Sit Back, Relax, & Enjoy the Apocalypse!

By Jay Mouton

Imabe from en.wikipedia.org

My recent novel, Apocalypse Awakening, is first and foremost a work of fiction.  It is a story.  It is one of those what if this happened adventures!  It’s important to remember such aspects of fiction when one is reading fiction.  Yeah, I know I’m pointing out the obvious.  Still, many forget the simple fact that fiction is fictional.  Yep, a no brainer—right?

Not so much.

I spent over a decade of my life teaching college literature courses, and we covered a great deal of fiction.  For the most part, it was fun to delve into various stories with well over a couple of thousand students over the years.  It was also a learning experience, as time after time I got the chance to re-experience so many stories with so many people.  We got the chance to live inside fiction: made up stuff.  And I never let my students forget this “made up stuff” aspect of fiction.

Is the Traditional Book Publishing Route a 1-Way Street?

by Carl Weiss

Image courtesy of flickr.com

When it comes to writing books, authors will spend untold amounts of time and money polishing their prose.  When it comes to marketing their books however, many authors still harbor the notion that a literary agent is going to provide them with the ticket to fame and fortune.  But when you factor in the reality that there are a limited number of literary agents in the US and that in 2015 there were more than 300,000 books published in this country, then the odds of your landing representation is like hitting the lottery.

These Agents Have a License to Thrill

Reading Between the Lines: the Realities of Fiction

by RJ Jojola

On the Verge— Overcoming the Past

My dark fantasy novel, On the Verge, is very much a coming of age tale where adults in their 20s are forced to deal with and overcome their childhood traumas. As their trust in everything and everyone wanes, the character’s paths become intertwined. As they begin facing their pain and suffering head on, they discover that they are the last and final hope for their world. It is solely up to them to dispel the evil and chaos that had been unleashed by the adults who were supposed to have protected them. In essence, it shows the cyclical nature of not only the downfalls and mistakes that affect the history of a civilization, but individuals and their families as well. 

The Realities of Fiction— Turning Real Life into a Fantastical World

Can You Still Work the Web to Win?

by Hector Cisneros & Carl Weiss

In the 20th Century, businesses used print, TV and Radio as the preferred marketing media to take their products and services to market. To flex your advertising muscles today, you also need to add the internet to the mix.  Unlike traditional forms of advertising, the internet easily crosses most borders and allows businesses “in the know” to Geo-target their ads to any regional or local level they desire.

Courtesy of www.cnbc.com

Every business today is trying to take advantage of the leverage that the internet provides. This process is made more complicated because the internet is a multi-media platform. Not only can it provide a media-rich experience on every page, it can also provide access to many forms of marketing that even includes analogs of their traditional counterparts like TV, Radio and print. Better still, it also provides superior tracking and analytical feedback to make sure your marketing is actually working!

Caveat Author

by Carl Weiss

Image courtesy of GoodBooks.Online

You've just completed your manuscript.  Congratulations!  Now comes the next step, having your book edited and possibly represented by a professional.  While that seems like a simple task to accomplish, finding a professional who is ready, willing and able to take your manuscript to the next level is a daunting task.  In fact, it can be an expensive and potentially perilous journey that can prove more of an adventure than the one presented in your book.  My blog this week cover a number of ways in which unscrupulous editors, book doctors and "agents" try to convince authors to part with their hard-earned money.

If it looks too good, it probably isn't.

My co-host of the Good Books Online Radio show sent me an email that sounded like a heck of a deal.  A company was offering a package for $695 that purported to offer everything from editing and book cover creation, to formatting and publication on amazon.com.  The advertisement itself included a toll-free number.  Calling the number led to a "consultant" that quickly made me understand that the $895 price was only valid for eBooks of 100 pages in length or less.  For more lengthy manuscripts, the prices quickly rose to 4 figures.  There were also a lot of restrictions on edits made to cover art as well.  I asked to see a contract and I am still awaiting its arrival.  I'm not holding my breath.

When it comes to proofreading, paying more than a dollar a page is excessive unless there are major holes in the plot or other serious character deficiencies.  I know this for a fact, since GoodBooks.Online provides this service for authors.   Book cover creation can be had by a skilled graphic designer for $500 or less, regardless of the number of edits.  Having your book formatted for inclusion on amazon.com or for print could also set you back a couple hundred dollors, but it's worth it to get it done right.  The trick is to make sure that the editor and/or designer will deliver the service at the price they quoted.  You should also never work with a company that asks for all the funds to be paid up front.  Especially if the company is not located in the US.  Try getting a refund from an offshore firm can be next to impossible.

Agent Smagent

Another area of concern to authors is getting an agent to represent them.  The classical interpretation of a literary agent is an emissary that will act in the author's interest in dealing with publishers as well as other entities that are interested in licensing a book.  As such, an agent will derive a commission for fees received from the book.  This includes everything from advances, as well as a percentage of royalties received from book sales, movie deals, licensing and merchandising.  A good agent can be worth their weight in gold to an author.  A bad one can be a nightmare, since agents invariably require the exclusive right to deal in the author's behalf.  If the agent misrepresents their connections, becomes incapacitated or just decides to sit on their hands, an author can be in a world of trouble.

Even worse are "agents" who insist on being paid before they deliver the goods.  A reputable agent will never ask an author for money.  They get paid a piece of the money they make by representing in essence selling the authors books.  If you find yourself speaking to an "agent" that suggests you send him or her money for reading fees, expenses, or any other reason, run do not walk to the nearest exit.  Even if an agent has a legitimate need to be compensated for such things as postage, overseas phone calls and the like, they should be willing to take these expenses out of the fees they generate for the author.

Speaking of fees, whether you are dealing with an agent, a publisher, an editor or book printer, make sure you receive an itemized contract that details the services to be performed and the rights that you as well as the other party is entitled.  That's another way for an underhanded party to dig deep into your pocket, by using bait and switch tactics.  Even worse, once you sign an agreement, you will be held accountable to it.  This could not only have a deleterious effect on your current book, but subsequent books as well.  (Always have an attorney read over any agreement given to you that concerns your books.)

Onc horror story I will share with you was from a client who had contracted a company to edit her cookbook, create the cover art and print 1,000 copies. By the time the process was finished, she had paid more than $25,000 only to realize after the fact that she now had no way of publishing her book electronically.  Even worse was the fact that the publisher held the rights to the cover art and that the contract bound her to the publisher for all subsequent printing of her cookbook.

When you consider that her cookbook retailed for $19.95, there was no way for her to even break even should she sell every single copy she had printed.  In short, the only thing that got cooked was her goose.

Image courtesy of GoodBooks.Online

Speaking of contracts, any legitimate agent will be more than happy to provide you with their terms, commissions, marketing, distribution and sales list in advance of the contract.  Any agent that tells you that all or part of this information is confidential is a sure sign that you need to look elsewhere.  Also beware of agents who actively solicit you.  Unless your previous title on amazon resulted in 6-figure sales, there is no reason that a legitimate agent will seek you out.  They don't have to since they are buried in queries and book proposals every single day.

Beware that there are businesses created around the premise of milking authors while returning little or no services of value.  Some of these agencies are well-heeled and can afford to advertise in the toniest of periodicals, as well as online.  Before you wind up getting fleeced by a predatory agency, publisher or printer, below are the top-10 questions you need answered:

1. How long has your agency been in business?
2. What are your credentials as an agent?
3. What authors do you represent?
4. Can you provide me with references. (Don't take endorsements on their page from satisfied "authors" as gospel.  It's far too easy to create these yourself.)
5. Do you charge a reading fee?
6. What other front fees do you charge?
7. What kind of expenses will you be reimbursed for and how will those expenses be handled.
8. Do you use outside resources, or is my book going to be handled in-house?  (A number of underhanded publishing businesses outsource most of their services, making them little more than a broker.)
9.   When can I see a copy of the agency agreement?
10. Has your agency ever been sued?  

Even if you receive a satisfactory response for each of these questions, do your due diligence online by checking for good and bad reviews, complaints and scam reports for both the agency and the agent.  If you find no reviews whatsoever this is a sign that the agent or agency is new, or that it changed its name due to negative reviews.  Do your research well and you will have a reasonable chance at being a successful author.  Do it poorly or not at all and you could wind up derailing your writing career before it ever gets started.

Carl Weiss is an author and president of Working the Web to Win, an online marketing company in Jacksonville, Florida.  He is also co-host of Good Books Online, a weekly  online radio show and YouTube series.

What are They Up to Now?

by Mark Goldwich

With a title like, “What are they up to now?”, you might think I’m writing about my kids, the presidential candidates, politicians in general, or some other high-profile group. What I’m talking about in today's blog are Insurance Companies. You see, earlier this week I attended a two-day conference presented by the Florida Association of Public Insurance Adjusters. The conference is billed as an educational and networking event designed to improve our skill sets, become better at what we do, and network with other industry professionals.

Image courtesy of Pixabay.com

One of the main takeaways from the conference was learning about significant trends in insurance industry tactics and strategies. These strategies are usually marketed as “consumer protections”, which also just happen to help insurance companies stuff billions more into their collective coffers. A happy coincidence, I’m sure (that’s sarcasm, for those of you who are unfamiliar with my writing style). Those of us whose job it is to protect the insured from their own insurance companies, see these tactics and strategies for what they really are, profit boosters.

Why Every Author Needs a Virtual Assistant

by Debbie Cosby

Image provided by Debbie Crosby, Virtual Assistant. 

If you're like most authors, your workload is overwhelming. There are only twenty-four hours in a day, but you keep losing time. You're drowning in work and are wasting precious time trying to serve too many masters. Why spend hours on tasks which aren't your strengths?  When you want to do less and write more, a virtual author assistant is the way to go.

In order to write, publish and promote books, there are certain tasks that must be accomplished. The author can choose to do these him or herself, but the cost of the author’s time could often be much more effectively spent on revenue-generating activities.  

What Is A Virtual Author Assistant?

Image courtesy of GoodBooks.Online

A Virtual Author Assistant (VAA) is a business professional who provides virtual services for an authors. Performing certain services can make the author’s life so much easier.  A VAA plays many of the roles and takes on many of the responsibilities that fall to the author, but which the author may not have the time or expertise to take on.  However, their main responsibility is focused on giving authors more time to write.

A Virtual Author Assistant Has Different Skills They Specialize In. 

The author’s assistant does a wide variety of work, and may specialize in one or more aspects of the author’s workload.  Those specialized skills usually fall under two categories: administration and marketing.

On the administration side:

• Sending information about the authors/books to those who request it;
• Updating websites;
• Organizing spreadsheets;
• Pulling sales reports;
• Setting speaking engagement;
• Doing research and fact checking;
• Proofreading and much more.

On the marketing side:  

• Following up with individuals who will be reviewing the manuscript;
• Creating book jacket copy;
• Running street teams;
• Creating newsletters.

What Kind Of People Use A Virtual Author Assistant?

• Busy entrepreneurs
• Business consultants
• Business coaches
• Financial planners
• Professional speakers

Image courtesy of GoodBooks.Online

 Every bestselling author has an author’s assistant – someone the author can call on to do many of the tasks that surround the successful completion, publishing and marketing of a book.   You need someone who can make sure the books you’ve written are professionally edited, and printed and delivered on time. Where are you going to find the time to do that yourself?

The occupation of the VAA has been around for over hundred years.  Virtual Author Assistants are well known inside the publishing industry, but not recognized by many outside of it. It is predicted that will change very soon because of the increasing numbers of authors who are getting published, either as independent publishers or via the more traditional route with established publishers.

The VAA is now a key component in the success of these entrepreneurial book publishing efforts as new authors are using virtual services of all kinds instead of hiring employees. Even established publishing companies themselves use virtual services.

One of the most important things when looking for a VAA is to make sure he or she provides the skills you need.

A Virtual Author Assistant Can Help You By:

• Saving your valuable time. This is the top reason to hire an author assistant. Just because you CAN do a task does not mean it is cost effective. Most authors simply do not have enough time in the day to complete their writing and the other marketing and admin tasks they need to. By hiring a VAA the author has more time to focus on what only they can do, write!
• Supporting and encouraging you. Having another passionate team member is valuable. A VAA can be that needed force to help overcome deadlines, bad days, and overwhelming times.
• Motivation and goal setting. Sometimes you just need someone to keep track of things and keep you going towards your dreams. A VAA rock at that.

Ask yourself if there are things you know you should be doing but don’t have the time to accomplish without sacrificing sleep or writing time? Are you willing to delegate your work? If you answered yes to either of these questions it may be time to consider hiring a VAA. Don’t go it alone. Get the support you need and you will be well on your way to publishing success.

 Debbie Cosby Virtual Assistants – Helping overwhelmed entrepreneurs and businesses grow their business.