[stylist] Marketing and Recent Posts

Mon Jul 24 22:22:10 UTC 2017

Thanks for sharing, Lynda.

-----Original Message-----
From: stylist [mailto:stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Lynda Lambert via stylist
Sent: Monday, July 24, 2017 4:03 PM
To: Writers' Division Mailing List <stylist at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Lynda Lambert <llambert at zoominternet.net>
Subject: Re: [stylist] Marketing and Recent Posts

Writers,
I will tag onto this post because if I try to post directly it usually is kicked back to me and is undeliverable. I have not an idea why but it happens often.

I was writing an article today that will be published soon on another organization's website. I thought you all might find some good information in this article I wrote about my recent publishing experiences.
This article will be fit into another piece by a fellow writer - so here you have my part of the big picture. This is my draft and will be edited further before it is published.  L Y N D A

_____
Navigate Publishing Opportunities
by Lynda McKinney Lambert

When my new book, Walking by Inner Vision: Stories & Poems https://www.amazon.com/Walking-Inner-Vision-Stories-Poems/dp/1543121624/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1500929581&sr=1-1&keywords=Walking+by+Inner+Vision%2C+Lynda+McKinney+Lambert
was published this year, it was the culmination of eight years of work. I wrote it because I wanted to share my journey into sight loss with readers who may be facing the same challenges I encountered in 2007 when I suddenly lost my sight due to Ischemic Optic Neuropathy. Shortly after this sight loss began, I started writing a blog which I called “Walking by Inner Vision,” as a way of encouraging readers. I wanted to share my story to provide educational information as well.

Get Organized

First, I compiled a collection of memoirs which appeared on my blog, “Walking by Inner Vision,” My book would be divided into twelve chapters and my intention was to take the reader on a journey through the year- one chapter for each month. The 27 poems & 16 stories begin in January and end in December. Each chapter has a focus on a season, theme, holiday or event in a calendar year.
Map Out a Plan
I knew I needed a workable plan. I’m a visual artist and I like to see a plan mapped out so I can keep it nearby and check it often to be sure where I am at and where I need to be in the process of writing the book. I have low vision but I can see a page if it is white and large; I use an enormous black marker on it. I made a BIG calendar that I could hang on my office wall. I drew a grid, one block for each of the 12 months. On my grid, I wrote out exactly what had to be accomplished each month in order to reach my goal and  have my first draft completed in 1 year. I did not think about a publisher during the first couple of months.

Begin to Research Publishers

I wanted my book to be timely and fresh. I didn’t want to go the route of contacting a hundred or more traditional publishers. I felt an urgency to get the project completed in a year. I did not want to waste valuable time chasing after traditional publishers. I watched as some other writers worked diligently for months until they exhausted all options. At the end of a year, they still ended up without a publisher.
Choosing Your Publisher
Gradually, as I worked during the year I was writing my book, I began to contact several publishers. Each of them called me on the phone and sent E-mail messages regularly. Each was friendly and anxious to get the opportunity to publish my book. I looked at all the statistics they provided and they looked good. They were clear about what they provided and the expenses involved. Most started at $1,500 and some went up to $15,000. to do the book. A couple of the publishers are of-shoots of major publishing companies that are quickly recognized. That is their selling point. They want you to think that if they publish your book, the “big company” they are a part of might pick you up as one of their star authors. I found very little or actually no evidence that this was the case. It was a great selling point and could easily entice a new author to pay the big bucks for a possible opportunity of making it big in the publishing business.
Find the Publisher that Fits Your Dream
During my months of research and gathering information on publishers, I began to learn about a business in Denver, Co that specializes in working with blind authors. It is DLD Books, run by David and Leonore Dvorkin. This information perked my imagination. I purchased a few books created by DLD Books; impressive books and professionally done.  In addition, I learned that their niche was working with blind authors to get their books published. This intrigued me even more.
What to Expect After you Select Your Publisher I could the Dvorkins and explored ideas for my book publication. We chose a starting date when my draft should be ready for them. The publication fit perfectly into my ideal time-line which I was working on – it would be ready by the end of the year and they would take it at that time.

Some Positive Points

One: I’m a visual artist and writer. I usually produce the photography that goes with my essays and I wanted to do that for my book. No problem! I sent several photos I was considering for the book covers (front and back) and as illustrations with some of the material in the book. We worked on this together to select the best ones. I am so thrilled with the book cover. One reader told me, “The book cover is so beautiful, that I intend to have it framed for my home.”  Others have remarked about the stunning cover and I am completely delighted with it, too!

Two: The Dvorkins kept in close contact with me and often several times a day as different questions or changes came up. Near the end of the editing process, I did a complete change and made major revisions and re-organization in the format and order of the essays. The Dvorkins were probably in shock, but they worked with me to make the deep changes I required. I’m a former English Professor and that means I am subject to revisions and edits at any phase in the project. I wanted the book to be spot-on and they understood that and worked with me through the extra work it created for them.

Three: The Dvorkins work on a per-hour rate. I liked the way they billed me for services after every 10 hours so that it was easy for me to make the payments during the process of editing and formatting the book for publication. Their fees are fair and reasonable and the caviat is that they are also affordable.

Fou: My editors understand writers and their publishing goals. They offered 
realistic options.   They provided services to me even after the book was on 
the market. In fact, they ordered professional cards to distribute to various locations and people to advertise the book.  They provided an authors Page on their website that is updated as needed. This website gives information on the book as well as a free sample so that a reader can access a sample of my book.  My Author’s page is updated with my latest news about book signing events and presentations I am doing.  They remain open to helping their authors in every way possible and the help does not end once the book is produced.
How long did it take for the completion of the book? In my case, five months from the date it was sent to them in draft form. Much of that time was due to the changes I made during that time.  We did three drafts before the book was published.

Five: The book is visually attractive as well as technically well done as a text. I wanted a book that would be a work of art, and I got it! Not only is the book beautiful on the outside, the stories & poems inside are formatted to perfection. I am one happy client. In one review, the writer stated that she was “sad” when she reached the end of the book because she “did not want it to end.” Other reviewers echo the same sentiment.

I’m already working on my next book (a collection of new and selected poems) targeted for publication late in 2018. I’ll be following the instructions and plan for that book, exactly as I have outlined in this essay. It works well!

-----Original Message-----
From: David Russell via stylist
Sent: Monday, July 24, 2017 12:48 PM
To: stylist
Cc: David Russell
Subject: [stylist] Marketing and Recent Posts

Hi Writers,

Bridgit, I knew about the Braille Navigator when that came out in the 80-s or early 90-s. I was working for the Department of HUD then as a clerk typist but chose voice on my desktop work computer instead.

I know any of that media is expensive, and it's not easy to get on the roles of state Blind Commissions unless one is headed for a definite vocational direction. It's amazing though what case workers will charge for rendering services. That's a whole topic in and of itself.
I do 98% of my reading via talking book. The only braille I receive from NLS now are sport schedules.

This question is for anyone, if you publish a book and use an online seller and physical location to sell your book, have an author page and perhaps a blog, and you're not planning to publish regularly on your own, can you market successfully without a website?
I did not know of you, Shelley or Cindy until joining this list. How would I know you otherwise? Vice versa?
If you have a common name, what criteria do you use to come up with a website name if you do secure one?
Perhaps we will always be up against the good old disconnect. It's a baffling matter to address alone isn't it?
--
David Russell
david.sonofhashem at gmail.com
Character consists of what you do on the third and fourth tries.
James A. Michener

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