A while back, I explained why previews and reviews are crucial to sales. Seeing as more and more people are publishing every day, I thought it would be helpful to share this post again. Please enjoy this post “From the Vault.”

I tend to come across a lot of material on the site because of my job. Sometimes, it’s because I’m looking for something to buy for content to highlight. Regardless of the reason, I am often surprised by how many books lack a preview. According to Chris Anderson, author of the “Long Tail,” on average, 500 copies of a book are sold per year. For a self-published author, selling 500 copies in a year is considered a huge success, but how do you get 500 people to buy your book when most of them haven’t ever heard of you? The simple answer is to let them read it.

If I have never heard of a writer before, three things help me decide to take a chance on a book. First, does the summary grab me? If a book has a good description and it sounds interesting, I will take a closer look at it. I can’t tell you how many books I come across with descriptions that don’t tell me enough about what the book is about. So, that’s step 1 – think about your description and try to tell people what your book (or CD or whatever) is about, why they should give it a shot. Show it to people you trust to give you constructive criticism and get their advice. Remember, if you don’t draw people in, they probably won’t take a chance on your book.

The second thing I look at is who is recommending the book to me. If I see an author I recognize (and like) telling me they like the book, then I am more likely to pick it up. Since self-published authors can’t always get someone well known in their genre of choice to recommend their book, it helps to have people who are willing to give thoughtful and honest reviews of your work regardless. If it looks like your mom is the only person who reviewed your book loved it, I’m probably not going to purchase a copy (unless your mother is Haven Kimmel or another woman whose writing I enjoy).

The final thing that will convince me to purchase a copy of a book I’ve never heard of before is being able to read the book, or at least part of it. I cannot stress how important this is. Barnes & Noble will let me sit in their cafe, read a book while drinking some Starbucks and never blink. They do this because they know that A) I will buy their overpriced snacks (and I will), and B) I am more likely to buy something if I can read some of it first. They also know I am unlikely to read an entire book in the store and then put it back on the shelf. So they let me sit down, get comfortable and read, hoping I will like the book and buy it. The same thing applies to selling books, CDs, and anything else online. People are unlikely to read an entire book online, and even if they do, if they like the book, they are probably willing to pay $15 to own a copy. On the other hand, if you don’t have a preview, no one knows how good your work is and they aren’t as likely to give it a try.

This is why I advocate offering a preview. You don’t have to put the whole book or album up for people to read/listen to, just put up what you are comfortable with, and help convince strangers and loved ones that they want to read and/or listen to the whole thing. I can’t guarantee that you’ll sell 500 copies, but you’re more likely to sell copies if you let people try it first.

Never published an ePub version of your book before?  No worries.  Here are 2 ways you can get your book into ePub and get yourself in the running:

1. Do-it-Yourself
2. Let Us Do it For You

We’ll notify the three winners by April 3, 2010 via the email associated with their Lulu user account.   Unfortunately, because this is only a US site promotion, only US residents are eligible.  But don’t worry – we have a few things up our sleeve for everyone else…so be sure to stay tuned!  To see more rules our lawyers are making abide by, check out the disclaimer section below.

Good luck everyone!

DISCLAIMER:

No purchase necessary.  Prize is a 32GB Wi-Fi enabled Apple iPad. Three (3) winners will be drawn at random, and notified via email by April 3, 2010.  Winners must provide a US address to Lulu within 10 days of notification to redeem their prize. In order to be eligible for the iPad giveaway, you must either publish an eBook in ePub format, or purchase an ePub conversion service between 3/12/10 and 3/22/10.  Upon ePub publication or ePub service purchase, you will be automatically registered for the iPad giveaway.  ePub formatted books created before or after said dates are not eligible.  Creating an ePub version of your book will not guarantee distribution on 3^rd party external e-readers.  Promotion is open to individuals who are Lulu registered users, and who are legal residents of the 50 United States or the District of Columbia only.  Your odds of winning depend on the number of US authors who publish ePub formats, or purchase an ePub conversion service during the contest period.   Employees, contractors, directors, and officers of Lulu, its parent, subsidiary and affiliated companies, immediate family members thereof, and those living in the same domicile therewith are not eligible. Lulu reserves the right to make all decisions on entrants’ eligibility, in its sole discretion.  Lulu reserves the right to change or revoke this offer at anytime.  Void where prohibited.

Lulu had a great presence at SPBE.  We had a sizable booth space, and passed out reusable tote bags.  At one point, people in the hotel lobby asked where they could get one of the “cool orange bags”.  We had a contest and gave away some bose in-ear headphones and a Primer Publishing Pack.  From 9:30 am – 5:00 pm, Lulu staff manned the booth to field questions, educate people on the Lulu process, and offer demonstrations.  Nick and Harish gave a well-attended panel on how social networking will change self-publishing.  I think everyone learned a lot from the experience on both ends.

For me, the event reinforced why I work at Lulu.  At its core, Lulu is about sharing ideas and spreading knowledge.  We understand that you’ve worked really hard to get your content out there and you want to get it in front of as many people as possible.  Things like Lulu’s non-exclusivity and extensive distribution options are things that should go hand-in-hand with self-publishing.  When I explained all the things we currently do and plan on doing to help make an author’s self-published book more visible, people’s jaws honestly dropped! It was a great feeling, and I look forward to more opportunities to interact with customers face-to-face.

We got some great ideas in New York while introducing people to the idea of open-publishing.  Lulu hopes to continue to be a part of events like SPBE that give us the opportunity to just talk with people.  If you have suggestions of events or community gatherings you think Lulu should be a part of, please don’t hesitate to send them in!

“Fallen Heroes“ is now on the shelves of several branches of Waterstones, including their flagship branch (where it was labeled a ‘cult hit’), which is regarded as the largest bookshop in Europe. I have, since then, done several book signings both in-store and at various conventions.

Thanks to the success of “Fallen Heroes” I now have an agent and an award winning TV and film production company has optioned the book itself. I am also working with a BBC journalist who will be adapting the story for a graphic novel to be published by Insomnia Publications.

None of this would have been possible without the easy to use and excellent print on demand infrastructure set up by Lulu. One example is the ease by which I was able to release a new edition of the book with a back cover Waterstones review and a front cover quote/recommendation from fantasy author, James Barclay.

Through self-publishing I have pushed myself to do things, in terms of self-promotion and marketing, I would never have done otherwise (signings are not my strong point!). I have learnt a lot about what it takes to not only get your work out there but what to do once it is. It’s been a journey of hard work, disappointment, lesson learning and huge moments of sheer joy.

The Advantages of Self-Publishing

• Your work will be published. As you are self-publishing your work, you know it will be in print and you can hold a copy in your hands.

• You keep all of your rights. Traditional publishers will almost always require that you give up the rights to your work if you sign a contract. In contrast, self-publishing almost always allows you to retain your rights.

• You control the production aspects of your book. You decide what your book will look like, how much it will cost, what formats it will be available in, and more.

• No  long-term contracts. Most self publishing options will not involve you signing any long-term contracts. As such, you have the option of taking your book or other material somewhere else. You can always decide to try traditional publishing if you aren’t happy with self-publishing or if your needs exceed what self-publishing can handle.

• Turn-around time. Typically the turn-around time for self-publishing is much shorter than traditional publishing. This can obviously vary, but with some options taking as little as a week (and in few cases even shorter!) the turn-around is often within a couple of weeks at the most.

• You get paid higher margins per book and you can often get paid more quickly.

• You can create a second edition of a book or correct errors much more easily.

The Disadvantages of Self-Publishing

• It is difficult to get shelf space in a brick-and-mortar store like Barnes & Noble if you self-publish.

• You have to handle all, or almost all, your own marketing.

• You pay any upfront costs. This could include copies of your book, editing, cover design or any number of other aspects.

• Some people still stigmatize self-publishers.

Is Self Publishing For Me?
We recommend you look over the materials we have provided, evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of self publishing, and make your own informed decision. Self-publishing isn’t the right option for everyone, so think about what you’re trying to accomplish and decide whether self-publishing fits those needs.

Even within Lulu.com there are tons of interesting people. I sat next to Anthony S. Policastro during his time at here and in between him getting hit in the head with a Nerf dart or answering his phone via his watch, we’d discuss different ways self-publishing authors can promote their books as well as the future of ebooks. Anthony has written two books that he has released through Lulu.com as well as guest posted on the Lulu Blog about writing and marketing. I didn’t want to ask him the usual questions I ask authors, but ones that are focused around the future of publishing, book marketing and the perceived perception that paper books are going away.

-You’ve made your latest book available as a free download. Do you feel that will help you sell more copies of the paperback version?

Yes. When a reader is excited enough about my book to download it and read it on a computer, they must really want to read it. After all, it’s not convenient to read a book on a computer – you can’t read it in bed or in your favorite easy chair and it is a strain on you eyes. A laptop will solve the portability constraint, but you still have the eyestrain, the battery going dead in an hour or so, and the laptop burning your legs.

So, as they read my book and if they like it, they will tell their friends, but maybe some of their friends may not want to read a downloaded version and they will opt to buy a printed version. My other thought is that those who downloaded the book may get tired of the inconvenience and opt to buy a printed version.

-Since you’ve been an analyst in the open publishing industry has your mindset as an author changed?

Absolutely. Having your book listed on Amazon and other book sites does not guarantee that you will have robust sales. Many authors believe that obtaining an ISBN number and being on Amazon will allow them to quit their day jobs. With millions of titles on Amazon, your book is like a grain of sand on the California coastline.

It still takes a lot of self-promotion and hard work to get your book noticed and to generate sales. Almost every new author believes they have written the next best seller, but the reality is that of the 300,000 plus books published every year only a handful are bestsellers.

Even authors with traditional publishers have to work just as hard as self-published authors to generate sales, especially now that the publishing industry is suffering extraordinary losses and publishers do not have the resources to put into new, unknown authors.

-Who designs the covers for your books?

I do. I have always strived to be unique and that is applied to my book covers. I want my covers to look as professional as traditional published books and to appeal to readers. Never judge a book by its cover – well people do that all the time when searching for a book to buy. It’s the same as falling in love – you first have to be attracted to the person by their looks before you will go any further.

I taught myself Photoshop and other graphic programs, but I’m not an expert and there are new things to learn all the time. It’s very time consuming and sometimes I have to ask my graphic arts friends how to create a particular element. I highly suggest hiring a graphic artist to create your book cover unless you know computer graphics very well.

-Why do you write?

Funny you asked that. I wrote a blog post on that same question awhile back quoting Rambo author David Morrell who addressed the same question,

“F. Scott Fitzgerald said there were no second acts in American lives. Applying this to writing, we could say that if a writer creates in relation to a trauma, he or she stops being creative when the trauma is resolved. This has been the case in a number of American writers. But for most of us, the traumas continue. For example, until 1987, I wrote in response to my father’s death in WWII and the orphanage I was put in. But after 1987, I wrote in response to my son’s death from bone cancer. I never do it deliberately, however. The stories insist.”

I don’t think I write in relation to a trauma, but one never knows. It could be my fear of loss that could be driving my urge to write. I always feel a little sad when something is lost, particularly by others, by society, by our culture.

I have always had this urge to write, to communicate my thoughts to others. I believe I have a unique perspective on the world and I want to share that with others. I also believe we all have a unique perspective, but some have this itch to share it while others don’t give it a second thought. I’m always itching.

-Do you feel that the Kindle will have a bigger impact than the iPhone for authors?

No. I think they will compliment each other. I don’t think die-hard readers will rush out and buy an iPhone to read their favorite book, but they will buy a Kindle for this purpose. The iPhone will serve as the portable Kindle when people are on the go and have idle time to read like waiting in a doctor’s office or waiting for a taxi or a flight.

I think both devices will be a boon for authors because users will be able to read content practically anywhere and they promote reading books – something many people don’t do anymore.

I would like to see both devices communicating with each other so that a user can read a book on the Kindle, stop and read the same book on the iPhone and the devices will remember where the reader left off.

Visit Anthony’s Blog here and his Lulu Storefront to purchase or download his books.

Be sure to follow Anthony via Twitter here and, as always, stay informed about the latest happenings at Lulu.com by following our Twitter account here.

brainstorm
envision · create · dream up · ponder · think · conceive

• Make your own creative space. Maybe this changes from week to week (a new coffee shop or park bench) or perhaps you have carved out a designated writing place that you return to again and again (a particular room in your house). There are no rules for your creative space except that it should only include things that encourage rather than inhibit innovation. So turn off your cell and get away from your computer and any other distractions, if possible.

• Set a minimum amount of time. Plan to brainstorm for at least 20 to 30 minutes without interruption. If your brainstorm session goes longer, that’s great, but make sure you have a solid amount of time to encourage a consistent flow of ideas.

• A fresh start. Get away from focusing on tired ideas that you’ve been stuck on for awhile. Write these all down on a piece of paper, and push them to the side. Now that you’ve emptied your brain, begin a new thought process of story leads and character ideas that you’ve never considered.

• Draw on new inspirations. My favorite professor in college was an English teacher and published short story writer who kept a coffee tin chock-full of newspaper clippings and faded photographs that she would use as little inspirations when she was in need of a new story idea. Find inspiration in the ordinary by flipping through a magazine or looking through your collection of postcards from old friends. You’ll be surprised to find that story sparks can come from the most unlikely places.

• Your brain needs exercise, too. Remember those silly daily journal entries that you used to have to write in language arts class in middle school? Well, your teacher was right. Just like you have to stretch and warm up before going on a run, you also should do writing exercises to get your mind moving. There is a wealth of sites with these simple journal entries on the Internet if you can’t think of any. The Writer’s Digest site, in particular, has some great prompts that are worth checking out.

• Stream-of-consciousness storming. No idea is too outlandish for you to include on your list. List everything that comes to mind without worrying about organization or coherence. For now you want to get as many ideas down on paper as possible.

• Tools for the storm. Arm yourself with Post-it notes and any extra inspirations. Just as sports fans have their superstitious rituals and lucky objects, writers can also establish a system to get into the habit of productive writing. A few of my lucky writing tools include a bobblehead pen that says “Genius”, my journal and a copy of See Jane Write. I also rely on inspirational quotes from my Daily Kiss widget and Skirt! Magazine.

• Two heads are better than one. Find someone to bounce ideas off of. Whether this is a friend, a loved one or another literary genius, it doesn’t matter as long as they are a positive force for generating ideas. Look for local writer groups in your area, or join a Lulu group or forum discussion. If you offer to listen to someone else’s ideas they often will be more inclined to give you the advice you need.

Now that you have all these ideas on paper, it’s time to organize and develop them into coherent thoughts. Pick your top two or three ideas and build upon them by creating a mind map, an organizational tool that adds structure to ideas. You can create mind maps either the old-fashioned way on paper, or you download mind map software such as FreeMind, a free program that creates word webs.

Now that you are a brainstorming and organizational expert, it’s time to flesh out your ideas and spend some time developing them into the next great Lulu publication! With some patience, time and a little help from Lulu, you’re on your way to becoming a self-published author.

The best tip I can give you for getting started on your project is to figure out who your target audience is. One of the major advantages of self-publishing is the ability to customize your content to your audience, and giving you the option of establishing multiple versions of your content if you would like to focus on specific groups based on location, company, etc. You can also update your content any time you learn more about your audience, or if you just need to bring the information current.

In many cases, you may already know the answer as your business fills a very specific niche, or you are producing internal materials. However, if that is not the case, you should consider who you are trying to market your materials to. What age bracket are they, what demographics do they belong to, and any other pertinent information. Some of this may seem obvious, but one of the hardest parts of self-publishing can be finding your audience, and if you don’t figure it out, you may find that the materials aren’t delivering at your expectations. .

Once you have figured out who your audience is, you need to determine the best way to deliver your materials to them. Self-Publishing offers a variety of options in this area, from direct sales (you purchase copies for yourself and resell them on your website or in person), online sales (many self-publishing sites give you features like “buy now buttons”, and direct linking to online ordering so that your users can buy the product online), and digital sales (downloadable PDFs or other formats that users can purchase). Figuring out the delivery method for your materials is an integral aspect of self-publishing, and depends on your business and your needs. For some small businesses it may make sense to have all of their materials sold out of their business, while others might find it easier to be completely online. Most are best served by a combination of all of the methods.

Once your materials are prepared and uploaded to a self-publishing website, or sent in to a self-publishing provider, the next step will be letting your audience know that the materials are available. Again, this will depend on who your audience is and how you are planning to distribute the materials, but communication is key. Some excellent methods to use are announcements on your website, sending out a targeted e-mail to your customers (of course, you should always observe the CAN-SPAM Act), and if you have a physical business, signs announcing the product’s availability.

Of course, this aspect is often much easier to manage if your focus is driven primarily towards internal materials like training manuals, but can also apply to materials you aren’t selling like brochures for new products. People want to know about new offerings, and are a lot more likely to pick up your brochure if you let them know it’s readily available. Too often I’ve seen businesses put brochures and similar materials in hard to access areas or haven’t drawn attention to the fact that they’re free (or if they are charging for it, made it look like it’s free). In short, you need to communicate the intent of your materials to your customer so they know exactly what to expect and to get them interested. If you can get them excited about your materials, even better!

-Nick

If I have never heard of a writer before, and I’m in a bookstore, three things that make me decide to take a chance on a book. First, does the summary grab me? If a book has a good description and it sounds interesting, I will take a closer look at it. I can’t tell you how many books I come across with descriptions that don’t tell me enough about what it’s about, because it’s a lot. So, that’s step 1, think about your description, and try to tell people what your book (or CD or whatever) is about, and why they should give it a shot. Show it to people you trust to give you constructive criticism, and get their advice. Remember, if you don’t draw people in, they probably won’t take a risk and pay for your book.

The second thing I look for is who is recommending the book to me. If I see an author I recognize (and like) telling me they like the book, then I am more likely to pick it up. Since self-published authors can’t always get someone well known in their genre of choice to recommend their book, it helps to have people who are willing to give thoughtful and honest reviews of your work regardless. If it looks like your mom is the only person who reviewed it and loved it, I hate to say it, but I’m probably not going to buy it (unless your mother is Haven Kimmel or another woman whose writing I enjoy).

The final thing that will convince me to purchase a copy of a book I’ve never heard of before is being able to read the book, or at least part of it. I cannot stress how important this is. Barnes & Noble will let me sit in their cafe, read a book while drinking some Starbucks and never blink. They do this because they know that A) I will buy their overpriced snacks (and I will), and B) because they know I am more likely to buy something if I can read some of it first. They also know, I am unlikely to read an entire book in the store and then put it back on the shelf. So, they let me sit down, get comfortable and read, hoping I will like what it and buy it. The same thing applies to selling books, cds, and anything else online. People are unlikely to read an entire book online, and even if they do, if they like the book, they are probably willing to pay $15 to own a copy. On the other hand, if you don’t have a preview, no one knows how good your book is, and they aren’t as likely to give it a try.

This is why we advocate offering a preview. You don’t have to put the whole book or album up for people to read/listen to, just put up what you are comfortable with, and you think will help convince strangers and loved ones that they want to read, and/or listen to the whole thing. I can’t guarantee that you’ll sell 500 copies, but I can guarantee you’re more likely to sell copies if you let people try it first.

Nick Popio

Some of the thrilling new topics we will be covering: how to market your work, advice from successful community members, the self-publishing industry, and an inside look into Lulu’s development process. We’ll also ask you for your feedback, so we can make this blog and the Lulu site in general as useful to you as possible. We’re excited about our new “Adventure in Self-Publishing” and hope you’ll stay tuned for some exciting new posts such as Public Relations: How and Why Should I Relate to the Public to Sell my Book?” in the coming days.