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CREATIVE SMALL BIZ

Turn your talent into a flourishing business.

For freelance writers and other creative professionals.

Published monthly, on the 15th of each month.

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Issue 98: October 15, 2004

Read this issue online at:

http://www.digital-e.biz/newsletter.html


Published and edited by Angela Booth

Contact me at: ab@...

Or visit: http://www.digital-e.biz/

Or:

http://www.prowrite.biz/

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Digital-e Daily ---

More tips and guidance at Digital-e's blog (Web log):

http://www.digital-e.biz/blogger/index.html

And at Pro Write's blog:

http://www.livejournal.com/users/prowrite/

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(For instructions to join or leave the ezine's mailing list,
scroll to the end.)
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In this issue:

* We're back! :-)

* Toxic Criticism (Eric Maisel)

* Extract from tenth Pro Write Workshop, "Write and Sell an
eBook".


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Please note, we're having problems with sp#mmers spoofing our
digital-e email addresses. The easiest way to make contact with
us is to use the online feedback forms on Digital-e and Pro Write
until the situation resolves itself.

Please contact us at:

http://www.digital-e.biz/feedback.html

http://www.prowrite.biz/contact.htm

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=> WE'RE BACK! :-)

It's good to be back.

You'll notice some changes in the new issues. They'll be shorter,
and will be published monthly, rather than weekly. This is
because of the amount of junk mail floating around. Large issues
trigger sp#m traps. Small issues do too, of course.
Unfortunately, there's nothing that we can do to ensure that you
get your issues regularly. We'll all have to be patient and hope
that in the next year or two the sp#m situation will be brought
under some control. CSB will now be published on the 15th day of
each month, so visit either Digital-e or Pro Write to read issues
if you don’t get them.

If you need a more regular fix, then read either the DE or PW
blogs --- the URLs are at the top of this issue.


=> TOXIC CRITICISM

In his latest Creativity newsletter, Eric Maisel says:

>>>

Criticism falls into three broad categories: actual criticism,
anticipated criticism, and self-criticism. Examples of the first
are getting a poor job performance review, having your painting
attacked in painting class, being held up to ridicule by a
sibling, or hearing from a friend that your latest poem is your
worst so far. Examples of the second are worrying what people
will say should you dare to sing in public, fearing an attack by
the critics if your novel is published, or imagining the critical
things that your parents will say if you let it slip that you are
thinking of switching careers. Examples of the third are
demeaning your own efforts, feeling that nothing you do is ever
good enough, and presuming that you will never realize your
goals.

>>>

Read the entire article (you'll need to join):

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/creativitynewsletter/


=> TENTH PRO WRITE WORKSHOP, "WRITE AND SELL AN EBOOK".

Here's an extract from Lesson One of our tenth workshop. If
you're not a member of Pro Write, join at
http://www.prowrite.biz/

Pro Write gives you ---

* a new workshop every month, giving you an opportunity to BUILD
your professional writing career by learning new skills and
techniques; and

* free writing help whenever you need it --- all you need to do
is post a question on one of Pro Write's forums.

If you're serious about your writing career, we are too. Join us
on the high road to success today.


*** Extract from Lesson One of "Write and Sell an eBook".


==> Why write an ebook?

The primary reason is money. You don’t have to sell many copies
of an ebook to make a profit.

How many copies do you need to sell? Let's work it out.

Let's say that you've written an ebook of 20,000 to 30,000 words.
(This is a good length for an ebook. Reading on a computer screen
is uncomfortable. Say what you've got to say in a minimum of
words and your readers will thank you.)

Your ebook took 60 hours to write. If you were being paid at a
rate of $60 an hour, you'd make $3600 in 60 hours. At $30 each,
you'll need to sell 120 copies of your ebook to pay yourself for
the time you spent writing the ebook.

Almost any book you write will easily sell 120 copies. Compare
this number with a traditional publishing house which won't
consider a book unless it's a sure thing to sell at least 5000
copies.

The second reason for writing an ebook is time. You can get your
ebook to readers quickly, because you don’t have to put up with
the hassles of the traditional publishing process.

If you go the traditional publishing route, it will take you 60
hours to put the book proposal together. After you've completed
the proposal and sent it out, count on at least six months before
the proposal is accepted by a publisher.

Add another six months to write the book, and another year before
it hits the bookstores. Two years from idea to publication day is
standard for a traditional book.

Here are a few more reasons to write an ebook:

* an ebook builds your name online;

* it's a good entrée for a traditional book. Don’t be surprised
if a traditional publisher knocks on your door to offer you a
book contract when your ebook is online;

* writing an ebook builds your skill and confidence. Writing a
book is a major undertaking. The size of the project deters many
otherwise competent writers. Although you may think that you can
complete a long project, you won’t be sure that you can do it
until you've done it. Do it once however, and you know that you
can do it again.

You'll find the complete lesson on Pro Write.


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=> JOIN OUR CREATIVES CLUB!<=

Get your own low-cost, zero maintenance, highly effective Web
presence AND ONLINE STORE. Your Creatives Club Web page is a
combination of a calling card, brochure, portfolio and sales
page. Not only make will it make communication with your
prospective clients and current clients super-quick, it will also
get you listed on Google.com so that you gain credibility online.

http://www.digital-e.biz/creat_club_join.html


=> Digital-e: THREE FREE writing courses <= One for copywriters
(writers for business), one to help you make the most of the
unlimited opportunities and markets the Internet offers to
freelance writers, and one to help you GET PAID to write a book.
http://www.digital-e.biz/freecourses.html

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Creative Small Biz: Copyright © 2004 by Angela Booth. All rights
reserved.




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Creative Small Biz

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