Are you an aspiring author struggling to navigate the complex world of self-publishing? Curious about how to transform your manuscript into a high-quality book without losing control or earnings? Join us on this episode of The Agent of Wealth Podcast, where host Marc Bautis is joined by Michele DeFilippo, owner of 1106 Design and an accidental author advocate. With more than 50 years of experience in book publishing, Michele is on a mission to help authors ask the right questions to make informed decisions about publishing their books. She also wrote a guide: Publish Like the Pros: A Brief Guide to Quality Self-Publishing.
In this episode, you will learn:
- What self-publishing is, how it has evolved over time, and tips for avoiding common pitfalls in the industry.
- What authors need to know about editing, cover design, interior design, and more.
- The essential services authors need to publish a book.
- The real impact of Artificial Intelligence on the book market.
- And more!
1106design.com | Publish Like the Pros: A Brief Guide to Quality Self-Publishing| Bautis Financial: 8 Hillside Ave, Suite LL1 Montclair, New Jersey 07042 (862) 205-5000 | Schedule an Introductory Call
Disclosure: The transcript below has been edited for clarity and content. It is not a direct transcription of the full episode, which can be listened to above.
Welcome back to The Agent of Wealth Podcast, this is your host Marc Bautis. Today, I’m joined by a special guest, Michele DeFilippo, owner of 1106 Design and an accidental author advocate.
1106 Design makes it easy for authors to release a top-quality book, keep control of it, and earn more money every time they sell a copy. The company provides end-to-end book design, production and publishing services for independent authors. And, most importantly, 1106 Design helps authors set up book distribution accounts in their name. This way, every penny of net revenue, after retailer discounts and printing costs are deducted, is deposited directly into the author’s bank account.
With more than 50 years of experience in book publishing, Michele is on a mission to help authors ask the right questions to make informed decisions about publishing their books. She also wrote a guide: Publish Like the Pros: A Brief Guide to Quality Self-Publishing.
Michele, welcome to the show.
Thank you, Marc. I appreciate you having me on.
The Evolution of Self-Publishing
I’m excited to speak with you today about full-service assisted self-publishing. Quite a few of our regular listeners are business owners, and they may be navigating the complex world of independent publishing. Before we get into some of the details, can you talk a bit about how book publishing has changed throughout the years you’ve been in the industry, and touch on why authors are looking to self-publish more and more?
Self-publishing has been growing exponentially since its emergence around 2001, thanks to Amazon’s transformative influence on the publishing industry. Before Amazon, authors needed to go through traditional publishers to distribute their books to bookstores and other outlets. Amazon revolutionized this by allowing authors to publish and distribute their own books without intermediaries. Initially, self-publishing meant that authors took on the roles of both publisher and marketer, bearing the responsibility for producing a high-quality book, hiring experts, and ensuring its success. However, the process has since become more complex. As a result, I now consider myself an accidental author advocate because many authors are inadvertently losing potential revenue. They often work with unnecessary intermediate publishing companies, not realizing they could be earning more from their books.
What do they say to justify working with an intermediary company? Do they assume the risk of the book’s sales, or provide funding to the author? What exactly do they do?
No, and that’s a key difference between these new companies and traditional publishing. In traditional publishing, the publisher took on the financial risk. They paid the author for the rights to the manuscript, covered the costs for editorial and design work, and assumed the risk of whether the book would sell. The publisher would then receive the majority of the revenue from sales and pay the author a small royalty. This was a fair model because the publisher made the initial investment and deserved a return on it.
With the advent of indie publishing, the author was supposed to take on the role of publisher and reap the full return on their investment. However, the situation has become more complicated. Intermediate publishing companies now charge authors to produce their books, meaning these companies have no financial risk. They also take a percentage of the author’s revenue from book sales. This model is completely reversed from traditional publishing and often disadvantages the author, as these intermediaries share in the profits without having made any investment in the book.
Starting Your Publishing Journey: Drafting, Ghostwriting, and Finding the Right Support
Let’s take an example of someone who wants to publish a book. What’s the first step? Should they start by writing a rough draft, or is there someone who can help them with writing the book?
It can go either way. There are ghostwriters who can help someone write a book from scratch if they don’t have the time or inclination to do it themselves. However, this can be quite expensive, often ranging from $30,000 to $70,000, as most ghostwriters can only produce two or three books a year. This can make it a significant investment if the book is eventually published.
Most people, however, come to us after they’ve already written their manuscript and are seeking help to get it published. This is where the challenges begin, as companies like mine are harder to find than traditional publishers. Many publishers charge authors to produce the book and then take a share of the revenue from sales. In contrast, companies like mine, often referred to as author services companies, charge authors upfront to help produce the book and provide support throughout the process. We do not take a percentage of the revenue from book sales.
Is editing considered part of the publishing process, or does the manuscript need to be fully edited and ready before it reaches someone like you?
No, the manuscript doesn’t need to be fully edited before reaching us. Authors can send their manuscript when they feel they’ve done their best work. We handle editing, cover design, interior design, and other necessary services. Additionally, we assist with distributing the book under the author’s name, ensuring that only the author receives sales reports and revenue deposits.
Distribution Channels for Self-Published Books
You mentioned that self-publishing began around 2001 with Amazon. Is Amazon still the main distributor for self-published books, or can they be distributed through other channels as well?
Yes, most of your sales will likely come through Amazon, as it is widely regarded as the primary place to buy books. Print-on-Demand is a publishing model where books are only printed when they are sold. Amazon operates a Print-on-Demand subsidiary called KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing), and another major player in this space is IngramSpark, which is owned by Ingram, the largest book wholesaler in the world with a century of experience.
Using both platforms allows authors to achieve the widest distribution at the lowest cost, though distribution fees are unavoidable. Amazon charges a 40% wholesale discount off the cover price, while IngramSpark charges 55% and handles distribution to physical bookstores, libraries, and other distributors. Although around 80% of your sales may come from Amazon, the remaining 20% from other channels should not be overlooked.
If you use the Ingram model, will your book appear in Barnes & Noble, or are there specific qualifications that need to be met?
No, your book will be distributed widely. Amazon will handle distribution to its own platform worldwide, while Ingram will distribute to Barnes & Noble, various book retailers, physical bookstores, Walmart, Target, and more. Traditional bookstores typically purchase their books from Ingram rather than Amazon, so using Ingram ensures you don’t miss out on these sales opportunities.
Why Professional Cover Design is Crucial
Make sense. Now, let’s discuss some specifics about the process, as many people interested in this may not be familiar with the book publishing field. They might be coming from different industries and finding this a new and unfamiliar space. They may be hearing terms like editing, cover design, interior design, and distribution for the first time. Let’s start with cover design.
There’s a lot of misinformation about cover design. Online, you might find advice to design your own cover or use low-cost services from overseas providers. However, cover design is crucial. Consider how you shop on Amazon—often, the cover is what catches your eye and prompts you to learn more about the book. The cover design and text must convey the book’s essence in just a few seconds to make potential readers stop and take notice.
After that initial impression, the decision to buy is subjective and varies from person to person. While we can’t predict what every potential buyer is thinking or what information they need, our goal is to make the cover compelling enough to grab their attention. Effective cover design involves much more than people realize. It requires expertise in elements like color, composition, balance, and contrast. A trained cover designer is essential for achieving the best look for your book.
Wow, so it sounds like a lot goes into cover design, even though it might seem straightforward. As you mentioned, a potential reader makes a decision in about three seconds, so it’s crucial that the cover effectively captures their attention.
Well, the thing is, even if your book is published and you start promoting it as available on Amazon, simply listing it there isn’t enough. Amazon will show your book alongside bestselling titles in similar categories. If your book looks self-published, it may not stand out for the right reasons and could be overshadowed by more polished, professionally designed books.
Book Length, Topic Selection, and Audience Insight
Right. Returning to the potential author considering writing a book, how many pages should a book be before they start thinking about publishing it? I understand this is a bit of a catch-22, as you might not know exactly how much content you have, but is there a minimum page count to consider?
That depends. Books are generally getting shorter over the years; long novels of 600 or 700 pages are less common now. The internet has conditioned us to prefer information in smaller chunks. Ideally, a book should be between 200 and 300 pages, which translates to about 50,000 to 80,000 words. However, as a business owner, you don’t need to write a full-length book. You could opt for a shorter booklet, like the one I produced, which can concisely tell your story and be distributed for free. This approach is cost-effective and can benefit your business.
What about choosing a topic? Should they research to see if the topic is saturated or if they’re approaching it from a unique angle, or should they simply go with their idea if they believe it would make a good book?
This is a common issue. Authors often come up with ideas that appeal to them, but it’s important to step back and research the market. There are thousands of books on virtually every topic. One effective approach is to identify a pressing problem that people face and offer a unique solution. This strategy increases your chances of making sales, especially if you can address a specific need that resonates with your audience. For example, as a business owner, I’d be willing to pay for a book that promises a solution to a problem I have. While self-help books are plentiful and novels can be hard to sell, a well-crafted nonfiction book addressing a widespread issue can be a strong starting point.
We use a similar approach in our own work. When we talk to someone about their finances and notice a question coming up, we take note. If we start receiving the same question from three or five people, we consider writing a blog post or creating content on the topic. If the number of inquiries grows to ten or twenty, we might produce a podcast or host a webinar. This method serves as our built-in research tool, helping us gauge what people are interested in. If multiple individuals are asking the same question, it’s likely that many others have the same query.
Exactly. You’ve already answered a question that hasn’t been asked yet. If a business owner is wondering, “I don’t know how to write a book; what should I write about?” the answer is simple: just take a moment to pause and reflect. Your customers have already given you the answers. Everyone has a book ready to be written, they just have to sit down and get it on paper.
How do you see AI changing the book-writing space? There’s a lot of hype, but what do you think the reality will be? Specifically, how do you see AI impacting your field?
From what I’ve observed, there’s a lot of excitement about AI, but it could have some negative impacts on publishing. If machines start writing books, we face the risk of spreading inaccurate information, as AI responses are often unreliable. This could be problematic. However, AI could also become a valuable tool if used correctly, potentially saving time and effort. Yet, there are already concerns about people using AI to quickly produce multiple titles, which raises questions about the quality and reliability of such content. Ultimately, people need to have confidence in what they’re buying, regardless of the product.
Yes, I can see that. Recently on the podcast, I interviewed an author who mentioned that he had written many books on his own, except for the last one, which he used AI to help with. As you said, if authors previously published one book a year or over a longer period, now some are producing 30 or 40 books in a short time. This could lead to readers losing trust in the content or even deciding they can get the information they need directly from AI without reading a book. This shift could significantly impact the industry.
Well, I hope we never devalue human creativity and human interaction in any area, because what happens when the machines take over?
Yeah, I could see far reaching then just books.
Once the author has completed the book and you’re coaching them through the process, is it correct to refer to it as “Print on Demand”? This model involves no inventory, right?
Yes, it’s called Print on Demand. The two platforms, KDP.com and IngramSpark.com, handle the distribution of your book to retailers and manage all financial transactions behind the scenes. They then make a simple monthly deposit to your bank account.
Effective Book Marketing Strategies
What are some effective ways to market a book after it’s been published?
There are many ways to market a book. You could hire a marketing company, though this can be quite expensive. Many indie publishers can only afford to promote their book for a few months with a professional marketing firm. As an alternative, we offer author marketing training. This program teaches you how to market the book yourself, providing you with the skills and strategies to do so effectively. Additionally, you’ll gain access to the research that a marketing company would typically conduct, which you can reuse for future books.
Are people using social media? Are they trying to be guests on podcasts?
All of the above. Marketing any business is a challenge today because the audience is scattered across various platforms. To address this, you need to identify where your audience is most likely to gather. This is where research becomes crucial. A book marketing expert can pinpoint these locations so you’re not just broadcasting to a general audience. Instead, you’ll focus on posting on blogs and appearing on podcasts where your target audience is most active.
I find myself listening to books. Is there an easy way to get your manuscript converted to an audiobook?
There is an easy way, and that involves AI narration, which is now available. However, I find that AI-generated narration sounds artificial and isn’t nearly as good as a human narrator. While AI technology might improve over time, a talented voice actor can bring your book to life in a way that a machine can’t. Although AI narration doesn’t bother me, it’s worth noting that predictions about the demise of print books have been wrong in the past. Even with advancements like eBooks, people continue to enjoy all three formats: print, eBooks, and audiobooks.
Well, people predict the demise of all different kinds of things that don’t play out…
That’s where book design becomes important. When you read a print book that’s been carefully designed, it’s more than just absorbing content; it’s a sensory experience. The design and typesetting contribute to an immersive reading experience. Beautifully typeset text and thoughtfully designed pages enhance the enjoyment of reading and help explain why print books continue to be popular.
There are a lot of DIYers out there. Why should someone consider hiring 1106 Design to help them through this process?
The DIY approach is popular, but it’s important to recognize that book design is more complex than it might seem. On the surface, it may look straightforward, but there’s a lot of effort involved in refining the text so it doesn’t distract from the content. We follow numerous typesetting rules to ensure a smooth reading experience. For example, placing the first line of a paragraph at the bottom of a page can disrupt the reader’s flow, and we avoid that. The last line of a paragraph should never appear at the top of a page. These are just a few details that we meticulously handle to make the reading experience seamless and focused on the message rather than poorly designed text.
Yeah, that makes sense. Alright, Michelle, that’s all the questions I have for you today. I want to thank you for joining me on an episode of The Agent of Wealth. I appreciate not only your time but also sharing your expertise. Before we go, how can interested authors get in touch with you and the team at 1106 Design?
Thank you, Marc. I appreciate being here. Interested authors can reach me through our website at 1106design.com. There’s a contact form where you can provide some details about yourself and your book. We’ll get in touch with you once we receive the form. I assure you that we won’t overwhelm you with emails — just one respectful conversation to see if we’re a good fit. Additionally, you can download a free copy of my book, Publish Like The Pros. We believe in a no-pressure approach and want to ensure that our collaboration is mutually beneficial.
Great. We’ll include those links in the resources section of the show notes. Thanks again Michele, and thank you to everyone who tuned into today’s episode. Don’t forget to follow The Agent of Wealth on the platform you listen from and leave us a review of the show. We are currently accepting new clients, if you’d like to schedule a 1-on-1 consultation with our advisors, please do so below.