Category Archives: Writing Musings

Musings from author Denise Turney on writing, including freelance, marketing, self-help, nonfiction and journal writing. Here you will find book marketing tips as well as advice on places where you can go to sharpen your craft and network with other writers, including novelists. You’ll also find places where you can network with readers, editors, publishers and literary agents.

Men Love Romance as Much as Women

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By Denise Turney
Men might not want it to get out, but they appreciate romance as much as women do. However, men express romantic feelings differently than women do. It’s easy to see why. Men, whether they are raised by a woman or a man, are generally raised to hide certain emotions. For example, emotions that lend the perception that a man is emotionally or psychologically weak, are taboo for boys to express in many households.

Some of these emotions are sadness, fear and vulnerability. It might not seem like it, but when you see a man who finds it hard to express his romantic feelings towards you, you’re actually looking at a man who has been taught to hide those feelings. Make him feel safe (or give him enough time to start to feel safe with you on his own, as he shares more experiences with you) and don’t be surprised if he begins to let you see how he feels about you more fully.

Truth is, we all desire to both give and receive love. It’s part of the circle of life, what keeps us connected, whole. Where we differ is in our genetics and our childhood programming. Even more, it’s during the first five years of our physical experiences that our brains are developed. Now, imagine that a boy was scolded or belittled each time he expressed “soft” emotions from the time he was two years.

If you meet that man when he’s in his twenties, you might feel like you’re pulling your own teeth when you try to get him to express romantic emotion. There’s nothing wrong with the man; it’s the coding or programming he received as a child. What you have to ask yourself is if you enjoy being with the man enough to wait until he sees that he no longer needs the old programming (programming he might have been given by well intentioned parents, friends and extended relatives).

It’s also important to remember that there’s no guarantee that a man (or woman) will feel safe enough to express his romantic emotions for you fully. In this case, you might decide to stop at friendship with this person. Whatever you decide, this much is sure. There’s a loving person, someone who wants to feel wanted, beneath the surface, at the core. Gender can’t stop that from being the case.

Thank you for reading my blog. To learn what happens to Raymond, Brenda and the other characters in Love Pour Over Me, hop over to Amazon.com, B&N.com, Ebookit.com, or any other online or offline bookseller and get your copy of Love Pour Over Me today. And again I say – Thank You! Consider Love.

Advantages of Working with Book Editors

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By Denise Turney

The marriage between book writers and book editors might be one of the most divergent  relationships around. If you’ve ever worked as a writer or editor, you probably know what I mean. As a book writer, you might think that your work is excellent, certainly not worthy of an editor’s criticisms. Yet, that’s where you are likely to always be wrong.

Zoning in on Talented Book Editors’ Trained Eyes

In fact, there might not be a perfect book, especially to a talented book editor’s trained eye. When they’re working on a book, editors look for grammatical errors, voice inconsistencies, awkward tone and style, to start. Book editors also examine characterization, dialogue, setting and plot while editing a book. Because they are trained to look for and zone in on elements authors might ignore, book editors notice weaknesses in stories that authors don’t. This could be a reason why authors argue passionately when they receive an editor’s feedback.

It’s also a reason why some book editors handle writers with kid gloves. After all, who wants to fight with the people who are paying her? No. . . Who wants to argue with anyone every time he does his job, even if it’s a job that can deal a striking blow to a book writer’s fragile ego?

More Advantages to Working With Book Editors

The funny thing is, it’s nearly impossible to avoid receiving feedback on a book if you’re an author. Think about it. If talented book editors, people who have the best interest of your book at heart, don’t offer you feedback, book reviews and readers almost certainly will. Unfortunately, when book reviewers and readers notice weaknesses in your novels, they may not be nearly as kind or as gentle as book editors. Unlike book editors, reviewers and readers also might tell others about the weaknesses in your stories, costing you book sells.

Other advantages inherit in working with book editors include:

  • Smoother scene transitions
  • Fewer to no typos or misspelled words
  • More believable book characters
  • Strong, realistic dialogue
  • Improved timing and pacing
  • A workable number of characters instead of too many or too few book characters

Book editors offer critical reader feedback to authors. Their work can help turn an average story into an above average story. Furthermore, as book writers continue to work with the same book editors, the pairs can form rewarding relationships. They could also become familiar with each other’s style, and come to fully respect what each brings to the creative table. It’s a marriage that’s worth fighting for.

Thank you for reading my blog. To learn what happens to Raymond, Brenda and the other characters in Love Pour Over Me, hop over to Amazon.com, B&N.com, Ebookit.com, or any other online or offline bookseller and get your copy of Love Pour Over Me today. And again I say – Thank You! Consider Love.

Spotlighting Positive African American Males

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By Denise Turney

Rey Flemings, Stephon Alexander, Tyler Perry, Curley M. Dossman, Jr., Dr. Howard Rasheed and Milton Jones are just a few of the many positive Black men in America. These men do more than start businesses, lead their families and promote forward thinking in others. They also mentor other males, particularly youth, helping to inspire and motivate them toward rewarding adulthoods.

Positive black men like Rey Flemings, owner of Stripple, employ  their talents to capture every day as well as uncommonly seen events. Milton Jones and Dr. Howard Rasheed develop educational as well as mentoring programs through 100 Black Men of America, an empowering organization that launched in New York in 1963.

Work that these and other men, like Tyler Perry and Curley Dossman, Jr. perform has made its way into the media, gaining the attention of the masses. However, there are many positive African American males who never get spotlighted in  local or national media outlets. It’s these positive Black men who do the inner work to strengthen their marriages, improve the communications they share with their children, study with their offspring, contribute to communities they reside in, etc.

Some positive African American males raise children single handedly after the mothers of their children pass or after they experience a divorce. Daily responsibilities they perform include cooking meals, checking homework, bathing and dressing their infant children, transporting their children to school, attending school events, carving out time to have fun with their young children an hour or more a day, including taking their children with them to sporting events, museums, etc. Positive Black men fulfill these and other responsibilities while balancing full-time jobs.

It’s these images, the stories of these men, that teens need to hear about, images that smash at negative depictions of men. As these real life images get more exposure, people won’t look on in shock when they hear about positive African American males who are finding ways to empower themselves, their families and communities every single day. These men are out here, everywhere — it’s just that so few people take the time to notice or spotlight them and the great things they do. 

As other men commit to doing, Raymond Clarke’s father raises a child alone, yet he has inner issues to deal with that he refuses to face until late. He loves his son, but struggles to balance sharp inner conflicts. Some fathers, from all cultures, struggle to find balance within themselves. The good news is that when they do, they offer positive contributions to society and  . . . to their sons. Support men who are like Raymond’s father receive from organizations like 100 Black Men in America, the National Organization for Men, Positive Men’s Organization, Men’s Health Network, Boys to Men Foundation and The Good Men Project could help them become even better fathers and contributors to society.

Thank you for reading my blog. To learn what happens to Raymond, Brenda and the other characters in Love Pour Over Me, hop over to Amazon.com, B&N.com, Ebookit.com, or any other online or offline bookseller and get your copy of Love Pour Over Me today. And again I say – Thank You! Consider Love.

Sources:

http://blackmanoftheday.com/

http://www.100blackmen.org/education.aspx

A Lifetime of Loving Books

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By Denise Turney

love books

Like millions of readers, I have spent a lifetime loving books. One of the reasons I love reading books has to do with the way intricately developed literature penetrates misgivings I might have about my ability to progress, convincing me that I can triumph by introducing me to characters who, although deeply challenged, overcome.

Loving Books for Several Reasons

Sometimes I want to read books I can finish in a few hours, no more than a day. Yet, time savings aside, I can honestly say I love reading books most that take days for me to finish. In fact, like many people who love books might desire, if I truly enjoy a book, I don’t ever want the story to end. Could be a reason why some of us love books that are part of a series.

But, those aren’t the only reasons we have a love of books. After all, don’t true book lovers want to find and enjoy stories that make us think, stories that could change our lives, regardless of where the stories are set or when authors penned them? Don’t we want to have the opportunity to explore complexities of believable characters, the chance to follow dynamic characters through uncommon situations that force the characters to transform, to change.

Never been to historic, faraway places like Paris, France, West Africa, New York City, Scotland or Tokyo, Japan? Pick up an intriguing novel that’s set in these or other cities and regions, places rich with history, tradition and culture, and you could feel as if you have been transported to these locations in a matter of minutes.

Clearly, books can have an empowering impact. Those of us who have spent a lifetime loving books know this firsthand. Great books help us deal with challenging situations in our own lives, beginning in our childhoods. . . early. Great literature shows those of us who love books that there is another way life can be, that we really can live rewarding, eventful lives.

Reasons I Love Reading Books

Like you might, I remain grateful to the authors who did what it took to create stories that packed an entertaining wallop, stories that helped change my life. As it is with many people who love books, starting early in this world, I was extremely fortunate, finding books that connected with me deeply, books that both entertained and inspired me. Because of these early stories, I acquired a growing appreciation for reading great books. My passion for reading shortened the time it took me to understand school text, lesson plans and news articles. In a nutshell, it helped to increase my learning, made it easy for me to excel academically, and, years later, professionally.

Over the years, I have loved turning the pages of the hundreds of books I’ve read. I’ve used all sorts of things for bookmarks (i.e. folded sheets of paper, paper clips, post-it notes, actually bookmarks). Curling up in bed with an amazingly good book has long been a wonderful way to drift into sleep for me. After I finish reading books, I add them to my bookcases, making it easy for me to return to the books months or years later, to enjoy reading parts of the stories.

Loving books is easy, especially when we stop and consider how great books open up new worlds, introduce us to amazing possibilities. After all, what other invention, small enough to fit inside a tote bag, can inspire, motivate and entertain us all at the same time? What other invention helps change our lives the way great books do?

Thank you for reading my blog. To learn what happens to Raymond, Brenda and the other characters in Love Pour Over Me, hop over to Amazon.com, B&N.com, Ebookit.com, or any other online or offline bookseller and get your copy of Love Pour Over Me today. And again I say – Thank You! Consider Love.

Loving the Right Man, Loving the Right woman

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By Denise Turney

While listening to Virginia Beach, Virginia’s radio station 95.7 FM as I conduct research for various writing clients, every now and then a commercial will cross the wire. During the commercial, teens speak about undesirable behaviors their boyfriends or girlfriends engage in. Some teens talk about their boyfriends/girlfriends getting jealous simply because they spoke to another person. Other teens, on the commercial, talk about their girlfriends/boyfriends hitting them because they “love them so much”. The driving message of the commercial is that love doesn’t hurt. Love doesn’t harm.

Love Never Fails

Purpose of the commercial is to make parents aware of signs of domestic violence, painful events their growing children might be part of. It’s a message teens and adults may benefit from hearing repeatedly. This may be due, in part, to the fact that a wealth of emotions are typically a part of explosive, violent relationships. These high emotions can be intoxicating, pulling us in, promising positive emotional highs we may never come down from. Hearing love songs may increase our emotional highs, making it hard for us to break away from these unhealthy relationships, cause us to feel as if a love spell has been placed on us. Rocky, dysfunctional relationships might feel good for awhile. However, love doesn’t hurt.

If relationships don’t involve physical violence, they may involve sexual, financial, emotional or psychological violence. This isn’t love. Even if people we’re in relationships with send us poems about love or quotes about love, that doesn’t mean they love us. Love doesn’t hurt.

It’s not love when we search for (actually look for) faults, errors, wrongs or mistakes in others. That’s not love. It’s not love when we broadcast or highlight mistakes others make, as if talking about someone else’s mistakes wipes our mistakes clean. It’s not love when we try to control and/or manipulate others by force, guilt, fear, discomfort (ever perform the silent treatment on someone) or embarrassment.

Love is Patient, Love is Kind

As I Corinthians 13:4-8 says, “4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.”

Contrary to what some who choose to abuse claim, love never failing doesn’t mean that we should stay in abusive relationships. We were created by love. We were created with love. We were created to love. We were created to be loved. As Raymond Clarke learns early in the new book, Love Pour Over Me, we are here to awaken to love. And we have the strength to do that.

Love stands up against the toughest storms. Love conquers all, or perhaps better put, true love remains in its natural state despite all attempts to change it. Even when we think love is gone or buried, it remains. All we have to do is open our eyes and awaken. Sometimes life brings a certain person or specific people, like good friends and a soul mate, into our lives so we can awaken to love. For Raymond, these invitations to accept and receive love come in the form of Brenda (the love of Raymond’s life) and three good-good friends.

Violence, though all around the college students to the point of bloodshed, doesn’t become a part of their relationships. Considering the harrowing and mysterious experiences Raymond has with NFL star, Anthony Thompson, it’s eye raising that the friends never turn on each other. Considering secrets in Raymond’s family’s past, it’s a wonder Brenda continues to love Raymond.

It’s also eye raising that Raymond doesn’t give up on love, his childhood being anything but ordinary. Then, love does not fail. Regardless of twists, turns, challenges and doubts – love simply does not fail. It also never hurts. And when we’re loving the right man or loving the right woman, relationships fill our lives with goodness.

Get your copy of “Love Pour Over Me” Now at –

http://www.ebookit.com/books/0000001582/Love-Pour-Over-Me.html

Sources:

Amazon.com – http://www.amazon.com/Love-Pour-Over-Me-ebook/dp/B007MC0Z2C

Barnes & Noble – http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/love-pour-over-me-denise-turney/1109600654

Treasuring African American Love Novels

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By Denise Turney

Classic African American love novels like The Color Purple by Alice Walker, Beloved by Toni Morrison and Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston celebrate love and romance shared between African American couples, while, at the same time, they probe the intricacies, challenges and triumphs of everyday life. Eras the novels are set in enhance the stories, help to make them all engrossing, intriguing. Because historic events are captured on the books’ pages, the stories are often taught in secondary and postsecondary schools.

After all, a classic African American book is more than entertaining; it’s also educational. For example, stories like Richard Wright’s, Native Son, and Ann Petry’s, The Street,  illustrate the lifestyles, culture, economics, politics and family mores dominating local, regional and national landscapes during the periods the stories are set in.

It may be the rich history these and other classic African American books capture that keeps readers returning to libraries, bookstores and e-book readers to purchase the books generation after generation. Characters like Celie, Nettie, Lutie Johnson and Bigger Thomas are complex. As readers turn the pages of these classic novels, they witness these complex characters transform. Some characters, like Celie, go from feeling insignificant, weak and insecure to learning their worth.

These character transformations inspire readers. Challenging circumstances in classic African American books ring true, are believable. Yet, the circumstances are often so hard that they are painful to revisit. One can only imagine how difficult it may have been for the authors to put the stories on paper, cementing the stories in history. It’s in witnessing the triumphs of the books’ characters that readers are pushed, if you will, into inspiration, deeply encouraged. It’s also why readers feel as if they are getting much more than entertainment each time they pick up and read a great work of art like the volumes of classic African American novels.

Thank you for reading my blog. To learn what happens to Raymond, Brenda and the other characters in Love Pour Over Me, hop over to Amazon.com, B&N.com, Ebookit.com ($3.03 – lowest price I’ve found so far) and get your copy of Love Pour Over Me today. And again I say – Thank You! Consider Love.

Adapting Christian Books to Real Life

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By Denise Turney

Adapting Christian books to real life is becoming increasingly popular. That’s a good thing. People who read Christian fiction books want to believe that the events in the novels could actually happen. Widespread media coverage of traumatic events and trends like hard divorces, child abuse, pastoral indiscretions, poverty and domestic violence have alerted readers of Christian books to more of what goes on in the world.

Empowering Christian Books with Realism

If an author writes a Christian book that depicts characters as flawless, that doesn’t take on any of the above and other challenges inherit in the world, readers are quick to notice. After awhile, readers might start to feel as if they are being cheated. Why? Readers want to easily connect with characters in Christian books; they want to be able to see themselves in scenes depicted throughout the stories. They don’t want to feel as if they are being forced to believe that the world is spotless, that the world has no struggle, disappointments or frustrations.

Another thing readers look for in Christian books is real language, the type of language that people spoke at the time stories are set in. For example, if a story is set in the 1920s, readers appreciate characters using slang and dialect that people actually used in the 1920s. They don’t want to have characters using terms from the 2000s.

To adapt Christian books to real life, inspirational authors could:

  • Develop storylines that mimic real life stories trending in the news
  • Interview area residents, asking them to reveal the top three things they would like to see change in their lives, then adapt their Christian fiction books to those top three things
  • Write Christian books that align with scenes that consistency show up in their dreams
  • Read non-fiction books, picking out the strongest character, research and historic traits in the books
  • Think about their own life experiences, as well as experiences their relatives and friends have had, then have characters in the Christian books they write deal with similar events

Fortunately, it’s possible for authors to pen Christian fiction books without abandoning the moral fiber of their stories. Authors don’t have to line the pages of their books with profanity or explicit sex scenes. That’s not what it takes for a story to feel realistic. It’s also not what readers love. Readers love an entertaining and inspirational Christian book; they also love a book that mirrors their own life, a story that feels real. As authors start writing these types of books, the more they might attract the attention of Christian and non-Christian readers.

Thank you for reading my blog. To learn what happens to Raymond, Brenda and the other characters in Love Pour Over Me, hop over to Amazon.com, B&N.com, Ebookit.com, or any other online or offline bookseller and get your copy of Love Pour Over Me today. And again I say – Thank You! Consider Love.

Disadvantages of Reading Free Books Online

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By Denise Turney

Convenience and environmental conservation are the top two benefits you could receive when you choose electronic books over print books. With the click of a button, you can search through thousands of books, including free books online, while sitting on your sofa, riding the train or relaxing in bed. You can also download and start reading free books in seconds.

Electronic Books vs. Print Books

For many people, these benefits are unbeatable. However, not so fast. Free online books don’t offer all of the same benefits that print books do. Buy a print book or check a print book out from the library, and you could get:

  • Rare and classic books that increase in value over time (not sure that the value of electronic books will go up 10 to 20 years from now)
  • Opportunities to share great stories with friends without your friends having to get an ebook reader
  • Ability to enjoy your favorite stories absent the need to hunt for WiFi
  • No need to recharge or plug in electronics before you start treasuring great novels
  • Chance to gift loved ones with print books that you wrap so you can enjoy watching loved ones open their literary gifts with surprise

Sure. You can save money by downloading free kindle books and other free online books. However, if you surveyed everyone who downloaded free books online, you might be surprised to discover that not all of these people actually reads the dozens of free online books they download. It’s almost as if some people download free online books simply because they don’t want to miss out on a chance to get something without having to pay for it.

Readers Want Quality Books

But, do you really want folders of free books online that you’re never going to read? Where’s the benefit in that? Yet, let’s say you plucked down several bucks for an outstanding print book. Think you’d take the time to read and savor the book? Or do you think you’d rob yourself of the chance to enjoy a rare piece of literary work?

I’m willing to venture that you, like many other people, read to be entertained, educated, inspired or motivated. So, why would you magnetize toward electronic  books simply because they are free? Free doesn’t guarantee greatness. In fact, something tells me if a car dealer was giving away free cars, you might think twice before you test drove one of the cars, because you’d probably think something was wrong with the cars. Otherwise, why would the dealer be giving the cars away for free?

Don’t we pay for what we value? Don’t we make time for what we value? I can’t be the only book lover who looks for books that are written with a tone, voice and style I appreciate, books that are developed with memorable characters I won’t soon forget versus looking for free books online because I want to save a buck.

Oh. The joys of reading great books, rare books you don’t come across every day. Make those books available in print, and I’m in. . . . Gotta use my makeshift bookmarks. Gotta curl up with a great book, and my bookcases love holding shelves of literary gems. Yes; there are so many advantages to reading compelling books, stories that help change lives for the better.

Thank you for reading my blog. To learn what happens to Raymond, Brenda and the other characters in my new book, Love Pour Over Me, hop over to Amazon.com, B&N.com, Ebookit.com, or any other online or offline bookseller and get your copy of Love Pour Over Me today. And again I say – Thank You! Consider Love.

How to Sell Profitable Ebooks Online

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By Denise Turney

Although writing and publishing ebooks is an achievement that may leave you feeling hopeful and excited, if you plan on selling your ebooks online you’re going to have to learn how to market and promote your titles. To do this you can start taking steps to find and connect with your book’s target audience online, people who enjoy reading the types of fictional or nonfiction books you write. Some authors use the Internet to help sell a million or more copies of their ebooks.

Write Quality Ebook Material

Write a quality e-book. To do this consider working with a professional editor to review and make changes to your book to improve features such as character dialogue, setting, pacing, plot and character development. You can also get your book edited to ensure the grammar and sentence structure is accurate.

The Association of Authors Representatives, Poets and Writers and the Literary Market Place are some resources you can use to find reputable book editors. Do your homework. Ask editors for references of other book authors they’ve worked with. Follow up with these book authors, asking them how satisfied they were with the book editors’ work. Also, ensure that you create an intriguing title and cover image for your ebooks online. If you write your book from a different angle, you can also cause your book to stand out. This is what happened with the classic book, Portia.

Market Ebooks Online Using Social Media

Sign up for social media network accounts and post an image of your e-books on the main pages of your accounts. Provide a brief overview of each of your e-books and a URL where visitors to your social media accounts can purchase your books. Also post items like book reviews, upcoming interviews where you’ll discuss your ebooks online, ebook blog tour dates and press releases about your e-books at your accounts. Major social media networks include Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, StumbleUpon, Digg, Pinterest, Floost and ScoopIt. The more you market, the more book sales you might notice you’re receiving, so get out here!

creating bestselling ebooks

Blog About Your Ebooks Online

Create a blog for your books and for yourself. Include search engine optimization (SEO) keywords in your ebooks blog posts to increase the numbers of visitors you receive at your blog from search engines. On your blog’s main page include items like your books’ covers, links to your ebooks related videos and links to your social media network accounts so visitors to your blog can follow you at other online locations, like your social media networks. Free, easy-to-follow blog platforms include WordPress, Blogger and Posterous.

bestselling ebooks

Media Outlets and Ebooks Online

Write press releases about your ebooks online and distribute them to media outlets like newspapers and magazines. For example, you could write and distribute a press release about an upcoming writer’s conference you are speaking at. When writing press releases mention the title of your ebooks and where readers can purchase or learn more about the books online. You can also schedule online radio interviews with talk show hosts and book blog tour hosts to discuss your e-books.

Ebooks Online Giveaways

Giveaway copies of your ebooks as a part of a contest or quiz. Announce ebook giveaways in press releases and at your social media networks. If you go on a book blog tour you can also giveaway copies of your e-books to readers who participate in your blog tours. To get the word out about your ebooks so you sell more copies, also consider giving away copies of your e-books to online book reviewers and book club presidents.

Build an Ebook Website

Build an ebook website that includes features like your biography, ebook synopsis or overview, book cover, free excerpts from your e-books, book reviews and a book order page. You can also include a photo of yourself and a cover image of each of your e-books at your website. Consider setting up accounts with companies like PayPal or you can direct readers to purchase your books directly from resellers like Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble.com, Google Books and iTunes. Promote your website in search engines and book directories.

Use Video to Promote  Ebooks Online                                                                                                         

Set up an account with online video companies. Upload videos of you reading excerpts from you e-books and/or conducting interviews about your e-books with members of the media. Also consider creating a trailer for your book. If you do not have experience creating book trailers, you can work with marketing companies that develop trailers for authors. To get the word out about your videos, add links from your videos to your social media accounts. In addition ask your family and friends to tell people they know to view your videos. Be sure to include the title of your e-books and the URL where people can purchase your books on each online video.  

Get your copy of “Love Pour Over Me” Now at –

http://www.ebookit.com/books/0000001582/Love-Pour-Over-Me.html

Sources:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ben-arogundade/10-steps-to-ebook-success_b_1571095.html (Huffington Post: 10 Steps to Ebook Success)

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/05/john-locke-donovan-creed-_n_1317237.html (Huffington Post: John Locke, Donovan Creed, Author, on Selling a Million Ebooks)

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2012/jun/06/become-an-ebook-superstar (The Guardian: How to Become an EBook Superstar)

How to Choose the Right Ebook Publishing Company

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By Denise Turney

Technological products like computers, mobile devices and e-book readers make it possible for book buyers to download and start reading novels and nonfiction books with the click of a button. This convenience has seen e-book sales rise by as much as 117 percent for 2011 according to Publisher’s Weekly. It’s a growing market that authors and people with a story to share may want to get into. After all, publishing e-books can allow writers to receive benefits like royalties, media interview requests and fans. However, not all e-book publishing companies offer the same benefits, some e-book publishing companies even charging higher formatting costs than others.

Publishing e-books can turn you into a bestselling author within a matter of months.

Read Reviews

Search for e-book publishing company reviews and ranking reports. While reading reviews and ranking reports consider factors such as how long the company has been in business, the number of books the company publishes each year and the types of files the publisher accepts from authors to convert into e-book format.

Ask Published Authors

Contact authors who have already had digital books published and ask them for e-book publishing company recommendations. For example, you can email authors, tell them that you are considering publishing an e-book and ask them to tell you who they think are the top three e-book publishers to work with. Let authors know if your book has illustrations and/or charts and graphs as some e-book publishers may be more experienced at formatting books with illustrations, charts or graphs than others.

Distribution

Ask the e-book publisher for a list of resellers they distribute books to. Types of resellers include Amazon.com, Google Books, Ingram Books and Barnes & Noble.com. Also find out if e-book publishers have distribution contracts with companies that service libraries as, generally, the more distribution channels a publisher has the more books you may sell. For example, Portia, a classic book about an African American defense attorney dealing with breast cancer, is available to libraries through distributors like Baker & Taylor.

E-Book Readers

Find out the different types of e-book readers the publishing company formats e-books to be read on. Kindle, Nook and Kobo are types of e-book readers. Also check to see if your e-book will be formatted and for sale in portable document format (PDF) format so book buyers who don’t have e-book readers can purchase, download your book to their computer or mobile device and read it off a PDF. Available through Ebookit.com, Love Pour Over Me, can be read in each major electronic format. Keep in mind, that the more formats electronic books are available in, the more book buyers and readers you may gain.

Services Offered

Look for e-book publishers that offer a range of services, including cover design, marketing and copyediting. Although you may not choose to use all of these services as soon as you publish your e-book, you may want to use more of the services after your book has been on the market for a few weeks. In addition, you can save yourself money by finding out how much it cost to format your e-book before you sign a contract with an e-book publishing company. Compare prices and services offered at e-book publishing companies before you sign a publishing contract. Also be prepared to market your own books as an author.

Royalties

Learn the percentage of royalties you will be paid on each book sold. For example, some e-book publishers may only deduct 15 percent off the sale of each book it sells direct to consumers, while other companies may deduct a larger percentage. Also, find out if you can sell your e-books on your own website or blog to increase sales.

Considerations

Traditional print book publishers are starting to publish e-books. You may be able to sign a book deal with an established book publisher and get your book published in print and digital format. Also, remember to market and promote your book after it’s published by taking steps like writing and sending press releases about your e-book, scheduling radio interviews, creating accounts at social media networks and telling your social media account followers about your book and participating in book blog tours.

Get your copy of “Love Pour Over Me” Now at –

http://www.ebookit.com/books/0000001582/Love-Pour-Over-Me.html

Sources:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/30/your-money/the-rise-in-self-publishing-opens-the-door-for-aspiring-writers.html?pagewanted=all (New York Times: Options for Self-Publishing Proliferate, Easing the Bar to Entry)

http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/digital/content-and-e-books/article/50921-baker–taylor-in-deal-with-smashwords.html (Publishers Weekly: Baker & Taylor in Deal with Smashwords)

http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/financial-reporting/article/50805-aap-estimates-e-book-sales-rose-117-in-2011-as-print-fell.html (Publishers Weekly: AAP Estimates, E-Book Sales Rose 117% in 2011 as Print Fell)