1. No category

© 2012 by Linda Culbreth, all rights reserved.
Printed in the United States of America.
ISBN-13: 978-1468143263
ISBN-10: 1468143263
No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form
or by any means, electronic or mechanical – including photocopying,
recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system –
without permission in writing from Linda Culbreth.
To contact Linda Culbreth and/or to be rewarded for
reading this book, go to http://bit.ly/rQ2Sk4
or
http://thanksiappreciateyouverymuch.weebly.com
or
scan the following QR Code with your smart phone.
And “thanksiappreciateyouverymuch.”
Why this book?
So many people tell me how they really want and need to write a
book but then start explaining the brick walls they see in their lives that
kept them from writing. Besides, once it is written, they don’t know
how to promote it. At least, that’s what “they” say.
In my opinion, I believe it is a more a lack of confidence than
anything else, including lack of time. Confidence grows with “knowhow” and practice. And you might as well get paid while you are
learning!
The simple answer: I teach a writing class on Wednesday evenings at
the Jackson City Public Library. In that writing class, I teach two things:
writing and marketing. How do you write it? What do you do with it?
You’re welcome to join us at 7:30 p.m. if you happen to find yourself
in Jackson, Missouri on most any Wednesday evening.
I have given the class a number of resources and their books and bags
are beginning to look like a peacock shedding his feathers. I have seen
them dig through the pile because they were now to that section in their
own work and needed some answers. Beside, I have new resources.
They don’t need any more peacock feathers.
This book is lovingly dedicated to the Wednesday Night Writing
Class. Each of you have enriched my life in extraordinary ways because
you are extraordinary people serving an Extraordinary God.
Thank you for allowing me to be a part of your lives. Linda
What others say...
“...a valuable resource” ~ Lisa Marquette
“I couldn’t have done it without you.” ~ Mary Ann Featherston, author
of Between Sisters and Sophie’s New Scarf
“Her best book, ever.” ~ Joyce Kiefer
“Now, my book looks and feels like a real book.” ~ Christine Mizell,
author of Forget Me Knots
"Jaden and Mouse is in print in large part due to the dedication and
professional work of Linda. Linda took all the pressure off me in
designing the book and taking care of the hundreds of details involved in
getting it in print. The book is beautiful and I could not be more
pleased." ~ Gracie Kight
“If the finest gift you can give another person is encouragement, Linda
delivers a treasure. Concise and relevant quotes from noted authors and
the Bible inspire the reader to be encouraged... and to be encouraging!
We all face challenging elephants every day and How To Eat An
Elephant is a wonderful motivation to tackle those challenges one bite at
a time.” ~ Grant Gillard regarding another book of Linda’s, How To Eat
An Elephant. Grant is the author of Beekeeping 101: Why I Keep
Honey Bees (and why you should, too!), Beekeeping 101: Where Can I
Keep My Bees?, & The Deadliest Snake.
Table of Contents
THE FIRST PART - PREPARATION
What Kind of Pizza? Page 1
Who Do You NOT Want to Tell? Page 2
Excuses Page 3
What is Your Project? Page 7
USP - Unique Sales Position Page 8
Evergreen Writing Page 10
Basic Book Categories Page 13
Keywords/Tagwords Page 14
Titles Page 19
Editing Page 24
Book Categories Revisited
Quote Book Page 33
How-To Page 35
Q & A Book ~ And how to write a book without writing Page 36
Recipe Book Page 40
Short Story Book Page 41
Other Kinds Page 55
Where Does Your Book Live? Page 61
The Kitchen Page 67
Fixin’ Page 68
THE LAST PART - DOING
How Do You Get Paid To Promote Your Book? Page 72
QR Codes Page 83
Other Resources Page 91
Final Checklist Page 92
Go to Your Dream Page 94
Me & My Fish (Really) Page 95
THE FIRST PARTPREPARATION
“Proper preparation
prevents poor
performance.”
~ anon.
Let’s say you are hungry. What to eat? Of all the kizillion things,
you decide you want pizza. Sounds
simple enough, doesn’t it?
But is it really as simple as you
think?
Are you going to make it yourself or
not?
If you make it yourself - do you have
the ingredients, the pan, the recipe, the
oven (does the oven work and is it
connected to the gas or electricity and do
they work?), the pizza cutter, & the
“stinky cheese”?
If you don’t make it yourself - are you going to get it at the deli, the
convenience store, the pizza place down the road, the new one that just
opened up across town, the one you really like, or at the grocery store?
If you get it at the grocery store - is it going to be fresh or frozen?
Are you going to have it delivered or are you going to go get it or eat
it there? Maybe Sister Sue can pick it up or My Friend, Flicka?
About the crust - extra crispy, thin, original, extra thick, or the kind
with “stuff” inside it?
What kind? The special? One topping or twenty? Which one or
ones would that be?
Do you have coupons? Are they expired? Are they to the right place
or will that place honor the competitor’s?
Now, who’s going to pay for it? How much are you going to tip the
driver or the server?
A little more complicated than you thought, huh?
1
Who do you NOT want to tell about
your project?
No, I’m really NOT kidding.
Someone or “someones” in your world believe(s) their calling in life
is to throw wet blankets on others, including or even, especially you.
And to yank the wings off butterflies. Just as surely (like my adverb?)
as a wet blanket will put out a brightly (another adverb) burning candle
and as surely (there is it again) as a butterfly cannot fly without a wing,
they will cause an abortion of your writing and your project. Believe
me, they don’t care if the conception for your book came from God (and
I believe it did).
Be careful who you share
with, you hear?
2
LOUSY
EXCUSES
1. I have no time.
2. I have nothing to write about.
3. I have no computer. Or high
speed internet.
4. I have no publisher.
5. I have no marketing budget.
3
Okay, the horse has an excuse.
But only temporarily.
“Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, ‘Let us go
up at once and possess it; we are well able to conquer it.’ ”
Numbers 13:30, Amplified Bible (used with permission)
4
Lousy Excuses
Answered:
1. I have no time. Turn off the TV! If need be,
get a pocket, digital recorder and record your
stuff. More in this guide on that later.
2. I have nothing to write about. Oh, really? I
disagree. (More on this one - keep reading!)
3. I have no computer. Or high speed
internet. And the closest library is where?
Write your stuff with paper and pencil and then
get acquainted with the whole “liberry”staff.
4. I have no publisher. You have yourself.
Please note: this means a sense of excellence
must prevail!
5. I have no marketing budget. All I can say
to that is keep reading.
5
2. I have nothing to write about. Oh, really? I
disagree. Continue reading! (Revisited.)
This guide teaches you not only how to get paid to promote your
book, but also gives a valid, usable, and very simple method with all
the steps, to write a book, even if you can’t write or haven’t the time
to write.
Sorry. All excuses are gone.
6
What is Your Project?
And you need to ask yourself these questions before you write it:
1. Who is it for?
2. What do they look like ?
3. Where can I find them?
4. Answer this question from their point of view: “What’s in it for
me?”
5. What keywords are they already using when searching for
something like mine?
6. What is my unique selling position?
7. Where am I going to sell it?
ASSIGNMENT - Write out the complete
answers to questions 1, 2, 3, and 4 for every
project. We will cover 5, 6, and 7 soon and
very soon. (Love those adverbs!)
If you don’t have a “project,” then pick one of these and start working
on it. If you do have a finished project, and you have edited it to
excellence, then pick one of these and start on your next project. Either
way, you must have the answers to the above questions before you
begin.
Here’s a fish story for you. You enter a fishing contest in the
Mississippi River at Cape Girardeau, Missouri. The prize goes to the
one who catches a fish with a purple dot painted on it’s belly. It would
probably help if you knew what kind of fish it is, what kind of bait it
likes to eat, exactly where it was released, and where it lives. You’re not
likely to catch that exact fish four thousand miles away, using a fried
Twinkie.™
7
USP - Unique Selling Position
I have a project that I am passionate about. It is a Christmas DVD,
Christmas Music Stocking Stuffer. Relax. It is about 18 minutes long.
The 160 or so images are set to some very simple Christmas music. I
had a friend of mine take a look and listen at it. (Trust me, a second set
of eyes will catch what you do not!) She had her husband watch it. He
happens to be a doctor.
His comment: “The music is almost primitive.”
Glory! Hallelujah! He did not know it, but he gave me my USP, my
UNIQUE SELLING POSITION. I knew immediately what was
different about my DVD vs. other Christmas DVDs.
Using that USP, I wrote the description that is in the catalog, on the
back cover, and all the advertising.
Christmas Music Stocking Stuffer. Relax. - Christmas Music
Stocking Stuffer. Relax. DVD for folks to just slow down for a few
minutes and enjoy good, pleasant, and happy Christmas memories.
Most of the more more than 160 images date back to the 1800’s. They
are set to simple, traditional Christmas music like you heard and sang at
the little country church with the squeaky pew you sat on as a child.
Turn off your electric gadgets and sit down. Take off your shoes and
prop your feet up. Relax and simply enjoy the wonderful memories and
quiet mood of this stocking stuffer. It is a great, unusual gift idea for
mom or anyone else anytime of the year.
The traditional, simple Christmas Music includes O Come O Come
Immanuel, What Child is This, We Three Kings, The First Noel, O Little
Town of Bethlehem, O Come All Ye Faithful, Joy to The World, Away in
A Manger, Silent Night, and Hark The Herald Angels Sing.
http://bit.ly/rQ2Sk4
8
ASSIGNMENT - Write out your USP for
each of your books. If you haven’t written
your book, then go in reverse and write out
your USP before you write your book. Post
your USP next to everywhere you write. Keep
it in mind, always.
9
EVERGREEN WRITING
EVERGREEN ev·er·green (vr-grn) adj. 1. Having foliage that persists
and remains green throughout the year. 2. Perennially fresh or interesting;
enduring. n. 1. A tree, shrub, or plant having foliage that persists and
remains green throughout the year. 2. Evergreens twigs or branches of
evergreen plants used as decoration. 3. Something that remains perennially
fresh, interesting, or well liked. (The American Heritage® Dictionary of
the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton
Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin
Company. All rights reserved.)
10
“What is EVERGREEN WRITING
and why should I do it?”
Thank you for asking.
*EVERGREEN WRITING is writing something that continues to
grow month after month, season after season, year after year. The
articles, lists, reviews, bookmarks, and recipes you write need to
continue to send traffic (buyers) to your book, product, or service long
after they are written. That is why there you need to wisely use
keywords and regular words. This makes for a great ROI - Return On
your Investment of time and energy long after you wrote what you write.
*EVERGREEN WRITING is always accurate and will be so in the
future. An example would be regarding my Dad’s family reunion. It is
always the Sunday just before Labor Day, regardless of the actual
calendar date.
*EVERGREEN WRITING is not trendy but foundational to your
topic. For example, it may be trendy to dye your dog’s hair blue. But, it
is foundational that chocolate is poison to every dog. Which article will
stand the test of time?
11
I took a couple of pictures that illustrate this concept. One is very
evergreen. One is very dated. Take a look for yourself and decide which is
which.
Notice the EVEN and ODD years for service times. Very
EVERGREEN. The designs on the one below were made with bottle
caps. My guess is it has something to do with 1945, you reckon?
12
Some Basic Categories for You to Consider
We have now entered the same problem the elephant washer has.
Where to start? Which order?
And how do we know
when we are finished?
Before you write your book, there are some things you need to keep
in mind. It is important for you to read through the KEYWORD
/TAGWORD, TITLE, and EVERGREEN sections first and then come
back to the these categories. With that seed planted in the fertile soil of
your spirit, know that more detailed descriptions of these categories will
pop up again.
Regardless, is your book a problem people pay money to solve?
*Quote book
*How-To
*Q & A - this is the one you can easily do without writing.
*Recipe book
*Any other nonfiction
*Short stories
*Novel (Not touching in this guide with a ten foot pole.)
*Children’s (Not touching in this guide with a ten foot pole,
either!)
Don’t kid yourself into thinking you can turn out
13
a complete book in an hour or two.
Magic Words
The five magic words when I was a child were:
Please. Thank you. You’re welcome. Sir. Ma’am.
The five magic words for your book, product or service revolve
around keywords, keywords, keywords, keywords, keywords.
First
KEYWORD
Third
KEYWORD
Second
KEYWORD
Fourth
KEYWORD
14
Fifth
KEYWORD
KEYWORDS/TAGWORDS
What is a KEYWORD/TAGWORD?
A keyword and a tagword are the same thing like “six on one hand and
a half a dozen on the other.” The simplest answer as to what they are is
the words and phrases that people search for when they search for
something on the internet. If you use the internet at all to find information
on anything or even a location, you used keywords in a search engine like
Google®. (Note, there are other search engines but Google® is the largest
and most used and very important as you will learn later on in this guide.)
Why are KEYWORDS/TAGWORDS important?
Remember our Mississippi River fish story at Cape Girardeau,
Missouri? Here it is again. You enter a fishing contest in the Mississippi
River at Cape Girardeau, Missouri. The prize goes to the one who catches
a fish with a purple dot painted on it’s belly. It would probably help if you
knew what kind of fish it is, what kind of bait it likes to eat, exactly where
it was released, and where it lives. You’re not likely to catch that exact
fish four thousand miles away, using a fried Twinkie™.
What if you knew the type of fish it was, exactly what it likes to eat,
and instead of releasing in the Mississippi River and fishing for it four
thousand miles away with that fried Twinkie,™ it was released in a small
pond on Uncle Junior’s property and you fished for it at the best fishing
spot with it’s favorite bait? Do you think the chances of catching that
exact fish just went up a great deal?
15
Consider this thought. Your buyers are the fish. They are going to
be a certain kind of fish that likes a certain kind of bait. That’s why it is
important for you to answer the questions of who is your buyer and
what’s in it for them and what keywords are they already looking for
when they look for something like your book.
Your KEYWORDS/TAGWORDS are the bait. When you use the
right bait, then you are eliminating all the fish that will not eat that bait.
They are not your target market and not your buyers. When asked the
question, “What’s in it for me?” their honest answer is “nothing.” Don’t
take it personal.
Uncle Junior’s pond is your niche market.
Now, are you more likely to attract your fish, er-buyers?
Where can I find these KEYWORDS/TAGWORDS or do I need to
guess?
Whatever you do, don’t guess! Billy (his real name) asked me to help
him on a completed book. I told him I would and to write out 10 or 15
keywords that he thought people might be looking for if they were
looking for his book online using a search engine. He said he would.
My husband and I went over to his house the next Sunday afternoon.
I saw his book on his computer. He had a clever name for it. And his
list of keywords. Before Sunday, I already looked for his best keywords
and NONE of his words were on it.
“Billy, where did you come up with these keywords?”
16
“I thought they were good.”
“Okay. Let’s see what Google® says about them.”
I showed him how to look. He was shocked to find that his number
one keyword was searched, worldwide, in the previous twelve months, I
think about 74 or 76 times.
“Billy, of those, you probably were twenty of them.”
He didn’t deny it. After about fifteen or twenty minutes, he had a
very usable list of KEYWORDS/TAGWORDS.
DRUM ROLL, PLEASE!
Go to https://adwords.google.com/select/KeywordToolExternal and
type in what you think are the best search phrase or words for your
project in the search box.
So, may I ask the question like this? Is anybody else looking for
your stuff that way or not?
If not, then write out the words they are looking for. Your idea range
is between 200,000 - 600,000 searches. More is like fishing four
thousand miles away in the ocean. It’s too big of a pond. Less is too
small of a pond unless you have a real specific niche. But if your niche
is only for 74 or 76 folks, may I suggest you find a different niche?
Play around with all the buttons on that site. You do not need to buy
adwords. And you don’t need to “sign up.”
Use the handy dandy chart on the next page or one “kinda, sorta” like
it. We’ll get to the third column in a few pages. So, right now, leave it
blank.
17
My Best Keywords
Keyword or
Phrase
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
18
Search # Range
Ideally 200,00600,00
Exact Amazon®
Match?
TITLES
Write First
Write Last
Write in
Middle
There are only 2 places you need TITLES.
1. You will need to title your project.
2. And, you need to title each article, list, recipe, review, or
bookmark.
Can you tell which tail goes to which kitty cat? Are you sure?
That’s how close your titles must be.
19
TITLES
Write First
Write Last
Write in
Middle
If you can get past my grammar, it really doesn’t matter when you
write it.
Some say you need to write it first so you can promise the reader
something and then deliver that in your writing. Good point. It could be
a cohesive factor.
Some say to write it last so you can concisely say what you gave them
in your book. (Did you not know what you were going to write before
you wrote it?)
Some folks get inspired while they are working in the middle of their
project. An “AHAH” moment for sure!
Folks, “it don’t matter” when; it only matters that you follow the
precise formula. No if’s, ands, or buts about it. I sure wish I had
known the precise formula years ago.
20
THE PRECISE FORMULA
is...
Nope. Wrong formula. Let’s try it again.
2
Yep, that’s right. It’s kangaroo
squared. Now, you know the
precise formula. Create all your
titles with this formula.
21
Sorry, I thought everyone could understand kangaroo squared.
2
KEYWORD x KEYWORD
Let me explain a little more. You want people to find your books or
products and buy them. You also want them to find your articles, lists,
bookmarks, reviews, and recipes that will be the yellow brick road to
your book or books.
Amazon® will hand “it” to you on a silver platter, if you but ask.
You do realize that if “it” works on Amazon®, “it” works everywhere.
When you cross-publish your book (e-book and paper copy), you will
know that “it” works on all the other markets and electronic platforms.
1. Go to www.Amazon.com
2. Start typing one of your keywords into the Amazon® search bar.
3. Write down the keyword suggestions that Amazon® gives you as
you type EXACTLY. These are "buyer keywords." They are typed-in
by thousands and maybe thousands of thousands of consumers who
want books, on these topics and have credit cards, debit cards, or PayPal
accounts burning a hole in their pockets. Give them what they want.
4. Start your title with this exact keyword phrase. Kangaroo
squared. There it is. The precise formula.
22
The picture now looks like this:
2
First KEYWORD or phrase
Third KEYWORD or
phrase
2
Second
KEYWORD
or phrase
Fourth KEYWORD or
phrase
Fifth KEYWORD
or phrase
Your title begins with the EXACT words/phrases Amazon® shows
you. That may be one phrase or two put together or maybe even three.
Amazon® will also show you how many results are assigned to that
exact word. Or phrase. Look at what Amazon® tells you.
Finish your starfish with the very best keywords from your list you
made earlier. Remember Uncle Junior’s pond and not the ocean.
37,200,000 searchers is an ocean. 200,000 to 600,000 is a nice pond.
74 or 76 as in Billy’s case is an empty, leaky bucket. Go where the fish
are!
23
Good Writing is always
REWRITING.
*Write your “stuff” as the thoughts come. That is from the right side
of your brain.
* Then, and only then, go back and edit, rewrite, tweak, check
spelling and everything else on the 78 Editing Tps. Those are left brain
functions.
*Your brain will be very confused and tired if you make it jump the
Mississippi River back and forth all the time. It would really appreciate
doing one side at a time.
Steel Railroad Bridge Over Mississippi River, 1874
24
Did I mention Good Writing
is always REWRITING?
25
78 Editing Tips That Will Make or
Break Your Story Writing
1. Who is your villain?
27. What viewpoint?
53. Strong nouns?
2. Who is your hero?
54. Physical action?
3. What is your conflict?
28. 1st person subjective?
29. 2nd person subjective?
4. Action/counteraction?
30. 3rd person subjective?
56. Competitive action?
5. Another conflict?
31. Omniscient viewpoint?
57. Conflict: man vs self?
6. Strong verbs?
32. 1st person objective?
58. Conflict: man vs man?
7. # of “to be” verbs?
33. 3rd person objective?
59. Conflict: man vs nature?
8. # of adverbs?
(ZERO!)
34. Pure objective?
9. Did you show or tell?
35. Use of objective sleeve? 61. Conflict: vs ideology?
10. Spelling correct?
36. Some similes?
62. Use of narrative?
11. Characters consistent?
37. Some metaphors?
63. Use of dialogue?
12. Character names fitting? 38. Plot planned?
55. Mental action?
60. Conflict: man vs society
64. Use of dramatic action?
13. Story location?
39. Satisfactory conclusion? 65. Minimum participles?
14. Story time frame?
40. Not same letter names?
66. Does your plot advance?
15. Short transitions?
41. No rhyming names.
67. Break dialogue with:
16. Place transitions?
42. No rhyming places.
68. Meaningful action
17. Time transitions?
43. Have you outlined all?
69. Emotion
18. Mechanical transitions? 44. Historical facts correct? 70. Narrative statement
19. Story in active voice?
26
45. Nothing in story out of
time?
71. Use contractions
consistently
20. Any passive sentences? 46. Where do you write?
72. Avoid inversions
21. More conflict?
47. When do you write?
73. Scene sets time
22. Title exciting?
48. Your passion shows?
74. Scenes have characters
23. Any authorisms?
49. Flashbacks – adults only 75. Scene sets place
24. More conflict?
50. Write 1st, edit later
76. Scene must have action
25. Does hero grow?
51. Always take notebook
77. Scene must have
change
26. Changes in hero?
52. Clues planted for
future?
78. Scene sets mood
We are not going to cover all 78 in this resource book. You should and
we have in class. However, the most common errors I keep seeing (and
unfortunately in my own work) include:
* the use and misuse of adverbs
* passive sentences
* changing the viewpoint
STINKY,
STINKY, STINKY!
A sense of excellence
must prevail!
You will need a printed version of your manuscript and three different
color high lighters: blue, pink, yellow.
Your blue one is dedicated to adverbs.
Your pink one is dedicated to passive sentences.
Your yellow one is dedicated to viewpoint.
27
How Many Adverbs are in Your
Writing?
If you were to ask a pharmacist about the different doctors and what
they prescribe, you may be shocked to find that each doctor has a list of
favorites that they order for everybody, over and over and over again. If
you were to ask a lab tech or phlebotomist the same question, they
would tell you certain doctors order certain tests all the time.
You will be just as shocked to find out you PROBABLY use the same
adverbs over and over again. Yes, probably is an adverb.
An adverb is a part of speech that describes or modifies a verb,
an adjective, another adverb, clause, phrase, or sentence. Adverbs
answer the questions “When?” “Where?” “How?” or “To what
extent?”
Fortunately (an adverb) for us, most adverbs are formed by
adding -ly to an adjective. This makes recognizing an adverb fairly
easy.
Of course, we don't want things to be too easy, so there are a
bunch of adverbs that don't end in -ly. (Warning, this in not a
complete list. )
abroad, after, afterward, already, almost, always, anywhere, back,
downstairs, during, even, every, far, fast, finally, hard, here, home, how,
just, last, late, later, long, low, maybe, more, near, never, next, nowhere,
not, now, often, out, outside, perhaps, quick, quite, rather, recently,
seldom, slow, so, sometimes, somewhere, soon, sort of, still, then, there,
today, tomorrow, too, underground, upstairs, well,
when, where, while, yesterday
ASSIGNMENT - Print out your work. Take a blue
high lighter to every adverb listed above and those
that end in -ly. Rewrite each sentence and exclude
the adverbs. Yes, all of them.
28
Starve a cold and feed a fever or is it the other
way around?
STARVE those passive sentences to
death and kick them out of your
work!
PASSIVE
SENTENCES
Look for a form of "to be" (is, are, am , was, were, has been, have
been, had been, will be, will have been, being) followed by a past
participle. The past participle is a form of the verb that typically, but not
always, ends in "-ed." Some exceptions to the "-ed" rule are words like
"paid" (not "payed") and "driven." (not "drived").
Here's a sure-fire formula for identifying the passive voice:
form of "to be" + past participle = passive voice
Example: The fish was caught by the seagull.
From: http://writingcenter.unc.edu/resources/handoutsdemos/citation/passive-voice
29
ASSIGNMENT - Take your pink
high lighter to every passive sentence
in your manuscript you already
printed. Rewrite each sentence and
make it active. That’s what the back
of the page is for! Yes, all of them.
Sin # Three:
Changing the Viewpoint
A. Whose story is it? It is
someone’s, isn’t it?
B. Who is telling it? Don’t
interrupt, let them finish.
30
STICK WITH WHOEVER YOU
PICK!!!!!
ASSIGNMENT - Take your yellow high lighter
to every change of viewpoint in your manuscript.
Pick your answers to A & B and rewrite each
violation. If you need extra paper, get it and use
it. Just be sure to mark where what goes. Yes, all
of them.
Now, go and sin no more.
31
Do NOT pass goal, do not collect $200.00, do not get out of
jail free, do nothing but your assignments!
32
Some Basic Categories
for You to Consider
Revisited
Quote Book
This is probably one of the ones you can do the quickest. There is
still work involved. Especially if you do your own page/book design.
(And why wouldn’t you?)
The public domain is your friend.. Do a search on the internet.
You will find, stories, books, pictures, photos, clip art, poems,
recordings, movies, and other things you can use. Some suggestions to
get your brain in gear: Bible verses (KJV is the only one not
copyrighted. Be sure to follow the others’ guidelines), marquee signs,
quotes from famous people, pulpit quotes, quotes from not so famous
people, quotes you’ve assigned to critters, your own quotes, regional
sayings, quotes on particular subjects, business quotes, and what can you
think of?
You can use clip art, photos, and other images from the public domain
and your own photos. If anyone is identifiable, be sure you have a
SIGNED release to use it.
“All my life I have tried to pluck a
thistle and plant a flower wherever the
flower would grow in thought and
mind.”
33
There are at least three types of quote books. There are many
variations of each, no doubt, and probably others. This is just to get
your brain going forward.
1. Simply the quotes. I have seen nothing but the quotes. I have seen
the quotes with illustrations. I have seen a quote book with beautiful
backgrounds.
2. Don’t know what to call it quote book. I am holding in my hands a
philosophy book by a guy with a PH.D. He took 101 philosophies,
numbered them, put a representative picture (no doubt from the public
domain), gave the “big idea” (used a little guy with a light bulb - also
public domain - next to the words “big idea”) and wrote several
paragraphs about each. I am pretty certain he researched the written part
from the public domain, as well. He put a list of recommended reading
at the end. There is a table of contents at the front with each philosophy
listed. He made a nice book of 192 pages, probably a 6” x 9” paperback.
3. The three step quote book.
A. The quote and who said it.
B. Answer the question: “What does it mean to you?”
C. Suggested action you think it should cause someone to do.
34
How-To
Here’s a quick how-to guide as to how-to-do a how-to-book.
1. Get a package of 3” x 5” index cards or a stack of old
business cards that are blank on the backside.
2. Quickly, as fast as you can think of them, write out, ONE
PER CARD, all the steps you can think of that you need to include. It
does not matter which order you write them down.
3. Lay your cards out where you can see all of them at one
time. Bed, floor, tabletop, wherever.
4. Arrange them in order, from the first step to the the last step.
Number the cards in PENCIL. That way, if you find later on that you
need to add something or take something away or rearrange something,
it is easy to do so. Put a rubber band around them.
5. Pick up one at random. Write everything you know about
that step. I prefer to do it on the computer so I can easily add, edit,
rearrange, add graphics, etc. If you don’t have a computer, then do it on
paper.
6. An easy way to find these files again on your computer is:
A. Name the folder with your kangaroo squared title or
your working title if your haven’t kangaroo squared it, yet.
B. Save each topic file in that folder with the name of the
step like written on your card. Add the date in this format: 000000
7. Repeat will all the cards.
8. Put is aside for at least a few days and don’t work on it. If
you think of anything else that you need to include, write it on a card.
9. Edit everything. The sense of excellence must prevail!
10. Copy and paste each file into one file and save.
11. Kangaroo square it!
35
Q & A - this is the one you can
easily do without writing.
Okay, I fibbed a little. Someone has to write down the questions, and
someone has to do a few other things. But, most of it doesn’t have to be
you! (You can also do this with the How-To Book and other books.)
2
BUT
FIRST!!!
2
First KEYWORD or phrase
Third KEYWORD
or phrase
Second KEYWORD
or phrase
Fourth
KEYWORD
or phrase
Fifth KEYWORD
or phrase
1. You will need a stack of 3” x 5” index cards. (I really ought to
invest in the stock of a company that makes them.) Write out one
question per card and only use one side of the card. Try for 50-100 or
so questions.
it
es
Do
e?
bit
2. Arrange them in the very best order and the way you would like
them to appear in your book.
36
3. Either use a digital recorder or a free conference call service and
record the questions with the answers. A good free service is
www.totallyfreeconferencecalls.com. It’s okay to do in more than one
setting or to do at one time, however you want to or as I’ve heard said:
“whatever floats your boat.”
5. Download the audio file(s) to your computer under your project’s
name. (You did kangaroo square it, didn’t you?)
4. Using an audio file program, break them into segments of 7-10
minutes. Never stop a segment anywhere but at the end of your answer.
A good way to save the files is in one folder with your project and dated
and use file names A, B, C, etc.
5. Outsource them for transcription to several companies. You can
search in a search engine or use www.elance.com or/and
www.odesk.com. Here’s why. Seven to ten audio minutes take a lot
longer than seven to ten minutes of time to transcribe. I like overseas
companies because they are cheaper, as a rule. Usually they are also
very quick and accurate. Note, most everybody in the Philippines
speaks and writes very good English. I have also used folks from India.
I use several companies and go for accuracy, deadlines, and price. If
accuracy and deadlines are lacking, then I reassign those segments to
someone else and make a note not to use that company again.
6. Save each transcription to your folder.
7. Copy and paste them in the correct order. You never copy over or
delete. You may just need that file. Trust me on this.
8. Clean them up. Remove extra ands, buts, uhs, etc.
9. Edit and check your facts. Did you really mean to say it that way?
10. If you are going to add clip art and/or photos, now is the time. I
like to design my books in programs from www.serif.com This book
was designed in serifpageplus4 and they have at least two later versions
out. You can move pages around, add images and do a lot, including
saving it as a pdf file - which you will need for your printed book.
37
11. Go to www.createspace.com and decide what size of book you
want and if you want the images to go to the edges or not. And do you
want to make it large print?
12. Make sure your manuscript meets all of www.createspace.com
guidelines. These folks know what they are doing.
13. When you think it is done, save it as a pdf file. Walk away from
it for a few days. Let others read it and at least listen to their
suggestions.
14. Make corrections.
15. When it is correct, and only then, submit it to
www.createspace.com
16. Order your proof(s).
17. Dance with excitement when you get it or them.
18. Go through everything with “a fine tooth comb” and correct
anything if you need to and upload a new file and go through their steps.
19. Take your master audio file and make into a audio book CD and
submit to www.createspace.com
20. Do you have a lot of pictures to go with your Q & A? Great,
make a DVD. If you want to know exactly how to do that, you will need
to follow the detailed directions in my book, Funeral Director: Memorial
Gift Videos.
21. Submit DVD to www.createspace.com Allow all ways including
physical product and immediate download.
22. Print out the guidelines from www.smashwords.com regarding
e-books.
38
23. Follow those guidelines exactly. If you used any other program
besides what they suggest to design your book, you will need to copy
and paste. I find that I need both programs,: one for a printed book and
one for the e-book. It’s just easier for me that way.
25. Remember to kangaroo square the title and use the top keywords
for the five categories.
26. Use the same title for each product.
27. You will need to assign different ISBN numbers for each product,
including the e-book version.
There, you have a book in a certain niche with matching CD, DVD,
and e-book.
“He who whispers in a well is less apt to get the
dollars than he who stands on a roof and hollers.”
(Saying regarding buying advertising in a monthly
publication I saw a long time ago, The Sword of The
Lord.)
If you want me to be your managing editor on a
Q & A Book and do it for you, contact me with the
contact form at http://bit.ly/rQ2Sk4
No, I don’t take on all projects.
Expect a waiting list. I’m worth it.
39
Recipe Book
1. What kind of recipe book?
2. Collect your recipes.
3. Title and ingredient list are not copyrightable.
4. Direction are copyrightable so rewrite everything.
5. Arrange them however you want them.
6. Put it all in your computer.
7. Add pictures or clip art or things to decorate the pages.
8. Kangaroo square the title.
9. Add your title page, copyright page, your table of contents - be
careful on the numbering.
10. Publish.
Mark Twain
11. Repeat.
A Tramp Abroad, Page 177
I have often furnished recipes for cook-books. Here are some designs
for pies and things, which I recently prepared for a friend's projected
cook-book, but as I forgot to furnish diagrams and perspectives, they
had to be left out, of course.
RECIPE FOR AN ASH-CAKE
Take a lot of water and add to it a lot of coarse Indian-meal and about
a quarter of a lot of salt. Mix well together, knead into the form of a
"pone," and let the pone stand awhile--not on its edge, but the other way.
Rake away a place among the embers, lay it there, and cover it an inch
deep with hot ashes. When it is done, remove it; blow off all the ashes
but one layer; butter that one and eat.
N.B.--No household should ever be without this talisman. It has been
noticed that tramps never return for another ash-cake.
40
Short Stories
This is a great way to learn to write. Use the 78 Editing Tips but not
while you are writing.
I have told my class more than once that you can do a book of short
stories by sticking bubble gum to your bottom and sitting in a chair and
actually writing ten minutes a day. If you have more time than that, you
will soon be lost in time as you write.
We play “what if” in class and continue to do so. Often, our formula
is something like this:
current event + public domain story + your imagination = new story.
Try for 1,500 to 2,500 words each. Don’t worry about the number of
words, just write the story.
12-15 new stories = a book.
More specifically: “what if” > leads to main character’s goal >
results in a conflict > results in a disaster > results in reaction > results in
a dilemma > decision.
I recorded a number of public domain stories that were audio files
and burned CDs and told them to hang on to it. We also tossed some
nuggets from various places and a few current events. Honestly, ladies
who came only once, I usually do not make people cry. We included a
current event of a woman disappearing due to foul play. Honest, I
meant no disrespect to the lady or her family. It was simply a
launching pad to a new story, nothing else.
It’s amazing how different every story was from the same launching
pad. We brainstormed out loud, everybody added whatever they thought
of. And, then the assignment to write something on their own or other’s
“what if’s.” The next class, we would read them out loud.
I have one rule in my class. You cannot pull butterfly
wings off of anybody. And that includes yourself!!!!
41
Actual Assignments
1. Read KING ALFRED AND THE CAKES from the public
domain. Then follow these directions. (They had to listen to it.)
A. Rewrite using 1st person viewpoint. “I tell my story.”
B. Play “what if” and “then what” at every turn.
C. Name the lady. (Are you the lady?)
D. Use a mixture of dialog and narrative.
E. Change the King’s name. He doesn’t even have to be a king at all.
F. Change the location and make it a frontier story - you pick the area
and time. (wild west, space, etc.)
G. Add at lease one “twist” to story.
H. Embellish story.
I. Use all the senses: sight, hearing, touch, taste, and smell.
J. Title your new story.
KING ALFRED AND THE CAKES
MANY years ago there lived in England a wise and good king whose
name was Alfred. No other man ever did so much for his country as he;
and people now, all over the world, speak of him as Alfred the Great.
In those days a king did not have a very easy life. There was war
almost all the time, and no one else could lead his army into battle so
well as he. And so, between ruling and fighting, he had a busy time of it
indeed.
A fierce, rude people, called the Danes, had come from over the sea,
and were fighting the English. There were so many of them, and they
were so bold and strong, that for a long time they gained every battle. If
they kept on, they would soon be the masters of the whole country.
42
At last, after a great battle, the English army was broken up and
scattered. Every man had to save himself in the best way he could.
King Alfred fled alone, in great haste, through the woods and swamps.
Late in the day the king came to the hut of a woodcutter. He was
very tired and hungry, and he begged the woodcutter's wife to give him
something to eat and a place to sleep in her hut.
The woman was baking some cakes upon the hearth, and she looked
with pity upon the poor, ragged fellow who seemed so hungry. She had
no thought that he was the king.
"Yes," she said, "I will give you some supper if you will watch these
cakes. I want to go out and milk the cow; and you must see that they do
not burn while I am gone."
King Alfred was very willing to watch the cakes, but he had far
greater things to think about. How was he going to get his army
together again? And how was he going to drive the fierce Danes out of
the land? He forgot his hunger; he forgot the cakes; he forgot that he
was in the woodcutter's hut. His mind was busy making plans for tomorrow.
In a little while the woman came back. The cakes were smoking on
the hearth. They were burned to a crisp. Ah, how angry she was!
"You lazy fellow!" she cried. "See what you have done! You want
something to eat, but you do not want to work!"
I have been told that she even struck the king with a stick; but I can
hardly believe that she was so ill-natured.
The king must have laughed to himself at the thought of being
scolded in this way; and he was so hungry that he did not mind the
woman's angry words half so much as the loss of the cakes.
I do not know whether he had anything to eat that night, or whether
he had to go to bed without his supper. But it was not many days until
he had gathered his men together again, and had beaten the Danes in a
great battle.
###
43
2. Write out five story ideas from “stuff.” “Stuff” includes articles,
snippets, ads, something you have laying around the house you might
bring to class for “show and tell,” etc. Write out as many “what ifs” as
you can for each. Pick one (or more) and write.
###
3. Read the following public domain story. Use it as a launching pad
and write. Be sure to change everything.
BRUCE AND THE SPIDER
THERE was once a king of Scotland whose name was Robert Bruce.
He had need to be both brave and wise, for the times in which he lived
were wild and rude. The King of England was at war with him, and had
led a great army into Scotland to drive him out of the land.
Battle after battle had been fought. Six times had Bruce led his brave
little army against his foes; and six times had his men been beaten, and
driven into flight. At last his army was scattered, and he was forced to
hide himself in the woods and in lonely places among the mountains.
One rainy day, Bruce lay on the ground under a rude shed, listening to
the patter of the drops on the roof above him. He was tired and sick at
heart, and ready to give up all hope. It seemed to him that there was no
use for him to try to do anything more.
As he lay thinking, he saw a spider over his head, making ready to
weave her web. He watched her as she toiled slowly and with great
care. Six times she tried to throw her frail thread from one beam to
another, and six times it fell short. "Poor thing!" said Bruce: "you, too,
know what it is to fail."
But the spider did not lose hope with the sixth failure. With still more
care, she made ready to try for the seventh time. Bruce almost forgot his
own troubles as he watched her swing herself out upon the slender line.
Would she fail again? No! The thread was carried safely to the beam,
and fastened there.
44
"I, too, will try a seventh time!" cried Bruce.
He arose and called his men together. He told them of his plans, and
sent them out with messages of cheer to his disheartened people. Soon
there was an army of brave Scotchmen around him. Another battle was
fought, and the King of England was glad to go back into his own
country.
I have heard it said, that, after that day, no one by the name of Bruce
would ever hurt a spider. The lesson which the little creature had taught
the king was never forgotten.
###
4. True situation from my childhood to write from.
The King brothers worked together for years in their garage at the
corner of Hopper Road and Westfield Road.
Overnight, a fence sprang up on the south side of the property.
The contractor came and the ground was prepared for the concrete
foundation. In just a couple of weeks, one of the two brothers, who we
will name Login, opened the doors to Login King’s Garage.
###
I learned a few things about my students over these four assignments.
They do better rewriting from a story launching pad than from a “show
and tell” type item and definitely better than from a blank page or
computer screen. Second, they don’t like to write in class. Third, the
launching pad story can be very short, and the resulting story a decent
length. One was over 2,800 words!
5. I brought the children’s book, Little Red Hen, to class and read
it. Since that version is copyrighted by the Western Publishing
Company, Inc. I cannot copy it word for word.
Thus, the information on this story is from Wikipedia.
45
The Little Red Hen is an old folk tale, most likely of Russian origin.
The best known version in the United States is that popularized by Little
Golden Books, a series of children's books published for the mass
market since the 1940s. The story is applied in teaching children the
virtues of the work ethic and personal initiative. It is so well known that
it is frequently rewritten by pundits and bloggers to illustrate their
favorite points.
Plot summary
In the tale, The Little Red Hen finds a grain of wheat, and asks for
help from the other farmyard animals to plant it. However, no animal
will volunteer to help her.
At each further stage (harvest, threshing, milling the wheat into flour,
and baking the flour into bread), the hen again asks for help from the
other animals, but again she gets no assistance.
Finally, the hen has completed her task, and asks who will help her
eat the bread. This time, all the previous non-participants eagerly
volunteer. However, she declines their help, stating that no one aided
her in the preparation work, and eats it with her chicks, leaving none for
anyone else.
The moral of this story is that those who show no willingness to
contribute to an end product do not deserve to enjoy the end product: "if
a man does not work, let him not eat."
###
6. Here’s a current event to use as your launching pad.
The sailboat, afloat and tied in the Diversion Channel off the
Mississippi River, appeared abandoned. After several months, it
disappeared.
###
46
7. One of my favorites is the following real ad on the FOR FREE
board at a country veterinarian’s office.
FREE, TO GOOD HOME
WITHOUT DUCKS
2 yr. OLD SPAYED FEMALE
CHOW MIX
xxx-xxxx (phone number without area code)
###
8. From the OUT OF THE PAST column from April 15, 1936
Southeast Missourian come this one.
“The return of the Cape County Fair is to be the goal of the newly
formed Junior Chambers of Commerce (Jaycees), leaders of that
organization report; not only will members attempt to re-establish the
fair, they will seek to acquire a suitable new fairgrounds to serve the
community.”
The class decided the week before the two ladies that cried
arrived, to add two elements and combine all the elements for a new
story.
A. The ghost story floating around one of the labs of a rural hospital
about an hour away: The lab staff tells me there are many reports of a
man in a red plaid, flannel shirt, sitting in various patient’s rooms
rocking in a rocking chair in a corner, reading an old newspaper. He is
seen mainly by some of the staff members. The lab staff reports hearing
heavy breathing, and seeing the same man hiding in the lab by the
counter and then not being there. They also report doors opening and no
one there. Bathroom hand towels roll down with no one there. The
transferred phone rings where it was not transferred.
B. (This is where the ladies cried.) The disappearance and suspected
foul play of the local mother of five year old triplets. Her vehicle was
47
found literally within walking distance of my house. And, the person
who raped me years ago did try to kill me. I am sensitive to the
implications! Months later, she still has not been found and her
estranged husband is a person of interest in the case.
###
9. From the public domain.
ARNOLD WINKELRIED
A GREAT army was marching into Switzerland. If it should go much
farther, there would be no driving it out again. The soldiers would burn
the towns, they would rob the farmers of their grain and sheep, they
would make slaves of the people.
The men of Switzerland knew all this. They knew that they must
fight for their homes and their lives. And so they came from the
mountains and valleys to try what they could do to save their land.
Some came with bows and arrows, some with scythes and pitchforks,
and some with only sticks and clubs.
But their foes kept in line as they marched along the road. Every
soldier was fully armed. As they moved and kept close together, nothing
could be seen of them but their spears and shields and shining armor.
What could the poor country people do against such foes as these?
"We must break their lines," cried their leader; "for we cannot harm
them while they keep together."
The bowmen shot their arrows, but they glanced off from the soldiers'
shields. Others tried clubs and stones, but with no better luck. The lines
were still unbroken. The soldiers moved steadily onward; their shields
lapped over one another; their thousand spears looked like so many long
bristles in the sunlight. What cared they for sticks and stones and
huntsmen's arrows?
"If we cannot break their ranks," said the Swiss, "we have no chance
for fight, and our country will be lost!"
48
Then a poor man, whose name was Arnold Winkelried, stepped out.
"On the side of yonder mountain," said he, "I have a happy home.
There my wife and children wait for my return. But they will not see me
again, for this day I will give my life for my country. And do you, my
friends, do your duty, and Switzerland shall be free."
With these words he ran forward. "Follow me!" he cried to his
friends. "I will break the lines, and then let every man fight as bravely
as he can."
He had nothing in his hands, neither club nor stone nor other weapon.
But he ran straight onward to the place where the spears were thickest.
"Make way for liberty!" he cried, as he dashed right into the lines.
A hundred spears were turned to catch him upon their points. The
soldiers forgot to stay in their places. The lines were broken. Arnold's
friends rushed bravely after him. They fought with whatever they had in
hand. They snatched spears and shields from their foes. They had no
thought of fear. They only thought of their homes and their dear native
land. And they won at last.
Such a battle no one ever knew before. But Switzerland was saved,
and Arnold Winkelried did not die in vain.
###
10. A certain cat of a friend lived at my house because he could not,
at that time, live with her. Mr. Gato (Gato is Spanish for cat.), his real
name, brought “presents” inside thanks to the cat door my six plus pound
chihuahua uses. One day, when my husband was busy “in the reading
room,” the shower curtain jumped. Nearly gave the poor man a heart
attack. He slowly opened the shower curtain to find one more huge
bullfrog staring up at him. “Thank you, Mr. Gato, we appreciate your
presents.”
In a tidbit from a magazine, there is another cat story. This lady made
49
a lemon meringue pie for company coming over. She put it on the table
to cool while she took her shower. Soon, her husband brought her their
very long haired Persian cat. He had meringue all over his rear end.
###
11. From the public domain.
THE BELL OF ATRI
ATRI is the name of a little town in Italy. It is a very old town, and
is built halfway up the side of a steep hill.
A long time ago, the King of Atri bought a fine large bell, and had it
hung up in a tower in the market place. A long rope that reached almost
to the ground was fastened to the bell. The smallest child could ring the
bell by pulling upon this rope.
"It is the bell of justice," said the king.
When at last everything was ready, the people of Atri had a great
holiday. All the men and women and children came down to the market
place to look at the bell of justice. It was a very pretty bell, and was
polished until it looked almost as bright and yellow as the sun.
"How we should like to hear it ring!" they said.
Then the king came down the street.
"Perhaps he will ring it," said the people; and everybody stood very
still, and waited to see what he would do.
But he did not ring the bell. He did not even take the rope in his
hands. When he came to the foot of the tower, he stopped, and raised
his hand.
"My people," he said, "do you see this beautiful bell? It is your bell;
but it must never be rung except in case of need. If any one of you is
wronged at any time, he may come and ring the bell; and then the judges
shall come together at once, and hear his case, and give him justice.
Rich and poor, old and young, all alike may come; but no one must
50
touch the rope unless he knows that he has been wronged."
Many years passed by after this. Many times did the bell in the
market place ring out to call the judges together. Many wrongs were
righted, many ill-doers were punished. At last the hempen rope was
almost worn out. The lower part of it was untwisted; some of the strands
were broken; it became so short that only a tall man could reach it.
"This will never do," said the judges one day. "What if a child should
be wronged? It could not ring the bell to let us know it."
They gave orders that a new rope should be put upon the bell at
once,—a rope that should hang down to the ground, so that the smallest
child could reach it. But there was not a rope to be found in all Atri.
They would have to send across the mountains for one, and it would be
many days before it could be brought. What if some great wrong should
be done before it came? How could the judges know about it, if the
injured one could not reach the old rope?
"Let me fix it for you," said a man who stood by.
He ran into his garden, which was not far away, and soon came back
with a long grape-vine in his hands.
"This will do for a rope," he said; and he climbed up, and fastened it
to the bell. The slender vine, with its leaves and tendrils still upon it,
trailed to the ground.
"Yes," said the judges, "it is a very good rope. Let it be as it is."
Now, on the hillside above the village, there lived a man who had
once been a brave knight. In his youth he had ridden through many
lands, and he had fought in many a battle. His best friend through all
that time had been his horse,—a strong, noble steed that had borne him
safe through many a danger.
But the knight, when he grew older, cared no more to ride into battle;
he cared no more to do brave deeds; he thought of nothing but gold; he
51
became a miser. At last he sold all that he had, except his horse, and
went to live in a little hut on the hillside. Day after day he sat among his
money bags, and planned how he might get more gold; and day after day
his horse stood in his bare stall, half-starved, and shivering with cold.
"What is the use of keeping that lazy steed?" said the miser to himself
one morning. "Every week it costs me more to keep him than he is
worth. I might sell him; but there is not a man that wants him. I cannot
even give him away. I will turn him out to shift for himself, and pick
grass by the roadside. If he starves to death, so much the better."
So the brave old horse was turned out to find what he could among
the rocks on the barren hill-side. Lame and sick, he strolled along the
dusty roads, glad to find a blade of grass or a thistle. The boys threw
stones at him, the dogs barked at him, and in all the world there was no
one to pity him.
One hot afternoon, when no one was upon the street, the horse
chanced to wander into the market place. Not a man nor child was there,
for the heat of the sun had driven them all indoors. The gates were wide
open; the poor beast could roam where he pleased. He saw the grapevine rope that hung from the bell of justice. The leaves and tendrils
upon it were still fresh and green, for it had not been there long. What a
fine dinner they would be for a starving horse!
He stretched his thin neck, and took one of the tempting morsels in
his mouth. It was hard to break it from the vine. He pulled at it, and the
great bell above him began to ring. All the people in Atri heard it. It
seemed to say,—
52
"Some one
has done me wrong!
Some one
has done me wrong!
Oh! come
and judge my case!
Oh! come
and judge my case!
For I've
been wronged!"
The judges heard it. They put on their robes, and went out through
the hot streets to the market place. They wondered who it could be who
would ring the bell at such a time. When they passed through the gate,
they saw the old horse nibbling at the vine.
"Ha!" cried one, "it is the miser's steed. He has come to call for
justice; for his master, as everybody knows, has treated him most
shamefully."
"He pleads his cause as well as any dumb brute can," said another.
"And he shall have justice!" said the third.
Meanwhile a crowd of men and women and children had come into
the market place, eager to learn what cause the judges were about to try.
When they saw the horse, all stood still in wonder. Then every one was
ready to tell how they had seen him wandering on the hills, unfed,
uncared for, while his master sat at home counting his bags of gold.
"Go bring the miser before us," said the judges.
And when he came, they bade him stand and hear their judgment.
"This horse has served you well for many a year," they said. "He has
saved you from many a peril. He has helped you gain your wealth.
Therefore we order that one half of all your gold shall be set aside to buy
him shelter and food, a green pasture, where he may graze, and a warm
stall to comfort him in his old age."
The miser hung his head, and grieved to lose his gold; but the people
shouted with joy, and the horse was led away to his new stall and a
dinner such as he had not had in many a day.
###
53
12. After this one, you’re on your own. Story ideas are everywhere.
All you have to do is watch and listen for them. Play “what if” and
use your imagination and your combining skills.
“If I were to write my autobiography, some librarian somewhere
would file it under fiction.” (a quote by me)
&/or
One Christmas, I asked several people what their worst Christmas
present ever was. Without hesitation, a wonderful lady who cannot shop
in the petite section replied: “My brother-in-law gave me a set of scales
and a mirror one year.”
“So, was the funeral service closed casket for him because of the
condition of the body?” I asked.
“No. The only reason I didn’t kill him was because I didn’t want my
sister to be a widow.”
###
Don’t stop here - you’re on a roll!
54
Any Other Nonfiction
Histories, course books, sermon books, etc. Help yourself.
Novel
No. I will not make any suggestions in this guide. Except the 78
Editing Tips are really handy and the use of index cards is also really
handy. You wouldn’t believe some of the manuscripts I’ve read. The
good, the bad, the ugly... Mostly the last two.
Can you kangaroo square the title?
Children’s Books
In spite of the fact that I have written a number of these and designed
others that I did not write, whatever I said regarding novels goes for this
one as well.
55
Everything Has Parts
Roof interiors have parts.
Feathers have parts.
Even a horse harness has parts.
56
And, Books Have Parts.
Some books have many parts. If you really want to know all the
parts, then do a search on the internet.
But, all books, especially yours, need the following parts, with
possibly (still love those adverbs!) the table of contents optional,
depending on the type of book you have.
Front Cover
A physical book or an e-book, both need a front cover. If you have a
book that is in both formats, the covers need to match. If you have a
DVD and/or a CD with this book, it/they need to match as well.
Besides images or graphic designs, the front cover needs the title and
the author’s name. Do not put “by” in front of the author’s name. If
you have a public domain work, be sure to follow the guidelines from
Amazon®.
YOU DID
2
THE TITLE, DIDN’T YOU?
And it is EVERGREEN, right?
Good.
57
Title Page
Name of the book, author’s name. Do not put “by” in front of your
name. If you have a public domain work, be sure to follow the
guidelines from Amazon®. Must be on the right hand side of a
physical book.
TITLE
PAGE
Copyright Page
Look at the one in this book. Some will also contain the dedication
information. It will always be on the left hand side of a physical book
and it will always be on the backside of the title page. Be sure to go
into your manuscript and put the ISBN number on the copyright page
and re--save it as a pdf file and resubmit it. The ISBN number is
different for every format and edition.
COPY
RIGHT
PAGE
58
Table of Contents
It depends on the book if you really need one or not. They are
somewhat of a challenge to do. I recommend searching for a free table
of contents template on the internet. I have been know to simply insert a
table and enter the information into the rows and columns. If you have
one, it must start on the right hand side of a physical book.
ALWAYS! May have to be more than one page long. If I have one, it
becomes my working outline. As I add material or rearrange material in
the body, I update the Table of Conents.
TABLE
OF
CONTENTS
Body
In a physical book, it always is on the right hand side of the book.
BLANK
BODY
59
Back Cover Secrets, Shhh * In a book store, buyers look at the back cover after they look at the
front cover and title. This alone may determine if they buy it or not.
* Buyers don’t care about you and your wonderful photo and what all
you’ve done. They care about themselves. Remember that from the
USP? Give them what they care about! Answer the question “what’s
in it for me?” from the buyer’s point of view. You do that one of two
ways or a combination of two ways.
1. Benefits, benefits, benefits. Center your answers around this
question: what will they not loose and what pain will they avoid by
buying and readying my book? Avoiding pain and loss are bigger
buying motivators than gain. Let them feel the pain. Help them to avoid
something.
2. No one likes to be first when it comes to spending their
money. They want someone else to give it a test drive and then say it
was great. These would be testimonials. Don’t make them up. Ask
for them. Especially from people who are like the people who would be
your buyers. Show your proof copy or send an email with a PDF file.
* Do put a QR Code and the shortened URL for those of us with
dumb phones and not smart phones on the back cover. It must lead to a
website with your contact information and maybe live links to all of
your books, CDs, and DVDs. You might reward them with a short
movie or coupon or something. People like to be rewarded for doing
something, even scanning a QR Code or going to a website. Don’t
disappoint them. And don’t overwhelm their poor phone with a very
busy, very elaborate website. The experience will not be rewarding if
you do!
* Leave the area on the lower right hand side blank. Your ISBN
number lives there and is not happy sharing space with anything else.
www.createspace.com will place it for you correctly if you use one of
theirs.
60
* Back Covers like simplicity and white space. Give it to them.
Where Does Your Book Live?
It can live at a number of places. We will only talk about the first
four.
1. Your own website (URL) (Very optional.)
2. www.smashwords.com (Great place, do it last.)
3. www.createspace.com (ABSOLUTELY A MUST)
4. www.amazon.com (ABSOLUTELY A MUST) (Did I mention
this is absolutely a must????)
5. Someplace else - surely (love those adverbs) it is not homeless
and under your bed, in your garage, your sister’s basement, etc.! If so,
don’t despair. Continue in this guide, help is on its way.
Your own URL
www.smashwords.com
www.createspace.com
www.amazon.com
Someplace else
61
Your Own Website (URL)
VERY OPTIONAL
First
NICHE
Fifth
NICHE
Second
NICHE
Third
NICHE
Fourth
NICHE
PROs:
*One domain name costs less than multiple ones.
*All articles, lists, recipes, bookmarks, and reviews are the bricks on
the same yellow brick road and multiply in their ROI. In theory.
CONs:
62
*Does Google® look at all the keywords/tagwords on a website or
just top five or so? Some say they look at all of them. Some say they
don’t. Amazon’s® company, www.createspace.com, only allows five
categories. Each category is a keyword or keyword phrase. Wonder
why? Hummmm.
Your Own Website (URL)
There is only one place I will do my websites even though I have
tried a number of companies over the years. And this is the only one I
will recommend.
*This one is easy to use.
*The learning curve is tiny.
*Their customer service is great.
*They offer free services - but upgrade to their pro account.
1. You will need an email account. If you don’t have one get a free one
from www.gmail.com and if you don’t have a computer or high speed
internet, then this is great time to get acquainted with the great folks
down at the “liberry.” Be sure to write down your user ID and your
password. I do all of mine in a spiral notebook and not just a tiny
piece of paper.
2. Buy your domain name through www.godaddy.com Reread the title
and keyword sections. If you are only going to have one URL, make it
general. If you are going to have multiple ones with one for each
product, then make each match the name of each product, if possible.
3. Go to www.weebly.com and set up your website. If you have
questions, look at their help sections. You choose the design and then
slide the elements down and start filling the elements with words or
pictures or audios or videos or contact forms or a combination. As a
bonus, all the websites built here are also optimized for a mobile phone
according to their customer service department. You will find out how
sweet that it, guaranteed.
One item per URL or more? You will need to decide if you want
one product per URL or if you want a central page with more than one.
63
Know that for any sells you make at your own website, you are
responsible for the fulfillment and shipping and taxes. You will need a
landing page that is a sales letter or sales video, a PayPal account and
buy button (or some other checkout system), a fulfillment page, and a
thank you page. And then you need to ship it. In a very timely fashion.
64
OTHER PLACES IT MUST LIVE
2. www.smashwords.com (Start with #3, then #4, and then do this
one. )
Smashwords is an electronic platform. It is free to upload your book,
just follow their formatting guide. It’s just like following a recipe and you
can do it or pay someone to do it. It will turn your book into different
formats for most all of the electronic devices people use to read stuff on.
(How do you like that sentence structure?) Remember kangaroo squared
and the five magic words: keywords, keywords, keywords, keywords,
keywords? Good.
3. www.createspace.com
This is a POD (Print on demand) company that is part of
www.Amazon.com. You can publish a paperback book of various sizes
and either black & white or in color. You can publish a CD and a DVD.
They have an easy to use cover creator. They require you to purchase a
proof before you can make it live for others to purchase, which is an
excellent idea. A sense of excellence must prevail. You can upgrade for
more distribution channels and more royalty for about the cost to go to the
movies with your honey and have a meal out at a restaurant. Check out a
movie from the “liberry” and fix a pot of soup at home. There, you have
the money.
You can pay them to convert your book into an e-book for Kindle. If
you use smashwords for that, it will be in pretty much all the formats. All
is better.
4. www.amazon.com This is a given. Choose it with your e-book and
with your paper book or CD or DVD. Remember, this is where you found
the keywords (kangaroo squared) to create your title. You will get paid
less than at the other places listed, but you have a bigger market and you
are not responsible for shipping like you are on your own website. Read
their directions.
If any have an affiliate program, allow others to sell your “stuff.”
65
ASSIGNMENT 1. Take all your projects that live on e-book
platforms or anywhere else and print on
www.createspace.com and
www.smashwords.com platforms, one by
one, and run them through KANGAROO
SQUARED.
2. Re-title any that do not pass using the
precise formula.
3. Assign new ISBN numbers. They are
free when you use www.smashwords.com
and www.createspace.com.
4. Reformat with a NEW file and NEW
name. Do NOT copy over your old files on
your computer or disc or memory stick or
whatever. Be sure to change the title
page(s), and the copyright page, the cover,
and anyplace else you have the old title.
5. While you’re at it, the sense of
excellence needs to prevail. Edit your
work according to the editing tips. No, I’m
not kidding.
6. Do not take the “old” one down. Just put
up the “new.” Whatever yellow brick road
paths you have already established to the old
remain. You will be building new yellow
brick road paths to the new edition.
7. Do not despair if you have a bunch of
physical products somewhere. We’re
getting there! Promise.
66
The Kitchen
You need cohesiveness in your book if you want to maximize your
ROI, Return on Investment of time and energy.
Picture in your mind that you are building a new house. You can
build it any way you want to and anywhere you desire. You are now in
the process of designing the kitchen. You decide you want one of those
really pretty refrigerators that is blue. You look at the stoves and decide
a red one would be nice. You then go to the cabinet section and decide
you want one cabinet walnut, one light oak, one black, one with a glass
door, one white, one pine, one knotty pine, and one dark oak. Next, you
go over the pots and pans section. You buy a pot from this set, one from
that set, another from a different set, and so on. Next, you meander over
to the kitchen accessories.
Yep, you guessed it, you choose a mis-match of towels, place mats,
utensils and even a table from one set, and chairs from six other sets.
You did it like you wanted it.
Now, some time has passed and you must sell it and you are going to
leave everything. Are you going to be able to find a buyer?
What if you originally spent the same amount of money and time, but
coordinated everything and it all matched? Now, will you be able to sell
it?
Your five keywords, including the kangaroo squared words must
match in your title, the BISAC (you’ll find that in the cover creator or
www.createspace.com), the categories, the keywords, the description, as
well as the subject of your book.
In making your cover, as you come to different sections such as
the description and author bio, please read and heed the resource
articles www.createspace.com provides.
67
FIXIN’
Up until this page, we have been “fixin’” and preparing your book.
Fixin’ is a wonderful word I grow up with in Texas. I hear it in a few
other places. My northern friends make fun of it. (Or, is it me they are
making fun of?) When the folks moved and settled in places like Texas,
they had no superstores. They had no supply houses. What they had is
what they brought with them. They learned to make do or do without.
Just because a harness broke was no excuse for not plowing the
ground. Especially if they intended to eat the following year. They had
to fix the harness. Thus, when asked what they were doing, they were
“fixin’” to plow.
Fixin” means what you have to do to get ready for what you plan on
doing. You have been in the process of “fixin’.” Now, it’s time to do
and market it.
68
Now, you have an excellent book that is kangaroo squared and
evergreen, without skunks stinking it up.
You know what kind of fish, uh-buyer, it is for.
You know the bait, uh-keywords, to use.
You know where the best spot at Uncle Junior’s pond is.
Ready to go fishing?
69
THE LAST PART DOING
70
71
So, how do you get paid to promote
your book?
You are going to publish articles according to a very specific
formula and those articles are going to do three things:
1. They are going to lead people to your book to purchase. This
is not a bread crumb trail as in Hansel and Gretal; it is a very solid,
evergreen brick road. Each article is a brick.
2. Since they are a sample of your very best work (a sense of
excellence must prevail), they are going to act as your sales letter for your
book.
3. Because you are only going to post the articles at
www.xomba.com, and because Google® pays for folks clicking on the
paid ads which are tied to keywords, and XOMBA® keeps part of it and
has Google® send you part of it, you get paid to promote your book.
Google® loves :
* quality
* useful content
* authoritative, relevant backlinks like you will have from
publishing on XOMBA®
You are not, under any circumstances, to
purchase a bundle of articles, outsource them,
nor buy any kind of article submitting
software or program nor any kind of article
re-hashing software or program.
GOT IT?
72
Candidate for a Pullet Surprise
by Mark Eckman and Jerrold H. Zar
I have a spelling checker,
It came with my PC.
It plane lee marks four my revue
Miss steaks aye can knot sea.
Eye ran this poem threw it,
Your sure reel glad two no.
Its vary polished in it's weigh.
My checker tolled me sew.
A sense of excellence
must prevail.
73
Don’t fear! It’s only a tiny mouse, not a big, bad dog.
On www. Xomba.com an article can be:
1. An “article” article including a story. CANNOT BE FICTION.
2. A list of 5, 10 or 20 items.
3. A recipe. Remember recipe titles and list of ingredients cannot be
copyrighted. Directions are copyrighted. So, rewrite the directions.
4. A review.
5. A bookmark of a website. What a nifty place to put a neon sign
back to your own work, your own URL, and your article URLs.
74
ASSIGNMENT:
Go to www.xomba.com and read
every resource page they give
you and watch every training
video. It’s a real good idea to
print all the pages out and study
them and heed them.
If you are still trembling in your boots over writing the articles, go
back re-read the section on Q & A Books. You can outsource audio
files for transcription, but do not outsource assigned article subjects.
More than likely, the assigned articles will be bundled and sold to
others.
Do not submit any articles until
you have a URL on Amazon for your
book, CD, or DVD. Write ‘em. Edit
‘em. Save ‘em. I’ll tell you when to
push the “go” button.
You really don’t want to waste any
articles, do you?
75
My Apple Example
SCENARIO: You own an apple farm and have/want to have an
apple book and market it in your store on the farm and in other
places, say maybe around the world.
“How u do dat?”
Simple - you are going to “write” a Q & A Book, and
create articles from it, and have a print on demand
paperback book and an e-book.
I wrote down the following in the car. It took me less than three
minutes. My thought was to create a list of articles to promote the
book. It also is a great guideline for writing the Q & A Book. It
certainly is not comprehensive, but just a launching pad.
Instead of a list of ten or twenty (EGADS!) apple varieties you make
four lists of five apple varieties.
1. 5 best known U.S. Apples > 5 articles, one on each
2. 5 least known U.S. Apples > 5 articles, one on each
3. 5 best eating apples > 5 articles, one on each
4. 5 best cooking apples > 5 articles, one on each > 5 lists of recipes
76
A. Mama’s favorite 5 recipes > one article, each one
B. Aunt Susie’s favorite 5 recipes > one article, each one
C. Brother Bill’s favorite 5 recipes > one article, each one
D. Your favorite 5 recipes > one article, each one
E. Pick any country, say Germany, 5 favorite German apple
recipes > one article, each one (How many more countries?)
Now, we are up to this many articles:
4 + 20 + 1 + 25 = 50 articles and we’ve just scratched the surface.
(4 lists of five varieties each + 20 on each variety + list of favorite
recipes + 25 recipes)
Make a list of top 5 production states > article about each one.
50 + 1 + 5 = 56
Make a list of apples in 5 other countries > article about each one
56 + 1 + 5 = 62
Make a list of 5 varieties grown at your farm > one article for each
(Note, if the same variety pops up, rewrite the article.)
62 + 1 + 5 = 68
Make a list of 5 activities of actual harvesting > one article each
68 + 1 + 5 = 74
Make a list of apple history > (old recipes, where they originated from,
how varieties came to be, how your farm started, folk lore,etc.)
74 + 1 + 5 =80 (How many stories of fore lore do you know or can you
research regarding apples?)
Make a list of 5 stories/incidents that happened on your farm. Did the
new calf get his head stuck in a bucket underneath the oldest apple tree?
> each
“Need I say more?”
77
Believe me, you can go on and on and on. And if doesn’t matter if you
have an apple business, a pumpkin business, happen to be a dentist, lawyer,
diabetes educator, body builder/trainer, chiropractor, veterinarian,
troubadour, herpetologist, housewife, mechanic, janitor, vegetarian, run a
portable outhouse business, or you name it.
78
There are two additional super
important items regarding XOMBA®
articles.
* The Resource Box
* The Categories
The Resource Box is where you put the URL, more
specifically, the location where your book lives on
www.amazon.com. Follow Xomba’s® guidelines and you will
be fine. Don’t follow them and you’ll be sorry. Very sorry.
79
XOMBA® says The Categories are not required. They are and
they must be the five keywords on your starfish.
About Your Keywords
2
First KEYWORD or
phrase
2
Second
KEYWORD
or phrase
Fourth KEYWORD
or phrase
Third
KEYWORD or
phrase
Fifth KEYWORD or phrase
Use at least one kangaroo squared word or phrase in the title of your
article or at least one keyword or phrase.
You will need to use 3-5 keywords in your first paragraph. Use them
naturally and use your first kangaroo squared word/phrase from the title
of your book, CD, or DVD. DO NOT MENTION YOUR BOOK, CD,
or DVD by name here unless the keyword phrase is the title. Just
don’t capitalize it. To do so is a violation of XOMBA® guidelines.
80
This is not where you “sell” anything. You are giving, unique, high
quality content that is enriched with your keywords. Nothing more.
And nothing less will get you nowhere.
Do you have a URL on Amazon®?
Do you have it in your resource box?
Is everything evergreen and keyword enriched?
Any skunks lurking around to stink things up?
Go submit the articles.
Then use the free service at www.submitexpress.com and submit
every URL to the search engines, including your article ones, where
your book lives, and your own websites.
Q ~ How many articles do I need?
A ~ How many bricks does it take to build a road? How many books do
you want to sell? A few bricks do not constitute a road.
81
And your next book is...
82
I promised one of my students I would include the section on QR
Codes from one of my other books, Funeral Director: Memorial Gift
Videos in this guide. A QR Code is literally the bridge between the
internet (online) and anything offline.
PLEASE NOTE: Your QR Code should lead to your
book or to a thank you and contact form website only,
not to the places listed below.
QR Codes
What is a QR Code? A QR CODE is a 2D barcode that is becoming
very popular in the United States. QR stand for “Quick Response.” As
the use of SMART PHONES increases, so increases the number of QR
Codes. You even find them on soda cups from your favorite taco place
and the bottom of the front page on the daily newspaper. I saw one on
the back of a furniture delivery truck at a stop sign.
How does it work? Someone with a smart phone downloads a free
ap that is a QR Reader. They then use the camera on their phone to take
a picture of the QR CODE. Their phone then opens up where ever the
QR Code leads them.
You want it to lead to one of several places:
1.) To the web page where you put A Precious Memory of Rick Smith,
JR. if you put the unique QR Code on the DVD back cover and the
insert inside the holder
2.) To your business card or coupon for your free, pre-planning booklet
coupon/website for your pre-need department (More later on that.)
3.) To one of your Google® Places videos (More later on that.)
4.) NEVER to your main website – too much there for a phone to be
happy with...
83
What is a QR Code used for? Basically, for someone to store and
access information you want them to have available on their smart
phone.
How do I get one? You make it in about a minute or two on your
computer.
How much does a QR Code cost? Nothing.
Why do I need a QR Code that is not “cluttered”? Because older
smart phones have trouble reading them. You want everybody with a
smart phone to be able to read it.
Here's the exact formula to use EVERYTIME. Remember, a
system is used to make things work smoothly, efficiently, and
consistently.
Go to htt://bit.ly > Enter the complete URL from the webpage for
Rick Smith, Jr. http://ricksmithjr.weebly.com [You can cut and paste it
from or type it. Double check, errors will play havoc here!] > Click on
shorten.
Your shortened URL will appear below the box. If your website is up
and running (created and published), you can click on the shortened
URL and it will take you directly to the website. It will show you on
the right side exactly what the original URL is. Somewhere in the
middle, you will see a blue copy button. Click on it.
(If you want to know how many folks are clicking on your QR Codes,
htt://bit.ly has an analytical tool that will keep track of the number of
visitors. Know this for sure, those with hundreds at their services will
have more visitors via their QR Codes than those who have you and the
minister there at their services.)
Go to http://zxing.appspot.com > click on QR Code Generator >
84
Contents > Choose URL from drop down menu > Paste shortened URL
in box > Download > Save file
When download page comes up (in split seconds), then right click on
file name > open containing folder > left click on it. The file will be
highlighted, copy this file and save it to the folder for this person.
Your QR Code for Rick Smith, Jr. is now ready and waiting. You will
need it later when you make the insert and the cover.
When you make the one (ones) for your funeral home, here are a few
ideas just to get you thinking of how to use them in your marketing
campaign. There is another session on QR CODES – ADVANCED
MARKETING later on in this workshop.
In a recent magazine, the QR Code was at the bottom of the ad on
worship music. Next to it was a tiny cell phone and the words: “Scan
using your smart phone for free download.” Change the words for your
needs.
coffee mugs – you do offer your families something to drink,
including coffee?
to Google® coupon offering free pre-need planning booklet (I
promise, we will get to this completely)
(different one) on business card to business card information
inside framed picture of funeral home in all bathrooms
printed on fans
printed on drinking cups
Oh, by the way, every time someone views the memorial movie of
Rick Smith, Jr., they will see the last image in the movie, which will
always be “services under the direction of” your funeral home. (I
promise, we will cover it including multiple locations.)
85
QR CODES – ADVANCED
MARKETING
You have already learned how to make a QR Code. So, we will not
go over that again.
“Placing a QR Code on a monument on a grave marker, linked back
to the deceased's memorial page (online obituary, pictures, condolences,
video, etc.) on a funeral home's website -would help a piece of granite,
marble, or bronze tell a life story and allow for an interactive experience
for anyone with a smart phone who happens upon the grave.” - Funeral
Innovation
Funeral Innovation trademarked “Remembrance Code”, which is their
name for a QR CODE.
QR – on back of custom service folder back to online memorial.
“The question is not whether funeral service is ready for QR Code
technology – because it is already here and being put to use. No, the
real question is: 'Are you ready to go or is your funeral home going to
continue to sit this one out and see how things develop?'” - Thomas J.
Frisch from Got Funeral?, LLC www.gotfuneral.com
They are found on urns, headstones, memorial markers, business
cards and link back to “life story memory pages.”
“As smart phone camera quality improves and reliable reader apps are
developed for all smart phone platforms, QR Codes will undoubtedly be
a powerful marketing tool for everyone.” - Cathy Zimmerman from
www.businessknowhow.com
86
Regarding QR Codes:
http://blogs.twincities.com/yourtechweblog/2011/05/qr-codes-areappearing-on-are-you-ready-for-this-tombstones.html#comments
There are no restrictions on the use of Google® hosted QR Codes
built with ZXING (Zebra Crossing) http://zxing.appspot.com
ZXING – QR Code can lead back to any of the following:
> contact information
> calendar event
> email address
> Geo location
> phone number
> SMS (short message service - texting)
> text
> ***URL (only one we teach you to use)
> wifi network
USES of QR CODES - From A-Z:
Keep in mind that we are talking about two distinct types of QR Codes
here. The first one is for the funeral home and will link back to
something regarding your funeral home, such as a link to a coupon for
free pre-need planning booklet that will be used as a marketing tool for
your pre-need department.
The second is one for a deceased person's memorial web page with the
DVD embedded on it.
A. Placed on tile, waterproofed, and then permanently embedded flush
in the marker/ separate holder by the marker/securely attached to the
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marker
B. Wooden pendent necklace with QR Code linking back to memorial
video (Directions: Correct height and width of QR Code in
OpenOfficeWriter file. Cut out, leaving 1/4” on all sides, use spray
adhesive and glue QR Code on front side of pendent. Put name of
person underneath QR Code. Spray with sealer or use Outdoor Modge
Podge to waterproof. Keep each person separate from everyone else as
you make them. It’s a good idea to double check and scan the Code.)
C. Order key ring – one side the picture of the person, the other the QR
Code
http://www.vistaprint.com
D. Picture tile with the title photo with QR Code on lower right side, on
an easel
E. Coffee mug with picture of person and QR Code (order from
Walgreens® or Wal-Mart® or similar store's photo section catalog)
F. Coffee mug with picture of funeral home and QR Code leading back
to something about the funeral home (order from Walgreens® or WalMart® or similar store's photo section – what else in their photo catalog
makes sense?)
G. Imprinted on fans – Make your fans give you more than a breeze
H. Framed picture of funeral home with QR Code inside all bathrooms
I. QR Code on back of DVD holder
J. QR Code on DVD insert
K. QR Code on back of custom service folder
L. QR Code on business cards
M. In obituary column in paper – link back to memorial video
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O. QR Code on small tile with easel next to URN to give to family with
URN
Q. Postcards with title picture, QR Code, and announcement to give to
family to mail to Christmas card list inviting others to see the DVD on
line
R. Make a www.weebly.com web site with a sign in for a free pre-need
funeral planning booklet. Have your business QR Codes go there.
Make a short movie explaining why they are so valuable to the family
and how wishes that are known can be utilized and put it on that website.
Be sure to end with your contact information, but do not make it a “sales
pitch.” It should be educational. Also, put it on www.YouTube.com
S. Business QR Codes should always point to a mobile-optimized
website in the opinion of a number of marketers and it should reward
them with something – such as a movie or a free booklet or a free grief
book.
T. While you can add an image or log inside a QR Code, you can spent a
lot of time doing so. If you want to, Google® “How to add logo to QR
Code.”
U. If you are running multiple ads in various media, put a separate QR
Code on each and have each link to a different website. Because
htt://bit.ly does statistics, you will be able to tell which ad brings in the
most results.
V. If you have a newsletter, say on grief, that you send out for for free to
families for several months, then you can make easy for people to see
your customer testimonials. Add a QR Code to your next newsletter that
drives people to an online page of written or recorded testimonials.
Note: you can make a set of newsletters, say six, and send one out each
month. Don't date them, just call them Vol. 1, Vol. 2, etc. You can start
the series the week after the funeral. Be sure the last issue states that it
will be the last one. QR Code can also go to an online video or an audio
regarding the section of grief mentioned in the newsletter. In short, a
newsletter can have a couple of QR Codes, but don't get carried away
with it!
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W. QR Codes can lead to a free online e-book.
X. QR Codes to coupon for flowers/markers
Y. QR Codes on notepads including sticky notes
Z. Remember, not everyone has a smart phone. Some of us have dumb
phones. Do not leave us out! Always, always include the shortened
URL and directions for using the QR Code.
There is not a letter after Z, but I saw in the photo section of WalMart® a clear Christmas ornament that holds two pictures. This may be
online or you may have to ask for them if it is out of season. How does
one side with a picture of the deceased and the other side of the QR
Code and dried flowers from the casket spay sound to give at the
beginning of December?
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Other Resources
* www. Fotosketcher.com Great for adding frames around pictures
and for changing pictures into drawings or painting.
* www. Jing.com Great for capturing whatever is on your computer
screen. Save as jpeg and insert as you need or want them.
* I use windows movie maker to make my DVDs.
* The public domain is your friend for ideas, research, clip art, photos.
Easy to get lost in public domain for hours and hours.
* paint If you have a Window’s based operating system on your
computer, then paint is hiding in the accessories file.
* www.sherif.com I love working with their page design programs. It
is easy to move pages around, insert and edit pictures, do what you need
to do to have a nice book. It is inexpensive and very reliable. Their
customer service is great. Note: if you are going to make an e-book,
you will need to follow the guidelines for those formats. But, you can
always copy and paste.
* www.wavepad.com I really like their free version to work with
audio files.
* www.picasa.com is a nice, free image editing program.
* I take my pocket sized digital recorder with me just about
everywhere. Great for recording ideas when you can’t write them down
and also for doing a Q & A Book or articles. I can transfer the files to
my computer and go from there.
* www.vistaprint.com This is where I get my business cards. They
have other things as well.
* www.bit.ly To make a short URL so you can make a good QR Code.
* http://zxing.appspot.com QR Code maker.
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Checklist
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During my prayer time one morning regarding this resource guide, I
wrote the following in my prayer journal:
“The time has come.”
Lord, Abba Daddy, I don’t understand. The time has come for what?
“To work on the resource book. It will change the lives of those who
choose to run with it. Make it very clear and simple. If you will listen, I
will direct every word, every page, every part of it. There will be some
who will not read it. There will be others who will read it, but not heed
it. Then, there will be those who read it, and run like the wind with it.
And, I will be glorified in it.”
Thank You, Lord, my Abba Daddy.
“You’re welcome, My child.”
Reader, go toward your dream. It gets brighter as you get closer.
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