Jodee Speaks

Self Publish a Book in 2013: Step 4 – Share Your Goal with Others

Whether we are setting a goal to self publish a book or lose weight or make any other change in our life, we often keep those resolutions to ourselves. We fear sharing them with others because we don’t want to be judged if we fail or we worry that our friends and family won’t support our mission, but sharing your goals with others can actually help you achieve your  mission. When you share your goals with other, you not only force yourself to be accountable for your resolutions but you also allow others to share in your excitement and provide the support you need to accomplish your goals. Here are four ways to improve your chances of self publishing a book by sharing your goals with others.

1. Tell close friends or family who will support you.

We all have someone in our lives who supports us no matter what. They are the people you want to share your goals with because they are the people who will motivate you when you feel like giving up. You don’t have to share your resolutions with people who will discourage you. Seek out support.

2. Join a community of writers.

Whether you find a writing group who meets periodically or you join an online group, connecting with fellow writers can encourage you to achieve your goals. No one better understands the struggles and excitement of writing a book like other writers. They can offer advice and support that non-writers can’t provide, and seeing other writers accomplishing their goals can inspire you to achieve yours.

3. Be accountable.

Don’t keep your progress a secret. Regularly update your writing group and friends and family on  your progress. If you are having trouble reaching your writing goals, tell them. If you’ve had a successful week, tell them. They can encourage you when you need extra motivation and celebrate with you when you are successful.

4. Let them join the fun.

Let your support people be a part of the writing process. Ask them to help you brainstorm ideas. Let them read a draft of your work. Have them help market your book. This will fuel your creative drive and make your support team more invested in the project. Always be sure to show appreciation for their efforts and return the favor when you can.

I’d love to know, who do you plan to share your writing goals with?

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.
Self-Publishing Book Review of the Week

Weekly Self-Published Book Review: Bad Seed

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:

bad seed

Bad Seed

Eric McCuller

Publisher: Outskirts Press

ISBN: 9780578088457

Somehow through it all, we try to put together our lives. “Bad Seed” is the autobiography of Eric McCuller as he tells his story of clawing his way up through life and trying to gain an understanding of a world that isn’t fair and getting through harsh life, prisons, and the hunt for something that is worth living for. For those searching for an autobiography of clawing up through the streets, “Bad Seed” may very well be worth considering.

Kelly Speaks, Uncategorized

Use Social Media to Promote Your Book

Social media is one of the best marketing tools available to self publishing authors. It is the digital era’s version of word of mouth marketing, and it is free, easy to use, and effective. Some of the most popular sites include Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest. Regardless of which sites you decide to use, there are a few tips to maximize your marketing efforts. Here is what you need to know about using social media to promote your self published book.

  • Always include a cover photo. Ideally, this photo should be the cover of your book. You could also use a picture of yourself if you plan to promote yourself as an author, but make sure the pictures are professional and appropriate.
  • Invite all of your friends and contacts to “like” or “follow” you. The more people see your postings, the more effective your marketing will be.
  • Post regularly. Social media is not effective if you never post once you create the page. Fans expect frequent (but not excessive) postings. If updating regularly is a challenge, you can use programs such as HootSuite to schedule your posts.
  • Include a link on your website. For every social media site you use, make sure there is a link on your website so readers can easily find your social media profiles.
  • Check your page regularly. Social media is about conversation. You want people to comment on your posts, so you need to make sure you are responding to the conversations.

I’d love to know, how are you using social media to promote your book?

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

Self Publish a Book in 2013: Step 3 – Set Mini Goals

Over the past two weeks, we’ve spent a lot of time talking about setting and reaching your goals. Well today I want to talk about a strategy called mini goals. Most of us set big goals for ourselves: write a book in 6 months, self publish a book before the end of the year, write 5,000 words a month. This is great because I encourage everyone to dream big, but it isn’t always the best way to achieve our goals.

Setting large goals for ourselves can make us feel overwhelmed and lead us to giving up. If you want to better manage your goals, you need to set mini goals. This is basically a process of breaking your main goal into digestible pieces so you don’t become overwhelmed by a large dream. For instance, if your goal is to finish your manuscript in the next six months, ask yourself what you need to do to accomplish this. How many pages per month do you need to write? How many pages per week? How many pages per day? These numbers will vary depending on where you are in the writing process, but let’s say you want to write 30,000 words in 6 months. That means you need to write 5,000 words a month or 1,250 words a week. It also means you only need to write approximately 180 words a day. This is a very reasonable goal!

I’d love to know, what are your mini goals?

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.
Self-Publishing Book Review of the Week

Weekly Self-Published Book Review: Clerical Error

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:

clerical error

Clerical Error

Alan D. Murray

Publisher: Outskirts Press

ISBN: 9781432772284

 

Questioning one’s faith is only natural. “Clerical Error” follows the story of unconventional pastor Paul, who was viewed as having a non-standard birth. As he proceeds through life, he is left with many doubts of what is expected of him as a man of God and what it all means. He places pen to paper with uncertainty of what it all means. “Clerical Error” is a strong pick for any seeking a unique religious thriller.