Episode 199: Book Publishing Standards: What Every Business Owner Should Know

In this episode, Jodi highlights the most common red flags that signal a book was not professionally published. She explains why issues like poor typesetting, weak cover design, excessive typos, and missing required elements can undermine an author’s credibility and the book’s effectiveness as a business asset. Jodi also points listeners to the IBPA Industry Standards Checklist as an essential tool for ensuring self-published and hybrid books meet professional publishing standards.

Time Stamps:
00:00:00 - Introduction to the Podcast
Welcome to the Right Published Market podcast, where business owners learn about using books as marketing assets.

00:01:00 - Signs of Unprofessional Publishing
Discussion on the importance of professional publishing and the potential pitfalls of DIY publishing.

00:01:55 - Red Flag #1: Unprofessional Design
Exploring the significance of typesetting and design in making a book look professional.

00:04:16 - Red Flag #2: Too Many Typos
The impact of typos on a book's credibility and the importance of professional editing.

00:05:41 - Red Flag #3: Poor Cover Design
Key elements of effective book cover design and common mistakes to avoid.

00:07:48 - Red Flag #4: Incorrect Order of Matter
The importance of following industry standards for the order of sections in a book.

00:09:13 - Red Flag #5: Missing Required Information
Discussing essential elements that should be included in a book, such as copyright information.

00:10:59 - Utilizing IBPA Standards
Encouragement to use the Independent Book Publishers Association standards for self-publishing.

00:12:35 - Conclusion and Final Thoughts
Recap of the importance of professionalism in publishing and resources for authors.

Keywords:

book publishing, professional publishing, self-publishing standards, hybrid publishing, typesetting, book design, book cover mistakes, copyediting, proofreading, typos in books, book structure, copyright page, IBPA standards, independent publishing, business owner authors, book marketing asset

Resources Mentioned:

Coffee + Commas signup: https://bit.ly/coffeeandcommassignup

Ready Set Write Challenge: www.jodibrandoneditorial.com/readysetwrite

IBPA Industry Standards Checklist: https://www.ibpa-online.org/page/standards-checklist-download

LINK TO FULL EPISODE (RAW) TRANSCRIPT:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1JXjzuG9U7D8hWD9wW8YOdGii0Rtrge48H2cgUCSI1cQ/edit?usp=sharing