9 Incredibly Useful Links for Indie Authors & Book Publishers

Here’s a round-up of my best blog posts, articles, sample book chapters, video clips and podcasts on book promotion and building online awareness and your brand as an author.

Making Money Online: 3 Steps for Authors
There’s a LOT of wisdom in this short excerpt from Darren Rowse’s latest post about his new blogging venture …

ISBN 101 for Authors & Self-Publishers
Joel Friedlander writes, “Let’s review the basics of this unique identifier and explain what is so important about it, how it benefits self-publishers, and when you can safely forget about it.”

3 Steps to Effective Book Promotion – Free Download
This free report is an excerpt from the book 55 Ways to Promote and Sell Your Book on the Internet.

How to Become a Book Marketing Ninja
To be effective in today’s noisy world, you can’t be lazy when it comes to marketing and selling your books. You have to stretch your thinking and your methods. You must break old paradigms and shatter trusted formulas. You must become a book marketing ninja!

The Unconventional Book Launch: Could YOU Do This?
Kathleen Gage called it “One of the most creative book launches I have seen.” She is talking about what I started doing last month, when I opened the door for my music marketing readers and fans to get their name in my next book — and start reading it now!

Top 7 Book Promotion & Self-Publishing People to Follow on Twitter
So many tweets, so little time. But when it comes to consistently good information on book promotion & self-publishing, these are the Twitter streams I follow to get the latest book news and ideas.

The 7 Attributes of Highly Successful Authors
What traits do the small percentage of prosperous authors have that all the others are missing? On this podcast episode, I reveal the seven attributes demonstrated by the most successful authors.

Free Video Book Marketing and Publishing Tips for Authors
Here is a collection of my YouTube video clips on book promotion and publishing.

Forget Book Signings! Put on an Event!
Nowadays, people just don’t want to come and hear an author read out of their book. They want something that will change their life, they want to have a good time and most importantly they want value for their dollar and time.

Hope you enjoy these links and free resources.

-Bob

http://www.FullTimeAuthor.com/
http://www.IndieBookPromotion.com/

Craft Your Book Marketing Plan

Ready to craft a book marketing plan? Here are some great nuggets of wisdom from Mapletree Publishing:

Begin your marketing plan even before you sit down to write. The first thing to do is identify your audience. Whether fiction or nonfiction, if you have a specific niche of the market in mind before you start, you’ll be more successful.

Plan how you will reach and interest this audience. What format and features will make your book appeal to this niche?

Too many writers get their books back from the printer and then start to think of how they’re going to sell it. They’ve put the cart before the horse. If you have no idea how you’ll sell your book, maybe you shouldn’t have written it!

To eliminate that sense of despair that can grip you as you set out to market your book, identify your target before you start and then build in a setting, a style, and other features that will appeal to this audience.

I’ll add to that …

Start building the buzz about your book as you write it. Publish a blog that chronicles your book-creation journey. Let people know what chapter and topic you’re working on. Solicit suggestions and ask your readers what they’d like to see in the finished book. This not only stimulates advance promotion, it will also help you write a better book!

-Bob

www.FullTimeAuthor.com
www.IndieBookPromotion.com

For Authors: “55 Ways to Promote Your Book on the Internet”

I wanted to give you a quick heads-up about something that will take place later this week.

BUT … I’m doing this thing in a very unusual way. You might even call it “revolutionary.”

See what I’m talking about at www.IndieBookPromotion.com.

Later this week I will officially launch my new book, called “55 Ways to Promote & Sell Your Book on the Internet.”

Am I Out of My Mind to Launch a New Book This Way?

I’ve never followed the “rules” or done anything traditionally — especially when it came to building my book publishing business.

That approach has served me well. So why should I do what’s normal and expected with my next book?

That’s why I invite you to be part of this history-making book launch.

See all the details at www.IndieBookPromotion.com.

I think you’ll agree, this isn’t your typical book publishing formula, and I’m not your typical author.

And I encourage you to think outside the octagon as you build your author career too.

Again, you can read all about this unique launch at www.IndieBookPromotion.com.

-Bob

Social Networking & the TGIF Word Play Challenge

Last Friday I posted this simple message to my Facebook and Twitter

accounts:

Bob wants you to give him another meaning for TGIF. Like “Thirsty Goldfish Ingest Fervently.” Your turn!

I received a LOT of creative and funny responses left as Facebook wall comments and Twitter replies. Here are some of the better ones (with a social networking lesson at the end):

Those Gams Invite Fondling
David

Today Gratitude Is Foremost
Margaret

Tempting Girlfriends Incite Foolishness
Deepak

The Gnome Is Frolicking
Cheri

Tomorrow Gets Interesting, Frodo
Kathy

Try Getting It Fried
Lisa

True Greatness Inspires Frivolity
David

Try Guinness, It’s Fab
Though Guinness Increases Farting
John

Twitter Goes Idio-Fanatical
Arnold

That Guy Is F**ked
Macdara

Tweeple Gather Interesting Friends
Rocky

Time Grows Increasingly Fractal
David

This Genius Is Frisky
Matt

Why am I sharing this with you? Two reasons.

First, these responses are amusing. And if you want to add one of your own, I encourage you to leave one in the comments below.

Second, this is a good example of how to use social networking beyond pure self-promotion. Yes, I plug my books and other things on Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, etc. But I balance those promotional messages with conversations.

You should do the same thing.

Many people go too far one way or the other. No, I don’t need to know every move you make on Twitter. But sharing some snippets of your personal life is fine, especially if it engages people and stirs some discussion.

Some “social networkers” do nothing but post sales messages. I don’t know about you, but after a while I start tuning these people out and unsubscribe from their feeds.

Check out how John Mayer and Ryan Seacrest (and even MC Hammer) use Twitter to communicate. It’s a mix of personal and promotional. And it works!

So, start using these sites to plug your new books, live events, and media coverage — while also asking questions, replying to other people’s comments, linking to amazing sites and blog posts, sharing funny thoughts, etc.

Got it?

Great. Thank God It’s Friday!

-Bob

NEW!

The Secret Guide to Amazon.com Book Sales & Promotion

How to promote and sell your book on the world’s largest online bookseller

Learn More …

Develop a Web Presence to Promote Your Books Online

Here’s an excerpt from my new book, “55 Ways to Promote & Sell Your Book on the Internet.”

Develop a Web “Presence,” Not Just a Web Site

When many novice promoters think of Internet marketing, they believe it’s all about putting up a good web site and then driving traffic to it using banner ads or a Google AdWords campaign (more on these later).

Sure, that’s one way to promote your books online. But it’s one of the least effective, in my opinion.

Another line of faulty reasoning is thinking that online book promotion is about search engine optimization (SEO). If only you did well in search results, you’re worries would be over. It’s true that putting basic SEO principles into practice can be helpful. But it’s still not the ultimate solution.

The best way to promote and sell your books online — based on my many years of Internet experience — is thinking outside your web site.

Make no mistake, you need an attractive and well-organized site (and I’ll cover my top tips in that area soon). But to make a real impact as an author, you need much more than a good web site.

You Need a Web Presence!

But what do I mean by “presence”?

You have a strong presence online when a growing number of people who have an interest in your topic or genre keep finding you in the places where they spend time online.

Sure, doing well in Google searches for your ideal words and phrases is one important part of having an Internet presence. But there’s so much more to it.

Having a Web presence also means having your articles and sample chapters appear on prominent sites that cater to your subject matter. It happens when your name keeps popping up on active discussion forums related to your topic.

You also expand your presence when people find you on Facebook, YouTube, MySpace, Twitter, and any number of other social networking sites. It grows when people who subscribe to your email newsletter forward your latest message to their friends.

You further establish your presence by starting your own blog, while also making comments on other people’s blogs and podcasts — and when you do text, audio and video interviews online.

In other words, you set yourself up for success by making sure you can be found in multiple places where your ideal reader, buyer and fan hangs out online.

That’s what I mean by developing a Web presence. And that’s exactly what this book will help you do.

-Bob

P.S. Again, this is a quick preview of my new book, “55 Ways to Promote and Sell Your Book on the Internet,” due out in spring 2009.

Hollywood Launch Your Next Book?

What can authors and book publishers learn from software developers and major motion pictures about introducing something new to the public? Maybe a lot. But it’s probably not what you think.

According to the 37 Signals web site, it boils down to three steps:

1) Tease
2) Preview
3) Launch

First, in the Tease phase, you blog for months about the topic of your upcoming book. Make people aware that it’s coming soon. Build a mailing list of readers who want to be the first to know when it’s released.

Next, during Preview, you make sample chapters available to your list. Leak advance copies to key influencers in your field. Ask for testimonials from experts and your biggest supporters.

Finally, when you Launch, the book is available for sale from your own web site, Amazon, BN.com. You make a special offer to your mailing list. You alert the industry influencers and experts you contacted earlier. You ask other bloggers and ezine publishers to write about it and perhaps earn affiliate commissions. You send review copies to as many sources as make sense.

Read the entire 37 Signals post for more details, but I think there’s a lot that can be applied to book promotion here.

Bottom line: Promotion shouldn’t start the day the books arrive from the printer. A whole string of activities can take place in the weeks and months leading up to the “for sale” date.

-Bob

P.S. Join me for a New Year’s Prosperity Plan workshop …

“How to Beat the Recession, Reach Your Creative Goals, and Thrive in 2009!”

Coming to these cities:

San Francisco, CA – Saturday, December 27
Los Angeles, CA – Saturday, January 3
St. Louis, MO – Saturday, January 10

A powerful hands-on workshop for songwriters, musicians, authors, writers, artists, actors, and anyone with a creative entrepreneurial bone in their body.

Get more details on the New Year’s Prosperity Plan workshop here.

New Year’s Resolution: Your 2009 Book Prosperity Plan

This just in …

I’m hitting the road right after Christmas and bringing a powerful new hands-on workshop to the following three cities:

San Francisco, CA – Saturday, December 27
Los Angeles, CA – Saturday, January 3
St. Louis, MO – Saturday, January 10

I’m calling it “Your New Year’s Prosperity Plan: How to Beat the Recession, Reach Your Creative Goals, and Thrive in 2009!“

Who should attend? Well … writers, authors, and book publishers, of course.  But this event will also boost the careers of songwriters, musicians, artists, actors — in fact, anyone with a creative entrepreneurial bone in their body.

Please help me spread the word by sending your creative friends in the area to the 2009 Prosperity Plan workshop page.

Hope to see you in one of these three cities in a few weeks!

-Bob

How to Increase Email Signups by 300%

There’s no debate about this. Building a mailing list of people interested in what you do is crucial to your success as an author.

And these days, simply putting a signup form on your web site isn’t the best solution. You must create incentives for people to submit their name and email address. Those incentives can include free sample chapters, audio interviews, checklists, etc.

Or you can get really creative and do what blogger Jim Kukral does: He sings “Happy Birthday” to his subscribers.

Here’s the text from his email signup page …

Please consider joining my private email update list.

BONUS! If you trust me enough to give me your day and month of birth, I’ll personally sing happy birthday to you on my ukulele on your birthday on video! How can you beat that deal?

Now that’s cool.

I have a feeling every subscriber gets the same generic music video clip, delivered by autoresponder email. But that doesn’t make it any less special. I’m sure his readers appreciate the semi-personalized touch, delivered on their special day.

So … what could you do to inspire more email signups and create an even stronger bond with your readers?

-Bob

The Self-Promoting Author

Over on O’Reilly Media’s Tools of Change for Publishing blog, the question was posed:

What do you think authors should do to promote themselves online? How much should publishers get involved?

Here’s how I answered the question in a comment post:

I’m a full-time self-published author (and proud of it) who has been making good use of the Internet for more than 13 years. So I’m a little biased in my response

The proactive self-promoting author has the best chance of success. If you go the traditional publishing route, by all means, use the resources that your house has to offer. But don’t count on them to create your career for you.

To make the best use of the Internet, know that you need more than a good web site. You need a Web Presence. So think seriously about setting up profiles on Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, Squidoo, Blogger and/or WordPress, and more.

And make sure you purposefully funnel people from all these sites back to your home base on the Web: your personal author site.

The Internet has been very good to me. Let it be your publishing friend too.

-Bob

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Twitter for Book Promotion? You Bet!

You’ve no doubt heard of Twitter. It’s a popular social networking site that allows users to send short, 140-character messages to mobile phones or instant message applications. You can also read these messages on the Twitter web site.

According to the site, Twitter exists to help its users answer that probing question, “What are you doing?” Users then inflict … er, I mean, share their bite-size messages with whoever signs up to receive them.

For better or worse, users have taken this Q&A theme to heart. Most people use Twitter to let other people know what they’re doing — EVERYTHING they’re doing! Common messages report such meaningful activities as “Stopping to get gas and buy a pack of cigs” or “Running late for the photo shoot” or “It’s raining outside and I’m bored.”

You’re bored? Try reading through this mountain of trivial Twitter updates! Then you’ll know what true agony is.

There’s got to be a better!

One restaurant in Buffalo, NY, twitters its daily special to everyone who subscribes to its feed. Now that’s useful. Mashable sends a headline and link for each of its new blog posts. That’s smart.

How could an independent author or book publisher make the best use of Twitter? Let’s say you publish books on how to make pancakes. How about a …

• Pancake recipe of the day
• Reader recipe of the week
• Syrup review of the week
• This day in pancake history

Authors should use Twitter to alert fans about live workshops and book signings, new chapter samples, new blog posts, media coverage, where their books can be purchased, and more. (See how I use my Twitter feed. And please “follow” me while you’re there.)

This isn’t spleen surgery. It’s just making *smart* use of new technology. So give people tidbits of info they can use. Even at a mere 140 characters, wasting time is still wasting time.

Unless your fans really want to know how many times a day you go to the bathroom

Here are a few other online musings on Twitter worth reading:

Twitter: Use it Productively

The Top 5 Ways Smart People Use Twitter

Eight Ways Twitter is Useful Professionally

-Bob