Full Transcript for Self-Publishing Without Getting Scammed with Michele DeFilippo

of the revenue when a book is sold. Now 49 00:04:37.920 --> 00:04:38.960 that model 50 00:04:39.200 --> 00:04:45.440 actually was was the only model until around nineteen ninety five, two thousand 51 00:04:45.715 --> 00:04:50.915 when Amazon came on the scene and changed everything about the publishing business. 52 00:04:51.155 --> 00:04:56.995 All of a sudden, it was possible for authors to release their own book to the publisher without a middleman 53 00:04:57.955 --> 00:05:09.870 getting involved at all. It was understood at the beginning that the author should hire the experts to produce the book and then distribute that book worldwide through print on demand platforms 54 00:05:09.870 --> 00:05:11.229 such as IngramSpark 55 00:05:11.229 --> 00:05:12.030 and KDP. 56 00:05:12.735 --> 00:05:16.574 But over the last twenty years, it's it's become very misunderstood. 57 00:05:16.574 --> 00:05:18.255 Now we have publishers 58 00:05:18.255 --> 00:05:19.295 in the space 59 00:05:19.775 --> 00:05:22.575 who charge the author to produce the book, 60 00:05:22.895 --> 00:05:42.905 and they also take their revenue on the back end from sales. And that doesn't work out too well from... For authors. So I'm here doing these podcasts because many authors don't know that they don't have to work with a publisher in order to self publish their book. It's interesting. I I remember I was speaking with with with an author not 61 00:05:42.905 --> 00:05:52.905 too long ago. I it's maybe about a month or so ago, and they were saying they really don't even make a lot of money when they publish through places like Amazon and and things like that. They get very very little money 62 00:05:53.660 --> 00:05:56.380 for, for the books that they they they put out. 63 00:05:56.940 --> 00:05:59.580 Well, it... It's sort of interesting because 64 00:05:59.740 --> 00:06:00.620 Amazon 65 00:06:00.620 --> 00:06:05.980 and other platforms do take what's called a wholesale discount whenever a book is sold. 66 00:06:06.220 --> 00:06:08.380 So for example, on a $20 book, 67 00:06:09.285 --> 00:06:10.165 let's say, 68 00:06:10.805 --> 00:06:23.605 the the wholesale discount is 40% at Amazon, so they'll take $8 right off the top. Oh, wow. Right? And and then the author in the print on demand model has to pay for the printing of the book, which is about $4. 69 00:06:24.090 --> 00:06:28.570 But the author should wind up with about $8 from that transaction. 70 00:06:29.290 --> 00:06:30.170 You know? 71 00:06:30.650 --> 00:06:32.650 But if they're working with a publisher, 72 00:06:33.050 --> 00:06:38.090 the publisher, intermediate publisher, sometimes a publisher who charged them for every service 73 00:06:38.885 --> 00:06:51.925 is gonna take part of that money, and they might wind up with $1.02, or $3 per That's that's the number they gave me. Instead of instead of 8. So so that's that's why I'm doing these podcasts. Wow. That... That's... It's... What a racket. 74 00:06:52.085 --> 00:06:52.405 Really, 75 00:06:53.800 --> 00:06:56.840 know, when you think about that, this... On Amazon's end, especially. 76 00:06:58.040 --> 00:06:59.160 Well, yeah. 77 00:06:59.880 --> 00:07:11.025 And it's always the author's job to market the book and to drive people to Amazon to purchase it. So so the way I like to to phrase it is that Amazon makes your book available for sale, 78 00:07:11.185 --> 00:07:19.344 but it doesn't do anything to sell that book for you. Right. Yeah. That makes sense. Yeah. Yeah. So so at what at what point did you 79 00:07:19.970 --> 00:07:22.530 did you realize that self publishing wasn't 80 00:07:22.850 --> 00:07:35.905 real... Wasn't just like a like a niche thing. It it was becoming a legitimate business model. Oh, gosh. It started growing exponentially from the very beginning. Now now we're up to about 2,000,000 books that are self published a year, 81 00:07:36.385 --> 00:07:40.465 believe it or not. And that... That's not books printed. That's titles. 82 00:07:40.545 --> 00:07:42.145 2,000,000 titles. 83 00:07:42.785 --> 00:07:46.705 So so tons and tons of people are doing it. And 84 00:07:48.360 --> 00:07:56.440 I guess by my estimation, I would say that probably 50 to 60% of them are are not doing it correctly. They're working with publishers, 85 00:07:56.520 --> 00:08:00.520 and they're losing control of their book, they're losing money in that process. 86 00:08:01.375 --> 00:08:08.975 Now that self publishing, maybe this is this is a question I should have asked a long time ago, you know, when I started interviewing authors. 87 00:08:09.615 --> 00:08:13.854 But, you know, everybody hears about self publishing and hybrid publishing, traditional publishing. 88 00:08:14.630 --> 00:08:17.670 What exactly is the difference between self 89 00:08:17.750 --> 00:08:32.715 hybrid and traditional publishing? Can you break that down? Okay. Yeah. Sure. Well, like traditional publishing, like I said, the publisher pays all the expenses and pays the author a small royalty when a book is sold, which is fair. Now, self publishing when it first started, 90 00:08:33.195 --> 00:08:39.995 authors understood that they should hire their own experts, they should invest the money, and then in return they would get 91 00:08:40.154 --> 00:08:43.035 all of the revenue from sales when a book Okay. Was 92 00:08:44.580 --> 00:08:47.300 But now we have a middle ground where... 93 00:08:47.300 --> 00:08:51.140 Called hybrid publishing. Sometimes it's called hybrid publishers. 94 00:08:51.460 --> 00:08:58.020 Sometimes the... These firms just call themselves publishers without the hybrid in front of it. But 95 00:08:58.385 --> 00:09:03.185 the the key with them is that they're charging the author to produce the book, 96 00:09:03.825 --> 00:09:07.745 sometimes for some of the services, sometimes for all of the services, 97 00:09:08.145 --> 00:09:18.430 and they're still taking money out of the author's pocket whenever a book is

sold. Now the good publishers, if they're... If... The good hybrid publishers, if they're participating 98 00:09:18.430 --> 00:09:24.509 financially in the book, let's say they're charging the author for production, but they're paying for the marketing, 99 00:09:24.910 --> 00:09:38.855 then they deserve a share of the back end revenue. Right? Because they're taking a risk right along you. But a lot of these firms are charging the author for everything all the way from editing all the way through to marketing and yet they're still taking $2.03, $45 100 00:09:38.855 --> 00:09:49.870 out of the author's pocket whenever a book is sold. So authors need to ask more questions, basically, is my message in a nutshell. You have to know what you're getting into before you sign that contract. 101 00:09:50.029 --> 00:09:56.589 Yeah. Looking back over the fifty years that you have been doing this, what's the biggest misconception that people still have about publishing? 102 00:09:57.365 --> 00:09:58.245 Well, 103 00:09:58.404 --> 00:10:03.125 self publishing, the word... The term self publishing has become misunderstood. 104 00:10:03.445 --> 00:10:07.524 A lot of people think self publishing means they have to do everything themselves. 105 00:10:07.605 --> 00:10:18.250 Mhmm. They they they try to format the manuscript themselves and design their own cover or or hire some, low cost freelancer to do those tasks. But that's 106 00:10:18.330 --> 00:10:20.890 really a mistake, and that has led to 107 00:10:21.210 --> 00:10:40.655 a lot of the bad self publishers... Published books that we've all seen. So it's still important if you're gonna publish a book to put out a a good quality product that the reader's going to enjoy and and leave good reviews for. So how so how do you know that... How do you know whether a publisher or a publishing company is actually helping you or just taking your money? 108 00:10:41.430 --> 00:10:43.190 Well, that... That's really... 109 00:10:43.750 --> 00:10:46.310 That's actually the key as well because 110 00:10:46.630 --> 00:10:53.350 authors don't necessarily recognize good work versus bad work. Mhmm. And why should they? Because it's not their field. 111 00:10:53.585 --> 00:10:58.705 Right? But a lot of these publishers are put... Are giving authors low level work, 112 00:10:59.345 --> 00:11:05.345 sometimes for a low price, and so they sign up. But the authors don't know that they're not they're not just paying that production 113 00:11:06.145 --> 00:11:12.810 price once on the front end. They're paying over and over and over again every time they sell a book. Okay. 114 00:11:12.810 --> 00:11:14.170 Alright. Yeah. 115 00:11:16.010 --> 00:11:20.490 AI, sensitive subject, especially when it comes to to to writing. 116 00:11:21.770 --> 00:11:22.890 AI has made it 117 00:11:23.805 --> 00:11:26.764 so much easier now just to to crank out books. 118 00:11:27.884 --> 00:11:32.445 Has it also made it easier to publish just, I I guess,

lack of a better word, junk? 119 00:11:32.685 --> 00:11:33.084 Yes. 120 00:11:35.460 --> 00:11:49.060 The short answer is yes. But the platforms are getting wise to this, and they're scanning the books that are uploaded. And and if they recognize that that book was entirely written by AI, then they're not gonna public... They're not gonna release them for you. 121 00:11:49.875 --> 00:11:53.715 It's not a bad idea to use ad AI for research. 122 00:11:53.795 --> 00:12:00.275 Mhmm. Right? Maybe maybe you need a little help to figure out how to structure the book. It can be very useful for that. 123 00:12:01.315 --> 00:12:20.625 But but you should do your own writing because if you don't, you can't copyright the text either. Oh. Right? So you should use AI for what it's good at, but then rewrite the the material in your own words and in your own voice so that it is truly your book. And from your from your side of the business, roughly, 124 00:12:21.985 --> 00:12:25.425 what do you think the percentage of books that are purely AI? 125 00:12:25.585 --> 00:12:27.105 Oh, I have no idea. 126 00:12:27.665 --> 00:12:33.280 But it's like it's like any new technology, we have to find the comp... The the middle ground. 127 00:12:33.600 --> 00:12:47.975 I think I think we're way off to one side still with people thinking AI can do everyone's job, and and that's not a good thing. Yeah. No. Look. I I... And my audience knows this. I've said it many times. I use AI to do a lot of the stuff that I do with the shows, and it helps me write 128 00:12:49.175 --> 00:12:50.055 backgrounds, 129 00:12:50.055 --> 00:13:10.300 it helps me, you know, put together some ideas and thoughts and such, but that's it. It helps me put together the ideas and the thoughts. Everything else I have to do on my own. I don't... Because you you... I... To me personally, I can tell if I'm reading something that's AI generated. Oh, yeah. You know? It it stands out like a sore thumb. It... It's it's the it's the language. It's it's the the the way this... The the... It's structured. 130 00:13:10.459 --> 00:13:19.385 You you can you can tell. I can tell anyway. So I don't want that. I I want people to know that, hey, look. I... Yeah. This is him. This is me talking here. And 131 00:13:19.625 --> 00:13:24.105 so so I'll ask it to spit out something for me. Like, for example, I'll use it to do, like, 132 00:13:24.665 --> 00:13:27.385 the episode descriptions when when we run the shows. 133 00:13:29.030 --> 00:13:33.990 Okay. Great. So give... I'll ask it. Give me something that's SEO optimized. 134 00:13:34.310 --> 00:13:51.765 Mhmm. It'll give me that, and then I'll read it. And I'll say, okay. Well, I would never say this. I would never say that. This is not how I speak. And then I would rewrite it. Yes. And use my... Using my own way, like you just said, rewrite it using your own words and your own style. Yeah. And I think I... 135 00:13:52.165 --> 00:13:58.700 And I think that's great advice, I think that's the way it should be. Unfortunately, though, there are a lot of people out there that are are actually use... Letting AI 136 00:13:59.100 --> 00:14:00.380 throw it out. Yeah. 137 00:14:01.500 --> 00:14:02.460 Well, I think 138 00:14:02.860 --> 00:14:17.285 authors and everyone should remember that buyers are smart. Right? So if you're trying to pull the ball over their eyes, you're not gonna get away with it for long. Sooner or later. Yeah. Sooner or later. Yeah. It'll catch up with you. Like, I know in the music industry that there are some... There... There's a lot of, 139 00:14:18.325 --> 00:14:20.165 AI generated music, 140 00:14:20.165 --> 00:14:21.285 songs, performances, 141 00:14:22.005 --> 00:14:27.790 singers, you know. That's... Believe it or not, that's getting harder to to filter 142 00:14:27.790 --> 00:14:28.350 out. 143 00:14:28.750 --> 00:14:34.910 You know, there... I I heard something a couple of days ago. It was a it was a country western song that I thought was a legitimate, 144 00:14:34.990 --> 00:14:37.710 like, band until I really 145 00:14:37.710 --> 00:14:40.270 researched it and looked into it. So wait a second. Now this is AI? 146 00:14:41.584 --> 00:14:42.625 Holy cow. 147 00:14:43.264 --> 00:14:49.425 Yeah. I think I think we're we're learning the unintended consequences of what should have been a great technology. 148 00:14:49.505 --> 00:14:52.704 And I I saw something else too on social media. There was a post about 149 00:14:53.270 --> 00:14:54.710 how somebody 150 00:14:55.110 --> 00:14:56.790 uses AI to generate, 151 00:14:57.830 --> 00:14:59.750 like, crazy stunt videos 152 00:15:00.710 --> 00:15:04.390 and uploads those things and then gets paid 153 00:15:05.485 --> 00:15:07.725 for those things and makes like $23,000 154 00:15:07.725 --> 00:15:08.685 per post. 155 00:15:09.005 --> 00:15:17.725 Woah. I'm like, well, I'm in the wrong business, man. Yeah. I gotta start doing something different. Well, I don't know. I I think there's gonna be payback for that. Right? Eventually. 156 00:15:17.885 --> 00:15:19.885 Then none of us know what's real. 157 00:15:21.220 --> 00:15:25.220 Absolutely. And and that's really scary, actually. Is. Yeah. 158 00:15:25.780 --> 00:15:30.740 So let's let's get off AI. Let's get back into actually working with a book as a human being. 159 00:15:31.140 --> 00:15:31.380 So 160 00:15:32.415 --> 00:15:43.774 let's let's just say, like, I told you before that, you know, I I I have an outline floating around out there or a structure or something that I'm looking to do. And so let's say I I finished writing my book tonight. 161 00:15:44.255 --> 00:15:48.730 First book, done. What are the first three mistakes that I'm about to make? 162 00:15:49.370 --> 00:15:56.090 Well, the first... Kind of said it already. The first mistake you might make is to go online and hire somebody on Fiverr 163 00:15:56.490 --> 00:16:06.095 to design your book cover or edit your book

or Okay. Or so forth. You're not gonna find and nothing against the people who work there, but you're not gonna find the high level people 164 00:16:06.415 --> 00:16:10.415 that can do a good job for your book on Fiverr. They can't compete 165 00:16:10.735 --> 00:16:14.015 with people that are charging 10¢ on the dollar. Right? 166 00:16:14.255 --> 00:16:27.340 So if your book is the... If your book is a hobby and it's only meant for your friends and family, that's that's perfectly okay solution. But if you intend to sell your book or impress people with it, maybe for your business or your speaking 167 00:16:28.835 --> 00:16:39.075 engagements or whatever purpose you want it for. It needs to be a high end job from people who have experience and know what they're doing. Most people don't know what that means because 168 00:16:39.235 --> 00:16:49.759 we'll hear all the time from our customers that when the editor gets through with the job, authors will say to us, gosh, I thought my manuscript was perfect. I can't I can't believe everything 169 00:16:49.759 --> 00:16:57.199 that the editor found and all the issues that the editor identified that I wouldn't have even thought of. So I guess my first 170 00:16:57.975 --> 00:17:09.975 bit of advice is is hire the experts. And if you can't afford it, wait until you can save up because you're offering a product to the public and you're asking them 171 00:17:10.290 --> 00:17:14.930 to exchange their hard earned money for your book. And so you have a responsibility 172 00:17:14.930 --> 00:17:17.570 there to give them the best book possible. 173 00:17:17.890 --> 00:17:18.450 Mhmm. 174 00:17:18.690 --> 00:17:21.809 Now then your book is published like prose, like the prose. 175 00:17:22.050 --> 00:17:23.890 Mhmm. What made you decide to write it? 176 00:17:24.985 --> 00:17:29.384 That that was also an accident. So many things in my life were an accident. 177 00:17:29.385 --> 00:17:50.440 But sometimes those those yield the best results. The things you don't plan for. And and that's the case here. My, around 2012, my... I I had just been blogging for a while. My editor said, you know, we should we should gather these posts into a book. And I said, okay. Why not? And so we did, and she made me look way better than I could have done it myself, 178 00:17:51.794 --> 00:17:53.315 as all editors do. 179 00:17:53.634 --> 00:17:58.514 And so I published it, and I started giving it away on my website. And 180 00:17:58.835 --> 00:17:59.394 people 181 00:17:59.955 --> 00:18:00.754 now 182 00:18:00.914 --> 00:18:15.810 come to us and they say, I read your book. How do I sign up? So it has it has been such a lead generator that I never ever expected to happen. So That's interesting. That Yeah. That's that's that's actually not a bad marketing strategy 183 00:18:15.810 --> 00:18:32.495 too. Yeah. You know? Yeah. You know, you give the way... You give the book away for free. Mhmm. And then people reach out to you, and they ask you about how you can get involved in that, and then that's cool. That's fantastic. That's a great reason not to sell it. Well, that's kind of going wrong in some ways too in today's business where, like, I mean, if you download 184 00:18:32.735 --> 00:18:34.815 a lead mat... What they call a lead magnet, 185 00:18:36.090 --> 00:18:54.335 a lot of companies follow that up and they start emailing you 10 times a day. You know? So we don't do that. You know? We... Well, thank you for for reading the book and answer your questions, but we still do business the old fashioned way. We don't we don't start harassing you just because you downloaded my book. That's good. That's good. 186 00:18:55.054 --> 00:18:58.414 Now, earlier you mentioned about authors not asking 187 00:18:59.455 --> 00:19:00.494 better questions. 188 00:19:00.894 --> 00:19:03.855 Mhmm. What what are the questions that almost nobody asks? 189 00:19:04.679 --> 00:19:07.960 Well, the first thing is that you don't need to work with a publisher 190 00:19:08.200 --> 00:19:12.919 Right. Just to self publish a book. Self publishing means you are the publisher. 191 00:19:13.399 --> 00:19:15.239 Now, you do need services. 192 00:19:15.240 --> 00:19:15.639 So 193 00:19:17.245 --> 00:19:23.644 there are companies like mine that are... That I guess you could categorize them as author services companies. 194 00:19:23.965 --> 00:19:36.590 And what we do, we're basically project managers. We have the editors and designers and team in place to make sure that you're gonna get quality services and the management help to work your way through all those services. 195 00:19:36.910 --> 00:19:41.150 People don't know that exists. They think they have to work with a publisher instead, 196 00:19:41.630 --> 00:19:43.230 and that's where things tend to go wrong. 197 00:19:44.095 --> 00:19:45.214 So what what 198 00:19:48.174 --> 00:19:57.534 is it what does it really take to to produce a book that looks like it came from a major publishing house? Probably about two hundred hours by the time we're done. Really? 199 00:19:58.390 --> 00:20:00.790 Yeah. And, you know, and that's a misunderstanding 200 00:20:00.790 --> 00:20:18.375 too. I think people think, oh, I can give you my manuscript and you're just gonna click a couple of buttons and it'll be formatted and and I'll be able to put it on Amazon and make a lot of money. And and that's not the case. It's a it's a meticulous process both for editing and for the typesetting. 201 00:20:18.375 --> 00:20:19.894 You know, people call 202 00:20:20.215 --> 00:20:24.695 the the the task of making the interior pages formatting, 203 00:20:25.255 --> 00:20:30.760 but that's not what real book typesetting is. Real book typesetting is much more 204 00:20:31.080 --> 00:20:36.520 meticulous and involved than that. And I have a whole webinar that I can do about that. 205 00:20:37.480 --> 00:20:47.825 It... It's different. The way a typesetter approaches your book

design, the way a real book designer approaches the task is really different than just if you were to hire a formatter, 206 00:20:48.065 --> 00:21:01.580 somewhere else on Fiverr. I see. So... And act... Actually, I was gonna ask you something similar along those lines as well, and that that is a lot of people have the have the idea that when you say self publishing, you're also talking about printing the book. Mhmm. So those are two very different things. 207 00:21:01.820 --> 00:21:02.460 Yes. 208 00:21:02.780 --> 00:21:11.674 Yeah. Printing, today, we have print on demand. Amazon made that possible. So so that's really the... It was an avalanche in the publishing industry 209 00:21:11.995 --> 00:21:14.874 because it used to be when I first started in the business, 210 00:21:15.674 --> 00:21:20.154 an author who wanted to self publish a book would have to print 5,000 copies 211 00:21:20.315 --> 00:21:25.750 and hope to sell them. But with print on demand, the book isn't printed until it's sold. 212 00:21:26.150 --> 00:21:30.950 So the authors no have... No longer have that upfront expense to to print books. 213 00:21:31.190 --> 00:21:35.670 And some of these so called publishing companies will tell people you have to print 1,500 214 00:21:35.670 --> 00:21:42.635 books. No, you don't. That's a red flag. Okay. If anybody who tells you that is taking care of themselves, not you, 215 00:21:43.355 --> 00:21:48.155 print on demand is is... The only time you pay for a book is after someone has purchased it. 216 00:21:48.555 --> 00:21:48.875 Now, 217 00:21:49.460 --> 00:21:53.539 where would you say that authors waste the most money during the whole publishing process? 218 00:21:54.340 --> 00:21:56.500 Sometimes it's with revisions. 219 00:21:56.740 --> 00:22:10.945 Right? Now, some revisions are inevitable, and we include that in our in our fees, a certain number of hours of revisions. But a lot of times, I I always tell everyone who comes to us, please finish writing your book before you begin production. 220 00:22:11.585 --> 00:22:13.905 Because if you start rewriting 221 00:22:13.905 --> 00:22:30.460 passages and adding chapters and deleting chapters and doing major things like that after production begins, now you're you're triggering expenses that really should go to something else like marketing your book. Alright. And I'm glad you clarified because I was I was thinking to myself, how could you how could you 222 00:22:32.059 --> 00:22:32.700 start 223 00:22:33.285 --> 00:22:38.805 Does... How could you start working on the book without finishing writing the book? No. The author has to finish writing before 224 00:22:38.805 --> 00:22:45.125 we... Before the editor gets a hold of it. Right? That's what I'm... I was thinking. Was like, how how would they do that? And then you clarified that, so I appreciate it. 225 00:22:46.320 --> 00:22:49.200 So so I I wanna go back to AI for one second, 226 00:22:49.840 --> 00:22:50.479 You know, 227 00:22:51.360 --> 00:22:51.919 say 228 00:22:52.799 --> 00:22:54.959 twenty years from now, when when... 229 00:22:55.200 --> 00:23:00.399 Because ultimately, you know, this is gonna end up happening at some point. Twenty years from now, AI is gonna be writing, editing, 230 00:23:00.975 --> 00:23:02.254 designing covers. 231 00:23:03.375 --> 00:23:05.695 What do you think readers will will still 232 00:23:06.255 --> 00:23:07.054 value 233 00:23:07.295 --> 00:23:17.160 that only a human author can bring? Well, I think we should think about that a little bit and hopefully not go down that road because there won't be readers if everyone is unemployed. 234 00:23:17.320 --> 00:23:23.720 Yeah. This is this is... Yeah. It's gonna be true. It could be true. Well, no. Because everybody will get up through the AIs. Yeah. 235 00:23:24.440 --> 00:23:30.440 Well, I don't know. Somewhat... Somewhere along the line, the reality of of the cost of things is gonna meet 236 00:23:30.655 --> 00:23:37.054 Eventually. Eventually. I agree. Yeah. Now when you when you sat down and spoken with with authors, writers, 237 00:23:37.375 --> 00:23:37.934 has 238 00:23:38.735 --> 00:23:40.255 anybody ever approached 239 00:23:40.255 --> 00:23:41.534 you about an 240 00:23:41.775 --> 00:23:49.730 idea or a subject or shown you a manuscript or something and and you ended up having to talk them out of writing a book? 241 00:23:50.050 --> 00:23:54.370 There's been a few instances in in the last twenty five years. Yeah. 242 00:23:55.570 --> 00:24:04.105 The one that comes to mind is a poet who wrote a poetry book, and all of the poems were about killing his children and his mother-in-law. 243 00:24:04.505 --> 00:24:09.225 And, so we declined that job. Yeah. Yeah. Wait. Wait. 244 00:24:09.945 --> 00:24:11.544 Yeah. I'm not kidding. 245 00:24:12.185 --> 00:24:13.065 Well, that's guts. 246 00:24:14.600 --> 00:24:19.719 I... Yeah. I wasn't gonna have any part of that. I don't I don't blame you one bit. I mean, that... That's crazy. 247 00:24:19.960 --> 00:24:25.480 Yeah. And then another author came to us, he had written 50,000 words all in one paragraph. 248 00:24:30.175 --> 00:24:30.895 Yeah. 249 00:24:32.095 --> 00:24:32.815 Okay. 250 00:24:34.255 --> 00:24:35.775 If I if I remember 251 00:24:36.415 --> 00:24:41.295 when I when I was in school, they taught us that a paragraph consists of basically four sentences. 252 00:24:41.770 --> 00:24:45.769 Yeah. How do you One one thought. Right? One one subject. 253 00:24:45.770 --> 00:24:46.490 Right. 254 00:24:46.970 --> 00:24:48.090 50,000 255 00:24:48.090 --> 00:24:59.355 words in Oh, and it it it... It's unfortunate. I mean, I feel sorry for him in a way because it was just a rant. Right? And we looked at it, and we thought, there's there's no way we can help this guy. You know? That's 256 00:24:59.355 --> 00:24:59.995 crazy. Wow. 257 00:25:00.875 --> 00:25:22.690 I guess you've I guess I guess you've seen a lot over the

over the time you've been working in this industry. We... We've produced... Those are exceptions and really the only two that comes to mind. Most most authors are great. They care deeply about their book, and and they've done a good job. Right? But it still needs to be polished by by a good editor. You know, that's... Everybody needs an editor. Stephen King has an editor. 258 00:25:23.009 --> 00:25:28.445 The Pope has an editor. You know? It is it's something that's just necessary because we don't see 259 00:25:28.765 --> 00:25:31.404 our own mistakes when we write. And and the 260 00:25:31.645 --> 00:25:34.445 fresh eyes of an editor will spot that, and they'll say, 261 00:25:34.925 --> 00:25:39.805 you didn't really explain yourself here or whatever the problem is. Right. Right. Absolutely. 262 00:25:40.420 --> 00:25:44.340 So what do you think is the most expensive mistake that you've ever seen 263 00:25:44.740 --> 00:25:45.700 an author make? 264 00:25:46.820 --> 00:25:54.420 Oh, gosh. That's hard to say. I... There have been a few instances where where the author doesn't accept the advice of the editor 265 00:25:54.825 --> 00:25:56.745 and sometimes the designer. 266 00:25:56.745 --> 00:26:02.904 And so I know they're gonna pay a price for that down the road. I can't put a number on it, but I know that it's, 267 00:26:03.865 --> 00:26:18.720 not not a good thing to do. Now there is... I I don't wanna mislead people. There is a collaboration between the author and the editor. We're not saying that you have to accept everything we suggest. Right? Okay. But but if you... If one 268 00:26:18.720 --> 00:26:21.360 case that comes to mind, an author wouldn't let us 269 00:26:22.240 --> 00:26:24.080 hyphenate compound adjectives. 270 00:26:25.515 --> 00:26:33.035 And that's for any reviewer who reads that, they're gonna they're gonna look at that book and say this was not edited at all. Mhmm. 271 00:26:33.355 --> 00:26:35.435 But her reason was I don't like them. 272 00:26:36.929 --> 00:26:48.129 You you know, grammar is grammar isn't optional. Yeah. I was I was I was exactly what I was gonna say next. Yeah. You know, there is a structure and a form to things you can't... You know, just because you don't like it. 273 00:26:48.450 --> 00:26:52.585 Yeah. That doesn't apply to you. So, you know, that's that's it's unfortunate, 274 00:26:52.585 --> 00:26:54.024 but, we try to do... 275 00:26:54.664 --> 00:26:58.424 We try to keep authors happy, and we try to put out a good product. And sometimes 276 00:26:58.985 --> 00:27:02.424 there's a blending of those two that has to happen. Yeah. 277 00:27:02.745 --> 00:27:03.145 Now, 278 00:27:04.750 --> 00:27:10.110 I guess if you had a one piece of publishing advice that you can give to somebody, 279 00:27:11.549 --> 00:27:12.590 what would it be? 280 00:27:14.190 --> 00:27:15.549 Put out a good product. 281 00:27:15.950 --> 00:27:16.350 Right? 282 00:27:16.755 --> 00:27:20.355 Because because everybody recognizes a poor 283 00:27:20.435 --> 00:27:28.595 self published book. Right? And the reason to do that also is because when when you tell people where to find your book on Amazon 284 00:27:28.835 --> 00:27:35.510 and they go there, Amazon is not just gonna show your book. They're gonna show the best selling titles that are similar. 285 00:27:36.310 --> 00:27:36.870 So 286 00:27:37.350 --> 00:27:55.195 if your book looks self published, if the cover is not designed well, and if the interior is not is not well written, they... Well, of course, now Amazon is no longer showing the interior of the books like they used to. They're only showing the covers. I I don't know why they made that choice. I think it's unfortunate. 287 00:27:55.515 --> 00:27:56.555 But if your book 288 00:27:56.875 --> 00:27:58.315 looks self published, 289 00:27:58.315 --> 00:27:58.795 then people, 290 00:28:00.570 --> 00:28:11.609 you know, will gravitate to the bestsellers instead. Right? If your book looks as good as the self... As the traditionally published books, then the authors might say to themselves, more likely to say to themselves, 291 00:28:12.010 --> 00:28:19.024 you know, I don't know that author, but that title intrigues me and that description sounds like it's a good book. I'm gonna buy it. 292 00:28:19.504 --> 00:28:21.824 So now with eleven o six design, 293 00:28:23.264 --> 00:28:26.704 you started this with the intention of helping folks self publish. 294 00:28:26.865 --> 00:28:30.360 So what are the services that that you offer them, and, 295 00:28:30.920 --> 00:28:33.720 what what makes eleven o six design unique? 296 00:28:34.360 --> 00:28:40.440 Well, I think what makes us unique is that we are sticking to the quality in in a world that doesn't seem to care about it. 297 00:28:41.640 --> 00:28:48.244 So it's not... That's not always the easiest thing to do, but we offer the full suite of services all the way from editing, 298 00:28:48.404 --> 00:28:49.445 cover design, 299 00:28:49.764 --> 00:28:52.484 interior design, interior layout, 300 00:28:52.485 --> 00:28:53.445 typesetting. 301 00:28:53.684 --> 00:29:03.550 Then at the end of that, we proofread the book one more time to make sure nothing got missed along the way. We'll make your ebook if you'd want one. We'll make your audiobook, 302 00:29:03.630 --> 00:29:07.070 and we'll help you get set up to publish your book 303 00:29:07.390 --> 00:29:15.914 on print on demand platforms that are in your name. Right? So when a book is sold, you will get the sales reports. 304 00:29:16.235 --> 00:29:23.915 You will get the revenue deposited directly to your bank account, a 100% of it. You won't... And we don't participate financially 305 00:29:23.915 --> 00:29:26.554 at the end of the project in any way whatsoever. 306 00:29:26.715 --> 00:29:27.995 So so they would they would 307 00:29:28.620 --> 00:29:33.020 they would pay you upfront and then whatever they earn after after 308 00:29:33.900 -->

00:29:45.044 they paid you to help them with this process, they would they would keep every penny they make. Correct. We we charge you for our services once and and answer all your questions and get you situated. 309 00:29:45.205 --> 00:29:47.525 But then after that, it's all on autopilot, 310 00:29:47.525 --> 00:29:49.044 and you get every penny 311 00:29:49.205 --> 00:29:59.269 that the retailers will pay you Well, that's fantastic. When a book is sold. That's fantastic. I mean, especially as earlier you were talking about how much money comes out from traditional publishers. 312 00:29:59.670 --> 00:30:02.950 And is that... I mean, that the reason why you decided to do it, to 313 00:30:03.270 --> 00:30:22.805 to to launch eleven o six design as opposed to going a traditional publisher route? I started eleven o six design just as being a a designer as the name kind of implies. It's kind of... And then we just grew into, you know, people started asking for more services and then they started asking for help to get themselves set up for print on demand and we just kept growing and growing until 314 00:30:23.080 --> 00:30:28.360 until we are what we are now. But we're not... The key point is we're not a publisher. 315 00:30:28.520 --> 00:30:33.000 Yeah. Okay. We're we're... We work for you instead of the other way around. 316 00:30:33.720 --> 00:30:34.440 Alright. 317 00:30:34.600 --> 00:30:35.559 Well, let me see. 318 00:30:36.120 --> 00:30:40.965 I think, Michelle, I... We we answered everything that you have for me already. This is 319 00:30:41.765 --> 00:30:54.990 this is probably the fastest we've ever gone through an interview before. I I can actually... I can add a few things. Yes. Please. Let's go. Okay. A a question I get all the time from from podcast host is authors might wanna know how can I identify 320 00:30:55.310 --> 00:30:56.909 a problem publisher? 321 00:30:57.230 --> 00:31:09.075 And there are, and there are a few red flags. The first one is that they call themselves a publisher. Right? If they're publishing your book and you're not publishing your own book yourself, that's that's a red flag right off the bat. 322 00:31:09.395 --> 00:31:15.554 But another red flag is a company that offers you a free ISBN. 323 00:31:16.195 --> 00:31:18.035 Now what's an ISBN? 324 00:31:18.035 --> 00:31:24.780 It's basically the model... The industry model number for your book. Right? And authors should always purchase ISBNs 325 00:31:24.780 --> 00:31:29.179 in their own name so that they become the registered publisher of the book. 326 00:31:29.580 --> 00:31:34.779 And that's what we help you do. But these publishers will give you one of their ISBNs 327 00:31:34.860 --> 00:31:35.420 for free. 328 00:31:36.095 --> 00:31:46.255 Of course. But they're not telling you that that makes them the publisher of your book. Right? So people see free and they think, that's good. I won't have to make That's how the ISBN... 329 00:31:46.335 --> 00:31:51.375 Ah, okay. See, I never knew that. Yeah. The ISBN identifies the publisher and the title. 330 00:31:52.710 --> 00:32:01.110 Okay. So so in almost every case, anybody who gives you a free ISBN is is is becoming the publisher of your book. 331 00:32:02.150 --> 00:32:03.509 Another red flag, 332 00:32:03.750 --> 00:32:06.150 with the exception of kdp.com, 333 00:32:06.150 --> 00:32:08.225 which uses the word royalties, 334 00:32:08.465 --> 00:32:11.105 anyone who offers you a royalty, 335 00:32:11.665 --> 00:32:16.625 that also means that they are getting the sales reports and they're getting the revenue first, 336 00:32:16.785 --> 00:32:19.745 and they're paying you a lesser amount called a royalty. 337 00:32:20.370 --> 00:32:21.330 Okay. Okay. 338 00:32:21.650 --> 00:32:24.370 You should get is full publisher compensation 339 00:32:24.370 --> 00:32:25.409 direct from 340 00:32:25.650 --> 00:32:27.730 KDP, which is owned by Amazon, 341 00:32:27.890 --> 00:32:29.650 and direct from IngramSpark, 342 00:32:29.650 --> 00:32:33.810 which is owned by the Ingram Book Company. Using those two platforms together 343 00:32:34.115 --> 00:32:37.795 will get you the widest distribution at the lowest possible cost. 344 00:32:38.115 --> 00:32:42.995 And that money should go directly into your bank account, not to a middleman first. 345 00:32:43.155 --> 00:32:43.875 Okay. 346 00:32:44.115 --> 00:32:48.275 K? Third red flag is anybody who promises to make your book a bestseller. 347 00:32:49.390 --> 00:32:50.749 It's not true. 348 00:32:51.470 --> 00:32:55.230 That's the kindest thing. I think a lot of authors fall 349 00:32:55.230 --> 00:32:55.869 for that. 350 00:32:56.590 --> 00:33:01.869 It's in... It's it's... It sounds wonderful. Right? Yeah. Of course. Who who doesn't wanna be a bestseller? 351 00:33:02.350 --> 00:33:04.465 But what's really happening... 352 00:33:04.545 --> 00:33:13.345 Okay. Let me start with the definition of a real bestseller that was given to me by a a literary agent that we work with. A real bestseller 353 00:33:13.665 --> 00:33:16.385 is a book that has sold 10,000 354 00:33:16.385 --> 00:33:19.049 copies or more in the last week. 355 00:33:20.570 --> 00:33:31.610 That's... When you see the New York Times bestseller list, that's the quantities they're talking about. K? K. So these are the companies that promises to make you a bestseller. They're they're tricking Amazon's 356 00:33:31.610 --> 00:33:32.090 algorithm 357 00:33:32.745 --> 00:33:34.585 to post a bestseller 358 00:33:34.905 --> 00:33:40.664 tag for about forty five minutes. It's... But... Okay. Question for you on that. Now Yeah. 359 00:33:41.145 --> 00:33:48.345 Things like the New York Times bestseller list and so on and so forth, do they... Are they counting also the fact that a lot of authors purchase 360 00:33:49.670 --> 00:33:52.309 tons of their own book for 361 00:33:52.550 --> 00:34:01.110 don't I don't know what distribution. Like Well, you can,

but I I don't know too many authors who would purchase 10,000 copies. No. I'm not saying that many, but but I I... I've heard. 362 00:34:02.185 --> 00:34:15.705 I don't know personally, but this... I've heard from other authors that that a lot of a lot of times somebody will will write a book. They'll tell... They get this big advance to write the book. Mhmm. They write the book, and they use the money from the advance, and they buy 363 00:34:16.490 --> 00:34:20.250 a few 100 copies or a thousand copies or whatever number of copies, 364 00:34:20.569 --> 00:34:22.170 and that all goes to 365 00:34:22.809 --> 00:34:26.490 count towards book sales that gets them on bestseller lists. 366 00:34:26.730 --> 00:34:31.690 Well, it might. But but but the bestseller lists are looking at Nielsen BookData, 367 00:34:31.690 --> 00:34:34.945 which which aggregates all the bookstore sales, 368 00:34:35.425 --> 00:34:37.745 into one feed. Gotcha. 369 00:34:38.065 --> 00:34:41.585 So it's hard. I mean, unless you went to to 20 cities 370 00:34:42.305 --> 00:34:49.210 and purchased books. I gotcha. Okay. Which would be kinda silly. I don't I don't think that would really work. Okay. Alright. What 371 00:34:49.530 --> 00:34:51.130 what are vanity presses? 372 00:34:51.610 --> 00:34:52.890 A van... Well, 373 00:34:53.130 --> 00:34:54.490 vanity presses 374 00:34:54.810 --> 00:34:57.850 is kind of the umbrella term that meet... That 375 00:34:59.050 --> 00:35:10.775 means the publisher paid to produce the book. And that used to be a disparaging term. When when traditional publishing was the only model, anyone who vanity published was considered 376 00:35:11.575 --> 00:35:13.495 just a lesser person. 377 00:35:13.575 --> 00:35:14.454 Right? Oh, okay. 378 00:35:15.150 --> 00:35:17.470 But that's kind of gone by the wayside now, 379 00:35:17.950 --> 00:35:23.790 because so many people are self publishing and many of them are doing a great job of it and doing very well with it. 380 00:35:25.069 --> 00:35:35.045 But the key is who you who you decide to work with to to produce the book for you. You wanna make sure you're not paying both on the front end and the back end. I see. I see. 381 00:35:36.325 --> 00:35:38.565 Okay. So we covered ISBNs. 382 00:35:38.565 --> 00:35:39.605 What about copyright? 383 00:35:41.049 --> 00:35:42.569 Copyright is automatically 384 00:35:42.569 --> 00:35:49.450 the authors the minute they finish writing their book. But when it's all finished and edited and proofread and corrected, 385 00:35:49.609 --> 00:35:53.130 then you can copyright it at the US copyright office. 386 00:35:53.369 --> 00:35:55.210 Copyright.gov 387 00:35:54.825 --> 00:35:57.704 is the address. I think it's about $85, 388 00:35:57.704 --> 00:35:58.665 and you upload 389 00:35:58.905 --> 00:36:06.825 a a cover image and a and a PDF of the text. And that officially registers your book so that if an issue arises, you can say, 390 00:36:07.640 --> 00:36:16.360 this is my book as of this date. It was published and released. And you should do that within two two months or so after you release the book to the public. 391 00:36:16.680 --> 00:36:22.200 Alright. And, when it comes to contracts, what what are some of the things we should be looking for in in contracts? 392 00:36:22.965 --> 00:36:30.245 Well, some of the bad things would be any company that take... That that buys your rights for an extended period of time. 393 00:36:30.645 --> 00:36:34.645 I would... You know, I've seen some where, you know, you're giving up the rights to do... 394 00:36:35.360 --> 00:36:37.360 To your book for, like, seven years. 395 00:36:38.160 --> 00:36:49.440 And and that really ties your your hands because if that publisher doesn't come through and and the book doesn't sell, maybe you wanna take it back. You can get your rights back from most publishers 396 00:36:49.755 --> 00:36:57.515 and and then go ahead and republish the book under your own name. But if you're tied up in a contract for seven years, that would be more difficult. 397 00:36:57.595 --> 00:36:58.315 Yeah. 398 00:36:58.875 --> 00:37:00.955 So look for that. You know, again, 399 00:37:01.755 --> 00:37:05.035 ask the question, how are you calculating my royalties? 400 00:37:05.730 --> 00:37:08.370 And you can go and check that figure 401 00:37:08.530 --> 00:37:11.170 by going directly to kdp.com 402 00:37:11.170 --> 00:37:13.890 yourself and ingramspark.com 403 00:37:14.130 --> 00:37:20.155 and using their calculators to see, okay. Here's the retail price. Here's the wholesale discount, 404 00:37:20.234 --> 00:37:23.915 here's the printing cost, and here's what I should be getting when I... 405 00:37:24.315 --> 00:37:26.155 When a book is sold. Alright. 406 00:37:26.315 --> 00:37:29.435 So if we were making if we were making like a a published... 407 00:37:29.435 --> 00:37:30.315 A publishing 408 00:37:30.474 --> 00:37:31.195 FAQ, 409 00:37:31.790 --> 00:37:34.110 So Mhmm. We covered ISBNs. 410 00:37:34.190 --> 00:37:35.470 Mhmm. We covered 411 00:37:36.670 --> 00:37:38.030 we covered copyright 412 00:37:38.270 --> 00:37:38.510 Mhmm. 413 00:37:39.150 --> 00:37:39.790 Contracts 414 00:37:39.950 --> 00:37:40.510 Mhmm. 415 00:37:41.390 --> 00:37:42.110 Barcodes. 416 00:37:42.990 --> 00:37:47.150 Barcodes. You do not have to purchase your barcode. Okay? Most covered designers 417 00:37:47.815 --> 00:37:50.935 can make a barcode for free and include 418 00:37:50.935 --> 00:37:59.255 that with the cover design. That that kind of brings up another issue because sometimes people will hire a freelancer who doesn't include the barcode or doesn't know what a barcode is, 419 00:37:59.890 --> 00:38:09.730 where they will design only the front cover and not the back cover and the spine of the book. So, you know, you get what you pay for in the in the book cover design world too. Okay. 420 00:38:10.290 --> 00:38:11.490 Now distribution 421 00:38:11.490 --> 00:38:13.170 for

for folks... 422 00:38:13.170 --> 00:38:15.570 For self publishers, how do how do we go about 423 00:38:15.945 --> 00:38:18.185 through distribution? Would Amazon be considered 424 00:38:18.425 --> 00:38:23.385 to be a distribution point? Yes. Amazon and all the other book retailers 425 00:38:23.385 --> 00:38:24.025 are 426 00:38:24.185 --> 00:38:36.230 distribution points. Right? They don't manufacture your book and they don't market your book. They just make it available to sale for sale to the public. So by signing up, opening an account at kdp.com 427 00:38:36.230 --> 00:38:38.070 and ingramspark.com, 428 00:38:38.310 --> 00:38:50.705 distribution is built right into that print on demand process. It will automatically generate your Amazon book page, your Barnes and Noble book page, wherever books are sold. And by working with Ingram, 429 00:38:51.585 --> 00:38:54.224 your book will be in the Ingram database, 430 00:38:54.224 --> 00:38:59.825 which is where physical bookstores and libraries and other distributors purchase books. Alright. 431 00:38:59.905 --> 00:39:02.065 Alright. And 432 00:39:05.610 --> 00:39:07.130 how could... What do authors... 433 00:39:07.850 --> 00:39:11.690 Or how can how can authors know exactly what a book buyer is looking for? 434 00:39:12.490 --> 00:39:17.290 That's easy. We we need to go to Amazon and and type in the word bestseller 435 00:39:17.454 --> 00:39:19.295 and the the the genre. 436 00:39:19.295 --> 00:39:26.655 Yep. And the genre you're writing in, and Amazon will will comply and give us all the top selling books in that genre. 437 00:39:26.815 --> 00:39:28.255 So you can see... 438 00:39:28.575 --> 00:39:37.580 And this is important to do, and it's what we do. You can see what the cover design should look like so that you don't get sidetracked into creating a cover that only you like. 439 00:39:37.980 --> 00:39:44.860 You know, it's it's good to have a cover that you like, but it also needs to conform to what people expect to see when they go to the retailers. 440 00:39:45.260 --> 00:39:50.495 Right? Alright. A really good software program is called Publisher Rocket, 441 00:39:51.215 --> 00:39:53.455 and it will allow you to... 442 00:39:54.095 --> 00:39:57.135 It it it picks up the Amazon feed somehow, 443 00:39:57.630 --> 00:40:01.390 and it will it will give you keywords. It'll give you categories. 444 00:40:01.390 --> 00:40:06.030 It'll show you which books are selling the most copies for what price. 445 00:40:06.269 --> 00:40:10.670 And so that's intelligence that is really crucial to help you make your plans, 446 00:40:11.225 --> 00:40:13.225 and it's really inexpensive. 447 00:40:13.545 --> 00:40:18.825 What's the, what's what's the the number one selling genre that you, that you help work with? 448 00:40:19.545 --> 00:40:26.825 Oh, gosh. We we we work in every genre, so I really can't answer. We've done memoirs. We do business books. We do 449 00:40:27.120 --> 00:40:28.000 family 450 00:40:28.000 --> 00:40:28.800 histories. 451 00:40:28.800 --> 00:40:31.440 We do fiction. We do children's books. 452 00:40:32.080 --> 00:40:32.960 You know, that 453 00:40:34.800 --> 00:40:45.685 Alright. Well, I I... What I what I meant was, I don't know if I phrased the question correct. So so, you know, we have all these different genres of books and and some sell better than others based on the style of writing and so on and so forth. 454 00:40:46.244 --> 00:40:46.805 And 455 00:40:47.045 --> 00:40:49.365 with all the different genres that you work with, 456 00:40:49.845 --> 00:40:53.765 in your experience in seeing what genre of book sells 457 00:40:55.220 --> 00:41:09.780 the most or the best or the fastest? I guess I would say nonfiction. Right? I don't actually know how many books my authors sell Oh, okay. Because we we don't get involved in that. We we set them up on their own print on demand accounts, so I don't get their sales reports 458 00:41:10.125 --> 00:41:17.565 like a publisher would. So I really don't know how much any individual author sells after we're done. Okay. But but non fiction 459 00:41:18.045 --> 00:41:29.880 is easier to sell than fiction, right, because it's easier to find the market. You know, you know whether you're going to a business person who needs a particular kind of problem solved or 460 00:41:30.280 --> 00:41:32.599 whatever the subject is. You can identify 461 00:41:32.599 --> 00:41:34.839 the audience easier than for fiction. 462 00:41:35.495 --> 00:41:39.895 Fiction has genres too, like science fiction or fantasy and 463 00:41:40.135 --> 00:41:45.975 the like, but it's really harder to find and pinpoint the audience for that. Okay. 464 00:41:46.135 --> 00:41:55.250 Well, Michelle, I'm gonna ask you one question very relevant to myself. Oh. If I if I if I came to you today and I handed you my manuscript and I said, 465 00:41:55.490 --> 00:41:57.570 don't let me waste money 466 00:41:57.970 --> 00:42:12.535 Mhmm. What are you gonna tell me? It was the first thing you're First thing I would say is make sure that you have made the manuscript as good as you know how to make it before we begin. Okay. And and don't... If you're still thinking about it, you know, you might want to set it aside 467 00:42:12.934 --> 00:42:22.430 for a period of time, then go back and read it because chances are you're gonna want to change something. There's an old joke in the publishing industry. You don't finish a book. You declare an ending. 468 00:42:23.710 --> 00:42:24.670 That's good. 469 00:42:25.550 --> 00:42:26.190 So... 470 00:42:26.350 --> 00:42:29.710 And and that's that's that's really true. But but 471 00:42:30.045 --> 00:42:36.285 the number one way that authors waste money is to keep on changing the book after production is underway. 472 00:42:36.605 --> 00:42:37.325 Alright. 473 00:42:37.405 --> 00:42:44.685 Yeah. Well, Michelle, give us the, give us the give us the elevator pitch for why we should be coming

to eleven o six design. 474 00:42:45.380 --> 00:42:50.180 The the elevator pitch is that eleven o six design can help you publish 475 00:42:50.260 --> 00:42:56.020 a top quality book in your own name so that you get all of the revenue when a book is sold. 476 00:42:56.420 --> 00:42:59.460 And we are a small company. We're not a book factory. 477 00:43:00.155 --> 00:43:19.700 So when you come to us, you're gonna get personal attention and care and quality that you can't get anywhere else. Alright. Well, when I'm ready to publish my book, I'm definitely gonna check you out. Well, thank you, Joe. I hope I hope I've helped your author listeners too. I hope so too. Let... A couple more things before you go. Mhmm. Who is someone that you respect, and what are they doing, or what have they done that inspires you? 478 00:43:21.619 --> 00:43:25.780 It's not popular to say right now, but I think Elon Musk is just amazing. 479 00:43:26.660 --> 00:43:38.285 I agree. People people people like to to disparage him, but think of what he's done and doing every single day. Yeah. No. I agree with you. Amazing. A genius. Without a doubt, I I heard not 480 00:43:38.285 --> 00:43:49.140 too long ago, that they were complaining on, on a TV show. I'm not gonna mention the show, but I I I heard them complaining that, you know, he made his... He now officially the first trillionaire. 481 00:43:49.300 --> 00:43:54.020 Uh-huh. So what? Exactly. And they were and they were they were disparaging him for 482 00:43:54.180 --> 00:43:56.660 for for becoming the first trillionaire 483 00:43:56.740 --> 00:43:58.260 and questioning 484 00:43:58.820 --> 00:43:59.540 why 485 00:43:59.675 --> 00:44:01.275 he became a trillionaire. 486 00:44:01.275 --> 00:44:04.555 Like, well, look at what he's done. Why shouldn't he? You know? 487 00:44:05.275 --> 00:44:11.195 Well, I I don't understand this whole anti success narrative because doesn't every... Everyone wanna succeed? 488 00:44:11.690 --> 00:44:26.810 Of course. So it's like, are they saying that you can succeed but only to the amount that we think is acceptable? And if you exceed that amount, then we hate you? Right. But we can exceed you. That's okay. Yeah. I mean, it's just... It's not rational. No. Absolutely not. And I think he's done phenomenal 489 00:44:26.810 --> 00:44:27.130 work. 490 00:44:27.845 --> 00:44:41.205 Yeah. I mean, we all we all work hard. We all wanna see the the fruits of our labor. But look at what he's done. I mean, can you put us a rocket into space? And not only can you put a rocket into space, can you bring it back down in in one piece and and land it sideways? 491 00:44:41.365 --> 00:44:41.684 Yes. 492 00:44:42.740 --> 00:44:52.740 It's... Yeah. NASA can't even do that. Well, even even Amazon people like to disparage Jeff Bezos. But look at what he did. Mhmm. Did any of us think of that? No. 493 00:44:53.140 --> 00:44:57.380 No. I mean, yes. You could say he's he's doctor evil. You could say all that. Yeah. For sure. But, 494 00:44:57.945 --> 00:45:02.505 you know, look at look at the service that he's provided. Yes. I know he's... His 495 00:45:03.145 --> 00:45:07.705 his his model has pretty much wiped out the mom and pop bookstores. 496 00:45:09.545 --> 00:45:28.505 I get that. You know, there are a few here or there that you still see. Thank God for them. I love bookstores. I've always loved... One of my favorite things to do on a weekend when I was younger was go hang out in the bookstore and look for something, you know, and actually physically do it. I don't like ebooks. I don't like electronic books. I like physical hard copy book in my hand. Mhmm. So do I. You know, have... 497 00:45:28.744 --> 00:45:30.984 In the other room, have I have a wonderful 498 00:45:30.984 --> 00:45:31.785 library 499 00:45:31.944 --> 00:45:34.025 that I've been building over the years. 500 00:45:34.505 --> 00:45:46.480 I have a couple of bookshelves in there that are loaded right now. Still have more books in boxes that I have not put out yet. You know, I love a physical book. I love to read. I love... It's just... To me, that's that's the... 501 00:45:47.280 --> 00:46:27.145 No better way to spend your time. Well, e ebooks are in about their... They're third generation right now, and every time, they always predict that they're gonna put print books out of existence, and it never happens. No. And I think especially now, at least for me, I... After looking at a screen all day, I don't wanna look at another screen when I'm trying to relax. I agree. So, you know, I love print books. And there's some... There's something about holding the book in your hand, though. You know? And you could smell the pages, especially an old book. I love older books. You know? But but, you know, ebooks are great, though, because they make it possible for people with with impaired vision to to read where they otherwise might not be able to. So so every 502 00:46:27.145 --> 00:46:30.984 every format has a place, and I tell that to all my authors. You should 503 00:46:31.305 --> 00:46:37.785 produce a print book and an ebook at least just to let the buyer make the choice. Yeah. And audiobooks are actually very, 504 00:46:38.105 --> 00:46:40.530 hot right now. They're selling like crazy. 505 00:46:40.850 --> 00:46:47.730 So if you can afford it, then you should release it in that format too. Yeah. And see, I have an issue with audiobooks too. Why? 506 00:46:47.730 --> 00:46:48.690 Alright. So 507 00:46:49.170 --> 00:46:50.050 audiobooks, 508 00:46:50.050 --> 00:46:57.435 to me... For me, personally, if you... If somebody's listening, watching, likes an audio, that's great. Enjoy it. Do your thing. For me, 509 00:46:58.714 --> 00:47:01.435 I get more out of actually reading it myself 510 00:47:01.674 --> 00:47:03.755 than having somebody read it to me. 511 00:47:04.394 --> 00:47:12.280 I I retain it longer. I think it might... I mean, some people learn visually. I'm one of

them. Maybe you are too. Some people return, 512 00:47:12.520 --> 00:47:13.960 learn audibly. 513 00:47:13.960 --> 00:47:15.480 Yeah. Right? So I think I 514 00:47:15.720 --> 00:47:18.280 think it depends on on the person. 515 00:47:18.920 --> 00:47:22.040 When I listen to an audiobook, my mind starts wandering, 516 00:47:22.280 --> 00:47:24.440 and then I realize I missed a whole page. 517 00:47:24.680 --> 00:47:36.945 Yes. I know. More or more. Same thing with me. So... But I don't... In print, can focus, and I can stay focused better. Yeah. Another thing that that ebooks bug me with, and this is... You could say this is just my, you know, 518 00:47:37.745 --> 00:47:39.185 deranged thinking on things. 519 00:47:39.585 --> 00:47:39.825 But, 520 00:47:40.420 --> 00:47:41.940 you know, you 521 00:47:41.940 --> 00:47:43.060 don't really own it. 522 00:47:43.780 --> 00:47:49.940 It's not Yeah. It's not yours. Problem. It's not yours. So if if the powers that be decide, hey. You know what? 523 00:47:50.260 --> 00:47:57.595 We don't like this topic of this subject or or or this particular writer or or or or so, they can just 524 00:47:58.875 --> 00:47:59.995 disappear it. 525 00:48:00.315 --> 00:48:07.035 Yeah. That's not good. And it disappears from your and disappears from your little electronic ebook list that you have. Yeah. 526 00:48:07.275 --> 00:48:14.390 A lot of people don't know that that you're licensing an ebook. You're not purchasing it. Right. The same thing with music and and nowadays. I mean 527 00:48:14.790 --> 00:48:26.155 And software. Yes. Exactly. You used to be able to go and actually physically buy the the the software, install it on your computer, and it was yours. You can always go back and reinstall it. Now, you have to subscribe to 528 00:48:26.635 --> 00:48:28.795 things like like Microsoft. 529 00:48:28.795 --> 00:48:42.670 You have to subscribe to Microsoft three sixty to get Word and Outlook and Excel and all that stuff and all these other subscription services. You don't own that. That's that's licensed to you, and they can I I used to I used to spend $600 530 00:48:42.670 --> 00:48:47.550 a year for the design software we use? Now I'm spending 1,200. 531 00:48:47.550 --> 00:48:54.005 Wow. It double... It doubled our cost. Yeah. Wow. Yeah. And then and then and then people wonder why 532 00:48:54.805 --> 00:49:01.765 their charge increases because Oh, yeah. You have to cover it. Right? Exactly. Because you'll go out of business if you keep paying for everything. 533 00:49:02.085 --> 00:49:10.099 Yeah. It's it's it's it's like taxes. I I know this isn't a political podcast. I get it. I understand. But it's like taxes. People say, you know, tax the corporations. 534 00:49:10.099 --> 00:49:17.940 Corporations don't pay taxes. That's right. Remember, it was Ross Perot who said that. Yes. Yeah. Exactly. Yeah. Corporations are Taxes 535 00:49:17.940 --> 00:49:26.025 are just another line item in your expense report. Yeah. Exactly. Corporation then just increases the cost of the services to you, the customer. You're paying the tax 536 00:49:26.265 --> 00:49:27.464 Mhmm. Twice. 537 00:49:27.785 --> 00:49:34.265 Mhmm. So it's it's... You know, people understand that. But we are way off the subject of publishing. Yes. So so, Michelle, 538 00:49:35.090 --> 00:49:45.570 this was great. Thank you so much. I I really do appreciate it. So where can where can people go to find out more about you and about your work and about eleven o six? People can go to 11o6design.com, 539 00:49:45.810 --> 00:49:59.985 and you'll see it there right at the top. You can download my book published like the pros for free, and you can book a consultation if you'd like, and a human being will call you back, and we won't spam your inbox. You mean a real human being and not an AI A real human 540 00:50:00.465 --> 00:50:03.425 being, and and every service we provide is with real human beings. 541 00:50:04.150 --> 00:50:08.150 That's great. And and and, unfortunately, that's becoming a rarity these days. Right? 542 00:50:08.470 --> 00:50:15.430 Well, I'm starting to get complaints about that. People are sending in our contact form, and they're they're saying, I wanna speak to someone. Yeah. 543 00:50:15.750 --> 00:50:33.770 And I think there's gonna be... I think the pendulum's gonna swing back a little bit. I do. I think there's gonna be enough resistance where it's gonna slow it down a little bit at least, not necessarily get rid of it. Yep. Alright. Michelle, I'm gonna put you backstage. I'm gonna wrap this thing up, and I'm gonna come back to you momentarily. So just hang out there, then we'll Thank you. Tie up any loose ends. Folks, Michelle DiFilippo, 544 00:50:33.770 --> 00:50:41.690 thank you so much. Eleven o six designs, please check it out. All the links information will be in the show notes and we'll be right back with you. Alright. 545 00:50:42.650 --> 00:50:59.184 Alright, folks. Wow. Great stuff. Important stuff. Alright. Really, really important stuff. Make sure you check out the website eleven o six. If you're an author, you're a you're a writer, and you're looking to publish your first book, I learned a lesson tonight. I did. I learned. Difference between author and writer, so to make sure I get it right. 546 00:50:59.920 --> 00:51:07.920 But if you are a writer looking to publish or you weren't already an author looking to continue on publishing more books, please check out eleven o six design. 547 00:51:08.240 --> 00:51:10.640 All... Again, all the links will be in the show notes below. 548 00:51:11.615 --> 00:51:12.335 Alright. 549 00:51:12.415 --> 00:51:21.135 Let's take care of some of the housekeeping, get this stuff out of the way, and then we will wrap this baby up for the night. Alright. So folks, please do me a favor. Head over to our website, joeroos.com. 550 00:51:21.135 --> 00:51:22.015 Joeroos.com. 551 00:51:22.015 --> 00:51:51.205 When you get there, look

for the contact form. It's hidden in that little pancake in the upper right corner. Open up the web form fill that thing out send it on back to us let us know whatever's on your heart what is on your mind any questions comments cares or concerns you might have maybe have a complaint you shouldn't but you might send it on over to us maybe you have a suggestion for a guest or a particular topic you like to discuss discuss on the show, send it on over to us, we would love to hear from you. Now, if you're like me, you don't like using the web forms. Why? Captcha. Hate the captcha stuff, drives me crazy. 552 00:51:51.525 --> 00:51:56.010 So if you want to avoid that, email me directly info@joeruse.com. 553 00:51:56.010 --> 00:51:58.810 That's info@joeruse.com. 554 00:51:58.810 --> 00:52:16.375 I would love to hear from you or you can leave a comment down below if you're watching on Rumble or on YouTube. Love to hear from you guys. Also, please don't forget that this is a live show weeknight 7PM Central Time, 8PM Eastern, and then our Sunday show every Sunday at 2PM central time. Make sure you check those out. You can find it on Rumble at rumble.com/joeruse 555 00:52:16.375 --> 00:52:20.934 or on YouTube at Joe Ruse there as well and of course the audio wherever you get your podcast. 556 00:52:21.350 --> 00:52:30.310 And also very important folks, please don't forget to like, subscribe, and share the show with your friends, your family, and your followers. Really, really would appreciate that. 557 00:52:30.710 --> 00:52:38.325 Alright. Now, shout outs to our producing team, executive producers Wayne Rankin, Rosanna Rankin, Carolina Jim Angela Witowski, and John Seeley. 558 00:52:38.485 --> 00:52:54.190 These folks donate their time, their talent, and their treasure to help put this show together, and we greatly greatly appreciate them. Really couldn't do a lot of the stuff that we do without them. And if you'd like to find out more about how you could join up and help us out, just head over to joeruse.com/support. 559 00:52:54.190 --> 00:52:56.430 That's joeruse.com/support. 560 00:52:56.670 --> 00:52:57.310 And 561 00:52:58.029 --> 00:53:01.710 on that page, you'll see all the ways you can help us out. One time donations, 562 00:53:01.710 --> 00:53:02.990 recurring donations. 563 00:53:03.630 --> 00:53:08.095 You can sign up as a producer, as an associate producer, producer, or executive producer. 564 00:53:08.494 --> 00:53:23.990 All of the producers get the same thing. They get the shout out on every show included in all of our show notes, emails, everything that goes out from the show. Why? Because as a producer, you were helping put all this stuff together so you get the credit for it. And on top of that, you now get an imdb.com 565 00:53:23.990 --> 00:53:24.630 credit. 566 00:53:25.350 --> 00:53:28.790 Professional credit, you can add to your resume through imdb 567 00:53:28.950 --> 00:53:37.565 and as a host, as a as a producer of a podcast. So

check it out. You can do that all on our website at joeruse.com/support. 568 00:53:37.565 --> 00:53:40.285 That's joeruse.com/support. 569 00:53:40.445 --> 00:53:41.245 Alright. 570 00:53:41.965 --> 00:53:43.245 Final thoughts here. 571 00:53:46.205 --> 00:53:48.605 Writing a book has never been easier, 572 00:53:50.030 --> 00:53:51.390 but publishing one 573 00:53:52.430 --> 00:53:54.110 has never required 574 00:53:54.510 --> 00:53:55.230 more 575 00:53:55.390 --> 00:53:56.910 informed decisions. 576 00:53:57.310 --> 00:54:03.790 One of the biggest takeaways that I've gotten from tonight's conversation is is that authors today have more opportunities than ever before. 577 00:54:04.445 --> 00:54:07.725 At the same time, they also face more choices, more misinformation, 578 00:54:07.725 --> 00:54:10.845 and really, unfortunately, you know, more people willing to profit 579 00:54:11.165 --> 00:54:11.725 from, 580 00:54:12.765 --> 00:54:14.045 I guess, the confusion 581 00:54:15.005 --> 00:54:16.525 that surrounds publishing. 582 00:54:16.605 --> 00:54:18.925 Now whether you're looking at writing your first book, 583 00:54:19.859 --> 00:54:21.619 preserving a family history, 584 00:54:22.819 --> 00:54:23.859 documenting 585 00:54:24.019 --> 00:54:25.220 professional experience 586 00:54:25.460 --> 00:54:26.820 like I'm looking to do, 587 00:54:27.460 --> 00:54:29.859 or just maybe just exploring an idea, 588 00:54:30.500 --> 00:54:37.615 I hope that tonight's conversation reminded you that knowledge is one of the best investments that you can make before you publish a single page. 589 00:54:38.095 --> 00:54:45.215 My thanks to Michelle DiFilippo for sharing more than five decades of publishing experience and and helping us better understand 590 00:54:45.295 --> 00:55:08.065 the process behind bringing a quality book to life. And folks, look, if you if you received any value from the conversation that we've had here tonight, please take a moment, like, subscribe, share the show with someone who has maybe always talked about writing a book or maybe who has written a book. It just might be the conversation that gives them the confidence that they need to 591 00:55:08.705 --> 00:55:12.305 either finally get started or continue on with their professional 592 00:55:12.305 --> 00:55:13.665 author journey. 593 00:55:14.145 --> 00:55:16.545 Folks, you can head over to our website, joeruse.com. 594 00:55:16.545 --> 00:55:22.540 You can find out all find all of our archived episodes there on Rumble as well, YouTube, wherever you get your podcasts. 595 00:55:22.860 --> 00:55:28.620 And, with that, I wanna say again thank you to everybody for joining us. Thank you to Michelle. Really do appreciate 596 00:55:29.020 --> 00:55:35.275 all of the information that we got tonight. And, folks, until we see you next time, remember, very, very important, 597 00:55:35.515 --> 00:55:38.875 make Texas independent again. Go podcasting. 598 00:55:39.115 --> 00:55:40.635 Keep a steady stride. 599 00:55:41.194 --> 00:55:44.715 More importantly, folks, keep the conversation going. 600 00:55:44.875 --> 00:55:48.790 Keep talking. We will see you next time. Good night, 601 00:55:49.110 --> 00:55:50.150 and goodbye.