Michael Grass House 

What's the difference between a micropublisher and a vanity publisher?

Vanity publishers are corporations in the business of taking money from authors. They don't require editing, although they offer the services for an extra fee. They use templates to create cheap, amateurish book covers. Their packages include a lot of gimmicks, such as bookmarks, fridge magnets, and sellsheets. They also pump the author's ego with dreams of being on every bookstore shelf in the country and get you to pay for access to bookstores that will never sell your book.

A micropublisher doesn't do anything that won't lead to author profits. Micropublishers bypass bookstore shelves entirely. They focus on a small selection of sales outlets with the lowest costs and highest returns. The buyers are on the internet, not in the bookstores, so that's where micropublishers focus.

Why would I not just self-publish my book by myself?

You can do that. However, there's a learning curve. You have to set yourself up as a publishing house to access ISBN registration and print-on-demand printers. Then you have to learn the process for turning your manuscript into a sellable book. That all takes time. It may be easier to let someone else do it.

Is there a contract?

Yes, but it's just your signature to assure Michael Grass House that your work is original and doesn't infringe on any copyrights. It doesn't lock you into any kind of program.

Can I take my book to another publisher if I get an offer?

Yes. You can also simultaneously print boxes of books through your local print shop to sell yourself. You retain complete control of your book.

I want to sell my book at conferences. Can I order boxes for myself?

Yes. You'll pay for the printing costs of the books plus shipping. That will still give you plenty of room for a generous 20% discount to your conference customers as well as a good profit. Please note that we need about two weeks to order the books for you.

My book is fiction. I believe all the sales will be on Kindle. Should I bother setting up a paper version on Amazon?

You're absolutely right that virtually all your sales will be on Kindle. However, buyers check out books before they buy. If they see that there's a paper edition as well as an ebook edition, they'll be reassured that the book has quality. You may sell only 100 of the paper copies, but that paper edition will magnify your Kindle sales.

However, if you decide that all you want is a Kindle edition, then we can adjust our prices and services to accommodate that decision.

Why couldn't I just set up my Kindle title myself?

You can. But first, you'll need a cover design. Second, you'll need an ISBN. Third, you'll need to set up the interior files to work with Kindle. Fourth, unless you're an American citizen, you'll need to go to a US embassy and get an ITIN number (tax number), then send in a W8-BEN to Amazon to exempt you from paying US taxes on your profits. 

Uploading the files to Kindle is the easy part. It's everything else that takes up a lot of your time.

How much input will I have on the cover design?

You will have all the input you want. You can send us samples of book covers you like so that our designer can imitate them. You can send photos or graphics you want included. You'll be presented with a draft cover design for your input and suggestions. We don't use templates, so each book cover is individually designed.

If you'd prefer to get your cover designed by your own designer, let us know in advance, and we'll subtract that cost from your contract.

How long will it take to recoup whatever I spend on publishing?

Even a moderate book with lukewarm sales should recoup all its publishing costs within the first year. Good-quality books with a clearly targeted audience will do much better. 

My daughter got an A in high school English. Can't I just get her to edit my book?

Your daughter will be a good resource to you, but she won't be able to provide quality editing services. Professional editors turn gem-in-the-rough manuscripts into sharp, focused, clear books that sell. That's a skill you don't learn in high school. 

Without a professional editor's hand, your book probably won't do well. Michael Grass House books must receive professional editing. If you can't find an editor in your area, consider hiring our editors.

What cover price should I set for my book?

Kindle buyers are attracted to 99 cent books. For this reason, we recommend a low cover price for Kindle fiction. You end up selling more copies, which makes up for the low price. 

However, Kindle nonfiction books set at 99 cents tend to look cheap. For a nonfiction book, you'd set your price higher -- maybe $3.99 or $6.99. 

For Amazon sales, your cover price is determined by the printing costs, the discount rate you offer to Amazon (35% to 55% of your cover price), and the profit you want to make. If you'd like to know in advance what price restraints you'll face, tell us the dimensions of your book plus the approximate number of pages. We can then discuss the cover price options you have. 

What kind of internet presence do I need?

Before people buy books from unknown authors, they search the web to find more information. Who is this person? What kind of book is this? Are there any reviews?

For this reason, every author needs a website. It can be a blog or simply a one-page website about you and your books. If you don't have a website, we can create a nice-looking one for you with graphics of your choice for a very low price.

Also consider creating a YouTube promotional video. Your video can be as simple as a slow stream of photos with a voiceover describing the plot of the story. It can be a Flash animation demonstrating key ideas in your book, perhaps set up as lessons. It can be a video of you sitting beside your computer holding your book and talking about it. As well, you can send free copies to popular bloggers as contest giveaways.

The more presence you have on the internet, the more reassured the buyer becomes.

How do I get reviewers?

The old-fashioned way to get reviewers was to send copies to newspapers and magazines. But few people buy paper anymore. The real reviews are on the internet.

Send your book to expert bloggers in your field and ask them to write a blog about it. 

Ask your friends to buy your book and post their comments on Kindle and Amazon.

Contact leading professionals in your field, especially those who've published books, and ask them for their professional review. You can offer to include a quote from their review on the back cover along with the title of their book.

How will I get paid?

By PayPal four times per year. You'll receive a quarterly statement showing the number of books you've sold and your monthly profits. On the same day, we will deposit payment to your PayPal account. Payments are made three months after the end of the quarter to allow for payment to be received by Michael Grass House.

Do you charge an annual service fee?

We charge is 10% of your paperback sale profits to cover monthly accounting, quarterly sales reports, and quarterly payments.