So You Want Your Name in PrintSpon–900

Johnathan LightfootTechForce, Inc.

URS Federal ServicesGeneral Physics Corporation

Welcome to SharePoint Saturday—The Conference

Welcome to SharePoint Saturday—The Conference Welcome to SharePoint Saturday—The Conference

• Please turn off all electronic devices or set them to vibrate.• If you must take a phone call, please do so in the hall so as not

to disturb others.• Open wireless access is available at SSID: SPSTC2011• Feel free to “tweet and blog” during the session• Thanks to our Diamond and Platinum Sponsors:

Thank you for being a part of the first SharePoint Saturday conference

Introduction• Johnathan Lightfoot, MCT, MCDST, MCAS 2007,

MCTS 2007• Co-Author of Microsoft® SharePoint® Plain &

Simple and SharePoint Foundation 2010 Inside/Out• Twitter - @exnav29• Email – Johnathan@TechForceConsulting.com

Session Outline• Process of Obtaining a Book Deal• The Contract• Writing• Edit Cycles• Layout Cycles• Going to Print• Promoting the Book• Good and Bad of Writing

Process of Obtaining a Book Deal• Self-Reflection– What– Why– Who– When

Process of Obtaining a Book DealResearch

• Has this book been written before?– If so, what can you do differently

• Is this a popular subject?• Do you seriously think someone would buy this book?• Would you buy a book like this?

Publishers• Who would publish this book?

1. O’Reilly2. Macmillan-McGraw Hill3. IDG Books4. Microsoft Press5. Prentice Hall6. Addison Wesley7. Peachpit8. Cariolis Group9. Harcourt• Wrox• Wiley Publishing

Publishers• What lines of books do they publish?• What appears to be their primary focus area?• Who appears to be their readers?• What does their Marketing efforts appear to be

geared towards?• Does there appear to be a certain writing style they

favor or lean towards?

Prepare a Proposal• Keep it as short as possible.• Make sure you describe your book fully• Include the following information:– Book Title – Author(s) Name– Author Contact Information– Author Background Information– Description of your book. (No more than three

paragraphs)

Prepare a Proposal• Table of Contents– Include a two or three sentence describing each

paragraph

• One or two chapters that you have written for the book

• Who are the competitors of this book.• What makes your book different from the

competition.• What line of books do you think your book falls into.• Proposed writing schedule

Contract• Important step in the entire process• There is no such thing as a “boilerplate” contract!• Make sure you read the entire contract and

understand it fully.– If you need assistance get a lawyer to explain it to you.

• Contract is a negotiation. NEGOTIATE points you do not agree with.

• Make sure you sign and return it.• Don’t submit anything until the contract is finished.

Writing• Make sure you factor in time to research topics.• Dedicate time for writing.– You may be a morning, afternoon or evening writer

learn which you are.

• Second guessing yourself is fine.• Enlist family and friends to check some of your work.• Make sure you give credit where credit is due.

Editing Cycle• Editors are your friends.• Editors are not your 10th grade English teachers.• Don’t take it personal• Ask questions and challenge when you feel something

strongly enough about something.• You may only get one pass at editing something so

make sure you read it fully.

Layout• Take it seriously• Make sure it makes sense to your audience• Look at every page carefully• Edits to the wording is severely limited at this stage

Going to Print• Yayyyyyyy!!!!!! You made it• Let’s get back to work– Communicate with your publisher on marketing ideas– Really take note of how similar books are marketed.

Promoting the Book• Blogs• Webcasts• Newspaper articles• Book signing• Public Speaking • Social Networking Sites (LinkedIn, Twitter, Google+,

Facebook)• Family and Friends• Coworkers

Bad• Do you like to:– Go home and relax?– Spend the weekends hanging out with family and

friends?– Get your full 8 hours of sleep every night?

• Can be stressful• Can be a hardship on family and friendships• Can cause jealousy in the workplace• Money-wise not especially profitable

Good• Publicity around you!• Resume Content• Great feeling of accomplishment• Helping others with your book• Opportunities will literary come to you• Royalties and Advance Money

Wrap Up• Process of Obtaining a Book Deal• The Contract• Writing• Edit Cycles• Layout Cycles• Going to Print• Promoting the Book• Good and Bad of Writing

Questions

Closing• Johnathan Lightfoot, MCT, MCDST, MCAS 2007,

MCTS 2007• Co-Author of Microsoft® SharePoint® Plain &

Simple and SharePoint Foundation 2010 Inside/Out• Twitter - @exnav29• Email – Johnathan@TechForceConsulting.com

Welcome to SharePoint Saturday—The Conference

Thanks to Our Other Sponsors!Thanks to our Sponsors

Welcome to SharePoint Saturday—The Conference

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Presenter: Johnathan LightfootSession Name: So You Want Your Name in Print

Session No.: Sat-S5A-112