How to Publish a Book: A Review of the Presentation

Quail Ridge Books Feb 21, 2009
Raleigh Right to Publish

Quail Ridge Book Store is a Raleigh favorite independent book store for authors and people interested in authors.

On February 21, 2009, the Raleigh Right to Publish group, led by Stacy Cochran, put on a session on how to publish a book.

Stacy Cochran who has been instrumental in initiating interest in book publishing by people with stories that need to be heard led the three person forum.

Stacy offered a presentation on how to publish a book at Quail Ridge Books:

Quail Ridge Books & Music
3522 Wade Avenue
Raleigh, NC 27607
919-828-1588

Stacy first introduced Adam Shepard. Adam wrote a real life book called 'Scratch Beginnings' where he started with $25.00 in his pocket and was dropped off in a city in the southeast, far from home.

His publishing experience was by first self-publishing where he paid for thousands of books. He spent seventeen thousand dollars on the bet that his story was interesting enough to give him some returns. He has proven to be correct.

He got calls to be on major network shows and got a book deal with a real publisher for distribution of his book.

He has mixed messages of how one should get a book published. He suggests strongly that publishing a book is no reason to quit one's day job.

He has researched book publishing. He pointed out that publishing via a free service like Lulu is cost effective for the first 140 books. After that point, the balance moves toward other publishers who have wider distribution networks.

Alicia Lorello, an English professor, was introduced next.

Alicia has published her book, 'Faking It', using Lulu.com as the vehicle for her. Her distribution is via Lulu, Amazon and Barnes and Nobles. Her best selling approach is through blogs, her own blog and those of others.

Alicia has compared various publishing approaches. As it turns out, her twin brother is in the sales end of book publishing. She is pleased with the way things have turned out so far. She may use a different publisher for her next book. She plans to use some of Lulu's editing services.

Both authors agreed that getting a new book published by a first time author is a very difficult thing. Niche products with a specific audience have a better chance of getting picked up.

Even with a successful book, Stacy, using a top agent, went through a slew of potential publishers until one picked up his book.

One thing Stacy noted about self publishing was that the author controls the media, the time to market and the rights to the story. If these are important to the author, this would be a reason to self publish.

Stacy noted that the book 'Eragon' was originally self published by Christopher Paolini until an author Carl Hiaasen bought it at a bookstore for his stepson. Watching his stepson read it intently in the car, he realized that this was a marketable book. His publisher Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. (Random House) picked up the book. This self published book was written by a teenaged boy.

Though things are changing, most books are still sold through distribution channels that are controlled by the major publishers.

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Link one is Stacy Cochran's site for publishers in Raleigh.

Link two is 'Faking It' by Alicia Lorello on the Lulu self publishing site.

Link three is the 'Scratch Beginnings' book site for Adam Shepard's book.