View source for How to Publish a Bestselling Book ... and Sell It Worldwide Based on Value, Not Price! by Kim Staflund

{{infobox1
|title=How to Publish a Bestselling Book ... and Sell It Worldwide Based on Value, Not Price!
|author=Kim Staflund
|reviewer=Sue Magee
|genre=Reference
|summary=A wide-ranging look at the issues which a self-publishing author needs to consider in a compact and readable volume. Kim Staflund popped into Bookbag Towers to [[The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Kim Staflund|chat to us]].
|rating=4
|buy=Yes
|borrow=Yes
|pages=172
|publisher=Polished Publishing Group
|date=July 2014
|isbn=978-0986486982
|website=http://www.polishedpublishinggroup.com/
|cover=0986486981
|aznuk=0986486981
|aznus=0986486981
}}

As well as being an established author Kim Staflund is also the founder and publisher at Polished Publishing Group, which aims to help self-publishing authors produce the best book possible ('supported self-publishing') and she also has extensive experience in many areas of publishing which she's brought together, not only in her business but also in this book, which does exactly what it says in the title.  Publishing a book is an exciting time - particularly for an indie author - but it's also a very steep learning curve because publishing is a mysterious business littered with acronyms, old Spanish practices and mantraps for the unwary.  Knowledge is essential and you need it fast.

I have a reservation about this book and I'll get it out of the way first.  Staflund has put a great deal of thought and experience into her business and she brings the business into the book as a solution or an example on a very regular basis.  It does sound good, to the point where I was considering using it myself - and I haven't written a book.

Put that to one side though and what you have are some gems of advice.  Few indie authors really research their market or know in their own minds what they want from the project and these points are essential early thinking as they determine which route you take towards publishing.  It's also in the early days that they need to think about copyright before they find themselves in a deal which effectively loses them the ownership of ''their'' copyright.  Many authors are also confused about whether they need an agent or a publicist - possibly because they don't understand what either does.

Some action might need to be taken on copyrights ''before'' you get to the stage of looking for a publisher, but Staflund gives good advice and it's remarkably far-reaching, considering that it covers several countries.  Copyright is a complex subject but this is a good primer to get you understanding some of the issues.  Think of this as one of those areas where people don't know what they don't know - you'll now know if you're going to need outside advice or not.  It also covers the situation where an author might infringe another author's copyright - a point which either worries authors or of which they're blissfully unaware.

I've never been able to understand why people look to sell a book based on price rather than value.  Taken to extremes I can get a telephone directory free - but it doesn't make for an engaging read.  When I read - invest my time in a book - I want it to be the best value and I'll happily pay more for that.  Staflund looks carefully at the issues around pricing, including such points as free Kindle books and what you need to charge to make a profit.  I was particularly impressed by her advice on sales techniques - where and how to sell and I came away quite enthused.  Take note of her advice on how book retailing works - it's gold dust.  So far as online marketing is concerned there's sound advice about the areas you should be reaching.

So far as writing the book is concerned the advice is more peripheral, covering such points as writer's block, or - at the other end of the scale - turning to a ghostwriter.  This didn't worry me unduly as I can't see many people thinking that they would like to write a book and picking up a book such as this for advice as to how to go about it.  More important is the advice on formatting a manuscript and ISBNs, which can be a difficult subject.

I raised a cheer when I read about the need for copy editing and proofreading.  It's frequently an area where writers feel that they can economise - or that it's simply not required - but however good our English we all have our blind spots.  I encountered an English lecturer who was convinced that it was unnecessary - until I pointed out that his hero regularly snacked on a bowl of raisins and electrical impulses.  Staflund recommends a process which is akin to that used by traditional publishers and which should eliminate 99% of all errors.

It's an enlightening, helpful book which gives you an excellent introduction to the business of publishing and I'd like to thank the publisher for sending a copy to the Bookbag.

We've seen other books which look to helping indie authors.  You're best avoiding [[Publish on Amazon Kindle with Kindle Direct Publishing by Kindle Direct Publishing]] which is nothing more than a hand-holding through the uploading process.  If it hadn't been free we would have been annoyed.  You'd be better looking at [[How to Publish your own eBook by Nik Rawlinson]] but it's not as wide raning or comprehensive as ''How to Publish a Bestselling Book... and Sell it Worldwide Based on Value, Not Price''.  You could, of course, turn to my bible, [[Merchants of Culture: The Publishing Business in the Twenty-First Century by John B Thompson]] but that would mean wading through a lot more information than the putative author requires.

You can read more about Kim Staflund [[:Category:Kim Staflund|here]].

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[[Category:Self-Publishing]]