Comments on: How I Sold My Book by Giving It Away http://www.openculture.com/2009/05/how_i_sold_my_book_by_giving_it_away.html The best free cultural & educational media on the web Mon, 13 Feb 2012 21:01:48 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Rick http://www.openculture.com/2009/05/how_i_sold_my_book_by_giving_it_away.html#comment-25753 Rick Thu, 01 Dec 2011 05:02:17 +0000 http://www.openculture.com/?p=3648#comment-25753 Thank you Seth Harwood, I've been at this game a little while now and you are confirming what I've started to come to the conclusion of. Develop your own audience, go straight to the people, enjoy the fact that people are reading/listening to your book. Very few people will spend money on an author they're not familiar with or isn't backed by a multi-million dollar marketing campaign, but you passed that hurdle by letting them download it for free and listen on the go. Thank you for your inspiring story, Rick Thank you Seth Harwood,

I’ve been at this game a little while now and you are confirming what I’ve started to come to the conclusion of. Develop your own audience, go straight to the people, enjoy the fact that people are reading/listening to your book.

Very few people will spend money on an author they’re not familiar with or isn’t backed by a multi-million dollar marketing campaign, but you passed that hurdle by letting them download it for free and listen on the go.

Thank you for your inspiring story,
Rick

]]> By: V.V. Denman http://www.openculture.com/2009/05/how_i_sold_my_book_by_giving_it_away.html#comment-15559 V.V. Denman Sun, 14 Nov 2010 01:11:04 +0000 http://www.openculture.com/?p=3648#comment-15559 So interesting and encouraging. I'm just beginning to learn about podcasting and so far I like what I see. This may be the medium I need to push my manuscript into life. Thanks! So interesting and encouraging. I’m just beginning to learn about podcasting and so far I like what I see. This may be the medium I need to push my manuscript into life. Thanks!

]]> By: Bean http://www.openculture.com/2009/05/how_i_sold_my_book_by_giving_it_away.html#comment-15005 Bean Tue, 21 Sep 2010 16:04:20 +0000 http://www.openculture.com/?p=3648#comment-15005 seeking assitance where and how to set up a web-site to sell my short stories by the chapter and audio books thanks bean seeking assitance where and how to set up a web-site to sell my short stories by the chapter and audio books thanks bean

]]> By: G. Ward http://www.openculture.com/2009/05/how_i_sold_my_book_by_giving_it_away.html#comment-6896 G. Ward Mon, 24 Aug 2009 23:35:20 +0000 http://www.openculture.com/?p=3648#comment-6896 I have written my memoir book. of life back in the 30's and 40's. I gave away about 50 books hoping to get feed back on my book. I asked people to rate it 1--10. I only received back six answers. I learned a lesson sell them if you get back the cost to print them then your head of the game. I have written my memoir book. of life back in the 30′s and 40′s. I gave away about 50 books hoping to get feed back on my book. I asked people to rate it 1–10. I only received back six answers. I learned a lesson sell them if you get back the cost to print them then your head of the game.

]]> By: tanya http://www.openculture.com/2009/05/how_i_sold_my_book_by_giving_it_away.html#comment-6065 tanya Thu, 09 Jul 2009 21:05:24 +0000 http://www.openculture.com/?p=3648#comment-6065 i am a new author attempting to self publish a childrens book. i have used printshopm 12 for some graphics. do i need special permission to do this since i will be selling the book. any help is appreciated. i am a new author attempting to self publish a childrens book. i have used printshopm 12 for some graphics. do i need special permission to do this since i will be selling the book. any help is appreciated.

]]> By: tristan http://www.openculture.com/2009/05/how_i_sold_my_book_by_giving_it_away.html#comment-5789 tristan Fri, 26 Jun 2009 22:01:29 +0000 http://www.openculture.com/?p=3648#comment-5789 thanks seth i might start doing that now thanks seth i might start doing that now

]]> By: Seth Harwood http://www.openculture.com/2009/05/how_i_sold_my_book_by_giving_it_away.html#comment-5386 Seth Harwood Mon, 08 Jun 2009 18:38:50 +0000 http://www.openculture.com/?p=3648#comment-5386 John, No, no I guess I don't find it at all surprising that I'm my own best agent/best seller/best advertiser. My problem before I started using podcast though was that even with knowing this I didn't have any tools to use to advertise myself. I had a lot of energy to put into the process, but all I could do was send out agent queries, a process anyone can tell you is thankless and hardly gratifying. So now I have something I can do that feels like it works. It IS gratifying and that keeps me working even harder. I'm currently on my own version of a book tour--in Boston now for a few events after a great reading in NYC--and guess who set it up? Guess who's paying for it? Yes, it's all self-run and self-funded and that's how things are in today's publishing world. I've gotten my dog in the fight now and I'm doing all I can to help it/me "win." Glad you found my story encouraging! Seth John,

No, no I guess I don’t find it at all surprising that I’m my own best agent/best seller/best advertiser. My problem before I started using podcast though was that even with knowing this I didn’t have any tools to use to advertise myself. I had a lot of energy to put into the process, but all I could do was send out agent queries, a process anyone can tell you is thankless and hardly gratifying.

So now I have something I can do that feels like it works. It IS gratifying and that keeps me working even harder.
I’m currently on my own version of a book tour–in Boston now for a few events after a great reading in NYC–and guess who set it up? Guess who’s paying for it?

Yes, it’s all self-run and self-funded and that’s how things are in today’s publishing world. I’ve gotten my dog in the fight now and I’m doing all I can to help it/me “win.”

Glad you found my story encouraging!

Seth

]]> By: Seth Harwood http://www.openculture.com/2009/05/how_i_sold_my_book_by_giving_it_away.html#comment-5385 Seth Harwood Mon, 08 Jun 2009 18:35:00 +0000 http://www.openculture.com/?p=3648#comment-5385 Tristan, On a Mac, it's very easy to put podcasts on a website. I started using their iWeb software, the easiest website software I can imagine (imagine Print Shop for web sites if you're an old-timer like me and remember Print Shop) and there's a feature right in there to upload and use your podcasts. If you're on a PC, you'll want to check out the software at Libsyn.com and recording software called Audacity (freeware). From there, if you include a link in your blog posts to a podcast ep, iTunes can pick it out of the post and will recognize it. So will Feedburner.com. These sites, and a few others, are the backbone of the tools we teach in the Author Boot Camp class. I'm happy to go over more detail at http://authorbootcamp.com and we'll be running an online version of this class in the winter. (with thanks to Dan) That's a really short answer. I'm happy to give more detail as needed. Seth Tristan,
On a Mac, it’s very easy to put podcasts on a website. I started using their iWeb software, the easiest website software I can imagine (imagine Print Shop for web sites if you’re an old-timer like me and remember Print Shop) and there’s a feature right in there to upload and use your podcasts. If you’re on a PC, you’ll want to check out the software at Libsyn.com and recording software called Audacity (freeware). From there, if you include a link in your blog posts to a podcast ep, iTunes can pick it out of the post and will recognize it. So will Feedburner.com.

These sites, and a few others, are the backbone of the tools we teach in the Author Boot Camp class. I’m happy to go over more detail at http://authorbootcamp.com and we’ll be running an online version of this class in the winter. (with thanks to Dan)

That’s a really short answer. I’m happy to give more detail as needed.

Seth

]]> By: John Wiswell http://www.openculture.com/2009/05/how_i_sold_my_book_by_giving_it_away.html#comment-5293 John Wiswell Thu, 04 Jun 2009 05:20:59 +0000 http://www.openculture.com/?p=3648#comment-5293 Mr. Harwood, I truly appreciate you sharing your story - or the story of your story. It's fascinating to hear how new media can help authors sell their work. Do you actually find it surprising that you're your own biggest advertiser? From all the writers I know, it seems even with publishing deals you're still expected to be the commercial tool. Is this not the case for the authors you know? Do you expect your situation to change in the near future? Thank you again for the insightful column, and cheers on your smashing success. Mr. Harwood,

I truly appreciate you sharing your story – or the story of your story. It’s fascinating to hear how new media can help authors sell their work.

Do you actually find it surprising that you’re your own biggest advertiser? From all the writers I know, it seems even with publishing deals you’re still expected to be the commercial tool. Is this not the case for the authors you know? Do you expect your situation to change in the near future?

Thank you again for the insightful column, and cheers on your smashing success.

]]> By: tristan http://www.openculture.com/2009/05/how_i_sold_my_book_by_giving_it_away.html#comment-5278 tristan Wed, 03 Jun 2009 13:05:34 +0000 http://www.openculture.com/?p=3648#comment-5278 I have been writing books for about three years now and i have finished one book and im on my second im just wondering if u have a website how do you get podcasts on your website I have been writing books for about three years now and i have finished one book and im on my second im just wondering if u have a website how do you get podcasts on your website

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