March Focus Forum: My Book – My Business

Tags

book marketing, Focus Forum, independent publishing, My Book My Business, self publishing

 

My Book-My Business

A half-day workshop with Dr. Patricia Ross of Hugo House Publishers. This workshop is designed to take you step-by-step through the publishing and marketing process.

When: Saturday, March 31, 2011

Where: Louisville Chamber of Commerce, 901 Main Street, #A, Louisville, CO 80027

Time: From 9 am until 1 pm

Cost: $50 for CIPA members, $75 for nonmembers

My Book—My Business: The Process of Taking Words from the Page to the Book to the Buyer

You have a manuscript, or an idea for a book, or even boatloads of paper and you just know somewhere there’s a book in all that. Do you know where to start? Or have you started, and started . . . and started because other things just kept getting in the way? Or are you frustrated but you don’t know where to turn or maybe there hasn’t been an easy place to turn to for information?

Come to My Book—My Business!

Topics we’ll cover:

• When to start marketing
• What kind of marketing is best to start with
• How to go about getting the manuscript whipped into its best form so that it is ready for public consumption
• When to start all the various parts of production
• Choosing all your “helpers”—editors, designers, printers
• What kind of distribution do you need and how do you go about getting it
• What to do with the book once you get it and all your family and friends have bought a copy—and yes, that includes marketing, marketing, and more marketing.

Publishing a book is a process loaded with minefields. It is also a business—for there is money exchanging hands in the process, and you need to know how to keep control of that business.

The objective:

You will leave My Book—My Business with a plan on how to move forward in your publishing journey effectively and efficiently.

Don’t let the publishing minefields explode!  Find out what you need to do, when you should be doing it, and some of the better ways to go about getting it done!

Saturday, March 31 from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Louisville Chamber of Commerce

Only 7 Seats Left….Register Now at CIPA’s website

$50.00 CIPA members $75.00 nonmembers

CIPA’s January Focus Forum: “What is your book printed on?”

Tags

CGX Publishing, customizing books, digital printing, digital web press, Frederic Printing, HP T200

CIPA’s January Focus Forum on Jan 20 was all about digital printing, as 32 CIPA members toured Frederic Printing in Aurora, (a division of CGX Publishing) saw their very big digital web press, the HP T200 and learned about printing options for their books.

CIPA members with the HP T200

“What press was your book printed on?”asked Peter Vandevanter of Frederic Printing. He went on to say why we should care. For the last 50 years, the question was irrelevant. But now, digital web presses have introduced “disruptive technology” that enable authors to customize their books for specific audiences, add full color to their work and print them faster and less expensively. (Web presses print on huge rolls of paper. Standard offset presses use sheets of paper.)

Finished print jobs await cutting and binding.

Printing your book on a digital web press allows you to print 1 to 900 books for a set price per book. It’s still a higher unit price than if you used an offset printing press, but you can spend less money for printing up front and not have to store boxes of books in your garage.

Producing books on digital presses has been around for a few years. But Frederic’s HP T200 Inkjet Web Press is fast and versatile.

CIPA Education Chair Liz Beerman was enthusiastic about the possibilities offered by digital web presses. “Independent publishers could customize their work for a variety of audiences. I’ve got some ideas already for my book! What a boon for our members!”

CIPA’s Focus Forum #1 – The Customer Experience with eBooks

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Adobe InDesign, Barnes and Noble, CIPA College, ebooks, Mandi Pralle, NOOK, Visual Persuasion

CIPA committed the 2011-2012 year to building a resource system based on three components: monthly meetings followed by a more casual and intimate Focus Forum, and then supported by online class content that can be accessed at a member’s discretion.

Our first Focus Forum proved to be a great success with 18 in attendance, made up of CIPA members, nonmembers, and even a few interested parties who joined out of curiosity and stayed for the excellent content.

Barnes and Noble hosted our group and provided great information based on “The Customer Experience with eBooks.” Many of us were surprised with the information Martin Baker, Barnes and Noble’s Nook Manager, shared regarding Barnes and Noble’s partnership with independent authors. His guidance added to our resources and helped with book marketing and e-platform selection options.

Mandi Pralle, Owner of Visual Persuasion, followed with a conversation about what it takes to get a manuscript from an MS Word document to an Adobe InDesign and ultimately to an ePub format that can be used when setting up an account within  either Barnes and Noble or Apple requirements.

While technical issues caused some difficulty with the presentations, the conversation was nonetheless lively and full of good ideas and experiences.

A special thank you to Martin Baker and Mandi Pralle for donating their time and expertise to teaching our members.

We are all looking forward to October’s meeting and the Focus Forums that will follow this year.

New! Focus Forum on Oct 4 – All about eBooks and the Nook

Tags

Adobe InDesign, Barnes and Nobel, Focus Forum, NOOK

You asked, we delivered!

CIPA’s first Focus Forum for the year is set to provide
more “e” information (e-books, e-publishing, e-marketing).
Get in-depth, one-on-one answers to your questions.

Tuesday, October 4 from 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Barnes and Noble store
960 S. Colorado Blvd. in Glendale
(North of I-25 and Colorado Blvd.).

The agenda will cover a full demonstration on the capabilities of the NOOK Color and its value and impact for authors given by Barnes and Noble’s NOOK Manager, Martin Baker.

In addition, Mandi Pralle of Visual Persuasion will go into greater detail on the design tools, formatting, and conversions using Adobe InDesign and epub, the official standard of the International Digital Publishing Forum (IDPF). Her objective is to show, first-hand, how conversions from manuscript to e-format are done and then see how it looks on the NOOK.

Seating is limited to the first 20 people to sign up.

Learn More and Sign Up Here!

She Writes Steamboat Hosts CIPA Meet & Greet, College Classes

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CIPA Affiliate members, She Writes Steamboat

September 9^th marked an excellent beginning of a new type of relationship between CIPA and writers groups outside the Front Range. The She Writes Steamboat writers group in Steamboat Springs is the first group to become an Affiliate Member of CIPA, a new category of membership for those who cannot easily participate in Front Range activities such as the monthly meetings.

Meet & Greet

The morning started off with an informal “meet and greet” as depicted in the this photo, followed by a formal presentation about the benefits of being a CIPA member.  Attendees included published authors, writers working on manuscripts, writers ready to publish, an editor, and a graduate student completing her MFA.

Dr. C. Daniel Miller, CIPA President shown to the left, talking with attendees about their writing and publishing experiences.  Dr. Miller later presented two CIPA College classes entitled “Comparison of Publishing Options” and “The True Costs of Independent Publishing” to the Steamboat Springs community. These same two classes will also be offered in Fort Collins on October 29^th. Following this event, edited recordings of both classes will be available online.

Mary KurLeft:

Left: Mary Kurtz, the first Affiliate member to sign up for a CIPA College class, proudly displays her new book At Home in the Elk River Valley.

Below: Sue Leonard, founder of She Writes Steamboat, showing Stacey Kramer how to register for one of the two CIPA College classes held for the Affiliate Group on September 9^th.  

Sue Leonard & Stacey Kramer

Intro to CIPA College (video)

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CIPA College, video, YouTube

CIPA now has their own YouTube Channel. Check out this video, “Intro to CIPA College.”

Authors! Are you Ready for Your Closeup?

Tags

book publishing, CIPA Book Expo, CIPA College, EVVY Awards, independent publishing, Neal Browne, Patrice Rhoades-Baum, self publishing

Join the Colorado Independent Publishers Association (CIPA) for the next CIPA College Day to be held March 19, 2011.

Your book tour is beginning. Do you know how to package yourself and your book to get that all-important TV coverage?  Learn the right way to work with the media as taught by veteran TV newsman Neal Browne at Media Coaching & Training, one of the classes offered at CIPA College on March 19.

Is your website optimized to sell your book? Learn how to make your website a marketing machine in Evaluating Websites from a Marketing View, taught by branding expert Patrice Rhoades-Baum.

The March 19th session of CIPA College offers something new: a morning session of FREE roundtable discussions chaired by award-winning authors and CIPA members. Aspiring authors looking for advice on publishing can talk with authors in their genre – from autobiography to inspirational, how-to books to history, children’s to adult fiction.

This year’s College dean, Dr. C. Daniel Miller, is enthusiastic about adding the free roundtables to this session. “One of the greatest things about CIPA is the way experienced authors and publishers are so willing to help newcomers with the 1001 questions they have about publishing and marketing a book. Since this College Day is on the same day as CIPA’s EVVY awards for publishing excellence, we wanted to celebrate the fantastic past winners and introduce them to the next generation of successful authors.”

The afternoon sessions, Media Coaching & Training and Evaluating Websites from a Marketing View,are geared to more experienced authors and independent publishers. The registration costs for these two classes are only $30 each for CIPA members and $45 for non-members.

In addition to CIPA College and the EVVY Awards taking place the evening of the 19th, CIPA is also simultaneously hosting their 3rd annual Book Expo on March 18th and 19th. All three events will take place at the Red Lion Hotel at 4040 Quebec St., Denver, CO 80216. The Book Expo features a publishing trade show of printers, editors, marketing experts, graphic designers, and much more. Friday’s roundtables will feature technical experts and a manuscript pitching session for unpublished authors. “If you’ve ever wondered whether your book has what it takes to be successful, you won’t want to miss this opportunity!” says Miller.

For more information on CIPA College, the EVVY Awards and the CIPA Book Expo, go to CIPA’s website at www.cipabooks.com. Please note that CIPA members receive substantial discounts for individual CIPA College classes and for the multi-class discount packages.

In addition, CIPA is expanding up and down the Front Range, with additional College Days scheduled for April 2 in Loveland and on May 7 in Colorado Springs. The complete schedule of classes is available at www.cipabooks.com.

Writers! If you’ve ever wanted to publish a book, come to the 3rd Annual CIPA Book Expo

Tags

CIPA Book Expo, CIPA College, EVVY Awards, how to publish a book, independent publishing, media training, Neal Browne, Patrice Rhoades-Baum, pitching your book, self publishing, websites

The Colorado Independent Publishers Association (CIPA) is hosting their 3rd annual Book Expo on Friday, March 18, and Saturday, March 19th, at the Red Lion Hotel at 4040 Quebec St., Denver, CO 80216. The Book Expo, exhibits, and roundtables will be held 10:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. on Friday, March 18 and 9:00 a.m. – Noon on Saturday, March 19. Admission to CIPA members and the general public is free.

The Book Expo features a publishing trade show of professionals who support the independent publishing industry such as printers, editors, marketing experts, graphic designers, writers’ organizations, published authors, and much more. Friday’s roundtables will feature technical experts and a manuscript pitching session for unpublished authors, hosted by experienced editors/CIPA members.

In conjunction with the Book Expo, CIPA’s 3rd College Day begins on Saturday morning with something new:  FREE roundtable discussions chaired by award-winning CIPA authors. Aspiring authors looking for advice on publishing can talk with authors in their genre – from autobiography to inspirational, how-to books to history, children’s books to adult fiction.

This year’s College dean, Dr. C. Daniel Miller, is enthusiastic about adding the roundtables to this session. “One of the greatest things about CIPA is the way experienced authors and publishers are so willing to help newcomers with the 1001 questions they have about publishing and marketing a book. Since this College Day is on the same day as CIPA’s EVVY awards for publishing excellence, we wanted to celebrate the fantastic past winners and introduce them to the next generation of successful authors.”

“If you’ve ever wondered whether you could publish a book and be successful, you won’t want to miss this 2-day event!” says Miller.

The fee-based afternoon class sessions of CIPA College after the Book Expo ends are geared to more experienced authors and publishers.

Your book tour is beginning. Do you know how to package yourself and your book to get that all-important TV coverage?  Learn the right way to work with the media as taught by veteran TV newsman Neal Browne at “Media Coaching & Training.” The cost of the 90-minute hands-on workshop for CIPA members is $30 and for non-members is $45.

Is your website optimized to sell your book? Learn how to make your website a marketing machine in “Evaluating Websites from a Marketing View,” taught by branding expert Patrice Rhoades Baum.  This 90-minute hands-on workshop for CIPA members also is $30 and for non-members  is $45.

For more information on CIPA College, the EVVY Awards, and the CIPA Book Expo, go to CIPA’s website at www.cipabooks.com. Please note that CIPA members receive substantial discounts for individual CIPA College classes and for the multi-class discount packages.

CIPA is expanding to the Front Range, with additional College Days scheduled for April 2 in Loveland, and on May 7  in Colorado Springs. The complete schedule of classes is available at www.cipabooks.com.

 

Reason #5 for signing up for CIPA College courses

Tags

book marketing, CIPA College, ebooks, social media marketing

In our last four blogs we have been discussing some of the reasons why you should sign up for CIPA College offerings. We are working our way through the top 5 reasons!

1. Find out what you need to know about independent publishing, when you need to know it.
2. Become a better-informed consumer of publishing services.
3. Save money.
4. Save time.
5. Work smarter, not harder.

Today, we will talk about the fifth great reason for signing up.

5. Work smarter, not harder.

There is something of a revolution in publishing these days, with printed books by traditional publishers now relegated to a secondary role behind independently produced books that typically are available in e-book format as well as print form. Some books are even launched in digital formats before offering print versions.

How is it possible to work smarter when so many things related to the industry are changing?

One way is to invest some of your time and energy finding out what is happening and how these changes can possibly impact your venture into the world of independent publishing. CIPA College courses are presented by professionals who not only have years of experience working in the content areas they are presenting, they also are currently engaged in the very transitions that are radically changing the face of publishing as we have known it.

Think of it as gaining access to change agents who are involved in all aspects of independent publishing.

Let’s take Brian Schwartz as an example. He is making two presentations related to e-books in Lone Tree on Feb. 26^th. Who could be a better presenter than someone who daily converts manuscripts into e-books for presentations such as the one on the Basics of e-book devices, formats, retailers and a second one on E-book distribution systems?

And how do you incorporate these new formats and delivery systems when you plan the launch of your new book? Find out what Sue Hamilton has to share during her presentation on Strategies for launching your new book. Even venture into the dizzying array of social media options with Mary Walewski with her presentation on Integrating social media into marketing.

You don’t have to discover everything by yourself!

Check out all the courses scheduled for Feb. 12th and 26^th at two Front Range locations.

Basics of copyright

Basics of a marketing plan

Comparison of publishing options

Establishing & promoting your brand

Create a website that sells books

Blogs, blurbs, Twitter, and other noise

Basics of e-book devices, formats, retailers

E-book distribution systems

Strategies for launching your new book

Integrating social media into marketing

Watch for other great reasons to sign up for CIPA College courses!

Reason #4 to sign up for CIPA College courses

Tags

branding, CIPA, CIPA College, creating a website, how to save money publishing your book

In our last three posts we have been discussing some of the reasons why you should sign up for CIPA College offerings. We are working our way through the top 5 reasons!

1. Find out what you need to know about independent publishing, when you need to know it.
2. Become a better-informed consumer of publishing services.
3. Save money.
4. Save time.
5. Work smarter, not harder.

Today, we will talk about the fourth great reason for signing up.

4. Save time.

Have you ever heard the old expression that there is never enough time to do something correctly, but always enough time to do it over? There is another way to look at the same expression. If you knew how to do something correctly, you can save yourself all the time and expense of doing having to do it over.

That’s where CIPA College courses can save you time and money by reducing the number of “do overs” by giving you insights into how to correctly plan your work and successfully implement the plan.

There are logical progressions of tasks associated with certain aspects of independent publishing. For example, it should be fairly obvious that you would not have a book’s interior design completed before the editing was finished. Yet we know of at least one instance where that was exactly what happened: the editors were presented a book in its final format in Quark before it was edited. After the editing was completed, the book interior layout had to be done over. What a waste of time and money.

But what about other things that perhaps are not as obvious?

If you attend Elizabeth Yarnell’s presentation on Establishing and promoting your brand and Matt Weeden’s presentation on Creating a website that sells books on Feb. 12^th, you may discover that there are compelling reasons for creating your brand BEFORE you create a website BEFORE your book has been printed! And where does book cover design fit into all that?

Sign up and find out!

These two courses are included in the ten courses scheduled for the CIPA College Days on Feb. 12th and 26^th.  This is your opportunity to meet and learn from professionals such as Elizabeth and Matt who are most willing to share their experience and expertise with you.

Check out the other eight courses scheduled for Feb. 12th and 26^th at two Front Range locations.

Basics of copyright

Basics of a marketing plan

Comparison of publishing options

Establishing & promoting your brand

Create a website that sells books

Blogs, blurbs, Twitter, and other noise

Basics of e-book devices, formats, retailers

E-book distribution systems

Strategies for launching your new book

Integrating social media into marketing

Watch for another great reason to sign up for CIPA College courses!