Archive for May, 2009
17-Day Book Challenge Produces Results!
17 days ago, Sanyika Calloway Boyce, aka “The Financial Fitness Coach” and @mediastarr, had an idea around her second personal finance book – and that was all. Now, 17 days later, she has her final cover and a rough draft of her manuscript, which she will take to traditional publishers or self-publish. Either way, at the end of the day, she is in CONTROL and has her book DONE!
I love it! PURE ACTION. Do you want these sort of results? I bet you do. Go to http://www.17daybookchallenge.com NOW and I will show you how…
Self-publishing a book: 25 things you need to know – CNET
While traditional publishers hit hard times, self-publishing companies like Lulu and Amazon’s BookSurge and CreateSpace are thriving. CNET’s David Carnoy discusses the ins and outs.
A $500 Million Dollar tip from a former bootstrapper…
Out of the blue, about two weeks ago, I got an email from a guy who sold his business for $500 million. He requested my help.
“When the teacher is ready the students will appear.”
Check out my video in which I tell you what this former bootstrapper says about Sugar daddies, plus 3 steps you need to know to start on the road to 7-figures.
EZINE ARTICLE: 17 Common Myths About Book Publishing and How to Avoid Their Traps
Most wanna-be authors hold false beliefs about the publishing business that are either outdated or were purely mythical to begin with. Here’s how to avoid making mistakes by believing these myths.
A Wealth of Wealth information
These are scary times. Or, at least, perceived scary times. Here are few tips to get in the right mindset to build your business and create a happy life.
1. First thing to do is turn off your TV. Because, despite media reports, people are making money in the recession.
2. Surround yourself with like-minded people. Create or join a mastermind group, which a small collection of business owners who want to increase profits and satisfaction.
3. Find a business coach (that you want to be like). Success leaves clues. So hire someone who has been successful at their business, so you can take their lead.
4. Get educated. Learn from those who have already done it – and I am going to make it really simple for you. Go to www.beawealthygirl.com (whether a boy or a girl) and download – for FREE – wealth creation and entrpreneurship tips and tactics from those best in the business. Use the promo code FREE OFFER, and you will pay a small shipping fee for bonus gifts.
Okay now… go do it!
When in the dark is it better to move or stand still?
If still, you wont bump into anything–but you wont find the light either.–Norm Howe
In NYC – Shooting a segment for 20/20
Let me help you write a book so you can be on TV too! www.17daybookchallenge.com
And the last of the 17 myths… drum roll please
11. A book has to be on television to get anywhere.
Yes, getting onto Oprah’s show is the hottest ticket in books – but that’s because of Oprah, not television. When she likes a book, she pushes it, and she has a huge audience of readers who value her opinion. Other than that, though, television’s dead as far as book-selling goes. New media is where it’s at: you can sell more books on Twitter than if you are on the fourth hour of the Today show. Period.
12. In order to sell, a book has to be really great, and get rave reviews.
Again, your book is a tool, a calling card – and selling it isn’t about content, but marketing. The marketing of the book is more important than the book itself – so put most of your time, energy, and resources into that.
13. Writing a book is like going through labor; every book is its author’s baby.
Too many authors promote their books the way a mother shows off her first baby – believing it’s just too precious, and expecting everyone else to feel the same. This comes from old romantic literary notions. Well, it’s time to throw out the baby and the bath water. No author should be that attached, or have that much ego-involvement, in their book. It is not a baby, yours or anyone else’s. Treat your book as what it is: a great tool containing valuable information.
14. The inside of a book should be elegantly designed.
This is for all those people who want to add illustrations, and color, and formatting… All those bells and whistles cost a lot of money. A good book sells; a fancy book just prolongs the manufacturing process, delaying revenue. Spend your money on marketing instead.
15. You can’t judge a book by its cover.
Maybe not – but you can attract more potential buyers with an eye-catching cover than with one that’s boring or aesthetically unappealing. A great cover is worth the investment.
16. I am the only person who can possibly write my book.
Maybe you’re the only one who has your exact information, but for a reasonable price a good editor or even a ghostwriter can whip that information into shape. I’ve had great success with ghostwriters who pick your brain, read your ideas, and transform them into clear, concise, readable prose. If writing isn’t your forte, consider taking this route. It can be well worth the investment. Just remember – the better the editor or ghostwriter, the higher the fee.
17. A well-written book will become a best-seller.
Good writing doesn’t create best-sellers; demand does. I don’t think I’m exaggerating when I say that millions of great manuscripts are languishing in personal computers or desk drawers. It’s sad but true that many good or even great books never see the light of day, and many genuinely talented writers are employed as everything from bankers to technicians. The publishing world is not a meritocracy. It’s only when your book gives people something they want that your book might even begin to approach best-sellerdom.
More myths revealed…
Here are myths 6-10
6. I can’t write. Even if I could, it takes years to write a book.
If you can tell a story, you can write. Just get rid of the stereotype in your head of the writer brooding in front of a blank computer screen with a mug of coffee, a supply of No-Doz, and a walloping case of anxiety. As with any skill, the secrets and strategies of writing, and of fast writing, can be mastered by almost anyone. A decent book doesn’t have to take more than two months to write. It won’t be Hemingway – but who needs more Hemingway? Your goal isn’t to create sterling literature, but to convey a message in coherent, articulate English.
7. You can get a big advance from a major publisher by submitting a proposal.
Good luck. Approximately 98% of proposals sent to acquisition editors are rejected. In fact, more major publishers like Simon and Schuster are adopting a self-publishing formula to mitigate financial risk.
Besides, it can take as much if not more time and energy to write a proposal as the whole book, so why not just write the book? In my opinion, book proposals are a waste of time – spend your time developing a marketing proposal.
8. Like rich cream, an amazing book will always rise to the top.
Wrong! Except for literary fiction, publishers aren’t looking for amazing as much as they are hot topics and authors who’ll work at selling. And most readers don’t want amazing as much as information they can use. If your book, for instance, is about a startling new method of knitting, which is currently enjoying a huge resurgence, a publisher is more likely to grab it up than some amazing book on an obscure topic. It’s when you create something people want, and figure out how to tap into the market, that your book will have the chance of rising to the top.
9. A good book always finds its audience.
Purely magical thinking. Books don’t walk around all by themselves looking for an audience, and publishers want books with a built-in audience, like the knitting aficionados referred to above. It’s up to you to identify your audience and gear your book in that direction. If you can present your book to a publisher coupled with a target audience, you’ve gone a long way towards building an effective PR campaign.
10. Find a publisher who does marketing, or hire an expensive PR agent.
Wrong! When it comes to publicity, you are it. The traditional, formulaic marketing processes that are still relied upon in the publishing world are antiquated and mostly ineffective. Sending out a few review copies and hoping they’ll lead to an appearance on The Today show is no longer the only – or the best – way to sell books. These days every author, self-published or not, has to take the marketing end of the business into his or her own hands, create a marketing strategy, and network like crazy, primarily online.
