Becoming a Published Author!

MindStir Media put together this funny video depicting a celebratory new author. I think the video is somewhat self-explanatory. Publishing a book is a big deal. Why not celebrate?

MindStir Media gives a list of 5 self-publishing mistakes to avoid

I wrote an article for the MindStir Media blog entitled "5 Rarely Discussed Self-Publishing Mistakes: What NOT To Do". The post has become very popular, having been shared/liked on Facebook over 1,500 times and re-tweeted nearly 200 times. The post covers topics such as book pricing; brick-and-mortar book sales; online marketing; editing and more...

Not to toot my own horn, but I really believe the post is a must-read for anyone who plans to enter the world of self-publishing. For most, the post will be refreshing and offer new info not seen before. For some others, especially those who have been around self-publishing for a while, the points in the article might not be new but can simply act as reinforcement. Hey, everyone needs a reminder every now and again, right?

Without further adieu, click here to see the full article.

MindStir Media presents a helpful self-publishing checklist

I recently wrote a really helpful self-publishing checklist and published it on the MindStir Media blog site. The checklist offers twenty important items you'll need when self-publishing your book. Some of those twenty checklist items include:

• Information on how to handle editing
• Info and helpful advice for book cover design
• Copyright registration guidance
• A link to a very valuable book marketing guide that supplies authors with 75 marketing strategies and tips

To read and study the entire self-publishing checklist that I published via MindStir Media, please go to: http://www.mindstirmedia.com/2015/06/14/self-publishing-checklist/

What To Look For In Self-Publishing Packages

There are many self-publishing companies out there and most of them include self-publishing packages of some sort. Unfortunately, some packages are really low-quality. Authors think they're getting a great deal with those cheap packages but those packages will actually harm a book's chance at success in the long run because they're using cheap template-based cover and interior designs, making the book look amateurish. If you don't have at least $1000 to $1500, you probably shouldn't be self-publishing in the first place. I know that might sound radical but the truth is this: It takes money to produce a high-quality book.

So here's what you should look for in self-publishing packages -- the packages that could actually help you produce a high-quality book that people want to buy:

• The best self-publishing package will most definitely include a custom book cover design. This means no templates are used in the design. The design is unique and eye-catching. 
• A great package will also include a custom interior layout. Basically, the interior will be hand-formatted, focusing on hyphenation, chapter headers, scene breaks, etc. The interior's font should also match the font(s) used on the cover design. 
• Editing is an essential too! I've never seen a manuscript that doesn't require some level of editing. Even the most seasoned writers (e.g. J.K. Rowling, James Patterson, Stephen King) rely on professional editors to polish their manuscripts. The public should never see a first draft!
• Your book publishing package must have distribution as well, and not just availability on Amazon.com. Sure, Amazon is the #1 online retailer in the world, but there are thousands of other retailers and booksellers in the world. Purchase a self-publishing package that offers worldwide distribution, preferably through a legit wholesale distributor such as Ingram.
• Ongoing support needs to be provided. You should be able to pick up the phone and get through to an actual living, breathing person. And that person should understand publishing and be able to answer your questions throughout the publishing process. Make sure you don't end up working with a self-publishing company that only works through email. There aren't many things more frustrating than working with a company that hides behind generic email messages when you're simply trying to get clear answers to your questions.
• Marketing assistance ought to be included. The best self-publishing companies will at least market your book through social media and their own bookstore. 
• Fair and affordable book printing prices are key. Do your research before buying a package. Try your best to understand how much you'll be paying for each copy of your book when you buy direct from the publisher.

Self Publish A Book: The Best Way

MindStir Media is a full-service self publishing company, and I'm the owner of MindStir Media, so keep that in mind while reading... There are numerous articles out there that discuss how to self publish a book but many of them talk about self publishing as if you have to "go it alone." The truth is simple: You do not have to handle self publishing alone, and some -- including myself -- would argue that you should not handle it alone...

There are exceptions, of course, but the best way to tackle self publishing is to hire a team of professionals around you. This means hiring a book designer, an editor, printer, self-publishing coach, publicist, etc. You can try to assemble this team yourself, as some self publishing authors do, but that will take a lot of time and patience on your part. The easiest and most convenient way to self publish, in my opinion, is to simply team up with a self publishing company like MindStir Media. MindStir has everything in place for you to self publish a book, including professional editors and book designers, coaching, etc.

Regardless of how you decide to self publish, here's a partial list of things you should look for in your team and/or preliminary questions you should ask:

• Book designer: A professional book designer should have a portfolio available for you to view. For instance, at MindStir Media we have an entire online bookstore filled with books we've designed. Authors can quickly see the work done and decide whether or not MindStir's designers are a good fit. 
• Editor: What books has she/he edited? Are they published? How did they do in the marketplace? What kind of background does she/he have? 
• Printer: You should always inquire about pricing. How much will it cost to print your book? Is the printer equipped to handle large volume? The printer MindStir Media uses is actually the largest print-on-demand printer in the world, printing millions of books for publishers worldwide. 
• Coach: There are many self publishing coaches out there but many of them are not qualified to be giving advice. A good self publishing coach has experienced strong book sales and understands the ins and outs of self publishing, including marketing. 

You'll also need to look into book distribution and order fulfillment. Ingram is the leader in wholesale book distribution and there are many book fulfillment companies throughout the world but, again, the easiest way to handle these items is to partner with a self publishing company like MindStir Media...

Biggest Self Publishing Companies Not Necessarily the Best

It's no secret that MindStir Media is widely considered a medium-sized self publishing company. I discuss self publishing with authors nearly every day and I can tell you that there seems to be an obsession among some authors -- an obsession over the size of self publishing companies. Some authors believe -- or they've been told -- that bigger is always best. They compare self publishing companies, trying to compare apples to apples, but the truth is that MindStir, for instance, is very different from the rest of the companies. For starters, MindStir includes ongoing mentoring from best selling author J.J. Hebert. So MindStir doesn't just offer self publishing services; it offers mentoring as well. No other medium-sized self publishing company offers this level of personalized support. MindStir is small enough to still remain highly personalized and big enough to offer its authors many unique publishing opportunities.

Why not go with a large self publishing company? Based on everything we've heard from other authors, the largest self publishing companies tend to treat their authors like numbers. I don't know about you, but as an author myself I wouldn't want to work with an impersonal publisher. Writing is a very personal journey for the most part, so the best self publishing companies are the ones that will take the time to get to know your book and offer solid ongoing advice. The latter is MindStir in a nutshell. Yes, it's true that many times the largest publishing companies will not give your book the attention it deserves. How can they when they are in the process of publishing hundreds or thousands of other books at once?

Be careful in assuming that biggest is best in the self publishing industry. If you want the most attention with many great opportunities I highly suggest going with a medium-sized self publishing company like MindStir Media. Good luck!

Top 5 Lessons Writers can Learn from The Shawshank Redemption (Film)

Photo by quiddle from Flickr

If you haven't seen The Shawshank Redemption (film), you're missing out on one of the most successful prison movies of all time. The movie centers on Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins), a banker accused of killing his wife and her lover. Andy is sentenced to life in prison and during his time there he meets Red (Morgan Freeman), along with a whole cast of unforgettable characters. Andy focuses on something that the other inmates do not dare touch: hope. He hopes to one day see "the outside," but his prison mates see things differently. I think that's a decent brief synopsis. You should know there are SPOILERS below, so go watch the movie (if you haven't already) before continuing to read...

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OK, now I'm assuming if you're reading this far you've watched the movie. Here are the top 5 lessons writers can learn from The Shawshank Redemption movie.

1. Hope is universal. Yes, the film is primarily set in a male prison, but this is not a movie for men. Everyone on the planet can relate to the movie because everyone on the planet either secretly hopes or openly hopes for something. In this case, Andy hopes to remove himself from his situation. Whether you're writing fiction or non-fiction, hope is a universal topic that you shouldn't hesitate to tackle. The same is true for love and death, among others.

2. Everyone has felt trapped in some sense. Again, they're all male inmates but women can relate to this message in the movie. The men are literally incarcerated but don't we all build figurative prisons around us? Some of us work jobs that we hate, spend time with people we don't necessary like, etc. I bet you can think of a few ways you build bars around you... You'd do well as a writer to tap into the natural human feeling of being trapped. I believe it's a terrible feeling that everyone experiences at some point.

3. Each person reacts uniquely. There's nothing worse (okay, maybe that's not true) than watching a film or reading a book in which the characters seem to act or react the same way to a certain set of circumstances. In the The Shawshank Redemption, every single inmate (that we get to know) reacts uniquely to their prison stay. As I noted earlier, Andy hopes to get out. Red has become the "guy who can get things." Brooks, the elderly inmate, has embraced the prison walls and doesn't want to leave. Those are three major examples I can think of.  As a writer, make sure to use conflict to show how dissimilar each character really is. Just like in real life, each person tends to react differently to conflict and dire circumstances.

4. In fiction, the setting isn't as important as the characters. I have to be honest and tell you that I've watched Shawshank probably about a hundred times and each time I discover something new. But one thing that always sticks out to me: The prison itself isn't nearly as intriguing or memorable as the characters. Sure, the prison plays a role but the characters make this film! Fiction, in my opinion, should be character-driven. The characters should move the story along. This means that your characters should evolve and change and move toward a goal or goals, prompting the story to evolve and change. The characters should generally be well-rounded, three dimensional characters. They should have flaws. I can't name any flawless characters in Shawshank. Even Andy (the main character who is innocent, as we know!) admits that he was a bad husband and feels somewhat responsible for pushing his wife into the arms of another man. He also admits that he's a hard man to get to know...

5. Bad guys should be complicated. It's safe to say that Warden Norton is the major antagonist in this film. The Warden is a Bible-thumping and Bible-quoting bad guy who, in his position, should be a good guy (to the right people, he looks and acts like a good guy...but it's an act). He's there to oversee the prison and to be THE authority figure, but he's incredible corrupt. He shows flashes of goodness, by protecting Andy and allowing him to build the library but he only does these things to keep Andy just content enough to continue doing Norton's dirty work (i.e. cooking his books). Norton, as you know, allows Andy to tutor a young inmate, Tommy, but then Norton ultimately has Tommy shot and killed. Norton also does everything in his power to keep Andy in prison despite the fact that Andy has discovered proof that could exonerate him.

Whether you choose self-publishing as your route to publication or traditional publishing, I believe the above writing lessons will be beneficial. They might even possibly improve your writing skills. Good luck!

(Interested in self-publishing? You might want to consider MindStir Media, rated by many as the best among self publishing companies)

Self-Publishing: A Brief Overview

One of the biggest aspects of self publishing that sets it apart from traditional book publishing is the fact that with self-publishing you remain in control. The best self publishing companies -- like MindStir Media, for instance -- allow you to have creative control over your final product. This means you call the shots with respect to your book cover design as well as your interior book design. It also means that the content of your book, the actual text, will remain intact and unchanged. Many traditionally published authors will tell you that they dislike how traditional publishers, particularly the editors, ultimately decide which text will stay and which text will go. As an author myself I can tell you that I would never want to be overruled by an editor. It's one thing to receive professional suggestions from an editor; it's another thing entirely to be controlled by an editor. With professional editing via self publishing services the author will usually see track changes and get to approve or reject the editor's changes. The control is still with you the author!

Another huge difference between traditional publishing and self-publishing is the speed to market. Even if you land a deal with a traditional publisher you'll probably have to wait 1-2 years for your book to be released. Self-publishing, on the other hand, can be done in as quickly as a few weeks -- or if you're really serious and want to take advantage of professional self-publishing services you're looking at about 30-90 days to the launch.

One more fact that originally attracted me to self-publishing is that you get to keep your publishing rights. With a traditional contract, you essentially give away your publishing rights by signing an exclusive contract with the publisher. For the duration of your contract you won't be in control and you won't be able to publish anywhere else. If the book doesn't do well in the market you'll basically need to wait for the contract to expire before you're able to seek publishing alternatives.

The final example of self-publishing superiority is in the profits. You might see 10% royalties from a traditional book publisher, while self-publishing, depending on the scheme you choose, could put 100% royalties in your pocket.

So that's self-publishing in a nutshell -- not everything there is to know about self-publishing but instead a brief overview that should prove helpful.

Self-Publishing Shouldn't Mean Cheap Publishing

There are a lot of self-publishing providers out there nowadays. Many of those companies offer "low-cost" or "cheap" publishing services. As an author myself, I know how tempting it can be to choose a cheap service instead of a premium service. I struggled with this early on when I was putting together my own book, Unconventional (this was before I started offering services through MindStir Media). One company said it could publish my book for $1000 (including the cover design) and someone else offered to design the book cover for the $1000. $1000 for only a book cover is a little steep, but this professional's work was far superior to the cover design samples from the other company. I decided to go with the premium book cover design. It set me back $1000 but I wanted quality and I was willing to pay for it. I wasn't writing or publishing as a hobby; I wanted to make a living from it. I honestly believe the book cover for Unconventional has helped attract sales. I've sold over 100,000 copies of Unconventional to date, so I'm very pleased with the outcome...

If you're serious about your writing career and you want others to take you seriously, you absolutely need to focus on quality. Premium self-publishing services usually command premium prices but the money is well worth it in the long-run. If you use a cheap book designer, for instance (or a cheap printer, etc. etc.), and aren't willing to invest in your book, why would anyone be willing to invest the $10 to $15 it takes to purchase your book? Your cheap-looking book will scare away potential customers and you'll be very disappointed with the outcome. The old adage stands true for self-publishing: You have to spend money to make money.

Why Self-Publish?

I created this nifty infographic for MindStir Media self-publishing. The graphic consists of 5 reasons why it makes sense to self-publish. Feel free to share!

Traditional Book Publishing

I own a self-publishing company and I'm a self-publishing author, so keep in mind that most of the time I will encourage authors to self-publish instead of focusing on traditional publishing. I teamed up with a literary agent years ago (for about 6 months). At that time I wanted to get a traditional publishing deal for Unconventional. It didn't happen and I decided to self-pub instead. I have no regrets.

I'm aware that some authors would rather not self-publish, though -- for various reasons. Most of the time it's a money issue for those authors. They lack the funds to invest in their book(s). I get it. When a budding author calls or emails me and admits he/she has no money, I usually point that person toward traditional publishing. I also explain that most traditional publishers do not accept unsolicited materials, therefore it's a good idea to connect with a literary agent. An agent will pitch the book to traditional publishers and retain 15 - 20% IF a deal is reached with a publisher. It's extremely difficult but not impossible to get a book published traditionally.

To work with a literary agent, an author usually has to query many agents (i.e. send out query letters) and brace himself/herself for rejection. I think I read somewhere (long ago) that literary agents accept somewhere around 1% (or less) of the authors that send them query letters ... Even if the author's book is great, it still might attract many rejections because perhaps it's too unique and doesn't perfectly fit into any particular category; maybe the query letter is lacking something; etc. Nathan Bransford, a former literary agent, does a fantastic job explaining the querying process, and he even has a post entitled "How To Find A Literary Agent," which is extremely helpful for authors who want to go the traditional route.

Publish In Hardcover?

I know lots of authors are in love with the hardcover format. For them that love affair needs to end. It certainly is a neat feeling to see your book in hardcover, but most avid readers are unwilling to pay hardcover prices nowadays. Self-publishing authors need to keep that in mind! Why will readers pay $24.95 for hardcover when they can buy a paperback for less than $15 and eBook for less than $10 (sometimes less than $5)?

I've always said that it's wise to publish in multiple formats (you've probably heard me say it). I believe the most important formats are paperback, eBook, and downloaded audiobook. Why?

• Paperback: The majority of readers still prefer physical books over digital. Offering the paperback format caters to printed book lovers while keeping the price affordable. Without this format, you will miss out on sales!
• eBook: We've all heard and read about eBooks, their impact on the publishing and book selling world... Major publishers are either scared out of their minds or embracing the new digital technology (or both) and physical bookstores are going out of business as book buying becomes less expensive and more convenient... Last time I checked, eBooks account for somewhere around 20% (probably less, but all reports I've seen differ) of the US book market. You don't want to ignore this part of the market!
• Downloaded audiobook: This format is popular among commuters. Folks driving to work enjoy listening to a good book (and it's much safer than trying to read and drive!). And don't forget people who love to listen to books while exercising.... Audible.com was one of the biggest things to happen to audiobooks. If you decide to publish in this format, make sure your audiobook ends up on Audible.com!

Don't get me wrong, though... Hardcover still controls part of the market (I just don't consider it as important as the other formats). If you insist on publishing in hardcover--and it'd better be along with the other formats--use the hardcover format as a "special edition," in which you include exclusive goodies like deleted scenes or back stories, maps, character images, a link/code to redeem something at your website, etc. Basically help readers justify spending the extra money on your hardcover.

(Hardcover image via Horia Varlan)

Aspiring authors email me all the time, and one of the most common questions is why self-publish (in addition to how do I self-publish?)? My answer has been placed on the MindStir Media website and I plan to direct folks to it in the future. Thought you might want to take a look:

Why Self-Publish?

Speed

Self-publishing will allow you to publish quickly, usually within 90 days. Average turnaround time for publishing with a traditional publishing company is around 1-2 years.

Profit

Traditional publishing offers royalty rates somewhere around 10%. Self-publish with MindStir Media and you’ll earn royalties up to 100%.

Control

You keep all rights to your book.  You wrote your manuscript and you’re financially investing in your work, so it only makes sense that you retain all rights! Since you own your material, you also control your book design, content, and much more.

Prove Marketability

Many writers choose to self-publish to prove that there’s a market for their books. Literary agents and major publishing houses may be more willing to publish a title after it has sold well as a self-published book.

Legacy

Your self-published book will be a long-lasting part of you that future generations can treasure.