One of the ways many writers can successfully add credentials to their portfolio if to participate in a variety of literary contests. This type of contest encourages writers to put their best foot forward in both creativity and attention to detail.
It is true that there are some contests that provide a cash award for their top finishers, but there are also publishing scams that will accept your work regardless of quality. When you receive notice that your work has been accepted for publication it can be a real boost, however, a quick look at many writer’s websites can help you define the contests that are essentially vanity publishers willing to print just about anything if they believe you will purchase copies of the book for friends and family.
Many cash award writing contests cover the cost of prize awards by charging an entry fee. This factor often discourages many writers who may not feel confident enough in their writing to pay a fee to submit. This allows those who do enter a better chance at placing.
There are also writing contests that present the opportunity to have their work published online, in a magazine or in an anthology. As a rule this type of contest does not require a purchase of the publication the work will appear in nor will they assume full rights of your work. The best writing contests only require a one time non-exclusive print right. This is important because it allows you the opportunity to sell or place the work in other venues.
Beware of forfeiting full (exclusive) rights in any writing contest. When this right is given the ownership of the work is no longer yours. You will have no right to use the material in any form without permission from the publisher. It is possible to pay to enter a contest, forfeit the rights to your work and allow a publisher to gain long-term financial benefit from your work.
Quality writing contests have the bonus feature of allowing you to fine tune your skills by reading the work of others. Reading can make a good writer even better. If you pay attention you can learn what works and what doesn’t while using writing contests as a means of gaining valuable insight into unique styles and structure.
On a positive note, there have been numerous incidents in which individuals who entered a submission for a writing contest were able to use that same work for publishing in other book anthologies and magazines. The key is making sure to participate in writing contests that preserve your right to control the reuse of the piece.
Scott Lindsay is a web developer and entrepreneur. He is the founder of FaithWriters (http://www.faithwriters.com) and many other web projects. FaithWriters has grown to become one of the largest online destinations for Christian writers. Please visit the website at: http://www.faithwriters.com
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Print On Demand: Is It Right For You?
When you hear the word print on demand what comes to your mind? You’ll probably say ‘on demand printing’, ‘fast turnaround time” or ‘small quantity printing’. Well, you are right. Print on demand is a printing technology that allows you to print small quantities of documents at affordable price and in a short period of time. The market for this kind of printing technique took a while to develop and a while for the technology to improve.
A few years back when e-books were on the rise, many thought that the publishing industry would be changed forever. But as years passed, it seemed that people were not yet ready to give up their ink and paper books. Most people still prefer books that they can hold and read at the comfort of their bed or veranda. This is where POD technology came in. It allowed many authors to publish their work and offer readers with less expensive books.
There are many advantages of print of demand technology. In general, getting published with this technology is very easy. Publishing is also quick usually around sixty to ninety days. POD also allows you to test the market at little cost. Little or no money is needed to be invested in inventory maintenance and insurance. There is no fear of overstocking and no missed sales due to tight deadlines. On top of this, you can do last minute changes that are not allowed in the traditional publishing process.
But of course, there is also the downside. For one, you will find it difficult to have your book purchased, reviewed and placed in bookstores. And with POD publishing you would perhaps have lower sales since most retailers won’t carry POD books.
Hence, before you avail of POD technology you have to ask yourself whether it is the right choice for you. If you want to control the layout of your book or you have a marketing vehicle for your book, then this may be the right option for you. Additionally, if you know that your book is so specialized that it won’t get picked up by a conventional publisher or you don’t want to go through years of submissions and rejection from conventional publishers then go ahead and avail of this printing technology.
The dream of every POD authors is the same as self-published authors – to have their books picked up by a major publisher. There is a chance that POD could prosper as a respected addition to the publishing industry over the years to come. But the industry has to act quickly to make it more author and reader friendly or it could be tarnished forever. Nevertheless, whether or not print on demand technology comes to the nearest bookstore to you, it will surely slowly change the way the publishing industry works.
About the Author:Viojieley Gurrobat loves readings books in her spare time. She writes stories and poems about anything under the sun. For comments and suggestions kindly visit http://www.shortrunondemandprinting.com
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How I Built a Career
A few years back when e-books were on the rise, many thought that the publishing industry would be changed forever. But as years passed, it seemed that people were not yet ready to give up their ink and paper books. Most people still prefer books that they can hold and read at the comfort of their bed or veranda. This is where POD technology came in. It allowed many authors to publish their work and offer readers with less expensive books.
There are many advantages of print of demand technology. In general, getting published with this technology is very easy. Publishing is also quick usually around sixty to ninety days. POD also allows you to test the market at little cost. Little or no money is needed to be invested in inventory maintenance and insurance. There is no fear of overstocking and no missed sales due to tight deadlines. On top of this, you can do last minute changes that are not allowed in the traditional publishing process.
But of course, there is also the downside. For one, you will find it difficult to have your book purchased, reviewed and placed in bookstores. And with POD publishing you would perhaps have lower sales since most retailers won’t carry POD books.
Hence, before you avail of POD technology you have to ask yourself whether it is the right choice for you. If you want to control the layout of your book or you have a marketing vehicle for your book, then this may be the right option for you. Additionally, if you know that your book is so specialized that it won’t get picked up by a conventional publisher or you don’t want to go through years of submissions and rejection from conventional publishers then go ahead and avail of this printing technology.
The dream of every POD authors is the same as self-published authors – to have their books picked up by a major publisher. There is a chance that POD could prosper as a respected addition to the publishing industry over the years to come. But the industry has to act quickly to make it more author and reader friendly or it could be tarnished forever. Nevertheless, whether or not print on demand technology comes to the nearest bookstore to you, it will surely slowly change the way the publishing industry works.
About the Author:Viojieley Gurrobat loves readings books in her spare time. She writes stories and poems about anything under the sun. For comments and suggestions kindly visit http://www.shortrunondemandprinting.com
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How To Get People To Know That Your Book Is Out There
Ok so you have been through the writing process, where you have wrote that perfect novel, and rewrote it again and again until it's perfect. Then you found either a Publisher or Agent to represent you. Your book has been through the editing stage, cover art finalized, and a Published Date assigned, now what? Is the job done? Have you did all you needed to do to make this book a success? Nope, you have only begun. Now you have to market that book, get it into book stores, let people know it is available.
First off you need to find out from your Publisher or Agent where you book will be available at, who is doing reviews and any promoting they plan on doing. Once you have the answers to these questions you now know where to start.
A review is the first step to getting your book known. You can begin requesting reviews as soon as the Publisher has a final proof copy available. Most review sites can be found in the Search Engines by simply typing the Genre of your book, Examples are Romance and Sci-Fi, and the key words book reviews. You will then see either reviews done on books in your genre, which you can trace back to the source of the review or the actual review sites. Reviews are a great way to get the word out about your book and shows someone else’s opinion of it.
Your local book stores is a good place. I know what if they don't want to carry it? Well that is something you have to find out. More than likely though you can go and speak to a manager who will either point you to someone else or they can handle your questions. So how do you approach them?
Begin by preparing a summary of your book, maybe a short excerpt or possibly a copy of a review. Your business card, and if you don't already have don't fret there are many places that make them, and if you access to the internet and a printer you can make one online and print afterwards. There are keys things to consider when you design your business cards, one being your name, contact information, title of the book, and ISBN#. These things have to be on the cards, and they have to be in legible writing. Another thing to take with you is a copy of your book, now you don't have to give them a copy though many do. However you do need one to show them the quality of the books and that they are ready for sale. Besides isn't seeing something better than just hearing about it. Take cookies as an example, hearing about one is fine, but smelling them, touching them and tasting them is better.
Now that you have a basic press kit, dress nice or in character such as if its a pirate book, wearing a flowing skirt or men wear a ruffled shirt. Just remember first impressions do count and more than likely mean the most when you ask for that all important interview. Also don't be afraid to ask for a book signing these are great incentives, plus gives you a chance to talk to the reader about your newest creation.
I guess the one other thing to remember is have fun, you have fulfilled a life long dream.
Dee Owens writes articles for articles 3000
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First off you need to find out from your Publisher or Agent where you book will be available at, who is doing reviews and any promoting they plan on doing. Once you have the answers to these questions you now know where to start.
A review is the first step to getting your book known. You can begin requesting reviews as soon as the Publisher has a final proof copy available. Most review sites can be found in the Search Engines by simply typing the Genre of your book, Examples are Romance and Sci-Fi, and the key words book reviews. You will then see either reviews done on books in your genre, which you can trace back to the source of the review or the actual review sites. Reviews are a great way to get the word out about your book and shows someone else’s opinion of it.
Your local book stores is a good place. I know what if they don't want to carry it? Well that is something you have to find out. More than likely though you can go and speak to a manager who will either point you to someone else or they can handle your questions. So how do you approach them?
Begin by preparing a summary of your book, maybe a short excerpt or possibly a copy of a review. Your business card, and if you don't already have don't fret there are many places that make them, and if you access to the internet and a printer you can make one online and print afterwards. There are keys things to consider when you design your business cards, one being your name, contact information, title of the book, and ISBN#. These things have to be on the cards, and they have to be in legible writing. Another thing to take with you is a copy of your book, now you don't have to give them a copy though many do. However you do need one to show them the quality of the books and that they are ready for sale. Besides isn't seeing something better than just hearing about it. Take cookies as an example, hearing about one is fine, but smelling them, touching them and tasting them is better.
Now that you have a basic press kit, dress nice or in character such as if its a pirate book, wearing a flowing skirt or men wear a ruffled shirt. Just remember first impressions do count and more than likely mean the most when you ask for that all important interview. Also don't be afraid to ask for a book signing these are great incentives, plus gives you a chance to talk to the reader about your newest creation.
I guess the one other thing to remember is have fun, you have fulfilled a life long dream.
Dee Owens writes articles for articles 3000
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How To Get A Book Deal - Without Being Scammed
How to get a book deal without being scammed is a hurdle for any writers. Publishers Are Not Exempt From Questionable Practices.
Keep These Warning Signs in Mind
Charges a fee to read your manuscript.
You are providing the product for them to sell. Why should you have to pay to see if they are interested in your work?
Offers subsidy contracts
(you pay them to have your book published) when they promote themselves as commercial publishers. Are POD (publish-on-demand) publishers, such as authorshouse, IUniverse, and Xlibris, legitimate publishers? Yes as long as the author realizes the costs and the limitations of POD publishing. Publish On Demand books are rarely stocked in bookstores.
Bait and Switch
There are some publishers who hide behind the mask of respectability and call themselves ‘traditional’ when in fact they are a vanity press. How can you tell? Look at their websites, if the focus is on recruiting writers rather than promoting the books they publish, it’s a huge red flag.
Other publishers ‘will accept’ your manuscript and then come back a few weeks later and say that their list for the next season is full but they would dearly love to publish your book. You just need to share the risk with them by giving them some money.
A new twist is to tell the author that their project has merit but the author will have to find an investor to sponsor their title. The publisher isn’t asking the author directly for any funds but many authors shell out the necessary dollars rather than try and find an ‘investor.’
Rebates
The publisher says that any fees you pay them will be completely refunded once your book reaches a certain sales level, usually in the thousands. Or that they will provide a comparable number of ‘free’ copies when the magic sales level has been reached.
A twist on rebates is that the publisher will match your monetary contribution in marketing efforts for your title. Publishers are supposed to market their own titles. The match most likely will not be in advertising dollars, review copies sent, or book tour expenses but the efforts of the in house staff. Efforts that probably won’t be focused specifically on your title.
How to get a book deal without getting scammed is possible for any author. Just keep these warning signs in mind.
Want to find out how you can avoid scams and still get your book published? You can receive a free report Perils and Pitfalls of Publishing for Writers just visit Free Report
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Keep These Warning Signs in Mind
Charges a fee to read your manuscript.
You are providing the product for them to sell. Why should you have to pay to see if they are interested in your work?
Offers subsidy contracts
(you pay them to have your book published) when they promote themselves as commercial publishers. Are POD (publish-on-demand) publishers, such as authorshouse, IUniverse, and Xlibris, legitimate publishers? Yes as long as the author realizes the costs and the limitations of POD publishing. Publish On Demand books are rarely stocked in bookstores.
Bait and Switch
There are some publishers who hide behind the mask of respectability and call themselves ‘traditional’ when in fact they are a vanity press. How can you tell? Look at their websites, if the focus is on recruiting writers rather than promoting the books they publish, it’s a huge red flag.
Other publishers ‘will accept’ your manuscript and then come back a few weeks later and say that their list for the next season is full but they would dearly love to publish your book. You just need to share the risk with them by giving them some money.
A new twist is to tell the author that their project has merit but the author will have to find an investor to sponsor their title. The publisher isn’t asking the author directly for any funds but many authors shell out the necessary dollars rather than try and find an ‘investor.’
Rebates
The publisher says that any fees you pay them will be completely refunded once your book reaches a certain sales level, usually in the thousands. Or that they will provide a comparable number of ‘free’ copies when the magic sales level has been reached.
A twist on rebates is that the publisher will match your monetary contribution in marketing efforts for your title. Publishers are supposed to market their own titles. The match most likely will not be in advertising dollars, review copies sent, or book tour expenses but the efforts of the in house staff. Efforts that probably won’t be focused specifically on your title.
How to get a book deal without getting scammed is possible for any author. Just keep these warning signs in mind.
Want to find out how you can avoid scams and still get your book published? You can receive a free report Perils and Pitfalls of Publishing for Writers just visit Free Report
----------------
Visit More Learning Sites:
inspiredauthor
Get Your Book Published
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How I Built a Career
Book Publishing From A Book Publisher's Point Of View
Many writers aspire to write books. Writing a book is a long, involved, difficult process. Book publishing is harder. A writer may submit his book repeatedly only to be turned down. The writer may eventually succeed. Wouldn't it have been easier to get published the first time? Is that possible?
You can improve your chances of a publisher accepting your book manuscript if you understand more about what happens at the publisher's desk. Book publishers are busy people with several projects bombarding their desks every day. They must decide quickly about what will sell. They must also delegate their time efficiently to keep the business running. Only occasionally do publishers actually seek out work. Let's look at a typical work day of a publisher to help you understand book acceptance and book publishing.
PERSIST AND PERSEVERE
Writers must be persistent. Regardless of how many times a publisher rejects your book manuscript and throws your ideas in the trash, you have to keep going back for more discouragement. Eventually you'll make it in the door. If you can get all the way through, you will finally get to a place where publishers accept more of your work. When working with a book publisher, the rule is the same. If you have a book that you know will sell, you must persevere to get the publisher's attention. Most likely, you will be sending excerpts of your book, not the entire book, to a publisher. As you continually send your manuscript or book excerpts to publisher after publisher, you should try to market it in different ways. Publishers seek a particular kind of writing; they will dismiss anything that doesn't meet their criteria and high standards. Variation in your marketing techniques may turn a rejected book into an accepted book.
WHAT DO BOOK PUBLISHERS WANT?
Book publishing is a strange business. People's tastes are somewhat fickle. A book publisher has to keep up with what kinds of books will sell. It seems mysteries will always have a place on the bookshelves. Crichton and Grisham may tie up the book market until they are finished. That is just one example from one genre of books. Publishers have to keep track of what is selling in all areas of literature. The best way for you to get your work noticed is to make it look similar to what is already selling in the marketplace. Be careful not to imitate style or voice of another author. Write with your own unique words while imitating the use of popular public opinion. Another way to improve your chances of getting published is to find out who's publishing what.
ARE YOU MARKETING TO THE RIGHT PUBLISHER?
Some publishers specialize in a certain kind of writing. If you are writing a novel, you'll look stupid (and get rejected) if you send it to publishers who publish technical manuals. How do you find out who is the most likely candidate to publish your work? There are reference manuals, such as Writer's Market, at your library that will tell you who's publishing what and what publishers are seeking. It will contain valuable information leading you to children's book publishers, novel publishers, and textbook publishers. If the handbook at your library is not up to date, your next option is to check out the new releases and best sellers rack at the bookstore. Buy a few books and read them. You'll have a much better feel for the book market as a consumer first, and book writer second.
Book publishing is difficult to break into. It can be helpful to approach the issue from the direction of the publisher. Before you submit your manuscript again, improve your chances of acceptance by following these tips:
1) Change your marketing style so that you grab attention;
2) Make sure you are a book consumer yourself. You'll get a better feel for what's selling and what a publisher will buy. You'll also find out who is publishing which types of books.
3) Finally, by buying the product you are trying to sell, you will improve the book economy all together. Publishers need to see people buying books before they can commit to publishing more.
Many authors begin their careers with the single goal of getting their book published by a reputable publisher. Book publishing is difficult to accomplish. It takes many months of work and extensive preparation. Writing a book involves intricately woven ideas. A book is a project, and it may contain many other projects that involve research, development, and marketing. Most authors are disillusioned about the intensive process of creating a full, coherent book. Writing a book and finding a publisher is like nothing you have ever done before. It will take extensive and intensive work and development. It will also probably include much of everything you know, and more.
Learn how to become a published book author! Download Brian's free e-book, Book Writing for Fun and Profit, at www.BookCatcher.com. Visit Brian's blog, Book Publishing News
----------------
Visit More Learning Sites:
inspiredauthor
Get Your Book Published
Get Paid To Write
How I Built a Career
You can improve your chances of a publisher accepting your book manuscript if you understand more about what happens at the publisher's desk. Book publishers are busy people with several projects bombarding their desks every day. They must decide quickly about what will sell. They must also delegate their time efficiently to keep the business running. Only occasionally do publishers actually seek out work. Let's look at a typical work day of a publisher to help you understand book acceptance and book publishing.
PERSIST AND PERSEVERE
Writers must be persistent. Regardless of how many times a publisher rejects your book manuscript and throws your ideas in the trash, you have to keep going back for more discouragement. Eventually you'll make it in the door. If you can get all the way through, you will finally get to a place where publishers accept more of your work. When working with a book publisher, the rule is the same. If you have a book that you know will sell, you must persevere to get the publisher's attention. Most likely, you will be sending excerpts of your book, not the entire book, to a publisher. As you continually send your manuscript or book excerpts to publisher after publisher, you should try to market it in different ways. Publishers seek a particular kind of writing; they will dismiss anything that doesn't meet their criteria and high standards. Variation in your marketing techniques may turn a rejected book into an accepted book.
WHAT DO BOOK PUBLISHERS WANT?
Book publishing is a strange business. People's tastes are somewhat fickle. A book publisher has to keep up with what kinds of books will sell. It seems mysteries will always have a place on the bookshelves. Crichton and Grisham may tie up the book market until they are finished. That is just one example from one genre of books. Publishers have to keep track of what is selling in all areas of literature. The best way for you to get your work noticed is to make it look similar to what is already selling in the marketplace. Be careful not to imitate style or voice of another author. Write with your own unique words while imitating the use of popular public opinion. Another way to improve your chances of getting published is to find out who's publishing what.
ARE YOU MARKETING TO THE RIGHT PUBLISHER?
Some publishers specialize in a certain kind of writing. If you are writing a novel, you'll look stupid (and get rejected) if you send it to publishers who publish technical manuals. How do you find out who is the most likely candidate to publish your work? There are reference manuals, such as Writer's Market, at your library that will tell you who's publishing what and what publishers are seeking. It will contain valuable information leading you to children's book publishers, novel publishers, and textbook publishers. If the handbook at your library is not up to date, your next option is to check out the new releases and best sellers rack at the bookstore. Buy a few books and read them. You'll have a much better feel for the book market as a consumer first, and book writer second.
Book publishing is difficult to break into. It can be helpful to approach the issue from the direction of the publisher. Before you submit your manuscript again, improve your chances of acceptance by following these tips:
1) Change your marketing style so that you grab attention;
2) Make sure you are a book consumer yourself. You'll get a better feel for what's selling and what a publisher will buy. You'll also find out who is publishing which types of books.
3) Finally, by buying the product you are trying to sell, you will improve the book economy all together. Publishers need to see people buying books before they can commit to publishing more.
Many authors begin their careers with the single goal of getting their book published by a reputable publisher. Book publishing is difficult to accomplish. It takes many months of work and extensive preparation. Writing a book involves intricately woven ideas. A book is a project, and it may contain many other projects that involve research, development, and marketing. Most authors are disillusioned about the intensive process of creating a full, coherent book. Writing a book and finding a publisher is like nothing you have ever done before. It will take extensive and intensive work and development. It will also probably include much of everything you know, and more.
Learn how to become a published book author! Download Brian's free e-book, Book Writing for Fun and Profit, at www.BookCatcher.com. Visit Brian's blog, Book Publishing News
----------------
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Top 5 Shenanigans Of 5 Top Print-On-Demand Publishers
5) Cosmetic corporate connections
Publisher B has a new corporate overlord in Amazon, but offers no carriage with Ingram, which means no order availability through many bookstores nor major website listings with competitors Barnes & Noble.com, Powells.com, Bamm.com, etc.
Hint: Find a publisher that offers wholesale distribution through Ingram (which includes listings on Amazon, too). Publishing is already competitive enough; your distribution channels shouldn't be.
4) Disavowing any knowledge
Publisher P calls itself a traditional publisher, even though it uses the same on-demand technology as other PODs. They require an exclusive 7 year contract (twice as long as most traditional agreements) and absorb all your rights before you discover the truth.
Publisher L doesn't call itself a publisher at all, but rather a conduit toward publication. It even features a picture of a machine "publishing" your book for you. Do you want a hot-water heater handling your pride and joy?
Hint: Sign a non-exclusive contract that you can cancel in 30 days written notice and pick a publisher that uses real live human beings to format your book.
3) “Free” on-demand publication
Free things require no commitment, which is a harsh finale for a book you labored to write. We have heard of authors who "published for free" and then the author forgot who published their book! As Vince Lombardi says, “The quality of a person's life is in direct proportion to their commitment to excellence, regardless of their chosen field of endeavor.” Getting what you pay for was never more appropriate, as authors of free services can attest.
Hint: You get out of something what you put into it; choose your publisher accordingly.
2.5) "Free" publishing that isn't actually free
I have to slip in this bonus shenanigan. Publisher T claims they will publish your book for free, yet require a $3,985 investment from the author. Last time I checked, that wasn't free. Their justification? They reimburse the payment to you once your book sells its 5000th copy.
Hint: Ask them the percentage of times they actually reimburse their authors. Ask for the titles of the books and author's names. Then get the contact informaton for every one of those authors and confirm it.
2) Traditional publisher affiliations
Traditional publishers make the lions share of profits because they take a gamble on every author. Publisher U has executives from the traditional publishing industry; which means they know how to take an author's money up-front AND in the long run on the back-end.
Hint: If you pay to be published, make sure you make a higher royalty than a traditional publisher pays. And make sure you don't confuse "20% net profit" with a "20% retail royalty".
1) Charging to be profitable
In this competitive publishing environment, publishing is hard enough without having your publisher charging you for things that should be free. Publisher X recently introduced an option for $249 that lets you set your own retail price. And when you see this bar graph comparison, you will understand why: http://outskirtspress.com/marketing/case-owp.gif
Hint: Having pricing flexibility is certainly better than not having it, but you shouldn't have to pay for it.
Brent Sampson is the President & CEO of Outskirts Press and the award-winning author of "Self-Publishing Simplified". A free ebook edition is available at http://outskirtspress.com/publishing.
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Publisher B has a new corporate overlord in Amazon, but offers no carriage with Ingram, which means no order availability through many bookstores nor major website listings with competitors Barnes & Noble.com, Powells.com, Bamm.com, etc.
Hint: Find a publisher that offers wholesale distribution through Ingram (which includes listings on Amazon, too). Publishing is already competitive enough; your distribution channels shouldn't be.
4) Disavowing any knowledge
Publisher P calls itself a traditional publisher, even though it uses the same on-demand technology as other PODs. They require an exclusive 7 year contract (twice as long as most traditional agreements) and absorb all your rights before you discover the truth.
Publisher L doesn't call itself a publisher at all, but rather a conduit toward publication. It even features a picture of a machine "publishing" your book for you. Do you want a hot-water heater handling your pride and joy?
Hint: Sign a non-exclusive contract that you can cancel in 30 days written notice and pick a publisher that uses real live human beings to format your book.
3) “Free” on-demand publication
Free things require no commitment, which is a harsh finale for a book you labored to write. We have heard of authors who "published for free" and then the author forgot who published their book! As Vince Lombardi says, “The quality of a person's life is in direct proportion to their commitment to excellence, regardless of their chosen field of endeavor.” Getting what you pay for was never more appropriate, as authors of free services can attest.
Hint: You get out of something what you put into it; choose your publisher accordingly.
2.5) "Free" publishing that isn't actually free
I have to slip in this bonus shenanigan. Publisher T claims they will publish your book for free, yet require a $3,985 investment from the author. Last time I checked, that wasn't free. Their justification? They reimburse the payment to you once your book sells its 5000th copy.
Hint: Ask them the percentage of times they actually reimburse their authors. Ask for the titles of the books and author's names. Then get the contact informaton for every one of those authors and confirm it.
2) Traditional publisher affiliations
Traditional publishers make the lions share of profits because they take a gamble on every author. Publisher U has executives from the traditional publishing industry; which means they know how to take an author's money up-front AND in the long run on the back-end.
Hint: If you pay to be published, make sure you make a higher royalty than a traditional publisher pays. And make sure you don't confuse "20% net profit" with a "20% retail royalty".
1) Charging to be profitable
In this competitive publishing environment, publishing is hard enough without having your publisher charging you for things that should be free. Publisher X recently introduced an option for $249 that lets you set your own retail price. And when you see this bar graph comparison, you will understand why: http://outskirtspress.com/marketing/case-owp.gif
Hint: Having pricing flexibility is certainly better than not having it, but you shouldn't have to pay for it.
Brent Sampson is the President & CEO of Outskirts Press and the award-winning author of "Self-Publishing Simplified". A free ebook edition is available at http://outskirtspress.com/publishing.
----------------
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inspiredauthor
Get Your Book Published
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How I Built a Career
Small Business and Ecommerce
Eventually, every small ecommerce business grows large enough that it needs to upgrade their ecommerce software. This can include internet marketing tracking software, or a better shopping cart.
It doesn't take long for ecommerce business owenrs to learn that cheap, or free, shopping carts cost a fortune in 'abandoned shopping carts.' Customers become frustrated with the navigation systems, lack of flexibility, or a surprise fee or higher than expected shipping costs. They abandon the cart and go shopping somewhere else.
The first carts were build along the belief that consumers would rather finish their purchase, even if it meant paying more, or filling out a market research survey-personal information, instead of abandoning their cart. Experience has shown this is not true.
It doesn't take long for ecommerce business owenrs to learn that cheap, or free, shopping carts cost a fortune in 'abandoned shopping carts.' Customers become frustrated with the navigation systems, lack of flexibility, or a surprise fee or higher than expected shipping costs. They abandon the cart and go shopping somewhere else.
The first carts were build along the belief that consumers would rather finish their purchase, even if it meant paying more, or filling out a market research survey-personal information, instead of abandoning their cart. Experience has shown this is not true.
Appealing To The Reader
You’ve worked hard on your manuscript and are prepared to send it to a publisher. You realize your manuscript was not something the publisher asked for specifically, yet you feel it matches their stated purpose. You have created a one page, concise cover letter and have made sure it contains no spelling or grammar mistakes.
The line is long at the post office, yet you gladly wait to personally send the manuscript on its way. You watch as the heartless postal worker twists your package like a Frisbee into the ‘out’ bin. Quietly you walk back to the car and hope for the best.
A week later the package you prepared is added to a rather significant pile of other manuscripts that have been sent to the same publisher with the same belief that the work enclosed will make a solid addition to their line of book offerings.
You wonder from time to time how things are going, but you don’t want to disturb the publisher.
In the cold, callous world of publishing your manuscript winds up in the ‘slush pile’ – a somewhat irritating pile of material publishers see every day just waiting to be read, but the publisher has little hope of actually finding something worth publishing from within that pile.
The truth is the publisher or editor may never actually look at your work. That’s not to say that your work is not reviewed. You see, most publishers higher freelance ‘readers’ who will review the manuscript and weed out the ones that fail to meet the criteria of the publisher.
Most publishers are seeking a long-term relationship with a writer and they typically have very little need for new talent.
Instead of discouraging you, my hope is to instill the highest sense of professionalism in your work. Breaking into publishing is hard work so resist the urge to simply throw something together and send it on with the belief you’ve done what you could.
The ‘reader’ will have to see something different from the others that will allow them to pass your manuscript on to an editor. What is that something? A one/two punch of professionalism and passion.
Your story has to be solid and meet their guidelines, but the ‘reader’ needs to detect that beyond a good manuscript you have a passion for your work and that you are professional enough to make the impression the editor is looking for.
If done right, you not only impress the ‘reader’, but your manuscript may just get an audience with an editor while leaving the ‘slush pile’ behind.
Scott Lindsay is a web developer and entrepreneur. He is the founder of FaithWriters (http://www.faithwriters.com) and many other web projects. FaithWriters has grown to become one of the largest online destinations for Christian writers. Please visit the website at: http://www.faithwriters.com
----------------
Visit More Learning Sites:
inspiredauthor
Get Your Book Published
Get Paid To Write
How I Built a Career
The line is long at the post office, yet you gladly wait to personally send the manuscript on its way. You watch as the heartless postal worker twists your package like a Frisbee into the ‘out’ bin. Quietly you walk back to the car and hope for the best.
A week later the package you prepared is added to a rather significant pile of other manuscripts that have been sent to the same publisher with the same belief that the work enclosed will make a solid addition to their line of book offerings.
You wonder from time to time how things are going, but you don’t want to disturb the publisher.
In the cold, callous world of publishing your manuscript winds up in the ‘slush pile’ – a somewhat irritating pile of material publishers see every day just waiting to be read, but the publisher has little hope of actually finding something worth publishing from within that pile.
The truth is the publisher or editor may never actually look at your work. That’s not to say that your work is not reviewed. You see, most publishers higher freelance ‘readers’ who will review the manuscript and weed out the ones that fail to meet the criteria of the publisher.
Most publishers are seeking a long-term relationship with a writer and they typically have very little need for new talent.
Instead of discouraging you, my hope is to instill the highest sense of professionalism in your work. Breaking into publishing is hard work so resist the urge to simply throw something together and send it on with the belief you’ve done what you could.
The ‘reader’ will have to see something different from the others that will allow them to pass your manuscript on to an editor. What is that something? A one/two punch of professionalism and passion.
Your story has to be solid and meet their guidelines, but the ‘reader’ needs to detect that beyond a good manuscript you have a passion for your work and that you are professional enough to make the impression the editor is looking for.
If done right, you not only impress the ‘reader’, but your manuscript may just get an audience with an editor while leaving the ‘slush pile’ behind.
Scott Lindsay is a web developer and entrepreneur. He is the founder of FaithWriters (http://www.faithwriters.com) and many other web projects. FaithWriters has grown to become one of the largest online destinations for Christian writers. Please visit the website at: http://www.faithwriters.com
----------------
Visit More Learning Sites:
inspiredauthor
Get Your Book Published
Get Paid To Write
How I Built a Career
Publish Your Book With An Independent Publisher
There are basically three options for getting your book published. You can try to get your book proposal accepted by one of the industry giants like Penguin or Random House but that’s a tough road. Those companies only work with proven authors or those who already have huge platforms and salivating audiences. Having said that, if you manage to get accepted, you’ll end up with a huge implied endorsement and a ton of indisputable credibility.
On the other end of the spectrum, you could self-publish your own book. The nice thing about this approach is that the only person who has to approve your book is you! If you want to publish your own book, go right ahead. In fact, given the advancements in technology, you can do exactly that and order as little as one book at a time. The downside is that the credibility is far lower than with a major publisher.
These two options seem to be on opposite ends of the continuum and indeed have plenty of differences between them. Luckily, there’s a third category that sits comfortably in the middle. It’s the category of smaller independent publishers and there are thousands of them. They range from very small mom and pop operations to well-established significant publishers. They tend to specialize in one genre or another and often become leaders in their area of expertise.
Soliciting the independent publishers is a great way for a new author to break into the market. Find one that specializes in your particular area and visit their website. They will tell you exactly how they want to be solicited and you’re well advised to follow their guidance. Find out exactly what they’re looking for and then cater your proposal to their specific requirements.
It’s not necessary to have a Literary Agent when soliciting independent publishers. Don’t get me wrong. Having an agent is always a good idea. But you do have some additional options when dealing with the niche players and many will accept proposals directly. Most want you to send it to their Acquisitions Editor but I recommend checking with their website before addressing the envelope.
Getting a book advance is less common when dealing with independent publishers. It’s not impossible but I wouldn’t bank on it. The upside is you’ll have more access to the people reviewing your proposal and that’s half the battle. Don’t pester them. They probably get a few hundred proposals each month. But a polite and well placed phone call rarely hurts and it gives the editor a chance to hear your speaking voice at the same time.
Becoming an author is something you only do once. Once you’ve published your first book, you will forever more be an author. And it can change your life, not to mention your career. Don’t waste your time approaching one of the industry giants when your odds of being accepted are significantly less than 1%. Instead, find an independent publisher that specializes in the subject you’re considering and target your efforts accordingly.
Tactical Execution has made a business of helping others achieve their goals. We provide implementation solutions for a wide variety of marketing objectives and all our programs are designed to maximize immediate results. Please visit the website to take advantage of all the free resources available there.
Become a recognized expert. Optimize your website. Explode your business. Tactical Execution provides implementation strategies for immediate results. Claim your free website traffic hotsheet today!
----------------
Visit More Learning Sites:
inspiredauthor
Get Your Book Published
Get Paid To Write
How I Built a Career
On the other end of the spectrum, you could self-publish your own book. The nice thing about this approach is that the only person who has to approve your book is you! If you want to publish your own book, go right ahead. In fact, given the advancements in technology, you can do exactly that and order as little as one book at a time. The downside is that the credibility is far lower than with a major publisher.
These two options seem to be on opposite ends of the continuum and indeed have plenty of differences between them. Luckily, there’s a third category that sits comfortably in the middle. It’s the category of smaller independent publishers and there are thousands of them. They range from very small mom and pop operations to well-established significant publishers. They tend to specialize in one genre or another and often become leaders in their area of expertise.
Soliciting the independent publishers is a great way for a new author to break into the market. Find one that specializes in your particular area and visit their website. They will tell you exactly how they want to be solicited and you’re well advised to follow their guidance. Find out exactly what they’re looking for and then cater your proposal to their specific requirements.
It’s not necessary to have a Literary Agent when soliciting independent publishers. Don’t get me wrong. Having an agent is always a good idea. But you do have some additional options when dealing with the niche players and many will accept proposals directly. Most want you to send it to their Acquisitions Editor but I recommend checking with their website before addressing the envelope.
Getting a book advance is less common when dealing with independent publishers. It’s not impossible but I wouldn’t bank on it. The upside is you’ll have more access to the people reviewing your proposal and that’s half the battle. Don’t pester them. They probably get a few hundred proposals each month. But a polite and well placed phone call rarely hurts and it gives the editor a chance to hear your speaking voice at the same time.
Becoming an author is something you only do once. Once you’ve published your first book, you will forever more be an author. And it can change your life, not to mention your career. Don’t waste your time approaching one of the industry giants when your odds of being accepted are significantly less than 1%. Instead, find an independent publisher that specializes in the subject you’re considering and target your efforts accordingly.
Tactical Execution has made a business of helping others achieve their goals. We provide implementation solutions for a wide variety of marketing objectives and all our programs are designed to maximize immediate results. Please visit the website to take advantage of all the free resources available there.
Become a recognized expert. Optimize your website. Explode your business. Tactical Execution provides implementation strategies for immediate results. Claim your free website traffic hotsheet today!
----------------
Visit More Learning Sites:
inspiredauthor
Get Your Book Published
Get Paid To Write
How I Built a Career
Resources for Coaches
There are several resources out there to help coaches give their sports teams a better advantage and experience. One service is TaKKle. It is a social network for highschoolteams, but it is also a place to help great teams find great players.
High School Football scores are recorded on the site for college recruiters to check. The graphics on this site are amazing. It is easy to follow and easy to navigate. There are groups, videos, and profile sections - almost like a myspace for the sports world.
I thank Takkle for sponsoring this blog post and supporting my blog.
High School Football scores are recorded on the site for college recruiters to check. The graphics on this site are amazing. It is easy to follow and easy to navigate. There are groups, videos, and profile sections - almost like a myspace for the sports world.
I thank Takkle for sponsoring this blog post and supporting my blog.
Work at Home
One of the biggest setbacks for work at home business owners is the stigma and reluctance banks have to support your busienss, no matter how much time you spend working, or how much revenue is generated.
This includes everything from a cash advance to a small business loan. If you have a job, you can take a pay check into a cash advance company and receive an advance. Even if you have a contract, banks will not give you an advance.
The cash advances sites have moved online, like trustsource.org. I expect the online companies will see us as real and viable businesses long before the banks do.
This includes everything from a cash advance to a small business loan. If you have a job, you can take a pay check into a cash advance company and receive an advance. Even if you have a contract, banks will not give you an advance.
The cash advances sites have moved online, like trustsource.org. I expect the online companies will see us as real and viable businesses long before the banks do.
aaYour Book Arrives From Your New York Publisher!
A large box arrives from a New York Publisher. It’s here—YOUR BOOK! You hurriedly rip it open and take the first book out. There it is…YOUR NAME as the author of your first book. You forget to breathe and your heart skips a beat in excitement.
You caress the spine and read the title and your very own name again. The cover looks great. You read the back cover and study it carefully. Even though you saw the proofs, it’s like you’ve never seen it before. Your excitement builds. There is nothing like the thrill of holding a book you authored in your hands—except the exhilaration of growing rich because of the business you build around it!
You hold the book and feel its heft in your hands. All your hard work … researching the needs of your intended audience … reading about other books in your topic … looking for the needs that only you can fill … writing your book … creating “buzz” in your book before it ever made it into print … has paid off.
You hold the book to your nose and smell it. There is nothing like that new book aroma of paper and ink– when you’re the AUTHOR!
Who will you tell first? Your spouse? Your best friend? Your mother? Or maybe the person or people who tried to squash your dream? You made your big dream come true despite all the negativity the dream-stealers could throw at you.
Because of everything you learned in the Entrepreneurial Authoring program, your book is already creating a stir on the internet and around the world. You are receiving offers to do interviews, be a guest on podcasts, and appear on live broadcasts. You are getting hit after hit on your website because you have wisely peppered the net with your articles and special offers. You are becoming the go-to expert in your area…
And you are helping thousands and thousands of people solve their problems…
And they are all coming back to YOU to help them continue to solve their problems.
And they are telling all their friends about your book…
And you are getting interviews and notoriety for your book…
And you have established tremendous credibility by providing value to people…
And your book is getting lots and lots of attention…
And you are growing a thriving business...
And you are growing RICH!
If this is your dream, take action right now and it will become your reality. Don’t keep telling yourself you’ll start writing that book “someday.” Make it a priority to start now! Get out a pad and pen and get started today!
Glenn Dietzel Author, E-Publisher, Mentor, Speaker...Authoring system used with clients the world over. http://www.AwakenTheAuthorWithin.com
----------------
Visit More Learning Sites:
inspiredauthor
Get Your Book Published
Get Paid To Write
How I Built a Career
You caress the spine and read the title and your very own name again. The cover looks great. You read the back cover and study it carefully. Even though you saw the proofs, it’s like you’ve never seen it before. Your excitement builds. There is nothing like the thrill of holding a book you authored in your hands—except the exhilaration of growing rich because of the business you build around it!
You hold the book and feel its heft in your hands. All your hard work … researching the needs of your intended audience … reading about other books in your topic … looking for the needs that only you can fill … writing your book … creating “buzz” in your book before it ever made it into print … has paid off.
You hold the book to your nose and smell it. There is nothing like that new book aroma of paper and ink– when you’re the AUTHOR!
Who will you tell first? Your spouse? Your best friend? Your mother? Or maybe the person or people who tried to squash your dream? You made your big dream come true despite all the negativity the dream-stealers could throw at you.
Because of everything you learned in the Entrepreneurial Authoring program, your book is already creating a stir on the internet and around the world. You are receiving offers to do interviews, be a guest on podcasts, and appear on live broadcasts. You are getting hit after hit on your website because you have wisely peppered the net with your articles and special offers. You are becoming the go-to expert in your area…
And you are helping thousands and thousands of people solve their problems…
And they are all coming back to YOU to help them continue to solve their problems.
And they are telling all their friends about your book…
And you are getting interviews and notoriety for your book…
And you have established tremendous credibility by providing value to people…
And your book is getting lots and lots of attention…
And you are growing a thriving business...
And you are growing RICH!
If this is your dream, take action right now and it will become your reality. Don’t keep telling yourself you’ll start writing that book “someday.” Make it a priority to start now! Get out a pad and pen and get started today!
Glenn Dietzel Author, E-Publisher, Mentor, Speaker...Authoring system used with clients the world over. http://www.AwakenTheAuthorWithin.com
----------------
Visit More Learning Sites:
inspiredauthor
Get Your Book Published
Get Paid To Write
How I Built a Career
Should I Self-publish Or Pitch My Book To A Publisher?
You've spent many nights working on your book. You've rewritten it, edited it, and you used a professional proofreader to proof it. Your book is done – finally -- and you're ready to send your precious manuscript off to a publisher, thinking that writing it was the hardest part.
In reality, getting your blood, sweat and tears published may be the hardest part of the whole process. You'll need to decide if your book requires a publisher, or if you'd rather self-publish your book. Both venues have pros and cons, some of which I discuss below.
To work with a book publisher, you'll need to send out query letters and/or a book proposal. This is a letter or a few pages briefly describing your text, why your book is unique, characteristics of your target market, and how you can help market your book. Most publishers don't accept unsolicited manuscripts, so you'll need to convince them to read yours, or find a literary agent to represent you. If a book publisher requests that you forward your entire manuscript, you have one foot in the door. Be prepared to send more than one query and don't expect a response next week. An excellent software program to help format your manuscript and create a book proposal is called Wizards For Word at http://www.wizardsforword.com
Publishers look for three things: platform, hook, and execution. This means a writer should have a built-in audience (ideally, a national platform such as a radio or TV show or a column in a major publication), an interesting hook, and strong writing skills.
The problem if you're an unagented author is that most publishers won't take your call or read your proposal. Then even if they do, you'll have a tough time creating a bidding war or running an auction to get the best offer, and you also won't have leverage negotiating the important deal points, such as ancillary rights and royalties.
There are writer's guides that serve as excellent resources to find publishers and literary agents who specialize in your particular genre. These guides list the percentage of new authors published as well as the percentage of sales they pay. You may find pay rates ranging from 5-10% of sales. Some pay on wholesale sales and others on the retail amount. Do the math. Perhaps your book will retail for $14.95 and the publisher will pay 6% on retail. This means you will earn 90 cents per book sold. Of course don't forget that the publisher is doing all the printing, distributing, and marketing of your text.
Another route you may want to consider is self-publishing. Self-publishing requires you to print, distribute and market your book using your money, but you will also retain all profits. There are book printing companies as well as companies that specialize in assisting self-publishers through every step along the way.
Many authors debate which method is better, using a publishing company or self publishing your own book. You know your situation and you know what will work best for you. You'll want to consider how much time or money you have to invest in the project. That should give you an idea which route to take. Using a publisher takes less time on your part, but you'll forfeit some of the royalties by using this method. If you self publish, you'll have to pay "up front costs" and do the initial legwork to begin generating sales for your book. Either way, publishing is your call. With persistence and hard work you can get your book in the marketplace.
Learn how to become a published book author! Download Brian's free e-book, Book Writing for Fun and Profit, at www.BookCatcher.com. Visit Brian's blog, Book Publishing News.
----------------
Visit More Learning Sites:
inspiredauthor
Get Your Book Published
Get Paid To Write
How I Built a Career
In reality, getting your blood, sweat and tears published may be the hardest part of the whole process. You'll need to decide if your book requires a publisher, or if you'd rather self-publish your book. Both venues have pros and cons, some of which I discuss below.
To work with a book publisher, you'll need to send out query letters and/or a book proposal. This is a letter or a few pages briefly describing your text, why your book is unique, characteristics of your target market, and how you can help market your book. Most publishers don't accept unsolicited manuscripts, so you'll need to convince them to read yours, or find a literary agent to represent you. If a book publisher requests that you forward your entire manuscript, you have one foot in the door. Be prepared to send more than one query and don't expect a response next week. An excellent software program to help format your manuscript and create a book proposal is called Wizards For Word at http://www.wizardsforword.com
Publishers look for three things: platform, hook, and execution. This means a writer should have a built-in audience (ideally, a national platform such as a radio or TV show or a column in a major publication), an interesting hook, and strong writing skills.
The problem if you're an unagented author is that most publishers won't take your call or read your proposal. Then even if they do, you'll have a tough time creating a bidding war or running an auction to get the best offer, and you also won't have leverage negotiating the important deal points, such as ancillary rights and royalties.
There are writer's guides that serve as excellent resources to find publishers and literary agents who specialize in your particular genre. These guides list the percentage of new authors published as well as the percentage of sales they pay. You may find pay rates ranging from 5-10% of sales. Some pay on wholesale sales and others on the retail amount. Do the math. Perhaps your book will retail for $14.95 and the publisher will pay 6% on retail. This means you will earn 90 cents per book sold. Of course don't forget that the publisher is doing all the printing, distributing, and marketing of your text.
Another route you may want to consider is self-publishing. Self-publishing requires you to print, distribute and market your book using your money, but you will also retain all profits. There are book printing companies as well as companies that specialize in assisting self-publishers through every step along the way.
Many authors debate which method is better, using a publishing company or self publishing your own book. You know your situation and you know what will work best for you. You'll want to consider how much time or money you have to invest in the project. That should give you an idea which route to take. Using a publisher takes less time on your part, but you'll forfeit some of the royalties by using this method. If you self publish, you'll have to pay "up front costs" and do the initial legwork to begin generating sales for your book. Either way, publishing is your call. With persistence and hard work you can get your book in the marketplace.
Learn how to become a published book author! Download Brian's free e-book, Book Writing for Fun and Profit, at www.BookCatcher.com. Visit Brian's blog, Book Publishing News.
----------------
Visit More Learning Sites:
inspiredauthor
Get Your Book Published
Get Paid To Write
How I Built a Career
Online Surveys
THere are many sites offering to help webmasters put Online Surveysand online services on their blogs and websites. Most offerfree surveys for an introduction. I have used Easy-Poll. It is an easy way to add variety and increase reader interactive participation to your site.
Their system reqyures n database or PHP knowledge. Surveys can be built quickly and safely. Two minutes is all it takes.
The value of giving readers a chance to participate in a blog, or website, is invaluable. It will increase return traffic, Page Rank, and the amount of time visitors stay at a website.
Their system reqyures n database or PHP knowledge. Surveys can be built quickly and safely. Two minutes is all it takes.
The value of giving readers a chance to participate in a blog, or website, is invaluable. It will increase return traffic, Page Rank, and the amount of time visitors stay at a website.
What Not To Do When Submitting Your Manuscript To A Publisher
Once your manuscript is complete you are ready to begin your search for the publisher that will best meet your needs. Research your genre to find publishers who accept what you have written. Look at books that they have already published and determine where your story will fit in.
Once you have found a publisher who catches your eye, make sure that you take the time to carefully read their submission guidelines. You may have written the most wonderful story in the world, but if you do not follow the publishers specifications, you may find that your manuscript will lie untouched at the bottom of a pile of submissions from authors who did follow the rules.
Once you have read the guidelines, you are ready to work on preparing your submission. You might need to go back and fix your spacing and indentations to the specifications of whatever publisher you are submitting to. You need to now write a query letter that introduces you as an author, your novel and your level of experience in writing. This should include a brief biography and a list of publishing credits. In the query letter, let the publisher know why your story is different, who will be your target audience and how do you plan to market your novel.
The synopsis should be a 2-4 page summary of the story including the ending. It should be well thought out and follow your plot line from beginning to end. Often this is the first sample of writing that a publisher looks at. A publisher knows if it was thrown together at the last minute. You should take as much time and care with your synopsis as you would with any scene of your novel.
Having a plan of action should your novel get published is an important tool of preparation for you. Let your potential publisher know how you plan to get your name out there. Will you do book signings, contests, chats, online signings, book club readings or placement into independent bookstores. Do you have a website? Do you have any special groups that you know would be interested in this type of novel. This is called a promotional plan and some publisher require it. Whether it is required or not, this is a good tool to develop prior to submission.
There are also a number of things that you should not do when submitting a manuscript. First is to send a manuscript with no query letter or synopsis. Publishers like to get an idea of what the story is about before plunging into a novel.
Second, make sure that the guidelines are followed. If the publisher specifies that all submissions should be double spaced in times new roman font, saved as an RTF file. Do not send something that is single spaced in a gothic font saved as a PDF.
Third, do not tell the publisher how wonderful your work is, or how much you think he or she will enjoy it. Stick strictly to the facts.
Fourth, do not write the publisher over and over again asking if they have yet read your manuscript. Most publishers will list an average response time. Only after that time has passed should you contact the publisher for an update.
Finally, when your Manuscript, make sure that your document is appropriately labeled with your name, pen name, title of the book, word count and email address. When manuscripts are sent by email, your document is often saved in another location. This manuscript could quite possibly be passed to various staff within the company in order to find the line that best fits your title. If there is not identifying information on the Manuscript itself, a publisher can not respond to you.
Overall, when you are submitting your work, remember be professional, be kind, be respectful and be patient. The publisher is working hard to review works and put out the best quality pieces to our public. As an author, it is your job to follow some simple guidelines when submitting a manuscript in order to allow the process to go smoothly and your work to be accepted.
Jordana Ryan is the author of the new romance novel, No Matter What (Amira Press).
----------------
Visit More Learning Sites:
inspiredauthor
Get Your Book Published
Get Paid To Write
How I Built a Career
Once you have found a publisher who catches your eye, make sure that you take the time to carefully read their submission guidelines. You may have written the most wonderful story in the world, but if you do not follow the publishers specifications, you may find that your manuscript will lie untouched at the bottom of a pile of submissions from authors who did follow the rules.
Once you have read the guidelines, you are ready to work on preparing your submission. You might need to go back and fix your spacing and indentations to the specifications of whatever publisher you are submitting to. You need to now write a query letter that introduces you as an author, your novel and your level of experience in writing. This should include a brief biography and a list of publishing credits. In the query letter, let the publisher know why your story is different, who will be your target audience and how do you plan to market your novel.
The synopsis should be a 2-4 page summary of the story including the ending. It should be well thought out and follow your plot line from beginning to end. Often this is the first sample of writing that a publisher looks at. A publisher knows if it was thrown together at the last minute. You should take as much time and care with your synopsis as you would with any scene of your novel.
Having a plan of action should your novel get published is an important tool of preparation for you. Let your potential publisher know how you plan to get your name out there. Will you do book signings, contests, chats, online signings, book club readings or placement into independent bookstores. Do you have a website? Do you have any special groups that you know would be interested in this type of novel. This is called a promotional plan and some publisher require it. Whether it is required or not, this is a good tool to develop prior to submission.
There are also a number of things that you should not do when submitting a manuscript. First is to send a manuscript with no query letter or synopsis. Publishers like to get an idea of what the story is about before plunging into a novel.
Second, make sure that the guidelines are followed. If the publisher specifies that all submissions should be double spaced in times new roman font, saved as an RTF file. Do not send something that is single spaced in a gothic font saved as a PDF.
Third, do not tell the publisher how wonderful your work is, or how much you think he or she will enjoy it. Stick strictly to the facts.
Fourth, do not write the publisher over and over again asking if they have yet read your manuscript. Most publishers will list an average response time. Only after that time has passed should you contact the publisher for an update.
Finally, when your Manuscript, make sure that your document is appropriately labeled with your name, pen name, title of the book, word count and email address. When manuscripts are sent by email, your document is often saved in another location. This manuscript could quite possibly be passed to various staff within the company in order to find the line that best fits your title. If there is not identifying information on the Manuscript itself, a publisher can not respond to you.
Overall, when you are submitting your work, remember be professional, be kind, be respectful and be patient. The publisher is working hard to review works and put out the best quality pieces to our public. As an author, it is your job to follow some simple guidelines when submitting a manuscript in order to allow the process to go smoothly and your work to be accepted.
Jordana Ryan is the author of the new romance novel, No Matter What (Amira Press).
----------------
Visit More Learning Sites:
inspiredauthor
Get Your Book Published
Get Paid To Write
How I Built a Career
Getting A Publisher & Getting What You Want
In the basic scenario of book publishing, a writer finishes a book and then finds an agent who helps sell the book to a publisher. When someone asks, "How do I find a publisher?" they're often looking for the details of this scenario. But let's backtrack a little. The answer to this question has to do with what you as a writer want out of the publishing process as well as what the publisher wants. It's best to be as clear as possible on both counts. Here are a few things to consider.
What You Want
What exactly do you want for your book? It's possible that your answer can save you a lot of time and heartache. Here's an example. A writer recently emailed me about wanting to find a publisher for his book on dealing with sickle cell anemia. He said he felt it was a really important book and that people would be interested in the information. That's great, but if his main goal is getting his book into the hands of those coping with the disease, he doesn't have to go with a big traditional publishing house in order to do that. He can self publish and take the book directly to doctor's offices, support groups and sickle cell organizations.
Do you want a book that tells a family story that will be a legacy for your children? Do you want a book that will establish your expertise and help you get started on the speaking circuit? You can accomplish these things by self publishing. A prominent ghostwriter recently published a book about his trade and landed a television interview where he discussed how politicians get their books written. The author was introduced as a "ghostwriting guru" and his book was prominently displayed at the end of the story. There was nothing that would have told you the book was self published. It didn't make a difference that it was. He still got the notice, was still seen as an expert.
Do you want to go for the whole enchilada--traditional publishing house, book tour, the status of having the validation of a publisher? That's fine too. Which brings us to...
What Publishers Want
Publishers are reviewing tons of manuscripts daily. How do you get your submission package to stand out from the others? By giving what they're looking for.
They want good writing. That's a given, but how do you deliver? First of all, be in a mode of constantly learning about your craft. Take classes, workshops, join a writer's group. Next, hire someone to help you. There are many editors who assist writers in getting a manuscript ready for submission. Some agencies even provide editing as part of their services.
The next part is harder. It has to do with that magical term "platform". Everyone these days talks about how publishers buy on the basis of your platform. In fact your submission package, fiction or non-fiction, will be all about showcasing your platform. Here's what they're looking for and how to demonstrate it.
Who you know and who knows you: Have testimonials and blurbs from known and noted people featured in your package. If you have a few big names behind you, that's more power for your marketing machine.
Do you have a following? If you put out a newsletter or other regular media you'll want to show how many subscribers you have. If you have a killer website, tell the number of hits you draw each month. If you sell a product, give sales figures to show you know how to produce what your customers want.
Are you in front of people all the time? Tell what media you already have under your belt. When and where were your last speaking engagements? Describe any radio, television, newspaper or magazine interviews you've done recently.
If you're lacking in any of these areas, it's never too late to change your situation. Polishing your prose and your persona are the best steps you can take to attract a publisher. They'll also help ensure your success if you decide to go it on your own. Remember, any improvement on your writing or marketing fronts will never go to waste!
© 2005 Sophfronia Scott
About the Author:Author and Writing Coach Sophfronia Scott is "The Book Sistah" TM. Get her FREE REPORT, "The 5 Big Mistakes Most Writers Make When Trying to Get Published" and her FREE online writing and publishing tips at http://www.TheBookSistah.com
----------------
Visit More Learning Sites:
inspiredauthor
Get Your Book Published
Get Paid To Write
How I Built a Career
What You Want
What exactly do you want for your book? It's possible that your answer can save you a lot of time and heartache. Here's an example. A writer recently emailed me about wanting to find a publisher for his book on dealing with sickle cell anemia. He said he felt it was a really important book and that people would be interested in the information. That's great, but if his main goal is getting his book into the hands of those coping with the disease, he doesn't have to go with a big traditional publishing house in order to do that. He can self publish and take the book directly to doctor's offices, support groups and sickle cell organizations.
Do you want a book that tells a family story that will be a legacy for your children? Do you want a book that will establish your expertise and help you get started on the speaking circuit? You can accomplish these things by self publishing. A prominent ghostwriter recently published a book about his trade and landed a television interview where he discussed how politicians get their books written. The author was introduced as a "ghostwriting guru" and his book was prominently displayed at the end of the story. There was nothing that would have told you the book was self published. It didn't make a difference that it was. He still got the notice, was still seen as an expert.
Do you want to go for the whole enchilada--traditional publishing house, book tour, the status of having the validation of a publisher? That's fine too. Which brings us to...
What Publishers Want
Publishers are reviewing tons of manuscripts daily. How do you get your submission package to stand out from the others? By giving what they're looking for.
They want good writing. That's a given, but how do you deliver? First of all, be in a mode of constantly learning about your craft. Take classes, workshops, join a writer's group. Next, hire someone to help you. There are many editors who assist writers in getting a manuscript ready for submission. Some agencies even provide editing as part of their services.
The next part is harder. It has to do with that magical term "platform". Everyone these days talks about how publishers buy on the basis of your platform. In fact your submission package, fiction or non-fiction, will be all about showcasing your platform. Here's what they're looking for and how to demonstrate it.
Who you know and who knows you: Have testimonials and blurbs from known and noted people featured in your package. If you have a few big names behind you, that's more power for your marketing machine.
Do you have a following? If you put out a newsletter or other regular media you'll want to show how many subscribers you have. If you have a killer website, tell the number of hits you draw each month. If you sell a product, give sales figures to show you know how to produce what your customers want.
Are you in front of people all the time? Tell what media you already have under your belt. When and where were your last speaking engagements? Describe any radio, television, newspaper or magazine interviews you've done recently.
If you're lacking in any of these areas, it's never too late to change your situation. Polishing your prose and your persona are the best steps you can take to attract a publisher. They'll also help ensure your success if you decide to go it on your own. Remember, any improvement on your writing or marketing fronts will never go to waste!
© 2005 Sophfronia Scott
About the Author:Author and Writing Coach Sophfronia Scott is "The Book Sistah" TM. Get her FREE REPORT, "The 5 Big Mistakes Most Writers Make When Trying to Get Published" and her FREE online writing and publishing tips at http://www.TheBookSistah.com
----------------
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Get Your Book Published
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How I Built a Career
Could You Be a Publisher?
New small publishers popping up every day. In fact, I just got off the phone with someone who wants to start their own music publishing business. Theses companies are not true small presses, but Kitchen Table publishers. They work from home, releasing books and distributing them through the channels that normal publishers use. There is money to be made, but only for ambitious people.
It is easy to start a publishing company. First, you need the software to create covers and book blocks. The basics are Word and Adobe PDF, plus a graphics art program. A better idea may be to hire someone to create covers for the first while.
Next, you need a website and a shopping cart. The shopping cart software is vital. A cheap or poor system will result in abandoned shopping carts and frustrated customers.
This is the cheapest way to get into the publishing business. Is it the best? That depends on the publisher and how savvy they are. Elora's cave started this way and turned into a $1m a year publisher.
It is easy to start a publishing company. First, you need the software to create covers and book blocks. The basics are Word and Adobe PDF, plus a graphics art program. A better idea may be to hire someone to create covers for the first while.
Next, you need a website and a shopping cart. The shopping cart software is vital. A cheap or poor system will result in abandoned shopping carts and frustrated customers.
This is the cheapest way to get into the publishing business. Is it the best? That depends on the publisher and how savvy they are. Elora's cave started this way and turned into a $1m a year publisher.
Make Money The Easy Way
One way that I make money is through blog advertising and sponsored blogs. I do not do the reviews and ads. Instead, I write posts and find sponsors for them. OR, a sponsor such as SMORTY, a Paid Blog, sponsors an ad.
I have been working for SMORTY for more than three months and find them to be honest, they pay on time, and they give you right of refusal. This is very important when working with a blog ad agency. There are a few out there that do not let bloggers pick and choose their blog posts. This makes it impossible to protect the integrity of your blog.
I have been working for SMORTY for more than three months and find them to be honest, they pay on time, and they give you right of refusal. This is very important when working with a blog ad agency. There are a few out there that do not let bloggers pick and choose their blog posts. This makes it impossible to protect the integrity of your blog.
How to Write Articles
How to Write Good Articles
At last night's chat we ended by talking about 'making time to write'. I told the new writers about niche writing, but I also brought up a few new things.
When most writers start to write, they hit free web content sites looking for articles they can 'harvest.' (remember, copy one article and it is plagiarizing, copy three and it is research)
However, this puts you 'behind' the professional writers. If you want to win full time clients then you need to be ahead of the professionals - people like me - and that can be hard.
The best place to find fresh information is 'news' and 'online stores'. The online stores do not need to worry about buying stock, so they can advertise high end products that can never be shown in the average store.
Get Paid to Write
I have written about copper ceiling tiles, ceiling molding, concrete mantles, natural grassrugs, silk wallpaper - and dozens more topics that you'd never find in a free content site or a home decorating site.
News is the next place to look. I never look more than 1 week ago. In fact, I've put a spin on a news release only to find that more than 1000 writers have already posted - ah well, you can't be the first all the time.
So, if you want to win long term clients, become a niche writer. If you want to become a professional writer then learn how to stay ahead of the pack.
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My Books Are Available Here:
Get Paid to Write
My Books Published at TodayBooks
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At last night's chat we ended by talking about 'making time to write'. I told the new writers about niche writing, but I also brought up a few new things.
When most writers start to write, they hit free web content sites looking for articles they can 'harvest.' (remember, copy one article and it is plagiarizing, copy three and it is research)
However, this puts you 'behind' the professional writers. If you want to win full time clients then you need to be ahead of the professionals - people like me - and that can be hard.
The best place to find fresh information is 'news' and 'online stores'. The online stores do not need to worry about buying stock, so they can advertise high end products that can never be shown in the average store.
Get Paid to Write
I have written about copper ceiling tiles, ceiling molding, concrete mantles, natural grassrugs, silk wallpaper - and dozens more topics that you'd never find in a free content site or a home decorating site.
News is the next place to look. I never look more than 1 week ago. In fact, I've put a spin on a news release only to find that more than 1000 writers have already posted - ah well, you can't be the first all the time.
So, if you want to win long term clients, become a niche writer. If you want to become a professional writer then learn how to stay ahead of the pack.
Subscribe to Inspired author by Email - Click Here
Learn How to Write a Novel, Work at Home, and Get Published
Get informed - get published
www.inspiredauthor.com - fastest growing 'free' online courses
www.writersonlinecourses.com - professional writers mentoring new writers
View My Books:
Get Paid to Ghostwrite Books and Ebooks and Get Published
My Books Are Available Here:
Get Paid to Write
My Books Published at TodayBooks
Enspiren Press - 'No Fluff' Fiction:
----------------
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inspiredauthor
Get Your Book Published
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How I Built a Career
How to Pick a Blog Community
I do believe that I fit into the realm of professional blogging. I have been doing it for 7 years, with varying degrees of success. I've made friends, and I've made money. I've learned and I've taught.
But, I must say that I've had a new experience this year, mainly, the writingup blog going down. Okay, so maybe the mfa thing didn't hit, I have been wrong before, maybe the other site crashed (back up server? Can anyone explain?)
I have learned that trust needs to be earned. I'll never have one single main blog with most of my posts again, just incase this happens again. I've also learned that there are different types of blog hosts. Mark at www.communati.com is doing just that, as well as giving up 70% of the blog revenue.
I will never start a blog at a place where the host doesn't treat me like I am worth talking to....not down to.... not explaining...but actually blogging with us.
I will never blog without a back up of my blogs. I have about 300, but I am still PO'ed at the 75 - 100 I lost.
I will also watch to see how much money I get from the blog. I use to blame Google because I got 1 click from a $4 word at my other blog,and only got $.03. But since they went down, I have been able to sort things out, and have been getting $.25 - $.45 from other blogs - with the same click.
Now, tell me if I am wrong, but isn't blogging a 50/50 symbiotic relationship between us, the writers, and the host?
I also don't like being 'burned.' As in, we are told that the set up will make us a full time living as bloggers, so we buy into it and follow the instructions (keep blog pure, blog once a day - I had almost 600 blogs there) an what happened? The site became a linkback/trackback farm, admin withdrew our rights to delete trackbacks, and my 'get paid to write' clicks went from .10 - .01 from Google in the last seven months. But, on other blogs, the clicks are still worth .10. So, I think that trust needs to be earned, and it can't be earned when we are lied to. I noticed that Mark's blogging community doesn't promise wealth, just a good blog host.
I guess I am ranting, and I don't normally do that. Or, maybe I am learning to be a little more cautious. It is just that those lost blog posts represent about 2 work weeks out of my year that are gone...and that bugs me.
----------------
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How I Built a Career
But, I must say that I've had a new experience this year, mainly, the writingup blog going down. Okay, so maybe the mfa thing didn't hit, I have been wrong before, maybe the other site crashed (back up server? Can anyone explain?)
I have learned that trust needs to be earned. I'll never have one single main blog with most of my posts again, just incase this happens again. I've also learned that there are different types of blog hosts. Mark at www.communati.com is doing just that, as well as giving up 70% of the blog revenue.
I will never start a blog at a place where the host doesn't treat me like I am worth talking to....not down to.... not explaining...but actually blogging with us.
I will never blog without a back up of my blogs. I have about 300, but I am still PO'ed at the 75 - 100 I lost.
I will also watch to see how much money I get from the blog. I use to blame Google because I got 1 click from a $4 word at my other blog,and only got $.03. But since they went down, I have been able to sort things out, and have been getting $.25 - $.45 from other blogs - with the same click.
Now, tell me if I am wrong, but isn't blogging a 50/50 symbiotic relationship between us, the writers, and the host?
I also don't like being 'burned.' As in, we are told that the set up will make us a full time living as bloggers, so we buy into it and follow the instructions (keep blog pure, blog once a day - I had almost 600 blogs there) an what happened? The site became a linkback/trackback farm, admin withdrew our rights to delete trackbacks, and my 'get paid to write' clicks went from .10 - .01 from Google in the last seven months. But, on other blogs, the clicks are still worth .10. So, I think that trust needs to be earned, and it can't be earned when we are lied to. I noticed that Mark's blogging community doesn't promise wealth, just a good blog host.
I guess I am ranting, and I don't normally do that. Or, maybe I am learning to be a little more cautious. It is just that those lost blog posts represent about 2 work weeks out of my year that are gone...and that bugs me.
----------------
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inspiredauthor
Get Your Book Published
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How I Built a Career
Learn How to Get Published and Sell Books
I have never had a blog where I mix my book publishing and Internet Marketing businesses/information. I thought long and hard about making two blogs at www.communati.com and then decided that was a waste of time. First, because most of you know that I do both. The second reason is because of a comment made in one of my posts "Writers do not know how to promote their books."
How better to gain writer's respect and teach the that, the information in this blog will work for them too. Yes, what works for raising PageRank for blogs will also help writers get published and sell books.
At Enspiren Press, I tell the author's that they can become famous by using the Internet in the same way bloggers do.
Fear of Being Published
The third reason why I decided to start helping writers learn how to promote is because of a post I read from Litekeeper today. I never realized that someone with her level of success would ever have a 'fear of being published.
We all collect rejection letters - They mean nothing. At Enspiren Press we have rejected books that were picked up by another publisher in less than 24 hours. Why would a publisher reject a good story? Simple - it didn't fit the audience demographic and 'wants' that we are targeting. That is why I say that Rejection letters do not matter...because they rarely have anything to do with the quality of the story.
This fear of being published also stops writers from promoting themselves as authors. How did the Hollywood celebs become famous? They were promoted as such. You saw them in the 'right' place. They belonged to the 'right' groups. These people are seen. In many cases, they don't have a movie out yet - they are seen.
Then, when the movie comes out the Public Relations company does a "You know this person" campaign. You can do that. But, do you want to get published first so you 'feel' more legit? That is easy write a 20 page book and have it published at Today Books and/or at www.lulu.com - now you are published.
The first goal of author publishing is to make you famous. The second is to sell books.
Here is a list of the books I have published on this page - Suzanne Jame's Page
There is a short book on getting published. It basically focuses on writing a book so publishers can handle, and some basics. This is like an introduction/basic 101 version of my famous course How to Write and Edit a Novel.
Anne Whitfield is the marketing agent for Enspiren Press, and she trains the authors how to get promotion - but I'll do my best to teach you.
Here is a book I published at TodayBooks as a promotion tool.
Here is a book I published at lulu.com as a promotion tool.
Amazon Can Help You Sell Books - Even if you are Not Listed There by your Publisher - Here is How
Behind The Editor's Desk
----------------
Visit More Learning Sites:
inspiredauthor
Get Your Book Published
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How I Built a Career
How better to gain writer's respect and teach the that, the information in this blog will work for them too. Yes, what works for raising PageRank for blogs will also help writers get published and sell books.
At Enspiren Press, I tell the author's that they can become famous by using the Internet in the same way bloggers do.
Fear of Being Published
The third reason why I decided to start helping writers learn how to promote is because of a post I read from Litekeeper today. I never realized that someone with her level of success would ever have a 'fear of being published.
We all collect rejection letters - They mean nothing. At Enspiren Press we have rejected books that were picked up by another publisher in less than 24 hours. Why would a publisher reject a good story? Simple - it didn't fit the audience demographic and 'wants' that we are targeting. That is why I say that Rejection letters do not matter...because they rarely have anything to do with the quality of the story.
This fear of being published also stops writers from promoting themselves as authors. How did the Hollywood celebs become famous? They were promoted as such. You saw them in the 'right' place. They belonged to the 'right' groups. These people are seen. In many cases, they don't have a movie out yet - they are seen.
Then, when the movie comes out the Public Relations company does a "You know this person" campaign. You can do that. But, do you want to get published first so you 'feel' more legit? That is easy write a 20 page book and have it published at Today Books and/or at www.lulu.com - now you are published.
The first goal of author publishing is to make you famous. The second is to sell books.
Here is a list of the books I have published on this page - Suzanne Jame's Page
There is a short book on getting published. It basically focuses on writing a book so publishers can handle, and some basics. This is like an introduction/basic 101 version of my famous course How to Write and Edit a Novel.
Anne Whitfield is the marketing agent for Enspiren Press, and she trains the authors how to get promotion - but I'll do my best to teach you.
Here is a book I published at TodayBooks as a promotion tool.
Here is a book I published at lulu.com as a promotion tool.
Amazon Can Help You Sell Books - Even if you are Not Listed There by your Publisher - Here is How
Behind The Editor's Desk
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inspiredauthor
Get Your Book Published
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How I Built a Career
When Are You Most Productive?
There are a wide variety of reasons that people start to freelance. Freelancing provided me with the ability to stay at home with my children.
What is Good Advice?
This blog post was inspired by a 'freelance blog' which had posts like: How to Become an Early Riser, How to Fit Housework into Your Day, How to Organize Work Around Kids....
This type of post may sound good, and may sound like helpful advice, but it is self-destructive in the long run.
I have found that I can be a mom and freelance worker, a housekeeper and freelance worker, a chauffer and freelance worker - anything x2 works, but add that third element and freelance income goes down the drain.
Income
I never thought too much about lost income. By the time that I added up car expenses, clothing, lunches, coffee, cell expenses, supplies (brief case, pager, $25 pen, bla bla bla) - I could make less than 1/3 of my 'real world' income and earn more of a profit.
Productivity
The first milestone I reached in my career was learning that my most productive time of the day was not 9-5. I work best between midnight and 4 am.
Last night I set up a blog system, a mailing list, resolved a PHP problem, fixed layout on a website, redesigned a website template, and chatted with two people.
People do not consider freelance work 'viable.' It would be okay in most homes for a person to work the night shift, but freelance writers are often made to feel (self indulgent, selfish, inept, add your word) if they try to 'act' like freelancing is a real job.
I've talked about this before, and I'll probably talk about it again, because it is vital that new freelance writers know they are not the only ones facing these problems.
Learn to Write Free
Novel Writer Magazine
Writers Online Courses
Get Paid To Write
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What is Good Advice?
This blog post was inspired by a 'freelance blog' which had posts like: How to Become an Early Riser, How to Fit Housework into Your Day, How to Organize Work Around Kids....
This type of post may sound good, and may sound like helpful advice, but it is self-destructive in the long run.
I have found that I can be a mom and freelance worker, a housekeeper and freelance worker, a chauffer and freelance worker - anything x2 works, but add that third element and freelance income goes down the drain.
Income
I never thought too much about lost income. By the time that I added up car expenses, clothing, lunches, coffee, cell expenses, supplies (brief case, pager, $25 pen, bla bla bla) - I could make less than 1/3 of my 'real world' income and earn more of a profit.
Productivity
The first milestone I reached in my career was learning that my most productive time of the day was not 9-5. I work best between midnight and 4 am.
Last night I set up a blog system, a mailing list, resolved a PHP problem, fixed layout on a website, redesigned a website template, and chatted with two people.
People do not consider freelance work 'viable.' It would be okay in most homes for a person to work the night shift, but freelance writers are often made to feel (self indulgent, selfish, inept, add your word) if they try to 'act' like freelancing is a real job.
I've talked about this before, and I'll probably talk about it again, because it is vital that new freelance writers know they are not the only ones facing these problems.
Learn to Write Free
Novel Writer Magazine
Writers Online Courses
Get Paid To Write
----------------
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inspiredauthor
Get Your Book Published
Get Paid To Write
How I Built a Career
Why You Should Continually Revisit Your Old Blog Posts
A lot of people wonder where I learned all the advanced SEO tips and tricks that I know. simply - I took an accredited course and learned from pros. Of course, most freelance writers do not have the money to invest in 1 - 3 SEO courses a year.
I hear many people complain. Those who have smaller versions of inspiredauthor.com always complain that they do not have time to learn. Of course, if they made the time, their sites wouldn't be smaller.
On the other hand, if I researched web programmers and didn't get 'sold' I wouldn't be rebuilding inspiredauthor again.
Life and Learn
However, no matter how much you learn, there is always more to learn. I was surprised to learn today how easy it is for someone to steal our blog content. I learn a lot from this blogger. I wouldn't say he is ahead of everyone else, but at least his information isn't 2 years old like so many of the other 'guru' sites.
There are ways to protect your content. People steal your blog by republishing the feed using a javascript. So, they cannot change the titles or the content.
I know one blogger who has a certain tag at the end of all their blogs. I won't tell you what it is, but it is something like 'hey-ya mate' with a typo in it. He just types this into his browser and sees what web URLs come up.
I am not sure if there is anything you can legally do if someone steals your content. But, at least you can write a few blog about their 'crappy', theiving website, - which, of course will be picked up by your feed burn and will appear on their site.
Want to Make $1000 a month blogging? Read my 'Pro Blogging' blog Or - Make it easy Subscribe to my ProBlogging site and receive updates in your email
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inspiredauthor
Get Your Book Published
Get Paid To Write
How I Built a Career
I hear many people complain. Those who have smaller versions of inspiredauthor.com always complain that they do not have time to learn. Of course, if they made the time, their sites wouldn't be smaller.
On the other hand, if I researched web programmers and didn't get 'sold' I wouldn't be rebuilding inspiredauthor again.
Life and Learn
However, no matter how much you learn, there is always more to learn. I was surprised to learn today how easy it is for someone to steal our blog content. I learn a lot from this blogger. I wouldn't say he is ahead of everyone else, but at least his information isn't 2 years old like so many of the other 'guru' sites.
There are ways to protect your content. People steal your blog by republishing the feed using a javascript. So, they cannot change the titles or the content.
I know one blogger who has a certain tag at the end of all their blogs. I won't tell you what it is, but it is something like 'hey-ya mate' with a typo in it. He just types this into his browser and sees what web URLs come up.
I am not sure if there is anything you can legally do if someone steals your content. But, at least you can write a few blog about their 'crappy', theiving website, - which, of course will be picked up by your feed burn and will appear on their site.
Want to Make $1000 a month blogging? Read my 'Pro Blogging' blog Or - Make it easy Subscribe to my ProBlogging site and receive updates in your email
----------------
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inspiredauthor
Get Your Book Published
Get Paid To Write
How I Built a Career
Google and Duplicate Content
Many of you who follow my 'attempt to take over the world' as a friend recently dubbed my major promotional network will be confused by one thing:
I have duplicate content, but I rank high - how?
To understand this, you first need to realize what Google considers duplicate content.
Exhibit A
If you buy a website of Ebay that is designed to earn AdSense income, and is a mirror of another site - you will be banned.
Exhibit B
If you use mambo, joombala, wordpress, b2evolution, etc., then when Google looks at your site, it sees duplicate content - because it reads code, not content.
You can look on your web site, and 200 others, and the first 200 characters are identical. In many cases, crawlers rarely go beyond 200 - 500 characters . If everything is identical to other sites, the crawlers leave 'before reaching the article.'
(but gracepub, you use B2Evolution. Yes, I do, and I also have a great programmer, Mark, who changes the names of my images, changes strings of PHP code, and does all sorts of other things so that my b2evolution skins/code is not exactly like yours)
Exhibit C
"This filtering means, for instance, that if your site has articles in "regular" and "printer" versions and neither set is blocked in robots.txt or via a no-index meta tag, we'll choose one version to list.
This is from Google's site. Translated, it means that Google doesn't ban content - it just only lists one. That is how I get away with it. My sites are all 'equally important' so that I really don't care if Google lists site A, or site B.
I believe that this is my 'saving grace.' Google finds good content at all my sites.
I also use 'no follow' robots to keep Google off pages that are from free content sites.
What To Do?
The first thing you should do is put the original version on your website. Leave it alone for six months. That means that Google will recognize your version as the 'original' and 'not list' the other versions.
After six months, put the article on your blog, in a free content site, etc. YOU are not the one using the duplicate content, THEY are.
If someone syndicates your blog, takes your articles, etc., it is 'their' site that is not indexed.
Or, if you want, just change the wording in the title, and some of the words in the article before adding your work to a free content site.
I hope this lowers the panic level for some web managers and freelance writers.
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How I Built a Career
I have duplicate content, but I rank high - how?
To understand this, you first need to realize what Google considers duplicate content.
Exhibit A
If you buy a website of Ebay that is designed to earn AdSense income, and is a mirror of another site - you will be banned.
Exhibit B
If you use mambo, joombala, wordpress, b2evolution, etc., then when Google looks at your site, it sees duplicate content - because it reads code, not content.
You can look on your web site, and 200 others, and the first 200 characters are identical. In many cases, crawlers rarely go beyond 200 - 500 characters . If everything is identical to other sites, the crawlers leave 'before reaching the article.'
(but gracepub, you use B2Evolution. Yes, I do, and I also have a great programmer, Mark, who changes the names of my images, changes strings of PHP code, and does all sorts of other things so that my b2evolution skins/code is not exactly like yours)
Exhibit C
"This filtering means, for instance, that if your site has articles in "regular" and "printer" versions and neither set is blocked in robots.txt or via a no-index meta tag, we'll choose one version to list.
This is from Google's site. Translated, it means that Google doesn't ban content - it just only lists one. That is how I get away with it. My sites are all 'equally important' so that I really don't care if Google lists site A, or site B.
I believe that this is my 'saving grace.' Google finds good content at all my sites.
I also use 'no follow' robots to keep Google off pages that are from free content sites.
What To Do?
The first thing you should do is put the original version on your website. Leave it alone for six months. That means that Google will recognize your version as the 'original' and 'not list' the other versions.
After six months, put the article on your blog, in a free content site, etc. YOU are not the one using the duplicate content, THEY are.
If someone syndicates your blog, takes your articles, etc., it is 'their' site that is not indexed.
Or, if you want, just change the wording in the title, and some of the words in the article before adding your work to a free content site.
I hope this lowers the panic level for some web managers and freelance writers.
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Work at Home Professionals – Which Are You?
Everyone has different expectations and goals for their work at home business. Some people want self-fulfilment, others want to generate a passive source of income. Professionals want creative freedom, respect, a larger share of the wealth and independence.
The internet offers unlimited opportunities for business people to meet all these neds. However, most flounder around the net, wasting months on tangents and theories, before they learn how to generate income.
Two things hold work at home professionals back. Fear is the number one reason for failure. Second, they fear innovation. The internet is no place to believe the old statement, 'there is a right way and a wrong way to do something.'
The Entrepreneur?
An Entrepreneur is someone who has the expectations and attitude to succeed. They do very well in the brick-and-mortar world. They often have the guts to try something new, and start businesses. However, they usually sell out within five years, and then start a new business. This revolving door business development pattern can generate millions – but not in the ecommerce world.
Introduce the Solopreneur
The Internet is a fertile garden for the true entrepreneur. But, few of them will reach their potential. The Internet is the home of the solopreneur. This person loves exploring new ground, learning, breaking the rules, and building an empire out of smoke and mirrors. They want to prove they can succeed. They enjoy work. While the entrepreneur is motivated by money and freedom, the solopreneur is more technologically minded, and wants to build something solid.
The solopreneur is, by definition, someone who is not interested in applying for a loan from the bank, joining the local business network, and my never own business cards.
The Businessperson?
A businessperson thrives under a routine. They participate in drop ship programs, sell on ebay, run affiliate programs, build lists, and follow proven strategies of success. They will buy into a program, probably one started by the solopreneur, or they may buy a franchise from the entrepreneur. They are willing to trade money for the right to earn a faster profit.
They prefer a map directing them toward success. They become part of a business community. This business person is comfortable in networks.
There is no right or wrong type of business people. Each has a part to play in the Internet marketing and ecommerce world. Each benefits from the efforts of the other. A solopreneur started myspace and youtube, but the business people came in and helped them succeed. Then, the entrepreneurs made ‘plug ins’ to sell to users and created API keys to increase exposure. Together, they created a vast network where people could sell products via Google Adsense and Affiliate marketing programs.
Managing The Dream
New business people fantasise about owning a business one day. They are guided by the dream, instead of measuring their skills, abilities, and defining what type of business person they are. These people may want a bridal website, because they always wanted to be a part of the bridal world. But, in reality, they would generate more profit if they ran a niche website that sold vacation trips to honeymooners.
The dram is a dangerous foundation for a business. Dreams rarely translate into the real world. The hard facts of life cause them to crumble, leaving the business owner standing amid an expensive pile of worthless web pages and IT tools, wondering what went wrong.
The Internet Business World
You cannot touch the net. No one can go to an office building and say ‘this is the net’. It cannot be sold. No one owns it. But that doesn’t mean that it is not ruled by a series of checks-and-balances that define success and failure.
E-businesses operate by a different set of rules than brick and mortar businesses. Before starting an ecommerce business, take the time to learn how the internet works. The net is a powerful marketing tool. When used right, the business owner can be generating revenue within a couple months. When used wrong, a website can sit dormant for years without generating enough income to pay the web hosting costs.
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----------------
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How I Built a Career
The internet offers unlimited opportunities for business people to meet all these neds. However, most flounder around the net, wasting months on tangents and theories, before they learn how to generate income.
Two things hold work at home professionals back. Fear is the number one reason for failure. Second, they fear innovation. The internet is no place to believe the old statement, 'there is a right way and a wrong way to do something.'
The Entrepreneur?
An Entrepreneur is someone who has the expectations and attitude to succeed. They do very well in the brick-and-mortar world. They often have the guts to try something new, and start businesses. However, they usually sell out within five years, and then start a new business. This revolving door business development pattern can generate millions – but not in the ecommerce world.
Introduce the Solopreneur
The Internet is a fertile garden for the true entrepreneur. But, few of them will reach their potential. The Internet is the home of the solopreneur. This person loves exploring new ground, learning, breaking the rules, and building an empire out of smoke and mirrors. They want to prove they can succeed. They enjoy work. While the entrepreneur is motivated by money and freedom, the solopreneur is more technologically minded, and wants to build something solid.
The solopreneur is, by definition, someone who is not interested in applying for a loan from the bank, joining the local business network, and my never own business cards.
The Businessperson?
A businessperson thrives under a routine. They participate in drop ship programs, sell on ebay, run affiliate programs, build lists, and follow proven strategies of success. They will buy into a program, probably one started by the solopreneur, or they may buy a franchise from the entrepreneur. They are willing to trade money for the right to earn a faster profit.
They prefer a map directing them toward success. They become part of a business community. This business person is comfortable in networks.
There is no right or wrong type of business people. Each has a part to play in the Internet marketing and ecommerce world. Each benefits from the efforts of the other. A solopreneur started myspace and youtube, but the business people came in and helped them succeed. Then, the entrepreneurs made ‘plug ins’ to sell to users and created API keys to increase exposure. Together, they created a vast network where people could sell products via Google Adsense and Affiliate marketing programs.
Managing The Dream
New business people fantasise about owning a business one day. They are guided by the dream, instead of measuring their skills, abilities, and defining what type of business person they are. These people may want a bridal website, because they always wanted to be a part of the bridal world. But, in reality, they would generate more profit if they ran a niche website that sold vacation trips to honeymooners.
The dram is a dangerous foundation for a business. Dreams rarely translate into the real world. The hard facts of life cause them to crumble, leaving the business owner standing amid an expensive pile of worthless web pages and IT tools, wondering what went wrong.
The Internet Business World
You cannot touch the net. No one can go to an office building and say ‘this is the net’. It cannot be sold. No one owns it. But that doesn’t mean that it is not ruled by a series of checks-and-balances that define success and failure.
E-businesses operate by a different set of rules than brick and mortar businesses. Before starting an ecommerce business, take the time to learn how the internet works. The net is a powerful marketing tool. When used right, the business owner can be generating revenue within a couple months. When used wrong, a website can sit dormant for years without generating enough income to pay the web hosting costs.
Learn to Write Free
Novel Writer Magazine
Writers Online Courses
Get Paid To Write
----------------
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inspiredauthor
Get Your Book Published
Get Paid To Write
How I Built a Career
Pro-blogging is the way
Need to promote and market your products and services and reach a wider market? No available budget for advertising purposes? Well, we’ve got an answer to that. Why not try pro-blogging to achieve your marketing goals?
Big and small enterprises are now understanding the importance of blogging in their businesses. This is because blogging proves to be a more affordable way to raise public awareness on their products and services. This strategy can even reach people from the different parts of the world thus, attaining your desired marketing goals in the right perspective.
Pro-blogging is actually short for professional blogging. In contrast to plain blogging which is more personal, pro-blogging takes a more serious course. It is best recommended for enterprises that need to market their stuff and services in a low-cost but effective manner. This is even more interactive than the usual website as you can get feedback from your customers right away. Upon receiving their comments or suggestions, you can then easily disseminate your response to them.
To start off, you can assign a staffmember or a business associate who’s knowledgeable about blogging on the Internet and who can write well to come up with a blog. If nobody is qualified, you can decide to hire a problogger to do it for you.
Blogs meant especially for business marketing need not be too serious. They can just be casual with posts or articles on your latest products or services as well as events, if any, that should be updated on a regular basis. Updated posts would keep your readers coming back. Do include the latest news as well on the type of business you are engaged in to keep your readers informed.
It’s also important that you know your target market. It is only in this way that you can then decide on the topics your blog should focus on that will attract potential customers. Your blog posts should not only express your views and ideas but should likewise include comments on other blogs in the same field as yours.
Keep your messages short and straightforward. And as much as possible, your blog should include new posts to entice more readers who may already potential clients. Also, check regularly the volume of traffic you get on your blog. Doing so will enable you to adjust your blog’s contents.
Apart from the content, a major consideration in making your blog is its appearance. A creative blog with photos and other graphics can attract more readers. Other design elements have to be included such as the fonts for your banner and text, their color and your blog’s color scheme.
The marketing process is always crucial in the success of any enterprise, whether big, medium or small-scale. The productivity of your business will, more often, depend on the marketing strategy that you use. But today, a lot of easy-to-use tools are available notably on the Internet in addition to the conventional means. They provide a faster and cheaper way of reaching your target audience and a more interactive relationship with them. If everybody is doing it, why can’t you? So choose blogging now for your business and see the difference.
Podcastblaster is a site specializing in all aspect of podcasting and provides an extensive podcast directory covering many topics including marketing podcasts.
by PHILIP NICOSIA
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Get Your Book Published
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How I Built a Career
Big and small enterprises are now understanding the importance of blogging in their businesses. This is because blogging proves to be a more affordable way to raise public awareness on their products and services. This strategy can even reach people from the different parts of the world thus, attaining your desired marketing goals in the right perspective.
Pro-blogging is actually short for professional blogging. In contrast to plain blogging which is more personal, pro-blogging takes a more serious course. It is best recommended for enterprises that need to market their stuff and services in a low-cost but effective manner. This is even more interactive than the usual website as you can get feedback from your customers right away. Upon receiving their comments or suggestions, you can then easily disseminate your response to them.
To start off, you can assign a staffmember or a business associate who’s knowledgeable about blogging on the Internet and who can write well to come up with a blog. If nobody is qualified, you can decide to hire a problogger to do it for you.
Blogs meant especially for business marketing need not be too serious. They can just be casual with posts or articles on your latest products or services as well as events, if any, that should be updated on a regular basis. Updated posts would keep your readers coming back. Do include the latest news as well on the type of business you are engaged in to keep your readers informed.
It’s also important that you know your target market. It is only in this way that you can then decide on the topics your blog should focus on that will attract potential customers. Your blog posts should not only express your views and ideas but should likewise include comments on other blogs in the same field as yours.
Keep your messages short and straightforward. And as much as possible, your blog should include new posts to entice more readers who may already potential clients. Also, check regularly the volume of traffic you get on your blog. Doing so will enable you to adjust your blog’s contents.
Apart from the content, a major consideration in making your blog is its appearance. A creative blog with photos and other graphics can attract more readers. Other design elements have to be included such as the fonts for your banner and text, their color and your blog’s color scheme.
The marketing process is always crucial in the success of any enterprise, whether big, medium or small-scale. The productivity of your business will, more often, depend on the marketing strategy that you use. But today, a lot of easy-to-use tools are available notably on the Internet in addition to the conventional means. They provide a faster and cheaper way of reaching your target audience and a more interactive relationship with them. If everybody is doing it, why can’t you? So choose blogging now for your business and see the difference.
Podcastblaster is a site specializing in all aspect of podcasting and provides an extensive podcast directory covering many topics including marketing podcasts.
by PHILIP NICOSIA
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How I Built a Career
Coffee Time Romance Gave THE PLEDGE a 3 Cup Rating
I am so pleased. Coffee Time Romance gave me 3 cups (out of five) GREAT for a 'sweet' historical with only a little romance in it. Read The First 2 Chapters Here:
http://www.coffeetimeromance.com/BookReviews/Thepledge.html
THE PLEDGE
KATHERINE HUNTER
ISBN# 978-0-9784865-0-1
November 2007
Enspiren Press
2060 Victoria Street, Box 193, Gorrie, Ontario, N0G 1X0, Canada
Trade Paperback / E-Book
$12.99 / $4.99 E-book
245 Pages
Historical Romance
Rating: 3 Cups
Gillian Winston, secluded daughter of an English Baron, was raised by nuns away from her childhood home. When she receives notice that her family has been murdered by reivers, she immediately heads for home to assess the damage and help in any way.
Laird Calum MacKenna, known as The Wolf, was also a reiver. When he discovered that his enemy, Baron Winston, had been defeated, he heads south to Winston Holdings.
Gillian encounters nothing but death and destruction at her family’s estate. When Laird Mackenna arrives, she has no choice but to marry him to protect her serfs and she also needs his wealth to rebuild her lands. Calum is a hard-nosed fighting Scot. He did not expect to be brought to his knees by a small English lady. When she is in danger, he will stop at nothing to find and protect her, not from a Baron determined to marry her and not even from the Queen of England.
The Pledge is a fun and exciting novel. Sweeping descriptions of scenery add to the authentic historical feeling of the story. The hero and heroine are traditional. Gillian is spunky yet stubborn as she ends up making some poor decisions. Ms. Hunter’s Scottish romance is sweet and classic.
Bonnie-Lass
Reviewer for Coffee Time Romance
Reviewer for Karen Find Out About New Books
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http://www.coffeetimeromance.com/BookReviews/Thepledge.html
THE PLEDGE
KATHERINE HUNTER
ISBN# 978-0-9784865-0-1
November 2007
Enspiren Press
2060 Victoria Street, Box 193, Gorrie, Ontario, N0G 1X0, Canada
Trade Paperback / E-Book
$12.99 / $4.99 E-book
245 Pages
Historical Romance
Rating: 3 Cups
Gillian Winston, secluded daughter of an English Baron, was raised by nuns away from her childhood home. When she receives notice that her family has been murdered by reivers, she immediately heads for home to assess the damage and help in any way.
Laird Calum MacKenna, known as The Wolf, was also a reiver. When he discovered that his enemy, Baron Winston, had been defeated, he heads south to Winston Holdings.
Gillian encounters nothing but death and destruction at her family’s estate. When Laird Mackenna arrives, she has no choice but to marry him to protect her serfs and she also needs his wealth to rebuild her lands. Calum is a hard-nosed fighting Scot. He did not expect to be brought to his knees by a small English lady. When she is in danger, he will stop at nothing to find and protect her, not from a Baron determined to marry her and not even from the Queen of England.
The Pledge is a fun and exciting novel. Sweeping descriptions of scenery add to the authentic historical feeling of the story. The hero and heroine are traditional. Gillian is spunky yet stubborn as she ends up making some poor decisions. Ms. Hunter’s Scottish romance is sweet and classic.
Bonnie-Lass
Reviewer for Coffee Time Romance
Reviewer for Karen Find Out About New Books
Learn to Write Free
Novel Writer Magazine
Writers Online Courses
Get Paid To Write
----------------
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How I Built a Career
Writing mentor's advice on overcoming self-doubt: What makes a "real writer"
Am I a real writer? There are many people out there that say 'if you write then you are a writer.' But, that is not what new writers want to hear. You want to know if you write well enough to become a published author. You want to know if you have the talent to write a great book - to survive the editing process - to hold your head up when talking with other writers, editors, and agents.
I understand what you are asking. I've seen hundreds of new writers receive a publishing contract for their first book. I know personally, dozens of writers who struggled for a few years, and then sold a dozen books in a row. I also know full time and working, full time book authors.
After several years of asking questions, polling writers, and interviewing writers, I came up with the following way to determine whether you are a born writer.
Where Should I Start?
There are several good reasons to write:
To express your creativity
To explore your world
You need to write
To fulfill a dream
You feel good when writing
To heal emotionally
It feels right
You want the power to express your views
Poor reasons to write:
To make people proud of you
To seek approval
To prove that you are as good as another person
To get back at someone who hurt you, or your family
Money
Fame
There is no right or wrong reason to write. However, there are some reasons that help people write with creativity and passion while others turn writing into a laborious chore.
There are three types of writers: hobby, struggling, professional.
The hobby writer is someone who hopes to become published one day, but do not write for publication. They write to express themselves, with little concern for publisher's needs, trends, genres, or the marketability of their novel. Writing is a pastime that is both rewarding and enjoyable.
The struggling writer is someone who wants to become published, but they are having a hard time turning their passion for writing into a marketable novel. They often write for several years before becoming published.
There are dozens of variables shared by hobby writers and struggling writers. However, professional writers share some traits that are very telling:
1.They never stop learning.
2.They never stop reading bestsellers and recent releases
3.They pick a few favorite' publishers and study their recent releases, learning what they need and want.
4.They spend about 10 20 percent of their time creating a story and the rest of their time rewriting and polishing their novel.
5.They start promoting themselves as authors long before they are published.
6.They learn to overcome writer's block and rejection by improving their skills and preparing for success.
7.They belong to writer's groups and associations.
The perfect blend is the hobby writer who evolves into a professional writer.
Exercise:
How to get started:
Write ten reasons why you write
Write ten reasons why you want to become published
Write five things you've done this year to ensure that you become published.
Didn't do well? Don't worry. The publishing industry is expanding and evolving monthly. Books that wouldn't sell a year ago are now bestsellers. The most important advice I can give you is this, 'if you need to write then write. A real writer is someone who writes, submits to publishers, and waits until the day when the publishing industry validates their work. The only way to fail is to quit.'
Learn to Write Free
Novel Writer Magazine
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----------------
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How I Built a Career
I understand what you are asking. I've seen hundreds of new writers receive a publishing contract for their first book. I know personally, dozens of writers who struggled for a few years, and then sold a dozen books in a row. I also know full time and working, full time book authors.
After several years of asking questions, polling writers, and interviewing writers, I came up with the following way to determine whether you are a born writer.
Where Should I Start?
There are several good reasons to write:
To express your creativity
To explore your world
You need to write
To fulfill a dream
You feel good when writing
To heal emotionally
It feels right
You want the power to express your views
Poor reasons to write:
To make people proud of you
To seek approval
To prove that you are as good as another person
To get back at someone who hurt you, or your family
Money
Fame
There is no right or wrong reason to write. However, there are some reasons that help people write with creativity and passion while others turn writing into a laborious chore.
There are three types of writers: hobby, struggling, professional.
The hobby writer is someone who hopes to become published one day, but do not write for publication. They write to express themselves, with little concern for publisher's needs, trends, genres, or the marketability of their novel. Writing is a pastime that is both rewarding and enjoyable.
The struggling writer is someone who wants to become published, but they are having a hard time turning their passion for writing into a marketable novel. They often write for several years before becoming published.
There are dozens of variables shared by hobby writers and struggling writers. However, professional writers share some traits that are very telling:
1.They never stop learning.
2.They never stop reading bestsellers and recent releases
3.They pick a few favorite' publishers and study their recent releases, learning what they need and want.
4.They spend about 10 20 percent of their time creating a story and the rest of their time rewriting and polishing their novel.
5.They start promoting themselves as authors long before they are published.
6.They learn to overcome writer's block and rejection by improving their skills and preparing for success.
7.They belong to writer's groups and associations.
The perfect blend is the hobby writer who evolves into a professional writer.
Exercise:
How to get started:
Write ten reasons why you write
Write ten reasons why you want to become published
Write five things you've done this year to ensure that you become published.
Didn't do well? Don't worry. The publishing industry is expanding and evolving monthly. Books that wouldn't sell a year ago are now bestsellers. The most important advice I can give you is this, 'if you need to write then write. A real writer is someone who writes, submits to publishers, and waits until the day when the publishing industry validates their work. The only way to fail is to quit.'
Learn to Write Free
Novel Writer Magazine
Writers Online Courses
Get Paid To Write
----------------
Visit More Learning Sites:
inspiredauthor
Get Your Book Published
Get Paid To Write
How I Built a Career
The Home-office Life Can Sometimes be Harder Than it Looks
Are you one of many of the millions of Americans now working outside traditional workplaces who have found themselves surprised by how difficult home-office life can be?Before they were married in September, Nicci Young and Richard Wiese first had to split up. The problem was not romantic, but spatial: Young Wiese, who organizes community development safaris to Africa, and Wiese, a writer and explorer, found that their Upper East Side one-bedroom was not big enough for the two of them after both decided to work from home.
"He kept talking to me about his work, which is very interesting, but it was really taking time out of my workday," Young Wiese said. "And when I was alone there was a sense of loneliness and procrastination." Wiese, who is writing a how-to book about exploration for teenagers, acknowledged the problem. "Nicci tends to be a lot more intense," he said. "Especially with lighter work, I can be watching a ballgame. If I saw a funny e-mail coming through I'd want to share it. I'd get these glances from her, like, `I'm working!'" Young Wiese is one of many of the millions of Americans now working outside traditional workplaces who have found themselves surprised by how difficult home-office life can be.
It requires strict self-discipline and an ability to tune out spouses, children and pets. For the more sociable or emotionally needy, it can feel like house arrest, especially if the phone hasn't rung in a while. Young Wiese's solution was to rent space in a communal office, an increasingly popular option for those who can afford it. (According to Sara Horowitz, the executive director of the Freelancers Union, a nonprofit organization that advocates for the self-employed, the use of communal work spaces has been on the rise among members for about three years, "and in the last year it's started accelerating.") Those who can't afford a separate space, or who find home too convenient or rewarding a workplace base to give up -- learn to live with the challenges, coming up with smaller-scale solutions over time.
One of the hardest adjustments for those working from home is deciding when to take a break, and when to quit for the day. With the computer always beckoning and the commute measured in the time it takes to cross the living room, there's always a reason to go back to work -- or an excuse to avoid it. "It's sort of a guilty feeling -- I should be working," said Kathy McHugh, a headhunter for high-tech companies who has worked out of her Manhattan apartment on and off for several years. "My office is 2 feet away." Children can be a distraction, as Barbara Magnoni, an international development consultant, discovered when she and Magali Montes, a business associate, tried to hold meetings in Magnoni's apartment after picking up their children from school. "We'd meet at home with our kids running around and they would think it was a play date when it actually wasn't," Magnoni said. Sid Holt, a media senior vice president whose office is in a barn a few steps from his house in northern Westchester County, described the difficulty of pacing himself. "There are no cigarette breaks," he said. "You're either working too hard or not hard enough." Holt said he finds it helpful to schedule his time in a way that mimics the 9-to-5 life of his years spent working in a New York office.
He tries to keep to a routine that includes breakfast at a local coffee shop -- reminiscent of his ritual of picking up coffee and a bagel at Grand Central Terminal on the way to his former job -- and a 10am conference call with three other employees of go2Media, a Boston-based mobile Web service for which he oversees editorial content. The conference call and frequent e-mail exchanges with other employees contribute to a sense of accomplishment that would be harder to achieve if he were working entirely on his own, he said. And they also help him to feel that he has earned the reward that once greeted him on his return from Manhattan, and that he still uses to punctuate the day. "I say to myself, there's a martini waiting for me down at the house and I'm leaving now," he said. For home-office workers who aren't in regular touch with colleagues or clients, a frequent complaint -- even among those who say they are distracted by other members of their households -- is of isolation.
David Behl, a photographer whose studio is connected to his TriBeCa loft, said he enjoys working at home when the jobs are pouring in and the studio is filled with clients and assistants. But at other times, he added, he misses the studio he used to share with two other photographers. "You don't see anybody," he said. "You don't go out for lunch. It's easier to get depressed because there's no one to complain to." McHugh said business lunches can be a lifeline after a couple of weeks working from home, and that she often finds herself glomming onto her daughter when she gets home from high school in the afternoon. "I'm happy to see somebody who's out in the world," she said. These issues have been observed at IBM, where a "mobile work force" strategy has led to 30 percent of employees working full time from home (as well as a savings on office space that the company estimates at US$100 million a year). "We found if you're working from home and do not have an interaction with someone from work, or a client, or a physical meeting, after three days you start to feel isolated," said Dan Pelino, who manages IBM's mobile work force program. Soon after the company introduced the program in 2001, he added, "people have said to me, `IBM stands for `I'm By Myself.'" The company has tried to mitigate this problem with "mobility centers," communal spaces that it maintains wherever it has offices, offering desks, phone and Internet lines, and office equipment for the periodic use of home-based workers. It has also promoted "IBM clubs," meant to encourage employee bonding.
Club members have taken day trips together to a zoo, traded cookie recipes and "gone to a race track and learned how to be a NASCAR driver," Pelino said. For those who can't depend on corporate beneficence, it is now possible to rent a desk or office in communal work spaces all over the country. The Regus Group, a Dallas-based company that rents temporary office space around the world and has 17 locations in Manhattan alone, has been doubling its US business every two years, said Guillermo Rotman, the company's chief executive for the Americas. In addition to cubicles and individual offices in various configurations, its spaces all have business lounges with sofas, armchairs, Internet ports, coffee machines and companionship for those seeking it.
The company also sells US$300-a-year passes to its business lounges, which number 950 around the world and cater to itinerant laptoppers. One Regus client in New York, David Robertson, said he had been looking forward to working at home from his Lower Manhattan apartment when he took a job in 2006 with a startup company that licenses images from college sports events, but that he lasted less than three months. "There seemed to be a lot of distractions," he said, "whether it was my children, or the refrigerator, or some home improvement project that was just sitting there staring at me." His company pays slightly less than US$1,000 a month for the cubicle he selected over an office with a closing door because it presented more opportunities to socialize.
He now wears a suit and tie to work when he wants to, and enjoys the reassuring cadences of the 9-to-5 world, as well as the camaraderie of his new office mates. "It's not like they're best friends," he said of his fellow business lounge denizens and the Regus staff members who are there to support them. "But they're adults you can have a conversation with." Young Wiese, who pays US$650 a month for a desk in a communal office in a private house near her apartment, said she, too, is happy to be surrounded by office mates who are friendly, if less gregarious than Wiese.
They share job leads with one another, they go out to lunch. She added that she prefers these relationships to those in a traditional office. "You have this collegial atmosphere, but it's not fraught with any work issues or roles or responsibilities," she said. Several of them are women who, like her, have abandoned their home offices to their work-at-home husbands. Abby Vaughn, an advertising representative for Canadian newspapers, actually took over her husband's space at the communal office when he was dismissed by the office manager after two weeks because his telephone manner was too loud. He is once again selling market research from home, while Vaughn goes off to the rented cubicle. "He's worked from his apartment for two years," his wife explained. "He wasn't used to being around people."
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"He kept talking to me about his work, which is very interesting, but it was really taking time out of my workday," Young Wiese said. "And when I was alone there was a sense of loneliness and procrastination." Wiese, who is writing a how-to book about exploration for teenagers, acknowledged the problem. "Nicci tends to be a lot more intense," he said. "Especially with lighter work, I can be watching a ballgame. If I saw a funny e-mail coming through I'd want to share it. I'd get these glances from her, like, `I'm working!'" Young Wiese is one of many of the millions of Americans now working outside traditional workplaces who have found themselves surprised by how difficult home-office life can be.
It requires strict self-discipline and an ability to tune out spouses, children and pets. For the more sociable or emotionally needy, it can feel like house arrest, especially if the phone hasn't rung in a while. Young Wiese's solution was to rent space in a communal office, an increasingly popular option for those who can afford it. (According to Sara Horowitz, the executive director of the Freelancers Union, a nonprofit organization that advocates for the self-employed, the use of communal work spaces has been on the rise among members for about three years, "and in the last year it's started accelerating.") Those who can't afford a separate space, or who find home too convenient or rewarding a workplace base to give up -- learn to live with the challenges, coming up with smaller-scale solutions over time.
One of the hardest adjustments for those working from home is deciding when to take a break, and when to quit for the day. With the computer always beckoning and the commute measured in the time it takes to cross the living room, there's always a reason to go back to work -- or an excuse to avoid it. "It's sort of a guilty feeling -- I should be working," said Kathy McHugh, a headhunter for high-tech companies who has worked out of her Manhattan apartment on and off for several years. "My office is 2 feet away." Children can be a distraction, as Barbara Magnoni, an international development consultant, discovered when she and Magali Montes, a business associate, tried to hold meetings in Magnoni's apartment after picking up their children from school. "We'd meet at home with our kids running around and they would think it was a play date when it actually wasn't," Magnoni said. Sid Holt, a media senior vice president whose office is in a barn a few steps from his house in northern Westchester County, described the difficulty of pacing himself. "There are no cigarette breaks," he said. "You're either working too hard or not hard enough." Holt said he finds it helpful to schedule his time in a way that mimics the 9-to-5 life of his years spent working in a New York office.
He tries to keep to a routine that includes breakfast at a local coffee shop -- reminiscent of his ritual of picking up coffee and a bagel at Grand Central Terminal on the way to his former job -- and a 10am conference call with three other employees of go2Media, a Boston-based mobile Web service for which he oversees editorial content. The conference call and frequent e-mail exchanges with other employees contribute to a sense of accomplishment that would be harder to achieve if he were working entirely on his own, he said. And they also help him to feel that he has earned the reward that once greeted him on his return from Manhattan, and that he still uses to punctuate the day. "I say to myself, there's a martini waiting for me down at the house and I'm leaving now," he said. For home-office workers who aren't in regular touch with colleagues or clients, a frequent complaint -- even among those who say they are distracted by other members of their households -- is of isolation.
David Behl, a photographer whose studio is connected to his TriBeCa loft, said he enjoys working at home when the jobs are pouring in and the studio is filled with clients and assistants. But at other times, he added, he misses the studio he used to share with two other photographers. "You don't see anybody," he said. "You don't go out for lunch. It's easier to get depressed because there's no one to complain to." McHugh said business lunches can be a lifeline after a couple of weeks working from home, and that she often finds herself glomming onto her daughter when she gets home from high school in the afternoon. "I'm happy to see somebody who's out in the world," she said. These issues have been observed at IBM, where a "mobile work force" strategy has led to 30 percent of employees working full time from home (as well as a savings on office space that the company estimates at US$100 million a year). "We found if you're working from home and do not have an interaction with someone from work, or a client, or a physical meeting, after three days you start to feel isolated," said Dan Pelino, who manages IBM's mobile work force program. Soon after the company introduced the program in 2001, he added, "people have said to me, `IBM stands for `I'm By Myself.'" The company has tried to mitigate this problem with "mobility centers," communal spaces that it maintains wherever it has offices, offering desks, phone and Internet lines, and office equipment for the periodic use of home-based workers. It has also promoted "IBM clubs," meant to encourage employee bonding.
Club members have taken day trips together to a zoo, traded cookie recipes and "gone to a race track and learned how to be a NASCAR driver," Pelino said. For those who can't depend on corporate beneficence, it is now possible to rent a desk or office in communal work spaces all over the country. The Regus Group, a Dallas-based company that rents temporary office space around the world and has 17 locations in Manhattan alone, has been doubling its US business every two years, said Guillermo Rotman, the company's chief executive for the Americas. In addition to cubicles and individual offices in various configurations, its spaces all have business lounges with sofas, armchairs, Internet ports, coffee machines and companionship for those seeking it.
The company also sells US$300-a-year passes to its business lounges, which number 950 around the world and cater to itinerant laptoppers. One Regus client in New York, David Robertson, said he had been looking forward to working at home from his Lower Manhattan apartment when he took a job in 2006 with a startup company that licenses images from college sports events, but that he lasted less than three months. "There seemed to be a lot of distractions," he said, "whether it was my children, or the refrigerator, or some home improvement project that was just sitting there staring at me." His company pays slightly less than US$1,000 a month for the cubicle he selected over an office with a closing door because it presented more opportunities to socialize.
He now wears a suit and tie to work when he wants to, and enjoys the reassuring cadences of the 9-to-5 world, as well as the camaraderie of his new office mates. "It's not like they're best friends," he said of his fellow business lounge denizens and the Regus staff members who are there to support them. "But they're adults you can have a conversation with." Young Wiese, who pays US$650 a month for a desk in a communal office in a private house near her apartment, said she, too, is happy to be surrounded by office mates who are friendly, if less gregarious than Wiese.
They share job leads with one another, they go out to lunch. She added that she prefers these relationships to those in a traditional office. "You have this collegial atmosphere, but it's not fraught with any work issues or roles or responsibilities," she said. Several of them are women who, like her, have abandoned their home offices to their work-at-home husbands. Abby Vaughn, an advertising representative for Canadian newspapers, actually took over her husband's space at the communal office when he was dismissed by the office manager after two weeks because his telephone manner was too loud. He is once again selling market research from home, while Vaughn goes off to the rented cubicle. "He's worked from his apartment for two years," his wife explained. "He wasn't used to being around people."
Author: Pedro Martinez
Learn to Write Free
Novel Writer Magazine
Writers Online Courses
Get Paid To Write
----------------
Visit More Learning Sites:
inspiredauthor
Get Your Book Published
Get Paid To Write
How I Built a Career
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