Several respected bloggers have begun to back away from self publishing books. They have crunched numbers, which most recently suggest an increase in the percentage of traditionally published books along with a decrease in self published Ebooks this past year. There is a rise in hybrid publishers (authors who do both) and an increase in … Continue reading The Sky Is Falling
book sales
Why An Audio Book?
The hot topic in my writing circles lately is audio books. I sense a fascination among my fellow authors. Several have made them, many want to make them. And why not? Audio books are enjoying an enormous surge in popularity, having more than doubled sales in the last several years. For the author, it's never … Continue reading Why An Audio Book?
Take Control Of Your Event
It's been a full summer of book launches, signings and sales for this author culminating in a long weekend of talks and vending. It was exhausting, yet profitable, a reminder that even something as pleasurable as writing can succeed only with the application of hard work––well directed hard work, which brings me to my thoughts. … Continue reading Take Control Of Your Event
THE POWER OF READERS REVISITED
This article is for readers and, of course, writers who are readers, as all writers must be. So perhaps this article is for everyone, other than those who disdain either reading or writing (poor souls). This piece is a compilation of several posts I have previously published on this site, as far back as June … Continue reading THE POWER OF READERS REVISITED
Does Social Media Help Market Your Book?
In an interview for Indie Recon, the worldwide virtual conference for independent publishers and authors, Mark Coker of Smashword suggested four approaches for the self publishing author in today’s market. His first advice was to "write a good, no, a great book". I discussed that thought in my April 17 Post, “Five Best Marketing Approaches … Continue reading Does Social Media Help Market Your Book?
Five Best Marketing Approaches for Self-Published Writers
IndieRecon (an independent publishing on-line conference) recently presented an interview with Mark Coker of Smashword. The topic, among other things; new marketing approaches for self publishing authors. He had five central thoughts: 1. Write a good, no, a great book 2. Forget Social Media - it won’t help 3. Write a lot of great … Continue reading Five Best Marketing Approaches for Self-Published Writers
What Works in Book Marketing: Part Deux
There’s been a lot of scuttlebutt on the digital wires (so to speak) about what works, and what doesn’t work in book marketing. By and large, the substance of what I have read suggests that much of the social media we were once encouraged to use is no longer seen as useful. There are exceptions. … Continue reading What Works in Book Marketing: Part Deux
The Holy Grail of Book Marketing
We have written of this many times in the past, yet it bears more discussion. The knowledge and skills required by an author to market a book have nearly (and in some cases actually have) superseded the skills necessary to write a book. Gone are the days of devoting one’s time exclusively to writing. The learning … Continue reading The Holy Grail of Book Marketing
What A Publisher Wants
I recently received an inquiry from a publisher asking that I write a proposal for a book they’d like me to write. This publisher deals in strictly formatted, non fiction books. There is not a lot of opportunity for creativity, nor is there a pot of gold at the end of this particular rainbow. … Continue reading What A Publisher Wants
The Automobile And The Horse
I was intrigued by Penny Sansevieri’s latest bulletin post in which she suggests that The Emperor (read New York Publishers) Has No Clothes (still don’t realize that their existence is in jeopardy). And as she goes on to surmise; perhaps they won't go away altogether. To draw an analogy, when the automobile arrived, the horse … Continue reading The Automobile And The Horse
R Lawson Gamble 