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Category: Book Journey (Page 1 of 2)

The Writer’s Journey from Writing to Publishing with Two Penny Publishing

January 30, 2026 /

📔 Greg Dixon talks with Thomas Goodlet, Sr., owner of Two Penney Publishing, about his journey from music to running a book publishing company. And what your publishing journey would look like with Two Penney Publishing. 📚

As a writer, you have a lot of different options for publishing your book, from learning how to publish for free or nearly free with Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) and IngramSpark to Traditional Book Publishing.

The road to traditional publishing is long and nearly impossible for most authors. Most major publishers have self-publishing divisions. For example, Hay House Publishing has Balboa Press.

Two Penney Publishing provides an affordable middle option.

No matter which path you choose, the publishing journey includes a number of steps, including:

✅ Writing

✅ Editing

✅ Formating

✅ Illustrations

✅ Cover Design

✅ Marketing

✅ Submitting

✅ Audiobook Production

The team at Two Penny Publishing has specialists in each area to help you every step of the way, starting with writing and book development coaching.

Learn more at https://twopennypublishing.com/

You can register to see the interview live watch the replay and receive notices for future Shared Visions Shows:

Greg Dixon
Shared Visions Unlimited
Publishing | Marketing | Story Productions | Fun With Music

Outlining Your Golden Publishing Journey Book

February 18, 2025 /
Greg Dixon outlining Your Golden Publishing Journey

Today, Greg Dixon shows how he is outlining the book he is writing, which has the working title Your Golden Publishing Journey.

He is using the Atticus platform, but you could do the same with Microsoft Word, Apple Pages, Google Docs, or any other word-processing platform.

The main tip here is that outlining can help you quickly progress on your books.

Greg Dixon is available to help with your Golden Publishing Journey and offers a free membership portal for writing and publishing independently.

Why I Want You To Publish Your Amazing Books and Stories

December 24, 2024 /
Why I Want You To Publish Your Book and Stories.

My first idea for this article was to ask why you want to publish your books and stories.

Then I realized that many of you are not yet on your publishing journey ~ perhaps this is a new idea for you.

So here are some of the reasons why I want to publish your books and stories.

Sharing Your Gifts

The world needs that special gift that only you have ~ Marie Forleo

As Marie Forleo says, the world needs your insights, knowledge and stories. Books and story productions are a great way to do that.

Clarity and Catharsis

The process of writing and publishing your books and stories can help you crystallize some ideas and provide rewarding insights for yourself.

Sometimes you simply need to get things out of your head onto paper.

Influence and Authority

A book and other media can establish you as the authority and attract people to your offers and open doors for speaking engagements.

Preserve and Share Legacy

Books and story productions are a great way to preserve and share personal and family stories.

I urge you to capture family stories while you still can.

Publishing Options

There are many free and near-free options for you to publish yourself.

Services like BookBaby can help you.

And Greg Dixon can help you with every step of the publishing journey from idea to publishing in many formats to promotion.

Book Collaboration with Atticus ~ A Wish Fulfilled

December 18, 2024 /
Book Collaboration with Atticus

I have used Atticus to format books for clients and for my own projects for a few years.

Atticus does a great job formatting all of the standard trim sizes for Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) and IngramSpark, as well as an eBook format for Kindle and other readers.

The Atticus platform is also great for writing. It is chapter-oriented, and reorganizing chapters is as simple as dragging up or down in the side panel.

Using Grammarly or other writing assistants provides a powerful writing and editing environment.

There is no extra step between the writing and formatting stages. All done with grace in Atticus.

Collaboration

Atticus creator Dave Chesson said he was working on the ability to collaborate on book projects. It has been on my wish list for a long time and would simplify the editing and review process.

A few weeks ago, Atticus sent a notice about a major update to the software. Dave Chasson didn’t say what the update was but said we could probably guess.

Sure enough, that was it was the collaboration feature that was new.

While it is too late for this year, here is how the collaboration feature would have saved A LOT of time and trouble with Tales From The Turkey Table by Bill Allman.

Why The Collaboration Feature Would Have Helped

Here is the scenario:

Bill called me in late November last year to say he was ready to go with Tales from the Turkey Table.

Given that we often were able to take a finished manuscript to formatted and submitted for printing in a few days ago, I said we could do a quick edit pass and format for printing.

Given that Bill is a good writer and editor himself, we assumed it was ready to go. And for what we were doing, it was.

The writing style and punctuation was quirky, but very readable. I certainly was not going to be heavy-handed with editing.

Although the formatting was tricky, I created PDF that I sent out for review.

Some of the most minor things like the table of contents not fitting on a single page became a sticking point.

Then various friends started complaining about minor things. Editing by committee is usually a bad idea because people have opinions that are often wrong and not helpful.

Assuming that the author had done a thorough read of the review copy and considering the time crunch, we submitted, printed, and sold copies.

After Christmas, the author decided to do a close review and edit to make it better.

Nearly a year later, he said he was done with the edit comments in a PDF with comment tracking enabled.

I spent a good week applying some 550 minor changes.

Now we have time to print for Christmas and get into retail shops.

Now that the collaboration feature is available, here is what we could have done last year and this year that would have saved much time and trouble:

  • I would have set up the author and editors as collaborators and reviewed the text and formatting within Atticus.
  • Atticus would track and report changes and comments.
  • The author could have made most of the changes himself, which is far easier than explaining the changes.
  • All collaborators and editors can review the formatting within Atticus and export PDFs for closer review.
  • Once approved, the formatted book will be ready for submission and printing.

Working With Book Clients Moving Forward

The writing and formatting features of Atticus are all I need for my books.

The collaboration feature makes working with new book clients easier regardless of stage. I can help with book development, writing, editing, and formatting.

So I will encourage, if not insist, to get the book project into Atticus as soon as possible and collaborate there. That means that the author and editors would need their own Atticus accounts.

We can add other editors as needed.

Do you want help with your book?

Revised Version of Tales from The Turkey Table Available Now!

By the way, I added a flipbook version of the edited book to the Digital Experience Edition!

Setting Up the All My Relations Book Website

October 30, 2024 /
Setting Up the All My Relations Book Website

Greg Dixon set up a website at https://allmyrelationsbook.com/ for writing and publishing the content for the book as part of his publishing adventure.

Here are the steps:

  • Registered the domain name on Namecheap.
  • Set up the WordPress site on Cloudways (you can host anywhere, and platforms like Wix would also work for this).
  • Connected the domain name.
  • Added key plugins.
  • Wrote home page.
  • Started and ‘chapter’ blog.
  • Submitted to Google Search Console.

Now I need to write a lot!

Do you want to join the adventure with your own book?

Writing Live With Greg Dixon ~ A Book Creation Adventure

October 27, 2024 /
Writing Live With Greg Dixon ~ Book Creation Adventure

Join me for an adventure as I write and publish a book called All My Relations over the next month.

I will broadcast regularly to demonstrate the steps and progress.

Here is the basic plan:

  1. Create Google Drive folders for the project.
  2. Add notes to the folders.
  3. Start filling out a Book Manuscript Template.
  4. Register a domain and start a WordPress website for the book.
  5. Write and share the chapters on the website.
  6. Do a few editing rounds.
  7. Format the book for print and eBook publishing through Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing.
  8. Publish on Amazon.
  9. Run a marketing campaign.

Starting With Google Drive Folders

I create folders for the following:

  • Book Notes
  • Book Manuscript
  • Book Covers
  • Book Images
  • Video Clips
  • Book Planning

Creating a Book Website

I register a domain name and create a WordPress website on Cloudways.

The home page will introduce the book and provide a working table of contents.

Writing and Publishing Chapters

Over time, I will write the chapters in Google Drive and publish as blog posts on the website.

More steps coming as the project progresses.

Do You Want to Join the Adventure?

You are welcome to follow along with what I am doing online with your own book project.

If you want my help with creating the Google Drive folders, setting up a website, and cheering you through the process, sign up for my most affordable retainer at $88 per month. I provide everything you need.

Publishing an Existing Book

You can apply the publishing steps to a book you already have.

Consider Creating a Website as a Publishing Destination for Your Book

October 26, 2024 /

Emphasizing the Unlimited part of Shared Visions Unlimited Publishing, I encourage and help you to publish your book in multiple formats on multiple platforms, including:

  • Printed Book and eBook through Amazon and IngramSpark
    Put your book out far and wide forever and possibly make some money.
  • FlipBook
    Easy distribution and support for multimedia elements. Help people, build authority, and increase influence.
  • Digital Experience Edition
    Secure multimedia portal for your book content and support material. Great potential for direct sales.
  • Audiobook
    A market for those who prefer to listen.
  • Video Versions
    Illustrated readings, training, …

Today, I suggest adding a blogging website to the mix and possibly starting by writing and publishing your book on a blogging website.

Why You Would Consider Publishing Your Book As A Website

This is for you if your reasons to write and publish a book are along these lines:

  • You have joy in the creating and writing process itself.
  • You have insights or stories you want to share with the world.
  • You want to increase your authority and influence.
  • You may want to use a book as a lead magnet for your products and services.
  • You want to engage your readers with your content and get feedback to improve the print book.
  • You collaborate with an editor or writing coach.

This is not for you if you are a perfectionist who
wants everything perfect before sharing.

I build high-performing and search-engine-optimized WordPress sites for marketing and various other purposes. Here is why this approach can work for your book and why I am going to use this approach for my own books:

  • WordPress provides a great platform for writing and collaborating on posts and articles.
  • Attention to Search Engine Optimization and submitting to Google Search Console can boost your search presence.
  • The pages can have rich multimedia content and links to related resources.
  • WordPress provides a good search function for the site itself. This is fabulously useful.
  • The Google Translate plugin can translate the site instantly. I still think this is amazing! Check out the language selector at the bottom-right of this window.
  • You can invite feedback and comments for your content as you go.
  • Sharing to social media platforms is easy.
  • Linking back from social media platforms and YouTube is easy.

Writing Live and Testing Content

I have a few books in mind: The First Book of Lazy, All My Relations, Adventures in Moving, and The Golden Publishing Sales Machine.

I will create a website and start writing at least one of those books live soon.

Here is the plan:

  1. Register a domain name with the working book title.
  2. Create a website with key plugins, including Yoast SEO, Google Site Kit, and Ultimate Blocks.
  3. Create a home page with a book description and a working outline of topics.
  4. Write the first chapter.
  5. Submit the site to Google Search Console for indexing.
  6. Write a chapter regularly. I will aim for at least three a week.
  7. Post a link to each chapter on social media.
  8. Consider doing a broadcast for each chapter.

I use Grammarly to keep my writing somewhat under control!

If I get readers and interest, I will combine and publish in some or all formats such as a print book, eBook, flipbook, audiobook, and Digital Experience Edition.

At the very least, I will have fun writing and publishing the chapters:-)

Want to try it for your book?

Let’s chat about the possibilities.

Greg Dixon, Chief Cheerleader
Shared Visions Unlimited Publishing

Seven Easy Steps to Writing and Publishing Your Book

October 15, 2024 /
Seven Easy Steps to Writing and Publishing Your Book

Do you have a book taking up real estate in your head?

It’s time to get it out of your head and out to the world as a book.

It is not hard. If you have a good idea of what you want to share, the writing and publishing can be done comfortably in a month for most books.

Here are the basic steps:

  1. Choose a topic and a working title.
  2. Create a chapter outline
  3. Write the chapters
  4. Do a few rounds of editing
  5. Format the document for submission
  6. Create a cover
  7. Submit for publishing

The next actions expand on the steps.

You can do it all yourself or have Greg Dixon help you work through the steps.

1. Choose a Topic and a Working Title

In this step, you determine the topic of your book and choose a working title that represents it.

Don’t worry too much about the title. After writing the chapters, you can refine the title, subtitle, and book description to represent your writing.

2. Create a Chapter Outline

The outline creates the overall structure and content organization for your book.

You can write your outline or chapter headlines in Microsoft Word, Google Docs, Atticus, or a writing tool of your choice.

Once you have the outline, the rest is filling in the space with content.

3. Write the Chapters

You can write the chapters with content to support the title of the chapter.

The content can be as simple or complex as you want to communicate the subject.

4. Do a Few Rounds of Editing

Read through and edit your manuscript a few times on your own until you are happy with it.

You then have others or a professional editor look through to make suggestions and adjustments for improvement.

I recommend a few rounds of reading and editing.

5. Formatting the Document for Publishing

Amazon and other publishers have specific formatting requirements for submitting your book.

The formatting will change according the trim size, such as 6 x 9 or 5 x 8. 6 x 9 inches is a good size for most books. You can find the details on the Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing pages.

This is where I typically jump in the process for our book clients. I use Atticus to format the book for print and eBook.

6. Create a Cover

Creating a cover that meets the print publishing specifications is the trickiest part.

Amazon will generate a cover template based on trim size, page count, and paper type for use designing a cover.

Amazon also has a decent book design feature when you are uploading the book.

This is another area where I can help with the cover design or tweaking an existing cover to meet the specifications.

7. Submitting the Book

We generally submit to Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing and to IngramSpark for people who want to get their books into bookstores and libraries.

The process is mostly completing forms and uploading files.

Amazon will then provided an online preview and conduct a quality review when you submit.

We usually do this for our clients using their Amazon and IngramSpark accounts.

Your Fun Publishing Journey Retainer

For a modest monthly retainer, I can help you with all parts of your publishing journey, from writing to publishing to marketing.

Let’s Start With Publishing Your Book

June 3, 2024 /
Book images ~ Start With A Book

Do you have ideas for one or more books or books under construction?

I can help you through the book journey from idea to publishing to marketing.

Let’s Get Your Book Published!

What kind of book do you want to publish:

  • Biography
  • Memoirs
  • Short Stories
  • Novels
  • How-To Books
  • Books for Lead Magnets
  • Travel
  • Children’s Books
  • …

Let’s get started!

No matter where you are in your book journey, we can help including:

  • Clarifying the Book Focus
  • Organizing Content
  • Developmental Editing
  • Copy Editing
  • Manuscript Preparation
  • Book Formatting
  • Book Cover Design
  • Book Submission
  • Marketing

My Golden Offer for this is $388 per month until done.

If your book is nearly ready to publish in one month, a one-month retainer could get the job done.

Or we can add other components of the Golden Publishing Sales Machine.

Or start the next book.

Your choice.

You can book a meeting with us on the pricing page.

Think Different about Publishing, Marketing, and Story Productions

February 13, 2024 /

Consider how book publishing, course creation, stories, and marketing can all fit together holistically for you to share your stories and help people.

As humans, we tend to approach things in silos: write a book ~ create a course ~ sell a service ~ tell my story ~ do a broadcast ~ try marketing here ~ and write some stuff.

Me too.

Over the years I have tried a lot of boxes: writer ~ artist ~ musician ~ course creator ~ publisher ~ video creator ~ marketer ~ software engineer ~ driver ~ logger ~ fisher ~ minor ~ literature ~ philosophy ~ traveller …

Sometimes I think my most accurate job description is Chief Enabler to Do Stuff.

The list a variety of projects is vast and diverse!

Shared Visions Unlimited aims to integrate all of that to provide encouragement and services for Publishing, Course Creation, Story Production, and Marketing.

The essential idea is that we are all creative beings constantly exploring life and sharing things like stories, insights, products, and services to grow lives and businesses.

As Marie Forlio says, “The world needs that special gift that only you have.”

The main principle here is that there are many ways to get your message out into the world.

I will explore expanding and integrating media and strategies in the next sections.

Publish Your Book In Multiple Formats

I have helped people publish their books over the decades because they asked for my help. I recently recast Shared Visions Unlimited to include writing, publishing, and marketing services.

Betty Withrow and I have helped many authors complete their books and formatted and submitted the books to Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing and IngramSpark to get the printed and eBook versions out through the usual channels.

Here is an expanded list of where the content from your book could go:

We offer all of these versions.

  • Printed Book.
  • eBook (Kindle, Amazon Books, …)
  • Audio Books
  • Podcasts and Broadcasts (serial readings like Charles Dickens, Fyodor Dostoyevsky, and others used to publish their books).
  • Print Publications
  • Video
  • Flipbooks
  • Print Magazines
  • Digital Magazines
  • Digital Experience Editions

Courses and Membership Programs

If you come to me with a book you want published, I will likely suggest that you consider creating a related course or membership program to leverage your content and benefit more people.

If you talk to me with a course in mind, I will suggest you consider creating and publishing companion books as well.

And a comprehensive plan to develop and market the books, courses, and related stuff all at the same time using my Publishing Sales Machine.

Digital Experience Editions

I use the Kartra Membership platform to create a multimedia repository for books, audio, video, downloadable resources, exercises, and more to create a rich digital version of your book and any related course creation elements.

I marry a course creation platform with multimedia publishing.

Here are some examples:

Marketing Differently 

We often say the time to start marketing your book course or product is when you have the main idea and a working title.

Further than that, you can develop the content as part of your marketing campaign.

Let’s say you have an outline for a course and book. You can present each topic on your outline in live sessions and posts, all leading back to a landing page with an opt-in for a mailing list and a membership that grows over time.

You can start selling access right away, build engagement, and get feedback on your content.

Here are some related articles:

What Is Your Dream Project?

I can help implement the many components to take your books, courses, and story productions from concept to launch.

I can also help you repurpose the golden nuggets in your existing books, courses, and content. You likely have more resources than you think.

Or simply help you market existing products and services.

Let’s chat!

My Golden Offer

Let’s take a look at your publishing and marketing project and find a way to create a win for everyone.

One possibility is a modest retainer plus profit sharing for your offer.

I create the framework and marketing campaigns for success.

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