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Can someone please point us in the right direction

Hello, yesterday Hugh My Husband had his first book signing. What a complete wast of our time. I felt like screaming out in the shop . We went self publishing and have lost so much money . I know that we have to try things out but we are learning. The sad thing is that Hugh has got another childrens book in the pipeline, but we cant afford to self publish again.If anyone lives in the uk and has gone self publishing I would like to hear your views on this. This wednesday Hugh will be on southern counties radio at 16.45 pm and they have got a guest speaker, from Random house. so we are keeping things crossed that this will help us even more.Regards AmandaHarrison

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I think the cover is (for starters) very intriguing. I have children and if we passed the book on a shelf (or online) we would pick it up. The back of the book (if you have text there) might lead us to inspect the inside cover, etc...

Self publishing is not a quick fix for success and success is measured by each individual, NEVER by dollar amount. I am an independent publisher/author who has spent over a year working to promote my novel, Proud Souls. I can say this will all sincerity...it has taken that long for people (and the story) to take hold...and I am finally reaping the benefits of a fan-following. BUT it did not happen overnight.

Try contacting book clubs, libraries, etc...and giving away copies...for reviews, criticisms, online forum blurbs, etc...and then get it in the hands of people who need them...the people who will buy them one day... like teachers who can read them to their students and then tell the parents how to get a copies. In the US you can visit your local school district and pitch a proposal to have it accepted as part of the "required reading" list for summer reading etc...

The ideas are endless...but they never happen overnight....
Read and subscribe to other people's blogs and find out what they are doing...just like you did here...pose an honest question. We are all artists trying to make something of ourselves...and we are here to help.

~Bobby Ozuna
"Drawing Stories...With Words"
Speaking or Rufus the Squirrel... Squirrels squirrel away for a rainy day. The rainy day has come. I am a clairvoyant and author of 3 books and my message today is pull your money out of the bank first thing in the morning just in case. I have no other details.
I did put up a blog about dreams that others have had the the banks will close. http://www.dreamthread.com and click on blog.
Ariadne
Hello Thank-you this is a help. I am so depressed with this as My Poor Hugh, is disabled and we have both worked so hard. I have sent to many free copies of this book to various schools in our area. But maybe an adult book will do better which Hugh is writing about the changing enviroment . regards amandah
Book signings, unless you're the darling of the mainstream media, are almost always an exercise in patience and absurdity. They make you quickly feel that you are standing at the highway exit ramp with a "Will work for food" sign. Don't let it bring you down. My advice is to focus on readings that are geared to your specific audience. Libraries are always looking to book kids programs. Kids have to be brought by their parents. Parents have checkbooks.
The best part of book signings is the publicity you get from newspapers.. and also the experience of being out there and talking with people..Have passouts and bookmarks..Just another marketing venue...carol...author of For Kids 59.99&Over...
hi carol thansk for your reply. Its not easy in the uk with this awful on going lack of money people have got.I will simply have to struggle on for the time being.regards amandah
205 things writer promotions.pdfThis is from my friend Scott. I owe much of my success as a writer to him. I even plugged him in my new book Wide Asleep, available everywhere Nov. 09. This will help you achieve the success you are looking for and it is Free, no strings. This is the way Scott is.

Also

My friend Steve Weber wrote a great book Called "Plug Your Book" (he sells it for very cheap) You can find it on amazon. I too started as a POD writer. with Steves Book I have a 2 book deal with a major Publisher.

Hope this helps. I understand your feelings.

E-Books have assisted me greatly by getting the word out. The beauty of E-books is you can put links to your site in them so folks can buy your book.

Go to my pages or write back I have tons of marketing e-books to give away free. You'll understand what I mean when you read them and people read them and pass them on as gifts.

Properity and peace be with you

Timothy Kendrick
hello, Thank-you for your help. Not being able to drive makes it awkward also we only have about 45 more copies to sell, hope to sell them in time for christmas. Regards Amandah
Normally I'd discourage the self-publishing route, but there are authors who have made it work. One of them is an American named Dan Poynter. Poynter has written a comprehensive book dealing with ways to help you succeed. It's titled "Dan Poynter's Self-Publishing Manual."
John Kremer, who contributes to this site, also is a good source of ideas for promoting books.

At this point with your book, however, my own approach would be to get this book noticed by a literary agent who specializes in children's literature. An agent can bring it to the attention of a traditional publisher. That's what I'd do.

John McLain
author, HOW TO PROMOTE YOUR HOME BUSINESS
www.promotehomebiz.blogspot.com/
Hello Thanks for your email. Its a worrying time with the credit crunch. But hopefully things will pick up. Its not worth going to a Big distributer as they will rip usoff as we have only another 40 copies so I am selling them via mail order. Thank-you anyway. I am trying to help my Husband who is the Author of Rufus the red. Thank-you again amandah
Dear Kathie, here in the uk its more difficult to be out there promoting a book, unless one is well known. As we only have 40 copies left anyway no one is that interested. And now with our downturn credit crunch people are not spending money very much at all. So I am doing through mail order. But after christmas befoer Easter when the weather picks up and more people will be out there. Its a real shame and tragic as we have lost a lot of money on the book. Its only £4.99 but a book agent would charge commision and its not worth it at this price . Thank-you regards Amandah
Hi Amanda,

Just curious, when you did you book signing did you promote it too? I mean are you letting people know where you'll be, what books will be available. I've recently heard that book signings are a thing of the past and today you need to give a mini-seminar on a topic related to your book. This is a bigger draw than signing or selling books.

Also, when doing a book signing/mini-seminar, it's best that you and your husband handle as much of the details as possible, have posters available, bring extra books, have handouts, promotion materials, etc. Make a pleasure for the bookstore owner and staff to have you there. And always send them a thank you gift or note. And they will invite you back for your next book.

There are also virtual book (or blog) tours on the Internet to consider - just an investment of time, not money. So much can be accomplished via the internet these days for book promotion either free or inexpensively.

Good Luck!

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