Sue Collier | May 3, 2012
Marketing begins the minute you get the book idea or decide to write a manuscript. Be aggressive about prepublication marketing to generate working capital. Forge strategic alliances with others who are already reaching your customer base. Write all promotional materials from a benefit standpoint. Avoid advertising, except to tightly focused target markets or in trade [...]
Sue Collier | April 13, 2012
This is part of a continuing series based on the forthcoming Jump Start Your Book Sales, 2nd Edition, by Marilyn Ross and Sue Collier. The book is scheduled for publication in fall 2012. As the world of publishing becomes more and more competitive, smart authors and publishers start thinking “marketing” when they first begin a [...]
Sue Collier | April 12, 2012
This is part of a continuing series based on the forthcoming Jump Start Your Book Sales, 2nd Edition, by Marilyn Ross and Sue Collier. The book is scheduled for publication in fall 2012. As the world of publishing becomes more and more competitive, smart authors and publishers start thinking “marketing” when they first begin a [...]
Sue Collier | November 3, 2011
There is a lot of information available on self-publishing today—there are blogs, books, and groups galore where authors can learn the ropes. Unfortunately, I still run in to authors who have made costly mistakes with their projects—blunders that could have been avoided. Here are some of the most common: 1. Setting unrealistic goals. In spite [...]
Sue Collier | August 19, 2011
I get asked this question a lot by authors who are looking for a simple, cut-and-dried answer. But deciding which might be the right option for a particular author depends on a number of things. Here are some questions to ask yourself: How long are you willing to wait to see your book in print? [...]
Sue Collier | June 14, 2011
As self-publishing continues to go mainstream and lose its stigma, more and more authors are taking the plunge and going indie. Success, however, is certainly not guaranteed. By following the tips below, you’ll avoid many of the pitfalls and enhance your chances of flourishing. 1. Educate yourself. Publishing is a business and needs to be [...]
Sue Collier | May 27, 2011
It happened again. I spoke earlier this week with an author who had recently “self-published” a nonfiction book, and she was particularly interested in reaching the library market. She directed me to her author website—which listed the book’s publisher as “AuthorHouse.” That re-routed our conversation immediately because I had to break the bad news to [...]
Sue Collier | May 4, 2011
Next week, I’ll be featured as a speaker at the Third Annual Self-Publisher’s Online Conference, next week on May 11 from 9am to 10pm (Pacific time). I thought I would provide a little preview on my topic, which is how authors and self-publishers can use social media marketing to increase their book sales. Before the [...]
Sue Collier | April 14, 2011
I’m fond of telling authors that after they’ve written their book, the hard work begins—and by that I am referring to marketing and promoting. In reality, though, your book promotion plans should begin well before you start writing the book. In this post, I’ve listed those things you can do before you start writing, before [...]
Sue Collier | April 8, 2011
In today’s uber-competitive publishing world, each new book must be carefully nurtured to be successful. One of the ways you can help your new baby grow into robust adulthood is by christening it with a Foreword. To be effective, the Foreword should be by someone who is known to, and respected by, your potential reading [...]
