Chanticleer Book Reviews

Category: Marketing

  • HOW HASHTAGS can INCREASE ONLINE BOOK SALES – Part 4 by Kiffer Brown

    HOW HASHTAGS can INCREASE ONLINE BOOK SALES – Part 4 by Kiffer Brown

    Tips to Selling More Books Online – Part 4 by Kiffer Brown

    Hashtags
    And that is with just one hashtag…Make your social media posts work harder for you!

    The POWER of the HASHTAG

    Hashtags will make your social media posts work harder for you! They will amplify your posts. Hashtags will help new readers discover your books and help you discover new readers. – Kiffer Brown

    Definition of Hashtag:  A hashtag, introduced by the number sign, or hash symbol, #, is a type of metadata tag used on social networks such as Twitter and other micro-blogging services (i.e. Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest). It lets users apply dynamic, user-generated tagging that helps other users easily find messages with a specific theme or content. In other words: 

    Hashtags enhance your exposure to people who do not follow you. If you are just staring out building your social media platforms, #hashtags will help you increase your Followers — even if you only have one person following you. If you are already participating in social media, hashtags will enlarge your following!

    Hashtags are your hardworking  friends (you know the ones who will help you move or watch your kid in a pinch) in social media.

    • Hashtags help to gather different social media conversations about the same topic.
    • It makes the same topic easier to find and search throughout a social media platform.
    • Imagine being able to type in a word in your post that will allow other people on the platform to search the topic and, thereby, discover your post. Hashtags ( # )  will work for you in your posts on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

    • Hashtags help to boost your social media posts beyond your own followers. It will help you find crossover markets for your books. Do some research to find out the hashtags that resonate with your targeted readers. For example if your work’s protagonist is an adult with autism, you may want to try #adultautism.
      • Or if your work centers around a protagonist who is a birdwatcher (example: Border Songs by Jim Lynch), you may want to have your social media posts use #birdwatchers  or #PNW  or #PNWBirds if the plot is centered in the Pacific Northwest Or if the work is science fiction but will appeal to computer geeks use #cyberpunk and #SciFiCyberpunk.

    • Hashtags need time to percolate. It will take some time to be able to drill down to discover the best niche hashtags to reach out to your audience. You must use the hashtags  over a long time to start percolating throughout the Internet and to allow potential new followers time to find you via #hashtag. Be patient. Be consistent.

    • Promoting on social media is a lot like brushing your teeth. You can’t just do it on Sundays or set aside a couple of days a month to do it. Your social media posts must be consistent and almost daily. You don’t have to spend a lot of time doing it— much like brushing your teeth, but consistency and long-term maintenance are the keys.   Some people I know set a tea timer or kitchen timer to keep themselves from going down the social media rabbit hole. Fifteen minutes twice a day is better than a whole Sunday spent posting.  Also, remember that social media levels the playing field against the big boys. It is mostly free (except for your time) and still a bargain as compared to the old Yellow Page ads or magazine ads.

    • A TWO-WAY STREET –– If you want others interact with you on social media, you must LIKE, COMMENT, and SHARE other peoples’ posts. Nuff said. Social Media is the world’s largest cocktail party—make the most of your networking time! Following a hashtag is just like following a friend. 
      • A friendly reminder:  The same goes with REVIEWS. If you want more consumer reviews, you will need to post more consumer reviews of others’ works. It is well-known by publishers that Editorial Reviews generate more Consumer Reviews (reader reviews).
    • Find Readers by Association with Top Authors in Your Genre by Discovering their hashtags and key words. Determine two or three best-selling authors’ works whose works you would like to have your books shelved next to in a bookstore. Then follow the author on social media (and interact), read and leave consumer reviews wherever you purchase books, and  subscribe to his/her blogs and emails. Again, a long time strategy, but when you are ready to for a “peer review” and/or ask for an author quote, you will have increased your chances. Discover their hashtags to discover new readers. 
    • #Hashtags can help you enlarge your reader base. Meanwhile, you can state that  “If you are a fan of MISS BIG AUTHOR’s works, perhaps take a look at my works while you wait for the next one in the series to come out… ”  A word of caution, make sure that your book is well edited and the best that it can be. Why? Because a few of Miss Big Author’s fans will take you up on your proposition. And if Miss Big Author likes your work, you may just get an endorsement blurb for your cover. Be ready for when Luck meets Opportunity and Preparation.

    Back to #Hashtags

    #Hashtags continue to work for you long after you have posted (percolation). The social media platforms’ crawlers continuously search for them and try to connect the people who use them.

    Here are some hashtags that READERS use:  #amreading

    #amreadingfantasy    or  #amreadingYA  or #amreadingthrillers   #summerreading    #tbr   (to be read)

    Here are some hashtags that writers and authors use:

    #amwriting  (1,045,508 viewers at the time of this article).  #novel (383,783 viewers at the time of this article)  #author  (1,448,021  viewers at the time of this article)

    Hashtags on Instagram

    If you only want to use #hashtags on INSTAGRAM, then use the following format:   #instawritingcommunity  #instawritersofinstagram  #instaamwriting

    On Instagram the hashtag   #books is banned. So, you must drill down instead of using the obvious. But #instafantasybooks is legal.

    One study shows that Instagram posts with a least one hashtag generate on average 12.65 percent more engagement.

    Other Hashtag Categories

    1. Brand Hashtags   #mysteryauthor   #cozycatmysteries   #spaceopera  #shewritespress   #ChantiReviewsBooks  #olreign
    2. Category Hashtags  #animals  #cats   #snickerdoodles  #PNW  #summerreads   #heartwarming #bebold  #sheplayshere    #WWIIhistory
    3. Event Hashtags  #authorsigning  #booksigning   #ComiconWest   #CAC20   #2019WFIFA  #internationalnursesday  #caterday
    4. Campaign Hashtags  #yourbookstitle  #yourseries   #titleofyourlaunchcampaign
    5. Feelings/Moods   #simplepleasures   #kitchenflowers  #rip   #petgrief  #ptsd  #swoon
    6. Activities   #bakingbread  #woodcarving   #daysailing   #yogaclass

    Hashtags NOT to USE

    • #Free
    • #giveaway
    • #deal
    • #offerexpires
    • #Sale

    Do not use ALL CAPS as it is seen as YELLING!

    The Jøssing Affair by Janet Oakley won the Goethe Book Awards Grand Prize. The award-winning novel is about the Nazi occupation of Norway and the Norwegian Resistance Fighters in WWII. There is also love, betrayal, espionage, and bravery.

     

    You can capitalize a couple of letters – for example:  #JossingAffairBookLaunch  #WWIINorway  #NorwayOccupation #NorwaySuspenseNovels

     

    Do not use ! or ? or ‘  or any punctuation in your hashtags besides the hashtag (#)

    Banned Hashtags

    Also, if you use a banned hashtag, your posts and account could be flagged and then “shadowbanned” which means that your posts will not percolate throughout Instagram.

    Some banned hashtags are innocent as #happythanksgiving  or #besties (banned because of overuse and spamming) to the egregious posts that you could imagine would go with these hashtags: #milf   #lingerie    #nasty    #xxx   #selfharm.

    Here is a link with the latest of banned hashtags of 2019. (2020’s list is not out yet).

    Hashtag Etiquette

    Where to Place Hashtags

    Hashtags may be used on any social media, and are typically found within a post in an #organic fashion, or at the end of the post like an index word. Twitter is a platform where the hashtag is so endemic that it often becomes like punctuation, performing its function while remaining nearly invisible to readers, as long as it’s not overdone.

    Using a hashtag as part of a sentence is understood and accepted on Twitter, probably due to the character limit. But on Google+ and Facebook the hashtags are used less and can be intrusive in the middle of sentences. When in doubt on Facebook and Google+, add your hashtags to the end of your post, even on a separate ending line.

    If your hashtags sticks out like a sore thumb, it may communicate “this is spam”, especially on some platforms, and that may create a negative reaction to the post.

    Hashtag Advice 

    Use 3 – 6 hashtags. Start with a popular standard then drill down. For example, @ChristineKatSmith used #catnap  #tabbycat   #happyhour  #landotter (a boater’s term for a cat) #friday #shelterinplace   Christine is the co-Captain of the David B, a small ship that offers adventure cruises to Alaska and the award-winning author of More Faster Backwards, Rebuilding David B. 

    In the above Instagram post, she used the following hashtags @ mvdavidb
    #glaciers #dawesglacier #alasks #alaskacruise #cruisealternative #tracyarmfordsterrorwilderness #photographyworkshop #travel #explore #adventure #wilderness #wildplaces #tidewaterglacier #boattour #yachtcharter #alaskayachtcharter #smallshipcruise #mvdavidb

    The post looked like this:

     

    Now to see how one of our favorite authors uses hashtags – Michelle Cox at @michellecoxwrites   Michelle’s A Promise Given won the Chanticleer Mystery and Mayhem Grand Prize along many other awards.

    Notice how she uses little known hashtags all the way to a broader net with #DowntonAbbey  #Chicago  #MissFisherMurderMysteries  and then associates her brand (#HenriettaAndInspectorHowardSeries) with the other hashtags such as #mustread  #booktofilm and so forth.

     

    This in an introductory blog post to hashtags. Remember that following a hashtag is like searching for someone or something. Just type your hashtag into the Search text field on the social media platform that you are posting on.

    Give it a try! Try it! You’ll like it! – Kiffer

    Chanticleer Reviews social media handle is @ChantiReviews   The hashtags we commonly use are:  #CIBAs  #ChanticleerFamily   #ChanticleerRReads  and the CIBA Divisions  such as #CYGNUSAwards  @MandMAwards  and so forth.

     

    HANDY LINKS – Chanticleer Reviews Tool Box Series 

    Click on these links to blog posts on the Chanticleer website for more information on how to increase online book sales: 

    How to Increase Book Sales Online – Part One

    How to Increase Book Sales Online – Part Two

    How to Increase Book Sales Online – Part Three

    BISAC CODES – Not Just Alphabet Soup

    Book Reviews – 4 Types and Why You Need All Four

    Social Media and Creating and Keeping Top of Mind Association with Readers

    Chanticleer Writer’s Toolbox

    Thank you for reading this Chanticleer Writer’s Toolbox post on Marketing and Book Promotion to Increase Online Book Sales.

    Stay tuned for our next post on the How to Increase Online Book Sales series.

    Also, we will continue to post the 2019 CIBA Finalists, so please stay tuned.

    And, we will have new writing craft posts from top editors coming your way to keep you writing and editing during these unprecedented times.

    We encourage you to stay in contact with each other and with us  during this stint of practicing physical distancing to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

    Let us know how you are doing, what is going on where you live, how are you progressing on your writing projects.

    I invite each of you to join us at The Roost – a private online Chanticleer Community for writers and authors and publishing professionals. You are welcome to email me for more info also.

    We are active on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. You can find us by using our social media handle @ChantiReviews

    Minimize physical contact! Maximize social connecting!

    Here are our contact emails:  

    General information:  Chanticleer@ChantiReviews.com

    Editorial:  BookEditor@ChantiReviews.com

    Reviews: Sanderson@ChantiReviews.com

    Me:  KBrown@ChantiReviews.com

    Take care, be safe.

    Keep writing and creating magic! 

    Kiffer and Sharon & Entire Team Chanticleer 

     

  • How to Create and Edit an Audio Podcast FREE LIVE Webinar – by HINDENBURG SYSTEMS

    How to Create and Edit an Audio Podcast FREE LIVE Webinar – by HINDENBURG SYSTEMS

    HOW TO MAKE and EDIT a PODCAST

    Hindenburg Systems is holding a LIVE ZOOM WEBINAR with a Q & A Session just for Chanticleerians!

    LEARN FROM THE BEST! – Hindenburg Systems

    Creating a podcast with a smart phone! Anywhere!

    Their webinars are always solidly booked. I should know because I have tried to login on several webinars only to see that it was filled to capacity on ZOOM. So, I asked if they would be so kind as to teach this class just for Chanticleer Reviews subscribers. And Hindenburg Systems said YES!

    The WEBINAR is FREE, but you must register to get the ZOOM link and password. 

    You must RSVP to me ASAP at KBrown@ChantiReviews.com

    I will then email to you the ZOOM Meeting Room ID and Link. 

    Don’t Delay! Reserve Your Spot Today! 

    There is limited capacity for this LIVE ZOOM WEBINAR! 

    TOPIC:  HOW TO MAKE and EDIT a PODCAST 

    Date: Thursday, May 14, 2020
    Time Zones: 11:30 am (Los Angeles) 1:30 pm (Chicago) 2:30 pm (New York) 7:30 pm (London) 8:30 pm (Copenhagen)

    The Podcast Webinar will be held at 11:25 a.m.  to 1:25 p.m. Pacific Coast Time, Thursday, May 14.

    Length of Time: One hour plus LIVE Q & A
    Description: This 1-hour Hindenburg Journalist PRO live training will cover:

    RECORDING

    • Yourself
    • Yourself and a co-host on location
    • Yourself and an interviewee Online

    Post-production SOUND

    • Working with EQ (equalizer)
    • Noise reduction

    Post-production EDITING

    •  Removing the Unwanted
    •  Grabbing Soundbites
    • Add Music and Sound

    PUBLISHING

    • Upload the final podcast to a Podcast Host
    • Who? What? Where? and How?

    Q and A Session
    15 – 20 minutes of open Q&A at the end

    What you will need to view the LIVE ZOOM WEBINAR?
     a laptop, desk computer, or a smart phone.  Again, this is a FREE WEBINAR.
    But you do need to email me to receive the link. 

    LEARN FROM THE BEST

    This webinar will be taught by Nick Dunkerley, Creative Director and Founder of Hindenburg Systems, from Copenhagen, Denmark.  He is also a Radio Journalist for the Danish National Broadcasting Corporation (16 years of experience in public radio broadcasting) and a Sound Engineer.
    If you would like, after viewing the LIVE webinar, then Hindenburg will email to you the video of the webinar–just for those who logged in LIVE! If you are like me, it will take a couple of times to absorb the technical bits. Having a video to watch again will be helpful!
    And Hindenburg Systems provides more in-depth tutorials for FREE if you want to dive in deeper. 
    Hindenburg Systems PRO is used by Stanford, Berkeley, Duke, Penn State, Harvard universities along  University of Iceland, Whitman College and others. HS is also the system of choice for U of Copenhagen, Danish School of Journalism, UMEA of Sweden, London School of Economics, etc.
    Chris Mottes, CEO, teaching a session at Harvard Universty.
    Hindenburg Systems PRO is also the choice for Doctors without Borders, Greenpeace, and many other organizations that depend on podcasts in remote areas to get their messages out.
    Build your podcast on one of the most trusted platforms on the planet—Hindenburg Systems
    RESERVE YOUR SPOT TODAY for the HOW TO CREATE and EDIT a PODCAST by emailing Kiffer at KBrown@ChantiReviews.com

    We encourage you to stay in contact with each other and with us  during this stint of practicing physical distancing to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

    Let us know how you are doing, what is going on where you live, how are you progressing on your writing projects.

    I invite each of you to join us at The Roost – a private online Chanticleer Community for writers and authors and publishing professionals.

    We are active on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. You can find us by using our social media handle @ChantiReviews

    Minimize physical contact! Maximize social connecting!

    Take care, be safe.

    Keep writing and creating magic! 

    Kiffer and Sharon & Entire Team Chanticleer 

  • HOW to INCREASE ONLINE BOOK SALES – Part 3 – Kiffer Brown

    HOW to INCREASE ONLINE BOOK SALES – Part 3 – Kiffer Brown

    Tips to Selling More Books Online from Kiffer Brown

    Part Three

    • Keep on Writing! You need a back list of books to in order to do real promotion efforts such as using BookBub or Book Funnel where you give away (or for 99 cents) the first in a series to get readers hooked into your series and your works. These platforms do a lot of marketing and have subscribers that do email blasts promoting books that they accept along with an active web presence along with professional search engine algorithms (Google, Bing, Firefox, etc.).
    • Published a short story or novella to give away on Bookbub or Book Funnel– a prequel perhaps to get readers hooked. Robert Dugoni did this with The Academy  that comes in at 44 pages. This is a great way to hook readers into your character. Or Hugh Howey’s Wool that came in at 12,000 words (60 pages). Make sure that the cover is strong and compelling.

    • Yet another short story that launched an author’s career is The Witcher, a short story by Polish author Andrzegj Sapkowski in the late 1980s. Fast forward to 2020 to see his works turned into the The Witcher TV series on  Netflix. The company said the series with its 76 million households was the most watched television series on Netflix. I will not even go into Fire in the Hole short story series  by Elmore Leonard launching the Justified TV series.
    Geralt of Rivia – The Witcher
    • Ann Charles, USA Today Bestselling author, supplements her five (at my last count) novel series with short stories. Some are seasonal (winter holidays, Halloween, summer reads). Ann says that it is a great way to hook new readers.
    Ann Charles with her famous violet boots!
    • ALL social media posts, Tweets (Oh how I despise clicking on a tweet to just ending up on an Amazon selling page!– How rude!) guest blog-posts, emails, ads, marketing materials should direct readers to your website –NOT to the Amazon page where your book is for sell. Or let me put it this way: Your Website is Your Internet Business Portal.  Amazon is not.
    • Meanwhile, get your books out on as many platforms as possible and create links on your website to each selling platform. Give your readers a choice of where to purchase your work.
      • Bookchain.ca — securely sell ebooks directly from your website and receive the largest amount of royalties possible. Funded by Canada Media.
      • PublishDrive – E-book, audio, print books. To reach global markets and the Asian markets. REMEMBER that there are more Asians who speak English than North Americans or United Kingdom people who speak English. PublishDrive is based out of Budapest, Hungary. They have a great relationship with CCP’s (China) Amazon equivalent. They also coordinate with Amazon and GooglePlay. They have worked out many of the bugs that they had early on.
      • LuLu.com – retail distribution to 40,000 retailers, schools, and libraries. Based in North Carolina. They restructured and reorganized. May 19, 2019 LULU sent out a press release stating that they have paid out more than $100 million US dollars in royalties to authors.
      • Ingram – based in Nashville, TN Ingram Content Group has the publishing industry’s largest active book inventory and Ingram is the world’s largest wholesale distributor of books.
      • Scribd – Online subscription base — the Netflix of ebooks and audio-books
      • Google Play – Billions of Users ( Don’t overlook this market)
      • Amazon – Kindle (nuff said)
      • KOBO – ebooks and audiobooks to reach markets outside of North America such as Europe, Japan, — based in Japan and Canada.
      • Barnes & Noble 
      • Smashwords.com – one of the first platforms for selling self-published books – 2008
      • Payhip.com – based in London, U.K. integrates blogs, ebooks, merchandise
      • Books.Apple.com
      • Audible.com for audio books
      • tolino – mytolino.com – German based with Global Reach. PublishDrive lists Tolino as one of their selling platforms that they coordinate with.
    • The exception to this is if your book is participating in Amazon’s KDP Select program. This program grants Amazon exclusivity to the books that are enrolled in it.

    Interesting to Note:  Beyond being the world’s preferred common language, English is also an Asian language in both a demographic and an official sense. Asia has approximately 800 million English speakers, which in effect means it has far more English speakers than the entire Anglosphere. ABC News Australia 

    • Make sure that each one of your selling platforms’ book pages’ information  is current and compelling to read.
    • Pay attention to BISAC codes, meta-data, tagging, and other digital information describes your work on the Internet. Each code does matter! Link below.
    • The COVER! Again — the cover must compel your targeted reader to click on it in less than three seconds. Make sure it is powerful! And BookBub is ALL ABOUT the COVER. If you want to get considered for their program, make sure that your cover is in tip-top form. Good enough will not do.

    WEBSITE Housekeeping

    • Make sure that all the platforms where your books are for sale have working links.

    Below is a copy and paste of how award-winning author of fantasy fiction, Susan Faw, does this:

    Or USA Today Bestselling Author Ann Charles 

    Or international bestselling author J.D. Barker’s website’s

    • 2. Have you updated your website with your latest awards, book blurbs, reviews, honors, and accolades and happenings?

    • 3. Are you keeping your website current with what you are working on—your work in progress? Your own contests events and the winners? Your book club appearances? Your ZOOM events? Your working links to your social media pages? IS your SUBSCRIBE to AUTHOR’S  NEWSLETTER easy to use or does it ask for to much (I run into this all the time–then I pass on subscribing).
    • 4. Have you included and listed where and when you have been interviewed, blogged? podcasted? ZOOM chats/rooms? Facebook events?
    • 5. Do you have a section that allows your readers to become acquainted with you? Do you like board games? Do you paint? Do you grow lavender? Do paint action figures? Do you love to bake? Are you a photography buff? Does your photo and your bio description reinforce your author branding?

    KIFFER’s advice:  Remember that you can sell a short story or novella for 99 cents or a full-fledged novel for 99 cents.

    Think about what kind of backstory that is in your novels that you could turn into a short story to use as another prong of your marketing and promotion strategy. Potential readers may be more apt to spend time reading a short story to try out a new author than committing to a novel...just something to thing about.  Click here to read more on Short Stores and having an author career. 

    Click here to find out more about Chanticleer’s Book Awards for Short Stories, Novellas, and Novelettes. 

    Please stay tuned for Part Four of How to Increase Online Book Sales by Kiffer Brown

    HANDY LINKS – Chanticleer Reviews Tool Box Series 

    Below are links to blog posts on the Chanticleer website that have more information on the above points: 

    How to Increase Book Sales Online – Part One

    How to Increase Book Sales Online – Part Two

    BISAC CODES – Not Just Alphabet Soup

    Book Reviews – 4 Types and Why You Need All Four

    Social Media and Creating and Keeping Top of Mind Association with Readers

    Chanticleer Writer’s Toolbox

    Thank you for reading this Chanticleer Writer’s Toolbox post on Marketing and Book Promotion to Increase Online Book Sales.

    Part 4 in the How to Increase Online Book Sales series will address Hashtags and Social Media.

    Also, we will continue to post the 2019 CIBA Finalists, so please stay tuned.

    And, we will have new writing craft posts from top editors coming your way to keep you writing and editing during these unprecedented times.

    We encourage you to stay in contact with each other and with us  during this stint of practicing physical distancing to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

    Let us know how you are doing, what is going on where you live, how are you progressing on your writing projects.

    I invite each of you to join us at The Roost – a private online Chanticleer Community for writers and authors and publishing professionals. You are welcome to email me for more info also.

    We are active on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. You can find us by using our social media handle @ChantiReviews

    Minimize physical contact! Maximize social connecting!

    Here are our contact emails:  

    General information:  Chanticleer@ChantiReviews.com

    Editorial:  BookEditor@ChantiReviews.com

    Reviews: Sanderson@ChantiReviews.com

    Me:  KBrown@ChantiReviews.com

    Take care, be safe.

    Keep writing and creating magic! 

    Kiffer and Sharon & Entire Team Chanticleer 

     

  • HOW to INCREASE ONLINE BOOK SALES – Part 2 by Kiffer Brown

    HOW to INCREASE ONLINE BOOK SALES – Part 2 by Kiffer Brown

    How to Increase Online Book Sales – Part 2 by Kiffer Brown

    I receive several emails a week from authors wanting to know if there is one thing that they can do to increase book sales. Many confess that they despise spending time that they could be writing on “marketing tasks” and abhor the idea of “wasting time” on social media.

    The Attack of Social Media – sometimes I feel this way…

    I get it. I truly do.

    However, as with any product, your books must have a marketing and promotional strategy if you are going to increase sales. Participating in social media is a must in just about any product marketing strategy.

    J.D. Barker, master of suspense and international best-selling thriller author and whose books are under contract for TV series and movies, reminded us at the Chanticleer Authors Conference,

    “Books are products—products to be sold.” – J.D. Barker

    If you want to make a living as an author,  never forget those simple words from J.D.

    At CAC 19, J.D. shared with us his very structured plan that he developed for launching his first novel. We hope to have him back soon.

    JD Barker presented at CAC19

    A successful marketing and promotion plan is part data driven, part art, and part luck. And you know the old saying that, “Luck is Opportunity meeting Preparation and Planning.” Your job is to write the best work possible, promote it like an expert guerrilla marketeer, and, of course, build your brand as an author. Easy Peasy. Well, no. But if you do, and one day the stars align, and those days do happen, you will be ready. And remember your plan doesn’t have to be perfect. Every little bit helps and builds.

    The main thing is to get started as another one of my favorite authors says.

    Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it.  ~Goethe

    Your brand and book marketing strategy should be a multi-pronged approach that is consistent and plans for at least three years into the future. You can always pivot if needed.

    Remember that Budweiser, Pringle Potato Chips, Heinz ketchup, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups,  and others pay the  $5.6 million dollars for a 30-second ad in the 2020 Superbowl just to keep their brands in your Top-of-Mind associations.

    Your marketing and promotion strategy is to keep your brand (author name) and products (books) promoted with  magazine articles, interviews, blog posts, social media posts, old-school marketing materials, graphics and visual images, etc. on a consistent basis with a few “major event promotions” throughout the year for content and P/R generation.

    Keep that $5.6 million dollars per 30-seconds in mind the next time you think that you are wasting time promoting your brand and your work on social media. And like the Superbowl ads, your social media posts must be compelling to stand out in a crowded field.

    Whether or not you are aiming to go the traditional publishing route or self-publish, building your brand and book promotion strategy is key to have a successful writing career.  Having a brand and marketing strategy will open many more possibilities and doors for you.

    Here is an all-too-familiar scenario that I have heard again and again from literary agents (mostly when we are having drinks together in the evening after book expos or trade shows):

    The conversation from the lit agent (no pun intended) generally goes something like this:

    I just read this compelling manuscript. I thought that it might have potential (as in commercial potential because that is what pays the bills). So, I got online to see what kind of digital footprint the author has. Crickets. The website’s last blog post was eighteen months ago. I clicked on the Facebook page–no fan-base or street team. Twitter was just re-posting of posts that have nothing to do with other authors in her genre or of interest to potential readers…and Instagram was the same. So, I guess I will have to give this manuscript a pass. It seems to me that the author just isn’t serious about having a writing career and I don’t have  the time to get her social media platform up to speed  while shopping the manuscript. 

    As opposed to this rare excited version of a lit agent discovering the magical gem of great writing and serious promotional efforts that I did have the opportunity to hear (and drink a celebratory glass of champagne with):

    Oh my god! I just read this compelling manuscript. I thought that it might have potential. So, I got online and JACKPOT! This author is doing everything right to reach her target market. Her marketing strategy will make it so much more easier for me to sell the book to _______ (insert publisher here). She has a lively website that is current and up-to-date. I saw a lot of consistent activity on her author Facebook page. Her Instagram posts are subtlety promotional. Perfect! And I see that she has a calendar full of scheduled events. It is so rare to find this combination of talent and business sense. 

    Now I understand that some of you will say, “Au contraire, mon ami!  If I self-publish, I will be the bane of literary agents. Lit agents will not touch self-published authors.”  I hear you mumble to yourself.

    As for the disbelievers who think that self-publishing makes you untouchable to literary agents, I will use J.D. Barker as one of the tried and true examples of disproving that is old advice from before 2010. What a difference a decade makes.

    J.D. Barker successfully published his debut novel as an indie and sold enough copies to land on the radar of the traditional publishers in a BIG way including seven-figure advances, two feature films, and a television series. 

    For now, please bear with me as I go off-topic for a bit… for those who are familiar with me, you probably have come to expect this wandering around bit on my part.

    SHORTS – (a prelude to Part Two — How to Increase Online Sales) 

    Even if you are planning on going  the traditional publishing route and not self-publishing, you will have to create a social media platform and a brand. Remember the book and the film Julie and Julia by Julie Powell. She is an inspiration to bloggers everywhere. Her book was basically a compilation of her blog posts.

    Julie Powell–inspiring bloggers everywhere!

    Hugh Howey self-published the science fiction blockbuster short story Wool – and Simon and Schuster picked up his omnibus of short stories. Howey is now sailing around in the South Pacific on his custom yacht as I write this. (I did have a chance to meet him several times before he embarked– he is a really nice guy.) Of course, everyone thinks that Howey  was an overnight success. It only took him ten years of writing consistently for one short story to take off and create a fandom for all of his works.

    Hugh Howey, author of WOOL

    Andy Weir self-published his debut novel, The Martian. He said “I was writing all sorts of stories. I had three different serials going, and random short stories that I would post. I just kind of wrote whatever I wanted, and ‘The Martian’ was just one of the serials, but it was the one that the readers clearly liked the best, and so that helped encourage me to write it more than the others,” Weir told Recode.

    It took Weir a long time to get his writing career off the ground. He even took several years of as software programmer to work on his writing, but then had to go back to programming until The Martian took root and agents were contacting him about publishing deals and movie deals.

    As Jerry Macquire said, “Show me the money.”  In the publishing industry that equates to copies sold and your author brand.

    CIBA SHORTS

    We became so excited about Short Stories from writing this blog post that we decided to finally offer a CIBA Book Awards division. We have received many requests for an awards program for  just for short stories, novelettes, and novella. So without further ado… The CIBA Shorts!

    Anthologies and Collections are accepted along with solitary works. Click on this link to learn more https://www.chantireviews.com/contests/

     

    Back to the point of Part Two – as I circle back around to:  How to Sell More Books Online!

    Link to Part One of How to Increase Book Sales 

    Michelle Cox, a Mystery & Mayhem Grand Prize Winner, shares her strategy for promoting  her well-received Henrietta and Inspector Howard mystery novel series.

    Michelle says, “I spend five to seven hours a day doing marketing and PR—anything from writing the blog or the newsletter or articles or interviews, taping podcasts, setting up events, answering email, attending to social media, etc.  It’s really a full-time job, though, sadly, the actual writing, the part I love, is the part I get to spend the least on.”

    Award-winning mystery author, Michelle Cox

    Michelle continues:

    All marketing is pretty elusive, isn’t it?  It’s a constant process of throwing things at the wall and seeing what sticks.  It’s also important to remember that what works for one person, might not work for everyone.  It’s not an exact science.  If it were, we’d all be rich!

    But, in general, here are some good marketing tips that I have found to work:

    • Try to figure out where your readers are. Most of my readers, for example, are on Facebook, so that’s where I spend most of my social media time.
    • Think of yourself as a brand and try to match your posts accordingly. I post things about myself or the book or writing, but mostly old recipes, period drama news, or old stories from the past (which constitute my blog).
    • Also, I’m very careful never to post anything religious or political.  This is a business, and the more you see yourself that way and follow basic business protocols, the more successful you’ll be.
    • Try to build your newsletter list by offering a freebie (such as free story, writing tips, a webinar, a prequel). Personally, I do it by running contests with really big prize packages. I make sure to state that the contest winner will be picked only from my newsletter subscribers.  I pay a designer to create a beautiful graphic of the prizes, post it on Facebook, and then boost the post.  Not only does this get me a lot of new subscribers (sometimes up to 1,000!), but it exposes the series to new readers as well!
    • Build your network. Join online author groups (I am part of a fabulous private FB group organized by my publisher, She Writes Press. We all share ideas, marketing tips, and offer support and advice, especially to the newer authors just coming on board.  It’s a collective wealth of information.) or real-world groups in your area.  Don’t be jealous of the success of others, but help each other as much as possible. As my publisher, Brooke Warner has said, “There’s room for everyone at the table.”
    • Show up at other authors events, write reviews, help promote whenever possible.  Go to conferences to meet not just readers, but other authors who can potentially help you.  Remember that you are a business, and you need to do work within your community to begin standing out.

    Read more of Michelle Cox’s Marketing Tips that she shared with us by clicking this link. 

    You can discover more Book Marketing and Promotion Gems by reading Sharon E. Anderson’s 10 Question Interviews blog posts series  that can be found on the Chanticleer Reviews website.  

    The latest interview is with the CYGNUS Grand Prize winner, J.I. Rogers. Rogers discusses her marketing tips and her Patreon marketing strategy. Click here to read. 

    Please stay tuned for Part Three of How to Increase Online Book Sales by Kiffer Brown

    HANDY LINKS – Chanticleer Reviews Tool Box Series 

    Below are links to blog posts on the Chanticleer website that have more information on the above points: 

    How to Increase Book Sales Online – Part One

    BISAC CODES – Not Just Alphabet Soup

    Hashtag Primer 

    Book Reviews – 4 Types and Why You Need All Four

    Social Media and Creating and Keeping Top of Mind Association with Readers

    Chanticleer Writer’s Toolbox

    Thank you for reading this Chanticleer Writer’s Toolbox post on Marketing and Book Promotion to Increase Online Book Sales.

    We do a post (SOON) about book selling and distribution platforms – increasing your target market globally.

    Also, we will continue to post the 2019 CIBA Finalists, so please stay tuned.

    And, we will have new writing craft posts from top editors coming your way to keep you writing and editing during these unprecedented times.

    We encourage you to stay in contact with each other and with us  during this stint of practicing physical distancing to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

    Let us know how you are doing, what is going on where you live, how are you progressing on your writing projects.

    I invite each of you to join us at The Roost – a private online Chanticleer Community for writers and authors and publishing professionals. You are welcome to email me for more info also.

    We are active on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. You can find us by using our social media handle @ChantiReviews

    Minimize physical contact! Maximize social connecting!

    Here are our contact emails:  

    General information:  Chanticleer@ChantiReviews.com

    Editorial:  BookEditor@ChantiReviews.com

    Reviews: Sanderson@ChantiReviews.com

    Me:  KBrown@ChantiReviews.com

    Take care, be safe.

    Keep writing and creating magic! 

    Kiffer and Sharon & Entire Team Chanticleer 

     

  • HOW to INCREASE E-BOOK SALES ONLINE – Part ONE by Kiffer Brown

    HOW to INCREASE E-BOOK SALES ONLINE – Part ONE by Kiffer Brown

    INCREASING ONLINE BOOK SALES

    No. 1  What to Do If You Think Your E-Book Sales Should be Higher than They Are

    (Scroll down for more helpful tips, tools, and links).

    If you think that you have all of your selling platform pages in order and  updated with the reviews, meta-data, tags, BISAC codes, etc.  and your sales are still lackluster, you may want to consider “re-merchandising” your book. This is what the big book publishers do when sales goals are not being met—they re-merchandise.

    Here is an example of one of my favorite top selling authors best-selling books and its cover transformations:

    Notice all the different changes that Random House incorporated… color, mood, characters, details… and there were several other renditions in between until RH apparently got the right mix to appeal to the novel’s targeted market.

    This is just how important a book cover is to increasing sales online and in print.

    Especially, if your book has been out for awhile, it may be time for a new look. It is time to refresh!

    REFRESH and RE-MERCHANDISE with a new cover.  To repeat myself, a compelling cover is the most effective way to increase sales other than word-of-mouth. A compelling cover can help to create the coveted word-of-mouth buzz.

    Why is the cover the most important publishing tool for self-published and Indie authors? 

    The cover is what makes a reader who has never heard of you or read your other works pick up your book, or click on the link, or choose your book’s digital thumbprint on Amazon’s  Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought carousel of book covers.

    How to Make Your Book Discover-able to Potential Readers

    Book covers are so important that major booksellers (Walmart, yes, Walmart is a major bookseller including ebooks and audio-books) demand having the final decision in the cover designs of books that they decide to carry so that the covers will appeal to their particular customer demographics.

    In this 3 to 5 seconds, your cover must communicate quickly and effectively the following 5 Elements:

    1. The Genre (Historic? Thriller? SciFi? Romance? Cozy Mystery? Literary? etc.)
    2. The Primary Targeted Age Group (Adult for the Trade? Guys? (think Tom Clancy) or Gals? (think Rebecca Wells), General Audience? Young Adult? Middle-Grade? Clean reads market? (think Jan Karon) etc.)
    3. Mood (Humorous? Suspenseful? Adventurous? Dark? Light-hearted? Romantic? Horror? Spiritual? etc.)
    4. Timeframe (Current? Futuristic? Regency? WWI? Western? Classic Roman? etc.)
    5. Place or Cultural Reference (India? New York? Africa? Outer Space? California? Paris? Russia? Japan? etc.)

    An effective book cover will convey all of this information (or enough of it) to capture a potential reader’s attention in less than 5 seconds—three seconds really. It will garner enough interest to have the potential reader to pick it up or click on the link to find out more.

    If it does not convey the 5 elements in less than three -to-five seconds, your book is probably invisible to potential readers. And yes, that is a publishing industry’s insider’s term.

    Invisible books rarely sell.

    Effective covers sell the first book. The content between the covers sells the second book. And you can quote me on that.

    Drilling Down on Key Concepts in Book Cover Design (digital and print)

    1. Genre placement – the cover should immediately (less than 3 seconds) convey the genre of the book. Is it an intense suspense/thriller novel? or Historical Fiction? Or How-To?
    2. Category within genre – is it Regency Romance? or Contemporary Women’s Fiction with Southern elements?
    3. Does the color scheme work with the genre?
    4. Do the design elements convey an idea of what the story is about?
    5. Is the cover appealing to the readership that you are targeting?
    6. Is it dated? Covers can and should be refreshed and tweaked at least every two years.
    7. Covers should work whether they are enlarged to be 50 feet tall to hang from scaffolding at tradeshows or whether they are reduced to the size of a thumbnail. Keep in mind that cover design may be slightly different for digital and for print. Slightly.
    8. A book cover is its must important piece of retail real estate. Every inch should be considered for maximum visual and emotional impact–even if it is digital!
    9. Make sure that the entire book’s “packaging” (typography, formatting, fonts, and layout) is co-cohesive and that all of the elements are complementary to each other.
    10. Color—use color to convey emotion, time period, genre, theme, etc.

    Remember that it doesn’t matter how much time and money that you spend on getting your book in front of potential readers. If the cover isn’t  engaging to the reader, the reader will not pick it up to look at the inside or read the back cover blurb, or click on the image for more information, or read your wonderful synopsis and reviews. All of your time, money, and effort will be for naught if your cover’s real estate is not working for you.

    Covers should convey an emotion first. The cover should have a visual impact that grabs the potential reader and makes him/her want to know more about what is inside. The cover must be enticing! 

    For more information and examples, I invite you to visit this post devoted to cover design:

    Five Essential Book Cover Elements by Kiffer Brown

    When was the last time that you checked out your Amazon, Kobo, B&N, Bookchain, Smashwords, PublishDrive, etc. page(s)? 

    2) Visit your Selling Platform Pages and Tidy Them and Add Some New Interest! 

    • Most importantly, do you have the latest cover of your title uploaded?
      • I see this all the time, the author sends me her latest cover (because as you know, I am all about the cover!) but then for some reason fails to upload the dazzling new cover to the title’s selling pages on the different platforms.
    • Update your selling pages with the latest tweaks to the title’s description. Is the description as compelling as it can possibly be? Amp it up! 
      • Make sure that every word of your book’s introduction/marketing blurb (that first paragraph that comes after the title and to the right of the cover) is effective—especially the first ten introductory words. These first ten words are “crawled” by the online sales platform’s search engine whenever a reader does “a search.” If it is a series or you are planning to make the work a series, then be sure to conclude the book’s marketing blurb with this information.
    • Have you listed the title’s latest awards and kudos near the end of the description to seal the deal?
    • Have you updated the reviews in the Editorial Reviews section? Add new ones and author blurbs (recommendations) in the Editorial Reviews section.
      • Sixty-one percent of customers read Editorial Reviews before making an online purchase (Harvard Business Review)
      • Editorial/Trade Reviews set the tone for Customer Reviews – which is (from what I hear) quantity is more important that than quality (number of stars). 100 customer reviews tend to be the magical number.
    • The Editorial Reviews section is where blurbs of reviews from Chanticleer, Kirkus, Publisher’s Weekly should be posted. Make sure that these are updated, moved around, added to, and refreshed.
    • Or to that matter, do you have anything in the Editorial Reviews section? If not, you are missing some SEO goodness. 
    • If your books are available in other languages besides English, list the languages in this section.
    • Is it time to liven up your author bio? Does it reflect the latest YOU? Does it make the reader want to meet you (like at your next book event?) as someone who he/she would enjoy meeting at a cocktail party?
      • Make sure that your photo resonates with readers’ expectations. A great example of this is Diana Gabaldon’s Amazon photo; it is one of her standing in front of the Stonehenge monument with a timeless black shawl wrapped around her. The Stonehenge background hints at the historical/fantastical nature of her works and the opening of her series.

    Author Photos

    Take a close look at your Author Central photo. If it doesn’t move your author brand forward, take a look through your photographs for one that does. It doesn’t have to be a photo taken by a professional photographer. It does have to have a layering effect and convey your author branding/personality. If you have a photograph that does convey elements of your author branding and is taken by a professional photographer, then that is even better. Here is an example of a professionally taken author photograph that exudes the author’s branding as a post-apocalyptic fiction writer. Notice that the setting and outfit exude the dystopian aspects of his Deserted Lands series:Robert Slater author of ALL IS SILENCE

    • In your Author Information section, list any other published works that are related to this particular selling page–especially if you have series or multiple titles in the related genre.
    • While you are on the title’s selling pages, double-check that all the different formats that your title is available on in any given platform are available and ready for sale!
      • Print? e-pub? combo — purchase a print book and receive the digital e-pub version for a discount or for free? (Amazon used to call this package “matchstick” )
    • Make sure that the links to purchase books from your website work and do not go off into cyberspace.
    • Test your “Look Inside” feature on Amazon and make sure that it works and that it isn’t just opening to the Table of Contents or the front matter of the book.
    • Double-check your pricing on each selling platform that the title is available for sale on. Really. 

    OVERALL

    Make sure that your information is up-to-date, fresh and relevant!

    Like a well-written book plot,  make sure that each piece of information on your title’s selling platform moves your book and author branding forward and into the hands and minds of eager book buyers.

    Handy Amazon Links

    My next posts will be on SOCIAL MEDIA and PROMOTION TIPS for Selling Books ONLINE and New Selling Platforms. So stay tuned…

    Our next Editorial Post will be on HOW to DEEPEN PLOTS

    We encourage you to stay in contact with each other and with us  during this stint of practicing physical distancing to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

    Let us know how you are doing, what is going on where you live, how are you progressing on your writing projects.

    I invite each of you to join us at The Roost – a private online Chanticleer Community for writers and authors and publishing professionals. You are welcome to email me for more info also.

    We are active on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. You can find us by using our social media handle @ChantiReviews

    Minimize physical contact! Maximize social connecting!

    Here are our contact emails:  

    General information:  Chanticleer@ChantiReviews.com

    Editorial:  BookEditor@ChantiReviews.com

    Reviews: Sanderson@ChantiReviews.com

    Me:  KBrown@ChantiReviews.com

    Take care, be safe.

    Keep writing and creating magic! 

    Kiffer and Sharon & Entire Team Chanticleer 

     

  • SCRABBLE New Words to Get Your Writing and Playing Game On – from the Word Nerds – Jessica and Kiffer

    SCRABBLE New Words to Get Your Writing and Playing Game On – from the Word Nerds – Jessica and Kiffer

    Amaze (and probably irritate) Your Game-mates with These New Scrabble Words

    In these days of self-isolating and sheltering-in-place, we thought perhaps some of you are digging out some familiar and favorite board games. A top game for authors and writers, is naturally, Scrabble. 

    In keeping with our theme on WORD CRAFT, we thought it apropos to write a post on Scrabble.

    Tomorrow, we will post another writing craft or marketing post, but for today, let’s play word games! 

    For those of you who are self-isolating all alone or just want to reach out to others, I have posted links at the end of this article that will allow you to play (for free)  remotely with friends and family on your smart phone or computer.

    English is an ever-evolving and vital language. Influenced by  everything from hip hop to high tech  to Facebook, it reflects an ever-evolving culture. Proof: Merriam-Webster has just published the sixth edition of The Official SCRABBLE Players Dictionary updated with 300 new words. It seems to me that in the Scrabble world that’s a lot. Some of them like yowsa, ew, and ok seem like no-brainers. Others like facepalm, emoji,  bitcoin, hivemind, beatdown, and listicle attest to how times are a-changing, wouldn’t you agree?

    Then there’s frowny, an old word brought back into common usage. I plan to start using it. – Jessica

    Even as this article is coming together in Spring 2020, the new words above are being underlined in red (thanks to my Grammarly app and Google) as incorrect. I am having to add them one by one to Google’s online dictionary. – Kiffer

    For those who are like me and play occasionally, you may not know that Merriam-Webster Dictionary has THE final authority on whether or not a word makes it onto the Scrabble word list for the U.S. and Canada.

    So here are some words to for those of you (who are like me) a leg-up on the master players (Here’s looking at you, Jessica.).  Although, knowing Jessica, she already uses them, so I will probably lose yet another game. But I can always hope. 😊 –Kiffer

    • bae
    • fleek
    • mansplain
    • wordie
    • preggo
    • hench
    • fatberg
    • agender
    • puggle
    • schneid
    • bestie

    Merriam-Webster says, “A thorough mastery of two-letter words is among the most important skills necessary in the creation of a successful and incomprehensible SCRABBLE board. The ability to add seemingly random letters to existing ones will allow a player to enjoy far greater latitude in placing their words on the board, and will annoy opponents who think that the game should be played with words they recognize.”

    According to  Merriam-Webster, one of the newest two-letter word is”ew.” As in the Friends TV series “ew.”

    Ew joins another 106 two-letter words, which are aa, ab, ad, ae, ag, ah, ai, al, am, an, ar, as, at, aw, ax, ay, ba, be, bi, bo, by, da, de, do, ed, ef, eh, el, em, en, er, es, et, ex, fa, fe, gi, go, ha, he, hi, hm, ho, id, if, in, is, it, jo, ka, ki, la, li, lo, ma, me, mi, mm, mo, mu, my, na, ne, no, nu, od, oe, of, oh, oi, ok, om, on, op, or, os, ow, ox, oy, pa, pe, pi, po, qi, re, sh, si, so, ta, te, ti, to, uh, um, un, up, us, ut, we, wo, xi, xu, ya, ye, yo, and za.”

    Some three-letter words are:  pya, rya, yah, yak, yam, yap, yar, yaw, and yay.

    Here is a link to Scrabble strategy: https://www.businessinsider.com/scrabble-tips-exchange-tiles-2018-9

    To see the whole gambit of the new 300 words that have been added such as zomboid, Qapik, and bestie, please click on this link:  https://www.merriam-webster.com/words-at-play/new-scrabble-words-2018/twerk

    I didn’t know that words for money currencies, like Qapik, are allowed in Scrabble. But they are!

    Or how about aquafaba (four A’s!), the name for the water that beans are cooked in,  is also allowed.

    Or bizjet. Yes, bizjet is allowed and it has a Z (10 points!) and a J (8 points!) and if you can open with it and make it plural (living the dream–multiple jets!) for a whopping 120 points. t.

    Scrabble Trivia

    Scrabble even has its own special day: April 13th is National Scrabble Day. The game was created by Alfred Mosher Butts, an American architect, in 1938.

    • There are exactly 100 tiles in Scrabble
    • There are 225 squares on the Scrabble board
    • Earning at least 30 points per turn is the mark of an good Scrabble player

    Jessica or I could spend hours on the Merriam-Webster website reading posts like this one:  10 Obscure Words That Are Somehow Real.  

    And here is another Scrabble post from AP News:  https://apnews.com/9e99f02fdf1444b78208d6f76b78677a

    Here are some links for online Scrabble playing: 

    You can play for free (without an ad blocker) or pay $.6.99 a month. You can cancel at anytime. POGO is owned by publicly traded Electronic Arts Inc., which should be more secure than other apps.

    It will take a bit to set-up on POGO, but once you are set-up, it will go much more quickly. Promise!

    POGO  Online Games that you can play remotely with others or by yourself.   https://earlyaccess.pogo.com/

    To start, pause your ad blocker if you have one and then enter your age on the slider on the homepage and you will be taken to the site.

    You will need to register. Click the Register Now blue button (remember this is a regulated publicly traded stock, so it should be safe. And there is the LOCK secure image on the far left of the URL).

    You will need a secure password. Be sure to keep track of it.

    Then sign in.  Pogo will have a video to show you around.

    Type SCRABBLE in the search field or take a look around at all  they have to offer.

    You can play now or take on up to three friends.  Your friends will need to register also.

    Then you can create a TABLE where others can join you.  I am new to this online gaming stuff, but once I figured it out it was fun. There are all sorts of options and rules for any level.

    (Remember to play free, you have to have your ad blocker off). To play without ads, you will need to join for $6.99 a month, you can cancel at any time according to EA Inc terms.

    Now back to the game!  

    Keep writing, keep dreaming, have heart.  Jessica   

    Keep writing and creating magic. Kiffer  

    Take care. Be safe. 

    Minimize physical contact! Maximize social connecting!

  • Fun and Inspirational Good-Fortune Horoscopes for Writers for the Chinese New Year – the Year of the Rat!  by 殿堂级 Diàntáng Jí (Chanticleer’s cousin)

    Fun and Inspirational Good-Fortune Horoscopes for Writers for the Chinese New Year – the Year of the Rat!  by 殿堂级 Diàntáng Jí (Chanticleer’s cousin)

    Happy Chinese New Year!

    Saturday, January 25, 2020, is the Lunar New Year that

    Celebrates the Year of the Rat! 

    The Year of the Rat for authors and writers is believed to be a time for for new opportunities to gain more readers, sell more books, and experience more success in your publishing goals no matter what your Chinese Zodiac sign is.

    The Rat is the first sign in the 12 animal cycles of Chinese Astrology and that is why 2020 is considered a year of new beginnings and renewed energy. The Year of the Metal Rat is predicted to be a strong, prosperous, and lucky year for everyone!

    The Year of the Rat brings energy, especially The Metal Rat is considered a protector and a bringer of prosperity in the Chinese culture. 2020 will be the year of new beginnings and the opportunities for success are numerous! 

    All throughout 2020, good fortune is on your side, but you need to seize it as soon as it knocks to your door. The Chinese say that nothing scares the good luck more than when you doubt it. In turn, those who show enthusiasm and act quickly will be able to ensure their success.

    So start those new writing projects, new marketing strategies, and new connections!

    The Year of the Rat is going to bring creative energy to your writing! But you will need to follow your publishing goals with confidence and determination. Be relentless and do not get discouraged by obstacles.

    This is a great year to improve your health. Practice good posture, balance, and focused breathing. Move your body as best as you can for your health whether it is walking, dancing, playing sports, or prescribed physical therapy.

    How to Celebrate the Year of the Rat – No Matter What Your Chinese Zodiac Sign Is

    According to the 2020 Chinese horoscope, the Lunar New Year starts on Saturday, January 25th and ends on February 11th, 2021.

    The Rat is a representation of diligence, kindness, and generosity. Rats are clever, quick thinkers; successful, but content with living a quiet and peaceful life. The Year of the Rat brings these traits to 2020.

    It is advised to eat cheese and nuts during the two-week celebration (starting on January 25 and continuing for two weeks until February 8)  of the Lunar Year of the Metal Rat along with dressing opulently as possible will bring good fortune to you because The Rat adores fancy clothes.

    This year’s colors for good fortune and wellness are white and blue combinations along with pink and orange combinations.

    Are You Wondering How to Determine Your Chinese Zodiac Sign?

    Use the handy table below to find your birth year and Chinese Zodiac Sign

    Below are the 2020 Chinese Horoscope Forecasts for Those Who Live the Writing Life – Enjoy

    Note from Kiffer Brown:  Chanticleer believes that we each make our own destiny by being optimistic and positive, by being kind and loving, by dreaming and inspiring, by being bold and doing, by helping and enriching others, by appreciating and being grateful, and by expanding our awareness of the Universe. Enjoy and have fun! Happy 2020! 

    If your sign is a Rat (Along with being amiable and creative, Rats are known for their intelligence, adaptability, quick-wit, charm, artistry, gregariousness.)

    If you are born under the sign of the Rat, you will need to make a schedule to write. You must persevere in their writing, but at the same time stay observant with a “novelist’s eye.” If you are published, excellent opportunities will occur to increase book sales and royalties. If, however, you feeling bored or unable to progress, you will  need to trust your  ideas and brainstorming sessions. WRITING  will be the keyword during this year for all the Rats – there is no time for writer’s block  or waiting for the muse to descend. In 2020, make sure that you also make time to  connect with others, get involved in writer events, even it you must travel to do so. Also, recall the passions and hobbies you used to do. They will inspire you in your characters’ development and will be extremely useful.  Altogether, this year is going to be pleasant and prosperous for the Rats who follow their publishing goals. 

    If your sign is an Ox (Oxen are known to be leaders and loyal friends. They are also known for their  reliability, thoroughness, strength, reason-ability, steadiness, and determination.)

    Throughout 2020, you will continue to focus on your writing. You will create new excellent characters and predicaments for them.  It is important for the you  to find time for fun and social events so that you can not only relax and enjoy life, but be inspired by those you meet by chance for your characters’ development. The year 2020 will be lucky for you, with possible increased book sales and unexpected promotional events throughout the year. If you are an aspiring writing, participate in these events so you will now how to navigate them when your works are published. Also, your writer friends will play an important role during this year. Be sure to offer them support, friendship, and connection. For the Ox, it is too easy to stay home and not socialize, but that will not serve you well in 2020.

    If your sign is a Tiger (Tigers are passionate and have courage. They are known for their enthusiasm, courage, ambition, leadership, confidence, charisma. )

    You may have the tendency to  get involved in too many writing projects or ideas. It is important to select your projects and focus on them during the Rat year if you want to take advantage of this fortuitous year. You are extremely creative, you have a lot of imagination, and this year, you can fully use your  talent if you focus.  However, some unexpected and especially lucky occasions will occur throughout the year, so be prepared! Luck equals opportunity and preparation.  You will need to keep your impulsive nature under control in 2020 and focus on your selected writing projects. If you do, this year will prove to be extremely pleasant, lucky, and satisfying.

    If your sign is a Rabbit ( Trustworthiness, empathy, modesty, diplomacy, sincerity, sociability are what Rabbits are known for along with being friendly and possessing great common sense)

    2020 will prove to be a fun year, full of social interactions, marked by stories and meetings with friends. This year, the  Rabbits may find their perfect publisher or literary agent. But as in all matters, it is important for the Rabbits to be careful and not jump on the first offer. Be sure to your research before signing any contracts.  Also, be professional, congenial, and positive in your social media posts in 2020. Your home and writing lair are essential this year, offering the comfortable retreat you will need in a year full of events. In April and October, some special occasions to travel and make publishing connections may occur. Be willing to take more chances and explore new avenues.

    If your sign is a Dragon (They are known to be passionate and quick-witted along with having the following traits: Luckiness, flexibility, eccentricity, imagination, artistry, spirituality, charisma. )

    It’s going to be a busy but happy year for most of the you. Your exuberant personality is perfect for the Year of the Rat. Traveling will be on the agenda for 2020. Continuous planning is the keyword during the Rat year—especially when it comes to your writing! As a writer, you may look for a new genre to explore in 2020 and may find one that you will confident in pursuing. At home, for the Dragons who love their home, this year is going to be special. However, you may want to separate your writing time and location so that the time spent with your family will recharge you with energy.  Your attention to budget and your wise scheduling of investment into your writing career will make the Rat year of writing extremely satisfying. If you are published, you may want to participate in book promotions from March to May as it is a favorable period.

    If your sign is a Snake (The wise and almost mystical Snake is  philosophical, organised, intelligent, intuitive, elegant, attentive, and decisive.)

    You need to be brave because the Rat year will reward you if you are. As a creative year for you, it will offer you many things to write about. Make sure that you journal all of these ideas! You have been percolating them for a while, but now these ideas need to be written down in black and white. You will have the opportunity to use them in 2020. However, be cautious when it comes to editing. Make sure that you don’t rush to publish before going through the proper editing channels. Get that manuscript evaluated before going to line or copy edit. This will save you money if you are self-publishing. Although you are normally very cautious and vigilant when it comes to publishing, you will be tempted to rush to publish your book. Take a step back and make sure that your work is ready. This flexibility and cautiousness will be appreciated by those who are further up the publishing food chain and inspire them to take a chance on you and your works.

    If your sign is a Horse (Independent and high-spirited, the Horse is adaptable, loyal, courageous, ambitious, intelligent,  adventurous, strong.)

    2020 may be a restless and demanding year for you for writing-wise, but you will be up for it! You may feel discouraged, but don’t! Your writing will be stronger because of it. You will overcome your writing challenges with tenacity and inner force. Remember that these writing challenges will strengthen your writing. You may want to plan on taking writing craft courses to explore these new challenges that will take your writing to the next level. Having a writing mentor will help you in the charting the direction of your publishing goals. Continue to make a sustained effort. Listen and ask for advice in regard to writing craft issues in 2020. If you get a chance to go on an adventure or take an exciting journey, you may just want to take it.

    If your sign is a Goat  (The artistic and compassionate Goat is  tasteful, crafty, warm, elegant, charming, intuitive, sensitive, calm.)

    The Rat year is going to bring great accomplishments for you as long as you plan your writing projects in a detailed, orderly, and organized manner. The talented Goats, as most of them are, can expect exciting plans and wonderful ideas. Some excellent promotional opportunities will occur for your books and soon to be launched works. If you want to change your genre and you feel confident in your writing craft abilities, then 2020 may be the year for you to do so. But you must do it with enthusiasm.  2020 will bring some interesting opportunities for you. Your family will support you and be happy for you as you strive to reach your writing goals. It is predicted to be  a good year financially for the Goats, who will earn revenues from their creations or published books.  

    If your sign is a Monkey (Confident and innovative, the Monkey is  quick-witted, charming, lucky, adaptable, bright, versatile, lively, smart.)

    The Rat year is going to be outstanding for the you! If you have been frustrated with your writing, you will regain your enthusiasm and determination. Throughout the year, you will have a lot of opportunities that will place you in the spotlight, transforming the year in real success. You must remember to write down all your inspired story ideas because they will ensure that you will not run out works -in-progress to build that author career building back-list which will bring recognition for your work along with royalties. It is important for the Monkey to share their story issues with a few confidants or a mentor. If you keep them to yourself, you will risk writer’s block and perhaps not resolve the issues in the most compelling manner for readers. You need to take into consideration any chance to study writing craft and add to your writer toolbox as this will give you the self-assurance to proceed with your works. If you follow your dreams and hopes, it is possible for the Rat year to be one of the most memorable years, with a lot of fortune and progress.

    If your sign is a Rooster (Roosters are progressive thinkers and doers and unafraid to be different. They are known to be honest, energetic, intelligent, flamboyant, flexible, diverse, confident. )

    You will enjoy a path with little obstacles to reaching your writing goals, if you zoom in on what is important during the Rat year. Perhaps this is not a favorable year for changing genres or trying out new writing techniques. Plan out your time and carefully think out any plot devices and character arcs. Continue to improve and do more of what you do best. Focus and determination will help you this year in your writing career. You may have the opportunity to garner the attention of a very influential person who can advance your writing career substantially. Socially, this is going to be a year full of fun. Avoid gossips and indiscretions because your reputation must be untarnished when fortuitous opportunities present themselves. As you enrich the lives of others, you will find yourself enriched as well.  Spending time with favorite family members and close friends will restore and replenish you spiritually and emotionally. The year of the Rat will prove especially fortunate, with a  just a bit of effort, care, and deliberation on your part. It will be well worth the effort. Remember to zoom out periodically to gain the big picture and keep your eye on the prize.

    If your sign is a Dog (The honest, loyal, and hardworking Dog is Loyal, sociable, courageous, diligent, steady, lively, adaptable, smart. )

    In 2020, the attention should  be focused on your writing career advancement and publishing goals. An unexpected writing project is possible during the Rat year, which may be a real delight for you. With careful planning, your publishing situation will progress this year. You may want to make sure that your works are on as many selling platforms as possible. You may decide to start on a new work and brainstorm on how to develop it into a series. If it is well thought out and configured, the results should be positive. Excellent opportunities coming your way must be seized before they disappear. You should prepare and be enthusiastically on the lookout and watchful these fortuitous opportunities. Friendship with readers and other writers is important for you this year in particular. Get out of your writing lair to socialize and network and make new friends to increase your chances of discovering your opportunities 2020.

    If your sign is a Pig (Kind, friendly, and curious, the PIG is honorable, philanthropic, determined, optimistic, sincere, sociable. )

    Sometimes you are stubborn and do not like change. But this is a new decade and a new cycle for the Chinese Zodiac. So perhaps, 2020 is the year to let yourself get carried away. Try new and interesting things. Learn about new marketing and promotion techniques for your publishing career. Freshen up your branding and marketing platform. Get rid of those tired old book marks–get with the new decade! Go ahead and take a deep breath and jump into the Roaring Twenties.  2020 can be an interesting and successful year for you. However, pay attention to legal issues, financial details, and documents – be alert in any business deal so you can avoid problems. Enjoy 2020! It should bring a lot of fun and happiness to you.

    We hope that you enjoyed this fun blog post that is meant as a way of thinking about new perspectives. 

    Chanticleer believes that we each make our own destiny by being optimistic and positive, being kind and loving, by dreaming and inspiring, being bold and doing, by appreciating and being grateful, and by expanding our awareness of the Universe.

    Happy Chinese New Year 2020! – Year of the Rat!

    We wish you an AWESOME New Year of Good Fortune, Good Health, and Many Book Sales and an Increased Readership!

    The Chanticleer Reviews Team  

  • Bookchain – A New Year – It is Time for a New Selling and Distribution Platform for e-books by Kiffer Brown

    Bookchain – A New Year – It is Time for a New Selling and Distribution Platform for e-books by Kiffer Brown

    Bookchain® is a new, flexible, secure, and innovative way of publishing, distributing and selling ebooks.

    We are excited to introduce you to new global internet selling platform that is secure and at the epicenter of the new age of economics – Cryptoeconomics for today’s global market. 

    This new selling platform will allow you to:

    • Keep more of your royalties
    • Keep your readers within your eco-system
    • Give your readers the best value and keep them coming back to your website
    • Expand your readership by adding a new global selling platform
    • Secure your intellectual property with blockchain technology

    BOOKCHAIN IS A NEW SELLING PLATFORM FOR GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION OF E-BOOKS

    Chanticleer Reviews is partnering with Bookchain, an innovative and secure platform that publishes and sells ebooks. The company’s encrypted blockchain technology empowers writers and publishers to protect their works from book piracy, illegal copying, and hacking. Bookchain’s platform is 100% cryptocurrency-free making it available to everyone.

    Both organizations share the common goal of promoting authors and their works while enabling discoverability among readers. Bookchain’s digital ebook distribution platform allows readers the flexibility to easily download their books from any device as long as there is access to a web browser.

    Bookchain is presenting the Blue Ribbon winners of the Chanticleer International Book Awards (The CIBAs)  with free uploading services on Bookchain’s easy to use digital ebook sales platform.  In return, Chanticleer Reviews will link reviews from its website and digital magazine to any works that are available on the Bookchain distribution and sales platform. Bookchain and Chanticleer Reviews will jointly promote these works and will collaborate on social networks and at publishing industry events.

    Visit this link to read more about Bookchain:  https://www.scenarex.ca/en/bookchain

    Bookchain® is a brand-new platform bringing a refreshingly flexible way to publish and distribute ebooks, based on blockchain technology. Bookchain was started in 2015 by Scenarex. The company is headquartered in Montreal, Quebec Province, Canada.

    Through smart contracts, the platform enables the configuration of the security, trace-ability, attribution, and distribution settings of an ebook–even anthologies and compilations.

    Endorsements

    • The Canada Media Fund has invested in Scenarex and its Bookchain solution.
    • Scenarex receives financial support from the Ministry Of Economie, Science et Innovation.
    • Scenarex receives financial support from the National Research Council Canada (NRC)

    Scenarex created Bookchain®, the world’s only digital publishing platform built on blockchain technology without any cryptocurrency.

    The first four things to know and understand about the Bookchain platform is:

    1. You do NOT need cryptocurrency (aka Bitcoin, etc.) to sign up
    2. You will NOT be paid in cryptocurrency (unless you want to)
    3. You don’t need to know anything about blockchain
    4. It is secure!
    What is compelling about Bookchain is that your readers can download your book to read on multiple devices. They can also change devices frequently.
    Readers can alternate reading your work on their smart phone, tablet, desktop, or laptop. Bookchain stores their library of books for them in the secure blockchain and allows them to access them wherever and whenever they have access to a web browser.

    What is Blockchain? And Why Authors and Publishers Should Care

    Any information (this includes books, novellas, short stories, graphics, photos, transactions…) that can be digitized can be recorded using blockchain technology. This digitized record can be referenced through a ledger entry on the intended blockchain platform which decentralizes it over its thousands of network nodes.  Any time the blockchain is accessed it is timestamped with another block of digitized information.

    As an author, the blockchain provides a way for you to securely publish your book and keep control of your digital rights. It allows your published book to be treated more like a physical book, allowing your readers to own the digital book forever (as opposed to being allowed to checkout via Kindle).

    You can keep your works up on other platforms too! (Amazon, Smashwords, Kobo, PublishDrive, Draft2Digital, etc.)

    But this is a great way to participate and learn about this new technology that is taking the publishing industry, commerce, and enterprise by storm.

    Do you want to know more about the Blockchain? Visit this handy link: https://www.chantireviews.com/2019/08/08/what-is-blockchain-and-why-authors-and-publishers-should-care/

    Visit the Bookchain site:

    Take a look around the website and check it out!

    “Bookchain® was specifically designed to fit the different needs of all those involved in the digital publishing industry. We created it to be fully adaptable to the reality of publishers, indie publishers, and self-publishing authors.”

    And it is all about keeping book pirates at bay! And it happens more than you know!

    Here are two articles by the award-winning Chanticleer Author Susan Faw. Susan experienced book piracy with her novels. You can read about it here with her three articles that she wrote to inform other Chanticleerians about this. At Digital Book World in September — it was a major concern and topic with piracy rates approaching 15%. Even  the Big Four ar rattled by ebook piracy.

    1. Book PIRACY
      https://www.chantireviews.com/2019/06/14/piracy-not-just-on-the-high-seas-by-award-winning-author-susan-faw/
    2. CRYPTOCURRENCYhttps://www.chantireviews.com/2019/06/29/cryptocurrency-protecting-your-coin-from-pirates-by-award-winning-author-susan-faw-cryptocurrency-book-sales-book-marketing/
    3. Blockchain.  https://www.chantireviews.com/2019/08/11/chaining-piracy-how-to-save-your-damsel-in-distress-part-3-by-susan-faw-blockchain-book-piracy-publishing/

    BOOK PROMOTION

    Bookchain is actively promoting the authors who have uploaded their books to Bookchain at the major book events around the globe!

    This is a great way for your works to receive international exposure as they promote Bookchain at the most influential global book events.

    To name a few:

    • Frankfurt Book Fair
    • London Book Fair
    • Book Expo of America
    • Digital Book World
    • and many more

    Bookchain promoting the authors and their books that are uploaded to their platform.

    PRICING and the Money Thing

    1. There is a $39 USD deployment fee for each ebook title uploaded to Bookchain.*

    *Members of The Roost at Chanticleer receive a discount code that will allow you to upload your books for just $10 a title (with verification).

    WHAT IS THIS DEPLOYMENT FEE for?  (the $39 bucks or $10 bucks with the Roost discount) 

    It includes hosting and securing the file, publication of the smart contract on the blockchain (which enforces the set parameters), the available data related to their digital book sale and the publication in our catalog.
    * Note that this deployment fee includes hosting of the file, publication of the smart contract on the blockchain (which enforces the set parameters), the available data related to your digital book sale and the publication in our catalog.
    Miscellaneous Fees
    1. There is a fee of 42 cents USD for each digital book sold.  This is a fixed fee per copy of digital books sold that includes the gas fee from Ethereum, regardless of the digital-book price. Scenarex does not collect a percentage of digital book sales.
    2. The last fee is the transaction fee from STRIPE Connect which is $0.30 +0.0249% USD (of the transaction) per transaction. This includes the standard credit card fee and the payment processing which enables us to offer a cryptocurrency-free platform.
    3. All transactions and monetary operations are handled by the STRIPE Connect payment platform integrated into Bookchain®. This integration is transparent for you and your customers.

    STRIPE — is an online payment processing for internet business.

    Here is the link for Stripe:   https://stripe.com/

    Royalty payments will be deposited directly into your bank account.

    You can set up a Stripe account in minutes.

     When and How Do I Receive Royalties from book sales from Bookchain? 

    The revenue from ebook sales, minus the Bookchain® miscellaneous fees, will be deposited automatically into your Stripe Connect Account and the Stripe Connect accounts of the contributors of the ebook (if applicable) on a monthly basis.

     A New Year! A New Selling Platform!

    Publish books on the blockchain… Don’t worry they  make it easy!

    How do I sign up for Bookchain

    Just visit the website https://www.bookchain.ca/   and sign up.

    If you have questions or issues they are extremely helpful. Just contact them.

    Here is a link to the Bookchain FAQ page: https://portal.bookchain.ca/faq
    Click here to access the HOW-TO GUIDE:  https://portal.bookchain.ca/help
    If you need help, here are some resources:
    – via email: hello@bookchain.ca
    – via phone: 1 438-558-1885  (Montreal)
    If you have any questions or concerns or suggestions, please contact me – KifferKathy – Head Hen at KBrown@ChantiReviews.com
  • A Valentine’s Writing Contest – 560 words MAX -Win Cash Prizes and Promotion – Tellables

    A Valentine’s Writing Contest – 560 words MAX -Win Cash Prizes and Promotion – Tellables

    When you’re in the chocolate business—even if it digital chocolates—it’s never too early to start planning for Valentine’s Day. So, Tellables is ready to announce their Valentine’s Writing Contest. They are looking for double chocolates stories that tell a tale of romance, love, or affection and that come in two delicious parts.

    As with Tellables  Holiday Writing Contest, they’re looking for stories they can publish in their  “My Box of Chocolates” voice / audio experience on Amazon Alexa. And they are  offering cash prizes! No entry fees! 

    They’re looking for delicious double chocolate stories to include in our special Valentine’s assortment. Double chocolates are two-part stories, each part a maximum of 280 words, with conversational elements sprinkled in to engage the listener.

    Selected stories will be featured in Tellables My Box of Chocolates voice app on Amazon Alexa. Check out this link for details and official rules on our Valentines Writing Contest.

    Amazon Alexa – Is It Really For Authors?

    We often hear authors say they don’t have a smart speaker and they don’t trust them. We understand. But smart speakers and voice assistants are growing tremendously popular. Now’s the time to begin experimenting with the possibilities.

    You might have access to an Alexa-enabled device and not even know it. Alexa isn’t only available on an Echo, Echo Dot, or Echo Show. You can access the Alexa voice assistant from most newer model Kindle Fire tablets, from your Fire TV, and from the Amazon Alexa or Amazon Shopping mobile app. The common requirement is that you need to be logged in with an Amazon account.

    If you do have access to Alexa,  try out our “My Box of Chocolates” voice app. Ask Alexa to “open My Box of Chocolates.” If that doesn’t work as expected, try saying “Alexa, enable My Box of Chocolates” first.

    Note from Kiffer:  This is a great way to experiment with engaging readers with Voice-Driven Devices. Also, the Head of Amazon’s Alexa Code Labs (more than 100 million Alexa devices are in use), Paul Cutsinger, will present at the Chanticleer Authors Conference in April.

    The My Box of Chocolates Voice App – Stories on Alexa

    You can find out everything you need to know about Tellables’ conversational storytelling voice app experience by reading through our Author Tips page and the blog post on Writing a “Transformational” Story for the “My Box of Chocolates” Voice App.   

    The Valentine’s “Double Chocolate” Writing Contest

    The individual chocolate stories we publish in our voice app are “bite-size,” with a maximum of 280 words. Sometimes we publish stories in two parts. Part 1 and Part 2 are each represented in our virtual chocolate assortment by two pieces of the same type of candy. The listener needs to hear both candies in order to get the full story.

    Visit this link for more information and to submit your stories:  https://tellables.com/2019/12/writing-contest-valentines-double-chocolate-stories/

    Here are links to previous Tellables winners: 

    https://www.chantireviews.com/2019/12/13/and-the-winners-are-chanticleerians-take-home-the-tellables-holiday-box-of-chocolates-stories-contest/

    https://www.chantireviews.com/2019/10/30/tellables-voice-driven-stories-selects-4-chanticleerian-authors-for-spooky-halloween-micro-stories/

    Please feel free to forward this to any authors you know. Amy Stapleton is happy to answer any questions you might have. Just email her directly.

    Thanks and good luck!
    Amy Stapleton
    amy@tellables.com
    Tellables

  • Creating Your Marketing and Promotion Calendar for 2020 and Beyond – Part Two

    Creating Your Marketing and Promotion Calendar for 2020 and Beyond – Part Two

    Number Two of Twelve Must-Do’s for Authors – Unlocking the Secrets of Successful Publishing

    We discussed in Point Number One of Twelve — Pay Attention to Your Computer 

    Our second post (No. 2 of 12 – Part A) discussed developing the Big Picture for your marketing and promotion strategy. Ten Points to Consider and Implement were given.

    If you have not completed the work for the Ten Points, I invite you to go do so now before proceeding.

    Point One: Identify 10 best-selling author in your genre that you would like to ask for an author blurb? 

    Tips on How to Obtain a Notable Author’s Blurb for Your Book 

    First WHY should you do this?

    There have been a number of studies done using A/B testing. These tests show that book descriptions that include book blurbs by Notable Authors receive at least a 30% higher click through rate on selling platforms. BookBub is one of the companies that conducted the A/B testing.

    [Note: *I am using Notable Author in place of names of real notable authors and sometimes abbreviating to NA. ]

    Task #1   Begin following and interacting with your selected Notable Authors in Social Media. Search for them in social media and then make a friend request, follow, LIKE, SHARE their posts.

    Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Linked In, —wherever you can.

    Schedule to interact in social media platform at least twice a month for each notable author on your list and M&P calendar  (Marketing and Promotions Calendar).

    If you have time, you start with two Notable Authors and keep adding to the list on a monthly basis.

    Schedule these events on your calendar. Social media — twice a month, maybe three times if there is a major event such as a book release or an appearance. You don’t want to flood their comments with your stuff or appear “creepy.”  But you do want to be on the notable author’s radar just enough to be recognized but not nagging or stalking. Or worse yet, not be like that super chatty person who corners you at a cocktail party.

    Task#2    Purchase and read at least one book a year by the Notable Author. Then LEAVE a REVIEW on Amazon. The review can be short and sweet, but make sure that it is well worded and sincere. Showing off your writing prowess is a good thing. Make sure that the review can be traced back to you –-if it is positive. If it in not, then don’t post it and maybe reconsider your selection of Notable Authors. If you have a different name for reviews, then use that. But, then submit the review to the Notable Author using “contact info” on the Notable Author’s web-page with your writing/as name.

    Interesting factoid: Amazon’s share of ALL new book unit purchases was 41%  and 67% of the e-book market. Amazon controls 64% of printed books that are purchased online. Source:  The Atlantic.  Note: These percentages continue to increase from the time this article was published.

    If the  Notable Author has a back-list, then leave another review for another book in three months.

    Objective:

    When you are ready to ask the Notable Author if you may send your ARC  (advance reader’s copy) to her, hopefully, she will be familiar with you and your writing-as name (pen name). You may be able to ask for “the favor” in Messenger or Direct Message. Or at the very least complete the contact form on the Notable Author’s website for your request.

    The reason to identify 10 Notable Authors? It is because you will have about a 20 percent (2 authors) chance of having a NA  respond to you (as opposed to zero by not doing tasks). Of these 2 authors, you may only end up with one blurb from your original 10 authors selected. Everyone is busy and that is especially true in the publishing industry. There are always deadlines to be met.

    Each year, determine which Notable Authors that you are going to continue trying to connect with. Then replace the ones that you have decided to move on from. But always work on connecting to NA’s long as you are serious about your writing career.

    And start doing this way before you are ready to publish. You don’t want to put a time limit on the Notable Author to get you your cover quote. You can  state the publication date and they can take if from there. A six-to-three month lead time should be just about right. And don’t worry about the manuscript being absolutely perfect. NA’s understand the publishing process. Just make sure that the work is a compelling read.

    Cover Art – 

    Also, send along the cover art concepts. You have been working on that haven’t you.

    Make sure that your cover is a winner! Something that will make your Notable Author proud to be associated with. The cover doesn’t have to be ready for print, but it should show that you are being careful and strategic in the design of it.

    A compelling cover design will get you a YES more quickly. The NA understands how important cover art is to the success of any book.

    Consistency, Persistence, and Sincerity 

    Please note that you can’t just do a review and a few social media posts to get the Notable Author’s attention. You will have to be consistent and persistent and sincere. That is why this needs to be on your To-Do M & P calendar. It will be very easy to just not do it this month. That, my dear aspiring author, is a slippery slope that is too easy to go down.

    How do I know this strategy works? It because I have seen it in action.

    I’ve been in the “faculty break rooms or green rooms” with many a Notable Author and have overheard or been told directly something to the effect of this:

    “Can you imagine, this person thrusted  a copy of his/her book into my hands and then asked me I would give her/him a blurb…? I don’t know this person from Adam or Eve.  I’ve never seen the person on my social media. I don’t have time to read every book given to me me for an author blurb. And why bother anyway–the book has already been published….And just look at this cover…

    The blurb attempt is SHOT DOWN with the copy of  said book (probably) left in break room. The above scenario goes on far more often than one would think. #justsaying

    But imagine, if the aspiring author could say to the Notable Author, “I find your Facebook posts so interesting. I’ve even shared a few of them.  And your last book, (give the title –music to any author’s ears), was the best–especially the part about (fill in the blank). I left my review for it on Amazon (name the platform).”

    Can you see how one might then be able to ask for permission to send the Notable Author an ARC or a digital file (many prefer digital PDFs)? IF not then, you could mention that you met at ??? and that you were so excited to meet one of your favorite authors.

    It is just good manners. And make it easy for the Notable Author to get you the review/author blurb. And always send a thank you note (preferable hand written and in an email) before for taking the time (and a great gentle reminder) and after.

    USES of the Notable Author Blurb

    Then use the blurb!

    • On the book cover
    • in the front matter of the book’s interior
    • on your website
    • on shelf-talkers as a point-of-sale tool
    • on book marks and promotional tools
    •  in the Editorial Reviews section of your Amazon page
    • in your social media branding elements
    • in your social media posts
    • in your contests and giveaway promotions
    • in your launch banners

    Always be sure to tag the Notable Author whenever possible, every always giving credit to the author and the book that the Notable Author would like for you to promote. Or if the Notable Author is “royalty” in the publishing world there is no need to list a book title, but do list the “royalty” title. Notable Authors do book blurbs because it promotes their name and author brand.

    Examples

    “What a truly wonderful story! I’ve read it three times, and with each reading I find myself caring about the fabulous characters and their lives even more.”—P.J. Alderman, New York Times Bestselling Author of A Killing Tide

    “J.D. Barker is a one-of-a-kind writer and that’s a rare and special thing. Stephen King comes to mind and Lee Child, John Sandford. All one-of-a-kinds. Don’t miss anything J.D. writes.”James Patterson, #1 International Bestselling Author

    In conclusion – a Notable Author’s endorsement or blurb for your book will enhance your competence and credibility factors as well as gaining the attention of the Notable Author’s readers and fans. And may just enlarge your readership.

    Sure it is a lot of work, but it will be worth the time when you are ready to launch your book.

    And remember one day, you too will be a Notable Author. How will you decide whose books to blurb…probably the ones who have helped you generate that ethereal book buzz.

    12 Must-Dos for Authors and Publishers for 2020! Unlocking the Secrets of Successful Publishing

    My next post  will continue with the 10 Steps be the next post will be Point Two. Identify any seasons or holidays that are associated with your titles — no matter how unknown (even better) or mundane. 

    Dear Chanticleerians, I have decide to write and publish this series in shorter blog-posts so I can get them out more quickly.  This post is already more than 1,000 words and we have nine more points.

    And I already posted one post today. I invite you to read the blog post that I wrote earlier today about the exciting Breaking News.

    I will write and publish Point Two in then few days and then Point Three. Target Book Clubs – Online and Groups that Meet in Person after Sharon and I are attend the Pulpwood Queen Book Club — Annual meeting in Jefferson, Texas.

     

    Thank you for reading our blog posts. I do hope that you find these Chanticleer’s Writer’s Toolbox Tips and Tools informative and helpful reminders.

    As always, we would love to hear from you — especially if you suggestions about what to add to the blog posts.

    Please check out our 2020 Chanticleer Authors Conference where we Unlock the Secrets of Successful Publishing