Edward Beale's Blog
October 16, 2016
Self-published Book Contests, Part 1
Hi there readers,
I really hope you are enjoying West By Sea: A Treasure Hunt that Spans the Globe. We submitted to Writer's Digest back in April, and just got word the book did not place in any category. The contest has only a few general categories, and one grand prize, so the chances were pretty small and we knew that going it. It is still a disappointment, because we looked at previous winners and KNOW the book stacked up really well.
Writer's Digest is one of the largest, best-known, and most well respected organizations serving those of us who put our stories in print, so the competition was certainly formidable and fierce!
I have submitted the book to several other contests. Based on some research, it appears some contests are, shall we say, less reputable than others. Comments about certain contests are downright nasty. Back in the 1990s I looked at several poetry contests and realized there were just money making schemes for the organizers. Here are a few things I considered before sending in an application.
First, there is a cost. The contest organizers have to offer prizes, pay judges, handle marketing, and cover the cost of their own operation. We get it. Several contests wanted well over $100 for "a chance to win." I don't consider these money well spent.
Second, I looked at the past winners. Would I want my book included among such titles? Does it have a shot? Which genre best fits this title? Doing a high-level analysis of past results is a great way to get a feel for a contest.
Third, I looked for contests that return some kind of feedback, regardless of prize status. Part of this is checking out who is doing the judging. Does the contest reference actual names and pedigree of their judges, or does it seem to be run as a family and friends operation?
Also, be aware that contests with many categories are probably a double-edged sword. On one side, it is easier to place a book where it really belongs, and you may be in a smaller pool of competitors (which increases your odds to place or win). On the other side, large contests make it easy to get lost in the shuffle, and when you win an obscure contest in one of 70 categories, your status with publishers and agents will very likely be watered down. Contests with dozens of categories are certainly in it to make money when applicants "cover their bets" by paying entry fees in several categories.
Finally, there is time and energy required to pay for, print forms, package, mail, and track all the entries. Some contests allow online payment and upload a PDF, others require sending a check and physical book, some require sending multiple books for each category. Take a look at the overall cost of completing an entry in time and money, not just the entry fee.
At the end of the day, I still think the exercise of submitting to writing contests has been a positive one. It really does seem like buying a rather expensive lottery ticket. Perhaps if West By Sea: A Treasure Hunt that Spans the Globe picks up an award or two, the effort will seem worth it!
I really hope you are enjoying West By Sea: A Treasure Hunt that Spans the Globe. We submitted to Writer's Digest back in April, and just got word the book did not place in any category. The contest has only a few general categories, and one grand prize, so the chances were pretty small and we knew that going it. It is still a disappointment, because we looked at previous winners and KNOW the book stacked up really well.
Writer's Digest is one of the largest, best-known, and most well respected organizations serving those of us who put our stories in print, so the competition was certainly formidable and fierce!
I have submitted the book to several other contests. Based on some research, it appears some contests are, shall we say, less reputable than others. Comments about certain contests are downright nasty. Back in the 1990s I looked at several poetry contests and realized there were just money making schemes for the organizers. Here are a few things I considered before sending in an application.
First, there is a cost. The contest organizers have to offer prizes, pay judges, handle marketing, and cover the cost of their own operation. We get it. Several contests wanted well over $100 for "a chance to win." I don't consider these money well spent.
Second, I looked at the past winners. Would I want my book included among such titles? Does it have a shot? Which genre best fits this title? Doing a high-level analysis of past results is a great way to get a feel for a contest.
Third, I looked for contests that return some kind of feedback, regardless of prize status. Part of this is checking out who is doing the judging. Does the contest reference actual names and pedigree of their judges, or does it seem to be run as a family and friends operation?
Also, be aware that contests with many categories are probably a double-edged sword. On one side, it is easier to place a book where it really belongs, and you may be in a smaller pool of competitors (which increases your odds to place or win). On the other side, large contests make it easy to get lost in the shuffle, and when you win an obscure contest in one of 70 categories, your status with publishers and agents will very likely be watered down. Contests with dozens of categories are certainly in it to make money when applicants "cover their bets" by paying entry fees in several categories.
Finally, there is time and energy required to pay for, print forms, package, mail, and track all the entries. Some contests allow online payment and upload a PDF, others require sending a check and physical book, some require sending multiple books for each category. Take a look at the overall cost of completing an entry in time and money, not just the entry fee.
At the end of the day, I still think the exercise of submitting to writing contests has been a positive one. It really does seem like buying a rather expensive lottery ticket. Perhaps if West By Sea: A Treasure Hunt that Spans the Globe picks up an award or two, the effort will seem worth it!
September 23, 2016
September Specials, 2016
Here are some discounts on West By Sea during September.
Paperback is being offered "at cost", $29.99, all month. Order from the print shop to send more to charity, here, or Amazon.
Kindle book is half price all month, $1.99. The Kindle is also free with "match book", if you purchase the text-only paperback version from Amazon for $8.95, here.
Lulu.com prints the hardcover edition. They run various specials that change constantly, so check their site. Through September 26th, get half off ground shipping with discount code SEPTSHIP16, here.
Paperback is being offered "at cost", $29.99, all month. Order from the print shop to send more to charity, here, or Amazon.
Kindle book is half price all month, $1.99. The Kindle is also free with "match book", if you purchase the text-only paperback version from Amazon for $8.95, here.
Lulu.com prints the hardcover edition. They run various specials that change constantly, so check their site. Through September 26th, get half off ground shipping with discount code SEPTSHIP16, here.
May 31, 2016
New West By Sea Paperback (text only)
Michelle wanted to bring back her experience of sailing around the world, so others could experience the #dream. If you know someone with #cancer or other challenge who can no longer travel, this story is for them. She hopes they can travel along with her on this "marathon" journey.
This week she released a lower priced "text only" edition of West By Sea. It is available now! https://www.createspace.com/6306529
This week she released a lower priced "text only" edition of West By Sea. It is available now! https://www.createspace.com/6306529
May 26, 2016
Kindle Edition: West By Sea
After about a month of copy and paste, the West By Sea text is now available on Kindle! Fire up those tablets and get reading.
http://westbysea.com/2016/05/kindle-r...
May 9, 2016
Armchair Treasure Hunt Club: book mention
Good morning, and welcome to Monday. The Armchair Treasure Hunt Club mentioned West By Sea on their Facebook page. Check them out and "like" TATHC.
https://www.facebook.com/TATHC/
https://www.facebook.com/TATHC/
May 3, 2016
Armchair Treasure Hunt List: Please Vote for WBS!
West By Sea is on this list - please add your vote to the tally, with my personal thanks!
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/7...
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/7...
Go Grey in May
May is Brain Cancer Awareness month. Go Grey in May! The book West By Sea was inspired by the author's battle with brain cancer. Michelle chose to pursue a long-time dream to travel around the world by ship. What is your dream? Have you started down the path to convert that dream into a memory? West By Sea: A Treasure Hunt that Spans the Globe
April 8, 2016
Book Review: by Connie Van Guilder
http://westbysea.com/2016/04/west-by-...
Book Corner
By Connie Van Guilder
(Editor note: Connie writes for the Choose Your Destiny blog, a weekly eZine that arrives each Friday with advice about health, family, creativity, and business. We recommend you go here and sign up for your free copy: http://www.cydestiny.com.)
Book Review
West by Sea: A Treasure Hunt That Spans the Globe
By Michelle and Edward Beale
One of my favorite genres of literature is the travelogue. Another favorite is the adventure tale. This book covers both genres nicely as we follow this couple’s journey of one hundred and five days circling the globe on a ship. The narrative is written in the first person and it reads just like they are talking with you, sharing the details of the trip in the present tense. They feel like friends right from the start of the book. The writing is conversational and lively, with humorous tales of the travails of ship life written amongst the details of their sights at each port of call.
The layout of this book is like nothing I have ever seen before. It is graphically pleasing, with pages colored to look like an antique map. Each page has three color photos of some of the most beautiful places one can find on the globe, and not just the major spots that are always photographed, but creatively framed photos of nature, architecture, and people. The Beale’s also provide a ship’s log detailing daily position, status, and weather. The reader is just as concerned as the authors about the heat, the rain, the pitching of the ship, and the wonderful quotes by some creative and famous people are found on every page, as well.
Although the words of Mark Twain, Aesop, Napoleon Bonaparte, and Oprah Winfrey inspire me, my very favorite quote in the book is by the author: “Onward I sail, because the world is just the start.”
But the element of the book that I find most endearing is the reason for their trip. Michelle Beale was diagnosed with brain cancer. She had a tumor the size of a lemon. She endured brain surgery and long, painful treatments to survive her cancer. In the face of this life-altering illness, Michelle and Edward decided that taking their dream trip was the best course of action.
They sailed across six continents, through 40 ports in 28 countries, sailing 34,634 nautical miles in 105 days. Each page depicts one place they visited. It is chronological, but it flows so well from page to page that the book is difficult to put down. It is so well-written that if it was black words on a white page the read would be equally enthralling; however, we are treated to so many other visual delights in this book that it is truly an adventure in itself.
An example of one of the rare treats the reader receives is on the page below the epilogue. It reads: “each faithful reader of this journal participated in a journey around the world and is counted among the honored members of the West by Sea Society.”
Apparently, there is a treasure to be found, somewhere on the planet, with instructions on how to partake in the search. This book is a treasure in itself. When you read, you are on the journey. You are friends with the Beale’s and you root for them through their trip, looking forward to each port of call, and each adventure they enjoy.
To top it off, the proceeds of this book are donated to charity. Do read this book.
Connie
cvanguilder@sbcglobal.net
Book Corner
By Connie Van Guilder
(Editor note: Connie writes for the Choose Your Destiny blog, a weekly eZine that arrives each Friday with advice about health, family, creativity, and business. We recommend you go here and sign up for your free copy: http://www.cydestiny.com.)
Book Review
West by Sea: A Treasure Hunt That Spans the Globe
By Michelle and Edward Beale
One of my favorite genres of literature is the travelogue. Another favorite is the adventure tale. This book covers both genres nicely as we follow this couple’s journey of one hundred and five days circling the globe on a ship. The narrative is written in the first person and it reads just like they are talking with you, sharing the details of the trip in the present tense. They feel like friends right from the start of the book. The writing is conversational and lively, with humorous tales of the travails of ship life written amongst the details of their sights at each port of call.
The layout of this book is like nothing I have ever seen before. It is graphically pleasing, with pages colored to look like an antique map. Each page has three color photos of some of the most beautiful places one can find on the globe, and not just the major spots that are always photographed, but creatively framed photos of nature, architecture, and people. The Beale’s also provide a ship’s log detailing daily position, status, and weather. The reader is just as concerned as the authors about the heat, the rain, the pitching of the ship, and the wonderful quotes by some creative and famous people are found on every page, as well.
Although the words of Mark Twain, Aesop, Napoleon Bonaparte, and Oprah Winfrey inspire me, my very favorite quote in the book is by the author: “Onward I sail, because the world is just the start.”
But the element of the book that I find most endearing is the reason for their trip. Michelle Beale was diagnosed with brain cancer. She had a tumor the size of a lemon. She endured brain surgery and long, painful treatments to survive her cancer. In the face of this life-altering illness, Michelle and Edward decided that taking their dream trip was the best course of action.
They sailed across six continents, through 40 ports in 28 countries, sailing 34,634 nautical miles in 105 days. Each page depicts one place they visited. It is chronological, but it flows so well from page to page that the book is difficult to put down. It is so well-written that if it was black words on a white page the read would be equally enthralling; however, we are treated to so many other visual delights in this book that it is truly an adventure in itself.
An example of one of the rare treats the reader receives is on the page below the epilogue. It reads: “each faithful reader of this journal participated in a journey around the world and is counted among the honored members of the West by Sea Society.”
Apparently, there is a treasure to be found, somewhere on the planet, with instructions on how to partake in the search. This book is a treasure in itself. When you read, you are on the journey. You are friends with the Beale’s and you root for them through their trip, looking forward to each port of call, and each adventure they enjoy.
To top it off, the proceeds of this book are donated to charity. Do read this book.
Connie
cvanguilder@sbcglobal.net
April 6, 2016
And Then There Were Three...
Published a post on the main site. The treasure hunt submissions are coming in. Planning to be at Elliott Bay Book Company in Seattle on Saturday, late morning.
http://westbysea.com/2016/04/and-then...
http://westbysea.com/2016/04/and-then...
April 1, 2016
No Foolin': Hardcover on sale
For April Fool's Day, the price of @WestBySea in hardcover is reduced: same price as the paperback. Our thanks to you for all your foolish support!
http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/westbysea
http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/westbysea
