.....(drumroll please).....
CONGRATULATIONS
Jessie
Thank you to everyone who participated in the giveaway! *many hugs*
~Jessica
Showing posts with label indie authors. Show all posts
Showing posts with label indie authors. Show all posts
Monday, October 1, 2012
Winner of the Indie Author Giveaway is...
Thank you to everyone who participated in the giveaway! *many hugs*
~Jessica
Monday, September 24, 2012
The Journey of Self-Publishing: You asked; they answered!
Thoughts At One In The Morning is proud to present a blog post series for unpublished writers on the self-publishing world. I have asked four indie authors to share with you the different steps they have taken on their journey. They will discuss the writing process itself, the steps in between, and publishing itself. Please join us every week for a new topic on the journey to becoming an indie author!
~*~ You guys asked the questions and they answered them for you in this special bonus edition of The Journey of Self-Publishing. Enjoy the answers to your questions and thank you so much for reading and sharing this series! ^_^ ~* ~
Our Indie Author panel:
Marie Landry, author of Blue Sky Days
You can find her on her blog Ramblings Of A Daydreamer.
A.M. Hargrove, author of The Guardians Of The Vesteron series
You can find her on her blog A.M. Hargrove.
Avery Sawyer, author of Notes To Self
You can find her on her website The Teashop Girls.
Michelle Flick, author of The Owens Legacy: Revelations
You can find her on her blog Oh! For the LOVE of BOOKS!.
~*~
This week on The Journey of Self-Publishing:
Did you consider possibly using a pen name for any reason? If so, why? If not, why not?
Michelle Flick: I did consider one, but thought Hey, the world should know me *says* dramatically* But I have toyed with the idea of writing in another age range, like adult contemporary, and then I would pick a different name. And that's because I would want to make it in the different age range because of the writing not because of my name, plus wouldn't it be fun to have a different persona?
A.M. Hargrove: Never considered a pseudonym. I used initials because when I put my whole name--Anne Marie Hargrove (but as you know I go by Annie) on the book, it was just TOOOOO long! I thought about just using Annie, but then I thought it appeared too informal. I asked for opinions from friends and family and ended up with A.M. Hargrove.
Marie Landry: I didn’t consider it for Blue Sky Days, but a few years ago when I started writing erotica I thought I’d use a pen name because I didn’t want people to know I wrote those types of stories. Now it’s becoming such a popular genre that when I do finally get together a book of short erotic stories, I’ll be using my own name.
I had a pen name when I wrote with a partner several years ago - it was a combination of our names - partly because she didn’t want to use her real name for personal reasons, and partly because she had a very common first and last name. I know some authors who go by different pen names if they do different genres, but I just think that would get too confusing, so at this point I think I’ll be sticking with my real name for the long haul.
Avery Sawyer: I use the pseudonym Avery Sawyer for my edgy YA titles because my real name, Laura Schaefer, is associated with the sweet middle grade series The Teashop Girls and my travel guides for kids, Planet Explorers. It makes promotion a bit more difficult, but I thought it was a good idea to signal to readers that I was moving in a very different direction when I release Notes to Self and The Forever Contract (both Sawyer titles). There are some swear words in my Avery Sawyer books and I didn't want any (very) young readers getting in to them.
Michelle Flick: I did both at the same time. I pursued agents and traditional publishing and at the same time was reading everything I could about self-publishing. There's a lot out there and a lot of good information about things I wouldn't think about. When the traditional route didn't pan out, I went down the self-pub route. I would definitely go the traditional route if I could, I think the marketing would be the biggest benefit from that.
A.M. Hargrove: Never considered traditional publishing for one huge reason. Everything I've read about it all pointed to one thing and that is you sign all rights to your work away. I decided since I was writing a series, I did not want to do that. I also did not want to work for anyone but myself. If I wanted to have a deadline, I wanted it to be a self imposed one. I worked for corporate America for over 20 years so now I wanted to work for Annie!
I would consider going traditional if, and only if, they would meet all of my criteria. And I must say I am quite picky!
Marie Landry: My former writing partner and I attempted to find an agent and go the traditional route. We looked into self-publishing, but at the time (3-4 years ago), it didn’t seem like an option - all the research we did basically brought us to the conclusion that self-publishing was for hacks, wannabes, and people who either couldn’t cut it or didn’t have the patience for traditional publishing.
When I decided to publish Blue Sky Days, I spent ages researching self-publishing, and realized that a lot had changed, and it was becoming a viable option. I saw writers taking their careers into their own hands, and I wanted to be one of them. I liked the idea of the freedom and control. I had no doubt that if I really wanted to I could be traditionally published eventually, but ‘eventually’ didn’t work for me. It’s not that I was impatient, it’s just that I wanted people to read my work, and I wanted to be doing what I love best. I didn’t want to spend years finding an agent, finding a publisher, going through the editing process, and then waiting for my book to hit the shelves. I didn’t want to have to wait a year or two between books if the book was ready and polished now. I didn’t want someone telling me that my cover had to look a certain way or that I had to cut a favourite scene, or that my book wouldn’t see the light of day for two years. I have absolutely nothing against traditional publishing - how could I when I’m such a bibliophile, and almost all my favourite authors are traditionally published? And although that’s the route I always thought I would take (because there were no other options when I was a kid and decided I wanted to be a writer), I’m extremely happy with my decision to self-publish.
Avery Sawyer: I worked with a traditional publisher, Simon & Schuster, on my middle grade titles The Teashop Girls and The Secret Ingredient, and I hope to work with them again on future MG books. However, I wanted to write in a different genre and self-publishing allowed me to do that without delay. Self-publishing was also the best way to release my travel guides for kids, because there isn't a huge market for the series. It will survive and grow the best with a small overhead.
I believe that in the future many talented authors will both self- and traditionally publish their work, as both systems have advantages. I feel so lucky to be an author with all these magnificent choices.
Michelle Flick: Arthur Miller's The Crucible was the first classic that I read that I saw really emotional characters. I saw motives and betrayal and love. Neal Shusterman is a big impact on me. Amanda Hocking really pushed the self-publishing thought in my head. Colleen Houck also is wonderful to read. I re-read her Tiger's Saga a lot.
Marie Landry: For years I’ve said I want to be Nora Roberts when I grow up. I love her books - not only is she a prolific writer, she’s an incredibly talented one. Her books have everything - romance, mystery, action, memorable characters, fascinating settings, and tightly woven plot lines. I’m also a great admirer of Lucy Maud Montgomery, JK Rowling, and Sarah Dessen - they all have that ‘it’ factor that I hope to have someday.
Avery Sawyer: I love reading...in fact I am getting very, very little work done today because I'm currently buried in The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. I have also been inspired by Lauren Oliver, Madeleine L'Engle, Betty Smith, Nicholas Christopher, Suzanne Collins, Sarah Vowell, and countless others. I love books!
Okay, now we have really come to an end with this series. A huge thank you to everyone who has made this a success: all of the wonderful followers who have read and commented and shared on various sites, and all of my lovely indie authors--Michelle Flick, A.M. Hargrove, Marie Landry, and Avery Sawyer. You guys are the best and I appreciate all the hard work you have done to make this series into what it is, a great start for the rest of us aspiring to be authors just like you.
Be sure to check out the AWESOME TIMES A MILLION GIVEAWAY that is going on where you can win FOUR BOOKS by our INDIE AUTHOR PANEL. It ends in a week so ENTER NOW before it is too late!!!
~You asked; they answered!~
Did you consider possibly using a pen name for any reason? If so, why? If not, why not?
Michelle Flick: I did consider one, but thought Hey, the world should know me *says* dramatically* But I have toyed with the idea of writing in another age range, like adult contemporary, and then I would pick a different name. And that's because I would want to make it in the different age range because of the writing not because of my name, plus wouldn't it be fun to have a different persona?
A.M. Hargrove: Never considered a pseudonym. I used initials because when I put my whole name--Anne Marie Hargrove (but as you know I go by Annie) on the book, it was just TOOOOO long! I thought about just using Annie, but then I thought it appeared too informal. I asked for opinions from friends and family and ended up with A.M. Hargrove.
Marie Landry: I didn’t consider it for Blue Sky Days, but a few years ago when I started writing erotica I thought I’d use a pen name because I didn’t want people to know I wrote those types of stories. Now it’s becoming such a popular genre that when I do finally get together a book of short erotic stories, I’ll be using my own name.
I had a pen name when I wrote with a partner several years ago - it was a combination of our names - partly because she didn’t want to use her real name for personal reasons, and partly because she had a very common first and last name. I know some authors who go by different pen names if they do different genres, but I just think that would get too confusing, so at this point I think I’ll be sticking with my real name for the long haul.
Avery Sawyer: I use the pseudonym Avery Sawyer for my edgy YA titles because my real name, Laura Schaefer, is associated with the sweet middle grade series The Teashop Girls and my travel guides for kids, Planet Explorers. It makes promotion a bit more difficult, but I thought it was a good idea to signal to readers that I was moving in a very different direction when I release Notes to Self and The Forever Contract (both Sawyer titles). There are some swear words in my Avery Sawyer books and I didn't want any (very) young readers getting in to them.
Why did you choose to go with self-publishing? Did you consider going with a traditional publisher before that? Would you consider going the traditional route if the right offer comes?
Michelle Flick: I did both at the same time. I pursued agents and traditional publishing and at the same time was reading everything I could about self-publishing. There's a lot out there and a lot of good information about things I wouldn't think about. When the traditional route didn't pan out, I went down the self-pub route. I would definitely go the traditional route if I could, I think the marketing would be the biggest benefit from that.
A.M. Hargrove: Never considered traditional publishing for one huge reason. Everything I've read about it all pointed to one thing and that is you sign all rights to your work away. I decided since I was writing a series, I did not want to do that. I also did not want to work for anyone but myself. If I wanted to have a deadline, I wanted it to be a self imposed one. I worked for corporate America for over 20 years so now I wanted to work for Annie!
I would consider going traditional if, and only if, they would meet all of my criteria. And I must say I am quite picky!
Marie Landry: My former writing partner and I attempted to find an agent and go the traditional route. We looked into self-publishing, but at the time (3-4 years ago), it didn’t seem like an option - all the research we did basically brought us to the conclusion that self-publishing was for hacks, wannabes, and people who either couldn’t cut it or didn’t have the patience for traditional publishing.
When I decided to publish Blue Sky Days, I spent ages researching self-publishing, and realized that a lot had changed, and it was becoming a viable option. I saw writers taking their careers into their own hands, and I wanted to be one of them. I liked the idea of the freedom and control. I had no doubt that if I really wanted to I could be traditionally published eventually, but ‘eventually’ didn’t work for me. It’s not that I was impatient, it’s just that I wanted people to read my work, and I wanted to be doing what I love best. I didn’t want to spend years finding an agent, finding a publisher, going through the editing process, and then waiting for my book to hit the shelves. I didn’t want to have to wait a year or two between books if the book was ready and polished now. I didn’t want someone telling me that my cover had to look a certain way or that I had to cut a favourite scene, or that my book wouldn’t see the light of day for two years. I have absolutely nothing against traditional publishing - how could I when I’m such a bibliophile, and almost all my favourite authors are traditionally published? And although that’s the route I always thought I would take (because there were no other options when I was a kid and decided I wanted to be a writer), I’m extremely happy with my decision to self-publish.
Avery Sawyer: I worked with a traditional publisher, Simon & Schuster, on my middle grade titles The Teashop Girls and The Secret Ingredient, and I hope to work with them again on future MG books. However, I wanted to write in a different genre and self-publishing allowed me to do that without delay. Self-publishing was also the best way to release my travel guides for kids, because there isn't a huge market for the series. It will survive and grow the best with a small overhead.
I believe that in the future many talented authors will both self- and traditionally publish their work, as both systems have advantages. I feel so lucky to be an author with all these magnificent choices.
What books and authors have you read that have inspired your writing career?
Michelle Flick: Arthur Miller's The Crucible was the first classic that I read that I saw really emotional characters. I saw motives and betrayal and love. Neal Shusterman is a big impact on me. Amanda Hocking really pushed the self-publishing thought in my head. Colleen Houck also is wonderful to read. I re-read her Tiger's Saga a lot.
A.M. Hargrove: Almost every romance author I've ever read from Janet Evanovich to J.R Ward has inspired me. But I would be remiss if I didn't add this--I love books…all genres from mystery to paranormal to thrillers to suspense. I can't read a book without finishing it, no matter how bad. I will struggle with it until the bitter end. I love to read. I used to tell my girlfriends that I wanted to write books. They would laugh. I would tell my mom the same thing. I even love to read non-fiction. I love to read history too. Reading the last words of a good book is like taking the last bite of that homemade chocolate chip cookie. You want it to last forever.
Avery Sawyer: I love reading...in fact I am getting very, very little work done today because I'm currently buried in The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. I have also been inspired by Lauren Oliver, Madeleine L'Engle, Betty Smith, Nicholas Christopher, Suzanne Collins, Sarah Vowell, and countless others. I love books!
~*~
Thank you for answering these last minute questions!
Okay, now we have really come to an end with this series. A huge thank you to everyone who has made this a success: all of the wonderful followers who have read and commented and shared on various sites, and all of my lovely indie authors--Michelle Flick, A.M. Hargrove, Marie Landry, and Avery Sawyer. You guys are the best and I appreciate all the hard work you have done to make this series into what it is, a great start for the rest of us aspiring to be authors just like you.
Be sure to check out the AWESOME TIMES A MILLION GIVEAWAY that is going on where you can win FOUR BOOKS by our INDIE AUTHOR PANEL. It ends in a week so ENTER NOW before it is too late!!!
THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH & HAVE A GREAT DAY!!!
~If you liked this, check out the earlier editions
of The Journey of Self-Publishing series~
Monday, September 17, 2012
The Journey of Self-Publishing Indie Author Book Giveaway! Enter to win FOUR books!
Welcome to The Journey of Self-Publishing
Indie Author Book Giveaway!
Today, you get the chance to win FOUR books: One by each of the authors on the Indie Author Panel.
Here are the books you get to choose from:
The Owens Legacy: Revelations by Michelle Flick
Resurrection (The Guardians Of Vesturon #2) by A.M. Hargrove
~OR~
Determinant (The Guardians Of Vesturon #3) by A.M. Hargrove
**Her other two novels, Survival and Beginnings are both available for FREE**
Blue Sky Days by Marie Landry
Notes To Self by Avery Sawyer
~OR~
The Forever Contract by Avery Sawyer
Sound good? Good! Here's the official rules/guidelines for the giveaway:
1. You must be a follower.
2. You must be over 15 years old.
3. This is open to international followers. (Basically, anyone with the capability of receiving ebooks for Kindle, Nook, or PC)
4. This contest runs from September 17th to 30th.
5. Winner will be selected at 12:01 a.m. on October 1st via Rafflecopter random selection.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Thank you for entering!
Friday, August 31, 2012
Easy things YOU can do to help indie authors
Love indie authors? Want to help spread the word about their books? Here are some ways you can do so, and they aren't too hard to do either. ^_^
~*~
1. Buy Their Book
This seems simple enough, right? Generally speaking, most indie novels are priced reasonably (in the range of $0.99 to $4.99). So it's not a huge investment, especially if it's 99 cents! Compare that to traditionally published ebooks, you're saving quite a bit and getting (more often than most think) an equally as good story.
2. Read And Review
I have to admit, I am notorious for not following through on this. It's easy to click "BUY NOW" and get a book. This does help an author out. What helps more is reading it and then posting a review online. This way more people can see it who may not have heard of the book yet. Also, your review may help them decide to check the book out for themselves.
If possible, put your review on not only your blog, but also other sites like Goodreads, Barnes & Noble, Amazon, Smashwords (you can only post on there if you purchase from them), and other sites that offer a review feature. I know when I am browsing on these sites I am more likely to take a peek at reviews that are posted right there rather than search elsewhere for them.
3. Host A Giveaway
Loved the book so much you want to tell all your friends? Do one better and give a copy away on your blog. Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Smashwords have the option of gifting ebooks to others. It's really simple--all you'll need is the winner's email address and which ereader they use.
Already have too many books and review requests on your plate? Can't afford to buy any more books at the moment? There are free ways to support and promote authors.
4. Retweet And Share
Follow indie authors on Twitter and like their Facebook pages. When they post something in promotion of their novel (release date or maybe even a sale), retweet or share it. This gives them a little bit more exposure by spreading the word to the people who follow you.
5. Promote The Book
Dedicate a post to the author or their book. You don't even have to contact the author. Do a cover reveal if they just revealed it on their blog. Spotlight a debut indie author (or multiple indie authors) and/or their book (or books).
Some authors will reach out to their followers to host a blog tour stop on their blog. They are more than happy to provide you with a free copy of their novel so that you can take part in the tour. All you need to do is read, review, and post on your blog tour date. If you want, you can do something more, like an author spotlight, excerpt, or interview. Sometimes they can provide a copy of the ebook for you to giveaway. It won't cost you anything, and it offers one of your followers the chance to read the book.
~*~
These are some of the little things we can do as readers and bloggers to help promote our indie author friends. I've been able to a little something from each section above at least once. Every indie author appreciates all the support they can get from us, no matter how small it is.
~Jessica
Monday, August 13, 2012
The Journey of Self-Publishing #11: Pricing, Sales, & Giveaways
Our Indie Author panel:
Marie Landry, author of Blue Sky Days
You can find her on her blog Ramblings Of A Daydreamer.
A.M. Hargrove, author of The Guardians Of The Vesteron series
You can find her on her blog A.M. Hargrove.
Avery Sawyer, author of Notes To Self
You can find her on her website The Teashop Girls.
Michelle Flick, author of The Owens Legacy: Revelations
You can find her on her blog Oh! For the LOVE of BOOKS!.
~*~
This week on The Journey of Self-Publishing:
~Pricing, Sales, & Giveaways~
How did you choose the price to set your novel at?
Michelle Flick: I am not going to assume I am going to be a millionaire - though I can dream - I set my price so people would be willing to take a chance on my book. I am sure they will love it, but a lower price is less than a risk.
Marie Landry: Originally, I thought I’d set the price at 99 cents, but a few people told me they thought that would be devaluing my work. I decided on $2.99, but then right before publication, I upped it to $3.99 because I saw several other indie authors doing the same. At the beginning of April, I set it at $2.99.
Avery Sawyer: I looked at other self-pubbed novels in my genre and matched them.
A.M. Hargrove: When I published Survival, I priced it at $0.99. I knew it was rough and I still want to go back and rewrite it. But that's another story--LOL! So when I released Resurrection, I decided to make Survival free on Smashwords, and eventually the others (Amazon, B&N, etc.) followed. I priced Resurrection at $2.99 because I felt that was a fair price since the first one was free.
Have you ever put your novel on sale?
Marie Landry: I did a Valentine’s promotion where I offered the book half price for four days. I also did a promotional sale on Smashwords where it was half price, along with several hundred other books across the site.
Avery Sawyer: I’ve had several free promotion days here and there, but that’s it. And I think I’m going to take a significant break from doing freebies now. I feel like the novel has enough reviews to stand on its own feet without the freebie nudges now.
A.M. Hargrove: I have since published a novella called Beginnings, which is a prequel to the series and I've priced that at free on Smashwords and $0.99 everywhere else. I would like for it be free everywhere since it is a novella and is really short.
Did that help you sell more?
Marie Landry: Honestly, not really. I think I sold a few more copies than usual, but it didn’t really make a difference in the end. From what I’ve seen, offering books for 99 cents is the most popular sale point, but I haven’t done that yet. But I’d like to add that that’s the beauty of independent publishing - you have the option to experiment with prices and sales whenever you want to see what works best for you.
Avery Sawyer: The freebies do help, yes.
How many copies of your book have you given away thus far?
Michelle Flick: I have given away countless copies and will continue. I believe it is a good way to spread the word. A free book? Why not. Those people will then review it and (hopefully) spread the word and rate me, I mean rate my book. It's part of networking.
Marie Landry: Probably over a hundred. Again, I kept track at first, but then lost count between giving away review copies, giveaway winners on my blog, Facebook, Twitter, and other people’s blogs.
Avery Sawyer: I think around 15,000.
A.M. Hargrove: I don't know how many copies of Survival I've given away but it's in the thousands. I think having a freebie out there has definitely helped my numbers. My rankings are pretty good but more importantly, it allows someone to read something you've written and if they like it, they can go on and buy the next book, knowing that in all likelihood, they'll enjoy it.
Is there anything you would do differently?
Avery Sawyer: No, I’m happy I did the free days.
~*~
Thank you for the great advice on pricing, sales, and giveaways!
Join us next week when our Indie Author panel will discuss in more detail Book Trailers and how you can make one for your novel.
Monday, August 6, 2012
The Journey of Self-Publishing #10: Book Blog Tours
Thoughts At One In The Morning is proud to present a blog post series for unpublished writers on the self-publishing world. I have asked four indie authors to share with you the different steps they have taken on their journey. They will discuss the writing process itself, the steps in between, and publishing itself. Please join us every week for a new topic on the journey to becoming an indie author!
Our Indie Author panel:
Marie Landry, author of Blue Sky Days
You can find her on her blog Ramblings Of A Daydreamer.
A.M. Hargrove, author of The Guardians Of The Vesteron series
You can find her on her blog A.M. Hargrove.
Avery Sawyer, author of Notes To Self
You can find her on her website The Teashop Girls.
Michelle Flick, author of The Owens Legacy: Revelations
You can find her on her blog Oh! For the LOVE of BOOKS!.
~*~
This week on The Journey of Self-Publishing:
~Book Blog Tours~
Did you do one?
Marie Landry: I did a huge four-week tour that started the day the book was released (January 17th). I organized it all myself - I emailed a few specific people that I knew I really wanted to be part of the tour, and then I talked about it on my blog, and created an event on Goodreads where I asked for people who were interested to email me.
A.M. Hargrove: Yes, I've done them and would recommend them. They're fun and you get to meet some awesome people that way. It's also a great tool to use for promotion.
How many bloggers did you use?
What kind of things did you offer for bloggers?
Marie Landry: Bloggers could choose from reviews, excerpts, guest posts, interviews, giveaways, and author spotlights. I also offered for them to come up with any unique feature they could think of, or work their tour stop into a regular established feature on their blog - one blogger asked authors to give random facts about themselves, and another blogger asked authors to talk about music and how it affected their writing, so those were the features I did for them as part of the tour.
A.M. Hargrove: I've done guest posts, interviews, character interviews, giveaways, amazon gift cards and things of that nature.
Is there anything you would do differently?
Marie Landry: I think next time, I might have someone else organize it. It was a lot of work on top of other promotions, plus writing. If I did do it myself again, I think I’d do a few short tours rather than one big one.
~*~
Thank you for the great advice on book blog tours!
Join us next week when our Indie Author panel will tell us about Pricing, Sales, & Giveaways and how to know what price range to put your novel in and how sales and giveaways benefit you.
Friday, August 3, 2012
Do you have any questions for our Indie Author Panel?
Along the way, there have been questions brought up in comments. I thought it would be a great idea to have those further side questions answered. So I asked Michelle Flick, A.M. Hargrove, Marie Landry, and Avery Sawyer if they could offer their expertise for a few more questions.
To make sure we cover all the extra questions that haven't been covered (or won't be covered in the upcoming posts), I am opening up the opportunity for YOU to ask them any question you would like. All you need to do is either comment below with your question or email me ( impulsivities[at]gmail ). I will compile the questions and send them off to our indie authors. This Q&A will be posted on September 24th (two weeks after the last post in the series).
Here is a list of what has been covered so far (with links) AND what the titles of the rest of the posts in the series will be:
#1: First Drafts and Revisions
#2: Beta Readers
#3: Professional Editors
#4: Cover Art
#5: Formatting
#6: Extras To Include
#7: Book Trailers
#8: Establishing Yourself Online
#9: Contacting Book Bloggers
#10: Book Blog Tours
#11: Pricing, Sales, & Giveaways
#12: Publishing
#13: Promotion
#14: The First Few Months
#15: Last Words
Feel free to ask anything you would like. I may have missed something you've been wondering about for a long time! If it has already been answered or will be answered, no worries. I want to make sure we cover all we need to know.
Thank you all for your help in this endeavor!
~Jessica
Monday, July 30, 2012
The Journey of Self-Publishing #9: Contacting Book Bloggers
Thoughts At One In The Morning is proud to present a blog post series for unpublished writers on the self-publishing world. I have asked four indie authors to share with you the different steps they have taken on their journey. They will discuss the writing process itself, the steps in between, and publishing itself. Please join us every week for a new topic on the journey to becoming an indie author!
Our Indie Author panel:
Marie Landry, author of Blue Sky Days
You can find her on her blog Ramblings Of A Daydreamer.
A.M. Hargrove, author of The Guardians Of The Vesteron series
You can find her on her blog A.M. Hargrove.
Avery Sawyer, author of Notes To Self
You can find her on her website The Teashop Girls.
Michelle Flick, author of The Owens Legacy: Revelations
~*~
This week on The Journey of Self-Publishing:
~Contacting Book Bloggers~
Did you contact book bloggers to review your book?
A.M. Hargrove: In the beginning, like I said, I was totally naive to Goodreads so I Googled bloggers and sent tons of emails. I also found them on Twitter and contacted them that way. Then I became wise and saw that Goodreads is filled with bloggers and R2Rs and such. But I keep a running list of everyone that's done an R&R and everyone I've asked to do one so I don't approach the same person twice. There are so many, it's easy to make that mistake. Again, I wish I had joined Goodreads a long time ago and made connections for beta readers and reviewers/bloggers before I ever wrote Survival.
Marie Landry: I did, but before I did that, I put out an ‘all-call’ on my blog, telling people that I would soon have ARCs available, and that if anyone was interested in reviewing the book, I’d send them a copy. I got quite a few reviewers that way, and it saved me a lot of time and energy. I’ve also been involved in review promotions through Facebook and Goodreads where people have a certain amount of time to review the book in exchange for a free copy.
Avery Sawyer: Yes. This is important to do. I spend many, many hours emailing book bloggers.
How many approached you first?
Marie Landry: Maybe a dozen, give or take. That’s not a lot to some people, but I saw it as a dozen people I didn’t have to contact and wait to hear from.
Avery Sawyer: Only a small handful.
How many reviewers did you contact to read your book prior to publishing?
Marie Landry: I honestly have no idea. I kept track at one point, but then lost count because I was contacting people in more ways than just email. I sent out dozens of emails, posted on Facebook and Twitter asking if people wanted ARCs, and I also got quite a few reviewers when I made the announcement about the blog tour.
Avery Sawyer: I contacted reviewers after publishing. I’d say I’ve contacted several hundred. And with good results…this is a worthy marketing exercise.
What do you say in your emails to book bloggers/reviewers?
Marie Landry: First, I always personalize the emails. As a book blogger myself, there’s nothing I hate more than some generic message that’s sent out to dozens of other people, when it only takes a minute to add the person’s name, and say something about how you like their blog, or you enjoy their reviews, or something you noticed you have in common (for instance, when an author emails me a request and tells me U2 is their favorite band, too, I know they’ve really read my blog and not just skimmed it). I introduce myself, tell them a bit about the book, include the synopsis, the book cover, the trailer, where I can be found online, and what formats the book is available in.
Avery Sawyer: I introduce myself, give a one or two line description of my book and a link to its Amazon page and ask if they’d like to receive a copy for review. I’m brief and friendly.
Is there anything you would do differently?
Avery Sawyer: Nope. I love book bloggers SO MUCH. You guys are the greatest.
~*~
Thank you for the great advice on contacting book bloggers!
Join us next week when our Indie Author panel will tell us about Book Blog Tours and how to go about planning one.
Monday, July 23, 2012
The Journey of Self-Publishing #8: Establishing Yourself Online
Thoughts At One In The Morning is proud to present a blog post series for unpublished writers on the self-publishing world. I have asked four indie authors to share with you the different steps they have taken on their journey. They will discuss the writing process itself, the steps in between, and publishing itself. Please join us every week for a new topic on the journey to becoming an indie author!
Our Indie Author panel:
Marie Landry, author of Blue Sky Days
You can find her on her blog Ramblings Of A Daydreamer.
A.M. Hargrove, author of The Guardians Of The Vesteron series
You can find her on her blog A.M. Hargrove.
Avery Sawyer, author of Notes To Self
You can find her on her website The Teashop Girls.
Michelle Flick, author of The Owens Legacy: Revelations
You can find her on her blog Oh! For the LOVE of BOOKS!.
~*~
This week on The Journey of Self-Publishing:
How do I establish myself online?
Avery Sawyer: It takes time. Set up a Twitter account and a Facebook page and start following people and making some noise. It helps if you’re naturally witty or able to link to cool/funny/interesting things online. Be generous. Retweet and Share other people’s good news and begin to establish friendly, reciprocal relationships.
Avery Sawyer: I use Twitter, Facebook, Blogger (not much), Goodreads, and LibraryThing. I have a Facebook page for Notes to Self, but it doesn’t get much action. I use Twitter the most, following closely by Facebook. I am online all day. I use social networking a ton. Fortunately, I don’t mind it.
Avery Sawyer: I set up a website for Planet Explorers, but I’m beginning to think the Planet Explorers Facebook page is probably a better tool to connect with my readers.
~Establishing Yourself Online~
How do I establish myself online?
Avery Sawyer: It takes time. Set up a Twitter account and a Facebook page and start following people and making some noise. It helps if you’re naturally witty or able to link to cool/funny/interesting things online. Be generous. Retweet and Share other people’s good news and begin to establish friendly, reciprocal relationships.
Michelle Flick: Blogging, commenting on everyone's page, Goodreads, a Facebook page dedicated to you as an author, and Twitter. Social networking takes time - you have to be dedicated to it - every week.
A.M. Hargrove: Here's what I think is the most important thing to do in order of importance: 1. Goodreads (have I said this enough? LOL) 2. Twitter (5 tweets per day with 1 of them being promotional. Help your fellow authors here too…it will come back 100-fold.) 3. Website/blog. I hired a web designer for a basic site and I use Blogger for my blog. 4. Facebook.
Marie Landry: First, start a blog. Whether it’s a book blog, a blog about writing, or a blog about anything and everything, if I could tell you to do one thing, it would be start a blog and add original, quality content on a regular basis. I’d also recommend setting up a page on Facebook, a Twitter account, and joining Goodreads. Get your name and face out there, make friends, make connections, let people know they can expect great things from you.
What social media do you use?
Avery Sawyer: I use Twitter, Facebook, Blogger (not much), Goodreads, and LibraryThing. I have a Facebook page for Notes to Self, but it doesn’t get much action. I use Twitter the most, following closely by Facebook. I am online all day. I use social networking a ton. Fortunately, I don’t mind it.
Marie Landry: I’m everywhere. I have two Facebook pages - one for my writing in general, and one for Blue Sky Days. I’m on Twitter, Goodreads, Google Plus, LinkedIn, Pinterest, YouTube, you name it. I also have three (yes, three) blogs - a book blog (Ramblings of a Daydreamer), an author blog (Marie Landry, Author), and an everything blog (Lost and Found - Reflections of a Daydreamer).
Which one do you use the most?
Avery Sawyer: I set up a website for Planet Explorers, but I’m beginning to think the Planet Explorers Facebook page is probably a better tool to connect with my readers.
Michelle Flick: Blogger is the one I use the most. I am branching out to Facebook more. I use Goodreads pretty steadily. Self-promotion is the key to success - well so I think. But if you aren't willing to promote your book because you believe in it, why would anyone buy it?
A.M. Hargrove: I spend almost 100% of my time divided between Goodreads and Twitter.
Any more than that and it takes away my time from writing as they both
can become addicting and time-consuming!
Did you have a professional design your site?
Avery Sawyer: Nope.
Marie Landry: No, I designed them all myself. Another way a background in design comes in handy! There are some incredible designers out there - recently, a lot of bloggers have started offering their services, and they’re just as good as any ‘professionals’ I’ve seen, and the money usually goes back into the blog through giveaways and promotions. Book bloggers helping book bloggers - one of the many reasons I love our little community.
Is there anything you would do differently?
Avery Sawyer: I would hire a pro if I could afford it.
~*~
Thank you for the great advice on establishing yourself online!
Join us next week when our Indie Author panel will discuss how to Contact Book Bloggers and how important it is in promoting your novel.
Monday, July 16, 2012
The Journey of Self-Publishing #7: Book Trailers
Thoughts At One In The Morning is proud to present a blog post series for unpublished writers on the self-publishing world. I have asked four indie authors to share with you the different steps they have taken on their journey. They will discuss the writing process itself, the steps in between, and publishing itself. Please join us every week for a new topic on the journey to becoming an indie author!
Our Indie Author panel:
Marie Landry, author of Blue Sky Days
You can find her on her blog Ramblings Of A Daydreamer.
A.M. Hargrove, author of The Guardians Of The Vesteron series
You can find her on her blog A.M. Hargrove.
Avery Sawyer, author of Notes To Self
You can find her on her website The Teashop Girls.
Michelle Flick, author of The Owens Legacy: Revelations
You can find her on her blog Oh! For the LOVE of BOOKS!.
~*~
This week on The Journey of Self-Publishing:
~First Drafts and Revisions~
Did you make a book trailer?
Marie Landry: I did. I knew it wasn’t necessary, and that a lot of people really don’t care about them, but it was something I wanted to do - I wanted the ‘whole experience’, and the trailer seemed like part of that.
Michelle Flick: No - I haven't but I haven't crossed it off my list.
A.M. Hargrove: No book trailers yet. When I get to the point where I think they'll make a big difference, then I'll consider it.
How do I make a book trailer?
Marie Landry: Windows Movie Maker is a great place to start, but it can take a while to figure out how to use it. There are other ‘movie maker’ programs, but I honestly don’t know much about them. For me, I basically created the trailer in Photoshop and Animation Shop, then moved it over to Windows Movie Maker to piece it all together and add the music. Kind of a roundabout way of doing it, but it’s what worked for me since I was familiar with design and animation.
Where do I find the pictures?
Marie Landry: You can buy images on the same sites I mentioned for cover design (Dreamstime, Shutterstock, and iStockPhoto.), you can use your own photos, or you can search for free creative commons photos on Google, Flickr, and other photo sharing sites. Again, just make sure to read the fine print about image usage. I did all three - a few of the pictures were my own, some were creative commons, and the rest I bought.
Where do I find the music/sounds?
Marie Landry: Search for ‘Royalty Free Music’ on Google. There are tons of sites that you can either buy the rights to use the song, or simply give credit for using the song. I got my music from DanoSongs.com - he had a great selection, and you can choose to use the song for free with credit, or donate $10. A lot of the other sites I came across wanted a minimum of $25 per song.
~*~
Thank you for the great advice on book trailers!
Join us next week when our Indie Author panel will discuss in more detail Establishing Yourself Online, where you should be and how to go about it in promotion of your novel.
Monday, July 9, 2012
The Journey of Self-Publishing #6: Extras To Include
Thoughts At One In The Morning is proud to present a blog post series for unpublished writers on the self-publishing world. I have asked four indie authors to share with you the different steps they have taken on their journey. They will discuss the writing process itself, the steps in between, and publishing itself. Please join us every week for a new topic on the journey to becoming an indie author!
Our Indie Author panel:
Marie Landry, author of Blue Sky Days
You can find her on her blog Ramblings Of A Daydreamer.
A.M. Hargrove, author of The Guardians Of The Vesteron series
You can find her on her blog A.M. Hargrove.
Avery Sawyer, author of Notes To Self
You can find her on her website The Teashop Girls.
Michelle Flick, author of The Owens Legacy: Revelations
You can find her on her blog Oh! For the LOVE of BOOKS!.
~*~
This week on The Journey of Self-Publishing:
~Extras To Include~
What else do I need to include in the front and back of my book?
A.M. Hargrove: I add the dedication, acknowledgment and about the author, along with all my information on how they can find me--website addy, Twitter, Facebook, etc. I haven't yet added another author's work but that's something I'm definitely considering.
Marie Landry: Disclaimers, copyright, dedication, acknowledgements, about the author, other promotional information, sneak peeks into your other work or another author’s work. The Style Guide will tell you everything you need to know. Smashwords has a specific copyright blurb that you have to put in, and if you’re uploading to different sites, it’s just a matter of changing the name from Smashwords to, say, Amazon. I also looked at several books to get an idea of how to do the dedication and acknowledgements, where I wanted it in the book, etc. As long as it’s formatted correctly, there’s not much you can’t add, and the placement is up to you (I did dedication at the beginning, and my acknowledgements and bio at the end).
Avery Sawyer: You need to include “copyright 2012 [your name]” at the front. This is covered in the Smashwords style guide. Including acknowledgements and a dedication is up to the individual author. Some authors include excerpts or links to their other books at the end of their book. It’s not a bad idea, as long as you don’t overdo it (for example, including an over-long excerpt).
Michelle Flick: You should think about your acknowledgement, and about the Author page, the dedication, the table of contents, the cover page - you know all the things that books include that you don't think about because the manuscript has been dominating your entire existence.
Is there anything you would do differently?
Avery Sawyer: Nope. Although, when I come out with a second Avery Sawyer title, I will add an excerpt to the end of Notes to Self.
Michelle Flick: For my acknowledgements section, I am keeping track of the people who have helped me and trying to make it more personal for the next novel.
~*~
Thank you for the great advice on extras to include!
Join us next week when our Indie Author panel will discuss in more detail Book Trailers and how you can make one for your novel.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)