Boost your Business with a Book Workshop!

There’s a new workshop coming to Diamond M’Press Publications. The workshop will debut on March 5 and it is called Boost your Business with a Book. I’m really excited about this workshop because this is geared towards the entrepreneurs. There are a lot of people in the literary industry who start off as simply writing or blogging but then go into business such as an editor or cover designer or publisher. However, there are many people outside of the literary industry who could really use this workshop. If you are a cake designer or in construction or design this workshop is for you. It’s for anyone in any type of business who’s looking to gain new clients or customers. I take you step-by-step answering the question of why you should publish a book to boost your business. I know that there are many people who are not into writing books in their profession but sometimes it’s always a good idea to step into a different arena to find new clients. If you were trying to find different ways to boost your business, this workshop will be really interesting for you. We talk about target marketing, marketing, writing the book and the different elements of publishing a book which include, organizing, writing, editing, cover design and much more. Again, the workshop starts on March 5.

Click the link for more details. I hope to see you there!

-Your Literary Mentor

Dominique Watson

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How Long Should it Take to Publish my Book?

Happy Monday!

publishing-101A popular question I receive is what is a good timeframe for publishing a book. The traditional way in publishing is 6 months to a year. However, so many people are self-publishing that its takes nowhere near that long to publish a book. The amount of time should be no more than 6 months.

Let’s discuss

Writing the book should take about three months. No more than this unless you are not writing everyday. This is for those who work full-time jobs, have families and live a busy life that doesn’t allow you to be in front of the computer as much. If you are writing everyday, your book should be finished in three months.

Then you need to acquire time to do at least 2-3 read throughs before you send it off to the editor. One thing an editor hates is a book that is poorly written that requires them to almost have to write the book for you.

After you have done this, it should be off to the editor and you should be in the middle of working with a designer for your cover. Editing should take no more than 3 weeks if you and the editor are going back and forth consistently to get the book to where it needs to be for publishing.

By now you should be sitting at about 4 months in the cycle of publishing.

Now you should be ready for formatting. This should take no more than 2 weeks. 1-3 days if you know how to format your own book. Less than that if you hire someone who knows exactly what they are doing. Give yourself a week to receive the paperback/hardcopy of your book in the mail so that you can proof it.

Now there are two months left in the publishing cycle. You should already have a release date by now. You are probably wondering why there is so much time left between now and the publication date. That is because you need to leave room for error. What happens if editing takes a month rather than a few weeks? What if the designer is stalling or gets back logged with orders? What if you decide to do a major storyline or scene change that causes you to go back and rewrite some things? You’ve already put out a release date. You don’t want to push the book back right? This is that little window of error that you need just in case. If all goes smoothly, than congrats to you. But every author needs to save room for error.

The last thing you should be doing is promoting the pre release. Interviews, blog tours, reviews etc. Promote the book before it comes out so that when it does drop, your audience is ready!

Need help getting ready for your new release? Contact DMP about our services!

-Your Literary Mentor

Dominique Watson

Social Media Wednesday: Buffer

Hello Readers!

social_media_servicesI recently started using Buffer. It’s an App for social media management. I LOVE this App. I am also a lover of Hootsuite. I’ve used Hootsuite for years but Buffer just seems so much better to me.

It allows you to have multiple accounts attached it to. It is free, initially, but in order to have multiple accounts, you have to pay a monthly fee for it. It allows you to use Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google Plus and LinkedIn. I definitely think it is worth investing into.

You can promote to up to ten accounts with the paid version a month. You set up the times you want to promote and it will alert you on your phone when it’s time to post one of the posts you’ve created. If you are struggling with Social Media Management, this App is for you. Some don’t particular care for it, but it doesn’t hurt to try it out and see if it works for you.

Sign up today!

-Your Literary Mentor

This Week’s Discount. 25% Off the Publishing Process. If you need help, looking to become a Self-Publisher, start your own company and just want the basics, contact DMP today on how to get started!

Guest Blogger: The Importance of Supporting Characters

Supporting characters are like the cherry on top of a sundae. They bring that extra comedy, drama, or anything else that can make a story that much greater. Supporting characters are one of my favorite types of characters to write and I’m going to give you five reasons why below!

  1. They Give You Someone Else to Write About:

I love main characters! You can throw an entire backstory and loads of emotions on them, but sometimes it helps to be able to take a break and add on a part of the story that does not center completely around the main character. Supporting characters allow you to do all of this while still adding on to your story and creating (hopefully) really great content.

  1. Support Your Main Character:

Whether it is good or bad support there is no denying that your supporting characters are going to help move the plot along. I bet you can think of at least one instance in a book you have read where a supporting character did something to set things off. Now, this might not always be a good thing, but they are still the ones that started the ball rolling in the first place.

On another note, they are also sometimes just there to lift up and support the main character. This part is perfect for best friends, cousins, parents, siblings, teachers, girlfriends/boyfriends, and so many other types of people.

  1. Give the Reader Someone Else to Relate To:

We can’t always relate to the main characters in our favorite books, but we can sometimes relate to the supporting characters. By having supporting characters, I believe that you are giving your readers more opportunities to relate to a character, which might make them like the book even better.

I’m not saying that your readers have to relate to at least one character to enjoy the story, but as a reader myself being able to picture myself as someone in the story really helps me connect with it.

  1. Round out the Story

Pride and Prejudice without Mr. Collins? The Hunger Games without President Snow? These two characters might not be the main ones, but they make the story what it is today. Your supporting characters are going to help round out the story and make it a much better work than if you wrote with only main characters. They are going to provide humor, drama, and so much more for your story.

  1. They’re So Much Fun to Create!

Whether it’s nice characters or super mean ones, I love creating supporting characters. They give you the chance to delve into the heart of someone that is not your main character and to create something that is truly new and exciting. They’re also not your main character so supporting characters give you the chance to concentrate on someone else in your story. Because let’s be realistic, sometimes our characters do the exact opposite of what we’d like them to do.

Love,

Baleigh

 

About the Blogger:

IMG_4231Baleigh Roberts is a college student majoring in English and minoring in History. She has a great passion for writing and reading. Baleigh currently runs her own blog Baleigh’s Better Life where she talks about books, writing, and so much more! Baleigh hopes to one day be a published author and have her novels out in the world for people to read. You can keep up with Baleigh on social media here:

Guest Blog: To the Beat of my Book

Article by: Ashley Robinson

book-headphones“I met this girl when I was nine years old and what I love most she has so much soul. She was old school and I was just a shorty never knew that through my life she’d be there for me”. Lyrics from rapper/actor Common’s “I use to love her” paints a perfect picture of childhood love. The same way lyrics can tell a story, it can also inspire or provoke more depth to an author’s tale.

Both arts seem to always coincide. Songs and books create feelings, evoke thought as well as vivid imagery. It allows imagination that is from a consumer standpoint. What about a business standpoint? How do the two arts collide?

Simple, both artists and authors are faced with giving the fans what they want. This isn’t a easy task! Everyone has an opinion just like everyone has an asshole. Face it you’re not going to please everyone.

You’re music and book isn’t for everyone. You’ll have to zone in on your Target Audience. And even then you can’t please everyone. Also, artists and writers are faced with contracts that may or may not affect royalties (payouts). Also, protecting them from plagiarism of any kind.

Note: Authors using song lyrics in books shouldn’t use more than four bars.

What sets the bar any higher for music and books to coexist is the constant song titles or lyric quotes that become urban book titles such as “Love even when it hurts” the song by  Avant then turned into “Love even if it hurts” the book by Tamicka Higgins. You see it’s easy to intertwine the two.

Music can create books but books can create music as well. Song lyrics are made up of vast vocabulary that is either learned from the street and/or book i.e. Webster’s dictionary and/or published sonnets. Artists must have a decent love of words and wordplay to make words rhyme such as wine and time or to elevate complexity with a metaphor such as “You’re immature like roger so go home!” (lyrics from Wale’s Fuck you ). The double meanings in that metaphor is situational and educational via words. Let me explain! The character Roger from the hit 90’s television series Sister, Sister played by Marques Houston was in a singing group called Immature. The word immature in the context meaning child- like. The television show itself is reminiscent of childhood while the person wale is addressing in the song is a level of childish. Wordplay and meanings both affect music and books. But that’s more for another blog, another day.

About the Writer:

Ashley robinson, born at st. agnes hospital in west Baltimore in October 1990 to teen parents paulette and cedric had a stereotypical upbringing. Once her father was incarcerated ashley was raised by mother paulette whom had the support system of her parents elaine and joseph lyle. While mom was at school and/or work or church Ashley found her love of writing at home with her grandmother whom taught her to write and read cursive at the tender age of five so that she was quiet during the young and the restless. Ashleys love for writing grew and her curiousity peeked for words and story telling. At the age of seven she began crafting short stories and poetry that she often present at school for showing tell. Now as an adult and mother of one she wants nothing more then to have her work as a muse for those who want to follow their passion and needs life lessons learned through the pages. Ashley currently resides in maryland where she pre- school teaches, donates to charties, and working toward more entrepurneal affairs. Her debut novel released august 2016 entitled Imani. The series can be currently found on amazon.

Money Trees Publications

Authoress Ashley Robinson

 

Social media:

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Don’t Bite off More than you can Chew!

Business women on a chartHello Readers!

One thing I’ve seen a lot lately is business owners biting off more than they can chew. Placing themselves in a business category that their business has not reached yet. Don’t get me wrong, it’s great, wonderful to dream big but at some point you have to be realistic. If your company just hasn’t reached that level yet, you are not only fooling your customers but you’re following yourself.

One mistake is pricing. You have to know how to price your product, your service. You don’t want to price it too low, people won’t think much of your business and you don’t want to price it too high, people won’t think twice because it might not be worth that price. Now if you are going to price yourself or product high, you must be able to back that price up. If your shampoo costs $300 it better be the best shampoo on the planet! When people see a high price for a product that’s usually lower or that your price is at the higher end, people are going to analyze your company and see if you are really worth that amount. You better be able to back that price up.

Watch what you say. If you’ve got a big mouth as a business owner and speak a whole of words about your company, you better be able to back that up. You’re the best right? You better be the best. If not, customers will put you under a magnifying glass and see what you’re really about. Maybe instead of saying you are the best; you need to say we are one of the best. The best means there’s no other above you and no one can do it like you. Well when your customers go looking elsewhere and they find something better in quality and price, you’ve just found out that you are not the best.

As a business owner, you should be in reality with your company. Don’t bite off more than you can chew. Take your time and leave room for error and growth.

Your Literary Mentor

-Dominique