Do I have to practice?

“Fill your paper with the breathings of your heart”                                   ~       William Wordsworth

I was a clarinet player once. Until my ear drums nearly burst from the squeeking sounds I produced from the musical instrument and my tongue became blistered, splintered and sore from biting on the reeds.  I knew it was time to quit when my Dad nearly went broke buying new clarinet reeds for my twin sister and me. As I have aged, I have often looked back on my days as a clarinet player.  I came to realize the issue was not the reeds, it was my inability to play well. What it boiled down to  was, I did not practice.

Blogging is a great way to practice your writing skills.  The more you write, your skills will improve and the easier it will get – supposedly.  I often ask “when can I call myself a writer?” Probably now, of all things!  I am suffering from the very thing that all writers loathe – writers block. 

How do I overcome this cloud that seems to be hanging over my head?  From my days of clarinet playing, I know that practice is critical if you want to become accomplished in the Arts.  I will have to break from the norm and change up my routine.  But, I promise you all –

  • Je vais ecrire!
  • Ich schreibe, wid!
  • Ik zal schrijven!
  • Voy a escribir!
  • Budu psat!
  • Lo scrivero!

And perhaps some day, I will learn WordPress well enough to use diacritical marks where they are needed, so that all of our global clients can understand what I am trying to say!

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More Indie Publisher News

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RADIO FOR WRITERS AND PUBLISHERS – LISTEN WEEKLY!

Another opportunity to listen in for news, tips, marketing information for publishers and writers is Blog Talk Radio!

Michigan Lit Radio –  Go on line,  for the weekly scheduled speaker and topic   http://MotownWriters.com

Marketing and Motivation Mondays feature speaker Monica Marie Joans.

And Don’t Forget – Saturday Mornings on www.wnzf.com

“Cover to Cover” with host Frank Gromling – featuring interviews with published authors, success tips, how to get started in the publishing field, marketing yourself as an author and marketing your book.

Broadcast times:

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

Take advantage of these two broadcasts brought to you free of charge!

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Weekend Indie Publisher News

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On the Horizon!  Douglas County Libraries Writers Conference Where:  Castle Rock High School, Castle Rock, Colorado

When: Saturday, October 10 from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm

Register Now !Reduced registration fees: $65 before 9/27, $75 after A full day of activities, workshops and networking with other writers. Tips and insights from publishing professionals and experienced writers. For more info: DouglasCountyLibraries.org/SignatureEvents. Phone: 303-791-7323

Help is Here! Information Available on:

  • Optimizing Press Releases
  • Generating Publicity as a Writer
  • Querie Letters that Sell
  • How to Sell to Magazines
  • What a Publisher Looks for

Join the International Association of Writers www.associationofwriters.com

Members will receive an on-line newsletter filled with valuable information to help guide your career as a writer. Members can have their book featured on the Association of Writers website, receive free media leads, international writers calendar, career discounts and expert advice from Fern Reiss. She has been featured in countless magazines and newspapers for her knowledge of the publishing industry. Take your knowledge of the industry to another level by joining this association and reaping the benefits.

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Weekend Indie Publisher News

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IPPY AWARD INFORMATION

What are the IPPY AWARDS? “The IPPY Awards reward those who exhibit the courage, motivation and creativity to bring about change in the world of publishing.” Awards are given in 67 categories, along with regional awards as well.  It is the world’s largest book awards competition!

Who is eligible to enter: All small presses, self publishing authors using print on demand, university presses and self publishers.

Enter Early! Fees increase as the deadline approaches!             $75 per title, per category until November 14, 2009                                 $80 per title, per category from November 15 – January 16, 2010       $85 per title, per category from January 17 – March 20, 2010               FINAL ENTRY DEADLINE – MARCH 20, 2010                                                $45 Regional entries (such as travel, local history, geography, etc.)  

Why enter?  Awards earn credibility for your book!  Awards earn publicity for your book! Awards SELL BOOKS!

For more information and to register your publication for the IPPY Awards, go to www.independentpublisher.com.

IPPY AWARDS GRAB THE ATTENTION OF BOOKSELLERS, BUYERS, LIBRARIANS AND BOOK LOVERS AROUND THE WORLD!                                    ENTER NOW!

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More Indie Publisher News

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Romance Writers of America – Take Notice!!!

Whether you are seeking to traditionally publish or independently publish – this conference is sure to be a sensational good time! And it is coming up soon, so register before the spaces fill!

Emerald City Writers Conference, sponsored by Romance Writers of America

When: October 9-11, 2009                                                                                      Where: Hilton Bellevue Hotel, Bellevue, Washington

If you plan on staying at the site of the event – a block of rooms have been set aside until Sept 17 – so hurry an book your space this week! Speakers include NY Times bestselling authors, workshops and book fair. For more details on the conference, please visit www.gsrwa.org/conference.

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Weekend Indie Publishers News

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Wow! Where did this week go? It is hard to believe it is time to update you with more independent publisher news.

NEWS FLASH: The 2010 Eric Hoffer Book Awards are coming up!     Here is your chance indie publishers – shoot for the moon and submit!!

This contest is accepting newly released books or older books from     Small Presses~Academic Presses~Micro-Presses~Self Publishers                                                                                                        Deadline:  January 21, 2010                                                                                    Entry Fee: $45                                                                                                           Grand Prize and World Wide Exposure                                                        Winner and Runner-up Prizes in Every Category                                     Coverage in The US Review of Books!

Categories: Art, Poetry, Children, Fiction & Non-fiction, Memoir, Culture, Business, Reference, Home, Health, Reference, Spirtual/Self Help.

A SINGLE REGISTRATION GIVES YOU FIVE WAYS TO WIN!!!

For full details and to enter – please visit www.HofferAward.com         Other Contact Information: email – info@hofferaward.com                      The Eric Hoffer Awards, PO Box ll, Titusville, NJ  08560

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Grow, Baby, Grow

“He who plants a garden, plants happiness”   Chinese  Proverb                             

Writing usually begins with a hint of an idea, a small thought, a vague notion.  As time goes by, the seed sprouts, the microscopic buds reach out and the plot develops, paragraph after paragraph, page after page, chapter after chapter!

But remember, your marketing plans for your book or film must too develop. Many independent publishers make the mistake of limiting the marketing possibilities to the thought that “my family and friends” will buy it. Quite bluntly, that is the wrong approach.

Just like a vine, the marketing possibilities  for your independently published book or film should reach out in every imaginable direction. Beauty can be found in unpromising places. Let your imagination run rampant, without discipline, without fences as it’s borders. You may need to trim the growth once you have discovered your target market but, when putting together the initial plan – brainstorm, brainstorm, brainstorm.

You have put too much time and effort into planting the seed, weeding and nurturing your publication to completion to limit its possibilities. A book or film which you may feel has limited potential is only limited by your efforts! Aim high, reach for the stars and most of all, share your thrill for your beautifully cultivated publication with others. Your excitement needs to be like poison ivy – contagious!

After all, a gardener is optimistic! Let that spirit carry your publication to the beautiful places you have dreamed about.

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Weekend Indy Publisher News

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My desk has become a landing field for broadcast information on independent publishing display opportunities, writers conferences and workshops. In fact, it could be a full time job just staying “in the know” with all the happenings on the independent publishing scene.

In an attempt to keep  our independent publishing friends up to date and informed, our weekend blogs, at least for the next few weeks, will be devoted to passing along information regarding conferences, workshops and publishing display opportunities. Bookselling, in part, is dependent upon trade shows, so it is important to get this information out!

Upcoming:                                                                                                            September 25-27                                                                                                   Burlington Book Festival, Burlington, VT                                                          For more details, visit http://BurlingtonBookFestival.com

Baltimore Book Festival, Baltimore, MD                                                            For more details, visit www.baltimorebookfestival.com

Florida Publishers Association presents “Strategies for Success”           2009 Publishing Ed-U-Conference                                                                      For more details, visit www.FLbookpub.org

October 2 & 3                                                                                                               New England Independent Booksellers Association (NEIBA),          Hartford, CT   To register & for information, http://www.ipne.org

The Collingswood Book Festival, Collingswood, New Jersey                    For more information, visit www.collingswoodbookfestival.com

Five great opportunities! Get on Board! Join In and Participate!

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All Part of the Process

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“The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain.”     ~Dolly Parton

Rejection! Most writers have heard it before:

  • “Not what we are looking for”
  • “Does not meet our standards”
  • “Our company does not publish this genre of writing”

Don’t take rejection to heart and let it deflate your ego! Consider how many manuscripts a traditional publishing company reviews for publication on a  weekly, monthly and yearly basis. The competition is stiff and it always has been.

Still, being turned down can be a hard pill to swallow when a writer has devoted so much time and research into their project, not even to mention the emotional investment involved.  But, rejection is not necessarily a sign that a book is not worthwhile and saleable.

Take heart, there could be another way! According to Bowker “on demand and short run books were up a staggering 132% in 2008.” There must be a reason behind it. If it were me, I would at least look into it, consider it and float the idea up in the air.

Who said your book won’t fly?

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Tantalize, Tease and Entice

Owning a company that is a vendor to the independent publishing industry, I often enter into discussions with writers about book covers.  The importance of book cover design can not be overstated.  Good cover design is what leads us to pick up a book in the first place. It is what makes us decide to venture further and take a peak. Good cover design draws us in.

One time, a poet came to me with his book of poetry which was hot off the press – a print on demand publication. He was proud as a peacock that his first published work was complete. The poetry was good. Actually, I liked it alot! He painted visual pictures with words quite effectively. He had used the caption of one of his poems as the title for his book of poetry – it was something like “Hot, Steamy Sunset: Poetry for Evening Reflection.” The cover design, however, was nothing more than a blank canvas – just the name of the book, the author’s name and a solid color (sage green) background.

A discussion ensued about the cover design and I inquired about the lack thereof. He said he had chosen the “least expensive option” available from the print on demand company because  ” he didn’t know how many books he would sell.” 

The cover did nothing, absolutely nothing, to make me want to open up the book of poetry and read it.  So, please remember, the cover needs to be reflective of what is on the inside. It needs to grab a reader and make them yearn for more!  I am not in the book cover design business, but to my way of thinking, the choice of a cover design would have been quite obvious.

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