BAIPA board member Lee Foster gave a presentation at the August meeting on “Monetizing Your Book Content.” For anyone who missed the program, you can now view it on YouTube, and review the PowerPoint presentation.
Videographer Howard Slater, also a BAIPA member, developed the 45-minute video of the talk and inserted PowerPoint slides in the video for illustration. This is a long video by some YouTube standards, but can be enjoyed in segments if a viewer observes the timeline at the bottom.
In the video and in the PowerPoint, Foster proceeds methodically through the more familiar and then the less apparent strategies for book/e-book monetization in 2016 and beyond.
The familiar basics are that a modern self-published author should get a book set up print-on-demand with CreateSpace, Amazon for the great Amazon market, and Ingram Spark for the bookstore and library world. Foster recommends that the e-book version be published directly (but not exclusively) with Amazon Kindle and also with Smashwords for all other markets (Apple iBooks, Kobo, Barnes & Noble).
The less apparent opportunities include Foster’s recommendation that authors publish their books as “website books” on their website, supported by ads. He advocates that authors also consider other forms, such as audiobooks. Foster has an audiobook out, as well as a printed book and e-book, for this travel/literary volume Travels in an American Imagination. Foster also encourages authors to consider publishing books in China in Chinese, as he has, noting that Chinese is a larger language group than English. Finally, licensing of book content and getting major assignments are possible, Foster indicates, based on his own experience. Success for authors depends partly on the robust presentation of the book content on the author’s own website.
Foster concluded his talk with a look at “How to sell photos today.” Writers need photos for their own blogs and websites, so could additional income be generated from also selling photos, if the author commits to developing photo skills? Foster showed how he has done this directly with his photo selling site and by his relationship with the global photo agency Alamy.
Lee’s thoughts on monetizing are one of many subjects covered in his book/ebook, An Author’s Perspective on Independent Publishing: Why Self-Publishing May Be Your Best Option. He is an enthusiastic participant in the self-publishing movement, with four of the 18 books on his Amazon Author Page “independently” published.
Lee Foster
Foster Travel Publishing, 1623 Martin Luther King, Berkeley, CA
(510) 549-2202
fostertravel.com
lee@fostertravel.com
Eight main books
200 writing/photo articles
7,000 photos ready-to-go
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One of my favorite things about BAIPA is its culture of generosity, the willingness — even eagerness — to share what we have each learned in the process of bringing stories to life. We provide educational programs, networking, marketing opportunities, encouragement, and information on industry vendors and services. And lots of one-on-one advice and mentoring.
We welcome all who have an interest in making connections within the world of independent publishing and learning more about how to publish and sell their work successfully. Together we are raising the standard of independent publishing and helping our members thrive.
Do join us!
—Becky Parker Geist, BAIPA Board of Directors, President
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