Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Writing a Book: Getting Started

The greatest, most important accomplishment a writer can ever accomplish is writing your first book. In fact, many writers liken the process of completing a manuscript to that of raising a child. The process of writing a book entails different dynamics; and as a writer, you need to be prepared to take on these.

Writing a book requires creativity, determination and focus, no matter what genre you are writing. This major undertaking usually starts with coming up with what to write about. You cannot worry about how your book will come out if you do not even know what to begin it with. By having a specific story or coming up with a compelling idea, you can start your journey to the writing process.

Many writers find the preliminary part to be the most difficult. If you find yourself in this quandary, here are some ways to help you get started.

Take notes. When an idea or inspiration about your book comes to mind, jot it down. Do not let these ideas simply zip you by. These greatly help you start to write and are very useful when putting your book together.

Research. It always helps. If you are writing non-fiction, you will always need facts to support your story even if your subject is about someone else. Research can help you go along as you write your book as well. By careful and thorough research, you are a better able to tell a story the best way possible.

Moreover, research is also essential to fiction writing as it is to non-fiction writing as well. Say you are writing about your character in a specific location. You need to clue the reader in on descriptive details, which is, what the reader essentially wants. By carefully researching the place you are writing about, you not only set the mood to your story – you add depth as well.

Once you will have gathered altogether your notes and ideas as well as done proper research, then you are all systems go with writing your book. Whether you prefer to do it electronically, the traditional manual fashion or both, it’s all up to you. What’s important is that you get started. More often than not, you will find yourself going once you have begun writing. This explains why the ‘getting started’ part is important. The key here is not to let anything get in your way.

Find time to write. The most important thing for any writer to successfully write his/her book is to always set aside time to write, no matter how busy your schedule is. Find time to write every week, best everyday. This increases your productivity and allows you to focus completely on your book and make more progress.

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Monday, January 11, 2010

Protagonist in Self-published Book is Basis for Major Hollywood Movie, The Informant

Mark Whitacre Against All Odds by author Floyd Perry is the gripping story of Mark Whitacre, a top-level corporate executive who becomes an informant for the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

He reveals his company’s multinational conspiracy of price fixing. Whitcare has then been known as the highest-ranking executive-turned-whistleblower in the entire history of the United States of America.

During the investigation, Whitacre admitted to having been involved with embezzling funds and receiving corporate kickbacks, which sent him to almost a decade in prison.

After having been freed from prison, Mark Whitacre revealed his reflections and realisations to Perry and the result became this self-published book, where Whitcare declares that spiritual wealth matters far more than material wealth and to be truthful at all times. His story provides spiritual boost that can be applied in everyday life.

Mark Whitacre’s story became the basis for the screenplay of the latest Hollywood motion picture, The Informant, starring Matt Damon. It is the latest movie under the direction of Steven Soderbergh, who is also known for the films Che, Erin Brockovich, Ocean’s Eleven, Traffic and Sex, Lies and Videotape.

Mark Whitacre Against All Odds is published by Xlibris.

Floyd Perry (pen name) met Mark Whitacre in 2003 in federal prison camp. His next book, The Den of Infinite Sadness, is due out this year. He is also writing a children’s adventure series.

Don't keep that great story all to yourself. Publish it. Receive your FREE book publishing guide.

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Should you Self-publish?

There is a certain stigma that comes with self-publishing, the term being branded as vanity publishing. However, a deeper understanding of how publishing works can help you know what truly is in store for you in terms of self-publishing.

Many aspiring authors who have grown tired of trying to get an agent, let alone get their book published. With so many authors, a mountain of manuscripts and limited shelf-space, these authors have taken things into their own hands, going en-route self-publishing.

According to Bowker, the agency that assigns ISBNs and publishes the Books in Print database, self-published books have outnumbered traditional titles in production last year.

Self-publishing, just like traditional publishing, is not for everyone. However, it can be right for you. If you find yourself in any of these situations, then self-publishing just might work to your advantage:

• You know that your book has real potential but find it difficult to get an agent or a publisher.
• You are a professional (business entrepreneur, public speaker, church leader, etc) who wants to publish a book that will cater to your prospective audience or target audience.
• You do not seek fame and fortune. You only want to have something special to give to your loved ones.
• You want to get full creative control of your book’s entire creative process. Since it is your book, you want to want to be in complete charge.
• You have given up on rejection letters and simply want to get your book published.

Publishing power does not all have to be in the hands of major publishers – it belongs to the author. Moreover, major publishers just cannot see the next bestseller when they see one.

Self-publishing provides an opportunity for aspiring authors to not just launch their writing careers, but truly fulfill their dream of getting published.

Start your journey to publishing. Receive your FREE book publishing guide.

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Self-editing your Manuscript

image source: http://thepublishingmaster.files.wordpress.com/2009/09/red_pencil.jpg

A writer who wants to publish often entrusts manuscript enhancement to expensive third-party editors. However, no one can do the first round of improvements better than the person who can best keep the written ideas closest to the original: the author.

Drawn below is EDIT. These are practical tips for a writer to self-edit before giving the manuscript to a publishing company. The acronym makes the guidelines easier to remember as a writer plans about how to get a book published.

ELIMINATE
Get rid of improper words and replace them with accurate ones needed to convey the message. To get the most precise word that describes an idea, it is best to use a thesaurus. When in doubt of the meaning of a word, consult a dictionary. Even if already repeatedly used, a word may imply another meaning when taken in a different context.

Try to eliminate the negatives. Using the word “not” is sometimes effective for emphasis. Nevertheless, sentences written in a positive tone are generally better and stronger than negative ones.

DESIGN CHECK
Another way of self-editing a manuscript is to check the design of the sentences. This means looking at structure, construction and even figures of speech.

Watch for passive sentences. It is always clearer to express an idea when sentences are in active rather than in passive voice. The subject-verb-object structure describes action rather than illustrates situations and this provides readers with an easier understanding of what a writer wants to tell.

Keep an eye for the right punctuation marks and avoid complex sentences as much as possible.

Be consistent and careful in using figures of speech: they must be within the context of the descriptions. Do not confuse readers by comparing something to a forest only to associate it later to an ocean. Using figures of speech is for a purpose, not just for a play on words. Use them creatively and logically.

INSPECT
Thoroughly examine each sentence for accuracy of grammar and spelling. Check out your word processor for this application but be watchful in applying the changes to your manuscript.

TEST
A writer must test how the message sounds by reading the manuscript aloud. This allows revision of awkward phrasings and avoids redundancy.

These are the four handy self-editing tips that are vital to the publishing process.

Complete your publishing journey and become the book author you’ve always dreamed to be. Get this FREE book publishing guide and a Publishing Consultant will gladly walk you through the whole process for FREE.

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

When asked about Publishing

In an episode of the hit game show Jeopardy, Alex Trebek asks a question under Publishing category:

Question: Xlibris is a P.O.D. service. POD, a do-it-yourself method, stands for?

Answer: POD stands for Print-on-Demand.

Unfortunately, none of the players got the answer right. Wow, I surmise I could have been $1200 richer with that question. Who would have thought?

Interested to know more about POD? Read about it here.

Monday, October 26, 2009

Success in Publishing Children's Books

After finding success with his first three children’s books, author Howard Shapiro seems to have nowhere to go but up. Having accomplished his goal of writing characters that adults and kids would be able to relate to in his stories and also achieving self-publishing victory with Hockey Days (Xlibris) Shapiro continues to pursue his love for the written word and the sport of hockey in his new book.

Released in October, Hockey Player for Life has garnered positive responses not only from critics but also from readers. Shapiro relates: "The feedback I have received from folks at the signings, from the hockey blogging community and from the many pro hockey teams who I have had the privilege to work with has been phenomenal and I couldn't be more appreciative and thankful for their collective time and support.”

Reviews for Hockey Player for Life from The Hockey News, New York Sportscene and Pittsburgh Magazine are nothing short of supportive, with critics calling it “a delightful ode to the love of the game”, an “instant classic”, and a “must-read for all soon-to-be hockey stars.”

Shapiro’s success has also reached the Amazon.com Sales Charts for Children’s Books (People & Places Fiction) and Teens Books (School & Sports Fiction), with Hockey Player for Life ranking top 50. The book has also been nominated in the category of Middle Grade Fiction of the Cybils Award, which is selected by a talented panel of children's and young adult book bloggers.

All these indicate not only the quality of Shapiro’s latest work of sports fiction but also his success as a writer and independent book author.

You, too, can achieve publishing success just like Howard Shapiro. Start your own publishing journey by receiving this FREE publishing guide.


Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Pros and Cons of Book Publishing



image source: desktop.self-publishing.com

Publishing a book always has its highs and lows. Whether you want to take the traditional route of publishing or choose to self-publish, a better understanding of how the world of publishing works can help you decide which publishing route best fits your goals.


TRADITIONAL PUBLISHING:

Going the traditional way works well for a person with an established status or a huge following, say a celebrity or a TV-radio personality. The moment a traditional publisher says yes to your book, you no longer have control over it.

Traditional publishing does everything for your book – from editing, layout, to printing down to marketing. This may be a good thing, but a downside to it is that you don’t have creative control of your book. You may find that your already-edited manuscript has but strayed from your original work.

Traditional publishing pays you to get your book out. You will get an advance, although it may be modest for a first-time author. They determine how many books to print and your book makes it to the bookstore. However, if it doesn’t sell in 30 days, the publishing house will forget you. Putting out another book with them may take a lot of convincing for them as well. And yes, your books will be returned to you, too.

Unless you get a good lawyer to arrange ownership rights to your book once it gets shelved, you waive your rights away. In terms of royalties, traditional publishing houses now pay only 10% at most of wholesale. (they used to pay royalties at 10% of retail.)

SELF-PUBLISHING:

A downside of self-publishing is that you have to pay to get your book published. Depending on the package, you may have to pay as high as $12,000 to publish your book with them. However, if you pick the right self-publishing company, they will give you a favorable return on your investment.

A great thing about self-publishing is that you get full creative control of your book – from the editing, cover art to marketing. You retain ownership rights to your book as well – after all, it is you who wrote your book.

Your book gets worldwide online distribution through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Borders, etc. Marketing and Distribution are perhaps the biggest blocks of self-publishing. Only very few distributors are willing to deal with self-published authors.

This implies that getting your book to land in bookstores can be tough. This is because self-published books are non-returnable, unless you push for an aggressive book marketing campaign. So does getting your book evaluated by established book review institutions. Another good thing about self-publishing is that you don’t have to worry about inventory or a pile of unsold books collecting dust in your garage.

But perhaps the best thing about self-publishing is that there is no one else to convince about publishing a book but yourself.

Publish a book today and enjoy 50% off on publishing services this October. Receive this FREE book publishing guide and start your journey to publication.