Hello again; Well, I finally did it. The ebook Leading You Out of the Darkness Into the Light Is now available for sale! I am excited and relieved and more than a little scared. So, in this post I will explain the decisions I made and why as well as what comes next.
Where it is for sale
I know that for me completing the ebook and getting it published is an accomplishment in itself. I’m proud of the hard work I did, and I believe the book can and will help a lot of people. But I would be lying if I said that I didn’t care if it sells or not. I do want it to sell well. I also want it to be well received. So, I thought I should start by telling people where they can buy it and why.
For now the book is available through Selz.com, which allows for anyone to sell both physical and information products online. They take a smaller percentage of sales than Amazon and the submission process is so much simpler. All I had to do is upload the image and the pdf version of the ebook and people can purchase it with pay pal or a credit card and download it immediately.
Leading You Out of the Darkness Into the Light is also available from Amazon.
If you want a print copy, you can order one from CreateSpace.
The editing
Now, I have to give a big thanks to my editor Lorraine Reguly of Wording Well and Laying It Out There. She did an amazing job on the book. She reorganized the sections into actual chapters with breaks for the exercises. She reordered paragraphs so they made more sense. She edited my words into stronger sentences without losing the thing that makes my writing mine. And she did this all while battling a cold and dealing with a family emergency. She was a professional in every sense of the word.
And the only reason this book wasn’t finished sooner is that I allowed my fear to keep me from sending it to her sooner. I’ve written about this before, but its important to remind myself and my readers that we all have someone or something we are afraid of. That just means we have to work harder to step out of our comfort zone and face our fears.
Changed my mind on the image
For those of you who have been following my progress from the beginning you know that I changed my mind about which image to use for the cover. The decision has to do with me not being able to see the image. During one of our many late night calls Lorraine gave me a complete description of both images. She convinced me that the one I had chosen didn’t have as much detail or make as strong a statement. She helped me explain this to Angela, and we made the change.
And I want to thank Angela McCall at angelamccall.com for her help with the image. I now understand that selling online requires a powerful image, and she came up with one that will certainly get people’s attention. And I was impressed that she wasn’t irritated by my changing my mind. I hated having to tell her that I was wrong about the selection and needed to go with the other image. But she was very nice about it completely understanding that as a blind person I just didn’t really understand the differences between the two choices until they were described to me in detail. And I think we both learned a lot that will help on future projects.
Package offers
I asked my friends online about the idea of offering packages of the book plus coaching. I put out a couple of ideas, and they all said it was a great idea. Their only suggestion was that I was under pricing myself again. 🙂 So, after listening to their suggestions; I came up with the following offers.
First, you can purchase the ebook plus one hour of coaching for $99.95. That’s a savings of $14.95. And since it would be their first session; they would still get the 30 minutes free to get to know each other and establish our working arrangement. Second, you can buy the book plus four hours of coaching for $349.95. The sessions must be completed within 90 days of purchase, but that is a savings of about $65.
If you are interested, email me and I will send you an invoice through PayPal.
Coaching group
I also mentioned the possibility of starting an online coaching group or what they call a master mind group. Several of my friends warned me that it may be more work than I should take on at this time. Since these same people warned me of the dangers of trying to have two separate blogs, and since their advice has turned out to have been correct; I have decided to listen to what they are saying. I may still do it, but if I do it will be at least after the new year. The other thing is I would really like to do this on my own website instead of using face book or linked in. And that will require me to learn new skills. I’m glad that people would be interested in a group if I offered one, so stay tuned.
The lessons
Throughout the whole process I have done my best to create a good product as well as set a good example and stay true to my beliefs. Could I have done it faster, probably. Could I have done it better, absolutely. Am I disappointed or unhappy with any of the decisions I made, only that I didn’t get it to Lorraine sooner.
Nothing in life is ever going to be perfect. You can keep putting things off until tomorrow, next week, or next month. But we all know the more we put things off the more likely that they are never going to get done. I tell people to do what they can today and do more tomorrow. Its what I believe in and what works for me. So, I couldn’t have done it any other way when creating my first ebook.
Will there be another ebook? I don’t honestly know. I titled the page on my website ebooks, so maybe my subconscious was telling me I will. I do plan to record a video and had hoped to have one done in time for the launch of the book. And I still think a video series based on the chapters would be a great follow up project. My friend Kelly Woods says I should consider writing other books based on some of the individual sections. We’ll see. The one thing I’ve learned over the last year or so is to never close yourself off to new experiences or opportunities.
Acknowledgements
I wouldn’t want to close this post without thanking some of the people who have helped me get to this point. I want to thank Adrienne Smith, Robin Hallett, and Farnoosh Brock. They were the first ones I got to know when I started learning more about blogging and more about myself. And they all knew there was much more inside me than I was willing to admit. From these three came many others including Ashley Faulkes, Susan P Cooper, Harleena Singh, Lorraine Reguly, Angela McCall, William Butler, Kelly Corbin, Sue Neil, Linda Sands, Chelsea Stark, Brendan Magill, Kerry Kijewski, Kelly Woods, Amy Bovaird, Maribell Steel, Alvaro Alvarito, and many more. I know I am forgetting someone. There are so many wonderfully supportive people out here in the blogging community.
And I want to thank my loyal readers. I am so grateful that you found something in me that you like and that you continue to come back to hear more. I am still surprised that so many continue to follow my journey. And I am becoming more and more comfortable with my roll as inspiration to others. Its like so many other things in life. You just have to look at it the right way. When I finally accepted that the reason behind people finding me inspirational is that there are so many people out there with no physical disability who fail to live their lives and become the person they were meant to be. When I think of it that way, then it all makes sense. But then its my readers who have taught me this. So I want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Sharing is caring
For those who know me you are used to me asking you to share the sites and work of people who contributed to my successes and the post. Well, this time I’m going to be selfish. I really want you to share the link to the book. To make it easier for you I’m going to include both the link to the page and the direct link to where you can buy the book.
To me this book is already a success because of everything it took for me to get this far. But I can’t help people if no one reads it. I am hopeful that those who read it will decide they want to work with me as their coach and mentor. And I am hoping that people will invite me to speak to their group after having read it. So, please share about the book with your friends, family, coworkers, and social media networks. Perhaps there is someone you know who needs to hear my message? If so, then why not send them an email? I will appreciate any help you can give me.
Well, that’s it for now my friends. I can’t wait to hear what you have to say about the post and my first ebook Leading You Out of the Darkness Into the Light. And I know my friends and those who helped me with it are looking forward to them too. And I really do enjoy hearing from you, so be sure to click that contact form and send me an email. Thanks so much for your time in reading this post and your trust in what I have to say. I really am here for you. Thanks again and take care out there, Max
Congratulations Max! I’m really excited for you. I know you and you’re whole team put a lot of work into this project! I hope you find a way to celebrate.
Angela recently posted…Love the Lord Through Laundry
Hi angela; thanks for the kind words. yes team ivey has been hard at work. I did take time out to have a good cup of coffee and watch some college football on saturday. of course all the teams i was pulling for lost. and i spent some time reading bill gates’ father’s book showing up for life. i emailed andrew warner who was the first to buy a copy of the book. but I’ve been pushing myself to keep up with all the blogging, blog commenting, and sharing. my friend adrienne smith launched her new product on community building this week and my other friend harleena singh wrote a post about the top 20 inspiring men’s bloggers which i am featured in. and i have a guest post and a tv interview coming up this weekend. and my family is organizing the rides for the lake jackson holiday lights festival. 🙂 so much going on but thanksgiving is next week and i will certainly have a lot to be thankful for this year. hope you are doing well too. love the title of your latest post. can’t wait to read it. take care my friend, max
maxwell ivey recently posted…My first ebook Leading You Out of the Darkness Into the Light is finally published
Hi Max,
Many congratulations, once again! You know I already commented on the earlier page, as soon as it was out, and this being an official post announcement, how could I not come over and share your happiness 🙂
I am SO happy for you and all that you have achieved – it’s the journey that’s actually the most enjoyable as you learn so much in return, isn’t it? I wish you every success with this new endeavor of yours, and I know it’s going to go places.
With so many friend’s supporting you, your first book is going to pave the way for many more to come. Congrats once again, and I’d surely be sharing your book link all over, so it reaches a wider audience.
Thanks once again, and God Bless 🙂
Harleena Singh recently posted…20 Inspiring Men Bloggers of Aha!NOW
Hi Harleena; thanks so much for all those positive thoughts of love and support. and they call adrienne the commenting super star think we should start calling you the blog sharing super star. you certainly rock your world and those of all the bloggers in your abc universe. yes its the process that is important. You don’t want to miss any of the scenery on the road trip or forget about the lessons that every bump on the road taught you. and I do hope it will reach people and help many more. would love to hear sometime soon from someone saying how they made major changes or even a few little ones after reading my book. and a couple of people who read previous versions have already told me that, so i think the blessings are coming. thanks for the post about me on aha now especially for including the link to the book. isn’t it amazing how i posted that page in time for you to include it even though i had no way of knowing you were working on the imd post. the lord has a way of tracking us down and showering us with blessings. thanks so much. you and your site are awesome. god bless you my friend. xoxo max
maxwell ivey recently posted…My first ebook Leading You Out of the Darkness Into the Light is finally published
Congratulations Max! Hope you do very well with the publication…I know it takes courage to get put there:) But you found yourself a team that shared your vision and that means so much. Kudos:)
Jacqueline Gum (Jacquie) recently posted…Grateful… Where’s The Justice?
hi jacquie; thanks for the pat on the back. yes its all abut finding the right people or having them find you. and i have no doubt the book will bring in as much tangible success as it has already done for my feeling of personal and professional success. thanks so much for being part of my story, max
maxwell ivey recently posted…My first ebook Leading You Out of the Darkness Into the Light is finally published
Congratulations Max; that takes a lot of effort and I am pretty impressed with you right now. And a little inspired. I wish you all the best and every success with the sale of the book. Tim
Tim recently posted…July 1969
hi tim; thanks for telling me that. it always feels good to hear. and with your adventures I’m sure you could write a series of travel books if you wanted to. but i love hearing about your journeys. not crazy about your new comments system but thanks for sharing such a awesome part of your childhood with us. i too am hoping for success with the sale of the book. take care out there my friend, max
maxwell ivey recently posted…My first ebook Leading You Out of the Darkness Into the Light is finally published
Congratulations Max. All the hard work you and your team put into this book has now paid off. Your cover is amazing – you were right to choose it. I think it’s really nice that you mentioned Lorraine’s contribution. I know that she has done a lot. Best wishes on selling this book. I just know it will be an inspiration to many, just as you have been.
Much success.
Hi Lenie; thanks for the kind words. of course i couldn’t have had confidence in publishing the book without lorraine’s and angela’s contributions. so you knew i had to mention them. and in times when you are really being tested you appreciate your friends. i am happy we met and am thankful for having you as a friend. take care, max
maxwell ivey recently posted…My first ebook Leading You Out of the Darkness Into the Light is finally published
Max, ditto for me. It’s been wonderful following your progress. All the best, Lenie
Lenie recently posted…Charm the Chocolate Lover in Your Life
Congratulations. What an exciting time in your life. You should proud of what you’ve done. I hope book sales go well.
Donna Janke recently posted…Lessons From The Road
hi donna; thanks for that bit of positive energy. i hope they go well too. 😉 of course, if the book lead to coaching clients or paid speaking engagements that would be great too. take care out there on the road my friend, max
maxwell ivey recently posted…My first ebook Leading You Out of the Darkness Into the Light is finally published
The book looks great Max. Best of luck with it. I think we all appreciated being part of the planning process and added our opinions on everything from cover to prices.
Ken Dowell recently posted…WashPo’s Baron: The Future of News is About Entrepreneurs and Ideas
hi ken; well that’s what smart people do when they realize they don’t know what the heck they are doing. they assemble a group of smarter more talented friends and colleagues to help them decide. in the end all the decisions were mine but you don’t know how much it helped having your thoughts and suggestions in mind when i was making those decisions. and I think its a good example for other authors for another reason. the more people you involve in the process the more people you may have to help you promote the book when its published. thanks again and take care, max
maxwell ivey recently posted…My first ebook Leading You Out of the Darkness Into the Light is finally published
Congratulations, Max, on your book! I hope you’re proud. It sounds like an exciting venture.
Deidre M. Simpson recently posted…Secrets About Your Daughter, the Bully
Max, I’m so proud of you for figuring out how to sell your book on Selz. Ryan Biddulph uses that platform to sell his ebooks, and I figured it would be a good solution. Looks like it was! 🙂
I’m working on the printing aspect now, and have sent you some emails about that, so hopefully that process won’t be too complicated for you. I don’t know how “friendly” CreateSpace is to blind users, but I’m sure you can figure it out with some help from me. 😉
I’m so proud of all you have accomplished in such a short time, Max!
I love where you are headed, too. You’re rocking it, my friend! 🙂
Lorraine Reguly recently posted…Some FUN Writing Tools to Get You In the #writing Mood
Congrats Max. Continue to do big things.
Jason recently posted…How to Avoid the Black Friday Crowds?
hi jason; thanks for the apt on the back. knew you would be with me. good luck, max
Hi Max,
Congrat! and so excited and happy to read your ebook is finally out. I know and confident of the value of information it contain, despite not having the opportunity to read it…..but from following you and reading your works on different occasion and levels, there is no doubt about the quality of it.
Keep up the good work and the sky is just your beginning. Thanks for always been there.
Shamsudeen recently posted…This Week In Perspective – Moment Of Greatness
Bravo!
Hello Max,
I am so happy to know that you are done with your book. I wish you best of luck and pray that it will turn out very well.
I love the cover. It is very nice appealing and catching.
I can understand that this was a very hard thing to do but finally you are done and for sure you have not only learned a lot but also you have helped many of us to know about the even small details of the process.
I am happy and thankful to Lorraine and Angela who have helped you.
Once again, all the best for the book and thumbs up for your hard work !
andleeb recently posted…Universal Children’s Day
Hi Andleeb; thanks so much for the positive thoughts. It has already been a success in that i accomplished something very difficult for me and for many others. by doing so i have continued to set an example and to show others what they can do if they will just take action. Yes i had a lot of help including you and your encouraging comments. so congratulate yourself too on this achievement. take care my friend. xoxo max
Hi Max,
I am sorry a bit late here.
Congrats for this happy occasion.
Great to know about the new release
We wish you all the best for this ebook’s sale and promotion
Have a great day.
Keep informed
Best regards
~ Philip
Philip Verghese Ariel recently posted…Behind the Scenes with M. J. Joachim – The Freelance writer / Blogger. (A Guest Post by M J Joachim)
Hi Phillip; thanks for the positive thoughts. the book is already a success in that it was a big accomplishment to complete it and get it published even if it isn’t on amazon or create space yet. and i hope you will help promote it so sales will follow. best of luck with your own work, max
Hi Max,
What an inspiring book it is!
I have written a review of this book on my blog: http://rohanchaubey.blogspot.in/2014/11/leading-you-out-of-darkness-into-light.html
I am sure this will help your readers achieve their goals in life.
I hope you like my review.
Rohan Chaubey recently posted…Leading You Out Of The Darkness Into The Light ~ by Maxwell Ivey Jr.
hi rohan; thanks for the generous review. I’m glad you enjoyed the book and believe others will get so much out of it. with today being the first of december and there being a whole month left until the new year i hope to hear from more people who want to do something today to change their lives. I want people to have something to celebrate instead of just making resolutions for the new year. thanks again my friend. xoxo max
Hi Max, I read your very inspirational post on Adrienne’s blog, I wanted to drop by and thank you personally for that. But at the same time, I just read your post about your book release. First of all many congratulations! I know exactly how fear can get the better of you, so very well done on this.
Secondly I’m going to purchase your ebook and add it to my reading list over the Christmas period. I love reading personal stories, especially inspirational ones, and your guest post over on Adrienne’s blog was mind blowing for me.
Anyway, all the best for now mate, have yourself a great week – Fabrizio
Fabrizio Van Marciano recently posted…3 Challenges That Comes With Writing eBook Sized Blog Posts Every Time
Hi Fabrizio; am glad you enjoyed my post on adrienne’s site and even happier that you have decided to buy the book. I look forward to your thoughts and hope you wil write a review of it for my blog or good reads when you are through. now i have commented on two posts on your blog and I am surprised how few comments you are getting. I shared the posts on twitter and face book but wonder if there is something else i can do to get more readers to your site. are you a member of any blogging groups. I can definitely recommend the bloggers helping bloggers group on linked in. Its run by susan p cooper a great blogger and friend to me and my site. You may also want to join the aha now blogging community. its another very friendly supportive place for bloggers. keep up the good work my friend, max
Awesome work Max, kicking the fear in the butt!
Keep it up, ok!
Eve Koivula recently posted…Planning 2015 Step 1: Get Clear About Your Values And Priorities
Max, I’m sorry I’m so late to tell you congratulations! I’ve been a little out of the loop lately, but I had to come back and check on you to see how you were doing, and am so happy to hear the book is published! I know you’re going to help a lot of people, and I think you writing and publishing this book is a great example of practicing what you preach. Best wishes to you and Merry Christmas! From Meredith
hi meredith; we all get busy. thanks for your kind words and for continuing to encourage me. i do believe that eventually it will help a lot of people. would have done better if i had built up a larger mailing list prior to launch. and of course this is my first book. at least i did make a few sales. I’m working with lorraine to get it on amazon and create space in the new year which should help get it out to even more people. thanks again and blessing to you my friend, max