All publicity works like this if it's done right. It tells the prospective customer or guest what's in it for them. Why will they have fun? What are the benefits? How much trouble does it take to get there or buy the thing? Most new authors are ever…
I'm afraid I've become rather cynical about all the sites, blogs, e-mails, teleseminars, and webinars that all purport to teach me how to write Amazon bestsellers, discover the secret of life, and earn a lot of money. If you sign on to some of these…
I'm giving away my once-read, well cared for copy of Amy MacKinnon's 2008 debut novel "Tethered" on my flash fiction site called Eye Blink Fiction.
Stop by an leave a comment before the end of the year on any of the short short stories, then I'll select somebody at the end of the year for my copy of the book.
This is an excerpt from my new age fantasy novel The Sun Singer. Sonny, the teenaged protagonist, is approaching the mountain known as The Guardian, where he will seek a vision:
Sonny awoke with sunshine on his back and the Guardian in his eyes.
The grass was wet with dew.
He rolled up the blanket and walked up to camp where Gem had already set a low fire within a circle of stones.
I just came across your profile in this network. I would like to extend an invitation to join Allvoices.com. It’s a citizen journalist site. We discuss, debate and write about everything under the sun here. Allvoices also has an incentive program for writers and they can earn up to $10,000 cash. Register at http://www.allvoices.com/journalism and start contributing.
Thanks very much for lending a bit of your knowledge Malcolm...very much appreciated. I agree with you about lulu books not selling more than 100 copies, they say that a 'lulu bestseller' s about 500 books! But, how does lulu make it's money? Unlike iUniverse and AuthorHouse (and Xlibris as well) Lulu appears to say everythings free and they only offer optional author services - but otherwise it's free...is it just sheer quantity with lulu? Have 300,000 titles, even if some of them are only selling 10 copies to the author's family/friends....they still make money overall because they've got so many titles? Any info you could share would be very much appreciated, and happy new year! Samantha :)
I've read your comments here and elsewhere regarding Authonomy, and think I shall have to check it out. Is it basically a popularity contest? (like so many of our writerly activities seem to me, at least this day) I'll have to take a few nice pills first. :D
Malcolm, I have to agree with you. The spin factor is indeed powerful - it just seems like three giant publishers control the entire bestseller list month every month – small publishers and self publishers never get a look in. Books like ‘The Shack’ are the rare exception…but is that spin as well. I mean, just how powerful is word of mouth?
Can word of mouth really explain the success of The Shack?
The only thing I'd add is that Stephanie Meyer, the author of Twilight was a first time author. If you believe what it said on wikipedia about her life (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephenie_Meyer) she basically went to college, then had a dream about her book when the concept "came to her" and then was given a $750,000 three book advance. For a first time author? Call me cynical, but somehow I didn't quite buy that one.
If books are “primed for the pump” at the major publishing houses –and Lulu and small publishers can’t compete, how does Lulu make it’s money? Lulu doesn’t take money from writers as it’s self publishing – and no one buys their books – most of their authors are unknowns who couldn’t sell more than 100 copies anyway? I know they’ve got a catalogue backlist of 300,000 books, but how does Lulu stay in business and make it’s money in this recession? I heard borders was about to tank…
Any information you can provide would be very much appreciated
I had been before to Warehouse 9. Situated on a cul-de-sac near the margin of the Army Corps of Engineers facility where I was then working, it was a large but unprepossessing building: sheet metal quonset-hut style, like an airplane hanger--probabl…
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