Well, my daughter wanted to see the "Wimpy Kid" movie yesterday. I know she likes the book series and they are pretty funny so we went.
The movie was pretty funny, a bit different from the book with several new adventures for the Wimpy Kid, Greg Heffley, as he deals with surviving middle school. You really don't want to know about the "cheese touch".
I'm not planning a "movie" for my book "Help! My 401(k) Has Fallen - And Must Get Up!" Although if Bruce Willis' agent will return my calls, I may change my mind. James Gandolfini might be interesting also......
a 'mafia' financial advisor......hmmmmm.
Seriously, don't look for a movie with either of these guys. Although I am still planning a short video clip with Pentavision. I'm supposed to meet with them again this week.When we put up the new website, the video will be there and we can direct orders to the page on Amazon.
I'm also getting more book cover ideas this week, which I hope to be able to post and get feedback.
My other project is to find blogs on 401(k)s and IRAs and post responses to questions. I have several which I know of.
If any readers want to send me links for 401(k) blogs, please contact me.
You can get a copy of a free report on my website – "The 5 Biggest Problems With 401(k) Plans – And How to Fix Them".
You may also contact me on Linked In or Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/deanvoelker. I also host a weekly financial advice program, Improving Your Financial Health on Blog Talk Radio and WHME-FM.
Showing posts with label Wimpy Kid. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Wimpy Kid. Show all posts
Monday, March 22, 2010
Monday, March 15, 2010
Diary of a Wimpy 401(k) - Getting It Printed
Probably the biggest question to answer was "How are we going to print this thing anyway?"
The LAST thing I want or need is to print up a bunch of books and have them sitting in my garage. I also know that most publishers have never heard of me. So I started getting all kinds of advice from different people. Also did you know that if you sell books to a "brick and mortar" bookstore, they will send you the unsold or damaged books back and are entitled to a full refund including shipping costs? Its in the 'fine print' of the contract.
People suggested e-books, or partial e-books, or different print houses. In January, I interviewed a man named Len Fox, author of Recipe Investing, a book which was not unlike mine, in terms of size and content. Len had used a division of Amazon called Create Space. Len had liked it because it was connected to Amazon. They handled the ordering through Amazon.com and could print 1 book orders. Once a month, they would then pay Len his cut from the book orders. Len didn't have to handle any of it. He got a statement once a month with the orders and a paycheck. No hassle, no damaged books, no refunds, no crates in his garage, no shipping. All of it was done there, by Create Space.
Hmmm - that sounds good to me. I was still working on the writing part at the time, so I kept it on the back burner and also continued to get ideas from others. A few weeks ago, I sent a copy to Carlos Frank, another friend of mine. I had interviewed Carlos twice for my financial show, "Improving Your Financial Health". Carlos suggested that I talk with John Rizzo, who worked for....Create Space.
John Rizzo called me last week and after speaking with him, I was convinced that this was the right path for me.
Create Space offers all types of services that will help you to self-publish your book. Self-Publishing allows you much more freedom and can really lower your cost. John was extremely helpful in explaining all of the services offered. There are 2 things I really like about using Create Space.
First, the services are all seperate. If you need them to typeset or edit or promote your book, they will do it OR if you already have someone that you are using, you can do that. You have the choice. When it comes to assembling the book, all I have to do is send them my material and cover design, and they do it. This is also impressive, since my index and resource guide are seperate from the main manuscript.
Secondly, because of their affiliation with Amazon, they will take care of posting your book on Amazon's site and handle customer ordering and shipping for you. Not only is this a real time and money saver, it also prevents the possiblity of having crates of books taking up space in my garage! I am really looking forward to working with John Rizzo, and I would certainly recommend Create Space if you are looking to get a book printed.
The LAST thing I want or need is to print up a bunch of books and have them sitting in my garage. I also know that most publishers have never heard of me. So I started getting all kinds of advice from different people. Also did you know that if you sell books to a "brick and mortar" bookstore, they will send you the unsold or damaged books back and are entitled to a full refund including shipping costs? Its in the 'fine print' of the contract.
People suggested e-books, or partial e-books, or different print houses. In January, I interviewed a man named Len Fox, author of Recipe Investing, a book which was not unlike mine, in terms of size and content. Len had used a division of Amazon called Create Space. Len had liked it because it was connected to Amazon. They handled the ordering through Amazon.com and could print 1 book orders. Once a month, they would then pay Len his cut from the book orders. Len didn't have to handle any of it. He got a statement once a month with the orders and a paycheck. No hassle, no damaged books, no refunds, no crates in his garage, no shipping. All of it was done there, by Create Space.
Hmmm - that sounds good to me. I was still working on the writing part at the time, so I kept it on the back burner and also continued to get ideas from others. A few weeks ago, I sent a copy to Carlos Frank, another friend of mine. I had interviewed Carlos twice for my financial show, "Improving Your Financial Health". Carlos suggested that I talk with John Rizzo, who worked for....Create Space.
John Rizzo called me last week and after speaking with him, I was convinced that this was the right path for me.
Create Space offers all types of services that will help you to self-publish your book. Self-Publishing allows you much more freedom and can really lower your cost. John was extremely helpful in explaining all of the services offered. There are 2 things I really like about using Create Space.
First, the services are all seperate. If you need them to typeset or edit or promote your book, they will do it OR if you already have someone that you are using, you can do that. You have the choice. When it comes to assembling the book, all I have to do is send them my material and cover design, and they do it. This is also impressive, since my index and resource guide are seperate from the main manuscript.
Secondly, because of their affiliation with Amazon, they will take care of posting your book on Amazon's site and handle customer ordering and shipping for you. Not only is this a real time and money saver, it also prevents the possiblity of having crates of books taking up space in my garage! I am really looking forward to working with John Rizzo, and I would certainly recommend Create Space if you are looking to get a book printed.
Friday, March 12, 2010
Diary of a Wimpy 401(k) - A Picture Is Worth....
I had a chance to speak with Aimee Sims. Aimee will be working with me on the design of the book cover. You know the saying "Don't judge a book by its cover." Whether we think so or not, that is exactly what we all do.
Aimee was referred to me by my friends at Pentavision, Michael Lacognato and Missy Stanisz. Pentavision may also be helping me with a video idea for the book. More on that to come.
Anyway, since I am using this blog to detail the printing process, here is the first effort. Thanks Aimee for your help on this.
Here are a few other images which we are talking about as well.
If you could, I'd love to get feedback on these potential cover ideas. Good? Bad?
What may cause you to pick up the book in a bookstore?
Thanks for your help and I will keep you posted.
Aimee was referred to me by my friends at Pentavision, Michael Lacognato and Missy Stanisz. Pentavision may also be helping me with a video idea for the book. More on that to come.
Anyway, since I am using this blog to detail the printing process, here is the first effort. Thanks Aimee for your help on this.
Here are a few other images which we are talking about as well.
If you could, I'd love to get feedback on these potential cover ideas. Good? Bad?
What may cause you to pick up the book in a bookstore?
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Diary of a Wimpy 401(k)
OK, here we go. One of the things I have done so far in the publishing process was to read a book titled "The Well-Fed Self Publisher" by Peter Bowerman. Mr. Bowerman has some very good & practical ideas on why it is better to self publish instead of going through a publisher.
Kudos to my good friend, Nikki Stauffer who recommended the book. Nikki always seems to come through for me when I really need some advice. If her firm was willing to promote the book, I'd hire her in a heartbeat.
Bowerman told several "horror stories" about publishing houses. Most people have a fantasy that they can simply write a book and sell a gazillion copies and then live like John Grisham for the rest of their life. Needless to say, I am pretty grounded in reality. The truth is, many authors have a hard time getting it published. Jack Canfield, author of the "Chicken Soup" books has a favorite word when he was getting multiple rejections - "Next!"
Anyway, even if you finally do get a publisher to take on your book project, and a promotion agent to write a press release, you will still end of doing the promotion leg work yourself. also, the publisher gets to keep most of the money. He shows examples of authors who wrote books that sell for about $15 and their cut is about .50 per book. Now THAT is wimpy!
According to Bowerman, once they write the press release, the publisher is done. On to the next Stephen King wannabe. There is only one person in the whole world who really cares about making sure that your book is promoted regularly - the author. So if you have to promote it yourself, why not publish it yourself.
The whole reason for this book was that I was meeting many people in this area who really weren't getting the most from their 401(k). Northern Indiana is one of the hardest hit areas for unemployment, and many folks simply cashed it in, in spite of taxes and penalties. Others who didn't cash in stopped contributing to their 401(k) especially if their company stopped matching contributions. There is no doubt in my mind that people need to have a much better understanding of how the 401(k) works.
Someone needs to say - This is your retirement plan. It may also be the only savings you have, so you'd better stop being 'wimpy' about it and start saving.
"Help! My 401(k) Has Fallen - And Must Get Up!" reveals little known secrets about 401(k) plans and IRAs. If you read the book, you will understand them and get more from them.
That's all for today. I really apreciate those who have been reading this, and those who have been supporting me. Also thanks to those who have been listening to "Improving Your Financial Health" on either Blog Talk Radio or WHME-FM.
Kudos to my good friend, Nikki Stauffer who recommended the book. Nikki always seems to come through for me when I really need some advice. If her firm was willing to promote the book, I'd hire her in a heartbeat.
Bowerman told several "horror stories" about publishing houses. Most people have a fantasy that they can simply write a book and sell a gazillion copies and then live like John Grisham for the rest of their life. Needless to say, I am pretty grounded in reality. The truth is, many authors have a hard time getting it published. Jack Canfield, author of the "Chicken Soup" books has a favorite word when he was getting multiple rejections - "Next!"
Anyway, even if you finally do get a publisher to take on your book project, and a promotion agent to write a press release, you will still end of doing the promotion leg work yourself. also, the publisher gets to keep most of the money. He shows examples of authors who wrote books that sell for about $15 and their cut is about .50 per book. Now THAT is wimpy!
According to Bowerman, once they write the press release, the publisher is done. On to the next Stephen King wannabe. There is only one person in the whole world who really cares about making sure that your book is promoted regularly - the author. So if you have to promote it yourself, why not publish it yourself.
The whole reason for this book was that I was meeting many people in this area who really weren't getting the most from their 401(k). Northern Indiana is one of the hardest hit areas for unemployment, and many folks simply cashed it in, in spite of taxes and penalties. Others who didn't cash in stopped contributing to their 401(k) especially if their company stopped matching contributions. There is no doubt in my mind that people need to have a much better understanding of how the 401(k) works.
Someone needs to say - This is your retirement plan. It may also be the only savings you have, so you'd better stop being 'wimpy' about it and start saving.
"Help! My 401(k) Has Fallen - And Must Get Up!" reveals little known secrets about 401(k) plans and IRAs. If you read the book, you will understand them and get more from them.
That's all for today. I really apreciate those who have been reading this, and those who have been supporting me. Also thanks to those who have been listening to "Improving Your Financial Health" on either Blog Talk Radio or WHME-FM.
Diary of a Wimpy 401(k) - Day One
I haven't blogged much lately for 2 reasons. First, I have spent most of my spare time on my book, which is basically finished, at least the writing part. It is titled, "Help! My 401(k) Has Fallen - And Must Get Up!"
That was the easy part. Now comes the hard part - getting it off of my computer and into book form. Then we need to get it into your hands, and the hands of those who need help with their 401(k).
Then I had an idea......why not write a diary? I could log the process of getting a book published.
My daughter has really enjoyed the "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" books by Jeff Kinney, which is now being made into a movie. The books really are funny, and bring back a lot of middle school memories. (OK, Jeff - since I just plugged your books, please don't sue me.)
My other inspiration here was from the movie "Julie & Julia". Don't worry, I can't talk like Julia Child, or cook like her. My main culinary feat is chili, and I don't think Ms. Child ever did that!
The movie talked about how the other main character, Julie Powell, wrote a daily blog about Julia Child's cookbook "How to Master the Art of French Cooking".
So, I have decided to chronicle my adventures of getting the book "Help! My 401(k) Has Fallen - And Must Get Up!" into print. Stay tuned, this could get 'wimpy'.
That was the easy part. Now comes the hard part - getting it off of my computer and into book form. Then we need to get it into your hands, and the hands of those who need help with their 401(k).
Then I had an idea......why not write a diary? I could log the process of getting a book published.
My daughter has really enjoyed the "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" books by Jeff Kinney, which is now being made into a movie. The books really are funny, and bring back a lot of middle school memories. (OK, Jeff - since I just plugged your books, please don't sue me.)
My other inspiration here was from the movie "Julie & Julia". Don't worry, I can't talk like Julia Child, or cook like her. My main culinary feat is chili, and I don't think Ms. Child ever did that!
The movie talked about how the other main character, Julie Powell, wrote a daily blog about Julia Child's cookbook "How to Master the Art of French Cooking".
So, I have decided to chronicle my adventures of getting the book "Help! My 401(k) Has Fallen - And Must Get Up!" into print. Stay tuned, this could get 'wimpy'.
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