Billy Franks's Blog: A Far Cry from Sunset, page 5

J.K. Rowling’s Top 10 Rules For Success

This is post 42 of 42 in the series “Writing Tips For Authors & Bloggers”

She’s a British novelist best known as the author of the Harry Potter fantasy series. The books have gained worldwide attention.

“The Most Beautiful Road Story I Have Ever Read.”

Click the cover to find out more……..

Advice from Stephen King

This is post 41 of 41 in the series “Writing Tips For Authors & Bloggers”

Stephen King’s advice to beginning writers.

source

J.K.Rowling – Writing For Grown Ups 2012

This is post 40 of 41 in the series “Writing Tips For Authors & Bloggers”

Harry Potter is one of the most successful publishing phenomena of our time, selling 450 million copies. J K Rowling speaks …

How to write a story | John Dufresne | TEDxFIU

This is post 39 of 39 in the series “Writing Tips For Authors & Bloggers”

This talk was given at a local TEDx event, produced independently of the TED Conferences. Take a journey inside a writer’s mind.

Billy

Toni Morrison Talks About Her Motivation For Writing

This is post 38 of 39 in the series “Writing Tips For Authors & Bloggers”

In celebration of her new book, “A Mercy,” NVLP presents this clip of Nobel Prize winning author, Toni Morrison speaking about her motivation for writing.

Billy

Self-Publishing a Book?

This is post 37 of 39 in the series “Writing Tips For Authors & Bloggers”

If so, be prepared for the pitfalls, plan accordingly for the strikes against you and then figure out how to optimize on the opportunities. Let’s start with the bad news: There is a pre-conceived notion that self-published books are of lesser quality than traditionally published books. And frankly, for good reason…there are some really lousy self-published books out there! But there are also plenty of excellent self-published books in the marketplace, as well as a great deal of not-so-stellar books published by traditional publishers. Your job, as an author, is to write an outstanding manuscript. Without THAT key ingredient, it doesn’t matter who publishes your book – it likely won’t sell many copies. Self-published books do have a strike against them from the start – not necessarily with readers, as many people simply don’t care who the publisher is, but definitely with both independent and chain bookstores as well as with the media.

And this is not something an aspiring self-published author can take lightly because it will significantly impact how you market and distribute your book. I self-published my first book in 2008. When we sent out a press release announcing that the book had sold 1500 copies, I followed up with a local independent bookstore down the street to see if they’d like to carry it. The owner advised me that although they very rarely take self-published books, there was something about my marketing materials that caught her eye, so she invited me to drop off a copy to review. A couple of days later, I received this e-mail from her: I did pop into the middle of the book and read a couple of pages. WOW. I was amazed actually. You are a very powerful writer. I didn’t expect that.

Hmmm… was she surprised because it was self-published or because of the subject matter (grief)? I e-mailed her back to find out. This was her response: I just expected because of the loss in your life, and you are writing about a personal, painful subject, I went into it thinking it would be soft and heartfelt, which it is…but…you are also a writer who can put across those thoughts in such a powerful way. It took me by surprise. Trust me, my manuscript was a soft and syrupy sentimental mess in the early stages and, if released into the world, would have been aptly placed into the category of ‘really lousy’ self-published books. Instead, I worked with three professional editors over a period of eight years to get the manuscript – and me – where it needed to be before self-publishing. Here are a few realities to be aware of when considering self-publishing:

Self published books are rarely considered for literary prizes
Self published books are rarely reviewed by mainstream media
Many independent bookstores will not carry self-published books
If a larger bookstore chain does carry a self-published book, it’s usually on consignment – which will likely mean it is not in the computer system

Items one and two relate to marketing and public relations…think of these as the drivers of traffic to your book. Without them, it’s awfully hard to let a significant number of people know that your book exists. Granted, very few writers win literary awards – but a review in the newspaper is fairly standard operating procedure to reach potential readers. Items three and four are about distribution. It’s all fine and dandy to raise awareness about your book – but if there’s nowhere for people to actually buy it, that makes sales somewhat difficult. Thankfully, however, there are ways to navigate around these obstacles – especially with the internet and social media – but it still takes time, money and energy to determine which marketing methods actually work for your book. And now for the good news about self-publishing… The number one benefit, for me at least, is that I retain creative control over every aspect of the book – from the story itself to the book cover to the marketing strategy to where it’s sold and for how much.

Not convinced this is a big deal? An entrepreneurial friend of mine was commissioned by a publisher to write a book about her experience…a dream come true for an aspiring author. So she did. And yes, she got her book professionally published. But she had no say about the book title (which she hates), the book cover (which she also hates), and where it will be sold (on a display rack at motor vehicle branches). She’s also footing the bill for the production of the book’s website, the launch party and all travel expenses related to marketing and promotion. I think she’s even doing her own PR. Welcome to the new reality of working with some conventional publishers…you get their stamp of approval and a foot in the door of their distribution network but not a heck of a lot else. Having trod the path of flogging my self-published book for more than two years now, I totally understand why more and more traditional publishers are going this route. It is extremely difficult to sell a significant number of copies of a book! If you do decide to self-publish your book, here are few tips to help increase the chances that you sell more than fifty copies:

Professional editing is absolutely essential
Take a course or read a book on the ins and outs of self-publishing
Find your niche markets and focus on reaching them
Utilize local media to drive readers to your book
Choose to tackle a few marketing strategies and do them well versus going off in a whole bunch of unrelated directions
Consider giving presentations about subject matters linked to your book
This is a good way to sell copies of your book after your presentation
Be aware that public speaking can be very time and energy consuming, never mind nerve-wracking if that’s not your cup of tea

If you decide to self-publish, be prepared to put in just as much time – or more – on promoting, marketing, distribution and sales as it took to research, write and publish the book in the first place. I have found self-publishing to be an excellent learning experience but the time, money and energy it has taken me to sell 1500 copies of my book could also have been spent writing. But that’s where the conundrum comes in: do I want to write books that aren’t read? Nope. Then I shall continue to learn what does and doesn’t work in the big bad world of marketing self-published books. As such, I would like to end this article on a positive note and share with you a mini-success story. The owner of the bookstore down the street agreed to take two copies of my book on consignment for the Christmas season. So my marketing team sent the local newspaper a press release about tips for readers who may be experiencing their first Christmas after the death of a loved one. The paper interviewed me further, ran the story three days before Christmas and at the end of the article, directed readers to the bookstore. Within a day, the owner had sold the two copies she had on hand. So I dropped off another three…then another six.

She left a message on my voicemail: “The article worked! And just to give you an idea of how good this is, we’re ordering the same number of your books that we do of Eckhart Tolle’s The Power of Now.” I smiled. Tolle’s book has sold millions of copies. And it made me realize that perhaps I am on the right path – albeit a long, slow one – with mini-successes… for they do add up. Maryanne Pope is the author of the creative non-fiction book, A Widow’s Awakening. Maryanne’s second book, Barrier Removed; A Tough Love Guide to How, Why and When to Pursue Your Dreams will be released in spring 2011. She is currently working on several other writing projects, including the book, Telling the Tale; the Art of Writing and Self-Publishing Creative Non-Fiction.Please visit www.pinkgazelle.com to sign up for her complimentary e-zine.

Source by Maryanne Pope

Self-Publishing – Avoid the 5 Biggest Mistakes Authors Make When Self-Publishing

 

Self-publishing a book is growing more and more common these days.

It may in fact be the only way new authors can get published.

There are lots of reasons for that. Commercial publishers are pulling back on the number of books they are publishing. They are less willing to take risks on new authors. In fact, increasingly they are looking to successful self-published authors rather than first-time authors who approach them.

Technology also makes it more attractive to self-publish. No longer do authors have to order thousands of books upfront, just to be published. (Requiring a huge minimum order is a red flag that you’re dealing with the kind of company you want to avoid.)

“Print on demand” technology means the book does not need to be printed until it’s actually sold. An author’s upfront costs need not be astonomical, nor do authors need to be stuck with a garage full of books they may or may not sell. (Publishers themselves are using POD technology for the same reasons.)

Given these realities, self-publishing can make a lot of sense, especially for first-time authors.

However, self-publishing is full of potential traps.

If you’ve ever done a search on Google for ‘self-publishing companies,” it gets even more confusing. The top search results are from self-publishers themselves, who of course will attempt to woo would-be authors with glowing promises. Many make it sound as if they offer the services similar to traditional publishers, when nothing is further from the truth.

Into this mix comes a welcome book by Mark Levine, The Fine Print of Self-Publishing: The Contracts & Services of 45 Self-Publishing Companies–Analyzed, Ranked and Exposed.

Now about to be released in its Third Edition, the book does authors a great service in ranking some of the most popular self-publishing companies, exhaustively going into the finer points of each company’s contracts and ranking them in terms of how author-friendly their terms really are.

In a recent interview with Mark, we discussed the five biggest mistakes authors make when looking into a self-publishing company.

Mistake #1: Not knowing who the book is really for. As a book publishing consultant, I can’t tell you how many times people say, “My book is for everyone.” It may be, but “everyone” is simply too big a category.

Think about your own book-buying habits. What persuades you to buy a book? Aside from the number 1 persuader–a recommendation from a trusted source–don’t you go by which author appears to solve the particular problem you have? If you had a self-help book you wanted to publish, would you be more likely to buy a book called “How to Successfully Publish Your Book” or “How to Successfully Publish Your Self-Help Book”? You might argue that the first title would appeal to every author who wants to self-publish a book, but in fact, a more targeted title and book will outsell the more generally targeted book.

Whether you self-publish or go with a traditional publisher, knowing your audience is key. A commercial publisher won’t even consider you if you don’t have a clear, demonstrated audience for your book. However, when you self-publish, you are free to write an unmarketable book. Nobody will stop you. You’ll just be stuck with a garage full of unsalable books.

Mistake #2: Unrealistic expectations as to how many books you really can sell. Yes, all authors want to be the next big blockbuster phenomenon, but unrealistic expectations could make you vulnerable to spending too much money, especially in cases when you pay less per book if you order large quantities. So what if you pay $5.60 per book for 1000 books instead of $7.80 for 500? You’re still out $5600 instead of $3900, and now you have to figure out how to store and sell 500 extra books.

Mark Levine says of his own expectations, “I’m happy if I can go out to dinner at a really nice restaurant once a month on the royalties for my book.” A book can be a lot of things: a means of commanding higher speaking or consulting fees, an introduction to your knowledge that you can sell in other, more profitable ways. But in itself, a book is not the most profitable way to earn income.

Which leads to …

Mistake #3: Not expecting to invest in marketing (time or money). In researching for this article, I was surprised at the number of people who warned against self-publishing because “they will not market your book.” As if traditional publishers do. Yes, good ones usually do some kind of launch, but they concentrate their limited marketing dollars on authors they know will sell. Any author needs to accept full responsibility for promoting his or her book.

Traditional publishers now demand it. They won’t even consider authors who are not interested in marketing their own book. Self-publishers don’t demand it, of course. Some will offer marketing packages, but be very careful and very clear about what you will actually get for your investment. But do expect to invest something–if not money, then “sweat equity” in terms of getting the word out.

Mistake #4:  Not getting your book professionally edited and designed. Personally, the biggest giveaway to me that a book is self-published is the interior design. Amateurish artwork, sloppy layout (especially in terms of narrow margins), and unproofed copy will kill sales. A retailer (bookstore pro) can usually spot such a book and will reject it.  A potential reader may not be able to put a finger on exactly why a book doesn’t appeal, but an unprofessional-looking book will be passed over.

You simply cannot skimp here. Get professional editors (a content editor and a copy editor–they are two separate things) to edit you. And a professional book designer to design the exterior and interior of your book. Make sure these people work with books, not other products.

Mistake #5: Getting published by the wrong publisher. There are good publishing companies with fair terms–and quite the opposite. The biggest way publishers gouge authors is in the printing markup, Mark Levine says. “Anything more than 15 percent markup on printing is simply not acceptable, unless you know what it is for and don’t mind paying more than you should.’

To find a good publishing company, do your homework well. Don’t be afraid to ask the publisher tough questions (this is how Mark Levine researched his book). Ask other authors their experiences, but be aware that they themselves may not have known there’s a better way than what they chose.  Self-publishing can be a wonderful way to get your message into the world–or a sinkhole of time and money with disappointing results. With eyes wide open and the right knowledge, you can make your dream of becoming a published author come true.

Source by Diane Eble

“There are some books everyone should read:They dare to dream and dare us to do the same. This is such a book”

How many 5 star reviews do I have to get to convince people that my self published book has to be seen as a “Bucket List Book”

The reviews are startling!

Any Year’s Must Read!

“The story of a man who never, ever, stopped believing that the impossible was possible The journey from council estate to friendship with a prince is told in a frank but understated way. It’s a joyful easy read that will make you smile and at times make you want to cry. Read this book if you love music, or if you love people, or both- you won’t be disappointed”

A Minor Masterpiece

“There have been 2 recognised classic music biographies. Dylan’s Chronicles & Ian Hunter’s Diary of a Rock & Roll Star. Now there is a third, A Far Cry from Sunset is honest, heartbreaking and uplifting. A minor masterpiece.” NME

From Pain to Beauty

I have never before read such a harsh experience written in such a soft and sweet way. It’s one of the most beautıful road storıes I have ever read.

A Genius With Grace Who Did it the Hard Way

“This is a must read for anyone who has ever had a dream, the true story of a genius with grace who did it the hard way. if you’ve ever seen Billy Franks play live then you don’t need me to explain just what it’s all about. An incredible singer, an amazing performer, an almost unbelievable journey, and possibly, no probably, the most under-rated songwriter of any generation! Read this book”

I could go on and on. Check Amazon. All agree

Billy Franks

“There are some books everyone should read: They embolden and they encourage, They invigorate and they inspire . They dare to dream and dare us to do the same. This is such a book”

How many 5 star reviews do I have to get to convince people that my self published book has to be seen as a “Bucket List Book”

The reviews are startling!

Any Year’s Must Read!

“The story of a man who never, ever, stopped believing that the impossible was possible The journey from council estate to friendship with a prince is told in a frank but understated way. It’s a joyful easy read that will make you smile and at times make you want to cry. Read this book if you love music, or if you love people, or both- you won’t be disappointed”

A Minor Masterpiece

“There have been 2 recognised classic music biographies. Dylan’s Chronicles & Ian Hunter’s Diary of a Rock & Roll Star. Now there is a third, A Far Cry from Sunset is honest, heartbreaking and uplifting. A minor masterpiece.” NME

From Pain to Beauty

I have never before read such a harsh experience written in such a soft and sweet way. It’s one of the most beautıful road storıes I have ever read.

A Genius With Grace Who Did it the Hard Way

“This is a must read for anyone who has ever had a dream, the true story of a genius with grace who did it the hard way. if you’ve ever seen Billy Franks play live then you don’t need me to explain just what it’s all about. An incredible singer, an amazing performer, an almost unbelievable journey, and possibly, no probably, the most under-rated songwriter of any generation! Read this book”

I could go on and on. Check Amazon. All agree

Billy Franks