By Maja Talevska Ever since Amazon took over the online space, the total market share for online sales rose from about 5% in the '90s to 12% in 2019, according to stats about online versus in-store shopping. This change has affected the way people shop for books too. Giants such as Amazon have freed the authors from traditional publishing routes and gave them the power to … [Read more...] about Guest Post: How Much do Americans Spend on Books?
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Authors: Step Up Your Digital Content Game
Today's post is another roundup of resources for authors during these crazy times. Since we're all physically distancing, it's a good time to step up your digital content game. What does that mean? The Book Designer's post about it being a wide virtual world is a good start. There are all kinds of ways to chat online, connect with readers, and go live. Digital also includes … [Read more...] about Authors: Step Up Your Digital Content Game
Writing, Reading, Listening While Sheltering At Home
How's everyone doing? In California, we've been sheltering at home for a few weeks now, and adjusting to all the changes. If you're looking for something to do, or new resources to help you cope, I've found a few (below). Writing Lots of people have been finishing their novels while staying at home. If you have a book you've been meaning to get out, now may be a good time. … [Read more...] about Writing, Reading, Listening While Sheltering At Home
Indie Authors: An Overview of Book Reviews
Sure, we all know that getting authentic reviews, and ideally that are 4- and 5-stars, is a key component to a book's success. In fact, you need a certain number of 4-star reviews just to be considered for a BookBub promotion. Because of this, there are tons of resources online that give indie authors advice on how to find reviewers and contact them. Funds for Writers and … [Read more...] about Indie Authors: An Overview of Book Reviews
Setting Up and Building an Email List
Direct marketing is powerful. There's a reason so many people say "the money is in the list." If you can build a mailing list of people who like your work and are willing to pay for it, then it becomes much easier to sell your books and have bigger book launches. With that in mind, here are some tips and resources on how to build a strong mailing list: Setting Up Your List … [Read more...] about Setting Up and Building an Email List
Guest Post: 4 Content Marketing Tricks for Authors to Attract More Readers
By Heather Redding We get it. You’re an author and not a salesperson, which could be why you’d rather be writing than promoting your books. Engaging in book promotion isn’t the only way to attract your target audience, though. Instead, you could focus on using your knowledge and expertise to educate people and naturally draw them into your world of books. Content … [Read more...] about Guest Post: 4 Content Marketing Tricks for Authors to Attract More Readers
Guest Post: #BooksForwardHelpline teaches physical book lovers how to download ebooks, audiobooks
By Marissa DeCuir As a reader of Digital Pubbing, you likely already well know how to access ebooks and audiobooks. But not all book lovers are as attuned to finding their next digital read, and figuring this out can be daunting. Our newly launched #BooksForwardHelpline walks readers step-by-step through the downloading process and options for various e-reading … [Read more...] about Guest Post: #BooksForwardHelpline teaches physical book lovers how to download ebooks, audiobooks
Staying Sane By Reading and Learning
Stay safe, and stay sane. I hear these words more and more lately, and I think it's succinct and meaningful. I hope everyone who reads this is healthy and doing well. One thing I've been able to do as a result of sheltering in place is read a lot more. If you're looking for some inspirational stories or tips or even some random tidbits, then I've got a list for … [Read more...] about Staying Sane By Reading and Learning
Indie Authors: What’s in a Book Cover?
It's well known that a good book cover is a key component of selling a book (aside from having a great story, of course). But with so many books out there for readers to choose from (especially now that indie authors as well as traditional publishers are now making high quality book covers of similar caliber, according to Publishing Perspectives) what can make your cover stand … [Read more...] about Indie Authors: What’s in a Book Cover?
Guest Post: 6 Social Media Strategies for Independent Publishers
By Dave Brown Thanks to social media, becoming a successful self-published author, YouTuber, or content creator is possible. Not only does it allow you to stay in touch with your audience, but expand your reach day by day. In this blog, we cover six essential social media strategies that can work for any independent publisher. 1. Set SMART KPIs Make sure that your KPIs … [Read more...] about Guest Post: 6 Social Media Strategies for Independent Publishers
Indie Authors and Book Reviews
Book reviews are an important part of an indie author's strategy. Reviews can let potential readers know if they want to purchase your book, and they can also help you improve your work. The Creative Penn offers advice for getting reviews if you're an unknown author. The idea is to get a team of people who are your advance readers and hope they review your book when you … [Read more...] about Indie Authors and Book Reviews
Indie Authors: Editing Tips to Attract Readers and Save Money
No first draft is perfect. That's why editing is such an important step in the writing and publishing process. There are a few types of editing: Developmental editing Line editing Proofreading In a nutshell, developmental editing looks at the big picture of a story, and makes sure the tone is consistent and things make sense. Line editing is more granular, and … [Read more...] about Indie Authors: Editing Tips to Attract Readers and Save Money
Indie Authors: Getting Your Book Discovered
With hundreds of thousands of new books being published each year, it's hard for indie authors to stand out. One strategy I've written about before is going permafree, meaning you set one book in a series to permanently free, as a way to entice readers to buy the rest of the books in the series. To add fodder to that idea, M. Louisa Locke writes about how using the … [Read more...] about Indie Authors: Getting Your Book Discovered
Tips for Hosting a Webinar
Webinars are great for connecting with people who are interested in your brand, or what you have to sell. Many authors use webinars to promote their content, such as books and online courses. But how do you set up a webinar? Aileen Barker wrote a post on how she planned her first webinar, which includes a prep kit. The first thing she did was set a date, so she could work … [Read more...] about Tips for Hosting a Webinar
Generating Art With Code
I recently posted about machine learning and all the cool things you can do with it. Another fun coding-related project I've been working on is generating art with code. If you want to learn more about generative art (and see how I made my first piece), then you should read "Intro to Generative Art" on Dev and "An introduction to Generative Art: what it is, and how you make … [Read more...] about Generating Art With Code