Crafty Admin's blog

I am talking to yet another author about an ebook for Craft e-Revolution. Things are picking up. I am re-writing my first ebook, and then will move on to my second book, which also needs to be updated. I have two authors who have submitted their drafts to me, as well. Things are very busy around here! 

Please bookmark Craft e-Revolution, as our launch will happen very soon. You will be able to have immediate downloads of the step-by-step craft tutorials you have been anticipating. Awesome!

I'm talking to an author about an exciting ebook, to be published through Craft e-Revolution. It's definitely a niche book, but that doesn't matter--this niche needs it!

Do you have an idea that fills a niche? Check out the Submission Guidelines and FAQ above, and let me know what you are thinking. 

According to a report from the International Digital Publishing Forum, ebook sales in the United States for the first quarter of 2010 were "off the chart."  Said chart does show a dramatic increase from quarter 4 of 2009, which shows sales of about $55 million. Quarter 1 of 2010 shows sales of over $90 million. 

Read more here. 

Cover photo by Thomas Hawk. Used with permission.

This (long-neglected!) series of posts focuses on the free ebook, What Matters Now, compiled and distributed by Seth Godin. 

Page 15 discusses vision, and how important it is to a company. "When times are tough, vision is the first casualty."

Connecting our actions to a larger story, as this page mentions, can help a business to survive. So I shall do just that.

My vision for Craft e-Revolution:

I want this site to be the premier craft tutorial ebook shop. People will come here because the books are of such high quality, and because of the variety. I envision it to be a place for crafters to read, learn, and recommend to their crafty friends. 

Because of my experience and degrees in education, I know that the vast majority of learners are visual learners. My vision for this company is to help people learn a new skill, quickly and efficiently, and with ebooks that are stylish and rich in content. Learning is a lifelong process that can help change lives for the better. That's what I want this site to do.

What is your vision? 

Cover photo by Thomas Hawk. Used with permission.

This post is a reaction to page 12 of What Matters Now, a free ebook arranged by Seth Godin. Please leave a comment and join the conversation.

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"If you like this ebook, please send it to everyone who needs to read it!"

Seth Godin arranged for this book to happen, telling all the contributors that it would be given away for free. Seth Godin is all about giving things away. It is part of how we make a connection in permissions-based marketing. If our market likes us, and wants to hear from us, and we give them things, then they will respond by purchasing things from us.

It works. Just the other day, I purchased Lynchpin. Paid full price for it, too.

Blogging is free, as well. What can you give away to your readers? Toward that end, I have decided to reshape my personal blog in order to give things away. Literally. I am waiting on one detail, and then I will post my first crafter interview and giveaway on that blog. The features will include an interview with a crafter or artisan about her products and business, and will include a giveaway with each post. Do you know someone who would be interested in participating? Email me.

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Page 14 discusses capitalism, and how it is adaptable. Business changes to meet the desires of the buying public, just as birds' beaks evolve to fit the flowers from which they feed. Someone who looks ahead and sees how to sell something that has no physical value (i.e. information) will be able to succeed.

Cover photo by Thomas Hawk. Used with permission.

This post is a reaction to page 12 of What Matters Now, a free ebook arranged by Seth Godin. Please leave a comment and join the conversation.

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On page 12, Howard Mann laments the progress of social media, and the regression of our social capacities as humans. That's how I see it, anyway. He wonders how so many businesses can profit today without even knowing what Facebook or Twitter are.

Making a personal connection with customers is important. But shunning social media isn't the answer. Using Twitter and Facebook strategically can enhance that personal connection with customers by creating conversations.

Furthermore, what about businesses that are strictly online? How else can I create that personal connection?

What crafts do you want to learn? Please share your ideas in the comments, and I will search high and low for the best author for the job. Excellent.

Also, know that two authors are in talks regarding ebooks for Craft e-Revolution, which is very exciting for me! Do you know someone who would make a good craft tutorial author? Please let them know about our open call for submissions. 

Optionally, you can click the button to tweet it!

I've been away because of several personal issues. Rather than dwell on them, I'll let you know that I have recently undergone laser surgery on my eyes! Four days without any computer access (doctor's orders!) was a strange experience for me.

I'm glad to be back, if things are still a little fuzzy. I have been talking to two potential authors, which is exciting! One is planning a sewing book, and the other will have home-grown bath and body products.  I'm always interested in your ideas for books--pitch your idea here.

Photo by maxually via Flickr. Used with permission.

Cover photo by Thomas Hawk. Used with permission.

This post is a reaction to page 11 of What Matters Now, a free ebook arranged by Seth Godin. Please leave a comment and join the conversation.

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Sorry it's been so long since I've blogged about What Matters Now. I was taking a break from blogging. Elizabeth Gilbert, the author of page 11, encouraged me to do this.

Ease is lost in our society, apparently. The ability to just sit and do nothing escapes us. This is very true for me, as I'm certain it is for many entrepreneurs. There are always a million things to be done, each day. Always. Busy? Entrepreneurs wrote the book on busy. We published it ourselves, too.

How can taking it easy benefit us? A fresh mind can work more efficiently, for one thing. A glass of wine had with good friends around a delicious meal enriches our bodies with sustenance and emotion. It shores us up. We should make time for it, regularly.

Perhaps this is something we should all consider for 2010: take it easy, one day each week. Really, really easy is what I'm talking about: not-getting-out-of-my-jammies-all-day-not-for-nobody-not-nohow easy. When was the last time you had a day like that?

It's hard for me to remember. Which tells me it's time to have a day like that.

Oh, fine. Schedule it if you must! Put it into your iCal on your iPhone or Crackberry. But keep this appointment! Maybe we should all have it as a yearly goal--then, as entrepreneurs who work ourselves to death, we will be forced to focus on our ease.

Did you know you had some?