publishers Archives - Speakipedia

Speakipedia Podcast #34: Allison Shapira

juan — Tue, 07 Jan 2025 17:35:33 +0000

Transcript: Dave Bricker (00:01) Want to expand your speaking and storytelling skills and grow your influence business? This is Speakipedia Media brought to you by speakipedia.com. I’m your host, Dave Bricker, bringing you straight talk and smart strategies from visionary … More ☛

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Speakipedia Podcast #19: Humphrey Bower

juan — Mon, 26 Aug 2024 17:07:14 +0000

Dave Bricker (00:00) Want to expand your speaking and storytelling skills and grow your influence business? This is Speakipedia Media brought to you by speakipedia .com. I’m your host, Dave Bricker, bringing you straight talk, smart strategies, and amazing stories … More ☛

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Speakipedia Podcast # 9:David H. Lawrence the XVII

juan — Fri, 21 Jun 2024 19:18:52 +0000

Transcript Dave Bricker (00:01) Want to expand your speaking and storytelling skills and grow your influence business? This is Speakypedia Media brought to you by Speakypedia .com. I’m your host, Dave Bricker, bringing you straight talk and smart strategies from … More ☛

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David H. Lawrence the XVII appeared first on Speakipedia.

Publishing Straight Talk

Dave Bricker — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:12:20 +0000

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Writing is Design: Avoid Writing Clichés for Better Prose

Dave Bricker — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:12:20 +0000

Since time immemorial, clichés have sneaked in the door when we least expect them to. They’re low-hanging fruit for writers who abscond with them quickly instead of striving for excellence. But to the trained eye, writing clichés stick out like … More ☛

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Book Design Basics: Choosing a Book Font

Dave Bricker — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:12:18 +0000

Selecting a book font seems simple enough, but important subtleties and fine points of typography are not obvious to the average writer. This article offers insights into fonts suitable for book typography. Though it won’t turn the average author into … More ☛

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Rethinking Book Cover Design

Dave Bricker — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:12:18 +0000

Book cover design tells the story of the story. It must convey the spirit and intentions of the author authentically, and it also has a few practical chores to perform. If a book cover design is to accomplish these things … More ☛

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Publishing Advice – Practices & Principles

Dave Bricker — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:12:17 +0000

The following publishing advice is based on my own experiences and those of my clients. I hope you find it valuable and encouraging, even if it changes your expectations. I’ve written and published 12 books. I’ve guided many remarkable people … More ☛

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Want a Traditional Publishing Contract? Do Your Homework

Dave Bricker — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:12:17 +0000

This article discusses the pros and cons of traditional publishing. Abandon your biases, study the business of publishing, and choose the publishing method that best suits you and your book. Perhaps the biggest myth in publishing is that as a … More ☛

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The Perfect Book Sales Page

Dave Bricker — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:12:15 +0000

Tom Morkes published The Perfect Book sales Page on his blog. I’m usually the first person to reject formulaic approaches to book marketing. Many well-written books are horrible products. But what I like about Tom’s template is that it forces … More ☛

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Book Giveaways: Are They Worth it?

Dave Bricker — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:12:14 +0000

Should you give away books for free? The value of book giveaways can’t be assessed by formula. The prevailing mythology suggests that the goal of publishing is to sell books, but the huge majority of indie publishers don’t do the … More ☛

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Publishing Scams and How they Work

Dave Bricker — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:12:14 +0000

Many self-publishers start their book projects with unrealistic expectations and misunderstandings about how publishing works. A huge industry has arisen to prey on writers who are unsure of the path. This article explains the basics of how publishing scams work … More ☛

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Self-Publishing Scams: Keep the “Self” in Self-Publishing

Dave Bricker — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:12:13 +0000

Here’s an addendum to Publishing Scams and How they Work. I wonder why so many authors, after spending thousands of hours working on a book, fail to conduct a few critical hours of research that will save them thousands of … More ☛

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How to Produce Audiobooks with Amazon ACX

Dave Bricker — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:12:13 +0000

This article explains how to produce and market a professional quality audiobook using Amazon ACX. Through ACX (Audiobook Creation Exchange), I was able to audition voiceover talent, choose a professional producer, review the work in progress, and make my audiobook … More ☛

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Page Layout: Illustrated Books and the Rule of Thirds

Dave Bricker — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:12:12 +0000

This article explores page layout strategies for books based on the Rule of Thirds. A grid system based on traditional guidelines ensures harmonious proportions and placement of objects on a page. Page layout for books is governed by a range of factors. Trade … More ☛

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Book Cover Design: Moving from Screen to Printing Press

Dave Bricker — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:12:12 +0000

Once you have your book cover design looking spirited and professional on your computer screen, how can you ensure that your masterpiece will translate accurately to the printing press? Ink on paper is an entirely different medium from pixels on … More ☛

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Fine Control Over Justified Text

Dave Bricker — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:12:11 +0000

Page layout programs like Adobe Indesign and Quark, allow typographers to exert fine control over justified text to remove gaps and “rivers.” The default settings produce “pretty good” results—better than a word processor—but a few small tweaks will dramatically improve … More ☛

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Book Design – Revisiting Classic Layout for Print and EBooks

Dave Bricker — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:12:09 +0000

Book design has changed since publishing became a gigantic industry. Typesetting was once performed by trained craftsmen who apprenticed to masters before inking their own plates. Phototypesetting arrived in the 1960s and by the late 1980s, digital publishing transferred the … More ☛

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Not Selling Books? Did you do the Math?

Dave Bricker — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:12:08 +0000

You threw a grand party but nobody came. Your novel is so good but you’re not selling books. What happened? You were supposed to appear on Oprah’s show. Terry Gross isn’t calling you for an interview. You may be an … More ☛

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The Grammar of Book Design

Dave Bricker — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:12:07 +0000

Are images analogous to words? Is what makes a sentence sound “right” the same thing that makes an image “pop” or a jazz solo “burn?” The similarities are noteworthy but the differences are important. Just as the best of writers … More ☛

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Book Cover Design: Judging a Book by its Cover – Part 3

Dave Bricker — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:12:06 +0000

This third installment of Judging a Book by its Cover looks at great book cover designs that won the 2012 Design Observer 50 Books-50 Covers award. Part 1 explored how most book design rarely rises above “competent.” Part 2 looked … More ☛

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Blogging to Build a Speaker or Author Platform

Dave Bricker — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:12:05 +0000

How can speakers, indie writers, and self-publishers use a blog to build a platform? This article explains how to publish online content to build community around your books. Build a Platform: Set up Your Blog A blog (short for web … More ☛

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Book Cover Design: Judging a Book by its Cover – Part 2

Dave Bricker — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:12:05 +0000

Part 1 of Book Cover Design: Judging a Book by its Cover critiqued “professional” covers taken from Amazon’s Editor’s choice list. Read that article first as it provides background for this one. The article looked at design elements that worked … More ☛

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How Many Spaces After a Period? Ending the Debate

Dave Bricker — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:12:03 +0000

Few subjects arouse more passion among writers and designers than the debate over how many spaces should follow a period. If you adhere to a style manual, you’ll be hard-pressed to find one that doesn’t specify a single-space. Chicago and … More ☛

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What’s a Professional Editor Worth?

Dave Bricker — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:12:03 +0000

What do you think a professional editor’s pay scale should be? Assume that a proofreader would be at the bottom of the scale and a developmental/line editor would be at the top. An examination of the work editors perform sheds … More ☛

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Co-Publishing – Alternative Path or Another Trap for Writers?

Dave Bricker — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:12:02 +0000

I recently published a post about the difference between vanity publishing and true self-publishing. Fundamentally, the article defines a publisher as “someone who takes the risk on a book.” Vanity Presses represent themselves as publishers and accept royalties while the … More ☛

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Book Cover Design: Judging a Book by Its Cover – Part 1

Dave Bricker — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:12:02 +0000

Nothing screams “amateur” like a poorly crafted book cover. The standards for book design aspired to by trade publishers are not all that high, but self-publishers routinely fall short of them. If you want your book to be taken seriously, … More ☛

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Self-Publishing & Vanity Publishing: Confuse Them and Pay the Price

Dave Bricker — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:12:00 +0000

What is true self-publishing? What is the difference between self-publishing and “vanity publishing” or “subsidy publishing?” How do these differ from “traditional publishing?” Don’t publish until you understand these terms; that knowledge can make or break your book. Learn about … More ☛

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Reality Checklist for Self-Publishers

Dave Bricker — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:12:00 +0000

One question that loops endlessly on writers’ forums is “How can I sell more books?” The question is a natural one, but for many self-publishers, it betrays a certain lack of awareness about the publishing business. Lest I sound holier … More ☛

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Why You Need a Professional Editor

Dave Bricker — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:11:59 +0000

After completing the final draft of a manuscript for my fifth book, I wanted a reality check. I hired a professional editor and learned something important about self-publishing. No matter how capable you are as a writer and proofreader, you … More ☛

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Proposed Standards for Book Typography

Dave Bricker — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:11:59 +0000

The word processor has placed new burdens on writers to understand how to use italics, big and small capitals, dashes, hyphens, initials, etc. Writers who do their own typesetting often produce mediocre results. Likewise, trade publishers sacrifice typographic aesthetics when … More ☛

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Straight Talk About Book Reviews

Dave Bricker — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:11:58 +0000

Book reviews are critically important. Have you ever read a book hoping it would get better, only to find that it never did? And how do you tell if an independently published book is any good? So many are poorly … More ☛

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Gatekeepers and Self-Publishing

Dave Bricker — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:11:58 +0000

Indie publishers complain that the mainstream publishing establishment acts as a “gatekeeper.” Many readers rely on big publishing houses to filter out low quality books—even though trade publishers regularly print celebrity crap with impunity. Indie publishers often see themselves as … More ☛

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Self-Publishing: Art or Business?

Dave Bricker — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:11:57 +0000

The very idea of "book marketing" is vague. It's like subsuming advertising and fine art sales into a single realm of "image marketing." And in tacking marketing on as the de facto second phase of writing a book, a lot of worthy artists' resources are placed in jeopardy.

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Book Design Basics – Drop Caps and Initial Impressions

Dave Bricker — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:11:56 +0000

NITIAL CAPITALS have historical roots in the early days of book design; their use predates the printing press and the invention of moveable type. Today’s initial caps are not as fancy as those carefully rendered in gold leaf in ancient … More ☛

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Indie Publishers, Bookstores and Readers – the Indie Ecosystem

Dave Bricker — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:11:55 +0000

Indie publishers are everywhere and so are indie bookstores, but apart from their names, the two have little in common. “Independence” is a feelgood concept, but it’s often presented without any reference to that which a publisher or bookstore is independent … More ☛

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Self-Publishing IS Real Publishing-The Difference is up to You

Dave Bricker — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:11:52 +0000

The notion of real publishing as opposed to self-publishing and the stigma surrounding it is obsolete. I have no objections to traditional publishers but every one of them started off as a “self-publisher” with a first book. I have pretty … More ☛

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The Single Most Important Contribution to Publishing

Dave Bricker — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:11:51 +0000

Many readers still love to feel the subtle emboss of letters stamped on paper with metal type. I was rummaging through the garage and came across an old copy of The Progressive Road to Reading Book 2 by Georgine Burchill, … More ☛

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Book Design Basics Part 1: Margins and Leading

Dave Bricker — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:11:50 +0000

Book design is a lost art. Though book design discussions usually focus on covers, consider how much more time a reader spends staring at the text. An elegant book block is just as important. Decades ago, professional tradesmen practiced the … More ☛

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Book Design Basics Part 2: Optical Margins, Indents and Periods

Dave Bricker — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:11:50 +0000

Part 2 of Fundamentals of Book Design explores optical margins, paragraph formatting and spaces. Read about margins, layout and leading in Part 1. The self-publishing revolution is (aside from the Internet) the greatest thing ever to happen to freedom of … More ☛

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Self-Publishers Should Not Be Self-Editors

Dave Bricker — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:11:49 +0000

Editing is one of the first hurdles you’ll encounter as an independent writer. Your fan club is your enemy. Encouraging friends who think it’s “wonderful you actually wrote a book” are not unbiased editors. A good editor will put your … More ☛

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Book Distributors: What’s in it for Publishers?

Dave Bricker — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:11:49 +0000

There is a direct relationship between the number of sales you can expect from a book distributor and the value-added services they provide to publishers and readers. Publishers are best served to ally themselves with book distributors that do the … More ☛

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Book Typography: The Crystal Goblet by Beatrice Warde

Dave Bricker — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:11:49 +0000

Designers, writers and publishers will benefit from Beatrice Warde’s eloquent perspectives on the craft of typography, the power of type and the importance of the printed word. “The Crystal Goblet” was an essay included in Beatrice Warde’s book of the … More ☛

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Self-Publishing? Get Real(istic)!

Dave Bricker — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:11:48 +0000

There are plenty of good reasons to self-publish, but not all are profit-oriented or even rational. Before you invest in your book, take a look in the mirror and ask yourself some serious questions. Understand what you’re getting into and define success at its proper place on the spectrum between retail sales and artistic satisfaction. With some clarity, planning and management of expectations, even a modest publishing venture can be rewarding and satisfying.

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Stop Picking on POD

Dave Bricker — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:11:47 +0000

A great technology is getting a bad rap for the wrong reasons. Print On Demand (POD) technology is often mislabeled "Publish On Demand," which consequently associates it with the Vanity Publishing world; a realm inhabited by a few reputable operators and a large number of scammers waiting to prey on naive writers. While it's true most Vanity Publishers do rely on POD technology, the majority of reputable self-publishers and many small traditional publishers do, too. POD is entirely disconnected from matters related to whether you own your own ISBN numbers, share rights and royalties with a third party, own your cover artwork or choose one distribution chain over another. It's just a digital book-manufacturing technology. After all the business arrangements are decided on, a file is sent to a POD printer and books are then manufactured to order in quantities as small as a single book. POD is just a printing technology—and it's a great one.

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Many Unhappy Returns – Think Outside the Bookstore

Dave Bricker — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:11:47 +0000

If you’re hoping to have mainstream bookstore distribution, using a Vanity Press may present some obstacles. Book buyers will likely tell you, “your book may be excellent, but you’re using a Vanity Publisher and the vast majority of their books … More ☛

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Speakipedia Podcast #8: Maureen Mahoney

Dave Bricker — Wed, 05 Jun 2024 12:00:15 +0000

Transcript Dave Bricker (00:05) Want to expand your speaking and storytelling skills and grow your influence business? This is Speakipedia Media brought to you by Speakipedia .com. I’m your host, Dave Bricker, bringing you straight talk and smart strategies from … More ☛

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Publishing a Book: Beware of Vanity Publishers

juan — Thu, 16 May 2024 18:34:03 +0000

Here’s a useful definition. Think of a publisher as an individual or entity that assumes the financial risk for a book. A publishing house buys your manuscript, pays you a small advance against hope for royalties, and earns a profit … More ☛

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Sound Advice for Writers & Publishers

Dave Bricker — Tue, 26 Jul 2022 15:00:26 +0000

The following advice on writing and publishing is based on my own experiences and those of my clients. I hope you find it valuable and encouraging, even if it changes your expectations. I’ve written and published twelve books, and I’m … More ☛

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