How to Get Published by 'My Life & 1000 Houses' Mitch Stephen

How to Get Published is a continuing feature at The Book Bin where we ask authors to tell us their publishing stories. Was it a rocky road or did it come easy for them? Did they start with an agent and get a NY publisher interested in their book or did they self-publish? What words of wisdom do they have for all of us who would like to be published one day?

Today’s guest is Mitch Stephen, author of the real estate nonfiction book, My Life & 1000 Houses.

I believe a person could wait a long time for a publisher to bless their project. I’m sure more than a few have died waiting for the mail to arrive every day for years on end. There are too many reasons why publishers may not choose to get behind your work and it may not be your fault or the lack of a great product. Maybe they already spent their budget. Perhaps they don’t understand your market. It could be the simply didn’t have time to get to you. Personally, I didn’t wait for anyone’s approval. I self-published!

Let’s face it, in today technological world, you can write a book and convert it into a digital download for a few hundred bucks…and be for sale in a very short period of time. I was thinking of holding a physical book in my hand when I wrote My Life & 1,000 Houses, but, I now know I could have gotten off the ground without the time and expense of shooting for a physical book – paperback version.

In today’s market, book stores like Amazon and Barnes & Nobles can sell your book using “print on demand” (POD). Smaller shops can offer a digital download of your book and share in the proceeds Beyond that, you can open shop yourself with a simply home page website built with credit card acceptance and digital download capabilities, making the need for physical inventory and a non-issue. Sell enough digital downloads and your paperback version could be paid for in advance.

I self-published through BookSurge.com. John Rieck was my representative and he was very helpful. I also took the initiative and got my book into every format I could;

Paperback

e-Book

e-Audio

Audio CD

Kindle (Amazon)

Nook (Barnes & Nobles)

Aaron Peterson 208-514-6631 was very helpful in helping make many of these versions of my book available. I’m not making any money by referring him but please tell Aaron that Mitch Stephen recommended him…so that he’ll know I appreciate his help.

Don’t wait! Start writing! If you’re short on funds, at least get out a digital copy that can be downloaded over the Internet…to sell or give away (depending on your motive).

I’d like to thank the staff at The Book Bin for the opportunity to speak to you. I appreciate it very much.

Mitch Stephen has been a full time investor since March ‘96. He’s flipped 1000+ properties and is author of the book, My Life & 1000 Houses. You may download the first 100 ages of his book at www.1000Houses.com. His autobiography is one of a high school graduate striving to find his place in the world. With over (70 ) 5 STAR REVIEWS, it is evident that this author has mastered the art of delivering inspiration and an educational value in a most entertaining way. In short, My Life & 1,000 Houses depicts the trails and tribulations of an amateur business man who stumbles upon the great, long standing revelations, of business, money, love and life while struggling to find his own financial freedom.

Mitch Stephen was honored by the San Antonio Real Estate Investor’s Association (SREIA) in 2007. Despite the fact that he’d never been on the board or held an official position, the president, sitting board and over 800 members voted to dedicate the offices in his name…the “Mitch Stephen Investment Center.”

Mitch is also an avid songwriter. He likes to say, “I’ve been writing songs for over thirty years…and I’m going to get good at it any day now!” That being said, Stephen took honors at the 2005 Tejano Music Awards, winning “Crossover Song of the Year” for his part in co-writing the song “Who’s That Gringo” performed by multiple Grammy Award winner David Lee Garza and group Los Musicales; Co-writer Billy O’Rourke. Hear much of Mitch’s music at www.MitchStephen.com -over 45 original songs!

Today Mitch’s interests have expanded into several real estate related businesses:

Mitch Stephen is actively involved in the San Antonio . Texas real estate community:

- Mitch provides owner financing opportunities to “would be home owners” who cannot fit into institutions mortgage programs. www.Homes2Go.NET

- Mitch loans hard money to proven real estate investors who cannot find institutional money. www.Loans2Go.NET

- Mitch offers boat and mini storage units in and about Canyon Lake , Texas www.CanyonLakeStorage.com

- Mitch offers affordable office space to entrepreneurs in NE San Antonio

210-669-4020

Last but not least, Mitch and his family support Community Bible Church (CBC) of San Antonio , TX . If you are interested in why Mitch attends CBC, you may tune in online at www.CBConline.com. Watch and listen to Pastor Robert Emmitt’s unique talent for bring the good news to the world.

You can visit his website at www.1000Houses.com. Connect with him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/mitch_stephen or Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/#!/profile.php?id=1074602878 and http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/My-Life-1000-Houses/129994207021032.