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Kelly Speaks, news from the self publishing world, Publishing Trends, self publishing news, Uncategorized

Self-Publishing News: 7.24.2017 – Publishing Trends

And now for the news!

Some highlights from this month in the world of self-publishing, specifically regarding publishing trends within the publishing industry, and their implications for all authors!

Could changes be in the wind for the literary establishment? In her July 14 article for the Sydney Morning Herald, ​Jane Sullivan posits a firm “yes!” She begins with the story of Naomi Klein and her latest book, No Is Not Enough. But what, exactly, was not enough?As Sullivan reports, it was “the prospect of going to a big US publisher to put [her book] out” as well as the inevitable delays which accompany traditional publishing. “Instead,” writes Sullivan, “Klein bypassed both her agent and her previous publisher […] and went straight to a small press.” This allowed her to release her book both at home and abroad in a timely fashion, all the more important since Klein’s book comments upon the current political situation in America. She chose Haymarket Books, a small Chicago-based nonprofit publisher, eschewing decades of tradition and her own storied history as a blockbuster success.

The remainder of Sullivan’s article examines the rise of self-publishing, contrasting it with the so-called “vanity” press, and touches on the stories of three independent Australian authors pursuing self-publishing today: fiction author John Birmingham, cartoonist Judy Horacek, and romance novelist Kylie Scott. Each of these “hybrid” authors came to the new publishing paradigm on their own terms, and by their own path–and Sullivan’s article concludes by hinting at why their stories may be important for a new generation of authors. Read the rest of this excellent article at the Sydney Morning Herald!

Well, it’s official: Brits love books, and they love writing them almost as much as they like reading them according to this July 21 article which appeared on Fife Today, the website of the Fife Free Press, providing news from Kircaldy in Fife, Scotland. The article covers the results of a recent poll by self-publishing company Type & Tell, wherein one in eight British residents was found to have “already written or is currently writing a book (13 per cent), while 39 per cent of people are planning to write one.” Interestingly, the study also shows that science fiction, drama, and children’s books, not romance, are the leading genre contenders in this large population of authors–although there was plenty of diversity represented in genre overall, with mystery, crime, short stories, fantasy, and romance all in the mix, as well as nonfiction. That’s a lot of books!

But the most interesting finding of all? According to Fife Today:

Despite the rise of e-readers, the research shows that people are still in love with the feel of flicking through the pages of a physical book. Eight in ten (82 per cent) budding authors want to see their words printed on paper, while just over half (58 per cent) would be happy to be published in e-book format.

This more or less confirms our suspicions here on Self Publishing Advisor–that one should never close a door on printed books, but certainly pursue publishing options which enable a diverse readership with both paper and digital predilections to access your stories! To read the entire article, visit the original article here.

You can find all of these authors’ excellent books for sale online.

spa-news

As a self-publishing author, you may find it helpful to stay up-to-date on the trends and news related to the self-publishing industry.This will help you make informed decisions before, during and after the self-publishing process, which will lead to a greater self-publishing experience. To help you stay current on self-publishing topics, simply visit our blog every Monday to find out the hottest news. If you have other big news to share, please comment below.
Kelly
ABOUT 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.
amazon reviews, Self-Publishing Book Review of the Week, Uncategorized, weekly self published book review

Saturday Book Review: “The Highly Effective Habits of 5 Successful Authors”

Book reviews are a great way for self-publishing authors to gain exposure. After all, how can someone buy your book if he or she doesn’t know it exists? Paired with other elements of your book promotion strategy, requesting reviews is a great way to get people talking about what you’ve written.
When we read good reviews, we definitely like to share them. It gives the author a few (permanent) moments of fame and allows us to let the community know about a great book. Here’s this week’s book review:

High Effective Habits of 5 Successful Authors

The High Effective Habits of 5 Successful Authors:
How They Beat the Self-Publishing Odds
(and how you can too)

by Outskirts Press

Publisher: Outskirts Press

ISBN: 9781432760915

Synopsis*:

Meet five successfully self-published authors and discover in their own words what contributed to their success.

How did Gang Chen earn over $100,000 in 180 days? How has Sally Shields transformed herself from a stay-at-home mom to a #1 Amazon.com bestselling author and book marketing dynamo? How did Ronnie Lee become one of the most prolific published authors in the world? How has Charlotte Endorf turned personal hardships into life-affirming successes? How did Andrew J. Rafkin find the motivation during a boating trip to write not one, not two, not three, but four award-winning novels?

Regardless of whether you are just starting to write your book, or exploring all your publishing options with a completed manuscript in your hands, the personal stories and effective habits of these five authors will surely inspire you!

Here they are:

Andrew J. Rafkin is a San Pedro native, a successful entrepreneur, and the current president of Palos Verdes Security Systems. Rafkin has received numerous awards for his books, including the EVVY literary award for Red Sky Morning and a gold, silver, and bronze “sweep” of the Action/Adventure category in the Readers Favorite Awards for his Madness trilogy: Creating Madness, Mediterranean Madness and Mexican Madness.

Charlotte Endorf was recognized as “Toastmaster of the Decade” and is a two-time winner of the coveted “Distinguished Toastmaster” award through her 10-year affiliation with Toastmasters International. She inspires and educates audiences with her professional talks designed to complement each of her many books, including By Train They Came, Plains Bound: Fragile Cargo, and Unsung Neighbors.

Gang Chen is a LEED AP BD+C and a licensed architect in California. He is also the internationally-acclaimed author of Architectural Practice Simplified, Planting Design Illustrated and several LEED exam guides including LEED AP Exam Guide, LEED BD&C Exam Guide, and LEED GA EXAM GUIDE.

Sally Shields is an award-winning pianist, composer, speaker, and author. She is also the #1 Amazon.com bestselling author of The Daughter-in-Law Rules: 101 Surefire Ways to Make Friends with Your Mother-In-Law! as well as The Collaborator Rules: 101 Surefire Ways to Stay Friends with Your Co-Author!

Ronnie Lee is a Chinese poet and philosopher. He has lived and studied in the United Kingdom, but now resides in Hong Kong, where he is working to establish greater awareness of modern philosophy and poetry. As one of the most prolific published authors today, his tomes include The Philosophy of Life, The Genius of the Metropolis, and The Meaning of Life, among many others.

 * courtesy of Amazon.com

Here’s what some other reviewers are saying:

This book means a lot to me even though I have written 8 books of my own on important subjects such as philosophy, politics, religion and science. Beyond my theories and experience, I realize there are some very kind people in this World. In this book, I can see four authors beside myself that are dedicated to success. This success from all five authors seems to be motivated by four different purposes, one money, one fame, one awards, one personal and one spiritual. Yet it is not what any of us really expected in our early childhood years, but whether this was an accident rather than a destiny seems to be the underlining theme of the lives of us all. We all show signs of some greater path that we reached beyond our own consciousness of our childhoods and we all succeeded in reaching high levels of honor and gratitude in our ambitions. Each path is interesting and each path has its own merits. Throughout the hardships of life, each has a moral and each has a strategy and each has a result. All these morals in this book may seem determined, aggressive and even established, yet throughout the memoirs of each author, there seems to be a single drive that was not supported by any major institution or financial backer, so each success was an independent movement and work in its own right. This shows that anyone can succeed, even if you are individuals with a rejected history. The emphasis of each author shows the cost of experience and the hope of success for others who may learn from the obstacles faced by each author. Each one has an experience that contended with social ignorances of some sort and each wants to open the truths to their specific subjects. The kindness is shown by the motivation and outcome of each author and Outskirts Press has allowed that to be known. Although each author is clear on his or her own success whether in profit, honor or happiness, it is still the process and result of how each came to succeed that makes him or her value their experience and that is through patience, learning and acting on wise decisions. They kept their faith of goodness and acted according to the needs of life so that success was not just for themselves but for society as a whole. Outskirts Press has chosen five authors that seem to resemble a success through low odds, almost as underdogs of this World. It has chosen five successful authors who were not rich to start with but ended up rich with their writings and books. These five authors represent hope in many ways. Mr Chen with an educated background. Ms Shields with a family background. Mr Rafkin with an agricultural background. Ms Endorf with a welfare background. And myself with a business background. This book shows anyone can succeed with a book in any field of living. It is a book that will be seen as an advertisement, not just for the five authors, or for Outskirts Press, but maybe for a rememembrance of a time in history when things took off, not just in books but in fields of information, love and hope. It is a book of intense dedication to following dreams and ideas, for the betterment of life.

– Amazon Reviewer Ronnie Lee

This book is very motivating. It shows you that anyone can publish their book-and be very successful at it. Although the 5 featured authors each start with different goals, the outcome is similar-they learn ways to effectively market their books and have reaped the benefits from doing so. This book is very moving and you come to appreciate the determination of these 5 authors to follow their dreams.

– Amazon Reviewer Elizabeth

 

saturday self-published book review

Thanks for reading!  Keep up with the latest in the world of indie and self-published books by watching this space every Saturday!

Self Publishing Advisor

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

Conversations: 7/21/2017

IT’S JULY!

TIME TO CELEBRATE OUR FREEDOM TO WRITE! III

Long ago I figured out that I needed examples of whatever I was attempting to learn. Of course, my algebra 101 teacher was thrilled to give me all the examples I could fit into my folder. With her help, I quickly concluded that “higher math” was not the path that would lead me into a satisfying career. However, the reading assignments (examples of excellent writing) given to me by English and History professors definitely opened new horizons for me. Each book gave me the FREEDOM to safely explore eras of war, famine, faith and pioneer courage—and imagine what my life might have been like had I lived in those times.  So, today, I offer you examples of excellent writing in the genres of Memoir and Fiction (action). These books are from self-published authors who took advantage of their FREEDOM to publish when, where and how they wanted—giving us fresh perspectives that can enhance our own book projects.

Larry Clayton tells us that his book My Memories Are My Testimony is “the true tale omy memories are my testimony larry claytonf a working man from a working-class family who never forgot from where he came,” including his “youthful misadventures that involved drugs, shoplifting, and a little bit of hustle.”  However, at some point in his young life he realized he had the FREEDOM to choose his next steps which took him into an Air Force career followed by his adventures in the corporate world. This inspirational and compelling memoir is proof that a man’s life need not be defined by his beginnings. Proof that the freedoms we enjoy—written into the Declaration of Independence—are alive and well today.

contra legem s michael siegalS. Michale Siegal is another amazing self-published author who has now produced his second fiction novel: Contra Legem. After retiring from nearly thirty-six years in law enforcement, Siegal has dedicated this novel to all of the men and women behind the badge who daily serve and protect our communities.

His main character, Officer Harold Cohen, has become a police officer, a very nontraditional occupation for Jewish men and women. So even though the scenarios of the story are fiction, Siegal’s personal life experiences and education bring significance and value to each chapter. This is especially true as Officer Cohen deals with the concerns of a mother who does not believe Jewish boys should become policemen, but would rather he find success as a minister, doctor, lawyer or entrepreneur. This highly accurate portrayal of the day-to-day life of a police officer demonstrates the balance they must find between a person’s heart desires, family and career—a career that literally has criminals aiming guns in his direction.

These two authors are, indeed, excellent examples of writers who have the purpose and desire to publish. They are following in the footsteps of highly successful “independent authors” such as Irma Rombauer who printed her book, The Joy of Cooking, in 1931 with A.C. Clayton, a company that had never printed a book before. Both the author and those company owners were practicing their FREEDOM to print want they wanted published; and such independent thinking remains “alive and well” with authors and self-publishing houses this very day. I am blessed to be a part of this Freedom Legacy, and I hope you are—or will be—too. ⚓︎

 

Royalene

ABOUT ROYALENE DOYLE: Royalene has been writing something since before kindergarten days and continues to love the process. Through her small business—DOYLE WRITING SERVICES—she brings more than 40 years of writing experience to authors who need “just a little assistance” with completing their projects. This is a nice fit as she develops these blogs for Outskirts Press (OP) a leading self-publisher, and occasionally accepts a ghostwriting project from one of their clients. Her recent book release (with OP) titled FIREPROOF PROVERBS, A Writer’s Study of Words, is already receiving excellent reviews including several professional writer’s endorsements given on the book’s back cover.
Royalene’s writing experience grew through a wide variety of positions from Office Manager and Administrative Assistant to Teacher of Literature and Advanced Writing courses and editor/writer for an International Christian ministry. Her willingness to listen to struggling authors, learn their goals and expectations and discern their writing voice has brought many manuscripts into the published books arena.
Alternative Marketing Methods, Book Marketing, Kelly Speaks, Marketing Your Self-Published Book, Social Media Marketing, Uncategorized

Easy Breezy Summer Publishing (Part 3)

Two weeks ago, I launched a new summer series on self-publishing, particularly as regards publishing and marketing your book during this busy time of year–and how to take advantage of our July theme of freedoms and independence while doing so! And I continued the series last week, with a discussion of unfreedom and what constraints are placed upon us as self-publishing authors also engaged in self-promotion by necessity. How does one market a book effectively, without the reach or access or time-honed skills of a publishing company’s full marketing team? (It’s hard, but not impossible.)

This week, seguewaying off of last week’s discussion, I’m here to talk about the freedoms which are possible when working as a part of a team. Not just any team, either–a team of self-publishing authors! Which I think you will find is something of a different proposition from a marketing team at one of the Big Five traditional publishing houses.

teamwork

But first, let’s dispel the myth of the solo indie author, struggling valiantly against the current of traditional publishing, and vanquishing his or her demons alone, without assistance, and for free. It may in fact be true that some indie authors make a success of themselves this way, just as James Patterson and Suzanne Collins and J.K. Rowling have made blockbuster success stories out of their lives in traditional publishing … all while conveniently ignoring the fact that there are thousands upon thousands of midlist authors struggling to get by, and required, despite their status as “traditionally published authors” to carry the majority of the promotional burden for their books.

Publishing is hard, no matter which way you go about it–and going solo, either in the publication process or all that comes after, harder still.

But freedom can be a collective achievement. You sacrifice nothing by teaming up with your fellow indie authors to sell your books! You lose none of your dignity, your creative control, your independence–your freedoms–but you gain oh-so-much-indeed! 

We’ve talked about the importance of book readings, book signings, and attending book fairs in promoting your book to new readers–but what if you didn’t have to go it alone? Many of the best readings, signings, and other bookish events I’ve attended have been panels, not singular affairs. Pulling multiple authors into one space, particularly indie authors, lessens the load on each participant while multiplying the event’s outreach. Imagine–even if all that happens is that your fellow readers bring their friends and families along, you’ve reached two or three or four times as many friends and families as you yourself were able to bring! That’s no shabby number.

Or, you might consider partnerships with local businesses, your public library, or events like our annual Cherry Festival as opportunities to build a coalition. Some of the fiercest book advocates are librarians and indie booksellers, yes, but don’t forget about the reach of a clerk at the counter of your local quilt store, or a restaurant with a waiting area! Your self-assembled team of advocates doesn’t have to be made up of the expected literary types; your team should make room for readers of all shapes and tastes, and partners who you normally wouldn’t think of. Once you’ve made contact with someone offline, make sure to make them a part of your online presence as well–either as a part of your social media network, or an email newsletter distribution, or something along those lines!

Lastly, you might consider going in for something like a co-op advertisement, something along the lines of this fabulous offering from Outskirts Press. In this case, you may never actually meet your fellow authors, but you’ll help each other out anyway–financially!–by reducing the cost burden on each contributing author. (And watch OP’s yearly deals, too–they often offer seasonal holiday-specific deals on their co-op ads.)

This is just a couple of examples of the kind of collaborative partnerships which can make your life, as an indie author, so much easier! Dig around online and see what suits you, but remember: you’re only freed if the marketing workload itself is reduced by your partnerships, so commit to projects with tangible and measurable outcomes, and clearly defined contributions.

 

Thank you for reading!  If you have any questions, comments, suggestions, or contributions, please use the comment field below or drop us a line at selfpublishingadvice@gmail.com.  And remember to check back each Wednesday for your weekly dose of marketing musings from one indie, hybrid, and self-published author to another. ♠

Kelly

ABOUT 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
news from the self publishing world, self publishing news, Uncategorized

Self-Publishing News: 7.17.2017

And now for the news!

Some highlights from this month in the world of self-publishing, specifically new releases written by self-publishing authors and published by independent presses! Today we’ll be featuring brand-new releases in the Outskirts Press Bookstore!

If you’re looking for the perfect book to help you beat the summer heat, you can’t go wrong with Joseph Brisben’s Skip Day, a novel of rural Oklahoma and of one teenager’s ambition to leave a legacy.

Every year, during the high school’s annual ‘Skip Day’ celebration, the students craft a series of hijinks–but this year, 1959, Joe Ralston wants to make a special impression. He rents a hearse from a mortuary, covers it in graffiti, and then is challenged to see how many people they can cram inside. (The answer? 75. You bet these kids were creative.)  Things can only get worse from there, and better, from a story perspective, as Ralston and his friends work through their own personal issues and continue seizing upon every opportunity for fun that they can. This is the sort of book which commands your respect as well as your attention; conversations shift from making meaning out of live to civil rights to the correct way to coax your hungover friends to clean a hearse.

Sometimes, we all really need to hear that we’re more than the sum of our parts or the victims of circumstance, and this is nowhere more true than it is among teens. I Am More contains, as promised, a year’s-worth of empowering short meditations geared toward teens and young adults, providing what the author describes as “things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse.”

This book is not only perfect for young people, but for people of faith. Myia Ellington cites Philippians 4:8-9 as an inspiration, and speaks to faith as a platform or springboard from which to launch into a healthy, fulfilling future–“a life of art,” as she puts it. And Ellington should know; she’s CEO of Exclusively ME Motivations Inc, an empowerment specialist, spiritual counselor, teacher, and lecturer on top of being an author. She lives the kind of life many of us can aspire to–providing real leadership and hope to teens in need of that little extra boost to make it through the day.

Look, summer is about escape, isn’t it? And those fantasies which always seem too far out of reach at all other times of year. Well, with her new book Sons of Twilight, Collette Jackson-Fink invites her readers to indulge a little in those fantasies. This, the second in a series beginning with Daughters of Twilight, continues the story of Dane Coles–just your average member of a special tactical team trained to deal with ordinary human events–and the edenic war angel who has been brought jarringly back into contact with humanity after the traumatic conclusion to the Genesis story.

Here’s a story you won’t find just anywhere: with a sensitivity to life in a small Midwestern town, Jackson-Fink manages to construct an elaborate fantasy world which strikes just the right notes of familiarity to keep it grounded within the Western mythological canon–and is populated by characters who are bright and warm and interesting. The plot is gripping, too, which doesn’t hurt. Come for the brilliant fantasy, stay for the fascinating plot! Here’s hoping the final book in the trilogy doesn’t take too long to hit our shelves!

spa-news

As a self-publishing author, you may find it helpful to stay up-to-date on the trends and news related to the self-publishing industry.This will help you make informed decisions before, during and after the self-publishing process, which will lead to a greater self-publishing experience. To help you stay current on self-publishing topics, simply visit our blog every Monday to find out the hottest news. If you have other big news to share, please comment below.
Kelly
ABOUT 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.