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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

This week's feature entrepreneur is Shaneisha Dodson. She is the founder of Mahogney Ink Publications L.L.C. and Black Girlz Productions L.L.C. Currently residing in Virginia, Shaneisha holds a bachelor's degree in psychology from Grambling State University, a master's degree in counseling from Dallas Baptist University, and is currently pursuing a doctorate in education. Shaneisha was the first person in her family to graduate from college. In showing  how important education is to her, every year she gives a $500 scholarship to a deserving student. After college, Shaneisha wrote her first novel. It was like so much by friends and family she was encouraged to continue writing. That eventually led to the start of her publishing and production company. Being an accomplished author herself, today Shaneisha publishes 4 authors,  2 poets and has produced one stage play.  Her story is truly one of accomplishment. Find out how Shaneisha started her companies and where her inspiration came from. Enjoy!

1. Tell me your story. What were you doing before you started your own business?

I am a country girl born and raised in Arkansas.  I was raised in a matriarchal household.  I developed a passion for writing at a young age.  I started writing my first book after I graduated from college. Prior to starting my business, my life consisted of school, school, and school. I have been a student my whole life.  I have a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Grambling State University and a master’s degree in counseling from Dallas Baptist University. Currently, I am pursuing a doctorate degree in education.

2. What made you want to start a business and what is your mission?

I have always had a passion for writing.  After graduating from college, I penned my first novel.  My family and friends loved it so much they encouraged me to continue writing.  Therefore, I decided to take it a step further and started my own publishing company in 2009, Mahogney Ink Publications, LLC. My works have been featured in online magazines, selected as book of the month by numerous organizations, selected as top 25 fiction books of 2009 by Conversations, and earned a spot on an African-American bookstore best sellers list. My first teen book was selected as best book 2011 in literary excellence in the teen self-help category.  In addition, I was nominated for a 2011 African-American literary award.  My publishing company is home to four authors and two poets.  In 2012, I took my love of the writing to the next level and started Black Girlz Productions, LLC.   My company’s motto is “Dream BIG or go Home!”  My first play recently debuted: Cheating on my Mistress “When One Woman is not Enough”.  My mission is to entertain by any means necessary.

3. What inspires you? What keeps you motivated daily to keep growing your business?

Life inspires me. I am passionate about my work. Each day I strive to do better. I believe in taking my time to make sure everything is as close to perfect as possible.  Each year, I can clearly see my companies’ growth. We are moving at a steady pace. I am very satisfied because I believe in quality not quantity.

4. Do you have a mentor? Who is it and why? Do you believe it's important to have one?

I used to have a mentor, but we went our separate ways.  However, I believe it is important to have a mentor because no one has gotten where they are without the help of someone else.  When you choose a mentor, make sure you choose wisely.  Mentors are people who are doing what you want to do in life. They should be full of wisdom and knowledge.

5. What would you tell someone who wants to get involved in your line of business but doesn't know how to get started?

Research. Research. Research. If you want to start a business, learn as much as possible about the business. Don’t depend on other people to give you all the answers.  The biggest issue I have with the publishing company is finding a good editor. You will come across a lot of people who will make numerous false promises in this type of business. They will offer you an opportunity to be a part of a national tour, claim to be the best editor in the business, and will guarantee that their marketing campaigns will take you to the number one spot on the best sellers list. Be leery. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is…

6. What advice would you give to someone with an entrepreneurial spirit?

My advice is to follow your dreams. Don’t be scared to succeed. When you hit a hard spot in the road, keep pushing. Believe in yourself and believe in your abilities.

If you are an up-and-coming author looking to be published, visit Shaniesha's website at Mahogney Ink Publications. For information on her stage play show times and Black Girlz Talk visit Black Girlz Productions. Also follow her on twitter at @blkgirlz I want to thank Shaneisha for sharing her story with us. I hope you have been inspired by her accomplishments.

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Be someone’s motivation and tell us your story! To be featured on PeopleWhoProsper.com email Tamara@garrisonprosperitysolutions.com. Put PEOPLEWHOPROSPER in the subject line and share a little about yourself.

I speak to authors regularly to help them organize their writing and create publishing plans that fit their goals and economic status. While one of the biggest barriers to self-publishing is usually funds, the second usually is lack of information or research. Traditional publishing is nice if you have the patience for it and don't mind letting someone else take over, but for those who like be in charge here are a few good reasons to self-publish, as well as some major pitfalls.

5. No Rejections! This is one that resonates with every author. No one likes to be told no, especially if there is not a clearly identifiable problem with your manuscript. While this is a perfectly good reason to go the self-publishing route, which will ensure your publication, rejections are a motivation for some authors to improve on their work.

Pitfall: Without an honest, third-party assessment of your manuscript before publishing, you can end up with a sub-par product that destroys your reputation as an author.

How to Avoid It: Find a professional editor to provide you with honest feedback. Some have a process for this type of review, while others charge an hourly fee. The goal is to not only get feedback, but also suggestions on how to resolve your issues. Companies like EverFaith Press provide a Rubric with their manuscript assessments which allow you to see your problem areas and how you can fix them.

4. Editorial Control. This perk of self-publishing is great for authors who like to be in the know. You have the ability to interview and select your own editor, or at least set the parameters for success and their interaction with you.

Pitfalls: Selecting the wrong editor by going for the lowest cost only. Another big mistake is ignoring your editor. If you have selected your editor wisely, it is important that you take the time to weigh and value their input.

How to Avoid It: First, make sure that you request a sample edit. Any editor that takes on your book without first reviewing your manuscript is no one you should work with. They need to see your manuscript to determine if they can help you or not. Second. when selecting your editor, have a conversation with them about their editing style and how they work with authors. Vibes are not sufficient, but if you combine your "personality assessment" with their assessment of your manuscript and sample edit, you will have all of the pieces needed to make an educated decision.

3. Design Input. Many traditional publishers work on your design for you, and your input is limited if allowed at all. When self-publishing, depending on how you go about it, you are able to veto covers you do not like and creative control over the design concepts.

Pitfall: Design input is only a plus if you have options and are working with a skilled designer. Using a self-publishing press can be a benefit here, because they typically make deals with quality designers based on book quantities to get you the best pricing. When approaching the same or similar designer, your costs can triple and push you towards a cheaper more sub-par choice.

How to Avoid It: Look for promotional specials when you review the work of graphic designers, and make sure that they have experience with creating at least 5 book covers for print publications. Don't hesitate to interview them, and if you really don't have the time to do the legwork then visit small presses like EverFaith Press and Believers Press. They both have contractors who can provide sample work from established designers for you to choose from.

2. Higher Royalties. It's good to get paid, and it's even better when you can set your own rates. This is the number 2 best reason to self-publish, because you see an immediate return on your investment. It takes a while to recoup the publishing costs, but to many authors it's worth it.

Pitfalls: There are four major pitfalls here 1. Not setting your own royalty rate, 2. Setting your rate too high to reinvest in your work, 3. Not setting your royalties aside for personal use and 4. Not using the book revenue to reinvest.

How to Avoid It: Being a smart business person is one of the key skills you will need to be a successful authorpreneur, but it's not something you can learn overnight. The quick lesson (or reminder) is that you have to both pay yourself and set money aside to further your book marketing plans. Creating your own contract to set your royalty rate lets you make a little money back from your work, while reasonably setting aside the remainder for a business account. You can save that money and use it invest in any future book plans that you may have.

1. Access to Final Files. There are no major pitfalls here, and honestly It's the most important reason to self-publish carefully. Many companies are happy for you to pay them to produce your work, and are only satisfied if they can keep you coming back for more. They force your hand by not providing you with your final files so you have to go through their more expensive channels for any print needs. EverFaith Press has the advantage on most self-publishing companies here, as it is in their standard agreement to provide the final files to their authors. They keep you coming back because their print costs are one of the cheapest in the POD world, and the turnaround time is phenomenal.

Pitfalls: If you do get a copy of your final files, make sure not to corrupt it! If you do not have the knowledge of InDesign or whatever layout tool they use, do not try to figure it out using your file. If you destroy it, you most likely will need to pay to have it recreated.

How to Avoid It: Maintain a back-up copy of all publication files, then make a back-up of your back-up. Preferably, you should store your files on a Cloud drive and on an external drive. This protects your investment and ensures that you have a copy of all final files for future changes or editions.

These are just a few good reasons to self-publish, and there are many reasons to traditionally publish as well. In the end it is up to you the author to decide what will work best for you.

Have you been published, or self-published your own book? What helped you to make your decision? Share your answers below!

Rochelle Carter is the President/CEO of Ellechor Media, LLC. Ellechor is a Christian media company with three imprints: Ellechor Publishing House- a publisher of Inspirational Christian books, EverFaith Press- a self-publishing imprint offering Coach2Publish, Publishing & Marketing Services, and E2 Books & Co.- an eBook only imprint. She also blogs marketing, publishing and writing tips twice weekly at The Savvy Authorpreneur and runs Christian Books Today- a community for Christian book readers and authors, featuring an independent bookstore.

Contact Me | Write for My Blog | Buy Indie

Introducing the FIRST "PeopleWhoProsper.com" featured entrepreneur, Rochelle Carter, SPHR. Since starting Ellechor Publishing House in 2009, she has signed 12 authors and released six books! Ellechor is a royalty paying/no author investment, Christian book publishing company. She also started Live.Write.Publish! which is a self-publishing imprint for authors who want to maintain full control. I have had the privilege to ask her a few questions and hear her inspirational story and share it with you!

She answered a few questions about herself so that we may get to know her.

1.Tell me your story. What were you doing before you started your own business?

I was, and still am, a Senior Professional in Human Resources and a Project Manager. I had a great job right out of College and was blessed to work with many great people at a great company.

2. What made you want to start a business and what is your mission?

I started this business as an investment and for the long-term satisfaction of a family business. I needed to put myself in a position where I could have a business that I loved and create opportunities for others. I chose publishing because reading is my passion and writing was my hobby for a long time. I thought it was time we made our relationship official, plus I had always wanted to be an editor!
Our mission is to produce quality Christian Fiction and Non-Fiction that changes lives while entertaining, and to provide hope/support to aspiring authors in a company that will dream big with them.

3. What inspires you? What keeps you motivated daily to keep growing your business?

My love for books inspires me, and my authors keep my motivated daily to do my best and to keep growing this cause. They have put their faith in God and in me, and I pray that God continues to bless me so that I can bring inspiration to them. I ask myself daily, what have I done for my authors today? What have I done to promote Christian books today?

4. Do you have a mentor? Who is it and why? Do you believe it's important to have one?

This is a surprisingly tough question! One mentor is Demetria Hayes, because she brought me into Human Resources and the world of helping people. Without her guidance, I may not have been motivated to find my true joy in work. I do a lot of career counseling and resume writing because she showed me how I can use my skills to help others. My second and all-time favorite mentor is my mother. She worked hard to get her Masters while raising four children, started her own business in a time of need, went to the Philippines to gain her PhD later in life. She is always getting things done!! It's so important to have a mentor, because they are the one person you will never compare to and therefore your motivation to keep moving. If you no longer see the value in your mentor, you need a new one! You should never be without a positive influence.

5. What would you tell someone who wants to get involved in your line of business but doesn't know how to get started?

Call me! Or, just jump right in. Thinking about writing a book? Just start! Want to be an editor? There are plenty of college students who need help. Offer your services free of charge to an author with a completed manuscript in exchange for a reference. There is no great starting point. I have met with many professionals in my journey who wanted to set me back, and I refused. I have not regretted it for one moment, because God has blessed me with a great team and we are getting things done right!

6. What advice would you give to someone with an entrepreneurial spirit?

If you are looking for something lasting, forget the get-rich-quick plan. What do you LOVE to do? What can keep you up hours at night with no regrets? Do that! Write the business plan- it doesn't have to be pretty but cover the basics in 4 pages or less. You can refer to it as a basic outline until you work out the details. Find others with your same passion, always keep learning more and be willing to adjust to new situations.

I just want to thank Rochelle for stepping up and taking the plunge of telling her story. It is so refreshing to hear other people's stories sometimes for many reasons: 1. to learn from their mistakes. I know, may sound a little harsh but it's true. That's why these people share their stories, so that you don't have to go through some of the same hardships they went through. 2. to gain, rebuild or sustain your motivation. If they can do this, surely you can! So, make sure you're reading successful and prosperous people's stories often to keep your fire burning!

Again, thank you Rochelle for sharing how you became so prosperous.

Til next time!

Hear Rochelle's story on PeopleWhoProsperTV

We are always looking for people to feature on PeopleWhoProsperTV and garrisonprosperitysolutions.com. So, if you're bold enough and proud enough of yourself and your accomplishments in business, then I dare you to share your story with us! Just email PeopleWhoProsper to Tamara@garrisonprosperitysolutions.com for more details!
Tamara Garrison-Thomas
deut8:18
www.garrisonprosperitysolutions.com

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. 

Read More: http://wattspublishinggroup.com/the-benefits-of-strong-book-cover-design/

Read the full Article | http://www.helium.com/items/1998978-how-to-write-business-articles

Read the full Article | http://www.helium.com/items/1999010-how-to-self-publish-a-book

Blogging is a personal publishing format that allows you to be able to have your own platform for sharing your ideas with the world. Reading feedback from visitors is quite rewarding and makes it worth all of the work and effort that goes into producing a quality blog.

But sometimes there are those days that your Mamma warned you about. There are days when life gets to be overwhelming, you’re exhausted and beaten down and the baby needs a new pair of shoes. Sometimes you wonder what the heck you were thinking when you started that blog. What made you think you’d have time to post every day or least every week?

I’ve come up with some tricks and strategies that you can use to develop productive habits, which will allow you to make the most of those little snippets of time in your day to get your blogging tasks done. Please visit my blog to learn some creative ways to keep fresh content on your blog: http://bit.ly/c8PIfW

The first post of this blog was published originally in January of 2007, but a catastrophic crash in October of 2008 (before I knew about the importance of backing up my database) caused me to lose all of those
early posts. Prior to this blog for my consulting business I had a personal blogthat I began in the fall of 1998 (before they were actually even called ‘blogs’). So with 12 years of blogging experience under my belt, I
thought I’d write a post about what being a blogger has taught me about life.

1. Don’t write anything you wouldn’t want your parents or your children to see.
In the early days, I didn’t tell my parents that I kept a blog. I felt far more free to write whatever I felt like writing when I was pretty sure that they weren’t reading it. Well, the day eventually came when my dad, bless his heart, discovered my blog one day when he googled me. Thank goodness he didn’t find anything embarrassing, but it might have been a more awkward conversation had I been writing about something that they would not have approved of, or would be embarrassing.

Aside from your parents and off-spring, be mindful that your employer or colleagues might also discover your blog, so be mindful of what you write and publish online.

2. Don’t be afraid to speak your mind.
Your blog provides you with the opportunity to stand up for what you believe in, to take a stand for your beliefs and defend the ideals that you hold dear. There will be people who will agree and there will be people who will disagree with what you have to say, but don’t let that dissuade you from writing from your heart.

3. Be authentic.
One of my favorite quotes on this topic is by Dr. Suess, and he said, “Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter won’t mind.” Authenticity totally shines through in everything you write. Don’t try too hard to sound witty, or take on a fake persona. Your individuality is the gift that you offer to the world. Let it shine through.

4. Always publish your best work.
Don’t fall into the trap of waiting until you “get discovered” before you start coming up with fabulous content because it’s the fabulous content that will get you discovered. Write your posts like everyone’s watching. Edit ruthlessly. Find a writing partner to edit and/or proofread for you. Ask for feedback from your readers, and strive to always improve your writing.

5. Having a platform is powerful.
As your blog readership grows you will discover that you are creating a platform for yourself. Your blog is your own media outlet. Don’t squander your chance to put forth your message. Take your blog seriously and others will do the same.

6. Avoid negative posts and bashing or flaming.
Avoid writing scathing posts and railing with negativity about a person or a group. If something has gotten you angry and upset, you might want to take some time and process it and choose the most intelligent course
of action rather than firing off a vitriolic post that you may regret sooner than later.

7. It takes a village.
The blogoshpere is a community, so reach out to other bloggers and create relationships. Offer to guest post on your favorite blogs. Link to your blogging buddies from your blog. Be as supportive as you can of other bloggers within your community.

8. Encourage other bloggers.
Be sure to leave positive comments on other blogs. Find something encouraging to say that goes beyond, “great post.” Show that you read the post and write a comment that adds value and builds up the blogger.

9. It takes commitment.
Maintaining a blog is not easy. With all of the other responsibilities in your life, it can be a challenge to commit to writing three to five blog posts each week and managing all of the other tasks inherent with the job. Determine at the outset if you think you can be committed to maintaining the publishing schedule before you begin.

10. Persistence pays off.
In the end persistence definitely pays off. When you have a blog that is getting decent traffic, a steady flow of comments and good reviews you’ve really got something to be proud of. Don’t give up when things get challenging because the only way to fail is to give up.

If you’re a blogger, please feel free to leave a comment that shares a life lesson you’ve learned from blogging. You are welcome to visit my blog, http://www.productivepen.com, for more posts about writing, online marketing and personal development.

A lens maker can create numerous lenses on a subject, focusing attention on a different aspect of the subject with each lens. On the other had, a lens maker can make numerous lenses that cover many different topics, reflecting the lens makers' different interests and expertise. Internet MarketingOne of the many good uses for Squidoo lenses is to use the lens as part of an overall internet marketing strategy. One or more good lenses can help to bring attention, traffic, and credibility to a product or business by providing valuable information and resources. Additionally, the lens can help to establish the author as an expert in their field and a person whose advice should be taken seriously.The single page websites that Squidoo allows an author to create are called lenses because the finished website focuses on a single subject or idea. This focused attention on a subject is very attractive to users of the internet who are constantly searching for answers to questions or problems. The internet search engines whose job it is to find good, focused websites that will answer the questions or problems are attracted to the lenses.Therefore, the use of Squidoo lenses has become a valuable internet resource for building and marketing a business.Traffic. I started out with Squidoo simply to promote my various internet ventures -- web sites, blogs and ezines. Due to the way Squidoo is organized it makes a great system to capture and redirect traffic. Traffic arrives both from search engines and internally generated traffic. I have found this to be a great traffic generation tool. I have some profitable web sites that I do nothing else to promote except through Squidoo.Money. While I started out simply to drive traffic to my other money-making enterprises I soon realized there is a number of ways to benefit financially from Squidoo. I can earn income directly from Squidoo based on the internal rank of my Squidoo page as well as from a variety of internal and external affiliate programs. Squidoo has several different affiliate programs programmed in and you are welcome to add as many other income sources to your lens as you want. I earn income every month from Squidoo and I have not even begun to fully capitalize on all my options.Addiction. I fully admit that I am a Squidoo addict. I check in several times a day on the various lenses (the Squidoo term for a web page) and groups I maintain, I eye my dashboard stats, I haunt the Squidoo forum, and I'm constantly creating new lenses. I don't think there is a 12-step program for Squidoo addiction yet but there might need to be. I am constantly tweaking, fixing, adding, and altering my existing lenses as well as creating new lenses. Do I have a problem?Friends. Squidoo is a friendly place. While there are certainly people here ready and eager to make a buck they don't seem to dominate this network as much as some of the others. Perhaps it is because Squidoo makes it so easy to donate all or a portion of your proceeds to a charity of your choice -- and so many Squidoo lens creators are dedicated to supporting a huge range of charities -- that makes Squidoo people a nicer group as a whole. Yes, there are people like myself using Squidoo to support or promote a business, but it is not all about money. It is about people and ideas and community. That is what keeps me coming back day after day. I find myself not just checking up on my projects but the projects of various people that interest me -- and Squidoo makes it super easy to do just that!

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