Wednesday Writerly Ways?

You may have noticed I've stopped writing my "Wednesday Writerly Ways." This is a temporary set back. How long it will last is anybody's guess.

There are a number of reasons for this. Mainly, it's hard to write about writing, self-publishing, and marketing when you aren't doing any of it. Yes, I could rely on memories but that hardly seems fair because there is no forward action these days.

The limited amount of energy I have because of my strokes, caring for my husband, and just life in general saps almost all my creative juices. If you've read my updates and my "Sunday Stroke Survival" you know what I'm going through. It's just too much junk! Well not really junk, but necessary distractions.

I could fight against the tide of overwhelming have-to-dos and write but writing should not be a chore. Now editing is ALWAYS a chore. I refuse to put writing in the chore category. I've gotten nothing but enjoyment from my many writing pursuits as it should be. Yes I still blog, but I'm even doing that with a couple heaping spoons of salt. But at least this is writing.

I mentioned in one of my stroke blogs how I read now and the way my brain isn't working anymore and said I'd give an example of how I write now without corrections and heavy editing...here goes. Squiggles be damned.

I wake up thiz mrning to (XXX lost) my husnd on the flour. I chek her ot to make sure their are no brkoe bones. Not broke so me hplelp him up and beck two bed.

Horrible isn't it. Now try to write small stories or attempt a novel writing like this! Now think of this whole blog post this way and you can see the struggle I have just to post one blog.

First I have to realize I made a mistake (some words aren't squiggled). I still mess up pronouns even in speech. My brain is healing ever so slowly. This is a lot better than just after my second stroke. My first left me unable to speak but I could write fairly well after a fashion.

No, I'm not whining or on the pity pot. I'm just telling like it is. I used to say, words are my life. Now it's changed to correcting myself is my life. Frustrating? Oh yeah with bells and cherries on top. So to alleviate any added frustration...I've stopped writing for now. It's just going to take some more time to get my brain in gear so bear with me.

Nothing is impossible with determination, BUT you also pick a few battles you can win.

Monday Mailbox ~ The Past Revisits Me- Introverts and Writer Events

It's that time to visit Tilda the Mailbox and answer your questions.
I remember you from the Southeastern Writers Conference a few years back. You have a way of standing out in a crowd. How do you do that? I'm a wallflower at these things. Why do you draw attention to yourself? In fact you do that in every writers conferences you attend. The same questions apply. You aren't disruptive but memorable. I'm in awe. Are you always like that? CR

My response...

Yes, I make it a habit to be noticed at writers conference and public events, but I am your basic introvert and hate crowds. I remember you too. You followed after me wherever I went but never joined the conversation, but remained the wallflower with your eyes cast down at the floor. Now matter how I tried to draw you out and talk, you muttered responses and refused to offer more. It's a shame really.

It takes tremendous effort on my part to go to these events. I really have to psych myself up for them and they leave me totally exhausted afterwards. I have a few goals for attending any writers conference or public event.

•  Hey, I'm here.
• I'm a writer just like you.
• To learn what I do not know.
• Teach from experience. 
• I paid for it, why not have fun.

The "Hey, I'm here" when you write a book and want to publish or have published one, you have to learn how to gain attention to/for yourself and your work. Otherwise you, won't be noticed or read. Remember one person tells ten people and so forth. I hear the buzz... "I met so and so at X. You won't believe the antics or stories surrounding her books." It gets repeated exponentially.I am remembered by those who have never met me so when they shop for books there's the recommendation.

Joan M Mas @ flickr

At writer conferences, "I'm a writer just like you" comes into play. All writers are friends you haven't met yet. They all have stories to tell because we are the storytellers. We have a common interest, desire, and love to see their books on the shelves. The hard work of finding common interest among strangers is taken out of the equation. Why not build upon it?

I was struggling with The Sacrificial Lamb. It was way too short by almost 10K words when I finished the third editing pass and was at a loss on how to expand it. I contacted a friend. Yes, I'd met here at a writers conference. Actually I'd contacted several. But these friends came up with a workable solution. A friend in need is a friend indeed. Yes, it meant a subplot weaved into the story, but I made my goal word count.

I'm going to combine "to learn what I do not know" and "teach from experience." These people at writer conferences and author forums may have forty or fifty books published or still working on their first rough draft. You can learn from the ones in the first category and teach the second. I may have fifty thousand (an exaggeration) ways to fix any problem that doesn't mean I can't have one more in my arsenal.

Even when I am the teacher, I'm constantly learning new things. My way is not the only way. There are so many variations and possibilities to make a better widget. In this case writing and publishing.

Now I tend to be frugally minded and keep my eye on the bottom line. It's the accountant in me. It is also the introvert side of me. But at public events, including writer conferences, why not have fun? You paid for it and sometimes it's a big expense. If you look on these things as a chore than maybe an author life is not something you should be pursuing.

When you have a list of needs outweighing your wants, something playing the double duty role is advantageous. I tend to look at writer events as a working vacation. Writing and promotion is what I have to do to be successful. Having fun is an option but doable. Pick one person at a writers conference like CR did. More than likely that person knows another and they know others. Become an interactive part of that group. Be crazy, but not in a destructive way and have fun.

clipart.com

I haven't met a writer yet that doesn't like to talk about their writing, their WIP, and their published works. That what I did at my first writers conference too many years ago. Most of us are introverts too. But get us started on our passion and soon you have a self-feeding bonfire. Who isn't drawn to or doesn't have fun at a bonfire? Drawn like a moth to a flame, and it is kindled by you and one other person.

Be the flame because moths will get their wings singed and die. Standing back hurts rather than help you become memorable. Take a chance and speak up even if it's to agree with what has been said and why. These are the impressions other will carry with them of you.

Why is all of this important?
Because you need to build a readership. You need to build a platform to one day be considered by an agent or publisher. Even if you plan to go it on your own, you need a readership base or you won't sell any books or very few.

Monday Mailbox ~ Reviewers and Giveaways

As many of you know I tend to spotlight my reviewer blog/friends from time to time. I actually just read their blogs and posts rather than ask them to review my books because I enjoy their style of book reviews. They are my unsung heroes. I've been conversing with several via email of late.

I rarely do current book reviews here. Most of the books I review have been out a while if not years. They are books that I stumble upon or been reviewed by others. They are based on my current needs and desires. I'm eclectic as a reader and read a little of everything because even though I'm an author, I'm an avid reader too. Ah, the beauty of word of mouth sales as an author. The best kind there is.

Most recently, I've been emailing Michelle Miller. She not only does reviews of books but it takes it a couple of steps farther. She reviews books like any reviewer does, but she hosts several other blogs as well. Read-a-thons by genre where she asks authors to donate copies of their books as prizes to those lucky few winners. She also hosts a write-a-thon for those working on their novel. Talk about being an all around type of reviewer!

I first met Michelle two years ago on GoodReads. I don't remember which section, but it must have been a horror section because I was researching and promoting my zombie wanna-be series of books, I think. She was asking for prize books for her read-a-thon so I checked her out. What better way to get books in reader's hands and do double duty promotion? She had a far greater readership than I did at the time.

I thought about it for over a week before I jumped on it. I don't make rash decisions. I always put thought into every action prior to action. It was a win-win scenario was my final decision. I donate a couple of e-copies or a signed paperback and she does all the promotion. So whenever she asks, if I have something appropriate, I give and participate when I can.

So today I'm spotlighting Michelle is her various entities. All her posts to each site are current, and she still has time to read and write too. I thought I was multitasking with two blogs. I've got nothing on her in comparison. Check her out! She has something for everyone.

The True Book Addict

Castle Macabre

A Brave Heart

Stories Inside    a write-a-thon

Historical Fiction Connection

The Christmas Spirit








Read-a-thons (throughout the year)

http://seasonsreading.blogspot.com/

Keep writing and loving the Lord.

Tuesday Tumbling Term~ Business

As I take my darling hubby for yet another series of nerve burning procedures, I hope you continue to enjoy tumbling term for indie authors.

Wow I just noticed a bump in my following list to 55 of y'all. A big hop in numbers since January 2013. Welcome to all just joining me on my regularly scheduled station.

Tuesday's Tumbling Term for indie authors is Business.

busi·ness
noun
1. an occupation, profession, or trade: His business is poultry farming.
2. the purchase and sale of goods in an attempt to make a profit.
3. a person, partnership, or corporation engaged in commerce, manufacturing, or a service; profit-seeking enterprise or concern.
4. volume of trade; patronage: Most of the store's business comes from local families.
5. a building or site where commercial work is carried on, as a factory, store, or office; place of work: His business is on the corner of Broadway and Elm Street. 

I'm am constantly surprised that writers don't realize they are a business.  They write every free moment they can, even for years,and publish their work. Sure it might be pleasurable to them, but if they publish they are a business too.

Even if a writer publishes their work for free, it's still a business. Yep, that's right. Although in the true nature of the world you should try to make a profit. There are expenses related to creating that manuscript. It's a tax deduction even if you do not make a profit.

For some, it's a marketing ploy to give away copies of their books to...

• Get people to read a newbie author. They may offer the first of a series of books for free and charge on an increasing scale for each subsequent book.
• They will limited the amount of time or copies. I did this with The Author Business. I offered this guide for free, but only the first 2,000 copies. After I reached that number, I charged $0.99. They may even host giveaways on their or other sites.
• The author is unsure what the value of their book. OMG if this is the reason, take a look at what your competition is doing.
• Ultimately, to build readership.

I mentioned a marketing ploy, at tax time these "costs" are deduction against revenue on your Schedule C form. Even if the reader would have paid nothing for the book it has a value. How much would you have charged for the book? If you go by the e-book standards between $0.99- $5.99.

The Amazon KDP Select program is making a killing by this option. They select certain books of published works within their program and offer it free for a couple days during this period. This will also be a deduction. But if memory serves, payment is calculated by the number of downloads from their library so you could actually make money. It's been a while since I looked at this program.

Either way, whether you make money or not publishing your books...you are a business. When you are just starting out as a self employed author, you probably used your Social Security number. That's fine. That's how many small businesses start out. You didn't have a huge outlay of cash to set up a company. Maybe you published one book to test the publishing waters of indie publishing.

Once the monies start rolling in, this could take a long time or as little as 30 days, so much so, you might have to hire an assistant. That's when doing business is a little bit trickier. You still could be a sole proprietary business based on your Social Security number. In the years I've spent doing tax preparation, I've seen companies with upwards of twenty employees and millions of dollars in income operate this way. But it gets riskier and every accountants nightmare.

Another line of thought is to formed a LLC or S Corp. Yes you will be paid a salary, but you will also be protecting yourself from lawsuits. Yes even writers get sued. Dan Brown spent YEARS in court over Da Vinci Code. Your salary is yours, but the corporation pays all the bills.

As an author, have you considered yourself as a business?

Keep writing and loving the Lord.

Wednesday Writerly Way~ Networking for Sales

I learned in several businesses I've operated over the decades, networking is an invaluable sales tool. I mean honestly, if we didn't want to sell books we wouldn't want to publish them, right?

Here we are in the 21st century, what's the first thing that comes to mind? Doh! Social networking via blogs, websites, Facebook, MySpace, Google+, twitter, and all the hundred different sites you can promote on. The sky is the limit unless you do too much of it and are banned. Don't laugh. Authors have been permanently banned for making a nuisance of themselves with spamming. There is a limit to how much you can do before you are blocked, unfriended, deleted, or banned.

Initially, it was tolerated because there were only a few but these days authors are coming out of every nook and cranny. Some are good and some are not so good. It just goes to show you there's a book in everyone.

One of the most overlooked avenues of promotion, often forgotten, is the personal, face-to-face meetings. The human touch. When was the last time you bought a book because you saw a buy-my-book plea online? Never? Really? I guess I proved my point. That's not to say it can't happen, but it is the bottom of the promotion charts on how people buy books.

What's the number one way people buy books? Do you know? Yes, a recommendation from another person. Either you know the person who wrote the book, read pieces of it, or a friend told you how great it was. Sometimes lightning will strike and someone buys the book because of the cover or the write up about it. That's #2 by the way.

The human touch is as alien today as Sigourney Weaver's "Alien" movie because it takes-

• Time
• Human interaction
• You have to actually meet people and go places

A case in point- pharmacy reps. They go and visit all the doctors in their service area. They carry with them assorted promotional gimmicks and samples, buy lunches for the doctors and their staff, and information in a concise format. They take this time to develop relationships with the doctor. Each and every one of them. They have something to sell and we, as authors, do too.

Gone are the days when a writer could hide away in their office and write. If you want to sell books you have to promote yourself and your books whether you are traditionally published or an indie like me.

Have no idea where to start? It will mean you have to get off your office chair and actually meet people. Oh no! Strangers! Remember one person will tell ten, those ten will tell ten each so put your best foot forward.

"You'll never guess who I saw yesterday. I saw Jo. Did you know she's published books? Some are about..."
You get the idea.

• A feature article in the local paper. Everybody that knew you way back when likes to be associated with someone famous. As an author, you are famous or infamous for what you write. Everybody likes to say, "I knew her when..."
• Are there groups in your area that can relate to what your book is about? There are some survivalist here, former spies and military, six zombie walks within 100 miles from home, a stroke survivor's group, and published authors, agents and publishers at annual writer's conferences within 100 miles of home.
• Are there independent bookstores in your area? Most will welcome indie authors for readings and book signings as a draw into their business.
• Reading groups? You can get feedback from readers, as well as a market source.
• Libraries are a great place for readings and "Meet the Author" type events. 
• Chamber of Commerce and their Speaker's Bureau.

The possibilities are endless. You may not make any money on the front end, but lo and behold the back end is golden.
But I hear you, you live in a small town that doesn't have anything much. On to a town that has less than a thousand people in it in the smack dab middle of nowhere.

My aunt donated a copy of Escape from Second Eden to my father's hometown. My grandmother was the librarian until her seventies. It is marked as required reading for the town and even the neighboring towns. I wrote the librarian a nice letter when my aunt gave them a copy. It is now framed and hanging on a wall in the library. The town fathers sent me a letter afterwards to give them a month's notice of my next visit so they could arrange a parade down the center of Main Street in my honor.

This is an extreme example for sure. But, from little acorns mighty oak trees grow. My head is still swimming after a year of receiving their letter. No, I haven't been back yet. I'm frankly too embarrassed by the honor they want to bestow on me.

All you have to do is talk.

Are you selling yourself short?

Keep writing and loving the Lord.

Wednesday Writerly Ways~ Platforms Part Deux

This current topic had more hits on my blog than any other...a whopping 300+ page views. I got a slew of requests to expand on this topic so now I am. The previous blog on platforms was a beginners course and this one will get into a little more detail. In various blogs I have covered keywords, SEO, blogging, websites, and some marketing ideas.

That's all a platform is for... how will you reach readers. In marketing terms it's target marketing. But how do you find your target audience?

Today I'll focus somewhat on www.GoodReads.com. If you haven't joined then shame on you. There are quite a few sites like this one, but by far it's the largest. Last time I checked they were 3 million readers strong, but that was a year ago. For almost anything you want to read, they've got a groups for it and sometimes dozens. Join one or join ten, just be active within the group. THESE ARE READERS and writers.

So why is this so important? DOH! Without readers, writers and authors would be nowhere. These are the people that like to read what you are writing and there are millions of them! Get enough readers interested in your book and you've struck gold....can you see all the little dollar signs growing and growing with more zeros behind a number? They've taken out all the guess work of finding your target market. Essentially, you can chat with other authors that write in your genre and the readers. You find out what they like and dislike, and their trials and errors.. Valuable information and It's free.

Companies used to pay me thousands of dollars to conduct and analyze their surveys of their products. I would crunch the numbers and tell them where they could get the most bang for their buck.

This was prior to the information availability on the internet or they gathered information from their websites and didn't know what to do with the information once they got it. It was one of those, let's put a survey on our website and they got several hundred thousand responses. They had no idea how to sort through or analyze this gold mine.

And no, I won't be writing a book on this because they are a dime a dozen and various other websites offer this information for free...just like I do. I did write a pamphlet on the business aspects of being an indie author with plans to expand it to a full length book. Available HERE. I just haven't finished yet. It's still in my to-do file in pieces while I recover from my stroke. I gained my expertise for this by graduating from college, and building a company from the ground up for 15 years. I ended up having my three partners buy me out when my husband fell ill to the tune of almost seven figures. Not bad growth when you figure I started the company with $1,000.

One of the first things an agent or publisher will want to know is who is your target audience...the readers of what you write. The second thing they'll want to know is how well you know this market. What is your expertise behind writing this book or in writing? Do you read other authors in this genre market? If you write a blog you are showing your knowledge of what you are writing and how well versed you are in your genre. If you don't know the answer to these questions, you'll probably get a rejection and rightly so in today's depressed market.

Do you write articles on the subject your fiction or nonfiction is about? If you read my last Wednesday Writerly Ways, it was my uncalling to be an author and freelance writer. I wrote about my first book, Mommie, I Wish I'd Never Heard of Arfritis. I was an expert in the field, although I was not a doctor. I had a child afflicted with JRA and I volunteered at the Arthritis Foundation. I initiated the buddy system of pairing up children and parents with others for southeastern Georgia and western Florida, and it has been copied in 25 states. And, it all started with an article I wrote.

I belong to several writers groups some you can see links to on the left. I teach creative writing classes in a community enrichment setting and at writers conferences. A platform is your writing resume. It shows your experience. I've been lucky enough in my life to be encouraged in writing by the likes of Arthur C. Clarke, Eugenia Price, and Jack McDevitt to drop a name or three. I have a mailing list in place of not only writers, publishers, and agents, but readers and people in various walks in life who are interested in what I write. How did I meet them? How do you anyone with similar interests?

Yeah, I hear you. You haven't got thirty years in print like I do, how can I compete? Well, you start today. You take one step at a time (just like I did). You join groups. You blog. You attend writers conferences. You attend book signings and launches of other writers, and ask questions. You join reading groups.You meet people virtually and in person.  You learn your craft. Be a better listener than talker. The virtual option makes it much easier for you than when I first started. Social media is almost limitless.

You start with a few well placed foundation blocks and build that pyramid higher and higher. Every journey begins with a single step.

So where are you at in platform building?

Keep writing and loving the Lord.

Wednesday Writerly Tip ~ Platform

Whether you are traditionally published or self published you need to build a platform. When I first heard this I went, "Huh? What the devil is a platform?"

I'm not sure when or how the word "platform" was used in regards to writers, but it was a new item I had to have when looking for an agent, publisher, or selling my novels. When I searched, it was basically a sales tool to make readers aware of you as a published author. It's like standing on a platform to shout out to the world, "This is who I am and this is what I'm doing."

In the book, Escape from Second Eden I describe a scene of street vendors hawking their wares, and in real life we just witnessed political campaigns for the US presidency. It's the same thing. How are you going to publicize your book and yourself to the world.

It's hard to believe how much publishing has changed in the last three decades. I've witnessed the changes and none to happily. It isn't enough that you write a perfect story to get published. You now have to get your own name out there, and publishers and agents want to know how you are going to do this.

Okay, so I have the upper hand compared to Jane Doe Author, I have a business and marketing degrees, and experience. I was once told that I could sell salt to a man in a dingy in the middle of the ocean. High praise indeed, but it is some thing most writers lack. They have no idea how to sell themselves...no not prostitution, but as an author of a fabulous story.

Personally, I prefer the soft sell. Something that sells 24/7 with little or no monitoring. After all, I'm a writer not a marketer (anymore sort of).

How to build a Platform:

• Write a blog and gather followers. Now, if you read various agent blogs they will say several thousand hits per day is optimum. But honestly, do any of us have that who are not big name authors? Grow a blog is a better term. It will start small and then grow it. To get blog readers you have to read AND comment on other people's blog.
• Website. If you haven't gathered followers elsewhere, this is a dime a dozen prospect. Who are you? I initially started with a website that averaged two hits per week. Running a website is a fairly expensive proposition a blog is free.
• Join a writer's group. Some have upload ability to hone your craft so you can publish or shop an excellent story. You can also advertise your book in the process.
• Join a reading club. Make new friends and they could become your biggest fans. Everyone likes to say, "I know her." 
• Facebook- have a personal Facebook account set up a page as your author's page. Keep this strictly for being an author...no games. Gather likes from you friends on Facebook to start. You will need twenty-five likes to keep the page. Advertise your writing challenges and books here. Mine are  Jolee Morriss and J. L. Murphey
• Set up a Twitter account. For me I follow industry news, some authors, specific sites for zombies, business, espionage, womens fiction, paranormal, horror, and survivalist enthusiasts. My twitter addy is @JoMurphey.
• GoodReads is a fabulous way to connects with writers and readers. Join a group of readers in whatever genre you write. Friend other members and make an authors site. Mine is here.
• LinkedIn is another valuable resource for writers and readers. Mine is here.
• MySpace. I know, I know MySpace is dead. But if you had connections there they might still be around.
• If you self publish put your contact links in how to stalk you in the back of the book and as an e-mail signature.
• Speakers Bureau. Check with your local Chamber of Commerce. Offer your services to speak to local clubs about your book or the writing progress.
• Get a library card. Speak to your local librarian. All promote local authors.
• Get to know bookstores in a 50-mile or 100 miles radius of your home. Not only the big named stores but the little independent ones. If you self publish the independent ones will let you do book signings there.
• Once you are published send out press releases to every newspaper in 100-mile radius of home...it's still local news.
• Make a book trailer or have someone make it for you. Remember this is a 24/7 no monitoring sales tool.

 These are just a few to get you started. Do as little or as much as you can handle. None of it has to be monitored 24/7. But the more you participate the more you'll gain in a following. For me most times, it's an e-mail before I go into these places. I'm sorry to say it, but my livelihood is writing not chatting. Look at it an essential part of the puzzle in getting published and being successful at it.

So how many things have you done even if you haven't published your book yet?

Keep writing and loving the Lord.

The Importance of Keywords

If you are like me and an indie author keywords are a whole different animal in marketing your book. Often, it is an under utilized sales tool.

How many of you use a search engine to find various things: Google, Bing, Yahoo? There are several dozens of sites on the web. Some are bigger than others but SEO (search engine optimization) is big business. It is often overlooked by the novice in indie publishing. It's how readers find your book based on what they are searching for. Sounds simple doesn't it? It is but it isn't.

This was one subject that wasn't offered in my marketing degree program, but waaaayyyy back then the internet was in its infancy. I did go back to college last year and took a course in it because of my Doh! moments. I didn't do this with Escape from Second Eden but have expanded the keywords on my other novels. I spent the last year in a trial and error phase of indie publishing.

How to find keywords as an author? Think about your book. What does it contain? Ask an author about their book and they will either tell you volumes on the plot lines, characters, or the setting or a sentence or two. I know I'm guilty of both. Of course, it depends on how much time you have. In an agent interview for standard publishing you have fifteen minutes on average, but you may lose them in  two.

Now I've seen keyword lists for a book at forty plus words. To me that's overkill. I mean really? That would have a link to your book in forty plus searches. That may sound like a good deal, but think...is over exposure better than under exposure? The phrase is KEYWORDS not Montezuma's revenge. Ten or twenty well placed words should be enough.

Okay, what do want to specify about your book?

• Author name? It is your brand name. That way all of your books come up in the same search.
• How about genre? Don't certain people read only Science Fiction, Thrillers, Horror, and Romance? I'm not one of those, but some people do.
• How about setting? Some people will search for books depending on where it's set, say Canada, India, or even Georgia in the USA.
• How about whether your book is fiction or nonfiction?
• How about murder, love, betrayal, jealousy, or any other emotion? The main plot line.
• e-book, paperback, hardback? How is it available?
• How about the age group it's meant for? This is especially helpful in the childrens book selection.

These are just a few in the general section. Then there are more specifics like:

• Spies, spy
• Candy
• Child abuse
• Survival
• Zombies
• Marriage
• Stroke, CVA

These are specific types. They narrow the searches to individual categories. You get the idea. Certain sites where you may publish your work at as an indie may limit the number of keywords you may use so think carefully on just how you want it represented. This is your book in one word increments. You want to hit your key market of readers.

You may have noticed that I am using more keywords when publishing this blog...now you know why. I've gotten thirty more followers than last year. Thirty more followers may not sound like a lot, but how about 10,027 more hits on my blog over the past six months? Now that's impressive for someone who writes on a little known blog out of millions on the web. I advertise my blog on Twitter, Facebook, Google+, and SheWrites, but not always and that's it. The rest comes from random searches.

So how important are keywords? You tell me.

Keep writing and loving the Lord.

Producing a Book Trailer

It's all the rage with indie and traditional published authors...it is the video trailer for a book. Publishers may produce book trailers now because they are seeing the added value and exposure of the internet.

Who actually reads the New York Times in paper form or any of the dozens of other big named papers when they can get it online? Are you as irritated with junk mail or advertising filling up e-mail and regular mailboxes? Give me a two-minute blurb to help me decide. That's what a book trailer can do.

With sites like youtube and the like, it's easier than ever to promote online. The basic video production software is already on your computer for most of us running Windows. Personally, I like the detailed adjustments using Windows XP over the newer version of Windows 7. I don't know about Windows 8 because I haven't played with it yet.

There are a couple of ways to do a video. You can actually stage and film your video with actors, or using picture manipulation, or use both. You can also make a PowerPoint first then manipulate it with Movie Maker. I use Windows Movie Maker because it came with my computer.

 The Bottom Line

Let's face it when you are an indie author the bottom line or cash outlay is important.  If you've paid for professional editing or cover design you already have a small bundle in your book before you even publish it. You already have the investment of time, energy, research (internet), maybe a wig or two because you've pulled your hair out while writing the book.

You, as an indie author, probably bought MS Office at sometime during your writing career because Smashwords only takes Word documents. So you have MS PowerPoint. The first video novel trailer I made was for my first novel Escape from Second Eden.

 

I did it with PowerPoint slides and Movie Maker. I had some problems with the add-ins like music, sounds, and just general software utilization so I asked a teenager to show me how to do it. I learned a lot. I tweaked it, overlapped it, and just forced myself to learn all the bells and whistles that came with the Movie Maker.  I'm not totally happy with it, but it works and it was free because I did it.

Can I make money off of video production, yes. I have and will continue doing it because I enjoy it. Intellectual property has value and my time is worth something even if I enjoy doing it. It also helps me buy wigs for all the hair I've pulled out searching for appropriate music and images for the trailers. Just joking. On average I can produce a trailer in under five hours depending on what kind of book it's for, have graphics and photos, and sound. So what am I doing for five hours? Tweaking, resizing, editing, and formatting the trailer...sound familiar? Yep, it sounds a lot like writing. 

Some Things to Think About...

• Make sure the images are copyright free and even better, royalty-free.
• The same goes for ANY and ALL music and sounds you use.
• Read the info for various media production sites...notice how many say "not for commerical use" If you are using the trailer to sell books...it is commercial use.
• Give credit where credit is due. Most royalty and copyright free music and images give full use and manipulation so long as you give them credit. This includes the name of the piece, the artist, and site you downloaded from...you will see this in "Credits" in my videos. Using a popular song on the radio is a big no-no. You can be SUED.
• If all else fails, email the photographer or musician. Some may love the added exposure and feel flattered. Some will deny you. It's worth a shot.

• There are some specialty programs for video making and tweaking in the marketing place, but before you buy one...think. They can be very costly. How many views do you expect to get and how many trailers are you going to make. Divide the number of videos you are going make into the cost outlay of the software. Now is it worth it?
• The total length should be no longer than 3 minutes. That's how long you have to catch someone's interest. Ask any agent or publisher.

 

The Reality

Making book trailers is an artistic outlet for me. I do it because I enjoy it. If you expect to get a couple thousand hits overnight...it's doubtful. All twenty plus book trailers I've created have never done that. Over a couple of months, yes.

It's a hands-off advertising gimmick once it's completed. It will sell your books 24/7. We are all human and we need to sleep sometime. Keywords play another key roll in making your book findable but that's a blog for next week. Until next time...

Keep writing and loving the Lord.

Monday Again and Marketing

Well, not to shoddy of a weekend for sales of my novels and books. I went up into Pintrest today and noticed others are pinning my books which helps get the word out about them.

Most Mondays for me is spent in reviews; reviews of sales, reviews of twitter, Facebook, GoodReads, etc. I answer emails which to date are close to 300 per day.

I'll browse Facebook for messages otherwise I'll wait for an email that someone has sent me a message. When I first started with Facebook it took up a lot of my day instead of writing. Twitter is just insane with my screen rolling faster than I can read...mostly about nothing.  Is MySpace still alive? I haven't gone into it in a while...read almost a year.

My Google + account gets checked about once every two weeks. I know I'm just being slack. But I'm juggling like a mad woman working, writing, marketing/promotion as an indie author. I could spend all my time just on the marketing, but my love is writing.

Today my daughter (my pastry chef) got a phone call from a five star four diamond resort about possibly coming in as their executive sous chef of pastry. She called me all flustered. Then reality hit when she heard the salary. Keep in mind an executive pastry chef can earn way upwards of $35K a year and salaries of greater than that are often considered the low end of the scale. The salary offered was in the medium bracket for this field.

After she got off the phone with them, she immediately called me. She told me she was scared. I asked why, I mean she had worked on Sea Island's Cloister Hotel which is five star and five diamond in the past. She knows the pressure of the job, the time, and more importantly it was all reinforced with college classwork less than a year ago. She is afraid of disappointing others who recommended her for the position. She's afraid of not being able to do the job since her brain tumor took out a large portion of her memory. In other words, she's afraid of failure.

Aren't we all afraid of this when we put ourselves out there? I say failure be damned! If you don't try then you will never know. While by a lot of other people's standards I'm a failure at writing because in the past year... I've had mediocre sales by publishing standards. I haven't promoted myself much as an author. Done two book signings. Attended no special events. I really haven't branded myself to one type of literature. I'm just out there sometimes, by choice. This isn't a 9-5 job for me. I can spend days in front of my computer not focusing on writing or promotion. Just playing around as it were.

So what's my point? Basically you have to do what you love to do and makes you happy. I love putting words together into sentences. I love writing scenes and dialog. I love playing what-if games with my characters. As far as my daughter goes, I asked her if she still loved what she does with wedding cakes, pastries, and chocolate. She said yes, of course. My answer to her was, "What are you waiting for? Grab the bull by the horns and ride that sucker! Momma wouldn't be a writer if she didn't. Have faith in yourself and the Power Above."

Keep writing and loving the Lord.
 

The Mailbox

Miss me? The cast comes off on Thursday.There is still pain when I use my right fingers but I figure it's from not using them. It's been a rough year of injuries for me, but I'm back to writiing. During my hiatus I've gotten some interesting e-mails and letters from readers of my novels and nonfictions. I thought I'd share one with you today...much easier to cut and paste than type.

Just checked out your book on Smashwords and you're so so talented. Do you have any suggestions for a budding writer like me?

What has worked and what hasn't? Tried FB, Twitter, even book marks. I just don't want to waste my time on things that don't work.

My answer..

Hello and thank you. I'm wondering which particular book you read. I have four on Smashwords and over twenty-seven published. I have five more titles in the works for publishing this year.

As far as writing goes...
Practice, learn and practice some more. I know you've probably heard somewhere in your life "practice makes perfect," while I'll never be perfect, writing is a craft that is inspired and learned.

Read constantly.

The more you read the more ideas spark your creative juices. With self-published books you can also see where the author may have done something wrong.

Join a critique group. Writing can be a lonely pursuit. Get interaction from readers and other writers to scratch each other's back. It is also good for encouragement when you get frustrated. I actually belong to several. But be cautious about the group you join. There can be a lot of deadweights and possible scam artists out there on the web.

Join a reading group in your area. Not just a group of writers.

Write multiple books. On average it will take ten books to become "known." The person with one title is like the 1960's one hit wonders in musical groups, a flash in the pan. If you are serious about writing then you need to do it.

As far as marketing your books...

Twitter, facebook, google+ etc are good for building relationships with your readers and future readers...not just advertising your books for sale.

The same thing goes for a blog or website. Relationships are important in getting "recognized." Name recognition is the hardest thing to do in marketing your product. Without a huge publishing company backing your book, it's all on you.

Attend writer's conferences and workshops. Build a large network. Out of every fifty people who becomes part of your network, only one will buy your book...you do the math. On average a person has to see or hear about your book twenty times before they will buy it.

Have you contacted your local newspaper? They may feature you in their life section. Local person does good type of thing.

Do you have a local library or one within fifty miles? They often have "Meet the Author" type events.

A local book store which features local authors? Most of the big brick and mortar bookstore will not allow independent authors for booksignings so concentrate on the small independents.

Do you have an area of expertise that you can use to publicize your book? For me, I've been in the State Department, been a nurse, worked for non-profit enterprises, been the entrepreneur (which includes self-publishing), been the marketing consultant, military background, etc. Do you remember the 9/11 news blitz? Which author did they call to comment...Tom Clancy because he wrote a book similar.

Depending on what you write, there are opportunities for promotion.I'm just bouncing a few ideas off the top of my head here. What it takes is tenacity. Not giving up. Think of yourself as a door to door salesman. Knock on every door and if you have to stick your foot in the door jamb to get the audience's attention. As far as marketing books for writers..."Guerrilla Marketing for Writers" is excellent for giving you some ideas which may or may not work. Remember nothing attempted is a failure. If you contact even one buyer out of fifty you've done well. Thomas Edison said after two hundred attempted failures to make a lightbulb and finally made one which worked..."I learned two hundred ways not to make a lightbulb."

Jo

So do you have any other suggestions I could offer this budding writer?

Quantify and Social Media

Yep, you guessed it. Today's blog is about quantifying your social media. If you are an indie author, like me, you juggle all the hats of publishing. You market via Pinerest, Twitter, FaceBook, literary sites such as Compuserve's Books and Authors forum, GoodReads, and all the rest. But how do you quantify that exposure? How many tweets, facebook posts, pins, etc does it take to equal sales?

In a word...hundreds.

You aren't known as well as the kitchen sink. You have no big advertising group behind you pushes you into the limelight and making you a household name. Several big advertising groups say it takes on average of ten exposures before a person will buy a product. These for an author is public appearances, book signings, tweets, Facebook posts, Pins, posts in GoodReads, etc.

I read an article by Bob Mayer this week which said you should have social media exposure seven times a day. I don't know about you, but that's a lot of time which could be spent on writing so I tried an experiment this past month (January). I didn't tweet, Facebook, or almost anything else for the whole month. The only thing I did do was write and blog. While I did answer emails and posts directed at me...I did nothing else. Looking back I probably picked the wrong month to try this in because everyone is busy paying off Christmas.

The results- No sales.

So now it's the second week in February. With still no sales and I'm beginning again with the social advertising and connecting. My office is all but finished, my family game room is taking shape and will be complete when I resurface my pool table, my storage/craft room is still a work in progress...but I've got to get back to business.I'm going to be busy as a bee creating more BUZZZZZZZZZZZZ!

Keep writing and loving the Lord.