by Brian Konradt
JENNIE S. BEV is a successful industry researcher, author, publicist, management consultant and instructional designer with several published book-length manuscripts and reports, three books and 800 articles under her belt. Her bylines have appeared in tens of regional, national and international publications in the United States, Canada and Southeast Asia. She is the author of the highly praised FabJob.com Guide to Become a Management Consultant. She also manages an online book review club, BookReviewClub.com, to advocate the love of reading to all ages.
[ BK ]: You've written two e-books so far. Tell us the process of writing an e-book, and why you decided to write your material in e-book format? What have been the advantages?
JENNIE S. BEV: Writing an e-book is just like writing any other books. Tenacity, ability to focus and stamina to convey compelling messages from start to finish determine the quality of the finished book (or e-book).
I personally don't have any preference over the format of books, because it is not as important as the value of information contained therein. Since the writing process is the same in both formats, e-books should receive increased acceptance in the literary world, which, fortunately, is already happening.
My forthcoming book, which is an industry report, will be paper-based. As soon as I complete it in a few more weeks, I'll be writing another e-book and a paper-based book. You can see how varied the formats of my books are.
Both electronic and print formats have their own advantages and disadvantages, of course. And one is better than the other.
E-books, for instance, allow the author to include direct hyperlinks to the referencing sources, which can be extremely valuable for books that "teach," such as how-to books. This way, the readers will be directly referred to Web sites for more in-depth information without having to spend countless hours searching for additional information that support the information contained in the e-book.
However, since e-books must be viewed on a computer screen (or other e-book reader device), it is less handy than print books. Unless the reader uses a handheld e-book device, it would be impossible to read in a bathtub, for instance.
[ BK ]: You recently were named a finalist in the Non-Fiction How-To Category of the 2003 Eppie Awards for excellence in electronic publishing. Did you know your e-book, "Guide Become a Management Consultant" was going to become a big success? What do you think contributed to this e-book's success? Is it the writing, publishing, or marketing?
JENNIE S. BEV: You made me blush. Honestly, I was not expecting any award or official recognition for "FabJob.com Guide to Become a Management Consultant." I simply tried my best to write the most comprehensive reference for people who are looking for ways to break into and succeed in management consultant. I
n that e-book, I also interviewed 15 experienced management consultants, some of whom are best-selling authors and renowned well-respected professionals. This effort alone demonstrates my passion, which is very important in birthing a valuable book.
I honestly think no writer should write for an award because it would distract him or her from the ultimate goal: writing a book of distinctive quality. As a Zen master said, "live for the moment." When you're eating, eat. When you're sleeping, sleep. When you are writing, write.
Ah, I've been talking as if I had won already. The winners will be announced in March 2003, so I'm still keeping my fingers crossed. (Updates will be posted on www.WritingGigs.com.)
All the three factors (the writing, publishing and marketing) play important roles in creating a successful book (or e-book). An author can write the best book in the world, but without proper publishing package (the formatting and final touches) and publicity/marketing efforts, nobody would buy it.
[ BK ]: Can you describe your typical workday?
JENNIE S. BEV: In my ideal day, I read one book and write at least 1,000 words. Sometimes more, sometimes less. I wake up at around 7 and go to bed at midnight. I go to my neighborhood gym every other day or at anytime when writer's block strikes.
[ BK ]: You have over 800 articles published. How do you stay so prolific?
JENNIE S. BEV: As a full-time writer, I write for at least 4 hours per day. I use the other half working day to perform some research (if needed) and to take care of my balance with exercising and having a social life. Mental and physical balance are very important to keep my writing flows. When I'm stressed out, I usually cannot perform well.
[ BK ]: Can you share some of your strategies on how you successfully sell your writing to editors and publishers? Any secrets? JENNIE S. BEV: No secrets. Just keep persisting and be prepared for rejections. A professional writer handles rejections professionally. It's never about you; it's about different needs. Make it a part of life, don't sweat it. [ BK ]: Your newest e-book, "Write Industry Reports" helps writers write industry reports for research firms and earn big bucks. How did you first hear about this type of writing? What are the advantages to writing for research firms?
JENNIE S. BEV: As a business writer, I often search for specific data, such as statistics or other business intelligence information. One day I "bumped" into industry reports and was astonished by the ridiculously high price. Many of them are more than $3,000 a piece. "That's way too expensive for my research," I thought.
This incident sparked my curiosity about writing industry reports. I wanted to know more about this high-priced publications: what they really are, who writes them and, of course, if I can write one. My search revealed that many research firms do hire freelance writers to write such reports, although most likely they also employ full-time researchers.
The advantages to writing for research firms?
First, you will learn as you go along. You will find new methodologies to search for specific information. You will become more proficient in the research and writing vocations.
Second, the PAY is incredibly high. From my experience, research firms pay up to 25 percent of the retail price in royalties. If your report is priced at $3,000, it translates to $750 in royalties PER SALE for you.
More importantly, since the payment is in residual income, you'll keep getting paid without putting forth extra work as long as your report is still being sold. Naturally $5,000 in royalties per month is highly feasible.
[ BK ]: How did you first get started as a writer? What keeps you motivated and disciplined?
JENNIE S. BEV: I started writing when I was in college. The more I was proficient with research skills, the more articles I wrote. When I graduated with my Bachelor's, I already had a strong passion to write. Motivated? Disciplined? That's a tough question. Perhaps my love for writing more than anything else keeps me positive despite all of the ups and downs of the profession. Other than that, I have voices to be heard, bills to pay, and bylines to show.
[ BK ]: How has the Internet contributed to the success of your career?
JENNIE S. BEV: During the dot-com explosion years, I wrote for many Web sites and served as managing editor, contributor and channel manager, which gave me a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to publish over 700 articles within a short period of time. Today, my e-books are my babies. Whenever a copy is sold (on the Internet), I feel reinforced to write even better and more e-books!
[ BK ]: What's the best advice you ever received from another writer? What advice would you give a writer who wants to be successful?
JENNIE S. BEV: The best advice? "Everybody has a story tell, so tell yours in a compelling way and be proud of it." Advice for other writers? "Set your mind and heart for success, you deserve it. If some skeptics say you can't write and you can't make a living out of it, don't let their opinions get in the way of your success."
[ BK ]: What's one piece of advice you can give to help a writer boost his/her sales this year?
JENNIE S. BEV: The best way to earn a living as a writer is by earning residual income (royalties). This way, as long as your writing -- most likely in the form of a book or an e-book -- is still being sold, you can still earn without having to put forth extra work. Use your time to write for more royalty-earning books (or e-books) to create a snowballing effect.
My latest e-book entitled "Write Industry Reports: Work at Home and Start Earning $5,000 in Royalties per Month" clearly shows how to earn thousands of dollars from one book alone. Unlike in publishing other types of books, which only pay a few dollars per sold book, industry report authors enjoy much higher royalties per book. Why? Because the books help companies to see a clearer picture of their industry.
"Write Industry Reports: Work at Home and Start Earning $5,000 in Royalties per Month" covers everything from the A to Z of industry report writing so you can start earning more this year. I've included access to over 450 research firms for you to begin with.
Have more questions? Ask me directly via industrywriter@writinggigs.com.
-------------------------
Jennie's latest ebook, "Write Industry Reports: Work at Home and Start Earning $5,000 in Royalties per Month" reveals her quietly-whispered secrets to earn residual income from your writing and research skills. Jennie's ebook is sold online at WritingCareer.com (http://www.writingcareer.com/bev001.shtml), an online ebook store.
Elsewhere today:
Former Salon suitor to start poker mag (N.Y. Daily News)
