Marilyn Ross -- author, speaker, self publishing book shepherd -- is the champion of self publishing. This internationally acclaimed self publishing guru has helped thousands of authors sell millions of books through About Books, Inc., the company she and former husband Tom founded in 1977 and have since sold. Now Marilyn Ross focuses her energies on helping authors, professionals and small presses through Self Publishing Resources.
This self publishing guru has been noted and quoted in U.S. News & World Report, Publishers Weekly, The Los Angeles Times, Writer's Digest, Bottom Line Personal, John Naisbitt's Trend Letter, Investor's Business Daily, Rocky Mountain News, Denver Post, San Diego Union, Chicago Daily Herald, Phoenix Gazette, The New York Times, Newsweek and others. Entrepreneur magazine dubbed Marilyn a "trend tracker" in a previous issue. Additionally, she has appeared on scores of radio and TV shows, including NPR's "All Things Considered." Marilyn is included in many Who's Who directories.
CNN's website featured her in a top story, Self-Publishing for Profit. Booklist said of the Tom and Marilyn Ross team, "The Rosses write with realism and extraordinary thoroughness." The San Francisco Chronicle commented, "The authors are energetic yet irreverent, and the attitude is refreshing. She brings this same invigorating style to her best-selling Complete Guide to Self-Publishing, Jump Start Your Book Sales and Shameless Marketing for Brazen Hussies." A reporter on NPR's "Marketplace" observed, "The bible of this self-publishing craze is The Complete Guide to Self-Publishing by Marilyn and Tom Ross."
Marilyn has been on the faculty of Folio's New York Face-to-Face publishing conference and has spoken at colleges and universities -- plus publishing and writing associations -- from coast to coast. Writing and publishing conference planners often call upon her as a speaker. Attendees love her entertaining presentations and the results-oriented, immediately-usable information dispensed. If you'd like to discuss hiring Marilyn Ross for an upcoming conference, just go to the speaking page.
She is a professional member of the National Speakers Association, Publishers Marketing Association, SPAN, CIPA, the Authors Guild, and the American Society of Journalists and Authors.
This energetic lady not only helps authors successfully write, publish and
market their own books and information products -- she has written and
self-published 13 books of her own. Following the "success formula"
she espouses, five of the books have been sold to major trade publishers.
She has intimate knowledge of the joys and frustrations of being an
author.
In 1996, Marilyn and Tom Ross launched an international nonprofit trade
association for self-publishers, small presses and assertive authors. Although they are no longer involved,
the Small Publishers Association of North America (SPAN) became the second
largest such organization in the world.
Previously Marilyn Ross owned and operated an advertising and public
relations firm. Today, as a publishing consultant at Self
Publishing Resources, she accepts a limited number of clients. So, if you need quality self publishing services like help shaping
a manuscript, advice on book packaging issues, or assistance with a profit-making national
book marketing campaign, contact her today at Marilyn@SelfPublishingResources.com or call (719)395-8659
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During her off hours, Marilyn indulges in less cerebral pursuits, like "clowning around."
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Overview & history of the self publishing guru
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In 1977, Marilyn Ross published her first book. About that time she met and married Tom Ross, a computer engineer, and they began moonlighting at home on additional projects. To promote a new book, they toured the country in 1978 giving nationwide Writing and Publishing Seminars, which led to a full-scale international consulting self publishing service. When more and more people learned about the advantages of self publishing, they asked the Rosses for specific guidance in their individual ventures. Thus, their original company, About Books, Inc., was born.
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In the late ’70s, Tom and Marilyn put their expertise between book covers and published The Encyclopedia of Self-Publishing. It received rave reviews and was ultimately bought in 1986 by Writer’s Digest Books / F&W and re-titled The Complete Guide to Self-Publishing. It zoomed to #2 on their Bestseller List. With the expanded and updated paperback 4th edition, this best-seller has sold over 100,000 copies. It currently enjoys a top 5-star rating on Amazon with 112 rave reviews.
As a complement to the Guide, Marilyn published Jump Start Your Book Sales, which is a money-making guide for authors, independent publishers, and small presses and contains 25 chapters of specific promotional and book sales advice. It also has a 5-star rating on Amazon, 65 favorable reviews, and has sold more than 45,000 copies.
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Many readers of these books decide they want to control their own publishing destiny, but don’t want to do all the work. They learn through the two reference works that Marilyn Ross offers turn-key quality self publishing services — including editing, cover design, interior design / typesetting, printing, web site critiquing / development, creating promotional materials, and researching Nationwide Marketing Plans.
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In 1996, Marilyn and Tom wanted to do something to give back to an industry that had been good to them. Consequently, the launched a nonprofit trade organization dubbed the Small Publishers Association of North America (SPAN). It grew to be the second largest such association in the world. The listserve forum they started on Yahoo has grown to over 2,500 members and is one of the most respected sources for self publishing and small press information and community today.
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The Rosses sold their original company, About Books Inc., in 2004. But Marilyn wasn’t ready to retire. The next year she launched Self Publishing Resources. And with this solo effort, she and Tom decided to fly solo personally also.
- Today she divides her time between helping clients, dancing, nature, gardening, spiritual study, travel, being playful, and nurturing her many friends.
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