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Getting Published or E-published/Questions Answered by Expert Bill Frank
| Subject | Date Asked |
| ISBN | 12/16/2011 |
| Q: I have an ISBN for a book I wrote 17 years ago. It was published and distributed back then. I own ... A: Congratulations on your first book. You will need a separate ISBN number for your second edition ... | |
| infringment issues? | 11/11/2011 |
| Q: I am wondering if you could help me out? If so, it would be greatly appreciated! I am publishing a ... A: Lori. Thank you for your question. This is not an area of expertise for me on two counts. First, ... | |
| hi | 10/30/2011 |
| Q: Do you know anybody who does what you do, but specializes in fiction (YA fantasy to be specific)? A: Ken. Thanks for the question. A few good book shepherds come to mind for YA fiction. Contact: ... | |
| Querying literary agents via e-mail | 9/30/2011 |
| Q: Greetings! I have a question regarding querying prospective literary agents via e-mail. The advice ... A: Congratulations on reaching this stage with your book project. What genre is your book, out of ... | |
| Publishing a non-fiction book | 9/17/2011 |
| Q: My husband is 2/3 finished with his book.So far he can not find a publisher. What is the best route ... A: The answer to your question depends, in part, on what goal your husband has for publishing his book ... | |
| Getting published by a Foriegn Publishing House? | 9/15/2011 |
| Q: I am an aspiring writer and had just finished my first manuscript. The story is a Science Fiction, ... A: Congratulations on finishing your manuscript. The first question I have is whether or not your ... | |
| e-book publishing | 9/6/2011 |
| Q: I just finished a theological book wish contain words in Yiddish and Greek. I tried to convert it as ... A: Wow, Adermin. The issue is more complex than I first imagined. In the final analysis, this is an ... | |
| e-book publishing | 9/5/2011 |
| Q: I just finished a theological book wish contain words in Yiddish and Greek. I tried to convert it as ... A: It's a puzzler and I may not be able to answer it because converting to .lit format is not my area ... | |
| Considering a Career in Book Editing/Publishing | 9/5/2011 |
| Q: "Hello, my question to you is how would I determine if a career in editing would be suitable for me? ... A: Diana. Thank you for your question. It's an intriguing one. The large publishers are located in ... | |
| 1st book published....? | 6/24/2011 |
| Q: I have also been one of the volunteers on this site in the past! I have been working with a ... A: Kirsten. Congratulations on your first book of poetry published by Chipmunka. I have not heard of ... | |
| A Book For My Grandmother | 5/23/2011 |
| Q: Bill, My grandmother wrote an autobiography and printed it from her home computer. She 3 hole ... A: Summer. What a wonderful gesture to have your grandmother's book professionally edited and ... | |
| authorization to publish autobiographical information | 5/11/2011 |
| Q: I need to have family members sign a release for me to publish personal information about ... A: Congratulations on developing your autobiography to this point. Your question about releases is ... | |
| self publishing | 3/22/2011 |
| Q: I have a manuscript,I have a printer, I have a wholesaler and distributor in mind.I need to know ... A: Raymond. While the steps for a comic book or manga are similar, they are not the same. ... | |
| self publishing | 3/17/2011 |
| Q: I have a manuscript,I have a printer, I have a wholesaler and distributor in mind.I need to know ... A: Raymond. Thank you for your question. It sounds like you're well advanced on the path to ... | |
| Young author | 2/18/2011 |
| Q: I'm working on writing my first novel. It has double spacing, size 12.5 font and is in the font of ... A: I apologize for taking so long to reply. If you are looking for a publisher for teen/children's ... | |
| copyright law | 12/31/2010 |
| Q: I am writing a book about how to use MS Word 2007. I plan to obtain a copyright,and to self-publish. ... A: Chris, Thank you for the thought provoking question. This is a legal question and one I'm not an ... | |
| publishing | 12/23/2010 |
| Q: I am a writer of erotic material and I want to self publish,E-publish,and become my own independent ... A: Raymond. Congratulations on making the decision to be an independent publisher. It is an exciting, ... | |
| publishing. | 11/6/2010 |
| Q: I've been working on an autobiographical, enovel for over 25 years. It is about finding out I was ... A: Mark. Congratulations on completing your autobiographical novel. It took courage to put your ... | |
| Publishing | 9/8/2010 |
| Q: I am currently writing a book based on a true crime that took place in my small home town back in ... A: Mary— Thank you for your question. There are no easy answers to what you ask, however. First, the ... | |
| True Crime | 9/8/2010 |
| Q: I am in the process of writing my first book on a murder case that took place in my home town in ... A: Mary. This question is a continuation of your earlier question about a true crime book. All your ... | |
| Book trailers | 8/19/2010 |
| Q: Frank, Creating a trailer to promote a book online seems to becoming more popular. I’m currently ... A: Book trailers are the latest tool in the promotion arsenal for book publishers and authors. It's a ... | |
| book | 7/13/2010 |
| Q: If I write and publish my own little book (maybe 20-30 pages) and sell them for under $5.00 do I ... A: Al. Thank you for your question, the answer to which is outside my area of expertise. To answer ... | |
| Publishing Marks | 3/3/2010 |
| Q: This question is a bit off, but I'm really curious, what are the marks on the copyright page of ... A: Randi. Your question is not unusual. The information on the copyright page of a book is part of the ... | |
| selling books | 2/18/2010 |
| Q: I was wondering if you could tell me how publishers get authors' books sold internationally? Do you ... A: Liz— Selling books internationally is desirable for any author; self-published or not. You're ... | |
| Pubishing my work | 2/3/2010 |
| Q: I am also and expert on this site in the Sci-Fi movies section andswering questions on that topic ... A: Kerry— The beauty of POD is that it crosses international borders. You can work with CreateSpace, ... | |
| Pubishing my work | 2/2/2010 |
| Q: I am also and expert on this site in the Sci-Fi movies section andswering questions on that topic ... A: Kerry. I'm honored that you would write to ask about publishing your book. Thanks for the ... | |
| Career in publishing | 11/27/2009 |
| Q: my name’s Melissa. I’ve just graduated from university with a 2.1 in modern languages and am now ... A: Melissa. Thanks for your question. It has many facets to it. For instance, you are outside the ... | |
| genre | 9/27/2009 |
| Q: I recently asked you a few questions about book sales and what is considered successful. I have a ... A: Danielle— Once the publisher pays the author an advance, the author can use the money any way s/he ... | |
| genre | 9/26/2009 |
| Q: I recently asked you a few questions about book sales and what is considered successful. I have a ... A: again, Danielle. Don't be discouraged. Be educated on what it takes to succeed. No, it doesn't ... | |
| book sales | 9/25/2009 |
| Q: Can you tell me what is considered a successful first book by a new author? I mean, is 250,000 ... A: Danielle— Thank you for your question about first-time author book sales. To answer your question, ... | |
| Self-publishing, negotiating | 7/23/2009 |
| Q: To make a long question short...is it considered bad form and/or pointless to try and negotiate with ... A: Jed. Thanks for your question regarding negotiating with self-publishing companies. Now is ... | |
| publishing | 6/15/2009 |
| Q: I am a writer of poems and have written a few books with short collections of my poetry and ... A: Congratulations on having several books printed. That's quite an accomplishment. How were those ... | |
| Being published | 5/20/2009 |
| Q: I have been writing a semi-autobiographical book and have been told I should seek professional ... A: Shannon— Congratulations on writing your book. From what you write, others think you should pursue ... | |
| What I have to do? | 4/27/2009 |
| Q: I live in Costa Rica ,so my language is Spanish,but I´ll try to make you understand my English!I ... A: Raichel— You have ambitious plans for your stories. That's fantastic! Your English is much better ... | |
| publishing | 4/25/2009 |
| Q: I recently finishing writing a non-fiction book of my life something like a memoir. You could ... A: Angel— Yes, it is possible for a publisher to purchase your book based on a synopsis. In fact, that ... | |
| Question on non-fiction names | 4/21/2009 |
| Q: I am writing a memoire book about people in my life, Many of whom are celebrities. Am I not able to ... A: Linda. Congratulations on writing your memoire. Your question is more a legal question than a ... | |
| publishing | 4/16/2009 |
| Q: I recently finishing writing a non-fiction book of my life something like a memoir. You could ... A: Angel— Congratulations on completing your book. It is quite an accomplishment. Is it possible for ... | |
| Publishing a book written by deceased | 2/17/2009 |
| Q: my best friend passed away a few years ago from luekemia at the age of 24. She wrote an ... A: Shawna— Thank you for your question. Your friend's story may be an inspiration to others who suffer ... | |
| copy right laws regarding non fiction | 2/13/2009 |
| Q: I hope that you can answer something for me. I already have a publisher and I'm under contract. The ... A: Francis— Thanks for your question. And congratulations on getting a publisher interested in your ... | |
| Acquiring book rights | 2/11/2009 |
| Q: I am not sure this is the right place to ask but I could not find any real match to my ... A: Paolo, Thanks for your question. I am not an expert on acquiring rights to books. I can, however, ... | |
| How do I get my book bound? | 1/19/2009 |
| Q: I am a student in High shool. In my honors English class, we all wrote a book of 250 pages or more. ... A: Meghann, Where do you live? Geography matters when it comes to books. Books are heavy, as you know. ... | |
| How do I get my book bound? | 1/14/2009 |
| Q: I am a student in High shool. In my honors English class, we all wrote a book of 250 pages or more. ... A: Meghann, Congratulations on completing your first book! That's quite an accomplishment. You should ... | |
| publishing a book of collected work from others | 1/4/2009 |
| Q: My book idea is based on stories, antedotes, poems, songs, etc from women who have lost their ... A: Angela. Your idea of a book on the mother-daughter relationship sounds promising. Have you done ... | |
| Titles of books | 12/20/2008 |
| Q: I am writing a book and I need to know if my title is ok. Tyler Perry made a movie and a stage play ... A: April. Thanks for your question. I'm familiar with DIARY OF A MAD BLACK WOMAN. You didn't mention ... | |
| i need a publisher | 11/21/2008 |
| Q: I need a publisher for a book i am currently writing a book. I am 12 years old I write for my ... A: Congratulations on writing a book—especially at your age. You really have four options when it ... | |
| Marketing a book in US | 10/28/2008 |
| Q: I am finishing to compile my book and it is going to be published by a publisher in US. I was ... A: Elvira, Thank you for the follow-up information. I understand Perth is a beautiful place to live. ... | |
| Marketing a book in US | 10/24/2008 |
| Q: I am finishing to compile my book and it is going to be published by a publisher in US. I was ... A: Elvira. Congratulations on completing your book. In what country are you located? You say that you ... | |
| Bookseller's Commission | 9/29/2008 |
| Q: What percentage of the list price does a retail bookseller earn? How about a bookseller selling on ... A: Yes, Art. If the books do not sell in the bookstore within a certain time, the bookstore returns ... | |
| Bookseller's Commission | 9/29/2008 |
| Q: What percentage of the list price does a retail bookseller earn? How about a bookseller selling on ... A: Art— A retailer bookseller earns 40% of the list price of the book, whether the book is purchased ... | |
| writing | 9/23/2008 |
| Q: Throughout my schooling I usually got the best grade in my class in writing essays or book reports. ... A: Al. Thanks for your question. Your book is an unusal perspective for a self-help book. I don't ... | |
| Legal Info on copyright page | 8/30/2008 |
| Q: I hope that you are also able to answer questions from across the big pond. Here we go. When ... A: Leo. Thanks for your question. I am not an attorney (barrister) and I am unfamiliar with UK ... | |
| Table of contents | 8/26/2008 |
| Q: I recently finished the first draft of my manuscript and I was wondering if it's proper to include ... A: Dan, Congratulations on completing the first draft of your manuscript. That is a fantastic ... | |
| legal and self publishing questions | 8/18/2008 |
| Q: I only had one question in mind but I'll take this opportunity to ask a couple more that you can ... A: Ken— Thanks for both of your questions. The first question is a legal one that I am unable to ... | |
| choosing a publisher | 7/14/2008 |
| Q: Bill, I'm looking at Mill City Press, Dog Ear, and Infinity as possible publishers of my upcoming ... A: Ed, Of the three publishers you list, I am most familiar with Infinity. I have colleagues at ... | |
| novel | 6/18/2008 |
| Q: I have written a 1460 page novel, it is a Mitchner type epic saga in order to research, i relied on ... A: Rich, I discovered this follow-up question on AllExperts. Sorry for the late reply. To find an ... | |
| novel | 6/16/2008 |
| Q: I have written a 1460 page novel, it is a Mitchner type epic saga in order to research, i relied on ... A: Rich. Congratulations on completing your manuscript! 1460 pages makes it quite an epic. Embedded ... | |
| Where Do I Go From Here? | 6/8/2008 |
| Q: Basically, I have an idea for a book I want to write, and I have worked out the plot and done the ... A: You ask the age-old question, "how does one get published?" There are three ways in which one can ... | |
| copyright clearance for self-published book | 5/28/2008 |
| Q: I am a senior citizen with a background in printing, publishing, wring, photography and ... A: Quentin, Congratulations on writing your book! About which city are you writing? Copyright ... | |
| release forms | 5/22/2008 |
| Q: If you use survey results in your book, do you have to have the participants sign a release form? ... A: Polly, It's good idea to get a copyright release for any reference to other's material. The ... | |
| release forms | 5/21/2008 |
| Q: If you use survey results in your book, do you have to have the participants sign a release form? ... A: Polly, You ask an interesting question. I'm not clear from your question if the survey you ask ... | |
| getting published | 5/16/2008 |
| Q: I'm a damn good writer and have actually completed an amusing childrens'story for grown-ups. Now I'm ... A: Teri, Hi. You ask the age-old question, "how does one get published?" There are three ways in which ... | |
| writing | 5/11/2008 |
| Q: I would like to know what I need to do to get started on my story. I heard that some publishers pay ... A: Liz. I'm glad you have a story already in mind. That's a good first step. The first step in ... | |
| Self Published and confused | 4/24/2008 |
| Q: Frank, I wanted to ask you your opinion on self publishing. I published my book on the internet and ... A: Angenique. What an unusual name; very pretty. Self-publishing can be very exciting and very ... | |
| copyrights of the bible | 3/26/2008 |
| Q: bill, i am being directed to get a copyright attorney because i am using King James Version of the ... A: Victor, Hi. Let me answer your first question about requiring an attorney to sign a confidentiality ... | |
| publishing! | 3/14/2008 |
| Q: I want to ask, how do i lift off a career of writing? I'm in the process of writing a novel, have ... A: Mehvish, Congratulations on publishing a few poems in the United States. The best way to break into ... | |
| marketing and promotion | 3/5/2008 |
| Q: ("Louis, this could be the start of a beautiful relationship!") You say in your profile, you "help ... A: Good Casablanca reference! Yes, I do help authors build marketing plans to sell books. That is not ... | |
| Proper Article Source Citation | 2/17/2008 |
| Q: If I attach an article from a free internet article source on my website do I necessarily have to ... A: Mike. This is more of a legal question than anything else. I'm not a lawyer, but I'll share what is ... | |
| Marketing My Self-Published Mystery Novel | 2/8/2008 |
| Q: I recently have my mystery novel self-published and I am now discovering the it's pitfalls. First, ... A: Wow! 210 books sold at book signings in bookstores is an accomplishment. Book signings are fading in ... | |
| Marketing My Self-Published Mystery Novel | 2/6/2008 |
| Q: I recently have my mystery novel self-published and I am now discovering the it's pitfalls. First, ... A: Charlotte. Thanks for your question about marketing self-published novels. Through what company did ... | |
| converting original artwork to book form | 2/2/2008 |
| Q: Could you provide advice on how best to make top-quality (yet budget sensitive) prints of acrylic ... A: The size of your original artwork dictates that you use a scanner that scans oversized originals. ... | |
| converting original artwork to book form | 2/1/2008 |
| Q: Could you provide advice on how best to make top-quality (yet budget sensitive) prints of acrylic ... A: Rebecca. Thanks for your question. The answer depends on several factors. First, what is the size of ... | |
| Typesetting Software | 1/30/2008 |
| Q: What is the best and easiest typesetting software to learn to set up a book for BookStore ... A: The critical part of your question is in the assumption about setting a book to "bookstore ... | |
| Publishing question | 1/13/2008 |
| Q: I've got 6 or 7 short stories in second draft, and a couple in first draft still. I've also got a ... A: Trent. Thanks for your question. Congratulations on having several pieces ready to publish. You're ... | |
| How to submit manuscript with graphics? | 12/14/2007 |
| Q: I'm getting ready to submit a short story for publication, and I'm having some trouble with standard ... A: Congratulations on completing your short story! In what program are you writing the manuscript? ... | |
| Idea Protection | 11/3/2007 |
| Q: Good Day Mr. Frank, I'm currently working on a unique non-fiction reference book. I plan on ... A: Susan. This non-fiction reference book sounds very special. Protecting your idea will not be as ... | |
| How to protect family identity while promoting a true story. | 10/11/2007 |
| Q: I'm contemplating writing the true story of my life and am wondering about how to protect my family ... A: Johanna. You ask two very interesting questions; one of which I'm unqualified to answer. Your first ... | |
| son's short story | 9/4/2007 |
| Q: My son is ten and he wrote a short story (one page) last year that he really, really wants to get ... A: This sounds like a fun and interesting project for both you and your son. I commend him on wanting ... | |
| foreign contract | 8/25/2007 |
| Q: i wrote a book about caring for someone with Alzheimer - something i did for my poor old mum for 4 ... A: Marion. Your story is inspiring. You took care of your aging mother with Alzheimer's disease, then ... | |
| AllExperts.com - Books and Photo Legal Question | 7/30/2007 |
| Q: I am writing a book on New York, it's not going to be a huge seller, it's being self published but, ... A: Lucy. You need permission from the photographer to use a picture of NYC in your book. The best ... | |
| I created a journal | 7/26/2007 |
| Q: I created a Christian journal. I currently sell at craft shows. I print a small amount from a ... A: Sharron, the ISBN number identifies each book in print. Specifically, it is used to catalog books in ... | |
| poetry writing | 7/22/2007 |
| Q: i love poetry and i love writing poems. i think i write fairly well. i want more people to read my ... A: Poetry is the most difficult of all genres to promote, Vineeth. Given your love of poetry, you might ... | |
| covers | 7/14/2007 |
| Q: I would like to ask for some advice on the design side of publishing. I am a graphic designer and ... A: Book cover design is a combination of art and science. The art part you know about because you're a ... | |
| Publishing for the first time | 6/7/2007 |
| Q: Bill, I'm graphic designer interested on publishing my first book. As I was reading on the Internet ... A: Linda, congratulations on committing to publish your first book. What genre book are you writing? ... | |
| Getting Blurbs | 5/29/2007 |
| Q: Who do I get blurbs from, & can you recommend anyone? How do I get their addresses? And do you ... A: Janice. The value of blurbs cannot be overstated. Studies have shown that book buyers exhibit a ... | |
| Finding a Literary Agent | 5/29/2007 |
| Q: I wrote a book (non-fiction) and contacted four publishing companies that handle the type of ... A: Joy. The four publishers you contacted gave you the answer most publishers will give you; they want ... | |
| A book | 5/27/2007 |
| Q: Frank, I am trying to find an agent for my book (non-fiction, about employee-to employer relations). ... A: Ranko. Thanks for the question. Please call me Bill. Book publishing is very competitive. This ... | |
| Sime subs | 5/9/2007 |
| Q: Frank, Gulp--I'm experiencing a moral struggle. Last November, a ... A: Junior. Thanks for writing me with your question. I apologize for taking so long to respond. I had a ... | |
Getting Published or E-published
Answers by Expert:
Bill Frank
Top Expert on this page
Expertise
I help authors become publishers. I'm a self-publishing consultant with resources in editing, graphic design, printing, distribution and marketing. I can help you turn your manuscript into a published book. I identify the best distribution channels for your book. I also help you build a marketing plan to sell the book. I specialize in non-fiction books and I take fiction books on a selective basis.
Experience
Book layout and design; book printing; channels of distribution and book marketing.
Organizations
Publishers' Marketing Association. Book Publicists of Southern California.
Education/Credentials
MBA in Marketing and Finance. BA in Economics.
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