iUniverse Publishing Promotion: 50 Free Books For $300

Here's one of the coolest offer I've come across so far from iUniverse. You can get 50 free books for $300 - BUT you have to purchase one of their publishing packages. The offer isn't bad if you don't mind getting stuck with 50 books at the start of 2008 (if you plan to give them away next year or sell them yourself though then you'll be all set).

Promotion Description: Receive 50 EXTRA paperbacks for $300 with every Premier Pro, Premier, Select and Poetry Publishing Package purchase.

Code: EXTRABOOKS

The discounts offered by iUniverse have been extended too (like everyone else) so looks like we have more time to think about where we really want to get published.

Authorhouse's Six Steps to Publish Your Book in 2008

Here are 6 steps to publish your book from Authorhouse

With Christmas just a few days away, the New Year’s Resolution season is in full effect. Last year, we highlighted the top ten resolutions for writers. Those tips can help you start writing and keep at it, but several AuthorHouse authors have asked about specific goals to publish a book. If you’re ready to make 2008 the year you publish, consider these crucial steps.

Pick a target date for holding the first copy of your book in your hands
Staying focused on a specific date will help you remain productive. Set a date that you’ll have to work to achieve, but don’t make it unrealistic or unattainable. Many first-time authors pick dates with special significance, such as a birthday, professional meeting or speaking engagement.

Set a schedule to meet your goal
Once you pick your publication date, work backwards, putting dates on a calendar of when you need your manuscript completed and submitted. Also, build in time for illustrations or editing, if needed. Experienced self-publishing companies such as AuthorHouse can help determine a schedule that works best for your needs.

Pay attention to the best time and place for you to write productively
Most experienced writers say they’ve learned there are better times and settings for them to write. Just like athletes, certain conditions can put a writer in the “zone” where words flow freely. Once you’ve figured out where and when you do your best writing, commit to writing regularly in those conditions.

Make yourself accountable to someone for finishing your book
Choose someone who will help make sure you’re staying focused. It can be a friend, family member or someone familiar with book publishing. AuthorHouse representatives have served in this role for thousands of authors. You may also be able to find another writer who also wants to complete their manuscript in 2008, and you can keep each other moving forward throughout the year.

Create a marketing plan for your finished book
The success of a book is often directly tied to successful planning. To maximize your sales potential, a successful marketing plan must be in place before your book launch. Develop a plan for how you’ll get the word out about your new book. Your own Web site, press releases, book signings and speaking engagements should all be considered.

Plan an event to celebrate your book’s publication
Writing a book can be one of the most enjoyable accomplishments of your life. Celebrate by throwing a launch party or scheduling a book signing at a local bookstore. This is more than a book—it’s part of your legacy. Take a few moments to celebrate your achievement and capitalize on the buzz you’ve created for your new book.

I just found the Online book publishing review for 2008. A little early you think? I'm beginning to doubt the credibility of this book publishing top ten review site. Why you ask? There are some glaring facts here that just cannot be overlooked.

• First of all, iUniverse and Authorhouse are both up at the top of this list. Although I do understand that iUniverse was number one last year, so that must probably be "home court" advantage? But it is such a coincidence that since they have both joined forces they are now side by side in a review as well? Hmmm....
  
  
• Second of all if I considered pricing as one of the major factors in book publishing, which I do by the way, Fultus appears to be the most affordable choice of the group followed by Xlibris and then Virtual Bookworm Publishing. Next in this list would be iUniverse and Infinity Publishing
  
  
• Third is that when I checked which of the publishing companies offer the most services inside their publishing packages, Llumina Press offers the most services in their packages as well as bookselling reach, followed by Virtual Bookworm Publishing, while Authorhouse has the most additional paid services.

So what in the publishing world is the criteria for judging here? There is absolutely no congruence as to their summary report versus individual reviews that always referred to their number one choice (which now appears dubious to me)

"The Tales of Beedle the Bard" By JK Rowling Sold For £1.95 million

Taking a break from looking around for self publishing opportunities, history was just made when handwritten and illustrated by J.K. Rowling sold for £1.95 million at auction on Thursday. According to The Wall Street Journal, the buyer, London art agent Hazlitt, Gooden and Fox, now has one of only seven copies of "The Tales of Beedle the Bard," which is leather bound with silver mounts. The book (which previously featured as a fictional plot device in the last of Ms. Rowling's Harry Potter novels) had originally been expected to sell for about £50,000.


The standing-room-only crowd at Sotheby's auction house applauded as bidding topped the £1 million mark. The money will benefit The Children's Voice, a charity co-founded in 2005 by Ms. Rowling and Baroness Nicholson, a member of Britain's House of Lords.

For pictures and more detail on the purchase, here's link to a blog entry that describes it in full detail Tales of Beedle the Bard By JK Rowling Purchased by Amazon At $4M

Xlibris Continues 50% Sale

Despite one of my previous posts that had Xlibris running a 7-day Christmas sale at 50% off their regular price, they seemed to have extended indefinitely (?). Who knows really? Their site no longer mentions anything about deadlines so boohoo to everybody who fell for the 7-day thing they had going.

Anyway their offer still sounds better by far than the others I've seen in terms of cash out for publishing your book.

iUniverse 12 Days Of Christmas Sale

iUniverse ends 2007 with a dollar discount offer from $50- $150 off their publishing packages. This offer ends on December 26.

Promotion Description:	Code:
Save $150 off the regular price of a Premier Pro Publishing Package and get 15 extra FREE paperback books. (Reg. $1,299) Now only $1,149!	DECPRO150
Save $100 off the regular price of a Premier Publishing Package and get 10 extra FREE paperback books. (Reg. $899) Now only $799!	DECPRE100
Save $50 off the regular price of a Select Publishing Package and get 5 extra FREE paperback books. (Reg. $599) Now only $549!	DECSEL50

iUniverse Does A Lulu With Wordclay

iUniverse is pushing a DIY self publishing tool called Wordclay. It looks very similar to Lulu. It is online intensive. You do everything on their site. Very similar to Lulu in process. The colors look a bit off though so they don't really look like the same company but don't be fooled!

They're trying to promote a do-it-yourself process

DIY Self-Publishing Process

Step 1: Tell us about your book and select the book's size.

Step 2: Prepare and upload your manuscript.

Step 3: Design the cover for your book.

Step 4: Calculate the selling price for your new book.

Step 5: Compose book marketing information.

Step 6: Approve and publish your book.


If you want to learn more, visit them yourself at www.Wordclay.com. I have yet to take the time to do a thorough comparison between them but from a quick scan, I'd have to say that Blurb and Lulu have found worthy competition with this Authorhouse/ iUniverse combination.

Trafford Publishing Special Gifts For December

Trafford publishing is giving away special gifts apparently this is only for Writer's Digest subscribers so listen up:

Special Gift 1 - Save on Trafford's traditional publishing packages

Publish your book at last year’s prices, and save up to $500. Plus, if you sign up before December 20th we’ll give you 10 EXTRA FREE COPIES of your book and a 10% discount off your first order (no quantity maximum or minimum). A special gift from us to you.

Special Gift 2 - Exclusive introductory offer new artisan color package

Purchase Trafford’s revolutionary new Artisan Color Package at the special introductory price of $1997 — a savings of $500. Ideal for travel guides, cookbooks, illustrated story books, photo books, and much more. Sign up before Dec 20th and you will receive 10 ADDITIONAL FREE COPIES of your book.

Remember to use the following:

• Promo Code for Special Gift One: 10114
• Promo Code for Special Gift Two: 10115

Here's a link to the offer if you're interested

Booksurge Gives Away 50 FREE paperbacks

Here's an excerpt from an email my friend received from Booksurge. They're a self publishing company owned by Amazon.com, and they have their own holiday promotion going too.

BookSurge has a special offer that will jumpstart your work and gives you opportunities for publicity from the beginning. For the month of December, when you sign up to publish your book with BookSurge and purchase Press Release Creation and Distribution Services and a Publicity Pack, you'll receive 50 complimentary trade paperback copies of your book. With Press Release Creation and Distribution services, a professional public relations writer will craft and distribute a press release announcing the publication of your book. The press release is designed to garner media attention, while our Publicity Kit includes 500 each of postcards, business cards, and bookmarks that are ready to hand out at your first book signing.

This deal requires more purchasing though. My estimate is you'll have to spend no less then a thousand dollars to actually get the free books. The iUniverse and Xlibris deals sound a lot better.

iUniverse Gives Away FREE Books For Christmas

iUniverse gives away as many as 60 free books this Christmas with their most expensive package.

Promotion Description:	Code:
Receive 60 FREE paperbacks with every Premier Pro Publishing Package purchase. 40 bonus copies plus 20 included with the package	PRODEC40
Receive 40 FREE paperbacks with every Premier Publishing Package purchase. 30 bonus copies plus 10 included with the package	PREDEC30
Receive 25 FREE paperbacks with every Select Publishing Package purchase. 20 bonus copies plus 5 included with the package	SELDEC20

I still think Xlibris' 50% offer is a much better deal for the season though. I mean what will I do with so many books?