Book Reviews, Monthly Self-Published Book Review, Uncategorized

Self-Published Book Review: “Rise of the Gig Leaders”

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 month’s featured book review:
rise of the gig leaders neil grant

Rise of the Gig Leaders:
Why Interim Leaders Are Vital In Today’s Organizations

by Neil Grant

ISBN: 9781977200662

 

Synopsis*:

Interim leaders are becoming essential change agents for organizations in today’s gig economy. To propel their companies forward, human resource professionals, change management specialists, project managers, and all business executives must understand and make use of this changing talent economy. Neil Grant’s Rise of the Gig Leaders: Why Interim Leaders Are Vital in Today’s Organizations provides this understanding.

Grant, himself an interim leader for almost two decades, provides a detailed analysis of the DNA of interim leaders–what defines them and how they add value. Rise of the Gig Leaders is rich in case studies, testimonials, and examples of how interim leadership has made a difference in many organizations. With this knowledge, business leaders and prospective interim leaders will have confidence choosing this as a viable leadership strategy.

 * courtesy of Amazon.com

Reviews

An expert examines the role of interim leaders as an important part of business strategy.

In this debut book, Grant draws on both research and case studies based on his own professional experience working with a variety of companies to make the case for the value of interim executives, or “gig leaders.” The author distinguishes between these interims and acting or consultant executives, seeing the former as high-level workers with specific skills who are hired under short-term contracts to accomplish certain corporate goals, a highly paid professional tier of the broader gig economy. The volume guides readers through evaluating the need for interims using Grant’s copyrighted SCILL model, which describes the five “attributes” of these executives (Savvy, Critical, Impact, Leadership, Legacy). And the author shows how to assess those leaders through GREAT (Gravitas, Resilience, Engagement, Attitude, Transformational) competencies. While the book largely discusses these roles in general terms (“An interim makes the most impact, however, when intentionally hired to deliver specific results that require a leader with experience and dynamism”), case studies offer more concrete examples of the positive use of interims, from refreshing a company’s technology infrastructure to implementing turnaround plans without the complications of long-term employee politics. Grant is clearly experienced and knowledgeable and makes a compelling argument in favor of employing this short-term workforce to execute clearly defined goals. The title’s intended audience is corporate decision-makers who will hire interim leaders. Although readers looking to follow this career path will read glowing descriptions of interims (“An interim has battle scars from crisis management and like a first-responder in a disaster zone, is objective, decisive, and has emotional stability shaped from years of being in the front line”), they will not find guidance on pursuing this road. But for its target audience, the volume is a useful tool for appraising the need for interims and establishing a framework for their success. Although recent research suggests that gig employment is less widespread than previously thought, the author presents a context in which it can be fruitful for both employers and employees.

A thorough and coherent discussion of how companies can make effective use of interim executives as part of the broader gig economy.

Book Trailer

 

 

tuesday book review

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

Self Publishing Advisor

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

Self-Publishing News: 10.29.2019

hello October word abstrtact in wood type

And now for the news!

Some highlights from this month in the world of self-publishing!

This fascinating article from Matia Madrona Query of Publishers Weekly tackles the story of author Melissa Marr, an author already well-known for her traditionally published work but who has recently made the decision to “go indie,” by which we mean that she has moved into self-publishing for her most recent projects, including short stories, a collection, and re-releases of at least two books from her backlist that have gone out of print. “‘Let’s be honest: I’m lousy at boxes,'” Query quotes Marr as saying. “‘I write picture books, middle grade, YA, adult, short fiction, and manga. Why not try this?'” Why not indeed? And Marr seems to be finding her feet; writes Query, “in taking control of the publishing process, she has relished the additional freedom to package and juxtapose her work in new and novel ways—a particular benefit for an author whose literary fantasy realms are often layered and intermingling.” Marr’s, Query goes on to point out, experience some benefits as well, including a quick turnaround from manuscript to print copies on the shelf. Marr’s experience has given her some useful insights into the value of visibility, an attractive cover, and a responsive self-publishing platform as well—all of which are worth reading!

Publishers Weekly showed up for self-publishing in a big way this week, with multiple articles touching on different possibilities enabled by self-publishing. This article from contributors Raquel Delemos and Tiffany Richardson tackle the thorny issue of boosting diversity within indie and self-publishing (and frankly, publishing at large) through the writing collective Big Black Chapters, of which there are now more than 3,000 members. Write Delemos and Richardson, “we believe that having safe spaces for writers of color to address the issues they face is critical for the creative process. Alongside writing prompts and story excerpts, our group discussions involve topics relating to race and navigating mainstream creative writing spaces. We discuss the complexities of self-publishing alongside issues within our own community such as colorism and ethnic bias.” Fascinating, right? We’re always excited to see authors from underrepresented and marginalized communities take advantage of the democratization of publishing as offered and expanded by self-publishing platforms; we wish Big Black Chapters the best in all their future endeavors.

Margaret Atwood, mega-blockbuster-success of an author with a new book out (you miiiight have heard of it, given it became a Nobel prize-winner within weeks of its publication this Fall) is known for tackling tough subjects, and she broke into writing when there were very few women’s names on book spines. But there’s a side to her story that not many readers know about. Writes Dianca London Potts of Glamour, Atwood got her start when she self-published a collection of poetry: “‘We went around to bookstores, and they actually took them for 50 cents. It’s just what you did,’ she explains. ‘It taught me that you could make things, and there are still these entry points that involve a certain amount of self-publication.'” While most of Atwood’s story has been subsumed within the larger white noise of the traditional publishing industry, she still pays homage to her roots. And her characters, whether in book form or on screen, are at least in some small way able to give voice to powerful concepts of feminism and personal agency because of those bookstores that shelled out 50c back in the 1960s. How’s that for a testimonial?

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 each month to find out the hottest news. If you have other big news to share, please comment below.

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

Self-Publishing News: 10.22.2019

hello October word abstrtact in wood type

And now for the news!

Some highlights from this month in the world of self-publishing!

Today’s news comes as a set of three!

For Publishers Weekly by Jim Milliot

For Good E-Reader by Michael Kozlowski

For Books + Publishing

We felt it would be fun this week to show how sometimes one particular newsflash can really circle the globe! This week, a report from Bowker revealed some very good and interesting news about publishing: there was a huge jump in self-published titles (or at the very least, trackable self-published titles) from the 2017 publishing year to the 2018 publishing year. (2019 data is not yet available.) Bowker, which in the report self-professes to “[publish] authoritative statistical reports for the publishing industry on a regular basis,” also notes that three specific companies have reached a kind of monopoly on the market, releasing over 90% of all trackable self-published titles in that year. There is some variation in who dominates in each sub-market (ebook versus print, books with ISBNs versus those without), but the overall picture is one that reflects past decadal trends towards big companies eating their way through initially diverse markets. This is certainly a trend we’ll be keeping an eye on in future, and we’ll be back with more updates as soon as Bowker releases reports on the 2019 publishing year!

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 each month to find out the hottest news. If you have other big news to share, please comment below.

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elizabeth speaks, in your corner, NaNoWriMo, Self-Publishing, Uncategorized

In Your Corner: Preparing for NaNoWriMo!

That’s right, it’s almost #NaNoWriMo time!

For those who’ve seen the acronym around but haven’t yet been read in on what the deal is, National Novel Writing Month is an annual tradition among writers looking to kickstart new projects through a dedicated month of drafting. While you can read more about NaNoWriMo’s origin story on the nonprofit organization’s website (www.nanowrimo.org), suffice it to say this has been a big deal for a very long time. As the NaNoWriMo website puts it, “before there was the Beyhive, or Nerdfighters, there were Wrimos” (participants in NaNoWriMo). The community has built up since the early days of the Internet to create a diverse set of resources for those interested in participating—or maybe in learning from the process even if writing 50,000 words in a single month is a bit much.

nanowrimo

There are two kinds of Wrimos: pantsers and plotters.

Pantsers are those who go through NaNoWriMo “by the seats of their pants” or however that expression goes, and plotters are those who prepare, or plot out their book outline, extensively beforehand. I myself have participated in NaNoWriMo several times, once as a pantser, once as a plotter, and once or twice just casually taking part in the prompts and sprints and group writing sessions without aiming to get to the 50,000 word mark by month’s end. These days I fall somewhere between these Wrimo alignments, as many writers do.

nanowrimo plotter pantser

With only two weeks remaining between now and the beginning of NaNoWriMo (my next post, for context, will arrive on the day before NaNoWriMo begins), I feel as though now is the time to encourage those of you who are plotters or plantsers or otherwise in-betweeners to start digging deep into the resources you will need in the month of November. Even those of you who are pantsers or who are not at all interested in participating in NaNoWriMo on any level might find it valuable to tap into the extensive writing-related resources that Wrimos have compiled over the years. These are the kinds of resources anyone can turn to at any time of year, not just during the official NaNoWriMo period.

First, I want to point you to the NaNo Prep 101 Workshop, which is hosted by the organization that really started it all. It can be completed at any time of year for free and provides tips on the following:

  1. Developing a story idea
  2. Creating complex characters
  3. Constructing detailed plots or outlines
  4. Building a strong world
  5. Organizing your life for and around writing
  6. Finding and managing your time

You can find out more about that workshop here.

I also want to point you to NaNoWriMo’s incredible collection of author pep talks, which include several from self-publishing successes like Andy Weir as well as a number of traditionally published authors whose names you might recognize (James Patterson, anyone? Neil Gaiman? Sue Grafton? No?). Those are all available (again, for free) at the link.

I also really recommend that you spend some time looking into all of the many other excellent resources that writers all over the world have compiled on their own blogs and websites. Every author’s experience is different, and chances are that any author you meet is going to have opinions about the usefulness (or lack thereof) of NaNoWriMo to their own process. It’s pretty definitely proven, though, that there are many amazing books in the world that wouldn’t otherwise have been self-published (or traditionally published for that matter) without that core group of writers and organizers who got together and made NaNoWriMo a thing.

So, will I be participating? I’ll let you know … in two weeks. I honestly haven’t yet made up my mind, and I’m okay with that.

You are not alone. ♣︎

Do you have ideas to share? Please don’t hesitate to drop us a line in the comments section, and I’ll make sure to feature your thoughts and respond to them in my next post!

Elizabeth

ABOUT ELIZABETH JAVOR: With over 20 years of experience in sales and management, Elizabeth Javor works as the Director of Sales and Marketing for Outskirts Press. The Sales and Marketing departments are composed of knowledgeable publishing consultants, customer service reps and book marketing specialists; together, they all focus on educating authors on the self-publishing process 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, Elizabeth Javor can put you on the right path.
news from the self publishing world, self publishing news, Uncategorized

Self-Publishing News: 10.15.2019

hello October word abstrtact in wood type

And now for the news!

Some highlights from this month in the world of self-publishing!

Bring tissues for this one! David Holmberg over at Forbes brings us this powerful story of Susan Padilla, daughter of an Alzheimer’s patient whose self-published book “Losing Everything: A Family’s Journey With Alzheimer’s” (published under the pseudonym S.P. Murray) hasn’t yet hit the stratosphere in sales–but has had an enormously positive impact on Padilla’s family. Writes Holmberg, “Padilla, a middle-aged human resources manager who works in New York, said the book has sold under 500 copies (mostly through Amazon) with no royalties yet, but her family is ‘very happy I put my feelings on paper.’ She paid her publisher $2500, plus $350 for advertising. For her, though, the benefit was personal, and therapeutic. ‘I kept myself from going crazy by writing this book,’ she said.” Holmberg, who covers retirement-related issues for Forbes, argues that profit shouldn’t be the only factor in consideration when thinking about whether to self-publish or not. “Padilla’s made a valuable contribution to Alzheimer’s literature,” he writes, and she wouldn’t have been able to do so given the traditional publishing industry’s reliance on blockbuster sales to break even. Going indie and self-publishing makes it possible for important books like Padilla’s to get out there and find their readers, even if they’re not selling as many copies as a, say, James Patterson novel. Books with niche audiences, like Padilla’s, are hungry for good books, too. Holmberg’s response to Padilla’s story is both touching and telling: “She’s the reason I say: if you have an instinct toward self-publishing, if it’s something you feel like trying in your retirement years, go ahead and do it. Study the stats, cast a cold eye on conflicting sales figures, but go ahead and do it.” You heard the man!

We never get tired here on Self Publishing Advisor of hearing all of the cool places where self-publishing is making inroads and bringing more exciting stories to light. Self-publishing has been shining a light on important stories all over the world recently, from India and China to Australia and Britain to Nigeria and now, Kenya! At this year’s Nairobi Book Fair, which celebrated its 22nd year in 2019. Mercy Muthoni, the director of CCL-K, which was behind one of the fair’s popular self-publishing programs, says that “[h]er advice to those with the ambition of becoming writers is that self-publishing and e-book world are not short-cuts to quick riches and fame. Excellence must be cultivated, and some of the programmes CLC-Kenya is pursuing can be both instructive and inspirational in the pursuit of excellence and cultivation of a healthy reading and writing culture in Kenya.” Other events at the Kenya Publishers’ Association-sponsored book fair included further discussions of the value and role of self-publishing in providing quality content that can do great work in representing Kenyan stories and culture to the world. We look forward to seeing what else is in store for self-publishing in Kenya!

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 each month to find out the hottest news. If you have other big news to share, please comment below.

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