Tag: magazine

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

Self-Publishing News: 5.7.2018 – The Company Files!

may month

And now for the news!

Some highlights from this month in the world of self-publishing, specifically news from or regarding self-publishing companies!

Here’s an interesting one. Why do we care about John Barber and IDW? Simply put, Barber got his start in self-publishing. IDW is a major powerhouse of the comics industry, putting out the official Star Wars and Star Trek (as well as many other franchise) comics, and more or less going toe-to-toe with Marvel and DC Comics for creative property in the world of comics. To see a comics titan like IDW opting to hire someone who got his start kicking everything about traditional comics to the curb, albeit back in the 1990s, is indicative of the ever-more-permeable boundaries between “indie” and “mainstream.” (Barber went on to work with Marvel before transitioning to IDW.) The movement of personnel back and forth between these sectors is an indicator to watch as that barrier continues to grow more and more blurred.

The level of snark in the opening to this 9News news spot is perhaps a tad overdone, but there’s nothing which touches how wonderful it is to hear something like “fifteen years” and “self-publishing” and “going strong” all in one short clip. The Denver Zine Library, for those of you not quite in the zine loop, was co-founded fifteen years ago by Kelly Costello, and celebrated its anniversary with this short spot on state and national broadcast networks affiliated with NBC. Zines are self-published magazines, both print and digital, and tend to be highly specific and low-distribution, but no less culturally impactful for that. (And it’s worth noting that in the 90s, some zines were very big indeed.) These days, zines provide widespread communities and networks to keep in touch about the things they love, and are often a step in the young self-publisher’s evolution.

One of our favorites of the month is simply this headline, courtesy of the PRWeb affiliate Cision, which hosts press releases galore. The press release in question? Well, we’d be a Outskirts-Press-Self-Publishingtad misleading if we didn’t say that $300 off of a high-quality self-publishing package wasn’t something that we weren’t keeping an eye on for personal reasons of our own. After all, life is sometimes entirely too busy to do it all and be everything we need to be in order to get that book off of our laptop and into the world in the form of actual, beautiful printed books. And as a disclaimer, many of our Self Publishing Advisor contributors have worked with Outskirts Press over the years, which means we hear a lot more about their sales than we might otherwise. Still, this is one worth putting on your radar, both because of the steep discount and the excellently worded press release!

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

Self-Publishing News: 11.13.2017 – The Interviews!

ThinkstockPhotos-866976318

And now for the news!

Some highlights from this month in the world of self-publishing, specifically interviews with or articles written by self-publishing authors and experts!

For many self-publishing authors, regionality is a powerful thread woven throughout their works, tying their books to the cities and sceneries which surround them in day-to-day life. For newly self-published author Alexandra Speck, her first book has deep roots in the culture and community of Cape Cod, which she herself calls home. Says Steven Withrow of The Falmouth Enterprise in this early November interview, Ms. Speck honed early drafts of Honor Girl “in workshops with fellow writers at the Cape Cod Writers Center in Hyannis,” and has solid plans to promote and sell her book throughout the area using her experience in event planning as a development associate for the Community Health Center of Cape Cod. She has a lot to say in encouraging others thinking about self-publishing, too: “There are so many success stories with self-published authors, and publishing companies are really paying attention to books that have already found an audience,” she says. Withrow notes the decline in stigma associated with skipping traditional publishing in favor of the speed, flexibility, and affordability of self-publishing options. The rest of Withrow’s interview with Speck is well worth checking out on The Falmouth Enterprise‘s website!

Not every breakthrough for self-publishing authors comes in the form of a book, as Ivan Thomas’ article for Lee Bailey’s EurWeb Electronic Urban Report reveals. It’s here that Thomas describes the latest project by author, publisher, and indie publishing guru LaDonna Smith–a magazine, specifically designed to spread the word about self-published works and amplify the voices of minority authors and creators. The magazine in question is Writer’s Life Magazine, first started by Smith as a way of promoting her own book, The Money Tree but now an indie darling with both up-and-coming and high-profile names attached, such as NBA champion Metta World Peace (Ron Artest), who has released several well-received children’s books.

And look, we get excited about a lot of things on Self Publishing Advisor, but this magazine sounds really special, even by our standards. After all, it’s not every day that someone like Smith comes along with the know-how and the generosity to first craft a magazine and then open it up to promote the works of others. Writes Thomas, “Each issue of Writer’s Life Magazine provides professional advice and insider tips on writing and self-publishing books. These resources assist not only independent authors, but screen-writers, song-writers, literary organizations and rising illustrators. There is even a small-business spotlight that highlights bloggers and individuals who provide services to authors.” Smith’s hope is to provide a boost to the works of others who, like her, struggled to find a home for books and other artistic projects which celebrate people of color and for authors who are looking for more artistic control. The rest of this interview can be read at the link!

This isn’t your typical interview, but that’s fitting, because there’s very little that’s typical about Houston’s annual Zine Fest this year. In this brief interview with Connor Clifton, member of the absurdist comedy collective MicroSatan (which also publishes the zine Dragon Trainer High School), reporter Texas Cook takes a look at the underground culture of zines which is about to converge on the city. Those of you who’ve followed us here at Self Publishing Advisor for a while will know that zines are a favorite topic of ours here; although we don’t get too many opportunities to talk about them, we have written about them and their importance in the past, and would encourage you to not just catch up on Cook’s full interview but also on some of the many ways in which you can make zines work in your favor. (Interested? Read this article. And this one, too. And don’t worry, we’ll revisit the subject in more detail at some future date.) Check out Texas Cook’s article and the happy chaos that is the Houston Zine Fest 2017!

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

Self-Publishing News: 7.4.2017

happy 4th of july independence day

And now for the news!

Some highlights from this month in the world of self-publishing, specifically news from or regarding self-publishing companies!

Ever heard of Totally Entwined? It’s a name that’s been around for a while, but now … now it’s an e-store and self-publishing platform for those writing in the romance genre. Says Katherine Cowdrey of The Bookseller, the new site offers great benefits not just for authors looking to break into the genre, but also to readers who consume romance books like you and I consume coffee. And also romance books. We consume a lot of those around here at SPA. (Just being honest.) The royalties situation looks a little complicated, though, so fair warning! Cowdrey lists them as such:

… authors selling books in the First For Romance e-store will receive 60% of the sale price of an e-book over $1.99/£1.99/€1.99, and 40% of the sale price of an e-book under $1.99/£1.99/€1.99; 50% of the sale price of a print book; and 40% of the sale price of an audio book.

It may not be the best offer on the market, but it’s a solid attempt, and as previously mentioned there are a lot of perks for people interested in the genre of romance. According to Cowdrey, the self-publishing aspect of the website will launch in August 2017. Watch this space—as we will track their progress for you!

Two items come to us this week from Outskirts Press, one of our favorite self-companies for a variety of both objective and self-interested reasons. First off comes this piece from the Book News Desk of Broadway World, and describes OP’s brand-new Live Chat option on its website. Says OP Executive Vice President Kelly Schuknecht, “It may seem like a small thing, but LiveChat makes a real impact on our customers … It lets us respond immediately to questions about our self-publishing and book marketing services and walk them through their best options. The quicker we can lend a hand to an author, the more effective that author can be, too.” All prospective authors need to do is access any page on the Outskirts Press website, and the chat box will appear, including the picture of the staff person on the other end answering the questions. All in all, it seems like a personable approach.

outskirts press one click children's

The second piece from Outskirts Press this week comes in the form of a press release through PRWeb, and outlines their new offering for publishing children’s books. The service in question may cost a pretty penny, but the services bundled together within OP’s one-click offerings routinely lead to award-winning products, and there’s also the matter of OP’s award-winning customer service. And while no one should publish without a careful evaluation of the risks and rewards, it’s fair to say this is a contender in the self-publishing market.

Another day, another self-publishing service, another press release! This one comes from Business Insider, and delivers good news for authors looking to get into magazines! FlipBuilder has released Flip PDF Pro, a service will allow people to convert their professional PDF files into interactive magazines with flipping page effects and background sounds, and which is no doubt intended to broaden the reach of these magazines in the digital age. After all, as many librarians and store owners might tell you, paper magazines don’t move nearly so much as they used to, and profit has waned. These days, self-published magazines can provide invaluable tools for the average businessperson as well as self-publishing authors looking to create samples of their work, or to distribute bite-sized portions of their work to drum up interest in their longer works. There are thousands of reasons one might make use of a high-quality and easy-to-use self-publishing magazine service. We imagine you can think of one or two!

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.
Alternative Marketing Methods, Book Marketing, from the archives, Kelly Speaks, Marketing Your Self-Published Book, Uncategorized

From the Archives: “Book Marketing: Magazine Reviews”

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: April 2nd, 2010 ]

The following list comes compliments of ForeWord magazine in the interest of helping you secure reviews with not only their magazine, but all magazines you pursue.

1. Become familiar with the magazine
2. Read the submission guidelines for each magazine before submitting your book for review
3. Create a good cover letter
4. Include a sales sheet (ask your self-publisher or publishing rep).
5. Follow-up

The best way to familiarize yourself with a magazine you want to review your book is to read the magazine first.

You can usually find submission guidelines for magazines on the magazine’s website.

When sending your book out for review, always include your contact information so the reviewer can get in touch with you if necessary. This should be a part of your cover letter. You can also politely request that a reviewer notify you when/if they review your book (but realize that many may choose not to do this).

 

Is the day of the magazine editorial dead?

What about magazine reviews?

magazine magazines rack

No. No they’re not.

At least, so say the print magazines themselves–and yes, they have  a vested interest in trying to impress their shareholders as much as possible, but when everyone from CNN Money to the New York Post to Wired Magazine lines up to say it’s not so, ti’s time to listen to what they have to say. (It’s worth noting that these periodicals are often at odds over ethics disputes and general worldview, so for them to agree is something magical. And also, it’s far more in their interest to say they’re doing well despite industry trends than to state that everyone’s doing well. They want people to defect to be their subscribers, after all. That’s just marketing.)

And we’re here about marketing, too.

So how does knowing print’s not dead help you market your book?

First of all, it opens up untold numbers of possibilities that the average author might not think of for ad placement and reviews. Facebook, sure. A local radio station, sure. But a print magazine or journal? “I thought those were dead,” you might as well have said. But they’re not. They’re not dead. In fact, they’re thriving–so long as they reach a dedicated niche audience.

Secondly, print magazines and journals have a vested interest, too, in upholding the work of talented authors in a way that a local newspaper may not. Newspapers are looking for news, while magazines and journals are looking for talent. If you have it, and you reach out to the right ones, you might very well find yourself being scouted for additional pieces, or find yourself pushing against an open door as far as promoting your book goes.

So don’t give up on magazines. Well, maybe give up on some. Do your research, and dig around a little bit to see what your ideal reader is picking up at Barnes & Noble or their local indie bookstore or subscribing to digitally. Instead of firing scattershot into a great void and hoping to land some hits, you should spend your time and energy firing precise, surgical volleys at market niches which will both welcome you and connect you with more of those ideal readers.

Long live paper!

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.
Book Promotion

Niche Magazine Promotion for Self-Published Books

As you probably already know, contacting niche magazines for book reviews, editorials, or articles related to your subject matter (wherein YOU are the expert) is a fantastic way to promote your self-published book.

What is advantageous about niche magazines is that they are more receptive to submissions and inquiries, particularly if it is within their niche.

What is disadvantageous about them is that you need to make sure your inquiry matches their niche in some way, and refer to that connection in your pitch.

There are SO many niche magazines out there that you should conduct your own search for them on the Internet, but here are two that you may work for your book:

DIVORCE Magazine is a bi-annual publication geared to people who have had, or are contemplating divorce. Segue Esprit is the publisher of both the print version and the Online publication at http://www.DivorceMagazine.com. Their editorial offices are at:
2255B Queen St., East, Ste. 1179
Toronto, Ontario, Canada M4E1G3
(416) 368-8853

Gulf & Main Magazine is a bi-monthly lifestyle magazine. Patricia George is the editor-in-chief.
Gulf & Main Magazine
1422 Hendry St., Ste. 304
Fort Myers, FL 33901
(239) 791-7900

Good luck and have fun!
Kelly Schuknecht
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