Why Your Book Isn’t Selling (Part Two)

May 17, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Why Your Book Isn't Selling

A continuation from Tuesday’s post. For Part 1, click HERE.   6. Your Efforts are Automated & Lack Flavor So many authors see marketing as a nuisance that they hire a publicist to “just do it.” Or they’re so busy with other things, they put their marketing on auto-pilot so they can feel good. The problem is, competition will kick your ass if you do this. And readers can see right through it. Avoid the spam approach to marketing through email, Twitter, and Facebook (we’ll discuss this more in latter points). Likewise, avoid the generic press release distribution service (it won’t work), and the one-size fits all marketing package purchased online. You wrote an amazing book — it contains purposeful content that… [read more]

Filed Under: Authorpreneur, Book Marketing, Planning Tagged With: , , , , ,

Why Your Book Isn’t Selling (Part One)

May 14, 2013 by 5 Comments
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This week Amy and I are on cloud nine. The launch of Wise Ink as a full-service publishing option for authors is going swell. We’re working with authors and doing what we do best. In the process we’ve encountered more book marketing questions than ever. Let’s just say this right off the bat: It’s hard to market anything. Book marketing is especially challenging for two reasons. 1. Competition is steep and 2. The road to “success” is long (and slow) One author I talked to recently was particularly frustrated that her marketing efforts weren’t working. “I’m giving up if something drastic doesn’t happen this year,” she said to me. I understood where she was coming from. There’s that point when… [read more]

Filed Under: Authorpreneur, Book Launch, Book Marketing, Planning Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Guest Post: Authors and the Art of Self-Promotion, by Rachael Oku

April 25, 2013 by 1 Comment
Rachael Oku

Authors and the Art of Self-Promotion by Rachel Oku   In every industry, the cliché goes that you have to “pay your dues” before you can make it. Is this really true of writing? Recently published author Rachael Oku wonders. . . . If someone told me I’d be a published author within five years when I graduated college in 2008, I’d have laughed in their face. If someone told me I’d be a published author within five years when I graduated college in 2008, I’d have laughed in their face. Surely I’d have to labour over my ideas and live as a tortured artist in order to hone my craft? Not so. In this the digital age, it’s easier… [read more]

Filed Under: Authorpreneur, Book Launch, Book Marketing, Branding, Guest Post, Motivational, Pitching, Social Media Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

3 Ways to Market Your Book RIGHT NOW!

April 9, 2013 by 8 Comments
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If you’re an indie author, you know that writing, publishing, and marketing your book is an incredibly busy job, and one that really doesn’t end once the book is out. In fact, this job doesn’t end as long as you still want your book out into the world. Book publishing is kind of like parenting–it’s not like your job ends after the nesting and delivery process, because then you have to raise your child. The fact is, YOU ARE ONE PERSON! You can only do, in one day, what one person is capable of doing in a day. Also, remember that life you had? With the friends, spouse, kids (real–not paper or e-ink), pets, etc.? Yeah, they’re still important. So… [read more]

Filed Under: Blogging, Book Marketing, Content, Guest Post, Self-publishing, Social Media, Twitter Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Is Your Author Website Working for You or Against You?

April 5, 2013 by 3 Comments
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By now we all know how important it is to have a website for any business. Your book is your business if you’re an indie author, so chances are you have a website. Websites are tricky animals. They’re a necessary evil. We all need one, but few of us can design one ourselves and even fewer of us know what to do after we’ve had one designed. You know the drill: get a website, make obvious updates in obvious places, and let cyberspace handle it from there. Except that’s not enough. Your website is delicate and needy–like a newborn baby waking you up at three in the morning–it needs you. Your website will never be self-sufficient. It’ll never grow and… [read more]

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Making Time for a Dream: Interview with Mystery Author Deborah K. Jensen

April 2, 2013 by Leave a Comment
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never did I think that I wanted to or could write a novel. But the gift of a dream was given to me… This week, we were fortunate enough to sit down with Deborah K. Jensen, an inspiring indie author with a killer book called Beyond Escape, an exciting new novel based on a true story with family secrets, betrayal, murder, and lust. She shared with us how she melded this true story with one of fiction, and how she found time to make her dream a reality.   1) You’ve been writing for many years. Did you always want to write mysteries? When I was a young girl, I fell in love with the idea of writing and told my… [read more]

Filed Under: Author Interview, Authorpreneur, Book Marketing, Indie Publishing, Motivational, Self-publishing, Social Media, Twitter, Writing Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

How To Target Beta Readers, Reviewers, and Bloggers [Sample Letters Included]

March 22, 2013 by 9 Comments
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Wise Ink is still a baby blog. We’re not the rockstars in the indie publishing world…yet. Needless to say when we get approached by folks who want us to review their books or post guest blogs, we’re still somewhat shocked. It’s humbling. We love to support our indies so if you would like us to interview you about your book or you have a great post for our audience (bloggers, writers, authors), shoot us an email. We’re not terribly picky. We get how hard it is to reach out to strangers and hope someone answers you back. But here’s some advice: put your best foot forward.  Bloggers, even newer ones like Wise Ink, get spammed a lot. And here’s how… [read more]

Filed Under: Book Marketing, Guest Post, Indie Publishing Tagged With: , , , , ,

How to Discover Your Book’s Brand

January 23, 2013 by 3 Comments
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Take a few minutes and name your favorite authors. No, really, think about it. If you were to take a look at their books, you’d notice the synergy of tone, cover, and title. What about your book? Have you considered the stamp you want to leave in  your readers’ minds? If you’re wondering how to create a brand for your book or even what we mean by the word “brand,” just remember this: your book’s brand is your book’s personality. You don’t need a marketing firm to help you create your book’s brand. You just need to know two things: Who is your audience  and How do you want them to feel reading your book.  It’s that simple. Here are… [read more]

Filed Under: Book Marketing, Branding, Self-publishing Tagged With: , ,

Use Email Without Feeling Like SPAM [Guest Post from Author Matthew Turner]

January 16, 2013 by 4 Comments
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Today’s post is a guest post from Matthew Turner, author of Beyond Parallel.    Let me guess: you wake up each morning and open your email. Joy, you have 200 new messages. Wow, how popular you are. Happy days, right?   Absolutely, until you realise that 199 of those are SPAM and that you spend far too much time deleting newsletters you signed up for four-years ago. Email = SPAM, right? Any writer who chooses to participate in email is a slimy kid, yes? Wrong! Using email is fine, so long as you do it to connect with your most important folk…yes, that’s right…your readers. You are a modern day writer. You’re better than sending a silly sales pitch every morning. Are you with me?   Obscurity… [read more]

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5 Things on the New Year’s “To-Do” List for Every Purpose-Driven Author

December 19, 2012 by 2 Comments
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I know–you’re not even through the “holidays” yet, and you’re just feeling like you finally have a grasp on your “to-do” list for the next week and a half. Me too. I’m not necessarily looking forward to working on my next to-do list that comes after the holidays–specifically writing my thesis on the Fifty Shades of Grey phenomenon (what it means for publishing versus the present state of feminism–thanks for letting me ramble for a minute) and editing two manuscripts–because I’ve finally gotten around to prioritizing my current to-do list! However, I actually am looking forward to the rewards of engaging with the projects on my to-do list. This is because the holidays provide such a wonderful, cleansing, refreshing time… [read more]

Filed Under: Authorpreneur, Book Marketing, Motivational, Planning, Self-publishing Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,
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