Category Archives: Publishing and sustainability

Good News: It’s All There

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“In a knowledge economy natural selection favors organizations that can most effectively harness and coordinate collective intellectual energy and creative capacity. ~ Justin Rosenstein

There is a new website, just launched on Tuesday called Guardian Sustainable Business. It is organized by some of America’s top companies such as Google and Coca Cola. The  mission behind GSB is to “rethink the prosperity hub.” It’s target audience will be 18 to 30 year olds who will be our next generation of business leaders. It’s hoped they will do things with an eye on sustainability.

sustainable world“The aim is to provide a dynamic showcase of technologies, campaigns and entrepreneurs for young people to participate in, celebrate, share and draw on to change their own lives and the lives of others.” According to this article, the good news is “everything we need to co-create a sustainable world is already out there.”

The human creative spirit will be relied on to bring about much change in the way people live. I must ask, is that not what brought America to its prosperous rankings the world in the first place?

Interested in learning more about Guardian Sustainable Business? Click on this link. Sign up to get mailings and become informed about how as a nation we can harness everything we’ve got and move into a more sustainable place as a nation.

Next Thirsty Thursday, the day of the week devoted to good news, we will follow up this story with another about children entrepreneurs who are climbing the corporate ladder with their digital knowledge.

This blog is brought to you by award-winning author Sue Batton Leonard. See you tomorrow on All Things Fulfilling.com.

Worthiness in Writing

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Friendships begun in this world will be taken up again, never to be broken off.  ~Francis de Sales 1567 – 1622

A few people have asked me how many books I’ve sold and my response is “I don’t know. I’m not paying much attention.” Truthful statement. Believe it or not.

To me sales figures are irrelevant compared to the fulfilling feelings of accomplishment that have come with knowing I completed what I set out to do – tackle writing a memoir and publishing it independently. No one can relate to the process unless they have been through the paces.

Secondly, when I get feedback from readers, it makes publishing the story all worthwhile. People that I hadn’t heard from in decades, that I thought were gone from my life a long time ago, have come climbing out of the woodwork.

education2For instance, a college math professor from my days at Johnson State College in Vermont sent me an e-mail that I will always treasure. His comments after having read my memoir made me feel that I was not just another one of his thousands of students that passed through the halls of that higher institution during his life-long career of teaching.

Here is some of what he had to say after reading Gift of a Lifetime: Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected:

Sue, I just finished your book and “shared” it via e-mail.  Of course, it brought many tears to my eyes being exposed to your early, early years.  And, it nearly goes without saying that Fanny has made an indelible mark on my mind, having known both you and Jan.  It is a wonderful story filled with the joy of life and living.

I wish you all the best in whatever writing you undertake in the future.  It surely is not a simple task and I thought this effort very well done!

My very best to you and Terry ~ J. Davis

Since rekindling our teacher/student connection, we have had many meaningful back and forth e-mail discussions on various different blogs about life that I have posted on All Things Fulfilling.

The point of this blog is to say “the  value of writing a story is not in book sales. The true worthiness comes in what writing feels like to the author’s heart.” ~ Sue Batton Leonard

 

Book Covers and Fonts

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Like all forms of design, visual design is about problem solving…~ Bob Baxley

So, an author friend of mine is getting ready to have her next release published. Last week, she posted images of several cover designs that she is considering. I let my opinion be known only because she asked for some feedback and I understand the value of feedback with regard to publishing.

It got me to thinking of the cover design of my 2nd publication, Short Stories: Lessons of Heart & Soul. I decided that it was time to make a change to the cover. I love the cover image but the font of the title has been problematic in a digital format. I didn’t foresee the kinds of problems I am having with it. For the title I had chosen a font that is in script. Esthetically it looked good with the cover image but it was not a good decision on my part because it is not very readable digitally.

So there has been a slight revision to the appearance of the e-book cover of Short Stories: Lessons in Heart & Soul. Here is a before and after.

Below – Initial Font Used in Title on Cover Design

Lessons of Heart V4 Cover

Below: Revised for Better Readability of Title in Small-form Digital Formats

V5 Cover revised font 4 15 15

You’ve gotta love e-books, it’s so easy to make changes. Download a new version of a cover or revised text and you are all set. Not much more than a click of a mouse and very little expense.

Chalk up this necessary revision to lessons learned in digital publishing! Since e-books are still undergoing tweeks in development I’m not the first to encounter this problem. Here is a good article about e-books and fonts. 

See you back here tomorrow. This blog is brought to you by award-winning author Sue Batton Leonard.

Leadership Traits for Writers

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“The two most powerful warriors are patience and time.” ~ Leo Tolstoy

rising to victoryIt came as no surprise to me that Major General Louis W Prentiss, Jr., the author who was the subject of yesterday’s blog has written about his life in the Army and had it published independently.  Many of the leadership qualities that served the Major General well in his military career are nearly identical to what it takes to become an independently published author.

If you anticipate publishing, be honest with yourself for a successful outcome.  Do you possess these leadership traits?

  • Dedication
  • Stamina
  • Energy
  • Fierce Determination
  • No Excuses Attitude
  • Self-Motivation
  • Tenacity

“Ok,” you say, with unwaivering confidence, “I’ve got the right stuff. I can do this!”

Move ahead then with confidence and the understanding that at some time or another you may get writers block. You may also face unavoidable challenges that are all part of the time element involved in writing and publishing. If you are realistic in your understanding of what it takes to be successful in your efforts, you will not let the rough times defeat you.

Tip: Speak positively of your progress. No matter how long it takes to tackle the project don’t be too harsh on yourself.  Continually move ahead reminding yourself you have what it takes and you’ll get yourself through the project.

This blog is brought to you by Sue Batton Leonard,  the award-winning author of Gift of a Lifetime: Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected and Short Stories: Lessons of Heart & Soul.

The Power of Hope

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What would we do in a world without hope? Hope is what keeps us afloat.

But, did you know that hope has a partner? It’s called action. They are a powerful team, and one without the other is not complete.  Hope needs action otherwise you’ve only got pipe dreams. Action needs hope otherwise what’s the point – there is no lasting power to keep us moving forward.

If you have writing and publishing in your future – make sure both hope and action are in it together equally. The sum of the two parts will see you through the project.

Hope

This blog is brought to you by the award-winning author Sue Batton Leonard. For more information on her publications.

Intuition and Writing

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Intuition will tell the thinking mind where to look next ~ Jonas Salk

A couple of weeks ago I gave an author talk  and book reading to the Bayshore Bookies in Dorchester County, Maryland. One of the book club members asked  “What’s next? Will you be doing any more writing?” Yes.

Follow-up question: What are you going to write?
Not sure yet, I’ve got lots of ideas stewing, a few characters “fleshed out”  and a lot of content already written. Now that the story I had been waiting to tell my whole life has been accomplished, my intuition will lead me to my next project and what form of literature I’ll use to tell it.

If you are a regular reader of All Things Fulfilling  you’ve probably noticed from my compulsion to blog so frequently finding things to write about is not a problem.

Finding a way to turn the brain off, is more the challenge. Any suggestions? Please don’t say go for a walk.

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This blog is brought to you by the award-winning author Sue Batton Leonard. For information about her memoir,  Gift of a Lifetime: Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected, please visit this link.http://amzn.to/1vDFUMt.  Available an EVVY award-winning audio book, paperback and e-book.

 

A Caring, Comedic Character

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Through humor you can soften some of the worst blows that life can deliver. And once you find the laughter, no matter how painful your situation might be, you can survive it. ~ Bill Cosby

“The treasure is in the voice,” the author says of her EVVY award-winning audio book version of Gift of a Lifetime: Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected.

Some readers argue that “the real gold is in Fanny’s character.”  Either way, the Batton family benefited from the love and friendship of a woman who kept things in the right perspective. Fanny was a real winner!

Last weekend at a book signing in Towson, Maryland, award-winning author Sue Batton Leonard’s home town, something wonderful happened – a group of Fanny fans gathered round! Some knew Fanny in real life and others met her through reading the award-winning memoir.

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Fanny’s Fan Club

If you want to learn more about the “phenom Fanny,” Ukazoo has Gift of a Lifetime:Finding Fulfillling Things in the Unexpected in stock! http://www.ukazoo.com. It is also available through other major on-line book sellers in audio book, paperback and e-book.

Gift of a Lifetime: Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected has become a finalist in another book competition, in two categories – young adult and non-fiction. To read more about the 2014 Harvest Book Competition, please visit this link. http://bit.ly/ZWqMxV and to see the list of other finalists and the titles of their books, please visit this list. http://bit.ly/1vbWwfb.

 

Tracking Consumer Book Buying Trends

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In October 2011, Bowker (the storehouse of all publishing statistics) announced they would be doing a major study on book buying trends, specifically on e-books.  The objective of the study is to obtain information about publishing industry growth patterns as well as for tracking quantities (traditional vs non-traditional/ independent book sales). The study takes into consideration the quantity of books in print vs. digital publications (e-books).  To read the August 6, 2013 report, please follow this link. http://www.bowker.com/en-S/aboutus/press_room/2013/pr_08062013.shtml.

Technology-quote-Northrop-FryeIn my opinion, this data is much needed since the publishing industry is so rapidly changing and growing.  The study will be useful to more than just the publishing industry. The technology industry, libraries, and bookstore owners will benefit from this data. Many brick and mortar stores are trying to evaluate out how they can best serve communities with the changes that are underway in publishing.

Knowing the latest book buying trends is also helpful to independent publishers like myself. It helps us to know what platform readers are using most frequently and whether to publish a paper version, digital (e-book) or audio book and how to price them.

Have your book buying habits changed or are they likely to?  Has your reading platform changed from paper to electronic? Are you observing any trends in the kinds of books that are available for sale over the internet? We would like to hear from you.

This blog brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

Forget the Soap?

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“Life is good” represents the most beautiful, dramatic and heavy moments in life.” ~ Nas

bathtub3Please don’t disturb me, I’m scrubbin’! I’m getting rid of all negative thoughts left over from last year.  I have received the year end blog report and know just how many readers we had  and I am feeling very happy. Now – a clean slate and moving forward. A New Year always brings new possibilities and fresh opportunities. All the ingredients necessary for creating a fulfilling experience.

If you are you a person who hangs on to bad memories longer than you ought to, please don’t do it!  It’s not good for your health. http://mayocl.in/1dPJmYZ . Wash those pessimistic and detrimental thoughts right out of your head, right now, while the year is young and history has yet to be made in 2014.

Jump in a tub of warm water, relax, inhale deeply and slowly exhale releasing stress, anxiety and discontent. Go on, now,  breathe again and let your troubles from last year go down the drain. Don’t forget to rinse off well. Bad memories, like soap leaves residue that makes you itchy.

Repeat after me …..”Life is good.” And believe it.

Kids Join in NaNoWriMo

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Play is not only our creative drive; it’s a fundamental mode of learning.” ~ David Elkind

child writing. jpgAs a follow-up to last Thursday’s blog, I forgot to mention children are invited to participate in the National Novel Writing Month also. In November, many libraries will have special programs just for children which will promote writing fellowship and fun among the young participants.

Of course, children have a more limited attention span, so parents if you get your child involved in the contest, remember children are more easily distracted. However, there are children who have a natural affinity for writing, and will write with great abandon.

There are many homeschooled children who will participate in NaNoWriMo. Here is an excellent article about keeping children on task. http://bit.ly/1a0pZdS. 

The main thing is to relax, parents, and let your child be their own guide as to how much or how little they want to write. The month long contest is supposed to be fun and not grueling.

Suggestion: Why not make it a parent and child activity? Parents can set a good example by entering in the challenge also. Write till your child’s heart is content, then switch gears, do something fun and reward your child for their efforts.

This blog brought to you by www.cornerstonefulfillmentservice.com. Do return tomorrow to All Things Fulfilling.