Stacey D. Atkinson's Blog, page 9

Book discovery through Goodreads giveaways

If you are an avid reader, you should be spending time on Goodreads to discover great books. If you are an author, you should also be on Goodreads promoting your new book to readers in your genre. The site has all kinds of tools for authors, in particular, the book giveaways. I just finished running a contest and have broken it down for you below so you can know exactly what to expect. While it's too soon to tell if the contest will result in more sales for my book, I can definitely say that more people are now talking about my book, and as you know, 'discovery' is key in the world of publishing. 

Here's a breakdown of how to run a Goodreads giveaway contest.

First, decide your budget. Figure out the wholesale cost of your book and then add on about $10 for postage. You'll quickly see how many books you can afford to give for free. The site recommends a 10-book giveaway, which is exactly what I chose to do. 

Next, fill out the free online form for the contest by entering a book description, the number of copies you'll be giving away, and to which countries. For example, I chose to have my contest run in Canada and USA in order to keep the postage costs to a minimum. You'll also have to choose how long to run the campaign. I went with four weeks, but I've seen plenty of contests run longer and shorter than that. 

Once you submit your entry form, Goodreads will approve your contest in a couple of days and upload it to the site, and that's it! All you have to do from that point on is check in every once in a while and see how it's going. Then when the contest is over, Goodreads will automatically pick the winners and send you a spreadsheet with everyone's mailing address for you to promptly mail out the books.

Here are the results of my Goodreads giveaway:

- 1017 entries from Goodreads members

- 441 members added my book to their 'want to read' bookshelf

- 10 contest winners

- 5 members tagged the book as 'currently reading' 

- 2 special requests from non-winners who really wanted a copy and couldn't afford to buy one

- ?? number of reviews generated from the contest

- ?? of purchases of my paperback or ebook generated from the contest

So while the conversion rate into sales is still unknown, I can't deny how great it is to have 441 people suddenly become aware of and interested in my book, all because I ran a free contest. For me, the cost of this marketing event (approx. $180) was well worth the investment! 

Stacey D. Atkinson is the author of the newly released novel Stuck, which she published via her independent company Mirror Image Publishing.

Confidence in the midst of back-to-school anxiety

Out of all the things I've done in the past year, I don't know why I feel so anxious this week. I was fine when I quit my job to write full time (that was kind of a big deal). I was even fine all those months going back and forth with editors, designers, and printers, making decisions about things I knew nothing about, and in the meantime, setting up my own independent publishing company. But this week is different. This week I officially launched my book.

Launch week is like the biggest relief and the highest anxiety you'll ever experience, all rolled into one shot of adrenaline in the arm. It's a proud moment, a time of champagne popping and dining out in congratulatory celebration. A time of interviews and interaction with fans, picture taking and bookstore signings--all amazing proclamations of success! 

 But when the day's over and I go to bed, I can't help but lie awake realizing that I've just created something that is to be consumed and judged by the public, and it's all out of my control now. Media, bloggers, and readers are going to take the book and tell me what they really think of it--good or bad. It's kind of akin to that back-to-school feeling when you wear your new clothes and wonder if you'll fit in and if the other kids will like you. Or your bus arrives late (which happened to me every year) and you walk into the classroom and wonder if anyone is going to talk to you--the new kid.

(p.s. this is me in grade one)

Anxiety, I think, is the humbler of the book launch. A way to stay grounded. Otherwise, it all just seems too good to be true; to live a life fulfilling a dream; to achieve what I set out to do. So in true Atkinson style, I am not going to sit around waiting for something to happen. It's time to get writing again. You know what they say about writers: you're only as good as your next book!

Onward and upward!

Stacey D. Atkinson is the author of the newly released novel Stuck, which she published via her independent company Mirror Image Publishing.

Getting paid to write

If you want to be a full-time writer and you haven't already discovered the world of online freelancing, then you need to listen up and get yourself registered on Elance.com. Even if you're like me and you want to write novels all day long, there is still the reality of needing to find some paying gigs every once in a while.

I've been watching the Elance website for the better part of the year, having read about it in Entrepreneur Magazine. Since that time, Elance has grown to represent over 2.5 million freelancers and 500,000 active businesses. Elance is quickly becoming known as the place to go to find, hire, and collaborate with online freelancers, including programmers, mobile app developers, graphic designers, writers and editors.

The tagline for Elance is 'work differently' and that is definitely true. You can be your own boss, pick your own projects, and work by your own schedule. So last week, I finally made some time to sign up and give it a try. I spent about 1.5 hours setting up my online profile and portfolio of work, and then browsed through a few jobs until I found a nice little project that I could do in a weekend and would pay a couple hundred bucks. There were already 19 proposals submitted for the job, but I gave it a shot anyways, thinking I had to just get in the game and go for it. Then I spent another thirty minutes writing a basic, half-page proposal and submitted it to the client. One hour later I had the job. Ta-dah! 

Beginner's luck? Definitely. But it still goes to show that there are some really creative ways to find work out there as a writer. 

I predict that I am about to have a nice little relationship with Elance. Firstly, it's a great way to supplement my income. Waiting for royalty payments from booksellers can create some unintentional financial dry spells. Secondly, it's the perfect way to practice writing and get paid for it. Let me just say that again: practice writing and get paid for it. If I'm in the writing game for the long haul, then I'd better love it. And if I love it, then it doesn't feel like work. So getting paid to write creative content for other companies is just a way to be a better writer.

Practice makes perfect.  

Stacey D. Atkinson recently launched her debut novel Stuck via her independent company Mirror Image Publishing. 

Preparing for interviews

I've decided to work with Smith Publicity to help me promote my debut novel Stuck for my September launch. In order to prepare, I have to answer a 15-page questionnaire about me, which is turning out to be harder than writing the actual book in the first place.

Hiring a PR company was a no-brainer. Firstly, I'm new to book publishing and I don't have the media contacts, so it would have been a lot of work for me to do all that research and calling on my own. Secondly, I am self-published, which means that I have two full-time jobs: writer and independent publisher. I just don't have the time to promote the book, other than through social media (which I actually quite enjoy).    

It's been several weeks now and I'm still struggling to fill out the questionnaire. It's not that the questions are hard, but rather that they are really, really important and I want to make sure I answer them just right. Here are some of the questions that are giving me night sweats:

1. What five things do you want media to know about you? 

(Answer: Can I hire a lookalike to meet the press while I stay home and write?) 

2. What are the five key messages about your book? 

(Answer: It. Is. Good. Buy. It.)

3. What 8 questions do you want to be asked during an interview?

(Answer: How are you? Nice weather? Tea or coffee? Milk or cream? Sugar? Refill? Hungry?) 

4. Please write a short biography and professional credentials?

(Answer: ugh...)

5. Please write a book synopsis.

(Answer: YES, I can do this. Odette Leblanc is promoted to night-shift supervisor at the local convenience store...)

The lesson here: If you're going to spend the time to attract media attention to your book, you'd better be prepared to talk about it. Know how to confidently handle an interview and know in advance what it is you want to say to readers and fans. You only get one chance to make a great first impression!

Stacey D. Atkinson is the author of the novel Stuck, published via the independent Mirror Image Publishing. 

 

250 books arrived by UPS this week

This week, 250 books arrived at my door by UPS. I thought it was a good idea at the time to order so many copies of my debut novel, but it's been several days and the boxes are still sitting there by the door, taunting me into a frenzy of mixed emotions every time I pass by. However, in this journey to become an independent author, there is one thing that I know to be true: books do not sell themselves. I needed a plan.

 

 

Although I am primarily focused on ebook sales, print books still have a very important role to play in book promotion. So here's what I'm going to do with my first 250 copies.

1. Close friends get free copies. I know it's an easy sell to have my friends and family buy my book because they are so incredibly supportive of me, but giving them a free book is like a 'thank-you' note and also a reminder to me that I need to keep building a fan base to allow me to have a successful writing career. However, to stay business focused, I stuffed each book with a 50%-off coupon for an ebook and asked that my friends pass it on to another reader who would enjoy the book, too.

2. 50 copies for my publicist. Yes, I have a publicists, and yes, it's expensive but worth it. It's incredibly difficult to be a cheerleader for your own book, plus I don't have the media/blogger/industry contacts to really make a dent in the promotion needed. So I have handed this one task over to the professionals (thanks Smith Publicity!)

3. 100 copies for my book launch and consignment. The best thing you can do with your book is promote it in your local market at a bookstore, where it's likely to get traction in the press because you are a 'local' author. And since ebooks don't promote or sell well in bookstores, a paperback version is a must-have. Thanks to the great people at Chapters Indigo, I'm planning a book launch at Chapters Rideau (Ottawa) near where I currently live, and another launch in my hometown (and near the actual setting for the book) at Chapters Moncton. Then for the next few months, the books will sell on consignment as people hear about the book and come to the store looking for it.

4. 10 books for a Goodreads.com giveaway contest. I signed up this week for a 10-book giveaway and I already have over 230 people submitting their name to win a book and the list keeps growing. Plus, over 100 people have added it to their 'must read' list. This organic promotion is turning out to be quite valuable!

5. 25 books for writing contests. Winning a book contest can be a big boost for book sales from all the free promotion. There are several great contests open to independent writers in Canada, the USA, and internationally. 

By the time I get through all these initiatives, I'll have cleared out all the boxes of books in my entryway, and the added promotion from the paperback giveaways will have hopefully increased ebook sales, too!

Stacey Atkinson is the author of the novel Stuck, released through her independent company Mirror Image Publishing. 

Everywhere that people buy books...online

Yesterday, after months of planning and ironing out distribution deals, I happily explaining to my husband that my debut novel would soon be available for sale everywhere that people buy books. He smiled and said, "Oh, so you're in bookstores now?", to which I answered, "No, I meant everywhere that people buy books online." That got me thinking... 

The week had started off to be pretty satisfying. I had finally worked out all my distribution agreements and had an impressive list of e-tailers that would be selling my ebook.

Amazon in Canada, USA, UK, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Brazil, Spain, and India; as well as Smashwords, Sony, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple, Deisel, Page Foundry, Baker & Taylor and 360, and Library Direct. The paperback version would only be available for order from Createspace/Amazon. 

The more I prepared for my ebook launch, the more I distanced myself from the paperback version. I don't think this is a unique situation for an independent publisher to find themselves in, especially in today's transforming book publishing industry. But my husband's comment did make me do a second take on my poor little orphan paperback book. How was I going to set it free in the world to have it's own life?

So I did some soul searching, which included staring at the massive business plan I'd written on my wall to keep me focused, and I re-read my company mission statement: an independent e-publishing company. 

Yes, this is where the transformation is happening and this is where I want to put my stake in the ground and carve out a little niche for myself. I don't want to forget about my little paperback book--print books are still very important and quite enjoyable to read--but it's an expensive model. It's a serious administrative and financial burden for indie publishers to print, ship, distribute to stores, and then handle all the returns of paperback/hardcopy books.

(ps. For those of you who follow my blog, you'll see that this wall strategy, divided into the categories of publish, write, and monitize, now covers the previous three pink circles that used to be my wall strategy. What's next? A tent over my house? ha!)

So I was right! Keep my eye on the prize for online sales. The print version of my book will still be available for order through CreateSpace/Amazon, and in a few bookstores in my local market, but that's it! My paperback will have a nice little place in this world, while I maintain focus on international ebook sales. 

That is my strategy. And as y'all know, I will definitely be reporting back on my progress and sales, and of course, constantly learning and adjusting as I go!  

Stacey D. Atkinson is preparing to release her debut novel Stuck via the independent company Mirror Image Publishing. 

 

Writing letters in the woods...and skipping rope

Last weekend, I went into the woods to write a letter. Well, actually, I went camping with a bunch of friends and without any cell/internet connection, there wasn't much to do but read, write, and try to stay warm. 

On the first day of camping, I found a quiet perch on a rock beside the lake, and I sat down with pen and paper in hand and began to write. I hadn't done anything like that in years and it was quite nostalgic to see the cursive letters appear on the page as my hand swept over the paper. I was writing a letter to a friend who has found herself in a desperate situation, and I think that the sounds of nature--the rustling trees, the splash of jumping fish, and the wind at my back--helped me connect with her and hopefully offer her some kind words.

 

 

(p.s. It was unseasonably cold the day this picture was taken, but since we Canadians wait all year for the Civic holiday in August to go camping, we cannot let the weather hold us back. Therefore, about 10 minutes after this picture was taken, I stripped down to my bathing suit and  jumped in the lake. Serious.) 

 

Later that day, as we were all trying to warm-up, we invented games that involved tying rocks to the end of ropes and throwing them (don't ask). This naturally led to someone suggesting that we use the rope as a 'skipping rope', and it was game on from that point forward. 

 

Happy summer camping (and writing and skipping) everyone!

 

Stacey D. Atkinson is preparing to launch her debut novel Stuck, due for release this September by the indie company Mirror Image Publishing.

 

Audio books are like adult bedtime stories

I was planning a dreaded 36-hour car ride from Ontario to Nova Scotia, with many stops in between, and I was desperately trying to find ways to pass the time. The problem was that I get car sick and I knew I wouldn't be able to read, write, or watch movies during the ride. Then it occurred to me, why not try an audio book? Plus I hadn't yet started my book club book, so an audio book would help me stay on top of my reading. However, I soon learned that listening to the audio book, all 14 hours of it, wasn't exactly what I had bargained for...

Price

The night before my departure, I logged on to my iTunes account and for the first time clicked on the iBooks option. I already knew which book I wanted to buy, The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown, and I easily found it in the new release section. But when the page came up, I was shocked to see a price of $29.95. How come so much? It's a digital file after all, and I'd assumed it would be priced similarly to an ebook. I began surfing around for other titles but soon realized that the average price of audio books was around $30, with larger books, like Dan Brown's Inferno, going for $42! That was a lot of money to pay for one book and I wondered again why so much? Then I flashbacked to my songwriting days and imagined the extra expense of actually producing an audio book. The publisher would have to hire someone, perhaps even a celebrity voice, to read for hours and hours until all 85,000 words had been perfectly spoken into the microphone, then pay a studio technician to record all of it and edit the takes into one seamless audio file.

So, with a sigh, I finally clicked the 'buy' button and told myself that this was the cost of travelling across half the country by car.

Audio books make you sleepy (in cars)

Soon I was on the road with my husband, in our comfy Ford Focus, chatting and listening to music. A few hours later, with still many more hours to go, I decided to start my audio book. I was pleasantly surprised when the first chapter opened with a grand orchestral piece as the narrator introduced the book. His voice was interesting, familiar, with a nice steady timbre. I leaned back and exerted no more effort than simply listening to him tell me a story. And then I fell asleep. I woke two chapters later to a strange man speaking into my ears and it startled me, until I realized it was just my narrator and that he was a very nice man. After that, I spent a good 15 minutes figuring out how to rewind within a chapter on my tiny Nano iPod screen, to find the last place I remembered hearing the story. And this entire scenario continued to repeat itself many more times throughout the course of the trip.

Okay, I get it now

After hours of driving and many, many kilometres later, I finally started to get it. To understand the rhythm of an audio book. It really was a way to 'experience' the story. To have an interaction much different than reading the words directly from a page in a book. A friend told me that she likes listening to audio books of stories that she's already read because she learns new things about the characters and thinks of them differently based on the way in which the narrator tells the story, whether through a raised voice, an accent, or a simple pause. An audio book is like an adult bedtime story. It's a nice way to let go and just follow the silky smooth voice as it leads you along the threads of a sticky spider web, slowly wrapping you up in the story. 

In the end, audio books get a thumbs up from me and I know I will buy more in the future...if only the price could come down a little bit! To ease yourself into it, you could sign up for an Audible account (an Amazon company) where they give you your first audio book for free. 

Stacey D. Atkinson is preparing to launch her debut novel Stuck, due for release under the indie company Mirror Image Publishing. 

Ready, set (sweat)...launch!

The book launch party. Never has there been a triad of words that have caused so much excitement and anxiety for authors. As I near my own book launch time, I struggle with the ups and downs of planning a party in celebration of myself...

It's time to just get over it already and accept the fact that a book launch party is a good thing. It's true that most writers are the quiet, creative, introverted type, and the thought of being their own salesperson makes them want to crawl out of their skin. But a launch party is a necessary part of the book selling business, and with the right frame of mind, it can be a really amazing experience. 

Here are some tips to help you get pumped about planning your book launch party:

1. Celebrate. You only have one chance to launch a new book, so take it.

2. Give yourself a break. You've worked years to finish your book, so be proud of your accomplishment. You deserve a day with family, friends, and fans to celebrate your success. 

3. Get organized. Make a list of things to do in three main categories: pre-launch, launch day, and post-launch. 

4. Set a budget. Whatever your budget is, it doesn't matter. Just know how much money you have to work with and do the most you can with it. 

5. Follow the 1 to 3 rule. If you want 10 people to show up at your event, then you need to invite 30.

6. Connect with people via social media. Consider starting a Facebook event page, sending out an invite to your email contacts, posting the event on your website, and announcing it on Twitter. Also consider starting a crowd funding campaign on Indiegogo to pre-sell books.  

7. Issue a press release. Hire a publicist, or do your own press release to announce your book launch party (a call to action) and send out the release to your local market media.

8. Incentive. Offer your book at a discount (25% off) during your launch party as a treat for those who took the time to celebrate with you.

9. Piggy back. Time your book launch to coincide with another local event, such as a writer's festival, and benefit from the extra people coming into the bookstore already primed to buy books.   

10. And lastly, have fun, take pictures, give a short thank-you speech, and enjoy the day!

 

Here are a few articles with more useful planning tips for your book launch party. 

10 Free (or mostly free) Book Launch Strategies, by BookBaby

Top 6 Articles About Throwing a Successful Book Launch, by BookBaby

12 Tips for Successful Book Launch Parties, by Joel Friedlander 

Good luck!

Stacey D. Atkinson is preparing to release her debut novel Stuck this September through the independent Mirror Image Publishing. 

How do you write?

Last month, I signed up for the course Advance Study for Writing for Business, as part of the editing program at Simon Fraser University. I thought it would teach me techniques for more effective writing in business situations (e.g. press kits, query letters). However, the first assignment kind of threw me for a loop when it asked me to identify what type of writer I am. 

I was given three choices of writing styles: sprinter, plodder, or bleeder. Apparently plodders write very slowly, require time to think things over, and take many distracting breaks. Bleeders on the other hand, are perfectionists. They will not rest until their prose is perfect, ruminating over every word until the sentences are perfect. And lastly, the sprinter is never at a loss for words, writing quickly and spending the rest of the time revising the original text.  

It took me only a moment to figure out how I write. I am definitely a sprinter, and I would have to say that it's a rather nice pocket to sit in. Although, there is always that inevitable point when I have to force myself to sit down and really concentrate on revising my original text into coherent paragraphs, when all I really want to do is keep writing.

On the other hand, some people would argue that being a plodder is the best type of writer because you are able to write and revise as you go, with no major hiccups along the way. But then again, anything is better than being a bleeder. As the name suggests, it's a slow, painful process of dripping out words one by one, agonizing over each one before moving on to the next sentence. If this is you, I suggest you try some free-flow writing exercises to loosen up your hands and your mind, opening yourself up so that you can make progress on the page. 

Learning about how I write has been an interesting point of reflection. So tell me, how do you write? 

Stacey D. Atkinson is completing her debut novel Stuck, to be released this September by the indie company Mirror Image Publishing.