Monday, June 25, 2012

Easy Marketing Tip #2

Easy Marketing Tip #2

Share your blog and make it easy for your followers to share it.
It's simple.

On blogger go to your dahsboard,
Go to Design.
Go to the big box titled Blog Posts.
Click Edit.
A box opens up and near the bottom is an option to Show Share Buttons.
Click it.
Hit save

Now whenever you or others visit your blog, to share with FB, Twitter of Google +
You only have to click the button.

Easy Buttons  : )


Friday, June 22, 2012

Marketing Tip - Amazon Affiliate

Amazon has a program called - Amazon Affiliate. Join it.
Then you can link your book to your website or blog and people can buy it from you.
BONUS - Amazon will pay you (I think it is 4%) for linking to your website.

Can't beat that!

It's simple to do. Just sign up.
Then you will see a gray bar above the Amazon pages for a book or whatever you want to link to.
To add your link, or that of a friends book you want to promote, you click on - Link to this page
You will get a code to put on your website.

Now people can buy your book from Amazon on your site.

Easy!

See - my book, Liberty Belle, is on the sidebar.

Happy writing, Indies.

Monday, June 18, 2012

Indie's that are poorly written

You've seen them.

The good news is anyone can get their book published.
The bad news is anyone can get their book published.

So - how do we distinguish those who have paid the dues and learned the craft? And does it matter?

As writers, we are ruined for reading. We know too much and see all the glitches, head hopping, tags that would be better as beats, the long chunks of backstory and info dumps in the first chapter.

Do readers see these things?

I'm not sure to what extent. I confess, I never even noticed the ### or skipped space for scene breaks much less understand what one was before I took up writing. But now...

On Kindle, most books seem to have the LOOK option so you can read at least the first chapter. In that time, one should be able to see what the writing style is like and if it is readable.

But what I am asking, is how can we help each other?
And do authors want any help?

I would guess that most of us don't have $2000 + to hire editors.

The best thing we can do is get together and encourage one another and share helpful links.
And time if someone wants advice.

Here is something that has really helped me. Autocrit
This site will show you overused words, phrases, and cliches.  Very useful.

I encourage everyone to hone the craft of writing. Join critique groups whether online or find writers in your area. Search for a mentor. Just because you can publish your book, doesn't mean it is ready.
Join writers groups such American Christian Fiction Writers  -ACFW

Strive for excellence. (And I say this as one who has thrown in the perfectionist towel). Your book will never be perfect, but work to get it as good as you possibly can before hitting the publish button.

Let's work together to put out well written books.


Don't forget to check out Autocrit. You can try it out for free.

Thursday, June 14, 2012

Liberty Belle is up and running - Now What?

Okay, success on getting Liberty Belle onto Kindle and print on Amazon. Since I chose the KDP, Kindle Select Option, I don't need to worry about getting on Nook or any other formats for now.
So, What do I do Now?
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0086WMFES
YEP, there are a lot of things I need to be doing and figuring out.


  • One - I am busy working on Book 2 - Golden Dreams - to get it ready for a Sept release.
  • I am an Amazon affiliate and need to figure that program out. 
  • Work on Author Bio
  • Set up Author page on Amazon
  • Figure out my pricing options for Kindle - I get 5 days free and need to find out which days are best. And when. Also how do I go about changing the price.
  • Of course there is the networking. FB, Twitter, Blogs. Reviews
Actually I think that is enough to do's for me for now.
I'll get back to you when I find out info.

Go Indies. Let's strive to put out the best books possible and help each other network.


Monday, June 11, 2012

Success!

Liberty Belle is up and running as Ebook an Print

Product Details

I learned a few things.
*** Do the print book first.  Why do I always do things backwards?  : )

Still have some things to learn.
Like why do I have blank pages in the book - I didn't put them there.
Will figure that out for my next book - Golden Dreams coming out in Sept.

How about you?
What have been your Indie Experiences?

Monday, June 4, 2012

Still wrestling the print version.

Still wrestling the print version.


Ok gave up on using the formatted templates.
They just wouldn't work for me.

So, redid the parameters according to help on Createspace
And it didn't find any interior errors.

Liberty Belle is now in the preview process by the 
Createspace people.

Will follow up and let you know how it works.

Createspace is for sure a top class act.

Friday, June 1, 2012

Now for the print Version.

What am I doing now?


Yes, this is my goal today. Get Liberty Belle on Amazon as a print book.
Excited! This is the full cover right now.

So far not too hard.

Createspace has formatted templates that you copy and paste your chapters into.
I am using the Kindle formatted copy in word. 
I made the line spacing 1.15
and the First Line indent at 3

Seems to work and is what the printed books I have used.

Not nearly ready to hit publish yet, but am working on it.

What an amazing Amazon time to be an author.
Stay tuned and I'll let you know how the print version goes.