Tips To Run The Optimal Goodreads Giveaway

How to run an effective Goodreads giveaway

Many authors claim that when it comes to social media, staying active on Goodreads is even more important than maintaining a presence on Twitter, Facebook, or Google+. Why is Goodreads so important? Because that’s where avid readers are hanging out already, discussing books, leaving reviews, and making reading recommendations.

One of the best ways to encourage advance reviews for your newest book, build a buzz, and turn those avid readers into fans of your own writing is to host a Goodreads giveaway.

The Goodreads giveaway process is pretty simple:

1) you decide how many books you want to give away (they must be physical books, no eBooks)

2) you set a duration for how long the giveaway should run

3) Goodreads users can sign up to win a free book

4) Goodreads sends you the info for the winner/s so you can mail them your book

According to Goodreads’ site, over 40k users are entering giveaways every single day with an average of 825 people entering per giveaway. That’s a lot of exposure for you and your book.

To make the most out of your giveaway, Goodreads recommends that you:

* Start early — at least 1 month before official publication (3-6 months would be better) — in order to increase your chances of advance press.

* run the giveaway for a month to maximize signups.

* give away at least 10 books, since the more you give away the better your chances of getting early reviews (though it’s worth noting here that Goodreads doesn’t remove negative reviews — so you’ll have to be brave and live with whatever criticism or praise comes your way).

* use Goodreads’ giveaway widget on your blog to increase entries.

* do multiple giveaways — one or two pre-release, and one upon the official on-sale date of your book.

A slightly different take on Goodreads giveaways from an author who saw results

Author Emlyn Chand ran a number of Goodreads giveaways for her book. After analyzing the data, she offers a number of great tips to help you maximize the power of each Goodreads giveaway:

1. You only need to offer one copy. The additional copies don’t really add to the allure, but they do add to your postage tally. If you have many copies to offer, I suggest running additional giveaways rather than offering all of them at once.

2. Let readers know you’ll be providing an autographed copy. They love that. In fact, I include the words “AUTOGRAPHED COPY” in all caps at the very top of the giveaway description box. Similarly, if your giveaway is for an ARC (Advance Readers’ Copy), say so. Readers love to have the first look at new titles.

3. End your giveaway on a non-popular date. In my lovely table, you’ll notice that the average copies added drops off steeply somewhere in the middle of my experimentation. That was because I was ending giveaways on very popular days (around Christmas time). On the giveaway list, there were several pages of giveaways ending on one specific day, which means mine never got to the top of the list and didn’t garner much attention. Scroll through the list of giveaways and find a date where you will have minimal competition and maximum exposure.

4. More countries = more exposure. I’ve made it a point to offer my giveaways for all the countries listed and not just the US. More often than not, a US user wins anyway (since they are the most populous on the site). Still, when an international person wins, I pony up the $16.95 for postage and honor my commitment. There aren’t as many giveaways for international users, and I know they appreciate being included!

5. Make your giveaway description compelling. It’s all too easy to simply copy-paste your back cover synopsis into the giveaway description box. Don’t! Through trial and error, I found that review blurbs work best here. Also note any awards you may have won. If readers want a synopsis, they can easily click over to your book listing on GoodReads to learn about it. I’ve pasted the giveaway description that works best for my book to give you an idea.

6. Reach out to winners. When your giveaway ends, GoodReads will send you a notification and a link to click to view the winner’s name and address. You can also click on the winner’s name to visit his/her GoodReads profile. I like to send a message congratulating them for the win and telling them when the copy will be mailed out.

7. Send books promptly. I can’t stress this enough. I’ve seen many GoodReads users flag a book as one-star with a review saying “never received this book that I won from a giveaway.” That’s such a shame. It’s so exciting to readers when they win. Deliver on your commitment, and send the book as quickly as you can.

8. Pulse your giveaway lengths. GoodReads recommends running giveaways for 2 weeks, I don’t. A short giveaway can be a powerful thing. GoodReads organizes their giveaway listings by those that have recently begun, those that will be ending soon, those that are most requested, and those by popular authors. If you run a giveaway for only 2 days, you’ll likely be listed on both the newly listed and ending soon pages for the duration or your giveaway. That is awesome exposure! Readers can search by genre, but it’s far easier to just browse. By alternating longer and shorter giveaways, you can balance cost with impact. Many short giveaways in a row may lose their potency.

9. Schedule your giveaways to start in the future. Don’t set-up the giveaway and click for it to start immediately. GoodReads goes through an approval process which can take a couple days. If they approve your giveaway midday, you will be lumped with the authors who also scheduled theirs to start at the beginning of the day, and you will spend less time in the recently listed section. I usually schedule mine to start 3 business days later, so that I know it will be ready. NOTE: GoodReads does not work on weekends, so listing a giveaway on Thursday or Friday could be a bad idea!

10. Book covers count. Back cover copy counts. The better each of these is, the better your giveaway will do. Seriously, go look at the giveaways that are ending soon. Compare the number of copies requested for books with beautiful covers to those with meh covers. There’s a very clear correlation between attractiveness of cover and number of copies requested (consider copies requested a proxy measure for the desirability of your book and therefore people’s likelihood to purchase).

11. How to become a “Popular Author.” I was lucky enough to befriend a member of the GoodReads staff, and now she lets me ask her all my questions. The first and most pressing thing I wanted to know was:  How does an author become “popular?” The answer is simple. More reviews = higher popularity. This is across all titles, so an author with many books out has a better chance of becoming popular. The more popular you are, the more prominently your giveaway will be listed. Right now, I’m on page 4-6 of the popular author section, which isn’t too bad. Always looking to improve! Another reason to find readers to review your book and to cross-post those reviews on GoodReads.

So there you have it. I hope this will help many of you find new readers and gain exposure on the most happenin’ book site on the web.

 

How to Plan Your Stay-at-Home Writing Retreat

[This post was written by Beth Barany, author The Writer’s Adventure Guide: 12 Stages to Writing Your Book.]

We all want to get our writing done. A writer writes, after all. But what to do when you have a busy life, a full-time job, family, and necessary obligations like health, and oh, sleep? One way to handle getting your writing done is to set up your very own Stay-at-Home Writing Retreat. In fact, because I’m publishing my second novel soon, I go on a writing retreat just about every Friday and Saturday. You can do something similar.

Create your own stay-at-home writing retreat.

What: Typically, writing retreats involve going away, far from everyday obligations, and focusing solely on your writing. Retreats can vary in length, anything from a few days to a few months, like a summer. In this article I focus on creating your own writing retreat at home (or in your hometown).

Why: Writing retreats are great for getting away from it all. You get a chance to step aside from everyday obligations and give yourself the gift of total focus to get your writing done. If you want to can also surround yourself with other supportive folks, like teachers and/or fellow writers. In the case of your Stay-at-Home Writing Retreat, you won’t have to bother with expensive travel, the time of that expensive travel, and bed bugs.

How: here are my 6 essential tips for your very own Stay-at-Home Writing Retreat…

1. Set reasonable goals for yourself to manage your own expectations.

If you’ve never written all day, then don’t expect you’ll be able to do that on your writing retreat. If on the other hand, you’ve been able to write for 1-hour stints, then during your retreat, with no other responsibilities, you could perhaps do two to three 1-hour stints.

2. Make it fun.

Go to a location that you love, be it the local cafe, diner, restaurant, or your home office, living room, or dining table. One time my husband and I cafe-hopped down College Ave. in Oakland, and even stopped off at the Rockridge Library, and several yummy cafes.

3. Use time limits.

Set the timer to complete in chunks that feel reasonable to you. I love 20-minute timed writing sessions for journal writing or character sketches. And since I like writing in 1-hour chunks, I set the timer to write prose for an hour. I also set the timer so that I will be sure to get up and walk around, take a water fluid adjustment break, or in the case of our College Ave hop, to move to a new location.

4. Congratulate/reward yourself.

All work and no play makes Jane an unhappy girl, to riff off of a saying (“All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.”) In our College Ave. Writing retreat, we rewarded ourselves with a break at the chocolate cafe, Bittersweet, on College Ave.

5. Plan your Stay-at-Home Writer’s Retreat in advance so that you can rearrange your other commitments and plan for your success.

Some of the things I do to plan ahead is I set reasonable, realistic goals for myself. (See #1) So for example last weekend, I decided I’d spend at least 1 hour inputting edits. On other days, I’ve also given myself word-count goals. This helps me know when I’ve hit my goals, which is so very important, so that I can congratulate and reward myself: chocolate! (See #4)

6. Tell your accountability-partners, supporters, and fans.

When you plan to do something new, it can help to tell the important supportive people in your life what you’re planning on doing. Use your social media network to share your intention, progress, and success. Telling your supportive community helps you follow through—social pressure, and all that—but it also allows people to support you, and congratulate you, and celebrate with you. (Yep, See #4 again)

That’s my take on the essential tips for a supportive and successful Stay-at-Home Writing Retreat. What are your tips? Please chime in and share them in the comments below.

***

Beth Barany is a bestselling author of The Writer’s Adventure Guide, and helps authors write, publish, and market their books through her creativity coaching practice. Sign up for her free Writer’s Motivation Mini-Course at her site: http://bethbarany.com/contact.html#newsletter.

 

The Savvy Authorpreneur Is… A Thought Leader

Adapted from Wise Ink.

In today’s world, there are about as many ways to publish (self-publishing, scholarly publishing, nonprofit publishing, digital publishing, etc.) as there are reasons (fame, passion, creating a movement, legacy, preservation, etc). In any publishing realm not solely for personal/family reasons, every author should be an authorpreneur.

An authorpreneur (author + entrepreneur) is an author who recognizes what it takes to be successful as an author in today’s world–not twenty years ago. An authorpreneur takes habits from highly successful entrepreneurs and implements them into selling their book. An authorpreneur isn’t just a writer; an authorpreneur is a speaker, social media strategist, networker, etc. The  authorpreneur recognizes that the book is just a piece of the puzzle, a product that supports and is supported by speaking, blogging, networking, etc.

In order to be truly successful as an authorprenuer today, there needs to be a delicate balance of purposely and specifically targeting the niche audience while at the same time using a variety of well-rounded strategical practices to target them. The first piece to becoming a well-rounded authorpreneur?

Consider yourself to be a thought leader.

It really does start with developing the mindset. Considering oneself to be a thought leader is vital for any authorpreneur, regardless of genre. Tom Rath, the bestselling author of Strengths Finders 2.0, says in his bio that he is a “leading business thinker.”  E.L. James of Fifty Shades of Grey, another bestselling author,  could be  considered a thought leader in married couples rediscovering lusty bliss. Their paths to becoming thought leaders were likely very different, but it is the “thought leader” assumption that gave them the chutzpah to get there in the first place.

An author who considers himself/herself to be a thought leader is going to approach marketing in a much more expansive way that than an author who considers himself/herself to be just a writer. To become a writer, you have to write a book and find a way for it to be published, which isn’t hard in today’s world (but it IS hard to do WELL). For the thought leader, the book isn’t the destination, but a step on the never-ending road to the destination. The thought leader has a mission outside the book, and the book exists to support that mission. Becoming a thought leader doesn’t happen overnight, but over much dedicated time embracing many tools and mediums to deliver the message–not to deliver the book alone. For the thought leader, the book will deliver itself if the message is delivered effectively everywhere else (blogs, speaking, media, social media, etc.).

For more tips on being an authorpreneur, check out The 7-Step Guide to Authorpreneurship. Order from Christian Books Today and get a free copy of Write Success: Inspirational Quotes For The Authorpreneur!

Do you know any successful authorpreneurs who have become thought leaders? What characteristics do you see them exhibiting? What tools are they using? Are they clearly trying to sell their book, or are they selling a message through many different channels?

 

The Authorpreneur and the “Amateur” Book Reviewer/ Blogger

Much has changed in the old fortress of publishing over the past twenty years (since the rise of the Internet and self-publishing).

However, the biggest change we’ve seen in publishing isn’t the rise of eBooks, the evolution of self-publishing, or Amazon’s domination over traditional booksellers. It’s the fact that–regardless of where or how an author is published–the author has really become the book’s most reliable sales rep, marketing manager, publicity department, etc. Publishing nowadays requires AUTHORS to be the product, and the book sells based on how well the author performs. Every author needs to be active in both grassroots and large-scale marketing campaigns. 

Goodreads.com is one of the most popular contemporary social media sites, and it’s centered solely around the amateur reviewer. The value of Amazon customer reviews is enormous nowadays, not only to convince readers to pick up the book but to secure other publicity and notice.

On that note, “amateur” review bloggers (I say amateur, but these professional bloggers are really anything but amateur!) are getting more and more attention and respect among individual readers, booksellers, and industry professionals and publications. The best part is that most of them are responding to the fact that most authors are their own sales reps, marketing managers, and publicity departments, so the need for an “official” publicist isn’t exactly necessary for securing high-profile reviews from successful self-made book reviewers. Below is a list of the best “amateur” review bloggers we know of! If you’re a reader, check them out to find out what’s new. If you’re an author, drop them a line!

1) Bookslut

2) Becky’s Book Reviews

3) books i done read

4) Birdbrain(ed) Book Blog

5) The New Book Review

6) A Book and a Review

7) Shelf Love

8) Bibliophile Stalker

9) The Book Nest

10) The Overweight Bookshelf

11) A Geek At Heart

12) Reading for Sanity

13) Books on the Knob

14) The Book Smugglers

15) The Literary Saloon

16) Omnivoracious

17) The Bookshop Blog

18) Read React Review

19) Bookroom Reviews

20) Booking Mama

 

The Self-Publishing Stigma: Do We Deserve It?

Publishing is on the cusp of the indie-publishing revolution. There are lots of reasons to be down on traditional publishing that self-publishing authors love to expound on, but the authorpreneur needs to clearly see the self-publishing practices that have caused the “stigma” that “elitist” publishing folks turn their noses up at. It;s the only way for you to DO BETTER and put these stigmas to rest!

It’s time to stop whining about the stigma and DO SOMETHING about it. I could write a list of all the mistakes I’ve seen in self-publishing (from an unknown author putting his/her face on the front cover to refusing to listen to Stephen King’s advice about the craft in his book On Writing). However, that would take twelve days. The number one, biggest mistake in self-publishing today doesn’t have to do with the cover design or the marketing. The biggest mistake in self-publishing today is: Publishing before the book is ready!

I know–this sounds oh-so simple. But the truth is that most brand-new authors truly don’t know what it takes to make a self-published book successful. Heck, many “veteran” self-published authors don’t know what it takes, either–they’re often the ones who created the often well-deserved self-publishing stigma.

Writing 60,000 words is easy. Did you just hear that symphony of gasps and indignant rebuttals from authors around the globe? Yes, I said it–writing 60,000 words IS EASY. It takes time, but that doesn’t make the act itself difficult. What is difficult is doing it well. Yes, some people are just truly more talented at writing than others. Does this mean that writing is not a learned skill that is improved by greater understanding and practice? No. It’s like any other art form: talent can only take you so far, and then training comes in to refine the talent.

If authors don’t take the time to read books on the craft, take writing classes, learn the rules, get critiques, read other books in the genre, take the time to research the genre’s audience, write multiple drafts and rewrite scenes and sequences multiple times, etc. (I could go on, and on, and on…), the book will NOT be ready to publish. It won’t even be ready for the editor. Unfortunately, this has not stopped many books from being self-published before they’re ready for the marketplace, thus exacerbating and supporting the stigma self-publishing is fighting.

Self-publishing poorly is just too easy nowadays. There are too many publish-instantly-for-free buttons out there that keep duping would-be successful self-published authors into just “getting it out there,” preventing them from ever having success and inflaming the already red and itchy rash that is the self-publishing stigma. The answer is to STOP FALLING FOR IT.

Self-publishing is not a get-out-of-jail-free card. It should not be easier simply because you don’t have to go through agents or traditional publishers. It has the potential to be very rewarding–I would argue that it has the potential to be even more rewarding than traditional publishing. That is if it’s done right and well.

It’s time for self-publishing authors to quit jumping the gun. It’s time to put in the time, energy, and money (remember–time IS money, and it takes LOTS AND LOTS of TIME to make it right) to publish the right way. It’s time to take some responsibility–let’s stop the practices that make self-publishing deserving of the stigma. The success of the indie-author revolution depends on it!

Many self-publishers, like EverFaith Press, provide free consultations and manuscript assessments that can help you not only determine if your book is ready, but if not how to get it ready. You should also check out The 7-Step Guide to Authorpreneurship. Order from Christian Books Today and get a free copy of Write Success: Inspirational Quotes For The Authorpreneur!

 

HOW TO MARKET YOUR BOOK PART-TIME WHILE WORKING FULL-TIME

You come home from a long day at work and just want to veg. Your nagging “to do” list of laundry, mowing the lawn, and cleaning out your car seem so daunting. But there is something else you are forgetting. Something really important. What was it?

Oh yeah. My book was just released. I should get to that.

The reality for many authors is that success is not instant. Being an author isn’t a high-paying, full-time job for many; and so authors must work a different, perhaps less exciting, full-time job in order to support their goals of perhaps one day becoming a bestselling author.

Wouldn’t it be nice to be an instant success? To wake up one day, quit your regular job and just earn millions in royalties from book sales?

Bestselling author Jodi Picoult, author of My Sister’s Keeper, said on her podcast, “So You Want to Be a Writer,” explains that most writers don’t get published. Even others who do get their book printed only see little sales. Vow not to let that happen to you.

You know you need to spend time marketing. But how do you get there? How do you spend the time needed in order to market your book when your day already feels like it is filled to the max?

Picoult continues: “For many people, the tricky thing is time… often, if you’re working a 9-to-5 job, the last thing you want to do is sit down and work on your novel at the end of the day. But if you don’t give yourself a designated time to write everyday, it won’t happen…. You don’t need six hours. Just a half hour. Or several.”

While she is talking about writing a book, the same concept could be applied tomarketing as well. So many authors out there are struggling with time, just like you. The difference between authors with titles that sell and titles that don’t are that the successful authors go out and market their book when they could, whenever they could. The unsuccessful ones only dream about it, let other things get in the way, and offer the excuse, “I just don’t have the time.”

Don’t let that be you!

As you embark on your journey of being an author while holding down a full-time job, keep these important tips in mind:

Set aside time everyday to devote to marketing.

Develop a Promotion Plan of effective marketing techniques.

Be consistent over a long period of time.

If you can do these three things, eventually it won’t matter that you don’t have gobs of hours to spend marketing your book. Do these things, and hopefully you will be the successful author you have always dreamed of being.

1. Set aside time everyday to devote to marketing. Carve out time to devote to your book every single day. What time can you stick to? Get up early, spend part of your lunch hour, or wait until the kids are in bed. Or do all three! Whenever you can spare time, that time is for you and your book. Nothing else. Commit now and set a timer if you have to! No veering off and doing other things. This is focused time just for marketing. Go.

2. Develop a Promotion Plan of effective marketing techniques. As early as possible, the best thing you can do is spend time developing a Promotion Plan. Ideally, this is done while your book is going through the editing/publishing process so it is ready to go once you go to print. But if your book is already in print, it’s not too late to kick-start your marketing plan. Start today. Start now.

What is a Promotion Plan? Think of it as a business plan. It’s everything written down step by step that you need to do to get your business off the ground and selling your product. It is always a work in progress, so keep it handy and change and update as needed.

What to include in your Promotion Plan? First, check with your publishing company. They may offer details for you (we provide information to our authors and include a sample promotion plan as well) or you may find ideas in the marketing books or online.

Why is this Promotion Plan so crucial? A plan is key because it outlines what you will be doing as soon as your book is published, what you will do after that, and what you will do to market in the next year. With this plan, you don’t come home from work wondering “what should I do to market my book today?” because you already know. You already have a plan. A Promotion Plan will save you time in the long run. It will keep you motivated and focused.

To begin writing your Promotion Plan, first educate yourself on the book marketing process. Read books, listen to experts give talks, sign up for e-newsletters—whatever you can do to learn about book marketing. This will take time, which is why doing this before your book is in print is the ideal.

You must become educated because you’ll want to know what the experts do so that you can emulate them and try their ideas. For example, did you know that bookstore signings aren’t very effective? Did you know that not very many authors today do book tours? Did you know that you can earn a lot more in royalties by selling your book directly? Book marketing has changed a lot, especially in the last few years with the Internet and social networking becoming a big part of people’s lives. So don’t skip education. Learn everything you can about book marketing and what works. It will take time, but it is essential.

A few books to get you started: 1,001 Ways to Market Your Books by John Kremer,Guerrilla Marketing For Writers: 100 Weapons for Selling Your Work by Jay Conrad Levinson, The Complete Guide to Book Publicity by Jodee Blanco, 55 Ways to Promote & Sell Your Book on the Internet by Bob Baker.

Read these books on the train on your way to work, listen to them on tape, read a chapter while waiting at the doctor’s office—devour all the information when you can and where you can. As you read these books, take notes and put the ideas in your Promotion Plan.

Here are some things you will be learning from those books. We suggest putting them in your plan, though make sure to read up on them for more details:

*Develop an author website/blog/social networking page. Continually add to them so they become information centers on a certain topic rather than just about you and your book.

*Create press kit.

*Write and later publish articles on subjects relating to your book’s genre.

*Order copies of your book in bulk so you can 1. Sell direct and earn more royalties, and 2. Send copies to the media and other centers of influence to be reviewed. These reviews can be added to your website and/or the back cover of your book. Both are worth the initial investment.

*Set your release date (typically a few months following the initial printing)

*Set up events such as speaking engagements, book signings (at places other than bookstores).

*Post reviews and have others post reviews on sites like Amazon.com.

*Set up interviews with local media, then regional, niche media (relating to your genre) and then go for national. Become an “expert” in your field and offer information to the media so they will use you as a resource.

As you write these into your plan, also write down how you will do these things. Plan them out as much as possible. What will you include in your website? If you aren’t sure, check back with some of the marketing books for details. What should be included in a press kit? Again, check back with marketing experts or check out our other blog post (LINK). Write down the details in your plan so when the time comes to implement this step, you will be ready to go.

Keep adding to your plan and refine it; perhaps your publishing company’s marketing department will take a look at it and offer suggestions. Be flexible and open to new ideas. be willing to try anything.

3. Be consistent over a long period of time. You made it! Your book is in print!

Now that tangible copies are ready to order, the key is to implement those items on your Promotion Plan. Order copies to sell direct. Add a shopping cart to your website so people can order. Write a blog post about it. Send copies out to be reviewed. And more. You should know exactly what to do because it will all be spelled out in your Promotion Plan.

Continue to spend a little time everyday at the same time, implementing things from your Promotion Plan. Perhaps one day you could write an article and submit it to an ezine. The next day you could get copies ready to mail out for review. The following day you could set up a speaking event. You may not complete each task in one day, but keep at it. If you stick with your Promotion Plan and work on the things that are the most effective, hopefully sales will follow!

How long should you continue working at this pace? As long as possible. Work consistently over the long term. Most authors don’t become successful overnight. Only after months and even years of hard work do many titles get noticed. Look inside the cover of a bestseller—notice the copyright date? You might be surprised to find how long some books took to really sell. So decide now to dedicate yourself to the task. Don’t give up. Keep on going.

And who knows? Maybe someday being a full-time author could be your day job.

*Reposted from the American Book Publishing Blog

 

6 Reasons to Write an eBook for Your Business- Tips for the Authorpreneur

eBooks aren’t just for fans (or writers) of fiction, memoir, and history. Thousands of businesses are also discovering the value of eBooks, both as an additional revenue stream and as a powerful passive marketing tool.

Writing an eBook for your business is one of the best ways to demonstrate your expertise, build brand recognition and loyalty, boost your website’s SEO, engage with clients, and increase your prospective customer base.

“But I’m in the business of doing business,” I hear you say. “I’m no writer!”

Fear not, friends. Read on.

6 reasons why you should be using eBooks to build your business

1. You don’t have to write an epic. eBooks can be SHORT! It’s generally not worth it for publishers to print a physical book unless it LOOKS like it’s filled with the wisdom of the ages; and that means, ya know– lots and lots of pages.

As a result, plenty of business books and how-to books (heck, even most novels) tend to say a few things well, and then either repeat themselves or head off on wild tangents in order to fill those pages.

But there’s no standard minimum page-count with eBooks; they can be as short or as long as you need. Pressure’s off! The point is to share relevant information in an interesting way– and if you can squeeze that unique and helpful knowledge into 10 pages, your readers will find each page all the more valuable for its brevity.

For instance, if you’re a plumber– you could write a short eBook on DIY ways to unclog your toilet and keep the pipes clean. (The pipes in your house, I mean. For figurative pipe-cleaning advice, consult a nutritionist or doctor.)

There is another benefit to short eBooks besides the fact that they’re potentially easier to write/create: frequency. The shorter your eBooks are, the quicker you’ll produce them; the quicker you produce them, the faster you can build up a robust eBook catalog.

2. eBooks are inexpensive to produce and easily distributed worldwide. Unlike physical books, eBooks are very cheap to make. The biggest consideration is usually the time it takes to write the book itself.

Then a company like E^2 Books & Co. can take your file (.doc, .txt, PDF, etc.) and convert it into an attractive eBook that will be readable on all the major devices (Amazon Kindle, Apple’s iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch, Barnes & Noble’s Nook, the Sony Reader, Kobo, Copia, and more). Ellechor eBooks will also distribute your eBook to all the major digital book retailers and pay you 100% of your net earnings.

eBooks don’t require fancy cover designs, but a nice cover can certainly help attract readers. If your design skills are lacking, BookBaby also offers professional and affordable eBook cover design services. The relative low-cost of producing an eBook is also a bonus in another way: you don’t have to spend money doing market research for your book.

Once upon a time with printed books, it was wise to send out mailings to your professional peers and clients (even before you’d begun writing), telling them a few of the major ways your book could help them. The mailing would also include a self-addressed stamped postcard with a couple checkboxes to gauge interest in advance and see what your potential buyer would be willing to spend on the book.

Then you’d do a little math and see if writing and printing the book would be worth the effort. The worst thing would be to write it, spend thousands printing the books, only to see them languish in a storage closet in your office.

With an eBook– forget all that. There’s very little risk involved, and zero inventory concerns. Since the internet provides limitless “shelf-space,” you can leave your eBook on sale forever on the various retail sites and on your own website. If it’s not a big hit in the first month, no one is going to turn you away; you can still watch a steady trickle of sales add up over time to big earnings.

3. Everybody wants eBooks! Over 20% of Americans own eReaders; over 20% of Americans own tablets (like the iPad or Kindle Fire); 66% of Americans between the ages of 24-35 own smartphones (iPhones, Android, etc.); and these numbers are increasing exponentially. While many European countries still lag behind the US in terms of eBook technology, they’re making the right moves to catch up. Soon enough, EVERYONE will be in the market for eBooks.

Over the past 15 years– email, websites, and social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook have become ubiquitous tools for conducting and marketing your business. While business-branded eBooks probably won’t be quite as obligatory as those other tools, customers and clients will become conditioned to search for businesses, references, and testimonials not only on Google, Yelp, and YouTube, but also on Amazon.com, the Apple iBookstore, and other popular eBook stores.

Why not establish your presence in the business-branded eBook market ahead of the pack?

4. eBooks help you establish your expertise and build your brand. I don’t care what kind of business you work in; consultant, stock analyst, blogger, booking agent, art courier, railroad engineer, plumber, tinker, tailor, baker, candlestick maker, spy– you have a particular skill or knowledge that someone out there will find useful.

If you can clearly communicate that knowledge in an eBook, your reader will trust your credibility and competency, be more likely to purchase your product, subscribe to your service, hire you for a job, or recommend you to a friend.

But again, don’t stress about writing the definitive masterpiece on the subject– just add something valuable to the conversation.

You’re not writing the great American novel. Instead, simply outline the information you want to share; use a confident, straightforward tone– and keep on track. If you do, your book will be useful– and if it’s useful, it’ll sell– all the while increasing brand awareness and loyalty.

Now some of you might be asking, “Why would I want to write a book teaching people how to unclog their own toilets? Then they won’t hire me!” Well, I’m not writing this article to start a debate on the pros and cons of content marketing, BUT… I will say this: If your 10-page DIY Plumbing eBook helped someone unclog their own toilet, who do you think they’re going to call when it comes time to install a new bathroom? Yep. You!

By providing helpful info, you’re building trust and increasing the odds of selling your big-ticket items.

5. eBooks help you grow your prospect list. An eBook is one of the most versatile ways to gather prospective clients’ contact info.

Consider offering your eBook for free on your website. Build a dedicated landing page on your site (for a little extra SEO power) which allows visitors to exchange their name and email address for a free download of the eBook. If you want to get really fancy, you can give them the choice of downloading an ePUB or PDF. Also be sure to include in your eBook some kind of offer or coupon code that will increase the reader’s likelihood of hiring you.

For readers who found and purchased your eBook through a site like Amazon or iBookstore, that coupon/offer/ad will be the most obvious link back to your website. Attracting readers to your site is important because the digital book retailers do NOT provide customer contact info to authors and publishers.

Once you’ve enticed the reader to visit your own website, they may want to download another eBook in your catalog (thus the importance of making a few different eBooks available)– at which point they’ll be prompted to provide their contact info.

6. eBooks help you boost your website’s SEO. eBooks can also be used in tandem with a blog, further boosting your website’s SEO rankings.

If you maintain a blog for your business, you can create a content schedule where you slowly build your eBook over a series of blog posts. No need to stress yourself out writing it all at once.

Or, conversely, chop the finished eBook up into smaller segments that will fuel your blog over the course of several weeks or months.

If you use the later method, be sure to link to the landing page where blog readers can download the whole eBook.

And, of course, be sure to share the individual blog posts (as well as links to the finished eBook’s landing page) on all your social media profiles; you may just watch your eBook become one of your most powerful viral marketing tools.

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Have you used an eBook to grow your business? We’d love to hear about the experience in the comments section below.

 

5 Tips for Writing Great Book Marketing Copy

Sometimes I over-explain. When I work on a project, I usually think of plan A, plan B, plan C,… Often, this serves me well. I’m able to catch potential problems or can evaluate which solution would be best. Other times I just confuse people.

Do you struggle with this? Does it trickle into your marketing efforts? Because it is a problem that I often hear authors complain about or see in their marketing materials.

Here is a recent example. I follow a marketing thread on LinkedIn and one of the authors that regularly contributes recently went to a community event to promote her book. After the event, she referred to the whole thing as a “failed” event. The reason? Her marketing display was not effective in promoting her book.

In addition to other factors, the group pointed out that she had way too much text so that her main messages were lost. What she found from the experience was that a cover and just three words hooked her audience more than all her explaining and graphics.

In one of her comments regarding the event, she shared a sentiment that I imagine a lot of authors feel,  “I’m a lot better at the writing than I am the marketing needed to communicate it.”

Isn’t it funny that those with the gift for words suddenly find that gift diminished when it comes to trying to effectively tell consumers about the book?

Marketing language can be very different than the writing style most long-form authors use.  You must keep in mind that when a customer is looking for a book to pick up, her goals are much different than when she is actually reading the book. Thus, the goals of the writing should be different. Here are a few tips to keep your promotional writing under control:

• 1. Give the reader just a taste. You are trying to convey a feeling or a promise of an answer to a problem, not details. Leave that to the book.
• 2. Give a pay-off by focusing on one clear benefit. You may be able to think of a bunch of benefits, but don’t overwhelm your customer. Give them one hook. Whether this is a solution to a problem or a short explanation of why this book will entertain, the reader wants to know what is in it for them. Which goes nicely with the next point…
• 3. Write to your reader. Consumers don’t care why you wrote the book. They want to know what’s in it for them. What do they want to hear? How does your copy address them?
• 4. Use short sentences. Yes, this person wants to read. He is picking up a book after all. But he doesn’t want to read right now. He wants to put down money for a book. Let him! He’ll get on with all your fantastic writing later. For now, short sentences that read more like bullet points will help him make that decision.
• 5. Simplify to Maximize. This is the over-arching theme I want to leave with you. Your natural reaction will be to add more, tell more, and show more. Resist the urge and try cutting instead. What can you get rid of while still conveying your point? If it doesn’t absolutely have to be there, cut it to make better use of consumers’ very short attention spans.

Best of luck to you!

 

Write Now! 7 Productivity Strategies to Stay on Track

[This article was written by Janet Goldstein of BookBreakthrough.com.]

The more important a project is to us, the harder it can be to start and continue–and take it all the way to publication. The more we care, the more we fret. 

When we attempt to take our writing to the next level with a more ambitious project such as a complete novel or nonfiction book, a change-the-world manifesto, or even essays or stories that are intellectually or emotionally more rigorous–it’s easy to get lost in the complexity of all we want to say and accomplish.

What I tell myself over and over is, Just begin!

Here are 7 strategies that can help you get–and keep–your writing sea legs and create work you’re proud of.

1. Practice Writing.

Find one pinky fingernail bit of your idea, one corner where you can sit at your screen or with a yellow pad and write out several paragraphs, pages, or a whole thread of an idea. Develop small chunks of writing. Getting even a few pages of a chapter opening, one section of a topic, or a single scene drafted can be a huge boost.

For non-fiction (including memoir) you can develop starter pages with bullet lists of information you want to fill in. For fiction you can plot out a particular bit of action that can be woven into a seamless whole over the course of writing and rewriting process.

When you make your idea concrete, it becomes easier to look at your work as a “project” and not as “you.” Believe me, just push forward.

If you’re farther along in your writing process, don’t spend all your time on the first 10, 20, or 50 pages of your project. The juiciest, most compelling, and freshest work often comes in the second half. That’s when we get to the stuff we haven’t thought through completely. There’s an urgency, creativity, and flow that sets in. So keep going if you’re at the midpoint. Okay?

2. Talk.

Find a writing partner, thought partner, friend from a class or mentor group, writing coach, editor, graduate student, or intern. You want to find someone who cares about what you’re writing–and who will care about you. Together, you can brainstorm the overall themes of your concept and/or the content of one small section at a time. You can talk your ideas out loud and record and transcribe them.

Experiment with these conversations and discover how powerful it can be in opening up your thinking, filling in the holes, and developing your voice and story-telling. Through conversations you can get below the surface of your idea while finding fresh insights and clarity.

3. Make Folders.
Develop low-tech or online tools to collect ideas, clips, quotations, resources, case examples, and inspiration. I use manila folders for each chapter or key idea of a book I’m working on. I label mine in black marker at the top right corner, on the tab, and along the fold. I have a separate folder for working outlines, too–because they get revised just like your chapters do!

With folders, you can toss in your notes, drafts, relevant older writings and blog posts, vague ideas, references you might write down during dinner with a friend, and possible anecdotes. You can “smoosh” them into a very rough working draft down the road. It gives you a running start.

4.  Plan (shhh, Structure).

Structure is a frightening, evil, deadly, restrictive, creativity-squelching enemy to many, many aspiring authors. Yet experienced writers and editors know that structure is your friend. Structure is your support, your buoy, your velvet rope, your Hansel and Gretel breadcrumb trail leading you and your reader on the journey through your ideas, story, and teaching. Call it what you will, find a way to lean into structure.

If you’re working on a book, you can think of your chapters as building blocks of ideas that are comprised of a mix of elements that move the reader through a narrative arc, or flow, from beginning, middle, to end.

Building blocks. Each chapter might consist of 3-6 key concepts including an introduction or overview and possibly some conclusion or concluding story. These are your main “chunks” or building blocks.  If you’re writing very short chapters, then each chapter is comprised of a single building block.

Elements. The chapters themselves can be made up of a range of narrative elements: expository writing, case examples, lists, side bars, quotations, interviewee excerpts, research data, storytelling, memoir (personal narrative), and so on. You might find that 3-4 of these elements form the core of your chapters. You can then look to blend in these elements as you write and revise.

Narrative Arc or Flow. A book, a chapter, a story has a beginning, middle, and end. The outline or annotated table of contents represents that through line. It’s the story of the book that moves the reader through the ideas, concepts, transformation, growth, or plot of your work. You can rehearse the arc of your book out loud (and with your thought partner). You’ll see if the ideas build on each other and if there’s a logic and compelling flow to your plan.

5. Retreat.

Whether your writing place is a special desk, a nearby coffee shop, a friend’s studio, or your bed, create sacred writing time and space to do your work. You can get into retreat mode by putting a message on your email (“I’m writing and will get back to you this afternoon, next week, or next month–ha!”). You can get into retreat mode by working at the same time and place every day. You can play a particular piece of music, develop a ritual, or simply pray in your own way.

When I froze while writing my first book (a collaboration), I literally could feel my voice stuck in my throat. I was told to imagine my throat chakra as turquoise-colored and to imagine exhaling from my throat, releasing the flow of energy. I’m sure I’m bastardizing the advice, but it became part of my writing practice and it worked.

Beyond daily writing rituals and a sense of daily retreat, writing immersions are powerful, fun, and freeing. Consider planning for a 3-day weekend of writing (without family and friends nearby), a week at an empty house or writing program, or a full, month-long retreat, especially if you have a real deadline.

6. Create Deadlines.

The most effective and powerful way to crystallize your ideas and complete a project of any scale is having a deadline. That’s one of the unsung yet major benefits of traditional book publishing. There’s a contract and a deadline and the risk that the project could be cancelled if it doesn’t get done!

Find a way to create a deadline for yourself, however small–or big. Announce a blog series or a free class, start a newsletter, apply to give a paper or doing a reading at a conference, take a class that requires sharing your work, register for a publishing workshop [www.bookbreakthrough.com] or class where you can share and promote your work. Tell someone and let accountability (and healthy fear) inspire you.

7. Understand What You’re Working Toward.

Many different publishing paths and formats can lead to immediate and longer term “success”–and there are as many definitions of success as there are authors. Understanding your goals, your genre, your audience, and why starting small (but excellently) really works, can help you take your perhaps wobbling “sea-legs” first draft all the to a publication and a launch you can be proud of.

Remember–our creative work doesn’t develop in straight line. So, push yourself. But also sit with your work, let it percolate and evolve, and grow as a writer and the CEO of your book and message.

 

7 Things Every Author Should Do Before Their Book Release

by Guest Blogger Lynn Baber

Launching a book is like planning a wedding; you begin with the event date and work your way backwards. Authors who achieve success within their own lifetime get their books into the hands of readers, obtain feedback, and use reader comments to fine tune promotional plans.

The first step toward your book release is high quality photography.

1. Photography

Invest in a flattering head shot, a great book cover, and a variety of action shots designed to either promote you as an authority or showcase the content of your book.  Assemble an album of high-resolution .jpeg images to use online and for printed materials.

Each published element on your road to launch day and every promotion must include the book cover and author photo or attention-grabbing content shot.

2. Analyze the Competition

What three books offer the most competition or greatest appeal to your readers? Study them. Consider writing a series of comparative articles that contrast your new book with those titles. Potential readers will ask if you’ve read your competitor’s work and will ask how your book differs. Have an intriguing and intelligent answer prepared.

Use these articles as a topic for speaking engagements and online posting. Where do readers find references to your competition? Are you planning to be in these same places?

If competing authors have already cleared a path why spend time and money blazing a new one? Readers can’t choose your book over the others if it isn’t listed, promoted, or mentioned in the same places.

3. Coordinate Book Formats

If your book will have multiple formats (Kindle, print, audio, downloadable file) maximize your marketing response by scheduling your launch when all versions are ready, not when the first one is ready.

4. Prepare a Niche Marketing Plan and Reader Profile

Don’t just give lip service to niche marketing. BELIEVE IT. OWN IT. Ignore it at your own peril. The direct path to failure is marketing your book to everyone you think should read it.

Promotional materials must showcase you or your book and not the publisher. Bookmarks, one-sheets, push cards, websites, videos, and press kit elements must be targeted, have a specific purpose, share a common message and include your contact information.

Be prepared to give away a number of books in order to kick-start the feedback loop. People read the same books their friends, colleagues, and rivals read.

If you’re not sure what your niche is, define and describe the characteristics, attributes, challenges, needs, location, and lifestyle of the person most likely to benefit from reading your book. Ask the folks who have already read your book for their thoughts.

5. Gather Reviews and Testimonials

Plan a soft launch well ahead of your release date to gather reader response, reviews, critiques, and accolades so you can set the proper tone for the formal launch and target the proper audience for your book. What you gather in this step provides the foundation for your promotional materials.

Your most valuable marketing research tools are people who have already read your book. Readers will tell you what it’s about, why they read it, which parts are the best and which ones to rewrite if you ever do a second edition.

6. Honestly Inventory Your Weaknesses and Strengths

Do you have an extensive client list of people or organizations that are waiting breathlessly for your book? Are you a good schmoozer in a crowd? Can you sell your message to an audience? Are you prepared to ad lib a radio interview?

Search for opportunities where you will shine! Weight your promotional calendar more heavily with virtual interviews and online seminars if you are a brilliant writer who needs to polish rusty speaking skills.

Load your calendar with events, interviews, speaking engagements, and appearances. Many authors sell more books to people who attend their events than all other avenues combined. Book events to coincide with your release date. In other words, get the bride and groom to the wedding at the same time.

7. Produce Coordinating Marketing Materials

Every printed piece, photo, video, website, and online post must have a call to action, a purpose, and fit into your marketing mix as a whole. Each promotional piece should coordinate and complement every other piece to produce a clear and cumulative call to respond.

Small intimate weddings don’t require as much preparation as elaborate affairs. If you plan a huge launch, begin preparing and executing your plan well in advance of the actual release date.

Your book only has one opportunity to make a first impression. Make it great!

 

Author of four books, Lynn Baber, is a retired World and National Champion horse breeder and trainer who shares messages of worthy leadership and right relationship online, in print, and in person – often in the company of horses.

Visit Lynn at http://www.LynnBaber.net or http://www.AmazingGraysMinistry.com