Royalene Speaks – Page 36 – Self Publishing Advisor

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

Friday Conversations With A Self-Publishing Writer 7/11/14

OPP—Other People’s Photography

In the early months of this year, I began working with a client who is a professional photographer in the art world. His second book will be available in late August or early September—both are self-published. He is considering re-publishing the first (through my favorite self-publishing group) in order to take advantage of the new marketing methods. I am extremely excited for him; not only because his art-photography is exceptional, but also because he is doing the manuscript preparation work in order to promote excellence in photography within the next generations. An amazing legacy, indeed!

As he and I are crafting his book—placement of photographs with his accompanying verses—he has reminded me of the beauty of our surroundings. Even the simplest of things (such as a garden crocus or ripples at the water’s edge) can bring peace and inspiration to the viewer. So it is that once again I am justified in storing the hundreds (well, maybe a thousand or more) photos I’ve collected over the years. Some of these saved photographic treasures are in calendar form, giving me a vision of castle estates in Ireland; waterfalls from Argentina, New Zealand; the mountains of Colorado; and space views from the Hubble Telescope.

I’m just sayin’ do you have your own photo collection yet? If not, why not? I am one of those folks who is just not a world-traveler and yet I love seeing the world and learning as much about it as my brain can absorb. Then, when I’m writing (creatively constructing) a scene—whether from someone’s real life or within a fictional setting—I can look through my photo collection and visualize the place. I can imagine the sounds within that environment, the tastes in the air and the texture of grasses, trees, stone walls, pine fences, etc.

Here are a few ways I’ve learned to categorize my photos so that I can find them when needed; there is nothing worse than not being able to locate images when you need them.

Family pictures (always top on my list)
Parks and “playgrounds” (the concept of playgrounds can be most anything that reminds you of where you’ve had FUN, such as amusement parks, hiking trails, backyard BBQs, dances, theatre performances etc.)
Trees: this is a “seasonal” collection for me; but for the tree expert this could also be categorized by tree species.
Clouds: weather patterns create amazing cloud formations that can “tell” all sorts of fanciful stories.
Places: this category can be divided into multiple sub-categories such as—houses/castles, barns, landmarks, streets (famous and not-so-famous), state capitols, bridges…and lots of others that only you will notice.
Sunrises/Sunsets: these two times of the day seem to inspire me and many authors.
Space (as in Outer Space)…where more humans will travel.
Critters: I have shared my life with several 4-legged friends. Their antics can stir up most any flat story scene.

Of course, there are as many photo collection categories as there are photographers and authors. Each and every one will help us motivate the writing gifts within us. WRITE ON, fellow authors. WRITE ON!

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 7/04/14

PERSONAL SNAPSHOT

I love the idea of utilizing personal photos to inspire writings. I don’t mean the family portraits (although those are excellent memory-making-moments in themselves). I mean the candid, spur-of-the-moment ones that catch folks off guard or the scenic ones that touch heart, mind and spirit and renew remembrances of events-of-the-time. As you might imagine, reviewing photos such as these are excellent ways to develop memoirs. Several of my friends/clients have built marvelous memoir manuscripts and published them in various formats. However, they are also great “starters” for creating books of poetry, children’s picture books, cookbooks and pet stories.

When working with a recent true story, my starting point to understand the heart of this person’s life was seeing the photo of a cemetery headstone. The inscription and design selected as forever statements about that person were crucial in helping the author tell her story. She could have sent me the wording and a word-description of the design, but seeing it brought about a whole new level of understanding.

Years ago, I helped my Dad create a cookbook—JRs Memorable Meals. He became the “family chef” when his work hours allowed him to arrive at home an hour or more before my mother (who also worked full-time). The method we used to help him remember his cooking adventures—and the recipes he used—were mostly our family photos. Even remembering the refrigerator helped him recall ingredients. However, other cooking adventures were triggered by events surrounding his service in the Navy during WWII. Putting that book together was a special time between us—one that I will remember with fondness—his “cookin’” sown into future generations.

Psychologists and sociologists will quickly acknowledge the valuable connections made when looking through photo albums with the people they are supporting. What a person notices and actually takes a picture of opens many doors. Years later the view behind the moment of that photo is still there to be explored. Often there is an emotional reaction from both the original photographer and the people seeing it at any given moment. The story discovered there—interpreted and re-interpreted—can be truly amazing.

So…when I’m struggling with my own, personal writings I take a Photo-Break. I look through my computer files of photos—scenic and family photos—and before long my mind is relaxed enough to write, write and write some more. I recommend this to my clients, too. Whether I’m ghostwriting a book for them, or helping them finish a book project they’re about to self-publish, taking a photo-journey is an excellent way to move forward.

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

Friday Conversations With A Self-Publishing Writer 6/27/14

TYPE FASTER!

Last month I attended an awards banquet for authors. I was so excited to see such a variety of unconventional writers being recognized. These were folks who wrote with passion, flamboyance and flare that could only come from their pens. They inspired me! Then, a few days later, I recalled a quote from one of my favorite authors, Isaac Asimov. Remember him? He’s the American author (and professor of biochemistry) who “saw” the world and universe in such unique ways and reached millions of readers through his science fiction books. To writers then and now, Asimov spoke clearly these words of encouragement: “If my doctor told me I had only six minutes to live, I wouldn’t brood. I’d type a little faster.”

Asimov has given me another level of encouragement, too; one that has pushed me (personally) outside of the genre box that first enclosed me. He wrote in multiple genres: science textbooks; popular science; essays; mystery; scientific science fiction and social science fiction. And he also wrote literary criticism pieces. So for those of us who have painted ourselves into a corner—think again. The gift of writing we’ve been given has many functions! We need not be “nailed” to one genre!

When trying to encourage a friend (writer) several months ago—sharing the concept of not being “pegged” as only one type of author—I found myself stopping mid-sentence and then changing the subject. This particular friend was not hearing what was being said. Her mind was SET. She was a Romance Writer and that was all there was to it. And (sad for me), she believed that the only avenue of publication for her work was with the main-street publishers—the Houghton Mifflins and Random Houses. She had sent her manuscript and was waiting.

So it is, my friends, that as I write today’s blog, I am hoping you can see beyond the “blinders.” Look to your writings and re-discover them! What other genres do your topics suggest? My friend’s romance novel could have easily been enhanced with historical references and possibly action/adventure/mystery. Plus, her own experiences in the writing craft could be expanded into articles for writers’ magazines and ezines. Plus…Plus…Plus!

AND, don’t miss the opportunities of partnering with a self-publisher and their professional teams of layout designers, editors, marketing experts, etc. You will, of course, need to research the one’s labeled as “the best” or “fastest” or “least expensive.” QUALITY of product is what you’re looking for and having the personal power to make your own decisions is a great PLUS with these companies. Their self-publishing “business” is a “service” business that has become a true blessing in the lives of authors and readers, today.

So…type faster! Let those ideas flow! Get the books published and hold your dreams in your hands.

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

Friday Conversations With A Self-Publishing Writer 6/20/14

The 1^st ENTREPRENEURS—WERE WRITERS

Entrepreneur—Executive Director—free enterprise thinker—risk taker—adventurist—YES, the writer fits all these definitions. And these original–originals not only created “the story,” they self-published with their very own hands! Of course, their books were actually visible to only a few who happened to travel along those rock-wall-paths (petroglyphs). Today, we appreciate these first storytellers, journalists, event-of-the-day reporters from the perspective of ancient history. And yet they continue demonstrating our very real human need to communicate; the desire to share hopes and dreams; to warn others of dangers; the necessity to tell our stories. Authors today are carrying that legacy forward.

Each and every time I speak with a potential client (for ghostwriting or editorial consult) I am inspired by their story—the journey that carried them to the point of placing words on paper in preparation for publishing—their written hopes of sharing something of importance with others. This is, indeed, a grand adventure!

My earliest un-official clients were my parents, who started working with me to create their memoirs. Even though they’d shared a lifetime together, their perspectives were totally different. My mother’s main focus was family—not just the “ancestry”—but her family. Living in the historical time period of the Great Depression was the setting of her early childhood. She was a coalminer’s daughter who took on the responsibilities of “parenthood” for four younger siblings, saving pennies she’d earned (at age 10 and beyond) to buy each one something special. My dad’s perspective of those and later years was, of course, very different; I guess you might say it was from his “manly” point of view. And yet, seeing their memories written out in a memoir not only gave them satisfaction, it also left a legacy of lessons learned for me, my children and grandchildren, and potentially countless future generations.

In these many years since my ghostwriting/editorial consultant career beginnings, the authors I’ve been associated with have covered numerous genres—from cookbooks to poetry to spiritual insights and true stories—each utilizing the communication tool of book publishing. I can still remember a conversation shared during a writer’s workshop retreat that speculated about how personal computers “would hamper the ability of creative thought because writers would stop writing upon those wonderful legal-sized yellow tablets.” The group was divided about 25-75 in that opinion; 75% certain that the “process of handwriting” was the key to developing worthwhile material. Today, every one of them appreciates the “free flowing creativity” provided by computer and keyboard.

So it is that I see the partnership between author and self-publisher in much the same light. As stated last week, the self-publishing entrepreneurs of today are now providing yet another most valuable tool for us. They are coming along beside us so that we are more easily (and quickly) able to let our dreams—our inspired written creations—FLY!

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

Friday Conversations With A Self-Publishing Writer 6/13/14

WALK THIS WAY

Are you ready to PUBLISH? Maybe close to being ready? Knees knocking at the thought of sending out query letters to publishers or trying to find the right literary agent? As ancient outrigger pirates and outerspace starship captains are known to shout, “Belay THAT!”

Don’t you just love the word belay? It is one of those transitive/intransitive verbs that allow writers some creative latitude without totally making up our own definitions. SO, using the intransitive imperative form, I say, BELAY (stop/quit) focusing on your publishing fears! And, using the transitive form, I will add, BELAY! MAKE FAST (secure) your authorship plans with the goal of self-publishing!

At this very moment I have three clients—yes THREE—who are approaching the moment of being a published author through the avenue of self-publishing. One client (and I) have just completed her manuscript and submitted it to her TEAM of professionals for the finishing stages of this marvelous process. It is quite comforting to know that you (the author) have your own crew of talented and creative assistants who will help you navigate this brief voyage and make sure you and your book reach the shore with ease.

Over the last ten years or so I have queried, spoken with and worked with several self-publishing representatives in this growing industry which most folks are now calling the Print-on-Demand Publishing industry. They all have a vision toward the future that utilizes current printing technology at its peak performance while incorporating the professional skills and abilities of real people. I cannot explain how the technology works so I’ll let you research that for yourself. Wikipedia is always a good place to start. However, I can offer my opinion on why this industry is thriving.

First: As our world population grows—so grows the number of creatively inspired writers in all genres. This self-publishing industry is FILLING A NEED—offering the opportunity of publication to everyone.

Second: In the past, authors were forced to march-to-the-drum of the big publishing houses—and their editors. If a creatively addressed topic was sent to such a publisher and they actually considered printing it, their editorial process could (and often did) strip the heart right out of the original manuscript. However, the author had signed the editing agreement and learned to promote the book “as published.” Of course, other exciting manuscripts were “rejected” and never saw the light of day.

Third: Today, what was once called (disparagingly) “vanity press publishing,” is now Print-on-Demand Self-Publishing and a highly recognized and established business. The entrepreneurs of a generation ago picked up their dreams and developed what many are calling “a truly legitimate power to be reckoned with;” “an explosive and exciting arm of publishing” that will impact the publishing industry in positive ways for generations to come.

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