| | Creating a bestseller | |
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dkchristi Five Star Member
Number of posts : 8594 Registration date : 2008-12-29 Location : Florida
| Subject: Re: Creating a bestseller Sun Apr 26, 2009 4:46 pm | |
| A local author was visited by God who dictated her book to her. It is a little book about finding yourself through a spiritual connection to God. She travels to all the churches, does workshops for "love" offerings, sells her book, and uses it for the workshop. She does all the women's club meetings, etc. and has a schedule that would kill a horse, but she sells hundreds of her self published book. She wraps it up in a package with some religious trinkets and sells gift sets that are charming to look at. They are found in all the local gift shops. |
| | | Abe F. March Five Star Member
Number of posts : 10768 Registration date : 2008-01-26 Age : 85 Location : Germany
| Subject: Re: Creating a bestseller Sun Apr 26, 2009 10:46 pm | |
| DK, When God visited me, he exclaimed, "What have I wraught?" Don't think that would sell. |
| | | builder Four Star Member
Number of posts : 255 Registration date : 2009-04-21
| Subject: Re: Creating a bestseller Mon Apr 27, 2009 2:18 am | |
| That's interesting about what the book can lead to. I never thought of that and almost not concerned. Writers are introverts and most (not all) do not want to go out promoting or doing a workshop, seminar and so on. I like writing non fiction because it can educate and help people. |
| | | Carol Troestler Five Star Member
Number of posts : 3827 Registration date : 2008-06-07 Age : 86 Location : Wisconsin
| Subject: Re: Creating a bestseller Mon Apr 27, 2009 6:18 am | |
| I agree about being an introvert and am very poor at self-promotion. But if i have something scheduled, I do it with enthusiasm because I believe in my book, what it can teach, what it says. It is that initial reaching out, even to publishers that is so difficult.
Carol |
| | | builder Four Star Member
Number of posts : 255 Registration date : 2009-04-21
| Subject: Re: Creating a bestseller Mon Apr 27, 2009 6:45 am | |
| What is your book about Carol? |
| | | Carol Troestler Five Star Member
Number of posts : 3827 Registration date : 2008-06-07 Age : 86 Location : Wisconsin
| Subject: Re: Creating a bestseller Mon Apr 27, 2009 7:33 am | |
| I have two historical novels based on family stories, filled with a lot of history. I have given talks on the Civil War from these books.
I also wrote two books on the Cuban Missile Crisis: one fiction and one non-fiction based on personal experiences of myself and others. I have worked on this for years and believe in it, but it needs some changes I am working on. I am planning on writing more family books, and if they are never published they will be there for family.
Previously I wrote manuals for schools which were self published but had a niche market and did well.
Carol |
| | | Pam Five Star Member
Number of posts : 1790 Registration date : 2008-02-01 Age : 58 Location : Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| Subject: Re: Creating a bestseller Mon Apr 27, 2009 4:41 pm | |
| Builder it's true that lots of writers are introverts, however, part of the writing process is letting the world know what it is that you have written. Publishers have never done all of that for a writer, and now do it even less. It's the writer who does signings, talks etc., and when it comes to non-fiction, your audience (or mine anyway) expects that you will bring what you wrote to life for them. It's that step - developing a relationship with your readers, and people who pay to see what you offer - that takes your book from being in boxes stashed throughout the house, to being in people's hands, stacked beside their beds, in their briefcases, and so on. I write fiction and non-fiction, and would not have been recognized at all had I never actually made myself act more outgoing than I comfortably used to do. Just give it a try -- you might find that you like it! |
| | | Carol Troestler Five Star Member
Number of posts : 3827 Registration date : 2008-06-07 Age : 86 Location : Wisconsin
| Subject: Re: Creating a bestseller Mon Apr 27, 2009 4:56 pm | |
| Pam, |
| | | dkchristi Five Star Member
Number of posts : 8594 Registration date : 2008-12-29 Location : Florida
| Subject: Re: Creating a bestseller Mon Apr 27, 2009 5:32 pm | |
| A handful of authors at "another" messageboard consistently post that they have publishers who furnish them with unlimited books for reviews, promotional plans, book signing events and everything they need so they can sit back and keep churning out the books. They point out that anything less means an author gave up and "settled." As I've said before, those postings sort of took the wind out of my sails because I have done a heroic amount of promotion and purchased plenty of books and promotional items for reviews, indie book stores and local festivals. I have had to become the pseudonym D. K. Christi in order to pull off the book signings and promo events. I, too, am introspective and content with my own company. D. K. Christi has fun with the promotions (and friends attest to the fact that some other person is signing those books) and PR. I prefer to write and keep to myself. |
| | | Carol Troestler Five Star Member
Number of posts : 3827 Registration date : 2008-06-07 Age : 86 Location : Wisconsin
| Subject: Re: Creating a bestseller Mon Apr 27, 2009 5:45 pm | |
| DK,
The key word is "handful" of authors.
Carol |
| | | Betty Fasig Five Star Member
Number of posts : 4334 Registration date : 2008-06-12 Age : 81 Location : Duette, Florida
| Subject: Re: Creating a bestseller Mon Apr 27, 2009 7:01 pm | |
| Dear DK, I think that each one of us has an new identity as author. I have read Steinbeck' perspective on this. He was a famous author when he went on the road to write Travels With Charley. He expected people would recognize him everywhere he went. What happened was he discovered that he was not so famous as all that, even though his name would go down in the records as one of the great writers and he was aclaimed at the time as one. I imagine that same unconsious fame trailed around Franklin, Poe, Hawthorn, and so many others. The voice a person uses to write a book is so close to their own core that no one the author knows would recognize the voice or the brain that verbalized it. It is kind of like trying to get your family to understand your soul. No one has the time because they are mostly concerned with their own relationship with the world. First, they think they know every thought you could come up with, qualify it with their perception of what you could think if they considered you had their brain. Not a notion that you could have an individual thought, and they discard your stories as nonsense. Sometimes, for me, it all turns to setting down day dreams with the color of words. There is not a better paint box than the words the mind can conceive to tell the story. A good story is a work of art. Love, Betty |
| | | builder Four Star Member
Number of posts : 255 Registration date : 2009-04-21
| Subject: Re: Creating a bestseller Tue Apr 28, 2009 2:05 am | |
| I have written a book on business. I have another book idea and been doing some research. It isn't a great seller by rankings but there is a market, for my new topic. I have no rush to bring it out or get a publisher. From what I know now, writing rarely pays, if it is money, the thing to do is work on your day job or something else. As for promotion, I will work on that. Currently the publisher hasn't told that I have to do anything. If they did want me to, am sure they will contact me. Although, I have not done anything offline, I have been using free online promotions that I think makes an impact. I was also told (this is what I read, ok) that book tours and signings does not really make a difference and does not gaurantee it will generate sales. But some online work can. |
| | | Shelagh Admin
Number of posts : 12662 Registration date : 2008-01-11 Location : UK
| Subject: Re: Creating a bestseller Tue Apr 28, 2009 3:24 am | |
| - dkchristi wrote:
- A handful of authors at "another" messageboard consistently post that they have publishers who furnish them with unlimited books for reviews, promotional plans, book signing events and everything they need so they can sit back and keep churning out the books. They point out that anything less means an author gave up and "settled."
As I've said before, those postings sort of took the wind out of my sails because I have done a heroic amount of promotion and purchased plenty of books and promotional items for reviews, indie book stores and local festivals. I have had to become the pseudonym D. K. Christi in order to pull off the book signings and promo events. I, too, am introspective and content with my own company. D. K. Christi has fun with the promotions (and friends attest to the fact that some other person is signing those books) and PR. I prefer to write and keep to myself. Stop beating yourself up, D.K. The words Indie music, Indie rock, Indie film all invoke a certain respect because they assert that the artist has stepped away from mainstream limitations, corporate production and standard distribution that dominate their industries. As independently published authors, we should adopt the Indie Publishing tag and drop the vanity publishing tag. Vanity is a misnomer for self-published authors anyway. Commercially-published, mid-list authors are the ones who demonstrate the most vanity when they try to disassociate themselves from independently published authors -- even to the point of saying that self-published authors should not refer to themselves as authors. Only commercially published authors should be allowed to call themselves authors. How vain is that? We should drop "vanity published" and "self-published" and begin describing ourselves as "Indie Published" authors. We should use the term often and spread the word: on message boards, by email, on social networks and whenever we introduce ourselves to anyone connected to the world of books, including our readers! |
| | | Carol Troestler Five Star Member
Number of posts : 3827 Registration date : 2008-06-07 Age : 86 Location : Wisconsin
| Subject: Re: Creating a bestseller Tue Apr 28, 2009 5:18 am | |
| Shelagh,
Good idea.
Marie,
Me, too. |
| | | alj Five Star Member
Number of posts : 9633 Registration date : 2008-12-05 Age : 80 Location : San Antonio
| Subject: Re: Creating a bestseller Tue Apr 28, 2009 5:32 am | |
| - Betty Fasig wrote:
- Dear DK,
I think that each one of us has an new identity as author. I have read Steinbeck' perspective on this. He was a famous author when he went on the road to write Travels With Charley. He expected people would recognize him everywhere he went. What happened was he discovered that he was not so famous as all that, even though his name would go down in the records as one of the great writers and he was aclaimed at the time as one. I imagine that same unconsious fame trailed around Franklin, Poe, Hawthorn, and so many others. The voice a person uses to write a book is so close to their own core that no one the author knows would recognize the voice or the brain that verbalized it. It is kind of like trying to get your family to understand your soul. No one has the time because they are mostly concerned with their own relationship with the world.
First, they think they know every thought you could come up with, qualify it with their perception of what you could think if they considered you had their brain. Not a notion that you could have an individual thought, and they discard your stories as nonsense. Sometimes, for me, it all turns to setting down day dreams with the color of words. There is not a better paint box than the words the mind can conceive to tell the story. A good story is a work of art. Love, Betty Betty, You have just written the words and given them the colors that express some of my most intimate reasons for needing to write. Thank you! Ann |
| | | Carol Troestler Five Star Member
Number of posts : 3827 Registration date : 2008-06-07 Age : 86 Location : Wisconsin
| Subject: Re: Creating a bestseller Tue Apr 28, 2009 5:48 am | |
| Ann,
Betty has a beautiful way with words.
I believe our writing does reveal parts of us our speaking does not, especially if we are introverts.
Carol |
| | | alj Five Star Member
Number of posts : 9633 Registration date : 2008-12-05 Age : 80 Location : San Antonio
| Subject: Re: Creating a bestseller Tue Apr 28, 2009 7:01 am | |
| So, now, I find that I have traits and feelings in common with Betty, Marie, and Carol -What better company could I be in!
Ann |
| | | Pam Five Star Member
Number of posts : 1790 Registration date : 2008-02-01 Age : 58 Location : Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| Subject: Re: Creating a bestseller Tue Apr 28, 2009 2:34 pm | |
| - Shelagh wrote:
We should drop "vanity published" and "self-published" and begin describing ourselves as "Indie Published" authors. We should use the term often and spread the word: on message boards, by email, on social networks and whenever we introduce ourselves to anyone connected to the world of books, including our readers! Shelagh, what a great idea. Brilliant! |
| | | Dick Stodghill Five Star Member
Number of posts : 3795 Registration date : 2008-05-04 Age : 98 Location : Akron, Ohio
| Subject: Re: Creating a bestseller Tue Apr 28, 2009 2:52 pm | |
| - alj wrote:
- So, now, I find that I have traits and feelings in common with Betty, Marie, and Carol -What better company could I be in!
Ann How about mine? |
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