Alexander M. Zoltai's Blog, page 241
December 23, 2010
This Author's Job ~ Reading Reality Right
O.K. Last post before my holiday break and I think the title is a real challenge--a challenge for me... What to write?...
I am an author. There is a reality out there (and, in here). Let me take a crack at reading it:
"Our globe is pregnant with crisis. Most of us have no solid idea of what will happen next. Some of us are toiling to fix things but they keep breaking. Some of us are speeding toward personal goals with no awareness of the severity of the crisis. Then, there are those so stunned they're walking in a dream--or, a nightmare...
"This global crisis has been rolling along for decades; speeding up lately; and, seeming to carry a message: 'Stop The Bickering! We're All One Family!!'"
O.K. That's my short reading of what I see going on...
And, since I've posted before about the reader re-writing what the author produces, how have you re-written what I just wrote?
Is the crisis I wrote about just a temporary bother?
Have you already written-off the human race?
Did solutions to the crisis spill out of my words through your mind?
Please, click the title of this post, to activate the comment section, and share your thoughts. Or, if you'd rather comment privately, fill-in the form on our Contact Page.
Closing Thought:
I've been reading reality for a long time. I finally got to a place where I felt ready to re-write it as a book. That's what the rest of this site is about...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Follow the co-author of Notes from An Alien, Sena Quaren:
On Facebook
On Twitter
I am an author. There is a reality out there (and, in here). Let me take a crack at reading it:
"Our globe is pregnant with crisis. Most of us have no solid idea of what will happen next. Some of us are toiling to fix things but they keep breaking. Some of us are speeding toward personal goals with no awareness of the severity of the crisis. Then, there are those so stunned they're walking in a dream--or, a nightmare...
"This global crisis has been rolling along for decades; speeding up lately; and, seeming to carry a message: 'Stop The Bickering! We're All One Family!!'"
O.K. That's my short reading of what I see going on...
And, since I've posted before about the reader re-writing what the author produces, how have you re-written what I just wrote?
Is the crisis I wrote about just a temporary bother?
Have you already written-off the human race?
Did solutions to the crisis spill out of my words through your mind?
Please, click the title of this post, to activate the comment section, and share your thoughts. Or, if you'd rather comment privately, fill-in the form on our Contact Page.
Closing Thought:
I've been reading reality for a long time. I finally got to a place where I felt ready to re-write it as a book. That's what the rest of this site is about...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Follow the co-author of Notes from An Alien, Sena Quaren:
On Facebook
On Twitter
December 20, 2010
The Harpoon Or The Net? ~ Gaining Influence...
Whether you're an author, a blogger, or a butcher you need to gain influence to have people consume your product. Even if you're just a nine-to-fiver with no ambition, you'll have no social life if you don't somehow gain a bit of influence.
Sonia Simone has a blog called Remarkable Communication and in a guest post on copyblogger she compares the old-school approach of gaining attention and influence to throwing a harpoon at people. Very messy method and, if you're not a blogger or book writer doing promotion, you'll need to translate her language from copywriting to your area of desire.
If you're that nine-to-fiver, Simone's words, "hammers the reader with red headlines, yellow highlighting, and aggressive copy" might translate into "alarms the potential friend with over-blown promises and lurid tales". That might get a part-time drinking buddy but won't build a lasting bond...
Then, she compares that method with the longer-term weaving of a net of relationships--interactions that last longer, mean more, and give you an attractiveness that exudes influence.
It's fascinating to me that two basic methods of gaining influence--a gory, intrusive one and another that builds magnetic trust--can be applied in nearly all areas of life. Hmmm... Have we got a basic principle by the tail??
If you need to explore this whole influence thing in more detail, Check out the HubSpot sponsored Influencer Project. They've gotten 60 very influential people and given each of them one minute to give advice. There's a link to get an audio version and its transcript but Jeanne Hopkins was kind enough to also offer a list of the ideas in outline form.
So, even if you don't have a book you want sell; even if you don't have a blog needing a wider audience; even if you don't have choice cuts of meat and no buyers; even if you're just a meek nine-to-fiver who'd like some friends, check out those articles. I made sure the links open a new page for you so you can read the posts then flip back here and tell us what helped the most :-)
Sonia Simone has a blog called Remarkable Communication and in a guest post on copyblogger she compares the old-school approach of gaining attention and influence to throwing a harpoon at people. Very messy method and, if you're not a blogger or book writer doing promotion, you'll need to translate her language from copywriting to your area of desire.
If you're that nine-to-fiver, Simone's words, "hammers the reader with red headlines, yellow highlighting, and aggressive copy" might translate into "alarms the potential friend with over-blown promises and lurid tales". That might get a part-time drinking buddy but won't build a lasting bond...
Then, she compares that method with the longer-term weaving of a net of relationships--interactions that last longer, mean more, and give you an attractiveness that exudes influence.
It's fascinating to me that two basic methods of gaining influence--a gory, intrusive one and another that builds magnetic trust--can be applied in nearly all areas of life. Hmmm... Have we got a basic principle by the tail??
If you need to explore this whole influence thing in more detail, Check out the HubSpot sponsored Influencer Project. They've gotten 60 very influential people and given each of them one minute to give advice. There's a link to get an audio version and its transcript but Jeanne Hopkins was kind enough to also offer a list of the ideas in outline form.
So, even if you don't have a book you want sell; even if you don't have a blog needing a wider audience; even if you don't have choice cuts of meat and no buyers; even if you're just a meek nine-to-fiver who'd like some friends, check out those articles. I made sure the links open a new page for you so you can read the posts then flip back here and tell us what helped the most :-)
December 18, 2010
So, I Wrote A Book... ~~~ So What?
So, my book gets published. That same day there will be well over 2,000 other books published...
So What?
So, the year I've already spent in promoting the idea of my book, the months spent writing and revising, and the last few months of giving people an Advanced Reader Copy of Notes from An Alien (hoping for feedback) are the barest beginning of the tasks that lie ahead for me--or, for any author who doesn't already have an audience.
And, as far as what I've learned about the individual areas of concern I need to pay attention to, here's my current list:
Facebook
HomeSite
Media
OtherSites
Radio
Reviews
SecondLife
TV
Twitter
Blog
Individuals
Books'Community
Of course, that's just my little list of promotional concerns. For a view of what it takes to get the physical book ready to print, so you've got something worth promoting, check out this article about the 22 Top Book Design Tasks.
One thing I've learned, that's a bit frustrating, is the supreme overabundance of information on the Web about how to write, or edit, or promote a book. I swear, three-quarters of the time I've spent learning has been learning about how to pick the gems of wisdom out of the torrent of advice.
One site you might consider (or, recommend to a friend) that pulls some of the best advice together in one place is Publetariat.
So, I wrote a book...
So, I'm working hard to promote it...
So, hopefully, in March it'll be published...
So...
There's my book, along with more than 2,000 others, each one needing more promotion, more loving attention, more sleepless nights, so it can survive its birth and maybe help a few people......................
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Follow the co-author of Notes from An Alien, Sena Quaren:
On Facebook
On Twitter
So What?
So, the year I've already spent in promoting the idea of my book, the months spent writing and revising, and the last few months of giving people an Advanced Reader Copy of Notes from An Alien (hoping for feedback) are the barest beginning of the tasks that lie ahead for me--or, for any author who doesn't already have an audience.
And, as far as what I've learned about the individual areas of concern I need to pay attention to, here's my current list:
HomeSite
Media
OtherSites
Radio
Reviews
SecondLife
TV
Blog
Individuals
Books'Community
Of course, that's just my little list of promotional concerns. For a view of what it takes to get the physical book ready to print, so you've got something worth promoting, check out this article about the 22 Top Book Design Tasks.
One thing I've learned, that's a bit frustrating, is the supreme overabundance of information on the Web about how to write, or edit, or promote a book. I swear, three-quarters of the time I've spent learning has been learning about how to pick the gems of wisdom out of the torrent of advice.
One site you might consider (or, recommend to a friend) that pulls some of the best advice together in one place is Publetariat.
So, I wrote a book...
So, I'm working hard to promote it...
So, hopefully, in March it'll be published...
So...
There's my book, along with more than 2,000 others, each one needing more promotion, more loving attention, more sleepless nights, so it can survive its birth and maybe help a few people......................
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Follow the co-author of Notes from An Alien, Sena Quaren:
On Facebook
On Twitter
December 15, 2010
What's It Like Inside When You Read A Book?
I wish you were sitting here, in front of my computer, and writing this post for me. Of course then, the title would have to be, "This Is What It's Like Inside Me When I Read A Book." Hey
!
You could write a real long comment to this post and do just that :-)
But I'd better write a few more words of my own first; at least because I'm not just a writer. I actually read, too. And, I have an inside that re-writes every book I read. I touched on this idea briefly in the post ReadWriteReadWriteReadWrite...
I think we all re-write books as we read them. Oh, maybe not word-for-word but we do come up with images and ideas the author never had in their brain. Words are (after deeds) the best way we have for letting people know what we think and feel, even though they're very slippery critters.
Let's try this formula: Reading is to Writing as Hearing is to Speaking.
Do we always hear exactly what the other person's saying?
Well, the ears hear pretty well as long as other sounds don't drown out the speaker. But what happens when the words travel up the nervous system to the brain and the Mind gets a hold of them and the Heart shares its opinion? Whatever happens is fascinating. Some might say exasperating.
Why do we humans so often seem to not hear what people say?
Why do we humans so often re-write what the author's written?
Like most things about living as a person on a planet like Earth, there are two ways to experience this:
* As a problem.
* As a blessing
If I keep spinning this idea out, this humble blog post will start feeling proud of itself. Right now, I'd rather you, the reader, just finish up re-writing it so you can tell me about it in the comments :-)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Follow the co-author of Notes from An Alien, Sena Quaren:
On Facebook
On Twitter
But I'd better write a few more words of my own first; at least because I'm not just a writer. I actually read, too. And, I have an inside that re-writes every book I read. I touched on this idea briefly in the post ReadWriteReadWriteReadWrite...
I think we all re-write books as we read them. Oh, maybe not word-for-word but we do come up with images and ideas the author never had in their brain. Words are (after deeds) the best way we have for letting people know what we think and feel, even though they're very slippery critters.
Let's try this formula: Reading is to Writing as Hearing is to Speaking.
Do we always hear exactly what the other person's saying?
Well, the ears hear pretty well as long as other sounds don't drown out the speaker. But what happens when the words travel up the nervous system to the brain and the Mind gets a hold of them and the Heart shares its opinion? Whatever happens is fascinating. Some might say exasperating.
Why do we humans so often seem to not hear what people say?
Why do we humans so often re-write what the author's written?
Like most things about living as a person on a planet like Earth, there are two ways to experience this:
* As a problem.
* As a blessing
If I keep spinning this idea out, this humble blog post will start feeling proud of itself. Right now, I'd rather you, the reader, just finish up re-writing it so you can tell me about it in the comments :-)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Follow the co-author of Notes from An Alien, Sena Quaren:
On Facebook
On Twitter
December 14, 2010
Book Promotion Blues ~ "Hey! It's A Job."
Yes
!
It's definitely a job to do book promotion. My book's scheduled to be published in March. I've been promoting it for over a year--way before I wrote it. The "experts" say that's very important these days...
Last post, I talked about integrating Twitter into my promotion efforts. Twitter is a weird space but it has great potential for getting my message out, so... Yep, it's a job, this book promotion stuff. Too bad my creative, writerly self is so submerged while I attend to what's necessary :-(
Let's see:
* I wrote a book called Notes from An Alien. The copyeditor is checking it now and I'm offering a pre-publication copy, free, to folks who want to give me a little feedback. A little feedback can get your name (or, alias) in a Special List in the book. A little bit more feedback can add a 2-line Bio and Web address to your Listing :-)
* I have a forum on this site to extend the conversation about the book into broader fields. The book was written to help Earth heal its global crises. So, the forum's intended to help folks apply the happenings in the book to things here on Earth. Oh ! Maybe you didn't already know that the book happens about 12 light-years from Earth :-)
* I'm engaging people on Facebook, mostly writers.
* I'm trying to engage folks on Twitter, mostly readers who might be into my kind of book.
* I'm re-posting this blog two other places to let my efforts be seen by other audiences.
* I'm trying to deal with the nearly complete lack of feedback about whether all my effort is doing any good.
Oh, I can see how many people visit this blog or the other places on the site. I do have some people talking to me on Facebook and hope to soon have some on Twitter.
Plus, I know that there are many more people who can see me but aren't the type to let me know. They might like what I'm doing...
I will plod on. I will write the follow-up book to Notes from An Alien. I will continue to try to help our Earth.........
Got any ideas that might help me?
Got any inspirational comments?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Follow the co-author of Notes from An Alien, Sena Quaren:
On Facebook
On Twitter
Last post, I talked about integrating Twitter into my promotion efforts. Twitter is a weird space but it has great potential for getting my message out, so... Yep, it's a job, this book promotion stuff. Too bad my creative, writerly self is so submerged while I attend to what's necessary :-(
Let's see:
* I wrote a book called Notes from An Alien. The copyeditor is checking it now and I'm offering a pre-publication copy, free, to folks who want to give me a little feedback. A little feedback can get your name (or, alias) in a Special List in the book. A little bit more feedback can add a 2-line Bio and Web address to your Listing :-)
* I have a forum on this site to extend the conversation about the book into broader fields. The book was written to help Earth heal its global crises. So, the forum's intended to help folks apply the happenings in the book to things here on Earth. Oh ! Maybe you didn't already know that the book happens about 12 light-years from Earth :-)
* I'm engaging people on Facebook, mostly writers.
* I'm trying to engage folks on Twitter, mostly readers who might be into my kind of book.
* I'm re-posting this blog two other places to let my efforts be seen by other audiences.
* I'm trying to deal with the nearly complete lack of feedback about whether all my effort is doing any good.
Oh, I can see how many people visit this blog or the other places on the site. I do have some people talking to me on Facebook and hope to soon have some on Twitter.
Plus, I know that there are many more people who can see me but aren't the type to let me know. They might like what I'm doing...
I will plod on. I will write the follow-up book to Notes from An Alien. I will continue to try to help our Earth.........
Got any ideas that might help me?
Got any inspirational comments?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Follow the co-author of Notes from An Alien, Sena Quaren:
On Facebook
On Twitter
December 13, 2010
Book Promotion Blues ~ "Hey! It's A Job :-)"
Yes
!
It's definitely a job to do book promotion. My book's scheduled to be published in March. I've been promoting it for over a year--way before I wrote it. The "experts" say that's very important these days...
Last post, I talked about integrating Twitter into my promotion efforts. Twitter is a weird space but it has great potential for getting my message out, so... Yep, it's a job, this book promotion stuff. Too bad my creative, writerly self is so submerged while I attend to what's necessary :-(
Let's see:
* I wrote a book called Notes from An Alien. The copyeditor is checking it now and I'm offering a pre-publication copy, free, to folks who want to give me a little feedback. A little feedback can get your name (or, alias) in a Special List in the book. A little bit more feedback can add a 2-line Bio and Web address to your Listing :-)
* I have a forum on this site to extend the conversation about the book into broader fields. The book was written to help Earth heal its global crises. So, the forum's intended to help folks apply the happenings in the book to things here on Earth. Oh ! Maybe you didn't already know that the book happens about 12 light-years from Earth :-)
* I'm engaging people on Facebook, mostly writers.
* I'm trying to engage folks on Twitter, mostly readers who might be into my kind of book.
* I'm re-posting this blog two other places to let my efforts be seen by other audiences.
* I'm trying to deal with the nearly completely lack of feedback about whether all my effort is doing any good.
Oh, I can see how many people visit this blog or the other places on the site. I do have some people talking to me on Facebook and hope to soon have some on Twitter.
Plus, I know that there are many more people who can see me but aren't the type to let me know. They might like what I'm doing...
I will plod on. I will write the follow-up book to Notes from An Alien. I will continue to try to help our Earth.........
Got any ideas that might help me?
Got any inspirational comments?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Follow the co-author of Notes from An Alien, Sena Quaren:
On Facebook
On Twitter
Last post, I talked about integrating Twitter into my promotion efforts. Twitter is a weird space but it has great potential for getting my message out, so... Yep, it's a job, this book promotion stuff. Too bad my creative, writerly self is so submerged while I attend to what's necessary :-(
Let's see:
* I wrote a book called Notes from An Alien. The copyeditor is checking it now and I'm offering a pre-publication copy, free, to folks who want to give me a little feedback. A little feedback can get your name (or, alias) in a Special List in the book. A little bit more feedback can add a 2-line Bio and Web address to your Listing :-)
* I have a forum on this site to extend the conversation about the book into broader fields. The book was written to help Earth heal its global crises. So, the forum's intended to help folks apply the happenings in the book to things here on Earth. Oh ! Maybe you didn't already know that the book happens about 12 light-years from Earth :-)
* I'm engaging people on Facebook, mostly writers.
* I'm trying to engage folks on Twitter, mostly readers who might be into my kind of book.
* I'm re-posting this blog two other places to let my efforts be seen by other audiences.
* I'm trying to deal with the nearly completely lack of feedback about whether all my effort is doing any good.
Oh, I can see how many people visit this blog or the other places on the site. I do have some people talking to me on Facebook and hope to soon have some on Twitter.
Plus, I know that there are many more people who can see me but aren't the type to let me know. They might like what I'm doing...
I will plod on. I will write the follow-up book to Notes from An Alien. I will continue to try to help our Earth.........
Got any ideas that might help me?
Got any inspirational comments?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Follow the co-author of Notes from An Alien, Sena Quaren:
On Facebook
On Twitter
December 11, 2010
Watching The Words Fly By ~ Sucking Up Meanings
Finally integrated Twitter into my pre-publication promotion efforts. Thought it would be too much effort. Waaaay surprised that I like watching the Tweets flow by. Pulled my Facebook NewsFeed into TweetDeck and I sit and wonder...
Wonder about who's behind those words. Are they who they seem to be? Are they acting? Can I trust what they say?
Why some shorten the words ( wht U gttng 4 xmas ) and some decide to use them more economically ( take advantage-visit VMAC-get account upgrade ); in *both* Twitter and Facebook :-)
Marveling at those folks who take the medium and actually get something artistic to happen. Wondering if it's only happening in my mind...
A few posts back I explored how the very same words can create different meanings in different minds. Now, with the Twitter/Facebook stream flowing into my brain (and, heart), I wonder how it will change the way I use words.
It's said Language is organic--it grows and adapts and changes. So, is it wrong to think that an individual's use of language is also organic?
Am I fertilizing the flowers in my valleys of meaning (planted from books) with this concoction, composed with so many different uses of words and symbols?
Is the Twitter/Facebook flow more like a shower? Will I only be affected by what I swallow, the rest flowing off and away?
Please... Tell me about your relationship with the words from Twitter and/or Facebook.................
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Follow the co-author of Notes from An Alien, Sena Quaren:
On Facebook
On Twitter
Wonder about who's behind those words. Are they who they seem to be? Are they acting? Can I trust what they say?
Why some shorten the words ( wht U gttng 4 xmas ) and some decide to use them more economically ( take advantage-visit VMAC-get account upgrade ); in *both* Twitter and Facebook :-)
Marveling at those folks who take the medium and actually get something artistic to happen. Wondering if it's only happening in my mind...
A few posts back I explored how the very same words can create different meanings in different minds. Now, with the Twitter/Facebook stream flowing into my brain (and, heart), I wonder how it will change the way I use words.
It's said Language is organic--it grows and adapts and changes. So, is it wrong to think that an individual's use of language is also organic?
Am I fertilizing the flowers in my valleys of meaning (planted from books) with this concoction, composed with so many different uses of words and symbols?
Is the Twitter/Facebook flow more like a shower? Will I only be affected by what I swallow, the rest flowing off and away?
Please... Tell me about your relationship with the words from Twitter and/or Facebook.................
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Follow the co-author of Notes from An Alien, Sena Quaren:
On Facebook
On Twitter
December 9, 2010
Is It *Really* Possible To Get-Along With Everybody?
Get along with everybody? Like, if everybody could do it there'd be no more war? What, am I crazy??
Well...
:-)
No, I don't think I'm crazy but I do think people have more potential for peaceful living than they might realize. More potential for working to understand another's perspective before judging them. More hidden under the surface of conscious anxiety than just more fear and avoidance.
My forthcoming book, Notes from An Alien , is all about a civilization's struggle to go from what appears to be "natural", "irreconcilable" differences to enduring peace. I've had to not only think deeply about that process but also to admit things to myself that have made me, even at my advanced age, question my sincerity in putting into real, live action what is so easy to only talk about. Basically, I've come to the conclusion that nothing we claim with our mouths has any value if our hearts don't compel us to take action.
Words alone are cheap. Deeds alone can be misunderstood. Words used to justify deeds are dangerous.
So?
What can be done with that obnoxious person who just won't understand that I can't deal with them?
I hope I'm not about to say that it's my responsibility to understand them better, 'cause, if I say that, a bunch of my readers will check-out....................................
Does it really, ultimately matter if we live up to our best principles? If we just don't physically harm others can't we just do what we feel like and let the rest of the world do what it pleases?
I'm sitting here wondering how many who read this post are in an area that's ravaged by war. Not many, I'd wager.
How many readers are in a town that has rank racial prejudice (which can definitely lead to war)?
How many live next to a man who beats his wife?
How many of you have buried guilt because you think you don't have whatever it takes to live up to your own principles? {The writer of this post raises his hand...}
One more thought before I share a valuable link to an engaging video:
Is humanity One Whole "being"--one entity, even if parts of it are weak or sick or cancerously dangerous???
Here's the link to a video that I hope will surprise you and give you hope--and, maybe even a bit of courage.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Follow the co-author of Notes from An Alien, Sena Quaren:
On Facebook
On Twitter
Well...
:-)
No, I don't think I'm crazy but I do think people have more potential for peaceful living than they might realize. More potential for working to understand another's perspective before judging them. More hidden under the surface of conscious anxiety than just more fear and avoidance.
My forthcoming book, Notes from An Alien , is all about a civilization's struggle to go from what appears to be "natural", "irreconcilable" differences to enduring peace. I've had to not only think deeply about that process but also to admit things to myself that have made me, even at my advanced age, question my sincerity in putting into real, live action what is so easy to only talk about. Basically, I've come to the conclusion that nothing we claim with our mouths has any value if our hearts don't compel us to take action.
Words alone are cheap. Deeds alone can be misunderstood. Words used to justify deeds are dangerous.
So?
What can be done with that obnoxious person who just won't understand that I can't deal with them?
I hope I'm not about to say that it's my responsibility to understand them better, 'cause, if I say that, a bunch of my readers will check-out....................................
Does it really, ultimately matter if we live up to our best principles? If we just don't physically harm others can't we just do what we feel like and let the rest of the world do what it pleases?
I'm sitting here wondering how many who read this post are in an area that's ravaged by war. Not many, I'd wager.
How many readers are in a town that has rank racial prejudice (which can definitely lead to war)?
How many live next to a man who beats his wife?
How many of you have buried guilt because you think you don't have whatever it takes to live up to your own principles? {The writer of this post raises his hand...}
One more thought before I share a valuable link to an engaging video:
Is humanity One Whole "being"--one entity, even if parts of it are weak or sick or cancerously dangerous???
Here's the link to a video that I hope will surprise you and give you hope--and, maybe even a bit of courage.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Follow the co-author of Notes from An Alien, Sena Quaren:
On Facebook
On Twitter
December 8, 2010
Google, Amazon, & The Author ~ Or, The Giants & The Pigmy
O.K., I'm an author. Published three books a few years ago on Lulu.com and have one getting ready for publication on FastPencil in March.
I didn't do much of anything to promote the books on Lulu and, in the years since, I've sold very few. Oh, yeah... All those books are now free to download...
The book coming out in March has already had a full year of pre-publication promotion. My publisher will distribute to Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iPad, and Ingram (a place to be if you want bookstores and libraries to be able to order your book).
So, now Google is a place to have one's book. And, some of the things I hear about books on Amazon indicate that, even though it's the current Place-To-Go, authors who aren't name brands are having a tough time... (would really love to hear comments from any of you who have experience with having your books on Amazon. The things I hear are quite contradictory...)
I may have been published already and I may have done a better job this time with promotion but.........
I'm still learning. Things like:
Building relationships is the most important task in promotion.
Most of the "gurus" on the Web are not to be trusted.
There are around 200,000 books published a year.
I'm working at least 12 hours a day with getting my message out and it still may not be enough to sell my book.
Please, form a line and leave all your comments on book promotion and distribution :-)
I didn't do much of anything to promote the books on Lulu and, in the years since, I've sold very few. Oh, yeah... All those books are now free to download...
The book coming out in March has already had a full year of pre-publication promotion. My publisher will distribute to Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iPad, and Ingram (a place to be if you want bookstores and libraries to be able to order your book).
So, now Google is a place to have one's book. And, some of the things I hear about books on Amazon indicate that, even though it's the current Place-To-Go, authors who aren't name brands are having a tough time... (would really love to hear comments from any of you who have experience with having your books on Amazon. The things I hear are quite contradictory...)
I may have been published already and I may have done a better job this time with promotion but.........
I'm still learning. Things like:
Building relationships is the most important task in promotion.
Most of the "gurus" on the Web are not to be trusted.
There are around 200,000 books published a year.
I'm working at least 12 hours a day with getting my message out and it still may not be enough to sell my book.
Please, form a line and leave all your comments on book promotion and distribution :-)
December 7, 2010
Google, Amazon, &The Author ~ Or, The Giants & The Pigmy
O.K., I'm an author. Published three books a few years ago on Lulu.com and have one getting ready for publication on FastPencil in March.
I didn't do much of anything to promote the books on Lulu and, in the years since, I've sold very few. Oh, yeah... All those books are now free to download...
The book coming out in March has already had a full year of pre-publication promotion. My publisher will distribute to Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iPad, and Ingram (a place to be if you want bookstores and libraries to be able to order your book).
So, now Google is a place to have one's book. And, some of the things I hear about books on Amazon indicate that, even though it's the current Place-To-Go, authors who aren't name brands are having a tough time... (would really love to hear comments from any of you who have experience with having your books on Amazon. The things I hear are quite contradictory...)
I may have been published already and I may have done a better job this time with promotion but.........
I'm still learning. Things like:
Building relationships is the most important task in promotion.
Most of the "gurus" on the Web are not to be trusted.
There are around 200,000 books published a year.
I'm working at least 12 hours a day with getting my message out and it still may not be enough to sell my book.
Please, form a line and leave all your comments on book promotion and distribution :-)
I didn't do much of anything to promote the books on Lulu and, in the years since, I've sold very few. Oh, yeah... All those books are now free to download...
The book coming out in March has already had a full year of pre-publication promotion. My publisher will distribute to Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iPad, and Ingram (a place to be if you want bookstores and libraries to be able to order your book).
So, now Google is a place to have one's book. And, some of the things I hear about books on Amazon indicate that, even though it's the current Place-To-Go, authors who aren't name brands are having a tough time... (would really love to hear comments from any of you who have experience with having your books on Amazon. The things I hear are quite contradictory...)
I may have been published already and I may have done a better job this time with promotion but.........
I'm still learning. Things like:
Building relationships is the most important task in promotion.
Most of the "gurus" on the Web are not to be trusted.
There are around 200,000 books published a year.
I'm working at least 12 hours a day with getting my message out and it still may not be enough to sell my book.
Please, form a line and leave all your comments on book promotion and distribution :-)
