Tips from Rohvannyn Shaw

Today on ARCBookblog we have Rohvannyn Shaw, who aside from having an awesome-sounding name is the author of 7 books, with more to come. She is here to tell us a little about herself and her latest release – Self-Publishing Made Easy

First, a little about Rohvannyn

Rohvannyn Shaw has been an avid reader for all but two years of her life.

Raised by two writers, a love of literacy permeated her childhood. With this background, it was inevitable that she would eventually turn her hand to the family trade.

Apart from paying the bills by working in a call center, she is also an artist and illustrator, and happily soaks up the Arizona heat with her partner.

She is currently owned by a fluffy calico.

Her art can be seen at http://www.rohvannynshaw.com.

Join her on her blog: http://mind-flight.org.

Released less than a fortnight ago is Self-Publishing Made Easy, the title seems self-explanatory by here is a bit about the book in case you need some help in deciding whether to buy it.

Self-Publishing Made Easy

Tips for Self Publishing

Here are some hard-won lessons I’ve learned and want to share with you. They will make your life much easier! Some of these points are also mentioned elsewhere in this book, but are included here for emphasis and convenience.

Price your e-book fairly low. Remember that you don’t have to do any work at all when you sell one.

Be aware of current costs of books and don’t price too much below or above the going rate. Above the normal and people won’t pay, below and they’ll say “what’s wrong with it?”

Use a beta reader. The more eyes, the better. You will ALWAYS find something that needs fixing.

Listen to your editor. Whether you agree or disagree, think about it and really consider the advice. Feedback is a gift.

When formatting, use full justification when you write. If the print lines up nicely on both sides of the page, it will give a cleaner, neater look.

When submitting your work, pay attention to the final size of the page and pick a font size that will be readable. Also, pick a font that is easy on the eyes, such as Times New Roman.

A common size for books is six inches by nine, though smaller is fine too. When setting up your pages, pick the size in the beginning so you don’t have to make a lot of changes later.

Use good word processing software so you can make your work look its best, such as Libre Office. That’s free to anyone with an internet connection.

If you are designing your own cover, avoid clutter and make sure you use an image that is high enough resolution to look good in printing. The company you are working with will tell you the minimum resolution required for images, but it’s commonly 300 dots per inch. Lower resolution is fine for eBook covers, because they will only be seen on screens.

Don’t forget to leave room for the barcode and ISBN on the back of your book, if you design that space in, it will look much more finished.

Write what you love, write what you know, and never ever write something you don’t know about without expert help. That is, talk it over with someone who knows the subject and then listen to what they have to say!

If you write what you don’t know, research, research, research. Use a checklist to make sure you don’t forget any details.

In writing, as in life, if you fail to plan, you plan to fail.

And finally, don’t pay for any services unless you know exactly what you are getting!

You can purchase the book at Amazon, iBooks, and all other good ebook retailers.

Purchase links for the book can be found here

Anti-social vs social media.

I was going to title this post Autism vs Social Media, but that seems unfair to the people who are anti or unsocial but don’t have autism or mental health problems as a reason (some people simply prefer to avoid people).

I have encountered a number of discussions on Goodreads recently about the need for and the usefulness of Facebook author pages and other social media, and every time I am left with the same set of conflicted feelings. On the one hand, I know that social media can be a very powerful tool in this globally connected age for enabling a writer to find readers, build a fanbase, connect with fans, etc; on the other, this only works if you are able to use social media effectively.

If, like me, you have difficulty dealing with people on any level (in my case the reason for that is I have autism and a number of other mental health problems, but people have many reasons for this problem) then social media can be a real struggle; unfortunately this means that no matter how good your book is, and I’m not about to claim a Dickens level of writing ability here, but I do believe I am above average as an author, it will be difficult to get people to discover the books you release.

There are sites that will provide authors with a quick boost of promotion, but long-term success will only come as a result of good quality, consistent use of social media. What the solution is, I don’t know, but if anyone out there can come up with a suggestion for how I can market my books effectively, and long-term, without spending a fortune, and without burning myself out trying and failing with social media, I’d love to hear from you.

Soldier on with Aislinn Kearns

Aislinn Kearns, who I know from Goodreads, has a new release coming out; actually it’s already available to buy via pre-order. Dangerous Victor is a part of her soldiering on series, which focuses on a security firm operated by wounded soldiers.

Dangerous Victor

Aislinn Kearns

 

 

Radha Iyer knows there’s something terribly wrong happening at the casino she manages. Her staff are acting cagey, the finances don’t add up, and then her Head of Security is found murdered in his own home. She’s out of her depth and desperate for help.

Zack Walker has kept to himself since the day an IED left him permanently scarred. When Radha calls Soldiering On for help, his degree in math makes him the obvious choice to go undercover as the new Head of Security to help her discover what’s going on and who’s responsible.

But the conspiracy they uncover goes deeper than either of them could have imagined. When their investigation is compromised, it puts them both in mortal peril and on the run. With nowhere to turn they must rely on each other, but danger and betrayal lurk in every shadow…

This book has been the most challenging of the series to write – in the best kind of way. I think it’s my favourite so far.

Fun fact: This was the book that sparked the whole idea of the series. I actually started writing a very different incarnation of this book more than a year before I wrote anything else in the Soldiering On world. Before I even had a proper idea for the series!

I hope you all enjoy reading it!

Additional fun fact: a decent portion of this book is set at the same time as Guarding Sierra! You don’t have to read one to understand the other, but it might be fun to see where they overlap.

March 2 will be the big day, but if you can’t wait ’til then

Preorder it now!

An Interview With Julie A Gerber

Today I am interviewing fellow author and marketing manager/consultant, Julie A Gerber, who has written several books and who provides excellent help and support when it comes to marketing and social media management.

Welcome to ARCBookBlog, my little corner of the web, Julie, sit down and put your feet up, the tea will be ready in a few moments.

First off, tell me a bit about yourself:

Hi, I’m Julia and I am the founder of Away We Go Media- social media management, author services, and consulting for authors, blogger at Hits and Misses, Business Manager/Assistant Publisher at TopShelf Indie Authors & Books, co-author of Navigating INDIEWORLD: A Beginner’s Guide To Marketing and Self-Publishing Your Book and Amazon best-seller, Tortured Souls: The House On Wellfleet Bluffs.

And now a few questions

Me – How long have you been writing?

Julie – I have been writing for almost nine years. First as a blogger, then as a published author.

Me – Is writing something you’ve always wanted to do?

Julie – Not really. I am a nurse, but I guess I didn’t want to do that either since I am not working in my field of study. I keep my license to practice nursing as a back-up plan. As a teen, I wanted to be a marine biologist. As a child, I wanted to be the female equivalent of Indiana Jones. Now, I just want to help authors sell books and that makes me happy.

Me – How would you describe yourself as a writer, a plotter or a pantser?

Julie – I do not plan things. I wing it. Unless I’m mad. When I’m mad, I like to plot.

Me – Do you write every day?

Julie – Not at all. I wish I were more like some of my clients. I have a few that schedule time to work each day and they stick to their schedules. I do make an effort to work on something related to writing every day.

Me – What is your favourite genre?

Julie – My favorite genre is anything apocalyptic. Zombies, EMPs. End of the world stuff that changes how we live. Those are the things that scare me. I also love paranormal and historical books.

Me -Is your favourite genre one you write in?

Julie – Not yet, but I have been toying with the idea of switching things up!

Me – If you could have written any book in history, what is it?

Julie – That is a tough one. It would be a tie between Gone With The Wind and the series, The Chronicles Of Narnia. I live in Georgia and I have always been fascinated by Margaret Mitchell and her tale of the Civil War era South. If I had written the book, Scarlett would have been a lot more trouble than she was in Mitchell’s version. The Chronicles of Narnia was a huge part of my childhood. I read and reread those books until the pages were falling apart. To have had the opportunity to touch so many young lives would have been an honor that I would have loved to have.

Me – What would you like to achieve with your writing?

Julie – I have two goals. With Navigating Indieworld, I would like to help someone. If someone takes away something from that book and it helps them grow as a writer and achieve something they were putting off or afraid to do on their own, then I have succeeded. With all other books, I want someone to remember a character, a place, or a time. If I write something that the reader thinks about after the cover is closed, then my wish has come true. I consider that a success.

Me – Which of your books is your favourite?

Julie – Navigating Indieworld. The book carries the theme of paying it forward and it has so many positive thoughts and words of encouragement within the pages.

Me – Tell me about your next release.

Julie – I am working on a book based loosely on the story of my great aunt. She was a fascinating woman who lived a very interesting life. For years, I have been a beta reader for Carole P. Roman. The tables have turned and she is now beta reading for me. She is a wonderful mentor. She’s not only teaching me a few things when it comes to writing, but she is also helping me sharpen my game when it comes to beta reading!

Book Name: Tortured Souls: The House On Wellfleet Bluffs and Navigating Indieworld: A Beginner’s Guide To Self-Publishing And Marketing Your Book

Book Blurb:

Tortured Souls:

In some towns, the past is easily forgotten. Not in Wellfleet Bluffs. Lynne and Jason buy their dream house online and quickly move to the quaint little town. After unexplained events send them looking for answers, will they become a forgotten part of history or will they find the answers and help the ghosts of the past find peace?

Release date: April 25, 2016

Buy the book here – Amazon Kindle

 

 

 

 

Navigating Indieworld:

Social media guru, Julie A. Gerber and award-winning author of forty-three best-selling books, Carole P. Roman, team up to travel the winding road of self-publishing, promoting, and marketing a book. Join these two experts as they share their vast store of experience in an easy to read book.
Learn why you need a beta reader and the importance of a good editor. Make a list of what you need to do when choosing an illustrator. Compare the many ways to promote your book.
Navigating Indieworld will end up being your travel guide as you journey from writer to published author.

Release date: August 31, 2016

Buy the book here – Amazon Kindle

If you would like to know more about Julie, visit the following links

Website: http://www.awaywegomedia.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/awaywegomedia and https://www.facebook.com/NavigatingIndieworld

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Awaywegomedia_

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15215458.Julie_A_Gerber

Google Plus: https://plus.google.com/u/0/101471856155148729010

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/J.A.-Gerber/e/B01EXQSLFW/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1

Are you superstitious?

The first Friday the 13th of the year is almost upon us, there’s less than 24 hours to go, and for the superstitious among us, that’s a problem because something bad is bound to happen – I’ve already taken care of my bad luck, I sprained my ankle yesterday and discovered a whole bunch of editing changes I made to my wip over the last few days haven’t been saved.

I’m hoping that that is all the bad luck I have to worry about and tomorrow will pass without incident, to help ensure that, I am going to do what I consider the most sensible thing I can. Outside of the appointment I have for tomorrow morning, I am going to stay at home and keep myself occupied with a good book; I won’t even risk papercuts because I’ll be reading on my Kindle.

If you’re thinking along the same lines as me, may I respectfully suggest you check out the books here http://events.supportindieauthors.com/ it’s an event being run by the SIA group on goodreads, which I’m a part of for the beginning of the year, and especially for Friday the 13th. There is a huge selection of books at bargain prices, in a wide variety of genres to suit all tastes, and for the day itself, many of the books are free, so take a look at what’s on offer and then fill your kindle, or your bookshelf, you won’t need to worry about another Friday the 13th for the rest of the year.

As an added bonus, you can get a warm fuzzy feeling from knowing you’ve helped to support independently published authors. Even if your budget won’t stretch to buying any of the books, you can show your support by sharing the event and helping to spread the word

A big thank you to anyone who does help support us all, no matter how you show your support.

A great site

Do you read indie books? Have you enjoyed any this year?

If the answer to either question is yes, then you should pay a visit to http://www.readfree.ly/50-best-indie-books-2016/ and vote for those you’ve enjoyed, you might even get lucky and win $50.

I’ve just voted for the lovely Christina McMullen in the comedy section, and while I was there I took advantage of the free promotional opportunity they offer.

British or American

I noticed something in my writing today that caught me by surprise, I used an Americanism. I couldn’t say why I suddenly noticed it, or why I used it (I’m British and would not consciously use an Americanism, just as I don’t use American spellings, no matter how much MS Word tries to get me to do so) but it froze me in place and I spent several seconds just staring at it.

The phrase in question was ‘hall closet’, which should, of course, have been ‘cupboard in the passage’.

I’ve fixed it now, but I’m left to wonder how many other phrases from the wrong side of the pond are lurking undiscovered in my writing. I can only assume that this has something to do with the number of American TV programs and films I have been watching.

Is this a problem unique to me, or is it something that other non US authors find themselves struggling with as a result of all the America cinema and television we have to contend with? I hope it’s a problems for others, just so I’m not unique.

Noticing this issue has raised a question in my mind, should I be sticking with the Briticisms I feel most comfortable with, being British and setting my books in Britain, or should I be adapting the language I use, including the spellings, to make it more understandable to Americans, who are, after all the bigger market?

My natural instinct is to say no way in hell, GTFO Americans, learn proper English, but is that the attitude I should have? Should I not consider that if I want to be successful as an author I am probably going to have to make accomodations of one kind or another; did not Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone become Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone for the American market – I suspect this was a decision made by the publishing company, but they do know the market better than the author, usually anyway.

Thoughts on a postcard please, or the comments section down below. Should I color my words to reflect that America is the center of my hopes for publishing success, or keep with British English and colour as the Queen commands?

A Holiday Showcase

The moderators of the Goodreads group I am part of, SIA (which stands for Support Indie Authors), a lovely group of people, by which I mean the group as a whole, not just the moderators, have put together an event for the holidays intended to showcase some of their favourite books from among those written by the members of the group.

The books that have been featured cover a wide variety of genres with prices to match all pockets. If you’re looking to fill up your kindle with some fabulous new reads, look no further, since click this link and visit the event to see what books might appeal to you form the selection on offer.

I’ve just started Jane Jago’s  ‘Shall We Gather At The River?’ and the opening chapter certainly has me interested as a body is found by a group of teens at a forced religious retreat in Devon, a place I visited as a child, and which features in one of my own, as yet unpublished, books – I’m referring to Devon not the religious retreat.

Nagivating Indieworld – An Honest Review

Navigating Indieworld

Julie A Gerber & Carole P Roman

Social media guru, Julie A. Gerber and award-winning author of forty-three best-selling, independently published books, Carole P. Roman, team up to travel the winding road of self-publishing, promoting, and marketing a book. Join these two self-help experts as they share their vast store of experience in an easy to read, comprehensive guide, complete with end of chapter checklists to keep an author on track. Learn the importance of a beta reader and the value of a good editor. Know what’s needed when preparing a list for choosing an illustrator. Compare the many ways to promote your book. Find out what each step can cost and where you can save. This guide takes new independent authors from the first draft, through publication and the complicated world of marketing. Included is a directory of resources to help get there faster. Navigating Indieworld will end up being the ultimate travel guide for writers on their journey to published author. Join us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/NavigatingIndieworld

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I was gifted a free copy of this book, not for review but because I have connected with Carole P Roman through Goodreads and she was kind enough to want to help me with my writing and promoting efforts. Having read the book, however, I just had to review it.

Julie Gerber and Carole Roman have done a great job of putting together a guide for anyone thinking of publishing a novel. The focus is on publishing as an independent, as the title suggests, but they also cover, briefly, getting published through a publishing house.

The book is organised into a number of different areas that encompass every conceivable aspect of writing and publishing a novel, and each one is written in a way that makes it easy to understand what is being said. Not only are the sections clearly written, they include examples where appropriate – I found the section on blurbs particularly helpful, it’s an area of writing I’ve always struggled with but seeing the examples enabled me to restructure my blurb into something that I feel is more appealing.

Having published in the past, I knew some of what was written about in Navigating Indieworld, and would have liked a little more detail to help me in the areas I didn’t know, such as social media – this is an area I’m uncomfortable with, so more information might not help me all that much, I’m actually thinking of paying for help – but for a new author this is a book I’d recommend reading this book so you know what you’re getting into and how to get the most out of it.

Not happy with Booksbutterfly

I’m not normally one to write a post about a negative experience with a website, it’s not in my nature, but on this occasion I feel I need to.

I was dubious the moment I saw the booksbutterfly.com site, it has a lot of packages available, most of which offer a guarantee of a certain number of sales, a number that is likely to result in a profit, a small one, for anyone using the package. My scam alert started going off as a read the details of the packages, none of which gave any information on how the sales are guaranteed.

After thinking about it for a short while I decided to do some research, which wasn’t very helpful – I found an equal number of negative posts about the site as positive with the result that I was undecided about giving the site a try. Ultimately I decided, by virtue of having a bit of money that I could afford to lose (not that I liked the idea) to take the risk, figuring that if I didn’t get the indicated guaranteed number of sales I would know not to use the site again, and I wouldn’t have risked money that I might need for something more important, like food.

It didn’t take long to discover that I should have gone with my instincts and ignored the site. Communication was limited, and I had to send an email to chase up and find out when my book, Where There’s A Will, was going to be promoted for their new release package – I was told that it would be promoted over three days and that sales could take a couple of days longer to show up, unfortunately I saw no sales that I could definitely attribute to booksbutterfly (I had 2 sales over the course of a week but had another long term promotion running that might have been responsible) and when I searched for my book on the sites where it was apparently posted it was either absent or incredibly hard to find.

I have emailed the company, asking for either a refund or an explanation of why I didn’t get the sales they guaranteed. When I get a response, assuming I get one, I’ll let you all know what they say; in the mean time, I would advise against promoting with this site.