tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post2148464608714032899..comments2024-03-28T02:00:11.260-05:00Comments on A Newbie's Guide to Publishing: Suffering FoolsJA Konrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08778324558755151986noreply@blogger.comBlogger54125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-29193816733986339852014-05-04T19:23:11.603-05:002014-05-04T19:23:11.603-05:00This is exactly why I don't want to be the one...This is exactly why I don't want to be the one having to self-promote, i.e. face the merciless masses of the digital Roman Colosseum. If writing is to be treated as a business, the CEO isn't usually the one doing PR. Other people do. This emphasis on the self-published author being required to be a Swiss Army everything is ludicrous. I would rather have a professional (like a secretary?) act as a buffer, an intermediary between myself and the barbaric public, leaving me free to huddle in my secluded bubble and not interact with anyone.<br /><br />I am absolutely terrified of people but don't see that as a reason why what I write should be disregarded. Just because I'm not a social butterfly who takes the time to venture outside of my comfort zone and actually "make friends" doesn't mean the content of my book is bad. I think the audience needs to learn to separate product from person. Just because I don't want to "network with readers" doesn't make me a bad writer or a bad person. It means that I'm socially phobic and would rather the work stand for itself. What I think about current events or whether or not I care what XYZ social-media user thinks should be irrelevant in terms of the actual work.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-14992669482870944712014-05-01T07:52:38.979-05:002014-05-01T07:52:38.979-05:00Trolls: another great reason to find your tribe, n...Trolls: another great reason to find your tribe, nurture it, and immerse yourself in making it happy. <br /><br />Thanks for another great one, Joe.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00343487263835202568noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-15029413579430948542014-04-30T09:39:42.063-05:002014-04-30T09:39:42.063-05:00This comment has been removed by the author.middle grade ninjahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15132043736808253237noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-9199308530832187982014-04-30T09:39:26.784-05:002014-04-30T09:39:26.784-05:00I've read advice encouraging authors to set up...I've read advice encouraging authors to set up dummy accounts and leave 1-star reviews for competitors, which is despicable behavior. I hope any writer who does this is found out and has to answer for their behavior. Someone else having success doesn't take away from your own. There are plenty of readers for everyone. middle grade ninjahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15132043736808253237noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-43394963779615025982014-04-30T08:26:35.390-05:002014-04-30T08:26:35.390-05:00I didn't respond to a bad review, but I did fe...I didn't respond to a bad review, but I did feel the need to check out her other reviews, based on her wording. My short story had proud placement next to a thumbs down for a vibrator that didn't have a choice of speeds. Made my day. Jacqueline Vickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17066655287551999883noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-59764242808505398872014-04-30T07:21:54.248-05:002014-04-30T07:21:54.248-05:00Great advice. Trolls exist everywhere, and not jus...Great advice. Trolls exist everywhere, and not just online. Learning to understand that they won't help you or your career in any way, shape, or form is a great lesson to take with you through life. I've since learned to ignore those trolls. Total bliss. And a lot more time for me to focus on what I want to do: tell stories and publish them.Terri Herman-Poncehttp://terriponce.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-22349771336325984792014-04-29T19:40:32.651-05:002014-04-29T19:40:32.651-05:00I haven't published a book yet. But I've a...I haven't published a book yet. But I've always hoped I'd have the strength to follow this advice. Hearing it from you helps, thanks.David T Listhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01926089396786215115noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-3439820052655663562014-04-29T17:04:53.866-05:002014-04-29T17:04:53.866-05:00Ah, but troll posts are such a great resource for ...Ah, but troll posts are such a great resource for the names of villains who die horrible, screaming deaths...Sarah Stegallnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-50742164700325734862014-04-29T08:42:18.338-05:002014-04-29T08:42:18.338-05:00TO: Vicki Funes,
What “search results” are you sp...TO: Vicki Funes,<br /><br />What “search results” are you speaking of? Searching on your name brings up five books of yours. As for other types of searches, perhaps you need to change your book’s categories and/or metadata. That often helps.Peter Spenserhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18317246557600202574noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-87068048393783075462014-04-29T07:43:40.163-05:002014-04-29T07:43:40.163-05:00Vicki, I did a search on your name in Amazon ebook...Vicki, I did a search on your name in Amazon ebooks and found listings for 4 Cambria the Mermade books and your author page. Perhaps you aren't as buried as you thought.Merrill Heathhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00164361657325279390noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-10418849059404277702014-04-29T01:02:28.007-05:002014-04-29T01:02:28.007-05:00I feel that the Kindle algorithm is affected by th...I feel that the Kindle algorithm is affected by the average rating for a book. I got one 1-star review. Together with the two 5-star reviews I had, it brought down my average to under 4 stars.<br /><br />My book then got buried somewhere near the rear of the Kindle search results. (Who knows where; I couldn't find it.) I went from selling several copies a week to selling absolutely nothing.<br /><br />While I believe that readers can make up their own minds, they don't get a chance when a book disappears into the nether regions of the results pages.<br /><br />People can read the first several chapters and see that there aren't "tons of spelling errors," as the 1-star guy reported. They can still decide whether they're interested in the subject or not. But they simply don't get the chance. It's like having one's website banished by the Google search engine.<br /><br />At this point, I believe that I need to buy 5-star reviews in order to get a chance for my book to reappear where people can find it in the Kindle results. But, that's against Kindle's terms. So, I'm not buying reviews. But who knows, maybe someday I will.<br /><br />Meanwhile, the incident has had the effect of making me not care what happens to the book. I have a website that people actually do read, so I will focus on it, instead.Vicki Funeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09742084377757561551noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-67323201577086796052014-04-28T20:47:44.015-05:002014-04-28T20:47:44.015-05:00Right on point.
One thing I would add is that the...Right on point.<br /><br />One thing I would add is that the Internet would be a much better place if the good people just had each others' backs a bit more often. If you see someone being picked on, step in and leave a comment either supporting the person or telling the troll to back off.<br /><br />It is amazing how often just a tiny amount of social pressure can send a troll running. Hillary Rettighttp://www.hillaryrettig.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-48479231056793103202014-04-28T18:22:53.405-05:002014-04-28T18:22:53.405-05:00Shout it out loud!!! I'm linking this to as m...Shout it out loud!!! I'm linking this to as many places as I can think of. GREAT advice.<br /><br />I love to debate, but it's important to always maintain dignity, professionalism, and a healthy dose of respect. Judy Goodwinhttp://judygoodwin.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-39101891062422080672014-04-28T11:39:17.181-05:002014-04-28T11:39:17.181-05:00What about when someone puts a book out on Amazon ...What about when someone puts a book out on Amazon under your name (the auspices of a pseudonym) to devalue your actual work? What then?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-4824923864106967292014-04-28T08:43:35.290-05:002014-04-28T08:43:35.290-05:00But...but... "Someone is WRONG on the interne...But...but... "Someone is WRONG on the internet!" http://xkcd.com/386/ Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-49235081078713575202014-04-27T21:31:00.237-05:002014-04-27T21:31:00.237-05:00Well said! Although, I wish Amazon would insist pe...Well said! Although, I wish Amazon would insist people leave reviews under their real name -- I think that would cut down on the trolls. I once tracked down a troll review -- I don't think the reviewer realized it was possible to be 'outed' -- and found out it was written by an author who had just published a similar book. If that author hadn't been such a pinhead, I would have happily promoted her book to my fans. Instead, I just ignored her.Sophnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-69644860965525061482014-04-27T17:49:30.046-05:002014-04-27T17:49:30.046-05:00Great blog, Joe, and I agree. My good friends noti...Great blog, Joe, and I agree. My good friends notify me of good reviews and let the bad ones slide--they just don't tell me. The people who do tell me about the bad ones...enough said.Carolynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12505306878128995740noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-15739073047134216402014-04-27T15:38:50.742-05:002014-04-27T15:38:50.742-05:00Thanks for this post, Joe.
Once, years ago, a tr...Thanks for this post, Joe. <br /><br />Once, years ago, a troll attacked a story I'd written under a pen name. That would have been okay. I wouldn't have loved it but everyone is allowed an opinion. But this review was vicious. The troll not only attacked my work but attacked me as well. I sat staring at the monitor feeling like I was going to throw up. <br /><br />Then I looked at the next review; a five star review from someone I didn't know saying they liked it. I've never been so grateful for a good review!<br /><br />That was the last time I read my Amazon reviews.Karen Woodwardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05497346859460691324noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-10164929321772842482014-04-27T14:53:20.375-05:002014-04-27T14:53:20.375-05:00Great Advice but hard to follow. I read my reviews...Great Advice but hard to follow. I read my reviews daily....trying to get away from it though...Great post :)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07859212095973236888noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-45695147693656092252014-04-27T13:11:13.866-05:002014-04-27T13:11:13.866-05:00And the only way I can see that happening is conte...And the only way I can see that happening is content.<br /><br />Don't you just hate it when what you type doesn't match up to what you thought in the heat of a reply? And there's no way to edit it.Ripley Kinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10057163192303993783noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-15131241639302867612014-04-27T13:04:51.716-05:002014-04-27T13:04:51.716-05:00I have some great reviews spread over several book...I have some great reviews spread over several books, from Barnes&Noble to Amazon UK, but only have one review for each reviewed book (3 books out of 10 at last count)at Amazon. Sucks for me, too. LOL <br /><br />I can only do what I can to sell books, and hope for the best when it comes to reviews. I can't meet the review requirements of the cheaper newsletters, and somebody with skill and money should start a newsletter for authors who use other distribution channels, like Smashwords and iTunes. Level the playing field. Coker! Are you listening?!<br /><br />I'm trying to cater to readers on my blog. Give them content. And it's working, but it's slow. Sometimes it feels like one reader at a time. I have huge samples for readers, and I just posted new content on the home page. Three chapters, because the next two blog posts will ask questions I've always wanted to ask of Indie Author readers. Most likely I won't get any comments, but I'll try.<br /><br />I suppose I lost focus, for longer than I care to admit, and then somebody wanted me to out-Joe, Joe. I can't, and don't want to try. I want to reach my readers, and the only I can see to that from my blog is content. Try to actively engage them. <br /><br />My strengths are in the content I provide, and I'll have to play to those strengths. <br /><br />I don't engage trolls. But I love my reviews, even the one star I got, because it reminds me I wasn't put on this earth to please anyone but myself, and my wife. And not in that order.<br /><br />I'm working on new material, sharing that with my readers, and I'll do what I can to market myself, but the obsession with marketing is over. I'm happiest writing.Ripley Kinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10057163192303993783noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-27694587228175872192014-04-27T11:51:45.163-05:002014-04-27T11:51:45.163-05:00Here's what Bookbub says about reviews in the ...Here's what Bookbub says about reviews in the tips for making your submission more competitive. Granted, there is no (apparently) minimum number of reviews, but reviews does matter:<br /><br />"Customer reviews: Customer reviews and ratings help our editors get a better sense of how other readers have responded to your book. However, there is no specific "minimum requirement," and reviews are only one factor out of many that we consider."<br /><br />And I just realized these are customer reviews. So all the efforts I'm making to have bloggers review my book may account for nothing because they are not customers, and the Bookbub team only take into account "critical reviews from trusted editorial sources". <br /><br />And who those trusted editorial sources could be? I have no idea.<br /><br />Sigh. Alan Spadehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12265515535005420739noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-57362286037755428072014-04-27T09:33:17.874-05:002014-04-27T09:33:17.874-05:00Absolutely five-star advice! Because I write myst...Absolutely five-star advice! Because I write mysteries, the only time I will ask Amazon to take down a review is if some "pinhead" intentionally reveals the "mystery" or twist in my plot, which effectively negates a possible sale. I've only had to do it on a couple of occasions, and each time I have had success with my request. Otherwise, as you advise, I ignore any "bad" reviews. No wonder you are so successful. Write on!Author Joe Perrone Jr.https://www.blogger.com/profile/15936153863508206479noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-30593128571295133682014-04-27T09:24:14.632-05:002014-04-27T09:24:14.632-05:00I agree Joe. I had a one two star review for my fi...I agree Joe. I had a one two star review for my first Wayward Pines Kindle Worlds story by a guy who literally has over 1700 Amazon reviews covering everything from books to camping gear. Since this was an early publication for me I paid close attention to his comments which stated that he thought the story was great but I needed a serious copy editor. This was only the third story that I had ever self-published and the first with the kindle world platform so I was pretty excited to get the story out there. I took his advice and copy edited and republished then posted a note to him and he adjusted his review from 2 stars to 4 stars and stated that he was looking forward to the follow up stories.BRYAN HIGBYhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01126595775432851053noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-68013519392728584122014-04-27T09:01:45.241-05:002014-04-27T09:01:45.241-05:00Bookbub dropped their review requirements, from wh...Bookbub dropped their review requirements, from what I understand, but they still look inside. Format, editorial content. The price, though, is still out of my range.<br /><br />At Goodreads, serious debate can take a beating, and there are trolls to slay along the way. Coker gets it right when he says: <br /><br />"I'm always surprised when I see authors playing the roll of troll. I don't think they realize how it tarnishes their brand. When I see an author attacking another author, even if I don't know the author they're attacking, they build a negative brand image in my mind and I'm less likely to want to support the attacker as a reader or a potential partner."<br />Ripley Kinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10057163192303993783noreply@blogger.com