Compliance is an essential part of the book publishing process, yet it is often very difficult to navigate the details of each step along the way. When done correctly, the proper registration of a book maximizes search ability, but all the weird lingo and tedious applications can be daunting. While the compliance process is unnecessary to memorize in its entirety, here is a general overview of how it works.

First and foremost, an ISBN (International Standard Book Number) must be purchased for and assigned to the title. This number is the book equivalent of a Social Security number, and it can be purchased through MyIdentifiers in a block of ten, which is recommended—each binding will require its own ISBN. Once these have been purchased, they are ready to be assigned to an individual title via BowkerLink. This step officially links a specific ISBN to a single title. While performing this step, attention to detail is a must! You don’t want a slip of the finger to delay the setup process. Although the assignment is still technically pending at this point, it is usually safe to begin associating this ISBN with your title.

Next, an LCCN (Library of Congress Control Number) must be assigned through the Library of Congress. (When the LCCN is obtained in advance of publication, it’s known as a PCN, or Preassigned Control Number). This fairly simple step includes a brief application that requires the book’s ISBN, among a few other details. Once the application is received, the Library of Congress will notify the applicant via email that the request is being processed. Usually about a day later, sometimes even sooner, the applicant will receive a second email containing the title’s LCCN.

Requesting CIP (Cataloging-In-Publication) data for the title is the next step. This can be done through companies such as The Donahue Group, but there are many others. The CIP data is designed to describe the bibliographic characteristics of a work to facilitate access to it in library catalogs; you can find an example of it on the copyright page of any book. The application for this one is a little more detailed and requires an actual PDF sample of the book, as well as specific information regarding the book’s interior. Turnaround time for this step is a bit longer. Unless the request is marked “rush,” which expedites the process to about a three-day turn around, expect to receive the CIP data roughly two weeks after it is requested, usually via email.

After a book has been published, its author or claimant must file for copyright registration. The copyright application is longer than both the ISBN and LCCN applications, but it is the last step in the compliance process. It is here that the copyright holder—not necessarily the author of the book—is selected. Once the application is completed, two copies of the title, along with shipping slips from the website, must be sent to the U.S. Copyright Office at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. This last step can take up to several months, but it ensures that every aspect of the book is registered and protected.

Although the process may seem tedious and scary, it is essential that each step be completed with care and patience—so take your time, and don’t be afraid to ask questions!

Apple announced its iBooks Author application last month to much excitement as authors and publishers alike applauded the free app’s self-publishing capabilities. The cheers quickly died down, however, when sites like Mashable, PC Mag, and the Huffington Post began taking issue with iBooks Author’s user agreement. The sites noted that, by publishing your work on iBooks Author, you relinquish your book’s publishing rights to Apple.

Although Apple wouldn’t exactly own your content (it doesn’t lay claim to the content itself, but does stipulate that you sell your book exclusively through the iBooks store), the arguments did expose a very important—but not very often discussed—aspect of publishing: rights ownership.

So, what’s the hullabaloo all about? Why are publishing rights important, and why should you care if you own yours? We’ve listed some of the key benefits to publishing rights ownership below.

Varied Distribution

When you own the publishing rights to your unique content, you choose where it sells. Want to stock your book in a friend’s boutique? Have hopes of pursuing grocery store distribution on your own? Feel like boycotting Amazon? You’ll have to own your publishing rights for that kind of personalized distribution, and that includes listing the book on your own website. Notice that authors who have published with traditional presses—and, consequently, sold their publishing rights—generally won’t have a direct buy button. You’ll be directed to Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or another e-tailer instead, even though sales made directly from your website will make you more money, bring more opportunity for interaction with your fans, and build your ever-important fan list.

Repurposing

Many nonfiction authors have content that will need to be periodically updated, while others recognize the importance of ancillary products and wish to repackage their book in a workbook or learning format. If you don’t own the publishing rights to your content, you’d have to buy the rights back to accomplish this repurposing, or convince the publisher that a new edition is needed (a harrowing feat). Repurposing can include audiobooks and movie rights as well. Have dreams of turning your book into a blockbuster some day? You’ll make more money—and will be able to choose the story’s buyer—if you own those rights. Ownership of the rights to publish in different, specific formats can sometimes be negotiated into your publishing deal.

Back of the Room Sales

Similar to varied distribution, owning your publishing rights will allow you to take full advantage of any back of the room sales opportunities. Are you a public speaker? Plan on hosting any workshops or seminars this year? Do you teach a class, or own a business? You’ll want the option of selling directly to your audience and customers. You’ll make more money, more connections, and build credibility with these sales. In most cases, the party who owns the publishing rights also owns the inventory of books. Were your publisher in charge of your rights, you’d have to buy your own books from them in order to sell at your events. Not fun.

Creative Control

One of the most important—and most overlooked—benefits of rights ownership is full creative control of your book during the publishing process. Most authors feel strongly about every detail of their work—as they should! You’ve worked hard crafting your book, why should someone be able to completely alter it without your consent? In most cases, when you own your publishing rights, you have the ultimate say in everything about your book—the direction of the editorial, design, packaging, cover copy, and more.

There is no right or wrong choice when it comes to choosing a publisher for your book. Many authors have personal, financial, or emotional reasons for choosing whom they work with, and, ultimately, it all comes down to fit.

Whichever publishing direction you choose to take for your own book, knowing whether or not your publisher owns your publishing rights is essential. Be sure to have a lawyer review your contract and explain the ownership clauses. Above all, take your time, make sure you feel comfortable with the contract before signing, and know what, exactly, the stipulations mean for the future of your book.  

Best known for her individualistic expertise when it comes to coaxing out the real emotional power in brands to spike the bottom line, Mary van de Wiel [alias: Van] is CEO and Brand Anthropologist of Zing Your Brand & Co., a New York-based creative brand consultancy, laboratory and workspace. Dubbed Master Provocateur by clients and media alike, Van brings a highly-eclectic perspective to branding whether as weekly host of NY Brand Lab Radio, leading the quarterly NY Brand Lab Workshops, speaking, consulting, blogging or producing the Brand Reinvention Summit. For 15 years, Van ran her own global branding shop with offices in New York and Sydney, Australia with Fortune 500 clients across four continents. She’s written for Entrepreneur.com, Dan Schawbel’s Personal Branding Blog,and been featured in Investor’s Business Daily, Reuters, VOGUE and Entrepreneur Magazine. She is the author of soon-to-be-published Dead Brand Walking. Follow Van on Twitter @maryvandewiel or download her free audio, 7 Creative Secrets to a Wickedly Bolder Brand as well as two free ebooks (How to Score your Business Brand and Raise the Pulse of your Brand) www.zingyourbrand.com.

It’s just not enough to be brilliant. People must know and remember that you are. Let’s face it, walking around feeling complacent and entitled because you know you’re brilliant is not a viable strategy, right?  So if you want to be known, remembered and recognized, it’s critical you build a brand that not only positions you as brilliant – but as irresistible and indispensable, too. How do you do that? You create a potent brand.

Potency defined OK. Let’s start with a definition of potency here just to get us all on the same page. The word ‘potent’ means (i) power; authority, (ii) efficacy; effectiveness; strength; and (iii) the capacity to be, become, or develop one’s potentiality; and  (iv) a person or thing exerting power or influence.

In other words, the more potent your brand, the more powerful, authoritative, effective, strong and influential you are. The best part? A potent brand makes it easier for your world to find you, get to know you and then, want to engage with you (work with you, employ you, salute you, etc.) You get the idea.

So how do you start building a potent brand? The world is moving at a staggeringly fast pace. It’s never been more important to get a grip on your brand’s core values, what it stands for and why it’s meaningful.

It starts with asking questions. Take a look at the six clues below plus questions. See how willing you are to give your brand a leg up, as they say. It’s likely to turbo charge your thinking. It’ll then, hopefully, get you moving forward­—and building a brand with potency.

1. Be Chief Influential Officer of Your Brand

• Are you poised to become the Go-To-Resource within your area of expertise Y/N?

• How willing are you when it comes to getting out of your comfort zone Y/N?

• Are you ready to stake out your territory in a more authoritative way Y/N?

• Is your Brand Pulse showing strong, pumping and vital signs? (the last time you checked?) Y/N?

• Would you describe your brand as robust and hardy Y/N?

• Is the world around you noticing you’re becoming a center of influence Y/N?

2. Set the Right Tone for Your Brand

• Are you clear about the intention behind your brand Y/N?

• Are you really communicating you are who you say you are Y/N?

• Is your brand’s voice clear, authentic and aligned Y/N?

• Are you regularly minding your brand’s behavior Y/N?

• Is your brand’s attitude welcoming, empathetic and transparent Y/N?

3. Start Seeing your Brand as Your Platform

• How committed are you to showing up in your brand Y/N?

• Would you give yourself a high score when it comes to inspiring your world Y/N?

• Do you actually think about changing the world Y/N?

• Are you at ease speaking confidently from your brand platform Y/N?

4. Pay Close Attention to Your Brand’s Emotional IQ

• Would you say your brand lands a high score when it comes to empathy Y/N?

• Are you aware the world around you has feelings about you and your brand Y/N?

• Do you think you might be keeping your world at arm’s length Y/N?

• Do you focus on actually creating strong emotional connections in your communication Y/N?

5. Focus on Being 120% Authentic

• Are you spending much effort on creating a consistent brand Y/N?

• Do you know exactly what a congruent brand looks like (let alone feels like?) Y/N?

• Would the world around you give you a high score as an authentic brand builder Y/N?

• Do you know that feeling when your brand is out of alignment Y/N? (You always know when the wheels of your car are out of alignment, right?)

6. Face Facts: The Money’s in the Brand

Note:  Potent brands are profitable. The definition of business, after all, is about profit, purchases, commerce and volume of trade.

• So are you paying enough attention to what your world really needs the most Y/N?

• Does your brand consistently deliver what your world is craving Y/N?

• Are you willing to let your brand go to work for you Y/N?

OK. How potent is your brand feeling right now? P.S. Don’t ever forget that building your brand is always a work in progress. (That’s the good news Y/N?)

Today's post is by Scott Lorenz, president of Westwind Communications, a public relations and marketing firm that has a special knack for working with authors to help them get all the publicity they deserve. Learn more about Westwind Communications' book marketing approach at www.book-marketing-expert.com.

My phone rang recently, and on the other end was a client telling me that the radio station on which her boss was scheduled to be interviewed had been struck by lightning. The producer informed her that they were not able to record the interview because the “recording board blew up” but that it would be streamed live online.

Murphy’s Law seems to have free reign when it comes to live radio—or publicity events of any sort. When I begin working with my author clients, I ask them to read over material I’ve created about how to conduct a great radio interview and what to wear on a TV interview, etc. One of the first things I recommend is to be sure to ask radio stations in advance to record upcoming live interviews. These interviews can then be added to the author’s website and even transcribed to glean new content for speeches, articles, or another book.

After being informed that they would not be able to record the interview my client’s executive assistant, Joan, immediately started researching how to record live streaming radio from the web to her PC. “First, I quickly investigated the sound options in the control panel of Windows 7,” says Joan. “No luck there. Next to the Internet, where I discovered Audio Record Wizard from NowSmart. They offer a free trial download, which was fast and easy.

“Sadly, the free download only offers three minutes of recording time, and the rapidly approaching interview was to be ten minutes in length. Fortunately, the Audio Record Wizard featured a “Buy now” button, and the transaction was processed seamlessly. The site even issues the license key immediately with the payment confirmation, so there’s no need to wait for an email. A quick copy and paste of the license key, and I was recording the interview within seconds,” says Joan. “A couple of wayward sounds from incoming emails in Outlook were removed with RealPlayer’s Trimmer software,” adds Joan.

Bottom line: Going forward, I am taking Joan’s advice and adding Audio Record Wizard to my list of items all authors should have on their computers. What a wonderful gift that bolt of lightning provided! We recommend this valuable tool for use on all live radio interviews that offer streaming audio on the web.