The Pros and Cons of Print on Demand Publishing

When I was five years old, my parents bought me a manual typewriter for a Christmas present. I practiced every day until I was able to type letters to my grandparents and other relatives. Although it is safe to say that I have been a writer since 1963, I didn’t start making money from my writing until I started Graphico Publishing in 1988.

Back in those days, Adobe Acrobat Reader (PDF) had never been thought of. In fact, the word “internet” was unknown to the majority of the general public. Therefore, I had only three options available to me if I was going to sell my articles and books:

1. Submit them to publishers, hoping they would be published “someday”;
2. Typeset my own books, print them on a copier and mail copies to customers ordering directly from me (this also meant that I had to market the books myself); or
3. Pay a printer to typeset and print my books, which meant I had to buy a minimum amount and pay for them upfront (which could cost $10,000 or more).

I chose to employ option Number 2. I figured that I would not have to spend any money using that option because as books were ordered, I could print them on my copy machine. Besides, my books were not full-length paperbacks. They were 20-page booklets that I could print on letter-size paper, fold in half and saddle stitch. Only until I started selling 100s of books would I invest into purchasing a minimum amount from a printer. Besides, the idea of not having to stock a product was of great importance to me since I was living in a small one-bedroom apartment at the time.

However, while choosing the Number 2 method above would save me a lot of money, I was going to have to learn how to market and typeset my books. Learning to typeset was pretty easy. I went to a printer’s supply store and picked up books showing me different styles of fonts and I looked at every display advertisement I could find. I purchased Roger Parker’s Book, “The Aldus Guide to Basic Design” (http://www.newentrepreneur.com/) and was soon able to start designing my own ads, using combinations of examples I learned from the professional designers. The entire learning experience was great fun and I acquired a skill that I now use on a daily basis.

Learning to market though, took longer compared to learning how to typeset. That is because there are so many variations to marketing. What works for one person may not work for another. However, with the vast amount of technology available at your fingertips today, learning to market your products and services is as simple as filling out forms and posting messages to bulletin boards utilized by your target market.

Little did I realize at the time that the procedure I utilized to sell my books by printing copies only when an order was received is the same thing as print-on-demand publishing. The only difference is that today, most of the marketing and typesetting is included in the publishers price. Since I already know how to typeset my books, the publisher normally gives me a discount of $100 to $150 for saving them time and expense.

I was first introduced to print-on-demand publishing when I wrote my book, “How to Start, Operate and Market a Freelance Notary Signing Agent Business” available online at http://www.50statenotary.com/book). Not knowing that print-on-demand publishing existed I sent my manuscript to several publishers for acceptance. To my surprise, two publishers accepted the book and one offered me an advance of $2,800.

At first I was elated. I called all my friends and we all yelled and screamed together in excitement. The excitement was short lived when I received an email from the publisher the next day with a list of demands they required before my book could be published. One of the demands was the name of my book needed to be changed and secondly, I was not permitted to publish my testimonial to Jesus Christ in the back of the book. I immediately said “no” and began seeking other alternatives for publishing.

To make a long story short, I found Gom Publishing (http://www.gompublishing.com) through my local Christian Blue Pages directory. It just so happened that their office was located within 10 miles of my house. I called them up, asked if I could come for a visit and received a personal tour of their operation. It was a great learning experience and I was sold on the idea of print-on-demand publishing.

Here are just some of the advantages to a writer who uses print-on-demand publishing:

1. You have total control over your book. No one is going to edit your work and take out your personal “style” or omit sections you know to be important. Gom Publishing includes copyediting with virtually all of their publishing plans, which is something I did not find with most other print-on-demand companies.
2. Your book is available for sale within 90 days or less if you assist with the design. Compared to the “old time” methods of publishing, even if a publisher accepts your book, it normally is not available for sale for almost a year or later. The whole world could change in that length of time and you would still have to wait a year or more before you got paid for your hard work.
3. You can make up to 50% for every book you sell. Compare this to a publisher who only pays the writer an 8% to 10% commission. This means that you can set up a web page to sell your book, take orders and purchase the amount of books your need to fill the orders at a 50% discount from the print-on-demand publisher. Gom Publishing offers a 55% discount, which increases your profits even more. This option is not possible with standard publishers who purchase the exclusive rights from a writer, thus not allowing the writer to sell their books on their own.
4. Print-on-demand publishers also build excellent marketing benefits into their basic prices. These marketing benefits include: (a) assignment of an ISBN number; (b) ISBN bar code printed on book cover; (c) Library of Congress cataloging and registration; and (d) automatic listing on the world’s largest bookstores: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Waldenbooks and Borders. I found with Gom Publishing that they even have programs to distribute your book through third party distributors, sales reps, and even offer publicist services. All you have to do is help in the promotion by directing people to you book on these websites. The credit card orders are processed for you, the books are shipped to your customers and you receive a monthly commission check.

Of course there are many more benefits to print-on-demand publishing than the four I listed above, but I am sure you can begin to see the benefits for yourself. However, even though print-on-demand publishing has many “pros,” there are some “cons” that you might want to consider. One of those “cons” is how the established publishing community views print-on-demand books. They view them as “vanity” publications and booksellers may be reluctant to deal with them. Trade journals like Publishers

Weekly and Kirkus also do not like to deal with print-on-demand published books and magazines and newspapers shy away from them also.

Why are publishers who are located in the high-traffic media biased against print-on-demand publishing? Because they know the author had total control over the book and it did not go through the standard editing process. So what? In my opinion, the media makes a great deal of money from writers and since print-on-demand technology does not provide them with this extra revenue print-on-demand publishing leaves a “bad taste” in their mouths. They tell their employees that print-on-demand publishing is not professional behavior, when the truth of the matter is that print-on-demand publishing is taking money out of their pockets. The “biggies” cannot reveal their true motive, so they do the “human” thing and create as much bad publicity for the print-on-demand industry that they can then use the leverage of other “biggies” like themselves to keep everyone’s pockets padded with the green stuff.

So unless you plan to write a book that you expect to be interviewed on BookTV or Larry King Live about, I suggest you check out print-on-demand publishing. Below are some print-on-demand publishers you may want to consider and compare prices:

1. Gom Publishing, http://www.gompublishing.com
2. Graphico Publishing, http://www.graphicopublishing.com
3. Author House, http://www.authorhouse.com/
4. BlitzPrint, http://www.blitzprint.com/
5. Instant Publisher, http://www.instantpublisher.com/

Or, go to any search engine and type in the search words “print-on-demand publishing” and start shopping. I chose Gom Publishing to publish my book. The total cost was less than $600 and I made this money back almost immediately.

If are a first time writer or even published, you need to check out the benefits for your work by utilizing print-on-demand publishing. At least you now have more options available to you and perhaps one day, writers will be less dependent on publishers and can take the control over their own products.

Victoria Ring is a freelance writer, typesetter and designer. She is the founder of 50statenotary.com, graphicopublishing.com and victoriaringconsulting.com. All companies are dedicated to providing one-of-a-kind products and services for the small business person.

bkparalegal@hotmail.com

November 30th, 2008

The Art of Writing a Good Song

Did you know that good songwriting is often the key to establishing a successful music career? But more than that, it can be fun! When you write a song you are able to express yourself in new and creative ways. Whether you’re sad, happy, angry, or in love… with words, you can fly!

Freedom of expression is one of the greatest priviledges we have, but with it comes some responsibility. Words are very powerful and have been used successfully by many for better, or worse. When writing a song, consider how your words are going to impact your listener. Do you wish to alienate them, or draw them into your perspective on things?

A good song will create an emotional reaction in people, and that’s exactly what you’re trying to achieve! You want to get your listener to feel with you. You want to move them emotionally. You want them to like your song and be willing to listen to it again and again. If you can get your audience to identify with you on some level, you will be on the road to creating a good song.

As you are stirring up your creative juices you may discover that finding just the RIGHT word is sometimes a bit frustrating. But with the RIGHT songwriting tips and resources it becomes a lot easier! Here are three of the most important songwriting tools you should have:

1. DICTIONARY – A dictionary is essential when writing. Besides giving you the correct meaning of a word, it will also help you to express yourself more clearly. You will discover new words while expanding your vocabulary too!

2. THESAURUS – A thesaurus is another important tool to help with creating your songwriting material. You can use a thesaurus to find different words that have similiar meaning.

3. RHYMING DICTIONARY – As the name implies, a rhyming dictionary organizes words that rhyme in alphabetical order using the vowel sounds A E I O U. For example, if you were looking for a word that rhymes with Abel you would look under A sounds. Words rhyming with Abel would be listed in alphabetical order.

There isn’t really a secret formula for writing a good song because determining what is “good” is subjective and a matter of personal opinion (some great songs have broken all the so-called “rules”). However, many successful songwriters have used the following format to write a “Hit” song:

INTRO: Approximately 4-8 measures of instrumental music that contains part or all of “the hook” (a part of the melody that is easy to remember).

VERSE: Each verse should be written in such a way as to “set up” the chorus. Try to keep the meter of your song even by matching the syllables of your words. Be consistent with the sentences that rhyme. Verses should create an anticipation of fulfillfment.

CHORUS: This is where you make your statement. Stress the most important part of your song and make it tasty. Think of your chorus or “hook” as being like the icing on a cake. You want your words to be worth remembering.

VERSE: Continue to follow the idea of your song all the way through, don’t get side-tracked!

CHORUS: This is where you have the opportunity to repeat your “hook” which should continue to emphasize your songs main theme.

BRIDGE: This is where you can create some interest and tension by changing your melody line, modulating to a different key, or adding an instrumental guitar part, etc. Don’t make it too long, approximately 8 measures or so. It should build or crescendo to the final chorus.

FADE CHORUS: This is generally the same as your first chorus, but you will end by repeating it over and over, then gradually fade out to end your song. Use your “hook” generously, but don’t over-kill!

Be flexible and use your imagination! Don’t just copy or mimic what is currently popular. Remember that some of the biggest names in the music business made it to the top because they were not afraid to be ORIGINAL or have a different sound. So, experiment, be yourself, and most of all- have fun!

About the Author

Kathy Unruh is a singer/songwriter and webmaster of ABC Learn Guitar. She has been writing songs and providing guitar lessons to students of all ages for over 20 years. For free guitar lessons, plus tips and resources on songwriting, recording and creating a music career, please visit: www.abclearnguitar.com

November 29th, 2008

Write, Finish, Publish, and Sell your eBook Fast: First Step

Why write an eBook? (Where do you want to be?)

You want ongoing, lifelong multiple streams of income. You want to raise your credibility and trust ratings with clients or customers. You want to get your message out so the world can be a better place.

Yet, You want to spend only a little time on it. (Would you be willing to spend 4 hours a week?) You want to get it out fast (Would 4-6 weeks be OK?) You want to market Online at a low-cost investment. And, for some of you, you are ready to be innovative and even take a small risk to get your eBook read by millions, rather than hundreds!

Where are you now?

You have the idea for your eBook; you have a lot of ideas! Take a moment and decide which one you are most passionate about now and will be for the next year. Focus on one great idea, then add others you know will work.

You have your eBook well on its way, but aren’t finished. You need advice on how to get it done, what’s needed to publish (not much!), and how to distribute it.

Who Should Write an eBook?
- If you are ready to invest a little to reap a great deal. – If you are a business person who want to serve a wider community. – If you have a unique message you want to share with the world -If are willing to write, publish yourself, and sell 2 years ahead of traditional publishing – If you want to create active, lifelong streams of income -If you want to promote yourself, service or products

How to get there.(Build and Sell your eBook at the same time)

Every part of your book can be a sales tool. When you include the essential “Seven Hot-Selling Points” before you write chapter one, you’ll sell more books than you ever dreamed of!

1. Write for your one preferred audience. Not everyone wants your book. Find out what audience wants/needs your book? What problems does your book solve for them? Create an audience profile and keep your audience’s picture in front of you as you write. Ask yourself, is my topic narrow enough? The Chicken Soup For The Teenager, For The Prisoner, and other specific groups sold far more copies than the original Chicken Soup.

2. Write a sizzling book title including benefits. You have 8 seconds to hook your potential buyer. While an eBook cover doesn’t need fancy graphics you will want to create one that can be printed both in color and black and white. It must be easy to see and read. Your title and cover should compel your audience to buy.

3. Write a thirty-second “tell and sell.” You only have a few seconds to impress your potential buyer. Include your title, a few benefits, and the audience. Use sound bites to grab attention. _Write, Finish, and Publish your eBook Fast to Pull Online Sales_ shows professionals how to shortcut each step of writing, publishing, and promoting a salable short eBook.

Include a sound bite that grabs attention such as “It will do more for you than instant cappuccino.” You may also want to compare your book to a successful one such as “How to Write an eBook Fast!” is the “Fast Lane” companion to Dan Poynter’s “Self- Publishing Manual..”

4. Write your sales letter before you write your book. This important sales tool gives the benefits your potential buyers want. Include compelling ad copy, benefits, testimonials, and a small blurb about you, the author. If your potential buyer likes it, they will buy on the spot.

5. Write your eBook’s introduction. Include the problem your audience has, why you wrote the book, and its purpose. In a few paragraphs include more specific benefits, and how you will present it (format). Keep it under a page. Your introduction will help you write your sales letter.

6. Create a table of contents. Each chapter should have a title, preferably a catchy one. If your reader can’t understand the chapter title, then annotate it. Add some benefits or a sub title. In my first chapter called “Why Write an eBook?” I added this partial list of benefits: Ongoing lifelong multiple streams of income, credibility as the expert, products sell easily online, buyers are more targeted and hence you create more profit.

7. Reach out to opinion molders. After an initial contact of asking for feedback, resend them the same chapter and the table of contents of your book. Ask for a testimonial then. These influential contacts’ testimonials will help promote your eBook Online.

Design every part of your eBook to be a sales tool and a beacon that brings out your best: writing–compelling, understandable, organized, and enjoyable. Your book can sell to thousands, even hundreds of thousands.

Judy Cullins: author, publisher, book coach Helps professionals manifest their book dreams eBook:_Write Your eBook or Other Short Book-Fast!_ http://www.bookcoaching.com/specialoffers.shtml Send an email to mailto:Subscribe@bookcoaching.com The Book Coach Says… includes 2 free eReports mailto:Judy@bookcoaching.com
Ph:619/466/0622

November 27th, 2008

So, what’s an e-zine?

Technically they’re written e-zine (not ezine) although calling
them an electronic newsletter e-news or Internet newsletter
i-news clarifies what they are much better.

They were given the name e-zine (short for electronic
magazine). Some people pronounce the e-zeen and others say
e-zin – however way you write it or say it, an e-zine should be a
special e-mail, sent to you because you requested it.

E-zines are one way to build communities and relationships
with a potentially large number of people, for a minimal
cost. Instead of sending out a business newsletter, via
postal mail, you can send anyone who requests, your e-zine.

An e-zine can consist of one tip or they can include
tips, articles, ad’s, class information, suggestions, and
more. They can be sent out daily, weekly or monthly.
Quarterly e-zines are OK for organizations with paid
memberships, but I don’t recommend them otherwise. People
who receive e-zines less than once a month are apt to forget
they subscribed and may think you’re S*pamming them. I know
that you don’t want to get accused of that!

Formatting your e-zine is up to you, so decide what’s best
for you and your clients before you start.

Download a f*ree e-report “8 Categories: Choose Your
E-zine Hosting Service Now”, visit
http://www.coachmaria.com/ebooks/business2.html

About the Author

© 2002 Maria’s Place helps individuals create professional and
personal success by custom-design solutions and systems
that propel you forward. Interested in designing and
promoting your first business building
e-zine? Visit http://www.createezine.com

November 27th, 2008

Sex Shop offers free sex guide to customers

Sex shop www.loversfantasy.co.uk announced today 22 June 2005 that they will be offering free sex guides for their clients.

“Sex shops such as ours offer many adult products and marital aids but all too often the sites are void of interesting content for their clients. I plan to offer a free sex guide each month over the coming summer months followed by an ongoing series of free offers and interesting content including pictures, jokes and maybe even ringtones. ” Carl Sherratt – Managing Director – www.loversfantasy.co.uk

Details of the first free sex guide will be released as soon as they are available.

www.loversfantasy.co.uk has been trading as a sex shop since December 2004 and has enjoyed great success for a new company entering this difficult market and hopes to be supplying the UK with their sex shop products for many years to come at some of the best prices on the internet.

For details of free sex guides available within the sex shop go to www.loversfantasy.co.uk or contact admin@loversfantasy.co.uk.

www.loversfantasy.co.uk is the online sex shop trading name of Jaylect UK Ltd.

About the Author

None

November 27th, 2008

12 Ways to Research a Historical Novel

Whether you are fictionalizing historical events or making up your own story, attention to detail can determine whether your novel is credible to history buffs or if they’ll give it a pass.

1. Read about the general history of the locale where your story is set, so you have some context for your story.

2. If at all possible, visit the locale. Carefully observe details: types of foliage, local seasonal changes, weather conditions, architecture, perspectives. You may see interesting and important details that you wouldn’t know to make up. Also, make note of what’s not there; sometimes this is as important as what is there.

3. Visit local museums. They can be a wealth of information about the daily life of an era.

4. Explore old cemeteries, especially those where the models for your characters are buried. Take note of common names used in that area and era.

5. Research old newspapers. If you don’t live in the area, you can usually hire a researcher through the local public library or use inter-library loan. In addition to basic information about your story, you can get a sense of the language used at the time, other contemporaneous events, even products that were available.

6. Seek out and talk to knowledgeable people. The local librarian can help you find historical societies or amateur historians. Networking can be an essential part of your research strategy since not everything is written down somewhere, especially legends, myths, anecdotes, even the location of other written sources, such as letters and diaries.

7. Consider searching for any legal documents related to your story. Old deeds, contracts, and wills are likely to be filled with more unusual information than current boilerplate legal forms. Legal research can be tricky, but historically minded lawyers may be willing to help you out.

8. Take a look at the fiction written at the time your story is set. Often this proves to be a good source of details about the time period and even the locale.

9. Don’t ignore the footnotes. If you find a book related to your subject, don’t limit your reading to the body of the book. Endnotes, epilogues, indexes, and other appendices can contain a great deal of useful information.

10. Consider specialized data bases and sources. War records, genealogical information, and the census can reveal worthwhile information. This type of resource is often available through university libraries or research centers.

11. Buy some good reference books: a dictionary of slang or phrase origins to make sure you don’t use anachronistic language; a writer’s encyclopedia or other general reference of historical lists, dates of inventions, timelines; an unabridged dictionary; a thesaurus. Building your own reference library is a smart idea for any writer.

12. Use the Internet to its full advantage. Although reference books are often a quicker way to find information, the Internet can be more thorough, if you have the time to search. If you need to know something truly esoteric, place a post on the message board of a relevant website. But if you limit your research to the Internet alone, you are truly limiting yourself. Old newspaper archives, photographs, details of a particular locale may not be readily available online.

Because you’ll use probably only a fraction of the information you uncover in your research, you have to decide which details are worth the time to research and which are not. Regardless, the more you know, the more comfortable you’ll feel writing about a different time. Your novel will be more engaging and credible with artfully placed and historically accurate information.

About The Author

Ann Roscopf Allen is a college writing instructor and the author of the historical novel A Serpent Cherished, based on the true story of an 1891 Memphis murder. Visit her website at http://www.aserpentcherished.com/pages/1/index.htm.

info@aserpentcherished.com

November 26th, 2008

If I Were To Choose

If I were to choose
Between you and someone else
I wouldn’t care who that other would be
I’ll have no doubts
I’d choose you

If I were to choose
To be with you in a poor life
Or to be with some other in a happier one
I’ll have no second thoughts
Right away I’d choose to be with you

If I were to choose
To be everything with another someone
Or to be nothing without you
Right away I’d not pause
I’d choose to be with you

Because I can never be happy with someone else
Because I can never be anything without you
Now I have a question
How about you?
If you were to choose, would you choose me?

About the Author: hi! i’m a high school student in de le salle zobel school. I enjoy writting poems and i would like to publish them… hopefully, someday, i would like to have a book containning all poems published… hope you like my poems

Source: www.isnare.com

November 24th, 2008

Haunted Hollywood

Haunted Hollywood
By Kenneth J. McCormick
Webmaster
Http://Aboutfacts.net

When you talk about haunting, if you do, then you have to include Hollywood stars. It seems that more dead stars are suspected of haunting places than people from any other walk of life. Many of these so-called ghosts, are said to be haunting busy places, such as hotels. I thought it might be fun to look into this a little more. Lets start with one of my all time favorite stars, Marilyn Monroe

The Roosevelt Hotel is located at 7000 Hollywood Boulevard, Hollywood, California. It is said that Marilyn has been seen quite a few times inside of a mirror there. The mirror is a full-length mirror that is located next to the elevators on the lower level, but the funny thing about this is that this mirror used to be in the room that Marilyn frequented. The room was poolside and was Suite 1200. Could the beautiful ghost of Marilyn be uneasy? One never knows, after all, there are many theories that state that Marilyn was murdered, is she trying to tell us something?

The Knickerbocker Hotel was built right in the heart of Hollywood. It wasn’t a hotel when it opened, it was a luxury apartment building. In later years it became a famous hotel where the Hollywood stars would hang out. Its bar, the Renaissance Revival bar, was very popular with actors and actresses. Some actors lived at the hotel on a permanent basis. One famous actor was William Frawley. You may remember him from the “I Love Lucy” tv show, he was Fred Mertz. He died in the hotel in 1966 of a sudden heart attack. Marilyn Monroe spent her honeymoon with Joe DiMaggio there. D.W. Griffith, the movie pioneer died sitting right under the huge crystal chandelier in the lobby.

When Harry Houdini was dying he told his wife that he would do everything he could to contact her from the beyond. Every year since his death on Halloween night until 1936 séances were conducted. The first one was held on the roof of the Knickerbocker hotel. His wife Bess Houdini, and some magicians and friends were present. They tried to contact Harry for over an hour and finally gave up, but as they did, out of nowhere, violent lightning and thunder began to boom and light up the sky scaring all the participants. Was this Harry Houdini letting everyone know he heard them? The Hotel is now a senior citizen home.

They say that Rudolph Valentino, the famous silent movie star, is the most traveled Hollywood ghost, showing up in many different places. There have been reports of the ghost of Valentino being seen in the company of the ghost of Marilyn Monroe. Is that rascal, who was a tremendous womanizer in real life, now one in the spiritual world? Well at least he has good taste. A woman said she encountered the ghost of Valentino while she was walking along a deserted beach. She went on to say further that he was wearing the same flowing robes that he wore in some of his movies. It is also said the Valentino’s ghost can be seen at night walking through Hollywood Forever Cemetery, his final resting place. I can’t help but remark that the cemetery seems NOT to be his FINAL RESTING place because he doesn’t seem to be getting much rest according to many reports.

There is a restaurant named Sweet Lady Jane’s in Los Angeles. Many patrons of this establishment have reported seeing the ghost of Orson Wells sitting at a table. Further more, he was wearing a black cape. Some say that sometimes you can smell the smoke from the particular brand of cigar that Wells smoked and even smell the brandy he enjoyed here. When he is spotted, he seems to be sitting at his favorite table.

Some say that Ozzie Nelson is still living in the home that he had when he died. I guess living is the wrong term to use in this case, maybe occupying is better. Ozzie was the first half of Ozzie and Harriet, one of America’s favorite couples. Their show ran for years on tv. After Ozzie died, Harriet sold the house and immediately the new owners discovered that there were some very strange things going on there. Lights were turning themselves on and off, door opened and closed on their own, water faucets turned on and off without the help of any human hand and they constantly heard foot steps going up and down on the staircase.

The strange story of Frances Farmer has to be told in any Hollywood haunting article. Frances Farmer became a huge name in Hollywood in the 1930s and 1940s. By the time she was 27 she had made 18 films, stared in 3 Broadway plays and appeared in 32 major radio shows. At the top of her professional career she began to have problems in her personal life. She began to drink and take drugs for weight control. This caused her to act erratically on the set and she soon became a problem. She got into a fight in the Knickerbocker hotel and the police dragged her, half naked, through the lobby and she was later sent to the screen actor’s sanitarium. She was given insulin treatments and they put her into shock. This went on for 7 years. She escaped once but was caught. It is said that the hospital staff was brutal to the patients. She was finally given a lobotomy and released. She was no longer the same person; the hospital stay and treatment had destroyed Frances Farmer. She died at 57 years old and was alone and broke. Many people say they have seen the ghost of Frances Farmer walking the halls of the Knickerbocker hotel and they feel that it will never be able to rest.

Copyright © 2004 by About Facts Net and its licensors. All rights reserved.

This article may be copied if no changes are made and all links are left in place

About the author:

Ken is the webmaster of Http://aboutfacts.netThis is a free magazine on the internet that contains many interesting stories. These stories are often accompanied by photos, video or audio. The site is suitable for the entire family.

November 22nd, 2008

Grab the Headlines; Craft a Compelling Press Release

Have you been following the news lately?

Doesn’t it amaze you that the media continues to report on every move
Elizabeth Taylor makes? She hasn’t
made a movie in what, 25 years? And yet, every time she sneezes,
its news.

Here, in India, Priyanka Gandhi-Vadra hogs the headlines. What
has she ever done, apart from marrying a non-entity and
producing babies? And yet, the press follows her around on a
daily basis.

The point is — if the media can make space for someone who
hasn’t really done anything interesting, they sure can give you a plug or
two.

Almost any event can be turned into news if you craft a compelling press
release. That means your press release must be “newsworthy”, not promotional
material. Editors do not like promotion; they like news. You have a good
chance of getting a plug if your press release can convince the editor that:

You are offering timely and newsworthy information
Your company is new and different
You are doing something unique or are specialized in nature

Editors want news, a “different angle”. They want to publish something that
their readers will like to read. Always remember this and you will never go
wrong with your release.

Here are a few tips to get you going…..

Develop a News Hook
Not every event is earth shaking. But even ordinary happenings can be turned
into a “newsworthy” affair. All you need to do is create a “hook” -
something unusual, maybe even bizarre that hooks the reader’s
attention and keeps it. Often such hooks are a simple stunt;
e.g. the day “Turok 2: The Evolution” was launched, the gaming
company released large ads with a proposition for the public.
Parents of a child born on that day would get a $10,000 savings
certificate as a gift if they named their baby Turok. The ad
had its intended effect as numerous newspapers devoted thousands
of column inches to debating the ethics of this offer.

The Big Picture
Tie in your activities with a larger concern. When a
considerable number of people are affected by something, it
automatically becomes news. A veterinary pharmaceutical company
needed publicity for its mastitis care product. It sent out a
press release that stated,
“Mastitis costs dairy sector Rs. 6053 crores ($1.26 billion) every year”
Having grabbed the
editor’s attention with the sheer magnitude of this problem, it then offered
its product as a solution. You can be pretty sure all the editors carried
this news.

Pyramid Structure
Newspaper reporters follow the Pyramid style of writing. All pertinent
information is contained in the first paragraph. Subsequent paragraphs
elaborate. Historically, editors have had a tendency to cut short the
reporter’s
copy. So reporters developed this style to ensure that the
readers get the complete story even if only one paragraph of
their copy is printed.

Follow the same style when you write a release. Write a strong
leading paragraph with the most critical information. Your first
paragraph should answer the main questions: who, what, where,
when, why and how. This ensures that if the editor decides to
use just the first few paragraphs, all the information you want
to convey gets printed.

Watch your Words
Keep your release clutter-free. Use short, crisp sentences.
Break up large chunks of text into short paragraphs. Research
shows that paragraphs of 5-6 easily digestible lines help the
reader understand the subject, even if it is complex.

Avoid buzzwords, jargons, technical language and acronyms. Be
Balanced. Junk the hyperbole. Fancy fonts and vivid colors are
out. Editors prefer standard fonts like Arial (10 points) or
Times New Roman (12 points).

Finally, do a word count. A good release says what it wants in
less than 500 words.

Spice it up. Just a Little
Include at least one hard-hitting quote in your press release.
It’s your best shot at getting into newspaper column space. Reporters would
rather include a smart, concise quote in their story than give a lengthy
explanation or summary.

Quotes are an opportunity to emphasize your key points, so quoting your CEO
or top executive is a good idea. Supporting quotes from analysts and
customers add credibility to the announcement and key the reporter in to the
fact that there are people available that they might be able to interview
for a story.

Make yourself available
Reporters like to dig for more information. They are always trying to find a
“different slant”. They may not want to print a standard press release. They
are more likely to contact you for a personal quote or unpublished
information. So, make it easy for them to contact you. In your release,
include the line, “For further information and clarifications, contact
So-and-so.” Give your contact information: phone, fax, email, and office
address. And then, be available. And have some extra information to share.

Create a Press Kit
The press kit includes a background piece, press releases, photos of your
executives or your products, more story ideas, reprints of previous articles
about your business, a list of customer references and anything else that
the media might find newsy or just be a simple fact sheet on you and your
company. The media may not use everything you give them. But they will keep
it for future reference. And it’s
a great way to build a relationship with the press.

If you have got this far, you must have grasped the secret by
now. The trick to a compelling press release is very simple.
Learn to think like a reporter. Put yourself in her shoes.
Anticipate her needs. Then, write a release that answers her
questions. Before she can ask them. Simple,
isn’t it?

Go grab the headlines!

About the Author

Sonali Raval is a corporate communications professional based in Ahmedabad,
India. An Economist and MBA by training, she is a freelance writer by
choice.
She can be reached at sonali@writeratwork.com;
URL: www.writeratwork.com

November 22nd, 2008

When Gifts Simply Won’t Do

It would be true to say that these days more than 50% of all couples who eventually marry, are already living together. In that state of marriage without licence they may go ahead and buy a house together, set up the house with all those bits and pieces that transform a house into a home, and might even acquire a child or two.

Then comes the decision to make the union a legal one, and the planning of the wedding day itself.

Since a wedding is usually synonymous with gifts, the couple find themselves in that unpalatable situation of how to tell the guests that yes, they would love a gift, but none of those run of the mill things that guests inevitably bring.

Of course there is the Bridal Registry which most gusts have now learned to accept as part of the process. After all, knowing the couple’s preferences does save them running around the shops trying to choose something both useful and decorative and that the couple actually needs.

But unfortunately, this particular couple have gone way past the Registry stage. They have everything that money can buy, and what they’d really now like is the money itself. Perhaps it’s the mortgage payments that is the problem, or it could be that the roof has lost a shingle or two. But, in any case, wedding gifts just won’t do.

Enter the Wishing Well and the Treasure Chest.

After much pondering and soul-searching, the couple decide to take their friends into the confidence and ask for money in the most sensitive way possible.

At the reception itself, in a very central position, they place a wishing well, or a treasure chest which can be either made, rented or bought. Guests are invited to toss their cheques, or money order, or just plain old cash, into either the Wishing Well or the Treasure Chest and make a wish for themselves, instead of the couple. It’s a fair swap. The couple get what they want, and the guests get their wish. Well, that’s the plan, anyway.

Now how do you convey this innovative idea to your guests? Included with your wedding invitation will be a card – explaining the whole process. The card is made interesting by being worded with a lilting rhyme and rhythm as to why the couple would prefer the dollar to the tea towel. To give it visual aspect the card is decorated with a picture of the wishing well or the treasure chest to give the couple an idea of what to expect on the wedding day. It’s hoped that the light-hearted ditty on the card, and the novelty of the whole idea, will not only result with the right gift, but also retain the friendship of the giver.

Vlady Peters is an Australian Civil Marriage Celebrant authorised to perform marriages in Australia. She also perform general ceremonies such as Baby Naming, Renewal of Vows and Commitment Ceremonies. To learn more about her as a celebrant and an author visit vlady at http://www.weddings-celebrant.com

November 22nd, 2008