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Wisdom, the Midway Albatross, the subject of my 2012 picture book has returned to Midway Island and laid a new egg. She was banded by Chandler Robbins on December 10, 1956 while sitting on an egg and presumed to be a minimum of five years old. That makes her at least 62 years old–and she’s going to be a new momma. Wow!
Wisdom and her mate prepare to begin their first shift of incubation, Photo credit: Pete Leary, USFWS
, the wildlife biologist on Midway.
We also have exciting news about the book: it is the winner of the 20th Annual 2013 Writer’s Digest Self-Published Book Awards, in the children’s picture book category. Among other prizes is a $1000 cash award. Winners will be officially announced in the February issue of Writer’s Digest magazine.
Read more about alternate publishing. Read more about how to write a children’s picture book.
Three myths about KDP Select (and how you can capitalize on them)
Guest Post by Maggie BallAre you a self-publisher? In 2011, Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) started a program called “Kindle Select”. To enroll in it is easy. When you upload your book into KDP, you’ll be asked if you want to enroll. Tick yes, and you’re in. That’s all there is to it, but is that all? What does it mean? In a nutshell, enrolling in KDP Select means that, for the period of enrolment, you have to commit to making the digital format of your book available exclusively through KDP. You aren’t able to distribute your book digitally anywhere else, including on your website, blogs, etc. This means that it’s unlikely that you’ll be able to enroll in KDP Select if your book is with a traditional publisher, as they’ll want to sell it from their own site and other sites as well. The benefits of doing this are:
• Your book will be available from the Kindle Owners’ Lending Library for anyone who joins Amazon Prime. Every time someone borrows it, you’ll get a share of at least $6 million throughout 2012
• 70% royalty for sales to customers in India instead of the standard 35%
• Use of a Promotions Manager tool that allows you to schedule 5 free book days a year.
It seems like a simple trade off – exclusivity for benefits, but confusion and mis-information abounds. Read on for the three biggest myths about KDP Select and what you can do to make sure that you utilise the benefits of this program to its full capabilities.
Myth one: KDP Select means you can’t sell your book on other sites. When you enroll in KDP Select, you only have to commit to 90 days – roughly three months. After that you can put your book up anywhere. This means you can try it out, use it for a bit, and then opt out. But be careful. When you sign up, there’s an auto-renewal box. If you don’t tick off that, or diarise the renewal date, you’ll automatically be renewed and then you’ll have to wait another 90 days to opt-out. Also remember that you are free to sell print and audio copies of your book anywhere while you’re in KDP Select – it’s only for digital editions.
Myth two: If you put your book into KDP readers will come.No promotions work without effort on the author’s part, and as more and more people become aware of KDP Select, the number of people participating in it will grow, which means more noise and more competition for attention. You’ll have to get the word out and promote your involvement as hard as you promote anything else to do with your book. Tell readers that your book is always free to borrow for Amazon Prime (you can see what Amazon gets out of it!). Tell your readers when there are free days and make sure you maximise those. Tweet and use appropriate hashtags (like @KindleBookPromos). Tell Kindle book blogs. Don’t just hope people will find out about it.
Myth three: KDP will cause you to lose sales. Giving your book away doesn’t cause a loss of sales. It’s well known that giving your book away can dramatically increase readership awareness, potential reviews, and ultimately, sales (just ask Cory Doctorow). The more people who have heard of you, the more people will hear of you. That’s called “buzz”. It’s good.
So there are your three myth, busted. Of course I’m practising what I preach and two of my books are free this month. For Christmas, there's the poetry book
Blooming Red, which I co-wrote with Carolyn Howard-Johnson, available
(just click on the link below) on the 14, 15, 16, 17 and 18 of December (that would be now – go!). It makes a great thoughtful, fast electronic Christmas gift for someone you care about, and yes, you’re welcome to download, and then send it to someone. Then there's
Black Cow (just click on the below) available between the 20th and 24th of December. I hope you'll download a free copy of both of these books, and try out KDP Select from the users point of view. Then drop me a line when your book is up so I can grab a copy.
Magdalena Ball runs The Compulsive Reader. She is the author of the poetry books Repulsion Thrust and Quark Soup, the novels Black Cow and Sleep Before Evening, a nonfiction book The Art of Assessment, and, in collaboration with Carolyn Howard-Johnson, Deeper Into the Pond, Blooming Red, Cherished Pulse, She Wore Emerald Then, and Imagining the Future. She also runs a radio show, The Compulsive Reader Talks. Find out more about Magdalena at http://www.magdalenaball.com.
GET YOUR FREE COPIES TODAY:BLOOMING RED: CHRISTMAS POETRY FOR THE RATIONALBLACK COW~~~~~
By: Jason Boog,
on 12/11/2012
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Currently selling books from her Disarm series for 99-cents apiece on Barnes & Noble, June Gray swept five spots on our Self-Published Bestsellers List.
To help GalleyCat readers discover self-published authors, we have compiled lists of the top eBooks in three major marketplaces for self-published digital books: Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Smashwords.
We update these lists every week, tracking how writers perform inside these booming marketplaces. You can read all the lists below, complete with links to each book. If you are an author, check out our Free Sites to Promote Your eBook post and our How To Sell Your Self-Published Book in Bookstores post and our How to Pitch Your Book to Online Outlets post.
continued…
New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.
By:
Heidi MacDonald,
on 12/4/2012
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PW -The Beat
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Adam Cadwell is a writer and artist whose works include The Everyday, an autobiographical webcomic which ran for three years between 2007 and 2010. He is currently working on the six-issue series Blood Blokes, about vampire life in Manchester.
Which, it turns out, is very similar to just plain old ‘life’ in Manchester.
He also founded Great Beast comics with Marc Ellerby, and created the British Comic Awards, which were held at Thought Bubble this year for their inaugural ceremony. He knows about web publishing, self-publishing, and how to spin brilliant answers out of somewhat-shabby questions. You come to Adam Cadwell with a problem, he’ll deal with it.
I spoke to him at Thought Bubble the morning after the BCAs were awarded, to see how they came about – and how he thinks they reflect the British comics scene in general.
Steve Morris: What inspired the British Comics Awards?
Adam Cadwell: I felt the British comics scene really needed an award which was just for British creators. There’s been a real upswing in publishing momentum, and talent and quality in the british scene over the last couple of year, and I felt that there should be a proper recognition of that talent and the stories being made.
I went to the Doug Wright awards at TCAF event in Toronto and I thought it was a really well-done awards show. There were only four awards given out, so each one felt more important or valuable. So when we decided to run the BCA we borrowed their approach – we tweaked the format slightly and included a Hall of Fame Award, but we only have five categories in total.
We wanted to make sure that the nominees all got attention and were promoted as much as the winners would ultimately be. It was more about the shortlist for each category being made up of quality titles which will entertain you and are worth your time. We could then send the shortlist to libraries as a recommended buying list, and use it to promote comics which we felt needed more attention and were worth looking at. That was really the ambition for the first year.
Steve: What’s interesting is that Britain has a different scene to America, especially in the way things are organised. We don’t have a big mainstream publisher like Marvel or DC – instead we have a series of small-press publishers and creator-owned communities. Was it interesting to get to see a cross-section of everything at once, in the nomination process?
Adam: We had an open nomination process where anyone could put forward their favourites online. We invited people to promote work they liked, and also asked publishers and creators to do the same – although we struggled to get them to, because I suppose it isn’t very British to boast about yourself. It was important that we had people get in touch and talk to us about what they liked, and in the process we got to learn about all these small publishers. Some are more prominent than others, but I think it’s a good thing that we have a lot of small publishers and collectives. I think it’s very healthy to have all these different talents working on different things.
Steve: As you can see here at Thought Bubble.
Adam: Yeah. Here everyone’s in the same room, talking to each other, and that’s how friendships and new collaborations come about. The question today seems to be about distribution, which is becoming more and more important. We have a lot of publishers, but the question is how we get these comics into libraries, how we introduce them to kids. That’s a bigger issue right now which we need to work towards.
Steve: Do you think it’s easier for new creators to get seen now, with so many new publishers establishing themselves in the British scene?
Adam: I think it depends on the quality of the work. If it’s good work, it’s easier now to get it seen, I think. We have a lot of publishers operating like Nobrow, Blank Slate, and Self Made Hero. They’re good at getting their books promoted and reviewed, but not all publishers can distribute in large numbers. For independent publishers, especially self-publishers, it can be very difficult to find outlets for selling books. Comic shows are good, but aside from that? Some shops are very supportive of self-published comics, others would rather just take free copies and “get back to you”.
Marc Ellerby and I set up Great Beast earlier this year to make a publishing banner so we could distribute self-published comics at a professional standard. We could go to wider outlets and present our works in the manner of a publisher, with everything shops need already set up – the logo, isbn numbers, barcodes. Presenting as Great Beast makes us a brand, and made it a lot easier than presenting books as an individual. As a comics culture, we need to work together on how to get these seen.
Steve: Speaking of Great Beast! You’ve been working recently on Blood Blokes, a new series about vampires living in Manchester. How has that experience been?
Adam: It’s been really good. When I first started doing it, people thought it was an odd choice because I went from doing autobiographical webcomics for four years… to this six-issue series about slacker vampires. But it does start off in autobiographical style. There’s not much vampire action in issue 1 – he gets the bus, he goes to work, he goes about a normal life. Then towards the end of issue 1, we start to explore elements of the vampire culture in Manchester.
Steve: Is it fun to play around with the more fantastical setting?
Adam: I handle the darker elements in quite a throwaway sense. It’s coming from the same place as my autobiographical works – it’s still my observations, my sense of humour about day-to-day life. But I don’t shy away from the fact the vampires are murderers, and are very casual about it. They’re monsters, but they can be as lazy and unmotivated as we can be – they’re quite like students. It’s really fun to have darker elements of horror I can throw in to surprise the reader.
Steve: What else do you have coming up?
Adam: I’m on issue 2 at the moment, working on issue 3. I’m planning it for 6 issues. I’m also doing a kids comic at the moment called The King of Things, which will be appearing in Paper Science.
I have a lot of other stories in mind for that character. It’s really bright, colourful – flexing different comics muscles for me. I’m enjoying working on them all.
Thanks to Adam for his time! You can find more from him over on his website, or head over to twitter @adamcadwell. Go!
You all know that I'm self-publishing an e-book version of Saving the Planet & Stuff in order to give it a life as a back list title. You know because I keep mentioning it here. You can see the cover over to the left. I have done very little since the beginning of July except work on the marketing plans for this thing and copyediting. When you have text scanned to create a digital file, a lot of errors occur. Who knew?
So, I have self-publishing on the mind. Self-publishing was on my mind when I saw Some Hard Numbers at Janet Reid, Literary Agent. Reid writes about writers who self-publish believing they'll catch a traditional publisher's eye. As she points out, they may not be aware of what catches a publisher's eye. It's sales. Big ones. By big, she's talking 20,000 books. Doesn't sound like a big number to you? Many traditionally published authors don't sell 20,000 copies of an individual title. The commenter who pointed out that a self-published e-book can continue slowly selling for years is correct. That's why traditionally published authors like myself are self-publishing out-of-print titles. E-books function as the back list that publishers can no longer maintain. But slow, low sales over many years aren't helpful for publishers. If they were, they'd keep much larger back lists than they do.
Self-publishing was also on my mind when I read A Day in the Life of a Children's Book Editor. What I kept thinking was that all those things that editor talked about doing are things self-published authors have to do for themselves. Proofing, cover copy, cover concepts, cover illustrations, promotion, deadlines, events...And, as this editor said, she didn't do any editing that day.
One of my Facebook friends said she was surprised to hear that self-publishing was a lot of work. She isn't a writer.
The Benefits of Having a Great Agent
I'm sure you've all heard the warning that a bad agent is worse than no agent at all. I've read horror stories (and even heard in person from a best-selling author) about what happens when an agent goes bad and they have to start over and find a new agent. I've also read a lot online saying you don't even need an agent these days, especially if you plan to self-publish. I respectfully disagree. In fact, I went to a talk by a best-selling self-published author, and guess what she had? A top agent from a great literary agency. Another top-earning self-publisher just blogged about recently obtaining an agent for her books. Why? I'll discuss that in a minute. Overall, I agree that having no agent is better than having a bad agent...but having a rock star agent is golden. I know a little bit about this because I have a rock star agent *waves at Jessica* from a great literary agency. So here is how a fabulous agent can benefit both traditional and self-published authors:
1) Editorial relationships. A great agent has a wealth of publishing knowledge and solid relationships with editors, so they know who is be looking for a specific project. For instance, they know if an editor has been dying for a book about killer space monkeys, or conversely, if an editor will stab themselves if they see one more monkey story. Though I try to stay abreast of publishing industry news, I don't have the years of relationships with publishers that my agent does, and I'm so glad she knew exactly where to send my book (which sadly, does not involve killer space monkeys). Some self-publishers are pursuing the hybrid model, which involves having some books published traditionally while they self-publish others, and for any author who wants a traditional publishing deal, a reputable agent has access to publishing houses that don't allow non-agented submissions.
2) They know books. This might sound obvious, but it's true. Agents read a ton of queries (after doing my "query critiques for all" giveaway earlier this year, I have even more respect for the massive amount of work they do). They also read a lot of manuscripts and you know, actual books. The bottom line is that agents know books. They know what makes for a great story and can easily spot what works and what doesn't. Every suggestion my agent made for revising my book was spot-on. Her knowledge made my book better, and I'm not saying that just because the book sold to a great publisher...I'm truly satisfied that I created the best book I could.
3) Contract negotiations. Can you say "reversion of rights?" Yes, technically you don't "need" an agent to sign a publishing contract, but have you read one lately? I got a headache after seeing one paragraph. An agent knows their way around the technical language of the contract, and knows where to push for change (e.g. more money, reversion clauses, etc.) They will also likely be more successful in having those changes accepted than if the author negotiated themselves, because part of being a good agent involves killer negotiating skills. Could someone do this themselves if they spent enough time on it? Yes, but personally, I'd rather focus on writing. I have enough trouble negotiating bed time with my kiddos, and am happy to leave legal negotiations in my agent's capable hands.
I'm also including foreign rights in this category, and it's a big reason why some self-published authors either already have or desire an agent, even if they don't want a traditional publishing deal. I can't imagine the time and energy involved in navigating foreign rights contracts, nor do I want to. The agented self-published author I heard speak said that the foreign rights sales alone was the impetus for her to get an agent.
4) Trust. This one is more intangible but just as important (to me, anyway). The author-agent relationship is a business partnership, and if you don't have trust in your business partner, then you're screwed (and yes, that trust goes both ways). For the writer, it's important to feel like you have someone watching out for your best interests. Yes, an agent only makes money if your book sells, but I believe that most agents go into the business for the same reason that writers do--we are all passionate about books. Most agents only take on a book because they love it. They wouldn't devote hours of their time to something they didn't believe in. When you trust that your agent is competent and skilled, it frees you to focus on other things--you know, like writing (well, and marketing, but that's a whole other post).
What have I missed? Any other opinions out there from the agented or unagented?
The Benefits of Having a Great Agent
I'm sure you've all heard the warning that a bad agent is worse than no agent at all. I've read horror stories (and even heard in person from a best-selling author) about what happens when an agent goes bad and they have to start over and find a new agent. I've also read a lot online saying you don't even need an agent these days, especially if you plan to self-publish. I respectfully disagree. In fact, I went to a talk by a best-selling self-published author, and guess what she had? A top agent from a great literary agency. Another top-earning self-publisher just blogged about recently obtaining an agent for her books. Why? I'll discuss that in a minute. Overall, I agree that having no agent is better than having a bad agent...but having a rock star agent is golden. I know a little bit about this because I have a rock star agent *waves at Jessica* from a great literary agency. So here is how a fabulous agent can benefit both traditional and self-published authors:
1) Editorial relationships. A great agent has a wealth of publishing knowledge and solid relationships with editors, so they know who is be looking for a specific project. For instance, they know if an editor has been dying for a book about killer space monkeys, or conversely, if an editor will stab themselves if they see one more monkey story. Though I try to stay abreast of publishing industry news, I don't have the years of relationships with publishers that my agent does, and I'm so glad she knew exactly where to send my book (which sadly, does not involve killer space monkeys). Some self-publishers are pursuing the hybrid model, which involves having some books published traditionally while they self-publish others, and for any author who wants a traditional publishing deal, a reputable agent has access to publishing houses that don't allow non-agented submissions.
2) They know books. This might sound obvious, but it's true. Agents read a ton of queries (after doing my "query critiques for all" giveaway earlier this year, I have even more respect for the massive amount of work they do). They also read a lot of manuscripts and you know, actual books. The bottom line is that agents know books. They know what makes for a great story and can easily spot what works and what doesn't. Every suggestion my agent made for revising my book was spot-on. Her knowledge made my book better, and I'm not saying that just because the book sold to a great publisher...I'm truly satisfied that I created the best book I could.
3) Contract negotiations. Can you say "reversion of rights?" Yes, technically you don't "need" an agent to sign a publishing contract, but have you read one lately? I got a headache after seeing one paragraph. An agent knows their way around the technical language of the contract, and knows where to push for change (e.g. more money, reversion clauses, etc.) They will also likely be more successful in having those changes accepted than if the author negotiated themselves, because part of being a good agent involves killer negotiating skills. Could someone do this themselves if they spent enough time on it? Yes, but personally, I'd rather focus on writing. I have enough trouble negotiating bed time with my kiddos, and am happy to leave legal negotiations in my agent's capable hands.
I'm also including foreign rights in this category, and it's a big reason why some self-published authors either already have or desire an agent, even if they don't want a traditional publishing deal. I can't imagine the time and energy involved in navigating foreign rights contracts, nor do I want to. The agented self-published author I heard speak said that the foreign rights sales alone was the impetus for her to get an agent.
4) Trust. This one is more intangible but just as important (to me, anyway). The author-agent relationship is a business partnership, and if you don't have trust in your business partner, then you're screwed (and yes, that trust goes both ways). For the writer, it's important to feel like you have someone watching out for your best interests. Yes, an agent only makes money if your book sells, but I believe that most agents go into the business for the same reason that writers do--we are all passionate about books. Most agents only take on a book because they love it. They wouldn't devote hours of their time to something they didn't believe in. When you trust that your agent is competent and skilled, it frees you to focus on other things--you know, like writing (well, and marketing, but that's a whole other post).
What have I missed? Any other opinions out there from the agented or unagented?
Okay, another thought on my afternoon at Crafting a Public Identity: A Workshop for Creative Artists, Writers and Performers on Navigating the Arts Business Maze, which I was talking about just yesterday:
Actor Jeffrey Raab talked about the depth of talent in acting. Today there are large numbers of actors who are not just talented but also trained through undergraduate and graduate programs. They have studied and developed skills. Many people are qualified to play almost any part.
In the literary world, there has been lots of talk over the last few years about self-publishing. Some reviewers believe that self-publishing means the slush pile is being offered up to the reading public. Anyone can become a published writer, whether talented and knowledgeable about writing or not.
At the same time this is going on, though, we could be talking about the depth of talent in writing. Just as with actors, there are large numbers of writers who are not just talented but also trained, particularly through graduate programs. They have studied and developed skills. Many people are qualified to write traditionally published books.
I'm at a loss as to how to sum this up. How weird is that? comes to mind. As does, What does it all mean?
Today I have a special guest, bestselling author Wynne Channing!
She is a national newspaper reporter and an award-winning young adult novelist. She seems to have a snarky wit and creative edge that is inspiring. I am honored to have her on the blog.
When I came across her book on Amazon, I immediately bought a copy. The gorgeous cover caught my eye, and after reading the blurb, I just knew I had to read this book and get an interview. *fan girl moment*
Wynne was kind enough to take time out of her crazy-busy schedule to share her wisdom and insight into the controversial world of self-publishing. Her own success story is an inspiring tale of determination and good marketing.
Thank you so much Sherry for these great questions!
I always like to start with a little background, where were you born?
Winnipeg, Manitoba! I’m a Canadian like my heroine.
How old were you when you realized you wanted to be a writer?
I was telling stories before I knew how to spell. I drew picture books as a girl.
How long does it take you to write a book? What is the average word count?
My debut novel, WHAT KILLS ME took about six months to write. I think it’s about 62,000+ words.
Do you have a critique partner(s)?
Yes! My writing partner, Leigh Carron is another author. She tells me when my characters are well, out of character.
Do you ever use beta readers?
My beta readers are my friends and family. They’re a blunt bunch so they don’t sugar coat.
The criticism of many self-published books is the lack of editing and proof reading. Did you hire a professional freelance editor before self-publishing?
I work at a newspaper so I know the value of a good editor. I never considered self-publishing without having my manuscript edited and proofread.
Did you submit your work to agents or publishers before deciding to self-publish?
I did. Several agents told me that I was a great writer but they could not take on any more stories on vampires.
What made you decide to self-publish, and had you tried to be traditionally published before going the self-publishing route?
I was proud of my story and I wanted to share it with the world. So I worked up the courage to go indie and I’ve never looked back.
What is one of the hardest things you’ve experienced while on this self-publishing journey?
The hardest part is beginning. Self-publishing scared the crap out of me. I put it off for a year.
What do you think about the less than complimentary remarks often made about self-published / Indie books vs. traditional publishing – and do you think this perception is changing?
The industry is still evolving and I understand both sides of the argument. Just because I’ve taken the indie route does not mean that I don’t admire and respect traditional publishing. There are pros and cons to both. I believe there is room in this world for both.
Were there any major revisions to your debut novel?
Not really. The final version is faithful to my original vision.
There is a lot of talk about the publishing industry being in a huge state of change, did this influence your decision to self-publish?
Definitely. The books editor at my newspaper suggested that I go indie. He kept telling me that the landscape is changing and urged me to make a go of it.
Do you have any advice for someone looking to self-publish?
Self-publishing is not for everyone. But if you’re passionate about your product and ready for crazy amounts of work, take the jump. You can do it. And when in doubt, ask for help.
They say that you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, but most readers do anyway. Did you use a designer for create a book cover for you? If so, what difference do you feel this made on sales?
I think a cover is crucial. I paid a wonderful designer to create the face of WHAT KILLS ME, and I’m so happy with it. So many readers have told me that they took a chance on my novel because they loved the cover.
What marketing platforms are you using to promote your books, and how much of your time does marketing your book take?
Marketing is a full-time job. During the day, I’m a newspaper reporter. From 8 to 9 p.m., I’m a Latin dance teacher. Then from 10pm until 5 a.m., I’m a marketer/publicist. I Tweet. I post on Facebook. I pitch blogs, magazines, websites. I use Goodreads, Pinterest, Shelfari, and LibraryThing. Then I watch the sunrise.
Are you happy with the level of sales? Do you think there is more you could do to improve your sales?
I had no expectations. If my mom was the only person who bought my book, I told myself that I wouldn’t be sad. So every single sale is a wonderful gift. But WHAT KILLS ME has made it onto Amazon’s Best Sellers List (#8 in occult). Cue the explosive joy.
What do you see as the pitfalls in self-publishing?
Writing can be a lonely profession. And it’s hard to stay motivated. But no one will push your book but you. So you must do the work.
What was your motivation for this story?
I was living in Taiwan for a few months and at night, I could hear cockroaches scurrying around my room. Needless to say, I couldn’t sleep, afraid they’d rent out my mouth for a party. So I would lie there, thinking all sorts of crazy things, asking myself all sorts of questions: “What would happen if I suddenly disappeared?” “What if I fell into a hole? What if that hole was filled with blood?” Man, that would suck. That image, of a young woman climbing out of a well and soaked in blood was what started it all.
Your book title rocks! Was it the original title or did it change along the way?
Thank you! I didn’t name the book until I was done. I wanted something to reflect both the action and the humor in the story. I think the title does the job.
Be honest, how many drafts did you do on this book?
I rewrote as I went and then went back and tweaked countless times. But when it was done, I didn’t go back and do any major overhauls.
How do you come up with your character's names?
I have a multicultural cast, so I love names from around the world. Sometimes I choose a name and then as the story progresses, I find that it doesn’t suit them anymore. Then I do a “find and replace” until I’m satisfied.
Are your books available in both eBook and paperback versions?
WHAT KILLS ME was launched this summer first as an eBook. A paperback version is coming shortly.
Which is more difficult to write, dialogue, action, or a love scene?
The love scenes. In the midst of chaos and death, I don’t believe in swooning damsels and bulging pectorals. The love in WHAT KILLS ME happens organically. It evolves. A connection, trust, tenderness is built over time. That is my personal reality.
How do your family and/or friends feel about your book or your writing venture in general?
As a newspaper reporter, I’ve covered murder trials and political elections, so colleagues and sources were taken aback when I published a paranormal YA novel. (Try having this conversation with the local politician: “Hi, how are you? I’m fine. Oh, I’m writing a book about a girl who falls into a well filled with blood...”) But what they don’t know is that the fiction writing came first. I started writing creepy, gory, weird, dystopian etc. stories when I was a little girl. My closest friends and family know that about me and are super supportive.
Who is your favorite author, and what really excites you about their work?
Wow. I have so many. I admire so many different writers. Ernest Hemingway for his economy of words. Rohinton Mistry for his rich narration. Cormac McCarthy for his poetic prose. Can’t choose just one.
Tell us a little about your next book.
I’m working on the sequel to WHAT KILLS ME, which continues Zee’s adventure with the vampire monarchy. Their destinies are linked which makes the stakes so much higher. After I complete the series, then I’m planning to write a dystopian thriller set in high school.
Fun Bonus Questions
What are you currently reading?
I read a lot of non-fiction for work. Right now, I’m reading Claudia Hammond’s Time Warped, a book about the mysteries of time perception.
What’s your favorite movie or TV show?
Loved “Sex and the City” and “Buffy, the Vampire Slayer.”
How would you describe yourself in three words?
Lover of fun.
Laptop or desktop?
Laptop.
PC or MAC?
MAC.
Who is your fictional character crush? (movie, TV show, fiction)
I’ve always had a soft spot for Mr. Darcy (Pride and Prejudice).
If you could have one superpower, what would it be?
I’d want to fly and avoid those awful line-ups at the airport.
Buy WHAT KILLS ME:
About the book (#8 Amazon’s Best Sellers List for Occult):
An ancient prophecy warns of a girl destined to cause the extinction of the vampire race. So when 17-year-old Axelia falls into a sacred well filled with blood and emerges a vampire, the immortal empire believes she is this legendary destroyer. Hunted by soldiers and mercenaries, Axelia and her reluctant ally, the vampire bladesmith Lucas, must battle to survive. How will she convince the empire that she is just an innocent teenager-turned bloodsucker and not a creature of destruction? And if she cannot, can a vampire who is afraid of bugs summon the courage to fight a nation of immortals?
About the Author:
Wynne Channing is a national newspaper reporter and award-winning young adult novelist. Wynne loves telling stories and as a journalist, she has interviewed everyone from Daniel Radcliffe and Hugh Jackman to the president of the Maldives and Duchess Sarah Ferguson. The closest she has come to interviewing a vampire is sitting down with True Blood‘s Alexander Skarsgard (he didn’t bite). She briefly considered calling her debut novel “Well” so then everyone would say: “Well written by Wynne Channing.”
Connect with Wynne:
Publishing Is Broken, We're Drowning In Indie Books--And That's A Good Thing is a fantastic article in Forbes. (From August.) It's about how self-publishing got to the point it's at now, and what might happen with it in the future.
Some interesting points made:
Self-publishing may end up being where we see mid-list authors because they can make more money there on their ten thousand to thirty thousand sales.
Also--self-publishing e-books could become the new backlist for authors. This is something I'd already heard about, and is a factor in my republishing Saving the Planet & Stuff early next year as an e-book.
The amount of marketing traditionally published authors now have to do encourages them to publish on their own--they're already taking on some of the work traditional publishers did in the past, anyway.
By: Phil Sexton,
on 9/10/2012
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By Rob Eagar
In the last year, I took up fly-fishing as a hobby. There’s something surreal and invigorating about standing in the middle of a river. However, catching rainbow trout is no easy task. They’re smart, skeptical, and elusive. In fact, there are a lot of similarities between the challenge of fly-fishing and the challenge of book marketing:
1. You must offer tangible value. If you want to catch fish, you’ve got to present an offer that meets their interests. The flies I cast in the Spring generally don’t work well in the Fall, because different insects hatch at different times of year. I have to figure out what the trout are biting on, and match their tastes. Likewise, readers have different tastes and interests in books. If you want to attract them, you’ve got to present your fiction story or non-fiction message in a way that represents something of value – otherwise people won’t bite.
2. Offer a range of value. A big secret I learned in fly-fishing is to cast two or three different flies on the same line. I increase my odds of getting a fish’s attention by presenting more than one type of food. In marketing, you’ll be more effective if give customers a “choice of yeses.” When you promote your books, do you give readers multiple formats, such as print, audio, e-book, or free resources, to purchase and enjoy?
3. You must stay persistent. I’ve never caught a trout on my very first cast. Usually, it may take 30 – 60 minutes before I find where the fish are hiding and what fly pattern they prefer. Similarly, marketing a book is the process of persistence. One media interview, one blog post, or one newsletter issue won’t be enough. You can’t expect to land a big fish on your first attempt. The goal is to continually offer value to prospects over time. As you continually offer legitimate value, readers will become attracted and take notice.
4. Go to where the fish congregate. Trout typically hide in low pools or eddies in a river where they can relax in colder water that’s sheltered from the faster current. The good news is that when you find these spots, there is usually more than one fish available. Readers gather in large groups based on beliefs, interests, needs, hobbies, etc. Your marketing will be more effective when you identify these bigger groups and focus your promotional efforts on them.
5. Acting desperate scares away the prize. Trout are always on their guard. When I fish, I’ve got to remain quiet, avoid sudden movements, and stay out of their line of sight. Otherwise, I’ll scare them off. As an author trying to market your book, you can also scare readers off by acting desperate. Begging people to buy your book, making ridiculous claims, or constantly changing your prices can cause people to raise their guard. The key is to believe in your own value first. When you know you’ve got a book that can entertain or help people, you can calmly promote yourself with confidence.
If you want to land the big fish, keep these five points in mind. Otherwise, “the fishing might be good, but the catching will be bad” (A.K. Best – Master Professional Fly Fisherman).
Reminder:
Rob Eagar’s new book from Writer’s Digest, Sell Your Book Like Wildfire, is now available in print and e-book formats. This is the bible of book marketing for authors and publishers. Get 288 pages packed with advanced information, real-life examples, and tips to start selling more books immediately. There are specific chapters on social media, word-of-mouth tools, Amazon, and a chapter dedicated to best practices for marketing fiction. In addition, get over 30 pages of free bonus updates online. Get your copy today at:
http://www.writersdigestshop.com/sell-your-book-like-wildfire or http://www.BookWildfire.com
About the author:
Rob Eagar is the founder of WildFire Marketing, a consulting practice that helps authors and publishers sell more books and spread their message like wildfire. He has assisted numerous New York Times bestselling authors and is author of the new book, Sell Your Book Like Wildfire. Find out more about Rob’s advice, products, and coaching services for authors at: www.startawildfire.com
By: Phil Sexton,
on 8/31/2012
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By Rob Eagar
Earlier, I covered parts one and two of this 3-part series called “3 Successful Steps to Marketing.” To summarize, I’ve explained how effective marketing can be boiled down to three fundamental questions. Whether you’re an author, business owner, or non-profit director, you can achieve success by asking yourself the following:
Step 1 – What is your value?
Step 2 – Who needs your value the most?
Step 3 – Where do those who need your value congregate in large numbers?
After you’ve answered the first question and clarified your value, then you’re ready to move forward to the second step and ask, “Who needs my value the most?” You can also turn that question around and ask, “Who stands to lose the most if they never get access to my value?” Answering this question helps you streamline your marketing efforts to find new customers, readers, or donors.
Trying to marketing a product or service to everyone in general can be counterproductive, because you can’t please everyone and it takes more time and money. Instead, use a targeted approach by marketing first to the people most likely to appreciate your product or service. These are people who represent less cynicism or apathy, because they’re most likely to appreciate the value you can offer.
If you target the people who need your value the most, then you’re able to create sales momentum at a faster pace for two reasons. First, those who realize that your value is exactly what they need are more likely to purchase quicker with less convincing. Second, when they experience the value that you promise, they are more likely to spread positive word of mouth – which generates even more sales.
Take time to clearly define who needs your value the most. Break it down to a level where you identify specific characteristics, such as gender, age, location, etc. More importantly, define the negative emotions that people are feeling who can be helped by your product or service. Logic makes people think, but emotion makes them act. For example, you want to define your target audience as a unique group, such as “Moms in the American Southeast between the ages of 24 – 44 who are raising a strong-willed child that is driving them crazy and disrupting family harmony.”
Marketing to the people who need your value the most is like lighting matches all around you that combine to create a promotional wildfire with the power to sweep across the country. Next week, we’ll look at the third step to successful marketing, which is defining where your target audience congregates in large numbers
About the author:
Rob Eagar is the founder of WildFire Marketing, a consulting practice that helps authors and publishers sell more books and spread their message like wildfire. He has assisted numerous New York Times bestselling authors. Find out more about Rob’s advice, products, and coaching services for authors at: www.startawildfire.com
Rob Eagar’s new book from Writer’s Digest, Sell Your Book Like Wildfire, is now available in print and e-book formats. This is the bible of book marketing for authors and publishers. Get 288 pages packed with advanced information, real-life examples, and tips to start selling more books immediately. There are specific chapters on social media, word-of-mouth tools, Amazon, and a chapter dedicated to best practices for marketing fiction. In addition, get over 30 pages of free bonus updates online. Get your copy today at:
http://www.writersdigestshop.com/sell-your-book-like-wildfire or http://www.BookWildfire.com
By: Phil Sexton,
on 8/17/2012
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By Rob Eagar
Marketing is a simple process when you boil it down to the fundamentals. Whether you’re a fiction or non-fiction author, you can achieve marketing success following these three simple steps. Ask yourself:
- What is your value?
- Who needs your value the most?
- Where do those who need your value congregate in large numbers?
Let’s briefly look at Step 1: “What is your value?” Before you can convince people to spend their money on your book, you must convince them that there will be a justifiable return on their investment. There has to be a clear result that people can see is waiting for them on the other side of their purchase transaction.
Nobody really cares about the content in your book or the special features you might list. Instead, people want to know if reading your book will be worth the time and money. What is the positive result that you offer? The result can be tangible or intangible, but it must be something that appeals to a reader’s self-interest.
If you skip the first step of defining your value, then your marketing will act like a gun that just shoots blanks. You’ll promote to prospective readers, but they’ll respond like unconvinced skeptics. You will wonder, “Why isn’t my marketing working? These people should love my new book.” The problem is that you didn’t clearly explain what’s in it for them.
When people believe that you can give them a result they want, then your marketing will become more effective. Defining your book’s value is the first step to unlocking the true power of promotion. Next week, we’ll look at the second step to successful marketing, which is defining who needs your value the most.
About the author:
Rob Eagar is the founder of WildFire Marketing, a consulting practice that helps authors and publishers sell more books and spread their message like wildfire. He has assisted numerous New York Times bestselling authors and is author of the new book, Sell Your Book Like Wildfire. Find out more about Rob’s advice, products, and coaching services for authors at: www.startawildfire.com
Rob’s new book from Writer’s Digest, Sell Your Book Like Wildfire, is now available in print and e-book formats. This is the bible of book marketing for authors and publishers. Get 288 pages packed with advanced information, real-life examples, and tips to start selling more books immediately. There are specific chapters on social media, word-of-mouth tools, Amazon, and a chapter dedicated to best practices for marketing fiction. In addition, get over 30 pages of free bonus updates online. Get your copy today at:
http://www.writersdigestshop.com/sell-your-book-like-wildfire or http://www.BookWildfire.com
I read an article today that described self-publishing e-books as a triathlon. I have to agree–and unfortunately, writing the book in the first place is the easy part. Selling books has always been the hard part, whether it was the author or traditional publisher doing the selling. Today, with e-book publishing becoming mainstream, authors can [...]
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David Thorpe,
on 8/5/2012
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Are you e-experienced? Until a week ago I wasn't. But, in the last three weeks I have made and published my first e-book.
It feels a bit like giving birth to, I don't know, some kind of strange mutant mongrel beast, some hybrid child whose destiny is unknown, who may grow up to mock me, betray me, give me glory (but only by leave of the wayward capriciousness of viral flukeiness) or, even worse, disappear completely without trace in the infinitely absorptive sponginess that is the e-thernet.
Anyway, for what it's worth, I thought I would share my experience. Some of you may be teetering on the edge of this mysterious pool of brave new publishing opportunities, debating whether to take the plunge. I expect many of you already are e-experienced swimmers with Olympian credits. If so, you can poke fun at my ineptitude.
I kindled thoughts of these waters for a long while. Some of my books had been converted into ebooks by my publishers, but they were like the offspring of alcohol-obscured one night stands; unknown and unclaimed. The publishers didn't even tell me they had been born, I only found out by accident, and I don't have a clue about sales figures.
In a tentative way, I had previously offered PDF downloads of one or two stories or chapters for sale through my websites, but they had languished as forlorn and undownloaded as an unfertilised dandelion in a meadow of opium poppies.
I own no e-reader; nothing I cannot read in a bath without fear. Every work of fact or fiction in my library looks dissimilar from every other, and I like it like that.
What persuaded me to dip my sceptical toe in these waters was partly the persistent encouragement of a local publisher, Cambria Books, whose manager, Chris Jones, is passionate about their new business model.
OK, I said. But I wasn't sure what content to offer first. Then, an old colleague and the series editor of some of my non-fiction, suggested that I republish an old novella of mine. (Thank you, Frank.) This seemed a perfect way of testing out the market, since I knew it would have an existing audience, and that there'd be a new one to which I wanted to introduce it. All I would have to do was find those readers. (The expected readership, by the way, is YA, most likely readers interested in humour, politics, science fiction, and comics/graphic novels.)
I still am sceptical, so I'm going to be watching sales with interest.
The whole process of preparing the content from start to finish took two weeks, which itself is very attractive: contrast this with the swimming-through-jelly tempo of traditional publishing - two years start to finish?
Here are the stages it went through:
 |
| One of the illustrations, by Rian Hughes |
- Scanning in the original book using OCR (optical character recognition) software. I used ABBYY. The software is remarkably accurate but does need a bit of an eagle eye for spotting 1s that should be Is and Os that should be 0s.
- Scanning in the 12 illustrations, which different comics artists from Dave McKean to Simon Bisley had contributed to the original edition. This was the fun bit.
- Designing the cover, which included colourising in Photoshop a black-and-white illustration that had been on the inside. That was fun too.
- Adding a short story on the same theme to give extra value, that had been published elsewhere in another collection but not widely seen.
- Writing a new afterword. This involved a nostalgic and enjoyable expedition into overgrown verges along the side of my personal memory lane. I took my butterfly net for effect (a butterfly effect) to catch those extra special chaotic moments.
- Completing the whole thing in Word. Word, the software, is not my friend, although Word, the archetypal personification of language, is. But sometimes you have to dance with the Devil, since the e-book conversion process requires a Word file. How did Microsoft sew that one up?
- Making sure all the prelims were hunky-dory and accurate. That included researching and writing up short biographies of all the artists, updating them from the previous edition, and making sure I thanked everyone.
- Then I thought I ought to add some adverts for some of my other books at the back that readers might be interested in. Why not? 70-90 years ago, most books had adverts in the back - and the front, sometimes, just like magazines. Perhaps this is the way to go to finance this new form of publishing? Interactive ads for acne-banishing face creams in the back of YA novels, anyone?
- Then I got carried away and added a real ad from the 1940s for a chemistry set for boys that included real uranium! Most people don't believe that I didn't make this up.
I sent the file to the publisher, who checked it over, made more corrections, added the ISBN and converted it into the .mobi format, which Amazon likes.
I chose to go with Cambria Books, but there are many other companies offering similar deals. It may be worth shopping around, but I didn't bother. Some of them offer print-on-demand as another option. This may be worth considering as well. If you want to get reviews you should have a few print copies to send to reviewers. Also, if you don't think you will sell more than 1000 print copies, print-on-demand is generally cheaper than a conventional print run. Over this number, you should go down the conventional printing route.
The publisher then sent the e-book file back to me to check. I was horrified. I had designed it in Gill Sans font, which I love, and it came back in a frankly disgusting, evil, serifed font. All my lovely formatting was strewn about like weatherboard in a hurricane, and my unique work was reduced to the same common denominator as everything else that you see on a Kindle.
I had to resign myself to the fact that there is little you can do about this, except to control where some page breaks go. It's a bit like designing for the web, except you have even less control. That's the nature of this homogenising beast.
Then, holding a stiff drink, I muttered: “Go!" The publisher uploaded the file to Amazon and it was
live - for sale - in less than 24 hours! Wow.
However, I didn't just want to sell it through Amazon and merely contribute to their increasing domination of the market. I wanted people to be able to read it on something other than a Kindle.
So the nice publisher also gave me a version in the .epub format, which works with other e-readers.
Cambria Books also made a
Facebook page and a
webpage on their company website for the title, to promote it alongside all of their other titles. For all of this Cambria charged £200, which includes £50 for the ISBN. The book is for sale at £1.84. So, I need to sell, bearing in mind the cut that Amazon takes, just 125 copies to get my money back.
I could also have chosen to do all of this myself, but I'm lazy, and I figured that it's worth it, especially since this was my first time.
But I wasn't finished yet.
I then chose to make the files available on my own website. I already sell books on my website through PayPal. Selling e-books is slightly different, because there isn't a physical product to ship, and you need to create a place where buyers can download the file, after PayPal has checked that they have paid for it successfully.
This place has to be completely inaccessible to search engines, otherwise people will just grab the files for nothing.
Here's what I did:
- I made the webpages holding the downloads, one for each format, which just need to be very simple, and put them together with the files in a folder on the server. At the top of the web pages is this text: <meta name="robots" content="noindex" />.
- Just to be safe, I also uploaded a text file to the folder named robots.txt, which simply contains the following:
User-agent: *
Disallow: /
- Both of these little tricks should prevent search engines from indexing and making public the content of this folder.
- The next thing to do is to get an account with PayPal, if you haven't already got one, and, once logged in, go to the Buy Now Button-making page (if you can't find it just type those words into the search function), which allows you to create a button for a single item purchase.
- All you need to do here, is to put in the name of the e-book, a product code that you make up, and its price. There is, of course, no shipping cost. You probably want to check the button that says “Track profit and loss".
- Then you come to Step 3, subtitled “customise checkout pages". This is the important bit. Answer the questions the following way:
- “Do you want to let your customer change order quantities?" No, because they won't order one more than one e-book.
- "Can your customer at special instructions in a message to you?" No, there's no need for that.
- "Do you need your customer's shipping address?" No, because messages will go to their PayPal e-mail address.
- Check the box saying “take customer to a specific page after checkout cancellation" and type or paste in the full website address for your shop page.
- Check the box saying “Take customer to a specific page after successful checkout". Here is the really, really important bit: type or paste in the full website address for the page they go to download your e-book. Make sure this is right! This is the complete address for the page that you made earlier and uploaded, the one at the otherwise secret place.
- All you have to do now is click “create button" (don't worry, you can go back and change things if you made a mistake, as I did), and, when happy, copy the code and paste it on your page exactly where you want the button to be.
- Save your page and upload it to your website.
That's it!
The things writers have to do these days.
But I still hadn't quite finished. I had to write a news item publicising the e-book for the front page of my website, in which I included a link not just to the page where people can buy my books, but to the
exact part on the page where they can buy that e-book, to make it super-easy for them.
On that page, I include all the options for them to make the purchase: a link to the Amazon page, because most people will be comfortable doing that; and the two buttons for both formats that I made using PayPal.
You can see the news item on the front page of my website
here.
I then wrote a post on my blog promoting the book, which you can read
here.
Of course, I also had to promote it on Facebook, on both
my own page and
the page made for the book itself, and on my
Twitter account.
And, I launched the e-book at what was billed as the UK's first festival for e-books, in Kidwelly last weekend. My publisher had a stand there.
Unfortunately, this event was poorly promoted and badly attended (having it in a more accessible place would have helped), but there were many
excellent speakers, not to mention, for children, our own Anne Rooney, plus Simon Rees and Mary Hooper, Clive Pearce and Nicholas Allan.
Several speakers told their own experiences of publishing e-books. Notable for me was Polly Courtney, who confessed her lamentable experiences with HarperCollins that made her realise that self-publishing was a far better route than being with one of the big five, and Dougie Brimson, who has sold over one million self-published e-books, because he knows his audience really well.
Listening to the speakers gave me confidence that it really is okay to do it yourself and publish ebooks. It doesn't mean you have to give up working with mainstream publishers. You can do both. But given that we all nowadays have to spend at least 25% of our time marketing ourselves and our books, in practice it is not that much more work.
As one of the speakers said, most readers don't care who the publisher is, as long as the book is good.
Did I leave anything out? Is there a better way of doing this? Perhaps some of you will share your experience. After all, I'm just a beginner, but at least I'm no longer an e-book virgin.
| On July 26th, 2012 Tyler R. Tichelaar and Victor R. Volkman spoke with media guru and blogger Jason Boog about current trends in the rapidly changing publishing industry. Jason Boog is the editor of Mediabistro’s publishing blog, GalleyCat. His first book, Will Write for Change: How New York City Writers Survived the Great Depression, is forthcoming from OR Books. His work has been published in Los Angeles Review of Books, The Believer, Poetry Foundation and Salon. In a wide-ranging conversation we covered many technological and media trends including: |
- Can eGalleys replace printed galleys for all prepublication uses?
- What are new tools that authors can use to augment their book and message?
- Interactive ebooks vs. websites, what makes sense?
- Parallels between the last recession of 2009 and the Great Depression and how one writer survived
- What’s going on with Patron Driven Access (PDA) for library eBook sales?
- How can I stay up on the trends and ahead of the curve?
|
| Jason worked as a Peace Corps volunteer in Guatemala from 2000-2002. He earned his master’s degree in journalism from New York University two years later. After school, he edited The Publishing Spot blog for the business blog network, KnowMoreMedia. |
For three years, Jason worked as an investigative reporter for Judicial Reports for three years. Jason joined GalleyCat as a freelance blogger in 2008 and Mediabistro promoted him to publishing editor in 2009. He also taught as an adjunct journalism professor at New York University.
|
The new publishing opportunities available to writers in today's market are phenomenal. The gatekeepers, aka agents and editors, no longer have the final say on whether or not a project will find readers. Writers are being published traditionally, and this is great. But they are also finding ways to publish their books with subsidy companies and by self-publishing!
We are excited to welcome, Brooke Warner with She Writes Press. Some of you may recognize her name if you have been a member of the She Writes community or taken advantage of her coaching services. She Writes Press is a new company she has started with Kamy Wicoff, the founder of
SheWrites.com. Brooke took some time to answer questions about the services and opportunities
She Writes Press, a subsidy press, will give to authors. So, take it away, Brooke!
WOW: Welcome, Brooke! There's a lot of buzz going on about your new independent publishing company, She Writes Press. All the interviews and comments I've read about it have writers excited and enthusiastic about the opportunities you are going to provide women writers! So, tell me, how is She Writes Press different than some of the other subsidy publishing companies like Outskirts Press, Inc?Brooke: There are many self-publishing options in the world today, and they vary quite a bit. We consider ourselves to be a hybrid press. MJ Rose of Author Buzz recently told me she considers presses like ours to be co-op publishers. We are offering something unique in the marketplace because we are vetting our books. In order to publish on She Writes Press, your manuscript has to be up to industry standard, and we have editors and agents vetting our projects. Some writers will qualify to publish with SWP right out of the gate. For those authors who need either developmental editing or copyediting, we present a way to move forward with us for the end goal of publishing with SWP. The other primary thing that sets us apart from other self-publishing companies is our community of writers at SheWrites.com. She Writes Press serves the She Writes community, though you don't have to be a She Writer to publish with us. She Writes Press is mirroring a traditional publishing model. We are offering custom covers and interior design, not templates. We're also giving our authors a team, support, and an opportunity to be part of something bigger. Self-publishing can be a lonely endeavor, and we believe authors will be more successful as a result of having community, resources, and support.
WOW: That is DEFINITELY true--authors need community, resources, and support! It's great to hear that She Writes Press is thinking outside the box and offering writers new opportunities. What type of projects are you looking for to be some of your first books?Brooke: We are accepting submissions across all genres, and we're not trying to specify what can and can't be considered. Our only stipulation is that the authors be female. Other than that, we are doing almost any genre. The only thing we're not doing at the moment are children's books and other high-production art books. Our sweet spot is going to be commercial fiction and memoir just because this is what we see most in our community; but I think we'll also do a lot of literary fiction and prescriptive books as well.
6 Comments on She Writes Press: A New Publishing Opportunity (Interview with Brooke Warner), last added: 7/25/2012
By: Phil Sexton,
on 7/20/2012
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By Rob Eagar
Life is about success, not perfection…and so is marketing. Case in point: A few weeks ago, I sent out my weekly newsletter that wound up having a couple of typos in it. Obviously, I didn’t think twice about the issue. But, several people emailed me right away to point out my so-called “mistakes.” That kind of over-reaction is unnecessary and reveals a misguided understanding of what marketing (and life) are really about. As imperfect human beings, we can never achieve perfection. But, we can achieve success, even in the midst of being fallible.
Success in marketing is about making people curious, wooing them to your ideas, and challenging their misconceptions. You don’t have to write typo-free material to achieve this goal. The more you self-edit out of the desire to be perfect, the more you slow yourself down from reaching your goal.
Management consultant, Alan Weiss, says, “When you are 80% done, then move forward. The final 20% is dysfunctional.” Too many authors impede their own marketing progress by overanalyzing, obsessively self-editing, or worrying over other people’s potential reactions. Their own self-analysis creates promotional paralysis. Nothing gets accomplished. For example, some authors never finish a newsletter article, press release, or book chapter, because they’re scared it’s not perfect. Other authors won’t dip their toes into the social media pool, because they’re afraid to be themselves and show vulnerability.
The pursuit of success is admirable, but the pursuit of perfection is impossible and will only drive you mad. To get off the treadmill of promotional perfection, try this exercise: Challenge yourself to write a cohesive 300-word article or press release as fast as you can without doing any self-edits. Then, ask yourself if anyone would really notice the difference if you went back and edited the material. You may just find that the speed of your momentum squashes your fear of perfection and shoots you to your goal.
(By the way, I wrote this article in less than 20 minutes in one pass with no self-editing. Can you do the same?)
Reminder:
Rob Eagar’s new book from Writer’s Digest, Sell Your Book Like Wildfire, is now available in print and e-book formats. This is the bible of book marketing for authors and publishers. Get 288 pages packed with advanced information, real-life examples, and tips to start selling more books immediately. There are specific chapters on social media, word-of-mouth tools, Amazon, and a chapter dedicated to best practices for marketing fiction. In addition, get over 30 pages of free bonus updates online. Get your copy today at:
http://www.writersdigestshop.com/sell-your-book-like-wildfire or http://www.BookWildfire.com
About the author:
Rob Eagar is the founder of WildFire Marketing, a consulting practice that helps authors and publishers sell more books and spread their message like wildfire. He has assisted numerous New York Times bestselling authors and is author of the new book, Sell Your Book Like Wildfire. Find out more about Rob’s advice, products, and coaching services for authors at: www.startawildfire.com
Us vs. them is fun. It gets people's blood boiling. It instills fear. It's thrilling to be on a team, especially when you feel like your team is winning.
These days it seems like traditional and self-publishing are increasingly pitted against each other on blogs and forums, as if one side or the other is the bastion of all that is good and pure in the world and the other side is the bastion of all that is horrible and evil.
This is insane.
There is no "us" vs. "them." Traditional vs. self-publishing is a false dichotomy. It's an illusion created by people who either have let their frustrations get the best of them or are trying to sell you something. We're all writers trying to figure out the best way to get our books to readers. We're all on the same team.
No, the traditional publishing industry is not a hive of retrograde monsters out to steal and eat your newborn children. No, self-publishing is not a gang of unwashed crap artists trying to poison the literary well forever.
Publishing is a spectrum of choice, from traditional publishers who pay you, will handle most things for you and assume all risk in exchange for certain rights to your book, to self-publishing where you handle everything yourself, pay your own way, and adopt your own risk. And there's a whole lot more choice in between those two poles.
What's the right way?
There is no right way.Some authors want to let the publishers handle things for them. Some authors want to go for print glory because that's where the bulk of readers are right now (yes, still). Some authors want the freedom of control of self-publishing. Some authors want to experiment with pricing.
And guess what:
Some authors do both, and they always have. Even before e-publishing, many prominent authors got their start self-publishing. And many authors who used to be traditionally published moved to self-publishing. Some authors use hybrid models that combine elements of traditional and self-publishing.
There is no hundred foot wall between self-publishing and traditional publishing. Choosing one does not preclude the other, even if you feel like you're currently on the outs with traditional publishing. Or did you miss the recent seven figure book deal for the
self-published nutritionist?
Sure. It's fun to join up sides and start flinging mud. It's exciting to think that your team alone has the holy grail.
But I see a lot of authors out there getting taken for a ride by both sides. People are preying on writers' fears and frustrations.
The only way you'll be able to decide what's best for you is if you ignore the pied pipers, set aside your emotions, and think only about what's the right for your book.
Art: La Riña - Francisco de Goya
A recent study by the Joan Ganz Cooney Center seems to indicate that they do. The study found that when parents and children read together, children recall significantly more details when reading print books or regular, non-enhanced ebooks than they do when reading interactive ebooks. In addition, children engage with the
content more when reading non-interactive books, with actions such as pointing and talking about the story.
So what does this mean? Are interactive books a dead end? I personally don't think so. We live in an era of options, and while all those options sometimes make it difficult to choose, in the long run this is a good thing, because there is no one right option for everyone and every situation. There are many ways to read and many ways to publish, and we can pick and choose as the situation requires. The key, as with everything, is balance.
For Parents
The old advice is still the best: read to your child early and often. We started reading to our son the day we brought him home from the hospital, and read to him almost every day after that until he was a teen. Even then, we sometimes read books together as a family, taking turns reading. We spent a glorious weekend reading the last Harry Potter book together the weekend it was released. I don't think it's unrelated that, at age 16, my son just finished his first year of college, living in the dorm, earning excellent grades and fitting in well with the other students. Reading to him was certainly not solely responsible--he's his own person and in large measure responsible for his own success--but it certainly helped.
But interactive books have their place as well. They may not be as good at developing traditional literacy skills, but computer literacy skills are just as important in today's world, and interactive books do help with those. In addition, the study also showed that interactive books have a lot of appeal for children, and can help encourage an interest in books, especially for reluctant readers. And in some cases, interactive eBooks can teach things that are difficult to teach using traditional books, or provide additional experiences and information about a particular topic. So the key, as it always has been, is in providing a variety of experiences for your child: books, ebooks, apps, not to mention "real life" experiences.
For Publishers, Self-Publishers, App Developers, and Authors
Parents will need books in a variety of formats, which is good news for everyone involved in creating books for children. Publishers can choose to provide their content in a variety of formats, or focus on just one or two. Print, Kindle, ePub, iOS, Android, computer: it's all good and all will be needed. Publishers need to keep aware of the changes in the industry and be prepared to act accordingly. Read industry newsletters and learn as much as you can about the different options, so you can make appropriate choices. Print is not dead, and I don't believe it will go away any time soon, but there's no denying that print markets are shrinking, so publishers need to think carefully about what formats to publish in, and run the numbers to see what makes sense and what will be profitable.
Some projects will be ideally suited to interactive ebooks, others will be a good fit with print and traditional ebooks, while still others will make sense to do in both formats. Any absolute statements about what publishers "must" be doing should be viewed with caution and evaluated carefully. There is no one right solution, and thank goodness we live in an exciting time of options.
Self-publishing used to be a last resort for aspiring authors unable to break through the traditional publishing fortress. With the help of vanity presses, those writers took matters into their own hands and brought their books to market, for a fee.
These days, self-publishing has a newfound respect. The “guilt by association” connection to vanity publishing has largely disappeared, and even bestselling authors are opting to self-publish. Today’s e-book and print on demand (POD) technology enables authors to control the publishing process on their own terms, and based on the proliferation of self-publishing success stories, it’s safe to say the trend toward self-publishing is here to stay.
One of the most appealing aspects of self-publishing is that it isn’t one-size-fits-all. As your book’s publisher, you can choose just how many services and technologies you’ll utilize. Supported Self Publishing (SSP) provides you with nearly all services and resources in the publishing process, whereas with Do-It-Yourself Publishing (DIY), you are responsible for all aspects of publishing and marketing your book. (For a helpful breakdown of SSP and DIY publishing models, visit Abbott Press, a division of Writer’s Digest.)
Regardless of which model you choose, there are quantifiable benefits to self-publishing, as Marilyn Ross and Sue Collier illustrate in The Complete Guide to Self-Publishing. Following is some key advice for writers from the book:
7 Reasons to Self-Publish Your Book
1. You Just Might Strike It Rich
Self-publishing offers the potential for huge profits. No longer do you have to be satisfied with the meager 5 to 15 percent royalty that commercial publishers dole out. For those who use creativity, persistence, and sound business sense, money is there to be made.
2. You Can Be Your Own Boss
Self-publishing can be the road to independence. What motivates entrepreneurs to launch their own businesses? Most want to be their own bosses. More personal freedom is the second most important reason. Some do it out of necessity in tough economic times. But most dream of becoming self-employed. You can turn that dream into reality. Here is a dynamic, proven way to shape your own destiny. It is an answer not only for city folks but also for urban escapees seeking to prosper in paradise. (Does Marilyn ever know about prospering in paradise, living and working in a lovely Colorado mountain town of only two thousand …)
3. You Can Create a Tax Haven
Becoming a self-publisher also provides a helpful tax shelter. After forming your own company and meeting certain requirements, you can write off a portion of your home and deduct some expenses related to writing and to marketing, such as automobile, travel, and entertainment costs. Always check current tax regulations and restrictions.
4. You Get to Move at Your Own Pace
Another advantage is that you can begin your business on a part-time basis while keeping your day job. Why risk your livelihood until you’ve refined your publishing activities and worked out any bugs?
5. You Maintain Control of Your Work
In self-publishing, you guide every step. You’ll have the cover you like, the typeface you choose, the title you want, and the ads you decide to place. You
[Becky Cloonan is a writer and artist who has worked on books like Demo, Northlanders, American Virgin and recently with recurring collaborator Brian Wood for Dark Horse’s relaunch of their Conan property. She’s also swiftly becoming the King of Self-Publishing, with last year's self-published short story Wolves being almost as well-received as her new work, The Mire, available now.
She’s a woman of several phrases, but two of them in particular inform her streak of independent creativity: Comics Rule Everything Around Me (CREAM) and Self-Publish Or Die (SPOD? I don’t think this one was meant to be made into an acronym).
I got the chance to stammer questions at Becky recently, during a busy signing for The Mire at Travelling Man in Leeds (that’s in the United Kingdom, fact-fans)! Come, and read the stammering and answers in equal measures!]
Steve: [utilising a fade-in introduction] ….and your latest story is The Mire, a sequel to Wolves, which came out last year-
Becky Cloonan: Almost exactly a year ago. I launched Wolves at TCAF, and I did the same with The Mire this year.
Steve: You fully self-published this, right? You not only wrote it, and drew it, but you even made sure to choose the quality of the paper and the production values that went into it.
Becky Cloonan: Yes. I really like the feeling when you pick up a short story and you can feel quality in the production. When you pick up a monthly comic, it’s floppy and the quality feels more disposable. I think part of that, at least for me, is in the paper – when it’s cheap, and thin, you feel more free to pick it up and then throw it away. I wanted to have something which felt like “once you have it, you keep it”.
Steve: [Unintelligible stammering]
Becky Cloonan: …sure. My short stories – I want people to have a reason to re-read them and come back to it, and if I want to have a story with that sense of longevity, it needs to feel good when you open it up. It’s a little more expensive to put things out that way, but I hope it adds to the experience when you have it in your hands.
Steve: Is it a particularly personal work?
Becky Cloonan: In the sense that… it’s about stuff I’m really interested in. It’s got historical stuff in it, and fantasy – but not high fantasy stuff, it’s a little more grounded
Steve: Like the original gothic stuff. Only a little part of any given story would be openly supernatural, while the rest of the narrative tended to be grounded and realistic, as counter-balance.
Becky Cloonan: That’s exactly the kind of thing. It’s very medieval , supernatural, paranormal.
It’s not necessarily stuff that’s happened to me, or based on things I’ve had happen, but the themes speak to me. I do try to write about what I know, and things I’m familiar with. And I try to make sure it’s universal. Everybody’s experienced a betrayal, and can relate to some feeling of having once been stabbed in the back, and so I can talk about that and have readers relate to it. It’s a feeling that I want to get out from the book, and have readers experience with me.
Steve: [who watched a Louis Theroux
Whew! Lots and lots of links to share with you from the last few weeks, so let's get straight to it.
Very sad news as one of my very very favorite writers as a child, and then one of my very very favorite writers I had the privilege of working with in the publishing industry, passed away recently. Jean Craighead George was the author of Julie of the Wolves and My Side of the Mountain, and a seriously wonderful person. She will be very very missed.
Some serious news from a publisher as Houghton Mifflin, saddled with debts and liabilities of over $1 billion, filed for bankruptcy.
You may remember a few months back when I featured a video by a web travel show I had come across by Sonia Gil. Well, we can now say we knew her when because she just won a Webby Award for Best Web Personality/Host. Congrats, Sonia!
Have a self-published novel and want it to get stocked by a bookstore? Might be helpful to see how things look from the other side. Here's a guide to stocking self-published novels... for booksellers (via The Millions).
The Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy has sold 10 million copies in 6 weeks. Holy. Crap.
Industry sage Mike Shatzkin wrote an open letter to the DOJ about the collusion lawsuit and settlement, raising some objections on technical grounds. I feel like there's been a whole lot of mud flung against people who are opposed to the lawsuit, and everyone would do themselves a favor by absorbing this letter and seeing that, agree or disagree, there are very intelligent reasons why some people are opposing the lawsuit and settlement.
Several different articles lately have tried to get to the bottom of why literary fame is so unpredictable. The New Yorker sums it up.
My former client Jennifer Hubbard wrote an awesome guest post for Cynthia Leitich Smith on the power of the walking writer.
Self-published author seeks agent. What is an agent looking for? Rachelle Gardner breaks it down.
Author Barry Eisler has been a bit of a lightning rod lately with his decision to go to Amazon to publish his next book and his outspoken opinions on traditional publishing. Editor Alan Rinzler has a comprehensive post on what writers can learn from him.
Remember how Google scanned all the books in the world and there has been a lawsuit against them that has been pe
By: Phil Sexton,
on 6/21/2012
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Marketing and sales is in my blood. That’s because I come from a distinguished line of salesmen. My grandfather was in sales. My father was in sales. In college, I tried to buck the trend by majoring in landscape architecture. But, my inability to recall the Latin names of deciduous trees stymied that plan and put me back on the family path.
This past weekend, I had the pleasure of spending Father’s Day with my dad who’s now retired. However, he still uses his sales and marketing skills as a volunteer to raise money for a major non-profit organization. He’s just as successful today as he was in his working days. One reason for his success is based on a story he told me.
When I was little, my father was hired for a new sales job and went to the company’s corporate office for two weeks of initial training. During the training period, he inadvertently received a memo written by one of the managers who stated that my dad was unqualified for the job and would never help the company. In that situation, my father faced two decisions. He could let this rejection ruin his motivation and assume he’d lose his job. Or, he could use the negative memo as fuel for motivation. He chose to let it propel his desire to show the skills he offered. Against the manager’s prediction, my father went on to secure his job, receive several promotions, and enjoy a successful 20-year career with the company.
There’s a lesson here for you and me as authors. Rejection comes with the territory. For example, you might have received a lot of rejection letters from publishers. Maybe your books got some negative reviews. Maybe your book sales haven’t met your personal or publisher expectations.
One of the unseen traits of a successful author is the ability to use rejection as motivation to reach your goal, rather than deter you. This is why I consistently harp on the idea that effective marketing must rest on the belief that your book can truly help other people. When you believe that you’ve got tangible value to offer the world, then rejection just becomes a temporary speed bump on the road to success.
Some people will snub your book, ignore your requests for promotional help, and recommend other authors instead of you. Rejection is inevitable. The question isn’t whether it will happen or not. The question is how will you respond? I’m thankful for a father who persevered through rejection. If father knows best, we could all learn this valuable lesson from my dad.
Reminder:
Rob Eagar’s new book from Writer’s Digest, Sell Your Book Like Wildfire, is now available in print and e-book formats. This is the bible of book marketing for authors and publishers. Get 288 pages packed with advanced information, real-life examples, and tips to start selling more books immediately. There are specific chapters on social media, word-of-mouth tools, Amazon, and a chapter dedicated to best practices for marketing fiction. In addition, get over 30 pages of free bonus updates online. Get your copy today at:
http://www.writersdigestshop.com/sell-your-book-like-wildfire or http://www.BookWildfire.com
About the author:
Rob Eagar is the founder of WildFire Marketing, a consulting practice that helps authors and publishers sell more books and spread their message like wildfire.
By: Phil Sexton,
on 7/6/2012
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By Rob Eagar
Logos, brands, taglines, slogans…what’s the difference? Some authors think that having a logo means they have a brand. But, these are separate entities. Your brand is a phrase that communicates the value of your books. You could also call it a tagline or slogan. In contrast, a logo is artwork that you use to make your name and brand look aesthetically-pleasing in public. Do you need both? Not necessarily. It’s more important that readers know your value than seeing fancy graphics that look nice. Thus, a brand is essential while a logo is optional.
However, the image that you present to the world greatly affects your credibility and appeal. If your marketing materials look homemade, some people will question your reputation and bypass your books. It’s okay to be homemade as long as you don’t look homemade.
If you want a nice-looking logo to complement your brand, hire a professional graphic artist to do it right. By shopping around, you can usually find a qualified designer to fit any budget. Just be sure to review their portfolio, contact a few references, and verify the quality of their work.
When you choose a graphic artist, explain your brand and the results that you create for your readers. Tell the designer that you want the artwork to integrate the value of your brand. List the various tools where your logo will appear, such as business cards, website headers, newsletters, bookmarks, postcards, book covers, etc.
Ask your graphic artist to design a logo and use text fonts that communicate your value in a positive manner and matches your personality. The end result should be artwork that looks appealing, boosts your credibility, and creates a seamless connection when used with all of your marketing materials. A logo is not a brand. But, a brand can be enhanced with a professional logo.
** If you’re struggling to create a powerful author brand, read Chapter 3 in my new book, Sell Your Book Like Wildfire.
Reminder:
Rob Eagar’s new book from Writer’s Digest, Sell Your Book Like Wildfire, is now available in print and e-book formats. This is the bible of book marketing for authors and publishers. Get 288 pages packed with advanced information, real-life examples, and tips to start selling more books immediately. There are specific chapters on social media, word-of-mouth tools, Amazon, and a chapter dedicated to best practices for marketing fiction. In addition, get over 30 pages of free bonus updates online. Get your copy today at:
http://www.writersdigestshop.com/sell-your-book-like-wildfire or http://www.BookWildfire.com
About the Author
Rob Eagar is the founder of WildFire Marketing, a consulting practice that helps authors and publishers sell more books and spread their message like wildfire. He has assisted numerous New York Times bestselling authors and is author of the new book, Sell Your Book Like Wildfire. Find out more about Rob’s advice, products, and coaching services for authors at: www.startawildfire.com
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0 Comments on Do non-interactive books do a better job of encouraging literacy than interactive books? as of 5/30/2012 9:31:00 AM
Love this article. Thank you Magdalena and Karen. I shall tweet and Google Plus it. (-: My friends who write need to see this.
Do hope that many will support poetry and Maggie's and my experiment in using Kindle to promote it!
Best,
Carolyn Howard-Johnson
Carolyn, thanks for stopping by, leaving a comment, and sharing the post! That's how it's done!