Month: February 2025

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Blog by Ron – Doing Business As

Doing Business As or as it is commonly known DBA, is a legal name that allows you to operate your business in the state where you dwell. But it is more than that. Let’s take a look.

REGISTERED using a Doing Business As

States have a vital interest in business’s operating in their state. You need to have a legal name to be registered with that state. This is accomplished by incorporating as either a corporation or a limited liability corporation, or a DBA.

DBA’s provide you the legal name without a great deal of money being spent. Corporations may have expensive legal departments to handle such expenses, but the individual person doesn’t have a legal department, nor the money to hire a lawyer. That is one place that a DBA truly earns its way.

DBA’s provide the legal name required to be registered with the state, and are usually inexpensive to get.

DOING BUSINESS AS Enables Branding

Branding is an important aspect of marketing your books. To do this you need a DBA that is both legal and marketable. By marketable I am talking about your registered name being used to market your brand.

For example, the DBA for my business is T&R Independent Books. I use this in my branding. It identifies the business to the viewer. T&R indicates who the name of the owners. Although Tess is no longer here, she was a cofounder of the business and belongs in the name.

The word Independent tells interested people that this is a company that is independent of any other business. Since we are a publisher it also separates us from any of the major publishing houses.

Books tells people that the business I am in is books. I am an author, teacher, coach, and publisher of books.

I use the name in the website, and in all other marketing efforts.

BUYING is Enabled by Using a Doing Business By Name

Because it is the registered name, the DBA enables me to buy or purchase supplies to be used in the business. Thus, it is an essential tool in my marketing efforts. It’s legality is the key.

SELLING is Enabled by Using a Doing Business By Name.

The DBA makes it possible for me to sell my products online and locally within the state of Florida. Again, it’s legality is the key.

___

R. Frederick Riddle is an author, teacher, publisher, and the owner of T&R Independent Books. The website is at Home – T&R Independent Bookstore (trbookservices.com). You can learn more about R. Frederick Riddle and T&R Independent Books at www.facebook.com/ronald.f.riddle, and at https://www.linkedin.com/in/rfrederickriddle.

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Blog by Ron – How to Present Yourself

R. Frederick Riddle

How to Present Yourself may sound like a no brainer, but not everyone understands that your personal appearance is very important.

This is a subject I feel strongly about and recently spoke about on my podcast Becoming a Published Author is Fun. That is a podcast where I provide new and upcoming writers information they can use now, and it is free.

How Do You Present Yourself

In Episode 25-011 I discuss the clothes you wear, the attitude you wear, how informed you are on your subject, and how prepared you are. Let’s take a look.

Present Yourself in the Clothes You Wear

We cannot see a person as God does. He looks at the heart whereas we look at the outside. Clothing is an unfair way of judging, but the moment we see someone, especially if it is the first time, we make judgments based on the clothing.

It is unfair and often wrong, but it is what humans do. With that in mind it is very important how you dress. So, what are your options.

You have the choice of dressing in a Professional, Business, Business Casual, Casual, or as a slob. I would never recommend you dress as a slob unless that is related to your brand, which is hard to imagine.

This may surprise you but I would not recommend the Professional look either. Why? First, it can appear overdressed. You might be accused of ‘putting on the dog’. Now, if professional fits your brand, then go ahead and used it.

Generally, as an author I would dress as either Business or Business Casual, the difference primarily being whether a man is wearing a coat and tie, a shirt and tie, or just a shirt and no tie. It all depends on the Brand.

Present Yourself with the Attitude You Wear

As with clothes your attitude speaks volumes as to your character. The attitude you wear can make or break deals. If you walk into an establishment thinking you are doing them a favor, they will probably sense that and you might be politely the door.

Attitude is extremely important. So, practice having a positive attitude. Learn beforehand some positive facts about the business before you arrive. Then use them not in a condescending way but graciously and sincerely when talking to the owner, manager, or other representative of the business.

Present Yourself by being Informed

Never, never walk into a business without knowing your subject. I don’t mean knowing the latest writing gimmicks or being an authority on AI. If you write on 19th Century then I suggest that you have at least a general knowledge regarding clothing, foods, politics, and other features of that century. You should already have that knowledge because you did the necessary research for the book when or before you wrote it.

When you have that knowledge and you can share it with whoever you are talking about your book, it will give them more confidence in you and your book. But don’t be a know-it-all.

Don’t feel like you have to be THE authority unless you are. But being informed is critical.

Be Cooperative

This is crucial. The only way you can do this is to be prepared for things not going the way you planned. In the episode I talk bookstores might not want to purchase books from an unknown (to them) author. They may insist that the books be on consignment. Consignment is you put your books into their bookstore and they Don’t pay until the book or books have sold. That represents an investment with no certainty of a sale. But if you want their business you will have to cooperate with them.

Accept ‘No’s’

I am not saying quit. But I am saying don’t be pushy. When or if they say “No”, then treat them with respect. Be gracious. You might suggest that you come back later. Listen to them.

___

R. Frederick Riddle is an author, teacher, publisher, and the owner of T&R Independent Books. The website is at Home – T&R Independent Bookstore (trbookservices.com). You can learn more about R. Frederick Riddle and T&R Independent Books at www.facebook.com/ronald.f.riddle, and at https://www.linkedin.com/in/rfrederickriddle.

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Ron’s Blog – Basic Authors Training

Basic Authors Training is holding a big sale.

Because the creator wishes to remember his wife who passed away in February of 2023. This is a unique writing course that incorporates teaching and coaching.

The teaching is all about the principles, rules, and techniques, while coaching is all about the student. As the student works his or her way through the course the coaching gradually merges with the teaching creating a complete author who has the know how and the ability to create a work of art.

The transformation from novice to becoming an author is a journey that the student embarks on and is coached to bring out the student’s inner self.

Some people rate Authors by their sales but a truer and deeper examination looks at the stories written.  You look at the depth and breadth of the characters.  The storyline itself can be revealing.

Structure

Basic Authors Training is structured to bring out the best of the writer. The student controls the pace, and is encouraged to make decisions all along, yet the coach is there to guide and to personally help. Plus, the teaching aspect adds layers of knowledge that the student applies to the story being written.

Why did I create Basic Authors Training?

It isn’t that hard to understand. I knew as a teenager that I wanted to be a writer. As a young adult just out of the Navy I found a writers group and started their course, but shortly afterward I was laid off and I had to drop out. I was never able to return.

Instead, I enrolled in the school of hard knocks. That school has no campus, classroom, and no teacher.  You teach yourself without any guidance. I became a Do-It-Yourself writer.

It wasn’t long before I met the Wall! I would write about five chapters and then nothing. There was no one to advise me or encourage me. No teacher, and no coach.

It took me years to learn how to write and additional years to unlearn some of what I had learned. When I finally broke through with my first book and experienced the thrill of selling that book, I began thinking about creating a course. As my career grew my wife, and I established our own publishing business (T&R Independent Books in 2014). It was meant for our books, but when my wife died in 2023 the Lord led me to course creation.  I hired a coach and Basic Authors Training began.

My aim then and now is to help beginning and established writers avoid the school of hard knocks and become published authors.

Does that sound good to you?

If it does, then click this link: HTTPs://www.trbookservices.com/product/basic-authors-training-course/

___

R. Frederick Riddle is an author, teacher, publisher, and the owner of T&R Independent Books. The website is at Home – T&R Independent Bookstore (trbookservices.com). You can learn more about R. Frederick Riddle and T&R Independent Books at www.facebook.com/ronald.f.riddle, and at https://www.linkedin.com/in/rfrederickriddle.