March 29th, 2010
I am in the middle of my own version of Spring Break. A few weeks ago I finished the winter session of a introductory self publishing class and I have a few more weeks before spring session when I dive into another four weeks of Tuesday evening classes.
Preparing for these classes is always more work than I plan for and teaching them is always more exhausting than I remember. But they are also wonderfully energizing. The authors who attend the class are so passionate about what they are working on that I can’t help but become passionate about my own work. The preparation and teaching helps me hone my own skills and get my own thoughts and ideas in order. Finally, talking with authors who are considering publishing their own work helps me keep abreast of what is going on in the self publishing marketplace.
This winter, for the first time, I heard about some very aggressive marketing tactics targeted at new authors. Read the rest of this entry »
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January 25th, 2010
Proofreading is a vital skill for anyone producing a book. Some authors choose to save money by doing their own proofing. But even if they hire a professional proofreader, they may want to proof the galleys before the book goes to the printer.
Although some people seem to have an eye for finding errors, proofreading is a skill that can be learned and developed. The more you proof, the better you will get at it. Regular proofreading is a great way to learn about grammar, punctuation and style. Ideally, the more proofreading you do, the more you will develop the ability to see and correct errors.
Proofreading can also make you a better writer. As you develop your proofing skills, you will learn what mistakes you tend to make in your writing and what you need to pay attention to. When you become confident in your system for finding errors after you have finished writing, you will be able to dedicate your writing time to writing, not editing or proofing.
The following hints and tips will help you become a better proofreader.
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Posted in Self Publishing Toolbox, Writing | 2 Comments »
January 23rd, 2010
Lately, I have been thinking about how much self publishing reminds me of the days of the American Wild West. New technologies (be they the telegraph, the Transcontinental Railroad, the Internet or Print on Demand) opened up a new frontier. People flocked to that new frontier. Out there, the myth went, you can make it big on nothing but grit and gumption. No rules to hold you back. You can make your own way. So, people packed their steamer trunks and their laptops, loaded up on gun powder, back bacon and skim lattes and headed into this wild, uncharted land.
It didn’t take long for the harsh truth to sink in: This may be a land of opportunity, but opportunity does not come with a guarantee. Only a few strike it rich. A few more make good. A whole lot of more end up wiring home for a ticket back to Boston.
But thank goodness for those trail blazers that tried. For good or bad, they changed the world. They created a new culture. They made it possible for the rest of us to whip along Interstate 80 at 75 mph to get to Reno. They paved the way for grandfathers to give bound copies of their memoirs as Christmas presents and for women to turn a passion for the elderly to a business.
How can we make sure you, brave trail blazing writer that you are, make it? How can we increase the odds you will find that golden nugget? Let’s look at a few lessons from the Wild, Wild West.
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January 15th, 2010
As we enter the new year, I want to take the time to introduce Brian Hong, the president and founder of Legacy Book Solutions. Brian has been in the printing industry for many years and taught me nearly everything I know about print. Brian’s passion for excellent customer service and high quality work are an inspiration to anyone who works with him. I am thrilled to bring you his vision for Legacy Book Solutions in his own words.
I’m not sure when the exact moment happened for me. I don’t know if it was when I was helping a local church women’s group put together their annual church cookbook for charity, or when I met a young entrepreneur named Sam, who had an idea to put complete original works of music together in the form of kits for K-12 music teachers. But certainly one of those two events gave me the passion to help people bring their ideas to life.
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Posted in Legacy Book Solutions, Services, Who are We? | No Comments »
December 7th, 2009
Self publishing has a bad rap. Companies that cater to self publishers are called “vanity presses.” People assume writers choose self publishing because their books were too awful to be picked up by a “real” publisher.
I’ll be honest, sometimes that’s true.
But people self publish for a lot of very good reasons. I have found that the more I talk about self publishing, the more passionate about it I become.
Maybe the best way to explain my passion is to start with Once Upon a Time.
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Posted in Legacy Book Solutions, Love or Money, Self Publishing Basics, Who are We? | No Comments »
October 28th, 2009
I have to admit, most authors’ eyes glaze over when I ask them what their vision is for their book. My partner, Brian, is amazed by this. “People put all this time and effort into these books,” he says over and over, “and they do it without having any clue what to do once it’s done.”
I think he’s amazed because he’s not a writer. I know what it is to just have a story to tell, to have a burning need to put pen to paper. And that’s all it take to be a writer — to put pen to paper.
Getting published, especially self published, takes a plan.
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Posted in Creating a Vision, Legacy Book Solutions, Self Publishing Basics, Self Publishing Toolbox | No Comments »
October 16th, 2009
Kat Reed, author of Begin Here: Helping Survivors Manage is Legacy Book Solutions’ newest success story. Just last spring, she was looking for a way to help survivors complete the many logistical and financial tasks that they face after a death. This week she received the first shipment of her beautiful book and is already filling orders.
Kat is passionate about helping people who have lost someone. When we first met, she had a spreadsheet and some notes, but was not sure what to do with them. She had not considered writing a book, and at first was a bit overwhelmed by the prospect. But the more we talked, and the more I assured her that she would not be alone in the process, the more excited she got. Over the next months, with help from the Legacy Book Solutions team, she worked hard to find a way to turn that passion into a book which will, in turn, turn a profit.
Let me highlight four basic things Kat did to make her book project a success:
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Posted in Creating a Vision, Legacy Book Solutions, Success Story | No Comments »
October 7th, 2009
To celebrate our new website, Legacy Book Solutions is offering a discount on preliminary manuscript review services.
Every author needs someone to give them an objective, knowledgeable opinion about their work. Someone who is not a member of that all important cheering section of family and friends nor a member of the chorus of negativity inside their own head.
The editorial team at Legacy Book Solutions can give you the honest, gentle and, most importantly, helpful opinion you need to bring your book to life.
Send us 50 pages of your manuscript, a description of what you’d like to do with your finished book, and questions you may have about self publishing. We will provide you with clear feedback and specific recommendations. In addition, we will answer your questions and outline the services we offer that will help you publish your book.
From now until the end of the year, this personalized service — normally $159 — costs only $119.
This is a no-obligation offer. By purchasing the preliminary manuscript review you are not committing to any further LBS services. However, if you should decide to use LBS for your self publishing needs, the $119 will be credited against your invoice.
Contact us before December 31, 2009 to arrange for your preliminary manuscript review.
Posted in Legacy Book Solutions, Services | No Comments »
September 29th, 2009
Writer’s Digest has compiled a list of the 101 best websites for writers. Writers can find everything here, from agent blogs to grammar help to inspirational quotes to gifts for the other writers in their lives. Check it out.
And while you’re there, take a spin around the Writer’s Digest site. It’s a very helpful site for all writers, no matter where they are in their career.
Posted in Resources, Writing | No Comments »
September 28th, 2009
Your first step in creating a vision for your self-published book is to answer this question: Am I creating this book to fulfill a burning passion or am I doing it to make a buck? Am I in it for the love or the money?
There is no right or wrong answer to this question. Or rather, you are the only one who knows what the right answer is for you. But once you know the answer, it guides you through a lot of other questions you’ll be asked (and you will need to ask yourself).
But wait! I can hear you saying, I want to do both. I love what I am writing about, and I want to make money too. Most authors, especially the ones who self publish, are motivated by a combination of love and money. As someone working them, I won’t have it any other way.
Let’s take a trip along the For Love or Money continuum.
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