Self-Publishing Author Series: Interview with Hazel Wagner, Ph.D., MBA, CMC

Have questions about writing a self-published book? Check out this interview Hazel Wagner, Ph.D., MBA, CMC, the author of the self-published book, “Power Brainstorming: Great Ideas at Lightning Speed,” http://livepage.apple.com/.

• Tell us about your self-published book.

It took me over two years to write Power Brainstorming®. During that time I was also doing keynotes, delivering seminars and facilitating power brainstorming® sessions for business clients so I had the advantage of trying out ideas and getting feedback while I was in the writing stage. It kept my thinking fresh. It also caused me to go back and do a number of rewrites. That was good.

• Why did you decide to self-publish?

When I submitted my book idea to the first publisher on my list, the response was that they wanted me to write something slightly different. By continuing on my own, I was able to write the book that was in my head and heart, not the one they had in their head. I also knew that some friends who had published with a publisher paid high prices for their own books when they needed them.

• What has been your biggest reward in self-publishing your book?

I worked with wonderful people for the illustrations, editing, internal design, and other essential parts. For example, I never met my internal designer, Joel Friedlander at Marin Bookworks in California. We were able to do everything by phone and email and he did a fantastic job.

• What has been the most challenging part of self-publishing your book?

There were so many details I didn't know would be required when I started out. I thought you just write, edit, and design a cover and you're good to go. There were dozens of choices and decisions to be made. Not every choice I made turned out to be the best. I learned a lot and hope that my next project (coming up soon) will be even smoother. Another challenge was making sure that I handled legal matters like copyrights, my own and quoted, correctly. There is always a nagging feeling that I might have missed something in that regard.

• What advice do you have for other self-published authors?

Get the whole first draft completed and then pull together a team of all the specialists you need. Get several different people to read and comment and edit. Make sure they have different perspectives so they will notice different things. Get several references on each outsourcing you will be doing.

• Is there anything else you would like to add?

When those first completed books arrive at your home or office, the feeling is fantastic. That feeling gets replicated every time you see your book in a book store or library or online store. One little story you might find interesting: When the first box of books arrived at my home, I wasn't there, but my mother lives with me and she accepted the boxes. She told me she cried she was so happy and proud to see them.

Then, when she picked one up to read it, she realized her eyes were not good enough (she is 97 years old) and finally asked me to read it to her. Of course I did it with pleasure. Then I realized I could record it as I was reading it to her and make an audio version -- a 5 CD set to be exact. I keep telling her she was the inspiration for the audio version.

That was true inspiration Hazel, and I’m sure your advice will give other self-publishers some great guidance as they move forward!

How about you? Do you have questions on how to sell your book and the self-publishing process? Please let me know here, at www.jexbo.com, or at http://www.jexbo.blogspot.com/. I’m here to help!