Welcome to this issue of the Carnival of the Indies blog carnival. This issue is for June, 2017. We welcome your submissions on topics related to writing, self-publishing, book design or marketing books.
A collection of outstanding articles recently posted to blogs, your reading here will be richly rewarded.
See the end of this post for links to submit your blog posts for the next carnival, or for participating Bloggers and Featured Bloggers to grab your sidebar badges. Thanks to everyone who participated.
Featured Posts
Louise Harnby presents 11 things that helped me succeed as a self-published author by Jeff Carson posted at The Proofreader’s Parlour, saying, “Jeff’s a mystery and thriller writer from Colorado. Writing is his full-time job and he makes a living from his self-published series. In this article, he shares 11 tips on how he achieved success.”
Austin Hackney presents How to Get Your Book into Libraries as an Independent Publisher posted at Austin Hackney, saying, “This detailed article includes an exclusive interview with a Libraries Manager and detailed notes about the best way to distributes your books to public libraries. It also includes advice about how to make sure you are paid for issues. While it refers to the library service in the UK, the core principles are universal. Getting your books into libraries is a great way to increase revenue, build your readership, and develop name recognition.”
Ali Luke presents 31 Insanely Useful Resources for Writing a Bestselling Book in 2017 posted at Smart Blogger, saying, “This post is a round-up of 31 outstanding resources for would-be authors. If you want to write a successful book but don’t know where to begin, I take you through the whole process, with all the information you need to make your book the best it can be. (The resources are geared towards non-fiction authors, but novelists will find some useful tips here too.)”
Book Design and Production
Iola Goulton presents Buy New, Get Secondhand? The Latest From Amazon posted at Australasian Christian Writers, saying, “Advice from an author to readers on the impact of the new Amazon buy buttons, and how readers can help authors (and be sure they’re getting what they think they’re getting).”
Indie Author
Alexander Zoltai presents Two Important Warnings for Writers ~ False News & Toxic Advice posted at Notes from An Alien.
Carla King presents The Vanity Press Trap: How to Avoid & Recoup the Damage posted at BookWorks Blog, saying, “BookWorks Tech Expert Carla King reveals how authors can identify and avoid the subsidy and vanity press traps and how to reclaim their books and reverse the damage if they fall prey.”
Gary Smailes presents How To Get Your Novel Made Into A Film posted at BubbleCow Blog, saying, “In this article, you will discover the steps a novel must go through in order to be made into a film; you’ll gain a deeper understanding of the process and discover the elements that you, as an author, can control to have a positive impact on the chances of seeing your book on the big screen. This article will focus on the period of time before filming begins since this is when an author has the most impact on the project. Once the cameras start rolling, the author’s role lessens greatly.”
Helen Sedwick presents Digital Piracy & Illegal Downloads: Author Options posted at BookWorks Blog, saying, “BookWorks Legal Expert Helen Sedwick offers the best options for authors confronting digital piracy, illegal downloads & other copyright infringement.”
Lois Hoffman presents Blog Your Book in 10 Manageable Steps posted at The Happy Self-Publisher, saying, “You’ve been blogging for a while and you have a lot of great content, right? Your readers love what you’re sharing and they want more. Why not turn all your words into a book that informs, inspires, or entertains your readers? Why not sprinkle a little magic dust on your hard work and make the transformation into an author? Why not blog your book? If you already have a blog or a series of articles and want to turn it into a book, this post will get you to the heart of it.”
Robin Storey presents Confessions Of A Grammar Nazi posted at Storey-Lines, saying, “Indie author Robin Storey reveals her intolerance of grammar and spelling errors in the public sphere, especially the errant apostrophe.”
Marketing and Selling Your Books
Amy Collins presents Independent Bookstores & Indie Authors: A Perfect Match posted at BookWorks Blog, saying, “BookWorks Book Retail Expert, Amy Collins, reports on the state of independent bookstores and why indie authors need to be in them.”
Chris Well presents Ultimate Guide to Creating an Author Media Kit (3 of 10): Suggested Interview Questions posted at Build Your Brand Academy, saying, “Your author media materials need to include Suggested Interview Questions and an Author Q&A. In this article, you’ll learn what they are, what the media expects from them, and how to create your own. I’ll cover what these questions should focus on, why your interviewer will thank you, and what kinds of questions to AVOID. There will also be some examples and a few key points. This is Part 3 of a 10-part series on creating your author media kit.”
Deanna Cabinian presents How to Prepare for a TED-style Author Talk in Less Than 10 Days posted at Deanna Cabinian, saying, “Doing last-minute events doesn’t have to be a source of anxiety. These tips will help you pull off a great author talk even if you’re short on time.”
Frances Caballo presents 7 Habits Every Writer Should Develop posted at Social Media Just for Writers, saying, “Having a career in self-publishing is a full-time endeavor. If you have a 9-to-5 job in addition to your writing career, then you have the equivalent of two full-time jobs. Needless to say, you’re busy. To succeed in today’s indie publishing arena, writers need to develop the following seven habits.”
Frances Caballo presents How to Set Up a Facebook Page for Authors posted at BookWorks Blog, saying, “If you’re an author you need a Facebook page! BookWorks Social Media Expert Frances Caballo walks you through how to set one up and make the most of it.”
Hope Clark presents “Trying” to Self-Publish posted at FundsforWriters, saying, “But I’ll tell you one thing . . . I won’t TRY to self-publish Carolina Slade. I’ll go out there, jump in with both feet and damn well DO it. What’s with this trying business? I grasp TRYING to traditionally publish, because there are so many gatekeepers who have to give you that magical nod for it to happen. You TRY because someone else opens the door for you. If they don’t open the door, you don’t publish, at least with them. Okay, makes sense. But you don’t TRY to self publish. I didn’t TRY squat when I self-published. I made up my mind to self-pub and did it. It’s like being pregnant. You are or you aren’t. You self-pub or you don’t.”
Kate Tilton presents How to Optimize Your Sales with Smart Links posted at Kate Tilton, Connecting Authors & Readers, saying, “Author AD Starrling breaks down smart links for authors and why they matter. This is a follow-up post to her affiliate marketing article.”
Penny Sansevieri presents Pitch Perfect-Author Media Pitches That Get Results posted at BookWorks Blog, saying, “BookWorks Marketing Expert, Penny Sansevieri, shares her proven techniques that authors can use for media pitches that get results.”
Sandra Hutchison presents How Steve Vernon leverages Kindle Scout and his sense of humor posted at Sandra Hutchison, saying, “The ever-entertaining Steve Vernon explains how Kindle Scout can help an indie author succeed — even if the book isn’t selected.”
Sarah Bolme presents Why Would Someone Buy Your Book? posted at Marketing Christian Books, saying, “The number one reason people buy a book is because they have a connection to the author. This connection can come in a variety of forms.”
Terry Whalin presents Insights about Getting Book Reviews posted at The Writing Life, saying, “Terry has written over 700 customer reviews on Amazon and has over 5,000 friends on Goodreads. In this article he taps into the experience of Jim Cox from Midwest Book Review and much more in the various links and resources.”
Penny Sansevieri presents Twitter Marketing: How to Boost Engagement & Connect to Influencers posted at BookWorks Blog, saying, “BookWorks Marketing Expert Penny Sansevieri covers the best practices for Twitter Marketing to help boost engagement and connect authors with key influencers.”
Self-Publishing Success
Kate Sullivan presents Sell Sheets: How to Pitch Your Book to Reviewers posted at TCK Publishing, saying, “As more and more review outlets are accepting independently published books, indie authors need to know how to package and present their pre-publication review copies professionally. Learn how to put together a professional sell sheet to get more trade reviews and enhance your book’s standing in the market. We also include a handy template you can modify for your next release!”
Lois Hoffman presents Identify Your WHY Before Writing a Book posted at The Happy Self-Publisher, saying, “Of all the questions you’ll answer, this is one of the most important ones. The “why” behind any project, whether it’s a business venture or a book, is the driving force behind what you do and how you do it. Your why is your mission statement and everything you write in the book, from the quality of the production to how you market it, should point back to why you’re writing the book in the first place. In his TED talk, Simon Sinek famously talks about why then what. Think about why you are writing your book and then decide what you’ll write based on your answer. So, what does your why look like?”
Tyler Doornbos presents Insider’s Guide: Essential Author Website Component Checklist posted at BookWorks Blog, saying, “BookWorks Web Lead, Tyler Doornbos, is back with Part 2 of his “Insider’s Guide”, detailing the essential components of a successful author website.”
Writing Tools and Tips
Ali Luke presents Three Types of Self-Confidence That Will Help Your Writing Career (and How to Boost Yours) posted at Aliventures, saying, “Many writers say their main problem is a lack of time … but I believe that often, the underlying issue is a lack of confidence. As a writer, you need confidence in your writing itself, your ability to see projects through to the end, and in the intrinsic importance of writing. In this post, I explain why these types of self-confidence matter so much … and give suggestions how how to boost them.”
Carrie Beckort presents 3 Ways Pets Can Enhance Your Story posted at Across the Board, saying, “In reflecting on the books I’ve read recently, I realized very few contained pets. This article outlines three reasons why authors should include pets in their novels more often.”
Kate Tilton presents This is Why We Need Diversity in Fiction posted at Kate Tilton, Connecting Authors & Readers, saying, “Author Will Van Stone Jr. covers the importance of diversity in fiction.”
Lisa Lawmaster Hess presents Turning on the Faucet posted at The Porch Swing Chronicles.
Well, that wraps up this issue. I hope you enjoy some of the great articles here, and let other people interested in self-publishing know about the Carnival—Use the share buttons to Tweet it, Share it on Facebook, Plus-1 it on Google+, Link to it!
The next issue is July 30, 2017 and the deadline for submissions will be July 15, 2017. Don’t miss it!
Here are all the links you’ll need
- Have something to share with our community? Submit your article here
- The original announcement post
- Carnival of the Indies web page
- Bloggers, grab your official Carnival of the Indies Badges here
- Follow Carnival of the Indies on Twitter to get deadline reminders
- Subscribe to The Book Designer Blog
