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All the News, Book

Why I changed the title and cover of my book

Let me begin by saying that I loved my previous cover and title. Loved them, so this was not an easy decision. But it was a necessary one. Sigh.

Here’s the thing, I loved the cover, but it did not help potential readers know what the book was about. It did not place the reader in a story and show them how it would benefit them to read it.

And what is writing about? In a book, it is about the reader.

One last time, here is the beloved cover:

I am still amazed that Vanessa Mendozzi, my cover designer, created such a three dimensional cover. My first idea to her—and you will quickly see why I am not a cover designer—was to have a smiling face with a bit of lettuce on a tooth.

Why? Because the idea of the book is that many people who write (be it on social media, a blog, or newsletters) don’t realize they have “lettuce on their teeth.” I know I didn’t. As I grew as a writer, I kept thinking, “I’m not stupid, why didn’t anyone tell me this before, I could easily have removed this lettuce on the teeth of my writing!”

As the months went by, I realized, this cover is beautiful, but not helpful in communicating. I take full responsibility! Vanessa presented several options, and this is the one I chose to go with.

Now let’s talk about the title: All the News That’s Fit to Tell and How to Tell it. I still like it. I like how it cleverly points to the decisions that a cross-cultural worker has to make when they write a newsletter. I like that she has a nickname, All the News. Or in my notes, ATN for short.

Here is what I have learned

Combine a cover that is more like a piece of art and a title that is clever and what do you have? A book that not many read because they don’t realize it will help them.

In the midst of this, I wrote Getting Started. Well now, what do you notice about that title and Looming Transitions? Both are two words and start with an “ing” word (getting and looming). Again, with the reader in mind, I wanted to find a two-word title that started with an “ing” word. I landed on Enjoying Newsletters.

Enjoying Newsletters is exactly what I want the reader to do . . . enjoy communicating with his, her, or their supporters.

So, how does an author go about changing the cover and the title?

Decide to make the change. Feel sad. Feel happy. Feel overwhelmed.

Figure out the new title. Run it by friends. Tweak it. Land on a new title. Enjoying Newsletters: How to Write Christian Communication People Want to Read.

Contact Vanessa. Explain the need to update the concept. Love her even more as a cover designer when she is also sad because the loved her first cover, but understands.

Drag your sister into helping you refine the new cover. I happened to be visiting Laura and Sue when Vanessa got me the new covers. Laura helped me select from the five. But the cover was a bit too tied to China (I want a more global feel) and way too pink for men to read. Poor Laura was a saint as I texted her iteration after iteration. Imagine an eye test from hell. Which did you like better? The blue or the green? This font or that? How about this one?

Let’s take a quick break because you might be wondering what to see the new cover. I really do love this one too :)!

Seeing the new cover helps to keep going with the steps, doesn’t it! Thinking of the reader, I love how this cover invites the reader to eat fun food while working on a newsletter.

Back to the process!

Contact Andy who formatted the book and have him change any reference to ATN to the new title . . . mostly in the endorsements.

Gather new files for the book interior (print and ebooks) and covers (print and ebooks). Publish the Enjoying Newsletters. Unpublish ATN.

Contact Amazon and figure out how to link the reviews from ATN with Enjoying Newsletters.

(If you are curious, technically ATN still exists, but is “invisible.” Which is cool, but annoying when the ATN cover was what was publicly shown, instead of the new cover. You might find it interesting that I helped Amazon with a Tom Young solution. My dad was known for creative solutions that might not have been pretty, but they were effective. I uploaded the Enjoying Newsletter cover to the ATN file. As long as it stays unpublished, that image is the only one Amazon can find! Ha! The representative I talked with wondered why no one had thought of this solution before. I almost told him, “Because none of you were raised by Tom Young!”)

So there you have it, the process of changing a title and cover of a book. If you have a project that you need to revisit and make changes and wonder if it is worth it? I would say, go for it.

In the end, I’m glad that Enjoying Newsletters has a name and cover that help readers know what to expect.

Have you ever needed to revisit a project?

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7 Comments November 19, 2019

All the News, Book

All the News That’s Fit to Tell is HERE

 

“When will your book be done?”

Go ahead, ask me. “When can I buy All the News That’s Fit to Tell and How to Tell It”?

I’ll try not to smile too big when I say, “Today!!!!!!!”

My proof copy—when I actually hold the book for the first time—arrived in time for my trip to Costa Rica. Volunteering at an Azmera Retreat, the second afternoon presented a workshop entitled “Newsletters Can Be Fun!” While my instagram was blowing up with “famous” authors all gathering in Michigan for the Festival of Faith and Writing, I was in a glorified closet (because it had good AC) talking to fellow cross-cultural workers about writing newsletters.

A small part of my missed that I was not with those in the “big league” when it comes to publishing books. But this room? These faces? This is why All the News—her nickname—exists. These women serving in Mexico, Costa Rica, and Nicaragua were like me. They did not see themselves as writers. They plant churches, they work with youth, they have multiple outreaches going on.

One of the dirty little secrets in the world of cross-cultural workers is how many feel shame and guilt when it comes to newsletter writing. What a terrible motivational speaker in their heads! To make add to the complexity, many do not think of themselves as writers.

But in this day and age, we all are writers because of email, text messages, social media, and yes, newsletters. Because cross-cultural workers generally do not see themselves as writers, those in this room didn’t know writing is a skill that can be improved on like any other skill. I wrote this book for them. I took all that I have learned writing books and translated it into newsletter speak.

(Side-note obviously all of their hair has adjusted to the humidity. Mine? My hair spent the week being very poofy. But I digress.)

They were God’s gentle reminder that there are thousands of cross-cultural workers who want to connect with supporters and long for a resource like this.

All the News is divided into four sections:

  1. The Unseen Battle: Your mind-set
  2. Newsletter Specific Writing
  3. Simple Ways to Improve Your Writing
  4. Developing as a Writer

Because launch day is FUN! All of my books are on Sale in Kindle for $2.99. Yes, this includes All the News for $2.99 (Kindle, regularly $7.99) and $10.00 in print. Sale ends Saturday morning in the U.S.

This is the third time I’ve launched and again I feel a bit like I’m saying to you, “Do you like my baby? Will you, my people help raise her? Will you stand with me in the good times and hard? Will you still like me even when she disappoints or does stupid things?”

And all the people said, “We will!”

You might wonder, That’s great, but I’m not sure what to do. What can I do? Here are eight ways you can help with this raising of All the News:

1. Celebrate! Of course I hope this book sells decently because I truly believe that better newsletters will strengthen the bond between writer and reader.

But if this books sells and I have no one to share it with, what have I gained? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. What is worse than watching sports by yourself and having no one to high-five? Nothing. Okay, there are worse things, but in that moment, it’s pretty low.

I’m high-fiving you! Woot, woot! If you weren’t here reading this blog, there would be no book. This blog is where my own mindset shifted and I began to think of myself as a writer. We did it. Let’s enjoy this moment.

2. May I boldly suggest, buy a copy of All the News. Purchased copies through Amazon are the only way that Amazon will start to recommend All the News as an “also bought.”

3. But here is a simple way that won’t cost you a dime. This week it is annoyingly important to train the Amazon search engine—the second most powerful search engine right now. So, instead of clicking on the hyperlinked title, go to Amazon and in the search bar type in “all the news that’s fit to tell” FYI, Amazon only lets your device count once for searching for an item. So, thank you in advance to those of you just got the idea to pull up something on Netflix and hit the refresh button on Amazon and keep typing “all the news.” You can still do it, but Amazon will never know.

4. Suggest or give All the News to the head of your mission committee, a mission organization you know, or someone who has contacts in those worlds. Ask them if they would buy a copy for each of their cross-cultural workers. The best way a book sells is through word of mouth. If you tell them and they know you, they are much more likely to buy it. Physical copies available at a discount for orders of five copies or more.

5. Leave a review on Amazon or Goodreads. It does not need to be five stars (though if that’s what your heart is saying, go with your heart!). Amazon is funny, she just likes to see the amount of reviews. The more reviews (even three or four star), the more Amazon will say, “Hey, maybe I should tell other people about this book.”

6. Tell someone about Love, Amy. You know tons of people I don’t know. You know people living in Sweden or working at this church or for that organization. You know you neighbor’s cousin who is moving to Brazil or your former coworker who writes boring newsletters. You know mission committee members and pastors and counselors.

7. Know a blogger? I would be honored to write a guest post or be interviewed. Know a podcaster? I’d love to talk about mindset, motivation, or other aspects of newsletter writing. Please put me in contact with them.

8. Take a picture with yourself and All the News and share on social media. Who doesn’t love a happy person with a book? And this cover will bring out the blue in your eyes.

Here is an image for Instagram:

 

Release days are so much fun! Next week I’ll share more about the back story for this particular book. I’m happy tired today.

High Five The Office GIF - Find & Share on GIPHY

As we launch this book and wait to see how God will use it, I want to end with the benediction I gave at the end of the acknowledgments:

I thank my God every time I remember you. Philippians 1:3

Love,

Amy

Contact form for inquiries as to me speaking to your group about transitions or newsletters, buying bulk orders, or your thoughts on the Broncos’ chances next year.

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2 Comments April 26, 2018

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