The Savvy Self-Publisher is a free newsletter sent by e-mail, with tips and tricks to help the streetwise author publish a book quickly and economically -- and to promote it more effectively. It contains success stories of self-publishers in action, and a treasure trove of tools to help you reach more readers.
Below are EXCERPTS from the current issue. Click HERE to get the FULL newsletter by e-mail, free of charge.
Please note: the excerpts below are intentionally formatted very simply, as they appear in our no-nonsense e-mail bulletins. For a more polished presentation, please visit our blog at http://www.u-publish.blogspot.com where you can also post your feedback, or share ideas with fellow authors and publishers.
================================================================ *** THE SAVVY SELF-PUBLISHER: MARCH APRIL 2007 *** ================================================================ Bad News? Or Good Motivation? The Guardian (UK) reports: "There has never been a tougher time to be a debut novelist - only a tiny fraction receive six- figure advances, and most manuscripts end up in the shredder." http://www.booktrade.info/nr.php?id=9978 BUT, Dan Snow adds: "This means there has never been a BETTER time to self-publish!" Self-publishing does NOT preclude the option to sign with a publisher. As Dan Poynter says, "Get your book in print, prove its public appeal, then contact publishers. If you get a good offer, sell out. If not, you already have all the right pieces in place..." Visit U-Publish.com for real-life case histories, tips and tricks, and regularly updated resources for authors and publishers. ================================================================ It's All in the Timing! Dan Snow says: for press releases, the conventional wisdom is that "Monday is a slow news day." Therefore, transmit news releases over the weekend to improve the chance of getting your press release on an editor's desk on Monday morning. Penny Sansevieri (amarketingexpert.com) adds: "Doing a mailing? Why not mail your packets on a Saturday to insure you get your mail into the hands of your recipient by Monday or Tuesday! Anything sent later in the week might be lost in the shuffle." -- Tip courtesy of Brian Jud, bookmarketing.com ================================================================ Don't forget MBR: Midwest Book Review: dedicated to showcasing reviews of independently published, self-published, and POD published titles: http://www.midwestbookreview.com MBR reviews appear on Amazon, and in other mainstream book industry channels, often otherwise unavailable to the little guy. Editor Jim Cox has devoted years in support of the indie and small press movements. ================================================================ Reminder: PMA director Jan Nathan was recently diagnosed with endometrial cancer and is undergoing treatment that requires her to be out of the office for an extended amount of time. She has worked tirelessly on behalf of authors and publishers over many years. Send your support to her son: terry@pma-online.org ================================================================ Radio Daze: "Talk radio interviews aren't what they used to be. In the 'golden days,' the hosts of major-market talk radio shows used to bring authors into the studio for long chats. An author could just knock off a couple of those interviews and sales would instantly hit 'turbo.' Sadly, those days are gone. Unless an author is a truly big name nowadays, the chances of hitting pay- dirt with just a couple of big radio interviews are history." -- Marsha Friedman Alternatives: http://www.event-management.com Danny O. Snow adds that today, print coverage often attracts more readers than coverage by broadcast media, while radio and TV fare better than Web. BUT... online coverage lasts longest, and tends to accumulate over time. Choosing the best medium for promotion of your book can be an important factor in your success! Please read U-Publish.com 4.0 before you decide. ================================================================ Fourth Edition Now Available: The new 2007 edition of "U-Publish.com 4.0" is out. For a limited time only, early adopters get a deep discount. A single new tip could save you MANY TIMES the cost of getting the latest edition. Also watch for special customized editions from Independent Publisher Online, Lulu.com and others who serve self-publishers! http://www.unlimitedpublishing.com/direct.htm From a recent review in Writers World: "I would recommend U-Publish.com 4.0 to anyone who even thinks of writing and publishing a book." -- Maryanne Raphael, Writers World http://www.authorsden.com/maryanneraphael ================================================================ JOIN SPAWN.ORG at the L.A. TIMES BOOK FEST: For a modest fee, your book can be seen by thousands of readers, publishers and booksellers. The SPAWN catalog, with your ad inside, will be distributed to several hundred people at the L.A. Times Festival of Books. Your catalog ad will also be posted at the SPAWN.ORG Web site for a full year. The absolute deadline for new catalog listings is April 5, 2006. Sign up now by going to http://www.spawn.org/catalog.htm ================================================================ Special Edition to Support SNCR.org: Download a PDF copy of "Steal this e-Book?" or order a paperback to support The Society for New Communications Research: http://www.lulu.com/content/720820 All profits will be donated to SNCR, a nonprofit global think tank dedicated to the advanced study of new communications tools, technologies and emerging modes of communication, and their effect on traditional media, professional communications, business, culture and society. For more information, e-mail info@sncr.org ================================================================ *** Contests! Contests! Contests! *** ================================================================ WD Contest Offers $15,000 in Prizes: 15th Annual Self-Published Book Awards: Writer's Digest is searching for the best self-published books of the past few years. Here's your chance to enter a competition exclusively for self-published books. More than $15,000 in prizes. Visit http://www.writersdigest.com/contests/self_published.asp for details or e-mail self-publishing-competition@fwpubs.com for guidelines. ================================================================ FINAL CALL FOR ENTRIES: INDIE EXCELLENCE 2007 BOOK AWARDS: The 2007 competition is open to all POD, self-published and small press titles with publication dates from 2004-2007. Winners & Finalists will be announced at Book Expo America in NYC June 1, 2007. Entry Deadline: April 14, 2007. FMI: http://www.IndieExcellence.com ================================================================ Call for submissions: The 2007 New York Book Festival will consider published, self- published and independent publisher non-fiction, fiction, books for children, teenage, how-to, audio/spoken word, comics, e-books, wild card (anything goes!), science fiction, romance and biography/autobiography works: newyorkbookfestival.com ================================================================ Please feel free to forward copies of this bulletin to your fellow authors and publishers. This is a free resource that is available to anyone in the book world upon request. We don't accept fees for mentioning products or services, and we do not accept paid advertising. You may subscribe or un-subscribe at any time. ================================================================ Turn your book cover into a postage stamp: zazzle.com Turn your book cover into a postcard: postcardbuilder.com Both sites above provide fast and easy online setup with no signup charges or minimums. Postcardbuilder.com will even mail individual postcards out for you at a total cost of just 35 cents plus 24 cents postage. No licking stamps or waiting on line at the post office... just create a postcard with your book's cover, and type in the delivery addresses. A cool time- saver -- and a useful tool for promoting your book! ================================================================
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