C h a z z W r i t e s . c o m

See all my books at AllThatChazz.com.

08/29/2012 • 5:59 PM 10

Amazon: My last stab

GET BIGGER THAN JESUS, FREE ON AMAZON TODAY, TOMORROW AND FRIDAY

Free promotions sure aren’t what they used to be. Last December, with Amazon’s old algorithm, friends of mine made big money. Success on the free list actually translated to success on the paid list. Then everything changed and many of us have been slow to react, me included. I notice that, among my writer friends, many (most?) are selling their books on KDP Select exclusively, five free days and all, for the first three months and then they aren’t renewing with KDP. They’ll continue to sell on Amazon, but there are plenty of other places to sell besides Amazon. After that first three months of trying to take advantage of the Amazon advantage, they put their work up everywhere else, too. That’s what I’m doing with the foundation book of my crime novel series, Bigger Than Jesus.

BY THE WAY:

Bigger Than Jesus is available for free in ebook form

until Friday, and then that’s it.

As The Hit Man Series continues, I don’t know if I’ll go exclusive at all, even for those first three months. The math just doesn’t seem to add up to a marketing strategy that’s advantageous. In truth, it hasn’t been helpful to many indie authors for some time. I stuck with it because of the timing as my previous books launched. I have three books to release before Christmas and the eggs won’t be going into one basket anymore.

Someone asked me recently, “What’s the latest success strategy for indie authors?” I encountered some resistance when I replied, “There isn’t one.” We’ve had the publicists, advertising, press releases, blogging, podcasting, Twitter (and various derivative Twitter strategies), Facebook, Pinterest (maybe?), the 99 cent strategy, blog tours, free, Goodreads, book bloggers, etc,…. Some combination of these elements may work for someone. Though they’ve all been effective for someone individually in the past, no one strategy seems to deliver a knock-out punch. When I say there isn’t one, I don’t rule out the possibility of their effectiveness in the plural, if you have the time to do all that. (You don’t. Go write instead.)

Which brings up the question: Will Amazon change its algorithm again so it makes sense for us to stay exclusive with KDP Select? Who knows? Amazon’s algorithms and their rationale may be deduced, but are never made explicit. That information is solely on a need-to-know basis. (Apparently, we don’t need to know.)

Amazon is good at what they do — or has been — but it’s unreasonable to expect they’ll be right all the time, even with their vast resources. More to the point, Amazon’s looking out for Amazon, not me. My evidence is they aren’t making the exclusivity clause worth it for a lot of authors (even the true believers who, in the past, made a lot of dough.) I’m losing sales on other devices because I’m not selling enough with KDP. The Amazon sales don’t make up for lost sales elsewhere. Listening to my writer buddies, it’s clear I’m not alone in that assessment.

This is a business decision and has nothing to do with damning Amazon. I’m not one of the haters whining about monopolies and painting Amazon as a bully. The market is a competition and Amazon is on top because they made a lot of great decisions early on. However, I’m not looking for a new mom to take care of me, either. Being indie doesn’t mean supplanting one boss with a new boss just because it’s easy to go on inertia and formatting anew is a pain in the ass. Next month, as soon as my three months are up, Bigger Than Jesus will be available more widely (Hello Kobo, Nook, Sony, your smart phone, your iPhone, your iPad…maybe even your toaster.)

As for book marketing’s next knock out punch? People will tell you they know what the next big thing is. Some will even try to sell you books based on giving away one ultimate secret of indie author success. I think those people are often well-intentioned and they give out a lot of good information. I’ve read a bunch about marketing ebooks lately and, frankly, I’m also skeptical about some of those easy, plug-and-play answers.

Only one strategy I know of seems like anything close to a sure thing and (WARNING!) it’s a slow, steady grind. It’s not a popular idea because it’s not easy and quick.

Write more books.

(Do a great job!)

Put them up.

(Do what promotion you can that doesn’t interfere with your writing schedule.)

Write more books.

(Make sure they are wonderful.)

I aspire to inspire, but as for marketing? Hm. Sorry.

“Write more books” is honestly all I’ve got in stock at the moment.

I’ve said it before and it’s still all I have to say on that subject.

Bigger Than Jesus: RUN! (allthatchazz.com)
Is Bigger Than Jesus sacrilegious? (allthatchazz.com)
The Punishment (allthatchazz.com)
Russell Blake on the diminishing returns of FREE on KDP select (ebookuploader.com)
Pros and Cons of the KDP Select Program (steveatwood.wordpress.com)
Ultimate Blog Challenge: I am an artist, not a beggar (chazzwrites.com)
AllThatChazz welcomes book lovers and podcast listeners (allthatchazz.com)
The Challenge with Free: KDP Select and Selling Books (aknifeandaquill.wordpress.com)
Podcast: Bigger Than Jesus, Chapter 2 (allthatchazz.com)
Ultimate Blog Challenge: Top 10 Things I know I don’t know (yet) (chazzwrites.com)

Filed under: publishing, action, Advice, Amazon, Amazon ranking, Amazon.com, Bigger than Jesus, blogging, book, book marketing, book promotion, free, free days, free promotions, gaining readers, giveaway, Goodreads, Hit Man Series, KDP Select, Kindle, Kobo, mystery, Nook, reviewers, Robert Chazz Chute, suspense, Twitter, writer, writer friends

08/27/2012 • 10:46 PM 5

Writers: Who do you want to be?

Ever been to a writer’s conference or a Comi-Con? Both kinds of conventions have something in common: Lots of people who wish they were someone else. The exhibitionist dresses as Poison Ivy (and has very close friends willing to paint her ass green.) The twenty-something is dressed up as a sad Autobot made of cardboard. The writer wants to be an author. Of these three examples, it’s the writer who can do something more concrete and lasting about his or her ambition.

I feel self-conscious, uncomfortable and sometimes a little claustrophobic at these events. Mainly, I’m acutely aware of the Us and Them aspect of the relationship. The “celebrities” are over there, with security, publicists, handlers and an aura of wary separation. We “wannabes” and fans are in the pit, reaching up, grasping at the edges of dark holes, daring to touch the light in search of heat.

**We yearn. We have not attained.**

As writers, we want recognition of our work. We want privileges and respect, too. That power is illusory, sure. Knowing intellectually how fleeting and useless it is doesn’t make that goal any less tantalizing. As powerless as writers are in so many ways, the indie author feels his or her potential most. That’s the power of seething delusion transmuted into hope by our next great idea for a book. Art seduces its creator first. Indie authors have few barriers to publication and little time to wait. All that kinetic potential can make you high. Unrealized potential can make you angry.

It’s not jealousy that gives me this grim face. My annoyance is at myself. I’m bothered that I didn’t plan out my life in such a way that I am who and where I want to be. I’m not a “wannabe.” I’m a “shouldabeenbynow”. I want to be comfortable being me. I don’t want to stand on the outside of that metaphorical velvet rope, wishing I were someone suffering the problems that success brings. I want it all and, as Queen sang, I want it now.

Someone will tell me I should be happy with who I am. Bullshit. From where, then, would my ambition come? Needing to escape makes me try. I yearn for that addictive, dopamine-fueled floating sensation that comes with the composition of new life. I long for happy readers extolling me for aping God. Sharing entertaining stories with huge numbers of readers gives me stamina for the late night attack on that difficult, late middle in my manuscript. Greed and ego give me patience for solving seemingly endless formatting problems.

**Let’s be clear: Wanting things is not the path to enlightenment. That’s okay. I’m not on the path to enlightenment. I’m on the path to publication.**

Some people say greed and ego and recognition are unworthy stimulants to propel you on your course. I say, take your motivation where you find it and go forward, self-aware and honest. Clearly, I’m not in the spirit of these events. I’ll go to these things again when the organizers ask me to sit on a panel. I’ll enjoy it much more when there’s someone excited to speak with me, not the other way around.

Meanwhile, my place is at the keyboard

dreaming up the lies

that make me who I am supposed to be.

Filed under: publishing, Art, Arts, aspiration, Author, Bigger than Jesus, ComiCon, conventions, E-book, inspiration, Robert Chazz Chute, wannabe, writer, Writer Resources, writing, writing advice

08/26/2012 • 6:57 PM 2

Eight Facts About Writing That Surprise Prospective Novelists

See on Scoop.it – Writing and reading fiction

Novel publishers reject over 99% of unsolicited submissions and pay roughly $5000 for 1-2 years of work. More depressing publishing industry facts inside!

Note that the site at the link does warn you this information is depressing. Then push forward and write anyway. For your consideration. ~ Chazz

See on www.superheronation.com

Filed under: publishing

08/22/2012 • 9:56 PM 0

The one critic who made me weep

We often don’t think deeply about the good that criticism can do. The kids are watching the charming movie, Ratatouille, over and over. For reasons of my change in occupation in the last year (i.e. writing full-time) I paid more attention to the review within the movie, a voice over by the character of the demanding critic, Anton Ego. It’s a fun movie, but this one bit about criticism? Hearing it afresh in new circumstances and caught by surprise, the speech moved me to tears. Not a lot of tears, but definitely misty.

“The new needs friends.” Oh, my, yes.

Here is Anton Ego on the good critics can do:

In many ways, the work of a critic is easy. We risk very little, yet enjoy a position over those who offer up their work and their selves to our judgment. We thrive on negative criticism, which is fun to write and to read. But the bitter truth we critics must face, is that in the grand scheme of things, the average piece of junk is probably more meaningful than our criticism designating it so. But there are times when a critic truly risks something, and that is in the discovery and defense of the *new*. The world is often unkind to new talent, new creations. The new needs friends. Last night, I experienced something new: an extraordinary meal from a singularly unexpected source. To say that both the meal and its maker have challenged my preconceptions about fine cooking is a gross understatement. They have rocked me to my core. In the past, I have made no secret of my disdain for Chef Gusteau’s famous motto, “Anyone can cook.” But I realize, only now do I truly understand what he meant. Not everyone can become a great artist; but a great artist *can* come from *anywhere*. It is difficult to imagine more humble origins than those of the genius now cooking at Gusteau’s, who is, in this critic’s opinion, nothing less than the finest chef in France. I will be returning to Gusteau’s soon, hungry for more.

See the movie again. It might get to you, too.

Filed under: publishing, Anton Ego, Anton ego's speech, Art, art criticism, artists, Critic, Criticism, Film, Movie, movie quote, Ratatouille, reviews, the critic's speech, what good can criticism do?

08/22/2012 • 6:29 AM 0

The New World of Publishing: The Myths Are Still Strong |

See on Scoop.it – Writing and reading fiction

Dean Wesley Smith – The writing of Dean Wesley Smith…

Dour views of agents at conferences; proactive thoughts about hiring agents as employees; shrewd idea about using lawyers rather than agents; committing to the fun of writing. Learn at the link. ~ Chazz

See on www.deanwesleysmith.com

Filed under: publishing

08/21/2012 • 11:58 AM 2

A Follow Up to the “F is for F— You” Post re: #BuyIndie

See on Scoop.it – Writing and reading fiction

Musings from a Reader, Writer and Therapy Candidate…

Sue Grafton talked outside her experience and her bubble. She didn’t get how indie is the opposite of lazy. She either gets it now or at least has apologized profusely and will forgo insulting hard working authors in the future. Before Sue Grafton stepped in the indie author sauce, it was Jodi Picoult. I hope traditionally published authors will now be up to speed on the contemporary realities of non-traditional publishing and the terrible wrath of which social media is capable.

When you tweet about indie books, consider the #BuyIndie hashtag explained here. Learn from the entertaining musings at the link. (Then forgive Grafton.) ~ Chazz

See on bxwretlind.com

Filed under: publishing

08/20/2012 • 10:47 AM 0

Plan a Book Launch Party for an Ebook – The Savvy Book Marketer

See on Scoop.it – Writing and reading fiction

Recently an author asked me “How do you stage an in-person book launch with a novel that’s published as an ebook? How do you autograph a computer screen?” Here are some suggestions for doing a live book launch event for…

Ah. The KindleGraph for the autograph. Brilliant. Learn at the link. ~ Chazz

See on bookmarketingmaven.typepad.com

Filed under: publishing

08/18/2012 • 11:29 PM 5

Book cover troubles and solutions

Too many books won’t be read, and not because they aren’t great. They don’t look good enough for a second glance. There are graphic design solutions. I just fired off an email to my solution, author and cover designer Kit Foster of KitFosterDesign.com. He sent me some samples of ideas for the cover of my upcoming plague thriller. One image was particularly strong and we’ll definitely go with some variation of that draft. You want great, not just good. Book covers are not easy. Unless you’re a graphic designer, get professional help with your cover. Maybe even then, you should outsource. Most authors who edit still need editors, so why don’t cover designers need another set of eyes on their book project?

Book art is hard to get right. With his first inkling about my book, Kit has already balanced out two opposing demands: We want readers to be struck by the uniqueness of the image on the one hand (and compelled by graphic design magic to buy, of course). However, the tone of the cover must also be so familiar that the reader will know intuitively and instantly to what genre the book belongs. Unique, yet familiar. Quite a feat, really, isn’t it? I’ve seen some indie authors insist they can do a DIY cover with PowerPoint. Looking at their cover art, I’m sorry, but I can’t agree. I want a cover that’s a delicious chocolate croissant, not a lentil and sewage burrito. I’m glad those writers can succeed despite their covers, but I’m sure they’d sell even more without the self-inflicted handicap of DIY delusion.

My discussion with Kit got me thinking again about what makes a great book cover. A solid title that grabs the

Click to get Bigger Than Jesus here

reader can make a difference. A recognizable name is bigger factor. If you have a bland, soundalike title (change it!) or haven’t broken through (yet), your best hope is a great cover image and hiring a graphic designer create it. As I’ve already confessed in this space, I experimented with DIY and I hurt myself. I’ve sold enough books in trad publishing that I know a good cover when I see one, but actually creating a decent book cover? Ha! No. I’m not the graphic designer. All hail Kit. He’s a book cover solution.

The problem I see with some book covers is they try to do too much at once. Covers are crammed, as if the author hopes the image will tell the whole story instead of giving the reader an intriguing taste and tease. It’s tempting to try that. I’ve almost succumbed myself, which is another reason to have a helmsman with a steady hand on the wheel to keep you from crashing into all those pretty icebergs. It’s tempting because, admit it, we still think we should pull in anybody and everybody who can read. In my opinion, that’s a mistake. I want readers who really love mystery and suspense mixed with witty repartee. All others need not apply because “all others” probably won’t like my books. That’s okay. You don’t like “music”. Our tastes are much more specific than that. You like neo-thrash synth-metal, industrial-Asian jazz fusion and Tom Jones singing It’s Not Unusual in a duet with the ghost of Tupac. Go after whatever your niche is. Instead of taking little bits from all over your plot and compressing them into a graphical soup, more specific, evocative and emotional images make compelling book cover art.

Please avoid a cover that only makes sense after you’ve read the entire book. The purpose of the cover is to seduce innocent virgins. Don’t require Holmesian cryptographic skills from people who aren’t even your readers yet. Before they are your readers, they are disinterested browsers. Convert them to actual readership with book covers that promise a secret revealed, invite them on a journey and make them hope for a braingasm. (Then deliver it when they actually buy it and read it.)

I see a lot of books where the author’s name is too small. That’s not an ego problem. That’s a branding problem. I understand how that happens. Readability is sacrificed so more elements can be crammed on the cover. It’s the Throw Everything at the Wall and Hope Something Sticks Approach. Take that cover down to thumbnail size and it’s not just readability that’s sacrificed, but legibility and sales. Kit goes with powerful, evocative images so we move toward covers that show and sell. I’m proud to be indie, but I want author name recognition in the long term. To do that, the cover has to look like a traditionally published cover. What’s common among trad published covers? Bigger author name tags.

For more on what makes a great cover, check out e-book cover design awards for insightful commentary that helps make better book covers and sells more books. Or just head over to Kit’s website and get going on your new book cover (or revamp an old one that isn’t selling. I did that with my DIY cover.) Kit Foster is a very helpful guy who does so much for authors at very reasonable rates. You’ve put so much work into your book. Give it a fighting chance to be read. Give your book, and all those virgins, a striking cover.

Author Blog Challenge 17: How to talk with your graphic designer about your book cover (chazzwrites.com)
From pixels to paper: Bigger Than Jesus is finally in paperback! (allthatchazz.com)
e-Book Cover Design Awards, June 2012 – The Book Designer (chazzwrites.com)
Three Cover Design Secrets for Drawing in Readers (steveatwood.wordpress.com)
Why Hire A Professional To Design Your Book Cover? (stevenramirez.com)
Talking Covers: A look inside the minds of book cover designers and authors (thenextweb.com)
Book Cover Design (patti-isaacs.com)
Book covers (suebe.wordpress.com)
May e-Book Cover Design Awards (whenbookcoversgobad.wordpress.com)
“Gold” Rejected Covers (whenbookcoversgobad.wordpress.com)

The paperback has arrived. For $9.99. Did you hear that? Distant thunder of the Book Gods mumbling to each other. Oooh, shivers!

Filed under: publishing, Author, Bigger than Jesus, book, book art, Book cover, books, Cover art, Do it yourself, Graphic design, graphic designer, illustration, Kit Foster, kitfosterdesign.com, Literature, Robert Chazz Chute, what makes a good book cover

08/17/2012 • 10:22 AM 0

Bookfessions

See on Scoop.it – Writing and reading fiction

These are confessions and/or thoughts of a book lover, bibliophile, book addict, reader, lover of…

People who read this blog love to read books and love to write them and we are unwavering in the pursuit of our art. For true lovers of books, you’ll love Bookfessions, too. I definitely felt the resonance. ~ Chazz

See on bookfessions.tumblr.com

Filed under: publishing

08/17/2012 • 8:47 AM 0

War Stories from an Old Whore:Why I Went Indie

See on Scoop.it – Writing and reading fiction

Between 1985 and 2008, I published eight books of nonfiction with major publishers. Having fought in the publishing trenches for two decades plus, I have, not surprisingly, war stories to tell.

Author Paul Alexander shares some stories from his experience working within trad publishing. He makes his pain entertaining at the link. Enjoy. ~ Chazz

See on indiereader.com