Category: Self-Publishing

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

News From the Self-Publishing World: 10/12/15

This week in the world of self-publishing:

We’ve mentioned the self-publishing and English-language translation phenomenon by Carl-Johan Forssén Ehrlin, The Rabbit Who Wants to Fall Asleep, before.  Yes, it’s now a solid success in the traditional industry as well, since its purchase and republication by one of the Big Five publishing houses–but once a self-published book, always a self-published book.  Right?  Right.  (We will always toast our fellow indie writers’ successes, even when those successes move them into a new mode.)  Well, it probably comes as no surprise that the press surrounding Forssen Ehrlin’s book has only continued to grow rowdier and rowdier as critics celebrate the book’s careful craft and grounding in scientific research and the field of child psychology. This week, Leanne Italie of the HeraldNet writes that the author was “as surprised as anybody that the book snowballed so quickly soon after climbing the Amazon rankings in the UK in August, where the site made it one of its weekly deals and helped hook Ehrlin up with a publicist who helped him arrange interviews there.”  All this goes to show that the debate of whether Amazon is an author’s best friend or enemy still has quite a lot of ground to cover!

Sharon Short over at My Dayton Daily News had a chance to sit down with self-publishing sensation Chris Woodyard for an interview published on October 8th.  (You already know how wonderful a good interview is for a discouraged indie author or someone seeking entry into the world of self-publishing!)  Woodyard, who is widely known for her spirit-haunted works of hybrid fiction, speaks directly to the evolution of the self-publishing industry since she first began in 1991–when the internet itself remained a somewhat “new” thing for the average middle-class (and non-military) citizen.  Says Woodyard, “There definitely wasn’t as much available as there is today. I met a representative from a printing company who helped me find a local typesetter and I found a printer in Cincinnati who’d produce the books. I did everything a traditional print publisher would do — hiring the typesetter, visiting the print company to review proofs, setting up a basic business model.”  Today, she’s quick to point out, authors have a whole host of options to choose from.  “Now, writers who want to self-publish can have ‘print on demand’ copies created through various services — if five people want the book, five can be printed; 20 buyers, 20 copies, and so on. Or they can opt to skip printing all together and create ebooks,” Woodyard tells us.  “That wasn’t the case in 1991. After my first “Haunted Ohio” was printed, the minimum print run of books was delivered to my garage.”  And a minimum print run amounted to 10,000 copies!  Luckily, Woodyard has sold her books, and with a little help from the internet has even managed to find an audience for her Ohio-based ghost stories outside of her home state.  That’s an encouraging thought indeed!  Check out Short and Woodyard’s full conversation at the link.

Last Thursday, Business Insider contributor Rob Price published an article about the newly updated interface of the blog platform Medium, whose founder and CEO Ev Williams also happens to be one of the cofounders of Twitter.  According to Price, Williams announced last Wednesday “that the company is introducing ‘a slew of updates to bring Medium to the next level and in the process make it more powerful, more fun, and more democratic.'”  As with other blogging platforms, like Tumblr and LinkedIn Pulse, it may not immediately seem like a big deal for indie and self-publishing authors, but … it is:

As Williams points out, everyone from Bono to Melinda Gates to author John Green has posted to the site in the last few weeks. The company says more than 20,000 people publish on Medium each week.

Medium’s clean interface also makes it a favourite for brands and promotional blogs looking to get their message out: “Medium has become a dumping ground for a different generation’s press releases,” my colleague Biz Carson wrote last month. In addition to its self-publishing tools, it has a number of in-house publications — including tech vertical Backchannel.

For more information, check out Price’s full article–and if you give Medium a chance, check in with us here at Self Publishing Advisor from time to time.  We’re definitely intrigued!

It’s not just J.K. Rowling keeping our spirits up these days (although she certainly remains wonderful).  Cultured Vultures columnist Andrez Bergen writes that while publishing is “still something Ben-Hur might shy from” for a variety of reasons, “it’s too easy to be put off by the wall that seems to stand between an amateur scribe and his debut publication. If I have any advice at all worth its salt, it would be this: persevere, be downright stubborn, believe in your craft, and be prepared to kick on doors (nicely) rather than knock sheepishly.  And in a worse-case-scenario, set up a shell-company to (self) publish and keep the secret under wraps.”  Bergen’s only half joking, here.  There are so many existing options these days, with dozens or possibly even hundreds of indie and hybrid and self-publishing companies to choose from–but there’s always room for innovation.  So if you can’t find exactly what you’re looking for, don’t forget that you will always have a cheer squad in me and in us here at Self Publishing Advisor if you choose to invent something from scratch.  Such as a self-publishing company of your own!  You can count on us to follow your adventure from start to finish with great interest, because we care.  We care that you are represented the way you want to be, by people and a brand that puts you first and profits second.

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.

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

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

News From the Self-Publishing World: 9/14/15

This week in the world of self-publishing:

The Kindle Scout, one of Amazon’s publishing platforms, has long proven to be a handy option for United States-based indie or self-publishing authors looking to connect with new readers, and it has been shown to be just as handy for readers who use it as a discovery tool. As announced in an official September 9 press release, Kindle Scout is now available to readers and authors alike––around the world.  While the Scout will remain available to American authors, it will now be offered to authors in Europe, Canada, Australia, India, Brazil, and elsewhere as well.  These authors may submit their (novel-length, English-language, previously unpublished) manuscripts to be considered. The process is simple: readers read, then nominate which submissions should be published!

According to the press release, “Publishing contracts include 5-year renewable terms, a $1,500 advance, a 50% eBook royalty rate, easy rights reversions and featured Amazon marketing.”  It remains unknown whether Amazon plans to widen its permissions to allow the submission of manuscripts written in languages other than English––but it would make sense as a future step, as Gina Hill (the Scout’s general manager) says that “Expanding [the Scout] platform to authors and readers outside the U.S. has been one of the most frequent requests we’ve received since we launched.”  In the meantime, we’re looking forward to seeing what English-speakers around the globe come up with!

The Independent Publishers of New England (IPNE) will soon be holding their annual conference in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. The event, which takes place on the 25th and 26th of this month, will cost about $170 for members and $195 for non-members to attend (though this second amount includes a year-long membership).  The IPNE’s conference planners have arranged for keynote presentations geared towards indie and self-publishing authors, featuring representatives from Publishers Weekly, the Independent Book Publisher’s Association (IBPA), Shelf Awareness, and Ingram Content Group.  For more information, check out this online notice.  And on that note, don’t forget that the Association of Writers and Writing Programs (AWP) will be hosting its annual conference in July of 2016.  It’s never too early to block out your schedule!

Well, there is always bound to be some bad news mixed up with the good.  In this Publishers Weekly article, Rachel Deahl reports on the Authors Guild’s latest findings, which essentially boil down to one potentially bitter conclusion: “the majority of authors would be living below the Federal Poverty Level if they relied solely on income from their writing.”  (Emphasis mine!)  Contributing factors include the exponential rise of piracy when it comes to digital books, shrinking or frozen royalties in the face of a mounting cost of living, and pressure to keep e-book prices low.  Mary Rasenberger, the Guild’s executive director, does point out a silver lining for indie and self-published authors, however: according to the report, 33% of respondents “reported having self-published at least one book.” Rasenberger says that authors “are starting to see self-publishing as an outlet for projects that haven’t been supported by traditional publishing houses”––which of course happens to make perfect sense to the self-publishing community, but it’s nice to see more mainstream news outlets and institutions catching on!

Good things are happening in Maine!  The Sun Journal put out a press release on behalf of the Auburn and Lewiston libraries, which are now taking a bold plunge into the world of indie and self-publishing: they have joined many other libraries around the United States (and elsewhere) in subscribing to SELF-e, a self-publishing option that doubles as a “discovery platform for local authors.”  The way SELF-e works is simple: authors upload a digital copy of their book to the SELF-e website, then are presented with the option to submit it to their local libraries for access via their digital services.  They may also submit to Library Journal for an additional level of review, during which LJ staff decide whether or not a book may be of greater national interest (and distribution).  Suzanne Sullivan, head of collection development at Auburn Public Library, writes that “This is a great opportunity for writers to build an audience and for readers to discover authors who may be just starting out.”  SELF-e does not pay writers, but submission is free, and it can prove useful in getting the word out that a new indie book has been published!  For a complete list of which states are accepting submissions, visit the SELF-e “Where” page, here.

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.

from the archives, google, search engine optimization, Self-Publishing

From the Archives: “Promoting your Self-Published Book on Google”

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.

∗∗∗∗∗

[ Originally posted: August 7th, 2008 ]

When you are a self published author, sometimes book promotion is about who you know. Other times it is simply about having the time to devote.

Wouldn’t it be great if there was a fast way to find the people or places that were right for your book? Knowing how to conduct an advanced Internet search that yields applicable results is very important. Luckily, it’s also very easy, and in case you don’t know how, I’m going to show you. Go to the Google website at google.com but instead of simply entering a term, use the “Advanced Search” by clicking on the link that says “Advanced Search” in small type next to the “Search” button. You will find a page that enables you to fine-tune your search. By conducting smarter searches, you will find places to promote your book faster. 

You can promote your books on Google for free. You’d sell a lot more books if a lot more people knew about them. Google can help make that happen.

  • Help users discover your books: By matching the content in your books with user searches, Google Book Search connects your books with the users who are most interested in buying them.
  • Keep your content protected: Users are able to preview a limited number of pages to determine whether they’ve found what they’re looking for. 
  • Drive book sales: Links to bookstores, online retailers, and your website make it easy for users to go from browsing to buying — with new ways to buy and access your books coming soon.

Learn more at: books.google.com/partner/

google books

I should warn you right off the bat that a lot has changed since I first blogged about Google’s partnership program for authors, and one of the things that has changed is the link you’ll need to follow for more information.  (The one I provided back in 2008, preserved above, no longer works.)  Your new one-stop shop for know-how as an author interested in Google’s partnership program is:

www.google.com/googlebooks/partners/

The link address may seem only subtly different, but I promise you won’t regret taking the time to access the updated materials Google has compiled there, including recommendations for self-promotion, resources for authors and publishers, and a collection of success stories.  (And let’s face it, we love tapping into the glow of success, if only to learn how others are finding ways to make it work.)  And let’s not forget Google Play’s “Book Partners Center,” a separate (but linked) resource which provides step-by-step instructions on how to publish your book as an e-book in the Google Play store, and put your story on Android devices the world over.

What I wrote in 2008 about optimizing your online presence to help:

a) users discover and access your book,

b) you protect your rights and maintain creative control, and

c) drive book sales …

… remains 100% accurate.  Google can help you do these things, but the ways and means have evolved in the last seven years––dramatically.  I recommend glancing at Self Publishing Advisor’s primer on Search Engine Optimization (SEO); you can find the summary post and links to the individual posts here.  Why?  Because Google is a multi-platform tool now when it comes to self-publishing.  Not only can you use Google Play to host and sell your book as a self-publishing platform, but you can use Google Analytics to analyze engagement on your personal webpage (or webpages), and you can optimize all of your web content across all of your different social media accounts and blogs and so on to better feed into your promotional campaign.

Google is so much more than a search engine, now! ♠

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.