"Release Your Writing" praise & endorsements

From: Beneath the Cover

from BeneathTheCover.com Over at Release Your Writing with Helen Gallagher, there’s an outstanding article on self-publishing, also taken out of Publisher’s Weekly. For those who are not yet aware, Publisher’s Weekly is the 800 pound Gorilla in the room. Being mentioned in their esteemed pages can create enough attention to drive mountains of sales. Helen notes that an interview with J. Kirby Best, the CEO of one of the largest POD companies in the world, Lighting Source, shows how Print-On-Demand is truly taking off in the new millennium. He’s quoted as saying, “It took us seven years to print 10 million books…This year we published 10 million in the first 11 months.” Another “Wow!” from this publisher. I recommend a visit to Helen’s blog to read the whole post, and to consider her book, Release Your Writing: Book Publishing Your Way. I was particularly fascinated by her Book Tour link. We do Virtual Book Tours (you can see ours at www.ahablog.com) at WME, but what I discovered at the Book Tour link on Helen’s blog is really outstanding. Finally, a place online that can help drive traffic and book sales, and is freely managed by the author. You should check it out, here. ****************************************** "Gallagher examines the changing publishing industry and advocates self-publishing and/or POD (Print-on-Demand) for those whose work is unlikely to attract the attention of a large publisher. "Attract a publisher if you can, but if not, don't wait your life away." -- M.M.S. ****************************************** SPAWN: Small Publishers, Artists, and Writers Network review by Patricia Fry... yes, it's "the" Patricia Fry: Excerpt: " This book includes a section on the writing process and offers a lot of tips and techniques related to computer use for writers. Again, this author includes charts, diagrams and examples to help readers understand the concepts and make good choices. She also provides resources to back up her message and where readers can get additional information. The resources appear throughout the book and also in a separate section toward the back of the book. And she includes a couple of chapters on book marketing. I especially found her information on website strategies interesting and useful." Read full review at SPAWN.org ****************************************** My yellow highlighter was flying off its 200 pages while I noted valuable tips on how to move forward with the publishing process. In fact, by the time I was finished reading this gem, nearly the entire book was highlighted. Furthermore, the book is written in such a down-to-earth tone that you'd better set an extra place because you'll feel as if Gallagher is sitting across from you at your kitchen table. So whether you're in the preliminary outline stage, in the midst of writing your manuscript, or giving it a final edit, read Gallagher's book before you launch yours. You'll be grateful you did. -- F. F. ******************************************
" Gallagher's book includes everything you need to know to decide whether POD is right for you, and provides a wealth of information about how to choose the right POD publisher (love the side-by-side comparison chart of the top 10 POD firms) as well as tips on writing and marketing the book." -- K.J.E. March 19, 2008 BNET.com is the go-to place for management. I'm proud to see a nice write-up on Release Your Writing on their site: http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0SFC/is_2008_Jan/ai_n24217516 January 4, 2008 Midwest Book Review: midwestbookreview.com Excerpt: Effectively organized into three major sections, 'Release Your Writing' covers contemporary changes in the publishing industry, the self-publishing option, Publish On Demand (POD) companies; and ebooks. 'You, The Word Processor' includes The Time to Write; The Writer's Toolbox; and 'Computer Power Tools'. The third section is devoted to the 'Business of Being a Writer' by focusing on book marketing and promotion, and keeping a book in print and available to the reading public. It should be noted that Helen Gallagher's writing style is conversational and engaging -- making it an ideal format for presenting her observations, ideas, and advice. Enhanced with an appendix listing writing resources, a glossary, and an index, "Release Your Writing" will prove invaluable and instructive reading for aspiring writers who have become published -- either on their own or through an independent publisher. Monday, December 2, 2007 SPAWN: Small Publishers, Artists, and Writers Network review by Patricia Fry... yes, it's "the" Patricia Fry: Excerpt: " This book includes a section on the writing process and offers a lot of tips and techniques related to computer use for writers. Again, this author includes charts, diagrams and examples to help readers understand the concepts and make good choices. She also provides resources to back up her message and where readers can get additional information. The resources appear throughout the book and also in a separate section toward the back of the book. And she includes a couple of chapters on book marketing. I especially found her information on website strategies interesting and useful." Read full review at SPAWN.org Monday, October 8, 2007 Get Your Book Into Print: A Review Computer consultant Helen Gallagher, author of Computer Ease, has written a new book, Release Your Writing: Book Publishing, Your Way (Virtualbookworm, 2007). She presents a practical, businesslike, common-sense approach for getting your book published, mainly through self-publishing or POD (Print-on-Demand). Gallagher examines the changing publishing industry, pointing out some interesting facts: "A few companies, just five or six, control over 80 percent of the industry. Most books in bookstores come from those few firms. Only one to two percent of unsolicited submissions are purchased for publication." What's more, it's usually a long journey of up to two years or more from manuscript to publication for traditionally-published books, and most have to sell at least 1,200 copies for marginal success, over 7,000 to sustain interest. Even then, there's no guarantee of financial success, and most book promotion is still left to the author. The author points out, "self-publishing is not settling for second best. It's the right choice if your book won't likely capture the attention of a large publisher and you don't want to spend years waiting to see your book in print." Gallagher is writing for a wider audience, but it seems to me that most of my fellow senior writers or would-be writers need to heed her words. "Attract a publisher if you can, but if not, don't wait your life away." Through her considerable experience both as a writer and as a consultant who helps clients through her firm, Computer Clarity, Helen Gallagher is well qualified to give extensive advice on both word processing techniques and on the business aspects of being a writer. From organizing material to establishing a contact database to promoting your book through a web site or blog, she covers all the bases, and she adds an appendix of writing resources. For a writer either beginning or just finishing a book, Helen Gallagher's Release Your Writing should prove to be a valuable tool. This book can be ordered at http://www.releaseyourwriting.com/. Copyright 2007 by Marlys Marshall Styne “Helen Gallagher's new book Release Your Writing has just stripped you of your last excuse for not writing that book that's inside you and waiting to be released. She has an answer for every question you've ever had about birthing a book into the world and covers every step you need to take it from beginning to end. Helen's grasp of the subject is comprehensive and her style of communicating is friendly, accessible, and inspiring. If you follow the steps that Helen suggests, you can be the author you've always wanted to be. She's one of the best guides out there on the pathway to publishing!” Jan Phillips, author of The Art of Original Thinking, Marry Your Muse

Amazon/Goliath takes on the little guys

My publisher, Virtual Bookworm, Inc. alerted me today that Amazon's BookSurge POD subsidiary is using a rather strong-armed tactic to gain more control over the growing success of self-publishing:

Print-on-demand is taking a real beating today with news that Amazon is planning to require that POD firms print their books through Amazon's BookSurge instead of Lightning Source, the industry standard. Amazon will charge our publishers a fee for uploading the book, will require it in a different format than we currently have, and wants a greedy 48 percent of sales!!

Here are two links on the topic - it does not bode well for self-published authors, but it may get settled in some less dramatic way than Amazon's "winner take all" strategy.

http://www.fonerbooks.com/2008/03/new-amazon-mandate-say-it-aint-so-jeff.html

http://www.writersweekly.com/the_latest_from_angelahoycom/004597_03272008.html

While working through the issues, I'm writing to Amazon's senior management, and am taking the Amazon links off my books on all my web sites and external resources. People can still purchase all of our books through the publisher, and the many other online retailers, such as Barnes & Noble, Target, etc.

Stay tuned...
Helen

Re-scheduled Event for writers - April 3, 2008

If you haven't heard, and are in the Chicago area, the February event that was snowed out is back on for a balmy Thursday evening, April 3, 2008 at 7 p.m. Sponsored by Midwest Writer's Association, everyone is welcome. Cost is only $5.00 and Release Your Writing: Book Publishing Your Way will be available for purchase, at $16.95. RSVP to jodie-jacobs@sbcglobal.net. See you there!

Writer's Digest self-published competition

The Writer's Digest international self-published book awards deadline is approaching. You have until May 1, 2008 to submit your entry in any of these categories:

* Mainstream/Literary Fiction
* Genre Fiction
* Nonfiction
* Inspirational (Spiritual, New Age)
* Life Stories (Biographies, Autobiographies, Family Histories, Memoirs)
* Children's Picture books
* Middle-Grade/Young Adult books
* Reference Books (Directories, Encyclopedias, Guide Books)
* Poetry

You may have missed a similar contest because they are usually tied to the calendar year, but this contest is more generous:

Writer's Digest is searching for the best self-published books of the past few years. Whether you're a professional writer, part-time freelancer, or a self-starting student, here's your chance to enter the only competition exclusively for self-published books. The judging fee is steep at $100 for the first entry, $50 for subsequent, but the prize is good: $3,000...

AND promotion in Writer's Digest and Publishers Weekly, and marketing advice from self-publishing guru Dan Poynter. Plus, the editors of Writer's Digest will endorse and submit 10 copies of the Grand Prize-Winning book to major review houses such as The New York Times and The Washington Post. In addition, Book Marketing Works, LLC will provide a one-year membership in Publishers Marketing Association, a customized Book Market Map Directory, guaranteed distribution to bookstores and libraries through Baker & Taylor, six hours of book shepherding from Poynter Book Shepherd Ellen Reid, guaranteed review in Midwest Book Review, and an all-day PublishingGame.com workshop with Fern Reiss.

For full details and requirements, click here