Scribtotum http://www.mattselznick.com Matthew Wayne Selznick's blog -- whatever comes into his head and makes its way into yours. Sun, 09 Mar 2014 19:06:09 +0000 en-US hourly 1 34.399992-117.339993http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/matthew-wayne-selznickhttp://feedburner.google.comScribtotum is Matthew Wayne Selznick's personal web log. This is an XML content feed. It is intended to be viewed in a newsreader or syndicated to another site. Authors: This Secret To Selling Books On Social Networks Will Completely Change The Way You Sell Books On Social Networks http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/matthew-wayne-selznick/~3/IchCRDc2qH4/ http://www.mattselznick.com/2014/03/05/sell-books-on-social-networks/#comments Wed, 05 Mar 2014 18:46:05 +0000 http://www.mattselznick.com/?p=10715 Author and creator Matthew Wayne Selznick shares the secret authors need to know when they want to sell books on social networks. My goodness, that’s a keyword-laden title, isn’t it? It’s sure to bring indie authors like you clicking over, keen to find a quick way to replace Amazon KDP Select, book-matching advertising networks, acronym-heavy hashtag clubs, or whatever it is that used to work to sell books on social networks last month.

Good thing you got here first!

Well, now that you are here, dear author, it’s time for some tough truth regarding just how to sell books on social networks.

If you’re on social networks to sell books, you are, as the kids say, Doing It Wrong.

I know, I know… you feel a little betrayed right now.

It hurts.

I know it hurts.

After all, the headline led you to believe you were going to learn how to sell books on social networks, and right off the bat, here I am, following up the bait with the switch and telling you that’s just… silly.

But seriously… is this your first day on the Web? You didn’t see that coming? Have you never read Upworthy? Buzzfeed..?

Oh, come on. Be honest. You know you have.

Anyway, wipe your eyes. There really is a secret, of a kind, but frankly, I find it baffling that that it seems to be a secret at all. But it really will change the way you sell book on social networks, assuming you’re one of those writers who tries to sell books on social networks.

At least, I sure hope it will.

The Big Secret

Social networks are not for selling books. Social networks are for being social.

Now, you’re probably a writer, so I’d like to think you’re pretty clever. I’d like to think we can both stop right here, because you get it. You’re shaking your head and laughing to yourself, looking at the screen and muttering, “Hah. Of course. Social networks are for being social!”

On the other hand, I’ve been on social networks for most of a decade. I’ve seen how writers are. Especially indie authors.

So… yeah, stick around for a few more paragraphs, would you?

You Are Very Not Good At Handshake, by Drew at lefthandedtoons.comHave you ever gone to a party or some other social gathering where you’re likely to meet new people, and some bozo hands you a business card right after (or, heaven help you, while) you’re introduced and shake hands?

Have you ever followed someone on Twitter, and the very next communication from that person is an automatically-sent direct message including a link to their book?

Do either of those situations leave you thinking, “Hey, what a neat person I’d like to get to know?”

Do either of those situations leave you thinking, “Hey, thanks! I can’t wait to do business with you!”

Probably not. When’s the last time you bought insurance from some stranger you met at a mixer? When’s the last time you bought a book as a result of first contact with a new social media connection?

Oh… wait… oh, this is a little awkward, isn’t it? Some of you reading this are that person… the one quick with the business card… the one with the automatic direct message set up to fire whenever someone follows you.

Okay, listen. Really listen:

Don’t be that person.

I’ve said it before, but it bears repeating: No one shows up at a party wearing a sandwich board. If you do, you’ll be ignored at best; ridiculed at worst.

Social networks are not for selling.

But I Want To Sell Books On Social Networks

I understand. You’re on the damn social networks all day, after all, chatting it up with fellow writers, opining at the drop of a hat on things you known nothing about, complaining about some has-been, traditionally-published author’s Guardian opinion piece, sharing cat pictures and memes and videos and whatnot… hey, why not also make a buck?

Resist.

Remember: social networks are for being social. So just be… social. Be human.

Watch What Happens When You Stop Trying to Sell Books On Social Networks

When your primary focus is on being social rather than looking for sales all the time, you’ll gradually notice something neat.

Some social network friends pop up more than others… or maybe you simply notice them more because you realize you like them… and they like you!

You share interests, sensibilities, a common background… where have they been all your life?

They may have always been there… but you were too busy showering the web with your hashtag firehose to see them.

Before you know it, those people are your actual friends. People you care about, who care about you. Just like in “real life!”

Some of them, while you weren’t looking, even without you asking, might have actually read your books. Especially if you’ve made friends in social networks that have something to do with the subject matter of your book (that’s a hint, dear reader / writer).

And because they care about you and your success, they want you to succeed. It’s not a matter of selling any more, not with these folks.

They’re the best kind of readers: they’re your tribe. They’re your people. Many of them will become unprompted evangelists for your work.

They’ll retweet you, and you won’t even have to ask!

I know. It’s weird! But it happens!

Change Your Perspective

Don’t expect social networks to make you any money. You can’t monetize a handshake. Please stop trying. You’re getting your snake oil all over your colleagues and peers.

Don’t try to build a platform. Don’t try to build an audience.

Use social networks to build a community. You know: A social. Network.

Your career will benefit from that. And no one will be reluctant to shake your hand for fear of what you’ll slip into their palm.

Whether you’re an author or a reader, or, like (gosh, I hope) most authors, an author who also reads, please leave a comment on what you’ve just read. Authors, it would be neat if you would share stories about your community of readers. Readers, I’d love to hear about a moment of true connection you’ve had with an author, and why (or why not) that inspires you to support their creative endeavors.

Thanks!

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Two Independent Creative Projects That Deserve Your Support http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/matthew-wayne-selznick/~3/vXarr-eZbY8/ http://www.mattselznick.com/2014/02/19/support-these-two-independent-creative-projects/#comments Thu, 20 Feb 2014 01:32:32 +0000 http://www.mattselznick.com/?p=10687 Allow me to share with you some new and upcoming creative projects by two authors I think you should be aware of. The last three Scribtotum posts have been self-promotional. That’s not only okay, it’s pretty much what you should expect from this site, seeing as how this blog is the megaphone of a guy who earns a chunk of his living making things for people to purchase.

But (at least for (most of) this post) enough about me!

Allow me to share with you some new and upcoming creative projects by two authors I think you should be aware of. Granted, both of these authors are pretty darn well known in their own circles, but you might not be aware of them or their work.

So. Consider this my personal endorsement of these guys.

J.C. Hutchins: The 33

I’ve been J.C. Hutchins’ patron, consultant, customer, editor, collaborator, and most importantly, pal since January of 2006. His name is written on one of the fingers of the hand I use to count the people I’ve met through the Internet and consider actual, last-century-definition-friends.

Even if I didn’t know him from Adam, whatever in the hell that means, I would tell you he’s a creative powerhouse whose imagination has amplified and enhanced creative franchises, people, and brands like the X-Men films, David Cronenberg, Almost Human, Jordan Weisman, Stephen King, and many others. Like many in-demand creative professionals, he’s written stuff you’ve dug, and you don’t even know it.

Which is why I get excited when “Hutch” has an opportunity to release his own creative projects. His latest is The 33.

The Best TV Show You’ll Ever Read

promotional image of the 33 by j.c. hutchinsThat’s the best capsule description of The 33 I can offer. Presented as a series of monthly e-books, The 33 is structured like a season of a television show, including stand-alone “episodes” and what promises to be a mind-blowing, powerfully entertaining season-long arc. It’s The A-Team meets The X-Files with a 21st-Century, AMC / FX / HBO sensibility.

Each installment is available as an ebook and an audiobook read by the author. While the first four installments are intended as a four-part “pilot,” this is not a serial in the traditional sense. Each can be enjoyed on their own.

Which is exactly what you should do. The first installment is available now; the second drops very soon. Get in on it.

Get The 33 by J.C. Hutchins

Tim Pratt: Lady of Misrule

I don’t remember the first Tim Pratt story I read, but I do remember with great fondness the first Tim Pratt story I read out loud: the 2007 Hugo Award winning “Impossible Dreams,” for the venerable and excellent podcast magazine Escape Pod.

Since that time, I’ve connected with Tim on the social networks and found that he seems to share my attitude of accessibility and openness when it comes to the relationship between reader and author. Inasmuch as one can discern such things from virtual interaction, Tim seems like a genuinely nice guy.

Of course, Tim Pratt the person could be a black box of inscrutability (yes, that’s redundant, but imagine the unknowable-ness!!!) and Tim Pratt the author would undeniably still be a versatile storyteller with a deft touch for exploring both deep humanity and uncanny wonder.

His prolific career has earned him a boatload of nominations and awards, he’s been enlisted to write in both the Pathfinder and Forgotten Realms storyworlds… but by his own admission, his favorite character is Marla Mason, part-time Goddess of Death.

Tim’s written a bunch of stories and seven novels featuring Marla (under the name T. A. Pratt), and he’s just launched a Kickstarter campaign to fund the eighth, Lady of Misrule. As a fan and a patron, I’d like to see that campaign succeed. You should, too!

Here’s Tim to tell you about it:

Why Support Lady of Misrule With Your Patronage?

Let’s not be coy, gang: Tim Pratt is not going to have any trouble reaching his funding goal for this project funded this project minutes after I posted this. That’s no reason to sit it out.

Like many author crowdfunding campaigns, the Kickstarter campaign for Lady of Misrule includes a bunch of nifty pledge rewards. The best deal, especially if you’re just discovering Tim’s work, is the $40.00 level. Included:

  • Your name in the Acknowledgements section of the book
  • An e-book bundle of Lady of Misrule in various formats
  • A complete e-book collection of Tim’s stories to date
  • The seven previous Marla Mason novels in e-book format

Eight novels and over 130 short stories for forty bucks? Seriously? That’s a desert-island collection of fiction for nano-pennies per word. And I’m telling you: these stories are worth many, many times that price.

So get to it. Pledge your support of Tim Pratt’s Kickstarter campaign to write the eighth Marla Mason novel, Lady of Misrule.

Okay, Just A Little Bit About Me

Hopefully, you’ve already clicked away and you’re busy cracking your wallet for the works of J.C. Hutchins and Tim Pratt. But since you might still be reading, I want to make sure you know how you can get a free sampler of my own fiction and non-fiction.

Simply subscribe to my free e-mail newsletter and I’ll get you a link to an e-book collection that includes generous samples of everything I’ve written through 2013:

But Matt, I’ve Been A Subscriber For Years!

YOU ROCK! Unless you’ve signed on in the last month or so, you should still subscribe to this list — it’s going to replace my old one before too long, and it’s the only way to get the sampler.

But Matt, I Already Own All Your Fiction And Non-Fiction

YOU REALLY ROCK! I hope you’ll still consider subscribing for free, since I’m going to be writing exclusive content for members of the list that won’t appear on my blog or anywhere else on the web.

Plus, every time I release new fiction, non fiction, or other creative products, my mailing list subscribers are always given first crack at pre-orders at a deeper discount than I offer anywhere else.

Ya gotta do it!

Thanks!

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Name Your Price For Eight Books In The Sci-Fi Saturday Night Bundle http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/matthew-wayne-selznick/~3/QcQCirizIEI/ http://www.mattselznick.com/2014/02/05/sci-fi-saturday-night-bundle/#comments Wed, 05 Feb 2014 19:55:51 +0000 http://www.mattselznick.com/?p=10670 I'm pleased to announce my two-book omnibus <em>The Charters Duology</em> is part of the Sci-Fi Saturday Night Bundle from StoryBundle.com. This is a great opportunity for you to get seven e-books (eight novels / short story collections in all!) at a greatly reduced price... that <em>you</em> set! Cover Collage of Sci-fi Saturday Night Bundle Featuring The Charters Duology by Matthew Wayne Selznick I’m pleased to announce my two-book omnibus The Charters Duology (Brave Men Run / Pilgrimage) is part of the Sci-Fi Saturday Night Bundle from StoryBundle.com. This is a great opportunity for you to get seven e-books (eight novels / short story collections in all!) at a greatly reduced price… that you set!

Here’s How The Sci-Fi Saturday Night Bundle Works

The hosts of Sci-Fi Saturday Night, a popular podcast, selected the titles as personal favorites out of the many works featured across eight years of the show.

When you pay a minimum of $3.00, you’ll get four e-books, including the Pushcart Award-winning Bad Apple by Kristi Petersen Schoonover, and others!

Pay at least $10.00, and you’ll get seven e-books, including my own The Sovereign Era (two full-length novels in one omnibus) and the Goodreads Choice nominee Michael J. Sullivan’s Hollow World, as well as a career-spanning short story collection from horror author and director Chris Robertson.

You decide what you’ll pay… $3.00… $5.00… $10.00… $25.00, or more… and you decide what percentage of your payment goes to the authors, and what percentage goes to Storybundle.com.

Even better: you can opt to contribute 10% of your payment to one of two excellent literacy advocacy organizations, Girls Write Now or MightyWriters.

Every e-book in the Sci-Fi Saturday Night Bundle is entirely DRM-free and available in formats for the most common reading devices and apps.

The Sci-Fi Saturday Night Bundle Is Available For A Limited Time!

The Sci-Fi Saturday Night Bundle is only available until February 18, 2014. You must choose your own price and claim your bundle before February 18, 2014!

Naturally, I hope you’ll choose a price somewhere generously north of $10.00… but more importantly, whatever price you decide this bundle is worth, I hope you’ll also decide to donate 10% of that to either Girls Write Now or MightyWriters.

Thanks!

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Announcing The First New Matthew Wayne Selznick Title of 2014 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/matthew-wayne-selznick/~3/Fb1P88YQiTs/ http://www.mattselznick.com/2014/01/05/announcing-reading-amazing-spider-man/#comments Sun, 05 Jan 2014 18:00:51 +0000 http://www.mattselznick.com/?p=10617 Matthew Wayne Selznick announces his first new creative work of 2014: Reading The Amazing Spider-Man Volume One. Learn how you can get three dollars off when you pre-order before Sunday, February 9, 2014! Reading The Amazing Spider-Man Volume OneLet’s get this year started! I’m excited to announce my first new title of 2014: Reading The Amazing Spider-Man Volume One—A Critical Review With Storytelling Lessons From A Writer’s Perspective. (I’ll grant you, the sub-title will probably change.)

About Reading The Amazing Spider-Man Volume One

In the half century since the first issue of The Amazing Spider-Man, the titular character has become one of the central figures in the pantheon of Western culture’s shared modern mythology. Spider-Man, along with his supporting cast and living, open-ended storyworld, represents one of the most enduring—and valuable—creative franchises in history.

Remarkably, nearly every persistent, definitive element of the Spider-Man mythos was established within the first twelve issues of The Amazing Spider-Man.

There’s a lot to be learned from those four-color panels and word balloons!

In Reading The Amazing Spider-Man Volume One, I examine the roots of the franchise through a critical (but very light-hearted) review of each story in the first twelve issues. Along the way, I use elements from each tale to illustrate useful lessons for anyone interested in developing a strong storyworld and creative franchise.

Above all else, there’s a heck of a lot of fun to be had assessing Spider-Man’s early adventures (and Stan Lee’s storytelling style).

Pre-Order Now And Save Three Bucks!

Reading The Amazing Spider-Man Volume One will be released in e-book formats in February of 2014, with a retail price of $7.99.

If you pre-order before Sunday, February 9, your price is just $4.99. There’s no risk, either, since I won’t actually take your money until the book is released!

Use the following links to place your order:

A Sample of Reading The Amazing Spider-Man Volume One

To give you a little taste of the tone and flavor of the book, here are some excerpts:

Doctor Doom, in another disposable hide-out, creates “an instrument which will react to a spider’s impulses” in order to track down Spider-Man. Seems like he’s going to get a lot of false positives unless he creates an instrument to react to Spider-Man’s impulses. not every freakin’ spider in the city, but, hey, whatever.

In the Florida Everglades, four men encounter a giant talking lizard that “walks like a man!” It also wears a spotless white lab coat, stylish black tee shirt and purple slacks… but I guess those are the kinds of things you’d notice only after you got over that whole business of it walking and talking like a man. This creature refers to itself repeatedly in the third person, so we know that it calls itself (conveniently) the Lizard, and that “this swamp is mine!”

For “months,” the Vulture is a model prisoner. He’s so well behaved, the warden lets him use the prison machine shop. Now, I’m no correctional facility management expert, but I’m betting that giving a formerly flying jewel thief who is obviously pretty damn good with machines the run of the prison machine shop isn’t going to get the warden any points with the governor, because what do you think happens next?

There’s something else about the Spider-Man / Doctor Octopus relationship: they are very similar. Both are brilliant. Both become arrogant and self-important when they first receive their powers in a traumatic, life-altering event… but Peter Parker eventually grows beyond that childish attitude. Spider-Man is just a few degrees away from being Doctor Octopus… Otto Octavious is a mirror, a real antagonist and opposite number. He won’t be the only (or, arguably, worst) brilliant villain Spider-Man is plagued by, but he might just be the best example Peter Parker has of “there, but for the grace of god, go I.” The Powers That Be at Marvel would invert this in a very risky way, fifty years later…

Sound like fun to you? Get your discounted pre-order done right now:

Reading The Amazing Spider-Man Volume One has been a real labor of love of mine for some time. I can’t wait until it’s out in the world. I hope you love it!

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I’m Doing It Wrong http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/matthew-wayne-selznick/~3/fFMAAwxODAA/ http://www.mattselznick.com/2013/12/29/doing-it-wrong-year-in-review-2013/#comments Mon, 30 Dec 2013 01:28:57 +0000 http://www.mattselznick.com/?p=10534 I explore why, when it comes to being an author, creator, and creative services provider, 2013 showed me I'm doing it wrong. A Year In Review of Sorts

sad baby new yearSo! 2013! Don’t let the calendar hit you in the ass on the way out.

Part of me feels like just leaving it at that.

For one thing, as someone who sometimes charges people for the advice I give, to admit I’m “doing it wrong” is a little scary.

For another, a year-in-review post, like those holiday letters some people send out, can seem excruciatingly narcissistic, self-indulgent, and, when you’ve had the year I’ve had, irritatingly whiny.

But I’ve been thinking about 2013… and how 2014 needs to be—no, must be—different… for several weeks now, and I should probably voice those thoughts here because

  1. this blog exists because some people care about the processes that go into my creative endeavors
  2. you might benefit from my experiences
  3. my creative endeavors figure hugely in the year in review and the year to come.

So, with your indulgence, here goes:

My Creative Endeavors In 2013

My personal creative endeavors in 2013 included a novel revision, a new novel, a short story, a serial fiction project, a duology omnibus edition, a “sidelines” item, and, as an experiment, two niche affiliate marketing websites.

The affiliate marketing websites were a bust. The sidelines item (a whim that didn’t take more than a few hours to conceive and execute) was a bust. I won’t be investing any energy or resources in these kinds of things next year.

Books and Short Stories

In 2013, I took one title off the market and released five. At the end of this year, my catalog includes fifteen titles either written by me, or published by me and set in one of my storyworlds:

The free serial includes affiliate advertising and calls for tips / donations, and has thus far not earned either of those, but that’s all right, really, because monetization of the individual installments is, at best, a tertiary goal of that particular project.

The other titles, though, are commercial offerings that contribute to my bank account and help pay my way in the world.

How’d that go in 2013?

I moved about 475 units and grossed about $1550.00. Net is much less, since I ultimately only keep a portion of the titles from authors other than myself.

My top seller in 2013 was my first novel, Brave Men Run. That book brought in 25% of sales. My non-fiction work, Worldbuilding for Writers, Gamers and Other Creators Volume One, came in at 22%. The various short stories (most written by others and set in my Sovereign Era storyworld) accounted for a quarter of sales in mostly single-percentage dribs and drabs. My latest book, Pilgrimage, took up 10% of the sales pie, although it was only on the market for the second half of the year.

To provide some perspective, $1550.00 gross is about $1,100 less than my bare-minimum monthly expenses. It’s also, literally, an order of magnitude less than what I grossed as a freelance creative consultant in 2013. One can do the math if one is so inclined, but the bottom line is a red one.

I’m doing it wrong.

My Freelance Creative Services In 2013

As a freelance creative services provider in 2013, I was busy when I was busy, but I wasn’t busy often enough.

Most of my work came from two clients: an independent affiliate marketer for whom I built about two dozen WordPress websites, and a small one-man agency in New York for whom I did some WordPress customization, development, and upkeep. I started work on a major municipal website, too, but that’s still in-progress and may not be completely off my plate until some time in the first quarter of 2014.

I also did several e-book conversions, some line and developmental editing, social media and brand-building consultation, and various “odd jobs” mostly in the WordPress security, maintenance, and customization arena.

Naturally, a freelancer’s life is project-based. You work every day for long hours on a project, then you might not work for days or weeks before the next hard slog.

But if you were to spread my freelance income out over fifty two weeks and treat it like a 40-hour-a-week full time job, I earned, per hour, just $0.28 above the Federal minimum wage (which is $0.42 less than my state’s minimum wage).

I’m very grateful for my clients and look forward to helping most of them again in 2014, but… clearly, I’m doing it wrong.

It’s Deja Vu All Over Again

I often refer to myself as someone who makes things and helps other people make things.

In 2013, I spent much more time helping other people make things than I did making my own stuff. The result, as you have just read, was… unsatisfactory. Less than 10% of my income came from my creations… and my entire income amounted to about 40% less than required for sustainability.

I’ve spent a lot of time this month thinking about how I need to flip that around: most of my income should come from my creations, and, of course, at the end of the year there should be a surplus, not a dangerous, frightening deficit.

Just now, I dug around in my blog archives and was disappointed to discover that I wrote pretty much the same thing in November of 2012. This, in particular, sounds very familiar:

Ultimately, content I make represents personal control over opportunities for self-sufficiency, control that is woefully lacking in my life as a freelance creative services provider… heck, it would be lacking and unreliable if I were employed at a regular job, too.

I had big creative plans for 2013! Nine creative projects. As we close out the year, I can check three off that list.

I shouldn’t be too hard on myself. Nine projects in a year is, for me, probably a case of my eyes being bigger than my stomach, if you will.

But the basic fact of that post remains: while creative services gigs represent money-in-pocket at the time, I can’t really guarantee the flow of gigs.

The only thing I can have some measure of control over is the flow of my own creativity. And I know that when I release a new creative product, it increases my revenue at the time as well as adding to the ongoing stream of income… for all time.

Is This Where The Resolutions Come In?

Have you ever looked at that word? Resolve? Re-solve. “Find the answer or fix the problem… again.”

It makes me giggle-cry.

And yet… the thing I wanted to do this year… is still the thing I need to do next year.

So… I’ve re-solved the problem (or, to be more precise, I’ve become re-acquainted with the problem) and I resolve to execute on the answer to that problem: finish and ship more creative products.

How I’ll Try To Do It Right In 2014

happy baby new yearI look back on 2013 and I see, as if I’d put on high-definition sunglasses of hindsight, several things that hurt me.

  • I spent a lot of time researching and executing on revenue streams that are too far removed from my core competencies as a creative producer and storyteller. I was, admittedly, distracted by the example of a client who experienced some real success in the lead generation and affiliate marketing verticals. In 2014, I’m abandoning all personal projects that don’t have anything directly to do with making things with words, music, pictures and people. I’ll also be ruthlessly blocking myself from starting projects that won’t add to either my community or my bottom line.
  • As I mentioned above, I spent much more time and energy building things for other people (and getting paid for it) than building things for myself. This was a real bird-in-the-hand kind of thing, since nearly all of 2013 was spent wondering (no joke) how I was going to meet all my financial commitments each month. In 2014, I’ll still be working with existing clients, but when it comes to new clients I’m going to narrow my focus to the things I do best: help creative people, especially authors, bring their creative endeavors to fruition, to market, and to an audience. While all those movie marketing campaigns I worked on look impressive on a resume, I think it’s possible my “brand” is diluted. I’ll be honing my resume and overall presentation to spotlight the fact that I’m a writer and creator with management, production, and web development chops, not a producer / developer who also writes.
  • I spent time and capital on research materials, products, and services that, ultimately, did not return sufficient value for the investment. 2014 will be the Year of Making Do With What I Have, and of Trimming Away. I’m letting about a dozen domain names lapse, for example, as well as not re-subscribing to things like Spotify, Pandora, and other luxuries. Additionally, as much as I believe in and want to support my fellow creators, I will not be pledging to any Kickstarter-style campaigns in 2014. Rather, I’ll be dedicating no more than ten dollars per month as a patron of several creators, via Patreon.
  • I allowed social media to serve as a productivity panacea many times in 2013. My everyday presence on social media—Facebook in particular—will be very limited in 2014. Instead, I’ll enhance and improve my use of my personal mailing list and speak directly to the most dedicated members of my community. I predict far fewer Internet rabbit holes and a reduction in frustrating, painfully disappointing exchanges with people on subjects like religion, politics, the environment, and gender relations. I bet I’m happier and more productive!

What About Just Getting A Job?

It’s easy to imagine some of you wondering why I don’t just give up the freelance thing and go get a “regular” job.

I’ve lost count of the number of resumes I’ve sent to creative agencies, marketing firms, and social media management companies since I was laid off from my interactive marketing gig in October of 2011. I continue to send resumes in response to opportunities that seem like a good fit.

That said… friends, I have a job. I’m an author, creator, and creative services provider.

It’s a job that doesn’t pay very well… but it is a job, make no mistake, and please don’t presume otherwise. I’m not standing in front of my computer twelve to sixteen hours a day, six to seven days a week, for the fun of it.

So if you know of an opportunity—permanent or contract, remote or on-site in Southern California—by all means, pass along my resume and don’t be shy about making an introduction. I’m open to just about anything that makes sense.

Meanwhile… 2014 beckons.

How About You?

What did you do wrong in 2013? How will you fix it in 2014? What are your creative goals in the coming year? Any thoughts / opinions about my 2013 experience?

I’d love to hear from you… in the comments!

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Is Patreon The Neo-Patronage Holy Grail? http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/matthew-wayne-selznick/~3/rr53c90CfyE/ http://www.mattselznick.com/2013/12/23/patreon-neopatronage-platform/#comments Mon, 23 Dec 2013 18:57:48 +0000 http://www.mattselznick.com/?p=10443 Presenting the neo-patronage platform Patreon. Could it work for self-published authors as well as it does for musicians and video bloggers? PatreonI learned about Patreon in November. It’s a sort of crowdfunding platform, but campaigns don’t focus on individual projects… Patreon campaigns focus on creators, and are ongoing.

Here’s how Patreon works in under two minutes:

As someone who believes in the potential promise of neo-patronage but has yet to see a really viable platform emerge, I’m fascinated by Patreon.

Wait. What Is Neo-Patronage?

To understand neo-patronage, allow me to briefly explain the concept of patronage. Let’s cover the old to, if you will, understand the neo.

For the purpose of this post, patronage is the act of one individual or organization providing financial support for the creative efforts of another.

Most folks look to the patronage systems of the medieval or Renaissance eras as the most familiar example of this model. William Shakespeare, Leonardo da Vinci, Mozart, and many other authors, musicians and artists whose work you’ve seen in museums, studied in school, or watched adaptations of on public television or the BBC benefited from the patronage of royalty, the clergy, or merchant princes.

Classical patronage was defined by one person or group with very deep pockets supporting creators with empty or very-much-less-full pockets. Sometimes, the patronage came with conditions that restricted the kinds of art the creator could make.

Neo-patronage also involves providing creators with financial support that enables them to focus their energies on their creative endeavors.

Unlike the classical patronage model of one patron giving a large amount of money to a creator, under neo-patronage the creator receives many gifts in small amounts from many patrons. I see lots of advantages over the classical model:

  • Support of the arts is not limited to those with lots of money. Anyone who can spare a few dollars a month can be a patron.
  • The relationship between the patron and the creator is one of peers in a community, rather than the grossly unbalanced classical model. This is a big one for me.
  • Creators can afford to be patrons themselves, thereby “paying it forward” and expanding the neo-patronage economy.

Looking At Patreon

Patreon is the brainchild of Jack Conte (of the YouTube-famous duo Pomplamoose) and serial entrepreneur Sam Yam (AdWhirl, ChompOn). Conte conceived Patreon after realizing that, even for the most popular YouTube creators, ad revenue from that site did not provide a sustainable income. You can check out Conte talking about the creation of Patreon if you like. It’s an engaging half hour:

Patreon recently received over two million in funding. Over 2,000 people have created profiles and seek patronage on the site. I’ve searched through many of them (hint: leave the search box blank and just click “discover” to get an infinite list of creators apparently arranged by number of patrons), and it looks like Patreon has (so far) attracted mostly musicians and video bloggers. However, there are a fair number of game designers, visual artists, craftspeople, podcasters… and yes, writers.

Can Self-Published Authors Benefit From Patreon?

That’s the big question. I’ve been writing about how it’s more important to build a reader community than it is to focus on marketing specific works, and something like Patreon could certainly be part of that approach.

During my successful Kickstarter campaign for my last novel, I realized that no matter how wonderful it was to have so many patrons for that particular project, when it was all over I was pretty much back where I started when it came to making a viable living as a creator (more on that in my next blog post). The Patreon emphasis on patronage of the creator’s process over investment in a single work appeals to me a great deal.

I’d love it if you would check out Patreon and report back here in the comments with your opinions. Is Patreon the holy grail of neo-patronage? Given the appropriate effort on the part of the creator, can Patreon work as well for writers as it seems to work for some musicians and vloggers? Would you support an author through Patreon (here are the creators I patronize)?

Let me know you thoughts about Patreon in the comments!

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NaNoWriMo 2013 Winner? Special Editing Offer For You! http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/matthew-wayne-selznick/~3/NG-PfeumkfA/ http://www.mattselznick.com/2013/12/01/editing-discounts-for-2013-nanowrimo-winners/#comments Mon, 02 Dec 2013 02:21:08 +0000 http://www.mattselznick.com/?p=10497 Are you one of the 309,315 brave souls who participated in National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) this year? And are you one of the rare few who won National Novel Writing Month in 2013 by completing your 50,000 word novel? Congratulations! I&#8217;d like to help you with the next step...
National Novel Writing NaNoWriMo Month crest

You’ve won the 2013 National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo)! Now what?

Are you one of the 309,315 brave souls who participated in National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) this year?

And are you one of the rare few who won National Novel Writing Month in 2013 by completing your 50,000 word novel?

Congratulations!

I’d like to help you with the next step for your manuscript.

Special Offers For NaNoWriMo Winners

As you probably know, writing a novel is only the first step to getting something published or publishing something yourself.

The next step? Editing and re-writing! And while it’s certainly a good idea to handle an editing pass yourself, it’s also essential to have a qualified third party give it a look.

That’s me! I’m an award nominated author, Amazon.com Bestseller, and story specialist with over one hundred five-star ratings on Amazon.com and Goodreads. I know story.

In the month of December, 2013, I’m running the following specials exclusively for winners of the 2013 NaNoWriMo:

Story Assessment

I’ll write up a detailed critical assessment of your story, with specific suggestions to improve structure, clarity, concision, theme, and character and narrative arc to help you make your work the best it can be. $.004 / word; $200.00 minimum. Includes two rounds of Q&A via e-mail to ensure you understand the assessment.

Developmental Edit

It’s the Story Assessment on steroids. Everything in the Story Assessment, plus in-line, in-context comments, edits and suggestions right in your manuscript. Includes two rounds of Q&A via email, phone, or Skype / Google Hangout to cover any questions you might have. Up to $500.00 for novels to 60,000 words—that’s about 60% off my normal rate… and the actual amount may be less depending on the work involved! Ask about rates for other lengths.

Not sure? I’ll do the first 1,000 words of your novel as a free sample!

Let’s Take Your NaNoWriMo Book To The Next Stage

Ready to get a second opinion, valuable critique, or full-scale edit of your NaNoWriMo-winning novel? Contact me today and we can get started.

Not quite ready to commit? That’s okay! Get in touch anyway. For a $50.00 deposit in the month of December, 2013, we can lock in these discounted rates for your NaNoWriMo novel assessment or developmental edit just as long as you commit to my starting the work before May, 2014.

I’m ready to help you bring your NaNoWriMo draft a huge step closer to publication. Reach out! Thanks!

PS: If you didn’t win NaNoWriMo in 2013, or even participate, but you have a manuscript that needs a caring, critical eye… I can help you, too!

Congratulations, winners!

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Welcome, Members of the Alliance of Independent Authors http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/matthew-wayne-selznick/~3/jSxe_FDg2xU/ http://www.mattselznick.com/2013/11/25/welcome-members-alliance-of-independent-authors/#comments Mon, 25 Nov 2013 13:59:33 +0000 http://www.mattselznick.com/?p=10470 If you&#8217;ve come to my home on the web after reading my opinion piece over at the Alliance of Independent Authors&#8217; Self-Publishing Advice blog or the follow-up post&#8230; welcome! Heck, even if you didn&#8217;t, I&#8217;m glad you&#8217;re here. Who Is Matthew Wayne Selznick I&#8217;m an author, creator, and creative services... Author and Creator Matthew Wayne Selznick Has a Multiverse of Stories To TellIf you’ve come to my home on the web after reading my opinion piece over at the Alliance of Independent Authors’ Self-Publishing Advice blog or the follow-up post… welcome! Heck, even if you didn’t, I’m glad you’re here.

Who Is Matthew Wayne Selznick

I’m an author, creator, and creative services provider. I’m based in Long Beach, California and work all over the web. If you’re of a mind, you can catch up on my life to this point. Or, we can talk about the now!

Author

My latest novel is the second to be set in my Sovereign Era storyworld, Pilgrimage—A Novel of the Sovereign Era. The Sovereign Era is an alternate history storyworld in which the appearance in the middle of the Cold War of individuals with remarkable abilities forever changes the course of human destiny. The first book in the cycle, Brave Men Run, was an Amazon.com bestseller and a Parsec Award nominee.

In addition to working on a new novel and two shorter non-fiction works, I’m currently producing a weekly, free, subscription-based fantasy fiction serial, Walk Like A Stranger: Passing Through Home, which represents the debut of my wholly original fantasy setting, the Shaper’s World.

You can find most of my work here on the shop page or, to see work I’ve contributed to or edited, check out Amazon.

Creator

While most of my creative input is as a writer of prose fiction and non-fiction these days, it isn’t always so. I’m also a musician, web developer (WordPress is my specialty, but I can hand-code you a nice flat html site if you prefer..!) and storyteller in a variety of media.

What’s important to me—what keeps me happy and healthy—is making things.

Sometimes that’s fiction. Sometimes it’s a song. Sometimes it’s an entire storyworld. Sometimes, it’s helping you make things. Which leads us to…

Creative Services Provider

If you’re a member of the Alliance of Independent Authors, chances are you, like me, don’t make the majority of your yearly income from your writing. It’s an unfortunate truth for most of us!

Fortunately, I’m able to close the gap and scratch my creator’s itch by providing a variety of creative services to a wide range of clients large and small.

With a focus on storytelling and the experience of the consumer, I can help at any stage of a creative endeavor.

I’ve worked with independent and New York Times Bestselling authors, actors, musicians, small businesses, non-profits, municipalities and major movie studios doing… well, lots of stuff: story development, developmental editing, social media strategy, interactive marketing, production, writing, voice over, audio and video editing, ideation, user testing, community management, and website design and development… off the top of my head.

Visit my For Hire page for a selection of past and present clients… and contact me if I can help you, too!

Where To Find Me and How To Keep Up To Date

If you’re interested in keeping up with my creative endeavors, well, thanks very much! It’s my privilege to make things you might like.

My E-Mail Newsletter

The best way to never miss any news on product releases, service discounts, special deals, and appearances is to sign up for my free e-mail newsletter. While I hope it goes without saying, rest assured that I will never share your contact information with anyone outside of the MWS Media family of websites, and of course you can unsubscribe at any time. I love giving my mailing list subscribers first dibs on new books and short stories… always at a discount! Plus, I’ve got stuff planned for the coming year I’m very excited about… and the mailing list is where people will hear about it all first! So subscribe, already!

This Site

Here at mattselznick.com, you’ll find my blog, Scribtotum, and my occasional podcast, Sonitotum. You can subscribe to either one: use this link to subscribe to Scribtotum in the newsreader of your choice, or add this link to your podcast client for Sonitotum.

Social Networks

I love the social networks, especially Facebook and Twitter, and I love seeing folks there. Before you connect with me, please take a moment to check out my Social Media Policy! All the appropriate links are on that page, too.

Everything Else

Need to get in touch with me directly? Please take a look at the Contact page for the most appropriate way to reach out. Thanks!

Are you a first-time visitor to my site, and / or did you come here from the Alliance of Independent Authors? Sound off in the comments!

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Get My Latest Book For 50% Off At Kobo http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/matthew-wayne-selznick/~3/uyGIzqDUGzY/ http://www.mattselznick.com/2013/11/22/get-latest-book-50-percent-off-at-kobo/#comments Fri, 22 Nov 2013 21:18:43 +0000 http://www.mattselznick.com/?p=10460 Dig it, gang! Click here to get my latest book, Pilgrimage &#8212; A Novel of the Sovereign Era, for 50% off at Kobo! Just use the coupon code unlimited50 at checkout. And before you check out&#8230; be sure you browse through the entire list of books available for 50% off... Pilgrimage Cover 200x300Dig it, gang! Click here to get my latest book, Pilgrimage — A Novel of the Sovereign Era, for 50% off at Kobo! Just use the coupon code unlimited50 at checkout.

And before you check out… be sure you browse through the entire list of books available for 50% off at Kobo. Be sure to use that coupon code — unlimited50 — and be sure to use the links on this page.

I’m excited a book I’m so proud of is for sale along with authors like Terry Goodkind, Rick Riordan, Meg Cabot, Mary Roach, Brian Herbert, Kristine Kathryn Rusch, and many, many more.

What Is Kobo?

Kobo is a Canada-based e-book and e-reader company dedicated to the open EPUB standard. Books purchased from Kobo can be read on any device with their Kobo app, or on a dedicated Kobo device. They’re also very friendly with indie authors like me, going so far as to actually have a Director Self-Publishing & Author Relations.

I’ve been working with Kobo for many years. They’re not as well known as Amazon, but they’re well worth your attention. And, hey, 50% off!

Click to check out the ebooks for 50% off at Kobo (including my own Pilgrimage — A Novel of the Sovereign Era) when you use the coupon code unlimited50! Thanks!

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Holiday Autographed Paperback Sale! http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/matthew-wayne-selznick/~3/U2TWfHgpRt4/ http://www.mattselznick.com/2013/11/06/2013-holiday-autographed-paperback-sale/#comments Thu, 07 Nov 2013 07:59:16 +0000 http://www.mattselznick.com/?p=10409 UPDATE: THE SALE IS OVER! THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO ORDERED PAPERBACKS! If you&#8217;re one of the many people who have honored me with your appreciation of my Charters Duology (Brave Men Run / Pilgrimage), I&#8217;m excited to offer you a special chance to order discounted signed copies to give as... Image Denoting A Special Holiday Autographed Paperback Sale on Signed Paperbacks Of Brave Men Run and PilgrimageUPDATE: THE SALE IS OVER! THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO ORDERED PAPERBACKS!

If you’re one of the many people who have honored me with your appreciation of my Charters Duology (Brave Men Run / Pilgrimage), I’m excited to offer you a special chance to order discounted signed copies to give as gifts (or keep for yourself!)

This holiday autographed paperback sale is only valid until November 13, 2013, so don’t wait!

Get a signed, personalized paperback copy of Brave Men Run — A Novel of the Sovereign Era sent anywhere in the United States. I’ll even gift wrap it if you want! Normally $30.00, if you order before November 13, 2013, your price is just $20.00. That includes shipping, the autograph, and, if you want it, gift wrapping!

How about the follow-up novel, Pilgrimage, likewise signed and personalized, in paperback, shipped anywhere in the United States? Normally $35.00, your price is $25.00 if you order before November 13, 2013. And yep, I’ll gift wrap that if you want, too!

If I may be so bold, the ultimate holiday gift for the discerning alternate history / super-hero / retro fiction fan is, of course, the complete Charters Duology, both Brave Men Run and Pilgrimage, autographed and personalized. Normally, to have both autographed paperbacks shipped directly to you would cost $65.00. If you order before November 13, 2013, I’ll send both books, signed, personalized and even gift wrapped if you desire, for just $35.00.

I’m aiming this holiday promotion at folks who have already read Brave Men Run and Pilgrimage: it’s my hope the existing fans will take advantage of these great prices to introduce the Sovereign Era to their book-loving friends and family.

If you don’t know about these books but the price, the included shipping, and the autograph offer have you interested, here are brief descriptions of both books:

All About Brave Men Run — A Novel of the Sovereign Era

April 18, 1985 – A startling revelation shocks a world already wound tight by the desperate tensions of the Cold War: super-humans exist… and they demand autonomy.

Until that day, high school sophomore Nate Charters thought he was just an outsider and self-proclaimed freak. His unusual appearance, hair-trigger reflexes, and overactive metabolism could have made him something special, but his differences and low self-esteem marked him as a target for the jocks and popular kids long ago .

Now, just as his unique nature catches the eye of a self-assured older girl and the sinister attention of the enigmatic Dr. Brenhurst, Nate must solve the mystery of his origins and find his place in the world. Is he part of a remarkable, powerful new minority… or just a misfit among misfits?

He’d better find his answers quickly. A shadowy organization knows more about him than he could ever imagine. And they’re closing in…

All About Pilgrimage — A Novel of the Sovereign Era

A year later, as the first anniversary of the Donner Declaration heightens the tensions between humanity and the Sovereigns, the fathers and sons from Brave Men Run must re-define who they are and who they will be as, all around, the machinations of allies and enemies reach the boiling point.

Nate Charters struggles with a troubling revelation about his girlfriend and his increasingly tenuous control over his temper and his powers… while his father Andrew hopes to suppress his own bestial nature so he can help his distant son.

Sovereign Byron Teslowski, sequestered with his people, trains to join the Sovereign defense force, but the influence of a fiery new friend forces him to question William Donner’s motives… and Marc Teslowski, desperate to bring his family back together and restore his pride, falls in with the charismatic leader of an anti-Sovereign militant group.

As Sovereigns from all over the world converge on the Donner Institute for Sovereign Studies for sanctuary and safety, Nate, Andrew, Byron, and Marc find their paths lead there as well. Will the forces aligned against the Sovereigns tear fathers and sons violently apart on Declaration Day?

Or get ‘em both!

You must order before Wednesday, November 13, 2013 to get these special prices! Don’t wait — and thanks! I’m looking forward to signing those books and wrapping your presents!

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