New Book Shows You How To Survive Parenting Teenagers

There are 43 million teens and tweens living in the United States.  How will parents raise them to be happy, healthy and successful individuals amid the challenges, dangers, and distractions?  Parenting a teen poses more danger and opportunities than when today’s parent was a teen 20-30 years ago. Luckily, a new book helps the 21^st century parent troubleshoot through the landmine of issues.

“There’s a strange new creature living under your roof,” says Joani Geltman, MSW, author of a new book, A Survival Guide To Parenting Teens: Talking To Your Kids About Sexting, Drinking, Drugs,

and Other Things That Freak You Out (AMACOM, May 20).  “Your job now is to figure out what makes teenagers tick, and to steer them to productive paths – away from the lures and dangers of drinking, drugging, sexting, bullying, and other bad decisions.”

Media Connect is promoting this book and I must say it is one that I feel like every parent can use. I know as a parent of a 9- and 6-year-old, teens are not far behind and I find this guide invaluable.

From lying, hanging with a bad crowd, spending too much time online, and falling grades, the teenage years can be an uphill battle.  Her book is a no-nonsense guide you need to get your teen talking, listening, and acting appropriately. Geltman covers 80 areas of concern for those raising teenagers in today’s hyper-sexual, super-social, non-stop digital environment, including these:

·         How to protect against the invasion of social media and its influence on your child’s sleep, safety, social life, academics, and reputation.

·         How to discuss drinking, drugs, and other harmful substances and situations.

·         What to say when discussing sexuality, sexting, date rape, online predators, and sexual harassment.

·         What to watch for in regards to bullying, eating disorders, cutting, and depression.

·         How to help your child navigate the challenging, awkward, and sometimes violent moments of youth.

·         How to ensure your child is succeeding in school, despite the distractions of life – and on a path towards college.

·         How to show your teen how his or her attitude and actions have consequences – and how to hold them accountable.

·         A 4-step roadmap on how to argue and communicate with your teen.

·         How to avoid criminal behavior for your teen – either as perpetrator or victim.

·         How to plan for your partying teenager – whether inside or outside the house.

“No kid is perfect, not even yours,” adds Geltman. “Perhaps your teen is engaging in risky behaviors that are scaring the hell out of you, or he won’t talk to you, or he isn’t even trying to reach for his potential, or he’s generally unlikable.  It’s probably been hard to find the joy in the relationship.  Believe me, your teen gets your disappointment.  And when this disappointment feels pervasive in your relationship, it will become a self-fulfilling prophecy.  ‘If my parents think I’m a loser, then I might as well start being a loser!’  It’s important to break the cycle.”

Geltman is a leading parent expert, with four decades of experience in working with youth, including as a psychology professor, school counselor and social worker, a family therapist, and a parenting coach.  She holds a Masters degree in social work from Washington University and has been quoted or published by USA Today, Psychology Today, Boston Globe and The Washington Post.  She’s also a successful parent, having raised Ari Graymor, a movie actress who is starring in the new CBS television series, Bad Teacher.

Just as parents-to-be read What To Expect When You’re Expecting, parents of teens need a supportive, insightful guide to nurture parents through the pitfalls of their child’s toughest years and inevitably scores of challenging situations. A Survival Guide To Parenting Teens is just such a book.

Below is a Q and A with the author:

1.                  What is the most challenging part to parenting a teenager? For most parents, trying to understand why their teen does so many “stupid” things, makes so many “stupid” decisions, and doesn’t want to listen to their advice gained from so many years of experience is crazy making! Without understanding what drives their teen’s behavior, parents just go from one crisis to the next, throwing around consequences and punishments hoping that something they do will stick and change their teen’s terrifying ways. But alas, just saying don’t do it or you better not, and then grounding them when they do, does not change behavior. Many parents of teens feel an enormous loss of control. “Because I said so” is no longer an effective parenting tool. You cannot parent a teenager the same way you parent a younger child. It is this redefining of parenting style that most parents of teens are unprepared for.

2.                  Which subjects freak parents out the most – discussing sex, alcohol and drugs, social media, school, or issues like depression? I think the issues like drugs/sex/social media are front and center because parents are forced to deal with them on a daily basis. They are “in your face” kind of issues. Many, many teens are dealing with depression and anxiety these days, but they are good at masking them with…. drugs/alcohol/sex and social networking. Parents then are dealing with symptoms of possible depression and anxiety, doing too much of all those other things which are avoidance behaviors. Also parents worry that drugs/alcohol/sex and social networking will negatively impact their kid’s success in school. PS, it will!

3.                  Doesn’t every stage of parenting present hurdles and roadblocks? What’s so different about the teen years? Teen brains are experiencing enormous growth. This means that they are literally seeing the world through a new lens. Additionally in adolescence, the emotional part of the teen brain is in higher activation than their thinking brain, which is completely opposite from the way an adult brain functions. This means teen behavior is driven by emotion and impulse rather than by the rational and the thoughtful. Except for the first 18 months of life, there is no other time in life when there is such extreme brain change. It’s biology baby! For parents this is scary because just as their teen’s brain sees the “awesomeness” of it all, they are exposed to experiences that carry tremendous risk.

4.                  Your daughter went on to star in a network television show.  Does this mean you did something right as a parent? Ari’s success is totally a reflection of her hard work and talent; we take no credit for that. What we did do as parents was to know and understand who she was and what turned her on. We supported her passion which she exhibited at a very early age and found her opportunities to participate to her little heart’s content. As she got older that definitely meant some job-juggling for my husband and I. Because Ari was an only child, we were able to do that and she was able to take advantage of acting opportunities that required some significant chauffeuring and time management. But I think our real gift to her was staying out of her way. We were all very clear about boundaries; we were her chauffeurs, catering service and supporters, not her directors, managers and agents.

5.                  Let’s discuss real-life issues.  How do you advise parents of teenagers who are being bullied online? The first issue is availability. Teens can be gluttons for punishment. Get them off the sites and apps where bulling occurs and block the kids who are taunting them from those sites. If a bully doesn’t have access to his/her victim than that can take all the fun out of bullying. But in order for that to happen parents have got to be on top of what apps and sites their kids are on in the first place. Many parents stay way to hands-off with their kids phones and computers. Monitoring a teen’s phone and computer use is a necessary evil. There may always be some trash taking between teens, but when the line is crossed by threats and serious emotional abuse, transcripts should be presented to school administrators. 

6.                  How should a parent talk to their child about sex, sexting, and dating? With understanding and honesty. Parents should really try to stay off the lecture circuit. Telling teens how they should behave will fall mostly on deaf ears. Saying: “ I get you are going to be interested in sex. I know I’ll have to get used to thinking about you in this new way. I know you will be in situations that you have never been in before with boys/girls. I also know kids talk to each other in very sexy language, and I’m guessing that can be pretty fun, but it can also get you into real trouble. Here are some of the things I do not want to see on your phone or computer.” Parents should say all those “dirty” words they do not want on their kid's phone. Saying “inappropriate language” just won’t cut it. Kids need to hear what it sounds like out loud!.

7.                  What can a parent do to keep the lines of communication flowing with their teenager, to ensure honesty, openness, and forthrightness? The biggest barriers to open communication are words that criticize and judge. For example when parents see their teen wasting time online and texting when they are supposed to be doing their homework, they are more likely to say: “Stop being so lazy, and get off that damn phone.” Rather than: “I get how important your friends are to you, and how important it is for you to check in with them, but homework is important too, and we need to find a strategy that gives you time for both.” Now, instead of teens feeling like they have a character flaw, which pushes them into arguing and defense mode, they can work on solving a problem.

8.                  What do parents need to understand about what their teen child is going through psychologically and physically? Puberty absolutely sucks! This wreaks havoc in a teen’s life; too tall, too short, big boobs, no boobs, acne. From the second a teen wakes up in the morning and looks in that mirror, and sees live and in person their perceived inadequacies, the mood for their day is set. One pimple can ruin a day. Because of new brain growth, teens are now hyper-aware of what other people think about them. This self-consciousness can be paralyzing. Unfortunately parents get the worst of it. When teens are with their friends they have to be “all good,” but at home the stress of this new body and brain shows in sullenness, and attitude. The most difficult part of this puberty business is there really is no way of making it better; you just have to wait it out. Parents can’t “make it all better.” For the fix-it parent this is a tough slog.

9.                  What are four typical mistakes or assumptions parents make about their teen children?  Parents think that their teens do not want to spend time with them. WRONG. In a survey I did with teens in 9-12^th grades, almost all the kids said they wish they could spend more time with their parents. Just don’t do it on a weekend night!

Labeling their teen. Many parents see their teens doing bad things, and label them as bad. Not true!! There is a huge learning curve during the teen years. Part of the process of leaning is making mistakes, and making bad choices. Making these learning opportunities rather than just punishing “bad behavior” is what changes behavior.

Over-thinking and over problem-solving. Many times teens come to their parents to just vent about a situation they are having trouble with. They aren’t looking for a fix, just a shoulder to lean on. Parents like fixing, and go right to the “here’s what I think you should do…” Teens then react with anger, and “you just don’t understand.” And the lovely moment has gone ugly.

Unrealistic expectation. Not all teens are meant to be honor roll students. Some have strengths in other area that as life goes on will be equally if not more important in the long run of adulthood.

10.              How has parenting a teen, circa 1984, changed from raising one today? As teens, this generation of parents experienced much of what their teens are experiencing; teen angst, puberty, alcohol, drugs, sex, so at least that gives them some perspective. But technology was not a part of their teen years. Unfortunately we have all jumped in the pool together and parents and teens are sharing in the excitement of all this new technology simultaneously. But teenage use and adult use are not the same, and no one was prepared for how all this technology could and does impact a teen’s life. Who knew teens would  be sending naked pictures and using language fit for 1-900-SEXY as just part of the normal teenage experience, or that the family TV would become a dusty relic as teens hunker down in their caves watching movies, playing games and getting naked away from the prying eyes of mom and dad.

For more information, please consult: www.joanigeltman.blogspot.com and www.joanigeltman.com.
Brian Feinblum’s views, opinions, and ideas expressed in this blog are his alone and not that of his employer, Media Connect, the nation’s largest book promoter. You can follow him on Twitter @theprexpert and email him at brianfeinblum@gmail.com. He feels more important when discussed in the third-person. This is copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog © 2014

What Gets Media Attention

When pitching the media, there are different stages to getting attention.  For instance, for a press release, the headline must grab them and invite them in, or the rest won’t be read.  Same goes for an email pitch – your subject line has to get their attention or it won’t even be opened.  So what will open their minds and hearts to your story?

You need to drill down on the thing that will make people stop in their tracks and want to know more.  What can you say that will chart a strong reaction, that will make them laugh or angry or fearful?  What button can you push that will light their curiosity?

I suggest you do the following exercise:

1.       Freely write out what you believe are important talking points – the things you’d say if given a chance at an interview.

2.      Start to prioritize them in order of importance, shock value, news, or uniqueness.

3.      Start to reword them so they sound more colorful, outrageous, or scary.

4.      Think about saying your points in a different way.  For instance, instead of making a statement of fact, make an accusation or raise a question.  Instead of talking about something generically, be specific by name or cite a statistic to give it some definition.

5.      Now choose the best one.  Keep it short if it’s for an email subject line.

One way to help you see things the way the media does is to browse headlines in newspapers, magazines, and blog posts.  Borrow their words and styles, but put your personalized spin on it.

Let’s examine the process more closely.  For example, maybe your book is about how to raise a healthy dog.  You can have all kinds of fun with this and play with words that are linked to dogs.  In fact, let’s start with the words we commonly associate with dogs – man’s best friend, bark, howl, roll over, can’t teach an old dog new tricks, loyal, protective, canine, puppy, furry, companions, four-legged creature, paws, woof, dog years, life of a dog, rescued, guard dog, pooch, etc.  Let these words marinate in your head.  Stir them like a soup.  Start to formulate headline ideas like these:

Canine companions live longer on organic chow

Extend your life – and Fido’s too – with long walks

Holistic medicine going to the dogs – Really!

Did you remember to brush your dog’s teeth?

How to ensure happy golden years for your pooch

What is your dog’s cholesterol?

How to select the right treats after your dog beats cancer

If we think it through, we can come up with dozens of quirky headlines.  Sometimes you’ll use five or six different ones, depending on which person at which media outlet you contact.  A pitch to a features editor will vary from the one you send to business or health editors.

Sometimes the perfect pitch comes to you right away or when you least expect it.  Other times you need to just generate ideas and plop your thoughts onto paper and then put the puzzle pieces together until it’s the right fit.

Remember, you have many weapons at your disposal.  You can out-think, out-word, out-create others.  Dig deep and be open to exploring the odd, the crazy, the laughable, the controversial, the critical, the revolutionary, and the daring.

“Time: Since you can’t control how much time you have, you must control

  how you use it.

  Energy: You should always strive to use your strength on your strengths.

  Goals: You can’t do everything, so you must discipline yourself to do the

  important things.

  Moods: If you do not master your emotions, they will master you.”

  -- Excerpted, There’s No such Things as ‘Business’ Ethics

Brian Feinblum’s views, opinions, and ideas expressed in this blog are his alone and not that of his employer, Media Connect, the nation’s largest book promoter. You can follow him on Twitter @theprexpert and email him at brianfeinblum@gmail.com. He feels more important when discussed in the third-person. This is copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog © 2014

HOW TO MAKE A BOOK SALE!

1.      Avoid competitive situations – provide a great offer, give enough incentives, reduce barriers, and address the concerns a consumer may have. 

2.      Assume there’s competition and know who it is, what they offer, and what it is that the potential customer believes is so good about their offer or book.

3.      Know what's important to the reader – and show how you’ll address those needs.

4.      Manipulate emotions – play on their ego, vanity, desire, greed, fears, humor, etc.

5.      Share testimonials from people they value – known names, high-profile organizations, members of the media, people in the industry, etc.

6.      Offer a competitive pricing.

7.      Offer a guarantee.

8.      Sound sincere and smile – it can be heard in your voice.

            9.       Don’t let the last sale or rejection interfere with the next call.

           10.  Show appreciation – be thankful – make sure they feel good and know how valuable they are to us.

            11.  Inject humor where possible.

            12.  Use first names.

13.   Offer add-ons -- something free but of value to the consumer.

14.    Convince them you know the media.

15.   Converse in a way that shows you share their values – family, charity, faith, etc.

16.    Present yourself in a way that gives them the belief you will act ethically.

17.    Quote stats and facts about what concerns them. Speak their language.

18.     Find common ground – agree on something, and smile when you talk.

19.    Identify what you think is the customer's strengths – it boosts their confidence – and delicately confront weaknesses, and ID potential threats and challenges. Let them know you have a plan to combat the critics or where they come up short.

20.   Identify your unique selling proposition – why do people go with you, and what do you offer that others can’t or don’t? If you are unable to demonstrate how you stand out to differentiate yourself from the competition, you will just blur into oblivion.

21.    Some may want references, and they will call them.

22.    Use visuals or props – signs, videos, toys, gifts, PowerPoint, etc. to make a strong impact.

23.    Speak in memorable slogans.

Marketing a book takes confidence, personality, research, and creativity. It appears to be about a triumph of style over substance, but it is really about will over reality, about you beating others to the deadline, and coming to the table with a story that needs to be told. Sell a story that needs to be told. Sell a story. Paint a picture. Book marketing is about sharing a vision and conjuring up a desire to aspire, and a need to be fulfilled. You’re an artist, an athlete, a politician, a teacher, and an entrepreneur. You deliver a message and you become it in how you sell it.

Sales Advice on the Powers of Persuasion

Excerpted from Scientific Mind

Below are excerpts from an article I read about persuasion. I thought it might keep your marketing efforts in perspective. Perhaps it would help us in our selling efforts to keep these things in mind.

These core principles of persuasion are as follows:

Reciprocity – we feel obligated to return favors

Liking – we have a tendency to say yes to people whom we like

Scarcity – we place more value on things that are in short supply

Social proof – we look at what others are doing when we’re not sure what to do ourselves

Authority – we listen to experts and those in positions of power

Commitment and consistency – we like to be true to our word and finish what we’ve started

Humor is Key.

Exhibiting empathy helps to convince people that you have their best interests at heart, a surefire way to get them on your side.

It helps if people feel like they’re being offered a good deal, especially if the good deal involves getting away with something.

The key, as a persuader, is to present things in such a way that they appear to be not in your own best interests – but in those of whom you’re trying to influence. 

Brian Feinblum’s views, opinions, and ideas expressed in this blog are his alone and not that of his employer, Media Connect, the nation’s largest book promoter. You can follow him on Twitter @theprexpert and email him at brianfeinblum@gmail.com. He feels more important when discussed in the third-person. This is copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog © 2014

Good Girls Don’t Get Media Coverage

One thing is clear when promoting a book. Being polite doesn’t work. Remaining neutral doesn’t work. Being reserved doesn’t work. If you aren’t prepared to state strong views and alienate others, don’t bother promoting your book. If you aren’t committed to saying outrageous things and drawing clear lines of winners and losers, don’t even think of contacting the media. Being humble or waiting in line is not the way to proceed in the media arena.

This doesn’t mean you need to be outright rude, mean, or disrespectful to others, nor is this a license to lie, cheat, steal, or break the law. But to promote yourself today in the current media environment, you need to stick out, and sometimes to do that means you need to position yourself against someone or something as much as you are for someone or something.

The media rhetoric often sinks to the level of schoolyard bully vitriol. Just turn on Fox and see what I mean. We don’t need that, but you do have to speak in an assertive, inspiring, and confident tone. Sometimes, you have to make your point by putting the points of others down.

Let’s say your book is about what should be done about an issue such as the debt. It’s easy to find an enemy there. You can bash the policies of various elected officials and parties. You can make statistical claims. You can demand for changes to be made and give 10 steps to follow. But what do you do if your book seems less political and argumentative, like a book on caregiving or raising a happy child, or a cookbook for diabetes?

There’s always something to criticize or argue against. You just have to think who can be a big enough target.

For instance, maybe the enemy for caregiving is the government, and its lack of policy or support. Maybe for the cookbook, the enemy is big food companies who sell junk food. For the parenting book, we can rail against the practices of psychologists who offer useless advice. Someone has to wear the black hat and be demonized. It can be a person, a place, a thing, an ideology, an institution, the government, a business, or an event. But some opposition has to exist in order for you to be the hero and victor.

The media wants controversy, colorful personalities, debates, and wild accusations flying around – and you need to give them what they want. Look at other industries. Take sports. We love rivalries. People will talk about Lakers-Celtics, Yankees-Red Sox, Bruins-Flyers. In politics, it’s liberals vs. conservatives. In high school, it’s nerds vs. jocks. In life, it’s men vs. women or city vs. suburb or underdog vs. monopoly.

We want there to be tension, with something at stake. We want urgent calls to action and we need forks in the road. We want to feel we are at a pivotal turning point, where our rights, wealth, r, freedom, and way of life are under threat. Your pitches to the media need to tap into this emotional and psychological fervor.

Good girls don’t get attention – only those who talk, act, or dress provocatively. When it comes to the media, be a naughty girl!

Book Excerpt: HOW TO WIN FRIENDS AND INFLUENCE PEOPLE

by Dale Carnegie

SIX WAYS TO MAKE PEOPLE LIKE YOU

Principle 1: Become genuinely interested in other people.

Principle 2: Smile.

Principle 3: Remember that a person’s name is to that person the sweetest and most important sound in any language.

Principle 4: Be a good listener.  Encourage others to talk about themselves.

Principle 5: Talk in terms of the other person’s interests.

Principle 6: Make the other person feel important – and do it sincerely

Three-fourths of the people you will ever meet are hungering and thirsting for sympathy.  Give it to them, and they will love you.

Say about yourself all the derogatory things you know the other person is thinking or wants to say or intends to say – and say them before that person has a chance to say them.   The chances are a hundred to one that a generous, forgiving attitude will be taken and your mistakes will be minimized.

Let Charles Schwab say it in his own words:  “The way to get things done,” says Schwab, “is to stimulate competition.  I do not mean in a sordid, money-getting way, but in the desire to excel.”

That is what every successful person loves:  the game.  The chance for self-expression.  The chance to prove his or her worth, to excel, to win.  That is what makes footraces and hog-calling and pie-eating contests.  The desire to excel. The desire for a feeling of importance.

Brian Feinblum’s views, opinions, and ideas expressed in this blog are his alone and not that of his employer, Media Connect, the nation’s largest book promoter. You can follow him on Twitter @theprexpert and email him at brianfeinblum@gmail.com. He feels more important when discussed in the third-person. This is copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog © 2014

Journalism Is At A Fork In The Road

The survival of print has gotten a little more challenging with two events this past week. First, Ladies Home Journal, once a dominant women’s monthly magazine, is now slipping off into irrelevance and plans to publish quarterly after seeing a loss of half of its ad pages in just five years.

However, the 130-year-old mainstay still has a circulation of 3.2 million, so it does seem to be that people still enjoy the printed publication. It’s too bad the magazine is a step closer to extinction.

Another longtime publication is transitioning from being a daily printed newspaper to a weekly print publication – with a daily edition posted digitally. The paper in question was founded 137 years ago and will be the first Ivy League newspaper to make such a move. The Spectator is published at Columbia University, long held as the leading campus paper in the country. Columbia trains so many would-be journalists, but now these students will have to deliver a digital issue instead of one in print.

Are these two glaring examples of what’s to come? Will the New York Times go to a weekly format or Cosmo to a quarterly? It seems crazy, yet possible. I have long defended the need for print to exist. Nothing beats holding it in your hand or having it to thumb through. Further, with an overcrowded, endless universe of digital competition, the way to stick out is to print a publication. Otherwise, people will devalue what they will pay for content. If it’s online, I want it for free. Print needs to defend its territory aggressively.

One Book That’s Not Needed

Do we really need a book called What to Talk About: On a Plane, at a Cocktail Party, in a Tiny Elevator with Your Boss’s Boss?

I read about it in Newsweek. It’s a book that helps those who are horrified at the prospect of making small talk. Conversation shouldn’t be forced. It should just come naturally, shouldn’t it?

If you feel bored, nervous, or stumped as to what to say to someone, then maybe there’s a reason for that. Maybe you already know the person is lacking – dumb, rude, unstable, competitive, jealous? Maybe you’ve tried talking to this person before and got nowhere? Maybe you feel intimidated by their position or looks? Whatever it is, you feel awkward talking to that person. Why fake a forced conversation? Just politely value the silence and be relieved you both seem willing to ignore one another.

USA Leads The Arts

I was so happy to see that the US leads the world in the sale of art and antiques. According to the European Fine Art Foundation, 38% of the $66 billion in sales last year came in the US. 24% came from China. This means that just two countries are responsible for over 60% of the market. Britain was a close third with 20% of the market. France was a distant fourth, with 6% of the marketplace. This may speak to a number of factors – economy, tastes of the citizens, and the availability of great art and historical objects. But if one wants to find some art or antiques, I’d suggest they go to another country, and then resell in the US whatever was purchased overseas.

Shakespeare Has Outlasted Many

It’s hard to believe that William Shakespeare – 450 years after his birth this past month – still resonates with millions of people. How many writers from his time are still relevant to readers today? His works endure for a reason. The Bard tapped into something deep and meaningful with plays like Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet, and King Lear. His 39 plays and 157 sonnets and poems yielded 884,647 words. Will any of our works be read in 2464?

BOOK EXCERPT: THE ONE MINUTE MILLIONAIRE

by Mark Victor Hanson and Robert G. Allen

Those who “network the networks” gain the most leverage. The value of your network is the square of the number of people in it.

“Givers Gain” is your networking motto. Give something away for free that is valuable to network members. It brings attention to you and it builds trust. Do not accept reciprocity.

Once you have created a network, do whatever it takes to maintain it.  The Golden Rule of Networking is: “Be very quick to build connections and extremely slow to break them.”

Layer your activities. Use your waiting time productively. Do two things at once. Constantly ask yourself this question: “Is this the most productive use of my time?”

You can learn to persuade. You can learn to sculpt your words and phrases into masterpieces that evoke the response you want.

The Things That Get Rewarded Get Done. If you reward yourself for your most positive actions, you will get more of them done

Do your FTF: Feared Things First. Which activity on your list do you fear the most? That’s your FTF. When you start your day, ask yourself, “What’s my FTF today?” Start your day with that activity.

Every great actor rehearses many times before stepping on the stage. Don’t step on the stage of life without rehearsing your performance.

Failure to live your values is not a setback; it is a real failure.

Determine what your natural strengths are.  Then look for others who have complementary abilities. This way you can hand off your “weakness work” to someone who has strength in that area.

Brian Feinblum’s views, opinions, and ideas expressed in this blog are his alone and not that of his employer, Media Connect, the nation’s largest book promoter. You can follow him on Twitter @theprexpert and email him at brianfeinblum@gmail.com. He feels more important when discussed in the third-person. This is copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog © 2014

How To Publish Your Photography Book

If you are considering publishing a book filled with photography, I encourage you to read the newly revised and updated edition of Publish Your Photography Book by Darius D. Himes and Mary Virginia Swanson (Princeton Architectural Press).

The book takes aspiring authors through the publishing process and shows the many pitfalls to avoid. Filled with interviews and contributions from publishers, artists, designers, packagers, editors, and other industry experts, the book offers information and advice on:

·         Choosing digital publishing platforms

·         How to market a photobook

·         Production choices

·         How to develop your concept

·         Trends in the publishing industry

Himes is a director at Fraenkel Gallery and was a cofounder of Radius Books, a nonprofit publisher of books on the visual arts. Swanson is an author, educator, lecturer, and advisor to artists and arts organizations. Last year, she received the Focus Award for Lifetime Achievement in Photography from the Griffin Museum in Boston.

Popular Photography said this of their book; “If you’re serious about getting your work into print, and into the hands of a wider audience, this will be the best $30 you can spend.”

The book shared these insights on bookselling in the 21^st century:

“It is not news to state that bookselling in the early twenty-first century looks nothing like the last decades of the twentieth century. Ironically, over the past decade, while more and more photography books (and books of all types) were being published by a wide range of small and independent companies and an even wider range of first-time authors, the number of small and independent bookstores has diminished dramatically.

“Bookstore closures have been fueled primarily by the boom in Internet business coupled with the retail price-slashing tactics of the Internet’s number one bookstore, Amazon. Independent booksellers have had a hard time competing, but they are a driven group, seeking to keep an almost-extinct literary culture alive. Many of the most notable bookstores have emphasized and capitalized on their independent status and the specialization of their inventory in order to build and retain a loyal clientele.

“Independent booksellers, like small independent presses, are willing to work very closely with photographers. Today, many photographers are producing small runs of books – from several dozen to one or two thousand copies – and then are selling them through their own websites and marketing the titles through their own blogs and Facebook and Twitter accounts. Reaching out directly to bookstores is key to selling books in the twenty-first century.

“The publishing industry as a whole – from agents and authors to publishing houses and booksellers – has gone through, and continues to go through, major shifts resulting from, in no small part, the changes in the purchasing habits of the general public. Being versatile amid the flux is vital.”

The book’s appendix is filled with scores of useful industry resources, including Web sites covering the following:

·         Understanding elements of design

·         Publishing industry resources

·         Lists of publishers and distributors

·         eBook creation tools

·         Producers of print-on-demand photobooks

·         Industry organizations

Here’s a sampling of them:

Publishing Trends

www.publishingtrends.com

The Association of Publishers for Special Sales

www.spannet.org

Self-Publishing Review Resources

www.selfpublishingreview.com/resources

Digital Book World

www.digitalbookworld.com

The Digital Photobook

www.thedigitalphotobook.blogspot.com

All Indie Publishing

www.allindiepublishing.com

Covering Photography

www.coveringphotography.com

The Future of Publishing

www.thefutureofpublishing.com

The Independent Publishing Magazine

www.theindependentpublishingmagazine.com

The American Institute of Graphic Arts

www.aiga.org

International Digital Publishing Forum

www.idpf.org

American Booksellers Association

www.bookweb.org

Association of American Publishers

www.publishers.org

The Book Designer

www.thebookdesigner.com

Book Excerpt: IF ARISTOTLE RAN GM

“People will not have a sense of positive corporate spirit in any endeavor unless that activity is connected with their personal quest for happiness, unless they are feeling some degree of fulfillment and some measure of happiness in that task.  And it is only when this issue of individual fulfillment is understood in the deepest possible way that we will see how personal satisfaction is finally tied to interpersonal, organizational, and business flourishing….

“It is the people within any enterprise, and their interactions with each other, that ultimately produce excellence or mediocrity.”

Brian Feinblum’s views, opinions, and ideas expressed in this blog are his alone and not that of his employer, Media Connect, the nation’s largest book promoter. You can follow him on Twitter @theprexpert and email him at brianfeinblum@gmail.com. He feels more important when discussed in the third-person. This is copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog © 2014