Books range from penning novel to self-publishing, marketing manuscripts
ENCINITAS (Jan. 24, 2013) – After working with more than 400 writers during the past five years, award-winning author and editor Rob Bignell kept hearing the same questions:
“You mean I can’t do that in a novel?” “Just how do I go about self-publishing this book anyway?” “How do I get people to buy my book?”
Now a new suite of three guidebooks – Rob Bignell’s “7 Minutes a Day to Your Bestseller”, “7 Minutes a Day to a Self-Published Book” and “7 Minutes a Day to Promote Your Book” – answers these and many other questions.
In these comprehensive yet practical and useful guidebooks, Bignell helps writers navigate one of the fastest growing realms of the book world: self-publishing. An incredible 1,185,445 books were self-published during 2011, and that number is expected to grow during the decade ahead.
“Big publishing houses just aren’t printing many titles anymore,” said Bignell, a former Encinitas resident who owns and runs a manuscript editing service. “The result is a lot of great books aren’t going to see daylight unless authors take it upon themselves to print their own books.
“Self-publishing has allowed authors to do just that.”
Unfortunately, there’s been no real practical, how-to guide about self-publishing or marketing your book, Bignell said.
“Since I couldn’t send my writing clients to any one book out there, I starting compiling all of my own answers – which led to these books,” he said.
Loaded with useful tips, the “7 Minutes a Day…” series provides a step-by-step guide to everything a writer needs to know to get their book out of their head and into readers’ hands. Books in the “7 Minutes a Day…” series include:
“7 Minutes a Day to Your Bestseller” – Novel writers receive expert advice on topics like motivating themselves to write, starting their story with exciting opening lines, creating intriguing characters, mastering the craft of writing to elevate their style, and pitching the story to potential publishers.
“7 Minutes a Day to a Self-Published Book” – Whether writing a novel or nonfiction, whether planning to print a paperback or an ebook, this book guides authors through the self-publishing process, from the title page to the index, from designing a cover to formatting the text.
“7 Minutes a Day to Market Your Book” – Writers develop a strategy that will get articles about their self-published book in newspapers, magazines, on radio and television programs, posted on blogs and linked to on websites, while landing book signings and readings, all at virtually no cost.
“The challenge of self-publishing is that writers have to do almost everything that a big publishing house would otherwise do for them – editing, designing a cover, formatting the book, handling the printing and distribution, sending out press releases and more,” Bignell said. “Most writers just want to write books and have no idea of how to do any of the other stuff. My books help remedy that.”
Though once reviled as little more than a vanity press, today self-publishing dominates the book publishing industry. With the pervasiveness of ereaders, self-published books are more accessible than ever.
“Readers are finding that a lot of what is being self-published is very good and better that what is being by pushed by the big publishing houses,” Bignell said. “Because major publishers view printing an unknown writer as too risky, a lot of great manuscripts can only be self-published.”
Since Bignell began editing manuscripts, more than 50 of his clients have published books. He’s also authored his own books – the literary novel “Windmill,” the critically lauded and popular “Hikes with Tykes” guidebooks, and a collection of poetry. He’s currently penning more trail guides to hiking, his favorite recreational activity when he’s not editing manuscripts.
Bignell lived in Encinitas during 2011. He headed a suite of business magazines with offices based in San Diego.
Prior to book editing, Bignell spent several years in journalism, where he led newspaper and magazine news staff. During his career, he’s interviewed presidential candidates, movie stars and governors. He currently resides in Hudson, Wis.
Books in the “7 Minutes a Day…” series are available for purchase online at http://inventingreality.4t.com/7minutes_orderabook.html.
Book specs:
Publish date: Jan. 22, 2012
Publisher: Atiswinic Press
ISBN: “7 Minutes a Day to Your Bestseller” 978-0-9858739-3-6; “7 Minutes a Day to a Self-Published Book” 978-0-9858739-4-3; “7 Minutes a Day to Promoting Your Book” 978-0-9858739-5-0
Price: $9.95
Pages: “7 Minutes a Day to Your Bestseller” 132 pages; “7 Minutes a Day to a Self-Published Book” 140 pages; “7 Minutes a Day to Promoting Your Book” 128 pages
Cover: Paperback
Trim Size: 4.1” x 6.8”
Website: http://inventingreality.4t.com/7minutes_home.html
