Just writing a book is sooo last century…

Two big changes in publishing over the first few years of our Glorious Future:

1 – the book is just another format.

2 – we are all marketers now.

Beyond big, vague truths like the pair above, no one really knows what to do next – but there are a lot of opinions, and most of those opinions find their way to the internet.

Here, then, are some relevant links:

Author and futurist Brenda Cooper wonders if e-books are forcing better book design.

Spiegel Online reports about an app to make reading e-books more social. (I thought the point of reading was so I wouldn’t have to talk to you people…)

Writer’s Digest lists 50 Simple Ways to build a Platform in 5 minutes a day. (You can’t do all 50 in five minutes – but they’re all theoretically 5 minute things.)

Mashable presents a big infographic on inbound vs outbound marketing

Finally Breadpig brings us ful circle with 3 Startup Lessons from XKCD and Sunday Morning Breakfast Cereal.

On the subject of webcomics, I’ve started one: sillypenguin.com

 

Self Marketing Links and Notes

The single greatest factor cited by people who buy books is recommendations from a friend (most common) or a reviewer.

You can give out copies of your books to friends on condition that they review it (good or bad) on Amazon. Outside of that, your only possible way to influence friendly recommendations is to write the best book you can.

Getting people (with platforms) to review your book isn’t much easier, especially if you are self-published. Here’s a few sites that might help:

Net Galley: [http://www.netgalley.com/]

“NetGalley delivers secure, digital galleys to professional readers. If you are a reviewer, blogger, journalist, librarian, bookseller, educator, or in the media, you can use NetGalley for FREE to read and request titles before they are published.”

Bill and Steve Harrison’s Reporter Connection

[http://www.reporterconnection.com/join/?11526]

A database of reporters looking for stories and publicists (that’s you – now) looking for reporters.

Maestro Market [https://www.maestromarket.com/]

“Maestro Market is a new way for people to engage with talent and for talent to offer themselves in ways that feel right and are interesting.”

In practice, it works a lot like LinkedIn.