Inside Publishing

Now that your book is finished, what happens next? We're here to guide you through the publishing process, from editorial to distribution and sales.

5 Inspirational Blog Post Ideas for Savvy Authors

by Penny C. Sansevieri
Bowker | Wed Apr 28, 2021

In a recent post here on Self Published Author, I talked about five features of a terrific and effective author website, and today I’m going to go deeper into one of those features: author blogs. Websites with blogs get 55% more traffic than websites without. And you can’t sell more books without more traffic. It’s hard to argue with that number and the logic that follows it, but while that statistic might convince your brain it’s time to start blogging, it’s also important that you also believe with your heart that the connection you can make to your readers is worthwhile.

Reading is very personal. Genre preferences and the types of books we seek out to fulfill needs or answer questions in our lives say a lot about us as individuals. The days of the elusive, mysterious author are over. When 4,500 books are being published every day, personalization becomes a cornerstone of your author marketing if your goal is to sell more books. But I realize it’s easier said than done!

Inside Publishing

Marketing & Publicity

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Strategy Before Action

by Brian Jud
Bowker | Tue Apr 20, 2021

Your 2021 business plan outlines the ways in which your marketing activities should be implemented to reach your goals this year. According to traditional practice, after you establish your objectives your plan is divided into two sections. The first is the Strategic Plan that outlines your general marketing strategies, and the second part is the Tactical Plan listing specific actions. Most people cannot wait to start selling their books, so they typically skip the first section.

However, the battle for increased sales, revenue and profits in non-bookstore markets are more likely to succeed by implementing the actions that match your skills, goals and budget. That, in a nutshell, is effective planning — and it starts with strategy. Here are seven principles that will convince you to plan your strategy before you begin your journey to success.

Inside Publishing

Marketing & Publicity

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5 Easy as Pie Ways to Sell More Books

by Penny C. Sansevieri
Bowker | Tue Apr 13, 2021

I get it. You first put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard) because you wanted to tell a fantastic story or solve a societal need. And once you finished your book, you realized that the journey from writer to author had only just begun. How were you going to get that manuscript into the hands of readers in search of a great historical romance novel or a how-to book on estate planning?

And now that you’ve published the book, the question still remains about how to get it into the hands of readers through book sales. If you’re feeling a little peckish, I don’t blame you. Feel free to throw a little snit fit. Once you’ve got it out of your system, we can start looking at a handful of truly easy ways to accomplish your bookselling goals.

Each of the following strategies is apple pie easy and effective!

Inside Publishing

Marketing & Publicity

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How to Maintain Your Book-Selling Passion

by Brian Jud
Bowker | Tue Mar 30, 2021

Every year over 1,000,000 ISBNs are assigned to books, but a year later, how many of those authors are still actively marketing them? I would venture to say very few. When initial high expectations and valiant effort result in few sales, most authors quit to pursue other ventures. Their attitudes become exhausted, like a ball dropped on a basketball court. If left unattended, it will bounce lower and lower each time until it finally rolls to a stop.

Authors’ attitudes fade similarly. Those who do not reinflate their mindsets allow their actions to roll to a stop. Their books are still on Amazon, but the passion behind them is not. If you are in that position, here are three things you can do to reignite the fire you once had.

Inside Publishing

Marketing & Publicity

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Inside Publishing

5 Inspirational Blog Post Ideas for Savvy Authors

Strategy Before Action

5 Easy as Pie Ways to Sell More Books

How to Maintain Your Book-Selling Passion

Pages

Getting Started

Create a Culture of Quality in Your Publishing Company

FAQs about ISBNs

How to Write a Business Plan as Narrative (Part 2 of 2)

A Novel Planning Technique for Book Publishers (Part 1 of 2)

Do You Have the Write Stuff?