From idea to book

Sean Callery


Region:
England
Notice Period:
Short (maybe less than one month's notice)
Type:
Professional
Fee:
Paid: £80 plus travel expenses
Category:
Business
Updated:
6th November 2024

Many of us build up knowledge of a subject we love and want to find a way to share it with others. Sometimes the answer is a leaflet or a book - and it has never been easier to self publish.

But how to turn the idea into reality?

I wrote information books for children and adults for many years - I have more than 60 titles to my name, working with top publishers. When I became a tour guide I wanted to share some of the quirky stories that I found - and help to publicise my tours. So I self-published a book about the Cotswolds.

This talk takes you through the whole process, from planning to selling. I’ll explain how non-fiction writers need to think about spreads, teasers, and themes. I’ll cover:

  • How to plan a book
  • What’s a word count and why is it vital?
  • Who will your reader be?
  • Ways to keep costs low
  • When to pay for help

Oh, and we’ll look at some of the pitfalls of designing and distribution.

This talk offers practical advice, and insights into the world of publishing. If nothing else, it will help you appreciate the skills behind the next information book you read!

Views: 316 | Enquiries: 0

About Sean Callery

Hello! I am a qualified tour guide with a background as a teacher and children's author.

My Blue Badge tourist guide is for the Heart of England (which covers the area between Birmingham and Gloucester) and I specialise in the Cotswolds. In fact, I've written a book about its quirky sights and stories called Offbeat Cotswolds.

Publishing this book drew on my experience writing about 70 children's books, some of them stories but mainly non-fiction, for some of the UK's top publishers. I love researching information and finding fun ways to present it - something I also did in a past role as a primary school teacher.

My talks get great feedback as being entertaining and informative.


Send a message to the speaker

If you are interested in this talk and wish to contact the speaker, please complete the following form:

 
Please provide your contact name
 
Please provide the name of your group
 
Your phone number so that the speaker can contact you
 
Your email address so that the speaker can contact you
 
Give details about the event, time of day and location
Prove you are human please.
Use the slider to drag the puzzle so that the top and bottom are aligned , or use an alternate text based challenge by clicking here.
Which of 99, nine or sixty four is the lowest?
 

Site Search

Search across all speakers, topics and tags. Put your search term in the box and press enter or hit search

Use quotes around exact multiple word searches, eg "winston churchill".