Okay Kindle, I’m sorry!

Happy Valentine's Day!

A while back, I wrote how upset and disappointed I was with Amazon Kindle for posting a poor review based on the page layout of one of my books. As many of you know, it’s hard to prepare your file for Kindle upload, and the first time I tried, I loaded the file without locking in the fonts. Like a dingbat, I didn’t check it after uploading. Well sure enough, before I could correct this, someone downloaded a “sample” of the book and saw the mess this creates in viewing. The uppercase are changed to lower, comas become little square blocks, and so on. Rather than assuming, in a book on writing, this was an obvious mistake, the man posted a very negative review of the book, i.e., “This writer can’t even use capitol letters, she shouldn’t be writing a book on writing.” Of course, after repairing the file, I wrote to Kindle and requested they remove the poor review—they declined—that’s why I was angry with them.

Since that time, my audience has grown and the reviews are good. Kindle sales are back up where they should be. The bad review is still there, but I think most now realize it was an error (and an idiot who wrote it). So I’m here to say, “I’m sorry Kindle.”

Kindle is hot, and authors need to make sure they have their books listed. But beware, if you do not lock in your fonts, they will appear tangled and unreadable. Here’s how to do it in a Word Doc:

*Open your book file.
*Go to “Print” or any of your file buttons in your option bar.
*At the bottom of the box, click on “Word Options.”
*Click on “Save” in the menu bar.
*Check the box “Embed Fonts in The File.”
*Check both boxes’ below that one as well.

So I am proud to say, I have now uploaded all my books into Kindle. I have also converted all my e-books into paperbacks. So I’m covered. On the left column of this Blog page, you will see a list of all my books and the links for each of them in all formats—celebrate!—I think I’ve made the big time! Now I’ve been told I need to go over to B & N and upload again in some reader called the “Nook???” What the hey? When will this end?

In addition, when I converted my e-books to Kindle as well as paperbacks, I changed my e-book cover images. I would love you opinions on them—be kind, I’m fragile!

What is a Fair Royalty Percentage?

When a new author sees the seemingly low royalty they might receive from their publisher, it is often shocking to them to say the least. Why are these numbers so low? In this post, I’ll attempt to break it down for you and make sense of it all.

Five percent, seven percent, ten percent; not much money when you add it up. But consider the following expenses that go into simple production of the book alone.

Editing; even if the book submitted has been previously edited, it must still be reviewed.

Layout; another very time-consuming process which also requires significant hours of labor.

Cover design; again, a special talent and time invested.

ISBN’s and other costly insertions and necessities to publish for distribution.

Printing; a publisher rarely prints their books; they are sent to an outside source. Cost? 30 or more percent of the cover price (which is based on page count, size, cover, etc.).

Promoting your book can be costly as well. So when you add it all up, the publisher has a significant investment in your book. Considering the average author sells only 120 copies, the publisher is taking a huge gamble on you.

Publishers are becoming more and more like brick and mortar book stores; they’re closing down faster than ever before. There is just too much competition out there and they are overwhelmed.

When a writer makes a decision to self-publish, they are taking on the same risk a traditional publisher does. They will make the timely and financial investment in their book and gamble that it will sell. Yes, they will make more profit on the book, but will first need to recoup their investment; something more than 90 percent never succeed in doing.

When I self-published my first book, Are You Ready to be Your Own Boss? in 2006, I did it all myself from start to finish. I thought, “Who wouldn’t want to read this book?” So I printed 2,000 copies. Well truth is, many people did want the book, and still do. But what is “many?” Unfortunately, it wasn’t 2,000. So now I still have about 700 books sitting in my closet. The good news is, I’ve finally broke even. My initial investment was well over $5,000.00. I’ve learned a lot since then and that mistake has never re-occurred.

Remember that five, seven, or ten percent royalty? Maybe it doesn’t sound too bad after all. If it’s pure profit, whether you sell 120 copies or ten thousand copies, you won’t show a loss, and there is a lot to be gained by that.

For “author assisted” free book publishing, visit Plain & Simple Books at http://www.plainandsimplebooks.com.

20 Acclaimed Authors and Their Unique Writing Rituals

Most literary types agree that a definitive, personalized ritual performed before, during or after a writing session forms one of the absolutely essential components of creating innovative, effective works. These obviously vary from author to author, and even similar methods come with their own unique variances. Regardless of whether or not one hopes to pen a future Pulitzer winner or simply finish his or her homework, forging a comfortable writing routine serves as an excellent means of bolstering creativity, relaxing, clearing the mind and — most importantly — encouraging productivity. While some of the following strategies may not exactly work for everyone, they still provide a keen insight into some of the literary sphere's most notable, impressive minds.

1. Victor Hugo let it all hang out: According to The New Yorker, the celebrated author of Les Miserables and The Hunchback of Notre Dame forced himself to write and stave off procrastination by stripping down. His valet was instructed to find the sneakiest hiding place possible and place his clothing inside. Hugo hoped this ritual would prevent him from leaving home and encourage tighter focus on the task at hand.

2. C.S. Lewis kept a tight schedule: When it came to writing his beloved novels, essays and novel-length philosophical works, C.S. Lewis kept an incredibly obsessive schedule. He allowed himself short, periodic breaks, but otherwise planned every minute of every day in order to maximize productivity. A rigid series of rules dictated everything from appropriate times to take a beer to when visitors were allowed to stop over.

3. Benjamin Franklin got wet: Though not fully verified, many believe the famous American statesman was the first to import a bathtub into the United States. A consummate inventor, Benjamin Franklin appreciated and studied it as a marvel of engineering and innovation, but the lovely bit of porcelain provided him with more than just a piqued scientific curiosity. When it came time to read and write, much of the Renaissance man's time was spent soaking in a leisurely bath.

4. Haruki Murakami stays healthy: Much like C.S. Lewis, the celebrated Wind-Up Bird Chronicles and Norwegian Wood scribe keeps himself creative by staying on a stringent schedule. Haruki Murakami's afternoons are devoted to keeping his body as healthy, active and fit as his mind. Exercise involves a 10-kilometer run, a 1500-meter swim or some combination of both. Such a ritual, he claims, grants him the mental clarity and physical stamina to hammer out thick novels.

5. William Wordsworth consulted man's best friend: Great English Romantic poet William Wordsworth composed several odes to his faithful canine companion. Though anecdotal, some think the Poet Laureate would write while taking regular constitutions with the dog in tow. He would recite ideas out loud, and any met with barking or agitation was taken as a sign that revision was necessary.

6. W.B. Yeats went on autopilot: Along with his wife George, the renowned Irish poet and playwright found inspiration in the mystic arts, infusing them into more than just his works' content. Though the process of automatic writing understandably dredges up its fair share of skepticism and scrutiny, W.B. Yeats employed it in earnest. The controversial procedure involves giving in to the subconscious (or, for the more mystic-minded, the spiritual realm) and immediately writing down whatever comes to mind. No revisions, no pausing to think. Just the simple act of putting pen to paper and letting creativity flow.

7. Vladimir Nabokov just couldn't sit down: While writing the classic Lolita (and other works, of course), author Vladimir Nabokov launched into the day's work standing up. His study boasted a "lovely old-fashioned lectern" of which he was very proud, and he greatly preferred starting from there than his armchair or desk. However, Nabokov did admit that his legs did grow tired in such a position, but only then would he retire to one of the comparatively more leisurely options. He also preferred index cards to notebooks and legal pads, as their structure allowed him to easily move scenes around as he saw fit.

8. Toni Morrison can't see the light: As the mother of three children, this Nobel and Pulitzer-winning author didn't always have the time to sit down and write. Toni Morrison eventually disciplined herself to wake up before dawn, brew up a strong, delicious pot of coffee and get productive. Even after her kids grew up and moved out, she continued on in the exact same pattern. Watching the sun rise is an added perk that stimulates her imagination.

9. Philip Roth stays on his feet: Standing burns many more calories than sitting, and decorated author Philip Roth — much like Vladimir Nabokov — prefers this physical calibration when writing. In addition to this healthy habit, he also pushes himself to walk half a mile for every page he completes. Despite age starting to plague his body, Roth continues this ritual to benefit both body and mind. As with Haruki Murakami, he believes that clarity and creativity come when all facets of a person operate in peak condition.

10. Gertrude Stein indulged in Godiva: Allegedly, the modernist maven and pivotal figure in the "lost generation" of creative American expats after World War I frequently took to her car when inspiration struck. She would park her Ford, famously nicknamed "Godiva," somewhere and begin firing off poetry while staying put in the driver's seat. Something about the vehicle inspired Gertrude Stein and provided a space conducive to her legendary creativity and literary innovation.

11. George Sand got down to business: Amantine Aurore Lucile Dupin, who wrote under the pen name of George Sand, participated in a nearly two-year affair with fellow literati member Alfred de Musset. Apparently, their sexual escapades charged her up to the point she'd move straight from bed to desk after finishing a session. de Musset himself found this boundless energy highly impressive.

12. Truman Capote got horizontal: Regardless of whether or not he used a typewriter or decided to go longhand, the author of such notable works as In Cold Blood and Breakfast at Tiffany's opted to write from either his comfortable bed or cozy couch. He proudly referred to himself as "a horizontal writer," and often took tea, coffee or drinks while in repose as well. Capote's first two drafts were usually written out by hand, then switched to a typewriter for the third.

13. T.S. Eliot let it all go to his head: T.S. Eliot didn't go so far as to purposely infect himself with colds, but he was probably one of the only people on the planet to ever welcome them. He found that writing while so afflicted greatly helped him concoct unique, gruff voices either for different characters or in the creation of harsher scenes.

14. Alexandre Dumas kept the doctor away: Like Toni Morrison, Alexandre Dumas of The Three Musketeers and The Count of Monte Cristo fame enjoyed rising early and greeting the day with a personalized ritual. Rather than enjoying a piping hot cup of coffee, however, he preferred taking an apple to the Arc de Triomphe. At 7 AM every morning, Dumas noshed his nourishing breakfast and watched the people of Paris tend to their own unique routines.

15. Honore de Balzac gave himself the jitters.: Any discussions regarding the renowned writer's legendary coffee consumption posit his daily intake anywhere from 50 to 300 cups a day. No doubt he certainly consumed more than most people — Honore de Balzac infamously died of health problems related to caffeine poisoning — but many of the estimates are more than a little arbitrary. Turkish and Parisian blends particularly piqued his fancy, providing him with enough fuel to keep him writing throughout the evening and on into the night.

16. Henrik Ibsen made war, not love: Playwright Henrick Ibsen, famous for his progressive values in works such as A Doll's House, really knew how to keep his enemies closer. An oil paint portrait of his polar opposite and fellow writer August Strindberg hung on his wall as a constant, intimidating reminder to always push himself. Any slacking would give his rival even more fodder for accusations, snide remarks and critical and commercial success. Ibsen even referred to the painting as "Madness Incipient."

17. Demosthenes goes in halfsies: Considered one of the greatest statesmen and orators in ancient Greece, Demosthenes took a very unique approach to self-motivation. When it came time to study, write and work on overcoming his speech impediment, he would shave the hair off one side of his head. As much as he yearned to travel and explore his homeland, Demosthenes knew the importance of educating and perfecting himself. Forcing himself to look silly kept him indoors and concentrating on what he needed versus what he wanted.

18. Warren Ellis works sideways: Not every writer necessarily works chronologically. Some, like the aforementioned Vladimir Nabokov, prefer penning bits and pieces before merging them together. Author of the grotesquely hilarious Crooked Little Vein (and plenty of comic book series) Warren Ellis begins his stories somewhere in the midpoint. From there, he works a little bit towards the start and a little bit towards the ending until his manuscript is complete. This strategy seems to work pretty well — he claims he rarely has to write more than one draft.

19. Maya Angelou keeps it classy: Following the success of her autobiographical I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, America's former Poet Laureate established for herself a luxurious, elaborate writing ritual. After waking up at 5 AM, she heads to a nearby hotel with legal pads, a bottle of sherry, a deck of playing cards, a Bible and Roget's Thesaurus. Per her instructions, hotel staff members have removed all the art and photos from the room's walls. Before leaving in the afternoon, Angelou usually completes between 10 and 12 pages during her stay, which she edits later that evening.

20. Jonathan Safran Foer likes to watch: A blank sheet of paper once belonging to Isaac Bashevis Singer greatly inspires the acclaimed author of Everything is Illuminated. It sits framed in his living room, and he stares at it constantly whenever the need for inspiration strikes. The unorthodox exercise challenges his imagination, pushing Foer to discover words and concepts that could've one day spread across the paper. Not content with only Singer's possessions, he began asking many of his favorite writers for blank sheets of their typing paper in order to expand the possibilities and further stimulate the mind.

Article contributed by our friends at http://www.mastersdegree.net/

Tips On Marketing Your Book With Author Barbara Techel And Frankie, The Walk 'N Roll Dog

Today I have the privilege of interviewing Barbara Techel, multi award-winning author of the Frankie the Walk ‘N Roll Dog book series.

Listen up authors! Barbara works extremely hard at marketing her books (the most aggressive I’ve seen yet), and in this interview we’ll find out what promotional avenue works best for her and learn just how much success she has been able to achieve through her methods. Possibly a lesson for all of us!

Carol Denbow: Greetings Barbara, and welcome to A Book Inside Blog. First let me ask you to tell us a little about your book series so we understand what type of books you are marketing, i.e., titles, publication dates, synopsis, and published by?

Barbara Techel: Thank you, Carol for inviting me to your blog today for this interview!

My series is titled, Frankie the Walk ‘N Roll Dog book series. The first book in the series published in 2008 is Frankie the Walk ‘N Roll Dog which is the true, inspirational story of my dachshund Frankie and how she suffered a spinal injury, was custom-fitted for a doggie wheelchair and persevered, overcoming adversity beautifully.

The second book in the series published in 2009 is Frankie the Walk ‘N Roll Therapy Dog Visits Libby’s House. This book is another true, inspiring story about how Frankie who became a certified therapy dog a year and a half after her accident. Once a month she visits Libby’s House which is a Senior Assisted Facility where many residents have Alzheimer’s. Frankie makes many friends and teaches young and old that patience, listening, and understanding opens our hearts to what matters most- love. Both books were published by Joyful Paw Prints Press of which I am the founder.

Carol Denbow: A couple years back, I helped organize a fundraiser for our local Hospice. You were kind enough (along with several other authors, bless their hearts) to donate a signed copy of one of your books for the cause. Lucky for me, I was able to preview the book before the fundraiser—I loved it! The artwork was beautiful with a brilliant color scheme throughout. But the story was inspirational and obviously effects all those who read it. Tell us about Frankie, the core of your story, and the history behind her.

Barbara Techel: I got Frankie from a breeder when she was three months old in 1999. She was the last one of the litter. I had searched high and low for a Red Smooth Dachshund and was having trouble finding one in my area. And I wanted a girl.

My husband was not too happy about the idea of another dog in the house. At the time we also had a six year old chocolate lab. He said, “Why do you want a wiener dog?” I said, “I don’t know, I just do. They are so cute.” I’m not advocating that this is a good reason, but after all that has happened to Frankie and the journey that we have been on, I have no doubt this was God’s calling and plan for both of us. We were meant to be together.

When I got Frankie as a pup I knew little about Intervertebral Disc Disease (IVDD) which is common in dachshunds due to their long backs. Over time due to their long backs, their discs can degenerate and sometimes rupture. Easter Sunday 2006 Frankie ruptured a disk and, was given a 10-30% chance of walking again even with surgery. I was devastated. Luckily my surgeon assured me that if she did not walk again on her own, she could lead a quality life in a dog cart (wheelchair).

Sadly, I came to learn through all of this that many dogs are still being put to sleep when given a diagnoses of IVDD. We need more education out there so others can know the viable options. Also Dodgerslist (www.dodgerslist.com) was instrumental in giving me hope that Frankie would lead a quality life with IVDD.
Watching Frankie persevere through all of this, as well as hearing the questions from children as I first began taking Frankie out in her wheelchair in my town is what inspired me to write Frankie’s story.

The core of my first book, Frankie the Walk ‘N Roll Dog is sharing with others that animals with disabilities can live quality lives if given a chance. It also encourages young and old to see their challenges in a positive way. My second book Frankie the Walk ‘N Roll Therapy Dog Visits Libby’s House encourages each of us to find a way to be of service, despite obstacles we face. It also shares the journey of Frankie becoming a therapy dog and the positive effect she has on the elderly who have Alzheimer’s and dementia at the senior living facility we visit each month.

Carol Denbow: Like many of us authors, I’m on Facebook; you are as well. It seems like every time I log on I see something you’ve posted regarding an online or radio interview you’ve just done, a school visit, or something in your efforts to promote your book series. You must be the most aggressive book marketer I’ve ever come across! Please tell us how you get hooked up for these interviews; do you seek them out, or do they come to you (like I did)?

Barbara Techel: Well, thank you for your wonderful compliment. I don’t consider myself aggressive. I’m just very passionate about my message and love sharing upbeat and positive things that I am doing. I feel very blessed that I have been given this very special mission to help spread a positive message about animals with special needs.

I seek out most of the interviews I do online and radio. Facebook is so awesome for authors! I watch what other authors are doing, focusing on authors with dogs doing similar things as me, which many times leads me to various radio shows. When I see an author has done a radio show, I research that particular show and then pitch them.
Just lately I’ve had a few interviewers come to me (like you!) and to me that means I’ve been doing my due diligence in building my platform and marketing myself each and every day, whether that be through my blogs, Facebook, Twitter, press releases, radio, etc.

Carol Denbow: In your opinion, which form of book marketing has been the most effective for you? Also, which do you enjoy doing most?

Barbara Techel: I’d have to say emailing schools and libraries, as well as postcard mailings to schools and libraries letting them know what I do. Many of my books I have sold to schools when I visit with Frankie. Each week I either do an email campaign or postcard mailing to various schools. I also do this with libraries.

We also do visits via Skype for those outside of Wisconsin, where we live. Personally, I think Skype is such a win-win for authors, teachers and students. With budget cuts for schools they can’t afford to bring in an author, and for me, it would be challenging to travel with Frankie, as well as not in my budget to be able to do that. Skype opens the door for so many more opportunities to connect with schools, teachers and students.

I really enjoy all aspects of marketing my book. I really believe you have to be so passionate about your book and that makes the marketing so much easier. At least it has been that way for me. I used to be in a multi-level marketing business and did not like marketing at all. But what I’ve learned is that if you are truly passionate about what you are doing, marketing won’t feel like marketing.

Carol Denbow: I understand you are aggressive; but your pursuit to be at the “top of the charts” must be time consuming. How much time do you spend on your marketing efforts, and if you’re currently writing a new addition to the series, how do you allocate your time between writing and promoting?

Barbara Techel: I really am not pursuing being at the “top of the charts” per say. When I wrote my first book I was so scared and nervous. But for the first time in my life I decided I wanted to follow my heart. I really set out on this mission to make a difference and if it meant I only touched one life, I felt it would have been worth it. It has been so much more! This is truly a labor of love for me.

I spend about 60% of my time marketing and 40% writing, as well as administrative. I’m a one woman operation (like many out there), so dividing up my time can be challenging at times. My writing right now does not include a new book in the series, but rather writing for interviews such as this, press releases, articles, etc.

Carol Denbow: I’ve heard of authors spending upwards of $10,000.00 to promote their book (yes, I said “book,” not “books”). Personally, I think I’ve spent under $200.00 in 5 years to market all 6 of my books. We won’t ask how much you spend (unless you are inclined to admit?) to market yours. But where do you find is the most useful and inexpensive or free method of book promotion?

Barbara Techel: Wow, $10,000 to promote a book? I have not spent much to market my book because I don’t have a big budget for it. Again, for me, the least expensive for me is the email campaigns I do to schools and libraries, as well as postcard mailings I do. Also Facebook and Twitter are so great for getting your name out there, and it is FREE.

Another thing that has worked well for me is getting publicity when I visit a school or library. If the facility you are visiting instigates the story, it’s a sure bet that particular newspaper will print it. I’ve been fortunate to have that happen quite a few times. I must say though, having a dog on wheels, has really helped with that. She is hard to resist and they love her message.

Carol Denbow: I know you have done several “in person” interviews and chats; I have as well. Many of us authors chat online by way of our site comments or e-mails, and if you met me in person you would see I am very sociable and gabby. But in front of a group of people, I am overwhelmed with stage fright and have even taken classes in a failed attempt to overcome this problem. Are you comfortable in the public arena, or do you also suffer from the gitters? If so, can you offer any suggestions as to how to gain more confidence and face your audience?

Barbara Techel: This question made me chuckle, but it’s a very valid one! When I give talks to organizations about my story I share with them that if someone would have told me 10 years ago that I’d be standing in front of a room sharing my story, I would have told them they were crazy!

I used to be very shy, but you’d never know that if you met me today. My only explanation for being able to stand in front of a room of people and share my story, is again, my passion for wanting to share Frankie’s and my message. I feel called to do this and it brings me so much joy.

Now, I will say that yes, I still get the jitters- big time! But I also have had lots of practice and know that as soon as I start to talk the jitters will pass, and I know I will feel so good when I am done. It’s a big accomplishment to speak in public.

Another thing I do is take a couple drops of Bach’s Rescue Remedy and it helps settle down some of the butterflies in my stomach. And really, I give so much credit to my little Frankie. With her next to me, I feel like I can do anything- she has truly helped me grow and evolve.

Carol Denbow: Nearly 80 percent of book sales are now accomplished “online.” In your opinion, how important is it for an author to “get out there” in person and self-promote and market their books? Do you think your books would have become as popular had you settled on simple Internet marketing?

Barbara Techel: For a children’s book, no, I don’t feel just simply Internet marketing would have worked. I think getting into my local schools and libraries, as well as offering my Skype visits has really helped me to get my name out there. I think finding a balance between the two (online, and getting out there) is a good thing.

I did a lot of school and library visits the past three years, but have now cut down this year, due to Frankie being older and not wanting to stress her out too much. She has gotten a bit more stressed in large crowds as she has gotten older. But again, I’m happy for all we did at the beginning, and also for Skype, as I can now build on that avenue since I did all the other leg work first.

Carol Denbow: In relation to book marketing, do you have any personal advice for our readers, and what would be the one thing you would suggest our new authors do to successfully market their own books?

Barbara Techel: I remember reading a book about marketing when I first started out, as well as hearing this from other authors, and that is to do a little bit of marketing each and every day. And being four years into this now I really do get this, and realize there is no magical way to the top. It really is true, that a little every day, over time, will build your credibility and get your name out there.

I’ve done many radio shows, and you just never know who could be listening that may help you with your book. I’ve also pitched many queries through HARO (Help A Reporter Out) which has helped my story land in a book published by Tarcher/Penguin Publishing Every Dog Has a Gift. That book was sent to Bauer Publishing who publishes the magazine Woman’s World. They read the book and chose my story to feature in their magazine. I’ve also entered writing contests and was fortunate enough to win 2nd place and have my story recently featured in Dogs and the Women Who Love Them by Linda and Allen Anderson. This book made it as a recommendation in Oprah’s O Magazine.

I think it’s important to try all avenues, because you just never know which avenue is going to be the one that might eventually sky rocket your book to the top.

Carol Denbow: Barbara, your advice is priceless to us and we appreciate you doing this special interview with A Book Inside Blog. Let’s give our readers an opportunity to visit your Websites and Blogs (of which you have many!). What are the links to learn more about you and your books?

Barbara Techel: Thank you so much Carol for this wonderful interview today! I wish each and every author the very best in their journey—it can be a very exciting journey if you follow your heart and live from the passion of your story.

www.joyfulpaws.com
www.joyfulpaws.typepad.com
www.frankiethewalknrolldog.com
www.facebook.com/joyfulpaws
www.facebook.com/frankiethewalknrolldog
www.twitter.com/joyfulpaws
www.twitter.com/walknrolldog

Carol Denbow: Barbara, A Book Inside thanks you for being here! If our readers would like to leave a comment or question for Barbara Techel, please use the comment box below. If you like this interview and find it helpful, please Tweet it or toss it on your page at Facebook (see Barbara, I can promote as well!).

Start The New Year In The Author Spotlight!

How about your bio on A Book Inside? Be one of the first five to e-mail me your author photo (small jpg), a short bio (500 words or less) and a link to your Website or Blog and I’ll give you a week in the Author Spotlight down the left side column of this Blog—a promotional freebie! (But I would always appreciate a Tweet and Facebook Share).

My e-mail address is caroldenbow@gmail.com.

Haven’t published your book yet? Visit Plain & Simple Book Publishing at http://www.plainandsimplebooks.com to get started!

Happy Christmas!

This holiday season I am reminded how fortunate I am to have faithful cyber friends like you who come back week after week to read the new posts here on A Book Inside. Over the years, many of you have become personal friends as well, and I am grateful for that blessing in my life.

Wishing you and yours a wonderful holiday season wherever it might be that you celebrate the season in this beautiful big World we share!

Possibly the Best Book Marketing Tool on the Web!

I always love to share my greatest Internet finds with you. I think I may have found exactly that—the best! While visiting my friends Blog, In His Name, I saw a really cool widget you can put on your site.

Everyone likes to read excerpts from your book before they buy. Amazon and many of the other book sale outlets have “look inside” features which are wonderful, but first you need to get your site visitors to click on to that sales Website. Sometimes we have trouble “hooking” the potential buyer. Try putting this new and “free” widget right on your Website or Blog home page to gain interest in your book.

It takes about 15 minutes to set up and you will need to have your book available in PDF as well as having a quality book cover image to upload. Happy sales!
Here is mine:

Reviews sell books! Here’s an Opportunity

Good reviews do sell books; poor reviews don't. Never post less than a 4 or 5 star review—it kills the author's chances for sales. Just like the old saying, "If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all." Let's get our books reviewed!


I am looking for fresh new reviews on one of my books. Please be willing to post your 4 or 5 star review (only) on Amazon.com.
Keep Your Sanity, Understanding and Coping With Stress in a Changing World. 138 pages. Offered for review as a PDF file only.

It is estimated that as many as 80 percent of physician visits may be stress-related. Without knowing how to reduce stress, we leave ourselves susceptible to life-threatening illness, disease, and just plain unhappiness.

In this book you will discover:
• Why you are susceptible to stress.
• How to apply “quick fixes” and ultimately achieve long term relief.
• How to adjust your lifestyle to permanently take control and live a more stress-free life.

For your free review copy, please e-mail Carol Denbow at chipanugget@gmail.com.
Websites: Author’s Box http://www.authorsbox.com Plain & Simple Book Publishing http://www.plainandsimplebooks.webs.com

The Amazon.com listing on this book can be found HERE.

Now it’s your turn. If you would like your book to be offered up for review, list your book title and contact information in the comment section. Please include whether you will mail a hard copy or PDF (e-book).

Writers, Please Offer Me Your Input

Here’s the story. I’m considering authoring another book, and as per my own advice, as well as bit of personal concern, I’m asking for your feedback.

I always preach that a writer needs to “find their audience” before writing a book, simply to be sure there actually is an audience for their work—I’m no exception. Since all of the visitors to this site are either writers, authors, or want-to-be authors, I would guess this is the best way to explore my own potential audience.

I hadn’t planned on writing another book, but as usual, I thought I sensed a need out there (LOL). Last time I felt this way, I put together 100 Ways to Market Your Book For Free (or really cheap). The book sold, but wasn’t as popular as I had anticipated.

So I’m considering the gamble once again with a book on simple editing; basically punctuation and sentence structure. If completed, Period A Quick-Guide to Basic Editing would be released in 2011. The new book is designed to provide all writers, including students, want-to-be authors, and the common work force, with the tools and information they need to present a more polished and well-written piece of work. Its format is easy-to-follow and presents much of the information we all learned in our high school and college English classes—but forgot! Even educated writers should find this book to be a useful tool. We all make editorial mistakes, but presenting a better manuscript can give us an edge when submitting work to a traditional book publisher or ?. The perfect aid for self-publishers as well.

Okay, so I’m sure your first thought is, “But Carol, you’re not an editor. What’s up?” Yea, yea, I know I’m not—far from it! I will be co-authoring this book with an acquaintance of mine who is a professional editor; and a very good one at that.

So there you have it. E-book ($4?) and paperback ($10?), very inexpensive, and written as a step-by-step guidebook (75-100 pages?). Please give me your thoughts. Is this something that would appeal to you as a writer? Or will I be wasting my time? Please be honest—I can handle it!

Still Need More Hits After Blog Jog Day?

As a follow-up to Blog Jog Day, and to help those who participated by including their Websites, I’ve decided to offer some help to them. Many said they did get fresh visitors and some new followers to their sites, but asked in the same breath, “How can I consistently get more?”

As an author, new visitors to your Blog or Website are crucial to getting noticed as a writer as well as selling your books or services. Getting hits comes from knowing how popular your site is with the search engines and being able to draw visitors through them as well as through your own “side-line” efforts. So how does your site rank?

First, use the Website Grader at http://websitegrader.com/ to see your stats. Simply type in your Website URL and click “Generate Report” (un-check for “Monthly Updates”). This is the best free tool online to find out where your site ranks.

Now you know; so how do you improve these rankings? Start by sending a note to Google and other search engines every time you post something new. Yes, the search engines will automatically look for new posts, but not very often on a less popular site (as most of ours are). So you need to step up and submit your Website yourself (below are the links to do that). Make sure you are submitting the “exact” URL for your new post. Each time you post, Blogger or whoever you use, creates a special link just for that new post. Example:

My URL is http://abookinside.blogspot.com
Bloggers assigned URL for my post on Publishing is http://abookinside.blogspot.com/2010/11/to-be-or-not-to-be-self-published-that.html
See the difference?

Here are the links to submit your new posts:
Google http://www.google.com/addurl/
Yahoo http://search.yahoo.com/info/submit.html
Bing http://www.bing.com/webmaster/SubmitSitePage.aspx

Next, get some inbound links by visiting sites which are similar in content to yours and asking for a link exchange. Scroll down to the bottom of this home page to see all the related links I have swapped with and how I place them on my page. Also, every time you visit another Blog, leave a comment with a link to your site.

Another appealing asset the search engines are happy to see is consistent new useful content on your site. The more good information you post, the more value they see in your site. More value means better placement when a potential customer is searching for your product.

For added hits to your site, I like Entrecard. You put the logo on your site (create one for yourself) and share advertizing spots on other members sites. Yes, over time many become repeated visits and quick click-throughs, but that still looks good to the search engines and you will get fresh visitors through your free ads. Sign up for Entrecard at http://entrecard.com/rr/29732v.

Finally,
Make sure you have a “Share” button on your Website. That way visitors who like your site can share it on other social networking sites such as Facebook or Twitter. Find the Share button at http://free-7.blogspot.com/2009/06/share-button-complete-bookmark-for.html.

I hope this information is helpful to you as we’re all in this together and I would love to see all those in this field become more successful! Notice all these marketing avenues are free?

This site (A Book Inside) has reached a page rank of 5 (that’s really good), but it took 5 years and a lot of work to get here. Even so, my visitor count could be better. I have a lot to learn; but what I do know I have shared with you here. If you know of some great ways to build a following, please share that with all of us in the comment section below.

Even right here and now, you can help my site by clicking the Share button and posting this on your own social networking sites! Thanks for stopping by!