October 23, 2005

"The ABCs of DIY Publishing: Expert Advice On How To Make Your Self-Published Book Look And Read Like A Bestseller"

His name is Pete Masterson. Midwest Book Review calls him "a pioneer in the use of ondemand printing technology" and says his new book, Book Design And Production: A Guide For Authors And Publishers, will "enable even the most novice aspirants to publishing an ideal instructional guide to every aspect of book publishing." At a time when so many of us are looking seriously at the option of self-publishing—and are daunted by the technical and design aspects of "do-it-yourself publishing," there can be no more timely speaker for our October meeting. Masterson has agreed to share his wealth of knowledge about book design and production, including:

• Why book and cover design is important
• The elements that belong on a cover
• How manuscript editing is important to your publishing success
• Appropriate and inappropriate software for preparing a book for publication
• Finding a printer
  

Like his highly praised book, Pete Masterson is thoroughly "user friendly," and his advice should not be missed by anyone wanting their own books to be as marketable (and profitable) as possible. He promises to leave open as much time as possible to address your questions.

Quotables:

"The best designed books are likely to be the least noticed but they are a pleasure to read. You find yourself lost in the reading and not in reading comprehension."

"Your cover is your billboard, your ad. At 1-1/2 inches on the Web, you still have to be able to read the title."

"The publishing industry is full of 'gatekeepers.’ Your book has to get by them. If they see obvious errors, they will be that much less inclined to handle you."

"Don’t use Arial, unless you want to look like a tax form."

"Even with a 'big’ publisher, as a first-time author, you may get Intern #217 to design your book."

"We have a 30,000-year history of visual design, starting with cave paintings, so we have a deep set of expectations of what we expect to find in a book."

"Some experts suggest that the very first thing you should write is the back jacket of the book—because it tells readers who should buy this book."

"Here’s a public secret: about half the work of large publishers is parceled out to small independents [for design and other tasks]."

"A good typeface can change reading comprehension from 30 percent to 80 percent."

Bio:
Pete Masterson, president of BAIPA (Bay Area Independent Publishing Association) and author of Book Design and Production: A Guide for Authors and Publishers, has worked as a publisher, printer, and book designer for nearly 20 years. See his website at www.aeonix.com.