Member Blog | Self-Publishing Review

Jim Carrey To Become A Self-Published Author

Jim Carrey is preparing to join the ranks of self-published authors with what he described as a “metaphysical” children’s book about a wave.

The actor told HitFix that the book would be called How Roland Rolls. And although a major Hollywood name like Carrey would find it easy to land a mainstream publisher, he said: “I’m going to self-publish, because that’s just the world right now and I think it’s cool”.

Carrey, who has one daughter and recently became a grandfather, said the book would be “beautifully illustrated”. He revealed that it would tell the story of “a wave named

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Cate Baum2013-04-04T09:25:18+02:00April 4th, 2013|Categories: Member Blog|

In Good Company

What do Walt Whitman and the authors of Chicken Soup For The Soul have in common? Not much, you say? Well, okay, maybe not all that much. But there’s this: They were both self-published.

Plenty of authors have brought out their own work, sometimes because they couldn’t find a traditional publisher, sometimes for one reason or another they just wanted to go it on their own. Here are just a few examples of authors you might be surprised to know published their own work at least once in their careers:

E. […]

Avery Hurt2013-04-03T08:45:17+02:00April 3rd, 2013|Categories: Member Blog|

Author Iain Banks Announces He Is Dying

Author Iain Banks has announced on his website that he has just months to live after being diagnosed with bladder cancer.

The 59-year-old announced the book he is currently working on, entitled The Quarry, is likely to be his last after cancer spread to his liver, pancreas and lymph nodes.

In a personal statement on his official website, the Wasp Factory writer said he asked his partner Adele to marry him and is now on a short honeymoon.

He said: ‘The bottom line now, I’m afraid, is that as a late-stage gall bladder cancer patient, I’m expected to live for

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Cate Baum2014-01-30T18:14:46+02:00April 3rd, 2013|Categories: Member Blog|

John Winters – I’m A Self-Publishing Failure

John Winters writes about becoming a published author in Salon today. It’s a bitter perspective, but one that piques and gives some insights into publicizing your book.

I am contorting myself in front of the bathroom mirror, iPhone in hand, a porkpie hat on my head and a pair of black-framed Jonathan Franzen glasses perched on my nose. I am trying to capture an image of myself that does not look like me. Sans these accouterments, I am balding and thin faced with perpetual bags under my eyes – sort of like the father on “That ’70s Show” in need

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Cate Baum2013-04-02T13:33:57+02:00April 2nd, 2013|Categories: Member Blog|

With Goodreads, Amazon Fills Out an Advice Portfolio

Further comment on the Amazon – Goodreads marriage is emerging. This interesting take from Harvard Business Review by Paul Nunes and Josh Bellin discusses the holy grail for book marketing: Unique consumer comment.

Amazon.com announced last week that it would purchase Goodreads, a social network for bookworms. As the “world’s largest site for readers and book recommendations,” Goodreads can help make Amazon the definitive place to go for book-related information. But does Amazon really need that help? The company is already the biggest provider of book advice, with its top-secret personalized recommendation algorithms, trusted user reviews, and inside-the-cover previews.

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Cate Baum2014-01-30T18:07:38+02:00April 2nd, 2013|Categories: Member Blog|Tags: Amazon News and Tips, Goodreads Articles|

A Fascinating Looks At Authors As Teenagers

Emily Temple at Flavorwire has collected a really interesting bunch of photos of authors in their teens. My favorites include JD Salinger, a looker in a military uniform, and Allen Ginsberg looking extremely dorky.

Inspired, we took it upon ourselves to dig up a handful of snapshots of other legendary authors in those awkward (or not so awkward, as the case may be) teenage years, before they penned the words that made them famous.

ADAP Offers Ebook Advertisement Money for Authors

BookIM is announcing the launch of ADAP, eBook Advertising for Authors and Independent Publishers. ADAP is a new ebook advertisement program that is sensitive to the needs of authors and readers while creating new revenue opportunities for authors. Being an author, I know that the thought of adding ebook advertisements to a novel is anathema to most authors. Mention ebook advertisements to any author and you’ll receive in return an out pouring of emotional vitriol about the subject. However; convergence continues to hammer book publishers and authors are facing some serious diminishing returns when they inspect their royalty checks. And […]

Erik Bertel2013-03-17T09:25:04+02:00March 17th, 2013|Categories: Member Blog, Resources|

Barnes & Noble Weighs Its E-Reader Investment

Could this be the end of the Nook? Via the New York Times:

Even for a company with a lot of bad news lately, the bulletin from Barnes & Noble this month had an ominous feel.

Barnes & Noble, the nation’s largest book chain, warned that when it reports fiscal 2013 third-quarter results on Thursday, losses in its Nook Media division — which includes sales of e-books and devices — will be greater than the year before and that the unit’s revenue for all of fiscal 2013 would be far below projections it gave of $3 billion.

The problem

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