Kelly Speaks, NaNoWriMo, Uncategorized

Top 5 NaNoWriMo Blog Posts

There are only a few days left in the NaNoWriMo challenge! I hope everyone is meeting their goals (even if your only goal is “I just want to write something by the end of the month!”) and, more importantly, enjoying their writing time. During NaNoWriMo, it is helpful to read stories and get advice from other people participating; that’s why I’m always looking for great blog posts about NaNoWriMo. Here are five of my recent favorites.

Stay Motivated – NaNoWriMo 10 Minute Writing Sprints

Sometimes it is difficult to find the motivation to sit and write for long periods of time. This is especially true as you get closer to the end of the challenge. I love this idea of 10 minute writing sprints to help you finish your novel and stick to your writing goals.

So You’ve Written a Book…

You may be wondering what you should do once you finish your novel. This is a great post that offers four things you shouldn’t do. I love the author’s advice on not rushing into the self-publishing process. While I obviously encourage authors to consider self-publishing, you don’t want to cut corners if you want to be taken seriously as an author. It is very important that you take time to polish your book and make decisions that will make your book and yourself more professional.

Quotes for Writers and Readers

This link isn’t actually a blog post. It is a pinterest board, but it is still a valuable resource for writers. This board is a great place to find a little inspiration or get a good laugh.

NaNoWriMo 2012 Week Three: Six Writers Each Pen a Book in One Month

It is always fun to hear about other authors’ writing experiences. This is a great post to read when you need some inspiration. If other people can complete the challenge, so can you.

Pep Talk from Ally Carter

This post discusses two types of writer’s block and how to handle them. It is a great read for anyone who is struggling with finishing their novel in the last week of NaNoWriMo.

I’d love to know, what is your favorite blog post about NaNoWriMo? Share below.

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.
Self-Publishing Book Review of the Week

Weekly Self-Published Book Review: The Big Book of Dan

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 Big Book of Dan

Daniel C. Dulik

Publisher: Outskirts Press

ISBN: 9781432778590

Reviewer: Charline Ratcliff

Having just finished reading “The Big Book of Dan” by author Daniel C., I’m left wondering what there is to say about it. For starters, it is a compilation of some rather off the wall, eclectic and…eccentric but fairly funny short stories. Dulik has a sense of humor that runs the gamut, and “The Big Book of Dan” is riddled with cynicism, chock full of sarcasm. It also provides a hearty helping of everything else in between.

I’ll be honest. I didn’t find every single story hilariously funny, but “The Big Book of Dan” was, if nothing else, an interesting read from start to finish. Dulik has an extremely dry sense of humor, and, while a few of his tall tales were so dry they were burned, for the most part I enjoyed reading this title. With that said, I think the poems were my favorite, especially “The Narcissist.” Sadly I know a few too many people who have been gifted with that particular…blessing. *chuckle*

Dulik also possesses the fantastic ability to paint pictures using words. Because of this ability, there were several times I found myself cringing as my mind supplied the vivid color images that Dulik’s words so skillfully drew. Oh the horror that the Jimmy Neusbaum recounting invoked! While I never attended Catholic School, I have heard the stories. Of course, these stories are almost always shared in hushed tones after a few alcoholic beverages have sufficiently loosened tongues. It’s almost as if these individuals are worried they will be condemned to purgatory for openly disagreeing with the treatment they received.

So as I continued reading “I Survived! Or Did I?” I idly wondered if Jimmy was merely obsessed with drilling holes in things or if that fifth grade stunt of his was a last-ditch attempt for the elusive “get out of jail free” card. Obviously it worked and…we’ll never know if it was a genius plan or not, since Jimmy was apparently the master of the stare of “utter hopelessness.”

Rather than share more of “The Big Book of Dan,” I’m just going to suggest you pick up your own copy if sharp and sarcastic wit is your cup of tea. I promise that Dulik won’t disappoint.

Kelly Speaks

4 Reasons to Be Thankful for Self Publishing

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! I hope you have a wonderful holiday as you celebrate all of the things in your life that you are thankful for. One of the things I am thankful for is self-publishing. The shift in the publishing industry from traditional publishing to print-on-demand has changed the lives of so many writers. Here are four reasons I am thankful for self-publishing this holiday season.

1. Freedom of Speech

Authors who submit to regular publishers are at the mercy of editors. The editors decide what types of books to publish based on what is most likely to sell to a large audience. With self-publishing, you, as the author, decide if and when your book is ready to be published. You don’t have to change your story or writing style to fit a mold. Just because a certain type of story, such as paranormal romance, is popular at the moment, doesn’t mean every author has to write for that audience

2. Quicker Timeline

Traditional publishing is very time-consuming. The author must do extensive research on publishers, agents and the market. Then the author must write query letters to the editors and/or agents. Some editors and agents don’t allow for simultaneous submissions, so the author can only submit one letter at a time. Once the letters are submitted, it can take several months to get a response from the editor. Even if an editor or agent accepts your manuscript, it can take over a year to see your book in print. Self publishing takes much less time. While authors still need to do research, they don’t have to wait for editors to accept their manuscript, and the publication process typically can take just a few weeks.

3. Control

If you choose to go the traditional publishing route, you have little control over your book once it is accepted by an editor. The publishing house will determine the artwork, cover design, and price point. They may even choose to change entire sections of your book. With self publishing, you get to control the entire process. You make all of the decisions.

4. More Profit

Traditional publishing houses pay a royalty for published books, and some publishers will pay a small advance. These royalties are typically very low and don’t generate much income for authors. With most self publishing companies (such as Outskirts Press), the author receives 100% of the profits. The profit is determined by the selling price and printing cost. Therefore, there is potential to earn more royalties from your self-published book.

These are just a few of the reasons I am thankful for self publishing. I’d love to know, what are you thankful for this Thanksgiving?

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

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving to all of my readers. I hope you have a wonderful holiday with your family. This is one of my favorite times of year because it gives me a chance to reflect on all the things I am grateful for and to appreciate all of the blessings in my life. On a common day, most of us rush through our schedule without much thought for all the wonderful things in our lives, but we each have so much to be thankful. Even if you are struggling to get through a difficult situation, there are many blessings in your life.

This week, I challenge you to take time to reflect on things you are grateful for and to write down your thoughts. You may choose to write poems for the special people in your life or write an essay. You could even write personal letters to people you want to share your thoughts with. This exercise is not only a great way to express your gratitude, but it can be a wonderful foundation for a self-published book. Many people enjoy self-publishing books with the goal of sharing it with their family and friends rather than to make a profit off of a commercial audience. These types of books are often filled with personal stories about the author’s life and the people in it, so it is a great way to express your emotions and share how grateful you are.

I’d love to know, what are you thankful for this Thanksgiving? How could you turn that into a self-published book?

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, NaNoWriMo

NaNoWriMo Check-In: Day 19

I can’t believe it has been almost a month since the NaNoWriMo Kick-Off Party I attended.  I honestly wasn’t sure if I was even going to participate in NaNoWriMo until the night of that event.  In October I had been kicking around the idea of using NaNoWriMo as an excuse to finish the non-fiction (gasp!) book I have been working on a long time, but I had read a comment on a blog post that was making me feel guilty about doing that.

This person suggested that “participating” in NaNoWriMo but using the time to work on a non-fiction book was cheating because that wasn’t the true purpose of NaNoWriMo.  Although I don’t totally agree with this person, the guilt she instilled in me was enough to convince me that if I was going to partipicate, I needed to do it right.  I personally wouldn’t be able to show off my non-fiction book at the end of the month and tout that I had finished it while participating in the National Novel Writing Month.

SIDE NOTE: However, I do personally believe that the true purpose of NaNoWriMo is to get people writing, so even if you’re not a “fiction writer,” you can participate in whatever way that means to you.  In fact, my new writing friends at the Kick-Off Party told me about a NaNoWriMo forum just for rebels like me: http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/nano-rebels.  If I participate again next year, I just might go this route.

So, my new friends at the NaNoWriMo Kick-Off Party told me I could “cheat” if I wanted to, and they would still like me, but I was just so inspired by the writers I met that night that I decided I was going to write a novel!  Some of them had participated in NaNoWriMo before and some were first-timers like me, but we were all in it together.

Fast forward to today – November 19th – and I now have 33,138 words on “paper”!  My novel is almost 2/3 complete and I have made it my goal to always stay slightly ahead of the daily goal to give myself some room in case I get behind over the Thanksgiving holiday. Now there are 12 more days and I have 16,862 more words to go!  I can do this!

Whether or not you are participating in NaNoWriMo, I’d love to know how you are doing so far with your writing goals this month.

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.