Any writer considering self-publishing a book should definitely read The Fine Print of Self-Publishing: The Contracts and Services of 48 Self-Publishing Companies — Analyzed, Ranked and Exposed, by writer and attorney Mark Levine.

Levine writes, “If you decided to buy a television or a car, you might read Consumer Reports to find the best price and highest quality. Spending hard-earned money to publish your book should be approached with the same careful attitude.” Levine procedes through the rest of the book, published in July 2006, laying out in detail the financial and legal aspects of self-publishing, along with extraordinarily candid analysis of the leading publishers.

For example, Levine examines the range of costs, anywhere from $500 to $6500, and services offered by different POD publishers leading to publication of a book of about 250 pages. He reveals the per-page cost of printing and the actual printer who does most of the work. He tells you about the importance of book cover design and offers recommendations about where to go for a reasonably priced design [about $200]. He underscores the importance of paying for an editor to go over the manuscript and describes the various levels of editorial assistance. He covers as well the steps involved in obtaining a copyright, ISBN and Library of Congress numbers, and EAN Bar Code. He discloses the inner core of book distribution. He talks about the details of contracts and what to look out for. And finally he identifies 13 “outstanding” POD publishers, with full description of the services each provides. He also covers the other prominent publishers to give a comprehensive view of the field.

At the time of this post, sixteen people had posted reviews at the Amazon site, yielding a solid FIVE STAR ranking. I myself also give it a top rating. At this time, I know of no other source that provides such a clear view of the POD world.

CLICK link to read Amazon reviews and purchase.

Aaron Shepard’s Aiming At Amazon: The New Business of Self-Publishing offers a provocative, new approach to publishing and selling your book. Shepard fully understands the changing landscape of publishing and the opportunities offered by new technology and the internet. Even if you do not adopt his strategy, you will come away from this book with a better understanding of the writer’s brave new world.

Shepard proposes the audious step of establishing your own publishing house, a step that opens up new avenues to publication. He cuts out entirely the middlemen, reducing publication costs considerably. He walks us through the many steps involved in getting a book into print, from ISBN numbers to the inside secrets of dealing directly with a top printer, from attracting attention from the two major US distributors to selling via Amazon.

For more information, READ the informative reviews at the Amazon site.

Tid-Bits for Making Money with E-Books: How To Earn $10,000 A Year Writing Non-Fiction E-books in Your Spare Time, by Alyice Edrich. First edition, 2004, second edition, 2005.

A particularly informative eBook, with a useful overview about self-publishing, followed by lots of detail about how to do it yourself. There are many unproductive routes to e-Book publishing — Edrich steers you clear of the many traps out there. An invaluable book, in my view. The e-Book is available as a download from Alyice Edrich’s website.