During my workshops, I spend some time showing people the characteristics of a best selling book title and how they can use this information for their own books. Here's a few real-life examples of authors and their books who didn't attend my workshop:
Welcome to Your Facelift, by Helen Bransford (1997)
The Lull Before Dorking, Chiswick Press, (1871)
Build Your Own Hindenburg, by Alan Rose (1983)
I Was a Kamikazi, Ryuji Nagatsuka, (1973)
My Invisible Friend Explains the Bible, by J.G. Bogusz, (1971)
Inflammatory Bowel Diseases: A Personal View, by Henry Janowitz, (1985)
Who's Who in Barbed Wire, Rabbit Ear Publishing, (1970)
Pooh Gets Stuck, by Isabel Gaines, (1998)
and the always entertaining,
Beyond Leaf Raking, by Peter Benson, (1993)
Saturday
DISASTER BOOKS
We all experience disasters. We often equate the word, "disaster" with ships sinking, planes crashing, tornadoes, hurricanes and big newsworthy events that take center stage in the media for a few days. However, each of us experience disasters in our personal lives in ways that are no smaller or less important. These disasters show up in lost jobs, relationship's ended, financial woes, physical and mental health challenges and so many other daily events that are disasters in our own lives but lost to the rest of the world.
Disaster often brings out the writer in us as we want to share the event or story with others. Sometimes we simply get tired of telling the same stories and answering the same questions over and over, and so a book seems to make sense. Disaster, aside from the fictional representations that we find everywhere, has propelled hundreds of people into the ranks of "author." How about you? Have you ever thought that some of your experiences might make fascinating reading for people in similar situations? Many people start down this path but flounder on the way to publication because they don't have a clear picture of what they want to convey to the reader. Here are a few tips gleaned from a publisher about making the case for your book:
Disaster often brings out the writer in us as we want to share the event or story with others. Sometimes we simply get tired of telling the same stories and answering the same questions over and over, and so a book seems to make sense. Disaster, aside from the fictional representations that we find everywhere, has propelled hundreds of people into the ranks of "author." How about you? Have you ever thought that some of your experiences might make fascinating reading for people in similar situations? Many people start down this path but flounder on the way to publication because they don't have a clear picture of what they want to convey to the reader. Here are a few tips gleaned from a publisher about making the case for your book:
1. What myth will this book be busting?
2. What problem will it be solving?
3. What trend is it pointing to?
and most important of all;
4. HOW WILL IT CHANGE THE READER'S LIFE?
Yes, there is room for you to take your experience out into the world and find a willing audience who needs your insight but remember to spend time on the 4 questions above to ensure that the experience is worth your reader's time.
COSTA CONCORDIA BOOK
The Costa Concordia was a luxury cruise ship that sank in the Mediterranean Sea on January 13, 2012. People died and some crew members will be in court for years as they defend many different charges including abandoning the ship and its survivors. The great majority of people who were on board on that night will spend the rest of their lives living and retelling the events of that night and in many cases, will allow their lives to be defined by the tragedy.
It has been my honour to work with one of the survivors for several months on a book about not only the event itself, but its aftermath and her experience. It reminds me that writers are often created as a result of circumstances. They are forged from a passion to share a story and leave a legacy. The tools of a good writer are not grammar, punctuation and spelling but rather challenge, perception, and the ability to grasp opportunity and follow it through.
We often refer to "our gifts," or "God's gifts" and spend much time thinking and talking about what they are and who has them. I have begun to realize that these gifts are not necessarily something we receive as a birthright but rather, come out of challenging circumstances and events. We see stories about people rising out of the ashes of war, poverty, drugs, abuse, and more to rise to positions of authority and success. The circumstances of their life gave rise to opportunities, opportunities that they pursued and completed - this is their gift.
My client, who has become a friend, Andrea has done the same as a survivor of the Costa Concordia. She could have spent the rest of her life accepting the events of a cold plunge into the dark Mediterranean waters on a January night and the changes that have followed. Instead, she decided that she wanted to leave a legacy to her family and friends and chronicle the sinking, the incredible will to survive that saved she and her husband, the painful swim and trek over sharp rocks in bare feet and the many happy, scary, and fitful challenges that continue to cause restless nights. She accepted the opportunity of the sinking as a gift and is very close to offering her gift to the world in the form a book.
Andrea is in the initial stages of discussions with a publisher but she has written her story, assembled the pictures, letters, media interviews and used the opportunity to look back at her many gifts, including the gift of life itself. She continues to experience physical pain and mental torment but refuses to allow these things to define her life. She is moving forward and creating a new definition by creating the gifts of "published author," speaker, survivor, and traveller to change her world.
These are the gifts that define a writer - challenges that include opportunities but the most important "gift" is the gift we give ourselves of following through on the opportunity and living our life, completing our life.
Congratulations Andrea - you inspire us.
It has been my honour to work with one of the survivors for several months on a book about not only the event itself, but its aftermath and her experience. It reminds me that writers are often created as a result of circumstances. They are forged from a passion to share a story and leave a legacy. The tools of a good writer are not grammar, punctuation and spelling but rather challenge, perception, and the ability to grasp opportunity and follow it through.
We often refer to "our gifts," or "God's gifts" and spend much time thinking and talking about what they are and who has them. I have begun to realize that these gifts are not necessarily something we receive as a birthright but rather, come out of challenging circumstances and events. We see stories about people rising out of the ashes of war, poverty, drugs, abuse, and more to rise to positions of authority and success. The circumstances of their life gave rise to opportunities, opportunities that they pursued and completed - this is their gift.
My client, who has become a friend, Andrea has done the same as a survivor of the Costa Concordia. She could have spent the rest of her life accepting the events of a cold plunge into the dark Mediterranean waters on a January night and the changes that have followed. Instead, she decided that she wanted to leave a legacy to her family and friends and chronicle the sinking, the incredible will to survive that saved she and her husband, the painful swim and trek over sharp rocks in bare feet and the many happy, scary, and fitful challenges that continue to cause restless nights. She accepted the opportunity of the sinking as a gift and is very close to offering her gift to the world in the form a book.
Andrea is in the initial stages of discussions with a publisher but she has written her story, assembled the pictures, letters, media interviews and used the opportunity to look back at her many gifts, including the gift of life itself. She continues to experience physical pain and mental torment but refuses to allow these things to define her life. She is moving forward and creating a new definition by creating the gifts of "published author," speaker, survivor, and traveller to change her world.
These are the gifts that define a writer - challenges that include opportunities but the most important "gift" is the gift we give ourselves of following through on the opportunity and living our life, completing our life.
Congratulations Andrea - you inspire us.
Tuesday
SELLING MORE BOOKS
You might want to grab a copy of this book quickly if you are interested in selling more of your own books
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0052U7F06/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B0052U7F06&linkCode=as2&tag=wwwrobertjban-20
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0052U7F06/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B0052U7F06&linkCode=as2&tag=wwwrobertjban-20
Thursday
GET RICH WITH AN E-BOOK
Is it just me, or is the internet overflowing with get rich quick schemes involving writing your own e-book? I seem to be getting about a dozen emails, blog postings and outright spams a day telling me how to make a million dollars with an e-book. Now, the fact that I am currently writing 2 of them may have caused this to happen, but...
Here's the thing that blows me away - obviously people are paying good money to get information on e-book marketing programs, webinars and so on. At the heart of this process is the fact that they actually need to sit down and write one. If they are serious about looking at an e-book to improve their profile or create actual wealth, then I would not so humbly suggest that they write a good book. Write a book that people will get value from and one that shows the writer in the best possible light. Showing themselves in the best possible light - because you only get one chance at this - means a well constructed, organized and edited book. It doesn't matter how long it is, if it has grammar, spelling and other mistakes, the buyer will not buy a second offering from them.
So here's the deal, if you are interested in entering into the e-book marketing push that is going on, begin by learning how to write a book. Of course, I have written a book that helps you do that: if you glance to the left hand side of the screen, you will see a picture of the One Hour Author: Non-Fiction Book Writing For Busy People - clicking on the image will take you to the Amazon site to buy it.
Before you begin marketing a book, you need to have one and this will be the fastest way to get there easily with the most professional results. By all means, if you are talking to others who are thinking about the e-book program to move themselves forward, send this to them and get them off on the right foot.
Here's the thing that blows me away - obviously people are paying good money to get information on e-book marketing programs, webinars and so on. At the heart of this process is the fact that they actually need to sit down and write one. If they are serious about looking at an e-book to improve their profile or create actual wealth, then I would not so humbly suggest that they write a good book. Write a book that people will get value from and one that shows the writer in the best possible light. Showing themselves in the best possible light - because you only get one chance at this - means a well constructed, organized and edited book. It doesn't matter how long it is, if it has grammar, spelling and other mistakes, the buyer will not buy a second offering from them.
So here's the deal, if you are interested in entering into the e-book marketing push that is going on, begin by learning how to write a book. Of course, I have written a book that helps you do that: if you glance to the left hand side of the screen, you will see a picture of the One Hour Author: Non-Fiction Book Writing For Busy People - clicking on the image will take you to the Amazon site to buy it.
Before you begin marketing a book, you need to have one and this will be the fastest way to get there easily with the most professional results. By all means, if you are talking to others who are thinking about the e-book program to move themselves forward, send this to them and get them off on the right foot.
Tuesday
MARKET YOUR BOOK
Every author eventually hits the point where they need to do some marketing. Yuck! I know, but it is a reality regardless of where and how your book is published. So many writers that I know, and have worked with, fall down when it comes to the actual selling process of their books. It is not good enough to just write and publish, because absolutely no one will know that your title even exists.
Sometimes people wait and hope that they will magically "go viral" like Stephen King or J.K. Rowling. Reality is that they didn't sell millions of books without a lot of hard work on their part.
Patience, persistence and constant promotion - the 3 P's.
Most of you will eventually, if not first, publish your books on Amazon. You might resist, especially if you are listening to legacy publishers but trust me, you will eventually find your book on Amazon. Publishing is easy for both Kindle and paper books, but then what?
Last weekend I ran across an e-book from Shelley Hitz called, "Marketing Your Book On Amazon," and you really do need to get it too. She includes 21 different real-life things that we need to do to make our efforts more visible. Yes, I am in the process of going through her "to-do" list for each of my titles and you should too. Find her book here, on Amazon and download it to your computer if you don't already have a Kindle.
I know that there are other platforms that require your attention like Smashwords, Apple, Kobo, Barnes and Noble and others, but start with the biggest and go through the steps and then move on to the next. You need to do your part in the marketing process, regardless of whether you publish yourself or with a legacy publisher - marketing and sales are your responsibility. Shelley's book takes a lot of the mystery and hard work out of the deal so I very highly recommend that you start here.
And, just to let you know, Shelley did not ask me to post this blog on her behalf - I just think that my readers deserve to have good information when it is available.
I must admit that when I was reading some other blogs yesterday, I came across several authors who write only for the sake of writing and don't really seem to care if readers find them. What a disservice to both potential readers and themselves. If it's worth writing, then it is worth reading - find your readers.
Sometimes people wait and hope that they will magically "go viral" like Stephen King or J.K. Rowling. Reality is that they didn't sell millions of books without a lot of hard work on their part.
Patience, persistence and constant promotion - the 3 P's.
Most of you will eventually, if not first, publish your books on Amazon. You might resist, especially if you are listening to legacy publishers but trust me, you will eventually find your book on Amazon. Publishing is easy for both Kindle and paper books, but then what?
Last weekend I ran across an e-book from Shelley Hitz called, "Marketing Your Book On Amazon," and you really do need to get it too. She includes 21 different real-life things that we need to do to make our efforts more visible. Yes, I am in the process of going through her "to-do" list for each of my titles and you should too. Find her book here, on Amazon and download it to your computer if you don't already have a Kindle.
I know that there are other platforms that require your attention like Smashwords, Apple, Kobo, Barnes and Noble and others, but start with the biggest and go through the steps and then move on to the next. You need to do your part in the marketing process, regardless of whether you publish yourself or with a legacy publisher - marketing and sales are your responsibility. Shelley's book takes a lot of the mystery and hard work out of the deal so I very highly recommend that you start here.
And, just to let you know, Shelley did not ask me to post this blog on her behalf - I just think that my readers deserve to have good information when it is available.
I must admit that when I was reading some other blogs yesterday, I came across several authors who write only for the sake of writing and don't really seem to care if readers find them. What a disservice to both potential readers and themselves. If it's worth writing, then it is worth reading - find your readers.
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