Self-Publish Your Book!
A writer’s workshop with Merry Brennan
From Manuscript through Marketing:
a six-session series
Tuesdays from 7-9 pm, beginning Tuesday, Aug. 13
@ Belmar Arts Council (
608 River Road, Belmar, NJ . www.BelmarArts.org )
$25/session or all six for $125 with BAC membership
Whether your story is destined for the best-seller list or your family reunion,
it’s never been easier to publish your own electronic or print book.
This six-session workshop will give you an overview of your options,
as well as specific steps, resources and costs for preparing, publishing, and
promoting your book. Choose one or more of the following sessions.
1. 1. Make Your Manuscript Shine – Aug. 13
Feel the sizzle? It’s the pop in your prose, the drama
in your dialogue, the sting in your surprise ending.
Learn sure-fire techniques to take your writing to the
next level. For beginners and seasoned scribes
alike, find out how to improve the pull of your
opening lines, the impact of your endings, and wow
with the words in between.
2. The Scoop on Self-Publishing – Aug. 20
The popularity and convenience of self-publishing
has also borne confusion and competition. This
workshop provides a broad look at the growing
number of indie and DIY options, as well as general
information about how to prepare, publish, and
market your book. (These topics are covered indepth
in related workshops.)
3. Create a Kick-Ass Cover – Aug. 27
You know what they say about a picture’s worth, so
you want to create or commission a great design to
get reader’s attention. But a cover is more than just
a graphic image: you also need to craft an intriguing
blurb for the back and include other required details,
including ISBN numbers. This session will offer
ideas, information, and resources for an inviting
book cover that works for you and your readers.
4. Format Your Manuscript – Sept. 3
Even the best stories are left unread if margins are
screwy, lines have gaps, or it just looks
unprofessional. Learn the importance of proper
formatting in e-books and print books, including title
pages, chapter heads, and page numbering. For
print books we’ll also look at choices you have with
the size of your book (known as “trim”), typefaces,
paper, photos/graphics and more.
5. You’re Ready to Self-Publish – Sept. 10
Your manuscript is polished, your cover is amazing,
you have your ISBN number and you’re ready to
publish your book. Now what? This session will
cover step-by-step instructions for e-books and print
books using popular vendors like CreateSpace and
KDP Publishing (Amazon) as examples. We’ll also
talk about strategies for pricing your book.
6. Promoting Your New Book – Sept. 17
After the thrill ebbs from seeing your baby on
Amazon and sending copies to friends and family,
you’ll want to expand your market. Learn basic PR
and marketing tips you can use before and after
publishing to increase sales. We’ll cover the pros,
cons, and how-to’s of media kits, author talks, niche
marketing, book signings, social media and more.
Merry Brennan is an award-winning journalist, communications consultant, adjunct writing
professor and author of the self-published biographical novel,
Peace Pilgrim: walking her talk
against hate
. She’s finishing a teen/’tween realistic fiction, Mystery Scars. The Jersey Shore
resident is mom to three terrific children and an old lab, Scout, who breaks into the refrigerator
when no one’s looking. Connect with her at
www.merrymorphosis.com, where she blogs about
writing, and living in peace. Or email
merrymom@mac.com.
FOR WORKSHOP INFORMATION or REGISTRATION: visit www.BelmarArts.org (732-749-3360)
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