5 Reasons Why I Am Retiring My Musings
For the past month, I have been debating whether to continue writing My Musings or retire the blog. Depending on the day, I can list many reasons to keep posting or just as many not to do so. I started the blog about five ago. Since then, I have provided strategies and support to indie authors,…
Want to sell more books? Optimize your Keywords
I recently heard the author Nick Stephenson say that to be successful as an author you had to think of Amazon is a search engine and not a book retailer. It was light bulb moment. To ensure being found by readers, you have to optimize your book’s search engine metadata—the keywords (and categories) associated with your book. Keywords are the words or phrases you use to…
How to make it irresistible for my readers to sign-on to my list
For the past several months, I’ve watched my book sales decline. At first, I was not concerned because the ratings remained constant. I thought that perhaps the whole market was in a slump, or that the approaching summer, the political unrest or whatever was taking readers away from books. When my ratings dropped from the…
It’s important to be consistent to your brand
Branding is much more than your logo or your book cover designs—it is the entire experience you create for your readers. It includes your genre, tone, and writing style, both in your books and on your Webpage and social media. It’s how you present yourself at book signings and presentations, at conferences, and on radio or television. Think…
To be successful book reader, engage the audience
At a recent book event, I listened to several authors discuss and read from their books. I was surprised by how many authors mumbled, spoke too softly, and failed to engage the audience while reading an excerpt. No matter how eloquent the prose or how descriptive the scene, failing to captivate the people who came explicitly to learn more about your books…
How to create a professional media kit
In my last post I talked about what to do after you have finished your first book. If you have not already prepared a media kit (sometimes called a press kit) for yourself and your book, I suggest you do so. You can do these on your own, but I purchased templates from Joan Stewart that simplified the…
Kudos on the first book. Now what do you do?
You’ve just published your book. You feel a sense of accomplishment and a relief that the work is over. Friends and family congratulate you and are happy to have you back in their social circles. Soon you realize that writing a book is not the end-all, but the first step in your career as a writer. Now that the…
To be a successful author, promote yourself and your books
When I saw this twenty-second TV ad from the “International Best-Selling Author” James Patterson, I just had to purchase the book. Not only was the book trailer thrilling, but the writer was JAMES PATTERSON. When I later discovered that this trailer was not for the book but for a summer 2015 CBS series based on the book, it did not change my decision to…
How to get new readers
You’ve had a successful book launch, but how do you keep the momentum going? How do you get new readers? The most important thing is to write a good book. Eye-appeal counts—get a professional book cover designer. Hire a professional editor. If you don’t understand book formatting, get it professionally done. Don’t forget to ask…
How to have a successful book launch
Indie authors have so many things to do when launching a book. For a successful book launch, and to help you keep on track (and from going crazy), use these checklists. First develop your media-kit. Include a book synopsis, author’s bio, press releases, interview questions, photos sized and formatted for online and print, cover letters for reviewers,…