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So You Want To Write a Book? (Refresh Portland)

So You Want To Write a Book? (Refresh Portland)

Considering writing a book? These slides are from my presentation at Refresh Portland about the process of writing Hello Web App (http://hellowebapp.com) and the lessons I learned from a year of writing and marketing.

Tracy Osborn

May 20, 2015
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  1. RE F RE SH P ORT L AN D TRAC

    Y O S BO R N @limedaring SO YOU WANT TO WRITE A BOOK? Lessons learned while self-publishing 
 Hello Web App
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    Y O S BO R N @limedaring
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    Y O S BO R N @limedaring WHAT TO WRITE ABOUT? Spoiler: Nearly anything.
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    Y O S BO R N @limedaring
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    Y O S BO R N @limedaring Find another cofounder O R Do it myself?
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    Y O S BO R N @limedaring
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    Y O S BO R N @limedaring Four years later, still annoyed at the Django tutorial ecosystem.
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    Y O S BO R N @limedaring TAKEAWAYS ! •Do you have another perspective on a topic? 
 Can you write more than a blog post? 
 Turn it into a book. •Create an outline — will be useful for writing as well as pitching publishers.
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    Y O S BO R N @limedaring WORK WITH A PUBLISHER Or self publish?
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    Y O S BO R N @limedaring
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    Y O S BO R N @limedaring TAKEAWAYS ! •Worth it to pitch the top publishers. •Self-publishing is more work, but a lot 
 more reward.
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    Y O S BO R N @limedaring GET A LANDING PAGE UP ASAP Yes, before the whole writing bit.
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    Y O S BO R N @limedaring TAKEAWAYS ! •Create a landing page as soon as possible. •Start collecting interested emails.
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    Y O S BO R N @limedaring CROWD FUNDING Get an “advance” without a publisher.
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    Y O S BO R N @limedaring TAKEAWAYS ! •Use crowdfunding to gauge interest as well as earn an “advance.”
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    Y O S BO R N @limedaring WRITING Might be the easiest part. Might be the hardest.
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    Y O S BO R N @limedaring R I P : (
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    Y O S BO R N @limedaring TAKEAWAYS ! •Write in Markdown, as it easily ports to 
 other platforms.
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    Y O S BO R N @limedaring DESIGN More pretties!
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    Y O S BO R N @limedaring TAKEAWAYS ! •You can do it yourself (a lot of design resources and advice out there)… •Or you can work with a designer to lay out the book, which might cost $$$.
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    Y O S BO R N @limedaring MARKETING Marketing marketing and more marketing.
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    Y O S BO R N @limedaring TAKEAWAYS ! •Share your website as many places as possible. •Create a drip marketing system.
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    Y O S BO R N @limedaring SELLING Dolla dolla bills y’all.
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    Y O S BO R N @limedaring TAKEAWAYS ! •Worth selling your book on as many platforms as possible. •Recommend Amazon for reach, Gumroad for royalties, and Leanpub for ease.
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    Y O S BO R N @limedaring PRINTING Pain in the butt but oh so pretty.
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    Y O S BO R N @limedaring TAKEAWAYS ! •Print a test book early to use in marketing. •Keep an eye out on your per-book price: 
 try to get it below $5 a book.
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    Y O S BO R N @limedaring RESULTS Worth it?
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    Y O S BO R N @limedaring THE PROCESS ! •Determine what you’re going to write about. •Decide whether you’re self-publishing or not. •Set up a landing page. •Write write write. •Figure out how you’ll be selling. •Market market market. •Launch
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    Y O S BO R N @limedaring THANKS! Follow me on Twitter: @limedaring