Extending Your Reach

Reblogged from C Giovanni Writes:

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You've published your novel! Congrats! You have it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble, now what's next? Both of these retailers are great and will give you a generous reach to all over the world, but they don't get everyone or to every device. After a few months of selling on both, but mostly Amazon, I saw an advertisement on Goodreads for Google Play.

Read more… 2,517 more words

Robert Niles has written an article: Which online retailers do the best job of helping sell your eBooks?  Jane Friedman gives advice: 10 Questions to Ask Before Committing to Any E-Publishing Service . Cassandra Giovanni wrote a great blog post, in detail, about the pro's and con's of several online retailers and her experience about uploading her books, categories, interface, sales reports etc. Recommend this blog for every writer / author publisher!  Thanks Cassandra!

 

More Options for Authors to Sell Their Books

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Amazon’s global competitor Kobo sells not only in Great Britain and Ireland. More countries will follow as Kobo will be soon the second-largest international online e-book retailer.  In former blog posts we covered the benefits of Kobo’s “Writing Life“.  Uploading is easy and you get 70% royalties, same as on Amazon.
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More and more bookstores will sell books in any form, on any platform, Kobo e-books is one of them. The Huffington Post published an article a while ago, how independent bookstores can survive and mentioned the iconic San Francisco bookstore Kepler’s in Menlo Park, CA, who is listed under the Independent Bookstore participants and the Kobo e-reading program.

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Indiebound.org
Indiebound offers more than 3.5 million titles. Check out these independent Bookstores in your town/State, that are participating at Indibound.org  and upload your book or e-book to Kobo.  And than for sure, you can arrange a book signing with these “brick & mortar stores”.  Indiebound.org’s website offers also a North America map, the “Indie Store Finder” for USA and Canada where you get lists of all indie bookstores in your area.
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Authors can also earn on their website from Indie books. As part of the IndieBound.org Affiliate Program, they can extend the passion and knowledge of independent bookstores into your online community, and earn generous commissions.
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Writer Molly Greene explained on her blog Kobo to her (non-Canadian or UK) writing audience and how they set up and sign in with Kobo and how to upload and sell your e-book with Kobo.
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In a recent article we reported about the great improvements for Kobo Authors.  Kobo lets you sell your e-books to readers worldwide, e.g. Canada, USA, Australia, Japan, Brazil and European countries.  Kobo customers own their books for life! Read your Kobo books on any open standard device and bring your books to a growing number of Kobo eReading Apps.  Free Kobo eReading apps are offered for smartphones, tablets and computers – Kobo automatically saves your place and syncs your bookmarks across devices.
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Why sell books only to one or two companies? Well, actually, it’s not even selling, it is a kind of consignment… as online book retailers don’t pay you upfront, only when your book is sold will you get money. Upload your book not only to Amazon and Barnes&Noble, but to Kobo as well, an online retailer where your books can be sold in independent, local bookstores.

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If you enjoyed this blog post, please feel free to check out all previous posts of this blog (there are
almost 700 of them : ) if you haven’t already. Why not sign up to receive them regularly by email?
Just click on “Follow” in the upper line on each page – and then on “LIKE” next to it. There is also the
“SHARE” button underneath each article where you can submit the article to Pinterest, Google+,
Twitter, Chime.in, Facebook, Tumblr and StumpleUpon.

Thanks a lot for following:

@111publishing

http://pinterest.com/111publishing/

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http://bit.ly/VmtVAS 111Publishing @ Google+

Don’t forget to spread the word on other social networking sites of your choice for other writers who
might also enjoy this blog and find it useful. Thanks

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Interview with Patrick Jones, author of “The Wolf’s Moon”

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Patrick   thank you so much for taking the time today for this author interview. Let’s dive right in:

What inspired you to start writing?
I have written since I was a kid.  I wrote a mystery novel in High School.  My classmates liked the story but it, like everything else, wound up in the circular file cabinet.  Mrs. Ruth Morrisey, an English Lit teacher, encouraged me to write, while my family said I would starve.
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How did you get the idea for the novel?
One day I sat with a pen and paper and just started writing.  Sandy, my wife, was giving a lecture at a seminar so I decided to kill some time.  The more I wrote, the more it took on its own life.  “The Wolf’s Moon” went from a doodling, to a short story and ended as a novel.  I only wrote what I saw in my mind.
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Author Patrick Jones

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How would you describe your book to someone who has not yet read it?
The story is an action suspense thriller that intertwines love, loyalty and in the end, redemption.  Mark Lansdowne wants to be left alone to grieve the loss of his wife to illness but instead is pulled into uncontrolled circumstances which narrowly cost him his life.  Although he knows he and his lifelong pal, Warren Skruggs, should leave it to the proper authorities, things continue to happen causing Lansdowne to take matters into his own hands.
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Does your book have any underlying theme, message, or moral?
Loyalty and Love: The loyalty between Linden and Skruggs: Trusting each other even if it caused their death, never questioning their motives.  True love that Linden has for his deceased wife:  Linden made a commitment and took a vow.  He loved her completely in life, so her death is only a temporary separation.  Love and friendship do not die.
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Who is your favorite character and why?
Skruggs.  The reason I like Skruggsy is because he would rather see humor than the bad in life.  He always smiles, but when the smile fades he becomes a very controlled, violent individual.  He deeply loves his wife.  He would help anybody at the drop of a hat that needed help.  But he would kill just as fast.

Are your plots based on your real-life experiences?
For a writer to convince the reader that a character is real, he must believe each and every one of them is real.  While one is writing the story he or she lives with each character as though they actually exist.  Maybe they are fictional but life experiences, what the writer sees, feels and hears must be the same for them.  I think this is true regardless of genre if the writer expects their readers to identify with the characters.  Each reader should think of someone they know or have met.
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Give us an excerpted quote from your favorite review of this book:
“Thriller fans will rejoice at the well-paced vignettes and spiking tension.”
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If Oprah invited you onto her show to talk about your book, what would the theme of the show be?
I would think that I could get on stage and Oprah would say, “How in the world did you write a book and have it made into a movie at this time in your life?” Adele would then sing the song she made for the movie!!
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What would/could a reader or reviewer say about this book that shows they “get” you as an author?
The Kirkus Review has captured the essence of the book by the following description of their interpretation:  “Jones’ novel confidently lays the groundwork for future books, with romantic and thriller subplots tightly interwoven in the service of a propulsive narrative. No time is wasted in introducing the characters or the creature, yet nothing feels rushed. Fans of romance may feel shortchanged by the surprisingly chaste nature of Lansdowne’s interactions with the nurse. However, thriller fans will rejoice at the well-paced vignettes and spiking tension. Jones doles out information with care, providing enough history to make things clear without overwhelming exposition. This same care is evident in the novel’s resolution, which ties up loose ends without shutting the door on further developments.”
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Thinking way back to the beginning, what’s the most important thing you’ve learned as a writer from then to now?
Years ago, before Indie Publishing, it was hard, if not impossible, to get a book on the market.  Now if a person is willing to pay people (that a publisher pays) it’s not as hard.  What I have really learned is writing the book is easier than selling the story.  When I received my first proof copy, I was satisfied that I completed what I had set out to do.  I have learned literary agents are tough people who have to say, “no,” a lot.  They cannot take too many chances.  Books are their bread and butter and they have to maintain a good rapport with publishers.  If a publisher, after spending time and money promoting a book and it doesn’t sell, he or she is on the street.
I don’t think of a rejection letter as a bad thing.  It just tells me I need to sharpen my skills.  It is like getting a bad review.  I smile knowing I did something they probably did not – I wrote a book.
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Considering a book from the first word you write to the moment you see it on a bookstore shelf, what’s your favorite part of the process? What’s your least favorite?
Since my book has not been in a bookstore yet, I suppose my favorite part really is working with my wife.  It is fun.  We work well together.  I have not found anything I don’t like, except trying to find new ways to sell my book.
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If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything about your book?
No, I like it the way it is.  The editor said the first chapter sounded like a travel log.  Maybe, but people who have read the book tell me it helps to understand the Ozark Region. Stephen King wouldn’t have liked Chapter One but I don’t think he has read “The Wolf’s Moon”.  I haven’t heard from him…YET.
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What genre have you not yet written but really want to try?
A children’s book.  I think it would be fun but I can’t visualize anything yet.  One day, perhaps.
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If your book would be made into a movie, who should play the main character?
The guy who played the part of the scientist in the TV program SG1, Michael Shanks.  He looks much like I imagined Linden to look and I think he could pull it off.
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How did you get published? Please share your own personal journey.
We self-published.  Sandy and I shopped around to find someone and decided on Create Space.  We were actually able to speak with a person that advised us.  The rest sent emails.  Yes, most everything had a price tag.  They were not the cheapest nor were they the priciest.  The people at Create Space were easy to talk with.  When we ordered books, they usually arrived before the scheduled delivery date.  They mentored us through all of the steps we needed to go through to get the book published.  We learned that the process does not end there.  There are a multitude of other steps that are necessary to traverse through the self-publishing adventure.  We have met wonderful people along the way who have mentored us throughout the entire process.  Sometimes it is frustrating, but with each baby step we move ahead in the journey.

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Don’t miss the book trailer for The Wolf’s Moon on YouTube and give it a thumbs up!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=18LUT5eyAjE

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What general advice do you have for other writers?
If there was any advice I would give to an aspiring writer, it is to write.  Read other people, not for story content, but to see how they put the story together.  Don’t read just the King’s or the Patterson’s but also the Twain’s, Spillane’s and Fleming’s out there.  Then develop your own style.  Anyone can copy a style but to be unique to you, it must be your own style.

When they have what they feel is their style – let a few people read something.  They should be people that will tell the truth and give an honest opinion.  If it’s not what you wanted to hear, don’t get discouraged, get determined.  Don’t quit.
Remember:  There are a great many people out in the world wanting to sell their work.  Whether you sell only one copy or make the New York Times Bestseller List, you did something that many want to do and never do – you wrote and completed a book.
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What do you find is the best part of being an author?
That is a hard question.  I think meeting, talking, or emailing people who have said they enjoyed the book and they want to know, “when is the next one coming out?”  It is fun to know they enjoyed the story enough to want another.
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What is ONE thing that you have done that brought you more readers?
Blogging has done a lot but my wife continuously gets me involved with social media.  She says that it is important for people to know that I am no different from them.  I still cut grass, work in my wood shop, go grocery shopping.  I do all the same things that they have to do.  Where they may work in a factory, my job is writing.
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What’s one thing that your readers would be surprised to know about you?
My personal world is a simple, comfortable place, as my immediate family makes life wonderful.  Sandy (my wife) and I like flowers, so we have several gardens around the house.  Our house is like one from a fairy tale.  At the end of a day, sitting with her on the deck having that last cup of coffee, watching the sun set and the moon rise give me great satisfaction and contentment.
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Where can people learn more about your writing?
To know more about me they can go to the website:  http://www.thelindenchronicles.com .
There readers can see pictures and my blogs.  I like to blog about everyday things.
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Thank you so much Patrick to get to know you better and to hear about your journey of writing the first book and the first year as an author-publisher.

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Have You Got a Marketing Plan for Your Book?

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Marketing possibilities for your book sometimes seem to be overwhelming. Use this article to schedule and divide it into small pieces to execute one at a time – make it a habit to work on it every day.
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Let’s assume that you, as a self-publishing author have produced an excellent, high-quality book or e-book and now you are going to publish and to market your book.
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Or take scenario two: you have written the best book and found the best agent possible and she’s made the best deal she can get with the best publisher who’s interested, then you will be surprised to learn about the reality in traditional publishing: Publishers do spend money on advertising, PR and paid placement in bookstores, but they don’t spend the same amount on all books. On average publishers spend less than $2,000 on advertising 90% of their titles—not much to get the word out about your book.

Bookstores will return your unsold books after three months to the publisher, which means almost the end of your book’s “brick & mortar” career. These are the reasons YOU will have to get the word out about your book, no matter if you author-publish or if you go with a big, traditional publisher.
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You certainly have done your homework before you started writing your book:

• You researched your possible competition and how popular the genre is in which you are writing.
• You have identified your target market and in which time-frame you want to accomplish the introduction for your book.
• You made plans for your writing career, you vision already – and maybe even lined out several books, you know that one book only doesn’t make for a writing career.
• You thought about where you want to be in one, three, or five years from now, and what you want to have accomplished as a writer then.
• You also know that book marketing starts ideally before and while you write your future bestseller.

There are two avenues to market and sell your work, even if you have sold your manuscript to a traditional publisher. Either you:

• will invest lots of money and buy ads / go on book signing tours / attend book fairs – or you
• will invest time into building a platform and an authors brand through the use of social marketing and content marketing, plus you learn some fast and free tricks to spread the word about your book
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And then there is 1. the promotional, social part and 2. the “hard-selling” part for your book.
The latter will barely work if you have not laid out the foundation with the first part. Would you likely buy something from an unknown person, no matter if on- or off-line?  Remember that your competition in published books is fierce and there are millions published every year. Readers have to be convinced to buy an unfamiliar book from a totally unknown author…
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It will be the same for both, fiction or non-fiction: The foundation for your books’ success is in building a community, a social environment and a platform to introduce yourself and your work to readers. How can you accomplish this, even before your book is finished? It takes a year to make yourself known in the book community, so start early in order to have a successful book launch:
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1. What you can do before your book is ready to go to the beta-reader, copy-editor and final editor:

- Have a professional! photographer taken a portrait to use for your avatar
- Get to know and introduce yourself to potential readers, sign up at Google+
(good for SEO), Twitter, FB, Pinterest, Flickr
- Join several book communities, #1 Goodreads, #2 Wattpad, #3 KindleBoards, BookTalk, Scribd…
- Visit forums in your field, especially if you write non-fiction
- Join HARO (Help a Reporter out) to make yourself a name as an expert in your field
- Start and write regularly (once or twice a week) blog posts
- Create your own (not a free!) author website 
- Send your blog articles to newspapers / magazines and even to e-Zines
- Write guest blogs for other bloggers to get your name out
- Write your “elevator pitch” and practice your “elevator speech” for quick pitch
- Start a spread sheet or list with email addresses of potential readers
- Create an email signature & use it for every email you send out
- Print business cards / book marks
- Get an ISBN number and register your copyright
- Register with Bowker to have your book worldwide listed (free)
- Choose the right genre (category) and keywords for your book
- Gather as many reviews as possible and write a compelling blurb
- Research media contacts and prepare Press Releases
- Invite several thousand! people as followers and friends on your social media sites

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2. Plan of action, once your book is edited, has an appealing cover – that’s what people see first, is professionally converted (e-book), or got a perfect layout (print) and is ready to launch:
.- Place your book into the right category / genre and sub-genre (important for its success!)

- Create a second, separate BOOK PAGE on Amazon, Goodreads, Google+ and FB
- Submit your book to the Library of Congress (USA only)
- Set up a media press kit on your website with a link to your book trailer
- Plan and create an email campaign to potential readers
- Get customer orders for special (price) pre-launch sale
- Invite more reviewers for your book
- Submit photos of your book cover image to Pinterest, Flickr…
- Create a slide show  and/or video book trailer
- Send copies to book reviewers in various publications and to book bloggers
- Send review copies to book clubs with large distribution
- Automate submissions to and between all your social networks
- Write a blog post about the upcoming launch
- Spruce up your website and blog for your book launch
- Write a compelling press release
- Ask your friends to “Like”, “Thumbs up” & “Listmania” your book on Amazon
- Participate in “Carnival of the Indies” blog carnival to promote your blog URL
- Comment on other blogs and write lots of guest blogs
- Submit your blogs including an URL link to even more e-Zines
- Consider to participate at KDP Select free days, announce your upcoming book for free
- Offer interviews at Radio /TV stations and newspapers or on other blogs
- Try to set you up to become a desirable guest expert on a talk or morning show
- Befriend influential book bloggers for even more reviews and articles
- Donate your book to local libraries and offer to speak
- Contact local bookstores for book signings
- Gather writing friends for cross-promotions and blog tours
- Add press clippings and articles, already published, to your website
- Get a new business card with an image of your book and sales link
- Place the books’ cover image & description daily on your Google+ stream
- Announce your book launch or book signing on Google+ for FREE
- Get even more friends, followers and people in your circles on social media sites
as you need lots of audience to spread the word about your new book!
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What else can you do to increase your books’ success:
- Become a guest speaker at writers conferences or business seminars
- Sell your book to libraries
- Let your book translate in other languages or sell foreign rights
- Split your (non-fiction) book in pieces and sell single articles to magazines
- Participate in writing contests and book awards

The possibilities are endless… Stay tuned for more tips at http://savvybookwriters.wordpress.com
Make sure you have done every one of these steps to have a great start once your book is published. Write for pleasure – publish for profit!

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If you enjoyed this blog post, please feel free to check out all previous posts of this blog (there are almost 700 of them : ) if you haven’t already. Why not sign up to receive them regularly by email? Just click on “Follow” in the upper line on each page – and then on “LIKE” next to it. There is also the “SHARE” button underneath each article where you can submit the article to Pinterest, Google+, Twitter, Chime.in, Facebook, Tumblr and StumpleUpon.

Follow on Twitter: @111publishing

And don’t forget to spread the word on other social networking sites of your choice for other writers who might also enjoy this blog and find it useful. Thanks, Doris

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How to Prepare for and Announce Your Free KDP Select Days

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In the last blog post “Free Days on KDP Select - is it for you?” the pro’s and con’s of joining Amazon’s KDP Select program have been shown.  Today let’s look at how to prepare and advertise the free days for your Kindle e-book.
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A month before your free days:

• Make sure you have at least a handful of book reviews on Amazon
• Update the books file and add some promotional links
• Check that your book is in the right categories
• Set up the best days for your “free” promotion
• Write to all the free book websites and ask to announce your free days
• Write an article about your books free days on your own blog
• Raise the price for your book
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Twitter
A week before the big day, prepare a list with at least two dozen tweets (to post them at least every half hour), so you have them handy to schedule in Twuffer, Futuretweets, Hootsuite or whatever Twitter scheduler you use. Incorporate these hashtags into your messages: #FreeKindleBook, #freekindle, #freebook, #free, #kindlepromo, #freeE-books or #freeKindledays, just to name a few.
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Google+, Pinterest and News Release to blogs
Prepare lots of photos of you book cover, at least in 600 x 800 pixel (not the small one from your Amazon site).
Write a short description about your book and it’s free days with exact Amazon links for each country! and offer it to other bloggers, including your books photo. Do this at least a week before the free days, to give bloggers time to incorporate your article into their blogging schedule. A couple of them will post it, especially if you wrote guest posts for them before and you offer them a reciprocal.
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On your free days post your books cover and description several times on your Google+ site, with a variation of text and headline. Same with Pinterest, Chime.in and Facebook. Ask your friends on all these sites to submit it for you to their friends as well.
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Goodreads
Ask a couple of your peers at Goodreads to send out a book recommendation with a note of the free days to all of their friends (you cannot recommend your own books on Goodreads). Choose those with the most friends to reach a maximum audience.
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FREE Event ads
Both, Goodreads and Google+ have a free tool to advertise this event. Just type “event” into the search function on Goodreads, and on Google+ you can see the event planner on the right hand side of your timeline. Set it up a couple of days in advance and send out an email, to all your peers, write about it on FB, tweet it several times before the free days begin and don’t forget to announce it on Pinterest with a nice cover photo of your book.
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Double-Check everything!
Make sure your dates at the free book lists are correct! Most of these posts are scheduled in advance so if your book is not free, you could be blacklisted. Double-check your Amazon ASIN number if the link is correct when you submit to sites (copy and paste from Amazon rather than type it in). You certainly can shorten your Amazon link, e.g. Amazon.com/dp/B008Y15YYO.  However, do not use any of these commercial link shorteners (bit.ly, wp etc. or Amazon affiliate links) for submission to promotional free book websites, they will not accept them.
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Here are ten sites where you can advertise your free days – for free – there are certainly many more. Please drop us an email: 111Publishing a t gmail.com and we will email them to you.

• Pixel Of Ink 
• FKB Books and Tips 
• eReader News Today 
• Free Booksy 
• Bargain eBook Hunter 
• Kindle Book Review 
• Ebook Deal of the Day 
• Book Goodies 
• KindleMojo 
• Indie Book Promo 

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Twitter accounts that re-tweet your free books – get more from us, send us an email!

@DigitalBkToday
@kindleebooks
@Kindlestuff
@KindleEbooksUK
@KindleBookKing
@KindleFreeBook
@free_kindle
@FreeReadFeed
@freebookdude
@4FreeKindleBook
@FreeKindleStuff

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Amazon has an abundance of lists, such as Top Rated lists, Bestsellers List, Hot New Release list, Gift Idea lists, Top-100 lists for each category, “If you like this you may …” lists, “So you want to” lists and Top Rated Author Lists. When someone downloads your book (for free or paid), it moves up the charts. A lot more people will see it then, compared to before your free days.  Being more visible when the book is reverted back to a paid download, means more people can find it, and will results in more sales.  When people download your book, it starts appearing in the “People who bought this book also bought..” and “Recommended for you” sections, even more increasing visibility.

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Once the free days are over, start to promote heavily lending/borrowing of your e-book, in order to get Amazons Prime members to borrow your book.

Possible Tweets could be:

• Did you know? Amazon Prime Membership allows you to borrow …..
• Amazon Prime Members can borrow …. for free
• The benefit of Amazons Prime Membership is: you can borrow ….
• Amazon Prime Members in the UK and Ireland:
• Amazon Prime Members in Canada: you can….
• Amazon Prime Members in Germany:
• Amazon Prime Members in Spain:

You get the idea…. Use the remaining weeks and months to further promote your books for lending. You will be paid for that!

Good luck for your KDP Select promotion and let us know if you have more ideas how to publicize your book during this time.

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If you enjoyed this blog post, please feel free to check out all previous posts of this blog (there are almost 600 of them : ) if you haven’t already. Why not sign up to receive them regularly by email?
Just click on “Follow” in the upper line on each page – and then on “LIKE” next to it. There is also the “SHARE” button underneath each article where you can submit the article to Pinterest, Google+, Twitter, Chime.in, Facebook, Tumblr and StumpleUpon.

Follow on Twitter: @111publishing

And don’t forget to spread the word on other social networking sites of your choice for other writers who might also enjoy this blog and find it useful. Thanks, Doris

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Young Readers Use Social Media to Discover Books

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Young E-Book Consumers Three Times More Likely to Use Social Media for Book Discovery reports Digital Book World.  Social media is an increasingly important discovery tool for all forms of entertainment, and the survey shows the impact it is having on the book publishing industry. 

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E-reading consumers who use Amazon or Barnes & Noble e-readers are more likely to use online and e-book storefronts as a book discovery tool, according to new research by NextMarket Insights.

Another interesting finding is the drastic difference in the usage of social media for e-book discovery by age group:
According to the survey findings, e-book reading consumers aged 18-29 are two times more likely to use social media for book discovery than those aged 45-60, and over three times more likely as those aged over 60.

Read the whole article / Press Release at Digital Book Worlds’ website.

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How to Write a Press Release for Your Book

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A book launch, a book award received, the sale of more than 100,000 copies, a new version of an existing book into digital format or audio book and even a holiday that fits to the books content, are reasons to send out a press releases.

A successful press release campaign needs to be well planned:

• research of recipients
• research of key words
• research of benefits for readers
• creating a compelling headline
• get stunning photos
• write first paragraph
• write a catchy text 
• editing, editing, editing
• proof-reading
• set up the format
• contact the recipient
• prepare for the interview
• create more buzz

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Put together a file of contact people at newspapers, radio stations, TV stations and other organizations that would be a good fit. Make sure you email the right person. Before sending a release, do as much research as you can about the people you’re sending it to, and find out their name and their phone number for follow-up. A focused and tailored mailing list will garner more results.

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Write your release in a way that helps searchers find you online. Compile a list of the keywords and phrases that are most relevant to your book, and then cross-check these terms using Google’s keyword tool to assess search volume and competition for your core keywords in your headline and body text, and to find suggestions for other related keywords.
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To include images to your press release can make a huge difference in coverage. 80% of journalists and bloggers admitted to likely cover news that includes an image. Photographs also help your search strategy if you optimize the images for search by naming and tagging them with keywords.  If a picture is worth a thousand words, how much is a video worth? Adding a video along with a photo doubles the engagement rate. One more reason to create a marvelous book trailer.
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Write “tweetable” press release headlines. Data shows press releases that are shared via social media bring an average of six people back to the news distribution site to view the release.

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Journalists don’t read Press Releases!

They only “scan” them and if they don’t catch their interest in less than 5 seconds… they will delete it. In this fast-paced world, no one reads the entire press release – if the start of the article doesn’t garner interest. What can you do to get journalists reading?  Deal with actual facts––events, people, plans, projects. A simple method for writing an effective press release is to make a list of following points:  Who, what, when, where, why, and how.
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The content of the press release,
beginning with the date and city of origin, should be typed in a clear, basic font (Times New Roman, Arial, etc.) and double-spaced. Keep your Press Release short, one page is enough. Start with the date and city in which the press release originates.

The headline:
It should be brief, clear and to the point: an ultra-compact version of the press release’s key point. Headlines written in bold! A bold headline also typically uses a larger font size than the body copy.
First word capitalized. As are all proper nouns.
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The first paragraph
(not more than three sentences) should sum up the press release, and the additional content must elaborate it.
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The lead, or first sentence,
should grab the reader and tell concisely what is happening. For example, if the headline is “Norton Publishing releases new legal thriller,” the first sentence might be something like, “Norton Publishing, Ltd., today released their first legal thriller by celebrated writer Cindy Smith.” It expands the headline enough to fill in some of the details, and brings the reader further into the story. The next one to two sentences should then expand upon the lead.

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The press release body:
copy should be compact. Avoid using very long sentences and paragraphs. Avoid repetition and overuse of fancy language and jargon. Strive for simplicity, and no wasted words.
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The last paragraph
can summarize your news and be followed up with further information on your company, a paragraph known as the “boilerplate” which lists relevant information about your publishing company and includes the website for more information.
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Follow up quickly
Don’t send out your news release and forget about it. Call within a day or two to make sure the announcement was received. However, don’t call an editor or reporter when they are on a deadline. When calling, verify that they have time to talk. Be available when a reporter calls and have an “elevator pitch” ready: why your release is important to their readers and viewers.

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Post the news on your web site
The more back-links point to your content, the more value search engines will assign to it … so you should consider executing a mini social media blitz right after your news hits the wire:

1. Do not only send out a Press Release, tweet the news with a link to the announcement on your web site (and have friends and family tweet it too)
2. Post your news with a link to the announcement on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google+ (very important for SEO)
3. Create and post a video on YouTube, talking about the announcement and link back to the article
4. Embed the YouTube video into a blog post and link back to the announcement pages on other social networks such as Reddit, Digg and StumbleUpon.

The combined effect of all of this promotion, as soon as the announcement is made, will be a four to five times increase in traffic  - thanks to the improved search engine rankings of the news.
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Find sample Press Releases here:

http://www.publicityinsider.com/release.asp

http://www.lunareclipse.net/book-press-release-example.htm

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As with everything you learn now as author-publisher-entrepreneur:  When you do it the first time, it is a bit of en effort, but from the second Press Release on the learning curve is very steep, you have already a prototype, you have your checklist, you have a number of journalists, reporter and blogger coordinates in your files and now you just need to craft the article, which should be a breeze.  After all you are a writer, right?

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If you enjoyed this blog post, please feel free to check out all previous posts of this blog (there are 670 of them : ) if you haven’t already. Why not sign up to receive them regularly by email? Just click on “Follow” in the upper line on each page – and then on ”LIKE” next to it. There is also the “SHARE” button underneath each article where you can submit the article to Pinterest, Google+, Twitter, Chime.in, Facebook, Tumblr and StumpleUpon.

Follow on Twitter: @111publishing

And don’t forget to spread the word on other social networking sites of your choice for other writers who might also enjoy this blog and find it useful. Thanks, Doris

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FREE e-Book December 27 -29

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111 Tips to Create Your Book Trailer 

Have you ever had an interview for your book or a TV / Radio show? Get a copy of the video tape and submit it to all major video sharing sites. Did you video tape your book signing? Or have you facilitated a Webinar? Make your videos public! Lots of useful links and tips to just do this, can be found in this valuable, yet FREE e-book.

Did you scramble to find free music uploads, free images and graphics or how to use free editing software? Dozens of links to all these free sites and tutorials are included in the book.

Please let all your friends and family know – writers, video makers or business owners:

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111 Tips to Create Your Book Trailer
is available for FREE in USA, Canada, Great Britain, France, Japan … till Saturday.

Amazon.com
Amazon.ca
Amazon.co.uk
Amazon.fr
Amazon.co.jp

Learn step-by-step how to plan your video / book trailer, where you can download free software, music and images, how to create and most important: market your video – all with the help of this e-book.

You might have seen many movie trailers, but did you know that book trailers have the same success rate and have the potential to go viral? Video content in web pages / Social Media postings or emails increases click-through rates (and subsequently readers and paying customers) by 96%. Book trailers are one of the best ways to introduce your book to millions of readers worldwide.

Book trailers are quickly gaining popularity among publishers and successful authors to help promote books and encourage people to read them. Bestsellers have them – why not you? Introduce your book and get potential readers excited! This e-book is not only helpful when creating a book trailer, but for any promotional or private video.

THANKS for spreading the word about the FREE e-book!

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Have Your Chocolate – And Loose Weight Too

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Recently I read this sentence somewhere on Twitter:

“I’m a positive writer and when that doesn’t work, I eat chocolate.”

Made me laugh, as it fit’s perfectly to me, even I am not a writer per se, more a blogger and compiler of non-fiction guide books.  E-book formatting companies often dread non-fiction as they are the hardest to convert into an appealing layout and they sometimes charge more for this kind of e-books. Well, it is more work for sure than to convert a novel due to many small chapters, all with their own headline and lots of lists, often numerous images…

Short after I read this “chocolate” sentence, I discovered a non-fiction e-book on Amazon which touted the benefits of chocolate:  How to Have Your Chocolate and Lose Weight Too!  Written by Michelle Van Otten.  Well, I was hooked and after discovering the 5-star reviews, I ordered it. 

Eat Your Chocolate…

I was up for a nice surprise.  Not only by its content, which I just scanned, as I had no time yet to read it yet, but more by the great formatting job of this e-book. One of the very few books which has a really beautiful, clean layout. Easy to read and very appealing to the eye. An amazing e-book design job!

See for yourself on Amazon:  Click on the books cover and you can “Look Inside”.  Prime Members: borrow for free from their Kindle. And if you need an affirmation for your chocolate cravings:  It is only $2.99 for Kindle.

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If you enjoyed this blog post, please feel free to check out all previous posts of this blog (there are almost 600 of them : ) if you haven’t already. Why not sign up to receive them regularly by email? Just click on ”Follow” in the upper line on each page – and then on “LIKE” next to it. There is also the “SHARE” button underneath each article where you can submit the article to Pinterest, Google+, Twitter, Tumblr and StumpleUpon.

Follow on Twitter: @111publishing

And don’t forget to spread the word on other social networking sites of your choice for other writers who might also enjoy this blog and find it useful. Thanks, Doris

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Get a FREE Beta-Reader for Your Manuscript

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Even so the program does not substitute a professional editor, this free software will save you a lot of editing costs if you pay your editor by the hour.  And it can help you to improve your writing – tremendously.

Travis Luedke, author of The Nightlife New York  writes:

“It finds all the sticky sentences, all the repetitive word use errors, all the instances of was, had, could, should, would, and that….that need to be reconsidered or removed from your manuscript.

It does not editing for me, but it is teaching me to look at my own material like an editor.”
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Read more in Travis’ blog about http://prowritingaid.com

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If you enjoyed this blog post, please feel free to check out all previous posts of this blog (there are almost 600 of them : ) if you haven’t already. Why not sign up to receive them regularly by email? Just click on “Follow” in the upper line on each page – and then on “LIKE” next to it. There is also the “SHARE” button underneath each article where you can submit the article to Pinterest, Google+, Twitter, Tumblr and StumpleUpon.

Follow on Twitter: @111publishing

And don’t forget to spread the word on other social networking sites of your choice for other writers who might also enjoy this blog and find it useful. Thanks, Doris

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Be Spoiled for Choice …

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… how you want to learn book promotion.  And there is a lot to learn: Publishing evolves constantly and the success of your book(s) is very much depending on you, no matter if you self-publish or if you go with one of the big publishers. 

Choices in publishing, essentials of book / e-book layout and design, your platform and brand,  optimizing social media, use of non-traditional ways of book marketing, book distribution, online retailers, learning about  marketing on a shoestring… it’s over-whelming.  But not if you get help from someone who has studied e-publishing and marketing for many years – and practices it all.

Choose between weekend seminars or sign-up for customized online marketing training (special offer in December)  

… or plan ahead for a publishing and book marketing seminar on a 5-day Caribbean Cruise on board of the Carnival Breeze, a brand new cruise liner, taking off in Miami, FL, on November 3, 2013.  Make your travel plans soon, bookings for this offer start at the end of this month!  

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Hello, I’m Doris-Maria Heilmann with 111 Publishing.  We are not only publishers of traditional and eBooks, we extensively market our authors books.  We also host informative seminars for authors on the “art” of promotion. 

During the last years, publishing books has totally changed. Nowadays we writers need to build our own platforms, identify our own demographics, and find our own market share – even if we are with a traditional publishing house!  The profession has changed and we need to adapt in order to succeed.   

Our unique “Seminar-At-Sea” will help authors to:

• Strategically establish a writing career
• Create our own brand
• Identify our target readers
• Find out how to reach these readers
• Market and publicize our books on a budget
• Find free book publishing funding sources

Soon I will be announcing all the details of this spectacular opportunity.  But for now…mark November 3, 2013 on your calendars!!  Connect with your peers and learn invaluable information to enhance your writing career…all while having the time of your life on an exotic Caribbean Cruise!!

Doris-Maria Heilmann

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If you enjoyed this blog post, please feel free to check out all previous posts of this blog (there are almost 600 of them : ) if you haven’t already. Why not sign up to receive them regularly by email? Just click on “Follow” in the upper line on each page – and then on “LIKE” next to it. There is also the “SHARE” button underneath each article where you can submit the article to Pinterest, Google+, Twitter, Tumblr and StumpleUpon.

Follow on Twitter: @111publishing

And don’t forget to spread the word on other social networking sites of your choice for other writers who might also enjoy this blog and find it useful. Thanks, Doris

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Lots of Competition for Your Book

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In 2012 an estimated 10 to 15 million books will be published. Lots of competition… 

Life as an author can be a lonely one. You can feel overwhelmed by all the choices and options available to you, not sure which direction to go.  Ask yourself: “Are you as well known as you could be as an author?”  ”Are your books selling as well as they should do?”  Learn about the difference between the top 3% of bestseller authors and everyone else!

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You worked very hard to write your book and now it needs to be introduced to your readers. In the last two blog posts I explained how I can help you in individual sessions – customized to your needs – how to establish an author platform, learn the ropes of social media and promote your book at a “next to ZERO” budget.
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Additionally to this intensive one-on-one Book Marketing Training you will get an article about your book, which will be posted 5 times / week for 3 months to Social Media outlets and blogs – see a complete list in the “About” section – approx. 500 x in total and to at least 125,000 readers, reviewers, followers and friends – and for sure, they will send it to their friends and followers as well.
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Why should you take advantage of this Book Marketing Training offer?

ONLY sign up when you are really serious about the success of your books!
Please, NOT because of its incredible low introduction price.  And only, if you REALLY want to get professional help for the promoting-part of your book(s)!
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And here is how it works:

You will be introduced to the seminar page.

1. Step: Click on “Sign up” for this Book Marketing Training
2. Step: Send me your online book sales page link, synopsis of your book & to whom you want to sell it
3. Step: I will buy your book, read it and …. (surprise
4. Step: Write your list of questions and give me the best time for an initial consultation
5. Step: Two or three phone consultations (for a total of three hours)
6. Step: You implement the first steps, and we will have more consultations via phone and email
7. Step: You will receive my new e-book, and an individual to-do lists for further book marketing
8. Step: The article about your book will intensively be distributed via Internet
9. Step: You will be interviewed and this article will be well publicized
10. Step: Your book will be “Book of the Month” as recommendation on a major book lover site

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Finally: ENJOY YOUR SUCCESS! And don’t forget to tell your fellow writers about this learning opportunity and marketing help, thanks.

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For any questions you might have, please drop me a line:  111publishing  a t   gmail.com

or go directly to the website 111Publishing

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Even if You Landed a Publishing Deal…

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In my last post I explained the reasons why I created an individual online Book Marketing seminar for authors, using one-on-one instruction. To get help in promoting a book is not only important for self-publishers, but also in case you landed a publishing deal.  Your publisher will NOT place ads in the NY Times, book promotion is up to YOU!  The first questions a literary agent or a publisher will ask you: What is your platform? Who are your target readers? How will you promote your book?
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Are you one of those writers, hiding behind your laptop, terrified at the thought of “marketing”, because your skill is writing – not marketing? Authors need BOOK PROMOTION, but don’t want to appear like a “used car salesman”.  However remember: “Nobody ever made money writing a book – only by selling it”.
The Most Valuable Book Marketing Help You Can Get ! 

Individual training and customized marketing consultations for your book at an amazing offer!!! Register now to get started on your road to success: Book now, in November or December, and get 3 months of individual marketing training & promotion for your book – for only $59.00.   Regular price after December 31, 2012 will be $98.00.
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This extensive training / consulting package which gives you:

• Three hours of one-on-one “Book Marketing Training” phone-consultations (all topics regarding publishing, promotion, platform & branding, social media, learn about free book marketing possibilities etc.)
• Unlimited book marketing consultations by email for three months
• Unlimited social media help by email for three months
• Instructions / Checklist / Hundreds of links for you to use for your free book promotions
• Free e-book: “Book Marketing on a Shoestring” (launch late November)
• Blog post including cover image/bio/book description on both, blog and our websites
• Plus one surprise gift we will reveal once you sign up!

During the last 18 months more than 90,000 readers appreciated useful, free tips for authors here on this blog.  Get more in-dept help while taking this online book marketing training.  I will take you under “my wings” and help you promote your book for a very affordable price.

Get more info about the steps we take together on my website, where you can book your individual book marketing training..
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How to Bring More Fun in Promoting Your Book

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The Road to Success – Photo by Michael Gras

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Planing to write a book – or having one or more books already on the market?
Wouldn’t it be nice to have someone helping you to promote your book and show you: 

• How to navigate all these Social Media sites?
• And teaching you successful book marketing? 
• Making it all fun – and not a daunting task?
• Publicizing your book on all major social media sites for you?
• Having someone you can ask all the questions you might have about self-publishing and book promotion?  

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We will show you how easy it can be, once you learn the insider tricks!  

And most important: You will get this professional help for  just a dollar per day for a full three months! Actually only $98 for the whole package during the next three months! We are offering all this to authors, new and experienced. Besides writing useful free blogs and books to help authors navigate self-publishing, we are providing seminars and workshops. However, not everyone has the time to come for a whole weekend or longer to attend these courses. And there are writers everywhere in all parts of the world who cannot attend seminars easily.

For those we created an individual ONLINE BOOK MARKETING SEMINAR with one-on-one instruction over the phone (Skype) and through email, plus three month of advertising your book several times a day on all major social media sites.  To introduce this new marketing help, we are offering it for almost “next to nothing”.

Stay tuned for tomorrow’s blog post, when I explain

in detail how I can help you to achieve your goals

or visit: http://www.111publishing.com/seminar/

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What’s Going On with Amazon Reviews?

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During the last three months the independent author scene was full of complaints, rumors and even petitions due to Amazon’s book review removals.  Amazon’s recent removal of book reviews has become a hot topic among authors and readers alike.

• What happened?
• Which books where compromised?
• Who is behind it all?
• Who is paying for reviews?
• What can independent publishers and authors do about it?

With all of the attention brought about by possible “fake” reviews a group of authors got together and sent a message to Amazon called “No Sock Puppets Here Please”. They claim that authors were misusing the review process by using multiple accounts to leave good reviews for themselves. Another reason could possibly also be the fact that Fiverr.com has several offers from people who write book reviews for $5 (most likely without reading them…).

The New York Times even wrote about it in early August. The Times mentioned: ” it is enough of a problem to attract a team of Cornell researchers, who recently published a paper about creating a computer algorithm for detecting fake reviewers. They were instantly approached by a dozen companies, including Amazon, Hilton, TripAdvisor and several specialist travel sites, all of which have a strong interest in limiting the spread of bogus reviews. A New York Times article appeared: “The Best Book Reviews Money Can Buy”. Although indie authors were reporting that they were losing reviews before the NYT article went public.

If you want to thank or comment, here are some names of the more than 400 writers who brought Amazon to remove your reviews:

Linwood Barclay, Tom Bale, Mark Billingham, Christopher Brookmyre, Declan Burke, Ramsey Campbell, Tania Carver, Lee Child, John Connolly, Michael Connelly, N.J. Cooper, David Corbett, Ruth Dudley Edwards, Stella Duffy, Jeremy Duns, Mark Edwards, Chris Ewan, Helen FitzGerald, Meg Gardiner, Lee Goldberg, Gordon Harries, Joanne Harris, Mo Hayder, David Hewson, Charlie Higson, Susan Hill, Peter James, Paul Johnston, Graham Joyce, Laura Lippman, Stuart MacBride, Val McDermid, Roger McGough, Denise Mina, Steve Mosby, Stuart Neville, Jo Nesbo, Ayo Onatade, SJ Parris, Tony Parsons, Sarah Pinborough, Ian Rankin, Shoo Rayner, John Rickards, Peter Robinson, Stav Sherez, Karin Slaughter, Andrew Taylor, Luca Veste, Louise Voss, Martyn Waites, Tim Weaver, Neil White, Laura Wilson etc. Barry Eisler, indie author, signed first, but then opted out.
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Are they authors, published by the “Big Five”?
For sample Lee Child is published by Random House Publishing Group, Stuart MacBride published by Harper Collins, Stella Duffy published by Thomas Dunne, Steve Mosby, published by Orion, Karin Slaughter published by Random House, Helen FitzGerald published by Faber & Faber, Laura Wilson published by Minotaur Books NY, Jeremy Duns published by Simon & Schuster – not really indie authors indeed… Could it be that they or their publishers feel threatened by independent authors that are successful on Amazon? Was it all an organized move? We will never know for sure…
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Very interesting!
While randomly picking names from the above list to check if they are indie authors (I found almost all published by Random, Harper Collins and other big names) I discovered something disturbing: one author from the above list wrote a glowing review for another author in this “No Sock Puppets” list !!! Clearly a violation of Amazon review rules!  And they have the nerve to sign a petition to Amazon and point fingers at other authors!
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What Amazon did, is not just ousting someone found guilty of bot reviews, they are assuming all are guilty until proven innocent. Instead of going after these accounts, Amazon pulled many, (mostly) legitimate reviews in an effort to get rid of the possible suspicious ones – while this move by Amazon will not affect bestselling authors from the Big Five Publishers due to the sheer number of reviews they have, yet it can be devastating to indie authors.

When these independent authors complaint, they received either: a) no answer, or b) a form letter or c) were threatened to get their books removed from Amazon’s page. Interesting to see how Amazon treats it’s customer / suppliers who give them their book in commission…
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Can You Write a Review for Another Author?
Short answer: According to Amazon’s latests rules: NO

This policy not only hurts writers, but it removes the voice of readers who want to share their views. It is really hard to get reviews, and to have even one removed can be devastating. Everyone who turned to Amazon for answers, received more or less only a form letter – if at all. Bestseller author J.A. Konrath stated in his blog that some of the reviews he has written for other authors have been removed because Amazon is apparently cracking down on authors reviewing “competitors’” books. He believes that the site No Sock Puppets Here Please (NSPHP) a WordPress blog with more than 400 signatures, sent to Amazon, may have initiated it all or at least brought Amazon to over-enforce their review rules. He wrote: “A petition that named and accused three writers of “damaging publishing”, using “underhanded tactics”, and stating other authors are doing it as well. The NSPHP built a carefully constructed case showing how these writers damaged publishing. Oh, wait. No they didn’t. They simply accused and denounced.
But at least they clearly defined “underhanded tactics” and explained in detail how they are illegal and immoral.”

What Amazon did, is not just ousting someone found guilty of bot reviews, they are assuming all are guilty until proven innocent (only they don’t accept authors proofs). Instead of going after these accounts, Amazon pulled many, (mostly) legitimate reviews in an effort to get rid of the possible suspicious ones – while this move by Amazon will not affect bestselling authors from the Big Five Publishers due to the sheer number of reviews they have, yet it can be devastating to indie authors.
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When these independent authors complaint, they received either: a) no answer, or b) a form letter or c) were threatened to get their books removed from Amazon’s page. Interesting to see how Amazon treats it’s customer / suppliers who give them their book in commission…

Some indie authors have complained to Amazon about why they have had reviews removed, Amazon, in at least a few cases, has threatened to remove the author’s book. Why would Amazon do this? Why not clarify why the review was removed?

However, Amazon.com employees are not allowed to answer customers / authors questions.  Really???  Yes, read in an article of a former Amazon employee at the Seattle Weekly how answering customer emails have to be done – via a blurb.  Excerpt from page 2: “One of the first surprises you encounter on the job is that you almost never respond to these queries from scratch. Instead you learn to troll the Blurb Index—a roster of pat responses, or “blurbs”—designed to address practically every conceivable scenario a customer might present. If a genuinely new situation arises more than once, there will probably be a blurb written for it.” They really are about the money, and not indie authors. And books are in fact only a tiny part of Amazon’s business.

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Amazon Creates A New Review Policy
Who can write a review according to the newly enforced policy from Amazon:

• Anyone who has purchased items from Amazon.com. All we ask is that you follow a few simple rules.
• If you received a free product in exchange for your review, please clearly and conspicuously disclose that you received the product free of charge. However, some authors gifted a book to a reader, it was stated in the review, and Amazon still took down the review.
• Reviews written for any form of compensation other than a free copy of the product. This includes reviews that are a part of a paid publicity package.

Amazon seems to not addressing the Big Five (legacy publishers as J.A. Konrath titles them) in this case who for sure as well paying for reviews for their big authors. Big publishers send out dozens if not hundreds of Galley copies of their books (certainly for free) to book reviewers.

The Amazon Forum provides a clear list of the review rules under “Always Remember”.  And they advice: “If authors must give gifts to Amazon reviewers who are interested in the author’s books, they should do it via another retailer such as Barnes and Noble.”

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Who else pays for reviews? And who offers paid reviews?

In an earlier blog post here at Savvybookwriters I mentioned already Kirkus Reviews (Libraries and Magazines are paying attention to them) and Book Rooster.  J.A. Konrath for sample uses Bookrooster.com. He wrote in his June 25, 2011 blog postInterview with Catherine MacDonald from BookRooster.com:  ”As I stated earlier, I always give out free copies in exchange for reviews. That’s the same thing legacy publishers do, giving away galley copies. BookRooster just makes it easier.”

There are many other review companies out there who charge for book reviews: palmettoreview.com, pacificbookreview.com/BookReview and publishersweekly.com/pw/corp/DIY-FAQ.html#2 etc. Others want just two free(printed) book copies, such as http://www.midwestbookreview.com/get_rev.htm

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Comments from authors:

Ciara Ballintyne
“There seems to be no legislation preventing Amazon’s behaviour nor any consumer outlet for complaints. In Australia, a large part of what Amazon’s doing would be suspect, subject to scrutiny, and possibly penalties (Apple got into trouble for trying to play in the Australian market the way they can and do in America), and consumers would have a number of bodies they could complain to for a resolution of complaints. As it stands, it seems no one with a complaint has any hope of satisfaction unless they either sue Amazon (ha ha) or can bring sufficient media or social media attention to bad behaviour.”

Derek Haines
comment on one of the many articles was: “Publishing is tough enough as it is without having to deal with a very large and confused retail monster that changes the rules overnight and then refuses to explain to anyone why it wants to adversely affect the businesses of thousands of authors and publishers.”

Derek Blass
has started a petition to request that Amazon stops arbitrarily removing reviews. I urge everyone to sign it here. This review removals not only hurts writers, but it removes the voice of readers who want to share their views – maybe we can get Amazon to listen.
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Joni Rodgers wrote
I can’t help but notice that none of my reviews have been removed from indie authors with whom Amazon has publishing deals, and that raises some very troubling questions about the appropriateness of the world’s largest bookselling entity censoring reviews on publishing brands that could be perceived to be in competition with its own. The potential for abuse of that power is staggering in the context of past to-the-mattress conflicts between Amazon and mainstream publishers. Imagine the outcry if targeted Penguin or FSG titles were suddenly stripped of favorable reviews. Amazon could do this with ease and impunity, the same way they disabled buy buttons on over 5,000 titles earlier this year during a dispute with IPG.

I’ve said in the past and will continue to maintain that the only acceptable filter for Amazon reviews is proof of purchase. If they practice any sort of censorship beyond that, they are obligated to disclose it.

It’s my fervent hope that this damaging and ineffectual practice will stop as Amazon’s decision makers realize it’s not worth the money and effort they’re devoting to it. And I look forward to continuing and expanding a mutually appreciative and profitable relationship with Amazon in my multi-faceted role as author, publisher, reviewer and bookseller.  And as voracious reader.

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Read more at these websites / blogs:
http://dosomedamage.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/amazonreview.html
http://tobecomeawriter.com/amazon-reviews-indie-authors/
http://www.salon.com/2012/11/02/authors_cannot_review_authors_on_amazon/
http://mefrancoauthor.blogspot.ca/2012/11/amazon-flexing-its-muscles-reviews-and.html
http://lat.ms/UxJ5yO

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What can you do?
Amazon is clearly going overboard and it will not only going to hurt indie authors, it will hurt themselves as well.  Although they can do on their website as it pleases, even remove reviews.  However their statement that reviews are owned by them – another issue, which is different from the book review debate, is not conform with copyright laws as the writer of the review has the copyright.

• Always copy every review you receive on Amazon to have a record. Try to take out snippets from these reviews (not the whole review) and add them into your publishers review (book description) for your book or in your authors site.
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• Do not sell your books solely through Amazon, but also through B&N, Apple and Kobo.
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• Sell books from your own website. It is easy to sign up with PayPal, if you don’t have a PayPal account already, to copy / paste their code into your website and to sell your books directly to readers. This way you also get to know your readers and you are able to contact them for new books launches.
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My next blog post will show you more choices and a list of online e-book retailers in order to “not put all eggs in one basket”.

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If you enjoyed this blog post, please feel free to check out all previous posts of this blog (there are almost 570 of them : ) if you haven’t already. Why not sign up to receive them regularly by email? Just click on “Follow” in the upper line on each page – and then on “LIKE” next to it. There is also the “SHARE” button underneath each article where you can submit the article to Pinterest, Google+, Twitter, Tumblr and StumpleUpon.

Follow on Twitter: @111publishing

And don’t forget to spread the word on other social networking sites of your choice for other writers who might also enjoy this blog and find it useful. Thanks, Doris

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