📃 Worksheet | Thy Olive Tree's Fiat Self-Publishing Academy

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ROADMAP 📚 Self-Publishing 101: Learn to Self-Publish a Good, True, and Beautiful Book Through the Lens of the Catholic Faith

👋 WELCOME!

Welcome to the Fiat Self-Publishing Academy! (3:38)
Course Information
Learning Objectives
Disclaimers

IMPORTANT! 📝 YOUR ROADMAP: THE ULTIMATE SELF-PUBLISHING CHECKLIST

IMPORTANT! START HERE! Overview Video: How to Use Your Checklist (8:22)
Self-Publishing Master Checklist

📃 SELF-PUBLISHING WORKBOOK + BONUS WORKSHEETS

Self-Publishing Workbook
Fiat Self-Publishing Model Notetaking Sheet
Discernment Worksheet & Video Walkthrough (16:01)
Creative Spark Worksheet
Nonfiction Outline Worksheet

What Makes a Good, True, and Beautiful Book?

Video Overview (3:10)
Introduction
What Makes a Good Book?
What Makes a True Book?
What Makes a Beautiful Book?
What Can This Tell Us About the Non-Negotiables of Self-Publishing?

Overview of Self-Publishing

Video Overview (11:03)
My Story & Getting on the Same Page (13:17)
The Different Types of Publishing
Setting Realistic Expectations
Why Should You Self-Publish?
What Makes a Successful Author?
Why Self-Publishing is Anything But the Self
📃 Worksheet
The Fiat Self-Publishing Model (4:22)
⭐Favorite Self-Publishing Resources

Discerning God's Will for Your Book

What is Discernment?
Discernment Overview (5:43)
Discernment Tips from Charbel Raish (5:47)
A Constant Process
Discernment Tips that Apply to All Stages
Helpful Tips and Quotes from Deacon Harold Burke-Sivers
(Supplemental Video) Discernment Tips from Deacon Harold Burke-Sivers (67:16)
📃 Worksheet & Video Walkthrough (16:01)
⭐ Supplemental Resources

Sanctity: Keeping God at the Center of Your Work

Keeping God at the Center
Defining Success in God's Eyes
The Numbers Game
The Comparison Game
Prayer Resources
Reflection Questions

Creative Spark: Finding Inspiration for Your Book Idea

Finding Inspiration and Clarity for Your Book Idea
Finding Inspiration Video Overview (3:01)
Tips for Finding Inspiration
10 Book Ideas to Get You Brainstorming (7:01)
Examples of Innovative Books
Exploring Amazon Book Categories (6:22)
Browsing Bestsellers (14:42)
Auto-Populating Ideas Using the Search Bar (5:26)
📃 Worksheet
⭐ Supplemental Resources

Validating Your Idea: Is This Worth Pursuing?

Four Tips for Validating Your Book Idea
Additional Resources and Tools

Unique Value Proposition: Determining What Makes Your Book Unique

Overview: Developing Your Unique Value Proposition (18:50)
Your Unique Contribution
Performing Market Research
Who Do I Hope to Serve?
Determine Your Niche

Goal Setting

What is the "Big Picture" Goal for Your Book?
Interview with Charbel Raish: Building a Ministry Around Your Book (64:52)
You Can't Set Realistic Goals without First Understanding Your Genre
Writing Goals
Self-Publishing Timelines

Why It's Helpful to Think About Printers Now

Begin Thinking About Printers (Especially for Design-Heavy Books)

Financial Considerations

Financial Considerations Overview
Perform a Skills Assessment and Set a Budget
Consider How You Will Fund Your Book
Interview with Stephanie Petters: Cut The Financial Risk By Crowdfunding Your Book (57:19)
Presentation by Stephanie Petters: Key Components to a Kickstarter Campaign (62:01)
Track Your Expenses

Start Your Author Platform Now

What is an Author Platform?
Interview with Cathy Knipper: Author Branding, Platform Building, and Book Marketing (58:37)
Develop Your Author Brand & Aesthetic
Interview with Dominic de Souza: Brand Archetypes (56:43)
Build Your Email List
Presentation by Greg Johnson: Email Marketing & Author Newsletters (69:30)
Start Using (Or Being Intentional About) Social Media
Interview with Molly Balint: Social Media Tips + Getting Started On Instagram (62:54)
Author Websites
Presentation by Kristina Romero: Overview of Author Websites (60:41)

Outlining Your Nonfiction Book

Introduction to Outlining a Nonfiction Book (1:24)
Brainstorming Exercise
Nonfiction Book Structures (9:50)
Outlining Methods and Tools (2:23)
Example of a Traditional / Linear Outline (5:08)
Example of a Mind Map (2:58)
Planning Your Chapters (8:57)
What to Do if You are Feeling Stuck
📃 Worksheet

Outlining Your Fiction Book

Introduction to Outlining a Fiction Book
Brainstorming and Planning
Story Structures
Methods for Story Development
Plotting & Outlining Tools

Special Considerations for Outlining Highly Visual Books

Storyboarding
Storyboarding Guest Talk: Kortnee Senn (4:36)

Prioritize Your Writing

Growing in Your Craft of Writing
Getting Started and Staying on Track
40 Days in the Drafting Desert Writing Challenge

The Writing Process

Introduction
Style Guides
Where to Find Images in the Public Domain
Where to Find Books in the Public Domain
But What If I'm Not Finding What I Need in the Public Domain?
Book Funnel Considerations
Interview with Lisa Canning: Book Funnels & Turning Your Book into a Business Card! (57:02)
Choosing a Title
Feedback: Alpha and Beta Readers
Front and Back Matter
Copyright Page
Back Cover Blurb (12:32)

The Editing Process

Introduction
15 Tips for Self-Editing
What Types of Editing Do You Need?
Interview with Jody Benson: Different Types of Editing & How to Work with an Editor (54:02)
Additional Considerations
Tips for Hiring an Editor
You've Hired an Editor... Now What?
I Got My Editor's Feedback... Now What?
Interview with Lindsay Schlegel: Receiving Feedback, Strategizing Your Time, and Building a System for Managing Edits (61:29)

Translation

Translating Your Book into Other Languages
Presentation by Christine Lacayo: Translation & Multicultural Storytelling (55:04)
Multicultural Marketing Tips

Formal Review Considerations (After Finalized Manuscript & Before Publication)

Introduction
What Does Canon Law Say?
What Do the Terms Nihil Obstat and Imprimatur Mean for Your Book?
How Do I Know if I Need an Imprimatur?
How Do I Get an Imprimatur?
What If I am Unable to Pursue an Imprimatur, But Still Want Formal Review?
Conformity of Catechetical Materials to the Catechism
Endorsements
Trade Publication Reviews
Advanced Reader Copies

An Overview of Publishing Platforms

Introduction
Which Formats Do I Publish In?
Publishing Platforms: Industry Recommendations
Going Wide Versus Going Exclusive

Publishing Platforms for Printed Books

What's the Best Publishing Platform for My Printed Book?
Print on Demand Versus Printing in Bulk
Selling Printed Books on Amazon KDP
Selling Printed Books on IngramSpark
Amazon KDP Versus IngramSpark Print Quality and Capabilities
Why Should You Sell on Both Amazon KDP & IngramSpark?
Selling Printed Books with Amazon (Outside of KDP)
Selling Printed Books on Etsy
Selling Printed Books on Your Own Website
Selling Printed Books on Bookvault (Authors in the U.K.)

Publishing Platforms for Ebooks

Ebooks: An Introduction
Interview with Jacqueline Brown: Overview of Ebooks (66:59)
Ebooks: Going Wide
Ebooks: Going Exclusive

Publishing Platforms for Audiobooks

Audiobooks: An Introduction
Audiobooks: Exclusive or Wide?

Understanding Distribution Options

Introduction
Interview with Charbel Raish: Distribution, International Rights Licensing, & Book Pricing (54:22)
In-Person Sales
Retail Stores
Libraries
Catholic Churches & Schools (16:36)
Interview with Katie Bogner: Marketing Your Children's Book to Schools (71:53)
Selective Rights Licensing

Publishing Terminology & Specifics

Introduction
Metadata (and the importance of keywords)
ISBNs
Barcodes
Library of Congress Control Numbers (LCCN) & Publisher’s Cataloging in Publication (P-CIP) Data
BISAC
Copyright Registration
Mandatory Deposit
Marking of Country of Origin on U.S. Imports
Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA)

Working with Printers

Introduction
How to Find a Printer
Interview with Danielle Hitchen: The Logistics of Printing Your Book Overseas (41:06)
Getting Quotes From Printers
Printing Terminology and Important Considerations
Eco Friendly Printing Considerations
Obtaining Printer Specs
Working with a Printer
Types of Printed Copies
How Many Printed Copies Do I Order?
Using Pre-Orders to Make More Accurate Purchasing Decisions

Pricing Your Book

Introduction
An Introduction to Pricing Your Printed Book
Pricing Your Printed Book for Wholesale
A Formula for Pricing Your Printed Book
Pricing for Ebooks
Pricing for Audiobooks

Design (The Beautiful)

Introduction
Types of Designers You Might Need (Not All Designers are the Same)
What Questions Should You Be Asking Your Designer?
Design Briefs: What Your Designer Should Be Asking You!
Books are Judged By Their Covers
Interview with Benita Thompson: How Your Book Cover Can Make or Break Your Success as an Author (60:25)
What are the Parts to a Book Cover? (Front, Back, Spine, & Dust Jackets)
Special Considerations When Working With Illustrators
Typesetting & Interior Design Tips
Designing Ebooks
Tutorial: How to Format an Ebook Using Microsoft Word (44:50)
Overall Design Tips

Business Responsibility

Disclaimer
How to Use this Section
You are in the Business of Selling Your Book
Presentation by Tammy Hyska, CPA: Top 3 Financial Mistakes Business Owners Make (49:07)
Interview with Henry Kutarna: Your Book as a Business & Thinking Like a CEO (66:01)
Interview with Henry Kutarna: Exploring the Concept of a Catholic Economy within Book Publishing (33:19)
Developing a Business Plan (8:12)
Project Management Tips
Should I Sell Under My Own Name or a Company Name?
Business Set-Up Tips
Choosing a Business Name
Business Bank Accounts
Sales Tax
P.O. Boxes
Business Insurance
Tips for Tax Season
Contracts
Interview with Lawyer James Olsen: Self-Publishing Contracts (59:25)
Interview with Lawyer James Olsen: Legal Considerations of Self-Publishing (60:34)

Setting Up Your Book on Various Platforms

Introduction
Getting Started on Amazon KDP
Presentation by Greg Johnson --- Amazon Listings: Keywords, Ads, Bestseller Rankings (76:30)
Getting Started on IngramSpark
How Do I Get Set Up with Both Amazon KDP and IngramSpark?
Getting Started on Etsy
Getting Started with Your Own Website

Shipping & Order Fulfillment

Shipping Overview
U.S. Postage
International Shipping Considerations
Packaging
Processing, Shipping & Return Policies

Marketing

Introduction
Presentation by Kate Sell: Understanding the Catholic Landscape when it Comes to Marketing Your Book (58:21)
Marketing with Distribution Channels in Mind
Presentation by Greg Johnson: Book Launch Marketing Strategy (54:31)
Creating a Marketing Plan
Book Photography / Mock-Ups
ARC / Book Launch Team
Tip for Sharing Amazon Links
Email Marketing
Instagram - Overview & First Steps
Instagram - Favorite Hashtags
Instagram - Making Connections
Instagram - Influencer Marketing
Instagram - Giveaways
Facebook Groups
Blog & News Site Reviews
Sample Press Releases
TV, News & Radio: Top 50 Catholic Media Outlet List with Contact Info
Gift Guides
Vendor Booths
Podcasts
Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Interview with Jacqueline Brown: Amazon Ads, BookBub, Marketing Strategy (66:22)
Is My Marketing Working?

Special Considerations: Children's Books

Overview
Interview with Cassie Herrington: Children's Board Books (53:58)
Interview with Katie Bogner: What Makes a Good Catholic Book for School-Aged Children? (75:23)
What to Consider When Writing Catholic Children's Books
Additional Resources

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