Archive for April, 2009
Google’s Book Search: The Ongoing Debate
In an article published by the New York Times, reports on the recent inquiry by the Justice Department into the antitrust implications against Google’s Book Search program have surfaced. Analyzing the claims and settlement, they’re digging deep into a debate about how much power and control Google should be allowed over copyrighted material.
The article provides a little background on the ongoing debate:
“The settlement, announced in October, gives Google the right to display the books online and to profit from them by selling access to individual texts and selling subscriptions to its entire collection to libraries and other institutions. Revenue would be shared among Google, authors and publishers.
But critics say that Google alone would have a license that covers millions of so-called orphan books, whose authors cannot be found or whose rights holders are unknown. Some librarians fear that with no competition, Google will be free to raise prices for access to the collection.” … “Google will be a monopoly.”
But, there’s another side to the story, and it’s not just Google who’s in favor of the Book Search settlement. Many authors, publishers and readers feel the good outweighs the bad:
Here’s an excerpt from the NY Times article:
“Google, which has scanned more than seven million books from the collections of major libraries at its own expense, vigorously defends the settlement, saying it will bring great benefits to the broader public.
Most of the critics, which include copyright specialists, antitrust scholars and some librarians, agree that the public will benefit. But they say others should also have rights to orphan works. And they oppose what they say amounts to the rewriting, through a private deal rather than through legislation, of the copyright rules for millions of texts.”
For those who have recently published and have their book on Google’s Book Search program, it’s definitely a positive. The world is digitizing more and more content every day, so now more than ever, we can marvel at the different ways we can reach such a wide audience across the globe.
But what are your thoughts on this debate regarding the copyright issues for so-called “orphaned” books and their future implications?
-Angie
Self-Branding: What Your Web Site Says about You and Your Book
Authors, and perhaps especially self-published authors, can have a difficult run after production of their books is complete, mostly because, just when you thought you were done, then comes the necessary marketing.
Simply put, in order to sell books, you have to sell yourself. Just like a book cover can catch a reader’s eye, so too, your Web site can attract new fans and audiences to your work, but what kind of Web site is going to attract the right people? It’s a good question, and one that has no easy answer, but the truth of the matter is: without a creative and straightforward Web site with compelling content, your book might go unnoticed for a time in various Internet circles.
There are, however, a few questions you can ask yourself when designing your own Web site (or hiring a third party to design one for you) that may help:
What type of book are you marketing? Fiction? Poetry? Inspirational? Christian? Perhaps a children’s book? Whatever type of book you’ve publish, the genre and content of it will definitely affect how you market and subsequently how you build your Web site. For that matter, you need to reveal the specifics of your book on your site right away–on the homepage–not only to keep visitors interested, but to increase your keywords for Internet searches as well.
What is the primary thrust of your marketing plan? Are you approaching the media with press release and follow-up calls? Are you planning a book tour in the near future? Are you selling your book in local or regional bookstores? Whatever the main push of your marketing strategy is, you’ll want to reflect its importance on the main page of your Web site.
What information do people need to know? Obviously, people coming to your site are interested in the content of your book; but if you’ve only posted vague information about the formats, prices or materials within your book, you might not convert a reader into a customer. Hence, the importance of drafting compelling copy that tells your visitors exactly why your book is so valuable and worthy of being purchased beyond all doubts.
How can readers get your book? Okay, so maybe you’ve convinced them to buy your book, but you still have to make the process of actually ordering a copy quick and easy for them. If ordering a book is too complicated or buried in other material, a potential customer may be dissuaded and leave your site. So be sure to post links to your Book Ordering page, or offer visitors a simple way to order your book on your site.
Long story short, your Web site is an important aspect of your marketing campaign, and as such, it requires a great deal of forethought and planning when developing if you’re looking to keep target readers interested and convert them into customers.
This is Justin, blogcasting from Wordclay, signing off.
Local and Regional Influence: Book Marketing by Celebrities and Public Figures
President Obama has been travelling lately. We’ve seen him pop up in Iraq, meet with leaders in Europe and the Middle East and generally wander the globe extensively. If you don’t know already, he’s looking to discuss our position with other world leaders and improve our relationship with the world at large.
You also may have heard that Obama spoke to Hugo Chavez, the very controversial leader of Venezuela. The mere idea of speaking with Chavez was seen as threatening to Obama’s political opponents here in the United States, especially since Chavez is considered an enemy by some and a criminal by others.
Chavez did, however, give Obama a copy of the book Open Veins of Latin America: Five Centuries of the Pillage of a Continent by Eduardo Galeano. How interesting that Chavez was able to strategically use a book that has stood on its own in certain circles to bypass his own limited credibility in the public’s eye.
Immediately, after news hit the press, the book shot up at least a half a million notches to become number two on the Amazon charts for the day. More than 30 years old and a steady backlist title, who would have predicted Open Veins of Latin America would once again be headed for the top of the charts?
Can you get a foreign leader to recommend your book to the President of the United States? Maybe not, but perhaps you may be able to have people who are influential at your local level recommend or even just vouch for your book.
Personally, I know that every city that I’ve ever lived in has been chock full of local celebrities. The local politicians and business people who are on television and in the newspapers tend to have positive influence over the local public. If I were marketing a book locally, I would approach these local legends and ask them to endorse my project. Then, I could contact the local newspapers and television and radio stations and tell them all about that endorsement, achieving even more coverage.
How to Tell a Story: Establishing Narrative with Beginning, Middle and End
If you’ve participated in a writing workshop or read about constructing stories, then you’ve probably heard about the infamous story arch, which includes: (1) situation, (2) conflict and (3) resolution. In other words, stories generally need beginnings (introductions to the situation and main character), middles (adventures or trials of the conflict) and ends (the resolution of the story’s main conflict).
Of course modern story forms need not follow this traditional format so strictly, but the three stages of story are still invaluble to writing great fiction, even if the general guidelines are bent a little (or even broken).
To help readers reconceptualize this basic storytelling principle, let’s consider Kirsten Lepore’s award-winning short stop-animation short film Sweet Dreams, a video which establishes situation, conflict and resolution in less than 10 minutes.
SWEET DREAMS BY KIRSTEN LEPORE
Stage One: Set the stage; introduce the major character and primary conflict.
Analysis: Not a minute into Sweet Dreams, viewers already understand that the main character is a cupcake, and he dreams of traveling outside of his candy town.
Stage Two: Watch the character(s) develop and/or endure the conflict.
Analysis: Due to a shipwreck, the cupcake is able to discover a new town and a new way of life that ultimately rewards him in the way of friendship and wisdom.
Stage Three: The conflict comes to a head, and the character changes or acts according to their previous development.
Analysis: The cupcake returns to his candy town only to be alienated by those whom he used to call friends. When a storm threatens to dissolve the candy town, however, the cupcake utilizes his new wisdom, builds a safe haven out of carrots and saves his people from disaster.
Obviously, most stories cannot be boiled down to such basic elements–there’s still room for tone, satire, dialogue, sub-conflicts and more–but Sweet Dreams clearly outlines the story principles on which most compelling narratives are based.
The Point: Always think about the beginning, middle and end of your stories, even if you ultimately choose to write your story in a non-traditional way. Remember that rising tension, character development and clarity are all necessary for every compelling story.
Five Ways to Maximize Your Book Marketing Success
As any author with book promotion experience will tell you, book sales don’t just happen by accident. But with a plan of attack and a little persistence, you can land 
yourself your first event or coverage.
It’s a huge accomplishment to receive press coverage for your book. But what next? Well, if you’re not doing anything to promote that success, you’re missing a big opportunity.
Whether you’ve just landed a book signing, or gained coverage in an article in an online news Web site, you’ve got something to use – evidence of success. You’ve got to grab on to that success, wave it in the air. Put it on your author resume as proof of your worthiness.
So how do you maximize your exposure? Start online and go from there. You can multiply your press coverage in a matter of hours, especially if you’ve already established some online avenues for yourself. Use your first success as a stepping stone to your next one. Here are few ideas to get you started:
1. Add details of your press coverage to your own Web site or blog. There’s no shame in posting a link to your article, or listing the details. And if you don’t already have one of these babies, consider the possibilities. There are many sites that offer free blogs or author Web sites.
2. Post your press coverage on social sites. Add information to your page in MySpace, or share material in Facebook. Just remember the key to social sites is relevancy. A well-placed link and post in a writers group on Facebook will be seen much differently if posted in a fan group of cheddar cheese.
3. Share the news with pertinent organizations. You might be surprised to learn just how many organizations would be interested to know about your success. From community organizations to collegiate, it never hurts to let them know, and they just might feature your success story on their Web site or in their newsletter. For example, if you’ve self-published your book through Wordclay, they will consider featuring your press coverage or event in their “Press Breaks” or author spotlight on the homepage of their bookstore (or this blog). And all you have to do is let us know (hint, hint …).
4. Announce your coverage in a press release. There are numerous online distribution services that allow you to spread the word about your book and events for a small fee, while some are even free. Just be sure to represent yourself well by writing a press release that is professional and meets the standards expected by news organizations. You can always hire a press release writer if you don’t have the time to put in the research.
5. Add to your press kit. A useful tool for displaying information about you, your book, contact information and more, a press kit should also included recent and major press coverage you’ve received, interviews you’ve arranged, and information about events you’ve hosted. You can (and should) create a physical press kit, so you can leave a kit in the hands of potential associates, such as bookstore managers, media members and community leaders.
Remember, once you land just one interview, or hold one book reading, you can use your success as a stepping stone to the next one. By expanding the reach of your press coverage and events, you’re maximizing your exposure and success. And who knows, your single success just might be the “something extra” that catches a news editor’s eye, or tips the scales in your favor to convince the local bookstore manager to stock copies of your book in the store’s “local authors” section.
-Angie
Free Writing Contest at WritingRoom.com: Enter to Win Publication, Marketing and Cash Prizes
Remember WritingRoom.com’s 2009 Author’s Choice Contest is approaching its deadline, and all you need to enter is a manuscript. Register for free, upload your manuscript, shoot them an email with your entry, and mail three copies of your book to their screeners. Then you’re entered for a chance to win publication, marketing and some serious cash — it’s that simple!
The contest is designed especially to help aspiring novelists achieve their goals of success. The top 10 winners will receive help from acclaimed bestselling author Jon Land (The Seven Sins, one of the Library Journal’s Top Five Thrillers of 2008)to improve their manuscripts.
The top three winners will have their manuscripts published, marketed and promoted. In addition, one Grand-Prize winner will have their book read and considered by one of the top New York literary agents, Loretta Barrett and a traditional New York publisher.
It’s free to enter, and the only cost involved is that you have to foot the bill to order and ship three copies of your book for the judges’ review. Below are a few of the details concerning the contest, but you can read all the details about how to enter the writing contest on PublishingRoom.com.
2009 WritingRoom Author Choice Contest:
- Contest Start Date: Feb. 1, 2009
- Submission Deadline: May 18, 2009
Publishing, Marketing and Cash Prizes:
- Top 10 finalists will receive advice, help, and guidance from the judges to help improve quality and overall marketability of their books to a wide audience. The judges that will provide the advice know a thing or two about writing: 1) guest judge Jon Land, and 2) Lindsay Preston, CEO of WritingRoom.com.
- Third Place and Runner-Up Winners receive Publishing Packages valued at $600 (Third Place) and more than $1,000 (Runner-up), in addition to the book marketing campaign from WritingRoom.com, including a regionally-distributed press release and local media coverage. Let’s not forget the cash prizes either: $100 for Third Place and $250 for the Runner-up.
- Grand-Prize Winner receives: (1) Publishing Package with PublishingRoom.com valued at more than $1,000, (2) book marketing efforts by WritingRoom.com including a nationally-distributed press release, local media coverage and video interview with WritingRoom.com, (3) cash prize of $500, (4) read and considered by a top New York literary agent, Loretta Barrett, and last but not least (5) read by top editor Eric Rabb of Tor/Forge books.
Don’t let the WritingRoom.com contest pass you up without first submitting your book. Read the official contest rules and guidelines, and then enter for a chance to get read, get your book recognized by the press and win some extra money.
Amazon Content: Rank and Restriction, Finding GLBT Books Online
Obviously Amazon.com knows how to direct online activity. Over the past several years we have seen Amazon rise to dominance in the online retail market. The likelihood is that they have the best price for the book you need and for the backpack, school clothes, vehicles — pretty much anything you want.
In fact, Amazon is so big and powerful that it might be easy to forget that they are as free as anyone else to make decisions regarding what materials are listed in what way on their site. This is offset by the idea that if Amazon or any company behaves in a way that the overall society sees as unethical or irresponsible, the offending party will not see continued support from the markets that they may have angered.
On Amazon’s site we are able to understand the success of products by their rank. GLBT books suddenly found themselves dropped from ranking recently. This is clearly a step that can limit the success of the titles in question. If the buying public cannot find referential information about the behavior of the competing products in our free-market, then many of those products are effectively invisible.
One problem with electronic information is that it can be vulnerable to attacks and errors. There are several theories regarding the change in status for these titles. One man claims to have caused the issue himself using the complaint function within Amazon and a line of code that would basically cause that same complaint to be registered repeatedly. It has also been suggested that the issue was the result of a minor error made when adjusting the code on Amazon’s French site.
I find that most enterprises that are extremely successful listen very closely to the dominant voices in their markets and shape the customer experience on a day-to-day basis in response to feedback. It is likely that if Amazon suddenly removes a certain type of book from prominent promotion, they are responding directly to more vocal voices within the market. In the case of disagreements, I assume they would try to find the most suitable compromise. Considering the variables, however, it seems that before forming an opinion, we might want to consult the IT crowd to see if there is another explanation.
-1000 Chimps
Shvoong.com: Write Book Reviews & Summaries for Extra Money
Surfing the Internet this week, I discover this great site where you can post brief reviews on anything interesting and earn money while you write. How many of you are currently using Shvoong? Because if you’re not and you like to share your opinion with others, you should, and here’s why:
- Registration is free to everyone.
- You write and post about anything you want.
- You can write as many or as few reviews as you want.
- Millions of visitors can read your stuff.
- Shvoong is available in 34 different languages.
- Writers from all over the world join.
- Shvoong pays 10% of its advertising revenues to the writers.
- The more your review is read, the more you earn!
It’s a straightforward concept, don’t you think? Join, write, promote your content using social networks, bookmarking or Yahoo! Answers, and then earn some extra dough in the meantime.
Not unlike Helium.com when it comes to the approach to articles, where Shvoong.com differs is the variety. You don’t post facts, you post your opinions, you use your own voice, and the more compelling your tone and articulate your opinions, the more money you earn from the visitors who read your reviews.
Definitely check out Shvoong.com, and hone your writing as well as your reviewing skills. Plus, you may want to direct your own readers to the site in order to post a review of your own book, getting you a little more visibility and keywords on the Internet.
Join Shvoong.com and start writing>>
Learn more about earning money with Shvoong.com>>
More About Shvoong.com
Shvoong is a global web 2.0 knowledge sharing platform that provides readers Short and Instant Knowledge, via Summaries and Short Reviews on a variety of subjects. Available in 34 languages and attracting millions of visitors and writers from over 160 countries, anyone can join Shvoong, write about books, movies, websites, and academic topics, and earn royalties.
Reminder: Post Feedback on Wordclay Titles by April 30th for a Chance to Win Free Books
Really, the blog challenge is that simple. It’s free to submit your review, and you have the potential to win a printed copy of your favorite Wordclay self-published book. Simply post a comment to this blog that details the author and title of your favorite Wordclay publication, along with a brief (100 words) explanation of why you made your choice.
Spare five minutes to write your blurb about a Wordclay book, and next month you could have a copy of a great title for free (standard shipping and handling is included), so don’t be shy. Post your review or thoughts on one of our titles before April 30th (deadline has been extended) for a chance to win a printed book that you’ll be proud to feature on your coffee table or bookshelf.
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CONTEST DETAILS
Start: March 20, 2009, 12:01 a.m. EST
Deadline: April 30, 2009, 11:59 p.m. EST
Prize: Single printed book copy of your selection
Submission: Post the full title, author name and your personalized blurb of the book you’re nominating for serious consideration by the judges. Blurbs should not contain special formatting and can be no longer than 100 words.
Contact Info: After submitting, send a copy of your submission as well as your full name, e-mail address and mailing address (no PO Boxes) via e-mail to blog@wordclay.com.
Notification: The winner will be notified via e-mail the week after the contest ends, at which point the book selection will be printed and mailed to you with standard shipping immediately.
Shipping: Winning book will be send using standard shipping methods, whose cost will be covered by Wordclay for the purposes of this contest.
Conditions: Nominations must have Wordclay as the publisher without exception. Authors cannot nominate their own books, and any individual suspected of favoritism beyond the content and quality of a book will be immediately disqualified. Only the first nomination per participant will be considered, and all other nominations will be dismissed. One person may nominate more than one book, but each nomination must be submitted as a separate blog comments and entry for consideration.
Contest Terms: Wordclay will judge the contest solely at our discretion, and we reserve the right to disqualify suspect entries at any time. Each entry will be judged fairly based on sound argumentation, testimonials, personal experience, truth of statement, writing quality and passion for the nomination in question.
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Seriously, there’s no risk, and five minutes of your time could win you a book to share with friends or read again and again over the years, so submit your nomination for a chance, let our authors know what you think and win a free book in the meantime.
Blerp: Start a Coversation about Books & Comics
Registration is free, and your profile takes about five minutes to complete. Then, you can start your own conversation on interesting topics or add to the blerps (or comment threads) of others. Make friends who share similar opinions, and start a conversation about whatever you want, any day you want, easy-peazy.
Really, the flexibility and interactivity of Blerp.com offers almost endless possibilities, so explore their Web site, register for free, post a few comments whenever you want and start discussing some topics about which you’re passionate. You never know who’s listening and who feels the same way.
This is Justin, blogcasting from Wordclay, signing off.
April 9, 2009 at 11:34 am jdimos Leave a comment