Journal the Intimate Story of Chaos

Grab your pen or keyboard. This is the time to journal about your experience of the current economic chaos. Your written record of this historic time will produce the only realistic, human vertion of what will eventually be told in cold, impersonal terms in our grandchildren’s school books.

But that’s one thing it definitely is not. Impersonal? Hardly.

This economic blitzkrieg will have maimed virtually everyone before it’s over. The young couple who loses their home, the abruptly terminated midlife exec or the older almost-retiree all stand stunned at the suddenness.

We each will experience it our own unique way, perhaps concerned about different challenges, or more likely a combination thereof, than a neighbor will. But how you deal with it will become part of your legacy as surely as your DNA.

Write it, help the future readers understand how devastating the uncertainty has been, how demoralizing to be forced to cut back on newspaper delivery, church donations, small gifts for grandkids and the sick feeling of the earth still quaking under our feet.

Tell them. And don’t be surprised to discover you feel some relief of tensions from writing it out!

Good luck with your writing ~

Linda

Why I Chose to Publish My Own Books

As promised, here's the story behind me opening my own publishing company, first to self-publish, then to publish other authors' books as well.

Around 1990, my writing partner, Bev, and I were on a creative tear. One of our projects dealt with dealing with the recession on the home front, and we needed an agent to present the manuscript to the Big Houses (the large publishing houses in New York). First we searched for one who specialized in nonfiction. Then we bent our brains around writing the most intriguing query letter we could create. (You have to convince an experienced agent to even read your manuscript. And the legitimate ones will not charge a reading fee!)

Mike S. in Massachusetts asked us to send "the book" to him. (Holy mackerel!) But there was a standard, fairly rigid book proposal format in which it must be submitted. Off I went to Barnes & Noble to buy the then-bible of formal proposal writing, and we embarked upon the long and I think grueling process of of producing said proposal which included:

• A brief summary of the book.
  
• Table of Contents with Chapters and subchapters.
  
• A brief author bio, emphasizing the credentials qualifying him/her to write this book.
  
• Two or three sample chapters.
  
• An exquisitely tasteful but irrestible sales pitch.
  
• A comparison, title by title, of similar books on the bookstore shelves and the popularity thereof.

Those were the primary points, and of course had to be the most near-perfect writing we'd ever done! It ran about 60 pages.

Then we had to take the whole thing to Kinko's and have 5 copies run and comb-bound.

After a couple of tantilizing nibbles, he finally got a letter from an editor at Fireside (Wow!) saying that it was "well done and marketable," but they felt they already had titles that would complete for the same customer dollars.

Did you get that? Fireside Press thought the book was well done and would sell ... but they still wouldn't take it! Well, friends, that just felt so wrong. If it had been poorly done or was otherwise a poor excuse for a book, it would have been one thing. But well done still wasn't good enough.

A few years later, I began writing the divorce books -- books that were meant to help people who were going through the painful and confusing process of ending their marriage. But it couldn't help anyone until it was on the bookstore shelves (or on the Internet). So I studied and went to seminars and meetings and read about a dozen books and learned how to set up a publishing company. Was it hard work? You bet. But it was the way I could get my helpful words into the readers' hands in a reasonable amount of time.

And that is the story of the birth of Pen Central Press, the publishing division of Pen Central Communications. I thought you'd like to know ...

Happy writing ~

Linda

Book Publishing & the Time Factor

This time we're going to look at a few aspects of the time involved in self-publishing your book. My thoughts are based on you wanting to produce a commercially viable book (classy enough for the local Borders) through basic self-publishing. That means opening your own publishing company and performing all the functions of a book publisher including paying for the printing and binding. Here are some of the primary preparations:

• Read authoritative books on self-publishing a top quality book. As mentioned earlier, the most thorough manuals are Dan Poynter's Self Publishing Manual now in its 16th edition and the Ross's book, Complete Guide to Self-Publishing, 4th edition. There are others, and I encourage you to read 2 or more in addition to those. Yes, there will be some repetition, but you'll pick up new lessons from each one.
  
• Write out your business plan, even a rough one, to include sending requests for quotation to at least 10 reputable book printers, figure out your company name, file that as a DBA (doing business as) with your state, and begin devoting a portion of your brainstorming time to producing and selling the book, on top of writing it.
  
• Hunt for and interview graphic artists who have experience in designing book covers. (More on that quest later.)
  
• Rewrite your manuscript a minimum of 3-4 times before you even think of sending it to an outside editor. Polished text is the name of the game.

In other words, study the business of self-publishing and put that knowledge into play!

X Major caveat: Having experience in the business world
will be more valuable to you than all the sparkling reviews
in the world! If you don't have it, invite a business-savvy
friend to guide you.

When I received my very first sizeable fax order from Ingram (book wholesaler), I danced and cavorted like a writer possessed - OK, that's exactly what I was. Then I realized I hadn't designed my company invoices yet or packing list. But I was doublely fortunate. I'd work in a purchasing department long, long ago, and remembered the documents and procedures I'd learn then.


Therefore, if you feel a strong pull to publish your own book as I did, plan to invest some time in learning the business. It's actually fascinating to some of us! But it does cost a lot of hours and days of personal study.

As you read the books and consider the time involved in setting up the business, taking and invoicing orders, shipping books, marketing and other duties, think about whether these activities intrigue and attract you, or if you run ascreaming into the great hereafter. Thsi isn't a pass/fail situation. Listen to your gut.


Next time I'll share my story of why I chose to open my own publisihig company, Pen Central Press.

Happy reading - and writing ~

Linda

Money & Book Publishing

Today we'll look at the money angle. It's all well and good to say you're "simply investing in yourself" during healthy economic times. But we're far less glib when we're pinching pennies.

Here are some basic figures according to my 2008 experience and book industry estimates:

My newest book, The Many Faces of Journaling: Topics & Techniques for Personal Journal Writing, 2nd edition:

2,000 copies - paperback - 6" x 9" - 192 pages - recycyled paper.
All black & white interior with 4-color glossy laminated cover

• MY PER COPY COST = $1.94.

(That's just for printing and binding at a large book printer, and doesn't include cover art, formatting, typesetting, editing or proofreading, which I contracted for separately.)

It's extremely tricky to estimate your cost per book with a POD (print-on-demand) Online Book Publisher because the services included in their basic book "packages" vary so much. The Packages themselves start around $500 and go up to $1,200 or more. One publisher may include manuscript evaluation or copy editing, another may make it available for an additional fee. But here's a ballpark figure:

For each copy of an 8 1/2" x 5 1/2" paperback book - 160 pages.
Black & white interior - 4-color cover

• YOUR PER COPY COST = $5.25 - $6.75.

The 2,000 book print run for my book obviously cost me far less per copy. However, I pay monthly storage and insurance fees on each book until it's shipped to a customer.

Time is another crucial factor in choosing a publishing method. We'll examine tht next.

Happy writing~

Linda

Goals for Your Published Book

In the last post, I mentioned some of the factors you need to take into consideration in deciding on which avenue to book publishing is best for you for this book. The first of which is your goal for it.

Before I get into that, you might want to go back to my May 14thm '07 posting on this blog entitled What is a book? Most authors think first (and only?) of a standard paperback or hardcover book. But other formats and bindings may better suit your book. That post described alternatives.

Now back to Goals. Consider these questions:

1. Will this version of this book be only for distribution to family and friends?
   
2. Is it a church, community or work project for which there will be limited demand?
   
3. Will it be offered only as a back-of-the-room sales item at workshops and seminars?
   
4. Are you testing the market with this one, figuring you might want to go to a larger print run later after you get some reviews and reader feed-back?
   
5. Do you expect to place your book in bookstores alongside the ones from big publishers like Wiley, Writers Digest and Hay House?

Self-Publishing (by the highest professional standards) will accomplish all five. With POD (print on demand) online publishers like iUniverse and AuthorHouse, you can accomplish the first four very nicely. (It's my current belief that POD books aren't quite up to the quality of a print run on an off set press.)

Either high quality self-publishing or a traditional author-publisher contract with a "big house" will satisfy your needs.

If you are at all interested in self-publishing, I encourage you to devour Dan Poynter's fine Self Publishing Manual now in its 16th edition and the Ross's book, Complete Guide to Self-Publishing, 4th edition. Publishing is a business with it's own rules, quirks and terminology, and walking that path requires study.

Next time, I'll talk about the money angle.

Happy writing~

Linda

Publishing Choices

Book coaching clients and writing students often ask me what I think of Print on Demand (POD) printers and online publishers versus opening their own small publishing company (self-publisher) versus sending their manuscripts out to big publishing houses.

There are pros and cons to all of them, depending on (1) your goals for you book, (2) your patience, (3) the money you’re willing to invest, (4) the desired appearance of the finished product, (5)the amount of time and work you want to invest, and last but not least, (6) your experience in the business world.

That’s just a start. Which is my point. There are many aspects to the original decision on publishing. I teach a 3-hour class on self-publishing and am able to only address the primary steps. So …

I invite you to send me your questions about publishing. I'll answer those first, then I’ll fill in the gaps.

You can either send your questions as “comments” at the bottom of this post or you can write me directly at WriterLin@aol.com. No question is too dumb. No one is born knowing this stuff.

Tomorrow, I’ll look at the various goals different authors may have for their books.

Happy writing!





Linda

Another Version of Book Signings

Some of the variations on bookstore signings can be even more enjoyable. The location could be the cafe in a bookstore or a book night at a cafe (so to speak). Presentations at non-book retail locations often yield more book sales than in more traditional stores and can build a rich bond between author and readers . For example:

• You could give a nature journaling talk at a gardening store and sell copies of your nature-oriented book before and after the talk.
  
• A travel shop (maps, blank journals, packing gadgets, suitcases and such) would be a great place for a presentation on vacation and travel journaling, followed by sales of your book on journaling or travel.
  
• Because I'm a nonfiction writer, my mind always leaps to those kinds of topics. But for a historical novel, the author might speak at a history museum about the historical research she did for the book.

The store owners and directors of such place are usually passionate about their (and your) topics and are a joy to work with.

I have another idea that I want to present to a local shop manager: a monthly "Night with the Author." Initially, of course, that author would be me. But other authors might want to sign on, too. The evening (or morning or whatever) might begin with an overview of how the book came to be written and any significant challenges along the way. After that would be a book signing time, followed by a casual, kicked-back Q & A time, during which visitors could ask questions about books and the creative writing process. I'll let you know if I can sell that idea. But really, before I was published, I would have dearly loved a chance to pick an experienced author's brain in a cozy social setting.

Wish me luck and happy writing ~

Linda

The Author Publisher Team

There's a common misconception among new authors and writers that says, if you can just get your book picked up by a Big Publishing house, they'll take care of the promotion. Furthermore, they'll pop for a glamerous national book tour with bright lights and huge sales, and possibly local TV coverage.

Sorry to break it to you, but that's just wrong. Unless you're a former or future president or a movie star, it doesn't happen. What you will get is a specific paragraph in your authhor's contract whereby you swear to actively promote and market your book(s) to the buying public. They should have it in their book catalog, but don't look for a swarm of eager salepeople to fan out across the U.S. to hype your printed and bound baby. Of course, if you self-publish, you'd be rowing that marketing boat yourself anyway.

So what can a scribe do to move book sales? Bookstore appearances are a start.

Bookstore Marketing

#1 Schedule a short workshop, discussion or presentation based on your book, and autograph copies of your book at the end of it.

Do not simply plan a book signing! Your signature alone isn't that tempting to the public. You need to offer something of value. For a new book, you can describe how you came to write the book and give an overview of the whole process of writing, getting published or self-publishing it.
For a book that's been out for a few months, present a topical workshop to give visitors a reason to sit down and will spark their interest in the topics. I've given various journaling workshops to promote my journaling books.

#2 Create your event promotion signs for the bookstore to put on their counters. Include the time, date and topic of your presentation, a photo of you and of your book's cover. Include a sentence or two from a positive book review, and take the signs to the store manager. (Check back after a few days to see if the sign is up or if it's gotten buried in the store room.)

#3 Send out News Release announcements to the calendar sections of your local newspapers. It's fine if the bookstore does it, too.

#4 Arrive at the bookstore at least 30 minutes ahead of time, set up whatever props you have and amble around the store inviting shoppers to come to your presentation.

Be professional from the first visit or phone call until after the presentation. (You did remember to send a thank You note to the store's managers, right?)

Send out email announcements to all of your friends and family, post notices on bulletin boards around town, and cross your fingers.

Happy writing and marketing

Linda

The Writer's (Cramped) Idea Box

How often do we hear "think outside the box?" It's embarrassing to recall how often and glibly I tell others to do that. (Don’t you?) Well, I just had one of those 2 x 4 moments -- that's exactly what I'm not doing!

The challenge is marketing my new The Many Faces of Journaling: Topics & Techniques for Personal Journal Writing, 2nd edition. Who knew it would be so different from promoting the original 1st edition?

But think about it. When did you ever an announcement in the calendar section of your newspaper proclaiming: “Joe Schmoe presents and signs the new, 2nd edition of his popular book Schmoe Knows?” It just doesn't happen - at least around here.

So I've broadened my current approaches to marketing. But it still feels like I'm just expanding on existing newsprint and Internet avenues. (Or old ruts?)

I'd love to hear any suggestions that you, my clever blog visitors, have beyond these that are already on my "done" or "to-do" list:

a Set up my Experts Page on SelfGrowth.com.

a Tripled the number of newspaper editors around the country to whom I submit News Release Articles.

a Started blog, The Many Faces of Journaling blog, specifically for journaling fans.

a Bought a 1/4 page ad in my distributor's 4-color "booklet" that goes to librarians and book stores.

a Sent announcements to the organizations to which I belong.

They’re all good but not inspired.

So, feel free to send me your (frugal or free) suggestions via the comments button below, and I promise to reply with an exquisitely flattering email Thank you ~

Happy writing ~

Linda

More on Writing Friends

Time spent with writing friends, especially those who are at approximately the same point in their careers as you are, can produce exciting Aha! moments. One writing friend and I always have our notebooks open at the lunch table and our pens at the ready. Going back over those brief notes renews the creative boost we got in the first place.

Sometimes at such get togethers, though, the ideas start flying before we've unholstered our notebooks. At that point, you're too wrapped up in the moment to start a search. So you cross your fingers and hope you'll remember the Ahas when you get home.

(This is the authoritative voice of experience speaking ...) As soon as you get back to your desk, write out all you can remember. Then email or call your friend, relay your notes and see if he/she can recall anything else. Two heads and all that good stuff ... Corral those gems before they get dead-filed with the day's junk mail.

It's a great way to relish your mutual growth.

Happy writing ~



Linda

Get to Know a Writing Buddy

Some clichés are true. Take Writing can be a lonely profession. Not only do we work alone, but there just aren't that many people who are genuinely interested in our process. The reasons for that lack of connection vary, but may include one of the following ...

1. Non-writers don't understand much about the creative process, so have no clue about why your frustrations feel so deeply discouraging to you. Sould they get it if you told them - What if I've already written all I'll ever be able to write? What if I'm really used up? Will I ever get another viable book or article idea again? Maybe I can’t get the tone right because the book was a bad idea in the first place!

2. They think you already have the best of all worlds, so they can't work up any sympathy for your whining. Come on admit it - we do whine. Of course it’s always for good reason, but that may not be so obvious to people in other lines of work.

3. They'd far rather talk about the gilded widget problems at their office. What are gilded widgets? Are readers interested in them? Where can I research the history and future of the global widget markets?

4. They're just tired of hearing it. OK, that may be a valid point.

So you go home feeling mildly martyred and vastly underappreciated. And then beat yourself up for feeling that way. Right?

But wait! There's help available. Find a writing buddy with whom you can swap stories of the new project that’s still pecking its way out of the egg, share your questions about styling and formatting a book, and especially proclaim the ecstasy of a great writing session, day or month!

A writing friend with whom you can break bread is the warmest of connections. But finding an email writing buddy can also be hugely rewarding. After conversations, in person or electronic, with these friends, you’ll come away with such writing excitement and joy in your heart, you’ll race to get back to the keyboard.

It’s well worth the effort to find another writer or two, preferably ones who have at least some similar goals and experience to yours, and form that beautiful connection. Attend local writers' groups, sign on to similar interest email groups, or spread the word to all you friends.

I know whereof I speak.

Happy connecting ~

Linda

Coffee, Writing & Longevity

Good news, all you java junkies! A news article from Reuters states that "long-term coffee drinking does not appear to increase a person's risk of early death and may cut a person's chances of dying from heart disease" according to a published study.

Most of us morning writers require an IV or two of full-bodied, dark Columbian brew to grease our mental wheels. Over the years, veiled warmings from the medical community would hint that too much coffee - say, over 6 ounces a day - would gradually work it's evil way on our chances for longevity. Now you can put that worry behind you and enjoy

Still, if your resting pulse rate goes above 125 or so, you might want to cut back by a quart or two.



Happy, wide-awake writing~



Linda

Journaling Quotations

Have you ever read a quotation and thought, “Man, those are words to live by!” You don’t have to be a quote fanatic (like me) to appreciate someone else’s pithy insights. Whether you smile, groan, nod your head or shake it, the good ones resonate. Whether they’re funny or simply speak to our own life experiences, they can brighten our day.

When you run across one of those gems, run-don’t-walk to your journal and write it down. If we immediately react to it, chances are it will grow on us, especially if we can read back over each one in our journals.

Here are a few of my favorites:

a Someday we’ll look back on this moment and plow into a parked car. ~ Evan Davis

a The heroic life is living the individual adventure. ~ Joseph Campbell

a Sometimes the secret of happiness involves breaking things. ~ Venus Veritas from
The Divorce Recovery Journal

a Did you ever consider – maybe the glass isn’t half empty or half full. Maybe it’s just twice
as big as it needs to be. ~ George Carlin (loosely quoted)

Happy journaling!

Linda

New Book Now on Web Site

Hurray! The Many Faces of Journaling, 2nd edition is now available on my web site, PenCentralOnline.com/. When you order a copy from there, I'll be happy to autograph it with whatever brief message you request. Just include that on your order form under "Special Instructions." You can even order it for gift giving, and I'll sign it to the recipient!

Happy reading ~

Linda

Outside Help for Memoir Journaling

You've set your mind to regular journaling, perhaps as a "Year-in-the-Life" memoir, when splat! Life hits you in the face, then the kneecap, then the foot - then you get sick. The best of intentions can leap just so many hurdles at once. That's exactly the point at which so many journaling projects come to a screeching, permanent halt. And really, what's the point? This writing interruptus stuff will just keep popping up over and over.

But wait! There's at least one effective way to deal with project paralysis. Bring in outside help.

#1 ~ World News. If you regularly comment in your writing on news about war, food shortages, financial markets and health breakthroughs, you can copy and paste the hard-hitting breaking news stores about those topics. If you had time, you wouldn't have written your own treatise on the global economy. But in lieu of that, why not let the Associated Press do it for you?

Scan the top news on MSNBC.com and CNN.com for those special stories that seem to make your point. It doesn't make sense to you that the U.S. economy is going to turn around in the next couple of months. And right there is the article is a long quote from a high ranking financial guru on just why the turn around will take far longer - just as you've been saying. Copy a lead paragraph or two to your computer journal or memoir along with the headline and date. Always include author attribution, just in case you want to quote from the material in the future If you have time in a few days or weeks, you can add your own comments.

#2 ~ Personal Updates. Even when we can’t journal, we usually find time to email our friends about the high and low points of our daily lives. Again, copy and paste the account of personal news from your emails to the journaling file.

And Walla! You've had no time to write, but your memoir or journal has continued to blossom. And who knows? Maybe those inserts will add real spice to the final writing.

Happy journaling ~

Linda

"Year-in-the-Life" Memoir Journal

On February 21st, I wrote about the "Year-in-the-Life" memoir journal I'd started the previous month. It was personally fulfilling and enlightening, and well worth the effort. That is, it was until the big finish-the-book crunch time arrived. Then there was hardly anything else in my world beyond completing The Many Faces of Journaling 2nd edition on schedule.

After that I turned to the avalanche of work, writing and otherwise, that waited impatiently for my attention. Then my family life entered an interesting period, which will reach it's crescendo the end of this week when my newest grandbaby is born.

Which is all to say, I haven't written a word in my memoir journal since sometime in April. Life does happen, just as all those pontificators have claimed.

The plan now is, after I return to town from the birthing of that little crescendo, I'll resume a normal (but not frantic) work schedule and restart my journaling. I'm looking forward to that. There are so many fascinating, terrifying and thoroughly puzzling things going on around us these days, and pondering some of them on the keyboard sounds inviting.

So the journaling lesson here is this: When you take a break, even a very long one, from your journal writing, view that as just one of the droller certainties of life. Don't embark on a guilt trip. It's your journal - write in it "when the time is right" for you.

Happy writing whenever you get around to it!

Linda

Writers/Publishers Discount

Here's a book bargain for you professional writers and publishers. Whether your style be fiction or non, poetry or essay, chances are you do a fair amount of reseach. Google's great, but a book in the hand allows you time to read, ponder, analyze, synthesize and generally play with chunks of information to determine whether it suits your writing project.

In addition, some of us have an almost visceral obsession about owning our research books. First, I may want to do some additional fact checking later on, and secondly, we can't very well highlight and makes notes on the library copies, can we? Still, the cost of buying those research books can be daunting.

Happily, Border's offers a corporate discount rate: 20% off the price of books, 10% off periodicals. You simply fill out a short form (available at the stores), mail it in and wait for the membership card to arrive in the mail. Yes, sole proprietorships qualify.

(You say the books would probably be cheaper on Amazon to begin with? That's often true. But what's also true is that I usually don't want to wait. When I want a research book, I want it now!)

A hefty discount and instant book gratification - what a lovely combination!

Happy writing ~

Linda

Writing vs. Life

(A poem of frustration from a prose writer...)

I think
Life doesn’t listen
Very well.

Life knows full well
That I need oxygen
Water
Writing
Occasional nourishment
And more writing
In order to thrive.

But Life’s
Such a trickster,
Such a knee-slapping
Joker
A maker of hurdles
That silence my pen.

Sometimes
I think
Life doesn’t know me
Very well.

Promote my new book
So it actually sells?
Instead my heart saddens
At the health of
my child
and her child
even as we wait
for a blessed new birthing.

Then I’ve
Paperwork
Scutwork
Invoices
Taxes
Duty prevails,
Muse wilts in a corner.

Mostly
I think
Life doesn’t even notice me
Very well.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

May Life allow time for your happy writing ~

Linda

Post-Writing Peace

All the scrambling to meet deadlines and the 7-day work weeks it took to get The Many Faces of Journaling 2nd edition to press had become a habit. "Rush" was my normal speed, long past the time when I need to. But tonight the brush of the evening breeze on my cheek gently reminded me that my current project is finished, and it's time now to be still and hear the quiet.

... It's time now to be still ...

A short drive to the park tomorrow will deliver me to a small patch of peace, where I'll sit beneath the oak tree on a bunch of dry leaves listening to the squirrels and birds, feeling the sunshine flow over me. My heart tells me it's time to pause and relax before I jump into the next book project.

And so I shall.

This may be just the right time for you to relax, too.


Linda

"Many Faces of Journaling, 2nd ed." is Here!

It’s finally here!

The brand new 2nd edition of The Many Faces of Journaling is off the presses and in the book warehouse, ready to ship to various wholesalers, book stores, web sites, and other paying customers as the distributor receives their orders. And I have 2 cartons of the beauties right here (that’s 96 copies).


Books & Bubbly Celebration

Friday night, I’m having a small Books & Bubbly party here. It’ll be a family-type affair made up those who were especially supportive during my time writing this 2nd edition. In addition to 6-8 grown ups, two of my grandchildren (one 8-YO and one 18-month old) will be here along with another guest’s two kids. There will be much hugging and laughter.

We’ll have fizzy champagne, cold shrimp, brie & pumpernickel, veggies & dip and another cheese and cracker plate. It’s not dinner, but nobody will starve.

And I’ll give a signed copy of the book to each person I’ve invited, as my thanks to them.

I’m so excited! This kind of party is a cross between a wedding reception and a graduation party. The book is the true guest of honor, but I’ll get full credit for the birthing.

Always, always celebrate your writing accomplishments with people who have encouraged you along the way and are almost as excited as you are.

Happy writing & celebrating,

Linda

Author Blues

For the last month, I've been trudging through the standard, mild depression almost every author feels when she ships a book to the publisher or book printer. Luckily, several of the books about the writing profession warned of this, so it didn't come as a surprise. And so far, I've felt it every time I shipped a new book out.

This time, I analyzed the phenomenon more thoroughly. Initially, there's a tendency to argue with yourself, thinking What the heck's wrong with me? I should be ecstatic! Dancing on air! Celebrating." But thoughts like that don't help when you're feeling down. And I finally realized there are two very logical factors playing into this funk:

(1) Writing a book takes a long time - months, sometimes years. In that time, it becomes your constant companion. You work, eat, sleep and shower with it. And you're pouring your whole being into the work to produce the very best book possible. When you ship the manuscript off, you're saying good-bye to that dear friend, companion, work-mate. And the emotional hole it leaves in your life hurts. The sudden loss of a "loved one" always makes us feel a little bereft.

(2) The other aspect is purely physical. The last few weeks of writing involve long periods of intense work. Writing, rewriting, more tweaking, proofreading, making big corrections, then little ones, then just dithering between two equally well worded sentences. The closer we come to the finish line, the hard we push. During that time, an author gushes adrenalin. The "writer's high" is accompanied by an equally amazing surge of energy. When you ship the book, the adrenalin stops. The final period of hard work and fiendish energy leaves us exhausted, and then the adrenalin that gave us such strength vanishes on the way home from the Post Office. The combined droop makes an intelligent writer feel like a a soggy noodle, and a sad one, at that.

What's the remedy? It helps to know it's normal, and considering the above two factors, very logical. It's good to work on marketing the little gem you just worked so hard on and to begin developing plans for your next book (really!). But don't expect any of that to eradicate the Author Blues. After the first two or three sad weeks , life begins to look a little lighter each day, and eventually, depending on what other disasters befall you during that process, you'll regain your balance.

Be kind to you. Birthing a book is hard labor, and you deserve some gentle recovery time.

Happy writing ~

Linda

New Journaling Book is Gone~

Yes, the joyfully updated and expanded 2nd edition of my book, Many Face of Journaling, is now in the pre-press department of the book printer. Shipped from the Kirkwood Post Office via overnight express, it arrived in Ashland, Ohio, before noon on Tuesday. Unfortunately the graphic artist "forgot" to send the cover art until after working hours that day. But now everything is on track.

Within a month or so, 2,000 copies of this 6" x 9" trade paperback book will be printed on 192 pages of recycled paper. The official publication date is May 2008, and the new ISBN# is 978-0-9665672-9-8.

About ISBN numbers: ISBN stands for International Standard Book Number. Did you know that our books are identified worldwide by that number rather than by the title?

I'm having the books shrink-wrapped in packs of 4 books. Unless your books really will sell out in a few months, shrink-wrapping is an ideal way to keep them fresh and clean while they all wait patiently to be purchased. FYI the cost for that service at my printer is $.22 per pack. Those will be packed in cartons of about 44 books per carton and shipped to the BookMasters book storage and distribution facilities in Ohio.

About book storage facilities: Professional book storage facilities provide climate control, insurance, and an efficient staff for shipping books to distributors and wholesalers.

The last 3 weeks or so of work on the book were hectic and, towards the end, catastrophic. When I set about making the header/footer corrections following the indexing and final proofreading, I ran into problems. The file absolutely would not let me delete the old header/footer formatting nor would it allow me to replace it with new, uniform formatting no matter what I did. What should, logically, have been a straight forward adjustment, wasn't.

After a full day's worth of optimistically trying one new "fix" after another, I conceded that the entire manuscript and index file was corrupt. Whereas I had been planning to ship to the printer the following day (Tuesday, the15th), I was now praying the the entire file wouldn't have to be retyped!

Eventually, I ran it through NotePad which deleted every last spec of formatting -- both the good and the corrupt. Then this format-intensive book had to be reworked, then reindexed. A lot of intense hours of computer work went into the problem's diagnosis and remedy. But finally by the end of the evening last Friday, the file printout was ready for another final proofreading.

Sunday evening, as I did the pdf. conversion and stored that to jump drive, packed that with the hard copy, signed contract, and check for 50% into a clean white carton, I did an ecstatic little dance and thanked my stars that it was soon to become that Big Grown-Up Book it was meant to be.

Within 7-10 working days after receipt of the manuscript package, the printer will ship me the "bluelines," which are the pre-press proof copies of the book and book cover. Then I'll have 3 days to do the drop-dead check and ship it back. I'll pay about $35 for each page that needs any correction at that point. So the final proofreading before it going to the printer can save a lot of money. Still, if I discover a misspelled name or other crucial error, you can bet I'll be happy to pay for the correction.

About bluelines: They're called "bluelines" because they're produced by somewhat the same process as an architect's blueprint drawings. In addition, they smell of ammonia and the printing will quickly fade if you leave the pages in direct sunlight.

Since I've been working 6-day weeks lately, the last two days have been sweet, kick-back days of walking in the sunshine, lunching with that fascinating, energizing writer friend, and reading all the way through my daily paper.

Happy writing to you all ~\

Linda

5 Days to Book Printing

It’s been a wild time for a quiet writer-person like me. The last time we visited on Writer's Ruminations, the revised first edition of my book, The Many Faces of Journaling 2nd edition, was being proofread.

Last Sunday morning I picked that up, made most of the changes suggested by the proofreader, and copied it to a jump drive. Monday at a quick pick-up dinner, I passed the project along to the indexer.

Obviously, at this point in the process, my schedule is measured in hours, not days.

I retrieved the indexed electronic file from her Wednesday, drove back to my place, loaded it onto the laptop, corrected a few spacing shifts, and ran off a fresh hardcopy of the whole kit & caboodle for the final proofreader. She met me at Borders and took the manuscript home for a keen-eyed, picky perusal of all 183 pages.

Today [Saturday] she called with a couple of questions about formatting and told me she’ll have it back to me on Monday – day after tomorrow. Hot dern!

If it’s early in the day, I’ll make the corrections, and ship it to the printer Tuesday morning. (Good grief! Think of all the Post Office patrons who’ll be mailing last minute tax returns that day.)

That’s almost a week ahead of my target date!
Man, do I have a go-git-‘em book crew here.

Today being Saturday and all, I headed down to Kaldi's Coffee Shop to ponder & scribble a bit on the book that could be coming out in February 2010.

What a welcome change of pace. It’s in a stage of bubbling ideas and random note taking. There's no schedule, deadline, nor any kind of structure involved, except for that far away date two years hence. For now it’s pure creative playtime.

Wish me luck as I fret over the last touches to prepare my literary baby for the real world, all fluffed and buffed and ready!

And happy writing to you all~

Linda

2 1/2 Weeks and Still Lucid

Experience is good. Most of us suspected that, but tonight I can verify it. The orderly flow of chores threw me into a tizzy the last time I published. Of course, then I was coming out with three (!!!) books at one time—something experience has taught me never to do again.

But thanks to my prior walks along this path, the 2nd edition of The Many Faces of Journaling is moving along at the planned pace. That means that on Monday, April 21st, I’ll ship this manuscript off to the book printer and let it take its place in their production line. It’s almost all grown up now ~

The content editor did her thing on the revised author’s preface and introduction and on the two new chapters. I, in turn, made the changes I deemed beneficial, then handed off the updated and revised 1st edition manuscript for proofreading.

While the proofer has been fine tooth combing that, I’ve updated the Press Kit. So far, the new kit includes the Book Fact Sheet, Quotations from The Many Faces of Journaling 2nd. Ed., Media introduction and Sample Questions, Speaker Available Sheet, Endorsement Sheet, and the longer book review.

That’s actually enough for now, since fewer people want to see the Press Kit than in the past. Generally, it goes to bookstore event coordinators, radio or TV program directors, or non-bookstore retail locations where a book reading and signing might be well received (and profitable).

To accommodate those who don’t want the hardcopy kit, I’ll ask my web master to set up a “Press Room” on the PenCentralOnline.com web site. That’s another job—creating the list of additions and changes to the two web sites to promote this new edition.

I’m not getting out of the office much these days, and for the most part, I'm deeply grateful to just be able to work. But once a week, I recharge my whole battery bank during lunch with a brilliant and highly creative writing colleague. And one other time, I’ll get together with family or friends to stay in touch with the outside world and exercise my funny bone. I actually took a walk in the sunshine last week!

This truly is a blogging ramble. But it’ll give you an inside view of how engrossing this authoring and publishing business can be at particular times in the process. That’s why obsession is quite useful for a writer. Blocking everything else out helps you concentrate!

Pure focus on your writing is a beautiful thing ~

Linda

3 1/2 Weeks and Counting

According to my schedule, it's 3 1/2 weeks and counting until I ship the manuscript (electronic & hardcopy) to BookMasters to do their printing and binding magic.

The shipping date represents the first giant step in releasing your Creative Child into the wilds of the world. After that, the author and publisher have only one more chance to catch any ghastly errors on the cover or book pages before letting go completely, at which point, it becomes a real, live book. (Stuffing the chick back into the shell at that point is a very costly process.)

It's an incredibly exciting, adrenalin-pumping time.

Here is the current situation:

^ The new chapters and updated author’s preface and introduction are now in the gifted hands of the copy editor.

^ The cover art is almost finished. Basically it just needs to have the depth of color and contrast tweaked.

^ I’ve completed about one-fourth of the job of sorting through the newest list of 1,700 newspaper editor’s e-addresses for self-syndicated news & article releases.

^ This morning I finished the first of ten pieces for the new press kit and emailed it to my kind but critical proofreader.

From here on, the only additional writing I do will be on marketing and promotional materials – getting people to notice and like my baby.

(When the author owns the publishing company, he or she must focus on about
ten tasks at once! Hence the well known term tentasking.)

My lists now have lists, but the truth is I’m on automatic pilot. After writing and birthing so many books, I know what I should be doing – and when I need to cut loose and play with jobs out of order. It’s refreshing to get all giddy and reckless once in a while, like me writing the Book Fact Sheet for the press kit before I finish reviewing the full manuscript! My, my …

Happy writing ~

Linda

Book Writing Update

I meant to keep you more up-to-date on the process of creating this 2nd edition of The Many Faces of Journaling. But when I'm immersed in the flow of writing, days flash by at the speed of the muse.

Last week I firmed up the deadlines for completing the new chapters, updating of the original 1st edition of the book, outside editing and proofreading, submitting the galleys* to various places and shipping the final manuscript to BookMasters, my book printer in Ohio.

[* A galley is a pre-publication copy of the book. It may be a finished copy that's simply marked Advance Pre-Publication Galley or it can be printed and bound at CopyMax or Kinko's. Some book reviewers, book clubs, and others in the book business require a galley, which tells them they're getting the information ahead of the actually book releaseor publication date. I use the CopyMax method, although each copy can run $13-18.]

That robin’s-egg-blue schedule of dates is posted on the wall next to my desk, and reminds me in a most happy way that the “delivery date” for this new creative child is May 31st. The excitement that engenders in me helps to offset the pressure of the deadlines.

This week I’ll incorporate the last of the guest journaling entries into the new environmental and scrapbook journaling chapters and once again rearrange the contents a bit. But according to the schedule, I need to have this ready to hand off to the copy editor next Monday.

Therefore, I need to get back to the book at hand.

May your muse be generous ~

Linda

Arrangement of Information

Yesterday, I took the working version of the Scrapbook Journaling chapter (for 2nd edition of Many Faces of Journaling) down to Kaldi’s, where with the help of a welcoming mug of Highland Grog coffee, I reexamined the order of chapter information with a fresh eye.

What a difference a small shift in placement can make! The paragraph about not crowding the text in a written scrapbook entry didn’t work at all in the “Kinds of Information” page. It needed to be in the “Getting the Right Look” section. Of course! That information is now comfortably nestled in among other specific suggestions on layout.

It’s good to remember that, when your text sounds awkward or choppy, it doesn’t necessarily mean that part should be deleted. Maybe it just needs to be moved to a different section or chapter.

Happy writing ~

Linda

Time & Writing

What a distressing discovery. I've just come to realize that there isn't enough time for a writer to lead a well-rounded life!

OK, that's overstating it. But finding time for all aspects of me - creative muse, curious mind, loving mom/grandmother/friend, healthy inner child, nature lover - and fit in a daily meditation, all in the course of a day or even a week often eludes me. Still, short changing any of them makes me feel crummy.

Am I keeping up with professional deadlines? Paying my bills? Getting together with family and friends? Writing? What an upper it is for me to hiking around my neighborhood park and immerse myself in nature. But I haven't taken time for that in weeks. How does one prioritize those things?

One solution I’ve learned is to take each day as it comes. Yes, some things must be scheduled ahead of time. But considering the constant shifts in our lives, prioritizing according to the day’s needs makes sense. Mental and emotional health must be factored in too, lest the imbalance flatten our joie de vivre. Flexibility and humor both come in handy.

The companion piece to this involves patience and understanding of our imperfect selves. Make-do actions can sometimes ward off that nasty cloud of guilt. You’ve dropped the ball in treating your elderly aunt to a monthly lunch out. Maybe a quick and loving note to her could make you both feel reconnected until you can get together. Trimming the chore down to a more manageable size can make all the difference.

So it looks like I’m beginning to sort through this challenge after all. I’ll get back to you on the guilt thing, though. I’ve had a lot of experience feeling that first before my brain kicks in. And you know about old habits.

Good luck on your own time management. And happy writing~

Linda

Weathering Natural Distractions

I have all the hours of today and tomorrow to write, and what do I do? I listen to the sleet pellets pecking at the windows and check radar to see how long this band of "wintry mix" will last. Overcast days feel cozy and thoughtful to me. And daydreaming overshadows my more industrious nature.

How can I tame this inner rebellion? Or should I go with what is and enjoy the soft day?

Not much of a decision there! Right. I chose the latter. But rather than frustrate my muse, I worked on my "Year-in-the-Life" memoir journal. What's that? you say.

Despite my impassioned teachings about personal journaling, I seldom follow my own advice. (There's an embarrassing admission.) But I've restructured my approach and made a pledge to myself. I shall write a "Year-in-the-Life" memoir covering 366 days (this being Leap Year), being faithful to the project even if I have to play catch-up now and then.

In the process, I've rediscovered all of the benefits which I've espoused to others over the last several years, only more so. Journaling on the computer allows me to put down more words in far less time than handwriting would. Therefore, the entries are longer and more introspective.

And the point is? The point is I can read back over them and gain amazing insights about what makes me tick. What combination of events tends to produce which moods – joy, despondency or sadness? That knowledge will help me build upon the positives and defang the negatives with more confidence. I like that. Rereading the entries also validates the old saw, "This too shall pass." What was terribly painful last Wednesday is no more than a faint memory today.

So when my mood is more contemplative than industrious, I work on my memoir journal – and write a new blog entry along the way.

Happy writing!

Linda ~

Writing Coherence

In writing a book or chapter thereof, there is first a period of scribbling down ideas. Then we transfer the worthiest of those to the keyboard and begin expanding upon them, which is what I've been doing for the two new chapters for the journaling book. The thing the inexperienced writer isn't usually told is that at this point, you still just have a bunch of free-standing ideas, and it takes some time for them to mature. At which time your muse will shift into an organized thought pattern.

Which is what mine has finally done! My lovely, disconnected notes have coalesced forming a coherent if skimpy written chapter. It's greater than an outline, but not yet fully fleshed out. Still, the breath of life is evident in the text. Those of you who have typed this path are familiar with the paradigm shift. But you who are new to the trade may not have experienced it yet. It's a glorious event! The chapter now lives.

This brief posting is to let you beginners know (and remind the veterans) that it takes time for your words to get acquainted with each other. Each time you open the tile to develop and expand upon your ideas will move the piece along toward a cohesive offering.

Be aware, be alert, and then ... be thankful.

~ Linda

The Publishing Ice Jam

Forgive my silence. I didn't mean to be rude. But virtually every aspect of producing the 2nd edition of Many Faces 0f Journaling seemed to get jammed up for a while. (I could call it constipation of the book world, but that would be tacky.) Although such small problems are frustrating, they're not unusual.

Today the ice jam cracked and the work started flowing again.

• The cover artist agreed to take the job, and we talked about the modifications to be made from the old cover, namely locating 3 new "people" photos and changing the background to a light pastel.
  
• I converted my remaining 10-digit ISBN numbers to the new, and ever so improved 13-digit versions. (Just as people have social security numbers rather than names, books have ISBN numbers instead of titles.)
  
• Then ordered the new back cover barcode online, and Walla! I've already received the jpg. file.
  
• Shelley, my account exec extraordinaire at Atlas Book distributors, sent me the forms that must be filled out and returned if this 2nd edition is to appear in their fall catalog (which has to be ready for the Spring BEA exhibit).

All of those efforts had been stymied in one way or another for over a month. With them either taken care of, or at the least on someone else's to-do list, I can get back to writing the two new chapters for the book.

Such publishing chores have to be checked off before the writing can morph into a genuine, printed and bound book.

That's my world at the moment.

May your writing ice jams all give way to the magnificient heat of your writing!

~ Linda

Happy Writing New Year!

The entire holiday season here at Chateau Pen Central has been filled with hugs and fun, plus a brain-rattling mix of work involving:

• cookie & fudge making,
• Pen Central writing,
• gift buying & wrapping,
• preparing for a new book-coaching client,
• packing for a holiday visit to my son and his family,
• friends & laughter,
• parties,
• ... and a complete lack of structure to life!

I've made a half-baked attempt to clear my desk tops so I can hit the ground running tomorrow. The to-do list itself is incomplete. (At least I'm consistent!) But I'm looking forward to returning to my writing passion.

That's a feeling I savor every time I have to be away from the writing for an extended period of time --that racehorse-at-the-gate sense of anticipation, eager to plunge forward with full energy.

The fundamental task of preparing a list of web site updates for my web master will account for part of my days, with work on the two 2nd editions claiming their own time.

And I really should finish that to-do list before too long.

Happy 2008 everyone! I'd love to hear from you. Do you have any writing projects planned for the new year?

If so, happy writing ~

Linda