Author: Jodee Thayer

ABOUT JODEE THAYER: With over 20 years of experience in sales and management, Jodee Thayer works as the Manager of Author Services for Outskirts Press. The Author Services Department is composed of knowledgeable customer service reps and publishing consultants; together, they all focus on educating authors on the self-publishing process in order to help them publish the book of their dreams. Whether you are a professional looking to take your career to the next level with platform-driven non-fiction or a novelist seeking fame, fortune, and/or personal fulfillment, Jodee Thayer can put you on the right path.
Jodee Speaks, Uncategorized

Happy President’s Day Self-Publishing Authors

For many people, President’s Day is just another day off work, or another day when the bank is closed but you’re stuck at work. However, it should be a day to celebrate presidents both past and present. As a country, we’ve been blessed with some wonderful leaders who’ve made great changes and who are an inspiration to us all. For those of you interested in history or current issues, President’s Day is a great opportunity to start a self publishing project in honor of your favorite leaders. Here are a few ideas to help you generate some book ideas.

  • Get current – Read a newspaper. Watch the news. Browse online news sources. Find out what is happening in our country, and decide if you have an opinion on any of the topics. This could just be the topic of your next book.
  • Get personal – One of the most interesting history genres is biographies. If you have a favorite president, start doing some research and consider writing a biography.
  • Interview others – Biographies and news sources only offer a limited perspective. Sometimes history is more interesting when you hear from ordinary people. If there is an event or leader who interests you, interview people about that event or person. Their stories may just make an interesting book.
  • Make it up – If you enjoy history but prefer writing fiction, consider writing historical fiction. This genre offers creative freedom while appealing to your inner historian.

No matter what you decide to write, take a moment this holiday to celebrate the great presidents our country has had and remember that today is more than just a day off work.

ABOUT JODEE THAYER: With over 20 years of experience in sales and management, Jodee Thayer works as the Manager of Author Services for Outskirts Press. The Author Services Department is composed of knowledgeable customer service reps and publishing consultants; together, they all focus on educating authors on the self-publishing process in order to help them publish the book of their dreams. Whether you are a professional looking to take your career to the next level with platform-driven non-fiction or a novelist seeking fame, fortune, and/or personal fulfillment, Jodee Thayer can put you on the right path.
Choosing a Publisher, Publishing Trends, Self-Publishing

Comparison of Outskirts Press and Trafford’s Self-publishing Packages

Deciding which self-publishing company to go with can be a real challenge. To assist you with this process, I’m writing a series of posts where I do the leg work for you! I’ll prepare a side-by-side comparison of two similar publishing packages from two self-publishing companies. I’ll strive to keep it as simple as possible to help cut through the vast amount of information out there by giving you an easy to read chart and a brief summary of my impressions on the comparison.

This installment of the series is a comparison of two of the most robust self-publishing packages available: The “One Click for Coaches & Speakers” from Outskirts Press (which you can enjoy even if you’re NOT a coach or speaker, by the way) and the “Scroll,” from Trafford. The information shared here is current as of the date I completed the comparison (19 December 2012) and is dependent on what I could located on the websites without contacting representatives.

Outskirts Press One-Click Publishing For Coaches & Speakers
$4,497		 Trafford Publishing Scroll Publishing Package
$5,749
Production Options Paperback Format ✓ ✓
Custom Cover ✓ ✓
Professional Interior Formatting ✓ ✓
Copyright registration ✓ ✓
Library of Congress Control Number ✓ ✓
Interior Elements Up to 20 images Up to 60 images
Copyediting Up to 75,000 Words Up to 250,000 Words
Author Copies (Paperback) 10 Copies 40 Copies
Expedited Service ✓
Cover Scribing ✓
Your ISBN/ Imprint or ours ✓
Hardback Format ✓
Author Copies (Hardback) ✓
Indexing Up to 500 entries
Additional Formats Secure EBook Edition ✓ ✓
Amazon Kindle Edition ✓
Espresso Book Machine Edition ✓
Marketing Services Book Video Trailer & Distribution ✓ ✓
Custom Press Release ✓ ✓
Author Webpage ✓ ✓
Barnes & Noble See Inside ✓ ✓
60 Second Book Video Trailer ✓ 1 of 3 choices
Social Media Marketing Setup PMA ✓
Post-Publication Marketing Assistance Marketing COACH (2 years) Learning Center (1 year)
PR Publicist Campaign ✓
Personal Marketing Assistant (PMA) ✓
Submission to 10 Reviewers ✓
Electronic Clipping Service ✓
Publication Press Release ✓
Streaming Audio ✓
Amazon Cover Enhancement ✓
Amazon See Inside the Book ✓
Bookseller’s Return Program ✓
Marketing Promotional Materials 100 pieces

With Outskirts Press, for $1,252 less you receive expedited service, a private label (optional), the Amazon Kindle edition of your book, the Espresso Book Machine edition, a PR campaign, 10 Book Reviews, a clipping service and 5 hours of personal marketing assistance with a professional book marketing expert, among other benefits.

There are a few options that come with Trafford’s Scroll package that are not included with the Outskirts Press package such as a hardback format and more author copies.  Although, you could order most if not all of those services a la carte with Outskirts Press and likely still come in at an overall lower cost.

My vote? Outskirts Press! See all the benefits and features of the One-Click Package for Speakers & Coaches by clicking here.

I’d love to know, which option would you choose and why?

Jodee Speaks

Self Publish a Book in 2013: Step 5 – Start Publishing Today

When you are trying to lose weight, you are often told to motivate yourself by buying an outfit, such as a swimsuit, that you hope to fit into after reaching your goal. The idea is that you will be motivated to eat well and work out because you really want to use that swimsuit hanging in your bedroom. The same is true for self publishing a book.

Rather than waiting to buy your self publishing package when your manuscript is 100% complete, purchase it now. Knowing that the package is sitting there waiting for you to use will encourage you to continue working on your project. It will also make you feel more confident knowing that you have a publishing consultant ready to help you with the process; all you have to do is finish the manuscript.

Purchasing your self publishing package is also motivating because it allows you to begin seeing yourself as a real author. You can begin thinking about editing and design and marketing. You don’t have to wait until the manuscript is finished to say you are a self published author, instead you will be a self publishing author who is in the process of finalizing his or her book.

I’d love to know, when do you plan to purchase your self publishing package?

ABOUT JODEE THAYER: With over 20 years of experience in sales and management, Jodee Thayer works as the Manager of Author Services for Outskirts Press. The Author Services Department is composed of knowledgeable customer service reps and publishing consultants; together, they all focus on educating authors on the self-publishing process in order to help them publish the book of their dreams. Whether you are a professional looking to take your career to the next level with platform-driven non-fiction or a novelist seeking fame, fortune, and/or personal fulfillment, Jodee Thayer can put you on the right path.
Jodee Speaks

Self Publish a Book in 2013: Step 4 – Share Your Goal with Others

Whether we are setting a goal to self publish a book or lose weight or make any other change in our life, we often keep those resolutions to ourselves. We fear sharing them with others because we don’t want to be judged if we fail or we worry that our friends and family won’t support our mission, but sharing your goals with others can actually help you achieve your  mission. When you share your goals with other, you not only force yourself to be accountable for your resolutions but you also allow others to share in your excitement and provide the support you need to accomplish your goals. Here are four ways to improve your chances of self publishing a book by sharing your goals with others.

1. Tell close friends or family who will support you.

We all have someone in our lives who supports us no matter what. They are the people you want to share your goals with because they are the people who will motivate you when you feel like giving up. You don’t have to share your resolutions with people who will discourage you. Seek out support.

2. Join a community of writers.

Whether you find a writing group who meets periodically or you join an online group, connecting with fellow writers can encourage you to achieve your goals. No one better understands the struggles and excitement of writing a book like other writers. They can offer advice and support that non-writers can’t provide, and seeing other writers accomplishing their goals can inspire you to achieve yours.

3. Be accountable.

Don’t keep your progress a secret. Regularly update your writing group and friends and family on  your progress. If you are having trouble reaching your writing goals, tell them. If you’ve had a successful week, tell them. They can encourage you when you need extra motivation and celebrate with you when you are successful.

4. Let them join the fun.

Let your support people be a part of the writing process. Ask them to help you brainstorm ideas. Let them read a draft of your work. Have them help market your book. This will fuel your creative drive and make your support team more invested in the project. Always be sure to show appreciation for their efforts and return the favor when you can.

I’d love to know, who do you plan to share your writing goals with?

ABOUT JODEE THAYER: With over 20 years of experience in sales and management, Jodee Thayer works as the Manager of Author Services for Outskirts Press. The Author Services Department is composed of knowledgeable customer service reps and publishing consultants; together, they all focus on educating authors on the self-publishing process in order to help them publish the book of their dreams. Whether you are a professional looking to take your career to the next level with platform-driven non-fiction or a novelist seeking fame, fortune, and/or personal fulfillment, Jodee Thayer can put you on the right path.
Jodee Speaks, Uncategorized

Self Publish a Book in 2013: Step 3 – Set Mini Goals

Over the past two weeks, we’ve spent a lot of time talking about setting and reaching your goals. Well today I want to talk about a strategy called mini goals. Most of us set big goals for ourselves: write a book in 6 months, self publish a book before the end of the year, write 5,000 words a month. This is great because I encourage everyone to dream big, but it isn’t always the best way to achieve our goals.

Setting large goals for ourselves can make us feel overwhelmed and lead us to giving up. If you want to better manage your goals, you need to set mini goals. This is basically a process of breaking your main goal into digestible pieces so you don’t become overwhelmed by a large dream. For instance, if your goal is to finish your manuscript in the next six months, ask yourself what you need to do to accomplish this. How many pages per month do you need to write? How many pages per week? How many pages per day? These numbers will vary depending on where you are in the writing process, but let’s say you want to write 30,000 words in 6 months. That means you need to write 5,000 words a month or 1,250 words a week. It also means you only need to write approximately 180 words a day. This is a very reasonable goal!

I’d love to know, what are your mini goals?

ABOUT JODEE THAYER: With over 20 years of experience in sales and management, Jodee Thayer works as the Manager of Author Services for Outskirts Press. The Author Services Department is composed of knowledgeable customer service reps and publishing consultants; together, they all focus on educating authors on the self-publishing process in order to help them publish the book of their dreams. Whether you are a professional looking to take your career to the next level with platform-driven non-fiction or a novelist seeking fame, fortune, and/or personal fulfillment, Jodee Thayer can put you on the right path.