That’s a pretty tough question. Do I think there are POD publishers out there who are honestly trying to help authors fulfill their dreams of being published? The answer is yes with an *. Let’s get the * out of the way first. The idea of an author doing all the work, paying for all the services yet only sharing in a portion of the profits … [Read more...]

Over half of small businesses fail within three years of starting. Those are depressing odds for anyone considering starting—or having already started—a small business. Why are there so many failures? And how can you prevent your business from joining the list? If you can prevent your business from the following pitfalls, you’ll have a … [Read more...]

You can sell more of your books if you can answer two questions honestly. First, how often do people think about your book? Second, how often do people think about their own problems? I think you will agree that people think more about how they can solve their problems, learn something, improve themselves or be entertained than they do about your … [Read more...]

It's probably safe to assume that if you are writing a book, you have an affinity for the topic and audience. Whoever your target audience is, you must ask yourself: * Where are they most likely to be when they are online? * What web sites do they visit? * What discussion boards do they frequent? * What support/social groups do they belong … [Read more...]

I have become a huge Apprentice fan. Thursday evenings you'll find me glued to the television, excited, focused and wondering who will be fired next. I'm willing to bet that many of my readers share that obsession. Whenever I talk about Getting Past the Palace Guard, the secretaries, receptionists, assistants, voice mail, anyone … [Read more...]

I recently spoke with a gentleman who had written and published a book on terrorism’s threat to our water supply. As we discussed avenues for marketing his book, this gentleman remarked that mostly academicians had purchased the book, which he found scary. Here was an individual who had the knowledge and the foresight to write a book on an … [Read more...]

After working for 27 years as a writer for California Farmer magazine, a statewide publication that circulated to virtually every farmer in the state, I was fired. It came as a real blow in a telephone call from a man I didn’t know and had never met. California Farmer magazine was sold to a Midwestern company and that company was literally … [Read more...]