Should You Use Your Middle Initial On Your Book's Cover?

Should you use your middle initial on your book's cover?

Don't! Unless ... well, read on:

Let's say your name is Francine Lambert (I just made this up.) All your friends, relatives, and people you come in contact with know you as Francine Lambert. You introduce yourself at events as Francine Lambert. Basically, you are ... Francine Lambert.

You write a self-help book on how to save money in a tough economy and it's time for your publisher to put your name on the cover and into the necessary bibliographic databases. "How would you like your name appear on your book's cover?" the publisher asks.

You've decided you will not use a pen name or pseudonym, which is wise in your case. However, after you blurt out "Francine Lambert" you pause and say, "Actually, make that Francine J. Lambert." You believe your name with a middle initial looks and sounds more authoritative on your book cover. And you're right ... but you're making a big mistake!

As we've seen, people know you as Francine Lambert, not as Francine J. Lambert. When you've pitched your book to an audience or even just to friends, they will go online to look for your book. Instead of looking for the title of your book (which they may have forgotten), they will search on your name. They will search on the name they know and remember, which is Francine Lambert, but all online databases associate your book with the name Francine J. Lambert. Will your book show up on these searches? Yes, but it will not score nearly as well in generic Google search results as it should!

Therefore, don't use your middle initial on your book cover unless you have to.

When should you use your middle initial? I recommend it in two cases:

1. You share a name with another author or famous person. Your middle initial will distinguish you and your book from the other author's books. Online bookstore databases sometimes have a hard time distinguishing between two authors by the exact same name. One of our authors, John Lock, actually goes by J. D. Lock.
   
2. You have a very common (i.e., popular) name, like Mary Smith or Paul Brown. I suppose for this reason Michael W. Smith doesn't perform under the name Mike Smith. And that is the reason why someone known to all his friends as David Scott publishes under his full name, David Meerman Scott. You can get away with it, mind you, just ask Will Smith!
   

One last thing: If you actually go by the nickname Fran but you decide to put your full name, Francine, on your book cover, you should start introducing yourself to new friends and audiences as Francine (what's on your book), and not as Fran. Why? So people who know you could find your book more easily. I have seen one of our authors interviewed on prime-time network TV. The celebrity interviewer identified him by his nickname, and so did the caption on the screen (let's say the name was "Jack Jones"). However, his book cover, Amazon, and every single online database identifies him under his full name, including his middle initial (let's say the name on his book is "John Q. Jones").

Nobody who saw the interview will know that the author of the book by "Jack Jones" is actually "John Q. Jones". Fortunately, the book has a very unique and memorable title.

For book marketing purposes, you shouldn't use your middle initial or full legal name on your book's cover. If you do, then it's best for your book if you start calling yourself that way!

Marketing Tip: Using Wikipedia

I'm often asked how to drive traffic to author blogs and websites and my answer is: By being a presence on the Internet.

This means commenting on other people's blogs, using Facebook and Twitter to develop relationships with readers, and also using Amazon to review and tag products.

Another way to be a presence and a great way to get people to your information hub--whether it is your blog or website--on the Web is to list your site as a resource on relevant Wikipedia pages.

Warning: Do not add your information to random pages. Do not provide a link that only goes to a page where they can buy your book. Do not create a new Wikipedia page that goes against their guidelines.

Here's how it works. Someone seeking information on a topic goes to the Internet to do research. A great place to start research is on Wikipedia. Although much of the information is infamously added by people who may or may not have factual information, it is still a great source for background information, and most people know that.

Because Wikipedia is a user-edited site, you are allowed to add helpful information to the pages. Say you've written a great book about Restless Legs Syndrome. You can go on the Wikipedia site and find pages devoted to that topic and similar concerns. At the bottom of the page is a Reference section. You can edit the page and add your blog link or website link there as well. Some sites have lots of links, some have only a few. Either way, it's one more place to reach interested parties.

And if you aren't convinced, I met a man at the Arizona Book Awards whose website--dedicated to the research of a greatly misunderstood amino acid deficiency--received nearly ALL of its hundreds of thousands of hits from his Wikipedia reference note. Not too shabby! Now if he'd only write a book ...

Kindle It's On Fire: Make Your Book Available to Kindle Users

What is a Kindle?

Kindle is Amazon’s version of an electronic document reader. In other words, it’s a little gadget that allows you to read books on it without having to buy a physical copy of the book.

Amazon allows you to buy e-versions of the book specifically formatted for the Kindle reader device.

The Kindle allows direct downloads from the Amazon site of books, newspapers, and other text documents. The downloads are done wirelessly, so you can add editions to your reader easily.

Readers like the Kindle for several reasons. First off, the Kindle is very portable. You can load several books, magazines, and newspapers on a Kindle and avoid having to take bulky texts with them. Secondly, the Kindle allows for speedy downloads. Why not quickly download what you want to read instead of having to make a trip to the store or wait for shipping? You can have it NOW. It’s the ultimate in instant gratification.

Why should your book be made into a Kindle version?

More and more, readers are turning to electronic readers for their book purchases. For example, Wheatmark author James Best has sold more Kindle versions of his most recent book, “Leadville” than actual copies. It is smart to offer up formats to books that people are using!

Another reason to have your book formatted for Kindle is that it gives your book credibility. If you look at the bestsellers, they all have Kindle versions. Make your book look like a bestseller by simply offering a Kindle version!

Authors do receive royalties on Kindle sales and your Kindle-version book sales do count toward your Great Expectations tally.

Jump into the technological mainstream with a Kindle version of your book today!

Can Your Readers Find You? Provide Author Contact Info

When you publish your book you are entering a conversation with your readers. Because you are starting a conversation, your readers--your conversation partners--will want to get in touch with you and provide you with valuable feedback that will move this conversation along.

You should add your author contact info to your book so your readers could get in touch with you!

We as book publishers receive lots of requests from readers to pass messages on to our authors, which we do as a courtesy to you. This is proof that your readers need to be able to contact you, otherwise it's just a one-way conversation.

What should you include as contact info?

The single most important contact information you should include in your book is the link to your website. For example, you could say, "To contact Jane Doe, visit her website at http://www.author-janedoe.info." Naturally, the website would list either phone, email address (email forms are great!), or even a post office box, depending on what level of information you feel comfortable with. Unless you are selling something, email contact should be enough. If any of your contact information changes later, you won't need to update your book, just update the info on your website.

You don't have a website or blog? You should have one, but for now include your email address in your book. If you don't want to give out your personal AOL email that you use to keep in touch with your family and friends, create a special email address just for your readers. For example, your book would say, "To contact Jane Doe, email her at author_janedoe@hotmail.com" or another email address. (Then think about having your own blog or website.)

Where to include contact info?

The best place to include your website or email info is on the back cover. Everybody looks at the back cover when they read a book. Just in case, do include it on the copyright page as well.

Your readers want to get in touch with you, and it would be rude not to let them!

Why You Should Start a Blog Today

One of the essential ingredients to a successful book marketing plan is a blog.

A blog will allow you to post “journal” entries about your process during the book writing stage, to post entries about your publishing timeline, to write about your published book, and to write about everything else you are interested in in between.

On the Wheatmark web site we have a blog post that includes step-by-step instructions on how to start a blog using Blogger – one of the free blogging sites available.

How does blogging for book marketing work?

It works by establishing a home base for your marketing efforts. As you read other people’s blogs, you can comment from your blog identity allowing them to follow back to your blog. When you use Twitter, you can put up tweets about new blog posts and also put the link to your blog in your profile so Twitter users can read more about you. This will drive traffic to your blog site.

On your blog site, make sure to add a link to where prospective readers can buy your book.

Why does blogging for book marketing work?

It works because it creates a virtual world where you can be the expert on your book’s topic and allows people with similar interests to interact with you. The more you gain readers to your blog, the more readers you are likely to gain for your book! By allowing readers to be a part of your journey as an author, from first inspiration to the exciting book launch, you can form a community of people invested in your project and your success!

It can be difficult getting going. So here is a list of topic types to get you started

List of 5 ideas or thoughts – numbered lists are always winners. It helps the blog reader understand what they are going to be reading and helps them get to the end. This works in a blog about business very easily. You can write about one of your chapters, offer tips, etc. But it could also work for fiction! Say you are writing a young adult fiction book about a battling a demon. Your numbered list could be “Things You Need to Battle a Demon.” It’s entertaining and it brings people into your book.

Publish a list of links – Can’t think of anything to write? Someone else has written it already and better? Post a link to the articles on your blog. They’ll appreciate the favor and also your blog readers won’t feel like you’ve abandoned your blog for the day!

Take a recent experience and share it – Maybe it is obvious, but writing about something that made you have an emotion is always good fodder for a blog. It lets other people into your world and also allows them to share their own experiences in the comments forum. It may even inspire you!

Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down: Book Reviews

One way to get the word out about your book is to have it reviewed.

Even when you can’t get the New York Times to even open your envelope, there are plenty of online book reviewers that can offer up insightful discussions about your book and can help lead other readers to it.

But there is a downside to having your book reviewed: you open yourself up to not always glowing reviews. Recently a post at http://botheyes.wordpress.com/2008/11/12/let-the-receiver-beware/ explored the issue of a negative review and the author’s reaction (lawyers were involved).

Understand up front that by asking a reviewer to read and discuss your book, you are asking for their opinion—which they are entitled to. If they don’t like your book, that is their opinion. Don’t get litigious. Get more reviewers! Someone will see value in your work!

Getting an Accurate Review of Your Book

First off, make sure your book is as professional as possible. Have it copyedited. Errors are a warning signal to readers that your book isn’t a quality venture--or worth their time.

Second off, before you ask for a review, make sure you do your homework. Do you like the reviewers style? When they don’t like a book, how do they write about it? Do they include images of the book? Do they review books only on the bestseller list or are they reading independently published work? Pick someone you feel good about.

Most reviewers will request a copy of your book. This does not guarantee they will review your book.

But those are just the “buyer beware” elements. The good parts are that online reviewers are generally more open to independently published books.

They also may be able to better able to reach your audience. For example, if your book is about weight loss, you’ll want to find a reviewer who is interested in your topic. The more expert your reviewer is on your book's topic, the more likely they will be to attract readers that want to learn more about that topic and will seek you out.

Let’s Talk Amazon Before We Go …

Those little reviews from readers on Amazon are gold. Particularly when they are positive! So ask people that have enjoyed your book to hop online and help you toot your horn.

The more positive reviews you have, the more confident someone will be buying your book.

Tweets and Other Things You Need to Know About

I've spoken recently to several authors frustrated with their book sales and when I asked them about their marketing tactics, they've kind of mumbled off into the realm of "not enough time" and "not enough money."

So here it is:

Intro to Social Networking and Marketing 101.

What you'll need:

• Computer with Internet access
  
• 1 free blog account (like Blogger)
  
• 1 free Twitter account (www.twitter.com)

What you'll do:

1. To get started, sign up and create a blog using the templates available. Keep it simple. You can change it up at any time usually.
   
2. Start blogging. Blogs (web logs) are like journal entries. A blog is a place to share your ideas about topics that you are interested in, would like to know more about, or are already an expert in.
   
3. Make sure that you add labels that are searchable to your blog entry. If you are writing about frogs, your labels should say so. Also include some other labels as well (i.e.: green, environment, reptiles, amphibians, toads).
   
4. If you've already written a book, make sure you've chosen a layout that will allow you to add a web site link that you can paste in the web site address (URL or link) to where it can be purchased.
   
5. Tell people about your blog. This is where Twitter comes in handy. Twitter is a social networking tool that allows you to search and follow people that are interested in you, your information, or that you find interesting. They, in return, will follow you if they think you have something to offer. Tell your tweeples (twittering has great slang!) about your blog when you make entries or when you find information you think they'd be interested in.
   
6. The relationships you create between your blog, other people's blogs, Twitter, and other social networking sites will allow you to build a network of people that you can market to, learn from, and establish yourself as an expert with.
   
7. Have fun! It takes time to generate an online community. But in time it will pay off as you meet people to chat with, that will review your materials, and ultimately (fingers crossed!) will purchase your book.
   

Want more tips on marketing your book? Check out Book Marketecture, Wheatmark's free downloadable book marketing workbook.

Thinking about publishing? Sign up for our Independent Author Guide to get information on publishing your next book!

Beating the Editing Drum

We can't say it enough. In fact, we mention in as Mistake Numero Uno in the introduction of our free downloadable book marketing workbook. So I'm going to say it again!

When publishing a book, it is vital that what is inside the book is the best that it can be. After months of work, why sell yourself short by not having it professionally copyedited? The money you spend on a service like this is well worth it, in my opinion.

There is nothing more frustrating that picking up a book and finding error after error within the text. It reduces the author's credibility and it reduces the reader's enjoyment.

In order for an independently published book to be successful by any measure, there are steps that need to be taken; one step being that it must be able to compete on a similar quality level as a traditionally published book.

The cover look, the typeface used (we heartily recommend not using Times New Roman for your interior font ... or Papyrus ... or all caps, italics, and underlines -- yes, we've been asked) are all important for the initial pass by your readers.

But up there on that list is not driving your reader crazy with text corrections that could easily have been caught with a pass through of a copyediting pro.

Give your book the best possible chance: hire someone. Seeing a book through to completion is hard work. Seeing an errant "t he.." after completing that book is even harder.

Cut yourself, and your reader, some slack and make your book the best it can be.

Get copyediting. "You're readers'll thank use..

See? I told you it was important.

Why Authors Should Twitter

Lovely post by Mark Bertils of Index // MB's Minding the Gate touting the benefits of blogging for publishers. For all you authors out there, read the blog post substituting "author" for "book publisher." As Mark says, "Twitter is great at driving attention. The end."

As free technologies for conversing with the world about you, your book, and whatever else is on your mind go, Twitter can not be beat. You can find like-minded (or not) readers, writers, and thinkers, follow them - share your ideas and casually spread the word about your book while you're at it.

I'd say it's at least worth a try.

Happy Book Marketing!

How Blogging Benefits Your Book Marketing Campaign

Here at Wheatmark, we often encourage our authors to use blogging as a great way to reach readers and garner visibility for their books. Blogging can benefit authors in a multitude of ways.

Blogging during the writing process (before publication) can be a wonderful way to find support for your writing among those who share an interest in the subject of your book. By blogging about your book before you have completed your book, you can increase awareness of your writing, and even receive valuable feedback that you can incorporate into your final book.

By blogging after the publication of your book you can inform readers of any marketing activities and events you have going on, and can encourage readers to post reviews of your book on their own blogs or in other online locations. A resourceful author might include blog posts on material that didn’t make it into the final edition of your book, and post on any ideas for forthcoming publications.

For inspiration on getting started on your own blog, check out these popular author blogs, care of the Internet Writing Journal.