The founder of Motina Books realized that resources for
single moms are few and far between.
Publisher, Diane Windsor, wants to change that. That’s why she created Motina Books, whose
tagline explains exactly what they do – We publish books by and for mothers;
especially single mothers!“My goal is to publish books that will help families led by
single moms to be successful,” says Windsor.
“Sometimes a person just needs to know that a tool, or a particular
resource, is available that can help improve their life.”
Windsor says, “There are not enough resources available to
help single parents. They face very
specific challenges that differ greatly from parents who have a partner.”Windsor is very familiar with these challenges, having been
a single mom herself. Now, she leads a
very large, active single parent support group in North Texas. The group, Single Side Up (the single parent
support program of www.thissideupfamily.org), provides practical support to
single parents, just like Motina Books does.
During the five years that she has been leading this group, Windsor has
discovered that the most crucial topics for single parents are financial and
legal.
Motina Books isn’t afraid to tackle controversial
topics. The novella It’s Just Pot is the
story about how a single mom faces the fact that her teenager has started
smoking marijuana. Upcoming releases
included The Single Parent Money Philosophy and How to Choose the Right Attorney
for YOU.
“It’s very difficult today to be published
traditionally. That’s why I want to help
moms tell their stories, and share their valuable wisdom,” states Windsor. “There are no upfront costs to publish with
us; we share the royalties when a book is sold.
And, we make sure that the author receives a very fair share.”
I had a chance to interview Windsor to learn more.
How did Motina Books get started?
I had been a single mother, and I knew that there were not many
resources available. Where can a single
mom go to find information regarding her specific situations? For example, single parents need to look at
money differently than parents who have partners, or single people without
kids.
In 2011 I began working with a local non-profit that helps
strengthen families, and through them I was able to start a support group for
single parents. Over the years, I’ve
been able to learn from the group about topics that are very important to them.
I’ve always loved to read, and I know that reading and writing go
hand-in-hand. I write some of the books
published by Motina Books, and I publish books written by mothers and single
mothers. It’s my goal to give moms the
opportunity to publish their stories with someone who really believes in them.
I am also working with a lovely young lady, who is the
sixteen-year-old daughter of a single mom.
She is in the process of writing a novel, and I am so thrilled to be
helping her publish! I have a really
good feeling about this book; a best seller!
Why is it important to have a publisher specifically for mothers?
Having been a single mom for quite a few years, and even as a
married mom, I was always looking for information on how to be a better parent,
carve some extra time out of the day, save a few pennies, and provide tasty,
healthy meals for my kiddoes.
I believe that the best sources of this information is from moms
who are already doing it! Let’s share
our own experiences, struggles, and successes with each other.
In addition to books, we also provide a podcast that discusses
topics that are important to mom (and single moms).
What unique challenges to mothers, especially single mothers, have
while publishing books?
Today, it’s almost impossible to publish books the traditional
way. The days of large advance checks
and book tours are over, unless you’re Stephen King, of course!
If you’ve decided that you would like to publish a book, there are
several routes to take. You can
self-publish, which is what many authors do.
That’s fine, but just realize that you’ll probably need some help along
the way. You should hire an independent
editor, formatter, and cover designer.
Or, you can submit your work to an independent publisher (like
Motina Books) who will usually work one of two ways. They will charge you a flat fee to provide
the services I mentioned. This fee
varies by publisher, of course, but I’ve typically seen charges around several
thousand dollars. That can be tough for
many moms to afford!
Motina Books operates a little more like an old-school,
traditional publisher. We charge no
upfront costs, but we share in the proceeds of the books when they sell.
What tips do you have for aspiring authors who are also mothers?
Don’t be afraid. If your dream
has been to write a cookbook of organic, homemade baby food, then go for
it! If you have some wisdom to share, or
a story to tell, there will be an audience who wants to read it.
It’s important for an author to re-read their work, edit, and
provide as final a manuscript as possible to the publisher. We will certainly edit, provide an ISBN
number, and format the books for e-book and print, but it really helps to have
a good draft we can start working with.
Also, authors need to have a good social media presence
established. They should have a website,
and active accounts on Facebook, Twitter, etc.
While publishers will help with some marketing efforts, authors must be
willing to promote their work.
Please visit www.MotinaBooks.com
to view available resources or to submit a manuscript.
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