There are so many good resources available for authors, publishers and writers, and I want to share some new ones with you, but in this post, thought it would be a nice refresher to take a look at some of the helpful posts that are already on the blog, including:

1. Publishing Poynters Marketplace -An exceptional place where authors and publishers help one another.
2. Self Publishing Book Service - Read this post about a self-publishing service, easy to use…this may not be for everyone, but it’s certainly worth a look…and it may not be the service you’re thinking of.
3. Self Publishing an eBook at No Cost - Do you think it can be done? Take a look at the post and you decide.  There are a lot of helpful tips that will stimulate your thinking.
4. Join This Author & Writer Network - this is a wonderful network, with many members that support one another.
5. Publishing myths, publishing tips
6. Making Your Own Audio Book - I have come across a lot on the web and in books about writing and publishing, but this is the first advise on making an audio book that I have found.
7. Help for Christian Authors - this post provided links for those who are particularly interested in publishing Christian books.

There are other helpful posts, use the categories along the right to find more, but these are 7 that provided information, or links to articles that I found to be particularly helpful.

On 3.25.09 I was to be part of a book tour for a wonderful eBook, “Family Folktales, Write Your Own Family Stories“, and didn’t have an internet connection for most of the day because they are doing work on Cable along our street, which then turned into not really being related to the work being done on the street at all. We had more issues, and had the cable service come out and fix things for us, so everything is working great…now as promised, let me tell you a bit about this wonderful book.

This book was particularly captivating to me, because I would like to write about some of the things that my grandfather shared with us about his life…he loved to tell stories from his life, in fact he spent hours when he was in his early 90’s sharing on video story after story…I treasure these tapes.

It has been hard for me to know where to begin, and reading Karen’s book has helped me sort through some of my concerns…including how historically accurate I want to make the book, Karen suggests that it doesn’t need to read like history, it can be from my perspective, the way that I remember the story being told. I felt “freed” by these words, and the thoughts began to flow!  You’ll find this happens often as you read the book.

Here are a few of chapter titles from this writing instructor’s new book:

• What Is a Folktale?
• What Do You Do with Folktales?
• Folktales Are for Everyone
• Let’s Get Started - People; Places and Events; Things; The Process
• Warming Up Your Writing Muscles

and there’s more!

Below you’ll find order and other info, and since this is a tour, please stop by and visit the following for more reviews: On 3.24.09 Carolyn Howard-Johnson provided an ebook review, then on 3.26.09 the blog tour continued with Julie McLaws.

Title: Family Folktales: What Are Yours
Author: Karen Pierce Gonzalez
Website: This, and other books available at http://www.folkheartpress
Price: Under $8.00

As promised in the previous post, I did a little homework, and found a simple explanation on making your own audio book that someone had posted to a popular article site, very basic information…easy enough for even me to understand

This article was written a few years ago, so I don’t know what improvements have been made to the technique since, but this is a great start, enjoy!

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My name is Alan Twigg and I’m writing this article to offer advice to anyone thinking of creating their own professional audio books.

In the New Year I came up with the idea of creating professional children’s stories and offering them for download on the internet. The thing was, however, while I had someone to write the stories - my mother - and someone to market the stories – me, I knew nobody who knew about how to record the stories professionally.  I knew it must be reasonably easy, since I only wanted to create an audio book containing speech.

I started doing research on Google - but all the articles I found contained so much technical gobbledygook – I was soon put off. So I went to my local music store for advice on what to buy. I decided to use my computer to create the audio books and this is what I bought:

• 1 microphone stand
• 1 pop-screen (that’s a piece of material that is placed just in front of the microphone to stop your “Ps” from popping)
• 1 studio microphone
• 1 software program (Wavelab)
• 1 USB Audio/MIDI interface (TASCAM US 122 with phantom power)
• 1 pair of headphones

It all came to 650 euros (800) dollars.

I connected my Audio/MIDI interface (this is basically a really good sound card in an external case) to my computer using the USB cable provided. I then set up my microphone and attached the microphone cable to the MIDI interface. After installing the software, I was ready to go.

The results have been great and I find Wavelab software powerful and incredibly easy to use.

Some Audio Book recording tips

I first get my entire copy ready before starting the recording. I pin the sheets of paper with the text that I am going to read in front of me onto the wall. Then, at about 8 inches away from the microphone, I start to talk. The more natural you can be the more interesting you will sound to your listeners. I found that the best thing to do is to stand in front of the microphone and make gestures in the same way as you would when talking to a close friend. If you stand there stiff like a statue, you’ll come across in the same way in your recording.

Another thing that I like to do before starting the recording is to get myself into a really good mood. Again, this will add to the impact of your recording. I always listen to a few uplifting songs and get enthusiastic before starting. You should also try to make sure that you keep the same distance from the microphone.

And that’s it – I hope that this article will save you a little bit of time setting up your own home recording studio and I wish lots of success with your audio books.

The author of this article is Alan Twigg. My business is Playtime books, which offers new and contemporary audio books for the 3 to 10-year-old age group. You will find this site at http://www.playtime-books.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Alan_Twigg

Here is some information that the new (or experienced) writer will find helpful that I received in an author’s newsletter that I receive regularly and enjoy, full credit given at the end of the post, I encourage you to sign up for the newsletter if you aren’t receiving it already.

In the following, the writer shares a list of common things that she believes are myths that are told to new writers, and some promotional tips, I hope you find this list to be helpful:

1) If someone writes a review I don’t like, can I get them to rewrite it? No, this will never happen, nor should you ask for this. Doing this will show you are a novice. If you get back a bad review, try to learn from it and move on. It happens to everyone at least once, it’s disheartening but unfortunately, it’s part of the business.

2) Radio is all I need to sell books. Not true. For some authors radio is golden, but that’s few and far between. Doing a lot of radio may be great for your exposure, but it may not sell books. The best type of radio are interviews that are done to promote an event or workshop, that way you can at least drive people to something, rather than hoping they’ll click on your site.

3) I’m going to take my independent title and get it on Oprah. Some years back, Oprah decided to be “unique” when selecting her books and she picked a title that came from a very small publisher. Because a mention on the Oprah show can produce a high demand, the publisher could not keep up with the orders, nor did they have enough in stock or stocked in a bookstore. The result? A lot of viewers called into the show when they couldn’t find the book and Oprah vowed never to feature a small press title again. The challenge here is always availability. If you have a book from a small press but it has significant bookstore placement and availability, be sure to let the producers know this when you’re pitching the book. It could go a long way to helping you gain consideration for the show!

4) I’m going to get my book on the New York Times Bestseller list. Bestseller lists are funny things, many of them, (like the New York Times list) are not based on sales but rather on exposure and popularity. Meaning that if your book is gaining huge popularity, it might not be selling a ton of copies but bookstores are buzzing about it. The New York Times has around thirty or so bookstores around the country that report to them on what’s hot and what’s not. None of this is based on sales, just on what people are asking for. Regardless of the sales quota, in order to attain this level of exposure your book needs to have a significant print run of at least 50,000 or more. This also means that there needs to be placement of the book in bookstores. Yes, there are always exceptions to this rule, we saw that recently with the success of The Shack, but if someone is promising you bestseller status, take your marketing dollars and run.

5) If I get into Amazon does that mean my distribution is handled? No, Amazon is not a distributor, they are an online portal. Distribution means that there is a distributor actively involved in selling your book into bookstores. While it’s great to be listed on all the online sites, having this as your only access point could hamper your book’s success. If at all possible, get someone to distribute your title. Distribution can be tricky but it’s often the one missing piece to a book’s success.

6) How can I prevent my review copies from being sold? Unfortunately you can’t, nor should you waste your time and energy on trying to get them back. Review copies are sold, it happens all the time and spending your time chasing used copies isn’t a good use of your promotional efforts.

7) When I schedule a book signing the store will do all the promotion, right? Wrong. The bookstore may do some of the promotion, but not all of it. You will handle the lion’s share of promotion for your event - this includes but is not limited to: notifying the media, printing up flyers and taking them to the store (if they’ll let you provide bag stuffers to notify patrons prior to the event), getting a calendar listing in your local paper(s), getting posters done with your book cover on them, printing up and inviting every single one of your local contacts.

8 ) Will major media outlets review my book? Possibly, it depends. There’s a lot of competition out there for review space, and review space is shrinking. While aspiring to a review in the New York Times is nice, it’s important to be realistic. If your book is print-on-demand, major media may be less inclined to review it. Instead, take a look at trade or local (regional) media. And if your regional media says they won’t review your book, try getting them to do a story on you.

9) Your book will be judged by its cover: This means unless your grandson is Rembrandt he or she may not contribute her finger paintings to your cover design. Period. End of story. There is a rare exception to this but it’s important to note that it’s rare. Having a professional cover is like trying to decide whether to use hot pink paper for your resume or stock white. Unless the job you’re applying for welcomes a wildly creative bent, it’s likely that an off-beat approach to your resume will turn off any future employer. Your book is the same way. Your book is your resume, your book cover is your cover letter. If you want to get them to read on you’d better be careful about the first thing you put in front of them. Don’t take chances with your cover. Do your research, know what sells and what doesn’t, and know what will get your reader to pick up the book and what won’t.

10) All of my friends will buy my book! Your friends may not buy your book; the truth is, strangers tend to buy books faster than friends do so don’t be discouraged if your pals aren’t snapping up your book.

11) How many copies should I plan to give away to promote my book? As many as it takes. Don’t give copies to family and friends. I know this might sound mean but fair is fair, the only people who get a free copy are Mom and Dad. Friends and family need to pony up the money and buy their own copies. The rest (promotional copies) you’ll buy and give away like candy.

12) How long will it take for me to be successful? I don’t know, no one does. I wish I had the answer to that question. We’ve worked with authors who are rising successes after six months, and others who are still plugging away two and three years after their book came out. The key is to have passion for what you’re doing. Passion and commitment will keep you going through the good times and the dark days which will most certainly happen. Passion and commitment will remind you why you’re in this and why you need to stay dedicated to your work. If you’re not passionately committed to what you’re doing, how do you expect anyone else to be?

To subscribe to the newsletter “Book Marketing Experts” email the following address: subscribe@amarketingexpert.com
The visit the Book Marketing Experts Website: http://www.amarketingexpert.com

Yesterday I noticed that a couple of my internet friends belong to an online network called “Book Event Center“, so I decided to join.

This looks like a good place to share book reviews, inform others and gain support for an upcoming book event, and meet and make friends with other authors. You can interact through messages, chat or the forum. You can create your own unique page featuring yourself and what you do. Stop by and visit.

Writing is something that takes skills that are learned at a young age. Some of these skills are obvious, like reading.  If you can’t read, you can’t write, and don’t develop a feel for how words are put together in a way that captivates the reader…that may sound like a “no-brainer”, but there are many students who don’t see the value in reading.

Writing also requires inspiration and creativity, it is an art, and learning good writing skills can be fun!

I was introduced to Brightstorm, a site that offers what I would call tutoring courses that are fun on a wide variety of subjects that you are taking in high school…including writing, the course most intriguing to aspiring writers and authors that may be visiting this blog.

There are even courses to prepare high school students for SAT’s. That doesn’t sound like much fun, does it? Well Brightstorm makes it their business to make their courses fun, and interesting. Sign up for a free brightstorm account, and you can view the first episode of each video course for free to get an idea of whether it is suited to your needs or not.

I signed up to try the “Decadent Devices in Rich Writing” course by Jennifer Stickland, she introduces the course saying writing is a lot like cooking, and using the theme of cooking throughout the course, she opens your senses to the writing experience…I was sold when she said the “decadent” food she loved was chocolate You’ll have to stop by and see what “sells” you on a course. The teachers are professional, and effective in their approach to education.

And remember, the courses are a great value, and you can get a taste for them before you register for the whole course.

If you’re a parent reading this, take a look yourself; high school students, what are you waiting for, head on over to Brightstorm and sign up for your free account.

I was reading one of my favorite daily devotional readings that I receive by email today, and clicked on a link that lead to a site for Christian authors, and spent some time listening to the video presentation they offered.  I am not being compensated to post this, by the way, just sharing something that looks helpful and worth sharing.  The site is Xulon Press, they help you from start to finish with publication of your book.  If you prefer to skim down the list of their offerings on their site map, then you will want to visit this link.

It’s time for another blog tour, and what more appropriate theme for a “tour” than “Travel”. Today I’d like to introduce you to an eBook for those who have dreamed of publishing articles for magazines, or writing books, about travel.

In my typically over-active imagination, I’ve always thought, wow, travel writers are as lucky as can be because they can eat at the best places, stay at the best hotels, and visit all those historic or fun destinations that most of us just dream of visiting.  Then after a long day of having all kinds of fun, they can sit back in their lounge chair on the beach or beside a pool, or in their luxurious hotel room, pull out their laptop and whip up an article about their experiences.  Then when they are finished, put everything away, and go out for an evening of more fun-fun-fun!

My bubble was burst, well maybe not entirely burst….let’s just say it was a “reality check”… to read and review “Travel Writing as a Freelancer”, a 64 page eBook for those who are interested in writing about travel as a profession.  It still sounds like it would be great fun, and very interesting, but like most things, it does require some expertise and work.

The Author, Wendy VanHatten, provides point-by-point information on the does and and don’ts of writing about travel.  Along with MANY helpful points in her book, you will be guided through the step-by-step process of writing your first article, how to find places that might publish it, how to communicate with publishers, and so very much more.  You will want to have the publication close at hand as you work through the steps necessary. It’s actually written in the form of a course on writing, with assignments.

Here are the chapter titles for the book to give you just a tiny taste:

• What You Need
• Course Overview
• Class Outline and Assignments
•  Topic #1 - Specializing & Specifics
• Topic #2 - Bright Ideas
• Topic #2 - Selling Your Article
• Topic #4 - Building Blocks
• Topic #5 - Story Structure & Headlines
• Topic#6 - Writing Finesse
• Topic #7 - Travel Photography
• Topic #8 - Toning Up
• Topic #9 - Ethics & Etiquette to Nuts & Bolts
• Habits
• FAQ
• Back to the Beginning

Have those headings, and the idea of writing about travel and how to do it, got you curious?  Then please head over to Travels and Escapes for more information about this instructional eBook and how to purchase it…I believe you receive 3 free reports with the eBook.

To read other impressions and thoughts about this book, follow the tour…the next stop will be at “Blogging Roads” by Julie Roads either later today, or tomorrow, November 18th.