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IN THIS ISSUE:
Publishing Industry News
Marketing and Distribution
Trade Show News
2010 INDEPENDENT PUBLISHER BOOK AWARDS — First Call for Entries
Enter now at: http://www.independentpublisher.com/ipland/IPAwards.php
Calling all independent authors and publishers!
The 14th annual Independent Publisher Book Awards, conducted to honor the year's best independently published titles, are now accepting entries for books with 2009 or 2010 copyrights or released in 2009 and early 2010. The annual contest is presented by Jenkins Group and their book-marketing Web site, IndependentPublisher.com, headquartered in Traverse City, Michigan.
The Independent Publisher Book Awards were conceived in 1996 as a broad-based, unaffiliated awards program open to all members of the independent publishing industry and includes authors and publishers worldwide who produce books written in English and intended for the North American market. They define "independent" as 1) independently owned and operated; 2) operated by a foundation or university; or 3) long-time independents who became incorporated but operate autonomously and publish fewer than 50 titles a year.
The "IPPY" Awards are intended to bring increased recognition to the thousands of exemplary independent, university, and self-published titles published each year. Since the inaugural contest more than 3,500 books have received awards, with all the recognition, credibility, and increased sales that a book award can bring. Independent spirit and expertise comes from publishers of all sizes and budgets, and books are judged with that in mind. The IPPY Awards reward those who exhibit the courage, innovation, and creativity to bring about change in the world of publishing. Winning a book award allows you to announce your accomplishment to the book buying public, bookstores and libraries, the press, and your peers. Winning an IPPY is special because this is the world's largest book awards contest; it is the longest-running unaffiliated independent publishing awards contest, and it is the only contest that rewards its winners with big, shiny medals to show off and to wear on the floor of BookExpo America.
This year's contest is open to books copyrighted 2009 or 2010, or that were released in 2009 or early 2010. National category early-bird entry fee is $75; Regional category can be added for $45; Outstanding Books of the Year consideration at no extra charge. Final deadline is March 20, 2010.
Enter online at: http://www.independentpublisher.com/ipland/IPAwards.php
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Poynter's Pointers
(Excerpted - with permission - from Dan Poynter's Fifteenth Edition of The Self-Publishing Manual: http://www.parapublishing.com)
Broadcast email, done properly, is not spam. Book announcements should only be sent to existing customers, potential customers on opt-in lists, and targeted members of the press. Most of these people are in your personal address book. Match your offer to those who have already expressed an interest in this type of information.
The Cover Story -- Michele DeFilippo
(Your cover is a critical part of your marketing effort.
Contact 1106 Design today for book cover design with hand holding. http://www.1106design.com)
A book cover is like a billboard. Title and design must quickly communicate what the book is about to busy buyers. Book covers that are too complicated or contain too much information confuse buyers and cause them to move on to another title.
In the original cover at left, which is the first in a series, the title is too long and not search-engine friendly. Few people looking for help in conducting a workplace investigation would search on the term Truth or Consequence. The subject of this particular volume, Discrimination and Harassment, is hidden far below in the yellow starburst. The colors are stark, and the type is not well crafted. The "hard-sell" appearance is inappropriate for the content, which offers serious advice to executives whose companies have just become the target of a lawsuit.
Each of the four alternatives to the right immediately communicates the series title and the volume title. The graphics provide an interesting focal point and a place for the reader to pause, and the conservative textbook-like design tells the buyer that the information inside is trustworthy and credible.
The Book Shepherd
(Judith Briles, www.TheBookShepherd.com Follow me on Twitter, http://twitter.com/JudithBriles)
Web 2.0 is the Wild West for book selling. You've got to be cautious in how you market yourself and your work. It makes sense to be on Facebook and MySpace, send out tweets on Twitter, create videos for YouTube, and actively use your Web site (you do have a Web site, yes?) If you have a new book, make sure you get it posted with cover on your main pages within these groups.
You can get the word out about your books via participating on content-sharing sites that would, in turn, be able to link back to you. Check out HubPages.com and Squidoo.com-post tips and tidbits—viewers will get use to seeing your name, reading your words, and then finding your work.
Author 101
(Excerpted - with permission - from Author 101: Bestselling Book Publicity, by Rick Frishman and Robyn Spizman; FRISHMANR@PlannedTVArts.com or www.author101.com)
It's essential to remember that the media is fickle. When your story is hot, the media will doggedly court you and lavish attention on you. You will become its best friend, its darling. But when the media feels your story is played out, it will move on to the next hot story so suddenly and fast that you'll feel abandoned and let down. Plus, it rarely looks back. When you deal with the media, you have only a brief window of opportunity, a short period in which to get coverage. So you better have a plan and be ready to make the most of it.
Bartlett's Quotations on
Powerful Publishing Ideas
(Robin Bartlett is a former member of the IBPA Board of Directors and is the Publishing University Chair rbbartlett@aol.com)
Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse. Professional speakers say that they have to rehearse an average of 8 to 10 hours for every one hour of face-to-face presentation time. That's a ton of work, but in the professional speaking game, the payoffs can be tremendous.
As you practice, (1) Write down your beginning and end paragraphs and memorize them. (2) Give your presentation in front of the mirror, then your spouse, and then a small group of colleagues before you give it to your prospect(s). (3) Anticipate questions and rehearse the answers. (4) Always compliment a person who asks a question on the quality of their question. (Especially if it is one of the ones you have rehearsed!) (5) Make sure your conclusion packs a big, strong, memorable verbal punch. (6) Rehearse again, and again, and again!
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Regional Trade Shows
The BookMasters Group and AtlasBooks sales team will have booths at the following regional independent bookseller trade shows:
- Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association – September 10 – 12
- Midwest Booksellers Association – September 24 – 26
- Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance – September 25 - 27
- New England Independent Booksellers Association – October 1 – 3
- Great Lakes Independent Booksellers Association – October 2 – 4
- New Atlantic Independent Booksellers Association – October 4 – 4
- Northern California Independent Booksellers Association – October 8 – 10
If you are interested in having a title displayed at one, or all, of these shows the costs are as follows:
| 1 show $100.00/title |
3 shows $250.00/title |
5 shows $400.00/title |
7 shows $525.00/title |
| 2 shows $175.00/title |
4 shows $300.00/title |
6 shows $475.00/title |
|
Eastern Regional Show Contract (163k PDF File)
Western Regional Show Contract (41k PDF File)
Credit Card Authorization Form (120k PDF File)
To reserve your space at any of these shows, please contact Kelly Durig.
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Upcoming Events
9/23/2009 – 9/25/2009
Society of Scholarly Publishing IN Meeting; Hotel Providence, Providence, RI. For more information visit http://sspnet.org
9/24/2009 – 9/26/2009
Mountains and Plains Booksellers Association Show; Crown Plaza Hotel – Denver International Airport, Denver, CO. For more information visit www.mountainsplains.org
9/25/2009 – 9/27/2009
Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance Meeting and Trade Exhibit; Carolina First Center, Greenville SC. For more information visit www.sibaweb.org
9/26/2009
Midwest Booksellers Association Show; Roy Wilkins Auditorium at RiverCentre, Saint Paul, MN. For more information visit www.midwestbooksellers.org
10/1/2009 – 10/3/2009
New England Independent Booksellers Association Show; Connecticut Convention Center, Hartford, CT. For more information visit www.newenglandbooks.org
10/4/2009
Book & Author Festival; San Luis Obispo, CA. For more information, contact Rebecca Juretic at 805-541-5070.
10/8/2009 – 10/10/2009
Northern California Booksellers Association Show; Oakland Convention Center, Oakland, CA. For more information, visit www.nciba.com
10/14/2009 – 10/18/2009
Frankfurt Book Fair; The Messe, Frankfurt, Germany. The largest international book fair in the world. Visit us at the fair at stand 80 R905. For more information visit www.frankfurtbookfair.com
10/30/2009 – 10/31/2009
Author 101 University: A Crash Course in Publishing Success; Las Vegas, NV. For more information visit www.author101university.com
This calendar was up-to-date and accurate as of August 15, 2009. Information was culled from a number of sources. BookMasters cannot be held liable for the accuracy of the information within. Please visit the listed Web sites for more information.
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