Today’s Book Marketing Update is a whopper.

I include references to three posts under book marketing and publishing respectively.

And after the big news about Elon Musk purchasing Twitter, I had to include the four posts I refer to in a special section below.

Then there were various articles of interest I found fascinating. It’s been a fun, informative week.

Enjoy the update and keep writing!

Book Marketing

How to Identify a Book’s Sales Problem: Follow These Steps – from Dave Chesson: Dave Chesson outlines his framework for triggering increasing healthy book sales.

Should a Debut Indie Author Pay a Company for Book Marketing? – by Anne R. Allen: As usual, Anne R. Allen wrote a terrific post on the realities of book marketing companies. Definitely give this post a read!

Innovative Indie Marketing with S.D. Smith – from Author Media: “If you are an author in 2022, you also have to be a marketing specialist.”

Social Media News

Instagram Expands Live Testing of 90 Second Reels – from Social Media Today: “More users are getting more time to film their Reels clips, with Instagram expanding its test of 90-second Reels to more users.”

More Social Media News – Elon Musk Will Change Twitter

Who could miss the news that Elon Musk, a co-founder of PayPal who eventually became the CEO of Tesla, purchased Twitter. What follows here are two interviews I enjoyed: a TED Talk featuring Elon Musk and a PBS segment in which entrepreneur Scott Galloway discusses his fears about Elon Musk owning Twitter. Additionally, I include below a bulleted list of the changes Elon Musk will likely make to Twitter.

Elon Musk TED Talk

Scott Galloway on Elon Musk, Twitter, and the “False Flag of Free Speech” | Amanpour and Company | PBS

How a billionaires boys’ club came to dominate the public square – from The Washington Post: Be sure to check out this incisive and cautionary article.

How Will Twitter Make Money Under Elon Musk? A Look at the Currently Proposed Options – from Social Media Today

Publishing

TwitterChat: Are paperbacks worth the effort for self-published authors? – from Alliance of Independent Authors: This blog post is a compilation of tweets from authors about whether paperbacks are worth the effort. (I think they are.)

We All Need to Be Defended Against Predatory Publishing Practices – from Jane Friedman’s blog and by Brooke Warner, founder of She Writes Press: “The barriers to getting a book published have never been lower, and the consequence of this reality—that anyone can publish a book—is that predatory bad actors come out of the woodwork, and would-be authors must be on guard.”

Amazon updates for book authors – from Book Design Made Simple: “Trying to keep up with Amazon updates? So are we! There’ve been a few changes lately, so we’re discussing them here to keep you up to date. The main Amazon updates for book authors are: 1) EPUBs are replacing MOBIs for reflowable Kindle ebooks, 2) hardcover binding is now an option, and 3) A+ Content is available for your book’s product page on Amazon. Let’s break it down for you.”

Read These Too

Is Journaling a Waste of Writing Time? – from Jane Friedman’s blog and by  A.M. Carley: “Your journal makes the problem-solvers and quiet inner voices feel welcome. Over time, your journal can become the place to address those questions that are not readily answered. Your journal is a creative laboratory where you can amaze yourself and then apply your discoveries elsewhere.”

Google Will Now Enable Users to Request Removals for Search Results That Contain Personal Information – from Social Media Today: This is good news especially for sexual abuse and domestic abuse survivors.

What is it Like to Be a Blind Writer Writing for Sighted Readers? – from Literary Hub: “What is it like to be blind in an industry overwhelmingly dominated by sighted individuals? Jessica Powers, founder and publisher at Catalyst Press, spoke to George Mendoza and Kristen Witucki about crafting stories for sighted readers, finding community and release in fiction, and battling ableism in traditional publishing and publicity.”

‘I Just Want Something That’s Gay and Happy’: L.G.B.T.Q. Romance Is Booming – from The New York Times: “L.G.B.T.Q. romance novels have been around for decades, but they have been a quiet presence, almost entirely self-published or put out by small niche presses, and often shelved separately from other romances in bookstores. Now, they are coming from the biggest publishers in the industry. They are prominently displayed at independent bookstores and on the shelves at Walmart, and advertised on New York City subway platforms.”

Quote of the WeekHey, I’m Frances Caballo and I’m a social media expert for writers, building and managing author platforms to enhance book sales. A writer all of my life, I also provide content writing and email marketing services. If all you need is some training, I enjoy offering one-on-one training sessions as well. Of course, check out my free, email-based social media training course (you’ll get a free, 64-page Twitter ebook with it). 

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