Author marketing via social media

Sue Collier | July 26, 2010

Guest blogger: Fiona Ingram
I live in South Africa and I am published in the USA. Distance has made it impossible for me to go the traditional marketing route. Online is all I have open to me. I have worked very hard to go from “Fiona Who?” to not quite “Aha, Fiona Ingram, the famous children’s [...]

Self-publishing does not necessarily equal slush-pile publishing

Sue Collier | June 30, 2010

So I read a post on self-publishing over a Kidlit today. I’ve commented there, but I couldn’t resist more pontificating.
I’ll start by saying that I am not the average person who has no idea what lurks in slush. I spent many years in the trade, going through those very awful slush piles that [...]

Self-publishing and the meandering path to success

Sue Collier | June 15, 2010

Guest blogger: Scott Appleton
Note to readers: I connected with Scott on another blog and was impressed with his self-publishing success. I hope you enjoy his post–and I do think you will learn a thing or two from his determination and perseverence!
When I finished writing a fantasy manuscript, I had little to no knowledge of what [...]

The business of writing and self-publishing–a Q&A

Sue Collier | June 7, 2010

(Cross-posted at the Writer’s Digest website.)

What message do you find yourself repeating over and over to writers?

Sue: The difference between true self-publishing and the so-called “self-publishing companies”—and why that difference is so important for authors to understand.
Marilyn: Marketing. Marketing. Marketing. It’s mandatory in today’s publishing environment to be proactive and get behind your own work.
Would [...]

Just because publishing is changing does not mean it’s dying

Sue Collier | May 28, 2010

When I first read this article by Garrison Keillor, I kind of chuckled to myself—I mean, how seriously can I take the opinion of modern publishing from the dude who hales from the (albeit fictitious) “little town that time forgot and the decades cannot improve.” Obviously, he would prefer that the publishing world stay just [...]

Organizing a successful virtual author book tour

Sue Collier | May 28, 2010

Let’s face it: Unless you are a celebrity, traveling the country and hitting up bookstore after bookstore for signings is probably not going to sell many books. You’ll more than likely spend way more for travel than you’ll make in book sales. Enter the virtual age. From the comfort of your own home or office, you [...]

Book review

Sue Collier | May 21, 2010

Title: The Wealthy Author: The Fast Profit Method for Writing, Publishing & Selling Your Non-Fiction Book
 Authors: Joe Gregory and Debbie Jenkins
 Publishing Academy, 2009
Back cover synopsis: Renegade publishers, Debbie Jenkins and Joe Gregory, share their hard-won experience to show you exactly how to make a fast and impressive income as a non-fiction author in six easy-to-follow [...]

Building your author platform—branding

Sue Collier | May 20, 2010

Note: This is part 1 of a 3-part article
Guest blogger: Dana Lynn Smith
As a book author, you’ve probably seen the term author platform used a lot, but you may be wondering: what is a platform and how do I get one?
Your author platform determines your reach in the market and it’s a valuable tool in [...]

Marketing your book before it’s published—9 tips for success

Sue Collier | May 19, 2010

One of the biggest mistakes I see authors make is waiting until after they have books in hand to start promoting them. Initial sales are often disappointing, and authors end up discouraged. A book marketing plan should be in hand well before the book’s publication date, and there are many steps authors can take to [...]

Why self-publishing your book rather than pursuing the traditional route can be your best bet

Sue Collier | May 5, 2010

I read a blog post today about why authors should pursue traditional publishing rather than try self-publishing from the start. For authors of fiction, I would probably agree that traditional publishing is definitely the more ideal model; but for authors of nonfiction, self-publishing is often the best, most profitable way for authors to see their [...]