Archives for 2015
Look who is cooking with Books
By Barbara Ann Cerda | Contributing Writer Celebrity does not guarantee a bestselling cookbook. The making of cookbooks is expensive. Rich imagery, quality products, professional consultancies and food photographers have large price tags. Hardcover cookbooks – although they experienced a short cycle of slow sales in 2014 is enjoying a renaissance. Amazon’s recent debut of its own […]
Read MoreEPublishing trends for 2016
By Barbara Ann Cerda | Contributing Writer Is EPublishing dying? When I started my investigations on subject matter ideas for this article, my focus went first, to how ePublishing and consumption of eBooks are trending in emerging markets. What I found most enlightening is that the most commonly used device to view and or read digital content […]
Read MoreA Writer’s Mandate to Terror
By Barbara Ann Cerda | Contributing Writer A writer’s promissory note is to desert the superfluous while revealing a truth. It is a mandate born as soon as humanity felt the need to record current events. Chronicling became the Pharaohs’ command as they took their scribes into battle. Boasting of defeat and victories on stone meant to […]
Read MoreAre Writers Born with Muses?
By Barbara Ann Cerda | Contributing Writer During the act of composing, a writer’s brain cells liberate the biochemical substance dopamine, along with other potent mood altering bio-substances. Writers own truly unique mind tools. I will not belabor within this small commentary on the documented neurological data that support why writers have amazing brains. The artists that […]
Read MorePay per Read or Exploitation?
By Barbara Ann Cerda | Contributing Writer Pay per read success comes to the writer who is a compelling storyteller or weaver of cliffhangers. I have received more than a few questions this week about Amazon’s pay per read. Its guidelines detailing what authors are included in the pay per read system are purposefully obtuse. Word about […]
Read MoreThe Indie Author Movement
By Barbara Ann Cerda | Contributing Writer After completing my first book, I held tight to the dogma that a good writer earns his/her bona fetes by way of traditional publishing. Ten years later and a host of publishers who would only accept my work rewritten to mirror their marketing algorithms, I have dispelled that notion. […]
Read MoreDiscover Your True Value as an Author
By Barbara Ann Cerda | Contributing Writer A nexus of cross-purposes is a ghostly presence that haunts all writers. It is their commonality. True and accurate quantification of bookmakers is rare. How do you estimate the real value of an author’s abilities? Nevertheless, creating fiction or nonfiction is a needful requirement in every industry. Gifts of “word-smithing” […]
Read MoreEven if you are on the wrong track…if you stay there long enough, you’ll get run over
By Barbara Ann Cerda | Contributing Writer Or how to make money using my book. Only the gods know how long most authors wait, yearn, and spend marketing dollars to promote their labors of love. Trading your book for a dollar is difficult because Marketing trends change so rapidly. Everyday’s playing fields seem to shift. Most of […]
Read MoreThe Pen is Mightier than the Sword…but….
By Barbara Ann Cerda | Contributing Writer That is a very old adage. Nevertheless, like many sage mutterings that have stood the test…it bespeaks little truth. The spirit that forms the thoughts that is translated to common language is the magic worker. The ghost must speak to a level of understanding that will move the reader or […]
Read MoreLet the Truth Be Known…About Your Work
By Barbara Ann Cerda | Contributing Writer While watching a network interview featuring nascent cult classic author E L James. I was drawn to the simplicity of the author’s responses and tone. Her choice of words mirrored her art. Surprisingly within her body of work the real world of BDSM, that can be raw, frightening and extreme, […]
Read MoreLet Us Talk About Amazon Giveaways for Authors
By Barbara Ann Cerda | Contributing Writer Although bookmakers and their publishers contribute a relatively small portion of Amazon’s almost $75 billion estimated revenue for 2014, the global giant recognizes the importance of its indie bookmaking users. Portions of Amazon’s marketing research dollars have created a nascent promotional gimmick that offers revenue for its burgeoning online bookshelves. […]
Read MoreThe Heaven Opened and the Angels Sang…and Serial Podcast Awakens.
By Barbara Ann Cerda | Contributing Writer Serialized storytelling is not a new concept. Think back on days when radio and movie theaters were the only places where millions acquired their entertainment fix. Motion picture thrill seekers filled dark theaters enthralled by trailers of upcoming features. Family gatherings centered on the radio. Comedic voices produced laughter while […]
Read MorePower Brokers of Media Have Joined Hands
By Barbara Ann Cerda | Contributing Writer In 2014, there was an estimated $5.25 billion in sales for Amazon. That is 7% of Amazon’s total $75 billion in total revenue. Amazon’s growing monopoly on sales of books is the back-story to the tale of the disappearance of small independent distributors. They have shrunk by 50%. Although sales […]
Read MoreWhy ChapterSee?
The pathways to successful bookmaking and its distribution merely begin with the act of publishing. No matter the genre, discovering the marketing channels that best brands your work is a fantastical journey and a new beginning. Global readership sees to your book(s) first on ChapterSee; before Amazon.com and other global super-market makers. Adding value to […]
Read MoreAn Overview of the 2015 Digital Marketing Trends for Authors and Publishers
Book marketing discussions centering on understanding the culture of readers is an old dialogue. Yet it has once again regained its place at the center of the publishing universe. The term brand as publishers is a good example of why today’s content is king. In order to motivate and grow a fan base that ruler […]
Read More