by Ulatus
Bowker | Tue Sep 4, 2018
When considering the translation of your documents, did you ever wonder what their long-term impact might be? Have you thought about what others decades, centuries, even millennia from now might say about your original production and its translations? Have you wondered about where your works might fall in the great scheme of famously translated materials? If you have, you may be surprised by what you find below.
by Brian Jud
Bowker | Tue Aug 28, 2018
An engineer can look at the foundation of a building under construction and tell you its eventual height. The deeper the base, the higher the structure will be. Similarly, an independent publisher must create a strong foundation to support a title's future growth. This preparation is performed in five phases.
1) The Planning Phase
Focus on creating a strategic marketing plan for your title at least six months prior to its publication date. Begin by precisely defining your target readers. Then outline your strategies, describe the tactics you will perform, and establish completion dates for each, in four functional areas:
* Production. How many pages and what size should the book be? What type of binding? Will you use illustrations or halftones? Ideas for cover design.
by Ulatus
Bowker | Tue Aug 21, 2018
Technically, almost any writing may be called literature. However, literature is more commonly recognized as a work that displays superior written artistry of lasting value. These are not mere books or poems, these are writings that open our eyes and allow us to see a world beyond our own. Literature brings history to life, along with the lives and adventures of the men and women who went before us. It challenges our thinking, helps us read between the lines, and teaches us to identify themes and find hidden meanings. Other cultures may be explored and better understood. We are allowed to get a glimpse into the spiritual and political minds of people who are not like ourselves and experience the forces that drive them.
by Richard Smith
Bowker | Tue Aug 14, 2018
If you’re an author and want to stay on top of the important issues in the world of publishing — issues that affect you — you need The Hot Sheet.
With all the chatter out there, it will help you sort through the noise with stories that focus on relevant topics from across the publishing spectrum. From author success stories to key industry statistics, you’ll find what you need to know in The Hot Sheet.
by Penny C. Sansevieri
Bowker | Tue Aug 7, 2018
If you’re ready to take your brand and your platform to the next level, then a book marketing company may be just what you need. And primarily, what I do is help authors with their exposure.
Because exposure is ultimately what will drive sales. Consumers often need to see something as many as seven times before deciding to purchase. And although I cannot offer authors specific sales guarantees (no one can!), what I can do is offer a great well-rounded campaign that helps you gain exposure. And with that comes the tools and support you’ll need to sell more books. But success doesn’t happen in a vacuum, and even when you hire a book marketing company, you need to be involved in the process working toward your goals alongside the professionals.
by Brian Jud
Bowker | Tue Jul 31, 2018
Authors rely on the repetition of a message on free media such as appearances on television and radio to increase the sales of their books. The planning of this exposure is important because the media like to interview authors on relevant and timely topics. Here are some tips that can make your broadcast appearances more productive.
by Brian Jud
Bowker | Tue Jul 24, 2018
Performances on radio talk or news shows are the workhorses of book-promotion activities. With radio as part of your communication plan, you can reach hundreds, thousands or millions of people at little or no cost. You can even sell some books, if you do it right.
Most radio shows are conducted over the telephone, from any place in which there is a good connection, no background noise and where you can talk uninterrupted for the length of the show. Here are several guidelines to make telephone interviews more effective:
- As you agree upon the time and date with the producer, confirm your time zone. The producer may say he or she will call you at 3:00, but is that 3:00 p.m. in your time zone?
- Do not use cell telephones and do not ask the station to call you on a line with call waiting. Similarly, this is not the time to impress your friends by having them listen to you on an extension or speaker phone.
by Penny C. Sansevieri
Bowker | Tue Jul 17, 2018
There’s a ton of information out there for indie authors. However, there is also a lot of misinformation, too, as well as outright lies about book marketing. And indie authors are left in the cold to sort through the truths, semi-truths, and non-truths for themselves. Which means that you may have spent more time figuring out the best path through trial and error.
Because I believe that empowering authors to follow the best practices elevates the whole industry, today, I’m taking some time to set the record straight. Indie authors, read on to learn some of the biggest book marketing traps and pitfalls and how to navigate around them for the best success.
Trap #1: If you’re not good with computers and social media, it’s better to skip “that stuff.”
by Penny C. Sansevieri
Bowker | Tue Jul 10, 2018
Did you know that book publicity isn’t actually about book sales? Here’s why!
Although indie authors tend to live and die by how many books they sell, book sales shouldn’t be your only focus. Yes, book sales ultimately matter. But they’re the result of a lot of different things, and they shouldn’t be the end all, be all measurement of your success as an author.
So what is book marketing and publicity actually about? Developing and fostering relationships. It happens by taking advantage of every opportunity that comes your way. It happens by knocking on lots of doors and then finding new doors to knock on in order to gain exposure and sell more books.
Ultimately with a solid book promotion plan, one thing builds on another and on another to create momentum. Let’s dig a little deeper.
Radio and TV help sell books, right? So how many will I sell?
by Brian Jud
Bowker | Tue Jul 3, 2018
Did you ever try to solve a jig-saw puzzle? It’s simple, right? The picture on the cover of the box shows you how the completed puzzle should look, so all you must do is organize and connect all the pieces. Now think of your publishing journey as the puzzle. You have your vision of the end result, but you have to create the pieces to complete it.
One way to come up with the “pieces” is through brainstorming, a group discussion in search of an answer to a specific question or problem. The facilitator begins a brainstorming session by gathering people, posing the question to be addressed and explaining the rules (quantity vs. quality of ideas initially, defer judgement, freewheeling, and hitchhiking). At the end of the idea-generating phase, teammates eliminate those suggestions that are currently untenable, and choose the best ones to put into action.
