This blog spot is as much for me as it is to share with you. The following is a compilation of ideas I’ve garnered from my reading. I read A LOT. And I can see one line out of a whole newsletter that spurs me to activity or to capturing an idea on paper. Being Indie-published, I am the sole person in my publishing company. Therefore, I have lots to do. It helps to write stuff down. Here goes.
If you are like me and have uploaded e-books for the Kindle and Nook, have you considered recording an audio version of your book “as read by author”? I understand all you need is a computer-compatible microphone and you can create an MP3 (maybe some software is involved). Like I said, this is on my To-Do List. I don’t have the experience yet. But I need to add that knowledge to my base.
This idea works for me currently as all I have e-pubbed to date are nonfiction How-To books, so I can read it well enough to entertain my readers while they are driving to work or cleaning their kitchens. However, when I get to the novel productions, I am not the one to create the different voices required to distinguish all my characters. Someone more gifted in that area would need to read my taped novels.
How about a vlog? Create your own video and upload it to YouTube? Great marketing tool.
When I go to print books, I want freebies. I like theme-based pencils, erasers, bookmarks and such. Start thinking of what promos you would like to help market your creative works.
Even now, with my e-books, once I start uploading my novels, I intend to have bookmarks at the back end that the reader can print out on plain card stock (or heavy white paper) and cut apart with a paper cutter. This is all a work-in-progress, but my current thinking is to have my book cover on each and maybe one of four or five great one-liners from my story per bookmark, since I should be able to put five per 8-1/2x11-inch page.
I love the idea of giving more, so this works well, even for e-book versions. I already have my Lagniappe page at the end of each current e-book, which “success formula” is printed on the reverse side of my business cards as well.
I was reading a bio about a local author who will be speaking at an event soon and checked him out on Amazon and was surprised to see his blog compilations for sale for a monthly fee. I use Blogger.com for this site and it seems to offer the same option for providing a book of your blogs. Worth checking into.
Best wishes in ALL your endeavors.
