#35. It's Time to Update Our eBook Pricing

Ebook Pricing in 2017.
This is a great article from Laurence O'Bryan.
Almost immediately, I did a survey of my book inventory, and thought it was about time for some price restructuring. I'm beginning with a holiday special for Christmas. This is what I came up with. This promotion will go live on Christmas Eve. I'm curious to see what my numbers will look like on all these titles.

http://services4authors.com/2016/12/18/what-is-the-best-price-for-an-ebook/?inf_contact_key=a44595d70c97bdf861bf7468559f45cd40ae7e06dcc0362b47627569e656acc0

#34 Authors' Reality Check

I can't take credit for attending the Digital World Conference, but writer Jane Friedman did and shares her notes about "4 Lessons for Author on the Current State of Publishing."
It's a lengthy article, but it's worth reading and taking notes. Here's are recap of the four:

1. An author’s online presence is more critical than ever to long-term marketing strategy.

2. Be reluctant to trust mainstream media headlines when it comes to publishing sales and trends.

3. Learn to find your readers, go where they go, and speak their language.

4. Pricing is the industry’s Achilles heel.

Jane Friedman breaks down each point. 4 Lessons for Authors on the Current State of Publishing.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The key for me is to apply it to my newest release: EVERY WOMAN NEEDS A PRAYING MAN. 

#33 Things I Read Instead of Going to A Convention

33. Being a Successful Indie Author
If you're like me, then you enjoy reading success stories, especially about indie authors who have made it. Whenever I hear about an author, I head over to Amazon to see how many reviews fans have posted. Reviews in the hundreds are impressive, but thousands of reviews make me take notice.
If you've never heard of Meredith Wild, like I hadn't, you will after reading this article featured in The New York Times:
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/31/business/media/meredith-wild-a-self-publisher-making-an-imprint.html?_r=0

Get a heads up on my next release EVERY WOMAN NEEDS A PRAYING MAN. Join my waiting list: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/13yoJrCwUiXWL3TAUZFmYzTw7kHvZTAiXW55S4JeJTNY/viewform

#32 of 100 things I learned from attending LITERARY CONFERENCES

#32. How Important Is Your Name?

Last year when I attended Romcon, I sat in on a workshop about book covers. This wasn’t so much about choosing the right stock photos for them, but how consistent our names appear on the covers, and whether the title is overshadowing the author’s name.

The speaker asked what do we want readers to remember, the title of our book, unless it’s a blockbuster, or our names? A no brainer question for me, I answered, my name. True confession: when I was creating my covers, I picked fonts I thought matched the story, or if they were pretty, or other reasons I can’t remember.

I have a novella called THE KEEPSAKE, so does NY Times bestselling author Tess Gerritsen. There could be ten books with the same title, so readers have to remember our names to know which book to buy. The images on our covers will change from story to story, but the fonts we use for our names should be consistent, as well as where we place them on the cover. Below, the banner shows four books in my Love at the Crossroads series—no consistency. I had the covers tweaked, so my name looks consistent. 

Can you see the difference?

Browse through titles on Amazon. Check out author Lee Child’s books. A couple of other authors who come to mind are: Brenda Barrett (Her name drew me into her books), Vanessa Miller and Brenda Jackson. Remember, your name is just as important as your title.

Until next time, be blessed!

Guest Blogger on Convention Note #31 RWA Conference (2016)

I wasn’t able to attend RWA in New York this year, but I fellow Christian author, Piper Huguley, Here's a little about this award-winning author:

Piper Huguley seeks to make new inroads in the publication of historical romance by featuring African American Christian characters.  The Lawyer’s Luck and The Preacher’s Promise, the first books in her “Home to Milford College” series, are Amazon best sellers.  The Mayor’s Mission,published in Winter 2014.  The next entry in the series, The Representative’s Revolt will publish in Spring 2015. She is a 2013 Golden Heart finalist for her novel, A Champion’s Heart—the fourth book in “Migrations of the Heart”. The first book in the series, A Virtuous Ruby, was the first-place winner in The Golden Rose Contest in 2013 and was a Golden Heart finalist in 2014. The first three books in the “Migrations of the Heart” series, which follows the loves and lives of African American sisters during America’s greatest internal migration in the first part of the twentieth century,  Piper writes for  Samhain Publishing.  She lives in Atlanta, Georgia with her  husband and son. 

Piper says, “Fiction is the best way to get into someone else’s shoes, whether those shoes go to space or the bedroom, the West or the ballroom, the board room or the beach. Here’s to all the amazing writers I met last week — thanks for giving us new shoes to walk in!

Nota bene: I had to pick and choose what I went to, like at any busy conference, and there were definitely excellent sessions on craft and the business of publishing that I missed. Luckily, there were many live-tweeters in attendance! Check out the #RWA15hashtag.”

Read more here at http://bookriot.com/2015/07/28/11-best-things-heard-rwa-2015/

Visit Piper at http://piperhuguley.com/

#30 Something I Didn't Learn From a Convention But Is Noteworthy

I read this on BookDaily.com.

How I Gained 1000+ Reviews On My Books | BookDaily #AuthorTips

Jackie WegerJuly 29, 2015

Indie author books need reviews. We know well that without reviews we cannot submit our ebooks to many of the established promotional sites that move titles priced FREE or discounted. Readers browsing Amazon are more likely to choose our books over another if a book has an array of reviews.

Many of these suggestions come from Blogger, Julie Whiteley a Top 1000 Amazon and Goodreads reviewer:

When asking for a review, provide all the following inside the email: Not as an attachment.

• Introduce yourself
• Tell what kind of book you have written: Fiction or Non-fiction.
• Mention the genre or category.
• Provide a well-composed book description: Not a synopsis.
• Include a cover in the body of the email.
• Include a head shot of yourself in the body of the email.
• Do not include a copy of your book.
• Ask the reviewers preferred format for review books.

Never send a reviewer a copy of your book without first asking the reviewer to review it. That is presumptuous and no reviewer feels obligated to read or review a book just because the author sent a copy. Most Blogger/Reviewers have submission guidelines. Read and follow them. While this seems obvious to some, apparently it isn’t to others. DO offer the reviewer a free copy of your book. Yes, some indie authors often ask for reviews then expect the reviewer to buy their book. But it is extraordinarily unprofessional. Accept the review, whatever the review rank and say ,“Thank you.”

The premier and most respected indie book reviewer is Big Al’s Books and Pals. On a sister site, The Indie view you will find a drop down menu listing hundreds of active reviewers for every genre. It is a fabulous resource for indie authors.

**But the absolutely best review is an organic review from a reader who downloads your book, reads it, and posts a review. This gentle plea at the foot of your book right after THE END works like a magic charm…

Thank you for taking the time to read [title]. If you enjoyed it, please consider telling your friends or posting a short review. Word of mouth is an author's best friend and much appreciated. Thank you, [author name].

Lest you think it doesn’t work, readers have posted above 1000 reviews on my titles and I am NOT a best selling author. And yes, the reviews range from one to five stars. I’m good with it.

About the Author:
Jackie Weger has been writing novels off and on for thirty years. She enjoys destination travel--going to new and strange places, meeting the natives, learning their customs, their foods, how they survive good times and bad. She lived part of one winter with trappers in the Louisiana Swamps, volunteered at a Sister ‘s of Mercy Mission in Panama--and had one of the most interesting conversations in her life with an old man and his dog as they sat on a bench waiting for a train in the Village of Versailles. Jackie loves books, coffee, tea, cats, gossip and all things Southern. Above all, Jackie enjoys hearing from readers.

*** I have actually started doing this. I don't have a 1000 reviews yet, but I figured it can't hurt.

Pat

Pat's Conventions Note #29 of 100 things I learned from attending LITERARY CONFERENCES

#29. Street Teams Part II From an Expert

I met reader and street team captain Priscilla “Book Maniac” Johnson for the first time years ago at a Romance Slam Jam conference. I was always impressed by her support of my friend, author A.C. Artist. I thought to myself, “Wow. What I wouldn’t give to have that type of support system.” At this year’s RSJ in Dallas, I sat in on a workshop conducted by Priscilla aka Cilla. Since she gave away so much valuable information, a simple recap wouldn’t do justice to anyone reading this post, so I asked Cilla to share her tips for starting a street team on my blog, so here you go.

What are Street Teams?

“I want to be on a street team”.  “Should I have street team?”

More and more readers are asking to be a part of street teams and authors are questioning how do I start a street team. Yet, no one really knows what a street team does or how do they works. 

Here’s a little history.  Street teams originated in the late 1980’s with rock and roll bands.  Band members and producers would give records and tapes to fans to take to radio stations and record stores in exchange for concert tickets.  Groups like Nirvana became overnight success.  This was a great marketing tool because the music went directly to the fans.  It also eliminated the high cost associated with advertisers, radio and television promotors.

As more authors enter the realm of self-publishing and eBooks, street teams are becoming more popular.   Authors use street teams to announce up-coming releases, introduce their books to new readers, increase written book reviews and get their work in book stores and libraries.    Street teams are extremely instrumental on social media sites, such as Face Book, Twitter, and Good Reads in letting readers know what is hot and on the verge of hitting the literary street.  It also allows the author to spend time writing instead of promoting and marketing for themselves.

Keep in mind that members of any street team are VOLUNTEERS who are passionate about the work of an author and they are willing and eager to talk about how wonderful and great the author stories are.  Members have read every book by an author and can usually recite the characters better than the author.   And what does the team get in return?  Some authors reward members with Advance Reader Copies (ARC) of new releases, in-side information on releases, swag, gift cards or other unique gifts. 

Being on a street team is a lot of work. But it is also lots of fun and very rewarding. I have had the pleasure of being on several teams and the experience has been rewarding.  You build lasting friendships with readers and authors.  Who could ask for anything more?  

Priscilla C. Johnson aka ‘Cilla

http://pcjconsultantgroup.wix.com/pcj-consultant-group