Archive for October, 2008
Get Your Book to an Amazon #1 Ranking… Free!
Since I’ve got nothing up for sale at Amazon right now, I’ve put this in my “good to know” mental file. You should do the same. — EES
Promote Your Book – How to Hit #1 on Amazon For Free – Tag You’re It!
Article by Todd Fonseca
Our Shared Story
Like any author, you spent months, perhaps years writing your novel. Hours of writing and re-writing, conversations with your editor, discussions over format and typesetting, more editing, self doubt, cover design, back blurb, reviews, placement, on and on. Now it’s published but how do you get that visibility that will translate into book sales? You may have written the next Harry Potter but without marketing how will anyone know?
How to Extract an Image Embedded in an MS Word .DOC
I figured this out a ways back, with MS Word .DOC files being one of the popular formats the publishing world has to learn to work with. I had to do it again today, which reminded me that strangely enough, not a lot of people have figured out the technique I’ll share with you today.
Market Idea: Blogging Services for Affiliate Merchants
Lots being said and written about creating blogs to generate affiliate income. But from what I’ve seen it’s actually a somewhat rare experience to come across aff merchants (not affiliates) who use the tech and medium, let alone use them to their advantage.
5 Reasons to Self-Publish Your Own Book
Article by Bob Baker
Every March, book people across the country celebrate Small Press Month. While the term “small press” can refer to a modest-sized publishing company with multiple titles from various authors, it most often applies to self-published authors. That’s another term that is subject to interpretation: “self-publish.” In the old days it was considered something you were forced to do if you couldn’t get a “traditional” publisher to put out your book. These days, however, self-publishing is a different ballgame. But many aspiring authors I meet still wrestle with that old stigma.
Easier Affiliate Book Links With Amazon’s New Associates Site Stripe
Amazon Associates was the very first “affiliate program” I remember joining way back when. The industry and concept was so new, the jargon hadn’t even been standardized yet, hence the “Associates” moniker. And it’s still going strong.
Stronger, I bet, with the new affiliate “Site Stripe” technology it recently introduced. In simple terms, the Stripe makes it a heck of a lot easier for us to create Amazon affiliate links to its products. So easy, there’s really no reason now why you can’t create a product link every time you happen to mention a book in your blog (or just about any product out there, for that matter, considering all the stuff we can now purchase at Amazon). Like, say, the book I’m reading now.
Web 2.0 Blog Traffic Tips
Now here’s one of those rare “traffic how to” articles that actually teach us something practical and useful, beyond the usual “good content/good keywords” formula (still a must, but duh!). Granted, it isn’t the cleanest of articles, but it’s clean enough (I’ve seen much worse from native Engish-speaking pros!). Heck, I learned something new… you probably will too. Good job, Kurt! — EES
Make Money Blogging – How to Generate Traffic Using Web 2.0 Sites
Article by Kurt Bai
I’ve been using some of the most popular web 2.0 sites to generate traffic for my travel blog for about 2 months. Traffic is not flooded, but I’ve seen some good results using them and I’m sure there’s a huge potential if I put more time and effort into it. Now I’m going to share with you my experience getting traffic and backlinks using these sites.
Break Through Your Terror Barrier
This article just reminds me of one of my favorite “success how to” quotes, paraphrased: “There is no secret to success… success comes from doing what you already know you have to do.” Maybe this article will help you with that little nudge to help you actually go start doing. — EES
Freelance Writers – Get Closer to Your Terror Barrier to Create the Writing Career of Your Dreams!
Article by Suzanne Lieurance
Whether we admit it or not, most of us have some sort of “terror barrier.” Some door we refuse to open and walk through for fear of what lies on the other side.
Yet the very thing we dream of probably lies on the other side. But we still refuse to open the door to reach it.
Why?
Stock.XCHNG
No shortage of sites out there offering free photographs for use on your blogs/sites and print pubs. Unless you happen to be looking for truly good images, then the pickings get slim. And if you also happen to require high-resolution images for best print quality, then your choices just about dry up.
Where to Submit Your Press Release
Well here’s an invaluable list. Must bookmark! — EES
Article by Dave Sherwin
Wondering where to submit your press release? Well, in my never ending quest to find the laziest methods of marketing (Is it weird to work your butt off trying to be lazy?) I have finally become converted to press releases.
Why? Because last week I met with Steve A (name is abbreviated to protect the innocent) a great SEO guy, and he told me how he convinced a client to submit press releases on a weekly basis, like article distribution. I always thought press releases were for “special occasions” like product launches and big announcements. Not so, says Steve. You get great link love, the Press Release services WANT tons of content anyway, so if you’re going to create content why not leverage it everywhere you can?
Reminder to Self: Do a Book Press Release
I need to do this for the new Wordpreneur Press NTK titles, and I keep forgetting. So what better way to remind myself than to find and run a post on the very subject, and with enough information so we all can learn a thing or two while I’m at it! — EES
Book Press Release — Promote a Book on the Web
Article by Andrew Bolinger
It pays to be versatile.
Press releases can be used to promote almost anything — whether you are looking to release a product, offer a service, or hold an event, you will find that a press release addresses a huge part of your promotional needs. For book promotion, the press release is particularly suitable.
Hidden Writer’s Benefits From Blogging
For the freelance writer, there’s apparently more to blogging than trying to directly generate an audience and revenue through what essentially is an online publishing operation. Never really thought about these before but Angela does have a point. Good, quick read. — EES
Blog – 3 Hidden Benefits of Blogs For Writers
Article by Angela Booth
Want to blog? Many writers are hesitant about blogging, until they start. Then they realize that a blog can super-charge their career.
What’s a Book Proposal?
Never really could figure out why a lot of writers I know seem to go into convulsions whenever they hear “book proposal.” In fact, I don’t even think “book proposal.” I think book “outline and business plan.” Do them for yourself, in other words, to help map out and cost:benefit your work, your time, your resources, your investment in the project. So it’ll be kinda like giving your prospective editors your notes.
So what’s the big deal? It’s very similar to the “ebook sales letter technique” (this is a tip, actually) which is: Before writing an ebook you plan on selling online, write the online sales letter first. Go all out and try to really sell your imaginary prospect on your imaginary ebook — what’s in it, its features and benefits, blah blah blah — and when you’re finished, you’ll have one heck of a map for the ebook you’ll be writing! — EES
The Book Proposal Thing
Article by Sophfronia Scott
If you’re just beginning to learn about the book publishing process, you were probably surprised to hear that for some projects, you have to write a book proposal before you write the book. For some, that’s good news: they don’t have to write a whole book right off the bat. For some, that’s bad news: a proposal can be harder to write than the actual book! Then there are others — and maybe this is you — who have no clue what a proposal is and whether they need one. Let’s clarify a few points about the whole book proposal thing.
Freelance Writers – Client Buzzwords That Land Freelance Writing Jobs
Article by Yuwanda Black
In advertising, there are certain buzzwords that are synonymous with selling more, e.g., free, save, win, etc. As a freelance writer, if you become intimate with buzzwords that sell, you can make your communication more effective — and land more freelance writing jobs.
Learn to Tell a Story
I’m not usually big on running articles that teach us how to write and communicate, but this one’s just excellent. Really liked it. I think you will too. Must read! — EES
Become a Better Storyteller
Article by Barbara Winter
What skill can put you at ease in social situations, make your business memorable and keep your curiosity on high alert? I’m talking about something as old as recorded history and as familiar as an hour on CNN. You probably grew up with it and are still drawn to it. It is, quite simply, a universal connector that helps us understand each other and ourselves, makes us desire things, gives us a sense of possibility. This magical tool is storytelling and it belongs in every entrepreneur’s toolkit.
So what does it take to be a great storyteller? The fundamentals are pretty simple.
Freelance Career Step One: Learn the Business
You’d think this would be a no-brainer, but surprisingly, it isn’t. Through the years, I’ve known a lot of freelancers (well, “wannabe” freelancers) who don’t bother to learn the basics… and some even on purpose. It’s not a freelance industry-specific trait — it’s human nature, really — but the ramifications to the freelancer who falls down in this area is more than just serious… there’ll be no money coming in! — EES
Freelance Writers – You Must Learn the “Business” of Writing if You’re Going to be Successful!
Article by Suzanne Lieurance
Many people never make their dream of leaving their regular J-O-B and becoming a freelance writer come true.
Why?
Manuscript Submission How-to Checklist
In one short article, Mr. Sanders has managed to cover just about everything I remember reading way back when in those “how to become a published writer” tomes. Bookmark this for when you may need it.
I have to say though, I realized as I quickly glanced through this that I don’t really remember the last time I had to actually print and snail mail a submission, Internet age and all that. But that’s me and the folks I’ve been dealing with. Quickly glancing through the market listings, a lot of them still discourage electronic submissions. Go figure.
As for my submission checklist, it’s a very short 2-itemer. The first is also Mr. Sanders’ first: They almost always have editorial guidelines/submission instructions. Get or ask for them. Then follow them.
The second is: Bust your hump to find an actual live person’s name to send your submission to. Else you’re pretty much guaranteed to just end up in the good old slush pile, something you’ll want to avoid if you can by taking just a little bit of effort to find a warm body. —EES
Marketing Your Manuscript to Publishers – The Do’s and Don’ts of Marketing
Article by Nick Sanders
It is extremely important that your manuscript is clean, clear and easy to read. For writers of both fact and fiction, there are a few do’s and don’ts for anyone writing for a publication.
Some Useful Rules for Submitting Manuscripts
eBook Speed Writing Trick
Good, effective speed writing technique… I don’t use it, but I have no doubt it works. Do note that Winslow never says the books are good or well-written, just that they are pumped out, and pumped out quickly. And for infoproducts, really, if your ebook’s got the info and delivers it to your reader, hey, you’re in business… the publishing biz! — EES
E-Book Speed Writing Considered
Article by Lance Winslow
How do you write an industry eBook quickly, accurately and still make it relevant? Many people believe they need to take off a year of work to write a book. Not so, and perhaps you have noticed how fast some books appear on the shelves after a major world event. Sometimes it just blows you away doesn’t it? Well, it is because these folks use some power writing tricks.
Guaranteed Book Writing Success Plan
Article by Douglas Robert
If you ever thought about writing your book but have yet to get it done, what’s holding you back? Maybe you got started writing one day fueled by inspiration and wrote several pages, or even a chapter. But then you shoved it into a drawer and went on with your life as though your writing didn’t count.
Logitech Illuminated Ultrathin Keyboard with Backlighting
Just a quick fun FYI… stumbled across this while clicking around. You’re thinking: “A keyboard… big deal.” But wait, did you notice its cutting edge ultra-thin profile (9.3mm)? Its PerfectStroke key system for silent, natural and fluid typing? How about its soft-touch palm rest and sleek, minimalist design?
“Big whoop,” you mutter.
The Credit Crisis Opportunity for Freelancers
If you’ve been paying attention (and you better!), you know that the country is not exactly doing too well economically. In fact, it’s a crisis… for our purposes a credit crisis, where businesses are just finding it extremely difficult to get the funding they need to, well, do business.
Forget expansion… many are finding it difficult to maintain the status quo, or even to stay alive long enough for the eventual upturn.