We were lucky to catch up with Valerie J. Lewis Coleman recently and have shared our conversation below.

Valerie J. Lewis, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Alright – so having the idea is one thing, but going from idea to execution is where countless people drop the ball. Can you talk to us about your journey from idea to execution?

I fell in love with writing books when my sixth-grade teacher read The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton to the class. I raced home to pen a novel. I lost interest a few pages in, but the flame had been ignited. A year later, when my mother asked what I wanted to add to the family time capsule, I said, “I am going to write a book.”

Life led me in a different direction. I worked as a senior automotive engineer and taught math at several colleges (left-brain dominant functions, which are far removed from creativity). A few years before the plant closed, I prepared to shift my engineering-problem-solving skills to the book business.

The first author I assisted, Vanessa Miller Pierce, now writes for multiple traditional publishing houses, earns her living as a writer, and is an Essence best-selling author. I managed inventory, bookkeeping, and logistics to save her thousands of dollars. While traveling with Vanessa, I met many authors who had produced poor quality books and spent way too much doing it. To help bridge the gap from writer to best-selling author, I hosted literary conferences. Attendees traveled from across the country to learn from Dan Poynter, the father of self-publishing, and New York Times best-selling authors like Lynnette Khalfani-Cox and Victoria Christopher Murray.

Understanding that experience is the best teacher, I published my first book. Blended Families An Anthology features stories from people in stepfamilies. Whether as a child, biological parent, or stepparent, they shared how they navigated life in a stepfamily. My first book is on six continents and helped thousands of families thrive. It hit #1 on Amazon’s bestseller list and won numerous awards. (https://penofthewriter.com/product/blended-families-an-anthology)

The next year, while I conducted a workshop for aspiring authors, one attendee raised her hand. When I acknowledged her, she stood.
“Val, you have shared so much great information. I’m learning lots; however, it’s too much for me. What would you charge to publish my book for me?”

I had not considered publishing books for others because I assumed teaching them how to do it was enough. I spent the next few months developing Queen V Publishing (http://queenvpublishing.com). I researched other publishing companies to assess their offerings, rates, and client feedback. I created publishing plans that have morphed into three standard offerings. I built a team of service providers for editing, cover design, and formatting. I located printers across the world and nurtured relationships to save my clients thousands of dollars.

Queen V Publishing has an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau. As of this publication, I have published 178 authors, 70% of whom are best-sellers, with more in the works!

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

The problem I solve for clients is professionally engineering and designing quality books that land them paid speaking engagements, media attention, and book sales. Technology makes it easy to publish a book; however, most self-published authors sell less than 250 copies. That’s not enough to cover expenses, let alone turn a profit. This deficit is created by skipping intricate details. As a result, some books are positioned for low sales due to incorrect pricing, bad reviews because the content is full of errors, and alienated readers because the author put himself/herself on the front cover.

Through Pen of the Writer, I offer a myriad of products. Spanning from do-it-yourself books for aspiring authors, show-me-how-to-do-it with online courses, in-person events, and mentoring, to do-it-for-me publishing,

My newest offering is Pen of the Writer Academy (http://penofthewriteracademy.com). I work with a cohort of aspiring authors to publish and market their books. Monthly Zoom meetings, assignments, and accountability breaks the behemoth of publishing into manageable bitesize chunks.

My in-person events were halted due to the pandemic. I am making plans for the next Free Your Mind and the Words Will Follow Writers Retreat (http://freeyourmindwritersretreat.com). This three-day experience includes self-care, workshops, and tons of time to write. I am working with the local library and correctional institution to host author events.

Authors who experienced dismal sales often come to me for advice after-the-fact. I critique their cover, content, and community to identify areas of improvement. When they republish, they have an arsenal of new strategies to magnify and monetize their message. Mentoring plans start with 60 Minutes to Bestseller (bit.ly/POWER60Mins) for those who need a gentle nudge in the right direction. Clients have landed articles, media attention, and more implementing the strategies I provide. For those desiring a more hands-on approach, I have mentoring options for three months, six months, and one year.

Another offering is Print My Book (bit.ly/POWERPrint). I curated a list of over 200 printers across the world. I start a bidding frenzy for print jobs, resulting in significant savings for my clients and me. I saved Afia Chrappah, author of The Journey of Ama Ketewa, more than 50% on printing. With her new profit margin, she can offer discounts to readers, negotiate with online booksellers, or pocket the profit.

My commitment to serving authors with high-quality books sets me apart from other book producers. I collaborate with authors so their books debut in excellence. I teach authors the components of a great cover, how to craft a tantalizing title, and marketing strategies to sell books long after the initial launch. They master effective book pricing, the importance of consistent branding, and cost-reduction tips to increase their probability of success. My rinse-and-repeat approach makes it easy for them to publish subsequent titles.

I am most proud of those clients who “get it.” They understand and implement the techniques I share. They broadcast their powerful messages to the world. And in return, they transform lives while making money. My clients have gone on to host international conferences, launch publishing companies, and create multiple streams of income.

Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

Yes! Several resources make running my business easier, but my absolute favorite is QuickBooks Self-Employed (bit.ly/POWERSquad). I used to spend weeks capturing receipts for tax filing. Not only was it frustrating, but the time away from generating-revenue strategies was costly. QuickBooks simplified bookkeeping by tracking expenses, income, and mileage. I categorize every transaction as it lands in the bank. It provides an at-a-glance summary of account balances, profit/loss, and estimated taxes. When it’s time to file taxes, I just download the summary report and go! It’s so convenient, I use it to track personal expenses, too.

Other favorites include PipeDrive for project management, Acuity Scheduling to coordinate client calls, and Fiverr for freelance work. A list of my favorite affiliates is posted at bit.ly/POWERSquad.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

My commitment to operating in integrity is the foundation of my reputation. When people see Pen of the Writer or Queen V Publishing, they know that the content is clean and inspirational. The titles have undergone a series of professional editing. This business is a gift from God and I treat it with the utmost respect by helping clients RISE with Results, Integrity, Service, and Excellence.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://penofthewriter.com
• Instagram: http://instagram.com/penofthewriter
• Facebook: http://facebook.com/penofthewriter
• Linkedin: http://linkedin.com/in/penofthewriter
• Twitter: http://twitter.com/penofthewriter
• Youtube: http://youtube.com/penofthewriter
• Other: I want to hear about your book project. Schedule a complimentary discovery session at https://penofthewriter.as.me