Amongst her many accomplishments (former White House staffer, Washington lobbyist, Master Certified Coach with global clients), Michele was a finalist for the Washington Post’s @Work Advice contest. Is that cool, or what?!

Below, she takes us behind the scenes of her non-traditional publishing journey.

DW: I tell Beta Authors that one of the most “do-able” ways to write a short book is to draw on content you’ve already created. Yet a lot of people don’t think of it. How did you think of writing two short books based on your blog posts?

MW: I would be out and about and people would stop me and say, “You know, I love your blog. I print them all out and put them in a three-ring binder and I read them at night before I go to bed.” If that’s not a call for a book to be born, I don’t know what is. So, I began to consider packaging the best blog posts into a book form.

If that’s not a call for a book to be born, I don’t know what is.
- Michele Woodward

DW: How important was it to find an editor to help you organize and edit your posts into a book? In other words, did themes fall out naturally or did it take some thinking to identify them?

MW: I didn’t use an editor. Well, I talked to an editor who looked at a sample chapter and changed “You gotta wanna” to “You must have enthusiasm.” Obviously, she didn’t get me or my voice! So, I self-edited. In the first book, I assembled the posts chronologically, and in the second I grouped by subject matter. Since the posts had already appeared, they didn’t need heavy editing – just typos and a few syntax errors. I didn’t want to change them drastically since people had already read them.

DW: You’ve self-published both of your books. Did you consider pitching to a traditional publisher?

MW: I really prefer “non-traditional” or “on-demand” publishing rather than self-publishing, as the latter connotes vanity publishing and that’s not what I did. Before I selected non-traditional publishing, I spoke with two book agents who really liked my writing but said, “You’re not famous enough to sell” in the very competitive self-help genre.

I also spoke with several successful, traditionally published authors who told me that they would go non-traditional with their next books because of the financial rewards. I spoke with non-traditional published authors and learned from their experiences.

DW: Both of your books are available in print and for Kindle. You used BookSurge and then CreateSpace (they are now the same company) for print-on-demand. What has been your experience with POD? Do you recommend this route for first-time authors? Any caveats or things first-time authors should know about using CreateSpace?

MW: I had a really good experience with CreateSpace. My initial intention was to create an audience by using CreateSpace for my first book – then I could go back to the agents and say, “See? I AM famous!” But the experience was so good, and so lucrative that I didn’t go back to the agents.

One tip: you must be decisive. You get so many revisions to the cover art and the interior design and if you waffle, you will pay more. Second tip: start working with them when your content is finished. Their system is set up to go as soon as you upload the text, so have your book done before you get going with CreateSpace.

DW: Did you use an eBook formatting service to convert your books into a .mobi file for Kindle, or did you do it yourself?

MW: CreateSpace did the Kindle conversion for an additional fee. I paid a Virtual Assistant (VA) to put the books up on Apple’s platform.

DW: Are your books (print or digital) available for sale anywhere else besides Amazon? 

MW: Yes. Through CreateSpace, the books are available to bookstores throughout the world via some wholesaler. I often see that independent bookstores (like Politics & Prose in DC) buy the book – perhaps at customer request.

DW: I love the whimsical style of both your covers. Did you use the same cover designer? Can you tell us who it was? Choosing a cover is a big decision for most self-published authors. Give us some tips on how to commission a great cover.

MW: Cover design is offered through CreateSpace. I answered some initial questions, then talked with the designer a few times. I think she read a few of the chapters, too, to get a sense. You certainly can hire your own designer, but they must comply with the art requirements of the publisher, which can be a little difficult.

DW: Talk about pricing. How much money are you making on the sale of each POD edition? How did you decide on the Kindle price of your books?

MW: I make $3.50 per book sold on Amazon. [Note: the POD edition of Michele's books are currently priced at $9.99 and $11.99.]  If they buy through my website, I make an additional 90 cents per book (I’m an Amazon affiliate). The yield per book is a little lower if sold through other distribution channels. The Kindle prices were suggested (as a range) by CreateSpace, if I recall. And I recently dropped them.

DW: Finally, the most important question for a business author, what has been your goal in self-publishing? To make money? Have a lovely, 3D business card to hand to clients? Get more clients or speaking engagements? And have you realized your goal with these first two books?

MW: My goal was to meet reader demand, first. Then, to have something to hand out to prospective clients. And then, to make money. So, those goals have been pretty much met. [Note: Michele estimates she generates $100 in sales from her books - print and digital - every month.]

DW: What will you do differently for book #3?

MW: The next book will be original content rather than re-purposed blog posts. It will be more structured and the chapters will be longer. It will still have humor, insight and inspiration, ‘cuz that’s how I roll.

One way we stay on top of the exploding world of self-publishing and e-publishing for nonfiction authors is to read the best blogs.

Herewith a list of blogs we like and recommend. Feel free to add to the list in the comments below:

Blogs we read and recommend

Jane Friedman

Creative Penn

JA Konrath

Seth Godin’s The Domino Project

Nathan Bransford

The Shatzkin Files

Rachelle Gardner

Winning Edits

Joe Wikert’s Publishing 2020

Alan Rinzler

Self-Publishing Review

The Book Designer

Jeff Goins

Lawrence Block

Book Baby

Digital Book World

MediaBistro’s Galleycat

The Guardian on eBooks

Tools of Change

Writer’s Digest

You need an editor to help you turn your idea into a professional manuscript. This is not a sign of weakness. Needing an editor doesn’t mean that you are less of a writer. Using the services of an experienced editor to get across the finish line means you are deadly serious about shipping a book that meets your business goal of self-publishing with style, substance and credibility.

But finding and vetting a freelance book editor who is right for you and your work is not that easy. We’ve spent several weeks (more time than we’d like to admit) researching and writing this post.

This is not our last word on how to find and hire an editor. Working with an editor is a topic we will be revisiting and digging into again as Voxie Media puts together a stable of first-rate nonfiction book editors for our authors.

What does a book editor do?

First we have to define what a book editor is. There are several varieties and it’s key to the success of a book – even a short book – to know which does what. And where in the process you might need one.

Needing an editor doesn’t mean that you are less of a writer. Using the services of a professional editor to get across the finish line means you are deadly serious about shipping a winning book.

Developmental editor: coach and collaborator

In a nutshell, a developmental editor looks at your big idea and helps you strip it down and build it back up into a compelling story that will engage and motivate your reader. He or she asks you lots of questions like: What is the goal of your book? Who is your intended audience? How will your book benefit your readers? Why will they buy your book?

Then he or she helps you find a structure or framework to build your story around. Yes, even business books are built on stories. That’s what makes us want to read them. Sometimes the framework – the way you present and organize your message – is what makes a book on a business topic stand out.

Think about Gretchen Rubin’s best-selling The Happiness Project, built around a 12-month calendar of her exploration of happiness. Or John Warrillow’s Built to Sell, a can’t-put-down business novel on how to grow and position your small company to sell it.

Developmental editors are sometimes called content editors or consulting editors.

Literary agents also do developmental editing. As do acquisition editors at big publishing houses. But you don’t need a contract with a traditional publisher to get this kind of help.

Note: participants in Beta Author Boost get in-depth developmental editing from moi, Voxie Media publisher and CEO.

Copyeditor: grammar police (thank god) and collaborator

Copyeditors (sometimes called line editors) get down into the paragraph and sentence level, correct your grammar and syntax and make your prose sing… but still sound like you. That is,  if they’re really good. That’s key, because you want to work with someone who is sensitive to your voice and your style. Every writer can benefit from a great copyeditor.

Proofreader: essential cleaner-upper

Finally, proofreaders clean up any remaining typos after copyeditors have worked their magic. They are the least expensive kind of editor, but their services are extremely important. A book can be beautifully written and edited. But if readers find even a couple of typos, your credibility as an author plummets.

How do you find an editor?

We know that talented and experienced book editors are available for hire because of massive downsizing by the Big Six publishers. But how do you find and vet a freelance editor for yourself? It can be overwhelming to select someone from online listings.

Getting a recommendation from a colleague – another author or someone who has worked in traditional publishing – is probably the best route. But here are a handful of resources worth checking out.

Editorial Freelancers Association

The Editorial Freelancers Association is a well-respected group based in New York. It has been around for years. You can submit a job posting as well as search for an editor in a geographic area or with a particular expertise (developmental, line editing, proofreading).

Publishers Marketplace

Publishers Marketplace are the folks who publish the popular daily email, Publishers Lunch (there is a free and paid version), with all the latest deals and news about the publishing industry. To get access to their member listing, you need to join the site ($20 a month.) I searched Members under “editorial services” and found 90 listings.

MediaBistro

MediaBistro has a long list of best book editors on Twitter. They also have a freelance marketplace which lists hundreds of editors. You can narrow it down by looking for certain types of editors (content editor, copyeditor, etc.). Note that they are not all book editors, per se.

Hiveword

This writers’ resource is courtesy of Jane Friedman (a former publishing exec and a brilliant blogger on the future of publishing). Check out Hiveword results for book editor. 

LinkedIn

Put freelance editing or a variation thereof in the search box for groups. You will find the Freelance Editing Network, Publishing and Editing Professionals and many others. Some of these groups require you to “join.”

Twitter 

Author and publishing expert Joanna Penn used Twitter to find her editor, @noveldoctor. Don’t laugh. Twitter can be a great way to make contact with talented folks. It helps if you have a large following yourself as more people will see your Tweet query for a book editor. Try using a hashtag like #editor. Results not guaranteed.

Writer Beware

Writer Beware on Independent Editors

A few editors we recommend

Based on our own research and referrals we trust, here are a few editors we recommend for nonfiction business books:

Matt Gartland of WinningEdits

Betsy Rapoport (recommended by Pam Slim)

June Eding (formerly with Penguin)

Alan Rinzler (publishing industry veteran)

Martha Muzychka

Dick Margulis

Mari Magias

Lisa Gilbert

We’d love to expand this list. Please leave a note in the comments if you would like to recommend an experienced book editor who specializes in nonfiction and business. Or if you want to add to the conversation about hiring and working with an editor. Huge thanks – Debbie Weil

Other resources

A list of freelance book editors by literary agent and prolific blogger Rachelle Gardner.

BookEval.com

Scribendi (click here to see their spot-on infographic comparing editing with proofreading)

Writer’s Digest 2nd Draft Critique 

Author-Editor Clinic (lists freelance editors)

Gotham Ghostwriters

Kirkus Reviews now has an indie division and offers book editing services for independent authors.

Self-publishing packagers like Fast Pencil offer book editing services (we have not tried them).

For proofreading and light copyediting, you might want to try eLance or  oDesk. I have used oDesk for transcription and been very pleased. Again, results not guaranteed.

How much does a book editor cost?

For a sample of editorial rates, check out the Editorial Freelancer Association’s rate chart. You’ll see fee differences laid out for developmental, copyediting, line editing and proofreading. Fees can range widely, of course, depending on how well-known or in-demand the editor is.

Useful reading

Joanna Penn on Why You Need a Professional Editor for Your Book

Veteran book editor Alan Rinzler on When Do You Need an Editor?

Alan Rinzler on Choosing a Freelance Editor: What You Need to Know

Tiffany T. Cole on Hiring a Freelance Editor: A Step-by-Step Guide

List of service providers for eBook publishing  courtesy of Elizabeth Spann Craig (via book doctor Jason Black)

We have not worked with all of the below designers but we think their cover designs are eye-catching and particularly effective at conveying the author’s brand. We’ve curated a list of  designers whose book cover styles are more appropriate for nonfiction/business books than romance and thriller titles.

Caveat: rates for cover design vary widely. You can expect to pay $250 and up for a cover by an experienced designer. BookBaby offers cover designs starting at $149. We have not used them and can’t vouch for the quality.

List updated 

• Melanie Shellito, principal of branding and design shop Artezen.com
• 1106 Design (designed eBook cover for updated Kindle edition of The Corporate Blogging Book)
• UnoZip (the talented Alex Miles Younger who worked with Seth Godin’s The Domino Project)
•  Tim Kordick Graphic Design (designed cover of Scott Berkun’s latest book, Mindfire: Big Ideas for Curious Minds)
• IdeaSchema.com (Martin Whitmore)
• Design For Writers (Andrew Brown profiled here)
• Extended Imagery (designs eBook covers for best-selling thriller author Joe Konrath)
• Jeroen Ten Berge (recommended by 52Novels)
• Stewart Williams Design (recommended by 52Novels)
• Peter Ratcliffe Design (recommended by 52Novels)

Resources

Comprehensive blog post: eBook Cover Design and Optimum Size Specs for Kindle, Nook, iPad, etc.

You can peruse a slew of articles about book cover design by Joel Friedlander of TheBookDesigner.com.

List of service providers for eBook publishing  courtesy of Elizabeth Spann Craig (via book doctor Jason Black)

Note: We are not including DIY (do-it-yourself) cover design options. That is a post for another day.

But it may be the first in a series of books. You may want to revise it. You may want to write a longer book later. No problem. As an entrepreneurial author, you’re in charge. You don’t need permission from a big New York publisher. You can connect instantly with your fans and readers.

An Agile Book Launch

The theory behind agile software development and lean startups works just as well in the new world of publishing. You launch your product – or book – when it’s good enough. It’s in beta. You gauge reaction to it. Then you tweak and improve and change course accordingly.

Update: Only a few spots left in the second session of Beta Author Boost. I may not offer the program again until fall 2012. Click here to learn more and reserve your spot.

Business benefits of a short book

Forget the word BOOK in all caps. When you write an eBook it can be as short as 30 pages. Nobody can tell how long your book is when they look at the thumbnail cover on Amazon. Nor do they care. A short book, if it is a compelling read, establishes your credibility and turns you into a published author.

The business benefits? As a published author, you can increase your speaking and consulting fees and notch up your personal brand,  whether you are a consultant, a creative entrepreneur or a corporate executive plotting a promotion – or maybe an escape from corporate life.

A short Kindle eBook can be downloaded in seconds and read on almost every device, from smartphones to iPads. Of course, you can also sell your eBook on Kobo, the Nook, Sony and Apple’s iBooks.

If your goal is to get a short book out into the world – and start selling it as quickly as possible – I would love to work with you. Please don’t wait if you are interested. There is seven one spot left for this session of Beta Author Boost. Deets and register here.

Inspired by a number of other bloggers and authors, including Chris Brogan (Temple, Untangle, Practice), Jonathan Fields (Serve, Inspire, Transcend) and Chris Guillebeau (Finishing), I am starting 2012 with three words. I was tempted to say “launching” 2012 because that’s what it feels like. More about that in a minute. First, my words:

Alignment

Quiet

Compassion

Alignment

2012 is going to be a year of adventure, excitement and hard work. Oh, and lots of unknowns. Why? Because I have launched a new company, Voxie Media. Voxie Media is a new hybrid. It’s a next-generation publishing company that helps up-and-coming business authors to write and publish SHORT eBooks and SHORT beautifully-designed print books. Short is the new long, for both writers and readers.

We are also a boutique publishing imprint. That means we will publish select titles under the Voxie Media imprint, just as Portfolio, the business imprint for Penguin, published the original edition of my book. Voxie’s focus is on nonfiction and business books – specifically, the topics of innovation, leadership, communications, agile business and the future of work. And yes, we are what’s known as an indie imprint, one of hundreds of independent publishing companies springing up to compete with the big New York publishers.

Maybe “compete” is the wrong word. The new indies happily co-exist. One of the most talked-about indies of 2011 was Seth Godin’s The Domino Project. Thank you, Seth, for opening the door and clearly – resoundingly – making the point that book publishing is being reinvented and that a talented nonfiction business author doesn’t need the blessing or permission of a New York publisher to launch a book.

That said, the legacy publishers do a good job for a small number of star-status business authors with a large following such as Jonathan Fields and Dan Roam. But, with rare exceptions, the legacy publishing model doesn’t work for lesser-known authors. If you want a juicy, insider’s look, read author Sebastian Marshall’s recap of his experience with a New York publisher. I can tell you from my own experience that what he writes is largely accurate. Take it with a grain of salt, of course.

But I digress.

Why Alignment? Because in order to execute on Voxie Media’s promise (our first program sold out in less than 12 hours), I am trying to focus every day, every hour, on the goals we’ve set for this year. I want to consciously align what I am doing with where I want to go. That means no more wandering down the rabbit holes of email, Twitter and Facebook for hours at a time. Email, frankly, is the biggest challenge for me. And learning to confidently say No to requests to “pick my brain.” My new response, “Happy to have a quick chat, but if you want to pick my brain it’ll cost you. <smile>.”

Quiet

If there is a sub-word for Alignment, it is Quiet. I found Pico Iyer’s New York Times article, The Joy of Quiet, particularly compelling. Quiet means practicing no email, no computer, no Internet. Very little work is accomplished while connected. The real thinking happens when you are away from your digital devices and from the Web. On my reading list is the new book Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking.

Compassion

By compassion, I mean forgiveness and patience. I am learning how to be more patient and tolerant of others. Others includes anyone who doesn’t think quite the way I do. Or act or react, or whatever. It includes business colleagues and family members. This is hard for me. But it is so important.

I am also being more Compassionate with myself. I am pretty sure that Compassion is another sub-word to Alignment. Do what needs to be done every day. Cut out the time-wasting stuff. Decide on three things that contribute – directly or indirectly – to revenue and company growth. And focus on those things. If things go awry one day, course correct on what isn’t working. And then get up the next day and try again. So while I am practicing Alignment and Quiet, I am also being more Compassionate with myself when things don’t go quite as planned.

I have procrastinated big time on this blog post. I started writing it several weeks ago and here it is the 1st of February. Well, we just celebrated Chinese New Year. So I must be in Alignment with new beginnings somewhere.

* Chinese New Year Dragon image courtesy of Hartanto Muliadi

As Seth puts it: “Wake up in the morning thinking about what (you) can write for (your) readers.” Not the other way around. The old mindset went like this: write your book, get it edited, get blurbs from big names, design a great cover, print, distribute, launch and hold your breath for sales. In other words, write first and then look for readers.

That model is at the heart of legacy publishing. And it is broken.  Now anyone can be an entrepreneurial author: a writer and a publisher with a direct link to your readers. And also, as it happens, get a much bigger cut of each sale. If you price your eBook at $2.99 or higher on Amazon, you get 70% of each sale. That is a whopping increase from the 25% (or less) that authors with legacy publishers are currently getting for eBook sales.

This new model is hugely provocative. And perhaps a little daunting. But it does NOT mean you need 10k followers on Twitter. It could be the 300 people on your email list who follow what you do. Start small. Cultivate your readers. Think of them as your tribe. And keep writing.

Beta Author Boost is a unique writing workshop that enables up-and-coming business authors to write and publish a short, kick-ass eBook for Amazon Kindle in 8 weeks.

The first Beta Author Boost sold out in less than 12 hours. The program is currently in full swing with 10 subject matter experts working on a wide variety of book topics. We are having a blast.

Writing a book, even a short book, is hard. What if a drop-dead deadline propelled you to finish your book in 8 weeks? What if you had a professional editor (aka Debbie Weil) at your side to make your writing sizzle and to point you to all the help you need to create a first-rate, polished manuscript?

Why a Kindle eBook?

The cool thing about publishing a book for Amazon Kindle is that you can think of yourself as a beta author. Forget the word BOOK in all caps. When you write an eBook it can be as short as 30 pages. Nobody can tell how long your book is when they look at the thumbnail cover on Amazon. Nor do they care. A sizzling title, an eye-catching cover, a compelling topic and the quality of the writing are what matter.

These are what establish your credibility as an author and lead to fanatic readers and book sales. And with the new $79 Kindle in every pocket and purse, a short book can be downloaded and read on almost every device, from smartphones to iPads.

If your goal is to get a short book out into the world – and start selling it as quickly as possible, you will love the Beta Author Boost workshop.

BONUS for those who pre-register for the March 2012 Beta Author Boost

In order to kick start your book project, you will receive inspiration, information about eBook publishing and at least one easy-to-complete writing assignment from me BEFORE the program officially begins on March 8, 2012. Click here for all the details and to lock in your spot now. Regular enrollment for the next Beta Author Boost will begin in late January 2012.

Who recommended the book to you? That counts for a lot. You tend to trust recommendations from friends who are discerning and on top of what’s new.

Where did you hear about the book? Were you online, on a social network like Facebook or Twitter, where it required no more than a couple of clicks to download the book in digital format to your favorite e-reader? Were you reading a print newspaper or an in-flight magazine?

How do you prefer to read a book? Are you comfortable with digital reading? How important is instant gratification when you hear about a new book that captures your interest? If you prefer print, it means a trip to the bookstore (if there is still one open near you). Or ordering from Amazon and waiting a couple of days for delivery. That’s OK if it’s your preference.

What was the message about the book, its title or perhaps the design of the cover that grabbed you?

"[There] will be a new set of cues. We’ll look a lot harder for reviews and cover art and inbound links."
- Seth Godin writing on The Domino Project blog, Dec. 16, 2011

Why did you decide to purchase this book right now? Was it the $.99 price? Was it the availability of an (instant) free sample?

Context is linked to reading device

How and Why are the most important pieces of context these days. And they are device dependent. After hearing about your book, online or off, how fast can readers get their hands on it? About 5 seconds if it’s a Kindle eBook. Readers can dive in via multiple devices: smartphones, iPad, Kindle Cloud Reader and Kindle. That’s why our Beta Authors are writing a short Kindle eBook. To shorten the distance between author and reader.

There are too many steps (hurdles) to start reading if you post a short book to Scribd, for example. You may be offering it in different e-reader formats (.mobi for Kindle, .epub for almost everything else, PDF for those not using e-readers) but you are asking your readers to do extra work. Each format has to be downloaded and/or uploaded to its respective device.

* Illustration credit: Context drawing above courtesy of Matt Jones of Berg design consultancy in London.