Malena Lott's Blog, page 15

Dealing Cards

For me, there's no better time than the change of seasons to reflect on what's working (or not) in my life. It's my first autumn in our new house and my biggest attraction to the house was the trees and the deck. I only have to step outside to step into a more peaceful world where the birds, squirrels, monarchs and rustling leaves rule. I call it "zen on deck," both literally and metaphorically. As I'm trying to continuously align myself with my authentic purpose, I'm trying to look and listen to what's real. I got a big sign that I'm on the right track recently and I wanted to share with you something that I said at lunch with a dear friend that illustrates what wasn't working.
When she asked what I was doing and what I wanted to do - marketing or writing - I felt that familiar pit in my stomach. I have juggled both for years, marketing for other clients to earn good money and writing fiction, but not being able to fully support myself with it. I said, I FEEL LIKE I'M DEALING CARDS. A LITTLE OF THIS, A LITTLE OF THAT. Dealing cards: giving away my power to everyone else but not feeling like I'm really in the game. Do you ever feel that way? If you wake up one day and your cards are all gone - battery depleted - it's tough to feel energized to meet our goals, let alone our to-do list.
Question is: what can we do about it? No, we're not going to sell the kids or give up the clubs or activities we care about. But I can say no to the things that are temporary - a card that I'm giving away but I'll never get back. Yes, it's focus. Yes, it's about time management, but more importantly it's about listening to the advice I give to my clients: if it supports the brand, you say "yes," If it doesn't, you say no. The truth is - it's scary to let go of the sure thing, but if you don't, you'll never grasp the new one.
I love books. I love writing. I love sharing stories. Yet I knew it wasn't just about me. I still love the team spirit and collaboration, which is why I wanted to do SLEIGH RIDE. Buzz Books, an imprint of Athena Institute, my creative firm, means I can explore all of those things and keep myself in the game. I'm so thankful for my tribe - my Girlfriend Book Club authors who share advice on how we can capitalize on the shifts in the publishing industry - as well as my Book End Babe bloggers and my family who support my calling.
If you're in a similar boat, try watching the leaves fall for a while. Think, "let go, let go," and then see what rises to your consciousness. What do you need to let go of to make room for the real stuff?
News: Fixer Upper gets a facelift - a brand new cover to celebrate Fixer Upper coming out in paperback this fall. Sleigh Ride is still slated for a November release date. The proof copy is on its way to my house! I'll have news on pricing very soon, as well as the BEST CONTEST I'VE EVER DONE. I'll also be announcing the first Goddess Girls Young Adult novel very soon under my pen name Lena Brown and my first non-fiction branding books. It's going to be a beautiful holiday season.

Feeding Your Genius First

In Practical Genius, the author tells us to feed our genius first - genius being that spark and strength within us. Before we check our e-mail or get the kids ready for school - all output - we should give our genius some soul food. A walk, meditation, something you love to do.
Like all mortal mommies, I needed the reminder. After a summer of morning meditation and walks, it's been tough to keep up the practice with the start of school, but if I skip them, I feel more irritable throughout the day. Not enough input to keep my mojo moving.
The only e-mail I read in the early morning is one from Lissa Rankin from my Inner Pilot Light, her term for your higher self/God/soul/spark. It's not religious, just uplifting. I like that morning message in my in box telling me that someone has my back, even if that's my authentic self buried beneath my to-do list. I just need to tap into it.
The same goes for your genius work. Usually I work on my fiction projects first thing, then move on to e-mail and marketing work. Lately though, I've had more deadlines bunched up together and not enough hours in the afternoon to get them all done. One afternoon as I'm driving my daughter to dance class, a voice spoke to me - my character, Mary, from the fantasy I'm writing. (Just to be clear, just in my mind.) She told me two important things about her past and one big conflict with the love interest. I knew despite all the demands of life, I had to get back to writing Mary's story and also, it was a lesson that the spark will find you when you least expect it.
It's important to listen in since the spark could be a whisper and everything else in life is drowning it out. Which brings me to Conan O'Brien. My husband and I watched his documentary about his forty-show tour, and I wondered how Conan could have been okay with how he comes across, which was angry (understandable) BUT also irritable and at times ungrateful and completely exhausted by the tour he wanted to feed his soul. In several segments, he's snapping at people, complains about getting his photo with people and then near the end of the tour, doesn't allow photos at all, just autographs without even looking or speaking at the people in line. (Again, we are only seeing what was edited, but if it had been my video, I'd have made sure I came across in better light or even at the end came back and said, "you know, I really overbooked myself, I don't like who I became at the end, etc.") But then, maybe that's what he's like all the time. My point is: are we listening to ourselves? How do we come off to others? Are we letting our busyness and demands make us unpleasant to be around? I know when I'm in "a mood" I don't even want to be with myself. For me, the take-away was balance. Sometimes we overdo it, and even what we love to do can become draining.
Besides having a video camera follow us around, how can we listen to ourselves to make sure we're aligned with our best self? Look for cues of how our behavior is affecting those around us. At the end of the day, take notes of what transpired during different transactions. During the day, check how you're feeling. Too much output? Not enough input? Give yourself mini-breaks. I like to stop and do one zumba routine, which is about four minutes long, but the loud music and cardio gives me enough energy to make it through all the sitting I do as a writer.
This genius stuff? Feed. Listen. Adjust. Repeat.

Getting Unstuck

5 Mojo Tips for Getting Unstuck
by Malena Lott
1. Remember, "This too shall pass." Often we don't move forward because we're paralyzed with fear or anxiety that we'll fail or a current situation feels like a roadblock to our success. Thing is, circumstances will never be "perfect." There isn't a magical timer that's going to go off to tell you, "Now!" Remembering that everything changes can help us move forward with the next step.
2. Stop planning and start doing. Many of us suffer from Someday Disease. We may plan like a ninja, but we never actually go through with it. A good idea is nothing if not executed. So what are you waiting for? Jump in!
3. Reward yourself. Ah, incentives. Whether it's M&Ms or a little holiday, rewarding ourselves for reaching our goals works to keep our mojo up. I give myself tiny rewards throughout the day - when I hit word count goals or check off certain items from my to-do list. Think of what works to motivate you - put it in writing, sign it, hang it up where you can see it, and get going!
4. Take a sacred pause. It's worth the bit of time it takes to examine why we're stuck. Instead of incessant worrying about it, though, this calls for a planned space to meditate on the situation. All you need is a quiet place, some deep breaths, and asking yourself the question. The answer may not come right then, but it will pop up when you least expect it.
5. Go with the flow. We've all heard the expression, "if you fail, try, try again." I also like, "have a plan b." If things don't work out initially, we can ask ourselves why, kiss our bruised ego and try something different. Going with the flow means riding the energy that's already there. I love Eckhardt Tolle's advice that when we're stuck in quicksand, if we flail about, we get more stuck, but if we calmly grab onto something and pull ourselves up, we can get out more easily.
Here's to getting unstuck! Have a great week.
My goals for the week: finish inserting line edits for SLEIGH RIDE (compile most common mistakes to share with all writers on Buzz Books site); write 5K on my fantasy WIP; finish outlining TYPE A TO ZEN, write one chapter in THE LITTLE BRAND THAT COULD, make pulled pork in the new Crockpot.

Zen on Deck

Where do you draw strength? Build stamina? How do you deal with stress and find peace when tantrums and drama bulldoze your days? I'd love to be more Super Woman and less Supper Woman, yet the fam's gotta eat. So, what's a mod mama to do?
I find refuge in books, and, obviously writing, but what about the rest of the day? Point blank: it wasn't enough. I need to feel an inner calm in the moment, not just in the escape. Three years ago, I began practicing living in the present instead of having my mind hijack my peace, thanks to Eckhart Tolle's, "A New Earth," through Oprah's book club. On the outside - and to most of my friends - I'm sure I've seemed pretty in control. I've been a Type A personality all of my life - which means we want total control and are typically the "leadership" types. What I wanted was to be more Type AB - a go-with-the-flow kind of gal who could still find success, but without the stress.
I'm a thinker, and that can be a good thing, but my mind can be a train barrelling down the tracks, full speed ahead, rarely in the moment. It thinks of the past. It thinks of the future. It thinks of possibiities when it should be thinking about not burning the dinner or where to turn so I don't get lost driving. My mind was running my life, but I didn't want it to ruin it in the process. That meant letting go. In other words, (taps microphone) I CANNOT RULE THE UNIVERSE.
I know. Shocking, right? You mean I can't make my children perfect angels or heal my husband's back pain or fix my sister's marital problems? (One got a divorce and is now happily married and the other ended up divorcing, remarrying him and he passed away this summer.) I share this with you because I worried way too much about my sisters' lives and now that my "baby" sis is a young widow, I could live in a quicksand of worry. But I can't. I have to listen, assist, but not get stuck in the muck of dark thoughts and being the bossy big sis/mom/wife.
How did I - am I - turning this around? I decided I had to make a serious commitment to finding zen. It's a state of being, not a religion, but it is a practice and involves sitting in zazen (seated meditation) every day on my deck after a meditative walk. The idea is to expand conciousness by focusing on the gap - the space between the thoughts. Asking a thinker to not think sounds like asking a fish not to swim, but what I've found is that by opening up the space for new opportunities to come into my life, greater thoughts, ideas and creativity flow. My writing feels more fluid. My thoughts drift less often. I'm less anxious, less worried, more peaceful about the "dull" to-dos that make up some of my domestic life. In fact, I've began dropping labels altogether, trying not to judge. I try to keep the adjectives in my writing, not my days. I try to keep the conflict in the stories and out of my life.
For years I've written about women who needed a "life lift," and that will continue, but I'm also writing new things that wouldn't have been possible without opening up the space for something different. I'm writing a non-fiction book, "Type A to Zen," about what I've learned the last five years in my search through my favorite writers, which may help others wanting a life change that starts with "now." I'm writing young adult and fantasy and a branding series. I'm more in tune with what I want, more productive, and I'm eager to share.
I believe in blogging authentically, too. I'll focus on mojo, creativity and zen, three tight-knit siblings working together to create a cool life.

Top Tropical Drinks

This week, I asked my pals on social media to give me their favorite tropical drink. I Googled the ingredients, and voila! - a beach-ready cocktail is yours for the making. (You're welcome.) At the bottom of the post, the winner of the beach tote is announced.
Katie McClelland Miami Vices and mango daiquiris.
Miami Vice: Bacardi® 151 rum, pina colada mix and daiquiri mix
Michelle Wattie Langston Had this while in Panama Beach a few weeks ago and have been hooked:
Ruby Seabreeze: Ruby Red Grapefruit Juice, splash of cranberrym, Absolut Ruby Red Vodka, Lime, over ice
HeatherDearly: Pina Coladas are definitely my favorite beach drink. Love them and their coconutty goodness!
@glynis_crawford: It's probably cliche but I like pina coladas, and getting caught in the rain.... :-)
Pina Coladas
* 2 ½ to 3 ounces of rum
* 2 ounces Cream of Coconut
* 2 ounces Pineapple Juice
* Crushed ice (enough to fill the serving glass).
Pour all of the ingredients into the blender and blend thoroughly until smooth. Pour back into your serving glass, top off with a straw and a piece of pineapple if you like, and enjoy!
 
alitaylorclark I had an Amaretto Slush last night at a party. It was so yummy, I had 2! Had pineapple juice and I don't know what else.
Amaretto Slush
1-2 liters 7-up
1- 48 oz can Pineapple Juice
1- small can of crushed pineapple
1- 8oz can frozen orange juice concentrate
1 large jar (juice reserved) cherry halves
2-3 cups Amaretto
Mix all ingredients in 1 gallon ice cream container and freeze overnight
Before serving break up with large fork add cherry juice
@HouseofGlib: @malenalott I don't know how tropical it is, but Malibu Rum & Dr. Pepper goes down like a girl-drink drunk's dream
Dr. Malibu
Add Malibu coconut rum and Dr. Pepper, to taste
lisajanssen: Mai Tai! Fell in love with them during our recent trip to Hawaii!
Mai Tai
1 oz light rum
1/2 oz creme de almond
1/2 oz triple sec
sweet and sour mix
pineapple juice
1/2 oz Myer's® dark rum
Pour light rum, creme de almond and triple sec, in order, into a collins glass. Almost fill with equal parts of sweet and sour mix and pineapple juice. Add dark rum, a large straw, and serve unstirred.
Read more: Mai Tai recipe http://www.drinksmixer.com/drink525.html#ixzz1UlfCUXWx
bookfanmb: Seven Mile Meltdown (Cayman Islands) ... hmm, now I want one!
Seven Mile Meltdown: Dark rum, peach schnapps, pineapple juice, and fresh coconut.
authorterryo: Skip and Go Naked - 1 1/2 oz Vodka, Beer, Pink Lemonade Concentrate
(I'll admit. When I read the recipe for Skip & Go Naked, a craving for pink lemonade hit me and I simply couldn't continue writing without the drink next to my laptop. After a quick trip to the grocery store and liquor store, I got my beachy drink and it tasted even better than I expected. Used Bud Light and Minute Maid pink lemonade concentrate and Smirnoff vodka.)
The beach drink in Life's a Beach is the national Brazilian drink, the Caipirinha. For the recipe, click over to the Videos & Recipes page. For more on Life's a Beach, check out the Books page.
The winner of the beach tote is Michelle Langston. Thanks, friends!

Your fave beaches...

With record 113 degree temps in the Midwest, you can imagine why I'm dreaming of far-away beaches. I declared it #beachweek and asked my Facebook friends, fans and Twitter followers for their favorite beaches and why. Here are there responses and the winner of a new beach tote is listed at the bottom of the post.
1. The beach at our resort in Cabo San Lucas- because we'll be there in October and a beach bag would be nifty!- Jennifer W.
2. Hanalei Bay in Kauai because it is the most calm and relaxing beach I have ever been to. A beautiful bay surrounded by mountains. I have great memories of sitting in a palm covered hut for hours playing cards and reading with my good friend Aviva. - Gretchen

3. Siesta Key in Sarasota, FL! Beautiful white sandy beaches! - Leah

4. I'm going to have to say St. Augustine, Florida. We didn't go to the beach there, but watching the dolphins feed from the dock was amazing. -Erin

5. My favorite beach is the beach at Long Lake in Wisconsin, where so many of my teenage memories were formed! - Mari

6. Any on Prince Edward IslandI b/c it's home! Here's a link: tourismpei.com/index.php3 I grew up at one of the beaches & it was awesome. Really miss it in summer. - @AnnetteGallant

7. Waikiki beach in Hawaii. At 22, It was the first time this Kansas girl saw miles of water instead of prairie. Overwhelming. ;) - @danimichelle

8. My favorite beach is Edisto Island, SC. Beautiful, family friendly. - @mamacheatham

9. Hilton Head Island bc of wide, hard packed sand 4 biking - @HOTDOGOKC

10. I lived on Siesta Key Beach in Sarasota, FL. SKB is "Dr. Beach's" #1 this year...with good reason. Gorgeous sand, tons of fun. - @bookbrainy

I second Gretchen and Dani's beach picks in Hawaii. I haven't been there in 14 years, when I was newly pregnant with my first child, but even a bit of morning sickness didn't keep me from enjoying paradise! I've also visited Hilton Head - which was one of the most peaceful biking adventures. Can't wait to take my family back to both.

In my ebook novella LIFE'S A BEACH, Avery and Georgia are on the beautiful beaches of Playa del Carmen - beach pictured at the top of the post. For more about the book, visit Amazon.

And congrats to @mamacheatham for winning the beach tote! If you like contests, be sure and visit my contest page.

Next week I'm sharing the top 10 beach cocktails. Wishing you a beachy keen summer, wherever you spend it! xo-Malena

What's hot, what's you?

by Malena Lott
For every "type" of book that NYC isn't buying, there are exceptions to the rule. Chicklit still has a few big authors, like Beth Harbison (who has a new book out I can't wait to get my hands on) and Jennifer Weiner, whom one of my book bloggers at Book End Babes got to meet last week in Kansas City and said she was funny and gracious and wonderful. And Emily Giffen is a gift from the lit gods, if you ask me. (I've met her in person and she's smart and delightful as you'd expect.)
A couple of years ago, I decided I could write YA. With my predilection to a humorous first-person tone and my love of Greek mythology (I named my consulting firm Athena after the goddess of wisdom), I went for it. Only NYC didn't. They said "goddesses weren't selling" and "setting my story in college versus high school wouldn't appeal to young readers." Are they right? I don't know. But that project is on my list to "e-book" soon. Yes, I'm using it as a verb.
Fast-forward to this past year and I decided I'd try again with YA, because, honestly, there was a story haunting me that wouldn't let go. It began with a nightmare and sort of worked itself into my conscience the next three years until my seas-parting epiphany about the theme, plot and characters hit me. It has twins. It has cowboys. It has angels, but they aren't fallen. It's making the rounds, but so far I haven't gotten that call to say my book baby has a home. I think it could be a big book, but what does an author know? We know what's "us," and not always what's "hot." We're told NOT to write just what's hot, yet we are turned down if something isn't. (Again, there are exceptions.)
I've also started my first adult fantasy - maybe my favorite thing I've ever written - and I plan to write a sequel to Life's a Beach, my novella that is currently in e-bookstores. The sequel will be called The Last Resort, which will take place at a resort and hit the e-bookshelves Memorial Day 2012. Georgia will be back!
I'll also write more short stories for Buzz Books, which will likely announce a big YA contest for a spring anthology soon. I'm launching a series of "Little Brand" books to share my experience in branding companies for the last 15 years later this fall.
All of this to say, I'm not letting NYC guide my hand or my mind, but truly listening to my Voice. Yes, I get input from trusted partners, like my agent, who has stuck by me through no recent sales, and my hubby, who doesn't read women's fiction, but reads my stuff and is an amazing editor.
Whether you are a writer or just someone trying to figure out what's authentic for you, remember the answer is already there if you listen close enough. Whether it's fashion choices, career options or relationships, go for what's right for you, not just what's popular for the time being. I know I won't be jumping back into a jumper from the '80s though I'm seeing them in store windows.
If you'd like some help, I highly recommend reading WRITING DOWN YOUR SOUL by Janet Conner. It's not religious, though it does not to that higher power within you (I call it my Higher Self). Whether you consider if divine or just clear-thinking, this deep journaling exercise could be just the ticket for accessing "You."
Also, I'm hosting a fun July contest, Chill & Shout, with a great prize package including a book, magazine, movie, CD and Starbucks iced Via, so I hope you'll share the word about Life's a Beach and enter. More info on the contest page here.

5 ways to help an author you like

1. Obvious, but, buy their book. Every time a book is purchased, the author gets a bit of money - either a small percentage if it's traditionally published, or 35% or 70% if it's indie published digitally. Those dollars and cents buy valuable things for the author, like soap. No one likes a dirty author.
2. Tell other people about the book. Thanks to social media, you can post that you are reading the book, have read the book, and even include a link to purchase. If you are friends with, or follow, the author, you can include their name so they know about it, too. Every time you tweet or post about a book you love, an author takes one less hit of the hooch.
3. Post a review on Amazon, B&N, Goodreads and the iBookstore. (One or as many as your kind heart feels willing.) Natch, I'm talking a good review, 3 stars or better. Say what you liked or loved about the book without giving away any spoilers. Each good review feels like getting asked to the prom by the hot girl or guy we've been crushing on all semester.
4. Send an e-mail or note to the author letting them know how much you liked the book. Sometimes a book (and its message) come at a perfect time in our lives and changes us for the better. An author wants that personal feedback. It helps store positive juju for writing the next one.
5. Seek out the authors other books. With so many books to choose from, and new ones coming out each week, it can be difficult to keep up with authors you like, so signing up for their newsletter, their RSS feed on their blog or keeping up with them on social media will keep you in the know when their future works come out. If you borrowed the book from the library or a friend, seeking out other books by them is a great way of starting this top 5 all over again. Good things come to those who read!
On behalf of all authors everywhere, THANK YOU for reading and supporting our literary endeavors. Wishing you lit love!
What's new - what's next?
Fixer Upper and Life's a Beach are both $2.99 at Amazon and other digital retailers. Life's a Beach will be available on the nook and iBookstore soon. If you'd like a print book, Dating da Vinci is still available in that format, so you may purchase it online. Sleigh Ride, a winter anthology with other women fiction authors, will debut in November. My first non-fiction book, The Little Brand That Could, will also be out this fall, kicking off a series of Little Brand Books to help business owners grow their brands.

Mixing business with writing

Writing has been my business since I graduated from college blankety-blank years ago, but fiction writing has been something I did for fun. While I hoped my first love would bring financial rewards, I depended on someone else to make that happen. My agent, editor, publisher and publicist. Not anymore.
With my goal to eventually replace my marketing salary with my stories (fiction and non-fiction), I've had to think like a publisher (while still hoping my story on submission lands with a Big 6 publisher in the meantime.) I also had to think of MYSELF as my own client since I'm already a marketer.
What does being a hybrid author mean? That you publish some stories on your own, and others with publishers. John Locke recently was the eighth indie author to sell a million copies. He has NINE ebooks available. He sells them cheap and he created a marketing system that he is now sharing in his book How I Sold a Million Books in Five Months.
I haven't read it yet, but it's important to note how other authors are making sales happen and at $4.99 it's worth it to find out how others are doing it.
I created Buzz Books USA with this in mind. By the end of 2011, I'll have had four new books added to my author bookshelf: Fixer Upper (January), Life's a Beach (May), Sleigh Ride (an anthology with other women's fiction authors, November) and my first non-fiction book, The Little Brand That Could, coming sometime this fall. I have a series of Little Brand books planned and created an urban fantasy series I plan to launch under a new pen name. I wrote 25 pages on vacation and came up with enough ideas that, if successful, could have more than a dozen novels in the series.
Originally, I wanted Buzz Books to be a source for great anthologies, and had hoped to have state-focused stories in Oklahoma and Kansas, but I didn't get enough entries to bring the projects to fruition. The contest-funded books would have supplied the winners with upfront money, but it flopped so I'm moving on. I still believe in Sleigh Ride due to the timing of the release (November) and having multiple authors promoting it, so it's a go. I still intend to donate a portion of the proceeds to domestic abuse awareness and prevention programs.
What I've learned is that I hadn't really taken the business side of writing seriously before this summer. My goal is to sell 100 books a day to make writing my own stories a viable career if I'm indie-publishing them.
The lesson? Create a business plan (including a marketing plan) for your books and stick to it. I do this for my clients, but had not done it for me.
For the readers, I'm looking forward to writing more quality stories meant to inspire and entertain.
Next week, I'll share my top 10 tools for taking the business of your passion more seriously. Also, stay tuned for my July contest, Make Your Own Fireworks, coming soon.

Fixing Fixer Upper

Every writer has a manuscript (or several) that he/she feels deserves to be read. The question is: how long should it stay in the writer's inner circle before being born to the world? Thanks to digital publishing avenues such as Kindle Direct and Smashwords, any writer can get published. Now traditionally-published authors, referred to as "hybrid" authors, are pubbing backlisted novels or novellas and short stories to grow readership and have more control over their careers.
Honestly, I don't think I'd have done it so soon if my agent, Natasha Kern, hadn't suggested I try it with Fixer Upper, a mansuscript that was my option book after my first novel was published. True, I'd gotten an offer on it, but I held out for something better, and when that didn't come, it enabled me to "fix" Fixer Upper and be my guinea pig e-book experience. I learned a TON from self-pubbing, and here is a list of the things that are involved in the process, whether you are doing it all yourself or hiring out pieces.
I second author Bob Mayer's advice for new authors to self-pub only after they've written three books (and had them professionally edited) and can concentrate on promotion and benefit from sales of multiple books versus one. Read his Write It Forward blog about it here.
The hardest part about launching Fixer Upper myself was...nearly everything. Nothing about writing is easy and nothing about digital publishing is easy, either. Thankfully my husband is an editor and tech savvy enough to format for both Kindle and Smashwords, but problems came up, and then he'd have to fix them and reupload. Also, the "premium" program at Smashwords requires some time for your project to be approved for the nook and iBookstore, which means you are starting promotion without having them available on all at once. You could hold your Kindle launch until you are approved on the other platforms.
Pricing strategy is critical. I priced Fixer at $4.99, believing it would be cheaper than a mass market, but higher than the kajillion $.99 offerings out there, but after the first month (of heavy guest blogging on my part), the sales trickled in.
Six months later, I released my first novella, Life's a Beach, which is a third the size of my usual novels and priced it at $2.99 and launched it Memorial Day weekend. In the launch week, it sold more copies than Fixer Upper had in it's first month. And Bob's rule of thumb seems to be working. People who are buying Life's a Beach are buying Fixer Upper and even Dating da Vinci, which has an ebook with my traditional publisher.
As a marketing consultant myself, I know it's important to test promotions, and I decided to drop the price of Fixer Upper to $.99 for a limited time (until July 5th) and the sales are improving. The indie e-book world seems to have a sweet spot on price and that's at $2.99 or under. I'll consider a free promotion in the future. It's important to note that books priced UNDER $2.99 get only 30% of the sale price versus 70% if it's higher.
What's the same, whether you are indie-pubbing or traditional pubbed? Promotion. The only way for self-promotion not to become an ugly word is to mix it up with "real life" fare and talking about other authors and books along with yours. That you are a part of a community. That you know people will not ONLY read your books. That author karma is a real thing. That you also care about your readers' lives and the theme that you are sharing with your book. Give them MORE info, MORE insight, not just links to buy.
BUT, the difference is a lot of big reviewers (and even some prominent bloggers), won't review e-books, which means no review my Booklist, Publishers Weekly and Library Journal, which have huge readerships.
What can you control? Your output.
I'll be posting a video of how to create a vision art board next week, to tie-in to Life's a Beach and have regularly been posting quotes and links to more information for those interested in the Law of Attraction.
I'll admit, I've struggled. Not only with self-doubt, which is every writer's devil on their shoulder, but with direction. How can I make a career out of writing stories outside of my marketing business? Next week, my 4th of July post will feature my new passion project, Buzz Books, which will launch an anthology of winter stories on 11/11/11 and how set-backs provided some great lessons about publishing.
If you're a writer, I'd love to hear your thoughts on what's worked for you in indie book marketing, as well as Bob's advice. Are you going to give "indie" a go? Readers, do you care HOW a book is published as long as you can get your hands on it and love the story?