Heinlein Group: 9/27/09

2009-10-03

The Healing Power of Music – Musicians on Call is October’s #12for12K Charity

As one who is relatively new to social media and blogging, I have become an "ambitious follower" of several "leaders" and "pioneers" in the medium. The intention is to learn from their example.

One very common and consistent theme among the most "successful" ones is that they are givers.

That "connects many dots" for me personally, as I have entered into this "second-half" of my life [translate middle age...]. -that is my own motivations and objectives have transitioned to the "intrinsic" as primary, as I, like many consider what impact our "life's work" will leave as a legacy.

These "young guys" are way ahead of the game... they "get IT"...

The often quoted Zig Ziglar says, "You can have everything you want, if you will just help enough other people get what they want." He also says, "... in order to stay motivated, you have to do it every day."

The 12for12k Challenge is the combination of social media awareness and fund-raising that aims to change the lives of millions worldwide. Founded by business consultant Danny Brown, its aim is to raise awareness and funds for 12 charities over the course of 2009, with a new charity being supported every month.
The concept is simple:
12 months of the year
12 charities, a different charity each month
$12,000 per charity

One of the goals of the 12for12k Challenge is to involve our supporters as much as possible. After all, we couldn’t make any of it work if it wasn’t for you guys!
This is why we’ve set up this Blogger Resource for anyone that wishes to be an official 12for12k Blog Partner.

Danny Brown sent a message to the members of
The 12for12k Challenge.
--------------------
Subject: Musicians on Call - Our October charity
Hi guys,
I'm delighted to announce that 12for12k is offering our support to Musicians on Call for the month of October.

With chapters in New York, Philadelphia, Nashville and Miami, Musicians on Call bring live and recorded music to the bedsides of healthcare facilities. This helps complement the healing process for patients, families and caregivers.With $10,000 providing enough to maintain a whole facility for a year, it’s easy to see the difference we can make with our support. You’ve continuously shown how much you care throughout 2009 – let’s show Musicians on Call and the people it helps how much we care as well.
For more information on this month's charity, please visit:
The Healing Power of Music – Musicians on Call is October’s 12for12k Charity

Thank you, and have a great weekend,
Danny Brown

We want to show people that #12for12K isn't just about raising money for a good cause. It's about belonging to a fun, great group of people from a variety of backgrounds, a variety of disciplines. It's about doing good, and having fun, and joining us expands not just your own personal network... but expands your horizons as well.

The event is called "GoGlobal24".
5 important ways you can help make #GG24 a big success, starting today:

Help spread the word! If you don't already, please follow @12for12K.

Watch for opportunities to tweet and retweet in support of the event.

While you're at it, please go follow @HennArtOnline, introduce yourself, and get to know her. She's awesomesauce for the soul.

We're seeking a total of 24 volunteers to help us drive potential sponsors to the sponsorship page and to auctions on ebay.com. Once your hour is sponsored, we'll need you to then to work with that sponsor and the #GG24 event team to make the hour great success for all. Tweet @12for12K if you would like to volunteer, or to learn more.
We need a total of 4 volunteer "producers” – one per 6hr session. As a producer, your job is to work with Henie, to keep her on encouraged and on track, feed her details, tweet/facebook on behalf of @12for12K. Tweet @12for12K if you would like to volunteer, or to learn more.

If you have a blog, publish a post (or posts) about #12for12K, #GG24, and Doctors Without Borders (#DWB) leading up to the event. Tweet @SarahRobinson for more details.

Plan to join @HennArtOnline and the rest of us on Sep 29.
Pop in and say "Hi!".
Join the fun!
Enjoy!

Sarah Robinson
"Escaping Mediocrity One Adventure At A Time

2009-10-02

eBooks, the "Self-funding Promotion"

regarding ebooks...
Personally, I will always prefer the "printed page" ...that is holding a book in my hand while sipping coffee or another favorite beverage.
Certainly printed books will survive whether as "optional reading experience mediums" or as vintage collectibles.
Many, including myself, are committed to that objective!

A terrific recent article/book review
"In a new collection, Harvard University library director Robert Darnton says reports of the book's death are greatly exaggerated", by Robert Darnton -- Publishers Weekly, 9/14/2009
http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6696290.html

"In The Case for Books: Past, Present, and Future, Robert Darnton, a pioneer in the field of the history of the book, offers an in-depth examination of the book from its earliest beginnings to its changing—some even say threatened—place in culture, commerce and the academy. But to predict the death of the book is to ignore its centuries-long history of survival."

back to ebooks

It is a mistake to think that ebooks and print books are mutually exclusive. That would result in missing an enormous promotional opportunity!

On the contrary, ebooks and printed books are in fact, "complimentary" if utilized resourcefully and creatively.
With my own clients, I like to call the ebook versions "self-funding promotional pieces". The ebook versions become excellent tools for promotion and selling of the more profitable printed versions to those that prefer the printed medium.

some ideas:

release portions of the book in advance on your author blog - and encourage feedback and comments.
prior to publication of the print version, send ebook version to book reviewers, key accounts and clients for positive endorsements, reviews, and to encourage feedback.
prior to publication of the print version, promote the "pre-release" by publishing on an electronic platform such as scribd.com or smashwords.com and sell at a discount.
after release the print version of your book, sell "discounted packages" which includes both editions.
for speaker/authors, send ebook version free to potential clients as an "advance business card", for appreciation gifts, and for added value.

and, a "Friday bonus"
-some excellent highlights and tweeted gems from Writer's Digest's recent conference:

Key Points from WD Conference
You can find great tweets from the conference by searching Twitter for WDC09. Here are some highlights worth remembering, captured from tweets and the blog so you don't have to read it all:
Christina Katz: Platform is everything you do with your expertise. So many tools are available; must prioritize, maximize your time. Do you see yourself as the producer of your writing career and take 100% responsibility for your success?
Jane Friedman: Platform comes first! Book second. Without a strong platform and topic—creating demand—your book will have a difficult time finding its place in the market. Any changes publishers want to make to the book is what they believe will help increase book sales. They basically want what's economically best for your book—and that's ultimately a good thing.
Scott Sigler and Seth Harwood: Once you show you can move (sell) books, publishers will take notice. That's why giving away your first book online for free and building up an audience is essential to getting publishers—who have ignored you for years—to wake up and realize your talent and value. "You are the best person to sell your book," says Hardwood.
Alice Rosengard: Sees organization as a common problem with nonfiction proposals.
David Mathison (Be the Media) keys: Have a direct relationship with your audience. Control your rights. Repurpose your content.
Chris Brogan: The best way to get a book published is to not try to get a book published. The whole trick about promoting is to not talk about yourself. Learn to talk about other people. Twitter is not about talking; it's about listening.
Agent Miriam Kriss: A lot of "overnight successes" are 10 years in the making.
Agent Panel (Jessica Sinsheimer, Regina Brooks and Michelle Humphrey): Difference between freelanced editing and traditional editor is the latter cares, has a vested interest in the book. Professionally edited, professionally typeset, professionally designed are critical for success via POD.

http://heinleinpubservices.blogspot.com

2009-09-29

Which is more difficult? -getting "traditionally published", or being "self-published"?

This continues to be a "hot-topic" within discussion groups and forums for authors and publishing professionals

The short answer... both options are difficult. -especially now.
-and, just "getting published" can't be the objective... the projects must be successful and bring a profitable return for all who define themselves as publishers and including both "traditionally published" and "self-published" authors.

re "getting published"
Even many established "traditionally" published authors are seeing reductions in advances, and publishers have cut back on the number of new titles by new authors being published. There are many accomplished agents that have several great book proposals that are being "left in their bags."

re sales
Sales through traditional bookselling channels - and even the big retailers have been struggling.

That said sales - book sales in the last quarter were up overall for the year.
"Book sales tracked by the Association of American Publishers (AAP) for the month of July increased by 2.0 percent at $1.54 billion and were up by 1.9 percent for the year."
The numbers are not huge, but they are up!

For self-publishers, there is a lot of advance work that must be done by the author [and, their "team" if they are fortunate to have one], and there are substantial production and promotional expenditures on the front-end. Some of this "upfront" expense has been reduced due to technological advances in quality for POD printing and resulting from shorter print-run requirements for quality off-set printing.

Also, ebook and digital delivery technologies have extended the reach and opportunities for smaller publishers and independents to access and directly connect with intended audiences. This has leveled the playing field somewhat.
The future of publishing will be about how quality content is
"packaged",
marketed,
distributed,
and, how all produced mediums
are effectively monetized.
It is the "same" work and objectives that both traditionally published authors or independently published authors must accomplish.

The traditionally published authors would seem to have an edge as a result of having a "bigger machine" backing them. -but based on current sales results, the real effort and scaled back resources of brand name companies are being used to mainly push the "A list" level authors.

Bottom line, whether traditionally published or independently published, authors must take a very active role in promotions of themselves and their work. Those who expect to "just write" and let others "carry the load" will likely not be successful going forward.

2009-10-03

The Healing Power of Music – Musicians on Call is October’s #12for12K Charity