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I've been immortalizing my novel over at this thread ... would you guys like to hear about it here, too?
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Dec 7, 2011 01:18
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in my post - that means I'm right no matter what.
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Azure_Horizon posted:Well, the hot guy on the cover certainly piques my curiousity. Good times - I'm sure that kid would be flattered to know you thought so.  Flotilla is a near future sci-fi novel about a teenage boy who raises fish, dodges fish and grows up on the open ocean. With rehab behind him, Jim is exiled to a seasteading colony off the coast of California with his estranged father, Rick. Together, they live by their wits, scamming seafarers until a national disaster rocks the nearby mainland. Rick is forced to assist with rescue operations, leaving Jim behind. You can read a sample chapter here All Jim wanted was a chance to put some bad choices behind him and bond with his father. Now, though, he's dodging drug lords, police, and angered colonists while terrorist attacks erupt only a few miles away. Is this the life a fifteen-year-old should lead? You can check out Flotilla in a few different formats: Flotilla - Hard Copy - Goons: Use the coupon code W28J3AMB for 10% off Get Flotilla on your Kindle Get Flotilla on Your Nook And we have a very active community on Facebook that discusses the real technology and issues that Flotilla's setting is based on (seasteading, mariculture, piracy) at https://www.facebook.com/FlotillaOnline OppositeOfLove fucked around with this message at 14:28 on Dec 7, 2011 |
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Dec 7, 2011 14:25
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What I've heard is "It's very easy to go down - it's hard to go up." I think bumping a novel from x to x + $1 really misses the point. Like somebody told me a while back, in terms of sale price: "If they're negotiating on price - they don't really want to buy. Negotiate on value, not price." I've been doing some reading on how to position my novel in different ways - it's been interesting.
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Dec 8, 2011 01:16
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FingerbangMisfire posted:I will add this to the OP as soon as I get to work (after sleeping, of course). Why, thank you!
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Dec 9, 2011 15:12
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aMoose posted:Here's another example from a few posts back. It looks like something that would've been given away free with a magazine in the early 90s. Too many elements and no sense of composition. Gee, thanks. Where were you when I was work-shopping this cover in this thread? No, wait ... never mind. I lost interest in what you had to say about three sentences ago.
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Dec 13, 2011 03:10
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Capntastic posted:The formatting stuff like this is what I know I'm gonna have issues with. Does Amazon reformat all of those into their Kindle format? I'm worried about making a decent looking layout and then it turning to dogshit through some formatting screwjob. Essentially, you format it yourself to the ePub format using MobiPocket creator. You *will* screw your formatting up but you'll also have a lot of chances to re-do it and get it right. Once it's been created, you can upload it to Kindle and re-review the formatting and make whatever changes are needed. Big note: because this is something I wasn't aware of. They want your photos to be above 150dpi for good formatting and clarity. The picture I originally went with was in 72dpi because it was an older digital snap and it made for some interesting work to get formatted correctly.
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Dec 14, 2011 18:10
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My sales are continuing to trickle in. Not a flood but I'm connecting with people from California to South Africa. I re-generated my landing page for the goons and it is here for your enjoyment*: http://www.flotillaonline.com/goons/ I had a conversation with one of my in-the-wild fans who came upon Flotilla, bought it, enjoyed it and reached back to me to tell me what he thought of it. He loved the different elements I brought together in Flotilla. He says that it's a great coming-of-age tale, has great characters and hilarious scenes. The action sucked him completely in and once the third act started, he couldn't put it down. I should have a review on Amazon from him by tomorrow. All good points - my goal of introducing Flotilla to bigger audiences is continuing. I've reached out to Books, Inc. in California, a sci-fi bookstore in Sweden and the aforementioned community of Seasteading enthusiasts in South Africa. It's taking some time to connect with people but I'm consistently making new friends wherever I go. Very encouraging. Next steps are to leverage some friends and their contacts in the LA area to re-connect with the Adam Carolla Show. Adam helped me through a fairly rough patch creatively when I was first writing Flotilla and by way of thanks I hid a ton of easter eggs throughout Flotilla that fans of the ACS show will immediately identify. The book doesn't hinge on it, but they're there and people get a kick out of it. * Note, it's a straight HTML-based page because I'm between copies of Illustrator and Dreamweaver atm ...
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Jan 9, 2012 04:22
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My next boondoggle is getting my title onto iTunes. My wife's powerbook is Mac OSX 10.4.2 and I need at least 10.4.6 and I'm too cheap to buy an OSX upgrade just to run this software ... borrowing a friend's powerbook instead.
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Jan 17, 2012 16:28
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MattDaddy posted:Just got an email from CreateSpace. Seems they are discontinuing the "Pro Plan" they had and instead making all services complimentary. I know, me too. I'm trying to take the long view ... Meantime - Ingram has picked me up as available for wholesale. Now the process of getting carried by bookstores begins! I'm getting reviews on Amazon from fans and everyone's been very positive: http://www.amazon.com/Flotilla-Dani...nDateDescending I'm still working on getting some conversations started with some friends of friends who are connected with Adam Carolla. No progress to report but we're still coming along. On a related note - I need a trade review to be considered by Barnes and Noble small press. Kirkus Indie wants $600 to review my novel - it's either pay the money or roll the dice that another review service will choose to review my novel. Any thoughts or feedback on that? Sales aren't blowing my skirt up but I'm not focusing on that. Everyone who's finished Flotilla is coming back and screaming at me to do the sequel already so I'm taking that as a good thing.
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Jan 20, 2012 05:05
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clockworkjoe posted:I'd like to ask about your deal with Ingram but you don't have private messaging enabled here and I can't find an email address on either of your sites. :\ My deal with Ingram? Part of my 'Createspace Pro' package that just mysteriously went away last week.  - They'll carry Flotilla but it's up to me to get a book store to actually put an order in. Createspace works with two wholesalers: Ingram and Baker & Taylor. Took me a month to figure out that they were two separate organizations - Createspace wasn't any help there. Ingram wasn't much help either except to say that yes, Flotilla is available but I should plan on working with Createspace if I have any questions. I'm not waiting for either of them to help me, I'm moving forward with understanding how to sell a book to book stores and go through the entire process.So the next boondoggle is getting a trade review - that's part of what B&N want in order to consider Flotilla for sale as a small-press paperback. I'll need around $600 for Kirkus Indie to review it and as far as 'print only', I don't really know - I have to imagine that they'll tell you if you google for it long enough. One more point - I'm doing a Q&A session through Goodreads that lets people ask questions about my novel and anything else they think of: http://www.goodreads.com/group/show/61965.Q_A_with_Daniel_Haight PS - You can always reach me at daniel dot r dot haight at gmail dot com. Cheers. OppositeOfLove fucked around with this message at 14:41 on Jan 20, 2012 |
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Jan 20, 2012 14:39
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workingdogv1 posted:Wow, thanks for posting this. I entertained the idea for a half-second with the new format, but this pretty much kills any enthusiasm for that or iBooks. Way to shoot yourself in the foot, Apple. Wait, so if I submit my title to iBooks *I can't have it on any other platform??* 
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Jan 20, 2012 16:08
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workingdogv1 posted:I think that's assuming you wrote it using their software, but if so, yeah. As the article says, just imagine if you had to pay royalties to MS and could only publish it through their system for using Word. Yeah, no thanks. I didn't write it using their software but since Ibooks requires you use Content Producer to get it uploaded into iTunes I might as well have. I've done a lot of research on this and you *have* to use the mac-based Content Producer tool to submit to iTunes. Wish this wasn't the case ... I don't want to shell out for the OSX upgrade so my powerbook will be compatible with the tool that will make my work un-sellable on other platforms.
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Jan 20, 2012 19:49
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psychopomp posted:You can't upload the .ibook output anywhere else but that's fun because nobody else uses .ibook. Oh. Is there a way to compile .ibook without Content Producer? I'm happy to provide it in that platform.
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Jan 20, 2012 21:46
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psychopomp posted:I don't think so? As far as I can tell from the EULA, you can just use your doc (or whatever) file with the free iBook app though. Free ibook app ... what might that be? I thought you were supposed to use ITunes Producer and that's only supported in Mac OSX 10.4.6 or above. My powerbook is on 1.4.2.
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Jan 20, 2012 23:03
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psychopomp posted:http://www.apple.com/ibooks-author/ I assume. I dunno man, I don't have a mac. Yeah - there it is 'Requirements: Mac OS X 10.7.2 or later'
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Jan 20, 2012 23:28
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Damnitologist posted:Just uploaded a shortish book [~270 pages] from 1999 to the KindleStore; now it's sitting interminably In Review for at least the next several hours. I learned an important truth about the publishing process, which is this: "The watched pot never boils." Go do something else, come back and then check. Don't drive yourself crazy.
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Jan 22, 2012 16:26
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Damnitologist posted:Oh yeah. I know. Though there's that cool thing when you reload the stats and watch the number of sales go up by the minute. Yeah - I have no context for that - my sales don't go by the minute.
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Jan 22, 2012 19:43
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Running a promo - now through Friday you can pick up Flotilla for Kindle or Nook for only 99 cents: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/flotilla-daniel-haight/1107746980?ean=2940013541412 http://www.amazon.com/dp/B006DTYYK4 I'll report back with numbers after the sale is done Friday ...
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Jan 25, 2012 04:48
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I love the suggestions that come in here - I've been applying your suggestions and watching my ebook sales tick up! Here's what I've been doing:
* Temporarily lowered the ebooks to 99 cents each - first for a week and now throughout the month of February. * Tweeting about related content and following more appropriate Twitter feeds grew my followers by 10% in about a week. * Connecting with news about mariculture and seasteading to offer Flotilla to them to review and potentially cover. Getting attention from all over the place (and by that I mean Australia, the Bahamas, South Africa and Malaysia) and the sales keep ticking up! Thank you for the helpful suggestions - I love this thread. 
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Jan 29, 2012 19:39
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I'm in promotion mode with the book and it's led to a very interesting conversation with other people who are also interested in seasteading - I'm not trying to pimp my Facebook page ... you just might find the convo interesting. Skip over to https://www.facebook.com/FlotillaOnline and then see the second post down - the CIO of Blueseed, me and another guy who just got interviewed about seasteading in Indonesia are talking about the social aspects of seasteading.
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Feb 3, 2012 16:52
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Edit - Hey, cool! Flotilla is *jumping* off of the shelf - closing in on 100 copies in 3 hours!  I'm using 3 Days of the KDP Select Free this weekend - you can get Flotilla for free on your Kindle - I'll use the other two days based on what happens this weekend. Along with everyone else - here's my contact info: Twitter: @FlotillaOnline Website: FlotillaOnline (Goon Landing Page) Facebook: Flotilla Online OppositeOfLove fucked around with this message at 18:23 on Feb 10, 2012 |
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Feb 10, 2012 14:43
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bluefire579 posted:Twitter: @bluefire579 Thanks for the Goon Follow!
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Feb 11, 2012 18:38
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I called in to the Adam Carolla Show last night to tell him about Flotilla and the part he played in helping me write it. http://www.adamcarolla.com/greg-fitzsimmons-and-josh-gardner/ Skip ahead to 30:49 to hear me talk about it (30:49 to 34:14 of the podcast). I'm so excited - Ace helped me keep going while writing the first draft and I really appreciated his insight. Additionally - talking to indie book stores to get Flotilla picked up through my Createspace-controlled distributor (Ingram) - I'll keep you posted on how that goes. Once again - here's my contact info: Twitter: @FlotillaOnline Website: FlotillaOnline (Goon Landing Page) Facebook: Flotilla Online
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Feb 22, 2012 18:47
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clockworkjoe posted:That's fair but only 1 in a thousand authors are going to get any kind of notice without some push marketing push on their part. Amanda Hocking got lucky but most people won't get her kind of luck. Agreed. Does anyone know how Consignment orders work? I've got two indie booksellers who are interested in carrying Flotilla on consignment. Because of Createspace, I have Ingram as my wholesaler. I'm totally lost - any thoughts?
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Feb 26, 2012 15:52
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 Quick self-promo - I'm running out my next two Free KDP Select days today and tomorrow to say 'thanks' to everyone for helping my FB page (http://www.facebook.com/flotillaonline) get to 8000 Likes. Flotilla - Free for the next two days!  I'm also happy to put out the updated copy - the original had some embarrassing format, spelling and grammatical errors that my editor didn't catch. I'm still pretty upset about that. I owned up to it - told everyone who gave me a chance 'sorry - here's the updated version for free' and I hope they take me up on it. Anyone know how to ask Amazon reviewers who talked about the errors in their review to 'revise' their review? I dunno how much that'll affect sales but I feel like it makes me look doofy. Finally - if you haven't done so yet - please feel free to pick up a copy of Flotilla. People really dig it.
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Apr 27, 2012 14:50
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OppositeOfLove posted:Anyone know how to ask Amazon reviewers who talked about the errors in their review to 'revise' their review? I dunno how much that'll affect sales but I feel like it makes me look doofy.
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Apr 29, 2012 18:13
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Mortanis posted:It's generally considered unprofessional to respond to reviewers in any fashion, even if it's in a non-confrontational way. I was afraid of that.
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Apr 30, 2012 04:11
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I'm taking your advice and posting a comment to my reviews - we'll see what comes of that. E: The review and my comment Onto the next challenge ... Getting into book stores Thanks to createspace, I have the Baker and Taylor deal that gives me some kind of wholesale agreement. I've used that to sign 5-copy consignment deals at a couple of local indie book stores and then the fun begins: 1. Indie Bookstore A has put it on the shelf but wants me to pay $100 to give it 'Premium' placement for 90-days on a shelf at the front of the store. 2. Indie Bookstore B gave it up front placement but hasn't given any feedback on copies moved, etc. They're being pretty cool about setting up a book-signing but that has some bugaboos that I'll address separately because it is its own headache. The act of promotion has been a job in itself - I'm curious what everyone thinks about digital media kits to be used to push out to radio/television to get booked (beg for spots) and is there a simple, cost-effective way to outsource all of this effort? I'm dying here trying to make all of this happen. OppositeOfLove fucked around with this message at 13:29 on May 1, 2012 |
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May 1, 2012 13:23
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Taliaquin posted:Like some of the others in this thread, I've been publishing erotica for the past couple of months (hi, guys) and I'm hoping this summer to start self-publishing horror and dark fantasy under another pseudonym. Apologies if this has already been covered (I looked and didn't see it, but this thread's pretty big and it's easy to miss stuff), but for horror and dark fantasy, I get the feeling that a male pseudonym is best. I've published traditional literary stuff in journals for the past couple of years under my real (female) name, and a few of my friends who have also done traditional publishing have found that when they switch to a male name, they've had greater success, especially in genres that are typically thought of as having mostly male readers. I guess horror is mostly male in terms of readers, but I'm not sure about dark fantasy. What might I have better luck with, or is the gender of my pseudonym not likely to matter in these genres? I can't speak for everyone but my litmus test is "Is this a good story?" not "Is the writer male?"
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May 1, 2012 22:39
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Mortanis posted:There was a pretty large discussion on Kindleboards about that topic recently. It's absurd, but it does seem that there's guys turned off by female writers writing what they consider "their" genres. Prevalent enough that some authors are considering the same thoughts. It might be worth a few bucks if you don't feel particularly strong about it, even if it's about meeting expectations of narrow minded folk. All I can say is "I urge you not to do this ... it's bad on so many levels."
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May 1, 2012 23:07
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Mortanis posted:I wouldn't recommend compromising one's self for a few bucks, no. The mindset isn't one that should be encouraged. Nor is it mine, but I have a few questions: 1. By saying that gender bias is the reason your story isn't read, aren't you closing your mind to opportunities to improve the quality of your promotion and storycraft? 2. By stopping the conversation at "to each their own", aren't we kicking the can of gender bias down the road? I'm not asking to be obnoxious - these are the questions that pop up in my head when a discussion like this comes along. I'd genuinely like to know the answer. OppositeOfLove posted:The act of promotion has been a job in itself - I'm curious what everyone thinks about digital media kits to be used to push out to radio/television to get booked (beg for spots) and is there a simple, cost-effective way to outsource all of this effort? I'm dying here trying to make all of this happen. OppositeOfLove fucked around with this message at 05:11 on May 10, 2012 |
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May 2, 2012 01:08
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Mr. Belding posted:JK Rowling is JK and not Joanne Rowling because her publisher thought young male readers might shy away from a female name on a magical adventure story. Would they really have? Who knows. Oh, I don't. I'm feel like I defended something out of good intention and I'm spending more time on that than talking about promoting my book. Speaking of which - here's the book trailer. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rSpFkp9hSVs - Sounds and looks best in 720
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May 2, 2012 13:44
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Geekboy posted:Maybe Robin McKinley got me early enough that the thought never entered my head, but the very notion that someone wouldn't read a book because a woman wrote it is so bizarre to me as to be completely alien. If anything, after years of reading terrible female characters in genre fiction I'm more inclined to read something from a woman (assuming it's getting good reviews and such, of course). At least there's a chance there that the women will act like people and not like walking breasts. 
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May 2, 2012 15:05
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I'll just leave this here ...OppositeOfLove posted:The act of promotion has been a job in itself - I'm curious what everyone thinks about digital media kits to be used to push out to radio/television to get booked (beg for spots) and is there a simple, cost-effective way to outsource all of this effort? I'm dying here trying to make all of this happen.
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May 10, 2012 05:11
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clockworkjoe posted:why focus on TV and radio? I would think promoting your work to Internet sources like blogs and review sites would be more effective. I've been working on that, too. I've reached out to places like io9 and Topless Robot and others ... here's the deal: 1. Each blog is run by a person or persons - getting their attention means figuring out what each blog wants to do and that's after I get their attention in the first place. Getting reviewed is a time-intensive process and that's assuming they want to review me in the first place. If you have a suggestion on making this a more scalable process, I'm all ears. 2. My biggest traffic came from that time I called into the Adam Carolla Show - I didn't give a website out, didn't give a link to Amazon and I had my web traffic explode and a number of people buy the book and give positive reviews just because I was on the ACS. They took the time to Google me and find me on Facebook and Twitter and then buy the book. That, at least to my mind, means that the more broadcast stuff I do, the better off I get at getting to a new audience. So the reality is, I'm doing both. That means splitting my time and attention down in a time and place where I have little time or resources to work with. If anyone has a suggestion for short-cutting this, please feel free to tell me because I'm going nuts trying to do it all. PS - I updated the website - the book trailer is done and now I'm working on the media kit: http://www.flotillaonline.com
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May 16, 2012 02:51
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Care to tell me what's wrong with my media kit? I'm getting ready to push this out to a stack of people and want to make sure that it represents my novel clearly and encourages them to book me as a guest. http://flotillaonline.com/media-kit/
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May 24, 2012 15:45
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pipes! posted:The blue type on orange has managed to find the resonant frequency of my eyes and has vibrated them out of my skull. Now they're dangling by their optic nerves, swaying gently to and fro. So thanks for that, I guess. Uh-huh ... tone down the colors ... what else?
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May 24, 2012 16:43
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leb388 posted:You need to update your bio; it says you're going to do something in 2011. You must have done plenty of stuff since then: media interviews, promotions, working on another project, etc. And what other interests do you have besides writing fiction? What made you want to write the book? etc. A how-to page for new authors? Is that normal for a media kit? I got the part about the colors and updated bio but how common is any of what you just mentioned to a media kit? OppositeOfLove fucked around with this message at 01:12 on May 25, 2012 |
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May 25, 2012 01:08
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leb388 posted:I mean on your blog, as a promotional tool. You seem to get a lot of reach through Facebook and readers/writers might be interested in your efforts. Oh, right - I talk about that over on my other blog - https://www.northern71st.com. I want to keep the novel's universe as something solid and not dilute the message.
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May 25, 2012 13:56
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I took all of your suggestions and updated the color scheme - I'd love to know what you think: http://flotillaonline.com/media-kit/
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May 27, 2012 00:44
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