SDH 024: Self Publishing and Establishing an Engaging Community with Kit Graham
Blogger at The Kittchen:: Where she shares recipes, restaurant reviews, and travel stories.
“I’m always 2 weeks ahead of the game so I can drop everything to do a project if I need to”
Self-Published Author of The Gourmet Grilled Cheese Cookbook:: Self-explanatory… YUM!
Founder of the Windy City Blogger Collective:: Professional organization and community for Chicago-area bloggers. They host events, workshops, and pair bloggers with opportunities.
Freelance work:: Photography, social media, etc. etc. etc. (!!)
“I’m not one of those people that just does one thing, and I think that’s where a lot of careers are going these days”
We talk about:
How Kit (didn’t) start her blog – Blogs for birthdays?! Okay!
How Kit self-published her Grilled Cheese Cookbook
Formatting and design
Choosing a publisher
Marketing and publicity
Cost breakdown
Vook now Pronoun.com (ebook formatter)
Hurdles she encountered
“Somehow I got the ambitious idea that I would write a book.”
Kit’s Warning: Word.doc files can become so big they can’t actually be saved
Kit’s Publishing Advice: Make sure you really want to publish a book and you understand the time that will be involved
“I think that there were definitely people out there that doubted me, and that made me want it more.”
Windy City Blogger Collective:
How it developed and grew
The biggest surprise from creating this community
Setting up events and working with sponsors
Recruiting and retaining engaged members
Membership and commitment
What is next for the collective
“The internet can be a mean scary place but we’re trying to change that culture.”
“We’re trying to promote a friendly space on the internet where people can educate, inspire, and collaborate.”
“Microbloggers”, blogging trends, and a blogger tip (hint hint: pitch back - get paid!)
Kit’s “Old School” Resources: Editorial calendar notebook, pen & paper planner, to-do list
Book Recommendation: Lean In – Sheryl Sandberg
[Connect with Kit: thekittchen.com, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Snapchat (@thekittchen), thekittchen@gmail.com, windycitybloggers.com, and windycitybloggers@gmail.com]
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