Category: Uncategorized

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

Friday Conversations With A Self-Publishing Writer 10/17/14

CRITICAL THINKING-WRITING

Writing with critical thinking methods is often a challenge for me, especially when experiencing multiple emotional events.  However, clients call and projects must be completed.  Thankfully, I’ve developed a few steps that quickly get me back on track (usually).  My top three are:

DO whatever it takes to get to the office! Sitting myself down in front of the computer and resting my hands on the keyboard brings my focus to the table (as some folks say), and sets my thoughts in motion.  I like my office environment.  It has a big window overlooking a greenbelt with cottonwood and cloud vistas that always inspire me.  My desk surrounds me in a horseshoe shape—2/3rds working area, 1/3rd bookshelf/computer/printer stations.  A window-seat is covered with an eclectic collection of blankets to accommodate our two old-lady-cats.  It’s MY PLACE to write; my place to connect with the writing flow.  If you’re a multitasker, you probably have several projects going at once, so my next “get-organized” step will be an absolute for you.

Surround yourself with your immediate, must-get-done-now projects. I start at the corner of my desk to my left, laying out each file as they come into my hand, and continuing until they are all visible—OR—I’ve reached the telephone (which is the last available desktop space).  Now, catch your breath.  Didn’t know you had so many, did you?  Personally, I combine my client projects AND my personal projects in this grouping.  Each one is important to me and my clients, and the simple act of laying them out has already given me an inkling of the order in which they must be completed.  Yep—rearrange them in that order.  Some will be more immediate than others because of the DUE BY dates.  Others will filter to the top because of the client need or expectations.  And occasionally, a book project pulls itself up the timeline because of my personal interests—which leads me to the next step.

Allow your writer’s curiosity to move a project closer to the front of the line. Our world and the people in it offer infinite opportunities for discovery and infinite subjects to write about.  So whether you’re assisting someone in developing their book, or writing your own, open your heart and mind with the curiosity key that will open new doors.  Exploring “where others have not gone before” is exciting; an adventure that will not only enhance the writing of the current project, but will also cultivate seedlings for many new ones.

And, the last step (for today) is to KEEP your sense of perspective.  If one of your book projects looms TOO BIG before you, it probably needs to be cut down to size—literally.  It may actually be a two or three book series.  And, from a personal perspective, projects like that can cause us to become “unbalanced” in time-management.  If one client (one topic, one editor, one co-author, etc.) becomes TOO needy, the time needed to actually complete that project can evaporate.  SO…do the “scale from one to ten” measurement, with one being your opportunity to watch a sunrise and ten being the outbreak of thermonuclear war because you didn’t get the resolution response written.  WHERE do your projects fit along that scale?  I’m guessing that none will reach the ten-level.

Now, take another deep breath and relax. All your writings WILL be completed in due time!  The old saying that “to everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven,” is true.  The season for your book to be written and published is right now and into tomorrow!

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 10/10/14

PERSONAL THOUGHTS…

In my previous blog entry I spoke about the concept of allowing the writer within us to move beyond “empathy” (concerning other authors) and look for the insights we can discover from their lives.  Well, in the past several days, I’ve been plopped is circumstances that gave me yet another perspective with new opportunities to do just that—take those thought-walks in someone else’s work-boots and experience new insights. My husband was hospitalized for knee-replacement surgery—which went well. However, there were some unexpected complications.  (He’s doing much better today, is out of the hospital and in rehab for which we are so thankful!)  Today is my first day back at the computer for any length of time.  It feels good!

I’m one of those sit-beside-the-hospital-bed types of people and I actually have a “go bag” that contains sealed eating utensils, packages of Kleenex, pens, a notebook and (of course) reading materials.  As my husband and I visited last night, he mentioned that one of the hospital’s housekeeping staff asked him about the books we were reading.  Several of the nurses and CNA’s had also commented about our selection of books.  During those conversations we all learned a little more about each other—seeing each other for the uniquely individual people we are—AND CONNECTING with the BOOKS, their authors, and the concepts (insights) presented within them.

My husband and I are daily readers of a little book titled: JESUS CALLING.  Yep, it’s written by a Christian—Sarah Young—which I hope won’t discourage you from reading it.  Her example to writers of all genres is incalculable.  She and her husband live in Perth, Western Australia, often called the most isolated city in the world.  Sarah also experiences the physical challenges of ongoing battles with ill health.  However, she IS A WRITER, and an encourager, and the combination of those two elements keep her at the computer.  In one interview she said: “I am convinced that if I had been healthier I would not have been able to write this book.  It chronicles my journey from discouragement to hope.  There seems to be a sense of hopelessness creeping into many people’s mindsets as they look at problems in their lives and in world events.  But Hope is available—no matter what is happening around us.”

The other book I was reading—while sitting in that “comfortable” guest chair—is ONE NATION: What We Can All Do To Save America’s Future by Ben Carson.  One of our daughter’s gave us her copy knowing how concerned we are about our USA, and our efforts to keep informed.  I haven’t finished the book yet, but each chapter has offered me insight, perspective and encouragement.  If you don’t know this author’s “story,” you’re missing out, because he is not only an example of overcoming poverty, but of overcoming outburst-anger issues and low self-esteem.  So many authors throughout history have dealt with such issues and fallen prey to them.  Mr. Carson demonstrates the multi-ladder-steps to personal, community, career and national success.  I am now excited to read ALL his BOOKS.

And so it can be for you! Readers will be excited to bring your books into their homes and share them with everyone they know.  Of course, you must write them—and get them published!  There is no time like TODAY to do it!

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.
Uncategorized

Navigating the Network | The Art of Self Promotion (part II)

Last Wednesday, I sketched out a few of the challenges facing self published authors looking to build their brands in the digital marketplace, and I made specific note of how great social networks can be as tools of self promotion.  A well-curated Facebook page or an oft-updated Twitter feed are two of the easiest and most effective ways of getting your name out there, and they have the added benefit of costing nothing but the blood, sweat, and tears of setup and day-to-day maintenance.  But what can you do to build your brand outside of these new and occasionally glitch-prone websites?

Here’s the tricky part to understand.

2. Social networks are not the only tools.

It would be tempting to read omnipotence into the sheer pervasiveness of social media.  But given how much time they can take to set up and use, much less to cultivate into an important part of an author’s portfolio of self-promotional options, it may not be entirely practical to make it your sole platform.  Consider the warning implicit in the age-old eggs-and-basket idiom, and sketch out a quick cost–benefit analysis on the back of a napkin, with the word “cost” standing in for the time and energy taken away from other pursuits, including, well, writing!  You should never dismiss the viability of papering the town,  literally, or turning to a third party for advice and assistance.  Print flyers, write letters, solicit reviews, sign books, distribute ARCs, and put ads in magazines and newspapers.  You may not have as much experience putting together a press kit as a big publishing firm, but with a little legwork you can still put your name out there in a way that makes for meaningful returns––and all outside of social media.  I’ll come back to many of these points in future blog posts, but for now, suffice it to say: don’t give up on the physical distribution of physical promotional materials just because social networking websites exist!

3. Social networks are not the only networks.

“Social network” is a bit of a misnomer, because we automatically tend to associate the term with the internet.  But the word social––present in both social network and social media––should never be translated as applying only to digital platforms.  So when I say “social networks are not the only networks,” I guess what I mean to say is actually “you have as many meaningful social contacts offline as you do online”––and you should make use of them.  And while publications like Mashable and Wired are continually asking whether or not we’re sacrificing actual (read: offline) relationships in favor of those built through social media, studies continue to show that we seek out, require, and learn best from real-world interactions.  Internet-based social networks are usually an extension of, not an alternative to, traditional networks.

What does this have to do with self-publishing?  Well, consider using your offline networks as much as you do your online ones.  Calling up your friends and family members, and asking them if they have time to help out––either in distributing promotional materials, or generating them.  Do not undervalue the importance of the everyday interaction.  Not every conversation needs to be a sales pitch––in fact, that kind of approach can alienate your listeners more often than not––but your book is an important presence in your life, and a genuine word or two in the right context can sometimes do more than a hundred contextless tweets.  Your ultimate goal, on or off the computer, is to involve readers in your world and in your story.

Check back every Wednesday to read more about the art of self promotion!  Here’s last week’s post, the first in this series.  Next week, we’ll be wrapping up the all-important five starting points of self promotion by looking at what else is requisite in the process––and what to expect moving forward.

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

KellyABOUT 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.
Jodee Speaks, Uncategorized

Copyright Basics, Part III: How long does copyright protection endure?

One of the most confusing parts of publishing for many authors is copyright laws. To address the common copyright questions I am often asked, I will be writing a copyright basics series every week for the month of September. See the end of the post for links past posts you may missed, and be sure to check back each week for answers to more of your copyright questions.

How long does copyright protection endure?

This depends on when the work was created and published:

Works Originally Created on or after January 1, 1978

A work that was created (fixed in tangible form for the first time) on or after January 1, 1978, is automatically protected from the moment of its creation and is ordinarily given a term enduring for the author’s life plus an additional 70 years after the author’s death. In the case of a joint work prepared by two or more authors,  the term lasts for 70 years after the last surviving author’s death. For works made for hire, and for anonymous and pseudonymous works (unless the author’s identity is revealed in Copyright Office records), the duration of copyright will be 95 years from publication or 120 years from creation, whichever is shorter.

Works Originally Created Before January 1, 1978, But Not Published or Registered by That Date

These works have been automatically brought under the statute and are now given federal copyright protection. The duration of copyright in these works is generally computed in the same way as for works created on or after January 1, 1978.

Works Originally Created and Published or Registered before January 1, 1978

Under the law in effect before 1978, copyright was secured either on the date a work was published with a copyright notice or on the date of registration if the work was registered in unpublished form. In either case, the copyright endured for a first term of 28 years from the date it was secured. During the last year of the first term, the copyright was eligible for renewal. The Copyright Act of 1976 extended the renewal term from 28 to 47 years for copyrights that were subsisting on January 1, 1978, for a total term of protection of 75 years.

It also worth noting that some publishing companies have their own policies in regards to publishing works in the public domain. Be sure to contact your self-publishing company for detailed information.

 To learn more about copyright law, visit copyright.gov.

Copyright Basics, Part I: What is copyright and who can claim copyright?

Copyright Basics, Part II: What works are and are not protected?

Copyright Basics, Part III: How does one secure a copyright and is it required for publication?

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

Friday Conversations With A Self-Publishing Writer 9/26/14

OLD SCHOOL ANTICS

Have you been accused of that lately? Writing old school concepts or using old school style?  The first time I heard that (directed at someone else) I bristled.  The reading I’d just listened to—from the writings of a fellow student—had engaged and inspired me.  But the professor wanted to make a point and so he did. “Although your facts are most likely accurate,” he pronounced, “your sentence structures and concept development is old school, using too much emotionalism.”  And bah-humbug to you, too, I mumbled under my breath.  The instructor’s comments that day pushed my own writing goals in the opposite direction of his “modern-path-of-writing,” and led me to study (and enjoy) many of the old school authors.

By the time I became a teacher myself, I selected semester reading lists including authors Agatha Christie, Charles Dickens, C.S. Lewis, Mark Twain and Louisa May Alcott. Everyone groaned upon hearing Charles Dickens’ name and the specific book title: Hard Times.  However, there was a method to my madness.  My hope rested in my students’ abilities to discover the beautifully developed writing styles and logical thinking techniques presented by these old school authors.  You see, writers (in every existing genre) are “teachers of ideas.”  It is the readers who decipher the words and place the concepts in the most appropriate resource files, whether they do so consciously or not.

The three following points help us begin to think logically about the books we read—and write, of course—but especially the books we keep and/or use as resources.

  • WHAT DO YOU KNOW about the author? Are your opinions based on someone else’s quick review of the writer’s works in-part or as a whole? Did you quickly form an opinion from one book you read by that author, then sealed that judgment for all future reference? The closed-door can become a wall and then a fortress unless one opens it. So, research the lives—the histories—of the authors you read. If you’re one who enjoys creating outlines, build a timeline (from birth to death), adding the personal and historic events that occurred within their sphere of existence—what they would have been exposed to.
  • DO YOU HAVE AN OLD LIST of word-labels that have been attached to that author and his writings? Fold a piece of paper in half (lengthwise) and write those words on one side. After you’ve completed your personal research about this author, take a little time and consider those words and their multiple meanings. Do they really (accurately) fit him—as a person and writer? Turn your empathy ON and walk through his life beside him. Keep an open mind so that you can observe the truth about the circumstances he experienced and his human reaction—the imprints that were set in place—which, in turn, developed his writing style and the perspectives that birthed the plots, settings and characters in his books. Then write your own “labels” opposite those on that sheet of paper and compare them. You’ll find interesting differences.
  • NOW ALLOW YOURSELF to move beyond empathy to insights. Can you see the logical progression of actions and events, people connections and environmental/cultural surroundings that are sown into the writings of this author? Tapping into your personal ability to discover these aspects will develop your writing skills to a whole new level. HOW EXCITING IS 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.