Are There Really Any Bad Books?

I can hear a resounding "yes" from the peanut gallery after my comment "Are There Really Any Bad Books?"  Think about it though, just for a moment - it really just comes down to personal opinion and an elected few who have taken on the status of "Book Reviewer".  Just because my friend Elaine doesn't like the same book as me, doesn't make the book in question bad, horrible, wrong or a waste of time, it just means that we have a difference of opinion.  How do we give so much power to so few in that professional status of "Reviewer" when really all they are giving, much like anyone else, is their opinion!

That's why all you Authors out there or "wannabe" Authors just need to remember, as long as you LOVE your subject, know why you are writing this book ie: to make money, for family and friends etc. then really there is no "bad books" just books that needed to be published for one reason or another.  There will always be someone who thinks it's the best book ever written....even if it is your Mum!

I love the smell of #Books

On a recent trip to Toronto, I had the pleasure of spending time with an amazing 80+ year old lady who was still living life to the fullest.  She was a friend of a friend and we were all together enjoying a wonderful supper.  Over coffee the subject turned to books and reading and she made two comments that really made me smile but also reminded me that I also felt the same way...she said "I love the way my favorite books smell" and her second comment was she called her favorite books "old friends".  I too, over the years, have kept certain books around.  I love the stories, or perhaps it was a special gift that had a meaning more than just what the book was about and/or just the fact that I couldn't part with them.

I started thinking about this and wondered if in the future anyone would love the way their "Kindle" or Ipad" smelt and if they would still be around long enough to be called "old friends"!!  Everything has its place and there will always be those who love books and those that find the new electronic devices more "their cup of tea".

I myself have been collecting for a few years now, books by my most favorite author ever..."Enid Blyton".  If it wasn't for her and my primary teacher Ms Blight, I doubt I would have grown to love reading and books as much as I do.  The "Secret Seven" and the "Famous Five" series were books I just couldn't put down, reading under the covers with a torch as it was way past my bed time and every spare moment I could find would have me clutching the newest edition from the school library or if I was lucky enough, my very own copy.

Where did all those Enid Blyton books of mine go?  I know I had several, but over the years they got stored away and lost to me.  I did ask my Mum once and she said probably given to a "Jumble Sale", they were no longer at home.  I keep wondering if somewhere, someone has a copy of  "Five on a Treasure Island" with my name scrawled across the first page of the book in pen...I hope they are taking really good care of it.

For now I continue to try and find some of my "old friends", published in the fifties and sixties, in some obscure book store in Ontario or in my travels back to the UK, maybe I should check out the internet, someone somewhere might just be selling them.  It would sure be nice to just flick the pages slowly and smell some of them again.

Debbie Black
www.inktreemarketing.com

#Books and New Technology

I took a few days off to catch up on many other things but blogging stayed in the back of my mind. I must be getting hooked on it. Who would have guessed?

So, I have noticed, and I am sure that you have too, that the world of books certainly is changing. When a new trend begins in the tech world, it's like a whirlwind. The spread of innovation is faster than the spread of a cold in a kindergarten class. As soon as one person has it, everyone has it.

My son , Mr. High Tech, sent this link to me to show what is happening in the ipad world:

http://www.apple.com/ibooks-author/.

Doesn't it just make you want to rush out and buy an ipad? The only thing holding me, and most people, back is the price tag of an ipad. Let a few years pass by and we will see the affordability improve. I'm looking forward to that time.

You don't need to jump on board yet, but keep your eyes and your ears (and your mind) open and be prepared to adopt the new technology.

Denise

www.inktreemarketing.com

www.publishacookbook.com

#Technology and Books and Ebooks

So Debbie, one of the Ink Tree partners, decided with enthusiasm to begin adding her say to this blog. Wonderful idea because Deb is the publicity expert and most of you need help, help, help with your publicity campaigns.

However her computer, and computers being the frustrating tools that they are, would not allow her to log into our blog site. I love computers when they work, but there many times that I look for a hammer. So far I have managed to restrain myself, but there could come a day...  Just saying.

Anyway, as Deb's husband tries to solve her computer issues I will bend your ears a bit about ebooks. They have become a necessary asset and a necessary evil for publishers. Ebooks are a challenge on their own, subject to the quirks of electronic devices. Once a paper book is published, it's good to go. It can be displayed on your book shelf, it can be traded, it can be sold, it can be shared and so on.

Ebooks, however, cannot do most of those things. That being said, and as I said, they are a necessary part of your publishing plan. The reality is that many people now want their books in electronic format so you, the publisher, need to provide buyers with what they want.

Just be prepared for a few technical glitches. It's the new reality. We just have to get used to it and deal with it.

On to the future...

Denise

www.inktreemarketing.com
www.publishacookbook.com

#Disappointing Book. Respect #Your Audience.

So, I just finished a book that I was reading. Initially I thought it was good - it kept my interest, the writing style was good, the story was credible and the main character was likeable.

For many chapters I went along for the ride, being intrigued by the character's life and adventures both good and bad.

However, somewhere along the line the story began to deteriorate. It was subtle at first. I thought, "Oh really, that's a bit far-fetched but still credible". But then, incredible, silly stuff began to happen and my interest began to wane.

The last chapter did me in. I then knew that the story had deteriorated into just plain ridiculous. It was a disappointing ending.

I hate that. It felt more like the author duped me than entertained me. He did not indicate anywhere in the story that he was writing tongue-in-cheek so now I just feel like I wasted my time.

It seems that I won't be looking for more books by the same author.

Denise

www.inktreemarketing.com
www.publishacookbook.com

#OUR BOOK PUBLISHING NEWSLETTER

It's that time of the month again. Our book publishing newsletter has just been sent out to our many thousands of followers. It's fun and challenging each month to provide useful information to people who want to publish a book. We aim to entertain and educate.

Please go to our website and sign up for the newsletter: www.inktreemarketing.com. We give our followers the opportunity to have their books mentioned in our newsletter and we provide useful information.

Don't forget, we offer a FREE coaching hotline for our clients to send us their publishing questions.

Denise

www.inktreemarketing.com
www.publishacookbook.com

#WRITE WHAT YOU KNOW

This cold spell is sapping my creative juices. It's far nicer to curl up in a warm spot and read someone else's writings than think of clever bits of wisdom of my own.

I am reading a most unique novel titled The Ballad of Lee Cotton by Christopher Wilson. The author certainly has written a "different" story, which is largely what makes it so appealing. They say that you should write what you know. He must have had some very interesting experiences in his life. I'm fascinated.

So on that note, good luck with your writing. I hope that you sell a million books.

Denise

www.inktreemarketing.com
www.publishacookbook.com

#BOOKS AND CHILDREN

Recently my three-year-old granddaughter came to visit with books in hand. She proudly carried a set of learn-to-read books that she wanted us to read together.

What was so wonderful was her excitement about learning to read on her own, and reading only one book was just not enough - she wanted to read all twenty books. And we did. She was just as enthusiastic about the last book as she was about the first book.

All of my little grandchildren love books. It's wonderful. Whenever I have the chance to be the one who puts them to bed at night, we read stories. The only problem is limiting them to only three stories each.

I hope that they never lose their love of reading. I hope that your children and grandchildren have discovered a great relationship with books. Reading is a life-long pleasure that should be available to everyone.

Don't forget to read to your children every day.

Denise

www.inktreemarketing.com
www.publishacookbook.com

#HOW TO WRITE A BOOK

How many times have I heard - "I'm thinking of writing a book. Do you think that I can publish it in about six months from now?" There are even people who claim that they can teach you how to have your book written in 90 days. Crazy idea! Use successful authors as your example and do it right. Most highly successful authors take two or three years to write a book.

Even before you start writing your book, take an entry level university English class. Following that, take some creative writing courses. You may even start writing your book during the education process because you don't want to lose your creative ideas, but the writing process will be so much easier if you have good writing skills. Your writing style will also be hugely improved with some coaching.

The writing process is long. Your mind needs sufficient time to think of ideas, and then think of those ideas time and again. There is always a different way to say anything. After reading your material over and over, a better way to express your thoughts may pop up. It may even happen in your sleep as your subconscious mulls over what you have put onto paper (or into your computer).

It is a good idea to put your writing aside periodically. Don't think about it for a few days before you review what you have written. It's amazing how errors, omissions and new ideas flash into into your mind when you read something after taking a break from all of the thoughts that are swirling inside.

Take your time when writing a book. You want the book to be the best it can be. There is a lot of competition out there so be a perfectionist - it will pay off.

Denise

www.inktreemarketing.com
www.publishacookbook.com

#SELLING FOREIGN RIGHTS

It's that time of year again - Foreign Rights Sales season. Our agent will soon be putting out the call for submissions. He is the guru of foreign rights sales. How important is it to have an agent representing your book? Very. You should not send your book with someone who does not know your book. Personal representation is crucial to success.

Our agent attends the Frankfurt Book Fair in person. He sends out a catalog to his client base before he goes to Frankfurt.He arranges actual one-on-one appointments with publishers from all over the world before he even arrives in Frankfurt. He displays each book that he represents. He has working relationships with many hundreds of foreign publishers. He understands what a good offer is and what is an offer that should be rejected.

What is he worth? He's priceless. Is he expensive? NO. Amazing.

If you are thinking of selling foreign rights to your book (and why would you not want to sell the rights?), be sure to contact us.

Get on the list before it is full. Space is limited.

Denise

www.inktreemarketing.com
www.publishacookbook.com

#DO AUTHORS NEED CREDENTIALS?

Another question that I was asked recently is, "Do I need credentials to write a book?"

This particular author wants to write a self help book on how to live a healthy, spiritual life based on his experiences and opinions. He wants to know if the book will sell.

There is no absolute answer, of course, but there are some obvious points to be made. The most obvious one is, why should someone buy your book when they can purchase one that was written by a professional in the field? There are thousands of books that have been written by psychologists, life coaches and other similar professionals.

Some of those authors are famous people. Don't you think that someone looking for a self help book will choose advice from an experienced, qualified professional rather than from someone's anecdotes?

That being said, there can be a market for people who want affirmation they can overcome many of life's conflicts and stresses. A well-written book that supports the advice of the experts can be very attractive to sceptics.

There are many approaches to writing a book. Even if you are not the certified authority on a subject, you can still add great supportive information.

Just be careful how you approach the subject. If you do not claim to be the expert, you can find a way to write about your topic in a way that will attract people.

Denise

www.inktreemarketing.com
www.publishacookbook.com

#WILL MY BOOK SELL?

Wow! The discussions I get into! Today I was asked by someone if her book would sell. What a loaded question. Where do I begin with the variables? I cannot control the sales of anyone's book - I can only advise. The work of writing and selling the book are yours. Period. Ultimately, it is your business.

My reply included explaining my role. My job is to point out the necessary concerns when writing and publishing a book, and the pitfalls of selling the book. Otherwise, you stand to make many expensive mistakes.

The person who sent me her questions made reference to a successfully self published book in the 1940's. Has anything changed in the book market since then? Oh, yes, it has. In the 1940's, far fewer books were published so the competition was so much less, not to mention that fewer people bought books in those days.

Now, anyone publishing a book had better know their target market. Also, they had best also be a most excellent writer who has had the book extensively edited.

It's tough out there, guys.

Denise

www.inktreemarketing.com
www.publishacookbook.com

#BOOK TITLES MATTER

I just had a conversation with a client about his book title. It's just amazing what an author can overlook, even though it's obvious to unbiased readers.

Although I cannot go into detail, this person's name, attached to his title and subtitle, could definitely be interpreted as smutty and could leave the author open to ridicule. It is important to be aware of the slang connotations of words before attaching them to a book.

Negative ideas can pop into people's minds unwittingly just because some words are so commonly used as slang, even though their dictionary definition is completely different. That being said, media persons will shun the book, as will corporate buyers, because they want to avoid offending their audiences or clients.

The intentions of the author were never meant to be negative, but one needs to keep in mind all of the ways in which a title can be interpreted.

Research your book's title THOROUGHLY before you publish. Once the book has been printed, there is no going back.

Denise

www.inktreemarketing.com
www.publishacookbook.com

# Books in Libraries

The new year is now well underway and routines have returned to normal. Christmas is so much fun but it can be a relief when the season is over. Whew!! There is something to be said for routine, although routine can also become exhausting, but as my mother used to say, "A change is as good as a rest." So true. The break from routine was energizing, for a while, but now the return to order has become a breath of fresh air.

It feels good to get the juices flowing again. Over the break time I had opportunities to visit my local library a few times. I was reminded of how many times I used the library while writing my book, just to do research. I found out so much about books and publishing, including -
1. self publishing
2. printing books
3. designing books
4. the appeal or non-appeal of book covers
5. the attraction or non-attraction of book titles
6. information about successful authors
7. data that must be included in the beginning pages of a book
8. who my competitors were and how I could be better
9. price points of books
10. the ideal number of pages for a book
11. things to which I had never paid attention such as where to place the publisher's logo on the cover, where to place the author info, styles of indexes, page layouts and so on, and so on.

So, while you are writing your book, before you design the book, and certainly before you go to print, spend time in your local library. People do judge a book by its cover (and how it looks on the inside), so make sure that your book surpasses the expectations of your potential buyers.

Happy New Year.

Denise

www.inktreemarketing.com
www.publishacookbook.com