Carole’s Comments (group member since Oct 19, 2016)

Carole’s comments from the Navigating Indieworld Discussing All Things Indie group.

Congrats, Ted!!!

Theodore wrote: "Carole wrote: "Where's Ted? he's done some amazing things!!!"

I'll just list the things on my business card...that'll tell you all you need to know:

Wars fought
Revolutions started
Governments ru..."

I bet you could write a book about it!! Weren't the sixties amazing?

I always wanted to be a lawyer. My parents took me for a long ride in the car and said, lawyers are for boys, teachers are for girls, and that was the end of that. I don't blame them- they were products of the times. They did insist I go to college, which was a lot more than some of my friends. I remember arguing for a buddy who was begging her parents to allow her to go to college. They wanted her to get a job in an office. After all, her brother was going to be a doctor.

Where's Ted? he's done some amazing things!!!

I was a substitute teacher too!! I wrote an article about it called Sinking the Sub. I'll have to find it. lol

Interesting life, Margaret.

Alex wrote: "Okay, here goes.

I've worked in a company that sold catering supplies (shop assistant/warehouse assistant)

Waiter in a hotel.

Marketing (That's what it was described as, but I was just standing ..."
If I pulled into that gas station, I bet you would have gotten me to sign up for that loyalty card, Alex!!!

Carmel wrote: "I've only worked two jobs in my life (assistant manager in fast food and school psychologist) but the thirty plus years as a school psychologist required relentless reinvention to keep up with the ..."

That is so true. I have a friend in the speech therapy field and she constantly goes back for courses. You know, so does my accountant. I think computers, the internet and the information available changed everything for us all.

Carmel wrote: "I enjoyed that post, too, Carole! I love how you capture the insecurities we all feel when stepping outside our comfort zones, and kudos for just soldiering on despite them!"

Thanks, Carmel- I didn't have a choice- it was either push ahead or not eat. lol.

Hey guys- list some of the jobs you've done over the years.

I been a teacher, sold jewelry, dispatched car service, and ran a cleaning service called Partners in Grime.

My son does those lol. Thanks Alexis and Eva. It was only about a thousand words. You know. I’m afraid sometimes it can be boring or even worse I’m afraid of sounding boastful. But I’ve had an interesting few things happen over the years. Funny thing is. I don’t think I knew I was reinventing myself back then. That realization came after I started writing. I thought I was just surviving

Check out my latest post. https://medium.com/@caroleproman/the-...

It feels like that's where we are going.

Probably. Amazon owns Goodreads.

I see I'll be reading this weekend.

;)

BTW as of ten minutes ago- my rank on Amazon has been restored.

Reviewer ranking
#3,257

You may think it's silly, but the rank meant something to me- It was tangible proof that I contribute to our community. I've read and reviewed enough books for people to vote up my reviews as helpful. That maybe I am growing into being an influencer.
I used my rank as a marketing tool- making myself a more recognizable voice in the book world. Many people have used one sentence from my reviews on the cover or on the first page of their book. Does that lead to potential book sales or interest for my own products- I believe it does. "Well, Carole P. Roman likes it- let's see what she has done- oh- she has multiple blog shows, a magazine and over fifty award-winning books- maybe I should buy this and hers as well."
Make no mistake- I don't see myself a celebrity- but celebrity endorsements work- and since my endorsement are given freely- I guess they are the next best thing. lol.

I think- one of the most effective marketing tools is not to "sell" your book, so much as "sell" yourself (or brand- I'm not taking about streetwalking here).

Things are shifting in our world- what worked before in marketing is not working now- we have to find ways to sell our product. If Zon is giving us lemons- we have to find a way to make lemonade and I think we have to proactively find ways to make our books known.

Part four- Please check it out and clap if you can!!

https://medium.com/@caroleproman/swar...

We’ll keep calm and ask on is up on d2d. Sixty nine more to go lol

Daily I see reviews disappear. Mostly they are amazon top reviewers that are being stripped. According to my buddy a former reviewer she said only verified purchases will be allowed. Again. I don’t know if this is true but u have noticed in the past year that reviews hav trickled down to nothing. People have written me and said son didn’t allow the review. Also someone sent me an article that if u love naked socially or send the link of your book for them to purchase they will deny the review. I’m investigating

"This new policy comes on top of their other change of policy regarding Amazon book reviews, which in essence banned reviews from not only family and friends but also from authors or social media contacts.

Many articles were written about this draconian attitude, including this in The International Business Times, which covers the topic in detail.

One can only come to the conclusion that Amazon has had their fill of self-publishing, and are now taking dramatic measures to limit the chances of success for self-publishing authors.

I can say that from my experience over the last twelve months that I have been contacted by many people on social media, who have tried to post an Amazon book review for my books, and were rejected. Why?

Because Amazon deemed that we had a ‘personal’ connection. What? After exchanging a few messages on Twitter or Linkedin, we have a personal relationship? Really?"

Read the rest of the article

https://www.justpublishingadvice.com/...