Tag: self publish

Jodee Speaks, Uncategorized

Take Your Time Self-Publishing

Many authors I know are anxious to self-publish their book. In fact, many of them choose self-publishing because they can see their book in print much quicker than if they used a traditional publisher. While speed is one of the many perks of self-publishing, I ALWAYS encourage my authors to take their time. If you want to publish a quality, professional book, do not rush! Instead, remember these five tips.

1) Be realistic about deadlines.

It is never a good idea to rush your writing in order to meet a deadline. You will not produce your best work if you are focused on finishing by a certain date instead of striving to write a good book, no matter how long it takes. While it is a great idea to set realistic writing and publishing goals, too tight a deadline can be damaging to the quality of your book.

2) Proofread, and consider professional editing.

No matter how great your story or ideas are, if your book is tainted with numerous grammar, spelling, and style errors, readers aren’t going to take your book seriously. To be considered a professional writer, you need to publish quality work. This means you need to take the time to proofread your book several times, and it is always a good idea to hire a professional editor. It is difficult to catch all the errors in your own work, so it is best to have another set of eyes review your manuscript.

3) Research before publishing.

Choosing a self-publishing company is a big decision. Each company offers different packages, features, prices, and support, and you need to decide which company will best complement your needs and goals as a writer. Don’t just randomly choose a self-publishing company. Spend time researching your options, and pick the one that is best for you.

4) Don’t get too far ahead.

While thinking about marketing and promotion before your book is published is a good idea, don’t get too far ahead of yourself. I don’t recommend scheduling marketing events before you have a book to take with you to the event. Go ahead and create a marketing plan, but wait until your book is ready before doing too much promotion.

5) Just enjoy it.

Self-publishing a book is an exciting adventure. Rather than rush through the process, take the time to enjoy it.

Rushing the self-publishing process will result in a less than perfect book. Take the time to make sure every aspect of your book is exactly what you want. Leave time to allow professional editors and designers to do a quality job, and take the time to enjoy the journey of becoming a self-published author.

 

ABOUT JODEE THAYER: With over 25 years of experience in sales and management, Jodee Thayer works as the Director of Author Services for Outskirts Press. The Author Services Department is composed of knowledgeable customer service reps, publishing consultants and marketing professionals; together, they all focus on educating authors on the self-publishing process in order to help them publish the book of their dreams and on assisting authors with marketing and promoting their book once published. 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.
Conversations with a Self-Publishing Writer, Royalene Speaks, Uncategorized

Friday Conversations With A Self-Publishing Writer 9/06/13

Today I’ll step a little aside from speaking with self-publishing authors to encourage all writers—whether published, not published yet, or who never plan to publish yet seem to find themselves “writing little things” all the time.

Last week one of my very, very best friends (yes, I know, it’s not quality writing to use the word very, let alone use it twice; but the truth of it stands as is) passed from this earth. She was one of the people I consider to be an extraordinary writer; one who could write with great empathy whether she was developing a children’s novel, poetry, or creating magazine articles. Her gift of writing extended beyond the written page as she used those intricate, intuitive skills to bring out the best in all the people she knew—whether a writer or not.

I will give my friend the name Annie, so this will read more smoothly.

Annie never wanted to stop learning. This desire sent her back to school in later adult years, where she graduated from college the same year as one of her sons. Of course, her favorite class assignment was writing essays, and she was often acknowledged for the excellent work.

This love and passion for writing was what drew both Annie and me to the same creative writing summer class, which eventually spun itself into the cocoon of our own writer’s workshop. We both fed off the high energy of our eclectic group of writers and were inspired through the many hours of weekend critique and work sessions.

Over these many years, being privileged to know numerous writers, I’ve developed a great appreciation in the uniqueness of each individual. But it was Annie who taught me how to listen to their writing voices and see their unique perspectives—ideas that must be put forth. Yet, that won’t happen—can’t happen—until the writer becomes the author who releases their work for publication.

Much of Annie’s work has been published, especially in her magazine editorial years. But she always returned to her prose writing. At one point Annie became a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers, which helped her hone this specific genre. One story in particular carried such intensity of emotion, woven with the power of colliding circumstances, that I have not forgotten it—in twenty-plus years. The characters were alive and the workable resolutions were clearly demonstrated; inspiring to all of us who were privileged to read the manuscript. However, she never published that novel.

So it is that I dedicate my writings today—in honor of my very, very best friend Annie—and to all those writers out there who are holding tightly to a manuscript that needs to see the light of day. Don’t hold back! If you need help to complete it, call a writing friend, join an active workshop, or find a ghostwriter who shares the passion for your topic, and GET IT PUBLISHED!

Royalene ABOUT ROYALENE DOYLE: Royalene Doyle is a Ghostwriter with Outskirts Press, bringing more than 35 years of writing experience to authors who need “just a little assistance” with completing their writing projects. She has worked with both experienced and fledgling writers helping complete projects in multiple genres. When a writer brings the passion they have for their work and combines it with Royalene’s passion to see the finished project in print, books are published and the writer’s legacy is passed forward.
Conversations with a Self-Publishing Writer, Royalene Speaks, Uncategorized

Friday Conversations With A Self-Publishing Writer 8/30/13

From my perspective—over 50 years of living with the writer-within—I’ve come to greatly appreciate the freedom that self-publishing offers.  When ideas, plots, characters and scenarios flow so quickly, there are literally flying pages circling around you.  That is the time to slow down and find a home for at least one of your favorite pieces; the time to develop a relationship with a publisher or self-publishing press; the time for readers to have access to your best work.

The majority of writers I know seem to possess an extra DNA molecule, a dominant genetic inclination to create volumes of pages that literally bleed their ideas onto paper.  Yet only a few—within this circle of friends—are published.  Instead, most have a large file of politely phrased reject letters.  For some, this file has created a trapdoor in their minds; when they fall into it, they wonder what—if anything—will ever happen to all those masterpieces.

Enter the self-publishing press—stage right.  Gone is the stigma of self-publishing.  A new pride now comes to the authors who take that step and release their books to the readers of the world.  The doors are now wide open to every author in every field of writing.  And, other creative industries are watching, especially agents looking for the next Stephen King, Ted Dekker, Dan Brown or Debbie Macomber.

Sometimes when I talk with writers I hear a slow release of energy as they express their doubt that their particular project(s) will ever be published.  Then we leave the topic of publishing behind for a while and share the stories: the stories of their writing lives, the development of their manuscripts and the heart behind the imaginings that push them to write the stories.  Once a writer realizes that their works are meant to be published, the progress to reach that goal becomes much easier.

Personally, I enjoy working with new authors or writers whose lives took a turn and they are just returning to their projects—writers who present me with artistically written materials in the genres of children’s books, young adult fiction, historical fiction, science fiction and especially Christian fiction and nonfiction.

Have I ever had to respectfully decline a project?  Only twice.  The gift of writing does not come to everyone in spite of the old saying that “every living soul has a great book manuscript in their desk drawer.”  The words, phrases, sentences, paragraphs, pages, must flow and offer the reader either excellent information or a moment of vision into another perspective, another life, another world.  What a gift to the ghostwriter who can be part of that!

Royalene ABOUT ROYALENE DOYLE: Royalene Doyle is a Ghostwriter with Outskirts Press, bringing more than 35 years of writing experience to authors who need “just a little assistance” with completing their writing projects. She has worked with both experienced and fledgling writers helping complete projects in multiple genres. When a writer brings the passion they have for their work and combines it with Royalene’s passion to see the finished project in print, books are published and the writer’s legacy is passed forward.
Kelly Speaks, Uncategorized

Back to Writing: Publishing Challenge

August is here and as summer is winding down, it’s time to get back to your writing and publishing goals.  Each week this month I will present you with a writing challenge for the week.  Come back every Wednesday to join the challenge and get back into the habit of writing on a regular basis. As Desiderius Erasmus once said, “The desire to write grows with writing.”

Over the past three weeks, I hope I’ve been able to help you get back into writing by completing the poetry challenge, short story challenge, and 15 minute challenge.

Now that you are feeling motivated and inspired to write, perhaps you have started thinking about publishing. Have you been working on a book you want to publish? Or have you always wanted to write and publish something, but haven’t started yet?  This week, your challenge is to set mini writing goals to get you from where you are now to where you want to be: I call this the publishing challenge.  

Let’s say you want to be a published author by the end of the year and you are about half finished with writing your book.  Imagine what you have left to write and set goals for each week in September, October and November (if necessary).  Give yourself some room the last couple of months as the publishing process can take several weeks.

The more you have left to write, the more aggressive your goals may need to be, but challenge yourself to write a chapter a week (or a certain number of pages or a certain number of words) to get you to your end goal of publishing a book by a reasonable date.  Then, discipline yourself to meet your goal each week and be sure to review your goals often to be sure you’re on target.

Good luck and happy writing!

 

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.
Conversations with a Self-Publishing Writer, Royalene Speaks, Uncategorized

Friday Conversations With A Self-Publishing Writer 8/23/13

 

Quite some time ago—back in the ‘90s—one of my close writing friends and I debated the benefits of mainstream publishing versus self-publishing. At that time we both walked away in agreement that the established publishing houses did, indeed, have an edge over the self-publishing presses. Yet, just recently, we discussed that issue again with the eye-opening conclusion that the self-publishing industry is winning this race big time—especially as writers find it necessary to retain control of their work.

Within our sphere of writer-acquaintances we knew of two authors who had published in the last year—one with a semi-major publishing house and one with an established self-publishing press. The “house” author had signed his contract two months shy of three years before his book reached bookstores. The ebook and online presence came along much later. The “press” author held her finished book in her hand 98-days after submitting the manuscript with immediate availability to bookstores, ebooks and online book sites.

That comparison alone has brought many new champions to the field of self-publishing. However, in the case of these two authors, the big factor for me was their levels of stress throughout the publishing process. The “press” author experienced a few hiccups over those 98 days, mainly caused by the learning curve of self-publishing terminologies. The “house” author found himself dealing with three different editors over that long period of time, each with their own “read” of how the book should be “strengthened.” He often felt as if he was defending himself and the way he had created his characters and storyline. That was major stress.

As my work with authors expands, I understand and appreciate that most writers—whether published authors or not—experience a form of travail in the creation of their works. Even though their objective is to publish, the release of those pages can be traumatic. So it has become my goal to do what I can to ease the pain.

Rarely, these days, do I recommend that an author seek out a publishing “house.” From my perspective the benefits of self-publishing far outweighs what little prestige remains in being identified with any of the mainstream publishers. The process of self-publishing is quick, almost painless, and greatly satisfying when Readers begin enjoying the author’s book and add reviews that reflect their appreciation. Plus, the freedom that comes with this quick-release self-publishing, immediately makes room for the next creative endeavor.

Royalene ABOUT ROYALENE DOYLE: Royalene Doyle is a Ghostwriter with Outskirts Press, bringing more than 35 years of writing experience to authors who need “just a little assistance” with completing their writing projects. She has worked with both experienced and fledgling writers helping complete projects in multiple genres. When a writer brings the passion they have for their work and combines it with Royalene’s passion to see the finished project in print, books are published and the writer’s legacy is passed forward.