Category: Jodee Speaks

Jodee Speaks, Uncategorized

How Self-Publishing Authors Can Celebrate Earth Day

In honor of Earth Day next week, many of you may be looking for ways to reduce your carbon footprint. Self-publishing authors can help keep our planet clean, beautiful, and healthy by offering their readers an ebook version of their book. Here are a few reasons why self-publishing an ebook is a great idea.

  • Obviously, ebooks equal paperless, and less paper equals more trees. More trees equal a healthier, more beautiful environment.
  • E-readers, such as the Kindle and Nook, are becoming increasingly popular, so more and more readers are looking for ebooks.
  • Offering an ebook increases the chance that your book will appear in search results, which increases the chance that readers will purchase your book.
  • Ebooks offer your readers a quick and convenient way to purchase your book. Today’s market wants to be able to make purchases by simply clicking a button, and unlike ordering a paperback book, readers don’t have to wait for the book to arrive in the mail.

While there are many benefits to ebooks, I also recommend offering readers a paperback version. Despite the growing ebook trend, some readers still prefer paper books. You don’t want to limit your audience by only offering one format. Paperback books are also ideal for gifts and selling at conferences or other public speaking events.

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

Use Your Tax Return to Invest in Your Publishing Dreams

What a wonderful time we live in for the aspiring author! There was a time when a writer’s dream of being published remained just that — a dream.  Writers would spend countless hours preparing a pitch for their book, printing multiple copies of the manuscript and mailing it out to every traditional publisher.  Then their lifelong dream of being a published author was at the mercy of someone else’s opinion of their work.  They would wait months, or even a year, only to receive many rejection letters. More often than not, they never saw their dream come to fruition.

Then came self-publishing, and it has revolutionized the publishing industry.  Everything has changed!  Now any author who dreams of becoming a published author can make it happen.  And best of all, self-publishing has proven itself as a viable option that can still lead to lucrative earnings for the well-written and promoted book.  The negative stigma of self-publishing is a thing of the past.  No longer is it just for the “unpublishable” author.  Now it’s seen as a quick and easy path for proactive authors who hone in on their niche market, promote to that specific audience and deliver directly to them. Even successful authors who previously published with traditional publishers are recognizing the many benefits of self-publishing.

Is it your turn?  Taking that first step of purchasing a publishing package can be daunting, but maybe using your tax refund to take the plunge, instead of pulling from your savings or charging up a credit card, could be a great way to get your project off the ground. Self-publishing, much like traditional publishing, requires authors to invest their time, energy, and some of their money, but the payoff of seeing your name in print is worth the effort.

If funding your self-publishing project has been an obstacle, consider using your tax return to invest in yourself and your dream of becoming a self-published author. You won’t regret it!

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

5 Reasons to Self-Publish in April

After the crazy winter most of the country has experienced this year, it is great for spring to finally be here. In the weeks to come, the weather will finally start to warm up and flowers will start to bloom. Everyone will slowly start to come out of winter hibernation. After a dreary winter, April is the perfect time to breathe a breath of fresh air into your writing projects and begin self-publishing your book. Here are five reasons why April is a great month to self-publish your book.

1. You can put your tax refund to good use.

Instead of letting it sit in the bank or wasting it on material items you’ll forget in a month, invest in something great: yourself! Whether you’re a creative writer wanting to publish your debut novel or a professional wanting to increase your platform, publishing a book is a wonderful investment.

2. April is National Poetry Month.

April is the perfect time for poets to publish their collections. Take the jump, and do it in honor of all your favorite poets.

3. Spring is a time for new beginnings.

Spring is often associated with new beginnings and rebirth. So start your new beginning today by going from aspiring author to published author.

4. Celebrate April Fool’s Day by proving you’re not a “fool.”

Too often people dream of writing a book and never do it. Whether you want to share your family’s recipes, write the next best-selling young adult book, or build your credibility with a nonfiction book, now is the perfect time. Stop waiting for the right moment, and take the plunge.

5. Take advantage of promotions.

Every month, self-publishing companies offer promotions. This month, Outskirts Press is offering free Kindle and Nook Format with Diamond or Pearl packages.

I’d love to know, why did you decide to self-publish in April?

 

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

How to Spring Clean Your Manuscript

After a crazy winter, spring has finally arrived! Besides the warmer weather and longer days, there is another reason I love spring — it is the perfect season to produce fresh works of art. For some writers, this might mean starting a brand new project. For others, dusting off an old manuscript might be just the ticket.

If you have abandoned works rotting on the vine, don’t let them go to waste! Dig them out and see if a little spring cleaning is all they need. Follow these steps to freshen up your manuscript for spring self-publishing:

  • Awaken. It’s time to wake up and reassess that long-dormant manuscript. You may remember it as either utterly brilliant or complete rubbish (although I suspect if you considered it literary gold, you’d have self-published it by now). All writers feel one of those extremes about their own work just after completing it, and it’s almost never as good or bad as they think. Bring it out of deep freeze and give it one more chance.
  • Sow. Dig into each page like you’re reading it for the first time — and leave no stone unturned. Set aside whatever feelings or impressions you once had about your manuscript and look at it with fresh, new eyes. You’ll be much more objective about it now that time has passed. Pretend it’s someone else’s work, if that helps. You may find strokes of genius you didn’t recognize before.
  • Prune. Of course, along with unearthing forgotten brilliance, you’ll likely also find your fair share of thorny passages that inspire “What was I thinking?” moments. Time to yank the weeds and trim back “overgrowth” in your manuscript. Be merciless: This is one time when heavy spring pruning is OK.
  • Plant. Fill in the “bald patches” – elements of your story that require elaboration, such as further plot and character development. This is where you may choose to replant ugly, unhealthy portions that you pulled earlier.
  • Fertilize. Cultivate a plan to nurture those parts of your book that are weakest. Sprinkle it generously with notes about what changes you need to make as you review and review again; gradually, your writing and your overall story will grow more lush.
  • Cross-pollinate. Read the works of others. See a good movie, or listen to your favorite music. Exchange ideas with other writers. The idea is to borrow inspiration that will better inform your book.
  • Reap. Once all your efforts have born fruit in the form of a juicy new manuscript, take your product to market! There are surely plenty of readers who are hungry for what you have to offer.

Fresh eyes and a few good brainstorms may produce all the fertile ideas you need to turn that literary spring cleaning project into a sizzling summer read. Good luck!

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

5 Ways Writers Can Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day

Happy St. Patrick’s Day, everyone! This cultural holiday is a great opportunity to begin a new writing project or finally start the self-publishing process. Here are five ways self-publishing authors can celebrate St. Patrick’s Day.

1. Write a cookbook.

Food and drinks are one of the highlights of celebrating St. Patrick’s Day. If you are Irish, consider creating a cookbook of cultural recipes, or have a little fun, and write a cookbook filled with “green” recipes.

2. Celebrate the history.

Many people don’t know the history of St. Patrick’s Day. If you enjoy history, consider writing a non-fiction or historical fiction book inspired by the holiday.

3. Create an Irish character.

Regardless of what genre you write, do a writing exercise where you create an Irish character. Consider how they will look, talk, and act. Do a little research by talking to some Irish friends, reading books with Irish characters, or watching movies with Irish characters. Avoid creating a flat, stereotypical Irish character.

4. Learn a new skill.

To write great stories, writers need to experience life. These adventures inspire stories and help create believable settings, characters, and plots. In honor of St. Patrick’s Day, try something new such as learning Irish dancing or cooking an Irish dish.

5. Travel.

Travelling is another great way to bring new life to your writing. Book a trip to Ireland, or just visit an Irish pub you’ve never been to. Going somewhere different can spark your creativity, and help you create great stories.

I’d love to know, how do you plan to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day?

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.