Tag Archives: Independent Publishing

Plein Air Returns

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“Popularity is the easiest thing in the world to gain and it is the hardest thing to hold.”   ~Will Rogers 

Artists, Feel the Breeze! The stir of artist’s whispers and newfound creativity has the much-missed Plein Air Magazine back into existence. The magazine was first published in 2004, and then it was published as Fine Art Connoisseur. It is coming back into circulation, once again as Plein Air Magazine as of February 2011.  Just in time for winter reading, and spring inspiration. It is fulfilling to know the art community mourned its loss and demanded its return! 

At the helm of the magazine is publisher Eric Rhoads and Editor Steve Doherty, two seasoned professionals in the art publishing world. Look for this great resource on newsstands. This magazine is for all painters but especially valued by artists who like to step out of the studio and into nature to paint its elements from real life. 

Plein Air Magazine is available in print, digital version or you can subscribe to both editions at http://bit.ly/dO0s5D.

 

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Using Stepping Stones

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“Being involved in the well-being and advancement of one’s own community is a most natural thing to do.” ~ Clarence Clemons

 Business people, non-profit organizations, companies selling products and services are not the only people who are jumping on the bandwagon to seize the opportunity to use independent publishing as a stepping stone for fulfillment and success. 

Columnist and book critic Cathy Beck was not to be stopped when dreams of having her manuscript acquired and released by a “publishing giant” were turned to dust. She focused her energies on independently publishing her manuscript “Cheap Cabernet” and marketed it inexhaustibly. The result? Success! She sprung open the doors of opportunity through entrepreneurial prowess and drove herself as an author to even greater heights than she dreamed. Please visit http://bit.ly/hE6FY4 to read her complete story of fulfillment. 

The moral of Cathy’s story:

  • Independent publishing opens doors to opportunity in unexpected ways.
  • Never give up
  • There are no problems, only solutions
  • Stepping stones often lead to bigger things

Cathy’s story is only one example of how the shifts in the publishing industry toward non-traditional publishing have brightened the outlook and led ordinary people to do extraordinary things through the power of books, films and music.

Let this be the year to begin to tell your story of success!

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From a Personal Perspective

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“Above all, be true to yourself, and if you cannot put your  heart in it, take yourself out of it.” ~ Unknown

Although I took last week off from the blogging world, make no mistake, I was still working hard. I spent my time reading and writing and ciphering, in preparation for the New Year as a business owner offering e-commerce and e-marketing services to those who have chosen a path of fulfilling their lives by combining business and the arts.

The arts is a big, broad term that in my opinion includes those persons who have made it an art to live according to what they believe to be true and right and good. There are those who practice the art of excellence in customer service, work in the healing arts, the art of design, the art of creating beautiful spaces and faces,  the art of spirituality, the art of working in a capacity for the betterment of this world, not even to mention the stereotypical artists – writers, filmmakers, musicians, photographers, visual artists and performing arts, to name a few.

As I meandered through the aisles of the library last week, I came across a book in the inspirational section called “This I Believe.”  www.thisibelieve.org.  Each essay is a proclamation from an individual who has a unique perspective on what they believe to be true in their lives. Each statement offers a personal “raison d’etre.” They are acknowledgements of what fulfills each individual with hope and makes sense of their world, no matter what their history or mission in life has been.

The end of the book challenges each reader to write their own 350-500 word narrative based on a “This I Believe” statement. For people who are driven by their passions in their work, this task should be a breeze! For me, as a business owner, it is!  My own personal statement is what makes me rise to and enjoy the challenges each and every day.

In the interest of keeping this blog short and not too laborious to read, I will state my “This I Believe” briefly. “I believe those who use their passions in their work, live the most fulfilling lives. I believe, as a business owner, that by serving others, so that our clients can focus on what they do best, this world will be a better place.”

Write your own “This I Believe” statement now! It will bring to light to your core values and it will drive you to do your best each and every day.

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A New Chapter

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“There are two mistakes one can make along the road to truth…not going all the way, and not starting.”  ~ Buddha 

A New Year, a fresh start! Puts me in mind of a story I recently heard about truck driver, turned bounty hunter, turned Metropolitan Opera star. Do you know about the transformative life that Carl Tanner has created for himself by finally fulfilling his dream of becoming an opera singer? There are elements to this tale that movies are made of. It is a chronicle of coming out of the darkness and into the light. To read more about this inspiring story of fulfilling one’s aspirations in life, please visit http://nyti.ms/hc4hgc. 

Each and every one of us has a story of longings. The barriers we place upon our selves are the closed doors in our minds. In this New Year, I will be speaking with all sorts of folks who have dreams of propelling their businesses and their careers to new heights through the power of independent publishing and also through new, creative approaches to marketing themselves and their businesses through the internet. We can steer them in fulfilling  those dreams. 

A New Year is a time for new beginnings.  We can begin to fulfill our dreams as soon as we decide it is time to make the star, in us, more visible to others. What have you resolved to do this year to quench your yearnings and begin a new chapter in your life?

 

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Taking Stock of 2010

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“Four things for success: work and pray, think and believe.”~ Norman Vincent Peale

The end of the first decade of 2000 is approximately two weeks away. It is time to take stock of the past year and begin to set a list of priorities for 2011. All in all, I have accomplished the majority of the personal goals that I had set for myself and as a business owner over the past decade.

High on the list of personally fulfilling things I can put on my list this year, are the many more opportunities I have had to share with others, information about the fascinating and growing industry of independent publishing. I have communicated my passion and impressions of the industry through many different avenues. It’s what it takes to be successsul at book markeitng too!

  • e-marketing
  • widespread internet presence
  • networking groups
  • at women’s retreats
  • Kiwanis International www.kiwanis.org
  • the bookstore
  • presentations with University women
  • speaking with church members
  • every day conversation.

I have heard stories of optimism and excitement from people who are just now learning about the shifts in the publishing world. Ordinary people who have stories to tell, through books, films, music and other media, are feeling they now have chance to do so.

What I find to be most satisfying is the vision that those who work in the independent publishing industry have for the future. It is inspiring what a community of people can accomplish, when they work cooperatively and collaboratively for the good of an industry. I am working among a group of professionals who have demonstrated that positive energy can be infectious and can bring great results.

Start the New Year out right. Learn more about how mind power can help you bring personal and independent publishing success to your life. Visit http://bit.ly/YXvS3.

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Hear the Bells!

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“Listening is a magnetic and strange thing, a creative force.” ~ Karl Menninger

My sister and I have had a running  joke since last Christmas. I have really enjoyed the volunteer work that I have done over the past two years. Somehow, I have been recruited into more things than I ever thought I could be talked into, but all of it has been very enjoyable. Every time I mention what I have become involved with, my sister tells me “she is going to sign me up as a professional bell ringer, next.” Little does she know, more than a year ago, after recognizing the need, we began fulfilling our clients requests for assistance to become more visible  on the world wide web, by helping our clients to ring their bells.

As an independent publisher, are you aware of the benefits of bell ringing? You must, in part, ring your own bell. It is absolutely, completely necessary if you are to become a successful independent book publisher. No one can help an author sell a book better than the author themselves – at book signings, at schools, churches, in libraries and at any events where communities of people will give you their listening ear.

The gong that reaches the largest listening audience for the most affordable price, however, is through e-marketing. You will be heard loud and clear by communities all over the world, but it takes consistent effort in order to be effective! It is time consuming, there is no doubt about that and that is why independent publishers hire “professional bell ringers’ to help them with the task, so they can focus on the Art of what they do best.

Independent publishers, and businesses alike, give your selves a great New Years present. Start the year off right by letting go of some of the old ways of promoting yourself and ring bells in new, creative ways. Don’t know where to start? Go to the place that people now frequent the most – the internet – and use your favorite search engine to look for a “company that specializes in e-marketing for independent publishers.”  With a little help, people may begin to say all over the globe ” that title, that author, that company, that film, that artist or that musician rings a bell.” Think how fulfilling that would be!

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Books Inspiring Transformation

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 “The greatest thing you can do for another is not just to share your riches, but to reveal to them their own.” ~ Benjamin Disraeli

In this economy, many people are searching for meaning and answers.  As suggested in the book “Spend Shift: How the Post-Crisis Values Revolution is Changing the Way we Buy, Sell and Live,” personal transformations have begun from a materialistic to a more fulfilling, values-based way of living. Focus has changed from wants vs. needs, from debt and high overhead to living within means, from excessive use of energy to thinking and living in a more sustainable way. Many are searching for answers through inspirational books, so it is a perfect time to give the gift of a book that will inspire creative, problem-solving thinking. 

The following list of books, Evvy Award winners almost all, provide valuable reading for those on your list who want to see change in themselves, their families and their world, beginning now! Consider these when putting together your holiday buying list. 

For the Children:

  • Ophelia’s Oracle
  • Sarah O’Hara: The Gift of Fairy Wings
  • Heart Light Girls: Beauty’s Secret 

For the Dog-Lover:

  • The Legacy of Beezer and Boomer 

For the Parent:

For the Career Minded:

  • Harvest the Bounty of your Career 

For the Historical Fiction Fan:

  • The Macsen Treasure Series 

For the Environmentalist:

  • Dancing on the Edge of an Endangered Planet 

For the Poetry Lover:

  • Have you Ever Held a Mountain 

For  More Inspiration:

  • Waiting for Jack
  • The Messy Buddha
  • Shiny Shoes on Dusty Paths  www.joannemahar.com
  • Let Your Innate Sing 

The economy has inspired the way we publish, buy and sell books too! For more information on these books, the independent presses that published them, and how to order, please visit http://bit.ly/foZ5nE. These books can also be found on the world wide web using your favorite search engine.

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Publishing Through the Heart

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“In the sweetness of friendship let there be laughter, for in the dew of little things the heart finds its morning and is refreshed.”  ~ Kahlil Gibran

Yesterday, I attended our monthly W.I.N. (Women in Networking) – Steamboat luncheon and meeting. We are a group of women all fired up and fulfilling our working lives by being passionate about what we do. I spoke with members of the group about possibilities…. possibilities of sharing their passions and expertise through the medium of independent publishing.

So many of the W.I.N. Steamboat members could be successful as independent publishers! Do you know why?  They have fire in their hearts, and in their bellies too, for what they do in life – whether it is in their careers, in their family lives or through other causes they are associated with, such as supporting non-profit organizations. Is this not what it takes to be successful in anything we do in life, as women? A half-hearted approach is not the way to go about the business of our lives!

Independent publishing is an industry that allows the heart to speak words that the mind may not be able to communicate. It allows what is inside of us to be understood by our audience. It deepens connections between communities of people.

As I told the women at the W.I.N. Steamboat networking event yesterday, people independently publish for all the same reasons these women are in business “it fulfills a need to inspire, educate, inform and entertain others!”

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Sleighbells…Are you Listening, Booksellers?

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I decided to take a trip yesterday, through the powers of my intuition, into the fulfilling world of publishing! What my intuition told me is that some print shops all over America are busier at work this year. How can they not be? Non-traditional publishing grew a whooping 181% from 2008 to 2009, according to Bowker  http://bit.ly/cp3anL.The trend, my intuition tells me, has risen again this year. Wish I knew for sure. But, only Bowker will be able to tell me, after they have tallied their reports at the end of the year. It’s just one of those things! 

Do you know what this could mean for the holidays? Santa may have a lot more stops this year – picking up books at companies that offer POD (print on demand) and short run printing. My intuition tells me the machines are cranking. More than ever, people want books (and films, too) that inspire, educate, inform and amuse that are not run of the mill. 

When Santa makes his rounds, my intuition tells me the sleigh bells will be ringing a lot louder this year, in support for the non-traditional publishing industry. If the trend in independent publishing stayed on the up and up again in 2010, is it what may be  keeping the publishing industry afloat? 

Hope Jolly Old St. Nick, has a stash of inspirational stories set aside for me this year. Ah well… if they sell out before Santa arrives at my door, they can easily be reprinted! No longer does the publisher need to print by the 10’s of thousands. That’s the beauty of independent publishing!

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Books to Film

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“Everyday, things change for me…you make the necessary adaptations.”  ~ Craig Thomas 

I went on a quest today to fulfill my need for information about how many books are adapted into films each year? So, it’s time for all of you to guesstimate what I found out! 

According to one source, Variety Magazine, market conditions have reduced the number of literary adaptations from books to film in recent years. Approximately 30 books are adapted by major film production studios for screen each year. A small number, given the large number of books that are published each year! To see a list of books that were adapted for cinema release in 2010, see this article. http://www.chasingthefrog.com/moviebooks.htm. 

Slated for novel to cinema adaptation in 2011, is a film that I can not wait to see. The novel “Water for Elephants” was one of my most memorable reads in recent years and I look forward to seeing how the cinema version of the story compares. I flat out loved the book! It is being adapted for film along with several other popular literary works. Wondering what other popular literary works are scheduled for upcoming film release in the New Year? Visit http://amzn.to/93TjmI to take a sneak peak. 

In order to turn a novel into a successful cinematic release, all the right elements must be there. Are you interested in learning more about how to get your book turned into a film, please visit http://bit.ly/9TzhzP.

 If anyone out there has inside information about what else we can look forward to seeing in theatres in 2011, we would love to hear from you, if it is not top-secret information.  Perhaps in 2011, I’ll see you at the theatre – I’ll buy the popcorn if you save me a seat!

 

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