Dan Poynter and ParaPublishing are Self-Publishing Must Haves

Self-publishing has a few gurus that have profoundly influenced the field. Dan Poynter is certainly one of them.

From his Amazon bio; Dan Poynter is an author of more than 100 books, has been a publisher since 1969 and is a Certified Speaking Professional (CSP). He is an evangelist for books, an ombudsman for authors, an advocate for publishers and the godfather to thousands of successfully-published books. His seminars have been featured on CNN, his books have been pictured in The Wall Street Journal and his story has been told in US News & World Report. The media come to Dan because he is the leading authority on book publishing…
There is more, much much more including books on parachuting which can be found at his website, ParaPublishing.com. Now that I think of it, jumping out of a plane and self-publishing do bring up similar feelings for those about to take the leap for the first time.
Several years back I resisted reading his Self-Publishing Manual because I still clung to hopes of being discovered traditionally. This is the guide that reviewers refer to with words like “the bible on self-publishing,” “everything you need,” and “the indispensable guide.” I finally did get to it once I realized doing it myself might actually be in my best interest, and the process has become everything I hoped for with the future looking bright.
What I like most about Dan, aside from the massive wealth of information he provides (some of which is totally free if you just visit his website and sign up for his email newsletter), is that he wholeheartedly encourages and empowers others to do exactly what he’s doing: making dreams into realities and being your own boss. He also welcomes the new age of selling ebooks and embraces every form of Social Media, software, internet platforms and devices that are revolutionizing the way we network, do business, share information and ultimately change the world for the better.
Of course self-publishing is hard work that requires realistic expectations and time-lines. If you want to sell books and sell ebooks, then you’ll not only need to check out advice from Dan, John Kremer, people like myself and others, but you’ll also have to work hard to produce the best writing you can and to produce and market it in the ways that have been proven successful by others. You’ll also likely need to create a few of your own unique methods.
If you have any interest in self-publishing, do yourself the favor of getting to know the advice of Dan Poynter. If you want help with goal-setting, to sell ebooks, to write a best-seller, get professional reviews, have a myriad of resources, you name it… ParaPublishing is a must visit experience.
And if you want to make, market and sell ebooks all for free, then see my book and tips for no cost methods of doing just that.

Home-run by Apple iPad, next batter... Google Editions

If you’re having trouble keeping up to date on the next biggest thing to revolutionize the publishing industry, you’re not alone. Apple’s iPad came out in the US just barely almost one month ago. How many units have they sold? Over a million as well as 1.5 million ebooks. Say, that sounds like pretty good business, and it doesn’t go international for another few weeks? Yep. It’s big.
The next newcomer to the scene will be Google Editions. With a name like Google it has to be good, we’re thinking. Although they don’t yet have a device specifically made for them, Google will be selling ebooks online starting sometime this summer. They’ve already digitized over 7 million books and are certainly digitizing thousands more as these words are being written and read. This article has more info on it (or you can use a search engine, perhaps Google, to find plenty more) and describes Google as the 800 pound gorilla about to be unleashed in the ebook retailer’s storeroom.
I can’t think of another industry that has as much history as publishing and is changing so freaking fast. 2010 will see Apple’s iPad and Google Editions before it is halfway over. What’s in store for the months to follow?
A few things are sure (in my opinion at least). Publishing has been changed forever. People are reading more than ever and on way more devices. Prices for reading books, magazines, newspapers, etc are dropping dramatically and will continue to. Authors can totally avoid agents and publishers and still make it with talent and persistence. There’s never been a better time for getting your words, voice and opinions out there!

Hello new world. Love it or hate it, this is where we live.

CreateSpace makes Publishing both Easy and Hard

I’m in the process of publishing paperbacks with CreateSpace for all 3 of my books. I’m finding the process both easy and difficult. The easy and hard parts are that it’s 100% free (which I love) and a Do-It-Yourself format (which I sorta love). Formatting my books in MS Word 2007 was a true joy and piece of cake, until it came down to the page numbering. Believe it or not, getting something as simple-sounding as the page numbers to begin where I wanted and not screw up the rest of the document was just short of a nightmare. I spent way more hours than I care to admit and visited literally dozens of forums on this topic and considered writing a post for the correct procedure (or at least one that eventually worked for me). What a pain in the ass! So if anyone has questions, let me know and I’ll understand your desire to purchase a gun and obtain MS Word 2007 designer addresses.
My decision for CreateSpace over Lulu was simple because they’re owned by Amazon which makes getting listed there easier and cheaper. I did cheat with money and spent the 39 bucks for the upgraded Pro-Plan which gives a larger percentage of profits.
Another hard part – lately I’ve been having trouble getting my covers to be approved, some hold-up with the physical size being too large though I was sure I copied the template guide perfectly.
The other hard part is that if you need any assistance, you’ve got to find it in the forums or figure it out yourself. Since it’s free they don’t pay for a support staff to hold your hand during the process. That’s understandable. I just want to get it done so if someone wants to order physical copies of my book, they can.
I’ve heard it makes sense to order a proof copy long before you spend many hours getting every detail just right. In the event you need to make wholesale changes, you’ll save yourself from repeating those hours. I’ll let you know how it comes out.
(If you watch any of my Youtube videos, you might see my holding up a proof copy of How to Make, Market and Sell Ebooks – All for FREE. Actually the proof copy came out better than I expected. So far so good.)

San Francisco Writers Conference or bust

I'm going. Yeah, it's pricey plus we'll probably spend a ton in the city with Jana and Devan joining me for a vacation. They'll be toodle-looing around Fisherman's Wharf and Ghiradelli Square while I'm soaking in Dan Poynter and Larsen-Pomada as they etch out the writing business. But hey, how can I pass up this opportunity to rub elbows with top agents, editors, publishers and more?
So I'm going and I'm going to write about it. Why the heck not? That's what we writers do, and I think I'm one. Anyone interested in a first hand account of the San Francisco Writers Conference need only look for this blog from February 12th to the 14th and probably beyond for some follow up and (hopefully magical) results. How exciting. Even for just a chance to be in one of the world's great cities and have a martini at the Top of the Mark restaurant seated across from best-selling authors like Jaquelyn Mitchard and Steve Berry. I'm embarrassed to admit I don't yet know them but will soon since they're among the keynote speakers.
So in case you haven't been, can't make it in 2010, would like the full skinny of the San Francisco Writers Conference from a newbie... I am there for you. (and me)