Self-Publishing Authors can Connect with Readers Inside their E-Books. By ALLi Social Media Manager, Karen Lotter
Imagine Indie authors and readers connecting inside their e-books – sounds like something way in the future? Well as we…
Commonwealth Foundation Opens Prize to Self-Publishers
The Commonwealth Foundation has made its annual call for entries for their Book Prize and Commonwealth Short Story Prize. The…
Literary Festivals, Book Events and the Self-published Author. By ALLi Community Builder Dan Holloway
As self-publishing becomes more common, and increasing numbers of indie authors achieve both commercial and critical success, literary festivals urgently…
Taking Indie Authors Into Libraries and Other News
ALLi Newsletter Nov/Dec 2012 The big news in the Nov/Dec issue of The Alliance of Independent Authors' newsletter is that…
Why Indie Authors Should Have A Facebook Interest List
Are you finding that your Facebook Author Page generates less response than before? ALLi's social media manager, Karen Lotter, knows…
Are Indie Authors Devaluing Books? By ALLi Community Builder, Melissa Foster
Are your books priced at 0.99c? Are you skipping out on editing or in too much of a hurry to…
50 Ways To Reach Your Reader #3: Websites for Indie Authors
Whether you sell books directly on your website or use it as a referral site to Amazon or another retailer,…
“Amazon Is Playing Indie Authors Like Pawns” says Mark Coker of Smashwords
MONDAY OPINION. Guest Post by Mark Coker. For more of Mark's thoughts on the dangers of exclusivity and importance of…
50 Ways To Reach Your Reader #1 Introduction
REMINDER: Don't forget our Shindig later today (3pm EST): How to Choose A Self-Publishing Partner. Your questions about self-publishing services answered…
Amazon Pen Name or Real Name?
What is an Amazon Pen Name? Your Amazon Pen Name is the public name associated with contributions to the Amazon…
How To Get Book Reviews
Trying to get readers to write a review is like getting your two-year-old child to take a horrible-tasting medicine, says ALLi member and regular contributor, Giacomo (Jim) Giammatteo. But it is possible and it is worth it. In the first of a three-part series on reviews, he explains how he gets more than twenty reviews a month.
The Process of Getting Reviews
I launched my book in mid April 2012. Since then I have managed to get seven editorial reviews, 77 reviews on Amazon, and another 44 reviews on Goodreads. No matter how you look at it, that’s a lot of reviews (more than 20 per month) so how do you get that many reviews?
I can tell you it’s not by having a big family. I didn't have my wife write one (mostly for fear of what she'd say) and I didn't have either of my sons write a review. A few family members did write reviews—the ones who read the kind of books I write. And guess what, one of those reviews was not a five star. (Yeah, I know. Tough family)
For what it’s worth, here’s the secret—work your
Indie Authors: How To Choose A Copyeditor
Sometimes an author needs a lot of hand holding …
How do you choose the right copyeditor for your book? And which kind of editor do you need anyway? ALLi member, indie author and ace copyeditor herself, CS Lakin, points the way.
Getting a personal recommendation of an editor from a trusted author friend is usually the best way to go. But even in those instances, you may find one author’s choice in an editor may not be your best choice.
Personality comes into play, and sometimes the fit just isn’t right. Sometimes an author needs a lot of communication and handholding, and some editors are all business, so see how the editor responds to your query and questions.
You should be able to tell by her personality and responsiveness to you if it feels like a good fit. An editor that doesn’t