Jodee Speaks – Page 4 – Self Publishing Advisor

Top 5 Reasons to Self-Publish in December

With the chaos of the holiday season, 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.

1. You can save money.

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.

2. You can give yourself the perfect gift.

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

3. You’ll have 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 means plenty of time to accomplish your yearly marketing and sales goals.

4. You can get a jump start on your to-do list.

If you are reading this, “publishing a book” is probably on your 2015 to-do list. Start the year off right by crossing it off the list before the ball drops on New Year’s Eve.

5. You can be a part of a great trend.

The publishing industry continues to change, and self-publishing is increasingly popular and more respected. You can be a part of this movement by self-publishing.

I’d love to know, do you plan to self-publish in December? If so, why?

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-Publishing, A Reason to Be Thankful

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 reasons I am thankful for self-publishing.

1. Freedom of Expression

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. Creative 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. Quick Turnaround

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?

Jodee Speaks, Uncategorized

6 Self-Publishing Don’ts

Unfortunately, some people have a negative perception of self publishing. This is because some self-publishing authors make detrimental mistakes that prevent their books from being taken seriously. If you want to be seen as a professional author with a successful book, be sure to avoid these six self-publishing don’ts:

1. Don’t attempt to create print-ready files if you don’t already possess that particular skill set.

You’re a writer; not a book designer. Leave this task to the professionals and focus your time on writing and promoting your book.

2. Don’t skip the professional copyediting.

No matter how great of a writer you are, you cannot edit your own work! It is too easy to miss mistakes because you are too familiar with your work. This task requires a professional. It is worth paying for professional editing services .

3. Don’t skip the custom cover design.

Most readers judge a book by its cover, so having an eye-catching, quality cover that professionally represents your book is essential. Most template covers will look and feel like a cookie cutter design, even if you make small changes to it. Invest in a professionally designed, dynamic custom cover unique to your book.

4. Don’t forget the back cover text.

Once you are ready to self-publish your book, one of the first things you’ll be asked for is your back cover synopsis and author biography. Don’t just throw something together without much thought! Readers will look at this and determine whether or not they should buy your book.

5. Don’t rush.

Sure, you are excited to self-publish your book, but don’t rush. Producing a quality book takes time. Be patient now, and you will be glad you did once you have a book to be proud of.

6. Don’t give up.

Some authors get so overwhelmed by all the options available to them when choosing a self-publishing company that they just give up. That doesn’t have to be you. Do your research, spend some time thinking about the decision, and then trust your gut. Don’t let fear stop you.

There are many great self publishing success stories! You can be one of them by avoiding these mistakes.

Jodee Speaks

To All Veterans, Thank You

I spent 13-years as a contractor with the Department of Defense working in a variety of locations: Germany, England, Hungary, Bosnia, Turkey, Spain, Italy, Hawaii and New Mexico. This work put me in day-to-day contact with military personnel and gave me personally a HUGE appreciation for veterans – for what they do and what they sacrifice, so today, I’d like to take the time to say thank you to all of the veterans who have served our country. I truly appreciate the sacrifices you have made and admire your courage, strength, and dedication.

In the past, I’ve encouraged writers to honor soldiers by self-publishing stories about them, but today I want to encourage all soldiers, whether they consider themselves writers or not, to share their stories. Each of you has a story to share. Whether it is a love story, a war story, or just general reflections on the time you served, people want to read it.

I think it is important that people get the opportunity to learn many versions of events, especially first-hand tales from those who were there. I also think writing and story telling is a great way to heal, remember, and honor. The American people don’t want to just hear stories from the media. They want to hear stories from the soldiers who were there!

Now, you may be thinking, but I don’t write, and that is okay. You can self-publish a book even if you don’t consider yourself a writer. There are professional ghostwriters out there who would love to help you turn your story into a great book. There are also amazing editors, illustrators, and marketing professionals who can help you be successful.

In honor of Veterans Day, I leave you with this message: share your story. People want to know it, and only you can tell it.

Jodee Speaks, Uncategorized

What Election Day and Self-Publishing Have in Common

Tomorrow is election day. I hope everyone takes the opportunity to exercise their right to vote and think about all the freedoms our country allows us. One of those great freedoms is the freedom of expression, and self-publishing gives authors more access to that freedom as well as more freedom during the publishing process. Here’s how:

1. Freedom of Content

With traditional publishing, editors are looking for content that appeals to the mainstream, commercial market. If your book does not fit this need, regardless of the quality of your writing or idea, it’s likely your manuscript will be rejected. That’s the business side of publishing, but self-publishing helps writers overcome this barrier. It allows authors to share their stories, opinions, knowledge, advice, and more, even if it is different from what’s popular at the moment.

2. Creative Freedom

When working with traditional publishers, authors usually lose a great deal of creative freedom once an editor accepts their manuscript. They are often asked to edit their manuscripts to match the editor’s vision. They have no say in cover art or illustrations. Decisions are based on what editors believe will sell rather than what the author’s vision is. With self-publishing, authors make the decisions during every step of the process.

3. Financial Freedom

Many self-publishing companies allow authors to set their prices and give authors 100% of their royalties. This is not the case with traditional publishers.

In honor of election day, start your self-publishing project and enjoy all the freedoms available to you.

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