Mark Leslie is a writer, editor and bookseller who lives in Southern Ontario. In 2005, Mark joined the blogging bandwagon and started posting random thoughts and musings on writing, bookselling and being a father.
A basic introduction to the various options available for writers, including finding an agent, or publisher, selling/licensing your writing, and leveraging DIY self-publishing options.
I'm actually going to walk writers through step by step of taking a manuscript in WORD format and using free online resources, tools, and services, to make their work available internationally. I'll be sharing the multiple options, direct publishing, and distribution platforms available, but will be demonstrating, in detail, the steps using Draft2Digital's awesome free tools.
Regardless of how a book is published, the most common questions writers have is how to market their work. I'll walk through a number of options, opportunities, tools, and strategies they can use with the goal towards helping get the right book in front of the right ideal audience/reader eyes.
Here is a link to a PDF of the September IN THE LOOP guide from Waterloo Public Library for this and many other great programs and services.
It is, of course, a reference to the classic Monty Python sketch about a fictitious ministry.
A still of John Cleese in that classic role
If you haven't seen the sketch, it is embedded below.
We have regularly posted silly dad joke style puns in the front yard on a daily basis, something we started well before the global pandemic. But, ever since the self-isolation phase of this lockdown, I have made sure to update it every day.
It's great to see people pause to read it, and then either laugh, or exercise their eyes with a good solid eye roll.
So when I saw that image of the sign on Facebook, I decided to craft my own sign and post it in the front yard. I added a few silhouette images of Cleese to the sign and a bit of color, covered it in plastic to protect it from the rain, and fixed it to a board, so it would be a bit more solid.
The Silly Walks Ministry Sign in front of our house in Waterloo, ON
The sign I crafted, inspired by that first one, reads:
NOTICE: This property is an official jurisdiction of THE MINISTRY OF SILLY WALKS. Commence silly walking immediately!
Then, in smaller text below that it reads:
No FINES for non-compliance, just potential FUN if you give it a try.
My home office is on the second floor and looks down on the front yard. From my standing desk I have a pretty good view and have delighted in seeing the smiles it brings to people's faces. And also, for those daring enough to give it a try.
I've seen countless folks give it a shot over the last week. The young, the old.
And, in the past few days, with the weather getting warmer so I can open the windows, I can now also hear the laughter.
Yeah, most of us who aren't on the front lines are pretty helpless to do anything but self-isolate and try to help with flattening the curve.
But if I can help make a few people smile and laugh, then that's not such a bad thing.
I have since read that this hilarious trend was started by a woman in Grosse Pointe Park, Michigan, named Liz Koto. Here is a Bored Panda article about it. So three cheers to Liz for starting this awesome movement. There's also an Instagram account showing video of people trying the walk. under the name Yorkshire Silly Walks.
If you wanted to make your own sign, I created a PDF of the one I used that you can download.
[UPDATE: This event has been cancelled in May and re-scheduled to later in the year]
I'll be giving a talk at the Kitchener Public Library in a few weeks.
It's called SUCCESS IN SELF PUBLISHING and it'll run Saturday May 26th from 10 AM until Noon.
I love being able to share with writers the fact that they have more choice, more options and more control over their writing journey than ever before. Yes, I embrace and celebrate self-publishing and I enjoy reminding authors of just how empowered they can be; but I'm also cautiously optimistic in my approach and also like to ensure writers recognize that there's no single path for success, just like there are multiple publishing paths that a single author can take.
After all, I have made conscious business-driven decisions to embrace both self-publishing and traditional publishing for different book projects.
During the two hour session, we'll take a look at some common themes and patterns that successful self-published, hybrid and traditionally published authors have in common. We'll explore how authors can get started, strategies for optimizing your author brand, the importance of understanding the business of writing and publishing and much more.
[VIDEO REMOVED]
Below is a description from the website where you can register for one of the limited spots available: Register here
With Mark Leslie Lefebvre and Natalie Gibbons, Manager Collections KPL, and Rob Dawson, Georgetown Publications
Your writing is great, but where are you going to publish? Join industry professional Mark Leslie Lefebvre for top tips to self-publishing success. Under the name Mark Leslie, he’s published more than a dozen books, including fiction paranormal explorations for Dundurn. He has worked in every type of bookstore and has thrived on innovation in digital publishing. Mark also worked for six years as the Director of Self-Publishing and Author Relations for Kobo where he was the driving force behind the creation of Kobo Writing Life, a free and easy to use author/small-publisher friendly platform.
Following this event, meet with other writers in a reception room.
On Wednesday January 17, 2018 I will be leading a virtual talk/presentation called Understanding the Business of Writing & Publishing.
The virtual talk, which is free to Canadian Authors Association members (or costs $10 for non-members to attend), is being hosted by the Waterloo-Wellington Branch. (Now local to me since my January move to Waterloo from Hamilton)
The description for the 1.5 hour workshop is below, as is the registration link.
