Author: selfpublishingadvisor

Book Promotion, Book Promotion Strategy, etsy, Facebook, flickr, goodreads, instagram, Kelly Speaks, linkedin, pinterest, snapchat, Social Media Marketing, tumblr, twitter, youtube

An Indie Author’s Social Media Primer | Summary Edition

Well, it’s been quite a project, this social media primer of ours!  I hope it’s proven as useful to you, our readers, as it has been enjoyable for me to write!  I thought I’d take a couple of minutes to take a lingering glance in the rear-view mirror, and write a bit of a retrospective on what it means to carry out a social media marketing campaign–and how a primer fits in.

“We’re here,” I wrote in that initial blog post, “first and foremost, to talk about how to market your self-published book.”  And therein lies both the value and danger of social media as a marketing tool.  If you really are using social media effectively, as a natural and organic extension of your existing work and personality, then you’ll most definitely benefit, and your book sales will most definitely benefit as well.  If you approach social media as an all-purpose tool and the only tool you need in your toolbox–or if you present yourself falsely, inauthentically, or otherwise find yourself at odds with your fans–or if you bite off more than you can chew–or if you find yourself slipping into social media as just another time-waster–then you’re missing the point of being an author on social media.  These are the pitfalls, or at least a few of them, and they should not be taken lightly or underestimated.

social media

Here’s the trick to being a self-published author on social media:  You must always remember that you are, first and foremost, a writer.  And as we’ve said before here on Self Publishing Advisor, the absolute best decision you can ever make in marketing your book is to write another book.  If social media helps you spread the word, and helps you keep writing, then it has a place in your campaign.  If it distracts you, or distresses you, or eats into time you would otherwise spend writing, then you should revisit the expression “effective marketing.”  There is, however, a great deal of value to trying something new, especially when you hit a roadblock.  It is my hope that, by providing a primer guide to each of the major (and some of the minor) social media platforms, I may take some of the guesswork and fear out of launching yourself into the world of social media.  Maybe, just maybe, you’ll be able to bypass some of the misery and second-guessing and mistakes that I myself have made over the years–and find a new home, a new community, and an engaged readership in some unexplored corner of our digital universe.

The List:

  1. First Thoughts
  2. Twitter
  3. Tumblr
  4. Instagram
  5. Snapchat
  6. YouTube
  7. Pinterest
  8. Goodreads
  9. Etsy
  10. LinkedIn
  11. Flickr
  12. Facebook

Thank you for helping me build this Social Media Primer!  If you have any questions, comments, suggestions, or contributions, please use the comment field below or drop us a line at selfpublishingadvice@gmail.com.  And remember to check back each Wednesday for your weekly dose of marketing musings. ♠

KellyABOUT KELLY SCHUKNECHT: Kelly Schuknecht is the Executive Vice President of Outskirts Press. In addition to her contributions to the Outskirts Press blog at blog.outskirtspress.com, Kelly and a group of talented marketing experts offer book marketing services, support, and products to not only published Outskirts Press authors, but to all authors and professionals who are interested in marketing their books and/or careers. Learn more about Kelly on her blog, kellyschuknecht.com.
editing, Editing Your Self-Published Book, guest post, outskirts press

GUEST POST: Rob Mangelson of Outskirts Press on Editing

Every once in a while, we have the pleasure of featuring a blog post written by an expert outside of our small circle here at Self Publishing Advisor.  This week, we get to hear from Rob Mangelson, an independent contractor and marketing professional affiliated with Outskirts Press, a hybrid self-publishing company based out of the Denver, Colorado area.  We’ve actually run across the folks from OP before–as recently as two weeks ago, as a matter of fact–but here we have a chance to catch a few words direct from the source, so to speak.  So with no further ado, here are some of Rob’s thoughts on the subject of editing.

A professional editor is your last, best hurdle before sending your book off to publish. While it may seem an optional service, there are compelling reasons why you may not want to think of it as “optional” – not when your reputation and product quality are at stake.

editing

It’s humbling to submit a highly personal work to someone we imagine gleefully buying red ink by the barrel. However, in this case, red ink is your best friend. Here are three ways your investment in a professional editor will pay for itself:

  1. An editor is your best beta-tester. Your book is your product, and there’s no better way to “test” your product before it goes to market than with a professional editor – more than one editor, if it’s feasible. A test run of how your product might perform in the marketplace more than pays for itself, allowing you to tweak your writing and marketing to reach the right readers and keep them hooked once you do. In a perfect world, every publishing author would have the luxury of both an editor and a team of beta readers, but if you have to choose, hire a pro.
  2. Editors help you get your point across. You know what you mean to say – but will readers understand the ideas you’re trying to get across? There’s no way to know until you get someone “outside your head” to view your work from the perspective of a potential reader. This is one of the main missions of the editing process, and one that ensures that your words have the intended effect on the intended target audience so you can resonate with readers – and sell more books!
  3. Editors see “invisible” problems. By the time a book is close to finished and nearly ready for publication, most publishing authors have gone through it with a fine-toothed comb, often multiple times. But no matter how thoroughly and how often you review your own work, even the most conscientious authors can become blind to errors in their own prose. Even a couple of minor errors in your book can destroy your credibility and hurt your sales, making the services of a professional editor well worth a modest investment.

Remember, editors are, like you, avid readers and writers with the added advantage of having expertise in their field. Use that expertise to your advantage to get the most polished product possible. You’ll never regret it.

Thanks for reading!  Keep up with our guests and our archival visits by watching this space every Tuesday!

Self Publishing Advisor

selfpubicon1

news from the self publishing world, self publishing news, Self-Publishing, Self-Publishing Week in Review

News From the Self-Publishing World: 9/21/15

This week in the world of self-publishing:

In a broadcast that ran on NPR on September 19th, journalist Lynn Neary talks with a variety of self-published authors and experts about where, exactly, the indie community stands in relation to the community of traditionally-published authors in respects to book sales.  And the figures she uncovers are, indeed, somewhat surprising––and yes, mostly in good ways.  Neary poses the question, “what happens to writers who never get anywhere near an awards ceremony?”  The answer: not much, but that doesn’t mean that authors who aren’t making it onto the Man Booker shortlist are worse off than those who are.  All authors struggle to break even and sell books, Neary reports, citing the Authors Guild survey we looked at last week.  And while the article may seem to strike a mostly sour note, Neary ends with the hope that while many authors must write for little to no profit at present, “maybe — just maybe — next time they’ll get paid.”  Here’s hoping, NPR!

You might know her as the author of the New York Times bestselling author of The Selection (and its sequels), but now you have the chance to know her as a spokesperson for self-publishing.  In a September 19th interview with Chryssa Celestino for Preen, Cass describes how she got her start in the sometimes murky waters of self-publishing, and how her roots in the community of readers she found there set her up for success today.  She walks readers through the process of self-publishing, and what it felt like both to publish and retain creative control over her work, a quality which is often cited by authors as a reason to pursue platforms apart from the traditional mode of publishing.  “It was a whole little community,” she says, “and at the same time, they sort of helped get the word out.”  And from someone who knows what it’s like to work in both the indie and traditional modes, those words ring with inhabited experience.

In her September 17th article for the Kentucky-based Lexington Herald news site LexGo, Candace Chaney introduces us to a development that might benefit everyone in the indie, hybrid, and self-publishing community––a festival for those who read and write and publish and otherwise love zines (or self-published digital magazines & fanzines).  A festival that is entirely given over to celebrating us.  Us!  And it’s about time; festivals and parties and awards ceremonies have long been lauding the accomplishments and successes (and failures, too, we must admit) of traditionally-published writers and the traditional publishing process as a whole.  It’s our time!  According to Chaney’s research, “Festival organizers say that in addition to nostalgia for the analog age, zines offer more personal connection and creative freedom than you can ever get on the Internet; they also continue to serve as a vehicle for alternative, radical, or marginalized communities to safely tell their stories without fear of censorship or retribution.”  In a word: awesome.  The festival took place on Saturday the 19th, but if you missed it, never fear: this was a third anniversary of the event, which will happen around the same time next year.  Take a look at Chaney’s article for more information!

The innovations just keep on coming!  On the 16th of September, Scott Green’s article for Crunchyroll (which self-advertises as “the leading global video service for Japanese Anime and Asian media”) chronicles some of the latest adventures of––and declarations of intent by––Stu Levy, founder of Tokyopop, a corporate superweight in the world of manga publication.  According to Green, Levy is “working on new digital comics initiative, POP Comics. This is a mobile app for iOS and Android that allows creators to upload and promote their original comics.”  This is good news for illustrators and digital artists especially, who are expected to retain “70-75% of the ad revenue, with 30% going to Tokyopop.”  Other, similar platforms are seeing a usership in the millions, so this percentage is not a meaningless one.  Check it out by hopping on by the beta launch at popcomics.com!

As a self-publishing author, you may find it helpful to stay up-to-date on the trends and news related to the self-publishing industry.This will help you make informed decisions before, during and after the self-publishing process, which will lead to a greater self-publishing experience. To help you stay current on self-publishing topics, simply visit our blog every Monday to find out the hottest news. If you have other big news to share, please comment below.

KellyABOUT KELLY SCHUKNECHT: Kelly Schuknecht is the Executive Vice President of Outskirts Press. In addition to her contributions to the Outskirts Press blog at blog.outskirtspress.com, Kelly and a group of talented marketing experts offer book marketing services, support, and products to not only published Outskirts Press authors, but to all authors and professionals who are interested in marketing their books and/or careers. Learn more about Kelly on her blog, kellyschuknecht.com.

Book Reviews, Self-Publishing, Self-Publishing Book Review of the Week, weekly self published book review

Weekly Self-Published Book Review: “Escape from Eternity”

Book reviews are a great way for self-publishing authors to gain exposure. After all, how can someone buy your book if he or she doesn’t know it exists? Paired with other elements of your book promotion strategy, requesting reviews is a great way to get people talking about what you’ve written.

When we read good reviews, we definitely like to share them. It gives the author a few (permanent) moments of fame and allows us to let the community know about a great book. Here’s this week’s book review, courtesy of the Genre Go Round Reviews blog:

Escape from Eternity

Escape from Eternity

Nate Scholze

Publisher: Outskirts Press

ISBN: 9781432789060

Synopsis:

Set in the modern era, a humanoid alien entity, Adrian Antagon, arrives on Earth with a specific mission in mind. He must locate his long lost brother and cohort Menonan Antagon, who disappeared 60,000 years ago on Earth after trying to put down a rebellion of creative aliens who were supposed to be the stewards of the world, of which he was Supreme Commander at the time. Adrian assimilates the body of the first person who comes upon his tiny cylinder-shaped spacecraft and journeys from London, England to the beautiful water-front resort area of Door County, Wisconsin.

In Ephraim he meets up with an old man who recognizes but is not happy to see him. Emil Bitterman says that Adrian has never brought anything but heartache to him and he should leave immediately, but Adrian tells Bitterman he has other plans and requests that he assist him because of a former commitment. The old man refuses, but refers him to a young woman with a messed up life. Laura Whitmore is dealing with an overbearing father, a restaurant employer who’s paying too much attention to her, and the recent death of her cherished boyfriend.

She is not happy when Adrian asks for her help. Tired and depressed, Laura just wants to be left alone, but Adrian is determined to win her over and relays information about strange creative endeavors that changed our world. He explains that all humans are eternal and Earth is simply a place to escape the boredom of eternity and to forget about the problems associated with living forever for a while. Laura is rattled by his bizarre commentary and decides to try to avoid him, so she seeks out her sister Michelle, and her best friend, Colin Benton, a burned-out druggy.

Meantime, the family of the man whose body Adrian had assimilated has discovered he is missing, and to their horror determines their beloved family member now resides in Wisconsin, U.S.A. Bewildered and hurt, Katherine Nolan and friend, John Barrington, make the trip from the U.K. to recover him, but realize when they arrive that the man they think they know is now very different. Adrian kills Laura’s boss for assaulting her, and he is arrested and jailed, but then discloses what he has really come for: To reveal a mysterious truth that will change Laura’s life forever, and send her scurrying for safety. But Adrian needs her, and discloses that she has been chosen to play the central role in his plan whether she wants it or not, and as far as he is concerned, her involvement is not optional.

Laura’s father vows to see Adrian dead and in a bizarre turn of events Adrian is fatally shot by the sister of the now deceased Emil Bitterman. As Adrian is dying at Laura’s feet she discovers, to her horror, the strange and unnatural connection she has to the lost Menonan Antagon, and realizes that the information she receives could cost her more than her sanity, it could cost her her life.

[ courtesy of Amazon ]

Critique:

University of London math Professor William Nolan investigates an object that fell from the sky near his home. He returns to the house ordering his wife Katherine to give him his passport before leaving. Shocked by his out of character behavior she calls family friend John Barrington.

Calling himself Adrian, William flies to Chicago and from there goes to Ephraim, Wisconsin to see Teddy Bitterman. Adrian tells Teddy that Caleb lives in the Cycle and demands he help him rescue him. Teddy refuses as he lost his beloved wife Audrey and his sibling Caleb when he tried to assist Adrian years ago rescue the alien’s missing brother Menonan. Pleading for his sister and him to be left alone, Teddy tells his visitor to look for the oldest Whitmore sister. Adrian locates depressed Laura Whitmore and asks for her assistance, but she refuses as her dreams died in a car accident. He explains why he needs her to find Menonan who vanished after putting down a coup attempt by creative aliens on planet earth many millennia ago. While she turns to her younger sister Michelle and her BFF Colin Benton, her father Howard vows to kill the alien and Katherine and John follow William’s trail to Door County only to learn he killed Laura’s abusive Adam Blake.

Escape from Eternity is a gripping science fiction thriller starring a strong cast with diverse tsuris in a Close Encounters of the Third Kind scenario adding to their woes. The complex twisting storyline built on an eternal cosmological premise is character driven starting with Adrian’s possession of William’s body and never slows down as the audience anticipates a confrontations in Wisconsin and beyond.

[ reviewed by Harriet Klausner ]

Here’s what some other reviewers are saying:

I believe this will become a cult classic because this book brings a new scape to answer the “why am I here?” question that everyone has.
This book has a plot line that leaves you guessing and the way he has written his characters makes you understand the choices they have made without the normal “I know where this is going” being correct.
Every time I guessed wrong it pulled me further into the story, or is it a story? it makes you wonder,”did this guy figure it out?”
I think it should be read even by people who aren’t the normal sci-fi readers,it has a story that can make anyone ask questions they haven’t asked before. I can’t wait until its picked up by someone for a movie.
The way he paints the landscapes and surroundings of his characters makes you use your imagination knowing that he was trying to portray exactly what you are thinking.

I am a person who keeps books on a shelf that I love so I can read them again, this is a definite re-read. Pick it up with an open mind and you wont be disappointed!

– Amazon Reviewer callmetim

In this read we meet Laura Whitmore, her sister and parents. They appear to be a normal family yet a secret circles their lives, one that only the father fully knows, but never told his family. In a strange visit from a space craft a man runs to see what it is only to be taken over by something or is that someone, with a mission. This now possessed man, who calls himself, Adrian, seeks out Laura who holds the key to the future. Who really is this creature and what secrets does he hold for mankind, and why is Laura so important to him?

I have to say this was a different read with twists and turns I did not expect. The author kept you running forward with the desire to know who Adrian really was and why was he so intent on finding Laura. The characters in this story were interesting and well developed and tied together nicely as the read progressed. I think a little more information should have been given on who this character, Adrain, was a little sooner in the story. Perhaps a few more hints dropped here and there. As I said this was a different twist on ‘earth visiting’ characters and I feel our author plans to take this into another book, or so I assume from the ending of this one. The ending was a surprise in so many ways, I really did not see this ending coming, and it appears Laura is in for other visitations. If you enjoy a read that is a little different than the norm, this one is for you. The foundation is laid and ready to be built upon. I will be watching to see how our author continues this story.

– Amazon Reviewer Shirley Priscilla Johnson

Thanks for reading!  Keep up with the latest in the world of indie and self-published books by watching this space every Saturday!

Self Publishing Advisor

selfpubicon1

Conversations with a Self-Publishing Writer, Royalene Speaks

Conversations With A Self-Publishing Writer: 09/18/2015

OUR RIGHT TO WRITE AND PUBLISH III

 

FOR Novel and Non-Fiction book authors, let’s talk shop. My first two blogs this month focused on writers who enjoy the article/essay, short story and magazine venues AND their right to write and publish. However, unless authors are “frequent flyers” in those publishing circles, the more accurate term for their process would be to submit for publication. Those publishers and editors have total power with it comes to selecting what their Readers will see.  However, writers of book-length manuscripts may (underline may) hold a slight advantage simply because they have the additional option of self-publishing.

protesters

To encourage “book writers” I’d like to begin by defining the power of A BOOK, as outlined many years ago by American author, astrophysicist, astronomer, science communicator, Carl Sagan.

  • A flat object made from a tree;
  • Having flexible parts on which are imprinted dark squiggles;
  • Yet with one glance the reader is inside the mind of another—someone who might have been dead for thousands of years.
  • Books break the shackles of time.
  • A book is proof that humans are capable of working magic.

Sagan adds that “Writing is perhaps the greatest of human inventions, binding together people who never knew each other, as they become citizens of distant epochs.”

Of course, the power of a book is really the power of the written word that lingers in the hearing of readers from the moment of publication until—well, hopefully, forever—which, considering technology advances may be possible. This brings us to our right to write and publish. The old cliché that “with rights come responsibilities” is especially true for authors. E. B. White, author of the little book The Elements of Style, offers his thoughts.

“A writer has the duty to be good, not lousy; true, not false; lively, not dull; accurate, not full of error. He should tend to lift people up, not lower them down…A custodian…charged with the safekeeping of all unexpected items of worldly or unworldly enchantment [so that] even a small one is not lost. Writers do not merely reflect and interpret life, they inform and shape life.

I love to write. When my thoughts (scenes, characters, plots) flow upon page I feel a rush of excitement and can hardly wait for someone to read it. However, when I paused to consider Mr. White’s statements, I took a big gulp. Then I realized that I’d always known about these responsibilities. They resided within me—and all the authors I know—without putting “words” to them. These are the writing goals that inspire writers to learn better writing skills and dig deep through layers of research to include accurate and descriptive details.

So it is that I close today’s blog with a few thoughts of my own:

  • Being reminded of my personal writing/authorship responsibilities is a good thing.
  • Incorporating these concepts into my writing life leads me to produce quality work that will attract more readers!
  • Considering these responsibilities will help me research my best publishing opportunities.
    • Is a particular manuscript meant to be published by a “traditional” publisher?
    • What responsibilities do they set for themselves and/or take away from me?
    • Is self-publishing best for me? For the book? For readers to have the opportunity to enjoy it sooner rather than later? ⚓︎
RoyaleneABOUT ROYALENE DOYLE: Royalene has been writing something since before kindergarten days and continues to love the process. Through her small business—DOYLE WRITING SERVICES—she brings more than 40 years of writing experience to authors who need “just a little assistance” with completing their projects. This is a nice fit as she develops these blogs for Outskirts Press (OP) a leading self-publisher, and occasionally accepts a ghostwriting project from one of their clients. Her recent book release (with OP) titled FIREPROOF PROVERBS, A Writer’s Study of Words, is already receiving excellent reviews including several professional writer’s endorsements given on the book’s back cover.  

Royalene’s writing experience grew through a wide variety of positions from Office Manager and Administrative Assistant to Teacher of Literature and Advanced Writing courses and editor/writer for an International Christian ministry. Her willingness to listen to struggling authors, learn their goals and expectations and discern their writing voice has brought many manuscripts into the published books arena.