Self-Publishing Book Review of the Week

Weekly Self-Published Book Review: Merlin’s Message: The Journey Home

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:

Merlin’s Message: The Journey Home

Denise Moon

Publisher: Outskirts Press

ISBN: 9781432773496

Reviewer: Marty Shaw

I love Greek mythology and stories about Merlin the Magician, so I should have loved a book that brought those two elements together. However, “Merlin’s Message: The Journey Home” seemed to suffer from having more pages than useful content to fill those pages.

The premise is excellent. A young boy named Michael sets off on a journey to the New World with his mother and step-father. It should be a fun adventure for Michael except for the facts that his mother appears to be suffering from a strange illness and his step-father seems to have something to do with it. On the journey, Michael learns a lot about Zeus, Poseidon, and other gods and goddesses from a mysterious and friendly sailor named Muldoon. Unfortunately, for the reader, this ocean-going trip lasts a lot longer than it needs to. There’s a lot of pages where the ship goes nowhere because of the lack of wind and we’re treated to many moments of Michael questioning if his reality is real or imagined, expressing how much he enjoys Muldoon’s stories, and thinking about how much he despises his step-father. There are a few interesting parts tucked within these scenes, but there’s only so much action you can squeeze from a ship sitting still on the water.

Eventually, a storm allows the story to progress past this stalled moment and Michael’s adventure truly begins as he explores a wondrous island filled with faeries, nymphs, talking trees and stones, and paths that seem to appear and disappear on their own. Again, it seems like space had to be wasted just to fill a certain number of pages because Michael suddenly becomes what has to be the densest main character that has ever existed. One moment, he’s discovering that he wields incredible powers, but then he gets scared when the sun goes down. He’s told time and time again that evil or fearful thoughts will summon creatures from his nightmares that will make his journey more difficult, so he immediately begins to imagine various assortments of creatures in the forest that want to kill him. I can understand these moments happening early on, but once that point of change occurs, it just seems awkward to take the main character back a few steps. Even after Michael sees for himself that he truly holds awesome power and is in control of what he faces while on the island, he still cowers and whimpers way too much.

I was prepared to thoroughly enjoy “Merlin’s Message: The Journey Home,” but there was too much book for the actual story that was contained within.

Cover Design, Kelly Speaks

Are Book Covers Still Important in the Digital Age?

There was a time when readers would venture to a bookstore or library and browse the shelves for a book that grabbed their attention. Despite the old cliché “never judge a book by its cover,” most people are drawn to books with interesting cover art. While there are still people who purchase print books and who enjoy an afternoon stroll through a bookstore, more and more people are purchasing books online and using e-readers. This shift has authors, and artists, wondering if cover art is still important in the digital age.

While e-book formats require less emphasis on physical appearance (interior formatting is simpler and a full cover design is not necessary), they still need “cover” artwork. Since the reader will be viewing the cover on a screen, it is very important that the design is appealing and captures the essence of the book.

As a self-publishing author, it is important to consider the current trends when making decisions about your book. If you are only publishing an electronic version of your book at first, make sure the cover is appealing on a screen and grabs the attention of a potential reader.  The cover design of your e-book format is just as important as the full cover design of any hardcopy format.

I’d love to know, does the cover design make a difference in the e-books you choose to buy?

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

Self-Publishing Analysis Paralysis

Today I want to blog about decision making, or the lack thereof.  What brought this to mind was receiving an email from an author I have been in contact with for a full year now.  Her manuscript has been done for over a year, and she has spent the past 12 months shopping self-publishing companies for the “best deal.”  After a year of research, she still hasn’t made a decision!  She could have had her book published and in her hands nine months ago.  She could be earning her investment back by now, but instead she is stuck with analysis paralysis.

I don’t imagine most authors would take this long to make the decision, but if you find yourself unable to move forward because of all the different self-publishing companies and various packages, options, and promotions,  know that you are not alone. Many authors suffer from “analysis paralysis,” also known as over-thinking a situation so a decision or action is never taken.

While it is important to research self-publishing companies and the various options available before choosing a package and company, it is also essential that you find the courage to choose a company and begin the publication process. At some point, an author might need to take all the analysis and logic out of the equation and make a decision based on the rapport he or she established with a particular company during the analysis phase  or choose to go with a company that has values that match his or her own.  Perhaps a company such as Outskirts Press which is grounded in family-values would be a good match for you.

Choosing a self-publishing company is like any important decision in life; you can analyze and analyze and analyze, but eventually you have to make a decision, and sometimes that decision is based on something other than logic.

I’d love to know, what made you choose your self-publishing company?

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.
Wendy Speaks

The Difference Between AP and Chicago Style

In order for your book to appear professional, you must maintain a consistent style throughout your manuscript. When I say “style,” I am referring to elements such as spelling, grammar, and punctuation. There are several different styles used by various types of publications, but the two most common are AP and Chicago. Which style you follow depends on what you are writing. For instance, AP is often used by newspapers while Chicago is preferred by book publishers. Here is a breakdown of just a few of the differences between AP and Chicago style.

Since AP style is often used by newspapers, there is an emphasis on saving space and time. For instance, AP style requires you to spell out numbers one through nine and to use numerals thereafter. Chicago, on the other hand, has you spell out numbers one through ninety-nine. Another major difference is the use of the serial comma: AP style does not use the serial comma while Chicago style does. Of course, many publications also create in-house style guides that make exceptions to the preferred style manual. For instance, if a publication uses AP style but wishes to use the serial comma, it can add this exception to its in-house style guide.

Since there are so many differences between AP and Chicago style, it is best to focus on learning the style you plan to use. There is no need to learn all of the other styles if you aren’t using them. Also, it is beneficial to hire a copyeditor to check for style consistencies. Copyeditors are highly skilled in a specific or numerous styles, and they have been trained to look for various errors that are common in manuscripts. Even the best writers can benefit from the eye of a good copyeditor.

I’d love to know, which style do you prefer: Chicago or AP?

ABOUT WENDY STETINA: Wendy Stetina is a sales and marketing professional with over 30 years experience in the printing and publishing industry. Wendy works as the Director of Author Services for Outskirts Press. The Author Services Department is composed of knowledgeable customer service reps and publishing consultants; and 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, Wendy Stetina can put you on the right path.
Elise Speaks, Marketing Your Self-Published Book

3 Reasons Why You Should Constantly Talk About Your Book on Social Media

Book marketing professionals often discuss the importance of brands (authors, books, etc.) embracing the idea of transparent and natural engagement with users of social media. What if you don’t agree? Are there ever good reasons for constant promotion of your book on social media sites? Sure, here are just a few of the best:

  • You like annoying others. Sure, people are on social media sites to start, build, and grow relationships, but they want to hear about your book book all of the time. Not really. People want to connect with relevant people who engage/participate in relevant discussions. If you annoy them, they will either ignore you or disconnect (unlike, unfriend, unfollow, etc.) from you.
  • You know that everyone needs to know about your book, and they all need to buy it. Target markets? Who needs ’em? Your book was written in gold, and there’s no reason they wouldn’t want to read it. Not necessarily. Every product on the market has a target market. Think about it… not everyone is interested in even the most common things – TV, internet, telephone service, etc. Why would your book be any different? Define your target market and aim to connect with them in a natural way.
  • You want to be ignored. For every person who ignores you, there are 100 more people who will listen, right? Not exactly. People that you connect with are not “a dime a dozen.” They also don’t grow on trees. Cherish the relationships you have built with the goal of building even more meaningful relationships.

Social media can be a powerful book marketing tool – especially if used correctly by authors who take the scenic self-publishing route. You don’t have a traditional publisher standing behind you or throwing their marketing dollars at your book. So, you have to figure out how to “go it alone.”

Interacting with new potential readers on sites like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc. could be a potential goldmine for opening the door to earning even more royalties from your book. You not only have a chance to connect with people that you already know, but you can meet new people and form new relationships. Make every opportunity count!

Elise Connors ABOUT ELISE L. CONNORS:
Elise works as the Manager of Author Support of Outskirts Press.  She also contributes to the Outskirts Press blog at blog.outskirtspress.com.Elise and a group of talented book marketing experts assist self-publishing authors and professionals who are interested in getting the best possible exposure for their book.