Cindy turns down the Next Top Spiritual Author win

As most of you know–because you were there, with me, making it happen by casting your vote–that Alchemy won the Next Top Spiritual Author contest in 2010. That was announced before I saw the contract, but when it arrived, I was not moved to sign it.

After two weeks of picking the brains of best selling authors and just waiting for the decision to be made known to me, with the blessing of my Singapore investor, turning down the deal was as big or bigger a win as accepting it. For some books, it may have been a good direction, but it appears Alchemy is taking a different route, for now anyway.

Going into the contest I knew that a book contract is not something you truly “win” but something that is negotiated. There are numerous details in fine print, many of which are not  “prizes”. I had won the opportunity to be offered and to consider a contract. And in that way, it was not much different from the traditional route, except that it was highly educational, promotional, and fun.

Compared to book deals, it was a bad deal, but compared to the world of millions of unknown authors it is often accepted that any first deal is a good deal; beggars can’t be choosers, so the saying goes. But that view is dangerous when you are not just talking about a book.

And Alchemy is different, it’s not just a book. It’s not a fly-by-night interesting or entertaining book that may or may not make it for a while, until the next book the next year (which is how publishers need to treat all books of new authors, because publishing is a gamble). Alchemy is a practice that is altering lives–and it has already ‘made it’. It’s already helped thousands of people, and it is here to stay. It already won, and continues to win because Alchemy was written to help people. Period. That is easy to lose sight of and while it was withdrawn from the people during the contest, it was not helping them.

I’ve been away from helping people for almost a year because of the contest, but it was an invaluable experience. What was driven home was that best seller content or writing is not what makes a best seller. Massive marketing does. Getting wrapped-up in all of it, I could easily forget that the reason that I wrote the book was to help people, not to be in the business of book marketing. However, without being in the business of book marketing, I cannot help people.

Yet getting a traditional publisher does not ensure a book will be a best seller, and not getting a traditional publisher does not mean it will not be a best seller. Whichever physical way the book is published is not really relevant in this computer age. What’s left and what’s key is the marketing effort the author puts in, and whether or not the book “grows legs” as they say, and gets moving on its own. That has most to do with the timing and how well the message is conveyed, needed, received, and shared by readers.

So the best of all options and opportunities have come together because Alchemy now has the interest of four literary agents, a massive marketing effort is building around it, and I am turning my attention back toward the people who have been patiently waiting for the book and courses. I do not believe you cannot have one (mass success) without the other (withholding the book), and in fact, it may be that Alchemy needs the people it helps as much as they need it, because nothing great was ever accomplished alone.

If you would like to assist with spreading the love and joy and to even be compensated for it, please contact me. If you have some time (or if you have a list of people who may love Alchemy) it will be a very fun and educational adventure with lots of possibilities.

It was a blessing that it was a bad deal – because I learned that good deals don’t come to good books, but to big “platforms.” Platforms are the fan base; the number of people who know about you, the book, and who love the message. A good, big platform results in success for the book, and therefore good deals. So Alchemy needs a bigger platform. And it is growing exponentially now.

Over the past year the book has been improved:  its been professionally re-written, re-designed, and re-edited, and now for a limited time I am free to make it available again. It will formally launch in 2012, but you can get the advance ebook free right now on my Facebook Fanpage: https://www.facebook.com/teevens.cindy.

And new Alchemy programs are here too.

As a free “rebel,” I was never attached to winning, and that leaves the book free to follow the best path for it–and that is exactly the message of the book. I invite you into this joyful rebellion! Reject everything you always thought you knew, because being not knowing is the safest, sanest place to be; when nothing is certain, everything is possible.

Pleased to leave behind the world of contracts and publishers (for now), and to move forward with people,

Cindy

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