Tag: indie publishing

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Writers Chat

Writers Chat Recap for March Part 2

Writers Chat Recap

Writers Chat, hosted by Jean Wise, Johnnie Alexander, and Brandy Brow, is the show where we talk about all things writing, by writers and for writers!

“Because talking about writing is more fun than actually doing it.”

Indie Publishing with Dan Walsh

Dan Walsh, a best-selling author, shares his journey from a traditionally published novelist to an all-in indie novelist. Dan discusses why he’s exclusive to Amazon, the importance of using the back pages for marketing, and his favorite social media platform. Dan is encouraging and realistic. If you’re wondering if indie is the way to go, this episode is for you.

Watch the March 15th Replay

Dan Walsh is the bestselling author of 25 novels (all available on Amazon), including The Unfinished Gift, Rescuing Finley, When Night Comes, and The Reunion (soon to be a feature film). Over 1.2 million copies of Dan’s books are in print or downloaded. He’s won both the Carol and Selah Awards multiple times. He and his wife Cindi have been married 45 years, have two grown children and five grandchildren. You connect with him on Facebook, or his website at http://www.danwalshbooks.com.

Whether Weather Affects the Writer

Author and weather aficionado Jean Wise, with her sunny disposition, leads this episode with weather-related facts and writing-related ideas. We talk about the line famously known as the worst opening line ever, how weather affects our health, how weather affects our moods, and how we can use weather to enhance our stories. Weather can foreshadow events, set the mood, raise the stakes, and so much more.

Watch the March 22nd replay.

Jean Wise is an author, freelance writer, speaker, retreat leader and spiritual director. She has published numerous magazine articles in magazines such as the Lutheran, Christian Communicator and public health journals. Jean is also a graduate of CLASS and CLASS Career Coaching, a Deacon at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church, and a frequent speaker for gatherings and retreats in northwest Ohio. She lives Ohio with her husband enjoying their empty nest.

Writers Chat is hosted live each Tuesday for an hour starting at 10 AM CT / 11 AM ET
on Zoom. The permanent Zoom room link is: http://zoom.us/j/4074198133

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Writers Chat

Writers Chat Recap for March Part 1

Writers Chat Recap

Writers Chat, hosted by Jean Wise, Johnnie Alexander, and Brandy Brow, is the show where we talk about all things writing, by writers and for writers!

“Because talking about writing is more fun than actually doing it.”

After the Writers Conference

In this last installment of our three-part series, award-winning author and co-owner of Serious Writer, Bethany Jett, shares the essential steps every writer should follow after the writers conference is over. She demonstrates how to maximize the first 30 days following the conference with rest, preparation, and research in order to build a solid foundation for the next steps in your writing career.

Watch the March 1st Replay.

Bethany Jett is a multiple award-winning author, ghostwriter, and marketer who earned her Masters in Communications focusing on marketing and PR. She is also the co-owns Serious Writer and Platinum Literary Services and loves everything about the publishing industry…except the rejections! She is a military wife to her college sweetheart and a work-from-home momma-of-boys who loves planners, suspense novels, and all things girly. Connect with Bethany at BethanyJett.com.

Writing Humor with James N. Watkins

James Watkins, who seasons most of his books and articles with thoughtful, relevant, and most important of all, good humor, shares a goldmine of humor-writing treasure in this episode of Writers Chat. Along with twenty types of humor, James shares cautions and advice. Even the most serious topics can benefit from a touch of humor. And a humorous article may be the best way to shine needed light on a difficult subject. No matter what you write, you’ll gain valuable tips for adding humor from this informative episode.

Watch the March 8th replay.

James N. Watkins, an award-winning author and speaker who is 70 years old, although he prefers to think of himself as 30, with 40 years experience. His latest book, If You’re Not Dead, You’re Not Done, reveals 10 characteristics that lead to living a life of passion, purpose and pizzazz. He began his career speaking with teenagers, but now provides hope and humor for senior citizens. The Circle of Life. James is the author of 20 traditionally published books and over 2,500 articles in national magazines, and is a popular speaker across the United States and overseas. Best of all, he has eight adorable grandchildren!

Writers Chat is hosted live each Tuesday for an hour starting at 10 AM CT / 11 AM ET
on Zoom. The permanent Zoom room link is: http://zoom.us/j/4074198133

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Writers Chat

Writers Chat Recap for May, Part 1

Writers Chat, hosted by Jean Wise, Johnnie Alexander, and Bethany Jett, is the show where we talk about all things writing, by writers and for writers!

“Because talking about writing is more fun than actually doing it.”

Newsletters, Emails, and Opt-ins

Bethany Jett, Johnnie Alexander, and Jean Wise discuss the importance of newsletters, building an email list, and having welcome funnels. This episode is full of helpful hints, how-tos, and great ideas, to help you with your newsletter. If you’re struggling with the idea of a newsletter or you’re looking for new ideas, check out this week’s episode.

Watch the May 5th replay

Collaborative Indie Publishing with Brenda S. Anderson, Johnnie Alexander, and Stacy Monson

Have you thought of collaborating with like-minded authors? In this episode Johnnie is joined by Brenda and Stacy to share with us how they began The Mosaic Collection. The first book was published by Stacy in August of 2019, and they have published a book every month since then, including a Christmas anthology. These ladies share discuss the requirements and benefits of working together. If you’re curious about collaborative work, check out this week’s episode.

Watch the May 12th replay.

Bios

Stacy Monson is the award-winning author of The Chain of Lakes series, including Shattered Image, Dance of Grace, and The Color of Truth. Her stories reveal an extraordinary God at work in ordinary life. Residing in the Twin Cities, she is the wife of a juggling, unicycling physical education teacher, and a proud mom, and doting grandma.

Brenda S. Anderson writes gritty and authentic, life-affirming fiction. She is a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers, and is Past-President of the ACFW Minnesota chapter, MN-NICE, the 2016 ACFW Chapter of the Year. When not reading or writing, she enjoys music, theater, roller coasters, and baseball (Go Twins!), and she loves watching movies with her family. 

Join us

Writers Chat is hosted live each Tuesday for an hour starting at 10 AM CT / 11 AM ET
on Zoom. Click here for out permanent Zoom room link

Categories
Authorpreneur

Supercharge Your Reach, Part Three

Throughout this series I’ve emphasized one main point—increasing your reach is vital to your writing career. I’ve also shared two ways to grow your reach. In this post, I’d like to proffer a third approach: creating a quality product.

As an authorpreneur, increasing revenue through writing is the driving force behind your efforts. Boost your sales by creating a quality product.

Milton Hershey once famously remarked, “Give them quality. That’s the best kind of advertising.” Since most of us have probably eaten, or at least heard about Hershey chocolate, I think it’s safe to assume that he knew what he was talking about.

As Hershey said, a quality product gets people talking. This is true for any product on the market, including books.

Time and again, I encounter clients who may have an exceptional story, but didn’t put enough time and effort into the typesetting, editing, cover design, or other features that subtly appeal to a reader. In the end, their book doesn’t have the impact they expected.

 Why this matters

Like it or not, quality sells. And it should. You’re asking people to part with their money and, as such, you should be prepared to give them something that really shines.

On a more practical side, if the product doesn’t look good, consumers are less likely to realize its true value.

Your story may be a real winner, but have you taken the time to verify the accents/dialects of your characters? Are the descriptions of buildings true-to-life for the time period? Is there an appropriately sized gutter and is the text appropriately spaced? Expand your reach by creating a book so good that people want to talk about it.

For example, I recently was tagged on an Instagram post made by a reader who loved In the Shadow of Your Wings (story and cover). She made up a gift basket that featured the book and some other products, then shared it with her followers. Getting people talking about your product is a free way to expand your reach.

How to boost your book’s quality

If you’re an indie author, you want to create a product so good that no one can tell you’ve indie published it. I’m not saying it’ll be perfect. According to an article carried by the University of California Press, a 95% error-free manuscript is the best a human can do. But the mistakes should be minimal and not hinder your opportunity to expand your reach through retail.

Hire a quality editor. If you’re self-editing, use quality control measures such as listening to the audio using Microsoft’s Read Aloud feature, and working backwards through your text. None of these are absolutely foolproof, but they should minimize the number of typos that can easily slip by if you’re already familiar with the text before you begin the editing process.

Invest in a cover-design professional. You can engage the services of a freelancer or contract out with a full-service publisher such as my house, Logos Publications, LLC.

From a production standpoint, it helps to make a publishing checklist if you’re an indie author. Include a section for such as proofreading, checking for homophones, punctuation checks etc. and another for the actual production (typesetting, formatting and the like).

Creating a quality product takes a lot of effort. It isn’t the quick-and-easy “write a book and sell it on Amazon” approach that many think. But in the end you’ll have a book that people will want to talk about, and one that you’ll be proud to call your own. Believe me, nothing in this business is more gratifying than that.

Takeaway: Invest time and effort into creating a solid plot and producing a quality product. That is still the best kind of advertising.

If you’d like an in-depth look at how this can apply to your manuscript, book a call with me online.

JP Robinson gained experience in the marketing field doing promotional work for multi-million dollar medical facilities and non-profit groups over the past decade. He is an international speaker, educator, and prolific author of both fiction and non-fiction.

JP also conducts writing seminars in various parts of the country and heads Logos Publications, LLC, an emerging publishing and book marketing team.

When he isn’t writing or teaching, JP loves spending time with his wonderful wife and children.

Categories
Publishing Pulse

The Dirty Little Secrets of Self-Publishing

Book authors are hearing more and more voices telling them to self-publish and “reap the profits that traditional publishers are stealing from you.”

Okay, not every promoter of self-publishing puts it that way, but some do. And it should make you curious as to why these people are giving you so much pressure to self-publish. The answer boils down to the first dirty little secret of self-publishing:

There is no such thing as self-publishing.

In the process we call self-publishing, authors are portrayed as doing all the necessary steps in publishing a book—writing, editing, typesetting/interior design, proofreading, designing the cover, arranging for printing and/or e-book production, distributing, marketing and promotion. But in reality, authors do not do all those things by themselves, because no one person could possibly have all those tools and skills. Instead, the “self-publishing” author pays someone else to do most of these jobs.

And there is the motivation for the push to self-publish: most of those who push an author to self-publish are hoping to get hired to do the work the author cannot do. No matter what publishing method you use, publishing is a team effort. The only difference is in who invests the money—the publisher (traditional publishing) or the author (subsidy publishing, or so-called self-publishing).

The self-publishing promoters often argue that since the author is paying the bills, the author has complete control over the entire publishing process. And this brings us to the second dirty little secret of  (so-called) self-publishing:

No single person has complete control over the entire publishing process.

Of course, that goes back to the fact that publishing a book is a group effort. Authors, even those who pay to have their book published, cannot control all aspects of publishing their book—and they should not want to. Authors who try to have total control over their own publishing process will find that they cannot control those who have the publishing expertise they lack. They either learn to trust others with their creative baby, or they find others who will let them be “in control,” but who, like them, lack the publishing expertise needed for success.

The moral of this story, then, is that success in publishing is dependent upon finding a team you can trust. Are you confident that the publisher you work with, whether subsidy or traditional, has professional expertise and knows the audience you are aiming at? Certainly you have your own ideas about your book, but are you willing to take advice from someone with experience and a track record in publishing? If so, your book has ten times the chance of success than if you find someone who gets paid to follow your instructions blindly.

David E. Fessenden
Literary Agent, WordWise Media Services
Publisher and Proprietor, Honeycomb House Publishing LLC

Dave has degrees in journalism and theology, and over 30 years of experience in writing and editing. He has served in editorial management positions for Christian book publishers and was regional editor for the largest Protestant weekly newspaper in the country.

Dave has published seven books, written hundreds of newspaper and magazine articles, and edited numerous books. He is a frequent speaker at writers’ conferences. Two of his books, Writing the Christian Nonfiction Book: Concept to Contract and  A Christian Writer’s Guide to the Book Proposal, are based on his experience in Christian publishing. The Case of the Exploding Speakeasy, Dave’s first novel, reflects his love for history and for the Sherlock Holmes stories of Arthur Conan-Doyle.

Dave and his wife, Jacque, live in south-central Pennsylvania and have two adult sons.

As a literary agent for WordWise Media Services, I am interested in historical fiction (not romance) and speculative fiction (sci-fi/fantasy); nonfiction titles on Christian living, spiritual growth and biblical studies. I am not interested in devotionals or memoirs. dave@wordwisemedia.com

Honeycomb House Publishing LLC is a subsidy publishing house, assisting Christian authors to publish their books at their expense, and reaping the full profit on the sale of their books. We believe there really is no such thing as self-publishing, because no one can publish a book completely on their own. Standing on Proverbs 16:24, “Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones,” we are looking for gracious words that bring spiritual sweetness and healing. dave@fessendens.net

Websites/Blogs:
www.fromconcepttocontract.com
www.davefessenden.com
www.thebookstore.info

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Guest post archive

PENCON, Fifth Annual Editing Conference By: Tisha Martin

The best investment is a good investment, but what is a good investment? One that has lasting personal and professional value.

As a writer, you may also edit part-time or even own your own publishing imprint and operate a small publishing press. In addition to writing, perhaps you edit professionally. No matter your place in the industry, you value the authors and publishers and clients you work with, as well as the readers you write for. And, you value your professional editing skills.

PENCON is a professional conference for editors, and it’s also for anyone who desires to strengthen their personal editing skills. This includes but is not limited to self-publishers, small presses, publishers, authors who are also editors, homeschool groups whose high school students are interested in the editing industry, and educational institutions whose departments focus on the publishing industry.

At PENCON 2018, we guarantee you lasting personal and professional value. Value in friendships. Value in a community that thinks—and speaks—just like you. Value in professional networking. Value in continuing education. Value in stretching your business—and yourself—as you meet new professionals in your field of expertise and learn from their experiences.

How much value do you want?

We’re celebrating our fifth anniversary and are meeting in the heart of Grand Rapids, Michigan, May 3–5, 2018. Collectively, our faculty comes prepared with more than 100 years of experience in the publishing industry and backgrounds in

  • indie publishing,
  • marketing,
  • business,
  • children’s and YA editing,
  • graphic design,

Our faculty also represents several Christian publishing houses. And our keynote speaker is Robert Hudson, the author of The Christian Writer’s Manual of Style.

You want to sign up! We know you do—and we’d love to talk with you. Early-bird registration ends January 31, 2018. Get a deal and snap up more than a handful of value by registering early for PENCON. We can’t wait to see you there!

Visit us online at www.penconeditors.com. Check out our faculty. Review the sessions. And register now.

Like and share our Facebook page, and keep up to date with upcoming sessions and PENCON news.

Contact us with any questions.

SAMSUNG CAMERA PICTURES

Bio:

Owner of TM Editorial, Tisha Martin specializes in historical fiction, academic editing, and creative nonfiction. An active member of American Christian Fiction Writers and The Christian PEN, she appreciates the writing and editing communities. Tisha is editor and proofreader for beginning and best-selling authors, professional editing agencies, and publishing houses. As Assistant Director of PENCON, she enjoys organizing the conference, networking with others, and creating advertising content for the Facebook and LinkedIn pages. Connect with Tisha on Facebook or follow her Pinterest board for writers and editors.

 

Categories
Publishing Perspectives

Defining traditional vs indie publishing

Publishing Perspectives column

Printing Press
Printing Press

The world of book publishing has been changing rapidly for a few years, and lots of vocabulary is changing too. What is the difference between being “traditionally published” and “independently published”?

This is where we can start a huge brawl about the definitions of these terms.

Many would say that “traditionally published” means that the book is produced by one of the Big Five publishers: Penguin Random House, Macmillan, HarperCollins, Hachette, and Simon & Schuster (and all the brands they own).

Thus, independently published means the book is produced by anyone else. But ‘anyone else’ can cover a lot of ground, including: small press, micro press, vanity press, and self-publisher.

“Indie publishing includes small/micro/vanity press & self-pub” [tweet this]

Traditional Publisher: Purchases the right to publish and sell a manuscript; highly selective about which submissions will be selected for publication. Large presses pay an advance on royalties, smaller presses often don’t.

Small Press: A publisher with annual sales below $50 million and/or publish an average of fewer than 10 titles per year. May or may not offer an advance.

Micro Press: Even smaller (in terms of sales and published titles per year) than a small press. May offer an advance, but probably doesn’t.

Vanity Press or Subsidy Press: Any publisher where the author is required to buy something as a condition of publication.

Self-Publisher: a publisher that publishes the work of exactly one author (the author and the publisher are the same person). The author bears the entire cost of publication and marketing. The self-published author may do all publishing tasks themselves, or may buy services for some or all of the tasks. However, if an author buys *all* services from a single source, that author might be involved with a vanity press.

Self-Publishing Services: Sell authors *some* of the services needed to publish, but not an all-inclusive package.

What do you think of these definitions? Do you have different definitions?

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Heart Lift

Follow the Yellow Brick Road

Follow the Yellow Brick Road

Janell Rardon Heart Lift

‘You have plenty of courage, I am sure,” answered Oz. “All you need is confidence in yourself. There is no living thing that is not afraid when it faces danger. The true courage is in facing danger when you are afraid, and that kind of courage you have in plenty.’”
― L. Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

The writing, publishing journey is very much like following the yellow brick road.

When that famed Kansas cyclone whisked Dorothy from her dull, grey Midwestern farmhouse and into a magical, marvelous country filled with odd little Munchkins, everything in her world changed. The familiar faded into the shadows and Dorothy had to see with new eyes.

We’re Not in Kansas Anymore

At one time or another, we’ve all felt like Dorothy. When the cyclone of change whirls us into new, unfamiliar territory, we have to see with new eyes. Orient ourselves in order to gather our senses and acclimate.

[bctt tweet=”The world of publishing is a whole new world. Orient yourself in order to gather your senses and acclimate.”]

I remember my first Dorothy-like-experience [in the publishing world] at the ICRS (International Christian Retail Show, formerly knows as the CBA). It was the year 2005. I was attending the CLASS Graduate Seminar and was ripe and ready to meet with agents and editors. With fresh, hot-off-the-press one sheets in hand and a heaping dose of big dreams in my heart, I made my way to the first event.

When I walked through the doors to the massive hall where the ICRS was taking place, I hesitated. Greeted by looming life-size banners of familiar Christian authors hanging from the rafters, I immediately felt “a little feeling” I hadn’t felt in awhile.

Intimidation.

Orienting to a New Normal

Later, in the first session, I found myself with about fifty first-time-author wannabes. One by one, agents and editors spoke to us about what they were looking for in an author and his/her manuscript. Some were highly encouraging, others, well, let’s say, not so much.

“We won’t even look at you or your manuscript unless you can sell at least 30,000 copies,” one editor remarked. “You know, like Joyce Meyer.”

We all looked at each other. Does he know he is in a room full of first-time hopefuls? How on earth would we know if we can sell 30,000 books?

[bctt tweet=”Every new journey requires courage, heart and wisdom.”]

I went back to my hotel room and cried. No, sobbed. Having grown up in the competitive world of dance, baton twirling, and beauty pageants, I wasn’t quite prepared to experience the same heightened competitiveness in this arena.

This is Christian publishing, right? No competitiveness or jealousy or comparison here.

A Whole New World

“Experience is the only thing that brings knowledge, and the longer you are on earth the more experience you are sure to get.”
― L. Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

After a quick phone call home to my husband, a little pep talk with myself, and a prayer to God, I realized I had to see with new eyes.

The publishing world is indeed a whole new world.

It’s one thing to sit behind my computer, writing what my friends and family think is the next bestseller, yet another to place it before industry professionals whose fingers rest on the pulse of marketability, cultural trends and ultimately, sales.

My familiar faded into the shadows of seeing writing as both business and ministry.

Three “Heart Lifting Tips” for Your Journey Down the Yellow Brick Road

The road to the City of Emeralds is paved with yellow brick,” said the Witch of the North, “so you cannot miss it. When you get to Oz do not be afraid of him, but tell your story and ask him to help you. Good-bye, my dear.”
-Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

I’d like to invite you to join me as I follow the yellow brick road of writing and publishing. Over the next few posts, we will be looking at heart lifting tips sure to give you courage, heart, and a whole lot of wisdom.

[bctt tweet=”Believe in the Giver of your gift. He is with you on this journey.”]

  1. Before you take your first step on the yellow brick road, remember you are not in Kansas anymore. Believe in your calling and your capacity and potential as a gifted writer. You are up to this challenging journey. Every little detail of your life has brought you right here. This truth will empower you as you move through the dark forests and deadly poppy fields.
  2. When you meet the lions and tigers and bears of rejection, oh my, keep going. Their scare tactics, discouraging, often-well-intended voices and intimidating schemes are meant to thwart your progress. Yes, you’ll feel overwhelmed and fatigued and on the verge of quitting, but you can’t.
  3. Remember you are not alone on this journey. There are others. Find support at quality writing conferences and seminars (we’ll talk more about this later), online sites like A3Authors and local/regional writing critique groups.

Follow the Yellow Brick Road

Categories
Publishing Perspectives

Smaller Publishers

Publishing Perspectives column

The number of smaller publishers will continue to grow as technology enables more people to complete the tasks involved in producing a book. Many people consider a publishing house an “Indie” press as long as it isn’t owned by one of the Big Five companies.

So in the world of Christian publishing, who are some of these smaller publishing houses? And by “smaller” I don’t mean that some of these are tiny (some are) but simply that they aren’t Big Five.

[bctt tweet=”Who are some of these smaller publishing houses? #publishing #indiepub” via=”no”]

  • Abingdon Press
  • AMG – Living Ink Books
  • B&H Publishing (a division of LifeWay Christian Resources)
  • Baker Publishing Group
    • Bethany House
    • Revell
    • Baker Books
    • Baker Academic
    • Brazos Press
    • Chosen Books
    • Regal Books
  • Barbour Publishing
  • CrossRiver Media Group
  • Crossway
  • David C. Cook
  • Ellechor Publishing House
  • Enclave Publishing
  • Guideposts
    • Summerside Press
  • Harvest House Publishers
  • HopeSprings Books
  • Kregel Publications
  • Lamp Post, Inc.
  • Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas
  • Lion Fiction
  • Lovely Christian Romance Press
  • Mountainview Books
  • NavPress
  • New Hope Publishers
  • Next Step Books
  • Pelican
    • Harbourlight Books
    • White Rose Publishing
  • Prism Book Group
    • Inspired
  • Realms
  • Rhiza Press
  • River North
  • Shade Tree Publishing
  • Splashdown Books
  • Urban Christian
  • Whitaker House
  • WhiteFire Publishing
  • Write Integrity Press

I’m sure there are others! These are from the list of Recognized Publishers from the American Christian Fiction Writers group.

In order to be considered for ACFW’s Recognized Publisher List, a publisher must meet the following criteria:

  1. The publisher publishes novels written from a Christian worldview in any Christian fiction genre (i.e. should not contain profanity, graphic sex, gratuitous violence or other objectionable material, and must otherwise conform to generally accepted standards of the CBA.)
  2. All of the publisher’s fiction is Christian, or the publisher has an imprint devoted entirely to Christian fiction (in which case only the imprint will be recognized).
  3. The author must not participate financially in the production or distribution of the book (including a requirement to buy books).
  4. The publisher must pay royalties.
  5. The publisher must have been in business at least one year, and have previously unpublished books of Christian fiction by at least two authors (other than the owners) in print over the past year.
  6. The publisher’s books must show evidence of professional editing and cover art, and the content must reflect biblical principles.

I like these criteria. They are good ones for authors to keep in mind when evaluating any publishing house that you might like to work with.