Posts Tagged With: self-publishing

What Is Working

Posted on May 31, 2012 by Kate Policani

So some things are working for me as an author, and some aren’t. Here they are:

  • My short story – I have 334 downloads of The Silver Collar on Smashwords. A surprising number of people have bought it for kindle too, even though it is free on Smashwords and I put a link as a comment. I wonder when Amazon will get around to fixing that….
  • https://www.facebook.com/weloveebooks – This one worked for me and got me 10 sales in one day. The problem is, that is all I got and I’m not sure if I can put more books on there or what.
  • Lots of Connections – I made a serious push to put The Lustre out where as many people could see it as possible. Also, I put my free short story everywhere I could find to put it. That seems to have upped my visibility a little and I get a few sales here and there where The Disenchanted Pet  has gotten none.
  • Having more books out there – It seems that the more books I have available, the more people are reading.
  • Time – Yes, the time I have been online and the time my books have been available has worked in my favor. This is another plug for starting your platform early. If I had 140 blog followers and 432 twitter followers before I first published, I think things would have been easier for me.

Things that didn’t work/aren’t working:

  • Kickstarter – My campaign didn’t earn even a fraction of its amount. Maybe I tried too soon or asked too much. I noticed the ones with lots of support had some kind of perk outside of the book itself – a contribution to a charity or something.
  • The 99 cent Network – My book was up initially, but now I can’t find my book on the site at all, even though I paid for four months. I emailed them about this and have heard zip-o in return. Boo! I also have no way of knowing if I got any sales through them.
  • Selling my books at places other than the biggies – I found a lot of little side ebook sellers and posted there. I didn’t see any extra sales, though. No one has sent me big checks because my book is a bigger fish in a smaller pond. I don’t think I am hurt by it, but I don’t know if I will spend the time and effort to put future books out there if I get no return.
  • Kindle Select – I had hoped that putting the zero-sales Disenchanted Pet up as a Kindle Select title would give me a little boost, but I’ve seen no new sales.

A little about book reviews and getting them: I sent out requests for review of The Lustre to 11 different bloggers in March and recieved 2 replies, one a yes and one a no. It isn’t easy to even get a reply, let alone a review. (Don’t feel bad if you email 3 and don’t get any response.)

As a book reviewer, I am getting lots and lots of requests, even though my list is so long. I’ve amended my review policy and have said “no” to some books I didn’t think I could enjoy enough to give a good review. I still have enough time to reply to everyone, but I can see where an established reviewer would have a hard time.

Categories: My Books, Resources | Tags: , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Self-Publishing Timelines

Posted on May 8, 2012 by Kate Policani

There are plenty of lists telling you how long it will take you to get your book “out there” as an indie author. There aren’t many that outline how long it will take you to “Make it” in whatever way you see that. Amanda Hocking took one year. Another author mentioned that it took her 2 or 3 years before her books began to sell regularly.

Success in Self-publishing isn’t all about how you get the book out there. It is a big step, but it is the first step, not the end.

I’d love to make timeline of success! I have to “Make it” first. For me that means that people buy my books without me feeling I am squeezing buyers out like juice out of a turnip. It also means that my books pay themselves off (Editing and cover art costs, promotions and fees) within maybe a year. I’d be so happy with that!

I admit that when I first put out my book in September, I started daydreaming about buying myself a new car with my book earnings. I still do that from time to time.

 

Here are some timelines for the actual launch of the book:

http://www.spawn.org/editing/publish_timeline.htm

http://media.wiley.com/product_data/excerpt/21/04717995/0471799521.pdf Page 15

http://catherineryanhoward.com/2010/03/27/createspacetimeline/

 

A timeline about Self-published books and their successes, complete with graphs and charts:

http://www.teleread.com/paul-biba/top-self-published-kindle-ebooks-of-2011-a-report-by-piotr-kowalczyk/

 

 

Here are some other cool links I found while I was looking for the others. (That always happens!)

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/28/books/28selfpub.html?_r=1&emc=eta1  The New York Times on self-publishing and the changes in the publishing industry.

http://talkingwriting.com/?p=19426  This is a Self-publishing Timeline in that it is a history of self-publishing. It will surprise you!

http://www.writersdigest.com/writing-articles/by-writing-goal/get-published-sell-my-work/directory-of-self-publishing-companies A Directory of self-publishing companies.

 

Here is my “Timeline of Success” so far:

 

September 29, 2011: Released The Disenchanted Pet

10 sales total in the first month.

March 2012 Signed on Kindle Select: No sales AT ALL

Total sales for The Disenchanted Pet :

7 Createspace (paperback incl. Amazon)

10 Smashwords sales, 52 total downloads (including freebies)

8 Kindle sales

 

February 29,2012: Released The Lustre

Blog release party, 10 sales total during party

Promotion on multiple book sites

Total sales for The Lustre:

5 CreateSpace sales (paperback incl. Amazon)

10 Smashwords sales, 30 total downloads

14 Kindle sales

And The Silver Collar has sold 6 copies on Kindle even though it is free on Smashwords and I put a link to the free download as a “review”. People are so weird.

What is your “Timeline”?

Categories: My Books, Publicity | Tags: , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Deep Breath

Posted on May 1, 2012 by Kate Policani

Ok! I’m working on focusing. Deep breath! Aaah…Whoooo. Maybe I had too much coffee. (Kidding! There’s no such thing.)

I have to remind myself not to become anxious or insane about my writing success. My inner Cuckoo wants to SEE some RESULTS NOW!!!! But that isn’t how it works. This is a slow process, gradual.

This is, I think, a thing with authors. We begin to obsess about the mechanics of it, how many books we sell, how many people follow our blog…. It’s maddening, how slow everything is, especially in self-publishing.

My neuroses:

Am I doing it wrong?

Am I missing something?

Am I failing and don’t know it?

Why don’t people want to buy my book?

The truth:

This is a new frontier–online self-publishing. We are in the new Gold Rush.

It takes more than 9 months to “build a platform” and establish oneself online.

I am NOT writing for the money. I am selling to pay for editing so I can create something beautiful.

Just because I feel like having stuff happen, doesn’t mean it will.

Just because I’m too busy to deal with things doesn’t mean things won’t happen.

I can’t make this happen with my mental powers. (ESP and Telekinesis is very weak in my family. I can only move individual molecules with my mind. I can only read 1/2 second of people’s thoughts. It sounds like “Urp!” “Buh!” “Gek” :P)

What I am doing, when I have time to do it, is enough for now.

Breathe in, Aaaahhh. Breathe out, Whooo.

 

 

Categories: Publicity | Tags: , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Going Traditional?

Posted on April 14, 2012 by Kate Policani

I thought a lot about my next upcoming book, How to Win Friends and Influence Magicians, and what I was going to do about publishing. It was long enough to be accepted by publishers, so should I go Traditional? I was feeling pretty bummed about my lack of success with my indie sales, and wondering what to do about it. Also, we are dipping into our personal finances to pay for editing, etc. but I’m not paying that back.

Pros for Traditional Publishing:

  • I could conceivably put in $0 for writing and submitting to publishers, with the right group. (no editing ahead of time, which is risky, and with one that accepts digital submissions).
  • I would get their expertise and possibly their sales channels.
  • I would get paid so I could be not sucking money out of our finances.

Cons for Traditional Publishing:

  • I would lose all rights to my manuscript
  • I would have to wait until accepted, then wait until they published it–delayed gratification–possibly years.
  • I would have to change the book to their specifications.
  • I would have to accept their terms and would be limited by the deal I originally made.
  • My work would be priced by them, not by me, so I would have no say in how much it would cost my readers to read my work.
  • I might be required to do more than online promotion, which would take time away from my family.
  • I really want to self-publish because I enjoy it.

So after talking to my hubby, we decided to keep self-publishing for now. Money speaks loudly but not more than time and convenience.

I was feeling really moody about the decision still until I read an article by another self-published author who said that she wasn’t really getting steady sales until 2 or 3 years after she started. That opened my eyes a bit. I have been “published” for only 6 months! I’ve been blogging for only a year, and really my whole platform is only a year old. I don’t need to be fretting about low sales yet. So I’m not going to.

How to Win Friends and Influence Magicians will be published by me this summer!

 

Categories: My Books, Self-Publishing | Tags: , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Looking Back

Posted on March 31, 2012 by Kate Policani

A wonderful new author recently emailed me after reading Compulsively Writing Fiction, my free ebook on Smashwords, and asked me what I would recommend for a burgeoning author to read before embarking on the scary world of publishing. What would you recommend if this question were asked of you? It felt really good to go back over my research to give a good, comprehensive run-down of my recommendations. Here is my list:

Some books I liked were:

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/13037

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/31138

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/37429

These are all free! But the ones below aren’t.

http://www.amazon.com/Reading-Like-Writer-Guide-People/dp/0060777052/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1332905663&sr=8-1 (I found this one in ebook form at my library website)

http://www.amazon.com/Reasons-Your-Never-Published-Might/dp/B0048BPDRW/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1332906116&sr=1-1 (this one too)

and these articles were good:

http://jaynie2000.hubpages.com/hub/Publishing-Tips-for-First-Time-Authors

http://morgenbailey.wordpress.com/2011/09/08/guest-blog-post-%E2%80%98how-to-write-a-killer-character%E2%80%99-by-multi-genre-author-ditrie-sanchez/

Categories: Resources | Tags: , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Risking Some Green

Posted on March 28, 2012 by Kate Policani

I tried something new and risked a little bit of money. I read Molly Greene’s article here http://www.molly-greene.com/how-to-sell-100-books-a-day/ and liked the first step in the 100 books a day story. (Hint: it was the cheapest)

So I went here: http://www.99-cent-network.com/www.99-cent-Network.com/Home.html and signed up at the link on the bottom. It says “Authors Join the 99cent Network”. There is a special on now but it is not as cheap as the interviewee Terri Long paid, but that was a while ago, I guess.

Maybe you shouldn’t click right over there and sign up yet. Maybe you should see how I do. EEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!

Categories: My Books | Tags: , , , , , | 5 Comments

I’m Beginning to See a Pattern Here

Posted on March 27, 2012 by Kate Policani

I think I am seeing a pattern with the self-publishing process. It could also be true for the traditional publishing process–dunno.

Here it is:

1. Work, Work, Work

2. Excitement: I’m almost finished with a book/promotion/project that I will soon unleash on the world.

3. Euphoria: It’s out there! People are looking at it and seeing what I did! Some people may even be giving me money! (!!!!)

4. Expectation: Now, how is this going to work itself out.

5. Disappointment: Oh crud. That was over quickly and it didn’t make me rich and famous.

6. Depression: Wah, wah, boo hoo. Nobody loves my book/promotion/project and it has only 10 views on my blog when I have 300 Facebook followers. I got 400 views on my blog but only sold five.  Nobody wants to review my work. Nobody wants to post their reviews. Nobody wants to read the posts people made about my work. Nobody cares about my book/promotion/project and I spent all that money for nothing. Snivel snivel. (This is where I am right now and I’m disgusted with myself. This is the point where I need to push for #7)

7. Determination: I’m going to make this work. All I need to do is learn some miraculous new thing that will correct the flop I just had. Somewhere online is the answer to my problems.

Then back to 1. Work, Work, Work.

Is this how it is for you?

This is how I want it to work:

1. Work, work work (Yes, I am adult enough to know I will still need to do this.)

2. Victory: It’s done, it’s out there and it will be glorious!

3. Domination: Everybody loves it! I’m selling like hotcakes and everybody thinks I’m a genius. They’re starting a religion based on my work. (Well maybe not that far….)

4. Relaxation: This is going so well that I get some nice time off to bask while my product sells itself. Go me!

Does this even exist? Probably not, but I’m a fiction writer so whaddya gonna do?

 

Categories: Self-Publishing | Tags: , , , , , | 19 Comments

How To Make a Video Trailer II: Video Clips

Posted on March 20, 2012 by Kate Policani

My first video trailer was made with photos and no video clips. You can find the steps I used here: https://katepolicani.com/2011/10/24/making-a-trailer/

This time I wanted to use mostly video clips rather than a series of still pictures. Once I had the right clips, filmed by myself and my dad with our cameras, it was almost the same as using pictures! Here is how I did it:

  • I used Microsoft Windows Live Movie Maker again, which you can get for for FREE. It’s part of Windows Live Essentials: http://explore.live.com/windows-live-essentials?lc=1033
  • It was still disgustingly easy to use and dummy-friendly. Like with photos, you just plunk everything in there with the “Add Videos and Photos” button. You can add effects and text just like with photos, and everything right there. You can export it in multiple file formats.
  • It took a little more creativity coming up with scenes I could capture on film. Photo is only limited to what I could find online. Video is harder. You can find royalty-free video online too, but that seemed expensive to me. I didn’t even look because I found ways to take my own video with help from Dad. I used family and friends and local places or places in my home. I bought, scavenged, or borrowed props to use on film. One trick was to take closer shots with the videos. Instead of showing the whole room, I just showed a close-up of the subject with limited background.
  • Windows Live Movie Maker has lots of special controls just for video. I had to pay attention to the volume of each clip and I adjusted the length of the clip using the controls (they highlight as soon as you click on a loaded video clip in the top tabs.) Some videos were louder than others and some had inappropriate sounds I had to avoid by starting after them or ending before. Here is a photo:
  • For music, I emailed my dad, the composer with a Masters in music again. (You should do that too. It’s really easy and cheap.) But if your dad isn’t a composer, you can contact mine:cdbarker@comcast.net . You can sample some of his work here: http://home.comcast.net/~cdbarker/Music/Music.htm Some of this music is not available for use, legally, so don’t steal it unless you want to get sued by Electronic Arts or somebody like that.
  • If you need free music immediately, you impatient thing, go to this beautiful site: http://www.seabreezecomputers.com/tips/freemusic.htm. I particularly liked their link, http://www.soundclick.com/business/license_list.cfm and found a song there in case Dad didn’t have anything. (But he did. Neener.) WARNING: there is a lot of kooky stuff on musopen. Don’t worry, though, your music isn’t one of the kooky ones, user of musopen who is reading this post. It’s all those other people’s music that is kooky.
  • Music controls are like the sound controls (see picture) and are pretty flexible and easy to understand. You can time your music to coincide with the video action.

To show you how you can get different effects with the same clips using the video and music controls, here is my trailer spoof:

Categories: My Books, Resources | Tags: , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Introducing…The Lustre!

Posted on March 15, 2012 by Kate Policani


The Lustre

by Kate Policani

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Hidden within Human society is an entrancing race of beings who look just like us. They are the Akataromai. Originating on Earth, they conceal themselves, blending within the Human population. Though they appear to be Human, mature Akataromai live for centuries and feed upon negative Human emotions. Angelina Quorra is an Akataromai, a Human-looking girl who might never die. But Angelina is unique among her people, absorbing pain as well as emotion and giving anyone who feeds her overwhelming pleasure. This is her story, told by the men who adore her. Her talent is called The Lustre, bringing her great fame, and great trouble.

Read all posted reviews of The Lustre as they go live at: http://katepolicanisreviews.wordpress.com/2012/03/15/the-lustre-by-kate-policani-2/

Buy on Amazon

Buy on Smashwords

Buy at Barnes & Noble

Buy on KOBO

Buy on Createspace: Red cover, Slate cover, Black and Cream cover

The Lustre at Goodreads

Categories: Book Launch | Tags: , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

How Not to Publish a Novel Yourself

Posted on March 11, 2012 by Kate Policani

(The Lustre is set to release Thursday!!! Please get back to me by Wednesday, you last-minute-ers, if you want to get in on the Launch Party action!)

I can’t say that I know exactly how TO publish a novel but I definitely know some things you shouldn’t do:

  1. Don’t write your novel/short story/poetry collection, edit it, release it and THEN publicize (blogging, online communities, networking). Do publicize as soon as you decide you are going to finish it and publish. If you are psychic or have been given a peek into the future and find you might want to publish someday, start promoting right away. Even if you are planning on going the “traditional publishing route”, you should publicize. You will have to do it anyway.
  2. Don’t write one book and expect it to take off on its own and make you rich within months. That would be a Holy Miracle. Do expect to make chump change for quite a while unless you know more than me. Legend has it that authors used to make it big by self-publishing back in “the day” before everyone realized how easy it was. It isn’t that way now. Sorry.
  3. Don’t expect that you are professional enough to produce quality work as an editor for your own work unless you are an editor, and even then, don’t. Also, don’t expect your Uncle Joe is either unless he is certified or has worked in that capacity for years. Do have lots of people read your book to make sure other people understand what you are saying. Do hire/employ a professional editor if you want a quality work.
  4. Don’t try to follow every bit of marketing advice you see online. It won’t all work for you and it isn’t all right for what you are promoting. Do follow the advice that works for you and focus on that so that you have time to write.
  5. Don’t try to avoid other authors and push them aside thinking they are your competition. Other writers are your biggest audience and resource. Do treat them as you would like to be treated.
  6. Don’t think that self-publishing will be the easier route. It is just a different kind of work. Do expect to learn a lot and do a ton of work.
Categories: Self-Publishing | Tags: , , , , , , , | 19 Comments

Tale of Three Covers

Posted on February 26, 2012 by Kate Policani

My darling hubby had yet another fabulous idea: don’t choose which cover I like best. Do them all! My Facebook Peeps all voted for multiple covers, but liked the cream and black one best. On Facebook, my blog, and friends in person preferred the blue cover. Most authors chose the red. I wonder what that says about the different people groups. Nobody really spoke up for the one with the dark blue cover, and I was able to combine the red lettering that some people liked with the design on the blue-gray one.

I added a blue jewel to the necklace partly because that is how I envisioned the jewelry Angelina would wear, and partly because I wanted to avoid any copyright issues with the original necklace.

So  here are the three covers for The Lustre!

 

Categories: My Books | Tags: , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

New Review: The Disenchanted Pet

Posted on February 12, 2012 by Kate Policani

Big thanks to Laura Pfundt, the Quillwielder, for her review of The Disenchanted Pet! See it here: http://quillwielder.com/2012/02/12/book-review-the-disenchanted-pet/

It’s also posted here! http://thedarkglobe.wordpress.com/2012/02/11/book-review-the-disenchanted-pet/

I just have to link all my great reviewers!

 

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New Review:The Warden Threat: Book #1 of Defying Fate

Posted on February 10, 2012 by Kate Policani

The Warden Threat, Book #1 of Defying Fate

by D.L. Morrese

Genre: Science Fiction

See my new review of The Warden Threat here: http://katepolicanisreviews.wordpress.com/2012/02/10/the-warden-threat-by-dl-morrese/

Or you can just go buy it here:

Buy on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005MAWTUM (ASIN: B005MAWTUM)

Buy on Smashwords: (free using Coupon Code ST74N) http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/87730 (ISBN: 9781466105966)

Buy at Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-warden-threat-david-morrese/1105858334

Author’s Website: http://dlmorrese.wordpress.com/

See on Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12621763-the-warden-threat

Excerpt from the book: 

From the back of his mount, Donald saw another group of peasants gathering this year’s potato crop from the dry, cracked soil. Sweat dripped from their greasy hair and stained their worn and patched clothing. “Find out about the commoners,” his mother had told him. “They are our people and it is our duty to see to their needs.” What many of them needed most, an involuntary thought suggested, was a bath, and he immediately felt guilty for it. The Faith taught that the gods determined the fate everyone. If this was so, these peasants could no more change their role in life than he could, as much as he might like to, and he felt guilty for this thought as well.

The people toiling in the field to the right of the dust covered road looked up briefly as Prince Donald and his guide passed. The prince lifted a gloved hand to wave in what he thought was a regal manner. A young girl waved back briefly before returning to her knees, plunging her dirt covered hands into the soil.

His guide stopped unexpectedly after another mile and stooped to examine the road. Donald reined in his serviceable but otherwise unimpressive mount. “What do you see, Kwestor?”

The ranger replied in a slow monotone. “Dirt, mostly. And a pair of wheel ruts.” The older man’s heavy, well-traveled cloak hung limply on his shoulders in the still air, hiding his movements from his current employer. “Probably a farm wagon but I could make up something more exciting if it would make you feel better.”

This wasn’t the first time Kwestor teased him about his not so secret desire for adventure. Donald wasn’t naive enough to think they might encounter dragons or evil wizards. He knew the stories in his library back at the castle were fiction but he still held out some hope for the possibility of finding a damsel in distress in need of rescue by a brave and heroic prince. Just once would be enough. Then he could go back to Greatbridge and fulfill his duty as the nominal head of whatever noble cause the queen might find worthy of the third son of a king.

Without standing, the scout looked up from the road, held up two fingers and motioned to the right toward a thick patch of woods.

“What is it?” Donald asked anxiously. “Are there two brigands waiting ahead in the woods?”

“No”, Kwestor replied without turning. He drew out the single word, delivering it slowly and deliberately, his voice hinting at some underlying sadness or perhaps disappointment. “I’m going over there to take a poop.”

The staggeringly mundane nature of what the man said shocked the prince for a moment. A simple statement about an act so routine it was seldom commented upon smashed through the prince’s worldview like a brick through a stained glass window. He found himself lost for words but felt he must make some sort of reply. Eventually he blurted out, “You’re a rather crude man aren’t you?”

Categories: Reviews | Tags: , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Sign Up to Join The Lustre’s Launch Party!

Posted on February 8, 2012 by Kate Policani

Visit my Party Construction page to sign up for all the fun at my launch party!

https://katepolicani.com/the-lustre/launch-party-the-lustre-under-construction/

I’ll be featuring Pre-reviews, guest books that are in-genre, other blogs hosting the party too! Your suggestions are welcome!

Categories: My Books | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Researching My Book Launch: The Lustre

Posted on February 7, 2012 by Kate Policani

This is my second time around launching an indie book, and I think I’m an expert at getting the attention of the people I know and selling 5 copies. Check. Now I want to do better. I figured that all of you want to do better too, so I’m going to share my research in how to improve my launch of The Lustre over my tentative and virtually silent release of The Disenchanted Pet.

My new technique for transmitting my nuggets of knowledge-y goodness to you is to take my notes right here in an “Add New Post” form. If I don’t, I lose track of some of the nuggets and then I’m sad for you, not seeing them.

So: Launching an Indie book:

Mirika Cornelius (awesome name–writing it in my names collection!) has some nuggets in her article at http://ezinearticles.com/?Top-Four-Ways-to-Sell-a-Self-Published-Book-Fast&id=2242012

  • Throw a Book Release Party. Due to my and my friends complete inability to handle anything outside the kids and family, and the lameness of our parties to anyone but a parent, this may have to happen virtually instead of physically. I have to think about how to do this.
  • Attend Book Festivals.  I didn’t know those existed! I am going to have to look into this too. I don’t think it will happen soon. Maybe when Corbin starts school.
  • The other two were a media announcement and a speaking engagement. I don’t think either of these is going to happen. I wouldn’t know where to start. This isn’t Podunk, Iowa, folks. I live in Seattle, a huge city filled with talented people. I don’t see myself getting past the receptionist.

Get Published TV has a five minute video at http://www.5min.com/Video/How-to-Host-a-Virtual-Book-Launch-180050902 That suggests a webinar virtual launch through a site like gotomeetings.com. You can get all the benefit of a launch party but without the expenses. The webinar is usually recordable and with some sites they could be free. Essentially this is what he said in the video, with some elaboration about phone launches (huh?). The virtual launch is a great idea for international audiences. If you want to watch the whole video, start at 1:45 on the progress bar unless you want to hear all about the new microphone.

Now I will rant for a moment about web videos. They are popular, I know. But I don’t like them. I can learn what they say in moments by reading an article. Somehow many of the video hosts manage to talk for 10 minutes about three sentences of content. That’s why I always look for the article. Frequently articles ramble too, but you can skim those more quickly than a video and not miss important content. Rant over.

Susan C. Daffron had my favorite article on http://www.thebookconsultant.com/LPMArticle.asp?ID=207 She was against the webinar and especially the Amazon Bestseller Campaigns, which she feels are dishonest. Her plan is this:

  1. Pick a date and plan some bonuses (items to give as promotions like free copies).
  2. Contact people to review and endorse your book. Free copies are the norm.
  3. Ask for bonuses from your reviewers/endorsers. This publicity goes to them too.
  4. Create a bonus “page” where you can direct people who buy the book to get the promotions.
  5. Ask endorsers to share your launch info.
  6. Launch your book through your contacts, on your site, and through social media on the launch date

After I read this article I focused on the “virtual book launch” for my search.

Of course, I found something interesting and off-topic http://jeejeebhoy.ca/2007/11/28/how-to-autograph-your-book/

Ok, now I’ll get back to the point.

A confusing post, but with some good ideas was http://speaking-book-marketing.chailit.com/how-to-plan-a-virtual-book-launch-party.html. I won’t say anything about what was wrong. (Shaking my head.)

What I got from it was to create a party site, promote it with an evite (good idea) and launch on date in this order: Press release, Twitter, Facebook, newsletters, e-mail, ask the forum to pass it on.

“Party favors” suggested are: music, video, interview by author, book interview guests, gifts, contest for prizes, book excerpts, chats with the author, guest books, book reviews.

 

Author Jennifer Hudson Taylor has an exhaustive timeline for Published authors. http://jenniferswriting.blogspot.com/2011/08/timeline-for-book-launch-campaigns.html I copied the last month into my One Note for future reference.

That is all for now. I have to let this simmer for a bit. I’ll post my actual plan when I work it out. I was looking for a checklist of do’s and don’ts, but didn’t find anything like it. Any suggestions?

Categories: Self-Publishing | Tags: , , , , , , | 6 Comments

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