Authors Helping Authors - Make this new section work for you [Return to index]
Here is an article from John Wolf:April 2009 Pen Jabs Meeting

April Gathering of writers and editors of the Pen Jabs Club at Rockin' Baja Restaurant in Old Town

Pauline Hager, LinDee Rochelle, Joe Naiman, and John Wolf - Pen Jab hardliners met to discuss online bookstores for self-published authors and marketing promos for San Diego. Various new and old websites are after the authors attention to sell their books. One is BooklockerBooks.com. They advertise the book and expect the author to participate in a three day promo in Fremont, California to kick off a series of book signings and interviews. They take 42% of the list price and they expect the author to supply signed books. Linda Meckler has participated in this approach and was satisfied with the sales.

Another new site is IndieReader.com. They will be charging $149 a year to post books and a $30 per book for a review. They are being pushed by Michael Kleiner, one of our fellow Infinity writers. I'm in contact with IndieReader trying to get an idea of how they might demonstrate usefulness to the author, other than another book listing on the Internet. It seems to me that these online sites have to take an interactive roll and get out and market for the authors or there is no sense in spending this kind of money. Anyone can advertise on Fox&Quill free! And there is no review vetting fee!

I'm hoping for someone like Infinity to underwrite books review done by third parties to support getting past the vetting process for our books. It makes no sense to keep paying the fees to have each of these sites read our books once reviews are already established. After the publisher and these online outfit take most of the possible profits, more fees take the winds out of the sails.

San Diego promo ideas may start off with a pre-happy hour crowd at the Rockin' Baja to introduce the public to a book release party, meet the authors, and open the floor to sales and chat. We are working on a music angle to make the gathering more entertaining for the crowd.