You may have noticed a HUGE gap in time between this and the previous post. At first I was busy with the business that the last post brought in. But, then my reinvented self just didn’t mesh with this site anymore. The problem was I wasn’t sure exactly who I was becoming, so a web redesign to fit the new me had to wait.

You may be wondering about the food photo for this post. Believe me, I haven’t left writing for cooking. No, the photo represents my state of being for the last six months: I’ve been marinating. Yes, marinating. A marinating writer who set herself aside to soak up her creative juices, preparing herself for writing again.

Here’s the short version of a long story: After several of my clients began working on their second, third and fourth books, I realized I had yet to benefit as a writer from my own good advice. Yes, I did publish 4Ps to Publishing Success and created many info-products around it, but the novel that I had written right before I began my consultant journey was sitting in a box. Moving it into a file drawer didn’t advance the revision process; it just brought the manuscript closer–a constant reminder of my unfinished and unrealized dream.

Can I tell you how to move forward when you’re stuck? Yes. Can I advise you on how to make time for writing in an already overloaded schedule? Yes. Can I do it for myself? Apparently not. Truthfully, it wasn’t that I didn’t know what to do or how to do it. I just wasn’t ready. I needed to sit and marinate for a while. I had let my own creativity (for fiction, that is) dry up and I needed a good, long soak in creative juice to bring my novel (and the others dancing around in my head) back to life. I also needed to conjure up a business plan to help support my writing until it supports me.

I’m happy to announce that I’m finished marinating and ready to put myself on the grill. In fact, I’m ready to be smokin’ hot. I’m setting deadlines (a hold-over from my publishing and advertising biz days) and moving into my new space. Stay tuned for updates on the new blog, new biz, new work, new Wordy Woman.

• Send an email with your phone number and top three (3) day and time requests for next week only (Monday through Friday, November 1-5, 10am ET to 6pm ET).
• Please limit your time requests to the hour or half hour (10:00, 10:30, etc) and remember to request your appointment in Eastern Time.
• I’ll respond and confirm, assigning you to the  first availability on your list that is not already booked.
• You MUST include your phone number.

Writing and publishing ebooks to distribute from your website or on the Internet has been a profitable venue for smart writers for years–long before ereaders were ever available.

But not everyone who has authored an ebook has made money. Like most business ventures, knowing what NOT to do and having a proven system are the keys to success.

Join me when VIP Author Talks interviews Ellen Violette, The eBook Coach. Ellen will identify the biggest mistakes people make when authoring an ebook and tell you how to avoid them. She will also share tips and strategies for ebook publishing success.

In this class you will learn:

• Why eBooks are a MUST-HAVE for a successful Internet Business
• How to eliminate writer’s block
• How to take the guesswork out of the process so that you are guaranteed to actually write an ebook every time you want to!
• How to avoid the twin dragons that stop so many people from becoming successful authors: perfectionism and procrastination
• How to create the time you need to author your ebook
• How to write ebooks with minimum effort for maximum profits
• And much, much more!

Time: 8:00pm Eastern Time (7pm Central, 6pm Mountain, 5pm Pacific).

How to Register:

VIP Authors Inner Circle Members: You are already registered. Log on to the Members-Only page for call-in details. The audio recording of the class will be posted to the members page within 24 hours after the event.

Non-Members: Not a member, but want to hear the class? You can pay for the class only.

Tuition for non-members: $14.95 (includes mp3 recording download). Call-in details for the class will be sent after purchase is made. You will also receive the mp3 audio recording after the class, in case you miss the call or want to review the material again.

• The first mistake first-time authors make is they don’t identify their market. They don’t ask before they get started, “Who will buy my book?” Or worse, they think, “Everyone will want to buy my book.” You must identify and write to a specific audience to have a marketable product. Probably the number one thing many new authors do incorrectly is start to write about something they’re very passionate about without first finding out if there are enough people with the same interest who would buy the book.
• The second mistake first-time authors frequently make is not being aware of the costs involved and then over- or underspending. You might ask, “How can I underspend?” Well, you can underspend by thinking you can do it all yourself and not having a budget for an editor, cover designer or marketing assistance. You can overspend by not knowing the typical fees for these services in the marketplace and paying too much. If you spend too much on production or marketing, you may not be able to recoup your money with the sale of the book. So, it’s important to know what you will need and how much you should be spending on those services before you begin the process.
• The third mistake first-time authors make is not knowing how to determine whether to traditional-publish or self-publish. Not knowing the pros and cons of both avenues and choosing the wrong method wastes your time and money. For example, nonfiction authors who want to establish their credibility in the marketplace and position themselves as experts want to get the book on the market as soon as possible. They can’t afford to spend the time it can take going the traditional route, which could be up to four years to find an agent, publisher and wait out the publishing process. However, if you are writing literary fiction and getting reviews and acclaim from literary reviewers or perhaps being on the New York Times bestseller list is your goal, you may be best served to try the traditional route.
• The fourth mistake first-time authors make is they don’t have a marketing plan. Most people know not having a marketing plan when self-publishing is just dooming the book to failure. However, even if you have a publisher, you are expected to market yourself. Not many aspiring authors know this is important and they think the publisher is going to take care of marketing, so they don’t include that information with their submission proposals. But you can show you do know the “ins and outs” of publishing and how important marketing is by including a marketing plan with your proposal or novel submission. If you do, you’re going to set yourself apart and get closer to the head of the class.
• The fifth mistake first-time authors make is giving up too early, or giving up at any stage of the process. What blocks success in publishing (or any field) more than anything else is having the “I can’t” attitude. The whining: “I can’t speak in front of people.” “I can’t travel to seminars and conferences.” “I can’t find the time.” “I can’t start learning about how to market on the Internet.” You’ve heard those excuses. Hopefully you haven’t said them. But I’m sure you’ve heard them if you’ve gone to a writers group or a conference. Replace that attitude of resistance with an attitude of persistence. Successful authors find ways to say, “I can” and “I will.”

Many of these five mistakes are made as a result of misconceptions or myths that are typically held about the publishing business.

But, the truth is that EVERY mistake first-time authors make is a result of ONE big error. That error is attempting to write and publish a book without first learning about the process.   Writing is a passion. But publishing is a business. Successful authors learn the difference. Once educated, it’s easy to skip past the mistakes and misconceptions and start to cash in on the miracles. Miracles happen every day in the current publishing market, and the next one could be yours, if you decide to invest in your publishing success.

This article was excerpted from the 4Ps University curriculum,  Lesson 1, “The Mistakes, Myths and Miracles of Book Publishing.” If you’re ready to jump over the mistakes and myths and experience the miracles of publishing, get the education you need. 4Ps University is a 10-week home study course that can catapult you to the head of the class. Hurry, though. Registration closes on September 30, 2010. Review the entire curriculum here>>

Ten years ago, an author with a website on the Internet was a big deal. Today, having a website is like having a cellphone…everyone has one. And just like smartphones are to cell phones, WordPress blogs are to author websites. If you want to stand out in the crowd, a customized WordPress blog is your ticket.

Are interested in finding out how you can make your blog do some double-duty as a marketing hub, too? If so, please join us for a special event when VIP Author Talks interviews Marty Dickinson for a special teleclass presentation, “WordPress Blogs as Your Marketing Hub.”

During this special teleclass, you will discover the answers to these questions:

• What is WordPress, and why is it so essential for the promotion of your book, speaking, and business?
• Should you use the WordPress free hosting option or not ? (And, how the wrong answer could paralyze your business.)
• How can you assure your WordPress installation is secure from hackers?
• How can you connect your website with Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin? (Which will easily save you 10 hours a week.)
• What’s involved with converting a traditional (old) website into a WordPress machine? (Design limitations and how to get around them and still use WordPress.)
• How can you promote your main business online using multiple websites produced with WordPress? (And why you would want multiple websites in the first place.)
• How can having a WordPress website set the stage for dozens of higher-level, traffic-building techniques for your website?

Have a question not listed above? Write it down now to ask during the live Q&A at the end of the teleclass.

Mark your calendar right now to join us for this informative teleclass!

Topic: WordPress as Your Marketing Hub

When: Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Time: 4:00pm Eastern Time (3pm Central, 2pm Mountain, 1pm Pacific).

How to Register:

For Authors Only and VIP Authors Inner Circle Members: You are already registered. Log on to the Members-Only page for call-in details. The audio recording of the class will be posted to the members page within 24 hours after the event.

Non-Members: Not a member, but want to hear the class? You can pay for the class only.

Registration for this event is now closed. The audio recording of the teleclass is available for purchase on the VIP Author Talks Audio page. Review this and all VIP Author Talks programs here>>

Speaker Bio:

Marty Dickinson started his first website in 1995 and is the co-author of Web Marketing All-in-One for Dummies. He manages more than 100 of his own websites and helps authors, speakers and business owners around the world with their Internet marketing through his company HereNextYear, Inc.

Of course, those posts inspired a host of “we still need publishers” posts and articles. So who is right? Is publishing dead or alive?

I say “Publishing is Born Again!” I like the idea of being a Born-Again Author: it has a nice ring. Being a born-again author in the born-again publishing world enables me to bring the best of the traditional publishing to a new, improved model. And I prefer to think of this time as a metamorphosis–like a butterfly emerging changed after being restricted within a cocoon.

I prefer this metaphor to that of a phoenix rising from the ashes because I don’t believe everything from the traditional publishing system of the past 100 years deserves to be set aflame. No book burnings necessary!

And, btw, Godin is not the first bestselling author to venture into new territory, paving the way for lesser-known writers who feel the same need for emancipation. Earlier this year, Stephen Covey made a radical move to publish exclusively with Amazon.

And, JA Konrath has sparked a movement among published authors with a backlist of unpublished titles to publish their work digitally. The result? The self-published digital titles priced at $1.99 to $2.99 bring in more royalties than their books with their publishers do or ever did. Konrath announced he’d be self-publishing through Amazon from now on, too.

The truth is, however, that most authors (indie or not) are not going to rock the publishing world by making these “blasphemous” statements. No publishing house has shaken in its boots yet when indie authors went solo. Yet, clearly the numbers are starting to add up. 2009 was the first year ever to see more new self-pubbed titles than traditionally published.

The Writer Magazine has pitched its tent in the self-publishing area, sponsoring the pre-BEA writers conference which this year was a self-publishing event, rather than the Writers Digest “pitch an agent” fest of previous years. The Writer is also sponsoring the 2nd annual Self-Publishing Expo in October 2010.

The movement has started and writers needs to wake up and stop worrying about if publishing is dying or not. That’s hardly the issue for us. Let the business analysts crunch the numbers and dull their pencil points. We’ve got books to publish.

For new and aspiring authors, what is important is how to prepare and succeed in the new environment. Good, bad, dead or alive–this is what we got. Seth Godin, Stephen Covey, JA Konrath and the others can do what they do because they are experienced in the publishing process. They know how to put together a good manuscript from an inspired idea, work with editors, produce the material in a form their audience will consume, and promote themselves using the tools available on the Internet today. They are not throwing away all their hard-earned, valuable knowledge of the publishing process, just adjusting the delivery system.

You can do what they do, too–with the proper education, and that begins with the basics that have been around since the beginning of publishing. It also requires knowledge of the new methods and formats and how to determine which best suits your goals. And, finally,  publishing success in this new marketplace is totally dependent on your ability to build a thriving community of readers and communicate with them regularly.

The important question,then, is not whether publishing is alive, dead or born again—but are YOU as an author, ready to die with the old methods, plod along on the fringe, or be born again into the new age of publishing possibilities?

Are you ready to be “born-again” with the knowledge to become a successful author in the current publishing environment? If so, it’s time to get the skills and strategies you need to succeed in this market.

4Ps University is the only home-study course that delivers the basic publishing know-how you need and the social media strategies that work today. There’s still time to register. Classes start Tuesday, September 14. Read all about it and register here>>

Actually I did quite a bit more than sigh, but I’m not proud of my initial reaction, so let’s move on to where I am proud of my next steps. After I calmed down, I looked at the clock. I had about a half hour before I had to leave for a full day of much-needed fun and recreation.

I had two choices: skip the first activity and catch up with the others later, or skip sending out the reminder email. I chose the latter. I AM proud of that choice because too often I choose work over play, and I’ve made a conscious decision to balance all areas of my life.

Now, here’s the deal: We can all benefit from my mistake.

This photo is from the Festival...see what I mean about enjoying a day out? What fun!

I had a fabulous day out enjoying friends and a visit to LAAFF (Lexington Avenue Arts and Fun Festival) in downtown Asheville, I bought crystals, enjoyed the sites and discovered Kava (more on that in a future post).

And…

You get two extra days on the deadlines! I realize that notifying you today will eliminate those of you who won’t even open your computer until tomorrow, because YOU are out having fun! So, here’s the scoop:

Tuesday, September 7 is  the NEW deadline to:

Register for 4Ps University and save $100 >>

Sign up for a “Get Acquainted” consult at half price >>

Now we can all LAAFF at my oops!

Do you have 1 to 3 questions that need immediate attention?

This 30-minute live phone  session gives you the opportunity to resolve a writing, publishing or social media problem or just sample working with me without a long-term commitment. Audio recording and 30 days email follow up are included.

Purchase a consult by September 5 to be scheduled on the date of your choosing in September (subject to availability–these will book fast!)

Cost: Reg Price: $175

Only $87 (through 9/5/2010)

Instructions on how to submit your questions and schedule the call will be sent to you upon receipt of payment.

Other consulting packages here>>

But, going back to school is very different today than in years past. Not only is the learning equipment much different (computers and calculators vs. composition books and multiplication tables), students must study many more subjects to become successful in today’s world.

As writers we have new tools and new subjects to study, too. But that doesn’t mean we abandon all knowledge up to this point. The basics of publishing are still meaningful, but in a new context. Just like students have found the 3Rs—Reading ‘Riting and ‘Rithmetic—have gone the way of language arts, phonics and mathematics, we have to learn the updated versions of what is needed in the publishing world.

4Ps to Publishing Success has always been about educating new and aspiring authors about the process. And every year since its inception (2005), an updated version of the workshop or book has been created. Well, we’ve taken up one notch and now we’re introducing the most powerful and complete course of study for writers to date: 4Ps University, and we are  are now enrolling for fall!

See everything this comprehensive home study course (with weekly live Q&A) offers here>>

And, to make it easy on the pocketbook for those who are facing other Back to School expenses (Have you seen the ‘supplies needed’ lists being sent home by teachers today?), 4Ps University is offering a steep Early Registration Discount on the already ridiculously-low tuition.

So, start shining those apples and sharpening those pencils. It’s time to go Back to School and brush up on those 4Ps to Publishing Success! Don’t just take my word for it, read what 4Ps  “graduates” have to say>>

Please watch the video. I would love your feedback.

Please join me on VIP Author Talks when I interview Beverly Bergman, The Copywriting Queen. The program “Writing About Yourself & Your Book” will help also you create compelling and effective copy to use in blogs,web copy, marketing materials, social networking and media releases. All the program deets and registration info here>>