Tag: self publish

Jodee Speaks

5 Reasons to Self Publish a Book in Honor of Your Mom

Yesterday was Mother’s Day and many of you celebrated the kind, loving woman who raised you. But why limit celebrating your wonderful mother to just one day out of the year? Give your mom the gift of eternal praise by self publishing a book in her honor. Here are five reasons to self publish a book in honor of Mother’s Day.

1) Books last forever.

Mother’s Day only happens once a year. The flowers you bought her will soon wither, and the chocolates box will soon be empty. By dedicating a book to your mother, you are giving her a gift that will last forever.

2) You can share her with the world.

If you have a wonderful story about your mother, why not share it with the world by turning it into a book? There are many strong, inspiring mothers out there, and readers would love to know their stories.

3) Write a special thank you.

Even if your book isn’t about your mom, you can still dedicate your book to her. In the beginning of your book, write a special note thanking your mom for everything she has done for you and tell her just how much she means to you.

4) Make her proud.

Mothers love to brag about their children, no matter how old they are, and being a self published author is definitely something to brag about. Your mom will love showing off your book to all of her friends and acquaintances, as well as random strangers.

5) Don’t forget yourself.

If you are a mother, you owe it to yourself to make your dreams of becoming a self published author come true. Mothers often put everyone else’s needs before their own, which isn’t a bad thing, but every mom deserves to make her own dreams come true too.

I’d love to know, do you plan to self publish a book in honor of your mom?

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, Uncategorized

NaNoWriMo – 6 Month Check-in

It has been six months since NaNoWriMo. Yes, six months! Time really does fly. As you probably know, I spent a great deal of time back in November sharing about my experience with the NaNoWriMo challenge. I’m embarrassed to admit this, but when I hit the 50,000 word mark, I saved the working document and haven’t looked back…not once!  For me, the six month mark is a chance to reflect on my project and set goals to refine and further improve my manuscript.

If you’re in the same boat, here a few things you should ask yourself as you reflect on your NaNoWriMo project:

How is the book coming along?

Since the challenge ended, what have you done with your manuscript? Have you continued working on it? Is it sitting in a (virtual) drawer somewhere collecting dust? Now would be a great time to open it back up and finish your manuscript. With six months passed, you can look at the manuscript with fresh eyes and bring new life to the project.

Is your manuscript done?

You may have finished writing the manuscript, but is the project truly finished? Maybe you still need to edit. Maybe you need to come up with a great title. Maybe all you have left to do is publish and market your book. Now is a great time to set new goals for your project so you’re ready in six more months to start a new novel all over again.

Are you ready to publish your novel?

If your manuscript is complete, now may be a great time to look into publishing options. Research self publishing companies. Talk to other authors. Figure out your goals and choose an option that is best for you.

Are you ready to market your book?

Even if your book isn’t yet published, it is never too early to begin marketing your book. You can share the news with family and friends. Set up social media sites. Talk to your local press. Begin making a marketing plan now, and you will have a much easier time promoting your book once it is complete.

I’d love to know, what have you done since NaNoWriMo?

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 Safehouse

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:

9781432775247_cov.indd

The Safehouse

T. Thomas Ackerman

Publisher: Outskirts Press

ISBN: 9781432775247

Justice can sometimes be so hard to find. “The Safehouse” follows Detective Jessica Warren as she searches for justice as she joins with others in a crusade against domestic violence. But the law is not always on her side, and Jessica finds there are those who are working against her within it. Split between the law, her own goals, and standing against the evil that reeks in the world, “The Safehouse” is a fine read that will grip the reader and not let go.

Kelly Speaks

How to Be a Successful Poet

National Poetry Month has come to an end, but that doesn’t mean you should stop writing and improving your poetry. Success as a self publishing poet is all about consistency, committment, and personal development. To help you become the best poet you can be, here are tips for improving your writing as well as self publishing your work.

Read. Read. Read.

Any time you want to improve your skills and become more successful, reading can help. Read poetry. Read books and articles about writing and publishing poetry. Read information about self publishing. Read anything that inspires you to write and become the best poet you can be, but don’t limit yourself to poetry and industry books. Read fiction, nonfiction, magazines, newspapers, blogs, advertisements, etc. Read everything and anything you can get a hold of. You never know what will inspire you.

Stay Committed

If you want to be successful, you need to commit yourself to your craft. Make time to write every day. Look for ways to continue to learn and grow. Figure out what motivates you and include those motivations in your daily life. Share your goals with others so they can help you accountable. Never give up on dreams.

Be Consistent

Whether you are writing, editing, or marketing, be consistent. Work on your poetry every day. Set a schedule for when you will write, edit, or market your work. Set goals for yourself, and make a plan to achieve them. Successful writers don’t write sporadically; they work on their craft in some way every single day.

I’d love to know, why do you write poetry ?

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: Linebacker in the Boardroom

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:

linebacker in the boardroom

Linebacker in the Boardroom

Marvin A. Russell

Publisher: Outskirts Press

ISBN: 9781432775575

Leadership is leadership no matter where it is. “Linebacker in the Boardroom: Lessons in Life and Leadership” is a leadership memoir from Marv Russell as he reflects on his history as a linebacker and man of business and states the values of leadership and making the most of a situation and scoring in life, the business room, and everywhere else. “Linebacker in the Boardroom” is a choice read with plenty of wisdom.