Yes, some authors are still making video trailers – it’s just one more way to get word out about your books (*ahem* you know it’s all about effective frequency). Here at Indies Unlimited, we’ve got an entire resource page dedicated to trailers. We even have a video trailer-fest from time-to-time. So yes, the video trailer is still going strong. Yet – one of the most overlooked tools for making a book trailer is Microsoft Office: PowerPoint. Stick with me, and I’ll show you how easy it is. Continue reading “Create a Book Trailer Using Microsoft Office’s PowerPoint”
Author: Melinda Clayton
Melinda Clayton is the author of the Cedar Hollow series, as well as a self-publishing guide. Clayton has published numerous articles and short stories in various print and online magazines. She has an Ed.D. in Special Education Administration and is a licensed psychotherapist in the states of Florida and Colorado. Lear more about Melinda at her Amazon author page
Book Marketing and Social Media: Do I Have to?
Indies Unlimited recently received a letter from a reader packed full of questions about social media and book marketing. Should I join Twitter? Do I need a newsletter? My book won’t be released for another year; should I start marketing now?
Shawn Inmon wrote a very helpful post covering various marketing strategies he’s found to be useful and that he wishes he’d begun sooner. But as the minions sat around the gruel pot discussing the issue, I brought up the possibility that a “nay” post might be in order to share a different point of view. Continue reading “Book Marketing and Social Media: Do I Have to?”
Drop Caps, Indents, and Other Formatting Tricks in Word
Join a discussion with self-published writers and you’ll hear strong opinions on what constitutes proper formatting for both paperbacks and eBooks. One discussion that comes up on various Kindle fora is what, exactly, to do with the first paragraph in a chapter.
There are no hard and fast rules, but there are some strong recommendations. The consensus is that for both eBooks and paperbacks, the first paragraph in a chapter shouldn’t be indented. Because I’m a curious person, I pulled five paperbacks off my shelf to see how Stephen King, Billie Letts, Barbara Kingsolver, John Steinbeck, and Larry McMurtry handled first paragraphs. Okay, not them, but their publishing and formatting teams. None had indented first paragraphs, and four of the five used drop caps. Continue reading “Drop Caps, Indents, and Other Formatting Tricks in Word”
Free Online Resources for Self-Publishers
Just over a year ago I wrote a post highlighting some free online resources for writers. Since that time, I’ve discovered even more wonderful free resources for photos, music, backgrounds, fonts, and more, so it’s definitely time for an update.
Each site has a section regarding licensing, which needs to be read prior to downloading and using content. Some sites don’t require any attribution, but some do, so make sure to read the fine print.
Links to all the various sites won’t be included in this post, because minions can get into trouble with Google for posting too many scammy-looking links. But at the bottom of this post will be a link to one of Indies Unlimited’s fabulous resource pages, where you can find links to all the sites mentioned.
First up, Photos: Continue reading “Free Online Resources for Self-Publishers”