I must apologize for the delay in getting my notes from March's meeting on here. I had to end a long term, some what co-dependent relationship this month with a strong black fellow that goes by Joe. It wasn't Joe's fault. It was me. I just could handle it anymore. I felt anxious and depressed for hours after each encounter, and since our encounters seemed to take place every morning, somewhere between the kids whining for breakfast and me getting to brush my teeth for the day.. I felt that something had to change. I mean look us...
Just seeing the photo of us together.. brings back nostalgia. I can almost smell.. but I can't let myself think about it. It hurts too much. I'll miss my daily run ins with that hot steamy cup of Joe. Its a bitter end to a long and sweet relationship. But my sanity just couldn't handle such hot passion.
So there you have it. I quit the java. Ever since I've been a sad bed headed, make-up-less mess as I attempt to navigate a new reality of herbal teas and plain tap water. Java Joe was always so willing to get me through my blurry eyed mornings as soon as I stumbled out of bed, but it really seemed to bringing the worst out of me. Sometimes, you just have to know when to end it.
And now that I've provided excuses, let me get to my notes from our meeting with April Elder!
So there you have it. I quit the java. Ever since I've been a sad bed headed, make-up-less mess as I attempt to navigate a new reality of herbal teas and plain tap water. Java Joe was always so willing to get me through my blurry eyed mornings as soon as I stumbled out of bed, but it really seemed to bringing the worst out of me. Sometimes, you just have to know when to end it.
And now that I've provided excuses, let me get to my notes from our meeting with April Elder!
March's Meeting- Guest Speaker April Elder!
April was so insightful! I could barely write fast enough, she had so many tips on how to get your work published! She mainly talked about what to do with your finished manuscript. If you have a book done and just sitting about collecting dust, then read these notes! They will help you immensely!
Steps to Publishing Your Book-
1) Edit-
There are a lot of published books out there and a lot of them have been poorly edited. Having your book edited by a professional editor will provide your book with a polished feel that just may make it shine a bit brighter when you toss it into the pile of the book-stardust that illuminates the world of published authors. April recommends checking out the Gal in the Blue Mask, a freelance editor who was just picked up by Archway Publishing! The Gal in the Blue Mask has a heart for the indie writer, and she has great pricing.
If you don't want to shell out money for an editor, there are other options. You can barter services, ask a friend or family member, find an online forum that offers such services, etc. Bottom line is, you need someone with an outside perspective and a keen eye for grammatical errors. Word to the wise though. According to April, it is often better to go outside of your personal relationships when it comes finding an editor. After all, your best friend may be a minion of the Grammar Lord, but that doesn't mean they will be completely honest when it comes to editing your story. Let's face it, sometimes it can sting a bit when you find out just how many errors your story really has. Friends generally try to avoid hurting your feelings with blatant honesty. But it is worth it to hear the honest truth, even if you have to pay a bit to hear it!
2) Finding a publisher-
The possibilities are nearly endless when it comes to publishing. From free DIY publishing sites such as Amazon* or CreateSpace, to contracts with large publishing companies such as Penguin Publishing, to being your very own Publisher. The process of becoming published can be a daunting one! But there are a few questions you can ask yourself to help narrow things down.
Do you have a publishing budget?
Sure, it would be lovely if we all had diamond shoes and extra money just lying around, gathering dust. But the reality is some of us are on a tight budget. If that is you, then a Do It Yourself publishing site such as Amazon may be the best place for you to start! They have everything you need, from instructions, to templates to get started.
However, if you have a little extra money rattling in your piggy bank, you may consider looking into some professional publishing houses. Take caution though. Some publishing houses require hefty upfront fees, and may have a lengthy contract filled with confusing terms in a tiny font. It is advisable to sit down with a lawyer before signing one of these contracts to avoid having to market your own product, or relinquishing all rights to your work.
Another route is creating your own publishing company by purchasing an ISBN through The Library of Congress. This is a very time consuming method that will require the financial backing of your wallet. However, it does have its advantages. You will not only own all rights to your published works, but you will be able to sell and advertise your work to and where ever you like. Often times, publishers are terribly jealous and possessive of their authors. You in a sense belong to the publisher you sign on with, and may have some serious restrictions as to how and where you can sell your book. May I just reiterate, whether you self publish with an online site, or sign a 2 year contract with a well known publishing company, READ THE FINE PRINT.
Speaking of marketing, that leads us to our second question.
How much time do you have to market your product?
Whether you want to be a New York Times Best Seller, or you just want to provide your local community with your dazzling wit and fabulous intellect, you will have to either personally market your work, or pay a third party company to do it for you. If you plan to do it yourself, keep reading for some more of April's helpful hints. If you plan to hire out, again just be cautious and read all of the fine print. Twice.
3) Marketing-
So you have written your novel, had it scratched up by the editor and repaired delicately by your loving hand (maybe more than once), and you've chosen a publishing method! Don't lay your weary head to rest quite yet though your journey to becoming a published author isn't over! Marketing is a crucial part of getting your book into the hands of readers. Perhaps you signed a contact with a publisher and they will do most of the grunt work for you, but even still they may require some of your time for book signings.
But for the average Joe (oh, now I miss my coffee again..), you will probably have to do a good deal of marketing yourself. While social media and websites are great, there are a lot of ways to get your montage of the alphabet under the spectacles of someone new. The following are just a few tried and true ideas from April-
Steps to Publishing Your Book-
1) Edit-
There are a lot of published books out there and a lot of them have been poorly edited. Having your book edited by a professional editor will provide your book with a polished feel that just may make it shine a bit brighter when you toss it into the pile of the book-stardust that illuminates the world of published authors. April recommends checking out the Gal in the Blue Mask, a freelance editor who was just picked up by Archway Publishing! The Gal in the Blue Mask has a heart for the indie writer, and she has great pricing.
If you don't want to shell out money for an editor, there are other options. You can barter services, ask a friend or family member, find an online forum that offers such services, etc. Bottom line is, you need someone with an outside perspective and a keen eye for grammatical errors. Word to the wise though. According to April, it is often better to go outside of your personal relationships when it comes finding an editor. After all, your best friend may be a minion of the Grammar Lord, but that doesn't mean they will be completely honest when it comes to editing your story. Let's face it, sometimes it can sting a bit when you find out just how many errors your story really has. Friends generally try to avoid hurting your feelings with blatant honesty. But it is worth it to hear the honest truth, even if you have to pay a bit to hear it!
2) Finding a publisher-
The possibilities are nearly endless when it comes to publishing. From free DIY publishing sites such as Amazon* or CreateSpace, to contracts with large publishing companies such as Penguin Publishing, to being your very own Publisher. The process of becoming published can be a daunting one! But there are a few questions you can ask yourself to help narrow things down.
Do you have a publishing budget?
Sure, it would be lovely if we all had diamond shoes and extra money just lying around, gathering dust. But the reality is some of us are on a tight budget. If that is you, then a Do It Yourself publishing site such as Amazon may be the best place for you to start! They have everything you need, from instructions, to templates to get started.
However, if you have a little extra money rattling in your piggy bank, you may consider looking into some professional publishing houses. Take caution though. Some publishing houses require hefty upfront fees, and may have a lengthy contract filled with confusing terms in a tiny font. It is advisable to sit down with a lawyer before signing one of these contracts to avoid having to market your own product, or relinquishing all rights to your work.
Another route is creating your own publishing company by purchasing an ISBN through The Library of Congress. This is a very time consuming method that will require the financial backing of your wallet. However, it does have its advantages. You will not only own all rights to your published works, but you will be able to sell and advertise your work to and where ever you like. Often times, publishers are terribly jealous and possessive of their authors. You in a sense belong to the publisher you sign on with, and may have some serious restrictions as to how and where you can sell your book. May I just reiterate, whether you self publish with an online site, or sign a 2 year contract with a well known publishing company, READ THE FINE PRINT.
Speaking of marketing, that leads us to our second question.
How much time do you have to market your product?
Whether you want to be a New York Times Best Seller, or you just want to provide your local community with your dazzling wit and fabulous intellect, you will have to either personally market your work, or pay a third party company to do it for you. If you plan to do it yourself, keep reading for some more of April's helpful hints. If you plan to hire out, again just be cautious and read all of the fine print. Twice.
3) Marketing-
So you have written your novel, had it scratched up by the editor and repaired delicately by your loving hand (maybe more than once), and you've chosen a publishing method! Don't lay your weary head to rest quite yet though your journey to becoming a published author isn't over! Marketing is a crucial part of getting your book into the hands of readers. Perhaps you signed a contact with a publisher and they will do most of the grunt work for you, but even still they may require some of your time for book signings.
But for the average Joe (oh, now I miss my coffee again..), you will probably have to do a good deal of marketing yourself. While social media and websites are great, there are a lot of ways to get your montage of the alphabet under the spectacles of someone new. The following are just a few tried and true ideas from April-
- Consigning your book with local book stores.
- Book signing at local book stores, coffee shops, or your front yard during a neighborhood yard sale.
- Sending your book on a blog tour (Check out Sage's Blog and GitBM)
- Making Author Swag. Business cards, book marks, specialty pens, etc. anything that you can hand out to get your name out there. These are great to include in a little goody bags if you are asking book stores if they offer consignment sales.
That pretty much sums up the meeting. As you can see, this was a very informative meeting that involved a lot of Q&A, as well as a good deal of laughter. As always, listening to April's witty come backs and her sassy sense of humor was a pleasure. If you missed this meeting but want to hear from April again sometime, tell her in the comments! Who knows, maybe she will be generous enough to come back some time!
*The Lebanon Writer's Clique is not affiliated with any of the companies listed in the article.