Writing and Publishing News from

Oh my gosh, am I ever disappointed and pretty discouraged, too. Yesterday, I spent hours and hours doing the type of research I am always nagging at you authors to do. I did numerous Google searches in an attempt to locate cat-related sites that welcome story/article submissions from others, review books on cats and/or have newsletters for which they solicit submissions. And what did I find? Sites that are difficult to navigate, a lot of outdated material and faulty contact forms.

In some cases, I spent quite a bit of time in an attempt to locate an email address and, when I attempted to use it, discovered that it was bad. SIGH!

The sites that solicited articles and stories, did so only with threats and unreasonable demands—“This had better be the real deal and original material or else…” and “By offering this to us, we have the right to take your firstborn child…” Well, practically. From the sounds of their Terms they want more rights than the author ever had.

Directories. Now don’t even get me started on directories. I love them. I am always providing links to directories for SPAWN members who read my incredible SPAWN Market Update, for those of you who read my blog, in my various books, etc. But I get so crabby when I meet up with a directory of publications, distributors, agents, publishers, newsletters or ? where every other listing is bad. Sometimes directories, which are supposed to be designed to save us time in our searches, end up taking (and wasting) immensely more time.

It isn’t unusual, when you meet up with one of these poorly maintained directories, to average one or two good sources for every hour or two of work. I can attest to that.

When you plan to do the type of Internet research that I and other professionals recommend, whether you are promoting a book or attempting to take your freelance writing business to the next level, make sure that you have plenty of time. Here are some additional tips:

• Approach the task with large helpings of patience.
• Expect dead ends, the run-around and Wild Toad rides.
• Use every bit of common sense and creativity you have when searching for contact information. (I’ve written about how to do this in a previous blog post. If you request it, I’ll repeat it for you.)
• If a rather difficult site is valuable to you, note in a folder somewhere how to navigate it so you won’t forget the next time you want to visit.
• Contact the owner of the site with questions if the site doesn’t respond to them.
• If you can’t find the owner’s contact information on the site, do separate Google searches in an attempt to get a good email address.

And folks, if you have a website dedicated to your book or your freelance writing business, please, please keep an eye on it. Make sure to update it regularly. Go through the resource list and remove any bad links. Fix broken links. Evaluate your site from the perspective of a technological neophyte. How can you simplify your site so that it welcomes and guides your potential clients/customers rather than repel them?

Believe me, I intend heeding this advice with greater regularity concerning my own site, http://www.matilijapress.com

It is certainly easy to take your website for granted. Many authors and freelance writers do it. I have been guilty of it, myself. But why would anyone change his or her email address and not tell their site visitors? And why would they bury their email address so deeply into the crevices of their website that it takes a trained bloodhound to find it?

Let’s all make a pact to visit our own websites at least once every few months. View your site as if you are someone from Mars. Is it well-organized and easy to navigate? Does it realistically represent you/your services/your book? Check the links, evaluate your menu “items,” and don’t forget to check your spelling and grammar.

Now this is a whole “nother” topic, but have you noticed how many sites are riddled with errors? And do you know what? Some people don’t even care. Mention it to them and they will make excuses for not dealing with it. In the meantime, they are offending and repelling many potential customers and clients.

Wanna hear something crazy? (It makes me crazy, too). One publishing newsletter I receive carries a disclaimer stating that the “editor” knows there may be typos and errors in grammar, but not to pay any attention to them—just benefit from the information and resources. I wonder why this person doesn’t just hire an editor and make the best presentation possible.

I pointed out to another author and newsletter editor recently that, while he provides such a valuable service through the writing he does, he is a bit behind the times when it comes to certain editorial rules. He said, in so many words, “I know. I like doing it the way I do—I choose not to conform.”

SCREEEEAAAAAMMMMM!!!

I’ve had some interest lately in some of my online courses. I guess it’s that time of year—things have finally settled down after the holidays. If you would like someone to walk you through the book proposal or self-publishing process, you want help establishing a freelance writing business or you need some assistance with book promotion, check out my courses at http://www.matilijapress.com/courses.htm

Have you ever stopped to count the different methods you use for promoting your book? What number do you think is adequate? A dozen? Twenty-five? One hundred?

Actually, if you are selling thousands of copies each month through just one promotional activity which you repeat over and over and over again, and you are happy with that result, then, for you, one is enough. And if you are pursuing dozens of promotional ideas and selling only a book here and there; now and then, perhaps, it isn’t the number of activities you’re engaged in that is important. Maybe this is the wrong sort of promotion for your particular book or you aren’t going about the activity in a way that will compliment your book sales.

I meet authors at both ends of this spectrum every year and all throughout the middle points.

We each have comfort levels when it comes to book promotion. Some of us love to get out and talk to people—give presentations, set up booths at public events, do radio interviews, network in large groups and even sell our books door-to-door at households and businesses, for example. Others prefer staying in the background while spreading the word about their books via press releases, articles and through forums. And then there are the creative types who run contests in order to get their books noticed, start complex projects to bring attention to their books and/or build elaborate, interactive websites for promoting their books.

Do you see yourself somewhere among these authors? Where do you fit in when it comes to promoting your book? And what are the results? Are you selling enough books to suit you? Would you like to be selling more? And here’s the hard question, what are you willing to do in order to increase your book sales? Hopefully, you are aware that if you are not selling the number of books you dream of, it is not the fault of your “self-publishing” company, your traditional royalty publisher, the guy you hired to do the cover design, the bookstore manager in town, the magazine editor who won’t review your book, the website owner who won’t post your book or your cat, who strategically placed an ooey gooey furball on a book you left out on the coffee table overnight.

Then who can you blame? Don’t blame anyone—just get out there and start putting forth more effort in the right direction. Here are a few low and no cost ideas for you to consider. I suggest that you choose those that would put your book before your target audience. This may seem elementary, but it is something we need to consider. We are inclined to stay within our comfort zones for the sake of—well, our comfort. So it’s easy to say, for example, “I’ll email all of my friends and pitch my book on how to prepare to earn a degree in psychology,” when your audience is actually people you don’t know—people who are considering a career in psychology. Don’t do this. If you’re not marketing to your audience, you might as well not market at all. Here are some ideas you might pursue this week:

• Set up your own blog site and post often.
• Ask to be interviewed or to be a guest blogger at popular blog sites related to your topic.
• Do a few home parties. Either give a demonstration or engage guests in acting out a scene from your book. You’ll see this idea listed on page 64 of my book, Over 75 Good Ideas for Promoting Your Book. http://www.matilijapress.com
• If your book is nonfiction, build a website full of resources related to the theme of your book to attract your target audience.
• We’re entering book festival season—find some close to your home or where you will be vacationing this year—and sign up for booth space.

Are you already doing all of these things? If so, how’s it going? If not, let us know which ones you will start pursuing before the month ends. Let us know if you’d like to see more of my book promotion ideas in future blog posts.

In the meantime, check out my helpful books for authors and freelance writers at http://www.matilijapress.com

According to an article in the Chicago Tribune, while most book sales are flat, some books are selling well. What are they? Romance (I want to feel good), American history (What’s this recession all about?) as well as Science Fiction and Fantasy titles (Take me away, please!)

Typically, in times of distress, warm fuzzy books also sell, such as my new book, Catscapades, Tales of Ordinary and Extraordinary Cats, inspirational books and those with feel-good, happy-ending stories.
http://www.matilijapress.com/catscapades.html

I would venture to guess that self-help books on managing finances/budgeting, job hunting, growing your own food, dressing your family for less, etc. are also popular right now.

Are you the author of a book in any of these categories? What are you doing with it? Are you keeping it under wraps waiting for a better economy in which to market it? Maybe this is the right economy. Perhaps this is the time to promote, promote, promote.

If you are new to book marketing, you might be at a loss for what to do first. If your book has been around for a while and sales have dwindled, maybe you feel that you’ve exhausted all of your options. But, if your book is in any of the categories listed above (and, perhaps, even a category we haven’t mentioned), you might be missing out on some impressive income by hiding that book away.

Here’s what I would suggest to my clients with appropriate self-help or informational titles or books within the romance, science fiction and/or fantasy realm:

• Go locate your stored boxes of books and dust them off or order more books printed from your “self-publishing” company and devise a marketing plan.

• Consider what activities were most successful when you were heavily involved in promoting your book. Pursue those. (These might include giving presentations and/or demonstrations at appropriate meetings and other events, getting book reviews, doing book signings, setting up at book fairs and flea markets, doing home parties, etc.)

• Outline promotional activities that you haven’t tried yet, but that seem conducive to your particular book. (Being guest blogger at appropriate sites, conducting workshops related to the theme of your book, live and online networking or enrollment and participation in related groups and organizations, for example.)

• Deem book promotion more important than watching TV, clubbing, sitting around feeling sorry for yourself and reading/knitting/woodworking. Give up something in order to gain the time you need to promote your book.

• Evaluate your website and the content of your blog. Do these promotional avenues need revamping, updating, your additional commitment?

• Launch a newsletter for greater reach in spreading your message.

• Connect with other websites in order to give your book additional exposure.

There’s so much more that you could be doing in order to increase or jumpstart your book sales and, authors, this might be just the time to do it.

I’d like to hear what you are doing to increase your book sales during this economic downturn. Is it working? Would you recommend it to others? What kind of book are you promoting? Has the reception been good or not?

This blog is just one avenue through which I share with and try to help other authors through the sometimes overwhelming world of publishing and book promotion. You can help, too. If you have experienced success, overcome a book marketing challenge, discovered a great promotional idea, why not share your story here and possibly help a fellow author.

For additional help during these unsettling times, read my book, The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book, and/or my ebook, The Author’s Repair Kit. http://www.matilijapress.com

Question: Currently, The Author’s Repair Kit is in ebook form, only. Would you like to see me offer it also as a print book?

My book sales are up. SPAWN membership is on the rise. Clients are requesting my assistance. The writing life is good. I hope you all can say the same. Are your extra efforts to get your articles published or to sell books paying off for you? Why shouldn’t they be?

Sure, we’re in a severe economic situation. But does this mean we should give up our dreams or our careers? What is the unemployment rate now—in some places it’s over 8 percent. But this means that 92 percent of us are working. Likewise, magazines are folding. But, believe it or not, new magazines are also being launched at a fairly good rate. Book sales may be down, but books are selling—why not yours?

This is no time to slack off when it comes to promoting your book or yourself. In fact, this is your opportunity to get noticed. Is the competition still stiff? Well, yes. But there are also many freelance writers and authors who have been scared off by industry rumors that the times are bad—that books aren’t selling and that magazines are not buying stories and articles. Think about it, this might be a perfect time to hit it hard—when others are retreating.

So what are you going to do this week to boost your book sales or get your articles or stories published? Here are some ideas:

Sell More Books
• Make news and then report it. How? Get involved in something pertaining to the theme of your book—develop a children’s hour at the local library, conduct a workshop for seniors who need help budgeting in these difficult times, open your offices to couples financial counseling FREE every Friday afternoon, establish a weekend sandwich or stew feed for local homeless and other struggling families, volunteer to read your entire novel over a two-week period to folks at a local senior center, for example. And then report it to the newspaper. Your book will get a plug. Parlay your publicity by getting folks in other communities involved in similar programs and get more press outside of your area.

• Travel around outside of your community on weekends and visit independent bookstores with your books. If you can coordinate a signing, a radio or TV appearance, a workshop or talk someplace locally, you’ll have a greater chance of getting into the bookstore AND of selling those books.

• Run a contest or another project to bring awareness to your website and your book. In preparing this program, remember to respond to your potential customers’ most burning question, “What’s in it for me?”

Get Your Articles Published
• Seek out new (to you) magazines—some of those that may be a bit obscure, but that pay pretty well. Approach them with some of your best article ideas or fiction stories.

• Contact those magazine editors with whom you have good working relationships. Ask for an assignment.

• Get out and around town. Visit new businesses. Attend festivals, art shows, plays, concerts, etc. seeking article ideas. Ideas might come through eaves dropping, from interviews with key people at the event or business or simply as a question in your own mind, for example. Expand on the idea and you may quickly generate a good article concept.

There’s a lot that we can do in order to increase our visibility and value as writers and authors. Sitting home and fretting about the economy and the future is not one of them.

So the theme for today’s blog post is “Get Out and Make Something Happen.” If you are in the process of writing a book or even if you are just thinking about doing it, order my book, The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book. http://www.matilijapress.com/rightway.html

If your book sales are lagging and you, as a published author, are floundering, order my ebook, The Author’s Repair Kit. This book will help you to breathe new life into your failing book. http://www.matilijapress.com/author_repairkit.html

If you want a fun, frolicking, furry, purry read, order the ebook or print (comb-bound) copy of my newly illustrated (with over 80 photos of kitties), Catscapades, Tales of Ordinary and Extraordinary Cats. http://www.matilijapress.com/catscapades.html

I’m experiencing the learning curve again with my new Catscapades Blog, which is very different than the mechanics of this blog site. I hope to get the thing figured out within the next few days.

Does facing the learning curve make you cringe or want to retreat into your comfort zone? It does me.

But for me, rejection used to feel like a kick in the stomach. There was even a time when the idea of speaking in public felt overwhelmingly uncomfortable.

But, when I made the decision to become a freelance writer, I had to learn to accept rejection. When I decided to become an author, I vowed to meet the challenges necessary to accommodate the success I desired. Thus, I joined a Toastmasters Club and became more at ease with speaking in public. Most of you know the rest of my story. It includes the fact that I was invited to travel to Dubai, all expenses paid, as the keynote speaker for their Toastmaster convention in 2006. For one hour, I stood alone on a stage before 800 people for whom English is their second language and spoke about creativity in speaking. Read about my experiences in Dubai and view photos of the place in my book, Dubai. http://www.matilijapress.com

Are you a new or struggling author who is experiencing the discomfort and uncertainties of the learning curve? Maybe you are writing your first book proposal or trying to devise a query letter and it seems so foreign and awkward to you. Many authors with published books go gung ho into book promotion right out of the gate and then, when book sales slow down, their ideas and energy wanes and they simply stop their forward motion.

While every facet of writing, producing and marketing a book creates challenges for most authors, probably the most difficult period starts around 6 months to a year after they have published. Does this ring true for you? You eagerly awaited publication of your book. You thrilled at holding it in your hands. You send out press releases to key players, deliver and ship copies to several reviewers, show your book around the office and speak about it to your women’s club. You visit independent bookstores around your neighborhood, do a book signing and then quit. Maybe you sold a box or two of books, but sales are dwindling and you are out of ideas and steam.

Guess what? It may be time to approach the learning curve again. And I suggest that you do so through the book that I wrote expressly for struggling authors, The Author’s Repair Kit. This book is designed to breathe new life into your book. It’s in ebook form, only—check it out at http://www.matilijapress.com/author-repairkit.html

Is there hope for a book that seems to have run its course? Absolutely. And is there hope for an author who hates facing the learning curve? Certainly. Hey, if I, a web-challenged person, can purposely jump into the middle of a foreign blog site and attempt to unravel its mysteries, you can turn your failing book around. And you have help—The Author’s Repair Kit.

Good luck!

Yesterday, I received a copy of FellowScript, the official magazine of the Canadian organization, Inscribe, the Christian Writers’ Fellowship. They published my piece called “Are You Writing For the Right Reasons?”Learn more about this print magazine at http://www.inscribe.org

Also arriving in the mail yesterday was a copy of Working Writer with my article, “Do You Engage in Book Promo Babble?” Maggie Frisch produces Working Writer from Illinois in the US and promotes it as a newsletter that offers solid information and a sense of humor. To learn more about this publication, go to http://www.workingwriter1.com

That makes around four or five of my writing/publishing-related articles published in various periodicals this week. That’s pretty good coverage. Why do I bother to submit articles to magazines and newsletters? For the same reason that I spend an hour or so every day writing this blog, take time out to prepare and present programs at various venues throughout the US, visit blogs related to writing and publishing to leave my comment and so forth. And I do this for the same reasons that those of you with published books or books pending should be doing the same thing: To continue building on my platform.

When I help hopeful authors write their book proposals, they always promise the publisher that they will write articles to promote their nonfiction book or memoir and submit stories to promote their novel or children’s book. Most of these authors promise me (and themselves) that they will start this process even before their book is published. But, alas, very few of the dozens and dozens of hopeful authors and published authors I’ve worked with do so. And I can tell you that those who are writing articles for publication and submitting stories for publication are selling books.

Think about it, when your articles or stories teach, inspire, inform, entertain or touch someone, you’ve made an impression. Your name enters into the conscious and subconscious minds of hundreds or even thousands of readers, most of whom are interested in your topic or genre. Multiply the effect of one story or article by six, twelve or 100 and you’ve reached portions of your audience multiple times and, perhaps, tens of thousands of new readers. Your name is becoming a household name—or at least a respected name among your peers and those who crave and/or need the information or entertainment you offer in your book. The more well-known you are, the more generous you are with your knowledge or skills, the more front and center you are, the more books you will sell. How could this not be true?

Sure, there are times when it seems as though you are talking to a wall—that there’s no one paying attention to the enormous amount of effort you expend in order to share your expertise and/or entertain your audience. You reach out and it’s silent on the other end. No one emails you notes of thanks. No one but spammers comment at your blogsite. There may be people learning, growing and succeeding at least partially because of what you share and you aren’t aware of it. Yes, it can get lonely and you might sometimes wonder why you are giving so much when, seemingly, you are getting nothing back.

Sure you are selling a book now and then—sometimes you even have a flurry of sales. But was that actually because of your efforts or a fluke, you wonder?

And then you attend a conference in another state related to your field and strangers come up to you to shake your hand and tell you how much your work has influenced their success. Or you receive an email from someone who says that you were a huge part of their decision to enter into your field, for example. And where there is one who approaches you, there may be hundreds of others who are functioning or succeeding under your direct influence.

So my message here this morning is don’t give up even when you feel as though you are all alone. Keep giving. Continue putting your name out there through articles in appropriate magazines, regular blog entries and so forth. Imagine your audience eager to receive your message and benefit of your expertise in your field. Know that you are making a difference.

I’ve been working on the new version of Catscapades, Tales of Ordinary and Extraordinary Cats this weekend. We’re almost ready to launch the revamped edition which includes photos—over 80 photos of cute, silly, gorgeous, funny, lazy, energetic, loving and crazy cats and kittens. I am having so much fun!

My webmaster should have my cat blog up one day soon, in the meantime, I’ll share tidbits about cats and the cat book here. For all of you who appreciate cats—I added this story to the new book: Pebbles is a pampered pet who lives in a home, has plenty of attention and food lavished on her by night. But by day, she lives a very different life. She hangs out with a managed colony of cats behind a 7-11 store in a drainage ditch. Pebbles is now missing. I’m trying to chase down the colony manager to see if they trapped her, of course, thinking she is a feral cat, and are attempting to place her in a home somewhere. The big-hearted colony manager doesn’t know that Pebbles hangs out with the stray cats only to get the free handouts and to counsel them. She’s their mentor—their link to a better life for each of them.

I will let you know if we locate Pebbles.

In the meantime, I would like you to let me know if you have done the right and smart thing on behalf of your pending or already published book by writing and submitting articles or stories for your target audience. If you’re already doing it, how’s it going? If you are not sure how to start, order my little $6.50 book, A Writer’s Guide to Magazine Articles for Book Promotion or Profit. http://www.matilijapress.com

While you’re at my website, check out the gorgeous cover on Catscapades, Tales of Ordinary and Extraordinary Cats. This won’t change, but the inside will change enormously, as we will soon present this fascinating book of cat stories with pictures!!!

It’s wonderful to have your work appreciated by the very people you produced it for. But you don’t always have the privilege of positive feedback. Not everyone who is ecstatic over your self-help book, novel, book of poetry or children’s book, for example, will tell you so. But when they do, it’s a day-making experience.

I want to share with you a comment I received yesterday. Since I have not, yet, received permission to print this, I am going to share only parts of it and without attribution. When and if permission comes through, I will reveal the author to you and give her book a plug—a book I happen to have, by the way. Here’s what she says:

“I just returned home from a trip. I grabbed your book, The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book, for the plane ride. I have had your book for a few years, but hadn’t read through it all, although I found a chapter or two highlighted

“My partner and I are thinking about writing another book and I knew I had to read your book before we progressed. And wow! I am sure glad I did!! I am embarrassed to say that I really thought this book was too late for us since we had already published a book via AuthorHouse. I assumed it was just for people thinking of writing a book. Once I read through the book on the plane ride home, I was both congratulating my partner and I on doing some things right, but also kicking myself for not reading this book full of great and critical ideas and suggestions we could have ALREADY used!!! Thank you for writing this book! I know that sounds kind of weird, but it is exactly what we needed to guide us through 2009!”

I love it!!! Yes, this book is for the first-time, hopeful author, who is thinking about writing a book. But it is also for the author who is struggling to promote a book, those authors who have made some mistakes already and those who have a second project in mind and want things to go more smoothly, for example.

What will you gain from studying The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book? Here are a few things you’ll learn:

1: This book doesn’t make choices for you, it gives you the information and resources you need in order to make the most appropriate decisions for your particular project.

2: You’ll gain a much greater understanding of the publishing industry—how it works, what you need in order to successfully navigate within it and in order to succeed as a published author.

3: How to self-edit—what makes for good writing—and how to choose the right editor for your manuscript.

4: Your responsibilities as a published author.

5: How to write a book proposal and why do you need one, anyway?

6: How to establish your author’s platform.

7: How to plan for and approach the daunting, but necessary task of book promotion.

8: And everything in between—including many things you didn’t even know you needed to know.

In other words, this book prepares you for a successful publishing experience. And, if you own a copy rather than borrowing one from someone else or the library, for example, you will refer to it over and over and over again for as long as you are writing a book, seeking publication or involved in promotion, distribution, getting book reviews, etc.

For additional testimonials for this book, go to http://www.matilijapress.com/rightway.html.
Scroll down and look at the list of testimonials to the left. You can place your order from this page, as well.

Questions? Contact me at: PLFry620@yahoo.com.

Some of you may be curious as to the authors I work with and the types of books I edit. Let me start by saying that I see promise in every project. Of course, not every book is destined to achieve bestseller status. Some authors simply want to share the book they’ve been carrying around inside them with even a small segment of society. Others hope that a book on an aspect of their expertise will help to give them more credibility in their field. Then there are those who come to me with the desire to amass a fortune through the sale of their book on how to raise baby bunnies, their dull homemaker’s memoir or their collection of aviation poetry, for example.

Sure, I will help them to prepare their books for publication, if that’s what they still want to do once they’ve followed my recommendations to educate themselves about the publishing industry. I aim to instill in my clients the most realistic expectations for their projects while encouraging them to build on their qualifications and abilities.

One thing that a publishing coach and editorial assistant (editor) loves to receive is news that a client is succeeding, whatever success happens to mean to that individual. Some authors excel in the area of book promotion. Today, I’d like to introduce you to four of my clients and share with you some of their tremendous successes.

An Example of a Successful Inspirational Author
Yesterday, I received a packet of clips from my client, Constance D’Angelis, representing some of her recent promotional activities. Constance, an attorney and a resident of Florida, is the author of a lovely little chunky 4 x 6 book, encompassing 148 pages called The 7 Laws of Inner Peace. And she is really doing her homework as far as promoting this book. Every few months, she writes to me with news of a series of book signing events she is participating in or workshops she is conducting. Yesterday, I received a whole packet of clips representing her presentations and advertisements. Yes, she is sticking her neck out and advertising herself as an inspirational speaker in appropriate classified ads sections. She also promotes herself through a newsletter and some classy, professional promo pieces and flyers. She has a great website. She’s even on UTube.

What makes Constance’s book unique and powerful is the personal touch, which I strongly advised her to include. How she came upon the 7 Laws in her own life is a fascinating story and really gives her process of study greater impact. Visit her website for more information about Constance and her growing 7 Laws book series. http://www.the7lawsofinnerpeace.com

This Author is Succeeding With a How-To Book
Another client, Lydia Silvestry, is the designer of the famous Infinite Dress. She is also a strong proponent of natural health and body care. You must visit her website and see for yourself how her natural beauty regime, which she has practiced practically all of her life, has served her skin and body. This grandmother glows with good health. A few years ago, she decided to let others know about her beauty secrets, which include the use of almond and olive oil instead of expensive body oils and creams and even in place of nail polish; baking soda instead of deodorant and so forth. Lydia was accustomed to appearing on TV and radio, traveling the world introducing her Infinite Dress, so she was prepared for her book promotion journey. Like Constance, Lydia, too, is selling large numbers of books due to her extraordinary efforts.

I helped Lydia, a native of Puerto Rico, Americanize her writing—remove the accent, so to speak. Check out her gorgeous hardcover book, Lydia Silvestry’s Beauty Secrets at: http://www.lydiasilvestry.com

The Psychic Author
Gary Spivey is a psychic who has been presenting workshops throughout the world for many years. He also does regular radio shows. Maybe you’ve heard of him. When he decided that he wanted a book that summed up his work, that provided some keys for people to use in their own lives and that he could promote along with his workshops, he came to us at Matilija Press. We edited his book and did the page layout, as well. Gary’s book was an interesting project for me. It required very basic editing. It was already well-written. It was up to me to correct some grammatical and punctuation errors and enhance the readability of the text.

Your Keys to Heaven, Secrets From God is a lovely hardcover book available at: http://www.garyspivey.com Check it out. After only a few months of book sales, we got word that this book was going into a second printing. Obviously, Gary’s already established platform and connections are paying off big time.

Her YA Fantasy Books Sell Like Magic
Diana Zimmerman is also accustomed to being in the public eye. She was once billed as the world’s foremost lady magician. Now she is a high-powered businesswoman with a desire to write young adult fantasy. We edited and designed the inside of her first book in the series, Kandide and the Secret of the Mists. Books two and three are in the works. Diana is an amazing marketer. She was able to hire a publicist and this has been an incredibly wise decision. Diana travels all over the US presenting programs for young and old alike and doing book signings. She participates in fairy (and faery) events nationwide. And I can tell you that, when Diana has an event, it is spectacular, with magicians, games, refreshments and more. I attended her first one in Santa Monica, California. What fun. She also has an amazing website with games for kids, ideas for how teachers can use this book with their students and more. This book is in perfect bound (soft cover) and in hardcover.

The editorial work I did with Diana on this book and more recently with a business book she is co-authoring, amounted to pretty basic editing. Every author needs an editor and a proof-reader (these are two different tasks and require two different experts.) Take a look at how Diana Zimmerman is promoting this book at: http://www.kandide.com

These four authors are excelling in the book selling arena. Why? What does it take? Here it is, folks. It takes:

• A good idea.
• A platform (your following—your way of attracting readers—your connections).
• A keen marketing sense.
• The willingness to take advantage of promotional opportunities.
• The ability to create promotional opportunities.

And it all boils down to being a savvy author instead of a timid, clueless author. It’s not enough to have a good idea. It’s the whole package that makes for a successful publishing venture.
By the way, I earned a spot in the Acknowledgements Pages in each of these books as editor. How neat is that?

Learn more about my editorial services at: http://www.matilijapress.com/consulting.html