Self-publishing, Obama, and the American Economy

The New York Times reported today that the US lost almost 500,000 more jobs in June 2009. “These numbers are indicative of a continued, very severe recession,” commendted Stuart Hoffman of PNC Financial Services in Pittsburgh. Pressure continues to weigh the Obama administration and its $787 billion stimulus plan, while some economists call for an additional round of government stimulus dollars.

Hmmm

I attended a conference recently where one speaker notably remarked, “People tell me there is a recession. I simply choose not to participate.”

Sure, we’ve seen some disturbing fallout over the past year, but it’s time to move the accident from the road and press on the gas pedal. The efficiency, timeliness, and effectiveness in advancements provided through independent and self-publishing offers authors the opportunity for their own stimulus package. Businesses leaders, entrepreneurs,  industry experts, speakers, and more are finding book publishing as an avenue to promote themselves and their work, leading to growth, credibility, and investment dollars, not to mention the ancillary benefit of ongoing royalties on book sales.

No-brainer? Give it a shot. Adversity engenders growth, and self publishing at the edge of the envelope. Don’t miss the train.

Karl Schroeder


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New Pages for Self-Published Authors

 As if our current economy wasn’t bad enough for small businesses, independent bookstores may be struggling, due to competing with the chains and online retailers like Amazon.com.  Nevertheless, when it comes to appearing in person for an event or book signing, or arranging consignment deals for in-stock carriage, the independent bookstore is the independently published author’s best friend.

Let’s make it easy for you to find them. Go to http://newpages.com/bookstores/default.htm for a list of states in the United States and click on your state for the major independent bookstores in your area.  Feel like traveling out of state, this resource will supply you with all the independent bookstores you want to find.  You can even purchase mailing lists to these stores pretty inexpensively if you want to send a promotional mailing.

In fact, other resources are on the New Pages website, too, including information about every literary magazine published in the US, and more. The Main page is at http://www.newpages.com

Good luck and have fun!
Kelly Schuknecht
selfpublishingadvice.wordpress.com



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Viral Marketing for Self-Published Authors – Tip #1

Tip #1 – Give something away

Everyone wants something for free.  Strategically advertising a free giveaway (a copy of your book, a service, free information) is one way to attract attention.  This attention may not turn into profit immediately, but in general more interest in your self-published book means greater potential for sales.

Look at Squarespace for example.  This website software company is currently running a contest on Twitter.  They are giving away an iPhone to one contestant each day for 30 days.  In order to enter, the contestant must send out a “tweet” with the #squarespace hashtag.  This “free” advertising tactic quickly brought Squarespace onto the top ten “Trending Topics” list on Twitter, which means everyone on Twitter user (approximately 1.3 million daily) will see that Squarespace is popular topic and many will click on the links to find out why. 

The good news is you don’t have to give away an iPhone a day to attract attention for your book, but consider your audience and think about what you can give away that may spark their interest.  It could be a copy of your self-published book or it could be a service you provide.  Whatever it is, be sure to include your book and/or web site in your promotional materials.

I’ll have more viral marketing tips for you over the next few weeks.

Good luck and have fun!
Kelly Schuknecht
selfpublishingadvice.wordpress.com

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Self Published Authors Tell Your Story

Daryn Kagan of CNN fame is seeking personal stories for her popular website at www.darynkagan.com.

Go to the area that is called “Tell Me Your Story” and share your experience of self-publishing your book. Or, share the experience that lead to writing the book in the first place. You will be able to write a brief description of your story. If you have photos of book signing events, any book videos or audio clips of interviews you have done, be sure to check the appropriate boxes on the right-hand side. This a great cathartic exercise and gets your book “out there.”

Good luck and have fun!
Kelly Schuknecht
selfpublishingadvice.wordpress.com

Self-Published Books for CEOs

Do you have a self-published book that is ideal for executives, CEOs, or corporations? There is a company that specializes in reaching that market. You will find information about them at http://800ceoread.com – and that also happens to be their telephone number, where you can find out about submitting your self-published book for consideration if you feel it is appropriate for their market: 1-800-CEO-READ.

Good luck and have fun!
Kelly Schuknecht
selfpublishingadvice.wordpress.com