Over the past year, thousands of you have read my articles on a variety of aspects of self publishing. Today is the 65th Anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor. I ask that you take the time you would have spent reading my article and visit with some of the men and women who gave their lives this past year in service to their country. Thanks for … [Read more...]

“I have a great book, but I can’t seem to get the attention of journalists!” is a lament I hear over and over again. Here are five surefire ways to get more consistent media attention from journalists: Know which publications to pitch. Don’t send out press releases or emails to publications without knowing which publications you’re … [Read more...]

There is a unique way to trap monkeys in the islands of the South Seas. The natives drill a small hole in a coconut, hollow it out and fill it with rice. Once a monkey puts its hand in the coconut to get the food, it cannot remove its clenched fist. Refusing to let go of their prize, the monkeys are unable to escape. Publishers can get caught in … [Read more...]

Is there any way to have a children’s book illustrated on a tight budget? Over the past couple of years I have often felt like Sir Percival searching for the Holy Grail. I’ve determined, in my mind, that affordable illustration is possible although in my quest many promising leads have appeared only to later disappear. This time, I think I may … [Read more...]

A carpenter knows that the right tool applied in the proper situation gets the job done most effectively. Similarly, you should use the correct marketing tools when building a successful promotional campaign. The Promotion Mix Promotion is one of the most important functions of marketing. It makes people aware that your books exists, and makes … [Read more...]

If you independently publish books, you have exactly sixty days to transition to new ISBN numbers. (If you don’t self-publish, you can stop reading now; come back next month :*) Here’s what you need to know about the new ISBNs: ISBNs are getting longer Because of worldwide standardization issues, Bowker is in the process of changing all … [Read more...]

Let's see how much you know about writing press releases. Answer true or false to the following six statements: I write press releases only when I have legitimate news that I think the media will want to cover. I write press releases primarily to encourage journalists at newspapers and magazines to cover me, or for broadcasters who I want to … [Read more...]