1stWorld Publishing is dedicated to the goal of making book publishing accessible and affordable to every one who has dreamed of seeing their words in print. The company’s founders have lived the dream and understand the sense of accomplishment in achieving this goal. Now, they are committed to helping as many others realize this dream as Read More
Writers’ Voices and 1st World Publishing, both headquartered in Fairfield, Iowa, have teamed up again to present the 2015 Inkfingerz Creative Prose Contest. Our 2015 Finalists are: Martin Rosenthal – “Short Stories from Renaissance High” Doug Adams – “The Mist of Carp Lake” Judith Hans-Price “Tsunami Dog” Angela Mailander – “Angela: A Memoir” Chrystel Read More
Chapter 1: A Strange Welcome RING!! The remarkably loud jangle from the string of bells was jarring to Archer and his mother as they pushed open the door. But at least it wasn’t rude. “Hello stupid!” came a raucous greeting from around the side of what appeared to be the check-out counter. “Makes you feel Read More
Writers’ Voices with Monica and Caroline on KRUU 100.1 FM and 1st World Publishing have teamed up again to host the 2015 Inkfingerz Creative Prose Contest, open to writers of book-length creative prose (fiction, memoir or creative non-fiction of at least 150 pages), who are or have been residents of Jefferson County, Iowa or neighboring Read More
The morning after he gets out of the penitentiary, my father sits in the cane chair beneath the shade of the sugar maple while my mother cuts his hair. I watch from the stoop. With the window open behind me, I can hear them run the funeral home ad on the radio. It makes me Read More
Due to the concussion caused by the impact, the doctors want to keep Pandora overnight for observation. So, after we say goodbye, Michael and I head back to campus together, both tired and shaken from the events of the day. The ride back is quiet and I squirm in my seat, trying to come up Read More
Two minds yours and mine Are two night skies of the Starriest cast. I give you a window You give me one, too. Windows look up into every night sky. Windows like nets for catching Shooting stars Like fish. We are Hungry. Each star caught gives Clues to other stars That might be Out beyond Read More
City of Three Rivers is an historical novel that takes place in Dayton, Ohio from 1876 to 1924 and spans three generations. I have selected three different excerpts to give a flavor of each of the three different generations From Chapter 1: 1877 Susan always had trouble sleeping when it was raining this hard. Even Read More
Whether you have a publishing contract with a major publisher, a small press, or are self-published, marketing your books is one of the most important jobs for an author. Long gone are the days when a writer could be a hermit; his job complete once his manuscript was submitted. John Kremer is THE expert on Read More
Our interview with Allan Cobb on 4/13/is a great tutorial on Print on Demand publishing. Allen did everything himself and got his first 50 books for a total investment of $300. He breaks down all the costs, right down to shipping. He also discusses the pros and cons of self-publishing verses traditional publishing, purchasing ISBN Read More
Check out this podcast – a delightful conversation that gives a behind the scenes look at the world of book publicity. Molly Brouillette works for Penguin books as a publicist at Tarcher, an imprint focused on mind/body/spirit books. Molly, a life-long lover of books, has worked on campaigns for books ranging from healthy soul food Read More
This very special Writers’ Voices features discussions with Fairfield, IA artists Betsy Dockhorn, Toni D’Orr, and John Stimson. They will discussing the topic of the Book as Art Form. Betsy Dockhorn will talk about her ongoing writing-based performance art project involving letters. Toni D’Orr, who creates meticulous tiny handmade books, will discuss her art. Both Betsy Read More
I’m embarking on the task of comparing publishers and publishing methods, to decide which way we should go to publish a novel written by Monica Hadley, founder of Writers’ Voices. Now, my nature is to want to get a comprehensive list of all the publishers IN THE WORLD, or at least the country, and compare Read More
Pay-to-Publish companies can have an array of contracts and services. They all require money from the writer to print the book, but they often do some marketing, retain rights to the book, and take a percentage of proceeds. They may give the writer a few complimentary copies and sell books to the writer at a Read More
When a royalty publisher considers taking a risk on an author, an already established fan base and track record of book sales is a big plus. I remember when, in music circles, self-produced CDs were known as “coasters”, anticipating the eventual fate of those stacks of CDs most of us had of our own work. Read More
Have you got a little money to spend on self-publishing, but not a lot of time before you need the finished product? Companies like instantpublisher.com offer subsidy publishing with orders shipped in as few as 7-10 days. It’s also very affordable at under $100 for your first 25 copies. What I like most about instantpublisher.com Read More
When it comes to your publishing project, is “shoestring budget” an understatement? Well, there are actually a number of ways to publish for free. I don’t mean blogging or creating an e-book, either. You can end up with a nicely bound book offered for sale on the web, with no money for setup, on websites Read More
Book publishers call George Foster “the best book cover designer in the country,” “a master at designing book covers that sell,” “a creative person’s dream to work with,” and even “a lucky charm.” George has designed more than a thousand book covers including for early books in the Chicken Soup for the Soul series. He Read More