{"id":22324,"date":"2019-10-28T03:00:56","date_gmt":"2019-10-28T10:00:56","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/?p=22324"},"modified":"2019-10-24T08:04:03","modified_gmt":"2019-10-24T15:04:03","slug":"how-to-spot-a-professional-book-shepherd-questions-to-ask-your-book-shepherd-before-hiring-by-mary-neighbour","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/2019\/10\/28\/how-to-spot-a-professional-book-shepherd-questions-to-ask-your-book-shepherd-before-hiring-by-mary-neighbour\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Spot a Professional Book Shepherd: Questions to Ask Your Book Shepherd Before Hiring by Mary Neighbour"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Questions<\/a>Please welcome back guest author Mary Neighbour<\/a> as she shares with us \u201cHow to Spot a Professional Book Shepherd: Questions to Ask Your Book Shepherd Before Hiring.\u201d Enjoy!<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

\"California<\/a>Plainly, the onus is on the author to diligently conduct their own assessment of anyone they hire.<\/strong> Review websites, credentials, and prior projects of a freelancer to help to shape your perspective.<\/p>\n

Spot a Professional: Evaluate<\/b><\/h2>\n

When you get to the interview phase, I recommend that you give each candidate your book to evaluate.<\/p>\n

Tell them what your goals are, and encourage them to ask questions.<\/p>\n

Spot a Professional: Ask Questions
\n<\/b><\/h2>\n

Finally, as you enter the stretch where you will make a final selection, the following questions will help you make a good choice.<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. I see from your website you have shepherded a number of books in my genre. What is your view on the current state of the market for my genre? Is this a good time to enter that marketplace?
    \nListen for<\/i>: Insights about the release date. Timing matters. An ideal time for making a self-help book available is January, when New Year\u2019s resolutions are fresh. Releasing it in August, when families are focused on kids going back to school, may strike a death knell for sales.<\/li>\n
  2. I\u2019ve told you what my goals are, but do you recommend I consider additional factors?<\/li>\n
  3. Now that you have evaluated my book, how do you think you can contribute to its publishing success?
    \nListen for<\/i>: Anything that hasn\u2019t yet occurred to you. Ideally, a book shepherd will broaden your perspective on publishing.<\/li>\n
  4. I\u2019d like an estimate of time and costs involved before making my final decision. Do you charge for providing such estimates?
    \nTip<\/b>: A discussion of tasks you can complete\u2014and not pay her to do\u2014should precede the written scope of work.<\/li>\n
  5. How often will we meet? How much needs to happen in person?<\/li>\n
  6. Do you recommend that I create a business entity for publishing my book?
    \nListen for<\/i>: A constructive reply about how treating your book as a business can help you achieve your goals.<\/li>\n
  7. Will you help me create a better title and subtitle? Will you help me price my book?
    \nListen for<\/i>: Advice on researching keywords, competitive books, and market prices.<\/li>\n
  8. What blogs, podcasts, or webinars would you advise me to subscribe to, so that I can continue to learn as I go?<\/li>\n
  9. Do you think I should register the copyright for my book? Do I need a trademark? Do I need a disclaimer?
    \nListen for<\/i>: A knowledgeable reply regarding rights and proprietary standing. However, book shepherds aren\u2019t usually     legal experts<\/a>, and they should say so up front.<\/li>\n
  10. I\u2019ve included just two lines of a song lyric in my story. I don\u2019t need a permission for that, right? (Wrong!)<\/li>\n
  11. Would listing PCIP<\/a> data on the copyright page help or hurt my book?<\/li>\n
  12. I didn\u2019t hire a professional editor, but I\u2019ve had my writing group read the manuscript and alert me to any errors they found.
    \nListen for<\/i>: Strong advice that you hire a professional editor. Don\u2019t be surprised if a book shepherd declines to work with you if you haven\u2019t had your book edited by an expert.<\/li>\n
  13. I\u2019m not sure I\u2019ve correctly cited the data in my book. Will you review that?<\/li>\n
  14. I hate Amazon. Can I publish without using them?
    \nListen for<\/i>: With the question above and the one below, an experienced book shepherd will be able to explain the pros and cons, as they pertain to your book<\/i>.<\/li>\n
  15. I hate marketing. What\u2019s the minimum marketing effort I\u2019ll need to make?<\/li>\n
  16. Please tell me about pre-publication strategies. Are pre-sales and ARCs the same thing?<\/li>\n
  17. What are reader personas?<\/li>\n
  18. Yikes! I\u2019m feeling overwhelmed by all these details. Isn\u2019t there a simpler way of going about all this?
    \nTip<\/b>: One of the principle jobs of a book shepherd is to help keep the complexity orderly and manageable. If she<\/i> can\u2019t keep her cool, then maybe you shouldn\u2019t keep her<\/i>.<\/li>\n
  19. Should I just let KDP convert my MS-Word file to an ebook?
    \nRecommended<\/b>: Ebooks and audiobooks are two areas in constant flux. Listen for indications that the book shepherd\u2019s reply is up to date.<\/li>\n
  20. What type of printing and binding processes should I research?<\/li>\n
  21. How do I obtain a barcode?<\/li>\n
  22. Should I order a physical proof of my paperback, or is the digital proof sufficient?
    \nRecommended<\/b>: Always<\/i> order a physical proof to determine if your book is ready for the market.<\/li>\n
  23. Will you help me create a marketing plan for pre-publication, launch, and post-publication?<\/li>\n
  24. This is my first book. What kind of distribution do you recommend?<\/li>\n
  25. How long will my book be on the market before I know if it\u2019s a success or not?
    \nListen for<\/i>: An answer that is tied to your goals and objectives. Each author defines \u201csuccess\u201d differently.
    \nTip<\/b>: As mentioned in a     previous blog<\/a>, be wary of anyone who claims to be able to ensure market success. Whether it\u2019s a predetermined number of reviews, a number-one ranking, a certain amount of sales, or any other type of achievement\u2014book shepherds do not control markets (even though they understand them).<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    \"Southern<\/a>In Conclusion: To Spot A Professional<\/b><\/h2>\n

    In this blog series we have covered a lot of terrain\u2014book editing, design, and production, as well as standards, terminology, and telltale signs of a professional in each area.<\/p>\n

    I\u2019ve provided examples, tips, and recommendations to help you choose the best support team possible.<\/p>\n

    It is my hope that, by now,<\/strong> you feel much more knowledgeable and confident as you engage other professionals to help you publish your book. The book world is a beautiful one. Enjoy it!<\/p>\n

    My forthcoming book anthologizes these blogs in one, handy guidebook:<\/p>\n

    The Help You Hire:
    \n<\/i>How to Tell If an Editor, Designer, or Book Shepherd
    \n<\/i>Is a\u00a0Self-Publishing\u00a0Professional<\/i><\/p>\n

    It also will include an additional chapter on how to fix a problem relationship, should that arise, as well as resources for authors to learn more about self-publishing.<\/p>\n

    I welcome your input,<\/strong> feedback, and questions\u2014just contact me through my website, listed below.<\/p>\n

    It has been an honor to write these blogs for the readers of Writers\u2019 Fun Zone. Thank you.<\/p>\n

    ***<\/p>\n

    Editor\u2019s Note:<\/strong> Mary, It has been an honor to have you share your knowledge and wisdom with us. We look forward to your book.<\/p>\n

    ***<\/p>\n

    ABOUT THE AUTHOR<\/h2>\n

    \"Mary<\/a>Some call Mary E. Neighbour<\/strong> a \u201cbook shepherd,\u201d though Mary wields a blue pencil far more expertly than a herding rod. For the past ten years, she and her husband have helped dozens of writers bring their manuscripts to the marketplace, through MediaNeighbours<\/a>, their publishing services business.<\/p>\n

    Passionate about helping authors make their work shine in the world, with a combined professional expertise of over 50 years in editing and design, this family team is one you\u2019ll want to adopt as your guide through the challenging world of independent publishing.<\/p>\n

    Mary\u2019s other passion is learning about the history of slavery and how it impacts race relations today. She incorporated much of her research into her novel, Speak Right On: Conjuring the Slave Narrative of Dred Scott<\/i><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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