Kelly Speaks, Self-Publishing Week in Review

Self-Publishing Week in Review: 12/16/14

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 Tuesday to find out the hottest news.

 Hi! Can We Talk About Self-Publishing?

The author of this Huffington Post article shares why he thinks self-publishing is great. I love the humor and honesty of this article.

 The Indie Author’s Guide to Rights

Without the guidance of literary agents, indie authors have to take special care to protect their rights—including copyright—when negotiating with a self-publishing service. This informative article is a must read.

Former JPMorgan Banker Lands 6-Figure Book Deal For ‘Social Network’-Meets-‘Wolf Of Wall Street’ Online Series

Michelle Miller, a former banker at JPMorgan, just landed a six-figure book deal based on her self-published online series “The Underwriting,” a 12-part weekly serial found on theunderwriting.com. This success story is an interesting read for writers and professionals considering adding the title author to their resume.

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

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 at http://kellyschuknecht.com.
Holidays, Jodee Speaks, Uncategorized

How to Find Time to Self-Publish During the Holidays

The holidays can be a hectic time of year, and you might be considering putting your self-publishing project on hold until after the craziness of the season calms down. Well, if you’re anything like me, you’ll enjoy the holidays more if you cut back on the chaos and make time for what you love. Here is how I recommend finding time to work on your self-publishing project during the holiday season.

1. Shop online.

Save time and money by shopping online. Instead of waiting in long lines, you can spend your extra time working on your project.

2. Create your wish list wisely.

When people ask what you want for the holidays, think about what will help you accomplish your self-publishing goals. Could you use a childfree day to finally finish editing your manuscript or a gift certificate towards your publishing package?

3. Don’t overbook.

The holiday season should be a time of joy and creating memories with family and friends, but most people end up stressed out because they overload their to-do list and calendar. To save your sanity and find time to write, don’t feel obligated to say yes to every social event and take a long look at your to-do list. Cross off what isn’t necessary or important to you.

I’d love to know, what are your tricks for finding time to work on your self-publishing projects during the holiday season?

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 12/12/14

CHARACTERS V

Professional choices—the jobs we take that lead us into careers—are also a valuable part of character development.  Have you seen the new TV series FOREVER?  My hubby and I are enjoying it as he critiques the acting and I critique the writing.  The multi-time-period-plot is intriguing as the main character was born in 1779, yet is a New York City medical examiner in 2014.  Thus the career choice that carries the storylines throughout centuries.  Another intriguing element of this television series is the similarity to a novel written in 2003 by author Pete Hamill, who is not currently named in the credits that scroll after each episode.  Ah…but that is a topic for a different blog.

Everyone is employed in a “career” whether they are earning a paycheck or not.  Really?  The definition of the word EMPLOYED is: to occupy or devote one’s energies—to keep busy and/or engage in service to others.  So, for the sake of this concept, my perspective is that everyone—from the newborn infant who is busily “employed” in growing and learning to the highest paid wage earners on earth—“fits” this premise.

Now…let’s return to the FOREVER TV series.  In 1814 Henry (the main character) was employed as a medical doctor on a slave ship.  By the 1880s he’s become a “medical doctor/investigator” with Sherlock Holms propensities and joins the investigation into Jack-the-Ripper cases.  By WWII (1938-1945) he’s in the British Army tending wounded warriors.  Then in 1956 a crisis occurred that turned him away from the medical doctor profession and nudged him into the Medical Examiner position he now holds.  What a fascinating timeline to demonstrate the insights of one person’s (one character’s) professional choices in life.  The decision-making thought-patterns of THIS CHARACTER could do nothing else but seek positions (so he could earn a living) within the medical profession cadre of careers.

So, to assist you with the development of your characters’ careers, here are several elements to consider—components that reside within the characters that makes it impossible to work (be employed) in any other field than the one you (the author) have selected for them.

  • What are their natural skills and abilities—and working style? The character who is a natural portrait artist might prefer a structured indoor environment vs the scenic artist who hikes Pikes Peak or the graphic artist who works alone—at home.
  • What is their level of social interaction? Would they do well in a 9-5 office setting or a flexible outdoor construction job where they work independently?
  • What is their motive for accepting a job? Do they have family to support and “hope” to work in a career they enjoy? Or are they “pay-it-forward” people who seek employment in service or non-profit organizations?
  • Introvert or Extrovert? Does this character have “politician” tendencies…or…are they the behind-the-scenes person who wants to make a difference in the world by working for charities or writing blogs to influence those who are “out front?”
  • What are their stressors? Would they be the fireman or military person who stays “cool” in the most stressful of situations? Or do they have psychological issues that cause them to be frightened by everything and everyone?
  • IF their chosen profession comes with salary, how important is their paycheck to them? If it does not “pay monthly,” what other benefits do they draw from it?

OH….I’m so blessed to be a writer and a ghostwriter!  Some level of each of these elements play a part in my work every day, whether I’m “the character” or not!  Plus, it is an amazing feeling to see my clients become published authors and reap multiple benefits!

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.
Self-Publishing Book Review of the Week

Weekly Self-Published Book Review: The Job

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 by Midwest Book Review:

 the job

The Job

Cramer Louis Jackson

Publisher: Outskirts Press

ISBN:9781432784584

Joe’s search for employment has turned into a frustrating full time job as he checks want ads, sends out resumes and shows up for announced vacancies, only to return to his walk up dumpy small apartment unemployed with his self-esteem dropping. After his latest humiliation, he opens the mail, which adds to his debasement with overdue bills.

However, the last letter is from a firm he never heard of, who offers him an interview. Instructions were sent to him by e-mail as this company provides no address or phone number. He goes on line, thankful he did not hock his computer, to obtain directions. Joe arrives for the interview and learns that if he takes the job, Joe Jamieson will no longer exist as he will have a new identity and compensation is one million dollars annually. He agrees to become Zann General Morgan. His position and new identity ties back to 1947 Roswell, and he soon finds another perk when he rescues the other selectee Layone from some nasty folks who have other plans for the pair.

There is plenty of action in this thought provoking science fiction romantic novella. The story line starts with a depressed everyman struggling to pay his bills and keep a dilapidated ceiling over his head before the plot moves into an exciting thriller with its Life Energy connection to Roswell. Encouraging people to take a radically fresh look at their options, the book reminds me of my husband’s reengineering teaching and mentoring position in which he destroyed a zillion paper cups claiming they were not half full or half empty; if you slice off the top, the cup is filled.

The Job is a quick engaging thriller.

Alternative Marketing Methods, Blogging Tips for Authors, Book Marketing, Book Promotion, Book Promotion Strategy, Holidays, Kelly Speaks, Marketing Your Self-Published Book, Self-Publishing

Christmas is Here Again | On Holidays and Happy Chaos (Part II)

Last week, I launched a series of blogs in conversation with the 2014 holiday season now rapidly drawing to a middle, and I began by addressing one of the common fallacies of holiday marketing for the self-published author––that is, I attempted to debunk the problematic concept of the Book-As-Gift (or B.A.G.).  So, if attempting to sell our books to new readers in the name of holiday spirit isn’t an automatic success story, what is? 

Thought #2: Not All Gifts Are Created Equal––Some Are More ‘Equal’ Than Others

What I mean to say is, while we can’t count on our existing networks to magically expand into much larger ones by asking our readers to purchase our books and slip them under the Christmas tree, we can hope for something much better.  We can dream much, much bigger dreams––and one of the ways to dream bigger is to build more durable networks by investing in our readers.  It is the holiday season, after all, and a time of year marked by a profound generosity of spirit.  To transform this intangible gift into a bankable profit may seem self-interested, but it doesn’t have to be. 

What, you might well ask, am I actually saying?  I suggest launching a holiday reading campaign.  It’s simple, and better still, it’s a gesture of good faith that benefits everyone involved.  How to begin?  [1] Look up the contact details for ten, fifteen, or twenty influential figures in your existing network––coordinators for your neighborhood 4-H club, presidents of your regional cycling club, board members for your local library, and so on––and compile them into a single list.  [2] Send each of these forces of nature a signed copy of your book, along with a truly genuine letter touching on both your desire to connect relationally and on the nature of your book.  You may or may not choose to mention that your book makes for a good holiday read––keep in mind that you’re not actively trying to sell your book, but rather establish and cultivate a social network that will get behind you in any and all creative endeavors you attempt from here on out.  [3] Make sure to include your contact information and a note saying you’d love to get in touch with them if they enjoy your book.  It’s not a bad idea to mention your status as a self-published author, and hint that you’re looking to build a support network or team to help spread the word that your book is out there in the world.  [4] If you’re hosting a reading or other event at which you and your book will both be part of the conversation, make sure to invite your gift recipients.  Keep the sense of obligation to a minimum, but assure them that you are truly––authentically––interested in connecting with them, whether in the public setting of an event, or the private setting of a small luncheon or coffee.

It is vitally important that you remember one thing: books don’t sell books––people do. As with all other ways and means of effective marketing––but especially around the holidays, a time set aside for family and friends and generosity––a holiday reading campaign must be centered on the people you want to reach, rather than just the product you want to sell.  As I mentioned last week, there’s a lot of canned advice out there, and there are a lot of people who ‘phone it in’ when the holidays roll around.  But if you truly love your book, and you truly love your readers, a holiday reading campaign may make for one great way to show that love and make effective use of the holiday fervor, as well.  You don’t have to sacrifice sincerity for sales figures.  Your readers will know you care if you take the time to make personal connections.

How effective are these sorts of campaigns?  Well, without a rigorous controlled study and resulting data sets to consult, I can’t quote you numbers.  But an anecdote: just this morning, a local author got in touch with the Head Librarian at my favorite library an—within the space of two brief phone calls over the course of an afternoon—set up a seminar and book reading.  This author doesn’t know our Head Librarian personally, but he did gift a copy of his book to a board member of our City Council, and that board member became a natural bridge between author and library––without the author ever having to ‘push’ the book on an unwilling reader.  The no-strings-attached nature of a holiday reading campaign is powerfully attractive in this world of many strings.

Why not give it a try?  If you do, please drop me a line here to let me know how it goes!

Check back every Wednesday as I continue my blog series on the happy chaos of self-promotion during the holiday season.  If you have any questions, would like to hear from me about something specific, or 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.