Tag: #writing

Are you ready to celebrate the holidays?

Published on by Jean M. Cogdell8 Comments

Got all your shopping done?

Are you a planner or one of those last-minute grab and go type of shoppers?

If you’re like me and fall somewhere in the middle better hit the stores soon. Thank goodness for Amazon!

My shopping is almost complete. Only a couple more to find and a couple more I’m waiting on to be delivered.

But if you’re still looking for a great gift, remember books give all year-long! 

 

I hope however you celebrate this time of year, your holiday is filled with joy and wonder.

So, I’m not going to flood your inbox with posts you probably have little time to read. You’ll still hear from me, from time to time. Because I’m going to give myself a few days off around Christmas. But don’t you worry, I’ll be back with lots of energy and more stuff after the hustle and bustle of the holidays wind down.

I’d love to know…

More shopping to do? Or all finished?

Do you have any special plans for the holidays? 

 

I HOPE YOU’LL TAKE A MINUTE TO FOLLOW ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA, JUST CLICK ON THE BUTTONS BELOW. I’LL LEAVE A LIGHT ON.

    

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Do you think Bestseller lists have lost value?

Published on by Jean M. Cogdell6 Comments

Do you know what it means to be a bestselling author?

Well, for one thing, it may no longer mean a lot of books were sold. Think about that for a minute.

These questions, plus a few more, bounced around in my mind after reading a blog post on the Texas Authors website. (If you live in Texas be sure and check out this great organization.) Now back to the blog post that caught my attention.

Does Anybody Know What a Bestseller Is? By John Maher, with reporting by Rachel Deahl and Claire Kirch | Nov 03, 2017

The post pointed out something I’m sure most of us have noticed or read about, an overabundance of categories and subcategories on Amazon. You name it and the giant e-tailer most probably has a subcategory for the subject. Under Art & Photography, I counted 17 subcategories, one named Vehicle Pictorials. 

Before the gold rush of ebooks, there were two main categories for bestselling books—fiction and non-fiction. These two categories were broken down further into three major print formats—hardcover, trade paperback, and mass market paperback. The simplicity of this system made for easy tracking of bestselling books.

But then came ebooks, a new fourth category, and sold online. Online sales aren’t monitored or cataloged by brick-n-mortar stores, therefore, sales are not tracked in the same manner as print books.

 

While Amazon reports print sales, provided by Nielsen BookScan, it does not, for the most part, disclose sales of e-books. This sales number also does not include, sales to libraries, purchases by wholesalers such as Ingram, sales of used books, fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) sales or pre-orders—orders for a book before the book is released.

 

So who provides the most reliable guide for a bestseller list?

From John Maher’s article, I learned…

  • The two most transparent and reliable tracking organizations are:
    • NPD BookScan’s  and PW (Publishers Weekly) point-of-sale data, tracks 80%–85% of print sales in the country, but there again doesn’t (or can’t) track ebooks. Which, although good, provides an incomplete overall view.
  • Due to the number of lists, and Amazon’s decision not to share its e-book sales figures, it’s next to impossible identify what the top-selling books are across all formats in a particular week.
  • Which Bestseller lists carry weight with bookstores and readers?
  • I know it would stoke my ego, but having a book dubbed a “Bestseller” may not always translate into sales. Not like in the past. But what does translate into sales are:
    • Good reviews, coverage in high-profile media, and word-of-mouth.

Okay! I’ve got a few questions for you…

Do you think the term “Bestseller” or Bestselling Author” has become watered down by Amazon?

Do you believe it helps book sales? Print or ebook?

Did you know Amazon doesn’t report ebook sales?

Have you been disappointed after buying a book listed as a “Bestselling Novel?” (I have.)

Want to read more on the subject? Click on these posts!

Behind the Scam: What Does It Take to Be a ‘Best-Selling Author’? $3 and 5 Minutes.  By 

How Many Books Do You Need To Sell To Become A Bestseller?

I HOPE YOU’LL TAKE A MINUTE TO FOLLOW ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA, JUST CLICK ON THE BUTTONS BELOW. I’LL LEAVE A LIGHT ON.

    

Which social media sends you the most readers?

Published on by Jean M. Cogdell8 Comments

Is WordPress Reader, Google, Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, Flipboard, or Twitter the best choice?

Or how about Reddit, StumbleUpon, Medium, or a market I’ve yet to discover? Seems a new one pops up every day. So how do we discover which is best for our blog?

Do you have a favorite you search engine? 

Okay, Bloggers hold on to your hat! Deep diving for answers today. 

All of these questions were rolling around in my head this past weekend and got me to thinking…

Am I wasting my time on the wrong platforms? Should I concentrate on just one or two and not spread myself like mayonnaise on bread.

Time for research. Which translates into dropping down the ole rabbit hole.

The first place I started, of course, was the Stats page in WordPress. But that was just a starting point. You can see from my image, according to WordPress, most of my referrers come from WordPress Readers.

But, does that tell me how readers actually discovered Jean’s Writing? I’m not sure. The term “referrer” is referencing online sources – specifically sites or services that the referring page or link clicked on to get to my site. Clear as mud, right?

Look at this section on your STATS page to get a better idea of how many people are seeing your blog.  Below is how many views, visitors, likes and comments made to my blog.

However, that still doesn’t let me know which social media gets me the most bang for my time.

So, I did a little more digging.

Another great source is Google Analytics. Takes a little while to set it up but once you do you can see which social site is sending the most people to your website. I set up my account last year but hadn’t checked on it since. So, I headed over to see what was what.

Holy Cow! Google Analytics had zero stats for my website. Please don’t judge me too harshly. Because I’m embarrassed to tell you, I’d forgotten one very important step. The freaking Accept button. You know that button that says you agree to terms, yadda, yadda yadda…  

 

So y’all tell me…

How do you figure out all this stuff?

Or do you just go with the flow and not worry about who or how?

Do you concentrate on one social media outlet more than another?

Which social media do you think helps your blog the best?

Want to read more about which social media is sending visitors to your website? Click on the links below.

Who is Driving Visits to Your Site

What social media channels drive the most traffic to your website?

WordPress Stats

How to See Which Social Media Platforms Are Sending You the Most Traffic

I HOPE YOU’LL TAKE A MINUTE TO FOLLOW ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA, JUST CLICK ON THE BUTTONS BELOW. I’LL LEAVE A LIGHT ON.

    

 

How to avoid the danger of a lawsuit

Published on by Jean M. Cogdell3 Comments

Get it in writing!

Are you in danger of being sued?

Don’t take a chance! Read the fine print and know what you’re signing.

One of my favorite bloggers, Jane Friedman, has provided us with much-needed information for writers.  Who to contact, when we need to contact someone, and how to get permission. Are there any fees involved?

Don’t let your hard work get tied up with a lawsuit.

When in doubt, get permission.

Click the link below, and read her very important post.

What did you think? Learn something new?

Have you ever sought permission from someone?

Have you ever been issued a cease order or been sued?

I’d love to hear your thoughts on her article. Leave me a comment.

A Basic Guide to Getting Permissions + Sample Permissions Letter By Jane Friedman

I HOPE YOU’LL TAKE A MINUTE TO FOLLOW ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA, JUST CLICK ON THE BUTTONS BELOW. I’LL LEAVE A LIGHT ON.