Film Review

Ernie asked:


You can’t see the black film until you wipe it with a paper towel, and when the film gets on something like a spatula it stays on there. I also believe this black film is on areas of our sink. What is this film and how do you get rid of it? We use a regular electric oven. Thanks.

Javier

Stacy-Deanne asked:


Book signings seem to be obsolete these days. The good thing about this is an author shouldn’t really care. While book signings are slipping from existence, there are more creative options coming out for authors to promote each year. Many of them have brought in more books sales than a signing ever will for today’s author. Whether you decide to embark on a book tour or have a signing, is your decision. I would like to point out, however why you shouldn’t be disappointed if book signings do not bring you the success you seek. They usually don’t and this is normal. Book signings can be very disappointing. I’ve outlined reasons why you shouldn’t do book signings, instead of reasons why you should. I will also mention options afterwards that are not only better sales-wise but a lot more fun.



Book Signings Are Short-lived Sales

Book signings take a lot of effort to set up. Even if you do sell at a signing, which is highly unlikely these days, these sales are short-lived and most times forgotten. The most an author sells at a bookstore book signing is less than ten books. Some sell less than five. They say it’s important for an author to build a relationship with the people in the stores. Why? Not only do the workers care less about an author these days, unless you made a big impact, they won’t remember you from another author who signed at the store. If you do make an impact you’ll be invited back. I’ve been invited back to stores many of times. But the myth that authors build relationships with the stores by doing signings is completely false. There is such a turn over with staff at bookstores that building a relationship is not even possible. Either way you’re not there to make friends. You’re there to sell books and often this does not happen.

No Guarantee That Your Book Will Stay in That Location

Some authors think that just because they do a signing that it means that specific store’s location will keep their books on hand. This is not true. There have been many instances where an author had a successful signing, even signed out only to have that store not to order more copies of their books. Do not believe that your book will stay in a location just because you did a signing. This is not a guarantee.

Big Book Stores Do Absolutely Nothing To Market A Signing

So you’re all excited about your signing huh? You’ve made all the arrangements and your publisher has set it up for you. You’re expecting a huge turnout. You’ve promoted through your local radio station or newspaper. You even had a big contest on your web site, showcasing the event. You get to the store Saturday at 2pm to find that no one is there. Well, except the workers. What’s going on? You wonder. This is the big let down. Bookstores do not promote signings anymore. They put your signing in one dinky store newsletter, make one little sorry sign that you could have done yourself and that’s it. You find once again that you’ve done all the legwork only to be disappointed.

The truth is that a signing takes the participation of a bookstore to promote it. If they don’t it not only shows their lack of appreciation for you as an author, but also it shows they simply do not care. The truth is that big chains have grown rather cold-hearted in terms of welcoming an author for a signing. Some locations help the author more than others but as a hold, big bookstores no longer go to the trouble of making authors feel welcome like the old days. The alternative option is signing at independent bookstores. Independent bookstores usually throw out the red carpet when an author’s doing a signing. They appreciate you bringing readers to the store and in return you appreciate them for allowing you to sign. If you intend on doing book signings at stores you should focus on the smaller stores that at least show you they appreciate your presence.

Most Times Not Worth The Time And Effort



Due to the lack of participation with the stores or lack of publicity of your publisher, you’ll often be disappointed with a bookstore signing. An author can only do so much. You cannot force people to show up and buy your books no matter what you do. It’s nothing more humiliating than being at a signing only to have people pass you up and treat you as if your book is less important than the ones on the shelves. Yet, it happens. Authors do not have to put up with this treatment simply to sell books. Those days are over.

A new day has come and now, authors hold all the cards. We have control of how we want to promote our books and where we want to sell them. Now that I’ve outlined why bookstore signings may not be worth it, below I’ve suggested some options and alternatives you may want to consider.

Festivals:

If you insist on doing book signings, skip stores altogether. If you want to sell books and have fun, try festivals. There are tons of festivals in almost every big city geared towards authors meeting the public and selling books. Festivals are so much more rewarding that even if you only sell a few books, you won’t care because you’ll walk away with so much more. You’ll get a chance to meet readers, other authors, other literary professionals, and media that attends bringing you publicity. This adds to more exposure.

Group Signings:

You can both get with some author pals and host your own group signings or participate in group signings at your local bookstore. Many stores hold group signings once a month and local authors are encouraged to participate. Group signings bring more readers to the event as well as give you the chance to meet other authors. Bookstores promote group signings more effectively than an individual author’s event. You also won’t walk away in shame if you don’t sell books. You may not sell at group signings but you’ll end up with more exposure and friends in the industry.

Book Club Signings:

Contact a local book club and see if they are interested in letting you do a signing at one of their upcoming meetings. Make your book attractive for them to pick as a featured book then let them know that you’d be more than willing to do a signing at their meeting. Book Club signings can be very fun because they also turn into discussions and this ends up being a learning experience for the author as well as the club.

Sign At Places of Your Choice:

You can also pick a fun place of your choice to hold a signing. This could be in the park, at a club, festival or in an arena where some big event is being held. This will attract people to you as they attend the other event. The difference between this and a book signing is that you order your books from your publisher then you sell them at the event and keep the profits. Be creative. You can even hold a signing at a baby shower, birthday party or family gathering. You’re sure to sell tons of books. Not only are you completely in control but you’ll feel more comfortable signing in a place of your choice. These are also the most fun. Remember to advertise your event. Put an ad in your local paper and promote online to people in your area. The possibilities are endless.

Last but not least, the biggest option would be:

Virtual Book Tours

It’s been speculated that VBTs sell more books than a regular book tour ever could. You reach more of an audience because you’re doing everything online. Some authors set up their own VBTs but if you’re not familiar with the concept and want to skip the hard work, then hire a company to work with you. They’ll do all the legwork and all you have to do is show up on blogs and sites. You’ll do interviews, pod casts, guest blogs and more. It’s all up to you. VBTs allow authors to promote from the comfort of their own home and at their most convenient time. Think of having a book tour in your robe and slippers. Sounds good to me. Also, you’ll gain more traffic to your web site, sell more books and meet more fans during a VBT than you ever could offline. The best thing is that your tour remains visible forever. Your appearance stays on the sites as long as they stay online so your tour is archived and will be visited by web site’s visitors time and time again. This of course means long-term exposure and sales.

We’ve all had bad experiences with book signings. If you’re like me then you’re completely turned off by them. I don’t plan on doing anymore in-store signings but luckily there are so many options available. Book promotion is easier these days than ever. Authors should take full advantage and only then will they receive the ample rewards that come along with that.

Remember to think out of the box. It takes creativity to promote effectively and to enjoy it.

 

 

 

 

 

 



Marco

Lady asked:


I am in the process of writing a book. When i am finished, how exactly do i get it published? I would really like for it to get publsihed because i think my book will be a good one (it’s a documentary book)/

How much does it cost to publish a book, etc?

Michael

Ravenman asked:


Looking for a book that talks about life, career, future, and goals? Or a book about starting your own construction/contractor business? I have read Jim Collins book Good to Great and loved it. Any suggestions for a good read?

Pablo

featherflower19 asked:


Years and years back, I read a book where a little boy runs away from his family and lives with animals in an underground burrow. I can’t remember if it was raccoons or groundhogs or what, but it was about him learning to live with them and avoiding being found by humans because he doesn’t want to go back home.
Any ideas on the book title would be greatly appreciated. I really want to find this book again!

Joyce

snowpealeaf asked:


If I were to write a book, what should I do to get it published? As a writer, do you have control of what the design of the book will be? What if it were a coffee table book where design is integral to the book, do you retain more control then?

Debby

Earma Brown asked:


Have you joined the ranks of aspiring authors ready to take the next step to self publishing in the digital age of publishing? If so, congratulations! But wait, before you rush off to press, there are some things you should do to prepare your book for successful self-publishing. The preparation step of the self-publishing process includes everything you need to do to your book manuscript before you deliver it to the book printer. This includes deciding your publishing goals.

For example, is your book a personal family history book that you plan to sell to a few friends and family? Or do you plan to mass-market your book to the world? After deciding your market then you should avoid the following common mistakes:

1. Failure to write a Business Plan

This is where your book publishing journey should begin. You don’t have to start with a 15-page document. But do create an outline of all the costs that you will encounter in the self-publishing process.

Outline your costs before publication, after publication and everything from the beginning costs to the shipping price of mailing a book. This is the time you decide whether you should print a small amount of books for family or set up a small publishing company by buying a block of ISBNs.

2. Failure to get ISBN Numbers.

An ISBN number is what identifies you as a book publisher. Currently, it is the only way you can be considered a self-publisher in the publishing industry. At the time of this writing, no one can give, assign or sell you ISBNs except RR Bowker, the U.S. ISBN agency.

3. Failure to invest in Book Editing.

Don’t cut corners here. Invest in your book; get it professionally edited. Copy or line editing will bring your manuscript up to professional standard. Don’t settle for just having your family member take a look at your manuscript.

4. Failure to hire a book designer for book layout.

The book layout is what structures the content of your book and makes it look like a book. Again invest in your book project; this is not the time to settle for anything less than a professional look. If your book looks sloppy, it will limit its success in the market.

5. Failure to create bound galleys for reviews.

Bound galleys, limited run book proofs, are often unedited and used to get book reviews before the publication date of your book. Also, bound galleys do not have a laminated full color cover.

6. Failure to get your book proofread.

Beginner publishers skip this step in preparing their book for publication. Professional publishers know not to skip this step. A book full of errors can cost you in sales later on–including loss of respect for your important message.

Proofreading is not the same as editing; only done after the book designer formats or lays out your book into pages. The proofreader looks at word breaks and sentence layout. Some minor corrections missed in the first line edit may also be made.

7. Failure to invest in cover design.

75% of 300 booksellers reviewed (half from independent bookstores and half from chains) recognized the look and design of the book cover as the most important part. They agreed the jacket is prime real estate for promoting a book. On that note, your book cover design has great importance. It can cause your book marketing campaign to fail or succeed. So, I encourage you to get your book cover professionally designed.

Are you ready to publish your book successfully? Did you consider all your options including a business plan and book cover design? Great! Now that you know how to set up your book for full speed ahead self-publishing, go ahead take the plunge. Don’t wait any longer. Start today. Your audience is waiting for YOUR unique message and viewpoint. Make it different. Make it count. Make it yours.



Olga

kiddoc77351 asked:


I want to start a small book business that will cater to inmates. I am interested in any thoughts on buying books wholesale or taking them on consignment.

Rebekah

Victor Epand asked:


An author signs a copy of his book as a part of the book promotion termed as ‘book signing’. Book signing has become a major event as it gives the buyer an opportunity to meet the author. All the best selling authors understand the importance of this event and make the best of book signing.

If the book signing is such an important event in book promotion, it definitely pays to attach more creativity, thought and planning to make it a more impressive, innovative, and effective presentation. Let us see how this can be achieved.

The Perfect Setting

Typically, book signing sessions are held at bookstores. However, think about the venue that will be most suitable for the subject of the book. The very atmosphere and venue could make the audience more appreciative, and receptive to the book, making them more inclined to buy the book. The book signing of a book on nature, or gardening, if organized in an open air garden setting, is likely to receive a more fruitful response than in a formal hall or store setting.

Think about a book that is an autobiography or biography of an author or poet. How about planning the book signing session in a bookstore itself, with posters and banners of the book displayed in an attractive manner? It will definitely create more interest in the illustration of the subject itself, thus resulting in a great response in the form of more copies sold at book signing. You can think of such innovative ideas to plan the book signing session in a more appropriate setting.

The right focus

Remember, the author is the star of a book signing session. It will be the author, who will be in the public eye, who will persuade them into buying the book. Make the right impression; engage the audience in the theme with interaction and exchanges on the subject of the book, convincing them to buy a copy of the book. The author’s performance should be effective enough to generate an interest, prompting the customer to buy a copy of the book immediately, to grab the opportunity of the brief encounter with the author that a book signing event provides.

Remember, it is a part of the book promotion process

Book signing is a part of the long process of book promotion. It provides the author an opportunity to interact with potential buyers. An author must realize the importance of promoting the services of a bookstore, in order to create an affinity between the buyers and the bookstore. Like the book, if the bookstore is highlighted, more people will visit it and the bookstore staff will ensure the best service to sell the book.

The bookstore sales people interact with the customer on a daily basis, thus creating a kind of bond, and acting as a guide while selecting a book. Therefore, using a book signing session to make a bond with the bookstore people helps ensure still greater residual sales over a period of time. All these things need to be considered while participating in a book signing session.

Book signing is an event that brings together the author and the book loving and buying public. It is important, therefore, to make the most of it by taking care of all the different factors involved for the effective marketing of the book.



Rina