Posts filed under ‘Self-Publishing’
Five Little Things You Can Do To Get More Attention for Your Book
1. Love your work. If you wholeheartedly believe in your book, other people will notice. Don’t be modest or shy about what you’ve accomplished—encourage people to read it as much as you can (without being overwhelming, of course). And don’t hold out for universal approval either. Take Hemingway, for example; he was amongst the best literary minds of the 20th century, but lots of people can’t stand to read his novels. Not everyone is going to love—or even like—your book. Stand by what you’ve written and some people may just believe in it as much as you do.
2. Know the importance of your cover design. This is the very thing that is going to make most people want to pick up your book in the first place, so don’t take it too lightly. Make sure the cover is eye-catching; whether it’s bright, beautiful or really gruesome, it must win the consumers’ attention. If you’ve hired a cover designer, such as those available through Wordclay, trust the artistic instincts of your designer—it’s their job—but make sure you’re sense of the book is reflected in their work as well.
3. Always have a copy of your book handy. You never know when you’ll run across someone who can help with your writing career! I’m not suggesting you literally take it everywhere, but maybe keep one in your car incase you need it—hey, it can’t hurt.
4. Network socially. Don’t make the mistake of only networking with people you already know are in the publishing/book industry. Lots of editors, publishers and writers have social lives and you may not know who they are when first talking to them in a bar, at the grocery store or in line at the movie theatre. Also, if your group of friends and acquaintances know all about your book, they can talk about it with other friends, and so your “buzz” increases (literally) at an exponential rate.
5. Have a description ready to go. When people ask about your book, it’s way more convincing if you already know what you’re going to say—point out the highlights, the genre and the general message, for example—but try not to sound rehearsed. And, don’t give too much away, or there isn’t any incentive to buy it!
-Colleen
Publishing Your Autobiography
Contrary to popular opinion, celebrities, athletes and politicians are not the only people who can write and publish an autobiography. It may seem that way because traditional publishers tend to exclusively publish “sure-thing” titles penned by well-known people, but with self-publishing the door is wide open for you, yes you, to write your life story.
Perhaps you’ve been thinking about writing your autobiography for a while, or maybe you are just starting to think about it now. No matter where you are in the process there are a few things to think about before starting to write your autobiography.
1. Why do you want to write your autobiography? This is an important question to consider before writing. Maybe you want to give a gift to your family so they can understand who you are and where you came from. Or, if you have goals of commercial success and making a lot of money, remember that you must have a catchy story or people who don’t know you probably won’t pick it up to read. Spend some time thinking about the goals for your book before you begin.
2. Create a “plotline.” Even though you are retelling the story of your life you should consider a theme that ties the events of your life together. Maybe you had an exciting career that took you all over the world. One way to tell that story is to group your book by countries you’ve visited. Or maybe you are a mom and you want to tell the story of raising your children. Think of the important moments that shaped you as a mom, not just the mundane day to day things. No matter what your plotline is, it needs to flow together and be compelling, not fragmented. Think about how you want to organize your autobiography and what parts of your life you do and don’t want to talk about before you begin writing.
3. Remember. Perhaps one of the hardest parts about writing your autobiography is remembering everything that has happened to you that you want to talk about. A good way to remember details of your life is to look at photographs, letters, e-mails and journal entries. Even using things like newspaper clippings and songs from a certain time period may help you remember certain things you were doing that you may want to write about. Ask friends and family to share things from you that they may have kept over the years.
Beyond just how you will write and publish your autobiography, there are other things you will need to think about along the way. Even considering your emotional and mental state is helpful because some things you may have to write about could be painful for you. Don’t push yourself – take your time and publish your book when you are ready.
The autobiography is a genre that is particularly well-suited for self-publishing. Since an autobiography is extremely personal by definition, it’s understandable for the writer to want control over their book — and that is what self-publishing is all about. Now self-published authors can make the creative and marketing choices for their book while their self-publishing company provides the necessary design tools and support services.
Keep writing,
Kate
How Publishing a Book Could Help You Land Your Next Job
The economy has been stinking up our sweet American dreams for quite a while now. But people find ways to overcome adversity, and this time is no different.
One way that people can overcome the challenges of a tough job market is establishing themselves as experts by publishing books. Mark Tutton explores this topic in an article he posted March 16, 2010, on CNN.com titled, Why just being good at your job is not enough.
In the article, Tutton interviews various experts on the rising competiveness of the job market and growing trends in publishing. Here are a few excerpts:
Keith Ogorek, of self-publishing firm Author Solutions, told CNN that more people are using self-publishing as a way of promoting their personal brand. “We’ve found that a number of people have begun to use books as a way to establish their credibility,” he said.
“As the economy is turning and more and more people are having to get creative in ways to distinguish themselves in the job market, many of them are using books as a way to distinguish themselves among the other people who might be out there.”
Dan Schawbel, author of personal-branding book “Me 2.0,” provided his insight as well:
“In my opinion the economy has forced everyone to be an expert in their field, so if you’re not an expert, you’re in trouble,” he said. “The easiest and fastest way to be positioned as an expert in your field is to publish a book.”
Schawbel said writing a book on your area of professional interest instantly establishes your credibility to potential customers and employers.
“You can self proclaim you’re an expert in your field all day long but the book is almost your calling card. …”
So, could you be an expert? You may not even realize all the fields in which you hold expert knowledge, because the things you do well are second nature. Maybe you’re an expert in grammar. Or perhaps you’ve raised eight children and you’re an expert mom. Or maybe, you could be an expert on the rise of reality television … you never know until you try.
Keep writing.
Angie Kelly Pheifer
Read the full article by Mark Tutton: Why just being good at your job is not enough
Friedman Offers a Balanced Perspective on Author Solutions and Self-Publishing
Jane Friedman published a post on her Writer’s Digest blog , There Are No Rules, about her visit to Author Solutions Inc. headquarters in Bloomington, Ind.
I must admit that with the recent debate surrounding Author Solutions and the self-publishing industry, the title of Friedman’s post alone was enough to bring a tear to my eye: “Author Solutions Is Not Evil: 3 Things I Learned.” As I read through the post, I could hardly believe it: the post is actually a fair and honest outlook on ASI and self-publishing.
You see, as an employee of Author Solutions, I know there is kinder, gentler side to ASI that what has been portrayed online in recent months . Now, I’m not trying to say that ASI is perfect. It’s a company made up of people … so imperfection is inevitable. But, I’m extremely pleased that a respected member of the writing and publishing community has shared a balanced view of ASI and self-publishing by taking the time to talk with our representatives —by giving us a chance.
Here are just a few points that that Jane described well in her post I’d like to call out, because they ring true to me:
On “True” Self-Publishing vs. Self-Publishing Companies:
…The industry is now experiencing a “true self-publishing” movement that argues a “real” self-published author is one who eschews the use of services like Author Solutions.
I find the distinction to be nonsensical and elitist. It’s like saying you should never hire an expert or contractor to do your taxes, fix your car, or repair your plumbing.
On the Self-Publishing Business Model:
In my mind, the people who are angry and indignant about publishing services should be working to provide free or inexpensive consultations to the hundreds of thousands of writers who wonder how to get their work in print—that is, if those people feel that writers can’t readily determine, after researching all options, what their best path forward is.
On ASI:
… That’s all AuthorSolutions talks about: what their authors want. It drives their business, their growth, what they hang on the walls—which makes sense, because it’s the authors who are writing their checks.
… If more people could see AuthorSolutions’ ideas about publishing’s future, I think there’d be a lot less criticism and a lot more idea sharing. If the authentic personalities inside the company could be seen by the public, we’d all have to finally admit: these people are not evil.
At the end of the day, ASI is still a business; you cannot avoid that. But, one of the top things Friedman noticed about our company, is what it’s truly about: authors. I encourage you to read Jane Friedman’s post, Author Solutions Is Not Evil: 3 Things I Learned on her Writer’s Digest blog , There Are No Rules.
—Angie Kelly Pheifer
Exploring E-books and E-readers
It seems like everywhere you turn these days people are talking about e-books and e-readers and other gizmos and gadgets that are taking over the book world. As an author, what should you know about these devices? Should your book be formatted for the tiny screen? Today we’re going to take a look at e-books and e-readers in an attempt to understand what they are, where the industry is headed and how you can benefit.
You’re probably already somewhat familiar with e-books and e-readers, in fact, I’d guess that some of you already own an e-reader like the Amazon Kindle™ or Sony Reader™, but I’ll go ahead and define some terms to get us started.
- e-book: an electronic version of any printed book available online. E-books can be bought and then downloaded onto a variety of devices including computers, laptops, e-readers and handheld phones. The average price of an e-book is $9.99, but prices do vary among e-book distributors.
- e-reader: a handheld device designed primarily for reading e-books. Most have a long battery life, a backlit screen and e-ink technology so it feels like you’re reading a real book. Others feature touch screens, keypads, music playing capabilities and full color screens. The price of an e-reader varies depending on which brand it is. The most popular e-readers are the Amazon Kindle, the Sony Reader and the Barnes & Noble nook.
As the popularity of e-books and e-readers has grown so has the competition. In January 2010 Apple introduced their iPad tablet, a device that is bigger than an iPhone, but smaller than a laptop with a built in e-reader and access to millions of e-book downloads. Analysts say the freedom iPad users have to download books from multiple sites is a huge advantage over the Amazon Kindle which only allows users to download e-books from Amazon.com. Google is also entering the fray with Google Editions, e-books that will be available in the summer of 2010.
The growing competition and new products coming to the market every day are evidence that this industry isn’t going anywhere. In fact, e-book sales are expected to continue to rise as more e-readers become available at prices people can afford.
With the trends going toward e-books, where does that leave you as an author? While we certainly do not recommend throwing in the towel over printed books (they will still be around for a while), we do recommend exploring e-books and understanding what your options are. Especially if you are doing your own marketing, an e-book is an excellent way to gain more exposure to a wider audience who otherwise may not have discovered your book. If you are self-publishing and consequently self-marketing you cannot rest in promoting your book – you are its biggest advocate. Take some time to explore e-books and e-readers. Do your homework to see if they are right for you and your book.
Happy writing,
Kate
Overcome the Winter Blues by Self-Publishing Your Book from Home
It’s February. It’s cold and grey and we could all us a little lift this time of year. Since there’s a good possibility that you’ll be trapped indoors for at least a few more weeks, what better way to pass the time than by utilizing Wordclay’s free self-publishing service to publish your book from the comfort of home?
Here are just a few ideas of books you can self-publish:
The manuscript sitting on your computer. If you’re sick and tired of waiting around for a traditional publisher to select your book for their ever-dwindling catalog, consider self-publishing. You can take control and enter the market on your terms.
A surprise gift book for friends or family. Put together a collection of personal stories, inside jokes and photos just for fun. Your friends and family will surely adore the book just as much as you enjoy putting it together.
Your memoir. If you have not begun writing yet, remember that a memoir doesn’t have to encompass your entire life. You can write about a particular time in your life … a short snippet that helped define who you are today.
A personalized children’s book. Write a short story with your son’s, daughter’s or grandchild’s name inserted into the story. Use a few of your own photographs to liven up the tale and make the story come alive.
Cookbooks. If you’re a cook you most likely you have favorite family recipes written on scraps of paper or only in your head. Why not organize those recipes and put them in a book? You could also put together a seasonal cookbook for family, a community organization, a school or church.
A book of faith. There are many different self-publishing ideas for religious books. Pastors could publish their sermon series notes. You could compile a devotional, put together a Bible study workbook, or write a testimonial of your faith.
Poetry publishing. Select some old, and write some new poems to put into a collection. Perhaps you could publish a personalized poetry collection for a spouse or friend. (Visit Wordclay for poetry publishing and marketing tips.)
No matter what kind of book you are interested in publishing, you have access to free services to publish your book for fun…or for profit. Seeing your work in print could be just the thing you need to get you through the winter blues until spring.
Keep writing.
-Angie Kelly Pheifer
Publishing Poetry: Set Realistic Marketing Goals
Read this original article and other poetry publishing tips on Wordclay’s Poetry Spot.
You’ve published your first collection of poetry, and you’re an emerging writer officially on the literary scene — it’s no wonder you’re excited. But you can’t let your excitement run away with your sense of marketing. Publicizing (and selling) your collection requires a realistic examination of your content, your experience and your sphere of influence. However, a marketing plan that sets unrealistic goals only leads to disappointment and disillusionment.
Readers may have lined up hours to buy the latest Harry Potter volume, but how many avid poetry fans do you see camped outside your local bookstore, eagerly waiting the moment when the doors unlock and they can finally buy the latest collection by Li-Young Lee?
Not many.
That’s because poetry is not about the Benjamins. It’s a way of expressing your deepest thoughts and innermost feelings, and besides, you didn’t publish your poetry book to become a millionaire. It would be wonderful to bank on your work immediately and get an impromptu phone call from Oprah inviting you onto her show, but the realistic picture is much different, and the more you try to jump ahead of your marketing plan, the more you’ll miss the mark of your goals.
Some unrealistic poetry publishing goals include:
- A high profile agent coincidently stumbles upon your book and, out of the kindness of his heart, arranges national talk show interviews for you the next morning.
- An acclaimed editor buys your $8.99 book on a whim, loves it and writes an article in the news as copies of your book fly off the shelves without you ever having to lift a finger.
- Simultaneously, bookstores across the nation decide they’ll take a chance on one totally unfamiliar poet and choose to stock your book on their shelves and invite you to read at their benefits for the next five years.
Of course, you’re voice is unique, and your message, critical, and such occurrences have been known to happen once in a blue moon, but you shouldn’t count on unrealistic goals for your literary satisfaction. Being picked by The Oprah Book Club without employing a single marketing strategy is about as likely as winning the lottery, and you don’t see intelligent people planning their retirement around winning the Powerball. Appearing on Oprah isn’t impossible though, nor is winning the lottery, but if you put in the hours, practice effective marketing and keep publishing, you never know – renowned critics could be knocking at your door in the future.
But what are some of these realistic poetry marketing goals, and how can you begin to practice smart marketing?
Consider some of the following methods of smart marketing for your poetry:
- Submit individual poems to literary journals and contests.
- Join online writing communities and network with other emerging writers.
- Post your poems, constructive feedback and opinions onto ongoing blogs.
- Arrange book signings and readings in your local area.
- Attend open mic nights and sell copies of your book afterward.
- Leave flyers and posters at venues where you know your readers frequent.
- Create and maintain a Web site with your biographical and book information.
- Book radio, television and magazine interviews.
- Send your book to professionals for review.
- Include information about your forthcoming books in copies you sell.
The more you focus your efforts on achievable objectives, the likelier you will notice tangible results, in both monetary and emotional rewards. The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step, so make your first step onto the poetry scene a good one and make real, observable progress today.
Read this original article and other poetry publishing tips on Wordclay’s Poetry Spot.
Keep writing.
-Angie Kelly Pheifer
Use Twitter to Promote Your Self-Published Book
Love it or hate it, Twitter has reached a critical mass that cannot be ignored. It is time that self-published and traditionally published authors alike embrace Twitter and use it to promote their books.
Here are a few reasons why you may consider jumping on the twagon:
1. Reach a larger audience. You can connect with a wide, global audience of potential readers.
2. Twitter is easy to use. You don’t need to invest in an eight-week course. Sure, there are tips and tricks that come in handy (see resources below), but if you have basic computer knowledge and you are familiar with blogging or social networking, jump in and join the twitter-mania.
3. Twitter is free … Enough said.
4. Further establish your online presence. The more places you pop up online the better. (Well, I can think of a few places you may not want to show up … America’s Most Wanted fugitive list to name one … but you get the idea.)
5. Attract interested individuals with relevant keywords. Your book’s title, your book’s genre and your name are definitely keywords to mention every so often.
Now, there is a lot of fine tuning to optimize your Twitter usage. It’s not rocket science, but there are definitely good and bad techniques and a few “best practices” to keep in mind.
Here are a few helpful resources to help you get started tweeting to promote your book:
- The Beginner’s Guide to Twitter
- The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide to Marketing Your Business on Twitter
- The Top 5 Mistakes Internet Marketers Make on Twitter
- Social Media 101: Use Twitter to Attract Prospects and Engage Customers
- 14 Essential Twitter Tools That Keep Your Tweets Going
With a little effort, research and spontaneity, you can promote your self-published book using Twitter as one piece of your marketing campaign. Remember: While Twitter is a wonderful tool, authors cannot survive on tweets alone.
Keep writing.
-Angie Kelly Pheifer
Stop Leaving Self-Publishing Out of the Conversation
On Thursday evening, I watched in horror as my seemingly trustworthy news source, News Hour, completely failed to include self-publishing in its “review” of changes in the publishing industry.
Funny. Isn’t self-publishing part of “the publishing industry”? I vaguely recall that self-publishing’s growth more than doubled last year and now makes up more than half of all books published in the United States … Shame on you, News Hour.
I have the utmost respect for the News Hour. I adore Jim Lehrer, amongst others (Shields and Brooks, anyone?). But the news piece was disappointing.
Sure, they covered e-readers and e-books, the changes this brings to the industry and the challenges that this new form of distribution brings to publishing houses. They discussed how the recession was affecting the industry, and allowed libraries to chime in on the discussion. They had a publisher and literary agent on the show to offer their input.
But that is not the whole story. There is more that is happening in the publishing industry.
Why leave self-publishing completely out of the conversation? Not even one mention in passing. The media surely is aware of this form of publishing – it’s (more…)
Building an Author Platform: Traditional Tips for the Self-Publishing Author
In today’s changing publishing industry, writers and authors must understand the importance of building an author platform in order to reach commercial success, whether planning to publish traditionally or self-publishing through a company such as Wordclay.
Your “platform” as an author (or any other kind of business-minded person, really) is a combination of your connections, your reputation, influence and visibility in the marketplace. This is an important aspect for the success of any self-published author, and has become a necessity for traditionally published authors as well.
Literary agent Rachelle Gardner posted an article on her blog called “The Dreaded Author Platform. ” Here are a few excerpts that provide her intimate, traditional-publishing-world perspective on the importance of platforms:
“… Publishing just ain’t what it used to be. Gone are the days when publishers were solely responsible for the marketing of a book.
Today’s audience is more segmented than it has ever been before. People have more options for their leisure time than ever before … It’s harder than ever to attract people to books. The way to do it is increasingly through personal connection, and that means YOU, the author, making connections with your readers.”
As an author, it’s up to you to market your book. Of course, many self-publishing companies offer useful book marketing services, but it is up to you to take the initiative to develop a marketing plan and invest the time and money to follow through.
Gardner continues in the article to explain how authors can and should utilize the Internet:
“The Internet has leveled the playing field … It doesn’t cost money. It doesn’t require special skills, besides the ones you already have: those of being a writer. What it DOES take is time. Marketing yourself as an author will cost you a serious investment of time.”
The bottom line is that becoming a successful author isn’t easy; it doesn’t just happen. Gardner’s post and others like it shed light on a common misconception that publishing traditionally will automatically provide a free ride to the top of the bestsellers list. Traditional and self-published authors alike must market themselves and their books to succeed.
Only you can decide how much time, research and effort that you are willing to put forth to sell your book, and it is a decision will surely be driven by how badly you want to reach your goals.
-Angie
P.S. Here are a few more helpful articles on the subject of building author platforms:
