The business of books as a small business and a monthly celebration

October is National Book Month and Small Business Month. These are two major themes in my world right now so when thinking about what to ‘blog’ about this month I wanted to share more of my journey, especially as an introverted solopreneur trying to make it in the business of books! Plus, keep reading to find out how you can support small business and at the same time find a new book to read!

As you may or may not know the publishing industry has become a behemoth of sorts with the rise and convenience of print on demand and self publishing platforms. Being a published author was once an elite status but now has become an accessible and relatively easy method of publishing your own book.

For me to stand out in the flooded industry I decided as soon as I got into the book development and design field that I wanted to niche my service by offering and focus only on designing workbooks. Workbooks to me are any books that you write in. A book's content can vary from low to high. A blank notebook is on the low end of the content spectrum while a memoir with writing prompts is on the high end.

The goal of a workbook is for the author or creator of the book to offer only a portion of its content so that the reader or participant can add in the other portion of the content and do the work.

When I started out, I did this because I wanted to design more than just words on a page. I wanted design books not with just words or lines on a page but with creative layouts, adding visual interest and details with charts, graphics as well as offering space for the participant to write and fill in their portion of the books’ content.

As I moved along in my business journey while trying to grow my niche and offering support for my author clients in the publishing industry, I realized my why was much more than just to design pretty workbooks. I had shared recently that my mission is to disconnect from tech and reconnect with the self check. While I still believe this to be true, it feels a bit abstract and not a clear mission. So I came up with this declaration to hone in on my reason for pursuing my dream business.

Do The Work Books' goal is to encourage and cultivate the power of pen to paper. We do this by developing and designing creative worksheets and publishing workbooks to support learning, memory, understanding and application for well-being on different topics provided by the experts we collaborate with. We want to pause from technology (one page at a time) to slow-down, reflect deeply, and contemplate individually by writing with hand and heart which signifies physical importance for your mind, body and soul connection.

My mission is for people to take the time and space to read and write. I think a lot of people struggle with carving out the time and dedicating a routine for personal self-reflection on whatever it is they want to explore further. They need a place to do the work with whatever they want to learn more about. A workbook signifies the starting place. A workbook is a symbol of the time they are taking for this contemplation.

So many of my clients are small business owners who I have supported by expanding their offering and giving them and their audience a tool to use for themself.

Small Business Month

The month of October is designated as Small Business Month, serving as a reminder to appreciate and honour small businesses in our communities and economy.

How to support small business month

• Shop locally.

• Leave positive online reviews.

• Attend local events.

• Advocate for policies that support small businesses.

Small businesses are Essential

• Create jobs by providing flexible employment opportunities.

• Drive innovation, push boundaries, and shape industries with new products, services, and technologies.

• Support local communities, create belonging, strengthen businesses, build community.

• Promote collaboration, update the market and expand consumer choice.

Most of my clients are small business that I have collaborated with to create worksheets and workbooks. Have a look on the digital worksheet or published workbook pages and see if there are any products or services you need or which small business you would love to support!

National Book Month

National Book Month also falls in October. All though it is soon over, you can always celebrate and enjoying the love of reading. As the weather cools down, cozy up with a good book, a warm drink, and a notebook to reflect on what you are reading. Take this opportunity from the hectic pace of life and indulge in the pleasure of reading and writing. Explore new topics or reoccurring themes and make reading a regular hobby anytime of the year!

How to Celebrate National Book Month

• Pick up your favourite books or read any new books you've been meaning to start.

• Set aside time to read them. Schedule it in your calendar or pick a regular time you can stick to to keep up the habit.

• Share your reading experiences on social media using the hashtag #NationalBookMonth.

• Join a book club for accountability, encouragement and inspiration with like-minded people. (Be sure to subscribe below if you want to find out about my book club!)

Why BOOKS ARE big deal

• Reading is beneficial for the brain and enhances vocabulary for sharper communication.

• It boosts your brain and diminishes issues like memory loss and sluggish thinking.

• Reading can reduce stress by slowing you down and transporting you to new words and storylines.

• It expands your knowledge, even when reading fiction.

• It provides free entertainment (borrow a book!) that is personalized and can last for hours.

Want to pick up a new book and support small business. Check out my published workbook page and find a book you would not only like to read…but write in!