Directory of Book Publishers

New to Book Publishing: Understanding the Language of Book Publishers

2012-02-10T08:02:00.002-05:00

Publishing was new to me. The terms used just baffled me, but I knew I had to learn them, use them and work them in order to be successful as a self-publisher. Here are some terms I learned more about along the way:

Manuscript – an author’s written or typewritten copy of his/her work, double-spaced printed on 8 ½ x 11 sheets of paper, printed on one side.

Typeset – to set in type, compose those words into two columns on that same 8 ½ x 11 sheet (which is now laid out horizontally) on the front and the back of the page.

Camera Ready – typeset sheets laid out and ready to go to print; no more changes. Those horizontal sheets will then be cut in half, trimmed to book size and glued to cover. Use any book on your shelf as a visual example.

Copyright – The exclusive right given by law to the author for a certain period to reproduce a literary work or artistic work.

ISBN – International Standard Book Number. This number allows books to be found in “Books In Print” and accessed from all over the world. Some publishers provide these with their package; others may charge a fee. If you self-publish and you want to purchase a block of 10 yourself, you can do that too at www/Bowker.com

Bar Code- Look at the backs of books. Those numbers refer to your ISBN, title and price of your book. Again, if you are self-publishing using a package from a book publisher (print-on-demand), it may be included in your package; otherwise, you can order bar codes at www.Bowker.com.

Library of Congress- Optional, unless you are planning library sales and book seller distribution. It is free if you do it yourself. Book should be at least 50 pages.

Galley Proof – Similar to a printer’s proof, which allows author to read and make corrections before final print of text.

Binding – Types are: perfect bind, spiral and saddle stitch. Your book shelf contains probably more perfect bind than the other two. The spiral can be a wire, or comb type. If you are not sure, visit local printers to look at samples of book bindings. Saddle stitch is a booklet with two staples holding it together. Perfect bind books should be at least 130 pages. Spiral is used when you want to teach something and want the book to lie flat. The type most used in book publishing is the perfect bind.

More information on do- it- yourself publishing at www.print2publish.com

Jonathan Maxwell and Coach Blondie Discuss: How to Research and Write Your First Book

2012-01-26T16:52:00.002-05:00

Jonathan Maxwell joined me recently for an inside look into the traditional publishing side of book publishing. I am asked often to share insight on this alternative to getting a book published. Some of you know I started out looking for a traditional publisher. The lessons I learned aided in sharpening my skills as a writer.

So the Coach was delighted when Jonathan Maxwell, Author of Murderous Intellectuals: German Elites and the Nazi SS was looking for a place to promote his new book. The interview lasted a little over 45 minutes. Maxwell candidly answered questions on how to research, write a book, locate a publisher, work your marketing plan, and what it takes to get the job done. A great writers resource.

Click here to join me and Jonathan in this one of a kind interview.

Announcing Book Publishing E-Course: Putting Your Passion Into Print

2012-01-16T15:23:00.000-05:00

Publishing a book for the first time self-published author is like scuba diving in Bahamian waters and wondering what you will encounter. On the surface the waters look beautiful but as you go deeper and deeper the beauty is captivating. That water wonderland holds the good and the bad. The putting your passion into print book publishing e-course takes into account that you are entering unfamiliar territory and you need a little guidance for a successful trip.

The first stop on the journey “How to Write a Book.” You are given valuable insight into choosing topics that have market appeal, along with tips to guide your research to strengthen your position as you enter the book publishing market. A few tips you should know before putting your passion into print is covered in the section: “I Know Nothing About Publishing – Can You Help?”

The book publishing e-course is a step-by-step approach to self-publishing as a first time author with a goal of putting your passion into print. The steps are designed to help you through book publishing into the market, with a section on “Getting Published, How to do Successful Book Signings, The added bonus of the Fast Track to Speaking Success. Tools available in this e-course are designed to prepare you to succeed right from the start of putting your passion into print.

One of the many valuable benefits of the book publishing e-course, is the section on “Making Money as a Self-Published Author. This section teaches the self-published author how to prepare for a return on investment right away. After all what good is turning your passion into print without a return on investment? Yes, you love what you do, and you would do it for nothing but getting paid for sharing what you love is a nice reward.

Another benefit of the book publishing e-course: you will learn how to speak to sell more books. For you that should be easy, since you are already passionate about what you want to publish. Putting your book into print using the book publishing e-course has been simplified to help you to write it, publish it, and outsell your competition.

Insider secrets on how to publish your first book successfully (click here).

Use Your Freelance Writer Skills to Promote Your Book

2011-12-17T20:13:00.000-05:00

I wrote my first book with no clue how to market or where to start. It is by divine direction that I ended up as a freelance writer, wearing the hat of a book publishing coach and speaker. While I was still trying to figure out how to publish my first book, a Christian Magazine was looking for writers. I submitted several stories and ended up becoming the Assignment Editor for the magazine.

Writing has become a big part of my life. I still have a lot to learn but the knowledge I have acquired has carried me thus far to soar in ways I would have only dreamed of in the past. Working as a freelance writer has its advantages in promoting your first book. Why? You can write content for other online sites on various topics, or those that are passionate to you.

How I started attracting attention to my book and establishing myself as a freelance writer began with writing for web sites like article base, ezine articles, self-growth, authors den, and a few others. I cranked out articles on topics like how to publish a book, finding the right publisher, preparing your book to self-publish, etc.

Using your freelance writer skills to promote your book should first start with setting up a plan of action. What are you going to write about? Where will you find your readers? Once you do that, check out www.ezinearticles.com to locate your category and start submitting.

Once you have navigated through the submission process at ezine articles, search for other sites to submit content. Don’t forget to set up a book site to refer readers through your byline at the end of your article. A book promotion site can be one page with your book displayed, maybe an excerpt to read. Keep in mind your goal as a freelance writer is to attract visitors who may purchase a copy of your book.

More nuggets for the self-published author can be found here (clickhere).

Frequently Asked Questions About Book Publishing

2011-12-11T19:22:00.001-05:00

1. How long does it take to get self-published?

Approximately 30-60 days, if the work is finished and ready for print.

2. When querying a traditional publisher, how long should you wait before you consider self-publishing?

Depends on your level of patience. Even if you self-publish, you can still

continue querying publishers.

3. Why do most writers/authors fail to get published?

Lack of patience, unwilling to persist, querying wrong publisher, etc.

4. Is self-publishing very expensive?

No. Depending on the type of book you write. You can start with a booklet and work your way to a perfect bind book. Use the booklets to raise funds for your perfect bind book. Booklets can be printed in smaller quantities. You can even use your home computer and make very attractive booklets.

5. Why should I invest in self-publishing?

Faster. Puts you in control. Bigger returns. Less hassle. Convenient. Financial investment can be spread out.

6. Are self-published authors welcome in bookstores?

Yes, but book stores are not the best place for a first time self-published

author. Bookstores are in the business to sell books.
Come up with a clever angle and go for it.
You never know who you might have favor with.

More information like this (click here)

Best Book Publishing Choice: “More Books” For The Money

2011-12-08T17:47:00.001-05:00

If you are looking to earn a profit from publishing your first book, then your best book publishing choice should be where you get more books for the money. Have you heard that hindsight is 20/20? It counts for future choices and it can make the difference if you collect as much information as possible before you jump into something, particularly book publishing.

It is true there are a lot of book publishers in the market ready to serve you one book at a time for a fee. It maybe affordable, or you have to make payments, but what is your goal? Are you publishing a book for the glamour or do you intend to make money? If you are intended to make money then invest to make money.

Why “more books” for the money is the best publishing choice takes into account your goals, the market you are trying to reach, and your commitment. If you only order 50 books for you to sell, you are planning to fail. Think about what you spent for those 50 books. Once they are sold, how close will you be to recouping your investment?

Are you planning to fail or succeed? There are all kinds of excuses you can use to justify why the amount of books you order either sets you up for success or failure. You could say that you didn’t order the best book publishing choice of “more books” for the money because of storage. Another excuse maybe that you can always send customers to the web site, eliminating you having to handle the books direct. You may even use the excuse that you just couldn’t afford to do it any other way.

Think about this: how does the best book publishing choice of more books for the money fit into your return on investment? If you spent $1200 to publish your book, and you purchased, let’s say, 100 books and charged $12.95 per book, where would that leave you? It would leave you with recouping $1200, plus making a $95.00 profit.

The biggest mistakes first time authors make, they want to make a killing from their first book, so they overcharge for their books, rather than working a consistent plan. If you reinvest a portion of the $1200 on a re-order, your profit would get larger and larger.

Best Book Publishing Choice: “More Books” For The Money is another way of publishing your first book for profit and not just the glamour. Looking for more information like this? (click here).

Who Should Publish With Changing Lives Book Publishers?

2011-11-28T16:58:00.006-05:00

Don’t publish with Changing Lives Book Publishers if. . .

. . .you aren’t looking to make money selling your books.

. . . it is about your name on a book cover to stroke your ego.

. . . you are not looking to recoup your investment sooner rather than later.

. . . you are of the mindset that you write, publish and sit back and collect the royalties with no effort
on your part.

. . . you think publishers make you money and you do nothing.

. . . you want HYPE.

Now that you have gotten pass the “don’ts” Changing Lives Book Publishers may be the type of publisher you are looking for. Our packages are designed to position first time authors to recoup their investment sooner than later.

To take advantage of our more books for the money packages (click here)

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(Write All the Way to the Bank. . . Getting Started)

Not All Books On Publishing Are For the First Timer

2011-11-23T14:38:00.008-05:00

Choosing book publishing topics that have the potential for profit is something the first timer rarely considers, but often regrets after friends and family sales have been exhausted. If you have already written your book, this information can be a valuable tool to increase your market appeal and profitability.

I am often asked: “Do you have any ideas on how to write a book? How does publishing work? Where do I start? What do I need to know?” There are no answers on such a chance meeting that would fully inform the inquirer as to what he/she needs to know to succeed.

Wait! Don’t rush right out and purchase a book on publishing. Your time and money can be better spent if you write down your publishing goals first. This will help you focus on what information will be useful, so when you visit the book store or do your online search you know what you are looking for to accomplish what you want, to publish a book.

Deciding what to write before you publish could make the difference between success and failure. Are you planning to write about: your life, family recipes, family history, information/educational, motivational, or short stories? You can write about anything that is dear to your heart.

You may also want to consider topics that have been known to be profitable in the marketplace: Food, Love, Money, Pets, Weight Loss and Beauty. Do you have experience in any of these areas?

The writer publishing a book for the first time wants the simplified, “take me by the hand, draw me a picture so that I can enter the race with some degree of understanding to publish with confidence.” Now it’s up to you to find the right book that resonates with you. It starts with online searches, trips to the book store, or library.

Looking for more tips like this? (click here)

Is Create Space/Amazon the Best Publishing Choice?

2011-11-08T17:00:00.001-05:00

“Amazon” is a name that has become a household word. You can just about buy anything on Amazon, including millions of books. It has a tremendous worldwide audience. Amazon would be a no brainer, in light of the clout they strut in the book retail market.

The lead in title says “Self Publish on Amazon,” but Amazon has a publishing arm called create space, who publishes books with no upfront cost if delivered ready to print. For years authors clamored at Amazon’s door to be place in their online book store. Many managed to get in, giving up a percentage of retail sales in order to be positioned online. The next thing we knew, the Amazon/Create Space partnership emerged, which put Amazon in the position to take the author from manuscript to book and automatically placed in their online book store.

(Step-by-step to writing and selling your book)

Here are several advantages for the self publisher who wishes to self publish on Amazon, through the Amazon/Create Space partnership: No upfront cost if book is submitted ready to print The purchase of one book is a lot cheaper than several hundred dollars and maybe five books. The ISBN is included, plus worldwide web distribution via Amazon, a monthly sales report, plus per book cost reduced even more for a small yearly fee.

Authors have the option of buying extra books as needed, sending their customers directly to a web site at Create Space, plus positioned on Amazon for additional sales. There is no doubt in comparison to other print publishing options authors who self publish on Amazon using Create Space save money. The books are produced on demand and you receive a percentage of retail sales.

Create Space additionally offers additional services to assist authors from manuscript to finished work, whether it’s editing, marketing ideas, etc. Writers looking to become authors by publishing a book should explore the Amazon/Create Space option to get published free, receive worldwide distribution and quick turn-a-round quality products.

From Self-Published to Self-Publisher (click here)

Looking For A Book Publishing Company?

2011-10-01T18:08:00.004-04:00

Choosing the right book publishing company can be confusing when you publish a book for the first time. I know because I was once there. Books like Writers Market offer leads to publishers, as well as information on how to increase your chances of being read.

I didn’t know about Print-On-Demand when I started out. I only knew that there were publishers who bought the rights to your book, paid you an advance and that was it.

Here are some tips on how to work the Writers Market: Highlight the acquisitions editor’s name, the word paperback, amount of titles, how many submissions the publisher receives annually, whether they receive books from first time authors, or what percentage they receive from unagented writers, what they pay out in royalties, noting the advance, what to send as part of query, how soon they respond to your queries.

In the book publishers information they may have a book catalog and guidelines you may want to order to get a feel for the types of books the publisher produces.

As you continue to look down the page you will see other valuable information that will help you to decide if this is the publisher for you, such as Non-Fiction or Fiction and what they are specifically looking for. They will also tell you what they want and don’t want.

Publishing houses want your business. You will even find tips on how to strengthen your approach to them.

(Resources at Your Finger Tips (click here)

As you send out whatever they are requesting at tip to help you manage the distribution and responses: create a form showing publishers name, the piece sent, type of submission, date, response, rejected/ with date.

Add this word to your vocabulary: PATIENCE! I had to have a lot of that. What you will discover, some publishers do not want what is called Simultaneous queries. That is where you are impatient and send the same information out to several at one time. If you are the impatient type, you may want to look for those that say they accept simultaneous submissions.

If you would like a step-by-step way into the publishing houses, Book Publishing Secrets: How to Write, Publish and Outsell Your Competition is based upon my earlier experiences, what I learned through many trials and errors (click here).

How to Find a Literary Agent?

2011-10-01T18:03:00.001-04:00

Why can’t I just call them up and tell them what I have? Do I need an agent? What do I include in my query letter: Should I send out a business format? How do I open my query for effect? What else can I do to write a powerful query?

I was just like you. I had questions and I needed answers. Glen proposes some shortcuts to get your query letter finished faster.

How to Publish Your Book - What to Include in Your Query Letters to Literary Agents
By Glen Ford

So you've written your book. It's all ready and you're wondering how to publish your book. Maybe you've even sent it out few times without success. In any case, you've now discovered that you need an agent.

But how to get one?

First off, good decision! The truth is that most editors don't have time to go through their slush pile anymore. Using an agent is almost the only way to get a manuscript read today.

But how do you get an agent?

The short answer is to send out a query letter. The bigger question is what to include in your query letters to literary agents.

First off, you need to realize that a query letter is your first impression with that agent. You need to impress them with your professionalism. So unless you're Bill Glazer forget the outrageous copy. Just be business like.

Your query letter should start out like any other business letter. With your name and mailing address. Better still, use pre-printed letterhead. The cost of having a good printer pre-print fifty or a hundred letterhead is well worth it. An alternative is to design a letterhead on your computer and have print automatically. Just remember to keep it professional and business-like.

The next section is for the agent's mailing address. Use the company name but if at all possible, don't forget the agent. You need to send query letters to a specific person. And above all -- spell their name correctly.

So far, we've been describing a standard business letter. There is a reason. A query letter is first and foremost a business letter. And like any other standard business letter the next section is the salutation: Dear Ms. Agent. Again you need to spell the name right. This is all standard business letter type stuff. Spell the name right, get the format right. And so on.

The body is where the query letter begins to be unique. Most business letters allow for certain flexibility and a certain personal flair. However, certain letters have fallen into a clipped, somewhat impersonal format. Collection letters, legal letters and query letters. They're meant to be skimmed and the important information pulled out.

In the case of query letter that format is hook, mini-synopsis, bio, close.

The hook is the introduction to both the book and the letter. What's the book about? Why should someone read it? Why do I care? Think back cover copy. You need to have a first paragraph that hooks the reader into wanting to read the rest of the cover letter. Otherwise they won't bother. And you'll have failed. This is only fair since, if you can't hook the agent, you certainly won't be able to hook the reader. The good news is that there are several standard hooks that can be used.

The second paragraph should be a single paragraph mini-synopsis. What's the book about? What happens? You've got roughly 150 words to summarize that 300 page "Great American Novel". And don't forget that you need to tell a story that keeps the reader's interest while doing it.

Think of the hook as the piece that grabs the agent's interest. The second paragraph is what makes that interest worthwhile.

Your third paragraph should be a mini-bio. If you've written your query properly up to this point you've convinced the agent that the story is worth investigating. Now you need to convince the agent that you are worth listening to. Don't get too immodest and keep it relevant to the story. Don't bother with your day job unless it improves your story. If you've had a number of previous publications just attach a list of writing credits and then refer to the list in this paragraph. Keep it short and sweet. This is who I am. This is why you should listen to me. This is what I bring to the story.

The final paragraph is the close. In it you should mention your preferred contact method (email, or phone) and also repeat how to contact you (i.e. provide your phone or email). Be sure to mention what is included in the package you've sent.

Then like any other business letter you need to close with a signature. That's it, you're done with your query letter.

All you need to do now is add the table of contents, two chapters and a self-addressed stamped envelope and you've got a package to send out to an agent.

Good Luck!

Do you want to learn how to write a book in 24 hours? Take my brand new free course here: http://www.learningcreators.com

Do you want to read more free information like this? Go to my blog: http://www.learningcreators.com/blog/
Glen Ford is an accomplished consultant, trainer and writer. He has far too many years experience as a trainer and facilitator to willingly admit.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Glen_Ford

Comment: You’re well on your way. When you follow the lead of what others before you have done and succeeded at, you too can win. I went through this process for three and a half years before I decided to self-publish.

Want A Big Name Book Publisher? Write Query Letters With A Punch

2011-10-01T18:00:00.000-04:00

Seventeen years ago when I started looking for a book publisher query letters were foreign. After much trial and error my submissions began to make it to the desk of editors. It was hard work. Seize the edge, learn some tricks to writing powerful query letters.

Five Keys To A Successful Query Letter
By Kristi Sayles

Do you know what a query letter is? If so, you are of a rare breed-a writer. Most people don't. I discovered this when I created "Instant Query Letters" software. "What's a queer letter?" they ask. The sad thing-they aren't joking.

Query letters are a major part of your life if you are a freelance writer. Almost every request for magazine articles includes the statement to "query first."

We know that this means to send a detailed summary of the article to the publisher. You should never send the completed manuscript until it's requested.

I decided to ask a few editor friends about their preferences when it came to querying. They told me that a great query letter must do five main things:

-Grab attention immediately.

-Summarize your article or book idea in the most compelling fashion.

-Emphasize why YOU are the best one to write about the topic.

-Show your professionalism.

-Display your writing credits.

First, I highly recommend beginning your opening with the first line or two of your article or book. It immediately draws the editor or agent's attention to your idea. Since you've probably sweated over the perfect beginning anyway, why not let it do double duty?

Second, make your points quickly, yet concisely. Don't drag out your story idea. Build excitement in your recipient to WANT to read more about this fascinating story.

Third, tell why you are so knowledgeable about the topic. Why did you choose the topic? Are you querying about an article about dogs? If you are a professional trainer, then say so. Are you suggesting a "How To..." book? Tell your qualifications.

Fourth, you should always present yourself as an intelligent professional. Be sure that your writing tone is confident without sounding arrogant. Always double- check your grammar and spelling. Many editors have stated that they will not deal with writers that do not show enough pride in their work to use a spell-checker!

Finally, toot your own horn! This is where you get to brag about your writing accomplishments. Most editors will appreciate the fact that you've written something that has been considered good enough to be published.

If you are a new, unpublished writer, there's still hope for you. Many editors are looking for new talent. Don't mention that you have not been published. Simply make it clear that you have enjoyed a particular article recently published, then name the article and state how your article idea would mesh with the magazine as well. Actually, that's a good idea for all queries to include!

Now that you've gotten a handle on the five important query letter components, what are you waiting for? Find a magazine that publishes your kind of writing, query it right, and spend the time waiting for your response by creating new queries. That way, no matter what the reply, you can always have fresh ideas to send out.

Kristi Sayles, author of numerous magazine and ezine articles, invites every writer to try her “Instant Query Letters!” Software. It creates fast, easy and fool-proof queries that contain ALL of the necessary components of a great query letter after the writer follows the simple Q and A format! It’s a huge help to those learning to query and a major time-saving tool for more “seasoned” writers. Get it now at http://www.instantqueryletter.com -More writing software by Ms. Sayles at http://smartauthor.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kristi_Sayles

Comment: Congratulations! You’ve just entered the world of traditional book publishing. Explore what “Do It Yourself” Book Publishing has to offer at www.print2publish.com

Why Does It Take So Long to Get Published?

2011-10-01T17:52:00.003-04:00

Getting published can take a few years. Most writers work other professions, or jobs, while they are exercising their writing skills. A topic may not be timely for today but s few years later be just what an editor is looking for.

Welcome to the traditional style of book publishing. These publishers want quality, serious writers, not one hit wonders and, yes, they are picky. Would you buy a book poorly written, or with limited potential for sales when you only produce 10 titles a year? This is the backdrop of what your submission is up against.

Because editors deal with large volumes of submissions daily, the query letter, followed by a book proposal is a quick glance way to eliminate those that do not conform to what they are looking for.

A query letter makes or breaks your journey forward. If it does not peak the editor’s attention, the next note you will receive is one of rejection.

Now you know why the traditional method of publishing is slow. There is more to it than just having a manuscript ready to go, you need to know your market, your competition and your subject well enough to sell an editor on why your book is the one they should select next.

Publishing a book using this system requires time to query, submit a book proposal and to receive a response. The time lapse from query to answer is from three to six weeks. Depending upon the publishing house you choose, you maybe able to do simultaneous submissions; otherwise, it is one submission, wait on the outcome, then move on to the next one.

The rewards of making it to an editor’s desk: credibility, integrity, greater exposure and positioning. However, if you are impatient with the delays, there are faster alternatives, with equal positioning at www.print2publish.com .

21 Mistakes to avoid when publishing and promoting your first book (click here)

Self-Publishing Secrets to Query Letters

2011-10-01T17:50:00.000-04:00

Query letters should grab attention right away. They are designed to sell an idea in a quick way.It is more about building curiosity. The opening of a query letter should lead to your subject. Here are a few openings examples:

Here are some sample openings for different types of books:

“This down-to-earth, easy- to- use handbook provides everything you need to know to give the best presentations possible. Offering a gold mine of detailed advice, A Practical Guide for Business Speaking
which covers: Organizing your presentation, using examples, remembering what you plan to say,” etc.

“Learning why you act the way you do will help you in four ways: Advance you in your job and career; enable you to deal with depression and anger; improve your relationship with your spouse, or help you select your future husband or wife; identify for you the specific spiritual gifts God has given you.”

“Tough circumstances rise to challenge every man. Real life brings us face-to-face with sudden job loss, splintering relationships, illness or disability, financial stress, emotional or spiritual issues that overwhelm. We don’t have to go down in defeat! With the right know-how and support, we can go on the offensive and win over adversity.”

There are different types of publishers. If your book is written for a Christian audience, you should be querying Christian Publishers. This would determine the focus of your query letter’s opening.

See Book Publishing Secrets query letters (click here)

6-Things to Include in Your Book Proposal Under "Content"

2011-09-01T17:16:00.002-04:00

A book proposal is a quick view of your book content chapters, competition, marketing plan, demonstrating your understanding of your subject and how to work it into the marketplace. It presents a problem and the steps you took through your book content to solve the problem.

Some writers hire the preparation of the book proposal out to other professionals. If you decide to do it yourself, here are some tips. You also may want to purchase a copy of the Writers Market.

1. Goal – What is your goal in writing this book? Define,

describe and identify the message.

2. Overview – Address the problem you want to solve

3. Your Bio – Information on your knowledge and writing

experience qualifying you to write on this subject

4. Competition – List related books, what they address, and how

yours enhances or improves upon new ideas

5. Marketing – List your marketing ideas, connections, networks

that are potential buyers

6. Chapter Outline – List book chapters with subtitles and

brief synopsis of chapter

Want to know more about book proposals, visit www.telecafepublish.com.

21 Mistakes To Avoid When Publishing and Promoting Your Own Book

2011-08-22T15:10:00.001-04:00

By Patrick E. Snow

After writing and selling over 125,000 copies of Creating Your Own Destiny, spending ten years in the publishing industry, and coaching author-clients to get their books published, I have seen all kinds of errors made by new authors. Unfortunately, many errors are severe and completely eliminate the chance of the book having any possibility of success. Because of publishing mistakes many new authors never see a return on their investment and their book dies prematurely.

According to the Publishing Marketing Association (PMA), 98% of authors will never sell more than 2,000 copies of their book. What are the biggest mistakes holding back this 98% from experiencing any real success with their books? How can you avoid these mistakes, end up in the 2% success category and achieve great sales with your book?

1. Writing Your Book For Small Market Niche: Don't bother writing the book if there are not 50-100 million people interested worldwide in that book's focus Your book must have mass appeal if you are going to successfully sell it.

2. Not Securing URL's for Your Name and Book Title: No matter what, you must own the domain name for your book title, and your first and last name dot com. If you cannot get your book title as your domain, you must change the title to make that title a dot com.

3. Having Your Name Somewhere Listed in Your Publishing Company: Choose a unique name for your self-publishing company to avoid the dead giveaway that your book is self-published. You want to make a publishing imprint with no relationship to you.

4. Selecting a Publisher With High Printing Costs: Some publishers do not allow you to retain ownership of your completed book. They will force you to pay outrageous print costs. Your print costs should be $2-3 per book, instead of the $8-12 many print-on-demand publishers will charge you.

5. Selecting Your Own Book Title: Unless you are an expert at book titles, always pay a professional to help you come up with your book title. A good title makes all the difference in the world and a professional will help you make your title appealing.

6. Putting Your Own Photo On The Front Cover: Unless you are famous, under no circumstance should you place your image on the front cover of your book. This is a dead giveaway that you book is self-published. Your book is not about you, it is about your reader. Place a small photo of yourself on the lower corner of back cover.

7. Doing Your Own Cover Design: As a kid we are taught not to judge a person by the way they look. In publishing this is primarily how books are judged. Creating your own cover design is possibly the single greatest error an author can make. Hire experienced graphic designers for your cover to make that stunning first impression.

8. Forgetting to Include URL on Back of Book: Other than the book title, the most important information on your book cover is your domain name. Your domain attracts buyers to your site where you offer "Free Stuff" to capture email, and then you can sell your products to them for life.

9. Allowing Someone to Do Foreword in Your Book: Only allow people to do the foreword if they are going to purchase a high volume of your books. Write one book, co-branding it with different companies with their individual forewords. Next, sell a large volume of these co-branded books to the company whose CEO foreword is in your book.

10. Skipping The Proofreading Step: After you book has been edited, type-set, and is ready to go to press you need a professional proofreader. Hire a proofreader to read the book through cover-to-cover. Studies suggest that today's books average at least 20 errors.

11. Selling The Rights to Major Publisher: Unless you get a six-figure advance from the publisher, you give away all your profits when you sell the book rights. Big publishers used to spend money on marketing their books, now they are nothing more than a company that pays for printing.

12. Relying on Someone Else for Publicity: Few people can do a better job publicizing your book than you can. The industry is full of authors who have spent big money on publicists and got little back in return. If you don't toot your own horn, no one else will.

13. Failing to Work with Major Distributors: It is important to land a book deal with a major distributor so that you can get your books in bookstores worldwide. Distributors can get your self-published book in stores worldwide giving you even more credibility.

14. Focusing On Bookstore Sales: Bookstores are a lousy place to sell a book because there are simply too many other books competing. Find multiple point-of-purchase locations outside bookstores to sell your books where there are no other competing titles.

15. Selling Books One at a Time: It takes the same amount of time to create an invoice for one book, as it does for 10,000 books. Focus on selling books in volumes of 10,000 at a time. There are many high volume opportunities just waiting to be created.

16. Not Following Up on Sales Opportunities: The "Rule of Seven" states that it can take up to seven bits of communication between seller and buyer before a sale transpires. When you send out a review copy, follow up with the prospects frequently to sell books, land speaking engagements, and secure new coaching clients.

17. Not Selling From Your Own Web Site: This is extremely important. You always want your customers to buy directly from your web site. You lose 40-60% of the profits through commissions with each outside outlet sale. Sign and ship your own books and keep all of the profits.

18. Hoarding All of Your Books: Too many authors never give out review copies, and as a result their sales suffer. You should send out 5-10 review copies per day to book buyers worldwide that have the ability to buy in volume. This is the best way to sell hundreds of thousands of copies of your book.

19. Leveraging Your Credibility As an Author: Once published you must also diversify into speaking, coaching, and consulting. Use your book as the "hook" to attract more clients. Your book is really nothing more than a lead-generation tool for speaking, coaching, and consulting which may become your primary sources of income.

20. Giving Up and Writing Your Next Book: A successful book is five percent writing and 95% promotion. It is better to author one book that sells 250,000 copies, than have 12 books that each only sell 250 copies. When you sell large quantities of your book you will attract the attention of major publishers. If you decide to "sell out" to a publisher, you are now in the drivers seat and can negotiate a much higher advance.

21. Trying to Go Solo: Study people who are successful and learn from their successes as well as their failures. Hire a publishing coach and you will save time and money. Be willing to learn from others who have already been successful selling large volumes of books, picking up coaching clients, and doing lots of keynote speaking engagements.

If you can avoid these mistakes, I have no doubt you will successfully sell thousands and thousands of books. Everyone you come in contact with should know about your book. Your book cover should appear on the back of your business cards as well as on the auto-signature of your email. My best advice to you for publishing a successful book is to market it every single day and spend years and years of your time promoting it.

To learn how I have sold over 125,000 copies of Creating Your Own Destiny, and to benefit from my Book Publishing, Book Promotion, and Speaker Coaching Road Map call or email me directly to schedule a FREE 30-minute, no obligation publishing consultation. Dream, Plan, Execute, and Soar!

Patrick Snow is the best-selling author of Creating Your Own Destiny. Patrick is also an international professional speaker and a much sought after publishing coach. He can be reached directly at (800) 951-7721

Patrick@CreateYourOwnDestiny.com

http://www.BestSellerPublishingCoaching.com

[http://www.BestSellerPublishingUniversity.com]

PATRICK SNOW is the best selling author of Creating Your Own Destiny, a professional speaker, publishing coach, and entrepreneur. He has been called "The Dean of Destiny" by high achievers worldwide. His book and destiny message has been featured in the The New York Times and also as cover story in USA Today. His book has sold over 125,000 copies worldwide.

Patrick is also the founder of Creating Your Own Destiny University - An adult education program designed to "Help You Achieve Your Destiny Through Business Ownership!"

As a business ownership advocate, Patrick's mission is to help others overcome their fears by turning their career distress into personal success, through business ownership. He also shares several insights on how small business owners can grow their businesses on a limit budget. Patrick resides on Bainbridge Island, Washington, along with his wife and their two boys.

He can be reached at (206) 780-1787 or [http://www.BestSellerPublishingUniversity.com]

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Patrick_E._Snow

How to Get Someone Else to Pay for Publishing Your Book

2011-08-09T11:33:00.000-04:00

By Diane Eble

Are you thinking of self-publishing your book and nearly fainting at the costs involved?

Well, here's a way that you can get someone else to pay to publish your book--while you keep all the rights and royalties (unlike what happens with "traditional" publishers, who hold most of the rights and pay you a pittance of a royalty).

Have you ever noticed brand names in a movie or television? Maybe it's a cereal box of Kellogg's Cornflakes on the kitchen counter. Or the mention of a "Bluetooth" in a crime show. Remember how E.T. was lured from his hiding place with Reece's Pieces?

Why Corporations Would Pay

Guess what--corporations pay big bucks for product placement. It's much more powerful than running a commercial, because the movie, TV show or star acts as a sort of subliminal endorser of the product. (It works, too. My kids get excited when they see "that's the same phone we have!" Underlying message: If it's on TV, it must be the best.)

You can do the same thing with your published book. How?

Let's say you write a book on sales strategies. You can mention several network type marketing companies as examples of people who have adopted this approach and are doing great. Before you publish the book, you go to one of the head marketing person of each of those organizations and let them know what you're doing, how you're featuring them as one of your "stars." It won't look like advertising because it's part of the editorial content, and because you mention other companies, too, the credibility is high all around. You ask if they would like to sponsor publication of the book. You can do this for more than one.

Or let's say you're working on a murder mystery. Pharmaceuticals are involved in the crime investigation. You go to the marketing director of the pharmaceutical company and see if they would sponsor the book.

Here's another idea. Let's say you publish a romance that takes place on a tiny island in the Caribbean--say, St. Croix, in the American Virgin Islands. You could contact the director of tourism there and ask if they'd like to sponsor publication of your novel.

Structuring the Deal

You could approach the deal in two ways. You can ask them to sponsor publication of the book, or you can ask them to buy X number of copies for whatever the cost of your self-publishing (which you would have to research ahead of time). Either way, they subsidize the book. In the latter case, you already have built-in sales, and you could even work in a profit margin.

Here's an important part of the deal: You must give the sponsor or buyer one condition: They can only either give your book away free, or sell it for the full cover price. This prevents them from undercutting you, the author, on price.

This can work for major companies, government agencies, or other large organizations such as professional groups. Why would they do this? Because advertising costs so much, and compared to that, underwriting the cost of a self-published book is cheap. A single-page ad in a magazine can cost $20,000 or more. Publishing 3000 copies of your book might only run them $10,000. Plus, sponsoring a book is more effective, because of the perceived endorsement value. A published book is seen as one of the most credible forms of endorsement there is. You're giving them a promotional tool that will cost them very little of their total annual budget.

Next Steps

So how do you go about this?

First, write the book. Do not publish it; keep it in manuscript form.

Brainstorm a list (at least 20) of companies that could benefit from either your topic, your setting, your direction, your examples, the entertainment value, or whatever else your book could offer them in terms of a mention.

Make one copy of your manuscript and include the specific product mention. Send that copy to the targeted company's marketing with your proposal that they sponsor the project. Start with the most likely company first. (By most likely I mean the one that is mentioned most powerfully and naturally.)

If that company sponsors it, you win. If they refuse, you move on. If this will take too much time, do simultaneous submissions, being careful to keep good records. If you get more than one offer, you can either do more than one publication, include several companies and work out separate deals, or whatever works for you, them, and your book.

Diane Eble has 28 years experience in the publishing industry as an editor (magazines, fiction and nonfiction books), author (11 published books, more than 400 articles), and copywriter. She is now a book publishing coach as well, helping people to write, publish, and make money with books and other information products. This article was excerpted from her free "Your Book Publishing Coach" newsletter. Diane's latest book is a downloadable coaching session, Jump Start Your Book: 12 Questions You Must Answer Before You Write Your First Word.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Diane_Eble

10 Ideas and Links to Raise Funds To Publish Your Book

2011-08-04T08:59:00.001-04:00

Having trouble raising funds for your book ideas? First time authors are often challenged with this. These ideas have been tried and found to be successful. This list has been posted here as a follow up to Coach Blondie’s radio show at www.blogtalkradio.com/coachblondie.

Affiliate programs can be very useful. Look for sites like this one www.clickbank.com that offer a wide variety of categories. Find a complimentary topic for your book.

E-books are another source of income generation. This site contains an example of what is available to compliment your ideas www.relationshipboost.info

Poets can design all types of cards, posters, stationery, etc. to promote their poetry and raise money www.cafepress.com and www.vistaprint.com. Vista print also has an affiliate program, where you can refer others and get paid.

Speaking of e-books, www.smashwords.com publishes e-books in all categories. Your printing cost can be greatly reduced here.

One of the ways Amazon books and other books can compliment what you are doing can be found at this site example www.emotionalhealingfountain.info. You can also set up a blog using ad sense, promote other people’s products, while writing about things you enjoy sharing. Blogs are a way to get started “Free.” Check out this blog example at www.realstoriesrealpeople.blogspot.com.

Now that you have written a book, you have increased your writing experience. So why not go further and write for profit. Learn how to make money writing articles at www.print2publish.com.

Audio is another lucrative option. People are busy today and do a lot of multitasking. At this web site www.audioacrobat.com you can record, save it, and use editing programs like audacity to put on the finishing touches.

Why not teach what you have learned? If you have written a book, looked at publishing options, you can help others to get to that point. “Book Publishing Secrets” can help you to get paid for sharing what you know with others on the same journey (www.telecafepublishing.com).

Are you a social networker? Some of your friends maybe interested in helping you to succeed and might just join you on a social network that pays. This is an additional option you might consider(www.crazygood.com/refer/changinglives).

Hope this has given you something to think about. Remember, nothing will work unless you decide to work it.

How To Promote Your Business By Publishing A Book!

2011-08-02T15:49:00.001-04:00

By Tamika Johnson-Hall

There isn't a more effective way for you to promote your business than to write a book! Writing a book not only allows you to provide information but it allows you to establish your company's credibility, position yourself as an expert in your field, leave a lasting impression on clients you meet directly as well as to those they pass your book onto, as well as create a profit while you sleep!!

So how do you do this? Well, it is easier than what you may think. Here are seven easy steps:

1.Write the book! Create an outline of the information you want to provide in your book and write it! A full-length paperback book should be at least 50 pages.

2. Publish the book. The great thing about book publishing today is that you don't have to mortgage your home to be a published author nor do you have to experience a slew of rejection letters from traditional publisher. You can self-publish your book and keep 100% of the products.

3. Promote the book! Once the book is finished send out a press release to your local and regional newspapers about its release. Also don't neglect online newswires to announce your book to the world.

4. Give the book away for free to clients or potential clients. As a special "thank you" for your clients using your business offer your book! Not only will this help you retain the clients that you have, but they will share your book with the people that they know. Talk about inexpensive marketing!

5. Create a Website: If you don't already have a website for your company, this is the time to have one designed even if it is just a contact page. The fact is that more and more people have access to the internet and they are always searching for information. No matter what your budget may be, you can have a website. Look into companies like freewebs.com or bravenet.com both are excellent for the novice and professional web designer.

6. Promote with E-Books! Turn your book into an e-book and offer it for free or for nominal cost on your website. If you choose to offer it for free this is a great way to build your email list. In exchange for visitors receiving your free information ask them to provide their name and email address. This will give you the opportunity to send them information about your products and services.

7. Write articles based on the content in your book. Take an extra step in establishing yourself as an expert by writing articles. Articles don't have to be long they just have to be informative. Make sure to include short byline so that readers can find you and your company.

Writing a book can be an inexpensive and practical way to promote your business. Self-publishing just may be the avenue you want to take when having your book published.

Tamika Johnson-Hall is the CEO of Anointed Word Media Group, an award winning Christian book publishing company. The author of four books she is committed to helping people put their voice into print. For more information please visit: http://www.publishyourchristianbook.com or call 1-800-597-9428

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tamika_Johnson-Hall

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Which Book Publisher Is Right For You?

2011-07-27T15:13:00.000-04:00

What type publisher are you looking for? You have a book you want to publish. It’s finished. But now comes the hard part: getting published. It is not difficult to publish a book in today’s market. In fact it has become so desirable that traditional book publishing companies are forging new partnerships with print on demand companies to grab the dollars of writers desiring to self publish.

The internet is a great resource if you are looking to publish a book and know what you want.Here are some suggestions for shopping book publishers on the internet: If you are writing a children’s book, look for that type of publisher. Poetry publishing can be done by any of the Print On Demand, Book Printers, Independent, or even Vanity Press.

A Christian Book Publisher would be a better choice if you are writing Christian content, but any of the non-traditional self publishing companies can deliver the same quality. It is important to know what your publishing company offers.

Here are 18 questions to assist you in what to ask:

1.How do you submit your book? Does it seem easy, or will you need help, require a certain knowledge about the internet?
2.Will they typeset?
3.Do they have editorial services? And what is the cost?
4.Will they provide a proof prior to print?
5.What is the turnaround time?
6.Is there a fee for corrections? How many are you allowed?
7.How many cover choices will you have to choose from?
8.Does the price include an ISBN (International Standard Book Number?
9.Will they offer distribution? Where will they distribute?
10.What does the package prices include?
11.How many books come with the package?
12.Are there re-order discounts?
13.Any storage fees?
14.How are returns handled?
15,How often are authors paid royalties? And how much? Are royalties paid on the wholesale or retail cost?
16.Is there a discount on books ordered by the author?
17.Will they copyright your book, and is there an extra fee for that?
18.Is there a contract to sign, or are you free to go somewhere else, if you choose to?
Need more information on the different publishers and how to work them to your need (click here)

Why Do Authors Self-Publish?

2011-06-02T13:41:00.000-04:00

I don’t know about others but I started self-publishing after querying the traditional publishing houses for about three and a half years. I decided to do it myself when I found out that outside of the positioning that came with the publishers’ name, I had to create a marketing plan. After doing all it took to get through the doors of the publishing houses, having some successes, I was divinely guided into self-publishing.

I figured if I had to work my market as a traditionally published author, I might as well self-publish, keep the control and more profits. Perhaps you are reading this because you are entertaining self-publishing alternatives after attempting to find a traditional publisher. If you are, you are about to enter the world of Print on Demand (POD).

Print on Demand has opened up publishing to writers who dreamed of being published and are now making it a reality. It has its pros and cons. The pros, you can get published now. The cons, there is work. You will not get rich quick. Because the demand is so great, publishing companies are springing up everywhere, offering packages, great positioning, leaving out the fact that unknown authors might have to build visibility first, and with very little help from the publisher.

This method of bringing books into the marketplace (POD) is the way of the future for the seasoned writer as well as the novice. It can prove more profitable if you take into consideration buying wholesale and selling retail (self-published), versus getting 10% average on a retail sale (traditional publishing). Ten percent is not bad because the publishing house has the bulk of the expense, but what is 10% of $12.95? A $1.30 per book. Even if you are able to self-publish for around $5.00 or $6.00 per book, tack on 35% to 50%, that would still put you ahead of the game.

The use of Print on Demand to publish an autobiography, poetry book, fiction work, children’s book, non-fiction book, Christian book, etc., puts everything from idea to the market in your hands. Depending upon what company you choose: Editorial Services, proofreading, text and cover design and print services can all be accomplished within the same place.

I have been self-publishing for over 14 years and have never regretted taking the next step. Are you ready to take the next step? Get familiar with where you are going and how to get there (click here).

What Every Writer Should Know Before Publishing A First Book

2011-05-16T20:51:00.000-04:00

So you want to write a book, have written one and maybe considering getting it published? Stop!!!Put the breaks on, whether you are thinking of publishing poetry, life story, motivation/inspiration, a spiritual book, recipes, fiction or non-fiction knowledge will keep you from making the same mistakes as others
before you.

It took me five years to publish my first book because I realized that I didn’t know anything and that I needed to know something before I jumped in believing that I was going to get honest help from people who were publishing books. That of course was my choice.

As I grew in knowledge I began to record my experiences. I knew what to do and what not to do. I started out writing query letters and book proposals, trying to interest a traditional publisher in picking me up. I got very good at getting to the editors desk, though I experienced rejections. What it taught me was how to write tighter and to make every word count in my queries.

So what should you know? That there are at least three types of publishers: traditional, print on demand, otherwise known as self publishers and subsidy publishers. The traditional publisher creates the hoops to jump through. They have their guidelines and if you don’t follow them, you get rejected. The easiest to publish is the other two because you pay them to publish a quality book for you, with internet positioning.

They all will cost you something. For example, the traditional book publisher, if you aren’t strong enough as a writer to pen a query letter or book proposal, it will cost you any where from $2500 and up to have that done for you before you get to the editor. With the print on demand type, you can pay as you go, choose packages within your budget; pretty much the same with the subsidy book publishers.

If you have written your book already there is a good chance you wrote it without considering your audience. You probably assumed like I did that your audience is the world. How shocked I was when preparing my first book proposals to know that the world wasn’t the right answer. Here is an example of how to define your audience: If you wrote a book about cats, then cat lovers are your audience; if you wrote a book about children, then mothers with kids, or families would be your target; if you wrote a fiction book, your audience would be people who like fiction, whether spiritual, supernatural, etc.

My next awakening came in the guidelines for submitting manuscripts. If you have never written for publication, you may or may not know how to prepare a manuscript. Manuscripts should be typed with a 12 pitch font, double-spaced (for ease of proofreading and corrections) on 81/2 x 11 paper. You should read it thoroughly each time to minimize errors in spelling, grammar, etc.

Publishing my first book started out, looking like a huge mountain but I tackled it like a mountain climber, one step at a time. The more you understand the game you are about to enter, the less disappointed you will be, plus it will save time and a wise investment of your money.

Want to read more like this? (click here) Also, if you want know more about how to go from your desire to publish your first book, step by step, “Book Publishing Secrets. . .” details how to, from start to finish, and into the market. See details at www.telecafepublishing.com

What You Need To Know Before Selling The Rights to Your Book!

2011-05-06T20:54:00.000-04:00

When A Book Publisher Buys the Rights to Your Book:

It is an exciting day, to have worked hard in writing and preparing to finally be accepted and paid. You’re off and running but it can be confusing and uncertain. Here are a few things I have learned along the way. These three questions and answers should expand your consciousness so when your big deal comes, at least you have something stored away to work with.

What type publishers buy the rights to sell your book?

The publishers that buy the rights to your book are traditional publishers. The rights they buy are book rights: giving them the right to print, promote your book for sale and share in the proceeds with you.

When a publisher buys my book what rights do I give up?

Book rights only, unless you negotiate through your agent, or direct, to give them additional rights.

What other rights can I sell?

Here are some additional rights your one book idea could generate extra profits:

Audio book rights
Book club
Movies
Play
E-book
Internet publication rights
Foreign rights

There may also be spend off products:

Cups
Toys
Games
Clothing
Candy
Journals

When the opportunity comes to sell your book rights
and you know it is a go, hire yourself a literary agent.

Traditional publishing will not work for everyone. It is time consuming but if you work it eventually you will make some connections and who knows where those will take you. If you would like to know more about traditional vs. other publishing methods (click here).

12- Powerful Query Letter Points

2011-04-02T18:37:00.000-04:00

1.What is a query letter?

It is the hook that motivates non-fiction magazine editors and non-fiction book editors to want to see either a book proposal or the whole manuscript. It should be brief but detailed enough to peak their interest.

2.What types of queries are there?

Magazine query and book query. In the case of a magazine your goal is to interest that editor in buying your article; the book query is to push all the right buttons to getting a proposal or manuscript through to the editor’s desk.

3.What should a good query letter contain?

Remember, a query is no guarantee but there are some things to consider to increase your chances of being read and responded to:

Address it to the editor, acknowledging whether Mr. or Ms.Should be one page, single-spaced.Use a hook to grab the editor’s attention right away.

Let the editor know type (fiction/non-fiction), how many chapters, and what the book contains: photos, graphs, charts; A brief outline of the direction the story will take, or the content; any references, etc.

Tell the editor about your training, experience, etc. that qualifies you to write this book.If the manuscript is not complete, let the editor know when it will be ready

Let the editor know you have enclosed a stamped self-addressed post card for quick reply. That post card should include check off boxes for the action of the editor: “send proposal; send manuscript”; other, etc.

4.What is simultaneous query?

A simultaneous query can go to publishers who state in their information they receive a simultaneous query; that is, you have sent the same query to several others. If you have, your query letter should state “this is a simultaneous query.”

5.What types of publishers receive query letters?

The traditional publishers. You will find them in books like Writer’s Market. If you Google traditional publishers, you might find a few but a more comprehensive list can be found in the Writers Market.

6.What is the purpose of a query letter?

It is a quick reference for editors, versus sending in whole manuscripts and expecting them to be read, or returned. This process is standard among traditional publishers.

7.What else should be contained in a query letter?

Include a stamped, self-addressed envelop for a quick reply to your query,or a stamped, self-addressed post card.

8.What types of publishers can I query?

You can query fiction and non-fiction publishers.

9.Here are some books I would recommend containing samples of query letters:

How to Write Irresistible Query Letters by Lisa Collier Cool.

Query Letters That Worked by Angela Hoy

Author to Editor: Query Letter Secrets of the Pros by Linda White

10.Also, add this book to your library:

Writers Guide to Book Proposals, Templates, Query Letters and Free Media Publishing by Anne Hart

11.What type query should you send for fiction?

The process is the same: query, and if the editor is interested submit book proposal and/or manuscript.Fiction editors would want to see the whole manuscript before they make a decision.

12.What type of query do you send for non-fiction?

The basic points mentioned above are for all queries, whether fiction or non-fiction. If the editor is interested, they will request either the book proposal or a manuscript.

Need Traffic To Your Web Site?

2011-03-06T18:06:00.000-05:00

Traffic is the key to making money online. A little traffic, a little money. What Cal learned: failures lead to success. If you keep working at it, eventually, you will make something happen.

How to Make Money Writing Ezines
By Cal Drouin

I tried everything to get my online business off the ground. I tried making money as an affiliate, I tried writing my own ebooks, I even managed to set up a few websites (which is pretty amazing considering I suck with computers) but I had no idea how to get people to find my products, never mind buy them.

When I started learning online marketing I heard lots about Google AdWords and other PPC (pay per click) advertising methods, but with so many other internet marketers I quickly found myself way out of my league and was spending way too much money and not seeing any results.

Next I heard great things about opt-in emails. I then found out I needed my own website and I still needed to try and drive traffic there to build my own opt-in list. That brought me right back to square one. Driving Traffic.

I was told you could buy or rent someone else's opt-in list, but this was expensive and I never really knew what I was getting from them.

None of these really worked for me among other expensive methods. Then I finally came across some online tutorials that introduced me to writing articles online. Also called ezines (free service). I couldn't write, I could barely read (I could read, I just hated doing it!) how was I going to start writing articles.

Because I wasn't a strong writer, I found out quickly that was actually my strength. People don't want to read these long boring articles; they want to read something they can understand from somebody they can relate to. If you haven't noticed yet my grammar sucks and I am probably doing everything writers tell you not to do, but you are reading this, aren't you?

The great thing is at the end of each of my articles I get to put in my link to my website which helps drive traffic there. The website link attached to this article is actually where I learned to write articles like these.

Writing this article helped me remember an important law in anything I do. If you add more value to others then you will get back more of what you are looking for. I hope my articles provide good info to my readers.

Start writing your own articles today. Just be genuine and imagine what people like you would want to read about.

Talk to you soon,

Cal

Did you find this article helpful? If you did, then get more free tips and training at http://www.UltimateGoalsProgram.com

Make NOW the best time of your life by learning simple and proven ways to achieve your goals and dreams in record time! at [http://www.CalDrouin.com]

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Cal_Drouin

Comment: You can see from what Cal wrote you could probably do this to. Looking to make money writing for profit, (Click Here).

How to Create an Audio Book to Increase Book Sales

2011-02-03T22:22:00.001-05:00

Why are audio books popular? There is a market that prefers to listen than read. Technology is such that users can listen and read, if they choose to. What does this mean to the self-published author? It’s called opportunity of a lifetime. Audio books are great for re-purposing your books.

If you have published your book and the sales have been slow for over a year, create an audio book. Or if you want to make your book into an audio book, here are some simple steps. Decide whether you will read your book, or delegate the reading to someone else. It does not have to be you. Have a couple of friends audition. Ask and send them a few pages to check the quality of their voice on audio.

Audio books are created from a published book, or a book prepared for publication. This type of book can be used in two ways: to re-purpose a book already on the market, and to test the market as an unknown, to see if you have market appeal.

Complete your book as follows: if you haven’t published, edit, proofread, get your book ready for print. A self-published author should aim for excellence. I use Audio Acrobat to create audio. Finding other systems is as simple as doing a Google Search for “Creating Audio.”

That is the easy work. Once the audio is ready, listen to it with your tech to edit out hesitations, misspeaks, etc. The final tasks: packaging design and printing. Hire a graphics artist to create disk and case design. If you are planning to sell direct, a bar code and ISBN (International Standard Book Number) is not necessary, at least for now.

There are some print-on-demand companies who specialize in audio. Check out lulu.com and createspace.com.

More tips on creating audio (click here)

9-Suggestions to Launch Book Sales

2011-01-17T21:05:00.004-05:00

Don’t wait until your book is printed to begin promoting. Here are some tips on how to give yourself the edge as a self-published author.

1.Create talk topics from book content. Fred and Florence Littauer’s book: Get A Life Without the Strife is a good example of preparing book content to be used effectively.Let’s examine these subtopics: “What Are My Emotional Needs? How Do I
Communicate? How Can I Check My Maturity? Do I Need to Confront My Mate?”

2.Write an article on the subtitle content, and post on a blog.

3.Do mini-workshops from your content subtitles at Book Signings

4.Increase your online presence writing articles for sites like www.authorsden.com, or a blog.

5.Create a website using services like Vistaprint.com, or blogger.com

6.Direct sales. Create a 30-second intro to create interest in buying your book. Pre-sell using an order form. More about 30-second Intro (click here).

7.Volunteer to speak at local events. A great resource is your community newspapers. Call up local event ads and ask if they are looking for a speaker. Before you do, at least have a topic relevant to the event.

8.Press Release. If you don’t know how to prepare one, hire an online service like www.prweb.com

9.Radio Show. Find radio shows related to your topic, listen to a few shows and think about what you could bring to the show to enhance the audience experience. Send them a query to be on their show. Locate some of these shows at www.blogtalkradio.com.

Where Do You Go to Promote Your Published Book?

2011-01-17T16:37:00.000-05:00

The Internet is the place to go to promote a book? Why? Because there are millions, maybe billions of visitors to the internet looking for something.And you just might have the solution to their problem.

Have you gone into a book store and flipped through the pages of a book before you purchased? So why not share excerpts of your book on sites like www.authorsden.com, or visit forums where there are discussions on your subject, and stick your two cents in.

Have you tried Twitter.com? It is another great place to expose your book. Don’t just say, “I’ve got a new book at. . .” Instead, give them something valuable. Post an excerpt from your book on a blog, with a link from twitter to that page.

Here is another place you can post:www.shelfari.com, a reading community where you can connect with readers that have similar interests. Within the community you can join groups or create your own groups. I’ve already joined several groups: Christian Women of Character; Writing Readers; Shameless Promotion; Authors Prom; What Shall We Read.

I invite you to join groups I am a part of, or look for groups of interest to you. It’s free. It’s a place to discuss books you are reading, writing, or planning to read in the future. However, you can create your own groups and invite your friends, other authors, etc.

You can also set up a radio show at www.blogtalkradio.com. Use the content from your book to create talk topics for the show. These are some of my favorite places to hang out. Keep your eyes open for others.

Know nothing about marketing as a self-publisher? Learn how to prepare your book content with your target market in mind at www.telecafepublishing.com

Self-Published Authors: Finding the Hook!

2011-01-04T17:25:00.001-05:00

I published my first book in 1995. It was a biography based on a true story. What I know now that I didn’t know then: how important the hook is to the first time, self-published author. There is more to publishing a book than having it printed. First time self-published authors need every advantage.

My first book was based upon a true story. Unless you are a famous person this type book does not sell very well, a few family and friends. After much meditation and determination before my Creator, several ideas were revealed on how to promote my book. I had learned the publishing side well to teach workshops on publishing and, of course, I would share how I got started, using that platform to promote my book.

My second step focused on the book content and the story I had to tell. That is where the speaking came in. I started to accept invitations to speak to primarily women on the issues of sexual abuse from a healing perspective. The public speaking opened more doors to do workshops on publishing.

Third, my speaking experience led to requests by others who had experienced healing and wanted to learn how to share their stories. I began training speakers on how to share their life stories.

In my new book I give suggestions on how to find your hook. Self-published authors who hang in there long enough will discover that book sales are only a fraction of what they can earn, but with a hook, you can double or triple your book sales income.

You can look inside a copy of Book Publishing Secrets: How to Write, Publish and Outsell Your Competition at www.Amazon.com.

Did You Know That You Could Re-Publish Public Domain Books?

2010-12-24T18:31:00.001-05:00

What does that mean? If the copyright date in the United States is before 1923 you can publish, without paying any royalties, provided the intellectual property rights (copyright, patents and trademarks) have expired. Books have a copyright date and after so many years the book goes into what is called the public domain and anyone can publish that work in their name, or create a new work using its content.

I did some research on this using the Three Little Pigs. Most of you will remember this story from childhood. The tale was included in a book called Nursery Rhymes and Nursery Tales in London, in 1843, by James Orchard Halliwell-Phillipps.

Let’s take a look at what others did. Variations of the tale appeared in Uncle Remus, in which the pigs were replaced by Brer Rabbit. Another author cast the pigs in a work and called them Browny, Whitey and Blacky and set the story apart by exploring each pig’s character and detailing interaction between them. The wolf was changed to a fox.

Walt Disney cast the same three pigs as Fifer Pig, Fiddler Pig, and Practical Pig, with the first two being depicted as frivolous and arrogant. In that version the wolf burns his behind and runs away howling.

Public Domain books are a great opportunity. One of my favorite sites is www.gutenberg.org. With a little extra research you could be well on your way to publishing your favorite stories of the past; works, like Shakespeare, Sleeping Beauty, Sherlock Holmes, Snow White, etc. Think about what was done with the Three Little Pigs.

For more information on books in the public domain visit www.copyright.gov

Pick up your FREE publishing guide at (click here).

Creating an Income Stream As a Self-Published Author

2010-12-20T16:12:00.000-05:00

(Excerpt From My New Book: Book Publishing Secrets: How to Write, Publish and Outsell Your Competition at www.amazon.com)

Writing books can be profitable but not every self-published author writes a book for profit. Some write books to pass along to family and friends; others write because of the above, plus they have the cash to spend and technology allows them to do it. And then there is the writer who writes because they truly have a message they want to share. Which type are you?

When I started out a good friend of mine gave me a check for $10.00 to buy the first copy of my book. She believed that I could do it even when I wasn’t sure what I was doing. That friend and I have gone on to forge great author relationships, and a special friendship.

The first time author should prepare to recoup his/her investment, as the first
priority. Start talking about your book. If you don’t know how, check out the resource and coaches services in the back of this book.

Money is not going to jump into your hands just because you wrote a book. Roll up your sleeves and go to work. Order enough books to recoup your expenditure. You can’t make money by ordering two books. Calculate your investment; order the amount of books to replace your initial outlay; if not, who are you kidding. Two books guarantees you plan to fail and have no plan to succeed.

Look at what you invested. Let’s say its $955.00 dollars and you were blessed to receive 100 books for that price. You sell the book for $12.95 each. That comes to $1295.00. You have recouped your investment, plus profit. Every re-order increases your profit until you are working strictly with your profit.

Packages that offer one or two books simply delay the upfront expense. You need to sell books. There is no way around it.

Begin with family and friends. If you have written a book and you are not willing to sell to friends and family who are familiar with you, then you haven’t passed the first test of being an author.

Family and friends prepare you to deal in the marketplace. If you were to be
published by a traditional publisher, you would be asked to provide them with a list of at least 100 names. So why not use that strategy as a self-published author?

Use what you have: e-mail your friends and family with an announcement of
your book. Ask them to share the e-mail with their friends. Build a track record. Look at what your book is about. Is it something you can teach or give talks on? Even if it is your life story, look at your chapters. Is there anything you can make a message of?

My first book was an autobiography. I can’t tell you how many times I have
used the story of my life to create various talk topics, and you can too. Think about it!

Traditional publishers pay an average royalty payment of 10% per book. Do the math. If your book cost $12.95, how much are you getting at 10% of the retail cost per book? It comes out to about $1.30 per book. How many books do you have to sell to make $500.00?

You’ve heard me say it; if not, I will say it for you one more time: It’s not the book it’s the hook. I wrote my first book, coached hundreds of others to do the same. My income expanded by not only writing but publishing books.

Think outside the box. Publishing a book should be just the first step to your goal. Begin to think about your likes, what you do for a living, your hobbies and passions.

Is there anything you can show or teach another person how to do? Come on! You have lived your life up to this point, maybe even raised a few children. There has to be something you have done successfully over your lifetime. Make a list.

You can make money as a self-published author with a plan of action. Make a list of all the things you know, or think authors do: book signings, book tours, radio, TV, etc. The market is crowded but if you cultivate strategies to stand out from the crowd, you too, can make your investment pay off.

Let me stop right here and walk you through the process of standing out from the crowd. A. Ephraim Cox self-published: “How to Succeed Through Positive Thinking and Behavior.” He’s 76 years old. His life experiences have been in the field of counseling, X-Ray Tech, Bible Teacher, Business, husband, father, etc. He’s had a lot of successes in his life. He is Mr. Personality and a positive thinker.

Advice givers are popular; people are seeking advice in every area of their lives. Mr. Personality needs a way into the marketplace, to start building his own track record. He is already Mr. Personality, so let’s call him “Mr. Personality.” Because he has a great attitude for his age, and his experiences are working in his favor, he can use this brand to move into personal development and business circles. “Mr. Personality” at 76 has something to say, and he wants you to know it. This positions him to increase his book sales.

“Mr. Personality” can’t compete with the well established motivational, positive thinking gurus but he is well on his way. “Mr. Personality” decides to create a talk topic to deliver his message. One of his subtitles is called: Increase Confidence and Maximize Your Performance. His target audience is: the motivation and positive thinking buyers, those looking to improve themselves and to increase their performance personally and in their careers.

He is ready to sell himself to groups, organizations, businesses, clubs, etc. Look at the subtitle. Is it attractive enough, or does it need more sizzle? Since he is 76 and amazing, that can be played upon. His message changes to: How to Increase Confidence and Keep Your Brain At Maximum Performance Even at 76.

Now, I ask you, would you be curious to see this person? I would.
So now you can see how you go from just a self-published author, to standing out from the crowd. Discover your own brand; don’t copy others.

“Mr. Personality” is ready to meet his audience, and he did.
If you don’t have confidence as a speaker you may want to invest in “Speak Like A Pro” at www.print2publish.com. A track record is built one action at a time. Nothing happens overnight, but it will, if you persist, and don’t quit, the monetary rewards will catch up to you and overflow your bank account.

Did I forget to mention the satisfaction of realizing your dream, and helping
others to realize their God given potential?

“Mr. Personality” has become a speaker, workshop presenter, author and coach, not just a person who wrote a book. Look at the spin-off from one action. Now you have created another income stream.

Guess what! All is not lost, “Mr. Personality” recorded all of his free, and paid for speeches, while building a track record, plus his workshops, etc., which adds up to more money in the bank. Do you hear cha-ching, cha-ching?

I guess you have figured it out by now, that there is more to being an author,
than just the writing of a book. It’s the hook and not the book.

(Excerpt from Book Publishing Secrets: How to Write, Publish and Outsell Your Competition. Peek inside Table of Contents at www.telecafepublishing.com)

Writers Resources: The Tools You Need As A Writer

2010-12-18T20:47:00.000-05:00

I have discovered there are some things in life that are going to happen and you really don’t have to do anything, like getting older. You are going to get older no matter what you think you are doing to stop it.

If you get in your car and don’t turn the key, it will not start and you won’t be able to go anywhere. On the other hand, if you don’t put gas in it, you’re got the same problem. Both of these are tools to get you where you want to go, and so are resources for writers.

When I was hit by the writing bug some years ago I only had a dictionary. Pretty basic. It took awhile to realize I needed other tools. One of those tools was a Thesaurus. There are moments when you say the same words over and over and don’t realize it. The Thesaurus helps to improve your text, or diversify your word usage.

Grammar was another challenge, trying to remember where to put what. I went looking for a quick reference guide. I didn’t want to have to read page after page to know if I was putting a comma or semi-colon, etc., in the right place. So I added to my library: The Elements of Grammar, by Margaret Shertzer.

A writer should value proofreading. It is a necessary thing to do. I found out through working with traditional publishers that the author receives the final proof to read. If you don’t think you can do it, hire someone to help you.

You need to work on creating a marketing plan. That should be done once you finalize your book and it’s ready to go to print. What are you going to do with your new book, not your publisher, YOU?

Every author should have a marketing plan if you expect to reach your goals, whether it’s on the traditional side, or the self-publishing

I also added to my library a book on how to keep my prose sharp, focused and concise, called Write Tight. This was a big help in handling emotional text, where you might be inclined to have a lot of run on sentences.

Writers should have a computer, with programs that are most commonly used, such as Microsoft Word. It wouldn’t hurt to keep a pad by your bed and in your car for those inspirational moments.

Free E-Book: “Book Writing For Fun and Profit” when you purchase Blondie’s new book, Book Publishing Secrets: How to Write, Publish and Outsell Your Competition at www.amazon.com; type in Blondie L. Clayton. Email us your receipt and we will send you the link to your free copy.

How Important Is Your Book Cover Design?

2010-12-18T20:37:00.001-05:00

I was watching a JAG (Judge Advocate General) video showing this man who looked dirty, a scraggly beard, dressed in a coat (in the summer) who getting chased away from a business. An incident happened where he tried to stop a robbery and killed the robber who shot the storekeeper and the one running toward his little boy whom he had not seen in years.

It turned out he was a Navy Seal suffering from PTSD(Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). He would hang out at the store to get a glimpse of his son because he couldn’t face him in his condition.

A book cover without appeal is like that homeless guy, no one notices, he repels because of his looks.

Let’s go to the market. If you are appealing to a Caucasian market, less flash in the cover; if you are trying to reach the African American market, you want flash. Covers are important based on your market.

Do a Google search of these two markets on a topic, and email me your results.

So where do you start to come up with your cover designs? What is your overall theme? What message do you want to convey to your potential buyers? If your book is about romance, then displaying a couple interacting romantically would send that message.

Self-published authors don’t have to do the book cover designing, you can hire a graphics artist, or give your publisher a concept and a graphics person will take it from there.

A little advice on using graphics artist: have them sign off as a work for hire, that means after designing,they have no additional financial interest. Find out how many changes you will be allowed. A minimum of two won't totally lock you out of making changes. Give the page count only after the typeset is complete, so they can size the spine based on the book thickness. The designer should size your book for print a little over the size you decide on to allow for trim without cutting away the cover images.

Most publishing options will design covers from your conceptual ideas. It is usually included in your package.

Free E-Book: “Book Writing For Fun and Profit” when you purchase Blondie’s new book, Book Publishing Secrets: How to Write, Publish and Outsell Your Competition at www.amazon.com; type in Blondie L. Clayton. Email us your receipt and we will send you the link to your free copy.

You Are Sitting On A Book Publishing Goldmine and Don't Know It!

2010-11-19T13:48:00.000-05:00

What is it that you know how to do? Have you been in a profession for a number of years? Do you have a hobby, or skill, something that you can do well? Are you a good cook? Maybe you have family recipes passed down from generation to generation?
Then why not publish a book?

Here are a few examples of titles I found to convince you that you too have something to say: Are You Happy? That is the name of the book. Now, tell me, couldn’t you write a book like this? I haven’t read it but it’s in the market.

If you have kids, grandchildren, or nieces and nephews, I believe putting your thinking caps on, you could have written this book: 52 Things for Your Kids to Do Instead of Watching TV. How about this one: Because I said so: 33 Mothers Write About Children, Sex, Men, Aging, Faith, Race, and Themselves. You too can do a collection of stories.

You are sitting on a book publishing goldmine and don’t know it! I’m sitting here going “wow!” It matters little what type writer you are: Christian, Non-Christian, your life experience, profession, is loaded with gold.

If you package it right, customers will buy. That is why I'm sharing this information with you, to give you the opportunity to minimize your hurdles before you publish your first book, or to plant some ideas that will add to your marketing strategy.

Do you know what Napoleon Hills book Think and Grow Rich was before it was changed? Use Your Noodle and Make a Boodle. Don’t laugh, that was the name.
A self-published author has the flexibility to make changes if necessary to improve the market appeal of his/her work.

My first book name changed from Children of the Shadows to The Touch of the Master’s Hand, to There In The Midst the Mysterious Exposed.Not all books have to be the perfect bind format. You may have an idea that is under a 100 pages. You can still self-publish.

***

Oops! I could sit here with you for hours. I enjoy what I’m doing that much.
Remember if you don’t use it, you will lose it!

God Bless!

Coach Blondie

***
Free E-Book: “Book Writing For Fun and Profit” when you purchase Blondie’s new book, Book Publishing Secrets: How to Write, Publish and Outsell Your Competition at www.amazon.com; type Blondie L. Clayton. Email us your receipt and we will send you the link to your free copy.

8-Reasons to Hone Speaking Skills As A Self-Published Author

2010-11-02T17:37:00.000-04:00

Have you written or published a book and you are unhappy with how it’s selling? Do you feel as if it was all a big fat lie? Publish a book and sell to millions of buyers? Are you asking: What else can I do to sell more books?

I want to talk to the published author who has gotten over him/her self and want to succeed. Many of us come into this book publishing business looking for the pie in the sky, not understanding our part, didn’t we? You can be honest and admit it, or become bitter instead of better. My journey has had its share of ups and downs as I have worked to transform my book publishing experience into a business.

Self published authors make mistakes: They focus on book sales vs. the business of selling books. If you focus on selling books, you think placing books on the worldwide web guarantees millions of sales without any effort on the author’s part.

Placing one’s focus on the business of selling books changes the focus, if you treat it like a business. How do you run a business? What does a business need? Let’s focus on the second question. A business needs customers. Where will you get those customers and how?

Treating your published book as a business, where you have invested your hard earned cash, should fire you up to make something happen. . . that is, if you are serious. But it doesn’t stop there. The more skilled you become at talking about your book you increase your success. Publishing a book does not mean you are proficient at discussing book content. Go back and re-read your book. Look at your subtitles. Take that material, create a talk and practice, practice, practice.

Here are 8 benefits from honing your speaking skills:

1.Sell more books at your speaking opportunities

2.Open doors to opportunities to speak

3.Sets you apart. The consumer doesn’t care about who invented the vacuum
cleaner, but will it do the job.

4.Market appeal. Through creative talks and workshops, etc.,

5.Increases visibility. Exposes you to potential buyers as they become familiar
with you

6.Enhances credibility. A lot of folks write books but you never hear of them.

7.Make more money. Adding a speaking fee, plus book sales means more money for the
work

8.Position to increase profits. As your reputation grows as a speaker, author,
etc., people will invite you to share more often.

Read "Powerful Keys to Public Speaking Like A Pro (here)

News! Self Publishing Guide for Women at Create Space

2010-10-26T19:18:00.000-04:00

Its’ finally happened, my step by step approach to self publishing has evolved into a perfect bound copy. I have kept track of my successes and failures and this book is what I learned that has sustained me in the book selling business for so long.

I love to teach what I have learned. Let’s face it, as a woman I readily admit I was clueless when it came to publishing my first book. Things I know I know very well, but sometimes it takes awhile to digest and assimilate new information. And that is what self publishing was, a new position, a new environment.

I have made the mistakes, still making them (smile) but I am committed to what I do. What I share in this guide are keys that helped me to come from clueless, to teaching others how to publish, and coaching others into publishing. I was exposed to all of the hype on the internet; some I bought and some I studied, dissected and applied to see if it would work for me. Some did and some didn’t.

I remember those days of reading everything I could get my hands on and the efforts to implement, unsure of whether it would work or not. I kept wishing for a book that would take me step by step. There may have been some but they never got to my hands.

It’s been years. Finally I decided to throw my two cents in and along came Create Space. Why did I use Create Space to publish this book. No hype. No bull. They do what they do, publish (print) books. Plus the price was right for my spiral bind book to go to the next level.

I’m not the same writer who started out. I’ve learned some things, gained some new writing skills. Now I know how to use inexpensive book publishing services to maximize profits. Publishing a book is more than getting a book printed and posted on the Internet.

Check out an excerpt from my Table of Contents at www.telecafepublishing.com

Self Published Authors Don't Beat Up On Yourself!

2010-10-26T18:15:00.001-04:00

Are you unhappy as a self published author? Maybe you’re an angry first time author? Do you feel as if you were lied to? Have you been saying negative things about your first time author experience?

Disappointment is not uncommon after an author publishes his/her first book. In hindsight you recognize what you could have done, or should have done. You learned a whole new language, a world you’re unfamiliar with.

Don’t beat up on yourself. I had a lady say to me once, “I got my book published. I would have used your services but you were too expensive. I got a better deal. I got my book published for free. My book has sold a million copies.”

I wondered why she would pick up her phone after all of these years to rub this in my face. I listened and listened. It turned out she was disappointed at the “free service” she had gotten and was having all kinds of customer service issues. Her book publisher had not been responsive to her calls and she was thoroughly frustrated.

She said, “Can you help me? Do you know anything about them?” she dived into the glitter to face the disappointment later.

I said, “Okay. I’ll see what I can do but it’s not the company’s fault. You thought they were going to give you the gold and all you had to do was collect?”

You’re probably thinking, “Why would you help her, Blondie?” Zig Ziglar once said, “Help enough other people get what they want and you will get what you want. I chose to help her because I knew how to help her.

My investigation revealed that what she thought was sales stolen from her without payment was really her sales ranking. She didn’t know how the game worked. It turned out she had no sales on this book for over a year. It had been sitting in cyber space. The sad part about it, she had already sent and had them publish book number two.

We all make mistakes. Maybe you are going through this experience, or some other self-publishing disappointment right now, you’re not alone. It’s time to stop whining and get a grip. Are you ready to move on?

"10 Free Publicity Tips to help you move on (click here)

How to Move On After A Publisher's Rip Off

2010-10-22T20:46:00.000-04:00

Are you ready to stop whining and take the bull by the horns and wrestle him down? Otherwise, what I’m about to share with you will be rejected in favor of your complaint. Live long enough and you will get ripped off but to say a book publisher ripped you off when you jumped into the game without knowing the rules, can you really blame the publisher?

I don’t know. People look for someone to blame for their stupidity, ignorance, lack of education. Yes, I’m giving it to you straight. I was ignorant when I started this journey but my eyes have been opened. I refused to blame that typist who prepared my book for print in a manuscript format to my request for camera ready. What I wanted was her to typeset it in a book format to be delivered to a printer. I didn’t know.

All right, you came here to see how to move on so I won’t belabor the point. You might want to re-read your book after all of this whoopla to see what you could have done better. Spend some time at the book store, or library searching for books that are similar in subject. Pay attention to the way it’s set up and the way it looks overall. Are there subtopics headlines that could be used for a talk or workshop? If you have learned nothing more since you started, it is that there is more to selling a book than just placing it on the internet.

At least, I hope you have learned that. Had you done this homework before you rushed into the market, you would have had ideas on how to structure your work. Another problem of first time book publishers, publishing a subject that does not have market appeal, going with what you want, rather than yielding to what has been proven, is working and succeeding.

Answering a question like, what problem does my book solve? This could be a big sales boost, if you think outside the box. Instead of thinking in terms of book sales only, think of workshop material, talks, etc, organizations in the community, etc. to give you a potential market before it is printed. What’s great about being a self-published author, you can test the market, you can pull your book out of the market and start over, if you choose to.

How do you know if your subject has market appeal? Use the Google key word search tool. See what comes up. Adding some of those key words into your subtitles, or your title can be very valuable for using excerpts on blogs to attract visitors.

As a self-published author, by stepping back and re-organizing your book content to conform to your target market, you can increase your sales.

As you make your content assessments don’t rush back into the marketplace with a reprint just yet. Post a few chapters at sites like authorsden.com, ask for feedback, or join a writers group in your local community; do talks around your content for additional feedback.

If your publisher offers an evaluation service or editing, use it. Notice my suggestions center around you overcoming the negative and increasing your skills as a writer to become a happy aspiring author. As I applied some of what I have shared here, I have never felt ripped off again.

Need extra help in positioning and understanding how to maximize book content for profit, see Book Publishing Secrets at www.telecafepublishing.com.

Book Marketing: Creating A Buzz

2010-09-25T17:42:00.000-04:00

Self-Published authors can complain about not selling books, or they take the bull by the horns and build their success one stone at a time. And that begins with using other people’s ideas to further your goal.

Book Promotion - 8 Ways to Use Blogging to Promote Your Book
By Dana Lynn Smith

Blogging is a terrific book promotion tool for authors. Here are eight ideas for using blogging in social and interactive ways to enhance your author platform and engage your readers:

1. Encourage your readers to share your content with others.

Make it easy for readers to share your content by adding "share" buttons from sites such as Share This or Add This. Then ask readers to share by including text at the end of your best posts such as: "Do you know someone who might benefit from these tips? Just click the Share This button below to send a link by email or recommend this post on your favorite social site."

2. Actively solicit comments.

Get readers engaged by including a sentence at the end of some posts inviting comments. Thank each commenter and make a further comment based on what they said.

3. Make comments on other blogs.

Making insightful comments on related blogs is a great book promotion tactic. Comments boost your visibility and create links and traffic to your site. Subscribe to the top blogs related to your book's topic or audience and watch for posts that you can comment on. Also, set up Google Alerts for your main keywords to stay on top of other relevant blog posts. Comments should be helpful and relevant -- be subtle about promoting your book.

4. Write guest posts for other blogs.

Another effective book promotion strategy is to contact other bloggers that cater to your audience and offer to write a guest article. Include a brief bio and a low-resolution photo. Search for relevant blogs on Google Blog Search.

5. Create a feed for your blog.
RSS feeds allow your blog posts to be automatically delivered to your visitors and to other websites. This benefits your book promotion by creating regular readers for your blog, rather than relying on drop-in traffic. To create a feed, visit FeedBurner.

6. Do a virtual book tour.

As part of your book promotion strategy, make guest appearances on blogs, ezines, or podcasts to promote your book within a specific time frame - usually one to two weeks. Provide unique content to each host on your tour. Content can include interviews, how-to articles, book excerpts, videos, book reviews, or an article about how you developed the plot or characters for a novel.

7. Join a blog carnival.

Blog carnivals are a collection of links pointing to blog posts on a particular topic, or topics of interest to a particular group of people. Learn more at Blog Carnival.

8. Hold a contest or drawing on your blog.

Use the blog comment feature to hold contests. For example, post a question and award a prize to the first person who leaves a comment with the correct answer. Or, write a blog post stating that everyone who leaves a comment on the post by a specific date (allow five to seven days) will be entered in a drawing to win a free copy of your book. Promote the contest on your social networks.

Try these eight strategies to give your book promotion a boost.

Dana Lynn Smith is a book marketing coach and author of The Savvy Book Marketer's Guide to Successful Social Marketing at http://www.SavvyBookMarketer.com For free book marketing tips visit the Book Marketing Maven blog. http://www.BookMarketingMaven.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dana_Lynn_Smith

Comment: Book Marketing can be a challenge for first time self-published authors but if you implement every opportunity, before you know it you will know for yourself what works and doesn’t work. If you do nothing, then the results is nothing.

Turn your experience from book publishing into a business www.telecafepublishing.com

How Well Do You Know How To Use Amazon?

2010-09-25T17:20:00.001-04:00

I am amazed at this mega book sales source. I have recommended many authors to Amazon over the years and it just keeps getting better and better. Take the time to get tuned in to this bookseller’s world. It is a great opportunity with just some investment in time.

Amazon Offers Great Opportunities to Build Your Book Sales
By Charles Jacobs

Every new writer's dream is to have his/her book listed on Amazon. There is no question the site is one of our top bookstores and the online leader in book sales. When you simply place your book on the site, it will generate purchases. But with a modest amount of effort, you'll find yourself really building sales.

You can increase your numbers substantially by taking advantage of the promo programs Amazon offers its authors. Begin the process by providing a good photo of your book cover. Amazon will place it on your Listing Page, the basic page that every visitor sees first. A page without a cover photo immediately loses sales strength.

Write a description of the book that will excite potential buyers, and submit it with your book cover. It will appear under "Product Description." This is your chance to express whatever you wish about the book you've written.

Click on to Amazon's "Author Central" site and discover the simple process required to add "Search Inside." This is a special program the site offers that allows potential readers to view limited segments of your book at no charge. It has proved to be a very effective sales tool, and more than 50% of the books Amazon lists now offer it.

Editorial Reviews

Very often publications review a book and will not take the time and effort to post it. Smart authors then extract several sentences from the review and post them as an endorsement which is allowed on the site under "Editorial Reviews."

In addition to extracts from publication reviews, you should reach out for as many endorsements of your book as possible. These are shorter blurbs written by well known people that praise the book. They too are placed in the "Editorial Reviews" section of your listing page

Book Reviews Enrich Your Listing

Build the power of your listing by including reviews by a good cross section of reviewers. Include members of Amazon 1,000 top reviewers, experts in the subject your book is about and well known people in the writing/publishing industry.

A list of top Amazon reviewers can be found at www.amazon.com/gp/customer-reviews/top-reviewers.html. Make sure your friends and acquaintances submit reviews as well. The more the merrier.

You are probably familiar with the Amazon rating system of one to five gold stars. The better the book in the opinion of the reviewer, the higher the number of stars.

The site will allow only the person writing the review to post it, and that person must be a customer of Amazon's.

Author's Page

Amazon urges its writers to create an "Author's Page." The company will do the basic design, but you must supply photographs of yourself and your book cover, as well as some of the text involved such as the author's bio.

The Author Central program that was required to create Search Inside for your book is also the tool for adding, deleting or altering text or artwork on the Author's Page. Click on to it, and you can add the elements we are talking of here.

When you create the bio, be certain to stress the professional aspect of your life, your accomplishments, books you've written and published, awards you've received and so forth. This is not a personal bio; it is designed to assist in the sales of your book.

Amazon also relies on you to provide a bibliography, if you have written more than one book. This too is done through Author Central.

One of the newer and more exciting additions to the page is the segment called "Latest Blog Posts." Amazon allows you to create an RSS feed from your blog to the page. If you don't have a blog, you can create a simple one and post directly to the page.

Other Amazon Programs

For those of you who enjoy writing short stories and essays, Amazon has provided a "Amazon Shorts" in which your selected pieces will appear in e-book form and sell at 49cents. You receive a percentage of the sale. I know this sounds like nothing, but consider the volume of this bookseller, and realize there is some healthy income to be derived from the program.

Another money-making program available to you is to become an "Amazon Affiliate." You advertise a book or other product from the Amazon list on your own web site. A link is established to Amazon where the actual sale is consummated. You receive 15% percent of the list price of the item sold. Amazon will provide banners to place on your site advertising the arrangement.

There are other tie-ins with this master retailer that you can investigate on your own. You can find many of them in the excellent book "Sell Your Book on Amazon." But be certain at the very least to follow through on the suggestions in this article and watch your book sales boom.

Charles Jacobs is an author, book coach and writing instructor. His latest book, "The Writer Within You," has been named a BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR seven times. It has won gold and bronze medals. The book can be purchased at http://www.retireandwrite.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Charles_Jacobs

Comment: I didn’t know about the short stories and essays called Amazon Shorts. That will be my next move as I continue to build book sales.

Turn your experience from book publishing into a business www.telecafepublishing.com

"How I Created A Business From My Book Publishing Experience"

2010-09-08T23:27:00.002-04:00

It was a journey. If anyone had told me that I would ever do it again, I would have probably laughed in their face. I have done it again and again but mostly helping others to realize their dream of becoming a published author. I learned along the way that it was not about the book but the hook. The money was not all in book sales.

How to Write a Book and Create a Business
By Jess Kennedy Williams

Are you one of the tens of thousands of people who lost their job this year? At first glance, losing your job might look like the worst thing that has ever happened to you.

By now you should have had time to assess the situation and realize that you probably didn't really like your job anyway. You are now free to create your own business, centered around your passion. Working at what you love does not feel like work.

The question is, where do you start? How do you create a business from scratch and create income fairly quickly, with very little investment?

The first step is to start a website, and the second step is to write a book or ebook that you can sell on your website. You may say that you don't know how to write a book. That's no excuse! If you have a passion, you could talk for hours about that subject, right? You have enough information in your head to write a book.

How do you get all of that information out of your head? If you really feel that you cannot write the book, you can record your book and have it transcribed, or use a software like Dragon Speak.

This is an easy way to get the information out of your head and onto paper. The next step is to send the manuscript to an editor and let the editor make you look good. You do not have to be a good writer. You just have to know more than the average guy about your chosen subject.

Once the book is written, you can build your business around the book. Becoming an author gives you instant credibility.

The next step is to build your internet presence. The idea here is to get your name all over the web, so that when someone Googles your name, you come in at the top of the page. This is a way to get credibility and establish yourself as the author-ity in your niche.

From there the possibilities are unlimited. You can create a membership site, mastermind sessions, coaching programs, workshops, and other products and services. You can become a speaker and get paid big bucks for speaking at live events.

The more you promote and market yourself, the more money you will make. The possibilities are endless, and totally in your control.

That's something you could never say about working for someone else.

Visit http://www.VIPAuthorCoach.com for more tips and tools on how to write your first book, and download your free gift, Five Secrets to Start Writing Your First Book Tonight.

Jess Kennedy Williams offers personalized service as an Author Coach and Instant eBook Author Coach. Her no-nonsense style has given her a reputation for getting the job done in as little time as possible.

Through her Pyro-Writing System Personal Coaching, an aspiring author can be guided to finish the first draft of their book or ebook in six hours or less. To find out more, go to http://www.WriteYourBookin6Hours.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jess_Kennedy_Williams

Comment: I’m still increasing my possibilities. Why not go all the way.

Need a little help in understanding what you have done to get to this point of becoming a self-publisher, perhaps this guide at www.telecafepublish.com will carry you confidently to your next level as the one who is in the business of serving.

Book Marketing: You Need A Web Presence

2010-09-08T23:22:00.002-04:00

I continue to work on this. I am making progress. I have learned to follow the gurus, those who have gone before me. I have become a good student. People like Bob Baker are my role models. They have mastered making the internet work for them and you can too.

The Secret to Internet Book Promotion
By Bob Baker

When many novice promoters think of internet marketing, they believe it's all about putting up a good web site and then driving traffic to it using banner ads or a Google AdWords campaign. Sure, that's one way to promote your books online. But it's one of the least effective, in my opinion.

Another line of faulty reasoning is thinking that online book promotion is about search engine optimization (SEO). If only you did well in search results, your worries would be over. It's true that putting basic SEO principles into practice can be helpful. But it's still not the ultimate solution.

Key: The best way to promote and sell your books online -- based on my many years of internet experience -- is thinking outside your web site. Make no mistake, you need an attractive and well-organized site (and I'll cover my top tips in that area soon). But to make a real impact as an author, you need much more than a good web site.

You Need a Web Presence!

But what do I mean by "presence"? You have a strong presence online when a growing number of people who have an interest in your topic or genre keep finding you in the places where they spend time online.

Sure, doing well in Google searches for your ideal words and phrases is one important part of having an Internet presence. But there's so much more to it. Having a Web presence also means that your articles and sample chapters appear on prominent sites that cater to your subject matter. It means your name keeps popping up on active discussion forums related to your topic.

You also expand your presence when people find you on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, and any number of other social networking sites. It grows when people who subscribe to your email newsletter forward your latest message to their friends. You further establish your presence by starting your own blog, while also making comments on other people's blogs and podcasts. It expands again when you do text, audio and video interviews online.

Bottom line: You set yourself up for success by making sure you can be found in multiple places where your ideal reader, buyer and fan hangs out online.

That's what I mean by developing a Web presence!

Bob Baker is the author of "55 Ways to Promote and Sell Your Book on the Internet," "Self-Publishing Success Secrets," and "Guerrilla Music Marketing Handbook." He is a full-time author, past president of the St. Louis Publishers Association, and a regular presenter at IBPA's Publishing University. Download a free copy of Bob's "Self-Publishing Confidential" report at FullTimeAuthor.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Bob_Baker

Comment: Got to do more commenting on other people’s blog. Thanks, Bob, been so busy. Got to make time to do reviews and forums.

Want to know more about how to work a book signing as a first time author? Book Signing Success at www.print2publish.com book store.

10 Free Publicity Tips That You Should Add To Your Book Marketing Strategy

2010-09-08T22:59:00.005-04:00

As a first time self-published author I knew nothing about publicity, and I didn’t realize how important it was to the sales of my book. On my journey I have implemented too many ideas to try listing here. I decided to yield to Sally and allow her to share.

Top Secrets to FREE Publicity
By Sally Shields

In order to leverage your authorship into a ton of free publicity, here are a few tips and tricks that can help you succeed faster, smarter and won't break your bank. Remember, you are in it for the long haul, and your book should mainly be thought of as a tool to enhance and further your business, and to help give you more credibility as an expert in your chosen field. Okay, here we go:

1) Get a Business Card with Your Book Cover on It

You can get these made up very inexpensively, such as through Vistaprint. Use them as book marks. Give them out to friends, colleagues, potential contacts. Leave them at the bagel store, and post them on the bulletin board at your local library. Be sure to have your website/contact info on the back as well. You never know who's going to check it out!

2. Get a website with your book's URL

Hopefully most of you will have done this. But here's the difference between successful authors and those that just sell a few books: get a contact form and offer your visitors an ethical bribe such as, "Sign up for Sally's weekly newsletter, and instantly have access to download the first chapter of her book, for FREE!"
Or offer them a top 10 list, or eReport. You get the idea. The main thing is to start capturing the email addresses of your adoring fans whom you can then keep in touch with and market to as you grow as an author.

3. Work on an "Elevator Pitch"

The media is busy, and they will know within 10-15 seconds whether they want to hear more or not. Having an elevator pitch that is short, succinct and to the point is an invaluable tool for pitching the media. Here are the three steps in a nutshell:

a) Your name, the name of your book, and if you can, make up a cute little name for yourself like so:

Hi, I'm Sally Shields, "The In-Law Expert" and I've written a book called, "The Daughter-in-Law Rules!"

b) then, tell them what your vision is, like so:

My vision is to create more harmony among mothers and daughters in law by teaching brides and wives the art of making friends with their husband's mother.

c) Finally, tell them what problem you can solve for them, or what information you can reveal, like this:

I will reveal the top 3 things that every wife can do to create a lifetime of peace with their husband, and the OTHER woman in his life-his MOM!

4. Make sure to be signed up for HARO and look for opportunities to provide your expertise

There is nothing more powerful out there today for us authors and experts than joining HARO. National media outlets such as Fox News and Woman's Day are all searching for that perfect expert to quote in their next segment or bi-line. Go there and get a free account today!

5. Prepare short 300-500 word articles, and submit them to EzineArticles.

This is a fantastic way to get your name out there on the web. An account is free. Using keywords is invaluable, but most important is the title of the article itself. Media outlets all over the web will be sending out spiders looking for content and you never know where your article might be re-posted. Make sure to sign all your articles with your name, website and contact info.

6. Go to Google and sign up for a Google Alert

Make sure to put in all the keywords that pertain to your book and expertise. You will get daily alerts on stories that are being written and talked about. Then, you can be prepared to pitch the media and let them know you are the go-to person and perhaps they will use you as a source. Begin to develop a media contact database.

7. Get a BLOG for FREE!

It doesn't have to be pretty, but go to blogger.com and set up an account, for free. Folks, if I can do it you can too! But if it seems complicated, grab your 10 year old kid and they can help you :-)
The great thing about blogs is that the keywords that you use at the bottom of each post act like an internet magnet. Anyone that googles a certain word or idea or concept that you indicate in your keyword search bar, has a very good chance of having your blog come up in the search engine. Blog alot. Blog often.

8. Set up a Facebook FanPage and make sure to have a Twitter Account

Many of you are already doing this. If you haven't, it's a good time to start. Twitter is great because you can share information that you think is cool. It's not about tooting your own horn, but rather about sharing information and being a valuable source. The more you give and share, the more followers and the more traffic you'll attract to your website. Make sure you have a good catchy profile and pic and if you can get an application for twitter on your cell phone, you'll have a lot of fun.

9. Prepare letters/emails and shoot to get at least 5-10 testimonials

... from either celebrities, or other authors that you respect and admire. If you do want to go for a celebrity endorsement, you can get a 7 day trial for $1 at whorepresents.com where you will find contact info for almost any celebrity you can think of. The secrets is to prepare 3-5 quotes in advance, and send them either the book or a chapter. Make it very easy for them to put their name to something you've already written. One trick is, if you are supporting a charity for example, try to find a celeb who also endorses the same non-profit by aligning yourself with their cause.

10. Create a media-ready release with a goal of getting on 5 radio shows in the next 60 days

You'll need a great hook (a timely topic is the quickest way to get publicity), some statistics, and 3-5 message points that you can talk about on the air that will help the listeners solve a problem, and keep the audience entertained. This would also be a great time to consider getting media trained, which is an invaluable investment in yourself and well-worth the money.

Please visit Sally Shields, speaker, radio personality, free publicity specialist and author of the #1 Amazon.com bestseller, The Daughter-in-Law Rules on the web at: http://www.thedilrules.com for contest giveaways, free bonus gifts, Sally's newsletter, free music, ... and more!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sally_Shields

Comment: Do you know that nothing will work unless you work it. Try every idea because what works fro some won’t work for others, but sooner or later you are going to come up with an idea that is going to resonate with you.

Want more book marketing secrets? Visit www.telecafepublishing.com

Book Marketing With Business Cards

2010-09-01T12:17:00.002-04:00

Promoting your book using business cards is probably the most inexpensive marketing strategy an author could use. You definitely get more cluck for your buck. Julie has some great ideas for the independent publisher to jump start his/her book marketing activities.

Book Marketing - 6 Tips For Using Business Cards to Sell Books
By Julie Coan

Writers often forget to use business cards for book marketing. Although internet marketing is useful, meeting someone and talking to them in person has an even greater impact. You can tell them all about the book you've written and get them all excited, but people's memories are short. If you hand them a business card, it will help them remember. Think of your card as a miniature sales letter for your book. Here are six tips to help your business card make a lasting impression.

Here are six tips to help your business cards make a lasting impression when you're book marketing:

1. Make sure your business card is easy to read. They're small so you need to make sure that people can read it. Don't use a font that's smaller than 10 pt and use a san serif font like Verdana. The color of your text should contrast sharply with the background. Double check to make sure there aren't any spelling or grammar mistakes. Either of these will leave a bad impression.

2. On the front of your card, place a short, attention-getting phrase that people will remember. Focus on how your book can benefit the reader. If you're writing non-fiction, you might write, "You can learn ten ways to cure baldness". If you're writing fiction, you could write something like, "Follow Detective Smith as she tries to solve the most difficult murder of her career".

3. You should always write on both sides. It costs a little more, but gives you a chance to add a lot more book marketing for only a little more money. What do you put on the back? Write a short sales pitch. If you get a book review or a testimonial from someone who has read the book, you can use that as your sales pitch.

4. Place a free offer on the card. People love free stuff. You want people to go to your website and buy your book. By offering something free, you might just get someone go to your website that would not have bothered otherwise. If you're writing fiction, you can offer a free short story or a free chapter of your book. If you're writing nonfiction, you can write a short report or a short ebook and offer them for free.

5. Never giving out just one card. Giving out multiple cards can help spread the word about your book. If you give a business card to someone who's interested in your book, there's a good chance that she has friends that will be interested also. If you hand her five or six cards, the next time she's talking to her friends, she can pull out your cards and pass them around.

6. Don't purchase cards that look cheap. People believe that a cheap-looking business card means a low-quality book. Business cards don't put that big of a dent in your budget, so pay a little more and get glossy ones that people will pay attention to. Put a memorable picture or graphic on it that's related to your book. Please don't put your face on it!

These tips should help you use business cards as a great book marketing tool. Carry them with you every where you go. Give them to everyone you meet including the waitress at the restaurant, the cab driver, and everyone at your office. Soon everyone will want to buy your book.

Julie Coan has been a writer and educator for more than twenty years. She is dedicated to helping writers build successful careers as published authors. She has just released her novel-writing system as an ebook: Write Your Way to a Million Dollars. This unique system was developed over twenty years of teaching writing and is now available to you. You can't find this great resource anywhere else. If you've always wanted to write, publish, and sell your novel, you must have this book. This book provides a state-of-the-art approach to publishing and marketing with an emphasis on creating a successful writing career. http://www.MakeMoneyWritingBooks.com Visit her blog at http://www.WritingBooksIsEasy.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Julie_Coan

Comment: I am in it to win it. How about you? Just another building block to your success as a first time self-published author.

Use your experience as a published author to create a publishing business at www.telecafepublishing.com

"How I Got Maximum Exposure For My Book"

2010-08-18T19:47:00.005-04:00

How many times have you gone into a book store, moved from isle to isle reading, or collecting books to read through in the store? I know I have. I read enough to see if it is worth parting with my hard earned cash. Read what Daniel has to say about how he made this technique work for him. This approach might resonate with some of you.

Get Maximum Exposure For Your Books
By Daniel Cecchini

If you write books, whether fiction or nonfiction, I have a suggestion for you that will seem counterintuitive.

Let people read them for free.

I'm not talking about a chapter or two. I'm talking about the whole book. It's not crazy. Think about it for a moment.

Millions of people go to the movies. A few months later, many of those same people will buy the DVD of that movie when it is released. Why? They already know the movie is good and it is something they will want to experience again and share with others. Book lovers are the same way. If they have access to your book, say online, they can read as much as they want while deciding to buy it. What better way to sell your new book then to let people read it? Can you think of a better way to generate word of mouth referrals? And if you're an unknown writer, there is no better way to get people to try your book and generate interest.

Why do you think Barnes and Noble bookstores are so popular?

There are several ways to do this once you choose a suitable platform to showcase your work. The easiest and cheapest way to showcase your books is to have an author website. There are many places to set up a free website or places like http://www.issuu.com that will show your book for free. I have a friend who leased a small commercial space and set up a free reading room with nothing but his books! The only limit is your imagination.

If you really want to generate interest for your work you can do what I do. I want to get readers involved in my work as much as possible, and there's no better way to do that then to involve them in your work.

On my site, all of my books are free to read, but I take it a step further. I also let readers review my drafts. It's kind of scary to be honest, letting people view unpolished work, but it's also exciting. Readers give me their opinions on content, meaning, and tease me about spelling and grammar mistakes. It has turned out to be a lot of fun, and people are begging me to hurry up and finish my next draft so they can read it. As far as I'm concerned, as a writer, that's all I want. I know the rest will fall into place in time.

If you're still not convinced, take one of your older works and experiment with the concept. I think you'll be surprised at the reactions you get.

Daniel Cecchini is a writer of fiction and nonfiction books. You can read all of his books for free (and comment on them) at http://www.west-to-east.webs.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Daniel_Cecchini

Comment: There is no doubt this author is confident and knows how to build readership interest. You can see this approach being applied using one of my books at www.stopincestabusenow.blogspot.com. The title is Conversations With God,
starting with Part 1.

Remember to drop in for more tips to help you to succeed as an independent publisher.

Book Marketing using Social Networking

2010-08-18T19:21:00.005-04:00

Does it really work? Will I be just another fish in the pond? I don’t know how to use the social networks? Is it time consuming? Not sure how to make it work for your book? Be daring, adventurous. You will never know if you don’t try. Here is some information to answer some of your questions, to get you thinking about the possibilities of Social Networking.

Promote Your Book Via Social Networking
By Weston Locher

As has been said time and time again, most writers believe that once their book is written, the hard part is done. They tend to believe that once in the hands of an agent, their book will hit best seller lists around the globe, and they'll just trot from bookstores to radio show to television program to reap the rewards. I don't want to burst any bubbles, but this is completely incorrect. Any major publishing house is going to expect you to play a role in the marketing process and if you self-publish then all marketing plans will be completely DIY.

Before you panic or become overwhelmed by having to now dedicate time and resources to spreading the good word of your new book or novel, remember this one very important fact: You are the most qualified person to market your book because you know it better than anyone else.

Sure, your agent may have read your book, but did they love it? Do they want to spend every minute of their day helping to get the word out? Well, yes, they do, but probably only because they're being paid to do so. You know your book cover to cover. You know the target audience. You know the benefits it offers, and you can put the passion into your pitches. After all, you're the one who toiled over your word processor for a year or more to get every word in just the right place. It's your baby.

I too, had to accept this marketing responsibility when I released my first book. I didn't know where to go, or where to start, so I began reading.

There are a ton of books out there about book marketing. There's a million suggestions on how to go about it, who to target, and ways to spend your money, but not every marketing plan works for every genre of book.

I read the following books to help prepare myself for the marketing road that lay ahead:

The Frugal Book Promoter: How To Do What Your Publisher Won't by Carolyn Howard-Johnson
Book Marketing from A to Z by Francine Silverman
Book Marketing DeMystified by Bruce T. Batchelor
Plug Your Book! Online Book Marketing for Authors, Book Publicity through Social Networking by Steve Weber
Guerrilla Marketing for Writers: 100 No-Cost, Low-Cost Weapons for Selling Your Work by Jay Conrad Levinson, Rick Frishman, Michael Larsen, and David L. Hancock

Each of these volumes gave great advice on how to market to agents, to potential buyers (in person), via the media (radio, television), and online. I took something away from each title that I read and found practical ways to apply them to my genre. I highly recommend them to anyone who is promoting/marketing a book for the first time. Keep a highlighter and pen handy so you can make notes in the margins. There is a lot you'll want to reference later.

There was one line that I ran across in each one of these books that led me to my greatest success in marketing via Social Networking sites. The line read: Go where your readers are.

In the internet age, you can find central hubs for nearly any topic in the world. MySpace and Facebook all let you find people with similar interests that you can market to, however most of the time, music and movies take the forefront of topics on those sites. Remember, the bookworms are still the social black sheep in most areas.

I was able to locate two very well known websites that target dedicated readers:
Goodreads.com
Shelfari.com

Both of these sites are geared toward avid readers who want to share the books they've read with others. There are over two million users on both sites and they can share reviews, what they are currently reading, recommendations, and have discussions on any genre topic or book title that you can think of.

The best part of these sites? If your book has an ISBN number, then YOUR BOOK is searchable in their databases.
Both sites also have author pages that you can set up with a picture, bio, a list of the books you've written, and you can also mention your favorite books, authors, and inspirations.

Once I discovered these websites, my marketing plan of paid advertisements and blog comments (with a link to my book site) immediately ceased and I realized that I had every resource I needed right at my finger tips to target the exact people who would enjoy my book.

I first set up accounts with both pages and then searched and added all of the books to my virtual bookshelf that inspired what I had written. Within the individual pages for each book it shows how many other users had read it and I could see their reviews and be alert to who loved the book and who hated it.

After finding the five books that I cited as my major influences, I began reading through the reviews and READING them. There's a natural tendency in marketing to forget about the individual, and instead, authors feel as if they just need to get their book title out there to a faceless crowd. That's not the best way to go about it, in my opinion. I read these reviews of the books I loved and found people on both sites who had very positive things to say about them. I skipped over anything negative or anything that was too short (ex: "Buy this book!") and looked for people who had put a lot of thought and passion into their reviews. People who love to read are an interesting breed and they will be honest and passionate when discussing writing that has affected them. As I found these positive reviews of the books I read, I sent them friend requests via the website.

You might ask, "Isn't that spamming?"
My answer is "No."

Rather then send a million faceless friend requests to people who liked the same books as me, I tailored each friend request as a personalized message. Most websites give you a small box where you can type in the reason you want to be their friend. I used this to attempt to make a connection.

I sent them a message that had their actual name in it. Not just a standard "Hi!" or a "Hi there!" I wanted them to know the message was going to them specifically. I then let them know that I had read their great review on "the title of the book" and that I agreed with their thoughts (but only if I actually agreed!). Then I let them know that based on their taste in authors, I thought that they might really enjoy my book, and listed the title and a one line synopsis. I then suggested that they search for it on that social networking website if it sounded interesting to them.

This was now a personal recommendation from a potential new friend. We had a common bond through an author. I had read something of theirs, and now I suggested they read something of mine.

The last line of the friend request read "If you have the opportunity to read my book, I welcome any feedback you'd be willing to share."
There was no link to my book on that particular website, no link to the book on amazon, and no link to my own personal webpage.

I'm sure that there are thousands of people who would tell me I'm crazy for not including a web link, but I wasn't out to hard sell, I was just out to pique the interest of a fellow reader.

After spending an afternoon and reading reviews for books I love, I was able to find a myriad of users that I was sure would love my book. My target audience. Right here on these two websites dedicated to the printed word.

The next day, I logged back onto these sites and was amazed at the number of these new friends who had accepted my request and, of their own free will, taken the time to search my book, add it to their "to-read" lists (which ALL of their other friends could see), and some even wrote back to thank me for the suggestion. As the days passed, the number of times my book was added to reading lists increased.

This doesn't generate sales right out, but it puts your book into the back of someone's mind and the cover of your book is now displayed prominently across various user's profiles on the web.

I will be honest and say that yes, this method is very time consuming as opposed to purchasing an email list of 50,000 addresses to people who may not even be interested in your book, but I feel I saved time by targeting the readers who I know would love what I had written.

Remember, at the end of the day, even though you want a million people to read your book, you also want to develop relationships with those readers. After all, they will be the same ones who are first in line when you release your next book.

Weston Locher is the author of the humor book, Musings on Minutiae, a collection of 50 hilarious essays about his childhood memories, life with frenetic felines, living in an urban apartment complex, and everything in between.

For more information, visit his blog at http://www.musingsonminutiae.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Weston_Locher

Comment: I love it when someone gives it to me step by step and don’t hold back. There is more! Search the archives for “How I Got Maximum Exposure For My Book.”

Getting Your Book Reviewed on Blogs

2010-08-18T19:17:00.001-04:00

As an independent publisher of my own books, I have learned that there is a system and if you work that system you can succeed in it. If you want your book reviewed, there are some things you should know up front before you approach a reviewer to increase your success rate and to knock down some of the hoops, or hit and miss.

There are some people that like to re-invent the wheel, nothing wrong with that but the information below will save you time and money.

How to Get Your Book Reviewed on Blogs
By Denise Willms

Book reviews are an easy and effective way to promote your book. People like hearing about new books and what others think of them.

You've probably seen book reviews published in your local newspaper or in your favorite magazines. You may even have seen them on T.V. during news or talk shows.

Those are all good places to have your book reviewed, of course. But newspaper columnists, magazine writers and television hosts simply don't have time to review every book that comes their way. And as popular as they are, their audience may not be the ideal audience for your book.

If you want to reach a lot of people with your book very quickly, try having your book reviewed on blogs that are popular with your target market.

Why Ask Bloggers to Review Your Book?

Bloggers are often overlooked but powerful social influencers. Well known bloggers have thousands, and sometimes hundreds of thousands, of loyal followers who read their posts daily. They then share those posts with their friends and on social media sites.

Lesser-known, tightly niched bloggers are influential too. If you can find a blog that's not as popular, but that is highly relevant to your topic, it is worth asking if the blogger will review your book.

How to Find Bloggers to Review Your Book

What some authors do is just mail out their book to every blogger's address they can find, and hope for the best. If that's the approach you take, you will likely be disappointed. As well, an out-of-the-blue email asking a stranger to review your book will probably get a similar, unenthusiastic response.

Bloggers are busy people - the key word being "people" - who write to build connections with other people. To get their attention, you will likely need to do some sincere relationship building of your own.

When you find a blog that you think would be a good fit for your book, it's time to slow down and do some research. Begin reading the blog regularly, reading the comments left by readers, and leaving insightful comments of your own.

Before you approach any blogger about reviewing your book, you'll want to know:

Is the topic of your book highly relevant to the topic of the blog?
Are the blog's readers looking for information like what you offer in your book?
Does the blogger review books or products?

Once you've established that your book would definitely be beneficial to the readers, and you have established a rapport with the blogger, that is a good time to approach him or her about reviewing your book.

Denise Willms is a Virtual Assistant who specializes in helping authors promote their books, save time, and earn more money. Get a little bit famous! Visit Denise at CassidarInk.com to download your copy of her exclusive article marketing checklist for authors to help you write the articles your adoring fans are waiting for.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Denise_Willms

Comment: Knowledge is a tool to conquer the giants. May you have great success. Don’t leave without searching for Book Marketing Using Social Networking.

Twitter to Promote Your Book? What's A Twitter?

2010-08-18T19:09:00.003-04:00

Do you keep hearing the name twitter? Are you tweeting, as it is called? Perhaps you have attempted to use twitter and just got frustrated, felt like you couldn’t grasp it or keep up with it. Melinda offers some great advice to set you straight and get you excited about why you should promote your book on twitter.

Promote Your Book on Twitter in 10 Minutes a Day
By Melinda Copp

If you're marketing your books online, then you've probably heard of Twitter. It was all the rage last year in social media, and millions of people have joined this micro-blogging community. Maybe you even started a profile page and sent out a tweet or two. If so, that's great. And if you've been avoiding it for one reason or another, it might be time to try it out.

Why? With millions of people tweeting every day, it's a huge source of potential readers for your book. It's easy to get followers and it's a great way to interact with your reading audience. But one of the main excuses I hear about why people aren't on Twitter-or they aren't using it fully-is that it's so time consuming. Well, it can be. But not if you try the following tips.

Automate Your Tweets

With so many people on Twitter, you need a lot of tweets per day to really maximize your exposure. But you don't want to spend all day tweeting. Automation is the answer. You can use the following tools to tweet on your behalf.

Hoot Suite: This program allows you to schedule tweets ahead of time. So once a month, you can go into your Hoot Suite account and set it up to tweet several times a day for you. You have to enter each tweet and schedule them one at a time, which can be tedious, but it's worth getting several days of tweets out of the way at one time. I use this tool especially when I'm announcing a teleseminar or other event that's scheduled on my calendar.

Social Oomph: This tool also allows you to schedule tweets for later, but the true beauty of Social Oomph is that you can set it to send all your new followers a welcome message. This saves time contacting everyone who follows you, and allows you to start building a relationship with them right away.

Twitter Feed: This tool allows you to link your blog or any other RSS feed to your Twitter account. This means any time you update your blog, a tweet is automatically sent out. You only have to set this up once, and then it works automatically. And it's a great way to get new eyes on your blog posts.

Make Tweeting Easy

You can only automate so much of your Twitter activity. You'll also have to check in periodically through the day to communicate with people and send out the more personal tweets, like what you're working on that day or what you're excited about. The key to getting it down to ten minutes or less is making it super easy to tweet. Here are a few tips.

Link Your Twitter Account to Your Cell Phone: When your cell phone is linked to your Twitter account, you can take advantage of spare minutes in your day, like when you're waiting in line or stuck in traffic, to post updates. When you sign up for a Twitter account, you'll be asked if you want to use your phone with it. And they'll give you the steps for setting everything up.

Use a Desktop Twitter Manager, Like Tweet Deck: Tweet Deck is a free program that you can download to your computer and use to see everything that's happening on Twitter in one place. It has a column for the live feed, a column that shows everyone who's mentioned you, and a column for all the direct messages you receive. This makes the all-important social interaction easy.

Send Quality Tweets

If you want people to respond to you and follow you, then you need to keep them interested. Plus quality tweets will maximize the time you do spend on this social media site. I've heard a few different formulas from different Twitter experts, but basically you want a daily mix of tweets that include:

Giving away good information that will interest people in your target audience, such as links to your blog posts, tips, interesting quotes, links to other people's blog posts, links to articles, etc. This should be the bulk of your Twitter activity-and these are the easiest types of tweets to automate, by the way.

Being nice to people by complimenting them, retweeting their tweets, engaging in conversation, responding to their questions, etc. This is what you do when you check in with your mentions and direct messages.

Being real. Social media is all about being approachable. So once or twice a day, check in with what you're working on, what's bugging you, what delicious restaurant you ate lunch at, something funny you found on the web, or what's going on in your life. Let your followers know the real you, even if you don't think it's interesting.

Asking for a sale. The whole point of your Twitter participation is selling books, right? Well, then, at some point you need to ask folks to buy your book. However, you can't blatantly promote your book all the time (maybe once or twice a day if you have ten-fifteen other tweets going out), and you can't just come right out and ask people to buy. Try tweeting about some tip from your book and link to a sales page, making it informational as well as subtly promotional.

Tweeting Your Way to Book Sales

Twitter is too big to ignore-especially if you're marketing your book online. It's a great, free way to get traffic to your site and find a reading audience. But no one wants to spend all day tweeting. When you use these tips for automating, simplifying, and maximizing your Twitter time, you can reap all the benefits from using this social media site in ten minutes a day or less!

Melinda Copp helps aspiring self-help, business, and nonfiction authors write and publish books that establish expertise, attract clients and opportunities, and share their message in a compelling way. Visit http://www.writerssherpaprograms.com/writeabook.html for a free copy of her Write Your Book Quick-Start Mini E-course.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Melinda_Copp

Comment: Independent authors should be open to discovering new ways to expand their marketing territory and to never quit implementing what you learn.

Check out our archives for Getting Your Book Reviewed on Blogs.

Promote Your Book On Facebook

2010-08-16T14:42:00.001-04:00

There are some authors who don’t get the full understanding of something and dive right in. I wonder how many have already broken facebook’s rule related to business and book marketing? If you aren’t getting the results, chances are you might not have the full picture. I found this article to be informative and easy to follow. Let me know what you think.

Promote Your Book on Facebook With a Fan Page
By Dana Lynn Smith

On Facebook, "Profiles" are strictly for people. Facebook's rules require that you register your Profile in your own name. If you use the name of your business or book, you risk having your account canceled.

A Facebook "Fan Page" or "Page" is designed for business use and it's a great way to promote your book. You can set up a Fan Page for your business, book, or even a character in your book, and you can create multiple Pages. Here are some advantages that Pages have over personal Profiles.

• By using Facebook applications like "Static FBML," you can create customized tabs on your Facebook Fan Page containing graphics, text, videos and even opt-in forms to promote your book.

• You can specify which tab of the Page that you want new visitors to land on.

• Facebook users join a Page by clicking on the "Become a Fan" button and there's no limit to the number of fans who can join.

• You can send messages to your all of your fans, which shows up in their news feed.

• Pages get indexed by search engines and each tab on the Page has its own URL.

Click here to create a Fan Page. Here are some ways to promote your book by building traffic to your Fan Page:

• Once your Page has at least 25 fans, go to http://www.facebook.com/username/ to create a personalized URL for your page.

• Beneath the photo or image on your Page, click "Suggest to Friends" to send invitations to your Facebook friends to join your page. The invitation will appear in the In Box of your friends.

• Write an article for your blog and ezine inviting people to join your Page.

• Invite people to join your page by posting updates on Twitter, your Facebook personal Profile, and on other social networks.

To encourage Facebook users to join your Page, be active in posting on the page, maintain lively discussions, and offer some benefits and incentive for becoming a fan. Even though promotion is allowed, you still need to be somewhat subtle and provide value to your fans rather than just a sales pitch.

For more detailed information about how to promote your book on Facebook, see Facebook Guide for Authors, by Dana Lynn Smith. For more book promotion tips, follow @BookMarketer on Twitter and visit The Savvy Book Marketer blog at http://www.TheSavvyBookMarketer.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dana_Lynn_Smith

Comment: Publishing a book as an independent requires effort on your part. Unless you try to implement suggestions you can’t say they don’t work. Sooner or later you will hit upon what is successful for you.

You may want to search the archives for: Promote Your Book on Twitter in 10 Minutes a Day.

How to Sell to Libraries

2010-08-16T14:28:00.001-04:00

First time authors learn from those who have marched before you. You don’t have to re-invent the wheel.

How to Sell to Libraries - Top Ten Strategies For Independent Authors and Publishers
By Dana Lynn Smith

America's 123,000 libraries purchase nearly $2 billion worth of books annually, according to statistics from the American Library Association and the Book Industry Study Group. Nonfiction books are especially well suited to library sales. To sell fiction to libraries, it's helpful to have reviews in journals, awards, or a strong local tie-in, such as a novel being set in the region.

Here are ten tips on how to sell to libraries:

1. Publish a library-friendly book. Library books take a lot of abuse, so libraries prefer books that are sturdy. However, given the choice between a hardcover and paperback edition, they may choose the paperback because it's less expensive. Libraries generally will not purchase books with spiral or other nontraditional binding, and they don't like books with "fill-in-the-blank" pages. Nonfiction books should have a good index and preferably a bibliography. Librarians also prefer to purchase books that are cataloged using CIP (cataloging-in-publication) data.

2. Get your book reviewed in a library journal. Library purchasing decisions are based largely on reviews in the major journals. It's impossible for librarians to keep up with the huge volume of books being published, and they value the screening process that the journals provide. Eligibility and submission instructions vary by publication, so read the requirements carefully. Unfortunately, the journals can review only a small percentage of submissions.

3. Make sure your book is available through major library wholesalers such as Baker & Taylor and Ingram. The majority of library purchases are made through wholesalers, and some libraries won't order directly from small publishers.

4. Apply to work with a library distributor such as Quality Books or Unique Books, if you publish nonfiction.

5. Solicit testimonials from librarians to add to your marketing materials, and play up any awards the book has won.

6. Contact libraries in your area to inquire about programs for local authors, and contact libraries in towns you visit. Let the library know about your events or media coverage in the area, such as book signings, radio interviews, or newspaper feature stories.

7. Look into speaking opportunities at libraries, like lectures and readings. In some cases you can sell copies of your book at your event or even get paid a speaking fee. Sometimes these events are organized by the "friends of the library" or other similar volunteer groups.

8. Send direct mail to libraries, either on your own or through co-operative mailings. Address mail to the Collection Development Librarian for your subject area, and include a flyer with book details and a list of wholesalers and distributors that carry your book.

9. Consider donating a sample copy of your book to a few top library systems, to encourage purchases for branch libraries.

10. Exhibit at library tradeshows through co-operative exhibit programs such as those offered through the Independent Book Publishers Association, Combined Book Exhibit, and other organizations.

Excerpted from The Savvy Book Marketer's Guide to Selling Your Book to Libraries.

Dana Lynn Smith is a book marketing coach and author of the Savvy Book Marketer Guides. For more tips, follow @BookMarketer on Twitter, visit Dana's book marketing blog and get a free copy of the Top Book Marketing Tips ebook when you sign up for her complimentary book marketing newsletter.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dana_Lynn_Smith

Comment: Great information. The more information you have, the greater the chances of success. Develop the habit of reading to succeed.

Looking for more articles like this? Search archives for: Promote Your Book on Facebook With a Fan Page.

Self-Published Authors Create Additional Income Selling Booklets

2010-08-16T14:12:00.001-04:00

Publishing a book opens the door to numerous income streams. If you have published a book, you can publish booklets. Jeff McRitchie shares how to:

Write and Publish Your Own Money-Making Booklets
By Jeff McRitchie

People are always looking for certain kinds of information, and are usually willing to pay for it as well. Here are some ways to get started publishing your own booklets for fun and profit.

Topics And Research:

If you already have some expertise in a field that would make for a good booklet, great! If not, you can start to research some topics that you can become well-versed at in a relatively short time, and that will have the ability to make you some money. Some of the topics that consistently produce results are personal fitness and weight loss, and ideas for starting small home businesses - or simply ways to make money at home. If you don't know much about these things, it is time to do some research.

Your research can and should be deep and multi-tiered. Take a look at your competition, if you can. Find the books or booklets that are selling well in your chosen field, and see if you can decide for yourself what it is about these books that is successful. While you want to steer well clear of any sort of plagiarism, you can use some of the concepts and theories that are in these books without stealing or outright copying. In any event, you will want to use more than one book as resource material, and you will likely want to find experts in the field that you can interview on your own.

Writing Your Booklet:

Once you have all the information you would like to include in your booklet, you can start to write and organize the material. Start with an outline, and fill in the text from there. For the sake of brevity and readability, you will most likely want to keep your booklet to about 40 pages max. Start with chapters, headers and subheaders and go from there. Strive to make your writing entertaining, appealing and clear. Don't be afraid to struggle through a few drafts in order to get the tight wording you are after.

Since booklets are inherently short works, you must strive to keep things simple and not veer off into writing a lot of fluff. As you are putting your booklet together, make it your goal to provide your reader with something of value with every line you write.

Art and Layout:

Consider what artwork you will want to include and find a nice photo or two. Again, since space is limited, you will not want to go overboard here. Just enough to keep the package attractive, and to enhance readability. Try to strike a nice balance between text and graphics.

If you are good at graphics programs, that is all the better. If not, you may need to find someone who can work with typesetting and layout software.

Printing and Binding:

If you have used color, you will want to get your pages printed with a high-quality color printer. As far as binding your booklet, there are a few options such as saddle stitching with a stapler or booklet maker, plastic comb or spiral coil.

Marketing:

Start a website to sell your book from. You should also have a PDF version that you can sell downloads of, which will cut your overhead considerably. Charge a reasonable, but competitive price for your work. Remember that people tend to value things that they paid more for. Getting traffic to your site will be an ongoing process, but doing some keyword research and having a site that is updated regularly will help immensely.

If you are interested in more information about how the right Binding Machine can help you with your booklet-making business, you might want to visit MyBinding.com. They offer a great price on binding equipment and they even offer Free Shipping on orders over $75.00. Plus, they carry a full line of Binding Supplies, in all brands and capabilities.

If you are looking for other information and articles to help you learn about Binding Equipment and Supplies, you should really check out MyBindingBlog.com. They feature thousands of articles, posts and product reviews on topics related to binding, laminating, paper shredding and paper handling. Check them out today.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jeff_McRitchie

From booklets to books at www.print2publish.com

Tips for Independent Book Publisher: Is Your Book Message Clear?

2010-08-16T13:53:00.008-04:00

Thinking of publishing your first book? Have you realized that there are millions of offers to get your book published on the internet, making if harder to pick one. Yes, it really can happen, your dream of becoming a self-published author. Among those offers there are free and low cost publishers ready to deliver. Don’t be afraid. It is real and you’re about to make it happen.

So how do you decide who will bring your book idea to the market as a “do it yourself” book publisher? If you have never published, then it wouldn’t hurt to write down what you know and expect your book publisher to deliver.

Writers who are asked directly “What do you want?” will respond that they want to sell a million copies, receive worldwide exposure, invitations to talk shows, television, to be placed in book stores online and offline, etc. If this sounds familiar, then your book publishing company should include these plus things you hadn’t thought of.

So what next as the “do it yourself” book publisher? Here is an article written by Irene Watson:

Marketing Your Book - Making Your Book's Message Clear
By Irene Watson

Everything used to market a book, whether it's the cover, the website, marketing pieces, or the words out of the author's mouth, need to send a clear message about what the book is about. Too many authors forget that their purpose is to spread their message and sell books when it comes to presenting their book to the public. Following are a few examples of mixed messages authors send in different areas of their marketing and how an author can instead make his or her book's message clear.

The Front Cover

The front cover of your book is your biggest marketing tool. No one is going to read the back cover, or anything else you write about your book, unless the front cover grabs his or her attention. The front cover must, in one image, not only convey what the book is about, but show that the book's subject is interesting. Mixed messages from book covers can badly hurt book sales. For example, if your book is about overcoming fear, a photo of something fearful like a grizzly bear is not going to convey the message, even though it may convey the "fear" part. A picture of an eagle soaring, however, will provide a sense of freedom from fear, from obstacles. Similarly, generic images such as beaches or nature scenes may not convey your message of how to succeed in business, although they may suggest you are successful enough to retire. A better image might include a person in a business suit, a briefcase, or something else associated with business-commercials of businessmen conducting business on their cell phones on a beach have effectively displayed this concept.

The Back Cover

Once the front cover grabs the reader's attention, the back cover has to convince the person to buy the book. The back cover must also convey the book's message. Author biographies and book endorsements can help, but the back cover should not be limited to these because they don't tell you what the book is about. An effective back cover will have at least one paragraph making it clear what is the book's subject, or in fiction, what is the book's plot.

Please don't try to stretch what the book is about if it's not about something. I can't tell you how many books I've been disappointed in because the back cover built up my expectations, only to have the book fail to deliver what the back cover promised. Many of those books I would have enjoyed more had I simply not been given false expectations about them. By not having a truthful back cover, you send the reader down the wrong road while reading the book, trying to find or interpret what is not there, and he may not get back on the right road then to appreciate what is in the book, but instead stay focused on what is not present.

Author Photo

The author photo is extremely important in conveying a message about your book. Unfortunately, too many authors do not have tasteful and professional photographs taken. The authors need to tell a professional photographer what his book is about and that he wants that message conveyed in his photo. That doesn't mean you need a gimmick in your photo. It may just be a straight headshot, but the pose should have dignity if you want your book taken seriously, or you should be smiling or even laughing if your book is humorous. Too many authors take photos with their pets, which conveys a mixed message. Why would a writer of murder mysteries want a cat in her photo? The book isn't about cats. I've seen history books with photos of the author in his biking gear. Save that photo for your book on mountain biking. If you're writing about business, you may want to look professional with a suit and tie, but if you're writing about great travel destinations, instead of the suit and tie, a (tasteful) Hawaiian shirt might be more in order.

Websites

People do not read websites. They skim them. If you have a website and look at your website statistics, you'll quickly see that the majority of traffic stays less than thirty seconds. You only have a few seconds to let people know what your site is about and why they should look at it in more detail. If your message isn't clear from the start, visitors won't stay. You should have your book cover and a clear message about that book on the home page. Avoid the images that take forever to load or the music that when it starts to play makes someone jump out of his seat. Your book cover and a phrase or paragraph on what your book is about should quickly convey a clear message, and then have clear links to your other pages-About the Author, Buy the Book, a page for more information on the book, your blog-pages that will all convey your message and make it clear to the reader how to purchase that message in the form of your book.

Business Cards and Other Marketing Pieces

Anything you are going to give to potential readers needs to have a clear message about your book. If you're a dog groomer, but also an author, a business card with dog grooming information on it is not going to work. You need separate business cards to promote you as a romance author. Whenever possible, put your book cover on your business card so you present a clear message that you are an author and here is your book.

All other marketing pieces-brochures, postcards, posters, etc.-also need to convey a straightforward message about your book. If you love Jesus, that's great, but don't assume people who want to read your historical novel do. I can't tell you how many times I have seen Bible quotes on marketing pieces. They isolate your readers and send mixed messages, making people think your Civil War novel is Christian fiction, and they may not want to read Christian fiction. If it is Christian fiction, however, then those Bible quotes will help to make your message clear.

Graphics are great if you can find graphics that convey your message. Don't use flowers, birds, butterflies, etc. unless they are relevant to your book. If your book is about gardening, the flowers are fine. If it's a "How to" book about engine repair, a car might be appropriate. Images stick in the mind so make sure they convey your message, and not a message you don't intend to convey. Somehow pretty butterflies and murder mysteries just don't mesh.

Promoting Your Book in Public

When promoting your book in public, make sure you don't convey mixed messages. You can send mixed messages even by wearing inappropriate clothing-for example a beer shirt when you're marketing your fantasy novel at a Renaissance Festival. Find something "fantasy-like" to wear instead. A suit probably won't sell a cookbook, but a chef's outfit will help.

Make sure when giving interviews that you are presenting a clear message. You can't control what the interviewer may ask, but you can steer the interviewer in the right direction. Most interviewers won't read your book before the interview, so you need to be prepared to do a little steering. If you get a question that isn't relevant, it's fine to say, "Well, I don't really cover that subject, but I do talk about...." And then move the conversation in the right direction. You don't have to take control, but if you plan beforehand what are the two or three points you want to make about your book's message, you'll have those in the forefront of your mind and work them into your answers so your message is clear to listeners.

Figure out early on what your book's message is (early on means before writing the book or at least when writing it), and then figure out ways to convey that message with images, and in a few words, in a sentence, and in a paragraph. Make sure the message is clear each time you present it to people, whether online, on paper, or in person. What your book is about is going to determine whether people want to read it, so sending a clear message about your book is the best way to find your readers, and to make sure they are receptive to your message and not expecting something else. In the end, you want your message to hit home with your readers, and then have them convey that message to their friends-your future readers.

Irene Watson is the Managing Editor of Reader Views, where avid readers can find reviews of recently published books as well as read interviews with authors. Her team also provides author publicity and a variety of other services specific to writing and publishing books.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Irene_Watson

What else should a “do it yourself” book publisher know? Search archives on this blog for “How to Sell to Libraries – Top Ten Strategies For Independent Authors and Publishers

How to Write A Book and Sell A Million Copies

2010-07-20T20:54:00.002-04:00

Are you looking to be a million dollar book seller? Is that title what caught your eye? You have come to the right no bull article. No hype. Selling a million copies of a book is not impossible if you know something about what makes successful authors.

There are some things that are fact: Titles sell books; cover design plays a role in appealing to the market; a good creative writer could do wonders for your content; the right topic and its appeal are all factors to be considered.

What is it about the autobiography of a horse name Black Beauty, written by Anna Sewell, that ended up selling $50 million? C.S. Lewis: The Chronicles of Narnia selling $120 million; “Steps to Christ,” written by E.G. White, which later became the focus of a plagiarism accusation, selling $60 million. You can understand books that appeal to a mass market, like Chicken Soup for the soul, with Canfield and Hansen, selling $130 million. Or “You Can Heal Your Life,” by Louise Hay, selling $35 million.

Marketing may have played a role in it, maybe even the cover design, or the editors creative pen but is there a common thread among these writers? If they had a name and wrote a book, you could say, “That book is going to sell millions.” Unfortunately, looking deeper into the lives of some of these authors we don’t see that at all. These authors began their journey just like you: they wanted to express themselves, be heard, be an instrument of change, and writing a book allowed them to do that.

We’ve heard a lot about creating the right titles, the right cover, and writing to the market, so judge for yourself whether these titles would have motivated you to buy: The Common Sense Book of Baby and Child Care; The Very Hungry Catepillar; Charlotte’s Web; Roget’s Thesaurus; Guess How Much I Love You: Left Behind and She. Here are some titles that would more likely have pricked your interest: Men Are From Mars Women Are From Venus; How to Win Friends and Influence People; the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People; Think and Grow Rich and Purpose Driven Life.

Is there any worth to having the right title? Ted Nicholas wrote: How to Publish a Book and Sell A Million Copies. There is no argument that the right title may play a role in selling a book, but how many books have you bought based on the title and ended up disappointed? You probably have a few on your shelf right now. So why do some books sell millions and others don’t? Is there a way to measure?

The answer does not lie in the result but in the author’s intent. A look back at the stories of those authors selling a million copies, and it appears, they didn’t start out to sell a million copies. They found a need and filled it, found something that rang their chime first and ignited their passion. These authors found significance, satisfaction, or purpose, and along the way the million copies in sales were realized.

That could be you when you understand what drives those authors who end up selling a million copies. If you want the results they have, study them; read their story, hear their heart, soul, and words and you too will sell books by the millions.

Be true to what is passionate to your heart. Don’t try to be like others, or covet their success. Your book could very well sell a million copies. What do you believe? How committed are you to your message?

Discover how self-published authors create a tsunami from a spit in the ocean at www.telecafepublishing.com.

Step By Step to Amazon Riches

2010-07-19T22:34:00.006-04:00

How to Sell Books on Amazon
By Irene Watson

Authors know that getting their books listed at Amazon is crucial for book sales. More and more readers are making Amazon their first place to go to purchase books, and with Amazon's free shipping options and the convenience of shopping from home, that trend is not going to change. But Amazon offers different options to authors to sell their books, which can be both confusing and time-consuming to unravel. Here are some simple ways to maneuver through that process.

Amazon offers basically three ways to sell your book at its online store: 1) listing the book at Amazon and then shipping copies to Amazon, 2) having a seller's account, or 3) selling your book for Kindle. I will focus on just the first two options, which relate to printed rather than digital books.

What are the differences between having Amazon sell your book and your creating a seller's account to sell your book yourself at Amazon? Time and money. As an author, you will have to decide whether time or money is more important to you in working with Amazon, or you can balance out both ways at least until you decide which works best for you. Below are explanations for how to do both and the advantages and disadvantages of each.

List Your Book for Amazon to Sell

How: This requires creating an "Amazon Advantage" account, perhaps aptly named because Amazon rather than the author receives most of the advantage. To join, you need copies of your book, an ISBN, and a bar code. Then visit Amazon Advantage. Follow the steps but read the fine print. Amazon charges an annual fee ($29.95 currently and nonrefundable whether or not any of your books sell) and its commission is 55% of your retail price. Amazon will notify you to send books and how many. You pay the shipping and have no say over the number you send. If Amazon wants fifty, you pay the shipping on fifty, even if the books don't sell. If Amazon only wants two at a time, you may find yourself making frequent small shipments which can be time consuming and more costly than one large shipment if your book is selling steadily.

Advantage: Once Amazon receives your books and starts selling them, you don't have to deal with mailing out individual orders.

Disadvantages: Not only do you have to pay an annual fee to be listed, but Amazon's 55% commission is very high. For example, a book priced at $25.95 would mean a profit of $11.68 for the author. Remember you also need to figure in the cost of shipping the books to Amazon so your profit will be even lower.

Be an Independent Seller Through Amazon

How: You can't sell your book independently on Amazon until it is listed there, so regardless, your book needs an Amazon Advantage account. You can follow the steps above, become an Amazon Advantage client, and then later tell Amazon the book is no longer available, or if you are traditionally published, published by a subsidy press, or sign up with a distributor like Ingram, your publisher or distributor will create your Amazon Advantage account for you and pay the fees, just giving you the royalties you agreed on with the publisher or distributor. Today, many independent printers and book design firms will also list books at Amazon for self-published authors and simply charge a small flat one-time fee (usually around $50) to list your book for you. The book can be listed as out of stock, meaning Amazon has no copies, and you don't need to send them any.

Once your book has a listing at Amazon, you can open a seller account with Amazon to sell your book independently. First, look up your book title on Amazon. On the right side of the screen for your Amazon listing is a little boxed area with the question, "Have one to sell?" followed by a button to click on that says, "Sell Yours Here." Click the button and follow the steps to list your book and your information. You can list as many copies available as you like, provided you have that many copies in stock. Customers can now buy the book directly from you rather than Amazon. You pay nothing to Amazon until the book sells.

Advantages: The advantages are many, especially in terms of your profit. Rather than take 55% in commission like with an Amazon Advantage Account, Amazon takes something closer to 25%. Amazon also gives you a $3.99 credit to ship your book, which should pay the cost of shipping if you ship via media mail. So for example, that $25.95 book we used as an example previously and which weighs about one pound, will cost you $2.77 to mail. Amazon pays you $23.71 for the sale, including the $3.99 for shipping) which means your profit is $20.94 (about double the $11.68 minus shipping had you sold it through Amazon Advantage).

Another advantage to an individual seller account is that while Amazon may list your book at retail of $25.95, in your seller account you can list it slightly under that price so it appears less expensive to customers. You can also list the book, not only as "New" but include that it is autographed by the author and personally shipped by him or her. Even if you sign the books you ship directly to Amazon, Amazon won't advertise for you that they are autographed, so listing your books on your seller account as "signed by the author" may be an advantage for you. Many readers will feel an autographed book is of more value than one that is not.

A final advantage is that you get your buyer's address and email information, so you know more about your customer than you would if Amazon had sold the book. You can retain that information for future marketing mailings or updates to the customer when your next book comes out. Eventually, you might persuade the customer to buy directly through your website rather than through Amazon, thus giving you a greater profit in sales.

Disadvantages: You must ship the book within 48 hours of the order, and you are responsible for packaging and shipping, which means if your book is popular you will be making frequent trips to mail it, but it's worthwhile if the book is selling.

Another disadvantage is that Amazon customers cannot receive FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders of $25 or more if a product is from an Amazon Seller rather than Amazon directly. This might make the customer less likely to buy your product, but if readers really want your book, they probably won't mind paying a few extra dollars for shipping. However, if Amazon is also selling your book, customers will most likely opt to purchase that copy rather than looking at copies available from sellers.

As an author, you need to determine which selling option at Amazon is most beneficial for you. In my opinion, listing yourself as an independent seller is the better choice and Amazon's best kept secret, but as I said, you can do both and experiment until you decide which one provides the greatest monetary return for your time and financial investment.

Irene Watson is the Managing Editor of Reader Views, where avid readers can find reviews of recently published books as well as read interviews with authors. Her team also provides author publicity and a variety of other services specific to writing and publishing books.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Irene_Watson

Comments: Irene breaks it down. So if you are new to the business of selling on Amazon, Irene details step by step, answering the questions most would not have even thought of. I personally like the individual seller account. Enjoy the journey.

Check out www.createspace.com/3437336

Write For Profit Or Don't Write!

2010-07-19T22:23:00.002-04:00

Be the Next JK Rowling - Can I Make Money Writing a Book?
By M Goudelock

Can I make money writing a book? Sure enough, everybody is familiar with the infamous Harry Potter and his magical adventures with his wizard friends. The series by J.K. Rowling is definitely a hit not only to children but also to adults who love to read. Needless to say, her books have certainly brought not only fame but also a fortune to her in an instant. Therefore, you can indeed make money by writing a book. How? Read on and find out.

In order to answer your question, "Can I make money writing a book," you first need to know what to write about by finding out what your readers want to read. This is very important factor that tends to be ignored by many writers. You have a wide range of choices picking the genre you want to focus on. You can start with short stories then work it up to novels eventually.

One good idea is to write about a "hot" topic. By hot topic, it means something that generates the interest or imagination of the public. It isn't necessary that your book is the great American novel but rather a book that is created to sell fast because your audience is interested in its content.

The question now is how to find a present "hot" topic. You can freely utilize the services of the internet by conducting surveys to find out what's currently "hot" nowadays. You can also monitor to some talk shows on the radios if you have the time. Aside from political issues, you may come across topics like health and finance.

Once you decide on a hot topic, you may start writing your book. It is a good idea to create an online blog and publish your work on it while you are in the process of writing it. Of course after finishing your novel, you need to have it published. There are some small and mid-scaled publishers who are open to new writers. The only problem is that they don not have enough money power like that of a major publisher. Although getting published with them can be of advantage too since they will surely give you the royalty fees you need to make a living.

However, it will be the major publishers who will be the ones to bring you big sales. The difficult thing here is it is harder for them to notice you but it is not impossible. If you are lucky enough to come across a literary agent who can represent you, that would be a great help to you. A literary agent is someone who has read your book and believes that it is marketable enough to sell. They have the connections in the industry to get your book to editors who decide on what books go on to be published.

Some people may ask, "How many books do I have to sell in order to make money?" Actually, the quantity of books you need to publish is the variable. Keep in mind a good rule of thumb for estimating your profits is a dollar is equal to one book meaning you have to sell 50,000 books within a year so that you can earn a solid living.

If you are somebody who keeps on asking himself, "Can I make money writing a book?" Definitely you can. Just give your full determination and commitment and the rewards are yours to reap.

Ready to learn more information on how you can make money writing a book, visit http://www.eBooksCreated.com today!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=M_Goudelock

Comments: I like Goudelock's idea about creating a blog and publish while writing. The impossible seems possible by the time you finish this read.

For more book publishing secrets visit www.telecafepublishing.com

How To Go From Unknown to Known As A Poet

2010-07-18T14:08:00.002-04:00

I remember attempting to write poems as a kid. There are some classic poems we learned in school that we still remember today: Humpty Dumpty sat on the wall; Humpty Dumpty had a great fall; All of the Kings Horses and all of the King’s men couldn’t put humpty back together again.

What about: “There was an old lady who lived in a shoe; she had so many kids she didn’t know what to do.”

As a coach today, involved in guiding others into writing and publishing a book, I have the pleasure of working with many aspiring poets.

Each have their own uniqueness: some are funny and others write about the serious side to life. There are others who are focused on the beauty all around, people, places and things, finding something to heighten our awareness and to deepen our appreciation.

The path to the modern day poet’s success is no different than those who have blazed a trail before and neither is the steps to self publish a poetry book.

If I could for a moment, take you on a journey through the early life of one of my favorite poets, Langston Hughes. He didn’t start out wanting to publish a poetry book, he started out with a passion for writing about what was going on around him, using a poetic format.

The first step to growing your popularity as a poet: persistence. Langston’s father didn’t think he could earn a living writing, so he paid his way to Columbia University on the grounds that he would study engineering. Within a short time, Langston dropped out of the class but continued to write poetry.

Persistence leads to success as a poet. Langston was an unknown, known only by his family and friends, but he looked for opportunity, believed in what he was doing, stayed true. . . read complete article at www.print2publish.com