1. Commercial Book Publishing

2. Self Publishing

3. Subsidy Publishing

4. Ebook Publishing

1. Commercial Book Publishing – This is the main way that authors have been getting published and can be very challenging. While there are thousands of publishing houses, today there are more writers than ever before.

A publishing house is a business and like all businesses they have a goal to create profits in an efficient manner. It is unlikely that you will be able to make contact with a publishing house if you don’t have a good literary agent.

Surveys show that only 1 out 400 applicants are accepted by literary agents for representation. The majority of literary agents prefer to take on clients that have previously been published.

To get published with a publishing house will take a combination of talent, timing and luck. You can be an very talented writer and have a wonderful book but if the publishing house just finished publishing a book that is similar to yours you may not be accepted – or if this is a “red hot market” then you may be lucky.

For these reasons it is important to do research and see what are the trends and what people are buying. An excellent resource for this type of information is Amazon’s Bestseller section.

2. Self Publishing – Where in the past commercial publishing was the only option, today you can “self-publish” your book. Self publishing is when you take on all of the jobs that are needed to create, print and distribute your book.

Some of the services required are:

*Editing – This is very important for most types of books

*Proof Pages – Preparing the pages and page order

*Artwork – You’ll need both Front and Back covers plus the internal artwork which is any images or clip-art that appears within the text

*Printing – You will need to turn your electronic files into hard/soft cover books. There are 3 options for printing: get a small amount printed, get a large amount printed or use a print-on-demand service

*Distribution – How will you distribute the books? You can contact retailers and online distributors yourself or utilize a professional service

The first step is to decide which tasks you will do and which tasks you will hire someone else to do. Today, thanks to the internet, there is lots of free information available on each step of the publishing process.

3. Subsidy Publishing – This is when the author pays a printer to produce a book and then earns royalties from the sales of the book. Sometimes this is confused with self publishing. With self publishing the author pays all the expenses and in turn receives 100% of the proceeds.

Another name for this is “Vanity Publishing Houses” which sometimes can have bad reputations. They will often claim that they can sell the book and then after paying for everything the writer is left without any real distribution and stuck with a bunch of books.

4. Ebook Publishing – This is a new approach that is gaining a lot of popularity. It is very easy to take a digital file and turn it into and ebook to sell online. A good way to do this is by having a personal website or blog and putting up articles and content to attract visitors and get publicity.

Alternatively, you can order an ISBN online and then companies like Amazon and Mobipocket will sell your ebook through their distribution network and you earn royalties from each sale.

Thanks to the internet there has never been a better time for an author to get published. Some people feel that because there is so much information online that traditional books will become obsolete.

I feel that while this may be true in some categories, for the most part it is the opposite – all of the free information creates a hunger for more!

When radio first arrived, the music industry was scared that they wouldn’t sell as many albums and then they started selling much more than ever before. It’s similar to how in a grocery store you are offered free samples, if it tastes good than you are more likely to buy.

I recommend spending a good amount of time doing research until you discover which is the best way for you to publish your book. I highly recommend utilizing the internet to share with others and grow your readership.

What is a Preparatory School

A preparatory school is a private school, independent of the Toronto public school system, that is designed to get students ready for college. Every aspect of the school is designed for college prep. Academics are emphasized more than extra-curricular activities, although extra-curriculars are available. This type of Toronto independent school typically has low student-to-teacher ratios. Because of this, the teachers are able to give the students more attention than they would likely receive in a public school. This, in theory, will give the students a better instructional environment.

Some prep schools are also boarding schools. Both local and out-of-town students can take advantage of the boarding option. By living at school, students are able to focus more on their academics without the distractions of home. Some prep schools are gender specific, another tactic that is designed to eliminate distractions from academics.

Many Toronto prep schools are just high schools, without a junior high or elementary. Some of the more elite schools will have a full program, but many parents choose this option only for the last four years of high school, as this is when the preparation for the university scene really begins.

What Is a Private School?

A private school in Toronto is simply a school that is independent from the Toronto public school system. This can be a preparatory school, but it may not be. Some Toronto private schools have a completely different focus, such as a Montessori approach to education or a vocational training focus. Preparatory schools are private schools, but not all private schools are preparatory schools.

All private schools, whether or not they are prep schools, charge tuition. In most cases, a preparatory school will have a high tuition requirement, because they are considered one of the best ways to prepare for college. In fact, some Toronto independent school options have tuition costs comparable to a college or university. Some have scholarship programs available for students with qualifying GPAs.

Choosing an Independent School

Parents who are interested in prep schools need to do their research before enrolling their students, because not all prep schools have the success statistics that would be assumed based on the cost of tuition. Ask the school for their statistics relating to the number of students who went on to complete a college or university program. Find out if the school has any records about the number of students who qualified for academic scholarships in college. Choose a preparatory school that has excellent numbers indicating the future success of their students.

Also, look for a school that has a well-rounded education. Some prep schools focus so strongly on academics that students are not taught other important life skills, such as proper physical fitness or financial planning on a personal budget level. While getting an education that prepares the child for college is important, it is just as important to prepare a child for real life, because not all students will attend college, no matter how well intentioned the parents and the school are.

Once you find a school that has excellent success reports combined with a well-rounded education, you have probably found the right school. Apply early, because most Toronto private schools fill up quickly, and some prep schools have stringent enrolment requirements. By choosing the right school carefully, you will prepare your student for college as well as you possibly can.

This short article will not try to explain every aspect of book publishing in detail, but it will brush on a few of the important topics. I have a few other book projects in the making that will detail the book self-publishing process; however, in the mean time, this should give you a good basis of understanding.

— The Idea —

The most difficult part of creating your manuscript is deciding on the topic. We all have ideas. It’s part of our being. Ideas pop in and out of our heads all day long; however, we usually dismiss many of them as useless or too simple to be of use. You would be surprised at how many people want “simple” and easy-to-understand information! Readers want books that teach, inform, and entertain.

When you sit down and really think about all you’ve learned throughout your life, you’ll be amazed at how much you really know! Your life experiences alone could fill a library! Even if you feel that you don’t have any knowledge that would be of interest to anyone, you can start small. Research a market that interests you, find your competition, learn all that you can about a specific subject, and then write about it. Your ideas are important, as your knowledge and point-of-view are unique and of interest to others.

— Planning the Product —

I always suggest keeping your book concise and informative. This provides a small footprint, yet it also allows your readers to purchase your book at a reasonable price. Keep it around 100 pages, which, once in book format, equals about 50, two-sided pages.

The core content of the manuscript consists of a title page, copyright, table of contents, figure and table references, acknowledgements, forwards, content, appendices, index, and back page. This list is the basic minimum requirements to support the information necessary to present your book and its content. Of course, you can add other items such as a glossary and a preface, but such inclusions are at your discretion.

It is best to produce your book in the standard 5.5″ by 8.5″ format in both print and PDF. I always suggest PDF to my publishing clients because it is one of the few cross-platform (i.e., Mac, PC, PDA, and UNIX-based machines) document distribution products available today and it is the most popular.

— The Manuscript —

Once you’ve focused on an idea, you’ll have to create an outline or table of contents to define the content. The best way I’ve found to do this is to break the idea down into blocks of contiguous information — similar to assembling a pyramid. Step through your idea and ensure that you are building from, for example, the most general information to the most specific information. Check the outline several times, and have a friend review it, to ensure that gaps are filled in appropriately.

You can actually over-rewrite your work to the point of frustration and burn-out. Ensure that you’ve planned and researched appropriately to provide a solid foundation. In this way you can develop a first draft and then perform substantive and grammar edits. Then, perform a technical edit and a second draft. Once the second draft is complete, move into a final copy edit then, once you produce galleys or a sample version of the finished book, perform a proof read. Don’t rework any of the core steps of document development, but ensure that each step is completed with quality in mind. This ensures a solid product in a short amount of time. If you would like to update or add to the information in your first release, provide a follow-up revision.

— ISBN and Copyright —

Once you’ve started your manuscript, order your group of ISBNs. You can sign up for your ISBNs at http://www.isbn.org for about $240 for 10 ISBNs. However, additional fees can be imposed based on express orders. This is why I say, order the ISBNs while you’re writing the manuscript so that you can afford to wait the 10 days for standard, free, delivery.

You will have to convert your ISBN numbers to EAN barcodes to apply to the back page of your book. The barcode must consist of the ISBN you assigned to the book as well as the coded pricing of the book. You can have a vendor generate the barcodes for between $3 (http://www.toupin.com/serv_writing.asp) and $20 per barcode or you can download and use the Barcode Maker (http://hem.passagen.se/sams/barcode.htm) to generate your own barcodes. For the price, it will pay for itself in just a few ISBNs for your books.

Once you have assigned one of your ISBNs to a book, you can register it in Books In Print (http://www.booksinprint.com/bip/). This is how booksellers are able to access your information and sell your book through their outlets. Additionally, you’ll want to register your manuscript-in-progress with the Library of Congress Cataloguing in Publication (http://cip.loc.gov/cip/ecipp14.html). This registers your book for access by libraries and government archives. You will be e-mailed the “CIP data” to be printed on the copyright page following the heading “Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data”.

To protect your work and ideas, copyrighting your book is a simple and inexpensive process. There are actually several different methods of protecting your work including government and commercial organizations. The primary sites are the government copyright office (http://www.copyright.gov/forms/) and WriteSafe (http://www.writesafe.com/).

— Production —

There are many different ways to produce your books; however, costs range from a $1,000 initial setup plus the purchase of a few hundred copies down to no setup fees and pay-as-you-go. The final choice is yours, but my direction involved a local printing company and a pay-as-you-go scheme. With this approach, reduced initial costs are reflected back to the readers and your profit potential is seen immediately.

Three places that I’ve experimented with to print some of my books include Kinko’s (http://www.kinkos.com/), InstantPublisher (http://instantpublisher.com/pricing.htm), and Mimeo (http://www.mimeo.com/). Of course, use these for starters to experiment with your books. Eventually, you’ll find the right bindery for your needs. You can locate many publishers via Google.com or AllTheWeb.com using keywords such as “online printing”, “book printing”, and “print on demand”, but once you get some experience behind you, the choice will be much easier.

— Marketing and Distribution —

Once you assign and register your ISBN for your manuscript, it becomes available to the multitude of book stores around the globe including Amazon, Borders, Barnes&Noble, and various other major book sellers. Now that you have your book out there, the trick is to have people purchase the book and have book stores stock copies on their shelves.

To have the book stores purchase in quantity, you’ll have to devise a solid marketing plan to their acquisitions personnel. In many cases, book stores will simply sell your book to their customers as it is requested, but if you can get them to buy in bulk, that’s greater exposure and sales for you!

You can also license out the content to various professional speakers. Speakers are always looking for ways to provide quality information specific to their presentations. They might use your content in a handout, or perhaps for sale in the back of the room. Locate those speakers that fit within your audience and contact them. Find out their needs for their next presentation and work out a deal for them to resell your books. I’ve had many speakers use my articles in their presentations and the exposure and feedback has been overwhelming.

Of course, you should always locate affiliates to help sell your books. One way is to offer them a percentage of the gross sales or sell them copies of the books at a discount. Either way, you will have “agents” out pushing your books for you to make money for them, as well as for you.

Always provide a web site that boasts the benefits of your book. Use a book cover maker to create a book image on the web site. One quality book cover creator is called CoverFactory (http://www.ans2000.com/a2k_coverfactory.php) and provides numerous capabilities to generate professional looking covers for books, software, and services.

Free content is an important way to bring people to your site and let people know about your book. You can provide rewritten excerpts from your book as articles and submit them to various article announcement lists, press release sites, zines, and directories. I’ve been able to locate and associate with over 1,000 sites and lists that accept and publish my articles. This provides outstanding coverage for my sites, services, and products.

— Sales and Returns —

Since you are the publisher, you now have to determine how to handles sales. It’s important to define how you will handle direct sales and shipping, bulk sales, and affiliates. You want to ensure that your sales go smoothly as well as provide enough of a margin so that everyone profits.

When collecting funds, it’s important to accept credit cards through one of the popular merchant vendors. To minimize expenses and provide a common and secure payment mechanism, I use StormPay (http://www.stormpay.com) and PayPal (http://www.paypal.com). Since people have their likes and dislikes of online payment vendors, using both allows many different types of users to submit payments. Of course, you must always determine how to handle returns as part of a quality customer service program.

— What’s next? —

Obviously, the information provided here is merely an overview of the entire process. However, I am working on a book that provides all of the details of producing your own book under your own imprint. Publishing provides excellent return monetarily as well as through enhanced self-esteem. There is quite a feeling that comes with getting your message out there and having people return positive feedback. Perhaps, once you self-publish a few of your own titles, you can work on publishing other authors and open a full-fledged publishing house. In this day, such a venture is not unheard of!

There are two basic types of book clubs: commitment book clubs and continuity book clubs.

Commitment book clubs feature attractive introductory offers containing several books for a symbolic price (for example 6 books for 99¢ or 4 books for 1$ each) in exchange for a commitment to buy a few more books at the regular club price within a certain timeframe; usually this means 2-4 books within a year or two. The club price incorporates a considerable discount, which can be anywhere from 30-80%, in some cases even more.

Commitment book clubs send their members a printed catalog every 3-4 weeks, along with a card which includes the title of the Featured Selection — a book chosen by the club’s editors as a must-read of the moment. Members are not bound to buy the Selection though; they can opt for a different book (or several books) instead, or decline the offer altogether, either by sending the card back or responding on the club’s official web site.

Once the obligation is fulfilled, the membership can be canceled at any time. Typical representatives of commitment book clubs are Doubleday Book Club, The Literary Guild, Book-of-the-Month Club etc.

Continuity book clubs are subscription based operations in which members receive a pre-selected book or several books each month — usually from a specific genre or a part of a series — until the membership expires or is canceled. To prospective members a certain number of free books are often offered at the beginning to sweeten the deal or entice them to join.

Typical representatives of continuity book clubs are Harlequin (romance), Highlights (children’s and educational) and Scholastic (children’s and educational).

In choosing a suitable book club you should heed your preferences. Being a member of a commitment book club is, to an extent, like shopping at an online retailer. The selection is similar: you can choose from a wide range of latest bestsellers from all genres and among all the popular authors such as John Grisham, Nora Roberts, Danielle Steel, Stephen King etc. You do receive recommended reads on a regular basis, but can decline them and make your own choices. Compared to online retailers, there is an annoyance of dealing with monthly selections, but in return you save more money.

Continuity book clubs don’t let you choose books yourself; instead, you will be shipped a themed book or several books each month, in tune with the specific club’s offering. For example, if you’re into romance books you can opt to receive romantic suspense books, historical romances, medical romances etc. These types of clubs work best for avid readers who enjoy books from a particular genre, and for people who lack the time or desire to shop for new titles on a regular basis. The shipments will often be composed of books that are not available elsewhere, so exclusivity is also part of the appeal.

Often, prospective book club members regard introductory offers such as 6 books for 99¢ with a suspicious eye; they just seem too good to be true. To an extent, they are: when shipping and handling costs are added, the deal loses some of its splendor. Nevertheless, getting five or six or seven hardcover bestsellers for $3 or $4 apiece is still a bargain that even the largest online book retailers can’t come close to matching, so the question poses itself: how can book clubs afford to do it?

Several reasons. First, book clubs market the goods directly to you, the customer; by avoiding the middle man they are able to save a considerable amount. Furthermore, they cut their own deals with publishers, in order to pay smaller royalties etc. Finally, book clubs often print their own editions at at their own facilities, which lowers the production costs further.

These book club editions are identical to regular editions in terms of content and artwork: same words, same covers. However, they can be altered in size or printed on less expensive paper to achieve additional savings. They may also have a “book club edition” mark on the inside flap. Such editions are generally considered to have a lower resale value. If this represents a concern for you, note that all book clubs offer some sort of guarantee on their products and services. Continuity book clubs will usually send you a couple of free books to evaluate and decide whether or not you want to continue the relationship. Commitment book clubs will ship you the entire introductory offer (up to 8 books, which you can opt to pay for later) and give you 20 days to decide whether you want to keep them. In other words, you are not required to spend a single cent before you have a chance to check the merchandise and make sure it’s up to your standards.

I had some knowledge but if I was going to expand what I knew already I had to take the next step. For me it was to read that book and apply the information. Herein lays the key to how to avoid making the biggest mistakes first time authors make.

The first step is to acknowledge you don’t know something. Then you have to assess what you do know. Once you do that, then you work on where you want to go and what you want to accomplish? In my case I knew how to place my hands on the keys and type but I did not have the speed. I had come to realize that if I was going to get a job with promise for promotion after the birth of my son, I needed to at least be able to type with speed.

As a first time author, what is your goal, either you desire to have someone publish your book, or you plan to do it yourself? If you are planning to have it done, who can get done what you need? You have heard about publishers. You know that is what you need. What you don’t know is that there are different types that can be used to accomplish your goal. If you go on the internet and type in publisher, or publishing, you’re talking thousands to millions, which adds to the confusion.

Where do you start? You need information that can help you to understand what each type does and how you can effectively use them to get where you want to go. Your research quickly reveals that one process is faster than the other, which has led to the rise of more and more publishing options.

Publishers are classified as traditional and non-traditional. The traditional publisher buys the rights to your book, arranges for the printing and distribution, through marketing to the reading public. There are upfront costs prior to the traditional publisher buying the rights to your book. The non-traditional publisher, sometimes called vanity presses, or self-publish, or print on demand provides all of the services of a traditional publisher to prepare a book for the market, with one exception, the author pays for all the services from idea to finish product, plus marketing.

What will work for you depends on how impatient you are and how much you are willing to invest. The traditional publishing method can take years. It will never be over night. You will spend time sending query letters, attempting to sell editors on why your manuscript is the next best thing since slice bread. Yes, and rejection is a part of that.

There is no doubt the non-traditional methods are faster. Having access to a great editor will make a world of difference using this method. Find an editor that would be willing to let you sample their expertise for a small fee so that you can get a feel for that person’s capabilities.

The non-traditional publishers will be most visible online. How will you know you are dealing with a non-traditional publisher? If they charge a fee to produce your book, then you have a non-traditional publisher. The traditional publishers will not be that visible online. You can access them through books like the latest Writer’s Market, or get the online version. This book also contains some non-traditional publishers as well as tips and samples of query letters you can use to work the traditional publishers’ market.

With the non-traditional publishers you are shopping for the best price, for the most services. What you want done depends on your manuscript need. If you need editing, or proofreading, then you look for those who can provide that service. Some also provide a marketing package. Don’t be fooled by this by any means. Those marketing packages help you to position yourself to make book sales, but will not be an all out launch to sell your books. You will still have to actively work at marketing.

Once you have assessed the package, examine how easy it will be to upload it to their site. Some are more complicated. Work with non-traditional publishers you can talk with periodically as your book is being produced. If they have no patience with you, this might not be the best choice. Spend your money with people who will take the time to help you to understand what they are doing for you.

Go over everything before you submit. Make sure you personally proof your final prior to submission. If you hire a proofreader and editor clarify what exactly they are going to do; get it in writing, either by you sending an email reiterating what has been discussed, or asking them to send you something. You may want to find out if they will make the corrections. There maybe an additional charge but it will be worth it. That way you can focus on the re-reading and not doing both functions. If you negotiate a flat rate, ask if they would include a final read as part of that service. Use the services of proofreaders and editors before you submit your manuscript to traditional publishers.

The best part of becoming a published author, if you decide you can’t wait to be picked up by a traditional publisher and you want to self-publish, you can continue querying the traditional publisher. The door to the traditional publisher is not closed because you self-publish.

Though traditional publishers have cornered the market in the past, leaving many writers to give up in despair, the self-published markets have made splashes that have caused traditional publishers to race to the acquisition of some of these self-published works. There has never been a better time to publish a book. Get it done and enjoy the journey. It will be the best decision you ever made.

Every author wants glowing book reviews with quotable sentences to use as testimonials. A good review makes readers flock to the bookstore to buy the book.

But how do authors get their books reviewed? While the process is not difficult, the book review industry is changing. Today’s authors must designate a portion of their marketing budget for book reviews, and they must know how to use those book reviews to sell books.

Why Are Book Reviews Important?

More than 200,000 books are published each year. Less than 2% of those books sell more than 500 copies. We’ve all heard the saying, “So many books. So little time.” People don’t want to waste time or money reading books they won’t enjoy, so they rely on book reviews to help them make buying decisions. Your book will stand out if it receives positive reviews from reliable reviewers.

Where Do I Get a Book Review?

There are five top book reviewers: Publishers Weekly, Kirkus, Library Journal, Midwest Book Review, and The New York Times; however, if you’re self-published, it is unlikely your book will be reviewed by any of them. Reviews from local newspapers and magazines will only help you sell books locally. Furthermore, print publications are phasing out book reviews. So where can an author still get a good book review? The Internet.

Online book reviews are becoming standard, and your book’s review will reach a wider audience on the Internet. Online reviews level the playing field for self-published authors. Today, people are less inclined to read paper magazines and newspapers. They go online for information. Reviews posted at Amazon and other online sites are more accessible than print reviews. Reader Views and RebeccasReads are examples of reliable online book reviewers of both traditional and self-published books.

Free vs. Paid Reviews

Authors generally expect free book reviews; that was standard in the twentieth century—advertisements paid for the book reviews in print media. Today, however, authors must cover the cost of book reviews. A book reviewer may spend hours reading a book and writing a review, and he deserves compensation for his work. Consequently, authors must budget for the cost of book reviews. Authors are recommended to budget for mailing out a minimum of twenty books for review.

How Do Paid Book Reviews Work?

Paid reviews have multiple advantages. Most publications that offer free reviews do not guarantee a book review because of the volume of books submitted. Only by paying for a review can one be guaranteed. Reputable book reviewers will provide a review within a specific timeline—two weeks is standard. They will also provide a review tear-sheet for your use, and give you permission to quote the review, provided you credit them. Many reviewers will also post your review online at such places as their own website, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Ezine Articles, Goodreads and Authors Den.

Several online book reviewers, such as Reader Views, will give you the option of a free or paid book review. Reader Views will review the book for free provided one of their reviewers is interested in it. If no one opts to review it after three months, the book is returned without a review. If authors do not want to wait three months for a review, an express review can be purchased to guarantee a review within two weeks.

Several book reviewers, including Reader Views, also offer various publicity packages ranging from a single book review, to written and podcast radio interviews, virtual book tours, and book videos. Such packages allow authors the opportunity to get book reviews and publicity within their budget.

Just because you pay for a book review does not mean a good review is guaranteed. It is better to receive an honest review than one that gives false praise. The reviewer’s reputation is at stake here; readers will not appreciate being misled to waste their time and money on a book that does not meet their expectations.

How Do I Use a Book Review to Sell Books?

Before you do anything with your book review, make sure you know what permissions the reviewer has given you for using the review. Are you allowed to use it in whole or only a certain percentage? Can you reprint it or quote from it?

Once you know your rights, some suggestions for using the review to help sell books are:

Post it to Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Ezine Articles, Authors Den, Goodreads, Myspace etc. if the reviewer has not already done so.

Quote from the review on your book cover and the inside end papers. (If your book is already printed, use the review when you run a second printing).

Include the review in your press kit to gain more media attention.

Post and distribute the review at your book signings.

Post the review on your website.

Send copies of the review in your email newsletters.

Final Comments

More information about book reviews will be covered in future articles. But for now, here are a couple closing points:

Be professional. Send the reviewer a thank you note. Whether you receive a positive or negative review, the reviewer has done you a favor. The reviewer’s comments will help you improve your next book or the next edition of your book. Even a negative review can be used to build a positive relationship with a reviewer, who will appreciate your professionalism. The book world is a small place and you do not want word to spread that you are difficult. Seek to build long-term relationships with book reviewers, and through them, with your reading audience.

Be prepared for the book review to increase your book sales! A good review is worthless if you do not have copies of books to sell. Be prepared to fulfill your book orders so your customers are satisfied. After all, you want your book to be a bestseller!

What happens if the Minneapolis school funding referendum fails this election?  What happens is the voters will be asked to approve it next year in November 2009 (when we vote in Minneapolis City Council elections). The Minneapolis School Board and referendum supporters have stated that if the Referendum fails this year, nothing “bad” will happen. This Referendum will have no effect on school funding in Minneapolis, for this year (2008-2009 school year) or next year (2009-2010 school year). It only affects school funding starting in 2010-2011.  

Why should people who support children and Minneapolis public schools vote NO on the Referendum this year? Because they believe that the children of Minneapolis deserve better than the current referendum proposal. The current referendum is flawed and incomplete. Working together the Minneapolis School Board, school administration and teachers union can do and should do much better for Minneapolis school children, than the current Referendum proposal.  The District needs to be much more specific about the actions steps it will take to achieve its stated goals, which I agree with.  Below are the things I want to know and I think all voters should know made before we support a referendum. Unfortunately, the only way to gets this information is for us to vote NO this year.   By voting NO we send a message to Minneapolis School Board, school administration and teachers union that they can do much better than the current Referendum proposal for Minneapolis school children.

Enrollment Decline

Minneapolis parents are voting with their children, by taking their children out of the Minneapolis School District and sending them to suburban districts. This is a major cause of the decline in enrollment in the Minneapolis School District. This says 10 times more about the Minneapolis school district than all the speeches, reports, editorials, and commercials on TV & radio etc. combined. Shouldn’t voters know the specific steps the School District is planning on taking to reverse this trend, before not after approving a $60 million tax increase?

School Closings

The School Board and administration will announce which schools they plan to close in February or March 2009.   I want an aggressive school closings plan because I want my tax dollars going to teacher salaries and not to pay for heat, lights and especially for repairing and maintaining buildings that are over 50 years old including several from the 1920s.  Others may want to keep neighborhood schools open, especially neighborhood elementary schools. Some people might vote No on the referendum if they knew their neighborhood elementary, middle and/or high schools was going to be closed.   We the voters and especially parents deserve to know which schools the District plans to close before we vote on this referendum not after.  Unfortunately, that means voting NO this year so we will know the District’s school closing plan before we vote next year.

Black White Achievement Gap

The achieve gap between black students and white students in Minneapolis public schools is among the very worst in the entire United States – worse than schools in Alabama or Mississippi.  The achievement gap has not really changed since it was first identified.

The Minneapolis school board, administration and teachers union say they want to close the achievement gap between black students and white students. Is the District committed to doing whatever takes to eliminate the black white achievement gap? Or is only planning to do what is easy and/or what is not controversial? If easy steps could reduce the gap, it would have been eliminated years ago. The only way to know the level of commitment is to know the specific action steps the School Board and Administration are committed to taking to close the black white student achievement gap. But the District has not shared with voters what specific steps it will take to close the achievement gap. I  want know and I believe that all voters, parents and especially black parents deserve to know if the School Board and Administration are willing to “take the heat” for making the unpopular and/or controversial  changes that will be necessary to close the black white student achievement gap, before approving a $60 million referendum not after approving the referendum.

Staff to Teacher ratio

Several years ago, a study of California schools revealed that California public school had one staff employee for every teacher. The California parochial schools had one staff employee for every six teachers.  Obviously a much higher percentage of revenue went to hiring teachers in the parochial schools than in the public schools. What is the staff to teacher ratio in the Minneapolis public schools? Do you know, because I don’t know?  Shouldn’t voters know the staff to teacher ratio before approving a $60 million tax increase not after approving a tax increase?

Union Contract

The current contract with the Minneapolis teachers union severely restricts School Board and Administration’s ability and flexibility to change teacher assignments to improve student performance. The current union contract is designed to protect the established seniority system. Teacher assignments (which grade they teach, subject and school location etc.) are based on seniority; not experience in a specific subject or grade, interest in specific the subject or grade etc.

In business if a company has problems with quality and/or low productivity at a particular manufacturing plant; do they send their least experienced mangers and/or poorest performing managers to that plant?  NO!! The company sends its best, most experienced managers to “turn around” the poorly performing manufacturing plant. The current union contract forces the District to send its newest and least experienced teachers to the schools with the poorest performance. The current contract does not see having teachers high on the seniority list assigned to a poorly performing school as a badge of honor.

The union contract prevents the District from paying a bonus to the best teachers, whose students show the biggest improvement on test scores. Shouldn’t teachers, that are extraordinary, be paid more than poor teachers? The current contract does not allow merit-based pay.

The current union contract also prevents the District from holding teachers accountable when their students perform poorly.  If a teacher’s students perform poorly on standardized tests one year that is a matter of concern. If a teacher’s students perform poorly on standardized tests five years in a row, which is a problem. Teachers, that consistently underperform, cause problems for the teacher that gets those students the following year.  Good teachers, that get students from poor performing teachers, have to do double work teach current grade work plus teach prior grade work that students did not learn because of the poor performing teacher. Good teachers have to double work because they care about getting the students back learning at grade level. Is this fair to students and good teachers?  Teacher under performance needs to be addressed, perhaps by additional training, coaching from successful teachers etc.  If a poor teacher does not improve after being a given reasonable time to improve, then that teacher needs to be terminated for the benefit of students and good teachers.

The vast majority of teachers high on seniority list, work hard to be good teachers.  But there are a few bad apples that stop working or are just putting in their time until they retire.  The slackers know that they will never ever be laid-off because of their seniority.  The school district needs a union contract that allows them to lay off these few bad apples for the benefit of students and good teachers.

There are some senior teachers that have given up on black students. They feel no personal responsibility to go the extra mile to help black students who are behind catch up. They feel no personal responsibility if black students fail.  The School District needs a union contract that allows it to lay off teachers that have given up on black students for the benefit of students and good teachers.

The Minneapolis School District needs the leverage of passage of the school referendum to negotiate a more flexible and student friendly contact with the teacher’s union.  After the referendum what is the Union’s incentive to negotiate changes to the current contract? Voters deserve to know if the union will negotiate changes to the existing contract will allow performance-based pay, performance-based terminations and flexibility in teaching assignments before approving a $60 million referendum not after approving it.

These are the reasons I’m voting for Minneapolis school children by voting NO on the school referendum this year.  Children, parents and voter deserve more information and a better proposal than the current referendum. I hope that Minneapolis School Board, Administration and Teachers Union will provide Minneapolis voters and parents with the information we need to make an informed decision about voting YES next year.

Several years ago, the Minneapolis school district decided on the number of teacher to layoff, before even considering reductions in administrative positions.   To me this is backwards, decisions on the number of administrative positions are made first, before teacher layoffs are considered. 

Looking at the growth prospects and rising demand for the medical translation services, many translation companies have entered the market. However not all of them can manage to provide the high level of quality standards in service. As medical translation involves translating the documents that impact the health and safety of people, any mistake in translation can be dangerous and leave your business neck-deep in lawsuits. Due to this, it is very essential to selection a correct translation company for your translation needs.

How to go about selecting a right company for medical translation?

If you are planning to use medical translation service for the first time, you can get easily confused looking at the large number of companies that have started offering this service. If you are in this situation, use this checklist to get help on choosing the correct translation company for your requirements.

What do the old clients have to say about the concerned translation company? Has the company managed to deliver quality work? Could it handle the strict deadlines? Was it flexible enough to accommodate any changes in the requirements? What are the certifications awarded to the translation company? The company having certifications like ISO 9001 and EN 15038 is better geared to provide you with high standards of service, which is essential for medical translation. What are the credentials of the employees hired by the translation company? Are they qualified medical experts? Are they native speakers of the language in which you want to translate the documents? E.g. if you want to translate Japanese medical document, the company should hire Japanese doctors for the job. They are best qualified to give you most accurate results. Can you pay the translation company by your preferred payment method? If you want to pay by credit card but they insist on wire transfer, then the company is no right for you. Is the translation company open to providing translation on the platform of your choice? E.g are you looking to get the document in PDF format for Windows XP? Does the company provide such a service?

The key to selecting the correct translation company will depend on the positive answers to the questions listed above. Answer them and you will not go wrong.

It is your dream to have your book in every bookstore in the country, perhaps even in several countries. But wait, have you planned beyond bookstore sales? Many authors are unaware that there are many markets for books beyond the bookstores. The bookstores may be your first market, but there are many other “hidden” markets, and here are some key book marketing tips to help you tap into those markets.

Let’s begin with the job of writing the book. When you put “pen to paper”, it is important that you focus on one audience but write for many markets. Let’s begin by identifying why you are writing a book. Some people merely want to be a published author, giving them claim to a copyright and their name on a book. That is satisfaction enough. They don’t care about the financial return or the development of writing or publishing as a career. Other people just want to write a family history and sell it to their extended family. Some people are interested only in selling to the attendees of their seminars. Many others, however, want to sell thousands of books in as many markets as possible. Decide at the beginning of the writing process why you are writing so that you can determine whether or not you are creating a business venture.

Once you have established your reason for writing, move on to what you are writing about. Don’t try to be all things to all people or the encyclopedic source of all information on a subject. Choose an area of a subject with which you are very familiar and develop your topic well so that you don’t overwhelm or bore your readers. For instance, if you are writing a cookbook, don’t try to be The Joy of Cooking – that’s already been done. Instead, write about a category of recipes, such as heritage recipes, or recipes of a region or culture, or recipes from famous restaurants, etc. Your goal is to make your book different, and better, than other cookbooks.

Having now decided on the why and the what, focus on the who, meaning who will buy your book. You believe that many people will be interested in your book, but let’s define “many”. Do you mean all of the people in your interest group, your church or your workplace, or do you mean everyone? A word of caution, though – there is NO book that is for everyone. Sure, everyone may need your book but not everyone will want it. If your book is a healthy lifestyle cookbook, everyone might need it, but only people who actually want to be healthy will buy it. Do some research on who those people are and where they are likely to actually buy your book. Understand their demographics: age group, income level, shopping habits, activities, etc. Now write for them. What information are your target readers looking for? Is their a gap in the information about a subject that is very familiar to you or in which you have the credentials to fill the gap? Make sure that your book solves a problem or problems for the reader, or make sure that your book will increase the well being of the reader. Avoid falling into the trap of writing to make yourself feel better – you are not the one who will buy your book. Or if you are, you are the only buyer that you will have!

The why, what and who now being defined, you can turn your attention to the where you can sell your book. Because there are many markets for books, decide early in the writing process just what those markets are and write to sell your book in those markets.

It is likely that the first market that will come to mind is traditional book stores, and of course they can be a vital part of your sales. Do your research in getting to know your competition on the book store shelves, i.e., look at the other books that have been written in your genre. What writing style is most appealing to a wide audience? Is there a gap in the information provided in the other books? Are there problems that have not been addressed? Find the needs and fill them. When you are satisfied with the information that you are providing, think about what will attract the book store buyers. They will want to know about your planned publicity campaign. If you want people to buy your book in book stores, you are responsible for letting people know that your book is available, thereby driving buyers to the stores.

Besides book stores, books are purchased in the nontraditional book market by display retailers, book clubs, catalogs, gift retailers, volume buyers (think Costco and Price Club), corporations, foundations and foreign markets. These markets are considered “hidden” because they exist outside the usual bookstore market, yet they account for many millions of dollars each year in book sales. In fact, we sell thousands of books to buyers like these every year (for more about our Book Marketing tips and secrets click here: Book Marketing Tips). These markets, however, do not buy any and every book. They are looking for books that appeal to their customers.

For instance, if you are writing a book about spiritual experiences, think about which of those markets will likely buy your book. Will you approach book clubs? If yes, which book clubs – those that specialize in spiritual books only, or those that market to the general public? Will you approach the gift market or catalogs? Each market evaluates its purchases for its own clientele. Book clubs that target the religious book reader have a greater interest in spiritual books than do general interest book clubs. Volume buyers, catalogs and gift buyers (unless they target a religious market), display retailers and corporations will very seldom buy a spiritual book. Foreign markets, however, are often very interested.

Even if your book is written for the general book trade, you can still think of corporations that might be able to use your book as a promotional item. Make a list of corporations that could be interested in your book and make sure that your writing supports their products or philosophy, and that what you are writing about will solve some problems for the corporate clients. For instance, one cookbook was targeted at busy people who want to follow a healthy lifestyle. It became a bestseller very quickly in the traditional book trade, but sales exploded when it was sold to pharmaceutical companies who used the book as support information for clients who needed to achieve a healthy weight. The book also sold successfully in foreign markets, to catalogs, as fund raisers and to shopping malls as a customer reward.

The point is: you need to know how to slant your writing for your markets. You can sometimes get around the road blocks by giving your book the look and feel of a gift book rather than one that is a “serious read”. Don’t give your book the look and feel of a thesis. Many volume buyers are looking for broad interest books that people buy on impulse as gifts. This approach to writing increases your market tremendously, so if you want to appeal to a very large audience, approach your subject from a much “lighter” angle.

However, if you are a professional speaker who knows that you have a very good chance of selling your book to your seminar attendees, and perhaps to the corporations who hire you, writing for a very broad market is not necessary. You are not even trying to sell to the impulse buyer. Your buyer is already looking for a source of expertise such as yours.

If you are planning to sell your book primarily from a website to a specific type of buyer, someone who is searching the internet for answers to a concern or problem, you can be as specific as you like. The general public, again in this instance, is not your market – you already have enough buyers to make you very successful.

So, before you begin the writing process, make an outline of your book. Then, look at your list of potential buyers. Have you filled their needs? If not, can you add information or chapters to your book that will increase the likelihood of sales to those buyers? If you want to sell thousands of books, think about the end user of your book and write for them, not for yourself. That is the ultimate book marketing tip. See you on the bestseller list!

© Copyright 2004 Ink Tree Ltd.

How was the day of your little wonder when he went to school for the first time in his life? Shedding tears, screaming to go home, gazing at other tots-imitating them or start getting anxious? An euphoric aura envelops around the enthusiastic parents. Whatever it takes, everyone wants his or her child to be a part of the educated society. But providing education doesn’t include just fetching him admission in a good school. It involves tedious activities, especially when the school starts. Whether your child is going to school for the first time or going back to school from a long summer vacation, he has to be well equipped with the requirements needed at school. Providing kids with best schooling, best requisites and giving him efficient knowledge at home is not cakewalk. The students also take grave pain in completing their primary and high school grades throughout their childhood and tweenhood. However, the result of sincere and competent learning recompenses the efforts and pain taken by the parents and the students in unison.

You may want to give him the best possible stationery products that also suit your pouch simultaneously. Best quality books, pencils, geometry cases, sharpeners, Tiffin boxes, water bottles, school bags and so on. You might consider spacious school bags and high-grade water bottles for your child’s lunch requisites.

Often, attention is given mostly to purchasing of notebooks and writing instruments. Pencil boxes sharpeners and erasers might get the surplus importance. About school bags, you may mull over the outward show, or choose a spacious bag at the most. The features for selecting a school bag that you think are worth a thought may not be enough. Certainly, the very appearance and the size matters when talking about school bags. But when you explore, you will find that a lot of brainwork is implemented to pick out the appropriate choice.

Appearance matters! There are a variety of contemporary school bags available to pick from. You might find it difficult to choose the right one. Carry your son or daughter with you-because appearance matters. You would surely not want the newly bought school gear lying around at home, unused. If you want to purchase it yourself, you’ll have to be familiar with your kid’s choice-which can be risky. If you bought a bag with the latest cartoon characters embedded and if your son is a sport and sportsmen buff, then it is certainly a waste. Bags for young boys are available in cool colors with cartoon characters or sports’ illustrations. For young girls, bright colors, floral prints and cartoon characters are found on their school bags. But interests can be different with different kids. They might not follow the contemporary trend and want a design or a color, which can be unusual. For example, a girl may show distaste for girly shades like pink and blue. She may want something more smarts, boy-like and not typically girly.

Suppliers offer school bags with variety animal motifs, and environ-friendly symbols as well. Many companies manufacture models in association with PET, PU and TPU. School bags are also made with embellishments out of embroidery, beads and metals. Bags attached with stuffed plush toys are certainly alluring for the kids-they can remove the soft toy and play with, during their leisure. However, the look of the schoolbag is not enough to be considered. The other crucial aspects need added attention.

Consider convenience! Children are gripped with severe back problems due to very heavy school bags that they carry to school on a daily basis. They are forced to carry weights that they can’t carry off easily at their age-this in turn affects their fragile shoulders adversely. It is however recommended that school-going children must not carry more than 10-20 percent of their weight.

Manufacturers realize the children’s plight. Thus backpacks are available for maximum convenience. Backpacks are suggested for school going children since it allow spreading out the weight on both left and the right sides. An enduring school backpack has strong, padded and foam-cushioned shoulder straps, which are at least 3 inches wide. Makers of school bags also offer waist belts and straps for added support to the back, thus distributing the weight of the bag evenly. You should take the size of the bag into consideration. Let it not be overtly large or small. Moreover, to check the fitting and the grip, you may ask your child to wear the bag and adjust the straps according to his size. Encourage him to carry off the bag on both the shoulders to avoid stressing one shoulder.

Backpacks are available with wheels and handles too. But you must check with the school’s guidelines if they allow such a kind. However, dragging a wheeled bag for a long time may hurt children’s joints and arms. While considering these trolley backpacks, pay heed to the wheels and the handles-they shouldn’t be heavy. Dragging and carrying conversely can reduce the burden.

While we talk about sturdy straps and handles, it becomes imperative to choose a durable material too cause school bags go through enormous wear and tear every school day. Carriers for school requisites are known to be durable when they are both made of sturdy belts and long lasting material. School bags made of leather must be avoided at all costs to pass up the extra weight of the material, though it’s a robust pick!

Manufacturers offer school totes in lightweight materials such as nylon, canvas, PVC and microfiber, which also give durability. They are aware of the fact that school bags are meant to be getting dirty every now and then. They offer bags in easy-to-clean materials like nylon, PVC and water-resistant microfiber. Wash your son’s soiled school bag and get a new look every time.

Gone are the days when you saw students carrying dual compartment school gears. The age speaks of multi-tasking, multi-talent, multi-uses and multi-compartments. This encourages added filling. But if the bag is of an appropriate size, multi-compartments can organize the student’s varied items efficiently. These bags mostly come with durable zippers and the pockets help in organizing beverage containers, lunch boxes, umbrellas and much more. Novelty does not end here. They are available with straps that have compartments for stuffing cell phones mp3 players or I-pods. Multi-compartment school bags are available in different shapes and types.

It’s not just about convenient bags. You might want to purchase a school pack that should at least last a year. You want to pick the one that is also not heavy on your purse. But this doesn’t mean you opt for a cheap one, because it may hardly last a few months. Again, picking a super costly bag is not a wise decision, reason- the style of the bag might become outdated in a year or two, and your child may not want to use it any more. Moreover, the required size for a school bag can vary with time. A moderately costing school bag, with a design of your kid’s choice and a durable material with efficient usability will not be harsh on your pocket.

The variety is enormous, which one do you want? One of the most stylish ranges of bags that are in demand would be messenger bags. Those who do not want to show the bulky look of backpacks; they opt for swanky messenger bags. These bags are carried one-sided, useful for carrying school and college requisites. They can also be used for travelling and moderate shopping. Messenger bags or haversacks can be multi-flapped with varied pockets of different sizes. You can carry your books and files safely. However, messenger bags are not advisable for children who have to carry a heavy load of books. Since their shoulders and back are fragile, the excessive load will strain one of the shoulders causing severe damage. In fact, messenger bags are meant to carry little or moderate weight.

A modish version of backpack is a sling bag. Also, it rests on one of the shoulders like a messenger bag, carried crossed. However, the sling bag rests on the back and doesn’t hang out on the either side. This bag can give good grip. But one cannot carry many loads, since the bag rests on one of the shoulders. This bag is preferable for carrying moderate or fewer loads. Sling bags are carried more for a trendy look.

Girls at school carry horizontal bags. If your girl child wants to be girly, a horizontal bag is most suitable. These book bags are available in attractive colors, floral prints, and pictures of Barbie and cartoon characters. Horizontal/rectangular bags do not have many compartments unlike backpacks. However, when you’re young lass is growing older and when she is about to go to high school she won’t want to carry the horizontal bag anymore. Horizontal school bags are for small schoolgirls.

Backpacks are a common form of school bags carried at school, liked by both boys and girls. Backpacks have provisions for multiple compartments. Moreover, different styles of backpacks give grip differently. Vest packs, rucksacks, hug bags are some of the styles of backpacks available for school going children. They have technical suspension system that reduce back and shoulder fatigue. To give added benefits, manufacturers have new ways to fulfill the demands of the school going wonders. This multi-utility luggage’s can be undoubtedly used for various other purposes, for e.g. travelling, hiking, adventure trips and other picnic excursions. So, if your child is going for a trip to the mountains with his school gang, you need not worry about purchasing a new bag for his expedition!

Waterproof school bags are an inevitable requisite where people experience rainfall. Children have to take care of their books and notes when they travel from home to school and come back. Waterproof bags are made of lightweight materials like nylon, polyester, microfiber and DWR-treated fabric. However, the material alone doesn’t protect your belongings. These bags have rain-guard zippers that don’t allow water to seep in and the bag has no open ends to allow water to leak in. water proof school bags are available of all types and shapes. These bags have replaced book bags made of jute, leather and denim.

Get Sporty! When was the last time you played a sport? It is hard to remember, isn’t it? But you can’t ask this question to a kid, because it’s his age to play and almost every day. Kids have to play to stimulate their minds and for physical growth and fitness. If he goes to the club to play tennis, you can’t expect him to carry his school bag, even though a backpack can serve the purpose. Buy him a duffel bag or a sports backpack. These bags are spacious and also available in waterproof style. Therefore they can serve students who go for swimming as well.

Trading school bags! A utility product, bags and school bags form an important feature of ‘back to school’ shopping in almost every household. The market for manufacturing bags for export is huge in regions like China and Taiwan. In India, the demand for school bags is huge for the locally manufactured ones, moreover due to their low price ranges. There is a niche demand for export brand school bags here in India, restricted to a few, due to their relatively high price ranges. Most of the bag-producing companies in India are adopting synthetic leather, denim and canvas for production purposes. Fabrics to make school bags are mostly soured from the local textile providers in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat and West Bengal. An Indian brand, D.M.Pakitwala, has created an image not only in India but also overseas for its quality and innovative designs.