Welcome to the January 25, 2012 edition of the book marketing blog carnival.

Our next carnival will be posted on Wed., February 8, 2012. Deadline for submissions is 5 p.m. CT on Mon., February 6, 2012. Submit your blog article to the next edition of the book marketing blog carnival using our carnival submission form.

Marketing and Online Marketing

Dana Lynn Smith presents Does Your Author Website Need a Makeover? – The Savvy Book Marketer posted at The Savvy Book Marketer.

Joel Friedlander presents Author Blogging 101: Video Interview Tools and Tips — The Book Designer posted at Joel Friedlander.

Dan Janal presents Tips to Succeed on Reality TV posted at Selling Books saying, “It seems like everyone wants to be a Reality TV star. If that’s in your plan, consider these look-good/feel-good tips to become a reality star and best selling author.”

khaled presents Estimate the Response to Your Internet Marketing posted at internet marketing, saying, “Starting an Internet marketing campaign is only the first step within the battle. Sure it’s a good plan to begin an Internet marketing campaign if members of your audience are doubtless to use the Internet to research or purchase the products you sell or the services you provide however these promoting efforts may turn out to be a whole waste of your time if you’re not diligent concerning evaluating the response to your Internet marketing.”

Sarah Bolme presents eBook Price Trends posted at Marketing Christian Books.

Writing and Publishing

Kathy Stinson presents What organizations have you found helpful to you as a writer? posted at Turning the Pages.

Jason Ward presents My Books – The Word of Ward posted at The Word of Ward, saying, “Hi there, this is a link to the information and blurb about my eBook, ‘The Uneven Passage of Time’. Thanks a lot.”

Welcome to the January 11, 2012 edition of the book marketing blog carnival.

Our next carnival will be posted on Wed., January 25, 2012. Deadline for submissions is 5 p.m. CT on Mon., January 23, 2012. Submit your blog article to the next edition of the book marketing blog carnival using our carnival submission form.

Marketing and Online Marketing

Dana Lynn Smith presents Simple Ways to Add a “Call to Action” to Blog Posts posted at The Savvy Book Marketer.

Joel Friedlander presents Author Blogging 101: Where Are the Readers? — The Book Designer posted at Joel Friedlander.

Corinne Liccketto presents 6 Book Publicity Tips for the New Year posted at Selling Books saying, “These six simple book publicity tips will help set you on the path to book promotion in the new year.”

Phil Byrne presents Discovering The Authentic Online You | Coffee Kicks posted at Coffee Kicks – SEO, Link Building.

Joel Friedlander presents Your Author Platform: It’s Not About You! — The Book Designer posted at Joel Friedlander.

Nick Daws presents Why Amazon Authors Should be Promoting Like Gangbusters Right Now! posted at Nick Daws’ Writing Blog.

Dana Lynn Smith presents The Best Way to Market Your Book – The Savvy Book Marketer posted at The Savvy Book Marketer.

Sarah Bolme presents Email Marketing Still Important posted at Marketing Christian Books.

Lindsay presents Tips for Getting Your Self-Published Book into the Library posted at The Irreverent Introvert, saying, “I interviewed a librarian and got the lowdown on getting self-published books into the library.”

Writing and Publishing

Lindsay presents How Many People Can *Really* Make a Living Self-Publishing? posted at The Irreverent Introvert, saying, “A moderately successful indie author shares some of her sales stats and thoughts after almost a year of e-publishing.”

Sarah Bolme presents Doing It Right posted at Marketing Christian Books.

Cathy Stucker presents Quotes About Writing posted at Selling Books saying, “Here are some of my favorite quotations about writing, from writers and others.”

Kathy Stinson presents “An Intimate Examination of Sock Fluff” – Part 1 posted at Turning the Pages: Kathy Stinson’s Blog.

O.C. Heaton presents Do you have a Memory Palace? posted at A Rush of Green, saying, “Here’s a question for all authors out there. Do you ever struggle to remember the characters in your books? What about those incidental characters, created on the hoof?”

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of book marketing carnival using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

Welcome to the December 14, 2011 edition of the book marketing blog carnival.

Our next carnival will be posted on Wed., December 28, 2011. Deadline for submissions is 5 p.m. CT on Mon., November 21, 2011. Submit your blog article to the next edition of the book marketing blog carnival using our carnival submission form.

We are also accepting articles for publication here at http://SellingBooks.com/. Check out this information on how to submit your publishing articles, then send us your best!

Marketing and Online Marketing

Joel Friedlander presents Your Author Platform: It’s Not About You! — The Book Designer posted at Joel Friedlander.

Scott Lorenz presents How Amanda Hocking REALLY Did It posted at Selling Books saying, “Amanda Hocking’s talent for both writing and knowing how to market her books has enabled her to become a wildly successful author. ”

Nick Daws presents Why Amazon Authors Should be Promoting Like Gangbusters Right Now! posted at Nick Daws’ Writing Blog.

Dana Lynn Smith presents The Best Way to Market Your Book – The Savvy Book Marketer posted at The Savvy Book Marketer.

Alenka presents The Social Media Marketing Book posted at Free Downloads Marketing eBooks, saying, “Take advantage of the phenomenon that is quickly becoming the most effective way to market brands, products, and services – social media.”

Joel Friedlander presents Author Blogging 101: Blog Infrastructure — The Book Designer posted at Joel Friedlander.

Jon Rhodes presents Get Paid To Lose Weight! posted at Affiliate Help!, saying, “This article shows you how to get paid for losing weight and writing about it.”

Lindsay presents What the Heck is Author Branding and How Do You Do It Anyway? posted at The Irreverent Introvert, saying, “Some tips for authors looking to establish their brand and sell more books.”
Phil Byrne presents Discovering The Authentic Online You | Coffee Kicks posted at Coffee Kicks – SEO, Link Building.

Sarah Bolme presents Doing It Right posted at Marketing Christian Books.

Phil Byrne presents Connecting Your Google Plus Profile To Your Websites/Blogs/Articles | Coffee Kicks posted at Coffee Kicks – SEO, Link Building.

Chantel Sweeney presents Virtual Book Tours: Book Signings in Cyberspace posted at Freelance Kicker, saying, “Overview of the Virtual Book Tour concept.”

Derek Pryde presents Learning the Basics of RSS posted at Making money on the internet ADVICE.

Writing and Publishing

Kathy Stinson presents One Dickens of a Messy Manuscript posted at Turning the Pages: Kathy Stinson’s Blog.

Lindsay presents Is There a Secret to Self-Publishing Success? posted at Savvy Self-Publishing, saying, “Tips from an indie author making a full time income after her first year of self-publishing.”

Cathy Stucker presents KDP Select – Get Your Share of $6 Million posted at Selling Books saying, “Although it is controversial, the KDP Select program for Amazon Kindle ebooks can be a great opportunity for some authors and some books.”

Lanee’ Blunt presents Write Time Publishing: How to Write a Cover Letter for a Book Proposal posted at Write Time Publishing.

Lindsay presents How Many People Can *Really* Make a Living Self-Publishing? posted at The Irreverent Introvert, saying, “A moderately successful indie author shares some of her sales stats and thoughts after almost a year of e-publishing.”

Sarah Bolme presents Doing It Right posted at Marketing Christian Books.

Lanee’ Blunt presents Write Time Publishing: How to Become a Self-Publisher posted at Write Time Publishing.

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of book marketing carnival using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

Welcome to the November 9, 2011 edition of the book marketing blog carnival.

Our next carnival will be posted on Wed., November 23, 2011. Deadline for submissions is 5 p.m. CT on Mon., November 21, 2011. Submit your blog article to the next edition of the book marketing blog carnival using our carnival submission form.

We are also accepting articles for publication here at http://SellingBooks.com/. Check out this information on how to submit your publishing articles, then send us your best!

Marketing and Online Marketing

Nick Daws presents An Easy Way to Make a Video Book Trailer posted at Nick Daws’ Writing Blog.

bizauthor presents Why You Should Give Away Free Copies of Your Ebook | authoritypublishing.com posted at Authority Publishing, saying, “Thank you!”

Joel Friedlander presents Author Blogging 101: 11 Reasons Your Blog Isn’t Working — The Book Designer posted at Joel Friedlander.

Other

Nick Thacker presents How to Make Reading A Habit posted at Nick Thacker, saying, “A somewhat humorous post on the benefits of reading, writing, and the detriment of non-”bookies” to society.”

Writing and Publishing

Doris presents Entrepreneurs as Authors; Savvy Writers & e-Books online posted at Savvy Writers & e-Books online.

Cathy Stucker presents Get Ready for NaNoWriMo posted at Selling Books saying, “National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) is the perfect time to stop saying, “I want to write a book,” and get down to writing it.”

Andre Cruz presents How to Publish a Book on Your Own posted at The Word.

Doris presents How to overcome Writer’s Block « Savvy Writers & e-Books online posted at Savvy Writers & e-Books online.

Nick Thacker presents How to Write a Novel in 30 Days posted at Nick Thacker, saying, “Writing a novel can be fun, rewarding, and enjoyable–but it can also be difficult. Here are some tips to help you out.”

George Anglada presents Becoming A Writer posted at Georgesguide, saying, “becoming a writer”

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of book marketing carnival using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

Welcome to the October 26, 2011 edition of the book marketing blog carnival.

Our next carnival will be posted on Wed., November 9, 2011. Deadline for submissions is 5 p.m. CT on Mon., November 7, 2011. Submit your blog article to the next edition of the book marketing blog carnival using our carnival submission form.

We are also accepting articles for publication here at http://SellingBooks.com/. Check out this information on how to submit your publishing articles, then send us your best!

Marketing and Online Marketing

Stephanie Chandler presents How authors can break into professional speaking | authoritypublishing.com posted at Authority Publishing.

Sarah Bolme presents The Truth About Marketing Your Book posted at Marketing Christian Books.

Lindsay B presents Search Engine Optimization (SEO) 101 for Authors posted at Savvy Self-Publishing, saying, “Though search engine optimization isn’t the most exciting topic, it can get more people to your site, people who might just go on to check out your books!”

Lindsay presents Should You Add a Forum to Your Author Website? posted at The Irreverent Introvert, saying, “Creating a community where your fans can hang out has it’s perks, but it has it’s downsides too. Read the pros and cons to see if a forum is right for your site.”

Isaac presents Advertise on Twitter to take advantage of this powerful marketing tool posted at Easy Market Solutions.

Other

O.C. Heaton presents Is the path to enlightenment paved with e-books? posted at A Rush of Green, saying, “Michael Hart had a grand vision, which he named Project Gutenberg: e-books for all, for free. He aimed to provide “a million e-books each to a billion people all over the globe”…”

Writing and Publishing

Lanee’ Blunt presents How to Get a Novel Published posted at Write Time Publishing.

Joel Friedlander presents Niche Publishing and the Power of the Few — The Book Designer posted at Joel Friedlander.

Deanna Proach presents Changing Genres? posted at Selling Books saying, “‘Genre’ is what defines a writer, or does it? Should a writer be confined to write in one genre? Is it risky for an author to change the genre that he or she writes in?”

James Moushon presents eBook Authors: Is the New Kindle Library Lending Program a New Opportunity for Self-publishers? posted at The eBook Author’s Corner.

Bobbi Linkemer presents Do You Have What it Takes to be a Ghostwriter? posted at Selling Books saying, “Do you have what it takes? Take this simple test, and find out.”

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of book marketing carnival using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

Self-publishing your own written work can be greatly beneficial, but can also be a very daunting task. The key to making self-publishing work for you is to not sway from quality in your efforts to save money; here are five tips to get you on your way.

1. Editing is Crucial

Good editing plays a strong role in the image you project. When you do things yourself you don’t have a team of editors eager to make sure typos and grammar errors don’t tarnish the public’s view of your work. You’ll need to extend effort to protect your reputation.

• Hire a freelance editor you can trust. You can’t do it all on your own; having an unbiased professional editor is a must. Be careful though, not all proclaimed editors have exceptional skills. Investigate the satisfaction of their previous clients beforehand.
• Don’t settle for the results of initial edits. Your editor is only human and has likely missed a few things. Have a few other readers, with a keen eye and a good education, read the piece for overlooked errors.

2. Keep Expenses to a Minimum

The whole idea behind self-publishing is to maximize profits; however, some avenues can be unnecessary costly.

• Plan on a soft cover. You may think hard covers impress more, but in reality your reader cares more about what’s between the covers than the construction of the book itself.
• Have a local artist design the cover. You can even hold a contest in your area to find the perfect one. Artists will jump at the chance to be featured on the cover of a published book, and you’ll enjoy some exposure as well as a nearly free design.
• Get quotes from at least ten printers that specialize in book production before deciding on whom will get your business. You will be surprised at how much pricing can vary when you shop around.
• Having a black and white cover can be cheaper, but it can also cost you buyers. Most people buy books based on the intrigue created by their cover. Make sure that cutting costs doesn’t have you forgoing saleability.

3. Ensure your Book is Highly Promoted and Easily Accessible Online.

In today’s digital age, promotion and sales has gotten much easier; however the avenues available are more numerous; making choices more difficult.

• Identify your target market. Advertising heavily in online areas that your target market tends to frequent is key to getting noticed by potential readers. Make sure your not staying inside the box too much though, or you’ll miss out on drawing new interest.
• Make sure your book is today’s hot topic. Start an author’s blog that includes the story behind the book, interesting facts, sales information, and other relevant topics that will draw attention to your work.
• Sell and publish your book online. Locate the most popular e-book providers and check into the requirements for publishing in an online format. You can also list printed copies for sale in buyer communities.
• Communicate with your readers. Readers who enjoy your book may enjoy a chance to speak with its brilliant creator. Join numerous social networking sites, and create a website about yourself and your works.

4. Promote Within your Community.

You don‘t need to spend money on expensive bookstore signings, but don’t leave behind the community that knows and loves you. You’ll pull most of your readers’ right from your own neighborhood.

• Volunteering or hosting community events can do wonders. You’ll shine up your reputation and gain a chance to self-promote while helping other groups. Talk to local schools, youth centers, libraries, and other organizations where you can giveback and get the word out.
• Don’t be afraid to give away a few hundred copies. It may seem fruitless, but you’ll definitely reap the benefits. Set up a stand in your local park or at community events in which you give away free copies to the first 20 or so customers; you’ll be known all throughout the area in a matter of days.

5. Seek Out Reviews

Book reviews enhance advertising and intrigue potential buyers. Bloggers and other online sites as well as newspapers and magazines offer free book reviews for writers. Securing positive reviews will ensure your increased publicity and readership.

Self-publishing can be intimidating; however, with effort and dedication it can also be rewarding. A writer that not only creates quality written work, but can successful publish it, has truly accomplished their dream. These tips will surly help you pave the way to success.

Deborah Smith is a freelance writer for websites that are able to compare car insurance, home insurance, and credit cards. She has been known to write some great books on her free time and knows self-publishing like the back of her hand. When she isn’t helping people save money on their necessities, you can find Deborah helping up and coming writers have their books published!

Welcome to the October 12, 2011 edition of the book marketing blog carnival.

Our next carnival will be posted on Wed., October 26, 2011. Deadline for submissions is 5 p.m. CT on Mon., October 24, 2011. Submit your blog article to the next edition of the book marketing blog carnival using our carnival submission form.

We are also accepting articles for publication here at http://SellingBooks.com/. Check out this information on how to submit your publishing articles, then send us your best!

Marketing and Online Marketing

Cathy Stucker presents How to Tag Your Book on Amazon.com posted at Selling Books saying, “Want to make it easier for customers to find your book or other product on Amazon.com? One simple way to get more visitors to your product page is to use the product tags feature on Amazon. This video shows how to easily add tags to your product.”

Jackie Lapin presents Getting Booked on Radio and TV with a Pitch That Wows Them! posted at Selling Books saying, “Getting one radio show to book you may be just luck. But getting dozens or even hundreds of radio shows to book you means that you must have a compelling pitch letter and subject that are irresistible.”

Sandy Diaz presents The Difference Between Book Publicity and Advertising posted at Selling Books saying, “The best way to explain the difference between publicity and advertising is to pick up a magazine and find a story featuring an author, and in the same issue find an advertisement for a book. The article gives the author and his title credibility as the reader knows the magazine thinks enough of the person to incorporate him or her into the story. The advertisement gives the author exposure; however the reader also knows someone paid for this advertisement. Therein lies the key difference: credibility vs. control.”

Evan Gold presents Earning Income Online What It Takes posted at Internet Income Formula.

Other

Melanie Slaugh presents Old School Networking 101: Before Social Media posted at Internet Service Providers, saying, “Let’s begin with some definitions. What is networking? Well, it’s pretty simple, actually. Networking is nothing more than making and nurturing connections between people. We all do it, though some are more adept at it than others. Usually, a network is defined as a group of connections through which people socialize, share resources, and enhance productivity.”

Writing and Publishing

Kathy Stinson presents So You Want to Write a Children’s Book posted at Turning the Pages: Kathy Stinson’s Blog, saying, “Award-winning children’s book editor and writing teacher Peter Carver has published a handbook on writing for children.”

Joel Friedlander presents The Parable of the Little Book of Stories — The Book Designer posted at Joel Friedlander.

Vikk Simmons presents Is Writing Your True Passion? posted at Down the Writer’s Path, saying, “I’m on a quest to reclaim my passion. When did it leave? Why is it absent? Where did it go? I guess I could spend time and a lot of angst trying to answer those questions but does it matter? What matters is that I am passionless. What matters even more is that I want my passion back.”

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of the book marketing blog carnival using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

Are you ready to be a publisher? Do you have all the keys? Now that you have made the decision to become a publisher, you must take the reins. You are the maestro, the coach, and the head cheerleader. To understand your new role, it is essential that you understand each key, each step of the process.

No publisher should be without this highly readable, nuts-and-bolts guide to the ins and outs of book publishing. The Midpoint team has more than a century of combined book publishing experience, which will prove invaluable to all publishers, from seasoned professionals to those new to the game. The book concisely discusses the editorial process, design, printing, pricing, sales and distribution, marketing and publicity. It also includes success stories from authors, publishers, and others in the industry who relate the strategies that helped them rocket their books to bestseller status.

After you have learned the elements of your trade, you will be prepared to take on the turbulent and challenging world of book publishing.

Read More

[amazon-product-reviews]

Welcome to the September 28, 2011 edition of the book marketing blog carnival.

Our next carnival will be posted on Wed., October 12, 2011. Deadline for submissions is 5 p.m. CT on Mon., October 10, 2011. Submit your blog article to the next edition of the book marketing blog carnival using our carnival submission form.

We are also accepting articles for publication here at http://SellingBooks.com/. Check out this information on how to submit your publishing articles, then send us your best!

Marketing and Online Marketing

Joel Friedlander presents 6 Compelling Reasons Why Authors Need to Blog — The Book Designer posted at Joel Friedlander.

Sarah Bolme presents How Do Your Book Sales Stack Up? posted at Marketing Christian Books.

Savvy SelfPub presents E-Book Promotion Tips from a Full-Time Indie Author posted at Selling Books, saying, “I published my first ebook in December of 2010 and made about $40 that month, mostly from friends and family members who took pity on me and bought my book. As I write this, it’s September, 2011, and I’m the verge of quitting the day job, thanks to my ebooks.”

Erica Morgan presents 10 Tips for Using Twitter for Business posted at Internet Providers, saying, “Twitter has grown rapidly into a mainstream communication tool, and businesses and entrepreneurs alike are still figuring out how best to utilize the technology. As with any cutting-edge tool, people have to figure out how to use the tool properly without getting hurt.. The learning curve is steep, and new data is available every day that will continue to be used to propel the evolution of Twitter. Presented here are some tips that have already been tried-and-tested, and may help you establish your own successful business use of Twitter.”

Paul Hartunian presents Why Most People Fail When They Try To Get Free Publicity posted at Selling Books, saying, “My guess is that 97% of the people who try to get free publicity fail miserably. They fail because they violate the #1 rule of publicity and press releases.”

Reviews

Nick Daws presents Review: How to Get Your Book Reviewed posted at Nick Daws’ Writing Blog.

Writing and Publishing

Kathy Stinson presents How do you pick the illustrator for your picture books? posted at Turning the Pages: Kathy Stinson’s Blog, saying, “Canadian author Kathy Stinson talks about working with picture book illustrators.”

Paul Gamble presents How to Write a Book: From First Page to Final Publishing posted at All Cash On Deck, saying, “Includes information about the actual writing process as well as various publication options. Detailed information about independent publishing alternatives online and many other possible paths for the author to take.”

Nick Daws presents We Sell Your Ebooks – A New Service for Self-Publishing Authors posted at Nick Daws’ Writing Blog.

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of the book marketing blog carnival using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

Welcome to the September 14, 2011 edition of the book marketing blog carnival. We have several interesting posts for you about writing, book publishing, book marketing and more.

Our next carnival will be posted on Wed., September 28, 2011. Deadline for submissions is 5 p.m. CT on Mon., September 26, 2011. Submit your blog article to the next edition of the book marketing blog carnival using our carnival submission form.

We are also accepting articles for publication here at http://SellingBooks.com/. Check out this information on how to submit your publishing articles, then send us your best!

Marketing and Online Marketing

Joel Friedlander presents How to Make Your Blog Readers Into Rabid Fans — The Book Designer posted at Joel Friedlander.

Cathy Stucker presents Are Mermaids the New Vampires? posted at Selling Books, saying, “Vampires have been a hot topic for the last few years. Although vampires are always popular, the Next Big Thing in publishing and popular culture may be…mermaids.”

Sarah Bolme presents A Marketing Strategy that Works posted at Marketing Christian Books.

Dan Janal presents When Should You Build Your Author Platform? posted at Selling Books, saying, “To be successful, you must have a platform. In fact, the bigger the platform, the greater the success.”

Nick Daws presents Branding for Self-Published Writers posted at Nick Daws’ Writing Blog.

Martin Mendler presents Powerful technique of influence nr 4. posted at ReadMyMind, saying, “This is my post covering one of, if not the most important general principles of marketing; Social proof. Enjoy.”

Other

Kathy Nelson presents 10 Ways to Read e-Books Without an e-Reader posted at Broadband Service Providers, saying, “e-Books are becoming very popular, and while some are a compliment to the paper published book, others are solely available as an electronic book. e-Readers are a great way to take multiple books with you on the go, but did you know that you do not need an e-Reader in order to read an e-Book? Listed below are ten ways to read an e-Book without an e-Reader.”

Melanie Slaugh presents 10 Career Enhancing Social Networking Sites posted at Internet Service Providers, saying, “Social networking sites were originally created to connect people, but today’s sites do so much more. Everyone knows that successful careers are built on who you know. No matter what field you’re in, there’s a site for you.”

Reviews

Kathy Stinson presents A Star for Starfall posted at Turning the Pages: Kathy Stinson’s Blog.

Writing and Publishing

Chris Brogan presents Writing a Book – Making Money posted at Chris Brogan, saying, “Can you make any money at this book thing?” Yes, but you’ve gotta work at it.”

Nick Daws presents Going Plot Fishing – How To Come Up With Original Story Ideas posted at Nick Daws’ Writing Blog.

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of the book marketing blog carnival using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.