Doris-Maria Heilmann's Blog, page 73

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Tagged: 175 Millionen Searches/hour, Google algorithm, Google Ranking, increase your web presence, manipulating algorithms, Search Engine Optimization, Top Reasons to Be on Google's Page 1

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Published on September 21, 2013 04:00

Why You Need Beta Readers

Why You Need Beta Readers and Where to Find the Best

Guest post by Lauren Sapala

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In the tech world “beta” means something that isn’t finished yet; a product that’s still in the testing stage. Authors have now commandeered this term for their own, using it to describe the first circle of readers to review the finished draft of a manuscript. So what’s the difference between giving your novel to a beta reader instead of your friends or family? Well, other than honest, objective feedback (which is one of the most valuable things any writer could ever ask for) the chances of success for your book go up enormously.

The ideal beta reader is usually another writer, and preferably someone who is interested and familiar with the genre in which you are writing. Getting feedback from another writer means you’re much more likely to receive concrete suggestions for improvement, along with comments on what is and is not working. Having a writer as your beta reader also gives you the chance to enter into an exchange. After they read for you, you can read for them. As you examine the weak spots in another’s manuscript with a detached eye, you learn how to logically approach the problems in your own.

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Bringing on beta readers, in short, helps you become a better writer.

So where do you find them?

Your Own Writing Group

Most creative writing groups focus on critique, and due to time constraints, each member is usually only allowed to submit a few pages at a time for feedback. Beta readers, on the other hand, should be reading your entire finished manuscript.

Ask around within your current writing group to see if anyone else has finished their novel and if they would be interested in doing a beta reading exchange with you. Since it’s a trade, both of you will benefit. And since it can be done in off-hours, make it clear that it won’t interfere with the regular meetings of the group.

Google+

Social media doesn’t have to be all about self-promotion. Google+ offers a variety of excellent communities for writers looking to connect with like-minded individuals. The Writer’s Discussion Group has over 14,000 members, and if that sounds too overwhelming for you, smaller communities like Poets of G+, Aspiring Authors, and Writers, Authors, Bloggers are always open to new people too. You can browse around the different communities to find beta readers, or make a post of your own asking for volunteers.

MeetUp Groups and Workshops

If you live in a metropolitan area, Meetup.com offers a dynamic assortment of options for writers. You can find workshops and writing marathons, as well as gatherings dedicated solely to beta readers. This is a great avenue for those writers who prefer face-to-face interaction, and who are also open to meeting new writer friends. If you don’t see a beta reader meetup listed for you city, you might think about organizing your own.

Online Writing Forums

For writers looking for very specific feedback from knowledgeable readers (in the genre of hard science fiction, for example), online forums are an efficient way to find them. Because participants tend to cluster around particular topics of interest, writers can post their call for beta readers in the area most relevant to their style and content. Writers’ Café, the Next Big Writer, and WritingForums.org or Wattpad.com are just a few of the online resources available that can help writers connect.

After you have found your handful of promising beta readers, make sure both of you have the best experience possible. Be clear on your expectations. Tell your beta readers exactly what you are looking to gain from their feedback, and exactly how detailed you want them to be.

Remember, beta readers are not editors. Their function is not to correct your work, or make any actual changes. The goal of bringing on a beta reader is for you, as the writer, to get a view of your own work through a reader’s eyes.

And that, for every writer, is truly invaluable.

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About the Author

Lauren Sapala is a writer, writing coach and blogger at www.laurensapala.com. She blogs about writing, creativity, and finding and holding onto one’s inspired passion in life. She currently lives in San Francisco, is working on her fifth novel, and in her free time facilitates the writing group she founded, “Write City”.

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If you would like to get help in all things publishing, have your book intensively promoted and learn how to navigate social media sites: We offer all this and more for only $ 159 for 3 months. Learn more about this individual book marketing help: http://www.111Publishing.com/Seminars

Please check out all previous posts of this blog (there are 880+ 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, Chime.in, Facebook, Tumblr and to StumpleUpon.

Thanks a lot for following:

@111publishing

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

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Tagged: aspiring authors, beta readers, beta-reading, Google+ communities, Meetup.com, objective feedback, Poets of G+, where to find Beta Readers, Writer’s Discussion Group, WritingForums.org

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Published on September 20, 2013 04:14

Your Benefit: Get More Time to Write!

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NEW: Introductory Price for Book Advertising & Social-Media-Promotion:

Some authors have already a great functioning platform with lots of followers and established their brand as a writer. What they need: time to write the next book, and a little help with Social Media promotion. Other writers plan their KDP Select FREE days or short-time reduced price for their e-books, or the launch of a new novel.

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Exactly for these occasions we offer Advertising and Social Media Promotion:

Advertising and Social Media Promotion at a 50% lower, introductory price until

October 31, 2013. For only $39 – and with only a three Five-Star-Requirement.*

This way, new books will get the same chances as established ones!

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Your Benefit for 3 months:

Introduction of your book (1 page, incl. links) on four web sites (stays forever!)
Posting of these articles (URL) on all our Social Media sites (see listing below)
Sales campaigns & KDP FREE days are heavily promoted
Your book will be on the front page for at least one week
IF announced 10 DAYS in advance your books goes into the Newsletter to

ten-thousands of readers

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SIGN UP now!

Take advantage of this great, one-time introduction price of $39, click on the Buy Now button at

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Use the secure PayPal ordering system! We will contact you by email (within 48 hrs) after signing up to get more info about your book and set up campaign dates. PayPal – The safer, easier way to pay online!

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We are known for valuable help to authors / publishers
We have a great ranking on Google and Alexa
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You might have attended one of our Weekend Seminars or Publishing & Book Marketing Consulting

online. Many Readers, Writers and Author-Publishers also enjoy the almost 900 useful blog posts at http://SavvybookWriters.com, which have been read by 300,000 people, and which are mirrored now additionally in a new blog version. All these valuable blog post’s URL’s are submitted several times a day to many Social Media sites, such as Google+, Twitter, Pinterest, Tumblr, StumpleUpon, and to dozens of Google Communities as well as to Goodreads. Countless bloggers re-blog them to their sites as well.

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ALEXA Traffic Rank:

SavvyBookWriters: Our ALEXA Traffic Rank in the USA as of September 1, 2013 is at: 39,196 !!! out of of more than 500.000 sites, which means being in the top 8% in America. Our worldwide rank was 114,726 – out of almost 1 BILLION websites worldwide! SavvyBookWriters‘ ranking is in the top 1% of the world’s websites! This is only one of our websites / blogs. There are four more – plus all our Social Media sites. All these pages are connected with each other, which means your book and it’s cover will show up on dozens of places on the internet.

From http://www.freewebsitereport.org/

Savvybookwriters.com has ranked #114,726 in the world according to ALEXA.com website ranking, and has a Google page rank #3. Savvybookwriters.com receives 9,588 page views per day. The average page load time is 2.3 seconds, which is faster than 33% of sites around the world. Savvybookwriters.com has website back links from #331 websites.

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Our Social Media Presence

http://www.savvybookwriters.com
http://www.e-book-PR.com
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http://www.111publishing.com/Seminar
http://www.twitter.com/111publishing
http://www.twitter.com/ebookPR
http://pinterest.com/111publishing/
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http://www.savvybookwriters.wordpress.com
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There is even more: Online Publishing Seminar

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Check out the benefits here http://bit.ly/1aKkpkK - and to order the seminar, go to http://www.111Publishing.com/Seminars.

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*Sorry, no exceptions, three is the absolute minimum! Read our tips how to find reviewers:

Million Dollar Question: How to Get Book Reviews

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Please check out all previous posts of this blog (there are 880+ 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, Chime.in, Facebook, Tumblr and to StumpleUpon.

Thanks a lot for following:

@111publishing

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

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Tagged: Book advertisements, book promotion, social media help, Social Media Service, www.111Publishing.com, www.e-Book-PR.com, www.international-ebooks.com

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Published on September 18, 2013 08:40

How to Choose A Bestselling Title

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Oxfordwriters published a great article: How to Choose a Bestselling Title and they give examples how, by only changing the title, the authors’ sales numbers skyrocketed. They asked: “What if you could sell ten times more books just by changing your title? OK, that‟s believable. What if you could sell nearly a million more books just by changing your title?”

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“This is exactly what happened to author, Bob Morrison, when he self-published his book. When it first went on sale as “The Entrepreneurs’ Manual” it sold only 12 copies. Disillusioned by these sales, and thinking the title needed an overhaul, he renamed it Why S.O.B.s Succeed and Nice Guys Fail in

Business. The book has since sold over 800,000 copies!”

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Amazing Results

“In a world where we‟re bombarded with information, an attention-grabbing title can make all the difference between success and failure. If you‟re still having doubts, here‟s a handful of other manuscripts that have been successfully re-titled:

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The Squash Book was tested as a title versus The Zucchini Cookbook . The first title sold just 1,500 copies. The second sold 300,000 because it was more specific.

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John Gray didn’t get much attention with his book What Your Mother Couldn’t Tell You and What Your Father Didn’t Know. He shortened it to Men are From Mars, Women are From Venus . The rest, as they say, is history…”

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How to Choose a Bestselling Title
Oxford Writers advice: ”Top titles create anticipation, excitement and enthusiasm. They express the passion of your message. They connect emotionally with your reader. This is what you are aiming for.”

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Get eleven tips how to find the most intriguing title for your book. Top titles create anticipation, excitement and enthusiasm. They express the passion of your message. They connect emotionally with your reader. This is what you are aiming for… Read the whole article

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If you would like to get help in all things publishing, have your book intensively promoted and learn how to navigate social media sites: We offer all this and more for only $ 159 for 3 months. Learn more about this individual book marketing help: http://www.111Publishing.com/ Once you are on this website, click on Seminar to register.

Please check out all previous posts of this blog (there are 880+ 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, Chime.in, Facebook, Tumblr and to StumpleUpon.

Thanks a lot for following:

@111publishing

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

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Tagged: Attention-Grabbing Title, Choose a Bestselling Title, Men Are from Mars, OxfordWriters, The Entrepreneurs’ Manual, Women Are from Venus

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Published on September 18, 2013 00:37

9 Things Authors Should Never Do on Twitter

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If you want to become popular on Twitter and have your tweets go viral, avoid these errors, and check out the small, but significant issues you might not be aware of, and change your Social Media approach for the better.

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Having no Avatar – Instead an Image of your Pet

Who wants to talk with an egg, or a cat, child or your dog? OK, if you have a company, you can use the company logo, but for everyone else: get a great studio photo once in ten years and use it for all your marketing needs including your book cover or on your website. Would you send a potential employer a photo of your house pet, your book or a toddler’s image? No? Why then show these annoying images to your potential customers? Be professional! Sometimes I am inclined to publish a book with the worst avatars! Hope yours is not included. Use an attractive portrait or logo and stick with it everywhere, in order to have brand consistency.

Having no Bio or Real Name

Your name and @name, should be searchable on Twitter. It means people can type you into Twitter’s search engine and find you. Use your own name o try to get the actual name of your small publishing business on Twitter. Keep it as short as possible, to give tweeps more space to re-tweet your content or to communicate with you.

Choosing Other Writers as Followers (only)

Why would you not choose readers, reviewers or other interesting people to follow? If you are on Social Media to network, hang out with READERS! A no-brain-er … Use the search function to find like-minded Tweeps, e.g. type: reading, book lover, book worm, avid reader etc. You will want to get more readers, than other writers as Twitter followers, right?

Talking about Your Book (only)

Buy my book, buy my book, buy my book, buy my book – pretty boring, isn’t it?

Aim to send out entertaining, thoughtful, funny content or news, that are interesting for your fellow tweeps. You could for example improve these points:

Tweet the latest news
Pick the right time of day
Leave room for a retweet
Use top re-tweetable phrases
Write a tempting headline
Don’t make the tweet about you

Not Being Social – or Being too Social

In the process of choosing followers, one can sometimes scroll down their timeline for a whole week and don’t find a single re-tweet. Or the opposite: you want to re-tweet and cannot find anything the person ever tweeted … only re-tweets of others’ content. Or they talk only with their friends, without ever turning to the rest of the Twitter-sphere.

Not Having at least 2,000 Followers – or Stuck With 2,000

Some books and blog articles advice to never follow anyone with less than 2,000 followers. Doesn’t sound fair, as everyone has to start somewhere. On the other hand some tweeps click on every name they see on Twitter to reach 2,000 followers very fast – and then stuck. For them, instead to un-follow successive those who do not follow, they just wait it out to get 2,000 people who follow them, in order to continue their growth. But this can take forever, as no one wants to to follow THEM – and then wait for months or even longer, until they reciprocate – or worse: never do.

Un-follow people who haven’t followed you back after a while. This is especially important to avoid “follow limits”. If you have anything like these numbers – you are in trouble: 268 TWEETS – 2000 FOLLOWING – 345 FOLLOWERS

Barely Ever Re-tweeting Others, or Answering Them

Twitter is a SOCIAL network, don’t use it as a advertisement board only. Answer or re-tweet others – and they will return the favor. Stop your continuing posts, varying from three to six subjects, and this for pages and pages… What I found so far: 80% of these are male and/or are introvert writers or leadership business advisers.

Greeting New Followers with FB “Likes” Begging or Book promotion

You get a message in your mailbox: Someone mentioned you. Curious you check it, but no, you are only summoned to go to their Facebook account and LIKE their page. Or they send you the link to their books sales page. And that’s their greeting/way of saying thank-you for following them… Do they sign up with Twitter only to advertise their wares?

Greeting new followers with FB likes promotion / Book promotion

You get a message in your mailbox: Someone mentioned you. Curious you check it, but no, you are only summoned to go to their Facebook account and LIKE their page. Or they send you the link to their books sales page. And that’s the greeting for following them… Do they sign up with Twitter only to advertise their wares? Same: Sending DM’s with advertisements. You open the Direct message and you are greeted with advertising. My reaction: UNFOLLOW. Thanks and nice to meet you.

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Never, ever, use TrueTwit Validation Service

Author Sean Munger reminded me of this one. Almost forgot about it, as I am not able anymore to read every email / Direct message with ten-thousands of followers (can’t make Twitter a full-time job : ). Some are nice Welcome messages, but 90 per cent are spam (see #8). But I read them in the past, first I answered, telling them that I DO NOT use TrueTwit Validation Service, but then I gave up and just ignored the sender.

The irony is, that these people are often following me, and then when I want to follow them back, their message appears! Why did they choose to follow me and then want ME to validate??? Read Sean Munger’s blog post, especially if you ever used this useless “service”. Sean’s most important message, to which I fully agree: “Most importantly for you, it means I will never buy your book. You just lost a reader, a customer, a potential fan, a potential reviewer”.

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OK, enough said. Don’t want to go into further rants … : ) These are just a few of many issues that make it difficult to interact for others on Twitter – or prevents tweeps to click on FOLLOW you and for you to build social networks and your writer’s platform. To become successful and popular on Twitter do this:

Follow others, tweet something valuable for others and don’t use Twitter as a cheap way to advertise! Create a nice mixture of your own, really interesting tweets and do some re-tweeting.

Choose a very short Twitter name. Make it as easy and convenient as possible for your fellow tweeps to engage and interact with you.

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If you would like to get help in all things publishing, have your book intensively promoted and learn how to navigate social media sites: We offer all this and more for only $ 159 for 3 months. Learn more about this individual book marketing help: http://www.111Publishing.com/Seminars

Please check out all previous posts of this blog (there are 880+ 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, Chime.in, Facebook, Tumblr and to StumpleUpon.

Thanks a lot for following:

@111publishing

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

.

Tagged: avatar portrait, be social on Social Media, never re-tweeting, sending DM's with advertisements, tweets go viral, twitter followers,

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Published on September 16, 2013 21:29

9 Things an Author Should Never Do on Twitter

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.

If you want to become popular on Twitter and have your tweets go viral, avoid these errors, and check out the small, but significant challenges you might not be aware of and change your approach for the better.

Having no avatar, instead an image of your cat or dog

Who wants to talk with an egg, or a cat or a dog? OK, if you have a company that you use the logo, but for everyone else: get a great studio photo once in ten years and use it for all your marketing needs including your book cover or on your website. Would you send a potential employer a photo of your child, or your toddler image? No? Why then show this to your potential customers? Be professional! Sometimes I am inclined to publish a book with the worst avatars! Hope yours is not included. Use your photograph or logo and stick with it everywhere, to have brand consistency.

Having no bio or name

Your name and @name, should be searchable on Twitter. It means people can type you into Twitter’s search engine and find you. Try to get the actual name of your small publishing business. Keep it as short as possible, to give tweeps more space to re-tweet your content.

Choosing other writers as followers (only)

Why would you not choose readers, reviewers or other interesting people to follow? If you are on Social Media to network, hang out with READERS! A no-brain-er … Use the search function to find like-minded Tweeps, e.g. type: reading, book lovers, book worm,. avid reader etc. You will want more readers, than other writers as Twitter followers, right?

ONLY talking about your book

Buy my book, buy my book, buy my book, buy my book – pretty boring, isn’t it?

You will want to send out entertaining, thoughtful, funny, tweets or news, that are interesting for your fellow tweeps. You could for example:

Tweet the latest news
Pick the right time of day
Leave room for a retweet
Use top re-tweetable phrases
Write a tempting headline
Don’t make the tweet about you

Not being social – or being too social

In the process of choosing followers, one can sometimes scroll down their timeline for a whole month and don’t find a single re-tweet. Or the opposite: you want to re-tweet and cannot find anything the person tweeted … Or they talk only with their friends, without ever turning to the rest of the Twitter-sphere.

Not having at least 2,000 followers – or stuck with 2,000

Some books and blog articles advice to never follow anyone with less than 2,000 followers. Doesn’t sound fair, as everyone has to start somewhere. On the other hand some tweeps click on every name they see on Twitter to reach 2,000 followers very fast – and then stuck. But instead to unfollow successive those who do not follow, they just wait it out to get 2,000 people who follow them, in order to continue their growth. But this can take forever, as no one wants to to follow THEM – and then wait for months or even longer, until they reciprocate.

Un-follow people who haven’t followed you back after a while. This is especially important to avoid “follow limits”.If you have anything like these numbers – you are in trouble:

268 TWEETS 2004 FOLLOWING 345 FOLLOWERS

Barely ever re-tweeting others, or answering them

Twitter is a SOCIAL network, don’t use it as a advertisement board only. Answer or re-tweet others – and they will return the favor. Stop your continuing posts, varying from three to six subjects, and this for pages and pages… What I found so far: 80% of these are male and/or are introvert writers or leadership business advisers.

Greeting new followers with FB likes promotion / Book promotion

You get a message in your mailbox: Someone mentioned you. Curious you check it, but no, you are only summoned to go to their Facebook account and LIKE their page. Or they send you the link to their books sales page. And that’s the greeting for following them… Do they sign up with Twitter only to advertise their wares?

Sending DM’s with advertisements

Same as #8 – you open the Direct message and you are greeting with advertising. My reaction: UNFOLLOW. Thanks and nice to meet you.

OK, enough said. These are just four of many challenges that make it difficult to interact with others on Twitter – or prevents tweeps to click on Follow you and for you to build social networks and build a platform. To become popular and successful on Twitter do this:

Follow others, tweet something valuable for others and don’t use Twitter as a cheap way to advertise! Create a nice mixture of your own, really interesting tweets and do some re-tweeting.

Choose a very short Twitter name. Make it as easy and convenient as possible for your fellow tweeps to engage and interact with you.

.

<><><><><>

If you would like to get help in all things publishing, have your book intensively promoted and learn how to navigate social media sites: We offer all this and more for only $ 159 for 3 months. Learn more about this individual book marketing help: http://www.111Publishing.com/Seminars

Please check out all previous posts of this blog (there are 880+ 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, Chime.in, Facebook, Tumblr and to StumpleUpon.

Thanks a lot for following:

@111publishing

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

.

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Published on September 16, 2013 21:29

Like to Win the Prestigious Indie Book Award?

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Indie Book Awards is calling all indie book authors and publishers – including small presses, mid-size independent publishers, university presses, e-book publishers, and self-published authors.

Entries are now being accepted for the 2013 Next Generation Indie Book Awards, the most exciting and rewarding book awards program open to independent publishers and authors worldwide who have a book written in English with a 2013 or 2014 copyright date.

These awards are:

Open to independent authors and publishers worldwide
The largest not-for-profit awards program for independent publishers
Enter books released in 2012 or 2013 or with a 2012 or 2013 copyright date
60 categories to choose from
Cash prizes and fabulous awards
Exposure of top 60 books to leading New York literary agent
Gala awards reception held at a world famous landmark in New York City
Earn recognition and receive other benefits from having an award-winning book

The Next Generation Indie Book Awards is the largest Not-for-Profit book awards program for indie authors and independent publishers. In its seventh year of operation, the Next Generation Indie Book Awards was established to recognize and honor the most exceptional independently published books in 60 different categories, for the year, and is presented by Independent Book Publishing Professionals Group (www.IBPPG.com) in cooperation with Marilyn Allen of Allen O’Shea Literary Agency.

Learn about the chair persons and judges for this award, get all your questions to details answered.

Author-Publishers and e-Book Authors:

The 2014 Next Generation Indie Book Awards is open to all indie publishers including independent publishers (small, medium or otherwise), university presses, self-published authors, e-book authors, seasoned authors and even first time authors based in the U.S., Canada or internationally who have a book written in English.

Good luck for your submission!

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If you would like to get help in all things publishing, have your book intensively promoted and learn how to navigate social media sites: We offer all this and more for only $ 159 for 3 months. Learn more about this individual book marketing help: http://www.111Publishing.com/ Once you are on this website, click on Seminar to register.

Please check out all previous posts of this blog (there are 880+ 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 to StumpleUpon.

Thanks a lot for following:

@111publishing

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

.

Tagged: award-winning book, independent publishers, Indie Book Award, Indie Writers, largest not-for-profit awards program, New York literary agent, short-lists, Writing Contests

http://www.amazon.com/Betting-On-Love-ebook/dp/B00EXV18HQ

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Published on September 15, 2013 20:20

Betting On Love: A Bluegrass Romance

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Betting On Love: A Bluegrass Romance

by Jan Scarbrough

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Sarah Colby believes in fairy tales and wants to find her Prince Charming. Encouraged by her girlfriends and a matchmaking aunt, Sarah sets out to catch eligible bachelor Lane Williams, a guy with an aversion to settling down.

A Bluegrass restaurateur and chef, Lane can’t be bothered with romance. He’s spent his youth taking care of and providing for his younger siblings. Clearly, the sexy, young woman, who wants only marriage and commitment, is trouble for Lane and his new freedom.

As the two work together to pull off a Kentucky Derby party for charity, Lane finds himself susceptible to Sarah’s charms…and … How was he to know she was a virgin, especially when she seduced him?

Reviewers:

“A quick and pleasant romantic read.”

Delores, for Coffee Time Romance

“This Story Is a Winning Bet!”

Jan Hougland on Amazon

Print Length: 133 pages, $2.99

https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/betting-on-love/id693245495?mt=11

http://store.kobobooks.com/en-ca/books/betting-on-love-2/ELFcPZxdtUOtI9iefnW6AA

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About Jan Scarbrough:

Thanks to Jan husband’s hard work, Betting On Love went live on Amazon on Labor Day—which just happened to be her birthday this year. Jan Scarbrough is the author of the popular Bluegrass Reunion series, writing heartwarming contemporary romances about home and family, single moms and children, and if the plot allows, about another passion–horses. Living in the horse country of Kentucky makes it easy for Jan to add small town, Southern charm to her books, and the excitement of a horse race or a big-time, competitive horse show.

Jan: “A member of the Romance Writers of America, I have been active in my local Kentucky RWA (Romance Writers of America) chapter and am a member of Novelist, Inc . My best friends are fellow writers. Who else will check a point plot for me or understand GMC and POV?”

“I live in Louisville, Kentucky, along with three dogs, two cats and a supportive husband. To get my horse fix, I take riding lessons once a week at Premier Stables in Simpsonville. I’m a member of the American Saddlebred Horse Association.”

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Want to learn more about the Kentucky Derby’s and the setting of Betting on Love?

Kentucky Derby Festival

Thunder Over Louisville

Keeneland

Louisville

American Saddlebred horses

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If you would like to get help in all things publishing, have your book intensively promoted and learn how to navigate social media sites: We offer all this and more for only $ 159 for 3 months. Learn more about this individual book marketing help: http://www.111Publishing.com/ Once you are on this website, click on Seminar to register.

Please check out all previous posts of this blog (there are 880+ 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, Chime.in, Facebook, Tumblr and to StumpleUpon.

Thanks a lot for following:

@111publishing

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

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Tagged: American Saddlebred horses, Betting on Love, Bluegrass Series, Jan Scarbrough, Keeneland, Kentucky Derby, Kentucky Derby Festival, Louisville, Romance, Romance Writers of America, Thunder Over Louisville

Where to find free photos and illustrations?

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Published on September 15, 2013 04:24

How to Make the Most Out of Photos

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First of All: Where to Find Inexpensive or even Free Photos?

You might be an avid photographer, just like me, taking often several hundred images a month. However, from time to time the need for a certain motive arises, and the question is, where to turn to for inexpensive images for a blog or a web site? A lot of research brought up a handful of online offers that I like to share with you.

How to Use Photos on Your Online Articles

Improve SEO through your photos: There is more to it, than just placing attractive photos on your blog or website. Here are some tips how you can optimize your photos to improve SEO (Search Engine Optimization) and to get more traffic to your website or blog.

Find websites in these articles that provide good deals on royalty-free photographs or even free ones. If you don’t know the difference between royalty-free and free photos, take the time to read these articles below thoroughly.

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Stealing Images Online VS Using Images Fairly

by Imgembed.

Explore more infographics like this one on the web’s largest information design community – Visually.

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Part II of Free Image Sources

Part III of Free Image Sources

Part IV Free – Inexpensive Photo Sources

Why Steal When You Can Get it for Free ?

5 Laws Writers Should Know to Avoid Getting Sued

10 Rules of USA Copyright Infringement

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Our largest visitor stream we ever got on any blog was via Google Image Search. People were looking for a certain image on Google and found our website. The photo had the right size, motive and it was named with the right keywords. Images are an important part of the web presence!

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If you would like to get help in all things publishing, have your book intensively promoted and learn how to navigate social media sites: We offer all this and more for only $ 159 for 3 months. Learn more about this individual book marketing help: http://www.111Publishing.com/ Once you are on this website, click on Seminar to register.

Please check out all previous posts of this blog (there are 880+ 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, Chime.in, Facebook, Tumblr and to StumpleUpon.

Thanks a lot for following:

@111publishing

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

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

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Published on September 13, 2013 22:19

3 Writing-Centers in Massachusetts

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Getting Support Before You Write the First Word

By Bart Stewart

Many writers buy into the myth of the literary hermit, the idea that writing is a solitary craft suitable for lone rangers only. It was probably never true, and certainly it is not now.

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Cape Cod

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Most of us understand that once you achieve that manuscript of wonder and glory you will need to have an independent editor go over it. No matter what your English Composition grades looked like, a fresh pair of eyes and a different viewpoint is crucial. No-one can do without it. We also know that when a book is finally declared finished, one must choose a service to help promote and market it. But beyond that, it is best to have a creative support, before you write word number one of your book.

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Writing Critique

We always have friends and relatives reading our work, and that’s fine for gauging what a general reader enjoys. But you can’t depend entirely on these folks, because they are unavoidably biased, and will always hold back tough criticism. Sad to say, you have to rely on the kindness of strangers. This means a choice between joining a free writer’s group or something closer to a proper school. The latter can be pricey, but chances are you will get what you pay for.

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Writers Groups

A free writers group can be helpful, or at least better than nothing. It is interesting, though, how many stand-up comedy routines exist about them! You must go in with no assurance at all that the other participants are going to be any better than you are at writing, or even sane, or that there will be any compatibility in terms of the kind of writing to be discussed. A writer who wants to do gritty, realistic, literary fiction will only gain just so much from one who wants to do sword-and-sorcery. (Not to say there could not be some benefit, or at least a friendship.) Even if you join a genre-specific group it can be a sub-optimal experience.

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College/university classes, including credit

At the other end of the spectrum, colleges and universities offer Master of Fine Arts programs (MFI), and while there is no substitute for these in terms of quality, they are naturally expensive and time-consuming. A happy medium for the dedicated author might be a quality writers’ center. This is best thought of as a school, but there are no degrees and the cost is a fraction of the university. What you are looking for in a writers’ center is a track record, in terms of the instructors, if not the center itself.

Writers Center

Two that I can vouch for are located in Massachusetts:

Cape Cod Writers Center, Cape Cod
Grub Street, Boston

Norman Mailer Writers Colony

In Provincetown, Cape Cod, Massachusetts, you will also find the Norman Mailer Writers Colony, part of New York’s Norman Mailer Center.

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Grub Street Writers Center

Grub Street, Boston, MA

If you don’t find anything nearby, take heart. Grub Street is one of the largest independent writer centers in America, and it will begin offering online classes this year. From their site:

“Grub Street will introduce a few new online courses each term, revising the format as we go and building on what has worked well in previous classes. Our students and instructors are partners in this process, and we seek advice from everyone in our virtual community as we create a robust program of top-notch online offerings.”

For some courses you will still no doubt need proximity to Boston. Grub has an incredible year-long program called the “Novel Incubator”, which only select authors can get into, and which provides the kind of intense development of a novel you would only find in an MFA program. A wide-ranging program for teen writers is available. Grub Street also has one of the nation’s biggest writers’ conferences. The Muse and the Marketplace draws writers from coast to coast with its outstanding speakers and seminars.

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You don’t really have to start with a writing center before you get started writing your book. They can help a project along at any stage. Chances are you’re not contemplating the writer’s life without at least having some basic groundwork done. It is a difficult life, but the rewards are not to be found elsewhere. My advice is—don’t go it alone. You don’t have to.

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Bart Stewart is the author of Tales of Real and Dream Worlds, a collection of surreal short stories in the school of Richard Matheson. It won a finalist prize at the 2008 National Indie Excellence Awards. His debut novel Painter of the Heavens is a psychological thriller. By turns funny, poignant, and suspenseful, it deals with a woman who becomes romantically involved with a con artist. Painter of the Heavens launches on Kindle this fall.

Follow Bart on Twitter, @BartStewart1, Google+ at http://goo.gl/8pkWcc, and his wide-ranging, free-wheeling, free-thinking blog, at http://BartStewart.com

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More about Cape Cod writing:

http://savvybookwriters.wordpress.com/2011/11/17/writers-colony-in-provincetown/

http://savvybookwriters.wordpress.com/2012/11/06/cape-cod-fellowship-for-writers/

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If you would like to get help in all things publishing, have your book intensively promoted and learn how to navigate social media sites: We offer all this and more for only $ 159 for 3 months. Learn more about this individual book marketing help: http://www.111Publishing.com/ Once you are on this website, click on Seminar to register.

Please check out all previous posts of this blog (there are 880+ 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 to StumpleUpon.

Thanks a lot for following:

@111publishing

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

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