The Writing Bomb

Winning With KDP Author HITS #1 AGAIN.

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff Bennington) — Sat, 1 Jun 2013 20:55:00 -0700

I don't mean to gloat, but the timing is right. The Secret Tree, my latest release, is #1 in the Amazon free store (June 1, 2013). I'd be glad to tell you how I did this again, but I've already shared what I do to get there.

A couple months ago I wrote a book called WINNING WITH KDP: 5 STEPS TO HITTING #1 IN THE AMAZON FREE STORE. This concise book gives 5 steps that will take a great book to #1 in the free store. I also give additional information that every author in KDP Select should know.

What I want to point out is, there are thousands of books that are promoted every day as FREE, and several that are listed in BookBub.com every day. The thing is, only one book will be #1 at any given time. So how do I get to #1 on demand when there are literally thousands pushing for that spot? Heck, I was #22 before my BookBub promotion went live this afternoon.

Need proof? Here's a screen shot of my current ranking (June 1). #1 overall.

Never heard of BookBub? I talk about this site and other top promotional sites for free books, tactics, and tips in the 5-Steps book.

If you have hit the top 100, or the #1 spot in your category, or the top 20 in the free store, you are probably only 1 or 2 steps away from hitting #1 overall. All you need is a few more details, secret tips, and you'll get there!

For the beginning indie author--and I was there, with no clue about book promotion--promotion is all about information.

Ah... that's the mystery. And that's what I write about in WINNING WITH KDP--the information needed to hit #1. This book holds nothing back. No details are left out. If you've written an excellent book, are getting good reviews (4 star or greater), and have a great cover and story, you can do this--or get awfully damn close!

The Top 100 is great. The Top 20 is better. And the Top 5 is awesome! But #1 is a guarantee #1 in all of your category top 100 lists and most likely will boost your book when it returns to the "Paid Store".

All to say, if you are an author in the KDP Select program, I would highly recommend WINNING WITH KDP SELECT: 5 STEPS TO HITTING #1 IN THE AMAZON FREE STORE.

That's all. Short and sweet. Good luck with your next promotion!

Jeff Bennington is the best-selling author of Reunion, Twisted Vengeance, the Creepy series, and The Indie Author's Guide to the Universe.

Amazon.com Widgets

Can You Hit #1 in Amazon's Free Store?

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff Bennington) — Sat, 30 Mar 2013 05:15:00 -0700

Hitting #1 in anything is a good thing right? What about in the Amazon FREE store? And is there a difference between landing somewhere in the top 100 vs. hitting #1? Oh, yeah... big difference! Bigger pay off. More downloads. More reviews. More fans.

After working with KDP Select for over a year now, I've discovered what works for me, and I finally found the time to write about it. Yeah, I've been busy finishing my latest novel, The Secret Tree, and completing The 5 Steps book, to the detriment of my personal book marketing practices. But since you folks are my information springboard, I thought I'd give you a heads up on what I've learned about KDP--information previously unpublished.

I recently published a new book called, Winning With KDP Select: 5 Steps to Hitting #1 in the Amazon Free Store. I want to give this to you because of your support and because you deserve to know what works. But I also want to give you a little piece of this book before you get it for FREE on Amazon. The following information is NOT part of the 5 Steps.What follows are a few basic tips taken from the book. Maybe you haven't thought about this stuff before, or maybe you have. Either way, I hope this helps. But if you really want to know how to hit #1 on your free day, get this book. It will be free March 31st - April 1st.

There will only be 365 books that hit #1 in the Free store over the next 365 days... Will you be one of those authors? I hope so.

Here are a a couple things you want to think about if you are in KDP Select:

GOT FANS?

KDP Select offers authors one of the best opportunities to gain new fans. How? By giving away your book and creating fans addicted to your writing or series. If you are not bringing them into your fold, you are making a big mistake. Be sure to include a link for your new fans to join your email list or Facebook page at the end of your book. Grab ‘em while you got ‘em, for tomorrow they’ll forget about you. A great site for FREE forms is jotform.com.

TIMING?

There doesn’t seem to be any rhyme or reason to which day works best when running a KDP freebie, but I advise doing it at the end of the month. Why? When your book returns to regular price, you not only get the sales bounce that will hopefully come as a result of your giveaway, but you can also capitalize on the Amazon Prime customer monthly free downloads that are generally used when they are first available (the beginning of each month).

FREQUENCY?

Try a two-day giveaway first. If you promote heavily, two days should be enough to get you in the top 100, and will leave you with 3 more days to use over the next couple months. Remember, you only get 5-free days for every 90-day period. But lately I’ve been using a 4-day freebie schedule as long as I’m still in the top 20. I want to have good momentum for as long as possible. If you go "Free" for one day, and you did not promote heavily... you probably wasted that day.

NOTE: Hitting #1 in the Amazon Free Kindle Store takes hard work and cash if you want to hit #1, but it is very much worth the investment from my experience (see 5 Steps Book).

WARNING:

My goal for you is to hit #1, gain a TON of fans, and make some money afterward. If you want to hit #1, spend the money. You have to tell as many people as you can that your book is free. Lazy promotion brings lazy results. Heavy promotion brings BIG results. Ultimately, if you don’t hit the top 20 when running a free book promotion, you may have wasted your time and free days in terms of the final ROI (Return On Investment). The exception is when you need more reviews---which is another goal altogether. If you don’t spend the money on heavy book promotion, the resulting sales may be minimum. However, you will likely get some reviews as a result of the giveaway. If that’s what you’re after, then you may consider the promotion a success. If you want to make money, sell your other books, or grow your audience in a big way, you better plan to hit #1 and that's what the "5 Steps" book is all about.

So what's the "so what"? The so-what is I'm giving away Winning With KDP Select: 5 Steps to Hitting #1 in Amazon's Free Store on March 31st - April 1st. So, go get it. Find out what it takes to hit #1. Find out what the best sites are for promoting your free ebook, and find out how you can reach a targeted audience with hundreds of thousands of readers. Then, write a review, share the book, and get it into as many of your writer friends hands as possible.

Jeff Bennington is the best-selling author of Reunion, Twisted Vengeance, the Creepy series, and The Indie Author's Guide to the Universe.

Why Your Book Page is UN-Selling Your Book

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff Bennington) — Sun, 10 Mar 2013 14:26:00 -0700

In Jan 2012 I worked with a couple authors who were having a hard time selling their books, and I helped one of them hit Amazon's Top-100 in the paid store, and the other came very close. Since that time, I have helped other authors evaluate the basic elements of their Amazon book page that are actually "UN-selling" their book.

Believe it or not, many new and not so new authors are scratching their heads, wondering why their book, as well written as it is, is not selling. They look at their monthly KDP reports, and their Amazon ranking and wonder what's going on. If that is you, the problem could be that you are on the inside looking in, and are not seeing the big picture. The following is an example of such an author.

Hayley Doyle came to me for help, and I found several issues right away. She gave me permission to share the following "book evaluation" so that others can learn. Put in context, Hayley had a literary agent, but a deal was never struck with a publisher, so she went ahead and self-published. Since that time she has sold very few copies. This is the only book that she has published on Amazon, although she has another she could publish. So... she's a first time author, with one book published. This is pretty common among indies, so I'm guessing there are some out there that will read this and apply the following analysis to their own page. I wrote this book page analysis about a week ago, and we talked today about a few steps she can take to begin "fixing" some of these issues. As you read this, I hope it helps you.

~~~~~~~~~~

Hayley, After studying your book I have found several items that may contribute to poor sales. Some are obvious to me, but there may be other issues under the radar that we will have to discuss. WARNING: I'm very honest, which is what you paid for.

Here are my findings, starting from the top of your Amazon book page.

Title: The Day She Met Shirley Temple

Author: Hayley Doyle

Price: $7.99

Current Ranking: 845,460 in the Amazon Kindle Store

Print Ranking: 3,668,349

You do not have an author page set up. The author page is the first thing I look for because it's right at the top of your book page. You do not have one, and you should. Creating an author page is easy via Amazon Author Central. From AAC you can edit your book's description and add your author bio, pics, video, and social media links. Why is this important? Because with only one title listed on Amazon, readers have no idea why you are a credible choice or who you are, and have no way to follow you if they want to. The reader/writer relationship is more intimate today. They want to know about you, and want to follow you if they like your work.

You only have 1 "Like". This is a sign of popularity. Amazon readers do participate in this. Seeing only 1 like may actually be a turn off. You need to recruit friends and family to like your page as much as buying the book (I "Liked" your page btw). How does this help? Amazon factors a lot of elements from your book page into your ranking and internal Amazon promotion. The more likes, the more Amazon recognizes your book as a valuable/likable product. That goes for the the other social media buttons. Use them regularly. Tweet your book page. Facebook share your book page. Pinterest your book page. Every time you do this, Amazon registers another tick up in your book's popularity. Do these things impact your Amazon logarithm as much as a sale? No. But they help... especially if they come from different IP addresses (yeah, Amazon keeps track of that so no sense in using 10 different accounts from the same computer).

You only have 1 review. Reviews build trust. Too many bad reviews and sales will completely die. Lots of good reviews, and you have a far greater chance of selling. KDP Select is a great way to get more reviews. The only other option is to work your tail off, searching for the right reviewers and soliciting reviews from them, just like you have done with The Kindle Book Review--Great job! For additional info on getting reviews See my article on building a blog tour. After being published for nearly a year, having only one review on Amazon is a big red flag to me.

Price: $7.99 is way too high for a first time, self-published eBook--unless you are already famous or fresh off a reality tv show, or if you won an award as prestigious as The Bram Stoker Award. In addition, with the author's name as the publisher (your name), as listed in your book details, there is no hiding the fact that you are self-published. You don't have to, but it's not like a reader will know that your book is vetted by someone like Thomas Mercer, or Penguin and trust that the $7.99 is worth the cash. The length is right for the price But only IF you were traditionally published by a reputable publisher. I recommend selling no higher than $2.99 and maybe even 99¢ until you boost your ranking (where you will actually be seen). As a newer author, it is more important for you to grow your audience. So make the book affordable and include a link for readers to join an email list, or your facebook page. Put audience growth over profits, for now.

I have a unique philosophy on pricing. Read this article for my thoughts. No sense in re-writing this. In a nut shell, if you want to grow a reader fan base, don't over price your books. You may make $5.00 for every sale, but is it worth it when the cost is losing 100 readers for every five bucks? I'm all about gaining readers. That's my plan. Money comes with more titles, not an over priced rookie effort. There are those that will say, you are worth more, and that you shouldn't sell out to penny sales. Let them think that. I make $2,000 a month from 99¢ books, and that number grows with each new book I write. Eventually my stock price as an author will go up to match the size of my audience and I'll make much more then. New corporations start as penny stocks for a reason.

Cover: The Shirley Temple cover looks cute and all, but without the actual title and author name on the cover, I don't think the attempt at rectangular originality is going to work for you... yet another strike against you as a newbie... not in my eyes, but in the eyes of the reader. Look at the best selling books in your genre. They don't look like yours. Yours looks similar to the other non-fiction titles shown on your page. But your is not non-fiction?

Here's a book that one of your buyers purchased. It is not a historical fiction, and it is not selling all that much either.

Search results: When I do an Amazon search with the key words "Shirley Temple" the top three books are ranked as follows: 142,000+, and then 422,000+, 661,000+, and then your, which is fourth, which is good, but you can see that you are being pigeonholed into a niche category (with no sales). The 142,000 book is probably only selling a few copies a month (5-10) and that's in first place.

This tells me that if your book is a historical fiction, you need to lose the Shirley Temple stigma. It looks too much like a ST non-fiction title. There is no audience for this topic/theme. Here is the list of the top-100 historical fiction kindle books. This is where your cover needs to be if you want to sell in this genre. I suggest updating the ebook cover, maybe to match your print, although the print version still looks a little sub par because the image has low image quality and is blurred. (no offense, just comparing to the top 100).

Tags: I usually comment on "Tags" but I haven't seen them lately. Amazon may have stopped that. Tags were a way readers can help categorize books buy typing/adding key words that they thought were relevant to the content of the book. So nothing to say about that.

Category: I don't know what 2 subject categories you chose when you published. These are critical in helping readers find your content/subject. Let me know what those are when we talk.

Key Word Selection: When you published via KDP select you were given the option to chose up to 7 key words. Go to your KDP account and find out what you typed in this section. Then, along with your two categories you chose, type those words (individually) into the Amazon search bar, and jot down a note about the top one or two book covers, and make a note of their ranking. If after doing this with those 9 words, ask yourself if you are satisfied with the rankings of these books and if they look like the kind of titles that fit where you want to be... which is in the top 100 Historical Fiction category.

Not in KDP Select: I absolutely think this is necessary for newer authors... especially those with only one or two books... that means you. Read the attached article to see why I think that. I'm just now moving out of KDP (with reservations) but I have 7 working titles and one more to be released (although my first is pretty much a bomb... but that's how I learned).

Formatting: I see formatting issues on the first page in the "Look Inside" edition. This may also be a turn off for readers.

Okay, that's enough to take in I'm sure. Try not to be discouraged. This is a tough business and not all writers are fully prepared to be publishers just because they wrote a book. There's a lot to learn now, and after you think you have everything down (pub, marketing, design, and hot genre) it all changes and you have to learn something new. That's just the way this business works. Ultimately, you have to keep writing more books. Books sell books. I'll leave you with this article:Common Lies Self-Published Authors Believe. Read this as well before we talk. And on behalf of the publishing industry as a whole, I apologize that this is so overwhelming and ultimately frustrating. But in order to be successful, writing/publishing must be a labor of love.

Now, let me know if seeing this book page evaluation helps you!

If you think you could benefit from this type of evaluation or some of my other author services, check out my gigs on fiverr.com

Creating an Effective Author Platform in 3 easy Steps

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff Bennington) — Fri, 21 Dec 2012 16:31:00 -0800

So you hate that you need this mystical thing called an author platform just to sell your books, huh? Well I've got some good news for you. You can actually grow your platform in 3 easy steps!

What I'm about to show you will require a personal investment of time and finances, but it can be worth it if you do this regularly. I know it works because I've done it in the past and have had success almost every time--almost every time, because not everything goes as planned, and because I can be lazy sometimes. But I am doing this right now and seeing excellent results as we speak.

What is the trick? It's called a "Reader Role Call" promotion. You might also want to call it a multi-platform giveaway. This trick is something I do in addition to a KDP select giveaway (for details see previous 2 posts), but when I do, I see excellent KDP Select results. More importantly, I grow my reader base by gaining social media followers.

I'm currently doing this with 84 other authors at The Kindle Book Review. We are giving away a Kindle Fire and two $100 Amazon gift cards. I've joined forces with these authors and Digital Book Today, but I've done this all by myself recently and it worked great then, too. When going solo, I usually give away print copies of one or more of my books, which requires a much smaller investment, but will also garner less interest than a major giveaway (Kindle, Nook, iPad).

Results?
At the time of this writing, I've personally gained nearly 50 subscribers at The KBR, and about the same on Twitter and Facebook in the last 24 hours, and this is just the start of a 2-week promotion! This promotion has had over 20,000 entries in the last 36 hours, so the authors involved are getting a lot of exposure. And my sales? They've ticked up a little, but that's what I expected--just a little. Promos like these need to be tied in with layered marketing in other platforms to see large sales spikes. The thing to remember is a promotion like this is more for growing an author platform, which is a long term relationship, and does not always lead to immediate sales.

The general idea of the Reader Roll Call is to give something away by using Rafflecopter as the source of generating a raffle/drawing to automatically choose the winner. Rafflecopter is really cool because you have lots of options in terms of creating ways for readers to gain entries/points, and the ones with the most points naturally have a greater chance of winning.

So what are the 3 easy steps?
#1. Decide what you want to give away, and if you want to join forces with other authors. If you go solo, try giving away a print copy of your book during a KDP free promo to help spread the word about you and your books. This will draw attention to your freebie if you tie it in right. Also, if you include other authors, understand that this is your show, and you must work hard to get the others everything they need like links, ideas, and dates. You have to make sure everything comes together.

#2. Decide where you will host/publicize the promotion and how you will reach your audience. When running a promo like this in the past, I've listed the promotion directly on my Amazon book page by adjusting the text via my Amazon Author Central account. But the real trick is to incorporate the giveaway across your entire online platform, including Facebook, Twitter, your blog, or website. And the better trick is if you work with other authors, and everyone contributes to the promotion, you can gain an even greater reach, and piggy back on their reading audience as well. Another tick is to give away a copy of your book(s) on Goodreads at the same time, and link the giveaway to your REAL promotion, the one with the Raffecopter giveaway, or your freebie if doing a KDP giveaway as well. The point is, before you start, you have to commit to how deep you want to go, and then follow through and do everything you said you would. I'm also doing two other promotions like this with other groups of authors during the holidays, and it stands to reason that the more my name is seen across the Internet, the greater chance I have of gaining followers and readers.

#3. Create your Rafflecopter form. Creating a Rafflecopter form is easy and can include many upgrades if you plan to use this often. I use the basic form and still have the option to have the reader/registrant follow my twitter account (@TweetTheBook), my Facebook account, subscribe to my blog(s), and "Like" my author page on FB. And this, my friends, is the best part about this type of promotion; it draws readers into your author platform, and that's enough for me, for now. But one important thing to remember: when using Rafflecopter, the actual raffle sign-up box will not go live until the start date that you choose, so you have to make sure everything is correct when it does go live. I have had some problems with them linking facebook pages. In that case I have replaced, for example, an authors FB link with his/her Twitter handle.

A few points to remember, regarding author promotion:

Authors with one book will have a more difficult time selling/promoting (unless they are lucky). Always remember that, "The best marketing plan for a newer author is to write more good books."
A social media audience is more receptive to receiving something free than a constant barrage of self-promotion from you. They are also more willing to share your giveaway with their friends if they know there is no "catch". And there shouldn't be a catch. Giving your book(s)/something away is a win-win, because if you write great books, your new readers will be more willing to buy your other/next book---that's just how most people are--they appreciate kindness, and in general, want to return it.
Expect complaints. Although most people are good hearted, there are some that you cannot please. Be gracious. And offer exceptional service, even to the grumps out there.
Plan your promotions around typical retail cycles (Holidays, back-to-school days, etc).
Expect to invest more time/energy/money during the busier seasons (Christmas, Halloween, etc). There is more competition for the top spots on ad sites, and in Amazon lists.
A few key ingredients to all promotion/book sales are great reviews (more is better), a great book description, catchy cover, and a compelling sample.

And now I'd like to invite you to WIN a Kindle Fire or a $100 Amazon gift card with my KDP Holiday Kindle Giveaway. The giveaway runs until Jan. 5th, 2013.

This giveaway is brought to you by The Kindle Book Review, Digital Book Today, and 84 amazing authors.

Jeff Bennington is the best-selling author of Reunion, Twisted Vengeance, the Creepy series, and The Indie Author's Guide to the Universe.

Winning in Amazon's KDP Select Program: PART 2

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff Bennington) — Sat, 27 Oct 2012 06:42:00 -0700

Questions are great. I love questions. Sometimes I learn more when someone asks me about a topic that I am passionate about. And yesterday a writer friend asked a very pointed question. This is exactly what she asked:

"Jeff why is it better for authors with fewer books to stay on KDP Select? Sorry, but I don't get it." - anonymous

Well, naturally I told her to come to The Writing Bomb for details. But I also typed the following reply with my phone… talk about an auto-correct nightmare! Anyway, I realized that if one person asks a question than there are probably dozens more with the same quandary.

Anyway, here's my answer to her question:

"Why is it better for newer authors to stay with KDP select?"

The reason is simple. No one knows who you are, and no other online book retailer will help promote you like Amazon... hands down.

Take any first time indie or small press author, drop their book into all online ebook stores and they will all sink to the bottom unless that author continues to write book after book, and promote heavily, and still may not sell much. Most new authors continue to promote heavily, trying to force their dream of mass sales and book signings, waiting, hoping for the magic to happen, and it rarely does.

Why? Because no one knows who you are! Not you personally, but the rhetorical you, the unknown author, the first timer who isn't famous, who doesn't have 50,000 twitter fans, a platinum album, or staring in a sitcom.

Amazon knows this, and so in order to create a marketplace where their author's are committed to them for the long haul, they created a system (that was already in place and effective) and offered it as an "on-demand" promotional tool for author's who publish exclusively with Amazon (KDP) -- a reward if you will.

The reward is on demand promotion (1-5 days to sell your book(s) for free, renewable every 90 days) that can be targeted and controlled. It's the perfect answer to the unknown author. The author can give away thousands of copies (15,000+ is a good free promo result, and my average for my novels, a drop in the bucket in terms of millions of kindle readers).

But why would an author want to give away so many books? Simple. When you give that many copies away, two things happen (the magic):

1. Readership Explosion: With KDP Select, a new author can grow a following at a rate never before possible, and will garner far more reviews than with sales that trickle in under normal circumstances. How is this possible? Visibility, my friend… visibility in the free store. Heck, I even sell more print copies during a freebie promo.

2. Consistent Sales Bump: Amazon treats free downloads like sales, thereby placing the author's book cover across their site in places like the "customers who bought this also bought" section below other books purchased by those who downloaded the free book, and often in the same genre. The residual promotion that Amazon provides is of course relative to the number of books downloaded during the free promotion.

Here's the trick (well, one of them): Do this enough times and you start to target your audience because your book is consistently landing in your pre-selected category lists in the free store. Then, when you get the visibility from being in a category list, your sales can grow organically within days of returning to the "paid" store.

Example: Twisted Vengeance garnered 18,427 downloads in my Sept. 2012 freebie promo. I scheduled the promo for 3 days, but kept it going one more day because I was #5 in the free store for 2 days straight and didn't want to stop the momentum. Two days later, Twisted was ranked #800 something in the paid store, selling very well. I raised my price back to $2.99 and made a few bucks.

Now, what just happened besides giving away 18,000 books?

1. Audience Growth: I gained a lot more readers from that promotion, as reflected in my post freebie reviews, and Facebook likes that came in after the promo. Not everyone who downloaded the book will read it, or like it for that matter, and that's okay. But you can be sure, there is a greater probability that I will gain a higher number of fans with 18K downloads than with 500 organic purchases.

2. Additional Sales Lift: The wheels that started spinning during my free promo continued after the "sale". NOTE: Free books don't add as much weight in Amazon's algorithms as a paid book (hence hitting #5 in free store vs. #800 in the paid), but that's okay, too. Amazon rewards sales with visibility. So if you continue to promote with KDP Select every 90 days, getting that regular sales bump, and adjusting your price with the ebb and flow of your ranking (99¢ when your sales are down, and $2.99 or more when sales are up), your sales should continue to grow -- even more so if you continue to publish additional books. Why? Because every bump throws your book on more book pages, and then you fade, but then you bump up. Long term (1 year for me), it is working like a healthy looking Stock Market graph… slowly rising with dips and spikes, but consistently increasing sales.

KDP Select gives you free promotion from the largest book retailer in the world! And the results improve with every new book. Why? Because not only can I lift my ranking using price decreases as an incentive (promotional tool), but I can also promote with targeted free days with multiple titles. That gives me two methods of attracting readers with every 90-day cycle. So if you have 2 books, that's 4 free promotional tools. If you have 3 books, that's 6 free promotional opportunities, and so on.

Like I always say, "books sell books". Unfortunately, many freshman Author's think their book will sell on the merit of quality. Sometimes that happens with luck, but rarely. There are over a million kindle books now. A million! Geesh!

Do you see the advantage of hitting the top #20 or #100 in the free store? Thanks to KDP Select, I have sat above, beside, and directly under Stephen King and Koontz. But get this, I am a nobody in terms of the world wide publishing industry. The name Jeff Bennington means very little to the vast majority of readers, and yet my "free book" promotions have placed my name and book covers in places I never thought possible.

This program can market a relatively unknown like a big name author. With KDP Select, I beat out Heather Graham (Big time author in ghost category) often, because my promotions with KDP Select help boost me up there with the big boys and girls. This program can truly be the great equalizer for new authors, even if you only have one amazing book. And no other platform, with the exception of Kobo is doing anything like this.

Amazon has so many promotional tools to help market authors, it isn't funny! Take a look at some of these marketing tools they use: Bestsellers List, Hot New Release list, Movers and Shakers, Top Rated lists, Gift Idea lists, Top-100 Category lists, Tags, "If you like" lists, "So you want to" lists, and Top Rated Author List (New: I'm currently #44 in Horror).

The truth is… if you have 10 titles it's easier for readers to find you. And an author with that many books has probably grown his or her platform over the course of time anyway. But when you only have one or two titles, like most authors out there, KDP Select is the only program that can accelerate the long, time draining process of finding your readers.

Other sites list your book(s) for sale, but when you partner with the biggest book retailer in the world, and they are willing to help you find your audience, and sell your books, you get a much higher return, relative to what the other stores can do for you. And like all programs, there are a variety of variables that can impact one's success (cover art, reviews, product description, sample, book length, etc). And of course, there is always the exception, and a time for an author to pull out when they have outgrown the program. But in general, after one year with Select, I'm still very excited about KDP Select's power to promote.

By the way… REUNION is free Oct 28 - 30th during my little "Halloween Haunted Giveaway"

Jeff Bennington (@TweetTheBook) is the best-selling author of Reunion, Twisted Vengeance, Creepy, and Creepy 2, and The Indie Author's Guide to the Universe. Creepy 3 is coming soon!

How to Keep Your Book in a Top 100 Category

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff Bennington) — Fri, 21 Sep 2012 01:12:00 -0700

A fellow writer recently asked about my pricing strategies. This is something I don't talk about much because I wrote a chapter on Floatation Pricing ™ in The Indie Author's Guide to the Universe and didn't want to give away the farm. So as one might expect, I kept quiet. But since I still get plenty of questions from authors about price-point solutions, I thought I'd go ahead and share my thoughts on ebook pricing.

But before I do that I want to point out the big blue book image to the right. That is the audio edition of The Indie Author's Guide to the Universe. It was produced by an amazing Voice Pro, Philip Andrew Hodges. His voice is pleasant and enjoyable to listen to, so if you are considering creating an audio book at acx.com, look him up. And if you drive a lot or listen to audio books, consider grabbing an audio version of "The Guide". You'll be glad you did.

Now back to my thoughts on pricing…

My writer friend was curious why I use the 99¢ price point and sent me an email asking about my choice. I'm assuming he was asking me because my books are in the 3,000 to 11,000 Amazon ranking at the moment, and he probably thought I was doing something right. So here's what I said...

First of all, pricing has nothing to do with quality. Writers want to bring up the devaluing of books argument, but in truth, the price of a book has nothing to do with the quality of the literature. Just look at Amazon's Top-100 bestselling books, where prices range from 99¢ to $9.99 and up. You see, the true value of any book is in the demand of the author.

Authors are products. We are brands.

Authors rarely think in terms of economics because we can be overly delusional at times, and narcissistic in terms of the world's perception of our work. If you don't believe me, ask any author who is on their third or fourth book. They'll tell you that they thought the world was going to wait in line for their first book as soon as it was released - it was that good! I know, I thought that way, too.

The point is, our books will abide by the laws of supply and demand and there isn't anything we can do about it. If you are in high demand as an author, you can raise the price of your book. If you are in low demand - in other words, if no one knows who you are, you should offer your book at a discount. Don't take it personal, that's just the reality of economics.

I price my books anywhere from 99¢ to $3.99 at different times. But I don't price them that way because I have placed a specific value on my work.

I price my books to sell, but more importantly, to remain in my category Top-100 list.

Staying in a category list is my #1 priority in regards to marketing. I don't think about sales (although I get excited when things are going well), and I don't think about whether I'm targeting the right audience either. All I care about is staying in that top 100 list.

"Now wait a minute, Jeff," you say. "Don't you realize the people buying your books on the cheap may never read them? Or worse yet, may write a bad review?"

Yes. And I don't care. If someone buys my books on an impulse, they are giving me more sales, but more importantly, they are keeping me in that category list. And that is the best place to be because that is where my true audience is shopping.

"But don't you think readers see your 99¢ price as a sign of poor quality?"

No. But again, I don't care. If my book is priced at $3.99 or higher and I'm not in demand, they aren't going to buy my book just because I priced it higher. As the founder of The Kindle Book Review, I see award winning, well reviewed books with a $3.99 price point sitting on a 300,000+ ranking all too often. Remember, the longer I'm in my category list, I'm more likely to find the right buyers - outside of the list, I'm less likely.

I wrote a chapter about Floatation Pricing ™ in The Indie Author's Guide, and I get into the nuts and bolts about this strategy, but the basic idea is to be flexible with your pricing and change it as the tide rises and falls.

I never suggest using one price point. Not only is it important to set your price according to the demand of your products, it is important to be willing to change your price. Sitting on a $3.99 or $4.99 price point because of pride is just stupid. No offense if you're stupid.

If you're selling your books at $2.99 or higher, and they're selling like hot cakes, I'm not talking about you. And if you're trapped by a publisher's inflated pricing system, I'm sorry. I'm not calling either of these groups stupid - just the folks who are sitting there with their arms crossed, pouting about their sales, and blaming it on the guys and gals selling their books for 99¢!

What my friend didn't realize is that I price my books at $3.99, $2.99 and 99¢, always changing the numbers. Every author platform is different based on numerous factors. My audience, ghost/supernatural/occult, is not as large as the thriller audience, but it probably isn't as competitive either. And since I'm still a relatively new voice in the book world, I have chosen to set my price at 99¢ when necessary.

And when is it necessary? Simple. It is necessary for me to lower my price from $2.99 when I'm on the crux of breaking out of the Top-100 ghost category. So when one of my titles is teetering around the 15,000 to 20,000 overall ranking, I'm probably nearing #89 to #90 in my category. But I do not want to wait until I hit #101 because I'll be out of site and start free falling. Therefore, I re-set my price to 99¢ before it drops out of my list.

What I have discovered is that some readers are willing to try my work at $2.99, but not as many as those willing to try my work at 99¢. So when I've tapped out the readers at the $2.99 level, I drop my price, and the discount shoppers take over from there, boosting my ranking once again. Sometimes they'll take me from 20K to 8K or as low as 5K. The audience is always different. And it is always fun watching how the market changes from one week to the next.

"But what about book rentals via KDP Select? Wouldn't you rent more if your book was priced higher?"

No. I do not. My top selling book is always priced at 99¢, and has a ridiculously higher rental rate every month. I don't really know why; it's my shortest length book. Strange.

Here are my MTD rental stats as of Sept. 21st:

.99¢ Book - 64 rentals

$2.99 Book - 11 " "

$2.99 Book - 5 " "

$2.99 Book - 2 " "

Why do you think Carolyn McCray and the 99¢network.com do a promo featuring 99¢ books? Because they know that books (in general) will drop in ranking and rise in visibility.

Does that bother me that some people refuse to buy my work for more than 99¢? No. Well, not any more. I like readers with low and high book budgets. They are equally cool and just as loyal. Besides, why should I insist on selling at higher prices, when readers can choose from other new writers all day long at the lower prices? What makes me so special? Sure, I write books, but that does not entitle me to anything, including an audience.

Honestly I'm grateful for every reader, no matter what price they pay. And what the hell, I give away tens of thousands of copies every 90 days anyway.

It's all about staying on the list, making use of Amazon's algorithms, getting noticed, and floating my prices to stay in my Top-100 category at all times.

All my books are currently 99¢, and when you read "The Guide" or chapter on pricing, you'll know why. I'm also using my Layered Marketing approach to the freebie promo I'm running this weekend (9/23-9/25). And if all goes as planned, Twisted Vengeance should hit the top 20 in Amazon's Top 100 FREE list. I actually plan for that because of the resources I use, but you never know. However, I'm 4/4 in my last 4 freebie runs.

In conclusion, there is no single rule to pricing - get locked into an idea and you'll slowly watch your ranking drop from obscure to pathetic in a few months (unless you are in high demand). There are far too many factors for anyone to say, "This is a guaranteed result". But if you've tried to price your book at all levels and you're still having trouble selling, it may be time to look at the other factors like cover, product description, writing quality, and sample.

Publishing is a business in motion, so it's better to learn how to sail rather than learn how to build a boat.

~ Jeff Bennington

How to be Successful at Anything

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff Bennington) — Tue, 18 Sep 2012 05:45:00 -0700

If there is anything we all need, no matter what we do, what our goals are, or how lofty our ambitions, we need a path. We need a road map to guide us. And we need motivation. The trouble with these points is that we are all human; we fail often and miserably. But should our vulnerabilities stop us?

Never!

I heard a story recently that made a huge impact in the way I look at success.

The story is about a young man who wanted to be the best athlete in his sport. He wanted to be famous and he wanted to make a lot of money. So the young man called up an old pro, a man who was considered a guru in the sport. He asked the guru if he could teach him the secret of his success. He asked if he could coach him and tell him what he had to do to be successful. Being the helpful man that he was, he agreed, and he asked the young man to meet him at the beach early the following morning.

The eager young athlete showed up a few minutes late, but the guru overlooked his immaturity and began his instruction immediately. He asked if the young man was willing to do whatever it takes to be successful, and the guy shook his head enthusiastically. The guru then walked through the sandy beach and into the crashing waves and signaled for the youngster to follow. The young athlete looked at him quizzically, but went ahead and did as the man asked.

The guru said, "Very good. Now keep moving."

The young man continued into the water until it rose above his knees. He wasn't much of a swimmer so he started to feel a little bit nervous and asked, "How deep are we going to go?"

The guru replied, "A little more." He waved his hand, commanding the athlete to continue, and he walked until the water rose over his chest. Naturally, the young man followed, but stood close to the guru, fear written all over his face.

The guru said, "Now take one more step."

The young man did so reluctantly.

"Now take another."

The young man took another step and lifted his chin so he could breathe and shouted, "I can't go any deeper without going under."

The guru smiled and said, "I know." He then griped the athletes shoulders and shoved him into the water and held him down. The athlete struggled, and kicked, and although he was as strong as a lion, the guru was stronger. He held him down until the young man almost passed out.

When the weary athlete came out of the water gasping for air, he coughed and spit out the salt water, shuffling through the waves until he returned to the sandy beach and plopped down, exhausted and lightheaded. The guru followed. And when the young man had caught his breath, he asked with a hint of hostility, "Why did you do that? You almost killed me!"

The guru bent down and looked at the youngster eye to eye and said, "If you want to be successful at anything, you have to want it as much as you wanted to breathe when I was holding you under."

The athlete just stared at the guru, stunned.

"If you want to be successful, you have to crave success more than your next meal. You have to want it as much as you want to sleep. You have to give up video games. You have to give up a few meals. You have to give up the things that everyday people are doing in their everyday lives, because success doesn't just come from wading through life. Success doesn't grow. Success doesn't appear. Success is what happens when you eat sleep and breath your dreams, not because you can, but because you cannot survive without it."

The guru stood up and left the young man on the beach.

This story is so applicable to writers. Publishing success is all about investing into a life-long dream, not a one-time achievement. And the same is true for any career, sport, talent, or hobby. Success is earned by putting much more time in than everybody else who is doing the same thing you are doing. We can't all be successful. But the ones who are, have been shoved under the waves and appreciate every gulp of oxygen they take.

Don't ever give up! But when you feel like quiting, you know what to do -- Dunk. Push. And hold your breath. A good drowning never hurt anyone swimming in success.

What do you think? What lessons have you learned about success?

Jeff Bennington @TweetTheBook is the best-selling author of Reunion, Twisted Vengeance, and The Indie Author's Guide to the Universe.

10 Creative Writing Ideas for Teens

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff Bennington) — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 23:13:00 -0700

For the last few years I've taught a creative writing course for a home school co-op and I've had a great time. Unfortunately, I couldn't do it this year, so I sent a course syllabus to the co-op president to give to the students that were signed up. So, of course I had to share it with all of you as well.

If you have a teen who likes to write, or if you home school your children, or you just want to give your little writer some creative writing assignments, I have a 10-week mini course that will make writing fun for any kid between the ages of 10-17 (depending on level of maturity).

When your kid(s) finish with this course, I have a whole lotta more! In fact, I'm publishing a 36-week creative writing course for teens by early to mid 2013. So follow this blog for updates.

Writers: If you are a writer, and you'd like to contribute an "exercises" to the course, I'd love to hear from you. I think parents and teachers and the young writers of the world would love to receive writing tips from successful writers like you. So, if you leave a comment (i.e. writing exercise suggestion), be sure to include at least one writing credit, and I'll include your name/title in the course. NOTE: I will publish this, so you'll have to be okay with releasing your idea to Nexgate Press. But as I said, we will include your name/book title with the exercise.

Parents/Teachers: Feel free to copy and past. See instructions at the bottom of this post.

Creative Writing Exercises for Junior and Senior High Students.
By Jeff Bennington
Author of The Indie Author's Guide to the Universe.

Welcome to The Writing Bomb's Creative Writing Course for Junior & Senior High Students.

Week 1. Write a short story (1-2 pages) from the perspective of your favorite animal: bird, dog, horse, skunk, etc. Let the animal in you describe what it is like living among humans, in the chicken coop, or in the dog house. What are your hopes and dreams? What are you looking for in a mate? How do you feel about rainy days, baths, and treats? What do you expect from your puppies, cubs, or kittens? Write a draft, have your parent grade it, and then rewrite/polish it.

Week 2. Write a documentary (1-2 pages) about the most exciting thing that happened somewhere in the world in the last week. Don't know what happened in the world? Type in a Google search of... "What happened in the world the week of Sept. 1, 2012?" - or whatever the date is. Again, write the paper, have a parent grade it, then polish it. This is something you will always have to do (edit, revise, and revise again).

Week 3. Write a persuasive paper (1-2 pages) in favor of anything you are passionate about. All persuasive papers need an Introduction that states the main point, introduces the content to come, and includes a thesis statement (a sentence declaring the point you are trying to make).

The Body of the paper must include at least three additional paragraphs. Each paragraph must support one of three basic supporting ideas, and have at least three sentences to prove your point or support the idea in that paragraph.

Finally, you'll need a summary paragraph that summarizes the points listed above, and re-emphasizes the thesis statement. All in all ,there must be five paragraphs, with no less than three sentences in each paragraph. Seniors should have more content… especially since they will have to write a paper like this on the SAT in 30 minutes. PARENTS: This may be tough for junior highers and freshman but it is a good introduction nonetheless. Be patient with the younger ones.

Week 4. Write a descriptive paper (1full page) that describes your dream car, another one that describes your dream house (1full page), and another that describes the dream job (1 full page) that you will have to support those dreams (be realistic here… do not say you will be an ultra-rich rock star, unless you are working toward that today).

Week 5. Write a Poem (1full page) that describes the fall season and the beauty of the leaves turning and falling to someone who has never seen fall colors in the trees. Do not take anything for granted! Include colors, smells, sounds, feel, etc. Write another poem (1full page) about the joys of fall: sitting around the fire, camping, raking and playing in the leaves, carving pumpkins, trick-or-treating, etc.

Week 6. Write a short story (2 pages) about a family sitting around the dinner table talking, or sitting around a camp fire. Include conflict, different personalities, different ways of speaking (dialog) that is unique to each character. Be sure to resolve any conflicts that you start. Be creative, but be realistic. This is not a science fiction or fantasy assignment - that comes next.

Week 7. Write a full-on short story in the genre of your choice: Science fiction, Fantasy, Horror, Inspiration, Action Adventure, Romance. This is your choice. Write the story that you'd like to read. BUT, keep it short. If you are a junior higher, write a three page story. If you are a junior or senior, make this a 5- 6-page short story. Be creative. The sky's the limit. You have two (2) weeks. Use the first week to write a rough draft and then turn it in to your parent(s)/teacher. Let them read it and suggest changes, correct spelling, etc. Then go back and revise.

Week 8. Your short story is due by the end of week 8.

Week 9. Write a descriptive paper (1-2 pages) about what it would be like to be a real hero. If you were a hero, what would your super power be? How would you use it? Who would benefit from that gift? Where could you live so that you could save the most people? What does it take for you to remain strong? What would you look like? Are you from another planet? Did grow up underground, or in another realm? And finally, what is the one thing that causes you to become powerless?

Week 10. Write your own autobiography… starting from when you are young, going forward through your life, including college, career, victories, failures, marriage, children, family, occupation, illnesses, and ultimately (and I know this is morbid) your death and funeral. This is a perfect opportunity for you to explore your dreams and hopes for the future, and for your parents to get to know you better.

Parents and teachers: Pay attention to what your kids/students write. I have read a few papers over the years where a child has revealed critical "secrets". Listen to their words; they could be telling you something.

PLEASE SHARE this post with anyone you think might be interested.

Directions: All papers should be assigned early in the week and due by Friday unless otherwise noted. These papers can be hand written, single spaced (large cursive writers can add an extra half page), or typed as double spaced, 12-point font). Students should always write a rough draft and have a parent grade it mid-week with the final revision due on the last day of the week. Parents, should focus on spelling, grammar, structure, and less on content, relative to the child's age. I wouldn't look at these assignments as critical to a student's progress, unless they are at the junior/senior level. In general, these are simply creative exercises and tools for teaching basic writing and communicative skills. Have fun!

Jeff Bennington @TweetTheBook is the best-selling author of Reunion, Twisted Vengeance, and The Indie Author's Guide to the Universe.

Getting in and Getting out of Short Stories

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff Bennington) — Fri, 27 Jul 2012 05:54:00 -0700

One of my greatest pleasures is writing short stories. There is no better outlet to practice the art of novel writing outside of writing and reading novels. In the last month or so I've penned 3 short stories and I'm about to complete the fourth. One was bought and paid for by The Horror Zine, and the others will be published in Creepy 2 and Creepy 3. But so what. That's not why I write short stories.

Among other training methods, writing shorts is one of the tools I use to improve my craft in characterization, pacing and dialogue. I'm not under pressure to create complex plot structures, or twists and turns, or sub plots. I do include those, although on a less significant basis. I use short stories as a self-coaching mechanism, but I have discovered that I really love reading as well as writing the "get-in and get-out" that only comes in condensed fiction.

If you've been slaving away at writing novels and would like to try a quick, gratifying exercise, try writing a 4,000 to 5,000 word short story -- no plot outline, just the idea -- and see what happens. I've been doing this for a month now and I'm excited to put some of the lessons I've learned into practice when I get back on my WIP, book two in the Twisted series.

Here are a few benefits of this practice:

Dialogue - I've worked hard on matching dialogue with each character, insuring that each voice is unique, real, and bent to create atmosphere, flavor, and texture. It's easy to write in a monotone voice when my characters words are spread out over the course of 70 to 80,000 words, but writing short fiction is training me to improve my vernacular skills in my novels.

Concept Trial - Another thing I've noticed is that when I brainstorm for short story ideas, I'm actually creating concepts that will work for novels as well. This has been an accidental result, but one that I think will pan out over the long haul. Of the four short stories that I've written in the last few weeks, each one could be developed further into a novel length plot. What's great about this is, if my shorts approve to be appealing to my readers, I will already have an audience that could be looking forward to "the rest of the story".

Characterization - Characterization is more than just dialogue. Creating varied personalities that respond differently, think differently, move differently and look differently is the fun part of writing. And although I have less time to develop characters in short stories, I am forced to bolster their differences in a short span of time. It ain't hard to show yee har much I ain't one a dem city slickers by de way I tawk. But then again, I want my characters, all of them, to speak to my readers and to stand out as unique and rounded people and dar ain't much time ta do it in a shart stary. And that's why it's a great method for study.

I hope you choose to follow up on this post by reading Creepy 2 coming in August. If you'd like to read an excerpt, go HERE. This collection is an amazing mix of true ghost stories and several short stories by me and other excellent authors -- over double the content that's in Creepy. You'll enjoy short, satisfying thrills and the suspense of some really creepy ghost and supernatural encounters.

Jeff Bennington @TweetTheBook is the best-selling author of Reunion, Twisted Vengeance, and The Indie Author's Guide to the Universe.

Publishing Terms and How Readers Will Lead the Way.

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff Bennington) — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 03:59:00 -0700

If you'd like to read my latest guest post at Candace's Book Blog, I'd be extremely grateful. I wrote this piece to answer Candace's questions about the different terms that are circulating in the industry. She wanted to know the difference between traditional publishing and vanity publishing and the difference between indie publishing and self-publishing. It's a great post with a little historical background. I hope you enjoy it and comment. Thank you! When you go there, tell Candice I sent you.

The State of Publishing at Candace's Book Blog.

~ Jeff Bennington

Lessons in Publishing from WWII

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff Bennington) — Sun, 8 Jul 2012 05:15:00 -0700

In 1943 my grandfather drove an ambulance into war and carried wounded and dead soldiers out of battle and drove them to safety.

Bullets flew past his ears, bombs exploded nearby, and men screamed, searching for lost limbs, fighting for their lives.

When he returned home, he said very little about his experience. Truth is, like millions of other unsuspecting soldiers, men and women, he likely suffered a bout of post-traumatic stress disorder.

War does that.

Gene Spica was one of millions who fought in WWII and returned to quietly live the rest of their days as hard working individuals. Thus, they were named the “silent generation”. They were, and continue to be strong, patriotic, hardworking and independent men and women.

Since then, much has changed. Some aspects of life are easier and some are harder. But one thing is for sure, my grandfather’s legacy has taught me how to work hard and that I can do anything if I’m willing to put forth the effort.

As an author, I’m carrying the strength of the silent generation, like many other writers I know, into the digital era. We are diligent, technically savvy, creative, and yes, independent, a word that not too long ago left readers with a bitter taste in their mouths.

The notion that “indie” or independent is a sign of weakness or poor quality is very puzzling to me. I’ve always been taught that it’s not only important, but a sign of excellence when one demonstrates a skill, coupled with the ambition to bring a project to completion on his or her own.

That’s what my grandpa taught me anyway. And I will always respect ambition coupled with talent.

Benjamin Franklin is a perfect example of a man who took his destiny into his own hands, worked to get what he wanted out of life, buying his own printing press, producing his own publication and selling his work to a world hungry for content.

And here we are in 2012; a year many thought would never come (Except the Mayans). Books are on our computers, on our phones, and in small digital tablets where we can store thousands of titles in the palm of our hand. No doubt the day will come when we download ebooks directly into our mind via Amazon’s Whispernet!

Nonetheless, the time for the indie author is now.

The time for men and women to pull their manuscripts from their dusty closets has come.

The battle is on, and those who are strong, shrewd, and with the least overhead will be the victors. If you understand the qualities of the silent generation, you have what it takes.

But remember, in World War II, where there was a soldier, there was a medic; where there was a medic, there was a driver; and where there was a driver there was a doctor.

Independence doesn’t mean a solo act! It doesn't work that way - not well anyway.

Independent musicians need bass players (God help us) and drummers (God, please help us - I know, I am one).

Independent filmmakers need makeup, producers, actors and key grip (whatever that is).

Being independent is not about being a rebel; it’s about being a cylinder that doesn’t fit into the square provided, in our case by traditional publishers.

All to say, don’t go indie alone. Do it with resilience and the guts to pull your story together, even if, and you should, use a team of likewise talented folks (art, editing, formatting, writers in your genre). Then, if you play your cards right and get a nod from the Good Lord or catch some good Karma, you might even sell a few books.

I have to say, I’d probably stick with writing queries everyday if things were not what they were, because that would simply be the right way to get published.

But I don’t have to. Times have changed.

So often it feels like indie publishing is an "us" vs. "them" battle over who will ultimately gain control of their destinies - traditional or independent authors. But we are not at war, we are simply in the middle of changing times and we are all subject to the next technology, or Amazon trick, or take your pick from a number of things that are out of our control. Things; I know that is such a simple word. But I'm simple and like you, I don't know what is around the bend… unmanageable things.

But you know, in the midst of these unsure moments, times that many would consider far less treacherous than other points in history, I can hear the ghost of my grandfather whispering to me, “Charge forward, JP, and take the bastards down!”

And so, I am… charging forward.

Now you might think I’m fighting alone because I claim to be an indie author, a lone soldier. The truth is, if I ever need an ambulance, I have a driver, a medic, a foot soldier and a doctor nearby at all times. These are my writing friends, my connections, my posse. We have each other's backs. And we keep each other informed. Like my grandpa used to say, "This ain't no game for a blind man."

Jeff Bennington @TweetTheBook is the best-selling author of Reunion, Twisted Vengeance, and The Indie Author's Guide to the Universe.

An Update From The Writing Bomb

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff Bennington) — Mon, 2 Jul 2012 04:44:00 -0700

Hi Writer Buddies,
I'm sorry I haven't posted anything lately. I 've been busy with The KBR contest and writing and doing a lot of interviews lately, including radio and pod casts. I really want to post part 2 of the "Expanding your Reach" series, because there is another way to sell your books that I want you to be aware of. Looking forward to sharing that.

Here's an ACX Update (remember, the audio book creation exchange I wrote about?): After two full weeks of publishing Creepy in audio through Amazon, Audible, and iTunes, I have sold a total of 139 audio books. So I think that was a great option. This is definitely worth your consideration and time.

For now, if you're interested, here's the full interview I did with Jay Boyer. ~> Listen Now.

That's all for now. Talk to ya soon. OH! BTW, The Indie Author's Guide is FREE today.

Jeff Bennington is the best-selling author of Reunion, Twisted Vengeance, and The Indie Author's Guide to the Universe.

Stop The Negativity. It Ain't Over Till It's Over

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff Bennington) — Wed, 20 Jun 2012 01:52:00 -0700

If you've ever run a race, or played a soccer match, or competed in any sport or non-athletic competition, you know that Yogi Berra was right when he said, "It ain't over till it's over."

I believe that statement wholeheartedly. I think that maintaining a finish-to-completion attitude is what has driven me to write, to publish and do everything that it takes to go from "Who the hell is that?" to best-selling author. Believing that thinking about quiting is pretty much the same as quiting.

I learned a long time ago that if you work hard, daily pursuing your dreams, you can accomplish anything and overcome the barriers that are in your way. I used to run cross country in high school and I learned then that if you quit just because you are tired, or your legs feel like rubber, or your lungs are burning, or the guy in front of you is a quarter of a mile away you CANNOT stop, you cannot quit, you cannot let up. Hard times, the exhausting moments when you feel like dropping out, are the very moments you need to push harder, if you want to win.

I won a few races back then, but it had nothing to do with natural ability. We had plenty of guys on our team with more talent than I did. I think, and I still do, that my greatest strength is my will. And I further believe that the will to improve, the will to succeed is what it takes to survive in the publishing game… and it is a game with other players with strategies and tricks up their sleeves. But you my friend, without a strong will, you might as well stop running, slump your shoulders, and watch everyone else run past you.

Not everyone thinks this way, of course. And they have every right. But the reason I'm writing this post is that I've read a few blogs lately from folks wondering if the "Indie Revolution" is over, or if the "Amazon Self-Publishing Bubble" is about to explode. I'm not going to debate if any of that is true because there is no way anyone can foresee the future. Like anything else, many will quit, or get tired, or stop writing, or get frustrated by a lack of sales. That is only natural. Just as a new group of writers will publish today, so a new group will drop out.

The talk about 99¢ books wrecking indie author's sales ranking and the drop in sales lately has got many worried. But why? Selling books is an online retail business, and all businesses have cycles and trends that go way up and way down throughout the year. Stop worrying about that stuff; it's a waste of energy.

To those who are frightened, or uncertain, or spinning their wheels trying to figure out how in the hell you are going to sell more books this month than you did last month, I'd urge you to stop worrying and keep going, keep writing, and keep improving your craft. Don't stop.

In fact, write more!

If you feel like quiting, go ahead. I won't stop you. But if you want to keep at it there is reason to persevere. Publishing is not about immediate gratification. This is a long hard process and there are a lot of books in your future and in mine. And it may take the rest of our working years to make it worth it, or to write the one book that we must before we die. So I don't have time for could haves. And I bet you don't either.

Below is a video about one of the greatest comebacks in the recent history of sports. In this video, Tracey McGrady, who at that time was playing for the Houston Rockets and looking at a big loss against the San Antonio Spurs. But he did something amazing; he scored 13 points in the last 33 seconds of the game, all three pointers and one 4 point conversion. It was an amazing feat, but the thing that makes this clip so special is not that it was amazing, but that it was impossible. No one would have ever believed that a player could accomplish something like that… but he did and it was beautiful.

If you are down by 12 points with only 33 seconds remaining, remember this video. Don't quit.

Thanks for reading,
Jeff Bennington is the best-selling author of Reunion, Twisted Vengeance, and The Indie Author's Guide to the Universe.

Why Oh Why is WOOL So Amazing? @hughhowey

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff Bennington) — Fri, 8 Jun 2012 17:55:00 -0700

I'm reading Wool - Omnibus Edition by Hugh Howey, not because it's my preferred genre, not because I've heard of the author, or because the cover caught my eye. I'm reading this book because I just so happened to notice that it had a lot of great reviews.

How many great reviews? This book has amassed 978 reviews and is holding a 4.9-star rating… let me repeat… 978 reviews with a 4.9-star rating. Even as I write that, I'm shaking my head in wonder. How can I not read this? How can I not want to know what it takes to receive such incredible marks? As a writer, I'm obligated to my readers to study this book, and I truly want to read a book like that. Like I said, I don't write science fiction, but as a writer I need to know what a guy or gal does to earn an almost perfect score.

So why is this book so amazing? That's exactly what I'm in the process of learning right now. I've read part one of five and here are my findings… observations from a writers point of view.

1. After part one, I care deeply about the husband and wife team (the primary characters so far). I know who they are, where they've been, and have had a glimpse of their past via narration flashbacks. There's nothing complicated going on. This story feels like it's told by a calm, gentle voice, much like a well-lived grandfather telling a story to his grandchildren, while all ears are glued to his every word… you just don't want to leave.

2. There isn't that much dialogue, which surprises me. The dialogue consists of short lines and almost always accompanied with action no matter how mild it may be. But still, the dialogue is simple, not overly dramatic.

3. Hugh's not trying to impress me with an expansive vocabulary. The writing is simple, clean, and polished. I haven't come across a single stumbling block, misspelled word, or formatting glitch. I'm looking. I'm trying to be critical. I'm studying his sentence structure and paragraph length and word choice. But what I'm finding is that I'm lost in his world building, flow, and the mind of the protagonist. From what I've seen, this book is flawless.

4. Hugh is making this a difficult study. He makes writing look easy. His writing is so clean and so basic that I'm scratching my head trying to figure out why it is so good. And I guess that's what makes it excellent. When the story line is engaging, the writing melts away, the author disappears and the reader dissolves into the book. That's the magic. That's the joy in reading and exactly what I aspire to become.

That's all I can say at this point. I've dissolved and I'm not sure if I'll be able to continue studying. Congrats to Hugh Howey. Wool is excellent and I still have 4 parts to go. Click on the pic to the right to buy. ~>

Jeff Bennington is the best-selling author of Reunion, Twisted Vengeance, and The Indie Author's Guide to the Universe.

Creating Audio Books is Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff Bennington) — Wed, 6 Jun 2012 23:20:00 -0700

Creating Audio Books at ACX.com is easy peasy lemon squeezy! This is part one in my two part "Expanding Your Reach" blog series. Part two will cover Book Kiosks Coming to an Airport Near You.

[Before you start reading, try listening with the little audio gadget just under the post title.]

Part 1: Creating Audio Books

When I wrote The Indie Author’s Guide to the Universe, I wanted to create a book that was authentic to my experience, transparent in my findings and genuinely helpful. That’s what publishing independence is all about, right? It’s in that spirit that I want to share the latest tool available for the indie author… free audio book creation.

Like all technologies, accessibility drives innovation and encourages success. All of us are living in a time when we can publish, promote, and get noticed on an international scale through Amazon. Well we now have that same availability to produce and publish our work in audio book format.

I'm grateful to Gerard de Marigny, author of The Watchman of Ephraim, for introducing me to Amazon’s answer to indie-audio publishing…ACX.com.

ACX stands for Audio book Creation Exchange, a website where writers and voice professionals can hook up to create top-notch audio books. ACX is actually a sister site of Audible.com, which is owned by Amazon. It is a website where voice-over professionals (VOP’s) and writers can do business within a simple and streamlined website. The site provides everything you need to download your “script”, sign official contracts, and produce your audio book(s) on time and to your satisfaction. Once produced, ACX will upload your audio books to their online retailing partners.

At ACX, you have choices, too.

You can pay the VOP by the recorded hour and keep all of your royalties, or you can contract a 50-50 shared royalty at no cost to you. You can even record your audio book yourself if you want to. ACX has produced dozens of tutorials on YouTube, so you can learn the ropes before you get started.

ACX offers two publishing deals: exclusive and non-exclusive. Non-exclusive simply means that once your audio book is complete, you can upload it anywhere, but you get a lower royalty. An exclusive contract means that your audio book is only available through Amazon, Audible, and iTunes but you get a higher royalty. You can find all the details about the contracts, royalties, and how it works HERE.

This site is cutting edge, fun and easy to use. But like any platform, your book has to be well written and needs a good looking cover. Voice-over professionals do not want to waste their time on poorly edited books, especially if they are working for shared royalties. So make sure your work is the best it can be before submitting.

If you are ready for Phase II of your publishing journey, check out ACX.com. It’s time to open the audio book floodgates. It’s time for authors to break down the walls, swords in hand and assail our next treasure chest.

Here’s how it works:

Step 1. Go to acx.com (insert link: https://www.acx.com/)

Step 2. Click on the “Get Started” button.

Step 3. Once you open an account, go to your “My Projects” folder and start entering your book information.

Step 4. Once you have your book information posted, you either wait for a VOP to audition, or you can search for a voice professional by using AXC’s search tool. This tool will help you find the voice that best fits your book, mood and genre. Once you find the right voice, you don’t have to wait. You can email the VOP directly. Be warned, you need to use the ACX email system for all correspondence because they want to track the process of negotiations and keep everyone honest. You will have to play with the system a little to figure it out, but you can do it.

So what's my experience?

I'm glad you asked. Three weeks ago, I made all four of my books available for auditions: Reunion, Twisted Vengeance, Creepy, and The Indie Author’s Guide to the Universe. I contacted two authors and received several auditions by very professional VOP’s. I now have 3 audio book contracts signed, one by an award winning VOP, and three promising auditions for the fourth book. The fourth book will be signed within the week. By the end of the summer, I will have four books that were previously only available through Amazon, in audio format at the three largest audio book distributors on the planet.

So let this post serve as an invitation, a call to arms, a raising of the indie flag if you will. Indie authors are now invading audio books.

BONUS MATERIAL: The following is a comment posted by Karen Commins, a narrator at ACX, at 30daybooks.com, where I shared this post for Laura Pepper Wu, book marketing extraordinaire.

Greetings, all! As an audiobook narrator, I want to let you know that audiobooks are VERY popular! The Audio Publishers Association sales survey shows that audiobooks are approaching a $1 billion industry.

According to the APA FAQ at http://audiopub.org/faq.asp: “Who are the primary customers for Audiobooks? The audiobook customer is a frequent book reader who sees audiobooks as a way to “read” more while pursuing other lifestyle activities. They are well educated, have higher incomes than non-listeners, tend to be older (30+) and are attuned to book trends through reviews and bestseller lists. Children’s audiobooks are also a formidable part of the market, as many families choose them for in-car entertainment or an at-home hobby, as well as many teachers and schools using them for educational tools. When and where do they use them? The primary usage is while traveling and commuting. Other uses revolve around lifestyle activities such as exercising, relaxing, cooking, cleaning, gardening, crafting, walking the dog, etc. People whose jobs involve repetitive manual tasks also report using audiobooks at work.”

I love ACX and have voiced 5 books that were posted there. I recently wrote a blog post to help authors decide whether to list your titles on ACX: http://blog.karencommins.com/2011/08/authors-want-to-create-audiobo.html If you decide to post your book for auditions, I encourage you to read this excellent article from my colleague Jeffrey Kafer about reasons your book isn’t receiving auditions: http://myvoicetalent.wordpress.com/2012/06/02/7-reasons-why-your-book-is-not-getting-auditions-on-acx/ Finally, let me add that flexibility on your completion timeframe and prompt communication will be appreciated by the narrators on the site.

If I am voicing a book on a royalty share deal, I ask for several months to complete it so that I have availability to accept projects that pay up front. I hope these thoughts are helpful. Best wishes for your continued health, prosperity, and success!

Cordially, Karen Commins KarenCommins.com

Jeff Bennington is the best-selling author of Reunion, Twisted Vengeance, and The Indie Author's Guide to the Universe.

5 Reasons Why I'm Glad My Wife is in New York

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff Bennington) — Tue, 5 Jun 2012 05:11:00 -0700

We all like to get away, don't we? I know I do.

My wife especially enjoys going to New York City. Well lucky me, she is at the NYC Blog World Conference all week long, and I am so glad. I need some time away from her because there are some very important things that I can only accomplish when she's outta here!

See ya. So long. Adios, senorita!

Now before you women type hang me out to dry, read my list. I'll tell you why I'm glad she's gone.

#1. I'm glad my wife is out of town for the week because she's traveling with her good friend and they are going to have a blast. My wife home educates our four children and we recently finished our school year. She deserves the mother-of-the-year award, but she settled on a week-long trip with a friend. So good for her, she finally gets a break. She'll have fun and I'll have the pleasure of knowing that while I'm pouring liquid plumber she's sipping on a well deserved martini.

#2. When my wife is out of town, I get a better view of what she does. I have no choice. Mom absence means a crash course in time management. I'm doing dishes, starting the oven, switching the laundry, watering the flowers, taking one of the kids here, taking another there, emptying the trash, washing one toilet and plunging the other after our kid's friends come in for a break from the heat. I barely have time for myself. But I am so glad I'm learning these lessons; it wouldn't have happened if she was here.

#3. Another reason I'm glad my wife is in New York is because I'm spending quality time with my kids. The first morning, I woke up 4 hours early to a crying daughter. Her stomach was hurting because she missed her mommy and she knew that I had to go to work that evening. We had to take a few moments and just focus on the good things, on what she was going to do next, and what she was going to do after that. It was good that I was there to help her through the stress. I finally had the chance to realize I'm not near as sensitive as I thought, and that I really only need about two hours of sleep.

#4. When my wife is away I get to cook more. Believe it or not I enjoy cooking. I hate to clean up, but I enjoy making the mess. And since my wife isn't here to kick me out of her kitchen, I get to make the hamburger patties extra thick, and the tater tots extra crispy! Of course, I get the pleasure of learning to do all of this while multi tasking and tweeting and blogging with someone constantly asking for something. But hey, I'm a dad, what could be better?

#5. The best part of sending my wife away on a mini vacation is that I am going to be so glad when she is back. I miss her, and appreciate her so much. And it's times like these that I get to enjoy doing all the things she is excellent at, which just so happens to be all the things I suck at! I'm not usually one to make predictions, but I'm feeling lucky. I have a pretty good feeling that I will be more in love with her than ever when she returns. Not sure if the feeling will be mutual, but so far, I spy a hot date night this weekend. So as long as she doesn't notice the dust bunnies everywhere, the cool-aid stain, the broken vase, and the drapes that caught on fire, I'm sure she'll feel the same way.

But what about you? Does your wife deserve a break? Of course she does! So send her to New York, or the beach, or a bed-n-breakfast. She'll love you for it, and you'll never be happier. After a few short days you'll be familiar with everything you need to know about running your home. Then, when she returns, you can sit back and delegate like a real man. See? Knowledge is power.

Come home soon and safe, sweetie. ~ Jeff

One Way Publishers Create a Bestseller

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff Bennington) — Mon, 4 Jun 2012 06:00:00 -0700

If you have ever wondered how a new author can suddenly emerge and become an international smash, you are not alone. I meet many authors and in doing so I learn more about the publishing world all the time.

In one conversation I had with a writer friend, I asked how it is that a new author suddenly becomes a bestseller when no one had ever heard about him or her before? How can they release a new book and hit the New York Times, or USA Today's bestseller list so quickly? Have you ever wondered how that works? Have you ever wondered how many copies it takes to become a bestseller?

If you have ever asked yourself those questions, you may be surprised at the answer. And it's important to understand how critical the title "bestseller" really is. When that title is attached to an author, he or she receives instant credibility and can use it as a sales tool.

Note: This post is not meant to take away from the years bestselling authors spend honing their craft. This post is only meant to analyze a marketing method used by publishers so that indie authors can utilize it and

Funny thing is, it works. And here's how that happens… sometimes. Having a killer story helps a little, too.

In The Indie Author's Guide to the Universe, I teach how to use "Marketing Layering". This is the process of adding multiple layers of ads and marketing buzz within a short period of time to generate sufficient sales with the sole purpose of raising your ranking into a top 100 category and even an overall Amazon top 100 ranking. This can work when you schedule promotions across the Internet, using as many "non-static" ad spots as you can, on or near the same day.

Why? Attention creates more attention - especially with an awesome cover!

My friend revealed that this is exactly how publishers create bestsellers. They form a major national/international ad campaign that focuses on a single day or week. They do this because bestseller lists are calculated on a daily and weekly basis. They know that if the author can sell more books than most on a specific day, they will become an instant bestseller. It doesn't matter if the book sells 10,000 or as little as 3,000 copies. The sales total is relative. What matters is that it sells more than most.

The problem, however, with print sales in brick and mortar stores is that most print books live out their life span in the course of the first three months. So a book can hit the bestseller list and quickly die, but still be called a bestseller. But often times, a book that hits the bestseller list can extend its shelf life simply because of the notoriety it received from getting on the list.

The same is true for indie authors… sometimes. If you hit The Amazon Top 100 you can stay for weeks or days.

So what's the point? The point is, learn from publishers. They've been around for a while. They know what they are doing and they know how to make a profit. Let's not get into what they do wrong. I'm not going there; that's another conversation. But if you want to learn how to create a bestseller (assuming your book is a well-written story), learn to master marketing layering, building an ad campaign with stacks and stacks of promotion across the Internet, bloggosphere, and book sites.

Another friend of mine who used to manage book stores told me that the running joke in the book industry was, "A bestseller is a book that sells one book a day."

One book isn't much. I'd like to sell more, and I bet you would to.

You may not not become a bestseller, but at least you might sell more and garner the attention your book deserves. Of course books sell books, and the more you publish, they greater attention you'll get. Keep writing, that is always your best marketing plan. And don't forget, publishing success is about luck and so many other points. I can't mention them all in one post. This is just one way to help your promotion become more effective, not a guarantee to bestsellerdom.

What do you think???? I'd love to hear where you are marketing your book(s). You may not create buzz by posting at just one site, but if we as a group can share what sites we use, perhaps we can create a large list that can collectively boost all of our sales. I'm putting together a list of effective marketing sites in my "Author Resources" page. Take a second if you can, and post a comment and share your thoughts. P.S. Try listening to this post with the "Audio" gadget at the top.

Jeff Bennington is the best-selling author of Reunion, Twisted Vengeance, and The Indie Author's Guide to the Universe. If you'd like to hire me, see my Author Services Page.

Why I Set Fire to My First Manuscript.

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff Bennington) — Thu, 31 May 2012 05:17:00 -0700

If you are wondering if this is a joke, I assure you on my grandmother's grave, it is one-hundred percent the God honest truth - I set fire to my first manuscript.

Here's the deal...

I wrote my first manuscript in 2007. The book was a non-fiction called How to Succeed in the Handyman Business. It was excellent. It covered all details one would need to start and operate a successful handyman/home maintenance business. It had charts and graphs and details that helped me win 75% of my bids, among many other critical points to craft and customer service.

The book was great as far as the content was concerned.

I wrote the book by hand, because I had a job at the time that allowed a little time to write but I couldn't have a computer at my bench. I later typed it into a doc file. So unlike any of my other works, I actually had both a digital and hand written copy.

I was very proud of it. But then, I threw it in the fire and deleted the digital copy… forever.

Why? Long story short; I ran a home maintenance business called Home Pro Handyman for over four years. We did everything right, had top-notch service, and a professional, clean look. We even had up to seven employees at one point. I loved my job. I loved being the boss. And I loved the freedom, if you want to call it that.

So why burn my baby?

As I said, we ran a tight business… only problem, we had a few jobs where things went wrong and that caused some animosity between my wife and I. One job in particular caused so much stress financially that we never recovered. This was a BIG job we did for an apartment complex. We had several guys working, by the hour, for over a month. I kept paying them, but when it came time to bill the apartment complex, they told me that there home office in San Francisco had put a hold on all their payables across the country. The didn't pay any of their contractors! Me included.

We received some of the money over time, but from that point forward things sort of went down hill and my wife was left with a bad taste in her mouth in terms of that business. Only thing good that came from that job is that we mastered the art of writing contracts.

All to say, I found a great job a couple years later and when I had time to reflect on those years, I wrote the book, How to Succeed in the Handyman Business. Sounds funny compared to where I am now. I've written a bestselling novel for crying out loud! But the truth is, I knew my shit, and I watched many handymen screw up. All I did was watch what the other guys did wrong, and did it right. It was a pretty simple business plan.

Anyway… back to the burning.

After presenting my masterpiece to my wife, I watched her eyes fill up with tears. She didn't say much but I knew that the book brought back memories, and hurt, and I just didn't want to see her cry. Seriously. Although the book had tons of good information, tips, etc, it just stirred up a bunch of old doo doo. So, being the "fix-it-man" that I am, I stood up, threw my hand-written manuscript in the fire. I handed her my memory stick and asked her to delete it. She took it, reluctantly, but I insisted. I didn't want to write something that would be at all hurtful to her… so I canned it.

No big deal now. I've moved on. That was before the indie author movement kicked in anyway. And the point isn't that I wrote a book and burned it, poor me, blah, blah, blah. The point is, we all have a story about what led us to start writing. Some of you, fortunately, have broken out with a bestseller. Others have not been so lucky. But we all have a story. And we all have a trail that led us to where we are. Mine started by burning my manuscript. And it burned so well. It kept us warm for a few minutes actually.

But what about you? You started somewhere. You may have burned a few query letters, or penned ten novels before you published one. I've got a feeling you didn't set your first book ablaze, but you might have a story just as interesting.

Jeff Bennington is the best-selling author of Reunion, Twisted Vengeance, and The Indie Author's Guide to the Universe. If you'd like to hire me, see my Author Services Page.

Common Lies Self-Published Authors Believe.

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff Bennington) — Tue, 22 May 2012 03:59:00 -0700

As an indie author I have to confess that I am guilty of believing a lie -- not just one, but many. They are the same lies I see self-published authors fall for all the time. I see the lies in tweets, in emails, in DM's and blog posts. The lies run rampant. The lies are deadly. The lies set writers up for failure and they are like a disease that has the potential to thin out the indie author population within a couple of years.

Let me explain.

Lie #1
When I first "self-published" in 2009 I had a serious case of cognitive dissonance regarding the quality of my writing. Some call it narcissism, but in most cases I think it is a curable case of false expectations. Psycho babble? It really isn't. In my case, I read and re-read my manuscript to the point of exhaustion back in 2009 -- a very common experience for most writers. I had others read and edit and as a group we thought, beyond a shadow of doubt, that the book would become a bestseller. Seriously.

In all honesty, I didn't want to tell myself that I'd become a bestseller for fear of sprouting arrogant wings, but in the deepest part of my mind I truly believed that it could happen with that one book -- a common phenomenon for first time authors.

I have since pulled that book off the shelves. I'm embarrassed by it.

I now know that I believed a lie. Many believe the lie that their book will become a bestseller. If they just spread the word about their book, readers will flock to their prose by the thousands.

My remedy to lie #1:

The cure to this disease is, of course, time. Time heals all wounds and it also teaches us the truth about our writing. Just because you can publish doesn't mean you should…yet. Not slamming anyone here; I believed the lie myself. Fortunately, I found the cure: plenty of 1-star reviews and no sales. The medicine went down with a bitter taste, but it did the job.
Another cure is humility. Instead of trying to bolster review ratings by soliciting better reviews at the expense of your integrity, try listening to your critics and make improvements.
Spend less time marketing your first book and study, read more, and write as often as you can.

Lie #2
I meet writers all the time that get frustrated with marketing. They write blog posts. They tweet. They post on Kindle Boards and yet there is no increase in sales, hitting one or two sales a week at best. They are frustrated because they thought indie publishing would be easy. They thought that they could give a shout out to their Facebook and Twitter friends about their book and the ball would start rolling. This is a lie.

The first lie writers fall for is that writing a book is easy. When they finish, they discover that editing is harder. Then when they publish they discover that selling is the hardest part and nearly impossible, especially if you only have one book. This lie is perpetuated every time a new author hits Amazon's Top 100 with their debut novel. What many indies do not realize is that authors like Darcie Chan are rare… very rare.

Writing one book takes determination and many qualities that the average person lacks. But writing, publishing, and marketing one book, let alone several, will absolutely consume your life. You will not have a free minute. The life of a published indie author, who is selling, will not be the same as it was before he or she chose to enter the world of publishing. If you think you can write a book, publish and sell without changing your lifestyle, you are believing a big fat lie.

My remedy to lie #2:

Adjust your expectations. After consulting with authors who feel overwhelmed, which is not uncommon, most handle the job much better when they change their expectations. When indies realize how much work is involved, and that a writing career requires a slow-boil mindset, they can relax, write more, and look forward to future success. This attitude can generate a healthy home life, and relieve first-book-sale-slump stress.
The bestselling indie authors say, "Books sell books" but many first time authors have a hard time accepting that reality. They want to believe the lie because it satisfies their expectations. But the longer you believe the lie, the more painful your reality will become when you learn the truth. Self-pubbing is like your diet; eat junk and you will crash; eat well and you will experience balance and longevity. I recommend spending about 8 hours a month planning your next months marketing (30 days in advance) and spend about 1 hour a day with your social media. Spend the rest of your free time writing.
Sometimes we spend all our profits on marketing trying to make our dream a reality, when in fact, all we need is time and an adjustment in our expectations. Look to the future, my friend. Relax your expectations and let your sales grow with time and with more titles rather than expecting that rare bestseller.

So what do you think? Have you believed the lies? How have you adjusted? What caused you to break free from the darkness and into the light?

If this post was helpful, just wait until you read The Indie Author's Guide to the Universe. You will learn everything you need to know about becoming an indie author including pricing and marketing strategies, cover design, and much more!

Jeff Bennington is the best-selling author of Reunion, Twisted Vengeance, and The Indie Author's Guide to the Universe. If you'd like to hire me, see my Author Services Page.

KIRKUS REVIEWS Bennington's Twisted Vengeance

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff Bennington) — Mon, 21 May 2012 00:18:00 -0700

There are a lot of authors out there scrounging for reviews. I know, I was one of them.

I get emails asking for review swaps (Which I don't do. That's why I created The kindle Book Review), and I see authors trading "partial read throughs" for a fair review. Yuck! Honestly, I think the process and validity of reviews in this day and age can be a little underhanded at times. And I hope you never go that route.

But as you may know, a review is not truly a review in the eyes of many readers unless it's an editorial review. Knowing this, and yet fearing the worst, I took my chances and sent Twisted Vengeance to Kirkus Reviews to see what they thought. And yes, I've been crossing my fingers and walking with my butt cheeks squeezed a little tighter ever since.

Well the results are in. Thank you Kirkus Reviews, I'm glad you enjoyed Twisted Vengeance, book one in my Rick Burns, Twisted series. Here's what they had to say… very encouraging.

"Bennington’s simple yet forceful style will keep readers guessing as the investigation takes Rick from the clean streets of Circle City to the darkest corners of the human heart...A brutal, emotional thriller that earns its stripes." ~ Kirkus Reviews

Here's the full review:

"In Bennington’s (Twisted Vengeance, 2011) latest supernatural thriller, Detective Rick Burns has spent a lot of years on the Indianapolis police force, but he’s never seen anything like this. When a man is found gruesomely murdered in his own home, it’s just another case in a two-year streak of unsolved homicides afflicting the Indiana capital. One more case, one more headache for the troubled detective. Without any clues, leads or anything to link the cases together—except for the particularly brutal ways they were carried out—it’s getting to be more than Rick can handle.

Propping him up are his father—a retired cop moonlighting as the station’s janitor—and Rick’s plucky sister-in-law, Stella. Together, they form a pretty good support group, or so they think. What they don’t realize is that they’re half of Rick’s problem: Rick promised his late older brother, Roger, that he wouldn’t let Stella remarry a cop; that’s getting to be a problem, seeing as Rick is falling in love with her. And while it’s nice to have Pops nearby for help when the going gets tough, Rick’s dad is just as likely to remind him that his brother was a better detective.

Pops has a point; Rick is often willing to let good police work and common sense take a backseat for the sake of dramatic plot twists. Although that unprofessionalism makes it hard to strictly classify the book as a gumshoe novel, it doesn’t make it any less compelling as a mystery—thanks, in particular, to the appearance (and subsequent disappearance) of a young boy. Rick spots the pale, sickly youth at the scene of the latest crime. Driven by the desperation of only having one lead, Rick decides to follow it, no matter where. Bennington’s simple yet forceful style will keep readers guessing as the investigation takes Rick from the clean streets of Circle City to the darkest corners of the human heart. The truth leads Rick to places he never would have expected—and to questions he might not want answered.

A brutal, emotional thriller that earns its stripes." ~ Kirkus Reviews

**Literature is definitely subjective, but having a good "editorial" review at the top of my product description gives me a shot of confidence and credibility that I think every writer is looking for. Something to consider when budgeting your 2012 marketing plan.

For more info on how you can get your work reviewed by Kirkus, go HERE.

Jeff Bennington is the best-selling author of Reunion, Twisted Vengeance, and The Indie Author's Guide to the Universe. If you'd like to hire me, see my Author Services Page.

VOTE FOR Indie Authors: They Are Creating Jobs

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff Bennington) — Sat, 12 May 2012 23:57:00 -0700

With all of the political rambling going on as the 2012 election nears, I want to point out a fact that very few politicians are aware of…

Indie Authors are creating jobs.

Politicians don't seem to be doing anything to actually help the economy, and in a free society we shouldn't expect them to. Writers, however, have every tool they need, right now, to create jobs for themselves and for others. And honestly, I'm just sick over hearing the same old rhetoric about job creation, and other social and economic issues that our politicians talk about every four years. Their words are meaningless to me--nothing but empty promises.

It takes action and it takes ingenuity to create jobs. It takes risk. It takes hard work and there isn't a single pundit who will do that on your behalf, unless he's guaranteed re-election, or a silver coin in her pocket. And even if we send him or her back, what is their track record? Not very good.

No one creates jobs quite like the self-employed, and after all, indie authors are business owners. As authors, we can make a difference. We can create jobs. We can not only succeed in the world of publishing, but we can also do something that our idiot leadership in DC cannot seem to manage no matter how many times we re-elect them, or how much money we throw at them, or how many times they "promise" job creation. Yet the humble indie author is busy generating work.

Here are a few opportunities the indie author movement is creating:

Authors (obviously)
Freelance Proof Readers
Freelance Editors
Book Cover Designers
POD (print on demand) publishers.
Book Bloggers
Book Marketers
Author Consultants
Actors/Audio recording artists

If you are an author or a "wannabe", you should know that you are part of the answer to our struggling economy. You have within your grasp, the power to employ and the power to change lives. There is obviously a demand for ebooks, and as more Kindles and Nooks and Sony eReaders are sold, the more your services and the services of those who can help drive your success are absolutely needed.

If you are a one man or one woman show, doing everything on your own, you may find that you just can't get everything done at a professional level. Your editing may be lacking, or your cover may look cheesy. If this is you, perhaps you should invest in a professional editor, or cover designer. Creating jobs by hiring these pros will not only help create a professional product and likely drive more sales, but can also have an economic impact that we indie authors are quietly producing.

If you are new to self-publishing, please do not think you can create a quality book without spending any money. You can do a lot of things for free or on the cheap, but it takes a team, it takes cash, and it takes a plan. The demand for our ebooks is growing. So why not hire a pro, give the economy a shot in the arm, and show the world that indie authors are making quality products equal to or surpassing traditionally published ebooks.

Creating jobs takes imagination and no one has a better imagination than writers. We create everyday. We take our dreams and make them reality through our books. So forget about the false promises of those sneaky politicians; all they want is your vote. Instead, write more. Publish more books. VOTE for INDIE AUTHORS. You'll be glad you helped build our economy and your readers will, too.

Jeff Bennington is the best-selling author of Reunion, Twisted Vengeance, and The Indie Author's Guide to the Universe. If you'd like to hire me, see my Author Services Page.

Anything is Possible for The Indie Author

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff Bennington) — Fri, 4 May 2012 08:44:00 -0700

If you have had the slightest success as an indie author you can attest to the fact that anything is possible in this new publishing environment.

I like to watch what's happening like an eagle, perched above the indie landscape, watching authors and readers stroll past, observing patterns and collecting data. But there are some things an eagle sees that cannot be documented, but rather, known, like a natural instinct.

One of my instincts is telling me that this indie publishing thing is going to grow stronger. And one of the patterns that gives me that impression is the increase in success that I am seeing by the "lesser published" as the trad publishers see us… like plebeians in Rome.

Looking at the current Amazon TOP 100 in the paid (5-4-12), there are many indie authors who are living the dream.

Here are a few current examples of indie success….

#11. On the Island by Tracey Garvis Graves. Tracey is self-published and this is her first book. At the #8 position she is selling hundreds of copies a day, if not thousands.

#31. Bad Doctor by John Locke. I think you all know who he is and what he's about.

#58 The Marriage Pact by M.J. Pullen. This is M.J's first publication listed with Amazon.

#63. The Plan by Bernard Jacobs. This is Bernard's first fiction.

#84 Turn to Me by Tiffany Snow. Tiffany is selling many books.

There have been other successful indie title like Cheryl Kaye Tardiff's Children of The Fog, Scott Nicholson's Fear Series, Hunter by Robert Bidinotto, Brain Rush, Big Lake, Reunion, and on, and on, and on. It seems that 2011 was definitely the year of the indie author and I think 2012 will be as well.

But there is more to publishing success than hitting Amazon's Top 100. There are other opportunities.

Some authors like James J. Kaufman, author of the Amazon bestseller, The Collectibles, has not only sold nearly 100,000 copies on Amazon, but it has also garnered the attention of Barnes and Noble. They are now ordering boxes of his book at a time, and he is receiving many speaking engagements as a result of his success.

Indie authors like Scott Nicholson, and Lia Fairchild have been picked up by Amazon's Encore imprint. There are others who have been sought after by publishers and agents alike. Some authors like Melissa Foster have had their books optioned for movie deals.

So if you are new to indie publishing, or considering joining the troops, know this; although nothing is certain or guaranteed, indie publishing may become the means to the end, rather than a detour in your writing career. This is where the action is. Indie authorship is where you create your platform…yes that dreaded word that you tired so easily of when writing all of those queries. This is where you prove your salt, earn your stripes, and find your audience.

The lack of these publishing "badges" is probably what kept many of us from getting deals before indie was popular. Funny how independence brings out the best in us!

As an indie author, I would like to maintain my independence and sell over seas, snag an agent, or publish in multiple languages. These are all possible and happening to independent authors every day. And with a little luck, and plenty of hard work, who knows what doors will open next. So I nest up here in the pines, watching, calling, eying my prey. And the more I see readers scurrying below, collecting their books on the cheap, I am beginning to think anything is possible for indie authors like you and I.

Jeff Bennington is the best-selling author of Reunion, Twisted Vengeance, and The Indie Author's Guide to the Universe. If you'd like to hire me, see my Author Services Page.

Navigating a First Time Author's Book Launch

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff Bennington) — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 11:23:00 -0700

I was asked a very important question by an author friend preparing to release her first book. She asked, "What do we need to have in place for KDP Select to start off efficiently?"

My answer:
"This is an extremely BIG question, because what you should be doing is what you should have been doing for the last 12 months or more… growing your social media following and integrating your followers' participation along your journey in publishing.

From what I see, your Facebook following is fairly decent for starting out (1,200'ish) but Twitter is definitely lagging (100+). Many first time authors do not realize how import their social media/platform followers are in spreading the word about their book.

Here's an example of how important Socia Media is... I offered Twisted Vengeance for free last week for two days (Mon/Tues), the worst 2 days according to some. I gave away 16,000 copies. On day one I hit #250 in the Free store. I didn't tell anyone because I really wanted to see how high I could go with an organic freebie (no help from my twitter/facebook friends). But #250 was only a few hundred and not where I wanted to be. I wanted to hit the top 20.

When day two rolled around, I threw gas on the fire and contacted my closest reader friends, Digital Book Today, my Triberr tribes, and World Literary Cafe tweet teams and asked for help promoting my free day. They did. Twisted Vengeance hit #12 in the free store and I am selling lots of books right now as a result. But there is no way I could have done that well without the reach of hundreds of thousands of interconnected twitterites.

Now, back to your question. I did not have that kind of Internet presence when I first published Reunion. In fact, I didn't sign up for Twitter until after Reunion was first released. And it was a hell of a hike from that point on.

So I say to you… expect a long haul. I know you are in for the duration as far as your career is concerned, but after releasing four books now, I've learned that the release is not as big of a deal as you might think. You will throw it out there on Amazon or wherever, and you will see a bump in sales. But you will not be overwhelmed with sales just because you have declared June 4th as your release date.

There will be many other books releasing on that date as well, and other new authors pushing their book equally as hard, along with all of us who have already published. If you get the feeling that you are entering a crowded city, you're right. Picture yourself in New York City shoving through a crowd to get into a packed subway car. The car is ready to leave and no one wants to miss the train. Ten more will get in and 1,000 will not.

How will you do it?

This is how you have to look at your question. This is how you have to look at book marketing in general. Getting on the train is about hard work and lots of luck.

How do you prepare for luck? Answer: You don't.

You can squirm a bit and get closer to the car, but there are always bigger and stronger shoulders shoving you aside. How's that for a word picture. When you officially release your book you will need a cult following, lots of money, an anomolie of a novel, or luck to make an immediate splash. If you do not have those things you will make something that's more like a drip. It's not you… it's just the way it is.

IF YOU HAVE MONEY TO SPEND ON MARKETING... I have a few suggestions: These suggestions will take cash, but as in any form of publicity, you will not get the word out unless you pay those who have created a platform or "reach" ahead of you and for your benefit. The sites I list can help your book get noticed. They can put your book in front of readers eyes. But it is publicity, and any form of publicity, as your publicist has told you I'm sure, does not guarantee sales, but name recognition. Sales may come, but they are not guaranteed.

Name recognition is an expense paid for those looking to create a brand for themselves over a long period, not a short period. Building a brand is about making each new book you publish easier to recognize. Readers know who you are, they are familiar with your cover style, and they are waiting for what's next.

Anyway, by releasing in mid July you will have missed every major holiday in the US from now until then: Mother's Day, Memorial Day, Father's Day, and The Fourth of July. These are all big holidays because mothers and fathers across the US (your biggest market by far) will receive brand new kindles and searching for books to add to their new toys.

I am recommending to my most valued clients to start booking paid promotions that surround these holidays ASAP. I have a good friend who managed a region for Border Books for years and he told me that holidays were always the best time to promote your book, put it on sale (in this case a KDP Freebie), and add to your marketing, etc. And he is right.

My Marketing Suggestion for May-June~>
I am recommending running a freebie just before Mother's day and then using paid promotions between Mother's Day and Memorial Day. This is what you will have to do unless you have a far reaching social media reach.

KDP Select will help, but you still need "wheels" under your book, and KDP Select is more effective on "well traveled" books.

Here is a suggested promo for May, which can be repeated in June (around Father's Day):

1 - Run a 2-day "free" promo on May 5-11 or May 21-25 depending on ad availability. The 5th/11th would be better. - [Never use all 5 days at once. Not effective after 2 days IMO.]

2 - Run a free day highlight with Kindle Nation Daily on day one of your free days ($29).

3 - Run a 2-day Daily FREEBIE Alert with The Kindle Book Review ($15) and Digital Book Today.

4 - Follow up with a Social Media Buzz w/ all 3 sites = 3 days (worldliterarycafe.com, digitalbooktoday.com and thekindlebookreview.blogspot.com) ($120 total)

Total cost: $164 for "moving" ads.
Potential reach = 0ver 500,000 twitter peeps (readers/writers)

Moving ads are linked to social media and are effective because they are "shares" and "retweets" which have a level of trust that works like word-of-mouth when others tweet and like your book. But the truth is, you have to come up with cheap, creative marketing ideas, or keep paying over and over to keep that momentum going.

IF YOU DO NOT HAVE MONEY TO SPEND...There are free options. Blog tours can be free if you put in the many hours to schedule. Posting a giveaway on Goodreads.com will only cost you a book and postage. Goodreads giveaways are nice to introduce your book to readers, but the "buy" is slow and barely noticeable.

You can also join the WLC (worldliterarycafe.com) and join their "tweet teams". This is free and a very helpful tool, but requires reciprocity (tweeting other authors in return). But this will also get you connected with other authors, which is more important than you might realize.

Social Media is as free as you can get, so reach out to other readers and authors. Retweet their books and tweets. Grow your Twitter and Facebook following. And if you really want to take your social media to the next level, get hootsuite and/or tweetadder.

But if you want to reach a large audience, and you do not have a large following, you might have to climb on the backs of those who have already done the leg work of building a platform that connects readers to authors."

Here are quick links to the sites I listed…

Digital Book Today.com ~ The Kindle Book Review ~ World Literary Cafe.com

Jeff Bennington is the best-selling author of Reunion, Twisted Vengeance, and The Indie Author's Guide to the Universe. If you'd like to hire me, see my Author Services Page.

100K Page View Celebration!!! Indie Authors Need to Read This.

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff Bennington) — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 09:36:00 -0700

If you're an Indie Author, I have a FREE promotional opportunity for you.

I AM NO LONGER ACCEPTING SUBMISSIONS. I HAVE ABOUT 50, WHICH IS MORE THAN I EXPECTED. THANK YOU FOR STOPPING BY ~ Jeff

The Kindle Book Review, my big-sister blog, is about to pass the 100,000 page view threshold and I want to make this a really cool celebration. So I would like to offer all of my Indie Author friends an opportunity to get their name in lights.

If you have published a book in the kindle store and you have a Kindle version of your book (mobi, prc, pdf, or smashwords code) in your possession, I am offering you the chance to have your book posted as a giveaway to readers who comment on that blog post. All in all, I'd like to give away dozens of free books and match them to the readers prefered genre. But I need your help.

Here's what you get: When you donate your book (one copy only), you will get your book cover and name listed on a featured post for FREE some time THIS COMING WEEK. And you will also get a new reader!

The 100,000 page view celebration will go out to nearly 300 email subscribers, and when we publish your book on the celebration post, it will blast out through our Triberr tribes with a potential reach of over 490,000 twitterites!! The book covers will be clickable to your amazon page.

If you are willing to give away one (1) copy of your book, I will give you a BOATLOAD of free publicity. Any takers???? First responders will be at the top.

I AM NO LONGER ACCEPTING SUBMISSIONS. I HAVE ABOUT 50, WHICH IS MORE THAN I EXPECTED. THANK YOU FOR STOPPING BY ~ Jeff

Thank you for your help. And don't forget to register for The Best Indie Books of 2012 HERE.

Jeff Bennington is the best-selling author of Reunion, Twisted Vengeance, and The Indie Author's Guide to the Universe. If you'd like to hire me, see my Author Services Page.

Indie Author's Have The Ultimate Guide for the Journey

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff Bennington) — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 11:46:00 -0700

Hello, fellow writers.
This is a special post; no major content, nothing new to make your publishing heads spin. But what I am giving today is cold hard cash in the form of my book, The Indie Author's Guide to the Universe. It is #FREE today in the Kindle store. If you do not have a Kindle, you can get a free kindle app HERE.

No, I'm not literally handing you money, dollars or pounds. But I am giving you information, information that CAN literally create money for you. And I say that in all humility. In fact, the only reason I'd say that is because one reader made that comment in a recent review.

Here's what Winston "Louivillereader" said about "THE GUIDE"...
"When you finish this book and begin the application of its advice, you'll soon start to feel you owe Mr. Bennington money. My book sales have increased substantially after reading this comprehensive guide to self-publishing.

What The Indie Author's Guide offers is not just a skeletal tips 'n' tricks book that'll become dated in six months but a complete unearthing of the self-publishing world itself. No stone is left unturned, no avenue untraveled. For a newbie to this business, this book will be your new Bible; for a relatively seasoned indie author, it will give you new insight, teach you some new tricks.

If you want directions in the city, you ask a cop, a cab driver, or a crackhead--someone who's on the streets every day. If you want direction in the self-publishing world, you ask Jeff Bennington."

Okay, that's all.
The Indie Author's Guide to the Universe is #FREE today. I hope you take advantage of this and enjoy the gift of encouragement, knowledge, pricing and marketing strategies. I worked hard, and in some ways, bled hard to learn this stuff, so giving it away is a tough decision. Enjoy!

Jeff Bennington is the best-selling author of Reunion, Twisted Vengeance, and The Indie Author's Guide to the Universe. If you'd like to hire me, see my Author Services Page.