With the onslaught of printers that will print one book at a time, there are hordes of opportunities for authors frustrated with the conventional publishing model to write checks in the misguided belief that they are actually being published in the same sense that, say, Stephen King, John Grisham, or David McCullough are. Harlequin, the Read more…
Book signings at Costco? Most people aren’t aware that Costco encourages book signings at their warehouses—or that Costco is particularly happy to host local authors. Now a group of Alaskan authors have taken this largesse a step further. Through a wholesaler, American West Books, they have arranged to sign books all day everyday until Christmas. They rotate Read more…
Just returned from a stimulating and productive Independent Book Publishers Association board meeting in foggy Redondo Beach. During dinner at the Fritto Misto in Hermosa Beach Tuesday, I passed around my iPhone and asked that each of the board members and staff add a note listing a book they thought I should read. This may Read more…
Publishing is such a strange business. The New Influencers by Paul Gillin, a ground-breaking book on social media that we (Quill Driver Books) published nearly 4 years ago just got a terrific review on the Fast Company blog. Why is this strange? Because, while we garnnered great reviews from dozens of other venues including the Wall Street Journal, Read more…
A friend e-mailed me today amused about the title of a book he saw in a bookstore. The title has “the Sierras” in it. Why was my friend laughing? The first one to e-mail me with the correct answer will get a free copy of my book The Fast Track Course on How to Write Read more…
Here’s a twist. A copyright holder ends up as the one paying in a Fair Use dispute. With the Fair Use doctrine—a part of the U.S. copyright law—an author is allowed to quote another’s copyrighted material for criticism, commenting, teaching, and other narrow uses. The actual limit on how much can be quoted isn’t defined Read more…
The price of freedom is eternal vigilance. —Often misattributed to Thomas Jefferson (See here) This editorial isn’t perfectly unbiased, but if you are interested in free speech—and as a writer or publisher you’d better be—you likely should read this: “Diversity Czar Threatens Free Speech.”
Here are some strategies to consider when making your videos: Plan. Simple storyboarding will keep you on track. Keep it brief. Thirty seconds to two minutes is plenty. The longer your video, the smaller your audience. Overlay titles and words. Words—note, I didn’t say “text”—add impact. Use sound. Either background music or voice over. Use Read more…
Writers and publishers, picture this: Today: Your website where you have your book’s cover, the back cover copy, endorsements, a photo of the author, and maybe a table of contents and an excerpt. Along side this you have a “Buy Now!” button. Now picture this: Tomorrow: Your website again, but now you have a 60-second, Read more…
Book publishing guru John Kremer (1001 Ways to Market Your Book) writes a free e-newsletter on book marketing that is beneficial to writers as well as publishers. For instance, in this week’s edition he offers a free guide to getting followers on Twitter, and links to three free books on writing (here, here and here) by playwright and novelist Michael Allen Read more…