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Want to know what we consider important when writing to be published? Check out our articles below.
Defining your success
The most important part of success is “u”… and despite the fact that a business market is made up of essential elements such as supply and demand, you are the driver in the equation. In order to be successful in the book publishing industry external forces must be factored into the equation: we require a product to sell; sales need buyers; writers pursue dreams of being published; authors need readers. This is unarguably true but setting your own personal parameters for success ensures a positive outcome – no matter the end goal. Other indicators to “success” are dictated by the amount of time and expertise one invests in building a promotional platform and the amount of exposure one gleans from that recognition.
Although this is a company blog that promotes building a publishing business, its owner writes from a writer’s perspective and is able to connect with other writers who become clients on that basis. The company mandate is not all about a bottom line measured only by financial success – it considers the “you” in success by tailoring programs and schedules to fit the individual author. It is not our place to assume what works for one person will work for another. We operate differently and base our projects on that knowledge. We make every effort to steer you clear from potential disaster and encourage you to participate in those remedies that bring positive outcomes.
Dream Write has authors who have tried the promotional aspects of marketing their book and the company has received comments varying from “fun and exciting” to “no way” and “gee, this IS a lot of work.” We never discourage an author from trying something because it is how that individual will gauge their limits and determine their comfort zone. Others find their place in the media, in front of an audience, in the touring realm, and so on. When we say “success” in publishing, immediately our minds go to numbers – perhaps, thousands of books sold, thousands of dollars made, cross country tours and book signings, followers and media coverage. Yes, this is success in the traditional economic sense. And we encourage our authors to have dreams. Go ahead, have big dreams. We also recommend they stay grounded to reality because those visions of grandeur don’t happen all the time.
Defining your success is as easy as taking the basest achievement that comes from this process – you are a writer who has become an author with a published book. To hold that accomplishment close, turn its pages, and smooth your hand over the cover with your name emblazoned upon it… that is true success. When asked by an author as to whether they should publish e-books or print books, Dream Write considers the author and their situation. A recent writer asked that of her project and we responded: “Although e-books are the way of the industry, we would never discourage running a print book – there is no better feeling of completeness after a long writing journey (with its share of disappointments) than to hold a finished project in your hand.” The feeling of an electronic device pressed to your cheek just doesn’t have the same warm measure, in our books.
Dream Write Publishing wants to commend all its authors – every one of you is a success by having the courage to publish your words. As a partner in your project, we support the level of “u” in your “success” and thank you for entrusting them to us.
My manuscript becomes a book - now what?
In the changing publishing world, there still prevails a common misconception – your book is out there and someone else is now going to take care of it. This is the furthest thing from the truth. In this dynamic industry, a process has evolved from our original preconceived notions of traditional publishing contracts and all the glorified expectations that go with it… to the scurvy of scams and petulance prevalent with vanity sites and their ongoing bad press. As an writer, you have done your creative best – you have written, revised, enhanced, edited, and designed an image in your mind of what the book should or could be – now you have moved on to the public display of publishing that work…
What next? What can you expect?
Realistically, you must still be as involved in the process – however, you will be wearing a much different hat. You must now become objective, critical, and scrutinize what goes on. You must be aware and measure options with a cautious hand. You must become the business person. This can be a positive experience, but only if you are willing to learn the ropes, so to speak. Even if you are only interested in being the creator of work, the purveyor of words, and master of your writing life, there needs to be assimilation of learning, at this point and along the way, in order to move forward safely. Once you realize what goes into the journey of your book, the costs and the risks, the time it takes to get it out there – then, and only then, are you truly prepared to just sit back and let someone else do the work. This is where costs are involved. This is where you must be a smart business person in order to protect your creative investment. There are publishers that will take you for granted. There are publishers who won’t even be interested in you or your work. There are publishers who will make claims yet cannot deliver. Knowing what is to be expected, what can and can't be avoided, arms you with the knowledge you need to choose the right direction for your book, and your journey as an author.
Dream Write Publishing will not make promises just to get your work, just to offer and charge you for services, just to make our bottom line look better. We work with authors to bring your work to published format. That is the bottom line. There is always hope to make money along the way – for you, the author, and us, the business. Our mandate is to promote and encourage writers, bringing their dreams of being published to fruition. We are a small company and, although we cannot always financially invest in every step of the process for you, we do invest our time and expertise, our caring and support, so you are never taken advantage of – you are welcome to check with any of our authors. Let them share their experience about what Dream Write Publishing brought to their work.
Success is measured in many different ways – adjust the height of your goals to achieve success. This does not mean you have to reduce your dreams – dream big and reach out. We do.
Preparing the Novel
When the month of word-goals approaches, there is much thought as to what I might write as a participant in the National Novel Writing Month frenzy of 50,000 words in 30 days. As the publisher in me works through projects to bring them up to date and to completion, the writer in me wonders what I will work on along with all the other things that keep us occupied on any normal given day. I came across this post that sums up the feelings AFTER the fact. But with it comes the reminders and memories of November’s past and the knowledge that writing is one way to keep me from focusing on other things that November is famous for in my life.
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No matter its strength, the story grows within until mature enough to leave. It is now on paper and just needs a little help to dress up and go out to meet the world. The rewrites are left to the processing of the analytical left brain – the nurturing right brain struggles, on the sidelines to watch as the baby now turns into a full-grown manuscript.
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I must read aloud, the cat’s breath is heavy in the quiet of my room. He’s making a little wheezing sounds that are rather odd but soon I drown them out with my own voice and when the furnace kicks in there is more background noise to accompany the clicking of the keys on the keyboard… The night draws near to the time of sleep but the stories will still dance and those are called dreams.