Why Writing + Publishing a Book is HARD Work (When Done the Right Way)

Nothing makes my skin crawl more than those "Get Published Quick!" schemes, promising coaches and business owners a book in just days. You know, those ultra-cheesy websites that package up some oh-so-boring cover and layout for you for the low price of just $299! The ones who feature cover art with unicorns and horrible fonts?

Guess what? Those are the things that give the self-publishing industry a bad name. Those are the things that make independent authors look inexperienced. Those are the reasons I created Passionista Publishing.

Future authors, please listen up: you will not gain any credibility by pumping out a half-assed book that you paid some shitty company to pull together for you. Self-publishing, when done correctly, is no easy road. It should be done with care and concern if you want to gain any respect for your work. 

I spent years researching the industry and put out a quality book last year that went on to sell over 1,000 copies in under six months and become a two-time Amazon #1 best seller in multiple categories. I know what it takes to artfully put together something that people will buy and love. I know how to market with style (my years spent working in digital advertising for MTV have served me well!) I know how to keep from spending thousands of dollars on the wrong things. I will tell you exactly what you need to do to self-publish your book the right way.

Want to learn more? Email me. We'll set up some time to chat and see if we're a good fit.

Write Like It's Your Job: And One Day it Might Be!

via http://weheartit.com/entry/44684484/via/bettiinaa

Every day (yes, really), writers ask me what advice I have for them in either starting their book, or finishing it. I think people want to know the big secret, or the golden ticket to writing a best selling book. Hell, I even searched for the answer for years as I wrote my book. And I finally learned it. Wanna know what it is?

WRITE.

I know, seems obvious, right? (write?) But the more you put off working on that book, the longer it will take to produce, and the longer it will take to get on the virtual shelves of Amazon and every other online retailer you plan on selling it through. And, the longer it will take to become a best seller and hopefully lead to more best sellers and ultimately (hopefully) make you a smashing success! 

Here are some tips to get in the zone and stay on track:

1. Set a regular writing routine. Choose specific days a week you'll write, and set a word count for that day. Tip: the average word count for one page of a book is 250 words. Do the math and figure out what you need to get done according to your timelines.

2. Reward yourself for every milestone. Yes, kind of like a dog getting a treat. It works, trust me. I chose a nice bottle of champagne every time I got 10,000 words done. Pick your poison, baby.

3. Focus on the ultimate goal. Visualize your book being done, the launch party, signing all those lovely copies in your favorite pen.

Wouldn't it be fabulous to make a living off writing?

You know what to do.

xoxo
Cara

Want help? Email Info@PassionistaPublishing.com to learn about our personalized coaching and consulting packages.

Got a Book in You? I Know You Do!

I can't even count how many people have told me "When I write my book..." Seems like everyone's got a book in them, right? If you can identify, I urge you to stop dreaming and start doing. There is nothing like seeing your story, your words, your heart, in print. Nothing.

Most people are overwhelmed at the thought of writing a book, let alone publishing one. Traditional publishing is still a viable option for some, but for most, self-publishing has become not just an option, but an amazing opportunity.

When I made the decision to self-publish, I was terrified. Would people judge me? Would my book even sell? Would I be proud of it, or still caught up in the stigma that no publisher took a chance on me?

Making the decision to self-publish my book was one of the best decisions of my life.

But it didn't come easily. I spent years researching the industry, talking to authors who had taken the leap, reading articles, talking to editors at traditional publishing houses, publicists, literary agents (in fact I had one of my own while we were shopping the book).

My hard work paid off and my book was successful. Immediately, writers were approaching me for advice on how to pull it off. Where to begin. I decided to take my life coaching skills and combine them with my self-publishing experience and offer help to writers who want to get that book out there, but need a little push.

Maybe you need help outlining your idea. Maybe you're halfway through, but need a boost getting it finished. Maybe you've written the book, but need help finding an editor or a designer to help you fine tune it and bring it to life. Maybe your book is out there, but you have no idea how to market it. 

Maybe you just want to talk to someone, one on one, who's done it.

Learn more about my coaching and consulting packages. 

Email me at Info@PassionistaPublishing.com

I'd love to hear from you.

SPARKLE is a Bestseller on Amazon!

Phew!

To say these past few days have been a whirlwind would really be an understatement. Upon SPARKLE's early release, I have been living and breathing this book! Much to my surprise SPARKLE climbed right on up to the #1 spot on Amazon's Bestseller list in the Happiness category within hours of it's release. I could not possibly be more grateful for every single person who has supported my dream. Everyone who bought the book, retweeted the link, shared on Facebook, and was there for me as I nearly melted down through this very arduous (yet exhilarating) processes - THANK YOU. You have helped me live out my dream.

To those who want to check out the book, we're working on getting Amazon's "Search Inside" feature up, but in the meantime, check out this synopsis. Gorgeous design by Cara Loper of Loose Lid Creative! Click the link if you are looking for someone to design your book cover or marketing materials - she is fabulous.

And CLICK HERE to pick up a copy of SPARKLE!

The Little Book That Could

You know that saying, "We make plans and God laughs?" Well I bet God, and all of the little sparkle fairies up in heaven are having a BALL with this one!

Never a dull moment in the world of indie publishing. I researched, prepped, and anxiously gulped red wine in an attempt to calm my nerves over the past few months to time the release of my first book, SPARKLE, perfectly. Arranged for press, radio interviews, launch parties, all meticulously in line with the magical date of Tuesday, October 9. The date I obsessed over for the release of this book that I spent FOUR YEARS working on.

And guess what? I logged into my Amazon account this morning and saw that not only was it available now, but it had been selling copies like CRAZY! Someone started the party without me! I am learning (quickly) that I can't control everything, so I'm rolling with this one and counting down the hours until I can responsibly pop a bottle of champagne (the second I escape from my office).

Not only am I dealing with the shock of my book being released a month early, but it's ranking in the TOP 100 in Amazon's "Self-Help ---> Happiness" category! At 11 am this morning, SPARKLE was #39 in the category, and is also being featured as a "Hot Release!"

You can click here if you want to purchase this hot little mama!

I just want to thank everyone from the bottom of my heart who supported this project. I started this book four years ago, and had no idea where it would lead me. I feel so blessed and lucky to have found myself in a place where I am happier and more fulfilled than I ever thought possible. I hope you enjoy reading this book as much as I enjoyed writing it and bringing it into the world.

With so much love and gratitude,

Cara

DIYva

photo courtesy of weheartit.com

I think it's fair to say I've always had a little bit of an entrepreneurial bug. From the music fanzine I launched when I was 17, to the countless other projects I've embarked on throughout the following years, I've always found myself involved in some sort of DIY endeavor. So when the decision to self-publish came about (even though I fought it tooth and nail, at first) there was still a part of me itching to do things on my own. 

I think what has excited me most about indie publishing is the creation of my own imprint, Passionista. I just love the idea of acting as my own publisher and handling all the fun stuff like designing and marketing, and having the ability to hand pick the people I feel are the best for my book. Plus I get to make business cards. Is there anything more exciting!?

Owning the rights to your work, calling all the shots, and ultimately being responsible for the success (or non success) of something you've created is not for everyone. Some people prefer to hand things off to the experts and that's totally fine. But me, I like to think I'm more of a hands-on gal. 

A DIYva, if you will. 

Cheers,

Cara

We Have Lift Off!

photo courtesy of weheartit.com

So I think I've spent an adequate of time lurking around the #indiepub and #selfpub hash tag land on Twitter, and I'm finally ready to start a blog that represents Passionista, my boutique indie publishing company that I launched a few weeks ago to support the release of my first book.

Let me back up a little bit. I am a blogger (you can most often find me here, talking about all things bubbly and inspiring), and I am also now on the verge of becoming an independently published author with my first title, SPARKLE, about to launch on October 9th. In fact, I am in the process of cyber-stalking my local UPS delivery person who is holding the paperback proof of my book as we speak. He's probably not cradling it in a hand-knit pink blanket with ducks and rattles on it like I wish he was (It is my baby, after all.) Instead, I'm sure it's bouncing around in the back of a truck taking a tour of Brooklyn before it makes its way to my apartment sometime later today (or tomorrow -- you never can tell with these shipping times).

Anyway, SPARKLE has been nothing short of a labor of love for me, which you can read about more here, or here. Now you can see why I needed to start a separate blog, eh? I will say though, my lovely, lovely readers over at The Champagne Diet have been nothing but supportive throughout this whole process, and I am so happy that I've been able to involve them every step of the way. They truly have been my support system; there to make me laugh and encourage me to have a glass (or bottle) of wine when I'm about to cry, there to push me along when I get in one of those "what does it all mean?" funks, and there to fall as madly in love with this project as I have.

I have been researching the self-publishing industry since 2009, and boy has it come a long way. I obsessively read other blogs, industry trade mags, and Twitter feeds to stay in the loop with all the latest happenings. I absolutely love connecting with other indie authors and hearing about how they got their start. The intent of this blog is not to share breaking news on the industry, or break ground in any way, for that matter. It's a place where I will share my musings, my excitements, my disappointments (as much as I try to live in that bubble, they still creep on in there), my mistakes and my wins. Oh, and I'll talk about wine sometimes, too. I hope that you'll come back and visit often.

Now back to track that package...

Cheers,

Cara