British Expat Forum

After a not-exactly-wonderful experience with my first published novel, and seeing the way the market is now, I decided to start my own imprint, Citiria Books.
I'll use it first of all to publish my next novel, REBODY, due for release in about 4 months as soon as I can buy a block of ISBNs and bar codes.
I've already got the cover artwork, by a well known NY artist who worked on Star Wars and X-Men. Still have all the font work and Photoshop resizing and so on. Now I know why books take forever.
BTW if anyone knows any good voice talent - I'm looking for people like the ones who do R3's story readings, ideally - I am looking to produce a couple of audiobooks.

Brave fellow. You seem to have the production bit under control, but what makes (or, in most cases, breaks) the private publisher is marketing & selling. What are your plans for that?

It's difficult, I know. Of course I have '1001 Ways', I intend using Internet marketing and online in general. No point in trying for the bookstores, they are all in thrall and the return rates are horrendous. Been through all of that with the first novel, not going that route again.

I think it is a mistake to publish in trade format. Too expensive. My own intentions are to use mass market paperback to keep the SP to under $10, I think people will impulse purchase a $9.95 item but not a $16 item.

Also, I spend serious money on the cover. Those Photoshop jobs look like Photoshop jobs. I do believe covers sell books which is why I use a well known NY artist.

How long a print run do you need to achieve a SP of ten dollars?

Print run of about 500 should do it.
The first copies will all be PODs for review purposes.
Although . . . no, I think I will do production and forget about the PODs. I will just have to sit on it for 3-4 months to give the reviewers a chance.

I just finished editing a 170,000 word MS for a NY novelist, (to 100,000) and I am going to the UK for 3 weeks, so I am way behind schedule.