Create a MiniBük: Fifth of 5 easy ways to give away samples of your writing

Well, we did it. We’ve been discussing 5 easy ways to give away FREE SAMPLES of your writing to readers and prospective readers. First, we learned how to create a zine. Next, we learned how to format your sample chapter(s) as an eBook. Then we focused on marketing options available on Amazon. Next we went through the steps involved in putting your chapter(s) on a CD. Today is the fifth – and final – installment in this series, and we’ll be discussing the MiniBük as a way to give away sample chapters of your book.

This one is perhaps the most complicated of all the options and is the most like creating a “real” book, because you are creating a miniature version of a real book. The MiniBük is a small book or booklet, the size of a traditional index card. Because if its tiny capacity, the amount of text and number of pages you can include are limited.

You will need a word processing program whose files can be converted to PDF, cover art if you choose, and an Internet connection.

At this point, I have a mea culpa. I have never used the MiniBük program, but I have copies of a couple of them, given to me by someone who has created her own MiniBüks.

As you know if you’ve been reading this series, I include step-by-step instructions for each of the techniques I am recommending. Right now, however, I am quite cranky. I discovered the problem as I was putting this blog post together: the MiniBük website is deficient, in that it completely ignores the final – and seemingly most important – step in the process: submitting your files. So … I wrote the MiniBük people a letter expressing my irritation [indignation?]. I was hoping to hear back from them so I could provide a helpful answer, but there has been no response as of yet.

I was so cranky about this oversight by the MiniBük people that I was tempted to cancel this post altogether. BUT, that seemed petulant and unwise, as I do believe the MiniBük is quite a valuable tool for promoting sample chapters of your book. So, I leave it to you to decide. If you would still like to pursue the creation of a MiniBük, you can get everything ELSE you need from their site: www.MiniBük.com. The highlights:

• 48 pages, max, for a saddle-stitched book
• 64 pages, minimum, for a perfectbound book
• Use a 20-pt font
• Use an 8.5 x 11 layout with 1.5-inch margins on the sides and 1-inch margins at the top and bottom
• Create a PDF of your interior pages
• Create a PDF of your cover

And that’s all I know.

Now, there is a fee for creating these books. I want to clarify that this is a way for you to give away chapters at no cost to your readers – but you will have to pay anywhere from 53 cents each to $2.25 each for the MiniBüks.

So there you have it. Five ways to give your readers and prospective readers a look at your writing before they buy your book(s). And there are dozens of other ways, too. Sites like Scribd, Helium, and Figment allow you to post your writing. StumbleUpon and other social bookmarking sites enable you to recommend your blog or site with excerpts. The ideas are nearly endless. Put on your SBM* thinking cap and discover some new ones of your own!

If you come up with any great new ideas, please feel free to share them in the comments section! And, if you’ve got sample chapter(s) you’d like me to share, please send me a link and I’ll create a category called MARCIE’S READERS WRITE.

MARCIE

*Savvy Book Marketer

__________________

Please contact us if you need help with any of the 5 methods of giving away your writing to  your readers and prospective readers. Free 30-minute consultation when you mention this post ($99 value).

__________________

We welcome and encourage your thoughtful, courteous comments below.

__________________

If you’d like us to add a link to your writing/self-publishing/book marketing blog, please send us a note. If we think it’s a good fit, we’ll be happy to add you. Of course, we’d appreciate the reciprocity of the same!

Additionally, Marcie would be happy to make a guest appearance on your writing/self-publishing/book marketing blog. Just let us know the theme or your idea (preferably including a 6-panel concept), and we’ll see what we can draft for you.

__________________

PREVIOUS POSTS

Monday, August 22 – Put Your Book on a CD: Fourth of 5 easy ways to give away samples of your writing

Thursday, August 18 – Amazon’s Author Central: Third of 5 easy ways to give away samples of your writing

Monday, August 15 – How to Make an eBook: Second of 5 easy ways to give away samples of your writing

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Put Your Book on a CD: Fourth of 5 easy ways to give away samples of your writing

We’ve been discussing 5 easy ways to give away FREE SAMPLES of your writing to readers and prospective readers. First, we learned how to create a zine. Next, we learned how to format your sample chapter(s) as an eBook. Then we focused on marketing options available on Amazon. Today we’re going explore the possibility of putting your chapter(s) on a CD.

As mentioned above, we already talked about how to format your sample chapter(s) as an eBook. This process of putting your chapter(s) on a CD will call on the PDF aspect of the eBook formatting.

The necessary supplies are a little more complicated, but easy enough to come by:

• CD face labels
• Blank CD
• 8-1/2 by 11  OR 8-1/2 by 14 paper
• CD or DVD case
• CD burner on your computer
• Scissors or paper cutter

Now, I won’t lie to you. This one is easy if you’ve got some basic design skills; if not, you might want to enlist some help.

Step 1 Start by translating some aspect of your cover to a CD face label. It can be as simple as using a postage-stamp image of the cover with the title and adding the word “eBook,” but you’ve got to make sure all of your graphics and text will fit on the printable portion of the label. The easiest thing is to use a design program like Photoshop or CorelDraw, but you can also do this in a Microsoft program like Word or Publisher. CD labels come two to a page. Determine whether the brand of labels you purchases lines up centered or off centered. The easiest thing for printing the off-centered labels is to print one, then flip the sheet over and put it back in your printer to do the second one. The size of a CD label is: __________________

Step 2 The next step is deciding whether you will use a CD jewel case or a DVD case. Although jewel cases are less expensive and easier to carry in your purse or backpack, a DVD case is a little more formal and may express a higher degree of professionalism. If you use a CD jewel case with a solid back, you will only need to worry about transferring the front cover of your book. However, you can include a tray liner that gives you more room for branding and descriptive text. You can print a jewel case cover and inlay card on 8-1/2 by 11  paper. The dimensions for a jewel case are: Bleed means that the image prints off the side of the page. Bleed dimensions allow a little extra for cutting. __________________ If you use a DVD cover, you will need to transfer/create a front, back, and spine. You will need to use 8-1/2 by 14 paper to print a DVD cover. The dimensions for a DVD cover are:

__________________ Step 3 Once you’ve printed your cover, cut it to size and insert it into your jewel case or DVD case.

__________________ Step 4 In order to save your PDF file(s) to a CD, you will need a CD burner. Most newer computers come with this software already installed. Roxio is a burner that is commonly included on a fully loaded computer. If your computer does not have CD-burning capabilities, you will either need to purchase the software or find a free version online. There are some decent ones available, but it may take a little digging through the Google to find them. Save your PDF file(s) to the CD, and affix the label to it. Put the CD/DVD in the case and you’re good to go. __________________

While the process is easy enough, it can be time-consuming, so I recommend you make a decent number of CDs at a time. By the way, this will also work as a way to sell/distribute your entire book. If you get to the point where you find yourself making a LOT of them, you might consider outsourcing this project to a company that will burn the CDs and make the covers for you. One benefit of  doing it that way is the option to have the CD label silk-screened onto the CD, which increases professionalism another degree.

One of the nicest things you can do with an eBook on CD is autograph it. Although there are interesting new technologies emerging to allow for digital autographs, with a physical product in hand, you can sign your John Hancock the old-fashioned way, with a Sharpie or a plain old ballpoint pen.

Make sure to check back on Thursday when we’ll be discussing Minibüks as a way to give away free samples of your work. 

MARCIE

__________________

Visit Write | Market | Design to download your Marketing Skills Evaluation. This will help you determine how close you are to SBM status, and where you may need a little extra boost.

__________________

We welcome and encourage your thoughtful, courteous comments below.

__________________

If you’d like us to add a link to your writing/self-publishing/book marketing blog, please send us a note. If we think it’s a good fit, we’ll be happy to add you. Of course, we’d appreciate the reciprocity of the same!

Additionally, Marcie would be happy to make a guest appearance on your writing/self-publishing/book marketing blog. Just let us know the theme or your idea (preferably including a 6-panel concept), and we’ll see what we can draft for you.

__________________

PREVIOUS POSTS

Thursday, August 18 – Amazon’s Author Central: Third of 5 easy ways to give away samples of your writing

Monday, August 15 – How to Make an eBook: Second of 5 easy ways to give away samples of your writing

Thursday, August 11 – How to Make a Zine: First of 5 easy ways to give away samples of your writing

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Amazon’s Author Central: Third of of 5 easy ways to give away samples of your writing

Amazon’s Author Central: Third of 5 easy ways to give away samples of your writing

We’ve been focusing on 5 easy ways to give away FREE SAMPLES of your writing to readers and prospective readers. First, we learned how to create a zine. Next, we learned how to format your sample chapter(s) as an eBook. Today we’re going to discuss the marketing options available for authors on Amazon.

Love them or hate them, Amazon sells a LOT of books. And while it’s not a perfect system, they do a decent job with free promotional tools for authors. Today we’re going to examine 2 aspects of Amazon’s marketing tools for authors: (1) the Look Inside program, and (2) Amazon’s Author Central.

An astonishing number of authors who sell their books through Amazon are not taking advantage of these tools. Case in point: Even authors of marketing books are not utilizing this feature, as illustrated below. Three of the top five authors in the general topic of marketing do not have the Look Inside feature attached to their books.

One of the laments of the  move toward digital bookselling is the fact that you can’t wander through the store or pick up the book and page through it. I agree! Amazon offers the next best thing with its Look Inside program. Personally, I cannot imagine purchasing a book I have not examined ahead of time, if only to see the Table of Contents, front and back covers, and a sample chapter. It astonishes me that any author would neglect this important piece of marketing.

In order to use the Look Inside feature, an author must first be signed up with Amazon’s Author Central program. It’s pretty simple. Just click the JOIN NOW button and follow the prompts.

First, enter the name under which your book(s) is published.

Next, claim your title(s).

Then you will be directed to a page that allows you to:

• Update your profile and bibliography
• Add a photo and biography to an Author Central Profile
• View and edit our list of your books

• Add a blog
  • Add a blog you already write using an RSS feed
• Learn more
  • Enroll your books in Kindle
  • Join Search Inside the Book
  • Become an Amazon Associate

It’s through the link on this page that you sign up for the Look/Search Inside program.

According to Amazon, joining the Look Inside program will do 3 things for you, as an author:  When shoppers search for books on Amazon.com, Amazon uses the actual words from the text of participating books – not just the author, title, and keywords supplied by the publisher – to return the best possible results for each search. For matches that come from text inside the book, Amazon also displays a short excerpt and links to the page(s) where the query matched. Titles you submit to Search Inside are automatically eligible for personalization and merchandising features throughout Amazon. For example, if a customer views a book by another author that uses one of your key terms and later returns to Amazon, he may see a recommendation for your book. From any book detail page, customers have the opportunity to sample the book using our Look Inside reader. This includes being able to preview sample pages, view a random page or search for a specific reference or character.

LOOK INSIDE REQUIREMENTS

• Do not include dashes in your filename.
• PDF is text-based (as opposed to image-based)
• The PDF is free of security (changes, selection, document printing are allowed).
• All fonts are embedded especially if custom fonts are used.
• A front cover is provided, either as a bookmark in the PDF or as a separate file (PDF or JPG)
• The order of pages in the PDF corresponds to the physical book. Each page in the PDF file must correspond to one page in the physical printed book.

A single PDF which includes all required components in a single bookmarked PDF. This will include:

• The front cover
• All printed pages
• In addition to the front cover, Amazon prefers to have a back cover as well. They also would prefer to have the front flap, back flap, and spine, if possible.

Much like Smashwords, the author can determine how much of the book’s interior will be previewed, the least being 10 percent, and increasing in 10 percent increments.

AUTHOR CENTRAL

In addition to the Look Inside feature, Amazon also makes a detailed author’s page available to each author. Again, I cannot imagine trying to sell books on Amazon without taking the time to complete this step. It costs you NOTHING but time and a little imagination!

For your effort, you get to include 8 pieces of information:

1. Author bio
2. A list of your books
3. Upcoming events and book signings
4. Customer discussions – DO THIS!
5. A link to your blog
6. Photos from your book and/or topic
7. Videos, including book trailers and interviews
8. Your Twitter feed

With all of those benefits available to you that enable you not only to give away a sample of your work, but also to interact with your readers on a one-on-one basis, you can’t afford to skip these marketing steps!

Make sure to check back on Monday when we’ll be talking about how to put your sample chapters on a DVD so that you can give them away for free. 

MARCIE

__________________

*Savvy Book Marketer

__________________

Visit Write | Market | Design to download your Marketing Skills Evaluation. This will help you determine how close you are to SBM status, and where you may need a little extra boost.

__________________

We welcome and encourage your thoughtful, courteous comments below.

__________________

If you’d like us to add a link to your writing/self-publishing/book marketing blog, please send us a note. If we think it’s a good fit, we’ll be happy to add you. Of course, we’d appreciate the reciprocity of the same!

Additionally, Marcie would be happy to make a guest appearance on your writing/self-publishing/book marketing blog. Just let us know the theme or your idea (preferably including a 6-panel concept), and we’ll see what we can draft for you.

__________________

PREVIOUS POSTS

How to Make an eBook: Second of 5 easy ways to give away samples of your writing

Monday, August 15 – How to Make an eBook: Second of 5 easy ways to give away samples of your writing

Thursday, August 11 – How to Make a Zine: First of 5 easy ways to give away samples of your writing

Monday, August 8 – 5 easy ways to give away FREE SAMPLES of your writing

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How to Make an eBook: Second of 5 easy ways to give away samples of your writing

We’ve been talking about 5 easy ways to give away FREE SAMPLES of your writing to readers and prospective readers. Last time, we learned how to create a zine. Today we’re going to focus on the easiest, most common ways to make a chapter or selection from your book into an eBook that you can give away for free.

If you’ve already converted your book or published an eBook, you can probably skip this post, except to say that you might want consider cropping it to offer just one or two chapters as a free giveaway through your blog, website, or social media outlets.

All of these processes are done electronically, so the only equipment you’ll need is a computer and Internet access.

We’re going to discuss 4 of the most common methods of eBook conversion:

1. PDF
2. Mobipocket
3. Smashwords
4. Text files

The thing to keep in mind is that an eBook CAN be an exact electronic duplicate of a printed book, but it doesn’t have to be, and frequently is not. The popularity of eBooks is continuing to skyrocket, and with it a multitude of eReaders is becoming available. However, not all of them are equipped to handle graphics or fancy pagination, so a decent rule of thumb, at least for the time being, is that simpler is better when converting your writing into eBooks.

Before you begin any of these processes, make sure you:

• Abbreviate your file to include only the chapter(s) you want to give away for free.
• Double check that you have not inadvertently cut off any sections while you were creating your excerpt.
• Give one last run-through for grammar and spelling errors you may previously have missed, especially if this is the first time you will be publishing your work.
• Unless you will be using the PDF method to convert your chapter(s), make sure you’ve got it stripped down to a simplified file with few images and no fancy pagination.

PDFs PDFs are the best way to ensure consistency between the printed book and the ebook conversion, but they’re limited to use on a computer, tablet, or smartphone that can read them – and they won’t translate for many eReaders. Depending on how your computer is configured, once you’ve got your file saved the way you want for the conversion, you may be able to hit “Print” and select “Adobe PDF” as your “printer” option. A second possibility if you’re saving from a MS Word 2007 document is to choose the “Save As” command and then select the PDF option. If you do not appear to have a PDF conversion mechanism of any sort already installed, you can download a free piece of conversion software called CutePDF that works quite well. __________________

MOBIPOCKET MobiPocket is the ebook technology employed by Amazon’s Kindle eReader. Convert your MS Word files to .mobi files using the free Mobipocket eBook Creator. Download the software and follow the instructions and prompts. __________________

SMASHWORDS Smashwords is a free online service you can use to convert your books (or chapters) to eBooks. It’s quite a nice program because it will allow you to upload to ALL of the major eReaders (including Kindle), but it requires a VERY stripped down version of your text with next to no formatting. The Smashwords.com site also gives you four pricing options: FREE Let the reader set the price You set a fixed price for the book You can specify that a portion of a book you have for sale is available for free. Visit the site and follow the prompts to upload your book. __________________

TEXT FILES The easiest way to convert a file that almost anyone can read on almost any platform is simply by saving it as a .TXT file. 1. In any version of MS Word, choose the “Save As” command and select “Other Formats.” 2. Find the drop-down menu. 3. Choose RTF or Rich Text File, and hit “Save.”

That’s it for our four simple ways to convert your sample chapter to an eBook. Once you’ve converted it, the next thing is to TELL PEOPLE it’s available. Announce it on Facebook. Send a couple Tweets. And, of course, let your mailing list know. You can even ask other authors, editors, marketers, literary types, and anyone who loves and supports you to help you get the word out.

Make it a personal mission to have 500 people read your free chapter(s) within a certain period of time. This means, of course, you’ll have to figure out how to know they’ve read it. One way might be to motivate your pre-readers to comment about your chapter on your blog by announcing that you’ll enter all commenters into a drawing for a copy of the finished book. This will do two things for you:

(1) Give you feedback on the book.

(2) Give you an idea of how many people the chapters are reaching.

Remember, these are just a few ideas. Put on that SBM* Thinking Cap and see what other wonderful ways you can dream up to get the word out about your free chapter(s). If anything awesome comes of this experience for you, please come back and share it in our comments section!

Make sure to check back on Thursday when we’ll be discussing Amazon’s “Look Inside” feature as a way to give away free samples of your work. 

MARCIE

__________________

*Savvy Book Marketer

__________________

Visit Write | Market | Design to download your Marketing Skills Evaluation. This will help you determine how close you are to SBM status, and where you may need a little extra boost.

__________________

We welcome and encourage your thoughtful, courteous comments below.

__________________

If you’d like us to add a link to your writing/self-publishing/book marketing blog, please send us a note. If we think it’s a good fit, we’ll be happy to add you. Of course, we’d appreciate the reciprocity of the same!

Additionally, Marcie would be happy to make a guest appearance on your writing/self-publishing/book marketing blog. Just let us know the theme or your idea (preferably including a 6-panel concept), and we’ll see what we can draft for you.

__________________

PREVIOUS POSTS

Thursday, August 11 – How to Make a Zine: First of 5 easy ways to give away samples of your writing

Monday, August 8 – 5 easy ways to give away FREE SAMPLES of your writing

Thursday, August 4 – A Savvy Book Marketer embraces the idea of giving freely

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How to Make a Zine: First of 5 easy ways to give away samples of your writing

We already went through the 5 easy ways to give away FREE SAMPLES of your writing to readers and prospective readers. Now it’s time to get down to business. Today we’re going to focus on #1, learning how to create a zine. This really couldn’t be an easier project, but you can make it as simple or elaborate as you like. Some traditionalists prefer to hand-letter and draw their pages. I find it easier to print the pages, not to mention that you wind up with a more professional looking result.

The necessary supplies are quite basic:

• 8-1/2 by 11 sheet of paper
• Scissors
• Tape (optional)

STEP 1 Get a sheet on 8-1/2 by 11 paper.

STEP 2 Fold in half horizontally.

STEP 3Fold each of those halves to the middle to create 4 equal sections.

STEP 4 Fold in half vertically to create 8 equal sections.

STEP 5 Pay attention to the numbering of the pages. Also pay attention to the gray line in the very middle of these sections, as this is where you will make your single cut to create the zine.

STEP 6 Fold the sheet into an accordion fold and make one cut along the red lines.

STEP 7 Now you can see where your cut gapes as an opening.

STEP 8 Push the sides together to form a cross.

TADA Voila! Fold the pages over to form your zine.

If you choose, you can tape closed the open sides of your zine to give it a little more finished look. And that’s all there is to it!

If you’d like to see the steps of folding a zine in progress, take a look at this video.

Make sure to check in on Monday when we’ll be discussing the process of using a PDF as a means for giving away free samples of your work. In the meantime, if you try to make a zine, come back and share you pictures and/or tell us how it worked for you!

MARCIE

__________________

Visit Write | Market | Design to download your Marketing Skills Evaluation. This will help you determine how close you are to SBM status, and where you may need a little extra boost.

__________________

We welcome and encourage your thoughtful, courteous comments below.

__________________

If you’d like us to add a link to your writing/self-publishing/book marketing blog, please send us a note. If we think it’s a good fit, we’ll be happy to add you. Of course, we’d appreciate the reciprocity of the same!

Additionally, Marcie would be happy to make a guest appearance on your writing/self-publishing/book marketing blog. Just let us know the theme or your idea (preferably including a 6-panel concept), and we’ll see what we can draft for you.

__________________

PREVIOUS POSTS

Monday, August 8 – 5 easy ways to give away FREE SAMPLES of your writing

Thursday, August 4 – A Savvy Book Marketer embraces the idea of giving freely

Monday, August 1 – Every Savvy Book Marketer has an attitude of GRATITUDE

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5 easy ways to give away FREE SAMPLES of your writing

(Please click on image to enlarge.)

Last time, we discussed the importance of getting your work in front of prospective readers by giving away sample chapters and other writings for free. The most obvious way to do this is with a blog, and in future posts, we will explore some interesting ideas for the kinds of blog posts SBMs* can use to keep their readers interested and invested.

Today, we’re going to examine 5 other easy ways to give your readers and potential readers access to your work.

One-page Zine

Seen more often in underground publishing than in general use by traditional authors, a zine is a single 8-1/2 by 11 sheet of paper, folded into 8 “pages.” These make great leave-behind materials for coffee shops and bookstores.

PDF	Making a PDF from a Word or InDesign or almost any other kind of file is a simple process. Many eReaders will even read .TXT files, so you may be able to keep it simpler still. You can make these files available for download through your blog or Web site.

Amazon’s “Look Inside” Feature

Check almost any topic on Amazon, and you may be amazed at how few authors take advantage of the “Look Inside” program that gives potential buyers a way to see your TOC, sample chapters, and a “surprise” page.

DVD	Take that PDF from the earlier example, and load it onto a CD or DVD and put it in a DVD case. Reprint your cover, or design a new one for this purpose and slide it under the plastic protector. Now you can carry your ebook with you.

Minibük

Literally a mini book, this tiny book is the size of an index card. Page counts can range from 8 pages to 200 pages, with either saddle stitch or perfect binding, depending on the page count.

Choose any of these methods that works for you – or develop your own idea! Regardless of how you get them out there, get those sample chapters out there into the wide, wide world. Embrace giving. We’re not all going to be the next Amanda Hawking, but our success is guaranteed to increase the more we give people a chance to see samples of our work.

For the next 5 posts, we’re going to look at the mechanics of each of these formats for book samples (with illustrations, where applicable), so come back and tell your friends!

MARCIE

*Savvy Book Marketer

__________________

Visit Write | Market | Design to download your Marketing Skills Evaluation. This will help you determine how close you are to SBM status, and where you may need a little extra boost.

__________________

We welcome and encourage your thoughtful, courteous comments below.

__________________

If you’d like us to add a link to your writing/self-publishing/book marketing blog, please send us a note. If we think it’s a good fit, we’ll be happy to add you. Of course, we’d appreciate the reciprocity of the same!

Additionally, Marcie would be happy to make a guest appearance on your writing/self-publishing/book marketing blog. Just let us know the theme or your idea (preferably including a 6-panel concept), and we’ll see what we can draft for you.

__________________

PREVIOUS POSTS

Thursday, August 4 – A Savvy Book Marketer embraces the idea of giving freely

Monday, August 1 – Every Savvy Book Marketer has an attitude of GRATITUDE

Thursday, July 28 – Is your book a word-of-mouth worthy Purple Cow?

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A Savvy Book Marketer embraces the idea of giving freely

(Please click on image to enlarge.)

We talked last time about having an attitude of gratitude. One group to whom you own an immense debt of gratitude is your readers – the people who buy your book, review your book, recommend your book, and eagerly await your next book. If you’re marketing your first book, you’re in the process of growing this group.

A quick, easy way to say, “Thanks for taking an interest,” is by giving away excerpts, sample chapters, and stories.

This act of generosity does several things for you:

• Gives readers who don’t know you a chance to get to read your work for the first time.
• Gives readers a chance to offer feedback – which you may or may not find helpful.
• Lets you know if your message/story is resonating with your target market.

Some people have a hesitation to give away their work in advance of publishing it, out of fear that people won’t want it if they can get it for free. If that’s you, I encourage you to think differently about giving people free access to your work.

1. It’s a lack mentality (aka poverty mindset) that says, “By GIVING you something, I LOSE something. It may be counterintuitive, but that’s honestly the surest way to keep your sales and success small.
2. Although many people have published the entire contents of their book in a serial format on a blog or other writing platform before they successfully sold it in book form, I’m not actually suggesting you give away the whole book – just a healthy sample.
3. HOWEVER, giving away the whole thing first CAN work. Master marketer Seth Godin is rumored to have given away 5 MILLION copies of his famous book, Unleashing the Idea Virus, before he sold one. Now, you have to buy it if you want it, and his “free giveaway” put him on the map as one of the world’s top marketers.
4. The same Seth Godin has said that if you want your book to take off, you’ve got to give away at least 5,000 copies first.

Gone are the days when all you had to do was tell someone about your book to generate interest. Now, you must first create a relationship with them; then you must distinguish yourself from a crowded field. What’s the quickest way to do that? Give your writing away for free. We can’t just go about pushing our books at people anymore; we’ve got to interest them, court them – seduce them, if you will. Only then will they feel they know you well enough to plunk down their money for your book.

Embrace giving – it works!

See you Monday, when we’re going to preview 4 smart ways to embrace giving!

MARCIE

__________________

Visit Write | Market | Design to download your Marketing Skills Evaluation. This will help you determine how close you are to SBM status, and where you may need a little extra boost.

__________________

We welcome and encourage your thoughtful, courteous comments below.

__________________

If you’d like us to add a link to your writing/self-publishing/book marketing blog, please send us a note. If we think it’s a good fit, we’ll be happy to add you. Of course, we’d appreciate the reciprocity of the same!

Additionally, Marcie would be happy to make a guest appearance on your writing/self-publishing/book marketing blog. Just let us know the theme or your idea (preferably including a 6-panel concept), and we’ll see what we can draft for you.

__________________

PREVIOUS POSTS

Monday, August 1 – Every Savvy Book Marketer has an attitude of GRATITUDE

Thursday, July 28 – Is your book a word-of-mouth worthy Purple Cow?

Monday, July 25 – Marketing a book is different than marketing a smartphone or a pair of shoes

Read Full Post »