In our last post, we talked a bit about self publishing a book as opposed to publishing through traditional book publishers. One thing that both methods have in common is the need for today’s successful authors to have a user friendly website for readers to peruse.

When done correctly, authors who self publish can use a website to get themselves and their book noticed and boost sales at the same time. Besides giving readers a well-written description of your book and why they should read it, and providing your website visitors with a way to purchase your book online, here are a few more musts for a self publishing author’s website:

Tell visitors who you are. Write a short biography about yourself. You don’t have to give us all the details, just give enough to keep readers interested. Keep in mind your audience. If you write books for teenagers, don’t tell them about your career in investment banking. Write to your audience, and they’ll keep coming back for more.

Become a blogger. Everyone and their uncle has a blog nowadays, but this conversational method of writing has boosted the profiles of many authors. Blogging is a fantastic way to keep readers interested and informed about your books. Blog about signings that you’ve done and upcoming events in which you will participate – blogs can be as much a marketing tool as the website itself.

Study keywords and links. The basics of how to get your website high up there in search engine results are lost on many people. By doing a little bit of research, gaining a knowledge of placing keywords and keyword phrases and including numerous links in your website can give you an advantage over many other authors. Simply checking out a book like Building a Website for Dummies will give you a cursory knowledge on this subject.

Self publishing a book is an exciting venture – but it is only the beginning. If you intend to do everything you can to make your book a success – you need to have a website. Don’t let the Web intimidate you – take it one step at a time – and give your book to the world.

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If you plan to produce a book via self publishing, you’d be shooting yourself in the foot if you don’t think beyond holding a printed book in your hand. To achieve success in the book publishing industry – you need to think of the best and most effective ways to market your work and sell it to the public. What’s more – you need to be thinking of marketing methods you will use before the first book comes off the press.

Any author worth their salt will tell you, whether they have self published or gone the route of traditional book publishing, that you need a website. Today’s web building programs are simple enough for anyone with basic PC knowledge to use. But what elements should your website contain that will help sell your book? Here are some tips for deciding what to include on your website – and how to make it a website that will keep people coming back again and again.

Tell visitors about your book or books. This is perhaps the most important section of your website, more so than your biography or any links. You want to sell your book so you must describe your book in an appealing way that will make potential readers want to learn more. If you have more than one book produced through self publishing, make sure that each book has its own description. This is a great place to include reviews that you have gotten from other writers, teachers, or other professionals who you have asked to provide written comments about your book.

Provide a way to buy your book. Give readers of your website links to purchase your book. You can easily set up accounts with web-based retailers such as Amazon and Barnes and Noble, or you can sell books directly from your site. Visit websites of other authors who sell online and take note of which ones are most appealing and user friendly. Design your site accordingly.

In our next post, we’ll talk more about what to include on your website. In the meantime, start thinking of layouts and content that will make your website stand out from the rest.

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In part one of this article, we talked about three self publishing myths and revealed the truth behind each. In this second part of the article, we discuss three more myths so that you can take the facts about self publishing and decide whether or not it’s for you.

Myth 4: Self publishing is expensive because of the additional services writers have to pay for.

FALSE. If you’re a writer then you’re an editor as well. That’s because few writers produce one draft of anything and think it’s ready for print. Most writers write, edit, write, edit, write and then edit some more. Through editing, writers hone their craft so it makes sense that they become adept at editing. While traditional book publishers hire editors to read over books, self published writers must either attempt this task themselves or hire someone. Instead of hiring an editor to look over a manuscript, self publishing writers can either trade editing services with another writer, get into a critique group where editing is priority or edit themselves. It may take more time to self edit but it can save a lot of money in the long run and be just as professional as a service.

Myth 5: Self publishing requires more self promotion than traditional book publishing.

FALSE. Unless you’re an established writer with a large following, you’ll be forced to provide a lot of your own marketing whether you self publish or you’re published by a traditional publisher. Book publishers simply don’t have the budget to put every writer on a book tour. If you’re going to be successful, you have to market yourself—with or without a book publisher.

Myth 6: Self published books are more difficult to sell.

FALSE. According to a poll conducted by Zogby International, over 43% of poll respondents purchased books online as opposed to a brick and mortar bookstore. While self published books may not grace many shelves of bookstore giants Barnes and Noble or Boarders, books that are self published are all over the Internet and many are sold at successful rates.

While there are pros and cons with any book publishing avenue, self publishing is taking strides to overcome the negative beliefs many writers still hold regarding books published outside of the traditional publishing loop. Unfortunately, many of the myths about self publishing have been made up and exaggerated by the very people who can benefit the most—writers. Before you decide whether self publishing is right for you, think about the opinion you care most about…other writers or the thousands of readers who would love to purchase your book?

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Book publishing is a mystery to most. Unless you’re an expert on how to publish a book (which let’s face it…most of us aren’t), you probably don’t know what’s reality and what’s myth when it comes to the debate about whether self publishing is a Godsend or something only flunky writers attempt.

To sort through the myths and realities of self publishing, we’re going to look at six of the top self publishing beliefs and find out what’s true and what is bunk.

Myth 1: Self publishing is for writers who aren’t good enough to have their books published by real book publishers.

FALSE. This is a common belief among writers perpetuated by…….other writers. Unless you’re writing a book with an intended audience of writers, look past snobbery directed at self publishing and focus on the facts. The most important fact to remember is that most traditional book publishers are simply not interested in publishing books by unknown writers whether they’re great or not. Publishing is, after all, a business and most publishers are not willing to bank on unknowns. Therefore, self publishing is often an alternative used by talented writers who simply don’t have name recognition.

Myth 2: A book that’s self published is seen as inferior by readers.

FALSE. If you doubt this answer, here’s a little test you can conduct. Ask family and friends to name three book publishers. Chances are, most will not be able to name more than one. That’s because few readers know much, if anything, about publishing. Therefore, if a book looks like a traditionally published book, is well written and interesting, most readers will be hooked.

Myth 3: Self publishing requires a writer to order a large minimum number of books upfront.

FALSE. While some self publishing companies do require writers to order a large number of books upfront, many do not. Look for a self publishing company that doesn’t require writers to order books beyond the single proof copy.

These are just three of the many myths haunting self publishing. In part two of this article, we’ll discuss three more myths and uncover the truth about self publishing.

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Self publishing is a relatively new industry that shows great promise. Authors around the world are sinking their teeth into the world of book publishing – and many are finding success. Perhaps one of the greatest long-term effects that self publishing will have on the book industry is to force it to come into the twenty-first century and modernize.

The slow pace that book publishers have established over the years has become the norm. In many cases, publishers are miles behind other industries, technologically speaking. Editors still mark up copies with red ink, many still have assistants re-keying in edited copy. The editorial and printing process can take a year for novels, and multiple years for children’s picture books or specialty books. The question is – do book publishers have to operate this way?

Self publishing is proving that the answer to this question is a firm No. With print-on-demand capabilities (your book can be ready tomorrow), the manner in which books are published and bought is changing. As a result, self publishers are starting to attract the attention of established authors who are simply tired of the wait.

Another problem that can be avoided through self publishing a book is the fact that you practically have to have psychic abilities to predict the marketability of a book. If you know you have a manuscript that is particularly sellable in the near future (say it’s a book about presidential elections, for example), this book will not nearly be as popular if you wait for it to be published in one to two years. Many books end up in the clearance bin because they’ve missed their mark by being irrelevant or simply passé.

At traditional book publishers, the book must go through the regular paces. But when you take the reins and learn how to publish a book on your own dime and your own time – your book will be printed within a schedule controlled by you. Self publishing may not be for everyone – but if you believe in your work and are prepared to do a little self-promotion, it could be a more efficient way to get your book in print.

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In our last post, we discussed a few how-to’s for getting the word out about your book if you have skipped traditional book publishing and instead gone the self-publishing route. Important marketing tools such as a website that is packed with information, printing up business cards for networking purposes, having postcards made that tell of book signings and reading, and the importance of being able to speak in front of others – these are all good, solid ways to make sure others know about your book. Here are a few other tips that you’ll want to continue your self publishing success:

Schedule book signings. Just because your local chain mega-bookstore won’t book you for a signing doesn’t mean that your hands are tied. The big chains (for the most part) have been instructed to carry only books from certain book publishers – and they may reject you without even looking at your work. But take heart – there are still many independent book stores that would be willing to stock your book, as well as schedule book signings. If you don’t have any independents in your area, think about niche retail outlets that might consider a signing. If you’ve written a how-to book on caring for your pet, talk to the owners of your local pet store. They will more than likely be happy to schedule you for a visit, hoping that they will pull in more customers. In the meantime, you’ll introduce your work to others and sell some books!

The last and perhaps most vital piece of advice for the self publishing writer – keep writing. Just because you’ve entered into the world of book publishing and marketing, doesn’t mean that you don’t need to keep ink in your pen! Stay disciplined and begin to work on your next project regardless of your busy schedule.

Good luck selling your book – and remember to enjoy yourself. Meeting people, sharing your work and finding out the ins and outs of book publishing is half the fun!

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If you have written a book, congratulations! You may have made the decision to skip the arduous process of submitting to book publishers and possibly facing years of rejection in favor of self publishing. You probably have learned a ton about how to publish a book!

So now you have your beautiful book in your hands (along with a few hundred or so copies) that you fully intend to sell. You might have registered your book on Amazon, but unless other people find out about it – your book is only one in a million. Here are a handful of tried and true steps that will help you make your book stand out in a crowd. They will require some work and initiative, but if you stick to them, you will see your book start to sell.

* First of all, in today’s web-based world, you absolutely need a website. There are many simple programs that will help you get a rudimentary site up through which you can promote yourself and your books. Your website should offer your books for sale and should also list the rates of your fees for speaking engagements, if necessary. If you’ve written a children’s book, for example, you’ll want to provide details of your school visit presentations that relate to your book. If you want a more sophisticated website, there are plenty of freelance website designers that will help you for a fee. Remember to ask for references and to see work that the designer has done in the past.

* Next, send away for business cards and postcards. For networking purposes, business cards are a must. Postcards are another great marketing tool. There are many companies that will print glossy postcards of your book cover. Add a personal note on the back with information on book signings or readings. Send them to everyone you know.

* Get over your fear of public speaking. If you are a natural born public speaker, obviously this tip is not for you. If you cringe at the thought of standing up in front of a crowd and giving a speech, perhaps one of the best things for you to do would be to take a speech class. Check your local community college for classes that you can audit, or find your local chapter of Toastmasters, an organization which encourages public speaking.

In our next post, we’ll discuss a few other things that you must do if you are a self publishing author.

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Book marketing is an art usually reserved for book publishers. Along with how to publish a book, book publishing has been a mystery to most until recently. Now, with access to self publishing options, writers have entered the ring with book publishers and are giving them a run for their money.

Following is a continuation of creative marketing ideas that can take your book from obscurity to a big self publishing seller.

* Have Your Book Reviewed

The key to having a book review work for you is to make sure it’s reviewed by someone who is read by your target audience. It’s pointless to have your book reviewed by someone who does not usually write about books in your genre. Chances are, this reviewer will have a following that would not be interested in your book.

If you want to utilize book reviews for marketing purposes, simply conduct a Google search of book reviews to find sites where you can have your book included.

* Find a Blogging Guru

One great way to market your book is to find blogs that would appeal to your readers and then send a book to the blogger. While it’s up to the blogger as to whether or not the book is read and mentioned on the blog, you give yourself a good chance of being discussed when going this route.

* Conduct a Contest or Giveaway

Nothing excites people more than a contest. Consider putting one together that will pull readers to your website (i.e. giving your book more exposure). Another great idea is to offer an incentive for readers to purchase your book. You can give a free mug with your book title on the front to the first 50 people who purchase your book or you can give signed copies for a certain number of people. Whether you have a contest or a giveaway, you’re sure to get some great free exposure for your book.

These are just a few ideas for creatively marketing your book. With a little bit of research and brainstorming, you can come up with many more.

The key to marketing is to try many different approaches to find what works best. Give yourself time to come up with a marketing plan and then get to work. Trying all or some of the above ideas will give you a much better chance of gaining recognition for your book!

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Most writers live for the day when they see their masterpieces in print. It’s usually a fulfillment of a long held dream.If seeing your work in print is a dream you’ve yet to see become reality, stop dreaming and start the process of making your vision come to life. Through self publishing, a writer can take his or her hard work and turn it into something beautiful for the world to finally see.

Following are the three best reasons you should consider self publishing.

* Reason One: Self Publishing Puts YOU in Control

Book publishing is a complicated process that often takes months to complete. If you’re working with book publishers, those months can add up to a year or more of waiting while your book is in the publishing process. Yet with self publishing, the control is yours. No more waiting months while others work on your novel. No one edits your work or makes changes that you don’t approve of. With self publishing, you make all the calls.

* Reason Two: Self Publishing Puts More Money in Your Pocket

You’ve worked months, even years to produce a finished novel. If you then hand your book over to book publishers, they’ll simply create a final product yet take most of the profits. Your hard work will pay a book publisher money in the end with your take being much less.

* Reason Three: Self Publishing Might Be the Only Way to Get Published

If you know anything about how to publish a book, you know that many solid writers never find a home for their manuscripts. The fact is that publishing is a difficult business to break into. It’s like acting—you might be good but so are a lot of other people.

If you have a polished, edited manuscript but you haven’t had any bites from book publishers, consider self publishing. While it may not be for everyone, it might just be for you!

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Once your book is written and published, you then begin a new adventure—marketing. Some people are geniuses when it comes to marketing; unfortunately, most writers don’t fall into this category.

Marketing, however, is crucial for success. Without marketing, your readers will not know anything about your self publishing efforts. With marketing, your book can gain far greater success than it would have with the assistance of traditional book publishers.

Forgoing a class on Marketing 101, a writer with a book to sell can follow some or all of the creative marketing tips below to gain exposure for his or her masterpiece.

* Create Your Own Website

Websites are inexpensive and easy to create. There are many programs that help you create visually appealing websites with such things as a message board and a blog. You can also include a newsletter sign up on your site so you can send periodic newsletters to your readers to let them know about your book and where you’ll be for book signings.

* Blog

Blogging is a great way to connect with your readers and/or potential readers. To get a better idea of the type of blog you would like to have, look at some established writer’s blogs to see what type of information they include.

* Give an Interview

Whether it’s a print or online interview, your book will get some free publicity. Unless you’re a self publishing superstar or know some high powered book publishers, you’ll likely have to look for opportunities to be interviewed. Give an interview via a podcast, webcast, blog or a newsletter. Consider approaching publishers of sites that conduct interviews and then send them your book. To start off, look on Ezine Hub to find ezines your readers might subscribe to.

These are just a few suggestions for creatively marketing of your book. In part two of this article, we’ll discuss more marketing ideas that can help you get your self published book noticed!

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