A short interview transcript excerpt from a Big Biz Show episode featuring Julie Broad, Bob Sullivan, and Russ T Nailz discussing the book publishing process and common self-publishing mistakes. Julie explains the production steps after a first draft (content editor, copy editor, proofreader, layout) and recounts a specific $1,200 error: selecting a distributor option that caused return-to-author shipping costs. The tone is conversational and advisory, with practical publishing tips and anecdote.
Chapters
Filter. Writing coach. Hey, buddy, we're right here. Jackson. Jackson's over there. And then. And then what's beyond. I mean, what's. What's sort of the next. You just let it percolate from there, I'm assuming.
Well, once the. Once you're done writing that first draft, so you work with the writing coach to get to that first draft, then we take it from there. We have a content editor, we have your copy editor, and then your proofreader so that it looks like a professionally produced product. And then we take it from there to put it into the layout. So when you open a book, some people think you can just do it like in a Word document, but when you open it, you see there's actually a proper layout to it. Like, you know, galleys.
Rusty. They call them galleys.
Okay.
I have no idea. Look at the galleys.
So we have the person who would lay it out the way you would like. So there's different approaches to that.
If you were to start over again knowing what you know now, had never written a book.
Yeah.
What would you write a book on? What would be the subject space? Oh, great question, isn't it?
I. Right. Knowing what I know, I would write about publishing a book.
Yeah.
Because there's a lot of mistakes. I made a $1200 mistake.
Wait a second. Wait, that's fantastic. So you'd write about. But would that necessarily sell to enough people?
Well, you want to write a book.
Yeah, I'm just. That's anecdotal. I mean, I think. Listen, if you go to Google keyword search, right. And find out what people are searching for, I'm assuming that's going to give you an idea of what people are interested in.
They say 80% of there's been surveys and 80% of the population feels they have a book in them.
Yeah, I do got to get it out.
Hey, everybody.
From a bad lunch like two weeks ago with Russ.
Chapter two, you don't want to know where it went.
So you said you made a mistake. So what was your mistake? What was the $1,200 mistake?
I didn't check this one box that said there was a choice. So if you want your book in bookstores, it has to be returnable, but you can have it be.
Whose box are you checking at that point? I mean, who's giving you that?
When you're uploading it to the distributor, Print on Demand, it's called Print on Demand. So it will go to Amazon or to.
And if you don't check the right Box. It's not going to make it somewhere.
It's. Well, it's return and destroy or return and send back to author.
It is return and destroy.
I didn't want to destroy it.
This is somebody's wrapping paper or something.
So I said return to author. But that's an enormous cost. They charge you per book.
That was an Elvis song, by the way.
To ship it back to you.
Return to author, turn to author.
So that was a $1,200 checkbox.
Oh, no. In a garage full of your books.
So my mistake.
They sell too well.
Oh, atta girl.
My question would be. My question would be, you know, so what's. Is that like a typical mistake? Like what's the number one mistake? What's the worst thing somebody does and how often do they do it?
Well, I think the worst thing people do is write boring books. But I really, truly think that is a mistake.
I would argue that's a pretty good mistake.
Does your coach spice them up a little bit?
It's like a producer for TV or radio or for music. Right.
Background in comedy, you know, something that you can relate to because he wants to look at it and find you.
Could be a book spicer.
I could be a book spicer.
Really? Flannel pajamas. You couldn't come down the stairs.
Something a little more Vicky Shaker.
Geez, let's keep the rusty nails book Spicer man.
That's right.
So is that really the number one mistake people make is write crappy books?
Well, I, I don't like boring books, but I also think that some people. Because it is easier than ever to self publish and I think a lot of people cheap out, they don't invest in making it like a book. That would be the same as what is on the shelves of Barnes and Noble. Yeah. Yeah. And so if you don't invest in those editors and the layout and the.
Design stapled together, those.
There are some terrible.
Give us, give us a, Give us an idea of know what. Can you stay one more. Can you stay just a little longer? Do you have to go?
I can stay.
Can you stay for a minute?
As long as Jackson is.
Jackson, are you hungry? I hope not.
Be right with you because I won't keep you long. I'm going to keep you a little bit though.
