Comments on: Your Own Book In 30 Days Or Less

By: Richard

Richard — Mon, 11 May 2009 18:10:28 +0000

Thanks for the advice. I’m right here right now.

By: cashmere lashkari

cashmere lashkari — Fri, 08 May 2009 04:21:12 +0000

It is so true that a physical book holds far more expert value than an ebook. Specially in a country like India where not all the people are used to doing business online. I have been toying with the idea of writing a book since the last year or so. Just have not got down to putting it down in black and white as yet.

By: Phil Tanny

Phil Tanny — Thu, 07 May 2009 21:33:06 +0000

Hmm…

The “Simple 7 Step Formula” sounds more like a sales page formula, than a formula for a good book.

As is normal with sales pages, the focus is on the needs of the writer, not on the needs of the readers, no matter how this fact is spun or rationalized by the copy writing community.

It seems the more appropriate question for the writer is, what kind of book would you yourself want to read if you were the reader, not what kind of book should you write to achieve some clever strategy that’s all about you.

This mindset shift, from the needs of the writer, to the needs of the reader, is what will make the book an authority builder, a relationship builder.

All that said, the general idea of having your own book seems excellent.

By: Janie Floyd-Legare

Janie Floyd-Legare — Thu, 07 May 2009 19:21:57 +0000

Good day Terry Dean it is with great appreciation I am dropping off this note. Everything you said about self-publishing your 100 page book is very correct. It does all the pubic relations work for you naturally. My book is on the health connection, recipes and blood type, and knowing large meals are not necessary. Eating to live not living to eat would be fundamental in this book. From their I could go on to numrous topics. Its not about the writing its about getting self published I know nothing about. I have already asked someone for an interview but it would be “video”. Janie from North Vancouver, having an “attitude of gratitude” gets some of us to meet you. I will be in touch.

By: Rich Hamilton

Rich Hamilton — Thu, 07 May 2009 18:19:47 +0000

Joshua Seth has shared good advice here. I’m a small publisher and I’ve been dealing with the book trade since 2002… Much has changed since then but one thing has not:

There are many who feed on unsuspecting authors.

I’ll second the thought on avoiding vanity presses.

And a book of just over 100 pages? Small. Perfect! I have people who hear me speak who come to the back of the room “thinking” about buying the book, and when they see it’s skinny they say, “Yes! This is a small book. I can read THIS!”

A couple more ideas:

Self publish? Well, yes, but NO! It’s a bad term. Associated with the Vanity stuff. To do this right you must approach it as a business. So you become a “publisher.” (Not a “self-publisher.”) Now, that’s probably not ALL you do, but it is a part of your business life. Think of yourself as a publisher, and others will, too. So go into publishing, in a small way. And, of course, you will publish your own stuff. Why would you consider having anyone else do it?

Writing Fast? I found a guy named Steve Manning who has a really, really fast way to plan and write a book. His method works.

Join up? There are publishing organizations around the country who have meetings where you can meet and learn from like-minded people. I go to Arizona Book Publishing Association (AzBookPub.com). Another is SPAN (spannet.org).