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 by: Jay Johnson Be sure to check out: The Aton Project Newsletters at: http://www.self-publishinghelp.com/TheAtonProjectNewsletters.html. This newsletter, by author Tony VanSluytman, has been receiving rave revues despite it not being directed to writers. and FREE Writing Course http://creativewritingworkshop.info. We are quite proud of the contributions of these two dedicated authors and wish for you to learn more about them. *** Moonspinners Writer's Page (http://www.maureenmcmahon.com), the website of Maureen McMahon, has been voted one of the 101 Best Websites by Writer's Digest 2006 - specifically her Ask The Experts section, created in collaboration with fellow author Fran Silverman (http://www.maureenmcmahon.com/bookmarketing.html). The Experts Site is composed of 150 subscribers to Fran’s newsletter, Book Promotion Newsletter (http://www.bookpromotionnewsletter.com), who answer book marketing questions at no charge. Download: 10 Ways to Promote Your Book... Welcome our two (2) sponsors... ADRdomainsPlus.com for Your Domain Names and Internet Products  BOTH have GREAT rates and EXCELLENT service  A new radio show devoted to book marketing made its debut on Tuesday, March 21, 2006 on Achieve Radio, noon to 1 p.m., MST. Host Francine Silverman will talk with authors, publishers and publicists, providing listeners with a unique perspective on book promotion. To access Book Marketing with Fran, go to http://www.achieveradio.com and click “Click to Listen” at top of page. Should you miss the show, click “Shows & Hosts” on the left and scroll down to Fran’s show and click, “More-Click Here” for the archives. Patricia Fry, president of SPAWN (Small Publishers, Artists, and Writers Network) and author of 24 books, will be Fran’s first guest. Patricia’s latest book is The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book (Matilija Press 2006), a comprehensive guide for hopeful and struggling authors. Fran is author of Book Marketing from A-Z and editor publisher of Book Promotion Newsletter, http://www.bookpromotionnewsletter.com Issue 100: December 20, 2006 ISSN 1545-5599 BOOK PROMOTION NEWSLETTER Issue 100: December 20, 2006 EDITOR: FRANCINE SILVERMAN http://www.bookpromotionnewsletter.com http://www.nystatetravel.com Issued every other Wednesday since 2003 In This Issue: (1)Feature Article (2)Grist for your Mill (3)Progress Report (4)Workshop (5)Kudos Please consider adding http://www.AuthorsandExperts.com and http://www.SchoolBookings.com to your list of resources. These are great places for authors, experts, and speakers to connect with members of the media, those searching for speakers, and schools. Free to schools and media members and an economical resource for authors and experts. 1) FEATURE ARTICLE Drive Traffic to Your Nonfiction Book's Web Site with a Blog By Marilyn Haight The Internet has become so commercialized that savvy Web surfers, including the media, weed out advertisements by searching for information in the blogosphere - a sub-category of the Internet. So even though you may have a Web site, if you don't have a blog, you could be overlooked. A blog is a journal on the Internet. It's like a Web site, with its own Internet address, but it's designed to let you to post comments in a sequence by calendar date. This makes a blog an ideal tool for associating your book's topic with news events. To drive blog searchers to your Web site, think of yourself as a news commentator. Scan online news sources for topics related to your book and add your expertise to the conversation. Offer free, useful advice in your blog articles. For example, when the movie The Devil Wears Prada was released, I blogged about it because its bad-boss plot relates to my book, Who's Afraid of the Big, Bad Boss? 13 Types and How to Survive Them. In my blog article at http://www.bigbadbossbook.blogspot.com, I offered career advice to people with a bad boss like the one in the movie. Be careful not to advertise in your blog-you'll drive people away. Instead, provide a link to your book's Web site as a reference (the blog's instructions tell you how to do this-it's easy). Give the link an intriguing title. I label the link to my book's site, "Tips for Dealing with Bad Bosses." Blogs are free and easy to use for non-techies, like me. You can set up a blog in about 10 minutes without having to learn anything new about technology. Check out free blogs available from these sites: Blogger.com, http://www.blogger.com; Typepad.com, http://www.typepad.com; LiveJournal.com, http://www.livejournal.com and WordPress.com http://www.wordpress.com More than 30% of the traffic to my book's Web site comes from its blog. Not a bad return for spending a little time, day or night, marketing in your pajamas. Marilyn Haight, President of the Metro-Phoenix Chapter of the Society of Southwestern Authors, is the author of the newly released e-book, "How to Market Your Nonfiction Advice Book on the Internet: A Guide for Non-Techies Like Me" (http://www.lulu.com/content/531796) and "The Instruction Writer's Guide: How to Explain How to Do Anything" and “Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Boss,” both published in 2005 by Infinity Publishing. 2) GRIST FOR YOUR MILL Peter Bowerman will be Yvonne Perry's podcast guest on Writers in the Sky on January 5, 2006. Both are subscribers. Yvonne is author of MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE (Write on! Publishing, first printing, Booksurge.com, second printing, 2005). http://www.yvonneperry.net/WritersintheSkyPodcast.htm Peter's latest book is THE WELL-FED SELF-PUBLISHER (Fanove Publishing 2007). http://www.wellfedsp.com http://www.wellfedwriter.com Shirley Cheng recommended this link: http://www.scribd.com. It “allows you to post any writing which can be displayed in a number of formats, including embedded pdf for websites,” she says. “It is very easy to use. It is still in beta.” I took this info from the radio station, Lime.com. Anyone interested in having excerpts from their book read on the air should tune into Nancy's show: Writing from the Heart Nancy Aronie has been writing and telling her stories for 23 years in newspaper columns, magazines such as McCalls and on National Public Radio's All Things Considered. Dubbed “the midwife for words that want to come out,” she's been conducting Writing from the Heart workshops for 18 years from her home in Martha's Vineyard, creating a safe space for writers to express themselves without judgment. Now, in her weekly Writing From the Heart radio talk show, Nancy will introduce a topic for listeners to write about (400 to 700 words), then after e-mailing them to her staff of readers, several will be chosen to be read aloud on Nancy's show. Comments (all positive, of course!) will be phoned in live. Join Nancy and everyone who has a story to tell-that means YOU! Unleash your inner writer... Premieres: Thursdays 2 PM EST Encores: Tuesdays 7 PM, Fridays 7 AM, Sundays 2 PM Have a question? E-mail Nancy at http://www.writingfromtheheart.com Subscriber Vito Santoro has provided a holiday gift. It includes a fr-ee subscription to his Internet Book Marketing e-zine, a 10 part course on Internet Book Marketing and a software program that allows you to create PDF and Web page files, as well as edit PDF files. To obtain your gi-fts, go to: http://www.proauthors.com Sandy Fox was asked to be a guest speaker on the web based weekly radio show "Healing the Grieving Heart" Thursday, January 4, 9 a.m. Pacific (Noon Eastern) where she will talk about her book I HAVE NO INTENTION OF SAYING GOODBYE (iUniverse, 2001 with a new edition in 2005), stories of hope, courage and survival techniques from parents who have lost a child. Sandy will tell you what these parents from all over the United States have done to move on with their lives, some of whom have done fantastic things. You can listen to the show on http://www.health.voiceamerica.com in addition to calling in live at 1-866-369-3742 to ask Sandy any questions you may have dealing with grief. The show is hosted by Dr. Gloria Horsley, who has worked in the field of family therapy for 22 years. She also lost a son. Each show is rebroadcast 12 hours later and is archived on the Compassionate Friends website. http://www.sandyfoxauthor.com The annual fee for this newsletter is $7.50 Please send cash or check payable to Francine Silverman to Francine Silverman, P.O. Box 1333, Riverdale, New York 10471, or make payment via PayPal to franalive@optonline.net 3) PROGRESS REPORT These are spots I found for my clients: Erica Miner was a guest on the Los Angeles-based radio show, 'MidLife Miracle' at 2 p.m. Pacific Time (5 p.m. Eastern Time) Monday, December 18, 2006 online at http://www.HealthyLife.net. The topic was '"MidLife Miracle - The Path of Self-Discovery.' Host Moira Shepard interviewed Erica about surviving and overcoming life crises. Erica is author of TRAVELS WITH MY LOVERS (Authorhouse 2002), winner of the Fiction Prize in the 2003 Author Book Awards. http://www.ericaminer.com 4) WORKSHOP Arlene Uslander sent this on behalf of her friend: Winning Words: Three Steps to Standing Out in the Erma Bombeck Writers Workshop Contest The Erma Bombeck Writers Workshop contest is scheduled to open for entries on January 3, 2007. You know you're every bit as funny as Erma. You think you might have a shot at winning, which is good because you're sure that if you won this contest, the course of your writing career would be forever changed. You just might be right. Winning the Erma Bombeck Writers Workshop Global Humor Contest two years in a row definitely opened doors for me. I made connections I might ordinarily have never made. And yes, I ended up with a regular gig - a biweekly humor column in The Kansas City Star. And you can change the course of your career, too. Winning Words is your chance to tip the scale in your favor. Who better to coach you on how to catch the eyes of the workshop judges than someone who has done it twice? If you plan to enter the 2007 contest, you can't afford to miss this class. Monday, Jan. 8, 2007: Step 1: Understanding Erma's language. We will analyze Erma's humor and discover just what it was that made her so darn funny. Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2007: Open Q&A Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2007: Step 2: Been There/Read That. Discovering unique humor in your everyday life; we will discuss how the absence of this is your ticket out of the running. Thursday, Jan. 11, 2007: Open Q&A Friday, Jan. 12, 2007: Step 3: Editing to Perfection. What can you do to make sure your essay stands out in the crowd? The week will conclude with private (email) critiquing/editing/mentoring of your specific essay one-on-one with the instructor. Jennifer Brown is an award-winning freelance writer, with over 100 bylines in such publications as Writer's Journal and Chicken Soup for the Soul. http://www.freewebs.com/jennifer_brown. http://lsswritingschool.com/ErmaBombeckPrep.html 5) KUDOS Melissa Alvarez sold her book, NIGHT VISIONS (Crystal Prism 2004), written under her pen name, Ariana Dupre, to Cerridwen Press, a mainstream publisher, and it's been expanded, revised and re-edited for release on January 18, 2007. http://MelissaAlvarez.com The new holiday issue of “Mystery Scene Magazine” gives an extensive and very positive mention of John Dandola's 1940's New Jersey-based mystery novels, DEAD AT THE BOX OFFICE, DEAD IN THEIR SIGHTS (both published in 2001 by Quincannon Pub Group), and the forthcoming Dead by All Appearances, in an article entitled "Nefarious New Jersey." “As you may already know, Mystery Scene is quite a prestigious (and high-end glossy) magazine among mystery readers,” he says. http://www.JohnDandola.com THE SMART COUPLE'S GUIDE TO THE WEDDING OF YOUR DREAMS (New World Library 2005) by Judith Sherven and Jim Sniechowski will be featured in January and February in the following publications: The Baltimore Sun's Maryland Weddings The Hudson Valley Magazine (3 pages on the authors and the book) Long Island Brides and Grooms magazine The Guide Maggie Mae Magazine In addition, Wegman's Supermarket chain is featuring it in its store-wide wedding displays and doing a half hour podcast for The Wedding Planning Audiocast . . . http://www.judithandjim.com http://www.smartweddingcouples.com couples.com Francine Silverman is author of CATSKILLS ALIVE (second edition) and LONG ISLAND ALIVE, both published in 2003 by Hunter Publishing and geared to every interest. To learn more about her guidebooks and for links to hundreds of attractions on Long Island and in the Catskills, visit Fran's one-stop website at http://www.nystatetravel.com BOOK MARKETING FROM A-Z (Infinity Publishing 2005) is written by 325 paid subscribers to Book Promotion Newsletter and available at http://www.buybooksontheweb.com (Category: Marketing) and at http://www.amazon.com Subscribers are entitled to a 20% discount. Contact Fran at franalive@optonline.net for code. The publisher's toll free number does not work outside the continental US and orders cannot be processed from its website for shipping outside the US. Subscribers in foreign countries who wish to purchase the book with the discount may email Michelle at michelle@infinitypublishing.com or fax an order (610/941-9959). She will provide confirmation that your order has been received and will be processed promptly. When using these options subscribers should put everything to Michelle's attention and reference the Promotional Code (contact Fran for code). If emailing Michelle, DO NOT put your credit card number in any email correspondence as this is not secure. Mail: Infinity Publishing, 1094 New Dehaven St, Suite 100, West Conshohocken, PA 19428 Issue 101: January 3, 2007 ISSN 1545-5599 BOOK PROMOTION NEWSLETTER Issue 101: January 3, 2007 EDITOR: FRANCINE SILVERMAN http://www.bookpromotionnewsletter.com http://www.nystatetravel.com Issued every other Wednesday since 2003 In This Issue: (1)Feature Article (2)Grist for Your Mill (3)Feedback (4)Afterthoughts (5)Subscriber Seminar (6)A Good Question INTRODUCTION If you're not familiar with Google Alerts, you're missing one of the Internet's best features. Since my forthcoming book is called Talk Radio for Authors, I typed in two keywords, talk radio, and every day receive links to articles containing those words. That's how I learned that Talk Radio is opening on Broadway in February. I thought, wouldn't it be wonderful if we could do a joint promotion? I immediately called the public relations firm handling the show and spoke to the contact there. She was very nice and agreed to bring up the subject at the next producers meeting. In the meantime, I emailed her all the information about the book. Stay tuned. Go to http://www.google.com/alerts and type in your search terms. Please consider adding http://www.AuthorsandExperts.com and http://www.SchoolBookings.com to your list of resources. These are great places for authors, experts, and speakers to connect with members of the media, those searching for speakers, and schools. Free to schools and media members and an economical resource for authors and experts. 1) FEATURE ARTICLE How to Schmooze With Publishers By Patricia L. Fry Excerpted from “The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book.” There are numerous writers' conferences, book festivals and trade shows held all over the world throughout the year. Many writers attend these events as a way to meet publishers. Attendees at a writers' conference can generally engage in a casual conversation with a publisher after his or her presentation. Some conference organizers will arrange a meeting for you with a publisher for an additional fee. This is as much to the publisher's benefit as the author's as publishers are as eager to find good material as you are to locate a publisher for your project. A book festival is where authors, publishers, writing/publishing organization leaders and booksellers rent booths for the day or the weekend to promote their books and themselves. It is a great place to meet publishers, but also a good opportunity to network with other authors. Of course, the larger the event, the more publishers there will likely be attending. You probably won't meet major players in the publishing world at hometown book fairs and festivals. But there are almost always small to medium-sized publishing houses represented at these events. To locate conferences and book festivals near you, · Do a Google search. Type in “writer's (or writers') conference,” “publishing conference,” “writing conference,” “writer's (or writers' conference California,” “writers' (or writer's) conference Virginia,” “book festivals,” “book fairs,” etc. Here's an online directory of writers conferences: www.writing.shawguides.com Here's an online directory of book fairs: www.lights.com/publisher/bookfairs.html · Check with your local arts council or writers groups for conferences and book fairs held in your area. · Ask your librarian if he/she knows of an upcoming writers' conference or book festival. · Keep an eye on the arts section of your local newspaper. · Read writing/publishing-related magazines and newsletter. How to Get the Most From a Meeting With a Publisher at a Conference Your first introduction to a publisher is usually through a letter or an email. And every expert will advise you to make a good first impression. This is even more crucial when you have that rare opportunity to meet a publisher face-to-face. I'm not trying to make you so nervous that you faint at the mere sight of the publisher. Heaven forbid! But I strongly encourage you to give this opportunity your best shot. How? Before the event: · Find out which publishers will be there. · Do a little research to learn what type of books they publish and what titles they have published, lately. · Prepare and practice reciting a brief description of your project. I call this your thirty-second commercial. · Create a promo package including a brief synopsis or overview of your proposed book and information about yourself. (What is your writing background and why you are the person to write this book?) Include your complete contact information: full name, address, phone number as well as Web site and email address. If you are at all assertive, you will most likely have the opportunity to speak, at least, informally with a publisher. If not, and you decide to send him your query letter or proposal later, mention that you attended his presentation and tell him what you gleaned from it. Make a Good First Impression When you meet a publisher, be gracious and professional - not timid and desperate. Come across as a potential business partner with an excellent product - not an emotional writer who believes he has just completed the book of the century. Every conference is operated a little differently. You might get anywhere from sixty seconds to twenty minutes with a publisher. Whether you are fortunate enough to have an audience with a publisher or you just happen to get a brief opportunity, the best advice I can offer is, be prepared. The more well prepared you are, the better your chances of talking to the publisher. And this might not occur as a planned event. Your opportunity may come about while standing in the buffet line or on the way to the airport. So be at the ready. Why not invite the publisher to lunch or for coffee and pie after the last workshop? When I travel to other cities to speak at conferences, I rarely know another soul. I enjoy meeting new people and I always appreciate a lunch or dinner invitation. When you finally manage that chance meeting with a publisher, use your time wisely. Introduce yourself and your project with clarity. Make it interesting. Describe your proposed book through your intriguing thirty-second commercial. Initiate questions and respond succinctly. Some publishers seem to ask all of the wrong questions such as, “Are you related to the Fry who used to live in Tucson, Arizona?” or “Did you travel all the way from California to attend this conference or were you already in the area?” Who wants to waste time engaged in small talk when you have a book to pitch? Never fear. Just be cordial. Focus on your mission. Of course, the more well-prepared you are, the more successful the exchange will be. Before ending the conversation, hand the publisher something to take with him. Generally, this would be an overview of your book and your contact information. Keep the package small enough to fit easily into his coat pocket or her purse. You can fold 8.5 x 11 pages in half and put them in a 6 x 9 envelope or fold them in thirds and use a number 10 (letter size) envelope. Have the handout ready to hand out. Don't ruin a perfectly professional moment by rummaging through your purse or briefcase in search of the material. As I keep saying, preparation is key. Unless you've paid for time with the publisher or you're buying him dinner, after a conversation of from three to eight minutes, thank the publisher for his time and excuse yourself. You might stay within hearing distance, though, to glean additional information that might be passed along to others who are waiting their turn to speak to the publisher. If you have that rare opportunity for a formal meeting with a publisher, count your blessings. You will probably have anywhere from fifteen to thirty minutes of uninterrupted time. This is your moment. Make it count. You'll probably be more nervous during a formal meeting than the informal, chance meeting. But if you prepare well, you will do just fine. Remember that publishers are always looking for good manuscripts. How to Schmooze at a Book Festival If you have a book in the works and you want to meet publishers at a book festival in your area, plan ahead. Learn who will be there. Find this information published in your local newspaper or online at the festival Web site. As a last resort, pick up a copy of the festival program and booth map the morning of the event. Read about each publisher and note those who are likely candidates for your book. Visit author booths. Ask who published their books, if they like working with the publisher. A festival booth can get busy. Never lose sight of the fact that the reason this publisher or this author is there is to sell books. If you approach him or her to talk about your book, please be considerate of their time. I love talking with freelance writers, authors and publishers who visit my booth at book festivals. But I resent people who try to monopolize my time for more than a few minutes when there are several potential customers attempting to browse. Make contact with the publisher. State your polished and rehearsed spiel. Be prepared to respond to a few questions. Ask him or her if you can send your manuscript or book proposal. Before you exit, pick up the publisher's/author's business card or a brochure and ask if you can leave him or her some of your information. Have your material conveniently ready. Do not slap your backpack down on the table of books and begin a thirty-minute search for each piece of your handout. Believe me, I have had more than one such individual invade my space at book festivals. How amateurish is that? Be professional. Make the transaction as smooth as possible. When you get home, jot this publisher a note, send an email or, if you were invited to do so, send your book proposal or manuscript with a note reminding him that he met you at the Austin Book Festival or the San Luis Festival of Books. Even though book festivals are generally rather casual events held out-of-doors, have an air of professionalism about your persona. You can dress in casual clothing and still portray a business-like appearance. How? Be neat, tidy and well coiffed. Avoid dressing in baggy sweats. Clean jeans are okay when worn with a crisp cotton shirt or blouse. Remove dark sunglasses when talking with a publisher or an author. It's impolite to keep your eyes shaded during a conversation. Lightly shaded glasses are okay. My seeing glasses turn darker in the sunlight, but not dark enough to keep people from seeing Your Thirty-second Commercial Some publishing coaches recommend that authors develop a one or two-sentence description of their book - something that they can recite should someone ask. This is a good idea for those brief opportunities with a potential publisher, agent or customer. But a prepared thirty-second commercial gives you even more marketing ammunition. Why should you develop a canned speech? While you may love talking about your book, it's not always appropriate to carry on and on about it in public. You may only have limited time to make a pitch and you definitely want to make a positive impression. Think about it; don't you appreciate it when a friend or acquaintance describes a movie or provides instructions clearly and concisely rather than rambling on forever? A short, prepared speech can be used at a class reunion or business meeting where you have snippets of time to discourse with classmates or colleagues. If you should be fortunate enough to have an audience with a publisher or even talk to a publisher on the phone, you want to be ready with a brief description of your book. It isn't as easy as it sounds to create and rehearse a thirty-second commercial. But it is an excellent exercise. When someone asks me about my book, The Ojai Valley, An Illustrated History, I might say, “This is the only comprehensive history ever written about the Ojai Valley. I start the book with the geology of the valley and the native American cultures. This is an intense historical account of the valley through the 1920s, including all of the firsts: the first store, the first jail, the first train, etc. I also profile dozens of early pioneers. Of course, the book is heavily illustrated with old photographs, which makes it even more interesting.” I might tell a potential publisher or customer that I spent five years conducting research for this 360-page book which includes interviews with close to 100 people. You may want to tweak your spiel depending on who you are talking to. In the case of the Ojai history book, if I'm talking to a potential customer who has just purchased a business in Meiners Oaks (a rural community in the Ojai Valley), I tell her about the chapter on the development of Meiners Oaks. I might say, “Did you know that in the 1920s, developers buried gold coins to entice visitors here to look at the property? Old timers claim that some of the gold was never recovered.” For my book, The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book, I might say to a publisher or a potential customer, “It's a guide for anyone who is even thinking about writing a book. This book will help hopeful authors to understand the publishing industry, which is crucial in today's publishing climate. It outlines your publishing options and helps you to make the best choices and decisions on behalf of your project. It also defines the author's enormous responsibility in the success of his or her book. I know for a fact that this book can save hopeful authors hundreds of dollars and years of heartache. The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book is a complete guide to successful authorship whether you want to self-publish (establish your own publishing company), go with a fee-based publishing service or land a traditional royalty publisher.” If you feel that you are being ignored by the powers that be in the publishing industry, why not go out and meet agents and publishers face to face at writers' conference and book festivals? It's as easy as I've made it sound in this article. But first, do your homework. Make sure that you have a viable project and that you only approach appropriate agents and publishers. Follow the guidelines I've set forth in this article, and you, too, could score a publishing contract. Patricia Fry is the President of SPAWN (Small Publishers, Artists and Writers Network) http://www.spawn.org and the author of 25 books, including, THE RIGHT WAY TO WRITE, PUBLISH AND SELL YOUR BOOK (Matilija Press 2006) http://www.matilijapress.com 2) GRIST FOR YOUR MILL If you are a children's book author with a recently released book published by a traditional publisher, Marlowe Arnold reviews children's books for TC Palm, http://www.tcpalm.com. "If there is a book which has just been released and is really noteworthy, I will look at the book," she wrote me. "I am not interested in receiving bios." Her email is ma32960@aol.com 3) FEEDBACK These two subscribers responded to Marilyn Haight's feature article on blogs: “A great article on blogging by Marilyn Haight,” says Mary Emma Allen. “Yes, blogging is the wave of the future in many ways. I recently hosted blog tours for two authors. This was fun and the authors said they found this an effective way to gain name recognition and sell books. It also brought traffic to my blog.” http://maryemmallen.blogspot.com http://www.quiltingandpatchwork.com http://www.alzheimersnotes.com http://www.homebiznotes.com David Stanley responded directly to Marilyn and here is what he wrote: Marilyn, I read your article about your blog in Francine Silverman's newsletter. You're missing a great opportunity to promote your blog by not having a Blogroll.* Since I started a Blogroll on my blog, the number of links pointing to my site has increased 100 fold. You can verify that for yourself here: http://marketleap.com/publinkpop/default.htm Enter http://www.bigbadbossbook.blogspot.com in the first search box, then compare it to my blog which has two urls: http://www.southpacific.org/blog http://www.southpacifictravelblog.com See what I mean? Your total is 35 while my totals number in the thousands. Now I'm not suggesting we exchange blogroll links. That wouldn't be appropriate because my blog is about travel while yours is about employment. But there must be hundreds of employment blogs you could approach. I'm only sending you this free tip to help out because you subscribe to Francine's newsletter. *David explains: A blogroll is different from a links page in that the link appears on every page of the blog. Since http://www.southpacific.org/blog contains 224 posts, anyone exchanging blogroll links with me gets 224 quality links. A blog only needs to exchange blogroll links with a few sites like mine to rank highly on http://blogsearch.google.com On the subject of blogs, Patricia Fry adds a very good tip: Refresh your Web site and increase your reach. I notice that if I add to my blog regularly and update my Web site often, my Google numbers go up, up, up. This week I added another three dozen resources and articles for authors and publishers to my Web site http://www.matilijapress.com. I also posted three more 5-star reviews for my book, "The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book." This book came out in January of 2006. In March, a Google search using the book title in quotation marks brought up about 60 listings. Today, it is over 11,000. Part of the reason is that I am diligent about adding to my blog and updating my Web site content. 4) AFTERTHOUGHTS W.R. Klemm (Bill) is author of THANK YOU BRAIN FOR ALL YOU REMEMBER. WHAT YOU FORGOT WAS MY FAULT (Benecton Press 2004), about how science reveals ways to improve everyday memory. “The reviews have been great,” he says. However, experts tell Bill “that sales are hurt because the title is not explicit. If I were to re-title it, the title would be: Improve Your Memory. Themes, Tactics, and Tips.” http://thankyoubrain.com Sales of David Spero's book, THE ART OF GETTING WELL: MAXIMIZING HEALTH WHEN YOU HAVE A CHRONIC ILLNESS (Hunter House 2002) were not to his liking - since it only sold little more than 6,000 copies. Though he's gotten lots of praise from readers, “there are weaknesses,” he says. “I soon discovered a major weakness in the concept - it's for people with a 'chronic illness,' but almost nobody thinks of themselves as having a chronic illness. They think of themselves as having diabetes, or arthritis, or MS or whatever they have. Also, there were too many other self-care guides out there that seemed similar. My book was different, but it hasn't been easy to explain, in a sexy way, how it's different…I sometimes think about repackaging it.” David current book is DIABETES: SUGAR-COATED CRISIS (New Society Publishers 2006). http://www.davidsperoRN.com 5) SUBSCRIBER SEMINARS Ginny Stibolt will give two separate presentations on writers' websites at the Harriette Austin Writers Conference. Effective Writers' Websites--Part 1: Getting the most from your website! You don't need to be rich or a technical wizard to create a website. Learn about domains and website focus--author, book, or issue. Develop a critical eye for design, and strategies for long-term maintenance. Effective Writers' Websites--Part 2: Creating a sticky website. An effective website is one of the most useful marketing tools a writer can have, but you must tell a compelling story to entice your website visitors (surfers) to return again and again. Learn how to entangle those surfers to make your website sticky. It's scheduled for July 20-21, 2007 at the University of Georgia in Athens. http://www.coe.uga.edu/hawc Y'all come on down--it'll be fun. Ginny's website especially for writers is: http://www.websiteideas4writers.com Patricia Fry will teach an 8-week online “Self-publishing Workshop” starting February 6, 2007. $160. Sign up now at http://www.matilijapress.com/courses.htm. Questions? plfry620@yahoo.com 6) A GOOD QUESTION Francina R. Harrison, "The Career Engineer," would like some recommendations from business authors about their publishers. She is looking for a career/business publisher for her second book. http://www.thecareerengineers.com. francina@thecareerengineers.com Francina's first book is A MIND TO WORK: THE LIFE AND CAREER PLANNING GUIDE FOR PEOPLE WHO WANT NEED TO WORK (iUniverse 2004) Francine Silverman is author of CATSKILLS ALIVE (second edition) and LONG ISLAND ALIVE, both published in 2003 by Hunter Publishing and geared to every interest. To learn more about her guidebooks and for links to hundreds of attractions on Long Island and in the Catskills, visit Fran's one-stop website at http://www.nystatetravel.com BOOK MARKETING FROM A-Z (Infinity Publishing 2005) is written by 325 paid subscribers to Book Promotion Newsletter and available at http://www.buybooksontheweb.com (Category: Marketing) and at http://www.amazon.com Subscribers are entitled to a 20% discount. Contact Fran at franalive@optonline.net for code. The publisher's toll free number does not work outside the continental US and orders cannot be processed from its website for shipping outside the US. Subscribers in foreign countries who wish to purchase the book with the discount may email Michelle at michelle@infinitypublishing.com or fax an order (610/941-9959). She will provide confirmation that your order has been received and will be processed promptly. When using these options subscribers should put everything to Michelle's attention and reference the Promotional Code (contact Fran for code). If emailing Michelle, DO NOT put your credit card number in any email correspondence as this is not secure. Mail: Infinity Publishing, 1094 New Dehaven St, Suite 100, West Conshohocken, PA 19428 Issue 102: January 17, 2007 ISSN 1545-5599 BOOK PROMOTION NEWSLETTER Issue 102: January 17, 2007 EDITOR: FRANCINE SILVERMAN http://www.bookpromotionnewsletter.com http://www.nystatetravel.com Issued every other Wednesday since 2003 In This Issue: 1) Feature Article 2) Grist for Your Mill 3) Promotional Coups 4) Progress Report 5) Subscriber Auction 6) Feedback 7) Kudos INTRODUCTION In the last issue, I told you about Google Alerts. Well, thanks to Patrick at http://www.goodwire.org, (see more about his site under "Grist for your Mill"), I learned about http://news.google.com. The categories covered are World, U.S., Business, Sci-Tech, Sports, Entertainment and Health. The site has a News Archive, and an Advanced News Search, both with search options. Through the latter, I found some current articles about Talk Radio that were not sent to me by Google Alerts. Please consider adding http://www.AuthorsandExperts.com and http://www.SchoolBookings.com to your list of resources. These are great places for authors, experts, and speakers to connect with members of the media, those searching for speakers, and schools. Free to schools and media members and an economical resource for authors and experts. 1) FEATURE ARTICLE Writing for Your Writer's Website By Ginny Stibolt If the first words on your website are, "Welcome to my website! Here you will find interesting information about me and my books," you sound like a 12-year-old. You don't have to welcome people--it's understood. You're a writer! Find something interesting and unique to say. Surprise your website visitor (surfer) or at least, raise her eyebrows. Those first words provide your only chance to make a first impression of your writing. Surfers scan It's been shown that Internet surfers rarely read the content of a website word-for-word. (The exception may be an excerpt from a book.) Write as if you were writing for a newspaper. 1) Make sure the main information is at the top of the screen (above the fold), so surfers don't have to scroll down to figure out what's on the page. 2) Use good, catchy headlines at the top of the page and at various intervals down the page. Surfers are likely to pause at each sub-heading. 3) Use sidebars when appropriate to call attention to separate, but related items. 4) A website is a visual medium (wider than tall), so don't just plop a document written for another venue onto your site. Rework it to fit the purpose of your site and reformat it to fit the visual environment. 5) Never use scrolling text, or fancy rollover floaters for important information. (We'll cover mystery navigation in the next column on website organization and design.) Choose a POV For your website, you have the choice of first or third person. First person is less formal and more personal. "I've finished my third novel…" Third person is more professional. "Jane received the coveted E#$% award…" Either one is fine, but maintain one voice or the other throughout the site. You can quote yourself on a third person site, but you can't move to the anonymous third person from a first person site. Work with both POVs to see which one feels more comfortable. You may find that it is harder to pat yourself on the back from a first person POV. Write for Google? Google and other search engines direct 85% of the traffic on the Internet. In order for search engines to find your site, you need keyword-rich text. We talked about your target market last time. If your typical target person used a search engine to find you, what would her search query be? "Bullying?" "Para-normal romance?" "Baltimore naval history?" The text on your site should include these phrases and you should include them in alternate text for graphics. Use every opportunity to use text to produce a content-rich site. Even though search engines may bring surfers to visit, that traffic is wasted if all those keywords and search phrases make your content difficult to read. Your main job is to entice surfers to read further and link to your other pages. You need to "sell" them on you, your issue, or your books. Just be aware of the search engines' role as you write your people-friendly text. One can never have too many proofreaders After your site is posted, have savvy people review it for typos & grammatical gaffs, awkward structure, focus, bad graphics, or other problems. You need to enlist brutally honest, technically adept people for this task. An interesting and well written website will enhance your image as a writer. Ginny Stibolt has a mission to help authors maximize their web presence through practical design and innovative marketing. She's been known to contact perfect strangers with ideas for their webpages. http://www.websiteideas4writers.com 2) GRIST FOR YOUR MILL Scott Lorenz wrote an article about his favorite book marketing books. You can access it at http://www.westwindcos.com/book and then click on the Marketing and Public relations articles on the left. Scott Lorenz is president of Westwind Communications http://www.westwindcos.com Alycia Ripley is the co-editor of an anthology (as of yet unnamed) of works about her home town of Buffalo, NY. If any of you live or are from Buffalo or have visited the city and have something to say, please visit Alycia's website, http://www.alyciaripley.com for the rules about entries. Alycia is author of TRAVELING WITH AN EGGPLANT (Trafford 2005). Every once in a while, I come across a kindred spirit in my travels on the Internet. Patrick is among them. He's the webmaster of Good Wire and to date has only taken articles from news sources. But since he posted my release for a 9-year-old client with Tourette Syndrome, I thought he posted press releases, but he had made an exception in my case. "I typically don't link to press-releases because they are often related to buying something (in your case, a book), unless it is something that I think my visitors would be interested in," he explained. "In your case, this press release had a special human-interest element to it." But before I knew this, I had asked if he'd take releases from authors announcing their new books - which gave him an idea. He decided to add a "Viewer's Stories" section to the website. It's "actually a very good idea," he wrote, "because it would connect people on a more 'personal' level." So if you have good-news articles, you may want to contact him at news@goodwire.org http://goodwire.org/visitor-submitted-stories "I'll be adding stories every day or so," Patrick wrote me. "I will give any of your authors who do submit stories full credit and a link to their website, if they have one - a very effective way to generate new website visitors." Patrick also came across this headline on GoodWire.org and thought it might be of interest to my subscribers. It appears to be directed at first-time fiction authors: Net Contest Hopes To Be 'American Idol' Of Books http://news.com.com/Net+contest+hopes+to+be+American+Idol+of+books/2100-1026_3-6149785.html Marilyn Meredith contributed the following: For those who either write about law enforcement and/or any public safety organization for trade magazines, non-fiction or fiction, the Public Safety Writers Conference maybe the one for you. For more information go to: http://www.policewriter.com http://fictionforyou.com http://marilynmeredith.blogspot.com Arlene Uslander submitted the following: True stories wanted with a specifically Christian or Jewish theme for a new edition of The Simple Touch of Fate, edited by Arlene and Brenda Warneka. Stories should tell in 2,000 words or less about how being at the right place at the right time, or not being at the wrong place at the wrong time, deeply affected or changed one's life. Send to auslander@theramp.net. http://www.thefatesite.com 3) PROMOTIONAL COUPS Kate Stormer wants to share the marketing method she is using for her newest book - not only to promote it...but to create it. "Without going into a lot of detail, the premise of the book is that I believe every person has a message they'd like to deliver to the world," she says. "Here's what my lead catch sentence is on my blog site: If you had the attention of every person in the world for just one minute, what would you tell them? Would you share a story of love, tell of a great lesson learned, describe a comical event, or just give your opinion on how to be happy? Well, here's your chance. And here's the link to the site: http://listenpeople-hearwhatisay.blogspot.com that explains my book in full." 4) PROGRESS REPORT Shoshanna Katzman will be a guest of Deborah Watson on the Naturally Good for You radio show on 1310 KXAM, Phoenix, AZ. She'll be on Deb's national show on Saturday, January 20th at 7 p.m. EST and on her local show on Saturday, Feb. 24th, 1 p.m., EST. Deborah described her needs: "We are always interested in practitioners that specialize in different modalities that the general public may not be aware of and Qigong is one of those disciplines that most people are unfamiliar with." http://www.naturallygoodforyou.com Shoshanna has also been invited back to Acaysha Dolfin's Show on Saturday, Jan. 14, 2007 and to Fresh Start with Sallie Felton on Wednesday, Feb. 21st. Shoshanna is author of QIGONG FOR STAYING YOUNG: A Simple 20 Minute Workout to Cultivate Your Vital Energy (Avery Penguin Group 2003) and co-author of FEELING LIGHT-THE HOLISTIC SOLUTION TO PERMANENT WEIGHT LOSS AND WELLNESS (Avon Books 1997). http://www.healing4u.com http://www.qigong4everyone.com John Klar was a guest on The Bob Dutko Show on January 9, 2007 on WMUZ Christian Radio (103.5 FM) in Detroit, MI. His report: "Challenging interview today, but I must have done something right because I was immediately invited to do a two-hour show with another Detroit-area Christian radio broadcaster named Paul Edwards. Also, booked a show today for Friday, and another in the works with Rick Stanley. It’s amazing how the seeds you sow have yielded such fruit." http://www.wmuz.com John is author of CHRISTIAN WORDS, UNCHRISTIAN ACTIONS: GEORGE W. BUSH AND THE DESECRATION OF CHRISTIANITY IN MODERN AMERICA (WinePress Publishing 2006). http://www.Christianwords.us Walter was a guest on The Marc Bernier Show on Thursday, January 11, 2007 on 1150 WNDB, Daytona Beach, FL. http://www.marcberniershow.com Walter is author of AMERICA'S UNPATRIOTIC ACTS: The Federal Government's Violation of Constitutional and Civil Liberties (Peter Lang Publishers 2005), named the Outstanding General Non-Fiction Book by the Pennsylvania Press Club, 'UNACCEPTABLE'': The Federal Government's Response to Hurricane Katrina (BookSurge Publishing 2006), SEX AND THE SINGLE BEER CAN - Probing the Media and American Culture (Lighthouse Press 2003) and THE JOY OF SAX: America During the Bill Clinton Era (Lighthouse Press 2001). http://www.walterbrasch.com 5) SUBSCRIBER AUCTION Brenda Novak, whose youngest son has diabetes, is holding a diabetes auction. "It's a fabulous way to promote just about anything," she says. "Last year, together with those who donated items, I raised nearly $64,000. This year, I'm hoping to break $100,000." All the money goes to research. Brenda has done a massive advertising campaign, and is promoting the auction on her website and in her newsletters (which go out to 22,000 opt-in subscribers). Some items donated so far include a handmade quilt, paintings, winetasting tour, and vacations. If you wish to donate an item, go to http://www.brendanovak.com and click "Diabetes Auction" for scroll-down menu. "This is definitely a win/win/win for everyone involved!" says Brenda. 6) FEEDBACK Mary Emma Allen is responding to my information on Google Alerts. "If you add your name, you'll begin to get alerts whenever something mentions you or when your web site or blog has a new article or post," she says. "You also will get many alerts with part of your name in it (such as those with Mary, Emma, and Allen, even obits). However, eventually your own name will crop up more and more. I'm finding my articles are up on Google Alerts almost daily now...from my author blog and my quilting blog. Also, when I or my blog posts are mentioned/linked to another blog, they often appear in Google Alerts." http://maryemmallen.blogspot.com www.quiltingandpatchwork.com & www.alzheimersnotes.com www.homebiznotes.com me.allen@juno.com 7) KUDOS In addition to promoting her book, Traveling With An Eggplant (Trafford 2005), Alycia Ripley has become an online newspaper commentator for YourHub.com (for the Buffalo News) where she gets to write about whatever she wants. "I usually write about bars, businesses, and restaurants in my suburb of Clarence," she says, "and it's a wonderful way to get my name even more out there in the community. People seem to be enjoying the posts and I have sold quite a few books from the blog column. It just goes to show that ANY writing experience and job is GREAT for the promotion of your work - it gets your style and name out there and is also a great way to plug your book!" http://www.alyciaripley.com SHIT MONEY, a short story by Cora Schwartz, has been accepted for publication in OUT OF LINE's Annual Anthology featuring "imaginative writing and underlying themes of peace and justice." http://www.readoutofline.com Cora's late husband, Rudy, was a Holocaust survivor and Shit Money is the scenario where Rudy boards an Atlantic City bus after losing all the money in his monthly check from the German Government. (The check is compensation for his having spent three years in a labor camp when he was a child.) In answer to the bus driver's question about why he looks so happy after he loses money, Rudy explains his philosophy and how he arrived at it while they wait for the other passengers to board. http://www.myretreat.net Shirley Cheng received Honorable Mention in the 3rd Annual Be the Star You Are! national writing contest for her empowering essay, I Hold the Power, about overcoming blindness when she was at the age of 17. The Writer's Life http://www.thewriterslife.net has been nominated for best writing ezine at the Preditors & Editors Readers Poll for 2006. In operation since 2001, the ezine provides writing resources, promotional opportunities for writers, and a newly added promotional workshop. "But, more than that, it's a labor of love," says editor Dorothy Thompson, whose "goal is to help writers achieve their goals of becoming published and help them promote once they have achieved this. It is to all the writers out there I dedicate this website, and it is my hope that The Writer's Life was a part of making their dreams come true." Dorothy's anthology is ROMANCING THE SOUL - True Stories of Soul Mates from Around the World and Beyond (Zumaya Publications, 2004) and her ebook is HOW TO FIND AND KEEP YOUR SOUL MATE www.dorothythompson.net On Tuessday, January 16, 2007, Jane Brody devoted her entire half page column, Personal Health, in The New York Times to Anne Fletcher and the studies from her new book, WEIGHT LOSS CONFIDENTIAL: How Teens Lost Weight and Kept It Off - And What They Wish Parents Knew (Houghton Mifflin 2007) http://www.annemfletcher.com A fan of Aaron Lazar's LeGarde mysteries started a Yahoo Group to discuss his books. "These mysteries feature a recurrent cast of characters, centered upon musicologist Gus LeGarde, who is perhaps the most artistic and accidental of investigators in recent memory," the reader said. "The LeGarde mysteries are heralded for their unique artistry and lyricism. They are beautiful fusions of writing and music, each a literary orchestration fully inhabited by the sounds and emotions they explore. Though American, these stories evoke an Old World style and atmosphere, with each thrilling tale wrapped in the warm, comforting blanket of a smalltown community of friends, family, and the familiar so horribly ripped away..." If you'd like to join and participate in posts, the site is at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/legardemysteries/join http://www.legardemysteries.com http://www.mooremysteries.com http://aaronlazar.blogspot.com Francine Silverman is author of CATSKILLS ALIVE (second edition) and LONG ISLAND ALIVE, both published in 2003 by Hunter Publishing and geared to every interest. To learn more about her guidebooks and for links to hundreds of attractions on Long Island and in the Catskills, visit Fran's one-stop website at http://www.nystatetravel.com BOOK MARKETING FROM A-Z (Infinity Publishing 2005) is written by 325 paid subscribers to Book Promotion Newsletter and available at http://www.buybooksontheweb.com (Category: Marketing) and at http://www.amazon.com Subscribers are entitled to a 20% discount. Contact Fran at franalive@optonline.net for code. The publisher's toll free number does not work outside the continental US and orders cannot be processed from its website for shipping outside the US. Subscribers in foreign countries who wish to purchase the book with the discount may email Michelle at michelle@infinitypublishing.com or fax an order (610/941-9959). She will provide confirmation that your order has been received and will be processed promptly. When using these options subscribers should put everything to Michelle's attention and reference the Promotional Code (contact Fran for code). If emailing Michelle, DO NOT put your credit card number in any email correspondence as this is not secure. Mail: Infinity Publishing, 1094 New Dehaven St, Suite 100, West Conshohocken, PA 19428 Betty B's Arcana Connection by Betty Bradford Byers INNER-VIEWS WITH CELEBRITIES Short Stories Corner Poetry Corner Write On Southwest...Book Reviews by Connie Gotsch The BOOK DOCTOR Book Reviewer's Corner Public Service links And so much more! | Return Home | The BOOK DOCTOR | The BANYON NETWORK | The Banyon Buzz Newsletters | The Aton Project Newsletters | Contact Us | |
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