Kindlegraph Helps Authors Digitally Autograph Kindle eBooks

Kindlegraph, created by software developer and entrepreneur Evan Jacobs, is quickly becoming the place for readers to obtain inscriptions and digital autographs from their favorite authors. As of now, Kindlegraph is just shy of 1,000 authors and 5,000 books, according to the official @kindlegraph Twitter. Speaking of Twitter, it seems to be exploding with tweets regarding Kindlegraph. Twitterers all over have a lot to say about this innovative idea of digital inscriptions and autographs.

Kindlegraph is expected to continue to grow at a rapid rate, especially since "it took two months to get the first 2000 [books] and one week for the next 2000." If they remain at this pace, 2,000 eBooks added to Kindlegraph each week, they'll have around 45,000 books listed by January 2012. That's some huge growth!

Paula Wiseman, Amazon.com bestselling author of Contingency and Indemnity (published by MindStir Media), didn't waste any time getting on board. Both her books are listed on Kindlegraph.

How exactly does Kindlegraph work? Evan Jacobs created an easy to understand video right here. It's free to sign up at Kindlegraph.com and you sign in with your Twitter account.

So what do you think? If you're an author, will you sign up? If you're an eBook lover, will you start requesting digital inscriptions and autographs? I welcome your comments.

How To Publish Books: www.howtopublishbooks.info

I acquired www.howtopublishbooks.info the other day and assigned it to this blog for $10. So, you can access the blog via that URL from now on. Since the phrase how to publish books receives about 74,000 global monthly searches on Google, I figured buying the domain (e.g. .com, .net, .org, .info, .biz, .us) could only help with SEO (i.e. Search Engine Optimization). Plus, the domain matches this blog's content quite well. If you don't know what Search Engine Optimization is and you're an author with a Web site, it's time for you to do some research... I suggest you buy and read this book. Understanding and implementing SEO tactics can convert into many book sales! Studying it is worth your time, trust me. Or if you'd rather hire a search engine optimization company, I highly recommend that you select Page SEO Company. They're the #1 Portsmouth NH SEO agency and experts in gaining massive organic traffic from major search engines.

Top 5 Online Marketing Tools For Authors

Many authors ask me: When and how should I start promoting my book? The first part of the answer ("when") is yesterday. As with any product--and yes, a book is a product!--it's unwise to start promoting/marketing after the product releases. Here's the second part of the answer ("how"): Prior to publication, I'd say about 3-6 months before the release date (maybe even a year if you're really serious), you should already be actively utilizing these TOP 5 Online Marketing Tools For Authors (notice how I said "should." There are exceptions to every rule, of course, and some authors can certainly find success even if they begin promoting/marketing after the release, although it'll be more difficult):

1. Author website/blog - I remember launching my website/blog back in 2007, two years before the release of my bestselling novel Unconventional. This gave me plenty of time to get acquainted with my site and learn the ins and outs. Ultimately, you want to use all of your other online tools to drive traffic to your site/blog.
2. Facebook - Read this post--Facebook For Authors by Cindy Ratzlaff--to understand the personal profile, the fan page, and the benefits of using the leading social network as an author. Over 600 million people use Facebook nowadays, so it's not a tool you can ignore! Facebook ads are also highly effective for recruiting fans/selling your titles. FB ads allow you to target just about anyone based on interests, age, gender, location, etc.
3. Goodreads.com - I'm a huge advocate for this, the #1 social networking site for book lovers. This site, from an author's perspective, is all about targeted marketing and networking. You can network with tons of fans from your genre; include your book in Goodreads' giveaway program (which they promote to their members for you!); customize your author profile after signing up for the free Goodreads Author Program; launch a targeted ad campaign with self-serve advertising; and more!
4. LibraryThing - Much like Goodreads, you can run a giveaway on LibraryThing.com (LT), but I feel the LT giveaway program is superior. Here's why: You can give away e-book downloads, which cost you absolutely nothing but help you gain readers and reviews.
5. Twitter - Technically a microblogging site, Twitter limits each post (i.e. tweet) to 140 characters, thus encouraging short bursts of info. This is an ideal place to quickly network and form relationships with other like-minded individuals, help them and they'll help you (through "retweets," etc.), share the behind the scenes moments of your life (not so "behind the scenes" anymore), spread some of your links, etc. Amazingly, you can do all of this on the go. Just install a Twitter app on your cell phone. Twitter does offer a Twitter 101 "course" at their site. Check it out if you're trying to figure out how to get started.

Remember, you're only going to find success in publishing if you self-promote like all the other successful, entrepreneurial self-published authors out there. You can't expect the book to sell itself. That won't happen.

MindStir Media - Self-publishing With A Personal Touch

Nowadays, indie authors are able to bypass traditional gatekeepers of the publishing industry and self-publish, presenting their books to readers much faster than ever before. This can be extremely liberating and rewarding for authors if done correctly and with the right self-publishing company.

Many leading self-publishing companies are so large that authors quickly get lost in the crowd, and what should be a liberating and rewarding experience instead becomes frustrating. These large self-publishing companies are notorious for poor customer service, rushed services, and erroneous or missing royalty payments. Don't get stuck with these corporate self-publishing giants. There are many other options for indie authors... One option is Mindstir Media.

Mindstir Media, the self-publishing and book marketing company I own, specializes in paperback, e-book, and audiobook publishing and distribution. Authors retain all rights and receive royalties up to 100%. Royalties are always paid on time...accurately. Publishing starts at $199 with the Design It Package, which allows an author to design his/her own book, self-publish, and distribute in the United States via Amazon.com, Barnes&Noble.com, BooksAMillion.com, and many more online retailers. The author's book is even distributed through Ingram and Baker & Taylor.

For serious authors with larger budgets, Mindstir offers premium packages which include design, editorial, global distribution, and marketing services. It's very important for an author to have the most professional product possible, meaning the cover should be eye-catching and comparable to covers designed by major publishers, and the editing must be done professionally. Mindstir's designs are extremely eye-catching and its editors have freelanced for Simon & Schuster, Princeton University Press, Barbour Publishing, and other well-known "major" publishing houses.

Regardless of the Mindstir publishing option an author chooses, the author will enjoy unparalleled personal customer service. Never will a Mindstir author be tossed from one rep to another. Each author deals with one contact for all publishing support needs, and for many Mindstir authors, J. J. Hebert (me), bestselling author and president of Mindstir Media, is the primary contact person. How many other self-publishing companies offer mentoring and customer service from a bestselling author? Only one: Mindstir Media.

Mindstir Media is also the only self-publishing company providing unabridged audiobook publishing and distribution. The audiobook format is unfortunately a mostly forgotten format in self-publishing today despite the audiobook's recent increase in popularity.

Finally, Mindstir supplies authors with several very valuable a la carte services such as a Convenience Book Tour, website design, book signing kit, press release creation and distribution, and more.

For more information about Mindstir Media, please visit www.mindstirmedia.com or call 800-767-0531 to speak to a live person.

The Adventures of the Hypocritical Quality Police

Here we are in 2011 and there are still traditionally published authors and literary agents squawking about self-publishing, some even claiming--or suggesting--that self-pubbed authors are arrogant because they choose to bypass the traditional publishing "system" and go straight to print. The "pay-to-publish" concept drives those individuals crazy. Why? Mostly because they believe self-pubbed authors (and their books) are actually devaluing literature and threatening the publishing industry by bypassing the system in place. Don't get me wrong, many traditionally published authors (and even agents!) understand that self-publishing is a viable option and it is hard work. Barry Eisler, for instance, recently walked away from a $500,000 deal in order to self-publish. No joke! But the complainers out there, lots of them are self-appointed "quality police," judging self-pubbed work and making insane and unfair generalizations about self-publishing. Ironically...or hypocritically...the Quality Police come off as arrogant (the very thing they accuse self-pubbed authors of being) by basically implying that no one is "really published" unless they've gone the traditional route.

Some authors feel the desire to be validated by a literary agent and/or traditional publishing house, and that's fine.  However, many authors in the world don't have that desire. They don't care what agents and traditional publishing houses think. They believe their work is good and publishable, therefore they publish it and allow the readers to do the validating. This does not mean that these authors are arrogant.

The fearful Quality Police keep trying to stigmatize self-publishing. They act like schoolyard bullies by constantly telling the world that indie authors (i.e. self-published authors) aren't cool or talented. That, my friends, is not cool! The Quality Police should really lighten up and trust that the consumers will decide what's good and bad. Bad books exist in both the self-publishing and traditional publishing business models (as do good books). Self-publishing doesn't devalue literature; bad literature does!

So what do you think about all of this? Feel free to let me know...

Breaking News: Self-Published Author Amanda Hocking Surpasses One Million Units Sold

According to one of Amanda Hocking's recent tweets, she has "officially sold 1,030,758 books (not counting the books sold through Smashwords in the last month or so that haven't reported yet." Congrats, Amanda! Haven't heard of Amanda Hocking? Read this article for a quick summary. Authors should note that the explosion of sales occurred when Amanda started sending her work to bloggers for review.

Hire A Professional Photographer to Handle Your Promotional Photos

A little tip for self-pubbed authors: Use a professional photographer to handle your promotional photos. It's so important to have high quality photographs for your press kit, Web site(s), and book (most importantly). Remember, as an author you are a brand. Don't allow your brand to appear amateurish.

Self-Publishing Debate

Publishers Weekly published an article on their Web site today quoting author Jason Pinter: “What annoys me is that the same names are always used: Godin, Konrath, Hocking, The Shack,” he said. “There’s a sense of people latching on to a couple of individuals who’ve found success and then those people get a lot of publicity. Then it’s, ‘They can do it; I can!’ There is a bit of a fallacy there; it’s not always the case.” I'd like to respond to that statement by saying that traditional publishing isn't all that differrent. Aren't the same names always used in traditional publishing as well? How often do we hear about the mid-level and first-time authors? Not very often, folks! And don't most aspiring authors see bestselling, traditionally published authors and think, They can do it; I can, too ...?

The article goes on to say that "marketing is key in a crowded marketplace". While solid marketing is certainly important, Publishers Weekly failed to mention anything about editing and book packaging, two of the most important aspects of self-publishing (and traditional publishing). You could self-publish a poorly edited/packaged book, devise a genius marketing plan, and all that would do is help your book to fail at a faster rate. You have to perfect your product and then focus on the marketing plan. A solid marketing plan coupled with a good product will succeed in self-publishing or traditional publishing. And let's face it, nowadays, traditional publishers look to most of their authors to do most of the marketing anyway!

PS: There are thousands of successful self-published authors. Maybe they haven't sold 50K or 500K units, but they're still making a profit!
 
Join the debate by commenting here.

Borders Declares Bankruptcy

Today, Borders filed for bankruptcy protection and announced its plan to close about 200 of its 650 stores, countless sources reported ... I personally don't find this surprising. I've heard whispers about the company's financial issues for quite some time now, and I've never been impressed with their behind the times business model. They waited too long to launch and aggressively focus on their online bookstore and the Kobo, their eReader (which is pretty neat), arrived on the scene far too late as well. Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble, Borders' largest competitors, obviously have strong online bookstores and two of the hottest eReaders in the business--the Kindle and Nook. If only Borders had acted sooner. If only.

It saddens me that thousands of hardworking Borders employees will soon be unemployed due to this move. This just goes to show what happens to book-selling businesses that choose to be passive regarding online/digital sales ...

Now ... what does this bankruptcy mean for self-publishing? Honestly, most self-published authors won't see much of a change. The majority of self-published books are sold online (print, eBook, and audiobook formats), and Borders.com will remain in operation. Amazon.com is still incredibly strong and B&N will benefit from this Borders bankruptcy, so they're not going anywhere ... And who knows--B&N might even buy Borders if they become profitable after closing those 200 stores. Regardless, the publishing industry continues to change, and the only businesses that will stay in the game are the ones that keep a finger on the pulse of technology.

Self-Publishing - Book Formats: Print, eBook, or Audiobook?

I've been receiving lots of emails lately from folks asking about the different book formats ... There seems to be confusion about whether it's important to release a book in multiple formats. For instance, some writers are convinced that they should go straight to eBook and forget about a print version altogether. Others don't bother with eBook and want to release their book in print only. I think -- in both cases -- this is a big mistake. When you start comparing print vs. eBook, you're going to lose sight of someone very important: the reader. Readers want options. Releasing eBook-only excludes readers that do not have an e-reading device and/or do not enjoy reading digital text. Releasing print-only excludes those who prefer reading digital text or refuse to pay the price of other formats. And then there's the audiobook--a hugely forgotten format in self-publishing. Many book lovers prefer audiobooks over all formats. iPods and other mp3 players are great for listening during long trips by plane, train, car (for some, these trips represent the only free time they have available for literary entertainment)... Many readers suffer from motion sickness and simply cannot read while moving, but they'd still love to be entertained by a good book. Hello, audiobook!

So what does all of this mean? Release your book in as many formats as possible in order to reach the widest audience possible!

Look at the movie industry. Most new movies are released in at least three formats: DVD, Blu-ray, and Digital Copy. You see, some movie lovers don't have a Blu-ray player, so DVD is an ideal option. Others have a Blu-ray player, so obviously they're going to opt for the Blu-ray Disc instead of DVD. Digital Copy is a format that is usually included in some sort of COMBO PACK, in which you receive all three formats in one pack...for one price. Viewers enjoy Digital Copy on the iPod Touch, iPad, and other devices ... My point:  I'd like see more self-published authors (and traditionally published authors, too) offer combo packs: Print, eBook, and audiobook for one price. I've tested a paperback & eBook version of the combo pack at my website: http://www.jjhebert.net. It's been a huge success. I highly recommend it!

Uncompetitive Retail Prices Set by Self-Publishing Companies

Last post, I mentioned a few issues with some prominent self-publishing companies ... Another huge issue (there are more) is uncompetitive retail prices, an example being a 200-page paperback priced at $20. Many leading self-publishing companies force authors to sell their work at high retail prices. Beware of self-publishing companies practicing this method. Why would readers want to buy a 200-page paperback by an unknown author for $20 when they could buy a 200-page paperback by a well-known author for $14.99?

MindStir Media gives authors the option to set their own retail prices. This method supports book sales. It's true that a couple of MindStir's publishing packages do not include that option, but MindStir will never force an author to sell his/her work at an uncompetitive retail price. The last thing my company wants to do is hurt your sales potential ...

Here's an extreme case of uncompetitive pricing set by a large self-publishing company--a 500-page paperback priced (as of today) at $71.40. I really hope that's just a temporary glitch on the Web site and not the actual retail price for the book.

Fund Your Self-Publishing Project

Have you ever heard of Kickstarter? According to its Web site, Kickstarter is the "largest funding platform for creative projects in the world." Simply start your project on their site and share it with the community. Anyone (with a major credit card), anywhere can pledge to any project on Kickstarter. Starting a project costs you nothing! Check out the 100 most funded projects in Kickstarter history. Why not give it a try? You've got nothing to lose.

Here are the guidelines: http://www.kickstarter.com/help/guidelines. Good luck!

MindStir Media - Self-Publish for $199

I know we're living in one of the worst economies in U.S. history (money is tight for just about everyone), and that's the main reason I decided to launch the $199 publishing option via MindStir Media. Writers with very little income should be able to publish too! Did you happen to see the announcement on Yahoo! News? Here it is. The full $199 is required upfront in order to have your book published, but think of it this way: You'd only need to set aside about $17 per month ... Now that's mind-stirring.

(Keep in mind that the $199 publishing option doesn't include design, editing, e-book, audio book (etc.) services, so make sure you spend lots of time creating the most eye-catching cover you can (packaging, remember?) and revise, revise, revise and get an English professor or journalist or literary friend to edit your entire manuscript (avoid the second biggest self-publishing mistake, remember?))

Free Publishing Consultation

People constantly ask me for self-publishing advice. For the most part, I give it freely. Some people don't know that I own a self-publishing company, MindStir Media, which now offers a FREE publishing consultation. All you have to do is fill out a form. During the consultation--up to 1 hour--you can ask as many self-publishing questions as you'd like. With this free service, you're going to receive valuable self-publishing tips and guidance. Trust me, it's worth your time.

In the meantime, feel free to ask some self-publishing questions in the comments below. I'll do my best to answer every question. Hope you're having a great year!

Yours in success,

J. J.  Hebert
Author and president of MindStir Media

Happy (Belated) New Year

Happy New Year ...

And all my previous posts have suddenly disappeared. I guess this means I need to start over and fill this blog with some solid content. Later ...

See those cool icons and button-thingies in the right sidebar? Okay, cool. I hope you'll give them some attention. They get lonely over there. Especially the ones that say "Receive the blog via e-mail" and "Follow". Why should you take action? Because this is the year--the big 2011--that I'm going to blog like crazy. I'll blog about self-publishing, writing, my work, book marketing, social media, and pretty much anything I find interesting. I might even add some videos and pictures to the blog. If you're lucky. Ha.

So won't you join me? I'd love to build a friendship with you on here. If you've already shown love to the follow/receive via e-mail buttons/links, I hope you'll stick around and also share the blog with your friends. You're awesome! Thanks for visiting my little platform of self-importance.

J. J. Hebert
Author and president of MindStir Media
http://www.jjhebert.net/ | http://www.mindstirmedia.com/