Contact Susan at susan@practicalinspirations.com to book a speaking engagement.
Introduction to e-Publishing
Writers can no longer ignore e-publishing. It is a vital part of your marketing plan. Whether you are publishing through traditional companies or self-publishing, you need to be aware of the various e-books available, distribution methods, and how they fit in your marketing plan. This course will cover the basics of e-publishing: types of e-books, pricing, and more.
Creating and Formatting e-Books for Writers
Creating an e-book is more than just converting a file. Whether you are writing an e-book or converting a print book, there are formatting details that when missed, but are easy once you know how. Even if you are using an aggregate company to produce and market your e-book, you need to provide a document that is formatted correctly for flawless conversion. Susan will detail the steps so you can have your book ready for any e-publisher and for market. Based on Susan’s award-winning book, Formatting e-Books for Writers: Convert Your Word File to Kindle.
Practical Blogs for Writers
We hear it all the time. We should have a blog. The writing a blog article is the easy part, most of the time. It’s the blog part that baffles many of us. Susan K. Stewart, the blog coordinator for Mount Hermon Writer’s Conference, gives non-technical advice to start a blog using WordPress. From purchasing a URL to writing that first blog post, Susan will give step-by-step instructions to get started. (Computer helpful, but not necessary for this session.)
Editing: Preparing for the Professionals
Of all the mistakes that can cause a book not to succeed, lack of professional editing is the most visible to publishers and readers. According to Bookbaby’s 2017 survey, 74% of authors who earned more than $5,000 in sales paid for professional editing. First-time authors, indie-published authors, and even multi-published authors can miss some essential steps of editing. Susan K. Stewart, a professional editor with more than fifteen years of experience and hires a professional editor for her books, will take you from self-editing to the final proofreading, and how to find an editor who is perfect for you and your project.
Breaking into the Homeschool Market
According to Education World, homeschooling has increased by 75% since 1999. Traditional textbook publishers have found this market, but you don’t have to write textbooks or study guides to tap into the market. Susan K. Stewart began homeschooling in 1981, before it became fashionable, and has seen the successes and the failures. She will provide hints and tips on breaking into this market with your product, plus a few ideas for creating products for homeschoolers. Fiction writers encouraged to attend.
Everything I Need to Know Is on the Internet?
The wealth of information on the Internet is amazing. It’s not called The Information Super Hiway without good reason. Research, though, is more than a Google search. It still requires getting out of the chair, and away from the computer.
Susan K. Stewart will take you back to the basics of research. She will show you not just how to do Internet research, but also how to combine it with original document sources, interviews, and roaming the stacks at the library. Be prepared for some quick assignments to learn the skills.
The Art and Science of Self-Publishing
Whether your book is for a small niche market or a broad audience, it is easier than ever before to self-publish a quality product. Susan provides details of publishing for an audience smaller than 50,000; smaller even than 500. She covers building a quality product, cost, and marketing.