Doing the paperwork

Every business requires its operators to handle a variety of different types of

paperwork to track customers, record orders, process those orders, and

manage finances. Proper recordkeeping is essential.

To handle much of your recordkeeping and paperwork, you can use a com-

prehensive, vertical market software application designed for mail-order

businesses, off-the-shelf contact management and accounting software, or

online tools provided by the eCommerce Internet Service Provider (ISP) you

opt to work with (I cover eCommerce Web sites earlier in this chapter).

These online tools help you manage customer records and the paperwork

associated with all aspects of order fulfillment. Of course, you can always do

your recordkeeping the old-fashioned way — using paper, pencil, and a calcu-

lator, if you’re not technologically savvy.

ACT! is a powerful contact management software application available from

Sage Software that allows you to keep track of customers, print shipping

labels, and generate personalized invoices and correspondence with ease.

Check out the product online at www.act.com.

The following types of information you handle most when doing paperwork:

-

 Orders: Maintain a detailed list of all incoming book orders. You can use

a database program, spreadsheet, or hard copy files.

-

 Customer database: Maintaining a database of your customers is

extremely helpful, especially if you plan to publish additional books in

the future or want to sell these same customers additional products or

services. Having order information at your fingertips is helpful and

important. For each customer, make sure that you have a full name,

address, phone number, ordering details, method of payment and its

details, and the way you shipped the product.

-

 Sales receipts: A sales receipt is issued to the customer when a sale is

made, typically in a retail or in-person environment. It’s a good idea to

keep a copy of your sales receipts for recordkeeping purposes and to be

able to track orders.

-

 Invoices: An invoice can be used as a sales receipt or it can be created if

you’re shipping books to customers and receiving payment later.

Whether you use invoices or sales receipts depends on how and where

you sell your books.

-

 Returns: Keeping track of returns helps you maintain accurate inventory

records and manage your finances. It’s faster and easier to keep track of

returns with inventory-management or mail-order-management software.Understanding how a major

publisher can help you

A major publisher can offer a wide range of resources you probably don’t

have as a self-published author. These resources include

-

 A team of editors and creative people who can help redesign and

enhance your book’s interior and cover

-

 Established relationships with printers

-

 An experienced sales and marketing team with existing relationships

with buyers representing major bookstore chains nationwide, as well as

libraries, independent booksellers, distributors, and wholesalers

-

 A team of public relations specialists who can create and implement a

comprehensive campaign for your book

-

 A marketing and advertising team capable of properly reaching your

book’s target audience on a national level

-

 Warehousing and distribution facilities

-

 An accounting department that tracks sales, handles all finances relating

to the book, and distributes author royalties accordingly

You give up significant control over your book working with a major pub-

lisher, and you earn a significantly lower royalty on every copy of the book

sold. But with the resources of a major publisher behind you, you can enjoy

the following benefits:

-

 You may sell many more copies of your book than you would as a self-

published author.

-

 The publisher takes on all of the financial responsibilities relating to

designing, printing, distributing, selling, and marketing your book.

After spending between $5,000 and $20,000 (or more) to have your book self-

published initially, you could be paid an advance upfront by the publisher

who buys your book.Having a literary agent represent you

The first step to approaching a publisher is to find an established literary

agent who really believes in your project and helps you sell the idea to pub-

lishers. Many major publishing houses work only with authors represented

by literary agents. A literary agent is someone who’s experienced working in

the book publishing industry, who’s established contacts with publishers,

and who represents you and your book ideas to those publishers. A literary

agent earns between 15 and 20 percent of your earnings, based on the

advance, royalties, and/or licensing fees paid by the publisher.

A literary agent helps you

-

 Prepare and fine-tune your proposal for a publisher: This proposal is

your sales packet that introduces yourself to the publisher and gets

them excited to learn about your book. Focus on benefits to the publish-

ing house. Why should they publish your book? (I cover proposals later

in this chapter.)

-

 Represent your book by contacting publishers on your behalf: A

respected agent will often be able to get your proposal read by publish-

ers that would otherwise ignore submissions from self-published or

inexperienced writers.

-

 Negotiate a deal (and related contracts) with a publisher that’s inter-

ested in your book: Whenever an author and a publisher work together,

a detailed, legal contract must be written and signed by both parties.

This contract outlines the terms of the deal and describes the exact

responsibilities of the author and the publisher. (I cover publishing

deals later in this chapter.)

Looking for a literary agent? Check out the 2006 Guide to Literary Agents

(Writer’s Digest Books). The book is an annual directory listing more than 600

established literary agents; it includes detailed information about the types

of clients each agency represents and how to make contact with them.

Look for an agent who specializes in the type of book you’ve written and who

has contacts with the major publishing houses that may be interested in your

project. An agent must agree to represent you, but you also must decide if

the agent’s experience, qualifications, contacts, and publishing knowledge

will help you get your book published by a major publishing house.

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