Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category
Tracking the sale price of your book at Amazon
April 5th, 2010 by Nick CiskeEver wondered how much Amazon discounts your book or how much used copies are going for? If the price fluctuates — does that affect sales?
camelcamelcamel provides simple, free Amazon price drop alerts and price history charts.
Here’s an example of a book’s price history.
It’s designed for customers to be able to get the best price on an item… but, as the publisher, you can also use it to track your books.
The service only tracks products it knows about, so head over and enter the ISBN of your book right now so it’ll be in their tracking database.
Did you try camelcamelcamel?
Did you find it useful?
3 Things to Leave Out of Your Author Bio
March 23rd, 2010 by Kimberly BrockThe BelieversPress blog features Q & A sessions with the experts we work with, answering questions that you’ve asked. Have a question? Send it to info@believerspress.com and we’ll get you an answer!
You asked:
What three things shouldn’t I include in my cover bio?
- Incorporate “Anointed by God to teach/write/speak…” In 2 Corinthians 1:21-22, the Word says, “Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God.” If you are in Christ, you are anointed along with every other believer in the world. While some authors may feel it significant to state, I believe it is more important to choose your words carefully in establishing yourself as the expert of your own work. If you want to mention your faith, do so in a way that sets you apart: “David has helped to lead Bible studies for 12 years…” You only have 3-5 seconds to grab your buyer’s attention. Select your words wisely.
- Announce this is your first book. As an author, you have to remember that you are your product. In order to put your best foot forward, you want to lead your bio with a strong statement about yourself including some of your qualifications to write your book. In other words, it would be better to lead with, “Sally is a part-time editor and freelance writer” rather than “Sally is a housewife who between hauling her kids to activities finds time to write.” Both statements could be true, but the first example better places you as a professional.
- Include too much information. Although your bio is a the place to list your many accomplishments, I encourage authors to carefully edit and select information that helps support the sale of the book. A good bio does not have to be complicated. I just read an article on bios. In this article it said that on a bookcover, readers want you to answer:
1) who you are…
2) your expertise and how it addresses…
3) their problem or goal, and how they can…
4) contact you
I agree with this theory and suggest that you may add a little more about your personal life (married, with children, etc.). But for the most part if you have those components satisfied, the reader will be happy. Also, do be sure to include a website that is current and active as well as a professional email address for which your readers can contact you.
For more information, please read an article I wrote titled Crafting Your Bio.
The Future of Publishing (according to Penguin)
March 18th, 2010 by Nick CiskeRead the story behind this video at The Future of Publishing post on Penguin’s site.
Memoir vs. Autobiography
February 18th, 2010 by Nick CiskeDo you know the difference between a memoir and an autobiography? Do you know which sells?
Chip MacGregor weighs in on the issue in his latest blog post entitled Let’s Talk Memoir:
There’s a difference between “memoir” and “autobiography.”
An autobiography is a straight retelling of one’s life — what happened, what were the events/decisions, what did those result in.
A memoir is a more personal narrative of the significant change points in one’s life. It doesn’t have to be linear, whereas an autobiography is almost always linear. And the focus can be more on the effects in your personal life — what you were feeling, what you learned, how you changed. The emphasis is almost always on a catharsis of some kind. So while the goal of autobiography is to get the facts straight, the goal of memoir is something more akin to “reveal myself and my story, in order to reveal principles that will help others live more effectively.” (This isn’t a dictionary definition; it’s a MacGregor Definition.)
Read the rest of the post for more tips on writing a great memoir.
Do Authors Really Need to Promote Their Own Books?
February 16th, 2010 by Nick CiskeMary DeMuth (one of the many expert providers at BelieversPress) has a great guest post over at Michael Hyatt’s blog (CEO of Thomas Nelson).
Read Do Authors Really Need to Promote Their Own Books? and let us know what you’re doing to promote your book in the comments below.
The past is prolog – and flashback
February 1st, 2010 by Paul HawleyPresent-tense narration is widely popular today, for many good reasons. Let’s not get into the pros and cons; my purpose is to deal with a thorny practical matter that always comes up when you choose to narrate a story in present tense. To my mind, the most difficult aspect of present-tense narration is sequence of verb tenses in relating previous action, correctly harking back to before the present moment in the mind of the POV character.
The “rules” are deceptively simple: In the midst of narration in present tense, simple past tense works flawlessly for actions, thoughts, dialogue, etc., that precede the present moment. The corollary is also simple to a fault: Not past-perfect but present-perfect corresponds to preceding actions that relate to the present.
As a writer, it’s nearly impossible to resist the temptation to fall back into the past-perfect form for past action. Others have dealt with why this temptation is so strong and have diverse, interesting theories. Many editors will also trip you up, “fixing” your flashback in simple past by transforming it into past perfect.
Let’s look at a sample passage:
Once on the bus, she lets her mind meander back over what she had done today. Of course there was the scene at the hotel. But what had that accomplished? She had to admit her action was merely symbolic. … What would these people remember? That some rude person tried to ruin their evening? That they’d seen an “environmental extremist” face to face? Would they merely have an exciting anecdote to tell their friends? How could she make these people feel what she feels? [The verb “had to admit” is the red flag: with it the writer slips completely out of present-tense narration.]
And now the way it should read:
Once on the bus, she lets her mind meander back over what she’s gotten done today. Of course there was the scene at the hotel. But what did that accomplish? She has to admit her action was merely symbolic. … What will these people remember? That some rude person tried to ruin their evening? That they saw an “environmental extremist” face to face? Will they merely have an exciting anecdote to tell their friends? How can she make these people feel what she feels?
The only way I know, as a writer or an editor, is to put myself in that bus, after being escorted out of the hotel, and relate my character’s thoughts to the person in the next seat. The verbs, naturally in first person, will come out right: “What have I gotten done today? … What did that accomplish? I wonder whether the action was a success even symbolically. What will those people remember?” etc. If you then need to shift it back into third person, that’s easy; leaving the verb tenses alone is the key. You might think about drafting a note to editors about this and including it with submissions, as both a preventive measure and a teaching tool.
For a brief but helpful technical treatment of this issue, I recommend Gary Lutz & Diane Stevenson, The Writer’s Digest Grammar Desk Reference (Writer’s Digest Books, 2005), pages 109-111.
Kindles and iPads and Books
January 29th, 2010 by Terry Dugan
With the now serious arrival of e-books for a growing list of devices (I read mine on my iPod Touch) culminating in Apple’s much-vaunted iPad, clearly e-reading has the attention of the mainstream publishing industry. All the publications are abuzz with it, but what I wonder is how does the book-loving public feel about it? Particularly here on this forum, writers, authors and aspiring authors—serious book-lovers all—how do you feel about it?
- Does the e-book represent a fad with a limited category of readers, or a revolution in publishing?
- Do you buy/read e-books?
- Do you see the e-book benefiting the overall book-publishing enterprise (does a rising tide lift all ships, including traditional books)?
- Have you authors out there explored offering your new titles in both formats?
I’d love to hear what you all think.
Read more, write better
January 19th, 2010 by Nick CiskeOne thing most authors can do to improve their craft is… read more.
Conferences, seminars, mentoring, etc. are all wonderful, but reading great writing helps you walk in the footsteps of literary giants.
Chip MacGregor recently unveiled his recommended reading list for writers (clear your calendars!).
The MacGregor Recommended Reading List for Writers
What books have inspired you on your writing journey?
10 Common Writing Mistakes: Do you pass the test?
December 21st, 2009 by Mary DeMuthIn my adventures in publishing and helping new authors get published, I’ve found ten common mistakes authors should avoid. Look through this list. How many do you do? How many have you nixed? Keep this by your manuscript (fiction or nonfiction) as a handy way to self-edit your work.
1. Negatives: The mind takes 48% longer to process a negation. Eliminating no, not, don’t, and can’t will clean up your writing.
Example: He didn’t know.
He was clueless.
Example: The sun didn’t shine.
The clouds covered the sun.
2. Repeated words: Often new writers will repeat words within paragraphs or subsequent pages. Be particularly aware of pet words (your own personal overused words). Every author will have different words, but a careful reading of your draft will turn them up. Some oft-overused words include: since, just, still, might, manage, began, started, really.
3. Adverb Adoration: Adverbs strengthen weak verbs. Why not write with strong verbs instead?
Example: She walked lazily down the path.
She ambled down the path.
Heidi wrote her sentences quickly. (Wrote is not a weak verb, but now that it’s modified, quickly weakens it.) Instead: When her hand touched the pen, it sped ink across the page in a blur. (See how you can transform a sentence from something mundane to something visual? How tweaking your verbs, making them stronger, helps you to show instead of tell?)
The dog gnawed the bone maliciously. (This sentence would be better off without the adverb.) Or instead: The dog attacked the bone like prey.
He hardly noticed the scar criss-crossing her cheek. (This isn’t too bad, but by eliminating the “hardly noticed,” you can make a more visual sentence.) Instead: He held her eyes, never once glancing at the scar criss-crossing her face. In that moment, she fell in love with him.
You will find a revolution in your writing when you kill your adverbs, I promise.
And yet, when you use adverbs, keep them near the verb: Instead of Take the garbage out. Take out the garbage.
4. Split Infinitives: No more “to boldly go where no man has gone before.” To go boldly is the correct usage.
5. Wimpy Voice: Be assertive when you write. Instead of “I’d like to thank you,” just thank the reader.
6. Misused Colons: Use after an independent clause to introduce a list.
Example: He toted several items to the curb: a rug, four kittens, his spouse, and an old racecar track.
7. Voicing Problems: Each character must have his/her own distinctive voice. They must not sound alike.
8. Lack of Details: Your writing will be richer if you stick to details rather than vagaries. Instead of: He ate lunch. He ate Copper River salmon with a dill reduction sauce.
9. Flabby Prose. We writers are in love with words, so much so that we tend to flaunt our use of them early in our careers. (I was guilty of this.) Strong nouns and strong verbs make a great impact. Adding extraneous adverbs and adjectives willy-nilly weakens the structure. Don’t try to fluff up your writing to impress people. Tell it like it is. Don’t believe me? Read The Kite Runner. Hosseini’s sentences are stark, full of detail, and have amazing emotive impact.
10. Same sentence structure over and over again. He had. He did. He saw. N-V. N-V. N-V. Spice it up a bit. Add a gerund or two. Start with a prepositional phrase. And vary sentence length. You don’t want staccato prose, nor do you want insanely long sentences that lose the reader.
Covers that Caught a Cover Designer’s Eye
December 21st, 2009 by Nikki WallaceAs a designer, one thing I enjoy doing is perusing my local bookstore, taking note of new trends and simply enjoying the wide range of creativity displayed in cover design. There is much to be appreciated!
This week I thought I’d take a few minutes to mention 5 covers I recently noticed and quickly explain just why they caught my eye.
I should add that I have no idea who designed these covers (kudos to you if it’s you)!
Without further ado…and in random order…here goes:
The Wild Things
Another wonderfully creative cover. What could support a title like “The Wild Things” better than scrawled lettering and a background full of, well, “wild things”? The black silhouette hints at the character whose story will be told. Fun!
A Million Miles in a Thousand Years
I love the clever use of imagery on this one. The close-up of a bicycle wheel hub not only supports the title well; the sharp lines and angles provide great visual interest. The vibrant gold background is the contrasts perfectly.
The Amish Gathering
I love the marriage of elegance and simplicity on this cover. The ornate title set against the background of an Amish farm makes for a beautifully striking contrast. The colors are soft, warm and lovely. Beautiful cover.
Collections of Nothing
Sometimes simplicity itself is striking. This cover is an example of that — it quickly caught my eye. I love the way the “nothingness” of the rectangles has a “somethingness” to it. I have no idea what this book is about, but my curiosity is piqued.
Forgotten God
This cover is blazing with creativity, and I love it. It’s a book about the Holy Spirit, aimed at the next generation, and the cover hits the nail right on the head. I love the dove that appears to be made out of pages from the book of Acts. I love the orange and yellow circle behind the dove that hints at fire. I love the way the relative starkness of the rest of the cover sets off the imagery even more. Great cover.
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