10 Things that Keep You from Writing Your Book... and What You Can do About It

10 Things that Keep You from Writing Your Book... and What You Can do About It
By Denise Wakeman

9 out of 10 professionals and small business owners have at least one book or information product inside their head, but lack the time and organizational skills to get it out into digital or print form.

You may cringe when you read this list of ten things keeping you from writing your book, because it rings too close to home for you. You may have already written a book or an e-book, or have come close to starting it. Its hard, we know it, and weve been there too. But go ahead and read this list, see if you can identify, and lets discuss a possible solution to the book writing problem.

1. I cant seem to find the time.

2. Every time I sit down to write I go blank.

3. I need an uninterrupted time period to immerse myself.

4. I need clarity on my message, but theres no one to consult with.

5. I dont know where to start or how to organize all the chapters.

6. Im afraid of losing clients and having my business suffer if I take time away from it to write my book.

7. I agonize over the writing, the grammar, the sentence structure and punctuation.

8. I know what I have to say, just cant put it into written form without losing clarity and impact.

9. I keep thinking about all the time involved in writing the book, and wonder if it will ever bring me the results I want.

10. Once I get it written, I have no idea how to get it formatted, let alone marketed.

Ok, you know why you haven't started writing your book. Do you know why you need to write a book?

Why You Need to Publish a Book

Here are a few reasons why writing and publishing a book is important to you as an independent professional, small business owner, or solo-preneur:

1. Having a book, whether in digital, soft-cover, or hard-cover establishes you as an expert in your field.

2. People buy from people they know and trust; reading your book is one step in creating client confidence and relationship.

3. Once people buy and read your book, they will want more of what you have to offer in the way of services and knowledge. Your book can attract readers into your sphere of potential clients; once they have bought your book, they are ready to buy other services from you.

4. Having a published book is a great marketing tool, and people will actually pay for your expertise.

5. Books are one of the major sources of passive income for professionals; once it is published it can continue to generate sales for you, over the years and while you sleep.

6. If you dont get a book out soon, your competitors will have the edge, because many of them already have one and even two books out.

7. If you are a speaker, they make great bonus gifts and back-of-the-room sales.

8. They provide a platform for you to expose your readers to your mind and your heart, showing not only what you know, but how much you care. You can reveal your deepest philosophies through your writing, as well as your personal stories.

Three Solutions to the Book-Writing Problem

Of course, there is no problem if youve got a lot of money. You just hire a book writer. There are many of them listed at Elance.com. Some professionals do this, especially when they need to get something published fast and there are not a lot of complex issues to put forth. But is this really what you want to do as a professional who has an important message to convey?

Here is a list of solutions:

1. Hire someone to write your book for you (you can always rewrite it in your own voice and add your own stories). When finished, hire a publisher and then a publicist to market it.

2. Hire a writing coach who will walk you through the steps, chapter by chapter (again, for a substantial fee). Then when finished, hire a publisher and a publicist.

3. Bite the bullet, put your business on hold for a few months, and devote your time to just getting it written. You will have to turn it over to a book designer and get it formatted; search for the right publisher such as self-publishing or print-on-demand services, and then market it yourself.

Expensive? Yes, all three solutions are expensive. They each have their advantages and disadvantages.

The Fourth Solution

There is another solution! What if there was a way to help you get your book down in print and ready for formatting in 90 days?

What if you could do this by following a system that organized you chapter by chapter, included testimonials, input from peers, professional editing resources, design and formatting resources at low costs, and only took a half-hour of time per day?

Could you afford to invest that much time and energy out of your busy day? Would it be worth it to you even if it meant an hour a day for 90 days?

If you already have a blog that you use to communicate with readers online, you can use your blog to write your book.

The blog format is perfect for organizing your ideas, chapters and getting feedback from readers.

If you dont have a blog yet, you may wish to create one. They are simple to set up and use (we recommend Typepad.com). It can be used to stay in touch with clients and to write your thoughts in an informal way. A blog is like having a conversation with people interested in your subject or expertise. Once your book is finished and formatted, you can then use your blog to market it. You already have a built in audience, hungry for your content.

To read more about how this system works and how you can benefit, go to this site: http://www.blogtobook.com the way you think about writing your book will shift and you'll see it in a whole new light!

Denise Wakeman of Next Level Partnership, and Patsi Krakoff of Customized Newsletter Services, have teamed up to create blogging and marketing services for independent professionals. Their latest program is the Blog to Book Project: How to Use a Blog to Create a Book in 90 Days or Less at http://www.blogtobook.com. You can read and subscribe to their blogs at http://www.buildabetterblog.com

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Article Marketing Why You Need a Coach

Article Marketing Why You Need a Coach
By Sean Mize

Article marketing is one of the very coolest things online today in the area of driving traffic. I believe that with all my heart. Now, I also believe this article marketing is changing, and changing in a big way. You see, no longer can you just blindly submit to 500 article directories and get the kind of results you used to be able to get.

You have to know exactly where to submit, exactly how to make your links right, when to put in live links and when not to. It is not the same as it was a year ago. In fact, I think it is not the same as it was 6 months ago and some big changes may be coming this year. Some article directories are rising to the top one is at the top but others are drowning. Do you really want to submit to a drowning article directory?

OK, back to my premise. Heres what I think I think in order to make real money online, everybody needs a coach someone who is doing it now, and can show them exactly what is working today.

I did- in fact, I had several coaches and without them I wouldnt be doing what I am doing today. Dont get me wrong I was determined to succeed and I think I would have anyway I am real stubborn like that but the coaching helped. It went right to my core and I just did things the way the top people today are making money and I like to think I am doing it better, but that is for you to judge.

Do you want to learn more about how I do it? I have just completed my brand new guide to article marketing success, Your Article Writing and Promotion Guide

Download it free here: Secrets of Article Promotion

Do you want to learn how to build a massive list fast? Click here: Email List Building

Sean Mize is a full time internet marketer who has written over 800 articles in print and 9 published ebooks.

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10 Steps to Finding a Book Publisher

10 Steps to Finding a Book Publisher
By Laura J. Thompson

This is the elusive question to which all writers want to know the answer: How do I find a publisher? Some will say that you have to find an agent or that you must know influential people in the publishing industry, but that really isn't true. What you need are:

• A marketable manuscript;


• The desire to see your book in print;


• Enough time to properly market your manuscript; and


• Sufficient drive to keep you going during the low points.

Of course, that's a rather simplistic way of looking at things, so here are 10 steps to finding a book publisher.

1. Write Your Book

Editors are interested in products rather than concepts, so don't approach a publishing house unless you have a manuscript to sell. New writers have a hard time breaking into the publishing industry because they don't realize how much work it actually takes to create a manuscript. So before you find a book publisher, write the thing!

2. Define Your Audience

Who will be most likely to pick your book up from a bookstore shelf? Your audience is the key to finding a book publisher because, without an audience, your book isn't worth anything. For a non-fiction book, the audience will be determined by subject; for a fiction manuscript, you'll need to go by genre.

3. Research the Market

Finding a book publisher isn't like finding the right nail salon or a garden store. You can't just start calling publishing houses and hope they have what you need in stock. Instead, pick up a copy of Writer's Market and start searching for publishers that might be interested in your book. Factors that might influence this include:

• Previously published material that matches yours;


• Requests for manuscripts in your subject or genre;


• A desire to publish work by previously unpublished authors; and


• Manuscript guidelines that closely fit your own.

4. Talk with Other Authors

If you are friends or acquaintances or colleagues with someone who has had a book published, go ahead and call them. Don't ask for a reference-that would be intrusive-but do ask for advice on publishers and markets. See if they have any specific recommendations; if not, you didn't lose anything by asking.

5. Prepare Your Manuscript

The next step in finding a book publisher is to prepare your manuscript for shipping. Make sure that it follows the submission guidelines set forth by the publisher, and refer to my article on Manuscript Format for more detailed information.

6. Submit Your Package

Once you've prepared your manuscript and a list of potential publishers, it's time to send it off! Make sure that you include adequate postage as well as SASE (self-addressed stamped envelope). You should also address the package to an individual editor and make sure you include everything that the publisher requests.

7. Start on Your Next Project

The waiting game always takes awhile-sometimes up to six months-so you'll need something with which to occupy your time. The best way to curb the waiting jitters is to start on your next book while waiting on replies from potential publishers. This will give you a sense of continuing accomplishment even if you start to receive rejection letters.

8. Follow Advice

If you receive a rejection letter from a publisher, take any advice they give to heart. Some (small) publishers will take the time to give you a reason for their rejection. For example, if they say that your dialogue is too stilted or unrealistic, go back through your manuscript and work on improving dialogue.

9. Hire an Editor

If you get several rejection letters in a row, there might be something wrong with your manuscript. Perhaps your grammar isn't up to par or maybe your characterization is weak. Whatever the case, you aren't the best person to make an objective assessment, so you might want to hire a freelance editor. He or she can direct you toward your pitfalls and help you strengthen your writing.

10. Don't Give Up

Just because you aren't going to be published tomorrow doesn't mean you won't find a book publisher eventually. Keep improving your writing, editing your manuscript and submitting to new publishers. You can do it!

Laura J. Thompson is a professional editor, ghostwriter and Author Coach. She provides these services at competitive prices for both businesses and individuals all across the United States. You can learn more about her services by visiting her website (http://www.editingbylaura.com) or by reading more of her articles. She specializes in fiction ghostwriting and editing, though she also enjoys self-help and other non-fiction articles and books.

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You Need Way To Create Articles On Public Domain!

You Need Way To Create Articles On Public Domain!
By Sammie Wingfield

There are many webmasters that find script models for their place to be a very deadly stampede. Many people who must to write models also procrastinate as wholly as they can to raid the compute of script they must to do. Many people dread script models be trigger they find repurgearing for the quarter and script down original tackle will be too draining on them.

You must to have your creative juices flowing and only downloading an model would be plagiarism or stealing, no. Have you ever heard about public domain? These are models written down by many authors that have definite their machinery to be public domain, which means superstar can use it for whatever force they want.

To understand the next part of this article, you need to have a clear grasp of the material that has already been presented to you.

While most authors would lavish to point right their work for their rights, there are also a number who doesn't charge boundary their work. open domain models are not owned by superstar and can be tatty and abate by someone. The writers have waived their rights to their machinery and it is out there for the public to make use of.

We have had a lot of fun during the first portion of this point and hopefully you feel as still you have a business grasp on the focus.

You can use public domain models in restrict you write your models. With the public domain models you can only progress them to your own tailor and change them as you want to make it decent for your musts. All the th musts are there already and its just a distress of opinion the write model with the quarter or originate you must.

This is perhaps the easiest way to write models. You don't purger around the report or the internet for hours for information and therapist an model from gain. For webmasters who are looking for models to equipment their place and to stimulate a high echelon for their web place in purger engine outcome, they can just regulate the model by invite keywords and keyword phrases partnered to their place.

A webmaster or web place hand do not gamble any gamble of getting sued for point right infringement be trigger they are public domain, once again meaning that superstar can use it. point models by with public domain wont entail as wholly work as script one from gain would. You keep a lot of time also.

One good trigger in with public domain models for your place or for any duty is that you keep a lot of money. You dismiss the must to hire experienced and hardened writers that some web place hands use to write their models. While a song five hundred worded model would only set you down 10 to 15 dollars, this sacrifice will drastically intensify when you must hundreds of models to equipment the musts of your place.

For those who musts models to stimulate newsletters or an azine, public domain models will be very beneficial. You do not must to substance on your contributors or pay writers to write down models for your newsletter or azine. You can equipment all the pages wanting any sacrifice or the charge of being sued and hunted after by the writers. You can only point the models and place them on your newsletter and azine.

open domain models are a virtual unused stock that many people fold to grasp the legal meaning. The might of models, keywords and keyword phrases have been deemed invaluable these onwards few time for many internet based businesses and chairs that want to rank high in purger engine outcome.

The number of model and content writers have urbanized significantly due to the launch in the claim for models. As newer and newer quarters and originates have launch, there many claims for new models to be written. An activity has been formed and this is a worldwide claim.

open domain models have given a great alternative for those who are comments penniless as well as do not have the time nor the skills to do their models for themselves.

thorough for public domain models is as relaxing as 1 2 3. You can purger for them in purger engines and do purgers in many directories for the quarter or originate that you must. Read them and simply point onwards them to a word processing register and only progress them to gear your must.

In final, it will advantage you to take out other capital on this focus if you feel that you don't yet have a business understanding of the question substance.

If you could take the main ideas from this article and put them into a list, you would a great overview of what we have learned.

sammie wingfieldwsammie@.comhttp//postsforfree.com

For the rest of this article, we will discuss the meaning behind what we have learned about this subject so far.

of use to thing's cause is appreciated. mrlee copyright http://advertising-information-marketing.com/index.php

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10 Simple Steps for Writing Better Articles

10 Simple Steps for Writing Better Articles
By Patsi Krakoff, Psy. D.

Yesterday while I was writing about a secret writing tip that has made my writing easier and faster (Make a List), I ended up with a list of 10 steps I go through each time I write an article.

That's how powerful the Make a List technique is for writing. You can actually create additional articles while writing the first one.

So, here's my new list of 10 simple steps for writing better articles:

1. Figure out the keywords you need to use in your next article.
2. Write a draft headline or general subject title (you will revise the title later).
3. Make a list.
4. Write one or two sentences about each point on the list.
5. Write an introduction that tells people why this is important to them.
6. Create a dynamic headline. (Use a headline/copywriter's manual if you need help)
7. Write the conclusion. (Don't forget a call to action.)
8. Include links in your resource box or author's information paragraph
9. Submit to EzineArticles.com and other article directories.
10. Repurpose the article for your ezine, blogs, and other uses (use it as a special report subscribers can download when they sign up for your ezine.)

The Eleventh Step

There really should be an eleventh step here: What other lists did you see while writing the first article? Is there another article you could develop based on the first article? There usually is.

For example, I just created another article while writing this one: how to create dynamic headlines. Step #6 is worthy of expanding into its own article.

See how this works? Just walkin' my talk...

For more leading edge ezine tips go to http://www.coachezines.com. You can also subscribe to Newsletter Nuggets at http://www.newsletternuggets.com. To learn more about using ezines and other tools like blogs, go to http://www.blogsquad.biz. Patsi Krakoff, Psy. D. is writer and Internet Marketing expert with over 7 years experience marketing online.

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You Will Submit... Articles That is

You Will Submit... Articles That is
By Neil Morrical

Submitting Your Articles

Youve written your article. Congratulations! Now what? Well, you have to hang it out there and see what happens. Submitting your article to as many effective directories as possible is the only way your work can have a chance of driving you good targeted traffic. Each directory has its own rules when it comes to submission. Some of them will charge you and some of them will let you submit as many articles as you wish.

Follow the Rules

Dont think of the rules of an article directory as impossible to follow. If that were so they would never publish anyones content. Do; however, follow their guidelines as well as possible. If your articles do not meet their requirements then they can simply choose not to accept your work.

Sign-up to as Many Directories as You can Find

This one is a no-brainer Right? Well, some people write impressive articles, but only focus on one site for submission of their work. These people seem to believe that by gaining the most focus by that particular directory they will earn platinum status. This is something which can be achieved by submitting to numerous other sites at the same time. Use your articles wisely and submit them to as many resources as you can find. This way you will reach as many areas of your market as possible.

Keep Articles in Text Format

When you send a file in an MS Word or other word processor format it is highly likely that once it is submitted it could end up with some strange characters in it. This is due to incompatibility between programs. Before you send or submit any articles save them into text format. This will ensure that your article will be readable when the time comes.

Keep Two Versions of Your Articles

If you are submitting your articles directly to as many resources as you can find, instead of paying for a distribution service you will have to make things adaptable. First off, have two copies of each article; one with HTML and one without. Some services allow coding within an article and some do not. Usually, the only HTML coding allowed within an article is bold, italics, ect.

Vary Your Anchor Text

Between submissions and offering your articles up for anyone who is interested in their content, remember to use various links to your site. You do not want to use the same phrase time and time again in your links. If all of your link phrases are the same you may run the risk of being penalized by the over-optimization penalty. Change your linking phrase between articles and you will gain optimized links. (You can use the same link phrase for an articles various submissions, but do not use the same phrase for every article you write.)

Personalize Your Communications

Write a simple note to the person who owns the site to which you are submitting your work. Im not saying to take up loads of their time, but a simple, Nick, heres an article you may wish to use. -will do the trick. This will show to the site owner that you are not just sending out the same article to as many site-owners as possible.

Tip: By offering unique articles (articles which are not used anywhere else on the web- have not been submitted to any directory or even used on your site.) to site owners for use on their websites, you can gain links which would normally have been difficult to get.

Log Your Submissions

More about this will be mentioned later, but you must track where you have submitted your various articles to prevent covering the same ground more than once. This will increase your efficiency and reduce the likelihood of contacting someone twice for the same issue.

This is just a sample of the Manual you can download at No Charge from The Website Solutions Manual. To continue and read 'The Most Powerful Free Traffic Secret' visit http://www.websitesolutionsmanual.com and download the Manual from the window appearing in the middle of the screen.

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Smart Authors With A Following Make More Money With eBooks

Smart Authors With A Following Make More Money With eBooks
By Lance Winslow

Once an author gets a following and becomes very popular it really makes sense to switch to writing more eBooks. Why? Well it is simple you make more money in royalties. In fact a really popular writer can make a deal to receive 75% to 85% or more on even the most popular Internet eBook Publisher or Distribution Site. Commonly eBook authors make 50% of the amount collected on the eBooks they sell on the most popular distribution sites.

Recently I was able to negotiate 65% split on my share of the royalties of my next eBook, along with free editing for spelling and sentence structure. This negotiation was able to be accomplished for a couple of reasons. First, I have now achieved semi status as a writer by becoming the Most Prolific online article writer on the Internet in the history of mankind and secondly because I am able to write on unique subjects and popular topics as a veteran in my Industry.

As a published author and online writer I have a little bit of pull in this regard and yet imagine the amount of pull for a famous writer. An extremely well-known writer could be beneficial to an online eBook distributor website. In fact if I can negotiate a 65% split due to my small contributions and having only been in business of writing for 16 months, imagine what a super star writer or author could negotiate? Consider all this in 2006.

Lance Winslow - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance in the Online Think Tank and solve the problems of the World; www.WorldThinkTank.net/

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Younger Writers VS Older Writers with More Wisdom Who is Better?

Younger Writers VS Older Writers with More Wisdom - Who is Better?
By L. Winslow

The question comes up every so often with writers as to who is the better author? Who has more wisdom? Who writes more words per day, per week and whose words carry the great depth of understanding, wisdom or knowledge? One might say that the older writer is far superior in such regard, but are they really? You see as a younger writer, I just have a hard time buying into such logic.

Indeed, although I would not of course need any of the those Viagra Pills to perform or do the higher mathematics, I duly note the older gentleman's experiences and expertise as well and merely ask, let's examine the score board as you say: Stats, real world knowledge, success, numbers, etc.

For the writing, it seems I am new at this only been writing for two-years, but still in that two-years I have done what would take another 10, which is about the ratio of my other endeavors, perhaps maybe even a bigger gap now that I think about it. I average between 4,000 and 16,800 words per day.

So my contention is that not every young man is young, dumb and full of piss and vinegar to no avail, there are standouts who rise to the occasion and it is obvious who they are, as they stand out above the crowds, there are always anomalies in society and social groupings.

An older gentleman is on one side of the spectrum, I on another, and thus I think that as long as they produce good content, essays, books and articles they should be good enough to stand on their own accord without the AARP lobby helping them. Because, quite frankly an older and more experienced writer ought to be able to handle themselves on the keyboard or in the writing profession and stand on their accomplishments.

L. Winslow is an Economic Advisor to the Online Think Tank, a Futurist and retired entreprenuer. Currently he is planning a bicycle ride across the US to raise money for charity and is sponsored by http://www.Calling-Plans.com and all the proceeds will go to various charities who sign up.

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10 Reasons Why People Attend Book Signings

10 Reasons Why People Attend Book Signings
By Catherine Franz

This is the survey result of 325 people conducted by myselfso I can improve at my own book signings. After completingthe survey, I saw the wealth of insight it had given me. Ifelt it was important to share it with a wider audience. Ialso interspersed some personal experiences.

The survey was conducted by Catherine in-person with peoplewho attended book signings at area bookstores in NorthernVirginia metro area between January 2004 and September 2004.A total of 325 people completed the survey.

Here is their response to one of the questions: Why do yougo to book signings?

If you are wondering how this can help you in marketing yourbook. These 10 items are extremely important. They tellwhat authors need to give to their audience in order toincrease their books sales and to connect with the audience.When you know what you audience wants, what they expect, theguessing fades and transforms into a great book signingevent.

Here are the top ten responses in answer to the firstquestion:

1. People desire to be acknowledged for taking their timeto come -- by you, the store, and others that came.Participants who have either already read the book, come tomeet other like-minded people. They have a social intentionand you need to give it to them. Most book signings don'thave any social aspect to them so create one. When youinclude ways, you will definitely increase sales. Peoplewant connection, they don't want to be ignored. Get themto talk to the people around them. Introduce one person youjust met to the next person to them. There are manytechniques or create some of your own. A seasoned authorlearned to do this over time. Learn to do it sooner.

2. Curiosity. People are normally curious about authorsand how they write, or how they got their book published.Tell them about your journey with all this. For the wanta-be or gonna-be writers there because their vision includeswhat you are doing, give them that feedback. It createsimmediate connection. Even if they didn't come not to buyyour book, usually they will change their mind, just becauseyou settled their curiosity.

3. Entertainment. Yes, you need to be entertaining.People do want that and they stick around (meaning theydon't get up and walk out) if they get it. Show energy, usehand gestures, and please stop reading from the page (numberone pet peeve). Over and over again, I saw people leavewhen the author continued to read his presentation from thepage. People don't expect perfection. They had a heavyweek, or day, and they want some way to lighten it up. Evenif your book is a heavy topic, lighten it up. Comicalanecdotes about yourself are great!

4. Oh, the old, whats in it for me discussion. What arethe benefits for them to read the book? Is there someinformation that will help shift their thinking on anything?Use testimonials, ones that have some meat on their bones.Yes, you may need to make some assumptions on where theaudience is at. Go ahead and do that. Create a few thatcover a wider perspective and it will deliver to a wideraudience.

5. There is nothing wrong with encouraging more sales. Whoelse might be interested in the book. Their boss, friends,sister, who? Go ahead, give gift ideas. What holidays orevents can you tie the book to? Is Christmas, Mothers Daycoming up? Tie your topic and the holiday together if youcan. Mention the type of people who like to read this sortof book. No, don't say everyone and anybody. This issometimes hard for authors because they attach it toselling. Drum roll...heaven forbid...selling. When anaudience is so enthralled in a book and its story, theirmind isnt on buying two books. They walk out with one andthen when turning page three or five, a flash appears,Ooops, I should have bought one for my boss. I guaranteeyou that it is very unlikely they will return to thebookstore to buy another copy at that point.

6. Do some things where you make extra connections with theaudience. Just dont sit behind the table. Stand up, shakehands -- no limp ones either, and look them directly in theeyes when you ask them, Who would you like me make this outto? Ask if they would like another book made out tosomeone else?

Heres a SECRET tip. It makes a BIG connection. TheJapanese do this all the time. Put down the pen. When youhand over the book, hold it cover up facing them with bothhands, present it to them slowly, purposely, as if itsworth a million dollars and a very special gift. Look deepinto their eyes at the same time (okay this part isdifferent than the Japanese), and say silently in your heartand in your voice, Thank you. Watch them light up. Ofcourse, smile.

7. As mentioned earlier, audiences come with a hiddenagenda -- to have a good time. To enjoy themselves. Createthat space of joy and lightness for them. Dont think youdont have any control. The store wants you to succeed.Share with them what type of experience you want theaudience to have. Ask for recommendations, ask for thingsthat havent been done before too. Give inspiration inlanguage, in thoughts, and in stories. Stories that pullsthe heart strings. If there isnt one in the book, findone.

8. There is nothing wrong with giving away a trinket, toy,item, that comes from one of the characters. Or even itisnt directly and just somewhat related. You dont need tospend lots of money on promotional items. Think. Thismight require approval by the host store. You will usuallyfind that as long as it usually doesnt cost them anythingand it increases book sales, they will encourage it. Give agift if they buy two or three copies. Find a unique magnet,or something funny, something that doesnt cost much but itjust ads to the incentive to buy more than one. Sometimesthe book store is returning something and can give you aremainder sale price. Ask.

9. You cant say thank you too many times. Remember tosmile, say thank you, and be there with a loving and openheart. This creates an attractive energy and pulls peopletowards you.

10. Share tidbits about how the idea of the book came toyou. Did you write 15 minutes a day, a certain word count?Did you get help from others, who? Did you struggle withsome part or something? Was there someone there for youthat inspired your journey? Please not the spouse commentall the time. To singles this is boring and people said aturnoff. Share tidbits about your childhood. There is achild in all of us. Share your childhood with youraudience. Especially funny screw-ups.

Well, I hope you enjoyed learning what audiences want atbook signings. This process was definitely an eye-openerfor me. It gave me a real taste of people and theirexpectations. Maybe another future survey would be to getpeople to tell me why are they leaving early.

Copyright 2004, Catherine Franz. All rights reserved.

Catherine Franz, a Certified Professional Marketing &Writing Coach, specializes in product development, Internetwriting and marketing, nonfiction, training. Newsletters and articles available at: http://www.abundancecenter.comblog: http://abundance.blogs.com

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Building an Awesome Audience for Your Book

Building an Awesome Audience for Your Book
By Sophfronia Scott

I got lucky. The month that I sold my novel was the same month that I started my newsletter, Living the Dream, for my coaching business. I had no idea that as my list of subscribers grew I would have a great platform from which to launch the book 18 months later. Thanks to that list, I was pre-selling my book long before it hit store shelves.

I was cultivating an audience without realizing it. But now I know that having a list is a goldmine, both for selling your book and for getting your book noticed by a publisher. These days if you can prove that you come to the table with a huge audience, a big advance may follow. But how do you get such a list? These tips will help you go from seed to harvest as you grow your group.

1. Start with who you know.

Most of us have some form of list already, either in your email system's address book or your basic holiday card list that you use once a year. It may be as small as 10-25 or as big as 200-400. Start out by sending a general email letting the people on your list know that you're getting organized and planning to send out regular notes, newsletters, whatever you plan to send. Give them the opportunity to opt out if they're not interested. Most will probably stay on since your family and friends are interested in hearing about what you're up to.

2. Whenever you meet new people, get permission to add them to your list.

At this point in your writing career, it's essential that you're out meeting people at least once a month. You can go to networking events, take classes or (and this is the best) do speaking engagements. Non-fiction authors especially should be speaking regularly because you want to establish your expertise in your topic or topics. You can collect business cards when you network or take classes and get people to sign in with their contact information at your event. Make sure you GET PERMISSION and let people know they will be hearing from you via newsletter, etc. It is truly poor form to put people on your mailing list without their knowledge. It's also called spamming!

I know that signing people up is key because I've observed popular authors doing just that. I once attended a reading by E. Lynn Harris because I knew he had a huge--and faithful-- readership and I wanted to glean some clues as to how he did it. Sure enough, the room was packed and every single person behaved as though they knew him personally. When it came time to sign books, he made an announcement: he would sign your book if you signed his! He made it clear you would be hearing from him via email, birthday and holiday cards. People were all too happy to sign the list. Brilliant!

3. Find a list service to maintain your list.

You'll quickly learn, as your list grows, that your email account may not allow you to send mass messages to groups larger than 50-80. Also, it's not a good idea to only have your list on your computer, you'll want it backed up elsewhere. The solution: sign on for a list service. You'll have your database expertly maintained, plus most list services will give you templates and allow you to send out really good looking HTML email messages to your list. You can also get code and links that allow people to sign themselves onto your list from your website. There are many you can try. I use both Constant Contact and 1 Shopping Cart. If you're not selling products or services, you may not need a shopping cart so Constant Contact may be just the thing for you. Click here to try it for free for a couple of months.

Email List Manager - 60 Day Free Trial

4. Communicate to your list regularly.

You want to keep in touch with the people on your list so they don't forget about you. The way you do it is up to you. As I said above, E. Lynn Harris sends notes and cards to his list. A colleague of mine sends daily inspirational quotes. I'm a big fan of email newsletters because you can provide news on your activities and useful content for your readers. When you provide content, such as tips for real estate investors, marketing ideas, or even cookbook recipes, you are establishing your expertise. You're also giving people a good reason to stay on your list--they're getting good stuff out of it. In the past I have offered discounts on my services, gift certificates for people to give out over the holidays and articles with career counseling and goal-achieving tips. And every issue of Living the Dream also features my book and the stellar reviews it's received. You can see past issues by clicking here.

5. Generate excitement and anticipation with your list.

When your book is nearing publication, you'll want to start letting your audience know that it's coming. You can generate pre-sale orders, alert your list of book reviews as they come out and let your audience know where you'll be appearing when you start speaking and doing book signings. My book was first listed on Amazon.com about six months before its publication date. I sent out a special announcement letting people know it was there and encouraging them to pre-order the book. On that glorious day my book ranked as high as 3,000 on Amazon's list! I may not be J.K. Rowling, but I think that's pretty good. Plus, that's the kind of information that helps distributors sell your book to bookstores. They know you already have an awesome audience just waiting to buy!

2005 Sophfronia Scott

Author and Writing Coach Sophfronia Scott is The Book Sistah TM. Get her FREE REPORT, The 5 Big Mistakes Most Writers Make When Trying to Get Published and her FREE online writing and book publishing tips at http://www.TheBookSistah.com

Sophfonia is also author of the bestselling novel, All I Need to Get By. If you liked today's issue, stay tuned for more because The Book Sistah also offers FREE audio classes, FREE articles, workshops, and other resources to help aspiring authors get published and market their books successfully.

The Book Sistah
230 South Main St.
Ste. 319
Newtown, CT 06470
203-426-2036
Info@TheBookSistah.com
www.TheBookSistah.com

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Your Articles Are Seeds of Knowledge A Biblical Look at Duplicate Content

Your Articles Are Seeds of Knowledge - A Biblical Look at Duplicate Content
By Andy Beard

It is Sunday although I am not a very religious person, thus I was, horror of horrors, outside shovelling snow around. It was drifting, and if I hadn't done anything with it, it might have blocked the driveway for my wife Monday morning.

Does your mind wander when you are doing a physical job that doesn't require much other thought? Mine certainly does.

~ Duplicate Content of Biblical Proportions ~

I have been doing some research of Top 10 Lists for a new site. Whilst no list of the top 10 best selling books is exactly the same, there is one common feature. Every single top 10 list states that The Bible in all its variations has sold more than 6 billion copies.That is close to the current world population, estimated by the CIA to be 6,525,170,264 (July 2006 est.)Thus there are probably as many bibles in the world as people

That is an awful lot of duplicate content

~ Gideons ~

Gideons is an interesting organisation, whose work is evangelism and distribution of the bible. You will see Gideons bibles in every hotel room, and I was given a Gideons bible whilst at school in addition to a larger bible I was issued for Religious Education lessons.

With the help of the Gideons organisation, whenever you need a bible, there is one close at hand.

~ Spread the Word ~

This is a fundamental concept in all religion, not just Christian. It is not enough to have the knowledge and faith, you are also meant to pass it onto other people. Lots of the time the knowledge will fall on deaf ears. If the knowledge is out there, and easy to find even without specifically looking for it, such as in a hotel room drawer, it has a benefit.

~ Worthwhile Duplicate Content ~

I am sure many of those 6 billion bibles are in dusty attics, unused drawers, or buried at the back on shelves, long forgotten. Every now and then one copy gets rediscovered, unearthed or brought out of hiding.

~ The Bible and Duplicate Content ~

A church is not the only place you can find a copy of the bible. I am sure many religious people read more of the bible while in church than the cumulative total of all other places, but that doesn't make it pointless to have multiple copies in your home, school, library and even hotel rooms. All those copies of the bible are seeds, and every now and then one of those seeds gets picked up and begins to germinate, wherever the seed is located.

~ Your Articles and Duplicate Content ~

I recently wrote a mammoth blog post on my philosophy with article marketing. Many marketing experts believe that article marketing no longer works, or you should be highly selective where you publish your content.

I mentioned a strategy, that as long as you link back to the original source for your content that people can follow, it makes sense to spread your article as widely as possible.I don't discount special publishing deals that will bring your article to the forefront of thousands of people, but that opportunity is often reserved for established writers.

~ Articles Are Seeds of Knowledge ~

Spread your articles far and wide. Sometimes they will land in fertile soil, and germinate and grow almost immediately. Whilst I wouldn't dare liken EzineArticles to a church, it certainly is very fertile ground for your seeds to grow.

Some of your articles will almost certainly end up landing on less fertile ground, or buried deep in a website long forgotten. It is a seed that hasn't germinated yet, but one day it might be uncovered and grow into a tree bearing fruit.

Sometimes your article may end up on even more unsavoury territory, with a link to you not being provided, or even worse plagiarised. It will happen, such is the nature of people. If the purpose of your article was to help people more than market yourself, then it really doesn't matter if occasionally the link to you is broken. A person reading your article is still going to look for further knowledge on the subject, and eventually find their way to respected sources of information, such as yourself, just as someone picking up a Gideon's bible might eventually find their way to a church.

~ If you don't sow your seeds, they don't have a chance to grow ~

Andy Beard has worked in Sales, Marketing and Localization for the last 15 years.You can read more about his article marketing strategies on his niche marketing blog where this article was also originally published.

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10 Proven Ideas to Promote Your Book Online P2

10 Proven Ideas to Promote Your Book Online, P2
By Earma Brown

Honeymoon over with your book sales? Did your book sell as well as you hoped? Could your sales use a shot in the arm? Perhaps you are just starting and looking for ways to sell your book.

Either way, I've got good news for you! Join the Information Revolution. There's a whole new Internet audience waiting to hear about your insightful book that solves their problem in your field. Include Internet Marketing in your promotion plan. Use a couple of these guaranteed marketing techniques and explode your book sales to a whole new level.

6. Use benefits and features throughout your marketing copy. Do you know the difference? Knowing that benefits sell and features explain make your promotions like a magnet that attract your best customers.

7. Create cds, tapes and videos of your speeches promoting your book. Then package them and sell them from your website. Post mini-audio clips to offer your web visitors a sample. Additionally, you can choose a speech and offer it as a gift to your web visitors. They can listen to it On-Demand or use it as an incentive to sign-up for your ezine.

8. Create short articles from your book excerpts and submit to ezines, directories and online groups. The articles will help build your creditability as an expert in your field. Additionally, the signature files at the end of each article if developed correctly will drive thousands of targeted visitors to your website.

9. Develop and email your own ezine that helps you stay in touch with prospects to build trust. Does a newsletter sound overwhelming? Try doing a short e-column on the subject of your book. Either way make sure you follow up with your visitors. Researchers say most will buy after 5-7 exposures to your sales message.

10. Create a short eBook on a similar topic as your book to help brand your business and attract new readers. A short ebook of 10-100 pages could turn into a traffic virus that's contagious to all your web visitors. Soon your name would be known as one of the experts in your field.

If you don't start your Internet Marketing plan, you could be this time next year with the same disappointing level of sales. Don't wait join the Information Revolution today; use any of the above marketing ideas to explode your book sales to a new level. Discover the promotion techniques it takes to have an abundance of customers every month.

========================================

Earma Brown, 11 year author and business ownerhelps small business owners and writers who want to write their best book now! Author of 'Write Your Best Book Now', she mentors other writers and business professionals through her monthly ezine 'iScribe' Subscribe now at iscribe@writetowin.org for FREE mini-course 'Jumpstart Writing Your Best Book' or visit Write a Book for more book writing and marketing tips.

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How to Get Your Book Rejected Part One

How to Get Your Book Rejected, Part One
By Kathryn Lively

In the course of my tenure as Publisher for the erotic romance imprint of a small press, I have received a great number of submissions, from shorts for our themed quickie lines to full-length novels. While our current catalog is rather impressive, you can be certain the number of books that did not make the cut is much, much higher. Like our parent company, our imprint maintains a rather low acceptance rate.

Please know that when I pass on a manuscript, the decision is not borne of a desire to be sadistic or hurtful to authors. You won't find me in a dungeon lit by a single bulb, cackling with glee as manuscript after manuscript is stabbed repeatedly with a rubber stamped marked PASS. Our staff is comprised of authors, and we know the hard work, the dedication, and the emotion involved when writing a story. In our collective histories, we too have received rejection notices, and we know how disappointing it is. We wanted to scream, cuss, and eat everything in sight to dull the pain.

Truth be told, I would like very much not to have to reject any books that come our way. I am a publisher, and I am in the business of publishing books. I WANT to publish books. I want to give romance readers the hottest romance and the most memorable stories I can find.

However, I want to publish the right books, the best books. Though I don't expect every manuscript that comes my way to be the next, erotic Gone With the Wind, I like to think I have a good eye for manuscripts that fit the mold of my house, and have the potential to be big sellers. Now that some of our books are showing up at physical bookstores, I want my brand to be synonymous with quality as our books are shelved alongside other great romance authors. I want readers to browse the shelves, see the imprint, and immediately reach for the book.

Once in a while, it happens, and I offer a contract. Yet, more often than not, I am forced to deliver disappointing news to hopeful authors. When speaking before the Chesapeake, VA chapter of the RWA, I ducked behind the podium after announcing my task as the hatchet woman. The gesture brought laughs, but we all know rejection can hurt.

At times, I am asked why I pass on books. Though my publishing house reserves the right not to comment on rejected submissions, occasionally I will offer constructive criticism, particularly to works that nearly missed our criteria for an acceptance. At times, too, I do get a few head-scratchers in the reading queue.

In the spirit of better defining literary turn-offs, and in hopes of bringing some light-heartedness to the journey toward publication (as a writer with a file cabinet full of rejections from every major house, I know I could have used a laugh back then), I submit to you a list of steps to take to not receive a contract with a publisher. Do the exact opposite of everything listed here, and I can assure you that your chances of having a publisher's logo on the spine of your next book will greatly increase.

1) Say hello to the next Jan Karon (or Stephen King, or Anne Rice, etc.)

I'll preface this item by saying that I love Jan Karon's Mitford books. I read the first six in a week, and cried through Father's Tim's heartaches and joys. The characters are endearing, the stories delightful, and the romances sweet.

Sweet, this is the operative word. It doesn't surprise me that authors want to emulate Karon's style, but unfortunately an erotic romance house is not the publisher for presenting it. Consequently, any author who would submit a work of a genre not considered by a particular house is going to receive a rejection slip, regardless of how good the book is. So let this known as Rule Number One: KNOW THE MARKET.

You can visit the Internet for publisher directory websites, or browse the reference section of the local library for a marketplace tome, and there you will find a wealth of information on publishers and where to query your manuscripts. You want to be sure, though, that you study each market before you consider sending anything.

Sending manuscripts will-nilly may result in more misses than hits, thereby increasing your discouragement. If you are a horror author, you wouldn't consider sending your book to Harlequin Romance, would you? On the same note, the author of a Regency romance would not query Tor Science Fiction. Know the market, read titles they have published, before you determine whether or not they would consider you.

Future posts will cover over aspects of manuscript submission and relations with publishers and editors.

Kathryn Lively is the publisher of Phaze, erotic romance in eBook and paperback. She offers free SEO advice to aspiring authors who promote books online.

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31 Ways to Promote Your Book in March During Small Press Month

31 Ways to Promote Your Book in March During Small Press Month
By Brent Sampson

March is the month to promote! With that in mind, here are 31 ways you can leverage Small Press Month, one for each day of March. Time to get started!

Mar 1 - If you do not have enough author's copies on hand, contact your publisher and order more so they arrive in enough time to pursue these other tips throughout the month.

Mar 2 - Contact other independent published authors in your area (through local associations you may belong to) and combine your resources to fully exploit the opportunities during this month. There's a lot to do, and four hands are better than two.

Mar 3 - Contact your local bookstores and suggest they offer discounts on Small Press books. Bring in yours and offer it to them at a discount to get them started. Show them the rest of this calendar as a way of indicating your commitment to making their event successful. Offer to leave a free copy with them along with a sales sheet.

Mar 4 - Contact your local newspapers and inform them of Small Press Month (in case they don't know about it). Suggest they write a small article or events calendar for Small Press events in the area, specifically the ones you secured on March 3rd. Tell them you will be sending them a press release on the 5th.

Mar 5 - Send a press release to the local media (newspapers, radio, television) mentioning Small Press Month and your independently published book. (If you secured some events on March 3, mention them in the release.

Mar 6 - Follow-up on your press release from yesterday with the local media via telephone. Reiterate Small Press Month, your planned events in the community, and your Small Press book. Offer to compose a review that they can use as a foundation. (Less work for them).

Mar 7 - If you haven't yet published your book, today is the day to start. Go to www.outskirtspress.com for the future in book publishing today.

Mar 8 - Contact your local libraries and suggest they feature Small Press titles, including yours. Offer to leave a free copy with them, along with a sales sheet. Your free author's center generates your sales sheet automatically if you have published with Outskirts Press. You can even change it and update it first.

Mar 9 - If you haven't yet sent out review copies for book, now is the time. The free Outskirts Press author's center has many book reviewers listed in the Author Resources section, available no matter where you have published your book.

Mar 10 - Contact local schools in your area and tell them about Small Press Month. Mention that you are a local published author and offer to speak to their assembly about how to accomplish their dreams of being published. This is particularly effective if you have a children's book you can then sell after the assembly.

Mar 11 - Contact local universities and colleges. Same concept as yesterday -- promote yourself and your book by sharing your knowledge of how to write a book and get it published. Sell copies of your book in the back of the room.

Mar 12 - Schedule a seminar or tele-seminar on How to Write and Publish a Book and offer a Small Press Month discount on the registration fee. Send out a local news release about your class.

Mar 13 - Contact other sales channels outside of the bookstore that may be likely to sell your book. This may include websites related to your book's topic, gift stores, hardware stores, grocery stores, boutiques, etc. Look at your book and ask yourself where your readers may be shopping.

Mar 14 - Contact local art studios, design boutiques, or other small independent businesses in your area. Give them the opportunity to share in co-op on some advertising initiatives (plus, if applicable, offer to conduct some events in their venues).

Mar 15 - Join with other independently published authors and arrange a co-op advertisement in the local media, using any dollars secured from local businesses you spoke with on the 14th. In addition to simply promoting your book, promote your upcoming events, so people show up at them. The other authors can join in the events, which may lead the bookstores to be more interested in scheduling it (even on such short notice).

Mar 16 - Contact all the local radio producers in your area. The Outskirts Press author's center makes it easy, with free contact information in your local area.

Mar 17 - Think St. Paddy's day thoughts. Then make sure your online Amazon.com listing is all it can be.

Mar 18 - Contact the major newspapers about Small Press Month. They're likely to write up something if enough authors contact them, and you will want to be among the piles of information they have received:

THE NEW YORK TIMES: 229 W 43rd Street, New York NY 10036-3959 (212) 556-1234

USA TODAY: 1000 Wilson Blvd, Arlington VA 22209-3901 (703) 276-3400 and 535 Madison Avenue, 20th Fl, New York NY 10022-4212 (212) 715-5410

WALL STREET JOURNAL: 200 Liberty Street, New York NY 10281-1003 (212) 416-2000

WASHINGTON POST: 1150 15th Street NW, Washington DC 20071-0002 (202) 334-6000

Mar 19 - Contact your local community center and inform them of Small Press Month. If you have gathered a band of local authors, this will be more affective. Schedule an impromptu event, celebrating Small Press books.

Mar 20 - This may be the month to switch independent publishers if you have published elsewhere. Is your retail price too high? Is your profit too low? Is your author's copy price too high? Compare and save by using this free pricing calculator at http://outskirtspress.com/pricing

Mar 21 - Join a Yahoo Group devoted to the newspaper trade, which includes tactics for writing articles in papers as well as contacts for promoting your book. Send a blank email to:freelancing4newspapers-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Mar 22 - Register for the Outskirts Press tele-seminars on Signature Book Signing Tactics from within your free author's center by signing up at www.outskirtspress.com

Mar 23 - Contact the Learning Annex (or similarly themed Adult Education Program) in your area and offer to teach a class on the subject of your book. As a published author, you are qualified to teach on your subject since you are an expert. Your book may even be required reading for each student!

Mar 24 Start writing online reviews. Write reviews for every book you have ever read. Mention that you are the author of your book at the bottom of each posted review. If people like the writing style of your review, they may investigate your book, especially if you write reviews for books within the same genre as yours.

Mar 25 - Contact the public libraries in each state and mention your involvement with Small Press Month. Send them information about your book. Here's a link that will get you started: http://www.publiclibraries.com/

Mar 26 - Start preparing for April (National Poetry Month), especially if you have a volume of poetry you have published.

Mar 27 - Help other writers you know get published and earn a 10% commission for the referral after their book is published. Register for the exciting Outskirts Press affiliate program at http://outskirtspress.com/cgi/affiliatelogin.cgi

Mar 28 - Start a blog and keep it active and up-to-date. Register it with blog directories so others start reading it and participating. There are many blog programs to help you get started. Conduct a search on Google for the one that works for you.

Mar 29 - Submit your published book to the Google Base listings. It's free. http://base.google.com

Mar 30 Publish a Large Print edition of your book. With the world's demographics growing older, large print editions are becoming more and more popular. Featuring 14 or 16 point fonts, these editions appeal to the aging community because they are easier to read. You've already written the book, now re-publish a new Large Print edition to increase your revenue and double the effectiveness of your marketing initiatives. It's easy to get published here.

Mar 31 - Take a breath. It's been a busy, productive month.

Brent Sampson is the President & CEO of Outskirts Press Publishing at http://www.outskirtspress.com and author of Self-Publishing Simplified. For a free e-book visit http://outskirtspress.com/publishing

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10 Proven Ideas to Promote Your Book Online P1

10 Proven Ideas to Promote Your Book Online, P1
By Earma Brown

Honeymoon over with your book sales? Did your book sell as well as you hoped? Could your sales use a shot in the arm? Perhaps you are just starting and looking for ways to sell your book.

Either way, I've got good news for you! Join the Information Revolution. There's a whole new Internet audience waiting to hear about your insightful book that solves their problem in your field. Include Internet Marketing in your promotion plan. Use a couple of these guaranteed marketing techniques and explode your book sales to a whole new level.

1. Create a book marketing plan or revise your old one to include Internet Marketing. Your book marketing plan is what I often describe as your map. It describes your book, what you will do after the book is completed and published. It also describes who you hope to sell your book to target audience.

2. Develop an easy author's website to jumpstart your Internet Marketing plan. If you don't have one that focuses on your book or you as an individual, create one. Your website is now one of the first places clients will look to find out more about you. The better quality it is, the more it will pre-sell you and your book itself. First impressions are important. Make your website a good one that accurately reflects your book and you as an individual.

3. Know the one sentence version of your mission statement to attract new targeted clients through email. Remember prospects don't buy your education or career titles, they want to know what's in it to help them. Place that one sentence as the second line of your signature file.

4. Put your power-packed signature file at the bottom of each email you send. It will soft-sell your book each time you contact someone via email. Be sure to develop different signature files for different promotions. Use each one to drive targeted visitors to your book's website.

5. Write a sales letter for each book you want to sell. Like a mini-salesman, your sales letter will sell your book 24/7 and make you money even while you sleep.

If you don't start your Internet Marketing plan, you could be this time next year with the same disappointing level of sales. Don't wait join the Information Revolution today; use any of the above marketing ideas to explode your book sales to a new level. Discover the promotion techniques it takes to have an abundance of customers every month.

Earma Brown, 11 year author and business ownerhelps small business owners and writers who want to write their best book now! Author of 'Write Your Best Book Now', she mentors other writers and business professionals through her monthly ezine 'iScribe' Subscribe now at iscribe@writetowin.org for FREE mini-course 'Jumpstart Writing Your Best Book' or visit How to Promote Your Book for more book marketing tips.

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10 Lessons I've Learned from 19+ Years as a Freelance Writer & Recruiter in the Editorial Industry

10 Lessons I've Learned from 19+ Years as a Freelance Writer & Recruiter in the Editorial Industry
By Yuwanda Black

If youve read any of my work before, you probably know that I've been in publishing since 1987, have been a freelancer since 1993 and ran an editorial staffing agency in New York City from 1996 through 2004.

Some lessons Ive learned from this crazy journey are as follows:

1. Staying abreast of technology is crucial: Back in 1998, I was pushed to get a website for my company because clients and candidates were asking questions like, Can I apply online? Can I download the contract from your site? Can I post a job to your website?

Well, as we didnt even have a website, I would embarrassingly say no. The loud silence, especially from clients, on the other end of the phone line got to be too much.

Going through the process of getting a website taught me the value of staying on top of technology. I learned that while I dont need to be a hard-nosed techie, to stay competitive, I had to know enough to be able to stay competitive. This meant not only getting a site, but learning how to update it myself.

One of the wonderful things about technology is that new tools are constantly being developed for those of us who are NOT tech-savvy, eg, FrontPage software for building websites, autoresponder software, listserv software for building mailing lists, etc.

2. Writing is a skill: Obviously, you mutter. However, many writers dont treat their craft like it. I single out writers because, in my experience, proofreaders, copy editors, indexers, editors, graphic designers, illustrators, etc. all seem to see intrinsic value and take pride in their work.

Many writers take their craft for granted. Maybe its because society views writing as just words on paper. After all, once you know your ABCs, you can write, right? Well, editorial professionals know better than anyone that this is not so.

One thing I advise all professional writers to do to combat this lackadaisical attitude is to treat their writing like a business skill. Just like being a professional coder, artist or web designer when you put yourself out there, market and treat your skill like the highly valued commodity it is.

Let it be reflected in your perfectly prepared marketing materials eg, your website, brochure, postcard, etc. Also, when you speak with potential clients, be sure to use a professional tone. No one is going to believe that you write professionally if you dont talk like it as well.

3. Freelancing full-time is not hard: Its not easy, to be sure. But, building a successful, full-time freelance career is not terribly difficult, if:

a. You have experience within your discipline. Most successful freelancers Ive encountered have worked full-time within their discipline at some point.

b. You are willing to work fulltime and freelance on the side for a period of time. Many freelancers leave their jobs once they got too burned out doing both, or secure a big project that allows them to make the leap.

c. You plan for it. Some freelancers (the most successful ones I might add) are more calculating about their careers.

What I mean by this is that they plan a year or two out knowing that they are going to leave their jobs. So, they save 6 months or a years expenses, pay off credit card bills, buy equipment while working full-time, etc.; then, they make the leap.

The ones I know who followed this path are, not surprisingly, the most successful meaning, they have gone on to hire employees. A few even opened offices and became official businesses because their client load demanded it.

Can you build a freelance business if you dont have these three things? Absolutely! However, it is even more critical that you devise a plan of how youre going to go about it. Having experience and industry contacts makes it easier, but the web makes it easier than ever today to start a freelance business.

4. Marketing is a skill that must be developed: When most freelancers start out, they may have two or three clients who keep them pretty busy. BUT, the day comes when the projects dry up (it always happens) and you have to scrounge for business.

Its at this point that many panic and start looking for a full-time job again. When I was recruiting, I received more than a few panicked calls, eg, I have to find something -- quick!

Invariably, I was unable to help them (see Point #5 below). It usually was a moot point though because within a month or so, some project would come along and they would no longer be interested or available for a full-time job.

It was during this time that I got interested in the whole topic of freelancing as a business. Most freelancers focus on their craft and not the business of freelancing. However, as I preach ad nauseam on InkwellEditorial.com, to be successful as a freelancer, you must, must, must learn how to market if you want a full-time, sustainable career as a freelancer.

5. Employers dont like to hire freelancers for full-time jobs: It was my experience when I was recruiting that if you freelanced full-time for a year or more, employers were very hesitant to hire you as a full-time employee. Why?

Because most think that you are only seeking full-time work because you have hit a rough patch financially. Logically, it just makes sense. I mean, who gives up a successful freelance career to go back to the 9-5 grindstone? Most employers figured that as soon as the next big project came along, their new hire would be out the door.

I have seen it happen on many occasions so much so that when I was recruiting, I would screen out those with a significant freelance history because the chances that they would leave was just too great.

I once lost a $6,000 placement fee because the employee quit 10 days before the 90-day guarantee. [Most recruiting firms give employers a 60 or 90-day guarantee that the employee will stay put for at least this amount of time, or they dont have to pay.

6. You cant change your rates every year: Charge enough that you dont have to change your rate for three years. I know some make take umbrage with this, but Ive found editorial (eg, writing, copy editing, proofreading, indexing, editing, etc.) to be a very static industry. It is not one where you can raise rates yearly.

Some of the companies I freelanced for back in 1993 still pay the same rates today Im not kidding! So, I advise all freelancers who are just starting out to start out charging enough so that they dont have to change their rates for three years.

Its been my experience that after this period, you can increase rates without worrying about losing even one of your clients. Putting forth the argument of, we havent raised rates in three years somehow seems to make it fair for them.

Working on this time schedule, I dont ever remember losing a client. I think its a combination of clients being comfortable with your work and them thinking, after three years, an increase is only fair.

7. You must develop a niche: Ive known a few freelancers who did several things successfully (eg, designed websites and wrote the copy for them), but this was the exception, not the norm.

Most successful freelancers niche it. What I mean is, they develop a niche and stick to it. In my opinion, it is far easier to become successful like this than being a generalist.

Trust me, those sites where you see freelancers touting that they do everything from writing to web design to illustration are not making that much money, or they are farming the work out to other freelancers.

Most clients like to know that they are getting a knowledgeable professional who has a history and body of work within the discipline they are being hired for. If it is a pharmaceutical company, they want a writer who has done this type of writing before.

So, develop a niche and market the hell out of it!

8. Patience is a virtue: Even after all of my years in the industry, Im amazed by how difficult it can be to be patient while I grow my business. I have lists and lists of ideas that I want to implement and there just never seems to be enough time.

This is easily a career where you can work nonstop all the time. An idea for an article pops in your head and instead of jotting down the idea, you find yourself writing the whole article; you go online to do some research, and before you know it you have spent two hours surfing the net on an unrelated matter; you log on to check email, and in an instant, you find yourself redesigning a section of your website; the list is endless.

This is an issue I still struggle with; although, I have gotten better about stopping. So, instead of browsing for 2 hours, it might be 30 minutes before I literally make myself stop and go back to my original task.

The best advice I can give to stop this kind of behavior is to think of your long-range goals and ask yourself if what youre doing this very minute is getting you closer to them. If not, stop and get back on track.

9. Retirement is not planned for: I can count the number of times on one hand that Ive had conversations with freelancers about retirement. Most small business owners (and thats what freelancing is, small business ownership) have an exit strategy, or a day where they envision doing something else.

For some reason, editorial and creative freelancers dont think this way. Well, while you may be able to write or design websites from anywhere at any age, whos to say youre going to want to when youre 70?

In my quest to get freelancers to think of themselves as businesses, one of the things I wish more would do is plan for retirement. This includes looking into 401K plans, buying investment real estate, building a sellable business, etc.

Again, just because you might be capable of churning out material long past retirement age does not mean that you are going to want to. So, plan for the day when you wont have to.

10. Longevity pays: The longer you freelance, the easier it gets. My business mentor said to me once, when you first start out, you are just greasing the pipes. After two or three years, clients will not be quite so hard to come by.

Its just like search engine positioning -- the longer your site is on the web, the more frequently it is spidered by search engine bots, the more results it shows up in, the more popular it is, more people find it and voila! you have a popular site.

If you are constantly marketing and networking, eventually, it will seem effortless and referrals will flow in. Thats because you build traction just by being around. Many freelancers dont hang in there long enough to get this type of seamless recognition.

In conclusion, freelancing is a wonderful career -- if, like anything other venture you enter, you take it seriously enough to work it like a business.

Yuwanda Black is the publisher of InkwellEditorial.com: THE business portal for and about the editorial and creative industries. First-hand freelance success stories, e-courses, job postings, resume tips, advice on the business of freelancing, and more! Launch a writing career in 30 days or less -- guaranteed! Log on to learn how.

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Articles and Credibility

Articles and Credibility
By Sean Mize

Articles and article writing how good are they for credibility? Can they really help you out? Can articles really give you that extra boost, especially in a niche market.

Check this out:

Articles give you name recognition. Let me ask you this, are you more likely to buy from someone whose name you have seen several times, on several different web sites, or from someone you met clicking on a PPC link? Think about that. You see, your visitors are very similar to you they are not just numbers, they are a real live person, with real live needs. And if they see that you have written 200 articles, are they more or less likely to trust you than someone who has written 5 articles? Hmmm get writing!

Another big thing here: articles give you credibility. Once again, put yourself in the buyers shoes. If you are a buyer, and you have the opportunity to read some information by the person you are getting ready to spend $97 with, are you more likely to buy from them? Of course, especially if you get something out of the article they wrote you will assume that the quality of their paid products will be high also! So write and post articles! Not wanting to beat a dead horse here, but people generally tend to buy more if they see that you have written more, and they look at you as an expert.

The bottom line is, articles and article marketing do give you credibility.

Do you want to learn more about how I do it? I have just completed my brand new guide to article marketing success, Your Article Writing and Promotion Guide

Download it free here: Secrets of Article Promotion

Do you want to learn how to build a massive list fast? Click here: Email List Building

Sean Mize is a full time internet marketer who has written over 800 articles in print and 9 published ebooks.

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Your Book Is Just The First Date Creating A Long Term Relationship With Your Reader

Your Book Is Just The First Date - Creating A Long Term Relationship With Your Reader
By Lynne Klippel

What do Wayne Dyer, JK Rowling, Stephen King, Nora Roberts and Mark Victor Hansen have in common?

They have a group of readers who love their work and eagerly buy each new book. They also have other things to offer delighted readers like movies, audio products, workshops, self-study courses, and retreats. In fact, JK Rowling just gave her blessings to a Harry Potter theme park in development in Florida.

These savvy authors know that writing a book is like having a first date. The key to creating success as an author is giving delighted readers many opportunities to learn from you and master the material in your book. In fact, these authors make the majority of their income not from book sales, but from the other products and services that are related to their books. The book is the beginning of a long-term relationship that profits both the readers and the authors.

If you are a non-fiction writer, you have many opportunities to create second dates with your readers. If you do, you will gain a loyal following, be seen as an expert in your niche, and create multiple revenue streams.

To accomplish this, first identify the main concepts in your book. Ask yourself:
What ideas are the easiest to learn?
Which ones are the most challenging, sophisticated, or require the most discipline?
After reading my book, what skills or techniques would a reader need next?
What questions do I receive most frequently on this material?

Then, think like a teacher. Consider the three learning styles- visual, auditory, and kinesthetic. Strive to create a way for people to get more information in all of these learning styles.

Next, create a product that appeals readers with various levels of independence. For example:
Do-it-yourselfers enjoy workbooks, self-study programs or audio programs
People who like some help respond well to membership sites, ecourses, teleclasses, or group coaching programs
Those who want maximum levels of interaction with you like individual coaching or consulting, seminars, workshops, or retreats
A few readers may want you to do things for them via an outsourcing or project management arrangement

Finally, think like a restaurant owner. Create a buffet or menu of products and services at varying price points that reinforce the material in your book.

By providing your readers with a variety of ways to learn more from you, they will come back for a second and third date with you. Some will from a long term relationship and purchase everything that you offer them.

Then, you will enjoy many rewards: the knowledge that you have a group of loyal readers who benefit from your work, and an enduring income stream from your book.

That's a long term relationship you can take to the bank!

Want to create a successful book? Discover 8 book marketing blunders that you can avoid. Grab your free ecourse at www.BookMarketingBlitz.com. Lynne Klippel is a publisher, author and book shepherd who specializes in helping authors write business building books.

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Huh? Writing Articles That Communicate

Huh? Writing Articles That Communicate
By Lynn Kinnaman

People arent reading as much these days. Maybe its because there are so many words, yet so few that say anything.

Writing is not about perfect grammar. But just as a poorly built boat wont keep you afloat, writing that has numerous misspellings and awkward sentence structure will fail to communicate.

Its not hard to write an effective article, but it does take a little effort on your part.

First, abandon the classroom mentality. An article is not a book report, neither is it a thesis. Think of it as a letter to a friend. Conversational, informative, friendly, upbeat.

The average adult reads at a fifth grade level. Simple words, clear concepts and logical presentation will help you make your point. Of course, to accomplish this, you first need to know what you want to say in your article.

Having a defined goal helps you to focus, and keeps you on target. This is especially important if you are writing a short article, although longer pieces benefit from it, too.

Once you have your purpose, you will naturally be thinking of the components of the piece. Imagine you are on the bottom rung of a ladder, and each step is a point you wish to make on your way to the conclusion. You dont climb a ladder two steps up, one down, skip one, three up. You progress logically, each step leading to the next.

An outline can help you plan the process. It doesnt have to be formal to be useful. The goal here is to include everything thats important and do so in a logical fashion.

To make your writing stronger, avoid passive sentences and extra words. For example, compare the following:

The winner should be the man who is the best.

May the best man win.

Again, in school you aimed for volume, padding your writing in order to meet the word count or page criteria. You spent years perfecting poor writing skills. Now you need to unlearn them and build your sentences like arrows; strong, swift and accurate.

Dont be intimidated by punctuation. Its important, but you are not being graded on it. Spelling and grammar deserve more attention, because if you ignore them, you can quickly lose a portion of your audience.

The conclusion should echo the beginning. If you set out to prove a statement, the conclusion should summarize what you proved. If you began with a visual description or motif, the ending needs to acknowledge it.

If youve planned this correctly, you arent putting the final touches on ten minutes before the mail goes out (ah, you were the one typing the term paper the night before it was due, werent you?)

The ideal situation is to be able to set the article aside for 24 hours or more, then pick it up and read through it with fresh eyes. Youll find a few things to revise that you missed previously.

Okay, youre done.

Not so fast, Shakespeare.

The final step is to read your article out loud. Not to another person. A dog or cat will do fine. In a pinch, a sofa or table works. Youre really reading for your own ears. Youll discover, as you read, where the structure is awkward, or the sentence lacks impact. Or where you have put repeat words. Read mindfully and youll improve your work.

Its great! Now you can show it to your friends and family, or send it off to that professional publication or newsletter. You have an article you will be proud to see in print, and, more importantly, a piece that is worth reading.

(If you are ready to publish your writings, consider ebooks. Theyre an affordable way to publish! Find out more at http://www.winningmediapublishers.com)

Lynn Kinnaman has written and published non-fiction books, travel guides, as well as numerousmagazine and newspaper articles. She has taught classes on writing, preparing effective resumes and job-hunting techniques. Lynn has been an editor, business owner, marketing manager and advertising executive for companies both large and small. She has designed advertising and marketing campaigns, incorporating print, radio, TV and Internet marketing with successful results.

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My Sales Funnel Theory of Article Marketing IV

My Sales Funnel Theory of Article Marketing IV
By Sean Mize

So I am talking about this idea of a sales funnel with your article marketing. I have been talking about this idea that we each start out at the small end of the sales funnel. We create a $10 product, then a $47 product, then a $97 product. Then maybe a $500 product, and if we are really ingenious, then a $5000 product.

But what if we started at the big end?

What if we envisioned a $5000 to start with?

And then we built every other product in our sales funnel to build up to that big product?

Would we sell more at the end of the year, than if we started with the $10 product?

Sure, it would take longer to get any sales. But once they started coming, it would be like an avalanche.

So lets envision this reverse sales funnel can I call it that?

Of course I can, I just made it up. So this reverse sales funnel.

Lets start at the big end. What would a $5000 product be?

Let us assume that you are in dog training. You can be in dating or construction, or whatever. But I like dog training. So for this example it will be dog training.

So what could you sell for $5000 that is dog training related? Rephrase: What will people buy that will put $5000 in your pocket?

Now I am assuming that you are a dog trainer in this example. To make a $5000 product, you have to have some knowledge in your field.

Do you want to learn more about how I do it? I have just completed my brand new guide to article marketing success, Your Article Writing and Promotion Guide

Download it free here: Secrets of Article Promotion

Do you want to learn how to build a massive list fast? Click here: Email List Building

Sean Mize is a full time internet marketer who has written over 900 articles in print and 9 published ebooks.

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Free Creative Writing Examples Read Book For Honor #5

Free Creative Writing Examples - Read Book For Honor #5
By Kat Jaske

. . . Impatient and cocky, Porthos commented to no one in particular and then decided to take his version of pity on the young lad. He slung a brotherly arm around the youth and began a long narrative about when he had joined the musketeers and first met up with Athos and Aramis.

Aramis watched his companions silently, simply listening to the tale that the large man was weaving. The intense look he fixed on his companions might have led one to conclude he was at least somewhat amused by the way his older companion was embellishing the original tale.

Porthos hadn't even gotten to where Aramis had joined the musketeers when D'Artagnan held up his hand for a moment, and Porthos' hand dropped from his shoulder. Wait, he began. Just what does this have to do with anything?

Very little. Porthos has always been long-winded, as you have probably observed already by now, another voice intruded, and D'Artagnan glanced aside and caught sight of Athos.

And he has a habit of taking liberties with the original tale, shall we say? Aramis interjected smoothly in his oddly expressive deadpan voice.

Porthos was on the verge of protesting when the blond-haired Athos absently ran fingers through his beard very quickly in what could be construed as a gesture of annoyance. Three pairs of eyes focused on the man who carried himself with almost unconscious regal bearing. Athos fixed his steady blue-eyed gaze, which unnerved many or made them squirm, on the large man, ignoring Porthos' tortured expression. May I do the honors of completing the tale? he asked, knowing he'd be allowed to do so before even Porthos signaled him to complete the story.

About a year after Porthos and I met one another, Athos began, a young man who had been training under the cardinal as his student and a member of his guard appeared at Monsieur de Treville's door. The older man halted and looked over at Aramis for a long moment before the would-be-priest shrugged his shoulders ever so slightly.

Monsieur de Treville was informed that this young man was being sent to him temporarily because in a duel he'd inadvertently killed a man whose brother had a great deal of influence and who had demanded that Aramis be expelled from the order, Athos explained. So young Aramis was sent to train with the musketeers until the scandal blew over and he could return to his studies under the cardinal and eventually become a priest. However, Porthos and I became attached to the young man and had no desire to see him return to the cardinal and take the orders.

One day Aramis announced his withdrawal from the musketeers and his intention to return to the Church in the cardinal's service. Porthos took it badly, and he and Aramis had a horrific argument that ended in a duel. I stopped the duel in time to inform them about a plot by the cardinal to discredit the queen. Ever since foiling his eminence's plot, Aramis has hated the cardinal. Still, as Porthos would say, 'Aramis has an unnatural desire to join the priesthood.

Thus, anytime Aramis gets to brooding and contemplating taking the orders, he and Porthos engage in a mock duel. Now I can't say that it actually prevents Aramis from leaving us, but it does break up his boredom a bit.

Aramis, who'd been silent the entire time, chose that moment to speak. I will become a priest someday-probably within the next year or two, before I reach thirty, which was still a good ways off, but this particular time his friends refrained from telling him that he had more than six years before he reached that age. I never did intend to become a fighter for the better part of my life.

Pay him no mind, Porthos whispered loudly to D'Artagnan. He's always saying he'll become a priest soon, but he'd never leave me and Athos until Athos retires from the service or I quit or some combination like that.

Gentlemen. A fifth man interrupted, and they all turned to see the commander of the musketeers, Monsieur de Treville. I hate to break up your little party, but I need all of you to join me in my office. I've got a task for the four of you.

He can't be serious, D'Artagnan griped as he checked the supplies he had in his saddle pack to be sure he had everything including lots of ink and paper so that he could write Constance; dear sweet Constance, whom he had to leave for weeks to do some stupid mission anyone could do.

The giant, brawny, older man glanced at the youngest of the four men as he cinched his saddle and prepared to mount. Ah, but you must remember, mon jeune ami, Porthos began, emphasizing 'young,' hat Monsieur de Treville gets his orders from the King of France, and if Cher Louis wants the best musketeers to guard a shipment of precious spices, he gets the best. Of course that only changes if a more pressing duty comes up. . .

Such as protecting the queen from being disgraced or framed, Aramis added.

Or, Athos added, protecting the king from a plot to overthrow him.

Or some such combination as that which puts our beloved sovereigns in mortal danger, Porthos concluded, flourishing his hat with gusto.

So basically what you're saying is that we are stuck escorting this caravan to Marseille, and there is no way out? D'Artagnan was sorely tempted to sulk. For this duty he'd be away from Constance for at least a fortnight! Most likely longer.

Didn't I tell you he was a bright lad? Porthos commented cheerfully in his usually loud and forceful manner, and Athos and Aramis smiled into their carefully clipped beards as they made their final preparations for the journey.

Mince, thanks, D'Artagnan thanked him sarcastically as he tugged briefly at the buff jerkin before slipping on his gauntlet gloves. His clothes adjusted, he mounted his horse and guided the animal towards the waiting caravan. He paused to glance back and say, Well, come on you three. Let's get this over with as quickly as we can.

Oui, monseigneur, Aramis replied courteously to the young comte, unable to keep the smile from playing about his lips, and the four men made their way through the streets and towards the merchants they were responsible for escorting safely to the coast. . . .

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Kat Jaske is an English and French teacher in Las Vegas, where her high school selected her swashbuckling, fiction novel, For Honor, as the featured book for the 2006 Reading Incentive Program. This is an excellent example of creative fiction writing. If you cannot wait to read more of the story, order the book from the author web site http://www.forhonor.com.

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Freelance Copywriter Secrets: Removing Readers' Mental Barriers

Freelance Copywriter Secrets: Removing Readers' Mental Barriers
By Charles Brown

As a freelance copywriter, I have come to think of my work as that of slowly, methodically removing a readers doubts, apathy and other mental barriers. In some ways, my job is like being a matchmaker between a good, quality product and the person who can truly benefit from owning it.

Here are a few of the mental barriers that a freelance copywriter may have to remove between a product or service, and the potential customer who truly needs and wants what this product can do:

• Lack of awareness that the person may actually have a need or a problem. Some needs require education before the reader recognizes that it exists. Paying for childrens college education might be an example here. Many parents have no idea what inflation will do to the cost of college tuition by the time their kids reach the age of 18.

• Lack of concern because the problem seems too remote. Insurance agents and financial planners face this issue every day. We all should plan for retirement, and out deaths are inevitable, but many people lull themselves into complacency because both events seem a long way off. In order to sell a product these people truly need, they must first be shaken out of that complacency.

• Lack of interest and attention. the average person is exposed to 10,000 advertisements and marketing messages a day. In order to grab a readers attention, you must start with a headline that appeals to readers self interest. Check out my article on Freelance Copywriter Secrets: How to Tap Into Your Readers' Deepest Needs to learn more about how to appeal to a persons deepest needs.

• Doubts and skepticism. As a result of those 10,000 marketing messages, each claiming to offer the very best widget known to man, people are naturally skeptical of puffery. Support your claims with facts, specific examples, testimonials from satisfied customers, scientific data, etc.

• Theyre all alike. Shame on you if you allow people to think your product is just like everyone elses. That is the sign of a freelance copywriter just not doing his or her job. Stand out! Draw attention to why your product is better, different and worth a higher price. But you can only do this by creating a category of one, and then come to OWN that category. Your product must be the biggest (or even better, the only) fish in the pond. Your job is to create that pond.

It is extremely important to understand why a person, who can truly benefit from a product or service, may still choose not to buy it. I want to anticipate these objections and barriers head-on, so I write out every reason, objection, doubt and misunderstanding my potential readers may have.

Then I write copy that answers each of these problems. In so doing, I am able to chip away at their barriers.

COPYRIGHT 2006, Charles Brown All rights reserved.

Download your free copy of 99 Ideas For Writing Irresistible Web Content, written by Charles Brown, a Dallas, Texas based freelance copywriter who writes web copy, advertisements, white papers and direct mail. Read his Freelance Copywriter Secrets at http://dynamiccopywriting.blogspot.com or contact him at 817.715.3852 or **charbrow@gmail.com**.

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