Publishers & Writers of San Diego -- Newsletter -- January 2006

We've secured a fantastic place to meet for 2006 (and hopefully beyond) -- the Encinitas Community Center. Those who attended the December open house got a preview and the feedback was very positive. Best of all, the lower fee for the room (nearly half what we were paying at the hotel) allowed us to lower our annual membership dues! More about that below ...

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== New and longtime members mingle at our December open house social ==

First of all, many thanks again to those of you who persevered through the horrible traffic due to an accident on I-5. But other than that glitch in the day, everyone had a grand ol' time. Words of exciting accomplishments in 2005 and hopeful prospects for 2006 could be heard throughout the conversations. New members came on board. We officially transferred board duties from Matt Yubas to Carolyn Fox. We heard fantastic live music. And best of all, we gave away some fun prizes to a few lucky winners. Lastly, much appreciation to our kind members who arrived early or stayed late to help set up and clean up.

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== Exemplary members awarded at our December open house social ==

Three PWSD members earned awards for 2005 -- and earned a free membership for 2006.

George Goddard was named Most Dedicated Member of the Year. A tireless note-taker at meetings, a lifelong learner, and maintainer of our website early in the year, George attended all but one meeting of the year, only missing that one due to his mother's passing away. George is also one of our long-timers, having been a member since the 20th century. The grand irony, and material for a good laugh at the award ceremony, was that George had to be out of town that weekend and couldn't be there.

Wife and husband team Kathe and Ray Gogolewski were greatly, but happily, surprised to learn they had won Outstanding Members of the Year. They earned the title by exemplifying what every author and self-publisher needs to do to be successful -- produce a professional product, constantly network and learn, treat their endeavor as a business, and persistently self-promote. And befitting of what earned them their title, they followed up with a national media release announcing their award!

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== Dues are due, dude ==

With the new year come many exciting prospects and resolutions. How about making one of them the action-packed adventure of writing a check for your 2006 membership dues? Writer's cramp got your hand in a knot? Not to worry -- you can pay cash in person at our next meeting! (No cash in the mail, please!) Otherwise, good-old-fashioned checks are the way to go. You can bring those to the next meeting as well, but if you absolutely can't be there, here's our mailing address -- PWSD, PO Box 629, Carlsbad, CA 92018. As for the membership fee, you may be happy to hear we've lowered it for 2006. At $37 for the entire year, it's a no-brainer! So, join or re-join today.

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== PWSD member to appear on national TV ==

Diane Asitimbay, author of What's Up America?, will appear on cable television's top-rated morning show, Fox News Network's "Fox and Friends", on Saturday, January 7 in the 8:50 a.m. segment. She'll discuss questions foreigners ask Americans such as: Why do most Americans leave home at 18? Why are many Americans on diets but still overweight? What is American food? If this is the land of the free, then why are there so many rules? If our families are becoming smaller, why are American homes getting bigger?

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== San Diego Creativity Club's annual event -- January 14 ==

San Diego best-selling author and creativity expert Lee Silber puts on this bash only once a year, as a way of fostering our creative community. The theme of this year's event is ãBringing Ideas To Lifeä and will include speakers whoâll share how they turned their ideas into income. There will also be a chance to mix and mingle with other creative people, an open mic segment, a live radio show, workshops, and a chance to jam with Lee's band. There is no charge to attend, but to keep the event free, please bring something to share with others (food, drink, or a raffle prize are ideal.)

Saturday, January 14, 2006 7:00 PM to 11:00 PM
5326 Mt. Alifan Dr., San Diego, 92111
Cost: Nothing!
Open to the public If you are planning to attend and/or want to perform, please send an e-mail to: leesilber@earthlink.net.

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== Book-promotion seminars -- January 19 and 21 ==

PWSD president, professional speaker, and publishing consultant Andrew Chapman will be conducting two seminars this month to help authors, writers, self-publishers, and other members of the publishing community.

1. On Thursday, January 19 (6:30-9:30 pm), "Branding and Self-Promotion for the Self-Employed" will teach us the secrets of branding and how it is the basis for successful self-promotion. Although this seminar is designed for anyone who is self-employed, the tips and techniques are a must for anyone in publishing. For details and to register, visit http://www.julypublishing.com/branding.

2. On Saturday, January 21 (10 AM - 1 PM), "Secrets to Successful Book Promotion" is packed with as much information as possible for authors and self-publishers who wish to learn what it takes to successfully promote their books. This is a monthly seminar hosted by The Learning Annex. Look for details in the coming Learning Annex catalog or by going to http://www.learningannex.com.

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== San Diego Book Awards deadline for entries -- January 31 ==

The San Diego Book Awards annual dinner and ceremony is in May ... but the deadline for entries is this month. There are numerous categories for both published and unpublished authors and writers. For more info and details, visit http://www.sdbaa.org.

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== Membership directory ==

Don't forget about our membership directory! The PWSD website includes a directory of members, and right now most of you aren't listed. While we can't make guarantees as to results, some of our listed members have received inquiries from visitors to the site (which numbers in the hundreds each week). You may be missing out on a key contact or potential prospect! To see the current directory and for instructions to add your listing, go to www.publisherswriters.org/members.html.

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== PMA and SPAN ==

PWSD is an affiliate of Publishers Marketing Association (PMA) and Small Publishers of North America (SPAN). And as such, our members are entitled to a discount membership with both organizations. As national organizations with thousands of members, they offer tremendous benefits, such as discounts on printing, shipping, and travel with their preferred vendors. There are many other advantages to membership, and we suggest you visit their websites at www.pma-online.org and www.spannet.org to learn more.

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== Good resource ==

For a vast wealth of info on self-publishing, visit http://www.selfpublishing.com.

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== This month's marketing tip ==

Many of us use the turn of the year to make resolutions, set goals, and generally assess our lives. From a promotional standpoint, one of the things worth reviewing is your elevator statement or mission statement. When you meet someone for the first time, and you have about 30 seconds to tell what you do, it had better be unique, focused, and memorable. Take some time this month to review your statement. Does it need updating? Has your direction, focus, or purpose changed over the past year? Does it reflect who you are right now? Does it feel authentic? The process of giving this serious thought will not only produce a better mission statement, but also provide you better clarity as you go forward into 2006. And, of course, if you don't have a mission statement yet -- you know what to do! Remember, it should be (a) easy to say in 30 seconds or less, (b) memorable, (c) simple and focused, and (d) unique.