Chicago, IL USA:
Without even mentioning 'The Competition' in the Publishing Field as well as your own Competition in the playing and reading field(s) regardless of the underlying Fact that when the Economy is in a Recession, Publishing is in a Depression, there’s still a number of courageous People who still believe in the Written Word and plan to continue seeking a Writing Career – as an Author/Authority although Times are tough and the Tough may not be able to weasel enough of a paycheck to even cover a month’s meal.
No matter what the Economy is like a good book (even sometimes a mediocre Read) is enough to pass the time and take you into another, more satisfying World.
However, when PUSH comes to SHOVE, an innovative if not mad-cap way to get something published is to think far-out of The Proverbial Box. In this case, far beyond the Cover of the Book – any Book for that matter – as a Book can be written with a Week or less…Material is easy to come by; dream up and/or acquire, especially if you collaborate with 1 or more creative Types who can throw their fair share into the Creative Kettle.
After consulting with many Authors during the BEA and the Chicago Tribune's Printers Row Weekend, it was clear to see that ISBN Numbers are a waste of money. That $250 can be put to better use in promotion is what 3/4 of the Writers I spoke with stated. Although it's been said that it takes a Dollar to make a Dollar, a Dollar saved is a Dollar earned AND new industrious ways can be designed to meet the new Challenge that individual Authors are facing.
Another Concern the Authors I spoke to mentioned was the length of time (anywhere from 12-18 months) for a Publisher to get a new Book out. With so many Editors now out of work, there is no reason why they cannot man a full-staff 24/7 in order to get out a new Book in at least 3 months. This was a genuine concern. Enter: Self-Publishing when doing it yourself means you can take all the Credit...and/or all The Blame.
You certainly should not blame yourself for lack of knowledge when it comes to publishing. Even 30 minutes a day after 30 days will yield enough copy that can in a few short months produce a Book.
Therefore, deciding to see how to best promote my latest Literary Project without much sweat, toil and especially money and keeping the above Opinions in the forefront of my Mind, I conceptualized a new Format called:
BILD-A-BOOK ®
that basically rests with the Undertakings of Basic Scrapbooking (that is extremely popular now) and the Idea that since it takes Publishers 12-18 months to produce a Book, although the Words can be written in the Course of a Week – if Pictures/Illustrations or Photography is to be used, it will take a bit time longer to MAKE THE MONEY and TAKE THE TIME to design a well-presented Final Product that will not only turn Pages, but Heads as well.
The Premises and Workings of BILD-A-BOOK ® are such that:
#1: Your Text is written; proofread and Copyright Papers have been filed and received via the Registrar in Washington, DC.
#2: You begin selling your Text on your Blog (if you do not have a Website – as some are tremendously hard to maintain) in Sections.
#3: You perform all the major league Public Relations that goes along with any variety of Promotions. A Background of 30 years of PR/Advertising/Marketing is on my Resume, but Publicizing has never been easier. Just pick up a few library books on the Topic and use simple Email Techniques.
#4: The above 3 Steps are all done on a Shoe-string Budget, per se. Because after all, since you are self-publishing and eliminating the middle-man, you are making all the Money. The initial Expenses have to be made – but this can all be accomplished with $100 (or less) that can be worked and reworked till your Books (that will be more like a Scrapbook) begin to sell.
Bild-A-Book is spelled without the vowel 'u' in Build because my Philosophy is: If a Letter is silent, then it shouldn't even be (bothered) to be written. Life's too short to add in Silent Letters. Why upset a Person trying to learn English as a Second Language or even a Small Child in Grade School trying to learn 'The Languge.' Easy is best; Fun and allows for more Time to indulge in other Past-Times (if there are any besides Reading, that is!).
MORE AT THE PROMOTIONAL LEVEL: Add in Street Fairs and Holiday Bazaars (as the Holiday Season kicks in) in which Groups of People can collaborate and buy a Booth – for additional exposure to sell your Book - ScrapBook. Having others Blog about your Work is helpful as well as constantly getting Testimonials from People. After all Word-of-Mouth and Word-of-Mouse is where it’s at….although it’s MOST often happening between the Pages you have just written or scored.
#5: The last Angle of BILD-A-BOOK is that you retain and maintain an Audience – this Audience can most likely ‘buy’ into The Concept – for a year – thereby you send your Customer a 2 Chapters monthly with the Artwork to keep the momentum moving at a brief pace. An Updated Newsletter on progress is also a nice added touch since the Life of an Author is an extremely interesting one that is often followed for decades on end.
My BILD-A-BOOK Operation is such that the entire ScrapBook is sent out via a 3-ringed Notebook; therefore Pictures, Illustrations and a wide variety of Inserts can be added as I produce them. Since I am deemed as:
‘America’s Premier Eventologist’ by Insight Magazine in Washington, DC in August, 1997
&
‘The Premier Eventologist in The History of The World’ by The Chicago Trubune in Chicago, IL in January, 2001
There are always sections that have to be added for the newer HOLIDATES that I consistently invent and create on a regular basis, that compliments by Writing. This makes BILD-A-BOOK exciting as well as very useful for School Teachers, Librarians, Professors and Academicians who are scouring The Scene and studying its Theories for course-work, lectures, classes, etc.
Oh, yes, it’s a really rough Economy ‘out there,’ but Reading will always remain popular and amongst the best and finest Past-Times ever invented. How you keep up with ‘The Times’ in creative and do-able ways is (always found) in THE BOOK.
Buy mine today called:
SKiN
How 10 Beloved Plush Toys Redefine Race ©2009
by emailing me at:
askoopersmith(at)hotmail(dot)com
Adrienne(dot)Sioux(dot)Koopersmith(at)gmail(dot)com
for the PIQ: Particulars, I nterviews and/or Questions.
Posted by:
ASK: ADRIENNE SIOUX KOOPERSMITH
Koopersmith’s Global Communications
Chicago, IL USA
Wednesday, June 10, 2009 – 3:45 PM CST
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