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What is a publisher versus a publishing services company?

Posted by CMB Virtual Assistants on September 18, 2009 at 2:30pm

Let’s clear up a source of a lot of confusion for authors new to the publishing industry: What is a “publisher” versus a “publishing services company”?An author is the one who comes up with the intellectual property in manuscript form. The publisher is the one who adds the money and expertise to leverage the intellectual property into a successful book by providing a great title, cover, interior, setting the price and then cost-effectively printing the book and getting distribution for it into the bookstore market.By this definition, so many of the entities calling themselves “publishers” are instead, “publishing services” or “author services” companies.Here is the bottom line: IF A COMPANY ASKS YOU TO PAY FOR THE PRIVILEGE OF PUBLISHING YOUR BOOK, IT IS NOT A PUBLISHER. Publishers make investments. If the author is both making the investment and bringing in the intellectual property, then that is not a publishing deal. What you are doing is buying publishing services.There is nothing wrong with that if you know what you are paying for and what you are getting. I hear so many people tell me what their “publisher” said, only to find out they aren’t working with a publisher at all.If you are thinking of doing business with a publishing services company, (sometimes called a POD publisher) – a company that calls itself a publisher but charges you a fee up front – make sure they are right for you.You have a right to know what to expect, so you need to have a contract to document the agreement. The services provider should provide you with the contract and you would expect to see provisions regarding who does what, what the flow of money is, in and out, termination provisions, and what liability each party is assuming.But beyond the standard, there are some provisions that are especially important in publishing services contracts. We’ve developed a eight-point checklist of these essential points. If they can say “yes” to each of these, then you’ve found a great company to work with. If there are any “no” answers, please think twice!1. Author retains all intellectual property rights – if you have to pay up front, there is absolutely no reason you should be selling your rights to your intellectual property in the bargain. You are licensing your rights to print, perhaps exclusively, for only a designated period of time.2. Author benefits from book profits (isn’t just paid royalties or a commission) – again, if you have to pay the full cost of producing the book up front, the publishing services firm might get a percentage of what you sell, but you should retain the lion’s share. If they only want a percentage from the books they are able to sell, that would be a reasonable exchange. If they are able to generate bookstore orders (unlikely, but not impossible), then they should take a percentage from those sales. Otherwise, the profits from the book sales, minus the costs to print, should be yours.3. Author has the right to terminate the publishing services contract, preferably in 30 days, but no more than 60 days - if you get a great offer from an established commercial publisher, you will be kicking yourself if you can’t take it because you are stuck with a bad contract you can’t get out of.4. Timeline the author can live with - many publishing services companies do not specify how quickly they will publish your book. There is no reason they cannot create the cover and interior and have the book printed within 90 days of when they receive the manuscript. Anything much outside of that time frame is unacceptable and you should only sign a contract that gives you a full refund if they do not have books in your hands within 90 days, unless you specifically agree otherwise for some reason.5. Professional quality cover, interior and printing – I have seen way too many books with completely unprofessional covers and a book binding that is falling apart. A professionally-designed cover is easy to spot a mile away and if you aren’t sure of what you are getting, call in a professional to take a look for you. Many of the publishing services firms outsource their printing to LightningSource.com (just another reason for you to go direct), but if they do, at least you can be sure that the quality of the printing and binding will be good.6. Author is given cover and interior design files if contract is terminated - if you have had to pay to have your book cover designed and the interior typeset, then you want the right to get the design files back (not just a PDF) if you terminate the contract. Most POD publishers do not allow this as a way to keep you tied to them.7. Reasonable prices for books – if part of your contract is for the publishing services firm to print your books on-demand, then you want no more than a 25% mark-up to cover their administrative costs than if you took your book to your own printer. The on-demand printer you would be smart to use is LightningSource.com (for more reasons than I can detail here). The formula Lightning Source uses to determine the price of printing a book is $.90 x .015 x the number of pages in the book. So for instance, if your book were 183 page, the price per book would be 183 x $.015 = $2.75 + $.90, which equals $3.65 per book. Again, using this example, if the price quoted to you by the POD publisher were more than $4.56 per book, you are paying too much.Too many publishing services companies charge a percentage of retail for you to buy your own book; for instance, 50% of a $20 book, or $10 a book. This is how established commercial publishers work, but they do it because you haven’t paid for publishing up front – that is a whole different story. Don’t ever sign a contract that requires you buy a minimum number of books. Regardless of what the POD publisher tells you, they are printing on demand, which means they don’t have to buy a certain quantity from their printer, so you should not have to either.8. Reasonable prices for other services – many of the publishing services companies want you to buy marketing or other services and they will offer you a menu that you feel like you need to be successful. Much better to interview qualified professionals and choose your own after talking to other authors and others in the industry. Don’t sign a contract that requires you to buy any additional services.The bottom line is this: You can easily self publish without a POD publisher, but if you decide you want someone to handle all the details, be sure you get what you are paying for. There are hundreds, if not thousands of POD publishers so you have plenty to choose from. As in all other things, make sure and read the contract and get the terms that work for you and your book.Article written by Jan King. The Publishing Store

So.......Where is YOUR ECONOMIC STIMULUS? Check this out!

Posted by Jessica Mutuku on September 18, 2009 at 10:14am

If this interests you, I KNOW THE MONEY LOOKS GREAT!! Call me or email me!JessicaMake sure to HIT THE FWD or NEXT BUTTON!!

Are You Struggling Financially?

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Worry, NO WAY, GET BBBC WORKING WITH YOU

Posted by Rickey on September 18, 2009 at 3:24am

JUST CLICK ON THE GOOD MAN

LET THE BBBC HELP YOU , HELP YOURSELFBUILD YOUR BUSINESS USING THE TOOLS PROVIDEDBY YOUR BBBC.WHY WAIT AND WORRYTAKE ACTION AND SMILEYES IT FEELS GOOD TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR TOMORROWS.CREATE YOUR FINANCIAL LEGACY TODAYBBBC MEMBER # 84EMAIL ME : JUNIQUES@YAHOO.COMSUBJECT: COUNT ME IN , I JOINED THE BBBC

Looking for Published Author to be Featured on Magazine

Posted by Dominique on September 18, 2009 at 3:00am

From A Writer's POV is looking to book an author for the month of October as Author of the month.You must have a published book.From A Writer's POV will conduct an interview about you and your book that will be displayed on our website. Author will be advertised as Author of the month.Author must be able to provide:a picture of the book,a picture of themselves (professional please)A bio of the book and a bio of the author.If you fit these qualifications and are interested in being featured, please respond to this blog with your full name or author name and email address where I can contact you. Please make sure your email address is correct!Thanks!

Setting-up and managing virtual events in 2009 - a great niche to tap into.

Posted by Topsie Egbetokun on September 18, 2009 at 1:30am

It is always exciting to uncover hot and profitable new niches to tap into for your Virtual Business. Well, Internet Marketing, E commerce Support and Social Media Marketing continue to be very in-demand" services niches and will continue to be for quite some time, I am particularly excited about this new niche emerging in the Virtual Event Industry.I personally believe that the "Virtual Events" field is one of the hottest avenues to building your business right now, especially in this down economy. The statistics are clear: There is currently a significant increase in the number of participants attending virtual events such as webinars, tele-events, live podcasts and web TV shows. However, there is a corresponding decrease in those attending offline events and conferences partly due to the economy, but for a host of other reasons as wells. The reality is that Virtual Events are more cost-effective to deliver and attend, have the capacity to reach a larger audience and can be re-broadcast for continued exposure.Businesses are keenly interested in running Virtual Events right now, but many lack the knowledge and time to effectively set-up and implement the Virtual Events successfully. As a result, this has presented a very timely and unique opportunity for Virtual Professionals to position themselves as a "Virtual Event Specialist"!

"Building a Profitable Niche as a Virtual Event Specialist (Even in a Down Economy)!"They will be exploring the crucial skills required to effectively deliver Virtual Event Set-up and Management services to your clients.In addition, they will be sharing some exciting news on our upcoming training program: The Virtual Event Specialist Certification.So, go ahead and click on the below link to watch a short 5 minute video and then sign-up to receive some special bonus information including more details on the upcoming event on September 16th!Click Here: Virtual EventsTopsie Egbetokun-Virtual Business Manager, IMVA, SMMS
Rapid Services -Virtual Business Manager

African Virtual Assistants Network-AFRIVAN
Professionals making business impact globally

Business Without Boundaries Network -Business Networking

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New Literary Service! Are you interested?

Posted by Dominique on September 17, 2009 at 9:57pm

Hello Everyone!I wanted to inform all my friends that I am providing a few new literary services on my website and magazine. I am now providing Publishing/Manuscript Coacing for those looking to publish their book or need help getting their manuscript together for publish. I have great knowledge on the field and look forward to sharing with those interested.I am also doing book reviews. My rates are based on the length of your book. I am an avid reader. So please don't hesitate to contact me to read your book,If you are interested in reading the full content of my services, please check out my website here: http://dominiquewatson.webs.com/myservices.htmAll rates are subject for negotiation. I will work with you. My goal is to help!!!!!I look forward to hearing from you!Dominique

Calling All Women in the MD, DC, NJ, NY, PA Area

Posted by UnStoppable Women on September 17, 2009 at 3:30pm

Calling All Women in the MD, DC, NJ, NY, PA Area

We are seeking Locations to Host our Free Women & Wealth WorkshopsIf your organization can gather 20 or more women we will bring this Free Workshop to Your area.You can send a request by email to: unstoppablewomen@live.com.Please include the following information: •Your name •Name of Organization•Address of where you will have the event •Contact Phone Number and•Email addressWhat You Will Learn:1.How to Build a Good Credit Rating2.What to Do Before You Say “I Do”3.How to Start a Business4.Grants for Women5.How to Move from Debt to Financial Freedom6.How to Quickly Increase Your Credit Score7.One Easy Step to Triple Your SavingsVisit us on the web at www.ElizabethFelder.info

Business Resources You Can't Live Without!!

Posted by Paradise on September 17, 2009 at 1:50pm

Social Networking for Businesshttp://nbwenorg.ning.com/forum/topics/free-giftsHow to Find Customers Online 7 Day Ecoursehttp://nbwenorg.ning.com/forum/topics/how-to-find-customers-online-7Black Business Starter Kithttp://nbwenorg.ning.com/forum/topics/black-business-starter-kitBlack Business Ultimate Marketing Guidehttp://nbwenorg.ning.com/forum/topics/black-business-ultimateSelling On Social Networks 7 Day eCoursehttp://nbwenorg.ning.com/forum/topics/selling-on-social-networks-7

Transitioning Your Beauty From Summer to Fall

Posted by Corinne's Fashion World on September 17, 2009 at 9:06am

Great Day! Thanks for stopping by. One day the sun is shining, your hair is glossy and your complexion is dewy. The next time you check the leaves are changing and so is your reflection. You wonder: Where did this dry, dull skin come from? Why does my hair look so crunchy? Relax – transitioning your beauty regimen from summer to fall is easy, the only thing you’ll miss about the warm weather will be those bejeweled sandals. Go Here to read more.Feel free to leave a comment. Until next time...Have a wonderful day!

Discipleship International to host kickoff event October 3

Posted by Sharen Rooks Agency on September 16, 2009 at 8:58pm

For immediate release: September 14, 2009Memphis, TennesseeDiscipleship International Event on October 3, 2009Join Discipleship International for the official launch of their faith-based personal, financial, and professional development ministry programs, under the leadership of finance expert Michael Anthony Farmer!This ministerial kickoff event will feature cuisine by Tony Johnson Catering and will give a sneak preview to attendees about the type of professional ministry provided ongoing.Location: 7285 Winchester Street, Suite 105, Memphis, TNMr. Farmer will also be a guest on September 28th, 2009 with Christie B. Taylor’s radio program. The show will air at 9PM/8PM Central Time on blogtalkradio.com/livinglifeListeners may call in to 347-327-9733 to listen in. To call in with questions and comments, audience members may press 1.For more information please visit http://d-intl.org discipleshipintl@aol.com or by calling 901-553-8901.Media inquiries:Sharen RooksThe Sharen Rooks AgencyOnline Inquiry Form: www.sharenrooksagency.com/ContactSharen.html

New Article Posted!

Posted by Lipstick Killers Collection on September 16, 2009 at 7:30pm

Check out this link now for the latest article post for the Atlanta Nightlife. Also, I will have new posts coming soon about the Christian Nightlife of Atlanta...if your church/club has Christian parties, let me know so that I can feature them in my next article!Link:http://www.examiner.com/x-19193-East-Atlanta-Village-Nightlife-Examiner~y2009m9d13-Club-249-throws-a-party-for-BBWsHave a fashion fabulous day,Syreeta Rios

The AAMBC National Meeting a southern literary event

Posted by African Americans on the Move Book Club on September 16, 2009 at 6:30pm

AAMBC presents: The AAMBC National Meeting a southern literary eventthat will be held June 13-14 2009. The event will be held at theRadisson Hotel in downtown San Antonio near the beautiful andhistorical river walk.This event will cater to the AAMBC organization, many fellow bookclubs across the nation, and new and seasoned authors throughout theUnited States. You will experience a family oriented atmosphere and asocial gathering that will build great connections with nationallyrecognized and locally recognized authors and publishers.The AAMBC, which stands for African Americans on the Move Book Club,is a highly anticipated literary event that will bring readers andauthors together for a more personal meeting. You will experiencegreat food, music, book signings, and build new relationships in thecity of San Antonio.Register today:Early Registration $ 100, AAMBC Members $ 90Deadline April 12th, 2009Late Registration: $ 125 AAMBC Members $ 110Deadline May 15th, 2009Payments can be made with 50% down to reserve a spot.AAMBC MEMBERS WITH A CURRENT PAID MEMBERSHIP OF THREE MONTHS CANREGISTER AT THE AAMBC MEMBER RATE……..The registration pays for the entire event for food, drinks, slumberparty, award ceremony, workshops, for guest speaker events, meet andgreet dinner, and the book lover's breakfast.Registration can be fully refunded before March 15th, 2009, andpartial refunds will be given until April 15th, 2009. No refunds willbe given on registration after April 15th, 2009.Make check payments payable to AAMBC and mail into 2210 blake rd, SanAntonio, TX 78236, make pay pal payments to aambookclub@yahoo.com adda $4 pay pal processing fee.Visit http://aambcnationalmeeting.blogspot.com/ for more info.Visit http://aambcvoting.blogspot.com to vote for this years nominees.

Looking for Powerful Workshops for Women's Empowerment Conference

Posted by Mothyna James-Brightful on September 16, 2009 at 5:40pm

Greetings!Heal a Woman to Heal a Nation, Inc. (HWHN) hosts an annual conference held each April as a finale to Woman’s History Month. The 7th Annual conference is Saturday, April 17, 2010 at Mount Pleasant Church and Ministries in Baltimore, MD from 9:00am- 5:00pm. Our theme is Essentially ME confirming that at the core of every woman is true beauty.The purpose of this full day conference is to help perpetuate a nation-wide movement of healing for our families and communities, in order to generate a vibrant future. HWHN Conference is a movement to gather, educate and encourage women from all cultures and backgrounds to utilize each other for our common goals of personal, community and nation-wide advancement. Our expected audience participation is 300 plus women from the Baltimore, Virginia, Washington, D.C., New York and Pennsylvania areas.The Heal a Woman to Heal a Nation Experience includes: Dedicated presenters with interactive workshops The participation of over 300 professionals, college students, community leaders, and more! Powerful address during luncheon with Keynote Speaker Uplifting support for women in transitional housing Entertainment Healing Village Marketplace Exciting giveaways 7 years of community support!Call for PresentersWe are requesting workshops that are informative, interactive and appropriate for women 16 and up. We are seeking presenters who are passionate about helping women to empower themselves and understand the relevance of each woman being a part of the cure needed in our communities. Additionally, details are available. Please email conference@partofthecure.org.We invite you to submit a proposal detailing your workshop via email at conference@partofthecure.org, no later than November 16, 2009 by 5pm. Hard copy submissions will not be accepted. Presenters will be notified of accepted proposals by January 5, 2010.

How to Make Real Money $$ as a VA (What Most Training Programs Don’t Teach You) FRE*E Teleseminar Event

Posted by Larissa Parks on September 16, 2009 at 3:36pm

How to Make Real Money as a VA (What Most Training Programs Don’t Teach You) F*R*E*E Teleseminar Event.* Learn the secret stumbling block why most Virtual Assistants miss out on their ideal client* Become empowered with a tip that will skyrocket your journey to your next BIG PAY DAY $$$* What 3 things most VA Training Programs Don’t Teach You and how to change what you don’t know to what you need to know for ultimate success* What business owners can to do empower their VA’s to assist more in their business for profitabilityClick here to sign up

Riland's Annual Community Health and Arts Festival

Posted by Barbara Andrews on September 16, 2009 at 3:17pm

On September 26, 2009 from 10am-6pm in Milam Park Clarkston, GAThis is our annual event to raise funds for the Cynthia Eline Riley Memorial Scholarship and theMy Brother's Keeper Scholarship. Vendor tables are still available for $35.Some Attractions:The health department will be out administering flu shots at a $10 discountKool Smiles will be doing free dental screeningsA doctor / pedritician will be on hand to do bloodpressure screenings and answer questions.To register or for more information go to www.rilandcorp.com

New Website Layout, More Designs, and a Blog Feature!!!

Posted by Tiffany Dean on September 16, 2009 at 12:20pm

This morning I am sitting here just tired, after some long hours expended on my website this last week. The original design wasn't eye-catching enough, the page layouts rather confusing, and I didn't think it would lead visitors through it well enough. I felt like the vibe I wanted it to have just wasn't there, and I felt like it was time for a change. So, I chose a new background, and got started with a new page layout for the pages that have been set up, and even opened up some new pages for the additional items that I would like people to be able to take advantage of. I am so pleased with it now and can't wait to get it fully stocked up!I logged into Etsy to get my morning started there, and boy was I in for a huge surprise - I've been featured on a blog!!! The blogger, TheEclecticElement, has written a beautiful piece on me and my shop, and it's absolutely amazing. Come see for yourself!See More on My Blog

Online Business Ideas and Resources for Women Entrepreneurs

Posted by LaShanda Henry on September 15, 2009 at 11:51pm

Hey BBWO! I've got wonderful news and resources for you as always... First and foremost, did you get my emails this past week? There were a few technical issues and email delays so forgive me if you missed the interviews and webinars last week. If you get all the emails at once, forgive me. Those messages were sent out through out the last 2 weeks but there were technical issues getting them through. Anyhoo onto the information: Online Business Ideas and Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs http://www.startupsista.com/ 10 Steps to Social Networking Success (Audio Interview) http://www.sistasense.com/2009/09/15/audio-interview-10-tips-to-social-networking-success/ Fixing Your Sales Online (Webinar) http://www.sistasense.com/2009/09/12/watch-webinar-replay-fixing-your-sales-online/ Branding Building Online http://www.sistasense.com/2009/09/15/new-web-branding-package-shelby-m-hill/ Starting Your Own Affiliate Programs http://www.sistasense.com/2009/09/14/starting-your-own-affiliate-program/ What's Working Now Marketing Webinar for Women in Business http://businesswomenofcolor.net/whatsworkingnow For up-to-date web business tip subscribe to sistasense.com More to come LaShanda

Starting Your Own Online Business

Posted by LaShanda Henry on September 15, 2009 at 10:49pm

There are a few things that every aspiring entrepreneur should know about starting an online business and making money online. As a seasoned Internet Entrepreneur, with almost 10 years experience developing websites, I've decided to share more of my eBooks and videos for beginners in my newly updated 30 Day ecourse StartupUp Sista 30: How to Start Your Own Online Business.

For the next 30 Days I want to share a few things with you:

How to Start an Online Business
Online Business Ideas (15+)
My Plan to Profit System to Online Business Success
Web Business Essentials for Newbies
And More!

If you'd like to learn more about my Startup Sista 30 Day eCourse visit: http://www.startupsista.com

(Interview today 7pm est) 10 Steps to Social Networking Success

Posted by LaShanda Henry on September 14, 2009 at 10:07pm

Hey Guys, I'm doing an interview today on the blogtalkradioshow: Woman2Woman I'll be talking about the 10 Steps to Social Networking Success Interview Date: 9/14/09 | 7pm est http://www.blogtalkradio.com/wm2wm/2009/09/14/10-Steps-to-Social-Networking-Success Call-in Number: (347) 215-8593 Hope to see you on the call! LaShanda

Legit Work from Home Job

Posted by najah on September 14, 2009 at 8:14pm

Simple fill surveys out job. I have worked this for a year and it is easy and legit!http://www.cashcrate.com/1592649

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