The Internet in Real-Time

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Chronicles of a Indie Publicist: The Top 10 Marketing Mistakes of the Self-Published Author

I get a lot of reblogs from Chris The Story Reading Ape and this is one I thought worth passing along.  Anything that is helpful for the Indie Publishing author is worth the time for read it.  I hope it benefits you in your work.

The Problem

As a person who has worked in book (specifically eBook) marketing for a while, I’m starting to notice a startling disconnect.

Self-publishing authors are repeating the same marketing mistakes over and over again.

Every day I come across authors who overload their social media profiles, spam their followers, and then complain about the results. I come across authors who refuse to invest more than a few dollars in a eBook, but complain about exposure.(Consider that a traditional publisher has to spend thousands to market one book!)

This needs to stop.

Continue HERE.

 

5 Book Review Rules Which Could Make Writers Hate You Less

 

Book reviews are the cod liver oil of the writing world. Writers need them, and they can do an awful lot of good, but they can also leave an incredibly nasty taste in the mouth.

You can’t switch on the Internet these days without seeing an author giving out about book reviews and how unfair/mean/reprehensible/soul-destroying they are.

Read the entire blog here.   

This is a timely blog post I want to share.  It’s about the rules for writing reviews.  It lumps the troll reviews in with negative reviews, which is fine in this context since it is specific on what is not allowed.

I’m not sure about the reviews written by friends.  I haven’t experienced a personally known friend who was willing to do a review, but I don’t ask.  I do have acquaintances, through social media connections, who are willing to review for a free copy.  Sometimes we exchange copies.  It’s usually a matter of authors supporting authors, especially Indie authors who get no respect or consideration outside their circles.

I have added my own cats expressing their ideas of how readers, writers and reviewers often see this situation.

As they say here in East Texas… Have a blessed day.

This Weekend’s Reading Blitz

 

Mother’s Day Reading Blitz (click the picture) – counting down till Friday.

The Giveaway is Saturday starting a 1pm and will go for 24 hours so everyone in every time zone around the world will have a chance.

https://www.facebook.com/events/630540137014799/

Other hashtags … Spread the word.  There’s enough for everyone.

#MothersDay #mothersdaygiftidea #ebooks #99cents #kindlebooks #read #readingblitz

Mother’s Day Reading Blitz

There will be a live Giveaway event on Facebook for
the Mother’s Day Reading Blitz

It’s hosted by Indie World Publishing & Author Services
Put the whole three-day weekend on your calendar
Allow Mom to sign up for awesome gifts,
then shop for her next book, or stock up for her summer vacation.

Also note on your calendar the three day Mother’s Day weekend, from May 9 – 11. During those three days be sure to visit the Indie World Publishing & Author Services website to search through the 72 books by over 60 fantastic female authors which will be available for only $0.99! That’s 99 cents! Participating books can be found here so start looking now: http://www.indieworldpub.com/#!mdrb-books-by-genre/c1f28

On Saturday, May 10th, there will be a giant giveaway of lots of fantastic books written by female authors ~~ some on the book sale lists and some not. All these books have strong female lead characters.

There will also be other items available for giveaway. The great news is you don’t have to be a mother (or even a female) to join in the fun! Just mark your calendars and get ready to enter each contest for your chance to win! Oh – and invite all your friends and family! We’ll be expecting to see you there!

For my part, I have 7 of my books posted for sale at the amazing low price of 99 cents. I will also have two others to be given away. Visit the site today for my listing of books in the variety of genres so you will know which ones you might be interested in purchasing.

For the giveaway I’ve chosen my two children’s books (see below) since they have no Kindle equivalent. Click on the link below the picture to visit the Amazon page where you can read about them and see the reviews.

If you win a book, or decide to buy one, please be considerate of the author and make a comment on the book’s Amazon page about your reading experience. It’s not difficult. Just scroll down the page to the write a customer review button and click. There is even a Tips and Guidelines link highlighted on the review page if you want some hints on what to do.

DON’T FORGET TO MARK YOUR CALENDAR. REMEMBER MOM AND WE’LL SEE YOU THERE.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Carousel-Pony-Make—Wish-Story/dp/1482336766

 

 

http://www.amazon.com/Theres-House-Judith-Victoria-Douglas/dp/1478361131

 

Reblog: Laws of the (Amazon) Jungle – 8 Rules Authors Need to Know to Stay Safe

With all the bullying going on, the investigations might be starting.  Everyone is getting tired of putting up with comments vs true reviews, especially nasty ones with or without personal attacks.

This is information that even readers should know.  I wish I’d known it when I was only reading and not yet an author.  I would have posted more positive reviews and voted for the good ones and against the obvious troll ones.  But understanding the system is only the beginning.

There is good advice here, with helpful links.  I found it through my review of StoptheGoodreadsBullies site from a Tweet I received.  So, word is getting around.  Next is awareness for more in the business and the general public.

Bullies are not our kind of people and I keep hoping that search for another planet is just to find a place where they can be relocated and turn on each other.  That would be fair.

http://annerallen.blogspot.com/2013/10/the-laws-of-amazon-jungleeight-rules.html

Addendum:  Just found this on Twitter about how Amazon was founded. http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2014/02/17/140217fa_fact_packer?currentPage=all?mbid=social_retweet

Sharing Others’ Experiences #5

I wasn’t planning to add another, but five rounds this out nicely.  This is from my LinkedIn site and is a story a little different, but just as disturbing, because Amazon is involved.

For those of you who aren’t part of the Facebook bullied author support page I will reiterate my experience with Amazon first.

I got a email from them that the two 1-star reviews posted on one of my books would be removed.  This was after I requested an investigation of fake reviews.  When the second 1-star appeared and I was the first to vote “No” that it wasn’t helpful, I got a drop down box.  It asked why I voted “No.”  I assumed this was evidence of Amazon’s investigation as I requested.  Of course, I marked the top choice that stated something like “It appears to be a fake review.” Shortly after I received the email stating both reviews would be removed.

In the interim the books were separated along with the reviews listed, so I asked for a call.  With a minute my phone rang and it turned out the investigators had separated them, but failed to put them back together.  It was fixed, but I did speak to the customer service rep, who sounded like a mature man whose voice could be executive, but who really knows.  I mentioned about the removal of the 1-star reviews and he confirmed they would be within the 3-5 days my email stated.

Five days later I queried if these reviews would be removed that day since it had taken so long.  I made the reply to the email stating the removals would occur.  Well, that email disappeared from all my folders, and the response was they would not be removed because they fit within their guidelines, to which they gave me a link.  My response was to call them liars and hackers and informed them the information would be shared among other bullied authors fighting for a voice.  Yet another email arrived, yesterday, reiterating the reviews did not violate their guidelines and, again, the link.  My response was similar to the first, adding that it appeared a fact they were liars and hackers and we should just all move on.

I hope that is the end of my bad experience with Amazon because I am only at a point, with several books, that a couple are selling each month, and a couple of Kindles also.  The’s about $20 per month for me.  Not a fortune, but with limited SS income every little bit helps.

Now to share a disabled person’s experience:

— How does it feel to be bullied? Indie author Eldon Sarte can probably tell you. It seems there are two bullies trying to have their way with him right now — a bestselling author Sarte calls “The Princess Bully” and the giant Amazon.com itself. And, of course, Sarte claims he’s done nothing wrong.

To read the original go here.  

Don’t Let Things Get Ugly: Etiquette for Authors — by Mysti Parker

If you’re an author, chances are that at some point you’ll make a mistake somewhere along the marketing path. Indie or small press authors have to work even harder than traditionally published authors to keep their careers on the right path. Navigating the waters of public scrutiny is rather like a neverending job interview. You have to maintain a positive image and hold on to your umbrella of integrity, even when the rough winds of criticism threaten to blow it to Timbuktu.

 Here are a few guidelines that may help you when it comes to author etiquette:

   For the full story

 

Sharing Others’ Experiences #3 ~ About GRs

I originally had this as a draft dated September 2013 on my Blogspot site.  I was reluctant to post it there because I’d found the link on my stats page that lead back to the “Goodreads’ Secret Group” or whatever the exact title was.  I’ve forgotten.  When I found it I knew all they did was aimed at me personally.  This secret group cover page was of an ugly man with a sinister laughing face stretching his arm toward the camera to emphasize his obscene gesture.

The connection did lead me to its managers, as I investigated further, one of which quickly disappeared.  But the link disappeared.  I’m sorry I couldn’t save it first.

This may be an “old” post, but not that old.  It’s still relevant to what I experienced in the past week.  I only think it has slowed for me because I’ve kept digging and watching.  I changed my Goodreads and Amazon page write-ups, being told I was brave.  I’ve reported to GR on numerous items.  The mess up with my covers and titles is straightened out. One no-star review had a lot of its irrelivant content removed, though a small part was added as a comment.  And I discovered a private no-star that I reported…very interesting item to find.

Anyway, be awaken by Nathan’s comments, observations and advise.  It’s a good recounting of the everyday world for authors on Goodreads.  His is also a very good site for other great connections for authors.

http://blog.nathanbransford.com/2013/09/the-bullies-of-goodreads.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+NathanBransford+%28Nathan+Bransford%2C+Author%29

Sharing Others’ Experiences (1)

Troll La La La La Laaaaaa

http://africolonialstories.wordpress.com/2014/02/21/troll-la-la-la-la-laaaaaa/

Short and sweet, and you will enjoy.  Support her, also.  Let’s wider the net…web…trap…whatever.