President’s Message

by Judy Baker on January 25, 2012

I am in the process of writing two books. I have been a member of BAIPA for about three years. In that time, I have helped others publish their books, but I wasn’t ready to develop my own book(s) until now.

I originally posted the following content on my blog and it is reprinted below. You might decide to listen to the post instead and there is a link to the audio file as well. If you like what you see or hear, I invite you to subscribe to my blog, which focuses on marketing and publishing.

Before You Write Your Book

leather books

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 Mediafrom 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.

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IBPA Get Published University

by Judy Baker on January 11, 2012

IBPA is coming to SF

 

When is it?     March 9, 10, 2012

Where is it?   Sheraton Fisherman’s Wharf in beautiful San Francisco

Who’s it for? 

  • Haven’t published yet?—IBPA Publishing University’s the place to learn how.
  •  Just published? –IBPA’s Publishing University’s the place to learn what’s “now.”
  • Been publishing awhile? IBPA’s Publishing University’s the place to learn more             

What’s in it for you?

  •  A day and a half of breakout sessions led by industry experts
  •  General sessions featuring the hottest topics in the industry
  • The opportunity to “Ask the Experts” in your own consulting session where you can get advice for your specific challenges
  •  Formal and informal networking with your colleagues (and future mentors and friends)
  • And much more–all adding up to an event like no other—IBPA Publishing University

Early Bird Registration Now Open—Learn More at ibpapublishinguniversity.com and check back for more details coming soon

See you at IBPA Publishing University 2012

Members of BAIPA are eligible for a discount – we will be contacting members directly with the discount code – watch your email.

http://www.ibpapublishinguniversity.com

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2012 BAIPA Book Awards Contest

January 2, 2012

CALL FOR ENTRIES 2012 BAIPA BOOK AWARDS Begin a new year in publishing with recognition for your new book!  For the past decade BAIPA has provided its members with an exceptional awards program. In addition to the opportunity of winning an award that you can cite in your promotions, all entrants receive copies of the [...]

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ISBN Numbers

December 13, 2011

What is an ISBN? It stands for:  International Standard Book Number It is an identification label for your publication. It is part of your brand. It is scannable code used to track the sales of your book. Part of the code identifies you as a publisher. If you are planning to sell your book via [...]

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Adobe Give-Aways

December 6, 2011

If you haven’t made up your mind to attend the December 10th meeting about using the Adobe Creative Suite of tools for epub, think again. Patti Sokol is a dynamic presenter and expert on using these great tools for publishing. Adobe is sending along some give-aways too. Spend Saturday morning, December 10th with BAIPA. It’s [...]

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eBooks for Everyone Else

October 7, 2011

Publishers Launch San Francisco: eBooks for Everyone ElseWednesday, November 29:00 – 5:00 StoryWorld Conference + ExpoParc 55 Wyndham — Union Square Register now at early-bird pricing and bundles!

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California Fiction Writers Book Competition

October 7, 2011

California Fiction Writers Book Competition (open to e-books too) Open to self-published or independent pulishers in California for work published January 2010 and older. Grand prize: One hour book marketing consultation with Brian Jud and a Nook or Kindle Other great prizes too!!! Deadline: October 31, 2011 Prize: $50 Site: http://bookcontest.luckycinda.com

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THE 2011 NEW ENGLAND BOOK FESTIVAL – AWARDS SET

October 7, 2011

BOSTON, MASS_(September 22, 2011) The 2011 New England Book Festival will return to the Omni Parker House Hotel in Boston on January 14, 2012for its awards ceremony honoring the best books of the holiday season. The competition is currently accepting entries in the following categories: non-fiction, fiction, biography/autobiography, children’s books, young adult, how-to, cookbooks, science fiction, photography/art, poetry, spiritual [...]

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2012 NEW YORK BOOK FESTIVAL CALL FOR ENTRIES

October 7, 2011

NEW YORK (September 28, 2011) The 2012 New York Book Festival has issued a call for entries to its annual program honoring books that deserve greater recognition from the world’s publishing capital. The 2012 New York Book Festival will consider published, self-published and independent publisher non-fiction, fiction, children, young adult, how-to, audio/spoken word, comics/zines/graphic novels, poetry, wild [...]

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LOS ANGELES BOOK FESTIVAL – CALL FOR ENTRIES

October 7, 2011

LOS ANGELES (August 8, 2011) The 2011 Los Angeles Book Festival has issued a call for entries to its annual celebration of books deserving more attention from the world publishing community. The Los Angeles Book Festival will consider entries in general non-fiction, fiction, biography/autobiography, children’s books, cookbooks, science fiction, business, spiritual, genre-based, how-to, photography/art, spiritual, poetry, foreign [...]

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