5 Reasons Why You Should STILL Be Self-Publishing

indie finish lineDepending on where you’ve been keeping yourself over the past couple of months you may have heard rumblings that the market for self-published literature has bottomed out. Kindle Unlimited has reduced earnings for Indie authors and forced many to return to their day jobs, there are too many traditionally-published books on the market at lower prices, or insert any other complaint here that shows Amazon slighting indie authors. As with everything we hear, whether it’s online or in the realer world, we should examine the sources and try to determine their motivation. Once we’ve done that, we often discover that the sky isn’t really falling and there is no reason to get fitted for a tinfoil hat. Not yet anyway.

The quality of the content and product presentation of self-published literature is improving at a staggering rate. I had no idea that there were so many talented, creative writers out there. And, many authors are connecting with readers and selling books by the truckload every day. If you’re still not convinced I’d like to present you with some reasons why self-publishing may be the route for you. Continue reading “5 Reasons Why You Should STILL Be Self-Publishing”

A Bad Review Needs a Good Attitude

This Book Sucks Biting Book ReviewsOkay, so you read this book, it didn’t suit you and you’re upset you paid good money for it. Do you sit down in the heat of the moment and fire off the first barbs that come to mind in a one-star review on Amazon? Well, that may make you feel better, but sort of review is simply not effective. If anyone reads it, they’re not going to believe it. Everyone is aware of all the knee-jerk reactionaries and internet bullies out there, and if you sound like that kind of nasty, you get exactly the same reaction: “Click! Goodbye.”  If you want to get more of those coveted “Your Review Helped Another Customer” responses on Amazon, read over your review before you publish, and consider what your reader is considering as he reads: your attitude. Continue reading “A Bad Review Needs a Good Attitude”

Featured Book: First Chapters

First Chapters
by Indies Unlimited Authors
Available from Amazon.com and Amazon UK.
Perma-Free on Smashwords

First Chapters is an introduction to twenty-two cutting-edge indie authors with a wide array of genres and unique voices.

This volume includes chapters from authors DV Berkom, Melissa Bowersock, Laurie Boris, K.S. Brooks, Lynne Cantwell, Martin Crosbie, Jim Devitt, A.C. Flory, Yvonne Hertzberger, Stephen Hise, Mark Jacobs, Chris James, LA Lewandowski, TD McKinnon, Rich Meyer, Melissa Pearl, Lin Robinson, Kathy Rowe, Carolyn Steele, Krista Tibbs, Dick Waters, and Carol Wyer.

Book Club Reading List: Is It Worth It?

Book Club Reading ListSeveral years ago, I came across Book Club Reading List (BCRL), a site that claims to connect book clubs and readers with authors and books via, among other avenues, a monthly newsletter sent to 8,000+ book clubs. In addition, BCRL partners with various book clubs that agree to review exclusively books they’ve found through BCRL.

In their instructions to clubs, “Each month, our clubs are presented with three titles by local authors. Authors compete for your attention, and members vote to select the book that their local chapter will read. Once a title has been selected, the winning author acts as the ‘guest host’, scheduling a day, time and location through the chapter’s group on Meetup.com.” Continue reading “Book Club Reading List: Is It Worth It?”