A Self Publisher's Journal Published by Hawse Pipe Ministries Copyright © 2012 by Regina Tittel Cover Design by Regina Tittel Smashwords Edition Smashwords License Statement This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each reader If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author Also by Regina Tittel Abandoned Hearts Abandoned Hearts Study Guide Unexpected Kiss Love for Lenore Coveted Bride TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter One: Preparing Your Manuscript Chapter Two: Publishing Chapter Three: Blogging Chapter Four: Marketing Chapter Five: Information Sheets Chapter Six: Preparing For Your Audience Chapter Seven: Left-Over Helpful Hints Welcome Following, I'll share with you what I've been sharing on my blog, my experience at self-publishing You'll soon notice, I'm quick to the point Although my advice moves quickly, if you take your time and apply what I'm teaching, you'll reap big rewards But before we begin, take a look at your manuscript and see how it compares to other books of that genre Determine what makes it stand out from all the rest CHAPTER ONE Preparing Your Manuscript How Do I Know If My Book Is Ready For Print First and foremost, what are your fellow critique partners saying? If you don't have any, odds are you aren't ready Join a critique group like, American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) Listen well to what people say about your work Does it fit with today's standards and rules? With ACFW, they even have an archives section where you can learn for free with your membership ($50 for the first year, $40 after that.) When you feel your book is ready, be patient, it's not yet Your next step is to enter it in a few contests Study what they judge on and make sure your ms (manuscript) meets their expected standards Once the contests results are returned, listen to what they've said Where do you rank and why? Then ask yourself if your ms is ready Here are the results of my efforts When I thought my ms was close to being ready, I googled writing contests to see what was available I chose carefully The more well known the contests, such as ACFW's Genesis, I knew the less likely I'd be to final Simply because I was a new author and the book I was entering was my very first ms I chose the four contests I entered, based on who the final judge was Is the person an agent I would be interested in having represent me or an editor from a publishing house I'm pursuing? The first contest coordinator was kind enough to inform me I had been the third finalist until a discrepancy in the judging of another contestant called for a re-judging, which booted me to fourth place Not bad for a first try My second produced little results but my third and fourth were very productive With my third, not only did I final, but my full ms made it to an editor's desk at Bethany House, a publishing house you can't get in without an agent They did turn me down, but hey, my first ms had done fairly well, so my optimism was still running high My fourth and final contest attempt for Abandoned Hearts, landed me exactly where I intended, the desk of Melissa Endlich at Love Inspired, Steeple Hill Although I hadn't finaled, my score was high enough to earn me Honorable Mention where they forwarded my submission to the final judging editor Ms Endlich told me that although my story was what their readers would like, my writing needed to be strengthened Fair enough Even my critique partners had mentioned my writing had improved with each new book I wrote (note: I did revise Abandoned Hearts and strengthen the writing before publication.) I hope my experience has given you a better idea of what to expect out of contests and their benefits And of course, a clearer understanding of how to judge if your book is ready for publication Not to leave you wondering how they judge, I'll include what the judges look at Opening 1 Is the opening fresh and unique and grab your interest to make you want to read more? 2 Can you tell who the hero and heroine will be from the opening scene? 3 Does it open with a hook? Pacing 1 Does each scene promote and advance the plot progression? 2 Is the transaction between scenes smooth? 3 Does the action flow smooth and naturally? Point of View 1 Is the point of view clearly defined? 2 Are the transitions clear and effective between different point of views? Setting 1 Is there a clear sense of setting and time? 2 Are the world-building elements presented in a believable way? Characterization 1 Does the paint a clear description of the hero and heroine's motives, traits, flaws and strengths? 2 Do main characters interact in a way that helps build a conflict or a romance? 3 Are there internal and external conflicts that move the plot forward? Dialog 1 Does the dialog fit each character and flow naturally? 2 Is there an effective mix of tags, action and stand-alone dialog? 3 Does the dialog fit the time period? The judges will also score on style and mechanics Which means, does your ms stand out from the crowd and how is your grammar and punctuation? Show vs Tell I'm sure most of you are familiar with the phrase, show v/s tell I believe that's true in more than just writing I learn more easily if I can be shown by example Tell me what you want me to do then show me Following is some helpful advice I received from Jennette Green, author of Her Reluctant Bodyguard (awesome book, by the way I highly recommend it.) She's recommending changes for an earlier version of Abandoned Hearts: "First of all, some of the wording and phrasing of the sentences are stiff, and words are used that people wouldn’t normally use in everyday conversations Sometimes, as a result, it feels as though I’m wading through the words, and it also feels like things are being told to me, as a reader I’d rather have them shown the clichéd “show vs tell.” 1 What is the purpose for each scene? What does the character want? How will she/he get or fail to gain her goal? How will she try harder to gain it? What is the goal/problem at the end of the scene, which leads into the next scene(s)? 2 It is not necessary to detail every little thing that the characters do, as it slows down the narrative Such as “She turned on the faucet and filled the glass…” 3 As mentioned above, some of the sentence phrasing feels stiff and unnatural More relaxed word choices would flow better A few examples “…floor to unrelenting” could change “unrelenting” to “hard” “He hadn’t changed his clothes…” (then goes on to describe how they’re the same clothes he’d changed into earlier) Instead, could say, “He wore the same clothes that…” “Ann peered down the hall to reassure herself no one was there…” Perhaps could change to: “Ann peered down the hall to make sure no one was there…” Hopefully this will help those of you who battle the whole show v/s tell issue and also the ill-fated habit of over detailing, which causes your reader to skim And as writers, we don't want that! Weasel Words What are weasel words? They're the little bugs that hook onto your manuscript and turn away the eyes of editors and agents faster than you can ask 'why?' Here are a few examples in use: She wondered who left the gate unlatched and decided to see if the culprit was still inside Why is using 'she wondered' wrong? If I'm in her head (her point of view, also known as pov), I won't be thinking to myself in third person ex "I'm wondering who left that open?" No I'd instead say to myself, "Who left that open?" So by using, 'she wondered' you're taking the reader out of your character's deep pov (Not a good thing.) Why is using 'decided to' wrong? Same reason I don't say to myself, "I'm going to decide to find out." No Instead I say, "I'm going to find out." Here's a rewritten sentence of the original example: Who left the gate unlatched? She squeezed through the small opening between the gate and fence, careful of its squeaky hinges, intent on finding out Notice I didn't simply say she was going to find out I took the opportunity to describe what the character could see and hear By eliminating weasel words it opens up more opportunity for descriptive writing A small space allowed her to squeeze through Rusty hinges threatened to give her away Did you get a different visual this time? Was Was is one of those words we think we need to use all the time but really shouldn't It can make for passive writing My advice to you is to use your 'find' button and highlight all of the underlined weasel words I mentioned Get rid of the two phrases that include wondered and decided And severely downsize your use of was Once you see it highlighted and begin working with how you Hawse Pipe Ministries August 20, 2011 Regina L Tittel address Dear Pastor, You may be familiar with "True love waits" or a similar purity ceremony for teens and young adults As an advocate for abstinence, I support training the next generation in the importance of purity in an increasingly immoral culture I am a local author from Patton and have recently published an inspirational novel which conveys practical methods to overcome the temptations faced by the hero and heroine who have fallen in love In Abandoned Hearts, I take the reader to a place of physical temptation that dating teenagers and young adults can relate to The reader is shown how to recognize temptation, how to step back and why they should through the realistic situations of the characters presented in this book I have always been passionate about the support of abstinence before marriage and wanted to provide a new approach to conveying this timely message My husband and I are developing a packet containing a copy of Abandoned Hearts, a study guide and a purity ring as a small group study kit appropriate for teen to college age young ladies or single adults We are currently making inquiries to local churches to see if there is an interest in this approach Please understand that our intent is not to solicit business, but rather to bring another useful tool into the body of Christ for the teaching, correction and training of His people so that Christ may be glorified through pure, lasting, and meaningful relationships Please look for an email from me that will include a free eversion of Abandoned Hearts, a copy of reviews it has received and other related material If you, or others within your church family, have led small group studies on this subject, or have participated in purity ceremonies, this material may be a great resource for you If you have questions or comments, you may contact me at any time Sincerely, Regina L Tittel address and ph # New Version of Press Release for Updated Book Signings Following is another version of my press release It's for the same book but I draw on different aspects so the news is new! **FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE** ABANDONED HEARTS/Mountain Lion Shot in Mo, similar to R Tittel's Suspense Novel Patton, Missouri - September 28, 2011 Following on the heels of Regina Tittel's recently released novel, Abandoned Hearts, was another report of a mountain lion in MO Shot to death in Summersville, Texas County, it brings more reality to her story Those that have read Abandoned Hearts can easily relate to the fascination and fear that accompanies a wild animal of such size But because of Tittel's clever way of informing her readers, they're now equipped with knowledge of the habits of these mystifying creatures that live among us This first volume of The Ozark Durham Series, is gaining rapid attention Abandoned Hearts has captured the interest of several youth leaders from various denominations Tittel's tactful way of approaching the importance of abstinence through inspirational fiction has led to the development of a study packet, complete with purity ring to accompany Abandoned Hearts for youth groups Mr and Mrs Tittel plan to have it available for use in the beginning of 2012 Already her readers are vying for her second book, Unexpected Kiss Look for it released later this fall Regina will be doing an area book signing at The Oasis Bookstore in Farmington, on Saturday, the 15th of October from 12-2 Future book signings, where her second book will also be available are as follows: Marble Hill Library, Thursday, Nov 17, from 9:30-11 am Riverside Library of Jackson, Tuesday, Nov 29, from 12-2 pm Abandoned Hearts fits into the category of 'edgy inspirational,' a genre that is on the rise in popularity Following is an excerpt from the back cover: Stranded by flood waters in the heart of the Ozarks, Ann McHaven is forced to stay with a rugged farmer, Jacob Durham Her original annoyance with him soon turns to attraction The magnetic pull between them puts her faith to the test as temptations tease her thoughts Independent and stubborn, Jacob’s eyes and heart are opened to all he has to lose when a fearless mountain lion turns him into the hunted Will his life be spared long enough to restore his trust in God, and admit his love for Ann? Abandoned Hearts is available at Gospeland in Cape Girardeau, The Oasis Bookstore in Farmington, and through amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com, smashwords.com, and createspace.com Contact info First Results of Updated Press Release I just sent out my revised press release today and already had an editor interested in running a story This is very good considering my next book signing is the 15th I need the publicity to bring in those interested in buying my book I'll also print coupons to send to those that haven't been able to come to the earlier signings I'll encourage (through the post card) them to tell their coworkers, etc Also, because of my interviews and notice in at least three different papers, I sold over 40 ebooks this month through Amazon alone! I've sold five paper versions from online as well Press Release of Unexpected Kiss and recent results I sent this out last week and am already seeing fast results Keep up your persistence and you will too Next Thursday, the 11th, I'll have five minutes of air-time on Conservative News Talk at stations 960 & 1400 am Also, I'm currently working with Lucas Presson at S.E Missourian newspaper for an article that will go out on the 13th **FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE** Unexpected Kiss/Romantic Fiction with a Purpose Patton, Missouri - October 28, 2011 Surveys show that girls who grow up without fathers experience much higher rates of sexual activity, adolescent pregnancies, become involved in drug and alcohol abuse, and suffer from health and emotional problems than those with active fathers in their lives Author of Abandoned Hearts, Regina Tittel has released her second volume of The Ozark Durham Series, Unexpected Kiss In this novel, Carli is a young woman who fits into the above statistic Through her growing relationship with the hero and her fatherly landlord, she finally accepts she is forgivable and begins to understand God's unconditional love Regina says, "I wanted to reach out to those who weren't blessed with a father in their lives and help them understand their heavenly one." Unexptected Kiss approaches this all too relatable topic with gentleness, yet honest realism Readers will be able to relate with Carli's sinful past and weakened selfesteem whether through personal experience or through someone they know Tittel's natural knack for creating a suspenseful story while weaving a self-improving message has won her an increasingly large following As one of her readers wrote, "It's so refreshing to find an author who stresses these principles without "preaching" but manages to intertwine God's plan into everyday situations." Unexpected Kiss fits into the category of 'edgy inspirational,' a genre that is on the rise in popularity Following is an excerpt from the back cover: Breaking her pattern of bad mistakes, Carli's fresh start begins with finding the father she's never met But will the price of her decision weigh more than the risk? Ethan Durham hadn't planned on losing his heart to the girl in the staged photo, but if he can't convince her of God's unconditional love, she may never accept his And if he can't put an end to the attempts on her life, he may lose far more than his heart Regina grew up in Patton, Missouri under her maiden name, Francis, but moved to the state of Washington from 1993-1997 After her husband's tour of duty, the couple returned to Patton, where they now raise and home-school their two daughters Unexpected Kiss, will be available in mid-November, and she is currently working on the third in the series, Coveted Bride Her books are available through Gospeland in Cape, The Oasis Christian Bookstore in Farmington, Nevaeh Faith in Fredericktown, and most online stores (Contact Info would be included here.) Scheduled Book Signings in MO: Marble Hill Library-11/17/11 (9:30-11) please call to reserve ahead as there will be food available Cantwell Baptist Church, 1005 E Chestnut, Desloge, MO 11/17/11 (5.30-7or8) She'll be joining CaSondra Poulsen and speaking at the Mineral Area's Writer's Group Patton, Riverside Jackson Library-11/29-11 (12-2) At 1:30 she'll be sharing info on character development & marketing (please mention as often as possible) CHAPTER SIX Preparing For Your Audience Preparing for an Interview What do you do when you finally get an interview? Prepare yourself! What do you want the paper to say? Really, it's up to you You have the power to guide the editor's direction They want to interview someone they don't have to pry answers from So prepare what questions you'd like to cover Such as, do you have another book coming out? How about book signings? Do you have family ties in the area that might bring about more interest or some other link to that paper's community? Are you covering a particular topic and can you weave that into something current? Do you want to encourage other writers? Here are some other topics to consider preparing answers for Type them into a word document and print them out so they're handy The more prepared you are, the less likely you'll have any regrets Family life Education Organizations you've joined Where you see yourself five years from now Why you chose a traditional publisher or self-pubbed How readers can contact you, via blog, website, etc Your next project Did you always want to write How past careers led you to where you are now Book Signing Dos and Don'ts In my short experince at book signings, the first and most important rule I've learned is this: Never sign alone With the exception of the one I have scheduled tonight, I don't plan on scheduling any more unless there will be other authors present I recently shared a signing with well-known inspy author, Deborah Raney and her husband Ken We had a great supportive crowd, I sold at least 22 books Also, Deborah told me she doesn't do them alone either, because if no one shows up, at least you have someone to visit with Did you catch that? Deborah's first book was made into a movie by Billy Graham She's written 25 novels to date and she experiences no-show book signings? That's important to remember when you experience a no-show as well, it happens to the best of them (Though I doubt it happens very often with Deborah.) Another important item to remember is how you present yourself How do you want the public to view you? How do you want to be remembered? Because rather you want it or not, everything you say, down to the way you're dressed, will be remembered in the eyes of your public Deborah was a wonderful example to emulate She was dressed casual but refined She possessed the grace of a lady from her mannerisms down to her speech She not only made me feel comfortable and important, but she also extended the feeling to our guests CHAPTER SEVEN Left-Over Helpful Hints Understanding Your Smashword Sales For those who are confused with their sales at Smashwords, here is what I've figured out When I have a sale from B&N that has gone through Smashwords with my ebook priced at 99: 29 goes to the retailer (B&N) 09 goes to Smashwords 61 goes to me If I sell a book directly from Smashwords, here's the breakdown for my 99 ebook: 10 goes to Smashwords 33 goes to Smashwords for transaction fee 56 goes to me At Smashwords, you need to have accumulated at least $10 in order to be paid and they pay quarterly into a paypal account You can have them pay you with a check, but you must accumulate a much higher amount in sales before they pay Something like $75 I think I hadn't thought I was selling much through them, and I'm not at Smashwords themselves, but through their affiliate program I am Most of my sales from Barnes and Noble have been made through Smashwords You can find this on the left side of your dashboard, click, Sales & Payment History and scroll down Publishing on Amazon Don't use Mobi Pocket That's the first lesson you need to learn Although your ms looks nice, it doesn't convert your double spaces correctly, at least, not that I've found I joined Smashwords and took their advice on how to clean up my ms, then saved it in html, and published it on Amazon without Mobi It turns out fine Once it's uploaded, check it out, then add or delete any spaces you may need to It's really fairly simple Also, you might want to remember to add the beginning pages like you would see in a printed book Such as the acknowledgements page, copyright, etc I didn't the first time I uploaded my book but am correctlng everything now We're at the end of my journal I hope this has been a great help to you I'll leave you with one last journaling note No, it has nothing to do with publishing, but it's important nonetheless Here's a song I wrote (or God wrote through me) when my first child was still a baby It's to the tune of the oldies, 'Teen Angel.' Mother, can you hear me Father, can you see me Are you somewhere up above And will you pray for me You told me of, a man who died For me to be set free And if in Him I would believe I'd live eternally Mother, can you hear me Father, can you see me Are you somewhere up above And will you pray for me Faithfully, to church you'd go When Sunday rolled around I was too lost in sin To see what you had found Mother, can you hear me Father, can you see me Are you somewhere up above And will you pray for me When the trumpet blew I couldn't hear And with it you were gone So here I am down on my knees Salvation is my plea Jesus, can you hear me Jesus, can you see me Are You somewhere up above And will you send for me Notice the last line, no longer is the individual asking for prayer, but asking to be with Jesus Don't wait for the tribulation to make a believer out of you, go to Him today ... Summersville, Texas County, it brings more reality to her story Those that have read Abandoned Hearts can easily relate to the fascination and fear that accompanies a wild animal of such size But because... also include a catalog sheet, (that is in case a bookstore puts out a personal catalog, some of the stores I approach are privately owned and may this, if not, I have it ready to send to catalogs... message My husband and I are developing a packet containing a copy of Abandoned Hearts, a study guide and a purity ring as a small group study kit appropriate for teen to college age young ladies