Createspace versus IngramSpark

There are many options for distribution when publishing a book these days. Writer Abroad studied as many as she could for her book, Swiss Life: 30 Things I Wish I’d Known.

Her goals:

Because her book speaks to an international audience, she wanted as many distribution options as possible, including bookstores, since Swiss bookstores were a promising place for sales (and are proving her theory correct, since the book sold 48 copies in less than a week at a bookshop in Zurich).

So here is what she did (the super short version):

First off, she consulted knowledgeable friends who had already published several books. Next, she bought her own ISBNs.  This is important if you want distribution in bookstores.  Your ISBN is your book’s identifying number. Bookstores will look it up. And it makes sense to own it, even if the price isn’t free. She bought her ISBNs from Bowker.

Then, she hired professionals to design the covers and interiors and format the book correctly for each platform.

Finally,

She uploaded her title to createspace.

She uploaded her title with IngramSpark.

She uploaded her title to kdp amazon (Kindle)

And she uploaded her title to Smashwords.

Here are the pros and cons of each channel, at least from her experience having published a book approximately 14 days ago and having sold over 100 in two weeks.

Createspace (for paperback books)

Pros:

User friendly and easy-to-use website

No upload, change, or title fees

Fast, round-the-clock customer service response

Very fast shipping (even overseas)

Makes title available directly on amazon.com with the best royalties for amazon.

Cons:

Printing is not as polished and professional as IngramSpark

If you only use createspace (and not IngramSpark too) your book will most likely never be ordered by bookstores since bookstores consider amazon their enemy

You are limited to certain trim sizes if you want expanded distribution (not to worry about if you use IngramSpark for your expanded distribution instead)

If you choose a customizable trim size, the print quality is hit or miss

IngramSpark

Pros:

Many trim sizes and printing options

Global distribution puts you on the same playing field as large publishers

Your title can be ordered by bookstores worldwide

Beautiful, professional printing

Cons:

Site is not as user friendly as createspace

There are title fees, catalog listing fees, and change fees ( in other words, typos get expensive!)

Customer service is only available from 8-5 p.m. Central U.S. Time (not so good if you are based internationally).

Book is processed much slower than createspace

Book is delivered much slower (even when not shipped overseas, books arrived much slower than books from createspace)

Kdp amazon (Kindle)

Pros:

Easy user interface

Quick and free upload and book is available within 12 hours

70% royalties depending on price

Cons:

None so far, unless you call being able to see your sales in real time addicting!

Smashwords

Pros:

Easy-to-use interface

Quick upload and approval times

Distribution to all major e-book retailers

Swiss Life is in bookstores
(well, at least one bookstore, anyway.)

Cons:

Royalties not as high as amazon

Most e-book sales are on amazon anyway

Requires different formatting than amazon

Finally, after enduring the crazy process that is called publishing, Writer Abroad sat down, relaxed, and had some cheese and chocolate. Her book is about Switzerland, after all. And look, there it is in the Swiss bookstore. Not bad product placement for a book with no marketing budget, oder?

Anyone else have similar experiences with these distribution channels? Or what is your book publishing experience?

Zurich Book Reading

What should you know about Swiss life?
Oh, how about that sometimes something in Switzerland is actually free!
Shocking, yes, but come to the free reading event and you'll be able to sit back, relax, and enjoy some cheese and chocolate (or more likely some pretzels and wine) for less than you'd spend for a packet of ketchup at the Swiss McDonald's.

Writer Abroad will read from her new book, Swiss Life: 30 Things I Wish I'd Known
May 23, 2014 at 7 p.m.
Orell Füssli The Bookshop
Bahnhofstrasse 70
8001 Zurich
Hope to see you there!

Swiss Life: 30 Things I Wish I'd Known

Whatever one should know about Swiss life and living abroad, Writer Abroad learned the hard way. But now she makes living abroad a little easier (or at least a little funnier) in a just published essay collection titled SWISS LIFE: 30 THINGS I WISH I'D KNOWN.

What should one know about Swiss life? Well, how about the fact that you can be hired in one language and fired in another? Or the realization that your Swiss neighbor is not coming over to chat—she is coming over to clean your gutter? Or the reality that cheese is a homeopathic treatment—for lactating boobs?                     

Learned anything about life in Switzerland yet? Well, sit back, relax, and enjoy some cheese and chocolate. Because that’s just the beginning.​                                                                                                                          

SWISS LIFE: 30 THINGS I WISH I’D KNOWN is a collection of both published (The Christian Science Monitor, National Geographic Glimpse, Chicken Soup for the Soul Books, and Brain, Child) and new essays in which Writer Abroad discovers that whatever she thought she knew about the land of a certain storybook mountain girl, she had a lot to learn about the real Switzerland, you know, the one on the world map.                                                                                                                                                                                                          

Writer Abroad will read from her book at Orell Füssli, The Bookshop (Bahnhofstrasse 70, 8001 Zurich) on May 23, 2014 at 7 p.m. She encourages anyone to stop by and say hello in whatever their official language of choice may be. Free bookmarks will reward your visit.

Come to the reading and get a free bookmark.

But if you can’t make it, the print version of the book is now available on amazon.com. The Kindle version is available too. Alternatively, you can join Writer Abroad’s mailing list to find out when the book is available at other retailers. Nook, Kobo, and other versions are also coming soon. 

What's more, to celebrate the publication of Swiss Life: 30 Things I Wish I'd Known, Writer Abroad is offering 30% off the print book on amazon.com to her mailing list members (see, great deals in Switzerland do exist!). To get the discount, all you have to do is join the book's mailing list by Monday, May 12. The code will be e-mailed to all mailing list members on Tuesday, May 13 and will remain valid for one week. Writer Abroad says danke vielmal in advance for your support.

Find out more at www.swisslifebook.com

How to work as a copywriter abroad

In honor of the May 1 "Day of Work" holiday, Writer Abroad would like to discuss working abroad. She gets a lot of questions from copywriters hoping to just that. So she has complied some of these questions and posted the answers here in hopes that they will help more than just the person who asked them.

How does one apply and interview for jobs overseas while living in the US? Is that even possible?

Nothing like an American copywriter writing
headlines for a very Swiss brand.

The most efficient way (without an already established network abroad) to find work abroad is to find work at home first. Work for a few years for a company in your home country that has a global network. Then, once they know and like you, ask to be transferred to one of their offices abroad. 

Are you considered an expert because of your native English abilities, or is it a hurdle to climb in the workplace?

Yes and no. I think this depends on what country you work in. In Switzerland, many people speak English and some non-native speakers think they know more than you—some of them do—at least when it comes to understanding the grammar behind what they are saying! But in general, yes, you are considered an expert. However, it can be a hurdle in the workplace as far as opportunities because you are limited to working on accounts that need English and you can also be treated as an outsider—or at least feel like one at many occasions during a typical office day.

What agencies should I look into if I were interested in leaping the pond?

Agencies with global networks. Think McCann Erickson. Publicis. Euro RSCG. Y&R. Saatchi & Saatchi. Leo Burnett. The possibilities are endless as even if agencies don’t appear to have a large network, they are probably owned by a holding company that does have a large network behind it. Do your research.

Do you know where I could look for more entry-level copywriting work in Switzerland? Most ads I have found online are either for “senior” positions or strictly for marketing work?

Writer Abroad’s recommendation is to try to do your entry-level work and training in your home country. In Switzerland, teenagers are trained as creative interns within an agency and then they get their first jobs at about 18-20 years old. It is a very different system than in most English-speaking countries. Also, native English copywriters in Switzerland are usually needed for global accounts and are expected to have some experience.

Anyone else have questions or different answers to these questions? Leave a comment.