Author: selfpublishingadvisor

May is National Recommitment Month. It’s a time to look back at the goals you set for yourself at the beginning of the new year and recommit yourself to the things important to you. May is the perfect time to recommit to your writing projects and finally self-publish your book. Here are a few tips to get you started.

1. Make writing a habit.

You’ve heard it a million times. Writing requires consistency. It requires you to actively work on your projects every day. Otherwise writing always gets pushed to the side and replaced with something “more urgent” or “more important.” Commit to your work by setting a writing schedule. Decide how much time you can spend writing each week and when you’ll do it. Now stick to it.

2. Build a support system.

Writing is not easy work. There will be days you don’t want to write. There will be times you are convinced your work is awful. There will be days you second guess everything about your project. During those times, you need someone you can talk to and lean on for support. Whether you find an online writing group, a local writing group, or just talk to supportive friends and family, a strong support system is important.

3. Just Write.

There are a million ways to procrastinate and a million excuses of why you haven’t finished your project. Stop all the planning, researching, talking, avoiding, worrying, whatever is getting in your way. Just sit down and write. It doesn’t need to be perfect. Just let the words start flowing and worry about editing later.

I’d love to know, what writing projects are you recommitting to?

ABOUT JODEE THAYER: With over 25 years of experience in sales and management, Jodee Thayer works as the Director 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.

TREES…

…AND THEIR SEASONS OF GROWTH are another excellent example of storyline/plot development. Most novel writers have experimented with the Peaks-and-Valleys plot progression plan. However, creating an illustration of a tree-trunk slice (shown here) allows me a much clearer picture of the actions and events I want to incorporate into my story—and the bumps they create along the way.

NOTICE: the “first year of growth” is solid. It is the burst of life that brings this tree (novel) into existence. For the novel writer, this living element is that short statement that informs editors (and the writer) exactly what this novel IS ABOUT.

An example of this—taken from Ted Dekker’s new novel, Hacker—reads: “My name is Nyah and I’m a hacker. I know things most people would never believe. Things that shouldn’t exist, but do.” This type of introductory statement evokes strong emotions and immediate intellectual interest. This is an excellent core idea that will develop an amazing novel.

NOTICE: the rings closest to the center/core are darker. They are filled with lots of nutrients that the tree absorbs as quickly as possible.  For the author, these rings must be filled with the details that will stir the reader’s passions and provoke them to solve the issues you’ve created for your characters.

An excellent example is given on the back cover of the novel Harbinger by Jonathan Cahn. It prepares reader’s to see the layers of evidence and intrigue that will be laid out before them. Here are the core statements: 1.) “Hidden in an ancient biblical prophecy from Isaiah…” 2.) “the mysteries revealed…foretell recent American events down to the exact days…” 3.) “the 3,000-year-old mystery that revealed the exact date of the stock market collapse of 2008…” 4) “the ancient prophecy that was proclaimed from the floor of the US Senate and then came true…and more.”

NOTICE: the seasons. The “rainy season” shows many layers of growth. The “dry season” is quite narrow. These correlate to rainy season chapters that hold more characters in them (usually additional supporting characters needed to progress the story). Then there will be the dry/parched, intense/shorter chapters that are needed to provoke or inspire readers with excitement.  Both of the novels mentioned above accomplish this with excellence.

NOTICE: the scar on the illustration.  This is a major element in novel writing that must not be left out. Actions and events in the lives of human beings cause scars. Each and every one of your readers will have their own scars—some fresher than others—and many deeper scars that are hidden even from themselves.  The excellent novelist will create an event—or several events depending on the length of the novel—that will touch memories held by their readers.

The first example of this that comes to my mind is the novel The Shack by William Paul Young. His back cover statement explains the scar concept in one sentence. “Mackenzie Allen Phillips’s youngest daughter, Missy, has been abducted during a family vacation, and evidence that she may have been brutally murdered is found in an abandoned shack deep in the Oregon wilderness.”

IF YOUR NOVEL feels stuck, try wrapping your story elements around the seed/core of it, and let it grow until it is FINISHED! Then publish it right away and start writing the next one!

ABOUT ROYALENE DOYLE: Royalene Doyle is a Ghostwriter with Outskirts Press, bringing more than 35 years of writing experience to authors who need “just a little assistance” with completing their writing projects. She has worked with both experienced and fledgling writers helping complete projects in multiple genres. When a writer brings the passion they have for their work and combines it with Royalene’s passion to see the finished project in print, books are published and the writer’s legacy is passed forward.

Book reviews are a great way for self-publishing authors to gain exposure. After all, how can someone buy your book if he or she doesn’t know it exists? Paired with other elements of your book promotion strategy, requesting reviews is a great way to get people talking about what you’ve written.

When we read good reviews, we definitely like to share them. It gives the author a few (permanent) moments of fame and allows us to let the community know about a great book. Here’s this week’s book review by Midwest Book Review:

Satan Thinks in Black & White: Racism in the Congregations of America

Ronald B. Jimmerson

Publisher: Outskirts Press

ISBN:9781432782467

Racism divides in many ways. “Satan Thinks in Black & White” is a Christian rally against racism from Ronald B. Jimmerson who states that the split within the Church between churches and denomination is what he believes to be the work of Satan and that races should come together and denounce Satan’s methods. “Satan Thinks in Black & White” is a strong pick for social issues and Christian collections.

As a self-publishing author, you may find it helpful to stay up-to-date on the trends and news related to the self-publishing industry. This will help you make informed decisions before, during and after the self-publishing process, which will lead to a greater self-publishing experience. To help you stay current on self-publishing topics, simply visit our blog every Tuesday to find out the hottest news.

Want to Succeed in Self-Publishing? Watch the Money: Tips from an Indie Author

In this Publisher’s Weekly article, author Mara Leveritt shares her publishing experience and tips for writers considering self-publishing. This is an interesting read for those thinking about self-publishing.

DIY: How to Request Permissions

Before an author can include song lyrics or a quote from a film in her book, she needs to get permission from the rights holder. This informative article tells you how and is a must read.

Georgia Webber on Dumb, Self-Publishing and Cartoonist Communities

Cartoonist Georgia Webber talks about her self-published series Dumb. This is a fascinating read for other self-publishing cartoonists.

If you have other big news to share, please comment below.

ABOUT KELLY SCHUKNECHT: Kelly Schuknecht is the Executive 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, kellyschuknecht.com.

Mother’s Day is not only the time to celebrate your own mom(s), but it also a great time for mother’s to splurge on themselves. Most of the time, mother’s give their all to their children. While that’s great, it’s also nice for them to occasionally do something for themselves.

Too often, mother’s feel overworked, overtired, and underappreciated. This year, why don’t you stretch that Mother’s Day bliss into the rest of the year… by allowing yourself to work on your writing project and finally reaching your dream of publishing a book. Here are three reasons why you should give yourself the gift of self-publishing.

1. You deserve a break.

Many moms give all their time and energy to their families and work. You struggle to find time to do the things you love, but you deserve a break. Let the dishes sit in the sink for the night, and spend some time writing.

2. It’s good for your family.

Moms who make time for their passions feel more fulfilled and are able to be happier, more patient parents. Giving yourself permission to work on your own project isn’t denying your children your time; it is giving them the gift of a happy, successful mom. They will be proud of you.

3. It’s also a gift to your family.

Self-publishing a book can be a great way to create a special, unique gift that your children can have forever. Whether you write a novel and dedicate it to them or pen a book filled with life lessons you want to teach them or publish a memoir sharing your life story or create a children’s books of the stories you tell them before bed, they will cherish your work forever.

Happy Mother’s Day!