April 2013

FROM INSPIRATION TO PUBLICATION AND BEYOND

Jenn J McLeod THINGS I HAVE LEARNT FROM STUFF
Aoife Brennan

WOMEN IN EPUBLISHING
Jaimee Brooker

WHAT IVE LEARNED FROM PROJECTS WHICH DIDNT GET UP

Hazel Edwards

LITERARY FESTIVALS A WRITERS SURVIVAL GUIDE

Sophie Masson

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CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

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FROM INSPIRATION TO PUBLICATION AND BEYOND Jenn J McLeod

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Jeannie Barker Founder & Editor Welcome to the third edition of Authorpreneur Magazine. Its been an exciting four months and I am humbled by the star quality or our contributing writers. Thank you all for making this magazine the fabulous resource it is. We have two feature author journeys this month. Jenn J McLeod tells a fascinating story of how she had her NaNoWriMo book published and how she embraced social media platform opportunities. Aoife Brennan shares how loosing stuff inspired her to just get on with it and write a book. Hazel Edwards provides some fantasitc advice on how writers can repurpose their written work that didint get published as hoped. We are welcomed into Nicky Johnstons creative space as she tells us how she remodelled her office. Sophie Masson gives us an inside look at writers festivals and provides some helpful dos and donts. In her regular Media Cents & Sensibility column, Christina Hamlett explains the value of earned media. Jaimee Brooker shares some fascinating insights on the the wordl of ePublishing and the women who are blazing the trail. Check out the book cover makeovers from Lauran Childs, Alyscia Cunningham, David Halliday, Leanna Harrow and Debra Jarvis. I take the UX Writer App for a test drive on the iPad... and love it! Highly recommend you check this one out if you write anything on your iPad. Lastly, a reminder to not miss the opportunity to win The Bestseller Incubator 7 week online coaching program with Rochelle Stone from Barefoot Basics. See the website for details. Entries close 30 April 2013. Until next time,

THINGS I HAVE LEARNT FROM STUFF Aoife Brennan

WHAT IVE LEARNED FROM PROJECTS WHICH DIDNT GET UP: A NEW WAY TO ANALYSE PROFIT & LOSS FOR WRITERS Hazel Edwards

I WRITE. . . Nicky Johnston

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LITERARY FESTIVALS A WRITERS SURVIVAL GUIDE Sophie Masson

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PAID ADVERTISING VS EARNED MEDIA Christina Hamlett

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WOMEN IN EPUBLISHING Jaimee Brooker

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BOOK COVER MAKEOVERS

UX WRITER APP Jeannie Barker

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How did you take your idea for a book from inspiration to product?
I had a dream. I had a deadline. I had a dictum (courtesy of Mr Mark Twain). And here it is:

in 30 days challenge. Twelve months later, and another 50,000 words, House for all Seasons was ready to submit or so I thought. My first publisher submission (while not successful) did attract the attention of a literary agent (my dream agent, in fact) and in September 2010 the day before my 50th birthday I signed with Curtis Brown Agency. Hoorah! Deadline met! Now what? Feedback from my agent encouraged me to rework certain parts of the manuscript, expanding and growing the story and the characters far beyond what I ever thought I could. I also took the time to develop my author platform. I knew that to cut through the clutter, an author had to have:

Twenty years from now, you will be more disappointed by the things that you didnt do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.

From Inspiration to Publication and Beyond

The deadline was a milestone birthday that was startlingly close. I was getting older by the second. Id already made the big sea / tree change a few years back. I bought a small cafe in a small town so I could get back to a simpler life, a gentler life, a life in the country. Although never having made a coffee in my life, coming from corporate Sydney I had drunk my share. I mean, how hard could it be to make one? (Hard! And I now have a new respect for small business operators and hospitality workers.) Living in regional NSW, the seasons have become my greatest inspiration and the idea of creating a story about four women, each as different as the seasons, came to me on a morning walk. Theres a liquidambar tree that I photographed over the course of the year (although the photos do not do the colours justice.) What better analogy than the seasons for a story that deals with change and growth. The seasons are about contrast and contrast makes great conflict and characters in a novel. With that kernel of an idea I glued my butt to a chair for the duration of the 2009 NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) and met the 50,000 words

by Jenn J McLeod

VISIBILITY - ability to be found by readers; REACH - the mechanism for getting in touch with an audience; and AUTHENTICITY - a relatable / credible platform.
More edits (and another 20,000 words, taking the final word count to 140,000 - phew!) the result was my debut novel, House for all Seasons, told in four parts: Tall Poppy, Surviving Summer, Amber Leaves and Wynters Way. Now Im published, I like to tell other Senior Card carrying pragmatists that publication doesnt have to be fiction. Publishing contracts happen every day, and to ordinary people just like me. Ive also learned the real business of being an author is not about book-signings and Sunday brunches. Mostly were hunched over a keyboard a kind of self-imposed solitary confinement developing addictions to coffee and chocolate and amusing ourselves with

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fictional friends rather than real ones. I might have thrown off those bowlines and set sail, but sometimes I still feel like a tiny cork bobbing on an ocean of wanna-be best-sellers. Sometimes, I find myself drowning in self-doubt and channelling Louisa May Alcott: I am not afraid of storms, for I am learning how to sail my ship. And learn I did... When your passion has been a hobby (lifelong or, like me, a midlife crisis) thinking of it as a business is awkward. But being an author requires both heart and head. New York Times Bestseller, Eloise James says: To be a successful writer, you must be half businessperson and half writer. And businessperson must come first. In other words, losing yourself in the romance of writing is not enough. The reality of being a published author is not all book signings and Sunday brunches. (Sad but true!)

careers. They contracted two books in 2012. My second book The Simmering Season (due March 2014) is a loosely linked novel set in the same fictional town I named Calingarry Crossing.

Did you publish in multiple formats or just print or eBook?

House for all Seasons is available in trade paperback (bookshops and online) and as an ebook on Amazon, iTunes, Kobo, etc.

What would you do differently next time?

Id throw off those bowlines and start my publishing journey much earlier. (Not at an age when a book title like Fifty Shades of Grey makes me think more about my hair colour rather than my love life!) Being a Linkedin, Blogging, Tweeting, Facebooking 53-year-old did not come easily and finding my way around the necessary social media side of the biz was a bigger challenge than writing the book. But engaging with readers is essential. Authors have to connect with readers because readers want to connect with authors and the numerous social media platforms available means they now can. While proud of my DIY website and my learn by trial and error method, I might have benefitted from a few courses. I might also have done a creative writing course. Interestingly, however, I heard Carrie Tiffany (Mateship With Birds) credit the networking opportunities (connecting with likeminded people) afforded by formal studies more beneficial than the actual creative writing studies. I might have read more. Ive heard it said that to be a great writer you must be a great reader. Finally, I might have been less fatalistic and more proactive. But the truth is I do believe everything has a time, a reason and, yes you guessed it, everything also has a season. I think it was J.K. Rowling who said (about getting published):

Did you have a plan or wing it?

Im not afraid of hard work and as an ex-corporate gal Im familiar with words such as planning, objectives, strategic thinking, and goal setting, even though I was never a great planner, preferring to fly by the seat of my pants. That goes for my writing as well. Im a loud and proud pantster. That is, I fly by the seat of my pants no planning, no plotting. Just an idea, a title, a tagline and NaNoWriMo a process that demands no editing, no daily revisions, and no pedantic perfecting; just get as many words on paper as you can every day. Thats how I wrote the first draft of House for all Seasons my debut novel.

Did you choose to selfpublish or take the traditional publishing path?

I was fortunate my House for all Seasons found a home with Simon & Schuster Australia who were looking to grow some local (Aussie) author
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Its hard work and luck, and that the first often leads to the second. For me it was also about being ready that luck happens when opportunity and preparedness meet and when my season came around I was as ready as I knew how to be, although not for the rollercoaster that would follow. So whats really changed for me since March 1 when House for all Seasons hit the shelves? Im still hunched over a keyboard in a kind of self-imposed solitary confinement and developing addictions to coffee and chocolate, only now Ive developed new addictions to Amazon rankings, Goodreads star ratings, and sales figures. People probably think that having the ultimate affirmation a published novel makes a writer feel six-feet tall and want to brag. No! I actually am six-feet tall and the thought of spruiking about myself and my work is more likely to have me shrinking into the closest corner because, as Ive discovered, its when that groundswell starts to form as your book hits the shelves and reviews start coming in that a writer can feel the most vulnerable. One minute youre swept up in a tsunami of promotion: guest blogs, bookshop signings, Twitter storms (I wish!). You are living the dream and riding so high until... Until that wave of expectations reader, publisher, family, friends ... your own flips your stomach

inside out; the kind of dumping wave that turns you in every direction and leaves you gasping for breath. Thats where I am right now, trying to breathe, desperate to know if Im meeting everyones expectations. Yes, book blogger and reader reviews are coming in and they are GREAT! But are they as great as Author Bs or Author Cs reviews? Why did that newspaper not review MY book? Are my sales good enough? Have they justified the promotional spend? Will all this affect book two? Will there be a book three? Breathe, Jenn! Just breath!

Jenn J McLeod
Jenn J McLeod - author of contemporary Australian fiction - released her debut novel on March 1, 2013. House for all Seasons is the first in a two-book deal with Simon & Schuster. Discover more at www.jennjmcleod. com. (And, of course, on Linkedin, Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, Google+ (and anything else the tech gurus have invented in the time it took to write this article!) www.jennjmcleod.com

Jenn has a number of author portraits with a country theme on her website TIP: Make it easy for the media to access information about you and images for articles / interviews

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I looked at my talents and writing is my passion. . . so I wrote a bonk buster. A real page turner with lots of steamy sex.

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Things I have learnt from STUFF or rather the lack thereof!

by Aoife Brennan
The majority of our spiritual leaders had nothing. Or if they had stuff, they gave it away. Jesus, Ghandi, the Dalai Lama were known for the little they had. They did not build massive churches, erect huge edifices or pour vast statues of themselves. They were not commercial. They did not need stuff. Stuff was the stuff that got in the way of the real stuff. We all know that. We all know that to truly be oneself, one has to shed belongings and find the true path, preferably without designer gear, cool wheels and the latest iPad. We know that, but to lose the stuff you have is not so easy, especially when it is not done on a voluntary basis. I wouldnt have minded if I had chosen to give away my worldly goods, shave a tonsure on my head, don a hairsuit and walk the pavements. If I had chosen? I mean, if I had chosen then I would have felt sanctimonious, cool and really, really special. I think I might have even walked on water! Freedom definitely comes from giving away your stuff and relying on your core. But what if you didnt choose to give it away and it is taken anyway? Is that called being robbed, mugged or just recessed (as in recession)? So when I lost all my possessions, one by one, then the rest in a great big flood of things, I stood in the receding wake like a tsunami victim. Waving not drowning, yet I was drowning in the loss. I thought my world had come to an end. A commercial end and me with it. But I learnt two very important things after my own personal tsunami-letting of goods. The first is that things are not important. I knew that before. I was never very brand focused before, preferring shoddy to chic. Shabby-chic I called it. My ex called it cheap as chips - that is just one of the reasons he is my ex. But going from not being particularly bothered about things to not having them at all is a pretty emotional experience. I minded less the loss than the fact that my two children were unprotected and vulnerable. Losing for me was tough, but I felt losing for them was devastating. Not that they complained but I felt such the inadequate parent. They never moaned or asked for things out of the ordinary, and indeed often spent their own birthday money on necessities such was their acceptance of our combined financial stress. Id like to say at this point it was cathartic, but I cant. I did not choose to lose my worldly goods, such as they were, and I did not feel the better for their loss. Quite the opposite. Guilt was strapped onto me tight as a backpack. I fretted over shoes for the children, tickets for outings, monthly shopping bills. I agonised over meeting friends over wine, but I still did it, and agonised all the more afterwards. What? You bad mother you, that bottle of wine would have bought face wipes, stewing meat, insert whatever six euro substitute you can find. Someone may have said once that life is too short to drink bad wine. Id answer and say you drink to your price range and now, yes, I was cheap as chips. Knowing that things were not important allowed me to let go of the big things in my life, my home, my life savings, my security. But knowing I had children meant I had guilt every step of the way. I thought, frequently, if I were sick or they needed an operation, what would happen. Or even if they wanted something frivolous, what would happen. Oh, how easily your expectations are cut short and curtailed like the clipped wing on a bird of prey. But I always knew things are not important. If I won the lottery in the morning, I would not go out and buy stuff. In fact, and very ironically, my ex and used to fight over imaginary lottery wins as I would threaten to give away at least two thirds of it but this was fictional winnings, maybe I might have been a lot greedier with the real stuff. I think, however, if I did win the lottery now, I might pop into Primark and

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buy some dresses. I might book a holiday but not very far and exotic, and preferably with family. I might buy a Micra with power steering. Oh, go on I might buy a nicer car. But not much nicer. Nice enough! So I have learnt that even forcibly removing goods from a person is tough, but you can survive. I cannot claim to have learnt any deep stuff from this shit. I probably should be able to point to a moment and a feeling and say - Yes that is when I knew who I was or some sort of thing. I cant. I cant even claim to feel good about hitting the bottom, because I have hit more bottoms than Mr Grey, without any pleasure, and I see no sign of that downslide abating yet! But it has reinforced my knowledge that possessions are much less important than things, experiences and people. Always people. But I always knew that Universe, so why did you take everything away? I can only hope so you can give it back, tenfold! Lol However, while I know that stuff is not important. Hey, I was brought up by two great parents and a brother, so I knew that, but I learnt something else, something quite surprising. Youd think that losing everything would make me very weak and vulnerable. It would turn me into a church-mouse who was scared of everything. I would be looking over my shoulder at shadows, jumping at noises in the bushes and terrified of authority. It didnt. Actually the opposite was true. Now dont get me wrong, I have spent nights crying myself to sleep, I have spent days unable to get out of bed, I have walked in a daze and known no one before me. But I am not afraid. I admit to being scared. I worry about the future (although I recognise that is futile in itself). I alternate between great enthusiasm when I wake, to extreme tiredness at the end of day, and yet still fail to sleep through a full night. But I am not afraid. So, I looked at my talents and writing is my passion.
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While gainfully employed I had no time to write. Now, I had nothing to distract me, so, I took out my metaphorical pen and I wrote a bonk buster. A real page turner with lots of steamy sex. When I say steamy, a recent reviewer said I made 50shades look positively monochrome by comparison. But the difference is that I put my heart and soul into the book. It is a book about a 40 year old woman coming to terms with life, children, dating and basically holding the can. I thought long and hard about this writing, especially the steamy side of it, but I knew at the end of the day I am not afraid. Of course, my two children are mortified. They are teenagers and the thought of their mother writing about sex is terrible, worse than if I was found guilty of shoplifting at Aldi. I dont blame them but I am not afraid of them either, or rather their reaction. I have two more books in this fun and racy series that I am writing now. And do you know the nicest thing? This is fiction. I can write the ending and while I lead my main character through the valley of death, despair and trouble, I am giving her a fabulous ending! Oh the power of the pen! So, when possessions depart - and bravery enters by the main door - then it is time to write!

Aoife Brennan

Aoife Brennan is 42 years of age. She lives with her two teenage boys in Dublin. Dublin is a small city so she is (creatively) keeping her face out of the way of the camera. Aoife blogs her 'random thoughts' on The Cougar Diaries blog thecougardiariesireland. wordpress.com

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What Ive Learned from Projects Which Didnt Get Up: A New Way to Analyze Profit and Loss for Writers by Hazel Edwards
Being a writer is a risky business. Its gambling really. As a long term, self-employed author, my expectation is a 1 in 5 publication or performance rate. Instead of feeling resentful, about the loss of income from projects that didnt get up, but took hours of creative concentration, I decided to account in a different way. Accountants talk of balance sheets, profit and loss or cash flow. For a writer, returns are often delayed and dont always equate to hours spent. Then there are the intangible benefits of the curl of pleasure in crafting well or creating a story, which significantly affects certain readers. Variables such as timing of proposals, markets, collaborators, formats, fashions, contacts, rewriting, corporate publishing mergers and even your title affect your publication chances. Not all changes are under your control. Sometimes correlation between your effort / return is hard to assess and its difficult to remain motivated. Thats the real issue. Heres what Ive learnt:
1. Nothing is wasted: parts of projects can be cannibalized and used later even in an article on what not to do. Acquired skills can be applied when negotiating the next project. Recycling into other mediums can improve the 1 in 5 gamble. 2. Keep records of your own ideas and agreements, as often others forget who contributed what. You may know it is legally and morally yours, but finding the right files or contracts from five computers ago to prove it, can be VERY time consuming. 3. You need advocates who support your project within the bigger organization. Dont put your own money into the project, unless prepared to write it off as experience. Your investment is time and intellectual property. If they have & associates on their business card, its just them. 4. Update consistently. Go to digital Dummies classes, which are offered free by sellers of equipment.

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Learn the technical jargon especially the verbs. Become familiar with the potential of digital gadgets so you can write better for that medium. Change the project title. Add a sub-title, especially for pitching digital projects where only the title and cover may show. 5. Turn your project into a case study of a new process. I talk about my print picture book Feymouse now available as an app on Itunes, as a case study. The ex-Penguin title was a popular, but out of print story about a large and clumsy cat born into a family of highly talented mice. The theme of coping successfully with being different doesnt date and the process of becoming an app makes a topical case study. Currently Kailash Studios is making a documentary on reactions to our co-written f2m: the boy within, a coming of age novel about transitioning gender. My co-author Ryan is an ftm (female to male) and the transitioning subject is seen as controversial, but our actual novel, which is available in print and e-formats, is not. The documentary medium re-focuses attention on the book and becomes a case study on censorship and gender issues too. 6. Be strategic in the choice of medium as well as the subject. Antarctica is a popular subject and Ive been an Australian Antarctic expeditioner. Co-writing a speculative Antarctic vehicles animation for pre-schoolers, was a BIG project. There were expensive licensing variables for the producer in terms of merchandising and broadcasting internationally. It is still on ice. Whereas my novel Antarcticas Frozen Chosen, e-memoir Antarctic Writer on ice and the classroom performance scripts and picture book Antarctic Dad have been widely used because Antarctica is on the school curriculum. 7. BIG budget film or animation projects, which require re-writing scripts on spec or with delayed returns on income, are gambles and take years. High tech animation requires constantly updated and expensive samples to demonstrate for international festival pitches. However, you gain from working with graphic
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designers, producers and actors and may write more dramatically or visually next time. All or nothing projects can mean no millions for you but rich experiences. 8. Before being seduced by another new idea, analyze why the previous project didnt succeed. I am now wary about certain types of digital projects. I aim to balance iffy BIG multi-media projects reliant on others inputs with smaller projects which I can self-manage. Learn from your mistakes. I tend to get seduced by the enthusiasm of an energetic personality with an imaginative idea, especially if it is a good cause. Ask about potential distribution, copyright and the details of work to be done. Or say no. Recognize your weaknesses (mine is formatting) and collaborate with others who do that well. Buy or swap skills. 9. Decide on the general direction or genre or format, and keep moving that way, even if detours occur. Share your steps in the process of learning. I used the process of my digital publishing and author branding as participantobservation research for my e and print book Authorpreneurship: The Business of Creativity. I estimated learning about e-books would take me one year; it has taken three and is on-going. Ive collaborated with a skilled graphic designer who illustrated the e-editions. Thats helped. 10. Your bottom drawer is more likely to be a hard drive these days, but some of those projects, which didnt get up in their original formats are not a total loss. Lets value the effort as a different kind of profit and loss and recycle into new mediums.

Hazel Edwards

Authorpreneur Hazel Edwards is best known for Theres a Hippopotamus on Our Roof Eating Cake but she also writes across media, age groups and non-fiction. Writing a Non Boring Family History, and Authorpreneurship, The Business of Creativity are best e-sellers available from: www.hazeledwards.com www.authorpreneurmagazine.com

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I Write . . .

Having said all of this, this isnt actually where most of my initial idea writing takes place. My ideas are usually written on scraps of paper or in my notes on my iPhone / iPad; most of the time in the middle of the night, while in the shower, vacuuming or in sitting traffic. My first childrens book skeleton idea was written on the back of a parking ticket while waiting at early morning traffic lights. Although when redrafting and editing, l just love my new office space. I love the freshness, the down to business organised feel I get as soon as I sit down. I need quiet time where I can lose myself for as long as required. (With four children that usually late involves late nights and very early mornings). I love having my thesaurus, dictionary right on hand, as well as my favourite online resources. In my new office I also have a designated illustration space. I have recently been time-lapse recording my illustration process, so I designed and built a contraption to incorporate LED lighting as well as a camera stand. I have all my materials and visual resources right on hand. This would have to be one of my favourite spaces to create my artwork. I believe creativity is born from any environment, sometimes those even quite inconvenient. But for a very busy mum / teacher / artist / author / illustrator I am inspired every single day that I get to work in my office. The perfect environment for both my writing and illustrations.....for now anyway!

Images by Amber Gardener of Naturalight Photography

www.nickyjohnston.com.au

by Nicky Johnston
For years a pokey corner of a room on a congested antique desk with a very dated, slow modem computer was the environment that proved to be perfect for my words and artwork to flow. Only last year was I inspired to completely gut the room and start fresh, designing my office from scratch. I am a childrens book author and illustrator and recently reconfigured my writing space to incorporate a lovely, spacious desk that spans two whole walls. I am very lucky to have a large window that allows in the perfect amount of natural light. I have my favourite essential oils burning in my electric oil burner, igniting my sense of smell. In the redesign of my new office, I have given myself plenty of room to spread out. I use a lot of visual references, and resource books when I am writing which are easily accessible. My computer has two screens so I have plenty of room on my desktop too. I use both PC and Mac, so of course I also have a comfy swivel wheel chair gliding between the writing and illustration elements of my work. My vision board and inspirational artwork quotes hang on the walls close by to keep me focused on my goals. Framed illustrations of my previous books remind me of the journey I have travelled.

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Literary Festivals

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- a writers survival guide

These days, its not good enough just to be a writer in a garret, banging away at your books. Youve got to promote. Present. Appear on radio, TV, newspapers, blogs, You Tube, whatever. Get around and speak in schools, universities, conferences. And literary festivals, which from a modest start thirty or so years ago have now mushroomed into a great big industry with events held in a bewildering variety of places. Here in Australia, from when festival season kicks off round about March, you could practically go to a different literary festival every two weeks or so. Sometimes they come even thicker and faster than this. There seems to be an inexhaustible appetite for them. And they come in all shapes and sizes, from one-day very tightly focussed modest events to week-long extravaganzas featuring celebrity authors and all kinds of razzmatazz. In my experience the smaller and middling festivals are the most enjoyable for most writers; the big ones, with their star systems, tend to make you feel as though youre just there to make up the numbers and fill in the spaces between the main events (unless of course, you ARE one of the main events!) When you get your first invitation to appear at a literary festival, it can be quite a thrill. Or a scary thing, depending on how happy you feel about speaking in public. You tend to agonise over your presentation - very often people prepare formal speeches, not realising that the format for literary festivals, with its archetypal panel format, rarely gives you the chance to expound at length (and that if you do, it wont be popular with the crowd!). And most people will be asked to speak on a multiplepresenter panel; it is the stars who are given their own hour to be in conversation with some admiring interviewer. You also tend to imagine, as a novice, that this will be an opportunity to sell books - but at least in Australia, that isnt the case. People do buy books at festivals - but generally the queues at the signing tables are once again for the star authors, not for you. (And some festivals are insensitive enough to put a new author and an established one side by

by Sophie Masson

side at the signing table - not a very good experience for the self-esteem!). You might also idealistically think that writers will exchange ideas fearlessly and stimulatingly on an equal basis in front of motivated, engaged crowds. And sometimes youll be thrillingly right; but all too often, theres sadly little time for that, and you might instead get a feeling of wellrehearsed patter, followed by questions from the crowd which can turn on occasion into tedious statements - the questioner merely wanting his or her own turn at the soapbox, not caring at all whats been said on the panel (this is a particular bane at big festivals). You might have the nave hope you might connect with all kinds of other writers - and generally speaking, youll be glad to discover that is so. It is one of the nicest things about appearing at writers festivals - the meetings in the Green Rooms behind the scenes, the connections and friendships (and not just career-oriented networks!) that are made between writers of all backgrounds and at all sorts of stages of their careers. Yes, there are egotistical jerks. Yes, there are bigname authors whose behaviour to other writers as well as to their own publishers and publicists, is abysmal - their sense of entitlement revolting but in general, most authors, including the famous ones, are not like that at all (and some minorname authors are every bit as bad as the celebrity jerks!). Its likely youll come away from your first experience on the festival circuit with both a bruising feel of your own lack of importance and of how youre really a very small cog in a very big wheel; but also a heartening sense of a community of writers, facing very similar problems and pleasures. You might also have come away with a pile of books - writers buying each others books is a common sight at festival bookshops! Youll have learned a good deal - and as the years pass and you go to more and more such events, you will come to understand certain things about how to get the best out of a festival, and what to avoid.

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Such as the things Id like to pass on now, as a veteran of many literary festivals, of different sizes and in different countries: On no account accept a billet at someones house. You will have been talking all day to strangers, entertaining them; why should you have to do it at night as well? If the festival requires overnight stays, make sure they put you up in a hotel or other paid accommodation. Obviously if you have friends or family in that location and you prefer to stay with them, thats a different story. Dont expect too much from a festival launch of your book. Theres already heaps of things going on at a festival; unless youre a celebrity, only a few people will come to a launch(unless of course theres free drinks and food in which case youll definitely get a good crowd - but might not sell all that many books!) Dont read from a prepared speech even if your panel format requires each person to speak in turn. Much better to speak off the cuff or at least to sound as if you are. Dont go over time - your fellow panellists will not like it! If you intend to read from your book, choose a good, sharp, self-explanatory short extract. Do not make it too long or the kind that needs a lengthy explanation beforehand, it only confuses the audience.

Remember that audiences, though generally engaged and positive booklovers, may contain other kinds of people who have come for other reasons: to make statements, as I mentioned before; to challenge; and to try and get publishing advice, even when its inappropriate. Dont feel obliged to answer those kinds of things in question time. In fact you shouldnt. However, if they approach you in private after the session, its up to you what you do. Avoid being on a panel that kicks off too early, especially on a Sunday morning when audiences will be very thin. Bring some extras for a signing - for example, book marks, pamphlets, brochures about your books. People love extra things they can take away with them. Do go to sessions yourself as part of the crowd - not only is it worthwhile going for interests sake, its also really good to be on the other side of the fence to see what works - and doesnt - with audiences! Keep a sense of humour at all times! There are very funny (and sadly often unprintable!) things that happen at literary festivals, both with presenters and audiences, and they all add to the experience. Plus keeping a sense of humour even about your own situation helps keep it all in proportion, and avoids the twin bogeys of humiliation and jealousy rearing their ugly heads.

Born in Indonesia of French parents, Sophie Masson came to Australia at the age of 5 and spent most of her childhood shuttling between France and Australia. The internationallypublished author of more than 50 novels for children, YA, and adults, Sophie Masson has also published many short stories, essays and articles, in print and digitally. She has just published a new e-book, By the Book: Tips of the Trade for Writers, a collection of entertaining and practical tips on the craft, business and inspiration of writing. Sophie is the Chair of the Australian Society of Authors and the New England Writers Centre and a member of the Book Industry Collaborative Council. www.sophiemasson.org

Sophie Masson

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Media Cents and Sensibility by Christina Hamlett

Paid Advertising vs. Earned Media

The fact that you have just shelled out a lot of money for a one-time ad in a newspaper or magazine is absolutely no guarantee it will translate to major sales for your latest release. The operative phrase one-time means that youre banking on every prospective buyer reading the publication that very day and responding to your call to action. But what if theyre on vacation, spill coffee on the page or toss the magazine into their Read Later Stack and then never do? You just wasted your money. Selected replies, which subsequently appear on your website or are incorporated in the body of an article, carry the contributors name, mini bio and url. (Authors are especially enthusiastic participants in this strategy because they get to reference their book titles.) An example of how this works in a business context is the ongoing 50 Words or Less section (http://thefaceofbusiness.wordpress.com/ fifty-words-or-less/) which I recently introduced to The Biz Buzz, a website that features interviews with small business owners throughout the world. Inviting interaction not only gives your participants free PR for themselves and their companies (and who doesnt love that?) but they are also likely to (1) circulate the content to everyone they know and (2) revisit the website regularly to discover new advice they can apply to their own ventures.

A smarter approach is the concept of earned media. Unlike paid advertising or the content you personally own (ie. your website, business cards, brochures), earned media is all about putting the power of your brand into the hands of readers and subliminally encouraging them to share it with their network of family, friends and colleagues. Every time you contribute a guest blog, comment on the blogs of other writers, tweet and retweet interesting articles, start a LinkedIn discussion, post a review, like a Facebook page / comment / photo, pen an editorial, repin on Pinterest, or offer a quote to a journalist doing research, youre putting and keeping your name in circulation with the consumers you want to attract. In a nutshell, the peer recommendation factor in todays technological platforms is priceless when it comes to long-term publicity and, ultimately, managing a successful media campaign. Nor should you overlook the effectiveness of the answer bag component of earned media an interactive tool which invites readers to contribute tips / advice in response to your social media posts.

In this heightened age of sensitivity when everyone is wary about who to trust, are they more likely to respond to a hard sell, My book is really great because I said so or the word-of-mouth referral from a social media connection who re-posts your funny / insightful / useful bons mots on a consistent basis? If each of that friends friends follows suit and your content goes viral, you have essentially created your own virtual sales force to start a buzz and make the media shout-outs for you. And it didnt cost you a cent. How are you amplifying your own earned media to promote your book? Share your tips in the Comments section on the website: www. authorpreneurmagazine.com

Former actress and theater director Christina Hamlett is a media relations expert and award winning author whose credits to date include 30 books, 150 stage plays, 5 optioned feature films, and squillions of articles and interviews. In additional to being a professional ghostwriter, she is a script consultant for the film industry (which means that she stops a lot of really bad movies from coming to theaters near you). Christinas latest book, Media Magnetism: How to Attract the Favorable Publicity You Want and Deserve, is targeted to authors, artists, entrepreneurs, business owners and nonprofits. www.authorhamlett.com

Christina Hamlett

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bestselling author

Bella Andre
has sold more than 1.5 million books

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Women in ePublishing
by Jaimee Brooker
Despite bleak global economic conditions, its interesting to note that the 50 largest global book publishers achieved approximately $68 billion dollars in sales in 2011. With this knowledge, it quickly becomes clear why, in the past twelve months particularly, the publishing industry has undergone some monumental and game-changing shifts. With the book business now considered hot property, both traditional and digital publishers are scrambling for their share of the money pot. Though, it is perhaps the most unlikely of players in this new marketplace who are giving traditional publishers the biggest run for their money. Thats right, independent, self-published, authors are here and they are making a massive impact on what were reading. Independent publishing by definition is not a new concept. In fact, many of literatures greatest writers were self-published Mark Twain, Beatrix Potter, T S Elliot, and Virginia Woolf for example. Writers and authors have been penning influential literature for centuries, much of which will never see the light of day due largely to the exorbitant costs associated with traditional self-publishing. However, with the emergence of new technologies, most notably eReaders, the capability to self-publish has become more accessible than ever before. This accessibility also translates for consumers; e-Retailers offer convenient round-the-clock access to their stores, security (in regard to providing clean downloads and safe payment options), and competitive pricing. On the surface, these positives would seem a win-win situation for publishers, authors, and readers alike. However its not all roses. Increasingly, industry purists and authors are far from impressed with the influx, quality, and success that the accessibility to digital publishing offers. Recent criticism from 32-time www.authorpreneurmagazine.com bestselling author Sue Grafton was scathing, Self-publishing is a short cut and I dont believe in short cuts when it comes to the arts. I compare self-publishing to a student managing to conquer Five Easy Pieces on the piano and then wondering if s/hes ready to be booked into Carnegie Hall. Whilst highly dismissive of the merits of self-publishing, Graftons comment begs the questionis the method of delivery more important to the reader than the delivery of the topic? More importantly, should the merit of selfpublished authors be quite so generalised? Author Sylvia Day achieved notable success when her selfpublished novel Bared To You, released in April 2012, quickly climbed the charts and established a dedicated readership. This early success subsequently led to major publishing house Penguin acquiring the novel a mere one month after release. Importantly, this proves several points: firstly, the quality of self-published authors can indeed be on par with industry standards and secondly, and perhaps most importantly, traditional publishers are paying attention to self-published authors and their readers. Also garnering strong and sustained success is New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, Bella Andre. Having sold more than 1.5 million books and with a portfolio encompassing 16 self-published ebooks, Andre proves there is industry and consumer merit to be achieved as an independent author. AuthorpreneurMagazine
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With readers voting with their downloads, it would seem that self-publishing is certainly a viable and consumer-accepted method for delivering your product to the marketplace. Australian author, Ainslie Paton has long championed the method of self-publishing yet is also realistic about the challenges selfpublishing entails. Citing discoverability as the single most challenging aspect, Paton certainly has a point. With millions of books (and growing by the day) flooding the marketplace, authors choosing to plot a course on the self-published route must consider a plethora of factors. Speaking on the importance of discoverability, Paton notes, If you are an indie writer and you have not already built a tribe of followers it is very difficult to see sales of your book happen, even if it is a truly breakthrough or remarkable story. Whilst self-publishing offers an incomparable level of creative control to that of traditional publishing, this control significantly increases the workload. Paton notes that further to writing your novel, tasks such as, editing, content, blurb, cover (art and design), pricing, and monitoring your sales need to be addressed either by yourself or outsourced help. Additionally, you must be prepared and appropriately competent in marketing, advertising, and promoting your product across several, ever-changing mediums encompassing traditional and new media. Whilst the workload associated with selfpublishing seems arduous and insurmountable, Paton remains optimistic, Once upon a time youd write your dream story and put it in a drawer somewhere for lack of opportunity to publish it. Now (with accessibility to digital selfpublishing) you can take control and bring it to market yourself. The financial benefits also resound; selfpublished authors listing their product with Amazon are privy to a royalties rate of 70% compared to 15-20% of royalties offered by traditional publishing houses. Furthermore, if the success of Day, Andre, and James is anything to www.authorpreneurmagazine.com

Interestingly again, Andres self-publishing success has been the catalyst for interest from major traditional publishers. Tellingly, Andre has recently signed a groundbreaking 7-figure printonly deal with publisher Harlequin MIRA which will see Andre embark on major global back-toback releases of her existing novels throughout 2013 and 2014. Whilst there are plenty of arguments for and against self-publishing, perhaps the most accurate indicator is that of consumer interest and support. In August 2012, Barnes and Nobles Retail CEO Mitchell Klipper reported that E L James 50 Shades of Grey had the biggest impact on numbers inadvertently indicating that James (initially self-published fan-fiction) novel had significantly helped reduce Barnes & Nobles losses. It is important too to note, that reader satisfaction with self-published authors such as Day, Andre, and James is also breathing life into the domain of traditionally published authors, as is the case with Anne Rices Sleeping Beauty erotica series. Whilst youd be forgiven for having repressed the decades-old series, the consumergenerated interest in erotica stemming from James novel was the key motivator for Penguin Books to re-release Rices series. The decision paid dividends, with Rices series becoming a New York Times bestseller for the first time.
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go by, a well executed self-publishing venture can lead to unprecedented opportunities with traditional publishers. Paton too has experienced this exposure with her previously self-published contemporary romance title Grease Monkey Jive recently being acquired by Escape Publishing. Publishing is a monumental industry showcasing a diversity as compelling as the genres and products within it. The complexity of publishing in and of itself therefore embodies the strengths and weaknesses of both traditional and independent publishing and results in a positive outcome for the readermore content, diverse and often niche topic areas, and increased accessibility to reading material. Regardless of what genre youre most inclined to read, as publishing expands and refines itself, the winners in this ever-changing industry will be the readers.

www.barefootbasics.com.au
Visit the Authorpreneur Magazine website and like, follow, tweet about the competition or submit a testimonial. You can earn one entry for each action. www.authorpreneurmagazine.com/ the-bestseller-incubator/
Competition ends 30 April 2013

YOU CAN WIN THIS

Jaimee Brooker
Having working in many facets of the publishing industry, including publishing and editing a regional lifestyle magazine and working as marketing manager of an international publishing house, Jaimee Brooker has (finally) embarked on her goal to self-publish a series of novels, education guides, and budgeting books. Her first series, 20under20, can be found online at www.jaimeebrooker.com.au www.authorpreneurmagazine.com April 2013

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Book Cover Makeovers

Are you happy with your cover design? Do you think it promotes your book well and, more importantly, is it helping you to make sales? These authors had their book covers redesigned. Read why and how, and what the results of the makeover were.
Lauran Childs
Recently I decided to update the cover of my hot romance Rock Star - mostly because I bought an application on Kindle that allowed me to create covers more easily. Although the application has been very problematic to use, I still put up another cover! My pop art painting Bootycall was the background of my first cover, and although I liked it somehow the exotic image of my second cover - a night shot of Ocean Drive in Miami - is more satisfying to me. And sales have increased since I made the change!

Part of the cover update included getting a review written about my book for the first time. The review plus the new cover has significantly increased sales - about 50% more sales so far. I got a friend to write the review, he forwarded an email from Amazon that told him that a customer had found it useful in buying the book, I then checked the sales report on Kindle and found that another sale had just been made, which Im sure is correlated to the report he had just sent me concerning his review. Whoopee! So now Im asking people to review the book. My feeling about the new Rock Star cover is that its more professional and will increase its sales. Ive just published another book whose cover is definitely polished (How to Look Young and Beautiful Forever), so it was the right decision to change the cover so that all my book covers will look professionally done. www.lauranchilds.com

David Halliday
When I had the cover of my book The Bloody History of the Croissant redesigned, my only regret was that I hadnt done it sooner. I saw my book cover for the first time at the Melbourne Writers Festival launch; a stock photograph of a half-mauled, jamhemorrhaging croissant, surrounded by small text. As an author, I had no say into the cover design. Thats often standard policy. In this case, it was to the books detriment. A poorly designed cover impacts on sales, and initially, mine were unimpressive.

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Ive found that older publishers seem to operate behind the curve when it comes to design innovation, and effectively utilizing online platforms like 99 Designs and Elance for outsourcing design work. Design arms of conservative publishers rarely produce covers beyond those simply functional and starkly informative. Once I secured the digital rights, I set to work hiring a grad designer to re-design the cover. The designer was then able to use the cover as a part of her portfolio while making $200, so it was a win-win situation. With the new cover for The Bloody History of the Croissant, I had more copies downloaded in a single day than the previous sales amounted to in a year. In one week, I had over 1.4 thousand downloads. I attribute that to the beauty of the new cover, the accessibility of digital books, and thirdly, my satisfaction with the new cover, which leads me to be much more adamant in my promotion of the book. www.davehalliday.com.au

the idea of placing the faces side by side represented the Transition from young to old. It was vital that the cover image and title tell the story without completely knowing what Feminine Transitions truly signified. Two years later I was referred to Robin Benson, a publications designer and photography book reviewer. He was unable to review my book since it wasnt in print yet. Fortunately, Robin suggested he edit it in order to create a cohesive feel. I loved his ideas so much that it ended up as an entire redesign. Robin offered his valuable assistance at no cost. I am indebted to Robin for his assistance and truly thankful that Feminine Transitions is now complete and professionally designed. www.alyscia.com

Alyscia Cunningham
In October of 2010 I gave the design of my book, Feminine Transitions, a go using Blurb. Having no previous book design experience made it somewhat challenging however, it was my only option at that time. The fee to hire a designer was much more than I could afford. Given that I was already working on a tight budget, I figured I would put my previous layout experience to the test. Fortunately, as many artists, I was blessed with the gift of visualization. In other words, I envision my pictures and designs before I actually create them. After awaking from sleep one morning, I pulled out my journal from the side of my mattress and sketched my original cover design for Feminine Transitions. The initial font color for Feminine was red as to me it symbolized womanhood. From our menstrual to pregnancy and birth red is the color of what secretes from our wombs. I thought it was a perfect fit. Also,

Leanna Harrow
When I decided to become a writer, I had no idea there were so many details. Editing, reediting, covers, contracts, marketing, public relations. I thought, you write a book, youre an author. Easy. Boy, was I wrong!

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When I was picked up by Eternal Press in October of 2012, they redid the covers and since the first book was part of a series they wanted to work closely with me on all of them. Eternal Press works closely with their authors regardless, but when you dont have any idea what you want, they really do go the extra mile for you! I wrote my first erotic novel A Beautiful Liar in April of 2012, my second erotic novel Killing the Desire in June of 2012 and had the original covers done by freelance graphic artists when I self published them.

Debra Jarvis
In 2003 I was asked to speak for an audience that required me to be a published author, so I put pen to paper (actually fingers to the keyboard) and wrote ABC of Feng Shui in about 6 weeks. I had been in the process of writing a Feng Shui book for about 2 years prior to this time and looking back Id say Id spent two years sharpening the saw so that when I sat down in late 2003 my writing flowed. I choose to take my laptop and write in a cafe where I had people to wait on me and provide food, water and coffee while I tapped into my creativity. I wanted a colourful cover that depicted the Bagua so came up with the design concept and had a girlfriend paint the image used on the cover and then sat with a local printer (and business mentor) to put the elements of the cover together to produce the image below. About 1000 copies were sold in the first 12 months which I was extremely happy with as the book was written for credibility rather than income. One of the comments that came in was from a Gladstone mother whose son commandeered the book telling Mummy that it was his, it says ABC on the cover.

I wanted all of my covers to be tasteful and not crass. With the Eternal Press covers, I got so much more. I got a story covering a story. I saw sales increase and have had more compliments than I can count.

I have to give credit to Amanda Kelsey, she did an amazing job on A Beautiful Liar. Dawn Dominique nailed Killing the Desire and is currently working on a stunning cover for Book Two of the Maggie West Series Maggies Men due out in August. www.leannaharrow.com
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Fast forward to 2009/2010 and it was suggested to me my book didnt look like a Feng Shui book should, so I had the graphics redone to the second cover shown below. I did also update the content a little at this time. Less than 20 copies have been sold with this cover in over two years. I personally think its because its not as visually stimulating and its easy to overlook. Have to also say I havent been promoting as much having stepped back from accepting every speaking gig going to focus on consolidating other

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business interests. However a significant drop off in sales from what I was achieving previously.

The next step - creating a 3D version

When selling books online you need to make them look as attractive as possible and aid the viewer to perceive them as tangible products. They cant pick up your book online and flick through it, smell the paper and ink, or feel the weight of it. An easy way to make your book appear more tangible is to use a 3D image of your book. Now you can take a photo of your book, a stack of your books or yourself proudly holding your book, but it wont have the same effect as a professional 3D image. Using Photoshop Actions can take your flat image and convert it to an attractive 3D image in minutes. There are also other programs which can do this and sites where you can do it online, however, you may not achieve the same professional look Photoshop can produce. You can purchase Photoshop actions and action packages, or you can download some excellent free actions from www.psdcovers.com

The third cover below is yet to be tested in the marketplace. I specified to the designer that it be bright and eye-catching and it certainly achieves that! DebraJarvisFengShui.com

WIN a 3D Cover of Your Book

If you would like a complementary 3D image created for your book, add a comment to this article online: www.authorpreneurmagazine.com/ book-cover-makeovers/ Three winners will be chosen at random on 1 May 2013.

Comments?
What do you think of the re-designed covers? Do they make the books more attractive to you, or not? How would you have done them differently? Share your thoughts in the comment section on the website.

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Is this the writing app we have been waiting for?

by Jeannie Barker
Finally a top notch app designed for writers - it enables you to work the way you want to!
The UX Write app is intuitively simple to use. You dont sit there wondering if you can do something or trying to figure out how to do it; the options are right there in front of you on the menu bar or the enhanced touchpad keyboard, so you can stop wasting time and just get on with writing. The list of features is impressive. HTML5 CSS Margins and border adjustments Font options bold, italic, underline, alignment, colour, size, background colour, first line indents Bullets and number lists Insert figures and images

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 Insert tables, table of contents, list of figures, website links Auto spellcheck Format documents with styles

Send document to a printer Create a PDF Email the document Open the document in another app, eg. Pages, Google Docs, etc. Use with a bluetooth keyboard Does it sound extreme to say I love this app? I actually enjoy writing on my iPad now and am no longer frustrated by all the things I cant do with most notebook and writing apps. On my personal wish list for future updates is the ability to export to EPUB and Kindle formats. Then I may never need to open my laptop again!

This app stands head and shoulders above all the other writing apps I have tried on the iPad. Heres some more cool things you can do with UX Write: Open and edit .docx files Store and access documents on your iPad, iPhone, Dropbox and WebDAV server Automatically sync files Create your own styles Easily select and edit with your finger... and the extra keys on the screen touchpad keyboard (this is the coolest feature - see it in action in the video) Use outlining to easily move sections of text (you must format your content with styles to do this) Edit and go back repeatedly with 50 levels of undo Check out the video on the website to see how it looks in action: www.authorpreneurmagazine.com/ ux-write-app/ UX Write Website: uxproductivity.com UX Write Blog: blog.uxproductivity.com UX Write in the App Store: itunes.apple.com Cost: $24.99

It handles high-end professional authoring tasks such as creating books, reports, research papers, and theses, for a surprisingly economical price. - Forbes
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