Are you a writer with a manuscript who wants to become an author? Intimidated by the process of traditional publishing? Want to keep your creative control? The world of self-publishing is alive and thriving, and you can become a part of it!
October 15th, 2022, Tom Trimbath and I — co-hosts of the Writing On Whidbey Island podcast — are holding a day-long how-to self-publish workshop in Coupeville, WA. Along with other writers and authors, we plan to show how to prepare your manuscript for self-publication, and take it through the steps to make your own book, and what you need to do afterward. If you want to sign-up, contact Tom or myself for more information and to reserve your seat!
Want more information on our upcoming self-publishing workshop? Read Tom’s blog post!
You can also watch this video of one of our previous From Inspiration To Publication self-publishing workshops …
After completing and publishing “Make Your Own Darn Good Cookies” in both paper book and e-book forms last Fall, I didn’t take a break — I rolled right in to my next 2 book projects! One is a cookie recipe book which I’m quite excited about, the other is a bagpipe sheet music book for a veterans organization I’m honored to be a part of. While I am working on both, the sheet music book has taken the lead as I am aiming to have it published come spring — somewhat more specifically, June.
No-no — it’s a good thing — really ……. I think. 😉
Now that things are getting stabilized with pivoting WIBC from being a production baking company to writing & publishing books, yours truly is on the hunt for a day job. Lately I’ve reworked my resume so it is in fit fighting form and I have gotten a few interviews line up with interesting looking local employers. At the same time, I’m working on my infamous truck to further get it into fit commuting form. Since buying it I’ve done a lot of needed repairs; while it is currently in good shape, there are these last few projects to address so it is less likely to create interruptions as I re-join the traditional workfarce …. er, I mean, workforce.
And now, further on the audio front …
Three things I’m excited to tell you about!
A year ago I started looking into becoming an audio book narrator. I developed a solid initial understanding of the industry and ways to get into it. This interest is still in me, however I have had higher priorities. I plan to narrate my own books and others — first though I need to get things stabilized with my day job.
I’ve said a few times recently that I have 4 recordings ‘in the can’ for my experiential recording project Archive Of Resonance. I’m getting help with the audio now and intend to (er, finally) complete each album as time allows — if I can get all of these put together and published through Amazon this year, great, if not then no big deal … they’ll get done when they’re supposed to.
LASTLY And Not Leastly … In my superhero persona as BagpiperDon, I have taken on a personal challenge! An online bagpipe school called Dojo University has put forth an activity that bagpipers may take part in For FREE. I’ve known about Dojo U for years, heard nothing but good things about them, and would LOVE to make use of their services. They produce various Free materials which I have been gratefully using in the mean time — chiefly e-articles and some videos. Lately I’ve been taking part in the “Dojo U 100 Day Bagpipe Challenge“. The primary part of the challenge is for pipers, in their individual practice, to assemble their pipes and practice one tune (any tune) a day for 100 consecutive days …. and if you miss a day, you have to start over. I see the object of this as not so much to work on one’s playing ability as it is to develop discipline. Today will be Day 017 for me — only 083 days to go!
I’ve been fortunate enough to gain a friend and self-publishing coach in one of my Whidbey Island neighbors, multi-book author Tom Trimbath. My introduction to Tom came through attending his presentation at my local library — how to self-publish a book. At that time I had a few books roughed out and privately socked away that I intended to work on publishing at a later time — a children’s book, a book on how to become a professional highland bagpiper, some screenplay ideas … you know, the usual. publishing
Online booksellers — we can all think of one in particular!
One of the tips that Tom gave in his presentation was that because of online booksellers, book titles are no longer just book titles, they are also search terms … and by the way, book covers are no longer just a book cover, they are also an icon representing your book on that online seller’s site … I mean, this all makes sense when it’s pointed out but you might not think of it if you’re not an author trying to self-publish or new to the arena. publishing
So for the past 2+ years, the title I’ve been working with for my coming book has been “Bake Your Own Darn Good Cookies”. This was the kinder and gentler version of a title to another book I plan to publish (more on that later). Good title, fun title — sure — but there are problems with it. There aren’t really any good search-term words in it … it doesn’t represent the fact that my book gives recipes for various types of cookies, coffee, and main courses, so it kind of confuses the reader …. and it doesn’t really fit with my icon, er, I mean, book cover artwork. publishing
All that to say … publishing
I’ve been working on a new and better title. I’ve come up with one, it’s functional — it has many of the attributes I’m aiming for. It might still stand a bit of work-shopping (polishing), but it’s encouraging to have something that feels like a better fit for the whole package. publishing
How exciting is all of this — is this some Block Buster announcement? No, not really — but for an author and their book, it actually is pretty important. Also, frankly, I felt I needed to provide all the great folks who have been interested and supportive of my endeavour with an update. publishing
So what’s also going on — what’s left to finish my book and when is it going to be published?
Those are questions I both do & don’t have precise answers for…
Some Additional Writing and Final Editing – This book has required an extra year due to my hard drive crashing when I was nearly ready to publish in January 2017. Suffice to say, I’ve learned the hard way, BACK-UP YOUR HARD DRIVE. I had to nearly start over, fortunately I managed to locate an early back-up along with smaller pieces I located in my e-mail history. I’ve been working with these materials since June 2018. The main writing is nearly done — I need to add some writing in the introduction to make the original writing make sense and complete the final editing. That and re-doing the pagination.
Graphics – I took cover art photos last January; most of these were recovered. I lately made two batches of cookies to take step-by-step instructional photos, showing how to roll & cut biscotti along with spreading & cutting cookie squares. To the left is an example of these … unfortunately I picked up light flares in the stove top. I’ve figured out the lighting so I don’t get these flares and I plan to re-take these pictures soon. Then it’s a matter of inserting all of my pictures into my book.
Content Surprise – YES, I have a content surprise. Something you have probably NEVER seen in any recipe book before. Since my original draft of the book I have added 2/3rds more surprise to the surprise and I need to do the initial development on that 2/3rds.
So what is the final book looking like — and when is it going to be published?
Working on my book is one of my current top priorities, and it will be done as soon as possible …. when that is? Could be weeks, could be a few months yet with everything else I’m juggling. The EXCITING news is that it looks to have around 50 recipes ranging from numerous types of cookies, several flavours of my unique biscotti, hot beverages, coffee cake, easy applesauce, and some delicious main courses. Also, I’m trilled to feature guest writers who have contributed both recipes and chapter introductions (you know who you are and thank you Thank You THANK YOU!). publishing
A year ago I started looking into becoming an audio book narrator. I developed a solid initial understanding of the industry and ways to get into it. This interest is still in me, however I have had higher priorities. I plan to narrate my own books and others — first though I need to get things stabilized with my day job.
Some Additional Writing and Final Editing – This book has required an extra year due to my hard drive crashing when I was nearly ready to publish in January 2017. Suffice to say, I’ve learned the hard way,