Archives for April 2015

5 Benefits of Beta Reading for Your Book

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Beta-Reader
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The Benefits of Beta Readers
by Traci Lawrence

I grew up in Southern California, USA. Obviously, there’s a surfing culture in that area. I wasn’t a part of it. I went to the beach every so often, but I didn’t surf. I know little about the following:

  • Advisability of dry suits versus wet suits
  • Location of rip tides and tidal pools
  • Popularity of the specific beach (Is it so crowded it’s hard to find enough space to surf?)
  • The effect of low tides and high tides on the sport
  • Species of sea creatures native to my chosen spot (Which of them are dangerous?)

Are your eyes glazing over yet? I know mine are, and I’m writing this. This is an illustration of the need for other individuals to view our work before we publish.

We need to ensure all details are described in a manner comprehensible to people unfamiliar with our theme.  The other challenge will be to keep the facts down to only the amount necessary for understanding.  For instance, if I’m looking over a story about surfing, I don’t want to see multiple paragraphs describing each person or sea creature at the beach.
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How Can a Beta Reader Help Writers?
Beta readers analyze pre-published manuscripts.  They look at the big picture.  They will tell you if your information is overwhelming, insufficient, unclear, or sloppy.  This is the most vital part of the writing process next to writing itself.
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How do we Find Beta Readers?
They can be found anywhere: in your home; online; and, at your place of business or worship.  In other words, they can be anybody who is willing to give you honest, unconditional feedback.
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What is the Purpose of a Beta Reader?

1. Catch general grammar and punctuation Issues
These self-sacrificing people can do part of the job of professional editors.  As these volunteers are reading, they will come across various concerns that interrupt the momentum of your work.  They will notice typos and unclear grammar.  For instance, my beta readers have told me I repeat words too much, and I use too, many, commas.

2. Supply a Fresh Eye
To return to the surfing analogy: an avid surfer may be accustomed to communicating with others who are familiar with her idiomatic language, specialized vocabulary, and references to equipment and locations.  However, if she is writing for people unfamiliar with the sport, she needs help to make sure her writing is comprehensible to this new audience.
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3. Help Organize Your Thoughts
Everybody’s way of thinking is unique.  There are similarities within religions, cultures, ethnic groups, and geographical divisions. However, this is the age of almost instant global connectivity. Readers come from anywhere in the world. They might be unfamiliar with the situations you mention in your work.
In fact, we cannot assume those who live nearby will understand our every thought process and motivation.  Intimate friends don’t even have the same life experience as us.  I understand what’s inside my head, and I know how to put it down on paper. That doesn’t mean my words are clear to others.   More than one beta reader has informed me they were confused about my motivation for writing a given section.  They wondered how and why that part is important to the reader.  That’s why authors must make sure they explain thoughts which may seem elementary to them.
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4. Catch Idiomatic Language
Every writer risks confusing their readers; we don’t all have the same training and experience.  It’s a diverse world out there, as I mentioned earlier.  Here is a list of some of our variations:

  • Food
  • Clothing
  • Lifestyles
  • Language/vocabulary
  • Value systems

You might be surprised how the above categories infuse almost every word we speak and write.  We don’t have to write lengthy descriptions of particular elements.  Our knowledge shines through the simplest communication.  Yet, we need to make our meaning understandable to the reader. We cannot assume they have our same background.  Words such as the following may be unfamiliar to some:

  • Shrug (the article of clothing, not the lift of the shoulders)
  • Maxi dress
  • Je ne sais quoi
  • Gluten
  • Family values (We hear it often, but what does it really mean?)
  • Pescatarian
  • Vegan vs. vegetarian
  • Grace (according to the Bible)
    Flash/thumb drive

Non-native speakers of English may be especially vulnerable to unfamiliar idiomatic phrases:

  • “What’s up?”
    “Reinvent the wheel.”
    “Over the top”

Beta readers may suggest adding a few words, or a sentence, will help to explain certain unfamiliar terms and expressions.  If a particular phrase would require too much clarification, they’ll probably recommend we choose another one.
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5. Watch for Flow and Continuity
Our helpers will give us constructive criticism on the overall lucidity of our work. Pre-publication Readers are indispensable for highlighting parts that are:

Too long–I chopped down many passages in my book based on the advice of my helpers.  In these days of busy lives and short attention spans, conciseness is always appreciated.  I am amazed when I look at classic works including paragraph-long descriptions of a single object and five-line sentences.  Our writing style today is more suited to current society: clear and concise.

Confusing –My friend, Sally, pointed out a portion of an article I wrote.  She didn’t understand the purpose of including the section, and she was baffled by some of the wording.  I deleted the whole segment.

Inappropriate—I wrote a small booklet for which I miscalculated the target audience.  I didn’t know consumers of the work would include males as well as females.  Also, I made comments that might have offended some of the female readers.  In the end, only half of my original manuscript was used in the final copy.

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Conclusion
The end result of our writing, with the help of beta readers, should be near perfection. The goal is to keep our readers’ eyes moving down the text without a break.  They should be able to scroll comfortably down the page/s at their normal reading speed.  From that point, professional editors can evaluate the nit-picky details of punctuation, grammar, and so forth.

I cannot overemphasize the importance of having as many individuals as possible analyze at least part of your manuscript before you publish.  Each person will bring their own perspective and ability to your work.

Beta reading is complicated and unpaid. It also requires an immense focus of time and energy. Since the process of beta reading is so crucial, these wonderful volunteers deserve our gratitude and devotion.  Have you thanked your beta readers lately?

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Traci Lawrence writes about her passion:
Communication, relationships, the value of individuals and rising above verbal bullying, or trash talk.  She lives in the Northern Virginia area of the United States and teaches English, among other subjects.   Please find more on her blog, and read her book: Accept No Trash Talk: Overcoming the Odds.  For more information on Traci’s editing services, please click here.

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If you would like to get a mentor and our support in all things publishing, have your book intensively promoted and learn how to navigate social media sites – or learn how you can make yourself a name as an author through content writing: We offer for three months all this and more for only $179 – or less than $2 per day!  Learn more about this customized Online Seminar / Consulting / Book Marketing for your success: http://www.111Publishing.com/Seminars

To learn more about professional book marketing and publishing, please read also
“Book Marketing on a Shoestring”
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00UAVL3LE

 

Our email newsletters with free insider tips are sent out once a month. To sign up, just go to the form on the right site of each blog post.

 

MUST READ for Authors to Avoid Pitfalls

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13777990034qk36Writing is an art.
Publishing is a business.  

If you want to sell your book(s) and not just write for your own fun, better get a thorough understanding of the publishing business and what to look out for when making decisions how to get your book to readers.

Kristine Kathryn Rusch wrote a fantastic blog – a warning to all authors, who are thinking about having a service provider (who call themselves publisher) to handle e-book formatting and posting the e-book to all online retailers – for 10 – 15% of your royalties.

Seems convenient to the author… So convenient that they don’t even bother to read the agreement, which can be VERY COSTLY in the long term.

 

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The essence of her warning: “If you don’t have the time to self-publish and you don’t have the money to pay someone up front, then don’t do it. That’s so much better than signing with one of these scam artists.”

“Please, please, people. Be smart.  Don’t sign with any company to design your e-books and handle your social media for a percentage of royalties.   And please, please, read all the agreements that concern your books before you sign or click “agree” on anything.”

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Make sure you understand what you’re agreeing to, and if you don’t understand it, ask an un-involved third party such as a lawyer to help you understand.  Don’t call the e-service and ask them to explain their agreement to you.  They’ll tell you not to worry your pretty little head about it.  And if you listen to them, the mistake is yours.”

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Read her blog post and if you have signed up with any of these “service” companies, take out your contract (if you printed it out) or go to their website and read it line for line to learn what you gave con sense to – and self-publish your next book by yourself – real self-publishing by you, the author!

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If you would like to get a mentor and our support in all things publishing, have your book intensively promoted and learn how to navigate social media sites – or learn how you can make yourself a name as an author through content writing: We offer for three months all this and more for only $179 – or less than $2 per day!  Learn more about this customized Online Seminar / Consulting / Book Marketing for your success: http://www.111Publishing.com/Seminars

To learn more about professional book marketing and publishing, please read also
“Book Marketing on a Shoestring”
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00UAVL3LE

Our email newsletters with free insider tips are sent out once a month. To sign up, just go to the form on the right site of each blog post.

How to Build Your Author Platform

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Platform

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“What’s Your Author’ Platform”?  THE famous question you will be asked by agents and publishers before they even consider to read your query or manuscript.  As they spend almost all of their marketing dollars for bestseller authors, publishing houses nowadays expect authors to do their own book marketing.  

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This question is also to ensure, that the author brings his or her own audience and lots of potential readers and book buyers.   Agents and publishers want to see lots of followers and friends on reader communities and Social Media sites and how an author appears on these sites.  They want to see a solid number of blog subscribers/web visitors and the author’s ability to present him or herself to an audience.

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What Does this Buzzword “Platform” Mean?
In a nutshell, platform is the visibility, the authority of the author, a proven reach, as well as a far reaching audience.

  • A Quality Blog / Website with a Large Readership
  • Guest blogging to successful websites, blog, magazines, and other media
  • Public speaking – the bigger the better, however at least at your local library
  • Smart connected social media presences (Google+, Twitter, LinkedIn etc.)
  • Forum memberships, starting with Goodreads, Bibliophil, Wattpad …
  • Media appearances/interviews online and in print, TV, radio
    and …. more than one book!
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Building Your Author Platform…
is not something you can do overnight, or in a month. The best time to start working on your platform is long before you start writing your book.  Even if your book is excellent, has received great reviews, a marvelous cover – if readers don’t know about it, you are stuck.  And if you go with a major publisher and they would receive – within 6 weeks to three months from your books’ launch – lots of unsold copies returned by the bookstores, they would never publish anything from you again.  That’s why they ask, “how will you market your book” or “what’s your platform.”

You might think, this is the publishers job – and you might be right. But not even for famous authors they will do all the blogging or social media part, they only advertise books of celebrities and pay for exposed space in bookstores, or send these authors on book signing tours.
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That’s all Publishers will Do for Your Book:

  • editing, transforming a good manuscript to a great one
  • design the book (layout) and its cover
  • organize the printing process / e-book formatting
  • distribute your book in stores, speciality retailers and online
  • carry out all the necessary accounting with retailers and your royalty payments
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Here is What Publishing Professionals Advice:
“When is it Time to Start Building your Author Platform?”
Alan Rinzler, former editor for some of the “Big Five” explains in detail the Do’s and Don’ts “What writers need to know” and gives detailed examples – a must-read for every author.  He reminds authors: “A cardinal rule of the new author platform is never to actually ask people to buy your book (and my advice: never to motion people to like / follow you on FB or Twitter).  Rather establish an authentic online personality, offer valuable information, analysis, opinion, and inspiring entertainment.  The New Author Platform allows not only well-established authors, but unknown, first-time beginners to do an end run around the conservative gate-keepers and reach readers directly.”  Rinzler also gives lots of great tips how to establish a successful platform.

Jane Friedman, e-media professor and former publisher of Writer’s Digest brought it to the point: “Getting a book published does not equate to readership. You must cultivate a readership every day – starting today.  Audience development doesn’t happen overnight, or in six months or a year. It continues for as long as you want to have people read your books.”.

Read also Kristen Lamb’s blog article “When is it Time to Start Building your Author Platform?” And finally don’t miss to read also the blog post about bestseller author Trey Ratcliff’s experience with his publishers in a former article.

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Without having a clear idea of which methods of promoting yourself and your work, and if they are really worth the investment of time, you might be tempted to avoid the subject entirely.  But in today’s publishing world, neglecting your platform, even before you have a book deal, can be a precarious mistake. The most successful authors are those who have created ways of finding lasting fans – and of reaching out to new ones every day – through parts of their platform.

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If you would like to get a mentor and our support in all things publishing, have your book intensively promoted and learn how to navigate social media sites – or learn how you can make yourself a name as an author through content writing: We offer for three months all this and more for only $179 – or less than $2 per day!  Learn more about this customized Online Seminar / Consulting / Book Marketing for your success: http://www.111Publishing.com/Seminars

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To learn more about professional book marketing and publishing, please read also
“Book Marketing on a Shoestring”
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00UAVL3LE

Our email newsletters with free insider tips are sent out once a month.  To sign up, just go to the form on the right site of each blog post.

 

 

15 Important Questions Before Writing

yosemite-stream.

 

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“Artists and Writers starve not because they aren’t talented – but because they often have no idea how to make money,” explains Editor Mike Zimmerman in an article at Success.com.

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Everyone of my publishing and book marketing clients gets a questionnaire about their book(s), their social media presence, book distribution etc., but also about their plans concerning the book marketing. From their answers I can see how much (or few) they thought about their readership and the purpose of their writing.  Many, if not most writers sit down and start their book(s), writing and writing and not thinking who will read their book, nor how they will publish and most important: how will they market their work.
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Questions for You
Here are some questions you should answer honestly.  It will give you an idea how viable your book idea is. Every business has to start with a plan. If you want to sell your book after writing it, answers to these questions could partially substitute a “business plan”. And if you want to find a publisher or a literary agent – answering these questions before your first meeting with her or him is even more important.  Why should someone think about publishing your book when you, the writer, didn’t even think about the future of this book and who will be the readers?

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  • Is there a need for your book? Does it fill a void?
  • Why do you find your book idea interesting?
  • Why would someone buy your book? What’s their benefit?
  • Will your book always be interesting in the future?
  • How big is your market and what is the demographic of your readers?
  • Who will buy and read your book? How many people?
  • Could your book idea be turned into series?
  • Would your book have a regional or international audience?
  • Who is your competition and how well did their books sell?
  • Where and exactly how will you market your book?
  • How easy can you reach your readership and how large will it be?
  • How many (real) friends/followers do you have on Social Media?
  • Could your book be sold in bulk to a company/organization to promote another product or service?
  • Do you have an opt-in email list on your website/blog or already an email newsletter?
  • In what magazines or newspapers articles, TV shows, radio shows, websites and newsletters can you market your book?
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Still Excited About Your Book Idea?
After you answered all these questions, do you still have the burning desire to write your book? Or did some of the questions make you uneasy? If you ever want to pitch a book idea to a publisher or an agent, you will be asked the same or similar questions. So be prepared! Use the answer for question 3 to prepare your “Elevator Pitch“.

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If you would like to get a mentor and our support in all things publishing, have your book intensively promoted and learn how to navigate social media sites – or learn how you can make yourself a name as an author through content writing: We offer for three months all this and more for only $179 – or less than $2 per day!  Learn more about this customized Online Seminar / Consulting / Book Marketing for your success: http://www.111Publishing.com/Seminars

To learn more about professional book marketing and publishing, please read also
“Book Marketing on a Shoestring”
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00UAVL3LE

Our email newsletters with free insider tips are sent out once a month. To sign up, just go to the form on the right site of each blog post.
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How to Benefit from a Google-Twitter Partnership

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Google3

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According to Pew research, 19 percent of the U.S. adult population uses Twitter – and 46 percent of Twitter users visited the site daily.  Fine, but compared with Facebook for example, it’s the smallest market share of the top five social media sites.  The more visitors Twitter gets, the better, as it is the quintessential real-time news feed: user generated, conversational, hash-tagged, and global.  They will see higher ad revenue, more signups, and more engagement when co-operating with Google.

Google used to crawl Twitter to pull out relevant tweets for search results. That didn’t work very well — try to crawl 8,766 tweets per second…. Google now has complete access to their data.  Why else would Google want to cozy up with Twitter?  Because Google is about all about information — and preferably timely information.  And Twitter is timely!
In this new partnership, Google will receive data from Twitter in real time via a data feed. Google will not need to do any crawling at all to obtain the information they are looking for.  As a result, Google will suddenly get tens, or hundreds, of times more access to the tweet stream, and with potentially less effort.  Google will get to improve their user experience, while Twitter will get some extra visibility from online searchers.  What can authors do to benefit from the Google-Twitter deal?

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Optimize Your Twitter Profile.
The new change means that more people are going to be seeing your tweets, and more people are likely to check out your Twitter profile to learn more about you as a writer. Now is the critical time to get your presence straightened out. Include the web address you want people to follow, optimize your author description, and think carefully about your profile and background photos. These little details make a big first impression on potential readers visiting your profile, so don’t skimp on them.

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Choose More Social Platforms.
This partnership is currently only between Google and Twitter, but Google has made a number of moves to acquire or integrate with other social platforms too. It would make sense for Google to form similar alliances with other social media companies in the future, so the sooner you get involved, the better. Establish a presence on up-and-coming platforms like Instagram and Snapchat, even if you don’t use them as frequently as your other social hubs. You will be glad you did when Google decides to incorporate them into its search results. Optimize all your content to focus on a niche, for example using the keywords for your books. This will make your niche tweets the only ones around for searches related to them.

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Tweet About Your Current Events.
Start tweeting about at least the ones relevant to your book publishing or blogging. Some of the most popular searches involve recent happenings. Follow daily news from Publishers Weekly, Huffington Post, The Guardian and their book- and publishing news pages. Check out the “Trends” on the left side of your Twitter page, and the hash-tagged keywords there.
It is likely that tweets relevant to current events will make it to the top of the search results pages. Use trending hashtags that fit into your regular social content.  Include keywords relevant to those events, or hashtags, so Google can easily tell what you’re talking about.

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Respond and Tweet Answers to Questions.
If someone asks a question or talks about a problem with publishing or something related to the books you are writing, tweet them back. These types of answers will also be somewhat rare, so you’ll have less competition when you post something in a niche. Include a link to a more detailed explanation from your blog your website – and get some extra traffic.

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Data is King at Google.
This potential marriage is a real big step in the right direction for better search query data. Readers won’t need to be following an author’s Twitter feed in order to discover a tweet about a limited-time offer such as an Amazon countdown campaign for your book; those tweets will also be readily accessible on Google’s search results pages.

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The New Google-Twitter Deal
It will show Twitter as a bigger player on the overall digital media landscape, and makes Twitter more important to your overall digital strategy. If you are already having a strong Twitter focus, this gives you a chance to get even more out of it. If you are just getting started on Twitter, fear not—there is still a lot for you to gain over time. The better you adapt to these changes, the better positioned you’ll be to gain new visibility, new traffic, and new customers.

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If you would like to get a mentor and our support in all things publishing, have your book intensively promoted and learn how to navigate social media sites – or learn how you can make yourself a name as an author through content writing: We offer for three months all this and more for only $179 – or less than $2 per day!  Learn more about this customized Online Seminar / Consulting / Book Marketing for your success: http://www.111Publishing.com/Seminars

To learn more about professional book marketing and publishing, please read also
“Book Marketing on a Shoestring”
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00UAVL3LE

Our email newsletters with free insider tips are sent out once a month. To sign up, just go to the form on the right site of each blog post.

Visit us Here on the Weekend

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Have fun to visit our blogs, learn even more about the publishing world, and join our social media sites.  Welcome here:

 

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http://www.Savvybookwriters.com/blog

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Thanks for visiting and have a wonderful day. 

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If you would like to get a mentor and our support in all things publishing, have your book intensively promoted and learn how to navigate social media sites – or learn how you can make yourself a name as an author through content writing: We offer for three months all this and more for only $179 – or less than $2 per day!  Learn more about this customized Online Seminar / Consulting / Book Marketing for your success: http://www.111Publishing.com/Seminars

To learn more about professional book marketing and publishing, please read also “Book Marketing on a Shoestring”
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00UAVL3LE

Our email newsletters with free insider tips are sent out once a month. To sign up, just go to the form on the right site of each blog post.

 

What Can You Do if Your Book is Pirated?

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Copyright-Pirates
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Imagine that Amazon pulls your book from its digital shelves – or just gives it away for free?  That happened to one of my clients books.  The reason?  All of his books were pirated by http://www.general-ebooks.com/
Having read about websites that steal books and sell / give them away on a (foreign hosted) website is already very disturbing, but to see a clients book pirated this way is another story.  I dug into this topic and thinking about Amazon’s copyright checks when uploading a book, I really found a useful page on Amazon’s web site, how to proceed as a victim of these thieves.  But not only Amazon, Google also can help you, or a skilled copyright lawyer.
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Californian bestselling author Molly Green also found her books for download at General eBooks, the same site that pirated our clients books – all of them!  Molly Green used the service of copyright lawyer Kathryn Miller Goldman Esq., and explains in her blog post:

“Beneath the legitimate links to online retailers on this site is a blue link that says, “GET BOOK.”  This is the link to the illegal download.  But you have to scroll down the page, in order to find this unauthorized link.  Such sites’ purpose seems to spread malware and computer viruses through book downloads.”

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So, Scroungers are Immediately Punished…
However, that doesn’t help you as an author.  Your book is not downloaded from this particular site, rather from other web sites offshore, who’s malware is coded in a way that even downloader’s IP addresses can be configured to let others download the book from their computer.  A perfect snowball system.  These thieves don’t make money with your book (but you might lose sales) but their intent is to use greedy people free downloads to distribute viruses and malware.

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Claim Copyright Infringement Through Google
Use the Digital Millenium Copyright Act (DMCA) removal request with Google and other search engines.  Google writes: Report alleged copyright infringement:
“It is our policy to respond to notices of alleged infringement that comply with the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (the text of which can be found at the U.S. Copyright Office Web Site) and other applicable intellectual property laws.  Our response may include removing or disabling access to material claimed to be the subject of infringing activity and/or terminating subscribers.”
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Claim Copyright Infringement Through Amazon
As Amazon doesn’t like when their books are downloaded for free – and after all Amazon is the “top dog” – they might be more influential in these cases. Contact them right away!
They explain on their copyright page:  “Amazon respects the intellectual property of others.  If you believe that your work has been copied in a way that constitutes copyright infringement, follow the notice and procedure for the Amazon site where you identified the infringement.”

“To claim copyright infringement, please submit your complaint using our online form. We respond quickly to concerns of rights owners about any alleged infringement. If you prefer to submit a report in writing, please provide us with this information:

  • An electronic or physical signature of the person authorized to act on behalf of the owner of the copyright interest – if you are not self-publishing;
  • A description of the copyrighted work that you claim has been infringed upon;
  • A description of where the material you claim is infringing is located on the site;
  • Your address, telephone number, and e-mail address;
  • A statement by you that you have a good-faith belief that the disputed use is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law;
  • A statement by you, made under penalty of perjury, that the above information in your notice is accurate and that you are the copyright owner or authorized to act on the copyright owner’s behalf.”

“This procedure is exclusively for notifying Amazon that your copyrighted material has been infringed.”

Copyright Agent
Amazon.com Legal Department
P.O. Box 81226
Seattle, WA 98108

Phone: (206) 266-4064
Fax: (206) 266-7010
E-mail: copyright@amazon.com

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How to Find Out if Your Book is Pirated?
Set up Google Alerts for all your book titles and your author name to help you keep track of where your work is appearing.  And register the copyright for your book as explained in a former blog post.  Read also a genius article of Molly Green’s Lawyer: 

How BitTorrent Technology is Used to Pirate Copyrighted Material — A Primer for Writers by Kathryn Miller Goldman Esq.:  http://www.charmcitylegal.com/bittorrent-a-piracy-primer/

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If you would like to get a mentor and our support in all things publishing, have your book intensively promoted and learn how to navigate social media sites – or learn how you can make yourself a name as an author through content writing: We offer for three months all this and more for only $179 – or less than $2 per day!  Learn more about this customized Online Seminar / Consulting for writers: http://www.111Publishing.com/Seminars

To learn more about professional book marketing and all aspects of publishing, please read also
“Book Marketing on a Shoestring”
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00UAVL3LE

Our email newsletters with free insider tips are sent out once a month. To sign up, just go to the form on the right site of each blog post.
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Editorial Reviews on Your Amazon Sales Page

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Editorial-Reviews

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Browsing through the Amazon sales pages of a successful independent multi-book author, I discovered that on each of his book’s pages instead of the “Editorial Review”  only a short description “About the author” was placed.  As there is already a section for an author bio on the page, he could have placed either or all of these:

  • Product Detail Page
  • Updated Book Description
  • An Author Message
  • From the Inside Flap
  • From the Back Cover
  • Magazine / Newspaper Reviews
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How to update Editorial Reviews
Amazon explains:

  • Log in to Author Central.
    Click the Books tab at the top of the page.
    Click on the book you are updating editorial reviews for and select the applicable edition as each can be updated separately. Under Editorial Reviews, there are three possible links:
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  • If there is no review yet:
    Click Add and follow the instructions at the top of the Add review window to enter the text of the review.
    If you are entering a Review, you must also enter the review source. This is the name of the person who wrote the review and the name of the publication, website, or forum in which the review appeared.
    If you are entering From the Author, From the Inside Flap, From the Back Cover, you do not need to enter a source.
    Click Preview and review your entry.
    When you’re satisfied, click Save changes.
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  • If there is a review you can edit:
    Click Edit and make the desired changes to the text.
    Click Preview and review the entry.
    When you’re satisfied, click Save changes.
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  • If your review has been manually edited by Amazon in the past:
    we may ask you to send us your updates. In these cases, we will make the updates for you, and they will appear on the website within 5 days.
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Got a message that Your Content is Too Long?
The character counts (including spaces) for Editorial Review fields are:

  • Review—600 characters
  • Product Description—2400 characters
  • Words From the Author, From the Inside Flap, and From the Back Cover—8000 characters
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What about Customer Reviews?
Customer Reviews are written by customers about your book. They can be found near the bottom of a product detail page and are NOT editorial reviews.
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Pete Nikolai Has the Following Advice:

“To make edits, you must first claim your Author Page and make sure your book is listed there so that it is clear that Amazon recognizes that you are the author.

_ click the link for the book on which you want to add editorial reviews
_ in the Review section, click the Add button
_ go to the site that has the review to select and copy it into memory
_ go to the Amazon page for editorial reviews of your book and paste as plain text in the text entry box (in Windows: right-click to select “Paste as plain text”)

On a paperback or hardcover: add one review at a time to avoid exceeding the 600 character limit for each review.  On an ebook: you must add all reviews at one time and the character limit for all those reviews combined is 1,750 characters
_ edit the review to put the source after the review as per the Amazon Guidelines
_ click the Preview button
_ if review is acceptable then click the Save Changes button
_ if you have another review to add then click the Add button and continue through the steps again

If you have made any edits on the Amazon pages for both the print and ebook editions of your book then you will probably need to add the reviews on both editions too–just repeat the steps above to add each review on both editions.  On the rare occasion that Amazon has made changes to a section, a “Request a Correction” button will be shown and you must click it and follow the instructions to have Amazon make the corrections you request.

You can add several “Editorial Reviews” and each one is important in confirming the quality of your book and removing a potential impediment to sales.

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How to Set Up Your Amazon Author Central Account
Amazon explains: once published, expect to receive an email from Kindle Direct Publishing announcing the news and inviting you to create your Amazon Author Central Account.  Note your book’s ASIN enclosed in the email.  You will need this to locate your book later and associate it to you as the author. Just sign up for free accounts on both sites, and follow the instructions to set up your page:
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Use all the Space Amazon Gives You:

Add a professional author photo & biography
Add all your books
Add videos (e.g. trailers for your books)
Add up to seven additional photos, e.g. you writing your books or scenes from your book
Add images or graphics from your books content
Add a biography – make sure to update it frequently
List events, such as book readings or book launches
Add your Twitter address so people can see your latest Tweet and easily follow you
Set up the “Search Inside/Look Inside” feature
Add an RSS feed, linking to your blog – a great way to get your blog in front of new people and encourage them to follow you

View and edit the list of books you have written – the Amazon system doesn’t always get it right. If you have written more than one book, it will link your titles together, and allow your readers to find all of your work.  Edit your product description and “about the author” section, add any professional reviews you have had.”

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You need a separate account, both for the UK and US versions of Amazon.  I might add: and for Germany, France, Japan etc. if you publish worldwide;  you have to do it separately for each country, and be aware that the versions vary slightly.  You can also use an English version and one in the language of the country if you speak it or have a professional translation (not Google!).  Beside for Japan I was able to place it in each language on the pages for these countries.

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Fazit:  Before creating an author page, check out the ones from famous writers / publishers to see how it is professionally done.  There is a lot you can copy.  I am not saying that these sites are always perfect, but it will help you tremendously to avoid rookie errors.

Read more about creating a professional Amazon author page:
https://savvybookwriters.wordpress.com/2014/01/31/12-tips-for-your-professional-amazon-author-page/

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If you would like to get a mentor and our support in all things publishing, have your book intensively promoted and learn how to navigate social media sites – or learn how you can make yourself a name as an author through content writing: We offer for three months all this and more for only $179 – or less than $2 per day!  Learn more about this customized Online Seminar / Consulting for writers: http://www.111Publishing.com/Seminars

To learn more about professional book marketing and publishing, please read also
“Book Marketing on a Shoestring”
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00UAVL3LE

 

Social Media Networking Made Easy

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Spanish-Books
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Social Media Marketing: is the most powerful way of letting people know about your book.  It is NOT selling, it is networking and meeting future readers.  Almost every writer feels overwhelmed when they start out with social media and find it difficult to learn all these new sites – questioning even if it does have something to do with the success of their book.  But how else will you find readers who order your book through online retailers?

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Don’t Feel Overwhelmed!
Neither from the publishing, nor from the book marketing process.  The book you write or already wrote can be sold online for 10, 20 or 30 years and longer.  So: no rush!  But make it a habit to work on it every day in the beginning to invite as many quality followers as possible.
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Plan Your Social Media Presence
No matter which sites you join, create an attractive profile, complete with an avatar that shows a favorable and professional portrait and a solid bio.  Often people will read your bio before deciding whether to follow you.  This bio (or an avatar, or “about me”) can be used for all your presences, for your Amazon website, your blog etc.  Same as with your photograph:  you can use it everywhere, even if you have to shorten it on some places, such as on Twitter. Use lots of keywords and add abbreviated links to your website or Amazon page.  And choose your username wisely!
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Connect all Your Sites
All your social media presences can be connected with Twitter and Facebook.  Plan ahead and schedule your posts / tweets – so you do not need to sit on your laptop all day long – we will show you how to do this in our online seminars or consultations.

It is almost the same “work” if you are on one site, compared to having a presence on three or five sites.  Use also the help of plug-ins and sharing buttons, which allow your followers and visitors to spread the word about your book.  Visitors to your Goodreads page click on the Google+ or the Facebook icon and send a message about you and your book to thousands of their followers.  Google+ then sends the message automatically to Twitter.  To have lots of Twitter followers is beneficial for your Goodreads presence, as you can transfer Twitter followers with one click over to Goodreads!
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Goodreads: Where Only Readers Meet
Not really considered widely as a Social Media site is Goodreads – even though they have more than 27 million users that chose Goodreads to learn more about books and their authors.  Not to forget the ten-thousands of communities and groups for every kind of literature one can think of.

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Start Posting – Even Before You Have Followers
It is important that your followers see something on your site before they join you. What to post you ask? Snippets from your blogs with the link to your site, videos from your writing genre, news from magazines and newspapers that your followers could be interested in, photos from your book’s content and your book cover.  Write about interesting things that are happening, give valuable advice, use lots of quotes (they are very popular), and engage in a humorous way with your readers.

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Never Buy Followers
More followers also means people assume you are someone interesting or an expert. It extends your popularity, influence and more book sales.  Never, ever buy followers!  These are robots and not real people and they will not re-tweet your posts or buy your books.

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How to Research Quality Followers:

  • Study magazines related to the topics in your book (online and off-line)
  • Read and comment on blogs related to the topics in your book
  • Join communities on Google+ and Goodreads related to the topics in your book
  • Find the social media presence of bestseller authors in your genre and then invite their followers to follow you too.
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Use the search function on top of every social media site to find like-minded Tweeps / followers, e.g. type in: reader, reading, book lovers, and most important the keywords of your book or genre to find quality followers.  Type into the search function words with hash tags #amreading or #GoodReads and certainly the keywords of your book too.

At some sites, such as Goodreads, you can transfer your Twitter and Facebook followers with one click over to your Goodreads page.
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Foreign Languages
If you are writing in Spanish for example, you can also search for typical Spanish names at your social media sites, and see if these people might be interested in a conversation. Or type in the names of very successful books in your genre in Spanish and find readers there, talking about this very book.  Then follow those readers, based on what they say in their tweets. Re-tweet their posts, engage in meaningful conversation, be funny or refer to blog posts you wrote, but don’t mention your book.  They will find out about it soon enough…
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Get “Real Live” Followers
Join writers groups and communities (e.g. Meetup) and find friends, beta-readers and supporters there and join each others social media site.
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Proven Success Recipe

  • Statistics have proven how important social media networks are for a (publishing) business:
    8 out of 10 internet users are reached by social media sites and blogs.
  • 87% of small businesses claim that social media has helped their business.
  • Marketers saw an increase of 74% in website traffic after devoting just 6 hours per week in social media.
  • 85% of business-decision makers believe that at least having one social media channel is very important for technology purchase decisions.

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Understand the Meaning of Social Media
Being SOCIAL and NOT constantly talking about your book!
I noticed one writer on Twitter who writes 100% only and only about his book.  He seems to use automatic tweets, as he never, ever engaged in any conversation with others.  For sure, I was not the only one who un-followed him.  Twitter, FB or Google+  are not bill-boards!

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Following these basic rules for your online platform: Finding the right followers “readers”, be “social” and have a professional appearance on Social Media is the key to successful promoting your books. However: to make yourself a name as a writer – and more important than to be on Social Media is to WRITE MORE.  Your readers want to see content from you.  Write your next book!  Write lots of blogs, magazine and newspaper articles! Readers want to get more of your writing. And if writing is really what you like to do, then write more!!! Don’t limit yourself only to books!
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Read Even More Social Networking Tips:

http://www.socialmediatoday.com/content/10-tips-how-not-use-google-plus

https://savvybookwriters.wordpress.com/2014/04/21/17-social-media-mistakes-to-avoid-on-twitter-2/
https://savvybookwriters.wordpress.com/2012/01/04/how-to-get-more-re-tweets/
https://savvybookwriters.wordpress.com/2012/06/23/12-smart-ways-to-boost-your-social-media-efforts/

 

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If you would like to get a mentor and our support in all things publishing, have your book intensively promoted and learn how to navigate social media sites – or learn how you can make yourself a name as an author through content writing: We offer for three months all this and more for only $179 – or less than $2 per day!  Learn more about this customized Online Seminar / Consulting for writers: http://www.111Publishing.com/Seminars

To learn more about professional book marketing and publishing, please read also
“Book Marketing on a Shoestring”
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00UAVL3LE

Our email newsletters with free insider tips are sent out once a month. To sign up, just go to the form on the right site of each blog post.

 

 

3 Habits of Famous Writers

You may have heard that Stephen King has a writing quota of at least 2,000 words a day, while Arthur Conan Doyle wrote 3,000 words a day.  But you might be surprised that Truman Capote wrote laying down. Ernest Hemingway on the other hand wrote standing on a high desk.  See more habits of famous writers:
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Different Writing Techniques of Famous Writers Infographic
Find more education infographics on e-Learning Infographics
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Famous writers are also often open to help aspiring newbies, such as:

  • Make your own office—whatever it is to have your own writing space.  Ban the internet or phone from this refugium and hang a sign on the door: “Don’t disturb”.
  • Choose a certain time of the day to write, make it a habit to work on your book always at the same time. If necessary set an alarm clock.  Habits are extremely important.
  • Last but not least, read.a.lot!  Choose books from the best writers and you will learn.a.lot!

What is your advice for aspiring writers?

 

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If you would like to get a mentor and our support in all things publishing, have your book intensively promoted and learn how to navigate social media sites – or learn how you can make yourself a name as an author through content writing: We offer for three months all this and more for only $179 – or less than $2 per day!  Learn more about this customized Online Seminar / Consulting for writers: http://www.111Publishing.com/Seminars

To learn more about professional book marketing and publishing, please read also
“Book Marketing on a Shoestring”
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00UAVL3LE

Our email newsletters with free insider tips are sent out once a month. To sign up, just go to the form on the right site of each blog post.

 

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