Guest Speaker; Daya Devi Doolin-Publishing

Today we have a guest speaker. It’s been a while since someone else has graced us with their presence so today we are sitting down with Daya Devi-Doolin and she will be speaking about Publishing.

Dominique Watson (DW): How are you affiliated with publishing?

Daya Devi-Doolin (DDD): I founded and formed a small press publishing company in 1989. I have given free advice to several would be authors during these past years and steered them in the right direction.  They have been very grateful. 

 

DW: You’ve published a book before, how has your experience in publishing been as an author?

 

DDD: Absolutely quite fulfilling, satisfying and worthwhile.  I travel cross country as a Speaker and Author, been a TV/Radio guest many times, been reviewed, interviewed for magazines and won awards for the information offered in my books that has been very inspiring for readers to change their lives.  The experience has also been a confirmation for many readers that they are on the right track.

 

DW: What are your do’s and dont’s when it comes to publishing? 

DDD: People want the easy way out and vanity and other like- forms of publishers have to be really scrutinized, and scruitinzed again by you.  If it doesn’t feel right, that’s the Holy Spirit speaking to you and you really need to heed the intuition capability you have and move on or talk to friends or find out background of the publishing company.  Do your research about publishers at libraries or go Online for answers to your questions and ask again of experienced authors what they think or know.  Listen.

 

DW: What are some common mistakes made in publishing?

 

DDD: Deciding to agree that a Print On Demand Publishing (POD) company can sell you your books back, making a profit off your books that you wrote and buy back from them and sign a contract that says you are “stuck” for 7 yrs with them.  Where does that decision feel good for you to you, within you?  You have to align with your vision in a Godly way and put God first and foremost in the plan and desire given you by God in the first place.  You aligning with the Will of God cannot make you unhappy, unsatisfied, displeased or unfulfilled in any way.

 

DW: How would a person get into the publishing business? What would be the steps?

 

DDD: Get your DBA Doing Business As – (Your Name as The Name of Your New Company.).  Advertise it in the Legal Notices Section of hometown newspaper.  If there are no leans on your property or bill collectors seeking you out to pay overdue bills, you get the go ahead within 3 days to open your bank account with your DBA company name.

Take the Legal Notice ad you took out in the newspaper which in most cases cost $11-$15, to your bank with you as proof of starting your business.  If you want a fictitious name for your business, you must file with the state a fictitious name form and pay between $35-50 and then place that notice in the papers for the same fee as above.

Go Online, sign up with R.R.Bowker after you get your DBA Doing Business As – (Your Name as The Name of Your New Company. and they will sell you a list ISBN Log numbers for you to use in each book your new company publishes.  Look up what ISBN means and how it works.  With their catalog of Books in Print you get to advertise for free that you now have books in print (once that actually happens) and libraries, bookstores, etc. will be aware of what’s new to look into. This gets you started. 

 

DW: Give your personal advice and tips on publishing.

 

DDD: Let your passion take you to the place that is already designed for you.  Your idea to start a publishing company already entails all the answers for you as you travel along with the above steps.  Many surprise packages await you as you tackle each step, each opportunity.  You may find after all that, you were led on the path you never knew existed for you and it’s taken you on a better and brighter path but you wouldn’t have found it if you hadn’t decided to take it in the first place.  So, give thanks and be grateful for everything, for every little gift you find along the way because these gifts are diamonds and emeralds in disguise.

 

 

I thought Daya gave really great info for this blog and being that we just had a Publisher’s List go up on Saturday, I think this fits right in.

 

Before we end today’s blog…

 

Wanna be a guest speaker on this blog? Click the link above in the navigation!

 

Signing Off,

Dominique

 

 

 

Guest Speaker; Phyllis Wilson

Today we have a  Guest Speaker!!! Phyllis Wilson! She will be speaking about Social Networking; something that is very important in our literary world.

She is a published author of “Top Ten Things to Consider”

Dominique Watson (DW): How do you use social networking to your advantage?

Phyllis Wilson (PW): I leverage the social networks to get the word out about my books.  This creates a buzz and is inexpensive.  It does require some time to develop, yet the return on investment has been good.

DW: What social networks help you the most?

PW: MySpace and Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, GoodReads, Ning just to name a few

DW: You would be remiss if you did not also use chat rooms, groups, and face-to-face social networking.

 DW: As a writer how you network and advertise your writing?

PW: I like to use GoodReads as a way to get critiques on my writing and network.  Also for networking and advertising, I try to also incorporate word-of-mouth from people who bought my book.  This helps with again keeping the buzz around my product.  You also cannot downplay the extreme usefulness and profitable of book signings and book stores as this gives you an opportunity to showcase your work on a personal level and further cement your following.

DW: What have you found to be the downfall of social networking?

PW: The only downfall I have found with social networking is that you have no way of gauging your audiences interest except for the increasing in fans or following.  This gauge does not necessarily return in book sales but provides exposure.

DW: What is your advice to someone who is new to social networking?

PW: Social Networking is only the tip of a very large iceberg.  You should have a comprehensive social networking plan that includes all the above that I mentioned as well as optimization for their use.  For example, targeted key words are imperative for those sites that use it as it will help to get your book or product in front of more readers.

DW: Thank you so much for joining us on The POV Loung.

PW: Thank You

Social networking is very important in our literary world. I hope that you are active in a social network and promoting yourself.

Before we end today’s blog…

Wanna be a guest speaker on our blog?  http://fromawriterspovcommunity.spruz.com/guest-speaker-inquiries.htm

Signing Off,

Dominique Watson

 

Guest Speaker; Verlalia Lewis

Our Guest Speakersd are back!!! We have two Guest Speakers scheduled for this month.

Today we are talking to Verlalia Lewis on PR.

Dominique Watson (DW): Tell us how you are involved in the PR Business.

Verlalia Lewis (VL): I am involved in the PR for my book as my budget would not allow the hiring of a professional.  However I do have the luxury of guidance from a colleague who is in the PR business.

DW: In your own words, what does a PR provide an author or business owner? 

VL: The PR professional has a huge role in the preparation of internal and external communications in a business and external communications of an author.  This includes media alerts, media requests and being a spokesperson or information source.  They also establish and maintain relationships with representatives of the community, consumer, employee, and public interest groups and coach clients in effective communication with the public and/or with employees.  PR is heavily involved in the planning and execution of public appearances, lectures, contests, or promotions for clients to increase product and service awareness or influence public opinion.  They can also identify trends and key group interests or provide advice on business decisions, as well as consult with advertising agencies or staff to arrange or purchase promotional campaigns in all types of media for products, organizations, or individuals.  They are typically the expert in planning and conducting market research to test products or determine potential for product success.

DW: If someone were looking to get into this business, how would they go about doing that?

VL: I would suggest that they find a person that they believe in and request to be their PR person.  In addition, they could also benefit from being mentored or coached by an established PR person.

 DW: What are some mistakes you feel PR’s make?

VL: I think so some the mistakes that PR’s make are:

• Not having complete familiarity with their clients market
• Use too much social networking

DW: How should a PR price their services?

VL: There are various ways to price PR services and the most commonly used is the tiered package where several services are packaged together for one price.  I find it extremely helpful to plan for budgeting when you are able to purchase a package, however the PR person should also offer some services ala carte so as to make their offerings more personalized for a prospective client.

DW: What is one important tip that you have for someone looking for this service?

VL: Engage a PR person who has the credentials of client base with a similar market as your product or business.  This allows you to benefit from the past mistakes or missed opportunities that the PR person had and leverage to your benefit.

Before we end today’s blog…

Wanna be a guest speaker on our blog? http://fromawriterspovcommunity.spruz.com/guest-speaker-inquiries.htm

Signing Off,

Dominique Watson

 

Guest Speaker; Bob Zehmer; Enhancing your writing in the New Year

Today we have a guest speaker. Bob J Zehmer. As many of you know, we’ve been focusing on The New Year and preparing ourselves for the New Year in a literary way.  Bob will be speaking about Enhancing your writing in the New Year.

Here’s a little about Bob as an author: “The first book was called Gist & Zest and it is a poem based on an inquiry of our societies (after travelling around the world) The second book is Blue Opera Rock, a novel recently out that deals with the power of rock and roll music to gather people and render a sense of awareness and freedom by exploring various issues: economy, political situation, terrorism, organised crime and some more trouble our world is trapped in.” Read his interview below:

Dominique Watson (DW): Thank you so much for contributing to The POV Lounge. Tell us what type of writer you are. What genre do you write?

Bob Zehmer (BZ): First of all let me tell you it’s a honor to me to be your guest at The POV Lounge. I think it’s a good and a powerful mean to diffuse culture and make writers known.

I started writing in my early teens, some poems and brief tales were my favorite subjects. My love for writing got born from the passion my mom was able to convey on me about literature and theater and because I began as a young boy to listen to rock and roll music. I was astonished by the energy you could get from those lyrics, especially those that would draw fairy-like scapes. Then I grew up and I fell in love with the French Symbolism Movement and my way to write commenced to give hints of it. Of course I knew and loved the Classics and – how could I have missed him – the Great William Shakespeare. Again I’d dare mention Arthur Rimbaud, P. B. Shelley, William Wordsworth, Oscar Wilde, Paul Èluard, Garcia Lorca, José de Espronceda and many others. Coming to our own days I love the late lamented Frank McCourt, for his freshness, his sincerity and profound humanity and the wild lizard king James Douglas Morrison, as a matter of fact he was a refined poet before he was a Rockstar. Well, paradoxically, I like to read thrillers but I am not particularly inclined to write that genre, I’d rather speak of social questions, ethics, encroachment, equality and freedom than fancy thrilling stories, even if I outlined, and maybe more than only outlined, some gripping crime history in the narration of my latest novel. Of course how could I have failed to write about rock and roll? That’s why my recent book is called Blue Opera Rock and, so as not to talk at cross purposes, it is a little bit of all I’ve just said.

DW: What advice would you have for a writer looking to get into your genre of writing?  

BZ: I don’t even know what genre should be catalogued my sort of writing, I see some sellers locate my book in the contemporary fiction section, others in the political fiction and so on, even thriller as far as I could notice. Well I express literature, trying to do my best and speaking of all the good and bad I perceive in this world, no matter whether I use an immediate language or symbols or what else. What do I say to other writers that may love this genre? Well, everybody that wants to be called a writer should care about what happens before their eyes; environment is my home, so how on earth could I be careless when someone attempts to its wellbeing? Again, organized crime is against humankind, I dare not say it recks me not. To live estranged is a kind of crime a writer cannot afford.

DW: How do you incorporate writing into your daily life? Or are you a fulltime writer?

BZ: Well, I’d like to be a fulltime writer but I can’t. Anyway, I am a lucky man since my job allows me to stay in touch with phenomena like economy, law, sociology, history and more cultural resources that undoubtedly help you keep your alert status on and your mind trained, not to mention that I use to travel frequently. So, I get my subjects and characters from that breeding ground our churning societies are today. That’s why I’m always jotting down as I happen to get the chance.

DW: What are some tips that you can tell a writer to help them do a better job at their craft in 2010?

BZ: Look, we are living is such an epoch making change that the air is quite filled with hints and signs that you are not going to risk to go clueless. Climate change, economy change, wars and insurrections the world over, energy crisis, human rights infringement, rogue states, criminal associations of white collars and brutal gangsters, famine, children and women that are being vexed up to now and minorities that are being mistreated. None of us can say we’re hard pressed for subjects.

DW: What are your personal goals in enhancing your writing career in 2010?

BZ: One of the most important points it’s to reach the greatest number of people you can. Sure, the Internet is a good mean to get this fixed. But I don’t think I have to involve people to get them reading my books because I am such a guru they have to listen to. I’m far more interested into getting in touch with people so as to compare ideas and learn much more than I know by the time being. Improving your writing career should be like getting better your culture, having a chance to gain knowledge of different ways to think and live, being able to express your humanity to meet the other’s humanity. We have to redraw the borders of freedom in this world of abuse and I hope I would be able to contribute to it with my next novel.

DW: You are a published author. What do you plan to do differently to market your book in 2010?

BZ: My previous book was a poem and I knew from the start that writing poems doesn’t let you be sitting pretty, but I was far more eager to get published so as to see my verses printed and I didn’t care to push the business side. Now this book is a novel and I place confidence in it, because I recognize that if you want to keep writing you need to have some followers. So, unless you are a big shot, someone that makes publishers want to invest a lot of money to echo your work, you must be prepared to a lengthy process; now question is how to cut through endless, say, redtape? Well, increasing your presence in the web could be a viable walk to reach your goal. You may find my books in some bookstores but if they don’t take place in the eminent positions how come you get in and ask for buying one of them? To cut a long story short, the Internet is a valid new media to get yourself known by many people, then, let’s take advantage of it.

DW: Looking at the past year, how will 2010 be different for you on a literary aspect?

BZ: Well, what to say? I started another book, but I don’t want to speak about it seeing the huge job I have to do to make myself known at this very moment. I’ve said it, I don’t care to write a blockbuster, I am engaged into refining my art of writing, my aptitude of understanding and my audacity at picking the change.  My best wishes for a Happy New Year 2010 to everybody and specially to emerging authors so that may find their own way.

Thanks Bob for stopping in to The POV Lounge. I hope that you all are making changes for the New Year!

Before we end today’s blog…

Be a guest speaker on the POV Lounge: http://thepovlounge.wordpress.com/be-a-guest-speaker/

Signing Off,

Dominique Watson

 

Guest Speaker: T.S. Jones

Today we have a guest speaker. T.S. Jones also known as Tabitha S. Jones. Her area of expertise is Writing Inspirational Fiction, Inspirational speaking and Teaching. She is also the author of “Everything But The Ring” Today she will be speaking about being your own publicist.

Dominique Watson (DW): Thank you so much for doing the interview. Explain how one could become its own publicist?
Tabitha Jones (TJ): The job of a publicist is to manage and provide publicity for individuals who are trying to market a product or an event. In order to become one’s own publicist requires an individual to do intensive research to find out how to market to the audience that the product caters to. There are millions of events, publications, and online communities that generate information daily about a number of different topics and have established a large following. The key is identifying which topics are relevant to the product that you are trying to market. I strongly encourage networking with other individuals who have had experience with promoting your genre, and finding out which sources resulted in the most success. Doing so saves lots of time, money and stress, because it allows you to streamline your list of promotional opportunities, while achieving more desireable results.

DW: As an author, how do you promote your book?
TS: A large misconception about being a published author is that once you acheive the goal of obtaining an agent, a publisher, or your book becomes available on Amazon and Barnes and Noble, that the book will pretty much sell itself. This could not be further from the truth! I just released my debut novel Everything But The Ring, in January of this year, and I quickly learned that if my book wasn’t promoted it would not sell. Promoting my book has become a daily routine. Whether I’m at the grocery store, the mall, or visiting with family and friends, somehow I find a way to make sure I let individuals know about my novel. I keep business cards on me at all times so that I am able to quickly provide those that I speak to with my contact information to include the web address where information about my novel can be located. In addition to word of mouth, I believe in utilizing social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter in order to reach a larger audience. I also have multiple book signings with various bookstores, and signings during other social events that relate to the topic of my novel. I’ve reached out to sororites, churches, and other organizations who are willing to feature authors.  News publications, press releases, newsletters, book reviews and videoblogs are also priceless. As a fiction author, I’ve found that my strongest supporters tend to be bookclubs. As a member of a bookclub I know that we are always looking for quaility books to read, so who better to market your book to than those who have a love for reading books!

DW: What do think are some mistakes authors make when promoting their own book?
TS: I think the number one mistake authors make when promoting their own book is not promoting enough! There are hundreds of books released every year, and yours may be the one that readers would love to read, but if they don’t know it exists it will get overlooked. Promoting takes boldness, persistance, and dedication. As an author it is important to keep your eyes open for any and every possible opportunity to promote your book, and not being afraid to reach out to individuals who are the gatekeepers to many excellent promotional opportunities for authors, such as book club organizers, radio show hosts, and others who work in the field of media daily. Many of these opportunities can be taken advantage of for free, or simply require submission of a copy of your book.

DW: If someone wanted to go into business of being a publicist, how would they do that?
TS: In order to go into business as a publicist, gaining experience is a must! Working for a PR firm as an intern or employee would be a great start for obtaining some hands on knowledge of the industry. It would also allow interested parties to develop connections with people currently working in media relations, as well as local news reporters. Developing written and oral communication skills is also a necessity. This can be accomplished through taking courses in journalism, English, and Communication. Building a portfolio is also key. Anyone who is considering becoming a publicist should consider providing unpaid publicity services in an effort to establish a solid reputation for themselves. Most people desire to have an experienced publicist and will request to see previous work samples, or may even seek referrals from individuals who you have done work for in the past, which is why building experience and relationships is crucial to the success of your business as a publicist.

DW: What are some important factors when being your own publicist?
TS: Remember that becoming a successful publicist takes time, maybe even years to acheive. It is important to learn from mistakes, and build on positive results. The advantage to being your own publicist is that you have the power to market to an audience that you have researced personally and can have the confidence that your marketing efforts will not be in vain.

There are lots of excellent PR Firms and publicists available, but you may be surprised to find that many of them are not as knowledgeable about your audience as you may be. If you are working on a limited budget, I strongly recommend doing your own research and developing yourself as your own publicist until you have exhausted all of your resources. Once your budget allows, hiring a publicist will greatly compliment your efforts. As an author, you must always remember to be your number one supporter!

I am so grateful to be able to have T.S. on the blog today! We always need as much advice as we can get. Leave your comments and feeback on the interview and let us know what you’re thinking on the subject!

Before we end today’s blog…

Be a guest speaker on the POV Lounge: http://thepovlounge.wordpress.com/be-a-guest-speaker/

Signing Off,

Dominique Watson

 

Online Business Conference/Pamela King

Today From A Writer’s POV will be hosting the first conference of our three day business conference. Today’s speaker is Pamela King. She will be speaking about radio interviews and how to get interviewed.

This conference is free. Anyone is allowed to attend. You must first join our network at www.fromawriterspov.ning.com You can RSVP here: http://fromawriterspov.ning.com/events/online-business

The next schedule conference is on November 11th with Dana Neal.

Hope to see you there!

Before we end today’s blog…

Read From A Writer’s POV November Edition!
http://www.fromawriterspovmagazine.com/

Signing Off,

Dominique Watson

 

Guest Speaker Sheila E. Lipsey; Editing & Writing

Today we have a guest speaker. Sheila E Lispey. She will be speaking to us about editing and writing. Read her interview below.

Dominique Watson (DW): Do you believe it’s important for writer’s to have some experience in editing?
Sheila Lipsey (SL): I do believe that it is important, and necessary, for writers to have a level of experience in editing. Placing words on paper does not constitute being a writer. A gifted, talented writer uses editing as an essential tool to weave a story that will captivate an agent, publisher, and reader.
DW: How does writing and editing go hand in hand for a writer?
SL: Writing and editing go hand in hand for a writer because the best plot, the most beautiful book cover, the most professional looking format, does not mean the book is going to be a great book. The well known saying, “don’t judge a book by its cover,” is true. A good book fits inside the cover of the book. It provides sustenance that can determine how much effort the writer has dedicated to make sure the manuscript is the best. Editing for a writer is as necessary as water is for human beings and basically all living creatures. Poor editing can destroy an author’s career, and readers will put the book down, never returning to it.
DW: When writers have to edit their own book, what is your advice on this? Any particular steps?
SL: When writer’s have to edit their own book, I advise them to read books by other successful authors who write in the same genre as the writer. It is necessary to know what editing involves. It is more than checking for punctuation, spelling and capitalization. Editing involves checking for content, layout, structure, character development, plot development, sentence structure and the flow of each word, sentence and paragraph. The particular steps I use when it comes to editing are basically simple. Editing is what pulls my stories together so that they deliver what I expect the story to deliver. I write my manuscript first instead of stopping to edit page after page or chapter after chapter. When my manuscript is completed, I rest for several days to allow the manuscript to saturate. I return to the manuscript for the editing process with a clearer mindset. In addition I maintain a library of books that offer some of the best editing information for writers (and editors).
DW: What is one mistake that writers make when editing?
SL: One mistake that writers make when editing is that many believe editing is overrated, when in actuality it is the most important step writers should take.
DW: Should writers hire editors? Why or why not?
SL: Writers should always have a professional editor to edit their manuscript. Writers can easily overlook mistakes with content, punctuation, structure, etc. because they know their story. Knowing the story means that the writer can easily lose sight of what is necessary to make their story ‘pop’. I believe editing is a service that is worth paying for, if you can locate a professional editor who truly knows the craft..
Editing is an essential tool for writers. Poor editing can ruin an established writer’s work; the lack of a good editing job can just as easily bring a halt to an aspiring writer’s work. Writers, especially published writers who have become authors, must invest in a good editor. They should know what type of editing the manuscript needs. There are many types of editors: copyeditors, acquisition editors, editorial consultants, content editors and proofreaders. It is a blessing when you find an editor who can do it all. Other times, it might be necessary to utilize the services of several editors. If editing is not taken seriously, poor editing or the lack thereof can land a manuscript in a pile that sits close by the paper shredder. Poor editing can send avid readers into a tizzy. Poor editing can be the determining factor that separates the wheat from the tare. Great editing of a manuscript can paint a picture so vivid, so clear and so satisfying that readers often become engaged in the book, essay, or whatever it is the writer addresses. Great editing makes the story easy to read and allows the story to flow. Editing is a must. It is not a choice. Publishers and agents want a well polished, edited manuscript. They will have editors to go over your manuscript again, and that’s fine. It goes to show the importance of editing. I have worked with aspiring and established authors. Some of them can turn out manuscript after manuscript within a short span of time. This is great, but it is disastrous if they have failed to edit their work properly. Another step I put to use is to have a draft reader, someone who reads the finished draft after the writer has completed the final round of self editing. A draft reader can point out grammatical errors, consistency and flow of the manuscript, if the reader is a good draft reader that is. Remember, editing should never be taken for granted. Don’t make it the responsibility of an editor on staff or a paid editor. It doesn’t matter if you pay an editor or if your publisher has staff editors, it is the writer’s responsibility to deliver the best of the best when they turn over their manuscript to these professionals.

DW: Thank you so much for doing the interview! I’m sure your info and advice is very helpful!
SL: I appreciate this opportunity. I am always humbled when others want to read what I write and hear what I have to say. It is a gift from God and another way He shows me that His favor is pouring all over my life.

I believe that editing is very important. How you get your work edited is a different story. This interview with Sheila was very helpful. As writer’s we always need to know the background of editing and how important it is in our work.
Before we end today’s blog….
Be a guest speaker on the lounge: http://fromawriterspov.webs.com/guestspeaker.htm
Signing Off,
Dominique Watson