The Steps You Need to Take to Successfully Publish Your Memoir in 2022
Coming Soon!
Here at the National Association of Memoir Writers, we’re very excited to present this new set of workshops to help you learn how to self-publish your memoir. For most of us writers, publishing is a whole other skill that can feel daunting and scary. These days, most writers end up self-publishing. It’s a quicker way to get your work into the world with more control and the assurance it will never be backlisted by the publisher. And, you earn 100% of the profits.
My colleague Carla King self-published her first book in 1994 and, since 2005, has helped hundreds of authors finish, market, and publish their books. When self-publishing tools and services were invented as a viable option to the cumbersome agented-publishing house model, the process became much easier.
Many authors believe that publishing your book independently is simply about getting your book designed, formatted, and uploaded to stores, so it’s no wonder the average self-published book sells only 200 copies. You can do better by following a proven process to find your community of readers and peers, to get your book into as many hands as possible, to build a platform, and to follow a launch plan.
In this first introductory workshop, Carla and I will guide you through the steps to self-publishing. You’ll come away with the knowledge and tools to create a plan and make smart decisions at each crossroad in your journey.
You will learn:
- To create a book launch plan with an achievable timeline.
- The number of steps from manuscript to published book.
- What you need to do yourself and what you can hire out.
- The range of fees to expect from start to finish.
- The importance of editing and design, and ways to help you cut costs.
- About an easier and much more fun look at book marketing.
- How to create a readership for your book.
- How and when to prepare for book publicity.
- Tools for creating a welcoming home base for your book online.
- How to deliver ARCs to get testimonials.
- A sure-fire way to get five-star reviews on launch day.
Publishing Series by Carla King & Linda Joy Myers
Everything You Want to Know About Publishing but Have Been Afraid to Ask
Thursday October 21, 2021
3 PM PDT | 4 PM MDT | 5 PM CDT | 6 PM EDT
Members – $49
Non-Members – $69
Carla King and I want to help you become a successful author. In our NAMW coaching calls and discussions over the last few years, I’ve noticed that there is a great deal of confusion about how to publish your memoir —and that many of you are unfamiliar with all the steps to take to help you successfully get your memoir into the world.
Many of you comment that it’s a challenge to publish through the traditional-agented means—especially now that there are only four major publishing houses.
Publishing for Memoirists: The Steps You Need to Take to Successfully Publish Your Memoir in 2022
Coming soon!
Many authors believe that publishing your book independently is simply about getting your book designed, formatted, and uploaded to stores, so it’s no wonder the average self-published book sells only 200 copies. You can do better by following a proven process to find your community of readers and peers, to get your book into as many hands as possible, to build a platform, and to follow a launch plan.
Three Easy Ways to Grow Your Email List… And You Don’t Even Need a Website!
Coming soon!
VALUABLE BONUSES include Carla’s Build Your Platform online course, a $49 value.
You’ve heard that you need to grow your email list so you can sell your book when it launches, but how do you even start? This second course in our publishing series guides you step-by-step through a process that really works. We think you’ll even have fun with it… really!
How to Sell Your Book to Bookstores, Libraries, and Online Retailers
Book Distribution and Direct Sales Basics
Coming soon!
VALUABLE BONUSES include Carla’s Distribute Your Book online course, a $49 value.
Learn about the services that will get your ebook, print book, and audiobook out into the world. This course will prepare you for the formatting and design work you need to do to ready your book for distribution. It will get you thinking about book marketing strategies on launch day, taking advantage of the marketing programs some of the online retailers provide. For example, you’ll learn why so many authors use the exclusive Amazon KDP Select program to sell their ebook instead of “going wide” to all the ebook stores. You’ll learn about metadata, and exactly how many words and characters you are allowed to use in your book description and author bio. Book categories and keywords? BISAC codes? We’ll go there, too!
Carla King
Carla King is one the most trusted experts in the self-publishing world today. A former technical writer turned travel writer, she self-published her first book, a cycling guide to the south of France, in 1994. In 1995, she pioneered the art of real time online dispatches to the internet, now called blog posts, from a journey around America on the saddle of a cranky Russian motorcycle. In 2004, she self-published the edited posts as a memoir titled American Borders. For almost two decades Carla has tracked the evolution of publishing technology, serving both as an industry consultant and author advocate on their path to successful independent publishing. Her Destination Published consulting services and the Self-Publishing Boot Camp educational program of books, online courses, and workshops serve groups and individual authors. Carla is a popular blogger, speaker, and conference organizer in the worlds of both publishing and adventure travel. Find out more at SelfPubBootCamp.com
Linda Joy Myers, Ph.D.
Linda Joy Myers is the founder of the National Association of Memoir Writers, and has been teaching memoir for over twenty-five years. A therapist for forty-plus years, Linda weaves a deep understanding of family dynamics and the process of healing with her expertise on craft—finding the moments of meaning that reveal your truth. The author of two prize-winning memoirs, Don’t Call Me Mother and Song of the Plains, Linda Joy teaches Write your Memoir in Six Months with Brooke Warner. Twenty years ago, Linda Joy traveled the self-publishing path for two books—and celebrates that now it’s much easier, especially with the tools and techniques available.
Hi Linda Joy,
I have been following NAMW for about 2 years, since joining a Writers Group here in CT and really enjoy your information, classes, etc. I am currently working on publishing a series of nonfiction books (1st due out this year, then 2022 and 2023), and have been reluctant to join NAMW, as I do not consider myself a Memorist writer. BTW, I just signed up for the Self-Pub Marketing Class. What would be the further benefit/value to me of joining?
Thoughts,
Curt
Hi Curt,
I’m so glad you asked! You can learn all about the benefits of being a NAMW member here: https://www.namw.org/become-a-member/namw-benefits/
Kind Regards,
Erica
NAMW
Will a recording be provided as well?
Hi Carol,
Yes, we record all of our events here at NAMW! People who are registered will receive the recording afterwards via email.
Kind Regards,
Erica
NAMW
Hi Carol,
Yes, we record all of our events here at NAMW! People who are registered will receive the recording afterwards via email.
Kind Regards,
Erica
NAMW
I missed this but do you have it recorded to sell?