The challenge of pricing your book, plus an announcement.

So several times over this last week posts have come up talking about how to price your e-book. There are a bunch of articles out there, a bunch of suggestions and you'll hurt your brain when you try to make heads or tails of it. So what do you follow? What article do you believe. Why is something working for someone else, but not you?

So many questions, and yes we're all lost in a sea of doubt when this comes up. As Mia prepares to release Waking Up in Bedlam it's something her and I discuss quite often. So here's my advice to you, from the research and reading I've done, it's a trial and error kind of deal. According to the Indie Romance Convention Blog, there's a formula that should help with pricing your book. According to Molly Greene, it's all about hitting that sweet spot, but it's still different for every person. When you talk to some authors they'll tell you they sell all e-books at $0.99 and that it works great, others will tell you that it doesn't work so well.

From what I've gathered $2.99 is the sweet spot for novels and novellas, $1.99 or FREE is great for short stories. Running a free short story as the start of a series seems to be a pretty popular choice. Many people say avoid $0.99, but why? So many authors do that, hell there are authors that offer entire collections for $0.99. Now, a $0.99 promo is different that a $0.99 continuous selling price. Here's the deal, $0.99 can still be associate with crap. Stuff people just throw up there to see if they can make a few sales. Check out the IRC blog for a great analogy about dollar store steak. (Which, for the record our dollar store here does, indeed, sell steak.)

Here's the deal, fellow authors and aspiring authors, don't sell yourself short. We all struggle with doubt, and wonder if someone would even be willing to buy a book for $2.99 from an unknown author, a new author, anything like that. But you have put your blood, sweat, and tears into your project. You are worth more than $0.99, all indie authors are. Don't let yourself get lost in that sea of $0.99, and it's never too late to change that price. So if you're floating around, go play with your prices a bit and see what happens with your sales!


Now time for the announcement. As we all know Mia's book is coming out next month (yay!!!) which probably brings to question when my book will be coming out. This was supposed to be a journey together, and it will be, but because of other unforeseen circumstances the publishing path for Black and White has changed. It will be published with Ellora's Cave, I can't really go into details as to why or how this came about, but I assure you that I have the Indie publishing experience to continue to help Mia with this blog and now I can start to offer a view point in comparison when working with a publisher. So please bare with us when things start to shift around here!

Indie Romance Convention

Post written as A.L. Kessler

So there comes a time when my head becomes so full of information that it's going to burst. The pounding headache behind my eyes hasn't seemed to dull, but of course that could be from switching altitudes.... This past weekend I was an attending author at the first ever Indie Romance Convention (IRC) and it was amazing. I gained so much information and met so many fantastic people. I plan on making a return appearance next year.

So where do I start? What information do I pass on, what tiny little gems of wisdom do I have for everyone reading this blog? My first one is, if you get a chance to go to this convention next year, do it. DO IT. I know it can be expensive, but the information and the networking makes it worth every penny.  I'm going to break down some of the things I picked up while I was out there. I'm hoping this isn't a ramble post and I also know I'm not going to be able to post everything, but I want to hit some of the highlights that'll make you think.

Let's start with marketing...I won't reveal how much some of these authors make a month, but let me put it this way...I could pay off some things and live off my writing. How did they get there? They market and well. (We're skipping past the first rule of writing a good book). Most of them have spent money on marketing, a tool that came up several times was Book Bub, which I have checked out and it looks like a pretty cool deal. You discount your book through them, they send a newsletter to subscribers containing your book on a list, and it boosts your downloads. It can be pricy depending on which news letter you need to get on, plus you have to be approved for this service. They stressed social networking a lot, be it Twitter, Facebook, or Goodreads. It's all about personal interaction with readers or potential readers, don't constantly try to sell yourself, but let them get to know you.

They talked about branding and eventually getting to the point where you can sell on your name alone, but not many of us are there yet. Branding and image are two very important things, what are people going to remember you for at conventions? Let me give you an example: Red Phenix, a BDSM author, is never seen without her mask, and normally in a corset. It fits her genre and people remember her for it. I'm not saying you have to have something that elaborate, but it works. Leigh Savage dresses in a more goth style to fit her vampire writing. This is something I need to work on, because many times through the weekend someone told me I looked so young that they didn't believe I was an author, or they thought I was a teenage. (For the record, I'm 26 and I'm 5'2".....) That's not really what I want to be remembered for, despite the fact that in ten years I'm going to be thankful for that.

Street teams: Oh man did these ladies talk about street teams highly! If you don't know what a street team is, it's a team of people (go figure...) that help you out with spreading the word about new releases, doing reviews, liking reviews, and a boat load of other things.

Best tip: Rule of thumb, do not post more than once a week when it comes to advertising for your book.

Where to from here? Oh yes, I attended a panel called Indie publishing 201. This covered some of the same marketing things, but it also asked use the question of Who are you as a writer? I answered this in a heart beat, but then hesitated a bit. I introduce myself as a Paranormal Romance author, with a hint of steampunk. That's who I am...but before last year, I thought I was only a PNR author, not a steampunk, then suddenly that was added to my list. Think on this, sometimes the answer might change and some times it surprises you.

We covered covers in this panel as well and how important it is, especially with stock photos, to make your cover stand out, in a good way! Don't use just standard stock, put a couple (no more than 3) images together to make a new one, use photo shop to alter it, just the smallest altercation can make it look completely different. If you can, pay for original art.

Oh and editing, man this made me feel small. I have beta readers and then I have a final editor (now two of them), one of the woman suggested having NO LESS than 5 editors look for final mistakes and typos. It's not that I don't agree with the more eyes the better, I was just taken aback on how many people she suggested. You want to put the best work out there you can. I agree 100% with that.

Best tip: Cross market with other people, both in blogs and in books.

I'm sure I have so much more information in my head, but I'm going to stop this here. Some of the stuff I learned doesn't apply to everyone, but I'm putting it specifically towards my writing life. Again, if you get a chance to go to this convention do it! I'll see you all there in 2014.

The Wrongness of Public Shaming (Two Parts)

My post for this week was all but done when Alex pointed something out about the source of my post… What if it wasn't 100% true, or worse what if it were just a marketing ploy… So that started the research. What we found was that not everything in some recent blog posts were true, or it was half-truths, or that if it was true there was no proof… So now I have to revise my post and really I should have known better, always check the facts. Maybe that should be my post next time. But here it is, now broken into two parts: When Trolls Attack and Two Wrongs Don't Make A Right.

Bottom line is this: Public Shaming of anyone is wrong, we have become this culture of blood thirsty vipers who like to gather in masses to abuse, shame, and verbally attack one person or a group of people we feel like we are better than. It's disgusting and in this one instance it was from both sides. Both are wrong, and no one is a winner in this little internet war.

Part One: When Trolls Attack

Anyone who's been on any sort of social media this week (yes, it is only Wednesday but whatever) has seen the brouhaha over trolls attacking authors and their fans. Even if you've missed this week's installment of “When Trolls Attack” you know you've seen at least 10 previous episodes and next week I'm sure there will be a whole new line up for us all to sit back and shake our heads at as it unfolds in our social media newsfeeds.

Haters... They're a bitch. No, seriously, they are.

We waste so much time on them, they interrupt our lives, they distract from peoples hard work, they shame people for the things they enjoy. And let's be clear, this isn't about “bad reviews” this is about people who seek out to scare, hurt, and ruin author's based on a personal bias, a rumor they've heard, a misunderstanding, or simply no good reason at all. People who spread hateful speech, threaten bodily harm, threaten sexual attacks, and lash out at not only the author, but their family, their kids, and their fans... Bottom line, it's wrong.

In the effort of being professional we all know the drill... Don't feed the trolls. Don't engage them. And by all means, don't call them out because that is what they feed on. So most people quietly suffer in silence as strangers hide behind the guise of internet anonymity and spew their hate... I can guarantee you if those people had to put their real name, a picture of themselves, and a public listing where they could be reached, they would never, and I do mean NEVER, post the shit they post. That right there tells you how cowardly they are.

But the question is, how do you, or I, or we deal with this. Don't engage seems to be the choice most people go with, others go to launching a campaign against the haters, while others sadly feel like they have no choice but quit. And no, this isn't a rant about some authors giving up. Others might post that, but not me.

The choice to stop writing and not release their work because of haters is a personal choice and only that author can choose that. Whatever he/she is going through it is his/her choice on how to handle it and in this one case they did choose to not release her book and that is okay. That said, it is human nature to want to lash out and defend ourselves, but at the same time most of us know that ranting on social media makes us look defensive and petty. It's a fine line to walk in defending ourselves when people attack our character and our creativity.

Part Two: Two Wrongs Don't Make A Right

In the case of this weeks brouhaha, a troll, "reviewer" or whatever you want to call this person, rated a book low and then had some snide comments about the author and then took to jumping on another reviewers post to make some more snide comments. We all know the type, they are doing it to get attention… Unfortunately the author responded and that lit the flames. He lashed out, the author lashed out, others came to his defense, her fans came to her defense and LINES WERE CROSSED. Everyone was spouting TOS for Goodreads to "prove" that they were right while others were wrong and it was grossly out of hand.

The only thing I can say is this: Authors, please don't respond to negative remarks. Don't have your best friend, your husband, your neighbor, or your fans respond to negative comments because it makes you and your brand look bad.

That being said, this situation has quickly snowballed out of control. Authors are jumping ship, lashing out at any low reviewer. Anyone who isn't giving them 5 Stars and a glowing review runs the risk of being labeled a troll, hater, being from a fake account.

So let's clear up a few things:

What is the definition of a Troll?

In Internet slang is a person who sows discord on the Internet by starting arguments or upsetting people, by posting inflammatory, extraneous, or off-topic messages in an online community (such as a forum, chat room, or blog), either accidentally or with the deliberate intent of provoking readers into an emotional response or of otherwise disrupting normal on-topic discussion.[1]

What is the definition of a Hater?

A person that simply cannot be happy for another person's success. So rather than be happy they make a point of exposing a flaw in that person.  Hating, the result of being a hater, is not exactly jealousy. The hater doesn't really want to be the person he or she hates, rather the hater wants to knock someone else down a notch. [2]

Where in lies the difference if there is any? Does it really matter, both are there solely for bring another person down. Ruining their day. Pissing in their Wheaties. And neither is acceptable behavior.

Regardless of who is being what the cold hard facts are this, as Alex just pointed out, this is the nature of the beast. Review sites are like this. People troll them looking to say hateful things. We all know this and not every low review is a fake review, sometimes a person just doesn't like a book. It is helpful when a low star review is accompanied by a written review to help the author know what the reviewer liked and didn't like, but we all know that 9 times out of 10 you aren't going to be given any feedback.

But the worst part of all of this is that both side started threatening violence, making violent suggestion and in a community where we have so little support from the mainstream world we should not be tearing ourselves into different factions. Seriously people, have a coke and a smile and shut the fuck up. Everyone knows the old saying: If you don't have something nice to say then, take to social media, gather your pitchforks and call for the head of someone you deem less than you, which will in turn cause them to build a Frankenstein's monster out of the heads, arms, and legs, of their fandom to unleash a fury of hellfire and brimstone on the authors behalf… *head desk* Oh wait, that isn't the old saying, the old saying is this: If you don't have something nice to say then don't say anything at all. Which doesn't mean don't leave a bad review if you feel a book calls for it, but there is no reason to shame a person, imply that they are stupid and there is never any reason to threaten physical violence or harm to one another no matter which side of the fence you sit on!

So where does this leave everyone? Some will delete their Goodreads accounts, some will take to Facebook, Twitter, etc.. and some will find a good friend to vent to in private. Others will quit writing all together. It is a personal choice on how you chose to handle it or if you choose to handle it at all. My stance, for myself is the same as it has always been in my previous posts about remaining professional and branding. I will quietly find my way to Alex's inbox and vent in private.

Authors, don't feed the trolls… And don't let your fan base or friends feed them either.

And in conclusion here are some wise words on the nature of Haters, thanks T.O.M. and Toonami:

"Well, I guess it is time to hate on… Haters

We’ve all got one.

It’s the person who says “That sucks.” No matter what you’re doing.

Now this isn’t the same as criticism. Criticism serves a healthy function.

Sometime it can even help you get better. That’s because it comes from a good place.

Hating, however, is when someone just wants to cut you down.

They wanna watch you fall. Toonami’s had a lot of criticism and a lot of haters in our time.

We welcome the criticism, because this is a work in progress.  And we wanna hear what you guys have to think because we love you.

But when it comes to haters, ol TOM learned his lesson a while ago. You can’t let them get to you. So keep your head up, keep doing what works for you.  And don’t be afraid to listen to your critics, but always, always ignore the haters. We all deserve better."

So there ya go: Don't be afraid to listen to your critics, but always, always ignore the haters. We all deserve better.

[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_Troll

[2] http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Hater

Promotion & Marketing

A lot of being successful in publishing is promotion and marketing, when you self-publish all of that falls on your shoulders. So what can you do and how much does it cost? You can do a lot, and as it turns out a lot can be done for free.

Since I am still new to all of this and I'm on the verge of self-publishing my first book I am overwhelmed by both promotion and marketing.... But I have a plan.

I am going to utilize the free social media sites I am already on:

Facebook

Twitter

and Google+

But I am still going to strive for the 80/20 rule. 80 % of what I post isn't direct marketing and the other 20% of the time I will be selling myself hardcore.

Another avenue I really suppose I should dive into is Tumblr. But I am still floundering in my ignorance of that site.

Next up are the book sites:

Goodreads

Smashwords

Shelfari

Booktagger

And I might check into some other sites like: Authors Den, and Internet Book Database.

I might even travel down the crazy road of Press Releases, there are a number of sites that have free press release distribution.

Cross promotion can be helpful too, I have seen it work well for several self-published authors. When my book, Waking Up In Bedlam, comes out I will be running some cross promotions with a fellow self-published author A.L. Kessler and with Alexandra. Cross promotion can run the gambit in terms of what you want to do, it can be anything from hosting giveaways on eachothers blogs, facebook pages, or even something as easy as hosting an interview, a cover reveal. All of our cross promotions will be revealed later.

Next up on my promotion and marketing list will be a blog hop, I am already signed up for it and it will run very near to the time with Waking Up In Bedlam will be released so it will be perfect. I've never done a blog hop and I am definitely nervous about it but I'm looking forward to getting my name out there a bit more.

Last but not least on my list is Book Reviews. This one makes my tummy flutter with ten thousand butterflies. It really did seem like an easy task, simply find sites to review your book, give them a copy in exchange for an honest review... But the more I looked into sites that I knew did book reviews I found most of them no longer reviewed Indie/Self-Published authors. I found myself back at square one, luckily I've found a few sites that review self-published authors and they review the genre of Paranormal Romance, which is what I write. One thing I've learned about book review sites is when you send them a request to review your book make sure to make the email personal, they don't like to get a blanket email that was obviously sent out to several sites all at once. So when I send out my requests it will personal emails only and then I will sit back and cross my fingers and hope for the best.

I'm sure after a couple of releases all of this will like second nature to me but this is without a doubt very stressful. I think I've gained some gray hairs from thinking and over-thinking all of this stuff. But if it helps me to reach readers that I might have not been able to reach than every gray hair will be worth it. I love my story and I want it to reach as many people who will hopefully love it just as much as I do. That is the goal, share my story.

Cover Art, Part 2: Restrictions

Okay, so I thought I was done talking about cover art, but then I remembered one very important detail. 

Model Release.

What is Model Release?

A model release, known in similar contexts as a liability waiver, is a legal release typically signed by the subject of a photograph granting permission to publish the photograph in one form or another. The legal rights of the signatories in reference to the material is thereafter subject to the allowances and restrictions stated in the release, and also possibly in exchange for compensation paid to the photographed. [1]

This is extremely important to know when choosing a cover design if you are doing it yourself. Granted if you are having someone else make your cover they should already know this.

If you use a stock/royalty free image, like the ones from any of the big stock image sites or if you are having someone model for you, as long as they are identifiable then you need to make absolutely sure that the model has signed a Model Release.

First off let’s clear up the “identifiable” part. That doesn’t mean if the person is well known and it is in no way defined as someone you, yourself can recognize. It means that if the model is identifiable to anyone, if some passer-by sees your cover and goes “Hey! That’s Sally from my local Wal-Mart!” because Sally’s face is plastered on your cover clear as day then you better hope that Sally signed a Model Release form. And to be clear, it isn’t just for people whose face is fully featured in a photograph or stock image. There are pictures of random football players all decked out in their gear where you can’t see their face at all, but they are still a person and while you might think they are unrecognizable that doesn’t mean they wouldn’t recognize themselves and say “I didn’t give them permission to use my image.” Then BINGO, you’ve got a law suit on your hands, and no one wants that.

You need to remember that just because you can download an image that you paid for doesn’t give you the right to use that picture however you like.  The keywords to look for on the major image sites are:

Editorial Use Only

Signed Model Release on file

I can go on my favorite stock image site and do a search for pictures of David Beckham and I will come back with thousands of results but that doesn’t mean I can use his image. As a celebrity he owns his image, it is his brand. So while I can use it for Editorial purposes, if I am writing an article about soccer players, male underwear or if I am a sports reporter talking about his last big game and I am not marketing, advertising or making a profit off of the picture then I am allowed to use it (side note: even then, I would still be too afraid of his legal team to risk it). BUT, as much as I would love to use him as my cover model for my book, I cannot use his image even though I’ve paid for and downloaded it because it is specifically for Editorial Use Only.

Keep in mind that as long as you are using a reputable company for your images this really shouldn’t cause you too much stress. Almost every image I’ve found (as long as it is not of a celebrity) has a Model Release, but this is your livelihood we are talking about here so it never hurts to just make sure you double check before you click the download button. Or if you are taking pictures yourself download a simple Model Release form and have your model sign it. You can download a simple Model Release Form from various sites all over the internet, click here to see one example that is available for use.  Be forewarned, they accept no responsibility for any liabilities you may incur on any of your jobs. Also, please know that the legal issues surrounding model releases are complex and vary by jurisdiction. [1]  And that this blog post in no way should be misunderstood as legal advice or representation, it is merely meant as advice on what to look for and as with all things you should do your own research and make sure you gain legal help if necessary.

It is truly better to be safe than sorry. And always, make sure you abide by the licensing agreement and read the terms!

[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Model_release

Cover Art, Part 1: Things No One Tells You

A good cover is imperative to a selling your book, we all know this. As much as we would like to not judge a book by its cover, all of us have seen a cover and immediately put it back on the shelf when the images on it didn’t convey what we were looking for from the title on the spine. The same is true for eBooks. But the problems arise for Self-Publishing Authors because after numerous web searches we are left floundering in an arena we have no experience in. Even if we have an artful eye, there is still the daunting task of finding artwork that you are “allowed” to use without getting sued by the content owners.

And then there is the issue of what kind of license to get. Reading all the legal jargon is important, but also exhausting.

So far the best deal I have found is Shutterstock, which has a pay-as-you-go option or monthly subscriptions. The subscription are an amazing deal but I am not financially well off and cannot afford to pay near $250 a month for art work that I am probably never going to use enough to justify the cost. But for $50 I was able to download 5 images and I have a year to download them. Not a bad deal.

I know there are sites that offer truly free artwork, but I wasn’t able to find any that had images that would suit my needs. As soon as I find some reliable sites I will post some links to them.

Now, on to the actual cover, okay, so the obvious advice to any Self-Publishing Author is: Get a professional to do your cover for you.

Great advice and I agree, except for the fact that some of us don’t have the $20-$40 per hour that some graphic artists charge, and to be honest that is low balling what Graphic Artists charge.  I did freelance artwork when I worked as a graphic artist for a design company and my going rate $40 an hour and that was just for creating logos. So don’t be surprise if the quote from a cover artist is at least that much.

So while going professional is best, if you cannot, or you think you have an eye for design and want to do it yourself some money will still be required, but with enough patients you can make a pretty damn good cover.

If you DIY your cover, make it stand out. Don’t be afraid to take risks, but also remember that you are never going to please everyone with your cover. And this goes for having a professional design your cover for you too. Someone somewhere is going to hate it, dislike it, and slam it on a blog. That comes with the territory, you’ll have to put on your thick skin and buck up. Sounds harsh, I know, but artists are emotional creatures. We don’t take criticism lightly, it’s hard for us to just brush it off, because our craft (be it writing, painting, digital design, sculpting, whatever it is) is our baby. It is parts of our soul we put out there for the world to judge, critique and award praise or slam in the arena of public opinion. And sometimes it will hurt, but this is your dream, it’s up to you to shrug off the negative people and focus on your goals.

One book I keep qued up on my kindle these days is “Quit Your Day Job” by H.P. Mallory. She gives some great advice on cover design. I won’t go into all of it but here are a couple of elements that need to be included in your cover besides the Title and Author name. If your book is part of series make sure to include what number the book is and the series name on the cover. If it’s not part of a series then it might be good to include on the cover other books you have written. Also, if you have any bragging rights, include them. Toot your own horn. It can only help.

This is Part 1 on this subject, Part 2  will come after I’ve compiled some links for you guys for free art. But these are the things no one tells you, where and how to find art. So for now, this is what I can tell anyone looking to make their own covers:

Look for deals that allow you to download a set number of pictures for a low price. Sites like Shutterstock, Getty, and iStock all have amazing art, but the prices do vary quite a bit.

The regular license should be sufficient for most needs, but read the terms. Once you’ve read them, read them again, and then if you are still unsure find someone you trust and have them read them. It is something you don’t want to take risks with. Stealing art is a still theft and the artist and copyright owners will come after you, especially if you use art that is watermarked, that is a big no-no.

Take your time, even if it means pouring through 651 pages of stock art, be patient. Don’t rush finding a design. A lot can be done to change up an existing photo into a stunning work of art, but it takes patience and persistence.

Lastly, remember the golden rule: You can’t please everyone.

Character Backgrounds

I have been called (on occasion) the “Queen of Character Backgrounds”.

It’s a joke, but it is still true. I love character bios. I love listening to a character in my head telling me their backstory; they tell me in great detail all of their great deeds and misfortunes. I think I have more character bios on my computer than I do stories to put them in. No, scratch that: I don’t think this, I know this.

Every character, be them a main character, a minor character or a bit character has a full bio on my computer. I like to know what makes all of them tick, why they act the way they do, why they have a place in this story. No one is there as filler or fluff. I’m rather meticulous about it; maybe that is why my story is unfinished as of right now, because I am still listening to the back stories.

I’m sure that this is wasted time for most people, if a character is a bit character, a minor player than the effort is time and energy better spent on the main part of the story, but not for me.  Nothing is more frustrating for me than reading a story and being able to tell that the author has no idea why this minor character is doing what he does, I’m not saying that every character needs to have three chapters devoted to backstory, but you can tell when love and care is put into the smallest of characters.

So as December comes to an end and a new year is on the cusp of beginning I am going to focus on keeping my characters well rounded and knowing full well the how’s and why’s of their personality.  I don’t want to write something and have no idea what my characters would say or do in that situation.  So even if it may be a waste of time I will continue with my extensive character bios, it’s just how I roll. And to take a lesson from +Alexandra Webb , research will be a key focus of mine as well. Be it story research, character research, or the final stage of marketing research, all stages are equally important.