Okay, so you finished your literary project—your book is now complete and you find yourself fidgeting, pacing and (maybe like me) spending more time hovered over a blank page biting your nails than you do writing new material. I know, I know, as if completing the book wasn’t hard enough—you still need to write to stay sharp, avoid laziness and keep the creative juices flowing. The only problem is—you don’t know where to begin. Try using writing “prompts” to get the creative juices flowing again!

You know you’re not ready to tackle the literary giant right now because you are too busy gloating in your well deserved accomplishments; but you also know as a professional it is imperative to “stay sharp” and find a means to write on a daily basis. I can’t tell you how many times I have gone down to my local drug store, purchased (my favorite) $2 dollar composition books just to spend minute upon minute staring at a blank page.

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Popularity: 10% [?]

One new concept which has become available to [all] authors looking for new trendy means for promoting their work is something called the Virtual Book Tour—or VBT for short.  Like the more traditional brick & mortar book signing event, VBTs allow authors an opportunity to connect with readers of their particular genre, but without regional limitations.

Unlike a more traditional book signing, where you are limited as to who can attend the event because of busy schedules, location (the cost of fuel doesn’t help) or even time constraints, with Virtual Book Tours the capacity to meet new people and even interact with them on a one-to-one basis is endless. And besides that, with the more traditional book signing, you have the difficulty of persuading an audience to invest their time and money on the work of an “unknown.”  But the VBT has advantages to help you persuade an audience and captivate their intrigue.

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Popularity: 9% [?]

Back in March, CultureFeast.com featured my article: “More Award Contests for Independent Authors and Publishers.” As part of my commitment to help the self-released author find success I am posting this article as a brief reminder that you still have time (though not much) to submit your title to the 2008 BEACH BOOK FESTIVAL hosted by JM Northern Media LLC.

This book contest is specifically designed for self-released fiction & non-fiction books with publication dates of January 1st, 2000. So, if you missed other contests because your title has already exceeded their required publication dates, dust off a copy and get it ready for submission. 

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Popularity: 7% [?]

Have you ever found yourself staring at a blank page of a [possibly] brand new composition book, feeling the gut-wrenching urge to write but instead of drafting the next great American novel, you find yourself ripping your hair out or beating your forehead on your desktop because you don’t know where to begin? If you have ever felt this way, then let me reassure you [that] you are not alone. It happens to all of us—NOT JUST YOU! But be assured my fellow literary combatants—there are ways to overcome this.

One of the more common questions I get from aspiring authors is something that sounds like this (Don’t worry—we’re all guilty of it):  I really want (or have always wanted) to write a book, but where or how do I begin? Continue Reading

Popularity: 9% [?]

If you have done the research, then you are aware of the high costs associated with magazine/e-zine advertising; but you are probably aware that you can only go so far with a good word-of-mouth campaign before you have to start digging deep into your pockets and investing in your book’s marketability.

After spending some time contacting marketing agents for various reader and writing magazines and realizing I am not yet ready to invest money in quantities of four-digit numbers, I received an email from the marketing staff of WritersCafe.org telling me about their new program designed specifically for writers looking to compete and market their work but at costs much less than traditional online marketing.

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Popularity: 10% [?]

As ironic as it may sound, I often struggle with this whole self-publishing process—being I’m no different than you or the next person. I spent the time alone (like you) soul-searching and meditating, pondering and simply thinking about the choice to release my own title and in the end I was pleased with why I chose to take this particular literary path. And here I am responsible for a weekly column to help offer something insightful, helpful and motivational to all those would-be authors working to publish and promote their novels—and in the end—it’s harder than the actual book creation process.

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Popularity: 9% [?]

When working to create the ultimate finished product for your self-released title it is imperative that you put out the most polished (book ready) manuscript you can—because in the end—your book is competing against thousands of other potential sales for the would-be buyer.

I have heard that more than 100,000 new fiction titles are released each year and if you weigh out the fact that most of (us) the self-released authors don’t have a substantial financial bankroll to cover the cost of general marketing and advertising, we may only have one real opportunity in the end to prove our worth to a potential audience, no matter how much we believe in the product or many friends (we) you have.

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Popularity: 7% [?]

In my article dated January 24th, 2008 (Major Contest Recognition for the Independently Published Author) I referenced eight novel contests specifically targeted and geared towards the self-published author. And in order for me to maintain an effective weekly column of introducing tips, tricks, and updates for all my readers, it is imperative that I continue to stay on top of previous posts to ensure the data stays current. So, I have a few new additions to add this week in continuing with that previous list to help you stay up-to-date with the latest opportunities to publicize and promote your recent project.

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Popularity: 7% [?]

Continued from last Thursday's post on marketing tips for self-publishers, here are five more tips for successfully marketing your book: 

Collaborate ideas with other self-published authors
One of the things I did early on is find others who were working to promote their work in the same manner as myself. I asked them what was working for them and shared some things that worked for me. I promoted them on an Author Links page on my website. Many did the same for me.

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Popularity: 5% [?]

Last week I elaborated on some general points to consider when releasing your own title. Naturally, if you read through the list, you are aware of the possibility [that] there are more steps vital to successful publication than originally noted on my previous article. However, in order for me to cover everything you should know it would take a book length manuscript not a weekly column to cover everything. So, I noted some key points to consider and offered some insight into approaching those steps. This week we will cover the second part to this particular article: the Post-Publication concepts.

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Popularity: 6% [?]

Continuing from the self-publishing topic of last Thursday, "I've made up my mind to self-publish, now what?". I will outline a few concepts I felt were important and critical in my early success and steps I (wish) I had not avoided early on.

Step 1: Determine a DBA (Business Name) & publishing company name

DBA stands for “doing business as” and you will need to create a DBA—if you plan on operating your publishing business apart from using your own name. Having the DBA will also help simplify critical banking transactions, especially when you are working to separate what money is actually used for the sake of your publishing business and what money is for your “regular” lifestyle.

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Popularity: 3% [?]