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This is going to be a lot of information and a very long post, so you may want to get comfy and also save it on your computer for future reference…
I’ve been doing this self-publishing thing for over six years and I have read a ton of marketing books, and I’ve also researched and studied author promotion extensively, so I think a lot of it is “trial and error” with marketing. Some things worked for me and others haven’t. You need to find your own niche and go from there.
But a few universal truths to success is to publish new books within a 4 month time-frame, and get lots of reviews posted on Amazon and goodreads, and have a professional-looking book cover (also branding), and lastly an engaging “hook” in your book blurb. All those things are easy to do to help your book beat out the competition.
From my own personal experience, those tips listed below will help any author to start making money and have some success with your book promotion.
Doing the following things listed below helped many of my books become Amazon bestsellers.
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A "hooky" blurb is the most important thing a writer needs besides an awesome cover. I've continually tweaked my Product Descriptions. I suggest that you study the books in the Top 100 lists on Amazon. (I can help you rework one of your blurbs and give you a html code to upload so it stands out, and offer some more keywords to add, please click HERE for more info.) Tips on blurb writing: http://www.thebookdesigner.com/2014/06/karl-bunker
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The right book cover is critical and having a striking image at thumbnail size is important. A sub-title with keywords can help drive sales, too. This is just my opinion, but maybe updating your book covers, revising your blurbs with more of a “hook,” and adding more keywords in KDP might really help boost sales.
The other authors that I have helped do these simple things said they doubled their sales within 6 weeks. I want to help you, so I can offer you one free cover design if you really want to test out a new cover. Please click HERE to browse my selection of premade covers.
And you can also stuff additional keywords into your product description that Amazon’s search engine will pick up on through Author Central.(Email me if you need help.)
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On your author Facebook page, marketing studies have proven that posting an image or photo along with EVERY post will get you more “likes” and interest. Make sure your FB page is linked to your Twitter account, too so you can cross-promote on both of these sites.
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Join kboards, like right now. Go hang out in the “Writer’s Café” and search through the marketing posts until your eyes bleed. (Well, maybe stop before that.) http://www.kboards.com/index.php?board=60.0There is a wealth of awesome book promotion advice on what works and what doesn’t. Plus, quite a few very generous, bestselling indie authors offer tons of great suggestions on a wide range of marketing topics.
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Sign up for BUCK BOOKS: http://buckbooks.net/buck-books-promotionsit is free and reaches a large email readership. In order to run a promotion with them, you don't have to pay anything, but you do have to agree to tell others about their service by either sending out a tweet or FB post and signing up for their affiliate account.
Book bloggers should become your best friends. Start creating a list of bloggers that will host a guest post or review your book(s). But it helps if a writer already has a few reviews posted on places like Amazon and goodreads, which will really help to persuade them to take a chance on an indie author.
You will need a professional letter to request reviews. When you finish writing an email “review request letter,” please send it to me and I’ll double-check it before you send it out. I know for a fact that my books have been bumped up a number of times on a reviewers TBR pile, because reviewers assumed that my book would be as professional as my review request. They'll start reading with the right impression.
You can search for book bloggers on Google and search “book blogger” and include your genre.
To find bloggers in your genre you can go to sites:
Each site has its own review policy. Use a spreadsheet to keep track of each blogger’s name, email, and website URL. And I would make sure to carefully follow the blogger’s instructions.
You must send your request in individual emails and use their names. You might consider collecting all the emails and sending out a giant blast, but this is considered spam. The only way to comply with the federal CAN-SPAM Act is to send your request one email at a time.
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Authors usually need more reviews posted on Amazon and goodreads to gain exposure. At least ten reviews on Amazon will help because “two digits” seem to be a magic number and anything less might hurt potential sales.
When I chat with other authors about obtaining reviews, it seems as though most writers struggle to get over twenty and have no idea how to get more posted.
Okay, I know some authors will want to burn me at the stake for this suggestion, but please hear me out…
To start, I suggest using Fiverr to get a few reviews posted straightaway, because you do get honest reviews and they will post them within a week. I know other authors who have done it and they’ve had great results. I’m not against paid book reviews nor do I consider it unethical. The paid reviews are honest and they will eventually be lost among the real ones that get posted with all those new sales you'll get.
Many authors are willing to pay hundreds of dollars for a Kirkus Review, but cringe at $5 for a regular one, which makes no sense. (Kirkus Reviews charges $425 for their basic review package. Personally, I'd rather pay $50.00 for ten honest reviews.) You can either give Fiverr sellers a link to download the book, or ask them for a “custom gig” to include the cost of your book to get an Amazon “verified purchase.”
However, here is my advice:
Only buy 10 reviews at a time for any book. Don’t ask for a positive review or tell them what to write. Make it clear to the person you hire that you want a normal, honest review. Don’t buy hundreds of them, but promoting a book (even to promotional sites like Bookbub that require a certain number of reviews be posted before they’ll accept your work) is much harder if you start with zero reviews on Amazon or goodreads.
Plus, a lot of advertising sites will not promote your book if you don't have any reviews up. Get a couple of them up there right away; it will make it much easier to get more. After you have 50+ regular reviews, then those first 10 reviews won’t matter anymore. (Once I bought seven Fiverr reviews for one of my books that only had two reviews posted at the time, but I asked the sellers notto leave five stars reviews and be honest. Once the reviews were posted, my sales increased a few weeks later and it helped my ranking.)
The goal is to get your books in front of readers and paying for some promotion that actually works is a smart choice.
You could post a few chapters on wattpad to entice readers to try your books with a request at the end of each chapter or placed at the end of the free sample to read the rest of the book. Wattpad is a community of more than 35 million users who are writing, reading, and sharing stories — all for free. Want to share a short story that’s tangential to your novel? Or tempt readers with an excerpt from your upcoming book? This might be the platform for you.
Wattpad marketing (http://wattpad.com is a popular website where people can read free books uploaded chapter by chapter by the authors using apps available on their computers or various mobile devices. Wattpad readers typically like their content in nuggets, and they may follow a book’s posting live, reading a chapter or two per week as it’s slowly uploaded. You can upload your book to sites like this to expand your reach, then include a link at the end of the chapters (or at the end of the larger work) to get the rest of the series.)
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You should become an Amazon affiliate and make extra money by using their links for your book(s) on your blog/website, and other social media. You can sign up to be an Amazon Affiliate here: http://affiliate-program.amazon.com
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Blog / website advice (Put links to your books EVERYWHERE to make it easy for readers to buy and even images should be labeled with something that drives traffic to your blog.)
Every image on your blog or website or posted on any social media, including book covers should be renamed/labeled with keywords that search engines will pick up on and send traffic to your sites. For example, almost all of my images include: sherry soule - author - young adult paranormal – romance
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Again, book bloggers can be helpful in promoting your work because they genuinely love reading and think of authors as rockstars. Having a guest post to offer can often boost sales or create interest in your books.
The problem is that bloggers are flooded with requests, and since there are about 4,000 books published daily, the system is overloaded. And readers generally don’t always review the books that they read.
So what’s an author to do?
Easy! Put together at least five guest posts on topics related to the book that you’re promoting and offer those in place of a review if the blogger is unavailable to review your work. Include your cover, the blurb, and links to buy the book at the end of each post, along with your Bio and social media links.
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If you have more than one book, then I suggest that you make one a “loss-leader” by making it either $0.99 or perma free. This will give new readers a chance to read your work and you’ll gain some new fans.
List one of your books with these sites whenever it’s free. Though some of them have minimum review requirements, meaning you have to a minimum number of 4+ star reviews.
Please consider helping me promote my newest novel, SMASH INTO YOU! I am still trying to build a readership, so Word-of-Mouth is the quickest way to reach more readers, but I can't do that on my own.
So this is a great way to pay-it-forward and support one of your favorite Indie authors—Me! So, I am reaching out to you and I'm hoping some of you will be kind enough to offer your help.
I've started a HeadTalker campaign to make things simple.HeadTalker helps me get my message shared on Facebook, Twitter, blogs, Pinterest, and Tumblr.
And all you have to do is click the link below, and then click one of the blue social media buttons to give my book a “shout out” on any of your social media. After you click one of the blue social media buttons, click “Add Support” on the window that pops up. Follow the steps until the blue social media button you clicked turns green.
The campaign is open for signups until June 17, 2015, at which time all of your tweets and tumbles and Facebooks will go live.I cannot tell you how much your support means to me.
Happy reading,
Sherry
0 Comments on Help Support Indie Authors! #IndieAuthor #BookPromo as of 6/12/2015 8:51:00 PM
This post is part of an ongoing series at The Open Book answering questions about book marketing and publicity.
With the 2015 American Library Association (ALA) conference just around the corner, many first-time authors are probably starting to get nervous, wondering what’s in store for them. Going to your first trade conference, book event, or signing can be incredibly daunting. It marks a transition from the very private and solitary process of creating a book to the very public process of interacting with readers directly and getting your book out into the world. This is by no means easy, but being in a public space with your book can be incredibly rewarding. Here are a couple things to keep in mind as you make the transition:
1. Your primary goal should be tolet people know about your book. Signing at a well-attended event like ALA is as much about visibility as it is about book sales. Your goal should be to engage with as many people as possible to let them know who you are and what your book is about. Sales often come naturally out of this engagement; and if they don’t, don’t be discouraged. Many book sales don’t happen on the show floor, as most librarians and other professionals order books through their systems. But a good conversation with a librarian can lead to copies being ordered for his/her branches.
2. Have something to hand out with your information on it. Many publishers create bookmarks or postcards for new titles – you should ask your publisher before the signing what materials they will be bringing. If they are not bringing handouts, or even if they are, you may also want to create your own postcard or brochure with more information and your own contact information. If you are looking to build your school visit business, consider creating a brochure about what you offer. This is a perfect opportunity to spread the word.
3. Come up with a one-liner “elevator pitch” about your book. The most common question people will ask if they stop at your signing is, “What is this book about?” Even though you have labored over your book for a very long time, this is sometimes a hard question to answer if you haven’t practiced. Before the conference or signing, have friends and family help you shape a one-sentence quick description of the book that you can offer to pique the interest of passersby.
4. Share more if someone looks interested. Your one-liner should draw people in, but if they are lingering and paging through your book, don’t be afraid to offer more information. Tell them about the process, the research you did, or what inspired you to write this story. Ask them questions about their interest and to build connections (“This book is about a jazz musician. Are you a jazz fan?”; “This book takes place in California – are you from California?”). These lines may sound cheesy, but delivered earnestly they can form a welcome bridge to further conversation.
5. Don’t be afraid of the actual ask. If you’ve been engaging with someone for a while and they seem reluctant to put your book down, it’s OK to ask them, “Would you like a signed copy?” For some authors, this can be a little scary, but the more you do it, the easier it will get. Some people will say yes; some will say no. Remember that it’s not a judgement on you or the quality of your book either way. If they say no, follow up by handing them a postcard or brochure to take with them. That book sale may come at a later time.
Valynne Maetani, author of Ink and Ashes, at a signing
6. When you are signing, be fully present – even during lulls. There are so many things going on at once during major conferences that competition is fierce, and you may well find yourself with a lull during your signing when no one is at your table. This is normal, and even very experienced authors sometimes face this. Don’t feel bad or be embarrassed – this is just a reality of book signings. During quiet periods, you can talk to the staff helping with your signing but be sure to stay open and receptive – i.e. don’t retreat to your phone, or turn away from the aisle. You never know when someone interested may wander past, and if you’re checked out, you will likely miss them.
7. One person brings more. It is a truth universally acknowledged that crowds breed more crowds. You may go a few minutes with no one at your signing, followed by a line of 7 or 8 people all at once. One interested person will attract others who are wondering what’s going on. Embrace this chaos. If you do have a crowd forming, respect the line and make sure you’re not spending too much time talking to any one person. If someone wants to have a long conversation with you, politely tell them, “I’m sorry, I need to sign for the next person but perhaps we can continue this conversation at a later point.”
For some great insights from the author end, I encourage you to read this series we asked experienced authors for their advice on planning a successful book signing:
Apart from these things, just remember to bring your lucky signing pen and you’ll do fine! The more events you do, the more comfortable you’ll get, and you may find that these opportunities to interact with readers inspire and motivate you as a creator in new ways.
Assumption. I am assuming here that you’ve written a fantastic children’s picture book and the illustrations you’ve done or hired done are amazing. You’ve also assembled an amazing book using InDesign (recommended) or other software. This checklist takes up the process at the point where you have the files ready to upload. The checklist is useful whether you are producing a print book or an ebook, although some items may not apply in one or the other cases.
Double-Check the Book’s Production
Front Cover
Double-check spelling of everything.
Color reproduction of the art.
Back cover
Double-check spelling of everything.
Blurbs, quote or promo copy – do you have all the marketing material on the back cover that is needed? Any recent review quotes to add?
Copyright page
(Assumption: you want to sell this book to school libraries. If you only want to sell it as an ebook, then you only need to check the copyright date, since you probably won’t use an ISBN.)
Copyright date correct?
ISBN correct (if used)?
CIP correct? Are you using Publisher’s Cataloging-in-Publication data, which helps librarians catalog your book?
Interior
Check spelling, grammar and punctuation on every page.
Check position and reproduction of art on every page.
(Why are there 32 pages listed?)
p. 1____Text _____Art
p. 2-3____Text _____Art
p. 4-5____Text _____Art
p. 6-7____Text _____Art
p. 8-9____Text _____Art
p. 10-11____Text _____Art
p. 12-13____Text _____Art
p. 14-15____Text _____Art
p. 16-17____Text _____Art
p. 18-19____Text _____Art
p. 20-21____Text _____Art
p. 22-23____Text _____Art
p. 24-25____Text _____Art
p. 26-27____Text _____Art
p. 28-29____Text _____Art
p. 30-31____Text _____Art
p. 32____Text _____Art
Marketing and Metadata Materials
Before you upload files, you’ll need your marketing material ready. I usually create a one-page Sell Sheet that includes the following information.
Exact Title:
Subtitle:
Series Name and Volume of this book:
ISBN, ASIN, and price for each format:
Description
The description is the time to hook your reader. The first 50 characters should give enough information to interest a reader in your book. Limited html is allowed on many platforms, so I often prepare two versions, one plain text and one marked up for html. For Kindle, you have 4000 characters–which is a lot. Use a word processor that counts the number of characters and use all of this valuable real estate.
Categories
Depending on the platform used, you may be asked to provide two or three categories. You can refer to the BISAC categories as a guidelines, but each platform may have its own quirks for this.
1.
2.
3.
Keywords
To help the book buyer find your book, most platforms allow you to insert from 5-7 keywords. You should have these ready; see Amazon’s advice on keywords.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Age Levels
Often a platform will allow you to specify the age range for the book’s audience. Don’t try to cover every age (ages 1-15). Instead, choose a 3-4 year range. Typical ranges are ages 4-8, ages 5-8, ages 6-8, ages 8-12, ages 9-12, ages 12-15, and so on.
File Size
If you plan to publish the ebook on Kindle, you should know the file size. Full color children’s picture books are often 4-8 MGs of data. Because Kindle charges a delivery fee of $0.15 in the US, you’ll want to know this to decide on pricing.
Price for Different Formats
If you upload to multiple platforms, you’ll likely want to be sure to keep the data the same across them. It helps to write out your prices; be sure to update this data whenever you change it on one platform.
Cover Files
While I’m preparing marketing materials, I also like to create multiple versions of my cover files. I label them with the size and the resolution, so it’s easy to find later. Here are typical sizes I create for a square picture book cover, 8.5″ x 8.5″ It’s simple to create multiple files when the Photoshop program is already open, and saves me time later. Usually, I create jpeg files, but sometimes, I’ll repeat for .png files.
Cover-2500×2500-300.jpg (This means the cover is 2500 px by 2500 px at 300 dpi.)
Cover-2500×2500-150.jpg (This means the cover is 2500 px by 2500 px at 150 dpi. Some like to also prepare files at 96 dpi or 72 dpi for use on the web.)
Cover-1000×1000-300.jpg
Cover-1000×1000-150.jpg
Cover-500×500-300.jpg
Cover-500×500-150.jpg
Cover-250×250-300.jpg
Cover-250×250-150.jpg
With the Sell Sheet complete, and the books cover and interior files ready to go, it’s time to upload. Good luck with your book!
In anticipation for the upcoming re-releases of both my MG/YA time travel books with Mirror World Publishing, I’ve decided to hire a book promotion specialist to help with the process of setting up and running a book blog tour. I’ve learned in the past that for me, it’s easier to delegate rather than take on certain tasks. However, if you love the thought of being in the driver’s seat and setting up your own book blog tour, then this post is for you.
Below is a 15 point checklist for planning your virtual book blog tour. It’s not rocket science, but it will give an author an idea of the different steps that are needed to pull off a successful book blog tour.
·Make sure you plan at least 2-3 months in advance.
·Determine your goals for your book tour. Remember you’re bringing awareness to your book(s) so make sure you’re clear on what you want to get across to potential readers.
·What type of tour will you be running? Book blast? New release?
·Determine the length of your tour and the tour dates.
·Are you going to run a contest during your book tour?
·Decide whether or not to offer giveaways or discounts. I usually use Rafflecopter to run a giveaway. It’s easy and picks the winner at the end of the tour.
·Make a list of prospective hosts and research them. Hint: pull from your well of blogger author friends who write in the same genre as you do. You’ll be able to pay them back when they do a book tour.
·Write an invitation and send to your top prospects.
·Correspond with hosts and send confirmations.
·Set-up a schedule of tour stops.
·Post schedule on your blog or website.
·Plan your promotional strategy, and include your tour hosts. Some may want to do a review. Others may want to share an excerpt. Do up a top ten list or dream cast based on your book. There are plenty of ideas to draw from!
·Write articles/posts and send to your hosts at least ten days in advance. Don’t forget any images you may want to include.
·Set-up a daily routine to follow during your book tour.
·Finally—this is a must—make sure you COMMENT on each of your host’s blog. Check in periodically to see if anyone has commented, and reply to them. This is a common courtesy, and your hosts are going out of their way to help support you and your book.
BTW—my virtual book blog tour for The Last Timekeepers and the Arch of Atlantis begins June 17th and finishes on June 26th. I’ve hired Sapphyria’s Book Promotionsto do most of the leg work on this one. It should be a blast! I’ll be posting the tour schedule on my blog in the near future, so stay tuned!
Thanks a heap for reading my blog. Authors, if you have time, please leave a comment and share how you go about organizing a virtual book blog tour. If you’re a reader, please share what you enjoy about virtual book blog tours? The giveaways? A chance at winning an awesome prize? Engaging with the author? Finding a new author? I’d appreciate your input. Cheers!
0 Comments on Virtual Book Tours 101… as of 5/25/2015 4:09:00 AM
What agents are selling young adult (YA) novels? Publishersmarketplace.com does a great job of monitoring the business of selling manuscripts to publishers. If you’re looking for an agent, you’ll want to spend a lot of time there doing research on agents to find the perfect match for you and your stories. Here’s just one way to look at the agents for young adult novels. This list includes information on the agent, links to his/her agency and the number of young adult deals made in the last twelve months. Please note that the agent/agency may have made many other deals in addition to these; these are limited to those self-reported by the agent/agency in the category of middle grade. For more information, go to Publishersmarketplace.com (you must pay to join to see full information).
I did a similar report on YA agents in 2013. At that time, I only listed the top 10 YA agents, who represented 72 deals. This time, the top 10 agents report 85 sales. This could be due to a couple reasons: first, Publisher’s Marketplace relies on agents to self-report. This means that the agents are, for the first time, in a sort of competition for rankings. Reporting more sales means they are ranked higher, which gives prestige and possibly brings in more prospective clients. Second, it could mean that sales are up for picture books. We hope the latter is the case, but suspect the first reason has much to do with the increased number of sales.
What agents are selling middle grade novels? Publishersmarketplace.com does a great job of monitoring the business of selling manuscripts to publishers. If you’re looking for an agent, you’ll want to spend a lot of time there doing research on agents to find the perfect match for you and your stories. Here’s just one way to look at the agents for middle grade novels. This list includes information on the agent, links to his/her agency and the number of middle grade deals made in the last twelve months. Please note that the agent/agency may have made many other deals in addition to these; these are limited to those self-reported by the agent/agency in the category of middle grade. For more information, go to Publishersmarketplace.com (you must pay to join to see full information).
This is the second of three articles on current agents for children’s books. See also Picture Book Agents and YA Agents lists (link is live on 4/29).
I did this roundup of middle grade agents in 2013 and you may want to compare the list from then. At that time, I only listed the top 10 agents, who represented 60 sales. This time, the top 10 middle grade agents report 80 sales. There may be two reasons for this. First, Publisher’s Marketplace relies on agents to self-report. This means that the agents are, for the first time, in a sort of competition for rankings. Reporting more sales means they are ranked higher, which gives prestige and possibly brings in more prospective clients. Second, it could mean that sales are up for middle grade novels. We hope the latter is the case, but suspect the first reason has much to do with the increased number of sales.
Sarah Davies (Greenhouse Literary Agency), 15 deals. Website
Jennifer Laughran (Andrea Brown Literary Agency), 14 deals. Website
If you look up the word morale in any dictionary chances are it reads: the degree of mental or moral confidence of a person or group. For me, as an author, morale means much more than that. It is that needed punch in the arm authors give each other, that WOO-HOO for a 5 star review, that tweet or share or shout out to help authors with their sales, and that blog post comment to help them get on the cyber map.
So how do you go about bolstering author morale? Follow the Golden rule. Treat other authors precisely as you wish them to treat you. If they don’t respond at once, keep at it, again and again and again. If there’s no response, no Esprit de Corps among them, then it may be time to move on and find another group of authors willing to help build your author platform with you. Then, once you’ve establish an Esprit de Corps, you go the extra mile.
Going the extra mile is the state of mind you must develop in order to build morale and keep the momentum going in ANY endeavor. And going the extra mile makes you indispensable to others. You do for them what no one else does. And if they ask what they can do for you, tell them. So the next time you find yourself perusing your favorite social network — go the extra mile and give an author a boost. Share their wares. Like their post. Comment on their blog. Tweet their stuff. Friend and follow them. Trust me—you’ll get it back in aces.
Thanks a heap for reading my blog. Authors, if you have time, please leave a comment and share what you do to go the extra mile with other authors. If you’re a reader, please share what you do to boost your favorite author’s presence? I’d appreciate your input. Cheers!
0 Comments on Shouldering Author Morale… as of 1/1/1900
What agents are selling picture books? Publishersmarketplace.com does a great job of monitoring the business of selling manuscripts to publishers. If you’re looking for an agent, you’ll want to spend a lot of time there doing research on agents to find the perfect match for you and your stories. Here’s just one way to look at the agents for picture books. This list includes information on the agent, links to his/her agency and the number of picture book deals made in the last twelve months. Please note that the agent/agency may have made many other deals in addition to these; these are limited to those self-reported by the agent/agency in the category of picture books. For more information, go to Publishersmarketplace.com (you must pay to join to see full information).
This is the first of three articles on current agents for children’s books. See also Middle Grade Agents and YA Agents lists (Links will be live next week).
Interesting, when I did this in 2013, the top 20 picture book agents had reported 171 sales. This time, the top 20 agents are reporting 234 sales. This could be due to a couple reasons: first, Publisher’s Marketplace relies on agents to self-report. This means that the agents are, for the first time, in a sort of competition for rankings. Reporting more sales means they are ranked higher, which gives prestige and possibly brings in more prospective clients. Second, it could mean that sales are up for picture books. We hope the latter is the case, but suspect the first reason has much to do with the increased number of sales.
Press releases are a powerful content marketing tool. They generate visibility about a specific event within your business.
According to Women in Business About.com, "A press release is a written communication reporting specific, but brief information about an event, circumstance, or other happening typically tied to a business or organization."
Below is an example of a press release from an
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This post is part of an ongoing series at The Open Book answering questions about book marketing and publicity.
In our last Marketing 101 post, I discussed what to do while waiting for your book to release. One of those recommendations was to refine your online presence. Today I’ll drill down into more detail on that point, focusing on the place where your online presence starts:
your website.
These days, it is absolutely essential for any published author or illustrator to maintain a personal website. I repeat: it is essential!Using your publisher’s website as your online home base is not a good solution for a couple reasons:
1) You may have many different publishers over the course of your career, and there won’t be one place where people can see all your books.
2) Publishers won’t have room for all the information you’ll want to include.
3) You need to be able to update your website as often as you need to, without going through a third party.
Some authors choose to create their own sites, while some choose to hire a company to design sites for them (I would advise against having a personal friend build your website unless they are able to teach you to manage and update it yourself). This blog post has some great suggestions for how to build a site yourself. Of the DIY options, WordPress is probably the most popular free option, while Squarespace is a good paid option that provides some additional functionalities like e-commerce. The most important thing to consider when choosing where/how to build your site is sustainability: will you be able to maintain and update the website easily on your own once it is built?
Websites can range from the very basic to the very complicated, but all author websites should include a few key pages:
Bio and author photo. Every website should have an “About” section where people can learn who you are, where you’re from, and what inspires you. Offer more than what people can glean from flap copy alone. Some authors choose to offer both a short bio and a longer bio. We recommend also offering a link to a hi-resolution author photo that people can download for use in event promotions, reviews, etc. If you’ve done any interviews, you should also post links to them here. Not only does this offer additional ways to learn more about you, but it’s a nice way of showing off some of the media coverage you’ve accrued.
Books. No author website is complete without an UPDATED list of all your books. At the bare minimum, you should include the title, cover, and a brief description of each book. For upcoming books, include a release date – and don’t forget to change the book to available once it is released. If you have space, you should also include some of the book’s positive reviews and any awards that the book has won. Finally, always include links for people to purchase the book directly: we recommend linking to Indiebound, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and the Author’s Website.
Events and Appearances. What kinds of visits do you do? What ages do you work with? If you have an education background or any special skills that make you especially good as a presenter, include them here. You may also want to ask contacts from past school visits if they are willing to write testimonials that you can share here. You may even want to include a few photos or video from one of your visits. You don’t need to include honorarium information, but you do need to include a contact where people can learn more. If you don’t want to be your own contact, use a contact from one of your publishers for visit inquiries.
Social Media and Contact Information. Links to any social media channels you use should be front and center on your page, so people can find you easily. Only link to social media channels you keep updated—if you only posted on Twitter once, two years ago, it’s best not to direct people there until you begin using the platform regularly. Also include a way for people to reach you: this could be through a general email address, a direct email address, or even through snail mail sent to your publisher at your attention. You can choose to be as reachable as you want, as long as you offer some way for readers to get in touch.
Those are the four absolute must-haves for any author website. Beyond that, there are a few other elements that I’d recommend including if you are able:
Schedule/Upcoming Events. This is not a necessity, but some authors like to keep an updated list of the events they will be attending on their websites. It’s a great way to promote events you’ll be at and encourage fans to come out to support you, and it can also help generate additional event invitations. There’s one caveat: only add this page if you are going to keep it updated. There’s nothing worse than an author website that lists “Upcoming Events” that actually took place years ago.
Resources. Some authors create additional resources to go with their books, but even if you don’t create your own, it is likely that someone else will. Your website is a great place to compile these so readers can find them. You can link to these resources on your book page, or create a separate page for them. Either way, making these resources available through your website will help educators who want to use your books with students.
Email Collection. From the release of your first book (and even before that), you should work to build up your base of contacts. An easy way to do this is to create a place on your website to capture emails, where people can subscribe to receive updates on your work. Most website building platforms should have an easy way to do this. Building an email list can go a long way in helping you promote new titles when they are released.
Beyond these elements, the sky is the limit. Your website should reflect you, so feel free to include other pieces of information that you think readers would like. Whatever you do, your first priority should always be to keep your website UPDATED with your newest book information (even between books), so it doesn’t become obsolete.
Great post full of valuable information that I was looking for while I prepare for release of my MG historical fiction, THE LAST CHERRY BLOSSOM, in Spring 2016.
Remember that kid who decided to take apart a toy just to see how it worked? And then, surprise…that same kid couldn’t figure out how to put it back together again. We authors can sure learn something from that one kid. We can learn how to use reverse engineering to figure out why readers buy our books. Think about it. Kids take something (computer, radio controlled car, Barbie dolls) apart to see how it works, get to the guts of what makes that thing go, run, fly, burp. So why shouldn’t authors be able to take apart the sale that lured readers to buy the book in the first place?
The first question you should ask yourself is: Why did you purchase insert name of book? Was it because it was your friend’s book? Perhaps a suggestion? Or a book you learned about through a review? Was it an emotional purchase? A New York Times Bestseller? Or was the book part of Oprah’s book club? I want you to chase down the sale and figure out what made you buy that certain book. Got it? Good.
Now once you do this kind of reverse engineering you can build a profile for the sale. You get to see how a sale is built. You get to know how the book market works. That’s when you can develop a marketing strategy for your own books. Get it? Great.
A lot of times you’ll find the answer is word of mouth via the social media, or a friend suggested the book (or wrote it), or they passed by a bookstore window and the cover caught their eye. Even Oprah has the golden touch. Dig deep, and find the reason for that sale.
While doing my own reverse engineering, I suddenly saw this quote from Bill Gates in my Twitter feed: “You’re most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning.” That’s when it hit me. Book reviews. Not the one-star reviews you get from trolls, but those reviews that seem sincere, yet only give you a 3 star. Those are gold. Use these kinds of reviews to fine tune your writing. Listen, really listen to what the reader/reviewer is conveying to you, and apply their advice in your next book if it rings true with you. I know you can’t please everyone, but you can certainly make changes in your writing that will help boost your book sales and reach new readers.
Thanks a heap for reading my blog. Authors, if you have time, please leave a comment and share what you do to track down your book sales. If you’re a reader, please share what leads you to buy a certain book? I’d appreciate your input. Cheers!
0 Comments on Building Book Sales using the Reverse Engineering Method… as of 1/1/1900
Welcome to Weekend Links! As usual I have encountered some pretty amazing book-related articles, programs and links that I want to share with my book-loving readers.Enjoy!
My beloved Head Elf and Virtual Assistant Becky shared with me that she personally thought Big Hero 6 was the best kids movie that she’d seen awhile (she also said she would love her own personal Baymax). Here’s another person, and more reasons to love Big Hero 6: INTERVIEW: Big Hero 6 Producer Roy Conli Talks About Multiculturalism and Cool Nerds.
What Do Muslims Really Want Anyway?! 17 Books on Muslim World for Kids via @PragmaticMom
Are you a new author or an existing author with published works you need help promoting? I was fortunate enough to find some really good articles this week about that very topic:
Book Marketing 101: Five Things to Do Before Your Book is Released via LEE and LOW
How Successful Authors Use Social Media to Sell More Books – The Write Life
Is Social Media a Good Thing for Writers? (Pros, Cons and My Tips)
By now, many of you know that our much-anticipated Waldorf Homeschool Handbook is HERE! Not only is it here, it’s been selling like hotcakes!
Waldorf Homeschool Handbook is perfect for homeschooling families who are looking for an all-in-one homeschooling guide filled with samples of lesson plans and curriculum, along with helpful hints and the secrets behind the three Areas for Optimum Learning. This wonderful resource for homeschoolers was written by author and homeschool expert Donna Ashton. If you have not grabbed your copy of the Waldorf Homeschool Handbook, we recommend that you do it ASAP! For extended book details and ordering information go HERE The Waldorf Homeschool Handbook
This post is the first in an ongoing series we’ll run answering questions about book marketing and publicity.
So, here you are: you’ve gone through the long, grueling process of writing draft after draft of your book. You’ve gotten an agent, who then sold it to an editor. You’ve revised and revised, until finally it’s ready to go to print. And now…you wait.
Authors often ask me: What can I do while I’m waiting for my book to come out? Here are five of my top suggestions:
1. Develop your list of contacts. It may seem obvious, but one of the most important things you can do while waiting for your book to be released is to simply put together a list of all your professional and personal contacts who you think should know about your book. This includes family, friends, coworkers, professional contacts, fellow writers, and contacts from any communities you’re personally connected to: religious communities, volunteer organizations, even neighborhood restaurants where you’re a regular. Don’t be shy! All of these people will be excited to find out that you’ve published a book, and many of them will want to support you by buying a copy. Create a clean list of email addresses so that when the book is released, you can easily send out an email to everyone to let them know (even if you are connected to many of these people on Facebook, studies show that they will be more likely to make a purchase from a direct email). After that, don’t forget to add new contacts to your list as you meet new people at conferences or events.
2. Reach out to your local bookstore about hosting a launch party. As soon as you have a release date for your book, get in touch with your local bookstore to see if they would be willing to host a launch party for you. Many bookstores are happy to do this, especially for local authors. Launch parties at bookstores are a win/win: you get a space for hosting and don’t have to worry about handling book sales yourself, and bookstores get an influx of people who are excited to purchase books. Coordinate with your publisher to make sure you pick a launch date when books will definitely be available.
Photo from the launch party of Juna’s Jar
3. Refine your online presence. Now is the time to make sure that your online presence is everything you want it to be and contains all the most updated information about you. This means, first and foremost, having a clean and updated website. Put a book cover, release information, and any reviews you’ve received on your website as soon as possible. You may feel like only your mom visits your website now, but once your book comes out, traffic will increase, and your website should be in top shape before then. You should also use this time to decide which, if any, social media platforms you want to use. Delete accounts you don’t use instead of letting them languor un-updated for years (or, at the very least, add links that redirect people to your website) and start getting in the habit of updating content regularly on any platforms you want to use.
4. Come up with a list of topics related to your book. Book releases today are almost always accompanied by blog tours or some other type of blog coverage. You can do your part to get ready for this by putting together a list of topics related to your book on which you would be willing to write guest posts or answer questions. These could include anything from the research you did for the book to your playlist of songs you listened to while revising. Be creative! Share this list with your publishers so they can use it when shaping their pitches for bloggers. They may also work with you to shape some of these topics into longer pieces to pitch to online or print publications.
5. Get to know local opportunities. Spend some time looking into any local or state book awards for which you might be eligible, and pass them on to your publisher to make sure they are submitting your book. Are there any book fairs or book festivals in your area? The deadlines for getting on panels at these events are often many months before the event happens, so the earlier you find out about them, the better the chances that you’ll be able to participate. Don’t assume your publisher already knows about everything; while publishers have extensive lists of awards and book festivals, no one knows your area better than you, and you may find something they’ve missed.
Bonus tip: Don’t be afraid to bother your publisher! Even if they’re busy, they’ll appreciate the work that you are doing to prepare for your book release and be happy to work with you.
What am I missing? Feel free to share your suggestions in the comments.
In the next installment of this series, I’ll answer the question: What do I need to include on my author website? (use the links in the top left sidebar to subscribe so you won’t miss it.)
Sometimes it’s difficult to get a bookstore to do a launch, especially if you live far out in the country or if your book is published by a small press. I’d suggest being creative. When ShadowPlay Press published SEAN’S WAR by L. Anderson, middle-grade historical fiction, the book launch was held in a tiny, log cabin at the reconstructed Apple River Fort that is featured in the book. The sequel was launched at a coffee shop. One of my novels was published by a small press, namelos, and the public library was happy to host its launch.
I’d also suggest a special mailing to teachers near your home. If it’s your first book, you’ll want to offer some free school visits to learn the ropes, and starting locally saves time and gas money.
As an author I had to ask myself this question: do we sell a product (book) or an experience (memory)? I recently read a marketing post where there was a study conducted in which people were asked if they would prefer to purchase a product (car, couch, etc.) or an experience (holiday, concert, etc.), and guess what most said? Yup. You guessed it. An experience.
So this got me to thinking that authors have it pretty good. Yes, we sell a product whether it’s a book or an ebook or an audio-book or all three. We still have to market and promote these ‘products’ in order for our consumers (readers) to find them. But once our books are in the hands of readers, magic happens and they’re whisked away into another place, and another time. We authors create an experience for each of our readers. And that’s the payoff. Experiences tend to have a lasting effect on people. Sure, buy a car and you’ve got that new car smell for about a year. But I bet you remember going to your first concert, don’t you? Or maybe your first trip to Disneyland? I certainly do.
If you purchase a book, true you may lose it, but I guarantee you that story will stay with you for years to come if the tale hits an emotional cord. And isn’t that why we authors are in this vocation to begin with?
And since February is my birthday month, I’m hoping to generate lasting memories for readers by offering two Goodreads Giveways. One for The Last Timekeepers and the Arch of Atlantis, and one for the prequel to my time travel series, Legend of the Timekeepers. BTW—both giveaways are international so no one is left out in the cold! Happy Birthday to me!
NOTE: This post was originally featured on Susan Gourley’s blog. You can find out about this wonderful fantasy, romance, and science fiction author who also writes as Susan Kelley HERE.
During November 2014, I decided to go gung-ho and promote my two time travel books. So I prepared a plan and outlined it HERE. This is gist of my book promo strategy:
1. I created a Goodreads Giveaway for The Last Timekeepers and the Arch of Atlantis, and the prequel to the series, Legend of the Timekeepers. I offered only one signed paperback book, and included signed trading cards. I made these giveaways international, hoping to reach a lot of readers worldwide, and ran it for the first three weeks in November.
2. I signed up for a month-long Holiday Giveaway with Mother Daughter Book Reviews. The prize was a Kindle Fire HD Kids Edition Tablet, perfect for the upcoming holiday season. I was hoping to reach my target audience with this giveaway, since Mother Daughter focuses on reviewing children and middle grade books. The price of being part of the giveaway was $10, so it seemed a no-brainer to me.
3. Along with doing the Holiday Giveaway with Mother Daughter Book Reviews, an offer was given to authors to support Daughter by purchasing a $30 coupon book for her school’s fundraising campaign. And the offer? A promotion package which included advertising my book cover on the site’s sidebar for 30 days (which gets about 50,000 views monthly), plus a book review, and a two week Mini Social Media Blitz. Normally this promotion would have cost me over $70, so it seemed like a win-win to me! Plus the coupon book has already paid for itself! LOL!
4. As I mentioned in the outline, I’m part of this fantastic tween author group called Emblazon. We planned a HUGE Rafflecopter giveaway for a new Kindle preloaded with over 50 of the Emblazoners middle grade books which ran for the first 2 weeks of November. In addition, a Facebook party was set up for three days where readers could interact with authors and win great prizes. This was all to advertise the release our 2014-2015 Winter catalogue in time for the holiday season.
5.I participated at the Windsor-Essex Book Expo on Sunday, November 23rd to build my brand, connect with local authors, and meet readers. Along with my paperbacks, I brought a huge jar of Twizzlers® to hand out to the kids and adults, signed trading cards, and postcards.
And the results…drum roll please:
Goodreads Giveaways: What a surprise here folks! I couldn’t believe the entries I received. For The Last Timekeepers and the Arch of Atlantis, I had 2100 entries—a new record! And for Legend of the Timekeepers, I garnered 1502 readers wanting to win—another record! One book ended up going to Turkey for a cost of $11.65, and the second book surprisingly went to Quebec, Canada for $4.10. Not bad if you include the price of the books ($10 each). I was more after exposure here, which I got big-time. Plus I connected with one of the winners, who said he’d write a review for me.
Mother Daughter Book Reviews Holiday Giveaway: There were 34,002 entries for the Kindle Fire Kid’s Edition. Not bad in my books! Congrats to winner Joelle D. Again, exposure was the name of the game here. I wanted to get my book out in front of my target audience, and generate interest in my author brand.
Promotion Package with Mother Daughter Book Reviews: This finished December 8th, and I have to say I got some pretty good buzz with this promo plus a wonderful book review. I reached new Twitter followers, and received some more likes on Facebook. The shocker came on December 8th when my Amazon Bestseller Rank skyrocketed from 700,000 to 97,000. Um…huh? I didn’t see that coming, especially since my rank in November kept going down. Must have done something right!
Emblazon Preloaded Kindle Giveaway: I was mildly disappointed with the Facebook party, but we held strong and got a few readers stopping by to comment during my allotted time. In fact, I believe the winner of my ebook was a book reviewer, so you never know! We did manage to get more likes on our Emblazon Facebook page, so I feel we did okay. As for generating interest in our 2014-2015 Winter Catalog, the stats are in: 222 new subscribers for a total of 338 subscribers for our catalog! We’ve only been doing this for 2 years, and we’re all very HAPPY with these results! The Emblazoners even purchased another Kindle during the Black Friday sales for the next promotion. So stay tuned…
Windsor-Essex Book Expo:This event has all to do with location, location, location. And it wasn’t the best location for walk-in traffic. That said, I did sell seven books, so after factoring in the cost of renting a table ($35) and buying the candy ($10), I come away with about $25 in my pocket. Um…considering this event ran from 10 am to 5 pm, I made about $3.57 an hour. Again, this was about networking with other authors and meeting perspective readers—which I did. Plus the licorice was a BIG hit, and was a great ice breaker! I also made a few author connections too. Would I do this event again? Sure, and hopefully next year’s venue will be in a high traffic area.
Bottom line:With all the promotion and marketing I did during November 2014, my Amazon author rank and sales dropped drastically until AFTER December 8th, when my rank took a surprising turn for the better. Not sure why it took so long, but so happy it did! This whole author/promoter/marketer business is one crazy roller coaster ride to begin with. What did happen during the month that surprised me was that a 19-year-old reader from the Netherlands connected with me through Goodreads, and we struck up a relationship. She loves my books, and even reread the prequel and sent me a detailed email asking questions about the book. She even asked if she could review my writing in the future, so I think I’ve found my dream beta reader. Now that’s a super fan! And truthfully, this is what authors are after in the long run—cultivating relationships with readers that will last a lifetime.
Only time will tell whether these promotion strategies will translate into long term sales, but since I’m in for the long haul, I feel most were good investments.
Plans for 2015:I want to finish up the second book in my time travel series by spring to submit to my publisher this year, plus I'm going to have anniversary book blasts in May and August for my existing MG/YA books. There will also be at least four Goodreads Giveaways during 2015, so stay tuned for those contests. I’m within chapters of finishing revising and editing my first book—a paranormal romance with a Beauty and the Beast twist—my agent has requested, and hope to have the MS in her hands in February. I wanted to get The Last Timekeepers and Arch of Atlantis and Legend of the Timekeepers out on audio books, but have found that this Amazon service is only available to residents of the US and UK. Bummer. I'm hoping that Amazon's audio book service (ACX) will open up to the Canadian authors in the near future.
Authors—what promotional strategies have worked for you? What haven’t? Readers—what book promotions seem to hook your attention? Love to hear from you! Cheers and thank you for reading my post!
0 Comments on Book Promotion 101… as of 1/12/2015 5:58:00 AM
Join Leslie Helakoski and Darcy Pattison in Honesdale PA for a spring workshop, April 23-26, 2015. It's a great Christmas present to yourself or a writer friend! Full info here.
COMMENTS FROM THE 2014 WORKSHOP:
"This conference was great! A perfect mix of learning and practicing our craft."�Peggy Campbell-Rush, 2014 attendee, Washington, NJ
"Darcy and Leslie were extremely accessible for advice, critique and casual conversation."�Perri Hogan, 2014 attendee, Syracuse,NY
Did you know that Amazon.com now has FOLLOW buttons for authors?
Amazon now allows customers to FOLLOW authors.
Indie authors have been lobbying for a SUBSCRIBE button on Amazon, which would allow a customer to essentially authorize a purchase of any new book from a particular author. That’s probably going too far for Amazon!
It works well for services like Patreon.com, which allow people to authorize a certain payment, say $1.00, every time a musician uploads a new video. This type of patronage is an interesting new business model that is as old as the arts, but is new in being codified online. Authors are using it to fund podcasts, short stories and other writing. It’s only limited by the author’s imagination and the fan’s ability/desire to help the author achieve certain goals which remaining financially stable.
Amazon’s FOLLOW button won’t go as far as a SUBSCRIBE, but it certainly gives authors incentive to develop their fans and audience on Amazon. Right now, I might boast about 1355 Pinterest followers, 469 Facebook Fan Page followers, 1205 Twitter followers, and a readership on this blog of over 350,000+. But none of those are directly tied to selling your book. 1000 Amazon Author followers, though, would mean that 1000 people are emailed whenever you have a new book come out. Amazon has done a great job of giving authors access to their book listings through AuthorCentral. Allowing fans to Follow an author on Amazon is a new and very interesting twist. So far, I haven’t seen any counts, so I don’t know if the number of your Followers will be shown publicly. Have you see that yet?
Will Amazon’s FOLLOW button replace an author’s mailing list?
It shouldn’t replace your efforts to build your mailing list. The main difference is the question of who owns the list. Using the Amazon FOLLOW button, Amazon will own the list of names and will use it according to their policies–and whims. If you build a mailing list–people who give you permission to contact them–then YOU own the list and can use it according to your policies–and whims.
And I have to ask: Please sign up for my newsletter, which emails new posts as they are posted. You’ll also receive occasional other messages about new books, events, etc.
Get FICTION NOTES updates by email and receive a free eBook: AFTER THE FIRST DRAFT
Join Leslie Helakoski and Darcy Pattison in Honesdale PA for a spring workshop, April 23-26, 2015. It's a great Christmas present to yourself or a writer friend! Full info here.
COMMENTS FROM THE 2014 WORKSHOP:
"This conference was great! A perfect mix of learning and practicing our craft."�Peggy Campbell-Rush, 2014 attendee, Washington, NJ
"Darcy and Leslie were extremely accessible for advice, critique and casual conversation."�Perri Hogan, 2014 attendee, Syracuse,NY
As I’ve watched the growth of children’s independent publishing this year, it’s clear that there’s a major problem: an inflated number of reviews.
In the independent world, a review on Amazon, GoodReads, LibraryThing, etc. is gold. Many of the publicity possibilities open to self-published folks depend on gaining a certain number of reviews on your book.
The biggest and most influential promotion service, Bookbub.com, is a subscription service that sends email to millions of readers about eBook specials. After its launch in 2012, it grew rapidly, found big investors last year and now commands a huge audience. Originally supported by independent authors and publishers, it currently reserves 25-50% of its ads for traditional publishers. In the independent world, it’s considered crucial to your book’s success to “get a Bookbub.” During the days your book is listed at FREE or reduced rates of $0.99 or $1.99, the book may download thousands of copies.
One local friend said his first Bookbub, he had 12,000 downloads of his free title. He’s typical of many indie authors because he has a series of books. Of the 12,000 who downloaded Book 1 for free, a couple thousand bought Book 2, 3 and 4. The sales of the other books in the series paid for the BookBub ad, and left him capital to do another book in the series.
A year ago, you wouldn’t be considered for a Bookbub with fewer than 25 reviews on your title. These day, I’ve heard more like 75-100 reviews are needed. When you apply for a BookBub ad, you’re told that they accept less than 20% of the applications.
What’s an author to do? Reviews on Amazon are GOLD! Reviews on Amazon might get you a BookBub Ad–which might get you thousands and thousands of downloads. Which might mean you have a chance of selling other books.
Yes, reviews on Amazon are GOLD! When an author asks you to review a book on Amazon, it’s crucial.
Social Proof. Reviews on online stores is considered proof that others like a certain product, or social proof. Even negative reviews are good because they are proof that the product hasn’t received reviews from only friends and family.
Comparison of Reviews of Two Books
I am going to compare the reviews of two books in a neutral manner. That is, I’ll set aside my personal evaluations of the quality of the titles. One is a hugely popular, free, independent title, while the other is the winner of the 2014 National Book Award for Young People Literature. From that alone, you might suspect that one is better than the other, and on that, I’ll make no statement because it’s not the point here. You may also suspect that the NBA Award winner would have far and away more reviews. Wrong.
This may not be the fairest comparison: picture books and novels may not receive the same amount of reviews. It’s just that these two books came to my attention at about the same time and I was struck by the difference in the number and quality of the reviews for each book.
Comparison of books: picture book v. novel; self-published v. traditionally published; ebook only v. available in many formats.
Comparison of the Amazon Reviews
As of today, Lily Lemon Blossom’s Welcome, by Barbara Miller has 3569 reviews with an average rating of 4.0 out of 5.0 stars.
5 Stars: 1932
4 Stars: 627
3 Stars: 389
2 Stars: 201
1 Stars: 420
As of today, Brown Girl Dreaming, by Jacqueline Woodson has 50 reviews with an average rating of 4. 8 out of 5.0.
5 Stars: 42
4 Stars: 7
3 Stars: 0
2 Stars: 0
1 Stars: 1
How is it that an eBook-only picture-book has 3569 reviews? It’s easy, if she’s done multiple Bookbub ads. With 12,000 people downloading a typical FREE eBook advertised in Bookbub, a clever author puts prominent links asking for reviews at the back of the ebook. The ASK is important because it tells people of the need for reviews. Again, it’s one of the popular techniques of today’s independent author, a method that successfully gets multiple reviews on books.
Or is it that easy? In the face of such overwhelming numbers, it’s easy to be suspicious that the reviews are inflated somehow. No one can provide evidence to prove or disprove it–yet the suspicions remain. It’s certainly possible for all those reviews to be bonafide, given the surprising power of a Bookbub. Are book reviews artificially inflated somehow just for the possibilities of promotions like BookBub? Or does BookBub allow for for the inflated number of reviews?
Does it mean that one or the other sells better or makes more money? There’s no way to know unless the authors were to speak out on their incomes. It’s easy to say that both are selling well and making money.
Is this just the difference in a “popular” book and a “literary” book? Possibly. Do popular books may get more discussion surrounding them than literary books? Or do authors of popular books just emphasize reviews more than authors of literary books?
When is 420 One-Star Reviews NOT a Bad Thing?
When it is countered by 1932 5-star reviews?
The thing about reviews is that people tend to artificially inflate their opinion of a book. Many people will say, “I don’t like to trash a book. I only want to give good reviews.” It may actually be a good thing that 420 people felt honest enough to give Lily Lemon Blossom a very bad review.
In the end, the 420 matter less than the total of 3569 overall reviews. The fact that so many chose to leave ANY kind of review helps sell the book and the rest of the books in its series. It’s a book that many people are talking about, so there must be something to it, right? People download the free introductory book to find out what the discussion is about.
Get Thee a Goodly Number of Reviews!
In the midst of all of this, I am an a hybrid author who would love to see 3569 reviews on my traditionally and independently published books. Don’t you want overwhelming reviews on YOUR book?
But it’s daunting. To get that many reviews, I need a Bookbub; to get a BookBub, I need 75-100 reviews minimum and then a lot so luck; the Bookbub might then be a springboard to even more views and possibly a best-seller! But it’s a Catch-22. How do you get the 100 reviews in the first place, so that you can get the Bookbub to get lots of reviews and sales?
Online reviews as social proof may have been a good idea five years ago, but today, I wonder about their usefulness. But the other conclusion you must draw is that Bookbub.com has become a player in the book world in a huge way: if a BookBub ad has the power to make or break the career of an Indie author, it’s an interesting world indeed. Will it soon make or break the career of ANY writer? Already, indie authors who built up BookBub are muscled out by slots reserved for the better-paying traditional publishers; will it ever become limited to ONLY traditional published books?
The case of the inflated number of book reviews says much about the current state of the industry.
Join Leslie Helakoski and Darcy Pattison in Honesdale PA for a spring workshop, April 23-26, 2015. It's a great Christmas present to yourself or a writer friend! Full info here.
COMMENTS FROM THE 2014 WORKSHOP:
"This conference was great! A perfect mix of learning and practicing our craft."�Peggy Campbell-Rush, 2014 attendee, Washington, NJ
"Darcy and Leslie were extremely accessible for advice, critique and casual conversation."�Perri Hogan, 2014 attendee, Syracuse,NY
It’s often hard to predict what books kids, from first grade through Young Adult novels, will like to read. Scholastic will release in January a research report that clearly expresses a kid’s point-of-view. They’ve released this infographic to advertise the report.
Click image to see full size.
This research has lots of implications for those writing children’s books.
Use imagination. Kids like to be transported to a different time and place. When you create stories, think about interesting settings, historical time periods, or made-up worlds. Create these in enough detail that the kids will understand the actions, but leave room for their imaginations.
How else will this research affect your writing and the focus of your next story?
It’s Author Interview Thursday and I’d like to thank you for stopping over today. First of all, I’d like to wish all readers and fans of this blog based in the U.S., a very Happy Thanksgiving. I promise you’ll enjoy the spread laid out today. In the hot seat today is a wonderful lady who is fondly known as ‘Grammy Pags.’ I’ve been so inspired by her energy and passion for life in the lead up to today’s interview. She has so much to share with us today, so get into your most comfortable position and join me in welcoming Rhonda Paglia.
Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and the first time someone complemented you on something you had written.
Hi David, thank you for inviting me to be part of your Author Thursday Interview. I’m honored, and congratulations on your new book, Billy and Monster’s Golden Christmas that is coming out soon! Congrats!!! You are prolific!!
Okay, a few facts about me:
I’ve been married to my sweet husband, Tony, for 41 years. We have three grown children, five adorable grandchildren, and little Yorkie-poo named Bella. She’s my shadow.
I’m a retired elementary teacher, [I taught 26 years], and now I’m a Grammy babysitter, a flower planter, a musician, a tap dancer, and a self-published children’s author.
I have received a great deal of praise for the first book I released to the public: “The Little Lambs and the Very Special Mission.”
I must add that growing up, I had NO confidence in my writing! NONE! ZIPPO! My writing was so bad that in 7th grade, when our English teacher gave us a story writing assignment, my mother ended up red-lining and rewriting everything I had written. I would have gotten an F on my story, but she earned an A. I was so embarrassed. I couldn’t look at my teacher for the rest of the year. It was awful! I was living a lie every day I walked into his class. Thankfully, I’ve come a long way in my writing confidence.
What can a reader expect when they pick up a book written by Rhonda Paglia?
I’m still in the process of learning and developing my “niche.” I’m just writing for fun. I have learned a lot in the last two years, and I’m getting and understanding the process more. My hope is that readers will enjoy my stories and come away with a little glow in their hearts and a little tickle in their tummy.
I want kids to learn something and to stretch their imaginations and creativity. For example, in my crazy little book, Doonsey’s Beach Adventure, the Great Rescue, kids will find a hero in Doonsey. They will also learn about his new friends, the “Beach Buddies.” Our family went on a vacation to the beach. We “met” Doonsey there. Then I started seeing faces in the sand that were made out of the shells and stones. My granddaughter, Sofie, and I started making a bunch of faces and the “Beach Buddies” were born! We used shells, stones, crab claws, and other items we found on the beach. The “Buddies” ended up as characters in the first Doonsey book and they will reappear in Book 2. Kids can learn to make their own Buddy characters with things they find in nature, not just stones and shells.
What role would you say social media plays in building an author’s platform and have you found it helpful in marketing your books?
I’m new to the “book business” too, but everything I’ve read, indicates that Social Media has a huge impact on getting your name “out there.” So I tweet, toot, blog, Facebook, website, and get Linkedin, as often as possible, but always feel behind. It’s a time issue for me, as I’m sure it is for most authors.
Is marketing on Social Media helpful? Who knows? I’ve sold books on line, but most of my sales success has been one-on-one, face-to-face, book signing events. It’s fun too!
What in your opinion makes a great children’s book?
This is a tough one, so my answer is simple. A GREAT book has ALL the pieces: characters, plot, setting, illustrations.
What were some of your favourite books as a child?
The Little Golden Books series, Caps for Sale, Country Mouse and City Mouse, Ali Baba and the 40 Thieves, and all of the classic fairy tales. I read the Wizard of Oz until the pages were falling out. Our nearest library was miles away, but every once in a while, we were allowed to buy a comic books at the grocery story. I loved the adventures of Little Lulu, Dot, and Casper the Friendly Ghost. And then there is dear Dr. Seuss. When his books became available, I loved them. Later I branched out to the Nancy Drew mystery series and some biographies, but mostly, I loved the books that would send me away on adventures.
What book or film has the best dialogue that inspires you to be a better writer and why?
Dr. Seuss. I love the freedom of his language usage. I love the rhythm and cadence of his words. I love his stories, characters, and how he moves the plot. Such fun and imagination! I will never be a Dr. Seuss, but with my musical background, I find myself using rhythm and rhyme when it’s appropriate. In my yet to be released book, “Grammy’s Rockin’ Color Rap-a-licious Rap” – Grammy’s looks prim, proper, and sophisticated, but she’s really a closet rocker!
How do you reward yourself once your book is published?
I’m still very new at all of this – and currently, I’m self-published. However, the fact that my ideas and my works are in my hands, in a form, that I can share with others, is a huge reward. Like, “Phew! I did it!” The “no confidence – non-writer – F’s on story-getter – me” is now writing and publishing stories. I never thought that would happen – certainly not the 7th grader sitting in English class lying to my teacher about a paper my mother wrote for me! #Iamwriting! That’s a biggie reward!
I wrote “Doonsey’s Beach Adventure, the Great Rescue” and created a companion coloring activity book for my grandchildren. It was a Christmas surprise last year. My heart just beamed! Not only did I write a story and publish it for them; I got to be around to read it to them and get their reactions. Big time reward!
Toy Story or Shrek?
Toy Story. I love the characters!! I love seeing the toys come to life, organizing themselves, tackling problems. Great fun! I grew up in the country. We didn’t have any close neighbors. My friends were at school, a distance away. I would have LOVED for my toys to come to life, be my “real” friends, and have merry adventures with them. So definitely, Toy Story!
What three things should a first time visitor to Pennsylvania do?
Visit Amish Country. Lancaster, in northeast, PA, and Volant and New Wilmington in northwest PA, where I live, near, would be a cultural experience. It’s hard to believe that we have communities within our modern society that can exist and thrive without electricity and all the conveniences that the rest of us can’t live without! If you visit the Amish area, many of the locals have little shops in or near their farms. Visitors can purchase colorful handmade quilted items, homemade pastries and canned goods, plants, beautiful handmade furniture, and get your horse’s harness repaired at the same time!
Pymatuning Lake. I grew up there, so I’m a little prejudiced. Pymatuning Lake is located in northwestern PA on the border of PA and Ohio. It is located within Pymatuning State Park and is the largest man-made lake in Pennsylvania. The lake is 18 miles long and has over 26 square miles of lake surface. In 1931, when my dad was 9 years old, he and my grandfather attended the ground breaking ceremonies for the lake. They saw the first shovel full of dirt removed that would later become Pymatuning Lake Reservoir. If you are an outdoors person, you can swim, hike, camp, fish, go boating, picnic, and explore. But make sure you don’t miss the Pymatuning Spill Way. That’s where you get to feed the fish! There are so many, the duck’s walk on their backs!!
Pittsburgh, PA. It’s a cultural hub for all the arts and it’s the home of our three major league sports teams, the Steelers, the Penguins, and the Pirates. The Strip District is in downtown Pittsburgh and is a great market place filled with lots of people, cooking street vendors, markets with fresh produce, restaurants, places to shop, and the home of the Mancini breads and the Primanti Brothers’ famous super stuffed sandwich with French fries. Oh, and if you listen carefully, you’ll pick up some of the famous Pittsburghese language! Fun!
With a background in teaching, can you give us a few tips on capturing a child’s attention and relaying a moral lesson?
Phew – that’s a big question!! I may not answer your exact question, but here’s what came to mind as I reflected on it.
Make learning fun! When kids are engaged, they will take more ownership for their own learning.
Help kids develop confidence! I had very little confidence as a kid – all the way through adulthood. I recognized this weakness in myself, so I made it a goal to try to help develop confidence in my own children and my students. Kids have vivid imaginations. I’ve found that if kids can tap into their own creativity and develop ideas – without judgment – they will develop more confidence.
Teach tolerance! Everyone, kids and adults, all of us, have gifts and talents. Our interests and abilities vary. We are not the same. I believe that we have all come here to share our gifts and talents, and to share our differences. How boring we would be if we were all the same!! Each one of us is an integral piece of a gigantic universal puzzle.
What do your grandchildren think of Grammy Pags the Author?
Our grandchildren are young – ages 7 to 1.5. The younger ones don’t know what an author is. However, our oldest grandson, Orion, totally gets it! Orion was the inspiration for the story, “Three Little Gnomes and a Boy Named Orion.” The story has changed from the original version I wrote in 2009. It’s longer and beautifully illustrated by Ratna Kusuma Halim of Indonesia. I had a book launch birthday party for “The Three Little Gnomes” book and Orion came to the event and signed books too! He was a star for the day and loved it!!
What can we expect from Rhonda Paglia in the next 12 months?
Writing, writing, writing!
Where can readers and fans connect with you? Thank you for asking. Here’s the contact info for GRAMMY PAGS STORIES
Any advice for authors out there who are either just starting out or getting frustrated with the industry?
Have fun! Do what you love!
Frustration is part of the game. Figure out why you are doing what you do, then figure out your goals, the reach for them. What happens if you don’t reach? A big NOTHING! But if you reach, anything can happen!
The kid’s book market is crazy huge. Try to find your niche. I’m still searching for mine!
Write what you like and HAVE FUN! For me, that’s my goal! Girls just want to have fun!! Well, this Grammy just wants to have fun too . . . and maybe give my readers a few smiles!!
Wow! Thanks for sharing with us today Rhonda. I love the fact that you’ve been honest and just loving the journey. I love your advice about writing what you like and having fun. Rhonda and I would love to hear any questions or comments you may have. I hope her zest for life has been an inspiration for you as it has for me. Remember to share this interview on social media using the social buttons and grab one of Rhonda’s books at the link below
Hey, Rhonda! Love your philosophy: HAVE FUN! Couldn’t put it better myself. Wishing you all the best in the crazy world of children’s books! Cheers!
Sabdra Bennett said, on 11/27/2014 9:41:00 PM
Hi Rhonda, great interview, I love the concept of the kids going away with a glow in their hearts and a tickle in their tummy. Keep om rockin’ Grammy, have fun reading and writing.
Rhonda Paglia said, on 11/28/2014 6:35:00 PM
Hi Sharon, Thanks so much!! I am grateful for your support and kinds words!! I’m having fun learning, writing, and sharing my stories. I also enjoyed your books, “The Last Time Keeper” and “The Arch of Atlantis!” Blessings, Rhonda
Rhonda Paglia said, on 11/28/2014 6:37:00 PM
Hi Sandra – Thank you so much for your kind words!! Yes, glows, tickles, rockin’ and readin’!! Blessings and thanks again!
Rhonda Paglia said, on 11/28/2014 6:41:00 PM
David, Thank you so much for the opportunity to be your Thursday / Thanksgiving Day / author! What fun! I’m amazed at how much of the interview you used!! Wow!! Blessings to you and your family!!! Keep rockin’ the books and thank you for encouraging reading, writing, and sharing!!
What do I think is the most important thing for you to do?
Write.
A writer is a person who writes.
A published writer is a person who consistently submits what they’ve written.
That’s it.
The rest of it? Sure, if you’re a mid-lister, and if you have time to spend, it can help your writing to sell better to be online. Sure, if you network with writers, editors, illustrators, marketing people, and others in the publishing industry, it’s easier to submit and find that right fit for your work.
However, that’s not your main job. Your job is to work on your writing. Period.
What do you LIKE to do?
After you’ve got the writing and submitting down, you can look around the online world to see if you want to join those who create content.
You could just participate by consuming content.
Repin or Comment on Pinterest
ReTweet or Like on Twitter
Like, Share, or Comment on Facebook
Do the comparable on the platform of your choice
But most prefer to find a home base where they create content that goes along with what they are getting published.
First, evaluate yourself. Do you like to write short, write long, take/edit photos, produce audio, or produce video? Those are the only options you have, regardless of the platform. Think about which form of communication you are good at, and can consistently produce.
I’d suggest you consider two things when looking for an online home base:
What Kind of Content Can you Consistently Produce? The most important thing on ANY platform is that you show up. Consistent posting of content is crucial. Without it, you won’t develop an audience!
Where Does Your Audience Hang Out? This is a very different question from, “Where do your friends hang out?”
If you want your writing to connect with an audience, then you need to FIND your audience. Develop relationships, listen to questions, answer questions, become a part of the community. If they most do Slideshares, go there. If they prefer Instagram, go there. I have a young friend who introduced me to WeChat, an app that lets you keep track of friends and family. It’s her favorite app. Now, when I need to talk with her, I jump on WeChat, and almost instantly, we’re connected. This sure beats leaving her voice mails that never get answered! Go where your audience hangs out.
Your goal is to find that sweet spot between the ways you like to communicate and the ways in which your audience communicates. That’s the only logical way to operate online. Don’t let anyone tell you that you MUST do this or that online. Build your writing career by writing your own work, by submitting your own work for publication (or self-publishing it), and finally, by finding your audience.
Its Author Interview Thursday and I’m really excited about the special guest we have on the hot seat today. I hooked up with today’s author on a book giveaway for kidlit authors during summer. She was the main organiser and it was a great success. It was a pleasure working with her and seeing how she connected several authors from across the globe. She has travelled to many countries across different continents. Although she’s originally from the U.S.A., she now lives in Sydney, Australia. She’s very generous and creative and I believe her passion for life does flow through in her books. So without further ado, please join me in welcoming Stephanie M. Ward.
Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and the first time someone complemented you on something you had written.
First I just want to say that I’m really excited to be participating in Author Interview Thursday as I always look forward to reading these posts. I’m a bit overwhelmed at being on the other end of one of your interviews, but I’ll do my best to come up with creative answers to all of your interesting questions. And a big congratulations on your new Christmas book, Billy and Monster’s Golden Christmas! I’m looking forward to reading it.
Now, a bit about me…
I’m a small town girl from Spokane, Washington who caught the travel bug at an early age and has been exploring the world ever since I was old enough to drive across the border to Canada.
In fourth grade, we were given an assignment to write a short story. Remember those pieces of grey-ish paper that had a big square where you’re supposed to draw a picture and then about four lines underneath? Well, I covered four of those, front and back and my teacher was quite impressed with my not-so-short story. It was about a pet dog that was taken by an alien and the adventures of the little boy who went to find him. It sure would be fun to read that story today!
What can a reader expect when they pick up a book written by Stephanie Ward?
They can expect to learn something, probably about a place that not many people write children’s books about, and have a lot of fun in the process.
Congratulations on the publication of your first kidlit book – Wally the Warm-Weather Penguin. Can you tell us about the research process that went into writing this book?
Thanks! I figure it took 10 years from concept to publication of Wally the Warm-Weather Penguin, so yes, there was quite a bit of research. First it was research for my trip to the Galapagos Islands where Wally travels. I was fascinated by the unique wildlife, much of which is endemic. As I was putting together the book, I wanted to share what I had discovered about different species that are endangered in the area. And after learning about how fragile the environment is in the Galapagos Islands, I decided to donate proceeds from the book to the Galapagos Conservancy (galapagos.org) to help protect the animals there. I’m happy to say the first donation was made earlier this year.
What role would you say social media plays in building an author’s platform and have you found it helpful in marketing your book?
In almost two decades in corporate marketing, I have never seen an industry whose competitors support each other as much as in the realm of publishing. I have met the most amazing authors, writers, bloggers and friends through social media as a writer. I think it plays a big part in linking to new sales channels, marketing opportunities and ideas as well as good old moral support.
What were some of your favourite books as a child?
Not surprisingly, I loved reading about far away places. There was a series of books about foreign lands that I checked out over and over again at my elementary school library. I also remember reading a book about a little girl traveling alone on the bus to see her grandmother. I’m not sure if she went across town or across the country, but I was amazed by her courage and sense of adventure.
What tips would you offer other first time children’s authors with regard to working with an illustrator?
I had a wonderful time working with a very talented illustrator from Ecuador – Vanessa Landin – for Wally the Warm-Weather Penguin. It was important to me that the illustrator was from the place where the story is based, as I wanted to give back to the community that inspired the story. Vanessa was a student at the time and I would encourage anyone looking for an artist to consider the young talent at art institutes around the world.
Toy Story or Shrek?
Shrek – I am truly inspired by the way Shrek seamlessly weaves adult and child humor into one story.
What three things should a first time visitor to Sydney, Australia do?
1) Hit the beach – if you visit on a hot day, that’s where everyone is! I love Manly and Balmain.
2) Go to the zoo – Yes, there are some cool Aussie animals there, but the setting of the Taronga Zoo is stunning. You will get some of your best photos from there, likely with a giraffe in them, but gorgeous shots of the harbor and Sydney skyline.
3) Take a ferry – So much of Sydney revolves around water that you should be on it at some point during your visit. Take a ride on one of the iconic yellow and green ferries and be sure to leave from Circular Quay where the Opera House and Botanical Gardens sit on one side and the Harbour Bridge on the other.
Can you tell us a few facts about penguins that fascinate you?
Wally was inspired by my visit to both Antarctica and the Galapagos Islands on a yearlong trip around the world.Visiting Antarctica and being amidst Emperor Penguins in the icy conditions made me wonder why they didn’t just pack up and go somewhere warmer. A couple of months later, I was in the Galapagos Islands and saw a colony of Galapagos Penguins hanging out on the beach, swimming in relatively warm water and there was the story: What if an Emperor Penguin learned that he could live on a warm, tropical island?
You’ve travelled to more than 50 countries. Can you tell us about a memorable incident on one of your travels?
I’m fascinated by the similarities in people’s lives around the world – we all eat, sleep, observe, listen, talk – we just do it in our own way, place and time. What I keep coming back to are moments – having a picnic under the Eiffel Tower with a warm baguette and chilled bottle of champagne, bone-chilling coldness at sunrise on board a Russian ice breaker travelling through pancake ice in Antarctica, or the hot, dry, sage-like smell of the air in Tanzania. Oh sure, there were incidents, like being mugged in Brazil and sitting in the tent of a nomadic family in Mongolia sharing a cup of fermented mare’s milk, but the small, seemingly insignificant moments are the ones that pop into my head most often.
What can we expect from Stephanie Ward in the next 12 months?
I’m so glad you asked I’m thrilled to announce that the paperback version of Wally the Warm-Weather Penguin was just released this week and is now available on Amazon. The paperback edition includes a brand new scene with a wonderful new character, a section of Fascinating Facts about the animals in the book and a map of the Galapagos Islands.
In addition, I’m starting work on an app for Wally which is a whole new learning curve but a very fun process. Plus, I’m writing the next adventure for Wally. There are many fascinating (and warm) places in the world that Wally wants to visit, so stay tuned!
Any advice for authors out there who are either just starting out or getting frustrated with the industry?
Write your story. If your story can’t be defined in a specific genre or written in the traditional format, don’t worry. There are many options for authors to get a book into readers’ hands. I have met some talented indie authors whose wonderful kid lit books are longer than the 1000 word maximum that agents will accept for review. And I recently read a fantastic novella that is the perfect length, but in traditional publishing may have been expanded or reduced to a short story or looked over completely due to the number of pages. It’s a whole new world in publishing today, so don’t worry that your idea doesn’t “fit”, just write your story!
Thanks for hanging out with us today Stephanie and ending on such a positive note. I love how you’ve allowed your various experiences to influence your writing and how that has in turn allowed children to experience new worlds that are alien to them. Please do connect with Stephanie at one of the links she gave. We’d love to hear your comments and questions, so leave a few lines below. Grab a copy of Stephanie’s book for a loved one at the link below and do share this interview on social media.
Hi David. Thanks so much for putting me in the “hot seat” (never thought I’d say that!). I had such a fun time with this interview! It’s been such a pleasure working with you this year, I look forward all of your future success with your books. All the best, Stephanie
David Chuka said, on 11/13/2014 3:04:00 PM
Hi Stephanie. The pleasure was all mine. Looking forward to seeing Wally grow as he explores new territories.
There are a number of writing technique and book marketing ebooks on sale today only (Fri Nov 7, 2014) for only $0.99 on Amazon that, if you’re a writer, published or pre-published, you may want to buy. I’ve snatched up most of the ones I’ve listed here myself. As a writer, I think I can always keep learning and growing, perfecting my craft.
This is a 3-book set, combining: WRITE. PUBLISH. REPEAT.: The No-Luck-Required Guide to Self-Publishing Success by Sean Platt & Johnny B. Truant; LET’S GET DIGITAL: How To Self-Publish, And Why You Should by David Gaughran; and HOW TO MARKET A BOOK by Joanna Penn. I know Joanna Penn’s work; she’s the author of many fiction and non-fiction books and blogs at thecreativepenn, so I snatched this deal just for her book, but I’m also really interested in reading Write, Publish, Repeat, and at $0.99 for all three this is a steal.
C.S. Lakin is an author and a writing coach; I’ve appreciated (and recommended) many of her articles on her blog LiveWriteThrive, so I snatched her book up, too.
Jodie Renner is an editor offering advice on creating fast-paced, compelling fiction. I think editors, because they see so much work (both good and bad), and because they’ve trained in writing and editing, have a lot to offer writers that we can learn from. So I bought this book, too.
Even when we know writing technique and “rules,” sometimes a refresher helps, or hearing it a different way. I liked the conversational tone to her book, so I bought this one, too.
As published authors, we’re expected to market our books. This book sounds like it may have some good advice and takes a different approach than some books and articles I’ve read, so I also bought it.
I know GoodReads can help readers find our books; I’ve used GoodReads for contests for ARCs and finished books, and I have my blog appear on GoodReads. I’m interested on reading what else authors can do.
I don’t have trouble getting reviews–I query book bloggers–but if you’re just starting out, or if you haven’t had to do this for yourself before, you may want to get this book. I may still pick it up myself because it looks like they have some things I haven’t thought about before.
2 Comments on A lot of writing & marketing ebooks on sale today only for #writers today only. Grab them while you can!, last added: 11/7/2014
Thanks for the article! I snatched up the power pack. I had been wanting two of three of those books. The third one I actually already had but still a great deal!
Cheryl Rainfield said, on 11/7/2014 7:07:00 PM
I’m glad you got something you wanted, Michele. (smiling at you)
This month will prove to be a busy one for me! I’m already sweating buckets. First up, I’ve got two Goodreads Giveaways happening for each of my time travel books, The Last Timekeepers and the Arch of Atlantis, and the prequel to the series, Legend of the Timekeepers beginning November 1st and running until midnight on November 22nd. The giveaway is open Worldwide, which gives me plenty of time to mail the winners their signed paperback copies before the end of holiday season. BTW – I’m including a set of signed trading cards to go along with the books, so go to the end of this post to enter these giveaways!
Second up, I’ve signed on as a participating author with the Mother Daughter Book Reviews for their Kindle Fire HD Kids Edition Tablet Holiday Giveaway. I know, that’s a mouthful to say! This is a fantastic opportunity for authors and book bloggers to reach new readers and put a smile on a child’s face at the same time. Here’s what Renee, the hostess of this event has to say:
"I was pretty excited to see this pretty cool new product available through Amazon starting October 21. This is a HOT PRODUCT! The all-new KindleFire HD Kids Edition Tablet also comes with 1 year of Amazon FreeTime Unlimited (which means kids get unlimited access to 5,000 books, movies, TV shows, educational apps, and games—at no additional cost!). It includes a quad-core processor for great performance, a vivid HD display, front and rear-facing cameras, and Dolby Audio PLUS comes with a Kid-Proof Case, and a 2-year worry-free guarantee – if they break it, return it and Amazon replaces it for free. No questions asked! Um… can you say Christmas present?"
Wow, now I want one! Here’s the gist of the giveaway: One winner will receive either a new Kindle Fire HD Kids Edition 7” Tablet (US only), a $200 Amazon gift card (International) or $200 PayPal cash prize (International). The event will take place from November 1st to 30th, 2014. The giveaway is open Worldwide.
Third up, I’ve got a two week Mini Social Media Blitzset up with Mother Daughter Book Reviews starting on November 24th. This will be an experiment for me, as I’ve never used this type of service before. This particular book promotion includes 10 Tweets (provided by me), 2 Facebook shares, 1 Google+ share, Pinterest Pins to at least 2 Mother Daughter Book Reviews boards, and adding my book (I choose The Last Timekeepers and the Arch of Atlantis) to Goodreads “Want-to-Read” shelf. It should be interesting to see if this promotion generates interest in my books. BTW—their monthly page views range from 45,000 to 55,000 so it seems like a win-win to me.
Fourth up, I’m part of this fantastic tween writers group called Emblazon. We Emblazoners are planning a HUGE Rafflecopter giveaway which will run for 2 weeks beginning Monday, November 3rd. There will be books, ebooks, and book swag up for grabs. Oh, did I mention the Kindle preloaded with 40 of the Emblazoners middle grade books? There will also be a Facebook party where readers can interact with authors and win great prizes. Any teachers or librarians out there will benefit from this fun event as we release our newest catalogue into the world just in time for the holiday season!
Fifth up, and finally, I’m participating in the Windsor-Essex Book Expo on Sunday, November 23rd. This gives me a chance to meet and connect with readers and authors in the area. They’ve got some awesome sponsors, and there will be children’s events, autographs, and readings from local authors. I’m personally bringing Twizzlers® to hand out to the kids (and most-likely some adults), along with signed trading cards and postcards. BTW—anyone who buys one of my books scores a Last Timekeepers rubber wrist band! For more information on this event, please click HEREto go to the Windsor-Essex Authors Facebook page.
Whew! Still sweating! Thanks a heap for reading my blog. If you have time, please leave a comment and share what you’re planning to do to boost your book sales and author presence during the upcoming holiday season. If you’re a reader, what type of events would grab your interest and draw you into an author’s world? Cheers!
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By: Sherry Soule,
on 7/5/2015
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on 6/12/2015
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on 6/1/2015
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on 4/15/2015
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on 3/1/2015
As an author I had to ask myself this question: do we sell a product (book) or an experience (memory)? I recently read a marketing post where there was a study conducted in which people were asked if they would prefer to purchase a product (car, couch, etc.) or an experience (holiday, concert, etc.), and guess what most said? Yup. You guessed it. An experience.
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By: Cheryl Rainfield,
on 11/7/2014
This month will prove to be a busy one for me! I’m already sweating buckets. First up, I’ve got two Goodreads Giveaways happening for each of my time travel books, The Last Timekeepers and the Arch of Atlantis, and the prequel to the series, Legend of the Timekeepers beginning November 1st and running until midnight on November 22nd. The giveaway is open Worldwide, which gives me plenty of time to mail the winners their signed paperback copies before the end of holiday season. BTW – I’m including a set of signed trading cards to go along with the books, so go to the end of this post to enter these giveaways!
Fourth up, I’m part of this fantastic tween writers group called Emblazon. We Emblazoners are planning a HUGE Rafflecopter giveaway which will run for 2 weeks beginning Monday, November 3rd. There will be books, ebooks, and book swag up for grabs. Oh, did I mention the Kindle preloaded with 40 of the Emblazoners middle grade books? There will also be a Facebook party where readers can interact with authors and win great prizes. Any teachers or librarians out there will benefit from this fun event as we release our newest catalogue into the world just in time for the holiday season!
your book. Signing at a well-attended event like ALA is as much about visibility as it is about book sales. Your goal should be to engage with as many people as possible to let them know who you are and what your book is about. Sales often come naturally out of this engagement; and if they don’t, don’t be discouraged. Many book sales don’t happen on the show floor, as most librarians and other professionals order books through their systems. But a good conversation with a librarian can lead to copies being ordered for his/her branches.
Using your publisher’s website as your online home base is not a good solution for a couple reasons:
First of all, I’d like to wish all readers and fans of this blog based in the U.S., a very Happy Thanksgiving. I promise you’ll enjoy the spread laid out today. In the hot seat today is a wonderful lady who is fondly known as ‘Grammy Pags.’ I’ve been so inspired by her energy and passion for life in the lead up to today’s interview. She has so much to share with us today, so get into your most comfortable position and join me in welcoming Rhonda Paglia.
I hooked up with today’s author on a book giveaway for kidlit authors during summer. She was the main organiser and it was a great success. It was a pleasure working with her and seeing how she connected several authors from across the globe. She has travelled to many countries across different continents. Although she’s originally from the U.S.A., she now lives in Sydney, Australia. She’s very generous and creative and I believe her passion for life does flow through in her books. So without further ado, please join me in welcoming Stephanie M. Ward.
I’m thrilled to announce that the paperback version of Wally the Warm-Weather Penguin was just released this week and is now available on Amazon. The paperback edition includes a brand new scene with a wonderful new character, a section of Fascinating Facts about the animals in the book and a map of the Galapagos Islands.
Great post full of valuable information that I was looking for while I prepare for release of my MG historical fiction, THE LAST CHERRY BLOSSOM, in Spring 2016.