This Week in the Blogs, May 27 – June 2, 2012

Sarah Mayberry (@MayberrySarah) on Dear Author
My Self Publishing Journey
“The ability for writers to self-publish their works and gain widespread distribution without going through a publisher has opened up a world of possibilities. As a writer, it’s an exciting time. It’s also a bit scary.”

Michael Hyatt (@MichaelHyatt)on Jane Friedman
Top 10 Blog Traffic Killers
“After writing more than 1,200 posts and receiving almost 100,000 comments, I have made most of the mistakes you can make—numerous times. As a result, certain patterns emerged.”

Sue Collier (@SueCollier) on Self-Publishing Resources
How front and back matter can stimulate book sales
“Most people wouldn’t think the front and back matter—those things that come before and after the main text in a book—would have much bearing on how it sells. Not so. This material can have a dramatic impact on your book’s success!”

Alison Wells (@AlisonWells) on Catherine, Caffeinated
Selling Your Self-Published Books: The First Steps
“Perhaps there’s a level of naivety or blind optimism about the self-publisher starting out. As writers we’re all about the writing, how to get words on page, finish the thing.”

Liz Castro (@LizCastro) on Pigs, Gourds & Wikis
Print on Demand, Indie Publishing, and Europe
“I have followed the Plan B system with my own books with success, but was still frustrated at the inavailability of Lightning Source books on Amazon outside the US. I sell a full 50% of my electronic versions of my books outside the US and I’m sure that print books would also sell abroad if I could only get them there.”

And In Other News. . .

The Self-Publishing Roadmap presents a series of free training videos, beginning with:
8 Keys to Self-Publishing Success today
“If you’re thinking about getting into self-publishing, have a look at these videos. In the first, you learn about the 8 Keys to Self-Publishing Success, and why it’s such an incredible time to be an author. This is meaty stuff, and it really gets me excited to think about all the possibilities open to writers these days.”

Photo by fatguyinalittlecoat