PUBLISH A BOOK

Many of you have reached the point in your writing careers where you are close to finishing your own book. What to do next? You realize that conventional publishers are not breaking down your door with six figure cheques in hand and movie deals in their back pockets. You would still like to make your book available to the public and are considering self publishing.

Perhaps you are a bit apprehensive about what to do next. How do you go about publishing all by yourself? There is a hybrid route that will give you the power and control of self publishing, along with the rights and privileges of keeping what belongs to you in terms of money and future income. My friend, Kim Staflund, of Polished Publishing Group, has created an inexpensive webinar explaining an approach to bringing your book to a waiting audience that includes the support and professionalism of the legacy publishers, while you retain all of the rights of a self publisher.

You can access more information about her webinar by going here

I am looking forward to joining you for her webinar.

BOOK WRITING AND PUBLISHING TODAY

Write, Publish and Sell your book - here's how.

Yes, Kim and I are going to present an all new Webinar in January 2013. We are currently working on details but will soon announce that we have decided (just today) that we owe it to our followers, especially those who have been unable to attend in person, this info packed presentation. Here's our original video presentation, but disregard any details about where, when or how long - we will announce that soon.


We are taking the full day workshop and distilling all of the highlights down to two fun and fact-filled hours that will have you ready to move forward. This will be a very focused and fast paced session that is designed to give you all of the steps necessary for becoming the author that lurks inside. If you have been wanting to bring your own book to the world - this will give you the information and inspiration to make it a reality.
Looking forward to seeing you in January 2013. Many more details to follow.

PUBLISHERS ARE SPEAKING

The publishers appear to be taking a stand in terms of e-books. If you take a quick glance at the top 100 books on the Amazon Kindle listings, you will see that the major publishing houses now dominate the list. What is amazing is that in most cases, the Kindle price is higher than the paperback price and in more than a few instances, higher than the hardcover price.

As a reader, and an owner of a Kindle, I have a hard time justifying the price asked for a digital copy of a new release that is in the 15 - 20 dollar range. Some are well over $20.00. I don't think Amazon minds the prices since they get paid a percentage of the list and the higher the better for them. What does this mean for the early stage author who is publishing independently and doesn't have the marketing support of the big guys? It means the same thing it has always meant, build your own list of followers, connect and communicate with them in a timely and authentic fashion. Build your list one reader at a time - the same way you sell your books.

To be an author, you also need to be a marketer. If you are looking for advice in that area, I strongly suggest that you subscribe to Seth Godin's blog - no question that he is the preeminent marketer in this digital age. I suspect, but don't actually know, that there may be more platforms on the horizon for indie authors, so that they can get noticed by readers who appreciate us. I kind of like John Locke's philosophy for selling his pot boiler novels for .99 as he says that he offers the readers good entertainment and that the "big guys" have to justify why the reader should spend 15 to 20 times more for similar entertainment.

I realize that "name recognition" sells and it always has, but good writing, combined with a marketing plan that suits your needs, persistence, and most important of all, more books, you can get there. Keep writing, keep talking, keep posting, keep the faith baby!

AN INCOMPLETE LIST

Writing a book is one thing but publishing/marketing/selling it is quite another. Planning, organizing, researching and writing are commitments that compete for our time and resources and there is soooo much information out there that we could spend all of our time reading the offerings of others and don't actually create our own book. I thought that regular readers of this corner might be interested in a list of people and resources that I have found helpful in the past year or so: this is incomplete and I have only included people's websites rather than email addresses for obvious reasons. In a few cases, I have recommended that you send me an email since the person does not have their own website that I know of. I will forward their contact information to you and yours to them. I should note that I have no financial arrangements officially or otherwise (except for one - can you guess?) with any of these people, but have found them to be reliable and honest.

Printers and Publishers
BlitzPrint www.blitzprint.com
CreateSpace (Amazon)  www.createspace.com
Our Little Books www.ourlittlebooks.com
Polished Publishing Group  www.polishedpublishinggroup.com

Editors
www.thewritesupport.com
send me an email for others

Cover Design
 send me an email

Illustrators
Janice Blaine

Layout
send me an email

Distribution
Sandhill


E-Book and Digital platforms
Kindle Direct
Smashwords


Portrait Photographer
Insight Photography

Videographer
Jillian Lee

Word of Mouth and Relationship Marketing
Theresa de Grosbois


Workshop and Meeting promotion
send me an email

If you contact any of these organizations, mention my name. I doubt that you will get any discount but it makes me look good...maybe you too.

ARE WRITING WORKSHOPS WORTH IT?

Today I had an interesting question from a potential writing workshop participant who wanted to know what he would learn in the half day event that he couldn't learn online by himself. The reply is - nothing. The difference is that a workshop (mine, anyway) is based on hundreds of hours of online research, years of personal experience from writing over 3 books ( I could make a case for 5 or 6), thousands of hours of client writing time, the combined knowledge gleaned from coaching authors of every stripe, 60 years of reading, collaborations with editors, artists, printers, distributors, internet experts, publishers, designers, online media professionals and marketing experts, about 100 hours spent in other writer's workshops, countless webinars, the consistent reading of about 3 dozen writer's blogs, the lifelong thirst for knowledge and a desire to share it and Sister Mary Andrew, my grade 8 teacher from St. John's School in Kitchener, Ontario who made it alright to be intellectually curious and OK to carry a book for the pure pleasure of reading it.
The most important part of this answer is that the workshop combines all of these resources and then distills, organizes and energizes it into three hours dedicated to making the participants successful authors. Added to this is the ability to ask questions, receive feedback, make connections, learn real-world and real-time lessons based on today's realities and walk away with an actionable plan that will result in a better book, written faster and easier that will provide incredible value to the readers and the author.
It was a great question because it forced me to really look at my workshops and revisit the value they bring to the participants over and above the marketing used to sell them. I am very proud of the workshop that I have created because it is based on my lifelong passion for the written word and the absolute belief that everyone has a story to tell and my mission is to encourage them to do just that. Thanks again for asking.

ARE YOU STILL WAITING?

Sometimes we wait. We wait to take the vacation of a lifetime. We wait to tell someone we love them. We wait until we have enough money. We wait until we retire. We wait until we have a heart attack. We wait until we have more time.
If you are still waiting to start or finish writing the book you have always threatened to create, perhaps you will find some inspiration in this video - it's a good one! Thanks to "follower" Dawnie for the heads up.

MORE ABOUT SELF PUBLISHING, E-BOOKS & PRICING

Still wondering about whether this e-book craze will catch on?
Still think that e-books should be priced the same as hard copy books?
Still wondering how to make money as a writer.
Still hoping to land that publishing contract with a traditional?

You might not have the same results but if one person can do it, then why not you and me?
Good writing plus good promotion - that's what every author is responsible for, and what every author has in her control.
Take a look here.

YOU ARE NOT ALONE

No, you are not alone in your effort to become the author you want to be. There is a whole community of people out there who are willing and able to give you a hand. Depending on where you are in the process, there are professionals who will make your writing better through various forms of editing. There are designers with experience in developing book covers and inside layouts. The world seems to be full of techno-geeks who understand the intricacies of search engine optimization and how it assists your book marketing needs. New format, or is that new world, publishers are everywhere offering us the opportunity to receive income and find new reading audiences from their platforms.
We are being inundated with digital devices that allow our books to find new readers, with new features like video and audio services that make our books more exciting, entertaining and informative. We really have entered a "Brave New World." The beauty of this time in history is that we have a level playing field. By that I mean, we no longer need to find a way to command front-of-store display space and the marketing clout of a big-time New York publishing house in order to create and reach a fan base that will pay for our efforts.
You are not alone, but sometimes we need someone who believes in what we are doing, offers objective, professional and experienced feedback that helps us move forward to realize our dream.
A Book Writing Coach is there for that very purpose with real world - today world - innovation, motivation, feedback, encouragement, knowledge and sometimes, hand-holding that is focused on just one thing - helping you become the author you know you can be. All of my efforts are directed at being a mentor to aspiring authors. If that sounds like it makes sense for you, then send me an email and let's start a discussion about how I can help. BookWritingCoach@gmail.com

CHANGING THE GAME - SETH GODIN DOES IT AGAIN

Changing the game: Do the Work is free for now

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The next title from the Domino Project is by bestselling author Steven Pressfield. He’s the author of The Legend of Bagger Vance, the upcoming thriller The Profession, and most important, the classic The War of Art.
I don’t think a more important book on art and shipping and fear has ever been written. The War of Art changed me, probably forever, and I know it’s had that impact on hundreds of thousands of creators.
That Steve is entrusting his new manifesto Do the Work to us is thrilling. Do the Work is a logical outgrowth of the writing in The War of Art, but it’s quite clearly a manifesto, a short, powerful, memorable rant on what it means to do work that matters. This book is so important, I’d like everyone to read it again and again.
And now they can.
Today we’re announcing a significant breakthrough in book publishing, and it may be a first: the digital edition of a bestselling author’s next book is available for free, thanks to a generous sponsor. Because most of the costs of an ebook are fixed (extra copies cost far less than additional copies of a paper book) there’s a great opportunity for a sponsor to subsidize the distribution–readers get the ebook for free, the sponsor benefits by being connected with a great work and perhaps some gratitude from the reader for bringing them an idea that might bring positive change.
The folks at GE have stepped up and they’re our first ebook sponsors. Beginning today until shortly after the Kindle edition is available on April 20th, the sponsored edition is free.
Click here, order it and it will be automatically delivered on pub date. You can read it on a Kindle, an iPad, an iPhone a PC and more. (If you already ordered your copy, your payment will be credited back to you).
We’re announcing this first to our readers on this blog, but feel free to spread the word. It’s only going to be free for a limited time, so don’t tarry.
My hope is that other sponsors will step up and allow us to do promotions for our other books as well. In the meantime, be prepared to be changed by Steve’s book, and thanks for reading and for spreading the word.

Article by seth godin

Seth Godin is the founder of The Domino Project and has written twelve books that have been translated into more than thirty languages. Every one has been a bestseller. He writes about the post-industrial revolution, the way ideas spread, marketing, quitting, leadership and most of all, changing everything.

 

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NY TIMES AUTHOR SAYS NO TO HALF MILLION ADVANCE

New York Times Bestselling author turns down half a million advance and self publishes instead!

I was going to wait and put this in my upcoming newsletter but I didn't think you could wait. This story is true and anyone writing a book needs to read this blog and understand the reasoning. Mostly, we need to understand the economics when someone looks at $500,000.00 guaranteed and says "No thanks."
Barry Eisler has decided to move his new novel to a self publishing format and makes a compelling case for doing so.
I urge you to go to this link and discover why for yourself.

thanks to Twitter follower Patricia Singleton for the heads up.

SELF PUBLISHING UPDATE

Publishing vs. Self Publishing, a blog I posted a few days ago garnered some commentary and I thought it best to give you a very short update on a few things. Firstly, all of us would like to be J.K. Rowling...now, but she too, had her challenges with finding someone to publish her. Regardless of the popularity of self-publishing, most authors still want a big conventional publisher to show their interest, support and money.
Secondly, I coach mostly non-fiction writers but communicate with many fiction writers - why? Fiction writers probably (yes, I'm generalizing) need a traditional publisher more than non-fiction writers. Many of them spend years writing their first novel and then the query letters and rejections start to fill their filing cabinet. Frustration and sometimes anger and fear begin to seep in around the edges. While they are waiting for the contract and the sale of their manuscript, foreign language rights and movie offers to flood in, they often need to make a living. Writing a few non-fiction books, marketing them on line, building a following and honing their writing skills may help keep the wolf from the door. That's why some take my workshops - simply to learn the format and process of creating a book that will earn money while they await their real dream.

And finally today, I ran across an excellent blog post from Jane Friedman, of Writer's Digest, that categorizes the four main kinds of self-publishing models, including some names and how they work. If you are considering the self-publishing route, this is worthwhile reading. Here's the link
http://networkedblogs.com/fAjkw

PUBLISH OR SELF-PUBLISH?

"Should I self-publish or should I try to find a conventional publisher?"

For authors of every stripe, but especially for early stage authors, this is almost a dilemma today. Whether 'tis nobler in the long run to wait for a publishing deal or jump straight to one of many self-directed print, e-book or other digital options and permutations - now that is the question. The entire universe of writing, publishing, marketing and reading is in complete turmoil and the possibilities are almost endless and changing weekly. How should an author who has completed his first, second or third book move forward while still keeping as many doors and options open as possible?

A simple Google search can give you reams of information and interesting stories about the history of publishing and who has and who didn't use a conventional publisher and their results. Rather than take up your current time with that, let's deal with a few of today's realities and the biggest one faced by a new author which is, "Can I land a deal with a big publisher?" And the answer, in 90% of the cases is, NO ! If you are absolutely convinced, beyond any shadow of a doubt, that you are among the 10%, then stop reading this and run to your nearest agent (no, not publisher - agent) and get them to start shopping your manuscript now. If you have a serious degree of "celebrity status" and a large marketing platform or tribe, then, get thee to an agent and publisher...

Alright, now that they have left us, let's deal with reality as it exists for 9 out of 10 aspiring authors. Publishing, self-publishing, assisted self-publishing and all of the other options are a business and like it or not, you have to treat it as such. If you have spent the last 30 years holed up in your parent's basement writing the "next big thing" and expecting someone to knock on the door demanding the publishing, foreign language and movie rights, uhhh, they're not coming. Those of us still dealing in a real time universe need to seriously consider the many self-publishing options and learn how to market our books. This is complicated, in some ways, by the fact that there are many printers out there who offer some sort of "publishing package" but really, they are simply printers trying to maximize their bottom line by filling your garage with boxes of books.

Bottom line: 

• accept the fact that you will need to self-publish your first book or two
• actively seek out objective help from another author, book coach or knowledgeable person who can guide you through the maze
• the more objective and "arms-length" your adviser, the better
• contract (if you can't do it yourself) an experienced book marketer to help
• learn everything you can about the process
• beware of snake-oil salesmen and yes, women - if it doesn't feel right - don't do it
• be skeptical about the "publishing house" that gushes over your manuscript and insists that their "package" will make you a best seller - look carefully before writing the check
• check "publishing" references from REAL authors - phone them
• if you have already done it - pay it forward and help others

So, there really is no one-size-fits-all approach to getting your books into the hands of a reading public but understanding that the business of selling your book is yours; the marketing and sales function belongs to the author, regardless of whether a big-time publishing house buys the rights or you keep them yourself. There are lots of forums, including this one, to post thoughts, ideas, advice and questions - take advantage of them. But honestly, most of us will have to seriously investigate the self-publishing options until we have built an audience. Pay very close attention to the business of marketing before you make a decision - have a plan and don't assume that someone else will do it for you.

Help another aspiring author by posting your experiences, thoughts and questions here.

KINDLE CONVERSION

WEST COAST TRAIL: One Step at a Time goes on Kindle tomorrow. OK, so colour me excited and some of you know what I mean. My West Coast Trail book has been on Amazon for a couple of years and I was excited when that first happened and I still enjoy cashing the cheques. It was originally released about five years ago and I am sure that some of you can relate to the excitement of seeing your first book in print for the first time - a very special experience that I got to share with family and a lot of friends. Now another milestone has been reached as I have just finished uploading it to Kindle.

I should share with you the fact that it was a pretty simple process since Amazon already had the files, they converted them for 69.00 to the proper format and then sent them to me a couple of hours ago. I then logged into the digital upload center where I had previously created an account, answered the profile questions and followed the directions, including things like territorial rights, lending rights and pricing and then uploaded the cover and text and presto, it is done! Frankly, it was easier than I expected.

Now, don't get too crazy because I want to be the first one to buy the book on Kindle tomorrow, but I would appreciate any reviews from previous readers or anything else you would like to share on the Amazon site. Now, I need to get back to work and write the final chapter, intro, etc. for my third book and get it on Kindle too, after which, I might just release "To My Secret Mother" the same way.

WRITING NON-FICTION?

If you are writing non-fiction, you need to know this about "best selling" lists.

http://www.thedominoproject.com/2011/01/rejecting-the-new-york-times-bestseller-list.html

AMAZON AND KINDLE

Perhaps you already knew this, but I just realized it today when I opened my "Create Space" account that shows the recent sales, etc. of my book through Amazon. Amazon will now convert your print-on-demand book into Kindle format for 69.00. They send you the files, including your cover properly formatted and then you upload it yourself to Kindle's site.
I do not think this service has been available very long since I looked for it a few month's ago. Anyway, good news if you already have a book ot two listed with Amazon. I sent a request inquiring about whether or not this format will work for Smashwords and the other e - book compilers. I will let you know when I hear back.

HOW IS PUBLISHING CHANGING?

• What do the enormous changes in the publishing business mean to us writers? 
• Should we be afraid of the changes or welcome them?
• Will it be easier to make our way in the world or harder?
• What opportunities should we pursue or ignore?

These, and many more questions are beginning to rise to the surface as everything we thought we knew about publishing and marketing is disappearing or at least, morphing into shapes and circumstances that many of us are totally unfamiliar with. Will these changes create more opportunities, more competition or more excuses?

I wish that I could say that I am an expert in the new world of publishing and had some sort of third eye seeing ability to know what will work and how it works, what will be the eventual outcome and how to guarantee my success in this new world, but I don't. But, here is what I do have; an inquisitive and constantly searching personality that wants to learn and try new things. And so, that's just exactly what I plan to do.

I invite you to come along for the ride. No guarantee that I will get everything right but I will ask the questions, read the information and try it out on my own writing to see how it works and then report back to you about the how's and why's. Anyone who is already a writer or aspires to author their own book will need to adapt to some of the new realities as traditional publishing undergoes an upheaval reminiscent of what happened to the music industry. We, as writers (just like the musicians), provide the content and as such, have a very vested interest in what is happening. There will be traditionally published heavy weights who cling to the old world, some that will jump into the new world and a plethora of new writers who need answers. So, hold on to your digital rights and let's give this brave new world a look and see where we can go.

One of the preeminent voices in both marketing and writing is Seth Godin. He has announced a new venture with Amazon and we wait with baited breath to see what the marriage of these two powerhouses will bring about. You can find his announcement here and stay tuned to the Book Mentor as we make our way through this time of excitement, change and fear. By the way, please subscribe and pass this blog on to others who will be interested in this process.

HOW TO WRITE A BOOK

COULD I WRITE A BOOK?

WHY WOULD I WRITE A BOOK?

WHAT WOULD I WRITE ABOUT?

DO I KNOW HOW TO WRITE A BOOK?

Terrific questions and questions that all of us ask at some point in time in our lives. We have all heard the saying that everyone has a book inside just waiting to be released. There is a story behind every life, death, business, discovery, product, event, tragedy, triumph, adventure, service, etc. but we question our own ability to write it.

• Books are for professional writers with Masters degrees in literature or famous people who hire someone else to write for them. 
• Writing books is for pointy-headed geeks and academics who spend years in arcane research or labs or classrooms. 
• No one reads today anyway - isn't it all about social networking and videos?

Don't let this kind of thinking hold you back from the greatest experience of your life. Yes, you can write the book you have always dreamed of writing and with the right (or is that, write) help, you can do it easily and quickly. In today's world you can realize your goals whether they include selling a million copies or just a few memoirs to family and friends with the combination of knowledge and technology that this workshop will make available to you. Our one day workshop will give you a lifetime of skills, abilities and opportunities that you will be able to use over and over again to achieve your personal and business goals.

FREE E-READER TO ONE LUCKY WORKSHOP PARTICIPANT

REGISTER TODAY FOR CALGARY EVENT JANUARY 15, 2011 

Attending this workshop has the possibility of changing your life as you will come away with the inspiration, encouragement and real-life tools to craft a book that will propel your career to a new level, offer help to those in need, give you the ultimate business card, establish your place in history, inform future generations, put forward new ideas for change and improvement and anything else that compels and motivates you. We have created a video to give you more details about what to expect:

 

Seating is limited for this Alberta workshop so sign up today and become eligible for the FREE e-reader draw to be held during the event.

We are always interested in presenting this all-day workshop in new locales and if you can help us, please contact me  and we can discuss how this will benefit you directly.

Thanks for forwarding this to friends and subscribing to the Book Mentor blog.

HOW TO PROMOTE MY BOOK

You might find this information a bit too "teckie," but here goes anyway. Self publishing our books requires knowledge and information and sometimes expert advice. If you are interested in learning about some of the ways to promote your book online then read here. For those of you who are very comfortable in the world of digital marketing, then this will either provide confirmation of what you already know or fodder for additional opportunities. For those of us who consider ourselves still a little "tech-challenged" it will give us a starting point to have that conversation with the geek we hire to help us. Good article and worth reading for those of us with books to sell. Once again, you can access the information here.

HOW DO I WRITE MY BOOK?

How do I actually go about writing a book? I know that I have a great idea for my book but I am not sure about how to organize it, how to outline it, how to divide it into chapters or topics. I am not sure how to create a great title. I am not sure if I have the writing skills or enough unique ideas and thoughts to create a book. I know that I want to write a book, but I need some help and advice to get me started and keep me moving toward the finish line.

Help is at hand with our WRITE, PUBLISH & SELL WORKSHOP.

A few things that are covered in the WRITING portion include:

• Blueprint
• "What's your book about?"
• Objective
• purpose
• topics
• must haves
• opening sentences
• Organize
• map boards
• targets
• field trip
• Know-How
• best selling titles
• expert status
• writing plan

These topics, plus much more, all focused on your writing project and designed to get you from "thinking about it," to actually finishing your book and getting it ready for the publishing process. This is a very hands-on workshop, with lots of feedback, to help you create what you have always wanted - your own book. The only prerequisite is an open attitude and a desire to succeed in finally creating your book.

Yes, you can make a difference in the world, leave a legacy and enhance your credibility and recognition in your industry, in your city, in your world.

Join us for a fabulous day that will move your dream to a reality.

To see more about the workshop and the facilitators, watch our video;