Category: Conversations with a Self-Publishing Writer

Conversations with a Self-Publishing Writer, Royalene Speaks, Uncategorized

Friday Conversations With A Self-Publishing Writer 8/30/13

From my perspective—over 50 years of living with the writer-within—I’ve come to greatly appreciate the freedom that self-publishing offers.  When ideas, plots, characters and scenarios flow so quickly, there are literally flying pages circling around you.  That is the time to slow down and find a home for at least one of your favorite pieces; the time to develop a relationship with a publisher or self-publishing press; the time for readers to have access to your best work.

The majority of writers I know seem to possess an extra DNA molecule, a dominant genetic inclination to create volumes of pages that literally bleed their ideas onto paper.  Yet only a few—within this circle of friends—are published.  Instead, most have a large file of politely phrased reject letters.  For some, this file has created a trapdoor in their minds; when they fall into it, they wonder what—if anything—will ever happen to all those masterpieces.

Enter the self-publishing press—stage right.  Gone is the stigma of self-publishing.  A new pride now comes to the authors who take that step and release their books to the readers of the world.  The doors are now wide open to every author in every field of writing.  And, other creative industries are watching, especially agents looking for the next Stephen King, Ted Dekker, Dan Brown or Debbie Macomber.

Sometimes when I talk with writers I hear a slow release of energy as they express their doubt that their particular project(s) will ever be published.  Then we leave the topic of publishing behind for a while and share the stories: the stories of their writing lives, the development of their manuscripts and the heart behind the imaginings that push them to write the stories.  Once a writer realizes that their works are meant to be published, the progress to reach that goal becomes much easier.

Personally, I enjoy working with new authors or writers whose lives took a turn and they are just returning to their projects—writers who present me with artistically written materials in the genres of children’s books, young adult fiction, historical fiction, science fiction and especially Christian fiction and nonfiction.

Have I ever had to respectfully decline a project?  Only twice.  The gift of writing does not come to everyone in spite of the old saying that “every living soul has a great book manuscript in their desk drawer.”  The words, phrases, sentences, paragraphs, pages, must flow and offer the reader either excellent information or a moment of vision into another perspective, another life, another world.  What a gift to the ghostwriter who can be part of that!

Royalene 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.
Conversations with a Self-Publishing Writer, Royalene Speaks, Uncategorized

Friday Conversations With A Self-Publishing Writer 8/23/13

 

Quite some time ago—back in the ‘90s—one of my close writing friends and I debated the benefits of mainstream publishing versus self-publishing. At that time we both walked away in agreement that the established publishing houses did, indeed, have an edge over the self-publishing presses. Yet, just recently, we discussed that issue again with the eye-opening conclusion that the self-publishing industry is winning this race big time—especially as writers find it necessary to retain control of their work.

Within our sphere of writer-acquaintances we knew of two authors who had published in the last year—one with a semi-major publishing house and one with an established self-publishing press. The “house” author had signed his contract two months shy of three years before his book reached bookstores. The ebook and online presence came along much later. The “press” author held her finished book in her hand 98-days after submitting the manuscript with immediate availability to bookstores, ebooks and online book sites.

That comparison alone has brought many new champions to the field of self-publishing. However, in the case of these two authors, the big factor for me was their levels of stress throughout the publishing process. The “press” author experienced a few hiccups over those 98 days, mainly caused by the learning curve of self-publishing terminologies. The “house” author found himself dealing with three different editors over that long period of time, each with their own “read” of how the book should be “strengthened.” He often felt as if he was defending himself and the way he had created his characters and storyline. That was major stress.

As my work with authors expands, I understand and appreciate that most writers—whether published authors or not—experience a form of travail in the creation of their works. Even though their objective is to publish, the release of those pages can be traumatic. So it has become my goal to do what I can to ease the pain.

Rarely, these days, do I recommend that an author seek out a publishing “house.” From my perspective the benefits of self-publishing far outweighs what little prestige remains in being identified with any of the mainstream publishers. The process of self-publishing is quick, almost painless, and greatly satisfying when Readers begin enjoying the author’s book and add reviews that reflect their appreciation. Plus, the freedom that comes with this quick-release self-publishing, immediately makes room for the next creative endeavor.

Royalene 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.
Conversations with a Self-Publishing Writer, Royalene Speaks, Uncategorized

Friday Conversations With A Self-Publishing Writer 8/16/13

What a joy to be completing yet another memoir!  When a ghostwriter is invited into a person’s life, it is like becoming an adopted child who just happens to have a passion for writing.  The excitement really explodes when that memoir becomes a self-published book—156 pages of adventure—true-life risk, reward, romance, beautiful moments and tears.

When I re-read last week’s blog, I couldn’t believe that I left out one significant category to consider when writing your memoir—pets!  For many people the critters in our lives become like family, maybe even closer than some family members.  Their daily walk with us—their unconditional love and acceptance—enhance our lives in varying degrees as well as bring smiles to visitors and neighbors.  So, I’ve developed a little “What my pet means to me,” list to help folks recall those little details about their pet that have added so much to their lives.

  • How did this animal come into your life?
  • If it is a dog, cat, horse, goat, pig, (etc.) what breed is it?  Was that important to you?  Why?  Why not.
  • Did this pet have a “story” before coming into your household?
  • What are the human characteristics that you see in your pet?  (loyal, courageous, shy, happy, playful, dedicated, helpful, ornery, a clown, rescuer, fearless, etc.)
  • What greeting (type of greeting) do you receive from your pet?
  • When did you first realize this special connection to your pet was more than an owner/pet relationship?
  • How would you describe that connection and its development over time?
  • What unique expression(s) or action(s) communicate this connection?
  • What events—during the life of this pet—have demonstrated this connection?  (brought you to someone who needed help; rescued you; alerted you to something you can’t explain; etc.)
  • There are now verified benefits to inviting a pet into your life.  Review these and express your personal experience with your pet as you recognize these benefits in your own life.
  • Social benefits:  Members of families feel closer to one another and generally happier; Pets are excellent topics of conversation; Friendly interaction with other people—pet owners and non-pet owners alike.
  • Physical benefits:  Calming effect, especially after a major physical event; Decreased blood pressure and stress levels; Reduction of minor health issues and/or need to see a doctor; Increase in physical activity, strength and wellness.
  • Emotional benefits:  Unique companionship after the loss of a family member or close friend; Less depression, anxiety and fear; A consistent uplifting effect that carries over to a willingness to step beyond ourselves and help others.

Although yet-to-be-completed, I have one client who is using this list to write a book dedicated to her best friend—a dog whose breed will remain unidentified until the whole story is lived, written, edited and self-published.  This author often tells me that she knows that God, Himself, sent this animal into her life for many purposes and, “some (if not most) of those purposes just might bless other people, too.”

These types of projects are just one of the many reasons I love working with self-publishing authors.  What they reveal are the moments in life when a person actually stops, identifies and shares the beautiful things in life—the gifts that enrich us and bring us joy.

Royalene 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.
Conversations with a Self-Publishing Writer, Royalene Speaks, Uncategorized

Friday Conversations With A Self-Publishing Writer 8/9/13

I love working with Memoir writers!

Just this morning, I spoke with a gentleman who is “just about ready” to begin the process of telling his Granddad’s life story and wants to be prepared to self-publish it “because the New York Library folks are waiting.” WOW! That is the first time I’ve heard about a library historian contacting someone and requesting a detailed manuscript.

“I don’t want a bunch of pages that have no life to them,” he continued. “There will be personal photos and historical references; even illustrations of tools that only exist in museums now.” Needless to say, I’m very excited to begin this project. I gave him my short outline of topics hoping that he will follow my suggestion and sort his “box full” of materials into category-specific file folders.

When I created my own mother’s Memoir book, I jumped into the project with little organization and no thought of self-publishing. Since then I’ve learned many lessons and realize that even if a person has no living blood-relatives, the historians of our world crave detailed stories of “real lives.” My local history librarian reminds me often: “Every person has unique experiences and life-lessons to share and the people walking the earth today need to know them.”

So to those who are considering writing a Memoir—your own or that of a family member—here is my short list of File Topics to get you started.

  •  Start with photos; a favorite picture of the main “character.” Then add all the photos you can find—even photos you don’t think you’ll actually use—as often a part of picture can be cropped to enhance the story.
  • Collect copies of documents. Birth certificates, marriage licenses, graduation certificates, baptism announcements, ID cards from military service and/or companies worked for, award certificates, driver’s licenses, etc.
  •  Print out the Family Tree. Just looking over the growth of this tree is exciting and gives valuable information.
  •  People in My Life. This file is really fun to build. I’ve seen a bit of everything in here including a photo torn in half with a note attached that said, “Missing piece is a reminder of my best boy-friend who moved away when I was 11 and we never saw each other again. I kept this half—the picture of him—and he has the other half, the picture of me.”
  •  States lived in. This can later be expanded to the trail taken by parents, grandparents…etc.
  • Education and Extra-curricular activities…
  • Marriage and Children…
  •  Faith and Beliefs…
  • Career(s) and Stewardship of Finances
  • My favorite…books, TV shows, movies, radio stations, etc.…and why.
  • Maturity (at any age)
  • Tough Times and Victories
  • The Legacy I hope to pass forward

These topics are then extended into numerous categories which become specific to your story as it is developed. This is where a ghostwriter can be of assistance. The old cliché quote, “No man is an island,” (John Donne, 1624) remains especially true in this genre of writing. The Memoir writer is so close to the events and emotional connections that often valuable pieces are lost. Building your Memoir with an unrelated writer who has experience in this field can create magic in the memories.

Royalene 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.
Conversations with a Self-Publishing Writer, Royalene Speaks, Uncategorized

Friday Conversations With A Self-Publishing Writer 8/2/13

A short time ago I walked into my favorite bookstore just to see if my self-publishing client’s book was on their shelves—and there it was—the bright, eye-catching cover facing forward for the world to see!  I immediately texted her.  Her response was immediate, and with great excitement, of course.  There is nothing like that feeling of knowing that real readers will be hearing your voice speak from those pages.

With that smile still on my face I wandered through the aisles breathing in the book-paper-print scent that was flavored by a hint of coffee—definitely a perfect day.  I had walked myself right into the aisle of support books for writers.  All the shelves, top to bottom, held books containing facts and strategies “every writer needs to know.”  Really?  Does a writer need all this information?  That felt intimidating to me.

I’d been in my own little writing-world for so long—surrounded by my writing workshop friends and working with self-publishing clients—that I’d lost the perspective of the new writer.  If I was just beginning, just wondering how I would go about writing the book that was gnawing at me in my dreams, what would I do?  Would I be fenced-in by all these advice books, unable to move past the “Start Here” chapter?

When I began my writing career, there were very few “how to” books for writers.  Of course, there were the textbooks of academia, but even reading their Table of Contents disillusioned me.  However, one excellent piece of advice I received came from a professor of Latin American Literature Studies.  We were seated—talking—in the Writing Room of the University Library.  “It’s all in the Introduction of a book for me,” he said.  “If I connect with the writer’s topic and voice, or writing style, as revealed there then I buy the book.”

So it is that I now pass forward that recommendation; embellished a little, of course.

  1. Write your Introduction first.  Not only does this create a natural outline for the writing process, it is also the place where the Reader meets the Writer.
  2. Let your passion speak loudly in these few paragraphs.
  3. Tell the Reader how useful this book will be to them—now and in the future.
  4. Tell them that they will learn something valuable.
  5. Let them know that they will be INSPIRED.
  6. If you have a keyword or phrase that speaks to the essence of what you’re writing be sure to place it in the first and last paragraphs—and in at least one or two central paragraphs in the body of the Introduction.  But be careful—do not beat the Reader with it.
  7. Then, as you write the book, return to the Introduction several times and enhance it to match what you’re writing.  The process of creating your book involves your personal inspiration, so the Introduction will need refreshing.

Write ON, Writers

Royalene 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.