Category: Uncategorized

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

Friday Conversations With A Self-Publishing Writer 2/07/14

FLASH-WRITING

Back in the day, when prose and poetry readings were encouraged at coffee houses—and listeners snapped their fingers instead of applauding—editors from publishing houses frequented many of those dark rooms.  A “literary renaissance” was “happening” as individual writers stepped into church basements and back-alley saloons to give their work a voice.  Some of those we still read today were published by forward-thinking, yet mainstream, publishers.

Today’s writers live in a New Universal Renaissance—the flow of actions, events and concepts that even the Internet cannot contain.  The cultures of our world’s populations are being developed—positively or negatively—even as I write this blog.  People, politics, mega-business, health industries, Faith centers and yes, even sports, create an ebb and flow that seems to carry the world away.  Who can possibly make sense of it all?  Writers!  You and me!  And we no longer have to scribble our writings on coffee-house napkins and see them disappear.  We have a much better option!  Self-publishing!

Sitting beside the advantage of self-publishing is the necessity to write well.  I’ve talked about being organized and researching and writing from the heart—and each of those elements are essential.  But HOW do we start? WHERE do we find that one thing worth writing about?  It comes from Flash-writing, of course!  Some folks—from the 60s—might call it stream-of-consciousness writing, and the concept is similar, but not quite the same.

The similar part looks like this:  Find a comfortable spot—maybe in a favorite room and/or chair—and set your coffee, tea or Bailey’s beside you.  If this place happens to be an inspiring location, that is even better (a park, library reading room, art museum).  Setting up beside a large window-with-a-view is also a good option.  Then grab your preferred writing tool—paper and pencil, laptop, or iPad and WRITE!  Write anything that comes to mind.  Doodle.  Draw.  Scribble.  Scrawl.  PLAY with words.  If a person (character) pops into your thoughts, write about them.  If you’ve always wanted to travel to Mars, start planning the trip.  Write…write…and write some more!  That is the basic stream-of-consciousness method.

My adaptation: DO all that in 15 minutes or less!  This is Flash-Writing, and I’ve had more success, personally, by exercising my creativity in flashes than from hours of trying to force stream-of-consciousness thoughts.  Have you seen a YouTube clip of a Mob Flash-dancing?  What FUN!  And fun is exactly what writing is all about.  When the fingers are moving and the ideas are racing, we are having fun!  And the most fun of all comes when we hold our completed book IN our hands.

Did you know that some of the most well received movies/films came from short (in some cases very short) stories?  There is a 640 page book by Stephanie Harrison—a university professor—telling the true stories of some of these authors who became famous by “flash-writing” their ideas and developing them into Short Stories.

SO…GO HAVE FUN!  Let your voice be heard!  Write a short story!  Write several short stories!  Make a collection of them and GET THEM PUBLISHED!

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

What the Super Bowl Can Teach You About Self-Publishing

If you watched any TV over the past week, you probably saw countless shows playing up the Super Bowl hype. Cooking shows were making special recipes, talk shows were interviewing football players, and news shows were giving sneak peeks at the best commercials. Even if you aren’t a football fan, you probably knew all about who was playing and possibly got caught up in the Super Bowl craze. The media was able to convert almost everyone, whether they were watching for the game or the commercial, to a “fan.”

What does this have to do with self-publishing? Successful self-publishing authors know that just like during the Super Bowl, marketing and branding are extremely important. Companies pay millions of dollars to market their products and services to Super Bowl viewers; while self-publishing authors don’t need a Super Bowl commercial, they can learn important lessons from the marketing experts.

1. Know your audience.

If you watched any of the Super Bowl commercials, you probably noticed a few popular themes appeared over and over again — fast cars, beer, and hot women, to name a few. That is because marketers know these things appeal to the majority of the viewing audience. When creating your marketing plan, it is important to know who your audience is, what is important to them, and how to get their attention.

2. Memorable is key.

Super Bowl commercials have one goal — to be memorable! It doesn’t matter if you hate or love the commercial; the company just wants people to remember it, and if they can get people talking about it, that’s even better. The more you see and hear about a product or service, the more likely are you to remember it when you are in the market for that product or service. The same is true when marketing a book. You want readers to see your book on a store shelf and say “Oh, I remember hearing about that book!”

3. Hype it up.

The week before the Super Bowl all the media channels were hyping it up. Everyone was talking it, and the topic was approached from a variety of angles to reach a large audience. By the time the game came, thousands and thousands of people were making Super Bowl snacks, hosting Super Bowl parties, wearing Super Bowl gear, and of course, watching the game. Some of these people may have never done those things if they hadn’t seen a great Super Bowl recipe online or heard a great idea on their favorite talk show. Approach marketing your book in the same way. Hype it up as much as you can. Get exposure in a variety of ways. Get creative about your marketing. Your goal is make people know about you and your book.

I’d love to know, how is the Super Bowl inspiring your self-publishing marketing plan?

ABOUT JODEE THAYER: With over 25 years of experience in sales and management, Jodee Thayer works as the Director of Author Services for Outskirts Press. The Author Services Department is composed of knowledgeable customer service reps, publishing consultants and marketing professionals; together, they all focus on educating authors on the self-publishing process in order to help them publish the book of their dreams and on assisting authors with marketing and promoting their book once published. 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 1/31/14

FRAMED…

In my field of ghostwriting and concept consulting/building, I truly enjoy working with autobiographies/biographies, memoirs, histories and philosophy/faith projects.  These nonfiction genres allow the authors to weave their own experiences into the pages and breathe life into the details.  Although classified as fact-based, true-life books, they really are stories that carry a personal impact connecting author and Reader.

A current client is struggling—BIG TIME—to “put all the pieces together” for her book.  There are years of scribbled notes literally jammed into shoeboxes, not to mention the bigger box that holds the many pages of research materials.  Because she has had several “false starts,” we at least have somewhere to begin.  So, as I’m jumping into the non-fiction waters with this lovely lady, I wanted to share a few basic guidelines with our blog readers—and writers.

Nonfiction writing requires a framework—a definite perimeter or border to keep the author from racing down rabbit trails that not only distract readers, but also diminish the work-at-hand.  Here are my seven strategies for developing THE BEST nonfiction book:

The Topic:  With one or two sentences—not to exceed 38 words—tell yourself what are you writing about.  Be very narrow-minded here.  This is your “big idea” and the essence of it will be the heart of your book.

The Collection Box: (or file cabinet drawer, or large 3-ring binder notebook, or….).  Use that 38-word statement you’ve just created and print it out in BIG, BOLD TYPE.  This is the label for your collection of materials.  It is also the first thing you see when you work on your book and it is meant to inspire your thinking processes.

Sub-Topic Files:  You’ve probably already collected several pieces of information that relate to your topic.  Pull out those file folders and start organizing these pieces into sub-topic files.

Color-Coding:  As you build this collection of sub-topics, use color markers (or stickers) to mark the files that carry the most vital information.  Most writers will “file” their collection alphabetically, so the color-coding will allow you easy access to crucial facts when you need them.  For example:  Red = must be included; Orange = include; Yellow = good information; Blue = possible connections; Green = opposing opinions.

Bibliography File:  THIS IS AN ABSOLUTE MUST!  Always give credit to the “source” of your facts.  Unless you, yourself, are the source—the authority behind a statement—every fact, figure, quote, statistic, report, etc. must be acknowledged.  This can be woven into the manuscript; however, I always recommend that a bibliography be included at the end of non-fiction books.

To Outline or Not To Outline:  Every nonfiction writer I know has shown me an outline of their books.  Many end up using it—or most of it—as a Table of Contents.  So I must agree that it is useful.  However—don’t let an outline trap you.  Keep that 38-word statement fresh in your thoughts so that you will create a read-able book that is worth reading.

PLAN to Publish:  No one should do all the work of writing a book and then put it in a drawer.  The information you’ve gathered and poured your heart into is meant to reach a lot of people.  So once you have that Topic Statement, start your research into publishers.  I am one who believes in self-publishing; however, if your Topic is a “hot topic,” there might be a publishing house out there for you.  But NO MATTER WHAT, get your book IN PRINT!

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.
Kelly Speaks, Uncategorized

Self-Publishing: 10 Things You Need to Know

If you are new to self-publishing, it can seem a little overwhelming at first, but there are plenty of great resources to help you decide if self-publishing is right for you and to answer all your questions on hot topics such as copyediting, copyrights, and book formatting. Below is a list of 10 must read articles for self-publishing authors. Each gives you helpful information to ensure you have a great self-publishing experience.

1. 4 Reasons to Fall in Love with Self-Publishing

Not only is self-publishing a huge trend among first time authors, but it is also becoming increasingly common for writers who previously used traditional publisher (and had great success) to switch to self-publishing. This article discusses the top four reasons why writers love self-publishing.

2. The Cost of Self-Publishing

The cost of self-publishing is a common question, and concern, for many writers. This article provides an honest look at the cost of publishing your book.

3. 5 Self-Publishing Mistakes You Can Avoid

Sometimes self-publishing gets a bad rep because of the amateur mistakes some authors make. This post will help you avoid those mistakes so you can be seen as a professional and your book can be taken seriously by readers and the publishing industry.

4. What is an ISBN?

This article explains what an ISBN is, if you need one, and how to get one.

5. Paperback vs. Hardcover: Which is Better?

This post discusses the pros and cons of paperback and hardcover books. It will help you decide which cover is best for your project.

6. Should You Create Your Own Cover?

A great book cover can significantly impact your book’s success. This article breaks down the pros and cons of creating your own book cover or hiring a graphic artist.

7. The Importance of a Compelling Back Cover Synopsis

The back cover of your book is also important. This article explains the importance of a compelling back cover synopsis and provides tips on creating one.

8. Copyediting 101

This article explains how copyediting is different from proofreading and why it is a good idea to consider hiring a professional copyeditor.

9. Top 7 Book Formatting Questions for Self Publishing Authors

One of the most popular topics I receive questions on is book formatting. This article tells you what you need to know.

10. Top 6 Self-Publishing Copyright Questions

Copyright is another hot topic among authors. This great article answers the most common questions, such as what is the fair use law and how do I know if something is copyright protected.

I’d love to know, what other questions do you have about self-publishing?

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 Your Cover Can Change Your Book Fair Experience

Book fairs give self-publishing authors the opportunity to expand their careers by making connections and promoting their books. These events are a great way to network with publishing professionals and learn about the industry. In addition to marketing your already published book, you can also do market research for future projects. But here’s the catch… if you want to be have a great book fair experience, you should make sure you have a great book cover to catch people’s attention.

Let’s face it. Everyone judges a book by its cover. The image on the front of your book is the first thing readers see, and if it isn’t professional and eye catching, there is a good chance they will never pick up your book. This is true even at book fairs. There will be many other authors an promoting their books there, so if you want to make a good impression, a great book cover is important.

For self-publishing authors, the key to a great book cover is choosing a custom design. While standard designs can look nice and professional, they don’t have the same pizazz as a custom design and they can’t capture the essence of your book in quite the same way. Check out the graphic below for excellent example of the difference between a standard cover and a custom cover.

Cover Comparison with Text (2)

Now that you understand the importance of a great book cover, it’s time to start displaying your book at book fairs. Here is a list of some of the most popular book fairs for self-publishing authors.

Book Fair, BEA

Book Fair, Beijing

Book Fair, Bologna Children’s

Book Fair, Frankfurt

Book Fair, London

Book Tour, Global

ABOUT JODEE THAYER: With over 25 years of experience in sales and management, Jodee Thayer works as the Director of Author Services for Outskirts Press. The Author Services Department is composed of knowledgeable customer service reps, publishing consultants and marketing professionals; together, they all focus on educating authors on the self-publishing process in order to help them publish the book of their dreams and on assisting authors with marketing and promoting their book once published. 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.