What, then, is an effective rate of blogging in order to significantly increase online public visibility as an author? Once a week? Three times a week? Twice a month?

Tip #1: There's no one right answer to the frequency question.

Even if we blog more often than the next person, with what frequency does our intended audience actually spend time on their social networking? And on which social media? This is a question I ask myself. And, I hear lots of groans from my book publishing clients who don't always know where their next good blogging idea will come from. Plus, my clients don't want to give up precious work-week time. Yet as authors our objective is to get noticed, to be OUT THERE. So the answer becomes, be out there with a blog post frequency that works for you, and be consistent. To increase that public visibility, you simply must schedule regular blog creation time into your calendar.

Tip #2:  Content is King.

The marketing reach of your blog is potentially huge. You want to be providing great content. Stuck for what to blog about? You have all that content from your book (even if still in manuscript format) to adapt! If non-fiction, create stand-alone pieces  anywhere from 300-700 words per post. If fiction, craft a stand-alone episode with a provocative title.  We grab more readers and subscribers if we have an optimized, catchy post title. You can of course plan to reuse the same material in a future online newsletter, making the marketing time you spend overall more time-efficient.

Tip #3:  You want ideal readers coming directly to you and onto your list.

How do others accomplish this? Set up some Google Alerts to see who else is writing in your niche. Find those bloggers and check out how they hook the reader into a book sale (or not). Then take a relationship-building approach:

• Leave positive comments on several bloggers' posts
• Become interactive and participate as a community member; join online Groups
• Once your commenting presence is established, it's not a stretch to bring up your book
• Offer to guest blog
• On your blog, request feedback or peer review from a free chapter offer
• Be out there! Request an endorsement, or book review

With more and more prospective fans — and list generation ongoing — your blog will prove to be one of your most important marketing tools. Please feel free to contact me to design a customized approach to fit blog-writing time into your weekly schedule.

In preparing a book for publication, a self-publisher does well to organize both the print version and the e-book version at the same time, even if you plan to begin with one or the other. Expert cover and interior designers will be equipped to handle both versions, knowing in advance the path will be to print with either Lightning Source or CreateSpace.

However, because they are basically printers and they handle all the pieces, Lightning Source and CreateSpace are a good choice for self-publishers who are starting from scratch. But what if:

• You want to go straight to the e-book format, which is faster and cheaper?
• What if you already have a print book and want to turn that into an e-book?
• What if you already offer a PDF of your book on your website?
• And what if, considering that the Kindle accounts for 60% of all e-book sales, you're ready to take the leap and make it available on the Kindle and in the ePub format for Nook, Kobo, Sony e-readers, etc?

Here's where independent e-book converters come in. Heaps of e-book conversion companies are springing up, and it's my desire to sort out a handful of trustworthy ones. Smashwords is a great example. They offer distribution in addition to free conversion. The only problem is that they prefer converting straight-text Word documents. So if what you have is nonfiction with visual elements like graphics and tables, you'll need to look elsewhere.

What about eBook Architects? In my last post, "5 Steps To E-Book Conversion," I received lots of positive feedback about several firms, including BookBaby, eBook Architects, and InstantPublisher. Do these offer the distribution you need? When researching the various companies, consider your needs and determine how close they come to providing the entire book printing/marketing/distribution process that you’re looking for.

At the moment, I am converting a nonfiction PDF (a more labor-intensive process than fiction because all the formatting needs to be reproduced correctly) with Booknook.biz, and so far I am very pleased with their service. However, it's an e-book conversion from a PDF (which resides already on one of my websites, www.openheartcoach.com), converting to an ePub and a Mobi (Kindle), so it is not starting from scratch. I will let you know if Booknook.biz makes my final list!

Who are your favorite e-book converters? Please let me know. My intention is to narrow the list down to a trustworthy five for my book publishing clients. Thanks for your input!

Step 1: Do it yourself or hire a service?

It is possible to convert a book from PDF to e-book format without hiring a service, but be warned: This option is best for tech-experienced authors who are willing to buy software and learn how to use it. If you would enjoy that challenge and have the time to spare, it is certainly more affordable than paying someone to do the conversion.

But for authors who are not comfortable with the technical side of e-book conversion, the better option is to leave it to the professionals. Not only is this option faster, but it also gives you a well-designed and professional-looking finished product. Plus, it saves you time.

Step 2: Consider conversion options

Conversion services offer different rates for different packages. Before approaching any of them, consider these factors.

• Source format: The source format of your book will influence the price. For instance, if all you have is a PDF of your book, this will cost more than if the book were, say, a Word document or a text file. And of course, if your book is only in printed form (and some e-book conversion services do accept these), it's going to be a bit more expensive.
• Destination formats: To reach the widest possible readership, it's a good idea to have the book converted into multiple formats that are readable by all the main devices. AZW (Amazon's file format) and ePub (a versatile format that can be read on many devices) are indispensible.
• Length and design: Conversion services charge by the page or word count, and the price can go up if there are complicated design elements such as tables and images, or if your book has footnotes, endnotes, or an index.

Step 3: Research and get quotes

If you are happy with the printer/ publisher of your print book, check with them to find out if they offer e-book conversion. If not, it's easy enough to find a service to work with.

Google is a good way to find a sampling of professional conversion services. The first few pages of search results for "e-book conversion" and similar terms should give several good options. Meanwhile, Amazon has a list of recommendations for Kindle book conversions on its website. The best ones offer detailed information on their websites about their services, policies, and pricing. Skip those that don't have much information or that strike you as not very client-friendly. There are enough options that you can afford to be choosy while narrowing the field down to three to five choices.

Most conversion services make it easy to request a quote via a page on their website or by emailing them your file. Request quotes from a handful of conversion services, and give them a day or two to respond. Those that don't get back to you promptly might not be reliable enough to warrant consideration.

Step 4: Weigh affordability vs. other factors

Once you have a few quotes, weigh your options. Remember, while price should be considered, the most important thing is for you to get a professionally designed e-book that you can proudly stand behind and that can reach as many people as possible. Sometimes the cheapest option isn't the best. For example, if you want a clickable index, this will cost a little extra, but it might be worth the cost if it helps your readers navigate your content.

Here are a few questions to ask of the services you're considering:

1. Do they convert to all the file formats you need?
2. Can they convert from the format your book is now in?
3. How long will it take?
4. Is the pricing easy to understand, and is it set in advance?
5. Are any discounts available for multiple conversions into different formats?
6. Do they offer any post-conversion services to help you get your book out to readers?

Step 5: Check endorsements, references, and reviews

Most of the top e-book conversion services have testimonials and endorsements listed on their websites. You can find additional information by searching online for the name of the company to see if any reviews, blog posts, or social-networking posts come up. If you don't find enough to satisfy you, ask the company to provide you with references you can contact.

Another way to find a pre-vetted e-book conversion service is to talk to self-publishing authors who have their books in electronic form. Get in touch with any colleagues or contacts who might have a good lead, and reach out to any self-published author whose e-book you've read yourself. If a company that matches all your needs is recommended by someone whose opinion you trust, then your choice becomes easy.

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And much more! Visit www.ibpapublishinguniversity.com for details and early bird pricing. I hope to meet you there!

Imagine this scenario. You have several novels under your belt. You've been a dedicated writer for years, and you've spent many of those years going to writers' conferences, attracted by the promise of scheduled ten-minute appointments with editors and agents. These appointments give you the opportunity to pitch your book, so you arrive with a well-honed elevator speech. At the start of the meeting, your attitude glass is probably half full.

Let's say the appointment goes well. (And agents in particular are usually quite gentle in the writers' conference setting.) You are encouraged because, yes, they would be interested in seeing more pages. But several weeks after submitting your manuscript, you receive, if not a preprinted rejection note, a personalized "No thanks. I'm afraid this is not right for us." Suddenly your attitude glass is half empty.

After years of submissions and rejections, you acknowledge we're in a new age — the digital age — and you decide you might as well make a go of it. You explore the web. Everyone is talking about the need to blog to find one's book community, and most writers are giving in to the pressure and joining Facebook and Twitter. Seeking professional support — perhaps a worthy mentor — you join a couple of LinkedIn groups. But in the end, you find everyone's in the same boat as you, somewhat lost, and searching for marketing solutions. Now your marketing attitude is even less than half empty.

After a couple more years, you give in and pursue self-publishing. You decide to try one of your novels as an eBook to test the waters. But you still must pave the way for people to find you, and this involves self-promotion, as well as perhaps hiring a good publicist specializing in social media and online marketing. This can be costly, however, so you wonder, is an expensive publicist the only choice? Or can you push yourself to learn the ropes yourself?

And here's the dilemma. As one writer said to me, "Between writing, life maintenance, and practicing jazz piano, I simply don't have time for those things, and feel they are more than distracting: They unravel my soul."

So what now? Time to reexamine your attitude. Envision your glass filling back up. Self-promotion has been part of being a published author for decades. Whether you are pitching your book or developing a platform from which to trumpet your work, you are the one who has to do the lion's share of the marketing. Resolve to take action with a positive marketing attitude only. Choose to look at your glass not as half empty, but as half full and growing ever fuller. You may need to hire some help. There's nothing wrong with that. But if you truly want to reach an audience and sell books, the most important step is to commit to getting yourself out there.

In case you're not completely sold on the e-book option, here are seven reasons why it's at least worth considering.

1. Quick and easy publication. Become a published author without the wait! Perhaps you have several unpublished manuscripts sitting in a drawer. Declare the intention — and receive the satisfaction — of having at least one manuscript published and off to market without having to go through the long print-publication process.

2. Get to know your market. Define your core target market by testing the market with an e-book first. See if your work flies with your peers (not family members, who are liable to be too kind) in its current stage. Set a period of time to gather worthy feedback. The beauty of collecting this information now is that it gives you a chance to revise your book before you seek print publication.

3. Get pre-publication reviews and endorsements. Make your e-book an ARC — an advanced reading copy — first. Use it to solicit endorsements, a preface, or an introduction. Drop a graceful hint to an established colleague, leaving the door open for them to offer a review. Because ARCs are technically uncorrected proofs or galleys, they can be used to jumpstart your promotion for both the e-book and the print book. There are prepublication reviewers and long-lead print media editors who work four to six months ahead of their publication schedules.

4. Spend less — at first. Production for the physical book plus the digital printing can come later, once you've tested the market, made desired revisions, and collected additional endorsements. Are you still hung up on the idea that e-book publishing isn't "real" book publishing? The answer to this is that nowadays everything is simply content, and there are many legitimate forms in which content can be offered. View your inaugural e-book as just the first published representation of your content. And remember, there is a growing number of readers out there who don't think twice about reading e-books instead of print books.

5. Establish a web presence. As part of the process, you can build a home base from which to sell your e-book. If this is your first book, or if this is a new genre for you, you are currently an unknown, period. So how do you create public visibility for yourself? Design a web presence that uses a straightforward Internet strategy. First, figure out who your audience is. Second, find them online — the bloggers and the groups that are interested in your content. Third, start a blog, and write with these people in mind. Join in discussion with them. Soon, after you've become a participating community member, it's not a big stretch to make it known that you have an e-book coming out, and to offer to show readers your first chapter.

6. Online tools make marketing easy. Take advantage of the ton of marketing tools online. Make connections in your niche market through blogs, comment on relevant social media sites, and join online groups in your e-book's subject category. Market articles — drawn directly from your book's chapters — through multiple article banks.

7. No warehousing or fulfillment. For now you can skip many of the costly steps that selling a physical book requires. Through the order page on your new website you will "ship" your own book — without lifting a finger!

Many authors hate the Facebook/blogging hurdle. Since there is no guarantee social media will help sell your book and no way to measure whether it does, embracing a Facebook presence and/or starting a blog can seem like a time-wasting commitment. We all know the charming stories about how old friends, high school classmates, and past colleagues can find each other online and delight in the reconnection. Creative and lucrative benefits can result from these new relationships. But hanging out on social media sites can be a huge time drain unless you set boundaries for yourself.

Establish a social presence

If you're new to promoting your book through social networking, the goal should be to establish yourself with fellow travelers in your niche community. For example, let's say your book is in the Irish-American historical fiction sub-genre. You are a newbie, this is your first book, and you are a complete unknown outside your family and friends. Your goal is to seek other Irish-American history buffs who are really looking forward to your book—except that they don't know it yet because they haven't met you.

Here's one self-contained activity that just requires a setup and not a whole lot of time. You want to connect with writers and readers who blog about topics related to your niche. One way to do so is to join their discussions. The goal is ultimately to let them know about your book, but first you have to become a genuine member of their community.

First, try putting yourself in their shoes: Come up with keywords or key phrases others in this online community would use when Googling topics they’re interested in—for instance, staying with the same example, Irish-American history, Irish/Boston population clashes, the 1919 Boston police strike—varying the specificity of your subject in your search. Also, try using the free Google Keyword Tool.

Form relationships

The goal is to connect with these bloggers and form mutually inspiring relationships. One way to do so is to leave positive comments on their blog posts. After your presence is established, open and friendly bloggers will be interested to hear that you have a book coming out on a similar subject. At this point, it's hardly a stretch to suggest they might want to read galleys. And if they admire your book, they may go on to endorse or review it. You may even receive an invitation to write a guest blog post, or you can take the initiative and offer one. This all paves the way for your building the gumption—getting over that hurdle—to begin writing your own blog.

Social networking for book promotion is all about forming relationships. If you key into your niche subject area, all your new friends will look forward to your book. You now have established a significant online market. Acting on this opportunity will not be a waste of your time!

But first, no matter who is publishing the book — a traditional press, a print-on-demand operation (POD), or your own new small company – remember that you have to do the lion's share of the marketing. There is no way around this. However, the good news is that you are the best spokesperson for your book. You have lived with, and know, the material deeply. You are your book's champion. After months of writing and rewriting, you long to get this book out into the world. So, carpe diem! Grab the chance to share your book!

1. Open up. I've said this before and I’ll say it again. Start with one change you simply must make if you plan to be successful in marketing your book: Get over being shy.

2. Join a local Toastmasters group. Set a goal to become more comfortable with public speaking. Toastmasters programs (or an equivalent) can be incredibly supportive for anyone who fears public speaking.

3. Ramp up your web presence. How well is your website serving you? What initiatives are you taking to draw your niche community of potential book buyers to you? What are you blogging about? Which online groups are you active with?

4. Use article marketing. Using complete or partial standalone chapters from your book, saturate your potential market with repackaged, repurposed, ready-made content. And don’t forget to use Google Alerts — a free service — to track where your articles are showing up.

5. Create a downloadable media kit on your website. The contents should mirror an actual press kit. This will cost you one tenth as much as a formal printed set of press materials would, yet your kit will be instantly available to the media 24/7.

6. Post comments on others' blogs. Don't want to take precious time to blog? Post relevant comments on blogs conversing on your book's niche category, and respectfully work in your web address and bio items about yourself and your book.

7. Influence where your ideal reader will find you. Make a list of 15 to 20 venues where interest in your topic would attract customers to your speaker presentations.

8. Explore the programs of national wholesalers and distributors. How do you get in, and what is their discount policy? How broad a distribution of your books are you looking for? First study each distributor's website, then set up a live chat or phone call with the customer service rep.

9. Lay out a realistic marketing budget, and consider options. What sources will the money be coming from? What initiatives will you take over, and what can you delegate to a trustworthy part-timer? Is hiring a publicist desirable in your case to get the word out? Identify and set aside a sum of money for six months of promotion initiatives.

10. Prepare galleys for review and media pitches. Do you want to plan your pub date in advance so you have a shot at the important prepublication review media? Explore where getting reviews will significantly impact sales and where they will not.

There are many more marketing actions you can include in a marketing plan. There's no single correct set of choices to make. My best recommendation is to select what's most comfortable (and therefore most doable) first, just to get your feet wet. You will be inspired by your accomplishments and more self-starting initiatives will follow. What three in this list appeal to you to get started?

The answer depends on what you hope to achieve and how much work you’re willing to put into it. Technically, becoming a small publishing company—an author-publisher—is easy. You choose a publisher name and open a bank account, and if your state has a Home Occupation License requirement you file for one. In practice, however, it’s not so simple. So let’s take a closer look: What are the additional steps you need to take before bringing your book into the world?

Self-publishing vs. print-on-demand

Before doing anything else, draw up a reality-check production budget. This will help you decide whether you have the money to independently self-publish your book. If you do not have enough, going with a cheaper print-on-demand (POD) firm might be your best option.

To get a clear picture of your budget requirements, create a self-publishing checklist that includes the following items:

• A list of vendors you could hire and a range of typical charges for each
• Fixed expenses such as an ISBN block, an LCCN number, and a barcode
• Variable expenses such as permission costs and fees for a cover designer, a logo designer, a proofreader, a back-cover copywriter, a photographer for your author photo, a front-cover photo or illustration, an interior designer or compositor, and (if your book is nonfiction) an indexer
• A ballpark budget for a first-run printer fee, including galleys and eBook conversion

Yes, creating this checklist takes some research, but most of this information can be found by searching the web.

After you have your checklist, the next step is getting referrals to and bids from potential subcontractors. (An expert book coach will have great referrals.) Only after you’ve done this can you create an accurate production-cost estimate, and then you will know whether self-publishing is right for you.

Advantages of self-publishing

While independent publishing can be costly, there are advantages that make it worth the money. First and perhaps most important, you maintain control over your work both creatively and from a business standpoint. Second, at the right price you can have a professionally produced book, not a homemade-looking one that paints you as an amateur to booksellers. And third, today there is fortunately a great deal of business and creative support for small presses and self-publishers.

So with a good strategic marketing plan (both online and off), the potential for profit is real. But whichever publishing venue you choose—whether it be self-publishing, POD, or traditional publishing—one marketing truism remains: It is up to you, the author, to promote your book. You are by far your book’s best spokesperson. And if everything goes well, you will have a professionally published book that you can feel proud to promote.

Now back to where we started: Do you need to spend all that money to independently publish?

To get a definitive answer, there’s one more thing you need to do. Select eight to ten POD firms and make a comparison chart listing the top features each company includes in its packages. For example, can you use your own ISBN? Can you opt in to a distribution contract? What’s the profit split? What will the best author package cost you? When you weigh this information against your self-publishing checklist, this should tell you which publishing route is a match for you.

1. Deep experience. It's vital that you don't serve as the guinea pig for a vendor-in-training. You will already face a learning curve with every book publishing contractor — whether you are working with a cover designer, a developmental editor, a book publishing coach, a website or back cover copywriter, an interior book designer, an eBook conversion specialist, a digital printing company and so on. And that expensive list does not include your marketing. For example, you may benefit from hiring a publicist, a substantial additional cost. So unless you are currently involved in — or at least open to — social media, you will miss out on worldwide promotional online opportunity if that publicist is not experienced in social media. No matter who you include on your publishing team, you are looking for track-record professionals.

2. Expertise. You want experts! You want each book publishing professional to serve as a trusted sounding board within their expertise. It's even better if the expert has the big picture overview as well. An expert book publisher, book coach or mentor — someone who has run a small publishing company independently — fits this bill. You could be cheating yourself contracting with someone with only minimal "publisher" experience.

3. Flexibility. How will this professional be to work with? Are they willing to change course if you find it necessary? Say, you contract for one set of revisions (i.e., cover comp, or back cover copy) and it's clear you want another direction after all. Include wording for flexibility in your written agreement for this possible outcome.

4. Delivery accountability. Who have you spoken with so far, who may have recently employed your prospective freelance hire, to further check out this prospect? How well were schedules kept? Did s/he make the deadlines? Of course you have to stay on top of delivery promises too. Such is the tedious but necessary ritual of continual follow-up.

5. Heart. "You've gotta have heart! Miles and miles and miles of heart." You want a good match in every case, between you and the professionals you are working with because your project is so dear to your heart. If someone is cool to your subject matter but highly skilled at the contract position you have open, are you comfortable with this? If you really want partners who love and believe in your project, go with your instincts and hold off until that special person appears.

Contact me to schedule a free Discovery Session to help you put together the right book publishing team for your needs. Go to https://my.timedriver.com/5XP5H to schedule your appointment.

Maggie Lichtenberg, PCC, is a Book Publishing Coach and awarding-winning independent author. Grab a FREE copy of her Report "How to Get Your Book Published: 5-Steps to Making Your Book Publishing Dream Come True" — visit: http://publishing-options.com/free-report/