Author: Kelly Schuknecht

Kelly Schuknecht is a marketer with a background in the publishing industry. She is passionate about all things related to books and loves helping authors navigate the world of social media for book promotion. She recently launched the course Marketing Your Book on TikTok.
Kelly Speaks, Self-Publishing

5 Reasons to Self-Publish in December

With so much going on in December, you may be wondering if now is the right time to self-publish your book. Here are five reasons why December is a great month to start the self-publishing process.

Savings

Many self-publishing companies are getting in the holiday spirit by offering great deals on publishing packages and marketing options. This can save you money and provide you with services that will enhance the success of your book.

A Gift to Yourself

Publishing a book is one of the best gifts you can give yourself. The sense of accomplishment and pride is better than any box of chocolates or new sweater. Celebrate the holiday season by giving yourself the memorable gift of self-publishing.

Plenty of Time to Market

By starting the self-publishing process in December, you will have your printed book early in 2014. This gives you the rest of the year to market your book and plenty of time to accomplish your yearly marketing and sales goals.

A Jump Start on Your To-Do List

If you are reading this, “publishing a book” is probably on your 2014 to-do list. Start the year off right by checking it off the list before the ball drops on New Year’s Eve.

Be a Part of a Great Trend

According to Bowker, the self-publishing market is up 59% compared to last year.You can be a part of that amazing statistic and be a part of the changing publishing industry.

Happy Holidays!

ABOUT KELLY SCHUKNECHT: Kelly Schuknecht is the Vice President of Outskirts Press. In addition to her contributions to the Outskirts Press blog at blog.outskirtspress.com, Kelly and a group of talented marketing experts offer book marketing services, support, and products to not only published Outskirts Press authors, but to all authors and professionals who are interested in marketing their books and/or careers. Learn more about Kelly on her blog at http://kellyschuknecht.com.
Kelly Speaks, Uncategorized

5 Reasons to Be Thankful for Self-Publishing

As you enjoy your Thanksgiving dinner this week, I hope you take the time to reflect on all the things you have to be thankful for. As a writer, there are many reasons to be thankful for self-publishing. Here are the top five.

1. Creative Freedom

Self-publishing gives writers the freedom to creatively express themselves. They don’t have to wait for an editor to decide their story is worthy or be told to change their vision to fit a commercial market.

2. Control

Self-publishing authors maintain complete control throughout the publishing process. They decide how the book will look, read, and be sold.

3. Financial Opportunity

Self-publishing offers writers the opportunity to earn an income from their work. Unlike traditional publishing, self-publishing authors aren’t stuck with low royalties. They earn more from each book they sell.

4. A Changing Market

Self-publishing continues to grow in popularity, and previously successful traditional authors are even choosing to go the self-publishing route with their new books. With this comes more respect for self-published authors.

5. No Waiting

Traditional publishing is a long process filled with rejection. Self-publishing authors don’t have to suffer through countless rejection letters, and their books are often printed quicker those printed by traditional publishers.

I’d love to know, why are you thankful for self-publishing?

ABOUT KELLY SCHUKNECHT: Kelly Schuknecht is the Vice President of Outskirts Press. In addition to her contributions to the Outskirts Press blog at blog.outskirtspress.com, Kelly and a group of talented marketing experts offer book marketing services, support, and products to not only published Outskirts Press authors, but to all authors and professionals who are interested in marketing their books and/or careers. Learn more about Kelly on her blog at http://kellyschuknecht.com.
Kelly Speaks

Top Self-Publishing Companies of 2013

Choosing the right self-publishing company is an important part of the self-publishing process. There are many self-publishing companies available, and they all offer different types of packages and services. When choosing a self-publishing company, it is important for authors to do their research to help them decide which company is best for them.

One of the best ways to learn about self-publishing companies is consumer reviews. Unlike the materials available on company websites, consumer reviews aren’t trying to sell you a certain product; they are honest reviews by people who have used the services. They can tell you the good and the bad about the company. One great place to find reviews is TopConsumerReviews.com.

TopConsumerReviews.com recently announced the top self-publishing companies of 2013. The list includes Llumina Press, Trafford Publishing, iUniverse, Books Just Books, Virtual Bookworm, and Outskirts Press. Out of the companies reviews, Outskirts Press was ranked number one and received five stars.

To read the full reviews, visit http://www.topconsumerreviews.com/self-publishing/.

ABOUT KELLY SCHUKNECHT: Kelly Schuknecht is the Vice President of Outskirts Press. In addition to her contributions to the Outskirts Press blog at blog.outskirtspress.com, Kelly and a group of talented marketing experts offer book marketing services, support, and products to not only published Outskirts Press authors, but to all authors and professionals who are interested in marketing their books and/or careers. Learn more about Kelly on her blog at http://kellyschuknecht.com.
Kelly Speaks, Uncategorized

2013 Book Award Season

It’s that time of year again. No, I’m not talking about the holidays. I’m talking about book award season, one of the most exciting times of year for self-published authors.

Over the next couple months, some of the most popular book award programs will be accepting submissions for books self-published in 2013. Here is an overview of some of the upcoming awards.

Reader Views: December 1, 2013

Works published by major book publishers are not eligible. Books must have 2013 copyright date. Authors are encouraged to submit their entries as soon as possible but postmarked no later than December 1, 2013. To learn more, visit http://readerviews.com/literaryawards/.

Ben Franklin Book Award: December 31, 2013

The IBPA Benjamin Franklin Awards, which include fifty-five categories recognizing excellence in book editorial and design, are regarded as one of the highest national honors for independent publishers.Any books submitted with copyright dates other than 2013 must be accompanied with proof of initial distribution  in the year 2013. The deadline is December 31, 2013. To learn more, visit http://ibpabenjaminfranklinawards.com/.

ForeWord Book Award: January 15, 2014

Any independently published titles in any format—including eBooks—published in 2013 are eligible. New editions of previously issued books are eligible with newly issued ISBNs. Submissions must be postmarked no later than January 15, 2014. To learn more, visit https://www.forewordreviews.com/services/book-awards/botya/.

I’d love to know, which contests are you submitting your book to this book award season?

ABOUT KELLY SCHUKNECHT: Kelly Schuknecht is the Vice President of Outskirts Press. In addition to her contributions to the Outskirts Press blog at blog.outskirtspress.com, Kelly and a group of talented marketing experts offer book marketing services, support, and products to not only published Outskirts Press authors, but to all authors and professionals who are interested in marketing their books and/or careers. Learn more about Kelly on her blog at http://kellyschuknecht.com.
Kelly Speaks, NaNoWriMo, Writing

October Writing Challenge #5 NaNoWriMo

Over the past month I’ve challenged you to complete a weekly Halloween inspired writing challenge. These challenges were designed to spark creative ideas, help you stick to your writing routine, and provide a little fun in your hectic week. (After all, writing is supposed to be fun, right?)

Now that October is almost over, I have an even bigger and more exciting challenge for you — NaNoWriMo. If you’ve followed my blog posts in the past, you know I not only encourage authors to try NaNoWriMo, but I have also done the challenge myself.

NaNoWriMo stands for National Novel Writing Month. It is an annual, Internet-based creative writing project that challenges writers to pen a whopping 50,000 words in the month of November. Hundreds of thousands of writers participate in the challenge each year.

NaNoWriMo is great for new writers looking for a creative jumpstart or experienced writers looking for a new challenge. It begins November 1st and ends on November 30th.

To sign up or learn more about NaNoWriMo, visit www.nanowrimo.org. The website helps you track your progress, gives you access to pep talks and inspirational stories, and provides a place to meet other writers.

Also, if you missed any of the October challenges, be sure to go back and check out them out: Spiritual Poetry Challenge, 15 Minute Challenge, Short Story Challenge, and Children’s Halloween Story Challenge. (You never know, they might inspire your NaNoWriMo project.)

I’d love to know, are you going to participate in NaNoWriMo this year?

ABOUT KELLY SCHUKNECHT: Kelly Schuknecht is the Vice President of Outskirts Press. In addition to her contributions to the Outskirts Press blog at blog.outskirtspress.com, Kelly and a group of talented marketing experts offer book marketing services, support, and products to not only published Outskirts Press authors, but to all authors and professionals who are interested in marketing their books and/or careers. Learn more about Kelly on her blog at http://kellyschuknecht.com.