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Category Archives: Publishing

9 Tips Where & How to Query to Literary Agents

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Literary-Agents-NY
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A typical literary agency receives close to 5,000 unsolicited query letters/book proposals per year – or approx. 150 per working day. On average these agents accept only 10-12 new clients – only one out of every 500 submissions… Do you want to learn how to write a query, and how to approach the agent?
Do you want to get to know more about the person before hand – after all, she or he will be your partner for a long time?  My best advice: Read their blogs to get informed about the process and find out more about how they work and what they are like before you approach them. And have a “business plan” for your book ready: Who will be your readers, who is your competition and how will you market your book. You will be asked for this! Here are some examples of questions you might be asked.
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Rachelle Gardner Rachelle Gardner is an agent with Books and Such Literary Agency, representing both fiction and non-fiction. She offers query tips and book proposal advice.
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Nathan Bransford Nathan Bransford knows a lot about writing and publishing, and offers in his blog advice on: How to Find a Literary Agent, How to Write a Query Letter, The Basic Query Letter Formula, Examples of Good Queries, How to Format Your Query Letter …
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Agent Research Ask them about an agent and they will tell you if he or she has established a public record, and if we have had any negative reports on the agent’s business practices. This service is free.
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Agent Query Agent Query offers the largest and most current searchable database of literary agents on the web—a treasure trove of reputable, established literary agents seeking writers.
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BookEnds Agency BookEnds, LLC, is a literary agency focusing on fiction and nonfiction books for adult audiences. In their workshop Wednesdays everyone can post queries out there and will get comments open, also to anonymous posters.
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Nelson Newsletter Kristin Nelsons blog is a-must-read for every author about to send out a query. Subscribe to the Nelson Literary Agency newsletter.
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Query Shark Send your query in for critique. A wealth of resources and Janet Reid shares them all, she also dissects queries, posting lots of examples what writers are doing right – and wrong!
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Query Wednesday Gabriela Lessa, a Brazilian editor, writer, literary agent assistant and journalist helps you with your query. Have your query analyzed on QUERY WEDNESDAY.
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Call My Agent!
In which a literary agent in Sydney, Australia attempts to decode the world of publishing in order to assist writers. And sometimes to get things off her chest.

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Resources and More Blogs About Literary Agents:
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What Literary Agents Want to Know From You
http://savvybookwriters.wordpress.com/2012/04/01/what-literary-agents-want-to-know-from-you/
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How Agents work and How to work with Agents
http://savvybookwriters.wordpress.com/2011/04/12/how-agents-work-how-to-work-with-agents/ .
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Must-Read Blog to learn more about agents and how to approach them
http://www.writersdigest.com/editor-blogs/guide-to-literary-agents
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http://www.writersdigest.com/editor-blogs/guide-to-literary-agents
How to Write a Query Letter
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http://savvybookwriters.wordpress.com/2014/01/06/5-tips-for-successful-book-submissions/
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100′s of Links to Publishers and Agents
http://savvybookwriters.wordpress.com/2012/10/10/100s-of-links-to-publishers-and-agents/
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Which Literary Agent is Right for You?
http://savvybookwriters.wordpress.com/2012/03/07/which-literary-agent-is-right-for-you/
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Association of Author’s Representatives (lists agents)
http://aaronline.org/

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For more agent blogs go to the absolutewrite forum: 

http://absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=37784
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When you check out the agent, you’ll want to contact “Writer Beware
Visit often and get the latest alerts from WRITER BEWARE:
http://www.sfwa.org/for-authors/writer-beware/alerts/
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If you would like to get more support in all things publishing, have your book intensively promoted and learn how to navigate social media sites – or to learn how you can make yourself a name as an author through content writing: We offer all this and more for only $179 for three months – or less than $2 per day! Learn more about this customized Online Seminar / Consulting for writers: http://www.111Publishing.com/Seminars  Or visit http://www.e-book-pr.com/book-promo/
to advertise your new book, specials, your KDP Select Free Days or the new Kindle Countdown Deals.

Please check out all previous posts of this blog (there are more than 1,030 of them : ) if you haven’t already. Why not sign up to receive them regularly by email? Just click on “Follow” in the upper line on each page – and then on “LIKE” next to it. There is also the “SHARE” button underneath each article where you can submit the article to Pinterest, Google+, Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr and StumpleUpon.
Thanks a lot for following:

@111publishing

http://www.111publishing.com

http://www.e-Book-PR.com/

http://www.international-ebooks.com/

http://bit.ly/VmtVAS 111Publishing @ Google+

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7 Reasons You Are Better Off Self-Publishing

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Book Staple
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Are you eager looking forward to get a publishing contract or happy you received one?  Finding a publisher who will consider your book idea and then getting your manuscript published is time-consuming and can often be a frustrating experience. Going with a big publisher is not easier than author-publishing.  You will be surprised to learn about the following facts, often the hard way:
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Your Book Has Only 3 Months to Fly Off the Shelves
If your book does not sell within the first three months of its bookstore life, it will be returned to the publishers ware house and disappears from bookstores and could end up at “A Buck a Book”.  Shocking: 90 to 95% of books don’t pay back their advance. Royalty will only be paid if the authors advance is paid back. What you get upfront as an advance is usually all you will ever get.
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Screw Up on Your First Book?  You Are Out!
If you do well with it, publishers will be eager to see your next title.  But if you don’t sell a lot of books, your agent or publisher will not want to read your manuscript when you will offer your second book.
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Traditional Publishing is Very Slow
Unless you wrote a political tell-all, your book is going to ”be in the making” for up to two years until it goes into the bookstores.  You need to be sure your topic is timeless and that you will be interested in publicizing it years from now.
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No Foreign Rights 
Unless you have a savvy agent (preferably speaking several languages) who is trying to sell your book abroad, there is little chance that your publisher actively tries to find buyers in foreign markets.
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Most Likely You Will Only Receive Your Advance
You can get as little as $5,000 or as much as $500,000, but either way, you will have to pay 15% of this amount to your agent, and the remainder will be paid in thirds or quarters over the next couple of years. So you first need to “earn out” the advance, before any royalties will be paid to you.
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Slowest Get-Rich-Quick Scheme
Breaking into big money publishing is like becoming a movie star – being talented definitely helps, but luck plays a big role and the odds might not be in your favor.
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No Publicity for Your Book
Until a decade or two ago, publishers did some marketing for books.  Now, in the best case, they might send out some galleys and wait to see if anyone is interested. Then they focus all their publicity on the books they expect to be a bestseller.  If you want your book to be a success, YOU will have to do ALL the publicity yourself!
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Books don’t sell themselves, as most writers sooner or later find out – often too late. If you are interested in making money or selling your book for a long time, better consider e-books and self-publishing. But in any way, marketing skills or at least the willingness to learn about marketing and PR to promote your book, are essential for an author.
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Self-publishing Seems to be Easy
- if you know what your are doing. Sure, anyone can become a small publisher.  YOU call the shots. YOU retain the rights to your book.  And YOU take home a much higher royalty than you would normally get from a traditional publisher – IF you sell any books… And that’s often the problem.
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Books are Not Sold Automatically
We get emails, often several per day, from writers who have just recently published a book, with the question “what we can do for them.” Well, in almost all cases we have to start with Adam and Eve. And explain to them how exactly (author-) publishing works.
Think and learn first how to publish professionally, so that readers see you as a “real” author.  And learn how to establish your platform and how to market your book – before writing it. You would never start building a house with the roof, before even building the foundation, the frame and walls. Why would you then do it in your new publishing profession?

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If you would like to get more support in all things publishing, have your book intensively promoted and learn how to navigate social media sites – or to learn how you can make yourself a name as an author through content writing: We offer all this and more for only $179 for three months – or less than $2 per day! Learn more about this customized Online Seminar / Consulting for writers: http://www.111Publishing.com/Seminars  Or visit http://www.e-book-pr.com/book-promo/
to advertise your new book, specials, your KDP Select Free Days or the new Kindle Countdown Deals.

Please check out all previous posts of this blog (there are more than 1,020 of them : ) if you haven’t already. Why not sign up to receive them regularly by email? Just click on “Follow” in the upper line on each page – and then on “LIKE” next to it. There is also the “SHARE” button underneath each article where you can submit the article to Pinterest, Google+, Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr and StumpleUpon.
Thanks a lot for following:

@111publishing

http://www.111publishing.com

http://www.e-Book-PR.com/

http://www.international-ebooks.com/

http://bit.ly/VmtVAS 111Publishing @ Google+

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Early-Bird Discount for Writers Seminar til Feb 26

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Cash-Register
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Signing up before February 26 for the Writer’s Seminar in Atlanta, Georgia, saves you $20 

Receive lots of useful information for your further literary career in this workshop. Find out how to navigate the modern publishing world, get hundreds of valuable marketing tips during this seminar while in the relaxed atmosphere of a group of writers. Learn how to promote your book without even spending money for it. Get practical hands-on tips to market your book and earn more money with leveraging your manuscript.

http://www.111publishing.com/publishing-seminar-in-decatur-atlanta-ga/
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These are the WRITERS SEMINAR’S main topics:

  • Learn about the new publishing & pre-publishing process
  • Identify your target readers and their demographic
  • Find out how to reach these readers online and off-line
  • Create your own brand and your platform
  • Choose the type of publishing that is right for you
  • Market and publicize your book successfully on a budged
  • Prepare your next bestseller & find free book publishing funding sources
  • Leverage the content of your book into other markets & earn more with your writing

Read more details and sign up here before Feb 26 for this one-day-seminar for only $59:

http://www.111publishing.com/publishing-seminar-in-decatur-atlanta-ga/

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If you live further down south:
On Saturday, March 22 we offer the same seminar in Sarasota, Florida! 

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If you would like to get more support in all things publishing, have your book intensively promoted and learn how to navigate social media sites – or to learn how you can make yourself a name as an author through content writing: We offer all this and more for only $179 for three months – or less than $2 per day! Learn more about this customized Online Seminar / Consulting for writers: http://www.111Publishing.com/Seminars  Or visit http://www.e-book-pr.com/book-promo/
to advertise your new book, specials, your KDP Select Free Days or the new Kindle Countdown Deals.

Please check out all previous posts of this blog (there are more than 1,020 of them : ) if you haven’t already. Why not sign up to receive them regularly by email? Just click on “Follow” in the upper line on each page – and then on “LIKE” next to it. There is also the “SHARE” button underneath each article where you can submit the article to Pinterest, Google+, Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr and StumpleUpon.
Thanks a lot for following:

@111publishing

http://www.111publishing.com

http://www.e-Book-PR.com/

http://www.international-ebooks.com/

http://bit.ly/VmtVAS 111Publishing @ Google+

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Publishing News from All Over the World

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Flying

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The Guardian reported:
The University of Central Lancashire has announced the launch of what it describes as the world’s first degree in self-publishing.

The MA will begin in September, and course leader Debbie Williams believes it will help “legitimize” self-publishing. “Things have definitely changed. In the last two years, self-publishing has stopped being a dirty word, and is a legitimate option for authors,” she said. “Even the biggest authors are looking at it now.”

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Gook eReader reported:
The London-based Alliance of Independent Authors announced today that it has partnered with Kobo to release a guide to its newest author campaign, the Opening Up to Indie Authors guide. ALLi will use Kobo’s extensive global retail reach to make the guidebook available to its 190 international marketplaces.

Unlike initiatives that woke consumers up to the great titles being published by independent authors, this campaign is aimed at the local booksellers in hopes that they will finally see the benefits to taking risks on self-published books.

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Publishers Weekly reported:
The London Book Fair has announced the agenda for its Publishing for Digital Minds Conference, in alliance with the Publishers Association, and sponsored by the Copyright Clearance Center. The sixth edition of the conference will take place April 7, just before the opening of the fair.

Among the speakers confirmed for the 2014 edition are Dominique Raccah, CEO of Sourcebooks, who will appear in a session for industry thought leaders. Bill Thompson, the veteran technology journalist and head of partnership development at the BBC Archive will deliver a keynote speech, and the BBC Director of Children’s, Joe Godwin will participate in a discussion on targeting child and YA audiences online. Hugh Howey will talk about his experience of being a simultaneously conventionally published and self-published author.

Entrepreneurs from publishing start-ups will also be represented at the conference. Open Road Media’s Rachel Chou will explore the content marketing company’s experience of promoting e-books.
Read more about the London Book Fair’s program.

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Digital World reports:
The Competition Bureau of Canada, an independent law enforcement agency, announced that it has reached an agreement with four major trade book publishers that limits their use of agency ebook pricing in Canada.

Following an 18-month investigation into the ebook industry in Canada, the Competition Bureau concluded that Hachette, HarperCollins, Macmillan, and Simon & Schuster have engaged in conduct that resulted in reduced competition for ebooks in Canada, in contravention of the country’s Competition Act. The four publishers have signed a consent agreement to remove or amend clauses in their distribution agreements with individual ebook retailers that the bureau believes restrict retail price competition. Read the whole article here.

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If you would like to get more support in all things publishing, have your book intensively promoted and learn how to navigate social media sites – or to learn how you can make yourself a name as an author through content writing: We offer all this and more for only $179 for three months – or less than $2 per day! Learn more about this individual book marketing help: http://www.111Publishing.com/Seminars
Or visit http://www.e-book-pr.com/book-promo/  to advertise your new book, specials, your KDP Select Free Days or the new Kindle Countdown Deals.

Please check out all previous posts of this blog (there are more than 1,000 of them : ) if you haven’t already. Why not sign up to receive them regularly by email? Just click on “Follow” in the upper line on each page – and then on “LIKE” next to it. There is also the “SHARE” button underneath each article where you can submit the article to Pinterest, Google+, Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr and StumpleUpon.
Thanks a lot for following:

@111publishing

http://www.111publishing.com

http://www.e-Book-PR.com/

http://www.international-ebooks.com/

http://bit.ly/VmtVAS 111Publishing @ Google+

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Are These YOUR Five Excuses?

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Power-or-sleep

Power or Sleep?

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The new year is just a month old, but what about your resolutions?  Are you sticking to them or do you have excuses why not? The less commitment you have to your resolution, the less likely you are to keep it. Are you really committed to write more – books, articles or blogs – and to establish your author platform and brand?  
Believe me:  it is do-able!  This is by chance my blog number 1,000 in 30 months. Sitting every day for an hour or two and write, 7 days a week, took me a couple of weeks or months to get used to, but soon it became a daily habit to write about a variety of topics – and have fun doing it : )
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Are These Your Excuses:

“I cannot find the time to write.”
Well, this is the truth: There’s no such thing as “finding time”. When you plan to write a book, you need to block out parts of your time to get it done. It might mean to avoid TV watching or to get up at 5am to write. Set up your writing as a priority! You have to create time focus on your project. If not, then forget about writing a book!
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“I don’t know where to start on my book …”
Make a layout, a frame of your novel, note details. Research, research, research… Where do you start?  Sitting in your chair every day at the same time. Start writing. Keep sitting. Write more. Your brain will come to expect it. Your mind will begin to loosen up, and cooperate.

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“I need to be inspired, in order to sit down and write.”
Truth: Inspiration often strikes while we write. So, sitting down and starting to write, or at least to make a layout, or write a short story is a great start to get into the “mood”. If you want to be a good writer, start by writing every day for at least a couple of hours

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“I don’t have time to market my book … I don’t know how or don’t want to do Social Media …” 
You can write as a hobby, no one forces you to sell your book!  And if you have lots of money, just buy advertising on TV or in magazines or hire a media publicist for thousands of dollars – even so they take on authors only, with huge amounts of followers on Social Media and lots of 5-star reviews for books.
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“I don’t have time to learn about the publishing business”
Why not just take on writing as a hobby – and forget about publishing!
Regardless of whether or not you work with a publishing consultant to learn about the business, it is something that MUST be done to ensure your book reaches the public. To have the most success: Before you write or at least before you finish your book.
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Starting a book (business) takes huge amounts of hard work and time, so you better enjoy doing it. Building a business is all about learning new subjects, you are eager to work on, or in hiring a bit professional help and together creating something you will be proud of.
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Psychologist Gary Foster, gives these tips for New Year’s resolutions:

  • Set small goals that are realistic, achievable and clearly defined.
  • Set specific plans that are simple, achievable and can lead to short-term success
  • Aim for and celebrate small short-term successes.
  • Build a simple and structured plan that answers the what, when, where and how questions.
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“Don’t let your New Year’s resolution flop (again). If you want to succeed, plan your goal in 12-week increments,” advise Brian Moran and Michael Lennington, co-authors of 12 Week Year: Get More Done in 12 Weeks Than Others Do in 12 Months.  “It is much more feasible to keep a commitment for 12 weeks than to keep it for 12 months. At the end of the 12 weeks you reassess your commitments and begin again,”
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Another consideration:  Are you a writer first? Or are you writing for money first? If you are writing for immediate income, writing that pays quicker, then choose writing for magazines, the internet or for newspapers, copy writing, resume writing, grant writing etc. which will provide much faster income.

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If you would like to get more support in all things publishing, have your book intensively promoted and learn how to navigate social media sites – or to learn how you can make yourself a name as an author through content writing: We offer all this and more for only $179 for three months – or less than $2 per day! Learn more about this individual book marketing help: http://www.111Publishing.com/Seminars
Or visit http://www.e-book-pr.com/book-promo/
to advertise your new book, specials, your KDP Select Free Days or the new Kindle Countdown Deals.

Please check out all previous posts of this blog (there are more than 980 of them : ) if you haven’t already. Why not sign up to receive them regularly by email? Just click on “Follow” in the upper line on each page – and then on “LIKE” next to it. There is also the “SHARE” button underneath each article where you can submit the article to Pinterest, Google+, Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr and StumpleUpon.
Thanks a lot for following:

@111publishing
http://www.111publishing.com
http://www.e-Book-PR.com/
http://www.international-ebooks.com/
http://bit.ly/VmtVAS 111Publishing @ Google+
http://pinterest.com/111publishing/

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Posted by on February 3, 2014 in Publishing, Social Networks, Writing

 

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TILT: 7 Solutions To Be A Guilt-Free Working Mom

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TILT

TILT


Juggling work and family has never seemed more possible than in Marci Fair’s parenting guide, TILT.

It was written out of the difficult struggles and unexpected answers that Fair has found on her journey through the TILT of life, work, and motherhood.

A working mother of four children, Fair shares her decades of insight in an enlightening way that weaves in quotes from her children along with more than one hundred practical, guilt-free parenting tips for the challenges working mothers face.

Fair shows how mothers can live imperfectly on purpose. She inspires them to determine what matters the most for themselves and their families, and then to focus on what lasts beyond childhood.

The wisdom of more than 80 other working mothers also demonstrates how moms can grow through their journeys to find happiness and success along the way. Balance is impossible; Fair teaches us how to TILT instead.
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She encourages that helping our children dream, without giving up on ours, sets an important parenting leadership example. Through TILT, we learn how to choose, in the nucleus of our families, to set the example by shining our own light, so we can love, guide, and empower those little lights we brought into this world.

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Bookshelf_graphic-1170-Small

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Marci-Fair

Marci Fair


A practical parenting guide that brims with real life suggestions, 
to continue to reach for their own. It is filled with over 70 quotes
from the author’s children, over 100 practical guilt-free tips and
the wisdom of over 80 other amazing mothers.  

In 2005, Marci fulfilled one of her lifelong dreams and started a non-profit for kids in need – Kares 4 Kids. The NPO has since served over 15,000 children, through backpacks and school supplies, food for local children in need, summer camp sponsorship, holiday gift cards to overlooked teens and much more. 

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TILT: 7 Solutions To Be A Guilt-Free Working Mom Paperback, 318 pages,
$14.29 http://amzn.to/1dKsRMB - and the e-Book Version: $7.99 http://amzn.to/MnyAkV

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If you would like to get more support in all things publishing, have your book intensively promoted and learn how to navigate social media sites – or to learn how you can make yourself a name as an author through content writing: We offer all this and more for only $179 for three months – or less than $2 per day! Learn more about this individual book marketing help: http://www.111Publishing.com/Seminars   Or visit http://www.e-book-pr.com/book-promo/
to advertise your new book, specials, your KDP Select Free Days, the new Kindle Countdown Deals or Goodreads Giveaways.

Please check out all previous posts of this blog (there are more than 980 of them : ) if you haven’t already. Why not sign up to receive them regularly by email? Just click on “Follow” in the upper line on each page – and then on “LIKE” next to it. There is also the “SHARE” button underneath each article where you can submit the article to Pinterest, Google+, Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr and StumpleUpon.
Thanks a lot for following:

@111publishing

http://www.111publishing.com

http://www.e-Book-PR.com/

http://www.international-ebooks.com/

http://bit.ly/VmtVAS 111Publishing @ Google+

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Stop: Vanity Publishing aka Subsidy Publishers

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Stop-Vanity-Publisher
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99% of All Manuscripts Will Be Accepted
Within half an hour I was asked today about two different “Self-Publishing” companies who had the authors’ manuscripts accepted. Both writers had tried to find a trade publisher and after receiving numerous rejections, they were glad to get an “offer” – as long as the authors are willing to pay totally inflated prices for printing, editing and cover art. It took me only one minute, using the word “complaint” along with the companies name to find long lists of complaints on author websites, blog posts and “Writer Beware” on Google.
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Vanity publishers are often working under several names, change addresses and their websites. Some trade publishers, up to at least one of the “Big Five”, affiliated recently with subsidy publishers and also directs authors, who’s manuscript they had previously rejected, to these companies. The main goal of these vanity publishers is to have their printing company busy, so they are not really into executing the work of a traditional publisher. A background check reveals in almost all cases that they are either printers or affiliated with a printing company. Even one of the best Canadian book printing companies went into vanity publishing a year ago.
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You often might have seen these small ads in literary magazines or on the internet: “If your book deserves publication, send your manuscript now to …”. And authors do not have to wait long for a response to their submission.  A real publisher doesn’t need to advertise!  They are overwhelmed with queries from authors.

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Money Upfront
Authors are certainly surprised when they encounter a “publisher” who wants money up-front. It should be the other way around shouldn’t it? After the author, having signed a hefty check, eventually learns that paying for publication is no guarantee that a single copy of his book will appear in any book shop, not even the local ones.
Many vanity publishers will charge somewhere between $8,000 to $20,000 (or even more) to publish a book depending upon its length. Why would an author pay $20,000 when he or she can have the same book printed for $2,000?
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Contract Full of (Empty) Promises
Nevertheless, the contract will be full of promises, it will state what exactly will be paid to the author for subsequent reprinting, subsidiary, for audio and e-books, mass-market paperback rights, for TV & Radio rights, merchandising and commercial rights and even film and foreign rights – to make the author believing that his “publisher” actively solicits his manuscript in Hollywood.
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Free Copies
Vanity contracts include usually a certain amount of “free” copies for the author; sometimes even as much as 10 books and if he/ she require more, they have to be paid.  Which means, that the author is paying for them twice…  I also have never met an author who goes into the print shop to watch his or her books manufactured or to see them stored in the warehouse. In most cases, only a certain number of copies (I suspect not even this will happen) in an edition will actually be bound; the rest will remain in the warehouse as flat printed sheets until required, which is probably never.
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Reviewers are Wary of Vanity Presses
Vanity / subsidy publishers are not concerned with editing, promotion, sales or distribution – unless the author pays additionally. For most vanity books, neither exists, and should review copies really being sent out: Reviewers are wary of vanity presses because they know that little attention is paid to the editing of the book. Unless the vanity house has a proven distribution and sales organization, authors will have to sell their printed book themselves and usually it will sell fewer than 200 copies.
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As seen in a Vanity publisher contract:
“In the event of bankruptcy or liquidation of the publisher for any cause whatever, the author shall have the right to buy back the publications at fair market value to be determined by agreement or arbitration.” (That means, die author has to pay a second time for all his unsold books). “If the author does not purchase remaining copies of the book, the representative of the publisher shall have the right to sell same at the best obtainable price without payment of royalty to the author.”
Unbelievable! Unethical! Criminal!
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Beware of These Signs:

  • Don’t trust flattering letters concerning your manuscript.
  • Be suspicious of vague promises of quality production. You will not get it in writing…
  • Be wary of promises to sell television and film rights, serial books and other money-making options.
  • Read, read and read once more the contract.
  • Don’t pay a dime, get a copy of the contract and show it to a lawyer that is specialized in contract / copyright law.
  • Watch out for contract clauses, that allow the publisher to renegotiate his initial pitch, and also where the “Publisher shall have the right to license the rights set forth”.

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Bound to the Vanity Publisher for Life!
Beside their over-the-top printing prices, Vanity publishers might cheat you in a contract that expires only 50 years after your death and with worldwide rights, even universe rights – a contract that a friend of mine signed in Renfrew, Ontario, Canada (and paid dearly) stated:

“The author hereby grants the publisher, during the full term of copyright, the sole and exclusive right to manufacture, print, publish and sell and to otherwise use, as set out further in this agreement, including, but not limited to, acting as agent and/or exercising any or all subsidiary rights, throughout the universe the work.” And: “The copyright remains with the author, until fifty (50) years after the death of the author. All covenants and grants of the author shall bind the author’s successors or assigns.”
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Vanity Publishers / Subsidy Publishers are not actively promoting books. Their business is not publishing, but printing and selling authors all kind of over-priced services. Despite so many warnings all over the Internet, there are still writers who fall into the trap of vanity / subsidy / self-publishing. And as soon as one vanity publisher stops his “business”, another fills the gap.

Please read also a comparison of Publishers – Vanity Publishers – and REAL Self-Publishing here:
http://savvybookwriters.wordpress.com/2013/11/13/comparison-of-trade-publishing-vanity-author-publishing/

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If you would like to get more support in all things publishing, have your book intensively promoted and learn how to navigate social media sites – or to learn how you can make yourself a name as an author through content writing: We offer all this and more for only $159 for three months – or less than $2 per day! Learn more about this individual book marketing help: http://www.111Publishing.com/Seminars Or visit http://www.e-book-pr.com/book-promo/
to advertise your new book, specials, your KDP Select Free Days or the new Kindle Countdown Deals.

Please check out all previous posts of this blog (there are more than 980 of them : ) if you haven’t already. Why not sign up to receive them regularly by email? Just click on “Follow” in the upper line on each page – and then on “LIKE” next to it. There is also the “SHARE” button underneath each article where you can submit the article to Pinterest, Google+, Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr and StumpleUpon.
Thanks a lot for following:

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Best and Worst About Literary Agents

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Literary-Agent-Search
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Most US writers have to go through an agent – over 80% of all publishing deals are made through a literary agency. Publishers in the USA don’t want to deal directly with authors. In Canada, only ten percent of authors / books are agent-ed. Aspiring and established authors successfully submit the majority (10,000 plus) of the titles published every year directly to editors at publishing houses.
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IMPORTANT:
Study the agents’ website and submission guidelines carefully and learn how to write a query.
Be prepared when meeting for the first time with the agent for questions like this, that can make or brake your contract:

  • How are going to market your book?
  • What’s your platform
  • Why do you want to be published?
  • What’s your next book about?
  • What else are you working on?
  • Where do you see this series going?

Even more in your favor will be when you are already working on your second book and have at least the outline for the third. Your manuscripts don’t have to be a part of a series but should be in the same genre as the book the agent will pitch.This will show both the agent and publisher that you have the potential of becoming a career author. Have a sense of how long it takes you to write a book, including all of its editorial stages. This way, you will know what kind of delivery commitment you can make.
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Agent’s Fees
As an author trying to find a literary agent you have heard or read from, is not an easy task. And you might find an agency describing itself as “non-fee-charging” but then nevertheless wants money up-front. Most professional agents’ associations adopted policies prohibiting members from charging fees, called “reading fees” or “evaluation fees”.
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Reputable agents will NOT charge you a fee up front to represent your book. They earn their living by selling your book to a publisher and gaining a commission. That commission is a percentage of the proceeds your book earns. For one thing, this gives the agent an incentive to actually market your book around to various publishers likely to buy it for publication. This is another reason why many agents pick submissions carefully. They know what publishers are looking for and they will not accept anything which is not ready for submission or close enough that a few days of editing will make the difference.
Most agents these days charge 15% commission on domestic sales (North America).
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A literary agent gets his commission AFTER the book contract with a publisher is signed and the first money flows. If they charge reading or evaluation fees or any of the following fees – author beware:

  • marketing fees
  • submission fees
  • travel fees
  • legal fees
  • advance fees
  • or “per hour” fee
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Have a look at the do’s and don’ts of both sides:
Never under any circumstances should you pay expenses or any fees up front: Agents only receive money by deducting his or her 15% commission from your eventual earnings. Should an agent tell new writers that she/he was charging 15% commission plus expenses — that’s a rip-off; don’t agree to it. The Association of Authors Representatives (professional organization of literary agents) also forbids the charging of “reading fees.” If an agent asks you to pay a fee for his or her “evaluation” of your manuscript, refuse!
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So, what could you encounter?
Some agencies pressure authors into various additional services and charge fees for websites, sample cover mock-ups or illustrations or social media listings.
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AgentQuery (Database of Literary Agents) wrote on their website: Industry Red Flags:
“Be wary of any literary agent that contacts you out of the blue, especially if you have not queried that specific agent and do not have a public platform or presence. Fiction writers should be particularly cautious unless the agent has a logical reason to contact you, like you’ve recently won a prestigious writing contest, or they’ve seen your blog or read your published stories, etc..”

“Beware of agents that offer representation for a fixed fee, offer representation only if you pay them money to edit your manuscript, or charge you up-front fees in the range of thousands of dollars to off-set the cost of submitting your manuscript to publishers. These are all warning signs—unethical behavior from an unprofessional scammer. Scammers will tempt you, especially if you are desperate and inundated with rejections. They will tell you how fabulous your manuscript is and you will want to believe them.”

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WRITER BEWARE notes: 
“Not all agents who charge marketing fees are dishonest. Some are simply inexperienced or inept. But scam or amateur, the bottom line for the writer is the same: a lighter wallet and no book contract.”

Remember, that many of these publishers operate under more than one name and as “in-house” referral services. This means they always find a reason to refer you to another company which they also own… Editors Nielsen-Hayden summed it up: “Writing may be an art or a craft (or both), but publishing is a business. It’s best to know the business before diving in.”
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Resources and More blog posts regarding Literary Agents:
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How Agents work and How to work with Agents
http://savvybookwriters.wordpress.com/2011/04/12/how-agents-work-how-to-work-with-agents/
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Must-Read Blog to learn more about agents and how to approach them
http://www.writersdigest.com/editor-blogs/guide-to-literary-agents

Database of Literary Agents
http://www.agentquery.com/
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What Literary Agents Want to Know From You
http://savvybookwriters.wordpress.com/2012/04/01/what-literary-agents-want-to-know-from-you/
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How to Write a Query Letter
http://savvybookwriters.wordpress.com/2014/01/06/5-tips-for-successful-book-submissions/
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100′s of Links to Publishers and Agents
http://savvybookwriters.wordpress.com/2012/10/10/100s-of-links-to-publishers-and-agents/
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Which Literary Agent is Right for You?
http://savvybookwriters.wordpress.com/2012/03/07/which-literary-agent-is-right-for-you/
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Association of Author’s Representatives (lists agents)
http://aaronline.org/

Lynnette Labelle Editorial Services
www.labelleseditorialservices.com
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Visit often and get the latest alerts from WRITER BEWARE:
http://www.sfwa.org/for-authors/writer-beware/alerts/
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Prequels: Author’s Benefits of Writing Them

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Prequel

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J.K. Rowling did it for Harry Potter – every writer should create them too: Writing a Prequel for their upcoming book.  According to the FreeDictionary:  ”A literary, dramatic, or cinematic work, whose narrative takes place before that of a pre-existing work or a sequel. [pre- + (se)quel.] prequel.” They are teasers in short story form that preview the key characters and settings of an upcoming novel.
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Prequels: Promote Your Future Book Through Short Stories
Savvy authors are building excitement and attract readers to their upcoming books. Editor Alan Rinzler describes them: “Back stories for the longer book to come. Others are like outtakes from the novel, standalone narratives that add to our knowledge of the characters but don’t appear in the books themselves.  Prequels provide readers with the flavor and quality of the forthcoming book in a way that makes them yearn to read more. This technique has had notable successes lately, like propelling a book from obscurity to six-figure advances, and building pre-publication buzz and momentum.”
Rinzler mentions two authors, published by the “Big Five”: Brittany Geragotelis and thriller author Mark Sullivan.
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When and What to Write?
It is never too early to write a prequel.  You might write it even before starting to write your book, using your research, character outlines or your first draft manuscript. Often your novel has to be shortened to create a faster pace. Don’t delete these text parts! Create your prequel out of it. Or use locations where your novel takes place to elaborate and write in detail about it. For example:  If you write a thriller and your protagonist is an art dealer in Paris, you can write several prequels how and where in Paris your mystery unfolded, a comprehensive description of the main character and his dealings or a pre-story of the events.

No Limit on the Number of Prequels
The prequel can be one story or a dozen. However, it should be an irresistible preview of the book itself, short, but with a revealing scene from the draft manuscript of the novel, and a great teaser for the upcoming work. The author’s goal should be: to make the reader want more…
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Where to Publish a Prequel?
There is no limit how you publish a prequel. It could be a short story in the form of a magazine or website / blog article, a short (free or inexpensive) e-book or a guest blog, and even a video or slide show.  Most import is that you post it in as many venues as possible, including your Social Media sites. Even better are reader communities or forums, where people tend to spend more time, including sites, such as Google+, Wattpad and Goodreads or FictionPress, and send an invitation to load it down to your readers on your mailing list.
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Prequels are beneficial for you and your readers: Show off the quality of your forthcoming book, build pre-publication buzz and momentum and create back stories for the longer book to come. Don’t see prequels as a marketing gig, they are valuable parts of your author platform and brand.
Don’t forget:  Promotion of your book must start long before you finish your manuscript if you don’t want to loose sales and success!  Competition is growing by the day… Do what you as a writer likes most:  WRITE!  Not only 90.000-word-manuscripts, but also short stories and blog articles.

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If you would like to get more support in all things publishing, have your book intensively promoted and learn how to navigate social media sites – or to learn how you can make yourself a name as an author through content writing:  We offer all this and more for only $159 for three months – or less than $2 per day! Learn more about our individual book marketing help: http://www.111Publishing.com/Seminars

Or visit http://www.e-book-pr.com/book-promo/
to advertise your new book, specials, your KDP Select Free Days or the new Kindle Countdown Deals.

Please check out all previous posts of this blog (there are more than 980 of them : ) if you haven’t already. Why not sign up to receive them regularly by email? Just click on “Follow” in the upper line on each page – and then on “LIKE” next to it. There is also the “SHARE” button underneath each article where you can submit the article to Pinterest, Google+, Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr and StumpleUpon.
Thanks a lot for following:

@111publishing

http://www.111publishing.com

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Interesting Publishing Predictions for 2014

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Fortune-Teller

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J. A. Konrath did it again: outlook to this years’ publishing future – as he sees it. He explains what works and what not – and what could be done better. Here an excerpt from his predictions:

  • “Paper book sales will no longer be significant enough to sustain the nation’s largest bookstore chain, maybe stores closing.”
  • “Libraries will buy e-books directly from authors.”
  • “Indie bookstores will need to start selling self-pubbed books, or perish. If indie bookstores deal directly with self-pubbed authors, and print their own copies to sell in their stores, they can build inventory and cut out the share normally taken by publishers.”
  • “Big 5 mergers and layoffs and bankruptcies. As the publishing cartel loses its quasi-monopoly on paper distribution, there will be no way to support its infrastructure.”
  • “The publishing biz has become a tech biz. You don’t win at tech by playing catch-up. You win by innovating.”
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J. A. Konrath’s prediction:
“Visibility will become harder. As more e-books get published, and virtual shelf space expands, it is going to become harder to get exposure. Self-pubbed authors who don’t focus on their current, core readership will see sales diminish. The future will be about actively cultivating a readership. So far we’ve been lucky. With KDP Select Free Days, authors have been able to get visible without reconnecting with longtime readers. There have always been enough new readers to sustain sales.

Maintaining a fan base is going to become increasingly more important.
That means having an up-to-date website, making it easy to sign up for your newsletter, staying active in social media, and regenerating your brand with new titles and continued promotions.

Change is hard. It’s also inevitable.
The best thing you can do right now, as a writer, is look to the future and try to find your place in that future. That might mean you’ll need to forget the past. It also might mean you’ll have to learn to accept, and forgive.”
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Furthermore:
“It isn’t a stretch to believe tens of millions of self-published e-books are being sold annually. We don’t need Vanity publishers / called: self-publishing services. We don’t need to pay Kirkus or PW for reviews. We don’t need writing organizations (MWA, Authors Guild) who don’t look out for our interests.”  And he continues to explain what we need.  Read the whole, interesting post on J.A. Konrath’s blog.
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If you would like to get more support in all things publishing, have your book intensively promoted and learn how to navigate social media sites – or to learn how you can make yourself a name as an author through content writing: We offer all this and more for only $159 for three months! Learn more about this individual book marketing help: http://www.111Publishing.com/Seminars
Or visit http://www.e-book-pr.com/book-promo/  to advertise your new book, specials, your KDP Select Free Days or the new Kindle Countdown Deals.

Please check out all previous posts of this blog (there are more than 980 of them : ) if you haven’t already. Why not sign up to receive them regularly by email? Just click on “Follow” in the upper line on each page – and then on “LIKE” next to it. There is also the “SHARE” button underneath each article where you can submit the article to Pinterest, Google+, Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr and StumpleUpon.
Thanks a lot for following:

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Social Media: The Secrets of Success

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Social Network

Word of Mouth Marketing
If you are in the midst of developing one of the more than one million books that are published every year, it’s time to start thinking about how you are going to market your book … because in today’s publishing environment, it’s up to you to build momentum for your work.
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It is All About Relationships
Social media marketing is the darling of the marketing world. However it is NOT about selling – rather about building relationship with your readers, educating them about your writing and then making them love your books. Avoid that all you do on Twitter, Google+ or Facebook is to hawk your book or try to interest agents and editors in your manuscript. This is not to say you can not ever talk about the interesting things you’re doing.
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People on Social Media Want Content
Sharing content has become an important aspect of these networks. Create content that your readers love! Social sharing signals to Google’s Search Engines which content is high quality while Social Media provides networked, word-of-mouth publicity for your writing.
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10 Commands of Social Networking

…. such as Twitter, Google+, Goodreads, Pinterest, Facebook, LinkedIn, blogs, websites…

  • Schedule tweets in advance to gain time for interacting with your followers
  • Use Hootsuite to schedule your posts at the best times and also to several sites at the same time
  • Don’t expect fast results. Readers need time to become familiar with you and your books
  • Don’t try to do everything at once. Take it one Social Network at a time.
  • Treat connections with respect. Followers and friends are important.
  • It’s not about the most connections when it comes to Social Networking, It’s about having relevant connections.
  • Be comfortable in the network(s). Be able to be your authentic self.
  • Ask your readers to refer you to their friends and acquaintances.
  • Ask questions and share, share, share. Everyone has questions, some have answers. Get a dialog going…. After all, Social Media is about sharing.
  • Set-up your bio for keyword optimization. Use key words that will attract the type of people that you want to connect with.
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How Social Media has changed word-of-mouth marketing is shown in this slide-share.  Read also an article on Forbes: “7 Social Media Tips You Can Learn From Richard Branson”, who is still tweeting most of the content himself.
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Ask yourself ”if I go to a party will I listen to people who constantly talk how good their business products are, or when I turn on the TV, do I prefer to watch the movie or do I rather watch the commercials?” Compare this with Social Media…
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You will get really frustrated if you think it’s an immediate fix. Social media is important, maybe even crucial for writers today. Don’t forget: customers always buy from those they know and like. Create posts and tweets that are worthy, start by developing attainable goals, learn what your audience likes, create content that is useful, and make it easy to share.

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If you would like to get more support in all things publishing, have your book intensively promoted and learn how to navigate social media sites – or to learn how you can make yourself a name as an author through content writing: We offer all this and more for only $159 for three months! Learn more about this individual book marketing help: http://www.111Publishing.com/Seminars
Or visit http://www.e-book-pr.com/book-promo/  to advertise your new book, specials, your KDP Select Free Days or the new Kindle Countdown Deals.

Please check out all previous posts of this blog (there are more than 980 of them : ) if you haven’t already. Why not sign up to receive them regularly by email? Just click on “Follow” in the upper line on each page – and then on “LIKE” next to it. There is also the “SHARE” button underneath each article where you can submit the article to Pinterest, Google+, Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr and StumpleUpon.
Thanks a lot for following:

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Disappointing Results and a Scandal: Amazon’s Withdrawal

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Road-Closed

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Promoting local public libraries since fifteen years, and running a great website, PublicLibraries http://www.publiclibraries.com/  reported about Amazon’s withdrawal from becoming a big trade publisher:  ”Amazon is toning down its plans to become a full scale publisher. The retreat from publishing appears to be a result of black listing of author’s signed with Amazon by brick and mortar book retailers.”

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Opposition from Bookstores
“Amazon has struggled to gain traction for its publishing division. It appears that Amazon underestimated the amount of opposition that it would experience from the traditional publishing and book retailing world. Major book retailer Barnes & Noble refused to carry any of the titles published by Amazon. Amazon has also had trouble attracting major authors to its division.”
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Disappointing Results and a Scandal
“Authors that have signed with Amazon have experienced disappointing results. Amazon’s first big title, Penny Marshall’s My Mother Was Nuts, performed poorly in print sales. This was largely due to the fact that brick and mortar books refused to carry the Amazon title. Even the eBook edition was effectively blocked outside of the Amazon marketplace as Google, Barnes & Noble Nook Store and Apple iBookstore all refused to distribute the digital version.”

Industry Newsletter Shelf Awareness also said that “In connection with [Kirshbaum's] departure, the most ambitious part of Amazon’s publishing operations will be scaled back. Already several editorial people have left or been let go, and Amazon has not been a factor in bidding on major books the way it had been just two years ago.”

Wallstreet Journal Online wrote: “In quick succession, Mr. Kirshbaum signed up a number of well-known writers and personalities, among them actress and director Penny Marshall and best-selling writer Timothy Ferriss. The signings worried rival publishers who were concerned that Amazon’s deep coffers would enable it to pluck many of the book industry’s biggest stars.  In January 2012, Mr. Kirshbaum’s efforts were effectively checkmated when rival bookseller Barnes & Noble Inc. said it wouldn’t put titles published by Amazon on its shelves. A number of other retailers followed suit, making Amazon a less attractive alternative for many writers and their agents. The big-name signings stopped…”

Read the whole story how bookstores and trade publishers fought back here on PublicLibraries, NY Times, Gigaom.com and PublishersWeekly.

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If you would like to get more support in all things publishing, have your book intensively promoted and learn how to navigate social media sites – or to learn how you can make yourself a name as an author through content writing: We offer all this and more for only $159 for three months! Learn more about this individual book marketing help: http://www.111Publishing.com/Seminars
Or visit http://www.e-book-pr.com/book-promo/ to advertise your new book, specials, your KDP Select Free Days or the new Kindle Countdown Deals.

Please check out all previous posts of this blog (there are more than 970 of them : ) if you haven’t already. Why not sign up to receive them regularly by email? Just click on “Follow” in the upper line on each page – and then on “LIKE” next to it. There is also the “SHARE” button underneath each article where you can submit the article to Pinterest, Google+, Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr and StumpleUpon.
Thanks a lot for following:

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7 Free Photo Sources For Authors

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Snow-Shoes

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In former blog posts we wrote already about free photo sources. To keep you updated, here
are seven websites added, which offer free, professionally taken and Photoshop-enhanced
images, together with everyday shots. Carefully choose the resolution that you need,
especially if the the image is for print of a high-quality book cover. Some of these photo sites
require registration (free), but it’s more than worth it.

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Microsoft Image Gallery
Did you know: Microsoft has a superb online photographic resource – all free, and every
photograph is of high quality. Great for book covers.

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Kozzi Free Photo Library
One of the most popular stock photo libraries on the net. Photographs have been
professionally shot for the most part, and dramatically enhanced in photoshop.

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Stock.xchnge
The first and largest free stock-photo site online. Easy to navigate with over 350,000 images,
contributed by 30,000 photographers. This photograph is typical of the high impact imagery
available at no cost:

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Dreamstime Free
Professional quality photographs. This is the free section of the Dreamstime paid site. The
photographs are of superb quality and great for cover backgrounds.

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Free Range Stock
Most images on this site are color improved by professional photographers. Not quite as
large a collection as other sites, but mostly high-quality images.

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RGB Free Stock Photos
RGB Free Stock has an extremely user-friendly interface. A huge number of dynamic
photographs, most at a highly professional level.

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MorgueFile Free Photos
Once more our favorite, we mentioned it in earlier blogs:  Morguefile is a gorgeous photo library full of sumptuous images – all contributed by creatives, for use by creatives. The library offers a huge number of photographs, most of high resolution. Use several terms / keywords to search for particular photos.
These images are all free to use. A fantastic offer for authors – including freelance writers and bloggers!
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What About Google Images?
Avoid using any images taken directly from “Google Images” search. Almost all belong to someone and you would infringe copyright. If you definitely want to use an image from
Google Images, track down the owner and ask for permission, and pay if required.

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If you would like to get more support in all things publishing, have your book intensively promoted and learn how to navigate social media sites – or to learn how you can make yourself a name as an author through content writing: We offer all this and more for only $159 for three months! Learn more about this individual book marketing help: http://www.111Publishing.com/Seminars
Or visit http://www.e-book-pr.com/book-promo/
to advertise your new book, specials, your KDP Select Free Days or the new Kindle Countdown Deals.

Please check out all previous posts of this blog (there are more than 970 of them : ) if you haven’t already. Why not sign up to receive them regularly by email? Just click on “Follow” in the upper line on each page – and then on “LIKE” next to it. There is also the “SHARE” button underneath each article where you can submit the article to Pinterest, Google+, Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr and StumpleUpon.
Thanks a lot for following:

@111publishing

http://www.111publishing.com

http://www.e-Book-PR.com/

http://www.international-ebooks.com/

http://bit.ly/VmtVAS 111Publishing @ Google+

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The Truth About Author Platforms

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Author-Platform

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A publisher’s or a literary agents’ first question she / he asks you: What is your platform? Editors and agents are for sure attracted to authors who have a “platform”. They are looking for someone with visibility and authority, who has a proven outreach to a target audience. Why? The short answer is: Money.
Publishing houses are everything but non-profit organizations, they want to earn as much money as possible from the manuscripts they buy. They can only sell a considerable amount of books and make money when lots of people know about the author and his or her work – provided the author is able to spread the word about the book to a huge audience.
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What is an Author Platform
…. which is not only important for authors who want to sell their manuscript to a trade publisher, but equally or even more important for independent writers who want to author-publish:

  • Authority:
    What other articles or books, blogs or articles for newspapers or magazines have you written previously? What’s your credibility? What are your credentials?
  • Proven reach:
    For example the size of your e-mail newsletter list, your website traffic, blog comments, high-profile reviews, testimonials or references for your writing from bestseller authors in your genre.
  • Visibility:
    What communities are you a part of? Who knows you? Who is aware of your work? Where does your work regularly appear? How many people see it? Who do you influence?
  • Target audience:
    Being visible to the right audience for the book you are publishing. For example, if you wrote a book how career women can combine work and parenthood, you should have a large target audience of parents, career women, mommy-bloggers, maybe even kindergarten teachers or psychologists.
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No Hard-Selling:
It’s not about hard selling or constant self-promotion.  And it is also not a one-time event or something you can create overnight or in a month. Creating your platform is a long-term project and it cannot be developed by posting “Follow me!” on Twitter or “Like me!” on Facebook… Compare it to opening a business or becoming self-employed: it takes many months, sometimes years, until a solid foundation is grown, one customer at a time.
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How Can You Grow Your Platform:
Publishing or distributing quality work online, on blogs, newsletters or websites, or articles in magazines and newspapers, taking part at social networks, producing pod casts, webinars or videos for your target audience. Speaking at and/or attending events where you meet new people and extend your network of contacts and your visibility.
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Don’t Give Up – it All Takes Time:
Write content and reach out: 
Building your author platform belongs to the same project as the book you write. Use your creativity , and again: write lots of content, such as guest posts, blogs and short stories for weblogs, websites, magazines, newspapers, and give speeches and presentations at writers conferences or at local libraries. Reach out to potential fans of your writing – one reader at a time.

Becoming an author-publisher is a long term commitment and requires hundreds of small steps on the path to success!  Read more about author platforms and how to establish them:

http://savvybookwriters.wordpress.com/2013/12/19/dont-give-up-it-just-takes-time/

http://savvybookwriters.wordpress.com/2013/10/30/how-to-create-your-author-platform/

http://savvybookwriters.wordpress.com/2014/01/03/a-new-way-of-book-marketing/


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If you would like to get more support in all things publishing, have your book intensively promoted and learn how to navigate social media sites – or to learn how you can make yourself a name as an author through content writing: We offer all this and more for only $159 for three months! Learn more about this individual book marketing help: http://www.111Publishing.com/Seminars
Or visit http://www.e-book-pr.com/book-promo/
to advertise your new book, specials, your KDP Select Free Days or the new Kindle Countdown Deals.

Please check out all previous posts of this blog (there are more than 970 of them : ) if you haven’t already. Why not sign up to receive them regularly by email? Just click on “Follow” in the upper line on each page – and then on “LIKE” next to it. There is also the “SHARE” button underneath each article where you can submit the article to Pinterest, Google+, Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr and StumpleUpon.
Thanks a lot for following:

@111publishing

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How Readers Can Find Your Book

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Book-Shelf

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At Barnes&Noble, Waterstones or local indie bookstores, customers can browse in categories where book covers, titles and blurbs help them to discover great books. Finding books at online retailers readers have to type phrases and keywords into the search bar in order to have the right books – the reason for author in selecting relevant keywords.
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Keywords for Title or Sub-Title
Marketers state that 80% of the effectiveness of ads depend on your headline. The same is true for book titles. Especially for non-fiction books, your book’s title is most important for search results and must be well-related to search terms. Not easy for fiction books… If your title is “Annabel’s Secret”, a short sub-title, such as “A Victorian Era Mystery” will help with keywords to make it easier being found by readers.
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Create a List of Words and Phrases
Imagine what customers type into the search bar to find what they want to read – not your name or book title. More important are subjects in your book, such as “business writing” or “historic romance” or “finding academic jobs” for example. Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) explains it: “Along with factors like sales history and Amazon Best Seller Rank, relevant keywords can boost your placement in search results on Amazon.com.”
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Test Your Keywords at Amazon
Type them into the search bar slowly, one letter at a time and watch as prompts appear with words, you might be looking for in the search field. The most popular searches will be on top of the list.
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Use Google’s Keyword Planner
Amazon’s search bar gives no data how often a term is searched, it’s wise to check these and similar ones with Google and see if one word or phrase is more popular than the other.
By testing similar terms at Google, you will find the numbers of each search term.
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Categories with Keyword Requirements
The following genres are designed to be linked with keyword suggestions that will help to rank books in certain categories.  Amazon writes: “In order to list your title in certain sub-categories, you’ll need to add Search Keywords in addition to the categories you choose for your title. Click a category in this list to see the keyword requirements.”

Examples from Amazon for each of these categories can be found here:
https://kdp.amazon.com/help?topicId=A200PDGPEIQX41

  • Romance
  • Science Fiction & Fantasy
  • Children’s
  • Teen & Young Adult
  • Mystery, Thriller, & Suspense
  • Comics & Graphic Novels
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Important: Keywords
Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) allows (only) SEVEN keyword choices Use short phrases, two to three words long, mixed with single words, such as “publishing,” “pets” or “airplanes.” Combine them with phrases like “children’s bedtime stories” and “glider flying” for example. Imagine you are a reader searching by subjects for a book. Never use words or phrases, such as “best”, “latest”, “most important”, “new,” “on sale,” “available now” “fiction” “novel” “book” or your author name or the category or title of the book.
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Keep the Title Short
The book’s description should be related to the book’s content and keywords to the setting, character, theme and plot of the book. Always use description consistent across all your book formats, for your e-book, print and audio-book.
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A Word of Caution
Amazon states: “Selecting a category for your book is a lot like deciding where your book should be shelved in a library. KDP uses BISAC Subject Codes, an industry standard system, to help determine where your book should show up for browsing and searching customers.”
However, the “browsing path” that Amazon generates from your choice is not always the same as the BISAC category you chose – and even more confusing: the browsing categories for books and e-books are NOT identical! Author Louise Locke describes in her blog how she could find the right category for her book on Amazon, only because as an independent author she was able to – which is rarely the case when going with a trade publisher.

As book discovery moves more and more to digital databases and online searches, your book’s success will also rely on the right keywords, phrases and the best category.

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If you would like to get more support in all things publishing, have your book intensively promoted and learn how to navigate social media sites – or to learn how you can make yourself a name as an author through content writing: We offer all this and more for only $159 for three months! Learn more about this individual book marketing help: http://www.111Publishing.com/Seminars
Or visit http://www.e-book-pr.com/book-promo/
to advertise your new book, specials, your KDP Select Free Days or the new Kindle Countdown Deals.

Please check out all previous posts of this blog (there are more than 970 of them : ) if you haven’t already. Why not sign up to receive them regularly by email? Just click on “Follow” in the upper line on each page – and then on “LIKE” next to it. There is also the “SHARE” button underneath each article where you can submit the article to Pinterest, Google+, Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr and StumpleUpon.
Thanks a lot for following:

@111publishing

http://www.111publishing.com

http://www.e-Book-PR.com/

http://www.international-ebooks.com/

http://bit.ly/VmtVAS 111Publishing @ Google+

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Posted by on January 9, 2014 in Marketing, Publishing

 

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