Author: selfpublishingadvisor

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

News From the Self-Publishing World: 9/7/15

Happy Labor Day to our readers in the United States!

This week in the world of self-publishing:

What is that line from Animal Farm: “All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others”?  The market being what it is for indie and self-published authors, the whole enterprise can often seem overwhelming.  But indie and self-published authors have always faced one seemingly insurmountable hurdle––one hurdle that is “more equal” than all the others––in the quest to sell their books: publicity.  Well, this year there’s good news at last!  In a September 4th article for LibraryJournal, James LaRue documents the ground-breaking efforts of librarian Jim Blanton to reshape libraries into a mutually-beneficial platform for self-published authors.

LaRue notes that libraries have often “turned a cold shoulder to local authors” in that “librarians didn’t return [authors’] phone calls, shied away from booking them in meeting rooms, and turned down their books for the ­collection.”  But Blanton knew that librarians––many of whom are self-published or are advocates for self-publishing themselves––could provide vital support to new or struggling authors.  And so, as the director of Daviess County Public Library (DCPL) in Owensboro, KY, Blanton partnered up with a neighboring library in Henderson to create ePublish or Bust.  This website allows indie and self-published authors to “book” appearances at local libraries (there are 24 in Kansas that participate, at present) and to access a variety of other resources.  While the website is currently in a beta stage as Blanton and others iron out the wrinkles with their system, it provides a glimpse of new possibilities as libraries and authors collectively look to prepare for a digitally-driven future.

In anticipation of the FutureBook conference in December 2015 (“the largest digital publishing conference in Europe,” according to its website), journalist and speaker Porter Anderson put out a call for “the FutureBook audience to reflect on five years of digital [publishing] … and to challenge the customs we have begun to adopt.”  The response, Anderson writes, has been “robust,” and the final deadline is today, September 7th.  Several manifestos are already published online at FutureBook, but we’re here to sing the praises of one specific contribution: that which has been put on the table by the founding director of the Alliance of Independent Authors (ALLi), Orna Ross.  In “A Manifesto for Self-Publishing Authors,” Ross strikes both a defiant and compassionate note, all at once.  Not sure how this is possible?  Read the full manifesto.  It’s short and sweet and beautiful.

We tip our hats this week to self-published children’s book author and Swedish behavioral scientist, Carl-Johan Forssén Ehrlin, whose phenomentally successful The Rabbit Who Wants to Fall Asleep was just acquired in a joint deal between Random House U.S. and Penguin Random House U.K.  In this article in Publisher’s Weekly, Rachel Deahl describes how Ehrlin went from selling 24 copies of his book one week in August to selling over 29,000 copies the following week.  And while it’s probably a sure thing that Random House will find new audiences for this delightful little book, there’s no shaking the fact that this book wouldn’t have gotten the attention of the traditional publishing houses if it hadn’t already been such a magnificent self-publishing success story.

Our last stop on the news train this week is this article on PRWeb.com, with the news that the Colorado-based hybrid self-publishing company Outskirts Press is hosting a noteworthy promotion for their “Diamond” and “Pearl” publishing packages.  The promotion, dubbed “Mad Money” by the company, allows customers to apply a promotional code at check-out and recoup some $300 in credit on their Outskirts Press accounts.  These packages cost about $999 and $1,199, so the $300 promotion represents an additional value of roughly one-third and one-quarter, respectively.  Nothing to sneeze at!

The company, described in the PRWeb release as the “fastest-growing full-service self-publishing and book marketing company” in the United States, typifies the possibilities offered by “hybrid” platforms––where authors pay to publish their book, instead of receiving an advance as they would from a traditional publisher, and receive the full benefit of professional editing, design, promotional, and marketing services while retaining full rights and creative control.

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 Book Review of the Week, weekly self published book review

Weekly Self-Published Book Review: “Angel’s Gate”

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:

Angel's Gate

Angel’s Gate

Andrew J. Rafkin and Louis Pagano

Publisher: Outskirts Press

ISBN: 9781432780026

Synopsis:

THE LARGEST HEIST IN HISTORY NEVER TOLD:

In 1983, the rapidly growing city of LA and beachfront communities were active in the illicit drug trade, successfully operating through Angels Gate Lighthouse, and LAX, the gate to the City of Angels. This true story is a recounting of the largest monetary heist in history, carried out by four local surfers, and August Taracina, a successful marijuana smuggler. The heist proceeds with only minor hitches…until the bags of loot are opened. Much to the thieves’ chagrin, there is no cash, no gold 5nothing but financial instruments that cannot be cashed. While still in command of one of the largest marijuana smuggling operation on the west coast, August begins a whirlwind, worldwide tour with his connections to organized crime, the Medellin Cartel, and international bankers, as he attempts to fence the items. Other gangs, along with their treachery and murder pursue him, as well as FBI agent Nick Cutler and his team, the Treasury Department, and Interpol. During this maelstorm, August devises an incredible plan to satisfy everyone’s interest and fulfill their dreams. Now, all he has to do is make it happen.

Critique:

     It’s 1983. Four local surfers who work in the luggage department of Los Angeles Airport devise an ingenious plan to smuggle drugs. Their goal? To make quick, easy money in order to fulfill their dreams and open a hotel in Costa Rica. They partner with a rich, successful marijuana smuggler named August Taracina and soon they put their plan into action. Eventually they run into an unexpected problem, an event that, to their surprise, turns out more profitable than ever.

     You may ask yourself how authors Andrew J. Rafkin and Louis Pagano know this event really took place if, as in the story, the main people involved were never caught. This is explained in the preface of the book, where the authors state that the story was told to them by a friend who actually took part in the heist.

     Angel’s Gate is a fictionalized account that at times reads like a novel – minus the characterization. I had to keep reminding myself of that, especially during times when I didn’t like what the characters were doing and felt disturbed by their greedy, irresponsible actions and attitudes. That aside, this is a well written, fictionalized account of what supposedly happened back in 1983, and on what, according to the authors, supposedly is one of the biggest monetary heists in history. Gritty prose, realistic dialogue, and continuous suspense make Angel’s Gate an interesting, enjoyable read, especially to fans of true crime books. [ reviewed by Mayra Calvani ]

Here’s what some other reviewers are saying:

This was a truly great story. Hands down. Right off the bat we are swept into the world of the local surfers Randy, Scott, Terry, and Jeff, who have a dream about building a hotel in Costa Rica. So of course they need money…lots of it. At first they try selling drugs, but after a while they are forced to find other avenues of cash flow. With their unique positions of working at an airline, the boys devise a plan that exceeds even their wildest expectations. And then the real trouble starts. I literally devoured this book every chance I had because it was so interesting! It was really cool to see it from the criminal POV, and there were just so many other details in there it seems as if this book could have only been written from someone who was there (hmmmmm…). But this was a really great crime novel and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys an engrossing read.

– Goodreads Reviewer Stacy

This is an amazing, well-crafted true story that will blow your mind. A group of surfers who work together as baggage handlers at LA International airport come up with a scheme to smuggle in high-grade pot, with the help of August Taracina, an ultra-cool, super-smart pot smuggler, whose well-organized operation brings in tons of pot into 1980’s LA. When their smuggling operation must close down, the surfers come up with another avenue to get the money they need to make their dreams come true, and luck into the biggest haul in history.

This is not only a great story, but it gives readers an insiders look at the inner workings of the smuggling trade and how a shrewd “importer” ran his enormous operation. I strongly recommend this exciting and informative book.

– Amazon Reviewer John A. Sanders

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

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Conversations with a Self-Publishing Writer, Royalene Speaks

Conversations With A Self-Publishing Writer: 09/04/2015

OUR RIGHT TO WRITE AND PUBLISH

This play on words is technically called a homonym, defined as words that sound the same but are spelled differently and have different meanings. Those of us who have a deep need to write down our ideas, our histories, our hopes and fears, and create great imaginative worlds, might understand this need as more of a compulsion that must be satisfied.  Those of us who are placed in an environment—in a country—that does not attempt to subdue our writing passions are, indeed, greatly blessed. However, because we have the right to write, we also have the responsibility to do it well. Some might even say that we have the responsibility to release each piece into the world—to publish. So it is that this month’s series of blogs will focus on a few avenues of becoming the published author you are meant to be.

picketing

FOR the non-techie writer, who barely touches the Internet, consider these options to begin your publishing career. Start by spending some time in your local library. Research information about:

  1. ANTHOLOGIES. For those authors who enjoy short-story writing, the “themed” anthologies can be a dream-come-true. You may hear that this is an extremely tough market to break into, however, it is well worth the effort. My first published piece was accepted into a Science Fiction Anthology (sadly no longer in existence), and that encouragement gave me the nudge I needed to keep writing. These themed anthologies can be found on just about any topic you can imagine from motherhood to military missions, fishing tales to poetry. And another upside to Anthologies—differing from single issue magazines—is that an anthology doesn’t become dated after three or six months. They remain on library shelves for years becoming sought-after collections.
  2. Weekly, Monthly, Quarterly CONSUMER MAGAZINES. There are hundreds to choose from, so be very selective.  Narrow these periodicals by the genre of your choice—your interest. If you love to read the Smithsonian and American Gardening and the Reader’s Digest, start there. Request their submission guidelines and begin formulating your pieces to fit their needs. Because you’re already familiar with the writing styles of authors who are published there, you’ve developed the writer’s “ear” for “hearing” those articles. Thus, producing you own will be easier.
  3. LITERARY JOURNALS. Some say these journals are fading away. However, I’m of the opinion that excellent writing will support these journals for generations to come. SO I encourage you to research these and find your niche. The smaller literary journals offer an array of opportunities. However, wherever you find a journal that impresses you, that is the place to start. Get their submission guidelines and follow them exactly! While the initial pay may not be great, just wait for your short story to be reprinted in such venues as The Best American Mysteries, or The Best American Short Stories. That is resume/portfolio success!

Bottom line here is NOT to put all your eggs in one basket. Also, think outside the box.  Sorry for the cliché usage. However, one of the most inspiring stories I’ve heard is how a group of writers started their own journal/magazine. They may not have become rich (or maybe they have, but I don’t way or the other), yet they published their work and encouraged other writers in the process. ⚓︎

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.
Book Marketing, Book Promotion, Book Promotion Strategy, Kelly Speaks, linkedin, Social Media Marketing

An Indie Author’s Social Media Primer |LinkedIn

If you’re not already a member of LinkedIn, perhaps you’re familiar with the following scenario: you wake up on a lovely Monday morning, high-tail it in to work with only minutes to spare before your shift at the factory plant or in the cubicle farm or out at the library begins; you pull up Microsoft Outlook to check your email and set up your day’s schedule, only to find … thirteen emails from friends who want to “add” you to their “professional network on LinkedIn”?  What in blazes does that mean?  Is it a scam or something?

linkedin email

No, it’s not a scam–I promise!  The emails are just an incredibly weird side effect and the only negative feature I know of to setting up a LinkedIn account.  (When new LinkedIn users have the chance to add friends to their network, the website mines their email contacts to generate networking possibilities, and doesn’t visually make it clear which of the folks you click on to connect with already have accounts and which ones do not).  So while the emails may clutter up your inbox, they’re not meant to be malicious–either on the part of LinkedIn, or the friends who send them.

linkedin

All this begs the question: What exactly is LinkedIn, and how can a self-published or self-publishing author best make use of the platform?  This social networking website touts itself as “The World’s Largest Professional Network,” is run by CEO Jeff Weiner (of Yahoo! fame) and a board chaired by founder Reid Hoffman (of PayPal and SocialNet.com fame) with the purported goal of connecting users interested in more career-driven networking than is made possible by, say, Facebook and Instagram.  It seems to be doing a fairly good job of achieving this end, as its approximately 364-million-strong user base can attest.  Any self-published author looking for a new weapon in his or her repertoire should definitely keep LinkedIn at the top of the shortlist!

Debunking the Great LinkedIn Myth: “It’s all work, and no play.”

LinkedIn certainly attracts a different user base from, say, Snapchat–but that doesn’t mean its users aren’t making full use of the platform’s more “social” aspects for recreation and enjoyment.  And as this article on the Daily Dot points out, industry professionals are being led into blogging and socializing by the platform–book lovers and self-publishing author’s don’t have to fight or struggle to carve out a niche … it already exists.  Users log in to LinkedIn, on average, less frequently than the average Facebook user (according to Mashable in 2013, the average Facebooker checked the app 15 times a day).  But engagement on LinkedIn is, contrary to some folks expectations, extraordinarily high.  This may be because LinkedIn is a destination website, a place to go rather than a place to go through to get somewhere else or to burn some free time.  Users see LinkedIn as a tool, and they’re more likely to actually read the blog posts (for example) that they see on there than ones they might stumble across elsewhere.

But what is a self-published author to do?  Setting up a LinkedIn profile will benefit anyone, but what are some ways that an author can make special use of the platform?

Top 5 Best Practices:

1. Groups, groups groups.  Other social media platforms have group discussion boards–last week, for example, I specifically pointed out Etsy’s group features–but not all groups are created equal.  What may seem perfunctory or underdeveloped or a programming afterthought elsewhere has been brought close to perfection on LinkedIn.  You can tell that group memberships and discussions were a priority of the website’s developers, as the interface is clean and smooth and easy to interact with.  You can find or create groups, manage groups, join groups, and participate in groups you’re interested in without worrying about the content being dumped straight into indexing search engines for everyone running a Google search to see–LinkedIn’s algorithm is much more picky in what it offloads than, say, Goodreads’.  You can customize the privacy settings of the groups you manage, rendering some public and free to join, and others private or invitation only.  And all that I said above about user engagement being high on LinkedIn?  There’s no better place to see this engagement lived out in the round than in LinkedIn’s many active groups.  So: join a few!  Start a few discussions!

2. Keep tabs on the “Topics” page.  A simple search shows a beautifully put-together page in the Topics section of LinkedIn dedicated to none other than the subject of self-publishing.  These Topics pages serves as a kind of constantly-updated newsletter of everything posted to the website–articles, blog posts, groups discussions, presentations, companies, and industry trends–that relates.  You can find what characteristics or “skills” LinkedIn users engaged in self-publishing share (“Creative Writing” and “Editing” the top two–no surprise there!), or you can access a slideshow on “How to Write a Book in 10 Days” … just to provide two examples among many.  Don’t underestimate LinkedIn’s Topics!

3. Make it your first stop on the research train.  Are you looking to self-publish and you haven’t decided what company best represents your interests?  Many indie, hybrid, and self-publishing companies keep active LinkedIn pages, and you can take full advantage of this by connecting with the company itself or any of its employees who also have LinkedIn profiles.  Outskirts Press is a great example of a hybrid publishing company with a rich LinkedIn presence–many of its authors, author representatives, and executives are present there.  You can do your due diligence with ease, just by perusing a company’s profile and exploring the information presented there.  Want to know if you can trust a company to provide the best quality print on demand books for you?  Want to find agents, editors, or other collaborators?  Check LinkedIn.

4. Boost your credibility.  As I’ve mentioned already, LinkedIn attracts users who are highly engaged but who are also looking specifically to build business-oriented networks.  Accounts are reviewed by LinkedIn staff to verify that users are not using fake or ridiculous names, which is just one layer of the self-reinforcing professionalism that makes LinkedIn special.  If you want to create a brand around your name as a self-published author, there’s literally no better place to get started.  Creating a polished LinkedIn profile that takes full advantage of the metadata and the form available (enter as much information as possible to make yourself as findable as possible!) will allow you to feel confident that a publisher or agent who Googles your name comes up with something that confirms your reliability, credibility, and professionalism.  There’s not much more you can do to help yourself stand out from the pack!

5. Use the Pulse.  Just over a year ago, LinkedIn opened up its “Pulse” blogging platform to all users–a privilege that had previously been reserved for about 500 key “Influencers.”  Perhaps because it began with such constraints, Pulse retains some of its aura as a voice for the truly expert, and it’s a beautiful illustration of how a blog can indeed be seamlessly wound up with a social network.  Pulse offers all or most of the features you might find on a blog platform like WordPress, with great customizability and the option to include hyperlinked text.  Posts on Pulse automatically display as both a part of your user profile and your connections’ home page feeds.  They show up in search engine results, too.  The best part about Pulse is that you don’t have to use it as a blog if you don’t want to–you can use it as a secondary publishing platform.  Because Pulse allows for beautiful long-form posts, you could feasibly offer whole chapters or even an entire book (in chapters) for your connections to read!

Most Overlooked Feature:

The “Projects” section of your LinkedIn profile is an excellent–and under-utilized!–feature that you should definitely take a second look at.  Why?  Because it’s not just a spot to list ongoing works in progress … it’s a fully linkable and functional tool.  You can connect a project to an Amazon book listing, an author webpage, and to its actual editorial or publishing team!  I mean, how neat.

linkedin projects

Best of all, the projects section is a dedicated space, which means that the information you input there won’t get shuffled off of your profile page or lost in the aether.  Unless you choose to remove it, a book you list as a project becomes a permanent feature of both your page and the page of any other collaborators who confirm their connection to it!

I hope you’ll join me in building 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 social media know-how. ♠

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.
Advocacy in Self-Publishing, amazon reviews, Book Marketing, Book Promotion, Book Promotion Strategy, Book Reviews, Kelly Speaks

From the Archives: “Soliciting Book Reviews for your Self Published Book”

Welcome back to our new Tuesday segment, where we’ll be revisiting some of our most popular posts from the last few years.  What’s stayed the same?  And what’s changed?  We’ll be updating you on the facts, and taking a new (and hopefully refreshing) angle on a few timeless classics of Self Publishing Advisor.

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[ Originally posted: August 18th, 2008 ]

If your self-published book is available for sale at Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble (BN.com), and other sites, you want to be sure your online listings have book reviews. You can always be sure your book has at least 1 review by asking one very close friend or relative to write a review for your book.

Once you have one review, your job is to solicit others. Obviously, if you’ve given some of your books away to friends or families, you should ask them to write a review in exchange for the book. As you continue to give them away, suggest to your customers that it would be helpful to you if they took the time to write an honest online review.  People like to help people, but usually only do so if you ask.

BONUS: Once you have reviews, you can use them in quotes for further promotion. For example:

“Best Book Ever!” — Amazon.com review.

Your book detail page on Amazon and Barnes & Noble have links for writing reviews of your book. If you haven’t done that yet, do it right away.

Remember, in order to write a review for a book on Amazon, each reviewer must have an Amazon account with which they have purchased something. This is how Amazon verifies the identity of the reviewer. They don’t need to buy your book, per se, they just need to buy something, anything, from Amazon. But it is nice if they DO buy your book, so suggest that to your friends first.

book review

Seven years on, and we’ve had ample time to expand upon the notion of book reviews and how beneficial they can be for your self-promotion strategy as an indie or self-published author!  And when I say ample, I mean that we’ve literally written essays on the subject.  For a litany of our best book-review-related material, check out this link, and this one, and this one.  Oh, and don’t forget our last in-depth primer post on the matter!

If the intervening years between 2008 and 2015 have taught me anything, it’s the power and influence of positive––and authentic––book reviews.  Which is why, when I look at my words from so long ago, the ones I want most to revisit are these: “[Reviewers] don’t need to buy your book, per se, they just need to buy something, anything, from Amazon.”  While the fact remains true that an Amazon reviewer isn’t strictlyr required to buy a book or an ebook to review it––and there are certainly many circumstances in which readers may legitimately acquire a book without purchasing it through Amazon or purchasing it at all––I see now that my words, out of context, might encourage authors to strong-arm their friends and loved ones into posting Amazon reviews out of obligation, rather than genuine interest.  I cannot stress how wrong I would be to encourage this notion.  Reviews should never be given unwillingly.  

Let me say that again: Reviews should never be given unwillingly.  We should try to avoid creating situations in which false approval is the platform upon which we launch our careers as authors.  As indie and self-published authors, we’re striving to shake off the constraints and residues of the so-called “Big Bad Publishing Institution,” a process which puts the torque into the word “spin” and serious money behind works and authors that critics are paid to laud.  We can work the system, yes––and self-promotion is in large part knowing how to cultivate a certain degree of cunning––but we should never sacrifice our self-respect.

Which is why we keep revisiting this idea of the book review.

There are so many ways in which we can be both cunning and conscientious, both the serpent and the dove.  Our past posts will lead you deeper into the specifics, but suffice it to say: don’t be afraid to go after reviews, and to openly and honestly ask for them, to outright challenge your readers and those who fall within your social sphere to offer them up … and also, don’t forget that the best review is an honest review, and the best way to keep hooking in good and honest press is to write another brilliant book.  Even better, if that’s possible, is helping out a fellow indie or self-published author by exchanging books and promises to support each other with favorable––and honest!––reviews.  What better way to cut through the bureaucratic red tape of traditional publishing than to participate in the broader exchange of thoughts and ideas with the whole self-publishing community?  Up and at ’em!  ♠

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.