Authors - Blogs - Black Business Women Online

3 Tips for Authors on Facebook!

Posted by Sharvette, Radio Host on August 13, 2014 at 11:14pm

Author Tip #1: If your book is available in e-Book format you should promote that! e-Book readers are surpassing other readers because of the availability & easy access on digital devices such as smart phones and tablets. Make sure you post a direct link to where YOUR e-Book can be purchased & downloaded!

Author Tip #2: There are many book clubs that have Facebook groups and Facebook pages. Do a little research and connect with book clubs that have readers who would be interested in your book. Offer them a free preview chapter!

Author Tip #3 - Ensure that you utilize your Facebook cover image to your advantage by adding a graphic that includes your book cover or the title of your book! When someone visits your personal or author page, they should know right away that you are a published author. Don't make them hunt for this information!

Best regards!

Sharvette Mitchell

http://mitchell-productions.com/blog/view/479/3_tips_for_authors_on_facebook_

5 Takeaways for Writers of the JRW Writer's Conference

Posted by Rebekah L. Pierce on November 19, 2013 at 3:48pm

Every aspiring, emerging and established writer should attend at least one writer’s conference a year for not only the need to market your ideas/works, but to stay on top of the changes in the publishing world and, even more importantly, to establish best practices for your business as a writer. That’s right! In today’s world, writers –artists – need to be entrepreneurial in the sense that you need to create and establish methods/skills that will help you to achieve whatever goals and outcomes you have set for your works (your business). I had the pleasure of attending the James River Writer’s annual Writer’s Conference (http://www.jamesriverwriters.org/) October 19-20, 2013 in Richmond, Virginia. Although I was a moderator for a panel on small to mid-sized publishers, I also was there as an author and playwright. And I was there to LEARN. As such, here are 5 takeaways I wish to share with you that I hope will help you navigate not only this difficult terrain of publishing, but to get you thinking strategically and critically about what it takes to be a successful 21^st Century author.

The Publishing World is Ever-Changing

First, know the intentions for your work. What do you want to do with it? Sell it to the highest bidder? Get in on the bookshelves? Build credibility?
Research which aspects of publishing you wish to delve into that will help you build upon your intentions
There 5 significant areas of publishing today: Traditional, Small Press, DIY (Do-it-Yourself), Partner Publishing, or Assisted Publishing. Take the time to see which one is the best fit for your reality at this moment in time (i.e., your budget, your work/family schedule, etc)
Advances are going the way of the dinosaur and yet, you are expected to put in even more work, time and energy to market your book…after you’ve nearly killed yourself writing the book J

Build Your Brand

Create a platform – Who are you and what do you write about? Who are your readers and where can they be found?
Be consistent in your message (i.e., the verbage, design, marketing, etc)
Put together a team of experts to help you do this (check out freelancing sites or pull from your network)

Social Media Presence is a MUST (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Pinterest, etc)

It’s part of your brand identity
It’s a way to reach your intended audience
It’s a way to stay connected/available to your audience
But know your strengths/weaknesses with this skill set because working social media is a skill. (see bullet 3 in Build Your Brand above)

Create a Pitch for Your Work

This is for both conferences and any other social interaction opportunity
A pitch is a 30 second to 1 minute blurb which contains 5 essential elements: who you are, what other books your book is similar to, 250 mini-synopsis of the storyline, and the market the book is targeted for
Practice, practice, practice delivering your pitch in a mirror
Remember, you never know where you’ll meet an agent or publisher. So be prepared!!

Create a Logline for Your Work

A logline is 1 sentence descriptor of your storyline.
For example, here’s mine for my novel, Murder on Second Street: The Jackson Ward Murders: “It’s October 1929, and WWI veteran and securities specialist Sy Sanford has been hired to find and stop the killer of Negro working class women in the affluent Negro neighborhood of Jackson Ward, but Sy has two big problems: he’s a drunk in the age of Prohibition and the killer has now targeted the love of his life.” It’s a little wordy, but it’s one sentence and it tells the meat of the story as well as the time period of the work: 1929. So you know that this is a work of historical fiction.
Commit to memory the logline
Remember, you not only never know where you’ll meet an agent or publisher, but a reader! Once you say you have written a book, they will ask the million dollar question: “So what is your book about?” BE PREPARED!!

No one knows your story better than you, so give it the best chance to reach its intended audience and be successful (whatever that means for you). No longer can writers afford to sit behind the computer screen or notepad in anonymity hoping that their agent or publisher will push the work for them. You have to get out there and do the work yourself today. We live in a technologically driven world with many different routes of communication that we expect everyone to use. You simply cannot realistically avoid Facebook or Twitter, I am sad to say. Just learn how to use it strategically – know its place in the marketing of your work.

Surround yourself with hard-working, driven people who believe in your product and get to work. And spend the money to attend a great writer’s conference. It will not only help save your sanity, but thousands of dollars in avoidable mistakes from lack of information/knowledge. Writing is a business.

Rebekah

New Authors and Writers | Social Media Savvy Teleseminar!

Posted by Sharvette, Radio Host on November 4, 2013 at 6:18pm

Go to http://www.sharvette.com/authors

3 Tips for Networking!

Posted by Sharvette, Radio Host on September 3, 2013 at 2:07am

Have the right mindset when meeting new people.

Truly care about where they are and how you can help them grow. Of course we all have our needs, but when we build relationships, we need to first care about others.

Take the initiative to "put yourself out there."

It's so important to embark on new ventures with a fearless attitude. If you don't take action you won't be able to achieve your goals. So many people don't understand that being proactive about networking is at the core of being a good networker. You really need to "make it happen". In order for you to take action you'll need to overcome fear and insecurity.

Ask open-ended questions in networking conversations.

This means questions that ask who, what, where, when, and how as opposed to those that can be answered with a simple yes or no. This form of questioning opens up the discussion and shows listeners that you are interested in them.

Is this true Black Women? "How She Got Free: Helping Black Women Be Successful—Without Losing Ourselves -

Posted by Katrina M Harrell on November 5, 2012 at 3:00pm

As posted on Denene Millner's "My Brown Baby" on November 5, 2012. See full post here.

Author: Akilah S. Richards

How is it that, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics, our percentage of business ownership as black women in the U.S. is up 59 percent since 2002, yet we make up a mere 3 percent of the $1.2 billion dollars in sales from women-owned businesses?

Unjust systems and long-standing, deliberately placed hurdles aside, many of us are learning to maneuver this new era of social impact through technology, and leveraging our skills with our passions to the tune of thriving businesses and comfortable lifestyles.

But on the real, the numbers of us who hoist sails on sinking ships with unstable businesses far surpass the number of financially and emotionally stable black women business owners.

Certainly, we do not lack access to the resources or the brainpower it takes to excel in business—so what’s the deal?

Business and Life Strategist Katrina M. Harrell and I have got a theory about these troubling truths. It might ruffle your feathers a bit, but perhaps that’s a necessary part of your growth and ours.

The theory: Black women in business have been B.I.T.C.H.ing up, big time!

Yes, we BITCH up! We get scared. We stop trusting ourselves. We take the shortcuts and we prioritize popularity over business ownership. Many of us, myself included, spent years building a “popular brand”, without focusing on operating a business.

The results: High visibility, but low income. Some success, but no real fulfillment.

I was a slave to the very thing I had built. But thankfully, I got free.

FREE Teleseminar to Empower Christian Women in Business to Avoid Mistakes Costing Them Clients, Customers and Profits

Posted by Robin Tramble on December 22, 2011 at 6:57am

FREE Teleseminar to Empower Christian Women in Business to avoid mistakes costing Them clients, customers and profits

What do you do when you’ve done everything you’re told and it still doesn’t work? You are working endlessly behind the computer only to find that you've left little time to do what matter's most. What do you do? Give up? No. You can do it!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

December 21, 2011 Robin Tramble aka The Empowerment Diva has developed a Business Empowerment Teleseries just for you.

“I want to give women an opportunity to get clear on their vision,
goals and action plan, to make BIG changes and get results. To discover what your message is and who you are called to serve." Says Robin Tramble

We are at the close of 2011 and Robin is committed to helping Christian Women Entrepreneurs, Coaches, Authors and aspiring to end 2011 strong and make 2012 the year you’ve always dreamed of.

Women will join Robin for her Client Attraction, Income Acceleration Marketing and Mindset Tele-series. She will kick off the Teleseries with

"Discover 3 Biggest Mistakes costing you Prospects, Clients, Customers and what you can do about it so you can realize a Client/Customer, income acceleration (authentically) while living on purpose!"

When: Thursday, December 22, 2011

Time: 5:00 PM PST

Robin wants to support you in accomplishing your desires and goals.

Registration is being taken here http://bit.ly/clientincomeacceleratepr

# # #

About Robin Tramble

Robin Tramble International was founded by Professional Life Empowerment Coach,
Robin Tramble to help women live a big, bold, beautiful and Authentically Brilliant Diamond Life of Empowerment. Robin is a Authentic Life and Biz Empowerment Coach, Mentor, speaker, Recording artist and Author of the upcoming book “The Dynamic Power of Focus for unstoppable women.” Certified Social Marketing Campaign Specialist.
She is also creator of Empowerment-Success-Songs.com . She shares women's empowerment expertise with women across the world and locally as she did on her most recent interview on Good Day Sacramento.

Find out more about Robin Tramble International at http://www.Authenticlifeempowerment.com

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Authors, Coaches, Entrepreneurs Jump Start Your Online/Offline Sales and Profits in 30 Days without spending BIG Money! Special Time Sensitive

Posted by Robin Tramble on November 24, 2011 at 5:41am

Attention: Spiritually Minded Women Coaches, Consultants, Authors, Solopreneurs, Ministry Leaders, Women Entrepreneurs, WAHM, WAHW and aspiring.

“Jump Start Your Online/Offline Sales and Profits in 30 Days without spending BIG Money!”

Do you long for more prospects clients and customers but are overwhelmed and/or don’t know where to begin?

Have a book or aspire to publish your book but are stuck as to the marketing tactics to use to expose it to the masses for increased sales?

Maybe you start off with a bang only to end with a fizz due to disempowering behaviors and habits?

We are coming into the last month of 2011…. BUT Wait! Before you dare speak about wrapping up the year NOW is not the time to snooze.

From: Coach/Mentor Entrepreneur Robin Tramble, Elk Grove, CA
To: Spiritually Minded Women Entrepreneurs, Small Business Owners, WAHW, WAHM, Authors and Online Marketers

There are so many things that make up the system for your attracting and getting clients, customers and prospects and I see many who don’t even have the basic foundation which is a list building strategy.

If you really want to know how to attract, get and retain prospects, clients and customers, whether you’re an author, coach, consultant, woman entrepreneur, speaker or aspiring you need to learn how to do this effectively.

This is not just something left to the Guru’s this is something that you can learn and apply.

I did it and you can too! I’ve invested thousands in the knowledge that I have and of course I’ve sought out God’s wisdom because “Wisdom tells Knowledge what to do!”

Are you going to continue hopin’ and a wishin’ or step up and out in Faith to manifest your desired results? Will you continue watching as others succeed, twiddling your thumbs and having a pity party or will you finally get up and take targeted, strategic and focused action.

I’m taking away the excuse that you can’t afford it. Here’s a little word of advice “remove the words I can’t afford it from your talk.” Replace it with something more affirming and positive. Your subconscious mind moves on your thoughts, actions and what you speak.

This special is such an incredible of.fer you’d have to really try very hard to ignore it.
Besides, God’s gift to you is life and what you do with it is your Gift to Him. Now is not the time to wrap up the year or embrace a scarcity mindset. I believe that we should maximize life everyday!

This is where you can separate the successful from the wanna bes or those living in the woulda, coulda, shoulda zone.

I’m writing you to let you in on a very special opportunity for you to upgrade your business.

Stop the overwhelm, frustration, lack of confidence, fear and more!

Say yes to more Sales and Profits!

Click here to l earn more here

I have a very special offer for Fast Action Taking Decisive Women.

The Benefits of Strong Book Cover Design

Posted by websites24seven.com on August 16, 2011 at 6:43pm

A strong book cover is a necessity when it comes to publishing a High Quality book. As much as we may not like it, books are judged by their cover! According to ‘The Wall Street Journal’, “The average bookstore browser who picks up a book spends eight seconds looking at the front cover and 15 seconds reading the back.”

Therefore, the window of opportunity to sell the book by its cover is limited. To attract attention and make a lasting first impression, be ready to do all that you can to be at the top of your game and make that first impression one that last in the mind of the viewer.

Local Writers wanted to write Neighborhood Profiles / Cities across U.S.

Posted by websites24seven.com on November 21, 2010 at 1:37am

Are you interested in joining a select group of writers for an ongoing writing assignment? We need writers for neighborhood profiles in cities across the U.S. in states such as Texas, Arizona, Florida, Washington, North Carolina, Kansas, Missouri, California, Minnesota, Georgia and New York. There are hundreds of assignments, each paying $10 per 300-word write up of a neighborhood.

More Information: http://www.wattspublishinggroup.com

Are You a Christian Entertainer, Musician, or Author Who Wants to Expand Your Vision?

Posted by Evonna Bruner on September 6, 2010 at 1:52am

My Thirsty Soul

What is My Thirsty Soul all about?

My Thirsty Soul is about deliverance, strength, and courage. There are many things in my life that I was delivered from, such as anger, guilt, and a whole lot of hurt. Through my deliverance from these life hiccups, I gained strength. And now, God has given me the courage to continue to live a Christ-filled and centered life despite what the world has thrown at me.

My Thirsty Soul embraces the journey of the real life Christian through testimonies and dialogues. This blog was designed to allow Christians to freely share what they have gone through and what they are going through to help teach other Christians about deliverance, strength, and courage.

PHASE II

The next step for MTS is to offer resources for Christians who want to continue to grow spiritually, guard their hearts, and heal from their past in order to live out God’s purpose. My Thirsty Soul is looking to expand by offering merchant and advertising space to people who are in the fields of entertainment, music, curriculum guides, and books.

If you are in the business of glorifying God through your industry and would like to partner with My Thirsty Soul, advertise on My Thirsty Soul, or provide resources for My Thirsty Soul readers, please feel
free to contact me at mythirstysoul@gmail.com.

Evonna Bruner

Founder- My Thirsty Soul

Real Life. Real Hope. Real Love.

www.mythirstysoul.com

Does The Author Have A Voice In The eBook Debate

Posted by Tracy on March 21, 2010 at 5:30pm

As publishers and booksellers debate the usefulness of electronic reading devices, along with who is benefiting the most and how are book sells being affected; owners of these devices are becoming increasing concerned over the price they will pay for ebooks. Precedence seems to have been set, that ebooks should cost little or nothing at all.

An author pens a novel, which takes time, creativity, and in some cases, money out of their pocket to produce and market. For some it is their lively hood, and for others it is just a hobby. Along comes the eBook that is designed to cut cost, in terms of material and other publishing costs, and some may see it as a quick way to make extra income. The focus quickly turned from the book itself to how certain entities can profit from the downloads. Soon after we had software such as the Kindle and the Nook. The central target became selling the devices and whatever happens with the books, so be it.

When I released my first novel, “He Loves Me He Loves Me Not!” I had no real knowledge of ebooks. As I began to see writers selling their work for .99 cents, a $1.99, etc, I thought it was crazy. Why would I take something I poured me heart and soul into producing and then practically give it away? A couple of authors even provided me with free downloads, asking that I read their work and provide them with feedback. I must admit, I couldn’t read the work because I’m old-fashioned and love actual books. Even when Steve Harvey’s “Act Like A Lady Think Like A Man” showed up in my inbox (which is another topic in itself), I couldn’t sit at the computer and read it. And printing these books seemed to defeat the purpose. Then someone reached out to me and suggested offering my title on Kindle. I did some research and decided, why not. Within days I had sold several downloads and over the past year they continue to trickle in one by one.

Now, I rarely promote my Kindle books. I list on my sites, in newsletters, and if I see someone with a device I share literature on my work, letting it be known that my books are available for download. Recently, I received some information on an author who has had great success with her Kindle books. I read the article and was impressed by her numbers. Her debut novel had thousands of ebook downloads, which ultimately increased her physical book sales. This heightened my interest, and I began to search the net for other success stories to see how authors were marketing their ebooks, since the article did not say. What I discovered is that authors, especially little known ones, are selling their work for less than $2.00. However, they are still finding themselves in competition with the big publishing houses who are giving books away for free. I hear Amazon does not allow independent writers to offer free ebooks. Hhmm, maybe I need to have a sale on my ebooks to see how I do, maybe offer them for $1.99 for a limited time.

All of this sounded like a good idea, I guess, when the popularity of these reading devices was low, but now that sells have increased, and physical books are taking a dive, someone has finally realized that maybe free or low-cost isn’t always better. I was on the web today and owners of these devices were voicing concern that publishers are now delaying the release of ebooks until physical books have been on the market for several weeks and reached a threshold, and others were upset to see the electronic book version at a price comparable to the physical copies. It’s kind of reminiscent of when the hardcover book was released and you had to wait for the paperback, which was less expensive. These conversations, however, did not support the notion that a person who buys an ebook may later purchase a physical book. Ebook readers, from what I can tell are happy with their reading devices and even happier with the very low prices of these books, not to mention you can’t beat free.

Reading various blogs and comments reaffirmed my initial concern about ebooks, which is, where do the author fit in. If there was no author, there would be no books to read. So why it is that author’s are not being seriously considered in the debate. No one seems to care if the author is paid for their work, or how much. Is it because there is a misconception that authors are paid a great deal up front for their work, regardless if they sell or not? And what about the independent writer who bares all the expense of getting their work out and into the hands of readers; is this the price they must pay, as one article put it, to gain notoriety and let people know they exist. Or, is there a misunderstanding in terms of royalties paid on ebooks? Some say that the royalty is higher. This may be true but keep in mind; royalties are a percentage of the price of the book, the lower the price the lower the royalty, meaning the author must now pray for larger sells volumes. As this debate continues I would love to see more consideration paid to the author. We know the majority of us will not retire off of book sells alone, but we still want to be a part of the decisions being made, based off the work we produce.

Much Love,

Tracy

Tracy L. Darity is the author of “He Loves Me He Loves Not!" which received the 2009 Best Fiction Author, presented by the Multicultural Literature Advocacy Group; and her new release, "Love…Like Snow In Florida On A Hot Summer Day."

To learn more, visit www.TracyLDarity.com, and www.TracyLDarity.ning.com. You can also follow her on Amazon, Facebook, Goodreads, and Twitter; keyword TracyLDarity.

Authors and Publishers Have Your Book Placed Inside Victorious Reviews Book Bag Pick of the Day Submission Guidelines: Authors and Publishers: Send two copies of your book to: >Victorious Reviews

Posted by Brooks J. Young on December 26, 2009 at 9:44am

Authors and Publishers HaveYour Book Placed InsideVictorious Reviews Book Bag Pick of the DaySubmission Guidelines:Authors and Publishers: Send two copies of your book to:>Victorious ReviewsP. O. Box 206Snellville, GA 30078-0206Include Email addressPhone number w/area codeAllow four – six weeks for your book to be reviewed by one of Victorious Reviews Book Bag Pick of the Day Review Team. When your book has been reviewed, you will be notified by email with information pertaining to the week that your book will be placed inside Victorious Reviews Book Bag Pick of the Day. It will remain on our www.victoriousreviews.com and also be made available for readers and visitors to win a copy of your novel. The Book Bag will display a copy of your book cover inside Victorious Reviews Book Bag Pick of the Day the entire week. Readers will have also have an opportunity to win all five books appearing on the website by submitting contest information outlined on the website, Twitter and Facebook. Your book(s) will receive wide exposure. Readers and visitors to our website will be encouraged to support Victorious Reviews Book Bag Pick of the Day by purchasing copies of the books we review.For more information, please send an email to: bookbag@victoriousreviews.com.Note: VictoriousReviews.com will launch on January 1, 2010. ALL books received will receive a book review. We do not except erotica books!Stay abreast to updated information by joining our mailing list!Follow us on Twitter

Nationally Known Entrepreneur Uses Her ‘Victorious Voice’ to Carry Radio Ministry to the World

Posted by Brooks J. Young on December 26, 2009 at 9:42am

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASECONTACT:Brooks J. Young(404) 910-3983Victorious Enterprisetalkshow@victoriousvoice.comPRLog (Press Release) – December 15, 2009 – Nationally known Entrepreneur Brooks J. Young has met and conquered another hurdle, adding to the ever-growing list of entrepreneurial businesses and organizations she has founded. Young was recently hand selected by World Talk Radio to host Victorious Voice Radio Show. Young is the executive director of Touching Heart which was established in 2004, founder and publisher of Victorious Magazine, founder and host of Victorious Voice Blog Talk Radio Show, a sought after motivational speaker, and author of Stop the Cover Up: No More Band-Aids, which will be released February 20, 2010.World Talk Radio is a pioneer in live internet talk radio that hand selects each of their hosts personally. “Victorious Voice Radio Show is an interactive outlet which allows listeners to hear the voice of our readers and in turn share the voice of our vision,” Young states. Network Director of World Talk Radio Brandy J. Jackson states, “We here at the network are very excited to add Brooks and Victorious Voice Radio Show to our show line-up. We believe in her vision and the value her program will bring to our listening audience.” Young, who hosts the Victorious Voice Radio show on Blog Talk Radio each Thursday evening, was assigned a personal executive producer by World Talk Radio, advertising, commercials and the authority to choose guests that will uphold high standards of professionalism expected from Ms. Young and World Talk Radio. Young states, “I was shocked when I was contacted and offered my own radio show and dedicated time slot on World Talk Radio. It is a blessing from God.”Young will feature various authors, ministry leaders, entrepreneurs, book club hosts, musicians, and other public figures as a means of spotlighting women who are living victoriously, in an effort to inspire listeners to turn their adversities into avenues for success and victory.Young says, “As a host on WorldTalk Radio Network, I will have a weekly time slot that is reserved specifically for Victorious Voice which is unlike Blog Talk Radio that airs hundreds, maybe even thousands of other blog talk radio shows simultaneously."Victorious Voice will air World Talk Radio, weekly on Friday evenings at 8 o’clock p.m. EST, starting February 5, 2010. Young states, “I am grateful for the doors that the Lord has opened and I am blessed by the awesome relationship that has developed with World Talk Radio and myself.About Victorious Voice Radio ShowVictorious Voice Radio Show is our interactive outlet which allows us to hear the voice of our readers and in turn share the voice of our vision. On the radio show, we will feature various authors, ministry leaders, entrepreneurs, book club hosts, musicians, and other public figures as a means of spotlighting women who are living victoriously in order to inspire our listeners to overcome the obstacles they are facing and turn their adversities into avenues for success.About WorldTalk RadioThe World Talk Radio Network (http://www.modavox.com/worldtalkradio) streams live Internet talk radio programs. World Talk Radio™--along with sister network, VoiceAmerica--are the single largest producers of original Internet talk radio programming in the world.Our goal is to help hosts make an impact in the fast-paced world of Internet media by placing their message and brand identity front and center, far beyond simply "having a website" or "having a podcast". We are innovators with a proven platform to support hosts broadcasting, marketing and interactive solutions. We work with new, emerging and veteran media personalities to further establish and create a complete media presence to a rapidly expanding Internet audience.World Talk Radio provides complete production, delivery, and on-demand archive delivery for World Talk Radio hosts. At the center of this offering is our patented BoomBox® technology that provides show hosts with instant broadcasting capabilities from their own websites and with instant syndication through affiliate sites. In addition, World Talk Radio assists in the creation of sponsorship, advertising and advanced distribution models for our programming.

The Exclusive Author-Only Store Is Now Up and Running!

Posted by ZLS Publishing, LLC on November 25, 2009 at 6:26pm

For Immediate Release:It is rare that you find a company that truly believes in an author's success. You find individuals and companies with claims, but rarely do you find a company that not only walks the walk, but talks the talk. ZLS Publishing is that kind of company. Take a look at their blog, and you will see they provide publishing tips for authors that other publishing companies won't reveal.Take a look through their website and you will see they are very pro-author. They work with authors, regardless of whether they have published with them or not, something that no other publishing company offers. In the spirit of their pro-authorship, they have decided to do what no other publishing company has done-Open a store for authors. This store is a store exclusively for authors. It provides everything an author needs to help promote their book."We believe that while bookmarks, business cards and postcards are important, we also believe that long standing items are equally as important. In order for an author to be successful, they have to stay in the minds of their customers. We also believe that it is important to provide authors with the supplies they need to set the tone inside their customers minds that say, "why didn't I hear about you before."Everything inside of the ZLS Store is completely customizable and easy to order. They take your book cover and place it on anything and everything you like. Items such as balloons, crayons, pens, pencils, enviornmental pens, tote bags and plaques are just some of the items that are completely customizable. "Our Author Plaques, Literacy Calendar, and $1 menu are a big hit. We provided these items locally and when they did really well, we decide to provide them to all authors nationwide. "For authors looking for that extra something to make you stand out, particularly at a book signing, there author store is for you. It is exactly what an author needs. It is what the industry is missing and ZLS has found.To shop at the Exclusive Author Only store, go to: www.zlspublishing.com/shop. You can also visit their author friendly website at: www.zlspublishing.com###

"It's Crunch Time!" A BOOK OF MUSCLE FOR OUR BOYS. IF NOT YOU .... THEN WHO??!!

Posted by Marie Brewer on November 1, 2009 at 10:45pm

“It’s Crunch Time!“, by Marie Brewer (www.helenbrewer.com for the link to book) This is my book ofmuscle for boys (ages 9-12) to point them in the direction of HOPE!...This is an interactive book where they can write about their feelings. It discusses acceptable behavior, good self-image, respect for females and animals, appreciation for teachers/school, choosing good friends. The book also talks about resisting gangs, guns, drugs, violence, alcohol and bad influences. Let's attack the behavior, not the boy. "It's Crunch Time!" , by Marie Brewer, www.bbotw.com Be a part of the village to help our boys envision their true God-given purpose!We can turn this thing around!SEE! THINK ! ACT!

Are you a published author? Author Plaques for All Published Authors!

Posted by ZLS Publishing, LLC on November 1, 2009 at 7:00pm

Have you had a book published? If yes, that means you have a book cover. How about having that book cover laminated on a wooden plaque with engraving options that say things like:(Option 1)-Bestselling Author - 5,000+ Books Sold + your name(Option 2)-Bestselling Author – 2,500+ Books Sold + your name(Option 3)-Superb Bookselling – 1,000+ Books Sold+ your name(Option 4)-Gold Book Status – 500+ Books Sold + your name(Option 5)-Author Extrordinnaire-100+ Books Sold + your name(Option 6)-Award Winning Author-(Insert the name of the award) + nameWooden plaques coming in the following colors:WalnutWhiteBlueBlackRedGreenBurlOakMahoganyWooden plaques come in the following sizes:8*10, 10*13, 12*14, 16*20, 18 *24.Why would you order a plaque with your book cover on it?1) To be used and shown during your book signings.2) Picture of your plaque to be placed on your website.3) To give as Holiday gifts to authors or family members you know.4) To be used and shown during your speaking engagements.5) Use as part of your overall book marketing package.Book Cover Plaques come with Free Lamination and can be delivered within 7-10 days after order is placed and payment is cleared.Author Plaques coming November 5, 2009.Stay tuned throughout the week as we will post more information up until the release date.You will be able to order Book Cover Plaques on our Website Store coming November 5, 2009.

erin shell anthony's WRITE, PUBLISH & MARKET YOUR BOOK 12-month Private eCourse

Posted by Erin Shell Anthony on November 9, 2009 at 4:00am

Greetings! I am happy to announce my new 12 month Private eCourse, created especially for those who are serious about wanting to write a book and create profit from it!I have a few questions for you:Do you have a book inside of you?Have you always wanted to write a book but never knew where to start?Do you have a book concept that you don't know how to market?Would you like to make money daily, weekly & monthly from your book?When I wrote my book Nappturosity: How To Create Fabulous Natural Hair and Locs (www.naturalhairbook.com), I had no idea how amazingly successful it would be. I wrote this book because I wanted to help & contribute to the natural hair community, and now, I'm offering this course for the same reason.You will learn the techniques that I've used to sell thousands of books & eBooks around the world, and these same techniques have enabled me to also earn money every day! It's a wonderful feeling waking up, checking your email and seeing orders that have come in overnight. I want you to experience this too, and you will, as a part of my private coaching program!I don't believe that we have to participate in the "recession" and I know that you have a phenomenal power within you to manifest the gifts that you've been given. This divine calling is special, and should be honored and treasured.This eCourse is not for you if you want to write a book and produce an info product to make a quick buck, or if you're interested in overnight success stories or get rich quick schemes.This eCourse IS for you if you want to:o Be: Possess a sincere desire to help people with your topico Do: Are willing to be coached and follow a simple -yet profound - plano Have: Would like to generate regular income from your workI am offering this program as a PRIVATE 12-MONTH eCOURSE, which is limited to only 40 participants, at a reasonable monthly investment.As a part of this special eCourse:By Month 3, You will have written your book!By Month 4, your website will be up, and you will be profiting!By Month 6, you will have implemented several marketing strategies and leverage your new-found expertise into other info-products!If you are interested in applying to be a part of this exclusive private coaching group, please email my Executive Assistant, Marie, at wpmbook@gmail.com.Love & Success,erinshellanthony

Writers Block

Posted by CMB Virtual Assistants on October 22, 2009 at 1:00pm

So you sit down to start writing and low and behold you have writers block. What do you do? I know most of us have heard that you should just continue writing something don't lift the pen off the paper just write, write, and write. This should help with removing the block and get your creative juices flowing, but what should you do if that doesn't work.Would you just get up and try again later? Would you start a new project and just strap this one? What are some good options to try to remove writers block.Melissa Donovan wrote a great article at Writing Forward (http://www.writingforward.com/creative-writing/25-creative-writing-prompts) to help motivate your writing mind. She list 25 creative ways to prompt your writing mojo.Next time you get stuck try one or all of these 25 suggestions:1.You’re digging in your garden and find a fist-sized nugget of gold.2.Write about something ugly — war, fear, hate, cruelty — but find the beauty (silver lining) in it.3.The asteroid was hurtling straight for…4.A kid comes out of the bathroom with toilet paper dangling from his or her waistband.5.Write about your early memories of faith, religion, or spirituality; yours or someone else’s.6.There’s a guy sitting on a park bench reading a newspaper…7.Write a poem about a first romantic (dare I say: sexual) experience or encounter.8.He turned the key in the lock and opened the door. To his horror, he saw…9.Silvery flakes drifted down, glittering in the bright light of the harvest moon. The blackbird…10.The detective saw his opportunity. He grabbed the waitress’s arm and said…11.There are three children sitting on a log near a stream. One of them looks up at the sky and says…12.There is a magic talisman that allows its keeper to read minds. It falls into the hands of a young politician…13.And you thought dragons didn’t exist…14.Write about nature. Include the following words: hard drive, stapler, phone, car, billboard.15.The doctor put his hand on her arm and said gently, “You or the baby will survive. Not both. I’m sorry.”16.The nation is controlled by…17.You walk into your house and it’s completely different — furniture, decor, all changed. And nobody’s home.18.Write about one (or both) of your parents. Start with “I was born…”19.The most beautiful smile I ever saw…20.I believe that animals exist to…21.A twinkling eye can mean many things. The one that is twinkling at me right now…22.Good versus evil. Does it truly exist? What are the gray areas? Do good people do bad things?23.My body…24.Have you ever been just about to drift off to sleep only to be roused because you remembered an embarrassing moment from your past?25.Get a package of one of your favorite canned or boxed foods and look at the ingredients. Use every ingredient in your writing session.Ok, so what are you waiting on...get to writing!

What is a publisher versus a publishing services company?

Posted by CMB Virtual Assistants on September 18, 2009 at 2:30pm

Let’s clear up a source of a lot of confusion for authors new to the publishing industry: What is a “publisher” versus a “publishing services company”?An author is the one who comes up with the intellectual property in manuscript form. The publisher is the one who adds the money and expertise to leverage the intellectual property into a successful book by providing a great title, cover, interior, setting the price and then cost-effectively printing the book and getting distribution for it into the bookstore market.By this definition, so many of the entities calling themselves “publishers” are instead, “publishing services” or “author services” companies.Here is the bottom line: IF A COMPANY ASKS YOU TO PAY FOR THE PRIVILEGE OF PUBLISHING YOUR BOOK, IT IS NOT A PUBLISHER. Publishers make investments. If the author is both making the investment and bringing in the intellectual property, then that is not a publishing deal. What you are doing is buying publishing services.There is nothing wrong with that if you know what you are paying for and what you are getting. I hear so many people tell me what their “publisher” said, only to find out they aren’t working with a publisher at all.If you are thinking of doing business with a publishing services company, (sometimes called a POD publisher) – a company that calls itself a publisher but charges you a fee up front – make sure they are right for you.You have a right to know what to expect, so you need to have a contract to document the agreement. The services provider should provide you with the contract and you would expect to see provisions regarding who does what, what the flow of money is, in and out, termination provisions, and what liability each party is assuming.But beyond the standard, there are some provisions that are especially important in publishing services contracts. We’ve developed a eight-point checklist of these essential points. If they can say “yes” to each of these, then you’ve found a great company to work with. If there are any “no” answers, please think twice!1. Author retains all intellectual property rights – if you have to pay up front, there is absolutely no reason you should be selling your rights to your intellectual property in the bargain. You are licensing your rights to print, perhaps exclusively, for only a designated period of time.2. Author benefits from book profits (isn’t just paid royalties or a commission) – again, if you have to pay the full cost of producing the book up front, the publishing services firm might get a percentage of what you sell, but you should retain the lion’s share. If they only want a percentage from the books they are able to sell, that would be a reasonable exchange. If they are able to generate bookstore orders (unlikely, but not impossible), then they should take a percentage from those sales. Otherwise, the profits from the book sales, minus the costs to print, should be yours.3. Author has the right to terminate the publishing services contract, preferably in 30 days, but no more than 60 days - if you get a great offer from an established commercial publisher, you will be kicking yourself if you can’t take it because you are stuck with a bad contract you can’t get out of.4. Timeline the author can live with - many publishing services companies do not specify how quickly they will publish your book. There is no reason they cannot create the cover and interior and have the book printed within 90 days of when they receive the manuscript. Anything much outside of that time frame is unacceptable and you should only sign a contract that gives you a full refund if they do not have books in your hands within 90 days, unless you specifically agree otherwise for some reason.5. Professional quality cover, interior and printing – I have seen way too many books with completely unprofessional covers and a book binding that is falling apart. A professionally-designed cover is easy to spot a mile away and if you aren’t sure of what you are getting, call in a professional to take a look for you. Many of the publishing services firms outsource their printing to LightningSource.com (just another reason for you to go direct), but if they do, at least you can be sure that the quality of the printing and binding will be good.6. Author is given cover and interior design files if contract is terminated - if you have had to pay to have your book cover designed and the interior typeset, then you want the right to get the design files back (not just a PDF) if you terminate the contract. Most POD publishers do not allow this as a way to keep you tied to them.7. Reasonable prices for books – if part of your contract is for the publishing services firm to print your books on-demand, then you want no more than a 25% mark-up to cover their administrative costs than if you took your book to your own printer. The on-demand printer you would be smart to use is LightningSource.com (for more reasons than I can detail here). The formula Lightning Source uses to determine the price of printing a book is $.90 x .015 x the number of pages in the book. So for instance, if your book were 183 page, the price per book would be 183 x $.015 = $2.75 + $.90, which equals $3.65 per book. Again, using this example, if the price quoted to you by the POD publisher were more than $4.56 per book, you are paying too much.Too many publishing services companies charge a percentage of retail for you to buy your own book; for instance, 50% of a $20 book, or $10 a book. This is how established commercial publishers work, but they do it because you haven’t paid for publishing up front – that is a whole different story. Don’t ever sign a contract that requires you buy a minimum number of books. Regardless of what the POD publisher tells you, they are printing on demand, which means they don’t have to buy a certain quantity from their printer, so you should not have to either.8. Reasonable prices for other services – many of the publishing services companies want you to buy marketing or other services and they will offer you a menu that you feel like you need to be successful. Much better to interview qualified professionals and choose your own after talking to other authors and others in the industry. Don’t sign a contract that requires you to buy any additional services.The bottom line is this: You can easily self publish without a POD publisher, but if you decide you want someone to handle all the details, be sure you get what you are paying for. There are hundreds, if not thousands of POD publishers so you have plenty to choose from. As in all other things, make sure and read the contract and get the terms that work for you and your book.Article written by Jan King. The Publishing Store

Is it just me or do black authors publish differntly?

Posted by ZLS Publishing, LLC on July 22, 2009 at 10:28pm

New blog discussing it: www.zlspublishing.com/blog

Note: this page contains paid content.

Note: this page contains paid content.

Note: this page contains paid content.

Note: this page contains paid content.