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

Conversations: 5/6/2016

HELPING HANDS, MINDS and HEARTS

Whether a writer considers they are a novice or experienced writer, or even an expert writer, we all come to a season when the book we’re attempting to develop falls flat. The project may be the best idea on the planet, but if its completion seems to have reached a point of no return DON’T GIVE UP!

The positive impact of your book is not lost! It is simply time to join forces with a ghostwriter, a partner who can tap in to your vision and help you reach the FINISH LINE.

 

Finding the right ghostwriter to assist you has been likened to finding the right marriage partner. Although this writing relationship may not exist for a lifetime the connection between writer and ghostwriter must be compatible. Here are a few things to look for when discussing your project with a potential writing partner:

  1. It is preferred to meet with and interview the ghostwriter in person. However, if this is not possible, telephone conversations can provide you with enough information to make your selection. I have worked with several clients long-distance—as well as neighbors—and we’ve enjoyed great success in the completion of their projects.
  2. Ask for information about their past projects. If referrals are available—authors who will talk with you about their experience with this ghostwriter—this is the best resource.
    • Responsibility and Reliability are two key components in a writing partner. When talking with the referred authors, ask about the quality of the ghostwriter’s work and their ability to write in the author’s voice.
    • Your budget is important, too. Although the former clients may not choose to reveal their personal payment plan, you can ask them if they felt they received poor—fair—good—or excellent value for the amount paid.
  3. As you talk about your project, listen carefully to the ghostwriter’s responses.
    • Is the ghostwriter knowledgeable about your genre of choice?
    • Does the ghostwriter hear what you are saying about the book’s topic? Characters? Plot? Setting?
    • Does the ghostwriter seem to grasp the essence of what you want to communicate to your readers?
    • Do you find it easy to talk with them—as if you are already friends?
  4. As the author of your project, you have a distinct writing voice. If you have quickly established a comfortable rapport with the ghostwriter, chances are good that they will be able to identify your writing voice and use it to enhance your project. This is vital to the authenticity of your book.
  5. Your writing partner must have an excellent “handle” on the English language.
    • Grammar, sentence structure, and punctuation all hold a valuable place in communicating with the Reader. However, I’m one of those people who believe that the concept of communication is the key component in the use of grammar and spelling skills. This skill must be used in maintaining the author’s voice throughout the book.
    • If you are writing a technical document for publication at the university-level of academia, you definitely need a ghostwriter who has that experience.
    • If you are writing in the genre of historical fiction, romance, mystery, science fiction, memoir, pet stories, cookbooks, etc. then the ghostwriter who loves language for its communication value is the preferred choice.

Bottom line: Harmony between author and ghostwriter is essential and produces excellence. So if you feel shackled and unable to move forward with your book project, ASK for HELP! Seek out the partnership of an excellent ghostwriter and GET THAT BOOK FINISHED!  Then GET IT PUBLISHED! The best advice I ever received was…NEVER QUIT! Because the most difficult books to produce are the ones that will make the biggest difference in the “book world.” ⚓︎

 

 

RoyaleneABOUT 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.
Book Reviews, elizabeth speaks, in your corner, Uncategorized

In Your Corner : The Crimes & Good Times of Book Review World

So, what exactly is the big deal about book reviews?  Why are they so important to self-publishing authors like you and me?  Everyone who’s every published, self-published, or thought about writing a book seems to have an opinion, but I’m interested in facts.  And the facts are in!  As it turns out, readers turn to the book reviews on websites like Amazon and Goodreads for help in choosing between the dozens upon dozens upon millions of books they might purchase. And after looking at the hundreds of newly published books in the Biography or Romance genre just last month, it’s easy to understand why a five-star review on your Amazon book page might sway readers to purchase it over different book with only two or three stars.  Which leads me to another vital question: how do you get those reviews?

One option is to ask for them–and to ask for them direct from the source. There are all kinds of excellent ways to make use of your existing social connections–on or offline–and you should definitely use them to contact potential reviewers on Facebook, Twitter, and your other social media platforms.  (Authors hang out on Snapchat and Tumblr too, you know!)  

You’ve probably heard that some websites even offer free reviews in return for copies of your book, but just how good are they at reaching new readers?  The answer in most cases happens to be not very.  Readers can quickly and easily get a glimpse of what their friends and the general public thinks about a certain book by taking a look on Amazon and Goodreads, both of which combine the sum total of posted reviews together into one single one-to-five-star average, and pick out particularly popular reviews to highlight.  Accessing these snapshots of a book’s success or struggle is as simple as a few basic keystrokes on Google.

Many readers, however, are looking for something more reputable and more thorough than a blindly-given and blindly-received two-sentence review on a website geared entirely towards pushing product.  These readers are looking for reputability, reliability, and the kind of insightful observations that only the very best reviewers offer.  And as a self-publishing author or someone who works with indie authors–I’m talking to myself every bit as much as I’m talking to you at this point–nothing quite equals an impartial book review from a credible source.  Getting your hands on these vitally important reviews can also pose a significant challenge for a self-publishing author who may lack the resources to sift these credible sources from common shysters, and the confidence to approach the most highly-acclaimed reviewers.

There are, of course, options: companies like my employer, Outskirts Press, offer packages that can quite literally save your bacon when it comes to gathering in the creme de la creme of book reviews.  Our package is called the  “Book Blast,” and it should save the aspiring author untold time, effort, and potential disappointment in pursuing the right kind of reviews.  The effective kind of reviews.  But don’t get me wrong!  I love Outskirts and its author-centered company ethic, but I’m not just here to hawk a sales promotion on unsuspecting readers.  You have to find the path that best suits your needs, help or no help, cost or no cost–but the fact remains you’ll need reviews, a lot of reviews and the best kind of reviews–in order to boost your book’s visibility and drive your sales.  Do your research, and dig deep to find those credible, highly-rated reviewers who have a guaranteed interest in reviewing self-published titles–and sit back to watch as your confidence blossom as your book finds its final audience.

You are not alone. ♣︎

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

Marketing Missteps Episode 7 : Failing to Ask “What’s Next?”

Marketing is a minefield for self-publishing authors, and sometimes it feels as though there’s nothing we can get right–and a lot we can get wrong.  And I’m not going to lie: the marketing missteps I’ve chronicled in prior weeks, listed below, can cut off any chance of success.  But don’t look at this list as a litany of discouragements, even as it grows over the weeks to come.  I’m a firm believer in the old adage that “knowledge is power,” and I’m convinced that if you know the pitfalls that can await you, you’re almost guaranteed to steer clear.

It’s the greatest misfortune of all that self-publishing authors are launched into the world without a guide–imagine Dante facing purgatory without Virgil!–and are somehow expected to make a success of their work the first time out of the gate.  To that end, I’m compiling the following set of missteps I and other self-publishing authors have made, so that you don’t have to!

This week, I’ll be tackling a misstep which at first may seem a tad hard to define.  It’s the misstep that fails to innovate, that is content to settle into a routine without continuing to push the envelope:

Failing to Ask “What’s Next?”

Two sides of the same coin:

  • There’s nothing more worth cultivating in the world of marketing than the restless and questioning spirit of an innovator.
  • At the same time, there is nothing more toxic to marketing success than sinking into a routine without constantly asking “What more can I do?”

There’s no way around the fact that you’ve taken on quite a challenge in choosing to self-publish.  Many close friends of mine, whose books are perfectly suited to the world of indie publishing and whose moral compasses are aligned with the indie pursuit of authorial rights and control, have nevertheless chosen the path of constant disappointment so common to traditional publishing because they just can’t face the prospect of marketing solo.

“The bottom line is that I don’t think I’m at all a good publicist,” one of my friends told me this week. “I have next to zero web presence, either via website (although I am putting together a professional website!) or social media.”  In his case, the sheer volume of work and energy it would take to develop a web presence and push his book was hard enough, much less add that extra layer of questioning and innovation that’s necessary to really succeed.

But it doesn’t have to be that daunting.

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While scrolling through our Facebook feeds all day does not a strong book marketing campaign make, there are quite literally endless opportunities to procure exposure for your book in creative way–and yes, social media does play a big hand in many of them.  My advice?  Establish a routine for what I call a “Bare Minimum Marketing Campaign” (BMMC) that you can keep up with minimal effort week in and week out. On top of that BMMC, challenge yourself to add one new out-of-the-box promotion per week.  Make a custom photo, film an author video or a book trailer, craft an infographic, host a giveaway, do a planned or guerrilla book reading or signing, contact a favorite author of yours, and take advantage of the calendar to create targeted promotional gestures.  Brainstorm a list of possibilities and pin it up beside your computer or workspace, and start ticking off items as you move through it.  Once you finish your list, take it down, tuck it in your journal, and write a new one!  And don’t be afraid to look to what others have done–hop on Google, read a couple of interviews with self-publishing authors, and maybe even post some direct queries.  If Rilke can carry out a fruitful long-term advisory correspondence, so can you!

In short, don’t give up if your campaign feels a little stale.  Take your strategy stratospheric with ambition, one week at a time.  Keep what’s vital, and cut out the dead wood so you can move on.  Your marketing strategy doesn’t have to look like anyone else’s–it just has to look like something you find useful, and that you are proud of.

(And here’s a secret: I’m already proud of the steps you’ve taken!)

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. ♠

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. 10:00 AM
from the archives, Kelly Speaks, Uncategorized

From the Archives: “Contest for Self Publishing Authors: 2013 Global Ebook Awards”

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 15th, 2012 ]

Contests are one of the best ways for self-publishing authors to promote their book and improve their credibility. If you want to increase your book’s exposure and prove that you are an accomplished writer, check out the 2013 Global Ebook Awards. This contest does more than just offer an award sticker to put on your book’s cover; it is truly a great way to market your book and self.

By entering your ebook, you will receive the following benefits:

  • An official Nominee “sticker” on your ebook cover, website, Amazon page, and promotion materials
  • A free listing in Publishing Poynters Marketplace, offering copies of your book for reviews on prestigious ebook dealers’ sites such as Amazon.com, Barnes&Noble.com, and others
  • The Global Ebook Awards comes with a six-step publicity program. Each week, they show you how to publicize your ebook.
  • Media coverage for your book and you
  • Winners and finalists will be listed on the official Global Ebook Awards site.
  • Winners and finalists are eligible to receive Global Ebook Award certificates attesting to their honor.
  • Winners will be announced to the media in news releases.
  • Discounts on video trailers for YouTube, Amazon, and your website
  • Discounts on other services for authors and publishers
  • And much more…

To be eligible, your book must have been released anytime in 2011, 2012, or 2013. The application deadline is March 12, 2013, but it is recommended that you submit your ebook as soon as possible.

To learn more, visit http://globalebookawards.com/.

– by Wendy Stetina

Once in a while, it’s worth reassuring ourselves that just because the normal state of self-publishing is one of change–that the definitions of publishing and authorship are moving targets–some things do remain constant.  And Dan Poynter’s Legacy Award for the 2016 Global eBook Awards is one of those things!

Screen Shot 2016-05-03 at 12.06.05 AM

You heard me: he’s still at it!  Three years the older and wiser, Poynter’s award remains a benchmark for ebook success, and I have some additional good news:

Registration is open.

That means you should submit your book, by the way.  Because I know, and you know, that your book deserves a chance to shine in the international arena–and I know, and you know, that one of the best ways to reach new audiences is to flesh out your marketing plan with a competition (or two, or three!) of strategic importance.  This is one of those strategically important opportunities, and really, the rewards are worth the effort.

The winnings have changed a little, but they’re even more splendid than ever.  To quote Poynter’s website, in addition to an award in any of eight “best-of” categories and dozens (no literally, dozens!) of fiction and nonfiction categories, participants also receive the following benefits:

  • Putting an official “sticker” on your ebook cover, pbook cover, blog, website and promotion materials.
  • Winners will be announced to the media via social media and news feeds.
  • Six ebook Promotional “Lessons”
  • Everyone receives an official “nominee sticker” for their ebook cover or for other use.
  • An invitation to the Global Ebook Awards Winner’s Reception in Santa Barbara, CA
  • Winners will be listed on the official Global Ebook Awards site.
  • Winners will be eligible to purchase Global Ebook Award certificates attesting to their honor.
  • Discounts on ebook setup, conversions, and website development.
  • Discounts on other services for authors and publishers.

Entry is $79 USD per category but there are discount offers available, and if you miss out on this year’s registration it may be well worth budgeting the expense for next year!  The 2016 awards are open to any books published 2014 and onward, so it would stand to reason that the next round of awards in 2017 will be open to books published from 2015 onward.  Your book may still qualify next year!

For more information on this year’s round of awards, check out the Global eBook Awards website and registration page.  And make sure to update us if you enter!  We’ll track your progress and be your cheer squad along the way.  We hope to see your book on the winner’s lists!

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.  ♠

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

Self-Publishing News: 5.2.2016

BLOGRUNNER’S NOTE:

Apologies for the late posting!  This was scheduled to post in the early morning hours, but failed to do so (probably because of my poor wifi connectivity).  We hope you find the information as rich and valuable in the moonlight as you would have in the sunlight–and we’ll be back on track for next Monday morning.

This week in the world of self-publishing:

“Mark Dawson’s life story should provide hope to the thousands of undiscovered authors around the world with half finished manuscripts under their beds,” writes Eleanor Lawrie for ThisisMoney.co.uk in this April 30th article that was then syndecated in the Daily Mail.  Why?  Lawrie goes on to state the bare facts: “The ex-lawyer and author of more than 20 thrillers has seen a million copies of his books downloaded in the space of a few years, and is now negotiating a film deal.”  And of course, this kind of wildly unexpected success is not the result of a traditional publishing deal.  Dawson initially tried the traditional route, but his book (The Art of Falling Apart) failed to make back its advance for a variety of reasons, and he stopped writing for years before returning to writing during his morning rail commute to work as a cross border fraud lawyer.  His books, which feature government assassins John Milton and Beatrix Rose, have been distributed to around a million readers, though Dawson says about half of those were freely given digital copies.  He still makes six figures off of his writing alone, enabling him to transition into a stay-at-home author and father, which he credits with improving his family life.  One generally gets the feeling Dawson is just a phenomenally nice person, especially as regards building up his fan base.  “One of the main reasons I’ve been successful is I’m very focused on developing my relationship with readers,” he says.  “I reply to everybody, I don’t pay someone to do it for me. […]  I try to turn readers into fans, into friends.”  Now that’s a work ethic worth supporting.  For Lawrie’s full article, follow the link.

In this April 29th retrospective for The Bookseller, Philip Jones reflects on the happy coincidence that the company’s latest issue pulled together a series of articles that both reflect on the current stigmas and progress made in the world of publishing, much of which comes out directly in support of self-publishing.  “Some years ago,” he writes, “a meeting was convened with various communications chiefs and trade journalists to discuss how to improve the reporting of this sector as well as its general standing among peers across the media. It was foresightful: since that point the trade’s reputation has worsened each year. You do not now have to wander far on social media to meet our detractors—a Guardian piece on self-publishing will usually flush a fair number out, as will almost anything written about Open Access and science publishing.”  And the legacy of publishing (and self-publishing) has been continuously riven with polarized opinions in the years since, and the industry’s response to an evolving market has often been behind the curve instead of ahead of it.  As Jones puts it, “I recently asked a senior executive if they were comfortable with the way self-published authors were slowly taking over Kindle sales. The response—largely unsaid—revealed to me that they were not.”  And while Jones may very well be right that traditional publishing caters to an “indifferent” supply chain, he is far more on point when he closes with a call to action: “by tackling the underlying insecurity of what a publisher does, we will better secure our fortunes.”  For more of Jones’ retrospective and a fully hyperlinked list of The Bookseller’s latest articles, check out the original article here.

“The joy was not only in seeing my book but also in the feeling of its ownership,” writes Brig A N Suryanarayanan in this Apr 27th article for the Deccan Herald.  Like Mark Dawson, Brig first tried the traditional publishing route–to no good end.  It was, he writes, “published by a famous publisher but without any interaction with the readers.”  But after Brig’s latest decision to pursue self-publishing, requests for copies have come pouring in–from a “motorparts Gujarati businessman from Jalgaon,” “an English professor from Thanjavur” as well as “a retired Indian colonel from the US […] and the son of an IAF Wing Commander from Johannesburg.”  The list goes on, as does Suryanarayanan’s joy.  Floods in Chennai and obstacles to translation to other dialects could not prevent the book from reaching its audience–in large part because of Brig’s dedication to getting the book where it needs to go.  Brig hopes that his work (Many Laughs and a Few Tears), a collection of humorous short stories, will prove an inspiration to others.  He writes: “I hope all this motivates the authors in you to get on with self-publishing!”  For more anecdotes from Suryanarayanan’s journey from discouragement to joy, visit the Deccan Herald article here.

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.

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.