Karen's blog: BookBaby newsletters

Here are the latest bookbaby newsletters for my followers to peruse:

Saturday, September 22, 2018

Happy Saturday,

It was a pretty embarrassing week for airline Cathay Pacific. Passengers boarding a flight from Hong Kong were surprised to see their Boeing 777 aircraft emblazoned with the words “Cathay Paciic” on the fuselage. The company found some humor in the corporate typo, posting photos on Twitter and promising a new paint job. Cathay executive Simon Cuthbert joined in the social media fun, tweeting: “I’m sure someone will ix it.”

From red faces to angry rulers, some typos are worse than others. Take, for instance, the 1631 printing of the King James Version of the Bible—now dubbed the “Wicked Bible.” Imagine the surprise of the faithful as they tried to follow the Ten Commandments—until they reached Exodus 20:14. “Thou shalt commit adultery.” England’s King Charles I was not amused. He ordered most copies of that bible to be burned, and the detail-challenged printers were fined and forced out of business.

And some typos are downright explosive. In 1962, NASA’s Mariner 1 mission lifted off on its way to explore Venus. Five minutes into the flight the spacecraft exploded. What happened? Scientists pinpointed the cause: A single typographical error. One line of computer code had an omitted overbar. It’s like a hyphen above a number or letter. Boom goes the $80 million spaceship. 2001: A Space Odyssey author Arthur C. Clarke best summed up the mission: “The most expensive hyphen in history.”

Typos, bad grammar, and other errors can be costly for an author’s reputation. That’s why we recommend every book undergo a thorough review by a professional editor. What kind of editing do you need? Airplane fuselage content requires a different sort of edit than the Bible! To help you understand what type of editing your book needs, we posted a helpful guide that explores the different levels of editing.

If you’ve got some time this weekend to listen to an excellent podcast, the folks at Buzzfeed came up with a list of podcasts for every kind of book lover.

All the best,

Steven Spatz
President, BookBaby

7905 N. Crescent Blvd., Pennsauken, NJ 08110

info@bookbaby.com | Become an affiliate

BookShop™ Professional tools for direct-to-reader book sales.

BookShop is the free online storefront that you can personalize to build your author platform, showcase your work, and sell your book directly to readers. It’s exclusive (and free!) for all authors with BookBaby distribution.

Take a look at how BookShop helps you earn more:

Higher royalties
Earn 85% royalties on eBooks and 50% for printed books. Learn more.

Faster payments
Your money is deposited into your account on a weekly basis.

Guaranteed availability
Your printed book is always in stock.

Faster turn times
Your book is up for sale within a few days of your finalized order.

The BookBaby Store
Readers can now search—and shop—your book titles. Check it out.

Customizable layout
Showcase your book with six new BookShop design features. See for yourself.

Coupons and discounts
Gain more attention and success by adding these to your book promotion strategy. Take a look.

Set up your BookShop page
Getting started is quick, easy, and free with BookBaby distribution.

Set up shop

7905 N. Crescent Blvd., Pennsauken, NJ 08110

info@bookbaby.com | Become an affiliate

Saturday, September 1, 2018

Where did the summer go?

For a lot of writers and me, the weather outside has a significant influence on our writing schedules. The Labor Day weekend signals the end of one season and the start of another: writing time. The garden tools, bike, and BBQ grill will soon be going into the garage. Time to fire up the laptop and resume work on the next book—the one I took a vacation from starting Memorial Day.

For all of you planning a return to the writing life, I recommend taking a look at one of our most popular BookBaby blog posts. Consider restarting your writing regimen with a new tech solution. Contributor Carla King reviewed nine different writing and editing software packages and shared her thoughts on each. It’s worth a read as you get back into the swing of writing and editing.

I’m going to put my typewriter aside and give ProWritingAid a try…after a few more barbecues and bike rides before the leaves are off the trees.

And speaking of tech, did you know that printer and journalist Christopher Latham Sholes patented the first typewriter in the summer of 1868? Here are nine “striking” facts about this revolutionary machine.

All the best,

Steven Spatz
President, BookBaby

Saturday, September 8, 2018

Happy Saturday,

If you’re a writer surfing the internet this morning, there really should be a public service announcement scrolling across the bottom of the screen in big red letters saying:

WARNING: PROLONGED VIEWING OF THE INTERNET CAN BE HAZARDOUS TO YOUR WRITING CAREER

The “anything goes” world of internet copy is a far cry from the language rules we all learned in school. I’m no grammar expert, but even I have noticed how my writing has loosened up thanks to tweets and hashtags. Capitalization is a random occurrence. I'm using too many ellipses and too few hyphens…I practically need an intervention on my use of !!!!!s and ?????s.

Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the How To Do It Frugally series of publishing books, pointed out the damaging effects of internet linguistics in her BookBaby blog post, “The Internet Can Be Disastrous For Your Writing Career.”

Says Howard-Johnson: “What happens when we emulate those affectations because they start to become so familiar we think they’re being used correctly? Agents and publishers will hate it, that’s what. And that can be disastrous for your writing career.” Not to mention grammar-loving readers!!! (OK, ok…I’ll dial down the !!!s.)

This morning, we’re also excited to announce our Independent Authors Conference (IAC) Scholarship Contest for college and high school students. Entrants are asked to pen a 250-word essay on “Why books and writing are important in 2018.” Five students will win two passes each to our upcoming IAC in Philadelphia on November 2-4. All essays must be submitted by Monday, October 1. Click here for more information.

All the best,

Steven Spatz
President, BookBaby

7905 N. Crescent Blvd., Pennsauken, NJ 08110

info@bookbaby.com | Become an affiliate

SPECIAL OFFERS | BLOG | FREE GUIDES | HELP

Book Printing | eBooks | Editing | Pricing | 1-877-961-6878

Featured Article:
Jewel words, crux and flavor words, and everything in between

Jewel words are those beautiful words glistening inside a piece of larger text. Along with crux and flavor words, they serve your story and distinguish your writing voice. Read more.

How to write a galley letter (and get book reviews)

Galleys, or advanced reader copies, are important to your book promotion, and so is your galley letter. You want to put your best foot forward, and by following these tips, you’ll be off to a good start. Read more.

The five emotional stages of publishing a book

You’ve finished writing your book! Well, hold on because you’re on a wild roller coaster, and while that ride takes you to remarkable highs, it plummets to lows you never imagined. Read more.

They’re more than spell checkers. Polish your book with pro copy and line editing.

Top Stories:

Nine ways editing software can improve creative writing

How to reach readers through mobile book marketing

Five things you need as you begin a career as a self-published author

Writing for a cause

The three-act structure: Formulaic or foundational?

Your ISBN: Answers to frequently asked questions

7905 N. Crescent Blvd., Pennsauken, NJ 08110

info@bookbaby.com | Become an affiliate

Saturday, September 15, 2018

Doesn’t it feel good when you’ve made an important decision? And doesn’t it feel even better when you’re confident it’s a good one?

For example, just a few seconds ago you made this on-the-spot decision: “I’m going to read this entertaining yet informative email.” Excellent choice!

Seriously though, many of you have already made a decisive resolution: You’re going to write a book. Or maybe your next book.

That, too, is a splendid decision. But that’s only one of many you’ll need to make on your publishing journey. Some of the best—and often most confusing—things about self-publishing are all of the choices indie authors need to make in the pursuit of their publishing dreams.

So how do you learn about all your publishing options? Our BookBaby Blog is full of posts written especially for indie authors, focused on helping you make all the right choices. Here’s one I wrote that helps guide you through some of the decisions you’ll need to make about making printed books.

And speaking of big decisions, Atlas Obscura posted a piece titled, “The Adventures of America’s Most Well-Traveled Bookstore,” an exciting story about educator Rita Collins who decided to retire and create a traveling bookstore that she pilots around her home state of Montana and across the United States. It’s a vacation and a small business all in one!

All the best,

Steven Spatz
President, BookBaby

7905 N. Crescent Blvd., Pennsauken, NJ 08110

info@bookbaby.com | Become an affiliate

SPECIAL OFFERS | BLOG | FREE GUIDES | HELP

Book Printing | eBooks | Editing | Pricing | 1-877-961-6878

Featured Article:
My five favorite books on writing

You should read about writing if you endeavor to be an author. Not sure where to start? Here are my five favorite books on writing. At least at the moment… Read more.

IAC announces essay contest for high school and college writers

The IAC is presenting a Conference Scholarship Contest for high school and college students. Five winners will get full VIP access to attend the three-day conference and workshops. Read more.

Things I wish I had known before self-publishing my book

The first time I self-published, I endured many failures before I finally held my book in my hand. Here are nine things I wish I had known about self-publishing before starting the process. Read more.

Top Stories:

Jewel words, crux and flavor words, and everything in between

How to write a galley letter (and get book reviews)

The five emotional stages of publishing a book

Nine ways editing software can improve creative writing

How to reach readers through mobile book marketing

Five things you need as you begin a career as a self-published author

It’s beginning to look a lot like book sales. Download your free guide.

7905 N. Crescent Blvd., Pennsauken, NJ 08110

info@bookbaby.com | Become an affiliate

Finish your printed book for the holidays

Readers are going to spend billions (yes, with a ‘b’) of dollars this holiday season. It’s the best time of the year for you to make a profit—but only if your printed book is ready for the bookshelf.

The sooner you start planning, the more time you’ll have to promote and sell your book. See how soon you can wrap up your book using these production timelines.

Need help finishing your book? We have professionals ready to assist you:

Book Editing Services: Choose between Copy Editing and Line Editing, depending on your needs.

Book Cover Design: Make sure your book cover stands out on the shelf.

Get a quote online or call your Product Specialist at 877-961-6878 to get your project into production today.

Get started

It’s beginning to look a lot like book sales

7905 N. Crescent Blvd., Pennsauken, NJ 08110

info@bookbaby.com | Become an affiliate

Featured Article:
Writing for a cause

Author and BookBaby customer Rich Garon muses on things he learned from his first self-published effort and how his books benefit causes like hunger and homelessness. Read more.

The three-act structure: Formulaic or foundational?

Focusing on the three-act structure and your nine plot points can help you construct a vibrant and meaningful narrative structure and bring your story to life. Read more.

Your ISBN: Answers to frequently asked questions

Of all the mysteries surrounding the process of self-publishing, the book ISBN ranks among the most intimidating to many new authors. We’re here to allay your concerns and give you answers. Read more.

A better way to sell your eBook with Amazon KDP

Top Stories:

It’s time to publish your book internationally

Be a voice of hope and help—write your nonfiction story

What writing rules do you live by (and which ones do you break)?

Making the most of school assemblies

Stop selling books and start selling benefits

Holiday book sales this year and beyond

Saturday, August 18, 2018

This weekend I’m finally heading home after a long trip to the west. Relax—this isn’t another vacation travelogue message. It’s a technology wake up call.

I lugged my trusty—and heavy—laptop on this trip, but only for screening presentations at book conferences and author meetups. Otherwise, I’ve been mobile-only for the last 20 days. That’s for email and texts of course. But also for work, blogging, browsing, reading—everything! I don’t consider myself a tech Luddite; I just prefer larger screens. But as a recent article on the BookBaby blog suggests, I’m already in the minority.

Contributing writer Izaak Crook recently wrote a post urging authors to invest time in their mobile-oriented book marketing. Crook reports over 60% of all searches are done on phones or tablets. I’ve read studies that in places such as India, Singapore, South Africa, and others, that number approaches 90%! Crook’s timely article has some great tips to help you get started on your mobile marketing strategy.

And since we’re going mobile in this message, I’ll end with this fun post from Electric Lit. Want to have some fun messing with famous first lines from novels? There’s an app for that!

All the best,

Steven Spatz
President, BookBaby

Featured Article:
Nine ways editing software can improve creative writing

Editing software can improve your creative writing, and since you’re alerted to corrections and suggestions, you can also expect to learn a lot and grow as a writer. Read more.

How to reach readers through mobile book marketing

By investing time in your mobile book marketing now, you’re setting up your author brand for the future. Your readers are already on mobile, so what are you waiting for? Read more.

Five things you need as you begin a career as a self-published author

If you want a career as a self-published author, you have to learn the business of writing and market yourself in a way that puts you on the same playing field as authors with big publishing houses behind them. Read more.

Top Stories:

Writing for a cause

The three-act structure: Formulaic or foundational?

Your ISBN: Answers to frequently asked questions

It’s time to publish your book internationally

Be a voice of hope and help—write your nonfiction story

What writing rules do you live by (and which ones do you break)?

I’m in the midst of my annual summer sojourn to my home state of Oregon. As you read this weekend message, the sun is coming up over our cabin at Lake of the Woods, Oregon, tucked high (elevation 5000 feet) in the Cascade Range.

This is the place where I get time with my Oregon family, recharge the batteries, and spend quality time with one of my favorite hobbies: Reading. It’s hard to find time in the busy workweek to devote hours on books. But up here, in an internet- and television-free cabin, reading becomes the focus of these long, lazy days.

So how do others get their reading fix? The BookBaby blog recently featured an infographic by the folks at Expert Editor called The Guide To Global Reading Habits. It’s filled with fun facts about literacy around the world, including this one: Finland is the #1 pick for “most literate country” in the world.

And as long as we’re spanning the world in search of books, the New York Times asked seven prominent writers to list their favorite bookstores. From New York to Nigeria, you can see their picks here.

All the best,

Steven Spatz
President, BookBaby

Karen's blog

Saturday, 22 September 2018

BookBaby newsletters

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