Neil D. Ostroff's Blog, page 7
August 12, 2014
FREE TODAY!!
Here’s your chance to sample one of my thrillers… FREE!
One week.
Two thousand miles.
A crazed serial killer.
A trip into madness!
FROSTPROOF
On a winter night in 2009, Niles Goodman risked his life to try and save a woman and her newborn infant from a terrible car accident. The injuries he sustained left him unable to work and the financial strain is taking a heavy toll on his marriage.
Enter Cody Larson and the promise of 1.5 million dollars if Niles chauffeurs him to Seattle to retrieve a dead drug dealer’s buried cash and narcotics. What entails is a weeklong trip into madness as Cody kills indiscriminately, and then after each murder explains his philosophy behind the slaughter. He calls it the frostproof. He believes he is the antichrist and will soon rule the world, until their hellish journey takes an unexpected turn.
Grab a FREE copy today!!
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0083WSXL0
One week.
Two thousand miles.
A crazed serial killer.
A trip into madness!
FROSTPROOF
On a winter night in 2009, Niles Goodman risked his life to try and save a woman and her newborn infant from a terrible car accident. The injuries he sustained left him unable to work and the financial strain is taking a heavy toll on his marriage.
Enter Cody Larson and the promise of 1.5 million dollars if Niles chauffeurs him to Seattle to retrieve a dead drug dealer’s buried cash and narcotics. What entails is a weeklong trip into madness as Cody kills indiscriminately, and then after each murder explains his philosophy behind the slaughter. He calls it the frostproof. He believes he is the antichrist and will soon rule the world, until their hellish journey takes an unexpected turn.
Grab a FREE copy today!!
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0083WSXL0
August 5, 2014
Getting it done!
Okay, so I’ve unpublished all my books except two from Smashwords to concentrate on working promotions with Amazon and have been busy getting my stuff out there. Joining Kindle Unlimited and KDP Select is a risk and it does put small limits on my sales outlets but I still think it is the right move at the right time in book publishing today.
Here’s what I’ve got coming up in the next 30 days.
On August 18 – 25 both my five-book and four-book Omnibuses will be on Kindle countdown deals.
FROSTPROOF will be a free promotion from August 9 -13 with the hopes that it will stir sales of my other books.
I landed a free promotion on Digital Book Today for DROP OUT as the weekly featured read. That runs from September 10-17.
I also have promotions for DROP OUT on People Reads on August 6th and then the Omnibus from 9/8 – 9/14.
All in all, it should be an interesting month. I will update the results when all this action has passed.
Please check out my blog ALWAYS WRITING to learn more about my books and myself.
http://www.neilostroff.blogspot.com
Here’s what I’ve got coming up in the next 30 days.
On August 18 – 25 both my five-book and four-book Omnibuses will be on Kindle countdown deals.
FROSTPROOF will be a free promotion from August 9 -13 with the hopes that it will stir sales of my other books.
I landed a free promotion on Digital Book Today for DROP OUT as the weekly featured read. That runs from September 10-17.
I also have promotions for DROP OUT on People Reads on August 6th and then the Omnibus from 9/8 – 9/14.
All in all, it should be an interesting month. I will update the results when all this action has passed.
Please check out my blog ALWAYS WRITING to learn more about my books and myself.
http://www.neilostroff.blogspot.com
July 28, 2014
Define Novel Length
After almost a solid month of plotting, characterization, pacing, and creating setting, I finally wrote the last sentence to my new novel before I start the revision process. Feeling elated I sat back in my office desk chair and beamed, enjoying the pleasurable sensations of finishing this stage of the project. Then suddenly, I was stricken with horror. I had written the story to completion. There was nothing more I could say or add to the story. It was done in my mind.
But… it is only 16,000 words!
Being a first draft, I know I can expand the scenes and probably drag out another 20,000 words turning this into a 36,000 word manuscript. But I wonder, is that long enough? My fears were quickly assuaged as I began researching the top selling indie authors.
It seems the days of minimum novel-length requirements have passed. Many authors are selling tens of thousands of copies of their 99 cent 20,000 word stories and getting rich doing it. Lucinda Wilde is one example. Her (it’s actually a husband and wife collaboration) 10,000-20,000 romance novels are selling in droves. Readers want quick fixes these days and are not offended to shell out a little money for a few hours’ worth of reading entertainment. Attention spans are short and so are many of the bestselling indie books.
Being able to write, publish, and sell a story or novella is not an exact science. The short novella must be top notch. It must grab the reader right away and addictively string them along until the story’s conclusion. There can’t be any wasted scenes or oddly, off-putting dialogue. The story must be streamlined and awesome.
Many writers will argue that a 15,000 or 20,000 word novel is not a novel but a glorified short story. They argue that a book this length would never make it in the mainstream, and they are right. But today’s indie author isn’t writing for the mainstream, they are writing because they have stories to tell that are outside of the mainstream. Stories that for whatever reason the big publishing houses thought they couldn’t make a profit on. That doesn’t necessarily mean the stories aren’t worth the public’s attention, only that the corporate numbers didn’t pan out.
Going over my first draft, I can’t seem to find where I could add more plot. The story is finished as it is and adding fluff will only lessen the impact. As I begin the revision process I’m empowered by the fact that there are no minimum requirements for an excellent story. I write scenes that make the story strong not just to fill empty pages. My dialogue is tight; not drawn out to add to the final word count. This freedom to write stories without the leaden weight of a corporate marketing and financial responsibility is what is revolutionizing the publishing industry and the writer as an artist as a whole.
Please check out my blog ALWAYS WRITING to learn more about my books and myself.
http://www.neilostroff.blogspot.com
But… it is only 16,000 words!
Being a first draft, I know I can expand the scenes and probably drag out another 20,000 words turning this into a 36,000 word manuscript. But I wonder, is that long enough? My fears were quickly assuaged as I began researching the top selling indie authors.
It seems the days of minimum novel-length requirements have passed. Many authors are selling tens of thousands of copies of their 99 cent 20,000 word stories and getting rich doing it. Lucinda Wilde is one example. Her (it’s actually a husband and wife collaboration) 10,000-20,000 romance novels are selling in droves. Readers want quick fixes these days and are not offended to shell out a little money for a few hours’ worth of reading entertainment. Attention spans are short and so are many of the bestselling indie books.
Being able to write, publish, and sell a story or novella is not an exact science. The short novella must be top notch. It must grab the reader right away and addictively string them along until the story’s conclusion. There can’t be any wasted scenes or oddly, off-putting dialogue. The story must be streamlined and awesome.
Many writers will argue that a 15,000 or 20,000 word novel is not a novel but a glorified short story. They argue that a book this length would never make it in the mainstream, and they are right. But today’s indie author isn’t writing for the mainstream, they are writing because they have stories to tell that are outside of the mainstream. Stories that for whatever reason the big publishing houses thought they couldn’t make a profit on. That doesn’t necessarily mean the stories aren’t worth the public’s attention, only that the corporate numbers didn’t pan out.
Going over my first draft, I can’t seem to find where I could add more plot. The story is finished as it is and adding fluff will only lessen the impact. As I begin the revision process I’m empowered by the fact that there are no minimum requirements for an excellent story. I write scenes that make the story strong not just to fill empty pages. My dialogue is tight; not drawn out to add to the final word count. This freedom to write stories without the leaden weight of a corporate marketing and financial responsibility is what is revolutionizing the publishing industry and the writer as an artist as a whole.
Please check out my blog ALWAYS WRITING to learn more about my books and myself.
http://www.neilostroff.blogspot.com
July 21, 2014
Amazon Prime is changing everything!
I’m sure if you’re a reader or author you’ve heard about Amazon’s new prime membership for books. For a monthly fee a reader can now purchase an unlimited amount of ebooks for as long as they remain members. I’ve done a bit of research and here’s what I’ve discovered.
Although Amazon Prime does sound ominous to the author when it comes to royalty payments it actually does have some pretty fantastic perks. For one, an author will no longer see that dreaded return unit in their monthly sales reports. Once a book is downloaded and the first ten percent is read the author gets a full royalty whether the book is read entirely or returned.
Second, the book is now in the prime reading catalog so a reader is much more apt to experiment with an unknown author because it isn’t costing the reader anything to see what the book is about. It also will allow for more experimental stories to be published. Books that a reader may be wary to spend money on can now be read as a part of prime. Imagine how that frees both writer and reader to experiment outside their comfort zones. This may lead to some pretty amazing discoveries and breakthroughs.
Third, the fund for these books is ever increasing so in the future an author may actually receive more royalty than if a reader had purchased the book for the full retail price. All these facts plus numerous other benefits such as free promo’s and countdown deals makes Amazon, in my opinion, the absolute best place for indie authors to publish their works.
Some of you may disagree with the exclusivity of Amazon and believe that it is prudent that an author distribute their books through as many channels as possible to gain maximum exposure. I have put this notion to the test for the last three years by having my books also distributed through Smashwords to its available outlets. I have done significant marketing and promotion for both sites. In the end, Amazon outsells all other sites including Nook and Kobo by at least 25 to 1. A huge difference.
So, now what? As of today I have taken six of my books off Smashwords to concentrate solely on promoting Amazon prime and my titles. I plan on doing countdown deals, giving free promos, and most all, reiterating the fact that it will cost nothing for a prime member to check out my books. That is a huge incentive to sample a story.
If you own a Nook or Kobo, I regret that several of my titles will no longer be available on those devices. I urge you to become an Amazon prime member. I believe it is going to completely change how readers buy and enjoy ebooks. I see it as the wave of the future and a gateway for unlimited readership.
Please check out my blog ALWAYS WRITING to learn more about my books and myself.
http://www.neilostroff.blogspot.com
Although Amazon Prime does sound ominous to the author when it comes to royalty payments it actually does have some pretty fantastic perks. For one, an author will no longer see that dreaded return unit in their monthly sales reports. Once a book is downloaded and the first ten percent is read the author gets a full royalty whether the book is read entirely or returned.
Second, the book is now in the prime reading catalog so a reader is much more apt to experiment with an unknown author because it isn’t costing the reader anything to see what the book is about. It also will allow for more experimental stories to be published. Books that a reader may be wary to spend money on can now be read as a part of prime. Imagine how that frees both writer and reader to experiment outside their comfort zones. This may lead to some pretty amazing discoveries and breakthroughs.
Third, the fund for these books is ever increasing so in the future an author may actually receive more royalty than if a reader had purchased the book for the full retail price. All these facts plus numerous other benefits such as free promo’s and countdown deals makes Amazon, in my opinion, the absolute best place for indie authors to publish their works.
Some of you may disagree with the exclusivity of Amazon and believe that it is prudent that an author distribute their books through as many channels as possible to gain maximum exposure. I have put this notion to the test for the last three years by having my books also distributed through Smashwords to its available outlets. I have done significant marketing and promotion for both sites. In the end, Amazon outsells all other sites including Nook and Kobo by at least 25 to 1. A huge difference.
So, now what? As of today I have taken six of my books off Smashwords to concentrate solely on promoting Amazon prime and my titles. I plan on doing countdown deals, giving free promos, and most all, reiterating the fact that it will cost nothing for a prime member to check out my books. That is a huge incentive to sample a story.
If you own a Nook or Kobo, I regret that several of my titles will no longer be available on those devices. I urge you to become an Amazon prime member. I believe it is going to completely change how readers buy and enjoy ebooks. I see it as the wave of the future and a gateway for unlimited readership.
Please check out my blog ALWAYS WRITING to learn more about my books and myself.
http://www.neilostroff.blogspot.com
July 16, 2014
Big Feature Today!
I’m happy to announce that DROP OUT is being featured today on Great Books Great Deals. It is priced at $0.99.
http://www.greatbooksgreatdeals.com/
Please take a look. You won’t regret it.
Thank you.
Neil D. Ostroff
Amazon Bestselling Author
http://www.greatbooksgreatdeals.com/
Please take a look. You won’t regret it.
Thank you.
Neil D. Ostroff
Amazon Bestselling Author
July 10, 2014
Stand out!
It never fails to amaze me how we have become such an instant society, a society in which entertainment, whether television, movies, or books can be had at the ready with the press of a button almost anywhere in the world and at any time. As a writer, you must have a constant presence in order to stand out among all the clutter.
I have been on vacation for the last few days and have not written any new posts to my groups or made my presence known on the internet. You would think that such a short span of time away from marketing wouldn’t have any effect on my book sales. But it has.
I wrote an article about this phenomenon a few years back when I went on a longer vacation and saw my sales drop dramatically. In order to sell books you must maintain a web presence on the big writer’s sites and writer’s and reader’s threads and communities at all times. People are constantly bombarded with ads and have learned to ignore nearly all of them. The way to get noticed is to keep involved.
We all need a vacation from the stresses and absurdities of life; however, the work of a writer is never really complete. Whether it’s creating new characters and stories or marketing existing works, it’s having homework every day for the rest of your life. To make it big in the book selling world you must put forth the effort to get yourself noticed. Sales don’t occur because a book is a great read they occur because people find out that the book is a great read. And that is achieved by maintaining a presence.
To read more about myself and my books please check out my blog: ALWAYS WRITING.
http://www.neilostroff.blogspot.com
I have been on vacation for the last few days and have not written any new posts to my groups or made my presence known on the internet. You would think that such a short span of time away from marketing wouldn’t have any effect on my book sales. But it has.
I wrote an article about this phenomenon a few years back when I went on a longer vacation and saw my sales drop dramatically. In order to sell books you must maintain a web presence on the big writer’s sites and writer’s and reader’s threads and communities at all times. People are constantly bombarded with ads and have learned to ignore nearly all of them. The way to get noticed is to keep involved.
We all need a vacation from the stresses and absurdities of life; however, the work of a writer is never really complete. Whether it’s creating new characters and stories or marketing existing works, it’s having homework every day for the rest of your life. To make it big in the book selling world you must put forth the effort to get yourself noticed. Sales don’t occur because a book is a great read they occur because people find out that the book is a great read. And that is achieved by maintaining a presence.
To read more about myself and my books please check out my blog: ALWAYS WRITING.
http://www.neilostroff.blogspot.com
July 7, 2014
The marketing secret!
I’ve been reading a lot of threads and forums lately dealing with the topic of marketing your book. It seems there are a lot of “newbie authors” out there in this relatively virgin explosion of indie publishing and many can’t understand why their book isn’t selling. When asked if they market and promote their books most do say yes, but often complain of the time it takes in a world where we all have limited time.
Well, here’s a hard truth. To be a successful indie author you have to market your books as much if not more than you spend time writing them. It takes a lot of hard, persistent work to get noticed in a publishing sea that now includes more than a million new published books yearly. Competition to get reader’s attention is a hundred times harder than it was just three years ago.
But it is not impossible.
With the internet, the exhaustive task of promoting your work is now accessible to even the most introverted writer. No longer must writers sit in nearly empty bookstores peddling their signed wares or go out on long book tours just to get a little recognition; that recognition can now be achieved at home. It can be done! You can get noticed! But it ain’t easy.
Internet marketing does sell books. I’m living proof. A complete unknown three years ago, I’ve since sold thousands of copies of my books to absolute strangers. I’m not getting wealthy by any means but there is an inner peace and nirvana by knowing people enjoy the imaginary worlds I’ve created. I also spend an average of two hours each day marketing my books. It’s tough to find the time, believe me, but I do it.
Blindly spamming and pushing your book over and over on social media only turns readers off. You come off seeming desperate for anyone to buy your book. I used to pay for website book sponsorships with mediocre results and have placed sample chapters of my books on hundreds of author sites that promise tons of exposure. That worked to some degree, but it was not worth the hours of drudgery downloading material in comparison to sales. Then I discovered the secret to gaining an audience.
The proper way to promote your book is to build a readership through online discussions and joining groups. Respond when a reader emails you. Get involved in discussions other than about your own work. Get people interested in you by being interesting online. Your audience will grow in time. Marketing on the internet WILL sell your book, but you have to do it properly. And you have to have patience. If you tell a great story and let the world know about it through discussion readers will buy what you’re offering.
To learn more about myself and my books please check out my blog: ALWAYS WRITING
http://www.neilostroff.blogspot.com
Well, here’s a hard truth. To be a successful indie author you have to market your books as much if not more than you spend time writing them. It takes a lot of hard, persistent work to get noticed in a publishing sea that now includes more than a million new published books yearly. Competition to get reader’s attention is a hundred times harder than it was just three years ago.
But it is not impossible.
With the internet, the exhaustive task of promoting your work is now accessible to even the most introverted writer. No longer must writers sit in nearly empty bookstores peddling their signed wares or go out on long book tours just to get a little recognition; that recognition can now be achieved at home. It can be done! You can get noticed! But it ain’t easy.
Internet marketing does sell books. I’m living proof. A complete unknown three years ago, I’ve since sold thousands of copies of my books to absolute strangers. I’m not getting wealthy by any means but there is an inner peace and nirvana by knowing people enjoy the imaginary worlds I’ve created. I also spend an average of two hours each day marketing my books. It’s tough to find the time, believe me, but I do it.
Blindly spamming and pushing your book over and over on social media only turns readers off. You come off seeming desperate for anyone to buy your book. I used to pay for website book sponsorships with mediocre results and have placed sample chapters of my books on hundreds of author sites that promise tons of exposure. That worked to some degree, but it was not worth the hours of drudgery downloading material in comparison to sales. Then I discovered the secret to gaining an audience.
The proper way to promote your book is to build a readership through online discussions and joining groups. Respond when a reader emails you. Get involved in discussions other than about your own work. Get people interested in you by being interesting online. Your audience will grow in time. Marketing on the internet WILL sell your book, but you have to do it properly. And you have to have patience. If you tell a great story and let the world know about it through discussion readers will buy what you’re offering.
To learn more about myself and my books please check out my blog: ALWAYS WRITING
http://www.neilostroff.blogspot.com
July 3, 2014
Five Books!
That’s right! Get a summer’s worth of sci-fi/fantasy and adventure for one low price! Let your imagination run wild!
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00L0K5FWW
AFTER - On the day we’re born we’re destined to die. But what lies after? For fifteen–year-old Nick Murray, death is only the beginning. His entire human life has been an illusion in preparation for the epic role his soul will play in the destiny of the universe.
DREAM TRAVELER - 300,000 years from now, human spirits called Phelastians are finally making peace with ape-like creatures called Dwellers. Formality requires that a twenty-first century Earthling be present as witness to the treaty. A Phelastian travels back in time and recruits Whitmore Middle School’s newest student, Jamie Richards. Can Jamie save trillions of lives, prevent a war that has already occurred, and stop herself from meeting herself, all while attempting to stabilize creation and find her way home?
THE END TIME - Bob Bradly is devastated when he learns that Jane, the love of his life, has only two days to live, but he’s even more mortified when he finds out how she dies. Driven to desperate acts to save her, Bob challenges the forces determined to take Jane away.
IMAGINATION - A botched military mission finds new recruit Christopher Parker in a hostile prison camp. His life has become pain. To escape the prolonged misery of torture, Christopher journeys deep into his own memories and imagination, reliving his life in extreme detail. Imagery is so precise the people who occupy these memories believe they are living real lives.
INSECTLAND - Tiny, dragon-like creatures hiding in our homes are going to harm us. They will shrink us to the size of ants, enslave us, and turn our world into their own. But there is hope. Legions of insect robots intent on stopping them have recruited high school sophomore Dan Larson for help. Thrust into danger, Dan risks everything in a desperate attempt to thwart an attack and prevent the end of society as we know it.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00L0K5FWW
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00L0K5FWW
AFTER - On the day we’re born we’re destined to die. But what lies after? For fifteen–year-old Nick Murray, death is only the beginning. His entire human life has been an illusion in preparation for the epic role his soul will play in the destiny of the universe.
DREAM TRAVELER - 300,000 years from now, human spirits called Phelastians are finally making peace with ape-like creatures called Dwellers. Formality requires that a twenty-first century Earthling be present as witness to the treaty. A Phelastian travels back in time and recruits Whitmore Middle School’s newest student, Jamie Richards. Can Jamie save trillions of lives, prevent a war that has already occurred, and stop herself from meeting herself, all while attempting to stabilize creation and find her way home?
THE END TIME - Bob Bradly is devastated when he learns that Jane, the love of his life, has only two days to live, but he’s even more mortified when he finds out how she dies. Driven to desperate acts to save her, Bob challenges the forces determined to take Jane away.
IMAGINATION - A botched military mission finds new recruit Christopher Parker in a hostile prison camp. His life has become pain. To escape the prolonged misery of torture, Christopher journeys deep into his own memories and imagination, reliving his life in extreme detail. Imagery is so precise the people who occupy these memories believe they are living real lives.
INSECTLAND - Tiny, dragon-like creatures hiding in our homes are going to harm us. They will shrink us to the size of ants, enslave us, and turn our world into their own. But there is hope. Legions of insect robots intent on stopping them have recruited high school sophomore Dan Larson for help. Thrust into danger, Dan risks everything in a desperate attempt to thwart an attack and prevent the end of society as we know it.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00L0K5FWW
June 30, 2014
Origins of a novel
Thanks to everyone who purchased DROP OUT, the book continues to affect lives. For those of you who don’t know the origins of the story and its message, I thought I’d share a portion of a biography interview I did when the book was published. Then please decide if it is right for you.
I’ve been a thriller, sci-fi writer for more than twenty years and over that span of time my books garnered the attention of numerous literary agents and publishers. In 2005, I signed with a major literary agent from a major NY literary agency. The agency had sold hundreds of books and film rights, some for seven figures. I was very excited to say the least.
My agent loved all six (I now have ten) of my books and like any good agent edited and provided free advice to make the stories stronger and more saleable. We had several exciting close-call deals and a few heart-racing moments while waiting for offers. My agent encouraged me to keep writing and truly believed that one day I’d hit it big.
Then something happened that sent my world into an unrecoverable tailspin; a close friend was diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer. Here’s the kicker… he was given just two weeks to live! He went from his nine-to-five life, to knowing he had limited amount of time left. Having no close family, no insurance, and no money for treatment, he was left with little option except to die alone in his apartment. It is then that my wife decided to hospice him. I wholly supported her.
It was an incredibly powerful experience watching as my friend’s life slipped away and how he dealt with it psychologically as the physicality got worse. Eight days after his initial diagnosis he was dead. I pulled the bed sheet over his head. I’ve never been the same since.
As a writer, I wanted to capture something of the moment and relay what I experienced watching and talking with a lucid person as their life was ending. Having never written literary fiction, I suddenly found myself cemented in front of my computer in the throes of typing DROP OUT.
When I sent the completed manuscript off to my agent, he was extremely disappointed that I had gone this literary route and had no intentions of ever trying to sell the book. I had no intentions of letting the book sit in a drawer, so after a few emails and telephone calls to the agency we decided to end our nearly four year partnership. I published the ebook version of DROP OUT a month later not expecting much to come of it. Then something amazing happened…
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005FX0K7U
To read more about me and my books please check out my blog: ALWAYS WRITING
http://www.neilostroff.blogspot.com
I’ve been a thriller, sci-fi writer for more than twenty years and over that span of time my books garnered the attention of numerous literary agents and publishers. In 2005, I signed with a major literary agent from a major NY literary agency. The agency had sold hundreds of books and film rights, some for seven figures. I was very excited to say the least.
My agent loved all six (I now have ten) of my books and like any good agent edited and provided free advice to make the stories stronger and more saleable. We had several exciting close-call deals and a few heart-racing moments while waiting for offers. My agent encouraged me to keep writing and truly believed that one day I’d hit it big.
Then something happened that sent my world into an unrecoverable tailspin; a close friend was diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer. Here’s the kicker… he was given just two weeks to live! He went from his nine-to-five life, to knowing he had limited amount of time left. Having no close family, no insurance, and no money for treatment, he was left with little option except to die alone in his apartment. It is then that my wife decided to hospice him. I wholly supported her.
It was an incredibly powerful experience watching as my friend’s life slipped away and how he dealt with it psychologically as the physicality got worse. Eight days after his initial diagnosis he was dead. I pulled the bed sheet over his head. I’ve never been the same since.
As a writer, I wanted to capture something of the moment and relay what I experienced watching and talking with a lucid person as their life was ending. Having never written literary fiction, I suddenly found myself cemented in front of my computer in the throes of typing DROP OUT.
When I sent the completed manuscript off to my agent, he was extremely disappointed that I had gone this literary route and had no intentions of ever trying to sell the book. I had no intentions of letting the book sit in a drawer, so after a few emails and telephone calls to the agency we decided to end our nearly four year partnership. I published the ebook version of DROP OUT a month later not expecting much to come of it. Then something amazing happened…
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005FX0K7U
To read more about me and my books please check out my blog: ALWAYS WRITING
http://www.neilostroff.blogspot.com
June 19, 2014
The future!
I’ve been contemplating the future of the author in today’s high technology society. What will become of us and the books we write? Will the paperback go the way of the compact disk and disappear forever? Will publishing houses dissolve into nonexistence the way most record labels have? Will a paperback book become a rare object of antique art? I don’t know. But one thing I do know is that there will always be a segment of humanity that has stories to tell.
What is uncertain is what medium will distribute and sell those stories? Something we can all agree upon is that ebooks will replace traditional books to a large degree. People will carry libraries of their favorites in nearly weightless ereaders the size of a sheet of paper or less. We all know how easy it is to pirate a book and place it for free all over the internet. So, how will an author make money?
As I see it, the traditional book industry of buying through a bookstore will soon become ancient history. An author will become writer, publisher, and marketer of their works (a lot of us already are). There will be no middleman between author and reader which opens a whole new world of getting the author noticed. Blogs and websites will allow fans direct access to their favorites which will generate a much closer bond between storyteller and reader.
I see a new kind of literary relationship evolving in which the populous will decide what they want to read by their own selection and not just books pre-approved, stripped down, and ground out from the corporate publishing paper mill. I find it exciting to think that any one of my fans can literally reach out electronically and ask me a question or just send a little note. I can read it and respond on a personal level as if we’d known each other for years. It is this inter-connectivity that will sell books in the future.
That being said, I have two exciting new collections of my books that are now available through Amazon. Please check them out and get a whole summer’s worth of wild, scif-fi and suspense thrillers for one low price.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KY57LY4
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00L0K5FWW
And to sweeten the opportunity for a great read my latest sci-fi book is free right now until Saturday!
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00K08TEYA
To read more about me and my books please check out my blog: ALWAYS WRITING. I know, I know, it’s a lot of info, but there’s a lot of exciting things happening in the world of indie publishing.
Click here to read my blog!
http://www.neilostroff.blogspot.com
What is uncertain is what medium will distribute and sell those stories? Something we can all agree upon is that ebooks will replace traditional books to a large degree. People will carry libraries of their favorites in nearly weightless ereaders the size of a sheet of paper or less. We all know how easy it is to pirate a book and place it for free all over the internet. So, how will an author make money?
As I see it, the traditional book industry of buying through a bookstore will soon become ancient history. An author will become writer, publisher, and marketer of their works (a lot of us already are). There will be no middleman between author and reader which opens a whole new world of getting the author noticed. Blogs and websites will allow fans direct access to their favorites which will generate a much closer bond between storyteller and reader.
I see a new kind of literary relationship evolving in which the populous will decide what they want to read by their own selection and not just books pre-approved, stripped down, and ground out from the corporate publishing paper mill. I find it exciting to think that any one of my fans can literally reach out electronically and ask me a question or just send a little note. I can read it and respond on a personal level as if we’d known each other for years. It is this inter-connectivity that will sell books in the future.
That being said, I have two exciting new collections of my books that are now available through Amazon. Please check them out and get a whole summer’s worth of wild, scif-fi and suspense thrillers for one low price.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KY57LY4
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00L0K5FWW
And to sweeten the opportunity for a great read my latest sci-fi book is free right now until Saturday!
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00K08TEYA
To read more about me and my books please check out my blog: ALWAYS WRITING. I know, I know, it’s a lot of info, but there’s a lot of exciting things happening in the world of indie publishing.
Click here to read my blog!
http://www.neilostroff.blogspot.com
