Mediashift Special Series: Beyond the Book

In 2011 PBS.org's Mediashift posted a series of articles called Beyond the Book. Though the articles are two years old (and we know how quickly things change in the interweb eworld) much of the information is still relevant and should be perused by those considering self-publishing or the already self-published.

Special Series: Beyond the Book

Some of the articles that should get special attention are:

5 Reasons E-Books Are Awesome, Even for the Very Reluctant
by Jenny Shank

How a Novelist Bypassed His Publisher and Raised $11,000 on Kickstarter
by Simon Owens

How Social Networks Might Change the Way We Read Books
by Audrey Watters

Topics Covered: self-publish, self-published, self-publishing, book, author, writer, ebooks, social media, social networks, read 

Pricing Your Self-Published Book

Mediashift's Miral Sattar discusses an important issue for self-published authors: How to Set the Price for Your Book.

She includes the experiences of authors Hugh Howey, Susan Kaye Quinn, Darcie Chan. Great statistical info from The Library of Congress and the Smashwords Survey. A must read for self-published authors and those who want to self-publish.

How to Set the Right Price for Your Self-Published Book

Topics Covered: self-publish, self-published, self-publishing, book pricing, book, price, ebook, author, writer 

Mediashift PBS.org - Special Series - Authors as Entrepreneurs

PBS.org's blog Mediashift has launched a series of articles called Authors as Entrepreneurs.

We have already posted a link to the first article Guy Kawasaki’s 6 Entrepreneurial Tips for Authors (see post 9/3/13).

Future articles will include:

-Guy Kawasaki’s Guide to Entrepreneurship for Authors, by Guy Kawasaki
-The Rise of the Hybrid Author, by Jeremy Greenfield
-Self Promotional Burnout: When Marketing Takes Over, by Jenny Shank
-New Crop of Startups Give Fans Ability to Donate to Favorite Authors, by Dena Levitz
-Resources for Self Publishers, by Carla King
-Pricing Your E-book, by Miral Sattar
-How to Do Live Author Signings with E-books, by Miral Sattar

Special Series: Authors as Entrepreneurs

Topics Covered: self-publish, self-published, self-publishing, author, writer, promotional, entrepreneur, self promotion, ebook, pricing, marketing, fans

Amazon's Matchbook - A Short Explanation

Amazon made some big announcements on Tuesday regarding Amazon Matchbook and the Kindle Paperwhite e-reader.

Carolyn Kellogg of the L.A. Times has written an excellent article explaining all points:

Amazon Matchbook Explained

What Do Micro-Trends Mean for Self-Published Authors

Best-selling author Kristen Lamb analyzes and discusses how Micro-Trends effect traditionally published and self-published authors. Very interesting ideas and definitely worth a read by authors and writers.

http://warriorwriters.wordpress.com/2013/09/03/the-rise-of-individuality-what-this-means-for-publishing-authors/

Topics Covered: self-publish, self-published, self-publishing, micro-trends, mega-trends, traditional publishing, publishing, trends, individuality, life-styles, internet, social media

You Can Sell Your Self-Published Book for more than 99 cents or 99 pence

In this Guardian interview self-published author Kerry Wilkinson relates his experiences with book pricing. Must read for anyone who is self-publishing or who wants to self-publish.

http://www.theguardian.com/books/booksblog/2013/sep/03/self-publishing-kerry-wilkinson

Topics Covered: self-publish, self-published, self-publishing, pricing, author, book, writer, book sales, sales, book pricing

Self Publishing Entrepreneurial Tips for Authors by Guy Kawasaki

Guy Kawasaki has written a book called APE: Author, Publisher, Entrepreneur-How to Publish a Book. In this article on PBS.org he gives six tips that anyone interested in self-publishing should review. I especially liked Tip #2 - Treat Your Book Like a Business. His calculations regarding time and effort should be considered carefully by any author or writer.

http://www.pbs.org/mediashift/2013/09/guy-kawasakis-6-entrepreneurial-tips-for-authors

Topics Covered: Self-Publish, self-Published, self-Publishing, publish, book, business, entrepreneur, professional, niche, niche writing, social media,

Self-Published Author Kay Bratt Discusses Her Publishing Experiences

In a guest post on A Newbie's Guide to Publishing, author of Silent Tears: A Journey of Hope in a Chinese Orphanage Kay Bratt discusses her experiences with traditional publishing and self-publishing. Great information for self-published authors and those who want to self-publish.

http://jakonrath.blogspot.com/2013/09/guest-post-by-kay-bratt.html

Topics Covered: Self-publish, Self-published, Self-publishing, author, fiction, non-fiction, memoir, writer, traditional publishing, bookstore

Romance Author Aubrey Rose Plus 4 Other Authors Hit USA Today Bestseller List with Boxed Set

In her blogpost from August 28, 2013, adult romance author Aubrey Rose tells how a promotional boxed set she created with fellow adult romance authors Julia Kent, Emme Rollins, Helena Newbury and Anna Antonia has hit the USA Today Bestseller list. Good promotional option for self-published authors.

http://aubreyrosewrites.wordpress.com/

Topics Covered: Self-publish, self-published, self-publishing, romance, adult romance, USA Today Bestseller List, bestseller, boxed set, promotion, promotional, promotional ideas, Aubrey Rose, Julia Kent, Emme Rollins, Helena Newbury, Anna Antonia

Smut Writer Turns Down Offer from Amazon imprint Montlake

Author of romance novel Me, Cinderella? Aubrey Rose discusses why she turned down an offer from the Amazon imprint publisher Montlake. VERY good info for self-published authors.

http://smutwriters.com/2013/09/02/i-just-turned-down-a-publishing-deal-from-amazon/

Topics Covered: Self-published, self-publishing, Amazon, Montlake, authors, writers, self-publish, publisher, book, romance, smut, smut writers, novel

How to Create a Word Template for Self-Published Books

Here's a great tutorial from TheKittchen.com on how to create a Word template for your self-published book. Invaluable information.

http://thekittchen.com/2013/09/01/self-publishing-creating-a-word-template/

Topics Covered: Word, Word Template, Template for self-published book, self-published, self-publishing, books, tutorial

Smashwords Makes eBook Distribution Deal with Flipkart

Smashwords, an eBook publisher, has made a distribution deal with the online store Flipkart. Flipkart has been around since 2007 and was initially a bookseller but now also sells movies, games, computers etc. Read details here:

http://www.medianama.com/2013/08/223-flipkart-smashwords/

Topics Covered: ebooks, self-published, books, distribution, Flipkart, Smashwords

Are You Wondering If You Should Self-Publish? Read What Author Phil Simon Has to Say.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/nickmorgan/2013/08/06/can-i-publish-myself-an-interview-with-author-speaker-publisher-phil-simon/

Are you confused about whether or not to self-publish? Here are some great insights from author-speaker-publisher Phil Simon. Phil is a technology expert who has consulted with such institutions as NBC, CNBC, Inc. Magazine and the Huffington Post. His experience with traditional publishing and self-publishing is worth a read.

Topics Covered: Self-publishing, publishing, traditional publishing, books, expert, consultant, techonology

Are You a Self-Published Author with a following? Try These Alternatives to Amazon.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/michaelwolf/2013/07/31/self-publishing-an-e-book-here-are-4-ways-to-leave-amazons-30-tax-behind/

Here are four alternatives to self-publishing with Amazon so you can increase your profits. Great for authors with an established following.

Topics Covered: Self-publishing, eBooks, books, Amazon, book sales, profit, sales

USA Today Self-Published Best-Seller List Ending 8-25-13

http://seejanepublish.wordpress.com/2013/08/30/usa-today-self-published-best-seller-list-ending-8-25-13-by-darla-luke/

Here's a list of the self-published books that made that USA Today Bestseller list ending 8/25/13. List was compiled by Darla Luke for SeeJanePublish.

Topics Covered: Self-Published Bestsellers, USA Today, Bestsellers, Self-Published books, books, Self-Published

Self-Published Books: Do Readers Prefer Novels or Novellas?

http://www.forbes.com/sites/suwcharmananderson/2013/08/30/readers-feast-on-snackable-novellas/

Here's an informative article in Forbes magazine about whether readers prefer long or short novels.

A study of Smashwords sales data has shown that longer self-published books sell better than shorter ones...

Topics Covered: Self-publishing, novels, novellas, fiction, book length, eBooks