New age meets old.
Monday, June 20, 2011
Friday, June 17, 2011
Friday, June 10, 2011
10 ways authors should use their Facebook fanpage
1.) Draw your blog's RSS feed into your fanpage with apps like Social RSS2.) Show off your book trailer videos or live interviews with the Youtube app
3.) Update with tour info, like location and dates by creating an event. After the event, post your photos in an album on the page.
4.) Expand your network by inviting friends to become fans with a note explaining what value the page will provide, and a link to it.
5.) Encourage folks who land on the page to like it, by creating and implementing a specific landing page, asking them to do so, and giving them something (like a free book chap
ter) in return. Check out Facebook for Business's fanpage for an example.6.) "Like" other pages to help build your community.
7.) Hold contests and giveaways.
8.) Include links in the "about" box to places where your books can be purchased.
9.) Respond fast to comments folks leave. When fans are engaging you, it's a good sign!
10.) Ask questions, start discussions and create
polls (ex. asking your fans to vote on a topic they'll care about).
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
10 ways authors can treat their Twitter followers well
1.) Give your followers a shout out by recommending them on #followfriday and #writerwednesday (if they too are authors). And retweet their updates any day, if you relate.
2.) Teach your followers something. Explain the best way to start an outline, to query an agent, how to advertise your book, how to price your ebook, etc.
3.) Give away free books or bookmarks.
4.) Make them laugh. People are on Twitter to be entertained. Nothing captures attention, like something humorous.
5.) Hold contests- for example, literature trivia.
6.) Update with information you've not made available elsewhere- like a tour location you just booked.
7.) Connect your followers with each other- make introductions.
8.) Invite your followers to a chat/discussion around a certain topic, with a specific hashtag everyone can follow.
9.) Give your followers control, let them determine where your next reading will be, or what the name of the next chapter should be.
10.) Spice it up, include pictures (maybe use a popular service like Instagram), ask questions, let them know a personal life detail or two.
2.) Teach your followers something. Explain the best way to start an outline, to query an agent, how to advertise your book, how to price your ebook, etc.
3.) Give away free books or bookmarks.
4.) Make them laugh. People are on Twitter to be entertained. Nothing captures attention, like something humorous.
5.) Hold contests- for example, literature trivia.
6.) Update with information you've not made available elsewhere- like a tour location you just booked.
7.) Connect your followers with each other- make introductions.
8.) Invite your followers to a chat/discussion around a certain topic, with a specific hashtag everyone can follow.
9.) Give your followers control, let them determine where your next reading will be, or what the name of the next chapter should be.
10.) Spice it up, include pictures (maybe use a popular service like Instagram), ask questions, let them know a personal life detail or two.
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Crowdsourced funding for books
A new UK start-up is on the publishing scene, called Unbound, and it's a model worth examining. I'm curious to see how many successful books they're able to launch, and if a singular genre ends up taking off.
Basically Unbound is a program for creating new books, where in folks can pledge money towards publishing titles they enjoy; if the goal amount is raised, the book gets made. It's sort of a combination of Threadless (i.e. focuses on only one product type- books, and only the things the crowd likes actually get made) with Kickstarter and IndieGoGo (i.e. individual people pledge funds towards making the writer's dream happen, get rewards in return, and each writer has their own book page, video, etc.).
It looks like the "rewards" for every book are exactly the same though, which is one difference from Kickstarter's platform. The rewards range from a digital copy of the book to a launch lunch party. This makes the pledging based more on individual's desire for that specific writing style/author than their interest in a unique gift offering-- allowing the authors to concentrate on their true craft- writing.
If the books don't receive enough pledges, they don't get made- the most "successful" campaign posted thus far has only reached 3% of its goal but it has 46 days left, so fear not, perhaps. I read on Adpulp that campaigns with videos raise more money, according to IndiegGoGo and so far all the books featured have made videos, a pitch, an excerpt, and bios.
A unique feature to Unbound is the promoter opportunity. Unbound will reward you with 1 credit (£1) for every supporter you have referred when the books target is met. It's their way to encourage you to do their marketing.
I'm curious what % of the total money raised Unbound receives. I think Kickstarter takes a 5% fee.
Currently Unbound is only adding projects for authors with proven track records, but it looks like they hope to expand and increase their diversity of offerings-- taking submissions from "the public at large."
So at a basic level Unbound plucked a category off of Kickstarter and had a go at it. I'd like to see a similar concept executed for records/CDs. Actually speaking of music, I'd also like to see a platform like this that allows you to basically petition your favorite band to come perform in your area. Does something like either of those already exist?
How do you think Unbound will fair?
Basically Unbound is a program for creating new books, where in folks can pledge money towards publishing titles they enjoy; if the goal amount is raised, the book gets made. It's sort of a combination of Threadless (i.e. focuses on only one product type- books, and only the things the crowd likes actually get made) with Kickstarter and IndieGoGo (i.e. individual people pledge funds towards making the writer's dream happen, get rewards in return, and each writer has their own book page, video, etc.).
It looks like the "rewards" for every book are exactly the same though, which is one difference from Kickstarter's platform. The rewards range from a digital copy of the book to a launch lunch party. This makes the pledging based more on individual's desire for that specific writing style/author than their interest in a unique gift offering-- allowing the authors to concentrate on their true craft- writing.
If the books don't receive enough pledges, they don't get made- the most "successful" campaign posted thus far has only reached 3% of its goal but it has 46 days left, so fear not, perhaps. I read on Adpulp that campaigns with videos raise more money, according to IndiegGoGo and so far all the books featured have made videos, a pitch, an excerpt, and bios.
A unique feature to Unbound is the promoter opportunity. Unbound will reward you with 1 credit (£1) for every supporter you have referred when the books target is met. It's their way to encourage you to do their marketing.
I'm curious what % of the total money raised Unbound receives. I think Kickstarter takes a 5% fee.
Currently Unbound is only adding projects for authors with proven track records, but it looks like they hope to expand and increase their diversity of offerings-- taking submissions from "the public at large."
So at a basic level Unbound plucked a category off of Kickstarter and had a go at it. I'd like to see a similar concept executed for records/CDs. Actually speaking of music, I'd also like to see a platform like this that allows you to basically petition your favorite band to come perform in your area. Does something like either of those already exist?
How do you think Unbound will fair?
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Find your book campaign
An adorable new print poster campaign is out for Gandhi Bookstores featuring little red riding hood, samsa and alice in wonderland. The campaign encourages you to "Find your book." Everyone has a favorite book they relate to, and this campaign captures that desire-- to put yourself in the shoes of the main character and delve into a new world. Illustrator Ricardo Salamanca really brings the concept to life with his deep detailed images. This is something I could even picture on a child's bedroom wall, which means they've provided real value to the consumer. Beautiful!
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Now if I could just look like a book....
Ever awoken wishing you smelled more like a book? No? Me neither. But, the good news is, you can, if you so desire.
Karl Lagerfeld the eccentric creative director at Chanel and Fendi, has developed a new fragrance called Paper Passion, which will smell like books. He's not the first though, as perfumes like Demeter Fragrance Library Paperback, Opus II Library Collection Eau De Parfum by Amouage, have been around for quite some time. Though at $325 a pop, I'd prefer to spend a day in the library for free, hoping to absorb the fumes, rather than spray them on me.
Karl Lagerfeld the eccentric creative director at Chanel and Fendi, has developed a new fragrance called Paper Passion, which will smell like books. He's not the first though, as perfumes like Demeter Fragrance Library Paperback, Opus II Library Collection Eau De Parfum by Amouage, have been around for quite some time. Though at $325 a pop, I'd prefer to spend a day in the library for free, hoping to absorb the fumes, rather than spray them on me.
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