By Shelley Sturgeon
Lots for you to read in this week’s roundup of articles. And, don’t forget that today is the last day for submissions to our October blog carnival post which runs on the last Sunday of the month. For more information about how you can participate in Self-Publishing: Carnival of the Indies, and to access links to our past posts, click here.
Jay Artale and Carla King on Self-Publishing Advice Center
Fringe Highlight Podcast: Author Tools to Reach Readers
“This Fringe Highlight is presented by Carla King, the author of the Self-Publishing Boot Camp Guide for Authors. She has collated the best tools you can use to reach more readers and build your fan base, whatever your genre. These tools are easily integrated into your website and let you listen and respond to readers, attract and reward fans, and sell direct.”
Frances Caballo on Social Media Just For Writers
How to Crush It on Social Media as an Introvert
“Using social media for book marketing can be an intimidating prospect for any author, but especially a self-published introvert. Fortunately, you can learn how to make it work for you.”
Sabrina Ricci on Digital Pubbing
18 Sites Where You Can Find Photos (And Use Them For Your Work!)
“As a writer, and especially as a blogger, it’s helpful to have access to images you can use. With that in mind, here is a list of sites where you can find photos for commercial use (in no particular order)”
Patricia Moosbrugger on Bookbaby Blog
How to Make the Most of a Professional Book Review
“Professional reviews from trusted sources command credibility from the outset and can be used in ways consumer reviews cannot. Here are eight ways to make the most of a professional book review.”
Dan Blank on WeGrowMedia
The two things I advise for any book launch
“So many writers and artists I speak to are crushed by the weight of all the things they are told they ‘must do’ in order to succeed. They are drowning in information. There is a constant barrage of webinars, courses, Facebook ads, and free downloads that become a source of feeling inadequate and overwhelmed.”
Too Good To Miss
Dean Wesley Smith on The Writings and Opinions of Dean Wesley Smith
Pricing Silliness and a Learning Lesson
“Well, I spent the last two nights going back and trying to update and then even fisk my own post from five years ago about pricing. What a fool’s errand. … The post was so out of date, I just kept shaking my head in amazement and wondering who wrote it. … I was looking at it through 2017 glasses and a ton of new knowledge. Stunning, just stunning how many changes in this business have happened.”
Self-Publishing News You Can Use
By Amy Collins
Bookstore sales drop significantly due to Soft College/University text book sales and Harry Potter
Bookstore sales are down 10.9% this August compared to August 2016, according to preliminary figures released by the U.S. Census Bureau on Friday. Sales in August 2017 were $1.39 billion, down from $1.56 billion a year ago.
The decline is due in part to strong sales last summer of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. August also includes sales from college stores as students start the fall semester and the decline likely reflects lower sales in those outlets. (August is typically the first or second biggest month for bookstore sales).
Reports coming in show that more students are turning to digital and lower cost alternatives. Digital, open-access and low-cost content—is starting to disrupt the industry.
At least two of the main players are suffering. The Financial Times reports that Pearson is dealing with a “long-term structural decline” due to a softening market, sinking college registration, and the rise of digital. Pearson’s latest revenue forecast is down by 7 percent.
Meanwhile, Wiley’s print textbook sales are down by 31 percent compared with last year and their higher education revenue shrank 14 percent last quarter to $73.8 million.
Links of Interest
Bookstore Sales Dropped 10.9% in August
Sales of Print Books Tumble at Wiley
Photo: BigStockPhoto
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