Jason Matthews's Blog, page 23

Indie Authors Show #4 Hangout Networks tonight

Every Monday night means a new show at Indie Authors, live from Hangout Networks. This week's show will be on Uploading to Retailers, both for selling ebooks and paperbacks. Show time is one hour starting at 6pm PST (California). All shows get posted to Hangout Networks and to YouTube so they are great long-term marketing tools for your books. If you are an Indie Author interested in being a guest on the show or future shows, let me know.

Some of the subjects will include:

Amazon Kindle uploads via KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing)
Smashwords
Barnes and Noble (Pubit)
CreateSpace and other Print on Demand
Descriptions, Categories and Tags that help sell books
and more

Join me, AC Cruz and other Indie authors for the discussion or check back here later in the week for an update to watch the recording at Hangout Networks or YouTube.

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Life With Jessica – Indie Author Expert

Life With Jessica is dedicated to changing and improving lives. The site is run by Jessica Haynes, a woman renown for her work with business leaders and celebrities worldwide, assisting individuals to accomplish goals and actualize dreams. Author of soon to be released, Get What You Want Now, Jessica specializes in business development and relationships, though her reach goes far beyond that. From the site;

Whether you are getting started on the path of finding your purpose, focusing on a new relationship, advancing a career opportunity, building a better life, Jessica offers proven strategies and solutions that work.

I can attest from first-hand experience that Jessica is the real deal, that her advice is right on the money. When we met back in 1997, I was nowhere near realizing my potential. I was stuck living paycheck to paycheck, working difficult manual-labor jobs, living in a crummy apartment, not dating, dreaming of a better life with no idea how to get from where I was to where I wanted to be. Jessica instantly saw the "inner me," which was ready to come out. What's more, she gave me a concrete plan for how to get there. Hard to believe it's been fifteen years since we met, and the difference from the old "me" to the new one is like night and day. Now I am realizing dreams and thrilled with what's happening everyday, plus it feels like the road ahead is clearly laid out.

At the website, LifeWithJessica.com, you'll find an array of experts freely offering fantastic advice to help with so many areas. From people like fitness expert, Lauren C. Frahn (right), to Hollywood producer, Mellisa Tittl, to entrepreneurial wiz, Barbara Bigford, to e-commerce guru, Lewis Brown Giggs, and many more, there is something of interest for everyone at the site. I urge you to visit, leave a comment, introduce yourself to Jessica and the experts, make connections and get going toward your aspirations.

It's my great honor to be a recent addition to the expert panel there. My articles focus on the Indie Author experience, e-publishing and writing in general. Please visit me at Life With Jessica, leave a comment, help us get to know you, and peruse the entire site for all the benefits it holds.

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10,000 Things Indie Authors Do For Success

Indie authors, you're not alone if you've ever had a thought like this:

"Now that my novel is written, it's time to sit back and watch the readers beat a path to my door."

That's the Indie author dream, or fantasy, but it hasn't actually worked for anyone I know without also doing the 10,000 things. What are we talking about–you've heard of ancient Chinese wisdom, right?

Laozi (Lao Tzu and other spellings) translates roughly to "master teacher." The Chinese sage is believed to have lived around the 5th century BC and been the inspiration for the philosophy/religion known as Taoism. Laozi is also the credited author of the Tao Te Ching, which roughly translates to The Great Way of Power/Virtue.

It makes sense that Laozi, a philosophical author, wrote something like this;

Tao made the One.

The One made the two.

The two made the three.

And the three made the ten thousand things.

Already on a tangent here so I'll refrain from getting overly analytical as to the meaning of this great yet mysterious wisdom. While the simple lines are filled with themes of both Creation and Evolution, the first ideas ringing in my mind are how it relates to being an Indie author.

Tao made the One. This reminds me of the inspiration for writing the first book, which had to be done and was in itself a monumental accomplishment (imho).

The One made the two. The ending of the first book set up the sequel, which also had to be written and at times felt just as much of a herculean task for this humble author.

The two made the three. After both novels were written, they were published via Amazon Kindle and other formats to be made available for readers all over the world. Now that the three were in place–there were books, there were readers, there was a system for making it all continue… and I was an Indie author. End of story, right? Wrong, just the beginning.

And the three made the ten thousand things. This is what I discovered (painfully)–the ten thousand things–which would be necessary to effectively market my books. The harsh reality of being an Indie author. Sad but true.

Yes, I've done 10,000 things since the completion of the sequel novel in 2009. Some things take very little time while others can take days, and I've averaged roughly 10 things per day for 3 years = 10,000 things.

Of course, not all Indie authors have the same experience. Another Indie may only need to accomplish 1,000 things before her stories take off, while the next author may have to do 20,000 things. 10,000 is just a ballpark figure, a guesstimate.

In 2009 if someone told me it would take 10,000 things before my stories began to sell in decent amounts, thoughts of quitting may have entered the picture. The awareness that marketing is what separates successful Indies from the rest is often the difference it takes. Many give up after learning this the hard way. It is the best of times and it is the worst of times (Dickens) because anyone can be an Indie author, which means new writers are self-publishing in droves, but few will truly succeed because few will not only write a great book but also do the 10,000 things. The good news is that all of these things can be done for free. The bad news is that most of them need to be done, which will require a lot of time, persistence and learning.

What are some of these 10,000 things I've done and many Indies do with all their extra time? Great question. Here's a very partial list:

cheerfully write a hundred query letters and emails to agents and publishers
after that fails, format documents for ebooks and paperbacks
create book covers by learning programs like Inksape
find royalty free images for use in covers and websites
upload to Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Smashwords and more
make phone calls to regional book stores for book signings (if you can get booksellers to agree and if you have paperbacks)
do book club discussions if you can get a local book club to read it (those are especially fun for the wine and hors d'oeuvres, but don't expect everyone there to have read your book)
participate in a myriad of forums for writers, readers and the subjects of your books
blog regularly (like this post and the other 370 posts I've written)
tweet on Twitter for anything related to what you're doing or have learned in this business (yes, it does help)
spend minutes to eons on Facebook (fortunately 10 comments a day on my FB Group page for Indies can happen in a few shakes of a lamb's tail)
spam politely on LinkedIn, RedRoom, Authonomy and other social media sites
make profiles everywhere else you can, and spam politely there too
leave thoughtful comments on other people's blog posts making sure to get your URL on it
submit articles to ezines like Technorati, Idea Marketers, EzineArticles and more
make videos for sites and YouTube even if you have no video experience (why not, everyone else is doing it?)
do SEO work for rising in Google searches (too expensive to hire out for this so learn a new trade or buy my SEO book)
have Skype chats with other authors and even some readers (try to avoid the creeps)
host and join Google Plus hangouts for networking (I'm addicted to this now, find me on Google Plus)
build websites (free ones are easier and work great at Yola, Webs, Weebly, Wix, etc)
upload free books samples to places like Scribd (give freely as you have been freely given)
upload free short stories to Amazon Kindle, Barnes & Noble Nook, etc with links at the end for other books (keep giving even if it hurts)
create PayPal buttons for autopilot sales from your own sites (this one feels great but sales might be slow here)
pray to God and other deities that this plan will work
use Law of Attraction principles like in The Secret to help with prayers
email buyers when possible and thank them as your prayers get answered
grab darts, throw at the board of things to do, and begin again with cheerful spirit
repeat until at least 10,000 things have been done or your book is a success
if Amazon is sending you big checks each month, smile, you've made it

Then the nest lesson is what-not-to-do that might screw up your new-found success. Unfortunately, that's something I'm still discovering. Stay tuned.

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Wow, PayPal Reverses Censorship Policy

Photo courtesy of http://www.flickr.com/photos/jordanle...

Incredible how fast things can change these days. Just got this email from Mark Coker of Smashwords informing us that PayPal has reversed its policy on censoring ebooks that have subject matter deemed to be inappropriate:

March 13, 2012

Smashwords author/publisher update:  PayPal Reverses Proposed Censorship

Great news.  Yesterday afternoon I met with PayPal at their office in San Jose, where they informed me of their decision to modify their policies to allow legal fiction.

Effective last night, we rolled back the Smashwords Terms of Service to its pre-February 24 state.

It's been a tumultuous, nerve-wracking few weeks as we worked to protect the right of writers to write and publish legal fiction. 

I would like to express my sincere thanks to Smashwords authors, publishers and customers.  You stood up and made your voice known.  Thank you to every Smashwords author and publisher who wrote me to express opinions, even if we disagreed, and even if you were angry with me. You inspired me to carry your cause forward.  

Smashwords authors, publishers and customers mobilized. You made telephone calls, wrote emails and letters, started and signed petitions, blogged, tweeted, Facebooked and drove the conversation. You made the difference.  Without you, no one would have paid attention. I would also like to thank the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), The American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression (ABFFE) and the National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC). These three advocacy groups were the first to stand up for our authors, publishers and customers. Their contribution cannot be overstated.  We collaborated with them to build a coalition of like-minded organizations to support our mutual cause. Special kudos to Rainey Reitman of EFF for her energy, enthusiasm and leadership.

I would also like to thank all the bloggers and journalists out there who helped carry our story forward by lending their platforms to get the story out.  Special thanks to TechCrunch, Slashdot, TechDirt, The Independent (UK), Reuters, Publishers Weekly, Dow Jones, The Digital Reader, CNET, Forbes, GalleyCat & EbookNewser and dozens of others too numerous to mention. 

I would like to thank our friends at PayPal.  They worked with us in good faith as they promised, engaged us in dialogue, made the effort to understand Smashwords and our mission, went to bat for our authors with the credit card companies and banks, and showed the courage to revise their policies. 

This is a big, bold move by PayPal.  It represents a watershed decision that protects the rights of writers to write, publish and distribute legal fiction.  It also protects the rights of readers to purchase and enjoy all fiction in the privacy of their own imagination. It clarifies and rationalizes the role of financial services providers and pulls them out of the business of censoring legal fiction. 

Following implementation of their new policies, PayPal will have the most liberal, pro-First-Amendment policies of the major payment processors.  Will Google Checkout and Checkout by Amazon be next now that the credit card companies have clarified their positions, and have essentially given payment providers the permission to adopt more enlightened policies?   Finally, thanks to Selena Kitt of Excessica and Remittance Girl for helping me to understand and respect all fiction more than I ever have before.

This is a bright day for indie publishing.  In the old world, traditional publishers were the arbiters of literary merit.  Today, thanks to the rise of indie ebooks, the world is moving toward a broader, more inclusive definition of literary merit. Smashwords gives writers the power and freedom to publish.  Merit is decided by your readers.  Just as it should be.

Thanks,

Mark Coker

Founder

Smashwords

Twitter:  http://twitter.com/markcoker

Blog: http://blog.smashwords.com

–

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Smashwords Update on PayPal Censorship

(Photo courtesy of http://www.flickr.com/photos/91693908...)

Mark Coker of Smashwords recently published this follow-up on the PayPal censorship situation:

March 8, 2012 – PayPal today made what I believe is their first public written statement regarding the censorship saga, here: https://www.thepaypalblog.com/2012/03/paypals-acceptable-use-policy-on-sale-of-certain-erotica/  I read it four or five times. My overall sense is that PayPal is doing their best to responsibly and carefully re-evaluate PayPal content policies that have been in place for many years – content policies that probably could not have anticipated the rise of self-publishing, the rise of indie ebooks (the rise of Smashwords and its authors and publishers!), or the incredible explosion of content availability, diversity and choice enabled by the indie ebook revolution. Prior to this indie ebook revolution, books not selected for publication and distribution by publishers had limited commercial outlet. Long story made short, I'm cautiously encouraged by PayPal's statements. We're not yet where we want to be (we want no censorship of legal fiction), but I sense we're a lot closer now than if we had simply packed up our marbles, flipped 'em the bird and quit PayPal for an alternative as many encouraged us to do. I think their statements today give them the flexibility to do the right thing. They say they understand many people believe PayPal is moralizing and restricting free speech (this is a reasonable conclusion for reasonable people to reach based on PayPal's actions up until two weeks ago), and they seek to assure everyone that is not the case (now the onus is on PayPal to show you, rather than tell you). Possibly, I'm reading too much between the lines of their carefully worded post. Time will tell. In the meantime, please continue doing your part to move this campaign forward. Tweet, Facebook, blog. Call your credit card company, or the bank issuing your credit card, and tell them you want them out of the business of censoring legal fiction. If you haven't done so already, also be sure to add your name to the EFF petition. The blog post by PayPal today has a comments section, but it doesn't appear to accept comments.

In a nutshell, PayPal commented further on the rape, incest, bestiality censorship issue by saying; "PayPal does allow its service to be used for the sale of erotic books… …but we draw the line at certain adult content that is extreme or potentially illegal." Not many people have an issue with taking a stand against publishing/promoting books that are illegal (ala the recent Amazon vs child-molestation-How-To-guide). Where the real problem exists is with the definition of subject matter that is "extreme." PayPal goes on to say that one of their chief concerns with extreme subjects in books, "is that this category of eBooks often includes images."

Okay PayPal, most of us get where you're coming from but censorship is a slippery slope. Who decides where to draw the lines, and how do you expect to read every new book to see if anything bad exists within it. Take for example the most read book of all time, The Bible, which certainly would not pass the litmus test for PayPal's verdict on incest.

What about Who Framed Roger Rabbit? Even though both Roger and Jessica Rabbit are cartoon characters, Jessica is a human married to an animal, so that would definitely be bestiality at some level. The example is something of a joke, but you can see how easy it is to argue what defines an extreme case of bestiality. Similarly, what about famous mythology such as Leda and the Swan or Romulus and Remus suckling from a she-wolf? What if an author wrote a sexual psychology book containing all true events that included a scene with an child innocently rubbing a dog's belly and the dog experienced an erection, which became the child's first discovery of a sexual nature? Is that something one could or could not print in PayPal's brave new world?

Many authors including Mark Coker and me are on the record as saying we don't necessarily enjoy or condone any of these subjects that PayPal is concerned with, but we do recognize censorship is a slippery slope–a decision not to be moved into as lightly as they have.

This also concerns me because I love using PayPal as both a buyer and a seller. They are my online banker of choice, so I truly hope they can work out a solution here that is in everyone's best interest.

–

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Ebook Sales Boom, Print Decline

The trend continues–ebook sales just keep going up with no limit in sight while print/paper sales decline. Publishers Weekly reports;

Despite slowing growth rates in the final quarter of 2011, e-book sales rose 117% for the year, generating revenue of $969.9 million at the companies that report sales to the Association of American Publishers.

Sales in all trade print segments fell in the year, however, with the mass market paperback segment showing the largest decline with sales from reporting houses down almost 36%, to $431.5 million. Adult hardcover and trade paperback sales were off 17.5% and 15.6%, respectively. In children's, the YA/hardcover segment sales fell 4.7% and paperback sales fell 12.7%.

  The religion segment had a solid year, with sales up 8.4% in all formats. And in audio, physical audio sales fell 8.1% at reporting companies, while downloadable audio rose 25.5% for the year.

 In December, e-book sales rose 72% and the AAP noted that based a seasonal buying patterns it expects e-book sales to show strong gains in January and possible February as well as new digital device owners buy more titles.  In the month, sales of children's hardcover books rose, but sales fell in the other trade categories.

As data like this comes in, it means more than just the fact that paper sales are down while ebook sales are up–it also reaffirms many who believe the publishing world is quickly changing into an industry where readers and authors call the shots while traditional houses either adapt to the new paradigm or go out of business.

For the record, paper sales via Indie author publishers like CreateSpace and Lulu are growing exponentially each year.

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Smashwords Updates March 2012

Just got this email from Mark Coker of Smashwords, which has very important info for Indie authors;

This email is going to all 30,000+ Smashwords authors, publishers and literary agents.

1.  Smashwords signs distribution agreement with Baker & Taylor; distribution to public libraries and the Blio e-reading app

2.  Read an Ebook Week kicks off Sunday.  Enroll now!

3.  PayPal censorship update, and how you can help

________________________________________

BAKER & TAYLOR

________________________________________

We announced a distribution agreement today with Baker & Taylor, one of the world's largest distributors of print books and ebooks, and a major supplier to libraries. The agreement has two parts: 1. Smashwords books gain distribution to the Blio e-reading app which comes pre-installed on millions of personal computers, laptops and tablets manufactured by companies such as Dell, HP and Toshiba. They also operate their own retail site at Blio.com. 2. Smashwords books gain distribution to public libraries that subscribe to Baker & Taylor's Access360 service, which they launched last year.  Over a dozen public libraries use it, and many more libraries are preparing to roll it out.

We will commence shipments next week, so if you don't want this distribution, you can click to your Channel Manager at https://www.smashwords.com/dashboard/channelManager to opt out.  I don't recommend opting out (neither does Jason Matthews) .  Although these are both likely to be small channels to start, they have good growth potential in the months and

years ahead, and will bring incremental sales.  Royalty rates are 60% list for Blio books, and 45% list for library sales. Baker & Taylor will not discount the books. More at the Smashwords blog: http://blog.smashwords.com/2012/03/smashwords-to-distribute-to-blio-and.html

________________________________________

READ AN EBOOK WEEK KICKS OFF SUNDAY!

________________________________________

Read an Ebook Week starts Sunday, so please click to the home page to enroll your books now.  Here's a direct link:  https://www.smashwords.com/dashboard/sitewidePromos We're going to give it heavier than usual promotion this year with an email blast to all registered Smashwords members (a very BIG number), so please enroll now. The sale starts Sunday and ends at the 11:50pm Saturday evening, pacific time.

________________________________________

PAYPAL CENSORSHIP UPDATE

________________________________________

In case you haven't heard, about two weeks ago, PayPal contacted Smashwords and gave us a surprise ultimatum:  Remove all titles containing bestiality, rape or incest, otherwise they threatened to deactivate our PayPal account. We engaged them in discussions and on Monday they gave us a temporary reprieve as we continue to work in good faith to find a suitable solution.

PayPal tells us that their crackdown is necessary so that they can remain in compliance with the requirements of the banks and credit card associations (likely Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express, though they didn't mention them by name).

Last Friday, I sent the following email to our erotica authors and publishers: https://www.smashwords.com/press/release/27 Then on Monday, I issued an update, and announced we would delay enforcement of PayPal's guidelines so we and PayPal could continue our discussions: https://www.smashwords.com/press/release/28

THE PROBLEM:

PayPal is asking us to censor legal fiction.  Regardless of how one views topics of rape, bestiality and incest, these topics are pervasive in mainstream fiction. We believe this crackdown is really targeting erotica writers. This is unfair, and it marks a slippery slope. We don't want credit card companies or financial institutions telling our authors what they can write and what readers can read. Fiction is fantasy. It's not real. It's legal. 

THE SOLUTION:

There's no easy solution. Legally, PayPal and the credit card companies probably have the right to decide how their services are used. Unfortunately, since they're the moneyrunners, they control the oxygen that feeds digital commerce. Many Smashwords authors have suggested we find a different payment processor. That's not a good long term solution, because if credit card companies are behind this, they'll eventually force crackdowns elsewhere.  PayPal works well for us.

In addition to running all credit card processing at the Smashwords.com store, PayPal is how we pay all our authors outside the U.S.  My conversations with PayPal are ongoing and have been productive, yet I have no illusion that the road ahead will be simple, or that the outcome will be favorable. 

BUILDING A COALITION OF SUPPORT:

Independent advocacy groups are considering taking on the PayPal censorship case. I'm supporting the development of this loose-knit coalition of like-minded groups who believe that censorship of legal fiction should not be allowed. We will grow the coalition. Each group will have its own voice and tactics  I'm working with them because we share a common cause to protect books from censorship.  Earlier today I had conversations with the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), The American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression (ABFFE) and the National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC). I briefed them on the Smashwords/PayPal situation, explained the adverse affect this crackdown will have on some of our authors and customers, and shared my intention to continue working with PayPal in a positive manner to move the discussion forward.

The EFF blogged about the issue a few days ago:  https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2012/02/legal-censorship-paypal-makes-habit-deciding-what-users-can-read

Today, ABFFE and NCAC issued a press release:  http://www.scribd.com/doc/83549049/NCAC-ABFFE-Letter-To-PayPal-eBay-re-Ebook-Refusal-2012

I will not be on the streets with torch in hand calling for PayPal's head, but I will encourage interested parties to get involved and speak their piece.  This is where you come in…

HOW YOU CAN HELP:

Although erotica authors are being targeted, this is an issue that should concern all indie authors. It affects indies disproportionately because indies are the ones pushing the boundaries of fiction. Indies are the ones out there publishing without the (fading) protective patina of a "traditional publisher" to lend them legitimacy. We indies only have each other. Several Smashwords authors have contacted me to stress that this censorship affects women disproportionately. Women write a lot of the erotica, and they're also the primary consumers of erotica. They're also the primary consumers of mainstream romance, which could also come under threat if PayPal and the credit card companies were to overly enforce their too-broad and too-nebulous obsenity clauses (I think this is unlikely, but at the same time, why would dubious consent be okay in mainstream romance but not okay in erotica? If your write paranormal, can your were-creatures not get it on with one another, or is that bestiality? The insanity needs to stop here. These are not questions an author, publisher or distributor of legal fiction should have to answer.)

All writers and their readers should stand up and voice their opposition to financial services companies censoring books.  Authors should have the freedom to publish legal fiction, and readers should have the freedom to read what they want. These corporations need to hear from you. Pick up the phone and call them. Email them. Start petitions. Sign petitions. Blog your opposition to censorship. Encourage your readers to do the same. Pass the word among your social networks. Contact your favorite bloggers and encourage them to follow this story. Contact your local newspaper and offer to let them interview you so they can hear a local author's perspective on this story of international significance. If you have connections to mainstream media, encourage them to pick up on the story. Encourage them to call the credit card companies and pose this simple question, "PayPal says they're trying to enforce the policies of credit card companies. Why are you censoring legal fiction?"

Below are links to the companies waiting to hear from you. Click the link and you'll find their phone numbers, executive names and postal mailing addresses. Be polite, respectful and professional, and encourage your friends and followers to do the same. Let them know you want them out of the business of censoring legal fiction. Tell the credit card companies you want them to give PayPal permission to sell your ebooks without censorship or discrimination. Let them know that PayPal's policies are out of step with the major online ebook retailers who already accept your books as they are. Address your calls, emails (if you can find the email) and paper letters (yes paper!) to the executives. Post open letters to them on your blog, then tweet and Facebook hyperlinks to your letters. Force the credit card companies to join the discussion about censorship. And yes, express your feelings and opinions to PayPal as well. Don't scream at them. Ask them to work on your behalf to protect you and your readers from censorship. Tell them how their proposed censorship will harm you and your fellow writers.

Visa: 

http://finance.yahoo.com/q/pr?s=V+Profile

American Express:

http://finance.yahoo.com/q/pr?s=AXP+Profile

MasterCard:

http://finance.yahoo.com/q/pr?s=MA+Profile

Discover:

http://finance.yahoo.com/q/pr?s=DFS+Profile

Ebay (owns PayPal):  

http://finance.yahoo.com/q/pr?s=ebay+Profile

_________

Starting Sunday, if our email systems can handle it, we will send out an email to several hundred thousand registered Smashwords members who are opted in to receive occasional Smashwords service updates. The email will combine Read an Ebook Week with the censorship call to action. Let's start a little fire, shall we?

Thank you for your continuing support of Smashwords. With your help, we can move mountains.

Best wishes,

Mark

Mark Coker

Founder Smashwords

http://smashwords.com

blog:  http://blog.smashwords.com

twitter:  http://twitter.com/markcoker

–

Click here for the home page of How to Make, Market and Sell Ebooks All for Free.

Subscribe to this blog for updates on what Indie authors can do to sell ebooks.

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+Jason Matthews author

KDP Amazon & Kindle Readers, My New Typo Editors

The benefits of self-publishing a Kindle book with KDP Amazon have long been touted on this blog, but here's a fairly new item for the list. KDP Amazon, prompted no doubt by a caring reader, just reported a typo in one of my books. And this book has been pretty well vetted of typos after thousands of sales and a dozen rewrites to stay current as well as to eliminate every last typo. Since I've had Kindle books for sale since 2009, it was actually a pleasant surprise to finally get the notice, to be included in the "special" group of authors.

A little research showed this has been going on for several months, authors receiving notices of typos or bad formatting from KDP. Since Amazon employees can't possibly be reading  millions of new books, the red flags have obviously been raised by readers and brought to Amazon's attention. Turns out there is often dispute whether or not an actual typo has occurred. In many cases people are even discussing lack or over-abundance of commas, or even worse–the ongoing Oxford/Harvard/serial comma debate. That is a doozy. Often the authors receiving critique protest vehemently (as in this thread) that the reader's complaint is flawed–what was pointed out to be a mistake was in fact not a mistake at all. Worst cases have readers getting their money refunded and even a $5 credit from Amazon to make amends. Many authors are understandably miffed, to put it mildly. I sympathize with that situation but my example proved otherwise.

What was the typo mentioned from my book? "…here, or if you live it Asia…" should have read "…here, or if you live in Asia…" This must have been found by a reader as it's doubtful any current software would catch that. Amazon even teased me to be on the lookout for more. Great, thanks, I'll just read it again for the umpteenth time. Here's my example of the email that's been showing up in author's inboxes for several months:

Dear Publisher,

During a quality assurance review of your title, we have found the following issue(s):

  Typos have been found in your book. An example is mentioned below:

*Location 544; "here, or if you live it Asia—focus" should be "here, or if you live in Asia—focus"

  Please look for the same kind of errors throughout and make the necessary corrections to the title before republishing it.

If you have further questions, you may write to us by visiting this page:

https://kdp.amazon.com/self-publishing/contact-us/

Please be sure to reference your ticket number when contacting us.

Best regards,

Amazon KDP

Amazon.com

Your feedback is helping us build Earth's Most Customer-Centric Company.

Most authors who responded in the above thread are angry about this attempt at quality control. Their concerns are justified, especially if unwarranted reader complaints lead to returns for money back, bad reviews or even the scare of a book being pulled from the shelf, which seems doubtful in any but the worst cases. My example was for a real typo, therefore I was delighted to know about it and can now move on to make the fix, another brilliant aspect of e-publishing. For authors who feel their own examples were not typos–it's natural to be upset but is it really worth getting seriously agitated over? During the lightning quick era of e-publishing evolution, this is an effort at quality control and sometimes mistakes will be made. It's not like Amazon invaded the books and went ahead with the suggested changes.

Sounds like a case of Amazon attempting to keep readers happy with much needed quality control and unfortunately not getting it right the first time as in the earlier mentioned case in point–reader complains about typos or formatting, gets a refund and gets a $5 credit. This retailer response encourages more of that from customers, which could spell a huge problem for both authors and Amazon down the road. In fact, it could also be bad for big 6 publishers because their books often have at least a few issues as well. That refund-plus-$5-back program won't last long, pretty certain of it. Sounds like a temporary band-aid while a better system takes shape. Does it suck? In some cases but not all.

Okay, here's a question Indie authors may want to ask themselves; what can I do to limit returns or unhappy readers? Proper editing is clearly one answer, but why did it take so long for me to receive this KDP email while other authors have been getting them for months? The answer might be because many readers have contacted me directly to point out typos or talk about the books in general. My social media links, websites with contact forms, even my email in some books are readily available. Some authors may not want this for a variety of reason, but my experience has shown readers like communicating directly with the author. It goes a long way with customer satisfaction, network building, reputation and referrals, which sell more books than anything else.

Is Amazon's system currently flawed? Yes, for sure, but it also catches real typos and helps with quality control as in my case. Is KDP Amazon still the best partner an Indie author ever had? In my opinion, absolutely.

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New Site, Indie Books Worth Reading

As the publishing world evolves from traditional domination to more and more Indie authors popping up every day, there's a growing need for gate-keeping sites, readers and reviews to bring promising new books to our attention.

Indie Books Worth Reading has recently been created by author, Jennifer Marko, a Canadian writer of Young Adult Mystery. Ms. Marko is also a regular at Authonomy, a writer's site run by Harper Collins where writers become authors and participants can help great books get published.

What's interesting to me is how quickly many authors are deciding that sites like Authonomy are not necessarily the best place to get discovered traditionally, but they are a fine place to network with other authors and build community leading to the same ultimate writing goals: publishing and readers. In this case the method is e-publishing, and the reader's buzz spreads mostly by word of mouth and social media rather than big budget advertising.

Indie Books Worth Reading is a Pinterest Site, which means it's an online pinboard designed for users to organize and share things they love. Free to join, simply give your email to the Request An Invite button. Surprisingly, there's a "waiting list" before they accept you; not sure if this is for some background checking or simply to add intrigue to the social media site. Once accepted, you can actively add pins and browse pinboards created by other people to discover new things and get inspiration from people who share your interests. Design your home's interior, plan a wedding, dress for success or share your new favorite Indie author books.

And be sure to check out Loveless by Jennifer Marko, available at Amazon.

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Happy Indie Authors Sell More Ebooks

Do happy Indie authors really sell more ebooks? It's my premise, but probably.

Pay attention to advice experts and you'll see books, articles, even movies on the subject of happiness and the power of positive thinking. The Secret (2006) was a massive hit for the Law of Attraction as both a book and film, espousing the notion that the greatest power in the universe is a (positive) feeling–a feeling harnessed by the greatest thinkers, discoverers, inventors, and saviors of the world. Based on that doctrine, the guy in this imaphotog picture (left) may have mastered the meaning of life in his own not-so-subtle ways. 

Of course Law of Attraction principles, the concept of "like attracting like" whether for positive or negative outcomes, have been around far longer than 2006 and The Secret. I first read the old classic, Think And Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill, during college and committed to memory the great line, "What the mind of man can conceive and believe, it can achieve." Go back much, much further and while this could be a stretch–I also believe a famous quote attributed to Christ is along the same philosophy; To the one who has, even more will be given while to the one who has not, even more will be taken away. Mark 4:25 (my own personal translation). Doesn't this great life riddle also sound like a Law of Attraction principle?

Why am I bringing this up on a blog dedicated to Indie authors and e-publishing in general? Because the life of an Indie author (perhaps any author) makes it easy to get caught up in mental traps of negative thinking–like we aren't landing publishers or we aren't selling as many books as Indie legend, Amanda Hocking, or maybe we're just wasting our time behind a computer screen. Writing books can take years and not always feel like a happy profession. It can be immensely time consuming, painfully lonely and require financial investment; all are factors which can weigh heavily against a positive mental outlook.

Recently a friend shared the video below as a reminder. (Pretty sure she shared it with a lot more than just me but who knows.) It's a great piece on the power of positive thinking by Shawn Anchor produced by the wise folk at Ted.com. If you have 12 minutes, watch it as Shawn is super witty/humorous as he shares this lesson. The general (flawed) public concept it addresses is the belief that the external world is what influences our level of happiness. If we work harder, success will come–then when we have lots of money, friends, opportunities and work success–then we will be happy. This is a common assumption of what brings happiness, but is it correct? Isn't it just as likely that if we simply are happy for no particular reason, then these other measures of success may come into our realities? I believe it's a matter of perspective and one that seemed to work for Forrest Gump.

As an Indie author who goes through times when all doesn't feel rosey, I often need to remind myself of this concept because being a writer, especially a self-published author, is a challenging profession. Even after publishing and selling 5 titles, it's easy to think or say things like, "I'll be happy when my book is a best-seller," or "I'll be happy when I sell a million ebooks," or "I'll be happy when people recognize me as a great author." Don't you see that "I'll be happy when" creates conditions for happiness, conditions which possibly could be pushing those results further away?

Law of Attraction principles remind us that's not the best way to get from where we believe we are to where we dream of being. Instead, here's a better way; focus on all the present things that have to do with your writing and make you happy. This is a small list to get you going:

I'm happy now because I wrote a fantastic book, which is a huge accomplishment in itself
I'm happy now because I've made great strides to accomplish my goal of being a successful author
I'm happy now because my book enables my words and concepts to be enjoyed by others
I'm happy now because my ideas are being read by people near and far
I'm happy now because people are benefiting from my books
I'm happy now because I am an Indie author, helping revolutionize the publishing industry

Wow, just writing those sentences makes me feel better by reminding me that they're all true and they're all really happening. I am happy now because… may be the most powerful statement an Indie author can make to enable the Law of Attraction for even more success. Think of these mantras and your own whenever a pick-me-up is in order.

Ever notice how much fun Brazilians have playing soccer? It seems more of a party for them compared to how most of the world approaches sport, like preparing for battle. Brazilian spectators dance and drum Samba rhythms, even the players seem infected by the vibes surrounding the game as they are known for their creativity, flare and fun. Is it just a coincidence that Brazil seems to have the most fun and also has dominated the game by winning the most World Cups (5)?

Ever heard the term Million Dollar Smile? Maybe there's far more to it than just the color and symmetry of the teeth, lips and eyes. Smart business people know a smile goes a long way whether it's given in person, over the phone or even felt in text and letters. Writers, we are people people–we usually need to network and build relationships with readers, agents, publishers, producers, etc. Being happy in our dealings with others is obvious, but maybe it's just as wise to be happy behind the scenes during the moments of creation. Perhaps we need to ask ourselves, how is my mood as I'm writing or preparing to write? Could I be in a better mood? Even if your genre is horror, maybe it will help dramatically to be happy about it as you write.

Research suggests happy people live longer due to lower stress and lower blood pressure, which promote good heart health. Of interest, a recent study of 230 deceased baseball players who had big smiles on their player cards lived over 10% longer than those players with no smiles on their cards – http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/booster_shots/2010/03/longevity-smile-research-wellbeing.html.

One book that influenced me was Way of The Peaceful Warrior. In it, the wise Socrates tells his student (Dan), "…this is the final test I will ever give you, and it goes on forever. Act happy, be happy without a reason in the world. Then you can love and do what you will." Sounds hokey, some might say. Maybe, but it sure beats going through life acting like a Schleprock. Happiness and smiles have a profound effect on others, even on artwork like this big yellow water tower (right).

Here's a tip for staying in good spirits throughout the day; smile frequently. You may even find it difficult at first. Try it right now and see if smiling feels like a challenge, like a forced act while posing for a photographer. If it does, then keep working at it. Set a little alarm hourly to remind you to smile. Laugh if it helps–think of your favorite comedies. Even say the words out loud, "smile happy," because the mouth will naturally smile when saying "happy" just as it does when saying "cheese."

Perhaps this is why many of us love dogs. It doesn't take much to make most dogs happy. What if we could get the same level of satisfaction from a simple walk, a car ride, a hug from a loved one, a knock on our door, or even a bowl of the same food that we eat every single day? That's literally all my dog, Shep, ever needed to stay happy, and he was a true master of the art. Was Shep a great success? Absolutely yes, people loved Shep everywhere he went probably because he was so happy and for no particular reason, and as a result he made others feel better. People simply wanted to hang out with my dog, and if he had written a book… I'm sure it would have been a best-seller.

To your happiness and success as writers.

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Click here for the home page of How to Make, Market and Sell Ebooks All for Free.

Subscribe to this blog for updates on what Indie authors can do to sell ebooks.

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