My writing coach told me about Scrivener. It is made by Literature and Latte. It is a great tool for writers of all types. I am using it to transform my book outline into a manuscript. Scrivener is a flexible tool and you can start with an outline, or just jump in and start writing. Without any instruction, I got going in less than five minutes. I am a long time user of Microsoft Word, InDesign and other document creation tools, so I am relatively fearless when it comes to software and putting it through its paces.

There is an introduction video tutorial, so you can learn how to use it in under ten minutes. It is well worth your time to view this video as shows you how to navigate the interface of the program and gives you tips on how to use it. Of course, I didn’t watch the video first, I just dived right in and figured out how to do things. To really understand the framework, I recommend that you check out their overview tutorial and avoid frustration.

Getting Started with Scrivener

I downloaded a free trial version of Scrivener. I wanted to be sure I would enjoy using it before I bought it. Scrivener is available for the Mac OS (that would be me) and for Windows. Their trial terms are very generous. You can use the program for 30 days. However, if you only use it for 1 or 2 days a week, you can stretch out your evaluation period. I bet you won’t wait long before you decide to buy a license and continue to use it. It is a desktop only app for now, with an iPad version in the works.

I was convinced that this is a tool I will use after I got started on my first project. It is similar in some aspects to Evernote, one of my favorite applications. They both organize your stuff. They both use folders. Just as Evernote is great for clipping content from the web, you will soon find that Scrivener also has the ability to capture your data. You can import or drag and drop files into your project.

What Makes Scrivener An Asset for Writers

If you are a new author or a seasoned pro (both use Scrivener), you will soon discover that preparing your content for publication is as much file management as it idea generation. That is where Scrivener shines. You can organize your thoughts in a variety of ways. If you are old enough, you remember putting your ideas on paper index cards. Scrivener uses this concept and assigns an index card to every document in your project.

Projects are contained within Binders. You can work on individual sections of your writing and rearrange them easily. No more cut and paste. You rearrange the index cards in your project until you are happy with the order. Or if you prefer, you can view your content in outline mode. You can switch back and forth between modes too. There is another mode, scrivening, where you can see the entire contents of your binder as if it were one long document.

Download Scrivener and try it for yourself. The trial runs for 30 days of actual use: if you use it every day it lasts 30 days; if you use it only two days a week, it lasts fifteen weeks. Once the trial expires, you can export all of your work or buy a licence to continue using Scrivener.

The idea is that you create projects, projects contain binders, binders hold folders and documents/index cards. You can make your chunks of writing as small or as large as you wish. If you decide to split a chunk, Scrivener can do that in one mouse click and your larger chunk becomes two separate document.

Research

This is an area of the Project where you can put anything, such as images, notes, anything you are using as you prepare your manuscript, but the content of the Research area is not compiled into your book unless you copy the contents onto an index card. research all stays in your project.

Adding Documents

It is easy to add documents into any part of your Project. You can import them, including Microsoft Word files. You can drag and drop them into your Project. You may clip information from the web into Scrivener.

Asset Management Made Simple

Instead of guessing where you filed those documents that make up your project on your computer, Scrivener keeps track for you. I love this feature. I don’t have to remember where things are living on my computer, especially when I may be using content from a variety of sources. Once I put it into Scrivener, it is just a click away.

Output

I haven’t tried this yet, but my writing coach has already used Scrivener to publish her work to a variety of e-pub formats. Scrivener has the capability to compile your writing into the various flavors of e-pub, and you have control over what goes into each publication. You can also expert to many popular programs like Microsoft Word or create a PDF.

Try it

There are templates included as a starting place for you. The program is very flexible. You can watch video tutorials to help you learn how to use the program. It may take you a bit of time to use all of its features, and some you may never use, depending on your genre. You can get started fast if you already are familiar with Microsoft Word or Open Office.

Why it is a Winner

• You can switch modes and see your work the way you want to
• You can split the screen and see more than one document at a time or different parts of the same document
• It keeps track of all your source documents and images
• You can start with Scrivener or import your work from sources like Microsoft Word
• The outline mode
• The cork board mode and index cards make it easy to arrange and order your content
• You can export to a variety of popular formats including e-pub, Microsoft Word, and PDF

 

Begin with the end in mind

It is a great way to start any project and keep you going when you hit bumps along the way.

I started writing two books this year. The outline for both of them came fast and furious and I scrambled to keep up with the energy flowing through me. I knew then that I was onto powerful ideas as I channeled the information into outlines for each book.

I imagined that I am about to launch my book. I have done all my prep work, researched my audience, connected with them where they are, gotten feedback which I incorporated into the book(s). My blog site is up. I have prepared my marketing platform, initiated conversations about the topics covered in each book(s) and now I am ready to start harvesting the seeds I planted when I began my author’s journey.

It occurred to me that, almost by osmosis, I have soaked up wisdom by attending meetings of the the Bay Area Independent Publishers Association. BAIPA has educated me. I now serve as the President of the organization. I have picked up valuable and useful tips on how to successfully publish, launch and market a book. I have also learned about how to go beyond the book from speakers like Jim Horan, author of the One Page Business Plan, and How to Be the Media from David Mathison. They also shared ways to convert content into other types of information products.

5 Questions to Ask and Answer Before You Write Your Book

If you are considering sharing your expertise by writing a book, here are five questions to ask yourself before you start:

1. Who is your intended audience?
2. Why will they buy your book?
3. How will it impact them?
4. What will this book do for you?
5. How will you launch your book?

I’ll keep you posted as I move ahead with my book projects. I know that by answering these questions before I get too far into writing, I am building something that people want, like, and need.

I invite you to learn about self-publishing from the experts at BAIPA if you live in the San Francisco Bay Area. If not, find a local group likes ours and get answers to your questions as well as inspiration and support throughout your journey.

Before_You_Write_Your_Book_01

 

Patricia V. Davis, author and marketing expert, spoke at the November meeting of the Bay Area independent publishers Association (BAIPA). One of her comments reminded me of one of the best ways to get attention for your business. Write about what you do. Building your platform means helping people understand the results of what you do for them.

People don’t always need to know the details of how you accomplish what you do. They are really interested in the results you produce.

Where can you share information about your results? Here are just a few of the places you may have tried or have overlooked;

Your local newspaper. That’s right I said newspaper. It may be a skinny hard copy, but people are still buying them and most newspapers have an online presence. Where I live, we have:

• The Sonoma Sun - Sonoma
• the Kenwood Press - Kenwood
• The Marin Independent Journal - Marin
• The San Francisco Examiner - Bay Area
• The Argus Courier - Petaluma
• North Bay Bohemian - Sonoma County
• Independent Coast Observer - Gualala
• Santa Rosa Press Democrat - Santa Rosa
• The Business Journal - North Bay
• Sonoma West Times and News - Sebastopol
• The Community Voice - Rohnert Park
• Sonoma Index-Tribune - Sonoma
• NorthBay Biz - North Bay

I think you get the idea. This is not an exhaustive list, but just what I came up in a few minutes time. While print  news may be on the decline, our thirst for information is growing. We are in the midst of a shift in the way in which we interact, and contribute and consume information.

And I forgot to mention: patch.com – which is hyper local news.

There are many small groups that make up your audience. Each one may have their own newsletter, online community, forum, meet up group, wiki Facebook Group, or LinkedIn Group. I think you get the picture.

Go Where People Already Are

I have a blog. You might have one too. You may be reading this article on my blog right now, but someone could have sent it to you as a email, or it may have been printed out.  Where else can the article show up? Did you know you can link your blog to your Facebook page and twitter feed automatically? Now they’re certainly far more people on Facebook and on twitter than are subscribed to my blog. It makes sense to be seen and be active where a group of your customers congregate.Get their attention first and then invite them to your website or blog. That is how you grow your audience.

I’m a strong proponent of telling your story using video. YouTube averages over 200 views a day. More and more people are using you to as their primary search engine when they’re looking for solutions. If you go back to the beginning of this article you will see I recommend telling your story and making it all about the solutions you produce for your clients. Video is a perfect medium for telling your story and demonstrating results.

Write it Once – Share it Many Ways

In our new age of distributed media, you can take your story and share it in many ways and in many places with relative ease.

A written article can become the basis for the script of your video. It could become an audio recording that you share via iTunes in the form of a podcast. That same article can be shared on your blog, with those many local newspapers, both online and in print, with associations, well the list goes on and on.

And once you have a collection of stories, you could create an e-book that you could sell or offer for free to your readers on your website. Okay back to that article, what if you created a slideshow?

Next Steps

I’ve given you a lot to consider. If you’d like help sorting through the best ways for you to leverage your stories, get in touch with me and I’ll help you map out an action plan.

You might also look for places where you can be a regular contributor or columnist. Publications in print and online are constantly looking for good content. Having a byline increases your visibility whether or not people read the articles you write, they do see your name and become aware and then familiar with who you are. It takes time to build your platform. Awareness grows exponentially. Adding content over time is like making deposits into your savings account, their value and interest grow over time.

The longtail model of offering information for free as a way to gain followers works. And if you think you have writers block, try using a program like Dragon Naturally Speaking  that translates spoken word into the written word. I’m using it right now to create this article. It allows me to get my ideas on paper or in this case into the computer without my needing to focus on the mechanics of the process. I find that speaking helps me keep the article conversational.

Conclusion

So writing is just one way to get your name in front of the public. It can lead to other opportunities, such as speaking, training, and of course getting hired to help people solve the problems they have. And if writing isn’t your mode of communication, check out my posts on using video to demonstrate your problem solving skills.

 

This weekend was the official launch of the Wine Country WordPress Meetup. It was a refreshing to be on the receiving end of tips and resources to make my blog better. I learned something new from every person who was there. I appreciate the wisdom in the room. It reminded me that sometimes the most valuable contributions come from holding the space for others to shine.

Building on that idea, I want to share an update on a great resource: SlideShare. They just introduced HTML5 SlideShare. This is important because your slides will now play flawlessly on mobile devices like the iPhone, iPad and Android devices. No more digital divide between the desktop and mobile devices. Everything will display as intended on all platforms.

If you are mobile, take a look at their site and download the new mobile app so you can see clearly where ever you are.

 

Writing a book is a great way to get known as an expert. In today’s world, you can publish it yourself. Many authors who have gone through the experience of traditional publishing are joining the ranks of the self-publishing world.

Jim Horan, author of The One Page Business Plan, was a speaker at the Bay Area Consultants Network and one of the keynote speakers at the BAIPA Get Published Institute. He has been a member of both groups. I bring this up because his affiliation with both groups was critical to his becoming published. These groups and those like them are there to support entrepreneurs in building their business. I happen to be on the board of both of these groups because they are sources of inspiration, support and I meet wonderful people at the meetings. Our speakers are thought leaders, mentors and people who have blazed a trail and want to encourage the success of those who follow.

Today, I will focus on BAIPA and why you could benefit from becoming a member and attending meetings. I was introduced to the Bay Area Independent Publishers Association in 2010 by a friend and author, Bill Buchanan

I attend my first Get Published Institute in 2010 and was hooked.

Before joining BAIPA, I worked with authors who self-published. My contributions included book layout and design, as well  marketing coach and branding expert. Most authors will tell you that the writing of a book is the easy part. Publishing and marketing are much harder. I help authors overcome many of the hurdles encountered from manuscript to published book. My clients have successfully self-published books and multi-media projects. One client self-published a workbook and multiple DVDs. We are currently developing  additional  projects for publication in 2011.

Today I attended a panel of authors representing the Redwood Writers. My friend, Catharine Bramkamp moderated the panel, that included Patricia V. Davis, the author of the award-winning Harlot’s Sauce: A Memoir of Food, Family, Love, Loss and Greece, and The Diva Doctrine: 16 Universal Principles Every Woman Needs to Know. The discussion was lively and what was abundantly clear, if you are going to write and want to get published, you will learn what to do and what not to do if you join a writers group or a publishing group.

The world of publishing has been transformed by the internet, Amazon and the rise of new media channels. Publishing is going through major changes similar to the those we experienced in the realm of  graphic design. With the rise of services like Create Space, Lighting Source and SmashWords, publishing is moving away from the Big Publishing House Platform just as printing moved away from service bureaus and print shops into the hands of desktop publishers in the late 1980′s and early 90′s. We still need talented experts, but many steps in the process have become accessible by the general population. These monumental changes were started with the wide spread availability and affordability of desktop computers with Apple leading the way.

The birthing of a book takes time, attention and usually more than one person. Find a coach, a writing group or peers to support you when you get stuck, for inspiration and learning how to get your ideas out of your head and into the world.

BAIPA is one great group of independent publishing professionals and those who want to be published. We meet monthly on the second Saturday in San Rafael. Come and learn.   I joined the board of BAIPA as part of the program committee. You can read more about this in the Sonoma Index-Tribune. I’ll be speaking about Video for Publishers at the April 9th meeting. If you are in the San Francisco Bay Area,  I invite you to come learn about how you can share your ideas and publish them.

 

I just joined the Board for the Bay Area Independent Publishers Association. I become a member at last year’s Get Published! Institute.

If you are thinking about writing a book, this is the best bargain you’ll ever find. A full day seminar with keynotes and breakout sessions all designed to help you Get Published!

Register for the Get Published! Institute before February 28, 2011 for the early bird price.

I’ll be there learning from the experts.

See you on March 12, 2011 at in Oakland at Nile Hall, Preservation Park.

 

YouTube has surpassed Google as the most frequently used search engine online. More than 200 Billion views per day.

Are you on YouTube? If not, what is keeping you from taking advantage of this free and powerful medium? Could it be that you don’t know how to create a video? Maybe you aren’t sure how to publish your movie. Keep reading. I will tell you how you can get yourself into the pictures.

I spent Tuesday in a professional video studio with my video partners. We set up and recorded several business owners. They presented quick tips, testimonials, and we even did a two person interview, and a promotional movie. We experimented with lighting and using a green screen as well as sets. The production team included a professional videographer, sound engineer and myself, as a combination of talent and a coach and director of each segment.

I took some behind the scenes still photos and as I was about to post them to the cast and crew, I remembered I could also create a short movie using Flixtime. Flixtime is an online service that comes in a free and a pro version. I made a sixty second short movie and uploaded it to YouTube. It struck me I could share this resource with you and I made a 10 minute move that goes through the steps to create a Flixtime video. I made this movie with Snapz Pro X, an application that allows me to capture still screen shots from my computer or it can follow along as I demonstrate what I am doing on my computer.

With Flixtimte, you can upload still photos, movie clips, music and titles. The site has a rich set of features, including sound clips, titles and movie templates. Even if you have a face made for radio, by using tools like Flixtime and Snapz Pro, you can put yourself onto YouTube with how to videos in a short time.

Think about what you want to share with your audience through video storytelling. You really ought to be in pictures, now more than ever, if you want to reach your audience.

 

A fellow North Coast Mac User called me. He was interested in animation software for the Mac. He was planning a series of Video podcasts and wanted to create an animated logo. I told him it had been quite a while since I had tried my hand at animation. I used director and flash number of years ago and found I was far better still graphics. I understand the process involved in creating animation. I can direct the process far more effectively than when I am the animator.

I spent a short time today browsing the web to see what I could find in answer to his question. I discovered there are a range of products, a range of skills that are required, and a very large range in price for different solutions. My initial thoughts proved to be true. Animation may look easy when in reality really good animation takes time, talent, and a good deal of patience.

CNET listed a large number of applications for animation. It was obvious to me that the answer to this question was beyond my first-hand knowledge. The CNET site is a great resource and the video which follows will guide you in an overview of using the site to find tools you can use.

The movie you’re about to see (4:35 minutes), was created using Snapz Pro X, an application that can be to have on hand to capture screenshots, movies, and more.

If you have a recommendation of an application that you like and use to create simple animations, please let me know about it.

 

I am in love with my new Yeti microphone from Blue.com.

It came in a very cute box covered with cartoon abominable snow people singing and talking into a microphone.

It stands about a foot high.

I love the easy of use, the long usb cable (that allows you to get away from any computer hum that would otherwise spoil a recording).

It has four settings, depending on whether you are speaking, singing, doing an interview, voice over or podcast recording.

You can plug in a headset or musical instrument into the base.

It cost me $109.00 from Amazon.

I say check it out. You might fall in love with a snow creature too.

Listen to the quality by clicking on the link below.

Yeti Stereo Microphone Review

 

This is a guest post by Linda Jay Geldens

LindaJay@aol.com

www.LindaJayGeldens.com

You may be losing business or hurting your professional reputation by sending out unedited Web site copy.  Text that is riddled with errors will distract present or potential clients.  The reader will think:  Do I really want to buy a product or service from someone whose copy is sloppy?

One way to ensure that your Web site message will be as perfect as possible is to invest in the services of a professional copyeditor/proofreader.  In the twinkling of a well-trained eye, a topnotch editor can clean up your Web site copy so it sparkles in the sunlight.

Misplaced modifiers, dangling participles, its/it’s, to/too, and other hair-raising/hare-raising errors will melt away.  Skilled editors say that mistakes “leap off the page” at them.  And potential clients will leap off the couch to contact you because of your magnetic Web site copy.

Horror Stories about Unedited Copy

A glossy magazine placed an advertisement on its Web site, targeting the publication’s upscale subscribers.  The expensive ad emphasized how perfect the tiniest detail would be for guests who experienced a stay at a certain very fancy hotel.  There was only one small problem in the ad, yet it was glaring enough to undermine the hotel’s claim to perfection.  The headline read:  When Everything Has to Just Right  [where was the "Be" before the "Just Right"?].

If Web content is launched into the stratosphere without being edited, unfortunate things happen:

• A national eNewsletter is sent out with the headline “For Pubic School Educators.”
• A scholarly article proclaims, “We will stand on the toes of those who have gone before us.”
• A document that says $25,000. instead of $250,000. might cause a legal nightmare.
• An international company’s brochure states, “We’d like to pedal your ideas.”

How Working with a Copyeditor Helps Your Business in Practical Ways

Maybe you believe that copyediting and proofreading would be luxury items in your publications  budget.  Or that no readers would notice if a few mistakes slip through in your copy.  Think again!

There are many ways in which a professional copyeditor can benefit your business:

• An editor writes zingy headlines to draw potential clients to your company Web site.
• An editor breaks up dense paragraphs in the text into smaller, easily readable sections.
• An editor makes sure the grammar in your copy is correct and the punctuation is right.
• An editor has good ideas about when to italicize or boldface certain words or phrases, to call attention to them and to make the text more interesting.
• An editor can point out places where the facts could be clearer, or more accurate.
• An editor can tighten text, or make suggestions for expanding ideas in the text.

Web site text is far different from magazine article copy and other promotional material because the pages are shorter, the paragraphs are smaller, and the selling points have to be made faster.  Web site visitors are assumed to have a short attention span; your company has only a few minutes to make a lasting impression.

Hiring a Copyeditor

Copyeditors can be found through professional organizations such as BAIPA and WIC, through consulting and marketing organizations, through directories that list editorial professionals, through ads in magazines targeted toward writers, and through looking up “copyeditor” on search engines.

Employing the services of a good copyeditor to make your Web site text shipshape is a great investment in your company’s future.  Your message will be conveyed beautifully — and that’s not editorial spin!

Linda Jay Geldens

Copyeditor/Copywriter
*Helping clients communicate their message with style*
(415) 456-4334
LindaJay@aol.com
Blog: http://lindajaygeldens.wordpress.com
www.LindaJayGeldens.com