tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76736944065148617052024-03-14T01:34:12.031-07:00Read Indies Book Blog -- Discover Authors + Books. Hosted by indie author Robert Stanek. Read IndiesA book blog for authors and readers founded in 2007 by indie writer Robert Stanek, Read Indies is a community of authors and readers dedicated to supporting independently published books. Join Robert Stanek and the Go Indie bloggers, help spread the word about independently published books. Get involved by participating in Go Indie, Read Indies + Free Today events / activities on Facebook, Twitter and beyond. Visit www.robert-stanek.com to learn more about our founder, or www.williamrstanek.comGo Indiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02378150972130213855noreply@blogger.comBlogger161125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7673694406514861705.post-80648476056152766692023-01-16T12:22:00.043-08:002023-07-11T12:35:55.054-07:00 The Devil Writes Heart-warming Romance Novels While Targeting with Hate<p>Internet trolls started targeting Mr. Stanek because his Robert Stanek books were highly successful self-published, in print-on-demand and e-books at a time before self-publishing, print-on-demand and e-books were widely accepted. It’s really that simple. Robert pretty much ignored them and that should have been the end of it except the trolls were actually friends of several direct competitors who were traditionally published, largely unsuccessful and rather desperate to make their own names off someone else’s hard work. </p><p>Several actual self-published, print-on-demand authors jumped on to try to legitimize themselves at Robert's expense. Basically, so they had someone to point fingers out and send the mob after so that their books were left alone. Emily and I (Cathy) here have named two of them and will continue naming names until all the harm done Robert is undone. M.F. in 2018 and C.A. in 2022.</p><div>Since 2018, when Emily and I (Cathy here) added M.F. to the list of authors targeting Robert Stanek, we’ve received several dozen comments directing us to blogs and places written about her targeting of other authors, her using fake writing awards, her using fake reviews, her using fake ratings, whatever. We understand some of the sites mentioned are important. </div><div><br /></div><div>Yes, Fiverr Report was the first to expose all the paid reviews written by Fiverr businesses and resulted in Amazon.com suing 5,000 paid review businesses who were responsible for some 50,000-100,000 fake reviews a day (millions a month) going up Amazon.com, Goodreads.com and whatever. </div><div><br /></div><div>Yes, Amazon Report, was the first to expose more and got Amazon.com to take more action against thousands of other fake review businesses. No, we won’t be posting your links. Yes, we appreciate you taking the time, but please stop. </div><div><br /></div><div>Yes, we understand M.F. has around 500,000 mostly fake reviews and ratings between Amazon.com and Goodreads.com. </div><div><br /></div><div>Yes, we know how ludicrous, given M.F. has as almost as many reviews and ratings as J.K. Rowling on those sites on 1/100,000th the number of sales. </div><div><br /></div><div>Yes, we are aware money can buy just about anything if you throw enough around. We were part of the Read Indies team covering the U.S Justice Department's prosecution of a massive fraud scheme involving Amazon employees targeting people like Robert with fake negative reviews, using their inside access to Amazon's network to suspend accounts and product listings, remove favorable reviews and commentary, post spurious comments to intimidate victims and drive away customers, and more. </div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: courier;">In his article, Justice Department Identifies Ten Amazon Staff Accepting Bribes, Writing Fake Negative Reviews, Targeting Products for Take Downs, Robert was one of the first to cover this before Amazon.com buried the news. @ https://robertstanek.blogspot.com/2020/09/doj-ids-corrupt-amazon-employees.html<br /><br />Read Indies covered it as well: Amazon Employees Caught Red-Handed Yet Again Using Fake Negative Reviews to Spam Rivals @ https://readindies.blogspot.com/2020/09/amazon-employees-caught-red-handed.html</span></div><div><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: courier;">The DOJ announced the indictments in September 2020 and there have been four trials since resulting in the Justice Department proving their case all four times. Amazon.com buried the news of all four cases, which involved Amazon employees </span></div><div><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: courier;">Targeting people like Robert with fake negative reviews</span></li><li><span style="font-family: courier;">Using their inside access to Amazon's network to suspend accounts and product listings</span></li><li><span style="font-family: courier;">Using their inside access to Amazon's network to</span><span style="font-family: courier;"> </span><span style="font-family: courier;">remove favorable reviews and commentary</span></li><li><span style="font-family: courier;">Posting spurious comments to intimidate victims and drive away customers</span></li><li><span style="font-family: courier;">More</span></li></ul></div><div><br /></div><div>Emily and I take full responsibility for listing M.F. in the list of those who have publicly and privately targeted Robert Stanek because M.F. did. </div><p>M.F. was added to the list in 2018, and otherwise no mention of her or her work has or was ever made by anyone here or by Robert himself, except in a snarky post in his Around the Town Books blog read by 42 people so far (and probably all M.F. herself) since November 2013. So how exactly did Robert deserve it? Did he time travel?</p><p>Emily and I <i>re-iterate and underscore</i> this to counter what M.F. has been saying since she started all these hate activities directed at Robert in the mid-to-late 2000s and is saying still to rally people to support her work and target Robert.</p><p>M.F. being supposedly bullied is a constant theme since her friends created STGRB nearly twenty years ago. Stop The Good Reads Bullies gushed on and on about how M.F. and several others were supposedly being bullied at Good Reads when if anyone looked and lots of us did, no such reviews existed ANYWHERE targeting the two main people (M.F. and another) let alone Good Reads.<br /><br />The real reason STGRB was created was to rally support for M.F. and that other person who were supposedly being bullied and to get others to write reviews of and support their work. It worked tremendously well for M.F. and that other person, not so well for the ones listed who were actually being bullied. Meanwhile M.F. was actually the bully or one of the bullies. One of her targets at the time was Robert. M.F. got her friends who created STGRB for her to even list Robert as a supposed fraudster, so that the people supposedly protecting M.F. from bullies became bullies and targeted Robert with hate-filled negative reviews. </p><p>This is a repeating pattern with M.F. If you read Robert’s blog or any of the related posts within Read Indies, you know: Robert is blamed for something, so whatever is done is supposedly retaliation, only Robert has never done anything except defend himself in a few blog posts, written in his own blogs and here within Read Indies.</p><h3 style="text-align: left;">M.F. targeted Robert Stanek for a multiple of reasons:</h3><p>1. Robert's a white male in a publishing world dominated by white males. Emily and I understand the frustration M.F. must have been feeling back in the early-mid-late 2000s being unsuccessful as a self-published author. How terrible it must have been to see yet another greatly talented white male be so successful when M.F. couldn’t even give her books away. No, no, no, no, no one DESERVES to be harassed because they are a successful white male author. Robert paid his dues, earned his place just like everyone else.</p><p>2. Robert's Bugville Critters books were mentioned in a nominating for an award on Kindle Boards where M.F. was an active daily member, just as Emily and I were at the time. So let us get this straight, only the magnificent M.F. can be mentioned or nominated for any awards and anyone else becomes a subject for harassment? And yes, we were there at Kindle Boards when M.F. instigated and had you know who send the mobs after Robert claiming he was a fraud and all the reviews on his books were fake. Yep, all few hundred of them across more than 50 RS books. Gosh, there were a few that even had 11 or 12 reviews. Oh how horrible it must have been for M.F. to read real reviews when all hers were fake.</p><p>3. Robert’s a veteran, a combat veteran. Emily and I don’t understand or condone targeting anyone because they served in the military. Millions of men and women in our country have served in the military, and then also targeting someone for harassment and vilifying because they served in combat or claim that a medal from their combat is stolen valor when you know otherwise because you saw their combat memoir at Amazon.com along with the extensive professional review from the Journal of Electronic Defense? Our response is what-the-f*ck. And then not only go after someone claiming these things but then to get others to join in? There are no words and it beggars belief. And yes, we were there at Kindle Boards when M.F. instigated and had you know who send the mobs after Robert claiming stolen valor and lies about his military service.</p><p>4. Robert's Bugville books were mentioned in The Wall Street Journal. How that must have bruised M.F.’s ego because as Emily and I saw M.F. went all out after Robert within Kindle Boards claiming it was all lies. We read the posts as Robert explained his Bugville books in audio were written about. The real issue: M.F. was unsuccessful at the time and couldn’t get her books into audio. Audible was only accepting professional books from successful authors at the time. The result? M.F. got mobs to flood Audible and Good Reads with negative reviews, which piled on top of the fake negative reviews from internet trolls and instigated you know who to create a site targeting Robert and his work. A site she still contributes to.</p><p>Here is horrible, horrible things written about M.F. (sarcasm, it’s not) from Robert’s sole commentary ever about M.F. We put it here in entirety along with notes as M.F. has been claiming Robert wrote such horrible, horrible things about her that she had to defend herself and that’s why she did what she did. Important to point out as we said before that M.F. started all these hate activities directed at Robert in the mid-to-late 2000s, and Robert's post is from November 2013. </p><p>Incidentally, if you read Robert’s blog or the posts here within Read Indies, you know how that works: Robert is blamed for something, so whatever was done is supposedly retaliation, only Robert has never done anything except defend himself in a few blog posts, written in his own blogs and here within Read Indies.</p><p>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Attention All Authors You Must Now Have M.F. Explicit Permission Before You Publish Or Promote Your Works!</h3><p>Snark ahead...</p><p>Henceforth and retroactively to the beginning of time, all authors must have M.F.’s express written permission before publishing any book, article, short story, or any other creative work. Before discussing or promoting your work by any means or in any form, you also must have M.F.’s express written permission.</p><p>If you are or claim to be a bestselling author, henceforth and forever (and retroactively to the beginning of time and after getting express written permission from M.F.), you must explicitly state all details regarding such matters. Specifically, you must state that you are “A _(Insert Name)_ Bestselling author For _(Insert Date/Time)_ for a _(Type of Work)_ work called ________, which appeared on the _________ bestselling list in the # ______ position.” You must then link to screenshots of the bestseller listing that have been independently certified by the White House and signed by the President of the United States, forgoing that you must have M.F.’s signature. As clickable links are not permitted on book covers or in most promotional materials, you must add the screenshots to your book covers or other promotional materials.</p><p>No longer is it possible for any author anywhere to state they are a bestselling author, a USA Today bestselling author, a New York Times bestselling author, etc or to print such things on any book cover or use in any promotional materials. You must now state explicitly all details regarding such matters. For example, you must state that you are “A New York Times Bestselling author For the Week of October 25, 2013 for a fiction work called Tiger Little, which appeared on the New York Times Children’s Bestseller list in the #23 position.”</p><p>You must then link to screenshots of the bestseller listing that have been independently certified by the White House and signed by the President of the United States, forgoing that you must have M.F.’s signature. As clickable links are not permitted on book covers or in most promotional materials, you must add certified screenshots to your book covers or other promotional materials, such certification to be performed solely by M.F. or her designated appointee.</p><p>An example of the mandatory covers now universally required</p><p>(shown without the required certified screenshots).</p><p>*Your actual cover or promotional materials</p><p> must also include certified screenshots.</p><p>Further, if you or your book are mentioned in the press, you must always state the exact specifics any time you mention such. Specifically, you must state that you are “The _(Insert Name)_ recommended _(Name/Work)_ on _(Insert Date/Time)_ in a/an _(Insert Type of Media Item)_ called _(Insert Title of Media Item)_. The _(Insert Type of Media Item)_ was written by (Insert Name, Title of Media Item Author)_ as can be verified by _( Media Item Author’s Manager)_ and _(Insert Name/Title of Executive Manager). The exact quote is “_______________” You must then link to screenshots of the article that have been independently certified by the White House and signed by the President of the United States, forgoing that you must have M.F.’s signature. As clickable links are not permitted on book covers or in most promotional materials, you must add certified screenshots to your book covers or other promotional materials.</p><p>Thus, no longer is it possible for any author anywhere to state they were featured, recommended or talked about in The New York Times, Publishers Weekly, etc or to print such things on any book cover or use in any promotional materials. You must now state explicitly all details regarding such matters. For example, you must now state “The New York Times recommended Anastasia Washington’s book Jump Up & Down on October 25, 2013 in an article called Talking About Authors in New York. The article was written by M. J. Dungbury, Around the Town Features Reporter for The New York Times as can be verified by Kathy Klinkbot, Managing Editor for The New York Times and J. J. Harrington Chairman of the Board of The New York Times. The exact quote is “When it comes to bicycle jumping, the book Jump Up & Down is a good resource. Jump Up & Down tells the story of a bicycle paratrooper from World War II who loved pinto beans and ate nothing but for 83 years.”</p><p>You must then link to screenshots of the media item that have been independently certified by the White House and signed by the President of the United States, forgoing that you must have M.F.’s signature. As clickable links are not permitted on book covers or in most promotional materials, you must add the screenshots to your book covers or other promotional materials.</p><p>At times, and at M.F.’s whim and fancy, none of the above may be acceptable either. In such cases, you must fly to M.F.’s hometown, and beg mercy while bathing her feet in warm, rose-scented waters. However, being a Vulcan, M.F. does not actually understand simple human compassion, empathy, decency, fairness or any other silly human sentiments or emotions, though she does a superb job of feigning that she does. Thus, if the feet bathing ceremony does not work out in your favor, you are expected to do the universe a favor and commit hari-kari. If you are lacking a blade with which you can commit hari-kari, one will be provided to you for your one-time use, provided you return the blade postage-paid and professionally cleaned.</p><p>*These rules do not apply to Melisa Foster, Friends of Foster, or those who have been granted mercy after bathing the All God's feet in warm rose-scented waters.</p><p>**Professional cleaning of the hari-kari blade ensures the next victim does not have second thoughts about committing hari-kari. Be sure to make arrangements prior to committing hari-kari.</p><p>***Failure to follow these mandatory requirements, except as permitted in the forgoing, will result in severe consequences, up to and including a lifetime of stalking, harassment, and intimidation all done with a smile.</p><p>**** Questions, comments, and/or suggestions should be directed to Her Benevolence, Dictator of the World, All God, One True God of the Whole Entirety of the Known (And Unknown And Yet to Be Known) Universe, Her Majestic Supremeness And All Knowing Omnipotence M.F.</p><p>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Yep, That's It</h3><p>Yep, that’s it. The horrible, horrible thing Robert did in response to 1, 2, 3 and 4 listed above. It’s goes without saying that Robert is one of the truest, nicest, most considerate and honorable people you could ever meet, because if someone had done 1, 2, 3, and 4 to Emily or me? There are no words to describe our response.</p><h2 style="text-align: left;">More Background</h2><p>Again, Internet trolls started targeting Mr. Stanek back in the early 2000’s because his Robert Stanek books were highly successful self-published, in print-on-demand and e-books at a time when self-publishing, print-on-demand and e-books weren't widely accepted. It really is that simple. Robert pretty much ignored them and that should have been the end of it except the trolls were actually friends of several direct competitors who were traditionally published, largely unsuccessful and rather desperate to make their own names off someone else’s hard work. </p><p>On to 2005, The Kingdoms and the Elves of the Reaches books are #1 Audible bestsellers, featured on Audible’s home page for two months, where they top the charts for 26 weeks and stay in the children’s/YA top 10 for two years, along with several other Robert Stanek books, like The Pieces of the Puzzle, which was #10 on the site and #1 Mystery/Thriller. These trolls and competitors went nuts with their vitriol targeting Robert, telling tens of thousands in their blogs, in chat rooms and message forums, Robert was a self-published fraud, whose books were unreadable and had never been bestsellers ever. It’s ludicrous that anyone believed this with his books right there on the Audible home page and #1 for the entirety of Audible, but hundreds did and they enlisted others to join them in trashing Robert’s books.</p><p>Robert’s only comments ever about this were on his blog, robertstanek.com/rsblog.htm, where he posted notes to readers like this one from 2003:</p><p><span style="font-family: courier;">Happy Holidays! Thanks to all the dedicated readers who continue to read and support my books. Believe me, it's not easy to make it as a small press author, and the dedication of fans is truly appreciated. </span></p><p>And this one from 2004:</p><p><span style="font-family: courier;">2004 is proving to be a great year for my books and I want to thank all the fans for their support. Over 250 schools in the U.S. have started using the books in the classroom. I want to thank all the educators who have taken the books under their wings and continue to support my work. I hear from excited readers every day about how the books have changed their lives and helped them rediscover a love of reading.</span></p><p>His second and fourth post to readers—ever.</p><p>And his sixth post from later in 2004:</p><p><span style="font-family: courier;">Dear Readers,</span></p><p><span style="font-family: courier;">Happy holidays, I hope you and yours have a wonderful holiday season and a joyous new year—and I really mean it! Once again, I want to thank the many readers (the true fans) for helping to spread the word about my books, the many teachers who have taken the books under their wings and are using the books in the classroom, and all the people who are now hard at work on international and illustrated editions of my books.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: courier;">The most exciting news I have to share with fans is the work on international and illustrated editions of my books. RP Books is working with many talented teams of international publishers, artists and translators to bring my books to new readers all over the world. These and other editions are or will soon be available in the U.S., Canada, UK, Spain, Belgium, Greece, Korea, Russia, Turkey, Italy, Australia, New Zealand, and elsewhere.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Robert Stanek had sold translation rights to The Kingdoms and the Elves of the Reaches books in 14 countries at that time.</span></p><p>By October 2005, the news was even bigger:</p><p><span style="font-family: courier;">Dear Readers,</span></p><p><span style="font-family: courier;">Huge thank you to the dedicated fans who continue to read my books and tell others about them. Back in early September, I promised fans big news for October and a few answers too.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: courier;">Ruin Mist and Magic Lands movies seem to be the news everyone wanted. Unfortunately, I can't deliver anything new. DreamWorks and others did express interest in 2002. Valhalla Motion Pictures and others did express interest in 2004. Nothing else to report.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: courier;">Translation and rights news continues to be good. Currently, in discussions with publishers in Brazil, Germany, Spain, France, Portugal, China, Taiwan, Japan, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, and elsewhere. Translations of the books are underway in Spanish, Turkish, Vietnamese, Korean, Russian, and several other languages. Scholastic is considering publishing paperback editions.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Now you can see why these competitors and their troll friends targeting Robert went nuts. While his books were #1 Audible, they were running around telling tens of thousands in their blogs, in chat rooms and message forums, Robert was a self-published fraud, whose books had never been translated by anyone, had never been bestsellers, had never been whatever you fill in the blank. This same pattern held for many years.</span></p><p>From 2007-2009, multiple literary books for readers, teachers and parents included Robert’s books like Popular Series Fiction for Middle School and Teen Readers: A Reading and Selection Guide. A Publisher’s Weekly cover story on fantasy novels, included Robert’s books. Several children’s magazines write about Robert’s children’s books, Bugville Critters, including Children’s Bookshelf part of Library Journal/School Library Journal and Parenting Magazine. His Ruin Mist books were included in a Publisher’s Weekly cover story about Fantasy novels. VOYA a literary magazine for YA librarians, wrote a fantastic review of The Kingdoms and the Elves of the Reaches books that among other glowing statements said:</p><p><span style="font-family: courier;">>>>>Dramatic illustrations draw the reader into the Tolkienesque world of Ruin Mist, plunged into darkness after a Great War five hundred years past. Blaming magic for their demise, the Kings of Men have decreed that all things magical be destroyed. Yet despite their efforts, the magical Dark Lord is slowly returning to power. Another bloody battle is foreshadowed for Ruin Mist when Adrina, the spoiled and lonely princess of Imtal, is visited by a mysterious woman who predicts Adrina's ghastly future. Meanwhile in the kingdom of Elves, Seth, devoted First of the Red Order of the Queen Mother Elf, is sent on a journey across the Great Sea to prevent war. Stuck somewhere in the middle is Vilmos, a young magical boy-who-would-be-mage, abducted for his own safety by a Yoda-like guide named Xith. All three journey to an unknown fate against treacherous and sometimes supernatural foes. Stanek augments the beginning of this complex tale with illustrations that are sure to attract fans of graphic novels and classic Tolkien alike-the only weakness in the illustrations is their scarcity. Stanek will likely draw a cult following, but his work is not for the novice fantasy reader. A complicated glossary at the end includes twenty-two pages of "People, Places, and Things in Ruin Mist," complete with geographical references, family lineages, and extraordinary sketches. Despite the sophisticated plot, however, this cliffhanger guarantees fans, and those fans will be ready to wield their swords against the Dark Lord in Stanek's next installment. (VOYA) <<<<</span></p><p>Meanwhile, these competitors and their troll friends ran around telling tens of thousands in their blogs, in chat rooms and message forums, all his reviews were fake no professional magazine or reviewer had ever written a review or even mentioned his books, he was making it all up. Ludicrous that hundreds listened to them? Yep, but hundreds did and they enlisted others to join them in trashing Robert’s books.</p><p>In 2004, Robert published a heart-wrenching nonfiction memoir and tribute to those he served with about his combat tours in the first Iraq war. The memoir was written about and reviewed in multiple magazines, including a full-page review in The Journal of Electronic Defense:</p><p><span style="font-family: courier;">>>>>>"Hard to put down.... It is impossible not to share the relief and pride of the individual crew members when the attack missions they protect exit Iraq safely.... Another side of the book lets the reader ride along when Stanek's plane has two engines quit in the war zone." (The Journal of Electronic Defense)<<<<<</span></p><p>Here’s where things turned really dark, as these trolls and competitors ran around telling tens of thousands in their blogs, in chat rooms and message forums Robert had never served in the military, never been in combat and hadn’t earned the Distinguished Flying Cross. Robert was flooded with death threats and stolen valor accusations and had to hire protection for his children and family for the next five years as a result. No one cared everything being said was a lie.</p><p>Incidentally, well before this, these competitors and trolls knew Robert Stanek was a pen name for William Stanek. Robert’s full name is William Robert Stanek, and he does of course write as William Stanek and Robert Stanek. His William Stanek books had been bestsellers since his first one was published in 1995 by Macmillan.</p><p>An interesting timeline in all this is his career in print when all this was happening:</p><p>He wrote stories in the 1990s, which were publishing limitedly in magazines, one winning an award in a National Awards program where he met Ronald Reagan and George HW Bush who were trustees of the program at the time.</p><p>By the mids 1990s, he had 10 or so published books, which were bestsellers for Simon & Schuster, Penguin Random House, Macmillan, McGraw-Hill, TimeWarner.</p><p>By the late 1990s, he had 35 published books, which were bestsellers for Simon & Schuster, Penguin Random House, Macmillan, Microsoft, McGraw-Hill, HarperCollins, TimeWarner.</p><p>By the early 2000s he had more than 50 published top-selling books, more than 40 as William and the rest as Robert. His professional publishers at the time are IDG, Simon & Schuster, Penguin Random House, Macmillan, McGraw-Hill, Hachette, Microsoft, Wiley, TimeWarner.</p><p>By the mid 2000s he had more than 75 published top-selling books, more than 60 as William and the rest as Robert. His professional publishers at the time are IDG, Prentice Hall, Simon & Schuster, Penguin Random House, Macmillan, McGraw-Hill, Hachette, HarperCollins, Pearson Education, Cengage Learning, Microsoft, Wiley, TimeWarner, O'Reilly, and HMH.</p><p>By the late 2000s he had more than 110 published top-selling books, more than 75 as William and the rest as Robert. His professional publishers at the time are IDG, Prentice Hall, Simon & Schuster, Penguin Random House, Macmillan, McGraw-Hill, Hachette, HarperCollins, Pearson Education, Cengage Learning, Microsoft, Wiley, TimeWarner, O'Reilly, and HMH.</p><p>By the early 2010s he had more than 150 published top-selling books, more than 90 as William and the rest as Robert. His professional publishers at the time are IDG, Prentice Hall, Simon & Schuster, Penguin Random House, Macmillan, McGraw-Hill, Hachette, HarperCollins, Pearson Education, Cengage Learning, Microsoft, Wiley, TimeWarner, O'Reilly, and HMH.</p><p>Today, Robert Stanek has over 250 published books, many with no or few reviews at all because they were flooded with fake negative reviews, many others still flooded with fake negative reviews. All from these despicable activities to destroy his career. </p><p>This should break your heart. </p><p>It breaks ours.</p><p><br /></p><p>Emily & Cathy</p><p><br /></p><p>P.S.</p><p>Pioneers like Mr. Stanek who are ahead of their time should be celebrated. Not only was he (writing as Robert Stanek) one of the earliest most successful self-published, print-on-demand and e-book authors, starting at the beginning of 2000. In 2001, he serialized the release of his first e-book, becoming the first author to serialize e-books in installments. </p><p>Since then Mr. Stanek has serialized the release of many of his novels, releasing the parts as he's writing and/or finalizing the works for publication, including The Cards in the Deck, Air War and After the Machines. His successful process is one (among a multitude of) reasons Amazon developed Kindle Vellas so authors could serialize the release of their work. </p><p>If you look at the reviews of Mr. Stanek's serialized work, you'll see all the fake negative reviews complaining about the work being serialized or only partially complete when it's clearly stated all over the place that that's the case. Why serialize? Because it was a successful way to release books so readers could get quicker access to new work, and because Robert's competitors recognized this and wanted to ensure his books weren't widely read like they deserve to be while they did exactly the same thing (in many instances) and have not a single derogatory review or complaint about their books being serialized or partial releases.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div><br /></div>Go Indiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02378150972130213855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7673694406514861705.post-57809461085894980682022-09-19T06:58:00.018-07:002022-11-14T09:26:07.801-08:00Update on DOJ Prosecution of Amazon Employees Accepting Bribes, Writing Fake Negative Reviews and Targeting Products for Takedowns in a $100M Fraud Scheme<p>An update from Robert Stanek on the Justice Department prosecution of 10 Amazon employees accepting bribes, writing fake negative reviews and targeting products for takedowns in a $100M fraud scheme:</p><p><a href="http://robertstanek.blogspot.com/2022/09/amazon-rings-of-power-reviews-blanked.html" target="_blank">http://robertstanek.blogspot.com/2022/09/amazon-rings-of-power-reviews-blanked.html</a></p><p>Something that resonated the most with Cathy, Shannon and I is in the addendum where Robert Stanek says:</p><p>-</p><p>For me personally, the very fact that the US DOJ proved in court that Amazon insiders were a part of these despicable activities was vindicating. Not only did the DOJ prove to be true and correct what I had been saying for years and years, the DOJ also proved in court that targeting products with fake negative reviews was only one part of a larger scheme to harm targeted companies and products. </p><p>Again, the DOJ proved in court that in exchange for bribes, corrupted Amazon staff facilitated attacks against competitors of those paying the bribes, using their inside access to Amazon's network to suspend competitors' accounts and product listings, remove favorable reviews and commentary, write fictitious negative product reviews designed to hurt sales, post spurious comments to intimidate victims and drive away customers, and much more. All much as I experienced it on the receiving end of what was meant to, and did, destroy sales of my books for years and years.</p><p>-</p><p>His original post about the case with the charging documents in case Amazon tries to make all this disappear again:</p><p><a href="http://robertstanek.blogspot.com/2020/09/doj-ids-corrupt-amazon-employees.html" target="_blank">http://robertstanek.blogspot.com/2020/09/doj-ids-corrupt-amazon-employees.html</a></p><p>Robert also has <a href="http://readindies.blogspot.com/2014/09/speaking-out-robert-stanek.html" target="_blank">written extensively</a> about the competitors and their friends involved directly with attacking his books and name. These include:</p><p>Melissa Foster (romance author)</p><p>Carolyn Arnold (mystery author)</p><p>David Langford (author)</p><p>Stephen Leigh (author)</p><p>Jim C. Hines (author)</p><p>Victoria Strauss (author)</p><p>David Louis Edelman (author)</p><p>Patrick Rothfuss (author)</p><p>Tim Spalding (Library Thing)</p><p>Maureen Johnson (author)</p><p>Adam Whitehead (Wertzone, Best Fantasy Books)</p><p>Patrick Dennis (Pat’s Fantasy Hot List, Best Fantasy Books)</p><p>Back when this started, authors like romance author Melissa Foster literally had hundreds of questionable reviews written by friends, family, associates and paid services. Melissa Foster and others now they have many, many thousands and thousands of questionable reviews. </p><p>How many Robert Stanek reviews were they talking about for all those years? A few hundred.... Yep, a few hundred, across the more than 70 books Robert had published at that time. But they didn't stop there. They and their friends kept at it for TWO DECADES because they needed a scapegoat to point fingers at.</p><div><br /></div><p>Thanks for reading,</p><p><br /></p><p>Team Read Indies</p>Go Indiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02378150972130213855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7673694406514861705.post-19958195545673152542021-07-10T18:50:00.007-07:002022-11-14T09:26:20.046-08:00The Courageous Only – It’s Not for the Faint of Heart<p>My dad, William Robert Stanek, was a real-life superhero, as
least to us kids, if not to the millions who built their dreams on the books he
wrote that taught them new skills and new ways of thinking. For those who keep
wanting to write my dad's obituary because of the years his pen has been
silent, I say regardless of whether he writes another word his millions of
published words already speak volumes, and his millions of unpublished words
will someday say even more.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ8ZItanJ43CMvFjcojXihxYvomcRj3tsYj_NkPQSLYLx-00I-gSHlbjITd8ocLX9YHEOgklWkkngHHFe0LmlPs-182IWCxpHqQHtUEgh3LKIC-P_e7E95lFlGw2l7vLUzBjMLRRS-lxZZ/s1422/Bill-Huicha-1990-p3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1026" data-original-width="1422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ8ZItanJ43CMvFjcojXihxYvomcRj3tsYj_NkPQSLYLx-00I-gSHlbjITd8ocLX9YHEOgklWkkngHHFe0LmlPs-182IWCxpHqQHtUEgh3LKIC-P_e7E95lFlGw2l7vLUzBjMLRRS-lxZZ/s320/Bill-Huicha-1990-p3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">circa 1990 when My Mom and Dad dreamt up World Galleries</div><p>On behalf of my dad, I want to thank everyone here at Go
Indie who has spoken up in support of my dad. It really meant the world to him,
late timing be damned. We’d all like to see him return to writing, but in the
meantime there are so many of his works already in print to be shared and
treasured. Just as my dad kept his William Stanek (mostly nonfiction) and
Robert Stanek (mostly fiction) work separate for many years, he also kept another
careful secret from the world: he and my mom’s work in the arts for World
Galleries which represents thousands of what have been called "some of the most iconic photographs in
landscape, architecture and travel photography over the past three decades" and hundreds of canvas paintings.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY5dVpxZbDxEmKjvboQMd112TI7b2lTFP7zxMnfSu5oKSZ_Ay5SmAgebhUEOnZvoaWnzWeyHI7M-wVtHgrloGHNmH1ss88pA0EtW7e6I7-ScYA37HNlnzNL_SKazvitD_eXrQaztfAgnFs/s1200/william-robert-stanek-writer-artist.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="785" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY5dVpxZbDxEmKjvboQMd112TI7b2lTFP7zxMnfSu5oKSZ_Ay5SmAgebhUEOnZvoaWnzWeyHI7M-wVtHgrloGHNmH1ss88pA0EtW7e6I7-ScYA37HNlnzNL_SKazvitD_eXrQaztfAgnFs/s320/william-robert-stanek-writer-artist.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Spring 2021, 1st Media Announcement regarding World Galleries </div><p>Humble to a fault, modest to a fault, my dad and mom kept
their secret for three decades while their work was celebrated around the world
and viewed billions of times. The global pandemic which forced my family to
permanently close our physical galleries changed all that. My dad and mom
stepped out from behind the scenes and we’ve started making their works
available in the online galleries at:</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">360 Studios (<a href="http://pictorem.com/gallery/360.Studios">pictorem.com/gallery/360.Studios</a>)<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">1North Studios (<a href="http://pictorem.com/gallery/1North">pictorem.com/gallery/1North</a>)<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">@24 Studios (<a href="http://pictorem.com/gallery/24">pictorem.com/gallery/24</a>)<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Robert Stanek Studios (<a href="http://pictorem.com/gallery/Robert.Stanek">pictorem.com/gallery/Robert.Stanek</a>)<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Now after months of effort, we have hundreds of original artworks available, and are seeking help in spreading the word so that my
dad and mom and the dozens of others their efforts support can continue their good
work for decades to come. As it has always been since inception, 80% of the profits
from any purchases go back to the artists themselves and the vast majority of
anything my dad and mom make go back into the business so they can support
other artists and their families.<o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm2dBKmnz0KbBWzS_Vf8BLDLhivWVVee-eDClpW6Gyuk_QBOUshjel9Ss8BRCx9zSrz_KHqoNR2_TeckTsh0GQ-ACAHWguNnJ5u9Ge74g3RhKsET-joPbUYYpY5y4cAiHDt6PtmP0j6qWQQ1wCJrABDYPuRXSTulRuohCMRRz6mm03l4Me4MTZIeRtKw/s1600/15-percent-commission-based-sales-world-galleries.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm2dBKmnz0KbBWzS_Vf8BLDLhivWVVee-eDClpW6Gyuk_QBOUshjel9Ss8BRCx9zSrz_KHqoNR2_TeckTsh0GQ-ACAHWguNnJ5u9Ge74g3RhKsET-joPbUYYpY5y4cAiHDt6PtmP0j6qWQQ1wCJrABDYPuRXSTulRuohCMRRz6mm03l4Me4MTZIeRtKw/s320/15-percent-commission-based-sales-world-galleries.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Commission-based sales opportunities</div><br /><p class="MsoNormal">As my dad always says, thank you for reading,</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">-Will</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">P.S.</p><p class="MsoNormal">This started out as a Father's Day tribute to my dad and ended up somewhere else entirely. If I were half the writer my dad is, it'd be so much better.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>Go Indiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02378150972130213855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7673694406514861705.post-89866446772100658402021-03-05T16:39:00.014-08:002022-11-14T09:26:28.133-08:00Robert Stanek: One of the Most Important Voices of Our TimeYes, we have made Go Indie into the Robert Stanek channel, especially as we're extremely sad that Robert has retired from writing for some years now and has not yet returned to the craft he dedicated his life to for three decades. Doubly so, as Mr. Stanek is not only one of the nicest, most sincere and honorable people you could ever hope to meet, but also one of the most important voices of our time, the author of some of the most important books of our time, and without a doubt one of the foremost thinkers of our time.<div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.williamrstanek.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJZn80SN8DU0YySL3taz8DdJY1_1h646SapHpxYePeCfTnCLkPXkkD1RJHzfWUHzL3iRi5mjBK9q3_JUdC9h0kY4bDOOoP2j_xZ5x0qkV5N-tOPjsuIq_7RE1R7BMAs12pi0lVIm-tPqhr/s320/bugville-robert-stanek.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">A tireless supporter of the disabled, veterans, libraries, books and schools, Robert has helped countless writers—hundreds really—over the many decades he himself has been a writer. He helped them get their start in the business. He provided resources to help them navigate the strange new online world. He helped provide resources to connect and educate them, more. Odd how they all turned their back on him when he needed them the most and simply because they were afraid of the online trolls and hateful people certain persons had at their disposal to trash Robert’s career with lies and fake news, and the career of anyone else who tried to tell the truth about what happened.</div><br />One of those writers Robert Stanek helped was me. After being laid off from my job as a teacher, with a newborn at home and alone after my husband abandoned us, my baby and I were a few unemployment checks away from homelessness. With no likelihood of employment as a teacher or anywhere with a newborn at home to care for alone (no one will hire a single mother with a newborn, just try it yourself and see) and with no support system, the children's books I had written over the years were my only hope. I had been sending them out to every publisher in North America and a few abroad, and receiving nothing but rejection letters in return.<br /><br />I was in a few support groups. One for writers, and a fellow would-be writer had a contract with Robert’s publishing company. She too had been getting rejection letters from publishers, until she got an acceptance letter from Robert’s company. An unknown, Robert’s company had taken a chance on her, and she was talking about how the opportunity changed her life. Not only monetarily, but also because someone finally believed in her enough to publish her work professionally. Her name is Jennifer Blake and like me, she herself has said she owes her start and success entirely to Mr. Stanek. <br /><br />I decided to send my work to his company too, to see if I’d be accepted. I told Robert my whole story as well, not knowing if he’d believe a word I was saying as I’m sure he’d heard sad stories like mine thousands of times before. Within a week, I was on a conference call with Jeannie, Robert himself, and Thomas from RP Books & Audio. When Robert asked if I thought I could write a book on whales for a nature series he was developing for beginners and early learning, I knew with my background as an elementary school teacher I could. Soon after, I had a contract for “Whales: The Complete Guide for Beginners and Early Learning”, and an advance check for $2500. <br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/#"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_DVZ9txu5gchkp54Nb0P_O68LbW8bErQKG3Np7-X97xf6fNqL7DHbmL0_9TRhNBq7STViFL6tqmirqGhcnTXSGJwsW7tCruSHoSPUflHx4oS320X4Cbvy4nO9aDgMhTCBaeSWLbImlI32/s320/whales.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>It was money that saved me and my baby from eviction and homelessness. It was money no one else would have, or had, offered, to help me keep it all together. Robert didn’t have to give me a check that big—or at all. I was a nobody. The series and the book ideas were entirely his. A different person, a New York publisher, would have offered $50 or maybe $250, but certainly not $2500. I was nothing but tears, tears of joy when I deposited the check.<br /><br />Days later, I was working with the development and illustration team at RP Books & Audio on the first of what would become multiple books for the company. My second contract for Robert’s company was to write an animal book for preschoolers and kindergartners in the My Animal series Robert developed. This book and series were also Robert’s ideas entirely.<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/#"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMkppgrXJEmuQXgSSEMWCSoTiP3W81CD-8QZ-vw6NnyiYc6LaBEBHWc7g7HerE-I3SgqGUAF8z09sgqZJGBYaYMpCJ-Y5-GSQjpnSJkr8f6qWnXyca-gtm-2swst3l6dlVEXrsyEZj1px1/s320/my-baby-animal-book.jpg" /></a></div></div><div><br /></div><div>The book itself was a handful of words on a handful of pages. Words anyone could have placed there, but Robert offered another $2500 contract. A contract no one else would have given me. I worked with the development and illustration team at RP Books & Audio on this book for a time.<br /><br />When I was done, when “My Baby Animal” book was finished, I realized something. I had received, in the course of working on these two books, an in-depth course on writing, illustration and publishing. Decisions I didn’t need to be privy to, I had been, and it had been Robert and Jeannie’s intent to teach me this. <br /><br />Next, Robert asked if I wanted to write a book on dinosaurs for beginners and early learning. This book would be in the same series as the whale book and have an advance of $5000 because Robert said it was going to be wildly popular (and it would be).<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/#"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9JQ_yeByW48x2sSCmkPnrd2vgb4PpkvQ8XN5gHv8hM4Oxf_hBqEow4yNN4kB1cSTUGTu7DIpIWR2qvrOdXaWhje2ig0Xer3B8ENeX6aUuTz-3IeVs7L5u6lCTPt_hPLzd4U8_QKj1OcEU/s320/dinosaurs.jpg" /></a></div></div><div><br /></div><div>Within a month of my having finished “Dinosaurs: The Complete Guide for Beginners,” Robert and Jeannie then went back to the ideas I had submitted originally and helped me develop the Tell Me series. The $25,000 advance and a 3-book series contract were more than I ever could have imagined possible.<br /><br />Robert and Jeannie worked with me to develop and write “Tell Me What You See?” Then we worked together on “Tell Me What You Love?” and “Father Christmas, Tell Me What You See?”. Books that wouldn’t even have been possible without their insights, advice, and assistance. <br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/#"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSwuIyJia1yR-SVyIchahXGFY9750LNV1z24g5QHNO6bUge-SSWBduImFXC3OWKckRSvqjSJfS7AbprmCFOkWIhX3Pl_tC5ddEp9B-pCdWEFRYTxuHz0pmxMN8xUI-TBKLEUGo7Ip1nUiM/s320/Tell-Me-What-you-see.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/#"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCKNyYQ9qYqeeoNcvUj6yRUtNyLkQXv3JrDj_opJm8vRKQbnJi53CllmzUEI7SMqq0sXdUDlD_iOPyPbiEmmS0JYD9DBba8mUNNJrxFkHYQeGzLXzFTD_6IujPozlGeM_yYvpgqObZ8VUE/s320/Tell-Me-What-you-love.jpg" /></a></div><br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin8OOaS6Ts5zrDvX1eQEw0-oIBwRwDn9dhIpBHSd76z4v5FGrFPg6LsjUTjvyCHr0Pu07NjNKp68liaqlH-HwWjGfmCWy-roFHIIWopBnprsFB9Ro-Bx3UqiEkDMJQnIezyoUsoiHnDzcw/s1024/Father-Christmas.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin8OOaS6Ts5zrDvX1eQEw0-oIBwRwDn9dhIpBHSd76z4v5FGrFPg6LsjUTjvyCHr0Pu07NjNKp68liaqlH-HwWjGfmCWy-roFHIIWopBnprsFB9Ro-Bx3UqiEkDMJQnIezyoUsoiHnDzcw/s320/Father-Christmas.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div>The first of my books was published within a year of finishing “Tell Me What You See?”, so about two years into our work together. Then the others were published in rapid succession, along with two compendiums that included my books. The first was “Wonderful Discoveries: Sharks, Whales, Dolphins and Sea Turtles.” The second was “My Great Big Animal Book.”</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzvpohAd0EpUfuM1W7hnPUEylNCjCESRdwoSSb2PPhfTSQCCiup7aUI89qT7nXEjxjY7pXtEUZtUz1qIdBjTpMQqq-RyoPdQELv_LUbVIFv7G59GB1MGqsQqaX1NxIwjndb-TQqTY3bYfy/s1024/My-great-big-animal-book.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzvpohAd0EpUfuM1W7hnPUEylNCjCESRdwoSSb2PPhfTSQCCiup7aUI89qT7nXEjxjY7pXtEUZtUz1qIdBjTpMQqq-RyoPdQELv_LUbVIFv7G59GB1MGqsQqaX1NxIwjndb-TQqTY3bYfy/s320/My-great-big-animal-book.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeGWl4roTPUh5c8nmMBwvGHBxn1h8e0S-SSN6v0p2jw3H0R6Q7EF8hr4IhBQjutKQdK4cC-uhPGZjLmvfACMmsXAhwMS695iLonshjnpHndI35Luk6wsWRb0535Qp2eGfqbP4sEngywvoc/s1024/Wonderful-Discoveries-Volume-1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="683" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeGWl4roTPUh5c8nmMBwvGHBxn1h8e0S-SSN6v0p2jw3H0R6Q7EF8hr4IhBQjutKQdK4cC-uhPGZjLmvfACMmsXAhwMS695iLonshjnpHndI35Luk6wsWRb0535Qp2eGfqbP4sEngywvoc/s320/Wonderful-Discoveries-Volume-1.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div>Now, over a decade into our work together, my books have been purchased and read by hundreds of thousands, earning me twenty-fold the original advances in royalties. My success as a writer? It helped me land my dream teaching job where I’ve been happily employed for seven years. Well, that, and letters of reference from Mr. Stanek, Jeannie and Thomas from RP Books and Audio.</div><div><br />Yes, to say publishing changed my life is the understatement of the century. But Robert Stanek is the one who made it all possible. Read and support his books. He’s earned it. Not only because he, inside and out, is one of the most beautiful human beings alive, but because his work is some of the most important work in print today. The 20th century had Theodor Geisel and JRR Tolkien, the 21st century has Robert Stanek. Learn more about Mr. Stanek at <a href="http://www.williamrstanek.com/">http://www.williamrstanek.com/</a>. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglt2g9937aPw51ebSq8zdlxm0Zzauzi4972fWCCEPr2i-JefnwRsaWWw1WQGwS6NxIUdB8vA4Jf4WJ6NHaG1OLijDhfFrEFpReDcgaRogrpKx11v5RBmi7hWq0Bu02GY9b5PS5CVgoW687/s1200/robert-stanek-career.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="861" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglt2g9937aPw51ebSq8zdlxm0Zzauzi4972fWCCEPr2i-JefnwRsaWWw1WQGwS6NxIUdB8vA4Jf4WJ6NHaG1OLijDhfFrEFpReDcgaRogrpKx11v5RBmi7hWq0Bu02GY9b5PS5CVgoW687/s320/robert-stanek-career.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div>Shannon</div></div>Go Indiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02378150972130213855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7673694406514861705.post-67062777523535757662020-09-19T18:32:00.042-07:002022-11-14T09:26:36.934-08:00Amazon Employees Caught Red-Handed Yet Again Using Fake Negative Reviews to Spam RivalsRivals have targeted author William Robert Stanek on Amazon.com for two decades while Amazon staff were paid to assist. Not only has William Robert been blogging about this extensive criminal operation for years, Justice Department investigations indicate these fraudulent tactics are potentially widespread, bringing indictments in Washington against six who bribed at least 10 Amazon staff. In exchange for bribes, corrupted Amazon staff facilitated attacks against competitors using their inside access to Amazon's network to suspend competitors' accounts and product listings, flood competitor product listings with fictitious negative product reviews designed to hurt sales, more. These self-styled "takedowns" against victim sellers used hateful commentary and other tactics to intimidate victims and drive away customers.<div><br /></div><div>Author William Robert Stanek recognizes all of these tactics as they have been used to harm and destroy sales of his books. Regarding this, he stated, "I've been on the receiving end for 20 years..... flooded with fake reviews, getting my books delisted, flagged, etcetera so competitors who were paying off Amazon could get ahead. Two of the names in the charging document are the same people who wrote me back if I dared to complain." </div><div><br />A grand jury in Washington has indicted six of those involved, more indictments expected. The trial gets underway October 15, 2020, and should result in criminal convictions against those indicted and the 10 or more corrupted Amazon employees involved, unless Amazon once again pays off the justice system to keep insider corruption out of the courts, as it did when more than 50 employees were caught setting up fake seller accounts on Ebay to lure buyers to Amazon--after years and years of doing so illegally and fraudulently.<br /><br />The group of fraudsters, which includes former Amazon employees, paid current Amazon employees to obtain confidential performance data on rivals that included revenue, customer bases and ongoing ad campaigns. Revenue information allowed the fraudsters to determine the most popular items of rivals and then specifically target those items with fake negative reviews, upvote negative commentary and more to destroy sales. Advertising information allowed the fraudsters to target items of rivals that were being promoted so the rivals could use fake negative reviews, upvoting of negative commentary and more to counter the adverting and destroy any potential sales boost. Rival products were periodically delisted, had reviews removed, were removed from search results, flagged as inappropriate and more to harm sales and ensure the success of the scammers. <div><br /></div><div>Amazon itself uses these unscrupulous tactics to target popular products of independent sellers in its marketplace after making Amazon-branded versions of the same. Using insider information about the independent products from sales data to customer base to private marketing and advertising campaign data, Amazon puts the rival sellers out of business. Not only has this allowed Amazon to gain an unfair competitive advantage in its marketplace monopoly, it has done irreversible harm to the very sellers it purports to support on its websites, putting many sellers out of business as well. Just one of many ways Amazon abuses and destroys third-party sellers and creates rival products to boost operating revenues and profits no matter the cost to feed and grow its trillion-dollar monopoly. </div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdwa/pr/six-indicted-connection-multi-million-dollar-scheme-bribe-amazon-employees-and">Six indicted in connection with multi-million dollar scheme to bribe Amazon employees and contractors</a> - The defendants, who include former Amazon staff, paid bribes to at least ten different Amazon employees and contractors. Since at least 2017, the defendants have used bribery and fraud to their benefit, resulting in more than $100 million of competitive benefits, to harm competitors and to harm consumers. In exchange for bribes, corrupted Amazon employees and contractors facilitated attacks against competitors using their inside access to Amazon's network to suspend competitors' accounts and product listings, flood competitor product listings with fictitious negative product reviews designed to hurt sales, more. These self-styled "takedowns" against victim sellers used hateful commentary and other tactics to intimidate victims and drive away customers.</div><div><div><br /></div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ8xkCxJldkv0VLmKfdKFjCBgmLvraXlB6Ht5Y3sRqPfrDzLt-2txcVp0sDXSnKkA-Vd9PRgv3IyUE6J5yhAA5ifpBU18juNrgu41rcbJU_HzLTTJK4TXAcPsk_qTaqOdLs7N-4skNu6Ia/s1236/Amazon-Lawsuit.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1236" data-original-width="976" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ8xkCxJldkv0VLmKfdKFjCBgmLvraXlB6Ht5Y3sRqPfrDzLt-2txcVp0sDXSnKkA-Vd9PRgv3IyUE6J5yhAA5ifpBU18juNrgu41rcbJU_HzLTTJK4TXAcPsk_qTaqOdLs7N-4skNu6Ia/s320/Amazon-Lawsuit.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-NZ_a2-fvF-YBHRDFOdhtKnm_tCPzsqU7rMSn2CBfdBPbQ8QIUFvEDSbRj4YZxVuPpsmWdpnw2_9btDrYoKvVodzjyWQ_Gx4gQbX10Ds6NNNp9MIVgInWUzx5Zkr9fqZsfO8QQcvs55Iw/s1216/Amazon-Lawsuit-Page2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1216" data-original-width="916" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-NZ_a2-fvF-YBHRDFOdhtKnm_tCPzsqU7rMSn2CBfdBPbQ8QIUFvEDSbRj4YZxVuPpsmWdpnw2_9btDrYoKvVodzjyWQ_Gx4gQbX10Ds6NNNp9MIVgInWUzx5Zkr9fqZsfO8QQcvs55Iw/s320/Amazon-Lawsuit-Page2.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLAUD5RMaAIaIm12C3nBMS0kWCCZu9lW9eSotRbsiQY629_BQLzgKWXgKHb66NaOQrFiH61Tj1AxF00cTzvtRogAeDnnJFm6Oa964GkupdqA8nJC_2tGBhReEriPSzSOpHUoQ0WWBF-JXJ/s1208/Amazon-Lawsuit-Page3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1208" data-original-width="880" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLAUD5RMaAIaIm12C3nBMS0kWCCZu9lW9eSotRbsiQY629_BQLzgKWXgKHb66NaOQrFiH61Tj1AxF00cTzvtRogAeDnnJFm6Oa964GkupdqA8nJC_2tGBhReEriPSzSOpHUoQ0WWBF-JXJ/s320/Amazon-Lawsuit-Page3.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2EpHfJXmFq06xV7gGCpNWZnEtHgjEWiZyqdR59u0JEKlxGCQ9vfo1QZD9mnDE5X1-H030w4dT3VMtA-EzLvtR1oTDYqBibGJfHdglumt2puRkogNjnotsM1zPfZwCrQZqtFWNDxy03kZT/s1208/Amazon-Lawsuit-Page4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1208" data-original-width="928" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2EpHfJXmFq06xV7gGCpNWZnEtHgjEWiZyqdR59u0JEKlxGCQ9vfo1QZD9mnDE5X1-H030w4dT3VMtA-EzLvtR1oTDYqBibGJfHdglumt2puRkogNjnotsM1zPfZwCrQZqtFWNDxy03kZT/s320/Amazon-Lawsuit-Page4.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWzgmB67aNHG27uaP8ScU52Fn6U95MAG32HYYp5S-TnBiqM8eJRvZ1euXoaNg-tOWQrLeXlcEU-HICT5fyTLOnNV869ivXvFTHoyQkeLpyJ2FLgVSxUOgL2ON3YtUjb0jIKIdk5euDrj-A/s1212/Amazon-Lawsuit-Page5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1212" data-original-width="996" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWzgmB67aNHG27uaP8ScU52Fn6U95MAG32HYYp5S-TnBiqM8eJRvZ1euXoaNg-tOWQrLeXlcEU-HICT5fyTLOnNV869ivXvFTHoyQkeLpyJ2FLgVSxUOgL2ON3YtUjb0jIKIdk5euDrj-A/s320/Amazon-Lawsuit-Page5.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>For more information, see:</div><div><br /></div><div><div><a href="https://www.theverge.com/2020/9/19/21446549/six-people-indicted-amazon-bribery-marketplace-third-party-sellers">Six people indicted in Amazon Marketplace bribery scheme to help third-party sellers</a></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2020/04/23/wsj-amazon-uses-data-from-third-party-sellers-to-develop-its-own-products.html">Wall Street Journal Finds Amazon Uses Data From Third-Party Sellers to Develop Its Own Products</a></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdwa/press-release/file/1317986/download">Amazon Employees Among Those Indicted for Insider Fraud</a></div><div><br /></div>Author Stanek's blog posts about the dirty tactics used to harm and destroy his book sales at Amazon go back decades. Here are some:<br /><br /><div><a href="http://readindies.blogspot.com/2014/09/speaking-out-robert-stanek.html">Speaking Out Against Ugliness in the Publishing Industry</a> - Indie authors continue to get a bum rap from traditional publishers and authors. <a href="http://readindies.blogspot.com/2014/09/speaking-out-robert-stanek.html">Read about the dirty tricks being used.</a><br /><br /><a href="https://robertstanek.blogspot.com/2019/09/amazon-employee-misconduct.html">Inside Job: Amazon.com Employee Stole Credit Data of 106 Million</a> Amazon.com is rotten to its core. This latest case of "employee gone bad" is yet another example of the widespread patterns of misbehavior, misconduct and mismanagement by Amazon.com employees that have been ongoing for the better part of two decades.<br /><br /><a href="https://robertstanek.blogspot.com/2019/09/amazon-fake-reviews-billions-robert-stanek.html">Amazon Reviews: Broken System</a> Between 1 in 3 and 2 in 3 product reviews on Amazon.com are fake. They are bought and paid for. They are written by friends and family. They are swapped and traded on Facebook. They are incentivized from readers.<br /><br /><a href="https://robertstanek.blogspot.com/2019/08/amazon-caught-in-pay-for-praise-scheme.html">Amazon Caught in Pay-for-Praise Scheme Involving Hundreds of Employees</a> Last August Amazon began recruiting so-called “fulfillment center ambassadors,” compensating them to generate praise for the company on twitter (and also elsewhere in social media and on Amazon’s websites). Several hundred employees have been enlisted into the highly questionable, unethical (and likely fraudulent) scheme so far.<br /><br /><a href="https://robertstanek.blogspot.com/2019/08/amazon-caught-in-pay-for-praise-scheme.html">Amazon Fraud Again: Amazon Employees Caught Creating Fake Ebay Seller Accounts</a> In 2018, at least 50 Amazon employees were caught red handed creating fake accounts on Ebay and accused of multiple federal crimes, including criminal conspiracy, fraud and racketeering. Over a period of years, the Amazon employees had created hundreds—if not thousands—of fake seller accounts to lure sellers away from Ebay’s marketplace.<br /><br /><a href="https://robertstanek.blogspot.com/2019/06/amazons-fake-reviews-robert-stanek.html">Amazon's Black Eye Deepens: A Public Sham/e</a> Speaking out about fake reviews has made me the target of the thousands who make their living writing reviews for pay. This continues despite Amazon's public dispute with over 5000 paid reviewers at Fiverr--no few of which were writers, who unable to make a living at writing, made their living writing reviews.<br /><br /><a href="https://robertstanek.blogspot.com/2017/02/amazon-still-has-review-problem-robert-stanek.html">Amazon Still Has a Review Problem. A Solution That Could Actually Resolve It.</a> A visit to Amazon will take you to lots of products with oodles of reviews and the problem is that it's extremely likely most of these reviews are bogus. What percentage? Estimates vary widely, but my research says about 60% or so. Simply mentioning this fact, as I have for many years, makes me a target for those who make their living at this—whether they are merchants selling products or those who make a living by writing product reviews.<br /><br /><a href="http://readindies.blogspot.com/2016/08/amazons-blackened-soul.html">Amazon's Blackened Soul</a> To date, there are about a billion reviews at Amazon sites that don’t meet Amazon’s own criteria for acceptability. This represents about 3 out of every 5 reviews. Is it any wonder when Amazon’s own management and executive staff are allowed to break the rules when it suits them to target an author whose book wasn’t as flattering as Amazon hoped it would be. Yes, I’m talking about....<br /><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><br /></div><div>Thanks for reading,</div><div><br /></div><div>Team Read Indies</div></div></div>Go Indiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02378150972130213855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7673694406514861705.post-14238443481284789242020-08-06T19:49:00.000-07:002020-08-06T19:49:51.243-07:00Goodnight Robert, Goodnight Moon, Goodnight Stars, Air & Noises Everywhere<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEEHwZtJLhj2AJYb8A5AWLt3Z7TYPVBa0owREVc_Vy2atDLTjs4mAn0HW-tyBms1aOIG6NREcAs-PRWiWeGpPeNmfNRiJgCjM-W6KpAvJhaug8INHWyFG5nzhMKYMzktDYxj73CnG03cWY/s1600/HangingOut3b.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="375" data-original-width="287" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEEHwZtJLhj2AJYb8A5AWLt3Z7TYPVBa0owREVc_Vy2atDLTjs4mAn0HW-tyBms1aOIG6NREcAs-PRWiWeGpPeNmfNRiJgCjM-W6KpAvJhaug8INHWyFG5nzhMKYMzktDYxj73CnG03cWY/s200/HangingOut3b.jpg" width="152" /></a>After hearing about Robert, I broke down in
tears, fits and sobs really, the kind reserved for family because Robert Stanek was
like a father to some of us in the writing community, a favorite uncle, Uncle
Robert, to others, and a valued mentor to a great, great many. So many writers,
hundreds really, owe their start in writing and careers to this guy, and the
same is true of thousands who work in Big Tech, on web-based platforms or in
web-based businesses. This guy taught them all how to set up those very
businesses. This guy who was larger than life. This guy who was so down to
earth. This guy who was so humble. This guy who so loved life. This guy who so loved
family. This guy who took care of everyone else. This guy who gave and gave and
gave over so many decades to so many and never asked for anything in return.</div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_21RupdwmZlPMj1DSFBYLk-MFgYFpkrYKkVVLwwRmt1XTXuxlNId6rdBQ67CuHuxiWL3684b61pRyg2d9uvFAxhUhRnacujqF9Lsai9lEu1hy08D-p1yNgkQBJJofuu87vjVxAtu8M8RP/s1600/RSnew2.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_21RupdwmZlPMj1DSFBYLk-MFgYFpkrYKkVVLwwRmt1XTXuxlNId6rdBQ67CuHuxiWL3684b61pRyg2d9uvFAxhUhRnacujqF9Lsai9lEu1hy08D-p1yNgkQBJJofuu87vjVxAtu8M8RP/s200/RSnew2.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Robert Stanek was always creating resources to help writers.
Writer’s Galley, Internet Job Center, Internet Daily News, others, his earliest
efforts in the mid ‘90s. Go Indie, Read Indies, Free Today, and others in the
mid ‘00s. He taught us all how to use social media, to create blogs, to use Facebook,
to use Twitter and beyond. He created and curated memes like #amwriting,
#amblogging, #epicfantasy, #kidslit and #teenlit. He led by example. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY7RZe7moCqiRsDcxJe1gX2goCl5-7ndWumNjSjTS5_kLGFmfHYCIt74P9Qg1DfiTtPGPKUeXmhhIDaFD6GlucwF1wOcKfYwVeR2kUNlJe3XRNI3vXiS206zS7Qh0MXOy7XEVwmGMbHjiG/s1600/robert-stanek-books.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY7RZe7moCqiRsDcxJe1gX2goCl5-7ndWumNjSjTS5_kLGFmfHYCIt74P9Qg1DfiTtPGPKUeXmhhIDaFD6GlucwF1wOcKfYwVeR2kUNlJe3XRNI3vXiS206zS7Qh0MXOy7XEVwmGMbHjiG/s200/robert-stanek-books.jpeg" width="200" /></a>By 2000, his professionally published books numbered over
100. Those books, published and distributed by the biggest names in publishing—IDG,
Simon & Schuster, Random House, Macmillan, Pearson, Microsoft, McGraw Hill,
Time Warner—blazed trails. At a time when few understood the world wide web and
its technologies, Robert was not only one of the few recognized world leaders
in the web and its technologies, he was the recognized world leader in
explaining how those technologies worked clearly and concisely. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy6Yk5ms9DulOe70busQuFcAdlSD3WvLiDJrFzztrVsamyV1XuUrSnfVnPGizjpRxWHGeVLRzsZ_zKxY4sWd0Ozvi5fAiwQY3APb7C11Z8bFpB8_LkrbS-MgZMK1ewRQR1H-FP_YT5wRdw/s1600/out.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="216" data-original-width="225" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy6Yk5ms9DulOe70busQuFcAdlSD3WvLiDJrFzztrVsamyV1XuUrSnfVnPGizjpRxWHGeVLRzsZ_zKxY4sWd0Ozvi5fAiwQY3APb7C11Z8bFpB8_LkrbS-MgZMK1ewRQR1H-FP_YT5wRdw/s200/out.jpg" width="200" /></a>Robert was a King maker, unmade by the very things he helped
establish. He put upstart Amazon on the map by writing about the company to his
audience of millions from its earliest days. He transformed Microsoft Press
from a publishing company its readers swore published books in a foreign
language called Microsoftese into one praised for publishing books in plain
language—that plain language approach Robert himself created and that praise
itself was for Robert’s books. His words and style were so beloved they eventually
became the plain language style of Microsoft itself.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpw_r8GXqXxUzOq11F7hWbVLFmNrdJZO31j9X_OJE0Q-a89n0ZznHrRCpVOomEuWFpHAPAkstJ2PLumMcWZpeSb-EfvSZkU8IYjF48UM5N8eYkQhTLCdGjCgpdmSVlADnfozuRu2i-1_7q/s1600/us2.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="301" data-original-width="200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpw_r8GXqXxUzOq11F7hWbVLFmNrdJZO31j9X_OJE0Q-a89n0ZznHrRCpVOomEuWFpHAPAkstJ2PLumMcWZpeSb-EfvSZkU8IYjF48UM5N8eYkQhTLCdGjCgpdmSVlADnfozuRu2i-1_7q/s200/us2.jpg" width="132" /></a>Credit where credit is due one might imagine, but instead as
Robert revealed through his varied writings and blogs, he got no credit for any
of it. At the end of the day, his work taught tens of millions, enriched the
pockets of his publishers, agents and managers, but left Robert and his family
with 3 cents on the dollar. Robert’s work was used in $1B-$2B (yes,
B-I-L-L-I-O-N $) worth of training courses and other Microsoft and
non-Microsoft work for which he never received a single cent. Not one. None.
Zero.</div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvhAEl41U6FaeWFRbzA5q8cGVvuoMB0T1NgpOOJnNKzA5I0JeA1Z8lFC0ZdJkcV9VVqAlhf6ER0yYp95gPHAqMxHb7T78-sPlpHHPc1uRxc5MeeVJJezvpvmCz-WzWRQYLpxEX6xXw6f-S/s1600/ds.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="192" data-original-width="300" height="128" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvhAEl41U6FaeWFRbzA5q8cGVvuoMB0T1NgpOOJnNKzA5I0JeA1Z8lFC0ZdJkcV9VVqAlhf6ER0yYp95gPHAqMxHb7T78-sPlpHHPc1uRxc5MeeVJJezvpvmCz-WzWRQYLpxEX6xXw6f-S/s200/ds.jpg" width="200" /></a>In 2000, Robert Stanek founded the modern indie author
movement with his breakout self-published books that transformed publishing and
the way we publish today. In 2001, Robert became the first indie author to
serialize an e-book at Amazon and has since gone on to write more than 150
indie books. In 2002, his Keeper Martin's Tale and Kingdoms & the Elves
books were the first indie e-authored books to top Amazon's bestseller lists.
In 2005, the same books were the first indie e-audiobooks to top Audible
bestseller lists where they dominated for the next three years (#1 fiction for
14 weeks 2005, 167 weeks Top 10 YA 2005-2008). His Kingdoms & the Elves became
one of the top grossing e-audiobooks of all time and was featured on the
Audible Home Page throughout the Summer of 2005.</div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLEJSpnNKaUvdTSqCFgOT8GW7jlVRtUD72SNbmK1cVEBrS24X-oahH5lqoYOP2aYBwg0UYk5OrZmi4M-MyUap8UME2tXuMpB9xYM8Xm2OCSuqR2FNlAO2gofHbe2FBwrizggDMcKQW2c8-/s1600/williamstanek-2016.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="866" data-original-width="500" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLEJSpnNKaUvdTSqCFgOT8GW7jlVRtUD72SNbmK1cVEBrS24X-oahH5lqoYOP2aYBwg0UYk5OrZmi4M-MyUap8UME2tXuMpB9xYM8Xm2OCSuqR2FNlAO2gofHbe2FBwrizggDMcKQW2c8-/s200/williamstanek-2016.jpg" width="115" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We all know what happens to those who are so far ahead of
their time that they seem to exist in a world of their own making. Robert had
climbed too many mountains, and those standing at the bottoms of those
mountains desperately wanted what he had, and so they did whatever it took to
take what Robert had created and claim it as their own or destroy it. Read
Robert’s heartbreaking posts about the things that happened to him and you’ll
know exactly what I’m talking about. We as a society love to tear down our
heroes. We tear them down with lies, with fake news. We puff ourselves up and
make ourselves look big, to make those who are larger than life look small.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh5cN5sHJkWBhA1bDd9kQ_BEx4Ym8WnUEfNl0-MIoOUe8jo2mjyAJu6FTgPSiPeJiiAjR8i-kvaAXn1DBdAyuAAA6b0Oexu5F6owWW3m4wUc8KB5rK2xAoPAM3kB7qXu6kD8oauXRgTr_X/s1600/HangingOut2b.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="395" data-original-width="232" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh5cN5sHJkWBhA1bDd9kQ_BEx4Ym8WnUEfNl0-MIoOUe8jo2mjyAJu6FTgPSiPeJiiAjR8i-kvaAXn1DBdAyuAAA6b0Oexu5F6owWW3m4wUc8KB5rK2xAoPAM3kB7qXu6kD8oauXRgTr_X/s200/HangingOut2b.jpg" width="116" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sad but true, strange but true, one of Robert Stanek’s
favorite sayings was dare to dream and he dared all of us to dream. Not only to
dream with him as he conquered the bestseller lists, which he did time after
time until he had so many number ones it seemed a thing unreachable in the sky,
but to dream our own dream, forge our own paths and to make of our writing and
lives whatever beautiful dream we could dream. Robert told me many times that
the empty page was friend, not foe, that he never knew a day of writer’s block.
He saw the empty page as a challenge, one that he was not afraid to answer, and
answer it he did. In his lifetime, over 20 million of his words were published
in over 250 books. I know from speaking with Robert that he has half as many
words unpublished, words that we all should hope are someday published. Robert
had much to say to the world, and his books indeed say much. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKsY1i6NqCtb6kfLsd52wZcdvUUmS-ePJNTeiZv2JGxRbshA64jZ24NwZf7TmPbttNEqojZxjCLXJoM9x1m9pytktoXXq27oHGvmGp3Lm0ZHoVuZw6eq92A-6EfbUQ5MDND2vb53eixsf0/s1600/Robert-Stanek.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="470" data-original-width="286" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKsY1i6NqCtb6kfLsd52wZcdvUUmS-ePJNTeiZv2JGxRbshA64jZ24NwZf7TmPbttNEqojZxjCLXJoM9x1m9pytktoXXq27oHGvmGp3Lm0ZHoVuZw6eq92A-6EfbUQ5MDND2vb53eixsf0/s200/Robert-Stanek.jpg" width="121" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Robert challenged us as writers to see the blank page as a
friend as well. He dreamed that his books would be his legacy, his way to
ensure his family was financially secure. My silence when Robert needed me the
most is something I will never forgive myself for. It was shameful. It was
disgraceful. It was dishonorable. I hope that Robert can forgive me, forgive
all of us, for not doing what we should have when it would have mattered most.
I’m sorry, Robert. Please, please forgive me. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLm9Gk-Uwplw91_-_KBUXSrNOgUbPhgjzdUFc83MIaXcWDSWxrIavoNK6km0m3XGTx8yr89Ch1rViVLKO_4RytL1L4r4GniaKJWWqTmWZogzARyB9O7c4N4R5DvmtKxKpNrmRI-70Gh_9f/s1600/Fun-Around-House.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="815" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLm9Gk-Uwplw91_-_KBUXSrNOgUbPhgjzdUFc83MIaXcWDSWxrIavoNK6km0m3XGTx8yr89Ch1rViVLKO_4RytL1L4r4GniaKJWWqTmWZogzARyB9O7c4N4R5DvmtKxKpNrmRI-70Gh_9f/s200/Fun-Around-House.jpg" width="135" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
To those reading my words, if you want to do one decent
thing today, one decent thing this week, read Robert Stanek’s books and tell
the world about them. It’s never too late to right a great wrong.</div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
You can learn all about Robert’s Bugville Critters at <span class="MsoHyperlink"><a href="http://www.bugvillecritters.com/">www.bugvillecritters.com</a></span>.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV_9r_-MYay-BTBDzV7iDTZs3eFVwEjDpGhred32QbxLnDrcOY_OOrxfJX4uiRoeuRjxdwGcHVh26y63fAzlEuQUmAtszsHyx6cCtEYrKvoNDVVmElkyS5RlEbKc2FUb-kv4_ixEQt71Kx/s1600/LetterstoBuster.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="785" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV_9r_-MYay-BTBDzV7iDTZs3eFVwEjDpGhred32QbxLnDrcOY_OOrxfJX4uiRoeuRjxdwGcHVh26y63fAzlEuQUmAtszsHyx6cCtEYrKvoNDVVmElkyS5RlEbKc2FUb-kv4_ixEQt71Kx/s320/LetterstoBuster.jpg" width="279" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
You can learn all about Robert’s Magic Lands at <span class="MsoHyperlink"><a href="http://www.magiclands.com/">www.magiclands.com</a></span>.
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsh5x6qe5wDs69czL7twiISTe4xrOxJW4W1tQbQLA54mXnehP0Vv8LF-NxjvZtJCPauT4gZTZe2S2VOapz0F-_WG1p16eU7cG8dz6uypDSMKNY4JhpI7U4oCPo6iAfCCargCqMWCTmXLw3/s1600/kindlem-rstanek.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsh5x6qe5wDs69czL7twiISTe4xrOxJW4W1tQbQLA54mXnehP0Vv8LF-NxjvZtJCPauT4gZTZe2S2VOapz0F-_WG1p16eU7cG8dz6uypDSMKNY4JhpI7U4oCPo6iAfCCargCqMWCTmXLw3/s320/kindlem-rstanek.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
You can learn all about Robert Ruin Mist at <span class="MsoHyperlink"><a href="http://www.ruinmistmovie.com/">www.ruinmistmovie.com</a></span>.
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNTE0xPNIjvmnJc3DJKMLr3JcmdDs5GrOP62ncEpytRSDSkE4qAspBsaYHz7V4jLiKeMvFcQvqKRHw0sWkUQ1vbUaat_-LJSoyczqho7ys85jHVicx005TedIfHlCey4W2flIwio9XQy3-/s1600/AftertheMachines.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="799" data-original-width="1200" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNTE0xPNIjvmnJc3DJKMLr3JcmdDs5GrOP62ncEpytRSDSkE4qAspBsaYHz7V4jLiKeMvFcQvqKRHw0sWkUQ1vbUaat_-LJSoyczqho7ys85jHVicx005TedIfHlCey4W2flIwio9XQy3-/s320/AftertheMachines.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
You can read Robert’s blog at <span class="MsoHyperlink"><a href="http://robertstanek.blogspot.com/">http://robertstanek.blogspot.com/</a></span>.
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0cNHxtboKD_VfpvFWYz-jbZGiGbC0cBr9A3VhuB74ca7TyR-9rj3Emc1e3PTHaRDmxU5mC8hNQUYlI2pdWgnn4ry0QGrj2HwNn8wCQKXYQKrqjBA-z6oHGys6qQAGrtYCMKRvTWzDZceF/s1600/HaveYou-RuinMist.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1100" data-original-width="1600" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0cNHxtboKD_VfpvFWYz-jbZGiGbC0cBr9A3VhuB74ca7TyR-9rj3Emc1e3PTHaRDmxU5mC8hNQUYlI2pdWgnn4ry0QGrj2HwNn8wCQKXYQKrqjBA-z6oHGys6qQAGrtYCMKRvTWzDZceF/s320/HaveYou-RuinMist.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
You can read about Robert’s Imagined Lands at <span class="MsoHyperlink"><a href="http://www.imaginedlands.com/">www.imaginedlands.com</a></span>.
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyjrHfcDRQjVCrg-YXFBRl4E2u8NGRM-tvXt3_UhF_5lzhoi7l5rnRz-EI-FAZG1NRc_XAscxWPge7zWDZVKodDSJZ9CeFEVECxOh6Q5I2-1fcrQ_PXkQu9cbwefa7vNdtue9kJVwZfmUv/s1600/WilliamStanek-CareerInPictures.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyjrHfcDRQjVCrg-YXFBRl4E2u8NGRM-tvXt3_UhF_5lzhoi7l5rnRz-EI-FAZG1NRc_XAscxWPge7zWDZVKodDSJZ9CeFEVECxOh6Q5I2-1fcrQ_PXkQu9cbwefa7vNdtue9kJVwZfmUv/s320/WilliamStanek-CareerInPictures.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
You can read about Robert’s writing as William Stanek at <span class="MsoHyperlink"><a href="http://www.williamrstanek.com/">www.williamrstanek.com</a></span>.
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqBcF6KM1_eemus-de2RkNtq7_IEFL3bbOKMV401YT_xtb__ryBe_LqDlMkadAAj6bobA_kVIYTa7uyTcb-7hE4CpgAQCdW_cc7r_lN0gAmiHq3dcEQlPBALl-ps5rXUst6MkC407OS3O9/s1600/WilliamStanek-CareerInPictures-Titles2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqBcF6KM1_eemus-de2RkNtq7_IEFL3bbOKMV401YT_xtb__ryBe_LqDlMkadAAj6bobA_kVIYTa7uyTcb-7hE4CpgAQCdW_cc7r_lN0gAmiHq3dcEQlPBALl-ps5rXUst6MkC407OS3O9/s320/WilliamStanek-CareerInPictures-Titles2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
More about Robert’s writing as Robert Stanek at <span class="MsoHyperlink"><a href="http://www.robert-stanek.com/">www.robert-stanek.com</a></span>.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiotlNNhyphenhyphenCdPDLYz3aRLqfCLZT5dEeV8O3fw6T7XgIPlit8F1rkJzZYbHH053GHubpOaDgBCTCEpOVkIXtaAO_TKiR2fQXMOo-LalNrSnJ_RGY9cIEc12EuSgISb_EO2g8Rmq0wC6u2qNo/s1600/BacktoBugville.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiotlNNhyphenhyphenCdPDLYz3aRLqfCLZT5dEeV8O3fw6T7XgIPlit8F1rkJzZYbHH053GHubpOaDgBCTCEpOVkIXtaAO_TKiR2fQXMOo-LalNrSnJ_RGY9cIEc12EuSgISb_EO2g8Rmq0wC6u2qNo/s320/BacktoBugville.jpg" width="256" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieDPZDU3yIqcizDhB67Hitpqs7sb52b3VpfKW5K4BryKPezfgv_gSEj5b396FxoN5uKJk6reWFGsaui11xwn1ygzuu-KRdjIBqL9taO1we_c6RgQe9kBU8jN6VXKFK-MkZc_AFqDcHvwAJ/s1600/BusterBee.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieDPZDU3yIqcizDhB67Hitpqs7sb52b3VpfKW5K4BryKPezfgv_gSEj5b396FxoN5uKJk6reWFGsaui11xwn1ygzuu-KRdjIBqL9taO1we_c6RgQe9kBU8jN6VXKFK-MkZc_AFqDcHvwAJ/s320/BusterBee.jpg" width="256" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW2YTT8IHhtlYZyet7mJzAxAggoGFEErXZ-BGWZg7cxlVlMjOO-BaUqZzsrmtCXwWAILkryI0Sww5q-6JTp6Ny4QkYtUkBiUyCu9lqfuJpo1nCxZ0PPuMXWnGkb1O2BK4VzdMJGdtMa8b_/s1600/LassLadybug.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW2YTT8IHhtlYZyet7mJzAxAggoGFEErXZ-BGWZg7cxlVlMjOO-BaUqZzsrmtCXwWAILkryI0Sww5q-6JTp6Ny4QkYtUkBiUyCu9lqfuJpo1nCxZ0PPuMXWnGkb1O2BK4VzdMJGdtMa8b_/s320/LassLadybug.jpg" width="256" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Any future posts here or elsewhere on Robert’s behalf will
be made by the indie writing team. Goodnight Robert, goodnight moon, goodnight stars, air & noises everywhere.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span face="" style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">- Cathy Thompson</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span face="" style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-yeDBp__cZ5Z4SvqJtwwXcUAsWvIXAeh4O0bGCrfC9QzkSOB1HMvsCVPxss6H6ptaDSY5B05tJHsN2GROE-7rCOsZ1aj4RF-6PcAA4PGp3gi91lxpJ7XwSAvn8Z3rk5hccMQQclvTsI-n/s1600/Robert-Stanek.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1123" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-yeDBp__cZ5Z4SvqJtwwXcUAsWvIXAeh4O0bGCrfC9QzkSOB1HMvsCVPxss6H6ptaDSY5B05tJHsN2GROE-7rCOsZ1aj4RF-6PcAA4PGp3gi91lxpJ7XwSAvn8Z3rk5hccMQQclvTsI-n/s320/Robert-Stanek.jpg" width="224" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrLKp-p18oRxbkAevbHniC0EjPhWJc9bsYrLZhfPOEt6ikptyo5gN2jM6kh68cBvStRsD1-tpmcSw9Lg0r75kDkMV9bS1mBFbjYdPhgdkbXPmNJ2WCSQeBAqCuKf8OEcCliwf29oiBVipi/s1600/the_end.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="862" data-original-width="656" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrLKp-p18oRxbkAevbHniC0EjPhWJc9bsYrLZhfPOEt6ikptyo5gN2jM6kh68cBvStRsD1-tpmcSw9Lg0r75kDkMV9bS1mBFbjYdPhgdkbXPmNJ2WCSQeBAqCuKf8OEcCliwf29oiBVipi/s320/the_end.jpg" width="243" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Go Indiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02378150972130213855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7673694406514861705.post-58758825272024236172020-07-10T16:17:00.001-07:002020-07-10T17:37:27.861-07:00Memories of the Long Road Home<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy-EpjgJVnfQQdVEjTHRoAPmnQfUWjukptPi2t8Ry1jP6YgDJnuCR1u9Tal-ldrY54dHbUIK2v6c3K0VJyrYSUmyhoBOYPG3d1u3hPczBbpfu3Q7zXGiRIzV61dhi4HHK7OaqMRsQCih0/s1600/rs-car.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy-EpjgJVnfQQdVEjTHRoAPmnQfUWjukptPi2t8Ry1jP6YgDJnuCR1u9Tal-ldrY54dHbUIK2v6c3K0VJyrYSUmyhoBOYPG3d1u3hPczBbpfu3Q7zXGiRIzV61dhi4HHK7OaqMRsQCih0/s320/rs-car.jpg" width="193" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My accomplishments during my military service earned me 29 commendations, including the Air Force Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal, the Air Force Commendation Medal, and the Humanitarian Service Medal. When I left the military, I was one of the most highly decorated in the command. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBk8oaotYHouDuiDMWje7leEg0nCh69IMpS1tcBHx1LIzrecCTYLlTx6LWEvU8hbPgoOg2TOzpcukHRqs8jbiKkJo3N82kQyFg84PomzCzylpTxJQJYXqwN2Kuqmt6D_CjkjQfZEbk3Ec/s1600/dfc2.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBk8oaotYHouDuiDMWje7leEg0nCh69IMpS1tcBHx1LIzrecCTYLlTx6LWEvU8hbPgoOg2TOzpcukHRqs8jbiKkJo3N82kQyFg84PomzCzylpTxJQJYXqwN2Kuqmt6D_CjkjQfZEbk3Ec/s200/dfc2.png" width="142" /></a>The base commander and my supervisors loved it when I put on my dress blues and participated in the various parades and celebrations on base, especially Memorial Day and the 4<sup>th</sup> of July. I've met royalty. A crowned prince, a princess of a city state, a queen. I've met and dined with presidents, including George W. Bush and Bill Clinton, and a few generals, including Colin Powell and H. Norman Schwarzkopf. They've offered their hands to shake, given toasts in my honor for my duty, for the distinguished flying cross pinned to my chest. Captains of industry have offered me the sky and moon for my ideas then robbed me blind, I've been praised for the hundreds of published works I've written over decades, and damned for the same. I've survived the worst of abject poverty, risen to the heights of high society, and fallen to the ugliest of depths. This is life, this is the life of a combat veteran.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcigXnSe_qieskxyVoBM0dra4vGf8uad_QklokbVMKkWfOU8HqkLsCAGIwrkUAPNhuS5UURQpkzkd8ZrWTZlCbsUXI-4OU6ogW8pfM3L5iPEJ_zh9w2zWqW8-SXkffFqRjj5UTGduDXs8/s1600/Storm.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcigXnSe_qieskxyVoBM0dra4vGf8uad_QklokbVMKkWfOU8HqkLsCAGIwrkUAPNhuS5UURQpkzkd8ZrWTZlCbsUXI-4OU6ogW8pfM3L5iPEJ_zh9w2zWqW8-SXkffFqRjj5UTGduDXs8/s200/Storm.png" width="192" /></a>With a somber 4th of July just behind us, yet another national-wide lockdown looming ahead of us, it’s a good time to look back and reflect. Much of my childhood is filled with pain, poverty and hunger, as I <a href="http://robertstanek.blogspot.com/2020/06/racism-in-america-poverty-in-america.html" target="_blank">write about here</a>. I served my country in foreign lands and during several tours of duty in combat zones, including two combat tours in Iraq. I flew on 32 combat missions from the opening days of the war to its end. In that time, there was never a day I didn’t stare death in the face and there was never a day death didn't stare back. AAA, SAMs and more came at us as we flew our missions. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3W6U2BnAKSjhRJv98Z9tn7ntJirRrsoF009ooQCVU0_xrbYaso7UvP9uFV8LimZECzPj4XoGv3ggh1u8BG1Atz7TIhwvYDsNSJDB2iC0gFNoqLUgdij_5bkHhyphenhyphen9zGmCz7xymutO9dv3il/s1600/AirWar-Complete-Episodes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="600" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3W6U2BnAKSjhRJv98Z9tn7ntJirRrsoF009ooQCVU0_xrbYaso7UvP9uFV8LimZECzPj4XoGv3ggh1u8BG1Atz7TIhwvYDsNSJDB2iC0gFNoqLUgdij_5bkHhyphenhyphen9zGmCz7xymutO9dv3il/s200/AirWar-Complete-Episodes.jpg" width="133" /></a>Because of that service, I will always know that when the darkest of hours arrives I will not hesitate. When asked, I answered. When called, I went. When death stared up from the void, I did not fear. I gave because it was my duty and because I felt it was the right thing to do.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I wrote about some of my experiences in my military memoir, <b>Stormjammers: The Extraordinary Story of Electronic Warfare Operations in the Gulf War</b>, which was featured in a full-page review in the Journal of Electronic Defense and on NPR. Originally released in 2006, the book was re-released in 2016 for the 25th anniversary of the war as <b>Air War: The Incredible True Story of the Combat Flyers</b>.<br />
<br />
Though a memoir, the book is largely a tribute to the men and woman I served with. It's written to be light, not as dark as the terrors that surrounded us or the terrors that stared up at us from the void. I suppose I could have focused on the death and the dying, the terror and the mayhem, but I was more interested in telling the story of the day to day, the story of the lives the war affected.<br />
<br />
I did this because the younger me, the young man who was, was filled with light and hope even though the traumas I endured rock me to my core. The older, more jaded me, probably would have written a much darker account, an account that delved into the many we lost due to mental break down, the many who went home broken even before the battles ended. The older me, probably would have named names of those who refused to go or to fly, would have recounted affairs, would have told you more about the little red pills--speed--they gave those of us who were left to keep going as our numbers dwindled and dwindled. That me, however, was not the me who wrote the book or recorded the memories in the journals that were the basis of the book.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If you read my memoir and I hope you do, I hope the book opens a window for you as big as the original experiences did for me. After combat, the world never seemed quite the same. The return to normalcy was a strange experience, never quite accomplished. I don’t, in fact, think I ever slowed down or ever quite touched the earth after those experiences. For it was afterward that everything in this world changed—that everything in this world became so clear. And afterward that I set my sights on the future and never looked back.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvZwpJ6BfunbPaWBWO_gH8l58pyX60n-5igFiQSPzK3eJjdbLde5M_m6WJ0CXr5l6JuUNCYiYlzNftW1mbT2l1_TjWUGJwJkU6ibaYN5mCyJw_n7jH8zmYWcmH3gCc4APNNO47HHR0wuK2/s1600/dfc-memorial.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="900" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvZwpJ6BfunbPaWBWO_gH8l58pyX60n-5igFiQSPzK3eJjdbLde5M_m6WJ0CXr5l6JuUNCYiYlzNftW1mbT2l1_TjWUGJwJkU6ibaYN5mCyJw_n7jH8zmYWcmH3gCc4APNNO47HHR0wuK2/s320/dfc-memorial.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
While you're reading this, I’d like to introduce you to the Distinguished Cross National Memorial Act and the related National Memorial at March Field Air Museum in Riverside, California. As a combat veteran and recipient of the Distinguished Flying Cross, I had never before heard of the act or the memorial until 2018 and so I thought if I hadn’t heard of it many others might not have heard of it before either. I don’t really keep up with what’s happening with such things as it’s all really painful for me in truth. But something to think about this 4th.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi19KYjLAgFfoSCiApEH1QdJieJPzzSUY6CyM50F2tnNhltrjS1ABUnmaxQTvyn6H7ANv6Wahjmcw3EqtV1ZMiNZJqErpciyyHRjYURLZ4zWuf3zuLnGO8fZuI5nDM2urapXRGBRXWyWYg/s1600/dfc-stanek-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="901" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi19KYjLAgFfoSCiApEH1QdJieJPzzSUY6CyM50F2tnNhltrjS1ABUnmaxQTvyn6H7ANv6Wahjmcw3EqtV1ZMiNZJqErpciyyHRjYURLZ4zWuf3zuLnGO8fZuI5nDM2urapXRGBRXWyWYg/s320/dfc-stanek-2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Here's the background on the act: The Distinguished Flying Cross National Memorial Act was introduced on January 22, 2013 by Rep. Ken Calvert (R, CA-42). It was referred to the United States House Committee on Natural Resources and the United States House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Public Lands and Environmental Regulation. It was reported by the Committee alongside House Report 113-79 on May 17, 2013. On October 25, 2013, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor announced that H.R. 330 would be on the House schedule for the week of October 28, 2013. The bill was considered under the suspension of the rules. On October 29, 2013, the House voted to passed the bill by a voice vote. The United States Senate voted on July 9, 2014 to pass the bill with unanimous consent. On July 25, 2014, President Barack Obama signed the bill into law. You can learn more about the memorial at <a href="https://www.marchfield.org/visit/heritage-courtyard/dfc-national-memorial/?fbclid=IwAR2YlCnbS6fwuPw_N_uo0vz8VnDscYp3twoATFfOI8zsDHobtbLBHa4Vfso" target="_blank">the website for the memorial</a>.<br />
<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZmY8WpY_3K3oDm3LMygxULNGuNysk5LTadf3aai8Ynp7MP9-2pZqCx5rfAEJF2Pbw1KsS4bASjlivG5iinallbHmj5pkeLC9TRPh56wS0fgsnee12F2RyYKj9ZY5gXeq6hxb7K58FpYA6/s1600/dfc-stanek.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZmY8WpY_3K3oDm3LMygxULNGuNysk5LTadf3aai8Ynp7MP9-2pZqCx5rfAEJF2Pbw1KsS4bASjlivG5iinallbHmj5pkeLC9TRPh56wS0fgsnee12F2RyYKj9ZY5gXeq6hxb7K58FpYA6/s320/dfc-stanek.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
A story that’s not in my military memoir but perhaps should be in my next is about the dangers soldiers face not in the field of combat but in the bases where they are housed and should be safe. My wife’s second miscarriage was a clue that something was terribly wrong. I thought it was the stress of being a combat flyer’s wife, constant deployments, or the subsequent ever-changing schedule when I worked inside the secretive underground facility known as the Tunnel. I never imagined that it was due to the air we breathed, the water we drank or the soil beneath our feet, but it likely was as lead from lead-based paints had leached into the soil we used for gardening and other toxic substances were throughout our base housing and the places we worked.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhhFAoaaRt3Y5c79kkXl7L3yF8fidc2oJEPyeZerPNNlGGNtdvje15kMPFI49vH6SD-CQsuKf1QMV8NtyIhAzfsfUKjifuRWPT0rQsxWBaU-taQZQfVE0mnlDj7KsyXHW3ikWrXCXHQqIl/s1600/HuiCha-And-Me2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1001" data-original-width="1200" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhhFAoaaRt3Y5c79kkXl7L3yF8fidc2oJEPyeZerPNNlGGNtdvje15kMPFI49vH6SD-CQsuKf1QMV8NtyIhAzfsfUKjifuRWPT0rQsxWBaU-taQZQfVE0mnlDj7KsyXHW3ikWrXCXHQqIl/s320/HuiCha-And-Me2.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
No one tells you when you join the military you’re risking not just your life but your health—and that of your family and even your unborn children. As <a href="http://www.newsweek.com/2014/07/25/us-military-supposed-protect-countrys-citizens-and-soldiers-not-poison-them-259103.html" target="_blank">Newsweek said in its July 25, 2014 cover story</a>, the US Military is supposed to protect the country’s citizens and soldiers and not poison them.<br />
<br />
<o:p></o:p>Throughout the United States, there are 141 military bases and related Department of Defense facilities on the Environmental Protection Agency’s superfund list and the <a href="http://www.vetshome.com/veterans_exposed_to_chemicals_ne.html" target="_blank">National Priorities List</a> for cleanup—and that list of 141 isn’t all inclusive by any means. It is simply a list of the worst of the worst, bases and facilities with toxic contamination so bad that the EPA has assigned them its highest priority for cleanup due to unacceptable risks to human health.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
Many of the worst facilities are closed or closing. However, it’s not like the toxins in the soil and ground water are going to stay where they are. They’re going to continue to pollute and contaminate adjacent facilities until they are cleaned up once and for all. What’s waiting beyond the 141 highly toxic bases and facilities? Well, the Department of Defense has identified 39,000 contaminated locations so far, from areas as small as a building to as large as an airfield, and those locations are spread across many of the 4,127 DOD installations located in the United States.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
As a soldier who was deployed overseas for many years, I was stationed at Department of Defense facilities all over the world and I can’t help but wonder what toxic nightmare is lurking at the thousands of Department of Defense facilities that are located outside the United States. What I suspect is that there are likely as many contaminated locations and highly toxic sites at Department of Defense facilities located outside the US as there are inside the US.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
All those years ago, I didn’t know about these issues or that toxins were possibly changing my life and my family, but I guessed there was something going on beyond stress. I started asking questions, and a healthcare worker who treated my wife suggested I look at environmental factors in our home and workplaces.<br />
<br />
<o:p></o:p>In our pre-World War II base housing, lead paint often was prevalent and possibly other toxic substances. We dug up the garden which was alongside the house, stopped drinking the tap water, and made other changes. With these changes, our overall health seemed to improve. Months later, my wife got pregnant again and this time, she carried the pregnancy well and my son, Will, was born.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT3cFnCglnM8aC9-JozoSuU8DGvm1aesVD-2iqpaqJodUca4M8HqXEo4hmFDXmV3IKe2d5o4wrS5wQv91QWoxhBd3w2mdrTQq0vVwmwJcyvHzURbOu8V6hqTeu0RN92o_LEHGEr7hkLvOI/s1600/will-9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT3cFnCglnM8aC9-JozoSuU8DGvm1aesVD-2iqpaqJodUca4M8HqXEo4hmFDXmV3IKe2d5o4wrS5wQv91QWoxhBd3w2mdrTQq0vVwmwJcyvHzURbOu8V6hqTeu0RN92o_LEHGEr7hkLvOI/s320/will-9.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Will arrived a few weeks early, but healthy. For us, it was a new beginning and a hope for the future of our family.<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Thanks for reading,<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<em>Robert Stanek</em><br />
<br /></div>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
Go Indiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02378150972130213855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7673694406514861705.post-45376320425412458662019-07-02T19:14:00.000-07:002020-06-17T13:52:53.028-07:00Taylor Swift Wants to Control Her Own Destiny--And Why Not<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEEHwZtJLhj2AJYb8A5AWLt3Z7TYPVBa0owREVc_Vy2atDLTjs4mAn0HW-tyBms1aOIG6NREcAs-PRWiWeGpPeNmfNRiJgCjM-W6KpAvJhaug8INHWyFG5nzhMKYMzktDYxj73CnG03cWY/s1600/HangingOut3b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="375" data-original-width="287" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEEHwZtJLhj2AJYb8A5AWLt3Z7TYPVBa0owREVc_Vy2atDLTjs4mAn0HW-tyBms1aOIG6NREcAs-PRWiWeGpPeNmfNRiJgCjM-W6KpAvJhaug8INHWyFG5nzhMKYMzktDYxj73CnG03cWY/s200/HangingOut3b.jpg" width="152" /></a>You probably know Taylor Swift from her music. Maybe you even heard her public outrage about not owning her music and not having a say in who controls her catalog (of songs). Such outrage is easy to understand and agree with. That said, the vast majority of us working creatives don’t own the rights to our work, nor do we control who owns our work or what happens to our work in the future.<br />
<br />
Taylor has been extremely fortunate to have found success, to have found labels willing to back her work, and even to get ownership of her newest work. Being an A-list music star helps tremendously. Meanwhile millions of creatives have never had full ownership, nor control over who does.<br />
<br />
Millions of creatives have never had labels lining up to back them like the fortunate few, Taylor included. If A-listers didn’t need labels, they wouldn’t go to labels and labels wouldn’t exist. There’s a fine line to cut between control, ownership and labels. It’s a catch-22, an evil necessity, an ouroboros—the snake that eats its own tale.<br />
<br />
The music industry though has been on the bleeding edge of changing the rules, allowing creatives to maintain more ownership and control—if not complete ownership and control. The music industry celebrates those who maintain ownership and control of their own work. The music industry celebrates small labels. The music industry celebrates independent artists. Together, they are indies—and there’s a whole world out there celebrating indie music.<br />
<br />
In stark contrast, in the world of publishing, independents are derided, relegated to second class, trotted upon. There is intolerance—even hate—directed at independents. Those who independently publish are derided as frauds, failures, fakes, largely by those who fear the slipping away of the status quo. This despite nearly two decades of revolution in independent publishing.<br />
<br />
It’s no secret that historically creatives get the short end of the stick. I’ve made no secret of the fact that my first publisher (Macmillan) ripped me off, nor of the fact that without those early contracts I might not have gone on to sell millions and millions of books. I have both thanked Macmillan for the opportunity and condemned Macmillan for taking advantage of me and countless of others. Substandard royalties, work-for-hire contracts that paid a pittance, more. Whatever they could get away with really.<br />
<br />
I’ve made no secret of the fact that my publisher of 20 years (Microsoft) was more generous than others in the industry when it came to contracts, though I feel my work was still misused and also that there was tremendous usage of my work that I was never compensated for, including worldwide usage within and by Microsoft as well as third parties with relationships with Microsoft. I am, of course, eternally grateful to Microsoft and especially those that I worked with. Those who oversaw the publishing of my work did the best they could to keep the hungry machine from swallowing it and they ensured a graceful exit when the publishing world changed so dramatically that there was no longer a place for Microsoft Press within Microsoft Corporation.<br />
<br />
Over 20 years, my work also was used in thousands of training courses (outside of Microsoft’s control and consent) that instructed millions of students around the world for which I was never paid. These students paid hundreds to thousands of dollars for short—3-5-7-day—training courses, amounting to billions of dollars of instructional training that I didn’t receive a single cent for. It makes the millions I was shortchanged by publishers over the years seem like a drop in the proverbial bucket—a single tear in a lake of tears.<br />
<br />
The industry finds ways to further suck the marrow from your bones, to squeeze and wring out your blood. There are managers, agents, publicists to pay, not to mention accountants, others and the IRS, leaving the creative with pennies on the dollar. Point of fact, somewhere along the way, I figured out that over a 20-year period, after everyone got paid, I got about .03 on the dollar while my publishers collectively made well over $100,000,000 off my work (and retailers who sold my work made even more).<br />
<br />
Thus, it both alarms and astounds me, that there continues to be so much hate and intolerance in the publishing community for authors who decide to go independent, who decide to self-publish, who decide to embrace new technologies and new means of getting their creations to the world. It boggles the mind that there are still so many fighting tooth and nail to prevent, deter and destroy those who simply want what every working creative should want. To own and control our own work, our own future.<br />
<br />
Thanks for reading, I’ve written much about this and other related issues. You’ll find articles at Linkedin (<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/williamstanek/">https://www.linkedin.com/in/williamstanek/</a>), in my personal blogs (<a href="http://robertstanek.blogspot.com/">http://robertstanek.blogspot.com/</a> and <a href="http://williamstanek.blogspot.com/">http://williamstanek.blogspot.com</a>), at Go Indie (<a href="http://readindies.blogspot.com/">http://readindies.blogspot.com/</a>) and on my websites (<a href="http://www.williamrstanek.com/">http://www.williamrstanek.com</a> and <a href="http://www.robert-stanek.com/">http://www.robert-stanek.com/</a>). You’ll find posts about related problems going back to 2003 here @ <a href="http://www.robertstanek.com/rsblog.htm">http://www.robertstanek.com/rsblog.htm</a>. I do of course write as William Stanek, Robert Stanek, William R. Stanek and William Robert Stanek. I am of course the author of over 200 full-length works of fiction and nonfiction, having been a successful published author since 1995.Go Indiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02378150972130213855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7673694406514861705.post-32897037507586302342017-03-01T17:08:00.005-08:002020-10-07T13:36:15.025-07:00A Tribute to William Robert Stanek, an American Author Who Should Be on Everyone’s Must Read List<div style="margin: 0px 0px 11px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">My name is Jennifer Blake. This guest post is in honor of
William Robert Stanek, an author recently named “an American author who should
be on everyone’s must read list.” A group of us have been wanting to guest post
here in honor of Robert for such a long time, and I jumped at the opportunity
to pay tribute to someone I owe so much to. When no one else would publish my
work, Robert took me under his wing and helped me publish my first book, Baby
Animals on Safari.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhntSD15Z9CGfn9vgDwCNKxxR2Rbnk27aEdEcNTGvJpL-6-ZciAsJ1sOp8MiVS_0lI7WDehXfbJJm0O88NcD1YGSMWxId1Mwnmgd3n1qIu-TifDqeNHuqNpwoNXt3DKwOjDV0rULPbMy-Ps/s1600/BabyAnilmals-Cover.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhntSD15Z9CGfn9vgDwCNKxxR2Rbnk27aEdEcNTGvJpL-6-ZciAsJ1sOp8MiVS_0lI7WDehXfbJJm0O88NcD1YGSMWxId1Mwnmgd3n1qIu-TifDqeNHuqNpwoNXt3DKwOjDV0rULPbMy-Ps/s320/BabyAnilmals-Cover.jpg" width="257" /></a></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 11px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Baby Animals on Safari had been turned down by every
publisher on the planet, well practically every one, at least that’s how it
seemed to me as the rejection letters kept coming year after year after year. As
a single mom who works in special needs classrooms, I’ve been writing stories for
children since grad school. I wasn’t able to find a publisher or anyone who believed
in my work until Robert.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 11px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">To shorten a long story, Baby Animals on Safari was
published four years ago and it changed my life. Though Baby Animals on Safari
had modest success in stores, it was a massive success in libraries, where it
sold thousands and thousands of copies worldwide and transformed me overnight
from a complete unknown into a popular in-demand author. With Robert’s help, I’ve
even released a sequel called what else, Baby Animals on Safari 2.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 11px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Robert Stanek was fresh off a recent Lifetime Achievement nomination
for distinguished accomplishments in American letters when a group of libraries
took notice and started buying up his work for their patrons, having named him “an American author who should be on everyone’s must read list.”</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 11px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">I don’t disagree. The Audio Book Store called Robert Stanek “one
of its most featured and respected Kids & Young Adults, K-12 Educators and
Kids authors.” Parenting Magazine in a listening partnership with Audible.com
named his Bugville Critters, recommended reading. Follett Early Learning said
his wonderful Bugville Critters stories addressed all major issues of growing
up, while combining facts about the natural world with instructive and
entertaining fiction.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 11px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">To date, Robert has released 100 Bugville Critters books.
These include magnificent learning books under the Bugville Learning umbrella,
Bugville Jr. books for toddlers and preschoolers, and Bugville picture books
for kids ages 4 to 8. With the 28 original Bugville books all featuring luscious
2-page spreads from original watercolors, it’s no wonder that millions of readers have devoured the books.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 11px;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Of his Ruin Mist novels, which include The Kingdoms &
the Elves of the Reaches and In the Service of Dragons book and are now
enjoying their 15</span><sup><span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> anniversary, The Fantasy Guide said the work was
very satisfying and that word of mouth had turned it into a bestseller. VOYA,
the leading magazine for young adult librarians gushed even more saying that
the books were “sure to attract fans of graphic novels and classic Tolkien
alike.” With all the praise, it’s no wonder the Ruin Mist books were featured
on Audible’s homepage for an entire summer in 2005, #1 bestsellers at Audible
in Fiction, and on the Audible Children’s bestseller lists for 182 consecutive
weeks.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 11px;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Robert also has written bestselling thrillers and science
fiction. His Scott Evers novels, which include The Pieces of the Puzzle and The
Cards in the Deck, have also climbed the charts to become #1 bestselling
fiction. Meanwhile, his “After the Machines” dystopian novels are some of the
most gripping sci-fi I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 11px;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Few other authors have written over 200 full-length feature
works. Few other authors have been successful in so many genres.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 11px;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Robert’s oeuvre doesn’t stop with fiction, however. In his
day job, he’s an internationally acclaimed technology journalist writing for
Macmillan, Microsoft Press, Pearson, O’Reilly, and other leading publishers
under the name William R. Stanek. His William R. Stanek books include over a
hundred heavy hitting titles like Windows Server 2016: IT Pro Library, a multi-book
set with over 500,000 words, and the equally impressive Exchange Server 2016:
IT Pro Library, with a mere 300,000 words. Oi!</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 11px;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Robert published these works independently. After being the
#1 author at Microsoft Press for nearly twenty years, Robert says it was time
to do things his own way.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 11px;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Robert tells me his writing career began in 1986, the year
he finished his first novel. In 1991, Robert won his first writing award, The
George Washington Honor Medal. The winning work was an essay about his combat
tours in the first Persian Gulf War, an essay that was later turned into a
full-length memoir that has recently been re-released for the 20</span><sup><span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup><span style="font-family: "calibri";">
anniversary of the war as Air War: The Incredible True Story of the Combat
Flyers.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 11px;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I’ve only met Robert a few times. Each time felt like an
extraordinary opportunity, like I was walking with a giant among men. Not because
Robert’s 6’ 2”, but because he himself is larger than life. The kind of person you
feel honored and privileged to even be in the same room with. Yet, at the same
time, he’s so self-deprecating and real.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 11px;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">It’s rare to meet someone who is so down to earth. Funny,
sincere, caring, giving, passionate about the causes he supports. And if you
know Robert, you know he’s passionate about many things, but especially causes
related to peoples with disabilities, veterans, libraries, education and conservation.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 11px;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">That’s what I noticed most when talking to Robert. You don’t
see the decorated soldier (yes, he received the Distinguished Flying Cross) who
fought against the second Gulf war with raised fists or the guy who conquered
the publishing world from his worn keyboard while wearing pajamas. You don’t
hear those things in his words you expect from someone who’s achieved so much. You
see instead a guy who’s trying like the rest of us to swim up river. You see a
guy who deserves your wholehearted support. You see a guy whose works should be
as widely read as any author today. There are certainly enough of his
masterworks to choose from. Works that will move you, teach you, show you.
Works that will make you think, deliver you to the brink, leave you breathless.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 11px;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Read Robert’s work. Praise it where you can. Spread the good
word. Tell others.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 11px;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 11px;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Jennifer Blake</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 11px;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Author of Baby Animals on Safari</span></div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike>Go Indiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02378150972130213855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7673694406514861705.post-25528915924145477682016-09-15T10:06:00.002-07:002020-06-17T13:53:19.353-07:00Finding Success as a Writer and Becoming a Bestselling Author<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikxn6_tspN8-5OK4fOoyYwlVn9qKbd_VS8vDLONtKu1m3knGV5KQA9gO92ZMijTnmmXE8SKa9-tq8ce7vb2YfP8aEHLJbWbjmeqq58tcgj8BZflmrVWdT-CUzmevd30dxSZ-B7cFCAgs1P/s1600/rs-car.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="a picture of robert stanek" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikxn6_tspN8-5OK4fOoyYwlVn9qKbd_VS8vDLONtKu1m3knGV5KQA9gO92ZMijTnmmXE8SKa9-tq8ce7vb2YfP8aEHLJbWbjmeqq58tcgj8BZflmrVWdT-CUzmevd30dxSZ-B7cFCAgs1P/s320/rs-car.jpg" title="robert stanek" width="194" /></a><span style="font-family: "calibri";">I'm Robert Stanek and today I'm writing about finding success as a writer and becoming a bestseller. </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">In 1995, I attended a writer’s conference on Maui, hosted at the swanky Ritz-Carlton Kapalua. I’d just signed my first contract with Macmillan after years of trying to break in to publishing as a writer. Unlike most other attendees, I didn’t stay at the Ritz-Carlton—the hotel wasn’t something I could afford at the time. On a military salary, with a wife and toddler accompanying me, the best I could afford was a $79 a night room a few miles away, and the only reason I could afford to get to Maui in the first place was because I was stationed on Oahu, where I worked at the hush-hush NSA facility Edward Snowden made famous. </span><br />
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">As I wrote about in my post “<a href="http://readindies.blogspot.com/2016/06/how.publishing.legends.helped.career.robert.stanek.html" target="_blank">How Betsy Mitchell, SheilaGilbert, Diana Gill, Beth Meacham, Jim Minz, Tom Doherty, and Other PublishingLegends Helped Launch My Writing Career</a>” I’d previously received a number of encouraging responses to my debut novel, <i>Keeper Martin’s Tale</i>, and other works of fiction I’d written from <i>Magic Lands</i> to <i>The Pieces of the Puzzle</i>. It’d taken years to break in, but I’d finally managed it.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">The conference was mostly about breaking in as a writer, with seminars on writing, getting agents, getting published and such. I felt a little like the cat who swallowed the canary, as I’d already managed to land a contract. It wasn’t something I’d say in the crowd I’d found myself in, many of whom were rather snobby and elitist, certain they were the best writer in the world and that their big break was just around the corner.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">The conference went poorly and I ended up skipping big parts of it to spend time with my wife and son instead. Nonetheless, attendance taught me some valuable lessons, especially about how much I disliked snobby elitists. I also decided sitting around talking about writing for hours and hours was a colossal waste of time. Instead of talking about writing, I would instead just write.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">And just write I did. My first book, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Electronic Publishing Unleashed</i>, was 1031 pages in print and I wrote 800 pages of it over a 4-month period while also working full-time in the military. The other 200 pages of the book were written by contributors, one of which was originally supposed to be the author of the book, but for one reason or another wasn’t able to produce what was required. Meanwhile, the acquisitions editor loved my work and kept expanding my role in the book until I was its author and the others were contributors.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Electronic Publishing Unleashed</i> was published in September 1995 to great success and I signed a contract for a second book with Macmillan almost immediately. This book, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Web Publishing Unleashed</i>, was entirely my project from start to finish. The book was written to a tight schedule, and I wrote as much of it as I dared as quickly as I could: again 800 pages over a 4-month period. I hand selected the contributors to round out the content and the book was published in March 1996 to even bigger success than the first.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Meanwhile, I was at a crossroads in my military career. I’d earned my Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees while in Hawaii and my commanders were recommending me for Officers Training School (OTS). As one of the most decorated soldiers in the unit and a frequently recognized top performer, I knew most of the top brass and they knew me. After OTS, I could have any job I wanted in the military. But then there was this writing thing.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">You’d think my initial success in writing would make the answer an easy one. That second book was a blockbuster bestseller from the start. It was selling like snow cones during a heat wave. But the answer wasn’t an easy one. I’d written <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Electronic Publishing Unleashed</i> as a work for hire, meaning I received no royalties, even though the book had over $2.5 million in sales. I’d written <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Web Publishing Unleashed</i> as a royalty contract, but I had received a very low rate, even with an agent. How low? Less than 1/2 the industry standard rate, and then since I’d signed up with an agent, he was going to get 1/5<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup> of that.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Worse, I wouldn't receive my first royalty check for some time. It takes months for royalty payments to make it to authors. Books are published, shipped to stores. Stores pay based on sales, typically in 90 days or so, and in 90 days or so after getting paid, publishers pay authors. Still, my publisher loved my work and was in the process of signing me to three new contracts for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">FrontPage Unleashed</i>, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Peter Norton’s Guide to Java Programming</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Web Publishing Unleashed Professional Reference Edition</i>.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Thus, when I decided to leave the military in June 1996, I had no idea where I was going to go or even if I would actually ever get paid royalties. My wife, son and I ended up in a tiny apartment in Oregon. Still waiting for that first royalty payment and living off the dregs of advances, I wrote all three books in the apartment manager’s back room. The tiny apartment wasn’t big enough for writing, and my wife’s sister and her daughter had joined us in Oregon and moved in with us as well. Fortunately, the building manager graciously offered me the writing space, where I was cooped up 16 hours a day working to finish all those books.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">How we ended up in Oregon? I'm not really sure myself. It is where Peter Norton was. Perhaps at the time I thought since I was writing <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Peter Norton’s Guide to Java Programming</i> with Peter Norton he’d actually be working with me on the book. As it turned out, I never even got to meet Peter and his contribution to the book was nothing more than his name even though he received half the royalties. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Peter Norton’s Guide to Java Programming </i>was published in July 1996.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">By this time, offers from other publishers were pouring in. One in particular that intrigued me was from PC Magazine. They were looking for a regular contributor to write technology articles about the Internet, the Web and related technologies. Exactly the space I worked in. I was up to my ears in books, but how could I or anyone else possibly turn down $1+ a word?! I took the offer and started writing regularly for the magazine.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">After a few months in Oregon, the family and I moved on to Washington state, and the wait began anew for the first royalty check to reach me. However, I finally did have advances in hand for the three books I’d written. The publisher had made a special effort to get the payments to me and I’d also finalized two new contracts for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">FrontPage 97 Unleashed</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Netscape ONE Developer’s Guide</i>.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Those payments paid for a U-Haul and helped secure a larger apartment in Olympia, which was about 8 hours or so away from where we lived in Oregon. My wife’s sister and her daughter were still living with us, so we really needed the big space. While we were there, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">FrontPage Unleashed</i> was published (September 1996) and I was already hard at work on the other books and writing for PC Magazine.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">The new apartment was nice enough, but still not a home for my family, and still rather crowded with my wife's sister and her daughter living with my family. Nonetheless, we settled in and I worked. My writing space was in the master bedroom, so I had the difficult task of crawling out of bed to a chair a few feet away every morning where I wrote through the day and into the evening.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">For months, the rapid succession of contracts, delays from the publisher, delays from my agents (I was with Studio B by this time) and other things had all been between me and ever getting paid my first royalty check for all the work I was doing. That check seemed some sort of myth by this time, so I was unsure if I'd ever receive it and rather certain I'd made a horrendous mistake by leaving the military.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Just about the time every cent we had ran out and our options were running out, a check finally arrived. The check was for the first royalty book I’d written, which had been published in March of that year. It was now September.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">In the military, I barely made enough to get by. I’d finished college and earned my degrees only because my wife worked overtime to help pay the tuition. The check I was holding in my hand was two year’s military salary. I nearly fell over. It’d taken months to get to me, but there it was. Proof that I’d done something right.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">To say that we celebrated that night is an understatement, but we weren't able to go out anywhere or do anything special. It takes days for a paper check to clear, especially when it's made out for a huge amount of money, and the one credit card we had was maxed out already. Still, we celebrated.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">The next month, October, </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">my wife’s sister and daughter moved out. With writing seeming like a sure thing for the future, my wife and I started looking for a house. We found one right away and by early November we moved in. It was our first house. We quickly made it a home.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">There are a big surprise for us soon after, and just in time for Thanksgiving: </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">another royalty check.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I was upstairs working in the office when my wife brought it to me. She’d opened the letter and from her expression I wasn’t quite sure whether it was extremely good news or extremely bad news.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">At my hesitation, my wife said, It's good news, really good news.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">And it was. </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">I’d never seen that much money in my life, yet there it was on a check written out to me.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I was stunned, shocked.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">My wife gave me a big kiss and wrap her arms around me. We stood like that for the longest time, just reveling in the moment. It was a measure of my success as a writer. A success as wild as any I ever imagined.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">The books I had been working on were published shortly after. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Web Publishing Unleashed Professional Reference Edition</i> in December 1996, <i>FrontPage 97 Unleashed</i> in January 1997 and <i>Netscape ONE Developer’s Guide</i> in March 1997. </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Altogether, those early books had many millions in sales at retail, exceeding even the wildest of my wildest dreams.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">In your own writing, dare to dream. You never know what might happen.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Thanks for reading, I’m William Robert Stanek, Microsoft’s #1 author for nearly 20 years, and author of over 200 topselling books.</span></div>
Go Indiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02378150972130213855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7673694406514861705.post-37009927743382523652016-08-30T20:41:00.000-07:002020-06-17T13:54:13.026-07:00Amazon's Blackened Soul<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 11px;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSdmRSj65OmOHWhYGK0B8QH2nIKfLqMFK83FBuG8J7RVSxdlDHMWRq_jyE2B-Yj1HR9Dcc2CdTJ4mdE7PB_jTD_7r4hAGwFMqg24xnSiSgxJfGjNniJg8GsUJEUyZapzjDuTNGU94GKeGZ/s1600/rs-car.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSdmRSj65OmOHWhYGK0B8QH2nIKfLqMFK83FBuG8J7RVSxdlDHMWRq_jyE2B-Yj1HR9Dcc2CdTJ4mdE7PB_jTD_7r4hAGwFMqg24xnSiSgxJfGjNniJg8GsUJEUyZapzjDuTNGU94GKeGZ/s320/rs-car.jpg" width="194" /></a><span style="font-family: "calibri";">To date, there are about a billion reviews at Amazon
sites that don’t meet Amazon’s own criteria for acceptability. This represents about 3 out of every 5 reviews. Is it any wonder
when Amazon’s own management and executive staff are allowed to break the rules
when it suits them to target an author whose book wasn’t as flattering as
Amazon hoped it would be. Yes, I’m talking about Brad Stone and The Everything
Store, a book lambasted by Bezos’s own wife, Amazon executives, management and
other employees in contradiction to Amazon’s own guidelines. </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 11px;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">It’s no surprise that corruption is rampant at and within Amazon. Take
for example what happened to my book Windows 10: The Personal Trainer, which
was the first full-length Windows 10 book to market. Several individuals
plagiarized the contents of the book, word for word in numerous places, entire
passages and paragraphs, and even daring to take screenshots of my screenshots and
use them in their texts. Subsequently they deluged my books Windows 10: The
Personal Trainer and Windows 10: Fast Start with poor reviews while purchasing
five star reviews by the dozens for their own books from Fiverr and other sites.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 11px;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">You might imagine that an author who’s been in publishing
for 30 years, with hundreds of successful titles and nearly 10 million readers
might be listened to, especially when he meticulously documents the plagiarism.
You’d be wrong.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 11px;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Complaints to Amazon documenting the plagiarism instance by
instance across the entire texts resulted in my books—all William Stanek books—being
targeted by Amazon, along with the accounts of loyal readers. Readers who
simply had read and reviewed a handful of my books across the hundreds of
titles I have available.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 11px;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">What happened to the plagiarizers? Nothing initially, yet
any complaint I dared to lodge with Amazon about the plagiarism was met with
immediate retaliation at all levels. Why? I had no idea, but it was déjà vu
because a similar thing had happened to my fiction works, which is why I began
to investigate who the authors of the books were.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 11px;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">It wasn’t difficult to discover that as before one of the
books was written by a family member/associate of an Amazon employee. While I
may have been naïve before to not know how to try to resolve such a situation,
I wasn’t any longer. I quickly enlisted the help of someone with the ability to
go over the head of those I could reach at Amazon.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 11px;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">We also pointed out to Amazon that my book had been available
previously. Windows 10: The Personal Trainer is in fact an updated version of
my book Windows 7: The Personal Trainer, which was itself published previously
by Microsoft. I’m guessing that quickly put an end to the counter-claims of the
plagiarists whose books were eventually removed from sale.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 11px;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">You might think that when someone steals another’s work and
bases nearly their entire text on what they stole that they wouldn’t be able to
republish such a text. You’d be wrong again. The book by the family
member/associate of an Amazon employee was returned almost instantly to sale,
and the other book followed a few months later.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 11px;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Meanwhile, the print edition of Windows 10: The Personal
Trainer was pulled from sale for nearly 2 weeks during the height of its success. No explanation, other than Amazon
later admitting it was a mistake. A new deluge of poor reviews for Windows 10:
The Personal Trainer and Windows 10 Fast Start followed. </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 11px;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">When it was restored to sale, Windows 10: The Personal Trainer also disappeared from Amazon search results for Windows 10 books and didn't show up in other searches either. As no one was able to find the book, sales disappeared.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 11px;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Did I dare say
anything to Amazon? No, I did not because when the heart of a company is
corrupted there’s no point.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 11px;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 11px;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Thanks for reading, I’m William Robert Stanek, Microsoft’s #1 author for nearly 20 years, and author of over 200 topselling books.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 11px;">
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 11px;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">--</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">
1) Beyond issues of ethics and morality, the fundamental issue--among
others--is that Amazon guidelines don’t allow anyone with a financial interest (either
for or against) to review a product.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 11px;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Persons associated with Amazon, and in particular employees,
had a vested, financial interested in limiting the success of Stone’s book,
reducing its potential impact on Amazon’s bottom line and controlling the
message surrounding the book. None more so than executives, management staff
and others holding stock or stock options in the company. Amazon guidelines do
not allow any persons with a financial interest in a product (either for or
against) to review a product, but that didn’t stop persons associated with the company from ensuring their
messaging, damage control and spin was heard far and wide.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 11px;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Stone’s book had the potential to cause both a significant hit to
Amazon’s public image and an enormous impact on Amazon’s bottom line,
especially in the days leading up to and following its publication. Without
Amazon’s public spin and careful management of perception through reviews and
other means, Stone’s book could have caused lasting, long-term damage to the
company and its reputation, not to mention its CEO.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 11px;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Whether the reviews are removed entirely or quietly continue to
disappear, it’s important to remember this is a fight that’s already won. The
damage control and message control have already been accomplished. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 11px;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Make no mistake that Amazon was in a precarious position in
the timeframe surrounding the publication of The Everything Store. Amazon as a
public company had never been consistently profitable in its nearly 20-year history (at the time),
quite the contrary it had been a consistent money loser. A sway in public
opinion could have derailed the company's access to
capital markets.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 11px;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">The difference between Amazon then and Amazon now is
hundreds of billions in market capitalization. If several hundred billion
dollars aren’t motivation enough for what was done, I
don’t know what is.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Thanks for reading, I’m William Robert Stanek, Microsoft’s #1 author for nearly 20 years, and author of over 250 topselling books.</span></div>
</div>
Go Indiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02378150972130213855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7673694406514861705.post-43274218379683167412016-06-03T09:26:00.000-07:002020-06-17T13:54:35.282-07:00How Betsy Mitchell, Sheila Gilbert, Diana Gill, Beth Meacham, Jim Minz, Tom Doherty, and Other Publishing Legends Helped Launch My Writing Career<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib00a9IyKr_VEfqiM4lsOeix4bBL9E5Zum24GOSXc3bMZwBh6sJvlpi4O9seozoMv4Nbru1g4f8SPPPaSUOWPQEIaj8DayacSRMZvjvTKgcOEi4uJ0FRgWPYBbyMezOFVBwN0mSlNq-4D1/s1600/WRS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="174" data-original-width="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib00a9IyKr_VEfqiM4lsOeix4bBL9E5Zum24GOSXc3bMZwBh6sJvlpi4O9seozoMv4Nbru1g4f8SPPPaSUOWPQEIaj8DayacSRMZvjvTKgcOEi4uJ0FRgWPYBbyMezOFVBwN0mSlNq-4D1/s1600/WRS.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: calibri;">"The writing style is strong... The ideas are
interesting and the writing good," wrote Betsy Mitchell, who went on to
become Editor-in-Chief at Del Rey. "The fantasy world you have created is
truly wonderful and rich. Your characters seem real and full of life," wrote
Sheila Gilbert, who is a co-owner of DAW Books. Both were written in reply
letters after the editors requested the full manuscript for Keeper Martin’s
Tale, my debut novel of epic fantasy. This was the 1990s and these heady statements,
even though they ultimately ended in rejection letters, were the fuel that
drove my writing.</span><br />
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">To say that Keeper Martin’s Tale made the rounds in the
1990s is an understatement. My queries went out month after month, year after
year, and usually one submission at a time while I waited and waited and waited
for a response. Rarely, like a white whale half seen in the distance, but
frequently enough to keep me motivated, my queries were answered with requests
to see the full manuscript as I mentioned.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Over a period of years and with a variety of manuscripts,
including fantasy, sci-fi and more, I received exciting responses from Diana
Gill, Beth Meacham, Jim Minz, Toni Weisskopf, Betsy Wollheim, Terri Windling
and others. One requested full manuscript submission even made it all the way
to Tom Doherty, founder of Tor Books.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">These types of requests and responses often came with
letters that had handwritten notes or notations signed by the editors themselves
where they’d say wonderful things. One executive editor said "It's a
creative, provoking, and above all, thoughtful story," before going on to
talk about how hard it was to launch a new book or series by a new writer.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">How hard it was to publish an unknown was a frequent mantra.
The book is very good but we want more, another. Some suggested I try breaking
out with short stories, a collection or nonfiction first, and then once
published try to publish fiction. Undaunted, I framed and pinned up some of the
best responses and rejection letters as I went and used them as inspiration to
keep writing. Other writers I knew weren’t even getting past the query letter.
Meanwhile, I was getting regular requests for full manuscripts.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">One editor finally told me quite matter-of-factly that the
story I created wasn’t right for the publisher’s line of books. Epic quests
like Terry Brook’s Shannara were what publishers were publishing and readers
were buying. The publisher didn’t quite know what to do with the type of story
I had written.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Keeper Martin’s Tale and the other Ruin Mist books were, at
their heart, a story of intrigue between two powerful families: The House of
Alder and the House of Tyr’anth. Epic quests were a part of the story, but they
weren’t <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">the</i> story.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Versions of the books that got the best response were the
ones where I submitted the story of Adrina, Vilmos and Seth as separate
chapters. Chapter 1 began Adrina’s story. Chapter 2, Vilmos’. Chapter 3,
Seth’s. Chapter 4 continued Adrina’s story, Chapter 5 Vilmos’ and so on. But
even though the approach attracted, I was told repeatedly in the end that the approach
would never sell. No one would buy a book where the story switched to a
different character every chapter, especially when later in the books there
were so many different characters. Any reader of current fantasy fiction knows
how wrong they were about that.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Wrong or not, their words directed my efforts and my
writing. My first big break came because of the frequent insistence that I try
breaking in with nonfiction or other types of writing, that once I was
published and a known quantity I would have an easier time selling my lengthy
fantasy epic and other works of fiction.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">The break came when I sold an editor at Macmillan on a
proposal for a technical how-to book. At the time, I was one of a select few
with a strong background in writing and substantial technical expertise in this
new experiment called the World Wide Web. Originally, I was supposed to just be
a contributor to a book in progress, but the acquisition editor liked my
approach, ideas and writing so much that eventually my approach was adopted
instead and I took ownership and wrote over 800 pages of the 1000-page work.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">The book became a top-seller for the publisher and put me on
the bestseller list. I was immediately asked by Macmillan to write another
book. That second book became a blockbuster bestseller and my career as a writer
was established in grand style. My biggest moment back then was when I walked
into a Borders and saw two floor-to-chest-high stacks of the book. Now, this
was also a 1000-page book, but it was still a sight to behold. That book and the
ones that followed sold like hotcakes at $49.99 - $79.99 each, and that was
the 1990s.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Twenty years later, I am now the author of nearly 200
full-length works of fiction and nonfiction. My books have been published and/or
distributed by nearly every major publisher. The big ones at least, including
O’Reilly Media, Simon & Schuster, McGraw Hill, Pearson Education,
Microsoft, and Random House.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Not bad for a guy who spent all those years with his face
pressed against the glass, trying to break in.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Thanks for reading, I’m William Robert Stanek, Microsoft’s #1 author for nearly 20 years, and author of over 200 topselling books.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Stay in touch with Robert Stanek by connecting on facebook
at https://www.facebook.com/robertstanekauthor or on twitter at
http://twitter.com/robertstanek.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
</div>
Go Indiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02378150972130213855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7673694406514861705.post-16641445918846903172016-05-25T14:06:00.002-07:002020-10-07T13:30:24.154-07:00A Lifetime of Books – 30 Years of Robert Stanek Books<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGpzNue8goNN7rDgU-95ezcVToaBci4YU7oqLssOyzeHrmqKPZKt-7zRMkjsCFSbkxBlsniT2V3pCp8UceY1I_fraaU1SGIUcky6JpbwoOSSZkCFLCBsZ_o_NgIRw1XnTE6r_j3eJHiD0a/s1600/Interview-with-the-Zombie.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGpzNue8goNN7rDgU-95ezcVToaBci4YU7oqLssOyzeHrmqKPZKt-7zRMkjsCFSbkxBlsniT2V3pCp8UceY1I_fraaU1SGIUcky6JpbwoOSSZkCFLCBsZ_o_NgIRw1XnTE6r_j3eJHiD0a/s320/Interview-with-the-Zombie.jpg" width="208" /></a>My name is Emily Asimov. When I heard of Robert Stanek’s
lifetime achievement nomination, I jumped at the chance to write a tribute. Robert
is one of the most inspirational people I know and an exceptionally talented
writer. He’s also the reason my work is published today, and the author of some
of my favorite childhood reads. From his superbly written “The Kingdoms & the
Elves of the Reaches” to his sublime “Journey Beyond the Beyond,” I have been
smitten with his work for years and gobbled up nearly everything he’s written.</div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
An extremely prolific author, Robert Stanek has been writing
for over 30 years and has produced close to 200 book-length works of fiction
and nonfiction. It’s no secret to anyone who follows his work that he also writes
as William Stanek and has been published by nearly every Big 6 / Big 5
publishing house. That feat alone would, and has, made him the subject of
jealousy and envy throughout the writing community.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
What most don’t know about Robert Stanek is his giving,
earnest spirit. Robert is the type of guy who would (and has) literally given
the shirt off his back to help someone in need. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Robert has given tirelessly throughout his life to support
causes he believes in. Anyone who knows him knows the causes he champions:
veterans, peoples with disabilities, animal rights, conservation, and
education. And books and libraries have no better friend.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If there was ever an author who deserved to be recognized
for lifetime achievement it is Robert Stanek. When I think of books and authors
I’ve read and reread during my life, only a rare few spring to mind with Robert
being atop that short list. His works have challenged and inspired me. His
works have educated me. His works have opened my mind.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjugKuy6Cw9sB7c-pJk3-dqxdVBqO_n3FO1gFK44jVwNdjx37gSaxqz3GuUDIosdNOtrz8btAlYb97icrd_NsfUr2Fjmg_tRvxsfSFn__3AMWsrfe_vhsIjwhgWdrXJB7MzZT_Ozw53fNy9/s1600/HangingOut3b.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjugKuy6Cw9sB7c-pJk3-dqxdVBqO_n3FO1gFK44jVwNdjx37gSaxqz3GuUDIosdNOtrz8btAlYb97icrd_NsfUr2Fjmg_tRvxsfSFn__3AMWsrfe_vhsIjwhgWdrXJB7MzZT_Ozw53fNy9/s320/HangingOut3b.jpg" width="244" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Listing all of my favorites and the reasons why here would
take pages, so I’ll keep things brief and list the top few:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>The Kingdoms & the Elves of the Reaches</i>, fifteen years
in print and forever in the canon of fantasy classics<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Journey Beyond the Beyond</i>, a beautiful, underappreciated
master work<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Air War</i>, a timeless snapshot of life in war that pays homage
to the men and women Robert Stanek served with<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>The Cards in the Deck</i>, an edgy thriller that far surpasses
the original work, The Pieces of the Puzzle<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>After the Machines</i>, one of the best works of science fiction
I’ve ever read <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI1-R8eF4bFN9eIhK1R3VKUwk203FyTJoYFf3vFZk5KMzGbsdYf3NJT1rWXPH2i8J2gyyPC0r_EMbxghxXKZuF7nVUl0AGFVOSslCciwuYrGrLxNwZWdwzjjvoEU0F2GsFuP4oDKlKMpEO/s1600/Kingdoms1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI1-R8eF4bFN9eIhK1R3VKUwk203FyTJoYFf3vFZk5KMzGbsdYf3NJT1rWXPH2i8J2gyyPC0r_EMbxghxXKZuF7nVUl0AGFVOSslCciwuYrGrLxNwZWdwzjjvoEU0F2GsFuP4oDKlKMpEO/s320/Kingdoms1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
These books alone are reason enough for Robert to be “one of
the most featured and respected Kids & Young Adult authors” as named by The Audio Bookstore. But Robert has
written many, many more, and all of which are worthy of your time and support.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When it comes to helping others, Robert has spent a tremendous amount of time and effort championing veterans, peoples with disabilities, and other causes he believes in. Robert is a veteran of multiple wars, conflicts and campaigns, including Desert Shield, Desert Storm and Provide Comfort. In his inspirational true story, <i>Air War</i>, he writes about doing what was needed when called upon, the pieces of himself left behind on the battlefield, and his willingness to give everything to what he believes in. I came away from the reading in tears, a new respect for our service men and women, and with a profound sense that something deep within me had changed. Something had changed. I had grown as a person from living his experiences through his words.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The causes and challenges of peoples with disabilities aren't just something Robert supports but something he believes in wholeheartedly. He has a daughter with Downs Syndrome and some disability from his service. Whether supporting the Wounded Warrior Project, Special Olympics or otherwise, you can tell he gives a hundred percent every time. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI1ZH35hozm66eKzuaD1m9m3WyVUG5BwK1eR9xy7zXGngUmwyjELtmOSk_O2A5ej-EGqA7i8iJ_-8078FxSi2LmSp_yQGW4GqShiVLk17pSsuvc2ceVgZTC7M7FAXyCVMx-c2KluqTjN3t/s1600/SelectPraise.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI1ZH35hozm66eKzuaD1m9m3WyVUG5BwK1eR9xy7zXGngUmwyjELtmOSk_O2A5ej-EGqA7i8iJ_-8078FxSi2LmSp_yQGW4GqShiVLk17pSsuvc2ceVgZTC7M7FAXyCVMx-c2KluqTjN3t/s320/SelectPraise.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
People like Robert who give with their heart rarely receive anything in return. But after reading this, I hope you will join me in supporting Robert Stanek, spreading the good word about his work, and sharing his kind heart and beautiful spirit with others. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Robert Stanek is an author whose works you should read and shout about from the rooftops. He's earned the support a hundred times over.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Emily Asimov</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Author <o:p></o:p></div>
Go Indiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02378150972130213855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7673694406514861705.post-72590522960810670782015-11-19T17:10:00.000-08:002020-06-17T13:53:55.985-07:00Shop Local During the Holidays<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0Lg9JFfektaDiaW7JR6WTaYzNGla9soQz2DE9DzHljzm3gx6qlTooZwDtSAtRSq6sNJG0Wgjx742KrHnxVqJ76s_r2P-moqpn548UfUBD2afqGg_Y8N7PVbMNfzTU21lEHZoxqMFXauhJ/s1600/rs5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="459" data-original-width="553" height="165" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0Lg9JFfektaDiaW7JR6WTaYzNGla9soQz2DE9DzHljzm3gx6qlTooZwDtSAtRSq6sNJG0Wgjx742KrHnxVqJ76s_r2P-moqpn548UfUBD2afqGg_Y8N7PVbMNfzTU21lEHZoxqMFXauhJ/s200/rs5.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
A quick update for Go Indies. This holiday season, I urge you to tell friends and family to shop digital online, but shop local otherwise.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Online is the place to buy digital, such as e-books, apps, e-games and e-music, but offline should be where you shop otherwise. Shopping in stores and locally protects jobs and the economy. Millions of jobs are on the line.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Food for thought: For every job Amazon adds to its workforce, up to 10 jobs are taken from the economy. Many of those jobs are gone forever.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Amazon’s vision of the future includes a completely autonomous robotic workforce in its warehouses filling orders replacing people. Robots are already used extensively throughout Amazon’s fulfillment system. Amazon’s vision of the future also includes drones delivering orders, replacing drivers wherever possible. If this future happens, Amazon’s impact on the economy and jobs could double or triple.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Show your support for people, the economy and jobs by blogging, tweeting and sharing:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
This holiday season, shop digital online<br />
shop local otherwise.<br />
#shoplocal #savejobs #peoplefirst #jobsfirst</blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This message is not anti-Amazon; it’s pro people, jobs and the economy. Buy your digital goods wherever; buy your physical goods in stores whenever possible.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Thanks for reading,</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Thanks for sharing,</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Robert Stanek</i></div>
Go Indiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02378150972130213855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7673694406514861705.post-89173319282088558682015-06-18T10:31:00.002-07:002020-06-17T13:52:39.890-07:00Promotion Services Update: More BookBub, Bargain Booksy, Free Booksy, Kindle Marketing, Genre Pulse<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib00a9IyKr_VEfqiM4lsOeix4bBL9E5Zum24GOSXc3bMZwBh6sJvlpi4O9seozoMv4Nbru1g4f8SPPPaSUOWPQEIaj8DayacSRMZvjvTKgcOEi4uJ0FRgWPYBbyMezOFVBwN0mSlNq-4D1/s1600/WRS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="174" data-original-width="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib00a9IyKr_VEfqiM4lsOeix4bBL9E5Zum24GOSXc3bMZwBh6sJvlpi4O9seozoMv4Nbru1g4f8SPPPaSUOWPQEIaj8DayacSRMZvjvTKgcOEi4uJ0FRgWPYBbyMezOFVBwN0mSlNq-4D1/s1600/WRS.jpg" /></a></div>
I’m Robert Stanek, a pro
author since 1994 and an indie since 2001. Today, I have a special report in a
continuing series of articles on book promotion services.<span class="apple-converted-space"> I had hoped to have the full research reports
completed for a number of services we’ve been tracking and testing since 2014.
But with the unexpected early release of Windows 10, which I’ll be writing
about in three upcoming books: Windows 10: The Personal Trainer, Windows 10
Step Up and Windows 10 Fast Start, I’ll have to keep this update short and
sweet. Thanks to the team for the initial writeup, with my additions and edits!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<h2>
<b>Team Update</b></h2>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Yes, Team Read Indies heard and considered your increasing
complaints and gripes about BookBub (<a href="http://www.bookbub.com/">www.bookbub.com</a>),
and how you’re tired of its high prices that keep going higher for decreasing
returns on your investment and sales. Team Read Indies increasingly agrees the service is
overpriced for what’s delivered, and that pricing seems largely based on how
much money they think the average writer is going to make from a promotion. We
also agree with complaints that the information and statistics provided by
BookBub are misleading and need strong disclaimers regarding active, open,
click and buy rates.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Our research on BookBub is <a href="http://readindies.blogspot.com/2015/01/book-promotion-sites-ranked-rated-part.html">here</a>
and <a href="http://readindies.blogspot.com/2015/01/getting-into-bookbub-book-features.html">here</a>.
For another take on BookBub, we recommend the independent research from Indies
Now:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00WLFZQVK">Breaking
Out With BookBub: The Author's Guide to How BookBub Works, How to Get Accepted
& More</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The eye-opening graphic below, reprinted with permission
from the book, best summarizes the true picture regarding BookBub--and the
statistics come from BookBub’s own published numbers and public statements. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As the graphic shows, one million subscribers doesn’t mean
one million people are going to see the ad for your book. Only about 30 – 45%
of subscribers are active at any given time and of these, only a smaller
percentage even open the daily email containing any particular ad. This quickly
whittles down the 1 million number to the base number of people who potentially
could see your ad: 22 – 35% of the actives or about 66,000 to 157,500 per one million subscribers.<br />
<br />
Of these, only 21 - 29% actually click on something and of the clickers only 34 - 58% actually buy something. Overall, only 8 to 12 % of buyers buy your book (when an email has 5 to 12 book listings). The chances of getting a buy go down proportionally to the number of book listings. If a daily email has 20 to 25 books instead of 5 to 12 your chances of success go down 50 to 75% (closer to 3 to 5% of buyers).<br />
<br />
An update on promotion services Team Read Indies has been
researching since 2014 and had hoped to have final research reports on :</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Bargain Booksy (<a href="http://www.bargainbooksy.com/">www.bargainbooksy.com</a>)
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Free Booksy (<a href="http://www.freebooksy.com/">www.freebooksy.com</a>)
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Kindle Marketing (<a href="https://www.fiverr.com/kindlemarketing">https://www.fiverr.com/kindlemarketing</a>)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Genre Pulse (<a href="http://www.genrepulse/">www.genrepulse</a>)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<h2>
<b>Bargain Booksy / Free Booksy</b></h2>
<br />
Bargain Booksy and Free Booksy are two of our favorite up
and comers. Both services are run by the same management team – a team who
graciously accepted our offer to talk with them regarding their services. Robert
sat down with the management team and conducted an extensive interview, which
will be part of the upcoming research report. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As the names imply, Bargain Booksy is where readers go to
find bargain books and Free Booksy is where readers go to find free books. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
With Bargain Booksy, pricing ranges from $25 to $50 and all
genres of books are accepted. Pricing here is somewhat high relative to return on investment, and like most promotion services somewhat high for the value delivered. Fair pricing, based on observed results from the 18-month study, would be at least 20% - 35% lower than current rates.<br />
<br />
However, this
is true of all services we’ve tested. For example, based on actual value
delivered for paid books, BookBub is priced 150% to 500% over the actual value
delivered, depending on genre and book price. However, BookBub offers a mostly
fair value for promotions of free books. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
With Free Booksy, pricing ranges from $40 to $200 and all
genres of books are accepted. Though we like the service, pricing here is very high
relative to return on investment and value delivered. As an example, a paranormal romance promoted
at BookBub for $195 will get most authors 4,000 to 16,000 downloads, a cost of
.05 to .0125 per download. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A paranormal romance promoted at Free Booksy for $200 will
get most authors 1,200 to 3,500 downloads, a cost of .17 to .06 per download,
making Free Booksy up to 7X more costly than BookBub. Fair pricing, based on observed
results from the 18-month study, would be at least 50% - 75% lower than current
rates. To be clear, the same is true of most of the promotion services we’ve
studied:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
BookBub is overpriced 150% to 500% for paid books. We’d like
to see flat-pricing for paid books—not pricing based on how much money BookBub
thinks you’re going to make off a promotion and then pricing everything so most
authors break even at best (and at worst spend a lot of money for a lot less return than expected).</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
ENT’s recent price hike has made them less of a value and
actually put them on the overpriced side. The price hike was unwarranted and
also increasingly based on how much money an author can potentially earn from a
promotion. Whether an author wants to price a paid book at .99, 1.99 or 2.99
pricing should be the same.</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Fussy Reader also recently hiked prices, making them less of
a value. We’d like to see the prices rollback to retain the high value we saw
in our earlier research.</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
The Reading Club has had two recent price hikes, both making
the service less of a value. Again, we’d like to see the prices rollback to
retain the high value we saw in our earlier research.</blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Where Bargain Booksy and Free Booksy shine is with helping
newer authors with promotion, as their rules and restrictions are more inline
with how these types of businesses should operate. Basically, if you have a book
that has a marketable cover, a marketable description, looks professional
overall, appropriate pricing and money to spend on advertising, you should
qualify for any service and be able to spend that advertising money wherever
and however you please. Amen. Kudos to Bargain Booksy and Free Booksy for their
openness and true interest in helping authors.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<h2>
Kindle Marketing</h2>
<br />
On to Kindle Marketing (<a href="https://www.fiverr.com/kindlemarketing">https://www.fiverr.com/kindlemarketing</a>).
Our <a href="http://readindies.blogspot.com/2015/02/facebook-twitter-blog-book-promotion.html">earlier
research</a> on Fiverr promotion was pretty condemning. However, we did find a
few bright spots and have researched them thoroughly. One of these is <a href="https://www.fiverr.com/kindlemarketing">Kindle Marketing</a>, a dedicated
team of marketers who truly cares about your success and gives excellent value
for your marketing dollars. The <a href="https://www.fiverr.com/kindlemarketing/submit-your-discounted-book-to-20-best-kindle-promotion-sites?funnel=4ad75723-33e7-4be0-ba22-5f018f7e22db">$5
basic gig plus the $5 viral social media</a> option gave the best value: daily
promotion for 7 days on social media. This is a great value for the investment,
as Kindle Marketing will create an ad for you and then promote it up to 20
times each day for 7 days, giving you up to 140 promotion opportunities. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Basically, in talking with Kindle Marketing your $10 is
buying 1-hour of an associate’s time. Kindle Marketing will go to sites, groups
on Facebook and other social media and post for you each day. We’ve tried
something similar and it took 5 hours to set up with all the sites and another
3 hours to make a similar number of promotions each day ourselves. So $10 for
an hour of an experienced marketer’s time? Yes, a great value.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Another excellent value was the $5 basic gig plus the $5
viral social media option and the $20 option to extend the promotion for 30
days. Again, a great value for the investment, as Kindle Marketing will create
an ad for you and then promote it up to 20 times each day for 30 days, giving
you many promotion opportunities. In talking with Kindle Marketing your $30 is
buying 3-hours of an associate’s time. Considering Fiverr gets a 20% cut and
Kindle Marketing actually only receives $24, it’s a great value, unless you
really have the time to do something like this yourself. We tried and even with
everything set up for promotion, it took 6 -7 hours of our time.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Another excellent value was the <a href="https://www.fiverr.com/kindlemarketing/build-your-author-platform-for-amazon?funnel=58b1ad96-824e-4934-b8bf-35e5ba73c2c5">career
makeover gig</a>, which provides everything an author needs to start turning
his or her writing career around and start getting sales. To be effective, you
really do need to order the complete set of extras in the appropriate
quantities and then get out of their way to let them help you. The service
requires an investment of time and money—and Kindle Marketing expects the
author to work as hard as they do to turn things around. Here the options
you need to make the service worthwhile can include cover revisions, bio revision, social media building, revision of book descriptions, keywords and categories, and more depending on author.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The initial analysis provides a report on your current
author platform and where you need to go. A required first step so Kindle
Marketing can review where you are on social media. You’re not really paying
for the report; you’re paying for their time in reviewing your current efforts.
Thus, if you buy this option and nothing else, you’re wasting your money and
time.<br />
<br />
The average cost of a makeover was $200 to $500 and the results? Authors who previously had no or few sales, started seeing regular sales. To them, it was money well spent. There are caveats, though. For authors with one book or two, your time and effort is better spent on writing your next book. You really do need 3 or more books to benefit from this type of service.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<h2>
Genre Pulse</h2>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://www.genrepulse.com/how-it-works/">Genre
Pulse</a> is another promotion service we’ve researched and will report on in
the weeks ahead. James, the founder of the service, was also gracious with his
time and willingness to work with our team and Robert. Robert interviewed James
and discussed the service at length, the results of which will be published
with our forthcoming study.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://www.genrepulse.com/how-it-works/">Genre
Pulse</a> is a service that shows a lot of promise and potential. However, during
our research, the service was priced at $30 for full promo and $10 for apps
only promo. Both of which were slightly overpriced based on results. The
service is now priced at $40 for full promo and $15 for apps only promo, with
no real change in results. Though the service is growing, we don’t feel the
price increase is warranted. Look for the occasional sales that put pricing for
full promo at $20 - $25 to get a better value. Though fairer pricing would be $20 flat fee. Apps only pricing, however,
needs to come down about 50%, which would then make the offering a value.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
That said, Genre Pulse retains a recommendation with caveats we'll discuss in more depth later. James seems to genuinely want to help authors, so let him know your thoughts and give his service a try! If you don't get the expected results, let him know that too and he may help you out.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Thanks for reading,<br />
<br />
<br />
<i>Team Read Indies</i></div>
Go Indiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02378150972130213855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7673694406514861705.post-36425502811789782172015-03-22T17:59:00.002-07:002020-06-17T13:57:05.950-07:00More on Social Media Promotion Services: BuckBooks (NO!) and BKnights (Maybe!)<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib00a9IyKr_VEfqiM4lsOeix4bBL9E5Zum24GOSXc3bMZwBh6sJvlpi4O9seozoMv4Nbru1g4f8SPPPaSUOWPQEIaj8DayacSRMZvjvTKgcOEi4uJ0FRgWPYBbyMezOFVBwN0mSlNq-4D1/s1600/WRS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="174" data-original-width="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib00a9IyKr_VEfqiM4lsOeix4bBL9E5Zum24GOSXc3bMZwBh6sJvlpi4O9seozoMv4Nbru1g4f8SPPPaSUOWPQEIaj8DayacSRMZvjvTKgcOEi4uJ0FRgWPYBbyMezOFVBwN0mSlNq-4D1/s1600/WRS.jpg" /></a></div>
BuckBooks, operated by ArchAngelInk (AKA ArchAngelEST, Matt
Stone, Rob Archangel, Buck Flogging, et al), is a promotion service that
requires member authors to promote and talk up the service in exchange for free
promotion. Be aware that authors talking up the service typically are being
compensated in some way to do so, whether by virtue of their free promotions or otherwise.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
BuckBooks is not a mini BookBub or anything
approaching a mini anything and those stating such are doing so for the sole purpose of getting authors to sign up. Team ReadIndies has not been able to verify any of the wild claims of sales success, and we have tried many times. ReadIndies is issuing an avoid advisory on this service, based on
this behavior and the behavior of its founders.<br />
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In our earlier report on <a href="http://readindies.blogspot.com/2015/02/facebook-twitter-blog-book-promotion.html" target="_blank">Social Media Promotion Services</a>,
we were disappointed to find that by and large the facebook/twitter/blog services didn't work. However, we did hold back on discussing a service with potential: <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Bknights (<a href="http://www.fiverr.com/bknights/">www.fiverr.com/bknights/</a>)</b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Our comments about Bknights have been publicly available since
February 16, 2015 (<a href="http://readindies.blogspot.com/2015/02/facebook-twitter-blog-book-promotion.html">http://readindies.blogspot.com/2015/02/facebook-twitter-blog-book-promotion.html</a>)
and this post expands on those comments.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Although this service was included in our earlier study, we
just now completed full research on the service for the 24 participating authors
who used the service to promote 34 books from many genres/categories,
including:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Mystery<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Thriller<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Romance<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Scifi<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Fantasy<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Horror<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Literary Fiction<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Self-Help<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Cooking<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Health<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
At least 16 of the 24 participants used the service one or
more times. What follows is a summary of results gathered.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We didn't include our research in the previous report as
fundamental changes to the service were made subsequent to the time we started
our research.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Bknights provides several Fiverr gigs, all of which revolve
around various social media promotions:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<ul>
<li>$5 for promotion to 15 Best Kindle sites</li>
<li>$5 for FB Page at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Digital-Book-Spot/376198459143010?fref=ts</li>
<li>$5 for promotion on a website at www.DigitalBookSpot.com</li>
<li>$5 for promotion on Twitter @DigitalBookSpot</li>
<li>$5 for promotion via DigitalBookSpot newsletter for ebook
lovers</li>
</ul>
The first gig submits a FREE kindle book to 15 kindle
sites/facebook groups. The remaining four gigs revolve around DigitalBookSpot
promotions. Individually, the participants did not believe each option was
worth $5, and collectively, the full package doesn't seem to be worth $25
either. However, if you can get multiple services for $5 instead of $15, $20 or
$25, this likely would be a good value.<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
To get multiple services for $5, you must be a member of one
of the discussion forums that Brian, who runs the service, hangs out at, and
you must mention the forum when ordering the gig. Just be aware, that this
preferential treatment, given to a subset of customers, gives extra value that
may be the source of the excessively high praise. Keep in mind, however, that
you might not get the preferential treatment or the value from which the raves
are derived, and the raves themselves are often from the same raters over and
over. (NOTE: Fiverr allows the same raters to rate as many times as they use a
service with no limitations and that's how a few raters rating over and over can
suddenly become thousands.)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Further, when reviewers are talking about getting XYZ of
downloads from a Bknights promotion, they're talking about books in popular
categories being given away for free at Amazon that may or may not have
received any actual boost from the service.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
ReadIndies advice for anyone considering Bknights is to use
the website gig and no other options. The Twitter and Facebook gigs have
virtually no value (and should in fact be free as part of the standard $5 gig).
The value of the newsletter is growing, as the subscriber base grows. However,
at the time of this writing, having a listing in the newsletter isn’t worth $5.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If possible, you should also ensure you receive more than
one service for $5. Otherwise, at present, way too many books are being
featured each day for there to be any consistent value. As examples:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ul>
<li>90 books were featured on 2/17; 71 books were featured on
2/16; 59 books were featured on 2/15</li>
<li>121 books were featured on 3/18 and 79 were featured on 3/17</li>
</ul>
<br />
That's way too many features for any book to stand out, and
substantially different than the number of books featured historically. As an
example, these numbers are 3X - 4X what they were last June/July -- and that
was a time when listings could stay up for multiple days as well.<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
To be clear as crystal, Bknights was absolutely a good value
last June/July and earlier, with 25 or so books featured each day. However,
with 80, 90, 100 or more books now being featured at a time, Bknights is no
longer a good value. Some few who use the service may get results to return the
nominal investment; many others won’t.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It should also be pointed out that Bknights is much more
than a $5 service. <i>If</i> in fact 70 books on average are new features each
day, that means Bknights could quickly develop into a $100K+ a year business. While we
think Fiverr may be a good place to start a business, we hope Bknights will develop the service further to ensure every author gets true value.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p>Thanks for reading,</o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><i>Team Read Indies</i></o:p></div>
Go Indiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02378150972130213855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7673694406514861705.post-40832775600906846652015-03-12T13:03:00.003-07:002020-06-17T13:56:06.906-07:00Promoting a First Novel with Book Promotion Services – Which Should I use?<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib00a9IyKr_VEfqiM4lsOeix4bBL9E5Zum24GOSXc3bMZwBh6sJvlpi4O9seozoMv4Nbru1g4f8SPPPaSUOWPQEIaj8DayacSRMZvjvTKgcOEi4uJ0FRgWPYBbyMezOFVBwN0mSlNq-4D1/s1600/WRS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="174" data-original-width="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib00a9IyKr_VEfqiM4lsOeix4bBL9E5Zum24GOSXc3bMZwBh6sJvlpi4O9seozoMv4Nbru1g4f8SPPPaSUOWPQEIaj8DayacSRMZvjvTKgcOEi4uJ0FRgWPYBbyMezOFVBwN0mSlNq-4D1/s1600/WRS.jpg" /></a></div>
Recently, received an excellent question in the comments from
“<a href="http://readindies.blogspot.com/2015/03/best-book-promotion-services.html" target="_blank">Dollar for Dollar Are These the Best Book Promotion Services?</a>” regarding
promotion of first novels and wanted to put the answer in its own post as I
think it may be helpful to other first-time writers. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Question:</b> If I am
trying to promote my first novel, should I avoid these services? - as I
wouldn't earn enough to recoup the costs, and I don't have any other titles
that might benefit. Any recommendations for first timers?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Answer: </b>On the
contrary, <a href="http://www.bargainreading.com/" target="_blank">BargainReading</a>, <a href="http://www.fussyreader.com/" target="_blank">Fussy Reader</a> and <a href="http://www.the-reading.club/" target="_blank">The Reading Club</a> truly are the best
performers with respect to return on investment, dollar for dollar. Under our focused
tests, which carefully tracked only true results, these three actually either came
very close to earning back 100% of the investment or actually earned back the
investment plus. No other book promotions services we’ve tested have done that,
<a href="http://www.ereadernewstoday.com/" target="_blank">ENT</a> and <a href="http://www.bookbub.com/" target="_blank">BookBub</a> included.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Enewsreadertoday and BookBub remain top recommendations and
thumbs up selections. However, they didn’t give a full return on investment. With
Enewsreadertoday: At .99, authors earned back $7 on average from royalties and
paid $30 on average. At $1.99, authors earned back $14 on average from
royalties and paid $45 on average. At $2.99, authors earned back $62 on average
from royalties and paid $90 on average.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
@ .99 this is a .23 ROI. @ 1.99 this is a .31 ROI. @ 2.99
this is a .69 ROI. All of which is a good and tangible result, which you don’t
necessarily see with marketing.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
With BookBub: At .99, books didn’t recoup the cost of the
promotion or even come close; the average .99 book earned $108 (.35 from each
sale) but the average promotion cost was $420. At $1.99, books didn’t recoup
the cost of the promotion or even come close either; the average $1.99 book
earned $224 (.70 from each sale) but the average promotion cost was $772. At
$2.99, books came closer to recouping the cost of the promotion; the average
$2.99 book earned $788 (2.04 from each sale) but the average promotion cost was
$1294. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
@ .99 this is a .26 ROI. @ 1.99 this is a .29 ROI. @ 2.99
this is a .61 ROI. All of which is a good and tangible result.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
See <a href="http://readindies.blogspot.com/2015/01/book-promotion-sites-ranked-rated-part.html">http://readindies.blogspot.com/2015/01/book-promotion-sites-ranked-rated-part.html</a>
for complete details.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The reason ENT and BookBub remain top recommendations are
because you typically don’t see complete return of investment from marketing –
the actual return isn’t necessarily a tangible result. This is true of all
marketing – all marketing ever done. Marketing isn’t necessarily about the
instant sales. It’s about building recognition, brand, name, etc. What you get
with ENT is access to some segment of 500,000 readers. What you get with
BookBub is access to some segment of 5 million readers.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Similarly, Bargain Reading gives you access to 500,000
readers. Fussy Reader, access to 1.5 million readers. The Reading Club, access
to 5 million readers.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
With Bargain Reading, for .99 books the earnings were $38,
$47, and $57 respectively for “3 or less”, “4 to 12” and “More than 12”
authors, after paying $50 on average. For 1.99 books the was $50, $59, and $69
respectively for “3 or less”, “4 to 12” and “More than 12” authors, after
paying $50 on average, actually showing ROI. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
@ .99 the ROI is .76, .94 and 1.14 respectively. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
@ 1.99 the ROI is 1.0, 1.18 and 1.38 respectively. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
@ 2.99 the ROI is 1.22, 1.34 and 1.4 respectively.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
All of which are exceptional, tangible results.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
With Fussy Reader, For .99 books, the earnings were $88,
$92, and $99 respectively for “3 or less”, “4 to 12” and “More than 12”
authors, after paying $90 on average. For 1.99 books, the earnings were $102,
$106, and $114 respectively for “3 or less”, “4 to 12” and “More than 12”
authors, after paying $90 on average. For 2.99 books, the earnings were $111,
$116, and $122 respectively for “3 or less”, “4 to 12” and “More than 12”
authors, after paying $90 on average.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
@ .99 the ROI is .98, 1.02 and 1.1 respectively. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
@ 1.99 the ROI is 1.13, 1.18 and 1.27 respectively. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
@ 2.99 the ROI is 1.23, 1.29 and 1.36 respectively.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
All of which are exceptional, tangible results.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
With The Reading Club, authors who paid $300, earned back
$295 to $390 and authors who paid $750 earned back $729 to $965. Thus, the ROI ranged
from .98 to 1.3 for genres with smaller audiences and from .97 to 1.29 for
genres with larger audiences.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
All of which are exceptional, tangible results.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
That said, it’s very hard to build following and sales
with a first novel. Better to write the second than to spend money on marketing,
but if you’re going to spend money, services that give you value over time
would be your best bet, rather than one-time listings. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
With first-time novelists, I would avoid one-time
listings for the most part, unless your book has been well received and has many
favorable reviews. For that reason, I would more readily recommend BargainReading, Fussy
Reader and The Reading Club to first-time novelists over the alternatives. You’re
going to get so much more value for your money with respect to the things that
can lead to long-term success: name/brand recognition, awareness, etc. As an example, Bargain Reading and Fussy Reader cost less than $20 a month for regular promotion and you'll get so much more value than if you purchased a few $10 listings somewhere.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But you
really need to keep working on the next and the next novel to build that to
success. </div>
Go Indiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02378150972130213855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7673694406514861705.post-27471304782411823402015-03-02T12:15:00.002-08:002015-03-18T16:59:32.423-07:00Dollar for Dollar Are These the Best Book Promotion Services? Bargain Reading, The Reading Club, Fussy Reader<div class="MsoNormal">
Recently, Read Indies completed a year-long study of book
promotion services and published several research reports. Some of the top
services we discovered in our research include Bargain Reading, The Reading
Club and Fussy Reader.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
First of all, these services in their original form were
only available to traditional publishers and mainstream companies. We asked
them why not indies? We got an earful about how their readership preferred
traditional books and products, blah, blah, blah. So we screamed and hollered
until they let us in (and THEN we tested the HECK out of their services :-)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We found these services to be so effective that we're not
continuing with our own efforts to manage separate promotion services and
instead joining their partner network, which rewards our promotional reach with
discounts, offers enhancements anytime we market through them and more. That
network is called Marketing Partners Network. You too can try to get into their
partners network here: <a href="http://www.the-reading.club/marketers/index.htm">http://www.the-reading.club/marketers/index.htm</a>.
If you use these services or join the network, let them know ReadIndies sent
you or you might not ever get in.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Now on to the good stuff. Here are the sites:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Bargain Reading</b> - <a href="http://www.bargainreading.com/">http://www.bargainreading.com/</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>The Reading Club</b> - <a href="http://www.the-reading.club/">http://www.the-reading.club/</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Fussy Reader</b> - <a href="http://www.fussyreader.com/">http://www.fussyreader.com/</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Here are the rules we followed during our research:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
18 participants tried each service and tracked the results.
Each participant used at least 2 of the 3 services:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Bargain Reading has a 4-month promotion cycle<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Reading Club has a 6-month promotion cycle<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Fussy Reader has 6-month promotion cycle<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It’s important to note that The Reading Club features 2
primary promotion titles for each cycle for authors who have “4 to 12” or “12
or more” books. The total of number of promoted books was 56 and they included
books from 15 genres:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Mystery<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Thriller<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Adventure<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Horror<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Contemporary Fiction<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Inspirational Fiction<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Contemporary Romance<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Paranormal Romance<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Historical Romance<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
History<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
True Crime<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Advice/How-To<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Business<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Teen/Young Adult<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Children's<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As before, our overall rating for these services is a simple
thumbs up or thumbs down system:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Two thumbs up - Excellent<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
One thumb up - Good<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
One thumb down - Not Good<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Two thumbs down - Not Recommended<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
To this, we added a numeric indicator from 0 to 20 to
indicate level of success regarding downloads or sales during the promotion:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
0 - the lowest score, the worst value for your time, money<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
10 - the middle score, a good value for your time, money<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
20 - the highest score, the highest value for your time,
money<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Note that the scores are about value for your time AND
money. All of these services require a bit more of your time than any other
services because they work to promote you over long periods of time, rather
than in a one-time listing. Whether the time investment and the monetary
investment are worth it is up to you to decide.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Something we really liked about these services is that they
were willing to listen to our feedback and make adjustments to their offerings
based on the results of our research, which we released preliminarily to them
quite some time ago. <strong>Not only that, they incorporated these changes into their
new enhanced offerings when they recently re-launched. To be clear also,
Bargain Reading, The Reading Club and Fussy Reader are new brands for their
pre-existing products and were designed specifically for indie and traditional
books rather than traditional books and other traditional products.</strong><br />
<strong></strong><br />
<strong>NOTE: Made the preceding bold since some people apparently don't understand what a new offering / brand means. </strong></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Based on our feedback and work together, they developed
several features to remove much of the frustration we experienced while trying
to work with other promotion services. The features include:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Dedicated Slot</b> –
The services limit the number of promotions at any one time using dedicated
slots in marketing inventory. This reduces the number of products being
marketed at the same time and improves visibility and overall chance for
success of every participating author.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Express Lane</b> – Once you are accepted, you no longer have to re-qualify your books and pray
they are going to accept you. You simply follow the Traffic Forecasts and
submit when there are openings and because you’ve been pre-screened you’ll
always be accepted (though there are a few restrictions, such as those regarding
overly suggestive and explicit book covers).<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Traffic Forecast</b>
– Lets members know how far in advance promotions are booked. Since only currently
accepted authors get access to a forecast page about openings, here’s the
forecast as of Feb 25, 2015:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Website Next
Availability</b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Reading Club June
29, 2015<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Fussy Reader June
17, 2015<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Bargain Reading July
2, 2015<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Hold Queue</b> – Puts
your submission in the hold queue and lets you keep your place in line for
opening slots. Kind of like taking a number at a store. This saves you from
having to submit, get rejected due to lack of space, and then do this over and
over in the hopes you’ll eventually get an opening.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It’s important to note that normally the Hold Queue is only available
to Diamond members and Tier 3 marketing partners. Diamond members are simply
members who have used the service 3 or more times, or who have chosen AlwaysOn
promotion. Tier 3 marketing partners are members of Marketing Partners Network
with a large verified social media reach. Each is limited to a certain number
of listings in the hold queue, but we found a Tier 3 partner willing to share
their queue: Kindle Indies (<a href="https://www.fiverr.com/kindleindies">https://www.fiverr.com/kindleindies</a>).
For $5, you can use one of their slots in the hold queue.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If you get in the hold queue, you should be contacted as
openings become available. Sometimes slots can open sooner
than expected too, which is a very good thing.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Don’t put yourself in the hold queue if you don’t think you
can respond and reserve a spot within 48-hours (2 business days, not weekends /
holidays) of email notification regarding availability. The reason for this is
that if you don’t respond to the follow up, regardless of whether the email got
stuck in your junk folder or you were in Tahiti, you won’t be eligible to use
the hold queue again for 1 year.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Getting in the hold queue doesn’t mean you must accept the
spot. However, from experience, if you turn down a held opening twice in a row,
you’ll not ever again get in the hold queue.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It’s important to point out that the services work together
and within their Marketing Partners Network to promote accepted works not just
once but with targeted marketing over a 120 to 180 day promotion window, giving
authors value over time instead of a one-shot and soon-gone listing. In
addition to mailings, articles in the press, features, interviews and more: The
Reading Club members are promoted throughout all Tier 1, 2 and 3 partner
networks; Fussy Reader members are promoted throughout all Tier 1 and 2
networks; and Bargain Reading members are promoted throughout all Tier 1
networks. Indeed, an important part of the value of these services comes from the marketing networks. Bargain Reading may also go to a 180-day window. If so, then all three
will use the 180-day window. <br />
<br />
Under our research of their original offerings, all three
services performed better than any other service we tested (except for BookBub).
The downloads and sales listed are those downloads and sales that were above
typical levels seen for any title. For example, if a title typically had 12
sales a month, 12 sales a month were subtracted from the results to give the
total additional sales for a month. <br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><span style="font-size: x-large;">Bargain Reading</span></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Bargain Reading (</b><a href="http://www.bargainreading.com/authors.htm"><b>http://www.bargainreading.com/authors.htm</b></a><b>)<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Rating: One Thumb up, though high marks for being an
excellent value.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Bargain Reading’s total reach is 500,000+. Bargain Reading
accomplishes this reach through its own combined mailings lists, its websites,
social media and its partner networks. Promotion with Bargain Reading also buys
you promotion with partner networks, and the coordination is all handled by
Bargain Reading.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Bargain Reading doesn't charge a different rate based on the
price of featured books. Thus, it doesn’t matter whether the book is FREE,.
.99, 1.99, 2.99 and 3.99. The reason for this is that their promotions focus on
a whole author concept and not individual titles per se. That said, authors get
1 primary title for promotion during their 4-month promotion window. Having
anyone promote you periodically for 4-months for $40 - $60 is a pretty good
value and a rate of about $10 to $15 per month per title. For that you’ll get
mailing list promotion, a web page and some targeted periodic marketing.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Success Level for Free Book: 4.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Success with free books was hard to gauge because of the
long promotion window. Bargain Reading lets you put titles on and off FREE
status, various discount and paid statuses. You do this by giving them a price
forecast like this:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Book 1 Everyday Price:
$5.99<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
June 1 - June 5: FREE<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Jul 15 - Jul 30: $2.99<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Aug 18 - Aug 20: FREE<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sep 23 - Sep 26: $.99<br />
Where AMAZON, GOOGLE, NOOK, APPLE, KOBO<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
They then set up promotions around these various free and
sale prices. The where value tells them where the sales will be, as in what
major retailers. They only care about Amazon, Google, KoboBooks, Apple and
Barnes & Noble.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If you have changes or a previously unforeseen sale, they
let you send them updates too (but only a few during the term because they’ll
charge you extra if you try to make changes every week), though at least 14
days in advance. With this in mind, the following results are extrapolated as
if the titles had been free during the entire promotion:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Fewer than 650 downloads (above typical levels) on average
for lower flat-fee ranges ($30/$35) and fewer than 1275 downloads (above
typical levels) on average with higher flat-fee ranges ($50/$60). Most other
promotion companies we researched (except Bookbub) brought in about 100 – 200
downloads for each $10 of investment.<br />
<br />
By this metric Bargain Reading did well
with about 210 downloads for each $10 of cost. Unlike most other services,
Bargain Reading doesn't charge a different rate for free or paid books. It's
one-flat rate for all, and we loved that.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Success Level .99, 1.99: 5.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Bargain Reading accepts all price levels for bargains,
including boxed sets as high as 9.99 and even traditional publisher books at
9.99 (as long as it represents a deep discount or everyday value). For example,
a traditional publisher may have a $34.99 boxed set that they mark down to
$9.99.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The participating authors tested the service with books
priced .99 to 3.99.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
NOTE: As stated earlier, Bargain Reading lets you put titles
on and off FREE status, various discount and paid statuses. You do this by
giving them a price forecast like the one shown earlier. They then set up
promotions around these various free and sale prices. If you have changes or a
sudden sale, they let you send them updates too. With this in mind, the
following results are extrapolated as if the titles had been paid at the price
specified during the entire promotion.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Fewer than 46 @.99 and 37 @ 1.99 sales on average for lower
flat-fee ranges books ($30 to $40) and fewer than 78 @.99 and 61 @ 1.99 sales
on average with higher flat-fee ranges ($40 to $60). Unlike most other
services, Bargain Reading doesn't charge rates based on sale price. It's
one-flat rate for all, and we loved that.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
With these sales level, authors didn’t earn enough to recoup
the cost of the promotion. At .99, authors earned back $22 on average from
royalties and paid $50 on average. At $1.99, authors earned back $34 on average
from royalties and paid $50 on average. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
However, Bargain Reading also helps to promote other titles
by the author, through its website, articles, and related promotions of the
author and his/her works (the whole author approach they use). Bargain Reading
calls this secondary promotion and participating authors did see an increase of
sales of other titles throughout the promotion period. Every author gets a web
page, one or more articles, etc. as part of the promotion. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The other sites in this group have 3 categories of authors
and that's how they work promotion on the back side too. Those with "3 or
less" works, those with "4 to 12" works and those with
"More than 12" works. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Participating authors in the "3 or less" category
saw on average 12 additional sales (sales above typical levels) of their other
works during the promotion period. With the average price of these titles ~ $2.24,
this meant about $16 in additional earnings.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Participating authors in the "4 to 12" category
saw on average 19 additional sales (sales above typical levels) of their other
works during the promotion period. With the average price of these titles ~ $2.24,
this meant about $25 in additional earnings.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Participating authors in the "More than 12" category
saw on the biggest boost, an average 26 additional sales (sales above typical
levels) of their other works during the promotion period. With the average
price of these titles ~ $2.24, this meant about $35 in additional earnings.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
This meant:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
For .99 books the total additional earnings was $38, $47,
and $57 respectively for “3 or less”, “4 to 12” and “More than 12” authors,
which earned back the investment (just barely sometimes).<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
For 1.99 books the total additional earnings was $50, $59,
and $69 respectively for “3 or less”, “4 to 12” and “More than 12” authors, which
earned back the investment (most of the time).<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Success Level 2.99, 3.99: 5.</b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Fewer than 19 @ 2.99 and 12 @ 3.99 sales on average for lower
flat-fee ranges ($30 to $40) and fewer than 26 @ 2.99 and 21 @ 3.99 sales on
average with higher flat-fee ranges ($40 to $60). Unlike most other services,
Bargain Reading doesn't charge rates based on sale price. It's one-flat rate
for all, and we loved that.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
NOTE: As stated earlier, Bargain Reading lets you put titles
on and off FREE status, various discount and paid statuses. You do this by
giving them a price forecast like the one shown earlier. They then set up
promotions around these various free and sale prices. If you have changes or a
sudden sale, they let you send them updates too. With this in mind, the
following results are extrapolated as if the titles had been paid at the price
specified during the entire promotion.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
With these sales level, authors didn’t earn enough to recoup
the cost of the promotion (though it was close). At 2.99, authors earned back $47
on average from royalties and paid $50 on average. At $3.99, authors earned
back $46 on average from royalties and paid $50 on average. (The promotion made
more because authors earned ~70% on these sales instead of ~35% from Amazon.)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
However, Bargain Reading also helps to promote other titles
by the author, through websites, articles, and related promotions of the author
and his/her works (the whole author approach they use). Bargain Reading calls
this secondary promotion and participating authors did see an increase of sales
of other titles throughout the promotion period. Every author gets a web page,
one or more articles, etc as part of the promotion.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The other sites in this group have 3 categories of authors
and that's how they work promotion on the back side too. Those with "3 or
less" works, those with "4 to 12" works and those with
"More than 12" works. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Participating authors in the "3 or less" category
saw on average 8 additional sales (meaning sales above typical levels) of their
other works during the promotion period. With the average price of these titles
~ $2.79, this meant about $14 in additional earnings.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Participating authors in the "4 to 12" category
saw on average 12 additional sales (meaning sales above typical levels) of
their other works during the promotion period. With the average price of these
titles at ~$2.79, this meant about $20 in additional earnings.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Participating authors in the "More than 12"
category saw on the biggest boost, an average 14 additional sales (meaning
sales above typical levels) of their other works during the promotion period.
With the average price of these titles at $2.79, this meant about $23 in
additional earnings.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This meant:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
For 2.99 books, the total additional earnings was then $61,
$67, and $70 respectively for “3 or less”, “4 to 12” and “More than 12”
authors, which did an okay job of earning authors additional value for their
investment.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
For 3.99 books, the total additional earnings was then $60,
$66, and $69 respectively for “3 or less”, “4 to 12” and “More than 12”
authors, which did an okay job of earning authors additional value for their
investment.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><span style="font-size: x-large;">Fussy Reader</span></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Fussy Reader
(<a href="http://www.fussyreader.com/authors.htm">http://www.fussyreader.com/authors.htm</a>)<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Rating: One Thumb up, though high marks for being an
excellent value.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Fussy Reader’s total reach is about 1,500,000+. Fussy Reader accomplishes this reach through its own focused pooled mailings lists,
its websites, its social media venues and its partner network. Promotion with Fussy
Reader also buys you promotion with partner networks, and the coordination is
all handled by Fussy Reader.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Fussy Reader also doesn't charge a different rate for the
price of featured books. Again, the reason for this is that their promotions
focus on the whole author concept and not individual titles per se. That said,
authors get 1 primary title for promotion during their 6-month promotion
window. Having anyone promote your periodically for 6-months for $60 - $120 is
also a pretty good value and a rate of about $10 to $20 per month per title.
For that you’ll get mailing list promotion, a web page and targeted periodic
marketing. Some repeat authors even got free press releases for new and
pre-order titles.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Success Level Free Book: 5.</b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Like Bargain Reading, Fussy Reader lets you put titles on
and off FREE status, various discount and paid statuses. You do this by giving
them a price forecast like this:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Book 1 Everyday Price:
$5.99<br />
June 1 - June 5: FREE<br />
Jul 15 - Jul 30: $2.99<br />
Aug 18 - Aug 20: FREE<br />
Sep 23 - Sep 26: $.99<br />
AMAZON, GOOGLE<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
They then set up promotions around these various free and
sale prices. If you have changes or an unforeseen sale, they let you send them
updates too, though you must give at least 14 days advance notice. With this in
mind, the following results are extrapolated as if the titles had been free
during the entire promotion:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Fewer than 1450 downloads (above typical levels) on average
for lower flat-fee ranges ($60/$70) and fewer than 2600 downloads on average
with higher flat-fee ranges ($110/$120). Most other promotion companies we
researched (except Bookbub) brought in about 100 – 200 downloads for each $10
of investment.<br />
<br />
By this metric Fussy Reader did well with about 215 downloads
per $10 of cost. Unlike most other services, Fussy Reader doesn't charge a
different rate for free or paid books. It's one-flat rate for all, and we loved
that.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Success Level .99, 1.99: 6.</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p><br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Fussy Reader also doesn't charge a different rate for the
price of featured books. It's one-flat rate for all prices. Fussy Reader accepts
all price levels for deals, including boxed sets as high as 9.99. The
participating authors tested the service with books priced .99 to 3.99.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
NOTE: As stated earlier, Fussy Reader lets you put titles on
and off FREE status, various discount and paid statuses. You do this by giving
them a price forecast like the one shown earlier. They then set up promotions
around these various free and sale prices. If you have changes or a sudden
sale, they let you send them updates too. With this in mind, the following
results are extrapolated as if the titles had been paid at the price specified
during the entire promotion.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Fewer than 94 @ .99 and 59 @ 1.99 sales on average for lower
flat-fee ranges ($60 to $70) and fewer than 187 @ .99 and 121 @ 1.99 sales on
average with higher flat-fee ranges ($110 to $120). <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
With these sales level, authors didn’t earn enough to recoup
the cost of the promotion. At .99, authors earned back $49 on average from
royalties and paid $90 on average. At $1.99, authors earned back $63 on average
from royalties and paid $90 on average.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
However, Fussy Reader also helps to promote other titles by
the author, through websites, articles, and related promotions of the author
and his/her works (the whole author approach they use). Fussy Reader calls this
secondary promotion and participating authors did see an increase of sales of
other titles throughout the promotion period. Every author gets a web page, one
or more articles, etc as part of the promotion. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The other sites in this group have 3 categories of authors
and that's how they work promotion on the back side too. Those with "3 or
less" works, those with "4 to 12" works and those with
"More than 12" works. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Participating authors in the "3 or less" category
saw on average 29 additional sales (sales above typical levels) of their other
works during the promotion period. With the average price of these titles ~
$2.24, this meant about $39 in additional earnings.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Participating authors in the "4 to 12" category
saw on average 32 additional sales (sales above typical levels) of their other
works during the promotion period. With the average price of these titles ~
$2.24, this meant about $43 in additional earnings.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Participating authors in the "More than 12"
category saw on the biggest boost, an average 38 additional sales (sales above
typical levels) of their other works during the promotion period. With the
average price of these titles ~ $2.24, this meant about $51 in additional
earnings.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This meant:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
For .99 books, the total additional earnings was then $88, $92,
and $99 respectively for “3 or less”, “4 to 12” and “More than 12” authors,
which earned back the investment (just barely most of the time).<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
For 1.99 books, the total additional earnings was then $102,
$106, and $114 respectively for “3 or less”, “4 to 12” and “More than 12”
authors, which did an okay job of earning authors full value for their
investment.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Success Level 2.99, 3.99: 6.</b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Fewer than 28 @ 2.99 and 23 @ 3.99 sales on average for lower
flat-fee ranges ($60 to $70) and fewer than 52 @ 2.99 and 40 @ 3.99 sales on
average with higher flat-fee ranges ($110 to $120). Unlike most other services,
Fussy Reader doesn't charge rates based on sale price. It's one-flat rate for
all, and we loved that.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
With these sales level, authors didn’t earn enough to recoup
the cost of the promotion (but just barely). At 2.99, authors earned back $84
on average from royalties and paid $90 on average. At $3.99, authors earned
back $88 on average from royalties and paid $90 on average. (The promotion made
more profit primarily because authors earned ~70% on these sales instead of
~35% at Amazon.)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
However, Fussy Reader also helps to promote other titles by
the author, through its website, articles, and related promotions of the author
and his/her works (the whole author approach they use). Fussy Reader calls this
secondary promotion and participating authors did see an increase of sales of other
titles throughout the promotion period. Every author gets a web page, one or
more articles, etc as part of the promotion.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The other sites in this group have 3 categories of authors
and that's how they work promotion on the back side too. Those with "3 or
less" works, those with "4 to 12" works and those with
"More than 12" works. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
These numbers are the same as discussed previously.
Participating authors in the "3 or less" category saw on average 16
additional sales (sales above typical levels) of their other works during the
promotion period. With the average price of these titles ~ $2.79, this meant
about $27 in additional earnings.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Participating authors in the "4 to 12" category
saw on average 19 additional sales (sales above typical levels) of their other
works during the promotion period. With the average price of these titles at ~$2.79,
this meant about $32 in additional earnings.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Participating authors in the "More than 12"
category saw on the biggest boost, an average 23 additional sales (sales above
typical levels) of their other works during the promotion period. With the
average price of these titles at $2.79, this meant about $38 in additional
earnings.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This meant:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
For 2.99 books, the total additional earnings was then $111,
$116, and $122 respectively for “3 or less”, “4 to 12” and “More than 12”
authors, which did an okay job of earning authors additional value for their
investment.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
For 3.99 books, the total additional earnings was then $115,
$121, and $127 respectively for “3 or less”, “4 to 12” and “More than 12”
authors, which did an okay job of earning authors additional value for their
investment.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><span style="font-size: x-large;">The Reading Club</span></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>The Reading Club (<a href="http://www.the-reading.club/partners.htm">http://www.the-reading.club/partners.htm</a>)<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Rating: Two thumbs up, and high marks for being an excellent
value.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Reading Club’s total reach is 5,000,000+. The Reading
Club accomplishes this reach through its own specialized multilevel mailings
lists, its websites, its social media venues and its partner network. Promotion
with The Reading Club also buys you promotion with partner networks, and the
coordination is all handled by The Reading Club.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Reading Club also doesn't charge a different rate for
the price of featured books, but does charge based on the number works an
author has published. The reason for this is that their network is so large and
they promote the whole author as well as the title or titles you’ve setup for
promotion. That said, authors with “3 or less” works get 1 primary title for
promotion during their 6-month promotion window and authors with “4 to 12” or
“More than 12” get 2 primary titles for promotion.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Following this, the current rate (and they just changed them
so we had to redo our numbers) for 1 promoted mystery/thriller book is: <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
$440 for “3 or less” authors<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
$625 / 2 for “4 to 12” authors, which is $312.50 per title<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
$750 / 2 for “12 or more” authors, which is $375 per title<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
And the current rate for teen / young adult is:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
$180 for “3 or less” authors<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
$255 / 2 for “4 to 12” authors, which is $127.50 per title<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
$305 / 2 for “12 or more” authors, which is $152.50 per
title<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Thus, the low range for cost is between $105 and $150, the
midrange of cost is $160 to $280 and the high range of cost is $290 and up. For
our purposes, we’ll extrapolate the cost for $100, $200 and $300 of promotion.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Success Level Free Book: 7.</b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Reading Club doesn't charge a different rate for free or
paid books either. It's one-flat rate for all, and we loved that.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Like Bargain Reading and Fussy Reader, The Reading Club lets
you put titles on and off FREE status, various discount and paid statuses. You
do this by giving them a price forecast like this:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Book 1 Everyday Price:
$5.99<br />
June 1 - June 5: FREE<br />
Jul 15 - Jul 30: $2.99<br />
Aug 18 - Aug 20: FREE<br />
Sep 23 - Sep 26: $.99<br />
AMAZON, GOOGLE<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
They then set up promotions around these various free and
sale prices. If you have changes or an unforeseen sale, they let you send them
updates too, though you must give at least 14 days advance notice. With this in
mind, the following results are extrapolated as if the titles had been free
during the entire promotion:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
On average the participants had 210 – 300 downloads per $10
of cost. Most other promotion companies we researched (except Bookbub) brought
in about 100 – 200 downloads for each $10 of investment. By this metric The
Reading Club did well. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Success Level .99, 1.99: 8.</b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Reading Club also doesn't charge a different rate for
the price of featured books. It's one-flat rate for all prices. The Reading
Club accepts all price levels for deals, including boxed sets as high as 9.99.
The participating authors tested the service with books priced .99 to 3.99.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
NOTE: As stated earlier, The Reading Club lets you put
titles on and off FREE status, various discount and paid statuses. You do this
by giving them a price forecast like the one shown earlier. They then set up
promotions around these various free and sale prices. If you have changes or a
sudden sale, they let you send them updates too. With this in mind, the
following results are extrapolated as if the titles had been paid at the price
specified during the entire promotion.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Fewer than 190 @ .99 and 115 @ 1.99 sales on average for each
$100 of cost. With these sales levels, authors didn’t earn enough to recoup the
cost of the promotion. At .99, authors earned back $67 on average from
royalties for each $100 paid on average. At $1.99, authors earned back $80 on
average from royalties for each $100 paid on average. This is per title.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Success Level 2.99, 3.99: 8.</b><o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As stated earlier, The Reading Club lets you put titles on
and off FREE status, various discount and paid statuses. You do this by giving
them a price forecast like the one shown earlier. They then set up promotions
around these various free and sale prices. If you have changes or a sudden
sale, they let you send them updates too. With this in mind, the following
results are extrapolated as if the titles had been paid at the price specified
during the entire promotion.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Fewer than 38 @ 2.99 and 23 @ 3.99 sales on average for each
$100 of cost. With these sales levels, authors didn’t earn enough to recoup the
cost of the promotion. At 2.99, authors earned back $80 on average from
royalties for each $100 paid on average. At $3.99, authors earned back $64 on
average from royalties for each $100 paid on average. This is per title.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Putting This Together</b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Reading Club also helps to promote other titles by the
author, through websites, articles, and related promotions of the author and
his/her works (the whole author approach they use). The Reading Club calls this
secondary promotion and participating authors did see a good increase of sales
of other titles throughout the promotion period. Every author gets a web page,
articles, press coverage and more during the term of the promotion. Free press
releases for some new and pre-order titles was a good perk, but required
additional author input.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The 3 categories of authors The Reading Club uses really do
have significant meaning. It’s much harder for them to gain traction for
authors with 3 or less works than it is for authors with "4 to 12"
works or "More than 12" works and this is reflected in the cost of
the promotion.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Participating authors in the "3 or less" category
saw on average 94 additional sales (sales above typical levels) of their other
works during the promotion period. With the average price of these titles ~
$2.44, this meant about $138 in additional earnings. This is during the whole
term of the promotion.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Participating authors in the "4 to 12" category
saw on average 126 additional sales (sales above typical levels) of their other
works during the promotion period. With the average price of these titles ~
$2.44, this meant about $184 in additional earnings.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Participating authors in the "More than 12"
category saw on the biggest boost, an average 151 additional sales (sales above
typical levels) of their other works during the promotion period. With the
average price of these titles ~ $2.44, this meant about $221 in additional
earnings.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
To put this in perspective, we must look at the additional
success per one million readers reached. On average, these numbers are based on
about 1.5 million target readers. Genres with larger target audiences would
need to be adjusted upward, while genres with lower target audiences would need
to be adjusted downward. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As an example, the mystery/thriller authors saw results that
were 165% better for additional sales on average because there are currently
2.5 million in the target audience. This meant the additional sales were 155
instead of 94, 207 instead of 126, and 249 instead of 151 on average. Thus, if
the mystery/thriller authors spent $750 to promote two titles, the additional
earnings were $729 - $965 calculated as follows:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
$67 - $80 per $100 plus $227 ($138 * 165%) to $365 ($221 *
165%) = $729 - $965.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Meanwhile, the teen / young adult authors saw results that
were 68% of the average for additional sales because there are currently 1.02
million in the target audience. This meant the additional sales were 64 instead
of 94, 86 instead of 126 and 103 instead of 151 on average. Thus, if the teen /
young adult authors spent $300 to promote two titles, the additional earnings
were $295 - $390 calculated:<o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
$67 - $80 per $100 plus $94 ($138 * 68%) to $150 ($221 *
68%) = $295 - $390.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Closing Thoughts</span></b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Over all, the participants felt Bargain Reading, Fussy
Reader and The Reading Club did a good job of giving value. The participants were pleased that mailing lists were only one part of much larger offerings.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Although sometimes
the promotions didn’t quite earn back their full cost, the value of a lengthy
promotion window is hard to deny, especially as they continued providing value
through multiple special sales and not just a one-time deal.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But if there were any services who hated our numeric ratings
(and we mean vehemently) it was The Reading Club, Fussy Reader and Bargain
Reading. They didn’t understand how services that performed as well as theirs
did, got such low ratings. We explained that the scale was from 1 to 20 and no
service has scored higher than 10.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Our ratings were one of the reasons they wanted to work with
us to try to improve their services and make them better. Because of the 4- to 6-month promotion windows, it will be
some time before we can rate the new enhanced services, but we are tracking
results currently. Preliminarily, we do expect to see marginal improvements all
around.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p><br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Overall, these are good values from services that value you
and make it easier for you to be an author.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
BOOKMARK AND CHECK BACK. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
WILL TRY TO ADD MORE TIPS<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
FOR GETTING IN WITHIN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Tips for Success</span></b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When using these services, you’ll do best if you follow this
advice:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If you put "ReadIndies" in the notes, they'll know a Tier 1 partner referred you and that should help your chances.<br />
<br />
All three services are different. Create a Word document for
each with all the information you are going to submit to each and save this.
Use this Word document anytime you are going to resubmit. That way you’ll have
most everything handy and just need to make a few changes.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Check and double-check your submission before you send it.
Provide as much information as you can and as much detail as you can. Whenever
they ask for a website address or a link by sure to use the full link, such as <a href="http://readindies.blogspot.com/">http://readindies.blogspot.com</a>. The
http:// is needed to pass the data check.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Each of these services has extensive documentation on how it
all works read this before submitting. In the lower right corner of each page,
you’ll see a link called FAQ or Frequent Questions. Read the FAQ after you read
the documentation. It’ll answer any questions you might have (including those
you never thought to ask). Each site is different so study each closely before
submitting.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Currently, about 1 in 8 get into Bargain Reading, about 1 in
10 into Fussy Reader and about 1 in 20 into The Reading Club. They are highly
selective, but the “not getting in” is more about space that anything else.
They limit the number of promotions they run at any one time on a per genre
basis. All I can say to that is hold queue, hold queue, hold queue. If you use
the hold queue, your chances of getting in improve to about 1 in 3 across the
board.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Increase your odds even further by drafting a 6-month price
forecast for the book or books you are submitting that is TWO – THREEE MONTHS
IN THE FUTURE and put this in the “notes/why I should be” section as a single
line of text without tabs or line returns, such as:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Book 1 Everyday Price: $5.99. June 1 - June 5: FREE. Jul 15
- Jul 30: $2.99. Aug 18 - Aug 20: FREE. Sep 23 - Sep 26: $.99. AMAZON, GOOGLE.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This will let them know you’ve taken the time to learn about
how their system works and are serious about getting a promotion. The 2-3 month
in the future part is important because they typically are booked at least 3
months ahead of time. Thus, if it is April, give them a 6-month price forecast
starting in June or better still, July. Be sure to specify where the sales will
be. Simply state AMAZON, GOOGLE, KOBO, APPLE, NOOK or any appropriate
combination, even if only: AMAZON.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If it says 25-word Bio or 25-word descriptions, they really mean
25 words, not 26 and not 30 or 50 or 100.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Make each listing unique, if possible. If you are asked to
provide a summary of your book, try to make this unique each time. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Be sure to track the date you submit your promotions. You
are allowed to submit once every 30 days to each service. Don’t submit more
than once every 30 days to any of these.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Make sure you provide an email address that you check
regularly. It will be used for all correspondence. If you are accepted, you’ll
receive an emailed invoice through PayPal with a request for payment. Make sure
you have a PayPal account set up beforehand.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<b>If you value reports like this, please make a donation to ReadIndies, so we can afford to keep going. The donation button is in the left-hand column.</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Thanks for reading!</b><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Go Indiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02378150972130213855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7673694406514861705.post-67167238565975722352015-02-16T13:02:00.000-08:002020-06-17T13:56:45.654-07:00Facebook, Twitter, Blog Promotion Services for eBooks Rounded Up for Your Convenience<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEEHwZtJLhj2AJYb8A5AWLt3Z7TYPVBa0owREVc_Vy2atDLTjs4mAn0HW-tyBms1aOIG6NREcAs-PRWiWeGpPeNmfNRiJgCjM-W6KpAvJhaug8INHWyFG5nzhMKYMzktDYxj73CnG03cWY/s1600/HangingOut3b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="375" data-original-width="287" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEEHwZtJLhj2AJYb8A5AWLt3Z7TYPVBa0owREVc_Vy2atDLTjs4mAn0HW-tyBms1aOIG6NREcAs-PRWiWeGpPeNmfNRiJgCjM-W6KpAvJhaug8INHWyFG5nzhMKYMzktDYxj73CnG03cWY/s200/HangingOut3b.jpg" width="152" /></a></div>
I’m Robert Stanek, a pro author since 1994 and an indie
since 2001. Today, I have a special report in a continuing series of articles on book promotion services. Book
promotion services are marketing services that help authors promote their books
for a fee. As these services often charge a pretty penny for such work, the participating authors and I decided to research the low-cost book promotion
services available at Fiverr. After all, we thought for $5 what did we have to
lose? </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Our findings may shock you – they certainly shocked us.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
For this study, 24 authors participated, using the services to promote 39 books from 8 different genres, including:<br />
<br />
Mystery<br />
Thriller<br />
Romance<br />
Scifi<br />
Fantasy<br />
Horror<br />
Literary Fiction<br />
Nonfiction<br />
<div>
<br />
At least <b>12 of the 24 participants used each service</b> discussed one or more times, as well as 44 similar services <b>for a total of 53 services</b>. What follows is a
summary of results gathered between June 2014 and February 2015. In the interest of full disclosure, I gave each participant $20 of fun money to start them off.<br />
<br /></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Book promotion services at Fiverr are largely the kind that
say:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“I’ll promote your book to 2,000,000 on social media!”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“I’ll tweet your book to 50,000 followers!”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“I’ll promote your book to 200,000 on Facebook!”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“I’ll promote your book to the Top 50 Facebook kindle
groups!”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“I’ll pin your book, tweet your book, post your book on
Facebook to thousands!”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
That alone should have been our first clue that we might be
wasting our time and money, but what the heck we thought because it’s only $5.
Or is it? <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Although the name of the website is Fiverr, you typically
end up paying much more than $5 for each gig, and a gig is simply an offering
from a seller in Fiverr vernacular. For example, Facebookprogig (<a href="https://www.fiverr.com/facebookprogig">https://www.fiverr.com/facebookprogig</a>)
offers a gig that says “I Will Promote Your Amazon Kindle Ebook to the Top 60 Groups,
Twitter, Pinterest for $5” but the gig has up to $30 worth of extras you can
add on.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The extras are where the sellers make their real money. Many
of the participants fell for the extras big time, figuring if the gig costs $5
I must be getting some extreme value from this $10 or $20 add on. They were wrong. Wrong,
as anyone could ever be.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The problem is the buyer really isn’t getting much—if any— additional value from each extra, even though the extras may cost $10,
$20, $40, $50, or more each. As an example, with the gig from Facebookprogig
mentioned earlier choosing $20 of extras was no more effective than simply
choosing the $5 gig itself. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But was the gig effective in the first place? From
the hundreds of reviews, you’d think absolutely that it must be the bees knees
of gigs—yes, a 60’s term to hint at our collective gullibility.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The problem we discovered quickly with gigs at Fiverr is
that most have a tremendous flood of high praise, along with 100% positives, 98%
positives, etc. However, there’s no way of knowing if any of it is legitimately
earned or deserved.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Many of those with promotion services at Fiverr hail from
Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, Russia or some other distant shore. <em>Nothing wrong
with that whatsoever</em>. However, their profile photos then typically show
themselves as a beautiful blond woman, a fair-skinned brunette or something equally out of place.<br />
<br /></div>
<h2>
Blog Promotion</h2>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Blog promotion is one several categories of book promotion
services. (Our categorization, not Fiverr's) With blog promotion, the seller will post an article on his
or her blog about your book.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Lincolnrocks</b> (<a href="https://www.fiverr.com/lincolnrocks">https://www.fiverr.com/lincolnrocks</a>)
promised to promote a book on a Kindle Book Club blog and also tweet about it. Now
that seemed like a great idea. Why not have a book on a popular blog? The
extras though added up quickly. $20 for extra fast service. $20 to post about
your book on Facebook. $50 for side bar advertising on the blog. $10 for an
Author Success guide. Meaning, you could quickly be out $105 and not $5. If you want a
blog post about your book, spend the $5 and not a penny more, but you’ll be
writing your own post.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>DreamTheAnswer</b> (<a href="https://www.fiverr.com/dreamtheanswer">https://www.fiverr.com/dreamtheanswer</a>)
offers to promote your book on two blogs for $5. You write the articles and they
are posted (but quickly drowned in the sea of others following you).<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
The participants tried many other blog promotion services as well.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Results:</b> The results of using blog promotions of this type
from Fiverr were a mixed bag. We’re not sure of the actual value—or if there’s
any value at all. Sometimes the articles didn’t even show up in search results.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Our advice:</b> Lots of authors have used blog tours to help
find success. Join a blog tour or start your own! The cost then is not $5 or
$25, but nothing—and you’ll have a lot more fun.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If you’ve already tried blog tours and want to give blog
promotions a try, send a message to any potential seller and ask them for the
link to their blog before you buy. That way you can see what you’re getting
yourself into.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h2>
<b>Facebook Promotion</b></h2>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p><br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
No shortage of promotion services promise to promote your
book on Facebook pages and in popular Facebook groups. Here, by promote, they
mean posting a description and buy link for your book.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p><br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>BookKitty</b> (<a href="https://www.fiverr.com/bookkitty">https://www.fiverr.com/bookkitty</a>)
offers to promote your book on several Facebook pages, with a total following
of about 15,000 for $5. Not a good value. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Jazzy7</b> (<a href="https://www.fiverr.com/jazzy7">https://www.fiverr.com/jazzy7</a>)
offers to promote your book to 90,000 Facebook fans for $5. For $10 extra you
can get 3 additional posting, for $20 you can pin your website URL to the top
of her page, for $40 you can get 25 statuses (whatever that is), for $10 you
can get social bookmarks. With 2000 reviews and a 96% positive rating, what
could go wrong? Plenty. Not a good value.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Best Graphic 201</b> (<a href="https://www.fiverr.com/best_graphic201">https://www.fiverr.com/best_graphic201</a>)
will promote a book to 50 kindle reader groups for $5. Her 300+ reviewers
seemed to love the service. But is it a good value? Uncertain.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Merlin George</b> (<a href="https://www.fiverr.com/merlingeorge001">https://www.fiverr.com/merlingeorge001</a>)
said she’d post a book to the Top 60 Kindle readers groups and best 20 ebook promotion
groups for $5. Reaching 80 groups for $5 isn’t a bad value, and it could save
time if you really wanted to post the same message to these groups.<br />
<br />
<strong>fanni121</strong> (<a href="https://www.fiverr.com/fanni121">https://www.fiverr.com/fanni121</a>) promises to promote your business / product / ebook to 4 million Facebook fans and said a refund is guaranteed if unsatisfied. The problem is no one who used this service saw any results. Recently, in a follow up test of the service, we also saw no results and contacted fanni121 after he/she stated the gig was delivered. Our lengthy message explaining our test of the service for our research report, also suggesting ways the service could be improved, and making a request for an order modification was met with a rejection of the modification request and no follow up message whatsoever. We followed up again and stated that the gig was supposed to have a money back guarantee and that we were trying to help them give actual value. The response was a single word: Refund. And, we did get a refund.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
However, <b>Fb_dami</b> (<a href="https://www.fiverr.com/fb_dami">https://www.fiverr.com/fb_dami</a>)
says he can promote a book to over 5 million Facebook fans for $5 (the gig title says 2.5 million but the gig itself says 5 million). For $10 extra,
he’ll add a picture or video. For $20 extra, he’ll promote for 3 days. For $50
extra, he’ll bring people to your website and raise your ranking. For $50
extra, he’ll do a huge promotion for 7 days. For $50 extra, he’ll give daily views for 30 days.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Fb_dami's 900+ reviewers seemed to love this service. While
you can get everything including fast delivery for a whopping $180, why in the world would
anyone ever spend more than $5, or perhaps $15 if you wanted to display a book
cover or video? If the promotion works, you can simply run the promotion again.<br />
<br />
But does the Fb_dami promotion work for surely it must if actually reaching 5 million? Do the extras work any better? Some limited results were seen for the $5 gig, but it’s a resounding <em>no</em> on the extras. For $20, $50 or $100 you are not getting 4X, 10X or 20X value or results. You’re getting less extra value than if you simply purchased the original $5 gig again at a different date.<br />
<br />
UPDATE: 2/24/15. We tested Fb_dami's service again just recently. He now says if you agree to give him a good rating when you sign up for the gig, he'll throw in some free extras worth $30, including pictures with posts and twitter promotion. What you actually get though seems to be the $10 Silver package or part of it. At any rate, if you mention "ReadIndies" when you get the gig, you are supposed to get the same whether you give him a rating or not.<br />
<br />
The participants tried many other facebook promotion services as well.<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Results:</b> We saw negligible results from BookKitty, Jazzy7 and
similar offerings. With offerings that reached many groups or many Facebook
users (through many groups), there were some results, especially click through,
if few actual sales.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Our advice:</b> Join any of the hundreds of book-related
Facebook groups available, many of which are focused on sharing free and
discounted books with readers. Where allowed, share posts about your books. You’ll
quickly accomplish a few things. You’ll likely get better results than you
would if someone made posts for you, and you’ll also get to meet other authors
and readers. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Post to 10 popular groups and you’ll reach 50,000 to 100,000 all
by yourself and without spending anything. You’ll likely sell books too and with no cost at all. Want
help reaching your first 25,000 or so? Join the GoIndie and FreeToday groups on
Facebook @ <a href="http://www.facebook.com/groups/goindie/">http://www.facebook.com/groups/goindie/</a>
and <a href="http://www.facebook.com/groups/freetoday/">http://www.facebook.com/groups/freetoday/</a>. This'll cost you the grand sum of $0.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
<h2>
Twitter Promotion</h2>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p><br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
With twitter promotions, the seller promises to tweet about
your book a certain number of times, usually once or twice for $5.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<b>Indie Book Value</b> (<a href="https://www.fiverr.com/indiebookvalue">https://www.fiverr.com/indiebookvalue</a>)
will tweet your book to his/her 75,000 followers for $5 and says he/she is a #1
bestselling Amazon author in his/her category. For $10 extra, you can get four
tweets per day for a month. For $20 extra, you can get 12 tweets a day for a
month. For $40 extra, you can get twelve tweets for two months. <em>Not a good value, not even for $5.</em></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Gsmolin</b> (<a href="https://www.fiverr.com/gsmolin">https://www.fiverr.com/gsmolin</a>)
says he is a "#1 bestselling Amazon author who will tweet your book to
665,000 ebook lovers and has the only twitter promotion service with proven
results". For $10 extra you can get the Gold service -- one tweet a day for 5
days. For $20 extra you can get Platinum service – one tweet a day for 5 days
with hash tags, which is the same strategy the author says he "uses to get his books
into the Amazon Top 100". <br />
<br />
Although George was friendly, very responsive to questions and helpful, his service doesn't have the following suggested. In fact, the tweets from his accounts have little actual following. For example, the account used for .99 books has only 150 or so followers. The 665,000 ebook lovers the tweets are supposed to reach is based on using hash tags in tweets, such as #kindle #ebook, etc.<br />
<br />
George did craft great tweets, but were they worth $5 each? Not in our opinion. It's also worth noting that George is the only one who took me up on the second chance offer I discuss later under Disclosure and seemed to be one of the few who actually, genuinely wanted to help authors succeed.<br />
<br />
The participants tried many other twitter promotion services as well.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Results:</b> We saw negligible results with Indie Book Value and similar offerings from those with less than 100,000 followers. It was refreshing to find that some gigs in this category had a relatively few reviews as compared to the floods
of gushing praise found elsewhere for gigs of highly questionable value or
merit.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Our advice:</b> Twitter’s free to use. Tweet with appropriate
hash tags when talking about your books and you’ll reach beyond your followers
to others who follow those hash tags. A hash tag is simply a keyword, such as <i>book</i>, preceded by the number sign (#), as in <b>#book</b>. Tweet with #GoIndie #ReadIndies or
#FreeToday as your hash tags and I may retweet you to 30,000+ followers. My fee
since forever for a retweet: $0. That's right, nothing.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<h2>
<b>Disclosure</b> </h2>
Though
I tracked and compiled the results with the participating authors, I myself did
not participate. Before writing this report, I tried to give every seller
listed a second chance. I posted a private message to each explaining I was researching
book promotion services. I explained the research and asked them to give a free test run of their service, the results of which I would also include in the report. There was only one taker, though plenty of complaints, and that should tell
you everything you ever needed to know about these services from Fiverr. We will continue this research throughout 2015 hoping against the odds to find services of actual value.<br />
<br /></div>
<h2>
<o:p>Closing Thoughts</o:p></h2>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Working on this special report was an eye-opening experience for everyone involved. To a one, we came away with a single, overriding thought. That thought was this: </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>When you see a gig at Fiverr with hundreds or thousands of rave reviews, get the hell out of there. </i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Increasingly, the same is true of Amazon.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Remember also that $5 in Sri Lanka, India and Indonesia is an excellent hourly wage and that $50 can represent nearly a week's wages. Average monthly salary after taxes:<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<o:p></o:p><br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<a href="http://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/country_result.jsp?country=Sri+Lanka" target="_blank">Sri Lanka</a> $265</div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<a href="http://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/country_result.jsp?country=Indonesia" target="_blank">Indonesia</a> $275</div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<a href="http://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/country_result.jsp?country=India" target="_blank">India</a> $460</div>
</div>
<o:p><br /></o:p>
<o:p>Therefore, it was extremely disappointing to find that nearly every one of these services treat your gig as if it has no value to them, often using automated means to perform the actual work required or simply copying and pasting something over and over -- and always doing as little as possible. Worse, the same remained true even when we bought gigs extras that added up to a lot of money.</o:p><br />
<o:p><br /></o:p>
<o:p>The participants and I didn't expect a lot for $5 or even $20. However, we did expect that when we worked with parties in countries where this represents a good wage, we would actually get good, earnest efforts on our behalf -- and that rarely, if ever, happened.</o:p><br />
<o:p><br /></o:p>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<h2>
<o:p>Update</o:p></h2>
<div>
<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<div>
<o:p>Wanted to update this special report based on feedback from Fiverr sellers. It's important to note that Fiverr takes a 20% commission on all monies received and also holds funds for at least two weeks (18 or more days typically). This lengthy payment process makes some sellers reluctant to give 100% efforts, especially with new members or those they haven't previously worked with. </o:p></div>
<div>
<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<div>
<o:p>When working with international sellers, it's important to keep in mind that $5 can represent a lot of money and your cancellation of an order or request for a refund could cause serious harm. Rather than canceling an order or requesting a refund, try working with the seller to see if you can come to a mutually agreeable resolution.</o:p></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Thanks for reading,<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Robert Stanek</i><o:p></o:p></div>
Go Indiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02378150972130213855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7673694406514861705.post-2980414961188754392015-01-30T13:36:00.000-08:002020-06-17T13:52:16.897-07:00Book Promotion Sites Ranked & Rated: More Thoughts & Tips for Getting into BookBub from BookBub, Plus 20 Questions & Answers with BookBub<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib00a9IyKr_VEfqiM4lsOeix4bBL9E5Zum24GOSXc3bMZwBh6sJvlpi4O9seozoMv4Nbru1g4f8SPPPaSUOWPQEIaj8DayacSRMZvjvTKgcOEi4uJ0FRgWPYBbyMezOFVBwN0mSlNq-4D1/s1600/WRS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="174" data-original-width="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib00a9IyKr_VEfqiM4lsOeix4bBL9E5Zum24GOSXc3bMZwBh6sJvlpi4O9seozoMv4Nbru1g4f8SPPPaSUOWPQEIaj8DayacSRMZvjvTKgcOEi4uJ0FRgWPYBbyMezOFVBwN0mSlNq-4D1/s1600/WRS.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">So many have pinged me about <a href="http://readindies.blogspot.ca/2015/01/book-promotion-sites-ranked-rated-part.html" target="_blank">Book Promotion Sites Ranked & Rated</a> and asked questions that I added more to the article
originally and in comments, but will now put those together with additional
tips for getting into BookBub from the BookBub team. The details come from research and discussions between January 2014 and December 2014 as well as updates and additions from January 2015.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Before I get into more details and tips for
success, remember, a promotion that doesn’t do as well as hoped isn’t
necessarily a failure on the author’s part. It can be a failure of the
marketing done on the author’s behalf – and marketing does fail frequently in
my experience. That said, it's up to the author to put his or her best foot
forward. You really need to take your time with any submissions to these
services, make sure your work is highly polished with good cover art, and
provide as much detail as possible in your submission.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Further, to be clear, no one who participated
in the study was disappointed with BookBub. Participants gave BookBub two
thumbs up with caveats and our highest rating. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><strong>Did the participants think BookBub was a good
value?</strong> Yes, that's what the score of 10 indicated. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><strong>Did the participants think BookBub was
perfect?</strong> No, that’s why the score was a 10 and not a 20. Online promotion
services in this category have a long way to go towards perfection—BookBub
included.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><strong>Will the participants be using BookBub again?</strong>
Yes, absolutely.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I was asked many questions about the residual
value of online book promotion services, as in: <i>Is there value
beyond the promotion period?</i><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">To be clear, the study looked at the value of
the promotion not just on the day of promotion but within a reasonable window
of time that extended beyond. As an example, a book may see 80% of its boost on
Day 1 and Day 2, 15% of its boost on Days 3 to 5, and 5% of its boost on Days
6, 7, 8, 9 and 10, and that windowing effect was taken into account.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">These offerings are really one-time and done,
with little residual value. Remember, many of these services are featuring 20 –
30 or more books a day with promotions appearing on “daily feature” pages,
promoted through daily emails, and often on social media. It’s important to
remember that success with these services isn’t just about the daily newsletter
emails to followers. It’s also about the service’s web site and social media
channels. Thus, there are 3-parts to promotion strategies using these services
that must be considered.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">With the “daily feature” page, your book is
one of many. Successive daily promotion pages quickly follow the page your book
is on. Thus, after 7 to 10 days, your book is already several hundred books
back in the queue. Some promotion services distinguish themselves by making
their web sites about more than the listings, and that helps to build traction.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">With daily emails, your book is included in a
daily email. Successive daily emails quickly follow. Thus, after a few days,
the email containing your book has already been superseded several times.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">It’s also important to remember that just
because a service has 1,000,000 followers doesn’t mean 1,000,000 are going to
see your promotion. Typical open rates for promotion services that use daily
emails are likely 2 to 3%, though I’ve seen claims as high as 6 to 12%. Open
rates are posted by some services if you look for them, though self-reported
and based on all classes of recipients.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">With an open rate of 2 – 3% and 1,000,000
emails sent, that means about 20,000 to 30,000 are opening the email. With an
open rate of 6% and 1,000,000 email sent, that means about 60,000 are opening
the email. With an open rate of 12% and 1,000,000 email sent, that means about
120,000 are opening the email. Once those emails have been opened, some subset
of those who did so will make one or more purchases based on what they read.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Going back to the idea of residual value.
Marketing isn’t just about the sales made, but also building brand, following
and cache. However, most of these services would have to rethink their entire
approach to build any actual product awareness: daily pages and daily emails
don’t build anything.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">With 20, 30 or more books featured at a time
each and every day, readers are simply being overwhelmed and it’s highly
unlikely any value is being built. ENT and BookBub might be exceptions, as
their larger followings make the building of traction more likely. As ENT and
BookBub are quite popular, they may also have higher open rates than smaller
services.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Anyone working at these services may wonder
how they can start providing more value more consistently. There's no easy
answer but here's a start: Don't feature so many books at once. Build
additional value using your website and social media. For examples of better
websites, start by looking at how ENT is doing things.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">The
effectiveness of this category of book promotion services has changed over
time. Services focusing on free and discounted ebooks have grown and matured
with the ebook/kindle marketplace itself. A mature following isn’t the same as
a new, hungry following.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">When many of
these services started, they were rapidly expanding and growing their
following. Now much of their following has matured along with the services
themselves. As a result, there’s likely a growing percentage of members who may
not be actively seeking new reads or who may not be seeking new reads as frequently,
as well as a base of members who continue to actively seeking new reads.
Because of this, these services must constantly grow their membership base with
not just new members, but with members who are actively seeking new reads.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">I know when
I first started following these services, I couldn’t wait to open the emails
each day to discover new deals. A few weeks in though, I was only checking
every few days. A few months in, I was only checking sporadically, and mostly
when I needed something to new to read. Now after several years, I check only
every now and again—and I’m someone who reads ravenously, daily.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Regarding
repeat advertising for the same product, some discussion should be made about
the possibility of diminishing returns—and that should definitely be
highlighted. The first time you advertise a product in a new market you are
likely to capture the attention of a larger part of the market than with
subsequent advertising in the same market. In fact, with each subsequent ad for
the same product, you may find less and less of a return. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Keep in
mind, the concept of diminishing returns applies to advertising the same
product in the same market repeatedly. Thus, one way to get continued success
is to market different products rather than the same product. Also, keep in
mind the market itself can change over time. In the early days, this was
especially true with BookBub. BookBub with 2 million members didn’t have the
same market as BookBub with 4 million members. Not only did BookBub have 2
million more members, but the company also started doing things in different
ways. Growth and change create new opportunity, and if BookBub continues to
grow and change these opportunities will continue to flourish.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Open rate is
only one metric for success in email newsletters. Other important metrics
include clickthrough rates and conversion rates. Going back to what I was
talking about earlier with open rates for the email newsletters from these
services. The open rate is the percentage of members who open the newsletter.
If a service has 4-million members and a 10% open rate, that means about
400,000 will open the email on any given day.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">The
clickthrough rate is the number of members who click through to a sales page
after they’ve opened the email. If the clickthrough rate is 26%, that means out
of those 400,000 about 104,000 will click a book link and land on a sales page,
whether at Amazon, Google Play, Barnes & Noble or somewhere else. Thus, in
the end, the 4-million member base is whittled down to about 104,000 who have
progressed far enough to make a purchase decision:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">4,000,000 to
start<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">400,000 who
open the email<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">104,000 who
click through to a sales page<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Those who
click through may do so more than once, but typically are only counted on the
initial click through. Because the newsletters always have multiple features,
each book typically receives some portion of the click through.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Sometimes an
additional metric called the conversion rate is used to track the number of
people who then make a purchase. However, that’s a difficult metric to track
because it relies on sales reporting, which is often estimated or
self-reported.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Tips for
Getting into BookBub from BookBub, Plus 20 Questions and Answers from BookBub</span></h2>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Like Country
Clubs and Men's Clubs, BookBub builds buzz among authors by seeming to be
exclusive. In 2014, they accepted 1 out of 4 submissions. For 2015, they’re
currently reporting that they accept 1 out of 5 submissions and that’s what
we’re seeing as well. But the only real criteria they seem to have relate to: <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Current
sales rank</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Current sale
price relative to past on sale prices<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Number of
favorable reviews relative to total reviews<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Or in other
words, they're largely looking for already successful authors to make even more
successful.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Never
forget, BookBub is offering a service. They exist to serve authors, authors
don't exist to serve them. In 2014, BookBub earned about $12,000,000 from
authors (our estimation, not theirs). If they want to keep earning that kind of
money, they'll need to start being fair about their selection process, start
looking at the product offered itself, start posting real sales numbers for all
authors and not just the winners, and stop paying attention to what we all know
can and are being bought: reviews and sales rank.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><strong>So what does
BookBub itself have to say about all this? Do they have specific tips for
successfully getting featured?</strong> Yes, they do, and here they are with my
revisions as appropriate for clarity.</span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><strong>What is the
biggest factor for getting into or not getting into BookBub?</strong> Discount. More
specifically, the discount relative to the everyday price of the book. Books
must be discounted by at least 50%. As an example, a book priced every day at
$5.99 and offered at $2.99 has a 50% discount. A book with a discount less than
50% will not be accepted.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><strong>BookBub
accepts novels. Does BookBub accept novellas, short stories or picture books?</strong>
Any work of fiction must be at least 150 pages. Any work of nonfiction must be
at least 100 pages. The exceptions are for cookbooks, middle grade readers, and
pictures books. Cookbooks must be at least 70 pages. Middle grade books must be
at least 70 pages. Picture books must be at least 20 pages.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><strong>So novellas
and short stories are acceptable as long as they meet the length criteria?</strong> Yes.
We don’t currently accept stand-alone novellas or short stories, but we do
accept collective works.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><strong>Does BookBub
use reviews to determine whether to feature a book?</strong> Yes. Customer reviews and
ratings are used to determine whether to feature any book. BookBub also looks
for critical reviews from trusted editorial sources.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><strong>Such as?</strong>
Publishers Weekly, Kirkus, Amazon editors, book review sections in newspapers.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><strong>Do deeper
discounts help to get into BookBub?</strong> Yes. BookBub promises members that any book
we feature is deeply discounted or free. The deeper the discount from the
everyday price, the better. Remember, the deal BookBub features must also be
the best deal available at the time.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><strong>Does BookBub
accept always discounted books?</strong> Not usually. A book that’s always discounted
doesn’t meet our criteria for a limited-time offer.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><strong>What is the
best price point for a deal to get accepted?</strong> BookBub rarely accepts deals
priced higher than $3.00. For the best chance at getting featured, make sure
your deal is $2.99 or less.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><strong>Does the
price history affect a submission?</strong> Yes. BookBub doesn’t accept submissions for
books that have had a better price in the previous 90 days. We don’t accept
submissions for books that will have a better price in the near term (approximately
next 30 days).<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><strong>Does BookBub
accept free books?</strong> Yes. BookBub only features books that are free or
discounted. Free books are our most popular listings, and we’re always looking
for submissions of good free books.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><strong>Does BookBub
accept always free books?</strong> Not usually. A book that’s always free doesn’t meet
our criteria for a limited-time offer.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><strong>Books that were on sale at
the time of submission often weren’t selected. Can you tell us why that could happen?</strong> BookBub
looks for limited-time offers and typically 14 to 30 or more days in advance of
a feature. If the book is already on sale, it won’t be a limited time offer by
the time we feature it.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><strong>During the
submission process, we are asked for how long after the feature will the offer
be available. We found that our answer here really seemed to matter. Does it?</strong>
Yes. Again, BookBub looks for limited time offers. A book that’s going to be on
sale for 60 days isn’t a limited time offer.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><strong>A deal has
to be widely available for acceptance. Can you explain?</strong> Yes. A deal must be
available on at least one major retailer in the US or UK. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><strong>An example?</strong>
Amazon US or Amazon UK.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><strong>I notice BookBub is looking at Amazon Canada too, and breaks out US, UK and CA separately in pricing when you get accepted.</strong> Yes. US, UK, and CA pricing is separate. The audiences are separate.</span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><strong>Does the
number of retailers matter?</strong> Wider availability is better, but a deal only at
Amazon US, Amazon UK or both is sufficient.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><strong>How often
can an author submit a book to BookBub?</strong> Each book must have at least 6 months
between features. A book featured in February can’t be featured again until
August.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><strong>But what if
a book is rejected. When can the author resubmit?</strong> BookBub asks that authors
wait four weeks before submitting a book for consideration again.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><strong>But what if
an author has multiple books?</strong> BookBub looks at submissions for individual
books. An author with many books can submit each that meets our requirements.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><strong>But BookBub
will only feature the same author once every 30 days?</strong> Yes. BookBub won’t
feature the same author twice in any 30-day period. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><strong>ReadIndies
recommendation:</strong> Authors with multiple books should wait to see if they are
accepted before submitting a different book for consideration.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<strong>Submit your book to BookBub</strong> @ <a href="https://www.bookbub.com/submit-order/new">https://www.bookbub.com/submit-order/new</a><br />
<br />
<strong>Learn about BookBub pricing</strong> @ <a href="https://www.bookbub.com/partners/pricing">https://www.bookbub.com/partners/pricing</a><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
Hope this special report helps you get into BookBub! To share your BookBub success story with our readers, send an email to <a href="mailto:williamstanek@aol.com">williamstanek</a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null">@aol.com</a> with subject BOOKBUB STORY TO SHARE. Be sure to include full details about your promotion including the cost of the promotion, the total sales attributed to the promotion, the category you were featured in, the sale price, the number of days for the sale, the everyday price of your books, the number of reviews and the overall rating at the time of the submission. <em>No attachments, please enter the details into the body of your email.</em></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<br />
Thanks for reading,<br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<em>Robert Stanek</em></div>
Go Indiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02378150972130213855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7673694406514861705.post-39871920302807314062015-01-20T15:50:00.000-08:002020-06-17T13:50:36.492-07:00Book Promotion Sites Ranked & Rated Part 1: AwesomeGang, FussyLibrarian, Ereader News Today, EbookSoda, ReadCheaply, BookBub<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib00a9IyKr_VEfqiM4lsOeix4bBL9E5Zum24GOSXc3bMZwBh6sJvlpi4O9seozoMv4Nbru1g4f8SPPPaSUOWPQEIaj8DayacSRMZvjvTKgcOEi4uJ0FRgWPYBbyMezOFVBwN0mSlNq-4D1/s1600/WRS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="174" data-original-width="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib00a9IyKr_VEfqiM4lsOeix4bBL9E5Zum24GOSXc3bMZwBh6sJvlpi4O9seozoMv4Nbru1g4f8SPPPaSUOWPQEIaj8DayacSRMZvjvTKgcOEi4uJ0FRgWPYBbyMezOFVBwN0mSlNq-4D1/s1600/WRS.jpg" /></a></div>
With millions of published books out there from authors,
there’s no shortage of book promotion sites looking to cash in. Some of these
are honest, hard-working folks offering good services at fair prices. Others,
not so much, especially some of the ones that are the talk of the town in
certain circles.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
To help the thousands of ReadIndies, GoIndie, FreeToday and AmBlogging
members find the gems and avoid the duds, myself (Robert Stanek) and 14 others tried many of these services and tracked the results. What follows is Part
1 of a summary of results gathered between January 2014 and December 2014. We will be following up with these services for 2015.<br />
<br />
The 15 participants promoted 42 books from 11 different genres, including:<br />
<br />
Mystery<br />
Thriller<br />
Romance<br />
Scifi<br />
Fantasy<br />
Young Adult<br />
Teen<br />
Horror<br />
Literary Fiction<br />
Nonfiction<br />
Children's<br />
<br />
Each and every service was used by at least 10 of the 15 participants, one or more times. Our overall rating for these services is a simple thumbs up or thumbs down system:<br />
<br />
Two thumbs up - Excellent<br />
One thumb up - Good<br />
One thumb down - Not Good<br />
Two thumbs down - Not Recommended<br />
<br />
To this, we added a numeric indicator from 0 to 20 to indicate level of success regarding downloads or sales during the promotion:<br />
<br />
0 - the lowest score, the worst value for your time, money<br />
<br />
10 - the middle score, a good value for your time, money<br />
<br />
20 - the highest score, the highest value for your time, money<br />
<br />
Before you try any of these services, be sure to read the
“tips for your success” at the end of this article. Also note that <b>any service
listed who wants us to give them another chance, simply needs to write</b> <a href="mailto:williamstanek@aol.com">williamstanek@aol.com</a> with the subject
“Book Promotion: Give Us Another Try!”<br />
<br />
As you consider using these services, never forget for a moment that book promotion is big business, and that many of these services are making quite good livings from their offerings. For example, we estimated based on the number of listed features each day that AwesomeGang is earning $50,000+ a year. <i>Writers are we in the wrong business?</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p><br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
AwesomeGang</span></h3>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b>NOTE</b>: Outlook revised March 2015 to reflect reduced visibility due to too many books featured each day. Sales have become hit or miss, especially if your book is stuck at the bottom of the page. Subscriber and reader base seems to be shrinking.</blockquote>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>AwesomeGang</b> (<a href="http://awesomegang.com/submit-your-book/">http://awesomegang.com/submit-your-book/</a>)
Kudos to AwesomeGang for offering a free submission option along with their $10
paid option. With the free option, each of the ten
participating authors saw some nominal results. With the $10 paid option, we saw slightly better results, though not enough sales
to pay for the $10 promotion.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
AwesomeGang features about 30 books a day, with each featured book getting one day on the home page and some social media promotion. There are also 30 or more free listings of books a day on the home page. Some books seemed to be given preferential treatment over others, which we didn't like, especially if we were all paying $10 for our feature.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<strong>NOTE</strong>: The recommendation for this service was removed. Sorry for unintentionally misleading anyone with the statement that this was a friendly service. Please read the comments regarding this service below and make sure to expand to see the full details.</blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Rating:</b> One Thumb down. Service would be much better if listings were limited to 15 - 20 a day.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Success Level Free
Book:</b> 2. Fewer than 10 downloads on average for free listings and fewer than 25
downloads on average with $10 promotion.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Success Level .99
& up:</b> 1. Fewer than 2 sales on average for free listings and fewer
than 3 sales on average with $10 promotion. .99 and 2.99 books had the best results.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<br /></div>
<h3>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
FussyLibrarian</span></h3>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b>NOTE</b>: Outlook revised March 2015 due to decreasing success. Sales have increasingly become hit or miss.</blockquote>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>FussyLibrarian</b> (<a href="http://www.thefussylibrarian.com/for-authors/">http://www.thefussylibrarian.com/for-authors/</a>)
Kudos to FussyLibrarian for changing the restrictions regarding number of
reviews and ratings as services requiring authors to have a 4.0 rating or
higher and specifically at Amazon only was causing some to toss 1- and 2-star
reviews around to keep others out of services like these.<br />
<br />
Fussy Librarian looks at both Amazon and Barnes & Noble, and also allows a 3.5 rating with 20 or more reviews. However, points
detracted for requiring an author with a new release or pre-order to have at
least one other book with 50 reviews AND a 4.0 rating as again such a
requirement encourages shenanigans.<br />
<br />
FussyLibrarian states they have 100,000+ subscribers. However, we're just not seeing results indicative of such a large base. With prices ranges from $5 (for genres
with 12000+ subscribed) to $14 (for genres with 80,000+ subscribed), this could be a good value, but we suspect the actual valid, active subscriber base is much smaller.<br />
<br />
FussyLibrarian features about 25 books each day. Featured books appear on website and in daily email. When contacted, the team at FussyLibrarian was increasingly fussy, even when we tried to give them a second chance.<br />
<br />
FussyLibrarian stated earnings for 2014 of $60,000+ and marketing expenses for 2014 of $60,000+, yet wouldn't agree to let a few authors re-try their service at no-cost because "giving away spots is lost revenue". So after our authors spent $300+ on the service, FussyLibrarian wouldn't give up about $80 of earnings for a retry, knowing we were trying to give them a second chance to improve their results? Doesn't sound like a company that spent $60,000 on marketing.<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Rating:</b> One Thumb
down. <o:p></o:p>Service would be much better if listings were limited to 15 - 20 a day.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Success Level Free
Book:</b> 2. Fewer than 50 downloads on average for lower price ranges and fewer
than 65 downloads on average with higher price ranges.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Success Level .99
& up:</b> 1. Fewer than 2 sales on average for lower price ranges ($5) and
fewer than 5 sales on average with higher price ranges ($14). <o:p></o:p> .99 and 2.99 books had the best results.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p><br />
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
<h3>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
Ereader News Today (ENT)</span></h3>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<br /></blockquote>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Ereader News Today</b>
(<a href="http://ereadernewstoday.com/requirements/">http://ereadernewstoday.com/requirements/</a>)
Kudos to ENT for having one of the largest subscription bases at over 500,000
members. This service is also used by traditional publishers for their special
promotions. Also looks at Amazon reviews to determine whether to carry a
listing for a book. Price for promotion varies according to price of the book
and genre.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Books must be free or discounted to $2.99 or less. Free
books: $15 to $25. .99 books: $15 to $45. $1.99 books: $30 to $60. $2.99 books:
$60 to $120.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><br /></b>
Ereader News Today features 5 to 6 books at a time, several times during the day, on its website. Each set of featured books appears in an article that is skillfully put together. Featured books appear in daily emails as well. Because ENT has fewer featured books at a time, there is a higher potential for success than with services featuring 30 or more books all at once --and we liked that.<br />
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Rating:</b> One Thumb
up, though high marks for being creative and trying to give value.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Success Level Free
Book:</b> 4/5. Fewer than 100 downloads on average for lower price ranges ($15) and
fewer than 500 downloads on average with higher price ranges ($25).<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Success Level .99 and
up:</b> 3. Fewer than 20 sales on average for lower price ranges ($15 to $45) and
fewer than 30 sales on average with higher price ranges ($60 to $120). With
these sales level, authors didn’t earn enough to recoup the cost of the promotion.
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
At .99, authors earned back $7 on average from royalties and
paid $30 on average. At $1.99, authors earned back $14 on average from
royalties and paid $45 on average. At $2.99, authors earned back $62 on average
from royalties and paid $90 on average.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<br /></div>
<h3>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
EbookSoda</span></h3>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b>NOTE</b>: Outlook revised as of March 2015. At present, we're seeing decreasing sales and success. However, we maintain our 1 thumb up recommendation. More updates through the year. </blockquote>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>EbookSoda</b> (<a href="http://www.ebooksoda.com/authors/requirements/">http://www.ebooksoda.com/authors/requirements/</a>)
Kudos for accepting novellas, short stories and children’s picture books, which
not all services do. However, points detracted for looking at reviews rather
than the actual book to determine whether books have grammar errors and typos
as qualifiers like this encourage shenanigans. Also points detracted for
requiring a specific number of reviews and for not specifying any details on the size of its following.<br />
<br />
Currently charges $10 for promotion. Ebooksoda features about 25 to 30 books a day. Features appear on website and in daily email. Unlike many others, listings don't have much information to help readers make purchase decisions. This makes listings easy to browse, but harder to make a buying decision from.<br />
<br />
<b>Rating</b>: One Thumb
up. Service would be much better if listings were limited to 15 - 20 a day and some details were added, such as limited descriptions.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p><br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Success Level Free
Book:</b> 2. Fewer than 25 downloads on average.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Success Level .99
& up:</b> 1. Fewer than 3 sales on average.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="margin: 0px;">
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<br /></blockquote>
</blockquote>
</div>
</div>
<h3>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
ReadCheaply</span></h3>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b>NOTE</b>: Outlook revised as of March 2015. At present, we're pleased to let our readers know that ReadCheaply read our report and updated their website so that it is no longer all about signing up authors.</blockquote>
<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>ReadCheaply</b> (<a href="http://readcheaply.com/submit/">http://readcheaply.com/submit/</a>) is at present a free service for both readers and authors, though we suspect authors may soon have to start paying.<br />
<br />
Selects books based largely on having lots of reviews and high ratings. Looks primarily for free and discounted books from traditional publishers.<br />
<br />
Features books in its newsletter and a deals page. However, the only link for the deals page is currently hidden all the way at the bottom of the home page. Thankfully they've now moved the author sell page to secondary pages, which is how it should be done.<br />
<br />
Still not responsive to our emails, even when we were trying to give them a second chance and learn about their service. We hope to be able to connect with them soon and will continue testing their service.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Rating</b>: Neutral.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Success Level Free
Book:</b> 0-1. Fewer than 10 downloads on average.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Success Level .99
& up:</b> 0-1. 0 sales on average.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<br /></blockquote>
</div>
<h3>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
BookBub</span></h3>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>BookBub</b> (<a href="https://www.bookbub.com/partners/pricing">https://www.bookbub.com/partners/pricing</a>)
Kudos to BookBub for being the largest and most successful in this category of
promotion services, with 4 million members. Kudos also for having requirements
that focus on the book itself, but points detracted for actually looking at the
number of reviews and ratings to determine whether to feature a book. For 2014,
BookBub states that they received 37,280 submissions from 13,791 authors but
only chose to feature 8175 ebooks from 5042 authors across 30
categories/genres. Or put another way, an average of 22 books were featured
each day.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
BookBub gets a little crazy with pricing, however, which varies
according to cost of the book and genre. Books must be free or discounted. Most
free books cost $65 to $350 to promote. Most .99 books costs $130 to $700 to
promote. Prices go up from there. For $1 to $1.99 books, the cost is $195 to
$1050. For $2 to $2.99 books, the cost is $325 to $1750.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Are the prices justified? Hard to say. For all of 2104, BookBub
states that the 8175 ebooks featured from 5042 authors across 30 categories had
approximately 10 million sales. One assumes these are paid sales only, as the
average free book is supposed to get 17,000 to 32,000 downloads during its feature.
If approximately half of features were for free books and half for paid books,
the average paid book then is supposed to have 2446 paid sales (10million / 4087).<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
BookBub does indeed list some huge stats for average number
of books sold and range of total sales achieved during promotions. There’s also
a large spreadsheet that goes into details for each price range. However, these
numbers are largely reported to them by authors and not actual sales numbers,
and it’s hard to say whether these numbers are truly representative of
anything.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
How good are BookBub paid promotions? BookBub states that
the average Mystery book featured had 3,020 total paid sales as a result of the
promotion, the average Fantasy book featured had 1,450 total paid sales, the
average Thriller book 2,380 paid sales, and the average cook book had 1,840
sales. None of the participants who used BookBub saw numbers like these. Mostly, paid sales were well below what was listed as the low end of the range, which is 520 paid sales for
Mysteries; 250 paid sales for Fantasy; 410 paid sales for Thrillers; and 310
paid sales for cook books. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Paid promotions didn’t meet even the most modest
of expectations:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ul>
<li>At .99, books didn’t recoup the cost of the promotion or
even come close. The average .99 book earned $108 (.35 from each sale) but the
average promotion cost was $420.</li>
</ul>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ul>
<li>At $1.99, books didn’t recoup the cost of the promotion or
even come close either. The average $1.99 book earned $224 (.70 from each sale)
but the average promotion cost was $772.</li>
</ul>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ul>
<li>At $2.99, books came closer to recouping the cost of the
promotion. The average $2.99 book earned $788 (2.04 from each sale) but the
average promotion cost was $1294.</li>
</ul>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
How good are BookBub free promotions? BookBub states that
the average Mystery book featured had 32,400 downloads as a result of the
promotion; the average Fantasy book featured had 22,100 downloads; the average
Thriller book had 23,500 downloads; and the average cooking book had 33,400
downloads. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
None of the participants saw numbers like these. Mostly, downloads
of free books were slightly to modestly below what was listed as the low end of
the range; which is 9,500 for Mysteries; 6,500 for Fantasy; 6,800 for Thrillers;
and 9,900 for cook books. However, the average cost of the promotion was $280.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
It's also important to point out that BookBub is primarily about the daily email and that's a major disappointment because their website has so much potential. The home page has a scrolling banner of supposed "recent deals" but it's primarily <i>past</i> deals from big name authors that they're using as a hook for new subscribers. To give authors value, the scrolling banner should feature current deals or at least not the same deals as months ago.<br />
<br />
The BookBub homepage doesn't have a direct link to currently discounted books. You must join the site as a member and then sign in each time to access this. If you look hard enough, you can find links on the homepage to the pages for free ebooks and free kindle books. The links are all the way at the bottom of the page and what you find when you follow the links are the current day's deals for free books. To find current deals for discounted and free books without signing in, use these links:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://bookbub.com/deals">bookbub.com/deals</a><br />
<br />
Or<br />
<br />
<a href="http://bookbub.com/ebook-deals/latest">bookbub.com/ebook-deals/latest</a><br />
<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Rating</b>: Two Thumbs
up (with caveats)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Success Level Free
Book:</b> 10. 8400 downloads on average.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Success Level .99
& up:</b> 10. 336 sales on average.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<br /></div>
<h1>
Tips for Success</h1>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When using these services or any other, you’ll do best if
you follow this advice:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ol>
<li>Take your time with each and every listing. Provide as much
information as you can and as much detail as you can. If the service allows you
to include links for many different retailers, include links for as many as you
can.</li>
<li>Make each listing unique, if possible. If you are asked to
provide a summary of your book, try to make this unique each time.</li>
<li>Choose specific dates for each listing. If you want the
biggest bang for your time and money, make sure each listing has a different
promotion date. For example, have one listing on Monday, the next on Tuesday,
the next on Wednesday, and so on. You also may want to have several days
between each listing, such as one listing on Monday, the next on Wednesday, the
next on Friday, and so on.</li>
<li>As you’ll often be providing some of the same information
over and over, create a promotion document for each book you plan to promote in
this way. Be sure to track the dates you request for your promotion, and the
actual date assigned for a promotion.</li>
<li>Most listing services require payment through PayPal and
will email a request for that payment to an account you specify. Make sure you
have a PayPal account set up beforehand. Make sure you provide an email address
that you check regularly.</li>
<li>Before using ENT or BookBub, make sure you really want to
spend that kind of money on promotion and then take extra time in preparing
your listing.</li>
<li>Authors with multiple books published will have a better
chance of a successful promotion, especially if offering a book free and hoping
for a boost in subsequent sales of other books.</li>
</ol>
<div>
When signing up for these services or any other, you need to pick a promotion date and you may be wondering if any particular day of the week was better than any other. Based on our results, it didn't really seem to matter what day of the week was selected for the promotion. That said, a key determining factor for success seemed to be how many books were listed each day. As an example, you'll do much better on a day when 20 books are featured than a day when 30 or more are featured.<br />
<br />
In future updates to these special reports, we'll share results gathered from:<br />
<br />
Freebooksy<br />
Bargain Booksy<br />
Genre Pulse<br />
Book Gorilla<br />
Kindle Nation Daily<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
and others.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
We've also evaluated other types of book promotion services, including those for <a href="http://readindies.blogspot.com/2015/02/facebook-twitter-blog-book-promotion.html" target="_blank">social media promotions</a> through Facebook, Twitter, and Google Plus.</div>
<br />
<br /></div>
<div>
Thanks for reading,</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<i>Robert Stanek</i></div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
-----<br />
<br />
<br />
A follow up to this article is now available:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://readindies.blogspot.com/2015/01/getting-into-bookbub-book-features.html" target="_blank">Tips for Getting into BookBub from BookBub, Plus 20 Questions & Answers with BookBub</a><br />
<br />
<br />
Thanks again,<br />
<br />
<br />
<i>Robert Stanek</i>Go Indiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02378150972130213855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7673694406514861705.post-43866219876902109232015-01-16T16:51:00.001-08:002020-06-17T13:57:34.957-07:00Paid Reviews: Myths, Truths and Misses (Kirkus Reviews, Indie Reader, BlueInk Reviews, PW Select, Self-Publishing Review, BookRooster, Net Galley)<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3m_Jys67HRZ8dYiO77OduSJDRBIEnu6-4DLsCLK9q6lWen2HAyPTHwzA3elpcRRIuDqu8t95xyM_wspZ9oBXD7vc2pPJfq6pYrCU9ns5G2cz92FLSJlXHHVkodF8y6bBUoO-IWq7PMatz/s1600/rs-car.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="470" data-original-width="286" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3m_Jys67HRZ8dYiO77OduSJDRBIEnu6-4DLsCLK9q6lWen2HAyPTHwzA3elpcRRIuDqu8t95xyM_wspZ9oBXD7vc2pPJfq6pYrCU9ns5G2cz92FLSJlXHHVkodF8y6bBUoO-IWq7PMatz/s320/rs-car.jpg" width="194" /></a></div>
Anyone who’s visited Amazon knows there’s a problem with
reviews. Some books have thousands, many from questionable sources. But are
paid reviews the real problem? And what really is a paid review?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Amazon seems to have no problem with authors buying reviews
through giveaways and special offers designed for the express purpose of getting
readers to write reviews. I’ve seen authors giving away thousands of dollars’
worth of swag to readers if and only if they write reviews, everything
from $5000 vacations to $150 kindles to $50 Amazon gift cards. Sometimes these approaches
to buying reviews are as blatant as headlines in social media that read: “Review
my book, win a kindle.” Sometimes these approaches to buying reviews are
pitched right under Amazon’s nose, as in through Amazon’s own social media channels.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Amazon also seems to have no problem with authors buying
reviews through certain recognized paid review services, including:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Kirkus Reviews</b>
(formerly called Kirkus Discoveries and Indie Book Review) – Kirkus Reviews writes
a 250-word review of a book in 4-9 weeks and charges $425 for standard service
or $575 for express service (<a href="https://www.kirkusreviews.com/author-services/indie/">https://www.kirkusreviews.com/author-services/indie/</a>).<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Self-Publishing
Review</b> - Self-Publishing Review writes a 500-word review of a book in 2-4
weeks and charges $59 to $249. (<a href="http://www.selfpublishingreview.com/">http://www.selfpublishingreview.com/</a>)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Indie Reader</b> –
Indie Reader writes a 300-word review of a book in 4-9 weeks and charges $225 -
$300. (<a href="http://indiereader.com/authorservices/service-sample/">http://indiereader.com/authorservices/service-sample/</a>)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>BlueInk Reviews</b> –
BlueInk Reviews writes a 250-word review of a book in 4-9 weeks and charges
$395 - $495. (<a href="http://www.blueinkreviews.com/purchase">http://www.blueinkreviews.com/purchase</a>)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The paid review game is so lucrative Publishers Weekly even
got in on the action with PW Select, which is now <b>BookLife</b> (<a href="http://booklife.com/">http://booklife.com/</a>).
Under PW Select, authors were charged up to $475 for reviews of their books and
the reviews would then appear in special indie sections of their magazine.
Authors who got in that game early get to say for all time their books were
reviewed by Publishers Weekly, even if they bought and paid for the review out
of their own pocket.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So if these paid reviews, costing hundreds of dollars are
okay, why is a $5 review from Fivverr.com or any of the other cheap review
services not okay? I couldn’t tell you. But I do know this: The problem with
paid reviews isn’t with singular paid reviews. It’s with paid reviews bought by
the barrel full for the same book. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Some authors are buying paid reviews 20, 50,
100, or more at a time for a particular book. Some authors have hundreds or thousands
of reviews from these services—and that’s the real problem. A problem that makes
honest authors whose books have few reviews by comparison or few reviews
relative to actual sales look unsuccessful and unpopular—and publishing, like
a gallup poll, is a popularity contest.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Okay, so there I’ve said it. I believe there’s nothing wrong
with an author buying a single paid review for his or her book, but everything
wrong with an author buying reviews by the barrel full. If an author wants to
pay $500 for a review, she should have at it and Kirkus, Publishers Weekly and
the rest of them will gladly take her money. Some authors will even double or
triple down, buying reviews from one paid review service after the other in the
belief that all these paid reviews will help them become successful. But do
they? And what does it say about an author who shells out $1200, $1500 or $2000
to buy a handful of reviews? After a while, are they any different from the
author who paid $1000 for 50 reviews?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Also, is there really a difference between that $500 review
and a $5 review? I honestly don’t think there is. I think an honest $500 review
and an honest $5 review have similar value. If you’re an author of 10 books and
you want to buy a review for each of your books, whether you pay $5000 ($500 x
10) or $50 ($5 x 10) for the privilege should be up to you and I’m going to go
out on a limb here and say there’s nothing wrong with either approach if that’s
what you want to do. Why? Tens of thousands of authors already have bought reviews.
The five review services I mentioned, two of which are from industry titans,
collectively have written more than 50,000 reviews. Paid reviews are big
business, after all.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
To be clear, I’m not talking about buying 10 reviews from 1
review source for 1 book, which is wrong and unethical. I’m talking about using
established, recognized sources to obtain a review for each of an author’s
books, and in this example that author has 10 books. Also, to be clear, whether
from industry sources or otherwise, all of these reviews, the $500 review or
the $5 review, can end up on Amazon as a customer review or an editorial review
with Verified Purchase / Real Name tags. Verified Purchase and Real Name tags
have no bearing whatsoever on whether a review is from an actual reader who was
not incentivized in some way to write the review.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In the old days of publishing, one way authors and
publishers would get honest reviews legitimately was by sending out galleys. Sending out
galleys was costly as publishers and authors had to pay for printing the
galleys, shipping and postage. In the Internet age, there are several services
that improve upon the galley model, including <b>BookRooster </b>(<a href="http://www.bookrooster.com/for-authors/">http://www.bookrooster.com/for-authors/</a>)
and <b>Net Galley</b> (<a href="https://www.netgalley.com/home/request">https://www.netgalley.com/home/request</a>).
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The idea with BookRooster and Net Galley is that they’ll
help get a galley of an author’s book into readers’ hands and that some of these
readers will then write reviews of the book. BookRooster is the most
economical, with prices ranging from $42 to $67. Typically, a book may go out
to several hundred readers, and out of these hundreds a small trickle may like
the book enough to write a review. Net Galley is the most expensive with prices
starting at $300 for one-week of availability and going up from there. Typically,
a book may go out to several thousand readers, and out of these thousands a
small handful may like the book enough to write a review. At Net Galley, there’s
also an <a href="http://netgalley.uservoice.com/knowledgebase/articles/105722-do-you-work-with-individual-authors-">indie special</a> at $399 to $599 for a six-month listing.
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Disclosure</b>:
I’ve never used Kirkus Reviews, Self-Publishing Review, Indie Reader, BlueInk
Reviews, PW Select, or BookLife. Although I haven’t tried Net Galley, I tried BookRooster once,
but had extremely limited results.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
And yes, I have talked much about reviews before:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://readindies.blogspot.ca/2014/11/amazons-broken-unfixable-rotten-core.html">Amazon’s Broken, Unfixable, Rotten Core</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://readindies.blogspot.ca/2014/10/unfair-practices-at-amazon.html">Selling Your Soul to the Company Store</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://readindies.blogspot.ca/2013/05/authors-writing-their-own-reviews.html">Authors “Writing” Their Own Reviews</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Thanks for reading,<br />
<br />
<i>Robert Stanek</i> </div>
Go Indiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02378150972130213855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7673694406514861705.post-32016274383250204442014-12-23T12:11:00.001-08:002020-06-17T13:58:56.093-07:00Translating Hugh Howey: No Hugh, Self-Published Authors Don't Treat Readers Like Dirt. If You Do, That's Between You and Your Readers.<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvtsCdNhP5AwPRfRJhHh_gCkNdG8sd37JEcexjgMiFOf9pVPFojwLchYqKU2gpSgZACZ7TGpWarclbdqSE9UEb9KGXErT9yfkuik3K4VnGILbnVVrr0Kp0lF6SOMj-P511nkGdzN63HaYg/s1600/rs-car.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="470" data-original-width="286" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvtsCdNhP5AwPRfRJhHh_gCkNdG8sd37JEcexjgMiFOf9pVPFojwLchYqKU2gpSgZACZ7TGpWarclbdqSE9UEb9KGXErT9yfkuik3K4VnGILbnVVrr0Kp0lF6SOMj-P511nkGdzN63HaYg/s320/rs-car.jpg" width="194" /></a></div>
I'm Robert Stanek, a pro author since 1994 and an indie since 2001. Normally, I wouldn’t comment one way or another about Hugh Howey. We swim in different oceans and our paths rarely cross. In truth, I didn’t know the guy existed until he made several direct responses to me in online discussions I participated in last November/December.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p><br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Clearly, based on these posts, Hugh Howey wanted me to know he existed. The fact I didn’t have a clue who he was seemed to wound him deeply and a fisticuffs ensued with several of his online associates. I had no clue why Hugh Howey would care so much whether I knew who he was until I learned later he had been taking shots at me for quite a long time.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Over the past year, Hugh Howey seems to have been waging war against traditional publishing, a long string of a-list authors, and anyone who supports traditional publishing. To give you an idea of some of the things he’s been saying, here are his thoughts on David Streitfeld of the <i>New York Times</i>:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>David Streitfeld of the New York Times has now cemented himself as the blabbering mouthpiece for the New York publishing cartel, and while he is making a fool of himself for those in the know, he is a dangerous man for the impression he makes on his unsuspecting readers.</i></blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p><br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Recently, I chanced upon a discussion in response to Hugh's blog post entitled, “Are Indies Treated Like Second Class Citizens?”. As you can see from the screen shot (at the end of this article), there’s some simple discussion and then Hugh Howey appears out of the blue saying:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>How am I bashing Amazon? I'm guessing you just read the first line or two? Really asking.</i></blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><o:p></o:p></i><br /></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>The only bashing I see is from the usual suspects and aimed at me. Thinly veiled, of course.</i></blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><o:p></o:p></i><br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Read the posts from the screen shot. If Hugh thinks he's being bashed somehow by that, he really needs to get out more or at the least learn how to take some simple criticism. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Intrigued by his hubris, I decided to read “Are Indies Treated Like Second Class Citizens?” Knowing what I know about publishing from over 20 years in this business, I want to translate a few things Hugh says in the article.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Based on my read of the article, it seems Hugh Howey has recently learned that trad publishers not only get higher royalty rates than him but also get more money for borrows in KDP Select and Kindle Unlimited than he does—and he wants to figure out how to get the same pay day. A few choice quotes:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
[A KU author gets] $1.30-ish for a borrow. A $9.99 ebook borrowed from a trad publisher, meanwhile, will pay 70%, which comes to $6.99. It’s worth pointing out here that the trad-pubbed author of that ebook will only receive around $1.48 for that same borrow of a $9.99 ebook.</blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p><br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Hugh bases the $1.48 on a 21% royalty rate from the publisher. In actuality, the royalty rate paid for ebooks by trad publishers to their authors can be anywhere from 10% net to 25% net, so in the range of .70 to $1.75.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Hugh also states:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>indies aren’t just treated like second class citizens by Amazon — self-published authors treat Amazon’s customers like second class citizens.</i></blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p><br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Um, speak for yourself, Hugh Howey. Most authors, whether self-published or traditionally published, don’t treat their readers (who are Amazon customers) poorly. If you do, then that’s between you and your readers.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Next, Hugh tries to figure out a plausible way to get more money for himself and authors like him. His words in bold italics. The translation of his words in normal type.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i>The same freedom to publish that has changed the lives of thousands of authors also brings a wild west where others take advantage and try to game every system in every way possible. A handful of rotten apples spoils the entire bunch. The only way to prevent this is heavy curation, which I certainly don’t want. I want freedom, but with freedom comes the need to curb abuses. The logical step (and many have argued for this, some with compassion, some out of spite) is a tiered system. Classes of treatment for publishers based on the class of treatment given to customers.</i></b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
What Hugh's really saying: Authors like me who sell lots of books and have thousands of rave reviews should get paid more than authors who don’t. After all, in the class system I'm proposing, I'm in the top tier (and the rest of you aren’t.) Also, while we’re at it, let’s make sure there’s real incentive to take down any author who tries to climb the class ladder.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i>So you have a class of authors who make their deadlines and a class of authors on probation for not meeting their deadlines. You have a class of authors who get regular feedback from readers about typos and a class of authors who rarely get this feedback (or who act on it promptly when they do). You have authors whose ebooks are read in a few days and authors whose ebooks are read in a few weeks, a reflection, perhaps, on the quality of the customer experience but not on the quality of the work.</i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p><br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
What Hugh's really saying: Sorry the rest of you authors are fuck ups. In the class system I'd like to build, you'll be at the bottom anyway and guys like me will be at the top. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p><br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i>I think we should have the same opportunities... but I don’t think we have the right to expect the same outcomes. That’s where the classes start sorting themselves. Should authors who sell a lot of books get better treatment than authors just starting out?</i></b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
What Hugh's really saying: My success isn't something you'll ever achieve and the class system I want to build will help ensure this by making sure none of you get paid anywhere close to what a guy like me gets paid. The class system has worked so well throughout history. Peasants should not mix with us nobles and royals. I've been an author for 5 years now. If you haven't, you shouldn't have any of the same rights as I do.<br />
<br />
<b><i>Of course, it will be impossible to prevent abuses by the untoward and impossible to agree on metrics of quality (an exercise that I abhor). But now we can ask again whether Amazon should pay indies — as a whole — the same way they pay trad publishers. ... do I think indies as a whole should get paid the same as trad publishers as a whole? I do not.</i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p><br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
What Hugh's really saying: Indies as a whole don't deserve the same pay as someone like me. Authors like me who sell lots of books should get paid more than authors who don’t. Although I abhor having to be the one to determine metrics of quality, I will as it'll help ensure the class structure I want to build remains top light and bottom heavy. I want to control the class ladder to make sure it's impossible to climb to the same lofty heights as me.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i>The authors who respect Amazon’s customers by providing high quality reads with professional covers at a great price should be treated better than those who upload short error-riddled rough drafts at high prices. And the latter should be treated better than those who break Amazon’s TOS, like having KDP Select books available elsewhere. And this group should be treated better than those who break the law by uploading stolen material (or by profiting from open-source or crowd-sourced material).</i></b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
What Hugh's really saying: You must overlook the fact that the rules don't apply to me. My books are in KDP Select and also available everywhere else. Further, even though I became a success by cutting my books into parts and selling them in as many pieces as I wanted, that's not something anyone else should be able to do. In a class system, guys like me will make the rules anyway and they'll only apply to the rest of you. Also, while we're at it, let's find ways to make sure that everyone recognizes that everything I produce is a flawless gem and that everything the rest of you produce is flawed crap.<br />
<o:p></o:p><br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i>I am biased. I think Amazon should tweak their KU payout system to make it more fair among us indies. 99 cent short stories and novels should pay the same 35 cents that they do on KDP. The payout should also come at higher than the 10% read range (maybe more like 50%). Works priced from $2.99 – $6.99 should pay $2.00 per borrow.</i></b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
What Hugh's really saying: Take a look at the price of my books. Since my work is better and costs more, I should be getting $2 a borrow and the rest of you shouldn’t. Further more, no one should be able to price their books at .99 like I did. That approach to success is only reserved for people like me at the top of the class structure I'm building.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i>The fairest thing I can think of is escalators. Amazon’s self-publishing audio book program, ACX, used to employ earnings escalators. The payout rate might start at 40%, but it can go up to 90% with enough sales. This puts the job of rewarding customer experience where it belongs, and that’s with the customer. Keep them happy and coming back for more, and the payout goes up.</i></b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
What Hugh's really saying: Authors like me should make more than everyone else. After all, in a class system, we’re the top tier (and the rest of you aren’t). Also, while we’re at it, as authors like me start to earn 90% royalties, it’s highly likely the payout for the rest of you will go down closer to 0%, but don’t worry about that. I’ll spend my millions wisely and I encourage you to help me fight for my pay raise. I earned it. I'm Hugh Howey.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i>I’d love to see that 70% payout creep up to 85% with enough titles sold. Maybe 1,000 sales moves the peg up to 71%. 5,000 sales gets you 72%. Perhaps reaching 85% requires selling ten million ebooks (something no single self-published author has yet done on Amazon). I don’t dream of ever reaching that sort of level, but I would applaud those who do for being rewarded for it.</i></b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
What Hugh's really saying: I’m on track to get to 10 million sold in a few years. Authors like me who sell lots of books and have thousands of rave reviews should get paid more than authors who don’t. After all, in a class system, we’re the top tier (and the rest of you aren’t). Also, truth be told, no one is going to get a raise after 1,000 sales or even after 5,000 sales, but those of us with 1,000,000 or more sales will. When we do, it’s highly likely the payout for the rest of you will go down considerably, but don’t worry about that. We’ll spend our millions wisely, so keep fighting for our pay raises.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i>As I said in the original post, it is cosmically unfair for all KDP users to be lumped together. That’s the conundrum. I don’t see an easy answer to any of this, just more problems.</i></b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
What Hugh's really saying: I really hate the fact that I get paid the same royalty rate as everyone else. It’s not enough that I get perks and privileges the rest of you don’t, like having my books in KDP Select while they’re also on sale everywhere else. I’m supposed to be paid more than everyone else. I’m Hugh Howey. It's cosmically unfair that I don't get 90% royalties.<br />
<br />
<br />
Thanks for reading,<br />
<br />
Robert Stanek<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqlVmXn0Xru2a9Z72-jnFQY4t7PCrYlAqKhhwxvLwG593czjUvvTX2NCcb1dtQ0C0EZsyxfbUikcRp3Gti5wS7DMQgfDtbvwkVDdbfd8q0qpScJ77Ib22IA2WZolV3jKMfatMaL2DzY6UC/s1600/Hugh-Howey.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqlVmXn0Xru2a9Z72-jnFQY4t7PCrYlAqKhhwxvLwG593czjUvvTX2NCcb1dtQ0C0EZsyxfbUikcRp3Gti5wS7DMQgfDtbvwkVDdbfd8q0qpScJ77Ib22IA2WZolV3jKMfatMaL2DzY6UC/s1600/Hugh-Howey.jpg" width="119" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
Go Indiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02378150972130213855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7673694406514861705.post-64144698487840925202014-12-22T13:48:00.001-08:002020-06-17T13:59:29.348-07:00Translating JA Konrath Translating John Sargent: Are Subscription Models Bad For Authors?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvtsCdNhP5AwPRfRJhHh_gCkNdG8sd37JEcexjgMiFOf9pVPFojwLchYqKU2gpSgZACZ7TGpWarclbdqSE9UEb9KGXErT9yfkuik3K4VnGILbnVVrr0Kp0lF6SOMj-P511nkGdzN63HaYg/s1600/rs-car.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="470" data-original-width="286" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvtsCdNhP5AwPRfRJhHh_gCkNdG8sd37JEcexjgMiFOf9pVPFojwLchYqKU2gpSgZACZ7TGpWarclbdqSE9UEb9KGXErT9yfkuik3K4VnGILbnVVrr0Kp0lF6SOMj-P511nkGdzN63HaYg/s320/rs-car.jpg" width="194" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I'm Robert Stanek, a successful indie author since 2001 and a successful pro author since 1994. </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Joe Konrath is quite outspoken about his dislike and disdain for traditional publishing. Some would even say Joe is quite angry. I don't blame Joe for his anger considering he labored for many years as a traditionally published author, barely making a living, until he went indie and finally found true success. In past blog posts, Joe has angrily tore apart trad published authors like </span><a href="http://jakonrath.blogspot.ca/2014/10/eisler-konrath-patterson-again.html"><span style="font-family: inherit;">James Patterson</span></a><span style="font-family: inherit;"> and others, including the </span><a href="http://jakonrath.blogspot.ca/2014/11/the-authors-guild-do-more-than-hope.html"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Authors Guild</span></a><span style="font-family: inherit;">, for their defense of traditional publishing. (For the record, this is not meant as a dis on Joe.)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Personally, I think Joe should be more angry about the broken state of publishing and many of the things I've been blogging about right here: </span><a href="http://readindies.blogspot.ca/2014/09/speaking-out-robert-stanek.html"><span style="font-family: inherit;">runaway ugliness in publishing</span></a><span style="font-family: inherit;">; </span><a href="http://readindies.blogspot.ca/2014/11/amazons-broken-unfixable-rotten-core.html"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Amazon's broken</span></a><span style="font-family: inherit;"> system; Amazon's </span><a href="http://readindies.blogspot.ca/2014/10/unfair-practices-at-amazon.html"><span style="font-family: inherit;">unfair business</span></a><span style="font-family: inherit;"> practices; etc. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">There is no doubt Joe's an unfettered champion of Amazon, but Joe has much to learn about the heartless, soulless company in Seattle that puts smiley faces on its boxes while working to destroy everything we love about books and reading. If Joe really thinks any executive at Amazon gives a damn about his loyalty, my advice is this: wait a few years and see how they repay your loyalty when you're not making $1 million a year. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 107%;">I became a pro author the same year Amazon became a company: 1994. </span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 107%;">I was one of the guy's who put Amazon on the map. My bestselling books, widely read articles, and highly popular websites all told readers about Amazon. I brought millions of new customers to Amazon's doorstep. My reward for years of steadfast loyalty? A handful of shit from a company that could care less about years of loyalty or the millions brought to their doors. And when they use you up, Joe, and shit you out on the pavement, there'll be a thousand guys in line to take your place who all will also think their loyalty means something.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 107%;">Recently Joe's war against traditional publishing has taken him in new directions. </span>He<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 107%;"> posted a tirade as a <a href="http://jakonrath.blogspot.ca/2014/12/translating-john-sargent.html">response</a> to Macmillan CEO John Sargent’s <a href="http://www.tor.com/blogs/2014/12/a-message-from-john-sargent">open letter</a> to authors regarding tactics the company is taking to preserve market share in these difficult times for publishing (and books in general). Personally, I think John should have posted such a letter on Macmillan's site and not a Tor.com blog, but that's neither here nor there as I'm sure the letter went out in printed letters, email, etc as well.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 107%;">As my books have been published by Macmillan, Random House, Pearson, Simon & Schuster, Hachette, etc, John's words were of particular interest. </span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 107%;">One of the biggest takeaways from the letter is that Amazon sells 64% of Macmillan's ebooks (meaning all other markets represent only 36%). </span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 107%;">I was not surprised to learn Macmillan was going to begin trials of subscription-based services. I had just done the same in September/October with my ebooks and audio books going into several subscription services.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I was surprised that Joe, whose books are all in Amazon's subscription service, Kindle Unlimited, was suddenly telling Macmillan authors that they should be screaming their heads off about Macmillan's potential use of subscription services. Is not what's good for the goose, good for the gander?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">If subscription services devalue authors' works and are bad, why are 100% of Joe's works in Amazon's subscription service? Also, with current payouts for Kindle Unlimited not being far off from what Joe earns in KDP Select, isn't KDP Select devaluing his work and bad as well? As far as I know, Joe has been fine with the ~$1.70 payout of KDP Select, making north of $1 million from borrows, so what makes the ~$1.50 payout of Kindle Unlimited any different? </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 107%;"><strong><span style="font-family: inherit;"><u>Joe's questions for John Sargent on behalf of Macmillan authors. My responses in normal type.</u></span></strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 107%;"><strong><em><span style="font-family: inherit;">1. Can I opt out of this new subscription idea?</span></em></strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Likely, many/most authors are excited about these opportunities, especially with dwindling sales for most, increasing competition and decreasing market relevance. Recently, another publisher (Pearson/Microsoft) did allow me to opt out no questions asked from a new plan I didn't like.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /><strong><em><span style="font-family: inherit;">2. My books aren't available in print anymore, or the print sales are minuscule. Can you give me my rights back?</span></em></strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
Regarding reversions of rights, there's not a whole hell of a lot authors can do. <span style="font-family: inherit;">Joe was fortunate to get his rights back from Macmillan. Many others won't be as fortunate. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Macmillan made a huge amount of money from my books, north of $50 million, give or take. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">In the early days when I was writing for Macmillan, I worked hard to make my contracts more fair and balanced, but rights were something they held fast to. A lucky few might get back their rights, but may have to wait a decade or two until Macmillan believes the rights no longer have any value.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">There are worse things than publishers holding onto rights. Ever heard of the Creative Commons? The Creative Commons basically is a set of rules for putting an author's work in public domain before copyright expires. In plain language, Creative Commons makes the work freely available to all.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">In and of itself, Creative Commons is not a bad thing and was in fact created with the best of intentions. However, some publishers have turned those good intentions to their favor. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">As an example, O'Reilly Media's standard contract puts an author's work into Creative Commons automatically when it goes out of print or sells fewer than X copies a year (and then also grants O'Reilly Media a perpetual grant to use the work for free). </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">For many O'Reilly Media authors this has meant that in 2 - 5 years after publication, their hard work is suddenly in the public domain and O'Reilly Media is free to start using it however they want in perpetuity. Now that's something to be outraged about.</span><br />
<br />
<strong><em><span style="font-family: inherit;">Questions 3 - 17 are all pretty much the same: Why a subscription service? What does this mean to me when you went to war with Amazon over prices?</span></em></strong><br />
<strong><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The fight with Amazon wasn't about price at all. It was about who gets what share of the royalties. See </span><a href="http://readindies.blogspot.ca/2014/10/unfair-practices-at-amazon.html"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Selling Your Soul to the Company Store</span></a><span style="font-family: inherit;">.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<strong><u><span style="font-family: inherit;">Joe's further comments in bold italics. My comments in normal type.</span></u></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; display: inline; float: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 13px / 18.2px "arial" , sans-serif; letter-spacing: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><strong><em></em></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; display: inline; float: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 13px / 18.2px "arial" , sans-serif; letter-spacing: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><strong><em>Macmillan supporting Oyster and withdrawing titles from Amazon is going against what the majority of the world is doing. That isn't kicking Amazon in the nuts. That's throwing away potential money, and pretty stupid. </em></strong></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; display: inline; float: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 13px / 18.2px "arial" , sans-serif; letter-spacing: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><strong><em>At this moment in time, competing with Amazon isn't wise. Look for markets Amazon doesn't care about. </em></strong></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; display: inline; float: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 13px / 18.2px "arial" , sans-serif; letter-spacing: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><strong><em>Throwing support behind one of Amazon's competitors--when Amazon has the same program--is like starting a fire by burning piles of cash. Yeah, you get heat, but at what cost?</em></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Um, earlier, you said this:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<strong><em><span style="font-family: inherit;">I'm unclear: are you only pursuing this subscription model with Amazon's competitors? Or are you going to also enroll my ebooks in Kindle Unlimited? If so, doesn't that negate everything you've done previously? If not, and you put my ebooks into Scribd or Oyster or wherever, will my ebooks still be sold on Amazon? Or will you pull them from Amazon?</span></em></strong><br />
<strong><em></em></strong><br />
I think a test of the subscription model will be exactly that. A test to determine viability. Likely, Macmillan will use Oyster and possibly Scribd as well for this test. Further, John states exactly this: <em>We plan to try subscription with backlist books, and mostly with titles that are not well represented at bricks and mortar retail stores.</em><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; display: inline; float: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 13px / 18.2px "arial" , sans-serif; letter-spacing: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><strong><em>And can someone answer how any author, other than a big bestseller, would ever sign with Macmillan knowing their books are going into a subscription plan?</em></strong></span><br />
<br />
One could ask the same of any author who has considered or used subscription plans. Joe, you currently do this, and you also use KDP Select for all of your titles. As far as I know, the ~$1.70 payout of KDP Select and the ~$1.50 payout of Kindle Unlimited aren't much different.<br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; display: inline; float: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 13px / 18.2px "arial" , sans-serif; letter-spacing: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><strong><em>The reason most writers sign legacy deals, other than getting an advance, is legacy's ability to get paper books onto retail shelves.</em></strong></span><br />
<br />
Strongly disagree. The reason most writers sign legacy deals is because of the worldwide reach of traditional publishers coupled with the belief that there is more potential for sales success. I'm not saying this is true any longer, but it is a long-held perception.<br />
<br />
Thanks for reading,<br />
<br />
<em>Robert Stanek</em>Go Indiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02378150972130213855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7673694406514861705.post-58233786125815004092014-12-09T16:48:00.000-08:002020-06-17T13:58:14.141-07:00Avast Ye Matey: What to Do if Your eBook is Pirated<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYtbwtoS8uHBZLC9wT2gYy2IKT6WjOcdPnLDPK-wEeOtVuhm5Ivzj5tIqVWmzrsbtGxXyS_t40oFemeOmx4fh5ExTdyubLkKCqwIJYycA2M04bzIKDv1LvstoMQsAYwCIC7V4h1tSqItTx/s1600/rs4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="470" data-original-width="328" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYtbwtoS8uHBZLC9wT2gYy2IKT6WjOcdPnLDPK-wEeOtVuhm5Ivzj5tIqVWmzrsbtGxXyS_t40oFemeOmx4fh5ExTdyubLkKCqwIJYycA2M04bzIKDv1LvstoMQsAYwCIC7V4h1tSqItTx/s200/rs4.jpg" width="139" /></a></div>
Lots of talk about piracy these days and much
discussion about whether it's worth the effort to try to take down pirate copies or whether it's simply a whack-a-mole undertaking. IMHO, I think the answer as to whether trying to reduce or
eliminate piracy of your work is worth the effort depends on the author and
his/her body of work.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
For an author starting out or with only a relative few books
to his or her credit, piracy likely will not cause harm and may actually be a
net benefit. Yes, you read that correctly: a net benefit. Some authors spend a considerable amount of time, money and resources giving away free copies of their books and a limited amount of piracy could be seen as one way to get free copies of a book into the marketplace.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
For other authors, such as those with many works or some
modicum of success, some piracy is part and parcel with being an author.
However, too much piracy can derail success.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I've been a professionally published author since 1995 and
have over 150 books to my credit (William Stanek for technical works, William
Robert Stanek for learning books and compilations, and Robert Stanek for
everything else I write). My books have generated well over $100 million in
sales at retail. Or put another way over 7.5 million people have purchased my
works, $59.99 at retail x 2 million = ~$120 million and the other 5.5 million+
sales at other price points were gravy.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I've been researching the impact of piracy on sales of my
books for many years. Part of this research has been tracking the number of illegal
downloads, which runs into millions of copies, and the sites where these
downloads are/were available. Many of my most valuable properties were made
available for illegal downloading, including audiobook and book products that
retailed for $29.99 to $59.99. The total value at retail of the stolen: $100
million+.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I have no illusions that my sales would have been twice what
they were if my work hadn't been illegally downloaded by the millions. I do,
however, believe a considerable portion would have. The exact portion is
unknowable, but even if only 10% that's tens of millions of dollars in sales. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
How many content creators have been impacted similarly? My
thoughts are that thousands have been. Maybe not as considerably as myself, but
certainly collectively this pirating represents billions of lost sales
annually.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
For authors concerned about piracy, there are an increasing
number of tools. You can try sending a DMCA Takedown notice to the site owner,
such as the following:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
DMCA</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
VIA Email at [[ISPHosting[at]YourIsp.com]]<br />
<o:p></o:p></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Re: Copyright Claim<br />
<o:p></o:p></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
To [[ISP Hosting Company Where Your Work Is Being
Infringed]]:<br />
<o:p></o:p></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<o:p> </o:p><o:p> </o:p>I am the copyright owner of [[BOOK] in contract with
[PUBLISHER]] being infringed at:</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<o:p> </o:p>[[http://www <list the exact link or links to where the infringement
is taking place>]]<br />
<o:p></o:p></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<o:p> </o:p>This letter is official notification under the provisions of
Section 512(c) of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act ("DMCA") to
effect removal of the above-reported infringements. I request that you
immediately issue a cancellation message as specified in RFC 1036 for the
specified postings and prevent the infringer, who is identified by its Web
address, from posting the infringing photographs to your servers in the future.
Please be advised that law requires you, as a service provider, to
"expeditiously remove or disable access to" the infringing book
downloads upon receiving this notice. Noncompliance may result in a loss of
immunity for liability under the DMCA.<br />
<o:p></o:p></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<o:p> </o:p>I have a good faith belief that use of the material in the manner
complained of here is not authorized by me, the copyright holder, or the law.
The information provided here is accurate to the best of my knowledge. I swear
under penalty of perjury that I am the copyright holder. Please send me at the
address noted below a prompt response indicating the actions you have taken to
resolve this matter.<br />
<o:p></o:p></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<o:p> </o:p><o:p> </o:p>Sincerely,<br />
<o:p></o:p></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<o:p> </o:p>[[Your Name]]<br />
<o:p> </o:p>[[Your Email]]<br />
<o:p> </o:p>[[Publisher and Publisher email <if you have a
publisher> ]]</blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Several services also have been started recently to help
authors fight piracy. One of those services is <a href="http://www.muso.com/">www.Muso.com</a>. Muso.com offers a
free trial period and then acts as a paid monthly service.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I've tested out the Muso service for some time to see how it
worked and whether it was useful to me. For me, the free trial was the most
useful aspect of the service as it quickly identified all the locations where
my books were being pirated (as opposed to me manually performing searches of
all my titles, variations of title names, my name, variations of my name, etc).<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If you use the monthly service, you can have them send out
takedown notices for you. Once you have these locations, you also can send your
own DMCA Takedown Notices where there were instances of actual piracy. However,
you still need to check each location. For example, about 1/3 of the sites
identified weren't actually pirating my work and about 1/3 weren't actually
full pirate copies of my work--they were simply samples. For those remaining
that were actually pirated copies, I could have specified that I wanted the
service to send automated take down notices.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
You also can set up <a href="https://www.google.com/alerts">Google Alerts</a> for your books and your name to help you track where your books are appearing online. Notifications from Google Alerts will include information about all locations the tracked books appear, including those that are legitimate and those that are illegitimate. Because of this, you'll need to go through and identify which are legitimate and which are illegitimate. Once you've done that you can issue takedown notices as appropriate.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Hope this information helps you,</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Robert Stanek</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Go Indiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02378150972130213855noreply@blogger.com0