 Keeping it together ... your book in a binder Your book: a work in progress
Last fall I published my first book, A Snail Mail Guide to Cursive Writing Practice. In the process, I kept my writing and all the ideas swirling about in a 3-ring binder. I learned a lot, and I want to share what I know ... with you. The working title is Book in a Binder. I didn't expect was how valuable the binder would become. When I was stuck (yes, overwhelmed, and sometimes unmotivated), I'd flip through the binder to review my notes. I rediscovered lists where I could check off what I'd already accomplished (that felt good), along with things I once thought valuable that were now ... not so much. And then there were other ideas and topics that somehow became better with time. The Book in a Binder is coming together ... in a binder of its own. If you're interested in knowing when it's available, sign up for the newsletter ... and get writing tips, entertaining stories about writing, and information you can use.  If you recognized the headline from this post as the title of a Rolling Stones song, you're right. You can't always get what you want. I’m in the final stages of finishing my book and discovered a problem. A new problem. I’ve already worked out other issues: a new book title and new book cover. I’m pleased with the new title and cover, but it's the layout that’s causing me fits. So what’s the problem? It’s a workbook and I wanted to design the book in landscape format with a spiral binding it so it would open flat and offer plenty of elbow room for practice writing. But I also want to publish the book through two self-publishing houses: IngramSpark and Amazon’s KDP. IngramSpark offers the landscape option, KDP does not. Neither offer spiral binding. From the beginning I knew I would publish and sell the book from my own websites, but I want it to go further than that. Publishing through IngramSpark and KDP will broaden the book's reach and get it into more hands. After all, that's the reason I'm writing the book. So I made the decision to reformat it. Get what you need So yes, it’s true. You can’t always get what you want. But, as the song goes, “if you try sometimes, you get what you need.” Turns out, I like the cover better and though it’s been time consuming, the portrait layout is working well. And getting what I want? When the book becomes a best seller, I'll think about a special edition ... horizontal format with a spiral binding. Wouldn't that be something. p.s. Here's the new cover.   nonfiction book development and design Call or write today to get the help you need for your book.  Flipping the switch was flipping me out. Last week's storm left us without power. It was Thursday morning and I was up early. Not because the alarm went off. No, it was the rain lashing against the bedroom window that woke me. Fifteen minutes later the power went out. It was a blackout: no power, no lights, no heat, no opening the refrigerator, and no computer. A day and a half later (37 hours, but really, who's counting) we still didn't have power. But I was still flipping switches. It wasn't that I was hoping the power was back, it was utterly clear that it wasn't. It was habit. An especially bad habit in light of things. At least a dozen times I flipped a wall switch. And each time it was the same thing. Nothing. It was worse than nothing. I was ready to scream. Well, I did scream. It was so frustrating. Flipping the switch was flipping me out. So I put my headlamp on. The headlamp gave me what I needed: a beam of light.
I stopped flipping switches. The point is to see it fresh. Sometimes a fresh approach to a nagging problem can help you move forward. If you've been struggling with your marketing, a book, or your website, maybe I can help. Call 207-252-9757 or write today for a free consultation and a fresh start. |
Get your copy today.
Categories
All
|