Technology For Authors Keeps Getting Better

Well, I'm back from my few weeks of focusing on the family and working on another project I am about to wrap up. As I start to gear up for the new year, I am amazed at how far technology has come. If you are an author, there is no better time than today.

Here is what technology has done for me recently:

1. It allowed me to publish my book, The Samson Effect, about 12 months to market faster than I could have done it through traditional channels.

2. It allowed me to create an e-book with embedded instructional videos that teaches people how to Conduct Effective Twitter Contests.

3. It allowed me to offer subscriptions to this blog on the Kindle device.

4. It has given me the ability to publish a blog post from my smart phone.

5. It has integrated my e-mail, my voice mail, and my schedule into one centralized platform that I can access with multiple devices without creating duplicate content.

6. It has allowed me to create new content via Speech to Text. In fact, I spoke my entire novel into the computer from hand written drafts. Pretty cool!

This is just the tip of the iceberg of how technology has touched my life as an author recently. In fact, I have some big news on how technology has just finished helping me today. I have been working the last few weeks on revising my video e-book, Conducting Effective Twitter Contests, for the Kindle format. I have uploaded all the videos in it and have provided bit.ly links for the Kindle reader to use so they can access the videos as well.

That has dropped the price of my book by almost 85%. As of this post, the Kindle version is still in review mode, but it should be out by tomorrow. I will pass on more details about that when the Kindle version goes live.

I have to admit that I am a tech junkie. I'd be interested in hearing how technology has (or has not) made your life as an author easier.

Happy Holidays!

5 Tips In Responding To Criticism

Authors have a unique job. They put their words and thoughts out there for others to digest, contemplate and enjoy. Authors take a chance every time they produce a book, a post, an article or a poem. The trade off in sharing their words and thoughts is that every reader will have a reaction to their words and sometimes that reaction is not a nice or as complementary as the writer would like.

It doesn't always seem fair, and the criticism does not always seem accurate to an author, but that doesn't change the reality that authors still have to deal with criticism. If a person pursues the craft of writing, then this is a reality. Even the most celebrated authors have their one star reviews and their most boisterous critics.

So, when we read a less-than-stellar critique of our writing, how should be respond? Here are some ideas that come from experience and the advice of others wiser than me. I hope they help.

1. Keep It In Context- Remember, a negative review or criticism is not the final, universally accepted view of your writing. It is the thoughts of one person. There are probably a lot more people out there who do not agree with the reviewer. It's hard to swallow, but no writing appeals to everyone. No matter what we write, some will like it and others will not. Nothing will ever change that. Keeping this in mind will help us cope with that negative criticism we receive.

2. Look For The Good- When we are going through tough times, the last thing we want to hear is something like, "When life gives you lemons, make lemon-aid," right? Well, that's what I am telling you here. Once the initial emotional reaction to the criticism is mostly out of your system, take another look at it. Is there anything you can learn from what was written? Does the person have any points that you might be able to use to become a better writer? If so, great! Thank them for the advice and move on. If not, then just by going through this process, you will be a stronger writer.

3. Don't Attack Back- It's often tempting to roll up your sleeves and come back swinging at negative criticism, especially if we perceive it to be unfair or inaccurate. Keep in mind that there are a few people out there who are called Internet trolls. They love to attack (many times anonymously). They love to stir up trouble and create a big scene. When you bite and start to defend yourself and attack back, they are quick to call in their troll friends who are salivating for a good fight. These people get their kicks from the fight, not the principle of the criticism.

It is almost always best not to respond to the negative criticism at all. If the person is a troll, they will get bored if you don't fight back and they will move on. If they are not a troll, then they are not expecting a response from you anyway. And the vast majority of your readers will find a fight between you and trolls tasteless and amateurish. When you are tempted to "defend your honor" against an attacker, remember that the easiest way to do that is by reacting in a professional way.

4. Don't Change Your Routine- After we read a particularly bad criticism, it can often leave us gun shy. We don't want to write that next post, or we don't want to launch that new marketing push for our book. We fear that everyone is watching us now that they have read that criticism. Remember, most people have not read the criticism. And of those who have read it, most probably do not agree with what was written. The quicker you can move on, the better you will be. Before long, criticism like that will roll of your back with little to no affect on you. Honest.

5. Choose Well Who You Talk With About The Criticism- Sometimes you want to call or e-mail a friend when someone criticizes your writing. That can be helpful if you choose the right person to talk to. I remember talking to a colleague who gave me wise advice on how to respond to a particularly personal attack someone made on me one time. She gave me advice that really helped me deal with it in a constructive way while helping me remember that the criticisms would only be as big of a deal as I made it out to be. (Thanks Phyllis Zimbler Miller for your great advice!)

Remember that as an author, you have chosen a path that will always invite criticism. Some will be constructive, some will be unfair, but criticism will be part of your lot. If you take time now to think about how you will deal with it, you'll find it much easier to handle when it happens to you.

Create A Unique Sound For Your Brand

So, you've read a lot about creating an author platform, complete with your unique brand. You have chosen your website look, pics, and colors carefully and you have been consistent in using them across platforms. You have chosen your user names well as you created your presence on social networking sites.

Well done. You know how important it is for you to use your look consistently. Think about your favorite author who has written a series. Chances are, each cover has the same look and feel of other books in the series, at least books published by the same publisher.

So, what's next for you to think about? I'd say we all need to start thinking about how we use video in our marketing. It's becoming more and more mainstream and a whole lot easier for the non-techie marketer to utilize (see my BookBuzzr post entitled, Tools To Help You Create Videos For Your Blog/Website).

As you start to dip your toe into video marketing, you will have an opportunity to think about your unique sound. Whether it's a jingle that sticks in a viewer's mind, an instrumental lead-in to your videos or your audible sign-off, having the some sound can be yet another way people have to identify your brand.

Who would have thought a few years ago that an author, who deals with words, would even have to consider an audible branding tool? Things change and luckily for us, we don't have to spend thousands to keep up with the changes.

So start paying attention to the sounds you like. What audio snippets say to you, "That's me!" It doesn't have to be a song; maybe it's as simple as the three tone peacock sound that NBC plays when it shows its logo. Whatever it is, there's something out there that can uniquely identify you and now is the time to start to give it some serious thought.

Marketing Tips Around The Net: December 4th

It's time for our trip around the net as we look at marketing sites that have caught my eye. With the new year almost upon us, now is a great time to lay down the foundation of the resolutions we know we will be making. These posts can help you narrow down that yearly to-do list.

Before we get to the list, I want to remind you, especially if you live in the Dallas-Ft. Worth area, that there is a great author/artist having a book signing at the Park & Preston Barnes and Nobles in Plano, TX tomorrow, December 5th at 3:00 PM. Pari Danian is the author of The Palatable Plate. This book is a work of art through her talented photography and promises to help you prepare meals that transcends the palate. Check out her video for more information on this wonderful book.

Now, on to this week's list...

1. Book Tour for How to Sell More Books on Amazon- Author and book marketer Dana Lynn Smith is right in the middle of a book tour with her new book, How to Sell More Books on Amazon. The stops on her tour are worth checking out because you will learn more than you think about marketing on Amazon.com.

2. How Reading And Book Buying Has Changed With The Kindle- Since we are on the Kindle theme, check out Joanna Penn's post on how Kindle is changing the book reading/buying experience.

3. What Is the Purpose of Twitter?- Phyllis Zimbler Miller gives you some food for thought about the essence of Twitter, especially as a book marketer.

4. Opportunity for Christian Authors- Carolyn Howard-Johnson shares a contests that promises its winner marketing exposure. Be sure to heck it out.

5. Marketing Tip - Library Love!- L. Diane Wolfe shares a book marketing tip that we can all work on together.

6. 6 ways to profit from writing a nonfiction book- Roger C. Parker is back with sound advice to help you generate income from your book in ways far beyond the royalty checks you receive.

7. Publishing Insiders Wrap-Up: Secrets to Getting Your Book Into Libraries- Paula Krapf shares a wealth of information on how you can get your book into libraries.

8. James Patterson—A Best-Selling Author from Whom You Can Learn- Todd Rutherford shares lessons he has observed from one of the greatest writers of our time.

9. The Great BookBuzzr Christmas Giveaway- BookBuzzr is giving away prizes valued at over $200. Check it out today and maybe Santa will come early to you!

10. How Many Hours Do You Spend Working On Your Blog?- Professional blogger Daniel Scocco answers this question in his Q&A feature.

That's it for this week's trip around the net. I will see you all on Monday with more Marketing Tips For Authors.

Easy Live and Archived Videos On Justin TV

I am always on the lookout for simple, cost-effective marketing tips. I have one I want to share with you today that can help you launch live video events easier than you thought possible. You can do it through Justin.tv. Before we get to how this nifty site can have you up and running in minutes, let me make a couple of quick announcements.

1. My normal Friday's Tips Around The Net will be out tomorrow.

 2. There is a great author/artist having a book signing at the Park & Preston Barnes and Nobles in Plano, TX this Sunday, December 5th at 3:00 PM. Pari Danian is the author of The Palatable Plate. This book is a work of art through her talented photography and promises to help you prepare meals that transcends the palate. Check out her video for more information on this wonderful book.

Now, on to my post on Justin.TV

Justin TV is similar to other sites like uStream in that it allows you to broadcasts videos from your computer live to their servers. I have a private Justin.TV account that I stream videos of my kids here in Texas so their grandmother in Indiana can watch them live. With the private feature, someone can only watch the videos with a password that you create. 

But the marketing potential for this is huge. It's a one-way streaming video tools that allows you to give a presentation to anyone you invite. If you make your "channel" public, then anyone who stumbles across your video can watch. 

When your video presentation is over, Justin.TV then archives your video for people to watch at their leisure. That means you can record a session and then promote it whenever you like. If you are familiar with Blog Talk Radio, then you have an idea of how Justin.TV works, only with video.

When people log into your channel, there is a text area to the right where live text communication can take place. This means that if you are giving a presentation, you can still interact with your visitors and answer their questions. 

But what really caused me to get excited and share this site with you is their new app for smart phones. Now you can take out your phone, load the app, and start to record and stream live with the push of one red button. I have done this and it is honestly that simple. 

Imagine the possibilities of catching a live event as it happens, streaming it to your Justin.TV page with your smart phone, and then marketing it as a "pre-recorded" video.

If you are looking for a way to add another powerful marketing medium to your arsenal, then check out Justin.tv. We're in a whole new world and this nifty site can hold your hand as you step into it.

Review: How to Sell More Books on Amazon by Dana Lynn Smith

I am thrilled to be part of a virtual book tour for Dana Lynn Smith's new book, How to Sell More Books on Amazon. With a stop in this blog, I have agreed to review the book for you.

From time to time, I stray slightly from the marketing focus of this blog when I review a product or book, but Dana's book falls squarely on the theme of this blog. It's essence is that of marketing your book, and not simply marketing it anywhere, but marketing it on the granddaddy of all book sites, Amazon.com.

As I read through How to Sell More Books on Amazon, it became clear to me that this book could appeal to two different audience types:

1. The author who has no idea how to utilize Amazon.com in their marketing efforts, but desires a presence there
   
   
2. The author who is on Amazon.com but feels that they are not taking full advantage of what Amazon.com can do to help them sell more books

First of all, this book will walk the author step-by-step through the process of getting their book on Amazon.com as well as walk them through every other process found in How to Sell More Books on Amazon. It's like having an expert guide you through the process without you having to spend the hours, days and even weeks learning it yourself. For any author who loves to write, but views marketing as a necessary evil, this book is heaven sent.

But getting your book, physical or Kindle, on Amazon.com is only half the battle. Dana not only shows you how to do that, but she also spends time on things like the importance of making sure your cover helps market your book, how to use features like the "Look Inside" and how to optimize your Amazon Connect Author Page.

If the book stopped there, it would be a valuable resource to any author who wanted to get their own book on Amazon.com. But Dana beefs up her book even more by walking you through all the marketing opportunities and potentials you have at your disposal once your book is listed with Amazon.com. Things like how to use Listmania Lists, reviews, tags and customer communities are just a taste of what she covers to help you market your book on Amazon.com.

As I said earlier, Amazon.com is one of the best places to have your book listed. But there are so many option available to an author on Amazon.com that it can quickly become intimidating. One of my favorite features in How to Sell More Books on Amazon are the Essential Activities lists and the Optional Activities lists. Dana helps you understand what you "must" do vs. what you "can" do in order to launch a strong Amazon.com marketing campaign.

This review just scratches the surface of the information packed in How to Sell More Books on Amazon. One thing I can tell you for sure: if you desire to list your book on Amazon.com or if you have a book already listed and you want to make sure that you are taking advantage of what Amazon has to offer, then you will want a copy of How to Sell More Books on Amazon within arms reach as you work to create your own Amazon.com marketing plan.

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How to Sell More Books on Amazon is available in both PDF and Kindle format. For more book marketing tips, follow @BookMarketer on Twitter and get Dana's free Top Book Marketing Tips ebook at www.TheSavvyBookMarketer.com