SELF-e: Connecting Indie Authors with Libraries

Library Journal SELF-e LogoRecently I was notified that my novel, Stone’s Ghost, was selected for the SELF-e program. This is a fairly new program designed to connect indie authors with libraries and create a win-win partnership. Authors provide their eBooks to the program for free; no royalties are paid to the author. The libraries then provide the books free to their patrons. In the past, indie authors have had difficulty getting their books into the library systems, but this new partnership will mitigate that hurdle and the author will have nationwide exposure. This is no small measure, since the Library Journal deduced that, “Over 50 percent of all library users go on to purchase eBooks by an author they were introduced to in the library.”

In order to find out more about this growing new system, I went to the source, Mitchell Davis. That name may be familiar to you. Mitchell was one of the original founders of BookSurge, which was sold to Amazon in 2005 and became CreateSpace. Continue reading “SELF-e: Connecting Indie Authors with Libraries”

A Beginner’s Tips for Setting Up Instagram

Is Instagram for Authors?A few weeks ago, our Jim Devitt wrote a tutorial on How to Get Started on Instagram. Since I am always taking photographs, I figured this would be a great app for me. It seemed like everyone else was on Instagram, so it made sense to finally take the plunge. I was very grateful to have Jim’s article to guide me through.

Being a technological dinosaur – and that’s Ms. Megapnosaurus to you, thank you – I needed a little bit more hand-holding. So here are some tips that might help those of you new to smart phones and apps, and all that other newfangled stuff. Continue reading “A Beginner’s Tips for Setting Up Instagram”

March 2015 Video Trailer of the Month

IU Video trailer awardsMarch is now over and we’ve featured four more excellent video trailers on Indies Unlimited this month. Take a moment, check them out, and then let us know which one you liked best by voting for Trailer of the Month. Take a look and pick your favorite. No cash. No prizes.  It’s all for the glory! Well, and for the fun, of course! Just click on the links below to see the corresponding video trailer, then come on back here and cast your vote. One vote per person, please. .

The contestants this month are:

Rock ‘n Roll Heaven

The Spark

Amira, Immortal Daughter from Penglai

In Search of Lucy

Mommy and Mikel Go for a Walk

VOTE BELOW.

Which was your favorite video during March 2015?

View Results

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IU News Bits April No Foolin’ Edition

Indies Unlimited NewspaperWell hello, folks. It’s the end of March, and there are some things you should know, whether you like it or not.

Indies Unlimited Author Survey

There are only two days left to take the IU #PublishingFoul survey. Please check this out: it’s short, fast, easy, anonymous, doesn’t require a log-in, and even if you’ve never been scammed, please answer the first two questions. And boom, you’re done.

Spiffy New Server

You may have noticed Indies Unlimited is now loading lightning fast. You’re welcome. In order to escape the server slowdown experienced by thousands of websites, we moved IU over to a new server. Now we can proudly say, “IU is all like BAM!” Because of those server troubles, some votes may not have registered in our #PublishingFoul survey. Please stop by the survey and check to make sure that yours have. If you see this:VOTED #PublisherFoul surveythen your vote registered. If you see this:NOT VOTED #PublishingFoul Surveythen it did not – and please do vote. We don’t ever ask for much, do we?

Subscriber Emails

Recently, some people have unsubscribed from the newsletter (blasphemy! how dare they?!), claiming that we send too many emails. The newsletter only goes out once per day (we even send it manually now to make sure it doesn’t misfire), so if you are receiving more than one, that means you’ve subscribed to posts via WordPress. If you want to stop receiving those each time a new post goes live, it’s easy to unsubscribe. At the bottom of the email, you will see:unsubscribe via wordpressJust click unsubscribe, and you’re good to go. Make sure to subscribe to the IU Newsletter, though!

New Resource Pages

We’re always trying to add resource pages to fill the needs of authors. This past quarter, we added one with a list of places to find Beta Readers as well as Legal Resources for Authors. You can find a list of all our resource pages listed at the top of the KnowledgeBase.

Just Ask Us

That’s right, we’re here nearly 24/7 – and all for free. (Crazy, isn’t it?) We work overtime to get the answers you need to those pressing questions, such as: What the heck is a meatgrinder? How do I format for Createspace? And, why has no one ever seen Big Al and Hugh Howey together at the same time? (Suspicious, isn’t it?) In any case, drop us a line via the contact form with what you need to know about writing and publishing and we’ll get back to you, either with a link to an article we’ve got on hand or, with a brand new article written by one of the expert minions on staff. If you wish to remain anonymous, we can do that. No one will get your name out of us. We’re plenty accustomed to torture. So don’t be shy! Ask away.

Flash Fiction Challenge/Anthology Update

Yes, we’re hard at work on the 2014 Indies Unlimited Flash Fiction Anthology. That should be released soon. And don’t forget, the rules have changed for the 2015 Flash Fiction Challenges. We’ve implemented a panel of judges to select the top entries before public voting. Read more about the 2015 rule changes here, and don’t forget – you can’t win if you don’t enter!

Summer Schedule

As weekend traffic slows down for summer fun, IU will be going to a new schedule. Beginning in April, we will be running only two features on Friday through Monday, which means that some of your favorites may move. Make sure to subscribe to the IU newsletter so you don’t miss any!

Thanks again for being a part of Indies Unlimited. Don’t forget, you can show your support by sharing our articles, telling your friends about us, and if you’re feeling particularly generous, you can always make a donation. Happy Writing!