Publishing News Roundup Series: The Alliance of Indie Authors Online Conference
by Maureen Crisp • May 7, 2018 • Follow
Published in Publishing Tips • 2 comments
With The Alliance of Indie Authors Online conference finished for the year, indie authors wonder what is upcoming for self-publishing.
As traditional publishing tries to mimic self-publishing, many wonder where self pub will end up. What are the new genres that are popular this years and can indie conventions help us see the upcoming year for self pub like traditional publisher conventions can?
Leaping The Fence
Pic: Flickr Creative Commons / Alan Levine
This week I’ve been dipping into the wonderful content from The Alliance of Indie Authors Online conference held last week. There are some really outstanding sessions so if you haven’t checked it out you must do so.
With Amazon tightening up on reviewers (throwing the baby out with the bath water) Anne R Allen has written a thoughtful post on Reviewers and the Amazon problem and why Reviewers are leaving. This post has been updated twice with new information since she wrote it earlier in the week. This is a must read.
Today was a DV pitch day on Twitter for children’s books. #DVpit is for writers who are pitching #ownvoices manuscripts to agents. Recently Bran Ayres guest posted on Jami Gold’s blog about the #ownvoices movement and what it means for authors and readers. (I learned a new word/term- catfishing.)
I try to watch or listen to a podcast a day as part of my own up-skilling in the publishing industry. Joanna Penn’s podcast this week was on The London Bookfair and what’s coming in the future… or next week. Joanna is a futurist and she has been pretty spot on over the last decade. Be aware that publishing always thinks in the long term… so you need to be thinking long term for your career too.
Someone who is definitely thinking long term is Marie Force. She is gathering together a group of Indie Authors to advocate on behalf of Indie Authors. Check out the new Indie Support Network
While we are on futurist ideas, this little video crossed my path this week. Drama audiophiles this is for you… Once you watch it… your mind will open up to all sorts of possibilities.
From voice to video, where Diana Wink recently guest posted on Joanna Penn’s blog. Diana explains how to make a book trailer like a Hollywood director. If you are thinking video is too hard- take a look… maybe the time is right.
Two authors I have huge respect for are Kris Rusch and Melinda Szymanik.
Kris recently had to move towns for her health and found herself floundering in the upheaval. That’s when she made an important discovery- schedules and how important they are to the full time writer and why.
Melinda has been thinking lately about the barriers to writing. What barriers is your brain putting up and why? She offers some solutions and some practical advice… read it and conquer!
In The Craft Section,
How to use Adjectives wisely– Jane Friedman
The destructive power of the lie- Angela Ackerman- Bookmark
How to keep writing against your inner critical voice– Jami Gold-Bookmark
Why you must perfect the first 30 pages– Nathan Bransford
Deepening story theme- Jami Gold- Bookmark
How watching movies changes your writing – Diana Wink
Emotional Shielding– Becca Puglisi- Bookmark
In The Marketing Section,
10 Platform Building strategies– Positive Writer
How to promote your audiobook– Build Book Buzz
How to connect with book clubs– Funds for Writers
15 reasons your book isn’t selling– Joel Friedlander
What marketing is– Career Author
Write a Killer Amazon Bio– IndieReader- Bookmark
How to produce Book Promo Video– Writers Digest- Bookmark
To Finish,
I have recommended Canva every day this week to someone. After the third time I began to take note. All the requests were differently phrased so it wasn’t a hot new problem that needed a Canva solution but just general stuff… and Canva was the best solution. David Gaughran thinks so too. He has a great post on making killer promo graphics in Canva. If you haven’t checked it out- you should… best of all … it’s free.
Maureen
@craicer
About Maureen Crisp
Maureen Crisp has been writing her weekly publishing roundups for over seven years. She is a traditionally published children's author as well as indie-published. She lives in New Zealand and is heading the team organising the 4th National Conference of Children's Writers and Illustrators. She is currently trying her hand at writing a children’s book series if she can drag herself away from forever tweaking her Mars novel or obsessing over space.