Publication - Other Places

3 December 2011, Publication - Other Places

Introduction: I realized that I need to introduce this blog a little. I wrote the novel Aksinya: Enchantment and the Daemon. The working title was Daemon, and this was my 21st novel. Over the last year, I gave you the entire novel in installments that included commentary on the writing. In the commentary, in addition to other general information on writing, I explained, how the novel was constructed, the metaphors and symbols in it, the writing techniques and tricks I used, and the way I built the scenes. You can look back through this blog and read the entire novel.

I'm using this novel as an example of how I produce, market, and eventually (we hope) get a novel published. I'll keep you informed along the way. At this moment, I'm showing you the marketing material I put together for a novel.

Today's Blog: To see the steps in the publication process, go to my writing website http://www.ldalford.com/ and select "production schedule," you will be sent to http://www.sisteroflight.com/.

As far as I can tell, Barnes & Noble doesn't have anything quite like Author Central.  There are means of changing and improving your book information, but much of that is controlled through your publisher.  Whatever you can improve and update, you need to improve and update.  If that requires an email or a phone call to the bookseller, it's worth it.

Now, this is mostly for indies.  If you don't have a regular publisher to look after your books, you are kind of up a creek.  Many paid publishers will ensure certain information about your book gets to the sellers, but if you have a poor publisher or one that doesn't do anything, the onus is on you to make almost everything happen, and that can be a daunting prospect.  I've looked into some of this area and the production of the correctly formatted files for a website seller can be painful.  The best advice I can give you, is to go for the large sellers and follow their directions for getting you book information on the site.  Luckily, just being on Amazon will usually populate you on all the low end sellers.  For the upper end sellers, that's not always true.

Tomorrow, let's look at some other information sites and places to advertise your books.

I'll repeat my published novel websites so you can see more examples: http://www.ldalford.com/, and the individual novel websites: http://www.aegyptnovel.com/, http://www.centurionnovel.com/, http://www.thesecondmission.com/, http://www.theendofhonor.com/, http://www.thefoxshonor.com/, and http://www.aseasonofhonor.com/.