Launch Pad: The Countdown to Publishing Your Book

by Stephanie Larkin, Grace Sammon

You've written - or you're writing - your book, and the goal is publication. With so many paths to publishing open to you, choosing the path that best matches your vision, your audience, and yes, even your budget, can be confusing and overwhelming. Are you at those crossroads? Join us here for  LAUNCH The Countdown to Publishing Your Book.

From the first insightful words of New York book influencer and publisher Zibby Owens to the hands-on tips and suggestions from a coterie of award-winning authors, self-publishers, and influencers, this book, the second in a series of three on writing, publishing, and marketing your book, will help you get it done! Each focused chapter brings you closer to the dream of publication by navigating you through the publishing process. Filled with the practical insights and guidance of so many established authors as well as with a bonus set of downloadable planning sheets,  LAUNCH PAD  delivers a craft book that speaks right to you.

The brainchild of entrepreneur, author, and speaker, Grace Sammon, this book series builds on the wildly popular radio show  LAUNCH PAD  - celebrating book releases and the authors who create them. This volume is led by the internationally recognized Stephanie Larkin, author, publisher, television host, and teacher and Grace Sammon. Stephanie's New York-based Red Penguin Books has over 15 years experience in nurturing and collaborating with authors to get their words to press.

Welcome to the LAUNCH PAD. Now, let's get your book published!




Foreword by Zibby Owens, CEO and Founder of Zibby Media

Featuring the writing talents

Theresa BakkenCydney BittnerSarah BullenBette Lee CrosbyD.C. GomezRobb GrinstaffChristine KloserErika LanceWilnona MarieWilliam J. McGeeNatalie ObandoBrooke WarnerValerie Willis

266 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 25, 2023

About the author

Stephanie Larkin is the “Head Penguin” of Red Penguin Books, whose mission is to get your book from your computer – or your head! – and into your readers’ hands as quickly and painlessly as possible. She is also the author of SCORE on Social Media! and Write That Book!, and hosts cable television’s Technically Speaking.
Red Penguin Books offers both traditional publishing options as well as author-controlled publishing services for writers of many genres, including non-fiction, poetry, memoir, fiction, business, self-help, children’s books and social commentary. Stephanie regularly coaches authors through the often daunting writing process to realize their book goals in a matter of months.

Reviews

[Debbie De Louise · Rating 5 out of 5]

The second book of a 3-part series on writing, publishing, and marketing, Launch Pad: The Countdown to Publishing Your Book, features helpful advice for aspiring as well as published authors shared by professionals in the field. Included in this book are chapters addressing topics from working with editors, publishers, and illustrators to finding an agent to treating your writing as a business and much more.

The foreword is written by Zibby Owens, who relates her experience of publishing her memoir after 18 years. Now the publisher of Zibby Books, she is also the host of the award-winning daily podcast, Moms Don't Have Time to Read Books, in which she's interviewed more than 1300 authors. Her advice to writers: "You only need one editor, one publisher, to fall in love with your story or to see your potential . . . . So don't give up until you find the right the company."

Grace Sammon, the co-editor of this book, wrote the chapter on working with publishers and also provided the Afterward. It was Grace's idea to create this series by collaborating with Stephanie Larkin, the CEO of Red Penguin Books. About this addition to the series, she writes, "We wrote this book to help make your world change, to help your book become real."

"Own it! You are a Business!" is the chapter written by co-editor, Stephanie Larkin. Drawing upon her experience as publisher of Red Penguin Books, Stephanie discusses how debut authors need to adjust their expectations regarding becoming famous and making tons of money. She explains how royalties are calculated and paid, discusses Amazon's Kindle Unlimited Program, book pricing, and other important publishing topics. She also outlines several other methods for authors to make money besides from their writing. These include speaking engagements, classes and workshops, and bulk sales. Her final piece of advice, "As you embark upon your publishing journey, remember that monetizing your book is a marathon - not a sprint - and that by exploring various options, you can find a way to enjoy the journey . . . and hopefully some profits as well!"

I recommend this book for the wealth of information it provides. It's published in a handy Kindle edition on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Launch-Pad-Cou.... The first book, Launch Pad: The Countdown to Writing Your Book, is also available, and the final volume in the series, Launch Pad: The Countdown to Marketing Your Book, comes out in June.

[Denise · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fabulous resource for all authors!! You've written your book, now you need to publish it. This book takes what can be a confusing and daunting process and makes it so easy to understand the publishing end. Highly recommended for all authors, no matter where they are in the process.