The FastPencil publishing platform provides writing tools, version tracking, task management and collaboration features, which all work together to help build Print Books + eBook Bundles with ease.
To Publish a Book and e-Book from one project:
Step 1 – SIGN UP: https://fp.fastpencil.com/users/sign_up Or learn more.
Step 2 – Start a NEW PROJECT: https://fp.fastpencil.com/start Or learn more.
Step 3 – Add CONTENT with the WRITE Button.
Step 4 – Preview your PROOF for FREE with the PREVIEW Button.
Step 5 – PUBLISH! with the PUBLICATION SETUP Button (pricing starts at only $9.99).
Pre-Publishing First Steps: What to Expect / How Much Does It Cost To Publish With FastPencil?
FastPencil ensures books + e-books are built to perfect specifications, with print on demand capabilities. Hobbyists, Authors, and Publishers print and publish books and e-books and distribute globally while leveraging easy-to-use book-building software. Print and publishing professionals are selling more books to wider audiences while earning 80% net royalties – paid directly to the published author – managed through one dashboard.
Basically, FastPencil offers these flexible Publishing + Distribution Options:
- PRIVATE PUBLISHING – $9.99 – For your eyes only. A private link for author-cost book buying is provided; no royalties are earned at this discounted price. (FastPencil Tip: Publish “Private” to receive your first proof copy. Proofread thoroughly before choosing to publicly publish with “Marketplace” or “Global Distribution”.)
Pre-pay for this Private Proof Printing service – (Publish – Private $9.99 Buy Now) – or when you are ready to publish privately, purchase this service and proof books within the Publication Setup wizard from your dashboard.
- PUBLISHING TO FASTPENCIL MARKETPLACE ONLY – $9.99 – Your book will be available for sale on the FastPencil Marketplace at your chosen retail price. Author-cost book buying is available, too.
Pre-pay for this Public Publishing and Book Printing service – (Publish – Marketplace $9.99 Buy Now) – or when you are ready to publish publicly, purchase this service and proof books within the Publication Setup wizard from your dashboard.
- GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION PUBLISHING – $249 (DIY 1, one format) or $299 (DIY 2, for both print and eBook formats) – Titles published with Global Distribution will be available for 3 years on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kindle, iPad, Nook, Ingram, etc. After the first 3 years there is a $19.00/year catalog fee to keep the title in distribution. The title will be available for sale on the FastPencil Marketplace at the chosen retail price. Author-cost book buying is available, too.
Pre-pay for the Global Publishing and Book Printing service now:
$249.00 Buy Now Global Distribution – One Format (Print OR e-Book) Pre-Pay
$299.00 Buy Now Global Distribution – Two Formats (Print AND e-Book) Pre-Pay
Or, when you are ready to publish globally, purchase this service and proof books within the Publication Setup wizard from your dashboard.
Every time you publish you must purchase at least ONE proof copy of your book. The reason we do this is to ensure the quality of each publication and to be sure the author approves of the book listed in distribution. When you publish an eBook either Private or in the FastPencil Marketplace there is a $9.99 cost for the eBook Bundle Creation (epub, mobi and pdf files). When you publish a print book, authors pay the manufacturing cost of the proof plus shipping, handling and taxes.
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*Tip – What’s in an eBook Bundle?
E-Pub – E-Reader industry standard and currently offers epub3 formats
Mobi – Amazon exclusive file, created for the Kindle.
PDF – Computer device industry standard.
Metadata – Marketing tidbits paired with your publication formats. Publishing wizard guides authors through the metadata collection process prior to publishing. This information is paired with ISBN, Covers and book files and distributed to all sales channels once the title is published.
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These guided-publishing stages are designed for Authors and Publishers to gain maximum control over publishing flows and schedules. For example:
- Private proofs allow for the writing team to edit, revise, and proofread the physical book. It’s funny how typos and obvious re-writes seem to jump from the printed pages! With the Private publishing option, authors can review and polish the first draft from one, bound copy, privately.
- Marketplace publishing enables authors and publishers to pre-sell a title that is meant for global publishing but is not yet fully funded. Maybe Galley Proofs or Advanced Review Copies are needed for an event or appearance. The Marketplace only publishing option sells books and e-books to your fans and friends.
- For Global (Wide) Distribution with ISBNs, select Global (Wide) Distribution publishing. Titles published with Wide Distribution will be available for 3 YEARS on Amazon.com, Kindle, Barnes and Noble .com, Nook, iBooks, iPad, Ingram, Lightning Source, and more.
How Fast Can I Publish a Book and e-Book?
Your publishing timeline is up to you. With FastPencil, users can publish a book 2 different ways:
1. With the writing tool
To create a Print and e-Book from ONE PROJECT, start here: https://fp.fastpencil.com/start. We’ll create print and e-books for all readers on all devices (nook, iPad, kindle, Sony, Kobo, PC, MAC, and more) from your content.
(Usually an author brings a manuscript to the site, creates a project, and either uploads the content, or writes directly in the editor. At this point, the author can add collaborators to work on the project, accept/reject revisions, track changes, and revert to previous drafts.)
2. With the PDF uploader utility
Alternatively, for PRINT PROFESSIONALS with access to Adobe Pro, Authors can use the DIRECT TO PUBLISH (DTP) PDF uploader utility to skip the writing and organizing tools and go directly to Publication Setup: https://fp.fastpencil.com/publications/new?. ****Please notice the separate tab for e-Book Upload. To obtain both Print and e-Book from the DTP uploader utility, the publisher must provide both files to perfect specification, as outlined within the site pages.
With either option above…
When ready to publish, the author clicks the Publication Setup button and is taken through a wizard to fulfill the metadata information for the publication. This data collection includes Title Page Info, a Description, Formats (Print and/or eBook), Cover Setup, Pricing, Proofing, and more. This metadata will be paired with the book upon distribution.
Here is more info about Publishing and Distribution Options and Costs:
https://kb.fastpencil.com/hc/en-us/articles/207928073-Publish-Distribute-Publishing-Options-Costs
Here is more info about timelines around printing and publishing books:
https://kb.fastpencil.com/hc/en-us/articles/201745554-Once-I-Publish-to-Wide-Distribution-Amazon-com-Barnes-Noble-When-Will-My-Book-Be-Available-For-Purchase-
Write / Edit Button – How to Add Content
The “Write” button takes you to the Writing Tool.
The Table of Contents overlay is displayed where you can create new and rearrange chapters in which to write. (You can start outlining and organizing project contents here.)
Once more than one chapter exists, rearrange by clicking the move icon and dragging the chapters up or down.
Sections within chapters can also be created here by dragging chapters within other chapters, thus changing the status to a section: Click, drag and hover over receiving chapter until dotted line box appears, then release. This process can be also be used to create subsections as well by dragging sections into existing sections.
To begin writing, click on “Chapter Name” from the Table of Contents overlay.
From here, the Writing Tool Page View is displayed, and the Chapter Name can be edited and you can write in main writing field.
The Writing Tool functions the same as typical word processor.
The Toolbar at the top of the Writing Tool field includes the following functions represented by icons (from left to right):
- </> or Code view: view and edit HTML markup of chapter (Functions as a toggle).
- B or Bold: Make selected text bold (Functions as a toggle).
- I or Italic: Make selected text italic (Functions as a toggle).
- U or Underline: Make selected text underlined (Functions as a toggle).
- •— or Bullet List: Turn selected text into unordered (bulleted) list (Functions as a toggle).
- 1.— or Number List: Turn selected text into ordered (numbered) list (Functions as a toggle).
- Justify: Set Alignment of selected text: Align text to the left, Center text, Align text to the right, Justify text.
- — or Line: Add horizontal rule at cursor point
- “Save Content” button
On the bottom left of the Writing Tool field, functions include:
- Keyboard Shortcuts – for OS X and Windows Users
- “+ Add Chapter” Shortcut
The accordion navigation to the left of the Writing Tool field, includes:
- Table of Contents – Add blocks to your project. Blocks include: Dedication, Front Matter, Part, Section, Chapter, Callout, Blank, Back Matter.
- Settings – Select the drop down block settings option to change content block type: If content type needs to follow a format other than the standard chapter style of the chosen theme, different content types can be applied here. Select: Chapter (default), Title, Section, Front Matter, Back Matter, Blank and Dedication.
- Check or uncheck to include block in Table of Contents. (Uncheck “Include in published table of contents” if you don’t want this block to appear in the table of contents of your finished publication.)
- Comments – Add comments to project collaborators (counter displays how many comments exist).
- Notes – Add notes for personal use (counter displays how many notes exist).
- History – Shows list of all writing sessions for chapter with latest and previous states available for side-by-side display (green is latest / red is previous). Copy/paste to retrieve selected text.
Delete current block / chapter / section.
WRITING TEAM HELP
FastPencil also offers different Publishing Packages & A La Carte Services including cover design, line editing and formatting help. Our managed services are provided by professional editors and designers who understand industry trends and will adhere to your publishing schedule.
Publication Setup Button – How to Prepare for Publishing
Once you have a FastPencil account, you can publish and pair ISBNs and automatically-generated barcodes directly with your books and eBooks through your dashboard. Publish under FastPencil’s imprint or purchase a Publisher Account Imprint through the FastPencil dashboard for the added benefit of having your custom publishing imprint attached. (ISBNs are provided through Global (Wide) Distribution service. No ISBNs are provided when publishing through Private and Marketplace distribution.)
Click the “Publication Setup” button to input or change important information that will be used inside the published book, and when displaying your book in stores and catalogs. Located on the right side of your Project Dashboard, the Publication Setup button collects metadata and other marketing tidbits about your title(s).
Publication Details, include:
Titles
Enter title (required) and optional subtitle, series title and edition (if applicable) as you would like them to appear in the published book.
Description
Enter the description of the book as you would like it to appear in the Marketplace and all other retail sales channels (if wide distribution service is selected).
Contributors
Add Role, select from the drop down.
Add Author First and Last name (required).
Add optional title, suffix and biographical notes (optional).
Click the “Add Contributor” button to add details for any/all other contributors (if applicable) including: Illustrator, Photographer, Designer, Cover Designer, Editor, Ghostwriter.
Categorization
Place cursor in the input field to select BISAC Subject (BISAC Subject Headings list (http://www.bisg.org/what-we-do-0-136-bisac-subject-headings-list-major-subjects.php) is a standard used by many companies throughout the supply chain to categorize books based on topical content.)
Legal Details & Copyright
Enter copyright year and copyright holder. (Copyright Your Work for Your Lifetime + 70 years! Exclusive Offer starts at $79.95.)
Formats & Distribution
Select a size for your printed book and e-book.
(*Tip – What’s included in the eBook Bundle?)
- E-Pub – E-Reader industry standard and currently offers epub3 formats
- Mobi – Amazon exclusive file, created for the Kindle.
- PDF – Computer device industry standard.
- Metadata – Marketing tidbits paired with your publication formats. Publishing wizard guides authors through the metadata collection process prior to publishing. This information is paired with ISBN, Covers and book files and distributed to all sales channels once the title is published.
Theme
Select a style for your printed book and e-book.
Publication Settings
Select an imprint to publish your title through. (FastPencil is your distributor of record, and you can publish using FastPencil Publishing – the default imprint. To publish under a custom publishing imprint, from your dashboard, click IMPRINTS.)
Pricing and Copies
Set your price and add your books to cart. FastPencil ensures authors will not price their book so low as to make a negative royalty. So be sure to go through your project’s Setup Publication button to see what a realistic price range for your book would be. Jump to Pricing article: https://kb.fastpencil.com/hc/en-us/articles/201657074-Pricing
Covers – General Cover Image Design Information
Review – Download your Proofs and Review your book formats’ digital proofs. Add your order to cart.
YOUR PUBLICATIONS AND BOOKS
To view, promote or re-purchase your book, go to your FastPencil dashboard and click, My Publications.
To download your e-books, go to your FastPencil dashboard and click, My Downloads.
ROYALTIES
Securely save Tax Information and confirm your address within the FastPencil publishing platform to ensure quarterly Royalty Payment and yearly 1099-R receipt.
Reporting, Payments, Payee Info article here.
DISTRIBUTION
If you published “Privately”, this link is for personal use, and your title is not searchable on our marketplace. When you share this private link, invited readers will be allowed to purchase the book from BookBuy page.
If you published to “Marketplace” or with “Wide Distribution” service, your e-book is now available on fp.fastpencil.com/marketplace. For titles published with Wide Distribution, your publication(s) will be available within 4 weeks for up to 3 years on Amazon .com, Kindle, Barnes and Noble .com, Nook, iBooks, iPad, Ingram, Lightning Source, and more. Click here for more timeline details.
RE-WRITING: If you find mistakes in your published book, simply make changes to your project (or COPY your project to retain the old version) and re-publish / re-distribute.
NEXT STEPS: Sales & Marketing
With FastPencil, a Marketing Toolkit is automatically generated when you publish. Every published author receives:
- An Author Page. Beef up your bio and list other published books. Add your social media accounts and promote upcoming events. Enter your Payee info securely to ensure royalty payments and tax documents are received in a timely manner. Click here to jump to more information about the Author Page, or jump into your account to set it up, now: https://fp.fastpencil.com/users/edit#social
- A BookBuy Page. This sales page allows readers to purchase any book format you’ve published and displays the Book Cover, Marketing Metadata, and a Preview of the Book.
- A BookBuy Widget. This HTML Coded Web Advertisement is meant to drive traffic back to the BookBuy Page. Display it on any web property to showcase your published work.
Let us know if this information was helpful to you or comment with other published author tips: kb@fastpencil.com.
Go to the FastPencil Dashboard to work on your book project, now.
Alexander M Zoltai
July 14th, 2016 at 10:22 am
Reblogged this on Notes from An Alien and commented:
Today’s re-blog is a very complete guide to how to get self-published with FastPencil (my current publishing-aid company)…
It’s truly an End-to-End solution—from first draft to published work…
Cost??? It’s can be as little as $10 🙂