Category: Uncategorized

Alternative Marketing Methods, Book Marketing, elizabeth speaks, in your corner, Marketing Your Self-Published Book, Uncategorized

In Your Corner: Marketing for Anything-But-Dummies

Have you ever wondered what “proper” marketing support might look like, and how imperative it is to self-publishing successfully? What about implementation–have you ever wondered what effective implementation of your carefully-planned-out marketing plan might look like, too? I’m going to spend a bit of time this Thursday thinking through some of the answers to these questions.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned from my years of working with self-publishing authors, both as an author myself and as an author advocate and representative for other authors with Outskirts Press, it’s that there’s quite a lot of truth to the statement that “preparation is the key to success”–but as Marie Forleo puts it, sometimes “the key to success is to start before you’re ready.” How do we make these two things compatible? Aren’t they mutually exclusive?

the key to success is to start before you're ready marie forleo

Here’s a thought: what if they’re not?

I don’t think they are, and that’s because I think “preparedness” and “readiness” are two separate modes of being. Preparedness, in my mind, is the process of taking concrete steps to plan ahead for whatever you can, and putting in place measures–good habits, good coping mechanisms, and good thoughts–that will see you through any times when being prepared will do no good. Readiness, on the other hand, has more to do with confidence–and sometimes, your sense of how ready you are for a thing may or may not line up with what you’re prepared for. Sometimes, we won’t feel ready to get started on a thing even if we’ve planned thoroughly and set our good habits in stone. Those are the moments, I think, that Marie Forleo speaks to–the moments when we just need to get started, whether or not our feelings line up with reality.

Proper marketing support, then, should help you both prepare and, hopefully, acquire the confidence to feel that you’re ready as well. And as my fellow writer Kelly Schuknecht pointed out in her “Marketing Master Strokes” series of blogs earlier this year, effective marketing strategies require a willingness to reach your readers where they live, to incentivize, and to play well with others–among others. “Proper” marketing support will assist you in doing all these things–and if that seems a bit beyond the pale for the ordinary self-publishing company, luckily, there are several extraordinary self-publishing companies–and I know I’m a little biased, but I happen to think my coworkers among the Personal Marketing Assistants working for Outskirts Press count as extraordinary. So if you feel like some of these points might be beyond your reach, consider reaching out and making contact with the experts, either through a paid service or through a more casual network, as on social media.

The best part of looking to the experts is that doing so will assist you in execution as well as in planning–so you’ll get the best of both preparation and readiness. Or at least, that’s the goal.

It’s hard to boil down all of the salient points regarding marketing into one coherent blog post, but luckily, and perhaps it’s a little trite to say “oh, I’m not ready to do that” given the context of today’s subject (you can tell how some of my jokes bomb around the dinner table, can’t you?). But the fact of the matter is, Self Publishing Advisor has been a resource for self-publishing authors looking to market their books for most of a decade now, and our archives are rife with posts on the subject–including those by Kelly that I mentioned earlier. If you’re looking for those concrete steps to transform the broad strokes we’ve brushed here into tangible steps, her series is spectacular. I highly recommend taking a look!

Marketing Master Strokes:

  1. What do ears, geysers, and self-publishing have in common?
  2. Be willing to reach your readers where they live
  3. Incentivize!
  4. Play Well With Others
  5. Try Every New Thing

You are not alone. ♣︎

Elizabeth

ABOUT ELIZABETH JAVOR: With over 18 years of experience in sales and management, Elizabeth Javor works as the Manager of Author Services for Outskirts Press. The Author Services Department is composed of knowledgeable publishing consultants, pre-production specialists, customer service reps and book marketing specialists; together, they all focus on educating authors on the self-publishing process to help them publish the book of their dreams. Whether you are a professional looking to take your career to the next level with platform-driven non-fiction or a novelist seeking fame, fortune, and/or personal fulfillment, Elizabeth Javor can put you on the right path.
Alternative Marketing Methods, Book Marketing, Holidays, Kelly Speaks, Uncategorized

Ringing in the Holidays: Veteran’s Day Edition!

Veteran’s Day is day where we pay tribute to those who have served our in our country’s Armed Forces; this can be done by attending parades, by bringing flowers to veteran’s graves, hanging an American flag, etc. This day originally marked the end of World War I–the war to end all wars–and was deemed Armistice Day, a day dedicated to the cause of world peace.

Those of us with hindsight on our side know that unfortunately, WWI did not lead to world peace, but rather to the even more devastating WWII. Following WWII it was decided that November 11th would instead be a day to commemorate all veterans, not just those who served in WWI.

It is important to express gratitude for those amongst our country’s citizens who have been willing to put their life on the line to protect not only our country, but also the people of the countries where they are stationed. The amount of sacrifice demanded of such a task is one that should be given the utmost respect.

veteran's day

I want to point out to authors reading this that the word veteran points beyond that of military service and extends to anyone who has a lot of experience in a particular occupation or field. While there of course can be no real comparison made to veterans of war and veterans of say, self-publishing, I would like to suggest that veterans of the self-publishing field should begin to think of themselves as people who provide a different sort of service for our country.

To publish your ideas, your stories, your beliefs or your experiences means that you are in a way paying tribute to those who have fought for your right to do so. To not utilize that creative spark inside you is to shun the gift of living in a country and in a time where you have the means to do so.

Think of the amazing diaries of someone such as Anne Frank. Frank had to hide away from the unjust persecution that would eventually take her life before she could, by her own volition, share her story. We have the liberty in this country to write freely, and it is not one that should be taken for granted. Our stories can change people’s lives, they can change the way people think, and we don’t have to hide away to create them.

The veterans who fight abroad to keep our country safe make it possible for some of us to become veteran authors, readers, editors, publishers, etc. Honor those authors, readers, editors, publishers, etc. who have decided that they will not turn away from such a priceless opportunity. You have the freedom to sacrifice your time to do something you love.

Those in the Armed Forces have sacrificed time doing what they love, they have spent a great deal of time away from their families and loved ones–don’t let it be for nothing.

Thank you for reading!  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 from one indie, hybrid, and self-published author to another. ♠

Kelly

ABOUT 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, Kelly Speaks, Uncategorized, Writing

From the Archives: “5 Online Tasks for Self Publishing Authors to Complete Before NanoWriMo”

Welcome back to our 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: October 22nd, 2012 ]

There is a little more than a week until NanoWriMo begins! If you’re like many self publishing authors, you’ve been spending the month of October preparing for the challenge. You’ve probably started brainstorming and outline and cleaning off your desk, but there are a few online tasks that you should complete before the official beginning of NanoWriMo. Here is your to-do list.

1) Make sure you are registered.

Before you start all the fun tasks below, make sure you are registered for the event. You can do so by visiting NanoWriMo.org. This will ensure that you have access to all the benefits and resources the challenge has to offer.

2) Create social media pages.

Social media is a great way to market yourself and your book, and many readers, agents, and publishers expect you to take advantage of this marketing tool. You could create social media pages for yourself, your book, or your characters. Be creative, and have fun with social media. This is also a great time to start a blog.

3) Connect with other authors.

Of the greatest benefits of  NanoWriMo is the opportunity to connect with other authors. They can encourage and support you during this project. You can connect with authors by visiting the NanoWriMo website as well as by searching social media sites for people who are participating.

4) Download some music.

Music is a great way to become inspired. Download a few songs that you can listen to when you need some inspiration. Listen to songs that your characters would be interested, or search for music that reminds you of your setting or plot.

5) Play on Pinterest.

Pinterest is a great way to find inspiration as well as promote your book. Create boards for your characters, setting, or plot. Be creative, and have fun with this. What outfits would your character wear? What food would your character eat?

I’d love to know, what are you doing to prepare for NanoWriMo?

– by Wendy Statina

Most of the time, we like writing.

Or don’t we?

Sometimes, writing feels like writing. And sometimes—not just because of Halloween, but for other reasons too—writing feels like one long protracted scream into the void. (My scream? “WHY ARE WRITING OUTLINES SO DARN HARD??” Yours might be different.) It’s realistic to expect that at some point during an intensive writing spree—whether you’re doing NaNoWriMo or not—you’ll face insurmountable obstacles and unstoppable forces and immovable objects. Or at least, you’ll face challenges that seem like all of the above: Writer’s Block, characters gone haywire, plot holes, inconsistencies, and that one thing you really really want to edit but shouldn’t yet because it’ll totally torch your forward momentum. You know, those things.

nanowrimo inkygirl will write for chocolate

If I’ve learned anything from my many attempts at NaNoWriMo—mostly unsuccessful insofar as word count is concerned—it’s that preparation and a little foresight goes a long way towards keeping November (or, again, any intensive writing spree—especially if you have to meet some sort of deadline) fun. Thus, I thought it worth reviving Wendy’s wonderful 2012 blog for both your benefit and mine. Her suggestions still hold true today, four years and many gray hairs later, even though social media and even relationship-building is a moving target (So long, Vine. You’ll be missed*sob*).

Better still, the principle underlying Wendy’s post holds true:

Think ahead.

Spend a day or two setting yourself up for success and you’ll not need to spend thirty-odd days obsessing over the details. Look for your inspiration and put together that inspiration board on Pinterest. Spend a few hours building an architecture for your piece. Take a moment to either hop on social media and give warning that you’ll be scaling back your presence to help with focus—or to lay the groundwork for increased involvement, predicated on the knowledge that doing this thing in community is so much nicer than doing it solo. Register with NaNoWriMo if you think that might give you a little extra motivation, or register with a local writer’s club for something in your own backyard. Swing on by your libraries for writing sprints! (Those things are wonderful.)

Whatever you do, don’t wait to do it! This post goes live the morning that NaNoWriMo gets started, but it’s worth doing all these things even if it takes away from one day’s word total. After all, you’re laying the groundwork for everything that follows.

Thanks for reading.  If you have any other ideas, I’d love to hear them.  Drop me a line in the comments section below and I’ll respond as quickly as I can.  ♠

Kelly

ABOUT 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.
NaNoWriMo, news from the self publishing world, self publishing news, Uncategorized

Self-Publishing News: 10.31.2016

And now for the news!

This week in the world of self-publishing:

Just a quick reminder: It’s NaNoWriMo time! As we mentioned last week, you’ll be seeing the buzz over this annual tradition–National Novel Writing Month–begin to cascade through your literary networks, then build to a crescendo over the month of November. We’ll be following its progress–and your progress–here on Self Publishing Advisor, in hopes that we can provide yet another resource to assist you in reaching your writing goals, even if they have nothing at all to do with NaNoWriMo itself and the nonprofit organization which has brought it to such international acclaim. After all, the same tips and tricks which help NaNoWriMo participants are the same tips and tricks that all authors need to brush up on every now and again!

I’ll give you a hint: the answer is YES! and Care2‘s Zoe Eisenberg is all about showing you how to make good on that jubilant answer in her October 28th article. She speeds through a quick bit of history (“Since 1999, over 2 million writers have participated in NaNoWriMo, with an average of 15 percent hitting their goal of completing the first draft of a novel in the allotted month.”) and then plunges into the really important nitty-gritty bits, the bits that might keep you going through NaNoWriMo or any other lengthy writing spree. She interviewed NaNoWriMo’s Executive Director, Grant Faulkner, who says “The number one reason people think they can’t do NaNoWriMo is because they’re too busy […] Everyone says that. We’re all busy. But part of that is reality and part is perception. A lot of people want to write a novel, but it’s hard to get it into the number one spot on your to-do list.” Ain’t that the truth? And for self-publishing authors, self-starting on writing is just the first in many steps to making it from Point A to Point Z. But Faulkner’s tips, coming to us via Eisenberg, might just help overcome that first hurdle: they run the gamut from “Scan your schedule,” to “Plan for lapses,” and all of them circle back to the larger point that prioritizing and time management are an author’s greatest obstacles. For more of Faulkner’s fine points (and Eisenberg’s excellent reporting), follow the link!

Did you ever think you’d be getting serious writing advice from Bustle? I sure didn’t—but I’m very, very glad to have stumbled across this excellent October 24th piece by Bustle contributor Stephanie Topacio Long. Says Long, “The countdown to National Novel Writing Month is now down to single digits”—or in our case, less than twenty-four hours—”so it’s understandable if your excitement or anxiety about the annual writing challenge is off the charts already. Luckily, there’s still time for last-minute NaNoWriMo prep. Taking certain steps in the lead-up to November could make for a more successful month of writing.” While we’ve written about this subject here on Self-Publishing Advisor before, it’s always good to hear affirmation (and perhaps, receive more fleshed-out advice) from other writers whom we admire. Like Faulkner and Eisenberg, Long emphasizes the importance of preparatory tips like setting a schedule and establishing a support system (my personal favorite), but she goes a bit further in pushing for authors to get pumped up for the days to come. (And her well-selected gifs to illustrate each point definitely don’t hurt her argument.) As Long says, “Get psyched for NaNoWriMo now. Win or lose, the experience will be valuable for you. You’ll either come out the other side with the first draft of a novel (fingers crossed!), or you’ll learn a host of valuable lessons.” Hear, hear, Ms. Long! For the rest of her fabulous piece, click here.

Look, everybody needs a little humor headed into a long hard project, right? And right at the perfect moment, along comes Adam Forsgren with this glorious October 29th article for East Idaho News! “This will be my sixth year participating in NaNoWriMo, and over the years, I’ve noticed that the whole experience can be broken into different stages of dealing with the ‘burden’ of writing a 50,000 word narrative in 30 days,” he begins: “Think of it kind of like the stages of dealing with death, only with more caffeine and less crushing despondency.” First off, I’d like to take all of our collective hats off to Forsgren. SIX years of NaNoWriMo? That’s incredible. Secondly, he’s in a privileged place to deliver to us his theory of the 5 Phases of Dealing With NaNoWriMo:

  1. “Total Stokage” (AKA enthusiasm)
  2. “The Weight Hits” (oh no)
  3. “The Drag” (it doesn’t get worse than this, does it?)
  4. “The Despondency” (oh … it does ….)
  5. “The Glorious Morning!!”

As you might have guessed from the double exclamation point, Forsgren is a huge advocate for sticking it out through thick and thin to finish your writing projects (“It feels like I’ve actually accomplished something. It’s as close as I’ll ever get to fatherhood. And what’s crazy is that once you feel that feeling, you can’t wait to do it all over again.”) and he’s incredibly persuasive. If you needed the combination of realism (he does face up to the incredible challenges this project entails) and a powerful pep talk, this is the article for you. Read the full thing online at EastIdahoNews.com!

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.

Kelly

ABOUT 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, Uncategorized

“How the Grandmas and Grandpas Saved Christmas” : A Saturday Self-Published Book Review

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 Sincerely Stacie:

How the grandmas and grandpas saved christmas gausselin

How the Grandmas and Grandpas Saved Christmas

by Richard J. Gausselin

Publisher: Outskirts Press

ISBN: 978-1477247716

Synopsis*:

What happens when the Elves come down with colds am week before Christmas? Santa Claus call on special helpers to work his magic! Can the grandpas and grandmas from around the world save Christmas? Join Santa and his friends on this incredible journey to find out.

Critique:

Santa runs a pretty tight ship in his toy factory. Every elf has a job to do and needs to work hard to get every single toy made by Christmas Eve. Santa believes that the toys are to be made with hands and hearts and not computers. Each toy is made with love for that special boy or girl.

On an unexpectedly sunny day, the elves take a break to play snowball which leads to disastrous repercussions for Santa’s toy factory. When Santa and his lead elf try to finish the toys, Santa realizes it just isn’t going to be possible. Then a bright idea leads him to call in the grandparents all over the world. Maybe they can all work together to save Christmas.

This is a really great story for Christmas and has a wonderful message about the importance of helping others as well as one about following the rules! Mrs. Claus and an elf warn the others about slacking off on the job. When the elves end up in a difficult situation, they realize that their choices can have consequences.

Even though this story has a younger message, it isn’t one your younger child will be able to read to themselves.  One page is full of text while the next page has the illustration. It would make for a great bedtime story that is read by a parent. The illustrations are bright and show the range of emotions in the characters. There are numerous details in each illustration that the child will enjoy pointing out.

This book would make a great addition to your Christmas library. It’s lesson is a good reminder for all of us.

Richard J. Gausselin’s books are inspired by his childhood Christmases of the 1940s and ’50s, when toys were “made with hands and hearts.” As a father of six and grandfather to thirteen, he has enjoyed reading ’TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS on Christmas Eve for over fifty years. He hopes adults and children will enjoy HOW THE GRANDMAS AND GRANDPAS SAVED CHRISTMAS (Books I, II, and III) and make them part of their holiday tradition. For more on his books, visit his website, HERE.

[ reviewed by Stacie at Sincerely Stacie ]

Here’s what other reviewers are saying:

Santa’s elves catch a cold a week before Christmas and can’t work on the toys! Joe, an elder elf, was listening to Santa talk about his grandfather when he came up with the perfect solution – Grandparents.

How the Grandmas and Grandpas Saved Christmas is an absolutely delightful Christmas tale. The story is beautifully written and illustrated. The story emphasizes love, friendship, family and does it brilliantly. It is a perfect book to read on Christmas Eve, or to break up into sections to read each day leading up to Christmas.

It also has very nice full-page illustrations. Some of them are very detailed, and younger children would have fun picking out toys and tools in the pictures. I highly recommend this thoughtfully written book. Reading this book with your children or grandchildren could be a fun yearly tradition.

– Amazon Reviewer tmtrvlr

The elves were making the toys and following Santa’s rule, which was “toys are always made with hands and heart.” When they suddenly became distracted they heard icicles melting which was usually something that occurred in the spring, but today they saw the sun shinning.

Ric looked outside and grabbed his glove and said lets play snowball.
It was easy for the other elves to stop making toys and go out and play snowball.
When Mrs. Claus heard the commotion she reminded them they had a job to finish and time was running out. She gave in and said if they went inside and put on the warm clothes they could play for one hour.

Ric told the other elves if we go inside now to get our warm clothes we won’t have time for us to play two innings, lets just play. So going against Mrs. Claus’s wishes that are what they did.

Suddenly the sun was gone and it was cold and windy and they tried to run back but were cold and wet. When inside they started making the toys when Mimi started to sneeze and then each of the other elves were also sneezing. When Santa came back with Mrs. Claus he was upset to see the elves behind and Mts. Claus said the elves cannot work as they are sick, they must go right to bed.

Santa thought he could handle the remaining list of toys but realized he would never complete the task alone so called Joe the eldest elf to help. They soon realized it was too much for them to do and they needed help and fast. Joe suggested “grandparents” and suddenly the word went out to all the different states that help was needed.

As if magically grandparents arrived from far and near and helped Santa complete the list just in time for Christmas Eve. Santa was going to make all the young children’s dreams come true thanks to the grandparents.

What a delightful and enjoyable read your children will love. Make sure to get one and include it in your child’s gifts this year.

– Amazon Reviewer Shelly Itkin

 

* = courtesy of the book’s Amazon book page.

saturday self-published book review

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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