If you follow this blog with any regularity, you might have noticed that I have been a bit sketchy about posting lately. It’s not that I don’t love this site (I do), but there is so much going on lately that I haven’t had the time to put together a meaningful post.
So, what’s happening?
First, and foremost, I have a new book coming out. Actually, it is coming out later this week. It is part of my Author! Author! series of books for, you guessed it, authors. The series is designed to help writers write, publish, market and sell their books. Each book addresses one aspect of the process. A number of the books are designed specifically for those just getting started. They are called “Get Going Guides.” Others are for writers who have published their books already, but who need help figuring out what to do next.
Originally, I was going to write one big book. It, however, quickly became way too long and way too involved. I realized, then, that someone who wants to know how to run a book giveaway promotion, wouldn’t want to wade through 1,000+ pages of how-to just to get to that one section. It was for that reason that I decided to break it all down into a series of manageable and actionable books ranging in length from 60 to 300 pages.
Later today, my publishing company, Madaket Lane Publishers, will be releasing the latest book in the series, “Author! Author! Use Book Promos & Discounts to Create BUZZ for Your Book: 60+ Free and Low-Cost Sites to Promote Your Book.”
In actuality, there are more than 100 sites included where you can promote your book for free or for a nominal fee. I have researched each and every site to make sure that they are professional, that they offer good value, they have decent readership and they bring results.
The Author! Author! series will include more than 20 books. At the present time, at least 6 of them are in some stage of production while another 8 are being researched. Some of the books are/will be straight how-to’s. Others will be more about the theory of doing something. And still others will be compilations of examples from people who have already achieved success using a certain process or technique. A few will be combinations of these different approaches.
The book that will be released later this week contains theory – the why you should use book promos and discounts – a bit of example, and the resources you will need to run your own promos and discounts. The really, really, really neat thing about this book? It is that if you use the resources I am providing for you and if you follow the methods discussed in the book, you will potentially put your book in front of more than 1 million readers. Yes, 1 million.
I know, I know. The word “potentially” is a load of garbage and I hate using it. The only reason I do so is that I cannot go around and personally make those 1 million+ readers read about your book. I wish I could. Still, I will be showing you where to announce your book – sites where readers are active and engaged.
This Site is Getting a Face Lift
I have had this site for about four years. It is not a big site and it is not always an active site. I have a lot of projects going on and have not always paid as much attention to this site as I would have liked. That is about to change.
How?
First of all, the site is getting a face lift. It won’t be a “Ta-Dah!” face lift, but more of a gradual one carried out over a couple of months.
Secondly, the focus of the site is shifting a bit. It has always been about helping other writers find their way in the new world of publishing, but now it will be more focused rather than rambling. Further, it will offer promotional opportunities to writers who want to show off their work. Those opportunities will be both free and paid. My objective is to create a community of both readers and writers. A community where YOU can showcase your work, and where there are readers ready, willing and eager to buy your books.
For the record, as I build up the reader base, I will be providing a lot of free promo opportunities. Those details will be coming out soon and I hope you jump on board.
This Site will have Sister Sites
As you know, this site, The Essential eBooker, is geared toward writers. It is not a place where readers would normally gather. It is important for writers to get their books in front of readers and, because I don’t want to make this site all about the reader, I have decided to open sister sites for readers where writers can showcase their work.
In the beginning, there will be five sister sites:
- Essential eBooks (for general fiction & non-fiction)
- Essential Romance Books
- Essential Mysteries & Thrillers
- Essential Young Adult Fiction
- Essential Erotica (one of the fastest-growing genres, btw)
My goal is to build up a community of readers for each site. They will receive timely emails about new and discounted books in each genre and will be able to join each site’s Facebook & Twitter pages. This will make it easier for you, the author, to find and interact with your readers.
In any case, these changes will be rolled out over the next two months. As they are, I will be offering many free promotional opportunities to you, my fellow authors. I will need books to promote and authors to interview as we set things up and test the various updates.
In the next two days, I will also be putting up a few opt-in email forms. Each of the sites will have its own form for readers to sign up, but this site will have one as well for writers. Through it, I’ll be updating subscribers about new and upcoming promotional opportunities, asking for interviewees, sending out news about the publishing industry, etc. I promise, though, not to spam you. When you get an email, it will be because there is important information you should know about your business (writing and publishing), or I’ve learned of a great new opportunity to promote your book. When the opt-in boxes go up, I hope you’ll sign up.
More About “Author! Author! Use Promos & Discounts to Create BUZZ for Your Book”
I forgot to tell you something about this book. While it has always been one of the first 10 Author! Author! books scheduled for release, I was actually finishing up a different book when this one moved to the forefront. Why?
Well, I was working on Author! Author! Discover the 6 Paths to Publication: Which One is Best for You? when one of the authors with whom I work, KD Pryor, and I decided to put together a promo for her young adult paranormal book, The Portal’s Choice. The promo includes blog blasts, blog tours and discounts. Because it was something I was working on, I decided to set The 6 Paths to Publication aside and complete Use Promos & Discounts to BUZZ Your Book. Which means, in about three weeks from now there will be another Author! Author! book out to help you on your way.
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