Notes from the How to Publish Your Book Independently Workshop
The Workshop was Presented March 25, 2018 During the National Black Writers Conference
The presenters were Paul Coates, founder of Black Classic Press and BCP Digital Printing; Troy Johnson, founder of AALBC.com and co-founder of Edit 1st; and Carol Taylor, bestselling author and co-founder of Edit 1st.
Publishing Resources
AALBC.com
AALBC.com is the largest and most frequently visited website dedicated to books by or about people of African descent. We help authors reach readers through banner advertising, newsletter promotion, and catalog indexing.
BCP Digital Printing
Specializes in digital color, short run books, and just-in-time printing of manuals and presentations. BCP Digital Printing powers A Good Day To Print and AALBCPrints Books.
Edit 1st: Manuscript Editing Service
Provides a full range of editorial services including line-editing, developmental editing, proofreading, copy-editing, and comprehensive manuscript evaluation.
SB Book Design
Provides complete design services for independent publishers and self-publishers. Includes book covers, interior text layout, bookmarks, business cards, and posters.
#readingblack
The mission of #readingblack is to encourage everyone to read quality books written by Black people and to purchase those books from independent booksellers. We develop strategies that make it easier for readers to support Black literature.
Get an ISBN and Barcode
Bowker is the official ISBN agency in the United States.
- ISBN stands for International Standard Book Number.
- An ISBN and barcode are required to sell your book in most physical bookstores and online retailers.
- Obtain an official ISBN from Bowker (MyIdentifiers)
- Free Barcode Generator from eBookFairs
Anatomy of an ISBN: 978-1-56852-840-3
Learn more at International ISBN Agency.
- 978 (first three digits) is the Bookland prefix / country code.
- 1 identifies the English-language registration group.
- 56852 is the Publisher Imprint designation.
- 840 is the title identifier assigned to this specific book. The length of this section indicates publisher catalog size (a 3-digit number signifies a block of 1,000 ISBNs; a 1-digit number signifies a block of 10).
- 3 (last digit) is the check digit calculated from the preceding 12 digits via modulus arithmetic.
978-1-56852-840-3 is 1-56852-840-X. When the checksum equals 10, an “X” is used to preserve the 10-character limit. There is no ISBN-10 equivalent for ISBN-13s starting with the 979 prefix. AALBC standardizes exclusively on 13-digit ISBNs.
Copyright Your Book
Visit the official U.S. Copyright Office for the most up-to-date information on copyrighting literary works, including manuscripts, online articles, blog entries, and digital content.
Your Book’s Metadata Checklist
Metadata is essential book information that must be shared consistently across databases (Books in Print, Amazon), your personal website, wholesale distributors (Ingram), and independent booksellers (AALBC.com). Accurate metadata connects your title to the readers most likely to purchase it.
Publishing Operations & Production
Editing Your Book
Professional editing pricing should not be based solely on raw word count. Every manuscript is unique. A professional manuscript review establishes readiness across structural, line, and proofreading stages.
Explore Different Types of Editing →Printing Options
- Offset Printing: Cost-effective for large production volume print runs (1,000+ copies).
- Short-Run Digital: High quality, flexible production runs for specialized inventory.
- Print-on-Demand (POD): Unit-by-unit fulfillment directly connected to buyer orders.
Book Design Standards
- Format interior typography and page margins to industry trade publishing standards for print and reflowable eBooks.
- Design professional cover art, hire illustrators, and secure commercial licensing rights for all visual assets.
- Coordinate promotional collateral: bookmarks, event banners, postcards, and display posters.
Marketing & Publicity
Marketing encompasses all ongoing activities required to connect your ideal reader to your title and compel them to purchase, review, and recommend it.
- “Troy’s Triangle” for Publishing Success
- Maintain balanced outreach: Combine physical street marketing with digital campaigns.
- Measure, audit, and iterate advertising campaigns continuously.
Distribution Ecosystem
- Warehousing, logistics, and order fulfillment.
- Wholesale inventory management and sales representation.
- Global trade distribution feeds: Ingram, Bowker (Books in Print), and Amazon.
