Neil D. Ostroff's Blog, page 12
October 17, 2013
I don’t want to be famous… anymore
I have always loved stories. When I was a little kid my father asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. Without hesitation I happily replied, “A famous writer.” When I graduated high school and was applying to colleges my father asked me what I want to go to school for? I replied, “I want to be a famous writer.” To which he replied lovingly; “Better have a backup plan.” I spent four years majoring in psychology and philosophy.
When I graduated college my father gave me a book on how to succeed in a corporate interview. He thought it might come in handy when I went out looking for a job. I told him I appreciate all he’s done and his advice, but I wanted to be a famous writer. A week later, I moved to Seattle WA, to live out the hippie-writer life. That was in 1993.
I always dreamed of hitting it big with my books. Selling millions of copies and spending my days sitting on a dock in Key West living out the Hemingway dream while tourists and fans come up and asked for my autograph. All through the 1990’s and well into the new millennium I worked obsessively; writing, querying, making publishing connections, always with that dream of getting famous pushing at the back of my mind and driving me to sacrifice a normal, non-writing life.
For twenty years, I’ve penned novels, short stories, poetry, screenplays, and blog posts. I’ve been recognized by several prestigious writing groups and contests, been interviewed by television, newspaper, and magazines, had a top NY agent for five years, and sold enough books to say I’m mildly successful. But is that enough? I’m not famous.
As I sit here getting older, spending my days trying to get the world to notice my work, I’ve come to the realization that I no longer want to be famous. Getting famous is not so much about possessing raw talent anymore, it’s about interviews, and skyping, and tweeting, and keywords, and twerking, and surrounding yourself with promoters and marketers who are only interested in you making them money. Ask Miley Cyrus what she went through to make her new album premier at #1 on the charts? A whole lot more than I’d want to do.
I no longer want to be famous because I’ve discovered that I enjoy my anonymity. Recently, I attended a social event in which several people there had read some of my books. I actually felt uncomfortable at the attention they gave me. I would have rather talked about something other than myself that night, but that’s just me.
I don’t write to inflate my ego or attract attention. I write because I have to. I’m hard-wired to do it. I don’t want to invest the tens of thousands of hours and dozens of people it takes to make me a super-star author. I just want to write my books and tell my stories. To all the authors out there spending thousands of hours and dollars trying to hit it big, I applaud your efforts and hope you all become famous. Personally, I prefer living in the shadows.
To read more about me and my books please check out my blog: ALWAYS WRITING
Click here to read my blog!
http://www.neilostroff.blogspot.com
When I graduated college my father gave me a book on how to succeed in a corporate interview. He thought it might come in handy when I went out looking for a job. I told him I appreciate all he’s done and his advice, but I wanted to be a famous writer. A week later, I moved to Seattle WA, to live out the hippie-writer life. That was in 1993.
I always dreamed of hitting it big with my books. Selling millions of copies and spending my days sitting on a dock in Key West living out the Hemingway dream while tourists and fans come up and asked for my autograph. All through the 1990’s and well into the new millennium I worked obsessively; writing, querying, making publishing connections, always with that dream of getting famous pushing at the back of my mind and driving me to sacrifice a normal, non-writing life.
For twenty years, I’ve penned novels, short stories, poetry, screenplays, and blog posts. I’ve been recognized by several prestigious writing groups and contests, been interviewed by television, newspaper, and magazines, had a top NY agent for five years, and sold enough books to say I’m mildly successful. But is that enough? I’m not famous.
As I sit here getting older, spending my days trying to get the world to notice my work, I’ve come to the realization that I no longer want to be famous. Getting famous is not so much about possessing raw talent anymore, it’s about interviews, and skyping, and tweeting, and keywords, and twerking, and surrounding yourself with promoters and marketers who are only interested in you making them money. Ask Miley Cyrus what she went through to make her new album premier at #1 on the charts? A whole lot more than I’d want to do.
I no longer want to be famous because I’ve discovered that I enjoy my anonymity. Recently, I attended a social event in which several people there had read some of my books. I actually felt uncomfortable at the attention they gave me. I would have rather talked about something other than myself that night, but that’s just me.
I don’t write to inflate my ego or attract attention. I write because I have to. I’m hard-wired to do it. I don’t want to invest the tens of thousands of hours and dozens of people it takes to make me a super-star author. I just want to write my books and tell my stories. To all the authors out there spending thousands of hours and dollars trying to hit it big, I applaud your efforts and hope you all become famous. Personally, I prefer living in the shadows.
To read more about me and my books please check out my blog: ALWAYS WRITING
Click here to read my blog!
http://www.neilostroff.blogspot.com
October 14, 2013
An author’s path
Here is my full interview for my hometown magazine. There's a link to see the article on the site. It did result in a few extra sales. Thanks for reading.
http://www.timespub.com/?s=Neil+Ostroff
A local author’s path to indie publishing
August 6, 2013
by Amanda Price
Do you remember your introduction to e-books? The time when many of us claimed we would never read a book digitally and mourned the close of Borders?
Doylestown author Neil Ostroff was one of the disbelievers. He has lived in Doylestown for 20 years and lives and breathes writing. He is the author of nine novels, mainly thrillers and science fiction. Titles include the imaginative “Silent Invasion” and the crime novel “Degenerates.”
After plugging away for four years with a big New York agency, Neil discovered what he had never seen coming: indie publishing. Also known as self-publishing, the e-book revolution was completely foreign to him. The agent he signed with in 2006 loved his novels yet critiqued them like any mainstream publisher.
“Every time [the draft] came back it would be a different thing,” Neil explains. “It would be… this scene does not appeal to twelve-year-old girls. And it was either [change it] or take out the scene.”
Neil learned that all agencies categorize authors into genres and prefer them to stay there. They are looking for a bestseller that may be from a specific genre, but which appeals to the masses. Neil also learned that after 18 months of editing, publishers give books a month or two on the shelves. If it doesn’t sell, the author is often cut from the agency.
The turning point for Neil from an agent to indie publishing was a catastrophic moment in a friend’s life. His friend was told he had pancreatic cancer and two weeks to live. Neil and his wife made the decision to hospice him.
“It was an incredibly powerful experience watching as his life slipped away and how he dealt with it psychologically,” Neil recalls. “When the day finally came that he passed on, I was there to… pull the sheet over his head. I’ve never been the same since.”
This painful experience inspired his novel “Drop Out,” which examines the meaning of life. Neil’s agent was not happy. “Drop Out” was a change in genre.
Neil did not hesitate. “I decided I couldn’t just let it sit in a drawer,” he says. He began to explore indie publishing and tested the waters with his first e-book, “After.”
He realized all you need to publish an e-book are an editor and a cover artist. E-book authors have freedom to be creative and keep most of the royalties. Neil prices his e-books around $2.99 and keeps 60 cents. In contrast, he would receive 15% royalties through an agent.
Upon realizing the possibilities of indie publishing, he published his other novels as e-books and found great success with “Drop Out,” selling thousands of copies. He uncovered the secret as to why every indie publisher has an equal chance at success.
“Amazon is not a bookstore, it’s a search engine,” Neil explains. When an e-book is first published, it’s put in the top of the Amazon algorithm, meaning it shows up more prominently in search engines. If the book sells, it remains at the top of the algorithm. Amazon does not separate indie books from agency books.
Through indie publishing, Neil mastered self-promotion. He once considered himself an introvert, saying, “I wrote feverishly for 10 years, like non-stop, you know, that whole thing in the dark room.” Now, with the Internet, Neil joyfully replies to readers every day.
He promotes his books on at least 115 websites and has more than 2,000 followers on his blog, “Always Writing.”
Neil shares his insight on the future of e-books, comparing them to CDs in the music industry. He believes it is only a matter of time until someone cracks e-book encryptions and free downloads are accessible. He sees a future where authors publish free e-books and simply sell ad space.
Neil does, however, still sees a need for big publishers. “You can’t give an e-book as a gift,” he explains. “An author can’t sign an e-book."
The modern writer has two paths to choose from, each rewarding in its own way. Neil will not see his books at the library, but he has absolute control.
Indie publishing may not be a full-time career, but Neil says that all it might take is one viral hit. Ironically, he has been approached by agencies since finding success online. This once nonbeliever, however, is sticking with e-books for now. Neil Ostroff’s novels can be purchased on his Amazon page. His blog is found at www.neilostroff.blogspot.com
http://www.timespub.com/?s=Neil+Ostroff
A local author’s path to indie publishing
August 6, 2013
by Amanda Price
Do you remember your introduction to e-books? The time when many of us claimed we would never read a book digitally and mourned the close of Borders?
Doylestown author Neil Ostroff was one of the disbelievers. He has lived in Doylestown for 20 years and lives and breathes writing. He is the author of nine novels, mainly thrillers and science fiction. Titles include the imaginative “Silent Invasion” and the crime novel “Degenerates.”
After plugging away for four years with a big New York agency, Neil discovered what he had never seen coming: indie publishing. Also known as self-publishing, the e-book revolution was completely foreign to him. The agent he signed with in 2006 loved his novels yet critiqued them like any mainstream publisher.
“Every time [the draft] came back it would be a different thing,” Neil explains. “It would be… this scene does not appeal to twelve-year-old girls. And it was either [change it] or take out the scene.”
Neil learned that all agencies categorize authors into genres and prefer them to stay there. They are looking for a bestseller that may be from a specific genre, but which appeals to the masses. Neil also learned that after 18 months of editing, publishers give books a month or two on the shelves. If it doesn’t sell, the author is often cut from the agency.
The turning point for Neil from an agent to indie publishing was a catastrophic moment in a friend’s life. His friend was told he had pancreatic cancer and two weeks to live. Neil and his wife made the decision to hospice him.
“It was an incredibly powerful experience watching as his life slipped away and how he dealt with it psychologically,” Neil recalls. “When the day finally came that he passed on, I was there to… pull the sheet over his head. I’ve never been the same since.”
This painful experience inspired his novel “Drop Out,” which examines the meaning of life. Neil’s agent was not happy. “Drop Out” was a change in genre.
Neil did not hesitate. “I decided I couldn’t just let it sit in a drawer,” he says. He began to explore indie publishing and tested the waters with his first e-book, “After.”
He realized all you need to publish an e-book are an editor and a cover artist. E-book authors have freedom to be creative and keep most of the royalties. Neil prices his e-books around $2.99 and keeps 60 cents. In contrast, he would receive 15% royalties through an agent.
Upon realizing the possibilities of indie publishing, he published his other novels as e-books and found great success with “Drop Out,” selling thousands of copies. He uncovered the secret as to why every indie publisher has an equal chance at success.
“Amazon is not a bookstore, it’s a search engine,” Neil explains. When an e-book is first published, it’s put in the top of the Amazon algorithm, meaning it shows up more prominently in search engines. If the book sells, it remains at the top of the algorithm. Amazon does not separate indie books from agency books.
Through indie publishing, Neil mastered self-promotion. He once considered himself an introvert, saying, “I wrote feverishly for 10 years, like non-stop, you know, that whole thing in the dark room.” Now, with the Internet, Neil joyfully replies to readers every day.
He promotes his books on at least 115 websites and has more than 2,000 followers on his blog, “Always Writing.”
Neil shares his insight on the future of e-books, comparing them to CDs in the music industry. He believes it is only a matter of time until someone cracks e-book encryptions and free downloads are accessible. He sees a future where authors publish free e-books and simply sell ad space.
Neil does, however, still sees a need for big publishers. “You can’t give an e-book as a gift,” he explains. “An author can’t sign an e-book."
The modern writer has two paths to choose from, each rewarding in its own way. Neil will not see his books at the library, but he has absolute control.
Indie publishing may not be a full-time career, but Neil says that all it might take is one viral hit. Ironically, he has been approached by agencies since finding success online. This once nonbeliever, however, is sticking with e-books for now. Neil Ostroff’s novels can be purchased on his Amazon page. His blog is found at www.neilostroff.blogspot.com
October 7, 2013
A letter to all indie writers and readers
I’ve been a compulsive writer for nearly thirty years. I’ve published nine books and I’ve even won some literary awards. I’ve been interviewed by major newspapers and local magazines. I recognize that a real writer is supposed to create stories for the art itself, ignoring the fickle heart of the market place and corporate profits. I know all about papering my walls with rejection slips and the joy of selling that first copy of a new manuscript. I’m not a quitter and never will be able to stop writing even if I wanted too.
When a relationship feels wrong, it’s time to regroup, figure out the problem, and correct it. But if the list of the failings and faults continues to grow it is time to start fresh and anew. With the current over-saturated state of the indie and commercial book market, I feel like all art is quickly sinking into obscurity with no way to refresh it. With ads offering book publishing services becoming as common as cola ads, the literary marketplace has been overwhelmed with talentless writers concocting books in a few weeks rather than the years a professional writer might take.
What does it all mean? How will a talented author make a living? Is the writing life now about luck or plain accident to hit the best seller list? Should a writer hope for posthumous fame to justify their sacrifices?
Being a writer eats away great chunks of life, including giving up jobs, friends, and spouses in order to put words onto paper. One has to be willing to risk all for one’s personal art. Writing is a process, and like most processes, if you do not do it on a regular basis, you generally decrease your facility for it. But today’s marketplace is littered with those unwilling to take the time to master the craft.
People who write for the admiration of others make the lifestyle look like some amazing, spiritual, intellectual process. They want to be ooed and ahhed and respected by their peers because they have achieved what few have; they’ve written and published a book. Writing a novel can be a gratifying, transcendent thing, but at the end of the day it’s about putting your butt into a chair and typing and rewriting, and editing, and typing, and rewriting, and editing endlessly until the word-sculpture is the absolute best it can be.
Technology and the internet make it possible for an unknown writer to be successful without getting an agent and going through a traditional publisher. But when the majority of amateurs who have been rejected by traditional publishing choose indie publishing as an alternative, they often find a cruel surprise in store. No one is listening. They don’t have an audience.
So, why do I care?
These wanna-be authors and the ease at which they can publish their scantily written novels has clotted the marketplace. Amateurs have bought up all the respected sponsorships and tainted their effectiveness because too many bad books have been purchased by readers expecting something better for their money. Amateurs have spammed the global writing communities to the extent that the mere mention of a link to a professionally written and reviewed manuscript brings hate and warnings from the sites that the author will be banned. I experience this regularly even though only about five percent of my posts are about my books. These days, trying to get noticed has become a cardinal sin.
I used to dream of writing for a living and sharing my stories with the world. I spent nearly three decades revising my novels, getting them professionally edited and reviewed, and rewriting them to perfection. I had a big-time NY agent for four years and then parted ways three years ago when the indie revolution and ebooks became all the rage. I indie published nine of my thirteen completed novels in the span of a year and a half and have sold a combined 15,000+ books since then. One of my novels even hit #32 on Amazon’s romantic suspense best seller list. But in the last six months, I’ve seen a terrible trend in indie publishing nearly wipe out the professional writer. No amount of marketing and self-promotion seems to work anymore in a marketplace bombarded with amateurs trying to peddle their wares.
My name is Neil Ostroff and you can Google me if you’d like. I won’t give a link to my blog or my books because it seems that even the mere mention of self-promotion will bring on the hate, and it’s tough enough trying to justify the writing process without that added emotional discomfort. I’ll still sit in my office and write, it’s a compulsion, but I don’t know if the world will be able to discover my books amongst the millions now being published yearly and given away free. It’s a shame that technology can provide so much yet also take away so much at the same time. The era of the writer, musician, artist, making a living at their craft has nearly ended. True artists will continue to perform their magic, they have too, but the dream of earning a living at it is over for the vast majority. It’s now up to algorithms and sheer luck.
I think I’ve written all I want to say on this subject. Back to the keyboard to work on my latest novel.
When a relationship feels wrong, it’s time to regroup, figure out the problem, and correct it. But if the list of the failings and faults continues to grow it is time to start fresh and anew. With the current over-saturated state of the indie and commercial book market, I feel like all art is quickly sinking into obscurity with no way to refresh it. With ads offering book publishing services becoming as common as cola ads, the literary marketplace has been overwhelmed with talentless writers concocting books in a few weeks rather than the years a professional writer might take.
What does it all mean? How will a talented author make a living? Is the writing life now about luck or plain accident to hit the best seller list? Should a writer hope for posthumous fame to justify their sacrifices?
Being a writer eats away great chunks of life, including giving up jobs, friends, and spouses in order to put words onto paper. One has to be willing to risk all for one’s personal art. Writing is a process, and like most processes, if you do not do it on a regular basis, you generally decrease your facility for it. But today’s marketplace is littered with those unwilling to take the time to master the craft.
People who write for the admiration of others make the lifestyle look like some amazing, spiritual, intellectual process. They want to be ooed and ahhed and respected by their peers because they have achieved what few have; they’ve written and published a book. Writing a novel can be a gratifying, transcendent thing, but at the end of the day it’s about putting your butt into a chair and typing and rewriting, and editing, and typing, and rewriting, and editing endlessly until the word-sculpture is the absolute best it can be.
Technology and the internet make it possible for an unknown writer to be successful without getting an agent and going through a traditional publisher. But when the majority of amateurs who have been rejected by traditional publishing choose indie publishing as an alternative, they often find a cruel surprise in store. No one is listening. They don’t have an audience.
So, why do I care?
These wanna-be authors and the ease at which they can publish their scantily written novels has clotted the marketplace. Amateurs have bought up all the respected sponsorships and tainted their effectiveness because too many bad books have been purchased by readers expecting something better for their money. Amateurs have spammed the global writing communities to the extent that the mere mention of a link to a professionally written and reviewed manuscript brings hate and warnings from the sites that the author will be banned. I experience this regularly even though only about five percent of my posts are about my books. These days, trying to get noticed has become a cardinal sin.
I used to dream of writing for a living and sharing my stories with the world. I spent nearly three decades revising my novels, getting them professionally edited and reviewed, and rewriting them to perfection. I had a big-time NY agent for four years and then parted ways three years ago when the indie revolution and ebooks became all the rage. I indie published nine of my thirteen completed novels in the span of a year and a half and have sold a combined 15,000+ books since then. One of my novels even hit #32 on Amazon’s romantic suspense best seller list. But in the last six months, I’ve seen a terrible trend in indie publishing nearly wipe out the professional writer. No amount of marketing and self-promotion seems to work anymore in a marketplace bombarded with amateurs trying to peddle their wares.
My name is Neil Ostroff and you can Google me if you’d like. I won’t give a link to my blog or my books because it seems that even the mere mention of self-promotion will bring on the hate, and it’s tough enough trying to justify the writing process without that added emotional discomfort. I’ll still sit in my office and write, it’s a compulsion, but I don’t know if the world will be able to discover my books amongst the millions now being published yearly and given away free. It’s a shame that technology can provide so much yet also take away so much at the same time. The era of the writer, musician, artist, making a living at their craft has nearly ended. True artists will continue to perform their magic, they have too, but the dream of earning a living at it is over for the vast majority. It’s now up to algorithms and sheer luck.
I think I’ve written all I want to say on this subject. Back to the keyboard to work on my latest novel.
October 2, 2013
Why I will never pay for a review
Though I’ve touched on this subject before on my blog I think it warrants repeating. I will never pay someone to read and review one of my books. Period! Most paid reviewers give glowing reviews on the books they read even if the book is not up to par. Why? Because they want your repeat business. Think about it. Would you pay someone a second time if they gave your book a bad review the first time? Of course not. Would you publish the book anyway? Would you be in denial and blame the bad review on that person’s particular taste? That they just didn’t understand the story you were trying to communicate?
Fake reviews are one of the main reasons why indie books have been getting a bad rap. For sometimes enormous fees an author can get several good reviews based solely on what they paid for the review and not the content of the book. These bad books with so many good reviews hit the virtual bookshelf like a bait-and-switch sale at an appliance shop. The reader buys the book because so many other “readers” said it’s great and then is horribly disappointed by the content inside. They feel cheated and angry and become biased against indie authors.
I truly believe a good, honest review is a large part of garnering interest in the book and making it successful. You can only fake worth for so long before word gets out that something is amiss with all the praise for a crappy novel. Real reviews have passion for the story that comes across in the way the review was written. It takes time and effort for a fan of the novel to post a review, done lovingly and without reimbursement.
Many of my nine published novels have reviews from readers and my one novel, DROP OUT just received its 19th five-star. The reviews for my novels come from all over the world, from real readers, real people, and without a price tag attached. Check them out and then decide if my stories ignite interest. One thing is for sure, my reviewers don’t lie.
To read more about me and my books please check out my blog: ALWAYS WRITING
Click here to read my blog!
http://www.neilostroff.blogspot.com
Fake reviews are one of the main reasons why indie books have been getting a bad rap. For sometimes enormous fees an author can get several good reviews based solely on what they paid for the review and not the content of the book. These bad books with so many good reviews hit the virtual bookshelf like a bait-and-switch sale at an appliance shop. The reader buys the book because so many other “readers” said it’s great and then is horribly disappointed by the content inside. They feel cheated and angry and become biased against indie authors.
I truly believe a good, honest review is a large part of garnering interest in the book and making it successful. You can only fake worth for so long before word gets out that something is amiss with all the praise for a crappy novel. Real reviews have passion for the story that comes across in the way the review was written. It takes time and effort for a fan of the novel to post a review, done lovingly and without reimbursement.
Many of my nine published novels have reviews from readers and my one novel, DROP OUT just received its 19th five-star. The reviews for my novels come from all over the world, from real readers, real people, and without a price tag attached. Check them out and then decide if my stories ignite interest. One thing is for sure, my reviewers don’t lie.
To read more about me and my books please check out my blog: ALWAYS WRITING
Click here to read my blog!
http://www.neilostroff.blogspot.com
September 30, 2013
My nineteenth five-star review
I just checked Amazon and my novel, DROP OUT http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005FX0K7U just received its nineteenth five-star review. Since publishing the book last year I’ve received hundreds of emails from readers all over the world telling me how the book has affected their lives. DROP OUT has won numerous indie book awards and hit number twenty-one on Amazon’s romantic suspense best seller list back in July.
The book harbors a powerful message about the meaning of life and what lies beyond, and what’s really important in the grand scheme of the universe. Written after a dear friend was diagnosed and died quickly from cancer, I never expected the book would give so many people comfort and a new, refreshing outlook.
This latest review solidifies my belief that writing this book was a final gift from my friend and that his passing had meaning. Please check out the other five-star reviews and decide for yourself if DROP OUT could help you understand what’s important in life.
* * *
5.0 out of 5 stars Riveting, September 29, 2013
By
Peggy M. McAloon - See all my reviews
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Drop Out (Kindle Edition)
This author delivers a story that keeps the reader engaged from page one to the last page. His description of those first few hours after the first plane struck the Twin Towers brings the reader to the edge of oblivion and despair. None of us knows how or if we can survive unspeakable damage to our bodies and/or the very essence of our souls. This book will take you to the edge of despair with the main character Nathan. It is impossible for you to read this without facing and acknowledging your own fears and beliefs. One thing is certain, you will be forever changed.
* * *
To read more about me and my books please check out my blog: ALWAYS WRITING
Click here to read my blog!
http://www.neilostroff.blogspot.com
The book harbors a powerful message about the meaning of life and what lies beyond, and what’s really important in the grand scheme of the universe. Written after a dear friend was diagnosed and died quickly from cancer, I never expected the book would give so many people comfort and a new, refreshing outlook.
This latest review solidifies my belief that writing this book was a final gift from my friend and that his passing had meaning. Please check out the other five-star reviews and decide for yourself if DROP OUT could help you understand what’s important in life.
* * *
5.0 out of 5 stars Riveting, September 29, 2013
By
Peggy M. McAloon - See all my reviews
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Drop Out (Kindle Edition)
This author delivers a story that keeps the reader engaged from page one to the last page. His description of those first few hours after the first plane struck the Twin Towers brings the reader to the edge of oblivion and despair. None of us knows how or if we can survive unspeakable damage to our bodies and/or the very essence of our souls. This book will take you to the edge of despair with the main character Nathan. It is impossible for you to read this without facing and acknowledging your own fears and beliefs. One thing is certain, you will be forever changed.
* * *
To read more about me and my books please check out my blog: ALWAYS WRITING
Click here to read my blog!
http://www.neilostroff.blogspot.com
September 26, 2013
The new future
It used to be that an aspiring author would write a novel and then painstakingly send out SASE’s (remember them) hoping to land an agent. If the author did land an agent, then the author would hope for a publishing contract. If by miracle of miracles the agent actually sold the book, then eighteen months later it came out in the bookstore (remember those) and the author started doing a grueling schedule of signings hoping to recoup more money in sales than the advance received, thus making everyone involved a little dough.
The indie ebook revolution has changed all that. Sure, there are plenty of people publishing crappy books that are typed out in a few afternoons and then called a completed story. Some of these literary messes may even sell a few copies. But readers are wary of junk writers and thankfully Amazon allows samples to see how the book flows and if it hooks you.
My samples hook the reader and have them wanting to read more (I hope). Especially my novel, DROP OUT which just received its eighteenth five star review. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005FX0K7U But just providing samples may not be enough to grab an audience. You still need a great cover and an even greater blurb to get noticed. And that’s just the beginning.
There are book trailers that need to be made and then uploaded to every video site on the internet (I have yet to make a trailer, but know I should). There is Pinterest, and Facebook, and Yahoo groups, and blogs to be written, and sites to upload samples and links. It takes a lot of time to get noticed as a writer these days. And therein lay the secret of success.
Writers quick to publish their amateurish works are usually people who want the instant gratification of saying they wrote a book without the months or years it takes to write a really good novel (with the exception a few genius writers). These same writers don’t have the tenacity and patience it takes to slowly build up a readership. These quick-to-publish writers will grow bored of the daunting process of getting their book noticed and eventually their books will fade from view. It’s almost like a natural selection (only the strong survive) for stories.
Bad books will be weeded out leaving the good. Readers may have to take a little more time finding the gems amidst the dirt instead of relying on large, faceless, publishing conglomerates to tell them what to read, but they will. The birth of indie publishing will change the very core of what a reader can expect in a book. Stories won’t be sweetened up, or toned down, or made politically correct to sell more copies. Good novels will become true works of art and writing will blossom to a new degree of freedom and creativity. Good books will rise to the top and get the attention they deserve. And we will all benefit from that.
To read more about me and my books please check out my blog: ALWAYS WRITING
Click here to read my blog!
http://www.neilostroff.blogspot.com
The indie ebook revolution has changed all that. Sure, there are plenty of people publishing crappy books that are typed out in a few afternoons and then called a completed story. Some of these literary messes may even sell a few copies. But readers are wary of junk writers and thankfully Amazon allows samples to see how the book flows and if it hooks you.
My samples hook the reader and have them wanting to read more (I hope). Especially my novel, DROP OUT which just received its eighteenth five star review. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005FX0K7U But just providing samples may not be enough to grab an audience. You still need a great cover and an even greater blurb to get noticed. And that’s just the beginning.
There are book trailers that need to be made and then uploaded to every video site on the internet (I have yet to make a trailer, but know I should). There is Pinterest, and Facebook, and Yahoo groups, and blogs to be written, and sites to upload samples and links. It takes a lot of time to get noticed as a writer these days. And therein lay the secret of success.
Writers quick to publish their amateurish works are usually people who want the instant gratification of saying they wrote a book without the months or years it takes to write a really good novel (with the exception a few genius writers). These same writers don’t have the tenacity and patience it takes to slowly build up a readership. These quick-to-publish writers will grow bored of the daunting process of getting their book noticed and eventually their books will fade from view. It’s almost like a natural selection (only the strong survive) for stories.
Bad books will be weeded out leaving the good. Readers may have to take a little more time finding the gems amidst the dirt instead of relying on large, faceless, publishing conglomerates to tell them what to read, but they will. The birth of indie publishing will change the very core of what a reader can expect in a book. Stories won’t be sweetened up, or toned down, or made politically correct to sell more copies. Good novels will become true works of art and writing will blossom to a new degree of freedom and creativity. Good books will rise to the top and get the attention they deserve. And we will all benefit from that.
To read more about me and my books please check out my blog: ALWAYS WRITING
Click here to read my blog!
http://www.neilostroff.blogspot.com
September 25, 2013
What would you do if you knew you were going to die?
Read what Kindle Nation Daily called “the sleeper hit of the year” what Kindle Fire Department called, “riveting, touching, and deeply heartwarming, a book that will stay with you forever”, an Indie Book of the Day winner, 18-five star reviews from all over the world.
DROP OUT
It will affect you!
Kindle-
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005FX0K7U
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B005FX0K7U
All other ereaders-
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view...
DROP OUT
It will affect you!
Kindle-
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005FX0K7U
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B005FX0K7U
All other ereaders-
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view...
September 19, 2013
Every day can be exciting
A writer’s life is like riding a rollercoaster. There are dizzying highs and terrifying lows. Some days are more productive on the creative end and some days on the marketing and promoting end. Today is a mixture of both.
On the creative end, I recently finished the third edit of my latest dystopian sci-fi. The book is about life on Earth fifty years after humans have driven off an invading alien force. The story includes hybrid human monsters, intelligent plants, and a machine that allows you to witness your own future death. The book is due out in December
On the marketing and promoting end, I was a featured interview on Clancy Tucker’s worldwide blog. This blog reaches thousands in Europe and Australia. It’s a quick interview, with mostly snappy one sentence answers.
http://clancytucker.blogspot.com.au/2...
And to add to this already exciting day, I got another new five star review for DROP OUT, it’s twenty-first. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005FX0K7U on Amazon. This one was from the United Kingdom, where I have sold a few thousand copies over the last two years.
* * *
5.0 out of 5 stars Great book!
September 18, 2013
By
Caroline Kingsbury (United Kingdom) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Drop Out (Kindle Edition)
This is a really moving book, and you can really feel the emotional difficulties that Nathan is experiencing. I definitely recommend this book. Its a page turner, and the problems that Nathan encounters are real and kept me hooked.
* * *
It seems today that I am at one of the high points along this rollercoaster ride of a life. Though I know there are dips ahead for me, for now, the view up here is pretty sweet. To read more about me and my books please check out my blog: ALWAYS WRITING
Click here to read my blog!
http://www.neilostroff.blogspot.com
On the creative end, I recently finished the third edit of my latest dystopian sci-fi. The book is about life on Earth fifty years after humans have driven off an invading alien force. The story includes hybrid human monsters, intelligent plants, and a machine that allows you to witness your own future death. The book is due out in December
On the marketing and promoting end, I was a featured interview on Clancy Tucker’s worldwide blog. This blog reaches thousands in Europe and Australia. It’s a quick interview, with mostly snappy one sentence answers.
http://clancytucker.blogspot.com.au/2...
And to add to this already exciting day, I got another new five star review for DROP OUT, it’s twenty-first. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005FX0K7U on Amazon. This one was from the United Kingdom, where I have sold a few thousand copies over the last two years.
* * *
5.0 out of 5 stars Great book!
September 18, 2013
By
Caroline Kingsbury (United Kingdom) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Drop Out (Kindle Edition)
This is a really moving book, and you can really feel the emotional difficulties that Nathan is experiencing. I definitely recommend this book. Its a page turner, and the problems that Nathan encounters are real and kept me hooked.
* * *
It seems today that I am at one of the high points along this rollercoaster ride of a life. Though I know there are dips ahead for me, for now, the view up here is pretty sweet. To read more about me and my books please check out my blog: ALWAYS WRITING
Click here to read my blog!
http://www.neilostroff.blogspot.com
September 16, 2013
Deep Thoughts
When you buy a book especially on the internet, what do you look for? Is it the cover that attracts you? The reviews? The description? The key to selling books is to have all three of these as A plus’s. A good cover, good unbiased reviews, and a blurb that makes people want to look at the book. With ebooks, a consumer can’t take it off the shelf and feel its texture, skim through the pages, get a sense of the thickness and how long it will take to read. They must rely on the free sample pages and all the other fluff on the webpage to make their decision.
Ebooks are forever. Think about this sentence for a moment. You write a novel, get it formatted, have a nice cover made up, get an ISBN, and then download it onto Kindle, or Smashwords, or any of the hundreds of ebook distributors, and it’s available globally to anyone with an ereader. Not only that, it will be available until the end of time.
Fifty years from now I’ll be able to show my great grandchild one of my books, all they’ll have to do is type in the title and poof, there it will be. Talk about immortalizing yourself for all eternity. Isn’t that what art is all about?
I’m very lucky to be living in an age where I can imprint myself onto the world and be remembered forever through my books. I do feel a little sad for all the paperback writers throughout the last decades whose hard work and effort only got them a six-week shelf life for their masterpiece and then their book would disappear forever, going out of print and into the paper shredder.
With ebooks I may still be getting royalties when I’m a hundred years old, I can write and publish what I want and let the worldwide public decide if the book is good, without being evaluated for the amount of profit the story might generate. One of my novels, DROP OUT http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005FX0K7U has sold more than 4,500 copies and has seventeen 5-star reviews. The public has decided.
My novels won’t sit stacked on some shelf in the back of a dusty old bookstore (if bookstores still exist in five years). They will always be fresh and ready for download, ready to draw a new reader into my imaginary, noir, eccentric, thought-provoking worlds. It’s an incredibly comforting thought knowing my stories will be around forever, like the myths of ancient Greece or fables and folklore of olden times. In a way, ebooks will immortalize me and define me as a novelist until the end of humanity.
To read more about me and my books please check out my blog: ALWAYS WRITING
Click here to read my blog!
http://www.neilostroff.blogspot.com
Ebooks are forever. Think about this sentence for a moment. You write a novel, get it formatted, have a nice cover made up, get an ISBN, and then download it onto Kindle, or Smashwords, or any of the hundreds of ebook distributors, and it’s available globally to anyone with an ereader. Not only that, it will be available until the end of time.
Fifty years from now I’ll be able to show my great grandchild one of my books, all they’ll have to do is type in the title and poof, there it will be. Talk about immortalizing yourself for all eternity. Isn’t that what art is all about?
I’m very lucky to be living in an age where I can imprint myself onto the world and be remembered forever through my books. I do feel a little sad for all the paperback writers throughout the last decades whose hard work and effort only got them a six-week shelf life for their masterpiece and then their book would disappear forever, going out of print and into the paper shredder.
With ebooks I may still be getting royalties when I’m a hundred years old, I can write and publish what I want and let the worldwide public decide if the book is good, without being evaluated for the amount of profit the story might generate. One of my novels, DROP OUT http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005FX0K7U has sold more than 4,500 copies and has seventeen 5-star reviews. The public has decided.
My novels won’t sit stacked on some shelf in the back of a dusty old bookstore (if bookstores still exist in five years). They will always be fresh and ready for download, ready to draw a new reader into my imaginary, noir, eccentric, thought-provoking worlds. It’s an incredibly comforting thought knowing my stories will be around forever, like the myths of ancient Greece or fables and folklore of olden times. In a way, ebooks will immortalize me and define me as a novelist until the end of humanity.
To read more about me and my books please check out my blog: ALWAYS WRITING
Click here to read my blog!
http://www.neilostroff.blogspot.com
September 12, 2013
Please read!
Now that another September 11th has passed, we can all heave a collective sigh of relief that there has not been another major terrorist attack on American soil in the last twelve years. That doesn’t mean that those who were affected by September 11th aren’t still suffering.
Please read the reviews for my novel DROP OUT ( http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005FX0K7U ) and then decide if the book is worth reading. I’ve received hundreds of emails from people telling me how the book has affected them and bettered their lives. I truly believe the book will give the reader a new, more optimistic and refreshing outlook on life.
Here is another five star review placed just yesterday on the anniversary of one of the worse days in modern history. Again, please read the other numerous five-star reviews and then decide for yourself if the book will affect you. Thank you.
* * *
5.0 out of 5 stars Drop Out, September 11, 2013
By
Gift Card "Jan O'Kane" (Durham NC) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)
Amazon Verified Purchase (What's this?)
This review is from: Drop Out (Kindle Edition)
A fitting book to read today of all days, September 11th. If I could give it 10 stars I would. It is an amazing story of strength, bravery, determination to depression and self-loathing to acceptance and love. This book will lift your spirit to soaring heights.
Thank you Neil.
Take care and May God Bless,
Jan
* * *
To read more about me and my books please check out my blog: ALWAYS WRITING
Click here to read my blog!
http://www.neilostroff.blogspot.com
Please read the reviews for my novel DROP OUT ( http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005FX0K7U ) and then decide if the book is worth reading. I’ve received hundreds of emails from people telling me how the book has affected them and bettered their lives. I truly believe the book will give the reader a new, more optimistic and refreshing outlook on life.
Here is another five star review placed just yesterday on the anniversary of one of the worse days in modern history. Again, please read the other numerous five-star reviews and then decide for yourself if the book will affect you. Thank you.
* * *
5.0 out of 5 stars Drop Out, September 11, 2013
By
Gift Card "Jan O'Kane" (Durham NC) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)
Amazon Verified Purchase (What's this?)
This review is from: Drop Out (Kindle Edition)
A fitting book to read today of all days, September 11th. If I could give it 10 stars I would. It is an amazing story of strength, bravery, determination to depression and self-loathing to acceptance and love. This book will lift your spirit to soaring heights.
Thank you Neil.
Take care and May God Bless,
Jan
* * *
To read more about me and my books please check out my blog: ALWAYS WRITING
Click here to read my blog!
http://www.neilostroff.blogspot.com
