Author: selfpublishingadvisor

news from the self publishing world, self publishing news, Uncategorized

Self-Publishing News: 10.23.2017 – Publishing Trends

hello October word abstrtact in wood type

And now for the news!

Some highlights from this month in the world of self-publishing, specifically regarding publishing trends within the publishing industry, and their implications for all authors!

This article by Jim Milliot for Publisher’s Weekly is the perfect way to bludgeon your way into Monday, packed with fascinating tidbits on the state of self-publishing by way of a new report from Bowker. It would seem that, now we’ve reached October 2017, we’re finally drawing conclusions about 2016, a year in which we apparently (collectively) purchased 786,935 ISBNs. According to the report (and Milliot), this serves as “an 8.2% increase over 2015,” which is, well, statistically significant. This number averages out the numbers for print books (which rose significantly) and for e-books (which dropped a bit). What does this report mean for you and me? First, there are several conclusions we might reach: firstly, that the drop in e-book ISBN purchases is leveling out (in 2015, there was an enormous drop), Amazon is still purchasing the bulk of ISBNs, and there are still plenty of companies jockeying to pick up the bulk of the remainder. There are perhaps more gems of wisdom we might identify here, and we encourage you to dig into the original article, which you can access here.

“Marvel and DC could learn a thing or two from their indie competitors,” writes Alexander Huls as he opens this article for the Pacific Standard. What are those things that might be learnt? That women make, buy, and read comics in which they are well-represented! We might examine that idea at length, but Huls has already done such a fantastic job we highly recommend you take a peek at the original piece for brilliant insights into the established comic publishers (like Marvel and DC) and what they have done to lose their edge in appealing to what is now a significant market share of the comics industry–a shortsightedness which is now paying dividends to independent and self-publishing comics companies. We’ll just leave you with one final quotation:

Women Write About Comics’ Purdy echoes that sentiment. “When you get through a convention or an industry space, it’s always: ‘Where are the women? Is this generation of women going to be the one to finally break through?’ We already broke through,” Purdy says.

You can read the rest of Huls’ fantastic article at the link.

We’re not disputing that there are plenty of pitfalls to landing a traditional publisher, as Loren Kleinman chronicles in her article for HuffPost … but we might dispute that a newcomer to the self-publishing industry is the way to cure all those ills. After all, there have been (as the Bowker article reveals, above) plenty of contenders attempting to redress the gaps and shortfalls of the traditional publishing industry, and if they haven’t found the solution in aggregate, it’s unlikely that just one new company would. Still, it’s worth exploring all options, right? So, what is Publishizer? According to Kleinman, it is “a NYC-based startup and crowdfunding platform that’s helped hundreds of authors get published,” which sounds a little bit like sales copy. Still, the rest of the article is fascinating, as it is made up of an interview with Lee Constantine, Publishizer’s Head of Growth. According to Constantine, Publishizer was established to combat one of the perceived shortcomings of self-publishing–namely, its lack of legitimacy, and its inability to compete with the “elusive” traditional publishing option. How does Publishizer aim to do this? Algorithms. Of course it’s more complicated than that, but we highly recommend you read Kleinman and Constantine’s full interview.

spa-news

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.

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Conversations with a Self-Publishing Writer, Royalene Speaks, Uncategorized

Conversations: 10/20/2017

book covers

CONNECT WITH EXPERT BOOK COVER DESIGNERS

GET EXCITED! Your manuscript is now in the process of being PUBLISHED! The next step requires the writer to “think visually” in a whole different dimension—the flat surface of your book’s COVER. If you’re contracted with a traditional publishing house, the design for your book will be taken “off your shoulders” as their team decides what image will market your book fastest and best. Sometimes they’re right. Sometimes they miss the target audience completely. However, if you’re an “indie” (independent, self-publishing) author, the following discussion will give you a jumpstart in assisting your Cover Designer create the perfect image.

First, let’s take a look at who these Cover Designers are. Without exception, they’ve been extraordinarily creative people since childhood and they’ve come to the career of Graphic Design through many unique avenues. They are also the legacy of visual communicators starting with the ancients who carved designs in stone and utilized “paints” created from charcoal and plants to preserve their images for future generations. However, today’s Designer knows that the distinction between “fine art,” advertising art and graphic art has blurred to the point of invisibility. So it is that they take their work very seriously and we are the benefactors.

Sample of an excellent design:

would you rather be right or well shirley gilbert

At some point during the final stages of completing your manuscript—and discussions with your author representative and publishing consultant—you’ve been asked to create three short information pieces: (1) your bio, (2) a 1-2 sentence theme statement about your book, and (3) a summary of the book. These serve multiple purposes not the least of which is revealing the concepts of your book to the Cover Designer. You may also be asked to fill out a questionnaire for the Designer giving them a clearer idea of what you want to see on the cover. This will include:

  • Who is your audience? Important to know because different color combinations appeal to different Readers (buyers) and different age groups.
  • If you’re at your favorite bookstore, what section will have your book? What other books of the same genre do you imagine being next to yours? Important to know so that the Designer can visualize a distinctive design and color scheme that will attract readers to your book vs another.
  • Have you imagined specific images on the cover of your book? Have you dreamed about the cover of your book? Be as specific as possible.
  • What are your expectations from the Cover Designer? This person needs ALL the input you can give. Without it, the process will take longer.

As mentioned above, your Cover Designer is an expert in the art of book cover design. This person is investing in your book to a greater level than you might have initially imagined. He or she has not only studied the “arts” but also the realities of human nature—developing a unique understanding of the visual creatures who instinctively respond to certain colors, shapes and designs.

Some authors have never met the Designer of their book covers, which saddens me a little. I understand the business plan many publishers have established to buffer their Creative Artists from the occasional frustrated author. However, through this blog I hope hundreds of Graphic Artists/Cover Designers will see my BIG THANK YOU and realize that a whole lot of authors would enjoy meeting you and shaking your hand. Your expertise brightens bookshelves, coffee tables, offices and libraries (etc.) around the world! Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU! ⚓︎

 

Royalene

ABOUT 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.
news from the editorial desk, Self-Publishing, Uncategorized

A Quick 5 Minute Survey to Serve You Better!

We’d love to hear from you about how we’re doing and what more you’d like to see on Self-Publishing Advisor! After all, we’re here to serve your needs and interests, and we want to ensure we’re delivering material that you need—and enjoy!

Click here to access the survey link! 

This survey should take around 5 minutes, and responses are completely anonymous.

we want your feedback

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

Self Publishing Advisor

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

Tuesday Book Review: “Insanity by Murder”

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:

insanity by murder w rosser wilson

Insanity by Murder: A Cidee Washington Mystery

by W. Rosser Wilson

Publisher: Outskirts Press

ISBN: 9781478756149

 

Synopsis*:

Doctor Lee is a surgeon gone mad. John Lee is riddled with guilt and psychologically traumatized by the unexpected postoperative death of a special patient ten years before. Heavily medicated, impoverished, and on the county dole, Dr. Lee lives alone in a ramshackle single-wide trailer with his dog, Sunny, on the banks of a Virginia river. One hot summer day he is visited by Sarah, a nurse and past lover, who confesses that all this time she has known that “Thumbs” Berringer–her husband and Dr. Lee’s surgical rival–murdered the patient out of spite. This revelation enrages Dr. Lee and unleashes a series of events that lead to Sarah’s death and the disappearance of Dr. Lee and Sarah’s husband…and the local sheriff must seek the help of two most unlikely individuals in solving the case. Insanity of Murder is a humorous yet riveting mystery novel about guilt, madness, and murder.

 * courtesy of Amazon.com

Featured Review:

I thoroughly enjoyed my read of this book. Technically, the author demonstrates an effective use of common parlance and highly detailed character and scene descriptions, while artfully weaving aspects of the story together within some historical and social context of the south. The pathos evoked by the described effects of psychotic depression in the conscientious and the disquiet from the ultimate revelation about the associated greedy sociopath are well produced in a story that comes together with a surprise ending. Insanity and murder are not pleasant topics; thus, this book is not for when you want to feel uplifted about the nature of mankind, save the seekers of truth – those who made good attempt therein to solve the mystery, along with snippets of situational humor here and there. Engaging, interesting, and well written are the reasons why I highly recommend this murder mystery. Now, I’m looking forward to my read of the sequel.

– reviewed by Amazon Customer

 Other Reviewers Are Saying …

Riveting yet humorous mystery about a surgeon driven mad by his patient’s murder. A shocking end.

– reviewed by Foreword Reviews

Excellent read, unique mix of characters and plot. Wilson makes the unlikely feasible by giving us the details of personality we need to understand the often bizarre choices his players make. He knows the details of the culture in which his story plays out, has an uncluttered style and a strong sense of how to maintain tension all the way to the last line. Philip

– Amazon Reviewer Philip R. Hirsh Jr.

Book Trailer

tuesday book review

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

Self Publishing Advisor

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news from the self publishing world, self publishing news, Self-Publishing, Uncategorized

Self-Publishing News: 10.16.2017 – New Releases!

hello October word abstrtact in wood type

And now for the news!

Some highlights from this month in the world of self-publishing, specifically new releases written by self-publishing authors and published by independent presses! Today we’ll be featuring brand-new releases in the Outskirts Press Bookstore!

Are you looking for a whodunit to liven up your October evenings? You can’t go wrong with Reginald Buchanan’s Deceived, a killer story with a serious twist. It follows the story of Joan Witherspoon, a rising star of an athlete and the kind of senior everyone hopes their children grow up to be: a bright spark, full of life and passion. But her life is about to get very complicated indeed. Tragedy strikes while she’s away at volleyball practice, and while her parents’ deaths are explained away by the local law enforcement at the time, she finds herself years later at the heart of a burgeoning serial murder story. There’s plenty of deceit to go around, as the book’s title indicates, but you won’t see the end coming until it arrives! Sure, it may not be as overtly spooky as a book with “Halloween” in the title, but Deceived is a fantastically creepy exploration of the various sides of grief, tragedy, and the mind of a killer.

On a lighter note, who hasn’t wanted to go backpacking or river boating or parasailing through Europe? (Okay, so that last one may be a bit too much, but there’s always room for a personal fantasy or two in the midst of a book review!) Francis J. Clauss is here to walk us through the jewel of the grand European tour of ages gone by: Italy, land of Roman ruins and lush wineries and volcanoes galore. But Clauss has something more to offer than just a smidgen of sight-seeing! A regular at the San Francisco Opera, West Bay Opera in Palo Alto, Opera San Jose, Santa Fe Opera, the New York Metropolitan Opera, and many foreign venues, he and his wife have volunteered behind and in front of the scenes at various venues and know the lay of the operatic land, so to speak. In this volume, Clauss takes readers on a journey through not just the heart of Italy’s opera scene, but also the history of opera and why it has become such an emotional lynch-pin for those like him, and why it has become a city- and nation-building force throughout the ages. Fascinating, right? More than worth a look!

Following up on the joyous ride that was the first book in this series, Tom Boyhan is back with a new installment! If you or someone you know has loved Harry Potter, The Adventurer’s Guide to Successful Escapes, or How to Train Your Dragon, here’s another fantastic fantasy series for young readers that really knows how to blow your socks off! With fire! Dragonfire! What’s cooler than that? I’ll tell you what: a story which combines the allure of martial arts (they win belts!) with boarding school (which we’d much rather read about than attend, except when it’s a magical boarding school for magical kids and DRAGONS) and podracing. I mean, dragon racing! Dragon racing is even cooler than podracing, in our humble opinion. But of course, not all is fun and games at the academy, and our intrepid cast of heroes must fight a shadowy organization in order to survive, save the world, and make it to class on time in the morning. They’ve got a full semester ahead of them, and we have a full evening by the fire reading ahead of us. Can’t wait for book three!

spa-news

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.

selfpubicon1