A-ha!

Help us plan Publishing 3.0

Powered by Wufoo

Blog to Book to Blog

And back again.

The intersection of print and online publishing is where we live (WME Books, WME Blogs). So we are very proud and excited to share this conversation from our blog-buddy Toby Bloomberg's blogtalkradio show entitled Creating and Promoting Books with Social Media/Web 2.0. Toby's guests (she calls them rock stars) are book publicist Nettie Hartsock and our own Sybil Stershic, who blogs at Quality Service Marketing and wrote Taking Care of the People Who Matter Most: A Guide to Employee-Customer Care.

Just click the play button and get ready to learn.

Note: Because there is so much great information in the show covering both book- and blog-related topics, I'm going to cross-post this on A-ha! and WME Blogs, so please forgive. I think you'll want to listen to it more than once anyway ... and take notes!

Toby also blogged about the show and provided lists of tips from both Nettie and Sybil. Here's a taste:

Nettie: "Ask not what a blogger can do for you, ask how you, your book or your product can benefit the blogger and its readership ..."

Sybil: [on applying the "3 Rs" from her book to how authors should treat reviewers] "Reinforce their helping you with appropriate reciprocity (such as linking to their blog or website on your blog)."

There's more on Toby's blog and much more in the interview, so I'll get out of the way.

Note 2: In the interest of full disclosure (and maybe a little shameless self-promotion), Sybil is one our authors and her book is one of our best sellers since it's release last October. And she REALLY "gets" the whole blog to book to blog marketing concept.

We also have a connection to blogtalkradio, John Havens (VP of Business Development). John is co-authoring a book on business transparency with another of our clients, Shel Holtz, for Jossey-Bass and it's IABC book series. WME is acting as their agents.

How Do You Write A Book? My Story

Post by George Kittredge

How do you write a book, especially when you have never written one before? Here’s my story.

For years I have suggested to many of my colleagues and friends that they aught to write a book. I have a number of friends with extraordinary, creative minds. They would be perfect candidates for writing an entertaining fiction. And others who have particular expertise, interest and experience in areas such as business, the arts and travel seemed to me to be authors in waiting. So I encouraged all of them to pursue something that they had never done before. Write a book.

Curiously, I had never encouraged myself to do the same thing.

That was until a little over two years ago. I was doing some volunteer counseling for a business-oriented, not-for-profit organization when one of organization’s leaders asked if I would be a presenter at an upcoming seminar/workshop they were planning. The workshop was to be attended by approximately 30 business owners. They wanted me to offer some ideas and tips drawing on my sales and marketing experience about how to promote a business and attract clients.

I agreed to submit an outline of what I would talk about. The understanding was that if they liked my outline, I would do the workshop.

As the workshop date approached and with me scheduled to be one of the presenters, I began to seriously think about what I was going to say. It had to be entertaining, interactive and provide each of the audience members with some lasting value. So I had to have more than just an outline.

In the weeks that followed I began to write down ideas addressing each of the topics in my outline - at first just phrases and thoughts, and later paragraphs. One of the first things I realized was that ideas can strike you at the strangest times. (Did you ever try to write something on a clipboard while negotiating a corner on a ride-on mower in third gear?)

Over the next few months, my one-page seminar agenda was turning into a book. And as this book began to unfold, it also began to take on a life of its own. I found myself, at times, working on four or five chapters at a time. There were some months where I did not write anything at all. Then I would pick it up again and write as the ideas came to me. Most importantly, I did not try to force ideas. When I was inspired, I wrote. When I was not, I did not.

As I completed one chapter after another (with lots of re-writing), my goal became just to finish the book. I’ve met a number of people who have started books, then put them on a back burner where they still remain. Finishing this project became important to me.

Early in 2005, I made a resolution to myself that if I was going to complete the book (and it looked like I was), then I was going to get it published. I figured that if I had spent all this time writing a book, at least I should give other people a chance to read it. Besides, it is kind of neat to be able to say that you are a published author.

I discovered that with today’s technology, publishing has become much more author-friendly. It makes no difference whether your book is the next best-selling novel or winds up as gifts to your family and friends. Anyone who has the desire to write can become a member in good standing in the universal author’s club. And you don’t need to print 2000 copies to warehouse in your garage either.

Thanks to the good folks at WMEBooks, my book was published and released this past August. The book is now part of seminars and workshops that I still do. And I have to tell you, it’s a lot of fun to have other professionals read you book and offer their reviews and opinions. So far, people have been very kind.

In a later post, I will share with you a mistake I made when it came to publishing my book and how I corrected it.

It took me two years (on and off) to write my book. Will I write another? I don’t know. But I do know that I will encourage anyone who has even the faintest desire to write a book to do so. I think they find it as personally rewarding as I did.

How to Write a Book

The most frequently asked question I get from folks who find out we're a publishing company is, "So, how, exactly, does one write a book?"

The 'how to write a book' question is fraught with emotion. When I hear it, I pause a moment to gather my thoughts, all the while observing the person who asked it -- because it's in that observation that I learn the true question behind the spoken words. Often, it isn't confusion over how to write a book -- the easy answer, of course, is -- sit down at your keyboard and type [or grab a pen/pencil, a legal pad, and begin) -- the confusion is actually in organizing one's writing to become a book.

I'm putting together a simple, straightforward how-to called THE 'How to Write a Book' Book with advice and personal experiences -- from a number of folks who have written books. Many of the contributors are first-time authors. I asked them to write about their experience, about what inspired them and kept them working until the project was done.

This book will grow, over time, as I hope to add more author essays. For the time being, it will be a free download on the WME Books website. When it gets to -- oh, 100 pages or more -- I will ask a small contribution of say $5.95, where 50% will be gathered in a fund for aspiring writers to apply for, and the other 50% will be given to a woman's charity since I write a great deal about women over at my other blog and much of that (including my current book) has helped fund WME Books.

The people who so generously contributed to this book will be thanked profusely, by myself, of course, but also by the folks who download (or buy) the book. I just think it's more powerful to read the experiences and thoughts of writers who have gone before you, than it is to pick up a Writer's Digest magazine and devour article after article on character development, or citations, or voice.

Writer's Digest is a worthy publication, don't get me wrong. I recommend it highly. In fact, it was instrumental in opening my eyes to the 'active voice' issue. And, I learned to 'show' not 'tell' by reading it. So, don't think I'm trashing any of the great publications, magazines and/or books already written to help new writers learn their craft. I'm merely saying, I'm taking a different approach. I want to show you how, not tell you how.

Over the last year, WME Books has seen some hard times, as any new start-up will. We've also seen many happy times. We've met some outstanding writers, lots of really talented people, and over the months we've learned that being flexible is key to our success. We maintain our belief that all would-be authors deserve respect and consideration, just as much as established authors.

Currently, we are going through a transition, redefining our approach to print-on-demand publishing. This comes from interaction with the numerous contacts we've made this year, via the net and via referrals in our local community. We aspire to excellence -- which means -- we will work with our authors to make sure their book is everything they hoped it would be. We will not publish each and every book that comes across our desk. But, we will tell the authors openly and honestly, why we choose or do not choose to publish their work.

For those few authors, and there are only a few (so far), who do not meet our standards (we need to feel confident we can market the book successfully; it does the author no good and WME Books no good, if the book is not marketable) we offer training -- which costs money, yes. We also give advice, suggest other publishers that might suit their needs better, and we offer encouragement, because the act of writing and presenting that writing to someone for a review, deserves applause, in and of itself.

I hope YOUR publisher is doing as much for you.

Stay tuned for the announcement on our THE 'How to Write a Book'  Book -- COMING SOON!

Changing Trends in Book Publishing

I've known writers who say, "I don't care if I ever get published. I write because I like writing."

To them, I say, "Hogwash."

I've known writers who say, "I just want to get published. I don't care if I make any money."

To them, I say, "Hogwash."

I've also known writers who say, "This is a good book. It should be a best-seller."

To them, I say, "Right on!"

High aspirations are healthy. Deluding yourself into thinking your hard work is not worth... a) being published (and that's what you're saying when you say you don't care if it ever gets published), or... b) selling well enough to make you some $$, maybe a lot of $$, is foolishness.

In the over 20 years I've been a writer, and in the last 10 where I've actually been published -- for $$ -- I have come to the realization that writing is hard work, and no one will pay me for my hard work, if I don't ask for payment.

Where does that leave the book writer? If the big publishing house won't return his calls?

Luckily, today's technology puts the answer right in the author's lap. Today's innovative print-on-demand technology gives everyone the option of becoming published. That's a good thing, and a bad thing. The trend is in citizen publishing -- take a blog, for instance -- several folks have written books on their blogs. For those who still prefer secrecy, websites like Lulu.com will take just about anything offered to them, and turn it into -- well, into something THEY call a book.

I call it -- false advertising. Why? Because many uninitiated writers (new authors) overlook the importance of a captivating cover, of page layout, of an introduction or an index, of paper stock and back cover testimonials; all parts of selling your book, parts which Lulu.com doesn't offer-- without a hefty added fee.

In order to understand how far publishing has come, we need to travel back to the previous century, where self-publishing was done on an offset printer -- and cost upwards of $10,000, for which an author might receive 5,000 books. That's $2/book, for the math-challenged. Not bad. Generally, one would expect to turn around and sell his or her book for -- well, at least $5, wouldn't you say? That's a fine profit.

But -- wait. Let's look at the details. First, the author would have to find a reputable printer, she would have to produce a manuscript with the exact specs the printer needed, and then, she would have to be prepared to pay the printer for all of the books at once. After receiving her books, she would then have to sell them -- herself.

I'm here to tell you that a lot of books got left in their boxes, and sat in people's dining rooms or car trunks -- because authors published this way and then -- could not sell their work. Not many writers are good salespeople.

The reason authors took this route was because they got tired of waiting for their agent (if they were lucky enough to get one) or the editor at a large publishing house, to get back to them about their cherished manuscript (this still happens today, sadly enough).

Other authors got burned -- their manuscript got accepted, whereupon the big publisher had the author sign away ALL RIGHTS and then -- after years of waiting (sometimes as many as 3 years) the publisher changed its mind, deciding NOT to publish the book after all. In fact, some authors' books did get published, but -- because it had taken so long to publish them, the market could no longer support them and the publisher -- gave the book back to the author, right? Not! The publisher sent the printed copies to a warehouse, where they would eventually -- be discarded. And the writer? Well, he or she had signed away her rights to the book -- it was gone, never to see the light of day.

That was then. This is now. Now, there is a way to become published that doesn't cost as much as the old-fashioned self-publishing, and doesn't cheat the author. It's called print-on-demand. But, this method is also fraught with difficulties, to the uninformed.

My experience with print-on-demand led me to start my own company, because I did not receive the respect, nor the attention, I thought I should get for my book. Essentially, I ended up paying to have my book printed -- and when I contracted for additional services, I was denied because of the title of my book. Even though my publisher KNEW the title, and that it was a double-entendre, all along.

After my unlucky experience, I recognized the weaknesses in many POD companies -- they help authors get PRINTED (not published), and then -- they turn their attention to the next client, never caring whether the author sells her work.

In the past 2 years, I've come across numerous companies online that profess to explain print-on-demand. None of their explanations serve the author well. Some are blatantly false, others are misinformed. Some companies are just what they say -- print-on-demand printers. That's to say, they print documents and books. They seldom offer design advice or expertise. Occasionally, they have partners which offer cover design. Occasionally, they include editing and proofreading, at an additional cost. In the end, they mislead authors into thinking their printing services are all the author really needs.

Other POD companies I've come across offer package deals, attempting to cover all the bases. The author is then offered anywhere from 10-100 books, with the option to buy more at a reduced price. Sometimes, these companies will offer to write press releases or they will include a booklet on marketing to their authors. When all is said and done, the author is left, once again, to fend for herself.

Here's the skinny -- print-on-demand is not new anymore. Lots of companies do it. Most of them treat the project as a printing project. Some actually attempt to act like publishers, but they are few and far between at this point.

Authors can do very well using print-on-demand -- especially if he or she truly wants to break into the big publishing houses. Because those big NY and CA houses are watching POD very closely. Some are even partnering with POD companies -- to help save costs on book returns. True POD only publishes a book when someone orders it (after the first, initial print run). The key is to hire an author services company.

And, to understand that most POD books are sold online, via Amazon or other independent book sellers who do business on the net. They take the lion's share of the profits, too. You won't see your POD book on the shelf at a Barnes and Noble store, and the chances of it turning up at the library, are slim -- unless YOU or your publisher do the work to get it there. You won't see POD books reviewed in Publisher's Weekly (though they say they give consideration to some).

An author hoping to have his or her book become a best-selling tome, had better be prepared to... a) work very hard selling and marketing the book, and/or... b) spend some $$ on professional help that can help sell the book. When you're researching POD companies, and author services companies, keep that in mind.

After all is said and done, is the company you choose going to help you SELL your book? Think that over very seriously. Then, think about this: the average first-time, print-on-demand author sells about 75 books. Not even enough to cover the print costs. If you're serious about your work, and you should be, get serious about producing a professional book that your publisher can help you sell. And then, get serious about selling it. You should expect to sell at least 500-- a respectable amount. A thousand would be even better -- just think of the possibilities if you sell 5 or 10,000.

Think big. Work hard. Be happy.

Advice for the Blog-lorn

Good information over at Debbie Weil's blog BlogWriteforCEOs on her book deal with Penguin Portfolio. Note the timeframe involved from first contact to contract signing. And, when the book will actually be out. This link to Elizabeth Wales' agent information is invaluable.

We congratulate Debbie on her accomplishments, and recommend her advice to all. While we promote self-publishing using an author services company, and the quick turn around of Print-on-Demand, there is something to be said for having an agent and getting a book contract from an old-fashioned publisher.

In this case, Debbie was already way ahead of the curve. Not only is she already a published author, she's personable, smart, talented, and in the know. All the qualities one needs to be an A-list blogger and famous author.

We know that the old-fashioned world of publishing is taking a long, hard look at us -- independent publishers who use POD. They're looking for good work, authors with talent, and places to partner with. If you visit Tom and Marilyn Ross's webpage on some high-powered self-published authors, you can see how this venue might be a good way to get started. Then, you can be just like Debbie Weil: writing great stuff and sharing insight into the way to a publisher's heart.

One of the best things about Debbie is her openness. She's blogging her book...how cool is that? No wonder she gets the right attention from the right folks.

Books and blogging: it's a match made in heaven, whether you're using an author services company or an old-fashioned publishing company.

Don't be a Guy!

What makes a book or its message memorable?

What makes them stick in your head?

... Become part of the way you think and talk?

I've been wondering about these questions lately. Partly, because I want my own writing to have that kind of "stickiness" — to borrow back the term used about Web sites. Partly, my interest comes from trying to help other authors achieve it.

But most recently, I've been trying to figure out how our friend Seran Wilkie did it in her new book, what a day ... What a Day!

(We'll get back to the title of this post, Don't be a Guy!, in a moment, I promise.)

Now, Seran is a professional communicator and, as the Director of the Center for Mental Efficiency, her business revolves around helping others communicate better — with each other and with themselves. But I must confess, it's been a surprise to me and all of us around the office how often we find ourselves refering to What a Day! and repeating catch phrases like:

"Don't be a Guy!"

and (if anyone says they're having a bad day):

"Have we got a book for you!"

After all, What a Day! is not offered as a literary classic. It's not a treatise on some deep subject. So what is it about this book that has those who read it repeating — even encoding — its message into their everyday interactions and then passing on copies to their friends and acquaintances.

Just last week, we had a new author come into WME Books and provide one of those "full circle" experiences. In the course of the conversation, he pulled out a copy of What a Day! that had been given to him by a friend of his who works at a company where Seran consults.

Here are a few of my tentative conclusions. First, Seran kept her message simple and clear. Read the subtitle: Never have another bad day. Yes, she really means it ... NEVER have another bad day. Everything in this slender volume points toward showing us how our own chosen responses to events allow "bad days" to happen and then it shows us how to stop them from happening again.

So clarity of message seems to be the first essential to a memorable book.

Second, Seran delivers her message in the form of a story. Storytelling has been the most effective way to deliver a message since humans learned to speak. What a Day! tells the story of a day in the life of Guy, through a series of events that you'll no doubt find all too familiar. Beginning at the moment Guy awakens, we share his experiences, his interactions with family and coworkers, and his thoughts about these events, until after he tucks his six-year-old daughter, Irene, into bed that night.

By letting us "live" the day along with Guy, Seran's book helps us understand at a personal level how Guy's responses at a few critical moments caused his downhill slide into what most people would call a "bad day." Seran reminds us in her Preface and After Story commentary that these responses are learned and become largely automatic over time, but they can also be unlearned and offer us many daily opportunities to make conscious choices that lead to different results.

At the end of Guy's day, he glimpses a different way of looking at things in the words of his daughter Irene, "Lucky Daddy!" Seran's delightful little story ends with Guy falling aspleep himself, not quite sure what to make of Irene's "innocent" response. By forcing us to speculate whether Guy will "get it," Seran succeeds in making the problem clear and the solution our own.

Finding ways to get your readers personally involved, then, seems to be another effective way to make your book memorable.

Note: I hope that this last point clarifies the title of this post?!?!?

Finally, Seran sprinkled a handful of photo illustrations through her story to supplement her words at crucial points.

The downhill slide,

from the hectic race to get ready for work after waking up late,

to the frustrating drive through rush hour traffic,

to Guy's feelings of being trapped in his job,

our emotional responses are guided with pictures, as well as words.

This technique continues to the plot twist at end of the story, when Guy's bedtime conversation with Irene leaves him pondering her completely different way of looking at the same event that had started out his "bad day." We experience the charming moment right along with Guy, aided by another image Seran provides.

The lesson for authors: whenever possible use graphics to add to the emotional punch of your writing.

Seran's lesson for the rest of us: Don't be a Guy!

* * * * * * *

We'd love to hear your ideas on what makes a book and its message memorable. And your examples to illustrate (!) your points.

Imagination, Inspiration, and Creativity

What do imagination, inspiration, creativity, and technology have to do with each other?

Well, if you’re a person who has a story to tell, these are the essential elements you need to produce a book.

Many of us would be writers often need a quite a bit of inspiration. Then we have to rustle up some creativity to bring our imagination to fruition. Technology is the necessary tool to help bring this process to a dimension that can be made available to share with others.

For many years people like you and I may have thought about writing a book. We contemplated the huge investment it would entail and panicked.

The possibility of spending long hours at the keyboard created an anxiety that ultimately resulted in our dream remaining in our minds. Looking at all the books out in the world was enough to squelch our ideals, after all who were we to think a publisher would find our work worthy of publishing?

The great news is the only person who needs to find your work worthy of publication is you!

WMEBooks is here to see that your hard work and devotion is validated by working with you to get your book into print because we know what it's like for authors to be rejected time and time again. We understand how painful it is to have someone minimize your investment. That’s why we go the extra mile to take our authors through the process by establishing a relationship that is based on personalized service deeply rooted with respect, trust and constant communication.

WMEBooks take its service to a higher level than other POD companies. Our experience enables us to realize what writers need in order to get their project in perfect condition before it gets published. Each book has different needs and requires different services. This individual attention allows us to develop a relationship with our authors, which continually encourages them to be creative, inspired and energized.

We live in such a technological time. We see new advances revealed every day. The technology of Print on Demand publishing is a process that is still in its infancy. WMEBooks is proud to identify this as an exciting business where our professional staff can continue to enhance and evolve into new avenues that will only serve to benefit our authors even more.

So sit down, take a deep breath, close your eyes and imagine. Imagine the best selling novel you’ve always wanted to write. Imagine taking the years of knowledge you’ve acquired and sharing the new ideas you have with others. Imagine finally being able to teach some old dogs some new tricks!

Take the time to put your thoughts together and create the book inside of you. The hardest thing is just getting started. Once you take that first step, don’t look back because WMEBooks is here by your side to see that your book is completed and proudly offered to the world, exactly as you dreamed it would be.

That's what our founder, Yvonne DiVita did...and this is the first book she produced. We think you can do the same--- and we'll be writing and sharing more advice in this blog, to help you.

Now, with my post, you've met Yvonne, Tom and me, Maryanne. In future posts, we have guest writers, but regardless of who is writing the blog-- our readers are the most important people to us. We invite your comments and questions.

This blog, like writing itself, is an evolving process. It needs many minds to be successful. Minds like yours...

A Gathering-place for Authors and their Ideas

Again, a warm Welcome! to everyone. And we do mean everyone, since we believe the adage that everyone has at least one BOOK in them.

Yes, that includes you. Remember that book idea that's been germinating in your head for ... what, years now? This blog is meant to help anyone with the desire to take that idea and nurture it into the book you've always dreamed of writing.

Along the way, we'll all learn from each other. Our successes and challenges will provide guideposts to smooth the way for the next author.

A-ha! Authors helping authors.

Which reminds me, where are my manners? Introductions are in order.

We're Yvonne, Tom, and Maryanne, the ones who'll be writing the main posts. That was Yvonne writing yesterday. This is Tom writing today. And you'll hear from Maryanne tomorrow.

Confused? Well, don't worry. It's like we've just met and been introduced in a group. It may take a couple of visits for us all to get comfortable. Think of this blog as a virtual gathering place, like it's the watercooler or coffee area at WME Books, where you can stop by and get to know us. As you do, we're going to share our experiences with our own writing and encourage our authors to do the same. We hope you'll join in, too, with comments and maybe a guest post?

We're writers and bloggers ouselves. Yvonne is well known for her Lip-Sticking blog focused on marketing to women online. Tom's is called Knowledge Aforethought and he writes about "collecting and connecting the dots" (i.e. knowledge management and information design). Maryanne recently launched her own blog, Maryanne's Blog: Powdering Our Noses.

Together we all work to help others join the "bloggersation" (Maryanne's word) with our Business Blogging Boot Camp seminars and the supporting Business Blogging Boot Camp blog.

There, that gives you a start on who we are. What we want to share here are books ... and the ideas that fill them ... whether they've been written yet or not ... by us, or one of our authors, or you.

Please join us.