Tag: self-published

Conversations with a Self-Publishing Writer, Royalene Speaks

Conversations With A Self-Publishing Writer: 09/25/2015

OUR RIGHT TO WRITE AND PUBLISH IV

 Moving back to the concept of developing our writing wings, I must share with you one of my personal research projects. A favorite genre of mine is Historical Fiction. For years I’ve debated the concept that early pioneer journalists were today’s foundation of excellence and especially authenticity for authors of all writing genres. In most cases they had the bare minimum of publishing guidelines to follow yet gave the reading public the information needed and often a “rip-roaring” story of adventure and intrigue.

american progress
John Gast’s “American Progress”

To honor these pioneer journalists (many of whom turned book authors) I give you the example of Gene Amole who wrote a column for Colorado’s Rocky Mountain News from 1977 until his death in May, 2002. As I list several of his column themes and titles, let them inspire you to write something on one of these topics that jump out at you.  Actually, I hope there will be several.

  1. Bright lights—good memories
  2. It takes action to clarify writing
  3. There are only two kinds of music: good and bad
  4. Succumbing again to the allure of fine poetry.
  5. A message to carry…son of a friends brings a letter
  6. A leave of absence might be necessary to write a novel.
  7. The concept of home…
  8. Honesty in writing: Pain becomes an ugly companion
  9. Are our perspectives getting a little out of whack?
  10. When folks try to write for big magazines, they try too hard.
  11. Interviews should be richly enjoyed by both parties
  12. We will always have something to write about IF we keep our eyes and ears open.
  13. Nothing chases the blues away like kind words.
  14. Memories can be fickle companions.
  15. READ…reflect…make new memories.
  16. On war.
  17. On music.
  18. On the Unsolved Murder of a 10-year-old boy.
  19. To a Newborn Grandson
  20. On senseless Deaths Going Unpunished
  21. “Good writing is a bridge on which minds meet, a bridge that the writer must build.” (from Amole’s conversations with author William E Barrett.)

We all have such unique perspectives on life and all the millions of events that occur close to home and far away.  Amole wrote a final column that was to be published after his passing. In it he said: “I…hope that along the way I have said, written or spoken something of value to those who survive me. Certainly I make no claim of original thought, but perhaps I have taken an existing idea and added some value to it.”

Isn’t that the goal of every writer? This one man—writer, journalist—is also remembered as a loveable prankster and generous in mentoring young writers. Yes, he published books, too, (Morning, 1983; Amole Again, 1985; Amole One More Time, 1998; The Last Chapter: Gene Amole On Dying, 2002).

This blog is my salute to Gene Amole (and all the authentic and inspiring writers out there): an excellent example of respecting our right to write and publish! ⚓︎

RoyaleneABOUT ROYALENE DOYLE: Royalene has been writing something since before kindergarten days and continues to love the process. Through her small business—DOYLE WRITING SERVICES—she brings more than 40 years of writing experience to authors who need “just a little assistance” with completing their projects. This is a nice fit as she develops these blogs for Outskirts Press (OP) a leading self-publisher, and occasionally accepts a ghostwriting project from one of their clients. Her recent book release (with OP) titled FIREPROOF PROVERBS, A Writer’s Study of Words, is already receiving excellent reviews including several professional writer’s endorsements given on the book’s back cover.  

Royalene’s writing experience grew through a wide variety of positions from Office Manager and Administrative Assistant to Teacher of Literature and Advanced Writing courses and editor/writer for an International Christian ministry. Her willingness to listen to struggling authors, learn their goals and expectations and discern their writing voice has brought many manuscripts into the published books arena.
news from the self publishing world, self publishing news, Self-Publishing, Self-Publishing Week in Review

News From the Self-Publishing World: 9/21/15

This week in the world of self-publishing:

In a broadcast that ran on NPR on September 19th, journalist Lynn Neary talks with a variety of self-published authors and experts about where, exactly, the indie community stands in relation to the community of traditionally-published authors in respects to book sales.  And the figures she uncovers are, indeed, somewhat surprising––and yes, mostly in good ways.  Neary poses the question, “what happens to writers who never get anywhere near an awards ceremony?”  The answer: not much, but that doesn’t mean that authors who aren’t making it onto the Man Booker shortlist are worse off than those who are.  All authors struggle to break even and sell books, Neary reports, citing the Authors Guild survey we looked at last week.  And while the article may seem to strike a mostly sour note, Neary ends with the hope that while many authors must write for little to no profit at present, “maybe — just maybe — next time they’ll get paid.”  Here’s hoping, NPR!

You might know her as the author of the New York Times bestselling author of The Selection (and its sequels), but now you have the chance to know her as a spokesperson for self-publishing.  In a September 19th interview with Chryssa Celestino for Preen, Cass describes how she got her start in the sometimes murky waters of self-publishing, and how her roots in the community of readers she found there set her up for success today.  She walks readers through the process of self-publishing, and what it felt like both to publish and retain creative control over her work, a quality which is often cited by authors as a reason to pursue platforms apart from the traditional mode of publishing.  “It was a whole little community,” she says, “and at the same time, they sort of helped get the word out.”  And from someone who knows what it’s like to work in both the indie and traditional modes, those words ring with inhabited experience.

In her September 17th article for the Kentucky-based Lexington Herald news site LexGo, Candace Chaney introduces us to a development that might benefit everyone in the indie, hybrid, and self-publishing community––a festival for those who read and write and publish and otherwise love zines (or self-published digital magazines & fanzines).  A festival that is entirely given over to celebrating us.  Us!  And it’s about time; festivals and parties and awards ceremonies have long been lauding the accomplishments and successes (and failures, too, we must admit) of traditionally-published writers and the traditional publishing process as a whole.  It’s our time!  According to Chaney’s research, “Festival organizers say that in addition to nostalgia for the analog age, zines offer more personal connection and creative freedom than you can ever get on the Internet; they also continue to serve as a vehicle for alternative, radical, or marginalized communities to safely tell their stories without fear of censorship or retribution.”  In a word: awesome.  The festival took place on Saturday the 19th, but if you missed it, never fear: this was a third anniversary of the event, which will happen around the same time next year.  Take a look at Chaney’s article for more information!

The innovations just keep on coming!  On the 16th of September, Scott Green’s article for Crunchyroll (which self-advertises as “the leading global video service for Japanese Anime and Asian media”) chronicles some of the latest adventures of––and declarations of intent by––Stu Levy, founder of Tokyopop, a corporate superweight in the world of manga publication.  According to Green, Levy is “working on new digital comics initiative, POP Comics. This is a mobile app for iOS and Android that allows creators to upload and promote their original comics.”  This is good news for illustrators and digital artists especially, who are expected to retain “70-75% of the ad revenue, with 30% going to Tokyopop.”  Other, similar platforms are seeing a usership in the millions, so this percentage is not a meaningless one.  Check it out by hopping on by the beta launch at popcomics.com!

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.

KellyABOUT 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.

Conversations with a Self-Publishing Writer, Royalene Speaks

Conversations With A Self-Publishing Writer: 09/18/2015

OUR RIGHT TO WRITE AND PUBLISH III

 

FOR Novel and Non-Fiction book authors, let’s talk shop. My first two blogs this month focused on writers who enjoy the article/essay, short story and magazine venues AND their right to write and publish. However, unless authors are “frequent flyers” in those publishing circles, the more accurate term for their process would be to submit for publication. Those publishers and editors have total power with it comes to selecting what their Readers will see.  However, writers of book-length manuscripts may (underline may) hold a slight advantage simply because they have the additional option of self-publishing.

protesters

To encourage “book writers” I’d like to begin by defining the power of A BOOK, as outlined many years ago by American author, astrophysicist, astronomer, science communicator, Carl Sagan.

  • A flat object made from a tree;
  • Having flexible parts on which are imprinted dark squiggles;
  • Yet with one glance the reader is inside the mind of another—someone who might have been dead for thousands of years.
  • Books break the shackles of time.
  • A book is proof that humans are capable of working magic.

Sagan adds that “Writing is perhaps the greatest of human inventions, binding together people who never knew each other, as they become citizens of distant epochs.”

Of course, the power of a book is really the power of the written word that lingers in the hearing of readers from the moment of publication until—well, hopefully, forever—which, considering technology advances may be possible. This brings us to our right to write and publish. The old cliché that “with rights come responsibilities” is especially true for authors. E. B. White, author of the little book The Elements of Style, offers his thoughts.

“A writer has the duty to be good, not lousy; true, not false; lively, not dull; accurate, not full of error. He should tend to lift people up, not lower them down…A custodian…charged with the safekeeping of all unexpected items of worldly or unworldly enchantment [so that] even a small one is not lost. Writers do not merely reflect and interpret life, they inform and shape life.

I love to write. When my thoughts (scenes, characters, plots) flow upon page I feel a rush of excitement and can hardly wait for someone to read it. However, when I paused to consider Mr. White’s statements, I took a big gulp. Then I realized that I’d always known about these responsibilities. They resided within me—and all the authors I know—without putting “words” to them. These are the writing goals that inspire writers to learn better writing skills and dig deep through layers of research to include accurate and descriptive details.

So it is that I close today’s blog with a few thoughts of my own:

  • Being reminded of my personal writing/authorship responsibilities is a good thing.
  • Incorporating these concepts into my writing life leads me to produce quality work that will attract more readers!
  • Considering these responsibilities will help me research my best publishing opportunities.
    • Is a particular manuscript meant to be published by a “traditional” publisher?
    • What responsibilities do they set for themselves and/or take away from me?
    • Is self-publishing best for me? For the book? For readers to have the opportunity to enjoy it sooner rather than later? ⚓︎
RoyaleneABOUT ROYALENE DOYLE: Royalene has been writing something since before kindergarten days and continues to love the process. Through her small business—DOYLE WRITING SERVICES—she brings more than 40 years of writing experience to authors who need “just a little assistance” with completing their projects. This is a nice fit as she develops these blogs for Outskirts Press (OP) a leading self-publisher, and occasionally accepts a ghostwriting project from one of their clients. Her recent book release (with OP) titled FIREPROOF PROVERBS, A Writer’s Study of Words, is already receiving excellent reviews including several professional writer’s endorsements given on the book’s back cover.  

Royalene’s writing experience grew through a wide variety of positions from Office Manager and Administrative Assistant to Teacher of Literature and Advanced Writing courses and editor/writer for an International Christian ministry. Her willingness to listen to struggling authors, learn their goals and expectations and discern their writing voice has brought many manuscripts into the published books arena.
news from the self publishing world, self publishing news, Self-Publishing, Self-Publishing Week in Review

News From the Self-Publishing World: 9/14/15

This week in the world of self-publishing:

The Kindle Scout, one of Amazon’s publishing platforms, has long proven to be a handy option for United States-based indie or self-publishing authors looking to connect with new readers, and it has been shown to be just as handy for readers who use it as a discovery tool. As announced in an official September 9 press release, Kindle Scout is now available to readers and authors alike––around the world.  While the Scout will remain available to American authors, it will now be offered to authors in Europe, Canada, Australia, India, Brazil, and elsewhere as well.  These authors may submit their (novel-length, English-language, previously unpublished) manuscripts to be considered. The process is simple: readers read, then nominate which submissions should be published!

According to the press release, “Publishing contracts include 5-year renewable terms, a $1,500 advance, a 50% eBook royalty rate, easy rights reversions and featured Amazon marketing.”  It remains unknown whether Amazon plans to widen its permissions to allow the submission of manuscripts written in languages other than English––but it would make sense as a future step, as Gina Hill (the Scout’s general manager) says that “Expanding [the Scout] platform to authors and readers outside the U.S. has been one of the most frequent requests we’ve received since we launched.”  In the meantime, we’re looking forward to seeing what English-speakers around the globe come up with!

The Independent Publishers of New England (IPNE) will soon be holding their annual conference in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. The event, which takes place on the 25th and 26th of this month, will cost about $170 for members and $195 for non-members to attend (though this second amount includes a year-long membership).  The IPNE’s conference planners have arranged for keynote presentations geared towards indie and self-publishing authors, featuring representatives from Publishers Weekly, the Independent Book Publisher’s Association (IBPA), Shelf Awareness, and Ingram Content Group.  For more information, check out this online notice.  And on that note, don’t forget that the Association of Writers and Writing Programs (AWP) will be hosting its annual conference in July of 2016.  It’s never too early to block out your schedule!

Well, there is always bound to be some bad news mixed up with the good.  In this Publishers Weekly article, Rachel Deahl reports on the Authors Guild’s latest findings, which essentially boil down to one potentially bitter conclusion: “the majority of authors would be living below the Federal Poverty Level if they relied solely on income from their writing.”  (Emphasis mine!)  Contributing factors include the exponential rise of piracy when it comes to digital books, shrinking or frozen royalties in the face of a mounting cost of living, and pressure to keep e-book prices low.  Mary Rasenberger, the Guild’s executive director, does point out a silver lining for indie and self-published authors, however: according to the report, 33% of respondents “reported having self-published at least one book.” Rasenberger says that authors “are starting to see self-publishing as an outlet for projects that haven’t been supported by traditional publishing houses”––which of course happens to make perfect sense to the self-publishing community, but it’s nice to see more mainstream news outlets and institutions catching on!

Good things are happening in Maine!  The Sun Journal put out a press release on behalf of the Auburn and Lewiston libraries, which are now taking a bold plunge into the world of indie and self-publishing: they have joined many other libraries around the United States (and elsewhere) in subscribing to SELF-e, a self-publishing option that doubles as a “discovery platform for local authors.”  The way SELF-e works is simple: authors upload a digital copy of their book to the SELF-e website, then are presented with the option to submit it to their local libraries for access via their digital services.  They may also submit to Library Journal for an additional level of review, during which LJ staff decide whether or not a book may be of greater national interest (and distribution).  Suzanne Sullivan, head of collection development at Auburn Public Library, writes that “This is a great opportunity for writers to build an audience and for readers to discover authors who may be just starting out.”  SELF-e does not pay writers, but submission is free, and it can prove useful in getting the word out that a new indie book has been published!  For a complete list of which states are accepting submissions, visit the SELF-e “Where” page, here.

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.

KellyABOUT 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.

Conversations with a Self-Publishing Writer, Royalene Speaks

Conversations With A Self-Publishing Writer: 09/11/2015

OUR RIGHT TO WRITE AND PUBLISH II

Most writers I know have some file or drawer or box FULL of ideas about where they might publish. This is good! Collecting the physical samples of publishing possibilities can be extremely valuable. HOWEVER they must NOT gather dust!

protesters

Much of my personal collection is now on my computer—in a file that I can update with a couple clicks as I reconsider my categories and the lists within them. Most recently, I’ve been looking at each one—magazine, journal, newspaper—traditional publisher, self-publisher, hybrid publisher, etc.—with the following thoughts.

  1. Have I listed one or more editors or directors for each entry on my list? Do I have a current phone number for them? Have I met them personally at a conference or seminar?
  2. Do I understand the vision and/or motivation behind their publication or publishing house? Do I know anything about their personal motivation for working there?
  3. IF I were to have an opportunity to sit down and talk with this person about my current writing dreams or manuscript, do I know what they need to hear—so that they have the best opportunity to accept my work?
  4. Am I prepared to pick up the phone and talk with these people? Have I created a written outline of the points I want them to hear and understand?

After years of attending writers’ conferences, seminars and workshops, I FINALLY accepted the fact that Editors and Publishing Directors are people and writers. The majority of these folks started walking the same path I did—finding joy in putting pen to paper and communicating their ideas. However, when two roads crossed, they found their passion along the publications and/or publishing path. Since that time I’ve decided to respect each one for the journey they’ve taken and seriously look for common ground. Then, after I’ve thoroughly researched the needs of their magazine or journal—or the contracts or packages of their publishing house—I’m ready to talk. Yup—pick up the phone and do whatever it takes to talk with that person.

“Hello Joe. Thank you for taking a minute to talk with me today. I have just finished a short story that fits right into your magazine’s target readership. The title is…, …”

“Hello Ms. Andrews. Thank you for talking with me at the California Writer’s Conference. I’m calling today to talk about a new article idea for your Christmas 2016 issue.” (Yes, it is always the best plan to plan months ahead.)

The KEY is to talk with this person as if they are your best friend and totally pumped about the article, poetry, short story, or novel you’re ready to publish.

Today, I leave you with this thought, a quote from author Kurt Vonnegut. “We have to continually be jumping off cliffs and developing our wings on the way down.”  I can easily imagine this comparison because, like the eagle who pulls out every feather to allow new and stronger feathers to grow, writers must continually fly to new creative heights. We must never become petrified wood. ⚓︎

RoyaleneABOUT ROYALENE DOYLE: Royalene has been writing something since before kindergarten days and continues to love the process. Through her small business—DOYLE WRITING SERVICES—she brings more than 40 years of writing experience to authors who need “just a little assistance” with completing their projects. This is a nice fit as she develops these blogs for Outskirts Press (OP) a leading self-publisher, and occasionally accepts a ghostwriting project from one of their clients. Her recent book release (with OP) titled FIREPROOF PROVERBS, A Writer’s Study of Words, is already receiving excellent reviews including several professional writer’s endorsements given on the book’s back cover.  

Royalene’s writing experience grew through a wide variety of positions from Office Manager and Administrative Assistant to Teacher of Literature and Advanced Writing courses and editor/writer for an International Christian ministry. Her willingness to listen to struggling authors, learn their goals and expectations and discern their writing voice has brought many manuscripts into the published books arena.