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 | 
Image (c) Helen Gallagher, please do not distribute without permission.
After speaking at the Univ. Wisconsin Milwaukee Spring Writer's Festival in March, I was lucky to be invited to appear on live television on The Morning Blend, up in Milwaukee. Here's my "HGTV" moment.
