As an Internet Radio Host of On The Same Page on www.voiceamerica.com, over the past three and a half years, I have interviewed such illustrious guests as Haki Madhubuti of Third World Press, Dr. Rosie Milligan of Milligan Books, Celebrity Mother Love, Mark Victor Hansen, Jack Canfield, (Chicken Soup For the Soul Fame), Dan Poynter, and other writing/publishing experts. From the experienced to the non-experienced guests, this much I have gleaned-these skills are learnable. Even if you are a first-time author, you, too, can become an exciting interviewee.

Why is Internet radio important as a media? For one, it has a global audience. I’ve interviewed guests who were as far away as Paris and in the Bahamas. Anyone with a computer and Internet Access can listen to your show

Most of all, Internet radio is not only the wave of the future, it is beginning to be heard in automobiles, so this is a good place to start your publicity trek.

What are Internet Radio Hosts looking for In Their Guests?

1. Hosts are drawn to an energetic, upbeat, personable guest. If you have a flat liner personality, be honest with yourself. Practice on a tape recorder, even if it’s your own answer machine, or in the mirror. If necessary, get a media coach. But practice, practice, practice.

2. Host like guests who are well-informed and on top of their game. Stay abreast of trends and provide updated new information. (Read the newspaper, the Internet, do research. Be an information junkie.) Consider different hooks and angles, i.e. how has the Internet changed the way we do business? How can writers market their books on the Internet?

3. Hosts like controversy, but not particularly of the “shock jock” variety. If you are speaking on a controversial subject, be non-judgmental and do not offend any particular group of people. Make sure you learn how not to use language, which is condescending or demeaning such as using phrases like “those people.”

4. If you are a fiction writer, show how your novel addresses social issues such as race, police brutality, crime, corruption, drugs, AIDS, etc. Most of all, show how your story can provide information that improves the quality of other people’s lives, even if your story is fiction.

5. If you are from a medical, business or scientific background, make your interview interesting and lively. Don’t make it a pedantic lecture.

Tips for Improving Your Interview:

Send the host your press release and a review copy of your book, including news articles or book reviews, before the show.

Send the host a list of questions or topics that you are well versed in.

Become a guest who knows how to talk about his/her work and not just all about “me.” Remember, people are always tuned into this station-WIFM-”What’s in it For Me?”

Don’t just try to sell the store (your book, your seminar, your product), but sell the story.

Learn to answer in sound bites. Do not go over one minute for a reply.

Drop your voice to cue the host that you are through speaking and waiting for the next question.

Give the host time to ask a question, without having to interrupt, which means you are going on too long.

Learn the importance of pausing and deep breathing. Don’t run on like a motor mouth.

Learn the power of the pause, even while you are answering. This habit will make listeners lean forward to hear what you’re saying. It also sends a message that you are a serious person who chooses his words carefully.

If possible, use anecdotes, recite poems, or read excerpts from your book. Tasteful humor always works.

Don’t forget to provide your web page and where your book can be purchased.

When you hear the music before the break, you have 30 seconds to wrap up whatever point you were making.

Sharpen your axe. Attend Toastmaster’s or join Speaking Bureaus to become a better speaker.

Learn how to adlib and speak off the cuff, particularly if a caller catches you off guard.

Learn to disagree, without being disagreeable.

Listen to other shows as well as “On The Same Page” on www.voiceamerica.com.

Before the show, confirm with the host. (Most of the time, I confirm beforehand.) Email if an emergency comes up and you can’t be on the show.

Although I usually email a thank you note, I seldom get them back. Remember to send a Thank-you email. This could go a long way if you get on Howard Stern’s Show or Oprah’s.

* “On The Same Page” airs on Tuesday at 6:00 a.m. Pacific Time live, then re-airs at 6:00 p.m. Pacific Time, Friday 4:00 p.m. PST and Saturday at 1:00 p.m. Pacific Time.

 

I have know R.H. Jaycox (Jay), the author of Internet Profit Pearls, for over a decade. A while back he asked me to read a pre-final draft (don’t know how many pre-s I should really use) of the book. Technically I don’t have a clue of what he was talking about but,having lost money through an earlier investment,I recognized the truth he was describing. In Chapters 4&11 he recommended writing articles for ezines as a way of promoting a business. I wrote one, showed it to him and he liked it. Jay suggested that I write a series from my ignorant perspective as I try to implement the suggestions in the “final?” draft of the book. I’ve titled the series,”The Internet Adventures of Stupidman” and the original piece, ” The Birth of Stupidman”.The moniker seems appropriate as it is how I feel when I try to do something on the computer and it seems to reflect the attitude I get from my teenagers when I try to share my “wisdom” on any subject.

Jay said I should share a little background. This is my second marriage. The Boss and I live with my 13 year old son,Greased Lightning, and his 15 year old sister,Fashion Girl.

The Boss is one of those people who buys new technology before her neighbors can spell it. (She bought a microwave oven when they were so big they needed a separate room.)

She’s been on the internet since shortly after Al Gore invented it. She doesn’t do sophisticated things on the internet but due to her seniority she’s The Boss.

Greased Lightning is scary, he reads books about HTML, Java, JavaScript, encryption (Is there a Hacking for Dummies?). His fingers are a blur on the keyboard and his explanations are fast and condescending.

Fashion Girl listens to music on the internet, designs art and wardrobes, fills up shopping carts until the wheels fall off and tries to find my credit cards.

Greased Lightning serves the function of our house dog. If somebody passes gas and chooses not to accept the responsibility the dog is blamed. Greased Lightning is our gaseous dog. If the computer crashes The Boss assumes it was something caused by Greased Lighting even if he has not used the computer in several days.

I’m afraid to try things on the computer as I don’t want to become the gaseous dog. It’s safer to be Stupidman.

Jay thinks there are a lot of people in the world who might have good ideas and are also afflicted with keyboard phobia. He says if I share my learning experiences (frustrations are more like it) it will make the world a better place, yada yada yada. Who’s kidding who, if you buy through my URL (Greased Lightning goes crazy when I call it an Earl) I make $10. Remember, this idea came from Chapters 4&11.

THE INTERNET ADVENTURES OF STUPIDMAN The Birth of Stupidman
I used to be smart. Not only did I believe it but many people (including bosses) told me I was smart. In college I learned a little FORTRAN and COBOL (main frame computer languages that are probably extinct by now). In the 70’s and 80’s I was a whiz at programming PCs in Lotus and Supercalc.

But something happened, one night while I was sleeping, the internet was born and I became a dinosaur.

While I was not getting it, everybody else was launching dot coms or working out of their homes for 20 minutes a day while making bazillions of dollars. Even teenagers were getting rich!

Other than the author of Internet Profit Pearls (and he’s not sharing), I don’t personally know anybody who has been “successful” with internet commerce,but, from what the media tells me it’s all the people I don’t know.

Towards the end of the dot com boom(naturally) I put some money into a “can’t miss” “ground floor” opportunity and touted it to friends and relatives. It missed, ended up in the basement, lost the money and friends but at least my family has started returning my calls.

I recently read a book, “Internet Profit Pearls”, which belatedly explains what I, my former friends and family did wrong and actually has some helpful suggestions as to how one might make money on the internet without spending much money. You can read the first few chapters for free and if you want the entire book it will cost you $30.
Some of the stuff is a little technical but fortunately my 13 year old son understands it (now if I could find a translator maybe I could understand what the boy said).

The book contains fortysomething affiliate links. Most of these links are free and each creates the possibility of an income stream. The affiliate links are spread throughout the book. You can actually get something for nothing.

The part I really liked; after you buy the book you can “brand” and resell it and earn about $10 per copy and about another $5 if it gets resold(think I still have some relatives I can talk to).

The writing of this book review came from some strategies in Chapters 4 and 11 and has inspired me to write a series where I,Stupidman,attempt to accomplish some technical tasks suggested in the book.

Coming Soon: Stupidman Downloads and Copies a File Stupidman Brands,Sends Email Attachment

The Internet Adventures Of Stupidman Will Put A Smile On Your Face www.stupidmanok.com

WEBMASTERS AND EZINE PUBLISHERS You may reproduce this article on your site, or link to this page, or reprint it in your Ezine. We ask only that you reproduce the article intact, including the resource box and that you notify us of the date and place of the publication.
mailto:stupidmansfz@yahoo.com Copyright 2002, Skidthrough Enterprises

Stupidman’s funny tutorial describes his experiences learning the basics of his computer as he prepares to build his own website. 16+ sequential articles

In this free email course, I’ll tell you everything I know about improving your writing, publishing it electronically and in print, and promoting it after the sale. Two questions you should ask:(1) What will it cost me?

(2) What does this Michael LaRocca guy know about it?

Answer #1 — It won’t cost you a thing. The single most important bit of advice I can give you, and I say it often, is don’t pay for publication.

My successes have come from investing time. Some of it was well spent, but most of it was wasted. It costs me nothing to share what I’ve learned. It costs you nothing to read it except some of your time.

Answer #2 — “Michael LaRocca has been researching the publishing field for over ten years.”

This quote, from an ezine (electronic newsletter) called Authors Wordsmith, was a kind way of saying I’ve received a lot of rejections. Also, my “research” required 20 years.

But in my “breakout” year (2000), I finished writing four books and scheduled them all for publication in 2001. Then I spent almost a year as an editor and Author Development Specialist for one of my publishers.

After my first book was published, both my publishers closed. Two weeks and three publishers later, I was back on track. All four books were republished, and a fifth will be released in 2004. Written in 2003, no rejections.

See how much faster it was the second time around? That’s because I learned a lot.

2004 EPPIE Award finalist. 2002 EPPIE Award finalist. Listed by Writers Digest as one of The Best 101 Websites For Writers in 2001 and 2002. Sime-Gen Readers Choice Awards for Favorite Author (Nonfiction & Writing) and Favorite Book (Nonfiction & Writing). 1982 Who’s Who In American Writing.

Excuse me for bragging, but it beats having you think I’m unqualified.

Also, I found more editing jobs. That’s what I do when I’m not writing, doing legal transcription, or teaching English in China (my new home). But the thing is, if I’d become an editor before learning how to write, I’d have stunk.

I’ll tell you what’s missing from this course. What to write about, where I get my ideas from, stuff like that. Maybe I don’t answer this question because I think you should do it your way, not mine. Or maybe because I don’t know how I do it. Or maybe both.

Once you’ve done your writing bit, this course will help you with all the other stuff involved in being a writer. Writing involves wearing at least four different hats. Writer, editor, publication seeker, post-sale self-promoter.

Here’s what I can tell you about my writing.

Sometimes a story idea just comes to me out of nowhere and refuses to leave me alone until I write it. So, I do.

And, whenever I read a book that really fires me up, I find myself thinking, “I wish I could write like that.” So, I just keep trying. I’ll never write the best, but I’ll always write my best. And get better every time. That’s the “secret” of the writing “business,” same as any other business. Always deliver the goods.

I read voraciously, a habit I recommend to any author who doesn’t already have it. You’ll subconsciously pick up on what does and doesn’t work. Characterization, dialogue, pacing, plot, story, setting, description, etc. But more importantly, someone who doesn’t enjoy reading will never write something that someone else will enjoy reading.

I don’t write “for the market.” I know I can’t, so I just write for me and then try to find readers who like what I like. I’m not trying to whip up the next bestseller and get rich. Not that I’d complain. Nope, I have to write what’s in my heart, then go find a market later. It makes marketing a challenge at times, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.

When you write, be a dreamer. Go nuts. Know that you’re writing pure gold. That fire is why we write.

An author who I truly admire, Kurt Vonnegut, sweats out each individual sentence. He writes it, rewrites it, and doesn’t leave it alone until it’s perfect. Then when he’s done, he’s done.

I doubt most of write like that. I don’t. I let it fly as fast as my fingers can move across the paper or keyboard, rushing to capture my ideas before they get away. Later, I change and shuffle and slice.

James Michener claims that he writes the last sentence first, then has his goal before him as he writes his way to it.

Then there’s me. No outline whatsoever. I create characters and conflict, spending days and weeks on that task, until the first chapter really leaves me wondering “How will this end?” Then my characters take over, and I’m as surprised as the reader when I finish my story.

Some authors set aside a certain number of hours every day for writing, or a certain number of words. In short, a writing schedule.

Then there’s me. No writing for three or six months, then a flurry of activity where I forget to eat, sleep, bathe, change the cat’s litter… I’m a walking stereotype. To assuage the guilt, I tell myself that my unconscious is hard at work. As Hemingway would say, long periods of thinking and short periods of writing.

I’ve shown you the extremes in writing styles. I think most authors fall in the middle somewhere. But my point is, find out what works for you. You can read about how other writers do it, and if that works for you, great. But in the end, find your own way. That’s what writers do.

Just don’t do it halfway.

If you’re doing what I do, writing a story that entertains and moves you, then you will find readers who share your tastes. For some of us that means a niche market and for others it means regular appearances on the bestseller list.

Writing is a calling, but publishing is a business. Remember that AFTER you’ve written your manuscript. Not during.

I’ve told you how I write. For me.

The next step is self-editing. Fixing all the mistakes I made, that I can identify, in my rush to write it before my Muse took a holiday. Several rewrites. Running through it repeatedly with a fine-toothed comb.

Then what?

There are stories that get rejected because the potential publisher hates them, but far more are shot down for other reasons. Stilted dialogue. Boring descriptions. Weak characters. Underdeveloped story. Unbelievable or inconsistent plot. Sloppy writing.

That’s what you have to fix.

After my fifteen-year hiatus from writing, I started by using Free Online Creative Writing Workshops. What I needed most was input from strangers. After all, once you’re published, your readers will be strangers. Every publisher you submit to will be a stranger. What will they think? I was far too close to my writing to answer that.

Whenever I got some advice, I considered it. Some I just threw out as wrong, or because I couldn’t make the changes without abandoning part of what made the story special to me. Some I embraced. But the point is, I decided. It was my writing.

After a time, I didn’t feel the need for the workshops anymore. I’m fortunate enough to have a wife whose advice I will always treasure, and after a while that was all I needed. But early on, it would’ve been unfair to ask her to read my drivel. (Not that I didn’t anyway.)

I don’t know how far along you are in your writing, but if you’ve never used a workshop, I keep a list of them at http://freereads.topcities.com/creativewritingonline.html.

Your goal when you self-edit is to get your book as close to “ready to read” as you possibly can. You want your editor to find what you overlooked, not what you didn’t know about.

To that end, I offer two resources.

http://freereads.topcities.com/usefullinksforauthors.html contains links to online quotations, grammar and style guides, dictionaries, encyclopedias, thesauruses, scam warnings, writer groups, copyright stuff, etc.

http://freereads.topcities.com/commonwritingmistakes.html contains a list of the most common mistakes I’ve seen in my years as an editor. I still reread it from time to time just so I don’t forget.

Your story is your story. You write it from your heart, and when it looks like something you’d enjoy reading, you set out to find a publisher who shares your tastes. What you don’t want is for that first reader to lose sight of what makes your story special because you’ve bogged it down with silly mistakes.

Authors don’t pay to be published. They are paid for publication. Always. It’s just that simple. And later, I’ll tell you where to get some free editing.

But there’s a limit to how much editing you can get without paying for it. Do you need more than that? I don’t know because I’ve never seen your writing. But if you evaluate it honestly, I Think you’ll know the answer.

As an editor, I’ve worked with some authors who simply couldn’t self-edit. A non-native English speaker, a guy who slept through English class, whatever. To them, maybe paying for editing was an option. This isn’t paying for publication. This is paying for a service, training. Just like paying to take a Creative Writing class at the local community college.

By the way, I don’t believe creativity can be taught. Writing, certainly. I took my Creative Writing class in high school, free, and treasure it. But I already had the creativity, or else it would’ve been a waste of the teacher’s time and mine.

If you hire an editor worthy of the name, you should learn from that editor how to self-edit in the future. In my case it took two tries, because the first editor was a rip-off artist charging over ten times market value for incomplete advice.

That editor, incidentally, is named Edit Ink, and they’re listed on many of the “scam warning” sites mentioned at Useful Links For Authors. They took kickbacks from every fake agent who sent them a client. (I’ll talk about fake agents later.)

If you choose to hire an editor, check price and reputation. And consider that you might never make enough selling your books to get back what you pay that editor. Do you care? That’s your decision.

The first, most important step on the road to publication is to make your writing the best it can be.

** PUBLICATION **

My goal is to be published in both mediums, ebook and print. There are some readers who prefer ebooks, and some who prefer print books. The latter group is much larger, but those publishers are harder to sell your writing to. I want both, because I want all the readers I can get.

Thus, I advocate something of a stepping-stone approach. Publish electronically with a quality place, enjoy the benefits of free editing and almost instant gratification regarding publishing time.

Later, if you think you can sell your book to a traditional print publisher, you have a professionally edited manuscript to submit.

Before you epublish, check the contract to be sure you can publish the edited work in print later.

If you know your book just plain won’t ever make it into traditional print, print-on-demand (POD) is an option. Some of my books fall into this category. The best epublishers will simultaneously publish your work electronically and in POD format, at no cost to you.

A lot of authors swear by self-publication, but the prospect just plain scares me. All that promo, all that self-editing, maybe driving around the countryside with a back seat full of books. I’m a writer, not a salesman. But, maybe you’re different.

I self-published once, in the pre-POD days. Mom handled the sales. I had fun and broke even. With POD, at least it’s cheaper to self-publish than it was in 1989.

If you’re flying solo, POD can range anywhere from US$99 to over $1000. Don’t pay the higher price! Price shop. Also, remember that POD places publish any author who pays, and do no marketing.

Print Publishing vs Electronic Publishing
http://freereads.topcities.com/printpublishing_electronicpublishing.html
This site provides a comparison of the two mediums. Each has plusses and minuses. Even if you already know what epublishing is, take a look.

Electronic Publishers
http://freereads.topcities.com/onlinefictionbooks.html
A list of the ones I believe are reputable and my criteria for selecting them. Plus, a link to award-winning author Piers Anthony’s totally excellent in-depth analysis of many more epublishers than I’ll ever list.

How To Break Into Print Publishing
http://freereads.topcities.com/printpublishing.html
If you’re at the beginning of my stepping-stone approach, seeking an epublisher, you’ll probably just want to bookmark this one for a year or two. That’s fine, because it’s not going anywhere. I plan to use it myself in a year or two. If, on the other hand, you’re ready for traditional print, use it now and I wish you success!

Print-On-Demand Publishing
http://freereads.topcities.com/printondemand.html
What is it? Should you use it? If so, how? What to beware of if you do.

** PROMOTING YOUR PUBLISHED WRITING **

It doesn’t matter how you publish your book. Self-published, epublished, POD, or traditional print publishing from an absolute powerhouse. Marketing falls largely on you, and the same things always work. Book signings, interviews in the local newspapers and on radio.

Start with http://www.kidon.com/media-link/index.shtml. It will allow you to look up all the local media outlets in your area that have websites.

If you write to them all, you’re a spammer. Plus, it’ll take ages. Look for the ones with a legitimate interest and fire away.

If you find a stale URL, and I think you will, look for the name of that media outlet at some place like Google. Spend some time looking for the right press contacts, spend some time writing your press release, and do what you can.

Most of these sites list email, snail mail, and phone calls. Since I live in China, I’ve only used email.

Book reviews, author interviews, book listing sites, and book contests are something we can all do, regardless of where we live. Again, I’m going to give you some web pages to visit. Pages where I keep my resources, so I don’t lose them. Some of the sites I mention do ebooks, and some do not. The POD option can help e-authors here, but balance cost vs. likelihood of gaining enough readers to offset that.

Some are ezines and some are websites. Some are printed newsletters, some are printed magazines, and some are newspapers. This is just a starting point. If you visit them all, and you have time for more promotion, you can find many more.

Book Reviewers, Author Interviews, Book Listing Sites http://freereads.topcities.com/bookreview.html

Book Contests http://freereads.topcities.com/bookcontests.html

Okay, let’s get back to my overseas angle. Aside from two radio interviews and a seminar in Hong Kong, and some emailed press releases to the LOCAL media back in the US which may or may not have succeeded in anything, my marketing has come from the Internet.

I have a website. I have a newsletter. I’m giving away a free ebook, the essence of which you’re reading now. You found me somehow, right?

Here’s the type of message I receive often in email. To be more precise, in spam.

If a million people see your ad, and you get 1% of them, that’s 10,000 readers and therefore $15,000 profit and you only paid $1000 for those million addresses.

NO!! It doesn’t work that way. Need I use the words dot-com bust?

My website is free. My newsletter is free. I don’t buy mailing lists, I don’t harvest email addresses, and I don’t spam. I want interested traffic, not just sheer numbers.

Do you think the Phoenicians tried to sell sails to people a thousand miles from the water?

Internet marketing isn’t a replacement for the methods mentioned above, but a complement to them. And by using it, I got you here.

Your goal in marketing is this. There are certainly people in the world who like what you like. And since you like your book, they probably will too.

But you have to find those readers and make them interested, without spamming them and without just “playing the numbers game.”

If you’re an e-author, let me state the obvious. Nobody buys ebooks who doesn’t have Internet access. Do they? So you definitely need a website.

Traditional print authors need websites too. Even blockbuster authors like J.R. Rowling and Stephen King, who I doubt could garner any more name recognition, have websites. So does every long-established inescapable monstro-business like McDonalds and Coke.

Okay, those folks pay web designers. I’m not doing that. I can’t generate those kinds of sales figures. And yes, I’ve formerly been employed as an HTML programmer. But you can write your own website without even learning HTML if you want. It’s no harder than writing a manuscript with a word processor.

It won’t be super-flashy like the big boys, but it’ll communicate the information. Remember, you can communicate. You’re an author! And that’s what keeps people coming back to a website after the thrill of the flash wears off. Information. Content. Your specialty.

I consider my website and my newsletter to be successful, and I’ve created a free email course to analyze how they got that way. Yes, there are legitimate ways to bring traffic to your website and your newsletter. Not massive numbers overnight, but slow steady growth over the long term.

** CLOSING THOUGHTS **

We’ve been talking about soft sell.

Now, at the end of my free workshop, I’ll tell you about 2 URLs that I think will help you and one that won’t. You can decide if any are worth a visit.

After that, I’ll get back to the lesson.

Books OnLine Directory
http://freereads.topcities.com/
You’ve been to parts of it already and seen that it delivers something you’re looking for. (I hope.) Don’t forget to go back from time to time.

Mad About Books
http://freereads.topcities.com/archive.html
My free weekly email newsletter will keep you up-to-date on the latest info as I find it. Plus, it has a certain goofy charm that the website lacks.

Both URLs mention my books, but in the background. I hope you’ll look one day out of curiosity or because you really like my generous nature, but it’s not mandatory. Soft sell.

From Watha, NC, USA to Shaoxing, Zhejiang, China
http://michaeljan.topcities.com
This site doesn’t mention writing at all. I wrote it for my students. I teach English in China, and this is where I tell all about it. Along with a hefty helping of personal history and photos. How I got here, how I quit a job via email to marry a lovely Australian, dog and cat photos, stuff like that. Just for fun. It won’t help you a bit.

Now let’s get back to your writing. That’s why you’re here.

Here’s something you’ve heard before. When your manuscript is rejected — and it will be — remember that you aren’t being rejected. Your manuscript is.

One reader took me to task for that statement, claiming he’d never been rejected in his life. I’m very happy for him. But why, if I may be so bold as to ask, would he need advice on How To Get Published? I’d rather he write some advice so I can hang up my “helper guy” hat and learn from a master.

But I digress. You aren’t being rejected, I was saying. Your manuscript is.

Did you ever hang up the phone on a telemarketer, delete spam, or close the door in the face of a salesman? Of course, and yet that salesman just moves on to the next potential customer. He knows you’re rejecting his product, not him.

Okay, in my case I’m rejecting both, but I’d never do that to an author. Neither will a publisher or an agent. All authors tell other authors not to take rejection personally, and yet we all do. Consider it a target to shoot for, then. Just keep submitting, and just keep writing.

The best way to cope with waiting times is to “submit and forget,” writing or editing other stuff while the time passes.

And finally, feel free to send an e-mail to me anytime. michaellarocca@yawweb.org. I’ll gladly share what I know with you, and it won’t cost you a cent.

I would wish you luck in your publishing endeavors, but I know there’s no luck involved. It’s all skill and diligence.

Congratulations on completing the course! No ceremonies, no degrees, and no diplomas. But on the bright side, no student loan to repay.

Best regards,

Michael Werner did it again. It’s as if he can’t get enough. Just when we thought he was in for the night, he turns around and starts over. So, what has Werner so enticed? The former co-founder of Info Source Inc., the twice-named Inc 500 list of fastest growing private companies in the US, has created his newest venture, DreamJobsToGo.Com. The ebook series keeps Werner close to both his publishing and technology roots, while fulfilling his desire to help others create a life worth living. “I’m about as pumped as anything I’ve ever been, and I’ve been in the publishing industry for over 25 years” says Werner. “I believe people do want to buy relevant and timely information, if it’s packaged nicely and offered at a fair price, over the Web.” The company has already experienced exponential increases since opening its cyber doors. The Dream Jobs series was launched in April 2001, with 10 titles under its belt. Plans are to have 57 released by the end of the summer.

DreamJobsToGo.com offers everything from how to break in as a freelance writer and making it as a private investigator to becoming an interior landscaper or a computer game designer. “Best of all,” says Dana Cassell, Series Editor, “We’ve attracted strictly been-there-done-that authors for each and every book, so the reader gets real, practical, experience-based information.”

Eldon Sarte, the company’s CTO, adds, “Because each title offers so many interactive links and web resources, we had to make the information available instantly - downloading the guide right into a PC in minutes.”

When asked what the company’s biggest hurdle has been, Werner responded, “The misconceptions people have to what an ebook actually is - many think it is a hand-held device.” In response to that consensus, Werner will offer a free guide on the site, so visitors can test the product format before purchasing. “Customers will view the freebie as a deciding factor for purchasing, I view it as closing the deal.” Werner anticipates that the link elements, subject content, and expert advice each book contains will solidify the sale.

An informal poll running on the site indicates that 75% of the world population is working in a field they don’t like, a percentage that appalls Werner. “That’s why I’m doing this.”

Ultimately, the company must be doing something right. It seems they have what people want. Last month’s best selling dream was “How to Get Free Books (and Maybe Even Get Paid) as a Book Reviewer.” Who knew? You did, Werner, you did.

When it comes to home schooling, parents need all of the resources they can muster. Designing curricula, scheduling field trips, and tailoring lesson plans to children in different grade levels can be challenging. Using children’s literature to enrich the curriculum you teach in the home learning environment can be rewarding to both you and your children.

Charlotte Mason, a British educator whose life spanned the last quarter of the nineteenth century and the first quarter of the twentieth century, fervently advocated the use of literature in children’s education. Often referred to as the founder of home schooling, Mason pioneered a liberal arts approach to children’s education. In contrast to the rigid memorization required of students during her time, Mason’s educational theories embraced the concept of instilling a love of learning in children and exposing them to a wide variety of subjects.

Today, many parents use the Charlotte Mason method as a home school resource. Several of Mason’s key concepts relate to reading in the home learning environment. The first is the avoidance of what she termed “twaddle,” or books that today could be called “junk food for the mind.” You’re probably familiar with the type, such as chapter books based on TV shows that use overly simplistic sentences and rely on illustrations, rather than words, to engage a child. Instead, the Mason method opts for children’s literature that is well written and captivates the child’s imagination with words.

Another of Mason’s key concepts that relates to reading is that of “whole books.” She advocated that a child read a book in its entirety, rather than simply reading book excerpts. Any parent of a child educated in the public school system knows that language arts textbooks are typically anthologies of book excerpts. Mason felt that a work should be read as it was written, as opposed to reading only a portion of the complete book.

Narration is a third concept advocated by Mason. In contrast to rote memorization and recitation, or testing that focuses on what a child doesn’t know, Mason felt that children should have the opportunity to explain what they do know. After reading a book, for example, a child could talk about what he or she learned, could write about the book in a journal, or could paint or sculpt a depiction of what he or she learned.

Charlotte Mason’s teaching methods are easy and inexpensive to integrate into home education. Developing an effective avoiding “twaddle,” by reading the whole book, and by incorporating narration as a measure of comprehension - is an integral component to the Mason method. Utilizing children’s book reviews will help in this effort, as will broadening the reading experience by incorporating related individual and family activities.

A Blog (also known as Weblog) is traditionally a webpage where pre-surfer or a blogger “logs” all pages he/she finds interesting. In other words, it is a Web page that contains brief, chronologically arranged items of information. Typically updated daily, blogs often reflect the personality of the author.Weblogs provide a series of annotated links to items such as news stories, and often include personal rants. They are maintained by one person, most commonly someone who is involved in Web design or some other tech-related field.

A blog is often a mixture of what is happening on a particular website and what is happening on the Web, a kind of hybrid diary/guide site, although there are as many unique types of blogs as there are people. Blogs can be used to introduce products to potential customers.

People maintained blogs long before the term was coined, but the trend gained momentum with the introduction of automated published systems, most notably Blogger at blogger.com. Thousands of people use services such as Blogger to simplify and accelerate the publishing process.

Blog as a marketing tool:

Blogs offer huge marketing potential. They are highly strategic tools that can strengthen relationships, share knowledge, increase collaboration, and improve branding. Besides, blogs can represent the real voice of the website.

A weblog can take the form of a diary, a news service (or summaries of and links to current news items on a topic), a collection of links to other Web sites, a series of book reviews or products, reports of activity on a project, the journal of an expedition, and much more. Businesses can use this tool to effectively advertise their products or services.

One of the most interesting ways to use a weblog is by allowing it to function as a discussion forum for customers of your products or services. In this case, the webmaster can give posting rights to other people - visitors and customers, and their posts may or may not be reviewed before they are published to the Web page. Customers, in such a way can post favorable comments about the websites offerings. Some weblogs are set up in such a way that only the owner or the owner and certain other people have posting rights, but anyone else can add comments to the posts.

Weblogs when used with newsletters present immense marketing opportunities:

- Articles within newsletters can be linked to a blog, extending life and creating a massive conversation.

- You can offer a bidirectional forum to customers to get true, personal opinions on your products and services.

- Company experts can start a blog and become industry experts, helping your company edge out competition and, through this interactive forum, draw customers into another exchange of information and thoughts.

- The beauty of this interplay is you can layer your blog with editorial controls.

How to create a Weblog?

The majority of weblogs are now created using software or services designed specifically for this purpose. Some of the software is free - and some of the organizations that provide weblog software will also provide free server space to house a weblog so that it is publicly accessible on the Internet.

There are also commercial versions of some of the free software; these commercial versions often provide more features. Some weblog software is available only as commercial software. Alternatively, bloggers can create and maintain their weblog using free software or a free weblog service, but use FTP (File Transfer Protocol) to load the resulting weblog to their own Website.

There are many blogging softwares available easily on the Internet. One of the most popular weblogger is “Blogger” which can be used for free at http://www.blogger.com. Most webloggers simplify the process of Website creation. However, they do require basic knowledge of FTP, Website structures and a few technical terms. Besides, creating an advanced weblog requires knowledge of HTML.

So get out there and start your own Blog.it’s free, easy and can work seamlessly with the rest of your website or newsletter.

Obtaining agency representation is your first step toward getting profitably published. Most publishers won’t even look at unsolicited manuscripts.

But, before approaching an agent to represent you, you should finalize the presentation of your book.

Agents don’t have time to waste dealing with publishing ‘wannabees’ who don’t have, and may never have, a concrete project to represent. To busy agents, dreams don’t make it.

If you approach an agent before you’re prepared, you may never be able to contact them again. They’ll consider you a ‘dreamer’ and disregard you emails and phone calls.

Elevator Speech

Before approaching an agent, prepare an ‘elevator speech’ describing your project in the less than thirty-seconds it takes for an average elevator ride. If you can’t, your project probably isn’t ready for prime time.

Your elevator speech must answer four major questions:

- What is your book about?

- Who is going to buy it?

- How does it differ from existing books on the subject?

- How are you going to promote it?

1. What is your book about?

Finalize your book’s title and contents before contacting an agent.

The title is crucial to your book’s success. It must attract the attention of acquisition editors, book reviewers, bookstore managers, web surfers and readers. The title is often your one - and only - chance to make a sale.

Finalize your book’s table of contents and prepare a brief description of the contents of each chapter. You should also know how long your book is going to be and the number of illustrations, graphics or worksheet

Prepare two - three, if you’re a first-time author - sample chapters and hire a professional editor to fine-tune them. It’s better to show three perfect chapters than a finished manuscript filled with spelling errors.

You don’t have to write your whole book before approaching agents. And your sample chapters don’t have to begin with the first chapter, nor do they have to be in sequence. But, they must represent your writing at its best.

2. Who’s going to buy your book?

Next, show that there is a reachable market for your book.

Strive for urgency. Describe the market intrigued by, or frustrated by, your book’s topic. What symptoms does your book help solve? How many people share the problem? What are the consequences of the problem your book addresses?

Quantify your book’s market in terms of buying power, willingness to buy books and ability to be reached through associations or publications.

3. How will your book be different?

Next, position your book relative to existing books on the topic. Existing books on the same topic are a plus, not a minus. They prove there is a market for books on the subject.

-What are the strengths and weaknesses of existing books?
-Why will readers choose your book over existing books?

This section offers you an opportunity to describe your background and how it contributes to your book.

4. How will you promote your book?

Promotion is your responsibility, not the publisher’s. Your ability to promote your book is as important as your ability to write your book.

Start by identifying book reviewers and editorial contacts who can help promote your book. List publications that might run an extract from your book. Research producers who book guests for radio and TV interviews.

Discuss your speaking experience and willingness to travel to support your book. Describe how you will promote your book on your web site.

List authorities in your field who have offered to write a foreword or provide you with cover testimonials.

Agents are busy. To the extent you can sell your book idea as a realistic possibility in thirty seconds and can support your answers with research and strong sample chapters, you are well on your way to success.

After you’ve been successfully published, you may be able to sell a book on just the basis of an email. But for now, you must be fully prepared.