SAVE THE DATE: "Book Publishing 101" Presentation

When I was homeschooling my six children, a wiser homeschooling mother wrote a great piece of advice.

If you want your children to really absorb knowledge, ask them to teach someone else.

I don't think I fully realied how much book publishing knowledge I'd accumulated over the last two decades until I gave a private presentation on "Book Publishing 101" to "Writers, We" - the writers group that meets at the New Lenox Public Library.

That same presenation will be available at 1 p.m. June 27 at the Joliet Public Library, 150 N. Ottawa St. in Joliet. 

I'll share the library's event link once it's posted.

Maybe I'll see you there!

See What Rebekah Made For Me in 2020 (and how that might help you)

Today is my family's Christmas celebration. And today is Rebekah's twenty-seventh birthday, too.

So since we're celebrating the spirit of giving and two gifts from God (His Son and my daughter), I'd like to share what Rebekah did for me - and what she can do for you, too.

Since I spent most of my time at home in 2020, I decided not to waste my time. Because once I can be out and about again, out and about is where I'll want to be. So I used my time at home productively.

Among my various projects, I decided to accept some additional editing projects from other writers, not too many, just six. Plus I completed two projects I began from the previous year.

Some writers also reached out asking for help with book formatting (print and eBook), the self-publishing process, and website design, which are more of Rebekah's skills.

So Rebekah made this website for me/us: dmbaranunland.com.

Browse through its pages and reach out if we can be of any help to you, too.

On a completely separate note, the BryonySeries Holiday Book Sale (with free coupons to The Book Market in Crest Hill as a "thank you" for your purchase) ends today - but I'll actually honor orders through Jan. 8 since I'll not be checking email too much today.

For details, visit bryonyseries.com/promotions.

One side note about ordering: Timothy is building an actual BryonySeries store behind the scenes, and some of it is publishing but not actually live.

So when you go to the BryonySeries store to order, use that for viewing product descriptions only and then send me an email at bryonyseries @gmail.com with the order.

Otherwise some of the books will click through to Amazon. But some of the books don't go to Amazon anymore. They go to the "ghost store."

And of course, if you have any questions, just email me. Most of this confusion will go away when the entire store is live.

Rebekah (right) and I are pictured at the White Oak Library Author Fair in 2018 - you know, back when we could do stuff out in the world. Still, whether we are at home or not at home, I think we make a good team.

I have ideas. She helps make them reality.

Back Cover Copy for Ed Calkins' Upcoming Novel "Ruthless"

Last night, Ed Calkins, Steward of Tara, submitted the following text for his back cover summary of "Ruthless," which will be available on Calkins Day (Feb. 13).

I did tighten it a bit, and I hope it all fits on the back cover.  

But it should give you an idea of what you, the reader, will encounter, should you decide to read it this twenty-first century novel of Irish literary nonsense.

“I would think that any vampire who has the favor of a supernatural deity to help him find his way back to his own time would be too dangerous to mess with.” I told him.

            Henry Mathews snickered. “Well, there’s the rub. Not everyone agrees that a supernatural deity fueled his escape. They think he was simply Irish.”

              “The luck of the Irish,” I mused…until realizing I’m the only known Irish vampire. “Wait. Am I the unreliable source of this trip to the end and beginning of time?”

              “You never said you were.”

              “Then what are you saying?” I asked impatiently.

              “No. I said YOU never said that…any of it. If you had, anyone could easily dismiss it.” Henry leaned close and dropped his voice to a harsh whisper. “Fall apart, man! Quit being rational! Your enemies can read your mind! You must scatter your wits and believe the unbelievable or you’ll never survive!”

              Step through the mirror. Step through at your own peril.

              It was clear enough that Ed Calkins was murdered while delivering newspapers. Trudy, a poet, sharp-shooter, dominatrix, alcoholic, and auxiliary police officer is certain she knows who did it. She remembers pointing the pistol and pulling the trigger, but she doesn’t remember why she shot her best friend. Is something supernatural is haunting Munsonville? Or had something possessed her years ago when Eddie secretly won the lottery? In either case, he’d become a vampire, and she must face him again in a duel four days from now.

            In the meantime, Ed Calkins is bleeding to death and only has seven seconds to create a son for Melissa and John with the help of two others, who both live in his imaginary version of Tara in ancient Ireland. He must also ruthlessly battle agendas or myth and his own unruly imagination while time traveling recklessly through distant future and past. 

              So step carefully through the mirror because you’re only guaranteed to learn three things.

                             - Ed Calkins is ruthless,

                             - A pistol is no silver bullet in a limerick fight,

                             - And if Ed Calkins asks you to marry him, he might not ask again.

Another Side of Self-Publishing

Back in 2012, I had an audio version of Bryony professionally recorded at a studio in Joliet.

The end.

No, seriously.

The narrator and I wound up with personal emergencies, and the project faded into the background.

Over the years, the producer and I have occasionally reached out to each other with a "We should do something with this," but individual schedules never worked out at the same time to talk and plan.

That's changed.

I've now met with the producer three times in the last month and a half. He still has the files, and they sound amazing.

We are researching and educating ourselves on the audio book industry to decide the best way to distribute it.

I have self-publishing experience. He has experience in the music industry.  So it's a springboard for us to learn the audio book industry and share thoughts and links.

Since we've waited this long, we're in no hurry.

But since I don't listen to audio books, we may want a couple of beta listeners before we launch.

Anyone interested?

Six Months of Reading Only Local Authors

When Before the Blood went into editing last year, I decided to spend 2019 reading only books written and published by local authors.

Six months into the process, a very enjoyable process, I'm rediscovering the joy of discovering new books and enjoying them.

Publishing, like other industries, undergoes its own trends. By reading only locally produced, self-published books, I'm bypassing those, and its making a richer reading experience.

When I was a child and stayed inside the house due to asthma, I read. When I ran out of books of my own to read, I turned to the books of my mother's childhood, which sat on a shelf.

These books, although some where mass-produced by the Stratemeyer Syndicate, didn't have flashy covers or hyped-up back text.

They had a title, a name, and perhaps a frontispiece. The only way to discover these books was to read them. And I did, flipping through the pages, reading snippets as one samples appetizers, and finally heading to the first chapter to savor the entire book.

Liken it to the difference between seeing a blockbuster movie versus an independently produced film, where a discussion with the director and actors follow the viewing.

So although the books I'm reading now do have back cover copy, and some do come with enthusiastic promotion on social media, the carefully-crafted, targeted campaign is, thankfully, missing, and I'm able to relish each book for its own merit.

The covers give me an idea of the words between the pages before plunging into the poems or stories, but other than that, the rest is a quiet adventure of setting aside the hats that say "writer" and "editor" to burrow into someone else's world for awhile, a world I had zero hand in creating.

Do I enjoy each book equally? No, of course not. But each book is read for its own entertainment or informative or inspirational merits.

Not because it's famous. Or well-reviewed. Or because I know the author.

But because each reading is a delicious adventure. And, perhaps, because I know the author has, in most cases, overseen each step of the book production and wrote it because he/she had to tell that story, or write that poem, or deliver that message.

There's love and passion and hard work in the process. And a desire on the part of the author to share all of that with those who will pick up that book.

For a reader like me, it's pure delight.

Illustration by Kathleen Rose Van Pelt for "Bryony."

Meant to be Read

Last night, I read an article about Stephen King (which I can't seem to find again), where he talked about writing less. I found the quote on his website:

I'm writing but I'm writing at a much slower pace than previously and I think that if I come up with something really, really good, I would be perfectly willing to publish it because that still feels like the final act of the creative process, publishing it so people can read it and you can get feedback and people can talk about it with each other and with you, the writer.

I know some writers want to be commercially published, some want to make money and/or quit their day jobs, some want to be famous and so on.

And although I'm glad I make money as a writer (mostly from my day job, which is writing, and far, far less from my creative hobby, which is writing), for it allows me to spend most of my time writing, King's quote nails it for me.

When I was younger and less realistic, I used to think that by my enthusiastically sharing with others this or that great book I've read would drive them to do likewise so we could talk about it, which, when I've read something compelling, I naturally want to do.

I feel the same about the words I've written. But feature stories, although they find more readership, also have a shorter shelf life, so to speak. They're read today and forgotten before tomorrow.

My fiction, although it has more staying power, has a far shorter reach and less of an audience. Either way, at the end of the day, I spend most of my time crafting words I'll never discuss, and, even if I do, certainly not anywhere near the same depth in which I wrote them.

So the ultimate satisfaction, I think, must come from the process, which, for writers seeking readers of their work, ought to bring comfort when sales are slow.

Nevertheless, having someone to read the words is indeed the culmination. For that reason, I feel, the entire process isn't finished when we hit "publish."

It's when someone clicks on the link or picks up the book that we, as writers, can truly say, "It is finished."

Illustration by Kathleen Rose Van Pelt for "Bryony."

And Then This Happened

Last night, Rebekah and I attended a presentation on KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing) at the Joliet Public Library.

We're not new to KDP or self-publishing overall. We've been self-publishing books since 2011, and we have used a couple different companies.

However, we ARE much more familiar with Createspace and have encountered some issues with a few titles (mostly the Bertrand the Mouse picture books) that Amazon migrated from Createspace to KDP, necessitating a few phone calls.

So, since the presentation was free, we attended, hoping for a deep exploration of KDP. Instead, the presenter walked participants through the basic steps, which was a good introduction for people who are new to self-publishing.

I should mention here that Rebekah is not always on board in the moment about helping me out with some of the technical aspects (at which she excels). And when I mentioned about attending this program, she didn't exactly balk, but she didn't do handsprings either.

Ordinarily, she would still be at work when it started. But she had some professional development that day and knew she'd be home early. So we signed up.

Now on many nights, we go walking in the evening. And last night was a perfect night for it. So we were mildly disappointed at missing it. During the break, Rebekah bought M and Ms (which she shared with me) and a cold bottle of water for me.

We had a brief discussion at leaving and then decided to stay. We had, after all, just bought the M and Ms.

During the section of the talk on KDP's cover creator, and how some of the templates won't let you continue without an author cover on the back (which is a no-no for me), Rebekah shared with me how she bypassed it on two of my recent books. The result is at the very bottom of this post.

Afterwards, I talked to one of the participants who had a few questions. And I provided her with information about WriteOn Joliet.

While I was talking to her, the library did a drawing for a Kindle Fire. And suddenly, Rebekah was very happy she had attended.

Finally, the "author photo" does appear on the last two Bertrand the Mouse books. And here it is!

I'm going to leave it as an "editorial decision" on Rebekah's part. No objection from Bertrand!

You Really Can't Go Home Again

Well, yeah, physically, you can.

But when we've moved past, and grown from, certain experiences, we can't return to the old perspective and enjoy them the same way.

The other night, I picked up a novel I had enjoyed in childhood, one I had wanted to re-read for a long time, and settled into bed with it. The title is unimportant, but it's a favorite novel, one that inspired me to write the type of fiction I write, and one that inspired me to write, period.

This book goes so far back into my childhood enjoyment that I remember my sister and I playing Miss America with our babysitter. When the babysitter asked me who I most wanted to meet in the entire world, I gave this author's name.

And yet the other night, I closed the book at page three and put it away.

Had I stuck with it, I'm fairly certain the story, and the way this author told it, would have wrapped me in its magic. That wasn't the problem.

The problem was, right there on page one, in this beautifully hard-bound traditionally published book with stunning pen and ink illustrations, was a typo.

Yes, a typo, On page one.

I took a breath, kept reading, and turned to page two.

And there was another.

And another.

I was done.

Now I'm not being judgmental. It's not the typos that bothered me, or rather, it's not the fact the book had typos that bothered me.

As a self-published author, I can't tell you the number of times I've read about the advantages of traditional publishing, with pristine editing being one of them.

As a self-published author. I struggle (and fail) to produce copy completely error-free. In fact, I told my editor for Before the Blood," I can live with a few typos (because, you know, I'm self-published)."

But the reason why I hired this particular editor was less about the catching typos (although she does) and more about catching plot holes, inconsistencies in characterizations, etc. The major types of stuff that ruin a story.

Since I'm not a huge publishing house with an elaborate staff of talented editors, I have to pick and choose my priorities.

I'll take a flawless story and characters that leap off the page over a few typos.

So why did I put the book away?

Not because the book has changed. But because I have changed.

I am no longer a child reaching for that book to get wrapped up in its wonder.

I am now an adult that creates some of that wonder for others.

But I am now also a self-published author who can move past the hand-wringing worry about publishing a perfect book.

Such a book doesn't exist. It didn't exist in the 1960s. And it doesn't exist today.

Yes, of course, I will write and edit as clean a story as possible and ruthlessly seek and weed out every mistake, every lesser word.

Too many word weeds will overtake a great story and choke it.

But a few? Depends on the reader and his or her tolerance for typos.

Apparently mine is a bit higher than most (I was good at grammar as a child).

Maybe in a month or so, I'll reach for the book again. I'm guessing I'll enjoy it on several levels.

With better understanding of how good books come to be.

With a probable chance I'll be analyzing its sentence structures...and marveling.

With gratitude to the author who has long since past on...

And with a bit of my nine-year-old self reading along with me and simply enjoying the journey.

Formatting Frustrations

So Sarah offered insight into the formatting issue in the Bertrand the Mouse books.

I didn't understand her advice, but Rebekah did, and she is going to try removing "hidden formatting" this morning.

Ultimately, Sarah said that although the files look correct on our end, they may still, in fact, be wrong, and instructed Rebekah how to remove and reinsert the images before reuploading the files.

I'm stymied because they were previously correct. But perhaps KDP picks up issues Createspace did not.

We did get a "hidden formatting" message with the first "Before the Blood" installment, which we removed. However, we did not get one with the second; perhaps because we used the same template and the issues were resolved.

On a more exuberant note, we uploaded the second installment late Sunday afternoon to KDP and the book was live about 16 hours later.

Watching it finally take shape after pecking at it for sooooooooo many years is truly satisfying.

Yes, You Probably Do Have a Book In You

Like many writers, I belong to several writers groups on social media.

This past weekend, someone posted this article written by Kate McKean of the Howard Morhaim Literary Agency: No, you probably don’t have a book in you: A literary agent on why your good story isn’t likely to be a bestseller.

McKean elaborated on the following points: 

1) Every story is not a book.

2) Writing is hard. 

3) Publishing is a retail industry, not a meritocracy.

4) Just because you are fluent doesn’t mean you can write.

Comments on the group ranged from respectful to upset, with some not-so-good opinions about traditional publishing to some lauding of self-publishing or seeing self-publishing as a last resort if an author can't land a traditional publisher.

Part of the confusion, I feel, lies in the difference between writing as art and writing as business, or the difference between creative and commercial art.

Writers: although overlap may occur, they are not the same.

Here's what I posted:

I'm the entire features section of a daily, a self-published author of several series, and the co-leader and co-founder of a writer's group. I stress the above points to those hoping to "get picked up" by a literary agent. 

Being published traditionally does not equal validation of good writing. All it means is that the author has written a book a publisher thinks it can sell. The writing can be good, bad, or indifferent. But it can be edited into a salable product that can be targeted to a specific market. I do this all the time with news releases and story pitches in my section. 

I've seen bad writers sign traditional contracts and some outstanding writers struggling to find readers for their outstanding novels. I tell writers all the time: "If you have an idea for a story burning inside you and will dedicate the long hours required to shape that story into a mesmerizing, believable read, you're a writer. Enjoy the process! You may only find five readers turning somersaults over your work, but that's OK. Write your story for them." 

With so many self-publishing options available now, it's an exciting time to be a writer. If you want to be a commercial fiction writer, study the market and write to it. But here's the thing. By the time a commercial work is ready for publication, the market may have changed. And no one, including literary agents and the top five, can predict what book will sell a surprising amount of copies. 

So write the book inside you, the book only you can write. And make it the best book it can be. A truly great book never goes unread.

And also this:

An agent only makes money with the sale of a manuscript. If I was a literary agent, I would not accept a project I could not sell. As far as publishing houses and blockbusters go, the blockbusters give new authors a foot in the door. Many, perhaps most, books do not earn out their advances. Many houses survive on blockbusters, making it possible to accept other books they know won't sell as well. Publishing is a business.

And finally this:

Once upon a time (get it, LOL), a midlist author could enjoy a quiet comfortable career. Publishers had larger staffs and worked with authors they felt had promise. But things change. Where I work, the features section had two editors, one staff writer, and a bottomless freelance budget. That was 1998 when I started writing for this newspaper. 

Today, I am the entire section and have no freelance budget. When I freelance and wrote stories on local authors "published" by vanity presses, I swore never to become one of the them. But as I learned more about what constitutes true self-publishing, I found another adventure. 

Every era in publishing brings its own opportunities and challenges. Let's seize the first and navigate the second. Who knows? Instead of bemoaning the changing of the game, we can become game - changers, and all these comments will sound quaint in ten years.

Writing a book takes knowledge, time, discipline, and persistence, and writers often (maybe usually) receive very low return for that effort. Writers, no matter how they publish their works, struggle to find readers for their writing. 

True, a writer may sell more books through a traditional house, and true, some self-published authors do very well.

But most books, published or not, sell only 250 to 2,000 copies in their lifetimes (depending which report you read), very discouraging to fierce dreams of becoming the exception. 

I've written and self-published several books, and I doubt any of them will hit even 250 in sales. I remarked at a recent WriteOn Joliet meeting that Before the Blood, this five-volume prequel to the BryonySeries trilogy that's consumed nearly ten years of my life, will likely only sell five copies in its lifetime.

And yet, I'm so very glad I wrote it.

If you haven't guessed, I agree with each of McKean's points.

However this does not mean writers should not write that book. Good God, YES, they should write it.

Write it to develop your talents.

Write it to entertain your imagination.

Write it for your own set of five people who will savor (or devour) it and clamor for more.

If every book was a bestseller, bestsellers would not exist.

If every book received a traditional publishing contract, publishers could not afford to publish books.

But that doesn't mean the process isn't valuable or that a writer's words don't have the power to change someone's life, even if it's the writer's.

So if you have a story or a topic burning inside you: write!

Here's the link to the complete article if you'd like to read it.

https://theoutline.com/post/5541/unconventional-wisdom-you-should-not-write-a-book?zd=6&zi=3kyacsvx&utm_source=Publishers%20Weekly&utm_campaign=044e39cbbc-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2018_07_27_02_59&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_0bb2959cbb-044e39cbbc-304484677

Story Round-Up: Features in The Herald-News, July 15 through July 20

Just a handful of "original" works ran in features this week - it's been a whole lot of catching up since I returned. I have't even cracked open the manuscript, not for a single peek.

And doing so this weekend will be challenging, too. But I will.

I have a self-publishing information talk/seminar/workshop tomorrow from 9 to 11 at Book and Bean Cafe in Joliet (would love to see you, just $10 if you're not a member of WriteOn Joliet), followed by a wedding at noon (not mine, of course, but still...)

And speaking of WriteOn Joliet, it's recent growth is amazing me. We have new people at nearly every meeting, and they are staying. Three new people attended last night, one the week before that, and three the week before that.

Several of us will be participating in "Writers 15 Minutes of Fame" at 7 p.m. July 26 at the Plainfield Library, 15025 S. Illinois St. in downtown Plainfield. If you're available that night and would like to hear a mix of works read aloud by their authors, come on out!

And now:

Non-bylined features:

Monday through Saturday I assembled my non-bylined works - brief posts and calendar listings - into one convenient file and posting them on Facebook in the evening, so readers can easily choose the ones they want to read.

 One can also find those event listings, the Gotta Do It calendar, as well as the pets, health, faith, and arts and entertainment calendars, under the sections tab on the left hand side of http://www.theherald-news.com/. Click on "features" and the topics drop down.  Gotta Do It runs under "people."

Community news? Again, under the sections tab, under features, and by topic. Updates are posted on these days in print and web (and some only on web on other days as I have the time): Monday (pets), Tuesday (health), Thursday (faith), Friday (arts and entertainment), and Sunday (people).

Social media:

Daily updates: I do post the briefs and calendars on Twitter during the week, so you're welcome to follow me at @Denise_Unland61.

BryonySeries stuff: I post curated content relating to the BryonySeries at @BryonySeries. And assorted related content at www.facebook.com/BryonySeries. And of course, please follow the adventures of Bertrand the Mouse on Instagram at bertrand_bryonyseries.

If you're a writer anywhere in the world, you're welcome to jon WriteOn Joliet's Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/groups/writeonminooka/?ref=bookmarks. We're based in Joliet, Illinois, but we love to meet and interact with writers outside our area, too.

Upcoming events: 

These are listed here: https://www.bryonyseries.com/fetes-and-feasts

For an expanded version: http://bryonyseries.blogspot.com/2018/07/some-upcoming-events.html

Books and Such

Information on my books (including where to buy) along with upcoming events is at www.bryonyseries.com.

Thank you for reading The Herald-News. And for reading this blog. And if you've read (or plan to read) any of my books. And for those who came out to WriteOn Joliet's open mic night last night. Your support is greatly appreciated.

Mystery Diner: Volar in Plainfield — comida auténtica indeed

Next came the queso fundido a Volar, a twist on classic queso. The cheese dip was mainly chorizo, which was something we were all quite excited about. It was not too spicy and definitely filling.

But we managed to save room for the main course, of course.

http://www.theherald-news.com/lists/2018/07/16/a9d5d2bee87a44ee93cf5210fc190be6/index.xml

Morris businesses offering hope to those in need

Event to benefit New Beginnings Thrift Store and Women's Help Center

http://www.theherald-news.com/lists/2018/07/18/d40f38727c5d4cf694b631f9d2fbab31/index.xml?page=1

LocalLit author spotlight: Diane Maciejewski of Elgin

"It’s not a matter of “like to write”, rather whatever demands to be written. An idea for a story will pop into my head and will refuse to go away until I write it."

http://www.theherald-news.com/2018/06/12/locallit-author-spotlight-diane-maciejewski-of-elgin/ap4qf2p/

And two columns:

Lots of coffee and a little miracle

The night I saw stars...

http://www.theherald-news.com/2018/07/08/lots-of-coffee-and-a-little-miracle/ah3udt2/

Baran-Unland: Newsletters provide more A&E via email

Events and short stories, just for you

http://www.theherald-news.com/2018/07/19/baran-unland-newsletters-provide-more-ae-via-email/au6saj4/

Illustration by Matt Coundiff for "Visage." Follow him at www.facebook.com/artbymattcoundiff

These Two Authors Did It; You Can, too

I'm talking about self-publishing, and I'm not talking about me.

Terri Ellinger and Ken McGee are two local authors. Each had written quite a number of books and weren't sure how to get them published. They wanted to self-publish but heard it was expensive.

I showed both of them how to publish for free (or nearly free). When I say "nearly free," I mean that. For instance, WriteOn Joliet is publishing its second anthology this year. The cost for publication is $25, the same as last year's anthology.

I got Ken started right around the holidays last year and Terri came to my self-publishing chat inn February.

And my editor, Colleen Robbins, just received the proof to her first book, which she published using my information.

Here are links to Terri and Ken's books:

Terri Ellinger: https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=dp_byline_sr_book_1?ie=UTF8&text=Terri+Ellinger&search-alias=books&field-author=Terri+Ellinger&sort=relevancerank

Ken McGee: https://www.amazon.com/Kenneth-Lee-McGee/e/B07D7DGPGG/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1531825764&sr=1-1-fkmr0


Ken is still releasing titles and will his books for you to check out (as will I) from 9 to 11 a.m. July 21 at the Book and Bean Cafe, 3395 Black Road in Joliet.

The event is free for members of WriteOn Joliet or $10 for nonmembers (with the money going back to WriteOn Joliet to provide even more resources for its members).

Of course, you're free to buy a book, too. But this is not the purpose of the event.

The purpose is to show anyone interested in publishing a book (a physical print book, as well as an eBook) without spending thousands of dollars per book.

Maybe you have a story to share with friends and family.

Maybe you'd like to write your memoir.

Maybe you have a business and would like to have a book to sell at talks.

Maybe you have expertise in a niche topic.

Maybe you'd like to distribute your creative writing.

Maybe you'd like to archive family recipes (or favorite family photos) into a book.

Maybe you have ideas/reasons not listed here.

If one of these is the case, maybe self-publishing is for you.

"How to Self-Publish a Book for (Nearly) Free is Not a Formal Event." We're going to sit 'round a table, drink some great coffee (or tea, both available for purchase at the cafe) and go over my handout line by line, with plenty of opportunity to ask questions, etc.

Can't stay? Stop by anyway.

If you're a member of WriteOn Joliet, I'll give you the handout.

If you're not a member of WriteOn Joliet, bring $10, and you can have the handout.

In all cases, I'm available for support (for free) if you get stuck in the process. And if I can't help you, someone else from WriteOn Joliet can.

Illustration by Kathleen Rose Van Pelt for "Bryony."

What Happened to Community News? (and two event reminders)

It returns this evening.

Between getting ready for our family Christmas and keeping up with deadlines, the first ounce of free time came too late at night to post it.

As I transition back into the regular routine over the next couple weeks, I'll be catching up on stuff I let go during the holiday weeks.

This includes sorting out stories by priority of timeliness, catching up on getting more community news in print and online, starting two NEW projects for The Herald News (I hope you're curious and excited to know what these are), getting back in the fiction groove (Before the Blood has languished for attention lately), finish a book I started in September, posting weekly recipes again, and hosting two events.

One event is coming up this week. Another happens in February. Information is below.

Have a great Monday, vampire fans! :)

How to Self-Publish a Book for (Nearly) Free

When: 6 p.m. Jan. 11, 2018

Where: Book and Bean Cafe, 3395 Black Road, Joliet

​Etc: WriteOn Joliet co-founder and author of the self-published BryonySeries will give a concise step-by-step presentation on how to self-publish a book for no to minimal cost. Opportunity for Q&A and to purchase books from WriteOn Joliet authors. $10. All proceeds benefit WriteOn Joliet programs.

Contact: Visit www.writeonjoliet.com or email bryonyseries@gmail.com.

Calkins Day Book Signing

​When: 6 to 8 p.m. Feb. 13, 2018

Where: Book and Bean Cafe, 3395 Black Road, Joliet

​Etc: Meet BryonySeries' real Ed Calkins, Steward of Tara and first (and only) Irish vampire on Calkins Day. Buy signed copies of his yet untitled or released book about author Denise M. Baran-Unland's "Irish" genealogy. Refreshments and great coffee for sale. The evening will celebrate Ed's birthday, limericks, Celtic lore, and all things fun and creative. Irish garb (Irish apparel, dressing as leprechauns and other Celtic mythological characters) encouraged.

​Contact: bryonyseries@gmail.com.

Illustration by Matt Coundiff for "Visage." Follow him at www.facebook.com/artbymattcoundiff or @MattCoundiff on Twitter

Did You Know I Was Irish?

Neither did I.

But apparently I have an Irish backstory.

Which Ed Calkins, the Steward of Tara, so thoughtfully chronicled back in 2010 when I started this blog.

He emailed my genealogy in installments. I published them in installments.

Now, for the first time in make-believe history, you can read the entire bit of nonsense in one small, novella-like book.

The proof was ordered today; the event details are below.

And if you'd like to publish your own book for free (or nearly free) this year, join me for a cup of coffee Jan. 11 at Book and Bean Cafe in Joliet. Details for this event are also below.

Have a great weekend, vampire fans!

Calkins Day Book Signing

​When: 6 to 8 p.m. Feb. 13, 2018

Where: Book and Bean Cafe, 3395 Black Road, Joliet

​Etc: Meet BryonySeries' real Ed Calkins, Steward of Tara and first (and only) Irish vampire on Calkins Day. Buy signed copies of his yet untitled or released book about author Denise M. Baran-Unland's "Irish" genealogy. Refreshments and great coffee for sale. The evening will celebrate Ed's birthday, limericks, Celtic lore, and all things fun and creative. Irish garb (Irish apparel, dressing as leprechauns and other Celtic mythological characters) encouraged.

​Contact: bryonyseries@gmail.com.

How to Self-Publish a Book for (Nearly) Free

When: 6 p.m. Jan. 11, 2018

Where: Book and Bean Cafe, 3395 Black Road, Joliet

​Etc: WriteOn Joliet co-founder and author of the self-published BryonySeries will give a concise step-by-step presentation on how to self-publish a book for no to minimal cost. Opportunity for Q&A and to purchase books from WriteOn Joliet authors. $10. All proceeds benefit WriteOn Joliet programs.

Contact: Visit www.writeonjoliet.com or email bryonyseries@gmail.com.

Do You Want to Publish a Book in 2018?

Then come to Book and Bean Cafe in Joliet on Jan. 11.

Over a cup of coffee and through an informal presentation and concise informational handout, I'll explain how you can publish a book for free or very nearly free

I'll also explain the differences between traditional, pay-to-publish (otherwise known as "vanity" publishing) and self-publishing, along with the pros and cons of both, especially in terms of editing, marketing and distribution.

The cost is $10 at the door, all of which benefits WriteOn Joliet writers.

There will also be copies of self-published books for you to peruse (and buy, if you like), including copies of WriteOn Joliet's recently release inaugural anthology, and information on WriteOn Joliet.

There's no pressure or sales hype to buy anything (although I encourage you to at least buy a nice cup of coffee from the cafe. The owner is most gracious in opening her doors to this event).

The Book and Bean Cafe is located at 3395 Black Road in Joliet, right inside the Joliet Public Library. The event itself is from 6 to 8 p.m. and allows time for questions, which I'll my best to answer.

Hope to see you there! :)

Come to "How to Self-Publish a Book for (Nearly) Free" on Jan. 11

Self-publishing has changed a lot since I wrote my first book in 2008 and began to research publishing.

Back then, authors had two choices: submit to traditional publishers (with the need to find an agent first for many of those submissions) or a lot of money (thousands of dollars in many cases) to use a pay-to-print service.

One company had a free service, and that was Lulu. Today, authors have other free options with Amazon's Createspace being one of the most popular. Amazon also has fee-paying services.

Now I don't claim to be an expert on all facets of self-publishing, but I've learned a few things along the way. (I've since published nine books so far, eight of mine and one group project). And one thing I've learned is how to create a book with spending little money. In fact, it really irks me when I see writers paying huge setup fees for work when its unnecessary.

Cover design, ISBN assignment. online book distribution (including Amazon and Barnes and Noble), copyright registration, and formatting: these are not as daunting as they sound, and they are tasks authors can handle themselves. (If I can handle them, anyone can).

So if publishing a book is one of your goals for 2018, but you've held off because of the costs involved, come join me for coffee and conversation at 6 p.m. Jan. 11 at the Book and Bean Cafe, 3395 Black Road, in Joliet.

I'll define the differences between traditional, vanity, hybrid, pay-to-print, and self publishing. I'll explain mysterious terms like ISBN, Ingram, and extended distribution.

Then, with a handout you'll keep,  I'll walk you through a lean, step-by-step process on how to self-publish a print book through Createspace. I'll explain where you should put any money you choose to spend and where you should not put it.

This low-key workshop will not include sales, marketing, social media tips, etc. It also won't include writing and editing tips. Those are conversations for another day. This workshop is only to show you how to create the product for little to no money.

And no, I'm not selling any "services." I don't have the time to offer them anyway. I'm simply showing you how to create a book.

Of course, one may ask questions at any time during the presentation.

The cost is $10, which goes into the WriteOn Joliet kitty (yes, I co-lead the group) to help fund more resources for writers. WriteOn Joliet, a dues-paying critique group (we rent a room twice a month at the Joliet Public Library) published its first anthology this year (total cost to publish $25 and that was my cost), and we're exploring marketing this year.

We've hosted gust speakers, open mic nights, and annual holiday parties along with the critiquing and the fun. We also have a Facebook group, which, of course, is free. You don't need to join WriteOn Joliet to be a part of this group, and members are available to answer questions on the page about the writing, editing, and publishing process.

Information about WriteOn Joliet will be available at the workshop, along with copies of some of our self-published books so you can see the physical results (Heck, if you want to buy one or two, we won't object).

There's no advanced registration. Just show up that night, buy a cup of some really great coffee from the cafe (and maybe a snack or two), and we'll chat.

Questions? Message me at bryonyseries@gmail.com.

For Authors: What Constitutes "Publishing?"

One often hears writers say, "I'm a published author."

But in today's electronic, self-publishing age, what does that mean?

According to Merriam-Webster, publishing is "the business or profession of the commercial production and issuance of literature, information, musical scores or sometimes recordings, or art," such as "newspaper publishing" or "software publishing."

For authors, that process was once straightforward: bundle up manuscripts, ship to publishers, and hope for the best. In the twenty-first century, this feels as outdated as coke syrup for morning sickness.

This doesn't even get into the differences between commercial and creating writing (more on this in another post). For today, let's just touch on the basics.


1) Blogging is considered publishing.

Yes, that's correct. With bloggers often receiving the same first amendment rights as journalists while being held to the same accountability as journalists.

What this means in terms of publishing your short story on your blog or on an online site or a fan fiction page is this: if you wish to submit the same story to a traditional publisher, be aware some publishers might consider the story already published and be disinterested. That's not true of all publishers. But it is something to consider before posting you work anywhere on a whim.

2) The same mindset applies to pay-to-publish companies and true self-publishing.

Yes, they are very different animals. Both can bite whether or not the work does well.

Some traditional publishers want to see high sales before taking a chance. Others will eschew a work with high sales feeling sales are pretty much exhausted. Neither are likely to be interested when sales are poor.

3) The assumption behind the phrase, "I'm a published author."

The assumption is that your work has gone through a vetting process with a traditional publishing house and was accepted for publication.

But this shouldn't knock the accomplishments of writers choosing one of the options in No. 2. It takes discipline to write a book, even if it doesn't approach the editorial standards or commercial expectations of a publishing house. So take pride in that.

4) Being accepted by a traditional publisher isn't a reward for good writing.

True, traditional publishers generally like good writing and will lean toward manuscripts that need little in terms of editing. But traditional publishers are mostly seeking salable works.

If you've written a masterpiece, but the market won't support it, you'll have difficulty finding a traditional home for it, no matter how stellar the writing, plot, characters, world-building is.

Likewise, if you've written a salable masterpiece, but a particular house has already purchased two like it, you'll have difficulty finding a traditional home for it.

Furthermore, a work may need quite a bit of editing and still receive an offer from a traditional publisher simply because the house feels the work will sell well (after the editing).

5) Being accepted by a traditional publisher doesn't mean your work will sell of that you will make lots of money.

Even if you're a "bestseller."


In short, if your goal for a particular work is traditional publishing, the conservative opinion would be to shy away from any forms of publication, including print and "e." Doing otherwise doesn't necessarily mean death for the work. But it might reduce the odds of living in traditional form.

Then again, publishing online might get it noticed. Or garner fans who help get it noticed. Think Amanda Hocking. Or Fifty Shades.

Just don't count on it. Because like many things in life, there are no guarantees when it comes to writing and publishing.

Except one.

There is absolutely no substitute for hard work and the long tail. Meaning, the more you do to perfect your craft and learn the business side of publishing over the long haul (cliche), the more likely you will find a home within its borders.

Goodbye, Tate Publishing

Last night, a local author I'd interviewed several years ago contacted me and she was very upset.

She, like a number of other authors I'd interviewed for The Herald-News through the years, had published her book with Tate Publishing, which many of these authors didn't realize was a vanity press...or even understand what a vanity press is.

I remember one parent years whose high school child had written a novel and was "accepted" for publication with Tate and how "impressed" Tate was with the novel felt it the several thousand dollars spent to get the book in print was well worth it.

And I'd plenty of similar stories from other authors who'd signed contracts with other pay-to-publish companies.

These authors had no idea they weren't signing contracts with traditional publishing houses. And, as the impartial interviewer, it was not my place to tell them.

And now...Tate, who I'd considered the King of Christian vanity publishing, is gone.

https://tatepublishing.com/current.html

I imagine vanity presses have fallen on hard times. The ability to publish for free has existed for awhile (Here's looking at you, Lulu), with, perhaps, Createspace leading the pack.

But with the advent of eBooks and the ability for anyone with some basic computer and editing skills to start a small press, authors really don't need to spend thousands of dollars to turn their manuscript into a printed book.

Now it's true that authentic self-publishing for free doesn't necessarily lead to increased sales (Here's looking at you, Denise), and it's arguably contributed to the vast amount of slush out there (Here's , hopefully, NOT looking at you, Denise), BUT...

At least the author understands the process up front and hasn't dumped a substantial amount of money to start at zero, as far as sales are concerned, or confused about what is or is not traditional publishing.

And while readers have more badly written books to navigate to find ones they'd like to read, the self-publishing process have widened the choices and given authors a real opportunity to turn their manuscripts into books someone might want to read.

Goodbye, Tate. I won't miss. And I imagine other authors out there, once they move past the shock an disbelief, might feel the same.

The Marketing Challenge...

...especially for an author (me) who has chosen the hard way to publish (as if other ways are easy).

I have self-published (without backing of a traditional press) a literary-ish (difficult to market even for a traditional press) gothic-ish (a dead genre) trilogy.

So how do I connect readers to the reading? What has worked? What has not worked? What won't I do?

Won'ts/Not worked:

1) Blow up my social media feed with exhortations to buy my book or follow me because I'm an expert in "this" or because my writing is so "that." Social media is meant to be social, not MEdia. There's plenty of that online already. It turns me off. I'm sure it turns others oof, too.

2) Keep doing the same thing over and over and over if it's not working. Example: craft fairs (unless I ever auxiliary craft items to sell, in which case craft fairs would be a marketing opportunity for me). One member of WriteOn Joliet says she does well at craft fairs. I have not.

3) Author events that aren't part of a larger event. Example #1: Coming into the venue where I am the only draw. I'm sorry stunning enough for people to take a chance (I hear objections from loved ones, but it's true). Example #2: I did well at Indie Author Day at the Plainfield Public Library. Organizers planned conservatively (a small room with about fifty chairs set up for the author panel). The day consisted of a one-hour author panel and then one hour to browse the authors.

4) Paying an exorbitant price for table space. I almost never make the money back. Exception: My mother paid almost $300 a few years back to be part of a three-day craft fair at a local mall. We did well the first two days and almost made our money back.

5) Spend so much time marketing that I lose sight of writing.

What's worked:

Consistently? Nothing.

Moderately: Again, being part of a larger event.

Ironically: random online purchases (go figure), especially overseas. This last doesn't surprise me, as that had been my hunch when I began the series.

And yet: I have a small tribe of extremely devoted fans (i.e. not my family and friends) that LOVE this series and exhort me to push the marketing.

The challenge:

Finding ways, and then encouraging, other authors to find their ways, to connect their books to the right readers. I have a hunch some of it might be genre specific, but that's okay.

I'll keep you posted of my progress (or lack thereof...)

Editing, Defined

Often when writers talk about "editing," they really mean, "proofreading" or catching and correcting typos and minor errors in spelling, punctuation, and grammar.

In actuallity, proofreading is the last step, after all the editing is complete. The process of editing has several components. They are:

Manuscript assessment: Okay, so maybe an assessment is not a the same as editing. But an assessment gives  an author a good first glimpse of how much editing - including self-editing - may be required. An assessment also provides a wide critique of the manuscript's strengths and weaknesses, along with overall suggestions for improvement.

Developmental editing: This type of editing targets content and structure: plot, pacing, dialogue, characterization, inconsistences, wordiness, and over-writing.

Line editing: the The editor literally examines the manuscript line by line. Paragraphs may be rearanged, and sentences may be rewritten to ensure smooth transitions and prose.

Copy editing: Corrects word choices, spelling, punctuation, and grammar.

And finally, proofreading.

For authors that choose to self-publish, I cannot stress enough the importance of editing, and that should be where authors spend the most money.

Yes, self-editing is important. Self-editing involves setting the completed manuscript aside for a month or two and then moving through the above steps. That, too, is a process.

Rigorous self-editing will cut down your editing expense. But authors are too close to their works to be the final eyes.

By "too close," I don't mean "emotionally attached."

You see, when one constructs an entire manuscript word by word, it becomes impossible to notice every flaw. The brain simply cannot see them anymore. A pair of fresh expert eyes notices them instantly.