Who's Your Blog Editor? Carol Denbow 2009 Interview on Conversations with Writers

One of my online friends, Ambrose Musiyiwa, recently interviewed me for Conversations with Writers. I would like to share the interview with you.

Carol Denbow 2009 Interview on Conversations with Writers.

*When did you start writing?
Carol Denbow: My writing career began only five years back in 2004. I was a late bloomer!

*How, why and when did decide you wanted to be a published writer?
Carol Denbow: It was never a dream of mine as it is for most writers. I had started up and operated a small business, and after slamming into so many walls along the way, I saw a need for a simplified small business start-up book. Voila! Are You Ready to be Your Own Boss? was finished just two years following my retirement.

*How would you describe the writing you are doing?
Carol Denbow: After publishing my first two business-related books, the one I previously mentioned (self-published), as well as one more, Stress Relief for the Working Stiff (traditionally published), my loving hubby convinced me to write a book about my publishing experience. A Book Inside, How to Write, Publish, and Sell Your Story has been my biggest success. So the journey has begun and nowadays I write specifically about and for this industry.

*Who is your target audience and what motivated you to start writing for this audience?
Carol Denbow: My most recent books are clearly directed at want-to-be and established published authors. It’s time consuming to write a book. Unfortunately, with all that investment comes the frustration of choosing the right publishing method and ultimately selling books. Many authors dream is to be the next Rowling or King. With the book market flooded with new authors and books, it’s a sad reality that the average book sells less than 200 copies. I think new writers need an advantage to compete; I try to get that edge for them through my books.

*What are your main concerns as a writer and how do you deal with these concerns?
Carol Denbow: My concerns are the same as most others—how to sell my books. I spend at minimum two hours a day researching, learning, and promoting my books.

*How have your personal experiences influenced the direction of your writing?
Carol Denbow: I think the reason I have pursued writing for authorship is directly related to the emails I get from other writers in need of advice and guidance. At one point, I would receive ten emails per day from want-to-be’s with a book already written and no idea of where to go from there. I do always write back and try to help, but if I can’t, I’ve always tried to direct my online associates to where they could find the answers they needed.

*How many books have you written so far? What are the titles, who published them and when?
Carol Denbow: With the exception of one of my books, I have self-published all through my own publishing house, Plain & Simple Books, LLC. My books include:
Are You Ready to be Your Own Boss? (2006) P & S Books, LLC
Stress Relief for the Working Stiff (2008) P.A., Inc.
A Book Inside, How to Write, Publish, and Sell Your Story (2008) P & S Books, LLC
The Writer In You (2008) P & S Books, LLC (a free e-book co-written)
How to Organize a Virtual Book Tour (2008) e-book, P & S Books, LLC
100 Ways to Market Your Book for Free, (or really cheap), (2009) e-book, P & S Books, LLC

*Do you write every day? How does each session start? How, where and why does it end?
Carol Denbow: I write when I have a couple hours to spare without interruption. That’s sometimes hard to find. I once decided to try my hand at fiction. I took three days and drove up to a secluded beach to write. I finished 10,000 words to an awesome murder mystery. Unfortunately, I haven’t picked up the pen on that book since. I still hope to finish it someday—when I have the time!

*How long did it take you to write your latest book? Where and when was it published?
Carol Denbow: My latest book, 100 Ways to Market Your Book for Free (or really cheap) was written while I was in Hawaii for one month. I had collected my notes and references so it was just about putting the whole book together.

*Is this book self-published, and what advantages and/or disadvantages will this present? How are you dealing with these?
Carol Denbow: I prefer self-publishing. Of course when I refer to self-publishing, I am referring to the entire process. For instance, I do not publish POD. I write them, hire an editor, cover artist, and sometimes (depending on the difficulty of the lay-out) a designer. I have my books printed by a wonderful online company and stowed in my office closet available for sale. Advantage to this? My profit on a book is higher and the quality of my books is much better than any POD book I’ve seen. So I can still keep my cover price low and sell lots of books. Disadvantages? Only one I recall, and that was my first book; I simply printed too many copies in order to save money—didn’t work!

*What will your next book be about?
Carol Denbow: Who knows for sure—maybe none. When I see a need, I am drawn to fulfill it. So it’s a waiting game for me as a writer. But I’ll get back to you on that the next time I feel inspired!

*What would you say has been your most significant achievement as a writer?
Carol Denbow: Oh, I am so proud of all the writers I have been blessed to meet and help get their books published. I have a great Website with links to all kinds of book and writing related Websites and Blogs to help writers network and get their projects moving forward. The Website is at www.AuthorsBox.com if viewers are interested in taking a peek.

For more great interviews with writers, visit Ambrose Musiyiwa's Blog at http://conversationswithwriters.blogspot.com/

Carol Denbow books are available through AuthorsBox.com.

Christmas is Coming! AHHHH! How About a Good Book?

Okay, so every year I seem to “miss the boat” on early bird holiday shopping because I simply refuse to accept that it is never too early to shop for Christmas gifts. So there I’ll be, one week away from the big day and empty handed again. This year will be different. Apparently, holiday buying begins the day after Halloween now; I’ll be there this year—or here!

We all love books, and one reason many visit this Blog is because they have written and published a book (or two) of their own. So before any of us goes out to purchase a gift book for the holidays, how about we share what we ourselves have available?

I welcome all published authors to use the comment section on this post to list their book titles, description, and where they can be ordered. I also encourage all Blog visitors to check out the comments and see if perhaps the perfect gift is waiting there!

Happy early holiday!

Another Great Review (I'm getting pretty excited!)

Wow, I AM excited now! One of my books got yet another great plug! This time by Peter Jones of Great New Books Reviewed Blog at http://newgreatbooks.blogspot.com. Peter has tons of awesome reviews on his Blog. If you're interested in some wonderful new books, stop in and see Peter's Blog. But first, read on!

I consider myself to be fairly involved in the publishing world. I’m a writer, publisher, and book marketing expert. I make my living by either being published, or through publishing myself. As a result, I have a really good grasp on the ins and outs of the publishing world. One of the more frequent questions asked from writers or those interested in becoming an author is how to get published. What is involved? How does the publishing process work? Are agents involved, or does one go the route of self-publishing these days?

The questions are many, and there is no one way to answer them all. It really depends on what you – the author or writer – is looking for and expecting to get out of the publishing process that will dictate the answers to these questions. Therefore, I was quite thrilled when I got a copy of Carol Denbow’s book, A Book Inside, How to Write, Publish, and Sell Your Story in the mail for review. Could this book help answer all of the questions I get on a regular basis. It would be much easier, and more beneficial for everyone involved, if I could point them in the direction of a really honest, comprehensive, and useful resource. Although not perfect, I’m glad to say that Carol’s book is one of the best I’ve seen on introducing the writer to the publishing process.

Composed of eight solid chapters, A Book Inside starts at the beginning and walks you through the entire process. Beginning with writing your story, the book covers the basics of book writing – from copyright law to research, cover art, and professional editing – and delves into the differences between self-publishing and traditional publishing. Although these sections are well done, and important for any writer or book author to understand, what I really liked about A Book Inside is that two other chapters were also included: Book Promotion and Selling Your Book.
Often overlooked by most writers and authors, the process of actually getting your book into the hands of readers is almost more important then the actual writing of the book was. If no one is reading your book, what was the point of writing it? Carol offers up a series of sage advice on getting your book into the hands of readers, publicists, bookstores, libraries, and online outlets. Finally, A Book Inside also includes a ton of resources for successfully navigating the writing and publishing process.

Although not exhaustive, A Book Inside is a good place to start for those who are interested in becoming authors. Alternatively, if you are simply looking for a comprehensive book on how to publish your family history or memoirs, or to self-publish your own story, A Book Inside takes you through each step. Either way, along with Dan Poynter's Self-Publishing Manual, 16th Edition: How to Write, Print and Sell Your Own Book (Self Publishing Manual), Aaron Shepard's Aiming at Amazon: The NEW Business of Self Publishing, or How to Publish Your Books with Print on Demand and Online Book Marketing on Amazon.com , and the annual Writer's Market, Carol’s book should be on most writers and authors shelves. I’ve been in the publishing business for over a decade – as both an author and a publisher – and I’m keeping my copy of A Book Inside on my shelf for easy reference. You should too.

(Peter's credentials)
Peter N. Jones, Ph.D.
Director: Bauu Institute and Press http://www.bauuinstitute.com
Publisher: Great New Books Reviewed http://newgreatbooks.blogspot.com
Editor: Indigenous Issues Today http://indigenousissuestoday.blogspot.com
Editor: Indigenous People's Issues & Resources
http://indigenouspeoplesissues.com

7 Tips on How to Write a Book

Here are 7 great tips to get you on the road to finishing your book! Please feel free to add your own tips or comments.

1. Write your book. Whether it’s non-fiction or fiction, Fantasy, Autobiography, Crime or Mystery, just write what you feel. Never worry about editing as you go; as that will bury your creativity.

2. Find a quiet place to write. An extra bedroom, office, or even a garage (preferably heated), are all good places “away from it all.” Never look for your muse where friends or family are always interrupting you.

3. Set time aside to write. It takes time to find your inspiration to write. It’s not likely you will write well or accomplish much in a ten minute session. Allow yourself at least two hours to work on your writing project.

4. Choose you books topic according to demand. Are there a million books already written which follow the path of your story or subject? Is there even an audience out there who will buy your book? With nearly 30 books being released in the U.S. every hour of every day, the competition is fierce. If you plan to sell your book to the reading public, make sure you will have a customer base before you put your time and money into publishing a book.

5. Draw an outline for your book before you begin. A well drawn out outline will keep you focused on your total project. Outline your story or information. For fiction book writing, an outline of your plot, when to introduce your characters, and path of the story, that is, the beginning, middle, and ending placed into chronological order. For non-fiction book writing, the same applies. Organize your information into a logical and useful order.

6. Choose your title carefully. Not only is a catchy title a must, but for non-fiction and some fiction books, your title words will most likely be used as “key words” when a potential book buyer searches the Internet for a book similar to yours.

7. Once your book is complete, find a professional editor to fix your mistakes. Spell Check in your writing software is not enough to handle the job.

Carol Denbow is the author of five books, including A Book Inside, How to Write, Publish, and Sell Your Story, available at Amazon.com. She is also a regular contributor to numerous writers’ websites and newsletters and has been a featured guest on radio and television.

Please visit Carol’s Websites at Author’s Box at http://www.authorsbox.com and Books By Denbow at http://www.booksbydenbow.weebly.com.

Avoiding the I, Oh and You

By Carol Denbow
When new authors write non-fiction, they will often base their subject matter on personal experiences. One mistake commonly made, is the over use of the word “I” in the beginning of sentences. “I know this because I’ve been there, done that.” Or, “I did it this, or that way.” Over use of “I” can make your work sound self-absorbing; not something you should want to portray to your readers—especially if your plans include a follow-up edition. Try finding other words to begin your sentences, such as, “Having learned my self, I tried it this way, and it seemed to work.”

Another word or “phrase” really, to avoid beginning a sentence with, “Oh, by the way,…” Before you add this to your text, sit back and decide if it is really necessary to make your point. “I went to the grocery store and they don’t have beans. Oh, by the way, they didn’t have rice either.” Instead, how about, “When I went to the grocery store they didn’t have beans or rice.” Play with your sentences and try to hone in on your creativity.

“You should try fishing on the Rouge River.” Sounds a bit like your insisting I do what you ask. How about, “Fishing on the Rouge River is great.” It’s okay to address your reader in a personal manner, but overuse of the same word, such as, “you,” might begin to sound aggressive in tone; try sounding more suggestive rather than forceful.

Over use of any words makes your manuscript sound repetitive and unprofessional. The wonderful thing about this computer age (specifically Thesaurus), is that the dictionary is at our disposal at all times—use it! If you just can’t “find the words,” you certainly should be able to with the help of your writing software.

To complete and publish your own book, read A Book Inside, How to Write, Publish, and Sell Your Story available through AuthorsBox.com, Amazon.com, or wherever fine books are sold.

Visiting editors and writers! Please feel free to correct me or add your own comments on this topic below through the comment link.

The Secret to Success: The Writing Phase

Dreaming of becoming the next best-selling author? Hoping to move thousands upon thousands of books on your own? Before putting that pen to paper, do some research! Success at any level is determined long before the book is written.

It is said that a fiction author writes out of passion while a non-fiction author writes with profit in mind. While this is not the case every time, non-fiction writers tend to possess a target audience or marketing strategy before they begin. Their research is based on a perceived need. So, before we pour our heart and soul into a project, we need to confirm that an audience awaits our work.

Two factors determine most book purchases- author reputation and subject matter. Most readers are faithful to a handful of authors, which places an unknown at a distinct disadvantage. A new author stands a better chance when the subject matter is the primary concern. However, he or she will still face competition. The writer must possess the necessary expertise to stand out from other masters in the field.

The first step in determining marketability is selecting a genre. The Book Industry Systems Advisory Committee lists forty-six major categories and numerous subcategories. We must locate a genre that fits our proposed book, or perhaps several general categories. It is one thing in this industry to appear unique, but a book without a genre will only die in obscurity.

Now we must determine if our genre possesses an audience. This requires that we research the book industry, both online and physical. We must discover the current trends and confirm our editorial niche. Who is our competition? Which authors and publishers boast similar works? We must ascertain if we possess the required expertise and can produce a book that falls within the word count of our genre. This step is vital, because we can’t prepare for battle if we don’t understand the enemy.

Ultimately, we must consider the marketability of our work. How many books are currently available on the topic? Is our niche too big or too small? A book that teaches cats how to dance might have little appeal beyond the country’s crazy cat ladies! Our subject must attract a reasonably sized audience, but we can’t make the appeal too broad. No one has ever written a book every wants! The wider the audience, the more difficult it will be to focus our promotions. It is better to stay with a target market that is clear and defined.

Once we’ve established a market for our book, we need to create a reader profile. Basically, who are these people? Determine details such as age, gender, location, income bracket, and lifestyle. We may find our book has a regional appeal or is more apt to be read by women than men. A reader profile fills in these little details.

One of the most important aspects is the recreational activity of our audience. Where does our potential reader shop? What magazines does this person read? What websites or blogs does our audience visit, and do they frequent social sites? Our books must be available where our readers shop, both on and offline, and this does not always entail a bookstore. These details are vital if we want to reach our target market. Our promotional efforts need to focus on these items and specific locations. Why waste time with interviews or articles if they do not reach our target audience?

Not all book sales are created equal, either! One market we need to consider is large-volume sales to businesses. Will our book tie in with an organization or non-profit group? Would it make an excellent gift or sales incentive for a business? Could our book be required reading at an academic level? Selling 5000 books to one group is easier than selling the same amount of books to 5000 individuals. Explore this option in depth, especially if the work is non-fiction. A large pre-publication sale would be quite comforting indeed!

We cannot overlook the power of endorsements, either. Create a list of individuals or businesses that might endorse the book. Look to other experts in the field. We should not be afraid to approach qualified professionals in our field of work- we’ll never know unless we ask! Consider authors of the genre as well. Endorsements and blurb from these experts will add to a book’s appeal, solidifying our credibility and ultimately boosting sales.

The writing phase is the best time to consider possibilities beyond the initial book, too. We need to think long-term! Will there be magazine excerpts? Do we foresee foreign rights and multiple translations? Perhaps even a movie or television event connected with the book? These situations may appear larger than life, but even possibilities as simple as an E-book, book on CD, or the potential of a continuing series should be considered. A great idea often spawns other inventions or tie-in products. The money created outside of the actual books by a certain wizard series should be motivation enough for the rest of us to think beyond our initial book!

The final item to consider is our publishing path. Most author hopefuls complete their book and then wonder what to do next! Before we finish our masterpiece, we should decide if we want to submit our work to a publisher or do it on our own. Those seeking publication should form a list of presses currently accepting our genre. Explore the Literary Market Place or Writer’s Market, and visit each publisher’s website for submission guidelines. Those intending to self-publish need to read every publishing and promoting book on the market and conduct extensive online research. Regardless of our chosen path, we need to understand the book industry if we hope to be successful.

To a writer, there is no greater joy than the act of writing. We can’t forget the big picture, though! Without a marketable product, a target audience, or a publishing plan, our creation will never see the light of day. If we do the research first, we’ll give ourselves a better chance for success.

Article contributed by Author & Professional Speaker, L. Diane Wolfe, www.spunkonastick.net, www.thecircleoffriends.net

Please leave any comments for Ms. Wolfe below.