Thinking about writing a book with the above title. Anyone have any experience with publishing they would like to share. Could also use some more un-success stories. I have plenty but would like to add a lot more. Open to almost any suggestions, partner ???
Happy Hollidays and Thank you,
Ted P. Stokely Jr
11505 Sw Oaks
Austin, Texas 78737
512-301-9171 home
512-587-6177 mobile
I own a publishing company.
People don’t buy prevention, they buy cures.
I am reading a book now called “The Joy of Failure” by Wayne Allyn Root. It is interesting. I do not think it was a best seller but it was in print in 1996. I do not know, probably a stupid idea. When i first started buying real estate here in Austin had folks and Realtors tell me not to buy because they were giving houses away. Now those houses are worth double that value even in our down market of today. I should have hung on
Happy Hollidays and Thank you,
Ted P. Stokely Jr
11505 Sw Oaks
Austin, Texas 78737
512-301-9171 home
512-587-6177 mobile
Well, I could certainly add stories. I’m probably the only one in history to lose money on California RE (well actually I do know one other person) Would literally be a multi-millionaire if I could have hung on.
I agree those kinds of books don’t sell well. However, it might be a good e-book, which are inexpensive to produce and buy. You could market it on all the creative real estate sites.
Better to learn from others mistakes and not your own. Most of the courses never mention any of the “bad” posibilities.
i understand your reasons for such a book, and me personally I would love to hear the horror stories because i like to know in advance what to avoid!!
Suggestions:
The title might be changed a little, as you get your book finished - nobody wants to know how to fail (how to lose a fortune). You might call it something like “10 common mistakes new RE investors make - and how to avoid them” (shorten that) People DO want to know HOW TO AVOID mistakes. And i think that’s the real intent of your book isnt it?
Find some other publishers who do books in your category. Best bet is go to Barnes & Noble or your local bookstore and get the names of the publishers. Most will have online guidelines for submission. Or you can check out a book from the library (or buy it, but its pricey) called Writer’s Market 2003 or 2004. Has listings of most major publishers, what their submission guidelines are, etc.
Consider publishing in Ebook/electronic format only (or as a starter). (email me for lots more info on this subject, i’ve written 2 books this way myself.)
Consider Self-publishing. Dan Poynter has written “THE BIBLE” on this subject , The Self-Publishing Manual, available at any bookstore, amazon, or on his website parapublishing.com . EVEN IF YOU CHOOSE TO GO TO A BIG PUBLISHER, YOU REALLY NEED THIS BOOK. It explains the whole publishing process from start-finish including promoting your book, and it is info you really need to know.
Consider Joint Venturing with another real estate guru out there and get them/him to help you with this as an add-on to their already huge list of clients (real estate investing students.)
Good luck! Please let me know if i can help you further, always glad to help a fellow author. :thumbsup
I also made some mistakes and lost $30,000 on a home in Charlotte NC.
After taking several courses like PAPERBIZ:COM and ABCs of subject to,
I have made up for those mistakes and closed some very good deals using advanced techniques.
I recommend to get educated FIRST.
Kris malone
I think it would be a good book to read, but I also agree about the title, maybe make it How I lost money in RE… or Don’t do what I did: Losing money in RE>…
Something like that I would buy, but not a how to lose money book.
Ted,
I realize this is an old post but I want to bring it back to your attention. I think this is a very good idea. Over the past couple of weeks I have finished reading every single post in every forum on this site and I’ve learned a tremendous amount doing so. While there are lots of books and guru’s trying to make it seem like this is easy stuff, you always keep me in check with reality…please take that as a compliment! I have learned a lot about what to do, and more importantly, what not to do from your posts and replys. While I agree that a title like “How to lose a fortune in real estate” may not be the best idea, the information in that book would be invaluable. Please don’t give up on that idea. In fact, if you do follow through with it, I’ll offer right now to purchase the first copy…as long as you don’t charge guru prices for it ;). Good luck, you deserve it.
Regards,
Matt
Ted,
I agree with the others who say your title does not invite me to buy. However, your comment
When i first started buying real estate here in Austin had folks and Realtors tell me not to buy because they were giving houses away.suggests that you really did not lose money, you just missed an opportunity to make money. Quite a difference – losing money is painful, failing to make money is just disappointing.
If your book is focused only on failure stories, it will be a downer. You might consider telling the failure story then tell us how you fixed or avoided that problem the next time.
Perhaps, your title could be “How I Lost A Fortune in Real Estate…And Made It Back”
Offer contributors a free copy of your book, and you might get more input.
Ted,
I too would be interested in this topic, but think it would be easier to sell as e-book. Do you know anything about marketing on the internet? Multiple Streams of Internet Income by Robert Allen could get you started. Don’t limit yourself to REI Club!
Syd
Failure is actually part of the learning process. The key is to learn, make adjustments and keep pursuing your goals.
Many newbies are afriad to get started due to failure but if you get some education beforehand, you will be able to minimize the loss.
ted i agree with about all the posts. the one about losing money being painful. i built and lost two 4 plexes worth about 400,000.had arough partner and ialso made some pretty good mistaes in management myself.ive learned firsthand what beig on the other side of a forclosure feels like.this is brouht me to this web site to try and educate myself so i dont make the same mistakes again.
HEY TED,
how is this coming?
Ted, this would probably be good for a chapter in an investing book or an interesting post on a website. But I don’t think people enjoy reading about failure. Most are looking for something positive and optimistic. That’s why so many self-help titles sell very well. People want to know what to do to succeed not what to do to fail. But this is a very interesting/informative topic…GREAT TOPIC…
I think this would be great if by chance it taught what not to do everybody reads books on what to do time to have people learn from your mistakes!!!
tedjr I have a very good friend of mine that is the perfect man to help you with your book he lives in DC and is one of the many writers and editors that worked on the editing project for the new library for the Former President of the USA William Clinton he as also done extensive work in Europe and South America.
If you are interested in his services let me know i’ll have him contact you directly.