Sunday, November 30, 2008
New section of articles by BPNW members
Recognizing that Book Publishers Northwest's members have wealth of knowledge to share, we've started a new section of informational articles by our members. Click on the link in the right-hand column to see the latest offering from our members.
Friday, November 28, 2008
HOW TO: Turn A Blog Post Into a Podcast for Free
Another useful article on Mashable about converting blog posts into audio files that can be downloaded through iTunes.
HOW TO: Convert Your Blog Into a Podcast on iTunes for Free
Posted using ShareThis
HOW TO: Convert Your Blog Into a Podcast on iTunes for Free
Posted using ShareThis
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
11 Sites to Make Money Selling Old Gadgets
Mashable is one of your editor's favorite sources of new and wonderful ideas available around the Internet.
If you're thinking of clearing out the office this month, consider how that old equipment might be reused or recycled or just earn you a little extra cash:
11 Sites to Make Money Selling Old Gadgets
Posted using ShareThis
If you're thinking of clearing out the office this month, consider how that old equipment might be reused or recycled or just earn you a little extra cash:
11 Sites to Make Money Selling Old Gadgets
Posted using ShareThis
Monday, November 24, 2008
Why You Should Apply for Pub U Scholarship
A Word about IBPA’s Publishing University (Pub-U)
Gail Sexton here, of Raston Publishing. I was the 2008 Book Publishers Northwest recipient of the Independent Book Publishers Association’s Pub-U scholarship. Each year IBPA accepts entries and chooses one winner from each affiliate. The scholarship includes the cost of attending the full conference ($775 for non-members, $675 for members) as well as a badge to attend BEA ($55.) You’d think that would be enough, but the scholarship includes a $500 stipend to be reimbursed after the conference! Niiiiiccce.
Do whatever you have to do to go – it is transformational. It’s the difference between reading about Italy and going to Italy. Reading about Italy is educational, going to Italy changes you. If you’re serious about being a member of the larger publishing community, this is the place to be. If you’ve previously submitted for the scholarship, submit again! This year there were over 100 industry professionals who donated their time to Pub-U to give practical industry advice as well as tons of inspiration. They enjoy getting to know the up and coming as much as we enjoy rubbing shoulders with them!
Remember, Book Expo America (BEA) begins right at the tail end of Pub-U, and in 2009 we’ll all be in New York City! I’ll be going on my own dime in 2009, because it’s that fabulous. Go, go, GO!! Go to Pub-U and BEA. Plan and budget now. Invest in your life, inspire your passion, connect with your publishing community, put your toe in the water – let yourself belong.
Be open. If you don’t go in, you can’t find out.
Gail Sexton here, of Raston Publishing. I was the 2008 Book Publishers Northwest recipient of the Independent Book Publishers Association’s Pub-U scholarship. Each year IBPA accepts entries and chooses one winner from each affiliate. The scholarship includes the cost of attending the full conference ($775 for non-members, $675 for members) as well as a badge to attend BEA ($55.) You’d think that would be enough, but the scholarship includes a $500 stipend to be reimbursed after the conference! Niiiiiccce.
Do whatever you have to do to go – it is transformational. It’s the difference between reading about Italy and going to Italy. Reading about Italy is educational, going to Italy changes you. If you’re serious about being a member of the larger publishing community, this is the place to be. If you’ve previously submitted for the scholarship, submit again! This year there were over 100 industry professionals who donated their time to Pub-U to give practical industry advice as well as tons of inspiration. They enjoy getting to know the up and coming as much as we enjoy rubbing shoulders with them!
Remember, Book Expo America (BEA) begins right at the tail end of Pub-U, and in 2009 we’ll all be in New York City! I’ll be going on my own dime in 2009, because it’s that fabulous. Go, go, GO!! Go to Pub-U and BEA. Plan and budget now. Invest in your life, inspire your passion, connect with your publishing community, put your toe in the water – let yourself belong.
Be open. If you don’t go in, you can’t find out.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
November 20 Meeting: Promoting Fiction
Janey Bennett shares what works and what doesn’t in promoting fiction. November 20, 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., Good Shepherd Center, 4649 Sunnyside N., Room 221, Seattle, Washington.
Marketing mainstream fiction is not the same as marketing non-fiction. Your book will be tossed into the sharktank with ALL the other mainstream fiction books, and the fight for survival can be fierce.
When BPNW member Janey Bennett’s publisher announced that he was going back to graduate school and that all the marketing of her novel, The Pale Surface of Things, in both Canada and the US would be up to her, she began an education in fiction-marketing from point zero.
Fifteen months later, Bennett is a veteran of a fiction campaign including blogging, voice interviews on internet and cable (i.e., Sirius and Voice of America), book tours, trade shows, ad campaigns, bookclub discussions, and readings in churches and private homes. Pale Surface has received seven book-industry awards, is nearly through its first print run of 4,000, and will have a re-designed cover for its next print run.
Considering publishing fiction or already have novel or two on your list? Come to this meeting to learn more about how to promote your titles.
THE PALE SURFACE OF THINGS
by Janey Bennett
HOPEACE PRESS
ISBN 978-0-9734007-2-4
www.palesurfaceofthings.com
Grand Prize Second Place for All Fiction, Next Generation Indie Book Award
Gold Medal Winner, Multicultural Fiction Next Generation Indie Book Award
Gold Medal Winner, Multicultural Fiction USA BookNews BEST BOOK Award
Gold Medal Winner, Multicultural Fiction Indie Excellence Book Award
Gold Medal Winner, Best Use of Environmental Materials, PubWest Book Design Award
Silver Medal Winner, Multicultural Fiction & Non-Fiction, Nautilus Book Awards
Honorable Mention, General Fiction, Beach Book Festival Awards
Marketing mainstream fiction is not the same as marketing non-fiction. Your book will be tossed into the sharktank with ALL the other mainstream fiction books, and the fight for survival can be fierce.
When BPNW member Janey Bennett’s publisher announced that he was going back to graduate school and that all the marketing of her novel, The Pale Surface of Things, in both Canada and the US would be up to her, she began an education in fiction-marketing from point zero.
Fifteen months later, Bennett is a veteran of a fiction campaign including blogging, voice interviews on internet and cable (i.e., Sirius and Voice of America), book tours, trade shows, ad campaigns, bookclub discussions, and readings in churches and private homes. Pale Surface has received seven book-industry awards, is nearly through its first print run of 4,000, and will have a re-designed cover for its next print run.
Considering publishing fiction or already have novel or two on your list? Come to this meeting to learn more about how to promote your titles.
THE PALE SURFACE OF THINGS
by Janey Bennett
HOPEACE PRESS
ISBN 978-0-9734007-2-4
www.palesurfaceofthings.com
Grand Prize Second Place for All Fiction, Next Generation Indie Book Award
Gold Medal Winner, Multicultural Fiction Next Generation Indie Book Award
Gold Medal Winner, Multicultural Fiction USA BookNews BEST BOOK Award
Gold Medal Winner, Multicultural Fiction Indie Excellence Book Award
Gold Medal Winner, Best Use of Environmental Materials, PubWest Book Design Award
Silver Medal Winner, Multicultural Fiction & Non-Fiction, Nautilus Book Awards
Honorable Mention, General Fiction, Beach Book Festival Awards
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Affiliate Scholarships Now Being Accepted
Current members of Book Publishers Northwest are encouraged to apply for the Independent Book Publishers Association scholarship. The application can be found at:
http://www.ibpa-online.org/files/pdf/AffiliateScholarship.pdf
The IBPA Scholarship Program was implemented in 1997 to afford opportunity for individuals from the Affiliates to participate in IBPA’s primary learning session, the Publishing University, and to share what they have learned with other members of their group.
The Affiliate Scholarship is awarded to one representative from each IBPA affiliate allowing free access to IBPA’s Publishing University, which normally occurs the three days prior to BookExpo America in the host city of BEA. IBPA will also provide a $500 stipend to cover partially the cost of travel and/or accommodations for this event.
http://www.ibpa-online.org/files/pdf/AffiliateScholarship.pdf
The IBPA Scholarship Program was implemented in 1997 to afford opportunity for individuals from the Affiliates to participate in IBPA’s primary learning session, the Publishing University, and to share what they have learned with other members of their group.
The Affiliate Scholarship is awarded to one representative from each IBPA affiliate allowing free access to IBPA’s Publishing University, which normally occurs the three days prior to BookExpo America in the host city of BEA. IBPA will also provide a $500 stipend to cover partially the cost of travel and/or accommodations for this event.
Friday, November 14, 2008
It's All in the Display: Road Lessons from Basho
Greeting from Sandy, Utah!
I learned a valuable lesson on this tour at a very low "hard-knocks" cost. I spent the day Wednesday doing a string of courtesy calls at small independent NCIBA-member bookstores in northeast California and Reno, Nevada. A couple minutes after driving off from one of my stops, I heard a loud bang as though something heavy had fallen over in my trunk. I pulled over and checked my trunk: and all seemed well. It wasn't until I got to the next store 40 miles away and couldn't find my cardboard sample box that I realized what had happened. I had left it on the roof of the car at the last stop. It stayed there until I was out of town. Once I got up to highway speed, it flew off the car, hitting the trunk on its way to the ground.
Fortunately, there were only six copies total and some bookmarks and business cards left in the box: I was going to have to replenish it anyway. But how to carry books around for my remaining stops?
The only thing to do was dig out a wooden display case that was already set up for a future trade show. It holds five copies each of all eight of my titles and makes a very nice presentation. But I had never taken it in to a shop before. It's a bit weighty and there was no way to protect the books from the weather. At least it was a lovely day.
The response at my remaining four stops was fantastic. I sold ten copies outright at one store, and two others were checking ISBN numbers, saying they would put in an order with Partners West. One was the Barnes & Noble in Reno!
Presentation really is everything, and I will certainly keep doing this on my homeward stops. Who knows, I might start combing my hair too!
David Ash
Publisher, Basho Press
You can follow David's adventures at www.BookTour.com (search for "David Ash)
I learned a valuable lesson on this tour at a very low "hard-knocks" cost. I spent the day Wednesday doing a string of courtesy calls at small independent NCIBA-member bookstores in northeast California and Reno, Nevada. A couple minutes after driving off from one of my stops, I heard a loud bang as though something heavy had fallen over in my trunk. I pulled over and checked my trunk: and all seemed well. It wasn't until I got to the next store 40 miles away and couldn't find my cardboard sample box that I realized what had happened. I had left it on the roof of the car at the last stop. It stayed there until I was out of town. Once I got up to highway speed, it flew off the car, hitting the trunk on its way to the ground.
Fortunately, there were only six copies total and some bookmarks and business cards left in the box: I was going to have to replenish it anyway. But how to carry books around for my remaining stops?
The only thing to do was dig out a wooden display case that was already set up for a future trade show. It holds five copies each of all eight of my titles and makes a very nice presentation. But I had never taken it in to a shop before. It's a bit weighty and there was no way to protect the books from the weather. At least it was a lovely day.
The response at my remaining four stops was fantastic. I sold ten copies outright at one store, and two others were checking ISBN numbers, saying they would put in an order with Partners West. One was the Barnes & Noble in Reno!
Presentation really is everything, and I will certainly keep doing this on my homeward stops. Who knows, I might start combing my hair too!
David Ash
Publisher, Basho Press
You can follow David's adventures at www.BookTour.com (search for "David Ash)
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
More on Circle of Seven Productions
Sheila Clover English, CEO of Circle of Seven Productions, spoke to a packed meeting on November 11.
For those wanting to find out more about book video promotion, she provides a number of resources at her company's website: www.cosproductions.com.
Or watch this short video:
For those wanting to find out more about book video promotion, she provides a number of resources at her company's website: www.cosproductions.com.
Or watch this short video:
Book Video: Two Examples from Big River
Honor Due by D. H. Brown
Standing The Watch: The Greatest Gift by R. J. Brown
Standing The Watch: The Greatest Gift by R. J. Brown
Saturday, November 08, 2008
Members' Book Video: Crypt of the Moaning Diamond
The following book video was created for member Rosemary Jones with the help of a fellow author:
Book Publishers Northwest members are encouraged to share their book videos here.
Book Publishers Northwest members are encouraged to share their book videos here.
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