Celebrating Independent Authors
I’m in a lot of writers’ groups and have been for eight years now. That means I see a lot of similar posts and comments from people at various levels of experience and success. One of the most common refrains I hear is, “I don’t sell a lot of books because I suck at marketing.”
Hmm. I’ve asked a few people what they mean by that and get answers ranging from Continue reading “You Don’t Need to Suck at Marketing”
Guest Post
by Michael Poeltl
It’s a fact that people engage with video almost three times longer than a static post or ad. That’s your first indication that video is your way forward. The other is that video can pack a visual punch a meme or gif just can’t accomplish. Consider an author reading passages from his or her book and the tension that accompanies it by standing in front of a group of people. If you’re lucky, you’ve filled the seats. If not, that anxious feeling could ruin your night. That’s stressful. Video readings, on the other hand, are completely stress-free. Do it from the comfort of your favourite chair. I was actually kind of nervous even to sit in front of the camera the first time, but with now over 20 videos behind me, the pace and comfort level at which I’m doing these video readings has increased ten-fold. Continue reading “Video is King When Marketing as an Author”
Back in May, I reported on my first trial with Voracious Readers Only, a site that makes connections between readers and authors in a promising new way. As you’ll remember, my first experiment was to allow VRO to give away 20-25 free copies of my book Ghost Walk, Book 1 of my paranormal mystery series. Out of those, I did realize a few reviews, and according to site owner Larry Froncek, my results were in the high normal range.
Larry thought my book would be a good fit for their Evergreen Program, which offers my book free to any new subscribers who opt for the thriller/mystery genre. The program is $20 a month and I can cancel at any time. I decided it was worth the chance to connect with lots of new readers, and after 30 days, I have the results. Larry was kind enough to give me his insider stats so I could have a better understanding of how it all shook out. Continue reading “Getting Reviews: Voracious Readers Only (Part 2)”
Back on May 1, our own Lynne Cantwell did an interview with Larry Froncek of Voracious Readers Only. Voracious Readers Only is an interesting website with a tantalizing concept. The premise is that voracious readers (you know who you are) can sign up and choose genres they’re interested in. Authors, then, are given the opportunity to showcase their book and give away free copies of their eBook to interested readers. The readers who opt in on a particular book of their choosing are expected to review the book on Amazon, Goodreads, or their own blog, plus they give their consent to be added to the author’s email list.
Sound like a win-win? I thought it did, so I tried it out. Continue reading “Getting Reviews: Voracious Readers Only”