Tag: news from the self publishing world

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

Self-Publishing News: 11.21.2016

And now for the news!

This week in the world of self-publishing:

Ben Arzate provides a unique perspective as a self-publishing poet. Arzate felt that rejection from publishing companies was inevitable after his first, “Sorry, but no,” afterwhich he made the conscious decision that he would prefer to pour his time directly into crafting his book, rather than soliciting companies who (he thought) had no interest.

What I most enjoyed about reading Arzate’s first-person account of his experience with self-publishing what that it reminded me of the naivete a lot of us are forced to come to terms with when it comes to actually putting a book together. I found myself laughing at the idea of Arzate formatting his book according to Microsoft Word, which is based on an 8 ½ x 11 inch page, not because it was ridiculous, but because most of us are so enormously and entertainingly ignorant about the intricacies of formatting a book before we’ve had a hand at it ourselves. Arzate’s piece provides an informative, amusing and honest look at a first go in the self-publishing world.

Hank Quense has been an author for over 20 years, and a successful self-publishing author at that. The simple errors that can be made on someone’s first go at self-publishing (see previously reviewed article) are the subject of Quense’s ebook, “The Complete Self-Publishing Guide.” Quense says, “My books are dedicated to providing clear, concise information and procedures on the publishing process,” which is great for those of you new to self-publishing who are feeling overwhelmed by all of the pieces to the publishing puzzle.

It is easy to be overwhelmed by the prospect of self-publishing, Quense admits that it’s hard work that people often want to find some easier way around, but he insists that there is no easy way out and that good results come from hard work. Quense bemoans the authors who simply upload their manuscripts to Kindle or Amazon without proofing or providing cover art, and he insists that your sales will suffer from that sort of indolence. Putting in the time and money to publish something that you can be proud of will result in better sales, according to Quense. While an editor and an artist cost a fair amount of money, they are a necessary investments, according to Quense. In this vein, Quense compares books to companies; with that comparison in mind, the talk of investments, marketing strategies and customer base become more relevant.

Jonathan Kile taps into the unspoken issue of what he calls “editor’s block.” As far as he’s concerned, there is no writer’s block, this is merely an excuse people use to procrastinate writing. Writing, as far as Kile is concerned, is the easy part–just get words on the page, or more likely, on the computer screen.

Kile makes a candid political reference to pre-edited writing saying, “while the initial draft can be a Trumpian stream of consciousness making little to no sense, editing requires the quality of the prose and the ideas contained within to be compelling and tell a great story.” Providing some great advice for getting over “editor’s block,” Kile says that we should look at our work as if it isn’t our own. Obviously this is a pretty difficult mindset to enter; you wrote the damn manuscript and assuming you haven’t suffered from amnesia, then you presumably know it all too well. However, Kile wants to implore that you try to get into the shoes of your readers. Will they wish you had developed a certain character more? Will they have longed for a different ending? These questions, among others posed by Kile, are the types of questions you need to ask yourself when editing.

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.
Kelly Speaks, news from the self publishing world, self publishing news, Uncategorized

Self-Publishing News: 11.14.2016

And now for the news!

This week in the world of self-publishing:

This week, heed some advice from experienced self-publishing authors. Hear from authors such as Janice Petrie, who provides some inspiring words on persistence and passion, Allison Winn Scotch, who provides a realistic and pragmatic outlook on creating professional-standard self-published work, and Joel Friedlander, who gives advice on the technical side of book design.

Janice Petrie, founder of her own indie publishing company, understands how difficult it is to ensure success in self-publishing, that is, if your version of success is selling more books. A self-published author herself, Petrie’s work ranges from picture books to non-fiction true-crime tales. Coming to understand the importance of marketing and editorial reviews is what most helped Petrie create her own following. While writing is a passion for so many of our customers, it is always important to remember that publishing encompasses so much more than typing up a manuscript. Petrie admits that when she started out, her “focus was more on writing and illustrating than marketing” but she’s “spent the past couple of years adjusting this important balance.”

In this article you’ll get advice from Petrie on how to ‘succeed’ at self-publishing that can apply to all self-published authors, no matter what their idea of ‘success’ may be. Find out how to harness your passion, explore social media, and to be persistent with the help of some of Petrie’s advice.

Becoming a New York Times bestselling author is a dream for many authors. With this article from the Huffington Post, you get priceless insights on self-publishing from New York Times bestselling author, Allison Winn Scotch. In this article, Scotch admits that she remains partially skeptical of the self-publishing world, but nonetheless admits that she felt compelled to self-publishing after some disappointing experiences with traditional publishers. While she acknowledges that self-publishing “seems like the easy way to go,” she also calls it a “tricky beast” that can potentially lead to disappointment.

Scotch’s take on self-publishing can be read as both realistic and pragmatic, though it should not be taken as cynical. She insists that “just because you’re self-publishing doesn’t mean that [the finished product] can be amateurish or unpolished,” but that you must focus on heavily editing and rewriting your work, as you would with a traditional publisher. She also addresses how difficult marketing can be if you don’t have an established audience already and advises self-publishing authors to have a plan in place before publishing, so as to make it more probable that their book will reach a larger audience.

Following Scotch’s commentary from the above Huffington Post article, I thought it’d be pertinent to provide some advice for professional looking design options for self-publishing. In this informative article, Joel Friedlander explains why the best book design should go largely unnoticed by the reader.  Freidlander outlines some simple rules to not deter readers once they’ve opened your book. These rules range from your work being easy to read to meeting the production requirements of your vendor.

While the DIY approach makes sense for those of us who already have a knowledge of formatting and design, Freidlander stresses the importance of having other parties be responsible for these aspects of the publishing process, especially when designing your book cover.

Lastly, discover the pros and cons of using pre-made book templates in Microsoft Word or Adobe by clicking the link above to read more!

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.
Kelly Speaks, Uncategorized

Self-Publishing News: 11.7.2016

And now for the news!

This week in the world of self-publishing:

This week, hear the stories of authors who have chosen self-publishing. From Veronica R. Wells who wanted to share the story of her grandmother’s life to various horror authors who were fed up with being turned down by traditional publishing companies, find out why self-publishing provides something unique for varying authors. After reading those stories, the last article on the rise of self-publishing as an industry will perhaps come as no surprise to you.

Self-publishing isn’t the easiest avenue for publishing a book, that we all know, but this delightful interview with Veronica R. Wells sheds light on why the challenges presented by self-publishing are worthwhile. Wells says, “I had more control, freedom and autonomy in how and when the book came out.” She admits that those freedoms also meant “the very necessary and expensive process of promoting this book, fell on my shoulders.” However, Veronica had a story that she felt compelled to tell: the story of her grandmother’s struggles, dysfunctions, encounters with abuse, etc. Through writing this story, she realized that this was a story not particular to her family, but something shared by women everywhere. Wells wasn’t concerned with having her first book be the picture of perfection, she encourages authors to dive in head first. The lessons she learned and her to impact her audience were well worth the anxieties and stresses of publishing the book on her own. Having a full time job wasn’t something that Wells let get in the way of her writing or of her self-publishing efforts. I would be surprised if her story doesn’t inspire you to try and do the same. Wells doesn’t sugarcoat the process, she admits that “the psychological challenges were probably the greatest and hardest to overcome.” She insists that we quiet the voices of doubt and distraction, something I think we all need to be reminded of from time to time.

So if you’re anything like me, you’re a stranger to all the subgenres of horror fiction, which apparently range from “supernatural horror, postapocalyptic horror, fantasy horror, sci-fi horror, comedy horror, and then all the vampire, werewolf, and zombie horror.” If you haven’t heard of or read any books that fit under those headings, you won’t be shocking any horror authors. Horror authors have begun to perceive themselves as the misfits of the authorial world, after receiving all too many rejections from traditional publishing companies. As Joe Schwartz, horror author, says, “The odds of getting someone substantial to publish your work when you’re basically just getting started are less than awful.” This band of merry misfits has turned to self-publishing after not being able to make it into traditional presses. They’ve made this turn knowing that they wouldn’t be slaying as salesmen, but these “obsessive authors” are committed to their “rabid, but small, fan bases.” Hear the thoughts and opinions of many of these dedicated authors who have turned to self-publishing after rejection, only to realize self-publishing was the route they should’ve taken first and foremost. Horror author Jason S. Ridler says, “I’m not aggressively promoting, and I don’t care about being a rock star bestselling author. The time I have left on this planet has to be spent doing things I care about. Relentless promotion and book tours aren’t bad things, but I’d rather spend time being better as a writer.” Ridler’s message is an important one, don’t let rejection or fear of not being able to promote your book stop you from doing what you love.

Self-publishing companies, such as Boss of Me, are noticing a rise in customers which they attribute to an increasingly educated population combined with the ease of self-publishing and the autonomy it provides authors over the finished product. This low-cost alternative ensures that the majority of the profits go to the authors directly, rather than to the publishing company. According to Mr. Goh of Rank Books, it is not only an increase in profits that self-published authors can expect, but also a lower initial investment. Mr. Goh says, “Previously, a minimum run of 500 books would cost at least $3,000 to print. Now, a minimum run of 50 costs just $1,288, making it easier on the wallet for self-publishing authors.” Considering that some authors don’t have commercial interests with their books, this cutting of costs can be a big incentive to go for the DIY approach of publishing. If self-expression is your main motivation, or if you happen to be someone who is writing a book just to give to family and friends, then self-publishing is probably the route you should take, and this article clearly and succinctly explains why that is.

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

Self-Publishing News: 10.31.2016

And now for the news!

This week in the world of self-publishing:

Just a quick reminder: It’s NaNoWriMo time! As we mentioned last week, you’ll be seeing the buzz over this annual tradition–National Novel Writing Month–begin to cascade through your literary networks, then build to a crescendo over the month of November. We’ll be following its progress–and your progress–here on Self Publishing Advisor, in hopes that we can provide yet another resource to assist you in reaching your writing goals, even if they have nothing at all to do with NaNoWriMo itself and the nonprofit organization which has brought it to such international acclaim. After all, the same tips and tricks which help NaNoWriMo participants are the same tips and tricks that all authors need to brush up on every now and again!

I’ll give you a hint: the answer is YES! and Care2‘s Zoe Eisenberg is all about showing you how to make good on that jubilant answer in her October 28th article. She speeds through a quick bit of history (“Since 1999, over 2 million writers have participated in NaNoWriMo, with an average of 15 percent hitting their goal of completing the first draft of a novel in the allotted month.”) and then plunges into the really important nitty-gritty bits, the bits that might keep you going through NaNoWriMo or any other lengthy writing spree. She interviewed NaNoWriMo’s Executive Director, Grant Faulkner, who says “The number one reason people think they can’t do NaNoWriMo is because they’re too busy […] Everyone says that. We’re all busy. But part of that is reality and part is perception. A lot of people want to write a novel, but it’s hard to get it into the number one spot on your to-do list.” Ain’t that the truth? And for self-publishing authors, self-starting on writing is just the first in many steps to making it from Point A to Point Z. But Faulkner’s tips, coming to us via Eisenberg, might just help overcome that first hurdle: they run the gamut from “Scan your schedule,” to “Plan for lapses,” and all of them circle back to the larger point that prioritizing and time management are an author’s greatest obstacles. For more of Faulkner’s fine points (and Eisenberg’s excellent reporting), follow the link!

Did you ever think you’d be getting serious writing advice from Bustle? I sure didn’t—but I’m very, very glad to have stumbled across this excellent October 24th piece by Bustle contributor Stephanie Topacio Long. Says Long, “The countdown to National Novel Writing Month is now down to single digits”—or in our case, less than twenty-four hours—”so it’s understandable if your excitement or anxiety about the annual writing challenge is off the charts already. Luckily, there’s still time for last-minute NaNoWriMo prep. Taking certain steps in the lead-up to November could make for a more successful month of writing.” While we’ve written about this subject here on Self-Publishing Advisor before, it’s always good to hear affirmation (and perhaps, receive more fleshed-out advice) from other writers whom we admire. Like Faulkner and Eisenberg, Long emphasizes the importance of preparatory tips like setting a schedule and establishing a support system (my personal favorite), but she goes a bit further in pushing for authors to get pumped up for the days to come. (And her well-selected gifs to illustrate each point definitely don’t hurt her argument.) As Long says, “Get psyched for NaNoWriMo now. Win or lose, the experience will be valuable for you. You’ll either come out the other side with the first draft of a novel (fingers crossed!), or you’ll learn a host of valuable lessons.” Hear, hear, Ms. Long! For the rest of her fabulous piece, click here.

Look, everybody needs a little humor headed into a long hard project, right? And right at the perfect moment, along comes Adam Forsgren with this glorious October 29th article for East Idaho News! “This will be my sixth year participating in NaNoWriMo, and over the years, I’ve noticed that the whole experience can be broken into different stages of dealing with the ‘burden’ of writing a 50,000 word narrative in 30 days,” he begins: “Think of it kind of like the stages of dealing with death, only with more caffeine and less crushing despondency.” First off, I’d like to take all of our collective hats off to Forsgren. SIX years of NaNoWriMo? That’s incredible. Secondly, he’s in a privileged place to deliver to us his theory of the 5 Phases of Dealing With NaNoWriMo:

  1. “Total Stokage” (AKA enthusiasm)
  2. “The Weight Hits” (oh no)
  3. “The Drag” (it doesn’t get worse than this, does it?)
  4. “The Despondency” (oh … it does ….)
  5. “The Glorious Morning!!”

As you might have guessed from the double exclamation point, Forsgren is a huge advocate for sticking it out through thick and thin to finish your writing projects (“It feels like I’ve actually accomplished something. It’s as close as I’ll ever get to fatherhood. And what’s crazy is that once you feel that feeling, you can’t wait to do it all over again.”) and he’s incredibly persuasive. If you needed the combination of realism (he does face up to the incredible challenges this project entails) and a powerful pep talk, this is the article for you. Read the full thing online at EastIdahoNews.com!

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

Self-Publishing News: 10.24.2016

And now for the news!

This week in the world of self-publishing:

NaNoWriMo. Over the coming weeks, you’ll be seeing the buzz over this annual tradition–National Novel Writing Month–begin to cascade through your literary networks, then build to a crescendo over the month of November. We’ll be following its progress–and your progress–here on Self Publishing Advisor, in hopes that we can provide yet another resource to assist you in reaching your writing goals, even if they have nothing at all to do with NaNoWriMo itself and the nonprofit organization which has brought it to such international acclaim. After all, the same tips and tricks which help NaNoWriMo participants are the same tips and tricks that all authors need to brush up on every now and again!

“It’s starting to look a lot like autumn, and you know what that means? It’s NaNoWriMo time,” writes Alex Weiss for Bustle. “Out of all the fall contests to participate in, it’s one of the most rewarding — and mind-bogglingly difficult.” Weiss goes on to lay out the basic precepts of the event: authors attempt to write the first 50,000 word draft of their next novel in 30 days, with minimal editing (if any) before month’s end. But as Weiss intimates:

“As a NaNoWriMo lover and participant for the last six years, I’ve only ever once completed and won the challenge. Even though I went to college for creative writing and try to write every single day, I still find this competition incredibly difficult. It doesn’t matter if you’ve won the contest multiple times or this year will be your first go, it’s always a new experience and one you’ll have to start preparing for.”

Thus, Weiss presents the titular ten tips, which include (but are not limited to): Using a journal, scheduling your writing times, setting a fun weekly goal, joining a local or digital writing club, and creating an inspiration board. Weiss’s article reads in many ways like a cross between a pep talk and a training session on how to bypass the dreaded Writer’s Block, and I definitely recommend taking a look–even if you’re confronting the dreaded beast outside the parameters of NaNoWriMo. Click the link for the full piece!

If you needed any additional motivation to move forward with either your latest writing project or your plans for NaNoWriMo, this article by Crissi Langwell of The Press Democrat a few days ago lays out a more specific groundwork for making good on your inspiration. Like Alex Weiss, Langwell has participated in NaNoWriMo for a number of years, and her recommendations are born out of that experience. With four published books under her belt, writes Langwell, “my writing process has been affected by this fast-paced way of penning a novel.” Her top recommendations? Plan ahead. (“I know there are writers out there that swear by “pantsing” […] But if you are just starting out as a writer, plotting is the way to go.”) Find ways to make writing your priority. (“Whatever time you like for writing, make that time sacred. No TV. No cellphone. No Facebook. No family. Just you and your story, making things happen. And? Never give up. (“If you throw in the towel before the month is over, you’ll only have regrets. Keep plugging away. Trust me, your whole world will be changed once Dec. 1 is here.”) Sounds like good advice to me. For more of it, check out Langwell’s full piece at the link.

Have I mentioned that NaNoWriMo is a global phenomenon? It is. And as this article from the Tri-Cities community section of the Chicago Tribune points out, this event is “not just a funny sounding word” but a bona-fide movement, and one in which otherwise typical “suburbanites will forgo their favorite TV shows, refuse to return phone calls, skip meals, and bypass sleep if they have to; in an effort to sync their brains to the rate in which they type; to free their thoughts from the constraints of their psyche.” This particular article, which points readers to specific “sprints” and other novel-writing workshops taking place in libraries in the Tri-Cities area, is just one of hundreds out there laying out the possibilities for you if you want to write in the company of others this November. As various of these articles point out, writing with others is one great way to keep ourselves accountable and maintain our forward momentum, so it’s well worth taking a moment to hop online and check to see if your local public library is offering NaNo-related events next month. Mine is, my parents’ is, and my siblings’ libraries are too. The larger the city, the more likely they will be involved, but even some tiny rural libraries are getting on board. And remember–your library won’t know they have an interested group of writers nearby if nobody alerts them! You might be the first to reach out, but I guarantee you’re not alone. If you’re an aspiring facilitator, this might even be a great opportunity to offer your services to the community in hosting a writing sprint!

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.