Category Archives: Book Marketing

Over these last two years, the publishing world has literally turned upside-down. In the past, the writer who aspired to see his/her work in print needed to suffer through rejection after rejection in order to get representation and ultimately a contract. Today, it appears writers have taken on the responsibility of writing, publishing and marketing works on their own. Phenomenal sellers like Amanda Hocking and H.P. Mallory took advantage of self-publishing tools to gain national attention and amazing sales, while established authors like J.A. Konrath and Barry Eisler have decided to cut middlemen and distribute their work on their own terms. Now, one can find self-published titles on the USA Today bestseller lists. No wonder writers are enamored by self- and indie publishing!

However, though Hocking and Mallory have translated their achievements into multi-book deals with traditional publishers, other authors with the “Big 6” are entertaining different options. Confusing, isn’t it? Which way do you, a writer preparing to ready your first book, turn?

You may find that authors choose different paths for different reasons:

• Traditional, large houses (e.g., Random House, St. Martin’s Press) – Association with a major publisher offers prestige and opportunities for wide distribution and exploitation of subsidiary rights (including foreign language and film/TV). Agent representation is usually required.
• Large but specialized houses (e.g., Harlequin, TOR) – For authors who aspire to publish in a specific genre, association with an established imprint offers opportunity to attract a large readership devoted to those brands. An agent may be necessary to get a foot in the door.
• Established digital houses (e.g., Samhain Publishing, Carina Press) – In recent years, titles from eBook-first houses have earned impressive sales and exposure. Authors like these houses for the flexibility they offer – some pay royalties more quickly, and have looser word-length requirements. Some authors may see these presses as a springboard to a contract with a traditional house. In many cases, agent representation is not required to submit.
• Self-Publishing – Here the author controls every aspect of the publication: he/she hires the editor and cover artists, establishes distribution channels and handles marketing, and pays all expenses for printing, digital conversion, etc. In return, the author keeps every cent earned.

In the past, distribution was a key factor in helping people decide their paths. Major bookstore chains work primarily with larger publishers, leaving authors with smaller houses to negotiate with individual stores for space. With stores closing in this strained economy, online retailers benefit from endless inventories, and self-publishers have a venue from which to sell.

The writer who prefers to write, rather than wear several hats, is more likely to query agents and publishers until one is found. Though self-publishing still may carry a stigma, talented authors capable of producing a book of quality will gain readers regardless of the logo on the spine.

Ultimately, you as the author must decide which is right for you. Take into consideration everything involved in submitting a work to an agent, and preparing a manuscript yourself for distribution. Know what goes into each job and decide where you want to focus your creative energy. In the end, your decision will be the right one for you.

Kathryn Lively is a freelance writer specializing in articles on self-publishing services for authors interested producing their own work, and on the rise in indie publishers.

Author: Kathryn Lively
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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There are many tools that you can use to market your book both online and offline. To offer benefit to all self published authors and those that are looking to self publish, this article will address both.

Offline Book Marketing:

Write an article. No matter what industry you are in, from pet care to astrophysics, there is a publication for you. In fact there are probably numerous publications. Choose one or two that relate to your book’s topic and offer to write an article for them. Make sure to include your name, your book’s title, and your website address in your bio or author signature at the bottom of your article.

Give a free workshop. Just like there are an abundance of periodicals relevant to your book’s topic. There are likely an abundance of organizations and special interest groups. Offer to speak on a subject that offers particular benefit to your readers and target market. Don’t forget to bring your book or if blatant self promotion isn’t allowed, then bring your business card printed with a coupon for 10% off of your book and hand them out.

Direct Mail. Direct mail doesn’t have to be the typical junk mail that we all receive in our mailbox daily. A simple postcard announcement sent to everyone you know, have done business with, or that has expressed an interest in your book’s topic will do the trick. You can also place a special offer on the postcard, a discount or coupon to encourage purchases.

Online Book Marketing

Forums and Message Boards. If you don’t already belong to a few forums on your book’s topic, search the internet and find a few. Research the forums to make sure that they’re relevant, well monitored, and that you’re able to have a signature should you post any comments. If you can’t have a signature then it may be wise to find a different forum. Part of the reason to register is to be able to passively market your expertise and your book. Once you’ve found a forum or two, register and participate. Help people with your knowledge. Don’t blatantly sell, that will get you kicked out of the club. Let your expertise do your selling and your forum signature do your marketing. (Of course make sure that your signature has your name, book’s title, and website in it.)

Newsletter and email marketing. Encourage website visitors to sign up for your regular newsletter. Use each newsletter to provide your potential customers with valuable information as well as special offers, announcements, and testimonials or case studies related to your book’s information.

There are an abundance of fun tools and strategies to market your book both online and offline. Your imagination is the only limit let it soar and see how many books you can sell!

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Author: Bob Burnham
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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As a self-publisher (aka: niche publisher, or micro-publisher) selling books, you will eventually get involved with selling your information in booklet form. These booklets can be from one sheet of paper, up to several pages long. Selling information this way tends to be more profitable than the books. These short booklets can be created from the information contained in your book. These booklets can be sold or given away as a way to build interest in your other books.

One format for selling this information is with documents that have been laminated with a baked-on plastic cover (called a pouch). In this article I want to discuss laminating one-sheet documents. In our case, we call them “laminated study guides”. Because it is a study guide, and is probably going to be handled many times, being laminated becomes an important reason for students to purchase our study guide. We also sell these same documents as downloadable pdf’s (ebooks) without the lamination – for a slightly lower price. We call these “downloadable study guides”.

My first taste of self-publishing involved creating study guides for the students that we teach. We needed to provide a handy and practical way for our students to memorize and study the class material. So we created a one-sheet (two pages) study guide that included a lot of information in an easy to follow format. By filling both sides, we were able to condense a large amount of important information into a very small space. We included this one-sheet study guide as part of a much larger (32 page) study guide that covered the study topic in much more depth. The students loved them. Word spread and we eventually began getting requests for our short study guides from students and teachers from all over America. That’s when we decided to offer our one-sheet study guide for sale on Amazon. So we made this study guide beautiful to look at, and then laminated them.

How Does Pouch Lamination Work?

There are two types of pouch laminators. The best and most common type is “hot lamination”. Hot lamination pouches are two sheets of plastic (polyester based) laminating film into which the item to be laminated is placed. The two plastic sheets are attached at one end so that they stay perfectly aligned with each other. The two sheets have an adhesive resin layer that is activated when they are inserted into a hot-lamination machine. You would simply insert your document into the pouch, keeping an equal space all around the document. You then insert that pouch into a paper carrier, which protects your laminating machine from the plastic pouch. You then place the entire package into the pre-heated lamination machine. The rollers inside the machine squeeze the entire package as it is being baked. The finished product simply comes out the back-side of the machine. You then remove the package from the carrier and quickly lay it flat. It completely cools off in a few minutes.

The second type of lamination is called “cold lamination”. This type is much less common. Cold lamination is generally used for heat sensitive documents. Cold laminating pouches use a “sticky” adhesive that is activated by pressure instead of heat. This allows you to laminate items such as photos without damaging them with the heat that would be needed for the hot-lamination method.

What Size Pouches Are Available?

The lamination pouches come in every imaginable size. Before you buy the pouches, you must decide if you want the four corners to be rounded or squared-off. The rounded typically looks better. The squared-off corners tend to get bent or folded over. The squared-off corners can also cause cuts and scratches to anyone that handles the finished lamination. Also, make sure that you buy a laminating machine that will be wide enough for your needs.

Another important consideration is thickness. The lamination thickness is measured in “mils”. A mil is one-thousandth of an inch. The most common pouch thicknesses are 3, 5, 7, and 10 mils thick. You must decide which thickness you will most likely be using before you buy the laminating machine. Many machines can handle two thicknesses. The most common sizes are the 3 and 5 mils thickness. The thicker the pouch is, the stiffer it will be after lamination.

Another important consideration is the type of finish. Lamination pouches are typically available in “gloss” and “matte”. Gloss is the most common and most popular type used. The gloss really makes a document look very nice and professional. Matte is less reflective and has a slightly granular look.

Joseph C. Kunz, Jr. is an author, publisher, educator, business manager, and entrepreneur. Life-long love affair with books and reading. Very excited about being part of the new media movement. Known for casual, easy-to-read writing style and ability to explain complex topics in an understandable way. “If you are serious about your work you should self-publish. Retain creative control. Retain the profits. Enjoy the satisfaction and status that comes with being published.” Visit Kunz’s blog at http://KunzOnPublishing.com/ for an insider’s guide to becoming a financially successful and happy self-publisher.

Author: Joseph C Kunz, Jr
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Most authors in self-publishing through Amazon don’t make much money. There are two reasons for this that you might be familiar with if you are familiar with internet marketing. Most people don’t know how to market themselves or their products. If you’re struggling to get your book out you did not prepare for its success. Amazon wants you to succeed because it makes money from your success.

The actual work of making a successful Amazon publishing income starts before the making of the book. If you know much about niche marketing, you always start with market research to find a niche that has people who want to buy a solution or an escape. This is important because both work primarily on emotions like desire, excitement or fear.

Once you think you’ve found a niche with willing buyers, do keyword research and Amazon book research. You’ll want to match a set of profitable low and medium competitive keywords with a low competition heading in Amazon search. This is the first step to successful market research for writing books.

Create a 10-page ebook with a brief solution to the problem you are able to solve or the emotional stock in which your readers are looking to invest. Get a squeeze page with a sign up form that offers the booklet for $1.00. Promote the offer page by Pay Per Click for one week. Throw some articles up to link to the sales page and see if you get much response or traffic.

You are looking for action either a taker for the $1.00 offer or a sign up for more information on the subject. If you get an overwhelming imbalance between those looking for more information and those willing to shell out $1.00 to solve their problem, you might want to dig a little deeper into the profit potential of the subject. You’ll want to sell that one-dollar offer as if your life depended on it. People are often skeptical of special deals from strangers.

After your evaluation period is over, set up a blog and begin writing. Promote the blog and write posts that are parts of your chapters. Let the readers know that they are getting valuable material from your upcoming book and begin promoting the fact that your book is coming out in the near future. Spend a lot of time growing your fan base by giving them a lot of killer material. Use social networking and every marketing trick you can think of to get that audience growing in the next few months. They will stick around if you give them what they want.

Write for your audience as if they were people you know sharing a common interest; your niche. Once you can identify with them, urge them to participate in the blog with comments and stories. Find the “watering holes” where your niche hangs out and gain disciples to your cause. Find about half a million people just like them and let Amazon know you’re coming.

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Author: Tanner Larsson
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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With more and more authors reporting huge sales by self-publishing, it is not surprising an unpublished writer should choose to take the same route. So how does one become one of those self-published authors?

The days when you needed to contact a vanity press in order to get published are gone. Print on Demand means costs are subtracted from the retail price, so you don´t have to pay outright for print and distribution. It is even easier to publish your work as an eBook, making it available to the growing markets of Kindle, Nook and Smashwords. The trick is not longer to self-publish, but to do it in such a way that your book will be read.

When a traditional book is published, it undergoes an edit and proofreading. There are professionals to create a cover design most appealing to readers, and they are there to organize events and make sure your book is brought in front of readers.

When you decide to self-publish, you decide to manage all this by yourself.

You can only edit your own manuscript up to a point, because there are things you as the author of your work will always be blind to. You have spent days, weeks, perhaps months in correcting your manuscript. You might even know many of the sentences by heart. That´s why you as an author are too close to your own book to edit it the same way a professional editor can. Hiring a professional editor is therefore always recommended. They can suggest improvements to plot and characters, make your narrative as strong and punchy as it can get, and catch errors in style or tone you as an author might have missed.

The cover design looks easy. There are stock photos all over the internet ready to be used; add a little text and there it is. The trick is to make it captivating, to entice readers to pick it up, to make it stand out in a crowd. When you walk into a bookstore, some books catch your attention and others doesn´t.

Have a look at covers in your genre. The cover of a romance novel will look very different to that of a science fiction, and readers expect to be able to tell the genre by the cover. It also needs to look different to the books in your genre, because otherwise it won´t stand out when the reader approaches the bookshelf. It doesn´t matter that the bookshelf is virtual; your readers will still look for it among covers of other books.

The marketing department will make sure a number of pre-release copies hits the market before your book is even on the shelves. The reason for this is that they want to create a buzz about the book, a rumour that will spread by word-of-mouth how exciting and well worth waiting for this book is.

To create the same kind of buzz, you will have to spread the same kind of rumours. Use your author platform to hold contests for pre-release copies, send some out to friends and family. Scan your network and find out if there are some out there you know who might want to read and, hopefully review and recommend your book.

Alice Northwood is a marketing consultant at http://www.kindlekillermarketing.com, helping self-published authors to format and market their book. She also writes for http://kindlekillerblog.com, the reviewsite for e-book owners and publishers.

Author: Alice Northwood
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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