Rod Raglin's Blog, page 38

The social media vortex – commenting on comments

Is this how it begins, commenting on comments until you’re sucked into the social media vortex?

I continue to mull over my first encounter commenting on comments about a topic I blogged (The myth that social media sells books – you can find it on this site). It was a four-way conversation (including myself) that ranged from the enlightening to the ludicrous.

It began with some cogent comments by Carpe Librum about the use of social media to promote book sales. I’ve taken some time to consider what she said and here are her quotes and my comments.

Carpe Librum: I wasn’t successful sales-wise until I published a book that appealed to the kind of readers that I am already connected with through Goodreads.

So she wrote a book that would appeal to her social media followers? I thought it was the other way around – you wrote a book and people that liked what you wrote started following you. Boy, have I got it wrong. I’d like to acquire some book sales but I don’t think I could write a book I wasn’t committed to just because I knew it would sell. However, if any one knows of a sure thing, please let me know.

Carpe Liburm: Previously, I wrote two children’s books that received positive reviews, but the word just never really got out about them. My adult historical fiction novel has been selling better than I would have hoped for, so I’ve looked at what I’ve done differently.

What has she done differently? Well, how about writing a book for adults instead of children and in an entirely different genre, unless there’s a children’s historical fiction category I’m not aware of.

Carpe Librum: Besides the audience that I already have a relationship with, I’ve joined a historical fiction Tweet group. We re-tweet each other on Twitter once each day, sharing each others posts with our own followers and greatly increasing the number of people that see each individual post. I have also done some guest blogging besides my own blog. I don’t know exactly what the magic formula was, but I have sold more copies of this book on some single days than I have my first novel since it was released.

My guess would be the “magic formula” is more likely what I mentioned previously – different genre, different age category. I’d want hard data on the effectiveness of re-tweeting tweets.

Which brings us to my remark that everyone took offense to – “Is it fair to let people assume you’re interested in them, in what they’re doing, by following or friending them when really you’re only interested in promoting your own agenda? Before you answer remember integrity is what you do when nobody’s watching.”

Initially Carpe Librum wrote: I agree that we can’t get too caught up in followers and likes, but I don’t think my recent book release would have gone nearly so well if it were not for my presence on Goodreads and Twitter especially.

Following my gibe about integrity her response was:

Carpe Librum : My efforts in the social media department do take time, but it has been rewarding in more than sales. I do indeed have many online connections that I consider friends.

Hmmm. Do I sense a contradiction there? Never mind, because what she does say in that same paragraph really makes sense.

Carpe LIbrum : I will say that if your attitude toward social media is that you have no intention of being social in terms of reading and commenting on other posts, then it is pretty much doomed to fail.

So there you have it, as they say, in a nutshell. Since I’m using cliche´s I might as well add a few more: You reap what you sow; nothing ventured, nothing gained; and many, many more that mean you get out what you put in.

Apparently, at least to those who would lead you to believe they actively engage with all their followers and friends on social media, the content of this blog for example, is not nearly as important as how I respond to the comments and reciprocate with “liking”, “re-tweeting”, “following” and “friending”. Troy (another contributor to this conversation) was right when he said, “It’s called social media for a reason. It’s social.”

Rats.

It appears I’ve failed in my first foray into the social part of social media. But, hey it’s not all bad, thanks to Troy I’ve learned a few things (though to use journalism lingo, they remain to be substantiated):

– most readers are introverts (I must be the exception. Misanthropic, yes, introvert, no).

– people who dedicate time and energy on a blogging site are introverts who need an outlet to talk, make friends and share ideas. (Oh, dear).

– you lose customers one at a time (tell that to Volkswagen)

– negative word of mouth travels faster than news – actually at warp speed. (Wow! Now if only I could figure out some way to use negative word of mouth to promote my books)

– the opposite of caring isn’t hatred, it’s apathy and, besides nobody cares. (I’m not sure about the first part, but the second part I’m beginning to believe)

– I’m clueless and have little grasp of deeper meaning. (No argument there)

– there actually is a website for quotes by Princess Leia http://www.imdb.com/character/ch0000008/quotes

Net result of this experience is no sales, no more traffic than I’m aware of and I’ve gained one more follower on BookLikes. Go figure.

You can read the blog that started all this The myth social media sells books on WordPress at

https://rodraglin.wordpress.com/2015/10/03/the-myth-that-social-media-sells-books/

Or you can read the BookLikes version of the blog with the original comments at

http://rodraglin.booklikes.com/post/1264405/the-myth-that-social-media-sells-books

You can visit Carpe Librum on BookLikes site at

http://carpelibrum.booklikes.com/

or at her blog at

http://samanthawilcoxson.blogspot.ca/

You can find RedThaws Reads Randomly at

http://redthaws.booklikes.com/

You can find Troy on his BookLikes blog at

http://troy1138.booklikes.com/

Thanks to everyone. Let’s do it again some time.

Too anti-social for social media?

Recently I wrote a blog entitled “The myth that social media sells books” (you can scroll down and read it if you like). I summarized my experience of the previous month where a couple of sites re-posted my blog and others re-tweeted it, blah, blah, blah and so on.

The bottom line was despite exposure to about 20,000 new people who “follow” or “like” these sites on social media the result was zero book sales.

I know you’ve read this before and probably really wish I’d get over it and mostly I have, though occasionally I have a slip, like last month. But wait, this time someone actually responded to my rant and it wasn’t some generic “like”, the equivalent to if you show me yours than I’ll show you mine.”

OMG!!!!

The comment appeared on BookLikes, one of the sites where I post my blog. It was articulate and put forth a different point of view, even asked for my opinion.

I responded, others chimed in, and then the fun began.

I don’t want to prejudice any reader(s) so rather then give you my interpretation of this online conversation (that’s up next), I thought I’d post it in it’s entirety. If you’re an author there’s actually some ideas about how to promote your book you might find useful. If you’re not you might find it interesting how an innocuous online conversation can spiral out of control.

This may be commonplace for all I know, not being one to engage in online chats, but I found this exchange fascinating in an unproductive sort of way.

I’d be interested in hearing comments though it’s not likely I’ll respond, follow, friend or even like you.

So here begins the thread (or is it the stream) with the first comment about my blog:

Carpe Librum: On the other hand, you have to have a platform or nobody will know your books exist. I agree that we can’t get too caught up in followers and likes, but I don’t think my recent book release would have gone nearly so well if it were not for my presence on Goodreads and Twitter especially. My blogs on historical topics related to my book topic also tend to increase sales on the days that I promote them on Twitter. Where do you think book promotion is most effective?

Rod Raglin (that’s me): Thanks for reading my rant and your question.

Where do I think book promotion is most effective? I have no idea, though I’m glad you’ve had positive response using social media. It could very well be the problem isn’t social media, but my writing. The solution in that case is to try to write better books and believe me I’m trying.

(This is the end of the short answer. You might want to quit here.)

Among my artistic friends, most (all) more talented the me, when the topic of our moribund careers come up, and we really don’t obsess about it, well, maybe we do, the consensus now is you need to build a critical mass of followers. How to do that and keep your integrity intact seems to be a challenge.

Other suggestions are to have someone famous endorse your work, like a Kardashian?

Hmmm. Do those young ladies actually read? Does it matter?

When I get frustrated I go back and consider why I write:

– I love it. I mean, I actually can’t think of many things I’d rather do than sit in a room by myself and create a fantasy world. Really.

– I love the research. I always go where I’ve never been before. It might be the career of a character, it might by a plot line, it might be a setting, it might even be a new approach to writing.

– I enjoy the connection, like this with you, Carpe. The interaction and discourse with other writers and readers.

Success would be icing on the cake.

I’m open to suggestions, yours or anyone else out there. How do you promote your books? If you’re a reader, what attracts you to a new book?

I’m listening – and grateful.

Carpe Librum: I wasn’t successful sales-wise until I published a book that appealed to the kind of readers that I am already connected with through Goodreads. Previously, I wrote two children’s books that received positive reviews, but the word just never really got out about them. My adult historical fiction novel has been selling better than I would have hoped for, so I’ve looked at what I’ve done differently. Besides the audience that I already have a relationship with, I’ve joined a historical fiction Tweet group. We retweet each other on Twitter once each day, sharing each others posts with our own followers and greatly increasing the number of people that see each individual post. I have also done some guest blogging besides my own blog. I don’t know exactly what the magic formula was, but I have sold more copies of this book on some single days than I have my first novel since it was released.

Rod Raglin: Some good ideas here, but I think you may have just written an excellent book. Still, I’m going to start looking for a Commercial/Literary/Eco-Fi/Contemporary Romance Tweet group so we can re-tweet each other’s tweet tweets …or something like that.

Carpe Librum: Ha! You may need to create that group, though I think there’s a ASMSG group that does general fiction. My problem with that is then you end up having to tweet a bunch of romance.

RedThaws Reads Randomly: Rod, just a suggestion, but Carpe Librum and several other authors on BookLikes follow at least some of their Followers, and interact with them. Not saying that that helps them, but my perception as a reader is that it does. Just saying.

I wish you luck. I’ve read your reviews with pleasure, not your books yet, but one of them is on my TBR. Based on what I’ve seen you write on here, I’m expecting it to be a pleasure to read.

Carpe Librum: I do try to interact here mostly as a reader. If I have ever annoyed anyone with too much talk about my books, they haven’t made me aware of it.

RedThaws Reads Randomly: Carpe, if you stopped interacting here, you would be missed.

Troy’s Blog: Hi. I got redirected here by RedTHaws, thought I’d take a look. Hope my two cents are worth something. I don’t use Facebook or Twitter, and I barely even look at Goodreads anymore. The reason I read Samantha’s (Carpe Librum’s) book is because it was in my wheelhouse. The reason I pre-ordered it and read it immediately is because we interacted about it and had a common interest. She’s friendly and awesome, so that helps too. Turns out, it was worth the immediate shift in gears too. But what led to that? She made the choice to follow me, which led me to discover her through our interactions on blog posts we both write.

The point of what I’m trying to say is this. youI don’t know what your schedule is like or how much you want to put into this, but sometimes the least likely can be the most effective. Odds are good Samantha would never have found me otherwise. Turns out, I’ve made a friend, and she got a loyal reader.

Carpe Librum: Thank you! That is very sweet of you to say.

Troy’s Blog: You earned it honestly.

Carpe Librum: *blushes* I hadn’t even seen Troy’s post yet! You guys are giving me an ego boost and warm fuzzies today!

Troy’s Blog: Behold, the power of reaching out and making friends. And I say that as a bona fide hermit.

Carpe Librum: Yes, it’s a good thing we’ve all met online rather than in person or we would never speak to each other. Weird species, introverts.

Troy’s Blog: Weirdest of the weird, absolutely. lol

Rod Raglin: Sounds like we’ve got a budding online romance going here – blushing, honesty, warm fuzzies, sweet, reaching out. OMG! I’m happy for you both and to think it was initiated by something I wrote – actually something negative. As Troy says, that’s “weirdest of the weird”.

Let me inject a little bit of reality into this conversation, that would be my reality, not necessarily anyone else’s.

I use to recruit friends, followers, tribe members, whatever. One day I was bragging to my wife about how virtually popular I was and she said, “Do you know any of these people?” No. “Do you read their Facebook posts or Tweets?” No, of course not. I mean, if I did there would be no time to do anything else – like write. “Then what makes you think they’re reading anything you post?”

Don’t you hate it when someone does that? Actually makes sense. Isn’t it always worse when it’s your partner?

So, here’s the question – is it fair to let people assume you’re interested in them, in what they’re doing, when really you’re only interested in promoting your own agenda?

Before you answer remember integrity is what you do when nobody’s watching.

This could all change if Red actually reads that book of mine on her TBR list and posts a review – well, maybe not, but I’d think about it.

I’m glad Samantha (may I call you that or is it still too early?) has found Troy, or is it the other way around. I’m really glad Troy bought her book, since that’s what it’s all about, or have I got that wrong.

Could I be like Carpe, friendly and awesome as Troy says? Could I seize the day or at least a follower as apparently she has?

Would it really make a difference – where it counts?

Troy’s Blog: Yeah, you got that wrong. I made friends with Samantha before I knew she was a writer (or what that little icon saying she was meant). And yes, it would make all the difference with the introverted. Most people who read are introverts. Most people who dedicate this much time and energy on a blogging site are introverts who need an outlet to talk and make friends and share ideas.

In the words of Princess Leia, “If money is all you love, then that is all you’ll receive.” Except you won’t, because on a social media site, nobody will care if you don’t. But your honesty is appreciated. Saves me time, effort, and, well, money. The old business adage… you lose customers one at a time, and negative word of mouth travels faster than the news.

As to integrity… nobody questions mine.

Good luck to you. You’ll need it.

Troy’s Blog: Oh, did I mention? BL is a very tight-knit community. Word travels very fast here. Looks like that negative word of mouth is already traveling at warp speed, and I didn’t even have to point it out. Congratulations on being clueless.

Rod Raglin: Sorry you took offense, Troy. I did say this is my reality and not necessarily anyone else’s – obviously not yours.

I try not to be delusional and believe me it’s a struggle. The only way I’ve found I can gauge my success as a writer is through sales. Please tell Princess Leia it’s not about the money (what money?) it’s about improving as a writer.

Most people who read are introverts? Interesting.

Please continue to spread the word that I’m a nasty piece of work. Being big on adages you probably know this one, “even bad publicity is better than no publicity.”

Carpe Librum: I think that we were just disappointed that we had reached out to you, offered advice, and attempted to involve you in the Booklikes community, and it felt like we were, well, brushed off, to say the least.

I will say that if your attitude toward social media is that you have no intention of being social in terms of reading and commenting on other posts, then it is pretty much doomed to fail. My efforts in the social media department do take time, but it has been rewarding in more than sales. I do indeed have many online connections that I consider friends.

Troy’s Blog: Again you misunderstand. I have no reason to spread any word against you. You were offered a golden opportunity to make the most of the Booklikes community. You slapped down the offering hands. It’s a shame, but… so be it. If you don’t care, there’s no reason any of us should either. It’s like anything else. The opposite of caring about something isn’t hatred. It’s apathy. I merely state that the word is out, and I have done nothing to spread it. That’s just the nature of the beast in a tight-knit community. The difference here is that this community will keep talking about the things that matter. You’ve had your 15 minutes of infamy. Nobody cares after that.

For someone who’s stock in trade is words, you seem to have little grasp of deeper meaning.

Whew! So there you have it.

You can read the blog that started all this, The myth social media sells books,on

BookLikes with the original comments at

http://rodraglin.booklikes.com/post/1264405/the-myth-that-social-media-sells-books

You can visit Carpe Librum on BookLikes site at

http://carpelibrum.booklikes.com/

or at her blog at

http://samanthawilcoxson.blogspot.ca/

You can find RedThaws Reads Randomly at

http://redthaws.booklikes.com/

Troy blogs on BookLikes  at

http://troy1138.booklikes.com/

Stay calm, be brave, watch for the signs.

30

The myth that social media sells books

Could something finally be happening?

Was I finally beginning to break through?

Was the digital void finally beginning to listen?

This September I wrote an article for BookLikes, in response to their #recommendaway series where members recommend titles or themes of books they’re interested in. My theme was indie authors. Then they invited me to be a guest blogger and I submitted my article on “Rushing to Publish” (see it here in the archives).

Booklikes has 3,143 followers on Twitter and 4,605 “likes” on Facebook. I don’t know how many members they have but they claim to be “The number one blogging platform for book lovers and the best way to discover new books”.

Then I discovered Promocave http://promocave.com/ “A place for authors to find readers, and for readers to find books”. I posted my books with blurbs free and submitted two articles, both which they published. Promocave says they have16,046 followers on Twitter and 645 “Likes” on Facebook.

This blog is getting boring even for me, but hang in there.

Partly because of being featured on these two sites my Twitter activity was up a bit over 30 percent with an increase of impressions from 3719 to 5393. Visits to my website were up 19 percent from 520 to 642.

I was getting excited. Could all this activity mean…?

So here’s the punch line – you know it already, right?

All this new exposure and all this increased activity I didn’t sell me one book in the past month.

That’s nearly 20,000 new people on Twitter and over 5,000 on Facebook who “discovered” me and had the opportunity to turn their interest into sales.

This is further evidence to me, like I needed it, social media does not sell books. It also hints at something far more significant. Social media perpetrates the myth of popularity, but when put to the test, nobody out there really “likes” you, “follows” you or supports you as a member of their “tribe” enough to buy your books.

So, if you’re and author, the best way to sell your books is, well, I don’t know, but certainly not through social media.

However, if you want to continue to be delusional, and I have to admit it often seems more appealing than reality, keep those postings coming.

Oh yeah, the answer to those questions at the beginning of this blog?

NO – to all three.

Stay calm, be brave, watch for the signs.

30

SPECIAL PRE-0RDER PRICE NOW AVAILABLE

Saving Spirit Bear – 99¢ if ordered before November 8, 2015

Loving the Terrorist – 99¢ Beyond Eagleridge Bluffs

– order before December 6, 2015

After pre-order dates regular price will apply $2.99

To pre-order go to

http://www. amazon.com/author/rodraglin

 

Video book reviews of self-published authors now at

Not Your Family, Not Your Friend Video Book Reviews: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCH45n8K4BVmT248LBTpfARQ

My new novels, FOREST – Love, Loss, Legend and The BIG PICTURE – A Camera, A Young Woman, An Uncompromising Ethic are available on Amazon http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B003DS6LEU and as e-books at https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/raglin

Read Reviews https://readersfavorite.com:book-review:39014

Visit my publisher’s website for excerpts from, and a buy link to my Eco-Fi series ECO-WARRIORS Book 3, Not Wonder More – Mad Maggie and the Mystery of the Ancients http://www.devinedestinies.com/?route=product%2Fauthor&author_id=92

ECO-WARRIOR Book 1, Saving Spirit Bear is available at

http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B003DS6LEU

ECO-WARRIOR Book 2, Loving the Terrorist – Beyond Eagleridge Bluffs is now available as in paperback at

http://www.amazon.com/author/rodraglin

More of my original photographs can be viewed, purchased, and shipped to you as GREETING CARDS; matted, laminated, mounted, framed, or canvas PRINTS; and POSTERS. Go to: http://www.redbubble.com/people/rodraglin

View my flickr photostream at https://www.flickr.com/photos/78791029@N04/

Or, My YouTube channel if you prefer photo videos accompanied by classical music

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsQVBxJZ7eXkvZmxCm2wRYA

Plodding plot, burdensome backstory weigh down In Light of What We Know

I’m not a very smart guy.

At least not compared to Zia Haider Rahman, author of In Light of What We Know.

I dropped out of journalism school because I got a job on a newspaper – hey, I thought if I could get a job on a newspaper before graduating just think of all the tuition I’d save, right?

Anyhow, this is a review about Zia Haider Rahman’s novel, not my autobiography.

Smart is what Rahman is – first class honours at Balliol Oxford, then on to Munich and back to finish at Cambridge and Yale, sort of the academic grand slam.

This is his first novel and as one would suspect for a guy that smart – did I say he also worked as a investment banker at Goldman Sachs in New York – that would likely make him rich as well as smart.

Back to the novel, his first one, it’s a huge hit. Well, what would you expect from a super rich, super smart guy except his first novel would be a best seller?

In Rahman’s novel, the protagonist has an unexpected visit from an old friend, Zafar. It’s been a long time with no contact. The guy’s a wreck, obviously been through a lot. Our hero naturally takes him in and as Zafar recovers over the next few weeks he tells him what he’s been up to.

Pretty ordinary set up, certainly not what I’d call a dramatic hook, but then like I said I’m not very smart and Rahman, well…

The title of Rahman’s book’s appropriate since In Light of What We Know tells the reader everything there is to know about Zafar; how the narrator and he met and their college days, Zafar’s upbringing in the UK, his return to his homeland of Bangladesh for a few years when he was a boy, how he met his wife, the social status of his wife’s family, plus a whole lot more with only the occasional, very slight nudge to move the plot forward.

The reader also learns similar information about the protagonist including lots of philosophical and mathematical ramblings with a few pages thrown in on how maps of the globe misrepresent the size and proximity of the continents.

All I wanted was more details about Zafar’s journey, but no, Rahman is stingy with plot details and even a hint of his friend’s story is burdened with pages of personal, philosophical and cultural perspectives.

I get it that this information may be necessary for context, but of the one hundred and sixteen pages I managed to struggle through ninety percent of it was backstory. Because I didn’t persevere beyond this point I’m in the dark as to whether all this history was necessary, but in light of what I read I decided to abandon In Light of What We Know.

This, of course, cannot be the novel’s fault after all it was awarded the James Tait Memorial Prize, Britian’s oldest literary award. Perhaps if I would have finished my education I might have enjoyed Rahman’s novel more, or even a little bit, but who am I kidding. Obviously someone who dropped out of community college can’t begin to comprehend the subtleties and nuances of a novel written by a guy with honors from Oxford, Yale, and Cambridge.

I’m hoping he’ll dumb down his next novel for the likes of me.

30

SPECIAL PRE-0RDER PRICE NOW AVAILABLE

Saving Spirit Bear – 99¢ if ordered before November 8, 2015

Loving the Terrorist –  Beyond Eagleridge Bluffs – 99¢ if ordered before December 6, 2015

After pre-order dates regular price will apply $2.99

To pre-order go to

http://www. amazon.com/author/rodraglin

 

Video book reviews of self-published authors now at

Not Your Family, Not Your Friend Video Book Reviews: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCH45n8K4BVmT248LBTpfARQ

My new novels, FOREST – Love, Loss, Legend and The BIG PICTURE – A Camera, A Young Woman, An Uncompromising Ethic are available on Amazon http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B003DS6LEU and as e-books at https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/raglin

Read Reviews https://readersfavorite.com:book-review:39014

Visit my publisher’s website for excerpts from, and a buy link to my Eco-Fi series ECO-WARRIORS Book 3, Not Wonder More – Mad Maggie and the Mystery of the Ancients http://www.devinedestinies.com/?route=product%2Fauthor&author_id=92

ECO-WARRIOR Book 1, Saving Spirit Bear is available at

http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B003DS6LEU

ECO-WARRIOR Book 2, Loving the Terrorist – Beyond Eagleridge Bluffs is now available as in paperback at

http://www.amazon.com/author/rodraglin

More of my original photographs can be viewed, purchased, and shipped to you as GREETING CARDS; matted, laminated, mounted, framed, or canvas PRINTS; and POSTERS. Go to: http://www.redbubble.com/people/rodraglin

View my flickr photostream at https://www.flickr.com/photos/78791029@N04/

Or, My YouTube channel if you prefer photo videos accompanied by classical music

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsQVBxJZ7eXkvZmxCm2wRYA

Pre-order the re-issue of Saving Spirit Bear now

The re-issue of my novel Spirit Bear is now available for pre-order.

This was my first novel and though far from stellar it deserved better than to languish on my publisher’s website. So when the contract expired I yanked it and have re-issued it as an indie publication, both in paperback and e-book.

Will it do better? Let’s just say it can’t do worse.

I fixed a few typos, tweaked the front and back matter, designed a new cover and added the word “saving” to the title. It’s now called Saving Spirit Bear.

I began by using Amazon’s Createspace to publish the paperback version. I find this platform pretty straightforward and the turn around time remarkably quick. Unfortunately, Createspace does not have a pre-order option, so the paperback is out there and available for $7.99.

I took advantage of Kindle Matchbook, Amazon uses the same files from Createspace to publish a companion e-book on Kindle Direct Publishing. The only condition is you have to sell your e-book for $2.99 or less.

It’s too easy, really.

KDP has a pre-order option so I’m trying it out.

The book-marketing gurus tell you this is the best way to “gimmick” yourself onto the New York Times bestseller list – briefly. The deal is you promote your book in advance as a pre-order and the day the book is released those pre-orders are converted to orders all at once. That could give you a real bump in the ratings – maybe enough to make it to a bestseller list.

If you make it to that esteemed position, however briefly, you can legitimately(?) promote yourself as a bestselling author, forever, on any book you write. You’re not saying the book is a bestseller, only that at one point in time the author had a bestseller on the New York Times bestseller list – thus, a NYT bestselling author.

And saying a book is written by a New York Times bestselling author evidently sells more books.

Can this possibly work?

Only a couple of months ago my novel, The BIG PICTURE – A Camera, A Young Woman, An Uncompromising Ethic had two sales in one day and my author rating jumped from 2,593,668 to 173,973, a gain of 2,419,695 points.

So yes, I would imagine this gimmick can actually work.

In my quest to become a New York Times bestselling author I’ve also lowered the pre-order price to 99¢ from $2.99.

I’ve also published Saving Spirit Bear on Smashwords which allows you to set up a pre-order account without even uploading a book. The price there is also 99¢ during the pre-order period, after which the e-book will be $2.99.

From now until November 8, 2015, when the e-book edition of Saving Spirit Bear becomes available, I’ll be trying to find ways (like this blog) of letting readers know about this pre-order deal.

Here are the links to pre-order :

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0150PMX0Y

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/575296

Both KDP and Smashwords allow me to check to see how the pre-orders are flooding in – or not, so I’ll keep you posted.

I’d like to become a New York Times bestselling author, but I’d rather not do it manipulating sales figures and ratings. However, when I read all the excellent independent authors whose books are abandoned in the backlists of Amazon and Smashwords for no other reason than the lack of publicity I realize I have to give this a try – for them as well as myself.

Stay calm, be brave, watch for the signs.

30

Video book reviews of self-published authors now at

Not Your Family, Not Your Friend Video Book Reviews: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCH45n8K4BVmT248LBTpfARQ

My new novels, FOREST – Love, Loss, Legend and The BIG PICTURE – A Camera, A Young Woman, An Uncompromising Ethic are available on Amazon http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B003DS6LEU and as e-books at https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/raglin

Read Reviews https://readersfavorite.com:book-review:39014

Visit my publisher’s website for excerpts from, and a buy link to my Eco-Fi series ECO-WARRIORS Book 3, Not Wonder More – Mad Maggie and the Mystery of the Ancients http://www.devinedestinies.com/?route=product%2Fauthor&author_id=92

ECO-WARRIOR Book 1, Saving Spirit Bear is available at http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B003DS6LEU

ECO-WARRIOR Book 2, Loving the Terrorist – Beyond Eagleridge Bluffs is soon to be re-issued.

More of my original photographs can be viewed, purchased, and shipped to you as GREETING CARDS; matted, laminated, mounted, framed, or canvas PRINTS; and POSTERS. Go to: http://www.redbubble.com/people/rodraglin

View my flickr photostream at https://www.flickr.com/photos/78791029@N04

Or, My YouTube channel if you prefer photo videos accompanied by classical music

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsQVBxJZ7eXkvZmxCm2wRYA

Help me choose a new title, cover for Spirit Bear

I’m re-issuing my first novel, Spirit Bear and I need your help on a new cover and title.

Cover 1 – Cathedral Mountain

Cover 2 – Renfrew Ravine

Vote for your cover preference and suggest a new title for a chance to win an E-Book edition of

THE BIG PICTURE –

A Camera, A Young Woman, An Uncompromising Ethic

or FOREST – Love, Loss, Legend

The Re-issue of Spirit Bear

Originally published January 1, 2010, Spirit Bear is being re-issued with a new cover and title December 1, 2015.

The story is a contemporary romance with a sub-plot that addresses an important environmental issue. This novel is a forerunner to the new genre, Eco-Fi and is as relevant today as it was then.

Here’s a brief preview of what the story is about.

What Price Success?

Kimberley James is hoping her new assignment will jumpstart her stalled career with a New York corporate relations firm. Her client wants to develop a mega ski resort in northern Canada. Her job is to convince the current owners of the land to sell. With millions of dollars to be made, it seems like a done deal.

Until she runs up against Jonah Baker.

Baker is part owner of a lodge on the land and an ardent environmentalist. He’s not about to permit a development that threatens ancient rainforests and the habitat of the rare and endangered Spirit Bear for any price.

Kim begrudgingly respects his principles before profit, but cannot allow a tree-hugging, bear-loving zealot to derail her fast track to success.

Jonah admires her determination and worldliness, but will fight to the end to stop a materialistic corporate climber from destroying something rare and unique.Will the mythical, white Spirit Bear survive, and what role will it play in resolving what appear to be irreconcilable differences?

NEW TITLE: Here’s some of the new titles being considered:

The Spirit Bear Sacrifice

The Spirit Bear Savior

Saving Spirit Bear

Spirit Bear – To  Save or Sacrifice?

OR?

Write your title preference below or add your own and submit it for a chance to win an E-Book edition of

THE BIG PICTURE –

A Camera, A Young Woman, An Uncompromising Ethic

or FOREST – Love, Loss, Legend.

While you’re at it don’t forget to vote for cover #1 or #2

Draw will take place September 30 , 2015

First get good, then get lucky

If you’ve been a writer for any length of time you’ve no doubt read many books that tell you how to write bestselling fiction. You’ve also no doubt been assailed with at least as many marketing experts telling you the best way to market your novel so it will become a bestseller.

I’ve been writing all my life. My first attempt at fiction was e-published in 2010. For five years now I’ve been actively honing my fiction writing and marketing skills in pursuit of ever elusive success. I’ve read a lot of books and investigated a lot of book marketing programs.

Here’s what I know for sure – nothing.

Most what I’ve learned is what doesn’t work. Here’s a few of them:

– social media

– giveaways

– blogs

– free books – as in zero price point

– contests

– email lists

– social media – yes, I know I’ve already mentioned it, but social media deserves to be reinforced because not only does it not sell books, but for the delusional among us (myself included) it’s seductive, addictive, and a huge time waster – time that could be better spent actually writing something worthwhile instead of responding to virtual fans in the internet void.

So how do you become a bestselling author?

You get lucky.

According to Malcom Gladwell in his book Outliers, The Story of Success, success follows a predictable pattern. It’s not the brightest who succeed, nor is it the sum of the decisions and efforts we make on our own behalf.

Success is bestowed upon those who have been given opportunities – and have the strength and the presence of mind to seize them – plus accidents of time, birth and place matter greatly.

Let me repeat that; success is less about talent and more about opportunity plus it’s greatly influenced by accidents of time, birth and place.

In a word, luck.

There’s no master plan, no formula, it’s all a fluke, pure and simple serendipity.

So, is luck all it takes to be a success?

No, you also have to be prepared so if you do get lucky and get invited to the ball you actually know how to dance.

There’s this little thing about having to do 10,000 hours (ten years) of practice to achieve the level of mastery associated with being a world-class expert – in anything. According to neurologist Daniel Levitin, “In study after study, of composers, basketball players, fiction writers, ice skaters, concert pianists, chess players, master criminals, etc., this number comes up again and again.”

Excellence at performing a complex task, like writing a good novel, requires a critical minimum level of practice and that’s all there is to it.

You first must get good, then get lucky.

So if you’re an indie author about to self-publish your first novel and you haven’t logged 10,000 hours of practice your chance at success is negligible, nil, nada.

Worse yet, if by a fluke you do get lucky without being good you’ve likely blown your big chance.

Stay calm, be brave, watch for the signs

30

 

Video book reviews of self-published authors now at

Not Your Family, Not Your Friend Video Book Reviews: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCH45n8K4BVmT248LBTpfARQ

My new novels, FOREST – Love, Loss, Legend and The BIG PICTURE – A Camera, A Young Woman, An Uncompromising Ethic are available on Amazon http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B003DS6LEU and as e-books at https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/raglin

Read Reviews https://readersfavorite.com:book-review:39014

Visit my publisher’s website for excerpts from, and buy links to my Eco-Fi series ECO-WARRIORS Book 3, Not Wonder More – Mad Maggie and the Mystery of the Ancients http://www.devinedestinies.com/?route=product%2Fauthor&author_id=92

ECO-WARRIORS Books 1 and 2, Spirit Bear and Eagleridge Bluffs respectively, are soon to be re-issued

More of my original photographs can be viewed, purchased, and shipped to you as GREETING CARDS; matted, laminated, mounted, framed, or canvas PRINTS; and POSTERS. Go to: http://www.redbubble.com/people/rodraglin

View my flickr photostream at https://www.flickr.com/photos/78791029@N04/

Or, My YouTube channel if you prefer photo videos accompanied by classical music

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsQVBxJZ7eXkvZmxCm2wRYA

Why I’m quitting my e-publisher

Five years ago when my first novel, Spirit Bear, was accepted by an e-publisher, I was a happy guy. Sure, it wasn’t a traditional publisher, but it was a beginning.

The contract was for three years, included free cover art, a forty percent royalty for sales from the publisher’s site, and a complicated formula for sales by third parties.

It didn’t matter.

Within a year I had two more novels published by them: Eagleridge Bluffs and Not Wonder More – Mad Maggie and the Mystery of the Ancients. The three books comprised the stand-alone series Eco-Warriors, contemporary romances with a sub-plot that addressed important environmental issues.

Sales for these three novels have been at best very disappointing, and at worst non-existent. They’re not great books, but they deserve better.

Like everything in life (at least for me) publishing is complicated. There are a myriad of reasons why a book succeeds or fails. I can’t deal with myriads of anything so I’ve narrowed it down to two elements – success is measured in sales and sales alone, and if I don’t have sales it’s because my books aren’t good enough.

I simply have to believe that an excellent book will find an audience. I still believe this despite mounting evidence it’s just not the case. For example, I’ve discovered three stellar novels: War in a Beautiful Country, The Last Bad Job, and Not Lost for Lookin’ in e-book oblivion – for free.

If these three authors could have their work overlooked, well maybe…

My last two books, Forest – Love, Loss and Legend, and The Big Picture – A Camera, A Young Woman, An Uncompromising Ethic are commercial/literary and so it seemed pointless to list them with a publisher whose site features primarily erotica, fantasy, and genre romance.

Having some expertise in publishing and graphic arts it wasn’t difficult to self-publish. And guess what? My self-published titles are outselling the books on my publisher’s site. Let me rephrase that. My two self-published books are doing no worse than the three on my publisher’s site.

So within a year I’ll have withdrawn these three books from my publisher’s site and will re-issue them as self-published titles.

Will they do better? I don’t know, but here’s what I do know:

– Right now these books are listed for $5.99 on my publisher’s website. According to Amazon and Smashwords the price is too high. As a self-published author I can control the price.

– I can also be more engaged in marketing. With my publisher it was difficult, if not in violation of our agreement, to have sales, giveaways, or other promotions.

– They’ve only agreed to convert one of my books to paperback – Not Wonder More. As an indie author it costs me nothing to have a print version as well as digital one available to my readers.

– they can’t do worse.

Self-publishing is becoming more sophisticated all the time. The ease of use, value added marketing programs, and attractive royalties make it a viable if not preferable option over contracting with an e-publisher.

E-books will continue to flourish, but not, I think, e-publishers.

Stay calm, be brave, watch for the signs

30

Video book reviews of self-published authors now at

Not Your Family, Not Your Friend Video Book Reviews: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCH45n8K4BVmT248LBTpfARQ

My new novels, FOREST – Love, Loss, Legend and The BIG PICTURE – A Camera, A Young Woman, An Uncompromising Ethic are available on Amazon http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B003DS6LEU and as e-books at https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/raglin

Read Reviews https://readersfavorite.com:book-review:39014

Visit my publisher’s website for excerpts from, and buy links to my Eco-Fi series ECO-WARRIORS, that includes Spirit Bear, Eagleridge Bluffs, and Not Wonder More – Mad Maggie and the Mystery of the Ancients http://www.devinedestinies.com/?route=product%2Fauthor&author_id=92

More of my original photographs can be viewed, purchased, and shipped to you as GREETING CARDS; matted, laminated, mounted, framed, or canvas PRINTS; and POSTERS. Go to: http://www.redbubble.com/people/rodraglin

View my flickr photostream at https://www.flickr.com/photos/78791029@N04/

Or, My YouTube channel if you prefer photo videos accompanied by classical music

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsQVBxJZ7eXkvZmxCm2wRYA

Improve your writing immensely with these simple suggestions

I’ve written, edited and critiqued hundreds of thousands of words first as a journalist, then as community newspaper editor and now as an author and paid facilitator of creative writing circles.

Most recently I’ve taken on writing and videoing book reviews of the work of new, self-published authors.

I’ve written a lot of book reviews, but in this category – new, self-published authors, I’ve so far done sixteen. The average star rating is 2.8, a bit better than I didn’t like it, but not quite as good as I like it.

A couple of these authors were brilliant, but most, though they have potential, are hampered by lack of craft. If they continue writing and reading I know they’ll improve. Writing is like most things – the more you do it the better you get.

New authors most often make the same mistakes, both in story structure and in writing and this has been the case with the majority of ones I’ve reviewed.

I seldom give writing advice, I mean who needs more, but if you’re a new author or an aspiring one here are some simple tips that will get your story off to a good start and some suggestions about how to improve the writing of it.

This is not to say I don’t still make these mistakes. They’re easy to see in other people’s work, but more difficult in your own – isn’t that always the case.

Before you write a single word ask yourself:

– what does your main character want?

– why do they want it?

– what is stopping them from getting it?

Now you can begin writing – by answering these three questions.

These are the basis of every story – Goal, Motivation and Conflict. If you establish these elements right at the beginning, and keep referring to them as you write your novel, your characters and the plot will stay focused.

Remember, the reader wants to know what this story is about so present this information in your first paragraph or at least get it in the first chapter.

Write as simple as you can, which is actually very difficult. Above everything else tell the story as story always trumps writing. I’d suggest you tell it straightforward in simple chronological order. If you want an example of simple, straightforward storytelling read The Lowlands by Jhumpra Lahiri. It’s powerfully simple and unfolds naturally in chronological order. It got short listed for the Man Booker Prize and won her several other accolades.

Here are six things that will label your writing as amateur and should be avoided:

Using too many adverbs. If you have to describe how your dialogue is being delivered it’s weak and should be rewritten.
Over explaining. Action should be explained simply or, in many cases left up to the reader’s imagination. Here again use a strong verb rather than a weak one supported by adverbs
Attaching action to dialogue. It’s dialogue – full stop – then a new sentence for the action.
Using speaker attributions other than “said”.
Too much description. Only minimal character description is necessary and it shouldn’t be dumped, but subtly inserted and only when motivated, ideally as part of some action.
Being over indulgent with your prose. We love our words but if they don’t develop character or advance the plot cut them.

So you’ve adhered to these suggestions and you’ve finished your book. Congratulations. Now it’s time to get it out there, right?

Wrong.

Most of the novels I’m giving two stars to have been rushed into publication. I know you’re excited, but remember – it’s never as good as you think it is, and it can always be better. Yes, always.

Here’s what I do:

– I revise a manuscript a minimum three times or until I feel it’s finished.

– Then I put it away for at least three months or however long it takes to get it out of my system.

– While I’m waiting to be purged, I work on something completely different.

– Once I’ve put some distance between my ego and the book, I’m ready. I take out the manuscript and send it to as many beta readers for comment as I can. If you don’t have a stable of readers who are free from conflict of interest, join a writing group online or otherwise and workshop the novel.

Once you’ve decided it’s time for the final rewrite gather all the comments and criticisms together and once again apply my six suggestions.

If you follow this method I guarantee your final version will be different and better than it was when you deemed it complete.

Keep writing and remember what Nietcszhe said:

The doer alone learneth

30

Video book reviews of self-published authors now at

Not Your Family, Not Your Friend Video Book Reviews: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCH45n8K4BVmT248LBTpfARQ

My new novels, FOREST – Love, Loss, Legend and The BIG PICTURE – A Camera, A Young Woman, An Uncompromising Ethic are available on Amazon http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B003DS6LEU and as e-books at https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/raglin

Read Reviews https://readersfavorite.com:book-review:39014

Visit my publisher’s website for excerpts from, and buy links to my Eco-Fi series ECO-WARRIORS, that includes Spirit Bear, Eagleridge Bluffs, and Not Wonder More – Mad Maggie and the Mystery of the Ancients http://www.devinedestinies.com/?route=product%2Fauthor&author_id=92

More of my original photographs can be viewed, purchased, and shipped to you as GREETING CARDS; matted, laminated, mounted, framed, or canvas PRINTS; and POSTERS. Go to: http://www.redbubble.com/people/rodraglin

View my flickr photostream at https://www.flickr.com/photos/78791029@N04/

Or, My YouTube channel if you prefer photo videos accompanied by classical music

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsQVBxJZ7eXkvZmxCm2wRYA

The inception of The Widower – my 6th novel

Ever think about who you really are, who you’d really like to be?

When we start out in life we have a pretty good idea of what we want to be. When I was five I wanted to be a cowboy just like Roy Rodgers (yes, I’m that old). By the time I was thirteen I wanted to be a writer. That stuck.

Life can be a dream killer – sometimes it’s our own fault, sometimes it’s circumstances beyond our control, sometimes the dreams aren’t realistic. Whatever the reason, not too many people I know are living their dreams.

I wanted to explore this in a novel not so much because I thought it would appeal to readers, but more for myself. Where do dreams go when life happens? And, given the opportunity years later, can those dreams be revived?

The Widower, my sixth novel, is about a guy that’s living his dream. At twenty-seven he’s a successful poet lauded by the literary establishment and revered by his contemporaries, the disenfranchised and rebellious youth of the sixties.

Then tragedy strikes and to recover he abandons the dream and chooses a new direction significantly different from the old one.

Thirty-four years later there’s another tragedy that releases him from the life he’s been living. He has one last chance to revive the dream he abandoned.

You can imagine after thirty-four years he’s accumulated a lot of baggage. Will that baggage, in the form of family, friends and financial obligations allow him to walk away to try to revive the dream he was living when he was a young man?

They only recognize him by the roles and responsibilities he’s assumed – a husband, a father, a grandfather, a friend, a neighbour, a mentor, a valued employee and a prospective lover. But do these roles represent the real him and once they’re no longer valid or necessary who will he be?

Are you defined by the roles you assumed? Who are you really?

I had some preconceived notions of where I wanted this to go, but like all my other novels within a short time I was the merely the conduit of the characters, some of whom took on a far greater role than anticipated.

I told my protagonist’s story from other people’s point of view, not his own. I wanted others to comment on his changes and how they affected them. I wanted it to take place in real time, like a commentator telling you what’s happening, in some cases multiple POV’s commenting on the same scene.

It’s time for the story to rest, to purge it from my consciousness and let it ripen in my subconscious. When I resurrect it I’ll be in need of beta readers so if you’re interested send me an email.

Stay calm, be brave, watch for the signs

30

Video book reviews of self-published authors now at

Not Your Family, Not Your Friend Video Book Reviews: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCH45n8K4BVmT248LBTpfARQ

My new novels, FOREST – Love, Loss, Legend and The BIG PICTURE – A Camera, A Young Woman, An Uncompromising Ethic are available on Amazon http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B003DS6LEU and as e-books at https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/raglin

Read Reviews https://readersfavorite.com:book-review:39014

Visit my publisher’s website for excerpts from, and buy links to my Eco-Fi series ECO-WARRIORS, that includes Spirit Bear, Eagleridge Bluffs, and Not Wonder More – Mad Maggie and the Mystery of the Ancients http://www.devinedestinies.com/?route=product%2Fauthor&author_id=92

More of my original photographs can be viewed, purchased, and shipped to you as GREETING CARDS; matted, laminated, mounted, framed, or canvas PRINTS; and POSTERS. Go to: http://www.redbubble.com/people/rodraglin

View my flickr photostream at https://www.flickr.com/photos/78791029@N04/

Or, My YouTube channel if you prefer photo videos accompanied by classical music

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsQVBxJZ7eXkvZmxCm2wRYA