"Self Published Authors" Bi-Monthly Newsletter
Helping self-published authors promote and market their books and share information and resources.
June 1, 2007 Volume 4: Issue 6
Dan Shaurette
editor@selfpublishedauthors.com
http://www.selfpublishedauthors.com
By Subscription Only! You are receiving this newsletter because you requested a subscription. Unsubscribe instructions are at the end of this newsletter.
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IN THIS ISSUE
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1. Editor's Notebook
2. Newsletter Submission Guidelines
3. Feature Article by Judy Cullins
4. Community Article by Dan Shaurette
5. Guest Article by Michael LaRocca
6. Classes, Workshops, and Groups
7. Commentary by Kae Cheatham
8. Reciprocal Links
9. Subscribe/Unsubscribe Information
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1: EDITOR'S NOTEBOOK
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Welcome to the June 2007 newsletter for SelfPublishedAuthors.com. For those of you who are new to the website and newsletter, thank you for visiting the website and subscribing to the list. For the regulars out there, welcome back.
This month we have some great articles, as well as a resource guide to some podcasts about writing. First, I'd like to take a step back and also talk about blogs for a moment. In case any of my fellow authors here worry about bringing their work to the web on a blog or podcast, I think I should only need to talk about author David Wellington.
David wrote a serialized novel about zombies, MONSTER ISLAND, and posted it online as a blog. It was such a hit that he landed a three-book deal with Thunder Mouth Press. They published MONSTER ISLAND in 2006, have recently released its prequel, MONSTER NATION, and will follow up with MONSTER PLANET later this year. He then went on to serialize a vampire novel, THIRTEEN BULLETS, which earned him a new three book deal with Three Rivers Press. THIRTEEN BULLETS just hit bookstores this week.
You might worry that giving your work away for free would steal away potential buyers of a print book. In fact, many bloggers and podcasters are finding that this is very much the opposite. When a reader or a listener can find your work and enjoy it online, they will often times go out and buy a copy. I know that I have done this whenever a book I've listened to or read gets published; either by the traditional press, a small press, or when self-published. I do it because I want to support the author and have a sort of souvenir, perhaps some day to have it signed. I've also done it to give to friends who have that peculiar penchant for reading physical books.
Moreover, this just goes to show you that "self-publishing" is being redefined just like the rest of the industry thanks to the internet. You don't have to go and find a POD publisher anymore to share your book with the world. That may well be step two going forward for many new authors, with step one being blogging and sharing with an audience. This doesn't have to be the only way, however. If you've self-published your book, consider blogging part or all of it, or making a podcast audio version.
If you have questions, comments, suggestions, or if you’d like to contribute, be interviewed, add an event or have a request, please reply to this email, or drop a line to me at: editor@selfpublishedauthors.com
Thanks for reading and enjoy the issue!
Dan Shaurette
editor@selfpublishedauthors.com
http://www.DanShaurette.com
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2: NEWSLETTER SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
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The newsletter for SelfPublishedAuthors.com is here to provide a resource for all authors. Obviously, I want to help you succeed in your writing, self-publishing efforts, and self-promotion. I have received a few requests from fellow authors asking what they can do to promote their books in the newsletter.
I am always happy to help promote an author and their works in the newsletter. That's what we're here for. That being said, the best I can do is one of the following.
If you are interested in writing an article about your experiences as a self-published author, I would be more than happy to consider it for publication. If I publish the article, I will give you space for a signature box that you could use to promote yourself and your book.
If you would like to send me an ARC copy of your book, eBook format preferred, I would be happy to review it and interview you. The interview would most likely be what gets published in the newsletter, but reviews of recommended books may also be published. Please note, I have already been presented with some works to read, so please query me first before sending your books. I'd rather return a book than form a slush pile.
If you have a book signing coming up, we do try to list those when they are timely. Remember our newsletter is published in February, April, June, August, October, and December. If you host a class or workshop, or have a website that promotes a writer's resource, please let us know about it. All links about such events are provided free of charge. Your name, location, dates, and contact info. will be presented.
If instead you are just interested in placing an advertisement in the newsletter for your book or website, I'll ask for some patience. I am re-evaluting various plans for advertising in both the newsletter and the website.
Currently there are places for you to list your books, websites, and even join our banner ad exchange. You can also feel free to post in our forums and tell us about yourself and your books. As soon as I figure out a new model for classified ads in the newsletter, I will let you all know. Thank you for your patience.
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3: FEATURE ARTICLE by Judy Cullins
What Makes One Book Outsell Another?
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You don’t have to leap high buildings to get your book selling well, just follow these eleven tips.
1. Write a book that people need and want. People want how-to books; they want skills. Notice the demand today for eBooks. It's best to see the need and fill it rather than have an idea—then look for an audience.
2. Nonfiction books sell better than fiction. It makes sense to write and market a non-fiction book such as self-help first. Use your profits to finance your fiction project.
3. Short books in any format, like eBooks, guides or special reports are faster, easier, and cheaper to write than full-length books of 150-300 pages. They can be as short as five pages (special reports), to eBooks that can be five to one hundred pages (even longer). Anna Quinlen’s bestseller contained the number of pages that just one chapter does.
4. Women buy far more books than men do, about 75%. If your message benefits women, you'll do well in sales. The Chicken Soup for Women series sold 20 million copies out of 68 million for the total series sold. .
5. Image is almost everything. Choose your title with care. Your front cover and title have around four seconds to impress your potential buyer. Be clear, use metaphor and make sure your visuals connect to your title. Elicit an emotion through your title words (preferably five to seven words). What solutions and results does your book promise?
6. Expand your book into a series. Think of the huge success of the Chicken Soup Series. They have one "brand" everyone recognizes. A series works well for children’s books, self-help, and even fiction
7. Create spin-off products that relate to your book. Some people prefer to learn by listening to an audiotape, or downloading a CD-ROM. I recently bought a serial eBook and loved getting two chapters a week—so easy to digest. These formats can actually help you sell more books. Other spin-offs include coaching, consulting, speaking, seminars, columns, or videos.
8. Impress your potential buyer within eight seconds with your back cover copy. At the top put your headline. It must hook your readers, stir up their emotions, and hit their desire. Headlines usually include the number one benefit of your book such as “Imagine Thousands of Readers Buying your Book Next Month.” What benefits does your book offer? Include these through your testimonials from decision makers and the man/woman on the street
9. Create your written marketing plan before you finish chapter one. This plan covers your first year's launch period and lifetime plan. The biggest mistake new authors make is that they quit marketing after the initial six months. Word of mouth takes a while. Be patient and market your book for up to three years to get the buzz going.. Another mistake is that inexperienced authors wait until publication before they think of marketing, losing a great deal of sales. Your plan could include how many books you want to sell, your 30 second tell and sell, book reviews, news releases, the articles to market your book, the book signings, talks, electronic newsletters, and a book Web site. Without a written plan, an author creates vague results.
10. Put as much time into marketing as you did the writing of your book. Your goal is to have people read and learn from your unique message. Why plant a garden if you don't harvest it? To finish your book project, write down in your organizers one to three High Level Activites you will do. They can include: reading this book, sending a chapter rough draft to an associate for feedback, or contacting a good bookcoach.
11. Include Web marketing to sell more books. While you can sell your books on other peoples' site, such as Amazon.com or Booklocker.com, you will also will want your own. An author without a Web site is like a person without a name. Put useful information up for your Web visitors—articles, a blog, or past ezines. The more interactive it is and the better the ad copy, the more return visits you'll get. The more visits, the more opportunity for sales.
Think beyond the box of traditional book selling and incorporate these ideas into your book marketing plan.
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Copyright © 2007 Judy Cullins. Reprinted with permission.
Book and Internet Marketing Coach Judy Cullins helps businesses get all the clients and sell all the books they want. Author of 13 books including How to Write your Book Fast, The Fast and Cheap Way to Explode Targeted Web Traffic, Advanced Article Marketing - Nine Mistakes and How to Solve Them, and Advanced Article Three Book Program. Judy offers 256 articles and free eBook "Book Writing and Marketing Tips" with monthly ezine subscription at http://www.bookcoaching.com
Email her at judycullins@cox.net or Phone: 619/466-0622
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4: COMMUNITY ARTICLE by Dan Shaurette
Podcasts for Authors by Authors
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Last year I wrote a series of articles about blogging and podcasting. Those articles were written to open a new door to you as an author to share your writing with the world. In this article, I have listed podcasts by authors who want to share their craft. I listen to most of these podcasts and I learn something with every episode. My hope is that you will discover a few podcasts here on this list that will entertain and educate you and perhaps even inspire you. However, before I get to the list, let me remind you of what a podcast is.
Podcasting allows for the automatic downloading of audio files via a subscription to your computer or favorite portable media player. This allows you the freedom to listen to what you want on your schedule.
Technically speaking, a podcast is nothing more than a text file on a website. This file has a special format, known as RSS 2.0, aka "Real Simple Syndication". However, a podcast's RSS file needs one extra feature, called enclosures, which give direct links to audio files that live on a web server. These special RSS feeds are not meant for people to read, however. They are specifically made to be read by software known as podcatchers, but can also be read by news readers or aggregators, and even by some email clients.
What do you need in order to listen to a podcast?
- A computer, either a PC (WindowsXP or Vista) or a Mac (OS X).
- A program for listening to MP3 audio files or a portable MP3 player (like an iPod).
- An internet connection; Cable or DSL preferred.
- Podcatching or news aggregator software.
There are many different programs for podcatching. Quite possibly the most flexible and easy to use is iTunes. No, you don't have to have an iPod or even a Mac to use iTunes, as they have a Windows version.
There are podcasts available on too many topics to mention. In fact there are a great many websites that exist just to help you find a podcast you might be looking for. If you use iTunes as your podcatcher, you'll see it has a search function. However, it only presents those podcasts that are available on iTunes, which not all of them are. It's good to use an additional directory site, like PodcastPickle.com to help you find the podcasts you'll like.
So, with no further ado, here is a list of podcasts about the craft of writing. They are listed in alphabetical order.
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Adventures in Scifi Publishing - Hosted by: Shaun Farrell
Bringing science fiction and fantasy authors to your ears one podcast at a time.
http://scifipublishing.libsyn.com/rss
AmericanWriters.com Podcast - Hosted by: Tom Occhipinti
The Podcast at AmericanWriters.com is designed to help beginner, novice and expert writers create better fiction. The focus is on characterization, narrative, plot development, dialogue, conflict, etc. Episodes are not centered around mindless, useless pep talks and recycled writing tips. Rather, the Podcast at AmericanWriters.com offers in-depth analysis of what works and what doesn't -- with explanations and original writing samples.
http://feeds.feedburner.com/AmericanwriterscomPodcast
Book Promotion Made Easy - Hosted by: Penny C. Sansevieri
You're published, now what? Now it's time to promote. This podcast is packed with simple tips and strategies you can do right now to get your book noticed! With everything from how to get your book reviewed to the secrets to getting on Oprah!
http://bookmkr.audioacrobat.com/rss/powerful_book_promotion_made_easy.xm...
Coffee House To Go - Hosted by: Michael Potter
ESC! Magazine's monthly Podcast for writers and the Small Press community featuring readings of short fiction, poetry, interviews, reviews and new music from independent bands.
http://feeds.feedburner.com/CoffeeHouseToGo
Confessions of a Struggling Writer - Hosted by: J.R. Murdock
I am a writer. I aspire to be an author. Those aspirations are what fuel my struggle. Join me in my trials and tribulations to see my name on a book.
http://feeds.feedburner.com/ConfessionsOfAStrugglingWriter
DragonHearth - Hosted by: Tracy and Laura Hickman
From the worlds between the pages of your favorite book ... to adventures teetering on the edge of the dice ... Tracy and Laura Hickman invite you on a voyage of discovery beyond the horizons of imagination. The pilot’s at the helm and our course it set. The dreamship gathers speed across the sea of possibilities – Welcome aboard – the DragonHearth!
http://dragonhearthproductions.com/podcast.xml
Dragon Page: Cover to Cover - Hosted by: Michael R. Mennenga and Michael A. Stackpole
Conversations with the creators of the best in science fiction and fantasy. If you love SF literature, are an author or aspire to become one, you'll enjoy this podcast.
http://www.dragonpage.com/podcastC2C.xml
Fascinating Authors - Hosted by: Penny C. Sansevieri
Fascinating Authors takes a closer look at your favorite authors, what drives them, what inspires them and why they just can't stop writing.
http://bookmkr.audioacrobat.com/rss/fascinating_authors_show.xml
FictionRight - Hosted by: Alan & Rebecca Lickiss
Our goal is to provide tips, suggestions, advice, and writing exercises for fiction writers.
http://fictionright.com/rss2.aspx
Filling the Page - Hosted by: Phil Rossi
An empty notebook is an open door. Filling the Page chronicles the experiences of one creative individual as he struggles with juggling multiple projects and avoided distractions.
http://feeds.feedburner.com/fillingthepage
Grammar Girl's Writing Tips - Hosted by: Mignon Fogarty, aka Grammar Girl
In under five minutes, you'll get a fun and friendly dose of writing advice. Grammar Girl covers everything from punctuation and grammar to style and voice.
http://www.qdnow.com/grammar.xml
I Should Be Writing - Hosted by: Mur Lafferty
I Should Be Writing is a podcast dedicated to wanna-be writers from the perspective of another wanna-be writer. Tips on how to handle rejection, submit fiction stories, and more, including interviews with published authors.
http://feeds.feedburner.com/IShouldBeWriting
Lulu Radio - Hosted by: Jason Adams and Mur Lafferty
Lulu Radio is a podcast for the creator community of Lulu.com - a marketplace for digital content and the world's fastest-growing source of POD books. It features updates on everything new and exciting at Lulu, as well as interviews with creators who use Lulu to publish their content.
http://lulu.libsyn.com/rss
Survival Guide To Writing Fantasy - Hosted by: Tee Morris
On an average year, 170,000 books are published in one year...and you want to world to buy yours. This is a podcast of strategies, ideas, and inside peeks at how authors sell their books.
http://feeds.feedburner.com/TheSurvivalGuideToWritingFantasy
Tale Chasing - Hosted by: KimiDreams
Aspiring author of urban fantasy shares writing tips, tricks, and the hows of getting published.
http://recordings.talkshoe.com/rss26819.xml
The Naked Novelist - Hosted by: Brendan Gullifer
The high roads and low life of getting your first novel published. Quirky, searingly honest and helpful - inside the mind of an unsuccessful writer and interviews with those who have made it.
http://thenakednovelist.libsyn.com/rss
The Secrets - Hosted by: Michael A. Stackpole
The Secrets is a podcast for and about writing and writers. It's a tool for folks who are serious about writing.
http://www.stormwolf.com/thesecrets/podcasts/secretfeed.xml
The Writing Show - Hosted by: Paula Berinstein
The Writing Show provides information and inspiration for writers of all kinds. Whether you write fiction, nonfiction, screenplays, songs, games, manuals, ads, reports, reviews, or poetry, we're here to entertain, help, and engage you.
http://www.writingshow.com/Feeds/feed.mrss.xml
Whispers at the Edge - Hosted by: Philippa Ballantine
The life of a New Zealand fantasy writer; tips and advice, recommendations and a dash of kiwi culture
http://whispers.libsyn.com/rss
Write Where You Belong - Hosted by: Steve Yudewitz, aka The Writing Fool
The Write Where You Belong podcast series is geared toward the residents of the fiction writing community and those who are trying to find a way in. Throughout this series, we’ll talk about creativity, the writing process, the stumbling blocks and solutions, what to do when the well runs dry, and what to do when you want to write but have no time.
http://feed.writewhereyoubelong.com/rss2.aspx
Writers in the Sky - Hosted by: Yvonne Perry
An educational podcast for those who want to learn more about the craft and business of writing, publishing and book publicity. We offer interviews with authors and writers, as well as the latest news about books currently on the market or coming soon.
http://nashvillewriter.audioacrobat.com/rss/writers_in_the_sky_podcast.x...
Writers Talking - Hosted by: Matthew Wayne Selznick
A live roundtable podcast featuring independent and small-press fiction authors talking shop and answering your questions.
http://recordings.talkshoe.com/rss20652.xml
___
Copyright © 2007 Dan Shaurette. Reprinted with permission.
Besides being the editor of this newsletter, Dan is the author of LILITH'S LOVE, a modern vampire romance novel, which you can learn more about at http://www.Liliths-Love.com. He also hosts "Is This Thing On?", an eclectic podcast featuring chat, interviews, and independent music at http://is-this-thing-on.net
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5: GUEST ARTICLE by Michael LaRocca
Why Do We Publish?
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A major "character" in Mark Salzman's first autobiography is his father. Sometimes his father paints. But his father hates painting. He likes it when his painting is done. He likes having painted. But the act of painting itself is, in his opinion, a big pain in the backside.
Nobody reading this approaches writing like that, do they? I know I don't. Of all my experiences as an author, whacking those words down onto the paper is the best of the best. Always has been, always will be. Even though I cut most of them. I like creating.
I've quoted Hemingway before. Long periods of thinking, short periods of writing. These days, my thinking takes longer and my periods of writing are getting less frequent, but both still happen, and I still love creating something from nothing.
If it weren't for me, you would never read the words you're reading right now. Nobody else would ever write them. And they contain my thoughts. Through time and space, better than telepathy, you hear what I'm saying.
So, there's one reason to write, isn't it? The biggie, if you ask me. I write what I do because I can't NOT write it. I may be clarifying my thoughts in my own head. But, most certainly, I'm just so moved by those thoughts that I must put them on paper. They're in me and they have to get out, kinda like those critters in the ALIEN movies.
Is this the only reason to write? Because I want to zap my thoughts into your heads? I don't know. But let me change the question. Is this a reason to publish? Why not write your books and stick them in a filing cabinet like Sean Connery did in the film FINDING FORRESTER? Write it, express it, file it away. Why publish it?
(It's okay if you haven't seen this obscure little gem. I will explain all.)
In fact, there are writers who do exactly that. Some fear rejection or criticism. We hear about them whenever we pop into a writing workshop. But I don't think there are very many of them. I have trouble picturing someone who can spend months (years?) doing something as essentially egotistical as writing a novel, but who is fundamentally lacking in any sort of self-confidence. Naw, they're thinking posterity but lack the stones to admit it.
At times I've got an inferiority complex I wouldn't dream of whacking onto your shoulders, but it was absent when I wrote my books. During the act of writing itself, you think, "My words are better than your words." You do. You feel that you must record your thoughts because they're that much better than most. That's what writing is. So, I would say that by definition the author isn't ALWAYS plagued by self-doubt.
In FINDING FORRESTER, the Sean Connery character won the Pulitzer with his first book, saw that every reviewer misunderstood him, and decided they could all get stuffed. This is a movie, a work of fiction, but I understand the attitude. I once wrote a true story, where the main character was Michael LaRocca, only to have a critic slam the main character as "unbelievable." Apparently I don't act like real people.
I could never shove all my writing in a filing cabinet, unpub- lished, and tell the establishment to get stuffed. But yep, there are stupid people in the world, and some of them review books.
So, we've identified two groups who won't be seeking publication. Hopelessly insecure and hopelessly arrogant. But, like Aristotle, I prefer moderation. You still may be wondering why I seek publi- cation. So do I. Let my exploration of this question continue.
I've hit best-seller status for two different e-publishers with three different books. Minor thrills at the time, but there's no way I could call them enough of a reward for what I put into writing.
You're an author. You know what I'm talking about. We all but kill ourselves to make our books. And let's be blunt here. Unless you're going to throw Rowling/King/Clancy/Grisham money at me -- and you're NOT -- money isn't sufficient reason to publish.
Publishing isn't just a case of sending it to a publisher, signing a contract, and being done.
Next up is editing, which is a blast. Not at the time, perhaps. Any editor worth a damn will beat you over the head with every bad word choice you ever made. And you made hundreds! But at the end of that gauntlet, you know you are da bomb.
Seeing my cover art is almost always awesome. Yes, I did say "almost." One bad experience among eight. It happens. But if you've worked with a publisher, you know what I mean. You log onto the Internet one morning, not fully conscious, amazed that you poured that first cup of coffee without burning off your naughty bits. You pop open an email and see cover art that almost makes your head explode. You get this big rush, thinking, "Someone understands my writing!" What you don't realize, naive little author, is that some artists don't even read the books they do the art for. But still. The art rocks your world. Feel that. I always enjoy clicking those email attachments and seeing MY book covers.
Then comes marketing. Biggest pain in the... Well, let's just say it makes me want to not publish sometimes. So why publish?
I've entered the EPPIES three times, and been a finalist three times. The second time one of my books was an EPPIE finalist, I made some wisecrack in an author's egroup about how "finalist" is a synonym for "loser" and was raked over the coals.
Oops!
(Maybe I annoyed entrants who weren't finalists. I'd always wondered if they existed...)
So let's say I'm not publishing for money or awards. They sing a siren song to new authors which this jaded old bastard quit hearing long ago. I got all that out of my system in the previous millenium. So why do I still publish? What are my rewards? Let me mention a few.
A psychologist turned English teacher formed a women's reading group at the university where we once worked together in China. Her concept was women readers, women writers. But the first book the group ever discussed was my very own RISING FROM THE ASHES, which is about Mom. My only foray into "women's literature." I couldn't attend the reading group, since I'm a guy, but my wife was there. What I learned about my book is priceless, as is knowing what those young students discussed because of my writing. Issues of such depth that I'd be proud to inspire any student, in any country, in any language, to tackle them.
I used to work on North Carolina hog farms. I enjoyed the company of some damn fine people at every one of them. Hog farming is hard work. This isn't the backyard family farm, folks, this is 13 people with 98 boars, 3500 sows, and all the babies they can make. One of my toughest coworkers was a lesbian who could break Xena in half, and my one foray into writing horror gave her nightmares.
I don't consider myself a poet, and I believe most of the reading world agrees with me. But I have published 6 poems. There is one that a hog farm coworker insists will be read at his funeral. Don't ask me why he was planning his funeral during our lunch break because I have no idea. But, well, I guess I'm invited, in a manner of speaking.
Master Pizza, 30th Street, Tampa, Florida. A bunch of drunken Italian relatives reading one of my less-than-serious poems ALOUD between pitchers of beer. It was like a Joe Dolce moment.
I was working as a security guard in a particularly unpleasant place. This was 20 years ago, I think. A fellow guard read one of my short stories. It is, by far, the most allegorical thing I've ever written. I can't tell you how many times I've thought about throwing it out. But then, I remember Bob's words. "This is me. This is my life." Me too, old pal, and I don't care if you and I are the only two readers to have any idea what I'm talking about. {Scapegoat Bob!}
I've written some pretty heady volumes, but I've also written quite a few short works. I've heard from numerous students here in China that, "This is the first book in English I've ever finished reading." When I write, I certainly never set out to help anyone learn English. (Some of my editors may claim I never learned the language.) And, students will LIE to teachers. But I've decided that at least one was telling the truth.
When I left the US, I embarked on several journeys. Learning to live in China. Learning to love again. Taking another shot at the writer dream. And, eventually, teaching. After all that, I tried my hand at writing humor for the first time. Every time I hear my wife laugh at something I've written, I file it away as a reason to keep writing.
I've written one play in my life. I was young, and quite hooked on the album (pre-CD days) JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR. So, you guessed it, I tackled JC. I wrote something that nobody can read without having a powerful reaction. Readers love it or they hate it. I'm proud of that. And hey, it's only one act long. I have a short attention span.
I loaned Clint "Two Dawgs" Hill my very first book. My cousin. He took it to Durham (North Carolina) and loaned it to a bunch of hippie buddies. He asked for another, because the first one fell apart from overuse. That's why we publish. People all but fighting for the chance to read my words. And heck, the book wasn't even good yet. It's 20 years older now.
I mention all this for the jaded old bastards who have a few novels and bit of minor success under their belts. Nobody else is reading this anymore, are they?
So, maybe this is why we don't just stop when the book is written, stick it in a drawer, and uncork the champagne. Although I do hope you uncorked the champagne. This planet contains far too many people who "want to be authors" but who haven't written a book. Never have, never will. Meanwhile, you and I are sitting here knowing we had no choice. We had to write.
Why publish? Heck, why not?
___
Copyright © 2007 Michael LaRocca . Reprinted with permission from http://www.ArticleCity.com/.
Michael LaRocca, author of WHO MOVED MY RICE? You can't eat grits with chopsticks.
http://www.chinarice.org/
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6: CLASSES, WORKSHOPS, and GROUPS
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DETROIT'S FIRST ELECTRONIC BOOKFAIR
http://detroitwritersinternet.eventbrite.com
June 16th, 2007
On June 16th from 3pm to 6pm, Detroit will mark an initial venture into literary technology with the first ever Electronic Book Festival, which will be held at The Detroit Impact Center, 9930 Greenfield, Detroit, 48227.
Experts predict that by the year 2010, e-book sales in the United States will top over 100 million. Large publishers that once shunned the technology are now opening up e-book publishing houses such as Harlequin and Simon and Schuster.
Prior to the book festival there will be an Internet Writers 101 Workshop from 9am to 3pm. Fee for workshop can include a resource book and lunch. For more information, please go to http://motownwriter s.com or The Michigan Literary Network at http://michiganlite rarynetwork. com.
Interested sponsors, vendors and media can contact: 313.289.8614 or email essenceofmotown@yahoo.com.
Price: $15 RSVP in advance will include Resource CD, Internet Marketing Updated book for 2007, & promotional gifts.
$5 at the door (without resource CD & marketing book)
$20 Vendors who would like to attend and sell books at the event
To register online go to: http://detroitwritersinternet.eventbrite.com
If you're interested in getting your book in e-book format or would like ways to provide electronic books for your publishing company, please contact hubbooks@yahoo.com for consultation and setups.
Sponsored by: Motown Writers Network, The Michigan Literary Network and The African American Electronic Network
Sylvia Hubbard - Author and Founder of Motown Writers Network
313.289.8614 - Motownwriters@yahoo.com
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7: COMMENTARY by Kae Cheatham
Self-Published Books Need A Professional Appearance To Court Success
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Not long ago, I read a self-published book produced by a printing company, where the author was required to furnish not only the manuscript, but the layout and cover. The cover was the best part of this book. The story had potential (although erratic and overwritten) and was compelling enough that, out of curiosity, I finished it. I have read esthetically-rough fiction from traditional publishers, but those at least had a professional layout and had been scrutinized by a copy editor. This one--not.
I have no gripe with the concept of self-publishing, but if a writer wants a book to be taken seriously, some basics have to be considered. Liberal use of Strunk and White (Elements of Style) is a must, as well as referring to Chicago Manual of Style. Be certain punctuation is correctly rendered. Three periods (...) does not an ellipse make. Ellipses are not followed by any other punctuation ["What do you mean…, you have to go?"]. Uppercase letters should rarely be used for emphatic dialogue ["what WE did, did NOT cause what happened"]; description before dialogue should not end with a comma. [Green eyes betrayed her, "I'm sure you do."].
A copy editor would have caught ninety-eight percent of these errors, as well as the character names that changed mid-scene.
Regarding layout, the text alignment in a professional book is justified, with widow and orphan control, usually with 11pt type and type kerning so lines of text have uniformity. Quotation marks and apostrophes must be consistent throughout the text, not curly marks to start dialogue with straight apostrophes in contractions. A disregard (or ignorance) of these basics is what I see most in self-published books.
Self-publishing has a lot of benefits, especially to the environment. With traditional publishers, if they have a print run of 3,000 books, 2,000 of them can set in a warehouse for six months and then end up in a landfill. Most self-published material is print-on-demand, so less paper and printer ink is used. But if an author wants to do more than give away his self-published book to friends and family, the book must have a professional appearance, regardless of the story.
When someone has plans to publish more than one book, having a good product is especially critical. Marketing and hype might sell a decent number of a poorly-produced book, but once the dearth of editing and layout are realized, the reader might not want to chance another book from the same source. More than 5,000 books are produced each week by self publishing. That makes competition stiffer than ever for a reader’s attention. To produce a book correctly is more time consuming, but highly cost effective and can give the edge needed to make a book stand out. Using a professional copy editor and investing in a good text layout program, will result in a finished product on par with traditional publishers.
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Copyright © 2007 Kae Cheatham. Reprinted with permission from http://www.ArticleCity.com/.
Kae Cheatham is a freelance editor, and author of nine books of fiction and nonfiction; she has published numerous articles and poems, and edited for national magazines and publishing houses. Cheatham gives presentations at schools and libraries on writing and the American West; she also develops promotional materials (including web sites) for authors.
http://www.kaios.com.
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8: RECIPROCAL LINKS
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ADD YOUR BOOK LISTING & AUTHOR BIO:
This is a marketing feature you don’t want to miss:
http://www.selfpublishedauthors.com/books.php
WRITE, SELF-PUBLISH, AND PROMOTE YOUR PRINT OR EBOOK
Judy Cullins shares up-to-the-minute information on book writing, publishing and marketing the easiest and cheapest ways--the Internet. Tips, Recommendations, and great resources to help grow your book.
To receive this monthly no charge "The Book Coach Says..." or "Business Tip of the Month" ezine by Judy Cullins, 20-year book and internet marketing coach, go to http://www.bookcoaching.com/opt-in.shtml or put "subscribe" into an email to judy@bookcoaching.com. Dan Poynter says, "It's totally worth your time."
http://www.bookcoaching.com
SOULENGRAVINGS.COM - Horror Fiction and Poetry Ezine
A Tangled Script of Intangible Soul Engravings
This Ezine is constantly evolving and is seeking submissions of horror or dark fantasy fiction and poetry (preferably 3,000 words or less). Multiple poetry submissions are accepted. They pay $20 USD for fiction and $10 USD for poetry via PayPal.
Send your submission to masterengraver@soulengravings.com with the subject of "submission". Visit the website for more details.
http://www.soulengravings.com
SHAURETTENET: The Home Page of Dan Shaurette
- His Novel, LILITH'S LOVE - http://www.Liliths-Love.com
- The Lurkers' Domain (creative writing forum) - http://lurk.us
- Is This Thing On? Podcast - http://is-this-thing-on.net
All of this and more at: http://www.Shaurette.net
YOUR ADVERTISEMENT COULD BE HERE!
Contact Dan Shaurette for more information at editor@selfpublishedauthors.com
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9: Subscriber Management / Contact Information
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