Author: Melinda Clayton

Melinda Clayton is the author of the Cedar Hollow series, as well as a self-publishing guide. Clayton has published numerous articles and short stories in various print and online magazines. She has an Ed.D. in Special Education Administration and is a licensed psychotherapist in the states of Florida and Colorado. Lear more about Melinda at her Amazon author page

Interview with James Thomson from eBookBooster

ebookbooster logoA couple of months ago, our own Bob Hammond wrote a post discussing some promotional sites for authors he found to be ineffective. Shortly after that post, James Thomson, from eBookBooster, one of the sites mentioned, contacted IU to express his concern, and to see what he could do to make Bob’s experience better.

I’ve used a lot of promotional sites over the past few years. A couple of them do offer refunds if the author doesn’t see results, but most — understandably — don’t. I was impressed by James’ willingness to reach out, and began an email correspondence with him regarding his services. Given James’ willingness to engage and work towards a happy resolution, I thought it only fair to give him the opportunity to better explain the services he offers, particularly since his services are a bit different. I’ll let him explain.   Continue reading “Interview with James Thomson from eBookBooster”

Library Journal’s SELF-e Program for Self-Published eBooks

Library Journal SELF-e LogoLibrary Journal is arguably one of the most respected catalogs relied upon for book selections by public libraries. Historically, they’ve only listed books by big-name publishers, but in 2015 that all changed when Library Journal and Biblioboard partnered to form the SELF-e program for self-published and small press authors.

Nearly a year ago, our own Melissa Bowersock interviewed Mitchell Davis, one of the founders of BiblioBoard. The interview makes for interesting reading, covering the inspiration and genesis of the program, as well as benefits to both libraries and authors. I want to take time today, however, to talk about submissions, the where and how of it all. Continue reading “Library Journal’s SELF-e Program for Self-Published eBooks”

Book Promo Sites: How long do they work?

promo sites gone bad Kombucha_mold_2
Have promo sites lost their freshness?

As the IU minions sat around the gruel pot and discussed various promo sites, a trend seemed to present itself: almost everyone has seen a reduction in the effectiveness of these sites in the past year.  Because of that, I’ve decided to be a little more open than I usually am regarding book sales and advertisements. This isn’t a humble brag, like people who drop into discussion boards and say, “Gee, my book has been out for two days already and I’ve only sold 325,957 copies. Am I doing okay?” Don’t you just want to throw something? On the flip side, it’s also not a whine or a whinge.

Instead, it’s a look at the effectiveness of various ad sites over time in my experience. The scant numbers I put forth here are scientifically negligible, but I do wonder if others see it, too. Continue reading “Book Promo Sites: How long do they work?”

Your Writing Business and Power of Attorney

the business of writing pixabayIf you’re a self-published author, you’re also a small business with all that entails. From deciding a business structure to filing taxes, there are multiple decisions to be made. Should I register as a DBA (Doing Business As?). An LLC (Limited Liability Company?). How should I pay taxes on income earned?

All of these are important questions to consider, but here’s another one:  As a business owner, what happens if I become incapacitated? Continue reading “Your Writing Business and Power of Attorney”