Tag: Outskirts Press

Kelly Speaks, Self-Publishing Week in Review

Self Publishing Week in Review: 2/5/13

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 in self publishing this week.

Guy Kawasaki: Self-Promoter and Self-Publisher

This article talks about self published marketing guru Guy Kawasaki of Google. Kawasaki shares why he self published and how you can self promote.

The Road to Publication — Part Three: Traditional Publishing vs. Self-Publishing, Pros and Cons

If you are debating whether self publishing is right for you, this pro and con article can help you decide.

Self-publishing Turns the Corner

Self publishing is no longer for works that aren’t “good enough” to be published by traditional publishing firms. In fact, traditional publishing houses are now jumping onboard and starting their own self publishing companies. This article also talks about one of the most popular self published books of 2012, Fifty Shades of Grey.

Surviving the Self-Publishing World and How Tech is Changing our Vacations

One of the most important gatherings for publishing professionals when it comes to e-books and self-publishing,  Digital Book World Conference, was recently held in Midtown Manhattan. One of the guests included marketing guru and self published author Guy Kawasaki.

If you have other big news to share, please comment 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.
Kelly Speaks, Self-Publishing Week in Review

Self Publishing Week in Review: 1/8/13

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 in self publishing this week.

TEXAS READS: Self-publishing a way to release the book in you, but do it right

This article for a Texas newspaper shares the columnist’s opinion on and experience with self publishing. As a book reviewer and fellow author, he offers useful and interesting insight on the subject.

Sumner Library hosts event about self publishing

I love to see people besides self publishing companies promoting self publishing. It shows that people are truly interested in the topic and proves that the information out there isn’t just companies marketing themselves to convince you to self publish. Self publishing really is a great option for many authors. If you live in the area, be sure to check out this free event at Sumner Library on January 18.

Self-published book chronicles cancer journey

This is a fascinating story about a cancer survivor who chronicles her journey by writing a book. The book covers the hardships, indignities and triumphs she experienced during her battle with cancer. In the article, she also talks about her experiences during the self publishing process.

Outskirts Press Kicks Off 2013 with Free Social Media Set-Up for Self-Publishing Authors in January

Social media is one of the most powerful, persuasive tools authors can use in their book marketing efforts. During the month of January, Outskirts Press is offering authors free social media set-up services – a savings of up to $499. This is a great deal for self publishing authors!

If you have other big news to share, please comment 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.
Jodee Speaks, Uncategorized

Get (or Give) the Gift of Self-Publishing

Are your friends and family members asking you for last-minute holiday gift ideas? How about the gift of publishing?! Many self publishing companies offer gift certificates that can be used towards a variety of publishing and marketing services. For instance, Outskirts Press offers instant gift certificates in the amount of $99. Here is how their process works.

  1. Click the “Add to Cart” button on the page and complete the transaction on a secure server.
  2. Outskirts Press will email the purchaser to find out who the special author is and whether  to include any special messaging on the gift notification.
  3. If the writer isn’t yet registered with Outskirts Press, they will create a free account and apply the $99 credit to the new account.
  4. If the author is already registered and/or published with Outskirts Press, they will apply the $99 credit to the existing Publishing Center account.
  5. Once the credit has been applied to the writer’s account, Outskirts Press will notify the writer via email of the special gift using any messaging provided.

The turnaround time is typically 2-business days, and there is no searching for a parking spot at a busy mall, waiting in a long line, or paying expensive shipping charges. Your friends and family will appreciate an idea that makes their shopping a little easier and that they know will bring you great joy. This is also a wonderful for the self-publishing authors on your list.

I’d love to know, what are you asking for this year?

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.
Choosing a Publisher, Jodee Speaks, Uncategorized

Compare CreateSpace and Outskirts Press Self Publishing Packages

Deciding which self-publishing company to go with can be a real challenge.  To assist you with this process, I’m beginning a series of posts where I do the legwork for you!  I’ll prepare a side-by-side comparison of two similar publishing packages from two self-publishing companies.  I’ll strive to keep it as simple as possible to help cut through the vast amount of information out there by giving you an easy to read chart and a brief summary of my impressions on the comparison.

I’ll start this series with a comparison of two of the most robust self-publishing packages available: The “One Click for Coaches & Speakers” from Outskirts Press  (which you can enjoy even if you’re NOT a coach or speaker, by the way) and the “Total Design Freedom” from CreateSpace.  The information shared here is current as of the date I completed the comparison (18 November 2012).

Outskirts Press One-Click Publishing For Coaches & Speakers CreateSpace Total Design Freedom Marketing Pro
$4497 $4634
Production Options Expedited Service ✓
Copyright registration ✓
Custom Cover ✓ ✓
Enhanced Interior Formatting ✓ ✓
Cover Scribing / Promotional Text ✓ ✓
Library of Congress Control Number ✓ ✓
Your ISBN/ Imprint or ours ✓ ✓
Interior Elements Up to 20 images Up to 10 images (add’l @ $15 each)
Copyediting Up to 75,000 Words Up to 60,000 Words
Additional Formats Amazon Kindle Edition ✓
Secure EBook Edition ✓
Espresso Book Machine Edition ✓
 Marketing Services Publication Press Release ✓ ✓
Custom Topic Press Release ✓
PR Publicist Campaign ✓
Electronic Clipping Service ✓
Author Webpage ✓

After comparing these two self-publishing services side by side, the winner looks to be Outskirts Press. For $137 less, you receive expedited service, official copyright registration with the US Copyright Office, the Amazon Kindle edition of your book, the Espresso Book Machine edition, electronic clipping service, a PR campaign, and five hours of personal marketing assistance with a professional book marketing expert, among other benefits.   

See all the benefits and features of the One-Click Package for Speakers & Coaches by clicking here.

I’d love to know, which option would you choose and why?

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.
Elise Speaks, NaNoWriMo

3 Things to Do If You Don’t Win NaNoWriMo

As NaNoWriMo comes to a close, it’s time to reflect on what you did (and didn’t) do this month. Did you meet the seemingly lofty goal of 50,000 words? Did you make it half way through? Or, are you like me and never got a chance to start?

Well, allow me to explain my situation a little more…

I began the month of November with every intention to start and win NaNoWriMo even though I didn’t have the foggiest idea who or what to write about. I have a strong fondness for the craft of “birthing” words, but I couldn’t get myself motivated to start this month. Every time I felt I may have time to, life got in the way. Sooner or later, I was able to come up with every excuse to not start writing. That leaves me at the end of November with no word count next to my name.

It’s actually quite scary…

I’m not allowing that to break my spirits, though. While I may not have “won” NaNoWriMo, I’m still a winner in my mind. I’ve had an opportunity to cheer on many others in their conquest to literary success – including Outskirts Press Vice President, Kelly Schuknecht. Overall, this has been an amazing month for so many budding novelists!

I will say – making the decision to finish a book for NaNoWriMo is hard. It’s much more difficult that it initially seems. There are great support teams to help potential novelists stay focused on reaching their daily word count goals. This doesn’t help everyone, though. This is especially true if you can’t find the time to sit down to write on a (somewhat) regular schedule.

So, what do you do if you don’t finish (or start) NaNoWriMo? Here’s a few things to begin with:

  1. Finish anyway. Just because November is over doesn’t mean that you are unable to finish your book. You achieved a major goal by starting the writing process. November is not the only time you can commit to writing a book. I see a finish line in your future!
  2. Hire a ghostwriter. If you have no clue how to continue on with your work, a ghostwriter may be able to help. This is probably the simplest solution if you want to finish your book in the near future and you’ve run out of ideas and/or can’t find the time to finish writing yourself. If you’re having a hard time finding a ghostwriter, you can ask your (future) publisher for recommendations.
  3. Make a vow to participate next year. Did November come at the most inconvenient time for you (it did for me!)? There’s always next year’s event! Or, feel free to start right away and/or hire a ghostwriter.

How are you coping with not winning NaNoWriMo?

Elise Connors ABOUT ELISE L. CONNORS:
Elise works as the Manager of Author Support of Outskirts Press.  She also contributes to the Outskirts Press blog at blog.outskirtspress.com.Elise and a group of talented book marketing experts assist self-publishing authors and professionals who are interested in getting the best possible exposure for their book.