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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!

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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!

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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.

Seasonal Fulfillment

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“Winter is an etching, spring a watercolor, summer an oil painting and autumn a mosaic of them all.” ~ Stanley Horowitz

Have you ever noticed that with seasonal changes, what is personally fulfilling to us takes a turn about, too? As summer fades into fall, I no longer thirst for frozen fruit smoothies, potato salad and all things grilled. A diet of chili, stews and soups that has been non-existent all summer long begins to creep back into my repertoire of evening menu fare. Basking in the mid-day sun becomes sitting by the warmth of the fireplace on nippy mornings. 

Our color choices of clothes we wear are a reflection of our moods and they can affect the way we feel. In fall, we often substitute brightly colored, summer clothes with a wardrobe of more earthy colors – golds, greens, tans, grey-blues. When I need to feel a burst of energy or want a zip in my step, I’ll return to wearing fuschia or bright, periwinkle blue whether it clashes with mother nature’s colors or not! There is no need to always submit to the color choices of autumn herself.

Each season has its own charm, and how we fulfill our idle time is different from season to season, too. In fall, out come the knitting needles and in come the piles of books to read and movies to watch. 

If you are an independent publisher, try to wrap up those projects and keep your eye on the calendar! Christmas is a mere few months away – a prime time for selling! Don’t miss out.  

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Believe it, Achieve it!

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“Whatever the mind of man can conceive and believe, it can achieve. Thoughts are things!” ~ Napoleon Hill 

Last weekend, as I climbed the ladders to the caves of the cliff dwellings in Bandolier National Monument in Jemez Springs, New Mexico I was fulfilling a dream that for many years I had been wanting to see come to fruition. The ultimate pleasure of all was being able to share the dream with those that I love, my husband and my son! 

It is important to have dreams in our lives! They give us hope, they give us a reason to believe, things to aim for and things to fulfill. Without dreams, we accept life as ordinary and mundane, and we can fail to thrive. 

Before we reach our dreams,  we must first climb the rungs of the ladder! We need to set goals and reach them. Sometimes the steps to success can be fraught with fear, self-doubt and setbacks. The timeline we set for having our dreams come true does not always follow the path we would like it to. 

This weekend, I will be attending my second women’s retreat! Last year at the retreat, our leader, Mary Nelson of www.reclaimyourselfandmore.com  asked the retreat participants to map out, through pictures,  how we saw our lives. I am pleased to report, a year later, the picture of my life, is very different. Some of the images should be exchanged, old for new, some should be revised. Make no mistake, I have moved in the direction I set for myself because I have done the personal work it takes to find success. As I have climbed the ladder of personal fulfillment, I know that whatever I believe, I can achieve. Granted, sometimes change does not happen as quickly as I would like. Sometimes the situation is out of my control, and sometimes not. What is important is that I have learned lessons along the way. 

As time marches forward, so do my dreams!

Pain Free Writing?

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“..sometimes I wonder all those who do not write, compose or paint can manage …” ~ Graham Greene

CNN news recently took a survey and technical writing ended up #28 on the top 50 list for best paying jobs with best growth potential in the coming years. It also ranked as #5 for lowest stress (quality of life) jobs. My interpretation of these statistics is that if you have the technical knowledge in any field, and can write, it is a fulfilling way to make a living. Interested in seeing how other careers rank on this survey? Go to http://bit.ly/3L5eRk. 

However, I do question whether technical writing is low stress. Perhaps to the reader it is – if the writer has done a commendable job of researching then communicating his points and data to the audience. For a writer who is focused on excellence,  writing is rarely low stress. Editing, tweaking, rewriting to get the words to flow just right, so that the reader can easily follow the writing, is no easy task! 

Some of the basic things it takes to become a technical writer is addressed in a new article, Tips on How to Become an Independent Technical Writer.  Please visit http://bit.ly/aIo1L6. 

Are you someone who has technical or educational information to share? Consider sharing your knowledge through independent publishing! Technical writing is applicable in so many fields – cooking, science, coaching, how to paint, draw or sketch, how to play a musical instrument, computer science, medicine and much more! Wherever your field of expertise lies, there are always communities of like minded people who will search and find and buy your book through the internet, the big wide web of information!

 

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Absorbing Culture and Climate

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“Attending there let us absorb all the culture of nations and dissolve into our judgment all their codes.” ~ William Empson 

About 20 years ago, my interest in Native American history and lore began. As I read book after book of all things Indian to our young son, I became as absorbed in the culture as he did. I learned right along with him.  Never did I dream this East coast native, would get the opportunity to fulfill her dreams by climbing up the ladders and into the caves of the cliff dwellings at Bandolier National Monument. This weekend, I saw it all for myself first hand, along with our son who has gone from toddler to filmmaker, in what seems like a blink of the eye! 

While in the Jemez Mountains of New Mexico, we stopped and saw the site of the New Mexico International Film Festival. The venue will be as unique as the mission of the film fest itself.  Come February 2011, the  town of Jemez Springs, will be filled to the brim with like-minded artists, whose films have been selected for excellence in independent filmmaking. The community is inhabited with residents who are fulfilling their lives with their passion for the arts. Writers, potters, musicians, jewelers, photographers  and other independent minded people draw inspiration from their surroundings in this town,  removed from city living. For more information on this film festival, and to get a peak on video at it’s awe inspiring surroundings, http://bit.ly/abaSuQ.

Thanks to our host, Marc Leonard, Associate Director of the New Mexico Film Festival for taking this weekend to show us the sights of the area. I even came away with a little pocket change from my 15 minute winning streak at the Sandia Casino. Our quick trip, unfortunately, left no time to visit the galleries in nearby Santa Fe, but it gives me one more reason to return!

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