Doris-Maria Heilmann's Blog, page 92
March 7, 2013
Nassau, Bahamas: There is more than Shopping...
Reblogged from Caribbean Cruise:
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Arriving with the cruise ship in Nassau do as the locals do: Sway to the rhythms of steel-pan bands; savor fresh conch in Arawak Cay or sip cold Kalik beer to beat the heat. The charms of this tropical isle revolve around sun, sea, and sand Or you can shop at the lively markets in Nassau’s town center. You will have lots of time to hit the shops.
I am very excited to tell you about our upcoming Writer's Seminar at Sea. We'll be sailing on
November 3, 2013, aboard the incredible new cruise ship "Breeze", recently named 2012's "Best New Ship" by Cruise Critic. Learn effective techniques to market your books, network with peers, and have the time of your life in the exotic Caribbean! Partially tax de-ductable!
Seminars are on days at sea, so there is lots of time to explore the Caribbean Islands. Seminar-Cruise starts from $1.032 pp ALL INCLUSIVE & for spouses who don't attend only $832. See complete details http://writers.thecruiseevent.com/
Related articles
Learn & Sail
13 Reasons for Writers to Cruise the Caribbean
Funnier than Bill Bryson – Trips Around the World
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I am reading a lot of travel stories, and until now Bill Bryson was my favored travel writer. Funny and witty. However, last year, I discovered books by Lawrence Winkler, and found out that there is even better travel literature around:
Dr. Lawrence Winkler to be precise, as he is a Clinical Assistant Professor in a British Columbia, Canada, hospital. Now I am already slipping into his bio… so let’s finish:
Recreational interests include viticulture (making wine from his own Burgundian varietals), travel to offbeat destinations, wild mushroom foraging, gardening, music, Japanese Art, efforts at local environment protection and he joyously cultivates a small acreage on Vancouver Island together with his wife Robin.
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So, how does a medical prof come to write books about travel adventures?
As a young Canadian physician in residence, he decided to discover the world before settling down – and took a couple of years off from the rat race. He hitchhiked to the States, then South America and Africa, described in his first book Orion’s Cartwheel.
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After a short, yet adventures stint in an Israel Kibbuz, he continued through Western Europe and Skandinavia and further to the Middle East, described in Between the Cartwheels.
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An old Boeing 707 brought him to the Indian Sub Continent, where he used trains for further adventurous travels, accompanied by great young pals, one of them becoming later his wife. Read more in Hind Cartwheels.
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The Final Cartwheel by Lawrence Winkler.
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The latest book in the Orion’s Cartwheels series is “The Final Cartwheel“, published last month as an e-book on Amazon, like the other volumes.
It lively describes Lawrence Winkler’s trips into Burma, when it was still Burma, to Macau and into China and other parts of Asia, as well as the UDSSR, now split into Russia and other countries.
Beside the humorous tone in Lawrence Winkler’s books, one learns a lot about other parts of the world, most of us wouldn’t travel so easily or eagerly. He vividly describes the world as it was thirty years ago and makes the reader yearning to follow his route – even as an armchair traveler.
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Snippets from his books:
“Tip the world on one side & everything loose will land in Los Angeles.”
“Tel Aviv: We honed the fine art of stuffing a Falafel, so that a dollar could last all day.”
“Most intense joys of travel are likely to be experienced in the least obvious places & often at the most inopportune times.”
“If you want to sell your whisky to buy hashish, I may be of service, he offered…”
“Humphrey Bogart said: You are not a star until they can spell your name in Karachi. I spelled my name out for Stefan.”
“The ratio of corruption to competence was encouraging. The smiling faces of the inept immigration officials cleared the middle path for me out of the terminal.”
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The Final Cartwheel is the story of a young doctor’s return home, after a five-year hitchhiking odyssey around the world. Through East Asia, Indonesia, and around the Antipodes, the circle becomes unbroken. 359 pages, Kindle e-book
Amazon.com/dp/B00BEIXB1M
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To use a cliche: The Cartwheel series is a MUST READ!
To find out more, see Dr. Winkler’s Amazon page, go to http://about.me/lawrencewinkler or visit his website: www.lawrencewinkler.com
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Tagged: Between the Cartwheels, Bill Bryson, British Columbia, Dr. Lawrence Winkler, Final Cartwheel, Hind Cartwheel, hitchhiked around the world, Humphrey Bogart, Orion's Cartwheel, The Cartwheel series, Vancouver Island
March 6, 2013
Hidden Gems at Goodreads
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A commentator on this blog wrote: “I have been using Goodreads for a while now and I had no idea about the author program or how to really get the most use out of it. I am hoping that now, that I have claimed my book, to become part of the author program, I can make better use of the site.”
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Here on this blog you will find many Goodreads topics, such as: How to sign-up with Goodreads and add friends – old and new ones - and where to meet people, for sample top readers and the most popular reviewers. If you are blogging, you might have incorporated your blog to your author page on Goodreads, added your book trailer or you have publicized your book signing.
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Did you realize how many writer forums and groups are on Goodreads?
Just go to the top of each page and click on Groups. A new page opens and shows “Recently Active Groups”, “Featured Groups”, “Goodreads Author Groups” etc. and one the right hand site of the page “Browse by Tag”. This is were all the groups are listed by over 1,000 keywords. For sample:
Book Club
Historical Fictionistas
Non-Fiction
Young Adult Book Groups
Suspense
Super-Natural
The Perks Of Being A Book Addict
Womankind Worldwide Book Group
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As you can see, when you scroll down on the right hand site, there are ten-thousands of groups!!!
Books & Literature (26598) Business (1393) Entertainment & Arts (2222) Friends & Common Interest (6914) Geography (490) Goodreads Authors (2535) Just for Fun (22709) Organizations (3365) Student Groups (6129)
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There is even a group that encourages Author-Publishers (Indies) to promote their books – a rarity at Goodreads, were obvious self-promotion is not well received otherwise.
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A hidden gem for authors to meet readers.
Almost all are public groups. Anyone can join and invite others to join. However, it’s not a place to blatantly tout your books, with the exception I just mentioned. ”Authors are welcome and we support authors in many ways, but the group is primarily geared towards readers. Authors should join and participate in the group as a reader first.” Once you are known in these forums, your author site and your books will automatically read and often reviewed.
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I was talking recently with an author, who desperately wanted more reviews. When I asked him how many reviews he has written in the last year, he stumbled … and said: “well, NONE so far”. Shall I say more? Don’t forget:
To be a Goodreads member and to benefit, especially from reviews, requires that you are a bit more active on this site, for sample in shelving books of other writers, in participating from time to time in forums, read books and review them. How could someone expect to receive reviews if they are not writing some for others? Be a good pal in this book community!
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If you enjoyed this blog post, please feel free to check out all previous posts of this blog (there are almost 700 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 StumpleUpon.
Thanks a lot for following:
@111publishing
http://pinterest.com/111publishing/
http://on.fb.me/TvqDaK
http://bit.ly/VmtVAS 111Publishing @ Google+
Don’t forget to spread the word on other social networking sites of your choice for other writers who might also enjoy this blog and find it useful. Thanks
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Tagged: book reviews, GoodReads, Goodreads Groups, Goodreads website, how to navigate Goodreads, Writers, writers forum
March 5, 2013
Reminder: How to Write a Blog / Internet Content
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I just read a blog with terrific content, but it was so hard to read, that I almost skipped the post: 35 lines in one shot! No … , no sub-headings, no bold text, no links, no images… just plain text. What was the author thinking? Has she never been to other blogs or even read content of websites? Well she is not alone, too many blogs are written like this.
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Writing for the internet is NOT the same as writing a book. Research studies confirm how user read on the web: They don’t !!!
People rarely read Web pages word by word; instead, they scan the page, picking out individual words and sentences. In research on how people read websites we found that 79 percent of our test users always scanned any new page they came across; only 16 percent read word-by-word.
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Web pages have to employ scanable text, using
one idea per paragraph (users will skip over any additional ideas if they are not caught by the first few words in the paragraph)
the inverted pyramid style, starting with the conclusion
half the word count (or less) than conventional writing
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What’s more?
Credibility is important for Web users, since it is unclear who is behind information on the Web and whether a page can be trusted. Credibility can be increased by high-quality graphics, good writing, and use of outbound hypertext links. Links to other sites show that the authors have done their homework and are not afraid to let readers visit other sites.
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Harald Weinreich, a German researcher compiled a dataset, detailing 59,573 page views. Just three of his many findings:
10,163 page views (17%) that lasted less than 4 seconds
2,615 page views (4%) that lasted more than 10 minutes
On an average visit, users read half the information only on those pages with 111 words or less. Users will read about 20% to 28% of the text on the average page.
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So, what can you do to make your blog post / web content easy to read / scan?
Split it in content chunks / paragraphs
Write interesting page titles that grab the attention
Use headings and subheadings to structure the chunk of text
Write summaries at the end of each page
Make lists, using bullets and numbers
Embed links, at least 3 or 4 on each page – good for SEO too!
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Obviously, users tend to spend more time on pages with more information, structured and easy to read content – and lots of links. Happy blogging!
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If you enjoyed this blog post, please feel free to check out all previous posts of this blog (there are almost 700 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 StumpleUpon.
Thanks a lot for following:
Twitter: @111publishing
http://pinterest.com/111publishing/
http://on.fb.me/TvqDaK
http://bit.ly/VmtVAS 111Publishing @ Google+
Don’t forget to spread the word on other social networking sites of your choice for other writers who might also enjoy this blog and find it useful. Thanks
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Hyper Smash
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Tagged: Blogging, headings and sub-headings, inverted pyramid style, reading patterns, research studies with internet users, scanning web pages, Search Engine Optimization, Writing for the internet
March 4, 2013
The Dark Side of Bestseller Lists
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… or how newspapers don’t tell the whole truth – and not only newspapers, but also book statistic firms, wealthy writers and certain big publishers. Have you ever wondered how some books could reach bestseller status? And how could this be, so short after they are on the market?
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BookScan or BookScam?
But first a statement: Bestseller doesn’t mean it is a terrific book, worth to read. It rather shows a 2-3 week old sales statistic of books that sold well in chain bookstores and at independent booksellers, who are connected in a certain country (e.g. USA or UK) to Nielsen BookScan. Sales of online retailers and book departments at big box stores, such as WalMart, Cosco, or Sam’s are not counted – neither are digital books or audio books, which are neglected by Nielsen BookScan as if they are not existing at all! Seems their book statistic methods are thirty years old and/or they have too tight connections to the big five publishers…
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Jeffrey Trachtenberg from the Wall Street Journal wrote an investigative story: “The Mystery of the Book Sales Spike”: How are some authors landing on the Best-Seller lists? They are buying their way!
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He described books that “hit The Wall Street Journal’s list of best-selling business titles upon its debut. The following week, sales of the books, written by first-time authors, plunged 99% and fell off the list. A week after selling enough copies to make it onto the Journal’s business best-seller list, more hardcover copies of the book were returned than sold, says book-sales tracker Nielsen BookScan.”
However it was enough to allow authors to put a label on his book: “Best-Seller”. Good for his reputation and a doorway to get speaking and consulting engagements.
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How could these authors reach Best-Seller status?
Well, there are (very expensive) Marketing firms who charge the author ten-thousands of dollars, not only for their services, but to actually BUY their books during a certain week. They advertise this with: “We create campaigns that reach a specific goal”, “On the bestsellers list,” or “100,000 copies sold”…
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Nielsen BookScan who delivers the data of sold books to large newspapers, such as the New York Times or the Wall Street Journal, denies any manipulations and says it prevent its sales data from being manipulated. However the way their stats works and the way the newspapers report it, opens doors wide open to manipulations: it includes quantities bought by corporations or associations either for re-sale or free distribution, and quantities purchased by their authors, regardless of whether the writers intend to re-sell the books, give them away, or use them.
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Even so-called reputable, traditional publishers are involved into this kind of scam.
Read the whole story by Karen Ballum: “How Much Would You Pay to Be a Bestselling Author?” an eye-opener, I promise you!
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If you enjoyed this blog post, please feel free to check out all previous posts of this blog (there are almost 700 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 StumpleUpon.
Thanks a lot for following:
@111publishing
http://pinterest.com/111publishing/
http://bit.ly/VmtVAS 111Publishing @ Google+
Don’t forget to spread the word on other social networking sites of your choice for other writers who might also enjoy this blog and find it useful. Thanks
.
.
Hyper Smash
.
.
Tagged: Bestseller Lists, BookScan or BookScam, how to reach the bestseller lists, New York Times, Nielsen BookScan, NY Times bestseller, Wall Street Journal
The Dark Site of Bestseller Lists
.
.
… or how newspapers don’t tell the whole truth – and not only newspapers, but also book statistic firms, wealthy writers and certain big publishers. Have you ever wondered how some books could reach bestseller status? And how could this be, so short after they are on the market?
.
BookScan or BookScam?
But first a statement: Bestseller doesn’t mean it is a terrific book, worth to read. It rather shows a 2-3 week old sales statistic of books that sold well in chain bookstores and at independent booksellers, who are connected in a certain country (e.g. USA or UK) to Nielsen BookScan. Sales of online retailers and book departments at big box stores, such as WalMart, Cosco, or Sam’s are not counted – neither are digital books or audio books, which are neglected by Nielsen BookScan as if they are not existing at all! Seems their book statistic methods are thirty years old and/or they have too tight connections to the big five publishers…
.
Jeffrey Trachtenberg from the Wall Street Journal wrote an investigative story: “The Mystery of the Book Sales Spike”: How are some authors landing on the Best-Seller lists? They are buying their way!
.
He described books that “hit The Wall Street Journal’s list of best-selling business titles upon its debut. The following week, sales of the books, written by first-time authors, plunged 99% and fell off the list. A week after selling enough copies to make it onto the Journal’s business best-seller list, more hardcover copies of the book were returned than sold, says book-sales tracker Nielsen BookScan.”
However it was enough to allow authors to put a label on his book: “Best-Seller”. Good for his reputation and a doorway to get speaking and consulting engagements.
.
How could these authors reach Best-Seller status?
Well, there are (very expensive) Marketing firms who charge the author ten-thousands of dollars, not only for their services, but to actually BUY their books during a certain week. They advertise this with: “We create campaigns that reach a specific goal”, “On the bestsellers list,” or “100,000 copies sold”…
.
Nielsen BookScan who delivers the data of sold books to large newspapers, such as the New York Times or the Wall Street Journal, denies any manipulations and says it prevent its sales data from being manipulated. However the way their stats works and the way the newspapers report it, opens doors wide open to manipulations: it includes quantities bought by corporations or associations either for re-sale or free distribution, and quantities purchased by their authors, regardless of whether the writers intend to re-sell the books, give them away, or use them.
.
Even so-called reputable, traditional publishers are involved into this kind of scam.
Read the whole story by Karen Ballum: “How Much Would You Pay to Be a Bestselling Author?” an eye-opener, I promise you!
.
<><><><><>
.
If you enjoyed this blog post, please feel free to check out all previous posts of this blog (there are almost 700 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 StumpleUpon.
Thanks a lot for following:
@111publishing
http://pinterest.com/111publishing/
http://bit.ly/VmtVAS 111Publishing @ Google+
Don’t forget to spread the word on other social networking sites of your choice for other writers who might also enjoy this blog and find it useful. Thanks
.
.
Hyper Smash
.
.
Tagged: Bestseller Lists, BookScan or BookScam, how to reach the bestseller lists, New York Times, Nielsen BookScan, NY Times bestseller, Wall Street Journal
March 2, 2013
The Magic behind the Fantasy
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WilliamStadler
From the small town of Reidsville, and now Raleigh, NC, William Stadler enjoys writing novels, specifically in the epic fantasy genre where heroes and villains come to life.
William Stadler: “I wrote short stories in sixth grade, and my teacher used to give us six or seven lines to fill in. I’d use those seven lines, and then I’d turn the sheet over and fill up half of the back. After that, I didn’t write extensively again for over fifteen years (except for a poetry phase).
But then something crazy happened. Steve Jobs died. I’m not typically bothered by the death of a celebrity, but Steve Job’s death really got to me. I started reading some of his quotes, and one said, “Set a goal, and work at it everyday.
Now I’ve heard that philosophy all my life, but something about that instance really got me thinking about what I truly enjoying doing: writing. Steve Job’s final words about working at your dream everyday materialized a writing passion within me. Because this has been so liberating, I have developed an inner desire to see people write.”
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The Pioneers Saga series was created. After months of writing, often until 3 a.m. and on his lunch break, Stadler’s first three novels have been released. He has already begun to work on his next trilogy saga.
His literary influences are George R.R. Martin; Stephen King; Terry Goodkind. Friends say William Stadler’s Stephen King-esque productivity has pushed them to make time for writing. “Hanging out with him has inspired me a lot to rediscover the passion that I have,” a friend said.
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If you would like to follow William Stadler, you can find him on twitter @William_Stadler.
He also writes a weekly blog, teaching aspiring authors how to develop their writing skills.
Goodreads, almost a must for writers and readers, shows him and his books, as well as
Google+
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William Stadler created a video for The Pioneers series – EXTRACTED
His Book Trailer can be found here on YouTube: http://bit.ly/11ReXrV
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While on a routine mission in the neighboring province of Broughtonhaven, Caleb Eaves and his squadron are ambushed by a band of assassins. Left to die in an icy prison, Caleb has not heard from his wife who has gone missing, and he fears that his people have abandoned him.He must find a way to escape and track down his attackers if he ever hopes to regain the life he once he had.
Available on Amazon and B&N, 384 pages, $0.97
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Six months have passed since the victory at Bachenlaw. A new and incompetent governor has been named the head of the Polarist Region, and Broughtonhaven is at risk of being Dominated by these cold-blooded neighbors to the northwest. The Spiritualists plummet into darkness as they struggle to defend themselves from their invaders. The Alpha Council has refused to intervene, while Caleb, Sarai, and the Pioneers fear for the fate of the mainland.
Available on Amazon and B&N, 323 pages, $2.98
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Since the last war, the mainland of Clydenholm has known peace for the past three years. The Pioneers have settled their own civil disputes, and the life of tranquility that Caleb has longed for seems to be within his grasp. What he soon realizes is that this life is farther from him than he knows.
While on an Emblem Run in the Polarist Region, Caleb and Sarai discover that they are being watched, spied on by the Alpha Council. The location of the Pioneers is on the brink of being revealed, and if Juten is discovered, the Alphas promise to demolish the entire island, abandoning the Pioneers to their death. Amidst it all, a dark evil looms over Clydenholm, one that threatens to expose the very wickedness of its inhabitants. Caleb and Sarai must face their own darkness if Clydenholm will be saved. Available on Amazon and B&N, 306 pages, $3.02
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Enjoy the series and gift the author with a review : )
These three books in the Pioneer series cannot only be bought with one click on Amazon, but also be gifted: just click on “Give a Gift” and it will be send to the recipient’s email. No Kindle necessary with Amazons free Cloud software. Readers can also order a sample of each book with the “Sample now” button on Amazon.
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Tagged: EXTRACTED, INFUSED, Pioneer Saga series, REFINED, Stephen King, Steve Job, Terry Goodkind, William Stadler
March 1, 2013
As an Author-Publisher You Are Not Alone
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It’s an adventure for sure … and you never wanted to become an entrepreneur! You just wanted to write. Publishing and marketing are almost scary tasks for you. It seems, as if you have to learn a complete new profession. The writing is finished, yet there are so many new challenges approaching:
proofreading and editing
cover design and ebook formatting
uploading to all online retailers
choosing a print form and get a layouter
getting articles published about you and your book
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And more questions are coming up:
why do I have to market my book, even it is on Amazon?
what on earth is a “platform”?
why should I create a brand as author?
why and how should I create a blog/website?
why do I have to be on these social media sites?
why join several reader forums?
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So, how can you make self-publishing and book marketing an enjoyable journey, how can you learn it all, without even studying economy, marketing, e-publishing etc ?
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Take advantage of our professional help to learn:
how you can establish a brand as a writer
the publishing and retail possibilities
all the pre-publishing book marketing steps
blogging & automatic posting of your articles to Twitter, FB, Google+, Goodreads…
how to make lots of reader contacts on several social media sites
researching your possible competition & popularity of genres/positioning
how to identify your target readers & plan your blog content & marketing strategies
how to get lots of readers & reviewers
… and the list goes on and on
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Would you learn to drive a car or fly a plane without instructor?
Compare learning to be a successful author-publisher to getting a drivers licence or learning a new language or to fly an airplane: It is frightening first, but once you have learned it – with a professional instructor on your site – and you gain self-confidence, it becomes sheer pleasure. Would you learn to drive a car, learn a new language or fly a plane without instructor?
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Everything you accomplished in life makes you proud and is fun doing! So will be author-publishing and book marketing.
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“Nobody ever made money writing a book – only by selling it”
If you want to get help and valuable support, for less than $1/per day: Sign up now for an individual Book Marketing online seminar & coaching, customized to YOUR book and your needs. Get practical support to market your book almost for free. Get all the details: www.111Publishing.com/seminar
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9 Reasons to Get Help Boosting Your Books Success
3 Options for Authors to Sell their Books
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Tagged: author brand, author platform, Author-Publisher, create a blog/website, how to publish a book, individual book marketing help, Online Seminar, proofreading and editing, uploading to online retailers
February 28, 2013
Social Media and Your Brain
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It is no secret that we use Social Media a lot – and all this social media usage can be hard to curtail. Resisting Twitter, Facebook and other Social Media sites is harder than other urges, such as smoking, drinking, spending money, sleeping and even sex.
Posting about yourself on Social Media sites rewards the brain the same way food and sex do.
Talking about ourselves became a tough habit to kick… Read and see more on this info graphic,
created by OnlineCollegeCourses.com
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Related articles:
Humor in Social Media (InsuranceFiles.com)
How to Not Get Overwhelmed with Social Media (thetonyd.com)
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Hyper Smash
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Tagged: compulsion, Dopamine pathways, Online Communities, reward, Social Media Networking, Social network, too much social media, value social media over salary
February 27, 2013
Million Dollar Question: How to Get Book Reviews?
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Not just a handful, but lots of reviews!
They are crucial, not only for Amazon’s algorithms, but also when selling through other online retailers, such as Kobo, Barnes&Noble or Waterstones. Polls revealed that 70% of book buyers are paying attention to reviews before they make their purchase. They don’t read the reviews necessarily, but check the numbers of reviews a book has accrued. Book reviewing, in the past a privilege of literary magazines, became mainstream, encouraged by the likes of Amazon and without any editorial controls. There is an ever-shrinking newspaper space for reviews, while the number of books published is increasing tremendously. However, book bloggers and book lovers all over the world become armchair critics at the click of a mouse.
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So, how can a writer find reviewers?
paying for reviews, Kirkus Reviews comes to mind, who charges several hundred dollars
asking followers and friends in their Social Media network
getting to know book bloggers and hobby reviewers
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The worst method is to write an email and send it out to dozens of reviewers, without a salutation and without checking their websites/blogs carefully or reading their submission guidelines. If you would be a reviewer, would you answer a mass mail?
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Always remember that book reviewers don’t do it for a living.
They often have busy lives, full-time jobs, partners, children, ailing parents and other obligations. They barely can keep up with the growing demand for reviews. Imagine if you would get an email from a total stranger, asking you to do several hours of work for free. Would you be excited?
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Get to know book reviewers and bloggers.
Careers everywhere depend on networking, same with a writing career. Start making “friends” with reviewers, long before your book is finished: Search on your social media sites for reviewers, reviews, book bloggers, etc. when using the search function on top of Twitter, Goodreads, Facebook and Google+ pages.
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Check out the bestsellers in your genre (in bookstores or online) and find names of reviewers. If these reviewers have a blog (and most do), comment on their articles. Offer them well-written guest blogs, geared to their topics and readership.
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These are invaluable and important contacts, as those readers do not only review books, but post their reviews on Amazon, Goodreads and the like. On top of that, they often write a blog post about the books they read, which stays there for years to come. They are actually promoting those book reviews to readers and indirectly even to industry decision makers: librarians, booksellers, agents, publishers – like a publicist does it (for money). If compensated it would mean at least a couple of hundred dollars worth, what they provide you for free!
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Again: It takes often months until getting a review, start early with your search.
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If you write non-fiction, it’s a bit more difficult, as most book reviewers prefer fiction books. Look for magazines that write about the same or similar topics and find out if they review books. You could also offer an article and in your intro at the end of the article, you could offer readers a copy in exchange for a review of your book. For sample, if you write about aviation safety, you search for aviation magazines, but also for history magazines, travel magazines, even more local publications where a certain incident happened in the past. Or if you write about nutrition, check out all magazines of health food stores, women’s magazines, medical magazines etc. to find out if they write reviews.
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Paid book reviewers
are not hard to find, just type into Google: Book Review Submission Guidelines and you will find lots of them. The most famous:
https://www.kirkusreviews.com/
http://www.bookrooster.com/
https://www.forewordreviews.com/
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Free book reviews
The best source are friends and followers on social media site, starting with Goodreads. Offer a print version of your book as a giveaway (you can do this several times a year). In average, half of the recipients write a book review.
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But again: just don’t email them out of the blue, friend them on social media, read their blogs and get to know them, before you make an approach for a review. If they state in their submission guidelines, they will only read print books, don’t tell them to “just print out my pdf or word file”. If you have e-books only, get a couple of digital prints (bound) from a copy shop or use one of these espresso book machines, mostly located in big cities, but available online, just add the postage for delivery.
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For US writers: The Midwest Book Review (free!) has contracted with Cengage Learning to provide them with electronic copies of book reviews. Cengage Learning then makes their reviews available to library systems nationwide. Read our former blog post, “How to Find Reviewers for Your Book” where lots of reviewers are listed.
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If you are looking for reviews to use in your books blurb (print or e-book) send out galleys, which can be produced by espresso book machines as well, at least 3 – 4 months before your book’s launch, especially for print books, to be sure to receive it in time.
http://www.rtbookreviews.com/magazine/editorial-submissions (4 months before launch!)
http://bookpage.com/content/submission-guidelines (at least 3 months before launch!)
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Another question is the quality of book reviews, not only on the internet… I think about an extremely unfair review, a good friend of mine has received from a “Librarian” at Goodreads! She wrote about a book that has amassed more than 90 percent 5-star reviews. The “reviewer wrote: “I tried to like the book, really. But I just can’t.” That’s it, this was the whole review! No description what the book is about, no mentioning of the writing style (excellent!), not about the plot, the characters, nothing. And gave it a 1-star. So much for the quality of reviews… Check out the reviews for world bestsellers and you will find some of them with more than 150 of these 1-star reviews!
And then there are those people who are downloading tons of free books on Amazon – without even checking the content, just because they can get something for free – they are also infamous for writing scalding and unprofessional book reviews. What about the writers’ competition, who could theoretically write an unfair review? In all these cases, just keep your cool, and work even harder to get more reviews to “bury” those unfair ones.
Take reviews always with a grain of salt. Sure, reviews, and lots of them, are important for writers. But keep in mind, they are always subjective! And don’t forget to thank a reviewer for their work, no matter if 3 or 3 stars. They will be more inclined to do another review for you when your next book is finished.
Kate McMillian compiled a great number of articles about book reviews, check them out.
BTW: How many books did YOU review recently???
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Tagged: B&N, book reviewers, Goodreads giveaway, how to get book reviews, Kirkus Review, Kobo, Midwest Book Review, Waterstone's
