Jodee Speaks

Marketing for Self Publishing Procrastinators: Reward Yourself

It often seems as though the terms writer and procrastinator go hand in hand. Many authors find themselves constantly putting off finishing or promoting their book. Maybe it is because the amount of work that goes into writing and promoting a book seems daunting or because authors aren’t sure where to start. Whatever the reason, I am here to help.

The key to overcoming procrastination is taking small steps towards accomplishing your goals. In this series of posts, I am going to help all of you procrastinators to promote your self published books so you can start increasing your exposure and sales.

Rewards are a great motivation tool. To help you finish and market your book, create a list of goals. For example, your list may include write 5,000 word, send out 5 press releases and create a Facebook page. Next assign a reward for each goal. For instance, you may treat yourself to a new pair of shoes, a new book or a special lunch out. Be sure to choose rewards that are practical but motivating, and try to match the reward to the difficulty of the goal. For instance, finishing your manuscript deserves a much bigger reward than updating your Facebook five times this week.

I’d love to know, how do you use rewards to help you finish and market your book?

ABOUT JODEE THAYER: With over 20 years of experience in sales and management, Jodee Thayer works as the Manager of Author Services for Outskirts Press. The Author Services Department is composed of knowledgeable customer service reps and publishing consultants; together, they all focus on educating authors on the self-publishing process in order 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, Jodee Thayer can put you on the right path.
Self-Publishing Book Review of the Week

Weekly Self Published Book Review: Hoop Hussies

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 by Midwest Book Review:

Hoop Hussies

Hoop Hussies

Hollie M. Woods

Publisher: Outskirts Press

ISBN: 9781432770396

The game off the court often becomes more entertaining than the game on the court. “Hoop Hussies” tells the story of star player Jackson Midas, the NBA’s latest star, and his crossovers with love and everything else. With an assortment of girls and plenty of romance and intrigue, “Hoop Hussies” is presented in screenplay format and proves to be an intriguing and worthwhile read to consider.

Uncategorized

Top 5 Self-Publishing Tips to Promote Your Book During Small Press Month

March is Small Press Month, a month to promote the amazing work of independent publishers and self-published authors. Take advantage of this celebration to promote your own self-published book all month long with these effective marketing and promotion steps.

1. Get stocked. If you do not have enough hard copies on hand, contact your publisher today to order a supply. You’ll need them so you can pursue other marketing and promotion tips throughout the month. Some companies, such as Outskirts Press, are offering discounts in honor off Small Press Month.

2. Offer a discount. Contact your local bookstores and suggest they offer discounts on Small Press books. Bring in your own book and offer it to them at a discount to get them started. You can even offer to leave them with a free copy along with your sales sheet, press release and any promotional materials you have for your book. Ask if you can host an event at their establishment for local independent authors.

3. Educate educators. Contact local schools in your area and tell them about Small Press Month. Mention that you are a local, published author and offer to speak to their students and staff about how to accomplish their dreams of being published. This is particularly effective if you have a children’s book you can then sell after the assembly.

4.Think about the other 11 months. Small Press Month is just one month out of 12. Prepare for other book events throughout the year, like London Book Fair, BookExpo America, Beijing Book Fair and Frankfurt Book Fair.

5.  Name drop. Start writing online reviews through Amazon. Write reviews for every book you have ever read. Mention that you are the author of a book at the bottom of each posted review and include the book title and a link. If people like the writing style of your review, they may investigate your book, especially if you write reviews for books within the same genre as your book.

For more ideas, check out 31 Self-Publishing Tips to Promote Your Book During Small Press Month.

ABOUT KELLY SCHUKNECHT: Kelly Schuknecht is the 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 at http://kellyschuknecht.com.
Kelly Speaks, Self-Publishing Week in Review

Self Publishing Week in Review: 3/19/13

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 Tuesday to find out the hottest news in self publishing this week.

Self-Publishing Takes Center Stage at the San Francisco Writers Conference

This year’s keynote speaker was self publishing guru Guy Kawasaki, and the conference focused on the publishing options available to authors. The event also featured other self publishing professionals and authors.

Agent Extraordinaire Mollie Glick on Trends, Self-Publishing &  Truth Versus Fiction

This blogger interviews Mollie Glick and discusses a variety of topics such as her love for books and what she looks for in self publishing authors.

Publish your manuscript – for a price

This interesting article shows that self publishing is becoming increasingly popular as well as other trends.

If you have other big news to share, please comment below.

ABOUT KELLY SCHUKNECHT: Kelly Schuknecht is the 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 at http://kellyschuknecht.com.
Jodee Speaks

Marketing for Self Publishing Procrastinators: Part 3 – Create a Facebook Page

It often seems as though the terms writer and procrastinator go hand in hand. Many authors find themselves constantly putting off finishing or promoting their book. Maybe it is because the amount of work that goes into writing and promoting a book seems daunting or because authors aren’t sure where to start. Whatever the reason, I am here to help.

The key to overcoming procrastination is taking small steps towards accomplishing your goals. In this series of posts, I am going to help all of you procrastinators to promote your self published books so you can start increasing your exposure and sales.

Procrastinators love social media because it is a wondferul distraction. While you are procrastinating, why not make that time useful? Next time you want to spend time on social media instead of working on your writing, set up a Facebook page for your book or for you as an author. This is a great way to connect with your readers and promote your work. Here are a few tips to get you started.

  • Include a picture. Every social media page needs a professional picture. You could use the cover of your book or a photo of yourself. If you use a photo of yourself, be sure it is appropriate.
  • Get creative. Social media is a great place to flex those creative muscles. For instance, you may decide to post as your characters or engage readers in games.
  • Stay consistent. I am actually going to give you permission to check and update your Facebook every day, or at least a few times a week. To keep from spending too  much time online, set a schedule of when and for how long you will use social media. You still need to spend time on other writing and marketing tasks.

For the procrastinators reading this post, share your story in the comment section below. What are your biggest obstacles? Your greatest strengths? Why do you procrastinate? Now, get offline and go work on your book.

ABOUT JODEE THAYER: With over 20 years of experience in sales and management, Jodee Thayer works as the Manager of Author Services for Outskirts Press. The Author Services Department is composed of knowledgeable customer service reps and publishing consultants; together, they all focus on educating authors on the self-publishing process in order 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, Jodee Thayer can put you on the right path.