Texana Publishing
Publishing Tips
Newsletter
In This Issue
Any author or publisher who is serious about selling books through the world’s largest bookstore should own one or both of these books:
Sell Your Book on Amazon, by Brent Sampson, discusses discounting options and goes into detail about how to use the many promotional tools Amazon makes available to authors, including the author profile page, book detail page, Listmania and So You’d Like To Guides, blogs and plogs, reviews, the Search Inside program, and Buy X, Get Y. With so many tools to choose from, the author’s ranking of each technique, based on the potential return and effort required, is very helpful.
Aiming at
Amazon,
by Aaron
Shepard, goes a step further, delving
into the reasons traditional bookstores are a tough place to sell
self-published books, how to maximize profits by using POD printing
through Lightning Source, how to publish a book yourself, and how to optimize
your presence on other online booksellers such as BarnesandNoble.com. Shepard
is considered by many to be the leading expert on selling on Amazon and working
with Lightning Source.
Industry Intel
Amazon announced on January 31 that it has reached an agreement to acquire Audible, the leading online provider of premium digital spoken word content, including audio books.
About Texana Publishing
Texana Publishing helps authors evaluate their publishing options and market their books for maximum profit. Contact us today to arrange a free consultation.
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Creative News Hooks
As you celebrate Valentine’s Day this week, think about ways to tie your book to special days throughout the year. Authors can create a “news hook” for their articles, press releases, and talk show pitches by incorporating:
- Mainstream holidays such as Mother’s Day and Independence Day
- Special days, weeks, and months such as Human Rights Day, Freedom From Fear of Speaking Week, and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Month
- Anniversaries of events such as the first artificial heart transplant or the television premiere of M*A*S*H
- Birthdays of famous people such as Babe Ruth or Bill Gates
- Current events such as the Olympics or the presidential election
For inspiration, visit Daily Holidays on the Net or use these resources:
- John Kremer’s Special Events Data File costs $30 and lists 18,550 special days, weeks, months, anniversaries, and birthdays. Kremer’s book, Celebrate Today! features 3,400 special dates, including many oddball entries such as Be Nice to New Jersey Week. It also includes information on how to create and promote your own holiday.
- On This
Date, by Sandy Whiteley, lists 2,000 items including celebrity birthdays, important
dates from history, religious and national holidays, and special days, weeks,
and months. It includes contact information for event sponsors and an index by
name and subject.
- Chase's Calendar of Events 2008 is a 750-page reference with 12,500 entries, including many of historical and international interest. It’s pricy at $64.95, but you might find a copy at your library.
In writing your manuscript, how much material can you copy or quote from someone else's work? The Fair Use Network, a project of the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law, offers guidelines for fair use, copyright, and trademark issues, advice on dealing with legal notices from copyright holders, and resources for authors.
A blog is a terrific way to promote your expertise in your book's topic and drive traffic to your website. If you’re planning to start a new blog or looking for ways to enhance your blog, check out these resources:
- Blog Nanny is a great resource for newbie bloggers, with articles on starting a blog, writing content, increasing traffic, and more.
- Pro Blogger focuses on making money from blogging, and offer tips for beginners and advanced bloggers.
- Blogwild!: A Guide for Small Business Blogging, by Andy Wibbels, is a highly rated book covering keys to successful business blogging, blog software, and trends in multimedia blogging with audio and video.
- Word Press is the platform of choice for many bloggers. Check out the Getting Started with WordPress page for helpful hints, or read WordPress For Dummies by Lisa Sabin-Wilson.
- Another popular blogging platform, Typepad, offers a free 14-day trial for their service.
- Google’s Blogger is a free blog platform that’s easy to use.
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enjoyed this newsletter, please use the "Forward to a Friend" link at the bottom of this page to share
it with another author or publisher. Thank you!
Dana Lynn Smith