this book: returns, dealing with inventory, fulfilling orders, dealing with bankruptcies of your buyers, low profit margins and much more. It is NOT about how to write or how to promote your book. To learn how to promote, how to write letters or the book itself, or how to get your books reviewed, you should look somewhere else. The title here starts with "PUBLISH". The topic is narrow, the book is very informational. Processes well in conjunction with Dan Poynter "Self-publishing manual". Good luck.

An Organized Approach

End your confusion. This book gives a step-by-step, day-by-day schedule to follow for turning your manuscript into a book. It tells you what you need to do, and in what order. It's loaded with tips and tricks to help you turn out a respectable book. The 30-day schedule may be a little ambitious for some books, but nevertheless, you cannot go wrong letting Fern Reiss lead you through the process. You'll not only want to go by the book, you'll want to go BUY this book.

Excellent book on self-publishing

This is one of three books titled "The Publishing Game". Each of the books sets itself apart from the others by the subtitles "Publish a Book in 30 Days", "Finding an Agent in 30 Days", and "Bestseller in 30 Days". Taken together they are a comprehensive set of instructional resources for everything you might want to know to get your book published and marketed.The areas covered in "Publish a Book in 30 Days" include deciding to self-publish, hot topics for publishing, choosing a title, setting a book's price, writing a business plan, choosing a company name, the legal structure of your company, getting an ISBN, filling out an ABI, discount schedules, planning for the future, creating a website, ordering a barcode, copyrighting, advance galleys, getting CIP data, book layout, printers, listing with publishing houses and listing with online bookstores. There are several items that set this book apart from similar titles. One is the thoroughness of the information on how to create the impression that you are a large publisher and not a self-published author. In fact, it walks the reader through the process of becoming a publishing house from beginning to end. How detailed is the information? For example, the discussion on how to get an ISBN details not only how to apply and the cost, but also what each section of an ISBN number means and how that affects the impression your book makes. Buying a small block of just ten ISBNs makes you appear to be a small publisher of only two or three books (since hardcover and softcover, audio versions, and new editions all require their own ISBN). How will anyone know that you just purchased ten ISBN numbers? Actually the ISBN number gives that information. The second set of numbers in the ISBN is five, six, or seven digits long. If it is five then you purchased a thousand ISBN numbers. If it is six then you purchased a hundred ISBN numbers. If it is seven digits then you purchased ten ISBN numbers.Another example of the way this book differs from similar titles is the tremendous amount of detailed, step-by-step information. This is a cookbook approach on how to become a publisher. As a result, you can feel confident that if you follow the directions you will get the same results every time. Unlike most other similar books, the author not only instructs you on what to do but also provides all the necessary details to actually complete the task. For example, when discussing Print-On-Demand options for printing your books Fern Reiss supplies the names and contact information for several reputable firms. This pattern is followed throughout the book and makes it well worth the price just for the detailed contact information.This is one of the best books available on the subject of becoming an independent publisher. "The Publishing Game: Publish a Book in 30 Days" is a highly recommended resource for anyone looking to become an independent book publisher, publish their own titles, or just wanting a

One of the best self publishing books I've ever read

I teach at over a dozen writers conferences a year. I write books for writers. I am on nine writer email discussion lists. In each area where I interact with writers I find those who want to have written a book. They don't make the time, don't do the research, and they don't have a plan. The Publishing Game: Publish a Book in 30 Days by Fern Reiss is a book I will recommend often because it is a plan complete with all the details needed to make the dream of finishing a book a reality.The step-by-step approach is great for someone who has trouble staying on task. It's also perfect for anyone who wants the correct information in one place. It's obvious that Reiss knows the publishing business and aspiring authors would do wise to follow her lead. This is an excellent guide for those who want to write a book and become their own publisher. The book assumes the reader knows how to write so it doesn't get into the actual writing of the book, This book also seems to be more geared to those writing non fiction. The book is more user-friendly than any book on self publishing I've come across. Reiss has done a wonderful job of pulling together information on every possible area of self publishing and anyone who is serious about the publishing game would be smart to run to the nearest outlet, online or brick and mortar, and buy a copy.

Great Resource For Self-Publishers

"The Publishing Game: Publish a Book in 30 Days" by Fern Reiss gives readers a step-by-step guide to self-publishing their books. For each day of 30 days, "The Publishing Game: Publish a Book in 30 Days" shows the reader the tasks necessary to set up a successful publishing company and turn a manuscript into a published book.Some of the first days have a modest and fun agenda, such as Day 2, in which you "zero-in on a hot topic...define your target audience, and choose a title and subtitle for your book."Many of the other days have a more ambitious agenda, such as choosing and setting up a business structure or setting up a database/accounting system to monitor book sales.For each day's plan, Reiss gives valuable resources and options. Options range from low-cost, do-it-yourself self-publishing to more professional, mid-sized publisher alternatives.For example, in setting up a record-keeping system, the options Reiss covers range from $10,000 specialized database programs for mid-sized publishers to $100 accounting programs for smaller publishers to buying a notebook and recording sales in a paper journal.For setting up a promotional website, "The Publishing Game: Publish a Book in 30 Days" lists resources to help those who want to learn to do-it-themselves at low cost. Website programs sponsored by the Writer's Guild to help authors are mentioned. And, for those with larger budgets, references to professional website designers are given.Any self-publisher should find an option within his/her publishing budget in this book. The main focus of "The Publishing Game: Publish a Book in 30 Days" is not book marketing, but rather getting a book produced and getting a new publishing company established.Many business aspects of starting a publishing company, which tend to be neglected in other self-publishing books, are discussed. For example, there is an excellent discussion about distributor bankruptcy and how to protect your small publishing company if your exclusive distributor fails. (A small publisher could lose hundreds of thousands of dollars in inventory stored at the distributor during a distributor bankruptcy and never receive payment for it if they don't protect themselves properly. Yet, the topic is usually absent in self-publishing books.)Other days' effort involve many smaller, but necessary tasks, such as letting the major book buyers know about your titles by filling out the ABI Books In Print form and similar forms.Book pricing and discount schedules, getting an 800 phone number, setting up a merchant credit card account to process credit cards, book cover design, interior book design, book indexing, publisher's liability insurance, and many other topics are covered.If you're looking for a step-by-step guide to self-publishing a book, I highly recommend "The Publishing Game: Publish a Book in 30 Days." This book is very well-organized and is an excellent choice for instructors looking for a course book to teach self-publishing in communi