Tag Archive | booksgosocial

6 (7) Ways You Are Destroying Your Chances of Finding Readers

Laurence O’Bryan of BooksGoSocial makes some very good points about how to find readers.

And as he says, it’s a long haul game. It takes time and effort to do these things, but they are all doable. Make a “to do” list and slowly work your way through it, making sure you acknowledge your accomplishments along the way. It’s a learning experience, so don’t expect perfection. Miss-steps are part of the process (especially if writing and publishing is a new “game” for you), but you can decrease some of that by checking out Laurence’s list.

And I’d add one more way:
-7) Not connecting with other writers.
So much can be learned and eased on this journey by connecting with other writers. There are lots of online writer’s groups out there (SCBWI, ALLI are just two examples) which can give you loads of help, information, and connection. And when writer’s conferences are again a thing – and they will be! – they are a great place to connect locally, in addition to a fun way to learn ways to up your writing game.

(Note: I can not give a thumbs up or down for the services mentioned in the post, but I have used their Netgalley services with good results.)

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Source: 6 Ways You Are Destroying Your Chances of Finding Readers |

CKBooks Publishing
Where Publishing Dreams Become Reality

Book Promotion Opportunity

Sep20

download

Books Go Social is looking for content for it’s halloween emagazine so if you’ve got something creepy sitting in a drawer that wants to crawl out, this is the place to let it out!

In exchange you get to add your bio and you book at the end of the article.

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We have a free promotional opportunity for you!

We are looking for content for our Halloween magazine.

We are accepting submissions – articles, book reviews, short stories, & excerpts.

Please also let us know if you have a free book during the month of October – we can include it in the magazine as well.

Theme suggestions for our Halloween magazine:

Creepy books to read this Halloween

The art of writing scary characters

Halloween classics

We are also open to suggestions. But please, don’t submit pieces where you just promote your own work.

If your submission is accepted, we will feature a short bio about you and your book at the end of your piece. Articles should be no longer than 800 words, and short stories and excerpts no longer than 1500 words.

If you are interested, please email submissions to admin@booksgosocial.com with Halloween magazine Submission in the subject line.

CKBooks Publishing
Where Publishing Dreams Become Reality

10 Tips on Amazon Ads for Authors

Aug21

Image result for keep on keeping on image

Laurence O’Bryan’s of Books Go Social post on Amazon ads has some helpful information. Most notably the link to kindlepreneur and a free book description tool. A good book description is very important!

Laurence mentions that it’s important to have some good reviews – I’d suggest at least 10, but more is better. If you’re going to spend money on advertising, having reviews will help you spend your money more wisely. Remember, all reviews don’t need to be 4 or 5 stars. In fact, I think the reviews look more legitimate if there are a few 3 star reviews, not that you have any control over this. I just mention it because not everyone who reads your book will LOVE it and potential readers know this, so don’t worry when you get a few 3 star reviews. Hopefully your average is 4/5 or above.

I also agree that you shouldn’t spend more than you can afford. Pay attention to the ads – what they are charging and what money are you making. Keep in mind, the money they say you are making doesn’t take into account the discount – the 70% or 30% that Laurence mentions (item #5).

Note: I am not endorsing Books Go Social or the things they want to sell you in this post, but I know they are a good company and I do think they have author’s interests at heart – just below staying solvent (as all companies). I have not tried their free AMS ad course, so I can’t speak on that, but I think your keyword choice and your ad copy are two things that are very important with AMS ads. Those that can use computer-generated ad key words have an advantage. Unfortunately, that is not most of us, so we have to do our best.

Anyone who tries BGS free course, please share what you think. If I eek out some time to do it myself. I’ll also share what think.

Keep on Keeping on!

https://services4authors.com/2018/07/27/10-critical-things-to-know-before-you-spend-big-on-your-amazon-ads/

Fast Track Guide To Fixing Your Book Description

Jun13

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Laurence O’Brien of BooksGoSocial reminds us how to create good book description copy – one of the key elements to book marketing.

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Step One: Watch this short 1 minute 21 seconds video. Step Two: Use strong active verbs instead of passive ones. If you’re describing a romance novel, for example, use words like: hot, steamy, spicy, scorching, passionate, burning. Use of…

Source: Fast Track Guide To Fixing Your Book Description | BooksGoSocial Resources

Book Reviews and How to Get Them

Mar20

cat with gun

Short of getting your cat to persuade your readers to leave a review of your book, how do you get people to review your book?

Ask
Of course, this is the first step. Anyone who buys your book in front of you, or someone you hand your book to, you need to sincerely ask for a review. Look the person in the eye and let them know how helpful it is to you if they can leave you a review. If you are mailing a book to someone, put a personal note inside the book asking for a review.
Of course, you have that same request (and easy link in your ebooks) in the back of your book. That’s a given.
It’s important not to get upset when these people forget or they just aren’t comfortable leaving you a review. It may not even be about you or your book. Just be happy when reviews show up.
Book Giveaways
I think these things are good to do, but not for getting reviews. I don’t find people who get free books automatically leave reviews. I think book giveaways are better for connecting to readers. And this can eventually lead to word of mouth sales or at minimal, word of mouth reads. Maybe it will lead to a review, but don’t hold your breath.

So what is a author to do?

from spaceplace.nasa.gove

We can help each other!

I am aware of two facebook groups of writers through BooksGoSocial where authors read and review other authors.

BooksGoSocial Book Buying Review Club

This group requires you buy a book on Amazon and post the official review before you can ask for a review for your book. This is because Amazon will post reviews that are verified purchases. They don’t always post reviews that are not verified purchases. They will only allow a certain percent of non-purchased reviews.
In this group, you pick a book with the same price point as the book you will want a review for yourself (and you are only allowed to pick the last on the post list) – books that cost e.g. $.01 -.99 or $1.00 – 2.99 etc.
There is also a post for shorter books.

Then there is the BooksGoSocial Book Review Club

In this group, you are not required to buy a book, but you are required to prove you have reviewed another author’s book on Amazon.

Both of these groups require you to be accepted into the group and that you participate in the group, plus you can’t do review swaps – you review my book and I’ll review yours. Amazon can find these and they will take down these types of reviews.

Both of these groups are for middle grade through adult novels – fiction and non-fiction.

BooksGoSocial also has a group for children’s authors. Though this is not specific for reviews.

Hopefully all authors review any book they read, but these are 2 ways to guarantee you get reviews that are so helpful to you.

Important News for SF & Fantasy Writers!

Feb5

If you are a fantasy or Scifi writer, you’ll want to read this post about the scholarship that George R.R. Martin is offering.

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The Game of Thrones author will provide tuition, fees and lodging for one student at an “intensive” six-week workshop at the Clarion West Writers Workshop in Seattle, US.

Go here for more details: https://www.thebookseller.com/news/martin-funds-new-scholarship-sff-and-fantasy-writers-719866

Maybe if you live in the Seattle area and you don’t get the scholarship, you might want to pay to go yourself. If Martin is endorsing the workshop, it probably is a good one.

Thank you Laurence O’Bryan of BooksGoSocial for cluing me into this opportunity. And thank you George! A wonderful author supporting other authors.

How Book Selling Really Works – Updated for 2016 | BooksGoSocial Book Marketing Blog

Jun24

Laurence O’Bryan writes about some realities about book publishing – he has made some good points, especially at the end when he says, “Don’t underestimate the amount of work you will need to do to make your Alice-like dreams come true. I read again and again about writers whose fourth, tenth or fourteenth book hit the big time. Think about how many years those writers invested in their craft and in nurturing their readers.”

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If you’re a new author, traditionally or independently published, one of the problems that you face is that you may not understand how book selling really works. The publishing world in 2016 is similar to a Mad Hatter’s tea party.…

How Book Selling Really Works – Updated for 2016 | BooksGoSocial Book Marketing Blog

CKBooks Publishing
Where Publishing Dreams Become Reality