Recently, I noticed a URL for a fictitious website in a book I was formatting. I pasted the URL into my browser and, sure enough, it was a real website. The fictitious usage was for a humorous book but the actual website was a suicide prevention one. Had the author used that URL, it would not have only been in very poor taste, but it could have also resulted in a lawsuit.
To Angela and the staff at BookLocker.com:
I just published my third book with BookLocker.com and as always the process was seamless and professional from beginning to end. The finished product is a quality book that measures up to any traditionally published book in today’s competitive marketplace. Thank you for being a trusted outlet for self-published authors.
Sincerely,
Sondra Wolferman
The Escarpment
https://booklocker.com/6492
As writers, it is your desire to use words that will entertain, educate, and inform the masses of people that may just end up reading them. You may feel obligated to write, or you may look at it as a passion. Writing is considered an art form. Those who partake of it, are looked at as people with unusual talent. Some may also be looked at as weird, isolated, and strange. Nevertheless, the object is to put words down…
I am contemplating using a service to send out a press release for my book. Seems like it may be a good investment of $300.00. I wanted to get your input on the subject though.
What sort of thoughts would you have about press releases in general?
Getting started in the writing business can sometimes be overwhelming, especially as you come to realize how many other writers there are out there. The good news is that the old saying is true: there is only one you. Why does this matter? There are topics and industries you might be clued into that can help separate you from the crowd…
PER LAST WEEK’S WARNING: If you’re a guy, you should stop reading now. Seriously. Don’t continue. If you have a queasy stomach, you should also turn back now. If you keep reading, you’ll be sorry. Don’t say I didn’t warn you…
For the past six weeks, we’ve spent every spare moment judging the hundreds of entries submitted for the Fall, 2012 24-Hour Short Story Contest. In case you’re not familiar with our quarterly contest, this is how it works. On the date of the contest, at start-time, we send out the topic for that specific contest to all registered entrants, while also posting it online. Entrants then have 24 hours to write and submit their stories. The stories “must deal with the topic in some way to qualify” and they must not exceed the pre-assigned word count.
After reading the entries for each contest, we can see how difficult it is to come up with a unique plot when working with an assigned topic. But, inevitably, a few writers do manage to successfully break away from the pack.
This Week:
Libraries and bookstores are so last year when it comes to staging book signings. Instead, consider taking your books out into the wider world. It’s full of your would-be readers.
Farmers encourage beekeepers to set their hives on farmland because it’s mutually beneficial. Bees get nectar for honey, benefiting themselves and their keeper. In return for this bounty, the bees pollinate the farmers’ crops.
Likewise, taking your books to a particular setting can attract customers to you, and also benefit your host. Match the location to your subject matter. The more off-the-wall your choice of venue, the greater your chance of attracting media attention…
If your books haven’t made the New York Time’s Best Selling Book List and you don’t have tons of money in your bank account from your writing, don’t fret. Maybe we shouldn’t feel valued only by the amount of royalties earned from our writing. How many times have people emailed you or told you in person that your book has meant so much to them? Our books can touch people on some level when we reach deep inside our core to write with passion. Whether you write non-fiction or fiction, your words might have helped some individuals in a dark place to have happier and brighter days. Reaching out to others with the written word will always be important.
