Here’s your chance to write your own book
Want to become an author? Do you have a passion inside you, but not sure how to turn it into a vocation? My friend Brian Schwartz has a truly unique one-of-a-kind opportunity you might want to check out. Brian is the award winning author of 50 Interviews: Entrepreneurs thriving in uncertain times. On 9/9/09, he’ll [...]
August 25, 2009
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Mary · 
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Tags: self publishing, seminars, writing · Posted in: self publishing, small business, writing
Can you revive interest in your published book from several years ago?
How hard is it to revive interest in a book published several years ago? It depends. Can you tie your topic into current events and trends? Or is your topic sooooo 2004? So here’s my list of when to either update (or forget about) your book if it was published several years ago. 1. Was [...]
July 19, 2009
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Tags: new editions of old books, self publishing · Posted in: Amazon.com, ebooks, self publishing
Is discounting the only way to sell books?
I’ve been watching my sales on Amazon.com go up and down like my hemlines in the 70′s for the last 4 months. For the first time in 5 years of selling new and used books on Amazon, I’ve gone entire days, sometimes 2 days, without a single sale. Now I admit, I don’t have a [...]
December 1, 2008
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Tags: book sales, online book selling, self publishing · Posted in: marketing, self publishing
The top 5 marketing habits of successful authors
I saw a news item yesterday on The Power of Two. The Power of Two is having two healthy habits that will add years to your life. Yesterday’s segment suggested that you (1) find out your family medical history in order to prevent diseases you may be prone to and (2) that exercising your brain by [...]
November 19, 2008
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Tags: online marketing, promotion, self publishing · Posted in: marketing, self publishing
The death of traditional book stores
Brick and mortar stores are losing to online bookstores. I’ve been seeing a lot of articles online on how many bookstores are closing their brick and mortar stores while keeping their online store. The internet, they say, has killed their traditional bookstore business. As self-publishers, their loss is your gain. You stand to make a [...]
November 7, 2008
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Tags: Amazon.com, online booksales, online promotion, self publishing · Posted in: Amazon.com, self publishing
Build your fan base with podcasting
I just read about two novelists in San Francisco who produced serial podcasts of their novels one chapter at a time. Along the way, they acquired thousands of raving fans of their work and attracted agents and publishers eager to sign them. Prior to that success, one author was turned down by hundreds of conventional [...]
November 5, 2008
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Tags: podcasting, self publishing · Posted in: internet, self publishing
It’s not about you
The whole world does not want to know about your book. But, the world does want to know what your book can do for them. Your elevator speech – your 30 second spiel for when someone asks you what your book is about – should be centered on the benefit your book would have for [...]
October 28, 2008
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Tags: marketing, self publishing, sell solutions · Posted in: self publishing
Online book sales – 30% and rising
The October meeting of the Colorado Independent Publishers Association featured a talk by self-publishing guru Dan Poynter. I’ve heard Dan speak on two occasions now and always feel energized by his can-do attitude about writing and selling books. Aside from hearing some great reasons to self publish instead of trying to get a traditional publisher, [...]
October 23, 2008
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Tags: book store sales, online book sales, self publishing · Posted in: self publishing
To sell books, give them away
Writers always want to know about inexpensive (or even cheap) ways to promote their book. Here’s one of the cheapest: give away copies of your book. Here’s why: 1. Nobody throws away a book. Even if someone isn’t interested in your subject, they will pass your book on to someone else rather than toss it. [...]
October 9, 2008
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Tags: book promotion, self publishing · Posted in: self publishing
Five low-cost or no cost ways to promote your book
1. Always carry a copy of your book along with your business cards, bookmarks, and flyers. You never know who you will meet! 2. Get your friends to host a book reading at their homes and invite all of their friends. 3. Contact local book clubs and offer to discuss your book in person. 4. [...]
October 7, 2008
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Tags: book promotion, self publishing · Posted in: self publishing
