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Part 1: How to Create a New Product with Vervante: Getting Started
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Part 1: How to Create a New Product with Vervante: Getting Started

Vervante • February 3, 2022

As part of our mission to help you have the best publishing experience possible, we’ve created a special series of articles to take you through the process from inspiration to creation to completion. Whether you're new to Vervante or have worked with us in the past, we think this will be such a valuable series for clarifying everything you need to do, step-by-step, to make your big ideas into reality. (If you miss anything, just check the links at the end of the article.) Creating a New Product: Getting Started One of the most important steps for any project is the first step. Decades of experience in the publishing industry has taught us that just the act of gathering your thoughts and ideas and defining what exactly you want to create can be one of the hardest things you do. We’ve been there and helped thousands of customers get started, so here are our best tips: FIRST: Define your product A great place to start is to look at other similar products like the one you want to create. Determine what you like about them and start writing down details such as: size (physical dimensions), number of pages, fonts, colors, type of binding, and any special treatments. NEXT: Watch product videos A great place to get ideas and see how things look in real life is by watching the videos on our Video Vault web page. These videos spotlight a variety of products close-up and in action, narrated by our CEO, showing ways to create and elevate your products. Currently there are videos for binders, planners, journals, card decks, calendars, custom printed boxes, greeting cards, stickers, book cover treatments, and more. We’re always adding something new, so be sure to check back often for lots of ideas and inspiration. THE NEXT STEP: Order samples Holding a sample product in your hand is one of the best ways to decide if you’re choosing the right specifications. We have a Samples Page on our website filled with products you can order to help you make your final decision. One of the most popular samples is our Paper Sample Notepad that includes eight of our most popular paper options – a great way to test the look and feel of the type of paper you’ll want to use. We also offer samples for books, book binding, calendars, card decks and greeting cards, posters, binders, printed boxes, pocket planners, newsletters, notepads, certificates and more. DOWNLOAD: Product catalog We do books ... and so much more! From books to other products such as daily planners, card decks, calendars, notecards, journals, CDs, and DVDs, we've got you covered. Get to know the wide variety of products, packaging, and publishing solutions we offer by downloading our detailed product catalog. (Just go to our home page and click on "Catalog" in the top menu.) FINALLY: Explore our extensive free resources EXPERT GUIDES: Free downloads for everything from how to get started to how to sell and even in-depth technical advice for setting up print files and shopping baskets. BLOG: Hundreds of articles, updates and even highlights of other customer stories that will inspire and assist. FAQs: We have an entire page on the website dedicated to answering the most frequent issues our customers have. Start there are you’ll probably find what you need. FREE BOOK: On the Expert Guide page, you'll find a link to download our free book "How to Self Publish." It's a complete guide for printing and publishing books and products and gives you everything you need in full detail for your next project. We know we’ve given you a lot of information, but this moment where you’re just getting started really is that important. Here’s a final thought… The most important move you will make right now is to choose the right company to work with. After more than 30 years in the publishing industry, we’ve seen up close and personal what you need – and what you don’t need – in order to pick the right company to help you. And we know that no matter if you choose to work with a large corporate publisher or specialized boutique organization, these are universal truths that will help you make the right decisions to ensure that your publishing experience is valuable, productive and, above all, stress-free. So click here to download “The 7 Things You Must Look For in a Publisher,” and be sure to reach out to us if you have any questions. In the next few weeks, we’ll be publishing more articles and information, so soak it in and get ready to create the amazing, inspiring, and business-building products you’ve been dreaming of. Links to Full Series Article #1: Getting Started (This article) Article #2: Creating Your New Product Article #3: Design and Print Files Article #4: Publishing & Printing Article #5: How to Share & Sell

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The importance of copy editing for books and all products
writing tips

The importance of copy editing for books and all products

Vervante • September 10, 2021

Nothing can be more damaging to your products and your reputation than publishing a book or other written product that is filled with typos, errors, and incorrect information. Every book needs editing, as well as other products such as planners, workbooks, journals, training manuals, fitness or health programs, and more. A few mistakes here and there aren't that big of a deal, but consistent misspellings, grammar errors, and incorrect information (such as wrong dates, incorrect website addresses, etc.) will distract your reader and leave them with a negative perception of you, your expertise, and the message or information you share. No matter what your budget might be, investing time and/or money into editing for your project is a vital step that will help you create the best product you can. When your book or product is in the final stages of writing or design, we recommend that you have it professionally edited. Do not compromise when it comes to the quality of your product. If your budget allows for it, hire a professional. If not, consider a trade of services. Or ask for help from family, friends or colleagues.  There are several kinds of editing services that can be done, including proofreading and copy editing: #1 PROOFREADING: This is editing that is done at the final stage, before your book, planner, workbook, journal, etc. is finalized for printing. The editor checks for typos, formatting issues, and any other errors they can find. Proofreading is a "lighter" sort of editing that focuses on eliminating minor errors and inconsistencies. Proofreading is right for you if: Your book, planner or product is in the final stages of design and ready to be printed. You are reasonably confident in your work and just want one more set of eyes to catch any errors that might have slipped through. #2 COPY EDITING: Copy editing is detailed, word-by-word editing that includes everything you get from Proofreading plus a deeper look at grammar, usage, and consistency. Copy editing is right for you if: Your manuscript is finished but hasn’t moved to the design and formatting stage yet. You want a professional set of eyes to ensure your content is free of errors, technical problems, inconsistencies or loose ends that might confuse or turn off your readers. While we do not provide editing services here at Vervante, we strongly believe in the necessity of having an editor and often use editors to ensure professional end results. We are happy to provide you with referrals for editors, or answer any questions about editing at [email protected].

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Free resources for self published authors
authors

Free resources for self published authors

Vervante • June 23, 2021

How is your latest project going? If you're writing a book, or creating a new product like a card deck, daily planner, or journal, sometimes a little help getting started is what you need. Or maybe you're in the middle, got stuck, and not sure what your next step should be. No matter what you need - ideas, instructions, inspiration - you can find it on our website. Free resources written by our expert team that detail every step and every angle of the process, all free, easy to access, and available right now. Just click on the images below for access to everything you need to give your books and products the advantage as you bring your ideas to life.   FREE GUIDES FOR AUTHORS                                           DETAILED VIDEOS                                                 PRINT SPECS, SAMPLES & MORE                        

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Self publishing Get Started Guide
book sales

Self publishing Get Started Guide

Vervante • March 10, 2021

One of the most important steps for any project is the first step. Decades of experience in the publishing industry has taught us that just the act of getting started and gathering your thoughts and ideas can be one of the hardest things you do. So for anyone who has a vision for a new product, and needs a little guidance for what steps to start with, we’re gathered these tips for you. Define your product Gathering your ideas is the first step toward turning an idea into the real deal. A good place to start is to look at other similar products like the one you are about to create. Determine what you like about them such as size, number of pages, fonts, colors, type of binding, and any other special treatments. Then take those ideas and incorporate them as you plan out the details for your product. Watch product videos A great place to get ideas and see how things look in real life is by watching the videos on the Vervante Video Vault web page. The videos spotlight a variety of products close-up and in action, narrated by our CEO, and showing ways to create and elevate your products. Currently there are videos for binders, planners, journals, card decks, calendars, custom printed boxes, greeting cards, stickers, book cover treatments, and more. We’re always adding something new, so be sure to check back often for lots of ideas and inspiration. Find useful guides on our blog Our blog is absolutely packed full of information, updates and how-to’s for all of the products and services we offer. Here are just a few examples that can prove very valuable for illuminating and guiding you through your project: How to Sell on Amazon, Etsy & your own website all at once Step-by-step guide for creating custom card decks How to use ISBN, LCCN, and Copyright How to create a 2022 daily planner How to prepare your files for printing How to create customized journals Steps for setting up pre-sale offers How to set up shipping & postage Order samples If you’re unsure how some thing will look in person, we offer samples that can be ordered to try out. We have a Samples Page on our website filled with products you can order to help you make your final decision. Our newest and most popular sample is the Paper Sample Notepad that includes eight of our most popular paper options. We also offer samples for books, book binding, calendars, card decks and greeting cards, posters, binders, printed boxes, pocket planners, newsletters, notepads, certificates and more.  Get a free quote Finally, did you know that you can get a free quote estimating your printing costs before you are ready to print? This will help you plan for budgeting and costs as you design your product. All you need to know to get a quote are general specifications. Here are a few examples: Books: Size of book, number of pages, hardcover or soft, binding type, color or b&w Card decks or greeting cards: Size of cards, number of cards, color or b&w, packaging Planners or journals: Size of planner, number of pages, page size, tabs, covers, binding, etc. To request a quote, go to the Vervante website home page and click on “Get a Quote” at the top, right of the page. Fill out the required information and we will send you an email response with the quote information.    We hope this helps you to avoid that “I’m not sure where to start” feeling. And we’re excited to help you create and share books, planners and products that you’ve always dreamed of. For questions or ideas, you can always reach us at [email protected].

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The STEW: A book for women that breaks all the rules
author spotlight

The STEW: A book for women that breaks all the rules

Vervante • November 3, 2020

We’re so excited to share the news with you of a new book that’s recently launched with a bold message, unique content, and impressive team of authors supporting it. In fact, we’re honored to be a part of that team as both publisher for the book and as one of the contributors.  “The STEW: Smart Talk Exceptional Women: Art & Insights By Women For The World” was written by 60+ women connected to Colorado’s CampExperience™ Network during COVID-19. Known as “The STEW,” this colorful 200-page book launched Oct. 1, 2020 and features heartfelt stories written by 60+ women, poetry by Carol Calkins, and inspirational art by Vervante client Betsy Wiersma. This endeavor began with Betsy Wiersma, author, artist and founder of the CampExperience™ Network. The idea for this book stems from Betsy’s belief that women thrive on real-life innovation, ideas, and experiences shared by other women. In her years spent building the 5,000+ CampExperience™ Network and raising over $1 million cash and in-kind donations for charities around the world, Betsy has found that women thrive when exposed to smart talk, bold ideas, and insights shared from life’s journey. The STEW is a book filled with curated content from women who have opened their hearts and have a passion for serving others. Inside its colorful pages readers will find a yummy mix of inspirational art, proven ideas, heart-felt stories, poetry, and quotes from real women in the real world. The book is organized into five sections: Share Your Voice, Creativity Connects, Love Wins, Do Good Have Fun, and Fly! The authors range in age from 18 to 75 and reside in seven countries (Australia, England, Israel, Italy, Kenya, Norway and United States). “We’re very excited for this book, proud to have been a part of bringing it to life, and grateful for the opportunity to share this with you,” said Cindy Tyler, Vervante CEO and founder.  “Betsy began with printing art cards and a card deck, and keeps us busy growing her products. We love The STEW.” Below you’ll find more information about the book and a sampling of the authors and content inside. First, here are a few quick links if you’re ready to take action now: Facebook Instagram Learn More / Purchase (hard and soft-cover options available) CampExperience Network Authors you’ll experience inside The STEW include: >> Australian Gretchen Gagel, PhD is the managing director – Asia Pacific for Conversant, owner of Greatness Consulting, and affiliate professor at the University of Denver – Daniels School of Business and The Australian National University College of Business and Economics. The former president of The Women’s Foundation of Colorado and a female executive in the male-dominated industries of manufacturing, engineering and construction, Gagel developed a deep passion for investing in female leaders and is author of “8 Steps to Being a Great Working Mom.” In “The STEW,” Gagel writes about allowing your voice and the voice of others to be heard. She emphasizes, “Giving people voice engages them, empowers them, and fuels such amazing collaboration and innovation.” >> Based in Salt Lake City, Utah, Brittani Coury landed a silver medal in banked slalom snowboarding at the 2018 Paralympic Winter Games in PyeongChang, South Korea and also is a motivational speaker and registered nurse. When her World Cup season came to an abrupt end in March 2020 due to COVID-19, the 34-year-old put her scrubs back on to help out on the acute internal medicine floor at University of Utah Hospital. Originally from Durango, a terrible snowboarding accident shattered her right ankle in 2003, resulting in a joint that never healed, multiple operations and amputation below her right knee in 2011. Coury shares her journey to the Paralympics and expertly narrates what it was like to take three gutsy and nerve-racking runs to a silver medal. She says, “I knew this was my opportunity to be a positive example to the world of someone who gets back up when they’re knocked down.” >> Holly Forlenza has never spoken a word but she has a lot to say. She has severe epilepsy and bilateral hearing loss and is on the autism spectrum. Sadly, Forlenza’s inability to speak masked her wisdom for more than 20 years, but she fortunately crossed paths with Dr. Christi Kasa, an expert in facilitated communication in 2011. Kasa recognized Forlenza’s literary skills, and through years of patience and practice she now types on an iPad with the assistance of aides to express a message of love, hope and resilience. Holly and her mother, Eileen, share Holly’s story with community groups, associations and corporations to inspire and advocate for others who are unable to speak. In her STEW essay “How Love is in the Eyes of the People Before You,” Holly writes, “I think the things we as women need to do are simple. Loving yourself, loving others, and loving God. Sounds hard but we are the ones pushing ourselves to make others happy at our own expense. It is easy to do those three things if you slow down.” >> As the CEO of Women’s Bean Project, Tamra Ryan has been the Denver-based organization’s visionary leader for more than 17 years. She has been instrumental in putting the organization on the national and international map as a high-performing and impactful social enterprise, which works to affect chronic unemployment and poverty among women. Ryan’s book “The Third Law”  highlights societal obstacles and internal demons that must be overcome for marginalized women to change their lives, and is currently working on “Followship: How to be a leader worth following.” For “The STEW,” Ryan writes about the role of compassion and kindness in overcoming negative thoughts for ourselves and others. “First, we must give ourselves the grace to be messy and imperfect. Next, we must create a practice of imagining we are deserving of love from those who love us unconditionally. Finally, we can extend this same love to others.”  >> Poet Carol Calkins, PhD (at left) is a retired hospital and university administrator as well as a grandma, poet and executive director of the Global Sisterhood Network. She started writing poetry after the loss of a dear friend and was inspired even more by a CampExperience™ Fall Retreat that asked participants to “share their voice.” Carol rediscovered her lifelong love of poetry and is the author of five poetry books and HeartPoems, which are individual poem cards for sharing daily inspiration. >> Cindy Tyler, CEO of Vervante, Inc., (at right) is dedicated to helping people publish their passion and use their talents and creativity to make a positive difference in the world. In her chapter for The STEW, titled “How to unleash our inner creative spark,” Cindy provides inspiration and take-action ideas for using the creativity we all have as a force against the negativity and chaos that is in the world today, unleashing it’s power to balance the dark and bring more light back into our lives. >> Betsy Wiersma (pictured below) combines positive intention, love and scrap materials. Her playful style calls forth our participation, as each piece encourages people to live their best lives and to savor the journey. “At the ripe old age of 56, I stumbled upon an art program in California hosted by Kelly Rae Roberts. I booked a spot for myself and a friend; between serving the growing tribe in CampExperience™ and my daughter growing up, I realized I was not doing anything for myself,” she explains. “I needed to escape my normal life and responsibilities and let myself just be ... in art!” Since then, Wiersma has created more than 100 pieces, inspired and curated “The STEW,” and has designed and produced two inspirational card decks, greeting cards and blessing journals.  She also shares stories of inspiration in the book If you’re inspired to take action, here are some next steps you can take: PREVIEW THE BOOK: Learn all about the inspiration, authors, art and ideas that combined to create The STEW here: https://campexperience.com/THE-STEW. BUY THE BOOK: Prepare to be inspired! Click on the following links to purchase:  Paperback or Hardcover.   CONNECT AND CREATE WITH BETSY: Are you interested in creating a book like this? If you’d like to learn about how Betsy can help you with your own project like The STEW, complete with podcasts and events that connect your tribe, email her at [email protected]. Thanks for letting us share, we’re always excited to spread the news of books and products that we know will be a force for good and positivity in the world.

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Our 3-step guide for crushing NaNoWriMo
writing tips

Our 3-step guide for crushing NaNoWriMo

Vervante • October 27, 2020

NaNoWriMo is coming! What’s that, you ask? November is National Novel Writing Month, a full month where authors, and people dreaming of becoming authors, focus on writing as much as they can in the hopes of finally finishing their writing projects and goals. Here’s our take on NaNoWriMo – don’t make this just about writing novels. It’s a great time to use all the mega-writing energy out there to work on creating and writing whatever kind of product you want to do right now! Planners, journals, coloring books, kids books, the sky is the limit! If you’re ready to finally dig in to a project you’ve been dreaming of, NaNoWriMo is a great time to do it. Here at Vervante we love it when customers come to us, so excited to finally have a project ready to print and publish. So we’re sharing this simple 3-step guide to help you achieve your goals. NaNoWriMo writing productivity guide STEP #1: Set your goal. Choose the project you want to work on. If you want to create a daily planner – go for it! Or how about a themed set of journals? Children’s novels, coloring books, training products, cookbooks, newsletters, tarot cards, prayer books, etc. The secret is to choose just one thing and focus on that. STEP #2: Create a habit. A lot of people will tell you to set aside specific time blocks for writing. That’s great, do that! But the deeper thing you should be trying to do is create a habit. If you want to be productive in writing and creating, make it a habit. For example, eating just one nutritious meal a week won’t help you lose weight right away. Same goes for writing. If you only write for one hour a week, that project may still be on your table the next year when NaNoWriMo rolls around. STEP #3: Write, don’t edit. Perfection is the killer of productivity. Don’t worry about writing or creating something that’s perfect. At this point, just let your words and ideas flow. The goal is to produce lots of content you can work with, then go back later to edit and refine it. You’re done writing, now what? Once you have your content written, the next steps will often be editing, design and formatting. This can vary depending on what kind of product you’re creating. Check out the Expert Guides section of our website for advice on creating everything from books to card decks to daily planners and more. Even better, go to the Vervante Video Vault page where you can see videos of our products, features and lots of great ideas. Once you’re ready to print or publish your product, we are here to help. Be sure to reach out to our team of publishing experts at [email protected] for free quotes, advice, or next steps to share or sell your brilliant project with the world. Bottom line? There’s a lot of great writing energy in the world during NaNoWriMo, so let’s use it to achieve something great before the year is over.

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How to create customized journals
journals

How to create customized journals

Vervante • October 20, 2020

Simple, and yet so beautifully full of potential, journals are an easy-to-create product that can offer a lot of value for your customer. A blank journal that gives someone a place to record their thoughts, goals, dreams and ideas is always a powerful product. But there are a lot more things that journals can do, with options that can help you create exactly the right experience for your customer that you want. IDEAS FOR JOURNALS Themes such as cooking, finance, travel, business, dreams, parenting, prayer, meditation, health and wellness, fitness, self-improvement and more can be supported with journals. Content such as adult coloring pages, lists, writing prompts, are also great ideas for adding value to journals. CUSTOM OPTIONS Here at Vervante, we can print journals in any size and with all the customizations you’d want to create just what you need. >> HARDCOVER OPTIONS Full color printed Faux/vegan leather Linen 2-ply board covers >> SOFTCOVER OPTIONS Laminated Foil stamped poly overlay >> BINDING Casebound Concealed wire-o Wire-o Plastic spiral Metal spiral Perfect Punched for disc binding >> ADD-ONS Foil stamp Metal corners Elastic strap Ribbon marker Soft-touch finish Tabs Pockets Stickers These are just a few highlights of ways you can customize journals. As examples, the journals you see here in this newsletter have the following features: Red floral journal: Hardcover with printed endpapers Starry night journal: Hardcover with foil stamp Daisy journal: Softcover with poly overlay Be sure to also check out our new Video Vault page filled with videos showing exactly how each of these ideas look and function. If you have any questions about creating your own journals, we can help. Just email us at [email protected] or schedule a phone conversation with one of our print and publishing experts using this link: https://vervante.youcanbook.me/

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What to put on your book copyright page
books

What to put on your book copyright page

Vervante • June 4, 2020

One question we hear a lot from our authors is about copyrights. We’ve written several articles about copyrighting books, fair use and permissions, and other legal matters when it comes to publishing, but we thought it would be helpful to talk about the copyright page in your book. The copyright page is found at the front of the book, usually right after the title page. The format can be varied as there is no single accepted template for copyright pages. Just do a quick Google for copyright page samples and you’ll see. Generally, they will contain things like: copyright notice, ISBN, publisher information, contact information, rights and permissions, country book is printed in, author website, credits and disclaimers. Let’s review a few of these in more detail. Copyright notice This is one absolute requirement of a copyright page. The copyright notice includes: The copyright symbol (©) or the word “copyright” The year of copyright The copyright holder’s name or identifier A typical copyright notice will look like this: © 2020 Cindy Tyler Copyrights can have multiple years listed if there are multiple editions: © 2016, 2018, 2020 Cindy Tyler ISBN The International Standard Book Number (ISBN) is a 13-digit number used worldwide by the publishing industry and retailers to identify your book. If you plan to sell your book in stores or online, you must have an ISBN. (You can buy your own at bowker.com or purchase one at a low cost from Vervante. If you purchase your ISBN through Vervante, you are the sole owner of that number and Vervante retains no rights to it.) Rights and permissions This is optional, but useful. Technically, your copyright serves to let people know that this is your protected work, however it can help with “fair use” issues to state limitations of how people can use your book’s content. A very simple statement can be: “All rights reserved.” But a lot of people choose to include copy similar to this: “All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, contact (NAME / EMAIL /ADDRESS / ETC). Disclaimer Whether you are writing fiction or nonfiction, disclaimers are often included by authors on advice from their agents, publishers or lawyers as a way to add a layer of protection if the book’s characters resemble real-life people or situations, or if someone says the book’s content damaged their business, relationship, etc.   For fiction, you could write something like this: “This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.” For a nonfiction advice, how-to or educational book, you could write something like this: “Although the author and publisher have made every effort to ensure that the information in this book was correct at press time, the author and publisher do not assume and hereby disclaim any liability to any party for any loss, damage, or disruption caused by errors or omissions, whether such errors or omissions result from negligence, accident, or any other cause.” For books that provide health, wellness, medical, fitness or similar content: “This book is not intended as a substitute for the medical advice of physicians. The reader should regularly consult a physician in matters relating to his/her health and particularly with respect to any symptoms that may require diagnosis or medical attention.” [[For the record: We are not lawyers and we are not offering legal advice here — any legal concerns and specific language should be directed to a copyright attorney.]] More information Other information we often see on copyright pages includes: Author website and contact information Name of publisher and publisher address Country in which the book was printed Credits for things like photos, design, illustrations, graphics, editing, etc. If you have any questions about your book copyright page or any other step of the process – from editing to design to printing, production and sales, we’re here to help. Just send us an email at [email protected]. We’re here for you!

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Why Vervante is better than Amazon for creating planners
planners

Why Vervante is better than Amazon for creating planners

Vervante • May 20, 2020

COVID-19 has created a lot of chaos and disruption in the world, and finding easy ways to organize and track tasks, home schooling, and all the changes in our lives is as important as ever. All of this might explain why planners are so popular right now, with an insatiable market filled with people who want the perfect planner for keeping their life, business, finances, relationships, food, fitness and pretty much everything else on track. If you’ve ever thought about creating and selling your own planner, now is the perfect time. You can get a head start creating versions for 2021, or you can create undated planners that work anytime, anywhere. Choosing the right publisher to help you create your planner is one of the first and most important decisions you need to make. Why? Because who you use to create your planners will affect how your planner will look and function in so many ways. Many people make the mistake of thinking planners are just like books, so they turn to the brand most often associated with books – Amazon. And yes, Amazon is good with printing perfect bound books (the classic style with the glued binding), but planners aren’t really books. Customers do not want a planner that is like a paperback novel. Planners must be functional and durable, which means a sturdy hardcover that will hold up to months of use, spiral or wire-o binding so they can lay flat and be written on, with tabs and pockets and stickers and all the extras that make them so unique and perfect. When it comes to creating planners, here's a list of the exciting options we offer: beautiful, durable hardcovers with printed covers, faux leather or linen spiral and wire-o binding no pre-set page sizes custom printed die-cut tabs mixed color and black & white printed pages kiss-cut stickers paper pockets foil stamp metal corners ribbon markers custom packaging  printed and shipped from our warehouse in the U.S. If this gets you fired up to start creating a planner, we’re excited too! We are here to offer guidance and support for every step, so please feel free to email or set up a call for your next steps. Watch for a fun, new planner option we’re announcing in the next few weeks!! We will be sending photos and a new video shortly. And, we’ll be making our InDesign files available for a new 2021 planner available soon too.

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Working from home tips from our staff
work from home

Working from home tips from our staff

Vervante • March 31, 2020

If working from home is new to you, you're probably realizing that it's not everything Instagram made it out to be. You know what we're talking about: Fresh croissants, fancy coffees, spotless offices, and children and pets that quietly entertain themselves in the background. If you're laughing right now, you get it. Life has thrown us a curve ball, but we're confident that we can all rise to the challenge and create a "new normal" that works. So if you're getting a little frustrated and trying to figure out how to make this whole work at home thing work, we're sharing a few tips our staff swears helps them to stay sane, be productive, and even enjoy their days a little bit more. #1 Have a Designated Workspace  If you don't have a home office, find a space in your house and declare it as "officially yours" while you're working from home. It can be the breakfast bar, a writing desk in your living room, or the unused fancy dining room table. The idea is to use it just for work and nothing else. Creating a designated work area solely for the purpose of completing work-related tasks is critical for increasing productivity and reducing distractions. # 2 Know Your Peak Performance Times Are you a morning person? A night owl? We all have certain times in the day when we're more productive. Working from home gives you the freedom to adjust your hours to fit your peak performance times. For example, if you are best during early morning hours, head to your "office" at 5 a.m. for a few hours of creative writing before the kids get up, then schedule exercise, conference calls, social media and other breaks from work for later in the afternoon. #3 Get Outside / Get Active Fresh air does wonders for your mind. A little bit of cardio will do even more. Take breaks from work by stepping out into your backyard to soak up some sun, or taking your dog or kids on a quick walk. Mother Nature gives us plenty of space to be outside while still social distancing. Plus some of the benefits of exercise include boosting energy, creativity, focus and productivity.

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Tips for turning your planner into a bestseller
distribution

Tips for turning your planner into a bestseller

Vervante • September 24, 2019

The world has become obsessed with planners and here’s why: In a society where people dream big but feel like they have little time or can’t get organized, the idea of a tool that can help them clarify their goals, focus their thoughts, and prioritize their actions is something they can get behind. Add to that all kinds of options catering to specific types of goals, projects or personalities, and you’ve got the makings of an obsession.   Creating a daily planner to sell as part of your own business is a great idea. But standing out from the crowd can be hard, especially if you’re just getting started. While most daily planners start with a very similar foundation, it’s the extras that transform them from just another planner to an entire experience – something that your customers will feel an emotional connection with and know that THIS is the planner that will support their success and THIS is the planner they must have!   Want your planner to be “extra” special? Here’s a few ideas: Specialized content: Create a planner that makes your ideal customer say to themselves “they know me, they really know me!” Customize it to fit specific personalities, passions, dreams and ideas by adding focused content like lists, affirmations, challenges, recipes, workouts, projections, formulas, charts, horoscopes, etc. Paper Pockets: 2-sided pockets can be added to any size planner and used for holding extras like receipts, notes, etc.  Foil embossing: A great way to add extra flair Plastic slide-in bookmarks: Works great for spiral or wire-o planners Binders: Another planner binding option is to use 3-ring or 6-ring custom printed binders. They allow for a lot of flexibility in customizing, adding, and editing planner pages as they are used throughout the year. Great for ongoing subscription or membership programs. (Binders can be made in several sizes with a custom printed sheet wrapped to create a professional turned edge binder.) Stickers: Colorful, customized stickers make everything from holidays to reminders to celebrating success so much more fun! Notepads: Matching designs make them fun, ability to take notes on the go make them practical. Colored binding: Spiral binding is available in 50 colors. We stock black and white, but any of the other 48 colors available can be special ordered. Wire-o binding is available in 8 colors including black, white, blue, red, green, gold, silver and bronze. Tabs: Design colorful tabs that allow quick access to any section. Elastic closures: A great way to keep everything secure. Excited? Inspired? We are too! If you’re ready to create – or update – your daily planner, our newest planner just debuted and you can check it out here: Vervante 2020 Planner. If you have a vision, we can help. Start by sending an email to [email protected] and let us know if you have questions or need help with customizations. We can provide free quotes or free advice to help you get it done.

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Get a head start for holiday sales
book sales

Get a head start for holiday sales

Vervante • August 13, 2019

While you're probaby still enjoying time on the beach, or just starting to think about shopping for school supplies, there's something that might not be on your radar right now, but should be - planning for holiday product sales!  Honestly, the BEST time to start planning for holiday sales is RIGHT NOW. You've got plenty of time to envision, create and plan your marketing and sales campaigns, and this little head start will help you create a stress-free, successful experience. Ready? If you haven’t started planning yet but want to give your income and your business an end-of-the-year boost, now is the time for action. First, let’s talk products. Here’s a few crowd-pleasing ones perfect for holiday sales: Planners: Wow, planners are the superstars of self-publishing right now and we've got everything you need to create the perfect planner for your audience. Journals: Timeless treasures perfect for just about anyone. Books: Small books that can be sold or used for free-plus-shipping offers are very popular during the holidays. Calendars: Calendars are also a great option for client and customer appreciation gifts and to use as lead generation freebies. Adult coloring books: Create your own using holiday themes, New Year themes, or branded content that supports your products and programs. Cards of all kinds: These are great sellers, make great gifts, and can be easily customized and configured to fit your business and audience needs. Card decks, note cards, and postcards are popular, or get creative and try tarot cards, affirmation cards, or health and wellness program cards. Planning a Holiday Sales Timeline Once you’ve picked your products, it’s time for action: AUGUST / SEPTEMBER Decide on products to sell. Make a list of ideas for how you will make them unique and start writing or designing. Contact Vervante at [email protected] and request free quotes for printing, shipping timelines, etc. If you’re just adding your logo to one of our ready-made products, upload a print-ready file to your Vervante account, then order a sample copy. For customized products, finalize graphic design files and upload to Vervante account. Order sample copies for quality and proofreading checks. Have Vervante list your books and products for sale. We can list on Amazon and add it to the Vervante Bookstore online (free for Vervante authors). If you sell from your own website, start working on your landing and sales pages, set up shopping cart, plan marketing strategies.   OCTOBER / NOVEMBER Put marketing plans into action. Announce special promotions, early bird sales and specials. Promote, promote, promote! Procrastinate much? For last-minute ideas in time for Black Friday, our ready-made planners, card decks, books, journals and calendars are easy and quick to set up and sell.   DECEMBER Confirm Vervante holiday shipping deadlines. Attend book signings. Continue promotions, especially for New Year / 2020 products. Announce surprise last-minute deals.   JANUARY Continue to promote New Year products. If 2020 planners were a hit, think about removing dates from planner and sell "undated" versions that can be sold all year long. Look back at your holiday sales experience, making notes about what worked (and what didn’t) to help with next year’s plans. Questions? Let us help you make the most of your holiday sales by emailing us at [email protected] or scheduling a phone call at https://vervante.youcanbook.me/.

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Author Spotlight: Dulce Johnson
author spotlight

Author Spotlight: Dulce Johnson

Vervante • July 30, 2019

Once in awhile someone catches our attention for a number of reasons: their story, unique sales and marketing strategies, personality, or product. Today’s spotlight shines on this Vervante author who checks off all those categories and more. Dulce Johnson dreamed of creating a planner and set out to accomplish that dream with no experience at all – and with a baby on the way. We’re excited to share her story here (and you won’t believe what happened on the day she launched her planner!). Dulce's story Q: Tell us the story of your planner I had been using goal-setting vision boards at home for a few years, but couldn’t find a planner that had everything I wanted, like an accountability section, to go with them. So I decided to make my own. I had no idea how to do this when I started. I just started Googling like crazy, reading everything I could, with a lot of trial and error along the way. That’s how I found resources I used for my planner, like Canva and Vervante. Every step of creating this planner I’ve done on my own. I’m not a graphic designer, so that was a big learning curve for me. I reached out to Vervante and asked a lot of questions. I had no shame, figured I was just going to keep asking questions until I figured this thing out. There was a lot of trial and error doing it this way. I had piles of printouts everywhere as I was developing it. I had to dig deep for creativity. I really had to step out of my comfort zone and push through. Q: What else was going on in your life at that time? When I began developing my planner, I found out I was pregnant. I’d already set a timeline/deadline, but now I had to speed that timeline up to get the planner done before my due date. In addition to that, I had a full-time job, active in church, husband and a busy toddler getting into everything. I had to set my priorities, decline a lot of social invitations and really focus. When I finally launched the planner, I opened preorders on a Friday and gave birth to my son two days later – 3 weeks earlier than my due date! Q: What advice would you give to someone else wanting to create a planner or product like this? Ask lots of questions! Make a product that you’d be comfortable using yourself and you’re proud to put out there. Also, don’t be afraid to go with your gut. In the process of making my planner I’d get feedback that just didn’t work for my vision. I’d thank them but did what felt right to me.   Q: What are your plans for this planner? It’s an undated planner, so I can promote it all year long. I share images from the planner on my Instagram a lot, with ideas and motivation for using it. I’m having a live launch party in August at a local coffee shop and plans for workshops using the planners starting October. I also plan on creating a men’s version next. I’ve had men interested in goal setting and wanting to use something like this, but mine is too pink and girly! About the Designed for Vision planner The Designed for Vision Planner is for the dreamer, the visionary, the goal getter who is ready to build great habits while also being able to plan out their days! Each page was created with the intention to help you create lasting habits and a lifestyle that will help you conquer the goals in your life. This full color planner is not only pretty in color but made to inspire you to live your best life. Learn more Learn more about Dulce and her planner visit https://www.designedforvision.com/shop or connect on Instagram at @designedforvision.  

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Author Spotlight: Sharon Sayler
author spotlight

Author Spotlight: Sharon Sayler

Vervante • July 23, 2019

We're constantly amazed by the clever, unique, brilliant and beautiful books and products our customers create. Today we’d like to introduce you to Sharon Sayler. An accomplished author, speaker and expert in courageous, conscious communication skills, Sharon had already written several books about mindfullness, communication and leadership skills when she was inspired to follow her heart and write a children's book. As she continues to work with adults to enrich their lives as business leaders and entrepreneurs, she's enjoying  this new path of life enriching the lives of young readers with the book and fun products she created to go along with it.  Sharon's story Q: What inspired you to write a children's book? Funny you ask, one might call it a brain download more than a brainstorm. Pinky Chenille(tm) and the land of Addendale came to me in a dream three months before my first grandchild was born. I jumped up out of a deep sleep at 2 a.m., and there was Pinky and Princess Adeline, and the Color Critters all in vivid color ‘talking to me’ about the first story ‘Pinky Chenille and the Rainbow Hunters’ in the Pinky Chenille series. I immediately began to write down what I was seeing and hearing. Crazy sounding, I know! It wasn’t in early-reader rhyme like it is now, yet the story was all there. It took five years to bring it to ‘life.’ Q: What advice would you give other authors when writing their first book?  GO FOR YOUR DREAM! I struggled five years to bring 'Pinky Chenille and the Rainbow Hunters' to life, even in the face of plenty of people saying “Why?” (And to be transparent, the last four years of the ‘Pinky Chenille and the Rainbow Hunters’ saga I was recovering from a severe medical condition.) So, don’t let anything or anyone stop you when you KNOW this is what you are meant to do. With Vervante being a wise and positive team member on the Pinky Chenille team, we made it to a #1 bestseller on Amazon, got a 5-star review from Readers Favorites, 33 very positive reviews on Amazon, and have a passionate social media community – it’s just amazing.   Q: What do you love most about this book? Shamelessly, I'm saying everything!  The fun way the story and illustrations go from black and white to full color, the attached audiobook on CD so kids can listen along, the hardcover - all making it a legacy book, one that can go through many grandkids. And for Rainbow Hunters, I wanted to impart in a playful and easy to understand way values such as compassion, empathy, teamwork and especially getting along, that I feel are missing these days in so many places. During the research phase of what is children’s-early-reader-fiction and now reading to my grandchildren, I’ve been shocked at how bad some children’s books are. I've found topics that aren’t appropriate, words that little ones don’t need to hear, illustrations that are scary, etc. ‘Pinky Chenille and the Rainbow Hunters’ is a positive, fun message about getting along and how our differences are what make us stronger. Playful and easy to follow were as vital to me as the values because the book is for the 3-to-8-year-old crowd and honestly, I think regardless of age we all enjoy a book that is playful and easy to read. About Pinky Chenille and the Rainbow Hunters When all the Color Critters decide to hide their color, Addendale becomes a very sad and drab place indeed… Headlines everywhere read: Addendale’s been reduced to monochromatic by Color Critters! As Princess Adeline came rushing along, By the look on her face, something was wrong . . . “Pinky! Pinky! Where did the colors go? I’ve been looking high and low!” Can Pinky Chenille and Princess Adeline bring all the colors back together and make their world a colorful, happy place again? Perfect for reading-together-memories for years to come, Pinky Chenille and the Rainbow Hunters is printed in beautiful full-color with a hardcover and audiobook CD. With whimsical art and playful rhyming verse the main characters, Pinky Chenille and Princess Adeline, weave a fantastical tale on the importance of friendship, teamwork and getting along. Just like the classic tale ‘Wizard of Oz’ Pinky Chenille and the Rainbow Hunters starts with delightful black and white illustrations and ends in a merriment of blazing full color. Written by Sharon Sayler, her magical story is designed to entertain and inspire young minds, stimulate their imagination, and encourage a kinder, more compassionate world. Delightfully illustrated by Olivia Cole with black and white and full-color imaginative illustrations that enchant young and old alike. PinkyChenille.com offers free coloring and activity sheets available in PDF format so that you can download and print them over and over again. Children love repetition, and in a printable form, you never run out of their favorite activities. Learn more You can learn more at www.pinkychenille.com (use secret code "Friends" to save 15% if purchasing from website), and join the Pinky Chenille community on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PinkyChenille; and via Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram at @PinkyChenille. Get your product featured If you enjoyed this article and would like your Vervante product featured in our newsletter and blog email [email protected] with the following information: 250-word overview of your product URL link for the landing or sales page for the product High-res image(s) of the product and/or author Your creativity inspires us and your success deserves to be shared!

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How Vervante helps authors get the independence they deserve
authors

How Vervante helps authors get the independence they deserve

Vervante • July 4, 2019

Happy (Author) Independence Day! As we celebrate here in the U.S. the blessings and benefits that independence brings to our lives, we can't help but think about how this affects authors too. The world of self-publishing has opened so many doors for passionate, creative people with dreams and ideas that need to be shared with the world, and it's given them the freedom they need to write, design and share their book ideas in exactly the way the want - without holding back or changing to fit someone's ideas of what's "right." For more than 30 years, we've dedicated ourselves to providing the resources, support and guidance authors need to turn their book and product ideas into viable, thriving businesses that give them the independence they deserve. With Vervante, you have the freedom to: Be in the driver's seat for all design and content decisions, so you can create exactly what you want, and what your customers will love Create additional products that add value to your book and can create additional revenue streams List your book for sale where ever you want: We can help you list on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Baker & Taylor, Vervante Bookstore and eBook venues including Kindle and Nook. PLUS we can also list your book through the Vervante Bookstore and personal websites Use a shopping cart solution that works best for you (we can work with ANY) Have access to a Free online storefront solution if you don't want to mess with shopping carts Be in complete control of your listing prices, discounts, special offers, etc. Gather customer emails and create a database that allows you to stay connected to your loyal fans and be free of the whims of social media for marketing and connecting with your audience Choose shipping options that work for you - and not worry about bogus additional frees Not be restricted by unnecessary contracts or high-priced publishing "package" requirements Retain all rights as sole owner of your book with our unique non-exclusive agreements Publish when you want, not when you're told to: If you are writing a book that cites current events or has a topic that is timely, bringing the book quickly to market is critical. Once you send your print-ready files to Vervante, your book can be ready to print and listed for sale in a matter of days. Sell to a global audience: We ship anywhere in the world Get all the expert help you need. We know how important it is for authors to have access to resources and guides that they trust. That's why we created a FREE Expert Guide Resource Library on our website filled with a wide range of free ebooks to inspire, educate and support your journey creating, sharing and selling books and other printed products with Vervante. If you've been thinking about writing and publishing a book, but something's held you back, we hope that this holiday inspires you to finally take the leap to assert your own independence and become the author you were meant to be. Because nothing's worse than having a dream inside you and keeping it hidden where the world can't see or benefit from it. Happy Independence Day, authors. We're excited to watch you shine!

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Author Spotlight: Vyana Reynolds
author spotlight

Author Spotlight: Vyana Reynolds

Vervante • June 25, 2019

We're constantly amazed by the clever, unique, brilliant and beautiful books and products our customers create. Today we’d like to introduce you to author, mermaid, ocean advocate, mystic, and creator of the Diving into the Divine Feminine collection, Vyana Reynolds. Vyana's story Q: What inspired you to create these products? I found myself hitting bottom AGAIN, even in paradise, with sugar addiction after 46 years! I assumed that once I had transitioned from lawyer to mermaid and retired in Hawai'i, my addiction would magically disappear -- not the case. Having tried EVERY 12 Step program known to man, I gave up. I surrendered to the knowing that I would only find freedom by creating my own program. For me, it must be based not on 12 Steps but 13, inspired by the Divine Feminine. Every day, I awoke and asked the Universe, "What do I need today to overcome this addiction?"  Every day, I was given an affirmation, a wisdom story and a power practice to apply to my life. By the end of 13 weeks, I found freedom for the first time in my life. I knew I had to share this method with the world! So, my first book was published with the help of Vervante. Q: What advice would you give other aspiring authors or creatives? Let Vervante hold your hand and conspire to make your products even better!  In my case, the CEO suggested that I might also want a matching journal and 91-day affirmation card deck. Voila! In 2 weeks, they were done. Q: What do you love about this collection? Now I can provide an entire support system to those still suffering from addiction. Best of all, these products inspire me to create even more! I constantly recommend Vervante to friends who say, "I've always wanted to write a book, but don't know how to publish it." I recently wrote my first children's book in 3 hours during an airplane ride. In the past, I wouldn't have wasted my time writing a book that I didn't know how to publish. It's so easy now! About Diving Into the Divine Feminine: 13 Steps to Freedom from Food Addiction Tired of struggling with food cravings? Frustrated with diets only to find nothing works, and worst of all, you blame yourself thinking it has something to do with your lack of will power? I answered “yes” to all these questions before I wrote this book. Now, I have found FREEDOM from food addiction without much effort. It feels natural to reach for healthy food. It turns out my addiction had little to do with food. I was surprised to discover the true source of my hunger. My previous food choices were just a symptom of a spiritual hunger that haunted me. Now, I have everything I need and more -- a spiritual center, daily affirmations, powerful practices and stories to remember this wisdom in those moments when old habits want to take over. Diving Into the Divine Feminine: 13 Steps to Freedom from Food Addiction is based on ancient wisdom; connection to your higher power; and a willingness to explore a new future for yourself. Following this program, food is now in its rightful place -- a back seat pleasure, not a driving force. This entire collection is designed to give you the support you'll need to finally end this old pattern and BE FREE! Book Instead of waking up every morning dreading another day of struggle with food, pick up the book and apply the principles. Journal Your unique journey offers many insights. Having a Journal to keep track of them and your progress will inspire you to keep moving forward. Daily Affirmation Cards Allow the images in the 91 Daily Affirmation Cards to further inspire you.  Bookmark An inspirational bookmark with vintage key is a symbol of your freedom to create a life you love. Golden Gift Bag In the midst of our negative self-talk, it's easy to forget how beautiful, sacred, and precious we are. Gifts of beauty, such as this golden gift bag serve as a wonderful reminder. Learn more Learn more about Vyana's complete collection here:  https://divingintothedivinefeminine.com/freedom-from-food-addiction/ Get your product featured If you enjoyed this article and would like your Vervante product featured in our newsletter and blog email [email protected] with the following information: 250-word overview of your product URL link for the landing or sales page for the product High-res image(s) of the product and/or author Your creativity inspires us and your success deserves to be shared!

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Top mistakes self-published authors make
authors

Top mistakes self-published authors make

Vervante • June 24, 2019

If you are writing your first book, you’re probably worried about what to do, what not to do, and wondering if you’re forgetting anything in the process. Learning from other’s mistakes is a great way to get a jump start, so we gathered a list of the most common errors we’ve seen authors so you can avoid them in your own journey. Skipping the editing stage Sloppy writing reflects poorly on the author. Readers are forgiving only to a point. If your book is full of errors, it will be distracting and difficult to read. Depending on your budget, hire a professional editor, find someone willing to barter services, or even a colleague with eagle-eyes and a willingness to help you. Bad cover design The design of your cover deserves as much attention as the content. The first impression of a book cover can make or break the sale. A professionally-designed cover isn’t just important – it’s everything! Hire a professional to create a cover that will attract attention and portray the message and professionalism you need. Bad interior formatting Just like cover design, you need the services of a professional to format your book’s interior to make it pleasing to the eye and easy to read. Bad timing for your book launch If you’ve written a book that is more relevant to a specific season, be sure to strategize and plan ahead. For instance, don’t launch a fitness book about getting ready for summer in November. And don’t write a book about the winter holidays and launch it on Dec. 25. Not thinking beyond the book If you have a book, you can also create an ebook. But don’t stop there. If you publish a children’s book with images, create a companion coloring book by removing color from the images. Non-fiction books can be accompanied by workbooks, journals, planners, calendars, card decks and more that continue the theme and add value to your book. Plus, more products mean more income, more exposure, more readers and customers, and the ability to build a successful business by repurposing your content. Ordering expensive, unnecessary “starter” packages A good publisher will not force you to purchase hundreds of books or pay large fees to print your book. Look for a company that offers Print on Demand services as well as larger print run options – like us! Not ordering a sample Always order at least one (or a handful) of sample copies, or ARCs (Advance Reading Copies), before you offer your book to the public to make sure it’s exactly what you were envisioning. Launching without feedback Speaking of sample copies, be sure to share a few with trusted colleagues or hand-picked “beta readers” for constructive criticism. Getting too much feedback Feedback is great, but don’t make the mistake of letting too many cooks into your kitchen. In the end, your book is your book. Feedback that catches editing mistakes, points out inconsistencies in stories, suggests additions or stories that would add to the value of the book are great. But suggestions for total rewrites to fit the taste of each individual is not what you need. Only selling on Amazon Amazon is great, but don’t limit yourself to just one venue for sales.  If you list via Amazon Marketplace you’ll make higher royalties and still have the ability to also sell your book in other locations like your own website or other online bookstores. Selling from locations you can control gives you the freedom to be creative and offer more value for your audience in the form of bundles, coupons, promotions, etc. Ignoring fair use and permissions Whenever you want to directly quote, excerpt, or reproduce someone else’s work in something you are writing, you should consider whether or not you need legal permission to protect yourself and your business from potential future problems. Some of the things you may want to quote or reuse will fall under the “Fair Use” umbrella, which means you don’t need permission as long as the way you’re using it does not impede on the owner’s rights. Other things, however, are legally protected by copyright and should only be used after acquiring permission. Check out this article for more details: Fair Use and Permissions for authors. Book sales tunnel vision Don’t make the mistake of trusting Kevin Costner movies and thinking “If I write it, they will come.” If no one knows about your book, no one will buy it. In today’s evolving publishing world, even top publishing firms are asking their authors to help with marketing and promotion. Be active in social media, share your book idea and tidbits as you are writing, give away short ebooks and previews in exchange for email addresses to build a database that you can reach out to in the future for book launches, tours, events, updates, announcements and future sales.   and finally….. Not following your heart If you have a book idea and it’s something you feel strongly about, the biggest mistake you can make is to not write it. Everyone has a special talent or message they can share, and somewhere out there are readers who need what only you can provide. Self-publishing is a great resource for empowering aspiring authors to turn their ideas into reality. So go for it!

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Author Spotlight: Amber Campion
author spotlight

Author Spotlight: Amber Campion

Vervante • June 4, 2019

We're constantly amazed by the clever, unique, brilliant and beautiful books and products our customers create. Today we’d like to introduce you to Amber Campion, an international yoga teacher, life + leadership coach, martial artist, author, and creator of an innovative life design and goal-setting guided journal and companion planner. Amber took this product a step further, by publishing The Fulfillment Formula Journal + Companion Planner in conjunction with The Changemakers Collective, a 4-week experience + community designed to help people who use the journal to create their year ahead with purpose, presence, and peace of mind. The story behind the Fulfillment Formula products Q: What inspired you to create this set of products? I had been teaching and coaching this process I created (The Fulfillment Formula) for two years. I had clients saying I ought to write a book and make a guided journal/planner...and so I did! The guided journal was a goal of mine for 2018 (set for myself in 2017). I thought it would be a really creative way for me deepen my thoughts around my message and what I'm teaching, to help me better formulate my words for pitching a book to a publisher. It was a great experience creating it and I'm so glad I did! It wasn't easy, but it was worth it! Q: What advice would you give to others considering creating journals or planners?  I did research first to see what was out there and what people liked and didn't like (for instance, I found that lots of people said they prefer wire binding when they're writing in a book, so that it stays open). My research also led me to Vervante (which answered many of my concerns with self-publishing). And finally, I have an audience to sell to...so I highly recommend you have a mailing list. This makes all the difference in making sure sales happen. We often think everyone will buy because it's a low cost product, but the truth is...the 'know-like-and trust' factor is a thing. Even low cost items take marketing effort. If you have an audience who knows you, likes you, and trusts you...well, this helps significantly. Q: What do you love about your products? I love end of the month and year rituals that are sustainable, soulful, and creative. It feels deeply nourishing to have guided processes for setting goals and designing a life that feels like me...so this journal is my little sacred book to bringing my full self to the world. I also love having my goals and life design for the year ahead, in one place. I feel like this journal is my little Dreams, Character, and Goals companion to keep me aligned with my deepest truths and desires. About The Fulfillment Formula Journal + Companion Planner This beautiful guided life design journal + soulful planner will enable you to envision, design, and create an enriched life of purpose, presence, and peace of mind with more ease and efficiency. This is not a daily planner where you write down your meetings and appointments. This is a life design journal + companion planning system that supports you in defining, designing, and developing the one thing that matters most when it comes to creating a life of fulfillment…you. Through a one-of-a-kind life design and goal setting application, to a series of provocative writing prompts and exercises, this book will inspire you to bring your full self to the world.  Every aspect is carefully curated to support you to create clarity for what really matters most to you, discover your truth with more depth, design a life with more meaning and on your own terms, and build your wholehearted courage muscle to live a life true to your whole self. To get the most out of this book, Amber recommends joining The Changemakers Collective - a 4 week experience guiding you and deepening into the processes in the journal, along with bonus interviews with creative changemakers, yoga/meditation classes, and a community of like-minded rebels with a cause at http://www.ambercampion.com/thechangemakerscollective. Learn more Learn more about Amber, her journal and planner at: http://www.ambercampion.com/thegoods/ Get your product featured If you enjoyed this article and would like your Vervante product featured in our newsletter and blog email [email protected] with the following information: 250-word overview of your product URL link for the landing or sales page for the product High-res image(s) of the product and/or author Your creativity inspires us and your success deserves to be shared!

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Author Spotlight: Rhonda Hull
author spotlight

Author Spotlight: Rhonda Hull

Vervante • May 21, 2019

We're constantly amazed by the clever, unique, brilliant and beautiful books and products our customers create. Today we’d like to introduce you to Rhonda Hull, Ph.D., a seasoned author, artist, speaker and guide. Through the conscious use of the energy found in words+art+collaboration, Rhonda is a powerful advocate of whole-hearted living and to support her message she has created a series of Keepsake Treasures products that are easy to share, easy to carry, and always stay in your heart.  The story of Rhonda's Keepsake Treasures Q: What inspired you to create these products? I have long been some form of teacher, mentor and guide, but neglected to see my lettering and calligraphy as a worthwhile part of who I am and what I offer.  Walking the path of cancer with my barely 2-year-old grand-nephew (now 14), followed by becoming actively involved in the ongoing journey of my grandson when diagnosed with autism at age 3 (now 13), and then facing my own health challenges as a result of the stress of it all, I learned the power and importance of self-care, and in having a circle of ones who you love and who love you unconditionally. I learned that the things we think are so important become less so, and that love really is the answer to every question. Every moment can be a keepsake moment, even the messy ones.  I knew it was time to bring my art forward as a way to touch hearts and make a difference. The importance of savoring even the bittersweet moments is what I attempt to reflect in my products, dedicated to uplift and offer encouragement to those maneuvering the meaningful and messy moments of life. Q: What advice would you give other aspiring authors or creatives? Dare to believe it’s possible. Take at least one step beyond your comfort zone. Dream not only outside the box, but as if there is no box. Get clear on the people you want to serve.  It was amazing to me how by daring to hope, and ask, and take risks, and believe it was somehow possible, be willing explore pooling the talents of other creatives, and then leaning on the guidance and experience of Vervante, even more than I could imagine became possible. As a result, I found the courage to set my creativity free! Q: What do you love about the Keepsake Treasures products? They are filled with colorful energy captured in a variety of forms that expand my ability to touch hearts! A long time ago I took on the belief that I could never succeed as an artist. Vervante offered me the framework through which I could see beyond that limiting belief. Using words+art+collaboration transformed into variety of product formats, I was easily able to expand my product line and began to see the value in using my creative inklings to make a difference - and an income! About Keepsake Treasures The trickiest journey of a lifetime is only 16 inches, the adventure from your head to your heart. “But, where do I start,” you may wonder, and, “how is it possible for me to feel so easily overwhelmed, so little meaning, and all alone in a world where I am elbow-to-elbow with over 7 billion people?” In a world of too much ‘stuff’ and too little time, we can loose sight of the essential things that matter most; the things that keep us connected to our own heart and to the people we love, confident that every moment matters, despite our circumstances. Combining art+words+collaboration, the keepsake products at Rhonda's website, are infused with love and designed to keep us ever-aware that every moment is full of miracles, even the messy ones. Whether something simple that offers acknowledgement to someone you love (My Little Red Book), uplifting comments and profound questions to help you maneuver through tough times (Healing Heart Cards), or daily encouragement to focus on the power of presence and possibilities (Yes, And the Adventure Continues Playbook/Any-Time Day Timer), these products are an invitation for us all to make every moment a keepsake moment. Thanks to words, wisdom, and collaborative art skillfully brought to life through the craftsmanship of Vervante Press, RhondaHull.com offers a life-line of creative energy, and heartfelt encouragement on your adventure from your head to your heart. Come dare to make every moment a keepsake moment! Learn more Learn more about Rhonda and Keepsake Treasures products here: https://rhondahull.com/keepsake-treasures/ Get your product featured If you enjoyed this article and would like your Vervante product featured in our newsletter and blog email [email protected] with the following information: 250-word overview of your product URL link for the landing or sales page for the product High-res image(s) of the product and/or author Your creativity inspires us and your success deserves to be shared!

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Author Spotlight: Pamelah Landers
author spotlight

Author Spotlight: Pamelah Landers

Vervante • May 7, 2019

We're constantly amazed by the clever, unique, brilliant and beautiful books and products our customers create. Today we’d like to introduce you to Expert Master Hand Analyst Pamelah Landers, who is a best-selling international author of hand analysis products including the book Your Love Design. The story behind Pamelah's book Q: What inspired you to write this book? Once I learned about heart lines in the hands, I wanted EVERYBODY to be aware and know this one thing. If they realized and had language for their heart line type, they could have much clearer communication with family members, dating partners and work associates. There would be a way to accept other people's design and not try to keep demanding or desiring other people to behave like the person who wants the others to change. We are each designed with a very specific approach and it's all in our hands. Our soul map is in our body, the hands being a microcosm which is why no two look exactly the same. I want people to know their design and be true to their design so life is easier, happier and certainly more fulfilling. I've been reading hands for 28 years and I KNOW in every fiber of my being that when people are seen for their design, there is big sense of relief, permission, enthusiasm and validation. I watch their faces change as I talk with them, soften, relax into their body, sit up straighter, even lean forward with excitement. Q: What advice would you give other aspiring authors or creatives? Do it! All your internal criticism based on projecting other people's "possible"  response is NOT a valid reason. Take the risk and ask for help. If you are writing non-fiction, you may not need to write from "front to back." Write the content that is up for writing NOW because you are excited about it, are thinking about, have stories to tell now. Put it together later. Write the introduction last unless you are super clear about the purpose of the introduction that explains the book's contents. Q: What do you love about your book? The cover design, the content that provides so much tangible, helpful insight one paragraph at a time. My book is full of stories to "make it real" for people, many based on movies (I've watched SO MANY movies to write my books) and people's real life experiences including mine. I'm super passionate about how my book can provide more ease for people in relationship dynamics. Relationships don't have to be as hard as people tend to make them if they knew their design and followed it. About "Your Love Design" Whether you’re on the verge of divorce, chronically single or somewhere in between, this new entrance into understanding your emotional guidance system helps you build, maintain, and grow relationships that work. You don’t need to be fixed. Nothing is broken. You just haven’t fully understood the love design of you and your partner that is written in your hands. You haven’t fully uncovered your Emotional Guidance System that is always with you. Discover Your Love Design: A Practical Guide to Your Love & Communication Style Based on Your Hands Heart Lines written by Pamelah Landers, the world’s leading authority on heart lines. In this practical guide to your heart lines you’ll identify: How you express your feelings How you express and show love How you want others to show love to you, how you receive it from them How you want others to communicate their feelings with you Learn more Learn more about Pamelah’s book here: http://pamelahlanders.com/your-love-design/ Get your product featured If you enjoyed this article and would like your Vervante product featured in our newsletter and blog email [email protected] with the following information: 250-word overview of your product URL link for the landing or sales page for the product High-res image(s) of the product and/or author Your creativity inspires us and your success deserves to be shared!

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