Tag Archives: independent publishers

Educating Women

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“Life is a big canvas, throw all the paint on it you can.” ~ Danny Kaye

On Friday, I had the honor of speaking to the Yampa Valley University Women. The title of my presentation was “On the Fast Track: The Independent Publishing Industry.”  I kept the presentation to the basics, but wanted to share with all the University Women the fact that the independent publishing industry was grown 40% since 2008 and it now represents almost 50% of the publishing industry revenues. I mentioned that desktop publishing software has become user friendly, short run printing is now available and freelance consultants are readily available to help with every part of the publishing process. We talked of the power of the internet and of selling books worldwide through e-commerce.

I set up a display table with examples of independently published books, DVDs and cds. After the women had a chance to see the publications, a remark was made that years ago, independently published books were quite “amateurish” in appearance. The group was astonished to see that,  now, there is nothing that distinguishes an independently published book from a book produced by a big-top traditional publishing house.  My comment was that “we could thank the advances in desktop publishing software for that.”

As I spoke, I looked around the room, and realized that there was not a woman in the crowd that did not have an interesting story to tell. I determined they were all “artists in life and living.” All were well educated and many have had extraordinary experiences throughout their time on this earth. Many have traveled the world – far and wide, and have parenting words of wisdom to share. Some have interesting multi-ethnic heritage, family histories or information about their own niche interests they could write about.

Women love to communicate, women love to share – is there a  “book inside of you?”

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What Would Your Eden Be?

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“All of us do not have equal talents, but all of us should have an equal opportunity to develop our talents.” ~ John F Kennedy

Last week, the National Medals of the Arts were conferred on American citizens who have made outstanding contributions in the field of humanities. An architect, screenwriter, an actor, a dancer, a political speechwriter and others deserving of special merit in their fields were among the honorees. As I listened to the achievements of all those being recognized, I began to think how fortunate this group of Americans were. All have had the opportunity to work in fields that fulfill their need for creative lives. Each were highly respected for having advanced the understanding of the humanities and for having opened up opportunities in their fields for others. For more information, go to www.nea.org or www.arts.gov/honors/medals.

Wouldn’t it be a different world if no one was forced to take a job just for the sake of a paycheck. We would all be living in a Garden of Eden if each person’s talents and gifts could find outward expression through a truly satisfying  job. How could you not excel in the workplace and personally,  if you love what you do and are doing what you love?

I like the idea of a creative economy. No individual would have to find the courage to create, nor would you need to dare to believe you could create. Self expression of talents and gifts would naturally be utilized as people work. What better way to spend 50 or 60 years in the working world. Our quality of life would be greatly improved for many Americans. Working harder would be replaced with working happier. Would this not lead to employees really caring about their jobs and those they serve?

Is there some way you can nuture your talents through your daily work? If you could work in the Garden of Eden, how would you better utilize your innate gifts? How would you change your life’s path if you could?

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Weekend Indie Publishers News

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Fulfill your dreams of becoming an independent publisher! Attend the 26th Annual IBPA Publishing University 2010. This is the one of the best events of the year for independent publishers.

Save the Date!  May 24 – May 25, New  York City

This is an important experience if you plan on launching  a new publishing venture or for bringing your publishing business to new heights. Keep your eye on the website www.thepublishinguniversity.com  as more information becomes available. Mark your calendar now!!

Bring it On Home!!

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“If you are going to achieve excellence in big things, you develop the habit in little matters. Excellence is not an exception, it is a prevailing attitude.”        ~ Colin Powell

Have all of you been watching the Olympics? I have! I have been loyal in following our hometown boys from Steamboat Springs, CO. As I have heard the personal stories of the athletes from all around the world, it has occurred to me that successful artists and athletes have so many things they strive for in common. Really, athletes are artists too- in the field of physiology and kinetic energy.

The list of what it takes to be successful artists or athletes  is strikingly similar. In fact, there are few things that set them apart!

  • Artists, like athletes, are known for their passion and strong belief in the work they do.
  • Both challenge themselves to “reach for the stars.”
  • Athletes and artists must achieve a high level of performance day after day and continually improve.
  • Both types of artists are faced with internal and external challenges but still must perform.
  • Goals and the mastery of those goals are essential for success.
  • Both must be very disciplined and practice
  • Belief in one’s own self, of all things, must rule!

Our United States Olympians are “doing us proud!” They have all subscribed to “right thinking.” It is what has gotten them to where they are in the first place. As for our hometown boys from Steamboat Springs, CO they will be adding their names to the roster of all the other champions from this town and will have a little “bling” around their necks to prove it.

Bring it on home, boys! Bring it on home. Share with us the result of your passion for your sport!

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Bright Inventions

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“All the world is a birthday cake, so take a piece but not too much.”       ~ George Harrison

There is a birthday all independent publishers need to celebrate today!If you can not remember whose birthday it is, I will give you a few hints:

  • Without this landmark day, my life would not be nearly as fulfilling.
  • This birth paved the way for public communication in the fields of education, entertainment, journalism and more
  • The result of this birth has brought unlimited joy to myself and to others.
  • The creator of this invention probably never anticipated  how it would develop and grow!
  • This person was born in Vermont

Whose birthday is it? On this 25th day in February, in 1837, Mr. Thomas Davenport patented the first US Electronic Printing Press.  Mr. Davenport, born in Williamstown, VT was a blacksmith by trade. He received only three years of formal education, yet he was an avid reader. After a visit in 1831 to  the Penfield Iron Works, he became intrigued with the field of electromagnetic energy. He went on to invent the prototype for every electric motor used today.  He invented an electric railway, electric telegraph, electric piano and the electric printing press upon which he printed his newsletter Electro-Magnet and Mechanics Intelligencer.  Mr. Davenport was a pioneer in the field of independent  publishing and the result of his work paved the way for more than he could ever fathom.

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention one more birthday today – the trivia clues mirror closely those of Mr. Davenport, but at the risk of being scolded and hearing “Oh, Mom, what did you do that for?”, I won’t mention any names!

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A Return on Investment

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“While we try to teach our children all about life, our children teach us what life is all about.” ~ Angela Schwindt

I am headed this weekend to the Rocky Mountain Kiwanis International Mid-Winter Conference. www.Kiwanis.org. Although I have never attended a conference of this fine organization before, I am excited! All signs lead me to believe the weekend will confirm many of my deep-seated beliefs about raising children.

  • Leading by example is more powerful than words
  • Mentorship can change the outcome of a child’s experience in life.
  • Expect a lot from kids, and you will get a lot.
  • Children are our future. Investing in them is in our best interest.
  • Every child deserves a chance in life.

The weekend agenda looks educational, inspiring and fun. There are so many things that I look forward to learning about. I want to hear about some of the projects Kiwanis International is involved with around the world, how Kiwanis is revitalizing neighborhoods, about their youth leadership programs, how to grow local clubs and about the Kiwanis Children’s Pediatric Trauma Institute. Another attraction of the conference for me is the opportunity to see the documentary film Children of Peace International “A Necessary Journey,” which will air on PBS in April.

How fortunate am I to be a member of this worthy service organization?

Until Monday, have yourself a fulfilling weekend. I know I will!

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Fulfillment at Any Age

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“The aim of art is to represent not the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance.” ~ Aristotle

Have all of you seen the documentary film “Young at Heart?” Has it come to your PBS affiliate state yet www.pbs.org? Over the holidays, my son and I had the opportunity to see a screening of this film together.

The documentary is about a group of senior citizens in western Massachusetts who form a chorus and travel all over to entertain. At the first organizational meeting, the chorus director promptly informs the members that they would not be singing any of the songs of their generation but rather, songs of today.  Oh, yes, songs from Cold Play, Jimi Hendrix, Sonic Youth and other relatively current hits became the repertoire of this “Lawrence Welk generation” of singers.

Did they like it? Of course not, not at first! But things began to rock and things began to roll, as the seniors slowly began to get an ear for what they first thought were raucous, discordant sounds.

Seeing movies with my son is a bit like a chef eating in competitor’s restaurants. He tends to be more critical than the “average Joe.”  Never the less, our consensus was that it was a heartwarming and poignant film, worth seeing.

To me, this film well-demonstrated what Art is all about! Finding courage in doing what you love, and sharing it with others, at any age!  To order this DVD go to www.youngatheartchorus.net.

Considering All Things

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“All growth depends upon activity. There is no development physically or intellectually without effort, and effort means work.” ~ Calvin Coolidge

At some point in the process, almost all self-published authors or independent publishers begin to feel a shift in their business. Their business changes from an intellectual labor of love to a task of physical labor. Many wonder how this could have happened. Often, there were no landmark events that changed the focus of the business, yet something is undeniably different.

As an independent publishing business grows, so too, do the tasks that come with daily administration of the business. When all the demands on your  time no longer allow you to focus on your primary business of writing and publishing, it is time to reassess. Consider partnering with an order fulfillment company, for independent publishers, to handle the business side of shipping and handling your orders.

In-house order fulfillment does not always make sense to the smaller independent publisher. Look at warehousing alone! Do you have the facilities or are you prepared to increase your space as your business prospers? Can you effectively manage inventory control as your business grows?

Wouldn’t it be wise to check out all your options? Perhaps it is time to get back to our primary focus of business – writing and publishing. That is where your expertise lies.

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I Like It, I Like It!

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“All for one and one for all” ~ Proverb quote

As I was making dinner the other night, “The Mike Huckabee Show” was on Fox News www.FoxNews.com. Admittedly, I was more engrossed in making dinner than watching the show until I heard the words “Twin Artists.” Naturally, my ears perked up and I began to tune out dinner and tune into the show. Being a twin, I am all ears when it comes to that subject!

On the show, Mike Huckabee gave twin artists, Jerry and Terry Lynn, one canvas and collaboratively they created a wonderful painting all within 30 minutes. Evidently, painting in tandem is not  a new concept to the brothers. They often merge their styles and talents into one painting.  Working side by side, their completed image embodied the American spirit.

The painting they completed on the show is being auctioned off on E-Bay and the proceeds from the painting will go towards the “Want to Play” Fund, which purchases musical instruments for students. A great example of artists supporting artists!! For more information on this talented pair go to www.Lynntwin.com.

Painting is not all these twins share, they share blogspace! They have a twin blog! Being a twin, I am used to sharing. We’ve shared  brothers, laughs, clothes, birthdays and even worms. We really have!  As kids, if one of us found a worm, we would divide it, so the other wouldn’t be left empty handed.

But, I am warning my twin sister, Jan, right now! Blogspace is not something I am willing to share! She can keep her decorative painting, that she does so well, to herself and I will keep my blogspace to myself! There has to be one thing that we can each excel at individually!

Wait a minute! Maybe I shouldn’t be so selfish. Maybe I can learn to paint – The Lynn Way!

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Art and Romance

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“All art is erotic.” ~ Gustav Klimt

A few years ago, I was wandering all up and down the aisles of the tiny, but wonderful library in Winhall, Vermont looking for nothing in particular. Suddenly, a book nearly jumped right off the shelf into my awaiting hands.

The book was called “The Painted Kiss” by Elisabeth Hickey.” The story is about Gustav Klimt, painter and owner of an exclusive fashion house, who was hired by a father, to give drawing lessons to his daughter, Emilie. The daughter blossoms into a spirited woman, and mistress to Gustav Klimt. Despite tragedy and scandal and a very vague place in Klimt’s life,  the young woman’s loyalty earns her a role as model for Klimt’s most important masterpiece painting “The Painted Kiss.”

Gustav Klimt lived during the late 1880’s and the book is set during the Vienna Succession Movement. The descriptions in the book of Vienna’s elegant cafes and grand opera houses were so atmospheric, I felt as if I was right there. As I traveled through the story, it seemed I was among the community of painters, composers and writers in the community that existed in Vienna during that era.

“The Painted Kiss” by Elisabeth Hickey is a moving love story. The book would be the perfect thing to give your Valentine if he or she is an artist, art history buff or fan of Gustav Klimt.

Although Klimt lived in a much different time in art history than Vermeer, whose life was portrayed in the book “The Girl with the Pearl Earring,” I would put both books in the same genre of writing.

To all you romantic artists, writers, filmmakers and composers who  follow in the footsteps of the masters who came before you, Happy Valentines Day! You enrich our lives by sharing with us your passion, your creativity and your Art!

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