Below please find the article, “AWC Brings First Time Author and Publisher Together,” in the Association for Women in Communications November/December newsletter the “Communique,” which shares how the power of this organization helped me get “Wise Words & Witty Expressions” published.

Thank you for the generosity of the women of the AWC who reached out to help me get my first book published!

AWC network brings a first-time author and publisher together

When Renee Gatz, a Northern New Jersey Chapter member, completed the manuscript of her first book, she reached out to her fellow AWC members for help directing her toward the next steps of getting published. By using AWC’s national database, Gatz was able to contact AWC members and received more than 200 e-mail responses from across the nation. Women Gatz had never met before provided the benefit of their publishing experience, offered contact information of those they felt could help her, and outlined the differences between self-publishing and working with a publishing company. Others provided marketing ideas and offered to help promote the book in their local publications.

Some responses did not include suggestions, but simply their congratulations and encouragement. The support Gatz received was so inspiring to her that it helped her remain motivated to get her book published.

Ultimately, thanks to all the information she was provided, Gatz elected to work with a start-up publishing company right in her own chapter. She met with Donna Thompson and Brenda Hendrickson, owners and partners of Woodpecker Press and members of AWC, to discuss the unique hybrid of self-publishing and using publishing services they offer. The AWC networking, however, did not end there.

Woodpecker Press also was able to direct Gatz to some valuable local resources that were instrumental in the development and marketing of her book. The art designer, Hit Designs, provided a book cover design that has resulted in a tremendous amount of positive feedback. Gatz was directed to a local media company, Samson Media,that helped her design and set up her blog site and provided some great marketing ideas. Additionally, Samson Media referred Gatz to the photographer used for the book, Sigen Photography, and fellow Northern New Jersey Chapter member Holly Kaplansky of Minuteman Press provided marketing materials to promote the book.

All of these connections and eventual successful production of Gatz’s first book, “Wise Words & Witty Expressions,” can be linked back to that first e-mail she sent to AWC members requesting help. The production of her book, which shares a collection of expressions her parents spoke to help Gatz navigate life’s big and little challenges, is a testament to the women who belong to this organization. Gatz says, “AWC women are committed to utilizing the power of the network and seeing their fellow members meet with success.”