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How to Market Your Book without Making Yourself Crazy

April 4, 2013 by · Leave a Comment
Jan Bear

For an independent author, it's the best of times and the worst of times. Best because your opportunities are unlimited. Worst because with those opportunities come the responsibility to persuade the world to hear you. It may seem to be a choice between writing books and marketing them. If your book doesn't reach its audience, why write it? And if marketing leaves no time to write, why market? It's dilemma that makes some authors crazy. It may not be possible to "have it all," but … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Book Marketing ·

Author Beware: Self-Publishing Book Scams Abound

May 7, 2013 by · Leave a Comment
Sharks infest the self-publishing pool.

Some aspiring authors still have the idea that once they're published, everything will be sunshine and roses. People will buy their books, the thank-you emails will come rolling in, not to mention the royalty checks, and they can happily work on the next book in peace. Once the rejections start rolling in, reality -- and desperation -- follow quickly behind. Now, it appears, the only thing standing in the way is a set of overwhelming technical requirements: getting the book into production … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Author Platform ·

Book Review: Whoever Tells the Best Story Wins

May 2, 2013 by · Leave a Comment
Whoever Tells the Best Story Wins

Novelists and screenwriters, of course, study story structure because it’s what they do. But story has become more and more prominent in nonfiction uses, too -- persuasion and negotiation. Working as a management consultant and presenter, in her book Whoever Tells the Best Story Wins (affiliate link) Annette Simmons brings story into the boardroom, the classroom, the homeowners’ association meeting, speaking to an audience immersed in “clear communications, objective thinking, and … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Book Marketing · Tagged With:

I Want to Talk to a Memoirist

May 1, 2013 by · Leave a Comment
Memory

My inaugural issue of Author Marketing Ideas will be released on May 9. The focus of the issue is how to market your memoir. I have some good content lined up, but what would make it really stand out would be a conversation with a memoir author. I'm looking for someone who was published in memoir. Traditionally published or independent or self-published, doesn't matter. I would particularly like to talk to someone who is happy with the sales of his or her book. I would take up only … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Author Platform · Tagged With:

Use an Author Ezine to Connect with Your Audience

April 30, 2013 by · Leave a Comment
Email

I often tell authors that they need an e-newsletter, often called an ezine. I subscribe to newsletters from different people and find them to be valuable sources of valuable information (if they're not, it's easy to unsubscribe). Expert marketers I trust add that a newsletter can introduce you, along with your knowledge and skills, to your audience. A newsletter will build and maintain relationships with your readers. It also adds content and authority to your website. For some reason, … [Read more...]

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Increase Your Video’s Value with YouTube Video Transcript

April 15, 2013 by · Leave a Comment
YouTube video with closed caption

You probably know the value of YouTube for your book marketing, but did you know that you can increase its value to both your readers and you? It's an ingenious feature of the YouTube site that starts as a service to folks who have hearing problems. But the benefits spread out to folks who for any reason prefer to read and to anyone who wants to make the most of Google search with their videos. It's closed captioning. The first two benefits are easy to see, but the way it works with Google … [Read more...]

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The Grumpy Reader’s Almanac: Why They Buy Your Book

April 12, 2013 by · Leave a Comment
Grumpy Reader

Most readers won’t buy your book to make you feel better. They want to know how it will make their lives better. Image: eflon via photopin cc … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Target Market · Tagged With:

For the Best Book Marketing Plan, Know Your Goals as a Writer

April 9, 2013 by · 1 Comment
Your best book marketing plan is part of your life plan.

Larry Brooks is an author, writing coach, and editor who sometimes gets wound up about the ways writers sabotage themselves. He has some advice for novelists that can help you develop the best book marketing plan for your own writing goals. In a recent blog post, he talked about an important question he asks novelists who are thinking about working with him: “What’s Your ‘Vision’ For Your Story?” Half of the writers can’t answer it, he says. They don’t know what the question … [Read more...]

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From Blog to Book: Fast Track to First Draft

April 2, 2013 by · Leave a Comment
FastPencil makes it easy to go from blog to book.

Creating content can be the biggest challenge a writer faces in building a website. You need content to bring readers to your site, and you need to bring readers to your site to put your book in front of them. But you also need to get that next book written. It makes many writers feel that they have to choose between writing and marketing, instead of building the two aspects of their writing career together. For many writers, though, there doesn't have to be a conflict between the blog and … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Publishing · Tagged With: ,

The Grumpy Reader’s Almanac: Looking for the Keys

March 26, 2013 by · Leave a Comment
Grumpy Reader

Marketing your book to the wrong audience is like looking for your keys in the comfy house when you lost them out in the snow. Image: eflon via photopin cc … [Read more...]

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How to Choose a Domain Name for Your Website

March 20, 2013 by · Leave a Comment
Knowing how to choose a domain name can save problems in the future.

Choosing a domain name for your website is one decision you don't want to get wrong. It's not so much that there's a big monetary investment. If you're buying a new dot-com domain, you're looking at $10 to $15 per year, depending on your registrar. The real costs of changing a domain come in the effort you put into the site and the value of longevity. Links to your site are important sources of incoming traffic and also an indication of your site's authority in the eyes of the search engines. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Writers' Websites · Tagged With:

Website Wednesday: Stacy Parker Aab

March 13, 2013 by · Leave a Comment
Stacy Parker Aab website

Government Girl (affiliate link) author and Huffington Post blogger Stacy Parker Aab has a website worth looking at. Designed by Nina Boesch, the site uses Flash animation in a way that gives the site a little zing, without being distracting. Writer's Website Review When you arrive at Aab's writer's website, you find a clean, simple front page, entirely contained within one screen of your browser. There's no scroll bar. A big image of her book dominates the page. Below is a small image of the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Featured, Writers' Websites · Tagged With:

Why Write Book Reviews: Five Payoffs for Authors

March 12, 2013 by · 1 Comment
A thoughtful book review offers benefits to both author and writer.

As an author, you know the value of a good book review. It gives you confidence and courage. It tells you that your time and work were worthwhile. And it sells books. But there's another side to book reviews that may not be as obvious. When you take the time and trouble to write book reviews, you do good things for yourself, your fellow authors, and the world. Why write book reviews? Here are five reasons. 1. Attract Visitors to Your Website One of the most important things you can do to … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Author Platform, Featured ·

Overcome the Problem of Content: Curation for Blogs

March 6, 2013 by · 1 Comment
Curation makes sense of content overload.

Content curation for blogs can overcome a problem I've heard from many writers who want a working website (as opposed to one that just sits there with no traffic). In a recent blog post on content creation, Dotty Scott addresses the difficulty of constantly creating original content. I Do Not Have Time to Write a Blog Post I hear this a great deal. Adding content to your website or blog does take time. I think of it as time spent on marketing. If you are really pressed for time you can … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Author Platform, Featured · Tagged With: ,

Podcast: Three Ways Acting Classes Can Help You Be a Better Writer

March 4, 2013 by · Leave a Comment
Learning to act can make writers more successful.

Sometimes writers get so accustomed to speaking to the blank page that they get out of the habit of speaking, literally speaking, to an audience. In this podcast interview, I talked with Nancy McDonald, an acting teacher, publisher, and coach. She teaches classes for non-actors,  helping them learn the tools and techniques of the acting craft to help them push past the boundaries of their fear and stage fright. Most writers I know are introverts, but learning about acting, performance, … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Author Platform, Featured · Tagged With: , , ,
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