Book Marketing, Holidays, Kelly Speaks, Marketing Your Self-Published Book, Uncategorized

Planning for 2017: A Call to Arms

Christmas is over. You made it. Time to briefly pat yourself on the back, fawn over all of your presents, and then get back to work.

Sure, you could sit around until New Year’s Day to kick back into gear, but that carries the risk of you being too tired after a night of celebrating, or the risk that you’ll just want to soak in some last minute relaxation before returning to your day job. These crucial days don’t have to be unproductive, and your resolutions don’t need to be arbitrary goals that last (or don’t last) just one measly year.

Let’s start by reflecting on last year. What were some bad habits that need work? What were some positive habits that need to be reinforced? Look back and try and identify which writing practices, marketing strategies, and other routines in your life contributed to your success over the last year.

Once you’ve drawn from the past, it’s time to look toward the future! You don’t need a laundry list of resolutions that will only make you feel guilty for not living up to. Instead, pick a few essential ones and concentrate all of your effort on actually fulfilling those.

If increased productivity–be it on the marketing or writing front–is on your resolution radar for the year, it’s best to begin by honing in on your organizational skills first and foremost. Forming good habits will lead to good practices and routines, and this will lead to good work.

calendar planning

Buy a calendar or planner. If you’re looking for one that you will guide your marketing for the year, Outskirts has a specific marketing calendar that will draw your attention to some of the most important deadlines and most helpful marketing options & services in the industry.

Once you have your calendar or planner, start writing your goals down in it. Planning out your weeks and months in advance is great for two reasons. One being that it keeps you accountable, and two being that it helps prevent you from overbooking yourself and creating writing goals that may interfere with other things you may have going on in your work or personal life.

Always overestimate the time you’ll need to achieve the tasks you have laid out for yourself–this way, if/when you finish early, you have time for relaxing and extracurricular activities. (Having life experience helps with the writing process too you know!)

Routine is a great way to ease the burden of a giant workload. If you have only have 30 minutes on Fridays for marketing or writing, that’s still 30 minutes that you’ve cut out from your planned effort on Monday! Chipping away at your to-do list will make your work feel less overwhelming than trying to sit down and just get everything done at once.

When initiating these new routines and plans, remember, don’t be too hard on yourself. Making serious life changes is not always an easy thing, and sometimes life will get in the way. Make sure the expectations you’ve set for yourself are realistic and reward yourself when you reach milestones in your goals! Most importantly, enjoy your work and embrace the New Year.

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, Holidays, Kelly Speaks, Uncategorized

From the Archives: “12 New Year’s Resolutions for the 12 Days of Christmas (part I)”

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: December 24th, 2014 ]

I know it’s a bit early to be setting my New Year’s resolutions in stone, so I’ll consider this post something softer than stone, more easily reshaped, but still very much real and solid and tangible––perhaps something like the digital version of putty or artists’ plaster, which will slowly resolve itself into fact. 

My real reason for getting started early is twofold: I want to give myself the time to really think through the list, and I want to give you the time to put some of my resolutions to your own good use as 2015 rolls in.  And so, with no further ado:

I resolve to …

#1:  Host a new kind of marketing event. 

I must admit, I’m fairly predictable when it comes to planning marketing events––I know what I’m good at, and what I’m comfortable doing, and that pretty much boils down to short readings and Q&As at local libraries.  In 2015, I resolve to try something new, or rather, to plan and attempt to execute at least one event that isn’t a reading or a Q&A session at a local library. You’ll note I used the hazy word attempt just now.  I think it’s important to put together a plan and to make a few phone calls, but not to shackle myself to an impossible agenda.  If, for example, my (very-beginning-stages) notion to put together a bi-weekly podcast proves an enormous drain on my time and energy, then I may need to reevaluate in a few months.

#2:  Attend a new kind of marketing event. 

If I’m predictable about the kinds of events I host, then I’m even more predictable when it comes to the events I attend.  This last year, I’ve been a regular on the book-signing and book-reading circuits, but these are not the only events out there.  I need to diversify what I do so that I can become both a more well-informed reader and a more effective marketer myself!  In 2015, I resolve to attend at least one webinar, book festival, or other marketing event that is a little outside of my comfort zone.  Even if I have to travel a couple of hours to make it, or rearrange my work schedule for a few days, I intend to make this resolution a priority.

#3:  Learn some new code. 

I know a little HTML, but I’ve been out of the coding game for a spell.  It’s time to dive back in, particularly with an eye for coding––whether HTML, CSS, Java, or some other programming language––that can boost my digital footprint.  In 2015, I resolve to read at least one book on the subject, or attend a class, or otherwise broaden my understanding of at least one of these codes.

#4:  Try out a new digital device or software application. 

There are any number of apps out there which I can download to my iPad or e-reader which can help me keep track of my ongoing efforts at self-promotion––and many which can actually help me improve.  In 2015, I resolve to research, discover, and incorporate at least one new digital device, program, or app into my life, with a specific intention to boost my marketing efforts.  This resolution may actually pose a good challenge, since I have little to no idea of where to start.  There are so many possibilities!  The real trouble is narrowing the options down to just … one.

#5:  Launch a new round of SEO campaigns. 

I’ve written extensively about Search Engine Optimization (SEO) before.  Now it’s time for me to practice what I preach!  In 2015, I resolve to put into effect a rigorous and updated SEO program to boost web traffic to my websites.  I’ve dabbled in a great many of the strategies out there at one time or another, but with little accountability and thoroughness.  This time around, I want to be more organized about my SEO efforts––and more regular.  It’s not enough to apply some of the techniques some of the time––I need to apply most of the techniques on a regular basis, or else it’s all just wasted effort.  Readers respect reliability!

#6:  Establish ambitious goals and healthy boundaries for my social media presence. 

Just as I’ve casually speed-dated most of the SEO stratagems out there without committing to any one plan, I’ve felt my way around all or almost all of the major social media platforms––Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Tumblr, Blogger, Goodreads, LinkedIn, and many others––without putting into effect any rigorous plan of action.  I’ll post a picture to Instagram one day and forget about it for a few weeks, then write ten tweets in quick succession, only to let my twitter handle lapse for months on end. In 2015, I’ll put together a calendar, and a schedule, to better handle my social media accounts.  I pledge to dismantle the accounts I don’t actively use or am failing to use effectively, and pour my time and energy into the outlets that do effective work for my self-promotion.  I pledge, too, to make a habit of timing my posts, so that readers know when they can expect to see something new show up on one of my websites. 

… and you’ll have to stick around until next Wednesday for the other six.  In part because I’ve reached my word limit for the week, and in part because I want my final six resolutions to be even better than my first six!

Can it really be––almost––2015?  It’s hard to believe, sometimes, that this entire industry has been born and made, and remade, and evolved into endless permutations––all within my lifetime.  All within living memory.  The printing press has been around since the 1300s, but since then the process of making and selling books has never seen such a rapid and total transformation as it has within the last twenty years, and perhaps even the last decade.  Digital publication and distribution, e-readers, self-publishing, collaborative writing forums, viral marketing—we live in an exciting time that shows no signs of slowing down.  I, for one, hope to match the broad spectrum of these changes with a few, specific, targeted evolutions of my own.  I’m going to start small, here, in the new year.  In 2015.  I hope you’ll join me!

– by Kelly Schuknecht

Originally my goal was to revisit this blog post after just one year of labor–perhaps in early 2016–but life being what it is, and my memory too, I instead am coming to it now at the tail end of two years of work. And yes, since it was originally a two-parter, I will be revisiting it in two parts … but all that is just scaffolding. It’s not why you’re here.

You’re here to find out if I succeeded or not!

  1. Did I host a new kind of marketing event? Yes, I did. But here’s the rub–I didn’t do it for me, I did it for someone else. I know that’s a bit of a cop-out, especially since we’re talking about a two-year gap between my original post and today, but the lines get really blurred when you work with so many self-publishing authors. And it was a success! In 2017 I’ll be continuing to apply what I learned at this event, which was held in a library and involved ice-cream tasting. Who knew?
  2. Did I attend a new kind of marketing event? This also is in the affirmative, and luckily, multiple times over. In two years, I have attended upwards of a dozen marketing events in total, and while many of them were simple iterations on the tried-and-true methods (book readings, book signings, etc) I also had the chance to sit in on several that were truly unique. They were all very different, but one thing they had in common was the author’s (or organizer’s) willingness to step back from tradition and completely re-envision the purpose of marketing start to finish.
  3. Did I learn some new code? This one, unfortunately, I might have well and truly failed on. I have spent some time with Arduino and MakeyMakey robotics kits in the last two years, but neither of these really ties back to marketing in a meaningful way … yet. But there are lots of Arduino projects out there–maybe I can still figure something out! That’s my goal for 2017.
  4. Did I try out a new digital device or software application? You bet your best pair of knickers I did! In fact, I tried a whole slew of new apps and softwares. On the hunt for a new digital device of my own, I was determined to put my hands on all of the new tablets and dedicated e-readers out there–from the iPad Mini to the Kindle Oasis–and the hands-on treatment proved to be incredibly useful in making an informed decision. (But I don’t want to sway you–unless it’s to try them all out for yourself, since your needs will be different from mine.) I tried Scribner to keep track of my writing, and a bunch of apps to retrain my sense of mindfulness and time-management, to keep me on-point during my limited writing time each morning.
  5. Did I launch a new round of SEO campaigns? Yes … sort of. By which I mean, I introduced a few new steps to how I’m setting up blog posts and book page listings and so forth online, to integrate some of the tips and tidbits I’ve picked up over the years. And honestly, slow but steady really does win the race. With all of the other things I’ve been trying to do, taking a few new concrete steps each month makes a big difference and is sustainable–and if it’s not sustainable, it’s not worth doing at all, in my opinion.
  6. And last but not least, did I establish ambitious goals and healthy boundaries for my social media presence? Yes … but it didn’t all turn out roses. I actually pared back my social media presence since I was over-extended and ineffective in trying to manage five or six sites at once on top of work and writing and family. So now I’m back down to the bare bones, which isn’t such a bad place to be … because it can only go up from here, right? Right! But don’t worry, I’ll be expanding again soon, in the new year.

You might have noticed there were 12 New Year’s resolutions mentioned in the title of this blog post, and 12 in the original (split) post from 2014. Never fear–I’ll be getting to the remaining six next week! But before I get there, I wanted to drop you, dear readers, a quick line to ask: how did you do on your resolutions for 2016? How about 2015? And what do you hope to accomplish in 2017?

perserverence

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.
Kelly Speaks, news from the self publishing world, self publishing news, Uncategorized

Self-Publishing News: 12.19.2016

And now for the news!

This week in the world of self-publishing:

Timothy Oliver Stoen is a 78-year old prosecutor in California who’s newly self-published memoir has the aim of ensuring that those who’ve made big life mistakes know that their life isn’t over. See, Stoen was once part of a utopian movement called the People’s Temple of the Disciples of Christ, acting as an attorney for the cult’s leader, Jim Jones. He eventually left the group, the majority of which had migrated to Jonestown in Guyana. However, in 1978, tragedy struck and over 900 of the inhabitants of the town died of a mass poisoning, including Stoen’s six-year-old son. This death plagued Stoen for a decade, and writing the memoir took nearly ten years, as reliving the grief was something that he needed to walk away from when it became overwhelming. After bringing his memoir to several publishing companies who hadn’t heard of Jonestown, Stoen’s agent suggested he self-publish. Read the article above to hear some powerful advice from the author himself who insists that writers be honest and write in their own voices.

After releasing multiple titles with big name publishers, John Birmingham found to his dismay that having an “in” with certain companies does not guarantee you anything. While his publishing contracts contained clauses that prevented him from releasing works that would compete with his publisher, Birmingham vacillated about what to do when his series was tanking due to a mistake made by his publishing company. “I waited until the Hooper series tanked and then they spent eight months twiddling their thumbs saying, ‘we’ll offer you a deal but it won’t be very good’.”

Birmingham decided to go out on a limb and step into the world of self-publishing in 2016. He has since successfully published three novellas and his first self-published novel, A Girl In Time. “The book debuted at five on Apple, which is very gratifying when I see my former publishers further down the list. That was fun,” he said in an interview with ABC news.

This is a fantastic article that gives an author’s in-depth account of a falling out with traditional publishing company.

This year alone, over 750 people entered the BookLife Prize in Fiction, “an annual writing contest for unpublished or self-published novels launched earlier this year,” but only five finalists were chosen. The judges are currently working to determine who will win overall, but this piece puts the spotlight on the finalists so you can pick your favorite before the judges do!

There’s Kipp Wessel, whose book, You Swallow the Moon “is about a young man who loses a brother and experiences the unraveling of his first real love.” He says, “In response to these compounded losses, he becomes obsessed with wild bears when he believes their ability to regulate their winter hearts may offer him a safe passage through the intense grief immobilizing him.” Kipp calls it “a modern novel about the wilderness of heartbreak.”

Next up is Jane Alvey Harris who wrote the novel, Riven, which she describes as “a hard-hitting, issue-driven, contemporary account of a 17-year-old girl whose reality and mental health fracture when her childhood abuser re-enters her life after 10 years.” She says, “It’s a documentation of a survivor’s journey to make peace with her wounded ego and achieve self-acceptance.”

Krys Batts’ book, Not Flowers But Love focuses on “the main character’s internal struggle to overcome past relationship disappointments that hamper her from opening up her heart again.”

T.J. Slee’s mystery/thrilled novel, Cloister, is “laced with dark humor,” and features “a very unorthodox heroine. Sister Charlie Jones is not your typical Mercy Sister nun, but she’s doing her best.”

Lastly, Jennifer Kaplan’s novel, Crushing the Red Flowers is a children’s book that covers pre-WWII Germany. For Kaplan, 1938 “was the turning point” and one that she finds has been “overlooked by educators. However, her book “starts in summer and stops in December 1938. We all know what happens after that, but the characters don’t.”

To hear more from the contestants, click the link above and pick who you think the winner should be!

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, weekly self published book review

Saturday Book Review: “The Pursuit of Wisdom”

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 Midwest Book Review:

the pursuit of wisdom dean chavooshian

The Pursuit of Wisdom

by Dean Chavooshian

Publisher: Outskirts Press

ISBN: 9781478743255

Synopsis:

Like many, I have given the origin and meaning of life a great deal of thought in an effort to live it fully-with grace and intelligence. In the process, I discovered that theological/philosophical discussions on reality are empty without the consideration of scientific inquiry as they inform each other on the nature of human existence. We can benefit immensely from the great minds chronicled in this book that have dramatically changed the world and helped man imagine himself in it-leading to one’s own self-discovery. DISCOVER In Theology: (1) Is the soul immortal? Is reincarnation possible? (2) Islam’s holiest shrine in Mecca was built by the founding father of the Jewish nation. (3) How one man uprooted 1500 years of Roman Catholic domination with a simple document. In Philosophy: (1) Is the world pre-determined with orderly harmony or governed by man’s free will? (2) Is knowledge gained solely from experience and reasoning-or is it innate? (3) How the self-awareness of existentialism allows one to live an authentic life. (4) How 9th century Muslim scholars contributed to the foundation of modern civilization. In Science: (1) What makes all physical matter stable? How does matter reproduce itself? (2) Isaac Newton described gravity’s effect, but it was Einstein who showed how it originated. (3) Did man evolve or was he created? (4) The search for a unifying theoretical basis of all the sciences. SEE: thepursuitofwisdom.net.

Critique:

As informed and informative as it is thoughtful and thought-provoking, “”The Pursuit of Wisdom: A Chronological Inquiry of the World’s Most Influential Seekers of Wisdom In the Fields of Theology, Philosophy and Science” is an extraordinary and occasionally iconoclastic read from beginning to end. While strongly recommended for community, college, and university library collections, it should be noted for students and non-specialist readers with an interest in philosophy, theology, and science, that “The Pursuit of Wisdom” is also available in a paperback edition (9781478743255, $16.95) and in a Kindle format ($4.99).

[ reviewed on The Philosophy Shelf of Midwest Book Review ]

Here’s what some other reviewers are saying:

An amazing amount of information and research of the greatest minds in history on Philosophy, Theology and Science. Each chapter provided clear and concise information and, in some cases, piqued my interest enough to want to explore additional readings suggested by the author. I feel this book would appeal, not only to those with little or no knowledge in these subjects, but, also, to those well versed in these fields as well. The book truly is the first step in “the pursuit of wisdom”.

– Amazon Reviewer B. Sitner

Concise descriptions of the ideas of 83 leading figures in the history of theology, philosophy and science. The subjects range from Abraham and Moses to Francis Crick and Martin Luther King, with stops along the way to consider individuals as diverse as Sun Tzu, Al-Ghazali, Francis Bacon, Isaac Newton, and David Hume. Obviously, no subject is considered in the depth that would satisfy an expert but no one can be an expert on all the subjects discussed. In each case the author briefly describes the life and times of subject and then describes the subject’s central ideas, making liberal use of the subject’s own words. The author does not try to debunk, minimize or exaggerate his subject’s contributions and treats all with due respect. One cannot read this book without reflecting on the common intellectual heritage of all mankind.

– Amazon Reviewer W.R. Stern

 

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

selfpubicon1

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

Conversations: 12/16/2016

THE WRITER-AUTHOR-MARKETING SPECIALIST – Week III

How do we go about finding the PR Marketing Specialist who fits? I’ve done a lot of listening to successful authors, writing conference speakers, and the publishing consultants who’ve supported me. Here are criteria I’ve developed.

  • GET REFERRALS from authors you know. Every well-known author I’ve approached at conferences is happy to give me the name and contact information of their marketing assistant. However, if talking with other authors makes you nervous, you can always contact them through their websites.
  • Talk with Literary Agents. These folks have a list of book campaign specialists that they rely on and most of the time they will share a name or two with you.
  • Research! A quick Google search using keywords such as book marketing strategies will lead you to multiple resources. I know that you’re already doing hours of research on the writing project you’re working on—so—pick a day of the month to look up and read one or two of these resources. Then, create your own computer file of the ideas you find most interesting. Yes, these ideas are things you could do on your own, but in reality do you have the time? This file will be a great help when you listen to the ideas of the prospective marketing partners you’ll be talking with.
  • For you and your book(s) it’s all about Personal Connection. As you interview potential assistants, make note of their responses in the following categories:
    • working with authors (ask for references from authors they’ve assisted)
    • the specific genre of your book (what is their familiarity with your genre)
    • the types of market analysis they will build for you
    • their pattern of contact with authors (how often will they update you on what they’re doing and/or what they need you to do)
    • the specific social media elements they use and their success rate within each of those online sites (for other authors)
    • their skill and ability to design promotion pieces—both written and visual (ask for samples)
    • what marketing schedules or plans have been most successful for them (get samples)
  • LISTEN to your own publishing consultants. Whether your book is published through a traditional house or you’ve self-published you’ll work with people whose focus is to present you and your book in “bright lights.” They become successful only when their authors do well so it is in their best interest to match you with an excellent Marketing Specialist.

book marketing coach brent sampson

Remember the guy who asked me about what my campaign strategy was? Well, he also made another statement that I’ve greatly appreciated. “The marketing piece of being an author can be compared to building a football Super Bowl team. They don’t win that title without a whole team of coaches teaching them how to be the best.” So it is that I’m building a library of resource books (such as the Marketing Coach one shown here) and a computer file of ideas—and questions—that I’ll be asking the Marketing Specialist I hire. I hope you will do the same. ⚓︎

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.