Bob Baker's Full-Time Author Blog

Just Stop It!

2008-07-17T12:49:00.004-04:00

Are you feeling fearful about the state of the economy and sky-high gas prices, and how they are affecting your book publishing and promotion efforts? Here's an inspiring, in-your-face message from Joe Vitale that might shake some sense into you.

I first spoke with Joe in 1995 when we was a copywriter and marketing guy in Dallas. Since then he's become an Internet marketing guru who now weaves a lot of spiritual and positive thinking messages into his work. He was one of the teachers featured in the book/movie The Secret.

Here's an email Joe sent out just today ...

Stop it!

Stop paying attention to the media.

Stop paying attention to the doom and gloom of anyone and everyone around. Stop getting sucked into being a victim.

STOP IT.

You won't go anywhere buying into the cultural trance that there isn't enough and times are tough.

You won't accomplish your big goals, or do anything of real greatness, as long as you give in to outer circumstances.

You have to take back your power.

You have to take back your control.

You have to "awaken."

Recently I told a woman who was interviewing me that I was homeless and in poverty only as long as I stayed stuck in survival "thinking."

As soon as I put my mind on what I "wanted" to have instead, I began to shift and get better results.

This can happen for you, too. It took me ten years. You can do it in one weekend.

But you have to stop listening to the media paint a picture of darkness.

The media paints it by finding something dark to report on, whether it's true or not. You and others listen to it, believe it, and before you know it, you have "created" what the media painted.

They predict a recession before there actually is one.

But people believe the media, fall into fear, stop spending, and suddenly a recession is here.

This has to stop. And it can stop right now.

Break free from money worries.

Break free from job worries.

Break free from health worries.

Break free from love worries.

Break free -- PERIOD.

This great message was admittedly sent to promote Joe's Miracles Weekend event in September. But even if you take the event completely out of the picture, there's still a lot of power in his words.

So ... are you ready to STOP IT?

-Bob

Create a Major Book Buzz Online. Discover how to use the Internet to attract book buyers like a magnet. Learn more ...

Just getting started? Want to jump-start your career as an independent author? Check out Bob's Self-Publishing Success Secrets 101.

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Do You Suffer From SPIS?

2008-03-21T14:20:00.004-04:00

Old mindsets are hard to undue. Even though we live in rapidly changing times, and even though there are countless success stories of independently published authors and books, there's a nasty stigma that still exists.

Yes, you will encounter people who are leery about books that carry the "self-published" label. I'm talking about librarians, book store managers, and even aspiring authors themselves who all suffer from SPIS -- Self-Publishing Inadequacy Syndrome.

Thankfully, these doubters are shrinking in numbers. But, since you will still run into them, I encourage you to listen to this audio sample from my audio/ebook package Self-Publishing Success Secrets 101.

Google Audio Widgetgreat free widgetsWidgetbox

Take a strong dose of self-empowerment and call me in the morning!

-Bob

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1,000 True Fans to Make a Living as an Author

2008-03-06T22:31:00.002-05:00

When Seth calls something the "best riff of the year," people notice. And lots have.

I'm talking about Kevin Kelly's two-day-old blog post titled "1,000 True Fans," which has struck a powerful nerve online. He puts his own spin on what I and many others have been saying for years about succeeding in the arts in this modern era.

I've talked about this in my live workshops and touched on it recently when I wrote about tapping music fans for funding and the benefit of having 10,000 people on your mailing list.

But this concept of attracting what Kelly calls True Fans (a diehard subset of a larger group of Lesser Fans) is very intriguing. Here's an excerpt:

Assume conservatively that your True Fans will each spend one day's wages per year in support of what you do. That "one-day wage" is an average, because of course your truest fans will spend a lot more than that. Let's peg that per diem each True Fan spends at $100 per year. If you have 1,000 fans that sums up to $100,000 per year, which minus some modest expenses, is a living for most folks.

One thousand is a feasible number. You could count to 1,000. If you added one fan a day, it would take only three years. True Fanship is doable. Pleasing a True Fan is pleasurable, and invigorating. It rewards the artist to remain true, to focus on the unique aspects of their work, the qualities that True Fans appreciate.

The key challenge is that you have to maintain direct contact with your 1,000 True Fans. They are giving you their support directly. Maybe they come to your house concerts, or they are buying your DVDs from your website, or they order your prints from Pictopia. As much as possible you retain the full amount of their support. You also benefit from the direct feedback and love.

Again, this all dovetails with the indie message I've been hammering home for years. You don't have to be a household name to be successful. Thousands of authors, musicians, artists, photographers, filmmakers, bloggers and more make a nice living serving their unique slice of the population. I proudly count myself among their ranks.

These self-empowered creative people work outside the traditional structure and usually make smart use of the Internet to bypass middleman roadblocks and take their craft directly to the end user: the fan. Reach enough fans this way and serve them well ... and you will eventually have a solid list of True Fans -- people who will reward you often with their time, attention and money.

Read Kelly's entire blog post and the reaction to it around the Net. Then get busy building your fan base ... and serving them well!

-Bob

Check out Guerrilla Music Marketing Handbook, the classic guide to indie music promotion. Now revised and updated, with four new chapters on Internet and Web 2.0 music marketing.

Derek Sivers, president of CD Baby, calls it "The most directly applicable, start-tomorrow, creatively inspiring book I've ever seen on promoting your music!" Get more details here.

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Q&A: How Can I Use LinkedIn to Promote My Books?

2008-01-29T15:08:00.000-05:00

An author friend recently emailed me the following question:

"Bob, I just created a profile at LinkedIn. I know what it is, but I'm not sure how to effectively use it. Any tips?"

My Answer:

I recently joined LinkedIn myself and, while I have a respectable 166 people in my network, I haven't done as much with it as I have with MySpace, YouTube, Facebook, Flickr, and others.

But all of these social networking sites have one thing in common: it's another way for people to connect with other like-minded people. Facebook, Myspace, etc., each have their own unique qualities you can use. But the main thing is building a "friends" network of people who are already involved with the subject of your book or have some reason to be interested in what you're doing.

With any of these sites, there's a lot of work early on setting up your profile, building your network, and sending friend requests. After that, send people personal notes here and there to stay in touch and build relationships. Once you've built up a network, more people will seek you out as they see that you're friends with one of their friends. Then it multiplies.

On LinkedIn in particular, one good thing to do is post "Recommendations" for more established experts in your field. These recommendations will be featured on that person's public profile, where others will find your name and words of praise.

Another smart thing you can do is create "link bait" to lure potential customers. Let's say you're a photographer and you've published a book of photos taken at U.S. National Parks. You could post a photo and commentary about your experience shooting scenic views of Glacier Point at Yosemite.

Make sure and use "Glacier Point" and "Yosemite" within the titles of any blog or photo you post about it. That way, people searching for these specific topics are more likely to find you.

That's the idea: It's a two-way interaction. You can be proactive and seek out like-minded people on LinkIn, MySpace, Facebook, etc. But you can also set yourself up to be "discovered by" like-minded people there as well.

MarketingProfs has a great "Social Media Starter Kit" article with a lot more info that I encourage you to read. (Free registration required to access it.) And for music promotion on MySpace, consider my own book, MySpace Music Marketing.

-Bob

Create a Major Book Buzz Online. Discover how to use the Internet to attract book buyers like a magnet. Learn more ...

Just getting started? Want to jump-start your career as an independent author? Check out Bob's Self-Publishing Success Secrets 101.

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Cellphone Novels: Bestsellers in Japan

2008-01-24T16:33:00.000-05:00

Want to see an example of the rapidly changing world we live in? Here's the lead paragraph from an article in the New York Times called "Thumbs Race as Japan's Best Sellers Go Cellular":

TOKYO -- Until recently, cellphone novels -- composed on phone keypads by young women wielding dexterous thumbs and read by fans on their tiny screens -- had been dismissed in Japan as a subgenre unworthy of the country that gave the world its first novel, "The Tale of Genji," a millennium ago. Then last month, the year-end best-seller tally showed that cellphone novels, republished in book form, have not only infiltrated the mainstream but have come to dominate it.

Who knew you could even write a book on a cellphone, much less become a celebrity doing it? From the article:

One such star, a 21-year-old woman named Rin, wrote "If You" over a six-month stretch during her senior year in high school. While commuting to her part-time job or whenever she found a free moment, she tapped out passages on her cellphone and uploaded them on a popular [Japanese] Web site for would-be authors.

Crazy. Here's another passage worth noting:

The writers are not paid for their work online, no matter how many millions of times it is viewed. The payoff, if any, comes when the novels are reproduced and sold as traditional books.

Lesson: Whether we're talking cellphones, typewriters, or spray paint as the writing instrument, the principle remains the same: widespread exposure and awareness can lead to cash flow and opportunities.

Think twice the next time you get out your Blackberry.

Read the entire article here. (Free NY Times registration required.)

-Bob

Create a Major Book Buzz Online. Discover how to use the Internet to attract book buyers like a magnet. Learn more ...

Just getting started? Want to jump-start your career as an independent author? Check out Bob's Self-Publishing Success Secrets 101.

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Book Publishing Goals: 5 Steps to Setting Ones You Will Reach

2008-01-15T15:32:00.000-05:00

It's the middle of January, and that means you either:

A) Are moving full-steam ahead with the 2008 book publishing goals you set,

B) Have already given up on the New Year's resolutions you made, or ...

C) Never set goals and vowed to make this a great year to begin with.

Even if you're getting a slow start this year, it's never too late to dream big, set goals for yourself as an author, and start making progress right now. To help you toward that end, here are five quick tips on goal setting, productivity and motivation:

1) What's your big WHY? You want to sell tons of books, get major media exposure, and have throngs of fans. That's great. But why do you want those things? What's the bigger reason? What's your grand vision? What's your life's mission and purpose ... and how does being a successful author fulfill that? Yes, these are deep questions. But having a clear answer will make all the difference in the world.

2) Write them down to make them happen. And write them in ink. Don't keep your goals in your head. Commit them to paper (or at least type them into a computer program and print them out, which is still producing them on paper). The idea is to make your goals tangible, and getting them on paper is the first step.

3) Make your goals specific and measurable. Saying "I want to be a wildly successful author" is admirable, but what is that exactly and how do you know when you've arrived? Instead, make your goals concrete: "I want to do five public speaking events and build my mailing list to 1,000 people by the end of May." That kind of goal is also measurable. By the end of May, you'll know how close you came to reaching (or exceeding or falling short of) it.

4) Focus on the little chunk at hand. Don't get overwhelmed by the entire scope of a daunting project. For each of your big book publishing goals, ask yourself, "What's the very first thing I should do on this project?" or "What's the very next thing that needs to be done?" The answer may be as simple as "Call Sue to get the name of the web designer she used for her site." Put that -- and only that -- on your list of next action steps. Don't expend mental energy on the many steps that will follow. Just focus on that one phone call until it's completed. After it is completed, ask, "What next?"

Effective goal setting, then, is simply a matter of taking micro action steps, one at a time.

5) Just do it for 5 minutes. Wanna know the best way to overcome procrastination, hands down? Tell yourself that you'll spend just five minutes working on the thing you know you should be doing ... but don't really feel like doing now. What stops you is the thought of working for hours on end. But anyone, no matter how lethargic, can muster the strength to play around with something for five measly minutes.

What you'll find, though, is that once you get started, you'll get into a flow that will carry you well beyond the first five minutes. I've done this for years with my writing projects. It works. And it works for marketing and sales too. The trick is just starting.

-Bob

Create a Major Book Buzz Online. Discover how to use the Internet to attract book buyers like a magnet. Learn more ...

Just getting started? Want to jump-start your career as an independent author? Check out Bob's Self-Publishing Success Secrets 101.

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Use This to Make a Living With Your Books

2008-01-10T10:33:00.000-05:00

Do not pass Go. Do not collect $200. Go directly to the blog entry Seth Godin posted Monday: Music lessons. He lists 15 "things you can learn from the music business (as it falls apart)."

You're not part of the music business? It doesn't matter. There are lessons for entrepreneurs of all kinds here, so read it for a fresh perspective on doing business in the digital age.

Here's one of my favorite parts, #4 (see my comments below):

Permission is the asset of the future

For generations, businesses had no idea who their end users were. No ability to reach through the record store and figure out who was buying that Rolling Stones album, no way to know who bought this book or that vase.

Today, of course, permission is an asset to be earned. The ability (not the right, but the privilege) of delivering anticipated, personal and relevant messages to people who want to get them. For 10 years, the music business has been steadfastly avoiding this opportunity.

It's interesting though, because many musicians have NOT been avoiding it. Many musicians have understood that all they need to make a (very good) living is to have 10,000 fans. 10,000 people who look forward to the next record, who are willing to trek out to the next concert. Add 7 fans a day and you're done in 5 years. Set for life. A life making music for your fans, not finding fans for your music.

The opportunity of digital distribution is this:

When you can distribute something digitally, for free, it will spread (if it's good). If it spreads, you can use it as a vehicle to allow people to come back to you and register, to sign up, to give you permission to interact and to keep them in the loop.

Many authors (I'm on that list) have managed to build an entire career around this idea. So have management consultants and yes, insurance salespeople. Not by viewing the spread of digital artifacts as an inconvenient tactic, but as the core of their new businesses.

Count me in this camp too. From my earliest days on the Internet (1995), my business model has been to give away free tips in order to spread my ideas and inspire people to get on my email list.

Over the years, I've heard a few references to this 10,000-person threshold. I quit my full-time job (the last one I ever plan on having working for someone else) four years ago when my email list was around 8,000.

Of course, it's not the number of people on your list that allows you to make a living. It's how you use it and deliver benefits and experiences that people are willing to pay for. But building the list is the crucial first step.

These days I offer free subscriptions to my blog, podcast and video clips ... in addition to an email newsletter. But the concept is the same for all of them: inspiring people who are interested in what you do to "sign up" to hear from you directly on a regular basis.

Building your list = building your career and prosperity.

-Bob

Create a Major Book Buzz Online. Discover how to use the Internet to attract book buyers like a magnet. Learn more ...

Just getting started? Want to jump-start your career as an independent author? Check out Bob's Self-Publishing Success Secrets 101.

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Beyond MySpace and Facebook: Meet Octopus Marketing

2007-12-21T13:09:00.000-05:00

I must be insane. My plate is already full with enough projects, errands and to-do list items to make anyone's head spin. But I've still found time lately to wade into the deeper waters of social networking online.

Sure, I already have a presence on Facebook, MySpace, YouTube, Flickr, Twitter, Ning and Digg. But after months of putting it off, I finally set up accounts at StumbleUpon, Del.icio.us and Meebo. You should consider doing the same. Why? I'll explain in a second ...

On top of that, I just set up a Music Marketing Video Showcase page at SquidVids.com -- a sister site to Squidoo, where anyone can create a "lens" on the topic of their choice.

Why all this posting to so many different sites? I do it for the same reason you should: to reach people online in as many ways as possible.

My friend Scott Ginsberg encourages people to think of themselves as an octopus. Why an octopus? Because an octopus has tentacles -- and lots of them.

To make an impact on the Web as an author or publisher, you must stretch your promotional arms in many directions. You have to show up in the places where lots of people are hanging out online. You must be seen and discovered by people who are looking for the kind of stuff you create.

So, if you write books about personal fitness, set up a Fitness Video Showcase at SquidVids.com and link to the best exercise-related videos on YouTube. Set up accounts at StumbleUpon, Digg and Del.icio.us and highlight your favorite personal fitness sites (including your own).

Publish your own fitness blog and plug your posts on Facebook, MySpace and Twitter. In other words, spread yourself around so people who are interested in fitness tips have many places to find you.

Better yet, readers will eventually find your name popping up on several web sites and think, "I see this author all over the place. She must be somebody worth listening to."

Now wouldn't that be nice?

Hop into the deeper social networking ocean. The water's fine. Just keep an eye out for the octopuses.

-Bob

P.S. Note that the "squid" of Squidoo and SquidVids is another aquatic animal reference. Coincidence? I think not!

Create a Major Book Buzz Online. Discover how to use the Internet to attract book buyers like a magnet. Learn more ...

Just getting started? Want to jump-start your career as an independent author? Check out Bob's Self-Publishing Success Secrets 101.

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5 Book & Author Web Site Design Tips

2007-12-12T17:11:00.000-05:00

There are millions of book and author web pages across the Internet. Most are poorly designed (and that's being kind), many are serviceable at best, and a rare handful are truly attractive and effective. How does your site stack up?

Use these five author web site design tips to make your pages more appealing and profitable.

Focus on the upper left. Eye tracking research reveals that web users look first at the upper left corner of a web page, then work their way down and to the right. So place your name or an eye-catching image in this powerful upper left-hand corner. (Note Scott Turow's home page above.)
Give visitors "eye anchors" lower on the page. People generally scan lower portions of a web page. So don't place lots of long, scrolling text on your pages. Instead, use short paragraphs, bullet points, book cover images, and bold sub headlines to draw attention to the things you want people to read, know about, and click on.
Place navigation links along the top. You probably already know that it's a good idea to place your navigation (links to other sections of your site) in the same place on every page. But where? On the top, right side, left side, or bottom? The verdict is in: Visitors respond best to navigation links placed along the top of the page.
Spell out your "call to action." On each page of your book or author web site, you should have a goal -- something you want a visitor to DO while on that page. It might be read an excerpt, subscribe to your ezine, come to an event, purchase a book, etc. Whatever it is, make that clear and include a "call to action" -- clear instructions to do that thing now.
Watch someone surf your web site. Corporate types call this usability research. You can call it whatever you want, but you'll learn a ton by simply watching different people go to your web site for the first time, even if they are simply friends and family members. Don't interrupt or make suggestions. Just observe. Then ask and answer questions. This exercise will prove invaluable when it comes to making your author web site better.

For more good web page design tips, visit

Scientific Web Design: 23 Actionable Lessons from Eye-Tracking Studies

10 Landing Page Optimization Tactics

9 Common Mistakes in Landing Page Design

Creating Effective Landing Pages

10-Point Checklist for Landing Page Design

-Bob

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Create a Major Book Buzz Online. Discover how to use the Internet to attract book buyers like a magnet. Learn more ...

Just getting started? Want to jump-start your career as an independent author? Check out Bob's Self-Publishing Success Secrets 101.

Beyond Book Trailers: Internet Video Promotion for Authors

2007-12-10T11:26:00.000-05:00

There's a lot of buzz about book trailers right now. If you're not quite sure what they are, a book trailer is basically an audio-visual promo for a book that has the look and feel of a movie trailer. You can few some decent ones here and here. The phrase "book trailer" now even has its own entry on Wikipedia.

If you can create a movie trailer-style video for your book, go for it. But don't think for a second that's the only way to use online video to market your book.

Keep in mind that video is just another means to communicate your book's topic and your identity as its author. And there are countless ways to use video to accomplish that.

Here are three video techniques I've used to promote my own books and identity as a music marketing resource:

Interview someone who is accomplishing a goal your readers would like to reach:

Videotape your fans after public speaking events:

Edit together a tip-filled video report from an event:

Book trailers are great. But don't let the hype distract you from other effective ways you can use online video to promote your books.

-Bob

Create a Major Book Buzz Online. Discover how to use the Internet to attract book buyers like a magnet. Learn more ...

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Amazon Kindle: The New iPod for Books?

2007-12-05T10:17:00.000-05:00

I'm sure by now you've heard all about Amazon's new Kindle ebook reader. It's being touted as the new "iPod for books." Personally, I've never used an ebook reader (Sony PRS-505, Mobipocket or any of the others), thinking that I'd prefer the feel of a paper book to a mini onscreen version. But the Amazon Kindle sounds promising.

See for yourself by watching three video reviews of the Kindle at Newsweek, PC Magazine and ZD Net.

Another cool thing for independent publishers: Amazon has a Digital Text Platform site described as "a fast and easy self-publishing tool that lets you upload and format your books for sale in the Kindle Store."

But not everyone is raving about the Amazon Kindle. On the Motley Fool web site, one writer remarked ...

"I still believe that the Kindle -- in its present form -- is going to be a tough sell to the masses at $400 a pop ... For the revolution to happen, Amazon is going to need to attract millions -- or at the very least, hundreds of thousands -- of Kindle buyers at $199, instead of settling for what I would unscientifically peg to be tens of thousands paying $399 at the moment."

What do you think?

-Bob

Create a Major Book Buzz Online. Discover how to use the Internet to attract book buyers like a magnet. Learn more ...

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Are You a Crap Magnet?

2007-10-31T14:20:00.000-05:00

Here's a quote that may very well change the way you think -- and increase the amount of money you make publishing books!

I found it in T. Harv Eker's Secrets of the Millionaire Mind. I've heard about him and this book for years, but only recently got my hands on a copy. The first time I flipped through it, the book randomly opened to page 58, where one of his "wealth priciples" jumped out at me in bold type:

"When you complain, you become a living, breathing crap magnet."

What an awesome quote. Wayne Dyer expressed the same idea years ago when he said "What you focus on expands in your life." But I have to admit, Eker's version packs a more potent slap to the face.

Whenever I bring up this "law of attraction" stuff, I know there will always be a group of people who write it off as "positive thinking nonsense." If you feel that way, then this message is not for you.

But if you have an open mind, think about this: Your outer world is a direct reflection of your inner world. As Eker points out, your mental perspective is like the roots of a tree -- a crucial but unseen part of who you are. The tree is the visible result of the root system. Sick roots lead to an unhealthy tree.

Your brain works the same way. Crap in, crap out.

Enough preaching. You get the idea.

-Bob

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Book Promotion, Rock & Roll Style

2007-10-11T13:55:00.000-04:00

A running theme in my book promotion speaking events lately has been "What authors and book publishers can learn from the music business." But not the traditional music industry. I'm talking about savvy indie artists and forward-thinking established acts.

For instance, the Internet is abuzz with Radiohead's recent offer to let fans pick the price they want to pay to download the band's new album. At the same time, though, Radiohead is selling an enhanced CD package for a lot more than your average CD price.

So here's a potential way that authors and publishers could borrow this tactic:

Sell a PDF download of your book for a very low price -- let's say $3. To get the ebook at that price, readers must enter their name and email address and agree to get a series of followup emails.

Put these low-cost buyers on an autoresponder series that sends them an email every couple of days featuring a helpful idea or tip related to the topic of the book -- AND a special offer to apply the $3 toward the purchase of the printed book, plus bonuses.

The enhanced offer might include an autographed copy and a bonus audio of the author either reading part of the text, being interviewed about it, or speaking at a workshop. You could also include a useful worksheet or checklist not available anywhere else.

It's all about adding value and creating incentives for people to buy.

Admit it. If you read parts of a 250-page, $3 ebook and really enjoyed it, wouldn't you consider bucking up $20 to $40 or more for the physical book -- especially if it included cool bonus material you couldn't get elsewhere?

In this evolving digital age, it's something to think about.

-Bob

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Create a Major Book Buzz Online. Discover how to use the Internet to attract book buyers like a magnet. Learn more ...

Your Indie Book Publishing Advantage

2007-08-29T11:11:00.000-04:00

Do you ever feel like a small author fish drowning in a big book publishing pond? Ever feel like you're at a disadvantage because you don't have the money and backing of a big corporate entity behind you? Wanna know the reason you feel that way?

It's because you have chosen to define yourself by those terms. If you want to feel more empowered, it's simply a matter of making better choices about the way you define yourself.

Here's another way to look at your situation as an independent publisher in the modern world. You have an advantage as a hands-on author that major publishing companies and blockbuster authors simply don't have: the ability to communicate on a more personal level with your fans.

A Deliver magazine article by Linda Formichilli, titled "Keeping It Real: New Media Are Forcing Marketers to Be More Authentic With Their Target Customers," sums this up wonderfully. Here's an excerpt:

Genuine is an e-mail from a person rather than a company. If the lead singer of some band that I like sends out an e-mail to those of us who have registered our interest, that's authentic in a way that a record label sending out an e-mail wouldn't be. If the lead singer responds to his e-mail, that's even better. A MySpace page is more authentic than a billboard. A blog is more authentic than a press release. It's all about having a human voice and re-personalizing the connections.

The example above might be music-related, but it applies to books too. As a do-it-yourself publisher, you live in an incredible era. It's never been easier to personally interact with people around the world. And as an author who has only hundreds or maybe thousands of fans, you are able to communicate with them in a much more personal way than an author that has millions of fans.

That's not to say you won't some day have millions of followers. But in the meantime, don't beat yourself up for not being at a "higher level" with your career -- whatever that means.

For now, embrace and be grateful for your independence and current status. It is allowing you to build meaningful relationships with fans -- the kind of bonds that will last a lifetime and lead to a stronger, more satisfying career in the long run.

-Bob

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Create a Major Book Buzz Online. Discover how to use the Internet to attract book buyers like a magnet. Learn more ...

7 Secrets to Writing a Book That Sells

2007-08-17T13:34:00.000-04:00

Penny Sansevieri offers a free article at her site that covers seven keys to creating a buzz over your book. They're all good, but 5 and 6 are especially worth noting:

Follow the media. What's the media talking about these days? Keep track of media buzz -- what they're paying attention to and what they're writing about. Delve beyond the front page of your paper to the second or third page and see what's filling the pages. If you can get your hands on out-of-state papers, do a comparative review. Do you see a trend in coverage? Is there something that seems to be getting more buzz even if it's on page six?

Talk, teach, listen. One of the best ways I've found to get in touch with my audience was to teach a class and do speaking engagements. When I was putting together my book, Get Published Today, I found that the classes I taught provided valuable information for creating a great book because they put me directly in touch with my audience!

Follow the media. Talk, teach and listen. Simple advice -- the kind that can make all the difference in the world.

-Bob

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Create a Major Book Buzz Online. Discover how to use the Internet to attract book buyers like a magnet. Learn more ...

How to Create a Major Book Buzz Online

2007-08-10T10:50:00.000-04:00

I'll admit it. I've been accused of being biased. Some people feel I focus too much on Internet book promotion and disregard traditional retail sales, reviews, etc.

Maybe they're right. But the only thing I can do is share what I know has worked for me (and hundreds of other authors). And that's making smart use of the Internet to create a buzz about my books -- and generate healthy sales!

I make a nice living as a self-empowered, independent author largely because of the ways I've learned to use the Internet to reach my ideal readers. And I advocate you consider doing the same thing.

I recently revealed my most potent Internet book marketing strategies for the first time during a live 48-minute presentation. I compiled the materials from this talk and just released it as a package called "How to Create a Major Book Buzz Online."

It includes the complete MP3 audio of the live workshop, along with the 70 PowerPoint slides I used, and a two-page handout. If you're interested, take a closer look on this page.

To your success!

-Bob

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The Power of Book Titles

2007-08-08T15:18:00.000-04:00

When I'm asked, "What's the best thing I can do to promote my book?" ... I often say, "Come up with a great, attention-getting title."

Sadly, it's usually too late for the author to use that tip, since their book is already published as Prairie Dogs by the Dashboard Light or some similarly vague and confusing title.

Make no mistake, a strong title will be one of your biggest book marketing tools -- along with killer content, smart use of the Internet, etc. So make sure you spend a lot of time crafting your title before you publish -- or even begin writing -- your next book.

A great title ...

Tells you exactly what the book is about
Lets you know who the book is for
Spells out a reader benefit
Uses words in a clever and concise way

My favorite type of title is the two-parter. A short (two to four words) main title, followed by a slightly longer subtitle.

Here are some examples:

The UltraSimple Diet: Kick-Start Your Metabolism and Safely Lose Up to 10 Pounds in 7 Days
Math Doesn't Suck: How to Survive Middle-School Math Without Losing Your Mind or Breaking a Nail
Refuse to Choose!: Use All of Your Interests, Passions, and Hobbies to Create the Life and Career of Your Dreams

A new fav of mine is Skinny Bitch. (Sorry if you're offended by that.) It doesn't really have a subtitle, but the prominent description on the cover serves the same purpose: "A no-nonsense, tough-love guide for savvy girls who want to stop eating crap and start looking fabulous."

Look over the examples above. Really examine the word choices. Notice how they hit the four hot button issues I listed earlier.

Here are more good examples of strong two-part titles:

Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap ... and Others Don't
God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything
Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity
Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die

And two examples of simple one-line titles (each only seven words long):

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
How to Win Friends & Influence People

Now you know: Your book's title can make or break its reach into the marketplace. So take whatever time you need to come up with a great one.

-Bob

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Who Have You Irritated Today?

2007-08-03T14:51:00.000-04:00

If you consider yourself to be a writer or author of any kind, you are officially in the Idea Expression Business. That means you like to take concepts that exist only in your mind and bring them to life through the words you craft on a computer screen or piece of paper. It's a wonderful creative quest.

But writers can also be sensitive artistic creatures who value the feedback they get from others -- sometimes to their detriment.

It's fine to be aware of what others think of your ideas and story lines. It's okay to be energized by positive feedback. It's good to learn from more experienced writers.

The danger comes when you water down your voice and perspective in an attempt to please everyone. Guess what? You'll never please everyone anyway. And, more often than not, when you try to, you end up pleasing no one.

So, as you write articles, short stories, blog posts, and entire books ...

Be bold
Take a stand
Express your opinion, even if you risk alienated some of your audience
Experiment with writing styles and turns of phrase
Look for the angle only you can bring to the subject
Don't be afraid to piss someone off!

Brian Clark wrote about this as it relates to blogging:

You need the courage to alienate the wrong people in order to resonate with the right people. You need to stick to your convictions when people tell you you're wrong simply because your knowledge doesn't mesh with their opinions. Blogging by consensus is a recipe for failure.

Your success will be determined by the execution of your vision. The fact is, if no one hates you, you’re doing something wrong. Trying to please everyone is the goal of mass media. That’s why it sucks.

My pal Scott Ginsberg also addressed this with his post, "If everybody says you're nuts, you just might be onto something."

I've been writing about music marketing and artist empowerment for many years. But only recently have I begun spreading a similar message to authors and independent book publishers. And I bring a lot of my DIY rock & roll attitude with me as I share how I built my full-time publishing business.

Not everyone agrees with me on every issue or idea I express. And that's okay. I don't want to sound like everyone else. I couldn't if I tried.

I'll rarely write about the traditional path to publishing. I'll never write about how hard it is to publish your own book or other doom-and-gloom topics that you can hear in spades from others.

That's not my mindset. So I share what I believe and what's worked for me. Not everyone will agree with me. And you know what? ...

That's just fine with me!

So, who have you irritated today?

-Bob

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6 Secrets to Book Publishing Success

2007-07-31T13:12:00.000-04:00

Are you new to this Full-Time Author blog? If so, welcome aboard! It's great to have you here.

With seven months of content currently in the archives, I wanted to help you find some of the most useful posts from earlier months. Here are my six favorites. I hope these ideas inspire you to greater heights with your book publishing efforts.

14 Things I've Learned About Book Publishing Success

One Author's Book Promotion Diary

Your Best Book Marketing Plan

How to Rank Higher on Google

Hits & Misses vs Hits & Niches

How to 'Fix' the Book Industry

-Bob

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Harry Potter Magic Fun Facts

2007-07-27T15:07:00.000-04:00

Here are some spell-binding numbers for you Harry Potter fans and observers:

325 million - number of copies the first six books in the series have sold worldwide.
66 - number of languages Harry Potter books have been published in.
6.9 million - number of Half-Blooded Prince copies sold in the 24 hours after it went on sale in 2005 (more than The Da Vinci Code sold that entire year).
4,000 - dollar amount of J.K. Rowling's advance for the first Potter book.
500 - number of copies of the first book's initial print run.
40,000 - maximum dollar amount paid for one of those first editions.
700,000 - number of web sites and blogs dedicated to Harry Potter.
62 million - number of kids in the U.S. who possess a Harry Potter book.
60 million - number of adults in the U.S. who own a Harry Potter book.
44.8 million - number of dollars earned on the opening day of the Order of the Phoenix movie.
3.5 billion - amount of money the first four Potter movies have grossed worldwide.

Wow! Makes me want to yell, "Expecto Patronum!"

Source: July 27 article in The Week. Also available as a PDF from this Brand Autopsy blog page.

-Bob

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Are You a Book Marketing Liar?

2007-07-24T14:09:00.001-04:00

I've been reading Seth's Godin's great book, "All Marketers Are Liars." The subtitle offers a more accurate description of the contents: "The Power of Telling Authentic Stories in a Low-Trust World."

The title could have been "All Effective Marketers Are Good Storytellers," but that doesn't sound nearly as sexy, now does it?

You've probably heard this before. Stories sell. Not only within well-crafted novels, but when it comes to promoting books (and products/services of all kinds) too.

But Godin puts a fresh spin on this concept when he talks about how every person (or consumer) comes to the table with a specific "worldview" -- a perspective that colors everything he or she looks at (or tunes out).

The thought nugget here is this: Consumers spend their money and attention on products (in our case, books) that are marketed with stories that reinforce the worldview they already have. Yes, it's classic "law of attraction," "like attracts like" stuff -- only it's the "story" that acts as the magnet.

Let's see how this applies to three popular book titles in the same category:

Title: American Medical Association Family Medical Guide

Worldview/Story: Doctors can and should be trusted. I will find the best advice from accredited professionals.

Title: Natural Cures "They" Do Not Want You to Know About

Worldview/Story: The medical conglomerates cannot be trusted. Money and politics obscure the truth. I can find better answers outside the establishment.

Title: YOU: The Owner's Manual

Worldview/Story: Health is important, but learning about it is tedious and boring. If I had an easy, fun way to absorb them, I might actually incorporate healthy choices into my life.

See the differences? What worldview does your book tap into? What story could you tell about your book that aligns with a story that certain book lovers are already telling themselves?

-Bob

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