Customer Reviews

The Naked Author - Exposing the Myths of Publishing

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I am new to the writing world and researched alot. I have traveled to conventions and sought information from monthly book club meetings as well. "The Naked Author" has been more helpful, thorough, well-organized, and thought provoking than all of my previous hours spent researching on my own or through an event. As a children's writer, I found the author's writing style very approachable and I am still amazed of the ways my marketing plan has grown into ways never thought before. This book is a definite MUST HAVE for today's needs of authors!!!

The Naked Author covers about every aspect that writers at all levels need. Ms. Smith is thorough and meticulous in her information and suggestions. She tells it like it is, without pulling any punches, but not in a way that scares newbies away.
This is a book, like "On Writing" and "Writing Down the Bones" that belongs on every writers book shelf.

"The Naked Author-Exposing The Myths Of Publishing" is a step-by-step
simple, essential guide to Marketing your book. Katherine Kat Smith
is a multipublished author who walks published authors through the
process of successful Marketing. "The Naked Author-Exposing The Myths Of
Publishing" clearly opens the Marketing door to success with valuable
resources and references in a straightforward direction. Her book is
detailed in every procedure each author will begin with in their journey
through a writing career as it begins with research, and ends with
tarket Marketing. Katherine includes the steps needed to complete
your Marketing, and promotional plan. Her expertise and knowledge
on successful Marketing is professionally written, and includes how
to locate your reading audience. I highly recommend "The Naked Author-
Exposing The Myths Of Publishing" to every writer, seeking valuable
information that will indeed help you sell your books. This book is as
valuable as "Writer's Digest" in providing powerful, step-by-step
instruction, and is a refreshing succinct handbook. Katherine includes
where to find the best places to expose your work, directing authors
to publicity, and promotion. She shows the author how to sell books
on the internet, and targets speciality advertising. This book is
an essential tool for every author's resource shelf. "The Naked Author-
Exposing The Myths Of Publishing" is organized, easy to read, and opens
the door to a successful book Marketing campaign, packed with a
tremendous amount of information page-after-page!



Geraldine Ahearn, A.I.O.M.
Author of 6 books
Founding Member ABI Women's Review Board

The Naked Author is a good `how-to' book on self publishing with a little about general publishing for comparison sake. Katherine Smith has crafted a well thought out book that covers self publishing from agents to marketing. It contains just about everything an author needs as a guide through the maze of all of the intricacies of getting a book ready to be read by the hoards of avaricious readers clambering to be entertained or educated.
The reader is given several choices about what to do in a given situation; for example, whether or not to hire an agent. If you want to hire an agent to help you sell your book to a mainstream publisher, she suggests that it is a good idea, but if you don't want to go with a mainstream publisher, you don't necessarily need an agent.

"Not only did I learn that building the foundation of a successful author and/or book starts with creating a marketing campaign or career plan, but it is more than safe to say that educating oneself on the mechanisms of the process is vital for a smooth journey to publishing success."

All authors, self published or not should read this book and keep it for future reference. They will pick up some tips for marketing and selling their books that probably have not occurred to them. They will also be reminded of something they had not thought about in a while.
There is an extensive bibliography covering books, websites, and nationwide events. The only reservation I have about this information is that with today's technology, things change very quickly and having it in a book makes it difficult to update. A cautionary statement about this would be of help to the authors and others using this book.
Katherine Smith is a former talk show host turned author who has published domestically and internationally in magazines and newspapers. She is the author of several books, including The Naked Author-Exposing the Myths of Publishing, and I'm Tall You're Not So That Makes Us Even. She is from New Orleans, Louisiana and now lives in Dallas, Texas where she is a publisher with TomKat Productions, LLC.

Kat Smith has created a valuable guidebook for authors. Most authors write books. They are often confused, frustrated and a easily overwhelmed by the whole process that goes into moving a book from the author's mind into the hands of the reader. Kat details the process for authors and guides them along the way so they don't make the common mistakes that many authors make. When you are done reading, you will not only know that when the book is written, the real work begins; but your will have a clear understanding of what you need to do in order to succeed in getting your book into the hands of readers. Every author needs at copy of The Naked Author as a reference book on their desk.