#USING QUOTATIONS IN A BOOK

I recently had a discussion with a client about using quotations in his book. As I told him, quoting someone else must be done with caution or you run the risk of plagiarism. Sometimes it's a fine line. When is a quotation short enough and when is it too long?

It's perfectly acceptable to quote someone else to illustrate a point and it can even be flattering to the person being quoted. It's not a bad thing for someone else to think that your words are so profound that no one else can possibly come up with the same meaning. However, if you use a lengthy quotation it is most advisable to request permission from the source or the dreaded plagiarism word rears its ugly head.

Really, though, do try to come up with your own way of expressing ideas. If you are writing a book, originality is the key to success. If the reader wants to know what someone else has to say on a subject, the reader might as well read the original.

In defense of quotations, at times they do lend credibility to your work as you are aligning yourself with a recognized authority. Just be careful about how many quotations you use and about the length of each quotation. And, be very diligent about the accuracy of the acknowledgment: as I told my client, the original source can usually afford a lawyer more than you can.

On that note, I am signing off for the Christmas season. Best wishes to all of you.

Denise
www.inktreemarketing.com
www.publishacookbook.com

#CHRISTMAS LETTERS

I was watching my little grandchildren write their Christmas letters. It is so wonderous to see the concentration and the creativity that they possess - traits that I hope they never lose.

Children are so good at living in the moment which allows them to focus solely on the task at hand. No multi-tasking for them. We all need to go back to that state of mind. I do try but it is so very difficult as the multitiude of to-do's pop into my head.

I wonder how creative we all would be if we could do everything with the single-minded purpose of a child?

Denise

www.inktreemarketing.com
www.publishacookbook.com

#CHRISTMAS STUFF

Just rushing around as we all are. Looking forward to some down time starting next week - a book, a glass of wine. Aaah. What about you?

Denise
www.inktreemarketing.com
www.publishacookbook.com

#BOOKS AS GIFTS

This is definitely gift-giving season. It is the time of year when we think of others. A gift that continues to give all year long is the best gift of all.

What could be a better gift than a book? The genres that can be read many times include:

- children's stories because children want to hear the same story many time over and over
- health books because health is for every day, not just for a few days of New Year's  
  resolutions
- business books because advice and support are timeless
- spiritual books to help us through life's difficult times
- travel books that allow us to dream of faraway places
- nature books because Nature is so constantly amazing
- gardening books that offer advice during planting and harvesting, and ideas for planning the
  next season
- sports books so that sports enthusiasts can get the inside information on their favorite
  teams and players
- fitness books to keep those abs tight all year
- and so on, and so on.

I hope that I have helped a bit with your Christmas shopping.

Cheers,

Denise
www.inktreemarketing.com
www.publishacookbook.com

#BOOK MARKETING PLAN

The sun is shining and the ground is covered with sparkling white snow. It looks like we are living in a Christmas card, which is perfect as we rush around getting gifts wrapped and cookies baked.

It seems that at this time of year there is a plan but a very loose plan. We can get away with that in our personal lives but not in business, and amazingly this comes as a surprise to so many authors who self publish - publishing is a business. I can't tell you how many times I have had to make that clear.

A book is like any other product that you are selling - it just another widget that requires marketing. Which brings us to today's topic - #BOOK MARKETING PLAN with the key word being plan.

The new year is fast arriving, so what is your plan for marketing your book in 2012?

Denise
www.inktreemarketing.com
www.publishacookbook.com

FOREIGN RIGHTS

So busy at this time of year. It's a good kind of busy but it's a good kind of busy.

I don't have much time to be chatty today, but thought I would touch on the subject of foreign rights. What are the advantages? -

1. Money that you would not earn otherwise.

2. Creates good credibility.

3. Good credentials to add to your media kit.

4. Good publicity in other countries.

5. Fun to have copies of your book in other languages.

6. Opens new markets for selling your book to corporations.

7. Selling your foreign rights costs nothing but has the potential to earn extra cash.

Our agent is one of the leading experts in foreign rights sales. Contact us if you are interested.

Denise

www.inktreemarketing.com
www.publishacookbook.com

TO E-BOOK OR NOT TO E-BOOK

To e-book or not to e-book, that is the current question. Today's authors agonize over whether to publish a traditional print version of their books or whether to go the e-book route. It is definitely something to ponder. Which book will sell better? Which book will be most profitable?

Major publishers have been struggling with the same questions for some time now, although as recently as a few years ago they might have scorned the idea of producing an electronic book. No one would like reading on a screen, they thought. Well, surprise. The e-book format is taking the world by storm.

Now, even the major publishing houses are seeing the light, so to speak. What they have discovered is that , lo and behold, there is more profit to be made in an e-book than in the print medium version. Some of the big e-book sellers have actually bankrupted some of the bricks-and-mortars book stores. Impossible to believe ten years ago.

The only sure thing in life is that things will change. There is no such thing as status quo, and isn't that fabulous? Life is never boring if you stay abreast of changes, even though change can be intimidating and fearsome.

In the publishing world, it is time to embrace the changes. But really, why choose one or the other? It is entirely possible to have your cake and eat it too. Why not have your graphic designer create two files? - one print ready and one for e-book sales. You will be ready for any and all types of book sales and selling books is the ultimate goal of publishing.

Welcome to the future.

Denise
www.inktreemarketing.com
www.publishacookbook.com

THINK ABOUT BOOKS

So, instead of thinking of books and publishing, I am decorating my house for Christmas. This is a wonderful time of the year - people can be somewhat distracted from the doom and gloom in the media and focus on their Christmas activities. I do speak of Christmas rather than the "holiday season" or such words. Let's just stay true to our heritage and acknowledge where this "festive" season originated. We welcome everyone else to join in and celebrate whatever their heritage and their spirits direct and understand that we are all connected, no matter what language we speak or what cultural beliefs we hold. Humanity is humanity so let's celebrate it.

However, we can speak of books, even though they are not my primary focus right now, because books are always a part of my gift-giving. It's fun to search out books that match the family members and friends who will receive them. Books can be such a personal gift. As we all know, not everyone will enjoy the same book. That's what makes the giving of them so much fun. The giver has to get inside the head of the recipient a bit to find something that will resonate with that special person, so it means that the giver really has to put some thought into the gift. You can't just randomly choose a book because it is on the latest bestseller list - you have to step further into the book store (even if it's online) to find that unique work. The recipient has to somewhat think like the author.

That's what authors need to consider when they are writing a book. For whom are they writing? They need to consider the audience that is being targeted and write with them in mind. After all, if the author is writing for herself or himself only, that's just a journal. If that author is you, keep if for yourself and write something that other like-minded people will want to buy.

Well, there you go, I did get onto a more serious matter of books after all. I just can't help myself, I guess:-)

Denise
www.inktreemarketing.com
www.publishacookbook.com

BOOK TITLES

It seems that no matter how much I write about giving a book a title, people just don't get it. Authors just don't seem to understand the importance of a good title. It's all about marketing. The goal is to have people easily remember your book. The title must say what the book is about in a few words without being absolutely literal about it. The title must be an enticing clue about the book's subject matter - it does not need to spell it out as if I the reader is in a boring class that is just a lot of work. I, the reader, want to be intrigued. The title must spark my imagination and draw me in, causing my hand to reach out involuntarily to pick up the book.

Once the book is in my hand I will look further but I must pick up the book in the first place to get more information or I will not buy it. I cannot buy what I did not pick up.

Also, I want to have already heard about the book before I buy it, thus creating the importance of the title. It must be easily recognized. Imagine if I was interested in a book, but the book's title was How to Properly Groom Your Dog. Boring. Easily forgotten because it is just one book of many on the same subject. But what about if it was called Dogs and Suds? My imagination has been excited, making me smile and want to read more. I will also be more inclined to talk about the book to my friends, and that is what you, the author, is aiming for.

So, think long and hard about your book's title. It matters.

Denise
www.inktreemarketing.com

SELLING EBOOKS - INTERNATIONAL OR NOT?

For everyone who is selling ebooks on Amazon, the link at the end of this blog is very interesting reading. We like to think that once our ebooks are on Amazon our books are available anywhere in the world. It seems that technology has a long way to go before all ebook readers are compatible. If you are selling in the U.S., Canada or Australia you are fine but the rest of English-speaking in the world might be excluded. If you are not aware of the restrictions you could be excused for wondering why your sales are not better. Again, it's a matter of buyer beware. Read the fine print.
http://thewritersguidetoepublishing.com/how-much-does-a-99c-ebook-cost-on-amazon


Denise
www.inktreemarketing.com

LEARN HOW TO WRITE

Before you start writing a book, learn how to write. It you do not write with style, you will not sell books. It's as simple as that. Today I listened to an interview with an award-winning author who offered great advice. He said, "Read The Elements of Style by William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White." You may remember Mr. White as the author of Charlotte's Web, a most touching and memorable story.

Why is Charlotte's Web so memorable? Simple. The writing is so good that it resonates and it is memorable, which are the two elements that make a book a classic. You, the author, want your book to be in that category.

As my father always told me, "Anything worth doing is worth doing well." Don't waste your time writing something mediocre - write for long term success and write with style. It will pay off.

If you think that your writing is not stellar, no problem. You can learn how to write. The rules are written in many books, but The Elements of Style is a great place to start. Follow the advice of those who have achieved success and you will do well.

Be hard on yourself and you will create a work worthy of pride.

Denise
www.inktreemarketing.com

MORE ON TECHIE STUFF

So, I wanted to add a Twitter button to the blog. What I discovered is: it's not that easy. The button has to be added into the html background of the blog site. Yikes!! I love technology when it works for me, not when I have to figure out HOW it works. Thank goodness for Joni, who understands the background workings of a website. Even for her, though, it was a bit of a challenge.

In the process of all this technology research, I was researching how to format an ebook. Yikes again!! It gave me a headache just reading the first page of instructions because really, it was like reading a foreign language (which for me, it is). Don't look for an actual ebook from me soon - this could take a few months.

So anyway, while it is important to publish your books in ebook format, don't expect it to be all that easy. Take your time and learn the "foreign language".

Denise
www.inktreemarketing.com

The Twilight Saga - Breaking Dawn

Last night I saw the new Twilight movie. I feel like that's a confession, like it's something I should be embarassed about (my husband sure thinks so), but it was so entertaining. Cheesy, yes, but very entertaining. Perhaps it's because I've read all the books. You heard me. I'm a 30-something Mom of two and I read the Twilight books. There. And you know what? So have all of my other 30-something Mom friends AND the Mom of one of those friends who was with us last night! I read them, and I liked them. I think my friend's husband summed it up best after he saw it: "it was garbage, but it was good" (by the way, I'm pretty sure he would deny to the death that he went to see it, but that's here nor there). That's kind of how I felt about the books when I read them. They're cheesy, not exceptionally well written and incredibly basic, but I'll admit that there were times I sat my kids in front of Dora or Diego so I could finish one.

So, what is up with that? The books aren't great in terms of quality and certainly would not be described as a feat of literary excellence, but you know Stephenie Meyer is a bazillionaire now. What gives? Marketing people. Straight up marketing. Check into it.

If you haven't already signed up for our free Self Publishing Newsletter on our website, now would be a good time. For the next several newsletters, we're going to give you a taste of what's in our Ultimate Book Marketing Kit. In each newsletter we'll give you an excerpt straight out of The Kit itself. Listen to me when I tell you that the biggest value in The Ultimate Book Marketing is the free consulting it comes with. The Kit itself is meant to be your baseline and the place where you get all of the basics of publishing your own book. It is then up to you to customize the publishing and marketing plan so that it is best implemented for YOUR book. You do this WITH OUR HELP. The consulting time is meant to be used. We are here waiting to help you --  we want to help you.

Because, I'm sure at least a few of you would be ok with several million 30-something Moms paying $20 at the theatre for your "garbage-good" movie...

Joni

RESURRECTING THE BLOG

RESURRECTING THE BLOG

A blog is something that requires a chatty person, I think - something I'm not. However, I do like to write, so perhaps my interest in writing can translate into some chattiness. Here goes. The best thing is that I get to communicate with like-minded people. Recently, I joined Twitter just for that reason. It's kind of interesting, although it's another learning curve. Well, you should learn something every moment until you die - that's what makes life interesting. When I decided to publish a book I had no idea of the learning curve which I had just jumped onto. Wow! It was like discovering another dimension. My son says that physicists know of at least ten dimensions, which blows my mind, but I know of at least five: length, width, height, time and publishing. Actually, I know of six: technology. That has been another learning curve, from finding out about computers, the internet, cell phones, email, external hard drives, personal video recorders, Twitter, Facebook. I guess that I will never run out of things to learn.

Anyway, my goal is to help other people who want to learn - about publishing. Not about technology. I'll just stick to what I know. So, if you are interested in learning about how to publish a book, and ebooks follow the same principles, let me know.

Denise
www.inktreemarketing.com

 

 

JOINT VENTURES

Here is a common questions that we receive:

What is a joint venture?

A joint venture is an agreement between two companies to sell a product for mutual profit. So, you could go to a company to say, if you sell my book, I will give you x% of the profits. Or you could go to a company to say, I will give you a discount on my books if you buy x number of them and here is how the book will help you to increase your profits or it will attract new customers to you, or it will show your good will to your customers.

The company is not likely to give you their mailing list as that is confidential information but the company could send out an offer for your book to help them increse their own sales, elg., buy $x of my product and you will receive a free cook book.

Keep in mind that the company will be interested ONLY if you can demonstrate to them the benefits they will receive by using your cook book.

Make a list of companies that are compatible with your book, call the company and ask to speak to the director of marketing. Have your information ready in case they request a proposal: sell sheet, discount schedule, benefits to them.

Denise

www.inktreemarketing.com

FOLLOW UP TO WRITING MY STORY

Last month I wrote about writing my story (see copy of my blog below). Let me tell you, it was a struggle!

As my acupuncturist recently remarked, "You bottle things up. When something worries you, you keep it to yourself. You need to stop that." Well, writing my story was a difficult task, since I rarely talk about myself. Overall, the writing was a good experience. It opened my eyes to what I really think about life in general and how I handle issues.

Here is an exercise for you. Write about an event or an experience that has changed your life, but if like me you couldn't think of one outstanding event, write about what you have learned up to your current age. It's great therapy!

When the book is published, I will let you know.

Cheers,

Denise

http://www.inktreemarketing.com/




WRITING MY STORY write a chapter, writing my story
WRITING MY STORY I have been invited to write about myself in someone else's book - actually, a 3000 to 4000 word chapter that tells about my life experiences. O.K. Where do I start? It's one thing to coach other people about writing but having the tables turned is another story, literally. Here is the kicker - they have given me only six weeks. Many days I have writer's block just doing this blog so nothing gets posted. Now I have to write an entire chapter of a book. Yikes! Stay tuned, and if you have suggestions, please don't feel shy about letting me know. Denise http://www.inktreemarketing.com/
Labels: write a chapter, writing my story

READING CONTRACTS

Contracts are legal documents. It is vital that you read and understand a contract before signing it. By signing, you are agreeing to the terms and conditions in the contract. You are legally bound to abide by those terms and conditions.

Here is a case in point: we are having a few issues with a client who did not read the terms of a contract before signing the contract and now she is in a huff. The points of dispute are minor but they can create negative feelings which we like to avoid. Certainly it is not our intention to make anyone unhappy but we have to remain firm or we will be breaking the terms of the contract and that can have repercussions.

Diplomacy is now required to pacify the client yet hold her to the terms to which she agreed. There will be a lot of energy required and time wasted before everything settles down.

All of this could have been avoided if the client had just read the contract and asked questions up front. She is now annoyed, not justifiably so, which places her in a defensive frame of mind. We, of course, do not wish to reply in a negative tone. What good will hard feelings accomplish in the long run? We'd rather make friends than enemies.

Just be sure that you avoid all of this turmoil. Before you sign ANY contract, read it and most importantly UNDERSTAND it. You will save yourself a lot of frustration in the long run.

Denise

www.inktreemarketing.com

BOOK MARKETING MATERIALS

It was a wonderful Mother's Day weekend. Time spent with family is invaluable and precious. Grandchildren grow at an alarmingly rapid pace as did their parents before them. I hope that all you mothers had as nice a day as I did.

Now, on to book matters. Recently, clients have sent me their marketing materials to review. While they might look pretty, the message is frequently being missed - buy the book.

All marketing materials are part of your sales team, speaking for you when you are not there. There are essential elements that must be included:

• Title


• Photo of the book if possible


• Benefits of the book


• Description of the physical book (price, size, number of pages, graphics, photos, etc.)


• Availability - where do readers buy the book?


• Contact information


• Ordering information


• Call to order (offer deals if you can)


• Endorsement or two


• Very short author bio

Your goal is to entice people to want, no NEED, your book. All of the information in the marketing materials must be kept brief - very brief. If people want more information they can visit your website.

Denise

www.inktreemarketing.com

ELECTION AND OTHER STUFF

Canada has just gone through another general election, with great and positive results. For a few years now, there has been some political power-playing among some of the lesser Parties but they have now been trounced and we can all get back to business as usual. Whew! Talk about "one for the books" as the saying goes. Amazingly, in spite of it all, Canada has fared best economically of all the G8 countries. We were doing something right all along and will now have the mandate to do even better. Watch out world. :-)

Now is a good time to talk about the business of books. Be sure that you research the book business before you jump in with both feet. One publisher with whom I am working is having to re-design his entire book because he did not take the time to research what sells. He just thought that he could print in any format and that book stores would accept his product. Not so, as he is learning.

If you think that the cost of education is high, think of the price of the lack of education.

Denise

www.inktreemarketing.com

BECOME EDUCATED BEFORE YOU GO TO PRINT

Oh, my here we go again. A sad, innocent author sent me his book to be critiqued. When I responded by asking if he had sent me the galley copy he was astounded! "This is NOT a galley copy", was his comment of dismay.

Please, please do not publish a book before you are educated about the publishing process.

I cannot in any form of honesty tell this author that he should go ahead and print more books. He is in fact only at manuscript stage even though he thinks that he is ready to begin selling books. Now all that I can do is to encourage him in his efforts, and salvage all that we can by using his one hundred copies as actual galleys.

I repeat this over and over - understand publishing BEFORE you publish or you will spend thousands of dollars and many hours of time for absolutely nothing. Book buyers know a good book on sight. There is no fooling them. Professional design is crucial for success. Professional editing is crucial for success. There are no shortcuts.

Denise

www.inktreemarketing.com

TAXES ON FOREIGN RIGHTS SALES

Here is a question that has come up: why do I have to pay taxes on foreign rights in another country?

As we all know, there is no avoiding taxes. That truth is applicable to selling goods in any other country of the world. Each country wants its share of any profits made, no matter the source and will withhold its share. Usually, as a nonresident, you can get the taxes back but there are procedures to follow and those procedures vary from country to country.

When you sell foreign rights to your book, expect to encounter tax issues. Is it the job of your book agent to deal with the taxes? No. It is your job as the publisher to handle the reimbursement of the taxes.

Who can help you? - the publisher to whom you sold your book rights. Have them contact their country's tax department to request the necessary paperwork.

Denise

www.inktreemarketing.com

SELLING BOOKS

It is most interesting to me that people publish books BEFORE they have a clear idea of where they will sell those books!

Seriously, would anyone manufacture any other product without knowing that there is a good market for the product?

Would you go to the trouble and expense of creating a new kind of widget without knowing if people even want your widget? Not unless you are very, very silly.

The same holds true for books. Think about where and how you will sell it BEFORE you publish it.

That's my rant for today. :-)

Denise

www.inktreemarketing.com

WRITING MY STORY

I have been invited to write about myself in someone else's book - actually, a 3000 to 4000 word chapter that tells about my life experiences. O.K. Where do I start? It's one thing to coach other people about writing but having the tables turned is another story, literally. Here is the kicker - they have given me only six weeks. Many days I have writer's block just doing this blog so nothing gets posted. Now I have to write an entire chapter of a book. Yikes! Stay tuned, and if you have suggestions, please don't feel shy about letting me know. Denise www.inktreemarketing.com

GOOD WRITING

Today's message is about writing. In trying to choose a Sympathy card, I was reminded of how difficult it is to find just the correct message. There are thousands of ways to say "I'm sorry. I feel very sad for you in your loss", but the words must resonate and convey just the right feeling. It's a reminder that when you are writing, you need to keep the reader in mind. What might they be looking for? How do you write a book that speaks to the reader's needs (not YOUR needs). One key point is to be clear in your mind how you are planning to make the reader's life better, or how you intend to entertain a specific target audience. Before you even put pen to paper, think long and hard about who will buy your book, and write for them. Denise www.inktreemarketing.com

GUARANTEED BOOK SALES

Well, today I received an interesting question from an aspiring publisher. She wants to know if I can guarantee that she will sell x number of books in one year. Wow!! I'm wondering how anyone can assume that someone else can guarantee the results of their efforts. Will I be there when she makes the decision to edit or not edit her manuscript, will I be there when she decides on a graphic designer, will I make the decision on which printer she chooses, will I be the one who speaks to the media during HER interviews? - and so on, and so on. Yes, I can coach her and tell her the elements that make for a quality book, I can tell her how to design her media kit, I can show her how to design a proposal for high volume sales. BUT. I cannot do all of the work for her. It is her business, her book and her efforts that count. Choosing to turn over the book publishing and the marketing efforts to other people yet expecting great results is a common failing that I see in aspiring publishers. It is THEIR business so they should mind their own business. Denise www.inktreemarketing.com

WRITING A PROPOSAL

We at Ink Tree are in the process of writing a proposal to pitch a show idea. So for all of you who are doing the same thing, here are a few pointers: - make your cover page stand out: use graphics - use a teaser on the cover page to entice them to read further - tell them the benefits of your idea: what's in it for them - give them the what, who, why, how and when scenarios - let them know why you are indispensable to the idea - label each page of the proposal, either in the footer or by watermarking the pages or both Good luck! Denise www.inktreemarketing.com

PUBLISHING CONTRACTS

Another disappointed author! We received a phone call today form an author who is having difficulties with his publisher. It seems that the author signed a publishing contract without actually researching intellectual property rights, so said author had no idea which rights he should retain for himself. Now, this author would like to register for our Foreign Rights program. As it turns out, his publisher will not allow that to happen as the contract states that the publisher owns the foreign rights. Fair enough. The contract has been signed. However, the publisher does not promote foreign rights sales, so that leaves the author high and dry. The author wants to promote foreign rights sales but the publisher will not allow it but the publisher does not promote foreign rights sales so no one can sell the foreign rights to the book. What a vicious circle. Another reason for authors to become educated about the publishing process before publishing. If you think that the cost of education is expensive - try the cost of ignorance. Denise www.inktreemarketing.com

HOW MANY PEOPLE WANT TO WRITE A BOOK?

Upon researching statistics on books, I stumbled upon data that I had always suspected but never confirmed. How many people would like to write a book? To my delight and amazement, the figure is 82%. Wow!

My own experiment at a seminar one day confirms that. When I stood up and asked the same question, how many would like to write a book, hands popped up all over the room. At that time I was astounded. Now I know the truth.

Are you among that eight-two percent? Even if you are, here is another fact that you should know - most people will do nothing about their wish to be an author. Some will write a manuscript, or even several manuscripts, but never pursue having them published. Some will submit their manuscript to a publisher or two and become defeated by a couple of rejections. Some will "self publish" using a "publishing service" but the book will never sell because of its inferior quality.

A very special few will actually become successful authors. Why them? There are many reasons, but among them are:

• believing passionately in their idea
• becoming educated about the publishing process
• understanding their competition
• targeting their audience and their market
• being persistent.

That's it in a nutshell. If you sincerely want to be successful as an author, memorize those reasons and follow through.

Denise

SURPRISE

Just when it seemed that winter was finally, finally over we have been hit with a blizzard. Road conditions are atrocious, so staying at home seems like an excellent option. Nothing is so important that it can't wait for sunnier days.

So, while house bound there was time to have a long chat with a lovely lady who is interested in publishing a cookbook. Her most interesting comment was that her finances are too tight to purchase our $97.00 Ultimate Book Marketing Kit yet she planned to sign a multi-thousand dollar contract to publish her book. She was turning over the design, editing, printing and marketing to a publishing service (there is a place for them, but...) that would produce for her one of their "cookie-cutter" books. Unfortunately, book buyers and book reviewers can tell an inferior product just as anyone experienced in any other industry can tell poor quality goods.

Instead of spending less than $100.00 for education she was willing to spend thousands of dollars to produce a product that will surely fail. That is just awful!!

There is just no explaining human nature.

Denise

THE VACATION IS OVER

How quickly a vacation passes. There is great truth in the saying "time flies when you're having fun."

Cabo San Lucas is an absolutely lovely place to rest and relax, especially if you avoid the busy tourist zone on the harbor. We did have some fun shopping and eating in the heart of the action but most of our time was spent poolside.

I read several books while lounging under a big umbrella with a frosty drink in hand. Because my time of utter relaxation was precious, any book in my selection had to absolutely grab my attention. If it didn't, bye-bye. There was a book exchange basket at each pool area where the rejects were quickly deposited. Just because the book did not please me did not mean that it might not appeal to someone else and they must have, because they quickly disappeared. That being said, I found some interesting novels there, too.

What appeals most to me is well written books that were not necessarily on the bestseller list. They are not "cookie-cutter" books nor are they "formula" stories. My favorites are well written stories with a human slant. No fantasy or science fiction for this chick - I want to read about people. Truth, or something very close to it, is "stranger than fiction" in my mind.

Hours of pool time with a fascinating book - what a great vacation.

Denise

VACATION BREAK

I am saying adios for two weeks as Mexico calls. More to the point, warm days and beaches call. This unseasonbly, unglobal-warming-like cold spell is just not fun.

I would love for some of you to send in suggestions of what you might like to have discussed in future blogs.

Don't forget to sign up for our Ink Tree newsletter at www.inktreemarketing.com for tons of pointers on publishing.

Denise

ADVICE FROM AUTHORS

This posting will be extremely brief but very helpful to new authors. Oprah Winfrey's website, www.oprah.com, today features interviews with famous authors. Who better to give you advice on writing a book than people who have already been there and done that?

You will discover that writing a book can be a heart wrenching, lengthy, rewarding endeavour. Don't rush the process. Make it count.

Denise

www.inktreemarketing.com

Do you want to publish a book that will sell? We can help you.

CHILDREN'S BOOKS

Today I was reading stories to my two little granddaughters. What a great excuse to get a cuddle and to watch their little faces as they become engrossed in the story. These are moments to cherish forever.

What came to mind as I was reading is that so many people think that they can write children's books. How hard can it be? The books need only a few simple words. How deceptive.

It is extremely difficult to tell a story using only a few words. Each word must count for more than a whole page in an adult book. Furthermore, the words must be kept very simple. Now, there's a challenge, especially since you will have to repeat most of the words several times at least.

Book buyers are also very particular about children's books. They know the word counts allowable per page for each age group and the level of vocabulary acceptable for each age group. Break the rules and no one will buy your book.

Illustrations must also be attractive to both adults and to children. After all, who buys the books? Not the kids. Therefore, the book needs to be pleasing to the family and friends who are buying books as gifts for children.

If you feel that you need to write children's books, spend a LOT of time researching what works and what doesn't. Once you are sure that you understand the criteria, write your stories.

I look forward to reading them to my little ones.

Denise

www.inktreemarketing.com

PACKING

Just when it seemed that winter was showing signs of ending, it returned with a vengeance. Thank goodness March is just around the corner!

I have started to pack for a much needed and anticipated trip to sunnier climes. Needless to say, books are included in the necessary items. These days with limited luggage allowances, which books to pack becomes an issue.

Hard cover books are much too bulky and heavy. That reduces the selection to soft cover books. I selected a pile of novels that sound very intriguing. The sign of the tines is that the books that made the final cut are the lightest in weight.

Sometimes choices must be made for unanticipated reasons.

I find that most interesting...

Denise

www.inktreemarketing.com

A CHALLENGE ACCEPTED

I had the most amazing Valentine's dinner, complete with a decadent chocolate dessert. Yum!

Anyway, I gave an author a challenge. He had a "publishing service" printing company design and edit his book. I told him that I would be able to tell just by looking at the book, as could book buyers tell, that he had not hired his own designer and editor. To prove me wrong he offered to send me a copy of the book.

Well, I had completely forgotten about it. This week his book appeared on my desk, and it having been some time since the challenge, I did not realize that it was HIS book that I was looking at. My first comment in the office was, "This book has not been professionally designed. Just look at the cover." Oops. Then I read his letter. Well, the appearance of his book was proof of my initial comment - "Just by looking at the book I will be able to tell you that this book was produced by a publishing service."

Don't get me wrong, simple books have their place. Some people don't want to sell to book stores and corporate buyers, and that's just fine. Maybe they want to sell only on a website or maybe they want to sell only during personal appearances, or maybe they don't want to sell at all. Maybe the book is meant for a charity group or for the private distribution to friends and family. No problem.

What is a problem is trying to sell to corporate buyers when the book looks like an amateur production. Academy awards are not presented to home movies any more than sales are awarded to poor quality books.

If you want to sell large quantities of books, treat your book like a product that you intend to sell to a designer company not to a discount store.

Denise

www.inktreemarketing.com

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY

Happy Valentine's Day to all.

This is a good day to relax and just read something romantic, isn't it? Put aside all of the rules and just read a fun romance novel - one of those feel good books that you will never remember, the writing is not all that great, but it's fun and it puts a smile on your face.

This is not a day to be analytical. It's a day to do something fun and eat some chocolates. Tomorrow is another day. We can chat about serious matters then.

For today, be kind to your heart.

Denise

www.inktreemarketing.com

WRITING - WHAT ARE YOU THINKING ABOUT?

I wonder what people think about when they are writing. Obviously, the writer is thinking about something that is of interest to him/her. But what else?

For me, I picture someone reading what I have written. I picture the reader absorbing what I have said and I hope that my thoughts come through clearly. When I was writing my cookbook/healthy lifestyle book, I asked my daughter to act out an exercise that I was describing. It was funny to see her go through the motions, because what I THOUGHT I had said is apparently not what I actually said. It was a terrific learning experience in understanding how my brain (and yours) fills in the missing links because in your brain you can picture the outcome. However, the reader's brain may go in another direction. That is why you have to write, re-write, leave it for a while, re-write and so on until you are sure that your message is clear.

I decided to test my writing on my daughter again for the book. When she was asked to act out the steps in a recipe, I almost jumped up and down for joy when she actually carried out the instructions as I meant them to be performed. Whew! That was a relief.

As we say in our Ultimate Book Marketing Kit (www.inktreemarketing.com), you absolutely CANNOT edit your own writing. That tricky brain, again, will fill in the blanks when you don't even know it's happening.

Trust me, it's true. You MUST, MUST, MUST have your manuscript edited professionally or you will be misquoted all over the place. The results could be unpleasant indeed, because once you have published a work, it's out there for all to critique.

Make it good.

Denise

WHAT MAKES YOU THINK YOUR BOOK WILL SELL?

To continue in the vein of our newsletter sent out today, (you can sign up for the newsletter at www.inktreemarketing.com), why do you think that your book will sell?

We receive review copies of books daily. One glance at most of them and we know - this book will never make it. We so often wonder what the publishers are thinking! Have they ever actually gone to a book store to study they physical aspects of a book? Apparently not!

Everyone is familiar with the saying, "Don't judge a book by its cover." Well, guess what? People do judge a book by its cover (and by the appearance of the inside pages). The cover of a book must be enticing. It must call out to people who are browsing, urging them to actually pick up the book, read the back cover and then flip the book open to get a sampling of the writing, which had better be good.

If a book is not professionally designed and professionally edited, it screams out POOR QUALITY. There are too many competitors available for people to pay the same amount for an inferior book as for a superior book. There is plenty of competition out there. Your book has to stand out above the rest - it must be different and better than the other books in the same genre.

If your book does not "grab" the reader, you have just sold someone else's book.

NEVER, NEVER go to print with a poor quality book unless you need to fill your garage with rejects.

Phew, that rant feels great.

Denise

www.inktreemarketing.com

Life-transforming ideas have always come to me through books.
Bell Hooks, O Magazine, December 2003

Walk into a room full of people and ask how many have or are in the process of or would like to write a book, and hands will flash up all over the room. I've tried it - it's true. Several years ago we ran a contest for authors with amazing results. Hundreds of people submitted manuscripts that had been written for some time and some were works in progress, but it was an indication of just how many people are interested in writing books.

How wonderful! Just think of the number of people who have ideas, knowledge and wisdom to share or who are creative enough to entertain us through writing.

Currently, books are in a state of transistion with the development of ebook readers and that's OK. I know that there is a great deal of controversy about ebooks but let's just celebrate that more people can get their books and their ideas out to the public. One of the few certainties in life is that things will change. That's fine.

Let's celebrate that people are still interested in sharing their ideas and people are still interested in reading in whatever format makes them happy.

Denise

AND THE FLU GOES ON....

When will it end? When will my head stop feeling like it's a balloon ready to burst? When will I get a good night's sleep?

Anyway - I still have to read my email and I still hear the daily complaint of "I have a "publisher" but I am very disappointed in the service that I am receiving for the amount of money that I paid. What can I do now?

The answer is: very little. You have likely blown the publishing budget, you have received a poor quality book and no one will review it or buy it.

There just cannot be enough said about education. Before you ever, ever sign a contract or print some books, research books (physical books) and research the publishing game. There is a LOT to it and publishing is a LOT of work. It is a business, not a hobby. Your goal is to create a product that you want to sell, just as if you are manufacturing a widget. What does the competition look like? What does it cost to produce? Where will you sell it? How will people know about it? How much time do you have to devote to the project?

You can ask me how at www.inktreemarketing.com.

Denise

FLU AND A HAPPY PUBLISHER

The flu bag still has a nasty grip on me. For ten days I haven't tasted a thing that I have eaten. I am judging what I eat by it's appearance and by what I assume it tastes like based on someone else's opinion - kind of like judging a book. You assume it is good by its cover and by what you presume the contents will be based on what other people tell you.

Sometimes your expectations are justified but sometimes you are disappointed. You have to follow your instincts based on initial reactions and sometimes you have to wait for your own analysis based on trying it. If your dinner or the book looks good - give it a chance. If someone else tells you it is good, try it yourself. It may or may not be as good as it looks.

That's about all my fevered brain can come up with today.

Denise

UPDATE

I had such great intentions of blogging regularly, but as soon as I declared that intention, some awful virus hit me followed by a nasty bacterial sinus and chest infection. Weeks have disappeared in the fight against the nasty.

The same goes for other projects in life, I guess. You get side-tracked. The only thing holding you back is focus and determination. So, with focus and determination I am back on the right track, hopefully.

Anyway, some poor soul has been emailing me about her disappointment in dealing with her "publishing service". I have said it before and I will say it again and again - self publishing means SELF publishing. If you are not in complete control of your book, it will NOT be successful. If you do not understand the publishing industry before you ever print a book, you will FAIL. If you think that education is expensive, try experiencing the cost of ignorance.

That's it in a nutshell. Lack of knowledge will cost you.

Denise

NEW YEAR'S START OVER

OK, OK, it's time to get back to being a serious blogger after my long Christmas break.

Today I was issued a challenge by a gentleman who has had his book "edited" and "designed" by a publishing service. I told him that I will be able to tell immediately that his book was not professionally produced so he is sending me a copy of the book. My reply was, "I will be more than pleased to be proved wrong".

Almost invariabley, I can tell that someone has not hired their own (I hate saying their) editor and book designer. It usually shows - big time!! However, there are always exceptions to the rule. We'll see...

So, I am helping a future author with his Doctorate in Naturopathy because he needs help with the writing of the thesis, which will be a couple of years down the road. It's going to be very interesting getting back into medical terminology. Yesterday we puzzled over the different meaning of fundus and of inferior. Talk about splitting hairs on the definition... Help! I need an editor. I'm sure that there will be more comments as I struggle with minor differences.

We're busy now with our Foreign Rights program, as authors wring their hands over whether or not to sell the rights to their books. I always say they have nothing to lose and great credibility to gain. Why wouldn't you want your book published in other countries and in other languages. I always smile when I see the Polish version of my book - I think it says what I meant to say. It looks good. :-)

Stay tuned for more updates.

Denise