Wednesday, August 28, 2013
Tuesday, August 27, 2013
How to get a book written
Gary Glass, author of The Nirvana Plague, has some sage advice for getting a book written. It's over at the Like Fire site - take a look!
Sunday, August 25, 2013
How it went: Ashes book signing at Vroman's Bookstore (with photos!)
Today was my first-ever book signing event! I joined two other local authors at Vroman's Bookstore in Pasadena, CA to read from and answer questions about my novel Ashes, with a signing to follow.
It was a thrill to see a full house in attendance (among them friends, some of whom were around and providing encouragement when I was first writing the book). I read a passage from the first chapter, answered some (very good) questions, and then signed some copies. I was able to say thank you to longtime fans, and possibly gain some new fans.
It was a tremendously rewarding experience, and I was not nearly as nervous as I would have thought I would be. My thanks go out to everyone who attended.
It was a thrill to see a full house in attendance (among them friends, some of whom were around and providing encouragement when I was first writing the book). I read a passage from the first chapter, answered some (very good) questions, and then signed some copies. I was able to say thank you to longtime fans, and possibly gain some new fans.
It was a tremendously rewarding experience, and I was not nearly as nervous as I would have thought I would be. My thanks go out to everyone who attended.
The upcoming events list at Vroman's. I'm left column, second from the top.
The audience for the 8/25/13 Local Author event at Vroman's.
Me talking about the book. Judging by my hand gestures,
I think I'm talking about character and story arc.
Me at the podium. I think I'm being asked a question at this point.
Signing copies. Very odd to be on this side of the signing process.
With the other local authors.
Talking with a fan at the signing table.
Saturday, August 24, 2013
Indie publishing: Playing the long game
It's been almost a year and a half since I jumped on the indie publishing train. I'm happy to say that it's been a very enjoyable experience, and I've learned a lot. Most importantly, I've learned the value of patience.
It's a cruel irony that while the technical process of publishing independently is very easy and quick, everything that follows can take quite a while. (Maybe it's not that ironic, as everything leading up to actual publication - writing, revising, editing, formatting, cover design - can and should take quite a while, but that's a topic for a different post.)
I want to share some of my experiences, lessons I've learned, and general two-cents on indie publishing. I hope these are helpful, and feel free to share any insights or tips you may have in the comments.
You have to promote your book. People won't buy it if they don't know about it, and merely publishing something may get you a brief "New release" mention on Amazon but with the sheer number of new releases out there, the sales will be few at best. Expecting people to stumble on your book won't work, particularly if it's new and has very few reviews.
But where to start? The good news is that there are opportunities to promote your book. Some are free, some are affordable to most everyone, and some are expensive. Start by visiting GalleyCat's list of free sites to promote your ebook. Be sure to check out the sites and find out what works best for you - some of these are only for promoting free books, some are focused on a certain genre or exclude certain types of content (i.e., no erotica).
From there start exploring more sites that promote ebooks, and take notes on the specifics for each site. Will the site promote your book at its list price, or at a sale price only? Are there restrictions on the number of reviews or star ratings you need to promote? What are the price options? How is the promotion done: via Facebook or Twitter, an email list, a blog posting? What support are you asked to provide - for example, are you asked to like a Facebook post, put a link on your blog, or re-tweet? How far ahead of time do you need to schedule the promotion? Do you pay up front or does the promotion site take a percentage of your sales?
I've found that bookmarking likely sites and keeping an Excel sheet with the basics helps me organize the information (especially as the site names can blur after a while with ebook this and kindle that).
I'd be lying if I said there isn't a certain amount of "you get what you pay for" in these promotions. But while a free listing on a given site may not lead to an instant uptick in your sales, it can help get awareness of your book out to the reading public, while you accumulate the money or reviews/ratings needed to get some of the more high-cost promotional opportunities.
It takes money, experimentation, and yes, time. Many of the most successful promotional gambits I've made were at sites that required a certain level of Amazon reviews and ratings. The bad news is that it can take a while for those reviews to add up. The good news is that when you independently publish, you have control over your timelines. There isn't a paperback contract riding on whether you sell a certain number of hardcovers in a given amount of time. If your book takes a while to accumulate the reviews it needs to qualify for a solid promotional opportunity, so be it. Because reviews are another aspect that requires patience, and not just customer reviews.
Seek out reviews. The downside of indie publishing is that you have no marketing department sending out advance copies to big media outlets. Nope, you are your own marketing department, and many of the big media outlets won't go near indie-published books. But there are ways to get reviewed.
Book bloggers are a great source for reviews, and many bloggers are willing to put their reviews on Goodreads and/or Amazon as well as the blog, not to mention Facebook and Twitter. Unfortunately there isn't a single comprehensive database for book blogs, but Step by Step Self Publishing is a good place to start, as is The Indie Book Reviewers list.
From there it's a lot of detective work. If you find a blog you like, be sure to check its blogroll for other sites. And you'll need to carefully look at each blog and determine:
Is the blog's genre/audience focus a good match? Don't send your uber-edgy horror novel to the blogger who reviews only cozy mysteries about cats.
When was the blog last updated? If it's been more than six months, give it a miss for now.
Read the review policy! Most bloggers who are open to review requests have a policy, and you should read it. If the blogger doesn't have one, chances are that he or she prefers not to receive review requests.
Respect the review policy! If a blogger has to take a hiatus and isn't accepting review requests, respect that. If the blogger does not like books with certain content or themes, respect that.
Be thorough. You will get more good will from bloggers if you demonstrate that you have taken the time to read the review policy and the blog, to craft a polite review request, and to address the blogger in a way that does not make him or her feel like just another name on your list.
Success builds success. Include a link to your book's Amazon page in your review request. Once you start building up a good number of customer reviews, and adding blog review excerpts to the Editorial Reviews section, bloggers will be more willing to take a chance on your book.
Be patient. It will take time to do all this. It will also take time to hear back from bloggers. You know how busy you are and how hard it is for you to find time to read or write? The bloggers are, for the most part, in the exact same situation. Most of them do the blogs in their free time, because they love books and love sharing their insights on books. So it can take while for them to get back to you. In fact, some of them won't get back to you, and that's fine - they may not be interested in your book, and only respond if they are interested. Don't worry about it, and move on. Even if a blogger does take on your book, it can take a while for them to get to it. Some will give you a hard date of when to expect the review, some won't. It's up to them. Again, be patient. Use the time waiting for one blogger to review your book by researching others who may be interested in reading it.
What it all boils down to is that indie publishing is not a quick thing. The wheels turn slowly, but if your book has merit, they do turn. And when a certain point is reached, and the right blend of reviews, promotion, and word of mouth is achieved, your book's sales will start to reflect this. And when the waiting gets unbearable and you can't face another night of researching blogs or promotional opportunities - use your time to write another book. The more books you have, the better chance you have of getting noticed.
It's a cruel irony that while the technical process of publishing independently is very easy and quick, everything that follows can take quite a while. (Maybe it's not that ironic, as everything leading up to actual publication - writing, revising, editing, formatting, cover design - can and should take quite a while, but that's a topic for a different post.)
I want to share some of my experiences, lessons I've learned, and general two-cents on indie publishing. I hope these are helpful, and feel free to share any insights or tips you may have in the comments.
You have to promote your book. People won't buy it if they don't know about it, and merely publishing something may get you a brief "New release" mention on Amazon but with the sheer number of new releases out there, the sales will be few at best. Expecting people to stumble on your book won't work, particularly if it's new and has very few reviews.
But where to start? The good news is that there are opportunities to promote your book. Some are free, some are affordable to most everyone, and some are expensive. Start by visiting GalleyCat's list of free sites to promote your ebook. Be sure to check out the sites and find out what works best for you - some of these are only for promoting free books, some are focused on a certain genre or exclude certain types of content (i.e., no erotica).
From there start exploring more sites that promote ebooks, and take notes on the specifics for each site. Will the site promote your book at its list price, or at a sale price only? Are there restrictions on the number of reviews or star ratings you need to promote? What are the price options? How is the promotion done: via Facebook or Twitter, an email list, a blog posting? What support are you asked to provide - for example, are you asked to like a Facebook post, put a link on your blog, or re-tweet? How far ahead of time do you need to schedule the promotion? Do you pay up front or does the promotion site take a percentage of your sales?
I've found that bookmarking likely sites and keeping an Excel sheet with the basics helps me organize the information (especially as the site names can blur after a while with ebook this and kindle that).
I'd be lying if I said there isn't a certain amount of "you get what you pay for" in these promotions. But while a free listing on a given site may not lead to an instant uptick in your sales, it can help get awareness of your book out to the reading public, while you accumulate the money or reviews/ratings needed to get some of the more high-cost promotional opportunities.
It takes money, experimentation, and yes, time. Many of the most successful promotional gambits I've made were at sites that required a certain level of Amazon reviews and ratings. The bad news is that it can take a while for those reviews to add up. The good news is that when you independently publish, you have control over your timelines. There isn't a paperback contract riding on whether you sell a certain number of hardcovers in a given amount of time. If your book takes a while to accumulate the reviews it needs to qualify for a solid promotional opportunity, so be it. Because reviews are another aspect that requires patience, and not just customer reviews.
Seek out reviews. The downside of indie publishing is that you have no marketing department sending out advance copies to big media outlets. Nope, you are your own marketing department, and many of the big media outlets won't go near indie-published books. But there are ways to get reviewed.
Book bloggers are a great source for reviews, and many bloggers are willing to put their reviews on Goodreads and/or Amazon as well as the blog, not to mention Facebook and Twitter. Unfortunately there isn't a single comprehensive database for book blogs, but Step by Step Self Publishing is a good place to start, as is The Indie Book Reviewers list.
From there it's a lot of detective work. If you find a blog you like, be sure to check its blogroll for other sites. And you'll need to carefully look at each blog and determine:
Is the blog's genre/audience focus a good match? Don't send your uber-edgy horror novel to the blogger who reviews only cozy mysteries about cats.
When was the blog last updated? If it's been more than six months, give it a miss for now.
Read the review policy! Most bloggers who are open to review requests have a policy, and you should read it. If the blogger doesn't have one, chances are that he or she prefers not to receive review requests.
Respect the review policy! If a blogger has to take a hiatus and isn't accepting review requests, respect that. If the blogger does not like books with certain content or themes, respect that.
Be thorough. You will get more good will from bloggers if you demonstrate that you have taken the time to read the review policy and the blog, to craft a polite review request, and to address the blogger in a way that does not make him or her feel like just another name on your list.
Success builds success. Include a link to your book's Amazon page in your review request. Once you start building up a good number of customer reviews, and adding blog review excerpts to the Editorial Reviews section, bloggers will be more willing to take a chance on your book.
Be patient. It will take time to do all this. It will also take time to hear back from bloggers. You know how busy you are and how hard it is for you to find time to read or write? The bloggers are, for the most part, in the exact same situation. Most of them do the blogs in their free time, because they love books and love sharing their insights on books. So it can take while for them to get back to you. In fact, some of them won't get back to you, and that's fine - they may not be interested in your book, and only respond if they are interested. Don't worry about it, and move on. Even if a blogger does take on your book, it can take a while for them to get to it. Some will give you a hard date of when to expect the review, some won't. It's up to them. Again, be patient. Use the time waiting for one blogger to review your book by researching others who may be interested in reading it.
What it all boils down to is that indie publishing is not a quick thing. The wheels turn slowly, but if your book has merit, they do turn. And when a certain point is reached, and the right blend of reviews, promotion, and word of mouth is achieved, your book's sales will start to reflect this. And when the waiting gets unbearable and you can't face another night of researching blogs or promotional opportunities - use your time to write another book. The more books you have, the better chance you have of getting noticed.
Monday, August 19, 2013
Ashes signing at Vroman's Bookstore, August 25
Join me and other local authors for a signing at Vroman's Bookstore in Pasadena, CA. It's this Sunday, August 25, at 4 p.m. I'll read from and answer questions about Ashes, and a signing will follow.
Hope to see you there!
Hope to see you there!
Thursday, August 15, 2013
Wednesday, August 14, 2013
What Nikki Read has a 5-star review of Ashes
The blog What Nikki Read now has a 5-star review of Ashes. Take a look and find out what she thought of the book!
Sunday, August 11, 2013
Kelly's Big Score: Back to the Beach edition
Road-tripped up to El Capitan State Beach yesterday (more on this soon) where I spent the day walking nature trails and lolling on the beach. About 3 p.m., when the breeze cooled things down and the marine layer started rolling in, I recalled that there is a used book store not far away in Ojai. It was on the way home with a small detour, so I went, and thank goodness I did.
Bart's Books is an outdoor store with labyrinthine shelves that have so many nooks and crannies you'd need all day to peruse the shelves thoroughly. I didn't have all day, but I was able to come home with:
- Control - William Goldman (got two copies, actually, one for me and one for my buddy A.J.)
- Shardik - Richard Adams
- The Mouse That Roared - Leonard Wibberley
- Damage - Josephine Hart
- Deliverance - James Dickey
- I the Jury/My Gun is Quick/Vengeance is Mine! - Mickey Spillane
I foresee another road trip soon to see the rest of what this store has to offer.
Wednesday, August 7, 2013
Books read in 2013: July
Sort of an odd month for reading. Had some trouble getting into books (I chalk it up to being distracted by Comic-Con), but here's the tally for July:
Frozen Heat was a pleasant surprise - the Castle tie-ins are turning into real books. The Scarlet Ruse was also a bit surprising (refreshing to see a female character who is not swept off her feet by McGee).
Currently reading The Serpent and the Pearl by Kate Quinn (I've enjoyed all her Rome books so I'm looking forward to this). And I just received as a belated birthday present Amy Sedaris' I Like You: Hospitality Under the Influence.
- Karen White - Sea Change
- Justin Cronin - The Passage
- Richard Castle - Frozen Heat
- John D. MacDonald - The Scarlet Ruse
Frozen Heat was a pleasant surprise - the Castle tie-ins are turning into real books. The Scarlet Ruse was also a bit surprising (refreshing to see a female character who is not swept off her feet by McGee).
Currently reading The Serpent and the Pearl by Kate Quinn (I've enjoyed all her Rome books so I'm looking forward to this). And I just received as a belated birthday present Amy Sedaris' I Like You: Hospitality Under the Influence.
Tuesday, August 6, 2013
Featured at Kindle Books and Tips!
My debut novel The Day After Yesterday is a featured discount Kindle book at Kindle Books and Tips. Take a look at the site for more great books and (fellow authors) for sponsorship opportunities.
Sunday, August 4, 2013
Why reviews matter
Author Gwen Perkins has a great essay on why reviews (particularly Amazon reviews) matter to independent authors. It's definitely food for thought!
Saturday, August 3, 2013
I now have a Facebook page!
Yes, there's now a Facebook page for Kelly Cozy, Author. Take a look, give it a like, and you'll get the latest news from me.
There should be plenty of news in the next couple months, including a month-long sale on Ashes in October, and the release of Reckoning in November!
There should be plenty of news in the next couple months, including a month-long sale on Ashes in October, and the release of Reckoning in November!
Friday, August 2, 2013
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