Now on to some serious wordpreneur stuff.
While doing my regular rounds this past week through various online forums for indie authors, I saw no less than five rants — well, whines really — about the authors’ failure at selling any of their books.
Nothing unusual about that kind of whining. What caught my attention this time, however, was this: Every single one insinuated Amazon was at fault and to blame for their inability to sell their stuff.
Wha?
All those other competing authors and their books and marketing activity had nothing to do with the fails, I guess.
Nor did those crappy homemade covers, those poorly written blurbs, those inadequate keyword selections, yada yada.
One guy even threatened ultimatum-style to quit the indie authoring game. Um, OK dude, we’re devastated.
I’m not really sure where I’m going with this observation — I’m still quite firmly planted in the “WTF people?” head-shaking stage — probably in awe of all that oozing entitlement.
Is it more info you need? There’s no shortage of that, as you can see in every Wordpreneur Reader issue. Or maybe you just like things handed to you. I think I’ll vote for the latter.
Well quit it. We’re all in the same boat. That “I can’t afford it” excuse when someone points out your covers suck and your work needs professional editing? That doesn’t fly either. Skip Starbucks every now and then like many of the other authors do. Or whatever. No excuses, Grasshopper — it’s all on you.
Indie stands for independent, you know that, right?
Well, on that pleasant note, let’s do some reading. Have fun!
— EES
Please Share the Love!
Marketing
![1+tip[1]](https://wordpreneur.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/1tip1-167x130.jpg "1+tip[1]")
“Can’t you give me just 1 tip (for getting book reviews)?” she asked
“The other day a newly published author who had befriended me 5 minutes earlier asked me if I could give her just one tip how to get book reviews from Amazon top reviewers.
I told her to read my book.
She came back with, ‘Can’t you give me just 1 tip?’
Hmm… Apparently this author was not aware how much in demand these reviews are; on average Hall-of-Fame reviewers get 250+ review requests per month.
So, I told her that getting a book reviewed by an Amazon top reviewer isn’t a ‘1-tip thing,’ especially if the book did not have any reviews yet. Getting reviews is a challenging task that encompasses many steps; which is why my book has 100 pages.
She immediately un-friended me.
I guess that says it all. Just another wannabe author who does not really want to learn the trade. The indie author industry is overrun with people like that. The sooner they get out and make room for the people who really hone their craft and all skills, the better for all.
Of course, from experience I know that most indie authors work a lot harder than this one.
So, here is one tip for authors whose books received already a few reviews (including from top reviewers).
‘Like/find helpful’ the reviewers’ reviews!!!”
Continue reading @ Gisela’s Straightforward Blog »
“Self-Made” is a Myth; Here’s the Real Formula for Success
“[T]hat’s what most people get wrong. They never learn how to reach out. You’ve got to be willing to put yourself out there…”
» Medium
$4,344.81 in 40 Days with my Fiction Book Only Spending $30 on Advertising
“I had a plan. A big plan. Heck, I had the plan of the universe — to sell thousands of copies of my new release Science Fiction book, Project Atlantis, during the first month I published it.
This plan started six months before I started writing the book. The plan entailed rapidly finishing three books in a series — Project Atlantis, Destination Atlantis, and Colony Atlantis — and once it had been edited, beta-read, and sent out to my ARC reviewers, I’d release Project Atlantis, then Destination Atlantis seven days later, and Colony Atlantis fourteen days after Destination Atlantis. Additionally, I’d have the fourth book, Beyond Atlantis, almost 100% written. Yet, I’d have Beyond Atlantis’s pre-order already up and running before Colony Atlantis was released, all the while dropping over $1500 dollars in Facebook Ads, Amazon Ads, and on Promo Sites, and whatever else I could get my greedy paws on.
Well, I did none of the above.
Here is what happened that led me to only spending $30 on Facebook and Amazon ads and how I was able to make $4,344.81 in 40 Days with my Fiction Book.”
Continue reading @ Medium »
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“[T]he more popular something is, the more people want to leverage on it for nefarious means… Fortunately, WordPress is a platform that offers you a multitude of opportunity to defend yourself.”
» WHSR
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“Website maintenance on a regular basis will keep your website operating to its most efficient. It will also keep away those nasty vulnerabilities that can happen with WordPress…”
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peeps: Virna DePaul
A former criminal prosecutor and now a national best-selling author of paranormal romance and romantic suspense, Virna DePaul currently writes for Harlequin and Random House. She also happens to be a best-selling indie author of contemporary and erotic romance. Fans of her writing say her stories are fast-paced, emotional and “seriously sensual” (RT Magazine).
In just over two years, Virna has published eight novels, six novellas and a craft book on writing. She probably doesn’t sleep much since on top of that, she also has two new novels that will be published this spring and frequently teaches workshops on the craft of writing.
How Virna Got Started Self-Publishing
In November 2009, Virna sold her first book to a traditional publisher, but it wasn’t scheduled to hit bookshelves until May 2011. So, to help build her readership before the book launched, she self-published a couple of projects that hadn’t sold, including a contemporary novel that was much lighter than anything she’d ever written. She also decided to try her hand at erotic romance, and liked the idea of self-publishing these novellas under a different name.
The erotic romances were a hit, much bigger than anything she could have imagined.
Random House recently acquired those novellas and another one as well. When her self-published novel, Bedding The Wrong Brother, rose to Amazon’s Top 100 Best-seller list for contemporary romance, it attracted the attention of — and she has since accepted a deal offer from — a foreign publisher.
While she still traditionally publishes with New York houses, “self-publishing continues to supplement my income and build my brand,” Virna says, “and it enables me to take creative risks.”
Self-Publishing Tips
“Remember that it often takes time to build a readership and that things can change on a dime. Be prepared to work hard, take risks and shake things up. For example, I self-published my contemporary romance, Bedding The Wrong Brother, in 2011, and was disappointed by what I considered to be mediocre sales numbers. Recently, I decided to change the cover and title to coincide with what was selling, and that has made a huge difference, landing me a foreign deal, best-seller status in contemporary romance, and enthusiastic new fans who can’t wait for the second book in the series.”
Learn more about Virna DePaul and her books by visiting her Amazon author page and her website. You can also follow her on Facebook and Twitter.
Originally published: February 18, 2013
5 Keys for Building a Business without Money
Web Article
5 Keys for Building a Business without Money
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- https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/284808
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This is just one of many useful Wordpreneur Reader “discovered” Web articles and content. For lots more, click below!
Hate Your Novel? Turn It Into Short Stories
Web Article
Hate Your Novel? Turn It Into Short Stories
Wordpreneur
Reader
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Entrepreneur
“Can’t you give me just 1 tip (for getting book reviews)?” she asked
“The other day a newly published author who had befriended me 5 minutes earlier asked me if I could give her just one tip how to get book reviews from Amazon top reviewers.
I told her to read my book.
She came back with, ‘Can’t you give me just 1 tip?’
Hmm… Apparently this author was not aware how much in demand these reviews are; on average Hall-of-Fame reviewers get 250+ review requests per month.
So, I told her that getting a book reviewed by an Amazon top reviewer isn’t a ‘1-tip thing,’ especially if the book did not have any reviews yet. Getting reviews is a challenging task that encompasses many steps; which is why my book has 100 pages.
She immediately un-friended me.
I guess that says it all. Just another wannabe author who does not really want to learn the trade. The indie author industry is overrun with people like that. The sooner they get out and make room for the people who really hone their craft and all skills, the better for all.
Of course, from experience I know that most indie authors work a lot harder than this one.
So, here is one tip for authors whose books received already a few reviews (including from top reviewers).
‘Like/find helpful’ the reviewers’ reviews!!!”
Continue reading @ Gisela’s Straightforward Blog »
“Self-Made” is a Myth; Here’s the Real Formula for Success
“[T]hat’s what most people get wrong. They never learn how to reach out. You’ve got to be willing to put yourself out there…”
» Medium
$4,344.81 in 40 Days with my Fiction Book Only Spending $30 on Advertising
“I had a plan. A big plan. Heck, I had the plan of the universe — to sell thousands of copies of my new release Science Fiction book, Project Atlantis, during the first month I published it.
This plan started six months before I started writing the book. The plan entailed rapidly finishing three books in a series — Project Atlantis, Destination Atlantis, and Colony Atlantis — and once it had been edited, beta-read, and sent out to my ARC reviewers, I’d release Project Atlantis, then Destination Atlantis seven days later, and Colony Atlantis fourteen days after Destination Atlantis. Additionally, I’d have the fourth book, Beyond Atlantis, almost 100% written. Yet, I’d have Beyond Atlantis’s pre-order already up and running before Colony Atlantis was released, all the while dropping over $1500 dollars in Facebook Ads, Amazon Ads, and on Promo Sites, and whatever else I could get my greedy paws on.
Well, I did none of the above.
Here is what happened that led me to only spending $30 on Facebook and Amazon ads and how I was able to make $4,344.81 in 40 Days with my Fiction Book.”
Continue reading @ Medium »
10 Actionable WordPress Security Tips for the Layman
“[T]he more popular something is, the more people want to leverage on it for nefarious means… Fortunately, WordPress is a platform that offers you a multitude of opportunity to defend yourself.”
» WHSR
Indie Author/Publishing
“Can’t you give me just 1 tip (for getting book reviews)?” she asked
“The other day a newly published author who had befriended me 5 minutes earlier asked me if I could give her just one tip how to get book reviews from Amazon top reviewers.
I told her to read my book.
She came back with, ‘Can’t you give me just 1 tip?’
Hmm… Apparently this author was not aware how much in demand these reviews are; on average Hall-of-Fame reviewers get 250+ review requests per month.
So, I told her that getting a book reviewed by an Amazon top reviewer isn’t a ‘1-tip thing,’ especially if the book did not have any reviews yet. Getting reviews is a challenging task that encompasses many steps; which is why my book has 100 pages.
She immediately un-friended me.
I guess that says it all. Just another wannabe author who does not really want to learn the trade. The indie author industry is overrun with people like that. The sooner they get out and make room for the people who really hone their craft and all skills, the better for all.
Of course, from experience I know that most indie authors work a lot harder than this one.
So, here is one tip for authors whose books received already a few reviews (including from top reviewers).
‘Like/find helpful’ the reviewers’ reviews!!!”
Continue reading @ Gisela’s Straightforward Blog »
“Self-Made” is a Myth; Here’s the Real Formula for Success
“[T]hat’s what most people get wrong. They never learn how to reach out. You’ve got to be willing to put yourself out there…”
» Medium
$4,344.81 in 40 Days with my Fiction Book Only Spending $30 on Advertising
“I had a plan. A big plan. Heck, I had the plan of the universe — to sell thousands of copies of my new release Science Fiction book, Project Atlantis, during the first month I published it.
This plan started six months before I started writing the book. The plan entailed rapidly finishing three books in a series — Project Atlantis, Destination Atlantis, and Colony Atlantis — and once it had been edited, beta-read, and sent out to my ARC reviewers, I’d release Project Atlantis, then Destination Atlantis seven days later, and Colony Atlantis fourteen days after Destination Atlantis. Additionally, I’d have the fourth book, Beyond Atlantis, almost 100% written. Yet, I’d have Beyond Atlantis’s pre-order already up and running before Colony Atlantis was released, all the while dropping over $1500 dollars in Facebook Ads, Amazon Ads, and on Promo Sites, and whatever else I could get my greedy paws on.
Well, I did none of the above.
Here is what happened that led me to only spending $30 on Facebook and Amazon ads and how I was able to make $4,344.81 in 40 Days with my Fiction Book.”
Continue reading @ Medium »
10 Actionable WordPress Security Tips for the Layman
“[T]he more popular something is, the more people want to leverage on it for nefarious means… Fortunately, WordPress is a platform that offers you a multitude of opportunity to defend yourself.”
