For book/ebook authors, publishers, & self-publishers
What's Your Biggest Challenge with Your Book?
I'd be interested to learn what authors/publishers on this network think their biggest challenges are with their book. I wonder if there's any common, pervasive challenge we all face.
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Mary Ellen Courville on
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Marketing goes hand in hand with confidence. When you have not "been there done that" it's hard to step out onto the unknown stage and promote. Although I've always written in one format or another, promoting myself is new.
Sharon, it's the internal battle of "Who am I to do this?" that makes marketing the toughest for me to tackle.
Bill, innundation with an overload of ideas is another battle I fight. Staying focused on doing one thing well and then expanding that should remain my goal. I've started a blog for my upcoming book at http://writethroughme.blogspot.com.
I need to focus on what I have done and can do, instead of standing and shrinking in the shadow of what should-could-won't be done.
Thanks for the thoughts guys, and I'm going to continue to try to step out of the shadow and stand up for my writing.
Mary Ellen
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Permalink Reply by Grace Brooks on
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Sometimes the biggest challenge with my book is right on the computer; getting the manuscript formated and numbered pages numbered properly is a big challenge for me. After that, after the book is written, marketing is the biggest obstacle. I do have a blog and a website advertising my books.
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Permalink Reply by Bill Frank on
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It's great that you have a blog and website to promote your books. How are you using the website and blog to capture customers? Are you collecting e-mail addresses? How do you plan to use the e-mail addresses, if you're capturing them?
Are you participating on other authors' blogs? That's one way to spread the word about your books. When you do participate, remember to include the title of your book and your URL in author's block in the post.
What are the URLs to your website and blog? I noticed you missed an opportunity to mention them in this post. This community is almost 1,900 people (at this point in time). That's 1,900 interested people, and perhaps a few buyers.
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Did I really miss an chance to promote my blog? I usually add the URLS in every post I post.
http::''www.geocities.com/lgracebrooks
http://christianreadingcenter.blogspot.com
I certainly do participate in other author's blogs. I've exchanged links with dozens of other authors.
As for collecting email addresses. How do i go about that?
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To collect e-mail addresses on your web site, you'll need to offer an "ethical bribe" to your visitors. What is an ethical bribe? It's something you offer visitors in exchange for their e-mail address. Typically, this is something you've written—either a free chapter of your book, a special report, a short story or something they can get nowhere else. You'll deliver the "ethical bribe" electronically so there are no delivery costs.
The value of the collected e-mail addresses is immeasurable. These people are the nucleus of your reader base. You can use the e-mail addresses to announce your new works. They will become your first buyers.
What's more, these e-mail addresses can be monetized if a traditional publisher becomes interested in signing you. Having an established readership makes you more interesting to publishers. It also allows you to negotiate a higher advance when it comes time to negotiate with a publisher.
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Bill- What exactly would I say in this bribe.
Something like-
In exchange for your email address i will send you the first chapter of such and such a book?
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Permalink Reply by carol stanley on
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I am glad you refreshed my memory about looking to other authors for support...I am very unsavvy on the computer..but after John Kremer course I just started searching..google alert is great, following up on blogs, writing articles, meeting new people to network with on social sites...My website has been up for sixweeks...and I have had 5,000 hits..not bad..However it happened because I am relentless online...One thing always leads to another..carol...:For Kids 59.99 and Over www.carolstanley1.com
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Carol, how do you balance "relentless online" with only having 24 hours in a day? I never seem to do enough!
Mary Ellen
www.writemaryellen.com
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Dont worry about doing enough...Just do something everyday. I am sure you have many other things to do in life..so make a plan...whether an hour, thirty minutes or even fifteen...Divide your time..researching, blogging, commenting, article writing or whatever...It is the activity of doing it everyday...And remember I am not too computer savvy..but I keep plugging away...carol
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Permalink Reply by Dr. Marlena Corcoran on
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Congratulations on the number of visitors to your website? What would you suggest as the most effective of the online strategies you use? Thanks for your insights!
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Thank you, Marlena, for the kind words. It's difficult to say which is the "most effective" online strategy. What is most effective for one author is not most effective for another. It depends on the author's personality, tolerance for risk, willingness to try different techniques, etc.
For me, the most effective strategy is an aggressive Amazon strategy. I like Amazon because it's both a distribution channel and a promotion vehicle. Amazon allows a variety of ways to promote books, including blogs, reader reviews, "if you bought x, you'll be interested in y" and more. There are, in fact, over 17 different ways to promote your book on Amazon. A good book describing an Amazon strategy is Brent Sampson's SELL YOUR BOOK ON AMAZON.
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How costly is this>? And I assume there are really good results..carol
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