Category: Uncategorized

Kelly Speaks, Uncategorized

4 Reasons to Self-Publish This Easter

Holidays can be an excellent source of motivation and inspiration, and many great books center around a specific holiday. Here are four reasons you should self-publish this Easter.

1. Children’s Books

Holiday themed books are especially popular among children’s book authors because teachers, parents, and kids love to read books related to what children are experiencing at that time. Perhaps you could write a book Sunday school teachers could use to teach kids about Easter, or you could create a funny bunny story that plays with alliterations, metaphors, and other writing techniques so teachers could use the book in writing lessons.

2. Adult Books

Holiday themes aren’t just for children. Many adult books centered around a holiday also have success. There are countless possibilities depending on your interests, non-fiction, Christian fiction, mystery, romance, poetry, and more. Let the holiday inspire you, and be creative.

3. Time to Write

Most people have time off from work near Easter. This long weekend is a great opportunity to work on your book. Use this extra time to brainstorm ideas, finish your manuscript, start a new writing project, or begin the self-publishing process.

4. Family and Friends

Most people are surrounded by family and friends during the holidays. This is a great opportunity to get the support and motivation you need to complete your writing project. This Easter, tell your family and friends about your writing goals and the projects you are working on. Their enthusiasm and support will help you through the process.

I’d love to know, what are your favorite holiday themed books?

ABOUT KELLY SCHUKNECHT: Kelly Schuknecht is the 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 at http://kellyschuknecht.com.
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.
Conversations with a Self-Publishing Writer, Royalene Speaks, Uncategorized

Friday Conversations With A Self-Publishing Writer 4/11/14

OH MY GOSH! My hands are so full! The two-year-old just pulled the pile of clean laundry onto the floor where the dog threw up! My phone is vibrating in my pocket and the computer is dinging with incoming messages. The crockpot has run dry and the stew is burning. My coffee is cold and the snow outside is at least eight inches deep. Is it really vital that I shovel a path to the mailbox? Today?

I don’t suppose any other writer has experienced this conundrum. Right? Well, I’m guessing that most of us have at least a passing memory of such days—unless, of course, you might be an Ernest Hemingway who sat back and came up with quotes like, “Never confuse movement with action.” He may have been suggesting that it takes a lot of sitting and thinking to produce literature, yet I do wonder how he ever got those books written.

Time and time again I see the truth of another concept as stated in this quote from Lucille Ball (actress/comedian): “If you want something done, ask a busy person to do it. The more things you do, the more you can do.” THAT is how I see my author friends in the midst of their creative process—BUSY with life and living! So, when someone throws a red flag in my direction and tells me that finishing their book is “just impossible,” they will see my hand raised in stop-sign motion. Don’t EVER think in that direction! There are just too many support avenues to help a writer over the speed bumps. SO…if you’re feeling weighed down with the “can’t make its” here are a few tips.

  • Pick up a BOOK! If you have a true favorite book (mine is the ROBE by Lloyd C. Douglas), pull it off the shelf and start reading! Not only will this alert everyone around you that you’re entering “quiet-time,” the story will take you to marvelous places.
  • IF your “hands” are really too full, talk to your family and ask for help. You are a very important person in their lives and I believe (and I’m rarely wrong-ha!) that they will step up and DO some of those chores—taking you out of the pressure cooker. That is better than any “bubble bath moment” you’ve ever experienced!
  • Call a writing friend. Don’t talk about the problems you might be facing! Talk about their book project. Not only will their efforts re-energize you, they will probably ask about your characters (or plot or setting) and you’ll find yourself making notes to use the minute you’re off the phone.
  • If you’ve reached the point of selecting a publisher, talk to your support team. Their inspired ideas for the production of your book will motivate you, too.

Finally, the best resource you’ll ever find is TOMORROW. There is only so much any human being can fit into one day. So get a good night’s sleep and remember that the giant trees of tomorrow (your books) are planted by the seeds of today.

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.
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.
Kelly Speaks, Uncategorized

Poetry Styles Explained

April is National Poetry Month. In honor of this, I encourage everyone to try their hand at writing poetry this month, even if you usually shy away from this genre. To help you get started, here is an overview of some of the popular poetry styles.

Ballad

A typical ballad is a plot-driven song with one or more characters and a dramatic ending. This form uses the show, don’t tell approach to writing. Examples include Ballad of the Goodly Fere by Ezra Pound and  The Rime of the Ancient Mariner by Samuel Taylor Coleridge.

Blues Poem

This is one of the most popular forms of American poetry. It stems from the African American oral tradition. It often discusses difficult topics. Examples include Riverbank Blues by Sterling A. Brown and The Weary Blues by Langston Hughes.

Epic

An epic is a long, often book-length, narrative in verse form that retells the heroic journey of a single person, or group of persons. One of the most famous examples of an epic is The Odyssey by Homer.

Haiku

A traditional Japanese haiku is a three-line poem with seventeen syllables, written in a 5/7/5 syllable count. Haikus often focus on images from nature.

Limerick

This form is popular among children’s authors. Limericks are often comical, and they consist of five lines that adhere to a strict rhyme scheme. These poems are easy to memorize. Nursery rhymes are often considered limericks.

Sonnet

The sonnet is a fourteen-line poem written in iambic pentameter. It adheres to one of several rhyme schemes. Two well-known sonnet forms are the Petrachan and the Shakespearean.

To learn more about poetry styles, visit Poets.org. It is an excellent resource for all poets.

I’d love to know, what is your favorite style of poetry?

ABOUT KELLY SCHUKNECHT: Kelly Schuknecht is the 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 at http://kellyschuknecht.com.