Apr 11
Marketing!
My PRLog Review….
So, I made the mistake on PRLog of marketing my books before I was really ready. I thought I could just update and resend out another marketing post later, but I didn’t read the rules. You can only market something ONE TIME. Which makes sense. I mean, you don’t want to see [...] [...more]
Posted: under Marketing.
Marketing!
My PRLog Review….
So, I made the mistake on PRLog of marketing my books before I was really ready. I thought I could just update and resend out another marketing post later, but I didn’t read the rules. You can only market something ONE TIME. Which makes sense. I mean, you don’t want to see the same-ole-news-day-after-day now do you? So, what I’ve decided to do is that my next marketing on the site, I’ll be ready and refer to my previous books in my new “News” announcement.
You can see my PRLog marketing on my books here:
PrLog on Irid
PRlog on Ruby, Flesh & Heart
PrLog on The Calling Series: The Made
PRLog has an okay reporting system. It gives you Hits and the top 10 websites viewers came from to see the news, and Searched Words and Phrases (Ruby, Flesh and Heart got keywords: Cinderelaa, story, and kazakhstan??. The other two books didn’t display anything), and a chart that shows the activity for each day for last 40 days (The height of the bars corresponds to number of visitors).
So, I’m gonna definitely use PrLog again. And Hey! It’s free!!
And yes, of course, I’m procrastinating on my Marketing. Just like I was procrastinating on whether I wanted to use Lightning Source or not, and sending my book out for book reviews. Now the Marketing…I just need to do more research. The book reviews…I’m just plain terrified of those! I know it has to be done, but…you know..it’s just PLAIN SCARY! I mean, what if they think it’s horrible! Can I take it? I mean, I’ve been in critique groups, but that was different. I knew I needed to make some updates and wanted the thoughts, feelings and ideas. Plus, I’ve built relationships with those who critiqued my work. But just sending it out and seeing what others have to say? Just too creepy and scary!
So, I guess you wondering about my confidence in my work. Well, I think it’s entertaining and pretty good, but for the masses, I just have to wait and see. You know you have your typical friends and family that tell you they like what you wrote (and my editor enjoyed them), and then there’s the ABSOLUTE STRANGER’S OPINION. Now THAT’S what I’m actually waiting for…and terrified of.
Yeah. Yeah. It has to be done, and I’ll do it, really. I just need to sucker myself up to it. LOL!
Until next time!
Mar 16
It’s cool that I got some comments regarding all the troubles I had with the PDF/X-1a:2001 format. And the bottom line is…. Gottah buy the software to make it easier on ya!
I know that’s not what I would want to hear either (I said this before), but that’s what you’ll have to do if [...] [...more]
Posted: under Marketing, Novels, Self Publish Progress.
It’s cool that I got some comments regarding all the troubles I had with the PDF/X-1a:2001 format. And the bottom line is…. Gottah buy the software to make it easier on ya!
I know that’s not what I would want to hear either (I said this before), but that’s what you’ll have to do if you want this format. But also remember that the Book Cover just has to be in High Quality. The text, or interior, has to be PDF/X-1a:2001. THOUGH…as I stated before, I have pictures in my interior and it wasn’t meeting the PDF/X-1a:2001 validation, and it went through all the same.
So if you already have pdf files, you can try to send them through and see what happens. Let me know how it goes!!
Writing!
I got some writing in this past weekend. It felt pretty good! I hadn’t sat down to write since January. And now I’m stuck! Don’t you just hate it when you sit down and write and things change and turn different than what you previously had thought in your head? That’s what happened with my book Creations. It’s the 3rd book of The Calling Series. Book 1 and Book 2 are already written, though only Book 1 is published (The Made). Book 2 is already written, I just need to get that edited, which I intend on doing along with The 9th Symbol, which is not part of the Calling Series–it’s a standalone. Book 4 of the Calling Series is still in the noggin, though I’m writing down notes as I go along with Book 3. Book 4 would be the last of the Calling Series, and I’ve titled it Nostrum.
Thank goodness for buying 10 ISBNs. I’ve got them all used up except one (1)!
Feb 14
And so it begins!
Yep. I periodically do a search for “Zhollis” in google and also look at other book selling sites to see if my books made it there, and so it has. I’m on Barnes & Noble, Inc!!! It feels pretty good to be somewhere else besides Amazon. I’m not putting [...] [...more]
Posted: under Self Publish Progress.
And so it begins!
Yep. I periodically do a search for “Zhollis” in google and also look at other book selling sites to see if my books made it there, and so it has. I’m on Barnes & Noble, Inc!!! It feels pretty good to be somewhere else besides Amazon. I’m not putting down Amazon at all it just that I like to see myself on other sites as well. And that’s what Lightning Source does for ya.
I don’t see Borders picking up any of my titles yet, but I’ll keep checking. Thanks to Mobipocket, I do see my books in several eBook selling sights. Unfortunately, Mobipocket isn’t taking any new authors anymore, but there’s still Amazon and their very popular Kindle that appears to bring back a readership again. And this is great for us writers 
. I saw on a Tyra show (not that I watch that show, it just happened to be on. I don’t watch much TV. I’m a website viewer junkie) that Halle Berry loves her Kindle because she can jump around and read like 30 different books at a time, and she didn’t consider herself a book reader. But hey!, if more people are into eBooks and reading, all the better, I say!
That’s all I have to report thus far on my progress. I’m been busy raising the kid (6 months now) and have limited time on my other stuff, so the weekend is basically the only time I can get some “me stuff” in.
Until next time