First Word

The “terms” in the career fields seem like they’re always changing. I recently noticed that the title “content strategist” has become popular. Since my curiosity piqued I wondered, “What is a content strategist?” I soon learned it was a fancy term for the old fashioned title of executive editor or editor-in-chief or director of communications, depending on the organization. The other common term I’m starting to see pop up is “Chief Storyteller,” which is a fancy term for writer or author. So what makes a content strategist any different than an executive editor? Well, except for the “content” mostly being electronic content to be used on electronic media, it’s really not that different. We’ve taken the word “articles” or “information” and turned it into aforementioned content. Content can be articles and information or it can be information to populate data fields. A strategist would figure out the best and most effective way to communicate information across multiple pl...

No. #1: Pitching your book means doing your homework . Let me ask you a question: Do you like it when someone approaches you with a pitch and knows nothing about you? They give you the generic form letter and it’s obvious they didn’t care enough to check it out. So the worst thing you can do to turn off any book reviewers or media professional is to pitch your book blind. For example, the reviewer plainly says he or she only reviews sci-fi and you’re pitching romance. It’s a major turnoff and shows you didn’t even look at the reviewer’s preferences. Go to the reviewer’s reviews and read them. If they have any information on a particular reviewer, read it. And when you pitch acknowledge somehow you looked at their material. It shows you cared enough to check it out. Reviewers know when you’re throwing mud at the wall and hoping something sticks. It wastes their time, and most importantly it wastes YOUR time. No. #2: Want to stay in good stead with a reviewer? The power o...

1. What is Harris Estate about?  Harris Estate is an alluring mystery that takes Leah Murphy from San Francisco, California to Oakdale, Texas when she inherits a long abandoned ranch estate. A grisly discovery on the property sparks an investigation with local authorities, which opens up Pandora's box and everything Leah knew about her life is changed forever. During the trials and tribulations, her marriage is tested, her desires are amplified and she has decisions to make that will affect everyone she loves. 2. What is the main take-away you want readers to have when they finish the book? I'm in hopes that the reader enjoys taking a wild ride that makes them question what they might do in the various scenarios that our characters are thrown into. I want them to experience the same range of emotions: shock, fear, humor, passion and vengeance. 3. Your story centers on a strong female protagonist. Why did you choose to tell the story from a woman's...

Today’s blog we’re going to discuss doing things for the sake of business. I recently ran into a moral and ethical crossroads. Do I do a project that a writer owes me when I don’t feel comfortable with this writer’s moral and ethical behavior? Well, to give you some important information, the project has been long paid for and is beyond overdue. My personal feeling was instantly no. I didn’t want to help someone whose behavior was reprehensible. Problem is the money had been spent. If I did the project I would have the chance to recoup the losses. A moral and ethical question for sure. In business we will run across these dilemmas. Actually in life we will run across these issues, too. I felt the question was a test for me to approach as a businesswoman and from a strictly financial point of view. Letting my personal feelings run my business only works so far. Sometimes you need to look at your business as a business and what’s best for it. Of course what is...

I have increased my outreach with this newsletter is my pedal-to-the-metal tactic to build and grow my business 3L Publishing ( www.3LPublishing.com ). My commitment is to continue to make not only my dreams a reality, but your dreams come true, too. I've recently been marketing my way through an uphill battle to stay competitive in a business being diluted by self-publishing tools and gimmicks that mislead people into devaluing the publishing profession. As a result, I have to market against cheesy self-publishing gimmicks and K-Mart prices. When I saw on my Music Choice channel that a cheese ball ad was running about selling publishing solutions, I groaned. Now as a professional with years of experience, education and skill I'm supposed to go up against $500 publishing packages that are like putting the creative process on an assembly line and expecting something creative, unique and professionally done.   Just so you know we don't publish publications...

As you know from last week I began to debunk some of the erroneous information some inexperienced writers spread around. Last week I discussed log-lines and why they’re necessary. This week I want to get into publishing industry costs. The woman who told everyone log-lines weren’t necessary is the same woman who is telling people they can get their books converted to eBooks for a mere $37 and that 3L Publishing book publishing packages were on the “high side”. Let’s grab the $37 eBook conversion cost by the “3” and the “7” and call it insane. No, you cannot get your book (if it’s book size anyway) converted even in India for $37. Suggesting our conversion fees are expensive begs for a professional comparison. Please visit the Bowker website ( https://www.myidentifiers.com/self_publisher ). Here you’re going to see a number of costs for services including eBook conversion TOOLS. Well, actually all of the package prices are for TOOLS NOT services. At roughly half...

So, I always try to avoid reading stuff about 3L Publishing (www.3LPublishing.com) on Google searches. Every once in a while I will do a check-up, and ran across this scathing little chat about my company. While I do think all press is good press, this article and the source of it irritated me. It's always that one writer who thinks he or she knows it all, but his/her resume demonstrates they are fresh off the writing boat. Ignorance is not bliss when someone is acting like a subject matter expert and (excuse my roughness here) talking out their behinds ... LOL ... that made me laugh. It's good to be the CEO and not be censored when you want to call a spade a spade. If I were working a corporate job never in a million years could I say what I think needs to be said. It would be (a-hem) sanitized.   I'm going to start with some of the mythology this woman is spreading. The point is not to give her message momentum, but to answer the question. If one per...

In publishing land the summer heats up since most people want to sell their books, products or services for the holiday season. We just go the Harris Estate up on press and next up "Tails" from the Trail goes on press, too. Smile Power is wrapping up too. I've been encouraging author Ramin Bahram to get Smile Power printed in time for World Smile Day , which is Oct. 7 .   Since we're on the subject of smiling, I wanted to share how much I learned in working on Smile Power about the "power" of a smile. You have absolutely no idea (or maybe you do) how the mere act of smiling can impact so many aspects of your life, from your health to your wealth, and from your relationships to your career. I never thought about the power of a smile. I just smiled, as I'm certain most of you do as well. It was fascinating to find out that while disparate research has been done on smiling there are really no books out there on the subject. So, Ramin...