Facebook, news from the self publishing world, self publishing news, Uncategorized

Self-Publishing News: 3.26.2018 – Publishing Trends Roundup

Word MARCH. Vector decorative unusual object

And now for the news!

Some highlights from this month in the world of self-publishing, specifically regarding publishing trends within the publishing industry, and their implications for all authors!

Fancy that–this week, self-publishing made The Verge! This week’s article by Verge contributor Shannon Liao focuses in on self-publishing platform Smashwords, which recently announced plans to partner with indie audiobook maker Findaway Voices. The deal hinges, Liao writes, on making it possible for “Smashwords’ authors and publishers [to] find professional narrators more quickly and hear voice actor recommendations from an online casting support team. There will also be estimates of production costs and stated hourly rates for voice actors, ranging from $150 to $400 an hour.” That may sound like a lot, and it is, as the average audiobook lasts in excess of six hours, but it does indicate progress for authors who previously had no access at all.

This is not the first time that a self-publishing company has partnered up with an audiobook company, but it is the first time it has made mainstream news indices like The Verge. Here’s hoping there are many more fruitful partnerships ahead–and not just because this is an excellent service idea, but also because more competition will drive the price down for those authors who really can’t afford the service, just yet.

If you’re wondering why we’re forefronting Facebook this week, then here’s a quick summary of events: recently, the social media heavyweight was implicated in election profiteering (which is not illegal) as well as the dissemination of private user data for profit (which is illegal, or at the very least a grey area) and exploitation by a political entity, which is not quite the same thing. Many Facebook users are outraged, and others are concerned that this marks a transition in the social media industry from providing services in exchange for harmless, benign, and politically (mostly) neutral data exchanges (such as the hosting of annoying ads in the margins of your home page) to a social media industry which ruthlessly exploits its users the same way that everyone else seems to. Many people have decided to quit Facebook altogether as a result. Enter Bruce Shapiro of The Nation, who argues a different take on the subject: that Facebook, a de facto self-publishing platform, “for all its flaws, […] remains a vital tool for political activism.” Shapiro argues we ought to regulate Facebook, transforming it into something more like a public utility, so that these functions can remain available to us without (as much) risk of it being put to political and profiteering ends. This is a strongly-worded take on the subject, but it would seem that the time for strongly-worded takes has come. What happens next depends on us, and our elected representatives. Is Facebook really a self-publishing platform? Should that figure into the debate? We’d love to hear your thoughts, here or on Twitter at @SelfPubAdvisor.

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.

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elizabeth speaks, in your corner, pinterest, Social Media Marketing, Uncategorized

In Your Corner: Nail Down New Readers with Pinterest Book Marketing Tips

Think of Pinterest as a highly sophisticated scrapbooking or bookmarking tool – one that allows you share with and borrow from other users. That element of sharing can be a powerful tool, if you use it to your advantage.

Pinterest

Pinterest is a unique opportunity to reach out to readers and to the writing community in ways you may not have thought of. Once you’ve signed up for an account, apply these techniques to make a positive impression:

  • Build your presence. Once you’ve signed up, get started by building the identity, or brand, you want to project to other Pinterest users. First and foremost, fill out that profile as completely and creatively as you can. The more information you give, the more likely it is that people will follow you and pay attention to what you pin. Then get started pinning the things that resonate with you and define you as a writer.
  • Build pin boards. Create a separate board for each of your books, and perhaps extra boards for other books in your genre that have inspired you.
  • Promote visually. Writers illustrate with words, but Pinterest represents an opportunity to attach memorable visual images to your project. Do you have a book in progress? Consider pinning photos of locations represented in your book, or even actors who resemble how your picture your characters.
  • Go behind the scenes. Don’t be afraid to demonstrate how the “magic” happens with pictures of your writing desk, photos from book signings or industry-related events you attended. Allowing readers a peek inside your world puts a human face on the writing process and helps build a virtual rapport.
  • Pin promotions. Are you offering buy-one-get-one specials or redeeming coupons for discounts? Pin ’em! Post printable coupons, or offer a promotional code with links to your website or author page where your book is available.
  • Engage. Just as you would with Facebook, WordPress, Twitter and other social media, interact thoughtfully with other users. Post comments and useful links on their pinned items, and re-pin the ones you like.
  • Get “pin-able.” PSome studies suggest that users are spending more time pinning than they are Facebooking. Feed the sharing need by making sure that distinctive red “P” appears on your own website.

You are not alone. ♣︎

Elizabeth

ABOUT ELIZABETH JAVOR: With over 20 years of experience in sales and management, Elizabeth Javor works as the Director of Sales and Marketing for Outskirts Press. The Sales and Marketing departments are composed of knowledgeable publishing consultants, 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.
Self-Publishing Book Review of the Week, Uncategorized, weekly self published book review

Tuesday Book Review: “On Liberty’s Wings”

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:

on liberty's wings diane dettmann

On Liberty’s Wings: A Post-WWII Novel

by Diane Dettmann

Publisher: Outskirts Press

ISBN: 9781478714026

Synopsis*:

The end of World War II signals a new beginning for America, but for twenty-two-year-old Yasu Nakahara and her family, harsh prejudices remain. Now married and leading a new life, Yasu faces barriers almost as unyielding as the years she and her family spent imprisoned in the Japanese internment camp in California during the war. Motivated by flashbacks of armed military guards and barbwire fences, Yasu strives to build a new life. She pours her heart and soul into her new teaching position while her husband Masato, a World War II veteran, faces his own battles of attaining an engineering degree and securing a job. On Liberty’s Wings: A Post-WWII Novel is a story of the strength of the human spirit and focuses on themes of forgiveness, choice, prejudice and change. Readers become immersed in Yasu’s evolution and her family’s recovery as they celebrate victories and grieve their losses.

 * courtesy of Amazon.com

Featured Review

Book 3 of the Courageous Footsteps series continues the story of Yasu, who is now married and leading a new life in the aftermath of World War II, which landed her family in a Japanese internment camp and resulted in the death of her beloved brother. How does one recover to lead a new life in the aftermath of such gut-wrenching disaster? That’s one of the keys to understanding the determined, feisty Yasu’s process as she faces a vastly changed world and life, including a new teaching job and expanding opportunities, even as her husband Masato struggles to pursue a degree and faces losing his job to an experienced, returning war vet.

Readers who have followed Yasu’s evolution in previous books will especially appreciate seeing these threads of change, which force characters to consider new actions, reactions, and consequences of their behaviors even as society changes and evolves around them. While the story stands nicely alone as an individual piece, when read in the wider context of Yasu’s life, it serves as yet another jigsaw puzzle piece creating the bigger picture of the World War II experience. Especially when taken as an integral part of this blossoming series, it is recommended for mature teens to adult readers seeking far more psychological depth and social inspection than the usual focus on the Japanese experience in America during the War.

– reviewed on the Independent Publisher’s Shelf at the Midwest Book Review

Other Reviews

Diane weaves in the intensity of racial actions and words with a story that ‘Americanizes’ a small Japanese American family just trying to make it in post-World War II America. They face the additional challenge of experiencing the advantages and disadvantages of being a minority in our society. Dettmann captures the basic goodness in human nature, showing how many treated this family as if they weren’t different while including reminders that negative racial thoughts are as much a part of human nature as that goodness. As a third generation Japanese American born and raised in the Midwest, I believe that Diane writes with an awareness of what it’s like being racially different that is quite accurate.

– Amazon reviewer John Suzukida

On Liberty’s Wings is a powerful, gripping novel that made me want to read it all the way through, in one sitting. Diane Dettman’s saga sweeps us through many experiences—love, overcoming prejudice, the desire for a new life and recovery from trauma, and the power of the individual in the midst of collective transformation. I was enthralled by Dettman’s beautiful characters and her vivid descriptions of real historic events, as well as how they impacted the lives of so many people. As a historical novel, On Liberty’s Wings offers rich and poignant insight into the often-unrecognized stories of Japanese internment camps, as well as a sense of personal proximity to the struggles of individual people. The book, although fictional, is a testament to the courage of those who have faced the odds, and the power of empathy and shared humanity in restoring hope. The book sheds light on painful experiences, but it’s truly my definition of a feel-good novel. I recommend it highly!

– Amazon reviewer Kelly McNelis

Book Trailer

tuesday book review

Thanks for reading!  Keep up with the latest in the world of indie and self-published books by watching this space!

Self Publishing Advisor

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news from the self publishing world, self publishing news, Uncategorized

Self-Publishing News: 3.19.2018 – New Releases!

Word MARCH. Vector decorative unusual object

And now for the news!

Some highlights from this month in the world of self-publishing, specifically new releases written by self-publishing authors and published by independent presses! Today we’ll be featuring brand-new releases in the Outskirts Press Bookstore!

Today we’re focusing on new releases in Science Fiction, and the first new release we want to highlight is Tom Young’s latest book, Assimilation. This is the second in a series (the Emily Smith Trilogy) dealing with life on a post-environmental-collapse Earth, where the living is hard and friendships are vital. After all, who do you trust when you’re alone on a strange planet? That’s right, this series follows a sort of alien exchange program as Earth’s various governments put in place an agreement with the Andrians to secure peace and longevity on Earth. Jawane, Hanlee, and Persha have become the first Andrians to take part in this exchange, but their story doesn’t end there!

In this second installment, we meet Sara, whose unique brain chemistry places her at the heart of a powerful military industrial complex with the key to humanity’s future.

Next, we have Sue Westgate’s latest Science Fiction book, with a name which might twist your tongue and a story which will make you rethink language entirely. This collection of stories takes place over the course of several standard Galactic Years (GYs) and follows the work of Undercover Investigator Eeryda Daanin and her various companions, acquaintances, and cases as she delves into the crimes of this strange but delightful future. This is a future where nothing is simple, but everything is interesting. Well worth a look!

Last but not least, we have T. L. Howard’s latest book, The Final Choosing. In this heart-pounding novel of the present (with both heavy science fictional and heavy fantastical undertones), shopkeeper Mirah is suddenly catapulted to chosen ruler of the nation of Decera. But her greatest challenge is not one of governance–it is time itself. She must come to terms with–and hopefully master–an ancient prophecy brought to life by an old enemy who seems to outwit her at every turn. Buried in the prophecy is a terrifying and terrible truth: The gods are not what they seem, and everything which makes us human is in question. With time, her old enemy, running out, Mirah must parse the language of the dead and her own friends and fellow-travelers in order to understand the god to whom she has devoted her life, and the place her past and experience has in facing the future.

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.

selfpubicon1

brent sampson, Brent Speaks, Uncategorized

What is the difference between a Publishing Guide and a Publishing Kit?

Nearly all online self-publishing companies offer authors an “incentive” to join their newsletter or mailing list. In most cases, this is the company’s own “Publishing Guide.”  These guides vary from sleek sales brochures to informative books covering the process of self-publishing (typically with that particular self-publishing company).

outskirts press publishing guide

Other self-publishers offer “white papers” or “tip sheets” or “advice columns” focusing on one or more specific topics or obstacles an author may face when publishing a book. While often more informative (at least about said topic or obstacle), these white papers are usually much shorter, and therefore of less perceived value, than a “Publishing Guide.”

An elite few combine their publishing guide with a robust collection of white papers and tip sheets to create a Publishing Kit for prospective clients. The guide typically markets the company and its offerings, perhaps sheds light on the self-publishing and book marketing processes, and shines a light on a successful author or two.  The white papers, advice columns, and tip sheets, on the other hand, identify core questions or issues facing many writers and offers suggestions or solutions to pave an author’s path toward publication.

Outskirts Press launched its brand new Publishing Kit this February, featuring their publishing guide, self-publishing white paper, brochure, and a collection of tip sheets covering everything from best practices for book pricing to book title considerations/recommendations.  Plus, my latest book, Self-Publishing Questions Asked & Answered is included as a bonus. New clients can get the Publishing Kit instantly at https://outskirtspress.com/book-publishing.html#ebooks

brent sampson
In 2002, Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Semi-Finalist Brent Sampson founded Outskirts Press, a custom book publishing solution that provides a cost-effective, fast, and powerful way to help authors publish, distribute, and market their books worldwide while leaving 100% of the rights and 100% of the profits with the author. Outskirts Press was incorporated in Colorado in October, 2003.
In his capacity as the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Marketing Officer, Brent is an expert in the field of book publishing and book marketing. He is also the author of several books on both subjects, including the bestseller Sell Your Book on Amazon, which debuted at #29 on Amazon’s bestseller list.