How to Fail in 3 Easy Steps!

Did you know some people are terrified of success? They would rather make excuses for why they can't get to the next level and why they can't pursue and accomplish their goals. I used to be confused about how this type of person could just not get it together, but then I found out that they have perfected executing a Fail Strategy.  I've watched them and listened to them and learned these key actions that they live by.  

If you want to continue to fail, here are some easy steps to help you  stay in a rut.

1 - Don't take responsibility for your actions.  

Blame someone else. If you can't get a job, blame it on "the man." If you can't go back to school, blame it on your sister who won't keep your kids. If you can't get to work on time, blame it on the alarm clock.  Anyone or anything will do. 

2 - Make excuses.  

Whenever you don't accomplish something just shrug and say -  "Life is hard."  Either that or just say "I don't have the money."  Those are encompassing and broad enough to pretty much cover everything.

3 - Refuse to get help. 

After all, you know what you're doing. How else will you become some good at failing if you seek and accept the help of someone who can share true insight and provide guidance? Don't listen to them.  Remember, they haven't had it as bad as you, so how are they gonna tell you what to do?

Follow those three steps as often as you like to keep yourself in loser status.  As for me, I'm going to the top.

Click here to join me.

The Best Place to Write!

Working at Barnes and Noble

You've seen my random pictures - Have Laptop Will Work,  so you know that I am all about being able to work from anywhere at any given moment.  When I first began packing up the laptop for a day of writing at the Barnes and Noble, the park or other "authory" location of choice, I thought it would be cool and...well..."authory." I imagined myself sitting at a secluded table with a paper cup filled with some kind of gourmet coffee, dressed in a pair of jeans and a cozy turtleneck with super-long sleeves, black framed glasses adorning my face, looking quite creative and busy as I tapped next novel onto my keyboard and screen . . . ahhhhh!

Well! That's not exactly what my experience has been . . . not quite.

First of all, there's almost no such thing as seclusion in my local Barnes and Noble. Don't even mention available outlets to plug in my laptop. The seats near the outlets are almost always taken by other computer users, and sometimes by this ONE lady who ONLY reads books - taking up valuable outlet seating space (insert twisted face here). If you're gonna sit there, at least have the decency to have something to plug into the wall!

Working at Panera Bread

Secondly - I'm not a big coffee drinker, but again, trying to be like the "me" I saw in my imagination, a grande  Caramel Machiatto, stirred with whipped cream soon became a daily must have. I mean why sit in the cafe as a writer if you're not going to look the part, right? HOWEVER... that mess is expensive!!!  $4.37 for eight ounces of coffee???  Was I crazy?? Let's not even talk about if I was a bit hungry (or just undisciplined) and wanted one of their scrumptious sugar cookies, or spinach quiche thingies.  We're talking ten bucks a day! (Yes, there were lots of cookie and quiche days). That's a whopping $300 a month!  Geez Loo-weeze!

And finally - I've concluded that Barnes and Noble has a gas heating system, but they refuse to pay the bill (back before summer arrived). They only pay the electric bill for the lights and to keep the cafe going, but as for heat (when it was colder) no such thing. It would be FREEZING in the cafe - cozy sweater or not. And with the limited amount of hair on my head, I just couldn't take it.

Working at Chick Fil-A

So . . . I packed up my laptop and tried another location - Panera Bread. Just as expensive (I LOVE their quiches and Cobblestone pastry and if it's lunch time, that Turkey Artichoke Panini  is sooooo good!) and they will make you get off their wi-fi if you've been on it too long.

Alright how about Chick-Fil-a?  We have a great CFA here - it's always clean, the staff is super-friendly and they have free wi-fi. Now you know what my downfall is there . . . the food.  Ain't no way I can walk in there and not get a Chick Fil-a Biscuit with American cheese and a large sweet tea, or their signature sandwich with provolone if it's afternoon.  Money and calories (fried chicken first thing in the morning? Tsk-tsk!) Plus y'all know Chick Fil-a STAYS packed. People everywhere! The lobby, the drive-thru, the kiddie park - people all over the place.

Working at Newport News Park

Next location - the park, which doesn't have Wi-Fi by the way, or expensive food to purchase. Sounds good right? That's until you factor in the dirt from just being outside, the sun making my screen harder to see, the ants crawling up on the laptop to try to read what I'm typing, and the wasps who feel like you are invading their space - and they ain't having that. And oh yeah . . . the bathrooms...or lack thereof. Enough said.

Working in my vehicle

Okay well how about the freaking car??? Strangely this has been one of my most productive work locations. No distractions, no coffee, no chicken, cheese, quiches or calories, as a matter of fact, I get to bring my own food.  I have a constant internet connection (via my own aircard) even if I decide to go somewhere, I have a portable outlet so I always have power, and it's perfectly climate controlled. I get to choose and adjust the music, no one asks me to put on headphones if I need to "run audio" or watch a video tutorial, and I don't have to go find a quiet or discreet corner to take a phone call. It's almost perfect! Space is a challenge of course, and there are definitely no bathroom facilities, but I can always run into somewhere like Barnes and Noble, Panera or Chick-Fil-a for that right?  :-)

Where is your favorite place to write?  Leave your comments, maybe you can help me find another place that works well for me!

5 Reasons to Publish Ebooks

The market for ebooks is rapidly growing and most traditional publishers are already publishing ebooks, but self-publishers need to take the initiative to get their books into ebook format and promote them. If you aren't already convinced, here are a few more reasons why your books should be available for the most popular ebook reading devices:

1. Keep up with the Competition
You are at a disadvantage if competing books are in ebook format and yours are not. 

2. Profits
Profits per book may be higher, depending on how much profit you make on your printed books. For example, self-published authors can earn a 70% royalty on ebooks priced between $2.99 and $9.99 on the Kindle store. And simply having your books available in the ebookstores may give you more exposure to potential customers and increase sales.

3. Cross Promotional Opportunities
If you sell other books, products or services, publishing ebooks is a good promotional tool. For example, an inexpensive ebook can be used to showcase your expertise and get customers interested in your other products. Novelists can promote their other books.  Be sure to include your website address and information about your other products in your Kindle book. (Barnes & Noble does not allow self-promotional links in their ebooks.)

4. Flexibility and Market Testing
Many ebooks are simply electronic versions of printed books, but there are other options. If you have written a fairly long nonfiction book, consider breaking it into several logical segments to sell in ebook format. Or publish new content that's too short for printed books. Ebooks are also ideal for short fiction works such as novellas or collections of short stories.

5. Speed and Cost
Many authors are choosing to publish ebooks and bypass printed books completely. Ebooks are usually faster and cheaper to produce, depending on whether you hire out the production or do it yourself.

Contrary to some advice I have seen online, ebooks do need a good cover. Consumers still judge books by their covers, and an amateurish looking cover tends to make them question the value of the content. It is generally easier and less expensive to have ebook covers produced than print book covers. 

Need help getting there?  Consider using my reasonably priced consulting services.

Article from The Savvy Book Marketer

The Truth About Self-Publishing

Meet my featured blog guest, Sandra Peoples!

In 2005, Sandra Peoples desperately sought information on the complicated topic of self-Publishing. With so many companies telling her that they could help her, Peoples did not know which way to turn. She took to the internet, spending countless hours in research and reached out to other authors, which then were not very many, for help and advice. She knew that if she had questions, surely others had the same.

• What exactly did it mean self-publish?
• What did the process include?
• What the heck was an ISBN number and how could she get one?
• Did she even need one?

Now, as the result of six years of research, ‘The Truth about Self –Publishing Manual: How to Publish, Promote and Sell Your Own Book!’ is here. The same information Peoples pours out to her students in classes, workshops and seminars has been captured and placed within the pages of this manual. She gives step by step instructions on:

• How to typeset your own book and save yourself hundreds, maybe even thousands on typesetting costs
• A little trick some bestselling authors use to pack out their events
• How you can get an eye catching book cover designed for pennies on the dollar (and maybe even for free)
• …and more.

If you are considering self-publishing, then this manual was created for you.


Excerpt:
Self Publishing is the publication of any book or other media by the author of the work, without the involvement of an established third-party publisher, vanity presses, or print on demand (POD). It is generally entirely done at the expense of the author. Vanity presses and POD services cater to those authors looking to publish without the traditional publishing houses but don't want the total responsibility of completely self publishing.


If you expressed interest in publishing a book on your own, you have probably been contacted by dozens of companies claiming to help you self publish. They say that for a fee, they will publish your book, while you maintain all rights to your work, receive some of the highest royalties in the industry, and have own your copyright. Well, I’m sorry to inform you but there is one thing these companies will never tell you because if they were to tell you, you would know that you weren’t really self publishing. It all lies in a 13 digit number known as the ISBN.


What is the ISBN?
The ISBN number is known as the International Standard Book Number. It is to your book, what your social security number is to you. The ISBN identifies your book, and identifies who the publisher is. Whoever orders the ISBN is the person who owns the book. If you have not gone through Bowker and ordered your own single or set of ISBN numbers, you don’t own your book, and therefore have not truly self published. You are under contract with the company you published your book with. The ISBN number is ordered from U.S. ISBN Agency. This is the only legitimate place you can get one of these numbers from. So, if a company tells you that you get an ISBN assigned to your book, and you don’t have to pay for it, it is because that company has purchased what is called a block of ISBN numbers for their publishing company. And you just added your book to their roster.
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View the trailer -  http://youtu.be/p2_C7TY5U3s

About Sandra:
Sandra Peoples is fast becoming hailed as ‘The Self-Publishing Expert’. She shares her knowledge and expertise on the subject through her classes, workshops and seminars, as well as through her blog, ‘The Truth about Self-Publishing’. Peoples has published five books of her own, and has been instrumental in successfully launching the careers of other authors, taking them from ‘aspiring authors’ to ‘published authors’. She resides in Michigan with her two daughters.

How to contact Sandra:
Coachsand@gmail.com
www.coachsand.blogspot.com
www.facebook.com/sandrap
www.twitter.com/authorsandra