Book Review: The Self-Publisher's Ultimate Resource Guide - Joel Friedlander and Betty Kelly Sangent

The Self-Publisher's Ultimate Resource Guide

Joel Friedlander
Betty Kelly Sargent

Non-Fiction Reference
December 18, 2014

Amazon | Goodreads

The Self-Publisher’s Ultimate Resource Guide is the first and largest collection of curated and verified resources for independent authors who plan to publish their own books. Produced by a team with long experience in both traditional and independent publishing, the over 850 resources are listed in an easy-to-use format that includes live links, phone numbers, email addresses and brief descriptive copy. The Guide makes vendors and other resources easy to find by separating them into 33 distinct categories within the 3 main tasks the self-publisher must deal with. How to Prepare, Publish, and Promote their books:

PREPARE
Content & Developmental Editors
Copyeditors & Proofreaders
Indexers
Cover & Interior Book Designers
Image Sources
Illustrators & Cartoonists
Translators
Writing Software
Writers’ Conferences & Workshops Offering Scholarships
Grants and Funding for Writers
Professional & Trade Associations
Best Books on Writing

PUBLISH
eBook Conversion
Print-on-Demand (POD) Printing & Distribution Services
Subsidy Publishers
Short Run Printers
Book Production Software
Best Books on Self-Publishing
Helpful Links

PROMOTE
Website Design for Authors
Social Media Consultants
Book Review Services
Press Release Services & Sources
Best Blogs on Self-Publishing
Book Blog Tours
Marketing & Publicity
Sites to List eBooks
News & Views
eBook Aggregators & Book Distributors
Major Retailers
Writing Contests, Fellowships & Prizes
Book Awards for Self-Published Authors
Consumer Protection 

My Review: I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review

I had very high hopes for The Self-Publisher's Ultimate Resource Guide. I've been following Mr. Friedlander's blog for a long time and have received some great publishing advice there. Perhaps my expectations were too high, but this book was not what I was expecting. Be sure to read the blurb--that's what you get--a list of resources.

First of all, it is a great resource guide. The book is a series of lists, containing links to sites offering services for self-published authors. I didn't check every link so I can't vouch for the verity of each individual link. However, I noticed that many links I have bookmarked on my PC were also in the book. I spent hours and hours weeding through the numerous sites out there. This book does it for you, as long as you're okay trusting someone else's research. So, in that it's a huge time-saver!

If you are completely new to self-publishing, please note that this book does not go into anything in detail. I think this book is more for those who are experienced but in need of additional links and information.

If you are looking for a book full of links to services for self-published authors, then this is a great book for you. But if you are looking for an in-depth guide to self-publishing, you'll have to find that elsewhere. I do like the fact that the authors intend to update the book, providing additional links as needed.