Beth Jusino's Blog

You wrote a manuscript that you want to see published. You read the previous blog post (and this and this), and understand the importance of editing, revising, polishing, and working to make that book the best it can be. You’ve done all of that, and now it’s time to find the right publishing partner.

Here’s the secret:

Really? That’s it?

Yep. And you would be amazed how many writers get stuck here, because they don’t know how to talk about their work in ...

You wrote a manuscript that you want to see published. You read the previous blog post (and this and this), and understand the importance of editing, revising, polishing, and working to make that book the best it can be. You’ve done all of that, and now it’s time to find the right publishing partner.

Here’s Step 1:

Really? That’s it?

Yep. And you would be amazed how many writers get stuck here, because they don’t know how to talk about their work in a way that dr...

You wrote a book. Maybe it’s a novel, or a memoir, or a spiritual guide to finding happiness in troubled times. Maybe you’re not sure what it is. But you’re already dreaming of seeing your book on a local bookstore shelf.

All you have to do now is get a publisher on board, right?

Yes, I know. Technically, you don’t need a traditional publisher. I’ve happily self published my own work, and have helped dozens of clients self p...

In 2014, I published The Author’s Guide to Marketing, a resource for writers who wanted to know how to attract more readers, sell more books, and maybe even enjoy themselves. I had a boatload of experience in book marketing at that point, both from my years as a literary agent and as the director of marketing for an author services company. I’d created and executed marketing plans for hundreds of writers, both fiction and nonfiction.

But what I didn’t have was firsthand experience.

A couple of years ago, I got the urge to write a book. I’d recently returned from a sabbatical in Europe, where my husband Eric and I walked a thousand miles on the Camino de Santiago, a network of pilgrimage trails that date back to the Roman Empire. (You can read more about that on my personal blog, Camino Times Two.) I hadn’t intended to write about the trip when I left, but when I got back I couldn’t shake the suspicion that there was something book-worthy in the experience.

I’d worked in...

If you want to self publish, you will have to work to get noticed.

Here we are at last, on the final point of this blog series “Before You Self Publish.” So far we’ve talking about the importance of thinking like a CEO, the danger of releasing a book too soon, the value of print, and the importance of the cover.

Now let’s think about how to get that book in readers’ hands.

Yep, if we’re going to talk about self publishing, we need to talk about the M word: Marketing.

It’s not a bad word. Real...

We’re continuing the Before You Self Publish series. Don’t miss Part 1, Think Like a CEO; Part 2, Don’t Publish Too Soon; and Part 3, Publish in Print.

Long before I worked in book publishing, a friend introduced me to a twist on the classic cliché:

First impressions matter, especially in books, where readers have so many options. A person browsing in a bookstore (either physical or online) looks at the book cover and...

We’re continuing our series of 5 Things Self Publishers Need to Know with a super-simplified look at production and distribution (and a reminder that you have choices).

Once you learn to think like a CEO and recommit to writing a GREAT book, it’s time to get practical about how to get your work out there.

Which leads me to this:

When I teach classes about the publishing process, I...

We’ve all heard the amazing opportunities of self publishing: direct access to readers, total control over the work, and the potential of a long-term income stream. And those are all true. But the challenges are real, too, which is why we’re spending 5 weeks looking at Things Writers Must Know Before You Self Publish.

The first thing was “Think Like a CEO.”

Here’s the second, and it’s equally important:

This one breaks my heart, but it ha...

We’ve all heard the success stories. The writers who rejected the rejection letters, took their futures into their own hands, and self published their books. The ones who shot to the top of the bestseller charts. Fame, fortune, and Hollywood movies followed.

Well hey. You’ve written a book. Is this self publishing thing for you?

Not long ago, I gave a talk about the 5 Things Writers Must Know Before They Self Publish. Over the next few weeks, we’ll take apart all five suggestions.

Let’s start...