It’s Friday. Fridays in the Patricia Fry/Matilija Press offices generally means catching up on any work that wasn’t completed during the week and preparing for a weekend of more work. Email correspondence slows on Fridays as my clients, colleagues and others prepare for their weekend activities.
This week, despite a lot of distractions, I’ve already completed client work and pretty much cleared my desk, except for a basket of filing that has been accumulating for a good two months. I am free to put the final touches on my speech for tomorrow at the Crowne Plaza in Ventura. I’ll be speaking on the two steps to publishing success. I’ll also be available all day, along with several other authors, to sign copies of my books at the West Coast Author Premiere at the Crowne Plaza.
And so, today, I’ll spend time packing for the event—table cloth (in case they aren’t provided), books, small bills for making change, something to give away, credit card slips, brochures, cards… umbrella? Yes, they are predicting possible rain tomorrow—in July in Southern California!! I guess it’s a good thing the event is inside instead of along the promenade overlooking the ocean, which I would have preferred (on a sunny day).
I keep hearing from clients and friends that people are talking about my presentation—some people who only know me by name. I hope they show up and I hope I can give them what they want. That can be tricky when you don’t know what your audience wants. Often, I will ask the audience where they are in the publishing process or what they came to glean from the presentation. In this case, however, I have only a scant 30 minutes to speak (20 minute talk and 10 minutes of questions). It’s not easy to share an abundance of information, make a point and teach in such a short time span. I just hope that those who still have questions after the presentation will ask or will take me up on my standing offer to email me anytime with their questions.
Sometimes someone from the audience will ask me a question or for a reference that I can’t answer or recall at the moment. I always invite them to email me for a succinct response. Most do not take advantage of this sincere offer.
I also refer authors and hopeful authors to my books when I can see that they require information that I can’t offer up in a short time span. Do you know that I’ve been criticized for this? This offends some people because they say that I’m only interested in promoting my books. Oh my gosh!! Do these people have any idea what goes into a book like mine? Do they know the value enveloped in books by experts and professionals? Don’t they understand that you’ve written these books and are recommending them not so much for the sale—(What’s another $20?), but to share, to teach, to inform, to help make their path to publishing success smoother.
When someone indicates that they need help figuring out how to self-publish a book, they can’t decide which publishing option to choose, they are confused about distribution or the whole marketing thing, of course, I’m going to suggest they read my book. This is the best advice I can give, unless they want to pay for my time ($50/hour) while I spend hours explaining it all to them.
I’m not looking at the sale when I push or promote my books as much as I am attempting to help someone with a concept and/or the information they truly need. I poured my heart and soul into my books with the author in mind. When I recommend one of my books, I consider it a gift. Sure, I expect payment—how else could I stay in business and continue helping authors? But hopeful authors who will study The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book, for example, and follow the sage advice, utilize the resources, etc., will get back hundreds of times the monetary value of the book.
Do other authors feel the way I do about their books—especially their nonfiction books? Do you view your book as something of such value that you can’t really understand it when someone who you know could benefit from it doesn’t buy it?
I guess this is an author ego thing. We all believe that our books are worth reading, otherwise, why would we write them and go to the expense and trouble of publishing them?
If you live in the Ventura area, do come by and see me tomorrow at the Crowne Plaza. I’ll be there from 10 to 3 and I’ll be speaking at 1:30. And be sure to visit my showcase of books for authors and freelance writers at http://www.matilijapress.com