How To Monetize Your Blog 101 - Lesson 09 - Google it before you Guru it...
Yeah, I actually do have handouts (with lots of interesting chapters too - LOL).
There are twelve in the 101 series and I got such a wild response today I decided to chat about a few of my Starbucks/Subway free seminar talking points because it's been a while since I did a little on-line techno-babble. I'm overdue. Last time we chatted (not counting my recent Droid rant earlier today) was on the 11th about finding a home for a chocolate lab. :-)
I'd like to direct your attention to the wonderful world of eBooks platform debates while reminding people whether you like or dislike Apple's iBooks or the multiple Kindle formats is a moot point.
POINT#1 IS TO EMBRACE THEM BOTH AND MAKE MONEY BY SELF-PUBLISHING ON EVERY AVAILABLE PLATFORM STARTING WITH THE DIGITAL ONES.
I'm going to talk about Kindle first because they have an app for everything (LOL).
If you've lurked in the Kindle Direct Publishing forums like I've been stalking them then you may be aware of the fact that their 70 percent royalty program "is only applicable for sales of your book to customers of: • Austria • Canada • Great Britain • Guernsey • Germany • Isle of Man • Jersey • Lichtenstein • Luxembourg • Switzerland • and the United States. For sales to customers outside of the 70% territories, royalties are calculated at 35 percent."
Income Comparison Self-Publishing v. Conventional Publishing can be argued all day by your uninspired relatives who claim you can't do this while looking to get you to behave on your regular job. Since you already have a computer and a word processor why not join something like the Kindle Direct Publishing community and sort the best of your blogging expertise into an interesting document for sale?
Why are your weekly/monthly real estate market reports free when people can subscribe to them individually or annually? Make exclusive content free for clients not the whole bloody world. If it's $9.99 or less you get the 70 percent royalty. If you charge more you get the 35 percent cut.
It could be $0.99 (after all you do get to set the price of your work) and be about anything you want to write about but the point is to stop whining about the cost of maintaining those blogging websites and get your exclusive, expanded content branded and out there. Go from blogger to author with your first free upload by writing your teasers and offering a link to the expanded version. If you do quality free content and continue with quality paid content you can be an author in 48 hours if you start to do this today. The review takes about a couple of days before it makes the on-line systems so get cracking and share the links so we can see what you've come up with by Sunday.
This is your chance to sneak off for a couple of hours and find your best work to turn into anything like a handout or inspirational electronic book. I'm doing this project with several gal pals so I'll be updating you guys down the road between editing chapters of my book. My friends love Lulu.com for their paperbacks and hardcovers. My gal pal Alicia recently published her book there. I've been yelling at her to get on Kindle (yeah, this post is partially for you chicka. I want to download it to my Droid so friggin' get busy already! You are the author which means you have to open your own KDP account - LOL).
POINT#2 IT'S FREE TO JOIN AND UPLOAD. YOU ONLY MAKE MONEY IF YOU SELL SOMETHING OF QUALITY AND VALUE.
Why are some of you paying fees for a middle man to get your work on Kindle when you should be getting your own individual Kindle Direct Publishing account on Amazon.com, filing your Copyrights and distributing your product globally KEEPING ALL OF YOUR RIGHTS AND ROYALTIES?
I just spent the day arguing with nice people who paid other people decent money to get them on Kindle.
Duh?
If it's not your editor, agent, CPA or lawyer why are you taking advice from them without looking for a second opinion? This is why I have three writing mentors (so I don't make the same mistakes but new ones - LOL).
Repeat after me: Google is your friend. If you have a question, Google it before you Guru it people. Seriously... After you gain insight into what you don't know then get yourself the professionals of your choice. Going in blind means you're going to possibly spend unnecessary money you could be using towards making your project/product better. ;-)
By the way, this is me getting gossipy like I promised (LOL). I have been chasing writers and reviewing books about to be published while engaged in a little quid pro quo with a lot of people who are waaaaay smarter than I am regarding my novel. Those same people suggested I start publishing those handouts I give away for free at REBarCamp. I have 25 of those among other things (LOL). Remember what I told you about good advice? 16 year olds are publishing good books that are doing well. What is your excuse for not trying? The people who paid for information that I am giving you for free did so because they are trying. ;-)
Knowledge is power people. Get yourself formatted and publication ready for Kindle for free. Try it. Don't do crappy work and embarrass me either (LOL). I want links to good eBooks and iBooks so I can have bloggers bragging rights that Club Chaos bay-bays are not the only Rainers having fun on Amazon, Barnes and Nobles and a bunch of other cookie-bookie places that you can sign limited edition swag at while you make your neighborhood public appearances (LOL).
Oh come on. It's a recession. Why not take a crack at it? I am having mad fun working on some book cover graphics right now so go play journalist with your journals and make some money. I bet I can do something really interesting with the boys regarding our cell phone diaries. I have great shots of the kids doing all sorts of interesting Autism/PDD-NOS guy pie / wee people living life to the fullest moments (LOL). Stephen, the Minion Blur may turn into a 5 year old action figure before I'm through. Can you say graphic novel? ;-)
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Now, there is an income flow that I never even considered. Thanks. Bookmarked for future reference.
Tremendous information, and a must read for all!
Featured in the Group "Whacked!!!"
Suzanne, it's a very cool and useful thing to do. I have 12 people working on projects right now. We're excited about the fact that it also offers royalty programs for purchases on Kindle devices plus apps for iPad, iPhone, iPod touch, PC, Mac, Blackberry, and Android-based devices. If a writer owns the electronic rights to the ebook he or she can use it but if a writer does not own the Copyright they can not self-publish there.
Thank you, Richard. My mentors thought it would be a good idea to publish some of the handouts I've been giving away for the last three and a half years. I am working on creating new cover illustrations for them. :-)
Interesting information. If only I had something worth publishing, I'd take action today.
I love "Google it before you Guru it"
I am going to say "Google it before you Guru it people" today... I never considered this either.... hmmm
C....
Kinda/sorta related: You have probably already read the published conversation between Barry Eisler and Joe Konrath about contracts/self-publishing/monkeys and frogs but if not, it's free on smashwords and definitely worth a read http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/48314
Colleen, we all have something to share. Take your time. I'm going to be talking my girlfriend into doing a cook book. I'll do the photographs for free food (LOL). ;-)
Maureen, Google is my fave search engine. Wolfram my second fave. :-)
Cher, thank you for the link. Will pop over there and tell you what I think as soon as I finish reading it. :-)
Please be forewarned the monkey/frog thing is ... ahem .... X rated. :-)
Hahahahahaaaaaaa! It's 54 pages and I plan on reading each word of it (LOL). I cracked up on page two when his friend joked that it was okay, he liked when he talked dirty to him (LOL). Cher, the site is a real hoot and the interview a fun read. I joined and plan on making great use of it. Amazing bit of information in that interview. ;-)
Also ... I think there are some concepts in there that can relate to how our real estate industry is changing...
Very true. The peasant revolt analogy was very well said. The gatekeepers are indeed losing control. ;-)
Ya know, I printed Barry & Ron's conversation/article on paper (LOL!!) and I've been carrying it around with me and re-reading it over and over.
Which made this thought occur to me: I bet you have a number of interesting conversations with your pals going on about all this stuff that could be also be formatted into great articles for publication.
The back and forth conservation style seems (to me at least) to make the information more interesting and more readable than a straight one-voice article would have been.
Just sayin'.
OMG - Cher, what a marvelous idea. It would be the podcast from the fun side of Hell if I could get my attorney gal pals together for an interview. We do not behave ever so they would probably spend half the conversation making me take stuff off the record (LOL). ;-)
'Just got the copyright certificate for a home-seller's handbook - a compilation of my listing presentation and handouts. 'Found this post as I searched Activerain for folks with experience pusblishing to Kindle. VERY helpful. Much reading ahead for me, before anyone will find me on Kindle, I'm afraid. Maybe expansion, too, since it's "only" about 7,000 words.