"Self Published Authors" News feed

Apologies

DanS42 — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 00:03:29 -0400

Sorry folks, I'm not sure how or why an old event got posted onto the RSS feed and then into the newsletter email list. I apologize for the ancient intrusion into your mailbox and for this new one as well.

-Dan

LET US HELP SELL YOUR BOOKS...

authorcollective — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 14:32:44 -0400

Dear Author,

Looking to go to the Baltimore or Capital Book Festivals but hate to pay the price of a tent or table? Would you like to be amongst the who's who in the literary community?

Join the Author Collective at both these events and more September 24th through 25th and October 3rd. Can't make it? Then here is a chance to have your book represented by professionals. The Author Collective is here for you, the self-published and under-represented book writer. We go to the trade-shows, expos and festivals to showcase your product to the people who love to buy and those who buy for a living. Why occupy a full booth alone at any trade-show or book fair? It is expensive and ineffective. Our authors and staff members are always in attendance leaving you time to network, promote and "brand yourself " while book sales are still being made.

Don't have your book published yet? Not to worry, we'll help you at no cost self-publish your manuscript. Join us and talk amongst the leaders in the traditional publishing and self-publishing industry, everyone will be at these events.

The Author Collective is here to help the unknown, little known and soon to be well known author promote their books. Join us as we attend more than forty literary tradeshows, conventions, conferences, expos and book fairs seeking to sell your book.

If you need more book sales, the Author Collective is for you. Membership is easy and affordable.

To find out more, call me TODAY!
Call Michael Williams
(313) 446-2262
www.AuthorCollective.com

If I moved the website to a different service, which would you prefer? (Leave comment with additional choices, please.)

DanS42 — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 16:16:09 -0400

Why Google and Other Humans Don't Read Your Book Reviews

DanS42 — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 11:29:59 -0500

I was reading through the latest issue of ReadWriteWeb when I came across an article about making sure Google and similar search engines can find your book reviews online.

It's a very brief article that hits the nail on the head -- search engines don't just depend on keywords, they need context specific tags.

"The right way of marking up content so that it can be understood by Google, other search engines and semantic technologies is by using a structured format such as ePub, hReview Microformat, abmeta or one of the other structured formats. Using a structured format removes the ambiguity and enables computer to 'know' what the review is about."

While this is an excellent article, you must keep in mind that it only helps those with access to the raw HTML of the book reviews you are posting. If you roll your own reviews, posting HTML online yourself, good on you. Follow the tips above and SEO is acheived. If you are like most everyone else and you use a blogging platform, you can do the above also if you aren't squeamish about hacking around templates or even a little code.

You're pretty much out of luck though if you use a hosted solution, like Blogger, TypePad, WordPress.com, etc., or write for an organization, like say The L.A. Times, as the article uses as an example. In those cases, let your editors and webmasters know you'd like to have targeted meta tags for your posts that will help your writing reach a larger audience.

"Self Published Authors" Newsletter (SPECIAL EDITION)

DanS42 — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 15:13:23 -0500

"Self Published Authors" Newsletter (SPECIAL EDITION)
Helping self-published authors promote and market their books and share information and resources.

February 1, 2010 Volume 4: Issue 22
Dan Shaurette
editor@selfpublishedauthors.com
http://www.selfpublishedauthors.com

By Subscription Only! You are receiving this newsletter because you requested a subscription. Unsubscribe instructions are at the end of this newsletter.

------------------------------------------------------------
IN THIS ISSUE
------------------------------------------------------------

1. Editor's Notebook
2. Subscriber Management / Contact Information

------------------------------------------------------------
1: EDITOR'S NOTEBOOK
------------------------------------------------------------

Happy New Year! I am dropping in a special edition of the newsletter to inform you all of some changes with the website and this newsletter.

If you are new to SelfPublishedAuthors.com and the newsletter, I hope you will grant me a bit of patience. For those who have been members, especially over the many years it has been active, I hope you will appreciate the changes that are coming.

This newsletter and website have been a labor of love for me. When I first began reading the newsletter so many years ago, I was just beginning my journey as a self-published author. This website and newsletter served its purpose to educate and inspire me. Eventually I began submitting articles so that I was sharing what I had been learning with other authors. Eventually, I was given the opportunity to take over the newsletter, and later, the website. Since then, I have been producing this newsletter on my own, finding articles, reviewing books, interviewing authors, and trying to maintain a quality experience for everyone who subscribed. I hope I have done so for you all.

Now, I'm coming to a point where I need help, and I'm not afraid to ask for it. It has been a long time coming, and frankly, I'm a stubborn man, but the new year is here and I'm taking this opportunity to push a reset button on the newsletter and website.

Here's where you come in. For too long, in my opinion, the site and newsletter have been a one-way communication. The site accepts and I hope it encourages participation and feedback. But frankly, there just isn't any save for a few wonderful exceptions. Without feedback from you, the reader, I have no way of knowing if you like the information provided, want to see more or less of any feature, or if folks find it to be a valuable resource any longer.

In a small way, I am stepping away from producing the newsletter. What I instead intend to do is begin focusing efforts towards making the website a more useful resource. I will be shifting away from a bimonthly subscription newsletter to an unscheduled, but as regular as I can, blog platform. I will be doing essentially the same job, but instead of bi-monthly publishing a collection of cool stuff I find online, or articles I write, you will get them more often, on many topics. Those who stay subscribed to this same newsletter feed will begin to see that content continue to be delivered to you, but as it is posted, rather than on what would be a bi-monthly digest.

This is something I have been actually meaning to do for a very long time. Quite frankly though, and I'll be honest, I took the easy road and settled into a simple bi-monthly routine. I believe the website, and even the newsletter to a degree, have suffered for it.

So now, things will change for the better, and here is where you come in. Everyone here can use the website, participate in forums, chat rooms, and add resource links, all as before, and I hope you all will. But for some of you, I hope you will do more, and become Featured Contributors. I am looking for folks who would like to become featured authors, writing articles with your insights into how your journey as a self-published author has been and where it is going. I am especially looking for members who would like to become official reviewers for the site.

The website itself will be evolving as well. New features will be added regularly, especially, if I get suggestions from you all. I hope you all like what you see as everything takes shape. Thank you all for your continued support and let's all turn a new page here together.

Dan Shaurette
editor@selfpublishedauthors.com
http://www.DanShaurette.com

------------------------------------------------------------
2: Subscriber Management / Contact Information
------------------------------------------------------------

Archived issues of this newsletter can be found at
http://www.selfpublishedauthors.com/newsletter

To subscribe, please visit:
http://www.selfpublishedauthors.com/subscribe

To unsubscribe from the newsletter mailing list, send an email to: unsubscribe@selfpublishedauthors.com with 'Unsubscribe Newsletter' as the subject line. Or you can follow the link at the very bottom of this email.

To contact us offline, send your correspondence to:
Self-Published Authors
P.O. Box 3426
Scottsdale, AZ
USA 85271-3426

December 1, 2009 Volume 4: Issue 21

DanS42 — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 21:50:00 -0500

"Self Published Authors" Bi-Monthly Newsletter
Helping self-published authors promote and market their books and share information and resources.

December 1, 2009 Volume 4: Issue 21
Dan Shaurette
editor@selfpublishedauthors.com
http://www.selfpublishedauthors.com

By Subscription Only! You are receiving this newsletter because you requested a subscription. Unsubscribe instructions are at the end of this newsletter.

------------------------------------------------------------
IN THIS ISSUE
------------------------------------------------------------

1. Editor's Notebook
2. Newsletter Submission Guidelines
3. Feature Article by Patricia Fry
4. Free Products, Services, and Downloads
5. Creative Corner by Randy Ingermanson
6. Announcements
7. Resource Links
8. Author Showcase
9. Commentary by Judy Cullins
10. For Immediate Release
11. Reciprocal Links
12. Subscriber Management / Contact Information

------------------------------------------------------------
1: EDITOR'S NOTEBOOK
------------------------------------------------------------

Happy Holidays! Welcome to the December 2009 newsletter for SelfPublishedAuthors.com. For those of you who are new to the website and newsletter, I hope you will enjoy this issue. Thank you for visiting the website and subscribing to the list. To the regulars out there, I'm glad you are back for another issue.

Can you believe 2010 is just around the corner? 2009 has been a very busy year for me. So much so that I am considering changing the release of this newsletter from bi-monthly to quarterly. I would really appreciate everyone's thoughts on this, so I have put up a poll on our website to find out how often you would like to see this newsletter be published.
http://www.selfpublishedauthors.com/frequency-poll

As a reminder, I am also open to guest reviews, interviews, and other articles. If you would be willing to donate your time, as I do, to this website and newsletter to provide more content, please contact me at editor@selfpublishedauthors.com.

If you'll forgive me one quick moment of self-promotion, which if you are a regular of this newsletter, you'll know I do not allow myself very often. I finally started production on the serialized audio podcast version of my novel, LILITH'S LOVE. If you are interested, as of right now, the first two episodes are online, plus an episode of out-takes from the recording. New episodes will be released bi-weekly at http://www.Liliths-Love.com/. Now you know just one reason why things are busy around here.

If you have questions, comments, suggestions, or if you'd like to contribute, be interviewed, add an event or have a request, please reply to this email, or drop a line to me at: editor@selfpublishedauthors.com.

Thanks for reading and enjoy the issue!

Dan Shaurette
editor@selfpublishedauthors.com
http://www.DanShaurette.com

------------------------------------------------------------
2: NEWSLETTER SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
------------------------------------------------------------

The newsletter for SelfPublishedAuthors.com is here to provide a resource for all authors. Obviously, I want to help you succeed in your writing, self-publishing efforts, and self-promotion. I have received a few requests from fellow authors asking what they can do to promote their books in the newsletter.

I am always happy to help promote an author and their works in the newsletter. That's what we're here for. That being said, the best I can do is one of the following.

If you are interested in writing an article about your experiences as a self-published author, I would be more than happy to consider it for publication. If I publish the article, I will give you space for a signature box that you could use to promote yourself and your book.

If you have a press release or other details about yourself and your book, do feel free to forward them to me and I will happily publish them in our Author's Showcase. These aren't reviews, rather they are spotlights, and you can send me your info anytime if you wish to be included. I will share one book and author per issue.

If you have a book signing coming up, we do try to list those when they are timely. Remember our newsletter is published in February, April, June, August, October, and December. If you host a class or workshop, or have a website that promotes a writer's resource, please let us know about it. All links about such events are provided free of charge. Your name, location, dates, and contact info. will be presented.

Currently there are places for you to list your books, websites, and even join our banner ad exchange. You can also feel free to post in our forums and tell us about yourself and your books.

------------------------------------------------------------
3: FEATURE ARTICLE by Patricia Fry
Who Needs an Editor?
------------------------------------------------------------

Do you consider yourself a pretty good writer? Do you understand what makes for interesting, reader-friendly text? Can you tell a good story and/or write clear instructions?

If you're like many authors, you can write fairly legibly but you just aren't wired for the process of editing. You don't realize that you have developed some bad habits in your writing. You don't recognize all of your punctuation and grammatical mistakes. You may even miss the typos and computer-generated mistakes that have occurred throughout the process of writing.

The truth is that most authors need help when it comes to fine-tuning their manuscripts. More and more publishers require that authors hire a professional editor before submitting anything to them. And an unedited manuscript produced through a "self-publishing" company will surely die amidst the competition. If it gets any book reviews, they will not be favorable. Booksellers won't give it a second look. And readers will lose respect for an author who puts out a book that's full of blatant mistakes.

Hey, you're an author, not an editor. There is a difference, you know. I've edited manuscripts for some highly educated authors and journalism majors. Some of them were stuck in antiquity—before technology began to dictate certain editorial changes. Others simply had been fostering bad habits. And some just didn't know all of the tried and true rules of good writing, good grammar and proper punctuation.

How can you tell if you need an editor for your manuscript?

I suggest contacting an editor or two. Find out how much they charge for evaluating your manuscript. Some editors will run an occasional special for manuscript evaluation. Or they'll evaluate a portion of your manuscript for free. If they charge, it's generally around $50 or $100 to evaluate your first 25 or 40 pages, for example.

What kind of evaluation do you want? Would you like the editor's opinion as to whether your book is publishable? In this case, she would probably want to see the complete manuscript and the fee may be more like $250, depending on the size of your project.

Maybe you want the editor to look at your manuscript from an editorial standpoint. Does it need editing? What is the nature of the editing problems? Can she give you some examples showing how she would remedy these problems? What would she charge for editing your entire manuscript?

Of course, it would benefit you to learn what you can about self-editing book manuscripts in this digital age. For example, read pages 178-187 in my book, The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book for a self-editing guide for authors. Basically, you'll want to watch for the following:
* Too many spaces between sentences. It is now one space after all punctuation.
* A dangling em dash. The em dash now connects the two words—it no longer dangles between them.
* The proper use of the apostrophe.
* The proper use of quotation marks and single quotes.
* Errors that your spell check missed.
* Muddy writing.
* Redundancies.
* Incorrect use of common words.
* Poorly organized story or nonfiction book.
* Inconsistency in your choices regarding spelling, capitalization, etc.
* Passive instead of active writing.
* Inconsistent and unreasonable voice and tense.
The more errors and problems you find while self-editing, indicates a greater need for an editor. If you are not aware of errors in your manuscript, this could mean that you are not wired to see them. Hire an editor—or get an editorial evaluation.
___

Copyright © 2009 Patricia Fry. Reprinted with permission.
Patricia Fry is the Executive Director of SPAWN (Small Publishers, Artists and Writers Network) http://www.spawn.org/. She is the author of 29 books, including THE RIGHT WAY TO WRITE, PUBLISH AND SELL YOUR BOOK. http://www.matilijapress.com/rightway.html. Visit her informative blog often: http://www.matilijapress.com/publishingblog/.

------------------------------------------------------------
4: FREE PRODUCTS, SERVICES, and DOWNLOADS
------------------------------------------------------------

FICLY.COM - Creative writing website
Ficly is about creativity. Everyone can carve out fifteen minutes to either continue a story someone else has started, or start something of their own - something simple - two, maybe three paragraphs of a character, a plot or even just a place. That's the premise. We impose a limit of 1,024 characters because we think constraints are good. They make you choose your words more carefully. They also make it less daunting than starting at a never-ending blank screen in a word processor. All you have to do is write one kilobyte of something - something fictional. That's all.
http://ficly.com/

------------------------------------------------------------
5: CREATIVE CORNER by Randy Ingermanson
Your Characters Aren't You
------------------------------------------------------------

At least twice a month, I get a letter that runs roughly like this:

"Hi Randy:
I'm writing a novel about something horrible that happened in my life. Nobody would ever believe what those dirty rotten scoundrels did to me, so I'm making it a novel. It's gonna be great! The only question I have is what legal problems I'll face when they read my book. Can I get sued, even if it's all the exact truth? Do I have to change their names? I want them to suffer!

Sincerely,
Joe Wannawriteanovel"

Before you read on, think about that for a minute. How would you answer Joe? Can he get sued for telling the truth?

I usually begin my answer to this kind of e-mail by pointing out that I'm not a lawyer, and therefore nothing I say can be construed as legal advice. Then I say that, so far as I understand it, telling the truth is not libel, but it can be invasion of privacy. So even if a novel tells the absolute truth, the author might still be sued for making private details public.

I usually advise Joe to make a few eeny weeny changes: Change the names of the characters. Change their genders. Change their personal descriptions. Change their ethnic heritages. Change their personalities. Change the facts of the story so that nobody could possibly recognize the circumstances and guess that the people involved are friends or family of Joe. Change everything.

In short, write fiction.

In my view, the legal issues aren't really the biggest problem with writing a novel based on real people. The real problem is that real situations involving real people make really boring fiction.

In fiction, nothing is written in stone. If you need to edit a Gertrude into a Gary, then you must have the freedom to make that change. If you need to merge five fuzzy characters into two memorable ones, then you must feel free to merge. If your lead character needs a horrible seventh-grade experience involving a tarantula, a blindfold, and an icepick, then you have to be able to conjure up that memory.

You can't afford to hamstring your fiction with an inconvenient set of facts. If you base your novel on something that really happened, then every time you need to tweak your plot or characters, you'll hear a voice in the back of your head saying, "But it didn't happen that way."

Let's be honest. Fiction is about telling lies. Big, fat, hairy, prevaricating lies. If you want to write about the truth, or approximately the truth, or even something remotely approaching the truth, then the career you're looking for is called "Journalism." It's a fine career choice, but it isn't fiction.

Which leads me to another common question I hear. "Is it OK if I write a character that's really just me?"

That depends on what you mean by the word "OK." I doubt very much that you can sue yourself for libel or invasion of privacy if you write a character that is just you. (Again, I'm not a lawyer, so if you sue yourself and somehow win, then don't blame me.)

I see several problems with writing a character that is just you:

* You may not be quite as interesting as your lead character needs to be.
* If you buff up your character to be "you plus a little extra," you may wind up looking egotistical.
* If you add in some traumatic backstory that never happened, your friends and family might get upset.
* What will you do for an encore?

Let's unpack each of these in turn.

Fiction is about characters in conflict. The characters are often a bit larger than life -- in some cases, a LOT larger than life. Let's face it. Although we writers are a talented bunch, most all of us aren't quite as talented as the characters we create. We'd like to be, but we aren't. We can't afford to limit our characters to be no better than we are.

Suppose you write a lead character just like you in every way. Then, halfway through the novel, you realize that he needs to be quite a bit better than you are in some way. Maybe smarter. Maybe faster. Maybe cooler. Whatever. So you tweak him and finish the story and get it published. Now all your friends and family read the story and they see right away that your lead character is intended to be you. But they also see that he's smarter than you are, or faster, or cooler. Naturally, they're going to assume that you think you're smarter, faster, or cooler than you actually are. That makes you look like an egomaniac. Is that what you want?

Suppose you write a lead character just like you in every way. Halfway through the novel, you need to explain why your character is afraid of electricity. You decide to make it plausible by adding in some backstory about being shocked with a cattle prod by an unstable mother. Now you've got problems, because it's going to be "obvious" to everyone that your mother must have tortured you as a kid. If it's not true, your novel could be construed as libel. If it's true, your story could be considered invasion of privacy. Either way, your mother may just take you off her Christmas list.

Typically, publishers are interested in doing more than just one book with you. They invest quite a bit of money in developing an author, and it make take a few books to earn back that investment. Suppose you write a great novel in which your lead character is you. That's wonderful, but who'll play the starring role in your next book? You might be able to do a sequel that again features you as the lead. But can you keep that up forever? If not, then why get started down that road in the first place?

It's perfectly OK to inject a bit of yourself in your characters. In fact, I recommend it for every character, even your villains. Give each of your characters some little snippet of yourself, whether it's your tight-trigger temper or your obsession with stamps from Zimbabwe or your amazing skill at juggling buffalo chips.

You have plenty of interesting quirks and character traits to go around for every character you ever write. Your characters are like your children, and each of them should get some bit of your DNA.

My rule of thumb is that none of my characters should "inherit" more than about a third of their traits from me. I have no idea how much inheritance is too much, but I prefer to be cautious, so I try not to go over a third.

I've written several major characters who were physicists. Another was a software engineer, another an archaeologist, another a novelist. All of them shared a major interest with me. But I never thought of any of them as "me plus a little extra," because I've always started with somebody who was fundamentally different from me and then added chunks of myself. I think of my characters as "somebody I'd like to hang out with, because we have a major shared interest."

Now here are some questions you might want to consider for the novel you're working on right now:

* How much does your lead character resemble you? Will your readers wonder if that character is secretly you? Is it possible that this character is more nearly your clone than your child? Does your character have some trait that makes it clear that he or she can't possibly be you?

* How much of your DNA does your villain inherit? Is there nothing in your villain that you can relate to? Is it possible that you might be better able to empathize with your villain by giving him or her some valued trait of yours?

Fiction is a pack of lies that masquerades as truth. Don't risk spoiling your carefully crafted lies with too much truth -- or with too little.
___

Copyright © 2009 Randy Ingermanson. Reprinted with permission.
Award-winning novelist Randy Ingermanson, "the Snowflake Guy," publishes the Advanced Fiction Writing E-zine, with more than 17,000 readers, every month. If you want to learn the craft and marketing of fiction, AND make your writing more valuable to editors, AND have FUN doing it, visit http://www.AdvancedFictionWriting.com/.

Download your free Special Report on Tiger Marketing and get a free 5-Day Course in How To Publish a Novel.

------------------------------------------------------------
6: ANNOUNCEMENTS
------------------------------------------------------------

FREE First Lesson in Book Promotion Workshop

Get personalized book promotion help from 35-year veteran author Patricia Fry.
Special offer: The first lesson in her 6-week online Book Promotion Workshop is FREE. No obligation to sign up.
Information: http://www.matilijapress.com/course_bookpromotion.htm
Questions: PLFry620@yahoo.com.

------------------------------------------------------------
7: RESOURCE LINKS
------------------------------------------------------------

FASTPENCIL.COM - Print-On-Demand Publisher, Free and Paid Services
FastPencil is self-publishing with a twist. Through a process they call Guided Collaboration, you can bring in new acquaintances and old friends to help you turn your idea into a masterpiece. At any point in the process you can connect with like-minded people, share knowledge, chat, gather feedback from reviewers and editors, and collaborate with other authors, all without leaving FastPencil. Another interesting feature is Blog-to-Book, which makes importing your existing work into a first draft you can work from.
http://www.FastPencil.com/

------------------------------------------------------------
8: AUTHOR SHOWCASE
P.G. Holyfield author of MURDER AT AVEDON HILL
------------------------------------------------------------

P.G. Holyfield is the author of the free serialized podcast novel, "Murder at Avedon Hill", which is an epic high fantasy murder mystery. And I do mean epic, or as Evo Terra infamously dubbed it, "the podiobook that never ends." On May 21, 2009 after 42 episodes, "Murder at Avedon Hill" did finally wrap production. Not only was this story epic in scope and scale, but the sheer number of over 45 talented voice actors from many podcasts also lends to this grand tale.

"Murder at Avedon Hill" began its life in 2003 when P.G. started working on a gaming module for BioWare's Neverwinter Nights, which is a licensed D&D video game. When the module itself did not become a reality, P.G. took the story ideas and non-player characters and created an interactive story that he shared with the Neverwinter Vault fan website. He posted chapters on a bi-weekly basis, about 23 chapters at the time, and ended each chapter with either a question or cliffhanger. He made the story interactive by getting input from the readers, not with a standard polling booth feature, but with a betting system for readers to bet on what would happen next.

Eventually, P.G. took all of the source material and crafted a manuscript for a novel, which he did shop around to some publishers. The cross-genre nature of the work meant that no one was interested at the time. He discovered Lulu.com and used their print-on-demand services to self-publish "Murder at Avedon Hill" as a paperback novel. Then along came podcasting.

On June 13th, 2007, chapter one went live at MurderAtAvedonHill.com and introduced us all to the Land of Caern. "Murder at Avedon Hill" has been described as "Brotherhood of the Wolf" meets "The Name of the Rose" or as Agatha Christie meets J.R.R. Tolkien. In the story, we follow Arames Kragen, an Aarronic Advisor, and his student, Arrin Perti, as they make their way to Avedon Hill.

Arames is a retired monk of the Aarronic Order, a brotherhood that has served the Land of Caern for centuries. He once served as an Aarronic Advisor to the Prince of Yew, Renoir Perti. Now, as a favor for Arrin's mother, Arames has taken Arrin on as a student. They are en route to a conference and need to use the Olviaran Pass which starts in Avedon Hill to shorten their trip to Northern Grozh.

However, upon arriving at Avedon Hill, they discover that Lord Avedon has closed off access to not only the Olviaran Pass but also the town of Avedon Hill itself. At the town's gates, they meet Cletus, the gatekeeper, who explains that Lord Avedon has done this because the manor's Housemistress, Gretta Platt, has been murdered. No one is allowed to enter Avedon Hill, not only for the sake of the ongoing investigation, but also while he is in mourning.

Undeterred, Arames offers to help with the investigation, hoping that by solving the mystery he can convince Lord Avedon to open the Olviaran Pass for them. However, once inside the gates, and the investigation begins, Arames and Arrin learn that there are many mysteries within Avedon Hill. Not the least of which is determining whether or not a vampire is responsible for killing Gretta Platt.

For in the Land of Caern, we do find vampires and their masters, moonbeasts and their ilk, and the Children of Az. Az is the father of the gods, and his Children are the deities who can enter the Land of Caern under certain Constraints and live out their own lives, and affect the world they live in.

It will take all of Arames' knowledge of prophecy, myth and legend, and his skills as an advisor, as well as his abilities to work with the "river of magic" that flows all around the Land of Caern, to learn all of the secrets of Avedon Hill. At the same time, Arrin learns more about himself, his gifts passed down from his mother, and discovers what he'll have to face as he and his mentor solve the mystery.

For the podcast production, P.G. himself gave the narration and also provided the voices of Arames, Arrin, Cletus, Cousin Red, and Ollus Wenk. The story has a very large Dramatis personae so P.G. enlisted the help of a fine cast of voice actors from around the world of podcasting. Moreover, you can find that P.G. has given voice to characters in other podcasts as well.

His current project is a short fiction anthology podcast set in the Land of Caern. This new anthology, "Tales of The Children", began on 09/09/09, and features his stories as well as others from many of his fellow podcasters.

Due to the success of the podcast, "Murder at Avedon Hill" has been picked up to be published by Dragon Moon Press, and is expected to be released in early 2010. P.G. is hard at work on editing right now for this release.

I want to wish P.G. Holyfield all the best with his future projects, and I look forward to adding a print copy of "Murder at Avedon Hill" from Dragon Moon Press to my collection of books by authors I've discovered through podcasting.

------------------------------------------------------------
9: COMMENTARY by Judy Cullins
Make Money Publishing Books Online - Or Not!
------------------------------------------------------------

Maybe you're interested in internet self publishing, self publishing cookbooks, self publishing Christian books, or self publishing POD (Print on Demand) books.

As a long time bookcoach, I know that if you compare self publishing to New York publishing, you'll see the deck is stacked in your favor with independent publishing.

Pros and Cons of Self Publishing--Which author are you?

1. The Cruise Ship Package Author. You, the emerging author of fiction or self help book, knows you can't get an agent or publisher, so you turn to Print on Demand printing companies, who you think can do it all for you. For example, format your book into a 6 by 9 paperback. Then, print copies as you need them. Know that their book promotion packages don't give you what you need. POD companies charge little on the front end, but over price your book and overcharge for your wholesale copies too. They make money. The author doesn't.

2. The I Wanna Be an Oprah Author. You, the unknown author, want to be rich and famous. You want to be a bestselling author and you copycat gurus and mentors out there thinking you must write like them to be respected. That means you will only want to write a 250 page print book that will bring prestige to your small business. You see your book as #1 in Amazon, you on Oprah and other big shows. You think how lucky you will be when a big publisher wants your book after your first year terrific sales of 20,000!

Think again. These businesses accept 1-2% of the top submissions. Unless you are famous, you will miss out and spend a lot of time and money trying to get their attention.

Check with other authors whose publishing adventure went south. Know that even if you get on the shows, you don't get a guarantee of selling books. In two years, one client went broke getting ready for Dr. Phil's show (printed 20,000 books) and when he got on, he didn't have enough money to write a good sales page for Phil's Web site that was only up two weeks.

3. A female business owner or other small business specialist. You want to either get out short information products and love the internet, or are stuck in the past thinking only a print book will do. Take it from me, you can, with little self publishing help, put out a shorter eBook version first to test the market and improve your book from your audience's feedback an testimonials. You'll get high visibility, and, at the same time, brand your business and profit from business.

Wake Up Call: No one out there will do it all for you anyway, so you just need to take the next step and learn more about promoting, distributing and internet marketing.

4. An open-minded savvy person who knows there are multiple ways to write and publish a saleable book. You can leverage your success writing a print and eBook, and learn how to connect with the huge, online audience, ready to buy books conveniently, and who will love your book.

You don't have to publish the slow, hard, way with no control over your book. Educate yourself on self-publishing and its rewards that give many an author/business person like myself a healthy income. We may not be famous, but we love building trust in clients an those big book sales.
___

Copyright © 2009 Judy Cullins. Reprinted with permission from EzineArticles.com
Book Coach Judy Cullins helps emerging and professional authors get started writing your book. Download the free ebook "20 High Octane Book Writing and Marketing Tips" available through The Book Coach Says at http://www.bookcoaching.com/.
Judy now enjoys networking on Linkedin, Facebook, & Twitter.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Judy_Cullins

------------------------------------------------------------
10: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
------------------------------------------------------------

GoodEREADER.com - Has Launched a new E-Commerce Website and Blog for Popular E-Readers

Are you looking for an affordable Electronic Reader such as the Kindle 2, Kindle DX or the Barnes and Noble Nook? GoodEreader has a large supply of these and they would like to welcome new customers.

(PRWEB) November 30, 2009 -- With the holidays quickly approaching everything is looking for that "must have" gift for themselves or a special loved one. The most popular technology gift this year, is not a new mobile phone which everyone already has, but is for the reader of the family, an Electronic E-Reader.

With the advent of touch screen technology being the norm, and the fact that physical books are becoming more and more expensive, a long term gift that will save you money is an E-Reader.

There are many popular E-Readers that are sweeping the market right now, and GoodEreader is proud to have them all in stock, they are the Kindle DX, Kindle 2 and Barnes and Noble Nook.

The Barnes and Noble Nook has only been on the market a few short weeks, and has already sold out all of their units, this means, that it is nearly impossible to find this great unit anywhere, GoodEreader has over 100 units currently in stock. This item is quickly becoming THE gift for the holidays if you are lucky to get one.

The Nook, billed as the first Android-powered e-book reader, features not only a 6-inch E-ink screen but a color touch screen that allows you to navigate content and also can turn into a virtual keyboard for searches. At launch, no separate Android apps will run on the device, but Barnes & Noble says that one of the reasons it chose Android to power the Nook is because it's an open platform with a large developer community and that future apps are a possibility.

Like the Kindle, the Nook has a built-in 3G wireless connection (AT&T is the carrier) and a dictionary. However, the Nook also packs in Wi-Fi connectivity and a memory expansion slot--you get 2GB of internal memory, but can add up to a 16GB micro SD card. It also features a Dual Color Touch Screen and the ability to play audio books.

The Kindle DX is also being billed as one of the most popular gifts for the Christmas season. It features a near 10 inch screen, that can be flipped over to landscape mode, much like Apples I-PHONE. The DX also features a built-in QWERTY keyboard for taking notes, entering search terms when wirelessly accessing the Kindle Store, and typing out URLs in the rudimentary Web browser. Like the Kindle 2, the DX's rechargeable battery is sealed into the unit (read: no removable) and delivers about two weeks of battery life if you use the built-in 3G wireless data connection judiciously.

GoodEreader is proud to be serving their customers with the latest Electronic Readers just in time for the holidays. If you are looking for the Sold Out NOOK they seem to have many in stock and are getting new shipments all of the time. Their prices for the Kindle DX is also outstanding at $399.99.

In the New Year, GoodEreader will be opening a Retail Location in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Stay informed by visiting their website Goodereader.

About GoodEREADER
GoodEREADER has a team of 12 people who monitor emails, sales inquiries 24/7. We have a dedicated Technical Support team, Customer service team, and billing support team.

Contact:
Michael Kozlowski, director of public relations
GoodEREADER
http://goodereader.com

------------------------------------------------------------
11: RECIPROCAL LINKS
------------------------------------------------------------

LISTINGS:

ADD YOUR BOOK LISTING & AUTHOR BIO:
This is a FREE marketing feature you don't want to miss!
http://www.selfpublishedauthors.com/books

THE POST-PUBLICATION BOOK PROPOSAL
If you didn't write a book proposal before writing your book, you missed a vital step in the process of successfully producing and marketing a book. Don't let sagging sales determine your grim future in publishing. Write a post-publication book proposal and get back on track. Order Patricia Fry's FREE report, The Post-Publication Book Proposal. PLFry620@yahoo.com.

SHAURETTE.NET: The Home Page of Dan Shaurette
- His Novel, LILITH'S LOVE - http://www.Liliths-Love.com
- Out Of The Coffin Podcast - http://www.OutOfTheCoffin.com
- The Lurkers' Domain (creative writing forum) - http://lurk.us
All of this and more at: http://www.DanShaurette.com

YOUR ADVERTISEMENT COULD BE HERE!
Contact Dan Shaurette for more information at editor@selfpublishedauthors.com

------------------------------------------------------------
12: Subscriber Management / Contact Information
------------------------------------------------------------

Archived issues of this newsletter can be found at
http://www.selfpublishedauthors.com/newsletter

To subscribe, please visit:
http://www.selfpublishedauthors.com/subscribe

To contact us offline, send your correspondence to:
Self-Published Authors
P.O. Box 3426
Scottsdale, AZ
USA 85271-3426

October 1, 2009 Volume 4: Issue 20

DanS42 — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 23:59:42 -0400

"Self Published Authors" Bi-Monthly Newsletter
Helping self-published authors promote and market their books and share information and resources.

October 1, 2009 Volume 4: Issue 20
Dan Shaurette
editor@selfpublishedauthors.com
http://www.selfpublishedauthors.com

By Subscription Only! You are receiving this newsletter because you requested a subscription. Unsubscribe instructions are at the end of this newsletter.

------------------------------------------------------------
IN THIS ISSUE
------------------------------------------------------------

1. Editor's Notebook
2. Newsletter Submission Guidelines
3. Feature Article by Patricia Fry
4. Free Products, Services, and Downloads
5. Creative Corner by Randy Ingermanson
6. Announcements
7. Resource Links
8. Classes, Groups, Workshops, And Events
9. Author Showcase
10. Commentary by Jennifer Carsen
11. Press Release
12. Reciprocal Links
13. Subscriber Management / Contact Information

------------------------------------------------------------
1: EDITOR'S NOTEBOOK
------------------------------------------------------------

Welcome to the October 2009 newsletter for SelfPublishedAuthors.com. For those of you who are new to the website and newsletter, I hope you will enjoy this issue. Thank you for visiting the website and subscribing to the list. To the regulars out there, I'm very glad to see you back for another issue.

This November marks the 10th anniversary of National Novel Writing Month, aka NaNoWriMo. Do you have an idea for a new novel burning to be written but you've been putting it off? Sometimes you just need a spark, and the goal of NaNoWriMo is to put down 50,000 words to let that spark catch aflame. Visit NaNoWriMo.org for more info and to create a free account to track your progress.

Thanks for reading and enjoy the issue!

Dan Shaurette
editor@selfpublishedauthors.com
http://www.DanShaurette.com

------------------------------------------------------------
2: NEWSLETTER SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
------------------------------------------------------------

I am always happy to help promote an author and their works in the newsletter. That's what we're here for. That being said, the best I can do is one of the following.

Currently there are places for you to list your books, websites, and even join our banner ad exchange. You can also feel free to post in our forums and tell us about yourself and your books.

------------------------------------------------------------
3: FEATURE ARTICLE by Patricia Fry
Piggyback Book Promotion
------------------------------------------------------------

Some of you may have heard of Piggyback Marketing. Generally, this means promoting your product using a marketing channel from another company. In other words, you might arrange to have another author include your flyer or brochure along with hers when she ships orders or does a mail promo. You might tuck your brochure in with another author's newsletter.

I'd like to suggest Piggyback Promotion using the momentum of your own original efforts. How? Let's say that in recent months, a review of your romance novel was posted at a popular site, your book was mentioned in your college alumni newsletter and you had a story published in Ellipsis Magazine. GREAT!! This is all good exposure. But don't waste the opportunity to expand on that exposure. What more can you do? Here are 10 suggestions:

1. Send announcements of your accomplishments to every newsletter editor in every organization with which you are affiliated. This might include writing groups, your alumni association, your class reunion roster, your church bulletin, the local newspaper, business/hobby clubs and certainly publishers' organizations such as SPAWN. As a member of SPAWN, you can make such announcements in SPAWNews (which goes out to around 2,000 readers). Contact Editor@spawn.org. Chances are, if you're a member, you announced publication of your book. Don't stop there, send announcements each time that book gets press.
2. Spread the news in the forums, online groups and chat rooms you frequent. If you don't visit forums, groups, etc., start now. Locate discussion groups and bulletin boards/forums in your genre/topic by doing a Google search. Once you land on a good site, note it, but also check out their resource lists/links pages. You're bound to find oodles more sites you can use in your promotional efforts.
3. Contact the editors of newsletters in your genre/topic and the hosts of appropriate Web sites and ask them to print your announcement. Again, if you are not aware of newsletters and sites in your genre or topic, spend several hours each week seeking out new ones and make a note of them for future reference. (I actually keep a binder of writing/publishing Web sites for promoting my writing/publishing-related books.)
4. Share these tidbits at your Web site and in your blog.
5. Send announcements to your addressbook. Presumably, most of the people in your email addressbook are friends and colleagues who are interested in you and your achievements. Remind them to tell their friends about your book.
6. Create a newsletter in which to keep readers abreast of your published articles, book reviews, etc.
7. Send holiday cards 4 times a year to those folks without computers telling them of your latest escapades and kudos. You can send them at Christmas/Hanukah; Easter/first day of Spring--a time of new beginnings; Summer/Father's Day and Fall/Back to School/Halloween.
8. Use return/no postage envelopes to tell people about your book and the publicity it's receiving. By this, I mean, when you get promo in the mail along with a postage paid return envelope, and you are not interested in their offer, use the envelope to share news of your book.
9. Post notices with your checks when paying bills by mail.
10. Print up flyers to hand out at book festivals, writers' conferences and when you go out to speak, for example, inviting folks to explore sites where your book has been reviewed or your promotional articles have been posted.

I'm sure that you can come up with 10 more such ideas. But the point is not to collect good ideas, it's to act on them. I suggest choosing 4 of these suggestions and diligently following through with them over the next three months. See what sort of return you get on your investment of time.
___

------------------------------------------------------------
4: FREE PRODUCTS, SERVICES, and DOWNLOADS
------------------------------------------------------------

PENWAG.COM - Free website for storytellers and readers
PenWag.com is a simple website with no gimmicks; just an online place for friends to share stories. If you're a storyteller, a reader, a teacher, a student, a hillbilly, a writer, or a wannabe writer, come wag your pen or read a story. Registration and use of the site is free for all.
http://www.PenWag.com/

------------------------------------------------------------
5: CREATIVE CORNER by Randy Ingermanson
A Failure To Communicate
------------------------------------------------------------

There's a famous line in the movie COOL HAND LUKE: "What we've got here is failure to communicate." The line comes twice, once said seriously by the evil prison warden and once said mockingly by the title character, Luke.

Failures to communicate are pretty common in real life, and in many cases, they're caused by different personality types. In last month's column, I talked about the Myers-Briggs scheme of classifying personalities into 16 different types

This month, I'll look at a somewhat simpler scheme developed by D. Glenn Foster, who started his career as a polygraph examiner. What Foster discovered was that his own observations of his subjects told him a lot more about their guilt or innocence than his lie-detector machines could.

Foster's original idea was that there is no one best way to interrogate somebody. Methods that work on one personality type won't work on another. So if you want to get a confession, your first task is to "read" your prisoner's personality type. Then you use the appropriate methods to get your confession. Of course, if the prisoner isn't actually guilty, you'll discover that soon enough.

Eventually, Foster became an "interview consultant" who taught methods of interrogation to law enforcement agencies to help them get confessions from prisoners. I recently read his book, HOW CAN I GET THROUGH TO YOU? -- coauthored with Mary Marshall -- on the subject of interpersonal communication.

You might think that Foster's methods are only useful to novelists writing police procedural mysteries. Nope. An interrogation is only one of many ways that people communicate -- or fail to. The book by Foster and Marshall is actually aimed at anyone having communication failures. Whether you're not communicating with a friend or a family member, a co-worker or a Congress-critter, this book shows you how to read people and analyze what's gumming up the communication lines.

Foster categorizes people into four basic types:
* Feeler
* Driver
* Analyzer
* Elitist

Let's look at each of these in turn:

A FEELER likes to get along with people. Feelers put other people's feelings first. A Feeler wants to get along with you and will try to accommodate you, if possible. Feelers are people persons. If you run a business, you want your receptionist and your PR director to be Feelers.

A DRIVER likes to get things done. Drivers don't much worry about hurting somebody else's feelings, so long as they hit their task objectives. A Driver likes to argue and doesn't get a bit offended if you argue back. In fact, a Driver likes that and respects you if you push back. If you run a business, you want the sales-droids who make cold calls to be Drivers, because they don't take no for an answer.

An ANALYZER likes to figure things out. Analyzers don't have any need to "share their feelings" with others. They'd much rather share their thoughts. Analyzers don't mind a spirited discussion, so long as it's about ideas and doesn't get personal. Analyzers dislike "ad hominem" arguments and will walk away when the heat turns on. If you run a business, you want your business strategist and your engineers to be Analyzers.

An ELITIST is a one-of-a-kind person. The Elitist marches to his own drummer. There's a bit of the Feeler, the Driver, and the Analyzer in the Elitist. The Elitist rarely gets close to anyone, because there just isn't anybody like him. If you run a business and you need a visionary who thinks differently, then an Elitist might be what you need.

When two people are talking, they tend to treat the other person the way they expect to be treated. This works fine, if they're both the same personality type, because they have a common idea of how to communicate.

A Feeler talking with a Feeler will get along fine, because they both want the other person to feel good about the exchange. Each will bend over backwards to accommodate the other. No hard words and at the end, everybody's happy.

A Driver talking with a Driver will also do great. They'll likely get into a spirited argument, each giving no quarter, hacking away at each other until one of them wins or they reach a happy stalement. Plenty of hard words, but no hard feelings, because shouting is just part of the game, and at the end of the game, everybody knows who won.

An Analyzer talking with an Analyzer will have a terrific time. They'll get into a deep discussion about ideas. It may or not be an argument, but even if there's a strong difference of opinion, each will take care to attack the other's ideas, not his person. No hard words, no hard feelings, and at the end, one or both of them may have changed his mind, but both will feel like they learned something.

An Elitist talking with an Elitist rarely happens, because there just aren't that many Elitists. Each will recognize that the other is someone special and rare, because all Elitists are special and rare, but always in different ways. Elitists most likely won't share their feelings, not even with another Elitist. If necessary, they may argue like a Driver or reason like an Analyzer, but at the end of the game, they're really above all that.

When members of two different groups talk, it's a different story. Each will treat the other the way they want to be treated. But neither will be treated the way they want. Let's look at what can go wrong. We'll be brief here, because we have six different kinds of pairs:

When a Feeler talks with a Driver, she may very well be irritated by the Driver's "pushiness." Feelers see Drivers as being "control freaks" who want to "run over everyone else." The Driver will be annoyed by the Feeler's wimpiness. Drivers expect push-back, and when a Feeler just gives in, where's the fun in that? Drivers see Feelers as being "spineless" slugs who "beat around the bush" and "won't stand up for themselves."

When a Feeler talks with an Analyzer, she'll be annoyed by the Analyzer's "coldness." Feelers see Analyzers as being "too much in their heads" and as eggheads who "don't care about other people's feelings." The Analyzer will be irritated by the Feeler's "mushy-headed" approach to life. Analyzers see Feelers as "uninterested in ideas" and "losing their heads in a crisis."

When a Driver talks with an Analyzer, he may be annoyed by the Analyzer's cautious "look before you leap" foot-dragging. A Driver wants to forge ahead, because "he who hesitates is lost." The Analyzer will be especially infuriated when a Driver makes a "personal attack" in an argument. The Analyzer is sensitive to personal criticism and wants to "focus on ideas, not personalities."

When a Feeler, Driver, or Analyzer talks with an Elitist, they'll be put off by the Elitist's "arrogant and condescending" attitude. Since Elitists generally dress with excellent style, Feelers, Drivers, and Analyzers may criticise the Elitist for being "aristocratic." Elitists have elements of the Feeler, the Driver, and the Analyzer, so they have all sorts of ways to cross communications. The Elitist may see the Feeler as "weak" or "spineless"; may see the Driver as "pushy" and "overbearing"; may see the Analyzer as "cold" or "smart, but lacking vision."

There's a lot more to be said on Feelers, Drivers, Analyzers, and Elitists. I highly recommend the book HOW CAN I GET THROUGH TO YOU? by D. Glenn Foster and Mary Marshall for vastly more information on how these personality types work. Their interest is in helping people understand their own type and the types of others, so they can learn to get along.

Our interest, as novelists, is in learning how to understand our characters so we can pick a fight. Fiction is about characters in conflict. The more you know about what causes conflict, the more realistic your fiction will be.

I thank my friend, Mark Mynheir, a working cop and novelist, for alerting me to the Foster Method.
___

Download your free Special Report on Tiger Marketing and get a free 5-Day Course in How To Publish a Novel.

------------------------------------------------------------
6: ANNOUNCEMENTS
------------------------------------------------------------

FREE First Lesson in Book Promotion Workshop

------------------------------------------------------------
7: RESOURCE LINKS
------------------------------------------------------------

SPAWN - Small Publishers, Artists and Writers Network
The purpose of Small Publishers, Artists and Writers Network (SPAWN) is to provide opportunities, information and resources for authors, illustrators, graphic designers, photographers, editors, self-publishers, and others involved in the process of publishing. SPAWN also gives these creative professionals the opportunity to exchange ideas and information with each other and the general public. SPAWN is a 501(c)3 nonprofit. Our Board of Directors is listed on this page. SPAWN membership dues are $45 per year.
http://www.spawn.org/

------------------------------------------------------------
8: CLASSES, GROUPS, WORKSHOPS, and EVENTS
------------------------------------------------------------

SELF-PUBLISHED BOOK EXPO
The time has come to have an exhibition where the spotlight is solely on self-published books and authors. The first annual Self-Publishing Book Expo (SPBE) will bring national focus and attention to the fastest-growing segment of today's publishing industry.

Unlike any other book exhibit, the Self-Publishing Book Expo will be the only event of its kind to highlight the books of self-publishing companies and their authors, and give them the prominence and prestige they deserve.

The SPBE will bring together many of the key players who make this universe the thriving area it has become, while simultaneously exposing both the houses and the authors to a greater audience of other publishing professionals, booksellers, media, and consumers.

Topics will include everything from publicity & marketing to sales, distribution, e-books, etc. We have a very impressive list of speakers lined up.

If you need any further information or would like to speak to
one of us, please feel free to call 212-353-3478 or e-mail us at info@selfpubbookexpo.com.

The first annual SPBE will be held at 630 SECOND AVENUE, right in the heart of midtown Manhattan, between 34th and 35th Streets. It is easily accessible to eastside subways, tunnels, and bridges.

The Expo will be a one-day event on Saturday, November 7, 2009. Hours of the Expo will be 10:00 am - 5:00 pm.

General admission: $15.00 (cash, payable at the door)
Includes admission to the Expo, plus, from 3:00 - 4:00 pm, a special "Open House: How to Get Started" panel discussion hosted by representatives of the top self-publishing companies. Come learn all the tools you'll need to see your work in print!
Exhibitors -- $275.00 prior to 7/15/09; $325.00 thereafter.
http://www.selfpubbookexpo.com

------------------------------------------------------------
9: AUTHOR SHOWCASE
J. J. Hebert author of UNCONVENTIONAL
------------------------------------------------------------

J. J. Hebert uses his past experience for his new novel about James Frost, a young janitor determined to retire the janitor's mop once and for all and become a published author.

You know that guy, the one collecting the garbage? The one mopping the floors at your school? The one who makes the toilets sparkle? That used to be J. J. Hebert. He was that guy. But now "that guy" is James Frost, the main character from Hebert's soon-to-be-released novel, UNCONVENTIONAL.

"Lately, I've been referring to the book as Good Will Hunting meets The Pursuit of Happyness," said Hebert, "because my novel features a janitor with a gift outside of janitorial work, and he's willing to do anything--and I mean anything--to fulfill his dream of becoming a published author. I mean, think of it, here we have a janitor/writer--certainly an unconventional fellow, don't you think? James Frost stands as proof that no matter your circumstances, now is always the time to pursue your dreams!"

UNCONVENTIONAL, available July 2009 in paperback and as a free serialized audio book narrated by Jeffrey Kafer (winner of the 2008 Voicey Awards), has already been praised by award-winning author Gemma Halliday as "a wonderful story full of heart, humor, and what it means to truly be successful. An A+ novel for the keeper shelf."

When asked about his journey, Hebert gladly explained: "I'm only twenty-five-years-old, but I began writing seriously somewhere around 2003, when I could also be found mopping floors and scrubbing toilets with an oversized toothbrush. My first novel, DEFIANCE RISING, went on to win numerous awards, one of my favorites being The Sit-In-My-Drawer-And-Never-Get-Sold Award and also, my least favorite, The Write-Seven-Drafts-And-Scrap-It Award. You should see the trophies; my mantel can't contain them! Okay, so you get it; Defiance went nowhere. Then I wrote UNCONVENTIONAL. And, thankfully, I'm no longer a janitor."

Like James Frost's writing life, Hebert's career hasn't been problem free. He spent all of 2007 writing and editing UNCONVENTIONAL and most of 2008 trying to land a literary agent. After receiving countless rejection letters, and some manuscript requests, the former agent to Ted Dekker and Frank Peretti decided to represent Hebert, but that business relationship dissolved by the beginning of 2009. Then, in mid-January, Hebert decided to go with Mindstir Media, publisher of mind-stirring books, to release his tale about young janitor/author James Frost.

"Just to clarify something, because I know it'll be asked many times," said Hebert, "I'm not James Frost and James Frost is not me. Sure, he and I are a lot alike but he went through much more than I. Mostly because I'm a sadistic individual and I enjoy watching my characters suffer. Well, not really. I just think conflict sells--and there's lots of conflict in UNCONVENTIONAL. I hope my scheme works in the end. If not, I might have to go back to sweeping and mopping floors for a living. Please spread the word about UNCONVENTIONAL and keep me away from those mucky toilets!"

To learn more about J. J. Hebert and UNCONVENTIONAL, the novel designed to inspire readers to reach for their dreams, please visit http://www.jjhebert.net. Hebert can also be found on MySpace (http://www.jjonmyspace.com), Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/jjhebert), and Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/authorjjhebert).

About the company: Mindstir Media is an independent publisher specializing in inspirational fiction. Its titles are sold throughout the USA as well as abroad (e.g. Canada, Germany, UK, Japan, France). Mindstir utilizes unconventional marketing methods, such as offering free serialized audiobooks, and also embraces new technology, for example the Espresso Book Machine, an ATM for books.

------------------------------------------------------------
10: COMMENTARY by Jennifer Carsen
Why So Many Writers Are Morning People
------------------------------------------------------------

You've pulled all-nighters. You've burned the midnight oil. You've worked through the wee hours. It's what lawyers do (as well as law students, though generally more pizza is involved).

But what I'm suggesting is a radical departure from this. I'm suggesting that you carve out time to write in the morning - when the sun is on its way up rather than down, when you're daisy-fresh rather than dog-tired.

You may be wondering how you can do this, especially considering that you're bleary-eyed after all those late nights. Daisy-fresh may be the furthest thing from your mind at five a.m., when the only thing you can ponder is whether or not to roll over before you hit the snooze button.

But here's the thing: Early morning is the only time that's truly yours. Nothing has blown up in spectacular fashion yet. Nobody's looking for you, eager for a chat or a favor or help with a particularly loathsome task. It's just you and your time, before the day gets away from you.

Because the day will get away from you - that much is certain. We've all had days that started with the best of intentions and ended in recriminations or even tears. Even good days become a kind of triage in which only the most important, urgent tasks get done. Your writing is important, but it's not urgent because nobody but you will care if you skip it. The only way to be certain you get it done is to sneak it in early, before you quite know what's hit you. Then the rest of the day is gravy.

Here are some tips for changing your night-owl ways:

1. Do it gradually. Every morning for one week, set your alarm clock 15 minutes earlier than you normally would. The next week, bump it up by an additional 15 minutes. That may not seem like a lot, but you'll gain an hour over the course of a month in a way that won't shock your system.

2. Make friends with your TiVo. Do you really need to stay up late to watch Cake Boss, or Top Gun for the zillionth time? Plan your TV watching in advance so you don't get sucked into something vapid.

3. Don't rile yourself up before bed. Oftentimes it's hard to get up in the morning because it's hard to get to sleep the night before. Avoid too much caffeine late in the day, and also too much booze. (You may think that third glass of wine is your express ticket to Slumbertown, but alcohol actually disrupts your sleep patterns in a big way--you may crash hard initially, but you won't sleep well.) Also, if you read before bed, stick to fiction; non-fiction tends to stir up your mind rather than winding you down for the day.

4. Just do it. You will not want to get up when the alarm rings 15 minutes early. Do it anyway, without thinking too much about it. Get up. Write. Repeat. After a while, you'll wonder how you ever got along without that extra time in the a.m.
___

Copyright © 2008 Jennifer Carsen. Reprinted with permission from http://www.ArticleCity.com/.
Jennifer Carsen, J.D., is the founder of Big Juicy Life. Her specialty is turning lawyers into writers. Go to http://www.bigjuicylifecoaching.com/ to download the free report, "6 Myths About Leaving the Law for Writing."

------------------------------------------------------------
11: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
------------------------------------------------------------

Wright's Online Book Reviews for Self-Published Works
http://www.wrightbookreviews.com/

Does this sound familiar?

You have gone to a lot of effort to get a book self-published and now you are trying to get the book sold. You have read in numerous locations that one of the best selling devices is to get a book reviewed. However, no one will even look at your book. What do you do? Are you tired of getting ignored by book review authors and publications? A new website dedicated to reviewing self-published works is about to ease your frustration.

"We created Wright's Online Book Reviews for Self-Published Works as a way for authors to have someone consider their book after all their hard work to get it published. We feel that self-publishing is now a legitimate path for an author to take and we want to acknowledge this by taking a look at their book." said co-founder Adam Wright, a long-time librarian and leader in his field. "At the same time, we realize that libraries and book stores have a difficult time fitting self-published items into their collection development policies because of the lack of credibility attached to self-publishing." Adam continues. "We would like to do the hard work for libraries and book stores by filtering out the jewels from the junk of the self-publishing world." Adam started the site with his Kerry after visiting San Francisco and reading an article on the plane trip back about how self-publishing has become more widespread but people have difficulty getting their self-published works taken seriously. Adam, as a library consultant, knew that many libraries required at least one reputable review to consider purchasing a book, went searching the web for a review source."

"We didn't find many so we thought it was a shame that some voices were not being heard just because a book had been self-published versus the traditional means. We wanted to change that." Adam stated when asked. In response, Adam and Kerry started Wright's Online Book Reviews for Self-Published Works (WBR) with the mission of "To promote self-published works by providing honest, credible reviews of them." WBR has figured out a review process that will consider each submission fairly, but only the best of the best will get an actual review written. "We are going to use Nancy Pearl's 50 page test when it comes to reviewing books. If after 50 pages, we do not feel the book is high quality, we will move onto the next one." Kerry says, a longtime teacher and Speech Therapist. "Every week, we plan to list out the books who made the cut and those who did not. In this way, libraries and book stores know whether the book is worthy of purchase. We also give more in-depth reviews of the good ones." During the month of September, WBR will accepting inquires from interested authors to be some of the first reviewed by the site, which will debut with reviews on October 11, 2009. Interested authors should go to the website at http://www.wrightbookreviews.com/ to fill out the form to have their book considered. It should be noted that all books received by WBR for review will be donated to a local library.

About WBR
WBR is one of the first sites dedicated to reviewing self-published titles. Its mission is to help authors promote their books through their reviews.

For more information: Contact Adam Wright at 817-965-5599, or email awright@wrightbookreviews.com.

------------------------------------------------------------
12: RECIPROCAL LINKS
------------------------------------------------------------

LISTINGS:

ADD YOUR BOOK LISTING & AUTHOR BIO:
This is a FREE marketing feature you don't want to miss!
http://www.selfpublishedauthors.com/books

YOUR ADVERTISEMENT COULD BE HERE!
Contact Dan Shaurette for more information at editor@selfpublishedauthors.com

------------------------------------------------------------
13: Subscriber Management / Contact Information
------------------------------------------------------------

Archived issues of this newsletter can be found at
http://www.selfpublishedauthors.com/newsletter

To subscribe, please visit:
http://www.selfpublishedauthors.com/subscribe

To contact us offline, send your correspondence to:
Self-Published Authors
P.O. Box 3426
Scottsdale, AZ
USA 85271-3426

Cory Doctorow publishing WITH A LITTLE HELP

DanS42 — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 00:20:08 -0400

Cory Doctorow is an amazing author and advocate. He is planning to release his latest short story anthology in different ways to see what sticks. But more over, he's sharing the whole process with the public, as an open experiment. Here's a video from a short presentation he gave which explains the ambitious plan.

August 1, 2009 Volume 4: Issue 19

DanS42 — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 21:46:55 -0400

"Self Published Authors" Bi-Monthly Newsletter
Helping self-published authors promote and market their books and share information and resources.

August 1, 2009 Volume 4: Issue 19
Dan Shaurette
editor@selfpublishedauthors.com
http://www.selfpublishedauthors.com

By Subscription Only! You are receiving this newsletter because you requested a subscription. Unsubscribe instructions are at the end of this newsletter.

------------------------------------------------------------
IN THIS ISSUE
------------------------------------------------------------

1. Editor's Notebook
2. Newsletter Submission Guidelines
3. Feature Article by Patricia Fry
4. Resource Links
5. Announcements
6. Free Products, Services, and Downloads
7. Creative Corner by Randy Ingermanson
8. Classes, Groups, Workshops, And Events
9. Commentary by Patricia Fry
10. Reciprocal Links
11. Subscriber Management / Contact Information

------------------------------------------------------------
1: EDITOR'S NOTEBOOK
------------------------------------------------------------

Welcome to the August 2009 newsletter for SelfPublishedAuthors.com. For those of you who are new to the website and newsletter, I hope you will enjoy this issue. Thank you for visiting the website and subscribing to the list. To the regulars out there, I'm very glad to see you back for another issue.

I'd like to share with you some links I discovered recently while perusing the interwebs.

One Minute How-To Item #369 - How To Self Publish A Book On The Cheap
This episode of the One Minute How-To podcast features Bryce Beattie who explains how you can self-publish your book with some tips he learned along the way.

Online tools to help you publish your own book | TechRadar.com UK
This article by Pete Travers gives some great background for writers who are thinking about self-publishing. While he does discuss POD sites like Lulu.com, he focuses on the do-it-yourself approach he used.

Thanks for reading and enjoy the issue!

Dan Shaurette
editor@selfpublishedauthors.com
http://www.DanShaurette.com

------------------------------------------------------------
2: NEWSLETTER SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
------------------------------------------------------------

I am always happy to help promote an author and their works in the newsletter. That's what we're here for. That being said, the best I can do is one of the following.

Currently there are places for you to list your books, websites, and even join our banner ad exchange. You can also feel free to post in our forums and tell us about yourself and your books.

------------------------------------------------------------
3: FEATURE ARTICLE by Patricia Fry
Make Sure That Your Manuscript is Ready For the Right Audience
--------------------------------------------------------------

I turned away work this week, and I feel good about it. Why? Because neither of the book manuscripts the clients brought me were ready to be edited.

The author of one nonfiction manuscript still wasn't sure how he wanted to organize his book. I knew that any changes he made in organization would affect the text, so it was premature to start the editing process. Instead, I sent him back to the drawing board with this advice:

"Think about your target audience. Crawl into their heads and determine their needs. How do you envision this particular audience assimilating the material? How will they receive it and use it? If pertinent instructions follow each chapter, rather than being stuck in the appendix, will they more likely be read and your book more likely be effective? Or will this stilted material scattered throughout the text be a turnoff for the reader?

Look at some of the most popular books on your topic to see how they are organized. What makes them reader-friendly or not?

Run your manuscript by members of your target audience (same age, interest-level, etc.). Ask for their painfully honest assessment."

I suggested to this client that he bring his manuscript back to me after he is comfortable with the way it is organized.

The other client wants me to organize her nonfiction book for her. But, as I began to read through her roughed-out chapters, I realized that she doesn't have a clue as to her audience. She is addressing four different groups of people and this just won't work. I told her that she must have a specific audience in mind and write her book for that audience. Sure, others who are in need of this information will benefit from it, as well, and she can include chapters for readers in other specific groups. But she has to write for one well-defined audience or she'll end up with a nightmare of a book to promote.

Think about it, if a publisher, a TV talk show host or a potential customer asks you about your book, you must be able to describe it succinctly. And you cannot do this if you tried to write it for a broad audience. Let's say that you're writing a book on child behavior problems. It makes sense that your audience comprises parents. But is that stay-at-home parents, working parents, adoptive parents, single parents, parents of disabled children and/or grandparents raising grandchildren? Does it include daycare operators, teachers, family therapists, child behaviorists, school administrators, school bus drivers or babysitters. Can you see that you could conceivably write a separate book for each of these audiences? So which one or which segment are you writing this book for?

Sure, your book on child behavior problems might have something valuable for each of these groups--you might even include a chapter for childcare professionals and teachers, for example. But, in order for your book to be effective, you really must zero in on one segment of this broad group and write the book with this audience strictly in mind.

In the book I am working with now, the author is addressing professionals in one sentence, laypeople in the next and clients in the following one. This is simply not working. And I urge you to give up the idea that your book can be "all about" for "all readers."

When identifying your target audience, consider your marketing plan. Who will you promote this book to? Do you have access to a particular group of people? In the child behavior scenario, the author might be a family therapist. She might write articles for numerous parenting magazines and has a following of parents who trust her opinion and knowledge. Thus, she should writer her book for parents of children with behavior problems and maybe include sections on the special problems that occur for working parents, single and grandparents raising grandkids.

How do you know when your book manuscript is ready for editing? I guess some of you don't until you get an evaluation from a good editor. But you can consider the following and, perhaps, be more well-prepared to approach an editor or a publisher:

* Be crystal clear as to your target audience. Narrow this down as precisely as you can and write the book for this audience.
* Make sure that your target audience is substantial. Instead of writing a book for people who like starfish, consider expanding it to include all (or several) tide pool creatures. It could be a children's (or parents') guide to tide pools along the west coast. Rather than a book featuring your elderly loved one's day care experience, consider a review of local senior day care facilities with a chapter on how to start one.
* Know how to access your target audience. In fact, choose to write your book for the audience you can access as these are the people you will be promoting to.
* Determine whether this book is actually needed. Before writing any book, research other books in this category and ascertain how yours will fit into the scheme of things.
* Is the book well-organized? Some editors will help with this.
* Have you self-edited and proofed your manuscript to the absolute best of your abilities?
___

Copyright © 2009 Patricia Fry. Reprinted with permission.
Patricia Fry is a full-time freelance writer and the author of 29 books. She is the president of SPAWN (Small Publishers, Artists and Writers Network) http://www.spawn.org/. Patricia is an editorial assistant and publishing consultant. http://www.matilijapress.com/. Visit her informative blog often at http://www.matilijapress.com/publishingblog/.

------------------------------------------------------------
4: RESOURCE LINKS
------------------------------------------------------------

AUTHORAUTOBAHN - Book Marketing and Promotion Resource
Although there may be hundreds of author promotion sites out there on the internet, Author Autobahn is quite a bit different. We're published authors, coaches, and sales professionals who have gone through the sludge and found out what works and what doesn't.
Also, we have FREE ways to promote you, along with many affordable services. You owe it to yourself to give your book the best chance it has of selling! Rome wasn't built in a day, nor was it built by one man. Greatness takes time and a team!
http://authorautobahn.webs.com

------------------------------------------------------------
5: ANNOUNCEMENTS
------------------------------------------------------------

FREE First Lesson in Book Promotion Workshop

--------------------------------------------------------------
6: FREE PRODUCTS, SERVICES, and DOWNLOADS
------------------------------------------------------------

ATLANTIS WORD PROCESSOR - Shareware Win95/98/ME/2000/XP/Vista software - Free 30-day trial
Amongst its suite of features, the one that caught my attention was the ability to save as an eBook in the EPUB standard format.
All trial copies of Atlantis Word Processor are fully-functional. No features are disabled.
http://www.atlantiswordprocessor.com/

------------------------------------------------------------
7: CREATIVE CORNER by Randy Ingermanson
Choosing Your Creative Style
------------------------------------------------------------

There's an old saying in fiction writing: "Get it written, then get it right."

Fact is, there's a huge difference between the creative phase (getting it written) and the editing phase (getting it right). If you try to edit yourself while you're being creative, you're going to give yourself a nasty case of writer's block.

So the old saying is great advice. Unfortunately, it's not enough.

How, exactly, are you supposed to "get it written?" Should you just slam out that first draft without any planning, or should you plan it carefully and then slam it out?

If you want to start a war at a writing conference, ask this question and then put on your flame-proof cloak. Different writers will make wildly different claims on how best to write that dreaded first draft.

I've been thinking about this for many years, first as a clueless wannabe novelist, later as a published author, and most recently as a writing teacher. My well-known "Snowflake method" is one answer to the question of how you write a first draft. But it's not the only answer, and it's not the only right answer.

The more I've thought about it, the more I've come to see that different people are wired differently. Different people use different "creative styles" to produce their first drafts.

And that's OK.

I don't think anyone knows all the different possible "creative styles" that writers use. There's a spectrum, depending on how much planning a writer puts in up front. Normally, the more planning before the first draft, the less editing after it.

At one end of the spectrum is the "Seat Of The Pants" writer, commonly called the "SOTP" writer or sometimes the "pantser."

SOTP writers typically just start writing, often with no clear idea where they're going, who their characters are, or what's going to happen. The act of writing makes the story unfold. It's like driving through fog with the headlights showing only a few feet ahead. This is exciting to SOTPs, often excruciatingly scary.

But it works. Stephen King writes this way, as do many other famous novelists. If you write the SOTP way, you're in good company.

On the other end of the spectrum is the outliner, who writes a meticulous, detailed synopsis of the story before writing the first draft. Outliners don't have a cool acronym, nor do they have the sexy, stubble-chinned image of the SOTP. Outliners are sometimes regarded as emotionless accountants who want to keep chewing their gum long after all the sugar is chewed out of it.

But outlining also works. Robert Ludlum was a well-known outliner, with some of his novels requiring 150 pages of synopsis. Many excellent novelists find it impossible to work without a very long synopsis. If you're an outliner, you've got some great compatriots.

These aren't the only options, of course. Another approach is a modification of the SOTP creative style. I call this the "Edit As You Go" creative style, because the writer first writes a page or two, or even a whole scene, seat-of-the-pants. Then, instead of continuing on with the story, the writer edits the page or scene several times. I've heard of writers who edit it 20 or 30 times before moving on. By the time the page or the scene is done, it's in final form, ready for the editor.

"Editing As You Go" works. Dean Koontz writes this way. If you edit as you go, you're among stars. Just be sure that you aren't mixing the creative phase with the editing phase. Write first; then edit.

I'm known around the world as "the Snowflake Guy" because of a fourth creative style which I call the Snowflake method. (Google it if you want all the details.) In the Snowflake method, you do quite a bit of planning up front, both with your characters and with your plot, but the longest synopsis you ever produce is only four pages. You leave the details of the story unexplored, so your first draft will have some surprises for you.

The Snowflake method works. Every novel I've written has used some elements of the Snowflake. I hear from writers all the time who find that the Snowflake works for them.

I'm currently writing a book titled WRITING FICTION FOR DUMMIES, in which I cover these creative styles in more detail. Early in the planning process for the book, my editor asked me to make it a little clearer which style is "the right one."

I'm afraid I shocked my editor a bit. I told her there isn't any such thing as "the one right way to write your first draft." The best way for one writer will be the worst way for another writer.

I've met writers who thanked me effusively for the Snowflake method, which gave them hope after years of struggle. I've met other writers who told me that the Snowflake almost wrecked their story.

The same is true of ANY of the common creative styles. For some writers, SOTP is salvation. For others, it's damnation. Ditto for editing-as-you-go and for outlining.

The important thing is to find the best way for you. Your best creative style may be one of those I've named, or it may be some mix of them. That's for you to find out.

When you find the right way for you, stick with it. There really is one best way for you. Just don't assume that it's also the one best way for everyone else.
___

Copyright © 2009 Randy Ingermanson. Reprinted with permission.
Award-winning novelist Randy Ingermanson, "the Snowflake Guy," publishes the Advanced Fiction Writing E-zine, with more than 16,000 readers, every month. If you want to learn the craft and marketing of fiction, AND make your writing more valuable to editors, AND have FUN doing it, visit http://www.AdvancedFictionWriting.com/.

Download your free Special Report on Tiger Marketing and get a free 5-Day Course in How To Publish a Novel.

------------------------------------------------------------
8: CLASSES, GROUPS, WORKSHOPS, and EVENTS
------------------------------------------------------------

Topics will include everything from publicity & marketing to sales, distribution, e-books, etc. We have a very impressive list of speakers lined up.

If you need any further information or would like to speak to
one of us, please feel free to call 212-353-3478 or e-mail us at info@selfpubbookexpo.com.

The first annual SPBE will be held at 630 SECOND AVENUE, right in the heart of midtown Manhattan, between 34th and 35th Streets. It is easily accessible to eastside subways, tunnels, and bridges.

The Expo will be a one-day event on Saturday, November 7, 2009. Hours of the Expo will be 10:00 am - 5:00 pm.

------------------------------------------------------------
9: COMMENTARY by Patricia Fry
Who Do You Write For?
------------------------------------------------------------

When you write a story, how-to or self-help piece or something instructional, who do you write it for? Of course, you're going to say that it's for your audience. Right answer! But is it really? You may address your audience using "you" a lot in your nonfiction works. You might believe that you are providing instruction or information for your audience. But are you really? How do you know if your writing attempt will truly engage, touch, teach and/or otherwise resonate with your audience?

I meet authors who are so into writing their memoirs that they forget completely about their audience. They remain in their own little world of thoughts, memories and fancy word combinations that they pay little attention to their reason for writing this in the first place--to entertain members of an audience. They disregard their readers while trying to satisfy their own egos. They are more focused on their way with words than the readability, continuity and flow of their work.

The nonfiction author sometimes confuses the reader by providing too much of the wrong kind of data. A reader on overload doesn't benefit much from the material he is trying to sift through. Authors often make simple instructions terribly complicated. It takes a knack to write clear instructions.

Many nonfiction authors have trouble organizing the material for their books. Some are not good researchers, so they omit important aspects of the topic they are trying to cover. Others simply don't know how to appropriately and sensibly present the information. They don't have a clear intention for their book.

All of these problems make for books that are not reader-friendly.

What is the solution? Number one: Think about your reader and then strive to speak to him/her, engage him/her and entertain, teach, inform him or her.

What are you writing today? Go to your desktop now and read through it. If it is fiction, here's what I want you to consider:

* Who are you attempting to write it for?
* When you honestly evaluate your story, is this still your target audience?
* Is it an enjoyable story or does your attempt to impress make it seem stilted?
* Are you trying to use material that just doesn't fit right?
* If you want to improve the entertainment value of your story, review books or short stories that really kept your interest. Determine what you can do to improve the entertainment value of your story.

If it is nonfiction:
* What is your intention with this piece?
* Is it well-organized?
* Is it easy to read and follow?
* Have you provided a mix of text, bulleted sections, Q & A, anecdotes and a study program, for example?
* What, exactly, will your reader get from this book or article? Do you envision the reader walking away with a new skill, a greater understanding on some topic, a fresh perspective? Do you believe that you have succeeded in providing this opportunity? If not, I suggest going back to the drawing board.
Writing for oneself is easy. Writing for others can be difficult. That's why it is important that you know your audience and that you write expressly with them in mind at all times.
___

Copyright © 2009 Patricia Fry. Reprinted with permission.
Patricia Fry is the author of 29 books including "The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book," which is designed for authors who are at any stage of writing, publishing or promoting their books. Read the profile for this useful book at http://www.matilijapress.com/rightway.html.

------------------------------------------------------------
10: RECIPROCAL LINKS
------------------------------------------------------------

LISTINGS:

ADD YOUR BOOK LISTING & AUTHOR BIO:
This is a FREE marketing feature you don't want to miss!
http://www.selfpublishedauthors.com/books

YOUR ADVERTISEMENT COULD BE HERE!
Contact Dan Shaurette for more information at editor@selfpublishedauthors.com

------------------------------------------------------------
11: Subscriber Management / Contact Information
------------------------------------------------------------

Archived issues of this newsletter can be found at
http://www.selfpublishedauthors.com/newsletter

To subscribe, please visit:
http://www.selfpublishedauthors.com/subscribe

To contact us offline, send your correspondence to:
Self-Published Authors
P.O. Box 3426
Scottsdale, AZ
USA 85271-3426

June 1, 2009 Volume 4: Issue 18

DanS42 — Sun, 31 May 2009 19:53:03 -0400

"Self Published Authors" Bi-Monthly Newsletter
Helping self-published authors promote and market their books and share information and resources.

June 1, 2009 Volume 4: Issue 18
Dan Shaurette
editor@selfpublishedauthors.com
http://www.selfpublishedauthors.com

By Subscription Only! You are receiving this newsletter because you requested a subscription. Unsubscribe instructions are at the end of this newsletter.

------------------------------------------------------------
IN THIS ISSUE
------------------------------------------------------------

1. Editor's Notebook
2. Newsletter Submission Guidelines
3. Letters To The Editor
4. Feature Article by Judy Cullins
5. Resource Links
6. Promotion Article by Patricia Fry
7. Free Products, Services, and Downloads
8. Book Review by Gail Pruszkowski
9. Classes, Groups, Workshops, And Events
10. Commentary by Allison Jackson
11. Reciprocal Links
12. Subscribe/Unsubscribe Information

------------------------------------------------------------
1: EDITOR'S NOTEBOOK
------------------------------------------------------------

Welcome to the June 2009 newsletter for SelfPublishedAuthors.com. For those of you who are new to the website and newsletter, I hope you will enjoy this issue. Thank you for visiting the website and subscribing to the list. To the regulars out there, I'm very glad to see you back for another issue.

I am seeing many new websites lately that are starting services to help self-published authors list and sell their books. I would like to remind all readers of this newsletter that our own website here at http://www.SelfPublishedAuthors.com/ offers a similar service for FREE. You provide all details including a link to your website, Amazon.com, or wherever a reader can go to purchase your book. No purchases happen here, and no fees are required. It's simply a categorized list of books and their authors with a way for readers to provide ratings and comments. One more way to get the word out for your book, but one where you know the reader is looking for a self-published author because they came here looking for it.

I am looking for authors, like you, to send me information about yourself and your book for our Author Showcase. These aren't reviews, rather they are spotlights, and you can send me your info anytime if you wish to be included.

Thanks for reading and enjoy the issue!

Dan Shaurette
editor@selfpublishedauthors.com
http://www.DanShaurette.com

------------------------------------------------------------
2: NEWSLETTER SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
------------------------------------------------------------

I am always happy to help promote an author and their works in the newsletter. That's what we're here for. That being said, the best I can do is one of the following.

If you would like me to review your book, or interview you for the newsletter, I would ask that you please query me first before sending an ARC copy of your book, eBook format preferred, or even better, an audio version. The last thing I want to do is build up a slush pile for reviews. If you have a press release or other details about yourself and your book, do feel free to forward them to me and I will happily publish them in our Author's Showcase. These aren't reviews, rather they are spotlights, and you can send me your info anytime if you wish to be included. I will share one book and author per issue.

Currently there are places for you to list your books, websites, and even join our banner ad exchange. You can also feel free to post in our forums and tell us about yourself and your books.

------------------------------------------------------------
3: LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
------------------------------------------------------------

To the staff at Self Published Authors,
My name is Bing Wang, a senior at Newton North High School in Newton, Massachusetts. Currently, I am working on editing a novel manuscript and writing a research paper about the pros and cons of self-publishing, in particular Print-On-Demand (POD) online presses. Having found your organization online, I was wondering if you could answer some of my questions about the self-publishing industry.

Should an emerging writer consider publishing via an online Print-On-Demand press? If not, what sort of publishing press should an unknown writer submit to for her first book? I've heard that 2009 is the toughest year for publishing -- to what extent is this true (which publishing industries/types of presses are impacted the most?) and would the current economic situation reduce the stigma of initially publishing at a Print-On-Demand or vanity press?

Thank you very much. Any point in the right direction is extremely helpful!

Thank you,
Bing Wang
The People
http://thepeoplenovel.blogspot.com
___

Hello Bing,
Thank you for your letter. I hope I will be able to give you some answers and point you towards more information. The recession has hit every market and publishing companies are feeling the pinch as strong as any other. Probably the hardest hit are traditional newspapers. Major newspaper outlets have gone out of business, and others are moving to online-only in order to cut costs. This is not a direct result of the recession, however, but owes more to the failure of these organizations realizing that their readership is finding their news online vs. in their print editions, which are old news before the ink has dried.

Traditional book publishers are feeling the same pressures. E-books have not quite caught on, but the Amazon Kindle and the iPhone are just two of the biggest markets for them. Now that there's a Kindle app for the iPhone, the iPhone may well be the king soon, but Amazon doesn't mind since they sell books either way. That's really what it boils down to now -- selling books, and Amazon has proved there is definitely still a market. But publishers are going to have to be smarter about who and how they publish.

What does this mean for new authors? Well, the big houses are still buying manuscripts, but almost all of these are agent-represented. So, if you want to be picked up by a big house, my first piece of advice is to get an agent. Edit, edit, and edit some more. Make it perfect. Just send it to agents instead of publishers directly.

The trouble with big publishing houses is that if you do get lucky enough to be chosen by them, the advances are shrinking, and you are expected to do a great deal of promotion yourself. Plus, in these tough times, different imprints (smaller divisions) at the big houses are failing, and this means authors and their books are (if they are lucky) being handed off to other imprints, overloading them with works they aren't as invested with, or (if they are unlucky) being let go altogether.

There are plenty of small presses doing quite well right now. Dragon Moon Press keeps buying some great science fiction, and I have seen them picking up some of my favorite authors. Authors who chose to produce audio versions of their books and release them as podcasts. This allowed them to give free audio to an audience that has continued to support the authors when they were picked up by publishers. If you have the ability (and patience) to record the audio, edit it, and release it for free, then market it like crazy, then this is becoming another great inroad to being published in print.

As for Print-on-Demand, there are many choices out there. Some like Lulu.com do not charge up-front costs, only commissions from sales, though you can buy extra services beyond the basic hosting and sales package. Others like BookSurge.com (now owned by Amazon.com) do charge up-front, but give you many more options. BookSurge is of special note, as they are Amazon's preferred channel for new POD authors. It is fair to say that, if you want to pick a POD and know for sure that Amazon.com will sell your book, BookSurge is your best, if not only real option.

As for the stigma that self-published authors face, no matter what route they took, I never understood it. I don't think it would be fair to say for certain that readers might look at them more favorably now because of the current recession, but I should like to hope so. A self-published author has to do everything themselves. The only advantages to being traditionally published right now are getting an advance and knowing that your publisher has a distributor that can get your books on shelves.

So step back and take another look. Another industry that is failing right now are traditional brick-and-mortar bookstores. Borders is failing and if it falls, others like Barnes & Noble may not fare much better. The fact is, they cannot compete against Amazon. Little independent stores will do better because they serve a niche or a neighborhood, and don't have to become a warehouse to get any small amount of profit.

Here's what it boils down to -- publish via BookSurge and be guaranteed a spot on Amazon, where everyone goes to buy books, or go with a traditional publisher who can get you on shelves that no one peruses anymore and who won't keep them on the shelves very long, because they have to roll the next big thing in.

As a self-published author, the choice seems obvious to me. Go with a POD, get on Amazon, and tell the world about your book. I've said it before and I'll say it again. Writing the book is the EASY part. Promotion is the hard part. It can be done, though. I'd like to recommend two excellent resources for you also.

First is Patricia Fry's website: http://www.matilijapress.com/ and her book, THE RIGHT WAY TO WRITE, PUBLISH AND SELL YOUR BOOK. The second is Mark Levine's website: http://book-publishers-compared.com/ and his book THE FINE PRINT OF SELF-PUBLISHING. Patricia's resources and straight talk will help get your manuscript ready for the real world. Mark's experience will help you decide who'll be the best company to use to bring it to the masses.

Good luck,
Dan

------------------------------------------------------------
4: FEATURE ARTICLE by Judy Cullins
Top 10 Tips on How to Write a Book Fast
------------------------------------------------------------

Whether you are writing a print book or eBook, you may not realize some short cuts that can take your idea to the page and to your audience in less than a month.

Book Tip 1: Write a short book. It can be a print, eBook or both! Your audience wants concise information to solve their problems. Gone are the days of the 260- page book to show you as the expert. Think 50-100 pages. Your specific audience is busy like you and wants tips and how to's that help them overcome their problem or challenge. They don't need long stories or analogies.

Book Tip 2: Write a non-fiction, how to book first. Your audience is out there online ready, hungry for your unique information. Put your fiction book aside until you get your bigger sales from your book aimed at future clients. Then, you can finance your fiction book with far less readers.

Book Tip 3: Know your preferred audience before you write your book. You'll sell far more and get your business bigger visibility. When you write a general book for a general audience, how do you satisfy every audience out there? These books are far harder to market too. Unless you get a deal from Walmart or Costco, you may just end up with a garage full of books.

Book Tip 4: Increase your business credibility with a book. No other product sets you up as the savvy expert as a book will. Many authors make the mistake of creating a deck of cards, or a CD before the book. A short how to book for your preferred audience( future clients and customers) will bring you big visibility and a reputation of a savvy expert in your field.

Book Tip 5: Write your book for your audience, not yourself. Get your ego out of the way. Stop telling and start engaging! Many clients come to me after they published and realize that each chapter format must include a hook and the introduction with benefits, the middle with a lot of headings to help the reader, and a conclusion that motivates the reader to go happily to the next chapter.

Book Tip 6: Write a short title that sizzles. Put your book's promise in the subtitle. Think benefits! Remember you have just 5-10 seconds to impress. Your title and cover are the number 1 selling point of your book. With an engaging one, you'll sell 15% more books than with a lackluster title.

Book Tip 7: Know your audience's challenges. Then, write the book to solve them. Before you even think of writing a chapter, write your Dear Audience letter and say in your own words why you are writing this book -- its benefits and how it will change your audience's life to the better. When you know your audience before you write, you will write more compelling, concise copy that engages on every page, because it's written for only that audience. Post a picture of your audience near your workstation while you write the book to keep it real.

Book Tip 8: Know that word-of-mouth book marketing works only if your readers finish each chapter. Motivate them to finish! When your reader reads all of your chapters, she is more likely to recommend your book. You don't want to pass up your 24/7 sales team ready to do your word-of-mouth advertising.

Book Tip 9: Cut the fluff from your writing. One common mistake is to use too many passive verb constructions. Dump most of your "there is," "she is," and "he is." Sentence starters. Instead start with your subject, then follow with an active verb. While we talk this way, it mars liveliness. Write compelling copy with clarity and compassion. Connecting with your preferred audience personally makes them want to be in your fan club forever. Your readers will follow you and buy!

Book Tip 10: Make your book a top priority if you want it to succeed. Too many potential great authors let "life" get in the way. If you don't focus on what you want, you surely won't get it. Let go of distractions and resistances. What you resist, persists!

Compliments of Judy Cullins, 24-year book coach to 74 clients published. For more information, see her best selling book How to Write your eBook or Other Short Book Fast! At http://www.bookcoaching.com/tips-writing-a-book.php
___

Copyright © 2009 Judy Cullins. Reprinted with permission.
Book Coach Judy Cullins helps emerging and professional authors get started writing your book. Download the free ebook "20 High Octane Book Writing and Marketing Tips" available through The Book Coach Says at http://www.bookcoaching.com/.
Ready to take action now? Start with the coach's teleseminar: http://www.bookcoaching.com/book-writing-workshop.php
Judy now enjoys networking on Linkedin, Facebook, & Twitter.

------------------------------------------------------------
5: RESOURCE LINKS
------------------------------------------------------------

PODIORACKET.COM - Blog and Podcast about Podiobooks
Podiobooks.com offers free serialized audio books delivered on your schedule via podcast feeds.
At PodioRacket.com, our goal is to provide an inclusive podcast for listeners interested in upcoming Podiobooks.com releases, and give authors a chance to have a voice in promoting their work to an interested audience. Consider us the TV Guide of Podnovels.
http://www.podioracket.com/

PAGEONELIT.COM - A Top 101 Website For Writers
Established in 1994, PageOneLit.com was the first online literary newsletter and ranks first in Google searches for literary newsletters. The site publishes author interviews, book reviews, and literary news. Visitors may also participate in writing contests, visit websites for authors and other writing resources, and 'authors' reflections on writing. PageOneLit.com owner John Weaver says, "I want people to keep reading so writers will keep writing."
The Writer's Digest, the source for information on writing better and getting published, has just named its top 101 websites for writers. For the third time, PageOneLit.com is on the list. The Writer's Digest also honored the site with the 2000 National Zine Publishing Award. PageOneLit.com has been featured by the USA Today, N.Y. Times, and Chicago Tribune newspapers.
Contact email: PageOnelit@Gmail.com / phone:352.219.6832
http://www.PageOneLit.com/

------------------------------------------------------------
6: PUBLISHING ARTICLE by Patricia Fry
Yes You Can Achieve Publishing Success
------------------------------------------------------------

Do you use the Internet fully when you have a question about publishing or you're looking for information about publishers, an editor, a distributor, an appropriate organization to join, a book proposal workshop or guidance through the self-publishing process, for example? Or do you even research these things at all? Did you just go blindly through the process of writing and publishing your book with little or no qualified help or knowledge?

Is this how you have approached other important projects throughout your lifetime, such as starting a business, choosing a mate, deciding on a major or a college, parenting your child or rebuilding your car's engine, for example? Or do you typically educate yourself and learn the pros and cons of potential choices so that you can make an informed decision?

The fact is that most authors fail. The figures for 2007 indicated that around 76 percent of authors sold fewer than 100 copies of their books that year. Most of them gave up after selling only a handful of books. Do you know why these authors failed? Because they did not bother to educate themselves about the publishing industry.

* They did not know much about how the publishing industry works.
* They did not know their publishing options.
* They did not know the possible consequences of their choices.
* They did not understand their responsibilities as a published author.

Most authors start the education process too late to create a success of their first book. Those who realize their mistakes, may produce a second book and do much better with it. This time around they will:

* Study the publishing industry so they understand how publishing differs from the process of writing. Writing is a craft and publishing, whether you want to acknowledge it or not, is a business.
* Write a book proposal before writing their book. It is crucial that they know who their target audience is and how to approach them, that they identify their competition and that they determine if there is a market for this book.
* Hire an editor before even considering a publisher.
* Evaluate their options and choose appropriately for their project.
* Avoid signing a "self-publishing" company contract without fully understanding it.
* Be completely prepared to promote their books for as long as they want them to sell.

Success as an author does not hinge on your audience, the publishing industry or luck. It is all up to you. You can't rely on forces outside of yourself to make your book a success. It won't happen automatically just because you believe in your book, you worked hard on it, your friends love it and you once won a literary contest. The success of your particular book depends on your publishing savvy because you're the one making the choices and decisions on behalf of your book.

So get out there and learn all you can about the industry, how it works and what it takes in order to succeed. Here, let me help you with some of your research. Here are some of the sites, organizations, books and classes/workshops that I recommend. Search the Internet for others that relate to your project and that resonate with you.

For everything you need to know about fee-based POD "self-publishing" companies, read Mark Levine's book, The Fine Print of Self-Publishing. Highly recommended for those of you going the "self-publishing" route.

To learn more about the publishing industry in general, your publishing options, how to make the right choice for your particular project, how to write a book proposal (a step-by-step guide), tips for writing that book, how to establish your own publishing company, book promotion, oodles of resources and much, much more, order Patricia Fry's hallmark book, The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book. http://www.matilijapress.com/rightway.html

Join SPAWN (Small Publishers, Artists and Writers Network), www.spawn.org. Also consider these publishing organizations: IBPA (http://www.ibpa-online.org) and SPAN (http://www.spannet.org).

Take course to learn how to write a book proposal, write articles for publication, promote your book or establish your own publishing company. Here are the teachers I recommend: Patricia Fry teaches courses on all of these topics online and on-demand. www.matilijapress.com/courses.htm. I also recommend Marcia Yudkin's courses (http://www.yudkin.com) and Barbara Florio Graham's courses (http://www.simonteakettle.com).
___

Copyright © 2009 Patricia Fry. Reprinted with permission.
Patricia Fry has been writing for publication for 36 years, having contributed hundreds of articles to around 300 different magazines and newsletters. She has 29 books to her credit, including "The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book." http://www.matilijapress.com/rightway.html/. She is also the president of SPAWN (http://www.spawn.org). Follow her informative blog at http://www.matilijapress.com/publishingblog/.

------------------------------------------------------------
7: FREE PRODUCTS, SERVICES, and DOWNLOADS
------------------------------------------------------------

SMASHWORDS.COM - eBook Self-Publishing Company
Smashwords is a self-publishing platform and online bookstore for independent ebook authors, publishers and readers. We offer multi-format, DRM-free ebooks, ready for immediate sampling and purchase, and readable on any e-reading device.

At Smashwords, our authors and publishers have complete control over the sampling, pricing and marketing of their written works. Smashwords is ideal for personal memoirs, novels, short fiction, non-fiction, essays, screenplays, newsletters, poetry, or other written forms that haven't even been invented yet. It's free to publish on Smashwords.

For readers, Smashwords provides an opportunity to discover new voices in all categories and genres of the written word. For registered members, the site offers useful tools for search, discovery and personal library-building, and each week we add new features based on feedback from Smashwords members.
http://www.smashwords.com/

------------------------------------------------------------
8: BOOK REVIEW by Gail Pruszkowski
A Book Reviewer's Best Friend - THE SYNONYM FINDER
------------------------------------------------------------

Words, words and more words - these are the all important tools of the trade for any writer.

Sometimes the joy of stringing them together into something eloquent is indescribable. You know exactly what you want to impart to the reader but you're stuck for the right word to convey the meaning. And sometimes you find the right word and overuse it.

Whether you're writing a novel, a non-fiction article or a book review you want to make your point and keep the reader's interest. Using the same hackneyed expressions is one sure way to lose them. Unfortunately that happens a lot in book reviews. The same words keep turning up time after time.

That's why I call THE SYNONYM FINDER a book reviewer's best friend.

Example: If you read book reviews you'll see the word intriguing pop up a lot.

What if you're writing a review and want an alternative, but you just can't think of one?

Grab a copy of J.I. Rodale's THE SYNONYM FINDER. Look up the word intriguing and you'll find: interesting, absorbing, appealing, fascinating, stimulating, arousing, stirring, exciting, beguiling, diverting, charming, captivating, seductive, engaging, inviting and winning.

That's only one example. This thesaurus contains an astounding 1,500,000 words. If you can't find what you're looking for here it ain't been said yet.

It's in dictionary format which I find much easier to use than one organized by subject. There are subdivisions for different parts of speech and different meanings of the same word; also includes slang, archaic, scientific and other special terms.

I can't recommend it highly enough. My own paperback copy is so dog-eared; I've put the hardback version on my wish list.

If you do any kind of writing THE SYNONYM FINDER is absolutely vital, indispensible, essential, compulsory and a necessity.

Grand Central Publishing
1361 pages
ISBN: 978-0-446-37029-5
___

Copyright © 2009 Gail Pruszkowski. Reprinted with permission.
Gail Pruszkowski reviews for "Romantic Times BOOKreviews" magazine and her work has been published in the "Cup of Comfort" Anthologies.
Find out more by visiting http://mysite.verizon.net/bookworm.gp/ and http://write-juncture.blogspot.com/.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Gail_Pruszkowski

------------------------------------------------------------
9: CLASSES, GROUPS, WORKSHOPS, and EVENTS
------------------------------------------------------------

AUTHOR BOOT CAMP - Podcasting Authors Teach You The Ropes
When: Friday and Saturday, June 19-20, 2009. 9AM-4:30PM Both days
Where: The SF State Downtown Campus in the Westfield San Francisco Centre at 835 Market Street

Bestselling authors Scott Sigler and Seth Harwood generated large online audiences long before their books were in stores, and those audiences landed them multi-book deals with major publishers.

WHAT YOU'LL GET
In this class, Seth and Scott will show you how they did it in simple step-by-step format. You bring your laptop to the class and you'll leave fully up and ready to start recording and distributing your own audiobook podcast. You'll have your own RSS blog with distribution explained, an iTunes feed, an account with Libsyn set for hosting your episodes, and you'll have started your first recording--with an awareness of how to fully edit it! Add to this a series of profiles on today's most popular social networking sites and from there, the tools are clear, the goals are obvious, and the hard work ... is in your hands.

In this class you'll get all of the tools you need to do it, full instructions on how to use them, and an on-going forum of expertise to guide you and answer your questions as you go forward on your own. This class can show you how to elevate yourself to the top of the pile -- it's time for your Author Boot Camp!
http://www.authorbootcamp.com/

___

Topics will include everything from publicity & marketing to sales, distribution, e-books, etc. We have a very impressive list of speakers lined up.

If you need any further information or would like to speak to
one of us, please feel free to call 212-353-3478 or e-mail us at info@selfpubbookexpo.com.

The first annual SPBE will be held at 630 SECOND AVENUE, right in the heart of midtown Manhattan, between 34th and 35th Streets. It is easily accessible to eastside subways, tunnels, and bridges.

The Expo will be a one-day event on Saturday, November 7, 2009. Hours of the Expo will be 10:00 am - 5:00 pm.

------------------------------------------------------------
10: COMMENTARY by Allison Jackson
Fast & Easy Amazon Book Reviews
------------------------------------------------------------

Typically independent freelance book authors & self-publishers have a difficult time competing for "shelf-space" with the big book publishing companies on Amazon.com. We can all agree that Amazon has made self-publishing a viable income generator for self-published authors and publishers, but getting your book to show up high enough in the search results on Amazon is often far more difficult than actually writing the book was.

The other big problem for authors and self-publishers is that even if a prospective book buyer finds your book on Amazon, they may be a bit timid about buying a book that no (or very few) people have been so inspired by, as to write a good review for it. This might be tough to swallow, but that's actually not the worst scenario. The worst scenario is that someone did take the time to write a review for your self-published book, but they gave it a one-star rating. I can tell you with no reservations whatsoever that having a negative review is far worse than having no reviews at all.

No one knows the credentials of the person that gives your book a negative review on Amazon because he can be completely anonymous. He doesn't have to reveal his credentials. He doesn't even have to prove that he actually even read your book. This is exactly the point; if this one guy doesn't like your book, that's fine. You obviously can't please everyone, but his one negative review of your book on Amazon can stop all your sales if it's the only review you have!

At some point we have to decide that business is business, and stop playing by their rules. After all, we didn't make these rules. In fact, we never even agreed to play by their rules. I'd bet every cent I've ever earned that Jeff Bezos wasn't caring about "the rules" when, via Amazon, he put every mom & pop bookstore on the planet out of business. I'd also bet every cent I've ever earned that a huge percentage of the reviews written for the "big authors" are placed there on Amazon by the paid employees of their big book publishers. How many times have you seen tons of reviews posted on Amazon for a book that hasn't even been published yet? I'm always on the look-out for such things, so maybe I've seen it more than you have, but I'm telling you, it happens constantly.

I used to think that Amazon book reviews were a good thing, but over the course of the last few years I've figured out that Amazon book reviews are just one more tool the "haves" use to keep the little guys from competing. They pretend that the book reviews on Amazon are honorable, when in fact, they are just another sales ploy. And the evil genius of them is that not only does the average book buyer on Amazon think the book reviews are all real, but independent book authors and self-publishers think those Amazon book reviews are real too!

The "big authors" and "big publishers" make their money. Amazon makes their money. But how much do we self-published authors make? We pay their fees and commissions. Not only do we pay their fees, but we provide content for their website free of charge. Companies that sell their services to self-publishers hoping to sell their books on Amazon are in the business of convincing writers and self-published authors that they can compete with the big publishers for book sales on Amazon. I'll bet they make a lot of money from selling most of us proof-copies, maybe even more than they do from the actual sales of our books. It's a classic sales ploy. Our self-published books (with very few customer reviews) make their "big books" look more appealing. Businesses have been using this trick forever. The human brain is "programmed" to make comparisons. Nothing has value until you compare it to something else. That Caesar salad you just ordered may seem great until the lady sitting at the table next to you gets her filet mignon delivered to her table. And your self-published book might look great until the prospective book buyer spots a different one with a bunch of good positive reviews posted for it.

We self-published authors need to understand that business is business. Selling books is very competitive. It's dog-eat-dog. Jeff Bezos doesn't care one lick about us. He just wants his investors to be happy. Why play by the competition's rules? When you finally get to the point where you understand that Amazon book reviews are a sham (a sales tool just like all the other sales tools big businesses use), that's when you'll start selling more of your self-published books, because you'll stop feeling guilty about getting book reviews any way you can. If they don't even play by the rules they try to force onto us, then we shouldn't feel guilty about not playing by them either. If they can use their financial influence to get book reviews, then why can't we?

Typically self-published authors care much more about what they write than they do about "sales", and if that's your situation, then, how many books you sell, probably doesn't matter all that much to you. After all, if your goal is simply to spread your message or tell your story, you could easily sell your books for a very reduced price or even give them away for free. But if your goal is to make some actual money from your writing skills, then you may want to consider starting to think like a business owner (as opposed to an artist). Business owners don't care one tiny little bit what "rules" other businesses "suggest" they follow. You have no obligation (moral or otherwise) to play by "their rules". (For the moment at least.) This is still a FREE country. Don't let those currently holding the power "guilt" you into playing by "their rules"--that they set up to keep you down.

And thus, to conclude; the way that you get Fast & Easy Amazon Book Reviews (as this article title suggests) is to stop sitting around hoping that someone will like your book and then go to Amazon and post a good review for it. You need to actively pursue getting reviews just like you would actively pursue any other business endeavor, like getting advertising or getting sales. You need to be relentless and business-like. Get reviews any way you possibly can. Call on friends, family, online-friends, or even companies that provide such services (they do exist) to post reviews for your business's product (your book).

Getting book reviews posted on Amazon is actually a lot faster, cheaper, and easier than you might think. The only thing that's really holding you back is that fear that maybe you're doing something wrong. That fear is what separates authors that self-publish for fun, and authors that self-publish to make some real money selling their books on Amazon. Get creative. That's what great artists do isn't it?
___

Copyright © 2009 Allison Jackson. Reprinted with permission.
Allison Jackson is a seasoned author who actively runs her own self-publishing business and sells her books, and the books of her clients on Amazon under various pen-names. If you want to start getting some fast & easy Amazon reviews, there are websites out there that can help you get those reviews posted for your books on Amazon. In fact, they may be right under your nose. Release the shackles and dig your heels in a little deeper. And above all, stop looking for a rule to follow around every corner, make up your own rules! That's exactly what Bezos did. --When you're ready to stop playing by "their rules", this is the website that I most highly recommend: You can visit the folks at (EasyAmazonReviews.com) for more information on how to start getting some reviews posted for your books on Amazon. (EasyAmazonReviews.com)
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Allison_Jackson

------------------------------------------------------------
11: RECIPROCAL LINKS
------------------------------------------------------------

LISTINGS:

ADD YOUR BOOK LISTING & AUTHOR BIO:
This is a marketing feature you don't want to miss:
http://www.selfpublishedauthors.com/books

YOUR ADVERTISEMENT COULD BE HERE!
Contact Dan Shaurette for more information at editor@selfpublishedauthors.com

------------------------------------------------------------
12: Subscriber Management / Contact Information
------------------------------------------------------------

Archived issues of this newsletter can be found at
http://www.selfpublishedauthors.com/newsletter

To subscribe, please visit:
http://www.selfpublishedauthors.com/subscribe

To contact us offline, send your correspondence to:
Self-Published Authors
P.O. Box 3426
Scottsdale, AZ
USA 85271-3426