“Your book is the first step to raising your profile in your market place and positioning you as a national expert on your specialist subject. What difference could that make to your business?” How to become a successful Authorpreneur Published April 2014 What difference would it make to you and your business if, right now, you were known as a published author of a specialised book which demonstrated that you are indeed a real expert in your field? Being a published author could mean that you were recognised as the ‘go to’ person by broadcasters and journalists, when a story broke for which they needed an expert commentator. How would this position you in your marketplace and amongst your competitors? Certainly it wouldn’t do any harm! Having the status of a published author also creates opportunities for public speaking and delivering keynote speeches at conferences and events – which can be very profitable! It can also help to attract a following of people who are inspired and helped by your philosophies, knowledge and insights, and want to attend your events and buy your products and programmes. Thinking of yourself not just as an author but as a Authorpreneur opens your mind to exploring new routes to market and new technologies. These make it possible for you to be quickly found by anyone around the world who is searching online for solutions to the problems and issues that you can help with. At Filament, we add value to authors by helping them to get clarity on how to build a complete business around their knowledge. The book is only the first step. It is how you then use your book to open doors and to position you in the marketplace and to achieve your ‘big picture’. Once you have clarity on what you want your book to help you to become, writing it becomes a lot easier. Through our mentored programmes and workshops we can help you to play to your real strengths, and just like Mr. Muscle the kitchen cleaner ‘we love the jobs you hate’ and provide you with practical support with publishing services, book production, technical back up , distribution and marketing. Join other new authors on the same journey at our next AuthorCraft Author Workshop and take the first simple steps in reinventing your future. Visit www.authorevents.eventbrite.co.uk for more information. Chris Day, founder of Filament Publishing. Email; chris@filamentpublishing.com +(0)20 8688 2598 Filament congratulates our recent authors! Top selling Filament author Dee Blick says, "If you are interested in writing a book, there is simply no better person in the UK to learn from than Chris Day. Thanks to Chris, my book that I published through Filament (with endless amounts of help and expertise from Chris, I hasten to add) has been the Number 1 bestselling marketing book on Amazon for 18 months. I've sold thousands of books and on the back of this, I've landed an international publishing deal. Chris is incredibly generous in sharing his knowledge and expertise on publishing. Grab a place whilst you can, then hang on to every word he says! These workshops provide you with an incredible opportunity to learn how you can translate your dream about writing a book into a reality in an informal, vibrant and inspiring environment." Michael Khatkar's new book 'Motivation from a Tortured Mind' is a unique and very powerful story that is overflowing with insights and inspiration. It is truly in a class of its own! Michael writes; "Chris Day and Filament Publishing have simply turned my goal into a dream. The transition between raw transcript and finished book was faultless and efficient. I was at ease from my very first meeting with Chris and from that moment on I knew I’d made the right decision. Their expertise, skills and knowledge in publishing is awe-inspiring to say the least. For many people (including myself), these are life-long projects and need to be treated with the utmost respect and professionalism. Chris & Filament exceeded all my expectations. I can wholeheartedly recommend Filament’s services, I’m already indebted to them for making my dream a reality." Filament Book2Market Package - from manuscript to market A true partnership between author and publisher with both playing to their strengths to ensure that every book gets the best possible start in life and realises its full potential Stage 1. Project Initiation       Author completes New Project form online Manuscript submitted to editorial department for evaluation Reader's Report commissioned Project tabled at monthly Editorial Group Meeting which includes Literary Agents and Publishers Editorial Group decision sent to author with feedback For accepted manuscripts, proposal sent to author with suggestions for Business Model and Routes to Market Author Meeting with Publisher / Project Mentor                       Define Commercial Objectives Define Marketing Objectives Define Final Outcomes Select routes to market Establish author's skill sets and identify training / support needs (delivered through AuthorCraft author workshops around the country) Define book categories and niche Define Products and specifications Author's Own Limited Edition / International Edition Select Project Partners, allocate tasks, define roles Quantify services require and costs Create budget and schedule Define PR and Social Media Objectives Define post launch marketing and PR needs Set up Project Management System Create Project Timeline and Milestones Select Publication Date Select initial quantity of books required by author Allocate Project Manager Author Agreement signed Initial Progress Payment made towards project Project Commences Author given log-in codes to Author Project Management System Stage 2. Origination               Editor to work with author to make final polish of manuscript Create sample book layout for approval Create front cover design Create back cover blurb Author photos required for cover and PR purposes Issue ISBN (if appropriate) Create barcode and QR code Create electronic versions of the books for all platforms Create Amazon 'Look Inside' pages Create full entry for book trade databases, keywords and metadata Create 3D book image for marketing purposes Create print ready files Author to sign off all files prior to production Publisher's imprint for credibility Stage 3. Production       Printer Price Comparison Service to get best value / quality / speed Print Project Management Quality Control Supply book sample for author approval Printing commences Legal Deposit Copies sent to British Library by publisher Stage 4. Countdown to Book Launch                   Upload book entry to all trade databases Planned Social Media activity commences Launch Pre-order incentives Set up Email Marketing system (if not in place) Create and launch email marketing campaign Film author interview for YouTube Create Electronic Press Kit Write initial Press Release Research bespoke media distribution list Create and distribute Book Advance Information Sheet Seek celebrity reviews of book Work with author to identify potential joint venture partners Organise Book Launch event and prepare guest list Provide central contact point for all media enquiries Send invitations to launch event Organise Book Signing event Organise Public Speaking opportunities around book launch Setting up supply chain and worldwide distribution Responsibility for the delivery of all the above is shared between the author, publisher, and the other project partners and creatives involved, as defined in the initial project plan. The author remains in control throughout through the use of Project Management System and is able to track progress and communicate directly with all the project team. For further information contact Chris Day 020 8688 2598 chris@filamentpublishing.com Author's Own Limited Editions Whilst you are waiting for an acceptance from a major publisher, which can take some many months, it is still possible to generate income from your book, without compromising any potential book deal, by publishing your own Author's Own Limited Edition. In fact, many big publishers see this as beneficial as it provides confirmation to them that there is demand for the book, it gives them positive feedback from reviews, and gives them the comfort of seeing a printed version. There are a number of advantages in publishing your own limited edition        Generates immediate income from your book Provides you with product to sell at your speaking events Attracts reviews Increases your following Creates a higher profile on social media Triggers media interviews and articles Provides you with a special 'thank you' gift to friends and supporters So how does it work? So as not to compromise a future publishing deal, an Author's Own Limited Edition should not have an ISBN. This makes it invisible to the book trade. The book can be sold through all the author's own routes to market including their website, at their events, through direct mail and email marketing, through joint ventures with synergistic membership organisations and even on their own Amazon Marketplace store where it will enjoy price integrity. As a Limited Edition, the author can include bonus content or other illustrations that would not appear in the standard edition later on when it is published. This ensure that it is a separate publication. The author would finance the origination and printing but instead of just receiving the traditional author royalty of around 10%, they would receive between 60% to 70% of the selling price, making this a far more profitable route to market than the book trade. For more information on Author's Own Limited Editions, contact Chris Day on 020 8688 2598 or chris@filamentpublishing.com Menu of Services Independent Reader's Report from an established editor This helps the Editorial Group to best advise you on the marketability of your book You will need a Reader's Report if your book is being considered by a Literary Agent or a Publisher. The Reader's Report will also give advice on book categories and routes to market - £100 Services of a Professional Editor to polish your manuscript as necessary - £15 to £20 per 1000 words (based on sight of manuscript to determine the level of effort required) Author Project Management Your own personal mentor and expert guide to help you through the process, and ensure nothing is forgotten. From an initial face to face meeting, to ongoing regular contact on the phone, via Skype or email. You have the use of a dedicated private area on our powerful cloud based Author Project Management System which keeps all messages and files in the one place; gives you a direct line of communication to all your project partners; lets you monitor the list of tasks and the key dates and milestones to ensure that everything is on track. You will receive ongoing advice on all aspects or origination, production, PR, Marketing and distribution. Author Project Management is charged at £500 per project which includes use of the system for 12 months and the services of a personal Project Mentor for the duration of the project. Book Origination We will hand-pick your design and creative team to be the best match for you and your project and link them to you through our Project Management System. • Creating book style. Laying out sample chapters for approval • Creating a cover design concept • Creating book layout and design • Creating final front and back cover artwork • Services of a professional proofreader to make a final check of the book from to printing • Issue ISBN (if appropriate) • Create barcode and QR code • Create electronic versions of the books for all platforms • Creating Amazon 'Look Inside' pages • Create full entry for book trade databases, keywords and metadata • Create 3D book image for marketing purposes Origination Package - £900 to £1200 This is subject to sight of manuscript. Complex layouts or large books might attract an additional charge. All third party licences for library images or photos are charged at cost. Menu of Services (continued) Book Production, Launch and Marketing Package            Printer Price Comparison Service Print Management and Quality Control Supply book sample for author approval Legal Deposit Copies sent to British Library by publisher Create and upload all book database entries Create bespoke media distribution list Create Electronic Press Kit Write initial Press Release Create and distribute Book Advance Information Sheet Seek celebrity reviews of book from our contacts Setting up supply chain and worldwide distribution Package price £500 Additional PR Services charged at £500 per day. However, this can be drawn down in 15 minute segments over a one month period as needed. This includes the full use of the graphics and design studio which can produce artwork for 'pull up' author display banners, bookmarks, fliers , business cards and leaflets. Filming Author Interview Half day location film shoot either in Croydon or at a chosen location within the M25. Shooting in high definition to broadcast quality. Full studio light kit (to give a BBC Newsnight polish to the footage). Interview conducted by a professional journalist. Shooting cost - £500. All video editing is charged separately at £75 per hour Video rushes sent to author via private YouTube channel for approval. Final versions published on author's own YouTube channel. Terms: A full schedule of charges will be provided and agreed at the start of the project and a Author Agreement will be signed. 50% of the project costs are to be paid at the commencement of the project. Balance to be paid on delivery of sample copy. All printing to be paid prior to dispatch. Filament Publishing Ltd 16, Croydon Road, Waddon, Croydon, Surrey CR0 4PA +44 (0)20 8688 2598 www.filamentpublishing.com Book Strategy for Public Speakers and Knowledge Marketeers A problem faced by many authors, especially those who do events, is that instead of buying their books at the back of the room after the event, attendees make a note of the details and see how much they can save by buying from Amazon once they get home. This same problem can also affect sales from the author's own website. It is never sensible to discount your own book as this gives out the wrong message, (i.e. I don't think it's worth the money!) but what do you do when Amazon is in direct competition to you and offers your book at a discount? Just accept that you won't sell any on your website? The answer is to produce two editions of your book - an Author's Own Limited Edition which contains bonus content, and a standard international edition for the book trade to sell. The first will not have an ISBN and can only be sold by you, the latter does have an ISBN and will be discounted by the book retailers. Your Limited Edition will have a higher price, because it has additional content, and maybe photographs and other bonus material. It cannot be purchased from anyone except you. The standard edition is certainly going to be cheaper, but it doesn't contain all of those juicy extras. To make doubly certain that the sales go through you at your events and from your website, bundle in with the book an enticing packaged of added value downloads increasing the perceived value of the offer. "Buy my book direct from the author today - and receive these additional valuable ebooks, MP3 or videos worth another £30 - free of charge!" What's not to like? When you use the Filament Book2Market Service to publish your Author's Own Limited Edition book, we will create your Standard International Edition - FREE OF CHARGE! Every new book is a Start-Up business Right from the start you need to think of your book as a start up business. You need to have a clear strategy for what you want the book to achieve for you; clarity on your niche and your perfect reader; and a plan to promote and market your book to them. Unless this plan is written down, it is just a wish! You will have both income and expenditure so you will need to ensure that the former exceeds the latter and you make the profit you so richly deserve after all your hard work. Without a profit, you don’t have a business, just a hobby to feed your ego. Your book is a stepping stone to raising your profile and giving you a new status in your marketplace. It will open new doors and focus attention on you, so how will you use that profile to best advantage for your brand and your business? What do you want people to buy next after they have read your book? The greater clarity you have on this ‘Big Picture’ the easier the book will be to write, and the greater chance you will have of achieving your objectives. ‘If you don’t know where you are going, you will end up somewhere else!’ Many people use their book as a marketing tool or even a ‘business card’. Others use their book to under pin a profitable career as a public speaker or to position themselves as an expert commentator in the media. It is how you use your book to achieve these objectives that will determine the success of your project, not just the number of sales that you make. The authors that make the most money are those who understand that the most profitable sales are the ones where they are the retailer and able to realise a 60% to 70% profit on each copy. Books sold directly through their website; at speaking engagements; by email marketing and through your lists; and through joint ventures and strategic partnerships; will always be vastly more profitable than those sold through the book trade or by Amazon. The lesson is to put your time and energy into those routes to market that will make you the most money. If you want to earn a rental income from a property, firstly you have to build the house. Likewise to create a business based around your knowledge, experience and insights, you will first need to create the tools of your trade. Your investment in origination costs for all your knowledge marketing products and tools, not just the book, need to be seen in the bigger context of the business as a whole and their role in positioning you in the marketplace, so divide them by 52 and spread them over a year. The book is the key to unlocking all the other income streams as you use it to position yourself as the ‘go to person’ in your field. “If you don’t know where you are going, you’ll end up somewhere else” Plot where you are starting on the road map and identify the milestones on your route Ideas Stage Feasibility Stage Creative Stage Production Stage Marketing Stage Business Growth Clarity of Purpose and Big Picture Indentify target consumer Writing method Dictate / Transcribe Book technical Specification Trim size Pre Launch Promotional campaign Raising Personal profile PR Strategy Knowledge Asset Stock take What is the Opportunity? Identify resources required Print Price Comparison Social Media Strategy Public Speaking Events Workshops Mind Map your content Is there a viable business? Editor, Ghostwriter or Proofreader? Decide on book style and fonts Typesetting List building tools and email marketing Building and serving your following Content GAP analysis Routes to market? Author Mentor? Cover Design Joint Venture Partners Ongoing content development Concept document Business Model Illustrations / photographs Photography and stock images Target Media List of contacts Press Release Strategic Alliances Market Positioning Create Strategy Biography and blurb ISBN / barcode Database entries Web presence Ecommerce Affiliate and Referral Programmes Synopsis of content Create Business Plan Start writing!! Distribution and supply chain YouTube viral videos New Product Development e map? h t n o u re yo Where a Final Destination       Raise your profile in the marketplace and get a competitive edge Establish your status as the ‘go to person’ in your niche Create a profitable range of knowledge products and courses Be recognised by the media as a national expert Build a following as a Thought Leader in your sector Build a successful and sustainable business as a Knowledge Marketeer To help you on every stage of your Author Journey, AuthorCraft, the writers group, have developed a series of Training and Mentoring Modules from established industry experts to help you achieve a successful outcome for your project and your business. Full details on www.authorcraft.co.uk