Newspaper article Orjanette Bryant is in the media

Authors to gain publishing insight at seminar

March 5, 2015 Filed under DAYTONA BEACH, LEAD STORIES, NEWS Posted by 9admin9

BY ASHLEY D. THOMAS
DAYTONA TIMES

A free seminar for aspiring authors and poets sharing insight on editorial services, self-publishing tips, marketing and legal guidance is being held March 7, at the Days Inn Palm Coast from 1 p.m.-7 p.m.

Author Orjanette Bryant stands with her book “Nubia’s Guide to Going Natural.” She is hosting a free book publishing seminar on March 7 at the Days Inn Palm Coast.
(ASHLEY D. THOMAS/DAYTONA TIMES)

Newly published author Orjanette Bryant will join Abundant Harvest Empowerment Christian Center to host the event in an effort to tackle some of the hurdles authors face when writing and publishing their first book.

The Bethune-Cookman College graduate told the Daytona Times the agenda will include education on the publication process with a Q&A session with Michael Pyle, an author and attorney who will talk about legal aspects to consider when choosing a publishing company and Heather Vargas, an intellectual property rights attorney of Cobb Cole discussing copyright protection. Dr. Evelyn Bethune, an author who started Bethune Publishing four years ago, will also sit on the panel.

First-hand experience
Bryant says she wanted to offer the seminar after navigating through the process when publishing her first book “Nubia’s Guide to Going Natural.”

“You have to look at the contracts,” she said. “Consider what the publishing company can offer you.”

“I read about five different contracts before choosing one,” Bryant continued. “You review the contracts, then you research lingo that isn’t common to those outside of the publishing world. Then you have to understand who owns what. There were some contracts I read where although your name is on the book, the publisher owns all rights to that book. This is something people need to know. You have to review the fine print contractual agreements between author and the publishing company.”

Bryant also noted that authors should not be afraid of negotiating contracts with the company they choose to publish with.

Tough competition
“These days it’s nearly impossible to break into the traditional publishing world,” author Sue Shanahan explained in a recent Huffington Post article. “The main reason for this is that book companies need a certain number of sales guaranteed. They are in business to make money and with the high cost of advances and printing they’re much less willing to take risks. That means submissions from unknown authors, who lack a robust social platform, hardly get a glance.”

“If you have a story to tell, it’s a wonderful time to be alive. Self-publishing gives authors creative control,” Shanahan added.

The seminar will be emceed by Martha Cooper Hudson, motivational speaker, life coach, talk show host, author, and founder of Women of Greatness. The Q&A panel will also include award-winning musical guest/branding consultant- Mahoganee; Michael Ray King, the CEO of Clear View Press, a self-publishing company in Palm Coast; and Donna Gray-Banks director of the F.R.E.S.H. Book Festival in Daytona Beach.

“The seminar is a free service to authors who are ready to take that next step,” Bryant added. “The experts on the panel will offer a wealth of information and there will also be 12 published authors available to speak with. The process was so difficult and demanding I wish I had someone to go to. It is important to have a great support system.

“My goal is to help someone in the community get published,” she concluded. “If I can do it, anyone can.”