Writer's Life: Self-Publishing: Why and How To Do It

These days, with the world of traditional publishing in flux, many writers are deciding to self-publish their books. Come hear the stories of three authors who recently did it and what they learned.

Judah Leblang is a Medford, Massachusetts-based writer, who grew up in Cleveland, Ohio. His essays and commentaries have been broadcast on National Public Radio stations around the U.S., and published in various newspapers and magazines in Boston and Cleveland. His column, ÒLife in the Slow Lane,Ó appears regularly in Bay Windows, a Boston-area weekly newspaper. His first book, Finding My Place: One Man's Journey from Cleveland to Boston and Beyond, is available from Lake Effect Press.

Li Mo's memoir Spirit Bridges began as stories performed in venues like Lincoln Center's "Out of Doors," "First Night" of Boston, and most recently at the Museum of Fine Arts Boston, Children's Museum of Boston, and Peabody Museum at Salem. Li Mo, (aka, Li Min Mo) is a critically-acclaimed storyteller, and for over 20 years an adjunct professor at Lesley University, and an artist and educator in public and private schools, universities, libraries, and museums. Mo's workshops and classes in writing, art, drama, and storytelling keep her in demand across the U.S. and abroad. Her award-winning writing has been anthologized. Born in Shanghai, Li Min Mo lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts. She holds an M.A. in Theater and Education from Goddard College in Vermont and an M.F.A. from Emerson College in Creative Writing. She has received numerous awards and support from organizations including the Massachusetts Cultural Council, Cambridge Arts Council, and Channel 4's "You Gotta Have Arts."

Audrey Beth Stein is the author of Map, a coming-of-age memoir that takes place during the small window of history when it was easier to tell people you'd fallen in love with another girl than that you'd met someone on the internet. She self-published Map this past October, and she has been exploring traditional and alternative methods of reaching an audience for many years. Previous projects include a CD of short stories, a culinary empowerment guide, and an extensive website that has been showcasing her work since 1995. She earned an M.F.A. in creative writing from Emerson College and is a two-time national prizewinner in the David Dornstein Memorial Short Story Contest. She also regularly teaches novel development and memoir classes at CCAE.