"Ask Your Book Publishing Coach"

Teleseminar Replays

Did you miss the live teleseminars in which Diane answers your burning questions about writing, publishing, and marketing your book or information product? Listen to the replays here. (You can always ask a question; it will be answered on upcoming teleseminars like these, or on my blog.)

Publishing Coach Weekly Teleseminars

August 28, 2008

Questions answered on this call:

• " What is the first step in writing a book?" 
• " What are some good strategies for determining market interest as well as gaps in the existing book market?" 

• "When you're building a platform, how do you step it up and get noticed by a publisher? An acquisitions editor said earlier this year I don't have a big enough platform. When can you go back and say look at what I am working on? What kind of information do they want?"

The Tip of the Call built on the answers to those three questions, and talked about how to survey to find out what your market wants.

   Click to listen.

download audio (right click and save to your computer)

Resources mentioned on this call:

• "Title Survey Case Study: Surveying for a Winning Title" Special Report (free)
• Jump Start Your Book: 12 Steps to Writing a Book that Sells 
• Choosing Your Bestselling Title course 
• Virtual Book Tour with Mark Levine about self-publishing (can ask question, listen to replay)

You may ask your question for Publishing Coach Weekly at any time here .

September 4, 2008  

• " What do you think of virtual book tours? Do you have a recommendation as to who to hire to help promote?"--  Debbie 
• " I need a refresher on how to make outlines. Although I like the freedom of straying from the outline, to have something organized on paper helps me focus, yet I run into difficulty making that outline."--Margaret (I shared my mindmapping technique that I use for virtually everything I plan, that will give you an outline for your book in minutes.) 

• "I have sent submittals to 6 publishers, got turned down by 4 and accepted by 1- Tate Publishing.  But they want $3,400 up front to do 'everything.'   Is it normal for publishers to want money up front? I need understanding on the best route to take with publishers by knowing what is the norm and what is more of a scam."--Cindy

The Tip covered 5 questions to ask yourself to determine whether self-publishing or mainstream publishing is the best path for you.

Teleseminar replay:

  (Click to listen--43:25)

download (right click and save to your computer)

Resources mentioned on this call:

• If you already have a book and are considering doing a Virtual Book Tour, find out more about the benefits and how they work .
• Class on several brainstorming techniques for rapidly outlining a book and overcoming writer's block.
• Virtual Book Tour with Mark Levine, author of The Fine Print of Self-Publishing: The Contracts & Services of 45 Self-Publishing Companies--Analyzed, Ranked and about self-publishing and choosing a reputable self-publishing company. Note: If you listen first to the VBT, there's a way revealed to get 60 minutes of consultation with Mark when you get his book and ebook version of The Fine Print. 

September 11, 2008 

Questions answered on this call:

• "Are there any ways to test the idea(s) one would have for a book? No sense working hard on a manuscript if it wouldn't have market appeal."-Barb
• "What are some good strategies for determining market interest as well as gaps in the existing book market? I'm especially interested in the children's market."--Lynne
• "Should self-publishing be a last resort after trying mainstream book agents or is it a worth while first option?"-Clive
• "If you were to write a book, how would you rank the most important things to spend time and money on? (Topic would sell or not, market, title, cover, content, etc.--not marketing, website, etc.--just the book...)"--Johnny

I also talked about why this is the BEST time to be an author, and what the most important quality is for becoming successful as an author. (Hint: It's related to this article.)
 

Teleseminar replay:

     (Click to listen-35:29)

download (right click and save to your computer)

Resources mentioned on this call:

• Suzanne Lieurance's children's writing programs. Suxanne is director of the National Writing for Children Center and a wonderful writing coach.
• L earn more about how to choose a best-selling title.
• To find out more about self-publishing:
• • Listen to the Virtual Book Tour with Mark Levine, author of The Fine Print of Self-Publishing: The Contracts & Services of 45 Self-Publishing Companies--Analyzed, Ranked and Exposed at http://www.askaboutselfpublishing.com
  • Check out his book at http://www.thewritersadvocate.com
  • Note: If you listen first to the VBT, there's a way revealed to get 60 minutes of consultation with Mark when you get his book and ebook version of The Fine Print.
• Diane's coaching and consulting.

September 18, 2008 

Quote of the Call:

"I learned that you should feel when writing, not like Lord Byron on a mountain top, but like a child stringing beads in kindergarten - happy, absorbed and quietly putting one bead on after another."--Brenda Ueland

Questions answered on this call:

• "What do I do if I feel that I need to write some kind of book (etc.) but don't feel that I enjoy writing?!" (Nicole)
• "My book manuscript is almost complete. At what point should I try to protect my manuscript from misuse by others (get it copyrighted, get an ISBN #, etc.)? I'd hate to send it to editors,
  publishers without protection." (Eric)
• ""I've written an eBook on a subject for which I am an expert. Now, how do I market it?" (Ron)

The Tip was all about silencing the Critical Voice and making writing fun.

Teleseminar replay:

 (Click to listen - 42:07)

download (right click and save to your computer)

Resources mentioned on this call:

• For several brainstorming techniques designed to overcome writer's block and make writing fun and easy, check out " Writing Secrets Revealed: How to Write Your Book in 45 Minutes a Day or Less (Even If You Think You're Not a Writer) ."   
• To learn more about copyright laws and rules, visit here.
• Article templates that make writing articles a lot faster and easier.
• Good article about getting ISBN numbers.
• PrePaid Legal Services (sort of legal insurance--been using it for years)
• Free weekly teleseminars on blogging with WordPress, by Cathy Perkins, "the WordPress Wizard."

Resource Roundup for Authors (1)

On this call I covered the necessary tools to take you step by step through the natural progression of writing and marketing your book effectively. We start with a tool to get you focused and productive. Then I talk about resources for starting your book, then what you would do to put together a book proposal. Finally, I focus on setting up a website and/or blog, and what tools you'll need to build your list and sell stuff.

Before you listen, make sure you download the Resource Guide. It has all the links you need for the resources, plus space to take notes. Some resources will apply to you right now, some later. Keep the Resrouce Guide handy to refer to as needed.

Download the Resource Guide

Listen by clicking the arrow, or right click on the dowload link and save to listen to at your convenience. (Note: you can fast forward by dragging the bar across.)

 

For your convenience, here is the list of the recommended resources.

A free system to increase your productivity and help you focus: Simpleology 101

To start your book now:   Get the "Jump Start Your Book: 12 Steps to Writing a Book that Sells" Toolkit with the special bonuses only available to listeners of this call.

To write a book proposal that will get you noticed by a publisher:

• Book Proposal Secrets with Terry Whalin (insider tips) 
• Listen to 8 top editors/publishers talk about what they look for in book proposals. 

To start your own website to sell books and other products:

• Get your domain name at 1and1.com. 
• Get your website hosted at HostGator  . 
• Get the best website software for "regular" websites: XSitePro 
• Get your blog set up with WordPress (sign up for The Wizard Weekly teleseminars and check out the replays and resources from past calls to get up to speed): 
• Take the WordPress Dashboard course with Cathy Perkins. 
• Set up a Paypal account (free).    
• Set up account at aweber (autoresponder only) OR 
• Set up 1shoppingcart cart for a full suite of ecommerce tools. 

Details of what all this means are discussed in the teleseminar. Plus, many questions were answered, such as:

• "If you were to write a book, how would you rank the most important things to spend time and money on?" 
• "Is a blog really important...if so, why?" 
• "How do you keep yourself motivated through the time consuming process of writing a book or ebook." 
• "How important is a web page/site to sell books?" 
• "How do you go about setting up a website or blog? Do I need someone else to do it for me?" 
• and more! 

Interview with Publishing Veteran Rick Frishman on Trends, How to Get Started Writing, and More

My teleseminar guest is Rick Frishman, who has been in publishing even longer than I have, and is an author (of course) who's actually been on Oprah. He's the founder of Planned Television Arts, and now publisher of a company that I've been observing with great interest for several years now, Morgan James Publishing.

Rick is the author of a brand-new book, Where's Your Wow? 16 Ways to Make Your Competitors Wish They Were You. You can catch the interview I had with him about that book on my podcast.

In this interview, we talked about how Morgan James Publishing is modeling a new approach for nonfiction authors, and how the whole publishing industry may be following suit. Also about a way you can learn how to make your book a bestseller from the master of book marketing, Mark Victor Hansen, who has sold millions of Chicken Soup for the Soul books.

He'll be revealing his secrets, along with others who will be at the Author 101 seminar at the end of May.

Please catch the audio of this interview now, and check out the links mentioned in the interview (which I've conveniently posted below the audio). Rick has some invaluable goodies for you.

As you'll hear in this interview, Rick Frishman has a passion for assisting authors in getting their message out--a passion I share. Please listen and learn!

Click to listen now, or right-click "download MP3" link to save and listen to at your convenience.

Resources to Check Out:

• AllAboutGettingPublished.com  – 1-day seminar on May 29, 2008 for authors who want to learn how to write and market a book, with bestselling author Mark Victor Hansen and editors, publishers, literary agents 
• ChoosingYourBestsellingTitle.com  – information on how to choose a title that sells your book in 4 seconds or less 
• Author101.com  – writing and publishing resources, including Rick's free million-dollar rolodex of agents, media people 

"Article Writing and Marketing Secrets Preview (For Authors) Call"

This was a content-rich call that is a preview to the Article Writing and Marketing Secrets course by Jeff Herring. Access this teleseminar to learn how to use articles for more prospects, publicity, and profits. 

"How Teleseminars Can Profit You as An Author--Before and After You're Published"

Here's what you'll learn from this call:

1. Why teleseminars are one of the cornerstones of "new era publishing."

2. Five advantages to using teleseminars to deliver your message.

3. How teleseminars can profit you before your book is written.

4. How teleseminars can help you build your platform and create content before your book is written.

5. How teleseminars can help you promote after your book is written.

6. Answers to your questions!

7. How to get further training on teleseminars from me and from top trainer Alex Mandossian.

Get the Study Guide for this call.

OR  

Recommended resource for this call: Teleminar Secrets for Authors package: 4+ hours of training from Alex, plus strategy session from me on applying Alex's training specifically to being an author.

Q & A about "Why This is the BEST Time to Be an Author"

Here's what you'll learn from this call

1. The one-word reason this is the BEST time to be an author. 
2. Why newbies have an advantage in the New Era of Publishing. 
3.  What New Era Publishing makes possible. 
4. Exactly what you need to start up a web site an how much it cost. 
5. Resources for setting up your site. 
6. What you need in order to sell from your site--and how much it costs. 
7. What is a blog, how much does it cost, how can I start one, and why should I have one? 
8. What service do you use to do a teleseminar? 
9. If you are the only one working on marketing, which marketing technique is the best to get the best results the fastest? 
10. How important is speaking prior to having a book published--does it help you get published? 
11. If you have a literary agent working on your behalf, what can you do ahead of time before publication? 
12. Should you have your own web site if your publisher has you on their site? 
13. What length ebook is best for a first-time author? 

Links to recommended resources mentioned on this call:

•  VIP acces to special Teleseminar Secrets Preview Call with Alex Mandossian. Get a $79 discount on this historic training call in which you will learn how to use teleseminars to get your message out and double your income while tripling your time off. Click here. 
• Inexpensive yet powerful web hosting company that also has great customer support
• Instant Teleseminar telewebcast company
• Affordable and Powerful Shopping Cart Systems. for selling products online
• Help with WorPress blogs
   

Special Preview Call on "Choosing Your Best-Selling Title"

Here's what you'll learn when you listen to this call:

1. At what point in the writing process it's best to nail down your title

2. Why your title and subtitle are so important—what they must do

3. What characterizes a best-selling title

4. Why "original" is deadly—and what you need to be instead.

5. Where to find great ideas for titles

6. The difference between book titles, headlines, articles titles, etc.

7. The purposes—and limitations—of "swipe files" and templates

8. How to make your book stand out

9. One "formula" for how titles and subtitles work together

10. Why this is the best time for authors to sell their books—if they use the right tools

Plus Diane answered questions submitted.

   OR Click here to download

For more resources on "How to Choose Your Bestselling Title,"  click here.

Special Guest: Jeff Herring, "the Internet article guy"

Topic: How to Repurpose Your Content to Sell More

 Questions answered on this call:

• What exactly do you mean by "repurposing"? 
• Once I repurpose my content, what are the next steps and where might they lead? 
• If you repurpose content, aren't you degrading your message and your reputation? 
• Is there a "magic formula" for repurposing content? 
• Exactly how do you go about repurposing your content to create products? 
• How much of the content do you change when you repurpose? 
• Can any type of product be repurposed in a similar format, or does it always involve a change of medium? 
• Does it take a lot of re-writing to divide your book's content into other forms? 
• How does e-book publishing or repurposing affect traditional publishers? 
• Should you plan to stick with the same field for eBooks and build on that or can you do just as well dealing with several subjects? 

  Click here to download…

Special Offer with this teleseminar: Jeff Herring's 26 article templates PLUS "Multiple Streams of Article Income" E-course that shows you step by step how to repurpose one article into at least 5 products in five weeks that you can sell over and over. 

Q&A about writing, publishing, and marketing books/information products

Questions answered on this call:

• What is a Virtual Book Tour and how do they work? 
• Do I need an email list to do a VBT? 
• Can one do a VBT on a book not yet published? 
• If I'm writing a book, but it isn't published yet, can I use some of the material verbatim in a magazine article? 
• Is it better to self-publish or use an established publisher? 
• Within the self-publishing industry, is there a stigma against going with an assisted self-publishing option such as iU  niverse versus establishing one's own publishing company to produce and market the book? Obviously, it's less expensive and less trouble to go with a company such as iUniverse. 
• How do I sell my eBook, once it is written? 
• If a writer is thinking about self promoting a first book, what are some pros and cons about doing that? Also, approximately how much money may be needed to achieve a successful self-promotion? 
• I have a book that's nearly complete. I'm looking for support around getting it ready to print (POD-self publisher's ready) and marketing as we work on it, what's the best resource for me to partner with a Virtual Assistant, A Book Coach, a  Writing Coach, a Copyeditor/proofreader, Marketing Resource/Publicist or some combination of all of the above? 
• Can you discuss the writing term "hook" and talk about when, where, and how it is used -- maybe give examples of a good hook? 
• How important is it for writers to attend workshops where they will meet editors and publishers? Is it necessary?
  

Listen to the replay: