Five Reasons Authors Need a Web Site

Do I need a web site?

This is a question I get often from new authors who have books that are about to release. They aren't sure if they should invest the time, money and effort into building a web site to help promote and market their book.  Some authors decide that they don't want to mess around with a web site, and decide they'll just build a Facebook fan page and call it a day.

Big mistake.

About three years ago, the Codex Group conducted a survey of nearly 21,000 book shoppers.  They discovered that the majority of readers depended upon author web sites as a means of getting to know the author better.  Also, of those who had visited an author web site in the past week, 38 percent purchased a book.  Bottom line:  if a reader can't find you online, you are missing out on readers (and book sales).

Too many authors make the mistake of using their web site as a billboard for advertising their book, but an author web site should be much more than that.  Here are five important reasons and author needs a web site:

1.  Readers want to know more about you.  If you are a new author releasing your first book, nobody outside of your circle of friends and family know about you or your book.  Why did you write the book?  When did you start writing?  Where did you go to college?  Where in the U.S. do you live?  Who is your favorite author?  What books are you reading now?  Are you writing anything else, and if so, can you post a few samples on your site?  These are things readers want to know.

2.  The media want to know about you.  Almost every time a reporter contacts me about doing an interview with an author, one of the first questions they ask me is "what is the author's web address?"  They want to check out the author and get to know about them before the interview.  If the author doesn't have a web site that is definitely a handicap.

3.  Shoppers research their purchases online before buying.  Even if a reader intends to buy a book at a bookstore, they may very well do some comparison shopping online, looking for reviews and articles about the book.  If an author has a web site with a page dedicated to endorsements, articles, reviews, etc., it helps "seal the deal," even if the reader doesn't purchase the book through the author's site. 

4.  Readers are buying more books online.  Bookstores have seen declining sales, not just because readers are buying fewer books, but because they are buying their books online.  Ebooks are also taking a bite out of the bookstores' bottom line.  If you don't have a web site to catch some of those potential readers, there are many, many other authors out there who do have sites that might catch their attention instead.

5.  You never know who might see your site.   I personally know an author who got a movie deal in part because the producers visited the author's web site after hearing about his book and liked what they saw.  I constantly hear from authors that they want "nationwide" promotion and publicity for their book.  Why stop there?  Get a web site and you potentially have a worldwide audience, and one of your web site visitors could give you the big break you have been working so hard to get. 

Look at it this way:  every company in the U.S. that is successful has a web site.  Every successful, bestselling author in the U.S. has a web site (you can see Jeff Kinney's web site here).   If you want to be taken seriously as a professional author, you should have a web site.

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How to Market Your Book on Facebook - 14 Steps to an Awesome Fan Page

How to Market Your Book on Facebook - 14 Steps to an Awesome Fan Page

By Patricia Benesh


Today's authors are capitalizing on the promotional opportunities for creating readership on Facebook. They know that 250 million users log into Facebook once a day, spending an average of 55 minutes on the site, while more than 500 million active users log in at least once a month. Plus 150 million get their Facebook fix on their mobile devices. It's no wonder that Facebook is number two in terms of Internet popularity, after Google. A Facebook page is as essential as a web site or blog, offering writers an unparalleled venue for engaging with readers.

More savvy authors are taking Facebook a step further-creating fan pages. Fan pages are extraordinarily effective in promoting books. A perusal of authors' fan pages shows they display all manner of content to attract and hold audiences.

Deepak Chopra's official fan page features the meditation music and the photo album of serene images we might expect to see from this world famous spiritual leader.

Tony Robbins's page includes an event schedule and workshop video clips, showing the power behind this nationally known motivational speaker.

Justin Halpern includes reviews and his older SMDS to keep his Sh*t My Dad Says fans laughing.

At Arielle Ford's fan page, readers can sign up for her newsletter to stay up to date with her books and latest PR information.

In launching his touching new book about gratitude, Walter Green prominently features a heartfelt author video on his fan page.

While all very different, these fan pages have one critical element in common. They speak to their target audiences. According to Online and Social Media Marketing Consultant, Amy Porterfield, "The secret to a successful Facebook Page is artful engagement. When you take the time to really get to know your fans (their likes, interests and triggers), you can deliver content and experiences that will capture their interest quickly and keep them coming back for more. Make it about them (and not about you or your brand) and you will have a fan for life!"

Ready to roll up your sleeves and tackle your own fan page? You need only 14 steps and you are on your way to creating a powerful ingredient to your marketing mix.
1. Log into Facebook.

2. On the left column click Ads and Pages,

3. Click the Create a Page.

4. On the right side, under the Official Page, click brand, product, or organization.

5. In the text box page name, enter either the title of your book or your name as author.

6. Check the box stating you are the representative of the business.

Now you are ready to develop your new fan page:
7. Upload a feature photo. Realize this is the primary image associated with your site. You might choose the book cover (like Halpern) or your photo (like Robbins and Ford) or a combination of the cover and photo (like Green). Remember, you can post lots of other photos in albums on your site. The primary photo should be strongly associated with your book or your brand.

8. Provide basic information-Highlight content related to your pitch, endorsements, back cover, and dust jacket material.

9. Import relevant content, such as RSS blog feeds, YouTube videos, images, music, and other elements associated with your book that will engage your audience.

10. Post updates-weekly at least and inform your fans about your news and relevant news from other sites.
11. Promote the page with a "like" button. (Note that Green's page uses a red arrow to make sure viewers don't overlook the button.

12. Set the page to your mobile phone

13. Send status updates to Twitter

14. Enhance your page with apps, such as polls, games, and other apps to make it fun and engaging. For thoughtful reviews on Facebook apps visit the Facebook applications blog. Consider developing a custom app for your Facebook fan page. Although it can be pricey, but it can add great value to your page.
Important note: Since Facebook pages do not provide for "friending" someone, as on a standard Facebook page, you will need to invite your contacts to become fans of your page. Publicize your page by putting a button or link in your e-mail signature line so it is seen by everyone you e-mail, post a button on your web site and blog, and announce your page through Facebook and Twitter. Don't forget to include the link on your business cards and other promotional literature.

A last thought: Patiently tend your page to build your fan base, devoting a few hours each week. Be sure to add fresh content that provides value to those who read it-then promote, promote, promote! Soon you will see how this amazing social media tool benefits you and your readers.

For a decade, Patricia Benesh has been providing personal coaching and a range of "success-oriented services" to fiction and nonfiction writers at http://AuthorAssist.com. No matter what your writing level or publishing goal (traditional publishing, self-publishing), AuthorAssist helps ensure you are ready to publish and promote your book. Get complimentary feedback on your writing at http://AuthorAssist.com/complimentary.html.

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Authors and Taxes

Each week, I am assigned new authors to work with on marketing and promoting their books.  I look forward to working with new authors and learning more about a new book that Tate Publishing is releasing into the marketplace.  I am asked the usual questions about the media, bookstores, book signing events and if I can get the author on Oprah, but by far the most often-asked question I get concerns taxes.

Specifically:

Does the author have to collect sales tax when they directly sell their books?
How do they report royalty income on their federal and state income tax returns?
Does the author have to get a business license or state tax ID number in order to collect sales taxes?
Can I "write-off" my expenditures as business expenses?

The short answer to all of this is this:  I am in no way qualified to give anyone tax advice.  I'm not an accountant, and after taking two accounting courses in college, I decided I would never want to be an accountant. 

However, smarter people than I have already written about this subject.  I'll condense some of the info here, and include links to the complete articles so you can look them over yourself. 

1.  Does the author have to collect sales taxes when they directly resell their books?  This really depends upon the state in which you are selling your books.  Each state is different, and in fact, different counties within those states can have differing sales tax rates.  The short answer is "yes, if your state has a sales tax, you'll need to pay the tax for the books you sell."  You can either add that cost to the sales price of your books, or just take a smaller portion of the sale and pay the sales tax yourself.

2.  How do I report royalty income on my income tax returns?  Basically, royalties are treated like income.   Whenever I have done some freelance work in the past, I always had to report that as self-employment income, and there is a form for that.  If your royalty income is very small there are certain conditions under which you can claim your writing is a "hobby," but for the most part, Uncle Sam wants his cut of your royalties.

3.  Does the author have to get a business license or state tax ID number to collect sales taxes?
Again, depending upon the state where you are located, you may need to get some type of license to collect the sales tax, and you might event realize some tax advantages to treating your writing like your own small business and get a business license.  This is something which you will REALLY want to run by an accountant (again, that is so not me).

4.  Can I write-off my writing expenditures as business expenses?  There may be some expenses that you can write-off, especially if you are working out of a home office and your book is providing you with income.  As long as you can prove you are actively pursuing writing as a career, you may have some deductions at your disposal.

Disclaimer:  Did I mention I'm not an accountant?  OK, good!  Seriously, this article is for informational purposes only, and should not be construed as actual tax advice.  If you are serious about being a professional author and pursuing writing as a career, find yourself a great accountant!

Other articles I recommend (seriously, you should really read these):

Simple Record Keeping and Tax Deductions for Authors

The Issue of Sales Tax on Books

Taxes and Finances for Writers

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Seven Simple Tips to Getting Your Book Reviewed by Paula Krapf

Today's guest post is courtesy of Tony Eldridge, creator of Marketing Tips For Authors.
http://blog.marketingtipsforauthors.com/


I am excited to introduce our guest today, Paula Krapf. She is the Chief Operating Officer of Author Marketing Experts, Inc., a company that has its finger on the pulse of the publishing industry. She will be blogging on a subject that every writer wants to learn more about: How to get your book reviewed.

You may also want to check out the Publishing Insiders Wrap-Up: Blogging Ideas the Whole Year Through. This is the summary of the Blog Talk Radio program that Paula interviewed me on as a guest. You can also replay the interview on demand when you want to listen to it.

Make sure you check out the great additional resources that Paula lists at the end of the post.

7 Simple Steps to Getting Your Book Reviewed
By Paula Krapf

Your book is ready for reviews and all you need to figure out is where and how to find the appropriate reviewers – so you can add the reviews to your website (you were planning to add the reviews to your own site, right?), find blurbs for your book cover if you don't have any yet, and just generally spread the word about your book.

But first, you need to know what to look for and where to go online to find reviewers.

1. Google is your friend

You can always start with Google and type in your “genre” + “book reviews” to start building your list; or, if you are familiar with books already published that are in your genre you can type in the “book title” + “book reviews” in order to discover reviewers who have reviewed similar material and might therefore be open to reviewing your book. When doing these searches, be prepared to do some serious groundwork, however – you'll need to visit each of these sites not only to collect contact information but to learn about the blogger and his or her site. You'll want to make sure they're still accepting review requests, see the genres they typically review and get a general feel for the blog and its tone and whether you feel it fits you.

2. Use the free tools

If you can, download Google's free toolbar which includes the Google Page Rank (GPR) algorithm. This is a useful tool for determining the “weight” of a given site; the higher the rank (from 0-10), the more important Google deems the site. What you want to try to do is find the most active people who review in your genre. A rank of 3 is very good for a review blog; although that doesn't mean you should discard anything below a GPR of 3. You should also read the blog and get a sense of whether the blog attracts readers; one sure sign of this is the fact that there are comments following the blog posts. Certain factors don't weigh as heavily – for instance, many blogs have Google subscribers, but this number can be misleading as those who join have to sign up to do so. There are many regular blog readers who simply won't take the time to sign up, so the number of Google subscribers may not mean much. You'll also want to see if the blogger is active on sites like Twitter and Facebook; if so, then the books they review are most likely posted to those popular social networking sites, which is great additional exposure for you and your book.

3. Read the fine print

In addition, most bloggers post their blog policies and genre/publishing preferences – it's important to read their policies in order to understand what they review, preferred genres, whether they'll consider self-published books and how long they may need to review your book. Here's a great example of a review policy: http://blog.mawbooks.com/contact-me/. If you're working on a tight timeframe and they indicate it could take 6 months to get to your book, well... you probably won't pitch them. Then again, if your book is in a small niche and this blogger and site seem perfect for you, a longer wait might be worthwhile. Many authors do not read the review policies before pitching bloggers, which is a bad idea. This information is readily available and there for a reason. Also, never send attachments via email but DO send links: to your author bio, photo, press release, books blurbs and book excerpts. These should all be on your website, and including them in your pitch is a great way to make it easy for prospective reviewers to learn about you and your book.

4. Reviews versus blog tour considerations

There is a difference between pitching for reviews versus seeking a blog tour. Requesting reviews could lead to coverage at any time, really, unless you work out a timeframe with the reviewer, but each situation is handled separately. A blog tour is typically coverage of your book by a certain number of bloggers within a given timeframe – a week, two weeks, a month. Blog tours can consist of reviews, interviews, guest posts and giveaways – there are many options. But before you seek bloggers to fill your tour dates figure out in advance what you'd like to do, how long you'd like to do the tour (so you know how many bloggers you'll need) and if you can't prepare guest posts in advance at least have some topics ready to present. Some bloggers love blog tours, others don't want any part of it. Your research will uncover the best prospects to pitch; just give yourself plenty of advance time to set up your tour. Bloggers are busy so you may find a certain number must decline due to other commitments and you'll need to seek others in their place.

5. Be thorough

The key is to do your homework – research the blog, the blogger and learn the things that matter, such as the blogger's name, contact information and preferred genres so you can send a professional, personalized pitch. If your genre is a natural fit for them it's a fact you can use in your pitch by indicating that your book is similar to other books they've reviewed (and provide examples). Also become familiar with their style – some bloggers tend to emphasize the positive and if they can't say anything nice, they may decline to review the book. Others prefer to be honest (brutally) if need be. Some bloggers are not afraid to tear and book and its author apart and are quite merciless in their approach. You need to know this before you pitch and be honest with yourself – look at the tone of the blog as ask yourself how you'd feel having your book reviewed the same way. If you can't handle it, don't do it. There are hundreds of blogs out there and there's room for you to decide that a certain blog or blogs don't work for you.

6. Free versus paid

One final note regarding paid reviews or tours. There are some review sites that charge for reviews claiming that they must compensate their reviewers for their time. There are sites that will charge you for a blog tour. They do not do anything you can't do yourself – research and identify bloggers, pitch, schedule, send books – so let the buyer beware, as the saying goes. You may be much better off going the free route in the book blogosphere where hundreds of bloggers connect with each other daily and work hard to provide as much exposure as they can for each book.

7. You do know best

Don't be afraid to trust your gut, either. You might find a gem of a blog that has a low Google Page Rank, but it's a nice-looking site, well written, has regular commenters and basically demonstrates a commitment to reviewing books – if you like what you see don't sweat the statistics, make a pitch! There are things you can do to boost your reviews such as posting your reviews on Facebook, Twitter and other social networking sites, and those techniques will help you gain even wider exposure for that review. Once you find blogs you like, you can also look at their blogrolls for additional blogs to check out – often bloggers who like similar books list each other on their blogrolls.

Additional resources

Looking for sites to pitch? Here are some great and useful lists:

* Book Reviewers on the Web – this list includes industry standards, literary blogs, off the beaten track blogs and the more opinion-driven book bloggers, http://robinmizell.wordpress.com/book-reviewers

* Midwest Book Review – a listing of a number of sites to check out, http://www.midwestbookreview.com/links/othr_rev.htm

* Best of the Web blogs – blog listing with a description of each blog listed, http://blogs.botw.org/Arts/Literature/Book_Reviews/

* YA Book Blog Directory – bloggers who specialize in Young Adult books, http://yabookblogdirectory.blogspot.com/p/ya-book-blogger-list.html

* Kidlitosphere Central – bloggers in Children's and Young Adult Literature, http://www.kidlitosphere.org/bloggers/

* Book Blog Directory – a large list of blogs followed by a brief description, http://directory.kaysbookshelf.com/

* FSB – search by genre(s) for bloggers, http://www.fsbmedia.com/book_blogger_search.php

* Book Blogs Search – a huge listing of blogs, http://fyreflybooks.wordpress.com/about/book-blogs-search/

* Things to know about Blog Book Tours - http://blogbooktours.blogspot.com/2010/06/blog-tips-to-consider.html

Paula Krapf is Chief Operating Officer of Author Marketing Experts, Inc., a marketing and publicity firm that specializes in Internet promotion, strategically working with social networking sites, blogs, micro-blogs, ezines, video sites, and other relevant sites to push an author's message into the virtual community and connect with sites related to the book's topic, positioning the author in his or her market. In the past 15 months their creative marketing strategies have helped land 10 books on the New York Times Bestseller list. Get free tips from our blog, http://www.amarketingexpert.com/blog/ and our biweekly newsletter Book Marketing Expert, http://www.amarketingexpert.com/. You can find Paula on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/PaulaatAME.

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How Blogging Benefits You As An Author

How Blogging Benefits You As An Author

By Charles Jacobs


As a writer planning to blog, your first decision is whether you want to write about the topic covered in your most recent book or about the process of writing and publishing a book. Or possibly both. Both are subjects you should know well.
The option is yours. You can always mount two blogs. Or better yet, combine the two subjects in a single blog. Either way, you must be certain that you have the time to keep them updated. That's crucial. A blog requires continuous fresh information or commentary to keep readers coming back. Allow your blog to become stale, and you will see a speedy exodus of visitors.
You certainly don't have to feel restricted to the two subjects I mentioned above. I picked them because you're a writer, but you have the option to select any topic you wish to concentrate on. However, that topic should in some way relate back to your book. After-all, your reason for embarking on this blogging gig was to hype and sell your book.
Content Rules
The prime consideration as you sit down to plan each edition is to remember that this site is not an advertisement for your book. Not even an advertorial. To be effective, a blog must offer solid content. It is an informational resource; not a promotional vehicle to sell your book or boost your vanity. The days of mental meanderings about personal issues that characterized the early stage of the blogosphere just won't cut it any longer. Leave those messages to Twitter.
The ideal blog serves as a treasure chest of information on a subject the reader wants or needs. Consequently, it is imperative to keep it updated with fresh material on a regular basis. I suggest that updates be made at least every week and more frequently if possible. Archiving earlier issues is important too. This gives your visitors the opportunity to research back to find the information they need which may be contained in a previous blog that you posted.
Starting Your Blog
There's little risk to developing your own blog. If money is a concern, you can find free sites on the Internet to assist you in building it. If you are unsure whether or not you can sustain a blog with its demanding updates, create a chart of 25 or so subtopics that you can write about within the overall subject to which you plan to dedicate your blog. That will assure you of substance for at least 25 weeks of posting as you get into the swing of blogging on a regular basis.
By entering "Creating a blog" in your favorite search engine, you'll find an assortment of free design sites that will lead you step-by-step through the process. One of the most popular is www.blogger.com, a product of Google, but you will find others as well. For those who want a more sophisticated blog with a design that is unique to them, most website designers also prepare customized blogs. Search the Internet for them, and check out their galleries of websites to find the best.
The designer's function is to create the shell into which you can easily drop copy whenever you prepare a new post. The prices range widely. They are based on the designer's experience and expertise.
Your Blog Is Your Signature
A visit to your blog is the closest contact most readers will ever have with you. They will judge you and your work by the quality of the blog. A well executed blog will boost sales of your book and contribute to building your reputation as an expert in the field you choose to write about.
Two major factors will form each blog visitor's opinion. The overall impression of the site-its cleanliness, neatness, excitement-will tell the reader a great deal about you. The quality of the content you place on the blog will bring him/her back again and again and will serve as an invitation to read articles you write, visit your website and perhaps buy your book.
Taking Full Advantage of the Blogosphere
Using the blogging world to your greatest advantage includes reaching out beyond your own site and placing material on the sites of other popular bloggers. This can be done by either posting comments to the content on the other blog or by actually offering content to a fellow blogger.
You have a distinct advantage in placing your copy elsewhere because bloggers function as a close-knit community and are usually quite welcoming of submissions by fellow bloggers. This is a carry-over from the early days of blogging. As a newcomer to the communications world, blogging was disparaged by other journalists and looked upon as an amateurish, often narcissistic form of writing. That has changed dramatically today, but the sense of camaraderie between bloggers remains strong.
Stick to a Schedule
It is essential to stick strictly to a regular schedule of posting, as I stated above. This doesn't mean you suddenly have to devote your life to blogging. If you devote 10 to 12 hours a week to creating your own posts and supplementing them with comments on other blogs, you can enjoy a great deal of success and build a sizeable following. You'll gain great satisfaction and have a good deal of fun as well. So join the thousands upon thousands of your fellow writers who have discovered this marvelous tool for harnessing the promotional power of the Internet.
View more than 60 free, informative articles by author and editor Charles Jacobs. Click on to his new website http://www.wisewriter.com. Click on "Library" to discover this world of information to help you write, publish and promote better. Read Charles' widely-heralded book "The Writer Within You," named a BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR seven times and a gold and bronze medal winner.

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