Get Published! Follow Up

I guess I should start by thanking you all for coming last weekend. It really was fantastic to have so many potential writers in one place - 93 in total! As you probably gathered, I enjoyed every minute of the day, and I really hope that you are much clearer now about your best way forward.

I did promise to post up the slides that Katie and I referred to throughout the day. I have uploaded them as PDF files, but if you cannot open them for any reason then do please e-mail emily@schoolofppd.com, and we will send them to you in an alternative format.

So, for my own slides, just click on Ed’s Slides. And for Katie’s, just click on Katie’s slides. You can also right click and download the files if you prefer.

Before I post up the links to websites that we talked about on the day, just a quick reminder that as attendees you have an exclusive opportunity to purchase the 3 DVD live recording of the day for just £39. This will not be made available on its own to anyone else, so if you want to order your own set then please click here.

And so on to the links, in no particular order! I mentioned a great site where you could download and use professional photographs and images free of charge, and without copyright restriction. The address is www.sxc.hu. When you locate a picture you want to use, you will see a text box outlining what restrictions, if any, apply to that image. In the vast majority of cases, ’standard restrictions apply’, which means you can use it for virtually any purpose, whether personal or professional.

Next, you may remember me talking about a piece of simple typesetting software that we have used on occasion at Balloon View, our publishing company. It’s a plug in that adds an extra menu to Microsoft Word, enabling you to create a page design for your book, and then set or format your text to match it. It is fairly easy to use, but it will not turn you into a professional typesetter overnight! It will, however, enable you to bypass appointing a typesetter if you are on a tight budget. I paid $37 to download the software, which I guess must be around £27 at today’s exchange rate. Just go to www.self-pub.net/wizard.html.

Katie talked about a website tool that Hodder use to analyse keyword search terms that people use in Google. Just go to http://www.seochat.com/seo-tools/keyword-suggestions-google/.

Late in the day, I mentioned how we use a UK digital print on demand company for small, very quick print runs of our books. Also that we now use an Indian book printer for our longer print runs, where speed is less of an issue. We regularly use both these companies, and are happy to recommend them to you. The UK digital printer is called Stroma Ltd. My contact there is Steve Brown, and their website is www.stromaltd.co.uk. The Indian printer is called Replika Press. My contact there is Sanandan Seth, and their website is www.replikapress.com.

You will remember that several people asked about marketing and selling their book, once it is published. I will be running a full day on exactly that on Sunday 14th June. We’ll be covering some basics, like getting favourable reviews for your book, as well as many of the online tools available to you to influence sales, such as Google Adwords and their Adantage Programme. The format and venue will be similar to last weekend, and I will be joined by two marketing experts from the publishing industry. I’ll be posting full details on the website soon, but I’d like to make you a special offer. As with last weekend’s event, tickets will be £99 + VAT. Before I post details on the site, I’d like to make places available to you for £75 + VAT. To book a place now, just click here.

We’ll also be running the Get Published! event for a second time on the day before, Saturday 13th June. If you know of anyone who might be interested in attending, I would be very grateful indeed if you would let them know. I have already posted the details on our home page, or you can book tickets by clicking here.

That just leaves two things. First, a quick reminder that my complete home publishing programme is published in ten days time. It will go up on our website after this weekend, and will be advertised at £247 + VAT. As attendees, you can order the programme before it is published for just £157 + VAT. You can download more details by clicking here, and you can pre-order the programme by clicking here.

Finally, could I ask a favour of you? I would love to be able to post one or two testimonials on my site, next to the details about the June events. I don’t run the sort of events where we try and thrust a camera in your face as you leave and bully you into saying what a marvellous time you’ve had! But it would be great to be able to post a few choice words on our site from people who think they benefited from the day. If you have a moment, and are willing to do it, could you e-mail me personally at edward@schoolofppd.com? I would be very grateful.

Thanks again for coming into London last Saturday, and for your ongoing support. It really is much appreciated.

All the very best