Month: May 2015

May Twitter Fest

hashtag tweeterHave you been feeling lonely on Twitter lately? Well, our Jim Devitt wrote a couple of posts which might help you get more eyes on your tweets. Check that out, then come back here and have some fun with our May Twitter Fest.

This is how it works: If you are an author, publisher, publicist, literary agent, book reviewer, (or especially a book-lover), etc., in the comments below, paste in the link for your Twitter Handle. Tweet the link to this post, inviting all your followers to do the same. Make sure you show some love to the handles in the comments above yours, and check back throughout the day to catch up. (Remember: If you right-click the link, you can open it in a new tab so you don’t have to constantly page back and forth.)

This should be fun and should generate a lot of follows for everyone who plays. We’ll kick things off with ours. Let’s get the party started! http://www.twitter.com/IndiesUnlimited.

PLEASE be sure to reciprocate by following those who follow you. DON’T BE A JERK and not follow people. This is give and take. If everyone plays by the golden rule, we all benefit. Follow comments is turned off for this followfest since we have generated over 2000 emails in ONE hour in the past which violates SPAM regulations. Please check back throughout the day and follow people back. Thank you.

Formatting for Paperbacks Primer

print book sniffing at Bowdoin College
There’s nothing like that print book smell.

I’m not blind to the fact that many more books are released as eBooks than print books these days, some authors choosing never to publish paperbacks at all. However, I also know there are lots of people out there who still love books, who still enjoy the heft and weight of a tome in their hands, who still appreciate the tactile sense of sliding their fingers between paper pages and gently leafing the top one over as they read the last word on the page before them. I produce paperbacks for 99% of my books, the only exception being the collection of first chapters of my novels, a perma-free sampler which would be at cross purposes as a more expensive print version. Because I don’t see print books going away any time soon, I thought a primer on basic formatting might prove useful. Continue reading “Formatting for Paperbacks Primer”

When Is a Guest Post Like a Sausage Factory?

sign the author blog tour guest bookOne of the things some authors do to promote their book is a “blog tour” which I’ve heard described as the modern day or indie equivalent of hitting the road for signings at book stores. The goal of such an undertaking is twofold. First, to get the word out that your new book exists (remember what Lynne Cantwell told us about effective frequency), selling some books while setting other readers up for future sales and second, to get a jump on the number of reviews on Amazon and other retailers. Some blog tours are review only, which helps with the second goal, but limits the number of bloggers willing to participate. Others offer different kinds of content for bloggers who are not willing to commit to a review. What these different kinds of content are will vary depending on who organizes the tour and the willingness of the author to create additional content. Interviews with the author, character interviews, and guest posts are examples of content frequently offered. Continue reading “When Is a Guest Post Like a Sausage Factory?”

Self-Publishing Shouldn’t be Miserable

miserable depressed author despair-513529_1280Over the past few weeks, I’ve stumbled across a handful of blog posts where self-published authors lament how awful self-publishing is and say they’re giving up. I’ve also seen a few posts (perhaps in response) reminding people that self-publishing is a long journey, that it takes time, and that they shouldn’t give up before they get to the Promised Land.

While I’m personally inclined to take the latter view, I understand that people who’ve taken the former view — that quitting is best for them — may be making a good decision. Life is short. So, if self-publishing is making you completely miserable, if it’s making you dread writing, if  it makes you hate looking at your sales dashboard, if it is stressing you to ulcer level, then for real, give it up. Life is too short to do optional things that make suck away your happiness. Misery is insidious in the way it infects your life, going so far as to make you physically ill. Get rid of misery. Continue reading “Self-Publishing Shouldn’t be Miserable”