Make Sure Your Marketing is Targeted at the Right Audience
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Brian Whiddon is the Managing Editor of WritersWeekly.com and the Operations Manager at BookLocker.com. Brian is an Army vet and former police officer, and spent several years chained to a desk, commuting Tampa's congested roadways, working in corporate management and training, while writing in his spare time. He is now an author, blogger, and NRA-certified firearms instructor. Brian lives and works aboard his 36-foot sailboat, the “Floggin’ Molly” in St. Petersburg, Florida. He calls her his "rescue boat" that he found abandoned in a boat yard and rebuilt himself - fulfilling a dream he had to one day live aboard. Brian no longer commutes, and has donated all his business slacks, collared shirts, and ties to Goodwill. You can follow Brian on Facebook.
How Many Copies Of Your Book Would You Have To Sell In Order To Break Even?
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“BOOK—HowMaster”
HowMaster: The Writer's Guide to Beautiful Word Crafting
Author Linda M. Gigliotti draws from years of practice as a private
writing tutor in the guidebook that teaches writers how to format visceral
writing that pulls readers into their book. She explains with instruction
and samples of published works how to craft writing that come to life in the reader's mind.
HowMaster is a wise choice for the writer who wants to weave words around the reader’s heart.
Author Linda M. Gigliotti draws from years of practice as a private
writing tutor in the guidebook that teaches writers how to format visceral
writing that pulls readers into their book. She explains with instruction
and samples of published works how to craft writing that come to life in the reader's mind.
Practical resource outlining the self-syndication process, step-by-step. Packed with detailed information and useful tips for writers looking to gain readership, name recognition, publication and self-syndication for their column or articles.
It's A Dirty Job...Writing Porn For Fun And Profit! Includes Paying Markets!
Fact is, writing porn is fun! It's also one of the easier markets to crack and make money at while you're still honing your skills. "It's A Dirty Job..." is one of the only resources that can teach you everything you need to know to create your stories and target your markets.
So, You Wanna Be a Ghostwriter - How To Make Money Writing Without a Byline
Many freelance writers find it difficult to break into the publishing world. What they don't know, however, is that there's a faster and easier way to see their words in print. It's called ghostwriting, and it's an extremely lucrative, fun, and challenging career.
But how do you get started as a ghostwriter? How do you find new clients who will pay you to write their material? How do you charge? And what kind of contracts do you need to succeed? All these questions and more are answered in So, You Wanna Be a Ghostwriter...How to Make Money Writing Without a Byline.
Writing FAST: How to Write Anything with Lightning Speed
A systematic approach to writing that generates better quality quickly!
Chock full of ideas, tips, techniques and inspiration, this down-to-earth book is easy to read, and even easier to apply. Let author Jeff Bollow take you through a process that brings your ideas to the page faster, more powerfully and easier than ever before.
Writing is a constant dialogue between author and reader.
The craft of writing involves an interchange of emotions between an author and a reader. An author creates a story line, conflict, and characters, gives his characters words to speak, and then hands off these materials to a reader. This process results in a constant dialogue between the mental imagery produced by a reader and that proposed by the author.
TRAVEL WRITING 2.0: Earning Money from your Travels in the New Media Landscape - SECOND EDITION
Completely revised edition of the ground-breaking travel writing book that provides a road map to success in the digital age. It dives headlong into the entrepreneurial world of blogging and digital books, while still acknowledging the real money to be made in declining print forms.
Drawing on interviews and survey responses from more than 100 successful travel writers and bloggers, this is the definitive guide to creating success instead of waiting for permission. Written by a veteran, award-winning writer with two decades of experience as a book author, online publisher, freelancer, and blogger.
Do you want to REALLY keep 100% of your royalties?
Do you want to REALLY self-publish your book?
Do you want direct contracts with the world's largest Print on Demand printer as well as Ingram, the worldís largest book distributor, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Apple, and any other ebook retailer you choose?
7.625 STRATEGIES IN EVERY BEST-SELLER - Revised and Expanded Edition
At this moment, thousands of would-be authors are slaving away on their keyboards, dreaming of literary success. But their efforts won’t count for much. Of all those manuscripts, trade book editors will sign up only a slim fraction.
And of those titles--ones that that editors paid thousands of dollars to contract, print and publicize--an unhealthy percentage never sell enough copies to earn back their advances. Two years later, most will be out of print!
Acquisition Editor Tam Mossman shares seven essentials every book needs to stay in print, and sell!
Involved in Internet marketing since 1995 (when it officially became a profession), Richard Hoy is now focusing his years of online marketing expertise on using Facebook advertising to promote books.
His new company, Boost A Book, offers simple, affordable, and effective book promotion packages that make tapping into the full power of online marketing effortless for authors. Find out more at BoostABook.com.
Need an online marketing question answered? Contact him by clicking here.
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“BOOK-thereporter”
Named a "Hot New Release" by Amazon, and ranked #7 in the Metaphysical Fiction category less than a week after release!
"A real page turner. I can't wait to read the next installment." -Debbie Martindale Behrends, The Elburn Herald
Nic Pappas, a reporter with the Palatine Star newspaper, is assigned to cover a cold murder case known as The Brown's Chicken Massacre. Pappas meets, and falls in love with, Mary Jane Santos, who lost her brother, Roland, Jr., in the tragedy, tempting Pappas to violate the ethics of the reporter-source relationship. Believing the only way to end his dilemma is to solve the case, Pappas and Santos make a pledge to catch the killers...
Have a Freelance Success Story to share? We pay $40 on acceptance, non-exclusive electronic rights only. Success stories run around 300 words but we're very flexible. Our guidelines are here:
Angela Hoy is not only publisher of WritersWeekly.com, she's also co-owner of self-publishing services firm BookLocker.com and works directly with each author.
That's right, you work directly with the owner of BookLocker. No revolving customer service reps, no layers of bureaucracy to navigate, and absolutely no outsourcing to low-paying overseas call centers. We don't use call centers or telemarketing at all. You will never be shuffled from one "customer service rep" to another because we don't have any of those.
You will communicate directly with Angela about any needs you have at all, as well as Richard (book marketing advice), Brian (ebooks and technical issues), Ali (print formatting), Gwen (color-interior books) and Todd or Nancy (our awesome cover designers).
Since we are selective about which books we publish, we are able to work with every author one-on-one. In the past 18 years, BookLocker has published more than 9,000 titles.
Angela's been in the print-on-demand and self-publishing business for nearly two decades. She's seen it all, and is a great source of information. To ask her anything click here.
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Some or all of these links to writing job have expired. See the latest writing jobs by clicking here.
Ask Angela About Print On Demand and Self-Publishing
Angela is the Publisher of WritersWeekly.com and co-owner of the POD firm BookLocker.com
According to attorney Mark Levine, author of The Fine Print, BookLocker is:
"As close to perfection as you're going to find in the world of ebook and POD publishing. The ebook royalties are the highest I've ever seen, and the print royalties are better than average. BookLocker understands what new authors experience, and have put together a package that is the best in the business. You can't go wrong here. Plus, they're selective and won't publish any manuscript just because it's accompanied by a check. Also, the web site is well trafficked. If you can find a POD or epublisher with as much integrity and dedication to selling authors' books, but with lower POD publishing fees, please let me know."
Got questions? Ask Angela about Print On Demand and Self-publishing.
Have a POD Book with another publisher? See if BookLocker can give you a better deal. (BookLocker offers "disgruntled author discounts" to those who want to move from other POD services.)
Follow BookLocker on Facebook to keep track of self-publishing news and marketing resources.
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33 Worst Mistakes Writers Make About Blind Characters
I admire any writer who wants to tackle a blind character. But so many writers take up this challenge and FAIL. They research blindness by reading other fiction books, by observing their blind colleagues and acquaintances, and by tying on a blindfold and pretending to be blind themselves.
I understand the challenges your characters face, their triumphs, their hopes and their fears, because I've lived them. I work with people who have varying degrees of blindness every day, so I've seen every challenge, every situation you could imagine.
Let me share my knowledge to improve your writing. You can create blind characters that readers will fall in love with.
I’ve followed your great newsletter for years, Angela, and really want to work with you (at BookLocker).
But, I have a question.
My book is about domestic violence, and I’m in the early stages of founding a non profit that I hope will help survivors find employment. I’m hoping to do two things. I want to promote and fund my non-profit, as well as promote my new book, by saying the $1 of my proceeds will go to fund my non-profit (with a description of the organization, of course). Is there a way I can announce that on Booklocker and other sites? Do I just make it part of the cover or what? Or, can I include that in my bio?
I’d also like to offer a free copy of my previously-published, small ebook to everyone who purchases my new book. How do you recommend I let readers know about that?
Thanks.
A –
Offering to donate a portion of your proceeds to a charity that complements the topic of your book is a great way to encourage people to buy. And, giving away a freebie to new readers is also a great marketing technique!
FOR YOUR NON-PROFIT CONTRIBUTION INFO:
I recommend putting something like this on the cover, inside the book near the front (so that anyone reading your excerpt will see it), in your book’s description (that will be distributed to retailers for listing on their sites), and in your marketing materials:
For every copy purchased, the author will donate $1.00 to [Name and description of your non-profit].
YOUR FREE EBOOK OFFER:
I would add a note inside the new book that goes something like this:
Your purchase of this book entitles you to a FREE copy of [Book title and brief description]. To obtain your free book, simply forward a copy of your receipt to the author at [insert your email address].
33 Worst Mistakes Writers Make About Blind Characters
I admire any writer who wants to tackle a blind character. But so many writers take up this challenge and FAIL. They research blindness by reading other fiction books, by observing their blind colleagues and acquaintances, and by tying on a blindfold and pretending to be blind themselves.
I understand the challenges your characters face, their triumphs, their hopes and their fears, because I've lived them. I work with people who have varying degrees of blindness every day, so I've seen every challenge, every situation you could imagine.
Let me share my knowledge to improve your writing. You can create blind characters that readers will fall in love with.
~Stephanie Green
Named a "Hot New Release" by Amazon, and ranked #7 in the Metaphysical Fiction category less than a week after release!
"A real page turner. I can't wait to read the next installment." -Debbie Martindale Behrends, The Elburn Herald
Nic Pappas, a reporter with the Palatine Star newspaper, is assigned to cover a cold murder case known as The Brown's Chicken Massacre. Pappas meets, and falls in love with, Mary Jane Santos, who lost her brother, Roland, Jr., in the tragedy, tempting Pappas to violate the ethics of the reporter-source relationship. Believing the only way to end his dilemma is to solve the case, Pappas and Santos make a pledge to catch the killers...
Writing FAST: How to Write Anything with Lightning Speed
A systematic approach to writing that generates better quality quickly!
Chock full of ideas, tips, techniques and inspiration, this down-to-earth book is easy to read, and even easier to apply. Let author Jeff Bollow take you through a process that brings your ideas to the page faster, more powerfully and easier than ever before.
I am beyond furious! I just received an email from Xlibris, which as you know is part of Author Solutions. The message looked so professional, offering a holiday weekend sale, etc. They went on to present a beautiful sales pitch that would have fooled even the savviest of businessmen.
What really threw me through the roof was how they were able to brag/boast that they have an A rating with the Better Business Bureau, which is true. I checked it!!! HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE? Years ago, when they took me for a ride, it was my first experience in the industry and they got me good, I had filed a complaint with the Indiana BBB and back then it was an A rating. After all of these years and all of the complaints, how is it they still have the A rating?
Jennifer
A –
Author Solutions, which owns Xlibris, has 51 customer reviews on the BBB website with an average rating of only 1.5 stars. There are also 199 complaints. So, how can they possibly have an A+ rating?
Here’s how the Better Business Bureau reviews/complaints system works:
1. If a company responds to every complaint, their rating stays high regardless if the customer is happy with the outcome or not.
2. When a company is purchased by another firm, their BBB rating is wiped clean and they get to start over. All of the old complaints and reviews are deleted, negative and positive. Remember, Author Solutions was sold a few years ago.
3. When a company moves to a different state, they are then in a different BBB district and, just like with #2 above, their slate is wiped clean and they get to start over. When we moved from Maine to Florida, all of our positive reviews on the Better Business Bureau website were deleted. We were furious!
4. All you have to do to be “accredited” by the BBB is to pay their outrageous accreditation fee, which I call an extortion fee.
How much does that coveted “accreditation” cost? According to BBB.org, if your company is in, for example, Boston:
And, what does BBB accreditation mean? Only that the company has PAID the BBB for that logo to appear on their page on the BBB site!
According to their website:
“BBB accreditation does not mean that the business’s products or services have been evaluated or endorsed by BBB, or that BBB has made a determination as to the business’ product quality or competency in performing services.”
In my opinion, the BBB is a huge racket. There are lots of complaints about the Better Business Bureau on line but you won’t find any of those on the Better Business Bureau website itself.
Oh, and a noticed that the most recent complaint about Xlibris on the BBB website states they have “refund specialists.” Even Xlibis confirmed that in their response. If a company needs to employ “refund specialists,” they must be processing a LOT of refunds!
90+ DAYS OF PROMOTING YOUR BOOK ONLINE: Your Book's Daily Marketing Plan by Angela Hoy and Richard Hoy
Promoting your book online should be considered at least a part-time job. Highly successful authors spend more time promoting a book than they do writing it - a lot more.
We know what you're thinking. You're an author, not a marketer. Not to worry! We have more than a decade of successful online book selling experience under our belts
and we're going to teach you how to promote your book effectively online...and almost all of our techniques are FREE!
Online book promotion is not only simple but, if you have a step-by-step, day-to-day marketing plan (this book!), it can also be a very artistic endeavor,
which makes it fun for creative folks like you!
Yes, online book promoting can be EASY and FUN! Let us show you how, from Day 1 through Day 90...and beyond!
Have a question for Angela (writing/publishing) or Richard (marketing)? Contact us here.
Amazon has deleted some verified reviews from my book page, and isn’t allowing some (but not all) of the verified purchasers to leave reviews. Is this common, and can anything be done about it?
Mitch
A –
Hi Mitchell,
If these review were submitting by friends or family members, believe it or not, Amazon has a way of knowing that. For example, if I had a gift shipped to my aunt last year, and if she then posted a review of one of my books, Amazon would know we had a personal connection.
Amazon owns many companies. If you are “friends” with someone online, or have some other connection to that person in a database that Amazon owns, they can see that, too.
As ridiculous and Orwellian as it sounds, f Amazon does figure out a connection between the author and a reviewer, they can (and probably will) reject the review.
What will the topic be??? See the link below for all past topics and winning stories. Only 500 participants are allowed per contest so don’t delay if you wanna play!
COME JOIN US RIGHT HERE ON SATURDAY, 7/13/19! It’s a blast! 🙂
1st Place $300 + a Book Publishing Package from BookLocker.com! (Value: $875)
90+ DAYS OF PROMOTING YOUR BOOK ONLINE: Your Book's Daily Marketing Plan by Angela Hoy and Richard Hoy
Promoting your book online should be considered at least a part-time job. Highly successful authors spend more time promoting a book than they do writing it - a lot more.
We know what you're thinking. You're an author, not a marketer. Not to worry! We have more than a decade of successful online book selling experience under our belts
and we're going to teach you how to promote your book effectively online...and almost all of our techniques are FREE!
Online book promotion is not only simple but, if you have a step-by-step, day-to-day marketing plan (this book!), it can also be a very artistic endeavor,
which makes it fun for creative folks like you!
Yes, online book promoting can be EASY and FUN! Let us show you how, from Day 1 through Day 90...and beyond!
BOOK PROPOSALS THAT WORKED! Real Book Proposals That Landed $10K - $100K Publishing Contracts - by Angela Hoy
Peek over the shoulders of highly successful, published authors to see how they landed publishing contracts worth $10,000 to $100,000! An enticing yet professional book proposal is the key!
BONUS! Successful ghostwriter, Anton Marco, shares his secret for landing ghostwriting clients. Don’t miss Anton’s real ghostwriting contract at the end of this book! It provides an example of what he charges and the payment terms he requires from each client.
Writing FAST: How to Write Anything with Lightning Speed
A systematic approach to writing that generates better quality quickly!
Chock full of ideas, tips, techniques and inspiration, this down-to-earth book is easy to read, and even easier to apply. Let author Jeff Bollow take you through a process that brings your ideas to the page faster, more powerfully and easier than ever before.
I wrote a book and got several dozen images from the Internet to put inside. My publisher just informed me that I need to obtain permission from the copyright holders for permission to use every single image. I don’t remember what websites I went to. I just found photos I liked and copied and pasted them into my manuscript.
I don’t know what to do! My publisher won’t find the sources of the photos for me and they also won’t send anyone letters asking if I or they have permission to use those photos. Is there a software program that can do this for me?
A –
I must admit I get offended when I receive emails like this. Why in the world would a writer, who I’m certain is very interested in protecting her OWN intellectual property rights, feels that it’s okay to go to anyone’s website, pluck a photo or two, and insert them into her own book. I mean…what in the world was this author thinking?!
No, a publisher isn’t going to go online, and hunt for dozens of photos to see if they are in the public domain or not…nor will a publisher be interested in hunting down the copyright owners of those photos, and sending them all emails or letter.
In all likelihood, NONE of the photos the author used are in the public domain.
I advised the author to go back to square one. Use a reputable site like dreamstime.com, and BUY the rights to use photos there.
90+ DAYS OF PROMOTING YOUR BOOK ONLINE: Your Book's Daily Marketing Plan by Angela Hoy and Richard Hoy
Promoting your book online should be considered at least a part-time job. Highly successful authors spend more time promoting a book than they do writing it - a lot more.
We know what you're thinking. You're an author, not a marketer. Not to worry! We have more than a decade of successful online book selling experience under our belts
and we're going to teach you how to promote your book effectively online...and almost all of our techniques are FREE!
Online book promotion is not only simple but, if you have a step-by-step, day-to-day marketing plan (this book!), it can also be a very artistic endeavor,
which makes it fun for creative folks like you!
Yes, online book promoting can be EASY and FUN! Let us show you how, from Day 1 through Day 90...and beyond!
“The manuscript file my publisher and I are exchanging back and forth looks completely different and I am pulling my hair out! I’m using Microsoft Word 97-2003. I’ve never had this problem before. Do you have any advice?”
A –
Your publisher is more than likely using the current version of that software. What you’re using is at least 16 years old, and possibly older. While MSWord worked with much older versions for a long time, it now no longer does.
I definitely recommend upgrading. If you don’t want to sign up for the ridiculous monthly subscription fees being charged by Microsoft now, you can still purchase the software for one payment, which is what I do. I refuse to get sucked into monthly fees for software! The current version of Microsoft Office is only $129.99 at Amazon (which is less than what I spent at Best Buy).
So, You Wanna Be a Ghostwriter - How To Make Money Writing Without a Byline
Many freelance writers find it difficult to break into the publishing world. What they don't know, however, is that there's a faster and easier way to see their words in print. It's called ghostwriting, and it's an extremely lucrative, fun, and challenging career.
But how do you get started as a ghostwriter? How do you find new clients who will pay you to write their material? How do you charge? And what kind of contracts do you need to succeed? All these questions and more are answered in So, You Wanna Be a Ghostwriter...How to Make Money Writing Without a Byline.
So, You Wanna Be a Ghostwriter - How To Make Money Writing Without a Byline
Many freelance writers find it difficult to break into the publishing world. What they don't know, however, is that there's a faster and easier way to see their words in print. It's called ghostwriting, and it's an extremely lucrative, fun, and challenging career.
But how do you get started as a ghostwriter? How do you find new clients who will pay you to write their material? How do you charge? And what kind of contracts do you need to succeed? All these questions and more are answered in So, You Wanna Be a Ghostwriter...How to Make Money Writing Without a Byline.
Writing FAST: How to Write Anything with Lightning Speed
A systematic approach to writing that generates better quality quickly!
Chock full of ideas, tips, techniques and inspiration, this down-to-earth book is easy to read, and even easier to apply. Let author Jeff Bollow take you through a process that brings your ideas to the page faster, more powerfully and easier than ever before.
Writing is a constant dialogue between author and reader.
The craft of writing involves an interchange of emotions between an author and a reader. An author creates a story line, conflict, and characters, gives his characters words to speak, and then hands off these materials to a reader. This process results in a constant dialogue between the mental imagery produced by a reader and that proposed by the author.
I’m in the process of publishing my book with (a large publisher). I did pay for publication of the book – almost $900. Then, almost $300 for an “assessment.” The person who represents the publisher keeps pushing me to pay for marketing services before the book is done, arguing with me, and asking $3,100 for my book to be in five book fairs.
It seems suspicious for me that she is delaying the publication of my book, saying that I should prepay for marketing first. I want to see my book get published first, and then decide what to do.
Is she doing this fraudulently? I don’t understand and this is why I decided to ask for your help. I can’t contact anybody in authority at the company. They only let me contact that one person.
A –
They can’t legally put the publication of your book on hold while insisting you pay even more money for future services. That is extortion.
“Obtain (something) by force, threats, or other unfair means.” – dictionary.com
I looked up your publisher and they’re a large company that is very good at upselling authors on worthless marketing products and services. Think about it. If having your book appear at a book fair really made any money, and if your publisher profits from every book sold (they do), wouldn’t they offer that service for free?
Simply tell that sales person that you want to get your book published first, and will deal with marketing later. Then, if you really need marketing help, hire a different company to help you.
If she continues to delay publication of your book, threaten to report the publisher to the attorney general in their state. Read exactly how to do that RIGHT HERE.
Book fairs don’t sell books unless the author is a celebrity. Don’t fall for that sales pitch. You will be grossly disappointed.
90+ DAYS OF PROMOTING YOUR BOOK ONLINE: Your Book's Daily Marketing Plan by Angela Hoy and Richard Hoy
Promoting your book online should be considered at least a part-time job. Highly successful authors spend more time promoting a book than they do writing it - a lot more.
We know what you're thinking. You're an author, not a marketer. Not to worry! We have more than a decade of successful online book selling experience under our belts
and we're going to teach you how to promote your book effectively online...and almost all of our techniques are FREE!
Online book promotion is not only simple but, if you have a step-by-step, day-to-day marketing plan (this book!), it can also be a very artistic endeavor,
which makes it fun for creative folks like you!
Yes, online book promoting can be EASY and FUN! Let us show you how, from Day 1 through Day 90...and beyond!
Do you want to REALLY keep 100% of your royalties?
Do you want to REALLY self-publish your book?
Do you want direct contracts with the world's largest Print on Demand printer as well as Ingram, the worldís largest book distributor, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Apple, and any other ebook retailer you choose?
Writing FAST: How to Write Anything with Lightning Speed
A systematic approach to writing that generates better quality quickly!
Chock full of ideas, tips, techniques and inspiration, this down-to-earth book is easy to read, and even easier to apply. Let author Jeff Bollow take you through a process that brings your ideas to the page faster, more powerfully and easier than ever before.
I signed on with a well-known vanity publisher after high pressure sales tactics, but withdrew immediately. Per their contract, they must refund 100% of my money but they haven’t done so. I can’t afford to hire another publisher until I get my money back. What can I do?
A –
Send them an email AND a certified letter demanding they credit the charge back to your card within two business days. Tell them, if they don’t, you are are going to report them to the attorney general in their state, and NAME that attorney general. Also, it is imperative that you give them the link to the attorney general’s online complaint form so they’ll know you’re serious.
For example:
Date
Publishing Company
Address
City/State/Zip
Attn: Name of Publisher
[BRIEFLY DESCRIBE YOUR COMPLAINT HERE. Be sure to include name of employees you corresponded with and, if applicable, quote the contract terms regarding refunds.]
You must credit my card for $____________, per your contract, within two (2) business days or I will be reporting your firm to [STATE] Attorney General [FIRST AND LAST NAME] – [INSERT URL OF ONLINE COMPLAINT FORM].
Your name
Your book’s title
Your contact info.
To find the attorney general in any state, use your favorite search engine to search for:
attorney general (state where the publisher is located)
Almost every attorney general website now has an online form to use when filing a complaint.
I checked and you’re not the only person with complaints about that company.
Threatening to post negative comments about a firm online isn’t going to help. If it did, that company wouldn’t have so many posted about them already. Even threatening to post a negative review on the Better Business Bureau website won’t work. There are countless complaints about that company there, too.
However, if an Attorney General receives enough complaints about a company, they might launch an investigation and THAT is serious business, and can lead to criminal charges, which are far more serious than any type of civil complaint. They know that and I suspect they will jump when they realize you know exactly who to contact about your complaint, and you know the exact online form to use when doing so.
If they still don’t pay you, I recommend reaching out to other victims (they’re easy to find online based on all the complaints about that company), and providing them with the attorney general’s complaint form link, too.
Writing FAST: How to Write Anything with Lightning Speed
A systematic approach to writing that generates better quality quickly!
Chock full of ideas, tips, techniques and inspiration, this down-to-earth book is easy to read, and even easier to apply. Let author Jeff Bollow take you through a process that brings your ideas to the page faster, more powerfully and easier than ever before.
TRAVEL WRITING 2.0: Earning Money from your Travels in the New Media Landscape - SECOND EDITION
Completely revised edition of the ground-breaking travel writing book that provides a road map to success in the digital age. It dives headlong into the entrepreneurial world of blogging and digital books, while still acknowledging the real money to be made in declining print forms.
Drawing on interviews and survey responses from more than 100 successful travel writers and bloggers, this is the definitive guide to creating success instead of waiting for permission. Written by a veteran, award-winning writer with two decades of experience as a book author, online publisher, freelancer, and blogger.
“I wrote a book about the abuse I endured as a child. I purchased the rights to use a photo from a stock photo agency. It’s a crying little girl who looks somewhat similar to me as a child. That photo will be very powerful on my book’s cover. But, my cover designer refuses to use it because my book is about abuse. Can she refuse to use a photo I legally bought for a cover I already paid him to design?”
C.A.
A –
I am not an attorney and this is not legal advice. You will need to consult with your own attorney on specific legal questions you have.
That said…
First, kudos to you for hiring a cover designer who watches out for authors (and for himself) in this manner. Anyone buying your book might assume that the little girl on the cover was the abuse victim. And, if anyone recognizes that little girl, it can harm her reputation. You can’t use any photo you want, for any reason, just because you paid for it.
All of the reputable stock photo agencies have clauses in their contracts designed to protect models from libel, defamation, invasion of privacy, or any harm to their reputations at all. Authors, cover designers, and publishers must be very wary about printing a book with an actual person’s face on the cover.
Think about it. What if you let a photographer take your picture, signed a photo release, and then found your face on the cover of a book about a rape victim? Or, about a girl who was molested? Or, about a woman who committed murder?
Your designer was right to reject the photo. He could have also been held liable had the book gone to market, and had the girl’s parents sued.
Do unto others as you would have them to unto you. Think before you publish. Don’t assume that, just because you paid for something, you can do whatever you want with it. That’s what lawsuits in this industry are made of – authors, publishers, and designers not knowing the laws, not reading contracts, and making assumptions about their own rights. You’re very lucky. Your designer may have not only saved you from a lawsuit, but, more importantly, may have saved that little girl from humiliation and damage to her reputation in the future.
QUERY LETTERS THAT WORKED! Real Queries That Landed $2K+ Writing Assignments
Peek over the shoulders of highly successful freelance writers to see how they earn thousands per article! The query letter is the key!
In these pages, you'll find real query letters that landed real assignments for national magazines, websites, and corporations.
Also includes:
Abbi Perrets' form letter that brings in $30,000-$45,000 annually
Sample phone query from Christine Greeley
The Six Golden Rules of Queries and Submissions...and How I Broke Them! by Bob Freiday
Your Rights As a "Freelancer"
and ANGELA HOY'S SECRET for finding ongoing freelance work from companies that have a stable of freelancers, yet never run ads for them!
BOOK PROPOSALS THAT WORKED! Real Book Proposals That Landed $10K - $100K Publishing Contracts - by Angela Hoy
Peek over the shoulders of highly successful, published authors to see how they landed publishing contracts worth $10,000 to $100,000! An enticing yet professional book proposal is the key!
BONUS! Successful ghostwriter, Anton Marco, shares his secret for landing ghostwriting clients. Don’t miss Anton’s real ghostwriting contract at the end of this book! It provides an example of what he charges and the payment terms he requires from each client.
7.625 STRATEGIES IN EVERY BEST-SELLER - Revised and Expanded Edition
At this moment, thousands of would-be authors are slaving away on their keyboards, dreaming of literary success. But their efforts won’t count for much. Of all those manuscripts, trade book editors will sign up only a slim fraction.
And of those titles--ones that that editors paid thousands of dollars to contract, print and publicize--an unhealthy percentage never sell enough copies to earn back their advances. Two years later, most will be out of print!
Acquisition Editor Tam Mossman shares seven essentials every book needs to stay in print, and sell!
33 Worst Mistakes Writers Make About Blind Characters
I admire any writer who wants to tackle a blind character. But so many writers take up this challenge and FAIL. They research blindness by reading other fiction books, by observing their blind colleagues and acquaintances, and by tying on a blindfold and pretending to be blind themselves.
I understand the challenges your characters face, their triumphs, their hopes and their fears, because I've lived them. I work with people who have varying degrees of blindness every day, so I've seen every challenge, every situation you could imagine.
Let me share my knowledge to improve your writing. You can create blind characters that readers will fall in love with.
~Stephanie Green
It's A Dirty Job...Writing Porn For Fun And Profit! Includes Paying Markets!
Fact is, writing porn is fun! It's also one of the easier markets to crack and make money at while you're still honing your skills. "It's A Dirty Job..." is one of the only resources that can teach you everything you need to know to create your stories and target your markets.
I want to write about my childhood experiences involving experiences I shared with friends. I’d really like to use their names, and surprise them with a copy of the book when it’s finished. What advice can you give me about this? Is there already an article about writing about your childhood on WritersWeekly?
M.E.
A –
We always recommend changing the names entirely when you are writing about life events. You should also consider changing other identifying info. in each story. You never know when someone from your past has grown up to be a litigious adult. And, even if you change their names, they can still sue you if they disagree with what you’ve written.
Brian Whiddon
Managing Editor – WritersWeekly.com
Operations Manager – BookLocker.com
Brian Whiddon is the Managing Editor of WritersWeekly.com and the Operations Manager at BookLocker.com. Brian is an Army vet and former police officer, and spent several years chained to a desk, commuting Tampa's congested roadways, working in corporate management and training, while writing in his spare time. He is now an author, blogger, and NRA-certified firearms instructor. Brian lives and works aboard his 36-foot sailboat, the “Floggin’ Molly” in St. Petersburg, Florida. He calls her his "rescue boat" that he found abandoned in a boat yard and rebuilt himself - fulfilling a dream he had to one day live aboard. Brian no longer commutes, and has donated all his business slacks, collared shirts, and ties to Goodwill. You can follow Brian on Facebook.
90+ DAYS OF PROMOTING YOUR BOOK ONLINE: Your Book's Daily Marketing Plan by Angela Hoy and Richard Hoy
Promoting your book online should be considered at least a part-time job. Highly successful authors spend more time promoting a book than they do writing it - a lot more.
We know what you're thinking. You're an author, not a marketer. Not to worry! We have more than a decade of successful online book selling experience under our belts
and we're going to teach you how to promote your book effectively online...and almost all of our techniques are FREE!
Online book promotion is not only simple but, if you have a step-by-step, day-to-day marketing plan (this book!), it can also be a very artistic endeavor,
which makes it fun for creative folks like you!
Yes, online book promoting can be EASY and FUN! Let us show you how, from Day 1 through Day 90...and beyond!
It's A Dirty Job...Writing Porn For Fun And Profit! Includes Paying Markets!
Fact is, writing porn is fun! It's also one of the easier markets to crack and make money at while you're still honing your skills. "It's A Dirty Job..." is one of the only resources that can teach you everything you need to know to create your stories and target your markets.
Writing FAST: How to Write Anything with Lightning Speed
A systematic approach to writing that generates better quality quickly!
Chock full of ideas, tips, techniques and inspiration, this down-to-earth book is easy to read, and even easier to apply. Let author Jeff Bollow take you through a process that brings your ideas to the page faster, more powerfully and easier than ever before.
This is a very good question and, unfortunately, figuring this out might be expensive. First, have any of your readers complained about the quality of your book? Have any of them notified you that the book they received didn’t look quite like the one featured on your website? If you can answer yes to either of these questions, you might be a victim of counterfeiters.
Some counterfeiters might list books directly on Amazon, for sale through Amazon. Search on Amazon for your book’s title in quotes, and look for two or more listings. Click on the “read inside” option (if available) to see if it’s really your book or not. Is the cover exactly like yours or are there subtle (or not so subtle) differences?
The only way to confirm your book has been counterfeited is to order copies from some Amazon resellers that appear suspicious. Look for ones that are low-balling your book’s list price.
Unfortunately, Amazon, nor any of the articles I’ve seen on this troubling topic, have listed the resellers or “publishers” that are selling counterfeit copies.
If you do find counterfeit copies of your book, immediately notify Amazon’s copyright infringement division. DEMAND they remove the counterfeit copies and that they terminate that seller’s account.
Also, please send me information you gather in the process, including the names of the counterfeiting sellers so we can share that information with our readers and authors. We would all appreciate it! And, we might be able to help you figure out which company is actually printing those counterfeit copies.
90+ DAYS OF PROMOTING YOUR BOOK ONLINE: Your Book's Daily Marketing Plan by Angela Hoy and Richard Hoy
Promoting your book online should be considered at least a part-time job. Highly successful authors spend more time promoting a book than they do writing it - a lot more.
We know what you're thinking. You're an author, not a marketer. Not to worry! We have more than a decade of successful online book selling experience under our belts
and we're going to teach you how to promote your book effectively online...and almost all of our techniques are FREE!
Online book promotion is not only simple but, if you have a step-by-step, day-to-day marketing plan (this book!), it can also be a very artistic endeavor,
which makes it fun for creative folks like you!
Yes, online book promoting can be EASY and FUN! Let us show you how, from Day 1 through Day 90...and beyond!
The Art and Craft of Writing and Editing
Writing is a constant dialogue between author and reader.
The craft of writing involves an interchange of emotions between an author and a reader. An author creates a story line, conflict, and characters, gives his characters words to speak, and then hands off these materials to a reader. This process results in a constant dialogue between the mental imagery produced by a reader and that proposed by the author.
Writing FAST: How to Write Anything with Lightning Speed
A systematic approach to writing that generates better quality quickly!
Chock full of ideas, tips, techniques and inspiration, this down-to-earth book is easy to read, and even easier to apply. Let author Jeff Bollow take you through a process that brings your ideas to the page faster, more powerfully and easier than ever before.
TRAVEL WRITING 2.0: Earning Money from your Travels in the New Media Landscape - SECOND EDITION
Completely revised edition of the ground-breaking travel writing book that provides a road map to success in the digital age. It dives headlong into the entrepreneurial world of blogging and digital books, while still acknowledging the real money to be made in declining print forms.
Drawing on interviews and survey responses from more than 100 successful travel writers and bloggers, this is the definitive guide to creating success instead of waiting for permission. Written by a veteran, award-winning writer with two decades of experience as a book author, online publisher, freelancer, and blogger.
Have a question for Angela (writing/publishing) or Richard (marketing)? Contact us here.
“shortangiebio”
Angela Hoy lives on a 52' Irwin Center Cockpit Ketch (sailboat) with her family and pets. She is the publisher of WritersWeekly.com, BookLocker.com, and AbuzzPress, and the author of 19 books. Keep up with her family's adventurous liveaboard lifestyle at GotNoTanLines.com.
Angela Hoy is the publisher of WritersWeekly.com, the author of 19 books, and the co-owner of BookLocker.com (one of the original POD publishers that still gets books to market in less than a month), PubPreppers.com (print and ebook design for authors who truly want to self-publish), and Abuzz Press (the publishing co-op that charges no setup fees).
Angela lives on a 52' Irwin Center Cockpit Ketch (sailboat) with her family and pets. Keep up with her family's adventurous liveaboard lifestyle at GotNoTanLines.com
WritersWeekly.com - the free marketing ezine for writers, which features new paying markets and freelance job listings every Wednesday.
BookLocker.com - According to attorney Mark Levine, author of The Fine Print, BookLocker is: "As close to perfection as you're going to find in the world of ebook and POD publishing. The ebook royalties are the highest I've ever seen, and the print royalties are better than average. BookLocker understands what new authors experience, and have put together a package that is the best in the business. You can't go wrong here. Plus, they're selective and won't publish any manuscript just because it's accompanied by a check. Also, the web site is well trafficked. If you can find a POD or epublisher with as much integrity and dedication to selling authors' books, but with lower POD publishing fees, please let me know."
Abuzz Press offers FAST and FREE book publication, but only accepts a small percentage of submissions, and only works with U.S. authors.
PubPreppers.com - "We Prep, You Publish!" Print and ebook design for authors who truly want to self-publish. Offers formatting and design services only, and then provides simple instructions for authors on where to sign up to have the print and ebook editions printed/listed/sold. Cut out the middle man. Keep 100% of what bookstores pay for your book!
Angela's POD Secrets Revealed Series can be found HERE.
Have a POD Book with another publisher? See if BookLocker can give you a better deal. (BookLocker offers "disgruntled author discounts" to those who want to move from other POD services.)
Joel's BookProgram: The Simple Secret To Writing A Non-Fiction Book In 30 Days, At 1 Hour A Day! - SECOND EDITION
If you are a solo professional, having your own book is one of the best investments of time and money you can make, to promote your business and gain more clients. Why?
If you are an author, you are an authority--an expert in your field.
A book is a tangible credential.
Your book can differentiate you from your competition.
It's an opportunity to explain your uniqueness, your "special sauce."
Order "The Simple Secret To Writing A Non-Fiction Book In 30 Days, At 1 Hour A Day!" right away. And picture yourself handing your own book to a prospect, in just a short time!
“BOOK-fine”
The FINE PRINT of Self-Publishing - Fifth Edition - by Mark Levine
The Fine Print of Self-Publishing has been lauded by many experts as the Consumer Reports of the self-publishing industry. This book has helped thousands of authors choose the right self-publishing company and avoid the ones with unfair contracts or low-quality services.
"If you're considering paying a company to publish your book, don't do anything until you read The Fine Print and consider the alternatives. It will save you a lot of time, money, and heartache." -Dan Poynter, The Self-Publishing Manual
“BOOK-bookproposals”
BOOK PROPOSALS THAT WORKED! Real Book Proposals That Landed $10K - $100K Publishing Contracts - by Angela Hoy
Peek over the shoulders of highly successful, published authors to see how they landed publishing contracts worth $10,000 to $100,000! An enticing yet professional book proposal is the key!
BONUS! Successful ghostwriter, Anton Marco, shares his secret for landing ghostwriting clients. Don’t miss Anton’s real ghostwriting contract at the end of this book! It provides an example of what he charges and the payment terms he requires from each client.
“90days”
90+ DAYS OF PROMOTING YOUR BOOK ONLINE: Your Book's Daily Marketing Plan by Angela Hoy and Richard Hoy
Promoting your book online should be considered at least a part-time job. Highly successful authors spend more time promoting a book than they do writing it - a lot more.
We know what you're thinking. You're an author, not a marketer. Not to worry! We have more than a decade of successful online book selling experience under our belts
and we're going to teach you how to promote your book effectively online...and almost all of our techniques are FREE!
Online book promotion is not only simple but, if you have a step-by-step, day-to-day marketing plan (this book!), it can also be a very artistic endeavor,
which makes it fun for creative folks like you!
Yes, online book promoting can be EASY and FUN! Let us show you how, from Day 1 through Day 90...and beyond!
“SocialMedia”
“EmailSignup”
It's FREE!
(We won't sell your address, or spam you.)
After clicking "SUBSCRIBE" above, check your email to confirm your subscription.
Once you click on the link in your email, you'll be taken to a page on our site where you can instantly download your free book.
Yes, it's that easy!
NOTE: If you don't receive our email, please check your spam filters. Please whitelist emails coming from writersweekly@writersweekly.com.
“BOOK-QueryLetters”
QUERY LETTERS THAT WORKED! Real Queries That Landed $2K+ Writing Assignments
Peek over the shoulders of highly successful freelance writers to see how they earn thousands per article! The query letter is the key!
In these pages, you'll find real query letters that landed real assignments for national magazines, websites, and corporations.
Also includes:
Abbi Perrets' form letter that brings in $30,000-$45,000 annually
Sample phone query from Christine Greeley
The Six Golden Rules of Queries and Submissions...and How I Broke Them! by Bob Freiday
Your Rights As a "Freelancer"
and ANGELA HOY'S SECRET for finding ongoing freelance work from companies that have a stable of freelancers, yet never run ads for them!
Brian Whiddon is the Managing Editor of WritersWeekly.com and the Operations Manager at BookLocker.com. Brian is an Army vet and former police officer, and spent several years chained to a desk, commuting Tampa's congested roadways, working in corporate management and training, while writing in his spare time. He is now an author, blogger, and NRA-certified firearms instructor. Brian lives and works aboard his 36-foot sailboat, the “Floggin’ Molly” in St. Petersburg, Florida. He calls her his "rescue boat" that he found abandoned in a boat yard and rebuilt himself - fulfilling a dream he had to one day live aboard. Brian no longer commutes, and has donated all his business slacks, collared shirts, and ties to Goodwill. You can follow Brian on Facebook.
