Category: Book

Sell More Books This Holiday. Here’s How…

Writers write. Readers read. Together they are one.

The holiday season brings many opportunities for authors. Families, co-workers, friends, networkers and even the Grinch shop for the perfect Gifts for book-lovers. From fiction, non fiction, Poetry, Sci-fi and sweet holiday romance for those hallmark enthusiasts who dream not only of movies but to curl up in the warmth of Christmas bliss. Their goal? To get lost in the world of the ideal relationship.

Marketers go crazy to capture the holiday magic for those on the naughty or nice list. So why shouldn’t authors…well author-preneurs participate? It’s become a common trend for non-traditional publishers to want to optimize the sweet fruits of their labor. They want to see their hard work nicely wrapped under the Christmas tree or at minimum, stuffed into Christmas stockings.

So how can authors prepare? I was chatting with a group of self published and traditionally published authors who long to boost their holiday sales. Why have the books gathering dust on Amazon’s platform or even yours? It seems the practice is to write it, publish it, and forget it, with the hopes that writing and publishing the book will attract sales. Not so. It does not work that way. Not for any type of author. The point is, after your book is published… unfortunately that’s when the hard work begins. You have to make the world know that it exists. So here are a few simple tips to help get you started. Don’t be overwhelmed. Choose one, two or a few and prepare for the most wonderful time of the year.

Create That Holiday Plan

  • Create a plan for the holidays. I am a firm believer in the saying if you are not planning you’re just practicing.
  • Evaluate where you are now and where you would like to be at the end of the holiday period. For example, you could include factors like doubling or tripling your year-to-date sales. If you are an experienced author with several books, take a loo at your past holiday sales. Project an increase in sales over past years.
  • Plan to up your Marketing and Promotional strategy. Sometimes just a little effort goes a long way from doing nothing at all.
  • Update your book covers. Make it festive (easier if you’re self-published) but whatever you do, make sure your cover looks professional.

Your Holiday Author Platform

  • Become more visible
  • Get your website holiday ready
  • Update your Amazon Author Central profile
  • Get more amazon reviews
  • Make your book covers more festive
  • Update your book description
  • Update your author bio. It’s a good idea to edit and review often on your amazon page. You would be surprised when you look back you seem to be looking at a stranger who essentially is a person you hardly recognize. Think of this like a resume. Update frequently.
  • Get a professional photo done and spread it across the different media networks

Build That Strategic Audience

  • Set up or expand your mailing list
  • Write blog posts
  • Create a newsletter… if that’s on your agenda
  • Find and connect with your audience. Engage, engage, engage them
  • Offer free holiday shipping

You may also like From Books To Bucks

Get Social

  • Update your Social Media Profile
  • Do a holiday-themed hash tag search
  • Dig a little deep and find out who your followers are
  • Create images of your books in holiday settings on instagram
  • Create your own 12-Days of Christmas

Show. Don’t Tell

  • Increase your book reviews. Aim for 25 which means you have to go after many in order to get this done. You will receive promises but usually only lower percentage will come through
  • Create gift bags and other swags for giveaways
  • Create holiday videos. Already doing that? Do some more
  • Have a series? Make the first book FREE
  • Prep your own 12 Days of Christmas Giveaways

Holiday Party Connect. Collaborate.

  • Collaborate with other authors in Holiday Book Events
  • Participate in Holiday Book Guide
    • Gifts for the Poetry Lover
    • Gifts for the Sci-fi lover
    • Gifts for the child reader enthusiasts
  • Invite your fans to an “ask the author” virtual Holiday party on social media
  • Get involved in local festivities (holiday markets, local fairs etc.)
  • Contact local independent bookstores

Hope these few tips will help get you underway. There are tons more but these few will get you started. Don’t get overwhelmed. Choose one, two or a few and Sell More Books this Holiday!

Cheers!

Error In A Published Work? 3 Things To Do…

Finding A Book Error

Your book is published, yea!

It’s an outstanding achievement especially for a first time author. Be proud of yourself. But then patrons buy your book and later a reader finds an error or worse–two. It may be his/her interpretation but an error none-the-less. You feel sad. Down. Disappointed in yourself. How could that happen? But before you throw in the ‘author’ towel, here are 3 simple things to do.

Write Quality Books

Write quality books. I can’t stress that enough. Those of you who have worked with me know that is most important. It makes the difference in the success of your product. Quality means, professionally done book cover, formatting, editing and more

Edit. Edit. Edit Some More

Of prime importance is the editing. Nothing is more distasteful than a product that wherever you read, you find errors. That being said, in professionally published books… be it traditional or self-published, you may find errors. That’s the reason reviewing your work with an editor is so important. These days errors are found even in the media. But the great thing now with the media is that it’s mainly online in many cases. Often in their haste to get the news out, they falter. But with online, errors can easily be edited and republished fast. In a printed book, this can also be done so get in touch with your publisher for immediate correction. If self-published, correct the manuscript and republish.

There Will Always Be Haters

Accept the fact. Know that you will always have haters and especially in Poetry, it’s your interpretation, your craft. If the errors are not spelling, then some will still complain because you write as you ‘see’ things.

So in summary, keep your head up. Do something about the complaint. Validate it and if its a fact, correct it. Then move on to writing and publishing your next book. Remember, life is filled with ups and downs. But it’s what you do about it that counts.

Need to write your book? Let’s connect.

Cheers!

Note this discussion does not go in-depth into writing and correcting errors. It is written as a simple recommendation to uplift and rebuild the new author’s inner drive to continue his/her craft.

What’s Going On In Your Life That Feels Like A Giant?

Relatable, encouraging, inspiring are words that describes the book “My Safe Place is With You.

Amazon Reviews

Are you discouraged and feel like giving up? What is going on in your life that feels like a giant? Is it a career decision? A conflict on the job? Your health? A conflict at home? When you think about your future, does it look bleak? If so, be confident that it does not have to be.

In My Safe Place, Dr. Shelly Cameron talks about what to do when life’s tragedies hit, when you feel stuck, confused, and your life spirals out of control, where do you turn? How do you handle it? Where is your Refuge?

In this book you will find:

  • Inspirational Short Stories and Exhortations to Uplift you
  • Prayers and Encouragement for Difficult Journeys
  • Guidance to Identify God’s Purpose and Leading when you are Confused
  • What to do when Enemies Strike
  • What to do when Waiting on God

If you or a friend feel like giving up and do not know where to turn, then this book is for you.

4 Tips Before You Quit Your Job

Ditch It! Switch It! Yep, many are doing just that. In the book Your career, Ditch it Switch it, I encouraged you to reflect on the pandemic and switch your career. It’s the best time. Now more than ever many are doing it. Here’s CNN Headline news top tips to do it right.

  1. Don”t tell your boss first
  2. Don’t slack off
  3. Leave “transition document’
  4. Two-weeks notice is still standard

Here are my own Tips to do it right. Also featured in research from book Your Career: Ditch It. Switch It. Read more 5 Strategies To Do It Right.

How To Leave Your Job: 5 Ways

  1. Don’t leave (yet)
  2. Start your search to see the job options available in the market place
    • Like your current career? Stay with it
    • Hate your current career? Plan an escape
    • Take into consideration your current skills, qualification and experience.
    • Upgrade skills if needed to suit your new role
  3. Update your Resume to match the job you’re looking for and review your social media profiles to make sure nothing unprofessional exist
  4. It’s time to begin your search to Ditch it for the ideal career you want
  5. Keep Motivated. Prepare yourself psychologically. The going can get rough especially while you are still in the same miserable job. So plan an escape while you wait. This can be:
    • Bathroom run (to breathe while on the job) but balance is key…. Don’t overdo it
    • Mental escape to your happy place (vacation getaway, home reno, time with family, time alone, time with your favorite hobby)

Experiencing that itch yet don’t know how to do it? Ask a Coach or let’s connect.

Cheers!

Writing Retreat. Alone Or With A Group?

As a writer you have to have the three D’s: drive, discipline and desire. If you’re missing any one of those three, you can have all the talent in the world, but it’s going to be really hard to get anything done.

Nora Roberts

An author at a Writers forum asked the question whether to attend a writing retreat alone or with a group. Intrigued I dived in. Here are top responses as authors chimed in with their preferences.

  1. A combination. Alone at first to get some writing done, then others can join after to chill
  2. Always with at least one person, Would never travel anywhere alone
  3. Either. Done it
  4. Alone
  5. I like both. But prefer to have a couple of other writers. That way there is someone to talk over plot points and such with.
  6. Would probably accomplish more alone, but a group is nice too
  7. I have done both. You can also go to the location (Tennessee Williams Writers Festival in New Orleans) with non writer friends who will go off sightseeing and leave you blissfully on your own to attend master classes, panel discussions and book signings. But bring your new writer friends with you to dinner so you have something satisfying and intelligent to talk about.
  8. Both could be fun
  9. Alone but towards the end I want to meet up with a friend for dinner
  10. Writing retreats are so fun with a friend, but the point as in writing is not to have fun, but to be productive. Learn, write, make a few new friends after hours but you are there to write.

I think point 10 sums it all up. Writing is indeed fun but the point of writing is to be productive. Personally, I believe writers write alone but after compile the pieces and celebrate together.

As a writer, what’s your preference? Do share. We would love to hear.

Cheers!

Success Strategies of Caribbean American Leaders in the United States…

Success Strategies of Caribbean American Leaders in the United States is a product of my research on Success Strategies designed to help emerging leaders rise to new heights.

The Book was birthed after in-person interviews with with top industry leaders in healthcare, politics, education, media, aviation and more. Leaders were either first or second generation immigrants from the English and non-English Speaking countries.

Intrigued but don’t have a copy? Snatch yours here and learn the challenges they had to overcome to be successful.

Intrigued? Let’s connect.

That Fear. Ditch It…

To Live a fulfilled life, we need to keep creating the “what is next” of our lives. Without dreams and goals there is no living, only merely existing.

– Mark Twain

My Safe Place…

A Captivating Book About Life’s Tragedies, Disappointments And
Finding Strength During Difficult Times

A Captivating Book About Life’s Tragedies, Disappointments And Finding Strength During Difficult Times

Are you discouraged and feel like giving up? What is going on in your life that feels like a giant? Is it a career decision? A conflict on the job? Your health? A conflict at home? When you think about your future, does it look bleak? If so, be confident that it does not have to be.

In My Safe Place, Dr. Shelly Cameron talks about what to do when life’s tragedies hit, when you feel stuck, confused, and your life spirals out of control, where do you turn? How do you handle it? Where is your Refuge?

In this book you will find:

  • Inspirational Short Stories and Exhortations to Uplift you
  • Prayers and Encouragement for Difficult Journeys
  • Guidance to Identify God’s Purpose and Leading when you are Confused
  • What to do when Enemies Strike
  • What to do when Waiting on God

If you or a friend feel like giving up and do not know where to turn, then this book is for you.

Can’t Get Your Child To Read? 13 Ways To Spark That Fire…

Books are knowledge. Books are reflection. Books change your mind,

-Toni Morrison

How do you get your child to read? Popular question 21st century parents ask. It can also be extended to adults. Booklovers find themselves lost in books facing curiosity for the reason many defy reading as avidly as a decade ago. Too many distractions most say. Parents have it the hardest especially during the era of virtual games. But as far back as my own family’s history, I can think of my uncle who was a school principal, I received books on birthdays and holidays. Didn’t like it at the time but appreciate it in the years that ensued.

So, parents there’s hope. Here are 13 ways booklovers shared to spark that fire.

  1. Don’t be a nag
  2. Read more yourself. Children live what they learn
  3. Limit screen time from early
  4. Read stories to them
  5. Make bookstore visit a habit
  6. Let them pick books of their choice
  7. Dramatize characters. Make them come alive
  8. Watch movies on books of real life events then let them decide which is better – book or movie
  9. Display books around the house – Easy access.
  10. Make reading a habit
  11. Read books with exciting stories, then visit museums for visual effect
  12. Share amazing stories and when they ask what’s next, let them read the book for themselves
  13. Lead by example

Any points missing that you would like to add? Do share. We would love to hear.

Cheers!

Dreams Come Through When Writers Write …

Such a delight to see the Dreams of winters come through especially when you played a part in it. Yes, thrilled I am! I met Miss Pat in 2016 in Washington DC after coordinating the recognition of her son as Honoree. I serve as member of the Honorary Host Committee for the Caribbean American Heritage Awards (CARAH). We hit it off immediately. She shared her dream to write her biography and over the years I encouraged, reviewed the development of the title, manuscript and chatted monthly during the book’s 3-4 year publishing journey.

It’s now a delight to hold the long awaited dream book titled ‘The Reggae Music Journey in hand. The book shares the journey of a 4ft tall Miss Pat who worked hard, persevered and brought Reggae Music to the streets of New York. Despite the difficulties of being a woman in business, she persevered. Now 40 years later, she shares the journey of hubby Vincent (deceased) and Pat. A journey that has made Reggae Music a Globally loved phenomenon.

In exchange for this great resource on the evolution of Reggae Music, she takes contributions to the Vincent and Pat Foundation in honor of the Alpha Boys Home. You will have no regrets. Ask singer Shaggy of the acclaimed song “it wasn’t me” and Marion Hall they will tell you the same.

So what are you waiting for? Go get it!

Cheers

Forge Ahead…

To Look back is to forge ahead.


To make a difference was my simple desire. Most if not all of us want to be successful in life. So I devoted my research to the topics of Success and Leadership. Afterall you have to lead yourself to be successful. It’s hard work.

My research began in 2010 and was published in 2013. To reach the masses I did the peer reviewed business journal article followed by my first book Success Strategies. 8 books later, I am still going. Still making a difference in the lives of aspiring authors helping them to publish their own book, encouraging those new to entrepreneurship and those who wish to switch jobs but are afraid to venture out into the unknown. It’s scary but it works.

Thanks to those who were at my side at the kickoff. Here are memories in pictures thanks to Nordia.

A Conversation With Matriarch Pat Chin On Overcoming Barriers As A Woman In Business…

My Reggae Music Journey

Reggae Music Matriarch, Miss Patricia Chin shares her story and new book “My Reggae Music Journey from Ska, Rocksteady, Reggae and Dancehall”. Her name is synonymous with artists such as Beenie Man, Etana, Buju Banton, Beresford Hammond and many more. Sharing this conversation during Miami Book Fair’s Virtual Event.

In this discussion she shared her journey on overcoming Barriers as a woman in business.

Listen in and get a copy of her book at vandpfoundation.org proceeds of which goes to the Alpha Boys School.

Cheers!

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