Hi there! Duolit is on hiatus, but please feel free to explore our extensive archive of posts and our free Weekend Book Marketing Makeover. Thanks for visiting!

April 9, 2012

Do You Have a Media Kit? [Discussion]

Picture it: you check your email and find a message from Matt Lauer! Jackpot! You’ve finally landed that big-time interview, but there’s a catch: they’re requesting a bunch of info about you and your book before your interview.

No biggie, just send over your media kit! You *do* have a media kit, right? Or do you figure all of the same information is available on your website? We’re curious — what are your thoughts on media kits? Tell us:

  • Do you have a traditional media kit? If not, why not?
  • What was your process for putting together your media kit? Did you have difficulty deciding what to include?
  • How often have you used your media kit? Did someone request it or did you send it out?
  • Is there a particular piece of information in your kit that gets used/requested more than others?
  • Do you have a schedule for keeping your media kit updated?
  • Are media kits outdated in this digital age? What do you use instead?

We can’t wait to hear your responses! To join the discussion, please leave a comment below addressing any (or all) of the above questions. Also, mention the discussion to your indie author friends — we’d love to hear from everyone!

Filed Under: Discussion
April 2, 2012

How Do You Choose a Professional Editor? [Discussion]

I know, I know, it’s one of our “catch phrases” that you’re probably sick of hearing, but that doesn’t make it any less true:  you need to have your book professionally edited! Proper editing can make all the difference between a book that makes a splash with readers and one that goes over…well, like a lead balloon.

But, how do you go about doing that? Where do you find qualified editors? How are you sure you’ve chosen the right one? Like many things in the self-publishing world, a little bit of common sense (and wariness) can go a long way — there are all kinds of unscrupulous folks out there ready to take your money, but we want you to be able to choose an editor with confidence.

With that being said, we turn to our indie author friends. Since many of you have experience with editors, we want to open up this discussion to the self-publishing community!

We want to know:

  • How and why did you choose your editor?
  • What services did your editor perform (proofreading, copy editing, content editing)?
  • Did you feel the cost was reasonable? Would you choose to work with this person/team again?
  • Is it important to have a good personalty/genre fit, or is editing relatively universal?
  • What advice would you give to other indie authors seeking editing services?

We can’t wait to hear your responses! To join the discussion, please leave a comment below addressing any (or all) of the above questions. Also, mention the discussion to your indie author friends — we’d love to hear from everyone!

Filed Under: Discussion Tagged With: , ,
March 26, 2012

Are Paperbacks Worth It? [Discussion]

The recent news of eBooks outselling their printed counterparts got the little wheels in my head turning. For us indie authors, paperbacks represent a much larger investment, both in terms of time and money. Breaking down the differences between paperbacks and eBooks:

Paperbacks:

  • Require more extensive design (layout design/formatting, spine and back cover design, high-resolution cover design in general)
  • Cost more to produce (there’s a cost involved in printing the physical book)
  • Take more time to publish (waiting for design, setup with printer, proofs, etc.)
  • Represent more of an investment for readers (generally $10+, have to carry them around, risk losing them)

eBooks, on the other hand:

  • Require only simple design (I know you can get fancy, but it’s not necessary — Word and a cover design will do)
  • Include no overhead (outside of the cut the publisher/distrbutor takes)
  • Can be published almost instantly (not counting the waiting for Smashwords‘ book processor)
  • Less cost to readers (both in terms of the price of the book and convenience factor)

With that in mind, we want to know: are paperbacks still worth it?

We want to know:

  • Have you published/do you plan to publish your book in both paperback and eBook form? How did you make the decision?
  • When it comes to your personal reading habits, do you prefer eBooks or paperbacks?
  • Do you think there will come a time when paperbacks are extremely rare/obsolete?
  • Does a paperback book feel “higher quality” (in terms of writing) than an eBook?
  • Are certain types/genres of books better suited for eBooks/paperbacks than others?
  • Do eBooks/paperbacks offer unique marketing opportunities/challenges?

We can’t wait to hear your responses! To join the discussion, please leave a comment below addressing any (or all) of the above questions. Also, mention the discussion to your indie author friends — we’d love to hear from everyone!

Filed Under: Discussion Tagged With: , ,
March 12, 2012

If Money Were No Object, Would You Still Self-Publish? [Discussion]

Let’s face it, we’ve all had the fantasy. It’s different for everyone. Me? I don’t picture Ed McMahan (is he even still alive?) showing up at my front door with a big check from Publishers Clearing House. That’s kind of flashy and public and, frankly, not my style.

My get-rich fantasy is more like the one in Office Space (minus, you know, the embezzlement and whatnot). I picture simply checking my bank account, only to find a huge number where there’s usually a pretty darn small one. *dreamy sigh* Yeah, that’s how I’d like it to go down!

What about you guys? You know you’ve had the dream, too! We’re curious: if someone threw a big pile of money at you, how would it change your writing career? Tell us:

  • If you had unlimited funds, would you still take the self-publishing route? Or would you spend your time going after a traditional publishing deal?
  • If you did choose to self-publish, would you choose to DIY the various components (editing, design, marketing, etc) or hire it all out? In which area would you invest the most your money?
  • How would it change your writing schedule? What about your writing space?
  • Would it alter your sales goals? What about the type/genre of books you write?

We can’t wait to hear your responses! To join the discussion, please leave a comment below addressing any (or all) of the above questions. Also, mention the discussion to your indie author friends — we’d love to hear from everyone!

What do you think?

We LOVE hearing your thoughts via our discussion posts! To keep up with future installments (in addition to the great content from the rest of the week), subscribe to our RSS feed. 

Filed Under: Discussion
February 20, 2012

If Professional Book Design Were Free, Would You Still DIY? [Discussion]

One of the most common complaints we hear from self-publishing authors is that professional services to aid in their publishing effort (editing, design, etc) are an added expense that’s out of their reach. Other authors, however, embrace the DIY nature of self-publishing and find a source of pride in designing their own cover, interior layout and marketing materials.

What’s your perspective on DIY design? Tell us:

  • Did you/do you plan to create your own book design? Why or why not?
  • If so, do you have a background in design or do you plan to teach yourself?
  • If not, have you already chosen a book designer? What were your criteria?
  • For those who have published with DIY design, do you stand by your decision? Is there anything you would change?
  • If professional design were free, would you sign up in a heartbeat or still learn to DIY?
  • Do you notice the book design of other authors? Have you ever dismissed OR picked up a book based on its design?

To join the discussion, please leave a comment below addressing any (or all) of the above questions. Also, mention the discussion to your indie author friends — we’d love to get varied input!

What do you think?

We LOVE hearing your thoughts via our discussion posts! To keep up with future installments (in addition to the great content from the rest of the week), subscribe to our RSS feed. 

Filed Under: Discussion Tagged With: , ,