The answer to this depends on whether you have managed to land one of the big five traditional publishers. If you are working with one of these, they have the keys to possibly making money on print books. Nobody else does. Not you, not your small press publisher. The reason is that you will have […]
The Answer Place: What can an author do better than a small press can?
Here are four things that you, as an indie author, could do better than a small press could do for you. Schedule and manage e-book price specials. For a publisher with a number of books, it’s hard to do well. For you, with just your own books, you’ll have the incentive to keep right on top […]
The Answer Place: What can a small press do for me that I can’t do myself?
Here are four things a small press can do for you, an author, more effectively than you can do for yourself. Get you entered into certain industry contests that favor traditionally published authors. If you’re doing it yourself, you may have to prove that you’ve got some best-seller sales in order to enter. Submit your book to Publishers Weekly and […]
The Answer Place: How do I get a great cover for my book?
We have a question about covers this week: “How do I get a great cover for my book?” First, let me emphasize how important it is to have a truly eye-catching, genre-appropriate cover for your book. The reason? That’s how your book will get noticed in the ever-increasing number of ebooks available online. You’ll want to […]
An indie author wants marketing help
Today I got an email from an indie author wanting help with marketing. Here’s what I told him: I can give you some basic advice, and you can find more if you look on our blog under marketing tips. There’s a formula that many indie authors are using to make tons of money on ebooks, […]
Trad pub, small press, or indie publishing: which is right for you?
Fiction writers, should you aim for traditional publication, small press, or indie publishing? It’s a tough decision in a situation where publishers aren’t doing very well. You can tell that because they consolidate, sell out, buy each other up, and generally act unstable. There isn’t much money to be had in publishing these days, except […]
Sell enough ebooks to quit your day job: four tips from a pro
Want to learn more about selling enough ebooks to quit your day job? I like to listen to podcasts related to publishing, and one of those I’ve found is BookMarketingTools.com Recently Jamie Davis, indie paranormal ebook author, gave his secrets for success. Email list. Like most successful indie authors, he lays a lot of the […]
Six tips to strengthen an author’s bookstore strategy
There’s probably an independent bookstore in your town. You, an author, want your books in physical bookstores because readers can browse there and discover–something that’s much easier in a bookstore than online. So you’d like this local bookstore to carry and sell your books and make money for you, not to mention find new readers […]
Four tips for using hashtags for writers
Authors, in your social media efforts, it would be a great idea to incorporate relevant hashtags. Not too many, of course–that confuses your reader. Just one or two, carefully chosen. So, what is a hashtag? It’s a search keyword preceded by a pound sign. Not just any word or bunch of words shoved together. Words […]
Writers, how to find your audience
Writers, perhaps you’re wondering how you will find your audience, once your book is available. Here’s a suggestion: One reader at a time. I’m assuming the book has been edited by professionals before it’s published, and there’s no doubt that it’s worth bragging about. Before publication time, get review copies into the hands of plenty […]