FAQ’S

Ever wonder what the difference is between traditional and self-publishing. Or what is a sales copy? Do I need copyrights for my literary work? Is social media presence a must? How important is a books meta data?

Well, we are here to inform you that yes, all of these topics are valid questions, and they are equally as important. Below are some statistics that will assist with your decision on whether or not Dyadic Publishing is the right source for you.

Traditional Publishing

Writer must query an agent themselves.
Agent must accept to represent the writer.
Publishing house will professionally edit, create the book cover, and format all versions of the book.
Publishing house has all book rights.
The publishing process typically takes anywhere from 1-3 years AFTER the agent has agreed to represent you.
Creativity constraints.
Publishing house will publish the literally works under their company.
Upfront advance (typically under $10K for first time authors). However, advance must be returned in book sales before new income is generated for the author.
Royalties 10%-12.5%

Self-Publishing

Querying is not required.
No agent required, only knowledge.
Author will hire a professional to edit, create the book cover and format all versions of the book.
Author retains all book rights.
The publishing process typically takes anywhere from 3-6 months AFTER the writing is complete.
No creativity constraints.
Author will self-publish via a self-publishing platform (aggregators) that offers print on demand and global distribution without the hassle of exclusivity (like Amazon).
Author will not receive an advance and will be required to pay out of pocket expenses for professional services.
Royalties: Print book can range from 47-60%. E-book can range from 50-75%.

STATISTICS

Average Reading

The average adult is able to read anywhere between 200 – 400 words per minute.

Popular Genre

The most popular genres in the U.S. are sci-fi/ fantasy, romance and mystery/thriller.

Reading Age

Adults over 65 tend to read around 20 books per year, more than any other age group.

Stress & Reading

Studies found that reading may reduce stress levels by 68%.

Literacy

40% of students in the U.S. are unable to read at a basic level.

Reading Preference

Over 50% of readers prefer to read before going to bed.

INFORMATIONAL

What is an ISBN?

What is an ISBN and why is it important to have one for your books or published works? The International Standard Book Number is a numeric commercial book identifier which is intended to be unique. In other words, it is simply a product number that helps during the marketing/ distribution of your book and DOES NOT provide any form of legal or copyright protection (this will be discussed in a separate post).

It is important to have an ISBN because it provides a standard way for publishers to number their products so that it cannot be duplicated by other publishers. An ISBN is intended to be assigned to each separate edition and variation of a publication. For example, an e-book, a paperback, and a hardcover edition of the same book should all have a different ISBN.

If you plan on publishing your works then you will need an ISBN in order to sell and/or market in bookstores and with online retailers such as Amazon, Apple, Barnes & Noble, Books a Million etc.

Bowker is a great resource for indie and self-published authors. An author may purchase a single ISBN or a bundle at very affordable prices.

We would suggest conducting additional research on whether you should obtain your own ISBN or utilize the online retailer’s assigned ISBN.

Do I need copyrights for my literary work?

Copyright exists automatically in an original work of authorship once it is fixed, but a copyright owner can take steps to enhance those protections. The most important step is registering the work. Registering a work is not mandatory, but for U.S. works, registration (or refusal) is necessary to enforce the exclusive rights of copyright through litigation. Timely registration also allows copyright owners to seek certain types of monetary damages and attorney fees if there is a lawsuit, and also provide a presumption that information on the registration certificate is correct.

Copyright registration also provides value to the public overall. It facilitates the licensing marketplace by allowing people to find copyright ownership information, and it provides the public with notice that someone is claiming copyright protection. It also provides a record of this nation’s creativity.

Did you know that you only have 3 months to register your copyright once your work is:

1.) Published/Distributed, and
2.) Before infringement occurs, to recover full damages and attorney fees.

If you’ve written a book or created some other original work such as a blog, photo, or illustration, you must register your copyright to prevent unauthorized use. Copyright’s registration protects you against illegal copying and theft or plagiarism of your work. In order to protect your work, you must first register your copyright with the U.S.

1.) Recover up to $150,000 in statutory damages.
2.) Protect your work for life.
3.) Establish a legal record of content ownership.

How to begin registering your published works? First you go to: www.copyright.gov, click on “Register Your Works” and follow the online instructions. Once your work has been submitted, pay the filing fee and you should receive confirmation via email regarding the approval of your application.

What is a sales copy?

At some point in the process of publishing your book, you’ll need to turn your attention to the sales copy. This is the copy that you see as part of a book’s description when shopping online or on a book’s dust jacket (if hardcover) or back panel (if paperback). A sales copy hints at the genre, introduces the main character(s), does not give away the plot and entices the reader to buy the book.

First you must start with a captivating headline that will capture the reader’s attention. This eye-catching statement should entice the potential reader with promises of discord and what they will gain by reading your novel. The goal is to have the reader form some type of emotional attachment to the headline that draws them into purchasing your book.

Next, the body of the sales copy will need to focus on what your book is about and not give away the ending. It must stir human emotions while strumming the reader’s imagination to a point where they feel connected to the characters in some way, shape or form. Choose a voice for your book that matches your genre and fuel it with sentiment and excitement.

And finally, leave a cliffhanger that will have the reader wanting more. As mentioned previously, do not give away the ending but teasing is perfectly acceptable which will give them just enough to at least take a closer look or even purchase your book.

When in doubt, write several drafts of the sales copy until you are completely satisfied. You may even take it a step further and have a few beta readers provide additional feedback before finalizing.

Is social media presence a must?

Every author should have a social media presence BEFORE their book is released, preferably months or even years in advance. An author with a strong online presence will have an advantage from a marketing standpoint which will also attract prospective literary agents and/or publishers.

The more followers an author has then the more books they could potentially sell to said followers. That’s why it is vital to build an audience that compels to your genre, whether that be fiction, non-fiction, history, biography or just simply a collection of poems.
We have listed a few things you should be doing to increase your visibility on social media and turn followers into readers.

1.) Create social media accounts with the tops six sites: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram (owned by Facebook), Snapchat, Goodreads and YouTube.

2.) Post regularly and make it relevant to your book or author life.

3.) Engage with your followers by posting interactive content with the focus to have those post shared.

4.) Create a newsletter and ask your followers to sign-up. Be sure to offer something in return in order to grow your list.

5.) Host giveaways – if your book isn’t published yet then host a future giveaway which will draw attention to your literary work.

6.) Offer insights or advice about your publishing journey to other authors.

7.) Post personal updates – most fans/readers want to know more about their favorite authors so give them a sneak peek into your personal life. Keep it tasteful and be careful not to share too much.

The steps above should be the least cost-effective method in creating a buzz about your literary works while attracting fans which will increase your future book sales. Research other authors in your genre to see what does or does not work that way you do not make the same mistake. Be creative in your own personal way and commit to posting as much as you are able.

How important is a books meta data?

When we first decided to help writers with their publishing journey, we heard the term “book metadata” quite often and immediately became confused. As we continued to research the definition of this word it became abundantly clear that it was the most vital piece of information available to all readers, librarians, books stores, book retailers, schools and even universities.

So, what is a books metadata? The basic concept of a books metadata is to make your book more discoverable and includes elements such as the title, series, categories, contributors, reading age, book description, author name, author biography, publication date and any keyword search.

This metadata allows online stores to direct potential readers to a specific genre that they are searching for. It even assists search engines to find your published literary works and will return it as a search result based off of these metrics.

For us personally, the most challenging aspect of a books metadata was the selection of the keyword search. The selection of keyword search must be searchable, must standout and should not limit your book to a specific category. We would recommend taking your time and research other books in your genre to see what keywords would best fit your literary works before publishing.

If you would like to read additional information pertaining to a books metadata, then we would recommend Ingramspark. Their website contains a detailed blog post on what metadata is and why it’s important.

Draft a Compelling Author’s Bio.

The “Author Bio” section of your book is a vital piece of information because it will impact sales, reputation, book marketing and social media. It is one of the most underestimated elements of the book writing process (for self-published authors anyway), and you as the author will have to complete all of the legwork (meaning you will have to write this section all on your own). Below you will find the steps to crafting a compelling author’s biography. Keep in mind that these elements are a must, and the order does not matter so long as they are covered.

An author’s bio should contain the following:

1.) Qualifications/Credibility of author to write the book – State facts and stick to credentials (without overselling) that DIRECTLY RELATES to the content/genre of your book. Qualifications may include but are not limited to: college degrees, awards, bestseller lists or accolades. This statement should be one sentence max and should not contain a lot of info (this will overwhelm the reader)!

2.) Personal Information – Personal information humanizes you to readers who do not know anything about you. Include general information about your family, where you live (state or city), hobbies and/or interest.

3.) Link to Website – As an author, you should definitely have a website and it doesn’t need to be extravagant, but it has to exist. Your website will eventually become your online base for all future published works. If you do not have one, then make it a goal to get one (this topic will be covered in a future post).

4.) Write in Third Person – An author’s bio should be “ABOUT YOU” the author INSTEAD OF WRITTEN BY YOU. Readers tend to trust a bio if it sounds like it was written by someone else.

Research examples of various authors bio’s and start drafting your own as soon as possible.