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Going Beyond the Written Word | Books & Beer

Evo Terra — Tue, 07 May 2013 15:30:35 +0000

Jeffrey Powers runs Geekazine and a pile of other “azine” properties. He’s a videographer, interviewer, podcaster and content creator that’s found an interesting creative outlet in all things digital media. He’s got some great ideas that should-be authors would do well to adopt, and he shares them with us on this 15-minute episode of The Books & Beer Hangout.

And there was the obligatory drinking of beers. Tonight’s choices: Goose Island Summertime, a Stone Enjoy By IPA (5.17.13), and an Old Chub by Oskar Blues. Tasty!

The Books & Beer Hangout is broadcast as a Google+ Hangout on Air and on YouTube Live! Circle ePublish Unum on Google+ to watch live, and to join The Books & Beer Hangover right after the show to chat with hosts and participants live!

Can’t see the video embedded above? Download the video or watch it on YouTube.

Survival Tactics for Shipwrecked Authors | Books & Beer

Evo Terra — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 15:44:01 +0000

Kimberly Chapman is a shipwrecked author. Her previous publisher is no longer in business, and she finds herself suddenly an indie author, figuring out the world of self-publishing. Sound familiar? Probably. And she has some lessons to pass along to the rest of you. Here’s what you’ll find in 15 minute so this episode of The Books & Beer Hangout:

Why not all traditional publishing deals are created equal. Or even good.
The good parts of traditional publishing, and how we can recreate it in an indie world
The better parts of indie publishing, and how they beat traditional publishing
But you’ll have to pay, indie author–Kimberly will tell you how much
Balancing the risk with the reward, when it’s all on your shoulders
Why you can and must professionally publish as an indie author
Avoid “fredited” at all costs and pay for a professional editor
Finding innovative ways to market your book
Tips on taking the plunge into indie publishing for those who’ve been on the other side

And there was the obligatory drinking of beers. Tonight’s choices: Mother Road’s Roadside American Ale and Epic Brewing’s Big Bad Baptist. The puppet had a Sweet Action by Sixpoint.

Can’t see the video embedded above? Download the video or watch it on YouTube.

Publishing through Serial Fiction

Evo Terra — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 12:39:21 +0000

This week, our guest is Claudia Hall Christian. She writes the Denver Serial series, a traditional serial fiction that she’s been writing six days a week, for almost five years. But she does more than that, actually publishing–and selling– books along the way. How does that work? Pretty well, as you’ll learn in this 15 minutes of The Books and Beer Hangout!

The good and the bad of hooking writers on your storytelling
The size of the audience interested in serial fiction
Writing arcs within a continuing story
Should you write well in advance, or on a daily basis
What it takes to keep a long-term serial story going
How serial fiction and full-length novels can be written at the same time
The complexity of keeping multiple storylines straight in serial fiction
How Claudia makes money selling the same stories she gives away for free
Why this will work for you, too.

And there was the obligatory drinking of beers. Tonight’s choices: Session Black , some homemade mead, and a Lagunitas Brown Shugga

Can’t see the video embedded above? Download the video or watch it on YouTube.

Kobo Writing Life for the Indie Author | Books & Beer

Evo Terra — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 13:30:10 +0000

Mark Lefebvre is the Director of Self-Publishing & Author Relations for Kobo. He’sbeen a bookseller for 20 years, an author for 30 years and a book nerd ever since he chewed on his first book as a toddler. We brought him on to cover Kobo Writing Life and to talk about the state of the ebook industry beyond Amazon.com. Here’s what we covered on this 15 minute episode of The Books & Beer Hangout:

A quick history of Kobo–and why you should use it!
How Kobo partners with independent booksellers in the U.S.
How independent bookstores support Kobo authors
Why Google got it wrong with ebooks
How independent bookstores benefit when customers buy Kobo books
The interoperability of books purchased from Kobo
How you can read books from Kobo on your ebook reading device
How to gain an international audience with Kobo
The realities of short-term exclusivity

And there was the obligatory drinking of beers. Tonight’s choices: Church-Key Brewing’s Northumberland Ale, Big Bad Baptist Imperial Stout by Epic, and the Goose Island IPA. Tasty!

The Books & Beer Hangout is broadcast as a Google+ Hangout on Air and on YouTube Live! (almost) every Monday night at 6:00p PT. Circle ePublish Unum on Google+ to watch live, and to join The Books & Beer Hangover right after the show to chat with hosts and participants live!

Can’t see the video embedded above? Download the video or watch it on YouTube.

Living the digital freelance writer lifestyle | Books & Beer

Evo Terra — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 13:35:02 +0000

C.C. Chapman has successfully made the shift from wage-slave to freelance writer. With two books from a traditional publisher under his belt, a successful consulting career, and ongoing speaking engagements, he’s truly living the dream. But is it all it’s cracked up to be? We’ll cover that in 15-minutes on this episode of The Books and Beer Hangout:

The realities of a real publishing deal
Out of pocket expenses required even with a traditional publishing deal
Right-sizing your fantasy of a “fat advance”
When you might expect to make a living only writing books
How to make additional income as an author, but not from your books
When to write to further your career, and when to write because you have to write
Why it’s important to networking with professionals–and keep them informed
Making the transition from wage-slave to freelance writer
The realities of hustling to keep the money flowing
Moving from “starving artist” to “contributing to the family interest artist”
The importance of knowing what you do and who you are before you go freelance
The role of understanding basic business skills before you go off on your own

And there was the obligatory drinking of beers. Tonight’s choices: Kona’s Big Wave Golden Ale, Bell’s Hopslam, and the last Palate Wrecker from Green Flash.

The Books & Beer Hangout is broadcast live every Thursday night at 6P/9E as a Google+ Hangout on Air and on YouTube Live! Circle ePublish Unum on Google+ to watch live, and to join The Books & Beer Hangover right after the show to chat with hosts and participants live!

Can’t see the video embedded above? Download the video or watch it on YouTube.

Google+ Communities for Authors | Books & Beer

Evo Terra — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 13:36:32 +0000

The Writing Discussion Group has almost 10,000 members and is the largest GPC (Google+ Community) focused on writing books. So much for the ghost town claims. Even our modestly-sized Digital Publishing community is pushing 2,500. The opportunity to get good information and connected to super smart people in the writing/publishing world is very real. John Ward joins us on this episode of The Books & Beer Hangout for a 15-minute chat on the ins and outs of starting, joining and maintaining successful GPCs focused on writing and publishing. Among other things, you’ll find out:

Why sharing to GPCs is better than sharing to circles
How to keep your community on track
Going niche without staying small
How to grow your community quickly
The need for and amount of moderation required for a successful community
The great need for even more communities for authors
How to get active and involved with existing communities
How to grow your own personal network with good engagement in GPC
Check out The Siglerverse as an example as a community focused on a single author

And there was the obligatory drinking of beers. Tonight’s choices were a Traquair 2020 & a Bell’s Hopslam.

The Books & Beer Hangout is broadcast live every Thursday night at 6P/9E as a Google+ Hangout on Air and on YouTube Live! Circle ePublish Unum on Google+ to watch live, and to join The Books & Beer Hangover right after the show to chat with hosts and participants live!

Can’t see the video embedded above? Download the video or watch it on YouTube.

Quest For a Perfect Book Cover | Books & Beer

Evo Terra — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 14:28:38 +0000

Ah, book covers. A pain in the butt for most authors, and often understood. Or ignored. Bad idea. On this episode of The Books and Beer Hangout, first-time author Rose Gonsoulin walks us through four different book covers she went through before deciding on her final. This really shows the progression of an idea through concept. From amateur effort to final professional cover. It’s a fascinating journey, and here’s what you’ll learn in the 15-minute long video:

Why your nephew who fancies himself a designer probably isn’t the best choice
Why your spouse probably isn’t right–even if they know Photoshop
Why “regular artists” probably aren’t what you need either
Why you need a real cover artist
The value of making a book look great at the size of a postage stamp
How serendipitous meetings can lead to great partnerships
Key things to remember when working with a talented designer
How to give constructive feedback to get the design you want–that works
When to let go and trust your designer–and when to stick to your convictions
Recommendations to help finding your cover artist–the first time.
Char Adlesperger did the work

And there was the obligatory drinking of beers. Tonight’s choices: Leinenkugel’s Red Lager, Left Hand Nitro Milk Stout, and a Hopslam by Bell’s Brewery.

Can’t see the video embedded above? Download the video or watch it on YouTube.

How to Kill a Word | Books & Beer

Evo Terra — Fri, 18 Jan 2013 12:54:01 +0000

Patrick McLean helps people and companies with their writing and communication. He is an accomplished author and writing coach with decades of experience. We covered a lot of excellent ground in this 15 minute episode of The Books & Beer Hangout, like:

Why so many people are terrible at writing
A shift in collegiate standards of writing in the 1950s
And writing has become more complex, for no good reason
Becoming a purposeful writer
Cultivating efficiency in your writing
Why all adjectives and adverbs have to die
And that’s not just your editor’s job
Why you might need a writing coach
The value of writing collaboratively
… but knowing when to not trust your collaborators.
When is the right time to start killing words?
The importance of a visual structure
Why you should read everything you write out loud
Bonus materials:
A free microsite where you can submit samples of your writing and get feedback from Patrick. For free.
A collaborative rewriting video with prior B&B guest Brand Gamblin, showcasing the death of some words in a real-world writing coach setting.
A screenbook that helps with rewriting. Helpful and hilarious.

And there was the obligatory drinking of beers. Tonight’s choices: Tenaya Creek Old Jackalope Barleywine, Dale’s Pale Ale by Oskar Blues, and some Maker’s Mark. No, not beer. But close enough!

The Books & Beer Hangout is broadcast live every Thursday night at 6P/9E as a Google+ Hangout on Air and on YouTube Live! Circle ePublish Unum on Google+ to watch live, and to join The Books & Beer Hangover right after the show to chat with hosts and participants live!

Can’t see the video embedded above? Download the video or watch it on YouTube.

Digital Publishing Options for Short Stories | Books & Beer

Evo Terra — Fri, 04 Jan 2013 14:40:51 +0000

Doug Lance is the editor of eFiction magazine. No, that’s not quite right, because eFiciton is really 10 different magazines that publish short stories world-wide. Digital innovation is at the forefront of what he’s doing, and he’s changing how authors and readers think about short stories. If short is where your heart is, you owe it to yourself (and your career) to check out this 15-minute episode of The Books and Beer Hangout:

How technology has impacted the short story market
The rebirth of the short story in a digital publishing world
The role of social media in short story publication
How short story authors can use the web to reach a wider audience
The changing nature of short story compilations
How the unknown author can use short stories to build a readership
New digital serial publishing options for short story authors
Selling short stories in the world of the $.99 novel
The role of editors and editing in the new world of short stories
How community curated content beats a gatekeeper every time
Immediate steps a short story author can take for success in the next 12 months

And there was the obligatory drinking of beers. Tonight’s choices: Epic Brewing’s Fermentation Without Representation, Tenaya Creek’s Tandem Double IPA and a Bell’s Lager of the Lakes. Tasty!

Can’t see the video embedded above? Download the video or watch it on YouTube.

No More Boring Book Videos: YouTube Strategies for Authors | Books & Beer

Evo Terra — Fri, 21 Dec 2012 13:00:52 +0000

Video most certainly did not kill the author star, and Caleb J. Ross is living proof. He writes what he calls domestic grotesque fiction (I’d call it magical realism, but I think I like his phrase better). But more importantly, he’s a master booktuber and uses YouTube to market his writing career in rather unconventional ways.

And if that doesn’t intrigue you enough, here are the items we covered in 15 minutes on this episode of The Books & Beer Hangout:

How the visual medium mixes nicely with the written word
The art marketing without adding marketing elements to your video
Why communicating should be your primary goal
The fact that writing a book isn’t special enough
The power of becoming an authority in your subject
A quick snapshot of the wide and varied booktuber ecosystem
How to use YouTube to expand your brand beyond your book
What video tactics have worked the best for Caleb
The engagement you, the producer, need to have to interact with your audience
What if you’re an author who just wants to write?
Caleb’s ideas on what’s next, and how authors can make their mark

And there was the obligatory drinking of beers. Tonight’s choices: Boulevard’s Rye-on-Rye, Left Hand Milk Stout Nitro, and a Hopulent IPA by Epic Brewing

Can’t see the video embedded above? Download the video or watch it on YouTube.