Visual Arts Junction Interviews

The book is now available on Lulu.com:

http://www.lulu.com/content/paperback-book/visual-arts-junction-interviews/8044805

Who is the target market for this?

It's profitless, LC. Something of which you would disapprove. The cost price and retail price -- $6.70 -- are the same. It's a promotional tool.

I understand it's a promotional tool, iow, advertising. What I don't understand is why you think potential readers of the books would pay for an ad about them.

Not criticizing, just wondering. I would have no idea if this sort of promotion vehicle is common now.

Blogs are very popular and more and more blogs are being reproduced as books. I will be putting the book in ebook format onto Smashwords. There is a minimum charge for books but coupons can be given to allow readers to download free copies. The links in the ebook will be live and the jpeg files will be full-color. It's up to the authors themselves to make best use of this promotional tool. We will have a better idea of how effective it is in the following months.

Oh, I see. That's interesting. So you upload to Smashwords, but offer a coupon for a free download?

I didn't realize blogs were being turned into books. Doesn't surprise me, though. Popular website material has been turned into books, too, such as the Jump the Shark site.

Shelagh,
creativity usually gets bashed until it works. Numerous reviews about interesting books highlighted in one book with excerpts is a novel concept.

Abe -everything gets bashed until it works. lol

12/8/2009

Shelagh....

" Bravo." You are a great writer, a lady who
is smarter than some I've met and I admire you greatly.
You have helped many authors and many people thank
you for it. Keep going do what your heart tells you, over
the past five years you have created some great sites
and yes, writing, many authors should look up to you.
I say all these place you mention work, no matter what
LC says, what does she know ? AFter all aren't we all
authors striving for the same thing...

Cheers..Joe...

This book came out looking very good. I think each of us can cash in on the benefits of Shelagh's hard work. Hopefully, the book--in paperback or from smashwords--will also promote Visual Arts Junction and bring the site more traffic.

Frankly, I would think an author might be more likely to buy the paperback and then use it as a display item at signings, shows or in an office--or even to give away on occasion. Prospective readers, with coupon codes, might be more likely to download the e-book.

Either way, the mere fact that the book exists and that the cover can be displayed on web sites, on Facebook, and in blogs, is also advertising of a sort. Collected interviews have been standard fare for years. In many ways, we are "selling" not ads for books so much as our knowledge and experience in writing them.

Malcolm

Spot on, Malcolm! That was my intention!

You can view the book here:

http://publishedauthors.ning.com/profiles/blogs/visual-arts-junction

and that's the whole book - what a great little book - I think I'll get a copy as a display item; the cover must be quite colorful. Hey, it's one more time in print :-)

The marketing term is "self-liquidating advertising".   Generally considered to be good idea.My own concept of self-liquidation is somewhat different and involves key limes and tequila.

The free ebook is now up on Smashwords and available for downloading:

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/7192

You don't need a coupon -- it's free.

Today, I received this email:

"Just wanted to tell you my copy of the VAJ interview arrived from Lulu today.
It's very impressive and I absolutely love the layout and color scheme. I've
gone through the interviews and they're really interesting and varied. Also,
enjoyed yours, and I especially appreciated your candid comments on author expectations."

Shelagh wrote:

I especially appreciated your candid comments on author expectations."

lol -I bet they were.

You can read my "candid comments" here (my interview is the last in the book, page 101):

Visual Arts Junction Interviews by Shelagh Watkins