A Self Publisher's JournalPublished by Hawse Pipe Ministries
Copyright © 2012 by Regina TittelCover Design by Regina Tittel
Smashwords Edition
Smashwords License Statement
This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each reader If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own
copy Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
Also by Regina Tittel
Trang 2Abandoned Hearts Study GuideUnexpected Kiss
Love for LenoreCoveted Bride
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter One: Preparing Your ManuscriptChapter Two: Publishing
Chapter Three: BloggingChapter Four: Marketing
Chapter Five: Information Sheets
Chapter Six: Preparing For Your AudienceChapter Seven: Left-Over Helpful Hints
Welcome
Following, I'll share with you what I've been sharing on my blog, my experience at self-publishing You'll soon notice, I'm quick to the point Although my advice moves quickly, if you take your time and apply what I'm
Trang 3CHAPTER ONE
Preparing Your ManuscriptHow Do I Know If My Book Is Ready For Print
First and foremost, what are your fellow critique partners saying? If you don't have any, odds are you aren't ready Join a critique group like, American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) Listen well to what people say about your work Does it fit with today's standards and rules? With ACFW, they even have an archives section where you can learn for free with your membership ($50 for the first year, $40 after that.)When you feel your book is ready, be patient, it's not yet Your next step is to enter it in a few contests Study what they judge on and make sure your ms (manuscript) meets their expected standards.
Once the contests results are returned, listen to what they've said Where do you rank and why? Then ask yourself if your ms is ready
Here are the results of my efforts
Trang 4as ACFW's Genesis, I knew the less likely I'd be to final Simply because I was a new author and the book I was entering was my very first ms.
I chose the four contests I entered, based on who the final judge was Is the person an agent I would be interested in having represent me or an editor from a publishing house I'm pursuing? The first contest
coordinator was kind enough to inform me I had been the third finalist until a discrepancy in the judging of another contestant called for a re-judging, which booted me to fourth place Not bad for a first try.
My second produced little results but my third and fourth were very productive With my third, not only did I final, but my full ms made it to an editor's desk at Bethany House, a publishing house you can't get in without an agent They did turn me down, but hey, my first ms had done fairly well, so my optimism was still running high.My fourth and final contest attempt for Abandoned
Hearts, landed me exactly where I intended, the desk of Melissa Endlich at Love Inspired, Steeple Hill Although I hadn't finaled, my score was high enough to earn me Honorable Mention where they forwarded my submission to the final judging editor.
Trang 5book I wrote (note: I did revise Abandoned Hearts and strengthen the writing before publication.)
I hope my experience has given you a better idea of what to expect out of contests and their benefits And of
course, a clearer understanding of how to judge if your book is ready for publication Not to leave you wondering how they judge, I'll include what the judges look at.
Opening
1 Is the opening fresh and unique and grab your interest to make you want to read more?
2 Can you tell who the hero and heroine will be from the opening scene?
3 Does it open with a hook?
Pacing
1 Does each scene promote and advance the plot progression?
2 Is the transaction between scenes smooth?3 Does the action flow smooth and naturally?
Trang 61 Is the point of view clearly defined?
2 Are the transitions clear and effective between different point of views?
Setting
1 Is there a clear sense of setting and time?
2 Are the world-building elements presented in a believable way?
Characterization
1 Does the paint a clear description of the hero and heroine's motives, traits, flaws and strengths?
2 Do main characters interact in a way that helps build a conflict or a romance?
Trang 7Dialog1 Does the dialog fit each character and flow naturally?2 Is there an effective mix of tags, action and stand-alone dialog?
3 Does the dialog fit the time period?
The judges will also score on style and mechanics Which means, does your ms stand out from the crowd and how is your grammar and punctuation?
Show vs Tell
Trang 8She's recommending changes for an earlier version of Abandoned Hearts:
"First of all, some of the wording and phrasing of the sentences are stiff, and words are used that people wouldn’t normally use in everyday conversations Sometimes, as a result, it feels as though I’m wading through the words, and it also feels like things are being told to me, as a reader I’d rather have them shown the clichéd “show vs tell.”
1 What is the purpose for each scene?
What does the character want? How will she/he get or fail to gain her goal? How will she try harder to gain it?What is the goal/problem at the end of the scene, which leads into the next scene(s)?
2 It is not necessary to detail every little thing that the characters do, as it slows down the narrative Such as“She turned on the faucet and filled the glass…”
Trang 9“…floor to unrelenting” could change “unrelenting” to “hard”
“He hadn’t changed his clothes…” (then goes on to
describe how they’re the same clothes he’d changed into earlier) Instead, could say, “He wore the same clothes that…”
“Ann peered down the hall to reassure herself no one was there…” Perhaps could change to: “Ann peered down the hall to make sure no one was there…”
Hopefully this will help those of you who battle the whole show v/s tell issue and also the ill-fated habit of over detailing, which causes your reader to skim And as writers, we don't want that!
Weasel Words
What are weasel words? They're the little bugs that hook onto your manuscript and turn away the eyes of editors and agents faster than you can ask 'why?'
Here are a few examples in use:
Trang 10Why is using 'she wondered' wrong? If I'm in her head (her point of view, also known as pov), I won't be thinking to myself in third person ex "I'm wondering who left that open?" No I'd instead say to myself, "Who left that open?" So by using, 'she wondered' you're taking the reader out of your character's deep pov (Not a good thing.)
Why is using 'decided to' wrong? Same reason I don't say to myself, "I'm going to decide to find out." No Instead I say, "I'm going to find out."
Here's a rewritten sentence of the original example:Who left the gate unlatched? She squeezed through the small opening between the gate and fence, careful of its squeaky hinges, intent on finding out.
Notice I didn't simply say she was going to find out I took the opportunity to describe what the character could see and hear By eliminating weasel words it opens up more opportunity for descriptive writing A small space
Trang 11can tweak the sentence to omit it, your new style of writing will come easier and easier Oft times, the sentence can be changed into a question.
I'd also recommend searching in google for a list of weasel words Then 'find' them in your ms and improve your writing even further.
Developing Your Characters
When you start a story, a good thing to begin with is a list of character attributes This list can help you develop other aspects of their personalities as you write your
story Also, it's a good list to keep handy as you read other novels so you can jot down other descriptions to further broaden your own talent.
Following is a list to begin with:
HEAD: Shaped as a heart, square jaw, long, or roundHAIR: Long, receding, brittle, wiry, silky, tight bun, military cut
EYES: almond shaped, squinty, green, stormyNOSE: hooked, sloped, broad
LIPS: wide, full, thin, crooked grinNECK: long, short
SHOULDERS: wide, narrow, stooped, broadCHEST: barreled, developed
WAIST: taunt stomach, narrow, ample
Trang 12in replace of a ringHIPS: ample, narrowLEGS: stocky, spindly
FEET: dainty, pigeon-toedJEWELRY:
CLOTHING:
CHARACTERISTICS: constant sniffing, twirl hair, limpName a personal feature that bothers them.
What feature are they the most proud of?Do long sleeves cover someone's tattoos?Why do they wear their hair a certain way?
What Inspires Me
As a writer, anything and everything can be inspiring From lending an ear to a distressed friend, to hearing a heart-warming tale about a dog signally help for his
master Though I don't copy word for word, or action for action from any of the things that inspire me, I do allow them to take form in my mind and turn into another scenario altogether
For years I had a habit of lying awake at night redirecting the events of a movie I had just watched I may have
Trang 13For a suspenseful element in the upcoming sequel,
Coveted Bride, I walked past a window in our home and noticed the hammock at the edge of the yard bordering the forest A thought passed my mind, what if someone had been in it? Oooh, that would've been scary So that's what I had happen to Lindsey Of course, when she steps back to double check, no one's there, just an empty
hammock swinging in the still, summer heat.
Recently, I had an unsettling encounter with a milk snake in my home! That episode is going in Cherished
Stranger!
But what about other events - when someone shares something with you and it inspires you, but you can't exactly write about it? I chew on it, so to speak A death of a loved one, or the crumbling of a marriage, or even a sickness, can be blended to become its own story
Allow yourself to be inspired Take some neighborhood talk, sprinkle in a tale from your youth, and add a bit of news, that's what I did with Abandoned Hearts.
Information for Writers
I found a great site for names http://
Trang 14the name which really helps round out your character.Try it, you won't be disappointed
Also, it is worth getting your books into print I use
Create Space but am also looking into Lightning Source From there, I made a free website through
www.etsy.com Check mine out at
www.reginatittel.etsy.com to see what they look like They're not fancy, but they're already designed to sell from using paypal They have easy to follow instructions and you can even link it up with your business facebook account.
Pilcrow-the life-saving tool for your e-version manuscript
When preparing your manuscript for publication, begin by locating the pilcrow on your tool bar It looks like a backwards P This allows you to see the extra spacing you didn't mean to add by way of extra dots By removing
these extra spaces, your document will upload more successfully into the formats offered by e-publishers.
Trang 15I told you I'd tell more about how to prepare your book for print Well, here it is I'm going to take you through the steps I used for Create Space I first entered the title and number of pages Then, I selected a formatted
interior template Open it and you'll see the need for a few pages before the title page for your partial segment that you may want to add like in Love Inspired novels (They show a page from the book that's like a hook.)
To get this, click on the page and in your tool bar find
INSERT and insert a page break
That's how you add more pages to an area Now on
chapter three, their template doesn't delete the header like it should To amend this, at the end of your chapter two, go to your tool bar and and under 'page layout' you'll find 'Breaks,' choose 'section break.'
Now because I forget things quickly if I'm not writing
them down as I'm doing them, you may have to play with section break and page break to figure out which one is really needed for your situation But I do know they really helped me to control the headers and even page numbers Because at the end of your chapters, you may need different pages like I did One for an order form, another to advertise another author's books, etc So again, I found I had to figure out how to remove the header I think I settled for allowing the page numbers on some of these sheets, I couldn't work around it But in looking at the book, Love Letters, I realized they had the same thing going on, so mine must've not been too
Trang 16I'm sure there was more information to share with you, but at the moment, that's all I can think of If you have any questions, please feel free to ask in the comments section.
Shifting Chapter Headings
If you get the proof of your book back and notice the chapter headings start at different levels on your pages, then check the font of your peplum Sound weird? It is.
Upon late night searching of my ms, I noticed the font of that backward 'p' changed from TIMES NEW ROMAN-22, to MYRIAD PRO-14 Once I manually changed all of them to match, wa-lah!, everything worked like a charm
This is what I did I highlighted on the peplum at the beginning of the chapter and changed the font style and size Then I deleted the extra peplum that wouldn't
highlight (The one right before the chapter heading.) Then I entered another peplum and my pages all
matched.
Trang 17How I Made My Own Book cover
What do you think? I'm excited with how this turned out If you peer close enough to this small picture, you can see a vehicle leaving and a man standing to the side, looking defeated.
My husband posed for this picture and we worked with it on the old version of Windows ('93, I think)
Download your picture into HP Photo and Imaging Click on 'Annotate.' A bar will drop down, click 'text.' A box will appear Type in your text and click 'okay.'
Trang 18same box but with a different font Simply create a second text box on top of the first but don't choose a background color, stick with 'transparent.' This will allow the first text to be seen, as well as the second.
The way I got the yellow to appear around the brown was with more text boxes I just deleted the use of words but chose a color
How To Make a Book Cover Using Photoshop Adobe
Trang 19create the long, narrow borders above and below my title box I also used the same method for the title box But for the narrow bars, I picked up the color in the hero's work uniform and by selecting paint bucket, changed the color to what you see.
By clicking on text, I was able to select the font I wanted to use For the title, I used Lucinda Calligraphy, and I believe I used Cambria for the series My name is in Kunstler Script
On the back panel, the boxed information you see is made from one smaller text box overlapping the other With something like this, you sometimes have to merge layers before your text will show up I recommend saving each step in its own file That way, if there's ever a
problem and you have to go back in and make changes, you won't have to start from scratch (By the way, 'merge layers' is at the top in your tool bar under, layers.)
If you're using Create Space, I recommend using their templates You'll be directed how to do this as you add a new book It's easy to use, once you fill in how many
pages your book is and what size you want it to be, the program will select the proper size template you need It will look like a white book cover with an inset of dotted lines You don't want your text outside of these dotted lines as that's where they cut Once you download it, open it in Photoshop and you're well on your way.
Trang 20CHAPTER TWOPublishing
Do You Have to Have a Publisher to be Successful?
Some of you may be asking yourself the same thing It is recommended that you have a publisher if you want to crack open the doors to libraries, as your book can't obtain a library number without one (Get Library of Congress Number: http://pcn.loc.gov/ )
Also, in order to be reviewed by some select literary reviewers, you have to have more to show than your name as the publisher
So how hard is it to become a publisher? Not hard at all First, you may want to contact your local county
courthouse to see if you need a license to operate a company from your home Our county charges $25 a year Secondly, register your company's name with your state It's about that easy.
Trang 21self-publish that I can In order to start my company, I would need to buy rights to the photo I've chosen to represent it That would cost $50 Not much, you say? Well, it all adds up when I also want to order enough books to sell and distribute locally Secondly, if I spread myself any more thin, one of two things will happen I'll never have time to finish the Ozark Durham Series,
or my children won't be schooled properly (I
homeschool.) I say I'd spread myself thin because I don't desire to do anything half-way If I start my own
company, I'll probably want to build on it, add other authors, yada, yada, yada.
So you decide what's best for you Victorine Lieske helped me decide I'm pretty sure she doesn't have a publisher name with her book -and if she can sell that many without it, we can too.
Detours to the Publishing World
As most writers have experienced, the road to
publication is often closed to no through traffic But there are detours to that sought-after destination.
Trang 22Author, Grace Kone, turned to self-publishing to revive out of print books She still uses traditional and
e-publishing, but for reasons further explained on her blog,
http://www.masaicmoments.blogspot.com/, she uses this steadily increasing, new opportunity to her
advantage.
There are also successful, unknown authors who hit pay-dirt with self-publishing Victorine Leiske is one such author She made $30,000 with her first novel in only a year's time Another success story involves, Amanda Hocking You can read more about her story at,
www.usatoday.com/2011/03/25/books/amandahocking.sells.
Other self-pubbed authors to learn about are, Michael Wallace, H.P Mallory, Joe Konrath, and Dean Wesley Smith.
With stories such as these, it's enough to make anyone think twice about a traditional publisher I know it did for me, hence my self-published knowledge that I'm about to share with you.
The Effort of Self Pubbing
Trang 23Maybe 1,2,4 Because as soon as I accomplish a step, it seems I look back and realize I'm not done There are still pilcrows to check, automatic changes to undo, the list could go on.
However, there are enough free sites available, I don't know why one would need to buy a book on how to do it Take Smashwords for example They offer a free guide that walks you through their formatting guide, step by step After that, you have a polished manuscript that you can easily change to meet other publisher standards And Kindle recommends MobiPocket, another free download Still, there's CreateSpace that offers a free service to put your book in print They have templates available for those of us who don't have an idea of what we're
supposed to do.
CHAPTER THREEBlogging
Getting Your Blog Noticed
Trang 24What was the main subject matter of each? If you want more attention on your blog, perhaps those are the subjects you should concentrate on.
Following is a list of helpful advice I learned online.1) Tag your post, keywords improve search engine ranking
2) Post when your readers are most likely to be online (weekends v/s weekdays)
3) Encourage comments Your import helps the blogger.4) Leave comments on blogs you visit that make yourself known.
5) At the end of the link, add a "related posts thumbnail" plug in.
6) Make sure you choose to have Google automatically pinged when creating your free blog site.
The Benefit of Becoming a Blog Follower
Why should you sign up to follow a blog? If you're aspiring to be known, it gets your name out Whether you want to be known as an author, a dancer, or a bear tamer,
leaving a trail of interest is the way to do it And it's been said you should start early, before your book is in print.
Trang 25mom who wrote a book, then became a self-pubbed NY Times Best Seller How'd she do it, by blogging not only on her sites but others She joined forums and
commented, commented, commented All the while, leaving an imprint of how she wanted to be known.
Whenever I visit a blog now, I try to never leave without commenting on something I want to leave a trail back to my book, my blog, whatever it is I want to be noticed about.
But don't waste your time where it won't count I write inspirational fiction I'm not going to go to a sci-fy blog to leave a trail It wouldn't be productive - obviously.
CHAPTER FOURMarketingMarketing, Step One
Let me share my milestones as I turn them over on my walk through self-pubbing.
One of the first things a writer should do after finishing a manuscript is write a press release If you research
romantic novel press releases, you'll see some examples online.
Trang 26contacting local newspapers and such But I won't get into that, yet First, write a press release Too much information all at once will only stress you.
A Sample of my Press Release **FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE**
ABANDONED HEARTS/Romantic Fiction with a Purpose
Patton, Missouri - July 12, 2011
Abstinence gets over-looked by supporters of 'use
protection' Yet, fifteen-million people contract STD's every single year Author of Abandoned Hearts, Regina Tittel, shows her readers how to step back from tempting situations, before they're allowed to go too far, through an exciting romance novel.
Regina says, "I wanted to create a situation of sexual
Trang 27Abandoned Hearts fits into the category of 'edgy
inspirational,' a genre that is on the rise in popularity Following is an excerpt from the back cover:
Stranded by flood waters in the heart of the Ozarks, Ann McHaven is forced to stay with a rugged farmer, Jacob Durham Her annoyance with him soon turns to
attraction The magnetic pull between them puts her faith to the test as temptations tease her thoughts.Independent and stubborn, Jacob’s eyes and heart are opened to all he has to lose when a fearless mountain lion turns him into the hunted Will his life be spared long enough to restore his trust in God, and admit his love for Ann?
Abandoned Hearts is the first of The Ozark Durham
Series Regina's second book, Unexpected Kiss, is due for release in the fall of 2011, and she is currently working on the third of the series, Coveted Bride Her books are available through Amazon, Pubit, Smashwords, and
CreateSpace Here is what her readers have to say:CaSondra Poulsen on June 28, 2011 :
Trang 28inspirational/christian fiction due to the predictable nature that comes with them Abandoned Hearts has given me a renewed hope in the genre I look forward to the next book in the series.
review is from Krista: Sweet and Sassy!!!, June 8, 2011
I loved this book!!! It has just the right mix of sweet and sassy! The cougar scenario adds an added dimension of action and suspense not found in most romance novels! Well written and emotion driven! I thoroughly enjoyed it all the way through! Can't wait to see what's coming next in the series!
Contact Info:
(This is where you would add your info Then add the number sign to show the end of the press release)
####
Marketing, Step Two
Trang 29feel for how supportive they would be to hosting a book signing for you I recommend starting in your hometown You're most likely to feel the most secure there
Talk to them and gather contact information Go home and make a list of possible book signing establishments Make a second list of contacts for the newspapers you want to carry your press release, also the t.v and radio stations Still, don't act on this Just make your lists.
This should keep you busy Tune back in in a couple days for the third step Believe me, this is the best way to do this, small amounts of information, time to complete the given task, then more information At least, that's what works for me No ulcers here!
P.S Media requests at least two weeks advance notice of your book signings.
Marketing, Step Three
You should also make a catalog information sheet This is just a piece of paper that lists the title, author,
suggested retail, isbn, publisher, binding, pages, weight, shipping info, terms (Let's take a breath.) about the author, brief descrip of book, and discount schedule Whew, like I said, it's just a piece of paper!
Trang 30see mine Something else I did, I used excel and made an order form to include in the back of my book That way, if someone read my book and is interested in ordering the rest of the series but doesn't have access to the internet, they can use the form Here's a copy of mine:
Trang 31_Address City State Zip Signature (if under 18, a parent or guardian must sign)□ Please contact me to discuss a discounted purchase for use in a youth group, book club, or other related service where five or more books are needed
Make Check Payable to:
Regina Tittel(insert address here)
Notice the last line before the 'make check payable' part? I gave an idea of how my book can be used Don't miss the opportunity to publicize different avenues for your book Even if it's fiction, what points do you address that could be helpful to others As you probably know,
Abandoned Hearts deals with abstinence before marriage yet is still a fictional novel.
Hope this helps But that's not the actual third step I wanted to mention, if you're wanting to list your book in some review magazines, they prefer four months prior to the release date Are you prepared to wait that long? I may do that for my third book, but I've already
Trang 32review sites which you should, too I'm pretty sure you need to have your cover ready to submit to the
magazines, that's my other hold up for my second book We haven't finished the cover, yet.
Now, set your pub date When do you plan to start selling?
Marketing Through Libraries-Step Four
Libraries can be the start of your fan club Most librarians get excited when a local author turns up and are more than happy to help hold a book signing for you I
scheduled three signings yesterday with three very excited librarians They're so good for our confidence!
Some of them offered to put the word out on the local paid television channel, slot in the local newspaper, and online However, don't leave the marketing there You also have a job For instance, there are still a number of newspapers to contact, several radio programs and
perhaps even the local news channel that everyone watches in the evenings
Trang 33still won't just sit back and wait I've had posters printed off at my local print shop, the libraries love to hang
these up with the 'meet the author' date and time I can also hang some smaller posters in the tack boards at
grocery stores, the windows of area businesses that allow paper advertising and gas stations You might even want to print off card size advertisements to put under the windshield wipers of cars in parking lots The ideas are endless, now you just have to match your energy to your ideas!
Marketing in a Nutshell
Here's a check list to simplify what we've done so far and then some.
- contact online reviewers
- order books to have for book signings A good starting number is 100.
- have bookmarks and postcards made.
- schedule book signings (Make sure you'll have you're books by then.)- prepare press release and list of answers to presumed interview questions.)- contact media to announce the signings two weeks before
Trang 34poster made to post in shop at least a week prior to signing.)
The Rewards of Marketing
Do any of you need encouragement? Are some of you lacking the self-confidence to promote yourselves?
Let me address the second issue first (And yes, I will get around to the 'reward' part of this.) I'm the type of
person who gets nervous around other people I'm like a nervous little hummingbird inside After scheduling my first three book signings, you can imagine the mess I was Then I heard a Christian comedian on a dvd make this statement, "I realized, it's not about me "
I remember commenting out loud, "Duhh." Then I
acknowledged I needed to learn that, too If I was truly doing this for God, then I shouldn't be so
nervous -because it's not about me Simply put, I don't have to prove myself to anyone, I don't need to worry with what they think God has paved the way for me From that moment on, I've attended my other marketing ventures with the confidence of a seasoned author
Trang 35pay off Today, I was asked for an interview from a neighboring newspaper editor! Whoo-hoo!
Also, two stores have agreed to carry my books on
consignment and schedule book signings; Gospeland in Cape Girardeau and The Oasis Bookstore in Farmington I've distributed posters to all the areas I'm scheduled for signings and am also posting smaller versions with an invitation for everyone to share in my celebration and list each book signings' location and time
Simplified Marketing
It's been said that it would be nice to have a proven way to market books with success Well, I believe that many people offer just that But for those of us who are less than enthused to go about it through face book and twitter, I'm going to provide you with another route, which I plan to help you build on.
Before I give you the list, let's assume your book is published online, is available in print and you have a
ready supply on hand (If you need any help in any of the afore mentioned steps, look in the archives of my blog.) Now that you know where I'm starting from, here is a timetable list.
Trang 36Approach stores with your book, press release, reviews and marketing plan (I'll submit a copy of my marketing plan in the near future)
Month 1/Week 3
Hear back from stores.
Send out press release with information of bookstores that are carrying your book and the dates of your signings to every form of media.
Month 2/Week 2
Pester papers to interview you Do this with available for interview forms and send them updated forms as new dates are scheduled.
Post fliers announcing book signings and mail out post cards Leave bookmarks with librarians to help promote your book signing.
Month 2/Week 3
You have your first signing.
Continue to send out press releases with updates of rise in popularity and sales, basically, any information to garner more interest.
Trang 37wife posted a cut-out from one of the papers on the
church bulletin and many are buying my book because of the notice these interviews have brought.
Do you know someone working in the school? Have them leave post cards in the teachers' lounge Spread the
word People will want to buy your book!
Marketing by Word of Mouth
Word of mouth can be a very productive advertising tool Since my interviews came out in the local papers, more and more people are buying my book and asking when the second one will be available Gosepeland has sold six in the last month At a friend's birthday party, I sold five with requests for more Friends and family are telling others about my books and requesting them as gifts So can you see the benefit?
To add to this excitement is the latest opportunity that has come up Because of a chance meeting in a park and a friend of the family, copies of my signed book will be available for sell at Pioneer Days in Marquand, MO
Trang 38The opportunities are boundless Never overlook where you got your start Your hometown is the best place to grow as an author Not only are they your best
encouragers, but it feels great to be able to give back to them.
CHAPTER FIVEInformation Sheets
Catalog Information Sheet
The step I'm currently taking, after proofing my book and ordering the first 100 copies, is contacting local
bookstores I'm surrounded by small-towns And it just so happens, that in most of these towns, there is a locally owned bookstore Thankfully for me, these are Christian (I live in the Bible-belt!)
I approach each store and ask to speak to the person responsible for deciding which books to carry If that person isn't there, I leave with a business card and the particular name of whom I need to speak with Last
Trang 39bookstore puts out a personal catalog, some of the stores I approach are privately owned and may do this, if not, I have it ready to send to catalogs -but that's a different step all together!) Along with the catalog sheet will be my press release, a copy of reviews from readers (if you don't have any yet, write a mock review), and a schedule of my book signings
Before I deliver my product, I'll call to make sure the person I want to see will be available The more face time I can get, the better I up my odds I'll dress
respectable and pray that God will speak through me (so I don't mess up!)
So let's review what I have to do before my books come in:
1) schedule book signings (I now have the date of my books' arrival)
2) send out press releases to every newspaper, local radio and tv network
3) put together packets of info to take to bookstores4) decide on clothing ahead of time for signings and other book engagements (less stress)
5) remember anything I might have forgotten
No, I haven't forgotten Here's a copy of my catalog sheet:
Trang 40TITLE: Abandoned Hearts/The Ozark Durham SeriesAuthor: Regina Tittel
ISBN-13: 978-1463620271ISBN-10: 1463620276
PUBLISHER: Regina TittelPAGES: 235
About the author:
Regina is a homeschooling mother of two and resides in the nearby town of, Patton She writes to deliver a
message Each book has a purpose In Abandoned Hearts, she wants people to understand God still desires us to be pure Tittel takes the reader to a place of physical
temptation they can relate to and shows them how to step back and why they should It is possible to remain abstinent before marriage in this day and age But we need to speak up and encourage our young people, else how will they know?
Brief description of book: