Can you believe we are halfway through February already? Official book countdown: one month, one week, six days. Eee! Today I bring you a sampler platter of all things publishing: advice-seeking for my Amazon page, short videos in which I share my favorite tips from each chapter of the book, Inbox Freedom recordings, an awesome e-magazine (that I happen to be featured in), and a whole buffet of writing-related resources. Can you tell I'm writing this while hungry? My food metaphors are out of control today!
Book Trailer Update & Conundrum - Need your advice
Thank you all so much for your votes last week! Video #2 (the short cut) was the runaway winner, though the longer 3-minute trailer definitely got a few heartfelt (and might I add incredibly convincing!) votes too.
Now get this -- in order to post the video to the Amazon sales page for the book (as Resonate does, for example), I would have to pay $1,000!!! Would you do it?
It seems a shame not to...but I've already asked the publisher if they will split the cost with me and they said no. I feel very torn...it's such a rip off! Especially considering how much Amazon hacks the book price down...authors barely make any money off Amazon sales as is, now they charge $1,000 to help sell the book in the first place?!
So let me know what you think in the comments -- is a book trailer a compelling feature for you when browsing books on Amazon? Compelling enough to spend $1,000 to post?
Book Chapter Videos
In addition to creating a Blogger Kit, updating my Book Tour Schedule (and generally just pimping out LACBook.com), one of my projects last weekend was post-processing and uploading short 1-2 minute videos for each chapter of the book (all by myself...FTW!). In each video I share my favorite tips, quotes or exercises to help you optimize each area of your life. Check-out the YouTube playlist here.
In honor of Valentine's Day (which I basically ignored) - here's the video from the Dating & Relationships Chapter:
Inbox Freedom - Free four-part webinar series
As I mentioned in a previous post, I'm hosting a four-part Inbox Freedom webinar series with my friend Pierre to give people practical tools and strategies for taming the email beast. The sessions have gotten great feedback so far!
Brett says:
"I loved last week's course. I've already put into practice the techniques you and Pierre shared, and I'm cruising right along with other projects without treating my inbox like an infant I have to check on every 2 minutes. My productivity has already increased, and I know the next 3 weeks will only boost it more."
Listen to the recordings and sign-up below:
- Session One: Awareness - Part 1 (~14 minutes, led by me) and Part 2 (~12 minutes, led by Pierre)
- Session Two: Vision/Goals - Part 1 (me) / Part 2 (Pierre)
- Session Three: This Thursday at 8:30 a.m. PST -- click here to join!
In Treehouses Magazine Feature
I am honored to be featured in the February edition of the GORGEOUS In Treehouses magazine, produced by Thom Chambers, with some of my absolute favorite people (Colin Wright, Amber Rae, and Chris Guillebeau to name a few). About the mag: "In 2011, In Treehouses is publishing ten free e-magazines. Each issue will feature brilliant contributors focusing on a topic that will help you reach your 1,000 True Fans."
This issue is called "We're All Publishers Now" and features an awesome mix of authors, innovators, companies and entrepreneurs who are all doing work related to the publishing industry. My story is on page 45 -- check it out!
Writing and Publishing Related Resources
I normally share the extensive list of writing-related links and resources I find with my Inside Scoop readers, but given that our topic today is publishing I thought you might like them too!
To check-out specific books, videos and blog posts I've mentioned, visit the Writer's Corner page on my book website, and/or subscribe to the monthly Inside Scoop Newsletter where I give a behind-the-scenes look at the publishing process.
I've tagged many more articles and resources in Delicious: Writing | Book Promotion | Book Publishing | Literary Agents | Self-Publishing and more...
Announcing the launch of EBookling
While we're on the subject of publishing, I wanted to call your attention to an awesome new ebook platform launching from my friend Colin Wright. In his words:
Ebookling Enables Indie Authorpreneurs
The premise of Ebookling is to turn authors in Authorpreneurs: creatives who own their work and have control over their financial destiny.
Ebookling’s place in this is to provide a platform for these authors, giving them the resources they need to take their products to the next level, the connections they need to fill any gaps in their process (designers, translators, editors, producers, etc) and a centralized store where they can sell their work to a large and varied audience.
We also want to get the reader involved, allowing them to become curators of their own stores and be paid to support their favorite authors. To this end, when you sign up for an account with Ebookling, you automatically become an affiliate. If you click a button to share a product listed on our store with the world, your affiliate code will be attached, and any sales that come as a result will net you 25% of the total cost.
That's all for now, folks -- have a fantastic week! :D