Angela Booth's Writing Blog

Self-Publishing: 3 Tips For Novellas Which Sell

Boost your self-publishing business with novellas and series

Last week a coaching client and I were going over her proposed publishing schedule for 2019. She suddenly said: “I’ve no idea what’s happening these days. Novels that I’m sure will sell struggle… It’s just lucky I had one good seller this year — and that was unexpected.”

I couldn’t help it; I had to chuckle at her woebegone tone. Then I suggested that since she’s changing her business model, she consider writing a couple of novellas.

How has her business model changed? She’s going wide, rather than all-in with KDP Select, and is focusing more on selling directly to readers, via her website.

via www.fabfreelancewriting.com

Get Inspired: Great Stuff For Writers This Week

Looking for information for writers that you can use? Here’s what I’ve found valuable this week — you may find a nugget or two here as well.

Great stuff for writers…

The problem with the web is that there’s just so much stuff.

If you’re at all like me, you save articles to read “later.” Then you delete the bookmark or saved page a week or a month later, without having read it — and feel vaguely guilty about that.

So, we’ll have some occasional posts dedicated to useful stuff for writers.

via www.fabfreelancewriting.com

Self-Publishing Pay To Play: Hello, Book Advertising

Self-publishing: slimmer margins, more work

Pay to play means slimmer margins for authors who now have to advertise, or forgo sales.

Russell Blake has an excellent post on Amazon’s changes, and on advertising:

Amazon has taken real estate on their product pages and turned it into revenue streams… (because it’s a) revenue generation engine, it would have been dumb for them to offer visibility that doesn’t involve publishers and authors paying Zon…

Paying for ads wouldn’t be such a pain in the rear end if the reporting process made sense; at least then authors could make decisions. Unfortunately Amazon’s reporting is plain horrid.

via www.justwriteabook.com

Writing Fiction: 3 Tips To Help You To Create Powerful Characters

Writing fiction: it’s about the (story) people

When we read fiction, we’re interested in the people. As we said in this post on creating characters which sell:

… your characters sell. NO ONE cares about your plot, until they care about your characters.

I’ve noticed that whenever an author says that his novel isn’t selling, his novel’s blurb focuses on the story. The characters are simply names. So, of course readers aren’t buying the novel.

Let’s look at some tips on creating powerful characters.

via www.fabfreelancewriting.com

The Merry Christmas Bundle Has Landed

It’s that time of the year again — time for the Merry Christmas Bundle.

As always, in this year’s package you’ll find several programs, any one of which could transform your fortunes and your writing.

The Merry Christmas Bundle: three programs, plus coaching too

This year, we have three complete programs for you, in a transformational bundle — a $900 value. Not only do you receive these programs at a giveaway price, the bundle comes with 30 minutes of coaching, which is a $200 value on its own.

via www.fabfreelancewriting.com

Creativity: 3 Tips To Inspire Productivity And Joy

There must be something in the air. Over the past couple of months, my students’ biggest challenges have involved creativity — or rather, a lack of it.

One student couldn’t start his new novel. Another despaired because he’s writing a series, and his current novel feels stale and boring — he said it’s as if he’s recycling an earlier plot.

Yet another author is arguing with his collaborator over a book’s direction, which means that neither is writing.

Here’s the thing. Creativity is a flow state. Stress and conflict turn off the flow.

Creativity requires you to choose flow over force

You can’t force yourself to be creative. However, if you choose to trust your creative self, you’ll be rewarded with creativity.

via www.fabfreelancewriting.com

Self-Publishing Strategies: 5 Easy Ways To Promote Older Titles

A couple of weeks ago a reader asked: “How do I promote my older books without spending money on advertising?”

Great question.

Self-publishing? Your books are available as long as you choose

One of the benefits of self-publishing is that your books are available forever, more or less. You can publish/ unpublish, edit and republish… Everything is up to you.

Keeping this in mind, that you can edit and republish at any time you choose, here are some strategies for promoting your self-published back catalogue.

via www.justwriteabook.com

Self-Publishing Disaster? 3 Tips To Help You To Thrive

Self-publishing challenges yes, but authors are still doing very well

In October, the latest Amazon kerfuffle hit, with some books no longer being visible to buyers in certain countries. Fingers crossed, that little disaster seems over, but if you’re a betting person, you can bet that another Amazon disaster for authors is in the cards.

However, it needs to be said that as a group, self-publishing authors are doing well.

So, let’s look at some self-publishing tips which will ensure that you continue thrive in 2019 and beyond.

If you’ve been hit by a disaster, these tips will help you, too.

via www.fabfreelancewriting.com

Book Marketing On A Budget: 4 Cheap Options For Authors

At this time of year book marketing is a challenge, because everyone’s trying to get a slice of the massive holiday spending. We talked about publishing short stories to boost holiday sales, which will help you.

Now let’s look at CHEAP marketing and promotions at any time of the year.

Many authors just don’t have a budget for marketing because they’re:

• New to self-publishing and spent their last dollar on paying an editor and buying a great cover image;
• Traditionally published, and they’ve long since spent the advance on royalties;
• Unforeseen expenses, which demolished their book marketing budget;
• … and any one of a hundred other reasons.

Before we get to the options, a word to the wise. Services for authors abound. If you find a company that’s offering cheap book marketing services, remember that it’s your name as well as your book that they’re promoting, so stay classy.

via www.fabfreelancewriting.com

Want To Sell Your Writing? 3 Tips To Sell With Images

Want to sell your writing?

Use more images.

Marketing has changed, for everyone.

Yes, even for you and me. In 2018 and beyond, image marketing rules. There’s a reason for that — according to 3M research, your brain processes visuals 60,000 times faster than text.

So, when you want to sell your writing, think images. Yes, I know we’re writers, but if you don’t somehow grab a reader’s attention you won’t have a reader.

To sell your writing, grab attention with images

Attention is everything. You need to grab attention, otherwise you can’t sell.

Let’s look at a couple of authors who take ATTENTION to heart with clever images.

via www.fabfreelancewriting.com

Set Your Writing Goals For 2019: 4 Tips You Can Use Today

1. Set writing goals which excite you

If your goals don’t excite you, you won’t strive to achieve them. Ask yourself: “what goal, if I achieved it, would be thrilling?”

Write down the question and answer it.

Writing stuff down is vital — don’t try to do this in your head.

Try journaling. Journaling can change your life. I’ve always found that when I journal, I not only get more done, I’m inspired too.

When you’re journaling, ideas will come more easily, and your motivation will grow.

Make a list of 20 goals you’d love to achieve, then choose three exciting goals on which you’ll work in 2019. Choosing too many goals can distract you.

Make one goal your primary goal: more on this in Tip 4.

via www.fabfreelancewriting.com

Goals: 2018 Lessons Learned And Planning For 2019

Review your 2018 goals: celebrate your progress

Even if you missed achieving your big goals, celebrate your progress, and review. Why not divide a big goal like “buy a new house” into several smaller goals?

When we discussed 2019 in our final writers’ group meeting for the year, a writer said that he set much smaller goals this year, and achieved all of them.

Achieving goals boosts your confidence. I’ll try that method going forward, by setting smaller goals which will be milestones to my larger goals.

via peneloperedmont.com

Book Marketing: 3 Tips To Drive Sales With Image Marketing

Why book marketing with images?

In brief, so that you can grab readers’ attention. According to 3M research, visuals are processed 60,000 times faster than text. Devoting a little time to book marketing with images can pay off hugely.

Doubt me? OK: check out large brands on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. You’ll find images, images, and more images.

Unfortunately, when it comes to book marketing, an author thinks only in terms of cover images, and perhaps cover image mockups. (Mockups are those images where your book’s cover is superimposed on an image of an iPad, or phone.)

There’s a WORLD of book marketing images beyond your book’s cover.

Here are some tips to help you to expand your book marketing with images.

via www.justwriteabook.com

Black Friday Offerings: Story Power And Content Witchery

Black Friday is here again, so it’s time for some very special offerings for loyal readers.

Black Friday offerings for a fabulous 2019

As 2018 winds down with holiday celebrations, 2019 is just around the corner, and will be upon us before we know it. A brand new writing year — let’s make it your best-ever year.

This year’s Black Friday offerings will help.

via www.fabfreelancewriting.com

Blogging: Still The Answer, Whatever The Question

So, after two decades, why is blogging still important?

Because…

Blogging is free (more or less) promotion

It’s simple. Blogging is promotion.

When you stick your name on a blog, at the very least, you’re advertising yourself, and taking baby steps to building your writers’ platform.

Yes, “exposure” is a crock. But promotion is part of marketing, and it’s essential. Even if it takes time and energy.

via www.fabfreelancewriting.com