Writing and Publishing News from

There are so many things we have to take care of as the CEO of our books, not the least of which is maintaining our Very Important Professional Bio (VIPB).

One of my articles appeared in a publishing/book marketing newsletter yesterday and I noticed that my bio was outdated. I sure thought I’d made some changes to that bio. Had to remind the editor to correct it. Hope he does this time. It does no good to promote an out-of-print book in your bio.

You might think you’re doing the right thing by including a fresh bio each time you send an article to the magazine or newsletter. But if the editor has your bio on file, he may not look at the new one at the end of your article. He just tosses it and uses the one he has on file.

If you’re a prolific writer, 3 books to your credit can quickly become 6 (31 books can soon become 35), so make sure that the magazines you write for update your bio as needed.

Likewise, make changes at your website as your accomplishments and credits accumulate. Once you develop a great website, it’s up to you to keep it current. And it isn’t easy when your website is complex. I am always finding places where we neglected to make upgrades and changes at my website. But then, we’re dealing with a lot of pages—resources and articles for writers and authors, online courses, books for sale, testimonials, speaking schedule, information about my editorial business. There is a lot to consider each time I need to update something.

Avoid using a number of years or months. If you create a website or present a bio that says you’ve been writing for 20 years, you will have to adjust that number ever year. Use dates instead—“I began my writing career in 1992.” That way, you are always correct.

When you agree to do a presentation or workshop for a group or at a conference, they generally ask for a bio. Don’t just send one you have on file. Double check it to make sure it is still accurate. Once they post it at their site, check for any changes the organizer might have dared make. Yes, it does happen.

Sometimes the program chair for a smaller organization or club will just post the bio from the back of your book or get it from your website. This is another good reason to keep your website up-to-date and to always send a fresh bio when invited to speak.

When the speaking date comes close, find out who will introduce you and send that person a copy of your preferred introduction with all of the correct information in place. They may deviate from your preferred introduction, but at least they will get the dates, book titles, etc. correct.

Your assignment this week:
• Check the websites of any groups or for any conferences where you’ll be speaking to make sure your bio is correct.

• Make sure the editors of those publications you frequently write for has an updated bio on file.

• Go through your own website with a fine-toothed comb and correct inaccuracies and outdated facts.

• Google yourself to find out if there are other sites that post information about you that needs updating.

• If you are scheduled to speak within the next few weeks, send your preferred introduction to the person who will introduce you—at least send them a copy of your bio.

For the enormous amount of additional information you need as the CEO of your book, order my latest book combo now. Publish Your Book, Proven Strategies and Resources for the Enterprising Author and Promote Your Book, Over 250 Proven, Low-Cost Tips and Techniques for the Enterprising Author are being bundled by Amazon. The price keeps changing. Today, the price for both $19.95 books is $30.96. Also available in Kindle and at other online and downtown bookstores.

Just as a newborn baby should come with instructions, so should a newly published book. Of course, there’s plenty of material out there to help expectant parents, just as there is for newbie authors. So why do so many parents and so many authors face their new roles with so little knowledge? Why are they so ill-prepared?

We still hear about parents leaving their children in locked cars on hot summer days, leaving them unattended around a pool or at a playground. We see parents taking chances with their children while crossing busy streets, walking too close to traffic on narrow streets and driving around with kids out of their seatbelts.

While authorship does not involve quite the serious issues and responsibilities as parenthood because we’re not dealing with the lives of innocents, there are some similarities.

Way too many authors produce books without knowing how to nurture them once they arrive. They don’t realize how important their attention to book promotion is and how much time it will take, for example. Authors don’t understand how to prepare for a new book for a successful future. They may make all of the right moves and decisions with regard to “birthing” the book and then neglect it once it becomes a reality.

If you hope for a successful outcome for your planned book, be sure to read my latest book (I wrote it for you!). Publish Your Book, Proven Strategies and Resources for the Enterprising Author. It’s available at Amazon.com in print and Kindle and at most other online and downtown bookstores. You can also order your copy here: http://www.matilijapress.com

If you have an ebook to promote or are planning to produce one, download my FREE ebook, 50 Ways to Promote Your Ebook. http://www.patriciafry.com

If you’d like control over your book project, perhaps you should consider self-publishing. This means to establish your own publishing company. I’m teaching my Self-Publishing Workshop now—the first class went out to students via email today. There is still time to sign up for this 8-week online course. http://www.matilijapress.com/course_selfpub.htm

Do you have questions about publishing and book promotion that we could address here? Send them to me at PLFry620@yahoo.com or leave them as a comment here.

How do you support your fellow authors? It seems that we don’t have enough time and energy these days to do all that we feel we must, let alone be able to offer anything much to others. I think that busy authors are especially lacking in the support department.

Authorship is so all-consuming that we find ourselves overwhelmed by our own obligations and responsibilities. It takes practically everything we have to hold our own in the competitive publishing arena. The tasks involved in being a successful author take so much out of us that we have little left over.

Additionally, as writers, we’re accustomed to working in solitude—to handling every detail related to the writing, publishing and promotion aspects of our books alone. And we sometimes forget the value in reaching out to ask or to help.

I maintain, however, that reaching out and supporting other authors shouldn’t be viewed as losing something. So often a giving gesture fosters gifts for everyone involved. We know that. But we still withhold from others. What could we be doing better? What could we be doing more of? Here are some ideas:

• Read other authors’ books and post reviews at Amazon and other appropriate places. Not only will this please the other author, it will give you some added exposure and, perhaps, motivate the author to reciprocate in some way.

• Offer resources and help to fellow authors and struggling authors through your online and real-time networking groups.

• Provide articles/stories for newsletters related to your book’s genre/theme. You want to build a rapport with publishers and editors of these periodicals while reaching your book’s audience. (Not all newsletter editors depend on outside submissions, but many do.)

• If you become aware of a good resource or information you believe another author could use, let him or her know about it. I think most authors just bypass information with this thought, “So and so might be interested in this, but he may already know it or maybe he saw this article.” We quickly talk ourselves out of sharing the information because of assumptions.

• Read your colleague’s blog posts or newsletters at least occasionally and make comments. You know how much it means to know that someone is reading what you write and that they care enough to comment.

• Attend author signings and other events as a show of support. Others will follow suit.

• Recommend the books of others and let them know when you have done so.

Adopt a more altruistic demeanor with regard to your fellow authors—including those writing within your field or genre—and I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised at the domino effect of your genuine efforts.

SPAWN (Small Publishers, Artists and Writers Network) is a networking organization for anyone who is interested in or involved in publishing their work. Our members include highly successful authors, those just starting out and many in between. Our mission is to provide information and resources as well as the opportunity for networking and sharing. We provide an online discussion group and a newsletter as a forum for members. SPAWNews is FREE to anyone. Subscribe at the website (listed below). The SPAWN Market Update is for members only. We also have an online catalog of members’ books and services which is updated each year and printed as a handout at the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books and other events throughout the year.

Last weekend, we had a networking event in Ojai, CA with several members and their spouses in attendance.

For more information about SPAWN, to subscribe to SPAWNews and to join SPAWN, go to http://www.spawn.org