Get It Write Publishing ~ An Amazing Year

 

This was an amazing year for building my business, Get It Write Publishing Company (formerly Get It Write Editing Co.) but also tiring. Not tiring just because of the workload but because of so many other things that happened (negatively) this year.

In seeing comments and hearing things from people throughout the year, I gathered that some people think what I do is easy. It’s not. It’s hard work. It’s “blood, sweat, and tears.”

This is the process once my client emails me their manuscript:

The manuscript gets edited and then sent back to the client. After the client reviews the edits and sends it back, it’s then proofread. After the proofreading comes the book formatting.

Seems easy and fast, right? Nope. Editing takes time, and proofreading takes time. Me and my team go through the manuscript with a fine-tooth comb. And don’t get me started on formatting!!

The client gets a cover design and sends it to me, and then I download the proper template to put the cover into. I then need to create the files for uploading (for the hardcopy version and eBook version). Then the files are uploaded to the platform used for publishing and are in review before it is published “live” on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, etc.

Reading all of that may seem simple to you, but it’s not. It’s a lot of coordination and back-and-forth with the client. It’s frustration over page numbering. It’s hair-pulling when the platform comes back saying the cover is slightly out of margins or fonts are embedded. 

You may be thinking, Ok, why don’t you make sure all of that is in place before uploading to the platform for publishing? Oh, but I do. KDP and IngramSpark do what they want and are very fussy. When I think everything is perfect… they come back and tell me something is wrong.

In the meantime, my graphic designer and I are working on the cover reveal graphics for social media.

So yes. Blood, sweat, tears. Long hours. Late nights. Little sleep. The mind is racing.

Does it sound like I’m complaining? I’m not. Not at all. I LOVE what I do, and I have a great team behind me. This year, however, since I was just getting the company off the ground, I did most of the work, so I’m tired, to say the least. But the feeling of seeing a happy client and getting their book published is like no other. I can’t even put it into words. I look at the book and think, I did that. Yes, the author wrote the book, but I made this happen!

How does the company work as far as royalties? We don’t take your royalties. You keep 100% of your rights and royalties. Well, why wouldn’t you just self-publish? Because you have a better chance at getting your book into bookstores if you have the publishing imprint AND we do all the work for a one-time fee. When you self-publish, you still have to hire someone to edit and proof and format (if you don’t know how to properly format). Then there is the self-publishing process, which can be absolutely bonkers, and you may end up having to hire someone to help you or upload the files for you anyway!

Oh, you’re an editor or you have a friend who can proofread? Great. But you shouldn’t do the final editing/proofreading of your own work because you’re not going to see the book through a pair of eyes that will catch things you may not have or plot holes, etc. And unless your friend is a professional proofreader…forget it. Trust me. I’ve had clients who have sent me books to edit or proof that they already hired someone to edit or proof (and claimed to be a professional) but clearly they weren’t.

Everyone makes mistakes. No one is perfect… not even me! There are so many best sellers out there that have many mistakes. BUT! We at Get It Write Publishing strive to give your book our best. And we are professionals.

So, our one-time fee is totally worth it to you. Plus, we include marketing and helping your book get into your local bookstores.

If you are writing a book or thinking or writing one and would like a publisher, feel free to contact me at mlopataeditor@gmail.com or you can visit our website at www.getitwritepublishing.company and I can give you a quote. Remember, it’s a process, so your book won’t be published in two weeks—or maybe three or four, depending on the size of your book. But the wait is so worth it. Ask any of my clients!

Speaking of clients, here is a list of my 2023 clients and the books published through Get It Write:

JD Miller: Learning to Moo

Connie Tate: Roll On, Scooter Boy, Sylvester’s CAT-astrophicTale, Rooster 99, Rooster 99 Activity Book

A.R. Johnson: Bee Friend, A PamOc Christmas Carol, The Book ofJudas (What If?)

Robert Paul: Worry Free Zone (Unveiling the Warrior Within)

Thanks to our readers and supporters through the year. We appreciate you!

Introducing... Bobby Paul, New Author!!

So, there’s this guy named Bobby, who was a year behind me in school. I knew him, but we were in different social circles and not in the same grade, so we didn’t hang out. But he was nice (I knew that) and would say "hi" if someone said "hi" to him (which I'm sure I did in passing). I also knew he was a “class clown” (a funny guy, really). Years and years later (I won’t age him or myself by saying how many years later!) we connected on Facebook, and then I connected with his amazing wife, Heather (who also went to the same school as me but in a different grade). She’s the nicest person and purchases my books at book signings. So, we also became Facebook friends.

Then there’s one of my best friends, someone I’ve known for a LONG time because we went to school together and hung out and we chat on FB messenger nearly every day. Her name is Susan. Susan is also a friend of Bobby’s, and she found out he was writing a book, so guess what she did? She referred him to ME because I am an editor and have a publishing company, Get It Write Publishing Company.

Bobby messaged me, and the rest is history!

His book is called Worry Free Zone, Unveiling the Warrior Within. See, Bobby had leukemia and he fought a hard battle… but he WON that battle. His support network and, first and foremost, God, were with him during the battle. His book is dedicated to his daughter, Lia, who is a sweet girl (and also funny like her daddy!). When I edited and proofed this book, I felt so many emotions. One was nostalgia because I grew up in the same small town that Bobby did and knew almost the same people, so when he mentioned places or people, it brought back memories of high school. I also laughed (hey, he’s a funny guy) and teared up—not just the parts about him being sick.

This is definitely a book you’ll want to read. It’s a true story that Bobby tells about his life, growing up in a small town, and the battle he fought and won. You can download it from Amazon or order a hard copy. Please leave this amazing new author a positive Amazon and Goodreads review!

Excerpt from the book: 

Never, ever take anything you have in your life for  granted, because trust me, even those small things in your life are a blessing. What you consider a convenience, others would consider a luxury. Fresh air, hot showers, warm meals, and clothing are all luxuries. There are far too many people in this world who are not fortunate enough to experience them. If you are fortunate enough to experience the luxuries of life, try to help those who are not so fortunate.

**We are offering a FREE eBook promotion Monday, Dec 18^th to 

Wednesday, Dec 20^th!

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New Book for Christmas!

A.R. Johnson has done it again! His fourth book has just been published... and in time for Christmas! 

The book is based off the popular story, A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, and is titled A PamOc Christmas Carol. It follows Dickens’ story with changed names and much humor. He came up with the idea while at work, and he and a coworker were joking about who would be in it. Johnson ended up using several coworkers in the book, only changing their names. He originally planned on only publishing to give printed copies to his co-workers as a joke. However, his publisher, Melanie (Get It Write Publishing Company), encouraged him to make it public so all could enjoy it.

Amazon Blurb: Ebenezer Elms is the meanest and cheapest man in Rosconia. He overworks his two employees, Zach and A.J. Cratchit, to exhaustion for meager shillings. This is the norm until Ebenezer Elms gets a Christmas Eve visit from an old, deceased friend and three ghosts from his past, present, and future. Their job is to convince him to change for the better, but he's too blind to realize it. Will Ebenezer Elms change his ways? Or will it be too late?

This book and Johnson's others can be found on Amazon and Barnes & Noble online. Please leave a positive review on Amazon. You can follow A.R. Johnson on Amazon as well as Facebook and Instagram for updates on new releases.

Please STOP

One of my pet peeves is when someone drives through a red light. It’s not that the light changes and they are already going through it. It’s when the light turns red, and you can count to three and someone STILL drives through it… long after it turns red. The worst part is that it’s usually HUGE TRUCKS going through the light!!

I do not understand why people think this is okay. It's irresponsible and careless and could kill someone. Wait your turn, people! If the light is yellow when you're going through, fine. But if you actually see that it is red, stop. The people on the other side may not be as cautious as I am. If you’re waiting at a red light, it is worth waiting two or three extra seconds after the light turns green before moving if you want to save yourself and others from a car crash.

I learned from my mother years ago to always count to three after your light turns green before you drive, just in case someone is going to run the red light. Thank goodness I do that. I can’t tell you how many times I would have gotten in an accident (probably killed) if I hadn’t waited a few seconds. People drive well over the speed limit to make sure they get through that light… red or not!

Is it really worth running a red light if you end up getting into an accident? Ask yourself that before you run a red light. And think about your own family/friends as well. You’d be angry if something bad happened to them if someone else ran a red light and caused an accident. 

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