Dangerous Liasons in Social Networking
Business, Marketing » Editors, Queries, ReviewsJuly 8th, 2009
“Hush, hush. Keep it down now, voices carry!”
Voices Cary sung by Aimee Mann
This is an interesting time for those of us trying to market our work. We have the internet, and all the “free” networking that comes with it. But I would like to extend a word of caution to my fellow authors. As fun as social networks can be, they are a dangerous outlet of frustration and hurt feelings if not taken seriously.
Lightening Source Publishing
Business » Print-on-Demand, Publishing, Self-PubbingJune 24th, 2009
Just for the record, I’m switching my posting schedule to once every two weeks. Hopefully I can keep up with this schedule once school starts again.
I’m getting into the self-publishing gig again, and I’m liking it. Last week, Zoe wrote an article about Lightening Source, which is the best-kept secret in the self-publishing industry, methinks. Zoe has written about this before, but in case you know nothing about Lightening Source, read the article linked at the beginning of this paragraph.
The main points are as follows…
Indie-Publishing Extravaganza
Business » Covers, Publishing, Self-Pubbing, Tools, WebsitesFebruary 18th, 2009
I am a fan of the indie-publisher in the same way that I’m a fan of a lot of indie musicians. It’s a scary thing to put your work out there for others to judge. And as there will always be artists that maybe shouldn’t have released their work, there are authors that shouldn’t release theirs.
But that goes vice-versa, too. There are indie artists who are so good at what they do that they gain fans, word-of-mouth publicity, and possibly even a big label contract, which may or may not be their end goal. Lucky for us, the same thing goes for authors… except there is still a stigma behind “self-publishing.”
Today, I’m listing some useful websites that will help you decide if you want to take that leap into the unknown and become an independently published author.
To Self-Publish or Not
Business, Writing » Publishing, Self-PubbingOctober 21st, 2008
The other day, I indulged during my break time and did some reading on self-publishing. This is self-publishing in the literal sense, meaning that I would handle the interior and exterior layout design, select the printer for the book, obtain my own ISBN, set up a business account, find the printer, and handle distribution.
In other words, to self-publish, I would be a micro press, a.k.a. small business owner. I’m not sure people realize that, in order to be a true self-publisher, you are effectively going into business. This is very different from publishing through Aventine Press, for instance (their services are excellent, but have high retail prices).
Urgent Update: Free Writer’s Word Processor Giveaway
Business, Writing » Announcements, ToolsJuly 18th, 2008
For all of you writers looking for a word processor that caters to you as a writer (i.e. something that isn’t Microsoft Word), you NEED to get over to Giveaway of the Day. For today only they are releasing the Liquid Story Binder, a program made specifically for writers.
Share and Share Alike
Business » Agents, Links, Publishing, QuotesJuly 17th, 2008
Writers are sharing a lot with each other this week. There are great things happening and I want you to be a part of it. In this post I’ll talk about J.A. Konrath’s free e-book that guides newbie authors on publishing, remind you about a great forum to reference when looking for agents and publishers, and advertise Lynn Viehl’s workshop where fellow authors and writers offer their knowledge in a week-long online convention.
Self-Publishers in the wilds of Amazon
Business » Announcements, Marketing, Print-on-Demand, Publishing, Self-Pubbing, Small PressJune 5th, 2008
I was going to post a Thursday Thirteen on graduating with my bachelors of science in computer science and engineering. Note the past tense. Instead, I’m going to weigh in on this ongoing hooplah about Amazon.com making a business decision that no small or self-publisher wants to hear: that print-on-demand books sold through Amazon must use Amazon’s subsidiary, BookSurge, rather than relying on the industry standard, Lightening Source.
31 Questions when Choosing an Agent
Business, Marketing » Agents, Publishing, Queries, TraditionalMarch 20th, 2008
Agents, it seems, are the way to break into the traditional publishing field for authors. But how do you find an agent? More importantly, once you find an agent, how do you know they are a good one? This is not a decision for the faint of heart, as Susan Kearney points out at Plot Monkeys.
Self-Published Authors and Taxes
Business, General » Links, Publishing, Self-PubbingMarch 4th, 2008
It turns out that if you’re self-published, you’re considered self-employed. If you’re self-employed, you need to report your income if you accept more than $400 a year for your services (as seen on the form, here).
So for you writers that are either self-published or vanity-published, here are some tax forms you might want to take a look at.
Quote: Failure to Please
Business, General, Writing » Announcements, Fun, QuotesJuly 19th, 2007
A writer attempts to show how even a well-known classic author wouldn’t cut it in today’s cutthroat publishing business.
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