Tag Archives: independent publisher help

Books as “Calling Cards”

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“Ink surrounds me all  the time, on my bed sheets recorded in rhyme, quills ‘ever scribbling in my head….” ~ Terry Guillemets 

Do you know what I like about authors? You don’t have to ask them to become a “friend”, to “like” you, or become their fan before you have a chance to learn all about them. You can also meet-up with them at anytime. http://bit.ly/7EpmRj.  They leave their “calling cards” on bookshelves, in retail stores, in libraries, in schools and all over the place. Authors “calling cards” can be found on the world-wide web, too.

 Pick up a publication of any author and you will shortly know whether you like their style and whether you share interests with them or not. Fulfill your curiosity about an author, their personality traits and who they keep company with, just by reading their “calling card.” 

  • A fiction writer is apt to be an animated or dramatic kind of person, crafty, dreamy, playful, skillful and probably creative, too.
  • You know from a “calling card” of a mystery writer that challenges, suspense, danger, spooks and sleuths bring out the best in them.
  •  A sense of no nonsense, organization of time and place, facts and references are what “non-fiction” writers are all about.
  • Introspection, concern with one’s own relationship to others and self-importance is what you might find when you meet-up with the scribe of a biography.
  • A poet’s “calling card” often reflects a person who has had unusual experiences, is a divergent and innovative thinker and demonstrates skill in the use of prosaic language. 

What kind of “calling card” do you have in mind of creating? Where will you put your calling card to be discovered by others who want to learn more about you as an author?

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Writers: Explore and Navigate

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The two most engaging powers of an author are to make new things familiar and familiar things new.  ~Samuel Johnson

Throughout the history of mankind, there have been explorers in all kinds of fields – medicine, business, science, space, technology, publishing, communication and more. The pioneering spirit is driven by hope for fulfillment through research, prospecting, investigation and discovery.

When an individual is exploring possibilities of writing a book, producing a film or music the impetus behind the mission is to create with words, images or audio sounds an original idea. Researching what has been done before, and devising a plan independent of the “the same old, same old” is not an easy task. In publishing, finding a contemporary way of communicating thoughts and ideas is what constructing a successful publication is about. There is a company that can help create a plan for your idea and find a novel way of sharing it. For more information, please visit http://bit.ly/h7EukB. 

Moreover, shaping a marketing campaign, that communicates the originality of your published projected, is essential.  If you will be selling your publication on the world-wide-web, and have never navigated the waters of internet marketing, there are professionals that specialize in e-marketing for independent publishers. There are all kinds of innovative ways of broadcasting the marketing message, far and wide, in this electronic age.

 

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Glassworks Inspired by Nature

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 “I will be the gladdest thing under the sun. I will touch a hundred flowers and not pick one.” ~ Edna St. Vincent Millay 

 

Tiffany glass is a remarkable example of artists being inspired by elements of nature. Lamps, vases, stained glass designed and created by Louis Comfort Tiffany incorporate birds, flora and fauna into the composition of the piece.

Huge installations of stained glass windows, depicting the life of Christ, are incorporated in the architecture of many churches. In the city where I was born and raised, Baltimore, Maryland, there is a church, the Brown Memorial Presbyterian Church, which is noted for its 12 outstanding Tiffany stained glass windows. It is also the place where in 1887, the church’s minister, Maltbie Babcock wrote the beautiful hymn “This is My Father’s World.” 

Today, the church still honors the creator of the magnificent stained glass windows that grace the church’s walls, with “The Tiffany Series.” The series of stellar classical concerts and lectures draw distinguished speakers and avid followers. For more information on this church, exceptionally rich in culture both in its programs and its architecture, please visit http://bit.ly/eTDFtF. 

“Clara and Mr. Tiffany” written by Susan Vreeland, and newly published in 2011, is a book of historical art fiction. This book,  has been of great interest to me. It  gives insight into the artist, Louis Comfort Tiffany, the development of the process of stained glass- making and how nature inspired Mr. Tiffany’s work. 

“New age thought” does not include drawing inspiration from nature. Artists from the beginning of time, in places all over the world, have been motivated and illuminated by the natural world. 

There is an issue, brought to light by one of the characters of the book, that brings conflict to many Artists. Artists have faced this dilemma for decades and it is carried throughout the main theme of the book “Clara and Mr. Tiffany.” We will explore this theme later in the week on All Things Fulfilling. Come on back!

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Living with Art and Soul

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“A fellow who does things that count, doesn’t usually stop to count them.”  ~Variation of a saying by Albert Einstein

The Japanese people have been in the hearts and minds of so many of us in past weeks. The aftermath of a tsumani, an earthquake and fears of radiation contamination are what the people of Japan are coping with right now.  Despite catastrophic events that are enough to turn any country into chaos and confusion, it has been widely reported that the Japanese people are calm and have a cooperative demeanor. 

Traumatic occurrences in our lives leave us feeling helpless, out of control and at a loss. Coming to light are heart-warming stories of Artists and others who are raising funds, in their own creative ways, for the victims of the devastated country of Japan. It is fulfilling to hear of instances of people, communities and countries coming to the assistance of each other. It gives us faith that there are, indeed, compassionate individuals who are leaders in this world. When communities of people and individuals have benevolence and generosity of spirit, rebuilding of lives and healing can begin. 

In era of independent publishing, many non-profit organizations are sharing their missions of building a better world through the power of documentary films. Peaceable Kingdom: The Journey Home, a project of a Tribe of Heart, a non-profit documentary filmmaking organization, brings awareness to the interconnectedness of life all over the globe. Living by commitment to kindness and respect for others and this earth, we can become agents for change. For more information on this award-winning film, please visit http://bit.ly/hQtDEi.

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Explora Museum Albuquerque!

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 “In any field find the strangest thing and then explore it.” ~ John Wheeler

Hey, Hey! What is this you say? “Albuquerque was a recipient of the 2010 National Medal for Museum and Library Science from the White House.” Really?  Quite an honor, don’t you think? That is the nation’s highest honor for museums and libraries! Must be the Explora Science Center and Children’s Museum in Albuquerque, New Mexico is providing extraordinarily fulfilling experiences  for the community. I’ll bet that is exactly why they won the award!   Would you like more information on the Explora museum, if so, please visit http://www.explora.us/en/

There were eight other museums and libraries that were deemed to be worthy of this National Award, too. The full list of award-winning museums and libraries are:

  • Conner Prairie Interactive History Park, Fishers, Ind.
  • Explora Science Center & Children’s Museum of Albuquerque, N.M.
  • Mississippi Museum of Art, Jackson, Miss.
  • Japanese American National Museum, Los Angeles, Calif.
  • The New York Botanical Garden, Bronx, N.Y.
  • Peter White Public Library, Marquette, Mich.
  • West Bloomfield Township Public Library, West Bloomfield, Mich.
  • Patchogue-Medford Library, Patchogue, N.Y.
  • Nashville Public Library, Nashville, Tenn.

For more information on the 2010 National Medal Awards for Museum and Library Science, please visit http://1.usa.gov/gTdstj.

Libraries and museums, whether they are in big cities or small towns, make important contributions to communities. They add cultural vibrancy and improve community health, making  places better  environments  in which to learn, work and live. Explore them all!

P.S. If you are in Albuquerque, don’t forget to stop by their outstanding Hot Air Balloon Museum, too! Take a ride of a life time!

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Puzzle Pieces in Place

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“Writing is mentally stimulating; it’s like a puzzle that makes you think all the time.”
~Stephanie Zimbalist 

I like to put together jigsaw puzzles, and until I get every last piece into place, I can not rest. When that final part has been put into place, what a fulfilling feeling that is! 

A few weekends ago, I spoke with authors and independent publishers who were visiting exhibit booths at the Colorado Independent Publishers Association “College” www.cipabooks.com. The visitors attending the trade industry event were looking for all the missing puzzle pieces to complete their publishing project. They were in various stages of the process. 

Some had begun to envision their writing project but had yet to put a single piece into place. They knew that gaining insight into the entire process, prior to beginning the task, was a wise thing to do. 

Others had completed the writing process, and were looking for the next puzzle piece to put into place. They were searching for folks who could add “spit and polish” to their rough draft.

Many had every part of the puzzle in place, except the final. They had come to learn more about how to sell and effectively market their finished product. Like most non-traditional publishers they were seeking information on selling books, film and music over the internet. E-marketing is an essential puzzle piece that fits well into the independent publishing game. 

Understanding how the last piece of the puzzle, “the internet marketing part” is the connector in the over-all picture of e-commerce is so important. This marketing piece, seldom well-understood,  has added a whole new dimension to selling over the world-wide-web. 

If you have never had experience in fitting this piece of the puzzle into your company’s marketing plans, help is available.  Start by locating a company that specializes in e-commerce and e-marketing for independent publishers. It is essential that all the internet marketing  pieces are put into place  correctly so that your potential buyers can find just what they are looking for.This blog brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

 

Have we Met Before?

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“Books are the best of things if well used; if abused, among the worst. They are good for nothing but to inspire.”    ~Ralph Waldo Emerson 

Increasingly businesses are stepping into the arena of e-marketing. It is a whole new tactic of promoting products, services, individuals and companies in the business world. Knowing how to use internet marketing effectively is key. 

I read something the other day that made me think there may a fulfilling reason to communicate with people on-line,  that I had never considered before.  According to a study in the journal Cognition, http://bit.ly/hRtWxK our ability to remember faces peaks between ages 30 and 34. People 35 years and older are now finding there are ways to put faces and names together over the internet.   Maybe that explains why kids are no longer the only ones connecting on the world-wide-web. Am I over-thinking it by saying “the younger generation is compassionate and are developing ways of connecting faces and names, on-line, to help out their forgetful elders ?”  Perhaps! 

The viral world is helping to connect people around the world through meet-up groups, too.  People with similar business interests can now get together on-line or arrange “face to face” meetings. 

 Denver is home to the nation’s largest meet-up group in the country. The group is comprised of creative professionals www.meetup.com/creative-connections. It has a growing membership of over 1,000 strong. So large is this group, they meet at the Colorado Community Church http://www.coloradocommunity.org/ , a facility that can accommodate all. Creative Connections draws Artists (all forms), writers, photographers,  marketing and advertising creatives. Professionals who make their living through TV, the internet, radio and video production also attend the twice weekly meetings. 

If you have a specific career interest, and are looking for opportunities to meet up with like-minded people, connect through www.meetup.com.    

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Feeding Minds through Film

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“In health there is freedom. Health is the first of all liberties.” ~ Henri Frederic Amiel

As predicted, the LunaFest,® on Friday night at the Bud Werner Library, www.steamboatlibrary.org had a fulfilling line-up of short films that were screened. Once I arrived at the film festival, I became aware that the LunaFest® is sponsored by LunaBars® –snack bars that are power-packed with vitamins and minerals that meet the needs of all women, and especially women on the go. “What woman is not on the go,” may I ask? 

Out of the 10 “shorts” that were shown, it is difficult to say which was my favorite. Each film had it’s own merits and an important issue that was brought to the fore. The producers and directors of the films were women from a diversity of countries and cultures. Americans, Brits, Israelis and Canadians were among the mix. The following is a list of films that were screened, and my interpretation of the issue that was highlighted in each film: 

  • The Translator – Communication between men & women.
  • Getting A Grip – Women competing in what is thought to be a man’s world.
  • Touch –  Guardian angels that appear in women’s lives.
  • Tightly Knit – Building community around common interests.
  • Top Spin – Women finding balance in their lives.
  • Thembi’s Diary – Global health issues (this film was artistically creative in how it incorporated textures and patterns with animation).
  • Mother of Many – Women’s health and parenting.
  • Irene – Adult children caring for aging parents.
  • Miracle Lady – Hope, life’s journey, enduring love
  • Love on the Line – Relationships and attraction. 

Each screenwriter, producer and director deserves to be recognized for having created a high-quality film that was chosen to be included in this festival. LunaBars®, a division of Clif Bar and Company http://bit.ly/fCXGKW is to be congratulated for their healthy alternative snack products and for the company’s vision of  raising money for breast cancer, through the power of film. This union between the corporate world and artistic expression, through filmmaking,  is an excellent example of bringing creative, effective marketing to the public and adding value to lives.

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Check it and Protect it!

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“All truths are easy to understand once they are discovered; the point is to discover them.” ~ Galileo Galilei 

Now that e-publishing (internet-based publishing) has arrived on the scene, an all new dimension has been added to the already confusing and complicated issues around copyright infringement and plagiarism. 

There is a company, Integrated Writer Services, LLC www.writerservices.biz that is fulfilling the need for guidance, education and consulting services regarding  issues of copyright clearance. 

In June 2011, a detailed, hands-on guide will be available to help creative people take the necessary steps to protect their work to be published (both fiction and non-fiction) in digital formats and in print. The on-line guide will also address issues such as:

  • Finding good legal content
  • The process of copyright clearance including request forms & sample letters
  • Copyright lawsuits and how they apply to the creative industries
  • Resources for permission departments for art collections, publishing houses, government agencies and music administrators. 

If you pre-order the Copyright for Creatives e-Workbook, you will receive a 50% discount off the Integrated Writers Services, LLC Workshops that will be offered in May. For more information on this very valuable guide, keep your eye on details that will soon be available on www.permissionacquisition.com. 

The issues that the professionals at Integrated Writers Services, LLC deal with are, indeed, complicated and are time consuming to research. Even given the self-help tools that Integrated Writers Services so generously offer, in the way of an on-line guide and workshops, many prefer to hand this part of the publishing process over to the professionals. If you an independent publisher looking for individual consultation on copyright regulations, contact www.writerservices.biz today!

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Writing Quality Children’s Books

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“The beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away from you.”~ B.B. King 

Attention children’s book authors, illustrators and publishers! There is an organization that offers consultation and critique of unpublished manuscripts to help you publish a quality finished product. The American Children’s Book Society fulfills their mission to help produce and market “superior and meaningful children’s books.”  Their services include:

  • Critique program
  • Book Review program
  • “A” Rating program
  • Consulting and Coaching 

By working with the American Children’s Book Society, Inc.  http://www.americanchildrensbooksociety.com/  your book will be reviewed for quality content, perhaps giving you an inroad to selling to schools and libraries. Because your book has been critiqued by the American Book Society, you will also have the advantage of entering your book into the annual “Scooter Awards” and the possibility of earning an “A” rank in their rating program. 

The panel of judges on the American Children’s Book Society, Inc. looks for compliance with all CPSIA regulations and rules including quality of design, suitability of content, presentation and pricing for retail markets. For all first-time authors/publishers who are unfamiliar with standards in children’s book compliance, this organization provides excellent services and gives you the tools to provide a quality children’s book to the industry.

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