Category Archives: Publishing for non-profits

Creative Connectivity

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“Because things are the way they are, things will not stay the way they are.”   ~Bertold Brecht  

As I was raising a teenager, I heard parents commiserating that even after they had given their child curfews, “grounded them” and made requests to no longer have relationships with certain others, their child still found creative ways of  fulfilling  their need to connect with others. So it comes as no surprise that a trio of students – Zuckerberg, Hughes and Moskovitz created Facebook. Other young entrepreneurs are responsible for various other social media marketing channels, too.  Young folk think differently then those who came before them – all thirteen year olds will tell you that! 

What opportunity social media marketing has brought to our world! It has given us the ability to connect with communities of people that otherwise the odds of connecting to them, would have been slim to none! No matter how much money and effort is put into print advertising and direct mailing(even with the help of targeted lists) you can not beat the scope of  internet marketing.The  chances of reaching people that have similar interests is multiplied many times over through e-marketing. It is the best way of reaching large numbers of people for the lowest cost! 

Simply having a website is just not enough these days. If you do not have an e-marketing component to go with it, you are not maximizing your internet visibility. Now, there are many more ways, than one, to become visible over the internet. Need help with expanding your web presence? Use the worldwide web to find a company that specializes in both e-commerce and e-marketing. With the New Year approaching, rethink your business’s website presence – are you maximizing on your visibility? 

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

Harvest Home and Heart

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“All freezes again – among the pines, winds whispering a prayer” ~ Rieki, 18th Century Japanese Poet

Last  night I had a strong reminder that winter is not too far away. As I stepped into the chill of the evening air, I was all but overcome by the pungent smells of autumn – rotting leaves and woodstove smoke.  Our sense of smell is heightened in the darkness of the night.

At this time of year, with every drop of precipitation, I say a prayer that the gorgeous guest of winter will decide not to arrive too early and stay too long.  I appreciate her presence when she first appears. She is white, pristine and new. But as she over stays her welcome every spring, she turns brown, dingy and old. I grow tiresome! As I age, the gap between fall and spring seems to be extended and the glamourous guest of winter, snow, does not quite fulfill me the way it used to. Rather than bemoan the fact that winter will have her way with me again this year, I think I will savor the sublime provisions of autumn and have a grateful heart that remembers the gift of life in all seasons.

Mysteries, such as the routine changing of the seasons, are profound. Thirteenth century mystic,  Dame Julian of Norwich, must have been thinking of nature as he declared “all shall be well, and all shall be well, and all matter of things shall be well.”

During this autumn season, be thankful for all matters of the heart, health, home and harvest.

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

A Gift Given

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 “A person should set his goals as early as he can and devote all his energy and talent to getting there.” ~ Walt Disney

It has been just about two years since I relocated to the West. I arrived, site unseen, trusting that the change of location would be good for me and our family. We loved our home of 30 years in the beautiful state of Vermont. However, it was time to turn to a new State to fulfill our need for a change in opportunities after many years of being in the same place. It was a chance to see what another part of the country had in store for us. 

Yesterday, as I sat in church, I began to think of all the things I was grateful for in my life and in a new community. Among them is a singular voice. It is a voice that emanates from a nearby pew nearly every week. The voice is so beautiful, that it brings tears to my eyes every time I hear it.  (And I am not a particularly tearful person by nature). As I told the gentleman’s wife, “when I hear his spectacular and commanding voice, there is no doubt in my mind that God gives each and everyone of us personal gifts in life.”  This exquisitely talented man, has used his talents as a professional vocalist, throughout his life. What a fulfilling way to spend one’s career. 

Parents, do you have a child who at a young age is showing signs of extraordinary talent in athletics, Art, mathematics, science or perhaps, has at a tender age, a deep understanding of the world around them? The diversity with which God created humanity and our world is awesome! No two people are exactly alike, and when we follow our individual hopes, dreams and talents we become the best we can possibly be. Are you following a path that will lead to personal fulfillment? If not, can you change that? It is never too late!

 

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

Weekend Indie Publishing News

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Free education on “Cover to Cover” Radio Show www.wnzf.com every Saturday with host Frank Gromling – former Board member of the Independent Book Publishers Association! Tap into a great opportunity to learn from professionals in the independent publishing industry. Tune into this radio show from all areas of the country, because it is brought to you through the internet every Saturday morning.

  • 11:30 AM Eastern Standard Time
  • 10:30 AM Central Time
  •  9:30 AM  Mountain Time
  •  8:30 AM Pacific Time

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Looking for a winter writing retreat in a beautiful historic seaside town?  Enroll in a Poetry and Prose Get-Away in Cape May, New Jersey. This three day workshop is scheduled for January 14-17, 2011 at the Grand Hotel. Graduate credits are available through Rutgers University.

Be sure to register prior to December 15 to avoid the late registration fee.

For more information, visit www.wintergetaway.com

Genres: Memoir, creative non-fiction, children’s writing, song writing, poetry, novels and short story.

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

Tap In! Tune In!

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“All the world is a laboratory to the inquiring mind” ~ Martin H Fisher 

At lunchtime yesterday, the monthly Brown Bag Lunch Series of seminars began at Colorado Mountain College. http://bit.ly/dpcfHy  I was pleased to present “On the Fast Track: The Independent Publishing Industry.” I mentioned current trends in the publishing industry, in general, and the robust growth of independent publishing. 

At the end of the presentation, I answered questions, and even handed out a little advice. “If you are considering independent publishing, begin to learn all you can about the industry.” I said. I suggested “tap into as much free information as possible by speaking with others who have independently published, attend writers groups, brush up on your writing skills by taking classes at Colorado Mountain College.” I also advised it would be wise to  join the Colorado Independent Publishers Association www.cipabooks.com and tune in and listen to “Cover to Cover” Radio Show.’ For those of you that are unaware, it is broadcast on Saturday mornings on www.wnzf.com over the internet and it provides free education and valuable information on the independent publishing industry each and every week. 

The old adage “Knowledge is Power” applies to the independent publishing industry. Writing and publishing are businesses. Start with a  business plan that includes a solid marketing approach. Before you put pen to paper, identify your market and map out a plan of action for reaching it. If you need help, there are freelance professionals that are available and can help you through every step of the independent publishing process. Don’t forget to tap into all available resources, there is no need to go it alone.

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

Women Turn to Book Covers

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“‘I’ve learned that everyone wants to live on the top of the mountain, but the all the learning occurs while you are climbing it.” ~Unknown

At lunchtime yesterday, I again attended the Steamboat Professional Women’s Networking Group. Every woman stood to introduce her business and present her “elevator speech.” What an amazing group of women there were. But, you know what? It was the strangest thing! As each stood before me, I couldn’t even focus on their faces! As I listened to the expertise, knowledge and personal fulfillment each business brings to each woman, what came to my mind was a possible title of a book, film or other type of publication.

 Just as a few examples –

  • An insurance agent stood up to give the “low-down” on her business and I saw “CALENDAR!” with each month devoted to “Practical Tips for How Not to Loose Everything you Own.” 
  • Several skin care products representatives were in the crowd. As they introduced themselves, I saw ”BOOK!” entitled perhaps “Protect Your Child’s Skin from Environmental Damage: Beauty From the Moment She is Born.” 
  • “FILM!” I thought as an Executive Director of a Non-Profit  stood and introduced the organization she represented. Her face, right before me, turned into a DVD cover called “Miraculous Cases of Kids that have Thrived Through Mentoring.” What a shame her face morphed into a DVD cover! She had a beautiful face, too! How wonderful that her face and talents are associated with such a beautiful cause!

The list of titles I saw before me could go on and on. As I drove home, I thought perhaps this occurrence was not so strange after all. So many businesses now use independent publishing to provide and offer an accessory to their main line of business. It does bring  an additional income stream and it shares, with others, knowledge and expertise in a field of work. 

I hope, as I stood before the group giving my ‘elevator speech” some of the women saw my face morph into a book called “Lucky Lady Works in Industry That Grew Robustly Last Year.” 

That’s the independent publishing industry for you!

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

Pondering Power

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“Integrity is doing the right thing, even if no one is watching.” ~ Unknown 

Several weeks ago, I received a communication from a group of people who were interested in having me join in with them. I listened and I considered what it was I was being asked to do. I was intrigued, for sure, and flirted with the chance to join this group. But something was amiss. For reasons that at first I could not grasp, I could not quite commit. A visible, impressive name was attached to the group, which made it ever so tempting, but after deep consideration, cogitating, pondering, thought and prayer, I decided the opportunity would not be personally fulfilling to me. By being involved with this group, I felt there would possibly be things that did not mesh with the inner fiber of my being. 

I spent several sleepless nights trying to make my decision and I even searched the internet in my quest for trying to decide which path to follow. Guess what I found? I found a radio show called the Things that Matter the Most! http://www.thethingsthatmattermost.org. Just reading the title of the radio show brought me to my senses and rattled me from going in a direction that may be meant for others but not for me. 

I declined the invitation and decided I would not look back. My decision sits well within my soul and goes along with what matters most to me. In the end, I decided I would rather be personally fulfilled than to try to be and act in ways that are contrary to my beliefs. 

Have you ever been tempted by situation such as this? What did you do? I would like to hear from you.

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

Right Here, Right Now!

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“Many fine things can be done in a day, if you don’t always make that day tomorrow” ~ Unknown 

Last week, perhaps I didn’t need to remind all independent publishers that the end of the year is approaching and the selling season will soon be upon us. That reminder was as much for me, as it was for you! I needed to fulfill my duties and tend to those nagging details of owning a business. On Friday, I decided that not one more day would pass without getting caught up on all those details that had piled up. I was going to balance that checkbook, write the letters I had been meaning to write, file those papers way and step by step, clean up my desk. A load has been lifted off my shoulders! Boy, do I feel good! Procrastination is an ugly word, and I am not prone to it. 

If you are an independent publisher, I bet you have been busy over the past year, too. Those that remember writing is a business have the best results for publishing success. Focusing only on writing the manuscript, can lead to a crucial part of the publishing process being overlooked. Failure to have a solid marketing plan of action can lead to struggle down the line, far after the book has been published.  

There are lots of details when it comes to independent publishing. Hopefully, long before you started your manuscript, you mapped out a plan for marketing it. If not, sooner is always much better than later! Remember, sales are a function of your marketing efforts, so do not leave that detail until the end. It is never too early to begin connecting with communities of people who may be interested in your publication.  

Having others evaluate your book and it’s marketing possibilities can be very valuable. If you are going to sell through e-commerce (over the internet), your plan, as an independent publisher, should include internet marketing because that is where your potential buyers will be searching for you. Make sure you are visible on the world wide web!

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

Sisters in Spirit

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“Learning is the beginning of spirituality. Searching and learning is where the miracle process begins.” ~ Jim Rohn 

Women all over the world are sisters in spirit. This weekend I attended a most fulfilling weekend with a group of United Methodist Women, sisters in spirit, right here in Steamboat Springs, CO. The gathering included a range of women in different decades and seasons in their lives, but we all shared something in common. We were all women who were on a quest to understand more about our place and purpose in this world, and how our spirits guide us in our daily living. 

Life Coach, Mary Nelson of www.reclaimyourselfandmore.com led the women in our weekend retreat in considering what areas of spirituality we are interested in exploring further. The possibilities are many, and a few of them included: 

  • Life Purpose
  • Intuition
  • Connecting with God
  • Angels
  • Meditation
  • Yoga
  • Journaling
  • Prayer
  • Wisdom
  • Affirmations
  • Laws of Attraction
  • Miracles
  • Reading Spiritual books
  • Faith 

Although we were asked to identify just one area, it was difficult to make a choice for some women, including myself. There is no right or wrong in how we as women chose to incorporate spirituality into our everyday lives. Our personal definition of spirituality is different and unique to each of us based on our own life experiences and beliefs. 

If given the choice, what area of spirituality would you like to explore the most? We would love to hear from you! Do you have a spiritual journey that you could share with others through independent publishing?

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

Weekend Indie Filmmaker News!

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There is a great opportunity coming up the last weekend of October for all of you independent filmmakers! The Directors Guild of America, 7920 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA will be the site of the Film Independents 2010 Filmmaker Forum on October 29 -31, 2010. This worthy event will help fulfill your need for information regarding how to become successful in the industry of  independent filmmaking. To give a brief overview of  just some of the weekend events:

  • Keynote Address – Joe Drake, Co-Chief Operating Director of Lionsgate Film Production Company
  • Workshop- Evaluating your film for the marketplace
  • Workshop-  Finding funding for your documentary project
  • Workshop – Realizing your vision on a budget
  • Workshop – Distribution strategies, tools and business models
  • Workshop – Packaging and financial and legal issues

“Film Independent is a 501(c)(3) non-profit arts organization that champions independent film and supports a community of artists who embody diversity, innovation, and uniqueness of vision. Film Independent helps filmmakers make their movies, builds an audience for their projects, and works to diversify the film industry.”

For the full story on this forum brought to you. by a non-profit dedicated to independent filmmakers, including ticket information, schedule, sponsors and more, please visit http://empower.filmindependent.org.