Category: Guest Posts

Creating ARC Copies: A How-To

stack-of-books-1176150_960_720Once upon a time, Publisher’s Weekly asked for a review copy of a children’s book our small press had in the works. We were new to the business then and had no clue how to accommodate them, so we lost the opportunity for a high-profile review. Ouch! Now that I know better, I won’t make the same mistake again. Better still, I’ll share what I’ve learned so you won’t, either.

An advance review copy, also called an advance reader copy or ARC, is simply a preliminary version of a book made available to selected readers prior to the book’s sale date. It differs from the sale version in several respects: Continue reading “Creating ARC Copies: A How-To”

If You’re Looking for a Writers’ Conference

writers conference meeting-83519_640Guest post
by Marian D. Schwartz

If you’re looking for a writers’ conference and you’re an indie, there are more conferences focusing on your interests today than there were when I last posted about conferences on Indies Unlimited in 2013. Well over 200 writers’ conferences will be held in the United States in 2019.

Your choices are broader if you want to attend workshops and lectures on the craft of writing than they are if you’re a self-published author who is specifically looking for ideas that will help you successfully market your books. There is no reason why a writers’ conference can’t offer workshops in craft and in self-publishing. Some offer a good balance in both, but many of them are tilted more toward one choice than the other. Continue reading “If You’re Looking for a Writers’ Conference”

Video is King When Marketing as an Author

author michael poeltlGuest Post
by Michael Poeltl

It’s a fact that people engage with video almost three times longer than a static post or ad. That’s your first indication that video is your way forward. The other is that video can pack a visual punch a meme or gif just can’t accomplish. Consider an author reading passages from his or her book and the tension that accompanies it by standing in front of a group of people. If you’re lucky, you’ve filled the seats. If not, that anxious feeling could ruin your night. That’s stressful. Video readings, on the other hand, are completely stress-free. Do it from the comfort of your favourite chair. I was actually kind of nervous even to sit in front of the camera the first time, but with now over 20 videos behind me, the pace and comfort level at which I’m doing these video readings has increased ten-fold. Continue reading “Video is King When Marketing as an Author”

Adding a Video to Your Book’s Amazon Sales Page

author ellen Buikema-9 color_small (002)Guest Post
by Ellen L. Buikema

While perusing Facebook, I noticed a post in the Indies Unlimited Fans Group that piqued my interest — the new “add your video” option for your book’s Amazon sales page. I state upfront that technology and I do not always have an easy relationship, but this looked so promising that I thought I would give it a try. Please note that not everyone is seeing this option on their books’ pages yet. If you have the capability, this is what it will look like: Continue reading “Adding a Video to Your Book’s Amazon Sales Page”