Monday, June 13, 2011

Sundays for Writers

Yesterday, members of the Guelph Write Now and Writers Ink groups filled an entire table at Lucie's Restaurant in south Guelph.

We gathered for Danielle Gavan's workshop on self-publishing. The presentation was a dynamic one and we were all impressed by Danielle's enthusiasm and willingness to share her extensive knowledge with us.

I must admit I was a bit overwhelmed by the information, but I took good notes and hope to implement some of her excellent suggestions.
  • Start promoting yourself the minute you write the first sentence of your book.
  • Create Facebook pages and Twitter accounts.
  • Start a blog and talk about your writing process. Post some of your chapters and invite readers to comment.
  • Pay a professional to edit your book. A reasonable fee is $1 to $1.50 for every 300 words or $350 for an entire book.
  • Post a chapter or more of your work on Wattpad or Smashwords and invite readers to comment.
  • Visit the Savvy Authors website. Here, you will find other authors, editors, cover artists, agents and publishers. Every genre is represented. You can also sign up for online workshops. A few times a year, the site will sponsor pitch sessions where you can pitch your latest work. Premium membership is $35 per year, an excellent investment according to Danielle Gavan and Cindy Carroll.
  • Get honest feedback from beta writers. A beta writer is a person who reads a work of fiction with a critical eye. She helps improve the grammar, spelling, characterization and general style of writing prior to the release of the book.
  • Consider (POD) or Print-on-Demand publishing. The initial fee is $35 and you only pay for the books ordered.
Written by Joanne Guidoccio

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