Doris-Maria Heilmann's Blog, page 62

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Tagged: file size, free photos, Google Image Search, how to organize photo archives, image caption, inexpensive photos,

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Published on January 12, 2014 20:32

APPLY: 13 Residencies and Grants for US Writers

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New Year means new resolutions. Why not this one: finding space and time to work on your goals and write uninterrupted from daily chores and demands? It is a myth that you have to be famous in order to receive a grant or become a writer-in-residence. Most people who are awarded grants are on their way up, not already there. Unnecessary fear of being rejected prevents a lot of writers from applying for opportunities that are out there. But the numbers are in your favor: in average, 1 in 3 applications will be granted.

If you have never written a grant proposal before, do some research on the topic before you begin. Numerous how-to listings and guidelines offer insights to novice grant writers, and even those with experience. Understand the meanings of the vocabulary being used in grant guidelines. As more applications you write, as easier and faster it gets.

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360 XOCHI QUETZEL Chapala, Jalisco, Mexico

This FREE one-month artist residency on Lake Chapala in central Mexico, will serve artists, especially fiber artists and writers. Beautiful home with kitchen, living room downstairs and bedroom and a spacious studio upstairs. There are also 2.5 bathrooms. Free local phone service. International calls can be made via Skype. January 18, 2014 for the May Residency.

http://www.artistcommunities.org/residencies/360-xochi-quetzal

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Cactoctin Mountain Park, MD

The Artist-In-Residence, including writers, will spend two weeks immersed in the natural and cultural resources of the Catoctin Mountains in Maryland. During this residency, the artist will produce a novel work and share the artistic process with the public. Application may be made for one- or two- week periods. The Catoctin Forest Alliance will accept applications for the Artist-In-Residence Program no later than February 15, 2014

www.catoctinair.org

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The Artist-In-Residence

Program at the Petrified Forest offers professional WRITERS, composers, and visual and performing artists the opportunity to pursue their artistic discipline while being surrounded by the park’s inspiring landscape. Selected artists stay in a historic cabin for two-week periods from June through September.

Artists will present two public programs during their residency. This interaction can be tailored to an individual’s medium, interest, and experience using only a few hours during the residency period. Programs can be demonstrations, talks, exploratory walks, or performances. In addition to the park, the nearby community college art department can be used as a public program venue.

Deadline February 15, 2014

http://www.nps.gov/pefo/parknews/artist-in-residence.htm

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The Lillian E. Smith Foundation Writer-in-Service Award

It includes a two-week residency, a $500 honorarium, and a $300 travel allowance, and is given once a year. The Award is open to residents of the United Sates working to advance the arts through public service careers or volunteer work. Eligible activities include, but are not limited to, arts education, literacy instruction, prison arts and education, English as a second language instruction, art-related therapies, etc. The Writer-in-Service Award residency, Smith Center in Clayton, Georgia, in 2013 provides two weeks of peaceful solitude to focus a new or ongoing writing project. This award provides an opportunity for those writers who like Lillian E. Smith recognize “the power of the arts to transform the lives of all human beings.” Deadline November 15, 2014.

http://lillianesmith.org/

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Maine Fellowships

The Individual Artist Fellowships reward artistic excellence, advance the careers of Maine artists and promote public awareness regarding the eminence of the creative sector in Maine. The Maine Arts Commission offers five fellowships annually in functional craft, literature, visual arts, performing/media arts and traditional arts. Literary Arts deadline May 2, 2014. Grant amount: $13,000.

http://mainearts.maine.gov/grant_individualfellowship.aspx

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Colorado Jumpstart Awards

Jumpstart Awards provide fresh energy to writers, artists and creative entrepreneurs to help stimulate their creative business or organization, whether non-profit or commercial. The end goal is that grantees will achieve tangible business benefits, such as increased revenue, new audiences or improved management practices. Deadline: June 19, 2014. The maximum request is $4,000 if your arts income in 2013 was between $25,000 and $99,000. Funds are paid on a reimbursement basis upon receipt of final report and expense receipts.

http://www.coloradocreativeindustries.org/manage-your-award

http://www.coloradocreativeindustries.org/Artists%20%26%20Entrepreneurs/colorado-creates-grant

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The Lighthouse Works Fellowships

Fellowships are six weeks in length and occur year-round. The Lighthouse Works provides fellows with housing, food, studio space for six weeks, a $250 travel allowance and a stipend of $1,500.

Fishers Island, NY, is a small island located in the Long Island Sound just off the coast of Connecticut, accessible by ferry from New London, Connecticut, and by private or commuter boat from Noank, Connecticut. The island is isolated, but not remote; New York City and Boston are both within three hours of the island, and public transportation to any major east coast city is easily accessible. Deadline April 12 and June 30. More information on the island life and how to apply for the residency:

http://www.thelighthouseworks.com/fellowshipprogram.html

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Big Cypress National Preserve Residencies, FL

The Artist-In-Residence Program at Big Cypress National Preserve offers professional writers, composers, and visual and performing artists the opportunity to pursue their artistic discipline while being surrounded by the preserve’s inspiring landscape. Selected artists stay in a dormitory setting, with each person having their own room, and sharing living room / dining room / kitchen and bathroom space. Big Cypress primarily looks for short-term (less than one month) and long-term (one to three months) residents during our wet (May through October) and dry (November through April) seasons.

Entries are accepted for the 2015-2016 Artist-In-Residence Program with postmarks dated September 1, through November 30, 2014.

http://www.nps.gov/bicy/supportyourpark/artist-in-residence-program.htm

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Sleeping Bear Dunes Ntl Park, MI

The Artist-In-Residence program is open to professional American writers, composers and visual artists, including photographers, whose work can be influenced and enhanced by this superb Michigan scene. It provides resident artists the opportunity to capture the moods of Sleeping Bear Dunes in their particular medium. The program provides rent-free use of either a campsite in one of the developed mainland campgrounds, or a park house located in the vicinity of the village of Empire. A three-week time block is available during October. The artist is asked to donate to the park an original piece of work representative of their medium, produced during the residency, and to contribute to the advancement of the park’s mission.

http://www.nps.gov/slbe/parkmgmt/artistinresidence.htm

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Turkeyland Cove Foundation, Massachusetts

For New England and NY State residents only! Turkey Land Cove Foundation offers a personal retreat for motivated women in Edgartown, MA., to pursue their professional, educational and artistic goals, away from the distractions of daily life. TLC Foundation will review the financial circumstances of each applicant and will only make grants to women who could otherwise not afford the period of retreat. Our grants cover room and board plus reasonable transportation expenses. Based on individual need, we will also consider helping fund increased home expenses, necessitated by a caregiver’s absence, as well as goal-related expenses or materials relevant to the purpose of the grant, on a case-by-case basis. After her stay, each grantee will be required to write periodic reports updating the board about her progress towards her goal and how this grant has affected her life. The first report is due within six months of her stay, and then once annually for three years. The deadline for our fall session 2014 (September 15 through February 1, 2015) is June 1, 2014.

http://www.turkeylandcovefoundation.org/

http://turkeylandcovefoundation.webs.com/TLCF%20Foundation%20Brochure.pdf

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The Leeway Foundation

Grants to support women and transgender artists in the Philadelphia area, who create art for social change. Art and Change Grant provides up to $2,500 for project-based work and the Leeway Transformation Award gives $15,000 in unrestricted funds to artists with at least five years experience. Applicant support sessions are an opportunity to meet one-on-one with a Leeway representative to get direct feedback on your application. Deadline May 15, 2014

http://www.leeway.org/apply-for-grants/appsupport.html

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Mesa Refuge

The Mesa Refuge is a writers’ retreat located in Point Reyes Station, CA. It is one of the few retreats in the United States that supports people writing about nature, economics and social equity. Since 1998, we have granted residencies to over 500 writers. The Refuge offers two and four-week residencies to writers who need the solitude essential to creative work. Essayists, journalists, economists, naturalists, screenwriters and authors of memoirs. The Refuge hosts three residents at a time. Each enjoys a private room in a spacious shared house. Location Point Reyes Station, California. Room and most dinners are provided at no cost, however donations are welcome. Travel to and from Point Reyes is each resident’s responsibility. Application fee of $25 to cover administrative costs.

http://www.mesarefuge.org/

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North Dakota Fellowships

The Individual Artist Fellowship program recognizes practicing artists residing in North Dakota with a monetary fellowship award. The program is designed to support professional artists with outstanding talent and ability to improve their artistic skills and enhance their career opportunities. Grant Amount: Requests from $1,000 and $2,000. Deadline dates: April 1 and November 1, 2014. Deadline date: February 15, 2013.

http://www.nd.gov/arts/grants/grant.html

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Authors League Fund

This is a “last-minute-resort” kind of loan for authors who got ill and are overwhelmed by medical bills. The Authors League Fund was established by the Authors League of America, Inc., to help career authors and dramatists in the United States and in financial distress due to an urgent situation.

The Fund makes interest-free loans to professional writers in need; for example, writers with health problems and inadequate health insurance, or older writers whose income has ceased.

Loan-seekers must show need and documentation of their professional status. Method of contact: telephone, letter or email. http://www.authorsleaguefund.org/

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For more grant offers check out these websites periodically: Mira’s List and Res Artis (can be sorted by deadlines or countries, however not all are free in this list, some are paid retreats). Read also our former posts: Get the Money! Apply! and 10 Important Steps when Applying for Grants

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If you would like to get more support in all things publishing, have your book intensively promoted and learn how to navigate social media sites – or to learn how you can make yourself a name as an author through content writing: We offer all this and more for only $159 for three months! Learn more about this individual book marketing help: http://www.111Publishing.com/Seminars

Or visit http://www.e-book-pr.com/book-promo/

to advertise your new book, specials, your KDP Select Free Days or the new Kindle Countdown Deals.

Please check out all previous posts of this blog (there are more than 970 of them : ) if you haven’t already. Why not sign up to receive them regularly by email? Just click on “Follow” in the upper line on each page – and then on “LIKE” next to it. There is also the “SHARE” button underneath each article where you can submit the article to Pinterest, Google+, Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr and StumpleUpon.

Thanks a lot for following:

@111publishing

http://bit.ly/VmtVAS 111Publishing @ Google+

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Tagged: apply for writer-in-residency, Catoctinair.org, Colorado Jumpstart Awards, Grants for US writers, Maine Fellowships, Rocky Mountain National Park’s Artist-In-Residence, Turkeyland Cove Foundation, Writer-in-Residence program, Writers retreat

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Published on January 11, 2014 21:05

CURSE THE MOON – by Lee Jackson

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Curse The Moon – First in the Cold War Series

His code-name is Atcho. He leads guerrilla fighters through the US-supported insurgency that rages at the Bay of Pigs in the early days of Fidel Castro’s Cuba. Captured and cast into the island’s worst dungeons, Atcho learns that a phantom-like officer of the Soviet KGB shadows him. Inexplicably released from incarceration and still dedicated to his country, he battles through the bowels of the Kremlin in Moscow, into the granite halls at West Point, and finally to highest levels in Washington, DC. Atcho’s rise opens doors into US National Defense even as the seemingly omniscient KGB officer holds unflinching sway over his actions. His public life clashes with secrets that only he and his tormentor share, isolating him in a world of intrigue among people whom he is determined not to betray – and then he finds that he is the trigger that could spark thermonuclear war.

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Curse the Moon received high praise, lots of 5-Star reviews, notably this one by Lieutenant-General Ricky Lynch, former Commanding General, 3rd Infantry Division during the Surge in Iraq.

“Riveting, and couldn’t put it down.”

Curse the Moon is available in print and digital version, 292 pages, ISBN: 9780989802574
$2.99 e-book, $13.78 paperback

Book Trailer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KtukxMl1Zkc

Website

http://www.authorleejackson.com/book-table/

Amazon.com

http://amzn.to/1dFxIi2

Barnes&Noble

http://bit.ly/1lN1iJt

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About the Author

Lee Jackson Brings Heat To The Cold War:

He writes Historical Thriller Fiction – particularly surrounding the Cold War. Having lived in Morocco, Germany, Costa Rica, and of course in the United States and having been deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan for a combined 38 months, Lee Jackson has been up-close-and personal with many different cultures.

He graduated from West Point and Boston University, resulting in a front row seat on many pivotal events. He now lives in Texas with his wife. Lee Jackson’s first novel, “Curse The Moon” launched in December 2013 and 2014 will see more of his work.

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If you would like to get more support in all things publishing, have your book intensively promoted and learn how to navigate social media sites – or to learn how you can make yourself a name as an author through content writing: We offer all this and more for only $159 for three months! Learn more about this individual book marketing help: http://www.111Publishing.com/Seminars

Or visit http://www.e-book-pr.com/book-promo/ to advertise your new book, specials, your KDP Select Free Days or the new Kindle Countdown Deals.

Please check out all previous posts of this blog (there are more than 970 of them : ) if you haven’t already. Why not sign up to receive them regularly by email? Just click on “Follow” in the upper line on each page – and then on “LIKE” next to it. There is also the “SHARE” button underneath each article where you can submit the article to Pinterest, Google+, Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr and StumpleUpon.

Thanks a lot for following:

@111publishing

http://bit.ly/VmtVAS 111Publishing @ Google+

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Tagged: Bay of Pigs, Cold War, Cuba, Havana, historical fiction, Isla de Pinos, KGB, Kremlin, Lee Jackson, Mikael Gorbachev, Moscow, Ronald Reagan, Soviet Union, Thriller, West Point

http://savvybookwriters.wordpress.com/2013/12/19/dont-give-up-it-just-takes-time/

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Published on January 11, 2014 09:49

The Truth About Author Platforms

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A publisher’s or a literary agents’ first question she / he asks you: What is your platform? Editors and agents are for sure attracted to authors who have a “platform”. They are looking for someone with visibility and authority, who has a proven outreach to a target audience. Why? The short answer is: Money.

Publishing houses are everything but non-profit organizations, they want to earn as much money as possible from the manuscripts they buy. They can only sell a considerable amount of books and make money when lots of people know about the author and his or her work – provided the author is able to spread the word about the book to a huge audience.

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What is an Author Platform

…. which is not only important for authors who want to sell their manuscript to a trade publisher, but equally or even more important for independent writers who want to author-publish:

Authority:

What other articles or books, blogs or articles for newspapers or magazines have you written previously? What’s your credibility? What are your credentials?
Proven reach:

For example the size of your e-mail newsletter list, your website traffic, blog comments, high-profile reviews, testimonials or references for your writing from bestseller authors in your genre.
Visibility:

What communities are you a part of? Who knows you? Who is aware of your work? Where does your work regularly appear? How many people see it? Who do you influence?
Target audience:

Being visible to the right audience for the book you are publishing. For example, if you wrote a book how career women can combine work and parenthood, you should have a large target audience of parents, career women, mommy-bloggers, maybe even kindergarten teachers or psychologists.

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No Hard-Selling:

It’s not about hard selling or constant self-promotion. And it is also not a one-time event or something you can create overnight or in a month. Creating your platform is a long-term project and it cannot be developed by posting “Follow me!” on Twitter or “Like me!” on Facebook… Compare it to opening a business or becoming self-employed: it takes many months, sometimes years, until a solid foundation is grown, one customer at a time.

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How Can You Grow Your Platform:

Publishing or distributing quality work online, on blogs, newsletters or websites, or articles in magazines and newspapers, taking part at social networks, producing pod casts, webinars or videos for your target audience. Speaking at and/or attending events where you meet new people and extend your network of contacts and your visibility.

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Don’t Give Up – it All Takes Time:

Write content and reach out: Building your author platform belongs to the same project as the book you write. Use your creativity , and again: write lots of content, such as guest posts, blogs and short stories for weblogs, websites, magazines, newspapers, and give speeches and presentations at writers conferences or at local libraries. Reach out to potential fans of your writing – one reader at a time.

Becoming an author-publisher is a long term commitment and requires hundreds of small steps on the path to success! Read more about author platforms and how to establish them:

http://savvybookwriters.wordpress.com/2013/10/30/how-to-create-your-author-platform/

http://savvybookwriters.wordpress.com/2014/01/03/a-new-way-of-book-marketing/

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If you would like to get more support in all things publishing, have your book intensively promoted and learn how to navigate social media sites – or to learn how you can make yourself a name as an author through content writing: We offer all this and more for only $159 for three months! Learn more about this individual book marketing help: http://www.111Publishing.com/Seminars

Or visit http://www.e-book-pr.com/book-promo/

to advertise your new book, specials, your KDP Select Free Days or the new Kindle Countdown Deals.

Please check out all previous posts of this blog (there are more than 970 of them : ) if you haven’t already. Why not sign up to receive them regularly by email? Just click on “Follow” in the upper line on each page – and then on “LIKE” next to it. There is also the “SHARE” button underneath each article where you can submit the article to Pinterest, Google+, Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr and StumpleUpon.

Thanks a lot for following:

@111publishing

http://bit.ly/VmtVAS 111Publishing @ Google+

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Tagged: author platform, building a platform, Freelance Writing, how to prepare for changes in publishing, how to start a publishing business, learn all about publishing, list potential readership, research your competition

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Published on January 09, 2014 20:57

How Readers Can Find Your Book

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At Barnes&Noble, Waterstones or local indie bookstores, customers can browse in categories where book covers, titles and blurbs help them to discover great books. Finding books at online retailers readers have to type phrases and keywords into the search bar in order to have the right books – the reason for author in selecting relevant keywords.

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Keywords for Title or Sub-Title

Marketers state that 80% of the effectiveness of ads depend on your headline. The same is true for book titles. Especially for non-fiction books, your book’s title is most important for search results and must be well-related to search terms. Not easy for fiction books… If your title is “Annabel’s Secret”, a short sub-title, such as “A Victorian Era Mystery” will help with keywords to make it easier being found by readers.

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Create a List of Words and Phrases

Imagine what customers type into the search bar to find what they want to read – not your name or book title. More important are subjects in your book, such as “business writing” or “historic romance” or “finding academic jobs” for example. Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) explains it: “Along with factors like sales history and Amazon Best Seller Rank, relevant keywords can boost your placement in search results on Amazon.com.”

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Test Your Keywords at Amazon

Type them into the search bar slowly, one letter at a time and watch as prompts appear with words, you might be looking for in the search field. The most popular searches will be on top of the list.

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Use Google’s Keyword Planner

Amazon’s search bar gives no data how often a term is searched, it’s wise to check these and similar ones with Google and see if one word or phrase is more popular than the other.

By testing similar terms at Google, you will find the numbers of each search term.

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Categories with Keyword Requirements

The following genres are designed to be linked with keyword suggestions that will help to rank books in certain categories. Amazon writes: “In order to list your title in certain sub-categories, you’ll need to add Search Keywords in addition to the categories you choose for your title. Click a category in this list to see the keyword requirements.”

Examples from Amazon for each of these categories can be found here:

https://kdp.amazon.com/help?topicId=A200PDGPEIQX41

Romance
Science Fiction & Fantasy
Children’s
Teen & Young Adult
Mystery, Thriller, & Suspense
Comics & Graphic Novels

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Important: Keywords

Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) allows (only) SEVEN keyword choices Use short phrases, two to three words long, mixed with single words, such as “publishing,” “pets” or “airplanes.” Combine them with phrases like “children’s bedtime stories” and “glider flying” for example. Imagine you are a reader searching by subjects for a book. Never use words or phrases, such as “best”, “latest”, “most important”, “new,” “on sale,” “available now” “fiction” “novel” “book” or your author name or the category or title of the book.

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Keep the Title Short

The book’s description should be related to the book’s content and keywords to the setting, character, theme and plot of the book. Always use description consistent across all your book formats, for your e-book, print and audio-book.

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A Word of Caution

Amazon states: “Selecting a category for your book is a lot like deciding where your book should be shelved in a library. KDP uses BISAC Subject Codes, an industry standard system, to help determine where your book should show up for browsing and searching customers.”

However, the “browsing path” that Amazon generates from your choice is not always the same as the BISAC category you chose – and even more confusing: the browsing categories for books and e-books are NOT identical! Author Louise Locke describes in her blog how she could find the right category for her book on Amazon, only because as an independent author she was able to – which is rarely the case when going with a trade publisher.

As book discovery moves more and more to digital databases and online searches, your book’s success will also rely on the right keywords, phrases and the best category.

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If you would like to get more support in all things publishing, have your book intensively promoted and learn how to navigate social media sites – or to learn how you can make yourself a name as an author through content writing: We offer all this and more for only $159 for three months! Learn more about this individual book marketing help: http://www.111Publishing.com/Seminars

Or visit http://www.e-book-pr.com/book-promo/

to advertise your new book, specials, your KDP Select Free Days or the new Kindle Countdown Deals.

Please check out all previous posts of this blog (there are more than 970 of them : ) if you haven’t already. Why not sign up to receive them regularly by email? Just click on “Follow” in the upper line on each page – and then on “LIKE” next to it. There is also the “SHARE” button underneath each article where you can submit the article to Pinterest, Google+, Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr and StumpleUpon.

Thanks a lot for following:

@111publishing

http://bit.ly/VmtVAS 111Publishing @ Google+

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Tagged: Amazon Kindle, BISAC, book categories, KDP, keywords and phrases, Kindle Direct Publishing, non-fiction books

Click here to see the complete report.

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Published on January 08, 2014 20:44

2013 in Review

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The WordPress.com stats helper prepared a 2013 annual report for this blog.

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THANKS to all our subscribers and readers (almost 400,000 in total now) of 970+ blog posts.

Happy New Year to all of you!

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Here’s an excerpt from the WordPress Article:

The Louvre Museum has 8.5 million visitors per year. This blog was viewed about 280,000 times in 2013. If it were an exhibit at the Louvre Museum, it would take about 12 days for that many people to see it.

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Tagged: 2013 annual blog report, 2013 in review, blog comments, Gratitude for so many readers, most popular articles, Wordpress blog

http://writetodone.com/3-secrets-to-writing-blog-posts-that-go-viral/

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Published on January 08, 2014 17:11

3 Simple Changes to Improve Your Articles

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Not really happy with the response to your blogs? Try these three changes for your blog posts, website or article writing. It will make a huge difference between articles being read or going viral. Implementing these tips only half-heartily - starting with better headlines - I already gained almost 300,000 blog visitors in the last year.

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# 1 The Secret to Writing Great Headlines

Studies have shown that you can increase your conversion rate on a blog article, tweet or link by 73% if you use a great headline. People read blog posts because the title catches their attention. Create headlines that will captivate readers. Posts don’t go viral, but headlines do. It’s the headline that people share on Social Media.

Use Promises

Readers will click on headlines that promise a reward, such as a solution to their problem or a sure path way to success. The most popular headlines are starting with numbers, such as “How to” or “Tips for”. You have seen lots of titles like: “99 Top Websites to Show Your Book“……… “77 Reasons Why Your Book Was Rejected” ….. or “The Benefit on Using Google+” ……
Use Celebrity Names

All the top tweets feature celebrities, such as Obama or Oprah. For example: ”Oprah uses this visualization technique. Should you?”
Use “New”

Your headline should promise something new. ”How a New App is Changing the Way we Edit Books.” or ”5 Social Media Trends You Need to Know.”
Use Best and Worst

Jeff Bullas, writing at the same topic, not only suggests to use new, celebrity, promises or numbers, but also best and worst: “Top 10 Google+ Posts or 2013.” or ”Biggest Social Media Mistakes of 2013.”

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# 2 Quote an Expert – or Several

If you read the most popular blogs on the Internet, you will notice that they have quite a few outbound links. People take you seriously when they know your information comes from an insider or a specialist in a certain field.

Theoretically, one can compile blog posts together on subjects she or he knows absolutely nothing about. As long as one knows how to quote and cite the right people, one will be taken seriously. Gather expert knowledge. This is how journalists make money with their articles (after thoroughly researching the topics).

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# 3 Tell Stories or Write About Your Learning Experiences

Point to your own mistakes / experiences or to stories of companies or individuals that had done what you recommended, and how it worked for them. Readers like to listen to real stories. Which are much more likely to go viral than just blank information.

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If you change only one thing about your blog content, this one should be it: Sprinkle a few stories and examples into your blog posts to justify what you are saying.

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Last but not least: don’t get discouraged. Many bloggers write a couple of posts, don’t see much traffic, and give up. Building a readership takes time and experience. It takes effort to find ways to get your particular audience to visit, comment on your posts, and recommend you to others – but it’s worth it.! Read More Blog Posting Tips:

http://www.startupbros.com/32-ways-to-make-your-blog-post-go-viral/

http://mycrazygoodlife.com/5-ways-im-making-my-blog-content-go-viral/

http://blog.crazyegg.com/2013/06/24/get-more-retweets/

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If you would like to get more support in all things publishing, have your book intensively promoted and learn how to navigate social media sites – or to learn how you can make yourself a name as an author through content writing: We offer all this and more for only $159 for three months! Learn more about this individual book marketing help: http://www.111Publishing.com/Seminars

Or visit http://www.e-book-pr.com/book-promo/

to advertise your new book, specials, your KDP Select Free Days or the new Kindle Countdown Deals.

Please check out all previous posts of this blog (there are more than 970 of them : ) if you haven’t already. Why not sign up to receive them regularly by email? Just click on “Follow” in the upper line on each page – and then on “LIKE” next to it. There is also the “SHARE” button underneath each article where you can submit the article to Pinterest, Google+, Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr and StumpleUpon.

Thanks a lot for following:

@111publishing

http://bit.ly/VmtVAS 111Publishing @ Google+

.

Tagged: blog posting, content marketing, how to be a successful blogger, improve your blog, Quote an Expert, social networking, tell stories in your blog, Write About Learning Experiences, Writing Great Headlines

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Published on January 08, 2014 03:45

5 Tips for Successful Book Submissions

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Don’t give agents or publishers a reason to reject your manuscript submission. I could write a book and fill it with these dreadful “submissions” that came to my inbox/mailbox in the last years. On one site I feel pity for the sender, on the other hand I just can’t understand why they don’t make the effort to read submission guidelines on publishers websites, get it right and learn how to write submissions to publishers. Why do authors work many months or even years on a manuscript, and then don’t learn how to sell it? There are just a few basics to be familiar with:

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Genre / Category

Most publishers or agents are specialized in certain genres. It also gets harder for authors if they do cross-genres. However, sending a query for poetry to a publisher, who explicitly states on his website under submission guidelines, that they only accept non-fiction and how-to-guides, is a waste of your and their time and money to ask “if they take on poetry”. Not researching what genres an agent or publisher is interested in, is not only impolite, but will for sure result in rejection.

Many resources such as PublishersGlobal, PublishingWeekly, Writer’s Market or AgentQuery.com will help you to find the right places / agents / publishers for your genre. Another possibility is to perform a Google search for the words literary agent and your genre. Carefully study your selected agents’ website to find more information.

A word of caution: In former blogs we wrote that – as in many other publishing fields – there are a few “rotten apples”, meaning agents that are charging authors for reading their manuscripts or demand a fee for his or her “evaluation” of your manuscript.

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Follow Submission Guidelines

Not reading and acting accordingly to an agent’s or publishers individual submission guidelines will end your query letter immediately in the recycle bin. Find the answer to questions like these:

Do they want a query letter only?
Do they want a query with the first pages of your manuscript?
Do they want a query and the first three chapters?
Do they accept queries via e-mail or via regular mail?
Read and follow their guidelines in detail!

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How to Write a Query Letter

First of all: find out the name of the agent or editor at the publishing house you will query. Never, ever, write “To whom it may concern”. It only shows your are not caring whoever will receive it. Maybe the intern … Don’t forget to add all of your contact information: address, e-mail address, and phone number.

The QueryShark advises:

“The opening paragraph is meant to make a pitch regarding your protagonist and your book in a way that the agent will fall in love with them.”
“The second paragraph provides the synopsis. Do not include every little detail, it is meant to summarize the essence of the obstacles in the story. Stick to the big picture.”
“The third paragraph is all about you. What relevant credentials, honors, and awards have you or your books achieved? In other words, why you and not another author should be published.”
“The closing paragraph should recognize the agent’s submission guidelines, why you felt they were a good fit for your novel, and an action to take…i.e. requesting the full manuscript.”

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Your Query

You will need a complete book proposal, three sample chapters and a cover letter (the query). A book proposal is made up of several components, such as an overview, competitive titles, marketing of your book, etc., and should be at least 10 pages long – a kind of business plan for your book. BTW: This is something that every writer should do for their work, no matter if they pitch an agent or publisher or if they intend to self-publish their book.

Most writers don’t know that they need only three chapters written, not the entire manuscript when pitching to an agent or publishing house. Once the offer is accepted, the rest of the manuscript has to follow within a certain time frame.

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Spelling and Grammar

When submitting a query letter to agents, ensure that all spelling and grammar issues are resolved. Typos or even shortcuts are a turnoff. Do hire a professional to read your letter!

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Following these tips will help you in landing an agent. Read about all the famous authors who were rejected, but, it was their persistence that paid off in the long run. Get lots of tips from literary agents here. Consider not only to submit your manuscript to publishing houses, but to author-publish it, in order to earn more and if successfully, agents and publishers will approach YOU!

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If you would like to get more support in all things publishing, have your book intensively promoted and learn how to navigate social media sites – or to learn how you can make yourself a name as an author through content writing: We offer all this and more for only $159 for three months! Learn more about this individual book marketing help: http://www.111Publishing.com/Seminars

Or visit http://www.e-book-pr.com/book-promo/

to advertise your new book, specials, your KDP Select Free Days or the new Kindle Countdown Deals.

Please check out all previous posts of this blog (there are more than 970 of them : ) if you haven’t already. Why not sign up to receive them regularly by email? Just click on “Follow” in the upper line on each page – and then on “LIKE” next to it. There is also the “SHARE” button underneath each article where you can submit the article to Pinterest, Google+, Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr and StumpleUpon.

Thanks a lot for following:

@111publishing

http://bit.ly/VmtVAS 111Publishing @ Google+

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Tagged: agent query, commercial publisher, How to Write a Query Letter, http://queryshark.blogspot.ca, Literary Agents, Publishing contract, query letter, Query Shark, query writing help, QueryShark

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Published on January 06, 2014 05:08

Bestseller Author Stephen King – King of Business

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Photo Credit FreakingNews.com / Manoftheyear.com

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Editor Mike Zimmerman, who has written more than 50 celebrity cover profiles – wrote about Stephen King’s business success, which is stemming mainly from his prolific writing (60+ books so far), but also his sense of business, shown in his smart dealings with publishers, his early adapting of e-books (chapter after chapter, down-loaded and volunteer-ly paid by his readers – a nightmare for publishers) and the creative, savvy brand he has gained. Yes, and he even sells

t-shirts! Just have a look at his professional website!

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Zimmermann wrote:

“Stephen King is a terrific businessman who leverages his success to broker creative and unusual deals in an industry not known for its flexibility, speed or inventiveness. The ebook revolution, currently in full swing, has the entire book publishing world scrambling to figure out new business models and how, if possible, to preserve the now-ancient art of printing words on paper.”

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Further:

“Over the years, King has always been forward-thinking and daring in his dealings with publishers. He experimented with an online-only ebook, The Plant, way back in 2000 when Kindle was but a gleam in Jeff Bezos’ hard drive. And 14 years ago, when he left Viking to go to S&S, he structured his deal in an unheard-of way, ditching the big advance for a smaller one, but splitting the profits 50/50.

Another bold move, according to The Wall Street Journal, was orchestrated by King’s then-agent Kirby McCauley: Instead of a publisher licensing rights to King’s books for a period lasting up until 70 years beyond the author’s death (the usual publishing boilerplate, assuming the books stay in print), King leases his books to the publisher for a period of 15 years.”

A lot, new writers can learn from Stephen King, read the whole article on http://Success.com

From Stephen King’s Press Release Page

Stephen King was born in Portland, Maine in 1947, the second son of Donald and Nellie Ruth Pillsbury King. He made his first professional short story sale in 1967 to Startling Mystery Stories. In the fall of 1973, he began teaching high school English classes at Hampden Academy, the public high school in Hampden, Maine.

Writing in the evenings and on the weekends, he continued to produce short stories and to work on novels. In the spring of 1973, Doubleday & Co., accepted the novel Carrie for publication, providing him the means to leave teaching and write full-time. He has since published over 50 books and has become one of the world’s most successful writers.

Stephen lives in Maine and Florida with his wife, novelist Tabitha King. They are regular contributors to a number of charities including many libraries and have been honored locally for their philanthropic activities.

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If you would like to get more support in all things publishing, have your book intensively promoted and learn how to navigate social media sites – or to learn how you can make yourself a name as an author through content writing: We offer all this and more for only $159 for three months! Learn more about this individual book marketing help: http://www.111Publishing.com/Seminars

Or visit http://www.e-book-pr.com/book-promo/

to advertise your new book, specials, your KDP Select Free Days or the new Kindle Countdown Deals.

Please check out all previous posts of this blog (there are more than 970 of them : ) if you haven’t already. Why not sign up to receive them regularly by email? Just click on “Follow” in the upper line on each page – and then on “LIKE” next to it. There is also the “SHARE” button underneath each article where you can submit the article to Pinterest, Google+, Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr and StumpleUpon.

Thanks a lot for following:

@111publishing

http://bit.ly/VmtVAS 111Publishing @ Google+

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Tagged: celebrity cover profile by M. Zimmermann, Editor Mike Zimmerman, Horror Author, King of Business, Stephen King, Stephen King = prolific writer

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Published on January 04, 2014 21:35

111 Tips to Create Your Book Trailer

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Book trailers are one of the best ways to introduce your book to millions of readers worldwide. Learn how to plan, create – and most important: market your video is step for step explained in this valuable guide book.Readers will explore which audience your trailer will attract for the genre of your book, how to find design ideas for book trailer, how to set the mood for your book, which music fits the style of your book, video software available, where to publicize your book trailer, just to name a few benefits.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008Y15YYO Only $2.99

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From Reviewers:

“I found this book will inspire you to use video / book trailers for (book) promotions, whether you’re new to video or a seasoned pro, as it shows you how easy it is to promote your book trailer.”

“This comprehensive guide breaks down the video creating process into manageable bites so it doesn’t feel so overwhelming – even so the sheer number of links to tutorials and websites could give you the impression. Planing your video, gathering the necessary software, getting free music and images as well as the complete video-creating process are explained. Links to tutorials were extremely helpful for me as was the important video-marketing process.”

“It gives not only authors, but every small business valuable tips how video can be used to market products and services, and answers such important questions as:

Where do I get started with video?
How can I produce a video that delivers compelling reasons to buy my book?
Which software and hardware tools will work best for me?
Where are all these free video sharing sites to submit my video to, in order for it to go viral?”

Another reviewer wrote: “Stop! Just hit click and buy. The reference section alone is worth the $3. I doubt there is a better book out there for the average author/warrior. Just get it!”

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If you would like to get more support in all things publishing, have your book intensively promoted and learn how to navigate social media sites – or to learn how you can make yourself a name as an author through content writing: We offer all this and more for only $159 for three months! Learn more about this individual book marketing help: http://www.111Publishing.com/Seminars

Or visit http://www.e-book-pr.com/book-promo/ to advertise your new book, specials, your KDP Select Free Days or the new Kindle Countdown Deals.

Please check out all previous posts of this blog (there are more than 970 of them : ) if you haven’t already. Why not sign up to receive them regularly by email? Just click on “Follow” in the upper line on each page – and then on “LIKE” next to it. There is also the “SHARE” button underneath each article where you can submit the article to Pinterest, Google+, Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr and StumpleUpon.

Thanks a lot for following:

@111publishing

http://bit.ly/VmtVAS 111Publishing @ Google+

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