Category Archives: Year in Review

Self Publishing “TV” came into its own in the 3rd quarter when the Self Publishing You Tube Channel launched, featuring book videos, book teasers, promotional videos, and book marketing videos. 

The 3rd quarter also marked the announcement of one of self-publishing’s most hotly-discussed marketing options, custom U.S. Postage stamps, which allows self-published authors at Outskirts Press to personalize first-class postage stamps with a full-color image of their book cover. These custom stamps are perfect to use in combination with other marketing options introduced this quarter, namely the custom publication announcements and seasonal greeting cards. Rounding out the marketing options introduced in the 3rd quarter is the Celebrity Endorsement Option, which helps facilitate celebrity blurbs, testimonials, and endorsements for self-published books (for cover design and marketing purposes).

In August, Outskirts Press became the only self-publishing company to become a Inc. 500 company when Inc. Magazine released its annual Fastest-Growing Companies list in the 3rd quarter.   Outskirts Press debuted on the list with a 3-year growth rate of 850%, making it the fastest-growing self-publishing company and #268 on the list overall. 

Joining Inc. Magazine in recognizing Outskirts Press was the US Commerce Association (USCA), which honored the self-publishing company with Best of Parker honors in the Publisher Representatives category.

 Closing the 3rd quarter was the exciting launch of Version 3.0 of the self-publishing website at OutskirtsPress.com, which combines familiar Amazon.com-like shopping experiences with full-service self-publishing services and eye-catching video product support:

And if you haven’t experienced the custom difference with Outskirts Press, now is the time to start…

The second quarter of 2009 began with the introduction of a suite of marketing services available on an a la carte basis for just $99 each.  These self-publishing book marketing options introduced in April included the Spring Arbor Christian Distribution network, Amazon’s Keyword Search Submissions, and Barnes & Noble’s See Inside Submission.  These three new options complemented an already-robust selection of marketing services available for Outskirts Press authors for under $100, including Amazon’s Kindle Edition, the book teaser, and Amazon’s Search Inside the Book.

The second quarter was a particularly productive one for many self-publishing authors, including:

Colorado best-selling author Irv Sternberg was recognized as an Awards Finalist by the Colorado Humanities Colorado Book Awards  for his Outskirts Press novel, Neptune’s Chariot.

While Benjamin “Coach” Wade of television’s “SURVIVOR” collaborated with author Tom Gauthier to publish A Voyage Beyond Reason with Outskirts Press.

Due in part to Coach’s “love him or hate him” persona on the hit television show, the book video trailer produced by Outskirts Press and the book itself became a hit.  The book was submitted to numerous book contests and awards, including the Writer’s Digest international self-published book awards, (being announced next spring).  Will Survivor’s “Coach” have another winner on his hands? Only time will tell…

On the heels of the announcement of multiple $99 marketing services, the active Author Marketing Department at Outskirts Press announced a line-up of inclusive marketing packages that each combined some of the most effective and popular options for a 25% author savings.

The five marketing packages are the Book Blast package, the Amazon Extreme package, the Promotional Materials Package, the Global Book Tour package, and the Book Award Submissions package.

Perhaps the most noteworthy news of all came in the 2nd quarter when Outskirts Press CEO Brent Sampson  distributed a press release recognizing the sales accomplishments of Outskirts Press author Gang Chen, who earned $111,000 in book royalties in just 6 months.  Mr. Chen gave permission for his success to be publicized and suddenly, the self-publishing industry had a professional face to prove itself a profitable venture even for authors who don’t get picked up by traditional publishers (or, as in Mr. Chen’s case, choose against it in favor of the greater degree of control and revenue opportunities through self-publishing).

Beating the odds financially is one thing… beating the odds in terms of age is quite another. Outskirts Press authors do both, as demonstrated by the youngest self-publishing author to write and illustrate multiple children’s books:

Dalton James was 7 years old when he published The Sneakiest Pirates and then when he was 8, he and his father began making public appearances at schools to encourage literacy.  Also by Dalton James: The Heroes of Googley Woogley and Mudhogs.

The second quarter came to a close the last week of June as Outskirts Press launched Self-Publishing Self-Help week, June 22 – 25, when four helpful topics were covered in great detail. These topics included:

• 3 Paths to Publishing
• 2 Book Publishing Models
• The Definition of Self Publishing Companies
• How Self Publishing Distribution Works

Are you ready to be among the self-publishing highlights of 2010? Get published today!