The Book Marketing Network

For book/ebook authors, publishers, & self-publishers

I'd like to start a new forum where people can talk about what's working for you right now in marketing your book.

I think this will help other authors to prioritize their activities if they can find out what's working for other people. This would be especially valuable to new authors.

I've share the hottest tool that I'm using right now. And that's Twitter. As you will note on the main page of this Book Marketing Network website, both my http://www.bookmarket.com website and this network have been rising in Alexa ranks (and visits) because of my use of Twitter.

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Hi Steve,

If you sell enough books, ebooks are great because you invest nothing in the sale. But I sure miss the excitement knowing someone bought my paperback book.  Most people tell me they still love to hold a book in hand.  If all our bookstores close, we'll never have that chance to give them. Scary what's happening out there.

I'm trying to knock on doors more than ever to give speaking engagements because that is where I sell most of my books.

Alberta, sometimes I speak and get no sales at all. Sometimes I speak and sell lots of books. I'm trying to narrow down which speaking opportunities are most likely to succeed.

We still sell about as many paper books as digital. Paper magazine subscriptions were holding steady over the last decade, last time I looked, even though you can read almost all those articles (or similar articles) free of charge online. I think we'll see something similar for paper books - people will keep on buying and reading them. We just don't know what percentage it will end up being. I'm starting off several books in digital only form to get input before going to paper. It's so easy to make changes to an e-book, especially if it's on a controversial subject, that I like getting the early input. Of course, I can't put out crap to revise in the future, or I'm left with a bunch of bad reviews.

I have so much to learn, Steve, with making ebooks instead of paying a publisher. I'm the type who needs to see how to do it more than read it.

With three books out and three in mind (two started) I don't know how to keep up with cost to publish and buy my own books to sell.  Others must have the same problem.

I paid $680 (with editing) to republish my first book A Healing Heart; A Spiritual Renewal to the title A Spiritual Renewal; A Journey to Medjugorje which will be out in March 2012. This includes getting the book into ebook and on about four other sites.

The cost of the book was $19.95 and dropping to $9.95 (hopefully, to sell more with this economy).  I will pay $3.00-$3.50 to buy my books, making between $6.00-$7.00 a book. It will cost me $30 for the publisher to guarentee me either six-eight book signiings or speaking engagements.  I also save on postage because the distribor is about 15-20 minutes away so I can pick them up.  I think I'll save in the long run going with this publisher instead of paying $12 for my books, not including postage which is usually anywhere from $100 to $300 extra.

I'd loved to reprint my two alcohol books with them but the cost would be close to $1,400.  Hope I'm not boring you with all this but other writers have to realize the stress and frustration with our own books. Everyone seems to make out but us.

At times, I get so exhausted trying to think of where to go to get book signings or talks.  I guess I'm still hanging onto the hope of being at the right place at the right time to find the right person to help me break out.  I've been on many blog radio, co-host the NBTV-95 Cable Show and belong to Author Without Borders.  It is so hard to get known.

Most of the leads, promotional and marketing companies, charge so much money that I decline and stay hidden from the public. I've paid some and got absolutely nothing out of their promises.

Guess we're all in the same boat. 


 

Alberta, if you've got permission to reprint some of your books, you should be able to print them through CreateSpace with no initial charge. You can also get inexpensive author copies. Check them out if you haven't yet.

Yes, I've not had good luck with promotional companies. Figuring out myself has worked best. And yes, it ain't easy, but we're helping people along the way, whether or not an event sells any books, and that makes it worthwhile to me.

The reason I reprinted A Healing Heart is because it was through PublishAmerica.  Enough said, huh?  I got out of three years left in their contract, although it cost me another $99 to do it. Money well spent. What shocks me is that the book is still available on Amazon with the contract ended over a year ago.

I'm the owner of my own books so Infinity Publishing may not be able to stop me from republishing. 

Does Amazon own CreateSpace?  If so, we can't sell our books anywhere else, can we?

If you publish through CreateSpace, you still own the copyright and can sell it anywhere you want to. They automatically offer it through Ingram, which offers it to all the bookstores. Depending on how you do your isbn, they also offer it through Baker & Taylor. I use them for all of my books. You do have to pay a one time fee, perhaps $35?, to get that extended distribution, but it's worth it. No yearly fees.

Hi,

You are absolutely correct about their expanded distribution. It's now $25 and worth every penny.

Thanks, Steve,  I'll look into it.

Alberta, make sure you participate in the upcoming John 316 blog hop that Lynn Dove is coordinating. There will be many prizes, including a free Kindle, and it will give your blog a lot of exposure. It's a process, and you are right, it's hard. 

Is it on your site or do I have to go somewhere else, Lorilyn?

Alberta

I will email you the information.

I sent in my blog and saved the upcoming event. I've got a lot to give away. Looking forward to it.

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