Guest Post from Tricia Lorntson: How to NOT Skyrocket from Nobody to Somebody as an Indie Author

May 10, 2013 by 2 Comments
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My name is Tricia Lorntson and I’m an egoholic. Crowd: Hi, Tricia! This is a public service announcement and a cautionary tale for struggling writers everywhere. Your odds of becoming instafamous are only marginally higher than your chances of winning the PowerBall. You? Are not special. Don’t believe your mother—she has to tell you that. Let me give it to you straight, and in third person for dramatic effect:   Once upon a time in 2011, a girl named Tricia was writing a book and had what she believed to be enough of a budget to release this book into the wild where it would surely draw international fame and fortune. She met with the owner of a local collaborative… [read more]

Filed Under: Authorpreneur, Blogging, eBooks, Editing, Guest Post, Indie Publishing, Self-publishing, Writing Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

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

April 25, 2013 by 1 Comment
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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: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Don’t Compete, Cooperate [Guest Post from writer Dimitri Halkidis]

April 19, 2013 by Leave a Comment
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Today’s guest post is from Dimitri Halkidis, an aspiring indie author with two books in the works. Follow Dimitri on Twitter to track his publishing progress.  It’s 1am, and my eyes hate me. They flicker from side to side, following that little mouse icon as it clicks on ‘just one more’ link and catapults me through interspace to another indie author’s little corner of the world wide web. I read the post. It’s the author’s affirmation that they are going to maintain this blog, that their dream of becoming a published author shall not be denied. I check the date. Last update: 20th July, 2011. It’s just one of countless millions of derelict, defunct, destitute blogs that litter the internet, a tiny… [read more]

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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: , , , , , , , , , , ,

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

March 22, 2013 by 10 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: , , , , ,

Guest Post: “My Journey to Being an Author” by Karen Ingalls

December 3, 2012 by Leave a Comment
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Today’s guest post is from Karen Ingalls, indie author of Outshine: An Ovarian Cancer Memoir and upcoming historical fiction series.   Once I arrived home from the doctor’s office I knew that I wanted to journal about my fears and what was happening to my body. Writing was a tool I had used most of my life to rise above or “outshine” in situations of sexual abuse, family alcoholism, untimely deaths, and divorce. A friend encouraged me to publish my journal saying, “Women need to read this.” Outshine: An Ovarian Cancer Memoir is a story of my survival, and that cancer or other diseases are challenges from which there are opportunities for self-growth, ministry, and living more fully. God’s gift to me… [read more]

Filed Under: Author Interview, Guest Post, Indie Publishing, Motivational, Self-publishing, Writing Tagged With: , ,

Serious Advice for Serious Independent Authors from Author M. Elias Keller

November 26, 2012 by 8 Comments
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This is a guest post from M. Elias Keller, author of Strange Case of Mr. Bodkin & Father Whitechapel.  Having recently independently published a novel, I’ve come upon plenty of “how-to” or “what-not-to-do” articles about the process. Most of the advice is sound enough—yes, you must proofread your work until your eyeballs vomit—but I haven’t found many articles that target serious writers who are trying to accomplishing more than seeing their name in print.  An author published by a large publishing house is, in a way, an employee. The company has invested in the author’s work and the author is compensated based on product sales. If sales meet certain benchmarks, the company continues to invest in the employee—if not, the author… [read more]

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Guest Post: CONTEST: Write with Hanna, Editorial Feedback #2

October 31, 2012 by Leave a Comment
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Congratulations to submission #6! Synopsis: Sam is four years old when he first feels it—a humming in his stomach that happens when he reads books. As he grows older, the grumblings occur more frequently, and he finally confides in his mother when he is six. Smiling, she hands him a cookbook, and tells Sam to ask the book a question—and to Sam’s surprise, he can feel the book’s reply humming in his stomach. With the help of his mother, Sam learns he inherited her ability to communicate with books. When Sam is nine, his mother mysteriously disappears. Three and a half years later, Sam’s father has exiled himself to the bedroom, leaving Sam to take care of the house.  But… [read more]

Filed Under: Contests, Editing, Guest Post, Revising, Writing, Writing Tips Tagged With: , , , , , ,

The Best First Eyes: A Critical Choice [Guest Post]

October 26, 2012 by 1 Comment
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This is a guest post by Julia Tagliere who writes for Justscribbling.com.  Months of anticipation. Terrible mood swings. Bladder discomfort, weight gain, hours of intense labor pains, all leading up to the arrival of…A baby? Who’s talking about babies? I’m talking about your book! It’s true, finishing a manuscript feels almost like giving birth (only you can have an epidural for babies—they don’t give those to writers). Like any other proud parent, you know with absolute certainty that your magnum opus is flawless, which makes exposing your work to others for critique a very humbling business, indeed. But for all authors, and particularly for those planning to self-publish, obtaining thoughtful, honest, and effective reviews from skilled readers prior to querying or publication… [read more]

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Guest Post: CONTEST: Write with Hanna, Editorial Feedback #1

October 15, 2012 by Leave a Comment
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Hanna here! Well, here we are! I truly enjoyed reading the submissions, and it was difficult to pick just one. I believe that authors are the movers and shakers of the world, and it is so inspirational to be a part of such a talented community. To ensure the author’s anonymity, I have used only the first initial of the character’s names. Congratulations Submission #8! Synopsis: This manuscript opens in Pompeii, J— stumbling over the crouched body of S—, a woman he hasn’t seen for ten years, and whom he has loved since he was a boy. She was bending down, caressing the ruts of the ancient road, tracing the grooves of history in the “city-sized graveyard.” Years later, they… [read more]

Filed Under: Content, Contests, Editing, Guest Post, Revising, Storytelling, Writing, Writing Tips Tagged With: , , , , ,
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