Welcome to Panhandle Professional Writers

PPW WINDOW

Newsletter of the Panhandle Professional Writers
Panhandle Professional Writers is dedicated to helping writers of fiction and nonfiction
http://www.panhandleprowriter.org

Morning Session

Sgt. Randy Tenbrink of the Amarillo Police Department returns to finish the procedures discussion he began at the March 2005 meeting. His morning session will focus on jurisdictional issues and an officer?s equipment. The 20-year veteran of the APD not only enlightened our members and guests, he kept everyone entertained.

Afternoon Session

Critique Panel There will be a short critique session before the reception for our new PPW Life Member, Nan Kemp. On the critique panel will be PPW president, Barbara Propst, a 30-year veteran of the broadcast industry. She has written and produced 3 half-hour documentaries, a 13-week television series, numerous commercials and newscasts. She is working on getting her novel published and selling her screenplay. Terry Burns, past-president of PPW and Christian Western novelist. Gail Dayton, PPW secretary, is a fantasy and romance novelist, who also has some small-town newspaper experience. A wonderful opportunity to get professional critiquing, and we can all learn from listening to others' work being reviewed. Writers can bring a few (3) pages from a book, article, poetry, memoir, etc. that they're working on. It will be in the same format as our previous critiquing sessions.

Guidelines
1. Anyone who wishes to read is eligible. Reading is limited to three pages of the writer's work (double spaced). Readers bring 4 copies of the work to the meeting.
2. Readers will be selected on a lottery system. As the attendee registers, he's given a numbered ticket. When the session begins, a ticket will be drawn and that person begins his read. The drawing and readings continue until time is up. We will work as many people in as possible into the time period.
3. Comments will be centered on content. Grammar comes in only when the errors are glaring and detracting from the work.
4. Please, comments only from the panel so we can work as many writers as possible into the critique session.

President's Corner

Someone stole this year. I look at the calendar and wonder where the time went. I review my 2005 "To Do" list and realize I?ve fallen short of my goals. I hope you all have been more successful in accomplishing what you set out to do.

While the year is coming to a close, we still have some events upcoming. November 19 is the last PPW meeting of the year. Please make plans to attend. Randy Tenbrink of the Amarillo Police Department returns to complete the program he began in March 2005. Those attended the earlier presentation know Sgt. Tenbrink is a dynamic speaker. He informs while keeping the audience entertained. His session, beginning at 10 AM, will focus on jurisdictional issues and a police officer?s equipment.

Gail Shelton is putting together a critique panel for the afternoon session. Bring four copies of three pages from your current work and enter the lottery drawing to read. This is an excellent opportunity to get feed back from published authors.

A reception honoring Nan Kemp, our new Life Member, follows the critique session. Nan is a long time supporter and volunteer for PPW. She is very deserving of this honor. We invite you all to attend the reception.

Barnes and Noble is hosting a Book Fair for the FiW youth writing contest from December 4 ? 10th, 2005. PPW earns a percentage of each sale when a book fair coupon is presented during check out. We need two things from our members. Come in and buy a book or two. Second, we need volunteers. B&N will set up a table for PPW near the entrance. We will have our membership information, contest rules and FiW notes on this table along with the PPW book fair coupons. We need folks to man the table and visit with customers who approach us. (We cannot go around the store handing out coupons.) If you can spare an hour or two, please let one of the board members know. We will have a sign up sheet available.

Rules and entry forms for the 2006 FiW Writing contest and the Youth Writing Contest are available on line. Brochures are ready for printing, and plans are in the works for a mailing party in November. This is another volunteer opportunity. Watch for details.

Big things are in the works for 2006. Watch for details on programs, workshops and FiW.

On behalf of the PPW board, I would like to wish each of you a safe and happy holiday season.

Editor's Mess

It's hard to believe this year is almost over. I am almost through with school and will graduate in December. Now I'm at that horrible stage of trying to find a job, with luck I'll have one lined up before the meeting. That's what I get for not becoming a self-supporting freelancer. But, I know I can't sit at a desk for the hours required to do it. I hope I can sit at a desk long enough to write the stories that are roaming around my head. At least, I think those are stories....

Panhandle Professional Writers
Meeting September 17, 2005
Gail Dayton

The business meeting was called to order at 12:40 p.m. President Barbara Propst announced a change to the meeting location: because the Amarillo Senior Citizen's Center is so very busy, PPW will be meeting in the room where previously we had only lunch. Now, it will be both meeting and lunchroom, so please come in the side door that leads directly to the meeting room.

Phyliss Miranda presented the report on Frontiers in Writing 2006 for Molly McKnight who was out with her husband Larry?s heart surgery. Molly has all the speakers lined up for FiW, which will be June 9-10, 2006 at the Ambassador.

A new category will be added to the Youth Writing Contest, for the students to write about what they saw/felt/heard about a catastrophe or disaster. It will be a way for them to express themselves regarding all the catastrophic events that have been taking place in recent years. Robert Brammer is working on the rules for the Adult Writing Contest. All rules will be posted as soon as they?re done.

Harry Haines, who has just taken over the Program chairmanship from Patsy Rae Dawson who had to step down, announced that Randy Tenbrink will make a return visit to PPW for the November 19 meeting morning session. After lunch, there will be a reception for the new Lifetime member induction and a short critique session organized by Gail Dayton.

Sharon Hinton, membership chair, introduced the guests present, and Natalie Bright, treasurer, presented the treasurer?s report. As of September 14, 2005, PPW had assets of $4,868.75.

President Propst reported that Jim Gleason is taking over the community relations position at the local Barnes & Noble, and the Book Fair is on track. During the week of the Book Fair, December 4 through 10, PPW members will be needed to hand out coupons to B&N patrons to use with their purchases. Money donated will be used to support the FiW Youth contest, as it has no entry fee and is not self-supporting.

Nan Rinella, chairman of the Life Membership Committee, reported that the committee had selected Nan Kemp as a nominee for Life Membership to recognize and honor the years of service she has provided to PPW. Bernie Simpson moved to accept the nomination, Pauline Robertson seconded and the motion passed unanimously. The installation for Nan K. will be at the November 19 meeting.

Marianne Logan announced the Poem in your Pocket week, which would take place in early October, and that Dave at Book & Bean would be offering a 65% discount on books that week. The winners would read their poems on October 15.

Among member announcements, PPW was informed that longtime member Jim Matthews had broken his pelvis and was in rehab.

Nan Kemp moved the business meeting adjourn. Bobette Doerrie seconded the motion, and President Propst adjourned the meeting at 1:15 p.m.

Run your own publishing company

If you are very talented and you enjoy writing, perhaps opening your own publishing company has already crossed your mind. You can make a living writing and follow your passion, but if you run your own publishing business you can increase your revenues significantly. Read further to learn how to start such a business with little funding and what is the secret to a large number of clients.

Have you heard of marketing automation?

Anyone can be a publisher. Although it involves putting your own money and invest in your own printing, this job can be very rewarding if you are a self-publisher and know how to reach your clients. You have the possibility to grow and become a large publisher, which will bring you a lot of money and fame, reputation will recommend you further and you will achieve the success desired.

But taking a book from idea to publication will require some steps that you need to follow. You need to know how to publish, even though you are skilled and your writings are appreciated by those who are around you. Plan your business thoroughly and determine what type of publisher you will be. The major categories are reference publishers, scholarly/academic publishers, textbook publishers, trade publishers and self-publishers.

If you consider taking the reins on how your book will be published, you have to start your own publishing company. However, you can publish other writings, as well, thus increasing your incomings. But you must invest in a website where your business will be promoted adequately. Post regularly on blog and reach to your prospects via email, direct mail or other advertorial campaigns.

Using marketing automation like http://retargeting.biz for retargeting your prospects will bring you as many customers as you can handle. You will convince them to benefit of your services and even though you will publish academic learning materials, industry-specific publications or learning materials that build on a body of information, it will bring you a good reputation that will be beneficial for your publishing business.

Would people pay for your prints?

Choose your market thoroughly and constantly send them useful articles and highly personalized messages if you want to get their attention. Keep your prospects close to you with discounts, coupons and special prices and, if you are truly committed to this business, it will be as successful as you want. But you should consider the idea of working in a market you already know, especially if you have a background in a given market.

Plan your business thoroughly and understand your audience if you want to sell your publishing. Think well if your prospects would truly want to read what you published and if they will pay for your books. The name of your publishing company matters a lot, but building a good reputation is a lot more important. Apply marketing automation tools to target your prospects and organize your workflows efficiently and timely.

Register your publishing company’s name with the appropriate regional office, get a publisher identification number and print your own books with your own publishing company. Increase the number of your clients by retargeting your prospects and become a popular publisher!